27
Av 5774 / 22-23 August 2014
Parashat
Re'eh
Torah:
Deuteronomy 11:26 - 16:17
Haftarah:
Isaiah 54:11 - 55:5 (The Third Sabbath of Consolation)
For
full Calendar of Events and lots of information about our community,
check out our web site at: http://www.bethmeier.org/
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SAY
IT ISN’T SO!
"You
shall not do so to the Lord your God." Deuteronomy 12:4
R.
Menachem Mendel of Kotzk: Your worship of God shall not be "so", as a
monotonous routine - one simply meant to fulfill your obligation - but for the
sake of God and with a feeling of holy reverence.
"For
you shall surely open your hand to him, and you shall surely lend him enough
for his need, that is lacking for him." Deuteronomy 15:8
Rashi:
You shall surely open even many times. (Citing Sifrei)
There
is a conflict between two concepts relating to the fulfillment of the mitzvot.
The concepts are keva' (regularity) and kavanah (focused
intent). One must observe the mitzvot regularly, and become accustomed to
them. At the same time, whenever one performs a particular mitzvah, one
should do so intensely, focused on the holy significance of the act, and what
it accomplishes. That's not easy to do on a regular basis. That is
possibly a reason for reciting a berakhah, a blessing, before performing a
mitzvah.
But
the giving of tzedakah, charity, is somewhat different. Tzedakah surely
is a mitzvah. Thus we learn from the Kotzker Rebbe and Rashi that no matter how
often we give tzedakah, with keva', it cannot be done in a rote manner; we have
to do it with kavanah, with feelings of intensity and holiness.
At
the same time, unlike virtually any other mitzvah, there is no b'rakhah,
no blessing, recited before giving tzedakah. Perhaps the reason for no
blessing is to prevent us from feeling too proud of ourselves for having
performed the mitzvah. Another reason might be that it objectifies the
recipient as a means to performing the mitzvah, and could also embarrass
them. Perhaps more important, the recitation of the b'rakhah delays
the performance of the mitzvah, and with charity, time can sometimes mean the
difference between life and death.
Give
tzedakah, often, and know that it is a holy act. But don't think about it
for too long.
Shabbat
Shalom!
Rabbi
Richard A. Flom - ZSRS '00
Congregation
Beth Meier
Studio
City, CA
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PROGRAM NOTES:
1. Beth Meier RELIGIOUS SCHOOL will commence Sunday,
September 7, at 9:30 am. There has been NO increase in fees for this year.
Please contact Rabbi Flom or the Beth Meier office at (818) 769-0515, or email
office@bethmeier.org
for information and registration.
2. Beth Meier is sponsoring “Team Selma” for a 5K
walk/run in the race to defeat ovarian cancer on Sunday, September 14. We hope
as many members, including our Religious School students and their families,
will join in.
3. Please get your membership and High Holy Day ticket
forms and fees in to Beth Meier at your earliest convenience. Yontiff waits for
no one!
CALENDAR:
Candle lighting: 7:13 pm
Friday: Shabbat Evening Service – 8:00 pm. Join us for a
joyful service, followed by Oneg Shabbat.
Saturday: Shabbat Morning Service – 10:00 am. Light
Kiddush lunch follows.
Tuesday: Lunch and Learn – 12:00 noon.
DEDICATIONS:
This d'var torah is offered in memory of Roza Blady, who
would have been celebrating her 83rd birthday and her second bat mitzvah this
Shabbat. Thank you to her children, Sarah Ferman and Ben Blady, for sponsoring
kiddush lunch this week in memory of Roza.
This d'var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah
for Miriam Minya bat Alisa Batya, Sarah Mindel bat Toby, Elsbet Brosky,
Howard Ehrlich, Dr. Samuel Fersht, Jerry Forman, Pamela Huddleston, Rose Jordan,
Gail Neiman, and Annie Rivera.
Please let me know if there is anyone you would like to
add to the refuah shleimah list or if there is anyone who may be removed from
the list.
My weekly divrei torah are also available via the Cyber
Torah e-mail list.
Cyber Torah list management (no salesman will call!):
To subscribe to Cyber Torah, send an e-mail with the
subject heading “Subscribe Cyber Torah” to: ravflom@sbcglobal.net
Send requests for dedications of Cyber Torah in honor of
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