n PARACHAT HOUKAT ET PARACHAT BALAK
4 JUILLET 2020/ 12 TAMMUZ 5780
JEUNE DU 17 TAMMUZ (CHIVAA ASSAR BETAMMUZ)
LE JEUDI 9 JUILLET : DÉBUT 3 :30 AM / FIN 9 :21 PM
BON ANNIVERSAIRE À :
Jocelyne Setton, Samara Sayegh, Ariel Helwani et Léon Mosseri
Sans oublier nos chers voisins du sud : Happy 4th of July
A propos de la réouverture de la Synagogue Spanish&Portuguese
Il n’y a que le sanctuaire Mashaal qui a été aménagé pour les prières à partir du Shabbat 11 juillet.
Donc, les 40-45 personnes qui seront admises après leur inscription et approbation, se dirigeront d’une manière pré-déterminée vers le sanctuaire principal tout en respectant toutes les consignes qui leurs seront imposées.
La direction fait tout son possible afin de veiller à la sécurité et au bien-être de tout le monde qui entre à la synagogue.
Dans ce bulletin :
Points principaux et parachiot en bref, Eclipse lunaire,La faute de Moché et Aaron, Le jeune du 17 Tammuz, les 3 semaines de semi-deuil, What difference between Bilam and other prophets, What modern medical symbolcomesfromParachatHoukat, HaftaratHoukat, Quiz on Houkat and Balak, Proverbes en français and in english
Le sourire du Chabbat / The shabbat smile
Nous sommes déconfiné mais le virus est toujours présent
Portez les masques et gardez vos distances
Houkat-Balak - en bref
Nombres 19, 2 - 25, 9
Les lois de la vache rousse, dont les cendres purifient celui qui s’est trouvé au contact d’un cadavre, sont enseignées à Moïse.
Apres 40 années de voyages dans le désert le peuple arrive dans le désert de Tsin. Myriam décède et les puits miraculeux qui accompagnait les Enfants d'Israël par son mérite disparaît. Le peuple réclame de l’eau. D.ieu indique à Moïse de commander à un rocher d'en donner. Troublé par l’attitude du peuple, Moïse frappe la pierre et l’eau en jaillit. Mais D.ieu lui annonce que ni lui ni Aaron n’entreront en Terre Promise.
Aaron décède à Hor Hahar et son fils Elazar lui succède comme Grand Prêtre.
Des serpents venimeux attaquent le camp après qu’une fois encore le peuple ait « parlé contre D.ieu et contre Moïse ».
D.ieu demande à Moïse de placer un serpent d’airain en haut d’un mat : ceux qui auront été mordus le regarderont et vivront.
Le peuple entonne un chant en l’honneur du miraculeux bienfait de l’eau jaillie au coeur du désert. Moïse conduit le peuple à des batailles contre les rois Emorite, Si’hon et Og (qui veulent interdire la traversée de leur territoire). Leurs terres, situées à l’est du Jourdain sont ainsi conquises.
Balak, roi de Moab, demande au prophète Bilaam de maudire le peuple d’Israël. En chemin, ce dernier est admonesté par son âne qui voit un ange, envoyé par D.ieu pour les arrêter.
Cependant Bilaam, se postant successivement en trois lieux, tente de lancer ses malédictions. Chaque fois, au lieu de malédictions, c’est une bénédiction qu’il profère. Enfin, il prophétise sur la fin des temps et la venue du Messie.
Le peuple se laisse attirer par les filles de Moab qui les incitent à servir l’idole Peor. Quand un israélite de haut rang s’isole ouvertement avec une princesse midianite dans une tente, Pin’has tue le couple, mettant fin à la plaie qui sévit parmi le peuple.
