DESPAIR AND HOPE IN THE CORN

Kislev 28, 5785 / December 27-28, 2024

Parashat Miketz

Torah: Genesis 41:1 - 44:17 

Maftir: Numbers 7:24-29 (Shabbat Hanukkah)

Haftarah: Zechariah 2:14 - 4:7 (Shabbat Hanukkah)

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This d'var torah is offered in honor of my wonderful life partner Lynn Kronzek, on the occasion of our 44th (!) wedding anniversary on Shabbat, December 28. It seems like only yesterday!

This d'var torah is offered in honor of our son, Robert Flom, who will be observing the 17th anniversary of his bar mitzvah by chanting his haftarah this Shabbat at Temple B'nai Hayim.

This d’var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah for all who have been wounded in the terrorist attacks and in fighting against the terrorists, as well as innocent non-combatants caught in the crossfire.

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Lunch and Learn meets Mondays at 12:30 PM on Zoom and Facebook Live. Due to scheduling conflicts, we'll be on hiatus until January 6. On January 6, we'll be at Ein Ya'akov Vol. 3, Chagigah, p. 22 (BT Chagigah 14a): 

"... ונתתי נערים שריהם"

"And I will set up boys as their princes ..."

Volume 3 of Ein Ya'akov is now available and downloadable on Google drive at:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1symdqiuA-HHe7pqOezMo_zp79eTpNakc/view?usp=sharing 

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Check out our wonderful community, and get lots of info about our various programs and becoming a Member at: https://bnaihayim.org/ 
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DESPAIR AND HOPE IN THE CORN

"Now Jacob saw that there was food (shever) in Egypt, and Jacob said to his sons, 'Why are you looking at each other?' And he said, 'Behold I have heard that there is food (shever) in Egypt. Go down there and buy (shivru) for us from there, and we will live and we will not die.'" Gen. 42:1-2

The Midrash goes to great lengths, using multiple puns and misspellings, to teach us that Jacob was prophetic. The word "shever" means both "food" and "brokenness" (literally, "rupture"). "Shivru" comes from the same root as "shever". And the Hebrew word "sever" (spelled with the letter "sin" rather than "shin") means "hope". In an unpointed Hebrew text, such as a Torah scroll, "shever" and "sever" are identical.

"It says that Jacob saw brokenness (and hope) in Egypt. There was brokenness, that was the famine. There was hope, that was the plenty. There was brokenness, that Joseph had gone down to Egypt. There was hope, that Joseph was in charge. There was brokenness, that there would be slavery and poverty. There was hope, that afterward they would come out with great wealth... For it had been revealed to Jacob that Joseph was alive." Midrash B’reishit Rabbah 91

The Glory of Joseph (1896-1902, James Tissot)

Jacob is not only prophetic; he also gives a valuable lesson. One can find hope even in despair. Both despair and hope somehow arise in the same place, as a kernel within our souls. The result, despair or hope, really depends on how we nurture the seed. Even when we think there is no hope – there is hope.

Hanukkah Sameach! Shabbat Shalom! 

Rabbi Richard A. Flom
Rabbi Emeritus, Temple B'nai Hayim

.אֵיזֶהוּ חָכָם? הַלוֹמֵד מִכָּל אָדָם

Who is wise? One who learns from every person. 

Ben Zoma - Pirkei Avot 4:1
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PRINCE OR SLAVE?

Parashat Vayeishev

Torah: Genesis 37:1 – 40:23

Haftarah: Amos 2:6 – 3:8

Kislev 20, 5785 / December 20-21, 2024

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This d’var torah is offered in memory of my uncle, David Flom, whose yahrzeit falls this Sunday, Kislev 21. Y'hi zikhro liv'rakhah - may his memory be a blessing.

Hanukkah is coming! May the light of the holiday shine a refuah shleimah upon the hostages held by Hamas and may they be delivered speedily and safely to their homes and loved ones.

This d’var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah for all who have been wounded in the terrorist attacks and in fighting against the terrorists, as well as innocent non-combatants caught in the crossfire.

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Lunch and Learn meets Mondays at 12:30 PM on Zoom and Facebook Live. Due to scheduling conflicts, we'll be on hiatus until January 6. On January 6, we'll be at Ein Ya'akov Vol. 3, Chagigah, p. 22 (BT Chagigah 14a): 

"... ונתתי נערים שריהם"

"And I will set up boys as their princes ..."

