Words From Rabbi White

We were all saddened to hear of the sudden passing of Dr. James (Jim) Archibald, a former President of the Spanish. He taught at McGill for over 50 years and was indeed “a gentleman and a scholar,” besides being the father of two of my students at Herz. “yehi “zikhro baruch.”

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This Tuesday, 30 av, Leonard Mintz observes yahrzeit for his mother Neshka (Norma). May the neshama have aliya.

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This Shabbat is the third of the 7 special haftarot of consolation. In light of the situation since Oct 7th, we need extra consolation, so let’s say a few words about the haftarah from Isaiah. 

The haftarah begins at chapter 54, verse 11. It starts by saying that the people are shaking, as if caught up in a wind storm (“`aniyah so`arah,, ”) with no one to comfort them (“lo nuhamah.”)  However... there is hope: verse 13 states “rav shelom banayikh.” I understand this to mean that the time will come when there will be peace among the various factions of our people. (Hard to believe, eh!  This will be a real miracle!)

I have mentioned on several occasions that what particularly upset me when I visited Israel back last September, was to see Jews protesting in the streets against Jews. I was concerned that the enemy might detect a weak spot in this lack of unity, and could attack, as our defenses were down while we were busy demonstrating. I didn’t have to be a brilliant political commentator to make that observation. And then, sadly, came Oct 7. That disunity certainly came into their calculations.

>v. 15:  “mi gar  ‘itakh `alayikh yippol”. Most commentators translate: “whoever starts up in war with you, will fall.” We have seen the miracles that deflected Iranian bombs and rockets.

>V. 17 continues by saying that not only will no armaments be successful against us, but any tongue that rises against us will be held accountable. In modern terms, they will not be successful against us in the International Court, nor in the UN.

>Chapter 55, verse 1: “whoever is thirsty, go to water.” Classical commentators say that “water” is a symbol for Torah. 

The haftarah ends by telling us that the Holy One of Israel has given us beauty. We are certainly the jewel of the Middle East. We have made the desert bloom, have made amazing innovations in science and tech, etc. etc.

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This shabbat, we bless the month of Elul. Rosh Hodesh will be on Tuesday and Wednesday. The molad will be Tuesday afternoon, 37 minutes and 12 halaqim after 2.

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Prof. Galia Dafni is co-sponsoring today’s kiddush in memory of her grandmother Shoshana bat Chana ve-Rav Yosef Ziv z”l 

Shabbat shalom, ketivah va-hatimah tovah, shalom `al Yisrael, Rabbi Menahem White