Nasso 5777

Sponsored in loving memory of Victor Brown z”l Avigdor ben Shalom Avraham z”l

Service Times Shabbat Kabbalat Shabbat

19:30

(Candle Lighting)

19:45

Shacharit

09:15

Leining

10:15

Mincha & Seudah

21:30

Shabbat Ends

22:44

g n i h t e Som e n o y r e v for E

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Parshat Nasso 8 Sivan 5777 2 June 2017

Weekday

Security team: Red

Page No.s Artscroll Gutnick Hertz

Leining

Haftarah

748 876 586

1181 1446 602

Shacharit

Mincha & Ma’ariv

Sun

09:00

19:30

Mon

07:00

19:30

Tues

07:00

19:30

Wed

07:00

19:30

Thur

07:00

19:30

Fri

07:00

19:30*

Our Parasha juxtaposes two topics; the pro-

Like Adam and Chava, the Sotah process

19:50

cess of investigating adultery (the Sotah),

is about someone suspected of yielding to

and the laws concerning a Nazir – some-

temptation. We need to understand that

one who vows not to drink wine or cut

even in the absence of actual betrayal, we

his hair. Such juxtaposition in the Torah is

must avoid social interaction with a per-

never considered random. The Gemara tells

son of the other gender in a way that is

us broadly speaking, that anyone who has

inappropriate or makes our loved one feel

witnessed marital breakup manifest in the

uncomfortable. This explains the Gemara’s

process of Sotah would immediately take a

assertion that someone who witnessed the

vow to abstain from wine. How so?

Sotah process would be inspired to reject

Candle Lighting * Mincha & Kabbalat Shabbat

Chayim Arukim

to Jeremy Hart on the loss of his brother, and to all those who have Yahrzeit this week as follows Sun

Anita Rubin Debbie Isaacs

Father Father

5 June 11 Sivan

Marsha Gee

Father

Thurs

Bill Lister Michael Lister

Mother Mother

9 June 15 Sivan

Craig Feldman

Sister

‫שבת‬

Jonathan Berens Alan Segal Mark Saperia Wendy Knopf

Father Father Mother Sister

4 June 10 Sivan

Mon

8 June 14 Sivan

Fri

10 June 16 Sivan

Mazaltov to

Joanne & Craig Feldman on Claudia’s engagement to Joel Barnett.

Thought For The Week Staying Faithful

It is not hard to understand the association. Alcohol amongst other things, tends to reduce inhibitions and the results can

Adam did when he accepted the forbidden fruit.

lead to marital devastation. However, the

This message has never been more relevant

Zohar points out that the Nazir undertakes

today. We live in challenging times for the

to abstain not only from alcoholic wine but

institution of marriage and when we learn

also the non-alcoholic fruits and seeds of

from each other’s mistakes, we strengthen

the grapevine. This is because, according

our own resolve not to repeat them.

Vicky & Darryl Lee and to Sonya Lee on Katie’s engagement to Josh Hearne.

to some, the Tree of Knowledge of Good

Eli & Oryah Portnoy and to Rabbi Joel & Ruthie on the birth of a daughter and granddaughter.

the Garden of Eden was a grapevine. It was

Clare & Mark Savinson and Esther Savinson on Joshua’s marriage to Susie Cohen this weekend.

the fruit of the vine; thereby undoing what

Rabbi Joel Portnoy

and Evil from which Adam and Chava ate in their inability to resist temptation which led them to stray from their divinely ordained path.

Shabbat Weather AM Showers 17o High 9o Overnight Low

Parsha

verview

First Aliyah - 17 verses The Levite familes of Gershon and Merari receive their roles in the transportation of the Mishkan. A final count is given of the Levite Kehat family - those between the ages of thirty and fifty: 2,750.

Second Aliyah - 12 verses The total for the Gershon family: 2,630. The Merari family: 3,200.

Thus the grand total of Levites eligible to transport the Mishkan and its vessels: 8,580.

Third Aliyah - 10 verses With G-d’s presence gracing the Mishkan, He instructs the Jewish people to banish certain ritually impure individuals from their encampments. Most of them were only barred from entering the Mishkan area. Only one who suffered from tzara’at (“leprosy”) was sent out of the general encampment. This section also discusses the mitzvah to verbally confess one’s sins, and a person’s right to select a priest of his liking to whom to give the various required priestly gifts.

Fourth Aliyah - 48 verses This rather lengthy section contains three concepts: 1) The ceremony for the sotah, a suspected adulteress. 2) The laws of an individual who vows to be a Nazirite.

3) The priestly blessings.

Fifth Aliyah - 41 verses On the day when the Tabernacle was inaugurated, the tribal leaders wished to bring inauguration gifts. As representative of their respective tribes, they wished to offer individual gifts and offering.

G-d instructs Moses to accept these gifts, and each day one of the leaders brought their gifts.

Although each leader brought identical gifts, the Torah describes each one individually.

S L E W

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This week we examine the details of the Nazirite Oath

Grape Expectations A person who wishes to take a vow of Nazirut must follow the laws enumerated in this week’s parsha.

These laws really belong in the code of voluntary vows taken by individuals, found at the end of the Book of Bamidbar. One reason why they are placed here is that the Torah wished to juxtapose this subject with that of the sotah in order to suggest that witnessing a sotah’s disgrace which is brought about by immoderate drinking leading to immorality, should influenbce one to vow to abstain from wine.