Les points principaux :
- Lois de la vache rousse. Quelques lois de pureté rituelleLa mort de Myriam et la disparition du puits-Moché et Aharon fautent aux eaux de MérivaHachem décrète la mort de Moché dans le désertAharon décède sur Hor HaharAmalek attaque le peuple d’IsraëlL’épisode du serpent de cuivre Les miracles sur les rives de l’ArnonLe chant de louange pour le puits de Myriam
Balak, roi de Moab, demande au prophète Bilaam de maudire le peuple d’Israël
Penumbral Lunareclipse
Saturday night into Sunday morning we can stand outside to witness God’s amazing universe and watch the universe testify to His greatness. The eclipse will begin at 11:07pm and last until 1:52am NY time. The best time to observe it will be at 12:30am at the peak, although you will want to see it evolving from before that time. This eclipse is a penumbral eclipse. That means that the Earth will not be blocking the light of the sun from the moon, rather the moon will simply pass into the shadow of the Earth but not behind the Earth itself. The Moon, Earth and Sun will be aligned but imperfectly. The Earth has an umbra (the main central shadow) and a penumbra (extended shadow) and the moon will pass into the penumbra, somewhat darkening and coloring the moon. Unless you are a flat-Earther this all makes perfect sense and is a great testament to the amazing planets and mons and stars that God created.
As a reminder all Lunar eclipses occur at mid-month of the Hebrew month, when it is a full moon and all occur at midnight. All Solar eclipses occur on Rosh Hodesh or at new moon.
While you are out at night this month look for Jupiter and Saturn. They will be particularly bright this month and easy to spot. They will be approaching their closest location on their orbits to Earth (opposition). Jupiter reaches opposition on July 14 and Saturn on July 20.
Finally, on the night of July 28 into 29 (around 1am) the Alpha Capricornids and the southern Delta Aquarids meteor showers will peak. All the above can be seen without a telescope. One will see about one meteor every 3 minutes in perfect conditions. So, one needs to lie down and stare at the sky for a while. Don’t make a wish upon a star, that would be Oved KochachimUmazalot. But do contemplate the awesomeness of the universe that God created. Ma Rabu Ma’asecha
-Moché et Aharon fautent aux eaux de Mériva
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ll existe une abondante littérature sur la faute commise par Moïse, ayant consisté à frapper le rocher d’où devait jaillir l’eau au lieu de lui parler. Cette littérature a été admirablement résumée par le rabbin Elie MUNK ( La voix de la Torah vol. IV, p. 199 et suiv.) :
Tous nos commentateurs se demandent quelle fut la faute de Moïse. La disproportion parait énorme entre l’erreur d’avoir frappé le rocher, au lieu de lui parler, et la sanction très grave prise contre Moïse. On lit en effet dans la Thora que c’est à cause de ce péché que Moïse et Aaron furent condamnés à mourir avant l’entrée dans le Pays : « Parce que vous avez désobéi à Ma parole lors de la querelle de la communauté, au lieu de Me sanctifier devant eux par les eaux » (Nbr. XXVII, 14); et, au sujet de la mort de Moïse, il est dit : « Parce que vous avez péché contre Moi au milieu des enfants d’Israël, près des eaux de Meriba à Qadech, dans le désert de Sin, en ne Me sanctifiant pas au milieu des enfants d’Israël ». Il arrive également que la faute de Moïse soit imputée aux enfants d’Israël : « Le Seigneur était irrité contre moi à cause de vous. » . Dans les Psaumes, on explique plus clairement : « Ils suscitèrent le courroux divin aux eaux de Meriba, et il advint du mal à Moïse à cause d’eux ; car ils furent rebelles à l’esprit de Dieu et Ses lèvres prononcèrent l’arrêt » (106, 32 et 33).
C’est d’abord Maïmonide qui expose, au quatrième de ses Huit Chapitres, que Moïse avait péché en se laissant aller à la colère et en insultant Israël : « Ecoutez, ô rebelles ! » : Un homme tel que Moïse ne doit pas se laisser emporter par le courroux contre la communauté d’Israël ; chez un homme de cette qualité, cela frise la profanation du Saint Nom.
Mais Na’hmanide s’attaque vigoureusement à cette théorie : « L’une des réponses les plus satisfaisantes est celle de Rabbi ‘Hanan’el; selon lui, le péché se trouve dans l’expression : « nous allons vous faire jaillir de l’eau », alors que Moïse aurait dû déclarer : « l’Eternel vous fera jaillir de l’eau »; il se peut que le peuple attribué à la sagesse de Moïse et d’Aaron le pouvoir de faire couler de l’eau, ce qui justifierait le reproche : « Vous ne M’avez pas sanctifié au milieu des enfants d’Israël ».