Volume 3 of Ein Ya'akov is now available and downloadable on Google drive at:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1symdqiuA-HHe7pqOezMo_zp79eTpNakc/view?usp=sharing 

----------------------------------------------------------
Check out our wonderful community, and get lots of info about our various programs and becoming a Member at: https://bnaihayim.org/ 
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Please feel free to pass this on to a friend, and please cite the source.

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PRINCE OR SLAVE?

"And it came to pass after these things that the cupbearer of the king of Egypt and his baker had sinned against their master, the king of Egypt. Pharaoh was angry at his two princes - the prefect of the cupbearers and the prefect of the bakers." Genesis 40:1-2

Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch says that the reference to the two courtiers as "princes" is mockery. To those who served beneath them, they were "princes", wielding great power; but to the king, they were nothing more than slaves with fancy titles. He threw them into prison for no apparent reason. The cupbearer and baker failed to understand that, when one's position is dependent solely upon the whim of one's superior, one's position is, at best, precarious.

Joseph Faithful in Prison - Providence Lithograph Company, 1907

So it is all too often with people who attain positions of power granted by another. They clothe themselves in self-importance. The opinions of those who work for them are irrelevant. These "princes" believe that direct contact with the king somehow makes them as powerful as the king.

The most desirable community, it seems to me, is one where every member, whether leader or not, fully understands that they are serving a higher purpose; where there is no self-aggrandizement, no delusion of grandeur interfering with their dedication and perseverance. Fortunate is that community whose leaders understand that they are NOT royalty. Equally fortunate are the leaders and workers who serve that community which does not treat them like slaves, but rather as partners. I am thankful to be a member of such a community! May it be thus for all of us.

Shabbat Shalom! Chag Urim Sameach!

Rabbi Richard A. Flom
Rabbi Emeritus
Temple B’nai Hayim
הַלּוֹמֵד מִכָּל אָדָם ?אֵיזֶהוּ חָכָם
Who is wise? The one who learns from every person.
Ben Zoma - Pirkei Avot 4:1

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Send requests for dedications of Cyber Torah in honor of a simchah, in memory of a loved one or for a refuah shleimah to: ravflom@sbcglobal.net 
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DON’T GIVE UP THE FIGHT!

Parashat Vayishlach

Kislev 13, 5785 / December 13-14, 2024

Torah - Genesis 32:4 – 36:43
Haftarah – Ovadiah 1:1-21

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This d’var torah is offered in memory of my uncle, Daniel Flom, whose yahrzeit falls this Sunday, Kislev 14. Y'hi zikhro liv'rakhah - may his memory be a blessing.

This d’var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah and a speedy and safe return of all the hostages being held by Hamas.

This d’var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah for all who have been wounded in the terrorist attacks and in fighting against the terrorists, as well as innocent non-combatants caught in the crossfire.

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Lunch and Learn meets Mondays at 12:30 PM on Zoom and Facebook Live. Normally we learn from the midrashic collection Ein Ya'akov. However, on December 16, we'll be at BT Chagigah 14a, learning some Merkavah Kabbalah that does not appear in Ein Ya'akov: 

"... כתוב אחד אומר לבושיה כתלג חיור"

"One verse says: His raiment was as white as snow ..."

Volume 3 of Ein Ya'akov is now available and downloadable on Google drive at:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1symdqiuA-HHe7pqOezMo_zp79eTpNakc/view?usp=sharing 

----------------------------------------------------------
Check out our wonderful community, and get lots of info about our various programs and becoming a Member at: https://bnaihayim.org/ 
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Please feel free to pass this on to a friend, and please cite the source.

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DON’T GIVE UP THE FIGHT!

'And (the angel) said, "Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel; for you have striven with God and with humans, and you have prevailed.'" Genesis 32:29

Jewish tradition, going back to the opening chapters of Genesis, holds that names contain the essential being of the person, place or thing named. We Jews have been called the "Children of Israel" or the "People Israel" for longer than we have been called "Jews". The origin of the name is given in our verse. Does "Israel " describe our very essence?

Jacob Wrestling with the Angel (Alexander Louis Leloir - 1865)

Consider first the struggle with other people. In the course of the Tanakh itself, our people struggled with Canaanites, Egyptians, Philistines, Assyrians, Babylonians, and others. Since then, we have striven with Greeks, Romans, Crusaders, Cossacks, Nazis, Soviets, and many others. We have not always prevailed, in the sense of military victory - quite the contrary - no significant military victories from circa 165 BCE until 1948 CE. Yet, to the extent any people or nations at all exist today using those names, they are quite different from what they were. And what about us? We are still here, so we have prevailed; but we are still "a people apart", still struggling with others and with ourselves to be "a light unto the nations", still fighting sometimes for the very right to be Jews.

