Shabboom! Weekly Announcements

Energize your week with Ohev Sholom                                                July 18, 2019

Shabbat Times and Announcements

Erev Shabbat, July 19 (Tammuz 16)
6:30a Shacharit
6:45p Kabbalat Shabbat
8:12p Candle Lighting

Shabbat, July 20: Balak (Tammuz 17)
7:30a Mashkimin
9:15a Shacharit, with a Dvar Torah from Maharat Friedman
10:30a Shabbat Youth Groups
10:30a Pickle Minyan
11:45a Kiddush
6:50p Daf Yomi
7:20p Chaim Fruchter's Shiur
7:50p Mincha, followed by Seudah Shlishit with a talk from Naima Jefferson
9:13p Havdalah

Upcoming Kiddush Schedule
7/20: Kiddush 
7/27: Kiddush Luncheon sponsored in honor of Michelle Kerbel
8/3: Kiddush Luncheon sponsored by the Laufer family

Comments on the Portion, Haftorah & Pirkei Avot, Contributed by Rabbi Ben Mintz

In this week's parsha, Balak, the King of Moab, fearing the approaching people of Israel, summons the non-Jewish prophet Bilam to curse them. God appears to Bilam and forbids him to curse the Jews. Bilam responds and says that he will bless them in accordance with God's wishes. God's answer is what has become a well-known aphorism: “One tells the hornet, ‘Lo miduvshaich, velo mei'uktzeich’” -- I neither want your honey nor do I want your sting (Midrash Raba, quoted by Rashi).

The parsha continues with a series of Bilam’s blessings of the Jewish people. The most famous of these is "Mah Tovu,” which is incorporated into the beginning of the daily prayer service: How goodly are your tents, oh Jacob, your dwellings, oh Israel. The rabbis explain that the openings of the tents of the Jews were not placed directly opposite one another, thus preserving the privacy of family life, and meriting Bilam’s praise.  

The translation of that statement has been an issue. The word "tovu" is an unusual grammatical term in Hebrew. How to say it in English? From earliest times, the English translations -- Tyndale, King James, and, in modern times, Rabbi Sacks and Robert Alter -- have used the term "goodly," even though that is hardly a word that is part of the English vocabulary. It appears that "goodly" will have to be good enough. 

The parsha ends with the story of Pinchas, grandson of Aharon. When the Jews have begun to prostitute themselves with the daughters of Moab, Pinchas sees a high official of the Jews in intimacy with a Midianite. Pinchas takes matters into his own hands and, with a spear, kills the Jew and the Midianite. According to the rabbis, Pinchas saw the incident and remembered the halacha (Jewish law) that it is an obligation for the zealous to take action when a Jew is intimate with an Aramean woman. Similarly, the rabbis say, when there is "chilul Hashem," a desecration of God's name, there is no necessity to consult a rabbi before taking action. The next parsha is named for Pinchas, who is given special recognition by God. 

The haftorah is from the prophet Micah, one of the Twelve Prophets, who expressly mentions the story of Balak and Bilam. The haftorah ends with the now famous passage: What does God ask from you but "to do justice, to love goodness, and walk humbly with your God." This passage, at my suggestion, is engraved on the outside of the building of the Columbus School of Law, at the Catholic University of America.

Pirke Avot, Ethics of the Fathers
Chapter 6, Mishna 2: Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi says: The word of God is engraved (charus) on the Tablets. Don't read “charus,” but rather “cheirus” (freedom). For the only person who is truly free is one who occupies himself (or herself) with what is written on the Tablets.

Haftorah Video, by Hal Brodsky z"l

A video about this week's Haftorah can be viewed here: Micah 5:6-6:8

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