Shabbat Newsletter - December 24, 2021

Shabbat Shalom!

Services for this weekend

All Zoom links have migrated to our webpage! Click here to get there!

WWW.SHIRCHADASH.ORG

Kabbalat Shabbat

Friday, 4 PM

ON ZOOM ONLY

Shabbat Morning Services

Saturday, 9:30 AM

In person and live-streamed

Minyan with Men's Club

Sunday, 9:15 AM

In person in the Chapel,

followed by breakfast.

Also available on Zoom

Torah Tidbits

Shemot

“I will turn away and see this great sight, why the bush is not consumed” [Ex. 3.3].

It is said that the Ba’al Shem Tov derived a lesson in teshuvah from the episode of the burning bush. In Exodus 3.3, Moses says, “I will turn away and see this great sight, why the bush is not consumed.” Moses has an audience with God and turns away? Unusual word “turn away” – (check out Rashi!). Rashi writes “turn away here and come close there.” This is what teshuvah is, said the Ba’al Shem Tov, getting unstuck. It’s about movement and transformation, it’s not about arriving, but about approaching; it’s not about destinations but about journeys; not about arrivals at all, but about roads; not about achieving, but about being; not about performance, but about effort; to move from here and come close to there. It’s not even about sin, it’s about change. We celebrate the journey when we make teshuvah. When we lose our way, we are taught that the right path calls us back, when we lose our way the roads go into mourning. This is especially true of the hard case scenario, of every difficult transformation, every startling teshuvah. One moment to the next might conceal the transformation that is possible for everyone. We tend to think of teshuvah like the Rambam and Rabbeinu Yona, as deep and methodical and sequential, but the Zohar tells us it can happen “in a moment.” This means that you never give up on anyone. This means that the possibilities for repair and reconciliation, transformation and reclamation, teshuvah, are always present. You never give up on anyone. Especially the hard case stories. I am such a story. If I could get it, anybody could get it.

- Reb Stavisker (James Stone Goodman)

Torah Service Prayer

Here is the new prayer we have created for our Torah service. Thank you to Elliot Finkelstein for the idea! Please join in from home.

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Nishmat Kol Hai, Breath of Life

bless the people of this community

their families and their friends

here and at home.

HaShekhinah, Beloved One

bless our neighbors in this city

may we live in harmony

may we be proud of each other.

HaTzur, Protecting One

bless this country, its government,

all who strive for its welfare

all who risk themselves to protect it.

Elohei Avoteinu, God of our ancestors

bless the land of Israel

may it flourish in hope and in honor

spread over it a shelter of peace.

Ma’ayan Hayyenu, Wellspring of our lives,

bless the Jewish people

may we be ambassadors of our tradition

may we be spared from distress and shame.

Hamakom, All-present One

bless the world and all that is in it

help us defend it and preserve it

for the generations that will follow us.

May all this be so,

And we say,

Amen.

Click here to view in PDF form and print prior to Shabbat

Parashat Shemot

Torah: Exodus 4:18 - 6:1

Maftir: Exodus 5:22- 6:1

Haftarah: Isaiah 27:6 - 28:13; 29:22-23

The Torah reading for this week is in the panel above. If you do not have a Humash at home you can find it on the link below. We are reading Triennial Year 3, but you might like to read the full portion (“Full Kriyah”).

Brochure

Our Shabbat brochure with yahrzeits and simchas for this week is attached. You might wish to take special notice of those who are sick and take a moment to direct your thoughts towards them.