?? Quiz Time?? Answers can be found on back page 1. What letter was added to both Avrams and Soros name and why particularly this letter?

THE SHEVA BERACHOT OF LECH LECHA

Chief Rabbi Ephraim MirvisChief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth

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After instructing Avraham Avinu to embark on his momentous Lech Lecha from Haran, Hashem promised seven significant brachot: I will make you into a great nation; I will bless you; I will make your name great; you shall be a blessing; I will bless those who bless you; I will curse those who curse you; through you all the families on earth shall be blessed (BEREISHIT 12: 2,3).

When celebrating their marriage, a chatan and kallah embark

on their own special Lech Lecha when they leave their parents

home (some even leave their country and the place of their birth

as well). As such, the seven brachot promised to Avraham and

Sarah are very relevant to them as well. It is our hope that many

will descend from them, that Hashem will shower bracha and

simcha upon them, that they will have a good name and reputation

and will be a blessing for their surroundings. We pray that all

others will assist, encourage and bless them and not the converse

and that all will be inspired and enriched through coming into

contact with them.

In anticipation of their chuppah, a chatan and kallah look

forward to their married life as the Promised Land of their

dreams. Fascinatingly, there is another important Lech Lecha.

The second is in Parshat Vayera, where Hashem instructs Avraham

to take Yitzchak to the Akeda: And go (Lech Lecha) to the land of

Moriah (BEREISHIT 22:2). Avraham and Sarah made a double aliyah:

they first physically entered into Eretz Yisrael and, once they were there, they embarked on a second pilgrimage, which took them

to Moriah, explained by Chazal to mean the source of Horaah

(teaching) for the Jewish people, as it states, For out of Zion shall

the Torah go forth and the word of Hashem from Jerusalem.

Our physical relocation to Israel is only stage one of our ultimate

aliyah. In stage two, we are required within Israel to devote

ourselves to the study of Torah and the attainment of spiritual goals.

Similarly, marriage provides an opportunity for two Lech Lechas.

The first is a physical union as described in Bereishit: Therefore, shall a man leave his father and his mother and he shall cleave to his

wife and they shall become one flesh (2:24). Within that relationship, it is incumbent upon the couple to embark on a second exciting

and fulfilling Lech Lecha, by establishing and maintaining a Jewish home which is filled with spirituality, learning and middot tovot, with the presence of Hashem being constantly felt.

The most crucial vehicle for achieving this goal is Shabbat. Ot

hi leolam - a weekly true and authentic Shabbat experience infuses

our homes with meaning and joy and provides a visible sigh

of kedushah and taharah.

Baruch Hashem, on this Shabbat Parshat Lech Lecha, Shabbat

UK is bringing the beauty, relevance and life-enhancing properties

of Shabbat to larger numbers of Jews throughout the UK than ever

before. May we all bezocheh to make the most of Shabbat UK as an

opportunity to encourage as many Jewish people in the country as

possible to achieve a double Lech Lecha by establishing Jewish

homes and through being committed to Torah and mitzvot.

May we all become like Avraham and Sarah, from whom Jewish

continuity flowed to all the generations that followed.

PAR

SH

AH

OnegShabbosNorth West London's Weekly Torah and Opinion Sheets

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shabbos ends London: 6.40 pm Motsei Shabbos : Move clock back one hour to G.M.T. shabbos starts London: 5.36 pm

?? Quiz Time?? Answers can be found on back page 2. Why is the great miracle of Avrohoms surviving being thrown into the furnace not recorded in the Torah?

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In the beginning of the second chapter of Bereshit the pasuk says, Vayechulu hashamayim vehaaretz vekhol tzevaam vaychal Elokim bayom hashevii melachto asher asa, vayishbot bayom hashevii mikol melachto asher asa

And the heaven and the earth and their hosts were completed,

and G-d completed on the seventh day His work which He had

made, and He ceased from all the work He had made.

We make this declaration every Shabbat both in the tefillah and in Kiddush.

The pasuk seems to tell us that G-d's work was completed on the

seventh day vaychal Elokin bayom hashevii melachto asher asa,

however in the ten commandments mentioned in Shemot (20:11),

it says clearly that the creation was made in six days and Hashem

rested on the seventh.

Ki sheshet yamim asa Hashem et hashamayim veet haaretz,

et hayam veet kol asher asher bam, vayanach bayom

hashhevi'i

"For in six days G-d made the Heavens and the earth, and the

sea and all that is in them, and He rested on the seventh day."

This contradicts our original pasuk in Bereshit, that the creation was completed on the seventh day. In fact the Talmud in Megillah

9a mentions that the 70 Rabbis who translated the Torah for the

Greek King Talmai, each individually unaware of the others, changed

the words in their translation from Vaychal bayom hashevii to

Vaychal bayom hashishi - that G-d completed His work on the sixth

day so that the King should not assume from the literal translation

that G-d continued the creation on Shabbat.

Rashi (Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki) in his commentary on Bereshit brings two answers from the Midrash to this apparent contradiction.

In the first, Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai explains that G-d completed creation on the very last split second of the sixth day, and since we

are unable to discern that precise moment, it seemed to us, and was

mentioned in the Torah, as the seventh day.

Rashi brings another answer from the Midrash that what the

world was missing was Menucha Ba Shabbat, ba menucha

that when Shabbat came in, it brought peace and tranquillity to the

world. In fact, the Midrash says explicitly that after all creation, peace,

tranquillity and calm were created on Shabbat, here we see clearly

that Menuchat Shabbat is a special creation, not just a situation

of refraining from work. So really the creation was completed on

Shabbat with Menucha referred to in the Ten Commandments as

vayanach bayom hashevii that G-d rested on the seventh day with

the tranquillity of Shabbat He created.

Rabbi Zev Soloveitchik of Brisk explains the tefillah we say in the Amidah of Shacharit Shabbat-

Gam bimnuchato lo yishkenu arelim, ki leamecha yisrael

natato beahava.

Not only did he not give the Shabbat to the nations of the world,

but He did not give them the gift of dwelling in its Menucha the

tranquillity of Shabbat. This He only gave it to His people, Yisrael,

with love.

This is also based on the fact that the Menucha of Shabbat is a

creation. This menucha has been given only to the Jewish people who

keep the Shabbat and its laws. No other nation, even if they do not

work on Shabbat, can enjoy this special tranquillity of spirit. A Jew

who keeps the Shabbat enters a world of menucha which refreshes

his soul, bringing it closer to G-d, and puts back what the previous

six days have taken out of him. On Shabbat we can feel free and in

peace to come back to our true selves.

The Or Hachayim explains that the creation of the six days was

like a body without a soul or purpose and on Shabbat it received

its spiritual input and sustenance to become complete. This was

the Vaychal Elokim bayom hashevii on the seventh day. And that

happens every Shabbat. Hashem puts into the Shabbat a spiritual

input into the creation and gives the world sustenance and purpose

as indicated in the last words of the Vaychulu, asher bara Elokim La-

asot, continuing for all Shabbatot. That is also why a baby boy has

to pass through a Shabbat before he is able to have a brit mila.

This would explain the saying of our Rabbis, that one who keeps

the Shabbat and makes the declaration of Vayechulu hashamayim

vehaaretz becomes a partner in the creation of the world. How can

he become a partner in the creation which was already created? The

answer is as the Or Hachayim explains that every Shabbat, Hashem

gives life and sustenance to the creation for the coming week as

was the case on Shabbat Bereshit, we become partners in this. The keeping of Shabbat gives us a merit not only on a personal level to

enjoy its Menucha but to give a spiritual input and sustenance to the

whole creation.

2

PAR

SH

AHMenuchat Shabbat: The Spiritual Tranquillity of

Shabbat and its input

Dayan Abraham DavidRabbi of Od Yosef Hai

?? Quiz Time?? Answers can be found on back page 3. Why does the Torah tell us about the battle between the four kings and the ve kings?

S P O N S O R E D

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We have just emerged from the Chag of Succot. Every person bought their etrogim and no doubt searched for a mehudar etrog. What is the halachic definition of a mehudar etrog?

The following four boxes need to be ticked in order for an etrog to be mehudar: 1) that it must not be murkav, i.e. from a grafted tree, 2) that it should be complete without any pieces missing, 3) that it should not have a blemish and 4) that it has a nice shape.

