3 Iyar 5774 / 2-3 May 2014
Parashat Emor
Torah: Leviticus 21:1 -
24:23
Haftarah: Ezekiel 44:15-31
Calendar of Upcoming
Events follows. For a full calendar and lots of other information about our
community, visit: http://www.bethmeier.org/
Please feel free to pass
this on to a friend, and please cite the source.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
YOU TOO CAN PERFORM
KIDDUSH HASHEM!
"You shall not profane
My Holy Name (shem kodshi), for I will be sanctified (nikdashti)amidst
the Children of Israel
The term "Kiddush
HaShem", the sanctification of the name of God, is generally
associated with martyrdom - suffering execution rather than committing
idolatry, for example. One should prefer death over the public desecration
of God's name (Chillul HaShem). A primary example of such martyrdom is
Rabbi Akiva, who recited the Sh'ma as the Romans executed him. He is also
associated with Lag B'Omer, the 33rd day of the omer count, when his students
were miraculously delivered from a plague.
Rabbi Harold Kushner, in
the Etz Hayyim Chumash, teaches that the recitation of the Mourner's Kaddish
(from the same root as kiddush) is literally a Kiddush HaShem. It is said
by mourners in public, for it requires a minyan - a prayer quorum of 10 Jewish
adults. Mourners, who might feel angry at God over the death of their
loved one, stand up and proclaim, "Yitgadal v'yitkadash sh'mei rabbah -
May His great name be magnified and sanctified." To which the others
respond, "Amen." This recitation is a public affirmation of
faith, and can only serve to strengthen the faith of all who are present. Saying
"amen" places the responder in the same position, from the standpoint
of Jewish tradition, as the person who recites the kaddish - or any blessing,
for that matter. Thus, every "amen" to the Mourner's Kaddish (or
any other Kaddish) is also a Kiddush HaShem.
Every time a mourner
wishes to stand up at a service and recite the Mourner's Kaddish, and a minyan
is not present, the mourner and all those who are present are deprived of the
opportunity to perform a Kiddush HaShem. And if you are not present, but
could have been, you are preventing them from doing so - as well as missing out
on the opportunity yourself! If you want to perform a Kiddush HaShem,
without being a martyr, join your community at a worship service, and sanctify
God's name "amidst the Children of Israel."
Shabbat Shalom!
Rabbi Richard A. Flom
Congregation Beth Meier
Visit me on Facebook
"For the sake of Zion I will not be silent; for the sake of Jerusalem
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Candle lighting:
7:19 pm
Friday: Shabbat Evening Service – 8:00
pm. Oneg Shabbat follows.
Saturday: Shabbat Morning Service – 10:00
am. Kiddush lunch follows.
Sunday: Religious School
Tuesday: Lunch and Learn – 12:00 noon.
Wednesday: (Re)Introduction to Judaism class –
7:30 pm – Topic: Shavuot Workshop.
This d’var torah
is offered in memory of Rebbitzin Rochelle Schimmel, whose yahrzeit falls on
Wednesday – 7 Iyar. Y’hi zekherah liv’rakhah – May her memory be a blessing.
This d'var torah
is offered for a refuah shleimah for Blimah Reizel bat Ruchel (Selma Schimmel),
Miriam Minya bat Alisa Batya, Eve Beatty, Elsbet Brosky, Howard Ehrlich, Jerry
Forman, Pamela Huddleston, Rose Jordan, Jayne Kaplan, Steven Kleiger, Frank
Marcovitz, Barney Meskin, Gail Neiman, Marshall Neiman, Phil Raider, and Neil
Turbov.
Please let me
know if there is anyone you would like to add to the refuah shleimah list or if
there is anyone who may be removed from the list.
My divrei
torah are also available via e-mail from the Cyber Torah list.
Cyber Torah list
management (no salesman will call!):
To subscribe to Cyber
Torah, send an e-mail with the subject heading “Subscribe Cyber Torah” to: ravflom@sbcglobal.net
To request dedications
of Cyber Torah in honor of a simchah, in memory of a loved one or for a refuah
shleimah send an e-mail with your request to: ravflom@sbcglobal.net
To unsubscribe from Cyber
Torah, send an e-mail with the subject heading “Unsubscribe Cyber Torah” to:ravflom@sbcglobal.net
