Rosh Hashana 5772 & Shabbat HaAzinu
S.T.A.R. News & Events
Here are S.T.A.R.’s upcoming exciting events:
October 16th
October 29th
Rosh Hashana / This Shabbat
Rosh Hashana Day 1:
Wednesday Candle Lighting: 6:25pm
Rosh Hashana Day 2:
Thursday Candle Lighting: 7:18pm
Shabbat Parashat: HaAzinu
Candle Lighting: 6:32pm
Shabbat Ends: 7:25pm
Shanna Tova and Gmar Chatima Tova from all of us at STAR.
Torah Message
“Charity Saves From Death”
“Could you please spare a chicken for me? I have hardly anything to eat!”
This was the heartrending appeal a Jerusalem Torah scholar heard from the poor woman who had just knocked on his door. The trouble was that his financial situation was not much better than hers. With great difficulty he had somehow managed to secure two chickens for the sparse holiday meals for his very large family. After a momentary effort to explain his helpless situation, he quickly switched his mental gears and told the lady to wait while he went to fetch one of those chickens from his refrigerator.
The sight that greeted him when he opened the door of the fridge almost caused him to faint. There lay his three-year old son, unconscious and blue from the cold. He had playfully locked himself inside, and his cries were muffled by the locked door. Emergency medical help was immediately summoned and they were able to revive the boy. The attending doctor told the father that had the child been discovered a minute later he would have been beyond saving.
This was a timely reminder that “Charity saves from death” and that someone may give away a chicken and in return receive a child.
Rabbi M. Weiss Rabbi Y. Sakhai
Community News
Em Habanim Congregation
Weekly Parashat Hashavua class with Rabbi Joshua Bittan on Wednesdays at 8:30pm for more info. visit www.emhabanim.com
Em Habanim Congregation’s annual banquet will be held on Sunday the 6th of November, 2011. The honored Guests are: Mark Castiel, Andre Chrique and Johnny Elbaz Deckel.
Em Habanim will be celebrating close to 40 years of service to the community.
Yom Kippur services will be held at the Century Plaza Hyatt Regency in Century City. More details will follow.
Volunteers needed
Volunteers are needed for mitzvot ofHessed including Bikur Holim . Pleasecall the office (818) 762-7779 to inform of your availability. Thank you
Sephardic Temple:
Mark your calendars:
Saturday, November 5th, 2011 A Gal celebration honoring the 2011 Sephardic Heritage award recipients Mr. Larry Clumeck and Dr. Samuel Newman.
For more info. visit sephardictemple.org
Sunday September, 3rd, 2011 Annual STTI Family picnic Mar Vista Park 10am -3pm Food, Music, Games and Fun!
Get Well Soon
We wish a speedy recovery for all the Jews that may need it where ever they may be and especially for:
Em Habanim:
Max Barchichat From Sephardic Temple: Al Azus,Buena Angel,
Elaine Leon,Itzchak Rachmanony
From S.T.A.R.:
Mordechai Chaim Ben Chana, Chaim Ben Buena,
Meshulam Dov Ben Chana Sarah
Bracha Eliza Bat Ehteram, Bracha Sara Chaya Bat Ronit
SEPTEMBER 23 2011, NITZAVIM VAYELECH
S.T.A.R. News & Events
Here are S.T.A.R.’s upcoming exciting events:
September 25th
SOLD OUT!!!!!!
October 16th
This Shabbat
Shabbat Parashat: Nitzavim-Vayelech
Candle Lighting: 6:32pm
Shabbat Ends: 7:25pm
Torah Message
How’s Your Standing?
"You are standing today, all of you, before G-d…" (29:9)
Parking a car in downtown Jerusalem has become something a nightmare. There was one fellow who had his own ingenious solution. After driving round the block a couple of times, he would pull up to a curb with red stripes. Getting out of the car, he would reach for his trusty can of black spray-paint, and proceed to spray out the red stripes the entire length of his car.
How much of the time do we do just that in our relationship with G-d?
How much of the time do we try and alter the rules to suit ourselves and our own ideas of right and wrong?
Rosh Hashana is a time to come clean, to clean off the spray paint from the sidewalks of our lives.
Before we get more than a ticket.
Fearing G-d is out of fashion right now. It’s acceptable to be in awe of His Majesty, to sit on the top of a mountain and commune with Beyond. But fearing? Come on, God’s a nice God. He won’treally punish me for speaking lashon hara or for adjusting my income tax a little. All that punishment stuff is really for kids anyway. Why do I need something so crass as fear when I haveawe?!
There can be no true awe without real fear.
The essence of fearing God is to accustom ourselves to be aware that He is watching us all the time; that He knows what we are thinking; that He sees every move we make – every move that we don’t make but would like to.
If there is a time in the day when we visualize standing in front of the Creator more than any other, it is during the Amida prayer that we say three times daily. (Amida, quite literally means, "standing.") If there is a day in the year when we try to visualize standing in front of the Creator more than any other, it is Rosh Hashana.
Rosh Hashana, a day that should strike fear into our hearts, "…who will live, and who will die …who by water, and who by fire." Who in a bus, and who in a restaurant…
Rosh Hashana is a time to come clean, to clean off the spray paint from the sidewalks of our lives.
Before we get more than a ticket.