Sixth Aliyah - 30 verses This section continues describing the tribal leaders’ gifts.

A person who commits to observing a period of nazirut is bound to the duration of the term (a minimum of thirty days), and must refrain from drinking wine and all grape derivatives, cutting their hair, and coming into contact with the dead.

Seventh Aliyah - 18 verses The gifts of all the leaders are added up and the totals given.

Why would someone wish to become a nazir?

The Levi’im had no retirement age for working in the Temple.

Delve into the deeper side of Judaism

It may be due to a particular experience caused by the harmful influence of wine. It may stem from his conviction that it would be

beneficial for him to abstain from worldly pleasures. He may feel that he is preoccupied with the fulfillment of his physical desires, and he therefore cannot concentrate on Torah study and doing mitzvot. Only some drastic step to alter his habits, causing him to abstain from his usual pleasures, will change him.

He therefore vows to observe these restrictions in the short term, to moti-

The best precaution against sinning is to distance onself from any temptation. vate him in other areas for the long term.

Since wine can cause a person to lose clarity of mind, there is a strong connection between consuming alcohol and immoral behaviour. Therefore, it is prohibited during the nazirite term. There is even a prohibition to consume any derivatives of grapes, and is even restricted from walking through vineyards.

Moreover, he will come to

take greater care at parties and special events. This will train him to find time for introspection.

This is one of the sources for the Sage’s principle that the best precuation against sinning is to distance oneself from any temptation.

The purpose of a haircut is to make a person look handsome. By letting his hair grow long, and then shaving it completely at the end of the term, is to encourage the nazir to banish all thoughts of beautifying his body.

The reason for avoiding contact with dead bodies is because any person who sanctifies himself, is rewarded with additional holiness from Heaven.

Hashem grants the nazir a level of holiness similar to a Kohen Gadol. Just as the High Priest may not contaminate himself with spiritual impurity even for his closest relatives, so too, the nazir is forbidden to contaminate himself .

Based on ‘The Midrash Says’

by Rabbi M. Weiss

If you would like to share your words of wisdom, please submit your article of no more than 500 words to nick@hale-community.org.uk

Parsha Stats Nasso is the 35th of 54 sedras 2nd of 10 in Bamidbar Written on 311 lines in a Torah 176 verses - ranks 1st (1st in Bamidbar) 2264 words - ranks 1st (1st in Bamidbar) 8632 letters - ranks 1st (1st in Bamidbar)

Did You Know This week’s parsha is the longest parsha in the Torah.

Only 18 mitzvot are mentioned in this week’s parsha; 7 positive mitzvot and 11 prohibitions.

This week’s parsha has 176 verses. The longest chapter in Tehillim (Chapter 119) has 176 verses. The longest book of the Talmud (Bava Batra) has 176 pages!

The Rambam does not count Teshuva (Repentance) as one of the 613 mitzvot because repentance is a factor that underpins to every single mitzvah, as a remedy for their violation.

Tip #31 Inside and Out

TEFILLAH TIPS

After the morning blessings, there are two paragraphs where we declare a profound and succinct declaration of basic Jewish faith and loyalty to G-d. We express a joyous pride in our Jewishness, which sustains at all times of our lives.

At its crux, is our commitment to intellectual honesty, to conduct ourselves in consistent manner, and not just ‘putting on a show’ or observing in order to ‘fit in.

Ultimately, a relationship is only as strong as the one who wants it the least. Therefore, we declare the need for a person to fear G-d both publicly and privately.

Some people behave piously when in the view of others, but not when they are unseen. Others are ashamed to do observe in public, but will happily do things at home. A Jew must strive to be consistent whatever his surroundings.

The name of Hashem is erased in water as part of the Sotah process, to reveal whether a wife was unfaithful. Hashem allows the erasure of His name to emphasise the lengths one must go to preserve peace in a marriage.

Just For Fun Question: Where do Nazirites go to university?

Answer: Hairvard!

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EDUCATION

In The Spotlight Shavuot 2017

The beautiful weather ensured that this year’s Shavuot programmes were tremendously enjoyable and successful.

On Tuesday night, nearly 70 people took part in the packed ‘Tikkun Leil’ allnight learning schedule, run, which included pearls of wisdom from several members. We are grateful to them for sharing ideas that were most meaningful to them.

On Wednesday, the focus was primarily on our children and young families.

The children stood around ‘Mount Sinai’ for the reading of the 10 Commandments.

Also, around 20 recently born babies received a special blessing from Rabbi Portnoy, and there was an outdoor Kiddush in the sunshine.

Shule was bustling again on Thursday, for the Ladies Guild kiddunch, which was kindly hosted by Jennifer and David Zucker in honour of their Ruby Wedding Anniversary, and later in the day, Elisheva Bloch led a learning programme for the ladies.

We are grateful to all those who organised the programmes, including Michelle Sallon and the Ladies Guild, for their hard work, and Suzanne Cobb and Jennifer Zucker for the stunning flower arrangements in Shule.

Kiddushim

If you would like to sponsor an edition of ‘Something For Everyone’, in honour of a simcha or for a yahrzeit, or for any reason, please contact the Shule office on 0161 980 8846 or admin@hale-community.org.uk

3 June Unsponsored 10 June Unsponsored 17 June Maxine & Stuart Marks