Yitro

• Jethro visits the Israelite camp and converts to our faith
• Moses accepts Jethro's advice to share his authority and establish a form of local government
• The people prepare for their historic encounter with Hashem at Sinai
• The Ten Commandments are given - the first two directly to the people, the last eight through Moses
• Altars of earth and stone are sanctioned for Divine worship.

The Amidah (I)

The Amidah is the central part of every prayer service, and priority should be given to this prayer over other parts of the service. As its name implies, it should be said standing up, and unless one has physical difficulty standing unsupported, it is incorrect even to lean on something whilst saying this prayer. However, in cases of illness and incapacity, it is permitted to say the Amidah whilst sitting or even lying in bed. In the latter instance a person should endeavour, if possible, to turn somewhat onto his or her side so as not to appear unduly relaxed. In other situations where it is impractical to say the Amidah whilst standing it is also permitted to recite it sitting down and prominent halachic authorities have recently ruled that this procedure should be adopted whilst on board aeroplanes.

When saying the Amidah a person should feel that he is standing directly before G-d. Kavanah (an awareness of the meaning and significance of the prayer) is an essential component of the Amidah and one should therefore compose one’s thoughts before beginning to recite this prayer and attempt to dismiss any physical or mental distractions. In order to ensure optimal concentration one should recite the Amidah either from the text in a siddur, or with closed eyes, but certainly not looking around at other things in the room.

Prior to beginning the Amidah one should take three small steps backwards - as if retreating respectfully from G-d’s presence - and then three steps forwards. One should stand with one’s feet together - as if standing to attention, and also to imitate the angels who have only one leg.

SIDRA INSIGHTS
by Rabbi Emanuel Levy, Palmers Green & Southgate Synagogue
Shabbat - A Refuge in Time

Mattan Torah - the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai - forms an integral part of this week's Sidrah. It is this event which we refer to every Shabbat morning in the Shacharit Amidah. Moses descended the mountain and 'the two Tablets of the Covenant were in his hand and on them was written the commandment to keep the Shabbat'. We may well wonder why, of all the Ten Commandments, only the keeping of Shabbat is mentioned in this prayer. The obvious answer is that Shabbat forms the subject of the Amidah and we therefore refer to this particular commandment.

The Kedushat Aharon of Sadigor provides us with another answer. It is well known that, as a result of the sin of the people in worshipping the Golden Calf, Moses smashed the two Tablets into pieces. The Kedushat Aharon asserts that even after they were broken, the commandment to observe Shabbat remained intact and unbroken. Hence, keeping Shabbat 'was still written on them' even when they were broken.

But why was this so? Perhaps we can suggest the following answer. Our Rabbis explain that before Mattan Torah, the Israelites had reached sublime spiritual heights. At this apocalyptic experience, they were as pure and holy as Adam in the Garden of Eden before he ate from the Tree of Knowledge.

The Dubno Maggid explains Adam's sin with the following parable. A father once placed an order to make a suit and matching overcoat for his son. The overcoat was to be completed only at a later date. In the meantime, the son donned his new fine suit and showed it off to his friends. But in their jealousy, they pushed him into the mud and his new suit was ruined beyond repair.

A few days later, the overcoat was ready but, before presenting it to his son, the father adjured him with the following words: 'Please be careful of this item. It is all you have left of the expensive outfit’.

The message is quite clear. Adam was the crowning glory of creation. Everything in the world was formed for his sake and lay in a state of readiness for the moment of his creation. Then all would be utilised by him in the service of his Creator. But Adam sinned by eating from the forbidden fruit. No longer were his actions imbued with a spirit of purity and holiness. No longer, therefore, could he elevate the world to the state of which he was previously capable. So when he sinned he corrupted the world together with him.

Just before the giving of the Torah, the Jewish people reached the same lofty heights as Adam before the sin. In the words of the Zohar ‘their impurity ceased’. But when they sinned with the Golden Calf, they again corrupted themselves and the whole world. But as we have explained, even after Adam's sin, the Sabbath remained unscathed; so too after the Golden Calf. Consequently, although the Tablets were smashed into pieces, the commandment to keep Shabbat remained intact on the Tablets, serving as evidence that the Shabbat retained its original purity.

Throughout the millennia, Shabbat has sustained the Jew in times of poverty and affliction. Long may it remain the stronghold of our people!

To mark the 800th anniversary of the Rambam’s Yahrzeit, Rabbi Philip Ginsbury of South London Synagogue writes on the Rambam’s major works.

A GUIDE FOR THE PERPLEXED - RAMBAM’S MOREH NEVUCHIM

If G-d is a completely spiritual Being, how can the Torah refer to His "hands" and "eyes"? If He is entirely just, why do the righteous often suffer, while the wicked prosper? If G-d knows everything, even before it happens, what happens to our free-will? How can an entirely spiritual G-d relate to a material, physical world?