- Source: Story heard from Rabbi Dov Brezak
Rabbi M. Weiss Rabbi Y. Sakhai
Community News
Em Habanim Congregation
Weekly Parashat Hashavua class with Rabbi Joshua Bittan on Wednesdays at 8:30pm for more info. visit www.emhabanim.com
Em Habanim Congregation’s annual banquet will be held on Sunday the 6th of November, 2011. The honored Guests are: Mark Castiel, Andre Chrique and Johnny Elbaz Deckel.
Em Habanim will be celebrating close to 40 years of service to the community.
Yom Kippur services will be held at the Century Plaza Hyatt Regency in Century City. More details will follow.
Volunteers needed
Volunteers are needed for mitzvot ofHessed including Bikur Holim . Pleasecall the office (818) 762-7779 to inform of your availability. Thank you
Sephardic Temple:
Mark your calendars:
Saturday, November 5th, 2011 A Gal celebration honoring the 2011 Sephardic Heritage award recipients Mr. Larry Clumeck and Dr. Samuel Newman.
For more info. visit sephardictemple.org
Sunday September, 3rd, 2011 Annual STTI Family picnic Mar Vista Park 10am -3pm Food, Music, Games and Fun!
Get Well Soon
We wish a speedy recovery for all the Jews that may need it where ever they may be and especially for:
Em Habanim:
Max Barchichat From Sephardic Temple: Al Azus,Buena Angel,
Elaine Leon,Itzchak Rachmanony
From S.T.A.R.:
Mordechai Chaim Ben Chana, Chaim Ben Buena,
Meshulam Dov Ben Chana Sarah
Bracha Eliza Bat Ehteram, Bracha Sara Chaya Bat Ronit
September 16th, 2011 Ki Tavo
S.T.A.R. News & Events
Here are S.T.A.R.’s upcoming exciting events:
September 25th
October 16th
This Shabbat
Shabbat Parashat: Ki Tavo
Candle Lighting: 6:42pm
Shabbat Ends: 7:35pm
Torah Message
613 Problems
"…I have removed the holy things from the house…" (26:13)
We can keep the Torah in two different ways: We can fit the Torah into our lives, or we can fit our lives into the Torah.
The first way involves seeking out as many leniencies as possible so the mitzvot don’t interfere with our lives too much. Or we can look at the mitzvot as life itself – "For they are your life."
Everyone would agree that the better we keep the mitzvot in this world, the bigger will be our share in the future world. That’s only fair. But the truth is that a person who fits his life into the mitzvot, rather than fits the mitzvot into his life, has it better not only over there but over here too.
The Talmud relates the following story: "Rabba bar Chana and Rebbe Yochanan taught in the name of Rebbe Yehuda bar Ilai: ‘Observe the difference between the former generations and ours! The former generations brought in their produce through the front gates because they wanted to separate the tithes, whereas the later generations brought their produce through the gardens, yards, and skylights that do not lead to the front of the house, in order to evade the obligation to give tithes. (A person need only tithe if the produce is brought through the front entrance.) What is the result? The produce is no longer blessed’."
When the Jewish People deliberately obligated themselves to separate tithes by bringing the fruit in through the front entrance, they had a delicious aroma and succulent taste. However, when they avoided giving those tithes, even though what they did was perfectly legitimate, they diminished the taste of this world as well as the next.
You can look at the Torah as 613 problems or 613 ways to be connected to G-d. For nothing tastes as sweet as a mitzvah, neither in this next world nor in this one.
- Source: Berachot 35; Midrash Hagadol 26:15
Rabbi M. Weiss Rabbi Y. Sakhai
Community News
Em Habanim Congregation
Weekly Parashat Hashavua class with Rabbi Joshua Bittan on Wednesdays at 8:30pm for more info. visit www.emhabanim.com
Em Habanim Congregation’s annual banquet will be held on Sunday the 6th of November, 2011. The honored Guests are: Mark Castiel, Andre Chrique and Johnny Elbaz Deckel.
Em Habanim will be celebrating close to 40 years of service to the community.
Yom Kippur services will be held at the Century Plaza Hyatt Regency in Century City. More details will follow.
Volunteers needed
Volunteers are needed for mitzvot ofHessed including Bikur Holim . Pleasecall the office (818) 762-7779 to inform of your availability. Thank you
Sephardic Temple:
Talmud Torah registration for the new school year 2011/2012 is ongoing throughout the summer!
Mark your calendars:
Saturday, November 5th, 2011 A Gal celebration honoring the 2011 Sephardic Heritage award recipients Mr. Larry Clumeck and Dr. Samuel Newman.
For more info. visit sephardictemple.org
Sunday September, 3rd, 2011 Annual STTI Family picnic Mar Vista Park 10am -3pm Food, Music, Games and Fun!
Get Well Soon
We wish a speedy recovery for all the Jews that may need it where ever they may be and especially for:
Em Habanim:
Max Barchichat From Sephardic Temple: Al Azus,Buena Angel,
Elaine Leon,Itzchak Rachmanony
From S.T.A.R.:
Mordechai Chaim Ben Chana, Chaim Ben Buena,
Meshulam Dov Ben Chana Sarah
Bracha Eliza Bat Ehteram, Bracha Sara Chaya Bat Ronit
September 9th, 2011 Ki-Tetze
S.T.A.R. News & Events
Here are S.T.A.R.’s upcoming exciting events:
September 25th
This Shabbat
Shabbat Parashat: KI-Tetze
Candle Lighting: 6:50pm
Shabbat Ends: 7:52pm
Torah Message
The Spice Of Life
"…and he wrote her a bill of divorce…" (24:1)
Nothing is sadder than a family break-up.
