TORAH READING FOR 28 TAMUZ 5784 August 2-3, 2024

August 2, 2024 by templekol

SHAZOOM ONLY 6:30 PM August 2, 2024

OUR HEARTS ARE WITH THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL AND ALL THE VICTIMS OF CONFLICT

From “Mishkan T’filah / A Reform Siddur” p.178

SHALOM RAV al Yisraël amcha tasim l’olam, v’al kol yoshvëi tëvël, v’imru. Amen.

GRANT ABUNDANT PEACE to Israel Your people forever, [and all who inhabit the earth. Amen.]

DOUBLE PARSHA

From Reform Judaism https://reformjudaism.org/torah/portion/matot-masei

Matot – Mas’ei (מַטּוֹת – מַסְעֵי The Tribes / The Marches of [the Israelites]) Numbers 30:2–36:13

Moses spoke to the heads of the Israelite tribes, saying: “This is what the Eternal has commanded: If a householder makes a vow to the Eternal or takes an oath imposing an obligation on himself, he shall not break his pledge; he must carry out all that has crossed his lips.” – Numbers 30:2-3

SUMMARY

Moses explains to the Israelites the laws concerning vows made by men and women. (30:2-17)
Israel wages war against the Midianites. (31:1-18)
The laws regarding the spoils of war are outlined. (31:19-54)
The tribes of Reuben and Gad are granted permission to stay on the east bank of the Jordan River. (32:1-42)
The itinerary of the Israelites through the wilderness from Egypt to Jordan is delineated. (33:1-49)
Moses tells Israel to remove the current inhabitants of the land that God will give them and to destroy their gods. (33:50-56)
The boundaries of the Land of Israel are defined, along with those of the Levitical cities and the cities of refuge. (34:1-35:15)
God makes a precise distinction between murder and manslaughter. (35:16-34)
The laws of inheritance as they apply to Israelite women are delineated. (36:1-13)

These Parashot end the Book of Numbers. Upon completing a book of Torah Ashkenazi Jews shout “Chazak! Chazak! Venit-chazëk” which is translated as “Be strong! Be strong! And may we be strengthened!” The Sephardic custom is to say “Chazak U’baruch” (“strength and blessing”) at the end of every single individual Torah reading; the response is “Chazak Ve’ematz” (“be strong and have courage” from Deut. 31:23) or “Baruch Tihiye” (“may you be blessed.”)

HAFTARAH

Jeremiah 2:4-28, 3:4 (Ashkenazi)

Jeremiah 2:4-28, 3:4, 4:1-2 (Sephardi)

RECOMMENDED READING

From Reform Judaism https://reformjudaism.org/torah/portion/matot-masei

Echoes of the Wilderness, Part IX: How Far Afield?

By: Cantor Josh Breitzer

STRUGGLING WITH TORAH and REFLECTION

We will continue to meet every other Friday for Torah Study to read and discuss selections from Ketuvim, the third section of Tanach (Hebrew Bible), which follows Torah and Nevi’im. Please see the NEW Torah Study-Shazoom schedule below. NEXT week we will finish studying Lamentations (אֵיכָה – Ëichah), which is found in Ketuvim (Writings), and traditionally read on Tisha B’Av (this year August 12-13, 2024). Read this week’s double Torah Portion at https://www.sefaria.org/Numbers.30.2-36.13, and the Haftarah at https://www.sefaria.org/Jeremiah.2.4-28, https://www.sefaria.org/Jeremiah.3.4, and https://www.sefaria.org/Jeremiah.4.1-2.

From “The Torah / A Women’s Commentary” edited by Dr. Tamara Cohn Eskenazi and Rabbi Andrea L. Weiss, Ph.D., Women of Reform Judaism/The Federation of Temple Sisterhoods and URJ Press New York 2008

מטות Matot – Numbers 30:2–32:42

Contemporary Reflection – Jacqueline Koch Ellenson, pp. 1008-9

I HAVE ALWAYS been amazed by the power of Kol Nidrei, the prayer that introduces the evening service on Yom Kippur. Each year, I marvel at the sheer number of people who put aside all other commitments in order to be in synagogue, to be present to hear these ancient words. What brings us in the doors? Is it the haunting melody? Is it the threefold repetition of the prayer that moves us toward an emotional crescendo? Or is it the message of this prayer, which promises to absolve us of our responsibility for any vows that we may make in the coming year?

