Author: Glen Berd

Parshat Shoftim  This weeks portion describes the command to set up a proper judicial system to be able promote a just and righteous society. The most well known verse sums it up: Justice, justice shall you pursue (16:20) Since the dawn of civilisation man has struggled to create a society that is fair, where all are treated equally before the law and with dignity. Man's animal soul drives him towards selfish and even cruel and destructive behaviour, yet we are not just sophisticated animals destined to only think of ourselves. We have a Divine soul which is a purely spiritual component that enables us to transcend our selfish and parochial concerns. But the Torah understands that our animal side has a strong "gravitational pull towards earth" and so it uses the double expression "Justice, Justice" and the strong verb "to pursue" which indicates that we must make a concerted effort to act fairly. We may not even realise just how prone we are to veer from fair...

Parshat Re'eh- To be or not to be a Chassid? In Parshat Re'eh the laws of Kosher animals, fowl and fish are repeated to the Jewish people. Kosher animals and fish both have Kashrit signs. The former must chew the cud and have split hooves, the latter fins and scales. However no signs for the birds are given. The Torah just lists the non kosher birds without any signs. This means we must have a firm tradition passed down as to which which birds are actually kosher. The sages explain that all of the non-kosher animals which the Torah forbids possess negative character traits. Ruminants, on the other hand, tend to be tranquil creatures. All kosher animals and birds are herbivorous and non-predatory. All of the foods that a Jew ingests, he is ingesting the characteristics of the animal as well. Interestingly one of the non-kosher birds on the Torah’s list is the chassidah (most understand to be the stork). Chassidah—which is the feminine form of the word “chassid”—means “benevolent...

Tisha Beav - Parshat Devarim Tisha Beav is the saddest day in the Jewish calendar. We commemorate the destruction of both Temples which were destroyed by the Babylonians (568BCE) and the Romans (69CE). Here is a list of some of the events that have occurred on and around Tisha Beav throughout the centuries 132CE - Bar Kochba revolt crushed. Betar destroyed - over 100,00 killed. 133CE - Turnus Rufus ploughs site of Temple. Romans build pagan city of Aelia Capitolina on site of Jerusalem. 1095CE - First Crusade declared by Pope Urban II. 10,000 Jews killed in first month of Crusade. Crusades bring death and destruction to thousands of Jews, totally obliterate many communities in Rhineland and France. 1290CE- Expulsion of Jews from England, accompanied by pogroms and confiscation of books and property. 1492CE- Inquisition in Spain and Portugal culminates in the expulsion of the Jews from the Iberian Peninsula. Families separated, many die by drowning, massive loss of property. 1914CE- Britain and Russia declare war on Germany....

Mattos Massei What should we do to improve attendance at our religious services? This is a question that plagues most religious institutions in the 21st century when religious practice is hugely on the decline. Tim Stanley in this weeks online Telegraph has an article about the latest development in the Anglican church entitled "Putting a mini-golf course in a cathedral is an act of desecration" You have to read it to believe it! Don't worry I am not arguing for this in our shul! See https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/07/29/putting-mini-golf-course-cathedral-act-desecration/ and https://www.kentonline.co.uk/medway/news/cathedral-crazy-golf-course-opens-209380/ for full articles Stanley writes: "Emptiness can be rich with meaning. When the Romans captured Jerusalem in 63BC, or so says Tacitus, Pompey marched into the inner sanctum of the Jewish Temple and found it empty. No idols, no treasures, just God. To be in His presence was the greatest bounty. If Pompey besieged Rochester Cathedral today, what would he find inside? A miniature golf course. No joke. Located in the nave, this summer installation consists of nine holes with models of bridges –...

Pinchas As Theresa May stepped down as PM this past week she emphasised how being the second only female PM out of 77 PM's goes to show that women today can achieve their potential and that there are no barriers - even to the top positions. In this weeks Parsha, Pinchas, we are introduced to 5 incredible and formidable women - the daughters of Tzelafchad. The daughters of Tzelofchad came to Moses to request a portion in the land of Israel. At that point in time it was understood according to Torah law that inheritance only passes to sons and not daughters. The Daughters of Tzelafchad are undaunted. They sense the natural injustice of this situation. What is more they are passionate lovers of the Land and want their fathers name to be eternally attached to it through them. Listen to their powerful words to Moses: "Our father died in the desert, but he was not in the assembly that banded together against the Lord in Korah's assembly,...