Candle lighting time for Friday, August 30, 2013, 7:23 p.m.
Parashat Nitzavim/Va-Yeilekh
25 Elul, 5773 / August 31, 2013
Triennial Cycle III: Deut. 31:7-30
Humash Etz Hayim, page 1174
Haftarah: Isaiah 61:10-63:9, page 1180
1. (Deut. 31:7-13) I am 120 years old today. On the last day of his life, Moses publicly transfers leadership of the nation to Joshua; and commands the priests to read the Torah before the entire people of Israel assembled at the end of the Sabbatical year.
2. (31:14-21) And now, write down this song. A song that serves as a prophetic witness for the future if you will violate the covenant.
3. (31:22-30) Moses writes down the words of this Torah, and commands that it be placed in the Ark of the Covenant, knowing that his people will need a constant reminder of the covenant.
DRASH
The Self and Others
By Rabbi Daniel Pressman
Therefore, write down this poem and teach it to the people of Israel, put it in their mouths, in order that this poem may be My witness against the people of Israel. (Deut. 31:19)
R. Akiba stated: Whence is it deduced that a man must go on teaching his pupil until he has mastered the subject? From Scripture where it says: and teach it to the people of Israel. And whence is it deduced that it must be taught until the students are well versed in it? From Scripture where it says. Put it in their mouths. And whence is it inferred that it is also his duty to explain to him the reasons? It has been said (Ex. 21:1): Now these are the ordinances which you shall put before them1.…R. Pereda had a pupil whom he taught his lesson four hundred times before the latter could master it. On a certain day having been requested to attend to a matter involving a mitzvah, he taught him as usual but the pupil could not master the subject. ‘Why, the Master asked: ‘is today different?’ — ‘From the moment’, the other replied, ‘the Master was told that there was a mitzvah matter to be attended to I could not concentrate my thoughts, for at every moment I imagined, now the Master will get up or now the Master will get up’. ‘Give me your attention’, the Master said, ‘and I will teach you again’, and so he taught him another four hundred times. A bat kol [heavenly voice] issued forth asking [R. Pereda], ‘Do you prefer that four hundred years shall be added to your life or that you and your generation shall be privileged to have a share in the world to come?’ — ‘That’, he replied. ‘I and my generation shall be privileged to have a share in the world to come’. ‘Give him both’, said the Blessed Holy One. (Talmud Tractate Eiruvin 54b)
At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, “Ask, what shall I grant you?” … O LORD my God, You have made Your servant king in place of my father David; but I am a young lad, with no experience in leadership. Your servant finds himself in the midst of the people You have chosen, a people too numerous to be numbered or counted. Grant, then, Your servant an understanding mind to judge Your people, to distinguish between good and bad; for who can judge this vast people of Yours?” The LORD was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. And God said to him, “Because you asked for this — you did not ask for long life, you did not ask for riches, you did not ask for the life of your enemies, but you asked for discernment in dispensing justice — I now do as you have spoken. I grant you a wise and discerning mind; there has never been anyone like you before, nor will anyone like you arise again. And I also grant you what you did not ask for — both riches and glory all your life — the like of which no king has ever had. And I will further grant you long life, if you will walk in My ways and observe My laws and commandments, as did your father David.” (1Kings 3:5-14)
Why was the confession written in the plural so that we say, “We are guilty” rather than “I am guilty”? — Because all Israel is one body, and every individual Jew a member of that body. (Rabbi Isaac Luria, [1534-1572], also known as the Ari, great mystical teacher)
1 Rashi: The verse does not say, which you shall teach them. Instead it says, which you shall put before them. This implies that the laws must be taught to the people in a readily accessible manner, and this requires the teaching of their reasons.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Project Isaiah High Holy Days Food Drive
CBD Photo Directories are in – expanded pick up times!
CBD Board of Director’s Vacancy
Seeking Candidates for 2014 Board of Directors
Minyan – Sunday 9:30 am & Monday – Thursday 7:00 p.m.
UPCOMING SERVICES
View High Holy Days Service Times
UPCOMING EVENTS
Saturday, August 31: Selichot Study Session and Sisterhood Ice Cream Social – 9:00 p.m. – Midnight
Friday, September 5 & 6: High Holy Days Study Sessions – 9:30 a.m.
Sunday, September 8: Sukkah Building – 9:00 a.m.
Sunday, September 8: Back to School Event – 9:30 a.m.
Tuesday, September 10: An Evening of Israeli Music with Cantor Andres Levy – 7:30 – 10:00 p.m.
Friday, September 14: High Holy Days Study Sessions – 9:30 a.m.
Sunday, September 15: Sukkah Decorating Event – 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Friday, September 20: Shabbat Sukkah Supper – 6:30 – 9:30 p.m.
Saturday, September 21: Kid’s Sukkah Slumber Party – begins at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, September 22: Pizza and Prizes Party – 12:30 – 1:00 p.m.
COMMUNITY
Monday, September 9: Sounding the Shofar at Stanford University – 10:30 a.m.
Sunday, September 15: – Habitat for Jewmanity – volunteer to help build Sukkahs for those who can’t build their own
Saturday, September 21: Singles Sukkarama – for 40 -70 – 6:30 p.m.
Sunday, October 13: A Retrospective on Jewish Entertainers – 10:30 a.m.