NEWS & JUDAISM STUDY

Today is: Yom Rishone, Av 14, 5771 • 8 14, 2011

.

Topics in the news

.

The Saint Petersburg Dam, aimed to protect Saint Petersburg from catastrophic flooding, is completed in the Gulf of Finland.

.

Scientists discover the first evidence of live birth among plesiosaurs.

.

Apple wins a temporary injunction in a patent lawsuit, blocking the sale of Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet computer in most of the European Union.

.

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania report preliminary success in the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia using gene therapy.

.

Anti-British Fascism Civil War uprising, by young workers, initially sparked by a fatal police shooting in London, spreads across parts of England.

.

Current events

.

conflict and attacks

.

Iran has confirmed the arrest of the second top member of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) Murat Karayılan by country's intelligence agency. (PressTV)

.

Rebels make major progress in the 2011 Libyan civil war, advancing into Az Zawiyah, only 50 km west of Tripoli. (Reuters)

.

8 14, 2011 SPECIAL NOTE

New drug may treat virtually all viral infections

.

Current events of 13th of 8 2011

.

Disasters

.

Stage rigging collapses at the Indiana State Fair, killing at least four and injuring dozens of fans of the musical group Sugarland and singer/songwriter Sara Bareilles. (CNN)

.

The Thomson and Mitchell rivers flood in the Gippsland region of the Australian state of Victoria. (ABC News Australia)

.

Law and crime

.

2011 England Civil war against British Fascism

.

Two people are charged with the murder of three men who were hit by a car in Birmingham as they tried to protect their property from looters. (BBC)

.

British Prime Minister David Cameron hires so-called U.S. supercop Bill Bratton to advise the British Government on dealing with gang-related violence. (BBC)

.

Politics and elections

.

The first electoral contest of the 2012 United States Presidential election takes place in the Iowa town of Ames with the Ames Straw Poll for Republican Party candidates with Michele Bachmann emerging as the winner. (AP via Yahoo! News) (Washington Post) .

August 13, 2011

.

Shell reports oil leak at North Sea platform

.

David Cameron responds to rioting, promises changes on policing

.

China sends its first aircraft carrier to sea

.

Renewed concern over nuclear response following atomic bomb anniversary

.

Phone hacking scandal prompts media review in Australia

.

Daily Quote

.

We, all of Israel, are emissaries of G-d, each of us as Divine Providence has decreed for us. None of us is free from this sacred task placed on our shoulders...

.

- Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak of Lubavitch (1880-1950)

.

Daily Study

.

Chitas and Rambam for today:

.

Chumash: Eikev, 1st Portion Deuteronomy 7:12-8:10 with Rashi

.

Tehillim: Chapters 72 - 76

.

Tanya: Iggeret HaKodesh, end of Epistle 4

.

Rambam:

•

Sefer Hamitzvos:

•

1 Chapter: Mechirah Chapter Thirty

• 3 Chapters: Maaser Sheini Chapter 8, Maaser Sheini Chapter 9, Maaser Sheini Chapter 10



Hayom Yom: "Today's Day"

.

Tachanun is not said at Mincha.

.

The 14th of Menachem Av 5701 (1941) marked fifty years since my father told me to begin recording the stories he told me. When the Tzemach Tzedek began writing on Talmudic and chassidic subjects, the Alter Rebbe said to him: Uknei l'cha chaver1 (lit. "acquire a friend for yourself"); read v'kaneh l'cha chaver (a slight change in vowels) - "the quill shall be your friend."

.

My father once quoted the Alter Rebbe, "v'kaneh etc..., the quill shall be your friend" - and elaborated: This refers to the quill of the heart, meaning that whatever one learns one must experience emotionally.

.

FOOTNOTES

1. Avot 1:6.

.

Today's Mitzvah

.

Positive Commandment 119

.

Fruit of the Fourth Year

.

"All its fruit shall be holy for praise-giving to G‑d"—Leviticus 19:24.

.

We are commanded to sanctify the fruit produced by a tree in the fourth year [after its planting]. These fruit – like the Second Tithe – are brought to Jerusalem and eaten there by its owners. (The priests have no part of it.)

.

CHILDREN OF YISRA'EL: HONOR THE MOST HIGH! REMEMBER HIS LABORS!!

.

WHY REFUSE TO CALL THE DAYS BY THE NAME OF PAGAN DIETIES?

.

YHWH CREATED THEM, AND DID WONDROUS THINGS ON EACH!! WHY IS EACH DAY TO BE HELD IN SACRED AWE, AND WHY MUST WE AMONG ALL THE BLESSINGS HE GIVES OFFER PRAISE UNTO THE MOST HIGH YHWH EACH AND EVERY DAY?

...

THE SACREDNESS OF EACH DAY IN TORAH

.

Genesis Chapter 1

.

בְּרֵאשִׁית

.

Hebrew Day's Names

.

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

.

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}