TORAH READING FOR 25 AV 5783 August 11-12, 2023

August 11, 2023 by templekol

From “The Haftarah Commentary” / by Plaut and Stern UAHC Press 1996, p. 468:

GLEANINGS

Words to Remember

Why spend money for what is not bread?

Why spend your wages for what does not satisfy? (Isa. 55:2)

PARSHA

From Reform Judaism https://reformjudaism.org/torah/portion/reih

R’eih [Re’ëh] (רְאֵה – Hebrew for “see”) – Deuteronomy 11:26 – 16:17

See, this day I set before you blessing and curse. – Deuteronomy 11:26

SUMMARY

God places both blessing and curse before the Israelites. They are taught that blessing will come through the observance of God’s laws. (11:26–32)
Moses’ third discourse includes laws about worship in a central place (12:1–28); injunctions against idolatry (12:29–13:19) and self-mutilation (14:1–2); dietary rules (14:3–21); and laws about tithes (14:22–25), debt remission (15:1–11), the release and treatment of Hebrew slaves (15:12–18), and firstlings (15:19–23).
Moses reviews the correct sacrifices to be offered during the Pilgrim Festivals—Pesach, Sukkot, and Shavuot. (16:1-17)

HAFTARAH

Isaiah 54:11-55:5

The third of seven haftarot of consolation leading up to the holiday of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, which this year begins the evening of Friday, September 15, 2023. This haftarah corresponds to Parashat Re’ëh.

From ETZ HAYIM TORAH AND COMMENTARY

THE SEVEN HAFTAROT OF CONSOLATION p. 1032

The Seven Haftarot of Consolation follow the Three Haftarot of Admonition (puranuta) that were recited on the three Sabbaths before Tish-ah b’Av. As the synagogue calendar progresses, these 10 haftarah readings are followed by one chosen especially for the Shabbat that precedes Yom Kippur. Thus we have a cycle of special haftarot for this period, each unrelated to the parashah that is read on Shabbat.

RECOMMENDED READING

From Reform Judaism https://reformjudaism.org/torah/portion/reih

The “Angel Who-Knows”

By: Rabbi Talia Avnon-Benveniste

STRUGGLING WITH TORAH and REFLECTION

For Torah Study, instead of the portion from the Book of Deuteronomy that is read on this Shabbat, we will read Isaiah 54:11-55:5. You can read this week’s Torah Portion at https://www.sefaria.org/Deuteronomy.11.26-16.17, and the Haftarah at https://www.sefaria.org/Isaiah.54.11-55.5

From “The Torah / A Women’s Commentary” edited by Dr. Tamara Cohn Eskenazi and Rabbi Andrea L. Weiss, Ph.D.

ראה R’eih – Deuteronomy 11:26–16:17

Post-biblical Interpretations – by Charlotte Elisheva Fonrobert, pp. 1134-6

Together with your households, you shall feast there before your God YHVH (12:7). The use of the phrase “your households” (literally “your houses”) immediately raises questions about who is included in this designation. Subsequent verses in this parashah (12:12, 18; 16:11, 14) consistently omit wives from lists of participating household members, but they do include other women, such as daughters and female slaves. Thus, early rabbinic interpreters considered the expression for “house” here to mean “wife” (Sifrei D’varim 64); in fact, rabbinic texts often equate the two terms (Mishnah Yoma 1:1). Rabbinic sources frequently cite a statement to this effect attributed to Rabbi Yosi, who said, “All my life I never called my wife ‘my wife’ (ishti) and my ox ‘my ox.’ Instead, my wife I called ‘my house’ and my ox ‘my field’” (BT Shabbat 118b; BT Gittin 52a, among others). Indeed, in talmudic Aramaic one of the words for “wife” is related to the word for “house.” Thus, the Rabbis understood a wife to be the essence of a household, and they attached a great deal of significance to this fundamental conviction.

The metaphoric connection between woman and house in the rabbinic imagination led to further elaborations, such as references to the interior organs of the woman’s body as various rooms. For example, “the sages made a simile (mashal mash’lu) with regard to the woman: the chamber, the antechamber, and the upper chamber” (Mishnah Niddah 2:5). At times, women’s sexual organs are referred to as doors, hinges, and even keys (BT B’chorot 45a).