When we make vows, we put into speech our deepest fears and most profound hopes. Like Hannah who vows to dedicate her son to the sanctuary if God grants her a son (I Samuel 1:11), many of us make various commitments to do certain things or give up certain things that we cherish, in order to avert danger or bring about a hoped-for future. Yet some vows are rash, regrettable, or unrealizable; some are made under duress. Kol Nidrei reminds us that we have the choice to keep or annul our vows, thus affirming our most basic rights to self-expression and self-determination. This is part of what gives both the prayer and its recitation its profound power.

Parashat Matot enumerates various regulations concerning the status of women’s vows (30:3–17). It also describes the circumstances under which a woman’s vow may be annulled. We read that if her father or husband hears the vow on the day that she makes it, the vow can be nullified. The woman’s personal status–whether she is a child, married, or divorced–will determine the status and power of the vow and whether she may fulfill it. Although she possesses the ability to make a vow, she may have to abandon her oaths and vows if the male authority figure in her life hears them. Given that fact, what are her options? She could take her chances with vowing and being heard. Or, to avoid her vow being annulled, she might either choose not to take on the responsibility involved in making an oath or a vow, or she might opt to make her vow but without anyone hearing her; in both of these options, she would be forced to follow, and be complicit in maintaining, the culture’s attitude toward her desire for personal expression. She herself thus participates in her own silencing, because only by vowing without being heard, will she fulfill the mandate that her vow establishes. She acts by pretending that she has not acted. She can transgress the restrictions only by forcing herself to take part in them at the same time. She must betray herself to be true to herself.

While we think we are free from these kinds of constraints, this is often not quite true. As mothers, when we chose [sic] to take emotional and physical care of our children, we voluntarily relinquish the freedom we might have enjoyed at an earlier time. Similarly, we may accept professional positions that do not sufficiently reflect our capabilities, in order to be available to support a beloved spouse, partner, or aging parent. We may not explicitly associate such situations with vow making or breaking, but in a certain important way, the relationship to vows exists. Like vow-making in the Bible, women’s aspirations, spoken or not, are promises we make, even if only to ourselves. When we give them up because of external pressures, we pay a price.

On the one hand, we live in a time when, as women, we are blessedly free from the kind of controls that Numbers prescribes. On the other hand, we find ourselves within a web of relationships where we often give up what we had promised to ourselves, or we redirect our abilities. The stereotype of the Jewish mother may represent, in some ways, a woman’s efforts to take power through the very vehicles that entrap her–by making a nice home, cooking gourmet meals, and having successful children.

Some may see these concessions as choices; others may see them as abandonment of self. We want to fulfill our responsibilities and live up to our expectations as spouses, mothers, and daughters; but we also want to be heard, to play an active role in our communities, to see ourselves and to be seen as powerful. We are aware that our culture could not survive if we sometimes did not voluntarily place our own needs as secondary. Yet, we are not always aware of the price some of us pay for that choice.

We see in our society rising rates of depression, eating disorders, premature sexuality, and self-destructive behaviors. A 2002 report of the American Psychological Association indicates that of the 17 million Americans who suffer from depression yearly, “women are twice as likely as men to experience a major depressive episode. Depression may occur at any age during a woman’s life with certain events like puberty, pregnancy, perimenopause, trauma, substance abuse and quality of relationships.” The report also notes that current research shows that women typically “place their needs secondary to those of others.” One cannot simplistically attribute depression to a single cause, but it is difficult not to wonder to what extent the thwarting of one’s longings and hopes, either by implicit social pressures or explicit ones, plays a role.

