Shabbat Vayigash e-Bulletin

[Congregation Or Menorah]

 Kehilat



KehilastOr Menorah
www.ormenorah.com

Rabbi Doug Zelden – Rav
R’ Simcha Lefton, Asst. Rabbi
Dov Steinberg- Shul President
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7006 N. California Ave. Chicago, IL 60645
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Shabbat Parshat Vayigash 5786

Friday Erev Shabbat Candle lighting 4:05pm
Friday – Mincha/Kabalat Shabbat:  4:15pm

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Sof Zman Kriat Shma: (Say Shma before davening by)  9:35am

Shabbat Mornings:  9:15am

Kiddush is being sponsored by Micah Gersten in memory of
his mother Marla Gersten obm, Malka bas Mottel a”h, whose second Yortzeit is this week on Asara B’Teves.
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Shabbat Afternoon:
Shiur 15 minutes before Shabbat Mincha weekly with R’ Simcha Lefton

Shabbat Afternoon Mincha: 3:55pm


followed by Divre Torah and Rabbi Yehuda Kovacs’ Torah Lesson

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SHABBAT SHALOM!
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Saturday Night:
Motz’ei Shabbat Maariv: 5:00pm   followed by Havdallah after 5:17pm
(Maariv begins no earlier than 33 minutes after sunset)

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(If you are able to sponsor a future Shabbat or Kiddush please contact the Rabbi)

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SIMCHA NEWS
Mazel Tov to:
-Shari & Geoffrey Mullen on their anniversary.
-Ruby & Rabbi Jay Karzen on their anniversary.
 -Aliza Friedman & Justin Gudeman and families on their engagement.

-Maya & Shmuli Mintz and families on the birth of a son.
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Happy Birthday to:
Carole Groover
Sy Rosen
Tamar Fleischer
Menachem Bernath
Meir Hildeshaim
Rabbi Jay Karzen
Olivia Friedman
Chaya Sitrin
Zach Cohn
Jeff Pogonitz
Fegi Mauer
Lital Rosenberg
Naomi Semer
Ben Simon
Michael Frazin
Zoey Silver
Tom Rogers
Denise Bernath
Chanita Friedman
Deena Horwitz
Alissa Zeffren
Binyamin Rister
Nechemia Gershman
Yom Huledet Samayach!
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CONDOLENCE NEWS:
BARUCH DAYAN EMET!
Condolences to the families of:
-Neil Reisman z“l
-Michael Rubinoff z“l
-Barry Ray z“l
-R‘ Chaim Ehrman z“l
-Aliza Steinberg a“h
-Maya Litvak a“h
-Natalie Brand a“h
-Miriam Perlow a“h
-Gail Darlow a“h
-Fern Netzky a“h
Hamakom Yenachem Etchem B'Toch Sh'ar Avele Tzion Virushalayim!
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Torah Thoughts from Rabbi Doug… Parshat Vayigash In this week's Parsha, Vayigash, Yosef finally reveals himself to his brothers, after making sure they didn't harbor any resentment. What's more amazing is that Yosef forgave his brothers, after being stuck in a dangerous pit crawling with poisonous snakes, screaming out for help while catching a glimpse of his brothers sitting down to break bread, ignoring his pleas for mercy. If one's brothers sold them as a slave, would they ever be able to forgive them, kiss and embrace them, and adhere to all the families' laws and customs after they caused you such profound pain? Yosef did all of these things. He didn't assimilate; he didn't become an anti-Semite. He defied every law of human nature. How? Rabbi Haber goes on to explain that Yosef was empowered by one sentence: "You didn't send me here, G-d did" The fact is they did send him there, but from Yosef's perspective that was something THEY had to deal with. As far as Yosef was concerned, it was all an act of G-d. He was not the judge, he was a brother and he was a Jew. He would act like a brother and he would act like a Jew. We can learn so much from Yosef today, if we could just memorize and adapt one line into our lives - "it wasn't you that sent me here; it was G-d" - we'd all be closer to all our "brothers", and we'd all be better Jews. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Or Menorah - Weekday Schedule of Services
Weekday Minyanim with Rabbi Doug
*During the Pandemic Or Menorah is holding Minyaim on Erev Shabbat, Shabbat, and Motz’ei Shabbat (& Yom Tov) all other davening will temporarily be as scheduled below.
~ Sunday-Friday Shacharit: 8:30am at  Poalei Zedek*
~ S-TH Mincha/Maariv : 15 minutes before sunset at Poalei Zedek*
~Friday Mincha: 10 min. after Candle Lighting at 
Or Menorah
~ Motz'ei Shabbat Maariv: 33 minutes after Sunset at 
Or Menorah

