Parashat Balak
14
Tammuz 5777 / 7-8 July 2017
Torah: Numbers 22:2 – 25:9
Haftarah: Micah 5:6 – 6:8
Dedications and calendar follow
below. For complete listings and lots of other information about our
community, see our web site at: http://bethmeier.org
Please feel free to pass this on to a friend,
and please cite the source.
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THE BEST PLACES
"How goodly are your tents, O Jacob, your
dwelling places, O Israel." Numbers 24:5
Bil'am, the sorcerer with the alleged ability
to put curses on other people, was hired by the Moabite king, Balak, to curse
the Israelites. God permits him to utter nothing but blessings. The
blessing above is the most famous of these, and is said or sung as we enter a
synagogue to begin the prayer service.
Over the millenia, innumerable commentators
have offered explanations for this verse. A particularly meaningful one, for
me, is given by the 16th century Italian, Rabbi Ovadiah Sforno. Citing
other verses as proof texts, he says that "tents" refers to the House
of Study – the beit midrash or yeshivah. The "dwelling places"
are the House of Assembly – beit k’nesset - synagogue.
Certainly, these are the places where the vast
majority of us have our encounters with God - studying holy texts and
praying. I would like to take a broader view, by reading the terms
"tents" and "dwelling places" in a more literal
way. For one thing, we don't need to study or pray only at the beit
midrash or beit knesset . We can do those things virtually anywhere. We
can turn any place into a beit midrash, so long as we are engaged in the work
of studying our holy texts. We can turn any place into a beit k’nesset, so
long as we are offering up sincere prayers. But there is more, much more,
to practicing Judaism. And there are more places, many more places, for
practicing Judaism.
I believe we should read "dwelling
places" as our homes, the places where we spend the greatest portion of our
time. Then "tents" are temporary places, whether workplaces or
summer vacation spots or hospital rooms or supermarkets. These tents and
dwelling places, which may be anywhere, are the locations where we put what we
learn and pray for into action - the rituals for Shabbat and Yom Tov, kashrut, bal tashchit (not destroying the natural environment), tzedakah (charity), gemilut chasadim (deeds of lovingkindness) - any and all of the
commandments. In short, wherever you are is the best place for practicing
Judaism and encountering God and improving the world around you, so long as you
put forth the effort to make it good.
Shabbat Shalom!
Rabbi Richard A. Flom
Congregation Beth Meier
Studio City, CA
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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Candle lighting: 7:49 pm
Friday – Shabbat Evening Service – 8:00 pm. Oneg Shabbat
follows.
Saturday – Shabbat Morning Service – 10:00 am. Kiddush luncheon
follows.
Tuesday – Lunch and Learn – 12:00 noon. This is a Fast Day,
17 Tammuz, but there will be lunch for those not fasting.
Friday, July 14 – Family Shabbat Evening Service – 7:30 pm. Oneg
Shabbat follows.
Saturday, July 15 – Shabbat Morning Service – 10:00 am. Kiddush luncheon
follows.
This d'var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah for Avi Shmuel Yosef Hakohen ben Bella, Yaakov Rani Ben Margalit, HaRav Tzvi Hersh ben Frimet, 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), and Helen Schugar (Chaya Feiga bat Kreina).
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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To dedicate a Cyber Torah in
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