HALACHA OF THE WEEK: The 20th of Sivan The 20th of Sivan, which falls this year on Wednesday, June 26th, is a date observed by some Jewish communities as a fast day to commemorate several tragic events that have befallen the Jewish people throughout history.
In the year 1171, corresponding to the Hebrew year 4931, a horrific blood libel occurred in France. This tragic event led to the execution by sword and fire of 31 Torah scholars. In response to this atrocity, Rabbeinu Tam declared the 20th of Sivan a day of fasting, considering it even "greater than Tzom Gedalia; like Yom Kippur." To mark this day of mourning, special Selichot and kinnot were composed.
Almost 500 years later, the 20th of Sivan became associated with another devastating period in Jewish history. In 1648-49, which corresponds to the Hebrew years 5408-5409, the pogroms led by the Ukrainian anti-Semite Bogdan Chmelnitzky resulted in the deaths of many tens of thousands of Jews and the destruction of hundreds of Jewish communities. The Council of the Four Lands, a powerful rabbinic body in Eastern Europe, reaffirmed the decree of the 20th of Sivan as a fast day. This decree applied to males from the age of 18 and females from 15. Even neighboring countries, not part of the council's domain, accepted the fast of the 20th of Sivan and all its associated stringencies. Rabbi Shabtai Cohen, known as the Shach and a famous commentator on the Shulchan Aruch, also declared this day a fast day, despite being outside the boundaries of the "Four Lands."
In the communities that continue to observe this fast, a formal "kabbalat taanit" during the preceding Mincha is not necessary, as noted in the Mishna Berura (574:1). Additionally, if the 20th of Sivan falls on a Monday or Thursday, some authorities suggest that the Torah portion for a fast day should be read instead, according to Orech Chaim, Beer Heitev (566:2) and Mishna Berura (566:10).
The 20th of Sivan serves as a solemn reminder of the tragedies endured by the Jewish people and highlights the resilience and continuity of Jewish tradition and memory through the observance of fasting and prayer.
DVAR TORAH In this week's parsha, we revisit the tragedy of Kivrot Ha'ta'ava, where G-d brought a deadly plague upon the Jewish people in response to their complaints and demands for meat.
The Meshech Chochma offers a fascinating insight into this episode. He argues that the Jews couldn't have been complaining about the lack of meat, as they had ample herds of sheep and cattle that they could have slaughtered and eaten. Instead, their complaints centered around the "burdensome" system of halachot regarding the preparation of meat. These laws included not only the regulations of shechitah (ritual slaughter) and kashrut (dietary laws) but also the requirement that in the desert, they were only allowed to eat meat that had been part of a korban (sacrifice), and even then, they had to give a portion to the kohen (priest)
To support his position, the Meshech Chochma cites a midrash commenting on their complaint, "We remember the fish that we would eat freely in Egypt!" (Bamidbar 11:5). The midrash questions whether it is possible that the Egyptians would have given the Jewish people fish to eat without expecting payment. Rather, it explains that the Jews were lamenting that in Egypt (before Matan Torah, the giving of the Torah), they could eat their fish "freely"—chinam min hamitzvot—without any religious obligations.
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MAZAL TOV * to Michael and Tova Perl on the upcoming marriage of their daughter, Ariella, to Yair Chinn, son of Hirsch and Bryna Chinn. Mazal Tov to grandparents Susan Feuer, Lawrence Perl and Irv and Lynn Shapiro. * to Rabbi Ephraim Miretzky and Rabbi Moshe Spirn on receiving their semicha from RIETS (YU). * to Larry and Sharon Chambers on the marriage of their grandson, Shlomo Zalman Pickholtz, to Kayla Abbot (Lakewood). * to Michael and Anne Kirshner on the engagement of their granddaughter, Shayna Kirshner (Israel)
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Thank you to all our sponsors for our special goodbye Kiddush in honor of Yoni and Aliza Aberman, Ariel and Rachel Allon, Efrem and Neena Holley, Rabbi Moshe and Ilana Spirn and Rabbi Ari and Rebecca Zucker.
Kiddush at KINS North is co-sponsored by the children of Bruce Glasser in honor of his 65th birthday and by David and Ada Rosenstein in commemoration of the yahrtzeit of David’s father, Benjamin Rosenstein - בנימיו זאב בן יוסף דוד ז'ל.
DAILY & WEEKLY SHIURIM DAF YOMI – Mon.-Fri. after 6:25 Shacharit; Sunday - 6:45am PARSHA PERSPECTIVE – RECORDED Sunday-Friday MONDAY NIGHT SEDER - Mondays - 8:00-9:00pm
PARSHAT HASHAVUA - Tuesdays - 12:30pm DAYTIME DIALOGUES - will not meet this week
SEFER MELACHIM- Wednesdays - 1:00pm
SEMICHAS CHAVER PROGRAM - Wednesdays 8:00pm
SHABBAT WOMEN'S SHIUR - Shabbat 5:00pm
TALMUD CLASS – Shabbat 45 minutes before mincha
SEFER YESHAYAHU - Sundays at 9:00pm
BIRTHDAYS Mr. Elon Kohn (6/22) Mr. Yoel Lavenda (6/22) Mr. Arthur Aberman (6/23) Mr. Michael Perl (6/25) Mrs. Raanana Stein (6/25) Yakira Amster (6/26) Jack Stein (6/27) Mr. David Strahlberg (6/27) Mrs. Rosanne Arnet (6/28) Mrs. Elana Shapiro (6/28)
ANNIVERSARIES David and Margo Strahlberg (6/23) Jim and Meira Mainzer (6/26)
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
MONDAY NIGHT SEDER - Mondays - 8:00-9:00pm
PARSHAT HASHAVUA - 
SEFER MELACHIM 
SEMICHAS CHAVER PROGRAM 
SHABBAT WOMEN'S SHIUR - Shabbat 5:00pm
TALMUD CLASS – Shabbat 45 minutes before mincha
SEFER YESHAYAHU - 