Now consider contention with God. From Abraham until modern times, Jews have wrestled with God. Our people at times have refused to follow God's word, sometimes at a heavy price. More often, our people have listened to God, yet still paid a price. We ask, "God, what do you want from us?" "God, what do these words mean, why do you command us to do such and such?" "God, where were You when the Temple was destroyed, when our people were being slaughtered at Auschwitz, and all the other times?" "Shall not the Judge of the entire world act justly?" Sometimes, there is more than one "right" answer. Sometimes, there is no satisfactory answer. Sometimes, there is no answer, no response at all.

If we surrender to the forces around us, we give up the right to call ourselves Israel. It is not prevailing that matters; it is the very struggle with God and with other peoples who wish us ill that defines the essence of being a Jew. Don't give up the fight!

Shabbat Shalom Uv'rakhah! A Shabbat of Peace and Blessing!
 
Rabbi Richard A. Flom
Rabbi Emeritus
Temple B’nai Hayim
הַלּוֹמֵד מִכָּל אָדָם ?אֵיזֶהוּ חָכָם
Who is wise? The one who learns from every person.
Ben Zoma - Pirkei Avot 4:1

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Cyber Torah list management (no salesman will call!):
To subscribe to Cyber Torah, send an e-mail with the subject heading “Subscribe Cyber Torah” to: ravflom@sbcglobal.net 
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AWESOME HOLY DREAMS

Parashat Vayetze

Kislev 6, 5785 / December 6-7, 2024
Torah: Genesis 28:10 – 32:3
Haftarah: Hosea 12:13 – 14:10 (Ashkenazim); Hosea 11:7 - 12:12 (Sephardim)

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This d’var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah and a speedy and safe return of all the hostages being held by Hamas.

This d’var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah for all who have been wounded in the terrorist attacks and in fighting against the terrorists, as well as innocent non-combatants caught in the crossfire.

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Lunch and Learn meets Mondays at 12:30 PM on Zoom and Facebook Live. Normally we learn from the midrashic collection Ein Ya'akov. However, on December 9, we'll be at BT Chagigah 13b, learning some Merkavah Kabbalah that does not appear in Ein Ya'akov: 

"...אמר ריש לקיש מאי דכתיב אשירה"

"Resh Lakish said: What is the meaning of the verse: I will sing..."

Volume 3 of Ein Ya'akov is now available and downloadable on Google drive at:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1symdqiuA-HHe7pqOezMo_zp79eTpNakc/view?usp=sharing 

----------------------------------------------------------
Check out our wonderful community, and get lots of info about our various programs and becoming a Member at: https://bnaihayim.org/ 
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Please feel free to pass this on to a friend, and please cite the source.

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AWESOME HOLY DREAMS

"And Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, 'Surely the Lord is in this place and I, I did not know.' And he was afraid, and he said, 'How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.'" Gen. 28:16-17

Rashi: For had I known, I would not have slept in such a holy place.

Shlomoh of Radomsk: "My I, I did not know." I erased everything that was in me; my self-awareness; ego consciousness; self-intention.

Jacob dreamt of angels going up and down a ladder. He realized that God was beside him, speaking to him, reaffirming the promise made to Abraham and Isaac. Then Jacob awoke. Had Jacob known that the place was holy, he would have slept elsewhere, according to Rashi. But then, perhaps he would not have had the dream. Perhaps God would not have spoken with him, and what would have become of the covenant with Abraham and Isaac? Was it mere ignorance through which Jacob came to sleep in such a holy place? How then did he merit a visitation from God?

Jacob's Ladder (ca. 1800, William Blake)

Shlomoh of Radomsk, a mid-19th century Polish Chasidic rebbe, suggests that it was not ignorance, but rather, intentional and practiced suppression of the ego, through which Jacob merited the dream and the promise. This seems to be the opposite of Rashi. Perhaps not.

By not being self-focused, Jacob became God-focused. Jacob became more attuned to the holiness around him when he stopped thinking of himself as the center of the universe. By living a minimalist physical (outer) life (he was using a rock for a pillow), Jacob maximized his spiritual (inner) life. Read Rashi, then, as, "Had I known (i.e., had I in my egocentric way been looking to know such a place), I would not have been able to sleep in such a holy place."

Holiness and communion with God come not when we look for them as entitlements, but rather, when we recognize the potential for holiness in every place and every person, and empty out our egos in order to become vessels for receiving that holiness.

Have an awesome Shabbat!

