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TGIS: Thank G-d It’s Shabbat
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Shalom Friends!
It is hard to believe that Yom Kippur is over. After the days of Awe, weeks of anticipation, and months of preparation we stand on the other side of this Great Day, and I for one feel both great relief and great privilege to have shared this day with you all and achieved atonement. Once again, my sincere thanks for all of the thousands of hours of work – and more importantly, all of the heart and soul – that went into crafting a truly special experience.
I have been thinking for some time about the issues of identity and sacrifice. In the past, Jewish identity was something very fundamental to every Jew, which is not something that we can take for granted today. As Richard Joel, former President of Yeshiva University put it, “This is the first generation in which being Jewish is an option, rather than a fact.” Today, there are many different things that compete for our identity – are we Apple people or Android people? Liverpool or Manchester United? Pro-Trump or Anti-Trump? The list goes on about the way in which we define ourselves by the positions we take and products we consume in our world and circles of engagement. The upshot is that if we still desire people to make real commitment – and consequently real sacrifice – for their Judaism, that it needs to be a core and important part of their identity, of how they see themselves and explain whom they are.
My 2 minute Parsha for Sukkot is called “The Mutual Relationship” and you can find it here. This week I discuss the dynamics of the Sukkah (Hashem giving to us) and the Lulav and Etrog (us being proactive in our relationship with Him). I hope you’ll enjoy it!
Simchat Torah is coming and it will be very special indeed to celebrate with our community and Sifrei Torah. We didn’t know that last Simchat Torah would be the last time that we would dance with our old Sifrei Torah, but even if we had known, I don’t think that there was anything we would, could or should have differently. We give the greatest honour and respect to the Torah in our celebrations and I can’t wait to do so again this year. Make sure to book! This year we’ll have more space to dance than ever and will be continuing our partnership with Bnei Akiva and Yeshiva College for a truly uplifting celebration.
As I announced on Yom Kippur, our celebrants for this year are:
Chattan Torah: Phillip Weinstein
Chattan Bereishit: Lance Katz
Eishet Chayil: Ma’ayan Jowell
Chattan Ne’arim: Jethro Klitzner
A hearty Mazaltov to you and your families all!
It’s funny that the English language has the expression “no rest for the wicked”, which is in stark contrast to the Torah approach. The Rabbinic version is צדיקים אין להם מנוחה, “the righteous have no rest,” although this is an adaptation of the earlier Talmudic distum of B’rachot 64a: תלמידי חכמים אין להם מנוחה לא בעולם הזה ולא בעולם הבא – Torah scholars have no rest, not in this world and not in the world to come. The idea is that we are placed on this earth to be productive and achieve good things – not to sit around. This is certainly felt with the rush for Sukkot after Yom Kippur. We have Sukkot to build, Lulavim and Etrogim to acquire, meals to prepare, guests to invite, and shiurim and drashot to research – and only a few days in which to do it! But the idea is that we are taking the momentum of holiness of Yamim Noraim and carrying it through into Sukkot, not allowing it to dissipate. And I love the energy of Sukkot in our Shul – especially after the intensity of Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, it is relaxed, convivial and genuinely joyous. Come and join us!
And my the way – if you’re wondering where the phrase “no rest for the wicked” originates – it is a mistranslation of Yishayahu/Isaiah. He actually says in 54:21 אֵ֣ין שָׁל֔וֹם אָמַ֥ר אֱלֹק֖י לָרְשָׁעִֽים There is no Peace, says my God, for the wicked. There is a great difference between having no rest and no peace! I’ll leave you to ponder the difference and perhaps expand at some in one of the many drashot that I have ahead of me!
Aviva, Shalva, Tzuriya, Azriel and I wish you a Shabbat Shalom.
Rabbi Sam Thurgood
Rebuild Committee Update
The Rebuild Committee will resume weekly updates in November.
Torah Reading Page Numbers | Ha’azinu; Succot; Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah
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Haftorah 1246 1356 952 984
Shabbat Times | Ha’azinu; Succot; Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah
Please consult your High Holidays Calendar for all Yom Tov Times |
Weekday Times
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Announcements | Ha’azinu; Succot; Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah
The Rabbi, Rebbetzin, Chairman, Executive and Committee wish you Shabbat Shalom.
Mazal Tov to Hymie Kestan who is celebrating his second Bar Mitzvah on Shabbat 12 October.
Mazal Tov to Sol Zieff who is celebrating his 80th birthday on second day Succot, Tuesday 15 October.
Mazal Tov to Ariella Landau who is celebrating her Bat Mitzvah on Shabbat 19 October.
The Kiddush Bracha this week is kindly being sponsored by Hymie and Rhona Kestan to celebrate Hymie’s second Bar Mitzvah.
The Kiddush Bracha on Second Day Succot is kindly being sponsored by Sol and Joan Zieff to celebrate Sol’s 80th birthday with the community. Sol will recite the Haftorah on Second Day Succot.
The Kiddush Bracha on Shabbat 19 October, Chol Hamoed Succot is kindly being sponsored by Alex and Hayley Landau to celebrate Ariella’s Bat Mitzvah.
Mincha changes to 6:30pm from Sunday 13 October.
A member of our community needs to transport a Sefer Torah to Johannesburg. If you are able to assist please let Wendy know.
The Mikveh at Chabad, 20 St Johns Road Sea Point will be open for use for men on Tuesday 8 October, Erev Yom Kippur from 7am – 4pm. Thereafter it will be closed.
Succah decorating for kids with June Hayman this Thursday 10 October from 4:30 to 6pm.
If you require Schach for your Succah, please call Ziad on 079 660 2747 to place your order and he will deliver.
The entrance from Regent Road will not be available on first night Succot.
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The Arthurs Road Mikveh is undergoing renovations and will re-open on 2 March 2020. Please contact Bev Coblentz on 072 954 8242 to arrange booking at the St John’s Road Mikveh.
- The Kaylim Mikveh at Arthur’s Road will not be in use during the Mikveh renovations. The public should use the sea (no tidal pools or river) to toyval their Kaylim.
- Schedule re times for use of Mikveh before Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur by men and women will be conveyed in due course.
Join our community info WhatsApp group to keep informed of all things Morasha over WhatsApp: http://bit.ly/MorashaWhatsapp
Shabbat services: Herzlia Weizmann Primary School Hall. Entrance 40 Kloof Rd or 65 Regent Rd.
Please note that the gate on Kloof Road will be closed from 13:30 on Shabbat and will open again before Mincha.
Weekday Mincha/Maariv: Sephardi Shul. Entrance 40 Kloof (parking available) or 65 Regent Roads.
Weekday Shacharit: Sunday, Monday and Thursday in Sephardi Hall; Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday in Sephardi Shul. Entrance 65 Regent Road only.
Join Junie-Punie for great Children’s Services every Shabbat at 10:15am – share brachot, Parsha of the week and special Children’s stories. All ages up to Grade R.
Join The Dream Team at 10:15am on the AstroTurf for children’s service.
YahrzeitsThe Yahrzeit begins the evening before the date
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Birthdays
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Anniversaries
| Ray and Avis Schur | Wednesday 16 October |
| Benjamin and Jillian Friedman | Sunday 20 October |
Weekly Learning
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Security | Ha’azinu; Succot; Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah
As per special setup for Yom Tov
Meet the Family
Every week, we feature a member or family of Beit Midrash Morasha and tell you a little about them. If you would like to be featured, or if you have a suggestion of someone whom you would like featured, please let us know!
| CONTACT US E: info@morasha.co.za T: 021 434 8680 F: 021 434 3014 |
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