Torah: Deuteronomy 21:10 - 25:19
Haftarah: Isaiah 54:1-10 (Fifth Haftarah of Consolation)
Haftarah: Isaiah 54:1-10 (Fifth Haftarah of Consolation)
Elul 9, 5780 / August 28-29, 2020
Candle-lighting for Friday, August 28: 7:05 PM PDT
This d'var Torah is offered in memory of Florence Levinson, who passed away on Wednesday. Funeral arrangements are pending. Y'hi zikhronah liv'rakhah - May her memory be blessing.
Our Refuah Shleimah list can be found at:
Links to all of our on-line activities can be found below.
For the past few years, I have created a Cheshbon Hanefesh Worksheet, to help get
us ready for the spiritual side of the High Holy Days (sorry, no recipes or
floral arrangements!). You can download it from my blog at:
Rosh HaShanah is three weeks from now! Please submit your
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And check your snail mail for our High Holy Day bulletin.
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and programs, please contact Reb Jason Van Leeuwen or Rabbi Richard Flom.
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chant Torah and Haftarah, daven, lead English readings, and, have aliyot and
other honors. Contact Rabbi Flom or Susan Burke by e-mail for details and to
sign up!
Please feel free to pass this on to a friend, and please cite
the source.
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THE FORGETTING COMMANDMENTS
"When you reap the harvest in your field and forget a sheaf
in the field, do not return to take it; it shall be for the stranger, orphan
and widow, in order that the Lord your God will bless you in all the work of
your hand. When you beat your olive trees, do not go over them again; it
shall be for the stranger, orphan and widow. When you harvest your
vineyard, do not pick it over again; it shall be for the stranger, orphan and
widow. And you will remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt;
therefore I command you to do this thing." Deuteronomy 24:19-22
In these verses, as well as in Leviticus 19:9-10 and 23:22
("for the poor and for the stranger"), we are told to intentionally
leave grain, olives and grapes - basic foodstuffs which are also, not
coincidentally, essential for offering the basic sacrifices to God. These are
the necessities of the Israelites' physical and spiritual lives. And yet,
according to the Rabbis, the commandment to leave forgotten sheaves in the field
is the only commandment in the Torah that, in a way, can be fulfilled
unintentionally.
There are several rabbinic tales in which people celebrate the
fact that they forgot sheaves in the field. But how can they celebrate
unless they remember? It seems that what they are celebrating is that they
"remembered" to forget! Sheaves on the ground? Forget about
them! Olives still in the trees? Don't go back for them! Unripe
grapes still on the vines? Don't do a second harvest. Forget about them!
This is all about overcoming human nature. When gathering in
the harvest, anyone would be inclined to go back and get as much produce as
possible - it was hard work to grow it, winter is coming, and who knows what
the future will bring? But by remembering what it was like to have
nothing, we can forget about trying to have everything.
These mitzvot can be fulfilled in a different way today. Please make
a generous donation to SOVA, MAZON, or the local food pantry of your choice.
Don’t forget!
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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UPCOMING EVENTS AND OTHER USEFUL INFO!
Join our Kabbalat Shabbat Service, with Reb Jason and Rabbi
Flom this Friday evening at 6:30 pm PDT at:
Join our Shabbat Morning Service with Reb Jason and
Rabbi Flom this Saturday morning at 10:00 am PDT at:
Downloadable and printable Siddur for Kabbalat Shabbat,
Shabbat Ma'ariv, Shabbat Morning, and more, available at:
You can download both Siddur Sim Shalom and Siddur
Lev Shalem at the above link.
For the time being, we will not be posting separate
videos of Torah and Haftarah readings.
Join us every Sunday at 11:00 am
PDT for "History of the Jews of Israel and the Middle
East" with David Silon at:
Join us every Tuesday at 12:30 pm PDT for Lunch
and Learn, a 60 minute study session. We're learning the weekly haftarah. Join
us at:
Study materials for Lunch and Learn on September 1 may be
found at:
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