NEWS AND MIDRASH

Today is: Yom Rishone, Tammuz 29, 5771 • 7 31, 2011

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Topics in the news

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Tropical Storm Nock-ten causes 41 deaths in the Philippines and the evacuation of more than 27,000 people in China.

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Ollanta Humala (pictured) is inaugurated as President of Peru.

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Asteroid 2010 TK7 is confirmed as the first Earth Trojan asteroid discovered.

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Truong Tan Sang becomes the new President of Vietnam and nominates Nguyen Tan Dung to another term as Prime Minister.

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In cycling, Cadel Evans wins the 98th edition of the Tour de France, becoming the first Australian to do so.

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Protests against rising house prices in Israel continue, with tens of thousands gathering in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.

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Current events

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Armed conflict and attacks

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At least 7 people including a criminal are killed and 28 others are injured in a knife attack in Kashgar, west Xinjiang, China, marking the second attack of the month in Xinjiang. (Xinhua) (The Washington Post)

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Ramadan Massacre:

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At least 121 people are killed in a Syrian Army tank raid on the town of Hama. (Al Jazeera)

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Disasters and accidents

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At least seven people drown after a collision between a pleasure boat and a barge in central Moscow, Russia. (The Moscow News) (The Jerusalem Post)

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Politics

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The Senate of the United States is due to vote on proposals to lift the US debt ceiling. (CNN)

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Today in Jewish History

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• Passing of Rashi (1105)

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Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki, known as "Rashi", passed away on the 29th of Tammuz of the year 4865 from creation (1105 CE).

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Rashi was born in Troyes, France, in 1040. His commentaries on the Torah, Prophets and Talmud are universally accepted as the most basic tool for the understanding of these texts for schoolchild and scholar alike. Numerous commentaries have been authored on his commentary. In his famed "Rashi talks", the Lubavitcher Rebbe repeatedly demonstrated how Rashi's "simple meaning of the text" style enfolds many layers of meaning, often resolving profound difficulties in the text and presenting new, innovative interpretations with a simple word choice or rephrasing of a Midrashic passage.

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Daily Quote

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Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy

- Exodus 20:8

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Daily Study

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Chitas and Rambam for today:

Chumash: Devarim, 1st Portion Deuteronomy 1:1-1:11 with Rashi

Tehillim: Chapters 140 - 150

Tanya: Igeret HaTeshuva , Chapter 9

Rambam:

• Sefer Hamitzvos:

• 1 Chapter: Mechirah Chapter Sixteen

• 3 Chapters: Matnot Aniyiim Chapter 5, Matnot Aniyiim Chapter 6, Matnot Aniyiim Chapter 7

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Hayom Yom: "Today's Day"

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A handwritten note of the Tzemach Tzedek was discovered. Its contents: He had determined to study Talmudic and Halachic texts six hours every night, standing. He had, thank G-d, fulfilled this and completed the study of the entire Talmud (Babylonian and Jerusalemite) and the four divisions of the Shulchan Aruch - all studied in depth.

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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 124

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Fallen Grapes

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"You shall not harvest the single grapes of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and the stranger"—Leviticus 19:10.

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We are commanded to leave for the poor the grapes that fall to the ground in the course of harvesting.

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This biblical precept only applies in the Land of Israel.

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Negative Commandment 213

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Gathering the Fallen Grapes

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"You shall not gather the single grapes of your vineyard"—Leviticus 19:10.

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It is forbidden for a landowner to harvest the grapes that fall to the ground in the course of harvesting, rather they must be left for the poor.

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Positive Commandment 122

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Forgotten Sheaves

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"...and you forget a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to get it; it shall be for the stranger, the orphan and the widow"—Deuteronomy 24:19.

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We are commanded to leave for the poor those bundles of the harvested crop that were forgotten in the field.

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This biblical precept only applies in the Land of Israel.

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Negative Commandment 214

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Collecting Forgotten Sheaves

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"...and you forget a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to get it"—Deuteronomy 24:19.

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It is forbidden for the landowner to collect a bundle of the harvested crop that was forgotten in the field [rather he must leave it for the poor]. This prohibition applies both to grain and fruit.

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THE SACREDNESS OF EACH DAY IN TORAH



Genesis Chapter 1

בְּרֵאשִׁית



Hebrew Day's Names





Hebrew......................Meaning





THE SACREDNESS OF EACH DAY IN TORAH



Genesis Chapter 1

בְּרֵאשִׁית

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Yom Reeshone........... First day CREATION OF LIGHT

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א בְּרֵאשִׁית, בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים, אֵת הַשָּׁמַיִם, וְאֵת הָאָרֶץ. 1

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

ב וְהָאָרֶץ, הָיְתָה תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ, וְחֹשֶׁךְ, עַל-פְּנֵי תְהוֹם; וְרוּחַ אֱלֹהִים, מְרַחֶפֶת עַל-פְּנֵי הַמָּיִם. 2 Now the earth was unformed and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep; and the spirit of God hovered over the face of the waters.

ג וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים, יְהִי אוֹר; וַיְהִי-אוֹר. 3

And God said: 'Let there be light.' And there was light.

ד וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת-הָאוֹר, כִּי-טוֹב; וַיַּבְדֵּל אֱלֹהִים, בֵּין הָאוֹר וּבֵין הַחֹשֶׁךְ. 4

And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness.

ה וַיִּקְרָא אֱלֹהִים לָאוֹר יוֹם, וְלַחֹשֶׁךְ קָרָא לָיְלָה; וַיְהִי-עֶרֶב וַיְהִי-בֹקֶר, יוֹם אֶחָד. {פ} 5

And God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day. {P}

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