What's the Spiel? - Shabbat Mevarchim

In this week's parsha, Parshat Bechukotai, we learn about the Tochacha, the seven-fold series of devastating curses which will befall the Jewish people should they not follow the Torah, its precepts, laws and commandments. However, before the curses are enumerated, God tells the people all of the good they will receive for being faithful, as it says, "If you will follow My decrees and observe My commandments and perform them; then I will provide your rains in their time, and the land will give its produce and the tree of the field will give its fruit. Your threshing will last until the vintage, and the vintage will last until the sowing; you will eat your bread to satiety and you will dwell securely in your land. I will provide peace in the land, and you will lie down with none to frighten you...a sword will not cross your land" (Vayikra 26:3-6).

If God promises that there will be "peace in the land," why then does the Torah add, "a sword will not cross your land?" If peace is established in the land, surely there would be no need for swords! Rashi, based on the Torat Kohanim, interprets the seemingly superfluous words, "a sword will not cross your land," to mean that not only will the swords of foreign armies "not come for war [against your land]. But [what is more, they will not come] even to cross by way of your land from one country to another country." In other words, foreign armies will not pass through Eretz Yisrael to attack some other destination. Chazal, however, offer a different explanation of "a sword will not cross your land." According to the Talmud, these words mean, "even a sword of peace will not cross your land" (B. Talmud, Taanit 22b). Based on this interpretation of the Talmud, Rabbi Yehonatan Eybeschutz notes that "It seems that even a sword of peace will not cross the land in a time of peace, because the mere sight of sword, even if shown for peaceful purposes by traversing armies, would frighten the inhabitants of the land into serving God. The people would feel coerced into serving God out of fear of the sword; as physically seeing a sword would make a deeper emotional impact on a person than simply imagining it. The fear caused by seeing the sword of peace would be enough to manipulate the people into serving God. Yet, serving God out of fear is not the sort of service God desires. However, when the people walk in God's ways out of love and an inner, personal sense of reverence, there is no need to display a sword which only inspires an external fear" (Tiferet Yehonatan, Parshat Bechukotai, 167). While, the sword of peace which "will not cross the land" means the sword of a peaceful army, it could also be understood on a deeper level, to mean that the day will come when religious coercion, intimidating people into following the Torah, will never again be considered an effective way to inspire religious commitment. Instead, by being faithful to God through our actions, we will come to serve God out of genuine love, motivated by nothing except our affection and deeply rooted, inner sense of awe of the Creator.

Forcing people into religious behavior through fear is not only ineffective, extremely dangerous, and harmful, it also damages a person's ability to truly have an authentic relationship with God and Torah. Instead of leading with "the sword," even if it is meant for peace, we should always remember, "a gentle word allays wrath, but a harsh word provokes anger" (Mishlei 15:1). By living lives which demonstrate the grandeur of Torah, by setting positive examples for others to observe, we can strengthen our faith while at the same time, inspire others to develop their own. Just as God is a God of mercy and love, so too should we, His people, emulate those same divine attributes, committing ourselves to living lives of holiness which inspire holiness, and living lives which teach ourselves and others that, "[the Torah's] ways are pleasant ways, and all of her paths, peaceful" (Mishlei 3:17).

Shabbat Shalom

-Rabbi Dan

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Schedule of Services

at B'nai Abraham

We encourage everyone to daven privately when unable to attend services. Use the private time to connect to Hashem. Public prayer definitely adds to our prayer experience. Yet we also have the capacity to create a profoundly meaningful private experience with the Divine. Let us seek such an experience in the coming days.

Friday Night

Candle Lighting

no later than 8:07PM

Mincha & Kabbalat Shabbat

7:30PM

Saturday

Shacharit

9:00AM

Kids Service

10:30AM

Mincha/Maariv

8:05PM

Havdallah

9:07PM

Sunday

Shacharit

8:20AM

Monday - Thursday

Shacharit

7:05AM

Mincha & Ma'ariv - Contact Us: 512-410-0336

CTI Announcements

CTI Launches Operation Todah Texas

Todah means Thank You in Hebrew and Congregation Tiferet Israel (CTI), Austin’s Modern Orthodox Synagogue, based on the Dell Jewish Community Campus, is spearheading a communitywide initiative to express gratitude to the thousands of Texas Air and Army National Guardsmen and women deployed on the U.S.-Mexico border during Operation Lone Star.