Since the etrog is symbolic of the heart and sincere prayer comes from the depths of ones heart, we can take a powerful lesson from the etrog and apply it to our prayers. Let us look closely at the four aspects of a mehudar etrog and see if we can ensure that all our teffilot are also conducted in a mehudar way in line with the very same criteria.

We said the first criterion is that the etrog should not be from a murkav tree, i.e. it should not be mixed with other species. The same should apply to our prayers. We should ensure that our prayers are not be mixed with diburim shel chol idle chatter. I have already outlined the sources of this halacha from several places in the Shulchan Aruch (SEE SIMANIM 146:2 AND 124:7), the Mishnah Berura (OT.27 OVER THERE) and the Ben Ish Hai in Parshat Vayikra (OT.1).

The second criterion - we should ensure our prayers are not lacking, or missing in parts. Rather our prayers must be recited in full - from the beginning of Shacharit, from the Akeida - until Aleinu Leshabeach at the end. The same applies to Mincha to begin from Lamnatzeach and end at Aleinu Leshabeach. It is important to note the words of the Kaf HaChaim (SIMAN 52, OT.2) on this topic: And take heed that in the whole seder of our prayers, which were established by our Sages, there is within them deep hidden secrets and awesome things therefore one needs to be very careful to ensure he recites the whole seder of our prayers and in the correct order and not to leave out one part. Furthermore, we know the story of how the Maggid warned Maran (HaRav Yosef Caro) to make sure he comes to Shul very early in order to be able to recite the prayers fully and without missing out any sections the Maggid explained that if one misses out parts of the prayers the result would be a disruption and disorder in the spiritual pipelines that are channelled down from Above. The Kaf HaChaim then testifies that many Gedolei Yisrael would endeavour to recite their prayers fully and in the correct order if they were late for Shul and that this is his own practice. He then stresses that the necessity of reciting ones prayers takes precedence over the mitzvah of davening together with a congregation. In line with this subject,

the Holy Ari zl writes in Shaar HaKavanot (DAF. 41, SECTION 4) that one should not remove his tefillin until the end of Aleinu Leshabeach.

The third criterion is to ensure that our prayers have no blemishes, i.e. that we recite all the words and letters clearly and with the correct pronunciation. The Shulchan Aruch rules that one should make sure to recite one's prayers word by word in the correct fashion (SIMAN 61:22).

The fourth criterion is an aesthetic one the shape or appearance during prayer. It is important we are dressed nicely and appropriately in times of prayer. As the Rambam writes in Hilchot Tefillah (PEREK 5, HALACHA 5) that one should check that he is dressed appropriately and prepare himself accordingly. This is in line with the teaching of the pasuk: Hishtachavu LaShem bHadrat Kodesh I will bow down to G-d in holy splendour (hidur). The Rambam also writes (PEREK 8, HALACHA 12) that one whose shoulders are uncovered cannot be a Shaliach Tzibbur. We should acknowledge the words of the Shulchan Aruch (SIMAN 91:6) who writes that Torah scholars and their students must pray in a state of ituf, i.e. whilst they are wrapped (atufim), which can be done with a Talit Gadol, or with a hat and jacket depending on the prayer.

Now that we have taken a lesson from the hidur criteria of the etrog, let us acknowledge some other very important hidurim of tefillah and try to fulfil these on a daily basis be"H:

1. One must try his best to be one of the first ten congregants in Shul for Shacharit (SHULCHAN ARUCH, SIMAN 90:14). This applies to Mincha and Arvit as well (SHALMEI TZIBBUR DAF 23).

2. It is a mitzvah to run when on the way to Shul (SHULCHAN ARUCH, SIMAN 90:12)

3. One should pause at the moment of entering Shul in awe and fear of entering the Sanctuary of the King of the Universe (SHAAR HAKAVANOT, PAGE 3).

4. One should make a permanent place for their prayers (SHULCHAN ARUCH, SIMAN 90:19). It is well known that HaRav Elyashiv ztl held that it is permitted to be late to ones regular Minyan where his fixed place is for prayer, rather than davening on time in a later Minyan. HaRav Chaim Kanievsky in Orchot Yosher writes that terribile perils can befall a person like issues with parnassa, or death (lo aleinu), if one does not pray in a fixed place every day. Despite this, it is important to be aware that one must never eject a guest from his seat in order that he should daven in his fixed place. Such behaviour would not be considered derech eretz and could also lead to chilul Hashem.

3

PAR

SH

AHThe Importance of Tefilah

Rabbi Aaron BassousRabbi at Beth Hamedrash Keneset Yechezkel

?? Quiz Time?? Answers can be found on back page 4. After the battles, the pasuk mentions that the King of Sedom came to Avraham and then interrupts it with the meeting with Malki Tzedek (14:18). Why?

S P O N S O R E D

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How exhausting was your week? Rushed off your

feet? Havent stopped running from the office to

the Daf, learning with your kids, attending a family

simcha? Well, dont worry. Shabbos is just around

the corner!

But we do ourselves a disservice if we only superficially relate to

Shabbos as a day of respite when it is supposed to be the highlight

and culmination of our week.

Our daily lives are fascinatingly organized around the week that

mirrors how Hashem created the universe: 6 days of creative work

followed by the 7th day of rest on Shabbos.

It is not a day that is similar to the other weekdays but extra special

one with added delicacies such as gefilte fish, kugel and cholent!

Shabbos is totally different. It is nothing like the other days of the

week. Its distinction is characterised in Havdalah as the difference

between holiness and mundane, light and dark, Israel and non-Jews,

the 7th day and 6 days of work.

One of the reasons why it is worlds apart is because the

relationship between the week and Shabbos powerfully mirrors the

two phases of human existence: the 6 days of the week parallel mans

life in Olam Hazeh, this world, compared to the 7th day of Shabbos

that reflects his ultimate existence in Olam Haba, the World to

Come.

What does it mean that Shabbos is mayayn olam haba, a

semblance of the World to Come? Why is it so important to taste

the future world at the end of every working week in the present?

And how do we go about this in practice?

In the two different stages of life, the 6 days of the week and this

world represent the journey. This is the time for human creativity and

for hard work. It is the process of preparing and of becoming.

But at all times, ones attention has to be with an eye firmly focused

upon reaching your destination: the 7th day of Shabbos and spiritual

realm of the World to Come. Then you attain a state of rest because

you have finally arrived. You suspend all work and freeze mundane

or creative activities that are no longer relevant as they have being

superseded once you have reached the ultimate point of being.

Different worlds and atmospheres (e.g. Earth and the moon) are

subject to a different set of laws. So too, the attitude, demeanour and

outlook to Shabbos, has to be nothing like that of the rest of the week.

How Shabbos is meant to be an otherworldly experience finds

exquisite expression in some of the laws and rabbinic decrees

associated with the day. Here are three examples:

Muktzeh - Anything that has no use on Shabbos is deemed

muktzeh, set apart. An object has to be muchon, prepared, to

enable it to be moved or used on Shabbos. Otherwise, it is cut off as

it is associated with mundane weekly activities.

A Shabbos Walk - On the Shabbos, you are not supposed to walk

in the same manner as we do on the weekdays (see Yeshayah 58:13).

You have to replace the mad running and rushing of the week with a

calm, unhurried pace.

Nisht auf Shabbos geret The talk of Shabbos is also of a

different variety and flavour (SEE YESHAYAH 58:13). If it is not-to-

be-talked-about-on-Shabbos, then dont talk about it. Safeguard

the utterances of your lips. Business or mundane matters are not

discussed. Focus on mitzvah matters divrei Torah on the parsha,

inspiring stories about middos tovos and the like.

Shabbos is a taste of the future in the present. Every week the Jew

traces how Hashem created the universe. Indeed, the week carries

with it an echo of a lifetime journey. Ones outlook at life during the

week in Olam HaZeh as the means to arrive at the Yom Shekulo

Shabbos, the Day that is All Shabbos, in Olam Haba that is the ends.

By setting apart all the mundane, weekly activities that had earlier

occupied his time on Shabbos, he regularly focuses his attention on

the direction that his life is heading.

Let us savour the taste of Shabbos as it is truly out of this world!

