Iyar 10 5777 / May 5-6 2017
Parashat Acharei Mot –
Kedoshim
Torah: Leviticus 16:1-20:27
Haftarah: Amos 9:7-15
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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this on to a friend, and please cite the source.
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THE TRUTH, THE WHOLE TRUTH,
AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH!
"And you shall observe my laws and my rules; so that when man does them, he shall live by them; I am the Lord." Leviticus 18:5
The commentary Degel Machaneh Ephraim notes that the word "otam", meaning "them", is spelled here without the customary "vav-holem". This leaves the letters alef, tav and mem. These same letters spell the word "emet", meaning "truth". He says that the secret of prolonging and fulfilling one's life is to acknowledge the truth, to tell oneself the truth, and to walk in the way of truth. One thereby makes truth the foundation of one's life. This is what it means by to "live by them".
"And you shall observe my laws and my rules; so that when man does them, he shall live by them; I am the Lord." Leviticus 18:5
The commentary Degel Machaneh Ephraim notes that the word "otam", meaning "them", is spelled here without the customary "vav-holem". This leaves the letters alef, tav and mem. These same letters spell the word "emet", meaning "truth". He says that the secret of prolonging and fulfilling one's life is to acknowledge the truth, to tell oneself the truth, and to walk in the way of truth. One thereby makes truth the foundation of one's life. This is what it means by to "live by them".
He is not referring only to
honesty to others, ala George Washington or Abraham Lincoln. Rather, he
means that one must live a life of sanctity, finding holiness wherever one is
and in whatever one is doing; and that requires truth in every aspect of life.
It is noteworthy that, when we remove the Torah from the ark, we recite the following meditation: "Not in man do I put my trust, not upon angels do I rely, but upon the God of the universe, Whose Torah is truth, Whose prophets are truth, and Who abounds in deeds of goodness and truth.... May it be Your will to open my heart to Your Torah ..."
It is noteworthy that, when we remove the Torah from the ark, we recite the following meditation: "Not in man do I put my trust, not upon angels do I rely, but upon the God of the universe, Whose Torah is truth, Whose prophets are truth, and Who abounds in deeds of goodness and truth.... May it be Your will to open my heart to Your Torah ..."
When we acknowledge the
Torah as truth, we are able to live moral and holy lives. When we live
lives of truth, we have no need to create or maintain falsehoods. If we
always tell the truth, we never have to remember which lies we told to
whom. It makes for an uncluttered mind and a pure heart. And that's
the truth!
Shabbat Shalom!
Rabbi Richard A. Flom
Rabbi Richard A. Flom
Congregation Beth Meier
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:
7:22 pm
Friday – Shabbat Evening Service –
8:00 pm. Oneg Shabbat follows.
Saturday – Shabbat Morning Service –
10:00 am. Kiddush luncheon follows.
Sunday – Religious School
Tuesday - Lunch and Learn – 12:00 noon.
Friday, May 12 – Family Shabbat Evening
Service – 7:30 pm. Guitar-accompanied sing-along service with Cantor Kerry
Katz. Oneg Shabbat follows.
Saturday, May
13 – Shabbat
Morning Service – 10:00 am. Kiddush luncheon follows.
Sunday, May 14 – NO Religious School
Sunday, May 21 – Formal Friendship Tea – 12:30
pm. Everyone is invited! Reservations no later than May 16, please. Cost
$25. Contact the Beth Meier office for details.
This d’var torah
is offered in memory of my cousin Irvin Jacobsen, whose yahrzeit fell this
week. Y’hi zekhero liv’rakhah – his memory is a blessing.
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, Harav Tzvi Hirsh ben
Frimet, Kyree Beacham, Ken Bitticks, Elsbet Brosky (Serach bat Miriam), Jerry
Daniels, Byron Fendrich (Berel ben Chanah), Maya Fersht (Maya bat Esther), Dr.
Samuel Fersht (Shmuel Natan ben Gittel), Annabelle Flom (Chanah Bella bat
Kreina), Leonard Foint (Eliezer Moshe ben Esther), Jerry Forman, Myra Goodman,
Simon Hartman, Elaine Kleiger, 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.
My weekly divrei torah are
available through free subscription to the Cyber Torah e-mail list. No
salesman will call!
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management:
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To dedicate a
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