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This Week’s Torah Reading

Hukkat

TuMAH (ritual impurity) is primarily contracted through contact with a human corpse, rendering a person taMEI (ritually impure), for seven days. On the third and seventh days of that period, the taMEI person is sprinkled with a concoction of fresh water and the ashes of a burnt red cow, mixed together with cedar wood, hyssop, and crimson yarn. This is known as the ritual of the paRAH aduMAH or Red Cow. Miriam’s death is recorded after which the people cry out against Moses and Aaron for the harshness of the wilderness and in particular, the lack of water. God instructs Moses to produce water from a rock. Moses takes his rod and strikes the rock twice, thus procuring much water for the community and its animals. God is disappointed in Moses and Aaron and informs them that they will not lead the people into the land. This place is known as MeriBAH or Quarrel. The Edomites deny the Israelites passage through their territory. Aaron dies at Mount Hor. His son, ElaZAR, becomes the new koHEN gaDOL (Head Priest) and the people mourn Aaron for 30 days. After the Canaanite King of Arad took some Israelites captive, Israel attacked them and leveled their cities. As the Israelites continue to complain, deadly serpents overran them. Moses’ creates a neHASH neHOshet or copper serpent which healed those who were bitten if they gazed directly at it. Israel defeats the attacking Amorites and takes possession of all their land. They also defeat King Og of BaSHAN. The people encamp upon the steppes of MoAV, across the Jordan from Jericho.

A SHABBAT THOUGHT

The young man who has not wept is a savage and the old man who will not laugh is a fool.

~~ George Santayana   ~~

WEB OF THE WEEK

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCEOgMAgmv4&feature=related

Ray Charles doing America on Israeli television—
America Hametukah: Sweet America!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDA9NbPAK8o

Something just fun and in honor of a great country and nation:
The Good Ole’ United States of America—
Happy 232nd Birthday, America!

AURAL TORAH

Destroying the Serpents

Be Sure to click on the attachment to hear the Aural Torah!

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GOTTA QUESTION?
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MISSION ACCOMPLISHED—OR NOT?

Dear CyberRav,

Before I went to Israel, I promised all sorts of people that I would place notes in the western wall for them. Many people wrote me notes and I did take them with me to Israel. I went to the wall twice and much to my embarrassment, I forgot to bring the notes with me. Stupid me! My tour guide promised that he would insert the notes into the wall next time he would be visiting there. I reluctantly agreed, for I had no other alternative, but I am suffering from much guilt in having failed to make good on my promise. I feel that I should tell my friends of my failure. It won’t help matters much, as I failed, but perhaps I will feel better having fessed up to the truth. Could you help me figure this out?

CYBER RAV ANSWERS

Dear Religious Hypocrite,

Wow—if guilt were a measure of Jewishness, you’d be pretty Jewish. But maybe there’s reason to feel not so guilty. Let me give you some good news—you don’t have to tell your friends that you failed, because you didn’t. The fact that you did not put the notes in the wall yourself is actually of no real significance. The fact that you assigned that task to another person, the tour guide, (and now we have to assume that the tour guide is trustworthy and in fact fulfilled the promise made to you), means that the hands of the tour guide became your own. In the Talmud we say, sheluho shel adam kemoto—a person’s agent is the equivalent of the person him/herself. In other words, if you designate a person to become your shaliah or agent, the shaliah’s actions are the equivalent of your actions. As long as your shaliah (read: the tour guide) put the notes in the wall, you have put the notes in the wall.

Let me also add another Talmudic dictum: ein shaliah ledavar aveirah—there is no agency for an illegal or immoral matter. In other words, if you hired a person to steal, and that person steals, only the person who steals is guilty of theft. You may be guilty of conspiracy or aiding a criminal, but when it comes to crime or immorality, every person is individually responsible for his or her own crime. You can’t make someone you agent to engage in an illegal or immoral action. In this way, the tradition underscores the importance of our own personal accountability to God for every action we perform. The defense—I was only following orders—is no defense in Judaism.

Next time you’re in Israel, you can again in good conscience carry the notes of friends and family to the wall, and whether you or your shaliah completes the act, the action will be completed legally and morally.

Rabbi Rafi Rank
CyberRav

Shabbat Shalom Everyone!!

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