Parashat Bo
Torah: Exodus 10:1 – 13:16
Haftarah: Jeremiah
46:13-28
8 Shevat 5777 / 3-4 February
2017
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Candle
lighting: 5:07 pm
Friday – Shabbat Evening Service –
8:00 pm. Oneg Shabbat follows.
Saturday – Shabbat Morning
Adventure (Sh’MA) Service – 10:00 am. A slightly abbreviated,
guitar-accompanied service, with haftarah in English and a Torah discussion for
adults and children alike. Led by Cantor Steve Pearlman. Kiddush luncheon
follows. Attendance is expected for all Religious School students, in
lieu of no RS Sunday.
Sunday – NO Religious School
Tuesday – Lunch and Learn –
noon.
Friday, 10
February – Daven and Dinner! Musical, Guitar-Accompanied Shabbat
Service – 6:00 pm, followed by Shabbat Dinner – 7:00 pm. Dinner
reservations required – deadline Friday, February 3. Call or email the
office please!
Saturday, 11
February – Shabbat
Morning Service – 10:00 am. Kiddush luncheon follows.
Sunday, 12
February – Religious School
This d'var torah
is offered for a refuah shleimah for Avi Shmuel Yosef Hakohen ben Bella,
Zehavah B’rakhah bat Leah, Yaakov Rani Ben Margalit, Sarah bat Devorah, 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, Beth Goldstein, Myra Goodman, Simon Hartman,
Fouad Kay (Yehoshua ben Salima), Bonnie Kleiger, Philip Kovac, Tonya Kronzek,
Toni Linder, Roy Miller, Carol Rosen (Tsharna Aliza bat Leah), Deborah Schugar
Strauss (Devorah bat Chaya Feiga), Helen Schugar (Chaya Feiga bat Kreina), 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.
Please feel
free to pass this on to a friend, and please cite the source.
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ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN
WORDS
Pharaoh called to Moses and said, "Go - serve the Lord; only your flocks and herds shall remain; even your little ones may go with you." And Moses said, "... And our livestock will go with us; not a hoof will remain; for from it we will take to serve the Lord our God." Exodus 10:24-26
The Yehudi Hakodesh of Pshischa understands this conversation as follows: Pharaoh said, "One may serve God purely in one's mind, without any action. If in truth you desire to serve God, why do you need your animals? Go - serve the Lord, with pure heart and intention, and you will need no animal sacrifices." Moses replied, "Intention alone, with no action associated with it, is unimportant and meaningless. The whole point is the action, which makes the intention profound." The Holy Jew concludes, "It is through action that one is aroused to serve God enthusiastically and to adhere to Him."
Let me be clear - prayer is an important and wholly (holy?) proper way to serve God. That is why we call prayer “avodah” - service. On the other hand, words may be viewed as cheap - we give up nothing, we make no sacrifice, in uttering them. And truthfully, the passive nature of prayer may have no lasting impact on anyone, including ourselves - unless the words ultimately motivate us to action. It’s easy to talk the talk. But walking the walk? Well, that doesn't have to be hard, but it still needs to be done.
Pharaoh called to Moses and said, "Go - serve the Lord; only your flocks and herds shall remain; even your little ones may go with you." And Moses said, "... And our livestock will go with us; not a hoof will remain; for from it we will take to serve the Lord our God." Exodus 10:24-26
The Yehudi Hakodesh of Pshischa understands this conversation as follows: Pharaoh said, "One may serve God purely in one's mind, without any action. If in truth you desire to serve God, why do you need your animals? Go - serve the Lord, with pure heart and intention, and you will need no animal sacrifices." Moses replied, "Intention alone, with no action associated with it, is unimportant and meaningless. The whole point is the action, which makes the intention profound." The Holy Jew concludes, "It is through action that one is aroused to serve God enthusiastically and to adhere to Him."
Let me be clear - prayer is an important and wholly (holy?) proper way to serve God. That is why we call prayer “avodah” - service. On the other hand, words may be viewed as cheap - we give up nothing, we make no sacrifice, in uttering them. And truthfully, the passive nature of prayer may have no lasting impact on anyone, including ourselves - unless the words ultimately motivate us to action. It’s easy to talk the talk. But walking the walk? Well, that doesn't have to be hard, but it still needs to be done.
If we are to have a
positive effect on the world itself (tikkun olam), if we are to truly
improve ourselves - then it is through the observance of the
physical mitzvot. Whether charity, deeds of loving kindness and
promoting peace, or kashrut, teaching our children and lighting Shabbat candles
- it is through these actions that we truly serve God. In the same
vein, positive change in society requires holy action on our part – holy words
are not enough! We can improve the world around us and our inner spiritual
selves by going beyond ourselves. If you want God to act, you have to
act. You too can be an action hero!
Shabbat Shalom!
Rabbi Richard
A. Flom
Congregation
Beth Meier
Blogging
at: http://rav-rich.blogspot.com
Visit me on
Facebook
Twitter: @DrahcirMolf
"שתיקה כהודאה
דמיא"
"Silence
in the face of wrongdoing is consent.”
BT Yevamot 87b
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