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Historiquement, les "Trois Semaines" entre le 17 Tamouz et TishaBeav furent des jours de malheur et de calamité pour le Peuple juif. C’est durant cette période que furent détruits le Premier et Second Temple, et que se produisirent d’autres tragédies.
On appelle ces jours la période "entre d’étroits défilés" (beinhametzarim), selon le verset: "Ses persécuteurs, tous ensemble, l’ont atteint dans les étroits défilés." (Lamentations 1:3).
Durant ces jours, divers aspects de deuil sont observés par la Nation toute entière. Nous minimisons la joie et les occasions festives – nous ne célébrons pas de mariages, nous n'écoutons pas de musique, nous ne nous coupons pas les cheveux et ne nous rasons pas. Les expressions de deuil s’intensifient encore davantage à l’approche du jour de TishaBeav.
- Nous ressentons plus profondément, plus intensément l'attribut du jugement divin ("Din"), et évitons par conséquent toute situation potentiellement périlleuse ou tout endroit susceptible de se révéler dangereux.
- Le jour de Chabbat durant ces trois semaines, nous lisons des Haftarot tirées des textes d'Isaïe et de Jérémie relatant la destruction du Temple et l'exil du Peuple juif.
- Revenir sur ces événements douloureux et nous lamenter sur les tragédies qui frappèrent notre Peuple, nous aident à nous motiver pour vaincre nos déficiences spirituelles, les mêmes en fait que celles qui provoquèrent ces terribles événements. Grâce au processus de «Techouva», c’est-à-dire par l’introspection et une décision délibérée de nous améliorer- nous avons le pouvoir de transformer une tragédie en joie. En fait, le Talmud nous dit que, après la délivrance future d'Israël et la reconstruction du Temple, ces mêmes jours seront transformés en jours de joie et de fête.
- On raconte que Napoléon se promenait un jour de TishaBeav dans les rues de Paris lorsqu’il passa devant une synagogue. Il entendit des pleurs et des lamentations. "Que se passe t-il donc ?" demanda Napoléon. Un de ses aides lui expliqua que les Juifs portaient le deuil de leur temple détruit. «Quand est-ce arrivé?" voulut savoir Napoléon. L'aide lui répondit "Il y a environ 1700 ans." Napoléon s’exclama alors: «Un peuple qui pleure la perte de son temple depuis si longtemps, méritera sans nul doute de le voir reconstruit!"
- 17 Tamouz
Le 17 Tamouz marque le début d'une période de 3 semaines de deuil. C’est un jour de jeûne qui commémore la chute de Jérusalem, précédant la destruction du Temple. Le jour du 17 Tamouz, il est interdit de manger ou de boire de l'aube jusqu'au crépuscule. (Lorsque ce jour coïncide avec le Chabbat, le jeûne est repoussé jusqu'à dimanche.)
Cinq grandes catastrophes de l’histoire juive se produisirent un 17 Tamouz:
1. Moïse brisa les Tables sur le mont Sinaï - en réponse à la faute du veau d'or.
2. Les offrandes quotidiennes dans le Premier Temple furent interrompues lors du siège de Jérusalem, les Cohanim ne pouvant plus se procurer d’animaux pour les sacrifices rituels.
3. Les murailles de Jérusalem furent enfoncées, menant à la destruction du Second Temple en 70 de l'Ere Commune.
4. Avant la Grande Révolte, le général romain Apostamos brûla un rouleau de la Torah - créant un précédent pour l’affreuse destruction de tous les livres juifs qui furent brûlés à travers les siècles.
5. Une image idolâtre fut placée dans le sanctuaire du Temple - un acte de défi, symbole de blasphème et de profanation
What differences are there between Bilaam and most prophets?
A. Throughout tanach our prophets did not seek out prophecy rather Hashem ‘came’ to them. In
several instances the prophets did not even want to be prophets and respectfully turned down the offer.
