NEWS & JUDAISM

Today in Judaism

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Today is:, Yom Shlee’shee Av 30, 5771 • 8 30, 2011

Rosh Chodesh Elul

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Topics in the news

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Naoto Kan resigns as Prime Minister of Japan.

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Steve Jobs steps down as chief executive officer of Apple and is succeeded by Tim Cook.

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Hundreds of thousands of people protest across Chile in support of education reform in the country.

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Current events

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Arts and culture

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Muslims celebrate Eid ul-Fitr marking the end of Ramadan, the month of fasting. (Wall Street Journal)

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Disasters

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Hurricane Irene

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The death toll from Hurricane Irene reaches 40 in the continental United States plus three people in the Dominican Republic and one in Puerto Rico. (NZ Stuff), (Associated Press)

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The New England state of Vermont suffers its worst flooding in 100 years. (Associated Press)

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Monsoonal rain causes heavy floods in the Indian state of Gujarat. (IBN Live)

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Nineteen coal miners are rescued from a flooded pit in China's Heilongjiang Province. (Xinhua)

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Law and crime

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While reportedly on his way to surrender to police in the US city of Atlanta to face murder charges, former National Basketball Association player Javaris Crittenton is arrested by the FBI at John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California. (Associated Press via ESPN)

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Politics

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New Japanese Prime Minister

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The Cabinet of former Prime Minister of Japan Naoto Kan resigns en masse following the election of Yoshihiko Noda as the presumptive Prime Minister. (Nikkei)

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The Diet of Japan approves Noda as the new Prime Minister.
(Hindustan Times)

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Today's Laws & Customs



• Rosh Chodesh Observances

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Today is the first of the two Rosh Chodesh ("Head of the Month") days for the month of Elul (when a month has 30 days, both the last day of the month and the first day of the following month serve as the following month's Rosh Chodesh).

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Special portions are added to the daily prayers: Hallel (Psalms 113-118) is recited -- in its "partial" form -- following the Shacharit morning prayer, and the Yaaleh V'yavo prayer is added to the Amidah and to Grace After Meals; the additional Musaf prayer is said (when Rosh Chodesh is Shabbat, special additions are made to the Shabbat Musaf). Tachnun (confession of sins) and similar prayers are omitted.

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Many have the custom to mark Rosh Chodesh with a festive meal and reduced work activity. The latter custom is prevalent amongst women, who have a special affinity with Rosh Chodesh -- the month being the feminine aspect of the Jewish Calendar.

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• Practice shofar blowing; L'David Hashem Ori

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Some of the special Elul practices begin today. The psalm L'David Hashem Ori (Psalm 27) is recited at the end of the morning and afternoon prayers; this special addition is recited throughout the month of Elul and the High Holiday season, until Hoshanah Rabbah (Tishrei 21) -- a total of 50 days. And although the daily shofar sounding of Elul officially begins on the 2nd Rosh Chodesh, it is customary to practice sounding the shofar (ram's horn) on the 1st Rosh Chodesh, introducing the Elul atmosphere of soul-searching and repentance.

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Today in Jewish History

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• Second Tablets hewn (1313 BCE)

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On the last day of Av of the year 2448 from creation (1313 BCE), Moses carved, by G-d's command, two stone tablets -- each a cube measuring 6x6x6 tefachim (a tefach, "handbreadth", is approximately 3.2 inches) -- to replace the two divinely-made tablets, on which G-d had inscribed the Ten Commandments, which Moses had smashed 42 days earlier upon witnessing Israel's worship of the Golden Calf.

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Daily Quote

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The main thing is not learning, but action

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- Ethics of the Fathers 1:17

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Daily Study

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Chitas and Rambam for today:

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Chumash: Shoftim, 3rd Portion Deuteronomy 18:1-18:5 with Rashi

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Tehillim: Chapters 145 - 150

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Rambam:

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• Sefer Hamitzvos:

• 1 Chapter: Shechenim Chapter Four

• 3 Chapters: Biat Hamikdash Chapter 2, Biat Hamikdash Chapter 3, Biat Hamikdash Chapter 4

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Hayom Yom: "Today's Day"

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TuesdayMenachem Av 30, Rosh Chodesh5703

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Begin saying L'david ori (p. 81). The custom in the Rebbe's home1 is to practice sounding the shofar during this day. On the second day of Rosh Chodesh begin sounding the shofar after davening.

