Hebrew | Francais

Shabbat Parashat Devarim 5779

Devarim | 9 Av 5799 | 10/08/2019

Parashat Hashavua: Their Origins and their Journeys, by Hashem’s Word

We read about the journeys from one encampment to another on the way to Eretz Yisrael, and it mainly consists of names of places. These names contain history, and the basic premise behind them is “based on the word of Hashem” (Bamidbar 33:2). As Bnei Yisrael were about to enter the Land, it was worthwhile to review the whole past, to teach that even when we enter the Land, we need to hold on to lessons from the past in order to know how to live our lives in the future.

Ask the Rabbi: Kri’at Shema in a Whisper

As a speech therapist, I was wondering whether Kri’at Shema can be done in a whisper. In a whisper, the “z” sound is produced as an “s” and the “v” sound is produced as a “f” (and all voiced sounds become devoiced). Scientifically, this is because the vocal chords do not vibrate when whispering. Doesn’t one need vocalize to truly produce a “zayin”, “vav”, or any voiced sound, when saying Shema?

Ein Ayah: Distancing Evil or Embracing Goodness

On the sixth day [the Torah was given]. Sixth day from what? Rava said: From the day they encamped at [the Sinai desert]. Rav Acha bar Yaakov said: [The sixth day] from commencing their travel [from Refidim].

P'ninat Mishpat: Dividing Government Funding

The plaintiff (=pl) and the defendant (=def) are organizations that do overlapping work in strengthening the religious/social fabric of a certain city. Def was looking for a grant from the Department of Education (=DOE) and was missing a couple of eligibility components – the operation of a kollel and reaching a certain number of hours of community work. Def suggested to pl that they join forces so that def could be eligible, and they would give 25% of the funding to pl. They signed a contract with terms. Thus, a few avreichim who had been involved with pl, including one with certain qualifications required for the grant proposal, went to work under pl. In 2012, the grant request was originally turned down because one of these avreichim was rejected by DOE. Eventually, def received 306,341 shekels and gave pl 32,640 shekels (far less than 25%). In 2013 they received no funding. In 2014 they negotiated terms of agreement but did not sign a contract. Def received 281,111 shekels, but they could not agree on the amount due to pl. Pl claims they deserve the full 25% for 2012. Def claims that pl agreed to a reduction because they were responsible, by providing an ineligible avrech, for the proposal’s rejection. This caused def to have to work very hard to receive funding, which is not attributable to pl. They also pointed out that pl did not ask for a full portion for 2012 until the argument regarding 2014 arose, which proves that pl had agreed. Pl argues that it took a long time until the funding came, and they did not know how much they deserved until later; there was no mechila. Regarding the avrech, def was aware of the issue and decided to proceed with the funding request anyway. [We will discuss 2014 next time.]

We daven for a complete and speedy refuah for:

Nir Rephael ben Rachel Bracha
Refael Yitchak ben Chana

Netanel Ilan ben Sheina Tzipora

Netanel ben Sarah Zehava

Yehuda ben Chaya Esther

Meira bat Esther

Yair Menachem ben Yehudit Chana

Rivka Reena bat Gruna Natna

David Chaim ben Rassa

Lillian bat Fortune

Yafa bat Rachel Yente

Eliezer Yosef ben Chana Liba

Ro'i Moshe Elchanan ben Gina Devra

Together with all cholei Yisrael

Hemdat Yamim is dedicated

to the memory of:

those who fell in wars

for our homeland

Eretz Hemdah's beloved friends

and Members of

Eretz Hemdah's Amutah

Rav Shlomo Merzel z”l
Iyar 10

Rav Reuven Aberman z"l

Tishrei 9 5776

Mr. Shmuel Shemesh z"l
Sivan 17 5774

R' Eliyahu Carmel z"l

Rav Carmel's father

Iyar 8 5776

Mrs. Sara Wengrowsky

bat R’ Moshe Zev a”h.

Tamuz 10 5774

Rav Asher Wasserteil z"l

Kislev 9 5769

R' Meir ben

Yechezkel Shraga Brachfeld z"l

R' Yaakov ben Abraham & Aisha

and

Chana bat Yaish & Simcha

Sebbag, z"l

Rav Yisrael Rozen z"l
Cheshvan 13, 5778

Rav Benzion Grossman z"l
Tamuz 23 5777

Rav Moshe Zvi (Milton)

Polin z"l

Tammuz 19, 5778

R' Yitzchak Eizik

ben Yehuda Leib Usdan z"l

29 Av

R' Abraham Klein z"l

18 Iyar 5779

Hemdat Yamim
is endowed by Les & Ethel Sutker
of Chicago, Illinois
in loving memory of
Max and Mary Sutker
and
Louis and Lillian Klein, z”l

A weekly divrei Torah leaflet: A Glimpse at the Parasha, Ask the Rabbi, From the writings of Harav Avraham Yitzchak Hakohen Kook, zt”l, Pninat Mishpat (Jewish Monetary Law).