NEWS AND MIDRASH

Today is: Yom Rishone, Av 7, 5771 • 8 7, 2011

.

Topics in the news

.

Standard & Poor's downgrades the credit rating of the United States government to AA+ for the first time.

.

Juno, the first solar-powered spacecraft on a mission to Jupiter, is launched (pictured) from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.

.

NASA announces that its Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter captured photographic evidence of possible liquid water on Mars during warm seasons.

.

Government forces crack down on protesters in Hama, a center of the Syrian uprising, killing more than 200 people.

.

After months of negotiations, the United States Congress raises the U.S. debt ceiling to avoid a projected default.

.

Horn of Africa famine

.

Current events

.

Armed conflict and attacks

.

The Syrian army attacks the city of Deir ez-Zor according to opposition activists. (Al_Jazeera)

.

Law and crime

.

The Metropolitan Police struggles to restore order in the London suburb of Tottenham after a riot on Saturday night. (AFP via Hindustan Times)



.

Today in Jewish History

.

• First Temple Invaded (423 BCE)

.

After nearly a month of fierce fighting inside Jerusalem (see "Today in Jewish History" for Tammuz 9), the armies of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia broke through into the Temple compound, where they feasted and vandalized until the afternoon of Av 9, when they set the Holy Temple aflame.

.

Daily Quote

.

G-d said to Moses: You want to know My name? I am called by My deeds

.

- Midrash Rabbah

.

Daily Study

.

Chitas and Rambam for today:

.

Chumash: Va'etchanan, 1st Portion Deuteronomy 3:23-4:4 with Rashi

.

Tehillim: Chapters 39 - 43

.

Tanya: Iggeret HaKodesh, beginning of Epistle 1

Rambam:

• Sefer Hamitzvos:

• 1 Chapter: Mechirah Chapter Twenty Three

• 3 Chapters: Maaser Chapter 1, Maaser Chapter 2, Maaser Chapter 3

.

Hayom Yom: "Today's Day"

.

The (sacred) letter beginning Potchin bivracha1 was written ten years before the letter which begins Katonti.2

.

FOOTNOTES

.

1. "We begin with a blessing..."; this letter is the first in Igeret Hakodesh ("Sacred Epistles"), Part IV of Tanya, and is the Tanya Torah-lesson for the day.

2. "I have become small..."; second letter in Igeret Hakodesh, written by the Alter Rebbe on his return from his arrest in Petersburg (in 5559).

.

Today's Mitzvah

.

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

.

Positive Commandment 127

.

The First Tithe

.

"But the tithes of the Children of Israel which they offer to G‑d as a gift..."—Numbers 18:24.

.

We are commanded to separate a tenth of our crops and give it to a Levite.

.

This biblical precept only applies in the Land of Israel.

.

THE SACREDNESS OF EACH DAY IN TORAH

.

Genesis Chapter 1

.

בְּרֵאשִׁית

.

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

.

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}