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Shabbat Parashat Balak 5783

Balak | 12 Tamuz 5783 | 01/07/2023

Parashat Hashavua: He Did not Look at Iniquity in Jacob

In the political realm, it so often seems that the standard behavior is to vilify one’s political adversary, as if one truly believed only he himself can be correct. This is unfortunate because it weakens the national sense of unity that is so important for national success. Through study of the blessings of Bilam, we can try to see how one Jew should look at another Jew.

Ask the Rabbi: Using Dishes of Unknown Type

Years ago, someone (kashrut observant) gave me a set of used china dishes. I do not remember whether the dishes are for meat or dairy (or who gave them to me). Is there a way I can use the dishes?

Igrot Hare’aya – Letters of Rav Kook: Jewish Art – The Positive and Halachic Care – #158 – part II

The heads of the Betzalel organization for Jewish art. The head of Betzalel, Boris Shatz, had been a yeshiva student before studying sculpture, which puts the style of the letter in perspective.

P'ninat Mishpat: Did the Renovations Cause Damages?

The plaintiff (=pl) hired the defendant (=def) to do renovations in his father’s (=fath) apartment, including work in his bathroom, such as changing the tiles and switching the bath, but not the pipes under the bath. A few months later, a leak appeared in the apartment of fath’s downstairs neighbor (=nei). Def, who lived at a distance, told fath’s family that it sounds like it came from the heating system, and closing it off seemed to help. Pl and his brothers took care of fixing nei’s damages. Half a year later, there was another leak by nei and cracks developed in some of the tiles that def installed. Def replaced the cracked tiles, even though he claimed that the cracks came from movement of the ground, not flawed installation. A few months later, there were further cracks in the tiles and water stopped flowing to the bath’s drain. Def said he would come to deal with the situation if pl would bring a neutral expert to assess if the problems stem from def’s work. Instead of arranging this, pl’s brother hired a different contractor to fix the problem; he took 7,000 NIS. Based on what the second contractor said to pl’s brother, pl claims that def changed things under the bath, using the wrong material, and he is therefore responsible for the damages. Pl demands 10,000 NIS for various outlays and distress. Def denies making those changes and says that if he did, he would know not to use the material that was claimed.

Balak 5783
Microsoft Word Document

Balak 5783

We daven for a complete and speedy refuah for:

Nir Rephael ben Rachel Bracha
Ori Leah bat Chaya Temima

Arye Yitzchak ben Geula Miriam

Neta bat Malka

Meira bat Esther
Yerachmiel ben Zlotta Rivka

Together with all cholei Yisrael

Hemdat Yamim is dedicated

to the memory of:

Those who fell in wars

for our homeland

Prof. Yisrael Aharoni z"l

Kislev 14, 5783

Rav Shlomo Merzel z”l
Iyar 10, 5771

Rav Reuven & Chaya Leah Aberman z"l
Tishrei 9 ,5776 / Tishrei 20, 5782

Mr. Shmuel & Esther Shemesh z"l

Sivan 17 / Av 20

Mr. Moshe Wasserzug z"l

Tishrei 20 ,5781

R' Eliyahu Carmel z"l

Rav Carmel's father

Iyar 8 ,5776

Mrs. Sara Wengrowsky

bat R’ Moshe Zev a”h.

Tamuz 10 ,5774

Rav Asher & Susan Wasserteil z"l
Kislev 9 / Elul 5780

R' Meir ben

Yechezkel Shraga Brachfeld z"l

Mrs. Sara Brachfeld z"l

Tevet 16 ,5780

R 'Yaakov ben Abraham & Aisha

and

Chana bat Yaish & Simcha

Sebbag, z"l

Rav Yisrael Rozen z"l
Cheshvan 13, 5778

Rav Benzion Grossman z"l
Tamuz 23, 5777

R' Abraham & Gita Klein z"l

Iyar 18, /5779Av 4

Rav Moshe Zvi (Milton) Polin z"l
Tammuz 19, 5778

R' Yitzchak Zev Tarshansky z"l

Adar 28, 5781

Nina Moinester z"l

Nechama Osna bat Yitzhak Aharon & Doba

Av 30, 5781

Rabbi Dr. Jerry Hochbaum z"l

Adar II 17, 5782

Mrs. Julia Koschitzky z"l

Adar II 18, 5782

Mrs. Leah Meyer z"l

Nisan 27, 5782

Mr. Shmuel & Rivka Brandman z"l

Tevet 16 5783/ Iyar 8, 5781

Mina Presser

bat Harav David and Bina

Tammuz 24

and members of her family

who perished in the shoah

Al Kiddush Hashem

Hemdat Yamim
is endowed by
Les z"l & Ethel Sutker
of Chicago, Illinois
in loving memory of
Max and Mary Sutker
& Louis and Lillian Klein z”l

A weekly divrei Torah leaflet: A Glimpse at the Parasha, Ask the Rabbi, From the writings of Harav Avraham Yitzchak Hakohen Kook, zt”l, Pninat Mishpat (Jewish Monetary Law).