KOSHER WORDS, KOSHER THINGS

Tammuz 28, 5784 / August 2-3, 2024

Parashat Mattot-Mas’ei

Torah: Numbers 30:2-36:13 (Chazak!)

Haftarah: Jeremiah 2:4-28, 3:4 (Ashkenazim); Jeremiah 2:4-28, 4:1-2 (Sephardim) (Second Haftarah of Admonition

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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 August 5, we'll be at BT Chagigah 5a, page 6 of Ein Ya'akov (Glick edition) Volume 3:

  "... רבי יחנן כי מטי להאי קרא בכי והיה כי תמצאן" 

"When R. Jochanan came to the following verse, he wept And it shall come to pass ..."

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 

NOTE: After August 5, Lunch and Learn will not meet until September 9.

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KOSHER WORDS, KOSHER THINGS

"If a man makes a vow to the Lord or takes an oath prohibiting something to himself, he shall not profane his word; all that has come from his mouth he must do." Numbers 30:3

”Any articles that can withstand fire, you shall pass through the fire, and they shall be pure, except that they shall be purified with the water of sprinkling (water imbued with red heifer ashes); and that which cannot withstand fire you shall pass through the water." Numbers 31:23

Vows and oaths have extraordinary power - they can turn ordinary objects into things of holiness or prohibition. "I hereby vow to donate this silver cup to the synagogue"; "By my oath, I will not eat meat for six months" - these words have transformative effect over mundane things. This is why Jewish tradition frowns on the recitation of vows and oaths.

Kashering a Metal Sink with Fire

Changing the (ritual) nature of objects is accomplished either by words, according to the first verse, or by kashering, making them fit to use, as stated in the later verse. What about the converse? What happens if you profane your word?

If an object is kosher, and is used only for kosher purposes, it remains kosher. If it is defiled, it requires an elaborate process of kashering. Similarly, if you want to retract a vow, the rabbis devised a ritual for doing so. If you have already violated your word, you must do teshuvah - the steps of repentance. Just as it is far easier to maintain the kashrut of an object by not defiling it, so is it easier to maintain the purity of our words by fulfilling them (or not uttering them in the first place!).

So perhaps it is not coincidental that the Hebrew word for "things" and the Hebrew word for "words" is the same word - "devarim". Our words have meaning and power that are tangible. Be a person of your word.

Peace and blessings. Shabbat Shalom!

Rabbi Richard A. Flom - Rabbi Emeritus

Temple B'nai Hayim

הרחמן הוא יברך אותנו כולנו יחד בברכת אחוה, ובברכת אהבה,  ובברכת שלום

May the Merciful One bless us, all of us as one, with the blessing of brotherhood, the blessing of love, and the blessing of peace.

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My weekly divrei torah are also available through free subscription to the Cyber Torah e-mail list. No salesman will call!

Cyber Torah list management:

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

To unsubscribe from Cyber Torah, send an e-mail from the receiving address to: 

ravflom@sbcglobal.net with the heading “Unsubscribe Cyber Torah”.

To dedicate a Cyber Torah in honor of a simchah, in memory of a loved one or for a refuah shleimah, send an e-mail to: ravflom@sbcglobal.net with the heading “Dedicate Cyber Torah” and provide details in the message body.

FOLLOW THE LEADER

Parashat Pinchas
Tammuz 21, 5784 / July 26-27, 2024
Torah: Numbers 25:10 - 30:1
Haftarah: Jeremiah 1:1-2:3 (First Haftarah of Rebuke)

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Programming note: I will be conducting this week's Shabbat services at Temple B'nai Hayim while Reb Jason is out of town. A cappella on Friday, 7/26 at 7:00 pm (Zoom and FB live) and Saturday at 9:30 am (in person, on Zoom, and on FB live). E-mail me for links. 

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. NO Lunch and Learn on June 24. On July 29, we'll be at BT Chagigah 4b, page 4 of Ein Ya'akov (Glick edition) Volume 3:
  "...ר' יהודה אומר סומא באחד מעיניו"  

"R. Juda says: 'A man blind on one eye...'"

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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FOLLOW THE LEADER

 
"Of Yetzer, the Yetzerite family; of Shilem, the Shilemite family." Numbers 26:49

Rabbi Yechiel Michel of Zlochov offers the following comment on this verse: "This is a hint of what our Sages say, that a person is led along the path he wishes to follow (citing the Talmud at Makkot 10). 'Of Yetzer' (which means "inclination") - if a person wishes to follow his yetzer hara, his Evil Inclination, 'the Yetzerite family' - whole families will join him in this type of behavior. On the other hand, 'of Shilem' (the root of which means "perfection" - the same root as "shalom" - "peace") - if a person seeks to find perfection, 'the Shilemite family' - many friends will join him in this course."