Shabbat Shalom Uv'rakhah! A Shabbat of Peace and Blessing!
 
Rabbi Richard A. Flom
Rabbi Emeritus
Temple B’nai Hayim
הַלּוֹמֵד מִכָּל אָדָם ?אֵיזֶהוּ חָכָם
Who is wise? The one who learns from every person.
Ben Zoma - Pirkei Avot 4:1

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Cyber Torah list management (no salesman will call!):
To subscribe to Cyber Torah, send an e-mail with the subject heading “Subscribe Cyber Torah” to: ravflom@sbcglobal.net 
Send requests for dedications of Cyber Torah in honor of a simchah, in memory of a loved one or for a refuah shleimah to: ravflom@sbcglobal.net 
To unsubscribe from Cyber Torah, send an e-mail with the subject heading “Unsubscribe Cyber Torah” to: ravflom@sbcglobal.net 

THE GIFT OF FULFILLMENT

Parashat Chayei Sarah

Cheshvan 22, 5785 / November 22-23,2024
Torah: Genesis 23:1 – 25:18
Haftarah: 1 Kings 1:1-31

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This d’var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah and a speedy and safe return of all the hostages being held by Hamas.

This d’var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah for all who have been wounded in the terrorist attacks and in fighting against the terrorists, as well as innocent non-combatants caught in the crossfire.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lunch and Learn meets Mondays at 12:30 PM on Zoom and Facebook Live. NOTE: NO Lunch and Learn on November 25 or December 2. We'll resume on December 9.

Normally we learn from the midrashic collection Ein Ya'akov. However, on December 9, we'll be at BT Chagigah 13b, learning some Merkavah Kabbalah that does not appear in Ein Ya'akov: 

"...אמר ריש לקיש מאי דכתיב אשירה"

"Resh Lakish said: What is the meaning of the verse: I will sing..."

Volume 3 of Ein Ya'akov is now available and downloadable on Google drive at:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1symdqiuA-HHe7pqOezMo_zp79eTpNakc/view?usp=sharing 

----------------------------------------------------------
Check out our wonderful community, and get lots of info about our various programs and becoming a Member at: https://bnaihayim.org/ 
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Please feel free to pass this on to a friend, and please cite the source.

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THE GIFT OF FULFILLMENT
 
'And this was Sarah’s life; the years of the life of Sarah were one hundred years and twenty years and seven years. Sarah died in Kiryat Arba, now Hebron, in the land of Canaan; and Abraham came to mourn Sarah and to weep for her.' Genesis 23:1-2
 
Rashi: '“The years of the life of Sarah” tells us that they were all equally good.'
 
Yehudah Aryeh Leib Alter, the third Gerer Rebbe, aka the Sefas Emes, offers the following comment on Rashi and the verse: 'There must be differences and changes during the years of a person’s life. There are special times in youth and in old age. But the truly righteous ones find fulfillment (shleimut) in all (or, in each) of their days. Since this is not natural, it must be a gift from God.  And this is the meaning of the verse (24:1) “and the Lord blessed Abraham in every way” – fulfillment that is found in every place and in every time. Thus, Rashi says, “They were all equally good.”'

"The Burial of Sarah" - Gustave Doré, 1866

 
Sarah suffered much travail over the years. Uprooted from her home and moved to a foreign land; years of barrenness; conflict with her maidservant who was also Abraham’s concubine; the near sacrifice of her only son – this must have taken a heavy toll. And yet, the Gerer Rebbe teaches that Rashi was right - that all of her years were equally good.
 
Thursday, November 28 is the American holiday of Thanksgiving. It is also an appropriate day to recite Psalms of Praise (half Hallel). What better day for each of us to remember that we can, we must, find fulfillment in what we have, and to be at peace (shleimut comes from the same root as shalom – peace) with what we don’t have? This doesn’t mean we should not strive to improve ourselves, our lives and our society. But it does mean that, as the Sefas Emes says, fulfillment is indeed a gift from God. And for that, we should be thankful.
 
In advance - Happy Thanksgiving! Hodu l'Adonai ki tov; ki l'olam chasdo - Give thanks to the Lord Who is good, Whose lovingkindness is eternal. Psalm 118.
 
Shabbat Shalom!

Rabbi Richard A. Flom

Rabbi Emeritus

Temple B'nai Hayim

"שתיקה כהודאה דמיא"

"Silence in the face of wrongdoing is consent.”

