Wednesday, May 24, 2017

THE TEST

Parashat Bamidbar
2 Sivan 5777 / 26-27 May 2017
Torah: Numbers 1:1 – 4:20
Haftarah: Hosea 2:1-22

Shavuot - 6-7 Sivan 5777 / 31 May– 1 June 2017
Torah (Day 1): Exodus 19:1 - 20:23
         (Day 2): Deuteronomy 14:22 - 16:17
Maftir (both days): Numbers 28:26-31
Haftarah (Day 1): Ezekiel 1:1-28; 3:12
             (Day 2): Habakkuk 2:20 - 3:19
Additional reading: Book of Ruth

Dedications and a Calendar of Upcoming Events follow. For a full calendar and lots of other information about our community, visit:


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THE TEST

“The Lord spoke to Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai, in the Tent of Meeting, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after their exodus from the land of Egypt, saying.” Numbers 1:1

This parashah, and the book of the Torah named for it, is called “Numbers” in English. But in Hebrew, it is “Bamidbar”, which means “in the wilderness”. The census taken in this parashah, the numbering, is done in the wilderness. The wilderness is a fearful place, with dangers both physical and spiritual. It is a place to be tested, to stand up and be counted.

The giving of the Torah will be commemorated on the holiday of Shavuot next week. In the Midrash, Bamidbar Rabbah, it is taught that the Torah was given in fire, in water and in the desert. In a sense, this wasteland where our ancestors ultimately will spend 40 years, serves as a forge. Just as a sword is hammered and shaped, plunged into fire and water and sand, and tested for durability, so were the Israelites.

Often, people having a life cycle event, whether a bar/bat mitzvah, wedding, graduation, or even a divorce or a death, feel they have passed a test. While that may be true, it is not the end, but the beginning. Now it is time to do something positive with the test results, and more especially with the knowledge and experience by which the passing grade was accomplished. It is life itself that is the ultimate test. And the Torah, given to our ancestors and to us, is the study guide.

Good luck on your exams!

Shabbat Shalom! Chag Shavuot Sameach!

Rabbi Richard A. Flom
Congregation Beth Meier
Studio City, CA
Visit me on Facebook
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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Candle lighting:
Friday - 7:37 pm
Tuesday – 7:40 pm
Wednesday – 8:42 pm – light memorial candle after the holiday candles

Friday – Shabbat Evening Service – 8:00 pm. Oneg Shabbat follows.
Saturday – Shabbat Morning Service – 10:00 am. Kiddush luncheon follows.
Sunday – NO Religious School or Adult Hebrew – Memorial Day weekend.
Monday – Memorial Day.
Tuesday NO Lunch and Learn – resume June 6. Tikkun Leil Shavuot Study Session – 9:00-11:00 pm. Join us at Congregation Beth Meier for Torah study with Rabbi Jason van Leeuwen of Temple B’nai Hayim and Rabbi Flom. There will be cheesecake! And other refreshments, of course!
Wednesday – First Day Shavuot Morning Service – 9:30 am – at Temple B’nai Hayim
Thursday, June 1 – Second Day Shavuot Morning Service, with Yizkor – 10:00 am – at Congregation Beth Meier
Friday, June 2 – Shabbat Evening Service – 8:00 pm. Oneg Shabbat follows.
Saturday, June 3 – Shabbat Morning Service – 10:00 am. Kiddush luncheon follows.
Sunday, June 4 – Religious School Culmination – 10:00 am – 12:30 pm. Pizza and other fun stuff will be served. Everyone is invited to celebrate another year of educating our children!  
Saturday, June 24 – Temple B’nai Hayim Women’s Rosh Chodesh Shabbat Morning Service. All women-led service – leyning, aliyot, other readings available. Contact Carol Herskowitz at (818) 708-1906 for details. Men, be there too‼ We will not have a separate service at Beth Meier on this date – we’ll be at B’nai Hayim!

This d'var torah is offered in memory of my beloved father, Martin Flom, whose yahrzeit falls on Thursday, June 1 (7 Sivan). Y’hi zikhro barukh – his memory is a blessing.

This d'var torah is offered in memory of my beloved grandfather, Jacob Slome, whose yahrzeit falls on Friday, June 2 (8 Sivan). Y’hi zikhro barukh – his memory is a blessing.

This d'var torah is offered in memory of all American military personnel who fell in service to our country.

This d'var torah is offered in memory of the murder victims of Manchester, England.

This d'var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah for Avi Shmuel Yosef Hakohen ben Bella, Yaakov Rani Ben Margalit, Sarah bat Devorah, Susan Arbetman, Ken Bitticks, Elsbet Brosky (Serach bat Miriam), Jerry Daniels, Bryon Fendrich (Berel ben Chanah), Maya Fersht (Maya bat Esther), Dr. Samuel Fersht (Shmuel Natan ben Gittel), Leonard Foint (Eliezer Moshe ben Esther), Jerry Forman, Myra Goodman, Simon Hartman, Dena Kosche (Dena bat Sarah Emanu), Philip Kovac, Tonya Kronzek (Zlata Malkah bat Sarah Emanu), Toni Linder, Deborah Schugar Strauss (Devorah bat Chaya Feiga), Helen Schugar (Chaya Feiga bat Kreina), and all those injured in the Manchester terrorist attack.

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.

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HOLY AFIKOMAN!

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