How can we stimulate and support, rather than stifle, women who long to fulfill their ambitions and dreams, so that their vows to themselves–and others–can become a reality? As a Jewish community we are still working on answers to such questions, both in the personal and institutional realms. We no longer need to be complicit in the denial and abandonment of self that pervades our culture. Instead, we can speak honestly and openly about our lives and our choices. No longer must we voice our desires in an undertone, hoping that no one will hear. Instead, we can search to find–whether in studying the Torah or participating in the world–the truth of our lives that will help us to find the truth in God’s teachings, so that we can live in a more just relationship with our loved ones and with our God.

מסעי Mas’ei – Numbers 33:1–36:13

Contemporary Reflection – Lisa Edwards and Jill Berkson Zimmerman, pp. 1032-3

THE LAST PARASHAH in the book of Numbers ends with a second story about the five daughters of Zelophehad–Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. The first story, in Number 27, shows how the sisters demanded and received a promise–from God, no less–that they will inherit their family’s ancestral land (since their father died without leaving a son). Here in parashat Mas’ei, the daughters’ male relatives challenge the women’s inheritance right in order to protect ownership of tribal land. Moses responds al pi Adonai–“at God’s bidding” (36:5), by amending the new law. The change requires women who inherit ancestral land to marry into a family of their father’s tribe (36:6), thereby limiting these women’s choice of spouses, but keeping the property within the tribe. The parashah and the book end by confirming that the sisters did marry accordingly.

This sequel in Numbers 36 appears to be a setback after the daughters’ startling triumph in parashat Pinchas (Numbers 27), where they won significant inheritance rights for themselves and for their “sisters” in the future. The five sisters in particular, and Israelite women in general, walk away from parashat Mas’ei with less than they had before. As some scholars observe, when the sisters marry their first cousins, they essentially hand over their inheritance to the same men who would otherwise have inherited the land had the women never stood up for themselves (Hara E. Person, “Masa’ei [sic]: Boundaries and Limits,” in The Women’s Torah Commentary, 2000, p. 327; and Jacob Milgrom, Numbers, 1990, p. 298). Moreover, in giving up some of their gains for the sake of larger familial and communal needs, they seem to perpetuate the all-too-familiar situation of women foregoing their own needs for the sake of others in the family.

Nevertheless, while the decree in this parshah certainly is a step back from the full rights given to the daughters previously, it is not a full retreat; they still end up with more than they had in the first place. To begin with, the sisters marry from a position of strength, not dependency. What would have happened to the sisters had they not stepped forward to ask for their inheritance? Given the frequency with which the Torah reminds us of our societal obligation to care for widows and orphans, we can guess what might have happened to Zelophehad’s daughters had they remained landless. Furthermore, the daughters’ actions and triumph eliminate a whole category of dependent orphans (the girls and women who until then did not inherit).

The story of Zelophehad’s daughters invites us to reflect on the roles that family members and community play in one’s life. Our freedom as women to make choices and demands stems in part from our Jewish heritage in which women such as Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah stood together to argue for equal rights, convincing leadership–human and divine–of the justness of their cause.

Today our individual commitments and decisions from the everyday to the profound (taking a class at night, accepting a board position, making a career change) affect our partners and our children, regardless of who makes them. Likewise, our seemingly private decisions launch a whole range of new communal developments. For example, working and studying mothers and their partners require, and therefore initiate, new structures for childcare that were not available to the previous generation. Such choices compel (or inspire) others to “think outside the box” to accommodate new challenges.

Especially in egalitarian relationships, each person’s words and visions, choices and decisions, actions and reactions, construct an unfolding dialogue, ever-growing and often life-changing in much wider circles than one would have envisioned. What began as a seemingly private demand by five sisters for their share of land became a new law to protect all women in unforeseen circumstances.

In parashat Mas’ei, at the end of the Israelites’ journey in the wilderness, the amending of the ruling for Zelophehad’s daughters (along with the concomitant change in inheritance laws in perpetuity for all Israelites, 36:8–9) teaches modern lessons for intertwined lives: in a society, community, or family, one person’s needs and desires must be weighed against those of others. Final authority should not belong to one member only, nor should laws be made based on the interests of only one party.

