Adar 4, 5780 / February 28-29, 2020
Parashat T’rumah
Torah: Exodus 25:1 – 27:19
Haftarah: 1 Kings 5:26 – 6:13
NEWS FLASH!
PURIM IS COMING!
Anyone who wishes to take part
in our annual Purimspiel (Beach Boys theme) is invited to come for to our next rehearsal
– Tuesday, March 3 at 7:00 pm. Contact Rebecca Marcus at rebecca.marcus@hotmail.com for
info, including script and music. No one will be turned away. Purim dinner, spiel
and megillah reading will be Monday, March 9, at 6:30 pm. Rebecca Marcus
for putting together and directing this year’s spiel!
Calendar and dedications
follow below. For a full calendar of events and other info about Temple B’nai
Hayim/Congregation Beth Meier, check out: http://www.bnaihayim.com
Please feel free to pass
this on to a friend, and please cite the source.
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EXPLORING THE GARDEN
"And you will make
curtains of goats’ hair to be a covering of the sanctuary; you shall make
eleven curtains.” Exodus 26:7
Rabbi Yitzchak Nissenboim
offers the following comment: “All the beauty of the sanctuary was inside –
gold-covered beams, blue and scarlet curtains, gold vessels with precious
stones, etc. But outside was a covering of simple goats’ hair. This is to
teach us that one’s principal beauty should remain inside, with no conspicuous
display of one’s wealth, so that jealousy and hatred will not be aroused.”
It is curious that he
sees wealth as a form of beauty, although both wealth and physical beauty can
be the objects of jealousy and hatred. What I see here is something a bit
different. There is the idea that what lies within a person is the true essence
– if physical beauty (or plainness or ugliness) is only skin deep,
then looks can be deceiving. Outward appearance gives no indication of the
depths of personality, intelligence and character - they do not manifest
themselves on the surface.
As with people, so also with
the Torah. We might read verses about the design of the sanctuary and wonder
what any of this has to do with us in our modern world. Not every verse of the
Torah is immediately uplifting. The externalities, the plain meaning of the
text may do little to motivate us, or charge our spiritual batteries.
The Rabbis used the word
“pardes” (an ancient Persian word for a walled garden, the root of the word
“paradise”) as an acronym to describe the Torah and its depths – P’shat
(simple or obvious meaning), Remez (hint, allegory), D’rash
(drawn out, homiletic) and Sod (secret, mystical). Peeling away the
layers (the method used above) allows one to explore and enjoy the complexities
of Torah – and of our fellow human beings!
The inner beauties can be
found – if we dig deeply and long enough. And getting to know more on the way
is just as enjoyable and rewarding.
Have a wonderful Shabbat!
HaRav HaGaon HaTzaddik Abba Reuven ben Menachem Mendel Flom, Sh’lita
Der Heileger Sherman
Oaks Rebbe
Av Beis Din – Chelm
Purim Shpieler
Slivovitz Taste Tester
משנכנס אדר, מרבין
בשמחה
From the beginning of Adar, we increase
joy.
BT Ta’anit 29a
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Candle lighting: 5:30 pm
Friday: Shabbat Rocks! Evening
Service – with Reb Jason and the
Shul of Rock - 6:30 pm. Oneg Shabbat follows.
Saturday: Torah study/breakfast - 8:45
am. Shabbat Morning Service – 9:30 am. Kiddush Luncheon
follows.
Sunday: Religious School – 9:30 am. Adult
education Classes - David Silon’s "History of Israel and
the Middle East" class meets at 11:00 am. Rabbi Flom’s “(Re)Introduction
to Judaism” will resume March 15.
Tuesday: Lunch and Learn -
12:30 pm. NOTE TIME CHANGE Purimspiel Rehearsal – 7:00 pm. We need more
people! Everyone welcome to participate!
Friday, March 6: Cool Shabbat Evening
Service with Steve Pearlman – 6:30 pm. Oneg Shabbat follows.
Saturday, March 7: Torah
study/breakfast - 8:45 am. Shabbat
Morning Service – 9:30 am. Kiddush Luncheon follows.
Sunday, March 8: Religious
School hamentaschen bake and Mishloach Manot assembly – 9:30 am. David Silon’s "History
of Israel and the Middle East" class meets at 11:00 am.
Monday, March 9: Purim Dinner, Purimspiel, and
Megillat Esther reading – 6:30 pm. RSVP a must for the dinner.
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, Chanah bat Minnie Leah, Leah bat
Sarah Imanu, Sarah bat Devorah, Susan Arbetman, Ken Bitticks, Elsbet Brosky,
Mark Brownstein, Jerry Daniels, Maya Fersht (Maya bat Esther), Dr. Samuel
Fersht (Shmuel Natan ben Gittel), Bernard Garvin, Leah Granat, Gabor Klein,
Philip Kronzek, Tonya Kronzek (Zlata Malkah bat Sarah Imanu), Martin Lee,
Barbara Levy, Gail Neiman, Sandra Raab, Josef Sands, Shirley Sands, Gina
Seeman, Debra Schugar Strauss (Devorah bat Chaya Feiga), Helen Schugar (Chaya
Feiga bat Kreina), and William Sragow.
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.
