Parshat Pinhas
Kaballat Shabbat services, TONIGHT, Friday July 6th at the regular time of 7 pm. Cantor and Shereen Ben-Moshe are out of town this week, so this week’s Kaballat shabbat services are lay led.
Huge thank you to David Walker for such an interesting talk last week – below you will find the English translation of the fascinating “Case of the Animals”, by
Qalonymos.
We continue with our summer speakers on July 13, when we welcome distinguished educator Sandy Kress to deliver a Dvar Torah.
Cantor Ben-Moshe’s Weekly Message;
In this week’s parshah, Pinhas, we read that Pinhas Ben El’azar HaCohen is rewarded for his summary execution of Zimri Ben Sallu and his Midianite paramour Kozbi Bat Tzur, stopping the plague that afflicted the People of Israel at Ba’al Peor. The Rabbis commented that God had to specifically reward Pinhas, as otherwise his action and his zealotry would have been considered criminal.
We are now in the Three Week’s, the period of semi-mourning leading up to the Fast of Av, when we grieve for the destruction of the Temples and the long centuries of exile from our Land. The Sages teach that the Temples, especially the Second Temple, were destroyed because of hatred and violence. We must always remember that force is only legitimate to defend human life and human rights, and not in the service of human greed or hatred. May violence and tyranny soon vanish from the Earth, and peace and justice prevail.
From the shores of the Pacific, Shereen and I wish Shabbat Shalom to all the Beth El family.
Hazzan Yitzhak Ben-Moshe
Shabbat candle lighting times are at 8: 19 p.m.
Dive into the Talmud!
Next class July 12 at 7pm.
The Talmud has been compared to a vast sea, in which one can swim forever. The Talmud is a vast compilation of law, legend and scholarly discussions, which also gives us a window into the lives of our ancient ancestors.
Come dip a toe into the sea of Talmud as we begin to explore Massecheth B’rachoth, the Tractate of Benedictions, which deals with prayer. The class, led by Chazzan Yitzhak Ben-Moshe, will meet on alternate Thursday evenings at 7:00 PM, beginning on June 21, July 12, July 26, August 16, August 30, September 6.
Save the Date Guys!
Bowling with my Buddies –
Join the Men’s Club August 19 for an afternoon of fun, bowling and camaraderie. Open to all!
Article from this month’s Jewish Outlook: Check Beth El in te local news! Please subscribe to this wonderful, free, Jewish resource in Austin.
Congregation Beth El Kicks Off Summer with Adult Education
LOCAL SYNAGOGUES, COMMUNITY NEWS
http://www.thejewishoutlook.com/…/congregation-beth-el-kick…
Translation into English of Qalonymos ben Qalonymos’ translation of the Case of the Animals
Chapter 5
On the Answer of the Mule, Spokescritter for Animals against the words and views of the Ishmaelite speaker
The King said “You heard, you families of animals, the words of the man, his views and his received prophecy on what he claimed about you? Do you have an answer to his words?”
And there arose an advocate which they had appointed that day as their spokescritter, namely, the mule, and he said “Here I am, my lord, to dispute his words”
The King said, “speak.”
And he said “A prayer to the Living God, the Most Powerful, the Singular, the Ancient, the Victorious, who existed before all existence—outside of time and place, who at the beginning of His Creation said “Let there be light, and there was light blazing from Him from His hidden place and He created from the light the foundation of fire and air. And he created the sea and dry land to be the inheritance of all creation. And he created from the splendour of his glory stars and planets, and He gave them governance. And he spread out the great sea and made the mountains appear. Praised be the One who set the higher world as a dwelling for His servants. Day by day they offer Him His Psalms. And the earth He set as a place for vegetation and living things according to their kind, and he provided nourishment for them. He created the man as dust and ash, as it is found written in the book (Qur’an 32, 7 and 8)…and he planted his seed in the earth to settle it, but not to grow it, to keep and to feed the animals, that he should receive some benefit not that he should rob every one that he hasn’t murdered.
Now that I have extolled the Deeds of my Creator, I shall turn to the human’s words and say that there isn’t in it any claim of this man in the words of prophecy (he cited) nothing of the view which validates what he thought—that they are the lords and we are their servants. Although they say that pious ones relate the words of the prophecy—“They are for your enjoyment…” it is like the sun, the moon, the cloud and the wind that they are also for your enjoyment. Does it teach that they are servants for them, that they are their property? And know, our Lord, the King, that the Creator, May He Be Blessed, created everything which is in the heavens and earth and if he put some of them to some purpose, the Rock made animals for man—this was for their benefit and not to their harm, as I shall make plain after this, not as He intended it, contra what the humans think. And here, what he said that they are masters and we are servants is all burden and oppression.
And the mule added, as spokesman o the animals, to speak to the ears of the King, and said: “Our Lord the King, Here we and our forefathers lived in the land before the creation of mankind, settled in all corners, moving and roaming about all sides, we were going and coming in the land to seek our livelihood, and we use could use a restoration/return to our former lives. Every one turns back and forth in a good place or in a suitable settlement to dwell in it—from deserts to lakes or mountains. Or in a forest meadow or the banks of rivers, or valleys. And every type of us collaborates with others of our kind, and we occupy ourselves with raising our offspring and feeding our young ones with good food from what was apportioned to us of the food and water, and we dwelled securely, carefree in his life, happy and joyous to do the will of our master. We praised and glorified Him nightly and daily, we didn’t stray from it. And many days passed thus, and the Rock, Just in His Deeds, placed man in the land and his seed increased in the land, and he took the corners of the land and filled the sea and the dry land, and the mountain was laid low, until they pressed us from our places and separated us from our dwellings and took from us the sheep and the cow and the camels and the horses and the mules and the donkeys and wearied them with hard work and with burdens, and they made us serve in them in silly tasks and in difficult transport—in the carrying of their riders, and to pull carts and turn mills and to drag a plough, besides beatings…and all manner of curses and reviling words hurled at us. Which we suffer in whispers all the days of our lives until we escape from them—whomever can, escapes to deserts and to wilderness, and to mountaintops. And these people desire to pursue after us and to capture us with all manner of crafty plans. And whomever among us falls into their hands woe to him for his misfortune, for he shall be imprisoned and bound and cast down, and slaughtered and skinned and his body dismembered and plucked and shorn. And if that wasn’t enough sorrow, they prepare them in cold containers, put them on skewers, and devour them in all manner of affliction in ways beyond the power description. And those of us who remain are silent and suffer and don’t avenge our spilt blood. And even so, we don’t run away from these people and even held our hand while they claimed that this was our obligation to them for they are our masters, and we bowed to them. And whomever escaped from them, he is a rebel. And I don’t recognize their view, and their claim and proof, only their strength and victory. Judge, our Lord, between us and them.”