Jewish Things & Thoughts in Harrison NY For the Week of June 1st – June 7th Sivan 3 to Sivan 9; parasha Behaalotecha

We would like people to be aware of some of the Jewish things and thoughts taking place in Harrison NY.

This week will be the holiday of Shavuos, the Feast of Weeks.  It marks the giving of the Ten Commandments at Mount Sini and the beginning of the period when, in Temple times, people could bring the First Fruit offerings (Bikurim) to Jerusalem.  The Holy Day begins Tuesday June 3rd at 8:04 PM, but Kiddush should not be recited until 9:13 PM.  The Young Israel of Harrison, New York (YIOH) will hold afternoon/evening services on June 3rd at 8 PM.  Beginning at 11:30 PM the YIOH will hold the traditional all night learning session.  Services on the first day of Shavuos, Wednesday, June 4th, will take place at 9:30AM.  After services the YIOH will be hosting a dairy lunch after morning services.  The cost is $18 for adults and $9 for children.  Please RSVP to elayne512@aol.com.  Please make checks payable to Young Israel of Harrison and mail them to Elayne Riskin,, 18 Lambert Rd, White Plains, NY 10605.  Afternoon/evening services on Wednesday, June 4th at 8 PM.  Candles lighting however, and Kiddush, should not occur until at least 9:13 PM.  Services, including Yezkor, will take place Thursday June 5th, at 9 AM.  Afternoon/evening services on Thursday, June 5th at 8 PM and the Holy Day ends at 9:15 PM. 

Those are some of the Jewish things taking place in Harrison, here is a Jewish thought.

This week we read the Tora portion (“parasha”) known as “Behaalotecha” (Numbers 8:1-12:16).  There are several valuable lessons we can learn from this week’s parasha. 

One of the other important lessons we learn from this week’s parasha is that G-d (“HaShem”) always gives us second chances.  The parasha begins with telling how Aharon was to light the menorah.  The question is asked why does the instruction come right after the story about the gifts the leaders of the tribes brought during the dedication of the Tabernacle (“Mishkan”).  The instructions on how to light the menorah does not seem to fit here.  Rashi (Rabbi Solomon the son of Issac (1040-1105)), the great medieval commentator, explains that Aharon, as the leader of the tribe of Levi, felt bad that he was not given the opportunity to bring a gift to the Mishkan.  HaShem therefore gave him the opportunity, the obligation, to light the menorah every day in the Mishkan.  Similarly, the parasha tells how two people were not able to bring the Passover Sacrifice (“Korban Pesach”) on Passover (“Pesach”) because they were ritually unfit through no fault of their own.  They complained to Moshe and who asked HaShem if there was some way that these people could take part in Korban Pesach.  In response to this request HaShem instituted Pesach Sheni, held one month after Pesach.  On this day anyone who, through no fault of their own could not bring the Korban Pesach on Pesach was given a second chance to make the offering.

We can also learn an important lesson from how the Menorah was made.  The branches of the Menorah were not added on to the central shaft of the menorah.  Rather the Menorah was made out of one large block of gold.  The Menorah represents Tora.  That the Menorah was made out of a single block of gold and not piece teaches us that the Tora must be looked at a single thing, not 613 separate mitzvot  from which we can pick and choose.  We must keep all the mitzvot, all the Tora and only those mitzvoth we like or understand.

This week’s parasha shows how serious is the sin of gossiping, (“LaShon HaRa”).  Aharon and Miriam were talking about something Moshe did which they thought was improper.  This behavior did not affect either Aharon or Miriam.  It was a private matter between Moshe and his wife.  If either Aharon or Miriam thought Moshe was doing something wrong they should have spoken to him and not to each other.  As a punishment for gossiping HaShem gave Miriam the affliction which some people today call leprosy, Tzarat.  (Aharon was not punished with Tora because he was the High Prest (“Cohen Gadol”), instead he suffered by seeing what happened to his sister.)  Moshe prayed for Miriam and HaShem healed her but she still needed to stay outside the camp for seven days.

The Young Israel of Harrison, New York (YIOH) is a Modern Orthodox synagogue offering an intimate religious and communal experience.  Sabbath morning services begin at 9 am, mincha/maariv services on Friday and Saturday vary with sundown, and services on Sunday morning are held at 8 am.  For those who would like more information or would like to spend Shabbos in the area, visit the Young Israel of Harrison’s website at www.yioh.org or email Yiohnews@aol.com

Rabbi Bienenfeld gives weekly Talmud and Chumash classes at 7:00 pm on Monday and Tuesday evenings, respectively.  Please check the calendar posted on YIOH.org to confirm the schedule.

© W. Fraenkel 2014