BT Yevamot 88a

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Cyber Torah list management (no salesman will call!):
To subscribe to Cyber Torah, send an e-mail with the subject heading “Subscribe Cyber Torah” to: ravflom@sbcglobal.net 
Send requests for dedications of Cyber Torah in honor of a simchah, in memory of a loved one or for a refuah shleimah to: ravflom@sbcglobal.net 
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PUTTING GOD SECOND

Parashat Vayera

Cheshvan 15, 5783 / November 15-16, 2024
Torah: Genesis 18:1-22:24
Haftarah: Kings II 4:1-37 (Ashkenazic); Kings II 4:1-23 (Sephardim)
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This d’var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah and a speedy and safe return of all the hostages being held by Hamas.

This d’var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah for all who have been wounded in the terrorist attacks and in fighting against the terrorists, as well as innocent non-combatants caught in the crossfire.

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Lunch and Learn meets Mondays at 12:30 PM on Zoom and Facebook Live. On November 18, we'll be at BT Chagigah 13a, page 19 of Ein Ya'akov (Glick edition) Volume 3:

  "ולא במרכבה ביחיד"  -   "'Nor the divine chariot with one."'

NOTE: NO Lunch and Learn on November 25 or December 2. We'll resume on December 9.

Volume 3 of Ein Ya'akov is now available and downloadable on Google drive at:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1symdqiuA-HHe7pqOezMo_zp79eTpNakc/view?usp=sharing 

----------------------------------------------------------
Check out our wonderful community, and get lots of info about our various programs and becoming a Member at: https://bnaihayim.org/ 
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Please feel free to pass this on to a friend, and please cite the source.

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PUTTING GOD SECOND

 
"And the Lord appeared to (Abraham) at the terebinths (trees used to make turpentine) of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance of the tent in the heat of the day. He lifted his eyes and saw there were three men standing above him; he ran from the entrance of the tent to greet them, and bowed toward the ground. And he said, 'My Lord, if I find favor in Your eyes, please do not pass away from Your servant.'" Genesis 18:1-3.
 
At first reading, one would think that God appeared to Abraham in the form of the three men. Therefore, he bowed and addressed them as "My Lord". However, Rabbinic tradition teaches that these are two separate events. God was visiting Abraham following Abraham's circumcision, and then the three men appeared. Abraham (in his pain!) literally ran from God to greet the men. He then asked God to wait while he attended to the needs of the men!
 
This might seem extraordinarily disrespectful to God. Not so, according to the Rabbis. "Rabbi Judah said in the name of Rav: 'Hospitality to guests is greater than greeting the Divine Presence.'" How can this be? For one thing, if God is the Omnipresent, one can never leave God's Presence. Second, if God is the Eternal, then "waiting" is not in God's vocabulary - it's simply not a problem. Perhaps most important, God does not have physical needs, but human beings do; and they must be attended to. In taking leave of God in order to extend hospitality to three strangers who appeared out of the desert, Abraham was actually honoring God - by caring for those who are created "in the image of God".
 
This implies that if one must choose between fulfilling a “mitzvah bein adam lamakom” (a mitzvah between a person and God) or a “mitzvah bein adam l’chavero” (between one person and another person), we should attend to the mitzvah involving another person first. (See, for example, the Mishnah at Peah 1:1: “These are the things for which a person reaps the fruits in this world, and gets a reward in the world to come: honoring one's father and mother, acts of lovingkindness [gemilut chasadim], and bringing peace between people.”) When we treat others to our hospitality (or feed them or clothe them or house them or provide them with medical treatment), we do indeed find favor in God's eyes. "For it is lovingkindness I desire, not sacrifices." Hosea 6:6

There remains perhaps the greatest mitzvah of all, one that does not require choosing between God and human beings. We do it after we are dead – by registering as organ donors while we are alive. Indeed, virtually all rabbis agree that organ donation at death is a positive mitzvah - an obligation of pikuach nefesh - saving a life. This idea represents everything that Judaism stands for.

 

This weekend is National Donor Sabbath, a joint project of the US Department of Health and Human Services and Donate Life America. More information is available at these web sites:
 
https://www.organdonor.gov/awareness/events/donor-sabbath.html  

https://www.donatelife.net/ 

In 2020, over 39,000 organ donations were performed in the US. This is impressive, until one realizes that there are over 113,000 Americans on the waiting lists for various organs. Every day, 80 transplants are performed in the US, while 20 people die waiting for organs they need to survive. You can alleviate the pain and suffering of others, literally give them life, merely by completing an organ donation card available from your motor vehicle department or at the web site above.

 
Does it work? Of course! Most of our parts are “recyclable”. And don’t forget, there are ways to save lives while we are still alive – through blood, platelet and bone marrow donations, and as living organ donations. Go ahead – perform an act of chesed or pikuach nefesh – God won’t be offended!
 