Divorce is the scourge of our modern world. American statistics show 50% of first marriages end in divorce, and the figures become more depressing for each successive marriage, with 65% of second marriages ending in divorce and even higher rates for third marriages and beyond. Between 3.6 to 5% of marriages break up every year, which means that a large portion of adults personally experience divorce at some point in their lives.
In many communities, pre-nuptial agreements are par for the course as more and more couples enter marriage with fewer and fewer expectations.
The Torah acknowledges that not all marriages will be successful.
It gives us the mitzvah of "gerushin", divorce, in such an unhappy event. "Till death us do part…" is not a Jewish idea. However, divorce while being a mitzvah is no source for joy. The Talmud says that when a couple gets divorced, the mizbe’ach, the holy altar, weeps.
How are we to understand this idea, that the mizbeach " weeps"?
Nothing in Judaism is merely poetic. And why should specifically the mizbe’ach weep? Why not the Tablets of the Covenant? Why not the husband’s tefillin? Why not the wife’s Shabbat candelabra – her sheitel?
Probably the greatest cause of marital disharmony is misunderstanding the purpose of marriage. The secular paradigm, enshrined in every fairy tale from the Brothers Grimm to the Brothers Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, is that the princess finds everything she wants in her Prince Charming, and he finds everything he wants in her: Beauty, poise, intelligence, money, someone who puts the top on the toothpaste – everything!
Marriage is not about finding someone to fulfill you. It’s about finding someone you can fulfill.
Marriage is a machine for giving – that’s all it is. Marriage is about living the principle that you arenot the center of the world. In the Book of Genesisthe Torah says, "It is not good for man to live alone." When you live alone, you only have one person to give to – yours truly. The world revolves around you. You are the center of the universe.
The mizbe’ach is the place when man ‘gives’ to G-d. Man gives of his best and offers it to his Creator. The word ‘korban’ (woefully inadequately translated as ‘sacrifice’, comes from the root ‘closeness’.) When you give, you become close. When you take, you distance yourself.
The Torah tells us that no korban could be offered without the presence of salt on the mizbe’ach.Salt is the archetypal giver. Salt has only one purpose – to give taste to something else. By itself it is nothing. When a person sees himself as "salt", when he sees the whole purpose of his existence is to give, he has added the vital ingredient to his marriage.
He has added the spice of life.
- Source: Rabbi C. Z. Senter
Rabbi M. Weiss Rabbi Y. Sakhai
Community News
Em Habanim Congregation
Weekly Parashat Hashavua class with Rabbi Joshua Bittan on Wednesdays at 8:30pm for more info. visit www.emhabanim.com
Em Habanim Congregation’s annual banquet will be held on Sunday the 6th of November, 2011. The honored Guests are: Mark Castiel, Andre Chrique and Johnny Elbaz Deckel.
Em Habanim will be celebrating close to 40 years of service to the community.
Yom Kippur services will be held at the Century Plaza Hyatt Regency in Century City. More details will follow.
Sephardic Temple:
Talmud Torah registration for the new school year 2011/2012 is ongoing throughout the summer!
Mark your calendars:
Saturday, November 5th, 2011 A Gal celebration honoring the 2011 Sephardic Heritage award recipients Mr. Larry Clumeck and Dr. Samuel Newman.
For more info. visit sephardictemple.org
Sunday September, 3rd, 2011 Annual STTI Family picnic Mar Vista Park 10am -3pm Food, Music, Games and Fun!
Mazal Tov
Em Habanim:
Mazal Tov to the Abakasis Family on the Bar Mitzvah of their son Dylan. May Hashem Bless him and guide him in the path of Torah.
Get Well Soon
We wish a speedy recovery for all the Jews that may need it where ever they may be and especially for:
Em Habanim:
Max Barchichat From Sephardic Temple: Al Azus,Buena Angel,
Elaine Leon,Itzchak Rachmanony
From S.T.A.R.:
Mordechai Chaim Ben Chana, Chaim Ben Buena,
Meshulam Dov Ben Chana Sarah
Bracha Eliza Bat Ehteram, Bracha Sara Chaya Bat Ronit
September 2, 2011 Shoftim
S.T.A.R. News & Events
Here are S.T.A.R.’s upcoming exciting events:
September 10th
September 25th
This Shabbat
Shabbat Parashat: Shoftim
Candle Lighting: 7:01pm
Shabbat Ends: 7:55pm
Torah Message
The Last Scene
“When you go out to the battle to meet your enemy… the officers shall speak to the people, saying: ‘Who is the man who has built a new house and not inaugurated it? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the war and another man will inaugurate it… Who is the man who is fearful and fainthearted, let him go and return to his house, and let him not melt the heart of his fellows like his heart’.” (20:1-8)
The Yiddish Theater was not known for its championing of Torah values and so it was not surprising when two students came running to the Brisker Rav, breathless with indignation: “Does the Rav know about the new play the Yiddish theater has put on? The people associated with it should all be put in cherem (excommunication)! They’ve made a satire on the Torah!