CTI ‘s Rabbi Daniel Millner is one of them. A Texas Air National Guard Chaplain holding the rank of Major, Rabbi Millner is expected to spend most of the next four months providing pastoral and other support to Guard members of all faiths separated from their families, jobs and communities during the border emergency. Rabbi Dan is the sole Jewish chaplain currently deployed along the Rio Grande border.

Working with the Rabbi, a group of CTI congregants, including several who have been deployed overseas in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere, have come together to encourage fellow congregants and community members to write “thank you” letters to the troops for their service and sacrifice.

“Delivering letters from fellow Texans expressing gratitude, would really have a big impact on troop morale in what has been and will likely continue to be a tough and unprecedented mission,” Rabbi Dan explained.

The current plan is to ask individuals and families to write cards and letters on their own and drop them off in standard envelopes at the Security Guard station when entering the Dell Jewish Community Campus between 8 AM-6 PM daily.

No gifts, packages, boxes or oversized or padded envelopes can be accepted or delivered.

A CTI Operation Todah Texas Committee member will collect the cards and letters weekly and arrange to get them to Rabbi Millner who will personally distribute them to troops along the border.

Thank you for your support of Operation Todah Texas.

If you have any questions, please email OperationTodahTexas@gmail.com

Sample Letter

Dear Texas National Guardsman,

My name is XXXX XXXXX and I am writing from [Name of Congregation or Shalom Austin] in Austin to thank you for your service in Operation Lone Star.

We deeply appreciate all you are doing to keep our fellow Texans safe during the current border crisis. Your families and communities are also in our thoughts and prayers during your deployment.

We are extremely grateful for your sacrifice and wish you a safe and speedy return home to your loved ones.

With gratitude,

Name(s)

Note: You can choose to include a personal return address if you wish or simply write Operation Todah Texas on the front of the envelope.

Tehillim Class, 7 PM Mondays (on Zoom)

Many people find solace in times of pain or stress by reciting Psalms, but even greater depths of meaning can be found in studying and analyzing the words of the holy poems themselves. In Rabbi Belsky’s Tehillim class, we unpack the poetry and imagery of the psalms, gaining a greater understanding of this book, which includes within it the full range of human experience, and has sustained our religious lives as Jews for millennia.

CTI Welcomes Rabbi Stephen Belsky

While Rabbi Dan is on deployment at Operation Lone Star, Rabbi Stephen Belsky will serve as interim rabbi for the Congregation, meeting its halakhic, spiritual and pastoral needs. We are excited to learn from and grow with Rabbi Belsky during his three-month association with CTI, and we welcome him with open arms! Baruch HaBah!

Rabbi Stephen Belsky grew up in the seaside fishing village of Brooklyn, NY, but has spent the last dozen years of his life in Michigan, surrounded by the Great Lakes. A graduate of the Pardes Educators Program and Yeshivat Chovevei Torah, he has taught both children and adults at schools, synagogues, and other institutions; and when he isn't on the road working as an eruv builder, he is a regular speaker and teacher in Detroit's Modern Orthodox community. He loves language, speculative fiction, and the prophetic poems of doom in Tanakh, and is excited to have this opportunity to spend the summer with CTI.

CTI Yizkor Book

As we approach Shavuot, CTI will again be publishing our special annual Yizkor booklet for use on Shavuot, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, and Pesach, when we take time to remember our dearly departed loved ones.

Please take this opportunity to inscribe those who you would like to remember in our Yizkor booklet. In prior years, we have suggested a $10 donation per inscription, but any amount you feel comfortable giving as tzedakah is fine.

To ensure we have sufficient time to publish the new Yizkor booklet, please complete and submit the online form at https://www.tiferetaustin.org/yizkor-book2022 no later than Tuesday, May 24th.

If you prefer to pay by check, please provide the information requested from the online form to Eric Shapiro via email and mail your check to:

Congregation Tiferet Israel

PO Box 27254

Austin, TX 78755-2254

Please indicate “Yizkor Book” in the memo section of your check. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Eric at eshapiro590@gmail.com.

