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Shabbat starts on Friday at 4:55pm and ends on Saturday at 5:57pm. The weekly Torah portion is Balak. Shiva Assar b’Tammuz is on Sunday; fast begins at 6:10am and ends at 5:53pm

Mincha continues at 1pm at A-P GF/459 Collins Mon-Wed, and Thu 1.45pm at L1 Capital using the WhatsApp group to confirm numbers.

Weekly sushi & shiur continues on Wed at 1.10pm (after mincha) at A-P GF/459 Collins – and via zoom. Current topic: fencing law. Details here and on the WhatsApp group.

Thought of the Week with thanks to  Avi Gordon.

There are six Torah portions named after individuals. Four of them are objectively great people, Noach, (Chayei) Sara, Yitro and Pinchas. Even Korach is understandable, given the life-lesson of teaching the primacy of Jewish unity. But how can we explain this weeks portion named for  Balak who was clearly evil?

Even more Interesting is that Balak was not even the main character in this week’s portion, rather the prophet Bilaam.

Commentators explain that Bilaam represented himself outwardly to be trust-worthy and Gd-fearing but his reality was vastly different. Similar to the quintessentially non kosher animal the reviled pig, who displays his hooves proudly, presenting to be kosher, but the reality was starkly different.

This was not the case with Balak. For all his faults and evils, what you saw was what you got. He was authentic and genuine as to who he was, what values he held and what he represented.

This characteristic, of sincere authenticity which Balak represented, is such a fundamental lesson in Judaism, and therefore he was deserving of having a portion in our holy Torah named after him.

May we all lead holy and authentic lies every day.

Good Shabbos

Tribute: Rabbi Sacks.