First, one of the actors says “Who is the man who has built a new house and not inaugurated it? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the war and another man will inaugurate it.” So, ten people get up and walk off the stage. Then he says “And who is the man who has planted a vineyard and not redeemed it? Let him go home lest he die and another man redeem it.” So, another ten people get up and leave the stage. Then he says “And who is the man who has betrothed a woman and not married her? Let him go home lest he die in the war and another man marry her.” So, another twenty people get up and walk off the stage. And then he says “Whoever is afraid, let him go home so he won’t scare everyone else.” So noweveryone leaves the stage except two actors who play the Vilna Gaon and the Sha’agas Ariyeh. The Vilna Gaon says to the Sha’agas Ariyeh “K’vod HaRav, you take the first shot,” and the Sha’agas Arieh replies “No, no, I insist. After you.” As they argue about who’s going to start the war, the curtain falls and the audience laughs and claps. It’s terrible!”
The Brisker Rav paused and then said:
“Well – what’s wrong with that?”
The jaws of the students dropped. They gazed at their Rav dumb-struck.
The Brisker Rav continued, “The only thing they forgot is the last scene.”
“What last scene?”
“The last scene is where the Vilna Gaon and the Sha’agas Ariyeh win the war.”
The strength of the Jewish people is not in the vastness of its numbers nor its military might. The Torah calls us the “smallest of the nations.”
Our strength is a function of our righteousness and our faithfulness to G-d the “Master of Wars.”
Rabbi M. Weiss Rabbi Y. Sakhai
Community News
Em Habanim Congregation
Weekly Parashat Hashavua class with Rabbi Joshua Bittan on Wednesdays at 8:30pm for more info. visit www.emhabanim.com
Em Habanim Congregation’s annual banquet will be held on Sunday the 6th of November, 2011. The honored Guests are: Mark Castiel, Andre Chrique and Johnny Elbaz Deckel.
Em Habanim will be celebrating close to 40 years of service to the community.
Yom Kippur services will be held at the Century Plaza Hyatt Regency in Century City. More details will follow.
Sephardic Temple:
Talmud Torah registration for the new school year 2011/2012 is ongoing throughout the summer!
Mark your calendars:
Saturday, November 5th, 2011 A Gal celebration honoring the 2011 Sephardic Heritage award recipients Mr. Larry Clumeck and Dr. Samuel Newman.
For more info. visit sephardictemple.org
Sunday September, 3rd, 2011 Annual STTI Family picnic Mar Vista Park 10am -3pm Food, Music, Games and Fun!
Get Well Soon
We wish a speedy recovery for all the Jews that may need it where ever they may be and especially for:
Em Habanim:
Max Barchichat
From Sephardic Temple:
Al Azus,Buena Angel,
Elaine Leon,Itzchak Rachmanony
From S.T.A.R.:
Mordechai Chaim Ben Chana, Chaim Ben Buena,
Meshulam Dov Ben Chana Sarah
Bracha Eliza Bat Ehteram, Bracha Sara Chaya Bat Ronit
View Past Issues
August 26, 2011 Parashat Re’eh
S.T.A.R. News & Events
Here are S.T.A.R.’s upcoming exciting events:
September 10th
September 25th
This Shabbat
Shabbat Parashat: Re’eh
Candle Lighting: 7:09pm
Shabbat Ends: 8:11pm
Torah Message
The Apprentice
“You are children to Hashem, your G-d and you shall not make a bald spot between your eyes for a dead person.” (14:1)
Once there was a prince who was sent by his father the king to a distant village. The king wished him to learn there the ways of kingship. The prince spent many years in the village. Finally the king was satisfied that his son had extracted the maximum from his experience, and he summoned the prince to return to the palace. After his departure, the villagers eyes filled with tears and they sat down and cried. There was one villager amongst them, however, who was amazed at their behavior. “Why are you crying?” he said, “Is he not the kings son? Has he not returned to the palace?”
The soul in this world is like a prince fulfilling an apprenticeship in a distant village.
We are here solely to learn the ways of the King. In this world, we are clothed with a physical existence. However, our entire focus and desire must be to return to the palace.
The Torah forbids us make a bald spot between our eyes to grieve for a dead person as was the custom of idol worship. Interestingly, in that same place in the Torah we are commanded to place the totafot, the tefillin on the head. The Torah teaches us that when wearing the tefillin we must never remove our concentration from them. Similarly, we must never remove our focus from the purpose of this world, and turn the place of the tefillin into a bald and empty space by grieving too much for someone who has returned to the palace.
We must not mutilate our bodies in grief, for the body is no more than our clothing. It is not us. This physical world must never divert us from our apprenticeship in this world, whether though pleasure or through grief. The entire purpose of this world and our existence here is to be able to return to the world of truth having perfected ourselves.
If we remember this we will always be happy. For all lifes vicissitudes will be seen as no more than part of our apprenticeship.
Source:
- Sfat Emet
Rabbi M. Weiss Rabbi Y. Sakhai
Community News
Em Habanim Congregation
Weekly Parashat Hashavua class with Rabbi Joshua Bittan on Wednesdays at 8:30pm for more info. visit www.emhabanim.com
Em Habanim Congregation’s annual banquet will be held on Sunday the 6th of November, 2011. The honored Guests are: Mark Castiel, Andre Chrique and Johnny Elbaz Deckel.
Em Habanim will be celebrating close to 40 years of service to the community.
Yom Kippur services will be held at the Century Plaza Hyatt Regency in Century City. More details will follow.
Sephardic Temple:
Talmud Torah registration for the new school year 2011/2012 is ongoing throughout the summer!
Mark your calendars:
Saturday, November 5th, 2011 A Gal celebration honoring the 2011 Sephardic Heritage award recipients Mr. Larry Clumeck and Dr. Samuel Newman.
For more info. visit sephardictemple.org
Sunday September, 3rd, 2011 Annual STTI Family picnic Mar Vista Park 10am -3pm Food, Music, Games and Fun!