L’chaim!
 
Shabbat Shalom Uv'rakhah! A Shabbat of Peace and Blessing!
 
Rabbi Richard A. Flom
Rabbi Emeritus
Temple B’nai Hayim
הַלּוֹמֵד מִכָּל אָדָם ?אֵיזֶהוּ חָכָם
Who is wise? The one who learns from every person.
Ben Zoma - Pirkei Avot 4:1
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Cyber Torah list management (no salesman will call!):
To subscribe to Cyber Torah, send an e-mail with the subject heading “Subscribe Cyber Torah” to: ravflom@sbcglobal.net 
Send requests for dedications of Cyber Torah in honor of a simchah, in memory of a loved one or for a refuah shleimah to: ravflom@sbcglobal.net 
To unsubscribe from Cyber Torah, send an e-mail with the subject heading “Unsubscribe Cyber Torah” to: ravflom@sbcglobal.net 

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

Parashat Lekh L'kha

Cheshvan 8, 5785 / November 9, 2024

Torah: Genesis 12:1 - 17:27

Haftarah: Isaiah 40:27 - 41:16

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This d'var torah is offered in memory of my uncle, Merwin Erenbaum, whose yahrzeit falls on Saturday, November 9, corresponding to 8 Cheshvan. Y'hi zikhro liv'rakhah - May his memory be a blessing.

This d'var torah is offered in memory of my zayde, Sam Flom, whose yahrzeit falls on Sunday, November 10, corresponding to 9 Cheshvan. Y'hi zikhro liv'rakhah - May his memory be a blessing.

This d’var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah and a speedy and safe return of all the hostages being held by Hamas.

This d’var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah for all who have been wounded in the terrorist attacks and in fighting against the terrorists, as well as innocent non-combatants caught in the crossfire.

This d'var torah is offered in memory of the first Jews to die in the Shoah, the victims of Kristallnacht, November 9-10, 1938.

This d'var Torah is offered in honor of my family members:

Jacob Slome - US Army - WW1

David Flom, MD - US Army - WW2

Merton Flom, OD, PhD - US Navy - WW2

Abraham Kronzek - US Navy - WW2

Leo Kronzek - US Army - WW2

Joseph Kronzek - US Army - WW2

Ira Erenrich - US Army - WW2

Martin Flom - US Air Force - Korean War

Hans Schack - US Army - 1950s

Merwin Erenbaum - US Army - 1950s

and every veteran who honorably served in the armed forces of the United States of America. Don’t forget to fly Old Glory on Monday, 11/11.

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Lunch and Learn meets Mondays at 12:30 PM on Zoom and Facebook Live. On November 11, we'll be at BT Chagigah 12b, page 17 of Ein Ya'akov (Glick edition) Volume 3:

  '... א"ר לוי כל הפוסק מדברי תורה'

"R. Levi said: "Whoever interrupts his study of the Torah ..."'

Volume 3 of Ein Ya'akov is now available and downloadable on Google drive at:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1symdqiuA-HHe7pqOezMo_zp79eTpNakc/view?usp=sharing 

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Check out our wonderful community, and get lots of info about our various programs and becoming a Member at: https://bnaihayim.org/ 
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Please feel free to pass this on to a friend, and please cite the source.

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WHAT’S IN A NAME?

"When Avram was 99 years old, the Lord (Y-H-W-H) appeared to Avram and said to him, 'I am God Almighty (El Shaddai). Walk before Me and be blameless.'" Genesis 17:1

In "Guide for the Perplexed", Rambam (Maimonides) writes that, contrary to what we might think, God has only one name - the Tetragrammaton which we do not pronounce but read instead as "Adonai" - Lord. Such "names" as Dayan (judge), Shaddai (almighty), Tzaddik (righteous), Chanun (gracious), Rachum (merciful), and Elohim (chief) are descriptive of God's actions, rather than actual names. It is dangerous, Rambam tells us, to think of these as names, for that leads to error. On the other hand, claiming that these are "attributes" may create the belief that there is a plurality within God, or worse, that there is more than one God. God cannot be subdivided in this way, according to Rambam, for God has no limits. Any attempt to describe God must fail because human language, and of course human beings, have limits.

