6 Av 5777 / 28-29
July 2017
Parashat
Devarim (Shabbat Chazon)
Torah:
Deuteronomy 1:1 - 3:22
Haftarah: Isaiah 1:1-27 (Third Haftarah of Admonition)
Haftarah: Isaiah 1:1-27 (Third Haftarah of Admonition)
This Shabbat is Shabbat
Chazon, the Shabbat of Vision, so-called because we read on Shabbat morning
the rebuking vision of Isaiah, leading into the observance of Tisha B’Av on Monday
night and Tuesday, and the reading of the horrifying vision of the Book of
Lamentations. Tisha B'Av, the Ninth of Av, commemorates the destruction of
the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem Ventura Blvd.
NOTE:
Membership letters and dues forms for the coming year were sent last week to
all Congregation Beth Meier members. Please return them to the CBM office as
soon as possible. We are in the final stages of completing our agreement to
permanently join with Temple B’nai Hayim. However, contrary to our previous
communications, our Shabbat services this week will be held here at
Congregation Beth Meier. Assuming that the agreement is finalized in the next
week or so, all services commencing Friday, August 11, will be conducted at
Temple B’nai Hayim. For future reference, note also that at B’nai Hayim, all
Shabbat Evening services commence at 7:30 pm, and all Shabbat Morning services
commence at 9:30 am. Shabbat Morning service will generally be preceded by
Torah study and light refreshments at 8:45 am. Check calendar below or website
for details. And PLEASE READ YOUR EMAILS AND SNAIL MAIL LETTERS FROM BETH
MEIER!
Dedications
and calendar follow below. For complete listings and lots of other
information about our community, see our website at:
Please feel
free to pass this on to a friend, and please cite the source.
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BEARING AND SHARING THE BURDEN
"How (eikhah in Hebrew) can I alone bear your
vexation and your burden and your strife?" Deuteronomy 1:12
Rashi: "Even if I were to say that I will do so in order to
receive a reward, I may not do so."
Rashi offers the traditional Jewish take on the limits of personal
responsibility. One is actually forbidden to voluntarily take on a burden that
might be greater than one can bear, even (especially?) if one does so in order
to receive a reward from God and/or the community. One may not voluntarily
injure oneself (except to save a life); also, too much responsibility assumed
by one person can actually do damage to the community.
But what happens when one refuses to accept any share of the
burden for communal needs? R. Yosef Yozl Horowitz takes Rashi's comment and
stands it on its head. He says, "Traditionally, this verse is read to the
melody of Lamentations (Megillat Eikhah, from the first word of
Lamentations), to teach us that if a person refuses to assume the
responsibility for community needs, and thinks that by doing so he makes things
easier for himself, he will in the end find out that matters will be worse for
him, and he will remain alone and isolated. How (eikhah) does one dwell
alone?" (From Itturei Torah) As John Donne said:
“No man is an island entire of itself.”
We are forbidden to take on so much responsibility that we become
a burden on the community. On the other hand, we are forbidden to neglect our
obligations to the community. These two teachings together offer a great
insight, summed up by Rabbi Tarfon: "You are not obligated to finish the
task, neither are you free to neglect it." Avot 2:21 If we share the
burden, it's easier to bear. That's community spirit!
Shabbat Shalom! And have a meaningful fast.
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: 7:39 pm
Friday – Shabbat Evening
Service – 8:00 pm. Oneg Shabbat follows.
Saturday – Shabbat Morning Service –
10:00 am. Kiddush luncheon follows.
Monday – Tisha B’Av Service – 8:00
pm. Reading of Megillat Eicha – Book of Lamentations. AT TEMPLE
Tuesday – Tisha B’Av - NO
Lunch and Learn! Resume August 8.
This d’var torah is offered in memory of my
grandmother, Sarah Flom, whose yahrzeit is 10 Av (next Wednesday) and in memory
of Lynn’s grandmother, Martha Stern, whose yahrzeit is 12 Av (next Friday). May
their memories be blessings.
This d'var torah
is offered for a refuah shleimah for Avi Shmuel Yosef Hakohen ben Bella, Yaakov
Rani Ben Margalit, HaRav Tzvi Hersh ben Frimet, Sarah bat Devorah,
Susan Arbetman, 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), Leonard Foint (Eliezer Moshe ben
Esther), Jerry Forman, Myra Goodman, Simon Hartman, Kerry Katz, 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!
Cyber
Torah list management:
To subscribe to
Cyber Torah, send an e-mail from the receiving address to: ravflom@sbcglobal.net with the heading
“Subscribe Cyber Torah”.
To unsubscribe from
Cyber Torah, send an e-mail from the receiving address to: ravflom@sbcglobal.net with the heading
“Unsubscribe Cyber Torah”.
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.
