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Table of contents
1) Perashat Hashavoua - Rabbi Eli Mansour
2) Halakhat Hashavoua (Halakhot related to day to day life)- Hazzan David Azerad
3) Holy Jokes!
9 Days of Av
The Nine Days of Av are a time of commemoration and spiritual observance in Judaism during the first nine days of the Jewish month of Av (corresponding to July/August). The Nine Days begin on Rosh Chodesh Av ("First of Av") and culminates on the public fast day of Tisha B'Av ("Ninth of Av").
The Nine Days are part of a larger period of time known as The Three Weeks, which begin with the public fast day of the Seventeenth of Tammuz — commemorated in Judaism for the time when the forces of Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia broke through the defensive walls surrounding Jerusalem, generally accepted as happening in 586 BCE — and end with the public fast day of Tisha B'Av — when, according to the Mishna, the Babylonians destroyed the First Temple in 597 BCE and when the Second Temple was destroyed by the Romans in 70 CE. During the entire Three Weeks, certain activities are abstained by Jews observing Jewish law in order to commemorate, remember and inspire mourning over destruction of the Temple.
The Talmud says, "When the month of Av begins, we [i.e. Jews] reduce our joy."[1] The Nine Days inaugurates an even greater level of communal and personal mourning in recognition of the many tragedies and calamities that befell the Jewish people at this time.[2] The Nine Days are considered an inauspicious time even in our day and age.[2]
Rather than view the Three Weeks and the Nine Days as times of punishment and self-mortification, some Jewish teachings see them as opportunities for introspection, repentance, and forging a closer relationship with God.[3] The Talmud states that all who mourn the destruction of Jerusalem will merit to rejoice in its rebuilding.[4] The Sages also teach that the Jewish Messiah will be born on Tisha B'Av.[5] It is that promise of redemption which nevertheless makes this period one of hope and anticipation in Judaism.
- wikipedia
1)PERASHAT HASHAVOUA
This Week's Parasha Insight with Rabbi Eli Mansour
Parashat Matot: Sincerely for the Sake of G-d
Parashat Matot tells about the request made by the tribes of Reuben and Gad to permanently reside in Eber Ha’Yarden, the region east of the Jordan River which Beneh Yisrael had conquered, rather than reside in the Land of Israel itself. Moshe initially was angered by the request, but then these tribes clarified that the men intended to join the other tribes in waging war against the people in the Land of Israel. Only after the land was captured would they return to their families across the Jordan River.
In presenting this plan to Moshe, the men of Reuben and Gad said, "For we will not settle with them [the other tribes]…because our portion has already come to us, across the Jordan to the east" (32:19).
Already the Ramban noted the brazenness and disrespect seemingly expressed by this remark. Reuben and Gad speak here in very definitive terms – stating as fact that they had already received their portion east of the Jordan River, as though they did not need Moshe’s permission. Why did they tell Moshe that they had already received their share east of the Jordan, before he gave his consent?
The answer relates to the verb "H.L.TZ." which appears numerous times throughout this section. The people of Reuben and Gad promised, "Nehaletz Hushim" (32:17) – that they would take up arms and participate in the battle. We find this word also earlier in the Parasha, in reference to the recruitment of soldiers for the battle against Midyan, when Moshe instructed, "Hehalesu Me’itechem Anashim La’sava" – that soldiers should be drafted and armed for the war. The Gemara in Masechet Yebamot (102b) notes that normally, this verb means to "remove," as in "Halisa" – the ceremony whereby a childless widow removes a shoe from her brother-in-law if he does not marry her in fulfillment of the Misva of "Yibum." In the context of warfare, the Gemara explains, this verb means that a soldier "removes" himself from his home in order to fight.
