Words From Rabbi White

Maggie Cohen observes yahrzeit for her mother Hermance Emsallem Cohen on Sunday 12 Av

Arlene Sheffer observes for her mother Rose Winstan on Thursday 16 Av

Shulamit Foxman observes for her mother Eliza (Zemlah) Singer on Friday 17 Av

May their memories be a blessing.

***

About a year ago, I performed a mitsvah that very few of you have ever done. What was it? Did I climb up a tree and send away the mother bird, to perform the mitsvah of “shiluah ha-ken?” No, not that. So, what was it?

Am I sounding arrogant? I hope not.

Answer: Before moving to New Jersey, several friends had expressed interest in purchasing my house. I sold my house to my next-door neighbours, Yankie and Louisa Rosenblum.

What was the special mitsvah?

Let me explain: In the 6th aliya this week, we read “ve-`asita ha-yashar ve-ha-tov be`enei HaShem,” i.e., you should do what is proper and good. But we know that already, after having read the first 4 books of the Torah, and parashat devarim last week! So, what is the Torah adding by those words?

Maimonides, in his Mishneh Torah, laws of neighbours, 12:5, states that a person’s neighbour whose land borders on his property, has first right of purchase. Maimonides quotes our verse: do what is proper and good: not only what is proper and good in your own eyes, but in the eyes of HaShem.

So… since my neighbours were interested in my property, I had the rare opportunity of doing the mitsvah according to Rambam. [Actually, this ruling is based on a more intricate discussion in gemara, tractate Bava Metsia 107,108]

***

The haftarah this shabbat begins with the words “nahamu nahamu `ammi.” That means that it is the job of the leaders to comfort the people. [That’s the interpretation of classical commentators, even though the particle “‘et”, before “`ammi,” indicating a definite direct object, is missing.]  Unfortunately, the leaders in Israel are not doing a good job of that. We pray to hear good news from the holy land.

To conclude on a joyful note, as we approach Tu Be’av: Referring to the first paragraph above: since we are now after Tisha Be’av, and in Shabbat Nahamu, here is the latest joke going around the Jewish internet: What mitsvah did Barbie perform when she broke up with Ken?  Answer: shiluah ha-ken [don’t worry, if you don’t understand that. I didn’t either until my family explained it to me.]

Shabbat shalom,

Rabbi Menahem White, Chevra Shaas