You shall consecrate to your God יהוה all male firstlings (15:19). The repeated biblical insistence that the first-born be consecrated led to an entire mishnaic tractate, B’chorot, which is devoted to the legal aspects of this topic. Among many other concerns, Mishnah B’chorot inquires as to what constitutes the status of a first-born animal. Does this include, for instance, an animal that emerged from “its mother’s side,” presumably by Caesarean birth? The answer is that such a birth does not bestow first-born status on the animal since Numbers 18:15 defines the first-born as literally what “opens the womb.” Moreover, biblical law explicitly requires a “male” first-born. Thus, any sexual ambiguity, whether a lack or a doubling of external sexual organs, constitutes a blemish that disqualifies an animal from sacrificial status as a first-born (Mishnah B’chorot 6:12).

You shall rejoice in your festival (16:14). According to the Babylonian Talmud, this verse teaches that a husband is obligated to make his wife and children rejoice as part of the holiday observance. A Babylonian sage suggests that wives are made joyous with new clothes; he goes on to claim that in Babylonia women prefer colorful garments, while women in the Land of Israel prefer bleached clothes made from linen (BT P’sachim 109a). Another rabbinic tradition based on this verse prohibits weddings during the intermediary days of Passover or Sukkot, since “one should not mix up one joy with another” (BT Mo’ed Katan 8b).

Three times a year…all your males shall appear before your God YHVH (16:16). The emphasis on “males” in the concluding verses of the parashah is noteworthy, especially since earlier statements imply that the entire extended household, including daughters and female slaves, was obligated to participate in festival observances. The exclusion of women in this verse appears to contradict the preceding passages. The Rabbis solved this contradiction by subdividing the responsibilities of rejoicing (v. 14) into various components. Accordingly, women and people with sexual ambiguities, such as the hermaphrodite and the non-sexed person, are said to be exempt from the commandment of appearing before God (Mishnah Chagigah 1:1), since the biblical verse specifies that males are to do this. “Appearance” (r’iah) entails both presence in the Tempe and offering a sacrifice, since “they shall not appear before יהוה empty-handed” (16:16). Talmudic discussions (BT Chagigah 4b) suggest that the exemption of women from this particular obligation makes sense since bringing a sacrifice in this instance is a time-bound commandment (festival observances take place three times a year on specific days on the calendar). According to an early rabbinic principle, women are exempt from commandments that must be performed at fixed times (Mishnah Kiddushin 1:7). However, the responsibility to rejoice applies to everyone (Tosefta Chagigah 1:4 and BT Chagigah 6b); thus, in that aspect of the festival celebration, women and men are equally obligated.

ROSH CHODESH ELUL אֱלוּל

Begins at sundown on Wednesday, August 16, 2023 and ends at nightfall on Friday, August 18, 2023. Elul is the sixth month of the Hebrew calendar and the twelfth of the civil calendar, and has 29 days. It signals a period of preparation for Rosh Hashanah.

ROSH HASHANA LABEHEMOT / רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה לְמַעְשַׂר בְּהֵמָה

From Hebcal https://www.hebcal.com/holidays/rosh-hashana-labehemot

New Year for Tithing Animals

Rosh Hashana LaBehemot for Hebrew Year 5783 begins at sundown on Thursday, 17 August 2023 and ends at nightfall on Friday, 18 August 2023.

Rosh Hashanah L’Ma’sar Behemah (Hebrew: ראש השנה למעשר בהמה‎ “New Year for Tithing Animals”) or Rosh Hashanah LaBehemot (Hebrew: ראש השנה לבהמות‎ “New Year for (Domesticated) Animals”) is one of the four New Year’s day festivals (Rosh Hashanot) in the Jewish calendar as indicated in the Mishnah. [The others are Rosh Hashanah, Tu Bishvat, and Pesach.] During the time of the Temple, this was a day on which shepherds determined which of their mature animals were to be tithed. The day coincides with Rosh Chodesh Elul, the New Moon for the month of Elul, exactly one month before Rosh Hashanah.

