9 Av 5776 / 12-13 August 2016
Parashat Devarim (Shabbat Chazon)
Torah: Deuteronomy 1:1 - 3:22
Haftarah: Isaiah 1:1-27 (Third Haftarah of Admonition)
Haftarah: Isaiah 1:1-27 (Third Haftarah of Admonition)
10 Av (9 Av observance deferred - Saturday night –
Sunday)
Book of Lamentations
Torah: Deuteronomy
4:24-40
Haftarah: Jeremiah 8:13 – 9:23
This Shabbat is Shabbat Chazon, the Shabbat of Vision,
so-called because we read on Shabbat morning the rebuking vision of Isaiah,
then Saturday night and Sunday morning the horrifying vision of the Book of
Lamentations. Sundown Saturday is the commencement of the fast day of
Tisha B'Av, the Ninth of Av (deferred to the Tenth of Av because of Shabbat),
commemorating the destruction of the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem, and
numerous other calamities which have befallen the Jewish people on the same
date. Please join us for a brief service, study and discussion on Saturday
evening at 8:30 pm at Temple B’nai Hayim, 4302 Van Nuys Blvd., Sherman
Oaks 91403 (south of Ventura Blvd.). Have a meaningful fast.
Calendar of Events and Dedications follow. Full calendar and lots more info about our community available at: www.bethmeier.org
Please feel
free to pass this on to a friend, and please cite the source.
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ON DEPENDENCY AND RESPONSIBILITY
"These are the words that Moses spoke to all Israel (kol Yisrael) in the desert east of the Jordan - in the Arabah, opposite Suph, between Paran and Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth and Dizahav." (Deuteronomy 1:1)
The commentary Kli Yakar notes that the phrase "kol Yisrael" - all Israel - appears nowhere in the Torah except in Deuteronomy. Previously, the Jewish people had been identified as "b'nai Yisrael" - the children of Israel. Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, the former Chief Rabbi of Great Britain, has suggested that rather than vertical linkage through biological descent, the people are now linked horizontally, regardless of blood ties. Furthermore, they will no longer be dependent upon Moses, but upon each other, sharing responsibility. He says, "They would have to fight wars, defend themselves, institute systems of justice and welfare, and learn the necessity for, as well as the limits of, politics."
"These are the words that Moses spoke to all Israel (kol Yisrael) in the desert east of the Jordan - in the Arabah, opposite Suph, between Paran and Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth and Dizahav." (Deuteronomy 1:1)
The commentary Kli Yakar notes that the phrase "kol Yisrael" - all Israel - appears nowhere in the Torah except in Deuteronomy. Previously, the Jewish people had been identified as "b'nai Yisrael" - the children of Israel. Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, the former Chief Rabbi of Great Britain, has suggested that rather than vertical linkage through biological descent, the people are now linked horizontally, regardless of blood ties. Furthermore, they will no longer be dependent upon Moses, but upon each other, sharing responsibility. He says, "They would have to fight wars, defend themselves, institute systems of justice and welfare, and learn the necessity for, as well as the limits of, politics."
Rabbi Sacks knows whereof he speaks. And it doesn’t apply
only to Jews. In Israel and the occupied territories, Jews and Arabs, Israelis
and Palestinians, are discovering, yet again, that while there may be limits to
politics, political discourse and dispute resolution are still necessary, now more
than ever. This is because the alternative, violence, does not establish peace
between peoples, but the only the “Eternal Peace” of death and destruction.
These peoples are, whether they like it or not, both dependent upon each other
and responsible for one another.
Here in the United States, the two principal candidates
for president and their supporters seem also to have forgotten, or perhaps
never to have learned, Rabbi Sacks’ lesson. They hurl derogatory names and wild
accusations – stupid, ugly, racist, idiot, treasonous, seditious, criminal, and
murderer. They threaten and engage in violence. It’s an endless onslaught
against the ears, the heart, and the soul. When the election is over, they and
every other American will have to be reminded, if it’s not too late, that not
only must the losers accept the verdict of the electorate, but that every one
of them, winner and loser alike, is dependent upon every other, every one of
them has responsibility to and for every other. That is what unites us. Failure
to internalize Rabbi Sack’ lesson might well destroy us.
The Talmud teaches that the destruction of the Temple in
Jerusalem was caused by sinat chinam, baseless hatred between people. In the
same way, sinat chinam could lead to endless war between Israelis and
Palestinians, as well as the end of the American Experiment.
If you needed any more reasons to observe the fast of
Tisha B’Av, here they are.
Have a peaceful
Shabbat and meaningful fast.
Rabbi Richard A. Flom
Congregation Beth Meier - Studio City, CA
Website: www.bethmeier.org
Blogging at: www.rav-rich.blogspot.com
Twitter: @DrahcirMolf
"From the place where we are absolutely
right, flowers will never grow in the spring."
"מן המקום שבו אנו צודקים לא יצמחו לעולם פרחים באביב"
Yehuda Amichai
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Candlelighting: 7:24 pm
Fast of Tisha B’Av commences Saturday evening
at 7:41 pm.
Friday: Family Shabbat Evening Service – 7:30 pm. Oneg Shabbat follows.
Saturday: Shabbat Morning Service – 10:00 am. Kiddush lunch follows. Tisha B’Av
deferred to Saturday night-Sunday. At 8:30 pm we will have a joint Tisha
B’Av service, reading of Book of Lamentations, and learning at Temple
B’nai Hayim, 4302 Van Nuys Blvd., Sherman Oaks 91403 (south of Ventura
Blvd.) Limited parking is available in the temple lot across Benefit St. Street
parking is also available.
Tuesday: NO Lunch and Learn –
Rabbi attending High Holy Day conference, then traveling. Lunch and Learn will
resume Tuesday, September 6.
Next time you come to Beth Meier,
please bring some non-perishable canned and packaged foods and personal
items (no glass) for SOVA.
This d'var torah is offered in memory of my
grandmother, Sarah Flom, whose yahrzeit is this Sunday, 10 Av. Y’hi zekherah
liv’rakhah – May her memory be a blessing.
This d'var torah is offered in memory of Lynn’s
grandmother, Martha Stern, whose yahrzeit is this Tuesday, 12 Av. Y’hi zekherah
liv’rakhah – May her memory be a blessing.
This d'var torah is offered for a refuah
shleimah for Avi Shmuel Yosef Hakohen ben Bella, HaRav Yisrael
Shimon ben Liebah Breina, Yaakov Rani Ben
Margalit, Sarah bat Devorah, Jackie Aaronson, Susan Arbetman, Ken
Bitticks, Elsbet Brosky, Jerry Daniels, Maya Fersht (Maya bat
Esther), Dr. Samuel Fersht (Shmuel Natan ben Gittel), Leonard Foint
(Eliezer Moshe ben Esther), Jerry Forman, Barry Glass (Berel ben Feigel),
Myra Goodman, Fouad Kay (Yehoshua ben Salima), Stephanie Kane, Philip
Kovac, Carolynne Lavoie-Schwartz, Toni Linder, David Parkhurst, Deborah Schugar
Strauss (Devorah bat Chaya Feiga), Helen Schugar (Chaya Feiga bat Kreina),
Beatrice Weide (Bayla bat Malkah), and Naomi Zimmermann (Naomi bat Yorma).
Please let me know if there is anyone you would
like to add to this list or if there is anyone who may be removed from this
list.
My weekly divrei torah are available through
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salesman will call!
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