*(Poalei Zedek in 4 blocks South of Or Menorah at 2801 W. Albion Ave. in Chicago)

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If you have a birthday, a Yahrtzeit, a simcha,
a baby coming, or you are a chiuv....
PLEASE inform Rabbi Doug and one of the Gabbayim when you come into shul so that the appropriate honors can be handed out and the appropriate announcements made.

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See the only weekly Jewish TV show in the midwest!

"Taped With... Rabbi Doug"

See www.tvrabbi.com to watch on-line 24/6 and
for more info and schedules!

This week's show with Rabbi Doug:
Chuck Field
On-Line Link to watch this episode on the web: http://www.tvrabbi.com/
Chicago - Channel 19 Mondays at 8:30pm and Tuesdays at 3:30pm.
(see http://www.tvrabbi.com for more TV schedules and stations.)
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Be sure to check the
WRP Eruv Hotline
every Erev-Shabbat at
1-773-74-ERUV-2
or on-line by clicking below: http://chicagoeruv.tripod.com
Also:
A green sign on the window of Or Menorah
indicates the Eruv is Up & Kosher to use.
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(A RED SIGN MEANS THE ERUV IS PUSUL
AND SHOULD NOT BE USED)
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Please make sure Rabbi Doug has your email address, and if you are not in the Achenu, please make your home address and phone number available also.
PLEASE EMAIL US TO GET OUR EMAIL UPDATES.
Shul Email: orme...@ormenorah.com
Rabbi’s Email: rabb...@ormenorah.com
R’ Simcha Lefton email: rabbi...@ormenorah.com
Dov Steinberg’s email: pres...@ormenorah.com
Website: http://www.ormenorah.com
(Shul phone: 773-299-8022)

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Please take care of your 5786 membership, and any outstanding yizkor pledges or past due donations. To donate with a credit card, go to: http://donate.ormenorah.com Please be up to date! We need your support! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Or Menorah www.ormenorah.com ……… Halacha Corner Asarah B'Tevet Fast - Tuesday, December 30, 2025 Fast begins at 5:48am  …….. Fast ends 5:07pm The fast begins in Tuesday morning. If one planned to wake up early to eat before the start of the fast then you may eat before: 5:47am. Eating and drinking are forbidden on this minor fast day. Many don’t take hot showers or baths on Asara B’Tevet, though bathing is permitted. Asara B’Tevet is also one of the four fast days that commemorate dark times in Jewish history. The others are Tisha B'Av (the day of the destruction of both Temples in Jerusalem), the 17th of Tammuz (the day of the breaching of the defensive wall of Jerusalem by Titus and the Roman legions in 70 CE), and the third of Tishrei (the day that marks the assassination of the Babylonian-appointed Jewish governor of Judah, Gedaliah ben Achikam. He was actually killed on Rosh Hashanah but the fast day was advanced to the day after Rosh Hashanah because of the holiday). The Tenth of Tevet, Tuesday’s fast day, marks the onset of the siege of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, the King of Babylonia, and the beginning of the battle that ultimately destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple of Solomon, and sent the Jews into the 70-year Babylonian Exile. The date of the Tenth of Tevet is recorded for us by the prophet Yechezkel, who himself was already in Babylonia as part of the first group of Jews exiled there by Nebuchadnezzar, 11 years earlier than the actual destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem itself. ------------------------------------------

Summary of Parshas Vayigash                          By,   Rabbi Doug Zelden

Genesis 44:18  Hertz Chumash pg. 169

1st Aliya: Yehuda confronts Yoseph in the aftermath of the stolen goblet. Yehuda reviews the past events, starting from Yoseph's suspicious interest in their family. 