When they did prophesize they always told the people exactly what Hashem stated and always prefaced
their comments by saying: this is what Hashem said... Bilaam on the other hand sought out Hashem in
order to receive prophecy and as we read in today’s parasha did not always transmit the message exactly
as it was told to him. In addition, Nachmanides notes that when we make sacrifices to Hashem it is for
the purpose of bringing ourselves closer to Hashem and His will. Bilaam used sacrifices to bring Hashem
down to him and to try to influence the will of God to conform to his own will. Today in place of sacrifices
we have prayer. When we pray to God we should learn from our patriarchs and use prayer to bring
ourselves closer to Hashem by conforming to him not vice versa. Prayer is not meant to influence God
toward our wishes, rather it should be a mode of perfecting our own ways and improving our lives.
What modern day medical symbol comes from this week’s parasha?
A. When Bene Yisrael were dying from the poisonous snake Hashem commanded Moshe to make a copper snake, and everyone who looked at it was healed. Today a medical symbol (found on ambulances and emblems), is a snake wrapped around a stick.
There is a very important and relevant lesson we must learn from the copper snake. Many people today (and in every generation since the Torah was given) look for physical objects to protect them and heal them. There must be something in human nature that draws us to these amulets. The Torah warns against this behavior, even if done in the name of religion. Many people think that if it is a Jewish amulet then it is ok to use it. This was the mistake that was made in the first temple period. In the time of Hezkiah the king, the people would come to the copper snake with intention of being healed. King Hezkiah was forced to burn the miraculous snake that Moshe made in order to teach the people not to look for amulets. If someone wants to be healed they should simply pray to God (no incantations, tehillim, or other segulot are necessary, simply asking God in one’s own words and praying ShaharitMinha or Arvit suffice) and perform mitzvot and good deeds. This is how one should approach life. The rabbis of the Mishna asked about the copper snake how it had the power to heal. The answer the sages gave is that it had no power at all. Its purpose was for the people to look up at it and realize that it is only a physical object with no power, but it is our God on high that has the only true power to heal us. It is time we listen to the words of our sages and follow their advice.
Haftara of ParashatHukat
The Haftarah associated with this week’s parasha is Judges 11:1-33. It tells the story of a man named Yiftah. Yiftah was the son of Gilad and a prostitute. Gilad’s other sons chased Yiftah away because he was not the son of their mother (Gilad’s wife). Later on, the Jews, knowing he was a great warrior, realized that they needed him to help them win the war against Ammon so they asked him to return. Yiftah returns, and during the battle, pledges to Hashem that if he wins the war, he will sacrifice the first thing that comes out of his house when he gets home (intending on any animal). When he does return home, his loving daughter is the first to run out and greet him. Thinking he must keep his vow at all costs, he sacrifices his daughter. Since it is difficult to imagine he actually killed her, some commentators explain that he built her a cottage in the mountains and kept her secluded from society, never to marry, for the remainder of her life. Nachmanides prefers the literal explanation, which is based on the text of the Bible that he actually killed her.
In either case what he did was inappropriate and against Jewish practice. One Midrash states that God was angered with his vow. The vow was nonsensical since even if it were an animal that came out of his house, it may have been an unclean animal such as a pig, which is forbidden to sacrifice to God. Another Midrash focuses on the verse that states he regretted his vow but could not take it back. All of us know that we do Hataratnedarim and of course it is possible to take it back, but he was so haughty or so unlearned that he did not do this. Even if he did not know all this he should have known that when one sacrifices a man or a woman it means giving a certain monetary value to the temple as we are taught in Vayikra 27:2. Had he read the first verses in the sefer Vayikra, he would have known that sacrifices are only from certain animals. Had he taken the time to study Bereshit he would have read how Hashem did not allow Abraham to sacrifice his son. One Midrash explains the serious flaw in Yiftah that led to this tragedy. “What caused Yiftah to kill his daughter…that he did not read the Torah” He went to many classes heard many lectures and learned many nice stories and much musar (ethics) but did not actually learn the text of the Torah or the laws associated with it. He was very fervent, wanted to do even beyond the letter of the law, without ever knowing the actual letter of the law. We must not forget to study Torah, Mishna, Halacha (law). According to the midrash it is this mistaken ‘religion of ignorance’ of the actual laws and cleaving to other parts of religion without knowing what he was doing that led to this tragedy. This was true over 1000 years ago when the midrash was written and to a large extent still unfortunately true today. We must remember to get back to the basics to learn our original sources. It is disappointing when we know about many current ideas (even modern Jewish concepts and modern Kabalistic concepts) yet we are not fluent with the verses of Torah. We often enjoy lectures that are simply ‘inspirational stories’ over lectures that contain basic facts and lessons about the Torah and halacha.