Moses Sees the Promised Land from Afar (watercolor circa 1896–1902 by James Tissot)

This is an interesting insight. Each and every one of us has not only the freedom to choose good or evil, but the power to persuade others through our choices. Our actions can be as persuasive as our words. Whether we intend so or not, for good or ill, we all lead by example. This means that, in a sense, none of us ever has any "down time" - we are constantly observed by others - whether by our partners or by our children or by our friends or by our co-workers or by strangers in the street. But it also means that every minute of every waking day is an opportunity to influence others in a positive and constructive way - merely by being "shilem". We don't have to be perfect. But we can make the world better by showing others that we are striving to be better.

Each of us is a leader. You never know who's watching!

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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My weekly divrei torah are also available through free subscription to the Cyber Torah e-mail list. No salesman will call!

Cyber Torah list management:

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

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

To dedicate a Cyber Torah in honor of a simchah, in memory of a loved one or for a refuah shleimah, send an e-mail to: ravflom@sbcglobal.net with the heading “Dedicate Cyber Torah” and provide details in the message body.

NO PROFIT FROM “PROPHETS”

Parashat Balak

Torah: Numbers 22:2 - 25:9
Haftarah: Micah 5:6 - 6:8
Tammuz 14, 5784 / July 19-20, 2024
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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. NO Lunch and Learn on June 24. On July 22, we'll be at BT Chagigah 3a, page 1 of Ein Ya'akov (Glick edition) Volume 3:
'הנהו תרי אילמי ...'
"There were two dumb men..."
 
We’ll learn the mishnah at BT Chagigah 2a first, in order to understand the background of the midrash
 
The 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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Please pass this on to a friend - and please cite the source.
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NO PROFIT FROM “PROPHETS”
 
“How goodly are your tents, O Jacob, your dwelling places, O Israel. Like palm groves that stretch out; like gardens beside a river; like aloes planted by the Lord; like cedars beside the water.” Numbers 24:5-6.

The first verse here is the opening of “Ma Tovu”, recited upon entering the synagogue. Together, the verses are a beautiful blessing, or perhaps an observation, offered by the sorcerer-prophet Bil’am (aka Balaam), who had been hired to curse the people of Israel.
  

The Prophet Balaam and the Angel. John Linnell (1792-1882) 

The early Hasidic master Yakov Yosef of Polnoye asks, “What is the difference between a true prophet and a false one?” The true prophet, he says, scolds people, telling them of their failings and how they may correct them. Think of Jeremiah or Isaiah.

The false prophet, on the other hand, sweet-talks the people. “You’re wonderful!  Everything is great! Don’t change a thing.” He covers you in honey and cream while preparing to slice you to pieces.

It is precisely because true prophets love the people that they criticize them and demand improvement. Even though Bil’am and others of his ilk (both then and now!) praise the Jewish people, they do not sing out of love. They say what they say in order to entice the Jewish people, and prevent them from reaching the loftiest possible spiritual and moral levels.

Don’t be fooled by false prophets - they'll love you to death.

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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My weekly divrei torah are also available through free subscription to the Cyber Torah e-mail list. No salesman will call!
Cyber Torah list management:
To subscribe to Cyber Torah, send an e-mail from the receiving address to: ravflom@sbcglobal.net with the heading “Subscribe Cyber Torah”.
To unsubscribe from Cyber Torah, send an e-mail from the receiving address to: ravflom@sbcglobal.net with the heading “Unsubscribe Cyber Torah”.
To dedicate a Cyber Torah in honor of a simchah, in memory of a loved one or for a refuah shleimah, send an e-mail to: ravflom@sbcglobal.net with the heading “Dedicate Cyber Torah” and provide details in the message body.

THE KASHRUTH OF MONEY

Parashat Chukkat

Tammuz 7, 5784 / July 12-13, 2024
Torah: Numbers 19:1 – 22:1
Haftarah: Judges 11:1-33
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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. NO Lunch and Learn on June 24. On July 15, we'll be at BT Shabbat 156a, page 215 of Ein Ya'akov (Glick edition) Volume 1: 

'...  אמר רבא בר רב שילא '  

"Raba b. Shila said..."

The first volume of Ein Ya'akov is now available and downloadable on Google drive at:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1T4e-HR9u6P5dmaazIzeRXOi0DqNPALdc/view?usp=sharing   

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Please pass this on to a friend - and please cite the source.

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THE KASHRUTH OF MONEY
 
"The well which the chieftains dug, which the nobles of the people started with maces, with their own staffs, and from Midbar to Mattanah." Numbers 21:18
 
The following story appears in Itturei Torah, a compilation of commentaries:
 
"'A rich man who had acquired his wealth by illegal means came to Rabbi Yisrael of Ruzhin (1796-1850). The man brought a pitka - a note asking the rabbi to pray for him - and a pidyon - a gift of money (literally, 'redemption'). The rabbi accepted the note but not the gift, saying, "The Torah says, 'from Midbar to Mattanah.'" (Note: The Ruzhiner is punning - The Hebrew name 'midbar' also means wilderness; the name 'mattanah' also means 'a gift') The wilderness is symbolic of uprightness and purity, for according to tradition, it is a place where there is no theft. Only from one whose money is obtained honestly and with clean hands could Rabbi Yisrael take a mattanah - a gift - not from this one, who made his fortune from deceit and oppression."'

