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Issue Number: 620 London Zmanim Shabbos In: 07:59 Shabbos Out: 09:16 Sof Zman Krias Shema: 14:03/19:18
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The Torah tells us about the setting up of the Mishkan, and the order that Moshe had to put down all the utensils, and says: ת־ק ָר ָָ֔שיו ְׁ ֶ‘ ַו ָּ֨ ָיקֶ ם מ ֶֶֹׁ֜שה אֶ ת־הַ ִּמ ְׁשכָָּ֗ ן וַיִּ ֵּתן֙ אֶ ת־א ֲָד ָ֔ ָניו ַו ָ֙י ֶש ֙ם א )81,04( ’מּודיו׃ ָֽ ָ ַיחיו וַיָ ֵּ֖ ָּ֖קֶ ם אֶ ת־ע ָ֑ ָ ת־ב ִּר ְׁ ֶוַיִּ ֵּ ֵּ֖תן א ‘Moshe set up the Mishkan, placing its sockets, setting up its planks, inserting its bars, and erecting its posts.’ The next possukim go on to describe a multitude of other tasks that Moshe did to set up the Mishkan. If you look carefully at the possukim, you will notice a pattern of a verb, followed by a noun, for every part that he set up: ת־אֲד ָ֔ ָניו ָ ֶ וַיִּ ֵּתן֙ א- he set up )verb) its planks )noun). This is a pattern that repeats up until possuk ‘כט. There, the possuk says - וְׁאֵּ ֙ת ִּמזְׁ ַ ַּ֣בח הָ ֹע ָָ֔לה ָָׂ֕שם “ – ל־מֹועד ָ֑ ֵּ ֶ ֶ ֵּ֖פ ַתח ִּמ ְׁש ַכַּ֣ן ָֹֽאהthe alter of burnt offerings, he placed, at the entrance to the Ohel Moed.” Here the noun, the “alter”, was placed before the verb, that Moshe “put”. Why here, of all places, does the Torah place the noun before the verb, rather than saying “Vayasem moshe es mizbeach haolah bepesach ohel moed” – “and Moshe placed the altar of offerings in the entrance to the Ohel Moed,” keeping to the
DVAR TORAH
TECHNICALITIES Rafael Hackenbroch format it has used until now? This is a question raised by the Netziv.
You can answer this with another question: The Torah describes the Mishkan’s utensils in the following order: Aron, Shulchan, Menorah, Mizbeach Hakatores, Mizbeach Hazahav, Masach Hapesach, Mizbeach Haolah. This seems to be going in the order from most inside to outside the Kodesh Hakadoshim. However, the Kiyor is mentioned last, when really it should come before the Mizbeach Haolah? Reb Chaim Brisk learns from this that when the possuk earlier on in Sefer Shemos says that the Kiyor should be placed between the Mizbeach and the Ohel Moed, it means that it can only be placed there after the Mizbeach is in place. That is why the possuk here says that Moshe had to place the Mizbeach first, as the Mizbeach must physically be there before you put down the Kiyor! That is why the Mizbeach Haolah has the noun before the verb, as really the Mizbeach is not being put down in the correct time, but rather being put down early, as only after you put down the Mizbeach, can you put down the Kiyor! Good Shabbos
Ben Sinclair The Rambam, was an accomplished physician, personally attending the Sultan of Egypt and his family. He was not the only doctor in the palace, but the Rambam was the Sultan's favourite, and this provoked much envy and jealousy. His rivals lost no opportunity to devise schemes and plots to discredit the Rambam in the eyes of his royal employer, but the Sultan was not fooled by the wicked plots. With each failed scheme, the Rambam rose even higher in the Sultan's estimation. The Rambam's detractors never rested in their attempts. Finally, the Sultan exploded in anger. "You charlatans never give up! How many times will you come to me with your foolish stories and ridiculous claims against ben Maimon? This time I challenge you to prove that you are superior to the Jewish doctor!" The physicians left elated, confident that they would surely find a way to finally ruin the hated Jew. The following day they appeared at the appointed hour at the royal palace, an unknown man in tow. "This man, your Excellency, has been blind from birth, and we, Sire, will cure him before your eyes! Ben Maimon surely cannot perform this feat, but we can do it!"