Mazal Tov
Em Habanim Congregation:
Mazal Tov to the Cohen Family on the Bar Mitzvah of their son Eli.
Get Well Soon
We wish a speedy recovery for all the Jews that may need it where ever they may be and especially for:
Em Habanim:
Max Barchichat
From Sephardic Temple:
Al Azus,Buena Angel,
Elaine Leon,Itzchak Rachmanony
From S.T.A.R.:
Mordechai Chaim Ben Chana, Chaim Ben Buena,
Meshulam Dov Ben Chana Sarah
Bracha Eliza Bat Ehteram, Bracha Sara Chaya Bat Ronit
Condolences
Em Habanim Congregation:
Our condolences to Emile Perez and his family on the passing of his wife Raquel Perez Z’L, we share the sorrow with the grieving family.
View Past Issues
August 12, 2011 Parashat Va’etchanan
S.T.A.R. News & Events
Here are S.T.A.R.’s upcoming exciting events:
August 16-18 Join the STAR teem for an unforgettable Camping trip. Registeration will close on Aug. 8th, 2011. SOLD OUT!
Join the STAR Gang on an unforgettable all night of fun ant the famous GOLF & STUFF. Great food, fun, friends, rides an much more!
This Shabbat
Shabbat Parashat: Va’etchanan
Candle Lighting: 7:26pm
Shabbat Ends: 8:22pm
Torah Message
Too Jewish?
"Surely a wise and discerning people are this great nation!" (4:6)
A true story.
A well-known Orthodox Rabbi was invited to a dinner at Buckingham Palace. The Rabbi replied that he would be honored to accept the invitation but he feared that his kosher dietary requirements would make it impossible for him to attend. The palace replied that far from being too much trouble, they would be happy to supply whatever food he needed and together with appropriate supervision.
The Rabbi happily accepted the invitation and a mashgiach (kosher food supervisor) was appointed to take care of his needs. In order to be unobtrusive, food was selected that appeared to be the same as the other guests’.
Before the other guests arrived, the mashgiach showed the Rabbi where he would sit. Themashgiach lifted a plate. Superficially it seemed identical to the other hundreds of plates in the dining hall. However on its underside was affixed a discrete sticker. The mashgiach had bought an entire new set of plates and cutlery. Everything had been toveled (immersed in a mikveh) and labeled.
The Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Charles and others of the royal family entered the room. Everyone rose. The meal began in an atmosphere of stately grandeur. The Rabbi was not the only Jew at this dinner but he was certainly the most conspicuous in his large black kippa.
Immersed in conversation as the first course came to its end, the Rabbi suddenly noticed the lights dimming. "What’s happening?" he asked the famous pop-star sitting to his right. "Oh, I can see you haven’t been to one of these before. What happens now is that everyone changes table. That way everyone gets a chance to meet everyone." The pop-star may have noticed the cloud that momentarily passed across the Rabbi’s sunny countenance, but certainly he had no idea of its cause.
The Rabbi was now faced with a problem. He realized that he would have to carry his entire place setting to his next location. However, there was nothing for it, and to the bemused smiles of his fellow guests, he proceeded to gather up his plates, knives, forks and spoon and carried them ceremoniously to their next location.
Palace dinners are not short affairs. While carrying his decreasing number of plates between the fifth and sixth courses, one of the other Jewish guests hissed at him under his breath. "Will you please stop that! I’ve never been so embarrassed in my life." "I’m sorry" said the Rabbi, "but I keep kosher." "Well, make an exception!" said the other.
The Rabbi stuck to his guns. For all twelve courses.
At the end of the meal, the guests all lined up to take leave of their royal hosts. As the Rabbi was shaking Prince Charles’ hand, the prince said "Excuse me, but I couldn’t help noticing that you were carrying your dishes around the room." "Yes," said the Rabbi "I did it because of the Jewish dietary laws." "Yes," said the Prince "I know about kosher food, but I didn’t know it extended to the plates as well. How interesting! Please tell me more."
By this point, the master of ceremonies had come over to see what was holding up the line. In order to continue their discussion, the Prince beckoned the Rabbi to step out of the line and join him.
So there they were. The Rabbi and the Prince. Shaking the hands of the guests and discussing the laws of kashrut. Finally it came the turn of the Jewish guest who had objected to the Rabbi’s behavior to shake the hand of the Prince. As he was doing this, he mentioned confidentially to the Prince "I’m Jewish too."
"Really?" said the Prince, "I didn’t notice you carrying your dishes!"
When we keep the Torah properly with all its details, non-Jews know instinctively we’re doing what we’re supposed to, and they respect us for it. When we try and water down our Judaism to conform to our own preconceived secular standards, there will always be a voice asking us where our dishes are.
Community News
Em Habanim Congregation
Weekly Parashat Hashavua class with Rabbi Joshua Bittan on Wednesdays at 8:30pm for more info. visit www.emhabanim.com
Em Habanim Congregation’s annual banquet will be held on Sunday the 6th of November, 2011. The honored Guests are: Mark Castiel, Andre Chrique and Johnny Elbaz Deckel.
Em Habanim will be celebrating close to 40 years of service to the community.
Yom Kippur services will be held at the Century Plaza Hyatt Regency in Century City. More details will follow.
Sephardic Temple:
Talmud Torah registration for the new school year 2011/2012 is ongoing throughout the summer!