Shalom Austin Mask Policy Update

Given the significant decline in the occurrence of COVID cases in the Travis County area (which is currently listed as being in Stage 2, and continuously dropping), the Medical Committee has unanimously agreed that:

Masks should no longer be mandatory at any CTI-related functions
Kiddush can move back inside, without any restrictions
Individuals who feel safer wearing masks at Shul-related events should feel free to continuing doing so
Anyone who has symptoms should NOT attend synagogue.

As always, we will continue to review and address the situation related to COVID on an as—needed basis, and make updated recommendations, as necessary.

As a service to the wider community, the Orthodox Union has researched various online platforms and has organized, collected and curated many key resources in one centralized location for your convenience. Please visit together.ou.org for a wide range of information covering the following areas: Adults, Leadership, Parenting, Seniors & Elders, Technology, Torah and Youth. Check back at together.ou.org as updates will occur regularly.

Classes currently on hold. Watch tiferetaustin.org for when classes will resume.

CTI is virtually open for all classes! Attend online with video and audio, or join through phone call alone. Visit tiferetaustin.org for more information on how to join these exciting classes:

TYT Tuesday Night

The Book of Judges

Tuesday 7:00pm

The Book of Judges teaches us about unexpected and underestimated spiritual and political leadership. Prior to the establishment of the Jewish monarchy, the nation was constantly enmeshed in fighting foreign enemies, spiritual and moral backsliding, oppression, as well as tribal in-fighting. It was a vicious cycle. The Judges came about in order to resolve these political, spiritual and moral issues and to set the people on the right track. Who were the Judges of Israel? How were they chosen, and why? While names like Shimshon, Devorah, Gidon and Yeftach may be familiar, their stories, complex personalities and murky legacies require a great deal of study. In this brand new TYT series, we will explore the life and times of the Judges of Israel – who they were, what they did, and what their contributions to Jewish history are all about. You won’t want to miss out on learning about these early leaders of the Jewish people, whose stories and personalities are as captivating as their contributions to the Jewish people are timeless.

TYT Wednesday Mornings

The Book of Second Samuel

Wednesday 8:15am

Come and join the TYT community and learn about the life and times of King David! II Samuel explores how a young David establishes both his kingdom and his kingship. Despite great promise, potential and ability, David is nevertheless beset by external and internal enemies, fighting both physical and spiritual wars. Come and see how David struggles to unite a broken and battered kingdom, establish a capital city and win the support of his people, while at the same time, striving to remain true to God’s Torah and lead a righteous life. No longer the ruddy youth, playing the harp and running for his life, II Samuel takes us through the long journey of David’s maturation process, omitting nothing, all the while exploring larger questions of morality, repentance, power and politics. While we extol David as one of the greatest Jewish heroes and leaders of all time, this book will frame his life and story in its proper context, look under the surface, and examine the complex personality of King David! This class meets each Wednesday morning, except of Jewish holidays, at 8:15am.

Mishne Torah k'Seder Friday Mornings

Mishne Torah k'Seder

Friday 8:15am

Come and join Rabbi Dan on Friday mornings at 8:15am for an in-depth exploration of the Rambam's Mishne Torah. This class will go through the Rambam's classic work on halakha (Jewish law), in a way which both engages and transforms the reader on a spiritual and intellectual level. Why did the Rambam write the Mishne Torah? What was he trying to achieve? How does the Rambam's interpretation of Jewish law, theology, history and culture differ from his rabbinic contemporaries who also wrote comprehensive Jewish legal works? What were some of the great disputes this work sparked, and why? You don't want to miss out on this great opportunity to learn what the Mishne Torah is all about.

Questions? Suggestions? Interested in Volunteering? Please contact our Committee Chairpersons.

Finance Committee: Larry Smith

Fundraising Committee: Alana Pompa

Membership Committee: Sarah Wander

Chesed Committee: Lynn Kane

Kiddush Committee: Henna Tatham

Ritual Committee: Eric Shapiro

For those new to the community, check out this introductory video

featuring Rabbi Dan and a few of our wonderful CTI community members!

