TAKE A WALK IN GOD’S SHOES

20 Tishrei 5779 / 28-29 September 2018
Shabbat Chol Hamo'ed Sukkot
Torah: Exodus 33:12 - 34:26
Maftir: Numbers 29:26-31
Haftarah: Ezekiel 38:18 - 39:16

Book of Ecclesiastes

22 Tishrei

Sh’mini Atzeret

Torah: Deuteronomy 14:22 – 16:17

Maftir: Numbers 29:35 – 30:1

Haftarah: 1 Kings 8:54-66

23 Tishrei

Simchat Torah

Torah: Deuteronomy 33:1 – 34:12; Genesis 1:1 – 2:3

Maftir: Numbers 29:35 – 30:1

Haftarah: Joshua 1:1-18

Dedications follow below. For more information about our community, visit:

www.bnaihayim.com

Some excellent on-line resources are available for Sukkot/Shemini Atzeret/Simchat Torah at:

https://www.myjewishlearning.com/

Please feel free to pass this on to a friend, and please cite the source

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TAKE A WALK IN GOD’S SHOES

'And now, if I have indeed found favor in Your eyes, make Your ways known to me ...'  Exodus 33:13

'The Lord passed before (Moses) and proclaimed: "The Lord, the Lord, God, Compassionate and Gracious, Slow to Anger, and Abundant in Kindness and in Truth; Preserving Mercy for Thousands of Generations; Forgiving Iniquity, Willful Sin, and Error; and Cleansing ..."'  Exodus 34:6-7

In response to Moses' request, God shows God's glory, and describes Godself. These are regarded by Jewish tradition as the Thirteen Attributes of God. The verses are also recited as a prayer on Yom Kippur and other fast and holy days (except Shabbat), when we ask God for mercy. But is it only a prayer?

The early rabbinic text, Sifre, says of the commandment "to walk in all His ways" (Deuteronomy 11:22) - "Just as God is compassionate and gracious, you too must be compassionate and gracious." 
 
This is far more than a prayer that God taught to Moses to be recited at times of crisis. It is a guide to right conduct.

We have just completed the introspective period of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. We are now served up this reminder of what it is that we promised God and ourselves only a week ago - to be better people this year - compassionate, gracious, slow to anger, ....

Perhaps we can't walk in God's ways all of the time. But every journey begins with a single step. Time to lace up those walking shoes!

Have a great Shabbat, and may you spend the remaining days of Sukkot in a "sukkat shalom" - a sukkah of peace.

Rabbi Richard A. Flom

Temple B'nai Hayim/Congregation Beth Meier

Blogging at: http://rav-rich.blogspot.com/

"From the place where we are absolutely right, flowers will never grow in the spring."

"מן המקום שבו אנו צודקים לא יצמחו לעולם פרחים באביב"

Yehuda Amichai

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Candle lighting:

Friday - 6:23 pm

Sunday (Sh’mini Atzeret): 6:20 pm

Monday (Simchat Torah): 7:19 pm

Friday:  Chol HaMo’ed Shabbat Evening Service – 6:30 pm. TBH Sisterhood Sukkot Dinner – 7:45 pm. Reservations a must! $15/adult - $10/ 6-12 – 5 and under/ no charge. Please call the office ASAP to reserve your spot!

Saturday: Torah study/breakfast – 8:45 am – in the sukkah. Chol HaMo’ed Shabbat Morning Service – 9:30 am. Kiddush luncheon follows in the sukkah.

Sunday: Religious School – 9:30 am. Pizza in the Hut at home of Rabbi Flom and Lynn Kronzek – 12:30 pm. No charge, reservations and donations appreciated. Call office for details.

Monday: Sh’mini Atzeret Morning Service with Yizkor – 9:30 am. Light kiddush lunch follows in sukkah. Simchat Torah Celebration – 6:30 pm.

Tuesday: Simchat Torah Morning Service – 9:30 am. Light kiddush lunch follows in sukkah. NO Lunch and Learn – resumes October 9. 

For full schedule for Sukkot, Shemini Atzeret, and Simchat Torah, see:

http://www.bnaihayim.com/calendar.html

Next time you come to TBH/CBM, please bring some non-perishable canned and packaged foods and personal items (no glass) for SOVA.

This d'var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah for Elisheva bat Malkah, Ze’ev ben Adeline, Liora bat Sarah, Eilite bat Miriam, Sarah bat Devorah, Susan Arbetman, Ken Bitticks, Jerry Daniels, Maya Fersht (Maya bat Esther), Dr. Samuel Fersht (Shmuel Natan ben Gittel), Bernard Garvin, Leah Granat, Brandon Joseph, Gabor Klein, Philip Kovac, Tonya Kronzek (Zlata Malkah bat Sarah Emanu), Barbara Levy, Stuart Lytton, David Marks, Debra Schugar Strauss (Devorah bat Chaya Feiga), Helen Schugar (Chaya Feiga bat Kreina), Irwin Silon, William Sragow, and Jonathan Woolf.

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.

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

Send requests for dedications of Cyber Torah in honor of a simchah, in memory of a loved one or for a refuah shleimah to: ravflom@sbcglobal.net

To unsubscribe from Cyber Torah, send an e-mail with the subject heading “Unsubscribe Cyber Torah” to: ravflom@sbcglobal.net