Mark your calendars:
Saturday, November 5th, 2011 A Gal celebration honoring the 2011 Sephardic Heritage award recipients Mr. Larry Clumeck and Dr. Samuel Newman.
For more info. visit sephardictemple.org
Sunday September, 3rd, 2011 Annual STTI Family picnic Mar Vista Park 10am -3pm Food, Music, Games and Fun!
Get Well Soon
We wish a speedy recovery for all the Jews that may need it where ever they may be and especially for:
Em Habanim:
Max Barchichat
From Sephardic Temple:
Al Azus,Buena Angel,
Elaine Leon,Itzchak Rachmanony
From S.T.A.R.:
Mordechai Chaim Ben Chana, Chaim Ben Buena,
Meshulam Dov Ben Chana Sarah
Bracha Eliza Bat Ehteram, Bracha Sara Chaya Bat Ronit
Condolences
Our condolences to the Attar Family on the passing of Rachel Attar Z’L, we share the sorrow with the grieving family.
July 29, 2011 Parashat Mas’ei
S.T.A.R. News & Events
Here are S.T.A.R.’s upcoming exciting events:
August 16-18 Join the STAR teem for an unforgettable Camping trip. Registeration will close on Aug. 8th, 2011.
This Shabbat
Shabbat Parashat: MAS’EI
Candle Lighting: 7:38pm
Shabbat Ends: 8:41pm
Torah Message
A Matchless Matchmaker
"When you cross the Jordan to the land of Canaan, you shall designate cities for yourselves, cities of refuge…" (35:10-11)
Not long ago, the much-loved wife of a great Rabbi passed away. In due course he was married to a lady many years his junior. The second marriage was also very happy. Someone commented to him that he had been blessed to find such a good second match. "Well," he commented, "you see, I had the best matchmaker in the world." "Oh really, who was that?" asked the other. The Rabbi replied, "Shortly before my first wife, may she rest in peace, passed away, she said to me in the hospital one day, "Yankel, when I pass away, I want you to go to Eretz Yisrael. There’s a great friend of mine who lives in Jerusalem. I’ll give you the address. I want you to marry her. She’s a wonderful person. I can rely on her to look after you properly."
In this week’s reading the Torah mandates the establishment of "cities of refuge". Someone who had killed inadvertently could take refuge in one of these cities and escape the blood avenger of the victim’s family. The Torah chose as the sites of the refuge cities, the cities of the Levi’im. Why? Why did G-d choose the cities of the Levi’im as the cities of refuge?
When someone kills, he doesn’t just kill a person. He kills a son, a brother, a sister, a father, a mother. It’s rare indeed that no one is affected by a murder save the victim himself. Killing someone always has a ripple effect. A relative feels implacable resentment against someone who kills a member of his family. The Levi’im, however, did not react in this way. Since it was G-d’s Will that there should be cities to which accidental murderers could run, they would accept a murderer into their community without any resentment even if they were related to the deceased. Such was their spiritual level that they subordinated their feelings totally to G-d’s Will.
Man is not an animal. Being human means being able to subordinate our instinctive feelings to our higher selves, however difficult it is to imagine being on the level of selflessness of the Levi’im or that rebbetzin on her deathbed. Nevertheless, just knowing that there are people like that in the world may encourage us to be a little less selfish.
For the right match can kindle a lot of light.
Rabbi M. Weiss Rabbi Y. Sakhai
Community News
Em Habanim Congregation
Weekly Parashat Hashavua class with Rabbi Joshua Bittan on Wednesdays at 8:30pm for more info. visit www.emhabanim.com
Em Habanim Congregation’s annual banquet will be held on Sunday the 6th of November, 2011. The honored Guests are: Mark Castiel, Andre Chrique and Johnny Elbaz Deckel.
Em Habanim will be celebrating close to 40 years of service to the community.
Yom Kippur services will be held at the Century Plaza Hyatt Regency in Century City. More details will follow.
Tisha BeAv 5771 World Wide event at Em Habanim:
Tuesday Aug. 9th, 2:30-5:30pm
Join the community for an ispiring series of lectures by world renowned Rabbis:
Harav Aaron Lieb Steinman
Harav Shmuel Kaminetsky
Harav Gamliel Rabinowitz
Harav Yaakov Hillel
Harav Yissochor Frand
Rabbi Yitzchak Berkowitz
Rabbi Eli Mansour
Dr. David Lieberman
Sephardic Temple:
Talmud Torah registration for the new school year 2011/2012 is ongoing throughout the summer!
Mark your calendars:
Saturday, November 5th, 2011 A Gal celebration honoring the 2011 Sephardic Heritage award recipients Mr. Larry Clumeck and Dr. Samuel Newman.
For more info. visit sephardictemple.org
Sunday September, 3rd, 2011 Annual STTI Family picnic Mar Vista Park 10am -3pm Food, Music, Games and Fun!
Get Well Soon
We wish a speedy recovery for all the Jews that may need it where ever they may be and especially for:
From Sephardic Temple:
Al Azus,Buena Angel,
Elaine Leon,Itzchak Rachmanony
From S.T.A.R.:
Mordechai Chaim Ben Chana, Chaim Ben Buena,
Meshulam Dov Ben Chana Sarah
Bracha Eliza Bat Ehteram, Bracha Sara Chaya Bat Ronit
Condolences
We grieve and mourn together with the nation of Israel the tragic death of the righteous and pious Tzadik Rabbi Elazar Abuchatzira A’H who was murdered in Be’er Sheva. words can not express the sorrow. The eulogy was given today in Jerusalem by the great Rabbis of the generation. Baruch Dayan Haemet.
