NEWS & JUDAISM STUDY

Today is: Yom Revee’ee, Av 17, 5771 • 8 17, 2011

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Topics in the news

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Google announces an agreement to acquire Motorola Mobility for US$12.5 billion.

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

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Scientists discover the first evidence of live birth among plesiosaurs.

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

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Rioting, initially sparked by a fatal police shooting in London, spreads across parts of England.

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Current events

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Armed conflict and attacks

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A rocket is fired into the compound of the President of Afghanistan in Kabul. (AP via Salon)

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Business and economy

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Workers at the Polish Przewozy Regionalne passenger rail network commence a 24-hour strike. (RIA Novosti)

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Law and crime

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A lawyer claims that 25,000 South Koreans will be suing Apple Inc. in relation to alleged privacy breaches in relation to collection of iPhone location addresses. (AP via MSNBC)

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Politics and elections

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Singapore's Presidential Elections Committee approves four presidential candidates for the Presidential election on August 27: Tony Tan Keng Yam, Tan Cheng Bock, Tan Kin Lian and Tan Jee Say. (Wall Street Journal)

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Today in Jewish History

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• Hebron Massacre (1929)

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67 Jewish men, women and children were slaughtered, and scores wounded, raped and maimed, by their Arab neighbors in the city of Hebron, who rioted for three days amid cries of "Slaughter the Jews." The survivors fled to Jerusalem, and the ancient Jewish community of Hebron, which had lived in relative peace in the city for hundreds of years, was not revived until after Israel's capture of Hebron in the 1967 Six Day war.

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Daily Quote

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“And I will lead on slowly . . . until I come to my lord to Seir” (Genesis 33:14). Said Rabbi Abbahu: We have searched the entire Scriptures and did not find that Jacob ever went to Esau to the mountain of Seir. Is it possible that Jacob, the truthful, should deceive him? But when would he come to him? In the Messianic Era, when “the saviors shall ascend Mount Zion to judge the mountain of Esau.”

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- Midrash Rabbah

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Daily Study

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Chitas and Rambam for today:

Chumash: Eikev, 4th Portion Deuteronomy 10:1-10:11 with Rashi

Tehillim: Chapters 83 - 87

Tanya: Iggeret HaKodesh, middle of Epistle 5

Rambam:

• Sefer Hamitzvos:

• 1 Chapter: Zechiyah uMattanah Chapter Three

• 3 Chapters: Bikkurim Chapter 6, Bikkurim Chapter 7, Bikkurim Chapter 8

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Hayom Yom: "Today's Day"

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The Rebbe Tzemach Tzedek explained the relationship of fire and Inner Torah. Inner Torah gives vitality to the Revealed Torah. When one learns an halacha and knows that after his 120 years on earth he will learn the same halacha in gan eden, that puts a little fire into him.

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Today's Mitzvah

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Positive Commandment 133

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The Dough Offering ("Challah")

"You shall offer up a cake of the first of your dough as a gift"—Numbers 15:20.

We are commanded to separate a portion of every dough we prepare and give it to the priest.

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Positive Commandment 143

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The Priestly Portion of Meat

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"And this shall be the priests' due from the people, from those who perform a slaughter, be it an ox or a sheep"—Deuteronomy 18:3.

We are commanded to give to the priest the foreleg, jaw, and belly of any kosher animal that we slaughter.

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Positive Commandment 144

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The Priestly Portion of Fleece

"The first of the fleece of your sheep [shearing], you shall give him"—Deuteronomy 18:4.

We are commanded to separate the first portion of [a sheep's] shearing and give it to the priest.

This mitzvah applies only in the Land of Israel.

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THE SACREDNESS OF EACH DAY IN TORAH

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Genesis Chapter 1

בְּרֵאשִׁית

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Yom Revee´ee............Fourth day

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יד וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים, יְהִי מְאֹרֹת בִּרְקִיעַ הַשָּׁמַיִם, לְהַבְדִּיל, בֵּין הַיּוֹם וּבֵין הַלָּיְלָה; וְהָיוּ לְאֹתֹת וּלְמוֹעֲדִים, וּלְיָמִים וְשָׁנִים. 14

And God said: 'Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days and years;

טו וְהָיוּ לִמְאוֹרֹת בִּרְקִיעַ הַשָּׁמַיִם, לְהָאִיר עַל-הָאָרֶץ; וַיְהִי-כֵן. 15

and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth.' And it was so.

טז וַיַּעַשׂ אֱלֹהִים, אֶת-שְׁנֵי הַמְּאֹרֹת הַגְּדֹלִים: אֶת-הַמָּאוֹר הַגָּדֹל, לְמֶמְשֶׁלֶת הַיּוֹם, וְאֶת-הַמָּאוֹר הַקָּטֹן לְמֶמְשֶׁלֶת הַלַּיְלָה, וְאֵת הַכּוֹכָבִים. 16

And God made the two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night; and the stars.

יז וַיִּתֵּן אֹתָם אֱלֹהִים, בִּרְקִיעַ הַשָּׁמָיִם, לְהָאִיר, עַל-הָאָרֶץ. 17

And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,

יח וְלִמְשֹׁל, בַּיּוֹם וּבַלַּיְלָה, וּלְהַבְדִּיל, בֵּין הָאוֹר וּבֵין הַחֹשֶׁךְ; וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים, כִּי-טוֹב. 18

and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness; and God saw that it was good.

יט וַיְהִי-עֶרֶב וַיְהִי-בֹקֶר, יוֹם רְבִיעִי. {פ} 19

And there was evening and there was morning, a fourth day. {P}