4

PAR

SH

AHShabbos: Out of This World

Rabbi Shimon WinegartenRav of The Bridge Lane Beis Hamedrash

?? Quiz Time?? Answers can be found on back page 5. Why is it called Bris Bein Habesorim?

The pasuk at the beginning of Parshas Vayakhel says:

And Moshe assembled all the congregation of the Children of

Israel and he said to them, These are the things that Hashem

has commanded us to do.

This is followed by the command to keep Shabbos, as the pasuk

says

.......

For six days melacha shall be done and the seventh day shall

be holy for you

There are two obvious questions:

1. Why was it so important that the entire Jewish people needed

to be assembled?

2. The words in the first pasuk quoted above imply

that an exhaustive list of mitzvos is about to follow. However,

we find that the subsequent pesukim only discuss the one

mitzvah of Shabbos.

Many of us are acquainted with first-hand accounts of people who

came to this country in the first half of the last century and were

moser nefesh (made great personal sacrifices) to keep Shabbos in very

adverse circumstances. They would find a new job on Monday, only

to be dismissed the following Friday afternoon, when they insisted on

being allowed to leave work in order to be home in time for Shabbos.

Each week these new Jewish immigrants would return home with the

news that they had lost their only source of income - a huge nisayon,

test, especially in view of the fact that there were no welfare benefits

available. Nevertheless there were those who withstood the challenge

and soldiered on. Others unfortunately succumbed to the pressure of

earning a stable livelihood, and stopped keeping Shabbos as a result.

Generally those who remained loyal to Shabbos observance

remained frum, as did their descendants. Those who compromised

their Shabbos observance often very quickly lost their connection

to Judaism, despite their original pledge to remain committed to all

other mitzvos.

This stark contrast is indeed forecast in the first pasuk of Parshas

Vayahkell. Although Shabbos is only one mitzvah out of 613, it is

the crucial link between Hashem and His people, and the key to our

nations survival. Hence justifiably refers only to Shabbos

because the observance of Shabbos is pivotal to keeping all the other

mitzvos. It is also self-understood that this vital message had to be

relayed to the entire assembly of the Jewish nation.

This is reinforced by the famous pasuk that we recite each week in

the Shabbos morning Kiddush:

And the Children of Israel shall keep the Shabbos, to make the

Shabbos an eternal covenant for their generations. Between

Me and the Children of Israel it is a sign forever...

If we strive for continuity and eternity within Klal Yisrael both

collectively and as individuals, if our goal is that we want to ensure

that the Torah is practised in succeeding generations, and kept by our

children and grandchildren forever ldorosam bris olam the secret

is . Shabbos is the eternal sign of connection

that exists between us and our Creator, it is the .

But why should this be so? Why is the observance of Shabbos so

pivotal to the continuation of our people?

In Sefer Yeshaya, (12:2), the Navi tells us:

...

He who guards Shabbos not to profane it and he who guards

his hand not to do evil.

At first glance there does not seem to be any correlation between

the two phrases in this pasuk. However, on closer observation we

may notice that the Navi is informing us of a natural progression. A

person who commits himself to keeping Shabbos properly will be

imbued with an extra measure of holiness - kedushah which in turn

will provide him with the inner strength he needs to keep all the other

mitzvos.

In the same vein we ask Hashem in the Shabbos morning

shemoneh esrei:

....

Our G-d and the G-d of our fathers, may You be pleased with

our rest. Sanctify us with Your commandments and grant our

share in Your Torah........ And purify our heart to serve You

sincerely.

Once we have experienced and kept the day of Shabbos, we are

invested with an extra kedushah so that we feel more inclined to

keep the Torah. The observance of its mitzvos then becomes much

easier throughout the whole ensuing week. This will, in turn, open

our hearts to desire to learn the Torah until we are eventually able to

reach the incredible spiritual height of .

It transpires therefore that increasing the quality of our Shabbos

observance has a knock-on effect on our observance of all the mitzvos.

5

PAR

SH

AHThe Power of Shabbos

Rabbi Dovid CohnRov of North Hendon Adath Yisroel/ Dayan, Golders Green Beis Din

?? Quiz Time?? Answers can be found on back page 6. Why did Hashem wait until Avrohom was 99 years old before instructing him to do bris mila?

And G-d completed, on the seventh day, His

work which He had done and He rested, on the

seventh day, from all His work which He had done

(BEREISHIS, 2;2). This verse, so familiar to us as

part of our weekly Friday night Kiddush, contains

an apparent internal contradiction which Rashi,

the great mediaeval commentator, ponders. If G-d

rested on the seventh day, how can the verse begin

by telling us that He completed His work on the

seventh day? Rashi suggests two answers:

G-d is so omnipotent and precise that He did that which

a human cannot. G-d worked right up to the very last

split-second before Shabbos but stopped working just

as Shabbos commenced so that it appeared almost as

if He had worked on Shabbos but in fact He hadnt

That which G-d created on Shabbos itself was the

unique tranquillity and peace of the Shabbos day

Shabbos commenced, tranquillity descended; this was

the completion of the work of creation!

In our special Friday night Kabbolas Shabbos (welcoming of

Shabbos) service, when we sing the beautiful composition of

Lecha Dodi, we refer to Shabbos as last in deed, first in thought.

As implicit in Rashis second answer above, Shabbos is not merely

central to and vital for the maintenance of creation, it is in effect the

very pinnacle and purpose of creation.

People often consider the remarkable gift of Shabbos a day on

which, as the ShabbatUK 2015 legend puts it, we switch off the

week, switch on Shabbat as one which makes it possible for us to

work six days. In other words, it seems as if we rest one day in order

to work six. However, if we truly come to appreciate the centrality of

Shabbos to our lives, we will understand that exactly the opposite

is true we work six days in order to be able to rest on the seventh!

Shabbos, as the very high point the purpose of creation itself, is

not a tool by which we can come to work for six days; for the Jewish

people Shabbos itself is the ultimate experience.

With this idea in mind we can better understand the opening words

of the middle section of our Friday night Amidah: You sanctified the

seventh day for Your names sake, as the culmination of the creation

of heaven and earth. The Hebrew word for culmination is tachlis,

which can also mean purpose; in effect we are acknowledging that

our weekly celebration and observance of Shabbos is itself a central

purpose and validation of creation.

In the concluding stanza of the zemer Mah yedidus menuchoseich

(how precious is your, the Shabbos Queens, rest) we describe

Shabbos as providing a foretaste of the spiritual afterlife.

Rabbi Yeruchem Levovits of Mir taught that the best way for

a person to gain some understanding of what life after death will

feel like is to think about the joy and pleasure they experience on

Shabbos. A day on which neither technology nor material matters

hold sway over us, a day on which loftier and more transcendent

spiritual values come to the fore, a day on which we come into far

stronger contact with our inner selves and our Maker, a day on which

we can feel the essence of the purpose of creation.

The Gemarah in Shabbos (86B) states that Matan Torah, the

giving of the Torah to the Jewish people, occurred on Shabbos. There

is a Midrash (SHEMOS RABBAH, 29; 9) which says that When The

Holy One, blessed be He, gave the Torah, no fledgling chirped, no

bird flew, no ox bellowed, the Angels did not fly, nor did the Seraphim

proclaim the holiness of G-d; the sea did not move, creatures did

not communicate but the whole world was silent and hushed as the

sound I am the L-rd your G-d reverberated. R Shimshon Pincus

in his work Shabbos Malkassa explains that it was not that G-d had

to wait for silence to be heard, but rather that when the ultimate

peace, silence and tranquillity of Shabbos rest is manifest, special

spiritual experiences happen and it is then that we connect with the

true purpose of creation. May the wonderful phenomenon which is

ShabbatUK and the worldwide Shabbos Project enable ever more

of Am Yisrael to experience our ultimate sense of fulfilment and

purpose through the joyful observance of the most special gift which

G-d has given to His people.

6

PAR

SH

AHShabbos Kodesh THE purpose of creation

Rabbi Mordechai GinsburyHendon United Synagogue, Raleigh Close

?? Quiz Time?? Answers can be found on back page 7. What weapons did Avrohom use against the powerful four kings?

I would like to share an in depth understanding of

the meaning of Shabbos based on an essay written

by Hagaon Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach ztvl,

which was published in the first volume of the Yeshurun series.