The deeper meaning of the Gemara’s comment is that when a Jew goes out to fight a war, he must "remove" himself from all personal interests. As the Rambam writes in Hilchot Melachim (7:15), a solder waging a war must have no other objective than "Le’kadesh Et Hashem" – to bring honor to G-d. He should not think of his home, his family, his property, or anything else, as he must focus exclusively on the ultimate purpose of the war, which is to bring glory to Hashem. Thus, when Moshe instructed, "Hehalesu Me’itechem Anashim," he was saying that the soldiers must "remove" themselves from all personal concerns, and commit themselves completely, 100 percent, to the goal of bringing glory to Hashem, without any vested interests.
The men of Reuben and Gad, too, were telling Moshe, "Nehaletz Hushim" – that they were prepared to commit themselves entirely to the lofty goal of capturing the Land of Israel, without any personal agendas.
And precisely for this reason, perhaps, they stated that they had already received their portion of land east of the Jordan River. They feared that if receiving permission to permanently reside there was contingent upon their participation in the war, then they would not be fighting sincerely Le’Shem Shamayim – for the sake of G-d. They would fall short of the standard set by the Rambam – the elimination of all personal interests, and having pure intentions, fighting solely to glorify G-d’s Name. They therefore told Moshe that they wanted to be given their portion unconditionally – so that they could fight the wars with the other tribes with pure sincerity, without any ulterior motives, as is required.
Moshe, however, did not approve. In his response to the tribes of Reuben and Gad, he made it clear to them that their permission to permanently settle the region of Eber Ha’Yarden depended upon their participation in the war. He explicitly instructed Yehoshua and Elazar – who would lead the people across the river into the Land of Israel – that if Reuven and Gad did not comply, they would be required to settle with the other tribes in Eretz Yisrael (32:30). Reuben and Gad were expected to meet the challenge of fighting with pure, genuine motives despite knowing that their right to settle the territory they desired depended on their participation in the war. Moshe set the bar exceedingly high – demanding that Reuben and Gad overcome their vested interests and do the right thing purely for the right reasons – to bring glory to Hashem.
This should be our aspiration, as well. We must try, as much as possible, to perform Misvot and to conduct our lives purely Le’Shem Shamayim, to bring glory to Hashem, and not for our own personal concerns.
2) HALAKHAT HASHAVOUA
Selected & translated by David Azerad, Hazzan Maghen Abraham
Laws of the 9 days concerning eating meat, according to the rulings of Maran Rabbi Obadia Yosef Zt'l
Starting the month of Av until when it is accustomed not to eat meat?
The custom is not to eat meat beginning the month of Av until the 10th of Av, and the tenth day is included in the prohibition.However on the day of Rosh Chodesh itself, the custom of the Sephardim is to eat meat, in honor of Rosh Chodesh, and in particular that the Rosh Chodesh feast is a mitzvah.There are Ashkenazim who have the custom not to eat meat on Rosh Chodesh.
Most Sepharadim have the custom to eat meat on Shabbat during the 9 days.
If it is difficult for a person to only have fish or dairy products for the duration of the 9 days because he does not like them, or they are not healthy for him, he will be allowed to eat chicken meat.
Who is allowed to eat meat during the nine days?
It is permissible to give small children who have not reached the age where they understand the meaning of Mitzvot to eat meat even after Rosh Chodesh Av until the Ta’anit.Pregnant and nursing women who are in pain and are weak allowed to consume meat
Whoever is feeling weak and knows that by eating meat it will give them strength and they approach their Rabbi with a question of what to do. The Rabbi must allow them to consume meat.A healthy person who decides to eat meat where prohibition is practiced, he is not following the Halacha.
A healthy person who forgot that he shouldn't be eating meat this time of year and made a bracha to eat meat that is in front of him he should then taste a bit of the meat in order not to make a bracha Levatala a blessing in vain.
Bevirkat Shabbat Shalom Umevorach
David Azerad
3) HOLY JoKeS!!
Selection of funny snippets, loosely related to this weeks parashah, to brighten your day
non related joke of the week!
“Somethings are better left unsaid..if only I could determine which things”
“I have a condition that renders me unable to go on a diet. I get hungry.”
