Shabbat Shalom v 4 #41 [25th July 2014]

Mazel Tov to Daniel & Louise Lowinger (née: Mandel) on the birth of their son.

Times: Candlelighting is Friday 5:09pm; Shabbat ends Saturday 6:09pm. The weekly Torah Portion is Masei. Rosh Chodesh Av is on Monday.

Upcoming Events: Tuesday, 19th August: A lunchtime lecture from Roy Doliner “Kabbalistic Secrets in Italian Art and Architecture” 12:45pm at Wingate Group, Level 48, 101 Collins Street (mincha will follow the event at 1:45pm) RSVP for catering purposes to events@jbd.org.au by COB today. For more information click here.

Mincha in the CBD: Mincha continues at our usual location at Level 5 South, 459 Collins St, at 1.00pm Mon-Thu.

Study: Mon 12.30 @ East Melb Shule; Wed 1.15 @ Billing Bureau.

Kosher Food in the CBD: Kosher sandwiches and snacks provided by Sidewalk Cafe under Kosher Australia hashgacha are available at the following locations:
-CBW Express- 181 William Street (Open late until 9pm)
-Pronto on Flinders – 335 Flinders Lane
Kosher sandwiches and snacks delivered daily to the CBD.
SANDWICHES: egg mayonnaise and tomato, tuna mayonnaise and pickles, smoked salmon and herbed cream cheese, crisp lettuce, sliced cheese, tomato, cucumber and salad. SNACKS: natural berry yogurt with oat cluster crumble, fresh fruit salad, mixed berry muffin

Thought of the Week with thanks to Ezra May. Rashi explains (Bamidbar 35:14) that although 9.5 tribes lived in Israel and only 2.5 on the other side of the Jordan River, the Torah mandated six cities of refuge be evenly divided between the two regions as there was a disproportionate number of murderers on the other side of the Jordan.

A question on Rashi is how are intentional murderers relevant to the cities of refuge, which only provide protection for accidental and not intentional killers?

Ramban answers that the intentional murderers cunningly arranged for their murder to appear unintentional and they would flee to the cities of refuge.

Sifsei Chochomim cites Makkos 10b that Hashem causes somebody who kills unintentionally without witnesses to fall while climbing a ladder, killing a previous intentional murderer without witnesses sitting underneath, thereby forcing the accidental killer to a city of refuge, while the murderer dies. Therefore an area with many murderers requires many cities of refuge as part of Divine Justice.

The Gur Aryeh explains that where murder becomes regular, the value for human life is diminished. And even though they won’t become cold killers, people won’t exercise appropriate care for others, resulting in an increase in accidental murderers, needing the cities of refuge.

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