The amendments in Numbers 36 also emphasize the need for lawmakers to look always at the rights of all citizens, and not just at the issues brought by lobbyists. The women’s movement, like all movements of liberation, discovered long ago that the most effective and enduring changes are those that create justice for all members of society.

This observation does not negate the need to speak out for special interests. Just as the prayer of our matriarch Hannah became for the rabbis of the Talmud the model of how to pray (I Samuel 1:10–11; BT B’rachot 31a–b), so in their own time, the daughters of Zelophehad model how to be an advocate for one’s own rights. Had Hannah not prayed or the sisters not spoken up, no change would have taken place. Speaking out opens up a public space where the diverse needs of community members can be examined in order to negotiate for equitable resolutions. Because the original ruling given in parashat Pinchas benefited the daughters but not the tribe, the amendment here in parashat Mas’ei demonstrates how an idea may require fine-tuning even after it becomes law.

The ending of the book of Numbers sets the stage for processes of change, showing us that even within the Torah itself, lawmaking is an inexact science requiring flexibility to change as issues arise and society evolves. We honor the sisters’ ability to speak up, and their grace to concede when their gain is shown to be against community interests. We are the inheritors of their chutzpah and their quest for equal rights.

ROSH CHODESH AV 2024 / רֹאשׁ חוֹדֶשׁ אָב 5784

Rosh Chodesh Av for Hebrew Year 5784 begins at sundown on Sunday, 4 August 2024 and ends at nightfall on Monday, 5 August 2024. [It signals a period of preparation for Rosh Hashanah, which is two short months away.] Av (אָב) is the 5th month of the Hebrew year, has 30 days, and corresponds to July or August on the Gregorian calendar. רֹאשׁ חוֹדֶשׁ, transliterated Rosh Chodesh or Rosh Hodesh, is a minor holiday that occurs at the beginning of every month in the Hebrew calendar. It is marked by the birth of a new moon.

In some traditions, the first nine days are an intense period of mourning. The destruction of the first and second temples, the expulsion from Spain in 1492, and several other tragic and disastrous events in Jewish history are recalled. This period of mourning culminates with a full fast day and reading the Book of Lamentations, which the Gemara says was written by Jeremiah, on the 9 of Av (Tisha B’Av).

At least two other noteworthy observances take place during Av. The date of Aaron’s death, which is explicitly stated in Torah (Numbers 33:38), is commemorated on the first of Av. The 15 of Av (Tu B’Av) is a minor holiday celebrating love similar to Valentine’s Day and is considered a great day for weddings.

PRAYERS

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

ROSH CHODESH AV – 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.376

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.

PRAYER FOR THE STATE OF ISRAEL p.552

O HEAVENLY ONE, Protector and Redeemer of Israel, bless the State of Israel which marks the dawning of hope for all who seek peace. Shield it beneath the wings of your love; spread over it the canopy of Your peace; send Your light and truth to all who lead and advise, guiding them with Your good counsel. Establish peace in the land and fullness of joy for all who dwell there. Amen.

FOR HEALING – El Na R’fa Na Lah!

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, 28 Tamuz through 5 Av, we lovingly remember:

Chaya bat Yitzchak Gomez

Mother of TKH member Ruben Gomez

Jacob Sznejder

TKH Memorial Board

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

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

SHAZOOM ONLY

We will meet for Shazoom ONLY this evening, Friday, August 2, 2024. Please see the NEW Torah Study-Shazoom schedule below. NEXT week we will finish studying Lamentations (אֵיכָה – Ëichah), which is found in the Ketuvim (Writings), and traditionally read on Tisha B’Av (this year August 12-13, 2024).

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

Shazoom – Friday Night Service

Time: Aug 2, 2024 06:30 PM Arizona

To join 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 Lamentations (אֵיכָה – Eichah) and the NEW schedule through June 2024:

From Reform Judaism

https://reformjudaism.org/jewish-holidays/tishah-bav

https://reformjudaism.org/blog/how-should-reform-jews-observe-tishah-bav