 2nd Aliya: Yehuda's final plea, that he would remain a slave instead of Binyamin, triggers Yoseph to reveal himself. Yoseph mitigates his brother's shock and obvious shame by explaining to them the hidden hand of Hashem in all that had occurred.   Verse 31 pg. 170

 3rd Aliya: Yoseph instructs his brothers to bring Yakov and the rest of the family to Egypt. Pharaoh, 
having heard the news of the brother's arrival, confirms Yoseph's offer.  Gen. 45:8 pg. 171

4th Aliya: Yoseph sends provisions and transportation for Yakov's entire household.
Yakov is told of Yoseph being, "alive and well and ruling the land of Egypt".  The
wagons sent to Yaakov remind him of Yoseph and Yaakov’s last encounter and the
study of the Egla Arufa laws. (Egla/Agala)    Verse 19  pg.172     

5th Aliya: Yakov wishes to see Yoseph, but first asks Hashem for instructions. Hashem reassures Yakov that the time of slavery and nationhood has begun, and that he must go to Mitzrayim. The 70 direct descendants of Yakov are counted.      Verse 28  pg. 172

6th Aliya: Yakov and Yoseph reunite after 22 years. Five of the brothers and Yakov are presented to Pharaoh. Yakov blesses Pharaoh. The year is 2238.     Gen. 46:28  pg.174

7th Aliya: The remainder of the Parsha is a flashback to the two years preceding Yakov's arrival. Yoseph's master plan for reconfiguring Egyptian society is detailed.
Yoseph follows the broad outline of his advice to Pharaoh regarding the administration of the 7 years of plenty.
The famine must have been of enormous intensity for Yoseph to accomplish his plan in just two years. Although the people "sell" themselves to Pharaoh
in order to get food, Yoseph's plan maintains their sense of dignity and independence.    Gen. 47:11  pg.176

Maftir Aliya- We repeat the last 3 verses.  Verse 25 pg. 177

Haftorah Vayigash   From the Prophet Ezekiel  37:15  pg.178
In the year 2964 - 797 b.c.e, following the death of Shlomo Hamelech, the nation was divided between Rechavam ben Shlomo and Yiravam ben Nivat. Rechavam ruled over Yehudah and Binyamin, and Yiravam ruled over the other 10 Tribes. Rechavam was a direct descendant of Dovid Hamelech, and Yiravam was a descendent of Ephrayim. In this week's Haftorah, Yichezkel Hanavi prophesied the time when the divided kingdom's of Yehudah and Yisroel would unite beneath the single banner of the family of King David.
The connection to our Parsha is obvious. Our Parsha begins with a confrontation between Yehuda and Yoseph. Both were destined to be Kings over the Jewish people. However, Yoseph's reign was limited to necessity and circumstance while Yehuda's would be as eternal as the Jews themselves. 
It is important to note that the close relationship between Yehuda and Binyamin, even though they were not from the same mothers, was maintained throughout history. It gives additional meaning to the Rashi on pasuk 40:14 that explains why Yoseph and Binyamin cried for each other at the time of their reunion. Rashi explains that the tears were for the eventual destruction of the Mishkan and the Bais Hamikdash. In truth, the removal of Hashem's presence from our midst occurs when there is hatred and divisiveness. The Tribe of Binyamin should have been closest to Ephrayim and Menashe. Instead, the division of the Land placed Yehudah closest to Binyamin, allowing for a singular unity between the two tribes that would allow them to share the actual structure of the Bais Hamikdash. It was as if Hashem was telling us that Yehuda's willingness to sacrifice for Binyamin at the beginning of Parshas Vayigash is the kind of unity that will maintain Hashem's presence in our midst."
The coming of Mashiach can only happen when a divided nation reunites.
May it happen soon, and in our life times!

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  www.ormenorah.com