On the pasuk the Midrash relates that after

Hashem admonished Kayin for his aveirah, he was met by his father,

Odom Horishon. Odom asked his son, What is your verdict? Kayin

responded that he had done teshuvah and that his judgement was

commuted. Odom was awed by the power of teshuvah and as a

spontaneous reaction recited the Psalm .

The obvious question is what is the connection between Shabbos

and teshuvah?

A further question. The Gemara in Sanhedrin teaches us that a

non-Jew who observes is . This is derived from the

verse in Breishis ie that there should be ongoing

work without interruption. While we may understand that a working

weekday should not be turned into a rest day, what however is wrong

with a non-Jew observing Shabbos which ultimately demonstrates

the belief in the fundamental principle of faith that Hashem created

the world, a fact that non-Jews are also obligated to believe?

Yet a further question. The Gemara in Shabbos states that one

who recites on Friday night becomes a partner to Hashem in

Creation . However, how can one become a partner in a

creation that has already been created? And in any event, how does

the recitation of make one a partner?

The answer is as follows. We say in the Shabbos morning

davening . That means that the

rest and tranquillity of Shabbos is not just a switch off from the

weekdays chores. Rather it is a heritage of . The

Gemara in Shabbos says, referring to Shabbos, -

. The Mechilta in Ki Sisa says

-. Experiencing Shabbos means

being a mekabel of this Kedushah; of being open and amenable to

connecting with Hashem, to retuning to ones - real roots. This

is the meaning of the the extra soul granted on Shabbos,

through which a person becomes connected to Hashem in a more

intense manner.

The Or HaChayim in Parshas Yisro comments on the pasuk

that it was meant to articulate the time it took to

create the world, it should have read . Rather, the

meaning of the pasuk is that the world was created to endure for only

six days. However, Shabbos was invested with the power to be the

source of life for the world to continue for another six days. And so

on each week. The Or HaChayim thus declares that since Creation

there has not been a Shabbos that was not observed by at least one

person; were that not to be the case, the world would cease to exist.

This segulah, that of the world existing because of Shabbos, was

given only to Yidden- an

exclusive Covenant between Hashem and the Yidden.

Accordingly, a Yid who recites whereby he/she acknowledges

the of being to Hashem and thus receiving an extra

dimension of , is directly responsible for the continuation of the

world for the next six days. He/she is indeed a partner to Hashem in

.

The Zohar brought by the Beis Yosef in Hilchos Tefilin tells us that

someone who wears tefillin on Shabbos is since his action

causes a diminution in the of Shabbos. (Shabbos and tefillin are

both referred to as .) In a similar vein we can now understand

why a non-Jew who observes Shabbos, a Shabbos void of kedushah,

a Shabbos bereft of the intense connection to Hashem that the

Shabbos brings, observed simply as a day of rest, as a workday

switch off, will have diminished the very essence of Shabbos and

likewise is .

We can now understand the connection between teshuvah and

Shabbos (they share the same root). By definition teshuvah is not

simply the process of returning to where one was before one sinned.

Rather it is a process of intensifying ones connection with Hashem.

When Odom Horishon was informed that even after the heinous sin

of murder it was possible for Kayin to connect to Hashem, at the

same time he realised a new dimension in the power of Shabbos

which through its bestows a closeness to and thus gives

for the world to continue-.

Good Shabbos!

7

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SH

AHThe Power of Shabbos

Dayan Menachem GelleyRosh Beth Din LBD & Rav of Ohr Chodosh

S P O N S O R E D

Our Chachamim teach (Gemarah Shabbos ),

If we would keep two Shabbosos , the complete

redemption would come immediately. What a

challenge our Sages presented us with, and how

important it is, as we begin to understand the gift

of Shabbos, and the notion that every single Jew

needs to keep Shabbos. My keeping of Shabbos is

not enough, I need yours as well.

Hashem created Adam and Eve on the sixth day of Creation, and

told them to (to work and guard), i.e. the Garden of

Eden.

Additionally Hashem said, Of every tree of the garden you may

freely eat, but of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Bad, you must

not eat. However, since the Tree of Knowledge was created, it would

surely have a purpose, and a positive one at that!

The Kaballah teaches that indeed the Tree of Knowledge did have

a most important purpose. Had Adam and Eve exercised self-control

for just a short time, then as that Friday merged into Shabbos, they

would have been instructed to eat from that Tree, and become like

Elokim. This would have been using Hashems creation in the most

positive way possible, thereby entering, Olam HaBah.

The Bal Shem Tov reveals that before Creation, when Hashem and

His infinite light were the totality of existence, time did indeed exist,

and that state of time was actually called Shabbos.

Thus, that first Shabbos in the Garden of Eden would in fact

have been the second Shabbos. Had Adam and Eve prepared for

this second Shabbos as they were told, the perfect second Shabbos

would have joined with the perfect first Shabbos, thereby creating

Olam HaBah.

If Am Yisrael were to keep two Shabbosos completely in that spirit

of Hashem created the heavens and the earth in six days, and on the

seventh day He rested, the Geulah would come.

Chazal in the Gemarah on Shabbos have assured us that there is a

fresh opportunity of bringing about the ultimate Geulah. All we need

is for Klal Yisrael to come together to keep this pair of Shabbosos

that we read about in Sedrah Bereishis two weeks ago. If all of Am

Yisrael can meet this challenge, it is within our gift to bring about

eternal peace and harmony to all collectively and individually.

A fabulous first step towards this goal is Shabbos UK. Will you be

joining us?

Gut Shabbos

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AHTwo Shabbosos will bring the Geulah

for Am Yisrael

Rabbi Moshe Schmahl Bais Avraham Goschalks, Ridgeway, Golders Green

The practice of newborn male circumcision is

synonymous with Jews and Judaism. The Torah

records that the commandment of this procedure

was first directed at Abraham and his family.

Since that time the descendants of Abraham have

continued to perform the mitzvah of brit milah with

unyielding vigour, defying all attempts to blot it out

by the empires of old or its opponents today.

The meaning of the practice however is obscure. First given to

Abraham it was a symbolic act testifying to Gods covenant with him.

The location of the sign may symbolize the eternality of the covenant,

that it would remain in force throughout the generations.

According to the Talmud, circumcision symbolizes Mans

responsibility to perfect humanity and the world. The act of

circumcision indicates that Man was not created perfect, but that it

was left to us to bring that about. God intentionally left Man imperfect

to teach him this invaluable lesson - that Man should not just accept

his surroundings and lot, but work to improve the life of others and

the world around him.

For Portuguese Jews, circumcision took on an additional

meaning. Living under the guise of Catholicism following their

forced conversion in 1497, circumcision was obviously outlawed. It

was clearly impossible to perform lest they provide the Inquisition

with indisputable evidence of their clandestine faith. However,

those who eventually made their way out of Iberia found within the

practice of circumcision a form of self-sacrifice to God, indicating

their unyielding adherence to Judaism and Jewish tradition.

The 1720s witnessed a flood of conversos into London, as they

fled the increased activity of the Portuguese Inquisition. A treaty

between England and Portugal meant that Portuguese officials could

not board British vessels even if docked in Lisbon. The leaders of

Bevis Marks Synagogue capitalized on this reality to pay British ship

captains to smuggle their cousins to the safer harbours of England.

The circumcision records of Bevis Marks record that thousands of

Portuguese conversos arrived over a period of 20 years. Circumcisions

were performed on hundreds of individuals, including elderly men in

their 80s and all other ages. For these returnees this act confirmed

their commitment to return to the heritage of their ancestors and to

begin a process of re-education and return.

The Spanish & Portuguese Jews conducted the first major kiruv

movement in Jewish history, with the publication of hundreds of

books on Judaism and Jewish law, as well as translations of the

Bible and prayer book, all in Spanish or Portuguese. The story of their

valiant and unlikely mass return inspires me daily, as I believe it will

anyone else interested in learning more about the eternal heritage of

the Jewish people.

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AHThe Secret Of Circumcision

Rabbi Shalom MorrisS&P Sephardi Community

Prime Minister David Cameron declares support for The Chief Rabbis ShabbatUK the largest national project for the Jewish communities in the United Kingdom.

