14 Sivan 5770 – 27 May 2010

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Aggadah

Thoughts of sin are more damaging then the sin itself. What represents this? The smell of meat.

Rashi: It is difficult for one who smells roasting meat; he desires it very greatly.

Yoma Chapter 3

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27 May in History

Birthdate of Teddy Kollek (1911), mayor of Jerusalem from 1965 till 1993. Born Theodor Kollek to a Jewish family in Nagyvaszony near Budapest, Austria-Hungary, and named after Theodor Herzl, Kollek shared his father Alfred’s enthusiasm for Zionist ideas. He grew up in Vienna. In 1935, three years before the Nazis seized power in Austria, the Kollek family immigrated to Palestine — this was still the time of the British Mandate. Kollek was eager to help build a new society and, in 1937, was one of the co-founders of Kibbutz Ein Gev near Lake Galilee.

During the Second World War, Kollek tried to represent Jewish interests in Europe on behalf of the Haganah. At the outbreak of the war he succeeded in persuading Adolf Eichmann to release 3,000 young Jewish concentration camp inmates and transfer them to England.

Kollek became a close ally of David Ben-Gurion; working for the latter’s government from 1952 till 1965. n 1965 Teddy Kollek succeeded Mordechai Ish Shalom as Mayor of Jerusalem. He served six terms of office — a total of 28 years, being re-elected in 1969, 1973, 1978, 1983, and 1989.

It has generally been agreed that during his tenure Jerusalem was turned into a modern city, especially after its reunification in 1967. In 1993 Kollek, aged 82, again ran for Mayor but was defeated by Likud candidate Ehud Olmert who went on to become Prime Minister in 2006.

14 Sivan in History

Rav Chaim of Volozhin (1749-1821). The most prominent student of the Vilna Gaon, Rav Chaim established the Volozhin yeshiva in 1803, which was to become the classic model of Lithuanian yeshiva. His most famous work was Nefesh Hachaim, in which he emphasizes the power of Torah study and fulfillment of mitzvos to bring a Jew close to God. He also authored Ruach Chaim, a commentary on Pirke Avos, and Nishmas Chaim, a collection of responsa.