It should also be noted that Yiftah is considered one of our Shoftim. He was a messenger from God and helped save the people during times of distress through God’s inspiration. The Bible documents his success and does not cover up his origins as being the son of a prostitute. The Bible always portrays people based on their actions not on their “Yichus” – their social status. Today too many people when looking for someone to marry, or when looking for a community leader look to see who the parents are and what the family last name is, before looking at who the person is. This is not the Jewish way and we should learn the lessons from our Bible that have been preserved for us. In today’s times we have gotten so sidetracked, that if the shofetYiftah was sent by God today to save us, we would likely have meetings and policies enacted forbidding him from being honored in the synagogue because he is the son of a prostitute. This was not the way things were handled in biblical times however. People were judged by their own actions. We read this Haftara with Hukat since the Haftara talks about the Amorite kingdom. The northern part of the Amorite kingdom once belonged to Ammon, which is mentioned in today’s parasha.
Questions and answers :ParshatHukat and Balak
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All references are to the verses and Rashi's commentary, unless otherwise stated
- "Take a perfect para aduma (red heifer)." What does the word "perfect" -- temima -- mean in this context?
19:2 - Perfectly red.
- How many non-red hairs disqualify a cow as a para aduma?
19:2 - Two.
- A man dies in a tent. What happens to the sealed metal and earthenware utensils in the tent?
19:14,15 - The metal utensils are impure for seven days, even if they are sealed. The sealed earthenware vessels are unaffected.
- What happens to the one who: a) sprinkles the water mixed with the ashes of the para aduma; b) touches the water; c) carries the water?
19:21 - a) Remains tahor; b) He, but not his clothing, contracts tumah; c) He and his clothing contract tumah.
- Why was the mitzvah of the para adumaentrusted to Elazar rather than to Aharon?
19:22 - Because Aharon was involved in the sin of the golden calf.
- Why does the Torah stress that all of the congregation came to MidbarTzin?
20:1 - To teach that they were all fit to enter the Land; everyone involved in the sin of the spies already died.
- Why is Miriam's death taught after the laws of para aduma?
20:1 - To teach that just as sacrifices bring atonement, so too does the death of the righteous.
- During their journey in the midbar, in whose merit did the Jewish People receive water?
20:2 - Miriam's.
- Why did Moshe need to strike the rock a second time?
20:11 - After he hit it the first time, only a few drops came out since he was commanded to speak to it.
- When Moshe told the King of Edom that the Jewish People would not drink from the well-water, to which well did he refer? What do we learn from this?
20:17 - To the well that traveled with the nation in the midbar. This teaches that even if one has adequate provisions he should purchase goods from his host in order to benefit the host.
- The cloud that led the Jewish People leveled all mountains in their path except three. Which three and why?
20:22 - HarSinai for receiving the Torah, HarNevo for Moshe's burial, andHorHahar for Aharon's burial.
- Why did the entire congregation mourn Aharon's death?
20:29 - Aharon made peace between contending parties and between spouses. Thus, everybody mourned him.
- What disappeared when Aharon died?
20:29 - The clouds of glory disappeared, since they sheltered the Jews in Aharon's merit.
- Which "inhabitant of the South" (21:1) attacked the Jews?
21:1 - Amalek.
- For what two reasons did Hashem punish the people with snakes specifically?
21:6 - The original snake, who was punished for speaking evil, is fitting to punish those who spoke evil about Hashem and about Moshe. And the snake, for whom everything tastes like dust, is fitting to punish those who complained about the manna which changed to any desired taste.
- Why are the Jewish People compared to lions?