JULY 22, 2011 PARASHAT MATOT
S.T.A.R. News & Events
Here are S.T.A.R.’s upcoming exciting events:
August 16-18 Join the STAR teem for an unforgettable Camping trip. Sign up now for the early bird price.
This Shabbat
Shabbat Parashat: MATOT
Candle Lighting: 7:44pm
Shabbat Ends: 8:43pm
Torah Message
Bentley For A Day
"Pens for the flock shall we build here for our livestock and cities for our small children…" (32:16)
Two people. One standing at the counter of ExecuRent-a-Car, the other sitting in Jack Barclay’s, the Rolls Royce/Bentley dealers. Two people about to get their new Bentley Continental GT (price – a mere $210,000 and change). One is taking delivery of his new car. The other is renting for a day.
Which one has the most pleasure from his Bentley, the fellow who’s buying the car, or the one who’s renting?
Even as he takes the car keys from the ExecuRent rep., somewhere in the back of his mind the fellow who’s renting the car has a "Cinderella moment". He knows that in 24 hours he’s going to have to give the car back. The other feels that the car is his. Forever. Well almost forever.
Things bring us pleasure in life to the extent that we perceive we own them.
Which is why physical things never give us that much joy. For in the back of our minds we are aware that we can never hold on to physical things. The Bentley can be stolen. It can break down (Yes! Even Bentleys break down. Shhhh!)
A person is never that happy with physical things because he knows that tomorrow someone else could be living in his house, wearing his suit, driving his Bentley.
When we feel we really own something – that gives us pleasure. And the only things we really own are spiritual things: our mitzvot and our good deeds. Those can never be taken away from us, and therefore they are the only things that ultimately make us happy.
The two tribes of Reuven and Gad asked Moshe if they could receive their portion of the Land of Israel on the eastern bank of the Jordan. This was an ideal place for them, as it was well suited to grazing the large amount of livestock they had acquired. Moshe was concerned that their settling the east bank before conquering the rest of the Land would deal a severe blow to the morale of the Jewish People in the coming confrontation with the nations of the Land. He accused them of forsaking their brothers in a time of need. They explained to Moshe that their intention had never been to settle at this point and go no further rather, they wanted to build "Pens for the flock shall we build here for our livestock and cities for our small children…" After which, each and every one of them would lead the Jewish People in the conquest of the west bank of the Jordan.
Moshe agreed to their proposal and said, "Build for yourselves cities for your small children and pens for your flock."
Interestingly, Moshe reversed the original order of the sentence. The tribes of Reuven and Gad spoke of the building the animal shelter before that of their children, whereas Moshe spoke first of the children and then of the animals. This was an implicit criticism for being more focused on their property than on their offspring. "Why did you speak of building stables for your cattle before cities for your children? It seems you attach more importance to your possessions than to your children."
In Hebrew, the word for "possessions" is nechasim. The word nechasim is related to the wordmechuseh which means "concealed", for after a person passes from this world he no longer possesses his "possessions", they are concealed from him by being given to someone else. Similarly, the coin known as a zuz derives from the verb lazuz which means "to move", meaning that money is restless. The Hebrew word for money itself mammon is a contraction of "Ma atah moneh?" "What are you counting?" which means "What are you counting – it’s nothing."
Nothing more than a Bentley that’s going to turn into a Pumpkin Continental GT.
- Source: Adapted from Rabbi Noach Orlowek
Rabbi M. Weiss Rabbi Y. Sakhai
Community News
Em Habanim Congregation
Weekly Parashat Hashavua class with Rabbi Joshua Bittan on Wednesdays at 8:30pm for more info. visit www.emhabanim.com
Em Habanim Congregation’s annual banquet will be held on Sunday the 6th of November, 2011. The honored Guests are: Mark Castiel, Andre Chrique and Johnny Elbaz Deckel.
Em Habanim will be celebrating close to 40 years of service to the community.
Yom Kippur services will be held at the Century Plaza Hyatt Regency in Century City. More details will follow.
Tisha BeAv 5771 World Wide event at Em Habanim:
Tuesday Aug. 9th, 2:30-5:30pm
Join the community for an ispiring series of lectures by world renowned Rabbis:
Harav Aaron Lieb Steinman
Harav Shmuel Kaminetsky
Harav Gamliel Rabinowitz
Harav Yaakov Hillel
Harav Yissochor Frand
Rabbi Yitzchak Berkowitz
Rabbi Eli Mansour
Dr. David Lieberman
Sephardic Temple:
Talmud Torah registration for the new school year 2011/2012 is ongoing throughout the summer!
Mark your calendars:
Saturday, November 5th, 2011 A Gal celebration honoring the 2011 Sephardic Heritage award recipients Mr. Larry Clumeck and Dr. Samuel Newman.
For more info. visit sephardictemple.org
Sunday September, 3rd, 2011 Annual STTI Family picnic Mar Vista Park 10am -3pm Food, Music, Games and Fun!
