Dor L’Dor	r«us‰k r«us
Temple Beth-El Religious School April 1, 2003           Number 24		5763 II rst 28

 

 

 

 

 

Spring Forward  

Daylight Saving Timebegins for most of the United States at 2 a.m. on the first Sunday of April. Time reverts to standard time at 2 a.m. on the last Sunday of October. In the U.S., each time zone switches at a different time.

Note that it is Daylight Saving (singular) Time, NOT Daylight SavingS Time. We are saving daylight, so it is singular and not plural.

 

IN OTHER WORDS, COME TO SCHOOL ON TIME!!!

 

 

April 11-13^th Retreat Meeting This Sunday

 

Teachers and Ma’aseh of grades 6-8 and others interested in coming on retreat, will be meeting to go over our retreat program this Sunday from 8:00-8:45 P.M. in the Block Conference Room.  You must be there if you plan to attend retreat.

 

 

7 Sundays Remaining

 

O.K. folks, there are seven Sundays left, but only 6 teaching Sundays remaining, which means what do you do?

A)    Cram in as much information into their little heads as possible

B)    Stress that you haven’t finished the textbook

C)    Create as many memorable learning experiences as possible

D)   Work extra hard to make the last six Sundays of class extra special

E)    Have a party every Sunday and give up on learning because the year is over. 

If you chose E, please come see me about working at another synagogue next year.  If you chose A or B, come see me and I will calm you down about this unnecessary pressure you are putting on yourself.  If you chose C and D, excellent, come see me about helping you to create those amazing experiences for your children.  If you chose F, well then . . . you might want to relearn the alphabet and or get your eyes checked.

 

 

JEWISH TEXTS ON WAR

 

Maimonides, Mishneh Torah, Hilkhot Melakhim 5:1-2

A king goes to war for a milhemet mitzvah  [before all other wars]. What is a milhemet mitzvah? It is a war on the seven nations [inhabiting Canaan], a war on the Amalekites, and [a war] to assist Jews from a danger that threatens them. Other than this [type of war] is milhemet reshut, which is a war fought against other nations in order to expand the borders of Israel and to increase the king’s greatness and reputation. For a milhemet mitzvah, [the king] does not need to obtain the permission of the religious court, but goes out to war and compels the nation to go. However, in a milhemet reshut, he does not take the nation [to war] without the approval of the religious court [the Sanhedrin].

 

 

Sotah 44b
Rava says: everyone agrees that the wars of conquest of Joshua are a [examples of] a [milhemet mitzvah], whereas the expansionist wars of the Davidic house are a milhemet reshut.

Why do the wars of conquest that Joshua fought fall under the category of milhemet mitzvah? How are they different from the wars fought by King David?

 

Devarim 20:5-9

Then the officials shall address the troops, as follows:

 

Is there anyone who has built a new house but has not dedicated it? Let him go back to his home, lest he die in battle and another dedicate it. Is there anyone who has planted a vineyard but has never harvested it? Let him go back to his home, lest he die in battle and another harvest it. Is there anyone who has become engaged to a bride, but who has not married her? Let him go back to his home, lest he die in battle and another marry her.

 

The officials shall go on addressing the troops and say,

 

Is there anyone afraid and disheartened? Let him go back to his home, lest the courage of his comrades flag like his.

 

When the officials have finished addressing the troops, army commanders shall assume command of the troops.

 

 

Maimonides, Mishneh Torah, Hilkhot Melakhim 7:4

In a milhemet mitzvah everyone goes out [to war], even a groom from his chambers and a bride from her wedding canopy.

 

BABAGANEWZ March 2003

www.babaganewz.com/teachers

 

 

 

Enter Contest for Israeli Independence Day

You will all receive information in your boxes about the visual arts and writing contest for children, sponsored by the Federation, in honor of Israeli Independence Day.  The deadline for submissions is April 10, 2003. If you have time, you may want to plan an activity for your class that allows your students to create something for submission.

 

 

April 6                  Religious School Resumes at Temple

 

April 11-13           Grade 6-8 Retreat, AH-HAH

 

April 16                First night of Passover – No afternoon or evening classes at Temple

 

April 17-23           Pesach

 

April 22                Dessert Seder, No Weekday Hebrew at JCC

 

April 23                Last day of Pesach, No weekday Hebrew at Temple ,

evening classes at Temple resume