| Readings | Drash | Announcements | Shabbat Bulletin |
Candle lighting time for Friday, August 27, 7:27
Parashat Ki Tavo
18 Elul, 5770 /August 28, 2010
Triennial Cycle III: Deut. 27:11-29:8
Humash Etz Hayim, page 1146
Haftarah: Isaiah 60:1-22, page 1160
- (27:11-26) The covenant ritual at Mt. Gerizim and Mt. Ebal.
- (28:1-14) The blessings for keeping the covenant terms: the mitzvot.
- (28:15-69) The tokhehah, or rebuke: the list of curses that will befall those who break the covenant.
- (29:1-8) A review of the good things God did for Israel since the Exodus.
Walking in God’s Ways
Rabbi Daniel Pressman
The Lord will establish you as His holy people, as He swore to you, if you keep the commandments of the Lord your God and walk in His ways. (Deut. 28:9)
A. The Mitzvah to Emulate the Good and Right Ways of God that we were commanded to perform all our actions in a way of honesty and goodness with all our power, and to channel all our matters that are between us and others in a way of kindness and compassion…Now the Sages of blessed memory said in explanation of this mitzvah: Just as the Blessed Holy One is called compassionate, so you be compassionate. Just as the Blessed Holy One is called gracious, so you be gracious. Just as the Blessed Holy One is called righteous, so you be righteous. Just as the Blessed Holy One is called holy, so you be holy.
[The laws of this mitzvah are] that a person should choose in all his affairs and all his actions—both in eating and drinking, in business matters, in matters of Torah or prayer or ordinary conversation, and in every matter—the good and median (balanced) way, and he should never go far off into extremes. About this subject in general, the sages of blessed memory said that a person should always assess his concepts and views. In other words, he should consider in his affairs to carry them out in a balanced, upright way. (Sefer Ha-Hinukh, 15th century)
B. Walking is action. Hence “to walk in God’s ways” means putting God’s ways into action. Faith alone is not sufficient, for God requires our active participation in His ordering of the world. (Abraham ibn Ezra)
C. If we were literally to “walk” in God’s ways, then we would abstain from food, drink, sex, and all other functions of the body; but this would be the wrong approach. What God meant was that these activities can become a source of blessing, if they are performed with “walking in God’s ways” in mind, instead of being inspired by animal instincts. (Abravanel)
D. If a person does someone else a favor solely with the intention of fulfilling the commandment of “Love your neighbor,” this is not sufficient to fulfill the obligation of emulating God. Emulating God requires that it should become part of our very nature to help others (Alei Shur)
Services tonight – Friday August 27, 8:00pm
Adult Education: High Holy Days Workshops
with the Rabbis this weekend!
Jr. Kadima: Ice Cream Sundae’s in the Sukkah Spectacular!!
Sunday, September 26, more…