The Chief Rabbis Shabbat UK is a wonderful Jewish initiative that brings together tens of thousands across our country to celebrate the unity and sense of community that has been a hallmark of Jewish life for generations.But Shabbat UK also has a wider message that speaks to everyone in Britain, because we can all benet from taking a moment to appreciate the value of family, friends and community life.I want to wish everyone taking part Shabbat Shalom.

The quest for certainty blocks the search for meaning. Uncertainty is the very condition to impel man to unfold his powers. ERICH FROMM

And so you see I have come to doubt

all that I once held as true

I stand alone without beliefs

The only truth I know is you. SIMON AND GARFUNKEL, KATHYS SONG

Human beings do not do well with uncertainty. The unknown

causes us discomfort, anxiety and fear, and in response, we build

protections against doubt. The human propensity for cognitive

comfort far outweighs the propensity for discovering truth. We will

avoid learning in order to avoid questions, and we will produce

explanations - any explanations - for phenomena that we do not

understand. We aim to quiet our mental unrest rather than discover

the nature of reality. An underlying reason for our tendency to find

quick, makeshift answers goes back to our origin as a species. In a

world where one is either predator or prey, one does not have the

luxury of taking time to contemplate truth, answers that are good

enough for now suffice.

Being averse to uncertainty presents considerable obstacles to

human learning and understanding. Our brains are wired to make

meaning out of confusing information, but we are not wired to find

accurate meaning. Truth is seldom self-evident. The deeper the truth,

the more elusive it tends to be, and the more it requires a journey into

the unknown.

This week G-d commands Abraham to leave the comforts of his

familiar environment:

Go for yourself, away from your land, the place you were born,

your fathers house

and sends him on a journey towards an uncertain destination.

To the land that I will show you.

G-d was guiding Abraham to continue, in a grand way, on the path

that he had begun.

Questions are the precursors to uncertainty. Most questions are

relatively comfortable, but when they challenge what we already

believe to be true, we find the greatest discomfort. We will often

respond to even the suggestion of such questions with a great deal of

anger and upset. Perashat Lekh Lekha teaches us that such manner

of response is not the Jewish way. Abraham emerged as the pre-

eminent forefather of Israel because, rather than avoid these difficult

questions, he explored them from an early age and continued asking

and examining them throughout his life. At the opening of our parsha,

G-d thrusts Abraham out of his comfort zone and onto a serious path

of exploration. G-d assures him that there will be a destination, and

that he will finally arrive at a conclusion, but it must be discovered

rather than pre-determined. G-d helps Abraham to continue to lift

himself out of his primal fight-or-flight thinking and into the deeply

beautiful world of conscious thought and contemplation that can

only be achieved from bravely exploring the uncertain.

We are told by the Hakhamim that, maaseh avot siman labanim

the acts of the forefathers are signs for the children. One meaning

we take from this is that we look to the acts of our forefathers in order

to gain direction towards choosing the proper paths of our own lives.

When we look to Abraham, among the noble attributes by which he

lived, the most fundamental and transformative was his commitment

to live in, and explore, uncertainty. To him, questioning was a ticket

to truth, and he asked all manner of questions, no matter how

unsettling. Abrahams legacy encourages us to explore the uncertain

elements of our lives and the world. It is a legacy that informs us

that finding answers is a lifelong pursuit, and that, by embracing the

discomfort of uncertainty, we avail ourselves the ecstasy of discovery.

It is within that ecstasy that G-ds spirit is found.

Shabbat Shalom

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AHLekh Lekha Uncertainty Principle

Rabbi Joseph DweckSenior Rabbi Of The S&P Sephardi Community

Prime Minister David Cameron declares support for The Chief Rabbis ShabbatUK the largest national project for the Jewish communities in the United Kingdom.

The Chief Rabbis Shabbat UK is a wonderful Jewish initiative that brings together tens of thousands across our country to celebrate the unity and sense of community that has been a hallmark of Jewish life for generations.But Shabbat UK also has a wider message that speaks to everyone in Britain, because we can all benet from taking a moment to appreciate the value of family, friends and community life.I want to wish everyone taking part Shabbat Shalom.

Two challot (lechem mishneh) must be on the table for each of the first two Shabbat meals and according to many authorities for seudah shilishit (the third meal) also. The Talmud (SHABBAT 117B) derives this from the verse It happened on the Friday that they collected a double portion of food (SHEMOT 16:22), which describes how the Israelites gathered manna in the desert. According to some authorities this is a biblical requirement, whilst according to others it is rabbinic in origin and the verse cited is only to be regarded as an endorsement of the rule. Even though women are generally exempt from positive time-bound mitzvot, they are obligated to make hamotzi over two loaves at the Shabbat meals because they were also beneficiaries of the miracles of the manna.

Different traditions exist regarding the manner in which the challot should be cut. The Shulchan Aruch rules that just one loaf need be

cut (the bottom loaf on Friday evening and the top loaf at all other

Shabbat and Tom Tov meals), whilst the Rashba and Vilna Gaon rule

that both loaves should be cut and distributed. The Mishnah Berurah

recommends that if possible one should have two small loaves at

each meal and that both should be used.

Chassidic and kabbalistic traditions follow the practise of the Ari

and require twelve challot for hamotzi at Shabbat meals, as a reminder

of the twelve showbreads that were placed on the shulchan in the

Temple each Shabbat. Within these traditions there are different customs concerning how the challot should be arranged and how

many should be eaten at each meal.

Though preferable, it is not essential that both challot be presently

edible. Thus a frozen challah may be taken out of the freezer and used

for the mitzvah of lechem mishneh. If for whatever reason a person

does not have two whole challot he should nonetheless make hamotzi

using just one loaf, or even a slice of bread (though if possible two

slices should be used to resemble the lechem mishneh). Whilst the

normative minhag is that lechem mishneh is required only for the challot served at the formal Shabbat meals, the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch writes that if one is making kiddush on Shabbat morning and eating cake and biscuits, two complete cakes should be on the table to fulfil the mitzvah even in this context.

Whilst kiddush is recited the challot should be covered. There are two explanations for this practise: Several authorities cite the Talmud Yerushalmi to the effect that they must be covered in order

not to shame them. Since the challot are inanimate objects without emotions this term should not be taken literally and it really refers to the rules of precedence that govern brachot for food. Normally the brachah for foods made out of grain (hamotzi/mezonot) should precede the brachah for wine (hagafen). Since the order is reversed at the Shabbat table because kiddush must precede the Shabbat meal

the challot are covered so that this disregard for the normal order of precedence is not so blatantly obvious. Alternatively, the Abudraham suggests that they are covered so as to resemble the manna, which was covered by dew when it fell in the wilderness (and according to some sources a cloth should also be placed underneath the challot, since the manna was sandwiched between two layers of dew).

There are several different halachic implications that depend upon which of the above explanations is accepted as authoritative. If no wine is available and kiddush is recited over the challot, they would need to be covered only according to the second explanation. Likewise, at seudah shelishit, which is not preceded by kiddush, they would also need to be covered only according to the second explanation. Conversely, if cakes and biscuits are being served at Shabbat morning kiddush instead of a full meal, it is the first explanation that would require such foods to be covered whilst kiddush is being recited. Furthermore, according to the first explanation one could suggest that an opaque challah-cover should be used so that the loaves are not visible, whereas according to the second explanation a transparent cover might suffice.

Interestingly, the Shulchan Aruch (RAMA 242:1) mentions a further custom that commemorates the manna: to eat bourekas on Friday night, since the filling is covered by pastry above and below, like the manna which was protected by dew above and beneath it.

11

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AHLechem Mishneh

Rabbi Daniel RoselaarRav Of Kehillat Alei Tzion

S P O N S O R E D

Avraham: The Other-SiderName: Avraham (originally Avram)Other names: Aisan EzrachiLife span: 175 yearsSpouses: Sarah, Hagar, Keturah

[IDENTIFIED BY SOME AS HAGAR]

Father: Terach Mother: AmaslaiPlace of Birth: Ur KasdimChildren: Yitzchak, Yishmael, Zimran,

Yokshan, Medan, Midyan, Yishbak and Shuach

Place of Burial: Cave of Machpaleh

Inferred existence of Creator of the universe at the age of three.