The Sultan smirked at these words. "Liars! It is patently impossible to cure someone who has been blind from birth!" At that, one of the physicians stepped forward and with a flourish, he applied a layer of salve to the man's eyes. Everyone stood staring at the man, waiting to see some sign of a cure. Could it really happen that a blind man would see? The silence was broken by the man's joyous cries, "I can see! I can see!" But before a word was spoken, the Rambam flashed a scarf before the man's eyes. "What colour is this handkerchief?" he asked. The man responded in a victorious tone, "It is red!" "Aha!" said the Rambam with a smile. "The fraud is obvious! A blind man cannot possible identify colours, which he has never before seen!" The Sultan rose from his seat and exultantly clasped the Rambam's hand, exclaiming, "How could I have believed them for a moment!" The group of deceitful physicians quickly left the room, praying the Sultan would not punish them in his anger.
Chaim Russell If one is in prison-or in a concentration camp -without hope of release and he suddenly is taken out as an innocent man, such as when the American army liberated the camps, he has experienced a techiyas hameisim-like event. However, while this event is an example of the chessed of HaKodosh Barach Hu, there is no guarantee that this person will never again lose his freedom. Rabbi Schwab pointed out in the bracha of “elokai neshama” that in our daily cycle of sleeping and awakening we experience something of a miracle of techiyas hameisim daily. While
Insights
אתה דבור- שמונה עשרה מתיר אסורים
STORY
THE RAMBAM AND THE BLIND MAN
we are asleep, our consciousness leaves us and, upon awakening, it returns. In fact, Chazal say in brachos that sleeping is one sixtieth of death. The very fact that we wake up in the morning is an act of techiyas hameisim. Therefore, if one forgot to say “elokai neshama”, even if he didn’t have intention in Shemoneh Esrei, he doesn’t need to say it later, as he has affirmed his emunah in this brochah of techiyas hameisim. These phrases in this brochah show the Chesed of HaKodosh Barach Hu in this world which are limitless, and are mei'ein Olam Haba.
HALACHA
Halachos of Brochos Avi Liebert
Halachos of זימון & ברכת המזון על הכוס
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One may use wine or any drink which is frequently consumed at a meal in that location. What is considered eating together? Some say that tea or coffee can be used in a • When 3 )or 01) people sit at one table, country like the UK. However, Sefardi poskim they can make a זימוןeven though they eat hold that only wine may be used. their own food. If they sit at separate tables, • One should avoid using a disposable cup they cannot join to make a זימון. However, the as it is not respectful; if there is no other cup, it poskim say that if they are at separate tables may be used. only because there is not enough room, they • The inside and outside of the cup should may still make זימון. For example, at a large be rinsed beforehand. After this, the cup wedding- where the guests sit at different ta- should be filled with wine and given to the bles- they join to make זימון. leader with both hands. When the leader be• Three people who ate together on a plane gins, he should raise the cup a ) טאחabout 9 centimetres) above the table, using his right or a ship join to make a זימון. However, in a moving car/bus, there is a doubt as to whether hand only and continue to look at the wine. they can join to make a זימון. The difference is • Ideally, the leader should drink a revi’is of that for זימון, they must all stay eating in one wine after ברכת המזוןis finished. If this is not location; in a plane or ship, we view it as if they possible, another member of the זימוןwho had are stationary, and the air/water is moving intention to be covered with the הדאןof the under them. leader, may drink the revi’is. Even in this case, it is preferable for the leader to drink a bit of Leaving Early the wine before giving it to the other member. • If one knows that one will have to leave • After drinking the wine, one should send before the rest have made a זימון, one should the remainder to one’s wife and also to the make sure to neither start eating nor finish other members of the meal. eating with the rest of the group. If this is not Translated from the sefer ) וזאת הברכהwritten by Rav possible, one should say, before washing one’s Alexander Mendelbaum) hands, that one does not want to properly join For a final Pesak please speak to your Rav. the rest of the group; this can only be used when it is strictly necessary. If there is a very pressing need and one did not say the above condition, one may say ברכת המזוןalone, as Editorial Team: long as the others have not finished. Avi Liebert • Chaim Russell • Ben Sinclair Benjy Hart • Biny Bloom • Benjy Blum
ברכת המזוןwith a כוס • It is a mitzvah, when making a זימון, to say ברכת המזוןover a cup of wine as it is respectful to praise Hashem over a cup as the possuk says כוס ישועות אשא ובשם ה’ אקרא. Please do not read during חש“ץ וקריאת התורה,קדש
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