17 Iyar 5777 / 12-13 May 2017
Parashat
Emor
Torah: Leviticus 21:1 - 24:23
Haftarah: Ezekiel 44:15-31
Haftarah: Ezekiel 44:15-31
Dedications and a Calendar of Upcoming Events
follow. For a full calendar and lots of other information about our community,
visit:
Please feel free to pass this on to a friend,
and please cite the source.
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UNCLE SAM WANTS.... YOUR
EXTRA FOOD!
"When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not completely reap all the way to the corners of your field, and you shall not gather the gleanings of your harvest; you shall leave them for the poor and the stranger; I am the Lord your God." Leviticus 23:22
In the Book of Ruth, which we will read in three weeks on the festival of Shavuot, we see this commandment in action. Ruth follows the harvesters in the field of Boaz, and gathers food for herself and her mother-in-law, Naomi. The requirement that the corners and gleanings be left for the poor to collect, rather than simply given to them, is important; it gives them the dignity of gathering it, and thereby providing for themselves. It also demonstrates that the food is not really the farmer's to give away. "For the land is Mine," says God, "for you are sojourners and residents with Me." (Lev. 25:23) God created it; God owns it; we are only workers in the Master's vineyard. And since that is the case, we should take seriously God's commandment to share with those who are less fortunate than we are.
Well, few of us are farmers today, but we reap God's bounty every time we go to the market, every time we open the refrigerator. And if we are not prepared to let strangers go picking through our pantries, we can at least give food to them, or to people who know how to distribute food to those who are hungry.
This Saturday, mail carriers throughout the United States will be "stamping out hunger", collecting cans, bags and boxes of non-perishable groceries. The food will be distributed to local food banks and soup kitchens. This is a no-brainer. All you have to do is leave groceries by your mailbox and the carrier will take them when s/he delivers your mail. One item or fifty, it will all help alleviate some people's hunger for a time.
"When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not completely reap all the way to the corners of your field, and you shall not gather the gleanings of your harvest; you shall leave them for the poor and the stranger; I am the Lord your God." Leviticus 23:22
In the Book of Ruth, which we will read in three weeks on the festival of Shavuot, we see this commandment in action. Ruth follows the harvesters in the field of Boaz, and gathers food for herself and her mother-in-law, Naomi. The requirement that the corners and gleanings be left for the poor to collect, rather than simply given to them, is important; it gives them the dignity of gathering it, and thereby providing for themselves. It also demonstrates that the food is not really the farmer's to give away. "For the land is Mine," says God, "for you are sojourners and residents with Me." (Lev. 25:23) God created it; God owns it; we are only workers in the Master's vineyard. And since that is the case, we should take seriously God's commandment to share with those who are less fortunate than we are.
Well, few of us are farmers today, but we reap God's bounty every time we go to the market, every time we open the refrigerator. And if we are not prepared to let strangers go picking through our pantries, we can at least give food to them, or to people who know how to distribute food to those who are hungry.
This Saturday, mail carriers throughout the United States will be "stamping out hunger", collecting cans, bags and boxes of non-perishable groceries. The food will be distributed to local food banks and soup kitchens. This is a no-brainer. All you have to do is leave groceries by your mailbox and the carrier will take them when s/he delivers your mail. One item or fifty, it will all help alleviate some people's hunger for a time.
But there are poor and needy people who are hungry at other times of the year, not just when we run annual food drives. So at home, or at your synagogue or church or mosque, or at school, set up a box, and put some food items in it once in a while. Encourage your friends and family to do the same. When it's full, take it over to the nearest community food bank or soup kitchen, and give people the corners and the gleanings of your field. Here at Beth Meier we have a box that is constantly filled and delivered to SOVA, which is also a local beneficiary of the Postal Service drive. We learned in last week’s parashah, “You shall love your neighbor, who is like you.” (Lev. 19:18) When you perform the dual mitzvot of “peah” (corner) and “leket” (gleaning), you fulfill the mitzvah of love as well, for then your neighbor can do as you do: eat and be satisfied (Deuteronomy 11:15).
Have a Blessed Shabbat!
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: 7:27 pm
Friday – Family Shabbat Evening Service – 7:30 pm.
Guitar-accompanied sing-along service with Cantor Kerry Katz. Oneg Shabbat
follows.
Saturday – Shabbat Morning Service – 10:00 am. Kiddush luncheon
follows.
Sunday – L’ag B’omer. NO
Religious School or Adult Education – Happy Mother’s Day!
Tuesday - Lunch and Learn – 12:00 noon.
Friday, May 19 – Shabbat Evening Service – 8:00 pm. Oneg Shabbat follows.
Saturday, May 20 – Shabbat Morning Service – 10:00 am. Kiddush luncheon
follows.
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.
Saturday, June 24 –
Temple B’nai Hayim Women’s Rosh Chodesh Shabbat Morning Service. All women-led
service – leyning, aliyot, other readings available. Contact Carol Herskowitz
at (818) 708-1906 for details. Men, be there too‼
This d'var torah is offered in honor
of mothers!
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, Bryon 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.
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