Thrown into furnace by Nimrod for rejecting idolatry. Moved with his father away from Ur Kasdim. Had prophetic experience at the age of 75 in which G-d

instructs him to travel to Canaan. Due to famine, descended to Egypt where Paroh

kidnapped and then released Sarah Battled the four kings in order to rescue Lot. Entered the covenant of the split halves. Married Hagar and fathered Yishmael at the age of 86. His name changed from Avram to Avraham. Hospitable to his angelic guests Prayed for Sedom to be spared destruction Sojourned in Gerar where Avimelech kidnapped and then

released Sarah Fathered Yitzchak, following Sarahs miraculous

conception. Bound Yitzchak at the akeidah. Purchased Cave of Machpalah and buried Sarah. Sent Eliezer to find a wife for Yitzchak. Married Keturah and bequeathed all of his possessions

to Yitzchak. Died and buried by Yitzchak and Yishmael in Cave of

Machpaleh.

The first of the patriarchs, Avraham single-handedly revolutionized the world.

The world he was born into was a spiritual wasteland, an idolatrous society. From the formation of Adam, over the course of two millennia, human civilization had regressed into a world of chaos.1

Starting at an early age, Avraham changed all that. He fearlessly set out on a daring journey in the quest to

discover the Supreme Being. He asked the question: Is it possible that the world has no Master? and G-d appeared to him to say, I am the Master of the Universe.2 Avraham affirmed this belief when he renounced idolatry and stood ready to die when thrown into Nimrods furnace, only to miraculously emerge unscathed.3

Pioneer of humanitys search for the divine, he was an iconoclast. The lone crusader who undauntedly fought the whole world and won, the original Jewish forefather is called Avraham HaIvrei4- literally, Avraham the other-sider. The individual from the other side of the river, his approach to life was with a diametrically opposite perspective to that held by his pagan society.5

Avraham brought curtains down on the disastrous first phase of human history. He closed the chapter on 2000 years of emptiness, and Mans abysmal failure to relate to G-d.

Heralding a fresh beginning, Avraham introduced a new world order.

The second stage in history, termed the era of Torah whose duration would last for the next two thousand years, began with him. (The third phase, starting from the fourth millennium beckons in the epoch leading to Mashiach).6 He

1 Sanhedrin 97a2 See Bereishis Rabbah 39:1 where his discovery of G-d is compared to a traveler

passing by a burning castle who inquired: Can it be that this castle has no master? upon which the master revealed himself.

3 Bereishis Rabbah 42:8. See our essay on Nimrod: The Rebel.4 Bereishis 14:135 Bereishis Rabbah 42:86 See our essay on Lot: State of Confusion

was the light which banished the original darkness in the world.7

Instructing Mankind of G-ds existence and how creation was meaningful only insofar as the individual develops this relationship and emulates his Creator, Avraham traveled far and wide to proclaim G-ds Name in the world.8

Attracting many converts under his wings,9 Avraham was eminently successful in this holy mission to crown G-d as Master not only of Heaven, but also of Earth.10

Steering creation back on course, his teaching revealed the raison dtre of creation. Only in the observance of G-ds instructions as laid out in the Torah itself the blueprint of creation would the purpose of life be realized. (In fact, from Sinai onwards, observance of the Torah dictates was to be the key to the worlds continual existence.11)

Only from an Avraham could the true nature and revelation of creation manifest itself in earnest. The pillar of the world,12 Avraham justified creation itself. His new beginning meant creation was invigorated because of him. Thus, Avraham is attributed as the reason for creation; the letters of behebaram,

when they were created,13 rearrange to form the word bAvraham, [created] for the sake of Avraham.14

Parallel to the ten proclamations through which G-d created the world15 were the ten tribulations of Avrahams life.16

The ten tests were:17 (1) Avrahams hiding from Nimrod

(2) Avraham cast by Nimrod into the burning furnace

(3) Avraham leaving his family and homeland

(4) To leave Canaan because of the famine and travel to Egypt

(5) Sarahs capture by Paroh

(6) Avrahams rescue of his nephew Lot

(7) That his children were destined to suffer the exile of Four Kingdoms

(8) Avrahams circumcision

(9) To expel Yishmael and Hagar

(10) Binding of Yitzchak at the akeidah The unfolding revelation of Creation is mirrored in

Avrahams Herculean efforts. Through his many trials and tribulations, and withstanding tests of his commitment to G-d, Avraham inaugurated a novel and trailblazing path.

The primary patriarch, Avrahams name encapsulates his stature as av, father. He was universally celebrated as the

father of multitudes of nations18 the one who established the principles for an all-inclusive pathway of living for generations to come.

He chartered a new road and direction unrelated to anything preceding him.19 Credited as first of the converts,20 his was a symbolic rebirth.21 In fact, his declaration I am earth and ashes22 hints how this unfolded in his divine service: he

7 There shall be light (Bereishis 1:3) refers to Avraham (Bereishis Rabbah 2:3). His birthplace, Ur Kasdim, signifies light (Ur) coming out of the darkness of the valley (Kasdim). His other name Aisan Ezrachi alludes to Mizrach, the East from where the sun starts to shine its light onto the world.

8 Bereishis 12:8. 9 Rashi, Bereishis 12:510 Rashi, Bereishis 24:7. Avraham was the first to declare G-d Master [of the Universe]

(Berachos 7b).11 Following 20 inconsequential generations of mankind, Avraham received the reward

of them all (Pirkei Avos 5:1-3).12 Shemos Rabbah 2:6.13 Bereishis 2:4.14 Bereishis Rabbah 12:4. Indeed, the Midrash remarks that Avraham should really have

been created before Adam (Bereishis Rabbah 14:6).15 Pirkei Avos 5:116 The parallels Ten Proclamations; Ten Plagues, Ten Commandments are often

interconnected. See, for example, Sefas Emes. Bo 5639, Ohr Gedalyhu, Moadim p.13817 Pirkei Avos 5:3 according to Rashi. See Rambam, Commentary to Avos for a different

listing. See also Pirkei deRebbi Eliezer Ch.26-3118 Bereishis 17:5 He was revered him as a prince of G-d (Bereishis 23:6), hailed as a

noble among the gentile nations (Chagigah 3a)19 See Maharal (Gur Aryeh, Noach) how Avrahams journey away from home closes a

chapter in his life and how his exemption from the mitzvah of honoring parents was because Avraham was not an extension of his father Terach but would establish a new lineage. See also our essay on Terach: No Interruption.

20 Chagigah 3a21 Avrahams status as a convert, having shed his earlier identity, meant Avraham was

like a brand new creation. His miraculous escape from Nimrods furnace marked his symbolic rebirth as a newly-forged entity (mirroring the ex nihilio of creation) after which he was divinely instructed to journey away and break off all ties with his past. This explains why the Torahs account of Avrahams life only begins at this point (Ohr Gedalyahu, ).

22 Bereishis 18:27

would typically incinerate his past achievements into their bare elements ashes, the last vestiges of a former existence. His focus was on the earth, in the emergence of new life, through which to create and renew his relationship with G-d.

Thus, it is not surprisingly to discover that Avraham, the reason for creation, is himself synonymous with the central trait that defines creation.

The world, as an altruistic expression of the Creators love for His creatures, is built upon [G-ds] chesed, loving-kindness.23 And it is Avraham who is the paradigm of human acts of chesed, loving-kindness.24 He provided exemplary hospitality25 consisting of food, drink and escort26 onto people from all walks of life, including idolaters. Having provided them with all their needs, he redirected their gratitude to the Source of all benevolence.27 In this way, Avraham instructed every person he encountered of how to relate to G-d and express gratitude for His eternal acts of kindness.

However, Avrahams most profound and everlasting creation was, in actual fact, the supernatural birth of the Israelites and the nation of Yisrael.

The founding father, G-ds Chosen People would emerge from him.28 The creation of this Torah-observant nation was the pledge of existence exclusively defined in its relationship with G-d.29 The immutable bond was sealed with bris milah,

covenant of circumcision. Only after this operation did the patriarch gain mastery over all 248 components of his body

corresponding to the numerical value of the name Avraham.30 Only upon removing the spiritual impediment symbolized in the foreskin, was man given over to his Creator and on the pathway to becoming the perfect type of person G-d originally sought to create. This gives an insight in how the word bris,

covenant is relates to the word briah, creation.31

Every Jewish male enters the covenant of Avraham.32 This indelible sign confirms his membership of a nation (also called bnei bris, children of the covenant) whose existence is defined by upholding the purpose of creation where G-dliness penetrates into every aspect of living. That is to say, upholding their unremitting love of G-d come what may even at the pain of death.

