NEWS AND MIDRASH

Today is: Yom Kha’mee’shee, Tammuz 12, 5771 • 7 14, 2011


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Today in Judaism

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Today in Jewish History

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• R. Yosef Yitzchak of Lubavitch Born (1880)

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Tammuz 12 is the birthday the sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn of Lubavitch (1880-1950). This is also the day on which he was liberated from exile to the Soviet gulag 47 years later (see below).

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More on Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak of Lubavitch

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• Liberation of R. Yosef Yitzchak of Lubavitch (1927)

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On the 12th of Tammuz of 1927, the sixth Lubavitcher rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, was officially granted release from his sentence of exile to Kastroma in the interior of Russia.

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Twenty-seven days earlier, the Rebbe had been arrested by agents of the GPU and the Yevsektzia ("Jewish Section" of the Communist Party) for his activities to preserve Judaism throughout the Soviet empire and sentenced to death, G-d forbid. International pressure forced the Soviets to commute the sentence to exile and, subsequently, to release him completely. The actual release took place on Tammuz 13, and Tammuz 12-13 is celebrated as a "festival of liberation" by the Chabad-Lubavitch community.

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Tammuz 12 is also Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak's birthday (see above)

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Daily Quote

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There are times when G‑d hides His face. But then there are times when G‑d hides His face and we don't even realize that His face is hidden; we dwell in darkness, and think it is light. This is a double galut, a concealment within a concealment.

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- Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov

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Daily Study

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Chitas and Rambam for today:

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Chumash: Pinchas, 5th Portion Numbers 28:1-28:15 with Rashi

Tehillim: Chapters 66 - 68

Tanya: Igeret HaTeshuva , end of Chapter 1

Rambam:

• Sefer Hamitzvos:

• 1 Chapter: Rotseah uShmirat Nefesh Chapter Twelve

• 3 Chapters: Shvuot Chapter 7, Shvuot Chapter 8, Shvuot Chapter 9

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Hayom Yom: "Today's Day"

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Birthday of the Rebbe, R. Yosef Yitzchak, in 5640 (1880).

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On this day, in 5687 (1927), he received the good tidings that he was freed from the exile imposed upon him after his arrest and imprisonment for his efforts in strengthening Torah and Judaism.

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From a letter of the Rebbe (R. Yosef Yitzchak): During the forthcoming two Days of Liberation 12 and 13 Tamuz, Chassidim are to farbreng, for material and spiritual good and blessing, as instituted by our first father, the Alter Rebbe (may the memory of this holy tzadik be a blessing for life in the Hereafter; his soul rests in the hidden exalted heights; may his merit protect us). During this farbrengen chassidim are to talk to one another in a spirit of brotherhood about strengthening fixed times for Torah study. I send them my blessing that G-d favor them in body and spirit.

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Topics in the news

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At least 21 people are reported killed and 141 others injured in three coordinated bomb blasts in Mumbai.

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Following political pressure amid an ongoing phone hacking controversy, News Corporation abandons its bid for full ownership of BSkyB.

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Ahmed Wali Karzai (pictured), Afghan politician and half-brother of President Hamid Karzai, is assassinated.

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Twelve people, including the head of the Cyprus Navy, are killed in an explosion at a naval base, the worst peacetime military accident in the history of Cyprus.

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The sinking of cruise ship Bulgaria on the Volga River in Tatarstan, Russia, leaves 129 people dead or missing.

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The World Netball Championships conclude with Australia defeating New Zealand in the final.

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Current events

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Armed conflict and attacks

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The death toll from the 13 July 2011 Mumbai bombings is revised to 18 with 130 people injured. (CNN), (NDTV)

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A suicide bombing at a mosque in Kandahar, Afghanistan kills four people and injures 11 including the head of provincial religious council while they were praying for Ahmed Wali Karzai. (Reuters via The Guardian)

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Business and economy

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Singapore's economy falls by 7.8% due to declines in manufacturing output and the services sector. (Market Watch)

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International relations

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Japan's Asahi Shimbun reports that Japan's foreign ministry will be boycotting Korean Air services for a month as a response for a demonstration flight of an Airbus A380 over the disputed Liancourt Rocks. (Arirang)

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India and Bangladesh commence a joint census to resolve claims over disputed border areas. (BBC)

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The General Assembly of the United Nations votes on a proposal to admit South Sudan as a member of the United Nations. (CNN)

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Science

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Neptune completes its first orbit of the sun since its discovery in 1846.

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Today's Mitzvah

A daily digest of Maimonides’ classic work "Sefer Hamitzvot"

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Negative Commandment 62

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Vain Oaths

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"You shall not take the name of the L-rd, your G‑d, in vain"—Exodus 20:7.

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It is forbidden to needlessly swear in the name of G‑d.

Examples:

• To swear falsely regarding something that is an obvious untruth [e.g., to swear regarding a simple pebble that it is made of gold].

• To swear that a phenomenon that is known to be impossible has occurred.

• To swear to do something that violates a Torah commandment.

• To swear in attestation of an obvious truth, e.g., to swear that all that are slaughtered die.

• To swear falsely regarding something that is an obvious untruth [e.g., to swear regarding a simple pebble that it is made of gold].

• To swear that a phenomenon that is known to be impossible has occurred.

• To swear to do something that violates a Torah commandment.

• To swear in attestation of an obvious truth, e.g., to swear that all that are slaughtered die.

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THE SACREDNESS OF EACH DAY IN TORAH

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Genesis Chapter 1

בְּרֵאשִׁית

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Yom Khah´mee´shee.. Fifth day

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כ וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים--יִשְׁרְצוּ הַמַּיִם, שֶׁרֶץ נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה; וְעוֹף יְעוֹפֵף עַל-הָאָרֶץ, עַל-פְּנֵי רְקִיעַ הַשָּׁמָיִם. 20

And God said: 'Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let fowl fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.'

כא וַיִּבְרָא אֱלֹהִים, אֶת-הַתַּנִּינִם הַגְּדֹלִים; וְאֵת כָּל-נֶפֶשׁ הַחַיָּה הָרֹמֶשֶׂת אֲשֶׁר שָׁרְצוּ הַמַּיִם לְמִינֵהֶם, וְאֵת כָּל-עוֹף כָּנָף לְמִינֵהוּ, וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים, כִּי-טוֹב. 21

And God created the great sea-monsters, and every living creature that creepeth, wherewith the waters swarmed, after its kind, and every winged fowl after its kind; and God saw that it was good.

כב וַיְבָרֶךְ אֹתָם אֱלֹהִים, לֵאמֹר: פְּרוּ וּרְבוּ, וּמִלְאוּ אֶת-הַמַּיִם בַּיַּמִּים, וְהָעוֹף, יִרֶב בָּאָרֶץ. 22 And God blessed them, saying: 'Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.'

כג וַיְהִי-עֶרֶב וַיְהִי-בֹקֶר, יוֹם חֲמִישִׁי. {פ} 23 And there was evening and there was morning, a fifth day. {P}