Get Well Soon
We wish a speedy recovery for all the Jews that may need it where ever they may be and especially for:
From Sephardic Temple:
Al Azus,Buena Angel,
Elaine Leon,Itzchak Rachmanony
From S.T.A.R.:
Mordechai Chaim Ben Chana, Chaim Ben Buena,
Meshulam Dov Ben Chana Sarah
Bracha Eliza Bat Ehteram, Bracha Sara Chaya Bat Ronit
Condolences
We wish the Kletzky family Nachamu Min Hashamayim (Heavenly Comfort) for the loss of their child Leiby Kletzky. May his soul have an Aliya and be bound up in the bond of eternal life. May we never hear of such news again. Amen
Em Habanim Congregation:
Condolences to the Levy family for their loss of their elder: Mr. Salmon Levy Z”L
May his Neshama have an Aliya.
July 15, 2011, Shabbat Parashat Pinchas
S.T.A.R. News & Events
Here are S.T.A.R.’s upcoming exciting events:
August 15-17 Join the STAR teem for an unforgettable Camping trip. Sign up now for the early bird price.
This Shabbat
Shabbat Parashat: PINCHAS
Candle Lighting: 7:48pm
Shabbat Ends: 8:47pm
Torah Message
Only One Job
"Pinchas, the son of Elazar, the son of Aharon, the Kohen…" (25:11)
A true story.
A number of years ago a unique manuscript came to light in the Cairo Museum of Antiquities. The manuscript was a previously unknown work by one of the Rishonim (earlier commentators). Its existence came to the attention of a certain Jew whom we shall call ‘Reb Shalom’. Reb Shalom made it his business to track down and publish such manuscripts.
Reb Shalom made overtures to the Egyptians. They were unresponsive. Undeterred, Reb Shalom went to work. He galvanized every source of pressure he could bring to bear. He lobbied Senators in Washington, Members of Parliament in Westminster. Eventually, the Egyptians were prepared to listen. To the Jewish People, the manuscript was priceless. To the Egyptians, it was worth three-quarters of a million dollars.
Three-quarters of a million dollars is not a paltry sum by anyone’s estimation. Reb Shalom did not flinch, and in due course the money was paid and the manuscript delivered. With great eagerness, Reb Shalom and his team of experts gathered around as the manuscript was opened. Silence fell upon the room as, for the first time in centuries, the holy words of the manuscript greeted the eyes of those who truly knew their meaning and significance. And then, one of Reb Shalom’s colleagues leaned forward to examine a certain line, and in doing so his coat brushed against a large Styrofoam cup that held a full cup of hot coffee. The material of the coat barely grazed the cup, but it was enough. The entire contents of the cup spilled over the delicate manuscript. Within seconds the entire manuscript became a sodden un-decipherable mess. The man who had spilled the coffee slumped into his chair with his head between his hands. The room filled with a deafening silence. After a few moments Reb Shalom walked over to the man, put his hand on his shoulder and said:
"Don’t worry. We’ll get you another cup of coffee."
A Jew only has one job in life – to do the Will of G-d. Up until the moment that the coffee spilled, Reb Shalom’s job was to publish the manuscript. After it spilled, his job was to not get angry. The job doesn’t change, only the context.
When people would ask Reb Shalom how the work on the manuscript was coming along, he would reply that it was going to be a very long job. In fact, the story of what happened to the manuscript didn’t emerge until many years later, when, after Reb Shalom’s death, the person who had spilled the coffee revealed the fate of the manuscript.
At the end of last week’s Torah Portion, Pinchas takes a spear in his hand and slays Zimri ben Salu, a prince of the tribe of Shimon, together with a Midianite princess called Kozbi. At the beginning of this week’s Torah portion, the Torah refers to Pinchas as "the son of Elazar, the son of Aharon the kohen." The Torah specifically links Pinchas to Aharon, his grandfather. The job of Aharon, and of every kohen, is to create shalom "peace" between the Jewish People and G-d. Actually shalom is not adequately translated by the word peace. Shalom means a state of wholeness, of completion. Sometimes we create shalom through gentle acts of kindness and mercy, and sometime shalom can only come, as in this case, through intransigence and apparent cruelty. However, the common denominator is that our entire job in life is to do the Will of G-d, whether that may be through gentleness, or zealotry – or by offering another cup of coffee.
- Source: Adapted from a story told by Rabbi Zvi Myer Zylberberg as heard from Rabbi Reuven Levitt
Rabbi M. Weiss Rabbi Y. Sakhai
Community News
Em Habanim Congregation
Weekly Parashat Hashavua class with Rabbi Joshua Bittan on Wednesdays at 8:30pm for more info. visit www.emhabanim.com
Sephardic Temple:
Talmud Torah registration for the new school year 2011/2012 is ongoing throughout the summer!
Mark your calendars:
Saturday, November 5th, 2011 A Gal celebration honoring the 2011 Sephardic Heritage award recipients Mr. Larry Clumeck and Dr. Samuel Newman.
For more info. visit sephardictemple.org
Sunday September, 3rd, 2011 Annual STTI Family picnic Mar Vista Park 10am -3pm Food, Music, Games and Fun!
Get Well Soon
We wish a speedy recovery for all the Jews that may need it where ever they may be and especially for:
From Sephardic Temple:
Al Azus,Buena Angel,
Elaine Leon,Itzchak Rachmanony
From S.T.A.R.:
Mordechai Chaim Ben Chana, Chaim Ben Buena,
Meshulam Dov Ben Chana Sarah
Bracha Eliza Bat Ehteram, Bracha Sara Chaya Bat Ronit
Condolences
We wish the Kletzky family Nachamu Min Hashamayim (Heavenly Comfort) for the loss of their child Leiby Kletzky. May his soul have an Aliya and be bound up in the bond of eternal life. May we never hear of such news again. Amen