G-d fondly referred to this patriarch as Avraham my beloved,33 as him and his descendants would portray an interminable love and commitment to Torah and mitzvah observance.34 Avrahams love for G-d surpassed even that of his personal love in his willingness to die in the furnace, in expelling Yishmael, in his readiness to sacrifice Yitzchak etc. And this was his legacy as G-d testifies how Avraham would

command his children and his household after him that they keep the way of G-d35

His unflinching commitment affirmed him as the appropriate progenitor of the Chosen Nation to be entrusted with the task to fulfill the purpose of existence.

Avrahams legacy is therefore the inspiration for us, his offspring, to unreservedly dedicate ourselves to the Torah, blueprint of creation, to a life punctuated by kindness and exaltation of G-ds Glory. The people of Israel inherited Avrahams tenacity to stand against world opinion as the

other-sider, in order to fulfill our mandate as a light onto the nations.36

23 Tehillim 89:3.24 To give chesed, kindness to Avraham (Micah 7:20). He was also the fount of

blessing (You should be a blessing Bereishis 12:2) that also is connected to the blessing of creation itself.

25 Bereishis 21:33. Despite being in pain whilst recovering from his bris milah, he nonetheless sought to find wandering guests to invite into his home.

26 Avrahams planting of an eshel (Bereishis 21:33) is an acrostic for acheilah, eating, shisiah, drinking and levayah, escort (Sotah 10a & Rashi ad. loc).

27 When a guest wanted to recompense Avraham for his kindness, he would persuade him to instead bless G-d of the Universe for eating from [the world that] is His (Bereishis Rabbah 49:4).

28 Ramchal, Derech Hashem 2:4:2-5, explains that to rectify Adams sin, G-d set a time limited for an individual who would be the roots to father a new nation, whose descendants, as branches would become his chosen nation to disseminate His glory in the world. That individual was Avraham.

29 The opening word of the Torah bereishis hints at how creation was the sake of Israel, who are also termed reishis, the first (Rashi, Bereishis 1:1).

30 Nedarim 32a31 See Ramban, Bereishis 6:1832 The blessing of circumcision recited by the father is Blessed are Youwho has

commanded us to bring him into the covenant of Avraham, our forefather. Indeed, it is Avraham who prevents those who are circumcised from entering Gehinnom (Bereishis Rabbah 48:8)

33 Yeshayah 41:834 See our essay on Shem and Ever: Torah Academy.35 Bereishis 18:1936 Yeshayah 49:8

12

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AHBible Personalities

from "People of the Book" (2007: Targum)

Rabbi Osher Chaim LeveneOrah

In 1939 George Dantzig, in his first year of post-graduate studies in the University of Berkeley, arrived late to a class to find two maths problems on the board. He copied them down and quickly set about solving this homework, working hard for a few days and then handing his assignment in to his professor. A few weeks later he received an excited knock on his door from Professor Neyman. It turned out that this was not homework these were two of the most famous unsolved statistics problems. Nobody could solve them because they were impossible, yet George was simply unaware that they were impossible and thus was freely able to solve them.

Sometimes in life it is our own constraints and limitations on ourselves that can be suffocating to the point of non-achievement, whilst it takes something big and perhaps momentous to lift us out of our own constructs and notions.

In parshas Lech Lecha Avraham is told to leave his homeland and family, a family who had rejected him already for his monotheistic beliefs, and go to the Land of Israel where he would receive divine blessings of progeny and opulence. This is the first of Avrahams ten celebrated tests. Yet why was this a test at all? He was promised wealth and an entire dynasty to be able to fulfil his lifes calling, in return for simply emigrating to a wonderful and holy country? Further, we may ask why only Avraham had ten tests why was the same not true of Yitzchak or Yaakov?

The answer, as provided by the Malbim and Rabbi Zev Leff, is that the test of Lech Lecha was to see the Land of Israel as a land of blessing. This meant re-adjusting his way of thinking so that when he arrived in the land, a famine would not detract from his viewing the land as a land of blessing. Even today, the glory of the land of Israel is not its physical beauty, but its spiritual propensity, splendour and expanse. Thus, if a famine meant to be a catalyst to augmenting Avrahams faith in G-d, greeted Avraham upon entering the land, Avraham had to understand that this was part of the spiritual wholesomeness of the land. In short, this test was about raising Avraham above and beyond his own constructs and self-imposed notions to a higher definition. The same is true of the need for the ten tests in general as the first person to discover G-d alone, Avrahams own workings and calculations were augmented by these tests to reach a higher level and understanding beyond his own constructs.

I had the privilege of placing madrichim for ShabbatUK last year. From my very narrow vantage point far away in Jerusalem I saw, felt and read the tremendous energy and excitement of a Shabbos that truly embodies the notions of raising our constructs and notions. And the UK is only a small speck in the magnitude that is the global Shabbos Project. To see a renaissance (even for one Shabbos) of community-wide Shabbos observance and Jewish identity is something that few would have been able to predict or forecast. To be raised up via experiencing idealistic communal activism channelled to harnessing the potential of what a Shabbos can be like is to re-traverse the theme of these tests of Avraham.

Perhaps we can add a final point here. There is an interesting dissonance of sorts relating to what we know about Avraham Avinu. On the one hand we know from various sources from Chazal about Avrahams prominence in philosophical reasoning - both in the way he himself came to G-d and his spreading monotheism to thousands of others. Yet nothing of this is written on the pages of Chumash - all we are told about is Avrahams chesed kindness in relation to his welcoming guests and his tefillos for others Why? One could suggest that it was Avrahams chesed that motivated the entire mission - the reason he spread his philosophy to others is because he cared about their welfare so much. Or perhaps in the merit of his chesed his words and philosophy were accepted by others. This year, however, a new idea dawned upon me in this area.

As intellectual prowess and abilities increase, so too can narrowness and dismissal of others. The more one feels they are an expert, and the surer one is of their own views and lifestyle, the more confident one feels that others are wrong, backwards, or mistaken. Due to the boom of technology, the globalisation of business and social media, we live in an unprecedented age whereby many cultures meet are constantly meeting each other. In generations past, one tended to encounter predominantly like-minded people, whilst nowadays the entire gamut of views, lifestyles and cultures are constantly crossing paths. Yet even though there exists this cross-culture sharing of ideas, and even though there exists a tremendous push towards political correctness and general acceptance, there is still a tremendous amount of dismissiveness and narrowness when it comes to evaluating others and their culture and constructs. People overwhelmingly tend to evaluate others on their own terms (governments have often made this mistake in trying to force democracy upon peoples who have not experienced it before), and then dismiss others without any real thorough objective research. This is the epitome of narrowness, for one is looking at the world via ones own clouded lenses and tries to project homogeny when it does not exist - ultimately refusing to recognise individuality and individual talents. Yet there is a way to avoid this pitfall.

In Avrahams generation polytheism and idolatry were rampant. Very few people had the constructs or awareness to embrace or even approach monotheism. Yet Avrahams chesed was the catalyst for the acceptance of this radical belief in one God. For when one sees the greatness of another person, and especially when one is on the receiving end of an act of kindness, one is pushed to make a mental decision that there is worth and value to this person; upon which one is willing to exit their own constructs and trapped narrowness and instead decide to take in something from someone else. In plain terms, once people were recipients of Avrahams genuine warmth and care they were much more receptive to his message, for they were willing to forgo their own narrowness and enter someone elses world to see it from the inside.

This theme is also true of the Shabbos Project. Via the myriad acts of communal kindness and organisation people not only enjoy this Shabbos, but experience the breath of fresh air that is removing oneself from ones own limited tunnel vision and connecting to something bigger, seeing it from the inside.