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The Alter Rebbe at first used to say brief maamarim. For example, the maamar Zecher rav tuvcha and its amplification, published in the Siddur,2 was said in six sequential sections, at somewhat greater length than in its printed version.

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FOOTNOTES

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1. And the general Chabad custom.

2. The reference is to the Siddur with chassidic discourses.

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Today's Mitzvah

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

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Negative Commandment 68

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Off-Limits Areas for the Priests

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"That he may not come at all times into the holy place"—Leviticus 16:2.

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The high priest is forbidden from entering the Holy of Holies any time other than Yom Kippur, and only when he is then performing the special Yom Kippur service.

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The regular priest is forbidden from entering the Holy Temple's sanctuary unless he is discharging a service there [e.g., kindling the menorah, offering incense, or simply entering to prostrate himself before G‑d].

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Negative Commandment 165

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A Priest Leaving the Holy Temple Mid-Service

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"And you shall not go out the door of the Tent of Meeting"—Leviticus 10:7.

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It is forbidden for a priest to leave the Temple while he is in middle of performing his service.

A high priest may not leave the Temple even if he is an onen, i.e. he is informed that one of his next of kin has passed away.

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Positive Commandment 31

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Ejecting the Ritually Impure from the Temple Area

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"They shall send out from the camp all those afflicted with tzara'at or with a male discharge, and all those unclean through [contact with] the dead"—Numbers 5:2.

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We are commanded to expel from the Temple area all those who are ritually impure.

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Negative Commandment 77

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A Ritually Impure Person Entering the Holy Temple

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"They shall not defile their camp"—Numbers 5:3.

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All ritually impure individuals are forbidden from entering the Holy Temple—i.e., any area in [the sanctuary and] the Holy Temple Courtyard, starting from the Nikanor Gate.

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Negative Commandment 78

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A Ritually Impure Person Entering the Temple Mount

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"He may not enter this camp"—Deuteronomy 23:11.

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All ritually impure individuals [with the exception of individuals impure due to contact with a corpse] are forbidden from entering the Temple Mount.

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THE SACREDNESS OF EACH DAY IN TORAH



Genesis Chapter 1

בְּרֵאשִׁית





Yom Shlee´shee.........Third day

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וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים, יִקָּווּ הַמַּיִם מִתַּחַת הַשָּׁמַיִם אֶל-מָקוֹם אֶחָד, וְתֵרָאֶה, הַיַּבָּשָׁה; וַיְהִי-כֵן. 9 And God said: 'Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear.' And it was so.

י וַיִּקְרָא אֱלֹהִים לַיַּבָּשָׁה אֶרֶץ, וּלְמִקְוֵה הַמַּיִם קָרָא יַמִּים; וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים, כִּי-טוֹב. 10

And God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering together of the waters called He Seas; and God saw that it was good.

יא וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים, תַּדְשֵׁא הָאָרֶץ דֶּשֶׁא עֵשֶׂב מַזְרִיעַ זֶרַע, עֵץ פְּרִי עֹשֶׂה פְּרִי לְמִינוֹ, אֲשֶׁר זַרְעוֹ-בוֹ עַל-הָאָרֶץ; וַיְהִי-כֵן. 11

And God said: 'Let the earth put forth grass, herb yielding seed, and fruit-tree bearing fruit after its kind, wherein is the seed thereof, upon the earth.' And it was so.

יב וַתּוֹצֵא הָאָרֶץ דֶּשֶׁא עֵשֶׂב מַזְרִיעַ זֶרַע, לְמִינֵהוּ, וְעֵץ עֹשֶׂה-פְּרִי אֲשֶׁר זַרְעוֹ-בוֹ, לְמִינֵהוּ; וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים, כִּי-טוֹב. 12

And the earth brought forth grass, herb yielding seed after its kind, and tree bearing fruit, wherein is the seed thereof, after its kind; and God saw that it was good.

יג וַיְהִי-עֶרֶב וַיְהִי-בֹקֶר, יוֹם שְׁלִישִׁי. {פ} 13

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