SPEECH IMPEDIMENT

Tevet 28, 5780 / January 24-25, 2020

Parashat Va’era

Torah: Exodus 6:2-9:35

Haftarah: Ezekiel 28:25-29:21

CASTING CALL! PURIM IS COMING!

Anyone who wishes to take part in our annual Purim Spiel is invited to come for a read through of this year’s spiel, based on Beach Boys tunes – Tuesday, February 11 at 7:00 pm. No one will be turned away. Purim dinner, spiel and megillah reading will be Monday, March 9, at 6:30 pm. Thanks to Reb Jason and Rebecca Marcus for creating this year’s spiel!

Barukh Dayan Emet. The congregation extends condolences to the Foster family on the passing of Tony’s father, Thomas Foster. Funeral arrangements are pending. Y’hi zikhro liv’rakhah – May his memory be a blessing.

Calendar and dedications follow below. For a full calendar of events and other info about Temple B’nai Hayim/Congregation Beth Meier, check out:   www.bnaihayim.com

Please feel free to pass this on to a friend, and please cite the source.

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SPEECH IMPEDIMENT

"The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 'Go, speak to Pharaoh, king of Egypt, that he should send the Israelites from his land.' And Moses spoke before the Lord, saying, 'Behold, the Israelites would not listen to me; why then should Pharaoh listen to me, a man of impeded speech?'" Exodus 6:10-12

Rashi: This is an example of a kal v'chomer (a rule of logic for Torah study, an inference from the less obvious to the more obvious - i.e., "if THEY won¹t listen to me, then for sure PHARAOH won¹t listen to me").

The question arises, what did Moses mean by "impeded speech"? The Hebrew says literally, "uncircumcised lips", and the Midrash says that Moses had a physical speech impediment that he developed as a child. However, the Sfas Emes, the third Gerer Rebbe, has a completely different understanding of Moses' statement.

He says that if Jews do not listen to their leaders, there can be no leaders who are able to speak on their behalf. By refusing to listen to Moses, the Israelites made it impossible for Moses' words to reach Pharaoh's ear -­ they deprived him of his ability to lead and represent them - because they "impeded" his speech.

We see this in our everyday lives, whether it has to do with political, business or spiritual leaders, teachers or parents, you name it. Anyone in a leadership role cannot truly lead if the group will not listen. The leader¹s speech is impeded, and so is leadership. For that matter, perhaps after a time the leader is no longer able to properly hear those whom s/he would lead. Refusal to hear can “lead” to a kind of deafness on everyone’s part.

The Sfas Emes quotes Psalms 50:7, "Pay heed my people, and I will speak." Only so long as there are those who will listen, can there be those who would speak.  Sh'ma Yisrael ...

Shabbat Shalom! Chodesh Sh’vat Tov!

Rabbi Richard A. Flom

הַלּוֹמֵד מִכָּל אָדָם ?אֵיזֶהוּ חָכָם

Who is wise? The one who learns from every person.

Ben Zoma - Pirkei Avot 4:1

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Candle lighting: 4:57 pm

Friday: Shabbat Evening Service – 6:30 pm. Oneg Shabbat follows.

Saturday: Torah study/breakfast - 8:45 am. Shabbat Morning Service – 9:30 am.  Junior Congregation – 10:00 am. Kiddush lunch follows.

Sunday: Religious School – 9:30 am. Rabbi Flom’s “(Re)Introduction to Judaism” class – 9:30 am. David Silon’s "History of Israel and the Middle East" class – 11:00 am.

Tuesday: Lunch and Learn – 12:00 noon.

Friday, January 31:  Shabbat Evening Service – 6:30 pm. Oneg Shabbat follows.

Saturday, February 1: Torah study/breakfast - 8:45 am. Shabbat Morning Service – 9:30 am. 

Next time you come to TBH/CBM, please bring some non-perishable canned and packaged foods and personal items (no glass) for SOVA.

This d’var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah for Leah bat Sarah Imanu, Sarah bat Devorah, Susan Arbetman, Ken Bitticks, Elsbet Brosky, Mark Brownstein, Jerry Daniels, Maya Fersht (Maya bat Esther), Dr. Samuel Fersht (Shmuel Natan ben Gittel), Bernard Garvin, Leah Granat, Gabor Klein, Philip Kronzek, Tonya Kronzek (Zlata Malkah bat Sarah Imanu), Barbara Levy, Gail Neiman, Sandra Raab, Josef Sands, Shirley Sands, Debra Schugar Strauss (Devorah bat Chaya Feiga), Helen Schugar (Chaya Feiga bat Kreina), and William Sragow.

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.