Wishing you a good Shabbos, Daniel and the team

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AHLech Lecha: Raising Awareness In Higher Definition

Daniel FineMaggid Shiur, Aish Gesher and Author of Journey Through Nach

T H I S P A G E I S K I N D L Y S P O N S O R E D B Y T H E F E D E R A T I O N

07860 017 641SHAILATEXTDO YOU HAVE A QUESTION? ASK THE FEDERATION

Since launching the ShailaText service in June, the Ask the

Federation team (comprising Dayan Lichtenstein and Dayan Elzas of

the Federation Beis Din, along with Rabbi Yonason Roodyn, Rabbi

Dovid Tugendhaft, Rabbi Yaakov Hamer and Rabbi Eliezer Zobin) have

answered many shailos on Hilchos Shabbos, including the halochos

of candle-lighting. Rabbi Roodyn expounds further on this topic below.

What time should Shabbos be brought in?

The halachic day begins in the evening as the verse says1

implying that night comes before day. However, in practice

we assume that the day finishes at sunset but we do not say for

certainty that the day is over until nightfall.

As such Shabbos begins (at the very latest) at sunset (shkiya) on

Friday and ends (at the very earliest) at nightfall (tzeis hakochavim)

on Saturday.

Within certain, defined limitations, one may extend the length of

Shabbos by bringing it in earlier on Friday afternoon and taking it

out later on Saturday night. In fact it is even a mitzvah to do so2, this

extra time added on to Shabbos is known as Tosefet Shabbos.

Shabbos can start any time between plag hamincha3 (1 variable hours before sunset) and shkiya (sunset) on a Friday

afternoon.

If an individual accepts Shabbos on himself during this time (by making a verbal acceptance of Shabbos4), he may no

longer do melacha.

Ideally one should verbally accept Shabbos and refrain from all melacha by 18 minutes before shkiya5. One may not do

melacha after shkiya.

The accepted custom in England is that the official time for Shabbos is 15 minutes before shkiya. This is the time that is

published in all calendars etc. As such the notion that there is

an 18 minute buffer zone is incorrect, rather this is limited to

just under 15 minutes.

Other communities around the world bring in Shabbos at different times before shkiya. Common practice is to bring in

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Shabbos either 18 or 20 minutes before shkiya. The minhag in

Yerushalayim is to bring in Shabbos 40 minutes before shkiya6.

If a town has a single community and they decide to bring in Shabbos at a specific point during this time period, all

other Jews living in the vicinity are obligated to cease from

melacha by this time. This can be very common during the

summer months, where it is undesirable to bring Shabbos in

just before sunset (which can be as late at 9:22pm in London).

If there is at least one community, shul or minyan in town who delay bringing in Shabbos, then an individual may bring in

Shabbos just before sunset.

Even if one did not make a verbal acceptance of Shabbos, lighting candles (for a woman7) reciting Mizmore Shir, or

Maariv8 is deemed to be enough9, and he may no longer do

melacha. Even if he has not yet davened or lit candles, he must

nonetheless refrain from all melacha just before shkiya10.

If one has already brought in Shabbos, he may ask another Jew (who has not yet brought in Shabbos) to do melacha for

him, as long as it is before shkiya11.

Before shkiya, one may explicitly ask a non-Jew to do melacha for him12, there is no need to hint.

If an individual accepted Shabbos early and now has a pressing need to do melacha, a Rav must be consulted. One

may not do melacha in such a situation without guidance

from a competent halachic authority, as many complex issues

are involved13.

The twilight transitional period between shkiya and tzeis hakochavim is known as bein hashmashos. During this time

it is not yet dark and as such there are a number of leniencies

that will apply to this time period that will not apply to

Shabbos-proper, the details of which are beyond the scope

of this article. Many of these leniencies are regarding asking

a non-Jew to do melacha. These leniencies will only apply to

twilight on Friday, but not twilight on Saturday.

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This Page is kindly sponsored by the

Federation

The Start of Shabbos & Candle Lighting:

Rabbi Yonason Roodyn

Aish UK and Federation ShailaText Team

ShabbatUK Learning Programme

Amira LAkum

Wednesday evening:

Shabbos afternoon:

Maariv Bizmano at 8:00pmShiur by Rabbi Avrohom

Heckscher at 8:15pm

Learning from 3:45pm to 5:15pm.Mincha at 5:15pm followed by

Seuda Shlishis at which the Rav will speak.

We look forward to welcoming you to what promises to be an

inspiring programme.

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SHABBAT UK 24.10.2015

OPEN SHUL OPEN HOME OPEN HEART

In honour of Shabbat UK, we would like to give you a warm welcome to our shul. Come and join us for a special community Kiddush of food & drink, be-tween 11.00 - 12.00.

This is an event open to all, whether religious or not. The morning service will consist of prayers (from 9.00), hearing the Torah, Lech Lecha.

In addition, if you or any of your friends, would like to join one of our families for a Shabbat meal on Fri-day night 23 or lunch 24 October, call Judith (0759 830 1277).

Why not make this an extra special Shabbat, take us up on our invitation in the spirit of Shabbat, we would love to see you. Be a part of this very special Shabbat which will take place in 550 cities World Wide. (Any questions, call Shmuel 0795 665 7186)

Shabbat Kiddush at

Goschalks 46 The Ridgeway

PERSONAL INVITATION SHABBAT 24 OCTOBER * PERSONAL INVITATION SHABBAT 24

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PERSONAL INVITATION SHABBAT 24 OCTOBER * PERSONAL INVITATION SHABBAT 24

NW London: Hendon Adath Shul Hall

Edgware: Family Halberstadt4 Fairview Way HA8 8JF

9-11pm Friday Night 23rd Oct

For all ladies and girls age 15+

Let's unite together for an uplifting evening focusing on the gift of

Brought to you for the ve

ry first time...

Quiz

Tim

e Ans

wers 1 The letter Hei. Perhaps this letter was chosen because they were looking for a new beginning in order to have children.

This world was created with the letter Hei and therefore it represents a new start.

2 The Maharal says that it is in order that we should know that Hashem picked Avraham and the Jewish Nation not based on any action or reason.

3 The Radak says that it comes to teach us how Avraham was not scared against these most powerful armies since he placed his reliance on Hashem.

4 The Chizkuni explains that Avraham was then given provisions so that when he spoke with the King of Sedom he would not need to hold anything back. The Tzror Hamor answers that it was for the benefit of the King of Sedom when

he saw how generous Avraham was to Malki Tzedek he felt he could then ask for all the captives back.

5 Bris means a covenant and Bein means between and Besorim means flesh. This bris was formed by cutting animals into two parts and going between them.

6 The last Mishna in Pirkei Avos Chapter 5 says that at the age of 100 a person is like dead and left this world. It is when his physical desires are at a minimum. Avraham had bris milah at 99 so that Yitzchok would be born with minimal physical desires so that he could devote himself to spirituality and Hashem.

7 The Gemora in Taanis 21a when talking about the story of Nochom Ish Gam Zu brings that Avraham threw earth and it turned into swords and the stubble turned into arrows.

Please could you ensure that there are ample sheets left in shuls for Shabbos

before taking one home as there have been few left in shuls.

This newsletter contains Divrei Torah and may contain Sheimos - please dispose of accordingly.

As a follow-up to Shabbos UK, and in response to a number of requests from ladies and girls in a wide age range, Rabbi Tugendhaft will be running a course on

HILCHOS SHABBOSHe aims to cover all the main aspects of Hilchos Shabbos, beH, in eight sessions.The shiurim will take place at Nishmas Yisroel on27th October10th & 24th November15th December5th, 12, 19th & 26th JanuaryPlease email mail@bhny.co.uk for further details

4 Brent Green, Hendon, London NW4 2HAwww.bhny.co.uk | Reg Charity No 1136805

Do you really know Hilchos Shabbos?Would you like to enhance your knowledge?

Why not sign up for an exciting new project?

Each week, before Shabbos, we will send you, by email or post, practical Shabbos halachos to read and study.

Every Shabbos Mevorchim, there will be gatherings on each participating street for neighbours to revise and

discuss the previous four weeks halachos together.

To participate, please contact Mrs P. Spitzer onlearn.hilchos.shabbos@gmail.com

LADIES...

LAST WEEKS ONEG SHABBOS INADVERTENTLY CONTAINED SHEMOS. PLEASE DO NOT THROW IT AWAY, BUT DISPOSE OF IT APPROPRIATELY.