FULL OF JOY

21 Elul 5775 / 4-5 September 2015
Parashat Ki Tavo
Torah: Deuteronomy 26:1 - 29:8
Haftarah: Isaiah 60:1-22 (Sixth Haftarah of Consolation)

Dedications and calendar follow below. See our web site at www.bethmeier.org for complete listings.

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FULL OF JOY

"And you shall rejoice in every good thing which the Lord your God has given to you, and to your house, you, and the Levite, and the stranger that is among you. When you have made an end of tithing all the tithes of your increase the third year, the year of tithing, and have given it to the Levite, the stranger, the orphan, and the widow, that they may eat within your gates, and they will be filled." Deuteronomy 26:11-12

Rabbi Barukh Brofman: This is a reference to Birkat Hamazon (Blessing after the Meal) - "Do not let us need the gifts of flesh and blood". For this we thank God. Specifically - "You shall rejoice in every good thing - which the Lord has given you."

Tiferet Shlomo: The Torah adds "and they will be filled" to teach us that one must give generously - otherwise there is no blessing in it.

Most of us do not rely upon charity (tzedakah) - and we SHOULD be thankful for that. But our thanks (through Birkat Hamazon) are empty ritual if we do not do what we can to help others be in a position of thanking God as well. As the first verse implies, God has given every good thing to everyone - so it's up to us that actually have those things to make sure that they are also distributed to those that do not yet have them. 

We learn on Yom Kippur in Unataneh Tokef that "tzedakah reduces the severe decree". (See also Proverbs 10:2 and BT Baba Batra 10a – “charity delivers from death”) It does not mean that our charity saves us – rather, our tzedakah reduces the severe decree that might otherwise be imposed on others, the recipients of our gifts.

Celebrate through giving - then you and they will be filled - with joy.

Shabbat Shalom! Happy Labor Day!

Rabbi Richard Flom

Congregation Beth Meier

Studio City, CA

www.bethmeier.org

Visit me on Facebook

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Candlelighting: 6:57 pm

Friday: Shabbat Evening Service – 8:00 pm. Oneg Shabbat follows

Saturday: Shabbat Morning Service – 10:00 am. Kiddush lunch follows. Selichot Service – 9:00 pm. Join us to get in the mood for the Days of Awe!

Monday: Happy Labor Day!

Tuesday: Lunch and Learn – 12:00 noon.

Friday, 11 September: Family Shabbat Evening Service – 7:30 pm. Oneg Shabbat follows.

Saturday, 12 September: Shabbat Morning Service – 10:00 am. Kiddush lunch follows.

Sunday, 13 September: Religious School – 9:30 am. Welcome Back! Rosh Hashanah begins – 6:16 pm.

Trip to Israel – 11 November. It’s on! And there is still space available! Itinerary, brochure and other information are at my blog, http://rav-rich.blogspot.com/2015/07/trip-to-israel.html or I can send you a PDF version via e-mail.

This d’var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah for Avi Shmuel Yosef Hakohen ben Bella, Lieba bat Fishel, Miriam Minya bat Alisa Batya, Sarah bat Devorah, Ken Bitticks, Elsbet Brosky, Jerry Daniels, Howard Ehrlich, Maya Fersht (Maya bat Esther), Dr. Samuel Fersht (Shmuel Natan ben Gittel), Leonard Foint, Annabelle Flom (Chanah Bella bat Kreina), Gig Flom (Gittel Tobi bat Blanca), Jerry Forman, Pamela Huddleston, Philip Kovac, Annie Rivera, and Gil Robbins.

Don’t forget to send in your membership forms and High Holiday ticket orders. It’s later than you think!

Cyber Torah list management:

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To dedicate a Cyber Torah in honor of a simchah, in memory of a loved one or for a refuah shleimah, send an e-mail to: ravflom@sbcglobal.net with the heading “Dedicate Cyber Torah” and provide details in the message body.