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Shabbat Parashat Shoftim | 5769

Shoftim | 2 Elul 5769 | 22/08/2009

Parashat Hashavuah: A United Arm and Head

As Bnei Yisrael draw near to entering Eretz Yisrael, our parasha focuses on the laws of war. After the kohen exhorts the men not to be afraid and exempts certain people at life’s crossroads, those who are “afraid and weak of heart” are sent away (Devarim 20:1-8). R. Akiva says that these people were literally scared despite the encouragement. R. Yossi says it refers to those who sinned in matters from the Torah. R. Yossi Hagelili says it is talking about those who sinned in rabbinic matters, e.g., those who spoke between putting on the tefillin of the arm and of the head.

Ask the Rabbi: Compensating for losses due to interest

My son is buying a house and I said that, please G-d, I would give him a present of $10,000 (= $10K) to help, but he now needs another $20K to complete the transaction. He is unable to get commercial financing, but I am. I understand that it is forbidden for me to take a $20K loan in my name and have him pay the bank the interest or reimburse me. (Correct?). May I, instead, reduce the $10K present to compensate for the losses on the $20K loan, considering my pledge of the present was just an oral statement?

Ein Ayah: The Purpose of Dreams

R. Zeira said: Whoever slept seven days without a dream is called bad, as the pasuk says … R. Yochanan said: Whoever satiates himself with words of Torah and then sleeps will not be told bad tidings.

P’ninat Mishpat: (Zeh Neheneh V’zeh Lo Chasser) This One Benefits and This One Does Not

Sometimes, one has to pay for services that he did not agree to pay for. We will view the topic of zeh neheneh v’zeh lo chasser (=znvzlch) in relation to the following case. A company designed the facade of someone’s house and then used a picture of it in their advertisement, for which the homeowner demands compensation.

Hemdat HaDaf HaYomi: “Stand Outside” – Collecting Debt from the Borrower

This week in the Daf Hayomi, the Gemara (113-116) deals with the laws of taking collateral and collecting debts from a borrower. In the Torah, there are a number of Mitzvot pertaining to this issue. These Mitzvot come to protect the dignity of one who borrowed money and is having difficulty repaying the loan. One of the prohibitions the Torah states is that the lender is not allowed to enter the house of the borrower in order to take collateral.

Shoftim 5769
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Shoftim 5769

The Eretz Hemdah family expresses its condolences to
Rabbi Yosef Carmel,
the head of the Kollel,
on the passing
of his mother,
Malkah Toibeh,
o.b.m.

This edition of Hemdat Yamim is dedicated to the memory of
R' Meir ben Yechezkel Shraga Brachfeld
o.b.m

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.

Hemdat Yamim of this week

is dedicated in memory of

Yitzchak Eizik Usdan ben Yehuda Leib a"h,

whose Yahrtzeit is the 29th of Av

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).