Abram's Journey from Ur to Canaan (József Molnár, 1850)

To be clear, this discussion does not apply to the names of human beings. Consider Avram, whose name means "exalted father". God tells him, "You shall no longer be called Avram, but your name shall be Avraham, for I make you the father of many nations." (Gen. 17:5) Indeed, in the Torah, names bestowed by God are destiny. But for those of us less fortunate than Avraham (or Sarai, whose name becomes Sarah, or Ya'akov, who becomes Yisrael), we create our destiny through our own actions. How we live determines how we are called, even after we die.

Rabbi Shimon taught: "There are three crowns - the crown of Torah (i.e., being a teacher, though one may be unworthy), the crown of priesthood and the crown of kingship (both of which are hereditary). But the crown of a good name excels them all." Avot 4:17

For good or ill, we make names for ourselves, and it is by those names that we are known.

Shabbat Shalom!

Rabbi Richard A. Flom

Rabbi Emeritus

Temple B'nai Hayim

"שתיקה כהודאה דמיא"

"Silence in the face of wrongdoing is consent.”

BT Yevamot 88a

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Cyber Torah list management (no salesman will call!):

To subscribe to Cyber Torah, send an e-mail with the subject heading “Subscribe Cyber Torah” to: ravflom@sbcglobal.net 

Send requests for dedications of Cyber Torah in honor of a simchah, in memory of a loved one or for a refuah shleimah to: ravflom@sbcglobal.net 

To unsubscribe from Cyber Torah, send an e-mail with the subject heading “Unsubscribe Cyber Torah” to: ravflom@sbcglobal.net 

THE NOT-SO-RIGHTEOUS TZADDIK

Parashat Noach

Cheshvan 1, 5785 / November 2, 2024

Torah: Genesis 6:9-11:32

Maftir (Shabbat Rosh Chodesh): Numbers 28:9-15
Haftarah (Shabbat Rosh Chodesh): Isaiah 66:1-24

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This d’var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah and a speedy and safe return of all the hostages being held by Hamas.

This d’var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah for all who have been wounded in the terrorist attacks and in fighting against the terrorists, as well as innocent non-combatants caught in the crossfire.

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Lunch and Learn meets Mondays at 12:30 PM on Zoom and Facebook Live. On November 4, we'll be at BT Chagigah 12a, page 14 of Ein Ya'akov (Glick edition) Volume 3:

  "... ת"ר ב"ש אומרים שמים נבראו תחלה"

'Our Rabbis were taught: The School of Shammai say: "The Heavens were created first ..."'

Volume 3 of Ein Ya'akov is now available and downloadable on Google drive at:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1symdqiuA-HHe7pqOezMo_zp79eTpNakc/view?usp=sharing 

----------------------------------------------------------
Check out our wonderful community, and get lots of info about our various programs and becoming a Member at: https://bnaihayim.org/ 
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Please feel free to pass this on to a friend, and please cite the source.
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THE NOT-SO-RIGHTEOUS TZADDIK

"Noah was a righteous man (tzaddik), wholehearted in his generations" (Gen. 6:9)
"For it is you that I have seen to be righteous before Me in this generation." (Gen. 7:1)

There was great disagreement among the Rabbis and many commentators about just how righteous Noah really was. Was he righteous only in comparison to all of the evil people around him, so that in better times he would not have been noteworthy? Or is he truly impressive, being so righteous that he was able to withstand the great evil around him, so that in better times he would have been even more outstanding?

The great weight of rabbinic opinion is that Noah was not so hot, not much of a tzaddik, just the best of a bad lot. The proof of this theory, according to the Zohar, is through comparison to Abraham, who is also described in the Torah as righteous and wholehearted.

When God tells Noah He intends to destroy the world, Noah holds his peace and says nothing. When God tells Abraham that He intends to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham approaches God and asks, "Will you also destroy the righteous with the wicked?"

"The Building of Noah's Ark", by Aureliano Milani 

(is he trying to get them to become righteous - or is he telling them to hurry up with the construction? RAF)

In other words, Noah was only looking out for himself. Rabbi Aharon Shmuel Tameret picks up on this, and says that in fact, Noah and his family were punished (!) by being exiled in the ark. Although they were protected from the flood, their isolation in the ark, which they were unable to steer, was a form of punishment. In this view, they were doing penance for the sin of indifference and cold-heartedness.

It has been said that evil flourishes when good people turn away and are silent. Had Noah been more righteous, perhaps he would have saved other people, or even prevented the Flood by convincing others to be righteous. Just as we are able to choose between good and evil, we can also choose the way in which we will be good. We can mind our own business, keep our noses clean, and try to save ourselves. Or we can confront injustice directly, and relieve the suffering of others, and perhaps save the world. How will we be remembered?

Shabbat Shalom!