Moses Striking Water from the Rock (Nicolas Pouissin, circa 1633-1635)

Who would have thought that money can be kosher or treif? After all, it is morally neutral. It depends on what you do with it. We can use it for tzedakah (charity), or to commit crimes. Apparently, how we get our money matters, too. Rabbi Yisrael refused to accept the gift of tainted money, even though he undoubtedly would have done good things with it. Perhaps he could foresee what has befallen the beneficiaries (like politicians and charities) of the "largesse" of criminals and others whose money was not obtained in a kosher manner. More important, perhaps, he did not want to be in a position of owing anything, even a “thank you”, in exchange for the “gift”. (Think also of Abraham refusing gifts from the King of Sodom - Genesis 14:21-24; and from the Hittites – Genesis 23)

 
Just as what comes out of our mouths is as important as what goes in, how we earn our money is as important as how we spend it. We cannot cleanse our souls by attempting to launder them with dirty money.

Shabbat Shalom!

Rabbi Richard A. Flom

Rabbi Emeritus, TBH

"שתיקה כהודאה דמיא"

"Silence in the face of wrongdoing is consent.”

BT Yevamot 88a

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My weekly divrei torah are available through free subscription to the Cyber Torah e-mail list. No salesman will call! Cyber Torah list management: 

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

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

To dedicate a Cyber Torah in honor of a simchah in memory of a loved one or for a refuah shleimah, send an e-mail to: ravflom@sbcglobal.net with the heading “Dedicate Cyber Torah” and provide details in the message body.

HOLIER THAN THOU?

Sivan 30 (Rosh Chodesh), 5784 / July 5-6, 2024

Parashat Korach

Numbers 16:1 - 18:3

Maftir Rosh Chodesh: Numbers 28:9-15

Haftarah 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.

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

Lunch and Learn meets Mondays at 12:30 PM on Zoom and Facebook Live. NO Lunch and Learn on June 24. On July 8, we'll be at BT Shabbat 152b, page 212 of Ein Ya'akov (Glick edition) Volume 1: 

'... הנוהו קפולאי'  

"There were gravediggers ..."

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Please pass this on to a friend - and please cite the source.

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HOLIER THAN THOU?

'(Korach and his followers) assembled against Moses and against Aaron, and said to them, "There is too much for you; for the entire congregation, every one of them, is holy, and the Lord is among them; then why do you lord it over the assembly of the Lord?"' Numbers 16:3

Rashi, citing Midrash Tanchuma: Much more than necessary have you taken high offices for yourselves. All of them heard the commandments at Sinai from the mouth of the Mighty One. If you yourself have taken the kingship, you should not have selected for your brother the priesthood; not you alone heard at Sinai, "I am the Lord your God"; the entire congregation heard!

Korach's argument, especially as elucidated by the Midrash, appears compelling. What makes Moses and Aaron so special? The problem, of course, is that Korach is not arguing that all of the people should have the rights and duties of the priests - he is not advocating equality. Rather, Korach was trying to usurp power solely for himself, and using this rhetorical technique to incite the Israelites to join in his rebellion. 

The Punishment of Korah (detail from the fresco "Punishment of the Rebels" by Sandro Botticelli (1480–1482) in the Sistine Chapel)

Rashi, again citing Tanchuma, says: Korach spent all night haranguing the Israelites, enticing them: "Do you think that I care for myself alone?  I care only for all of you! These people come and take all the high offices, for himself the kingship, and for his brother the priesthood!" - until all of them had been enticed.

We hear this kind of stuff from politicians, snake oil salesmen and others all the time, and it works. We must be saps! Do we think that we are all going to have power? In this particular case, didn't God say to all of the Israelites, "You shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy people"? Exodus 19:6 So, Korach is partly correct - we are all holy. But we already have the power that we really need. 

Unlike the priests, who have only ritual power, we the people, each and every one of us, have actual power, through spreading God's word to the world, by living out a visible Judaism. We do this by caring for the stranger and the needy, preserving the environment, seeking peace, and observing God's commandments in a meaningful way. It is the holiness of our lives that positively affects the lives of others, and that gives us the real power in the world.

Shabbat Shalom! Chodesh Tov!

Rabbi Richard A. Flom

Rabbi Emeritus, TBH

"שתיקה כהודאה דמיא"

"Silence in the face of wrongdoing is consent.”

BT Yevamot 88a

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My weekly divrei torah are available through free subscription to the Cyber Torah e-mail list. No salesman will call! Cyber Torah list management: 

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

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

To dedicate a Cyber Torah in honor of a simchah in memory of a loved one or for a refuah shleimah, send an e-mail to: ravflom@sbcglobal.net with the heading “Dedicate Cyber Torah” and provide details in the message body.