Modern Day Reminder

From Hazon https://hazon.org/commit-to-change/holidays/new-year-animals/

Just as Tu B’Shvat has been revived as a Jewish Earth Day, Rosh Hashanah La’Behemot is a modern-day reminder of human relationships with animals. Animals provide humans with companionship, food, clothing and so much more. Rosh Hashanah La’Behemot is a time for us to honor our relationships with behemot, the animals in our lives.

BLESSING (for Rosh Hashanah LaBehemot 1 Elul)

Blessed are you, the Eternal One our God, sovereign of all creation who made the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, creeping things, and the animals of the earth, including us in your image and after your likeness. You command us to look after and take care of the earth and all her life. Blessed are you, the Eternal One, creator of every living thing that moves on the earth.

PRAYERS

From “Mishkan T’filah / A Reform Siddur”:

ROSH CHODESH – FOR THE NEW MONTH p.519

Our God and God of our ancestors, may the new month bring us goodness and blessing. May we have long life, peace, prosperity, a life exalted by love of Torah and reverence for the divine; a life in which the longings of our hearts are fulfilled for good.

FOR OUR COUNTRY p.516

THUS SAYS ADONAI, This is what I desire: to unlock the fetters of wickedness, and untie the cords of lawlessness; to let the oppressed go free, to break off every yoke. Share your bread with the hungry, and take the wretched poor into your home. When you see the naked, give clothing, and do not ignore your own kin.

O GUARDIAN of life and liberty, may our nation always merit Your protection. Teach us to give thanks for what we have by sharing it with those who are in need. Keep our eyes open to the wonders of creation, and alert to the care of the earth. May we never be lazy in the work of peace; may we honor those who have [served, suffered or] died in defense of our ideals. Grant our leaders wisdom and forbearance. May they govern with justice and compassion. Help us all to appreciate one another, and to respect the many ways that we may serve You. May our homes be safe from affliction and strife, and our country be sound in body and spirit. Amen.

FOR HEALING

We recite MI SHEBËRACH for the victims of abuse, brutality, conflicts, fear, natural disasters, pandemics, tragedies, violence of all kinds especially directed at individuals and specific communities including us, and war; for all those at home alone or lonely; for all those in need of physical, emotional, and mental healing. “R’fuah sh’lëmah” – a complete recovery!

YAHRZEITS/ANYOS

We say KADDISH YATOM for those of our friends and families who have died and been buried this last week; those in the period of Sh’loshim (30 days since burial); those who have died in the last year; and those whose Yahrzeits/Anyos occur at this time; as well as the victims of brutality, conflict, disease, natural disasters, pandemics, tragedies, violence of all kinds, and war.

This coming week, 25 Av through 1 of Elul, we lovingly remember:

Maria Dolores Advincula

Mother of TKH Member Ida Farmer

David Levitt

TKH Memorial Board – Father of Barry Levitt, Grandfather of David Levitt

Virginia Bloom Way

Mother of Diana Turner

Those victims of the Sho’ah (Holocaust) who died at this time of year.

“ZICHRONAM LIV’RACHAH” – MAY THEIR MEMORIES BE FOR BLESSING.

TORAH STUDY AND SHAZOOM

We will meet as usual at the regular times for Torah Study and Shazoom this evening, Friday, August 11, 2023.

Zoom regularly updates its security and performance features. Making sure you have the latest version of Zoom, please join us online this evening with wine/grape juice for Kiddush and Challah for Motzi.

Topic: Torah Study – Haftarah Re’ëh: Isaiah 54:11-55:5

Time: Aug 11, 2023 06:00 PM Arizona

and/or

Shazoom – Erev Shabbat Service

Time: Aug 11, 2023 07:30 PM Arizona

To join Torah Study and/or Shazoom click on the following link [you may need to copy it into your browser]: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/72510500854?pwd=Z3VQZWF4U1BBZytNYmh3aHFTWkFDZz09

Meeting ID: 725 1050 0854

Passcode: 4NrMk0

Hint: The last character of the password is the number zero.

Shabbat Shalom – Buen Shabbat – Gut Shabbos!

-Ruben

PS – About the Book of Isaiah: