Page 1 - Announcements July 20

Parshat Balak July 20, 2019 17 Tammuz, 5779
Rabbi Sacks on Balak & Laws for The Three Weeks
TORAH
ARTSCROLL 856 The year is 1933. Two Jews that struck the people (Num. 25, (8:23) foresees a day when
HERTZ 669 are sitting in a Viennese 31:16). Bilaam is numbered by the “ten people from all languages
coffee house, reading the
rabbis as one of only four non- and nations will take firm hold
news. One is reading the
of one Jew by the hem of his
royals mentioned in the Tanach
HAFTORAH local Jewish paper, the other who are denied a share in the robe and say, ‘Let us go with
ARTSCROLL 1189 the notoriously antisemitic World to Come (Sanhedrin 90a). you, because we have heard
HERTZ 682 publication Der Stürmer. Why then did God choose that that God is with you.’” There is
“How can you possibly read Israel be blessed by Bilaam? nothing fated, predestined,
that revolting rubbish?” says Surely there is a principle about antisemitism. What then
the first. The second smiles. Megalgelim zechut al yedei zakai:
Bar Mitzvah do Bilaam’s words mean? “It is
“What does your paper say? “Good things come about through
a nation dwelling alone, not
of Let me tell you: ‘The Jews good people” (Tosefta Yoma 4:12). reckoned among the nations.”
Michael Magid are assimilating.’ ‘The Jews Why did this good thing come Ibn Ezra says they mean that
are arguing.’ ‘The Jews are about through a bad man? The unlike all other nations, Jews,
Times disappearing.’ Now let me answer lies in the principle stated even when a minority in a non-
tell you what my paper in Proverbs (27:2): “Let someone Jewish culture, will not
Mincha 7:00 pm says: ‘The Jews control the else praise you, and not your own assimilate. Ramban says that
banks.’ ‘The Jews control the mouth; an outsider, and not your their culture and creed will
Candle Lighting 8:04 pm media.’ ‘The Jews control own lips.” Tanach is perhaps the remain pure, not a
Hashkama 8:00 am Austria.’ ‘The Jews control least self-congratulatory national cosmopolitan mix of multiple
the world.’ My friend, if you literature in history. Jews chose to traditions and nationalities. The
Parsha Shiur 8:30 am want good news about the record for history their faults, not Netziv gives the sharp
Main 9:00 am Jews, always read the their virtues. Hence it was interpretation, clearly directed
antisemites.” An old and important that their praise come against the Jews of his time,
Beit Midrash 9:15 am bitter joke. Yet it has a point from an outsider, and one not that “If Jews live distinctive and
and a history and it begins known to like them. Moses apart from others they will
Gemara Shiur 6:30 pm with this week’s parsha. rebuked the people. Bilaam, the dwell safely, but if they seek to
Mincha 7:30 pm Some of the most beautiful outsider, praised them. emulate ‘the nations’ they ‘will
things ever said about the not be reckoned’ as anything
Shabbat Ends 9:11 pm Jewish people were said by That said, however, what is the special at all.”
Sun. July 21 Shacharit Bilaam: “Who can count the meaning of one of the most There is, however, another
famous descriptions ever given of
Fast of the 7:30/8:30 am dust of Jacob… May my final the people Israel: “It is a nation possibility, hinted at by another
17th of Tammuz end be like theirs!... How dwelling alone, not reckoned noted antisemite, G. K.
beautiful are your tents,
Mincha among the nations.”? (Num. 23:9) Chesterton, who famously
Jacob, your dwelling places,
Begins 4:29 am 7:50 pm I have argued against the wrote of America that it was “a
Ends 9:01 pm Israel! …A star will come out
of Jacob; a scepter will rise interpretation that has become nation with the soul of a
Mon. & Thurs. 6:35/7:45 am out of Israel.” popular in modern times, namely church” and “the only nation in
Tues., Wed. & Fri. 6:45/7:45 am that it is Israel’s destiny to be the world founded on a creed.”
Bilaam was no friend of the isolated, friendless, hated, That is, in fact, precisely what
Mincha 8:00 pm Jews. Having failed to curse abandoned and alone, as if made Israel different – and
them, he eventually devised antisemitism were somehow America’s political culture, as
Latest Times for
Shema/Shemoneh Esrei a plan that worked. He written into the script of history. It historian Perry Miller and
suggested that Moabite isn’t. None of the prophets said so. sociologist Robert Bellah
July 20 9:20/10:34 am women seduce Israelite men To the contrary, they believed that pointed out, is deeply rooted in
and then invite them to take the nations of the world would the idea of biblical Israel and
July 27 9:23/10:36 am part in their idolatrous eventually recognize Israel’s God the concept of covenant.
worship. 24,000 people died and come to worship Him in the
Next Shabbat Ancient Israel was indeed
Pinchas in the subsequent plague Temple in Jerusalem. Zechariah founded on a creed, and was,
Mincha 7:00 pm Kiddush is sponsored by Maureen & Barry Magid
Candle Lighting 7:58 pm
in honor of the Bar Mitzvah of their son Michael
Seudah Shlishit & Bima Flowers in the Beit Midrash
are sponsored by Hindi & Ben Lunzer
in honor of the marriage of their daughter Ariella to David Dachoh