Torah Tidbits
Yom Kippur's Mysterious Scapegoat - Satan's Bribe?
What is the meaning and purpose of the strange ceremony of the scapegoat which involves pushing a goat off a cliff on Yom Kippur? Ramban explains according to the Kabbala that it is a symbolic pay-off or bribe to the Satan to prevent him from prosecuting Israel on Yom Kippur. That’s why the ceremony of the scapegoat is done through a lottery which is determined and controlled by G-d. Otherwise, the ceremony would resemble Demonology. This idea illustrates how much G-d loves Israel and is searching for ways to grant us atonement on Yom Kippur even to the point of appeasing the Satan.
Continue ReadingAliya-by-Aliyah - Yom Kippur
SDT: stands for Short D’var Torah, and is a long-standing feature of Torah Tidbits. Usually interdispersed within the Aliya-by-Aliya Sedra Summary, they make a short point about a single issue in the sedra. Many an SDT have been shared at Shabbat tables throughout Israel (and abroad, via the internet) for many years. Here is one for Parshat Eikev
Continue ReadingTimed Timelessness
Don’t get too caught up with the title of this Lead Tidbit. It came to replace “...UVYOM TZOM KIPPUR…” Either way, the point will be that T’shuva is a mitzva that has no set time, but that our Tradition gave it a set time, but that set time is flexible (hopefully) by the very nature of the timelessness of T’shuva and its components.
Confused? Don’t worry - just stay with it; read on…
TTriddles for Yom Kippur
[1] I will rejoice - in what? Torah
Haftara of Nitzavim-Vayeilech begins with SOS ASIS BASHEM… I will rejoice intensely in G-d… ASIS = I will rejoice =1+300+10+300=611= Torah.
[2] The lonely letter says it ain’t so
In Haazinu, we find the word “Is it to G-d”. The first HEI is written extra large and, according to scribal tradition, separated from the rest of the word by a small space. This HEI is the loneliest letter in the Torah (the backwards NUNs have each other). Yet when the word is read, the HEI is connected to the word, specifically, to the LAMED that follows it. The first syllabel of the word is HAL, followed by ADO- (G-d’s name). Some BKs mistakenly separate the HEI in reading - based on the way it is written, and the word comes out HA-L’HASHEM.
Towards Better Davening and Torah Reading - Yom Kippur
The well-known custom on Yom Kippur is to say Baruch Sheim K’vod Malchuto L’Olam Va’ed aloud in the SH’MA, whereas it is usually said quietly.
First of all, the sentence is the only part of Sh’ma that is not from the Torah. For that reason, it is generally said quietly, to distinguish it from all the rest, which is from Torah.
There are two origins attributed to Baruch Sheim. One says that it was Yaakov Avinu’s whispered response of thanks to G-d when his sons proclaimed their complete faith and loyaly to G-d with the words:
Divrei Menachem for Yom Kippur
Yom Kippur is hailed as the holiest day of the Jewish year. It is indeed a day of self-examination, physical mortification, and soul searching; it is indeed a day on which we are called to ask for forgiveness for our failings and to sincerely repent for our sins, which are too many to be recounted.
Continue ReadingPortion from the Portion- Yom Kippur
One of the famous prayers in the Yom Kippur machzor is EILEH EZK’RA - These I will remember. This prayer is the second time during the Jewish year when the story of the Ten martyrs is recounted. The first time is Tish’a b’Av in the kina ARZEI HAL’VANON. Who are these ten martyrs and what is the significance of their stories to our personal prayers on Yom Kippur?
The stanzas in this rhyming piyut are written in the order of the alphabet and includes the author’s name, Yehuda, in the last stanza. It is about ten great Torah scholars who died horrible deaths at the hands of the Romans, in the name of the honor of the Torah. They didn’t all live exactly during the same time period but their stories are brought together to make it more dramatic and to give more emphasis.
CHIZUK and IDUD for Olim & not-yet-Olim respectively
n a shiur he delivered more than 30 years ago, Harav Yosef Dov Soloveitchik (the Rav) spoke of the history and meaning of Kol Nidre, which begins the communal prayer of Yom Kippur. While some of the Gaonim did not approve of Kol Nidre as an addition to the tefilot, it in fact appears in the siddur of Rav Amram Gaon, but in past tense, that is annulling the vows of the past year. Several centuries later, Rabbenu Tam changed the tense from past to future, no longer focused on past vows but with invalidating future ones.
Continue ReadingWisdom and Wit - Yom Kippur
A chassid once said to R’ Yissachar Dov of Walbrazch, “Rebbe, I am willing to repent completely, provided that you can assure me that as a result of my repentance I will not have to suffer in the afterlife.”
R’ Yissachar Dov asked him a simple question: “Tell me, were you sins also performed conditionally?”
Vebbe Rebbe
Question: How does the potential for nourishing oneself intravenously affect the laws of eating on Yom Kippur? May one who has trouble fasting have an intravenous drip? Should someone who needs to eat use intravenous instead?
Continue ReadingTWO CYCLES OF JUDGMENT
“On the first of Tishrei all of creation passes before Him for judgment. On Pesach there is judgment on the grain crops, on Shavuot on the fruit and on Sukkot on rainfall” (Rosh HaShana 2:1).
We are all familiar with Rosh HaShana as Yom HaDin, Day of Judgment, which comes to begin the cycle of Creation. It marks the creation of Adam and Eve “in G-d’s Image” as the pinnacle of all His work on the 6th day of Creation. Since this is a cosmic cycle common to all peoples and all creatures in His world, it is appropriate that on Rosh HaShana they coronate Him as King and subject themselves to His Judgment. This is Kingship that is always tempered by His Mercy; both Avinu and Malkeinu, both our Father and our King, so that His Judgment always provides the possibility of doing T’shuva.
Word of the Month - Yom Kippur
A weekly feature of Torah Tidbits to help clarify practical and conceptual aspects of the Jewish Calendar, thereby better fulfilling the mitzva of HaChodesh HaZeh Lachem…
Continue ReadingIn This Issue of Torah Tidbits
- Lead Tidbit
- Guest Article
- Candle A Day
- Wisdom & Wit
- Aliya-by-Aliya Sedra Summary
- Vebbe Rebbe
- Portion of the Portion
- TTriddles "Report"
- Word of the Month
- Ethical Teachings of the Torah
- Chizuk and Idud
- Towards Better Davening and Torah Reading
- Divrei Menachem
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Sedra Stats
Word of the Month
With the molad of Tishrei approx. 8:15pm Israel Summer Time last WED night (first night of RH), three full days after would be 8:15pm on Motza’ei Shabbat. With moon set at 8:35pm in Jerusalem, it was doubly impractical (even if possible) to say KL then. Practical first opportunity for Minhag Yerushalayim followers was Sunday night (after the postponed Tzom Gedaliya). Strict 7-day people would have their first op on Wednesday night (Sep. 15). Most people wait for Motza’ei Yom Kippur for Kiddush L’vana.