[HANASHIR:9499] fwd: Free CD to learn Hebrew from http://jewishsoftware.com & www.torah.org

[PKellyJr <PKellyJr...>]

LEARN HEBREW NOW, WITH A FREE CD!

Learn Hebrew this summer with the Free EZ Hebrew Phrases CD-ROM (a $39
value). Compatible with Macintosh and Windows, EZ Hebrew Phrases won a top
5 star rating from the Jerusalem Post Software Editor.

Thanks to the Jewish Continuity Foundation and TES --
http://jewishsoftware.com -- now it's yours free!

Click for details:
http://www.jewishsoftware.com/default.asp?aid=231&red=hebfree.htm

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ON THE WEB THIS WEEK @ <A HREF="http://www.torah.org/";>TORAH.ORG </A>:

THE BEST RESPONSE: The real solution to Palestinian terrorism is in the
hands of the individual Jew:
http://www.torah.org/features/israelmatters/response.html

LOOKING INTO THE FACE OF EVIL: Rabbi Yisrael Rutman compares the Talmud's
study of the tragedies of Tisha B'Av with contemporary analysis of the
Holocaust. http://www.torah.org/features/secondlook/faceofevil.html

STORIES FROM THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT: A short compilation of tales on
honoring one's parents:
http://www.torah.org/features/par-kids/fifthcommandment.html

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NEW CLASS: KOL HAKOLLEL

Kol HaKollel, "Voice of the Kollel," emerges from Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Each week brings a different perspective and outlook from one of the
scholars of the Milwaukee Kollel. Six members of the Kollel participate in
this collaborative effort to extract the Torah's eternal truths, the
timeless ethics that are the essential lessons of life, contained in the
Torah's narrative. The scholars of the Kollel present you with the profound
insights of our Sages, with practical implications and applications for the
modern 21st century Jew.

To join, send a blank email to kolhakollel-subscribe (at) torah(dot)org !

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A TIME TO HEAL: This Tisha B'Av, July 29, the Chofetz Chaim Heritage
Foundation will offer their 7th Annual World-Wide video presentation. This
year, the focus is on one essential response to the difficult situation and
disasters besetting Eretz Yisrael, the Land of Israel. This year's event,
"A Time to Heal," features renowned and inspiring speakers Rabbi Yissachar
Frand, Rabbi Aron Dovid Dunner, and Rabbi Jonathan Rietti exploring the
topic of machlokes - dissension, and offering guidance on how to rise above
grievances. This year's Tisha B'Av event is an urgent call to Jews
everywhere to uproot the sinas chinam -- baseless hatred -- that keeps us
apart.

This video presentation will be shown around the world -- please call the
Chofetz Chaim Heritage Foundation, (800)867-2482, for the location nearest 
you.

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        Dedicated to the speedy healing of Shalom Alter ben Nechama
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"And Moshe wrote their departures according to their journeys by the word
of G-d, and these are their journeys according to their departures..." [33:2]

This verse is confusing. First of all, it seems redundant. The previous
verse begins: "These are the journeys of the Children of Israel..." and
thus we already know that Moshe is in the process of writing them down. And
whether "by the word of G-d" is intended to refer to Moshe's writing (as
Nachmanides says) or the journeys themselves (the opinion of the Ibn Ezra),
we already know that both are true. And furthermore, why must the verse
repeat, and reverse, both "departures" and "journeys?"

My thanks to Rabbi Yonason Hirtz for the following insight: one lesson of
this verse is that when we look to the future, we must also know our past;
and when we look back into our past, we must also realize what lies ahead.
The (future) departures must be according to the (previous) journeys, and
we must look at our past journeys with an eye towards upcoming departures.
We must always remain cognizant of the entire continuum of Jewish history.

The first part of this is very understandable: our future must be built
upon our past. "Learn from the lessons of history," or in more specifically
Jewish terms, "ma'aseh avos siman l'banim," the stories of the forefathers
are a sign for the children. We should use the lives of our forebears as
guidelines for the future. How did Avraham deal with Avimelech? How did
Yaakov deal with Esav? From these stories, we learn what we should do in
similar situations.

What does it mean, though, that one must also remain cognizant of the
future when looking at the past? The answer, which is very relevant to the
Three Weeks of mourning between the Seventeenth of Tammuz and Tisha B'Av,
is: hope. When we look back in our past, there are terrible stories. Times
of destruction, causes for mourning. But we must always remain aware of the
bright future that lies ahead.

Tisha B'Av is the nadir, as it were, of the Jewish calendar. G-d said that
since the people mourned needlessly on that day when the spies returned, He
would set it aside as a day when we would need to mourn. It is the day both
Temples were destroyed. It is the anniversary of the Expulsion from Spain.
It is also, according to some, the day the first gas chamber was activated,
as well as the start of World War One, which brought Hitler to power.

Yet our Rabbis decreed that Tachanun, the penitential prayers, should not
be recited on Tisha B'Av, just as they are not said on all Jewish holidays.
Why? To remind us that in the future, it will be a day of rejoicing! It is
the birthday of the Messiah, and thus a day of redemption.

So yes, let us turn and look at our past -- but not without hope for a
bright and beautiful future, more than we can imagine.

Good Shabbos,

Rabbi Yaakov Menken 

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JOIN IN A COMMUNITY-WIDE EFFORT TO SUPPORT OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN
ISRAEL

Beth Tfiloh is joining with a number of area synagogues and school in
co-sponsoring a special community-wide program in support of Israel on
WEDNESDAY, JULY 25th at 8 pm at Suburban Orthodox Congregation. 

Rabbi Shlomo Riskin will speak on the current situation in Israel and the
pressing safety and security needs of the citizens of Efrat, where he serves
as Chief Rabbi. Rabbi Riskin is traveling throughout the U.S. raising funds
to help ensure the safety and security of the children, students, teachers
and citizens of Efrat, Israel. Everyone is encouraged to attend and show
their solidarity and support for Israel.

Additional information, including a flier for distribution, is available at
www.bethtfiloh.com/riskinrally.htm.