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Shabbat Parashat Bereishit 5776

Bereishit | 27 Tishrei 5776 | 10/10/2015

Parashat Hashavua: Fighting for Bread

Hashem decreed upon man, as a result of Adam’s sin: “… the ground will be cursed for you; with hardship shall you eat from it all the days of your life. Thorns and thistles will it grow for you, and you shall eat the grass (plants?) of the field. With the sweat of your brow shall you eat bread …” (Bereishit 3:17-19).

Ask the Rabbi: Shabbat Cruises

I signed up for an Israeli round-trip pleasure cruise to European destinations. The ship will be “covering ground” at sea on Shabbat? Is there a heter to be in such a situation?

Ein Ayah: Beware of Foreign Fragrances

A certain mother-in-law hated her daughter-in-law. The mother-in-law told her to adorn herself with afarsamon oil. She did so [apparently, excessively]. When the daughter-in-law came, the mother-in-law said: “Light a candle,” which the daughter-in-law did. The mother-in-law blew on the fire [setting the oil on the daughter-in-law’s body ablaze], and it consumed her.

P'ninat Mishpat: Changing a Community Tax Assessment

[There was common function of the Jewish community to collect “taxes” both for paying the government as a group and for the needs of the community, including supporting the poor. While there are some halachic guidelines, each community had its own ways of dealing with the task of assessing and collecting these dues.] When Reuven, who was known to be a rich man, died, 400 gold coins were taken for taxes from his estate, as per the last assessment when he was alive. Reuven’s son-in-law claims that he left only 4,000 coins, so the assessment is too high. Should the assessment be lowered?

Hemdat Yamim

is dedicated

to the memory of:

those who fell in the war

for our homeland.

Rabbi Reuven Aberman

zt”l

Eretz Hemdah's beloved friend

and

Member of Eretz Hemdah's Amutah
who passed away

on 9 Tishrei, 5776

Mrs. Sara Wengrowsky

bat R’ Moshe Zev a”h.

who passed away on

10 Tamuz, 5774

R' Meir
ben

Yechezkel Shraga Brachfeld

o.b.m

R ' Yaakov ben Abraham & Aisha

and

Chana bat Yaish & Simcha

Sebbag, z"l

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).