Rabbi Richard A. Flom

Rabbi Emeritus

Temple B'nai Hayim

"שתיקה כהודאה דמיא"

"Silence in the face of wrongdoing is consent.”

BT Yevamot 88a

-----------------------------------------------

Cyber Torah list management (no salesman will call!):

To subscribe to Cyber Torah, send an e-mail with the subject heading “Subscribe Cyber Torah” to: ravflom@sbcglobal.net

Send requests for dedications of Cyber Torah in honor of a simchah, in memory of a loved one or for a refuah shleimah to: ravflom@sbcglobal.net

To unsubscribe from Cyber Torah, send an e-mail with the subject heading “Unsubscribe Cyber Torah” to: ravflom@sbcglobal.net 

GAVE TITHES YET?

Parashat Ki Tavo

Torah: Deuteronomy 26:1 - 29:8

Haftarah: Isaiah 60:1-22 (6th haftarah of consolation)

Elul 18, 5784 / September 20-21, 2024

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My Cheshbon Hanefesh Worksheet - 5785 Edition, is now available at my blog:

https://rav-rich.blogspot.com/2024/09/cheshbon-hanefesh-worksheet-5785-edition.html 

I hope you find it useful.

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This d’var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah and a speedy and safe return of all the hostages being held by Hamas.

This d’var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah for all who have been wounded in the terrorist attacks and in fighting against the terrorists, as well as innocent non-combatants caught in the crossfire.

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Lunch and Learn meets Mondays at 12:30 PM on Zoom and Facebook Live. On September 23, we'll be at BT Chagigah 9b, page 10 of Ein Ya'akov (Glick edition) Volume 3:

  "... תניא מעוות לא יוכל לתקן ..."

"We are taught in a Baraitha: That which is crooked cannot be made straight ..."

Volume 3 of Ein Ya'akov is now available and downloadable on Google drive at:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1symdqiuA-HHe7pqOezMo_zp79eTpNakc/view?usp=sharing 

----------------------------------------------------------
Check out our wonderful community, and get lots of info about our various programs and becoming a Member at: https://bnaihayim.org/ 
---------------------------------------------------------------- 
Please feel free to pass this on to a friend, and please cite the source.
--------------------------------------------------------------

GAVE TITHES YET?

"When you have set aside the full tenth part of your crop - in the third year, the year of the tithe - and you have given it to the Levite, the stranger, the orphan and the widow, that they may eat their fill in your settlements, you shall say before the Lord your God: 'I have cleared out the holy portion from the house ...; I have not transgressed Your commandment and I did not forget.'" Deuteronomy 26:12-13

"Boy with a Basket of Fruit" - Caravaggio, 1593

With the destruction of the Temple, the end of the sacrifices, and the Kohanim and Levites therefore no longer entitled to tithes, one might think that the practice of tithing had ended. But this tithe, the one for the poor and propertyless, remains as the obligation of tzedakah. In truth, it has replaced all of the other tithes, so that one is obligated to give every year, not just one year out of seven - and not just from crops, but from earnings.

As the above declaration indicates, the tithe is holy. But note that, unlike virtually any other mitzvah, there is no blessing or statement of intent before performing the act - there is only an affirmation afterward.

One reason for this may be that the tithe has to be separated out first - if I say a blessing and then begin measuring out the tithe, I might be distracted and never fulfill the mitzvah, or I might decide that I can't or won't give the full amount. Then the blessing would have been said in vain, making me a liar.

A second, and perhaps more compelling reason, is that when people are in need, when they are hungry - they shouldn't be made to wait while we tell God that we are going to help them. Actions speak louder than words.

With this year coming to a close, now is the time to dole out the full measure of tzedakah, so that our prayers for a good new year will have merit behind them.

Shabbat Shalom!

Rabbi Richard A. Flom
Rabbi Emeritus
Temple B’nai Hayim/Congregation Beth Meier
"From the place where we are absolutely right, flowers will never grow in the spring."
"מן המקום שבו אנו צודקים לא יצמחו לעולם פרחים באביב"
Yehuda Amichai

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Cyber Torah list management (no salesman will call!):
To subscribe to Cyber Torah, send an e-mail with the subject heading “Subscribe Cyber Torah” to: ravflom@sbcglobal.net 
Send requests for dedications of Cyber Torah in honor of a simchah, in memory of a loved one or for a refuah shleimah to: ravflom@sbcglobal.net 
To unsubscribe from Cyber Torah, send an e-mail with the subject heading “Unsubscribe Cyber Torah” to: ravflom@sbcglobal.net