The nine days begin tonight, Thursday night, July 28th (Rosh Chodesh Av), and are the beginning of the most intense season of national mourning, as the Talmud states [Ta'anit 26]: "When the month of Av begins, we reduce our joy."
From Rosh Chodesh Av (Thursday night 7/28) and until after Tisha B'Av: 1. We avoid purchasing any items that bring great joy. 2. We suspend home improvements and the planting of trees and flowers. 3. We avoid litigation with non-Jews since this period of time is not considered a time of "fortune" for the Jewish people. 4. We abstain from eating meat (including poultry) and drinking wine - foods which are symbolic of the Temple service and are expressions of celebration and joy. On Shabbat, meat and wine are permitted. This applies also to any other seuduat mitzvah, for example, at a Brit Milah or at the completion of a tractate of Talmud. Some have the custom to let a child drink the wine from Havdalah this Saturday night. 5. We refrain from wearing freshly laundered garments, or laundering any clothes, even if done by a non-Jew or in preparation for Tisha B'Av. (If the "freshness" has been taken out of a garment prior to the Nine Days, it may be worn.) Fresh clothes may be worn for Shabbat and young children's clothing, which is frequently soiled, may be laundered during the Nine Days. 6. We do not bathe for pleasure. However, it is permitted to bathe to remove dirt or perspiration, and bathing in warm water is permitted on Friday in honor of Shabbat. 7. It is forbidden to make a major purchase or to buy clothing, because such a purchase may require a person to recite a "shehechiyanu"[Orech Chaim 551:17; Aruch Hashulchan Orech Chaim 551:38]. However, the following leniencies do apply: • if the purchase requires assembly (or in the case of clothing - alterations) or the utensil that requires immersion/tevila in a mikvah, it may be purchased. [Mishna Berura Orech Chaim 223 note 17; Shaar HaTziyun, ibid. note 21]. • If delaying the purchase will cause one a substantial loss (i.e. a very special sale is in progress and will end before Tisha B'Av) [Zichron Shlomo, Hilchot Chol HaMoed pg. 94 in the name of R' Moshe Feinstein and R' Yaakov Kaminetzky, Mishna Berura Orech Chaim 551 note 11 and 13; Kaf HaChaim Orech Chaim 551 note 29] or if the item will not be available after Tisha B'Av. • If one who does not have appropriate shoes to wear on Tishah B'Av may buy them during the Nine Days [Iggrot Moshe Orech Chaim vol. 3, number 80]. If one will run out of clothing for small children, one may either wash the clothes or buy new clothes [Orech Chaim 551:14]. DVAR TORAH In this week’s parsha we learn of the laws related to an unintentional murderer, and of his exile to one of the six cities of refuge until the Kohen Gadol dies [Bamidbar 35:38].
Of these six cities, three on the eastern side of the Jordan were already designated by Moshe, before the people entered the land, and three would be designated 14 years later after the Land of Israel was conquered and settled. And yet, according to the Talmud, until the final three were established, the initial three cities were not "effective" as cities of refuge.
Why?
According to the Meshech Chochmah (Rav Meir Simcha HaKohen of Dvinsk) the reason for this delay was because the Kohen Gadol who accompanied the Jewish people into Israel was Elazar, the son of Aharon HaKohen, who was promised that he would serve throughout all fourteen years of conquest and settlement [Bamidbar 34:17].
Therefore, explained Meshech Chochmah, if anyone had murdered another unintentionally, that person would know that he would have no chance of returning home for many years. Such a punishment, said Meshech Chochmah is inhumane.
Which is the reason that the initial three cities only took effect fourteen years after the Jews entered Israel, because only then, could the unintentional murderer’s sentence end with the passing of the Kohen Gadol - a possibility that would keep a person going, with a sense of hope and a “dream” of a better tomorrow.
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MAZAL TOV * to Dr. Shmuel and Chana Goldstein on the Aufruf of their son, Tuvia, and on his upcoming marriage to Elana Niknam, daughter of Omid and Rachel Niknam. Mazal to grandparents Shulamis Goldstein and Helen & Ernst Weglein.
* Rabbi Yona and Mindy Reiss on the Aufruf of their son Yehuda Dov, and on his upcoming marriage to Shira Orlian. Mazal tov to grandparents, Mrs. Marion Reiss, Howard and Renee Spear, Mrs. Ethel Orlian, and Rabbi Yosef and Yaffa Liberman. REFUAH SHLAIMA * to Mrs. Marion Reiss who is recuperating at home.
SPONSORS @ KINS To sponsor a Kiddush, donate to the Kiddush Fund or Learning Fund please click here.
Kiddush at KINS Main is sponsored by Dr. Shmuel and Chana Goldstein in honor of the Auf Ruf of their son, Tuvia
DAYTIME DIALOGUES: Wednesdays at noon 30 MINUTES OF PARSHA, Shabbat 8:30am
SEMICHAT CHAVER PROGRAM,– Wednesdays at 8:15pm
SHABBAT WOMEN'S SHIUR – 5:00 pm
TALMUD CLASS – 45 minutes before mincha
BIRTHDAYS Margalit Gottesman (7/31) Mrs. Maureen Katz (7/31) Zachary Perl (7/31) Yosef Shapiro (7/31) Mr. Alan Chone (8/2) Rabbi Aaron Leibtag (8/2) Avigayil Silverman (8/2) Mrs. Elise Glassenberg (8/3) Mr. Shlomo Weil (8/3) Kayla Isenberg (8/4) Ronia Bell (8/5) Mrs. Sheryl Merzel (8/5) Mr. Neal Nathan (8/5)
ANNIVERSARIES Alan and Dvora Gold (8/4) Dr. Dean and Juli Bell (8/5) Jonathan and Ilana Dress (8/5)
Congregation K.I.N.S. of West Rogers Park Main: 2800 W. North Shore Ave & North: 3003 West Touhy • Chicago, IL 60645 P 773.761.4000 • F 773.761.4959 • www.congkins.org
SEMICHAT CHAVER PROGRAM,– Wednesdays at 8:15pm
SHABBAT WOMEN'S SHIUR – 5:00 pm
TALMUD CLASS – 45 minutes before mincha