Shabbat Parashat Naso 5786

Naso | 7 Sivan 5786 | 23/05/2026

Dear Eretz Hemdah Family,

Yerushalayim has saved the Jewish people throughout the generations.
Rabbi Carmel, in his shiur (in hebrew) on Erev Yom Yerushalayim,
explains the Connection between Jerusalem and the Declaration of Independence in the days of King David, and on the rescue in the Six Day War and in our day.
►►The link for your enjoyment►►
 Immediately after the Six-Day War, on Shavuot,

the road to the Kotel was opened.

May we merit to intensify Yom Yerushalayim

even more so on the upcoming holiday.

Shabbat Shalom & Chag Sameach!

There is a change in the format of the Hemdat Yamim due to technical difficulty.
Bezrat Hashem our new website will be uploaded in the near future.

Parashat Hashavua: On Nazir, Sota, and True Union

The order of sections in our parasha enforces an important moral lesson. The proximity of the matter of nazir to sota (woman suspected of infidelity) teaches us that one who sees the plight of the sota should separate himself from wine (Berachot 63a). Indeed, alcohol is not only physically harmful, but it is spiritually destructive. Chazal’s message does not single out women avoiding the path of the sota, which can be caused by intoxication, but also to a man who allows himself to be in surroundings of drunkenness. The advice to one in such surroundings is to accept the restrictions of a nazir, which forbids him to drink wine.

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Ask the Rabbi: Different Standards of Shabbat Clothes Cleanliness

On Shabbat, with our kids putting their shoes on my husband’s pants, in an Israeli climate etc., my husband’s clothes often get dusty/dirty to a degree that embarrasses me. The other week, I hit his suit firmly with my hand to remove most of a particularly bad patch of dirt. He said that was assur; I was taught otherwise. Who is right?

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Moreshet Shaul: Two Elements to Work On – part III

In light of the confusion among the public, especially regarding the youth in Israel, about how to view the non-Jewish population [in Israel], it is proper that rabbis should dedicate significant thought to clarifying the matter from the perspective of Jewish Philosophy. There is a need to set a “golden mean” on the matter. On the one hand, distance should be drawn between Israel, the chosen nation, who are “sons to Hashem,” which places upon them special obligations, which are as least as great as the privileges, [and the gentile communities]. On the other hand, there is a need to act with respect and appreciation toward [non-Jewish] neighbors, who, when they act properly toward us, have the right to be treated with the respect due to those who deserve it because they were created in the image of Hashem. This concept finds expression in the halacha of ger toshav (a non-Jew who does not convert to Judaism but formally accepts certain precepts and enjoys limited rights within the Jewish community; the halachic construct does not exist in our times); we are commanded to help them live and thrive.

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P'ninat Mishpat:  A Mess of Loans, Repayments and Grievances – part II

The plaintiff (=pl), a lawyer, worked for and had intricate financial connections with the defendant (=def). There are two loan contracts of pl lending 250,000 NIS to def, which seem basically confirmed by bank transfers. Def made several significant payments to pl, but the sides dispute the nature of several of them, with possibilities including payment of salary. Def also has claims on rental fees at his offices from which pl continued to work after his employment ended, as well as deductions for various grievances about pl’s flawed work. [We will deal with different issues in installments.]

There is a sum of money (10,400 NIS) which def claims he paid to someone according to pl’s request, and pl denies that any such payment was related to him. Also, def claims that pl cannot get payment based on the first contract because it was due several years ago.

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