23:24 - They rise each morning and "strengthen" themselves to do mitzvot.
- On Bilaam's third attempt to curse the Jews, he changed his strategy. What was different?
24:1 - He began mentioning the Jewish People's sins, hoping thus to be able to curse them.
- What were Bilaam's three main characteristics?
24:2 - An evil eye, pride, and greed.
- What did Bilaam see that made him decide not to curse the Jews?
24:2 - He saw each Tribe dwelling without intermingling. He saw the tents arranged so no one could see into his neighbor's tent.
- Bilaam told Balak that the Jews' G-d hates what?
24:14 - Promiscuity.
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Written and Compiled by Rabbi Eliyahu Kane &Rabbi Reuven Subar
Genera
PROVERBES JUIFS
Le sage sait ce qu'il dit. L'insensé dit ce qu'il saitl Editor: Rabbi Moshe Newma+
Quand tu ris, tout le monde le remarque ; quand tu pleures, personne ne le voit.
Les pommes du voisin sont les meilleures.
La vie n'est qu'un songe ! Mais je t'en prie, ne me réveille pas.
Les filles se souviennent du jour de leur naissance et en oublient l'année.
Ce n'est pas ce qui est beau qui est cher ; c'est ce qui est cher qui est beau.
Un âne reste un âne, même quand il se trouve parmi un millier de chevaux.
Quand le vin est entré, le secret est sort
La roue qui tourne ne se rouille pas
Goutte à goutte l'abreuvoir se remplit.
L’amour rend aveugle.
Mais le mariage rend la vue
ENGLISH PROVERBS:
D
Several women were visiting elderly Mrs. Diamond who was very ill. After a while, they rose to leave and told her, "Esther, we will keep you in our prayers."
"Just wash the dishes in the kitchen," the ailing woman said, "I can do my own praying.
It was Rosh Hashanah morning, and the Rabbi noticed little Adam was staring up at the large plaque that hung in the foyer of the synagogue. It was covered with names, and small American flags were mounted on either side of it. The seven-year old had been staring at the plaque for some time, so the Rabbi walked up, stood beside the boy, and said quietly, "Good morning, Adam."
"Good morning, Rabbi," replied the youngster, still focused on the plaque.
Finally, Adam asked, "Rabbi, what is this?"
"Well, it's a memorial to all the men and women who died in the service."
Soberly, they stood together, staring at the large plaque.
Adam's voice was barely audible when he asked: "Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur?"
Moishe Goldberg was heading out of the Synagogue one day, and as always Rabbi Mendel was standing at the door, shaking hands as the congregation departed The rabbi grabbed Moishe by the hand, pulled him aside and whispered these words at him: "You need to join the Army of God!"
Moishe replied: "I'm already in the Army of God, Rabbi."
The rabbi questioned: "How come I don't see you except for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur?" Moishe whispered back: "I'm in the secret service.
LE SOURIRE DU CHABBAT :
Une paysanne dit à son mari:
- Demain, c’est l’anniversaire de notre mariage. Pour fêter ça, pourquoi ne pas tuer le mouton ?
- Pourquoi, dit le mari, ce n’est pas de sa faute !
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Deux amis discutent. Le premier dit:
- Oh, un mouche.
Le deuxième:
- Non, une mouche.
Le premier lui répond:
- T'as de bons yeux !
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Moché dit à sa femme Sarah qu'il est dans l'obligation de licencier le chauffeur, car à quatre reprises, il a failli le tuer.
Sarah, toujours aussi généreuse, lui demande alors de lui laisser encore... une dernière chance.
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Dans une école publique, après Noël :
- Pierre, comment as tu passé Noël ?
- On a fait un sapin de Noël et on la remplit de jouets, et on s'est beaucoup réjouit.
- Et toi Jacques ?
- On a fait un sapin de Noël et on a acheté beaucoup de jouets, et on s'est beaucoup réjouit.
- Et toi Moché ?
- Nous , nous avons un magasin de jouets, nous avons regardé les rayons se vider, et nous nous sommes beaucoup réjouit.
CHABBAT CHALOM
Maghen Abraham
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