Shabbat Ki Tisa-Parah 5786 e-Bullitin
Congregation Or Menorah
Kehilat
KehilastOr Menorah
www.ormenorah.com
|
Rabbi Doug Zelden – Rav SHABBAT SHALOM! ……………………………………….. Saturday
Night: Motz’ei Shabbat Maariv: 6:22pm followed by Havdallah after 6:39pm (Maariv begins no earlier than 33
minutes after sunset) Remember
to move your clocks ahead and SPRING FORWARD One Hour on Saturday Night before going to sleep! ……………………………………..……………… (If you are able to sponsor a future
Shabbat or Kiddush please contact the Rabbi) ~~~~~~~ SIMCHA NEWS Mazel Tov to: Tamar
& Menachem Seleski and families on the birth of a son. Kayla & Aron Friedman and families on the birth of twin daughters. Michelle & Matt Kanter on their anniversary. Suzy & Jeff Weinberg on their anniversary.
------------------------------------------------- Happy
Birthday to: Leah Zelden Jamie Bersh Sara Bernath Yael Ross Ilana Friedman Hava Hope Sari London Marcia Tobias Mimi Seleski Phil Cutler Yona Ferris Jannifer Kehoe R‘ Micah Greenland Rachel Erlichman Jennie Eisenstein Benny Meyers Barry Elrod Adam Weinstein Devorah Gross Sophie Stone Elkie Nelson Walter Richtman Ariella Castle Donna Weinstock Elchonon Ebert Yosef Ben-Zev
Yom
Huledet Samayach! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CONDOLENCE NEWS: BARUCH DAYAN EMET! Condolences
to the families of: Allen Gottfried z“l Ronald Berman z“l Vicki Frolich a“h Suri Danziger a“h Larisa Sirota a“h Lyn Bernstein a“h Rena Tennenberg a“h Rosemae Bernath a“h Lois Jackson a“h Natalie Katz a“h Joan Goodman a“h Hamakom
Yenachem Etchem B'Toch Sh'ar Avele Tzion Virushalayim! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Torah Thoughts from Rabbi Doug… Parshat Ki Tissa/Parah This week's Parsha, Ki Tissa, includes the unfortunate sin of the
Golden calf, and includes Moshe's negotiations on the Jews' behalf. While
there are many things one can learn about the art of negotiations, what seems
out of place is that after things are smoothed over and G-d is appeased,
Moshe asks to see G-d's presence (and was denied) (Exodus 33:18). While there
are varying explanations as to what Moshe really wanted to see (from G-d's
attributes to His essence), why would Moshe ask such a question right after
G-d had gotten so angry that he threatened to destroy the world? One
possible answer lies in the very nature of struggle and challenge. When we
are faced with a challenge, whether we overcome it or succumb to it, the most
valuable aspect of the challenge is the "WE". Not if, but WHEN a
couple, a family, a community, a people is faced with a challenge, they
naturally become more attached to each other, and grow more cohesive. This is
often the point of life's challenges, although this is frequently overlooked.
Moshe worked out a reprieve for the Jews with G-d, and as a result they
became close enough that Moshe thought he had a chance to see G-d's essence,
and although he was denied his request, Moshe was granted other insight. We
too can gain insight into each other, as long as we focus on each other when
faced with life's challenges!
Shabbat Shalom! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Or Menorah - Weekday Schedule of Services Weekday Minyanim with
Rabbi Doug *Since 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)
…………………………………………………………………….
3rd Aliya: Moshe requests to understand Hashem's system of justice. He is granted a greater understanding of Hashem than any other person in history, but is denied the ability to comprehend divine justice. Ex.33:12 pg.362 4th Aliya: Moshe requests to to the shchina-essence of
Hashem. 6th Aliya: Hashem establishes a new covenant with the
people.
This week, in addition to the regular Parsha, we read the section known
as Parah. The additional sections of Shekalim, Zachor, Parah, and Chodesh are
read prior to Pesach for both commemorative and practical reasons. Shekalim,
the first additional section, dealt with the 1/2 Shekel and the public
sacrifices. The reading of the second section, Zachor, facilitated our
fulfillment of the Mitzvah to remember the evil of Amalek. The two sections
of Parah and Chodesh are directed toward our preparations for Pesach.
On Parshas Parah, we read the section found in the beginning of Parshas
Chukas known as Parah. This section discusses the necessary steps that had to
be followed to remove the impurity which caused by having had contact with a
dead person. This process involved a seven day period during which the impure
- Tameh person underwent a process involving the ashes of the Red Heifer. The
process was facilitated by a Kohen, and had to take place in Yerushalayim.The
status of being Tameh restricted a person from entering into the Temple
compound and / or participating in certain select activities. Although these
restrictions are less applicable today because we do not have the Bais
Hamikdash; nevertheless, it is incumbent upon all people, male and female, to
keep these laws to the degree that they do apply. In the time of the Bais
Hamikdash it was required of every male adult to visit the Bais Hamikdash and
offer a sacrifice a minimum of three times a year: Pesach, Shevout, and
Succoth. However, it was even more important to be there on Erev Pesach to
sacrifice the Korban Pesach - Pascal Lamb. Anyone who happened to be Tameh,
from having had contact with a dead body, would have to undergo the process
of the Parah Adumah - the Red Heifer, to remove the status of Tameh and be
allowed to bring his Pascal Lamb to the Bais Hamikdash. The Talmud tells us
that the furthest point in Israel from Yerushalayim was a two weeks travel.
If so, a person who was Tameh living two weeks travel away would require a
minimum of three weeks to arrive in Yerushalayim with sufficient time to go
through the one week process of the Red Heifer and be able to offer his
Korban Pesach. Therefore, Chazal ordained the reading of Parah on the week
before the reading of Chodesh as a public reminder to those who are Tameh
that they must immediately arrange to get to Yerushalayim so that they can
purify themselves in time to bring the Korban Pesach. Numbers 19:1
Beginning of Parshas Chukas Hertz Chumash pg.652 This week's Haftorah reflects the reading of Parshas Parah. Yechezkel, the prophet, berated the people for their defection away from G-d. Their behavior defiled Eretz Yisroel rendering them unfit to remain within her boundaries. Therefore, the Jews had to be exiled from their land and dispersed among the nations. The exile and the consequent suffering while in exile would serve as a process purification process for the nation. In essence, the exile would be a national Parah Adumah - Red Heifer. Central to the theme of the Haftorah
is the fact that Hashem ultimately redeems the nation, "for His own
sake." While in exile the Jews are able to spread the word of G-d and
teach His existence to the other nations. However, exile will also take its
toll on the Jews. The Jews interaction with other nations will result in
furthering the very defection which caused G-d to first punish the nation.
Among the mysteries of the Parah Adumah is the fact that the Kohen who
administers the ashes becomes impure while the recipient of the ashes becomes
pure. In essence this is the experience of the Jew in exile. The Jews have
brought knowledge and understanding of G-d to the nations wherein which they
were exiled, while at the same time suffering terrible persecution and
assimilation through their association with the non-Jewish world. The nations
have become pure while the Jews have become impure. In the end G-d
will redeem the nation and gather them in from the four-corners of the earth,
"for His own sake." The time will come when the purpose of the Jew
in exile will have been fulfilled. Then, there will be no further reason for
the Jew to remain among the other nations and G-d will renew His covenant
with the Bnai Yisroel and return them to Eretz Yisroel. |
-----
www.ormenorah.com