These are some of the perplexing, and eternal questions which Rambam deals with in his philosophical masterpiece, Moreh Nevuchim. Conflict between science and religion has long existed, but at certain times has been particularly acute. In Rambam’s time, ancient Greek philosophy had become popular through many of its major works that were translated into Arabic.

Many Jews, who had studied philosophy, though loyal to the Torah, were troubled by the seeming inconsistencies between reason and faith. For instance, Aristotle’s teaching that matter is eternal was directly contrary to the Jewish doctrine which restricts eternity to G-d alone. Rambam recognised the danger, and with his great sense of responsibility, composed his "Guide for the Perplexed" in order to remove the contradictions and resolve the doubts. He was particularly concerned to explain those biblical passages which were being misunderstood.

The work, originally written in Arabic, was soon translated into Hebrew and studied by Jewish and non-Jewish scholars alike, greatly influencing later Christian and secular philosophy. It has attracted over thirty commentaries in Hebrew.

What’s in a Jewish name?

THE READER’S TURN TO WRITE
by Rabbi Meir Salasnik, Bushey Synagogue

Quite a few readers, and almost as many from abroad as from the United Kingdom have written with suggestions, information and corrections.

Eric Mendelsohn of Canada has an addition to the articles on surnames derived from occupations. The many people with surnames of Sugar, Zukier, and Sugarman indicate the need Jews had to produce kosher sugar.

The final refining process of sugar was to add animal blood to it and skim off the impurities (known as sponge toffee) and sell the rest. It was therefore essential for Jews to produce a kosher sugar which they did by omitting this process.

Relating to the same article, Frank Baigel of Manchester thinks that his surname has nothing to do with a baker. The original name in Lithuania may have been Bejgel.

Peter Tobias of Woodford, whose wife is from the Abudarham family, says that Abudraham is the wrong spelling. Abudarham is correct, darham being the currency. This differs from Kaganoff’s Dictionary of Jewish Names and their History’ which assumes the name to be based on ‘father of the drachme’.

Sandy Littman of Hendon says that her husband’s surname originates from the name Lipman, and, in their case, indicates descent from Rabbi Yom Tov Lipman Heller, known as the Tosafot Yom Tov (1579-1654), Rabbi of Cracow and of Prague. Coincidentally, the Littman Library of Jewish Civilisation published a biography of the Tosafot Yom Tov in January 2004.

It is claimed that more people are descended from the Tosafot Yom Tov than from any other Rabbi of the early modern period. It is likely that only a few of them maintain his request to his descendants to fast on 5 Tammuz and feast on 1 Adar, in commemoration of his imprisonment on trumped up charges and in honour of his release from prison.

ISRAEL - ALEF TO TAV
A look at some more people, ancient and modern, who feature in many Israeli street names
by Simon Goulden, Agency for Jewish Education

    Yitzhak Nissim

Yitzhak Nissim was born in 1896 in Baghdad to a family of famous Rabbis. Because of their love of Eretz Yisrael they left Baghdad and emigrated by 1908, being among the first wave from Mesopotamia.

Eight years later, he returned to Baghdad, married and attended Yeshiva. Although considered one of the most outstanding Rabbinical scholars of Iraq (becoming known as the "Haham Nissim"), entering into halachic correspondence with heads of Lithuanian Yeshivot and the Rabbis of Eretz Yisrael., he refused to accept a public position. In 1925 he dedicated himself to the work of an organisation which protested against the demolition of old Synagogues and the building of new and bigger ones.

He received newspapers and articles from Palestine and actively supported all emissaries' work for emigration to Eretz Yisrael. In 1925 Rabbi Nissim settled in Jerusalem.

He was considered one of the greatest and most influential Rabbis of his generation in the Responsa he wrote on halachic and contemporary issues. In 1955, he was appointed Rishon LeZion, regarding this position as a bridge between the different sectors of society, connecting successfully with left-wing kibbutzim, scientists, Rabbis and public officials. He was also instrumental in the recognition of the Bene Israel (Indian Jews) as part of the Jewish people and their right to emigrate to Israel. He famously refused to meet Pope Paul VI during his visit to the Holy Land in January 1964, after the Pope refused to meet the Jewish religious leadership. In 1967, after the reunification of Jerusalem, he ruled with Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi Unterman, against "entering any part of the Temple Mount". He died in 1981.

Riddle of the Week
by Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis

LAST WEEK'S QUESTIONS

What do these Biblical couples have in common?

• Noah and Na’ama,
• Esau and Ada,
• Aaron and Elisheva,
• Esther and Achashverosh.

nswer

The names of husband and wife have the same Hebrew initial.

EXTRA CHALLENGE

Shemot 16:16 which we read last week is the only verse in the entire Torah that ...

David Prins, an internet reader, has pointed out that there is a second verse that also fits this criterion.
Where is it?

nswer

has all the letters from alef to tav in it.

and so does Devarim 4:34.

THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS

Kislev and Tevet are the only 2 months which ....?

EXTRA CHALLENGE

Prove:
Esau got nachat from one of his children.

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