NEWS AND MIDRASH

Today is: Yom Shaynee, Tammuz 23, 5771 • 7 25, 2011

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Topics in the news

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In cycling, Cadel Evans (pictured) becomes the first Australian to win the Tour de France.

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Thousands of protesters encounter violence while marching toward the Egyptian Ministry of Defense in Cairo.

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Singer Amy Winehouse is found dead at her London home.

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Two high-speed trains collide and derail near Wenzhou, China, killing at least 43 people.

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Two attacks in Norway—a bombing in Oslo and a shooting on Utøya—result in over 90 deaths.

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Space Shuttle Atlantis concludes its final mission, ending the thirty-year Space Shuttle program.

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Goran Hadžić is detained in Serbia, becoming the last of 161 people indicted by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia to be arrested.

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News Int'l phone-hacking scandal – Arab Spring

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Current events

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Armed conflict and attacks

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2011 Syrian uprising: State media announce a new law permitting the formation of political parties. (BBC)

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2011 Bahraini uprising: A panel begins work an inquiry into the crackdown on protests. (Al Jazeera)

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Business and economy

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Moody's cuts Greece's credit rating further to Ca on the grounds that a proposed debt swap is equivalent to a default. (BBC)

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International relations

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South Korea and the People's Republic of China will hold inaugural defense strategic meetings this week. (Yonhap)

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Australia and Malaysia sign a pact to exchange asylum seekers in Kuala Lumpur. (Associated Press)

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Law and crime

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2011 Norway attacks

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Anders Behring Breivik will face court today for the first time over the attacks.(AFP via France24)

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Trond Berntsen, the stepbrother of Mette-Marit, Crown Princess of Norway, was among the 86 people killed in the attack on the island of Utøya. (AP via Miami Herald)

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Politics

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The President of the United States Barack Obama cancels fundraising dinners due to the ongoing debt crisis. (CNN)

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Sport

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In American football, the NFL Players Association executive will meet today to discuss accepting a 10 year pay deal with team owners in the US National Football League. (USA Today)

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Today in Jewish History

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Passing of R. Moshe Cordovero (1570)

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Passing of Rabbi Moshe Cordovero (1522?-1570) of Safed, the Holy Land, known as the "Ramak", authoritative Kabbalist and author of Pardes Rimonim.

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Daily Quote

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And these are the garments that they shall make [for Aaron]: a breastplate, an apron, a cloak, a tunic of checker work, a hat, and a sash... and a crown of pure gold

- Exodus 28:4, 36

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Daily Study

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Chitas and Rambam for today:



Chumash: Massei, 2nd Portion Numbers 33:50-33:53 with Rashi

Tehillim: Chapters 108 - 112

Tanya: Igeret HaTeshuva , beginning of Chapter 6

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Rambam:

• Sefer Hamitzvos:

• 1 Chapter: Mechirah Chapter Ten

• 3 Chapters: Arachim Vacharamim Chapter 5, Arachim Vacharamim Chapter 6, Arachim Vacharamim Chapter 7

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Hayom Yom:

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"Today's Day"

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When Matot and Massai are separate, then on Shabbat at Mincha, as well as on Monday and Thursday, the Levi-aliya ends with the last journey.1

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Today's Mitzvah

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

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Positive Commandment 145

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Sanctified Objects ("Cherem")

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"However, a cherem that a man shall vow to set aside for G‑d from anything he possesses, whether human or beast"—Leviticus 27:28.

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Anything sanctified as cherem must be given to a priest (unless the person specified that it is "cherem to G‑d," in which case it is donated to the Temple coffers).

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Negative Commandment 110

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Selling Sanctified Objects ("Cherem")

"No cherem thing...shall be sold"—Leviticus 27:28.

Any object that is sanctified as cherem [and consequently must be given to a priest] may not be sold—even to the Temple treasurer.

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THE SACREDNESS OF EACH DAY IN TORAH

Genesis Chapter 1

בְּרֵאשִׁית

Yom Shaynee ............Second day

CREATION DAY THE HEAVENS EARTH, AND WATERS

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ו וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים, יְהִי רָקִיעַ בְּתוֹךְ הַמָּיִם, וִיהִי מַבְדִּיל, בֵּין מַיִם לָמָיִם.

6And God said: 'Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.'

ז וַיַּעַשׂ אֱלֹהִים, אֶת-הָרָקִיעַ, וַיַּבְדֵּל בֵּין הַמַּיִם אֲשֶׁר מִתַּחַת לָרָקִיעַ, וּבֵין הַמַּיִם אֲשֶׁר מֵעַל לָרָקִיעַ; וַיְהִי-כֵן. 7

And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament; and it was so.

ח וַיִּקְרָא אֱלֹהִים לָרָקִיעַ, שָׁמָיִם; וַיְהִי-עֶרֶב וַיְהִי-בֹקֶר, יוֹם שֵׁנִי. {פ} 8

And God called the firmament Heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, a second day.