Sivan 21,
5780 / June 12-13, 2020
Torah:
Numbers 8:1 - 12:16
Haftarah: Zechariah 2:14 - 4:7
Haftarah: Zechariah 2:14 - 4:7
Candlelighting:
7:47 pm
Links to all of our on-line activities can be found below.
Please
feel free to pass this on to a friend, and please cite the source.
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THE CHILDREN OF AARON
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THE CHILDREN OF AARON
"Speak to Aaron, saying, 'When you light the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light in front of the menorah (the candlestick).'" Numbers 8:2
The
Midrash, Bamidbar Rabbah, says that Aaron was upset. The heads of all the
tribes, except Levi (the tribe of Aaron and the kohanim, and he was the head of
Levi) had offered sacrifices (see last week’s Parashat Naso). He feared the
Levites were being punished because of his sins. Rather, teaches the Midrash,
Aaron and his descendants were given a greater honor - the lighting of the
menorah in the tabernacle. Sacrifices would be offered only so long as the
Temple stood, but the lamps would always give light in front of the menorah,
and all the blessings God instructed the kohanim to bless the Jews with (see
Naso, Numbers 6:22-27) would never be abolished.
Ramban (Nachmanides), in his commentary, wonders what this really means. After all, the menorah was not lit after the destruction of the Temple - it didn't exist either. He says the reference is to the menorah of Hanukkah, for that would go into exile with the Jews after the destruction, just as the blessings offered originally at the dedication of the desert tabernacle would be given to the Jews forever.
The interesting thing about all of this is that, just as every Jew can (and should!) offer the blessings of the kohanim over his/her children, so is every Jew obligated to light the menorah of Hanukkah every year. The real comfort to Aaron is not simply that his descendants get to light the menorah. It is that all Jews are in a sense his descendants, for we are a "kingdom of priests (mamlekhet kohanim) and a holy nation (goy kadosh)." (Exodus 19:6) We are all Aaron's children - so long as we keep the lights burning and bring blessings to our people.
Shabbat Shalom!
Ramban (Nachmanides), in his commentary, wonders what this really means. After all, the menorah was not lit after the destruction of the Temple - it didn't exist either. He says the reference is to the menorah of Hanukkah, for that would go into exile with the Jews after the destruction, just as the blessings offered originally at the dedication of the desert tabernacle would be given to the Jews forever.
The interesting thing about all of this is that, just as every Jew can (and should!) offer the blessings of the kohanim over his/her children, so is every Jew obligated to light the menorah of Hanukkah every year. The real comfort to Aaron is not simply that his descendants get to light the menorah. It is that all Jews are in a sense his descendants, for we are a "kingdom of priests (mamlekhet kohanim) and a holy nation (goy kadosh)." (Exodus 19:6) We are all Aaron's children - so long as we keep the lights burning and bring blessings to our people.
Shabbat Shalom!
Rabbi
Richard A. Flom
הַלּוֹמֵד מִכָּל
אָדָם ?אֵיזֶהוּ חָכָם
Who
is wise? The one who learns from every person.
Ben
Zoma - Pirkei Avot 4:1
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Condolences
to Jill Cogen on the passing of her husband, Richard Mandell, this past
Shabbat. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the funeral was private and there will
be no shivah minyanim. Y’hi zikhro liv’rakhah – may his memory be a blessing.
The congregation extends condolences to Sanford Albert on the passing of his wife, Candace Albert on Wednesday. Funeral and shivah arrangements are pending. Y'hi zekherah liv'rakhah - may her memory be a blessing.
The congregation extends condolences to Ken Goodman on the passing of his mother, Myra Goodman. Funeral will take place in Florida. Y'hi zekherah liv'rakhah - may her memory be a blessing.
The congregation extends condolences to Sanford Albert on the passing of his wife, Candace Albert on Wednesday. Funeral and shivah arrangements are pending. Y'hi zekherah liv'rakhah - may her memory be a blessing.
The congregation extends condolences to Ken Goodman on the passing of his mother, Myra Goodman. Funeral will take place in Florida. Y'hi zekherah liv'rakhah - may her memory be a blessing.
Our
Refuah Shleimah list is available here:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1iT0tdp45ITSU6o1tykah41m3IXBxBwLxe8FORSIXzDo/edit
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1iT0tdp45ITSU6o1tykah41m3IXBxBwLxe8FORSIXzDo/edit
This
week's Torah readings, chanted by Reb Jason Van Leeuwen and with
commentary by Rabbi Flom, can be viewed here:
https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/play/ucZ5JuD9rz43GN2W4wSDUfV-W9W-Ka-s0CMXqaVbzhuxAncEOlekb7cSZ7215nwczYCC81ii0hjQgI4?startTime=1591908590000&_x_zm_rtaid=LDWtyf1DQl2HsJCSETKrTg.1591929216181.f4aa6b0253f4ce6b8fa8451ee099e60b&_x_zm_rhtaid=734
https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/play/ucZ5JuD9rz43GN2W4wSDUfV-W9W-Ka-s0CMXqaVbzhuxAncEOlekb7cSZ7215nwczYCC81ii0hjQgI4?startTime=1591908590000&_x_zm_rtaid=LDWtyf1DQl2HsJCSETKrTg.1591929216181.f4aa6b0253f4ce6b8fa8451ee099e60b&_x_zm_rhtaid=734
This
week's Haftarah, chanted by Barry Glass, can be viewed here:
https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/play/65Urd-75-j83E9ecsASDBPR8W461e_is1SkYqKUPxRu1WiUAYFauZLcaNLbXZftv3QSlmIw0CmQRc6I4?startTime=1591906241000
https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/play/65Urd-75-j83E9ecsASDBPR8W461e_is1SkYqKUPxRu1WiUAYFauZLcaNLbXZftv3QSlmIw0CmQRc6I4?startTime=1591906241000
Join
our Kabbalat Shabbat Service, with Reb Jason Van Leeuwen and Rabbi Flom
this Friday evening at 6:30 pm PDT on Zoom (Meeting Number 418 318 664) or
at: https://www.facebook.com/BnaiHayim/
Downloadable
and printable Siddur for Kabbalat Shabbat, Shabbat Ma'ariv, Shabbat
Morning, and more, available at:
Join us every Sunday at 11:00 am PDT for "History of the Jews of Israel and the Middle East" with David Silon on Zoom (Meeting Number 637 834 304) or at:
Join
us every Tuesday at 12:30 pm PDT for Lunch and Learn, a 90
minute study session. We're learning the weekly haftarah. Join us on Zoom
(Meeting Number 637 834 304) or at: https://www.facebook.com/BnaiHayim/
Study materials for Lunch and Learn are available at:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/10y8xt65FgmLQGaY8LM4EYHxMMk2ZXhEK?usp=sharing
This
week's Torah Sparks from the Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem is
available here:
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