Birthdays

Sandra Sack on May 29

Yuval Shavit on May 29

Elizabeth Wander on June 2

Anniversaries

Stuart & Suzanne Newberg on May 28

Bet

If you have any birthdays or anniversaries you would

like to add, please update your profile on our website.

Yahrzeit Remembrances

Ezra Rubin, Great Grandfather of Rick Goldberg, on Saturday 27 Iyyar

Lenore Weinberg, Mother of Barb Altman, on Sunday 28 Iyyar

If you have a Yahrzeit that you would like the congregation to acknowledge, or if you have a correction that needs to be made, please update your profile on our website.

DONATIONS

Thank you to anonymous donors

Thank you Benjamin Heyen for his donation to the General Fund

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We encourage you to use electronic payments by credit card or eCheck through CTI's website at www.tiferetaustin.org when fulfilling the mitzvah of giving Tzedakah to mark family events and milestones, including Yahrzeits, and in honor of CTI and our community.

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Spiel sponsorships are now available for a donation of $18. Advertise your business or dedicate an issue of the spiel in memory of a loved one or to celebrate a Simcha. Contact admin for more details.

Donations can be made via our website at www.tiferetaustin.org, by pressing "Make a Donation" in the sidebar, using the "Donate to CTI" button on the top left of this email, or by sending your check to: Tiferet Israel P.O. Box 27254, Austin, TX 78755. Please make check payable to Tiferet Israel and please indicate what the donation is for.

Refuah Shelayma to:

Allene Novy-Portnoy; Hannah Bassa bat Sarah Osnat
Avshalom ben Hannah Bassa
Cindy Newman
Janet Goldberg; Shayna Masha bat Chasha Mina
Ken Friedman
Rebecca Millner; Rivkah bat Shoshana
Sheina Ruchel bat Henya Leah
Tzvi David ben Rivka Golda
Yoel Simcha ben Chaya Risha
Sulta bat Nedgma
Zvi Aharon ben Bayla
Yaira bat Sarah
Tamar bat Chaya
Ilana bat Gheita
HaRav Avram Meir ben Eli Yosef v'Shira Chanah.
Rabbi Harold Liebowitz, Ha Rav Chaim Alter ben Necha.
Baruch Akiva Ben Rivka
Miriam bat Helen
Rivka Michal bat Sarah Chana
Lori Garza

Shoshana bat Yocheved
Miriam bat Rachel v'Mordechai
Alta Shoshana bat Shulamit
Meir Psachia ben Tziril
Geni Berman Abitbol
Beilya Golda bat Leah
Yosef Yehoshua ben Sarah
Jonathan Malawer (Yosef ben Bracha)
Bowie Alarcon
Fivel ben Sarah HaLevi
Adam ben Chanah
Rafael ben Sheindal Leah
Aharon Asher ben Chaya Naomi
Esther Malka Fraida bat Serel Chaya Raiza
Kalev Boaz Chai ben Aliza
Esther Reva bat Malka
Avraham ben Rut
Peter Janson, Fievel ben Devorah
Sheva Eva bat Bella.
Dorit Iken, Dorit Chana bat Orah
Moshe ben Rut
Shulkah Malka bat Tziporah
Yehudit bat Sara
Chandal bat Basia
Shmuel Dovid bat Malka
Anthony Ben Devorah
Shayna Leah bat Yehudit

Wishing all Cholei Yisrael a Refuah Shlayma.

Dear Tiferet Friends,

If you placed a name on the Refuah Shelayma list and G-d willing the person is well,

please let us know. Also, if you have a friend or family member who needs

prayers for healing, again please let us know at admin@tiferetaustin.org

Using the CTI Website

Logging in is easy via the login button at the top of the web page. Your login ID is your email address.

Once logged in, many of the fields are pre-filled for you, to make it easier and quicker to register for an event or make a donation, and so on.

But that's not all! You will also have access to the online Member Directory, the CTI Bylaws, the minutes of Board meetings and the President,Treasurer and Rabbi Reports and other documents, all under the Resources tab. With more coming all the time!

If you have any questions or comments about the website, please contact our webmaster at admin@tiferetaustin.org.