What is a “Shtibl”? can find another prayer service beginning every few minutes, is referred to collectively Shtibl, or Shtiebel, is the diminutive as shtiebelach. form for shtub, which means house. It common- ly refers to a small, informal house of prayer. Of course, the Sydenham Shtibl is an upmarket Thus, while a shul (which is actually related to version of the above. the English word “school”) refers to a larger, more organized , the shtiebel is Live & Laugh a heimish (homey) affair, where the pews may A Rabbi approaches a guest in Shul and be second-hand and the Kiddush-Brocha recep- says, "I'd like to give you an Aliyah. What is tion is probably served on the same well-worn your name?" The man answers, "Esther ben 4 Aug 2018 Parshas Eikev 23 Menachem Av 5778 tables where prayer took place just moments Moshe." The Rabbi says, "No, I need YOUR before. name." "It's Esther ben Moshe," the man says.

“How can that be your name?" asks the Rabbi. What Will the World Say True to its name, a shtiebel may often be a con- The man answers, "I've been having financial by: Rabbi Yossy Goldman verted house (or a storefront) that has not been problems, so everything now is in my wife's Much has been said and written about the wilderness, our sense of self-worth is further entirely renovated. The typical urban Ameri- name." can shteibels were built in the mid-20th century Galut Mentality, the subservience felt by eroded, and we begin considering this wilderness and occupy a single, gutted floor of a two-family generations of Jews living in the Diaspora. not only great but also awesome, even terrifying. What’s Nu?! home, with wood-paneled walls. A movable As second-class citizens for so many genera- But why? What is so great and awesome about The Battie Girl barrier or curtain divides between men and tions in Eastern Europe and in the Arab this outside world, about this wilderness? Why women. It is fairly typical (but not required) for Emma Sassen countries, Jews, allegedly, came to lose their does what the non-Jewish world think so unsettle such a shtiebel to have a men’s mikvah in the Mazal Tov to Rami & Shana and grandparents self-esteem. Finally, in our own time, the us? Why do we get so upset, so disturbed by what basement, creating a one-stop prayer experience Maish & Melanie Kaplan and Tsafi Sassen. old ghetto Jew would be replaced with a the world’s media says about us? Why does a car- for its patrons. proud, strong, independent Israeli. No more

toonist’s poison pen distress us so? Calendar would Moshke the Jew cower before his The plural of shtiebel is shtiebelach. In , a Shabbos Mevorchim Elul Poretz, the country squire. Jews would now The new Israel was supposed to be different. No complex with multiple prayer rooms, where one Molad: Shabbos 11 Aug 07:33:09 walk tall. more weakness, no more cowardice, gone with

CAJE is COMING! Welcome Chazan Yudi Cohen. the old-world syndromes. So why do we still care In our Parsha, Moses reminds his people what they say? If we are convinced that justice 13 & 20 August.  Shacharis: 8:30 am: Shtibl 8:45 am never to forget that it was G-d who took and morality are with us, then it shouldn’t bother  Brocha in the Seeff Hall sponsored by the them out of Egypt and who led them us what others may say. If they have a problem Sassen Family in honour of Emma’s Bat through the wilderness into the Promised with an Israel that can defend itself and stand up Mitzvah and L’chaim to Dennis & Ros Land. And he describes the wilderness as and fight its own battles, then that’s their prob- that great and awesome desert. The wilder- Basserabie on the birth of their grandson. lem, not ours. We will do what we need to do.  Smorgasbord of Shiurim ness before we reach the Promised Land Why should I respect a world that has so lost its  Mincha: 5:05 pm represents the state of exile. And the prob- lem with this wilderness is that we are im- moral bearings that genocide in Africa or Asia and  Pirkei Avos: Chapter 4 pressed with it. In our eyes it is great. The throughout the Middle East goes unnoticed, and  Shabbos Ends: 6:15 pm big, wide world out there is great, powerful, the most immoral country on the globe is an Isra-  Mincha next week: 5:30 pm impressive, and all too overwhelming to the el that defends its civilian population from terror? Jew. I think we sometimes forget that the Why should we be intimidated by a world that real Galut Mentality is not necessarily living smiles upon state-sponsored terrorism while heap- Nathan Fine of I.deal Furnishers at Midway Mall, in a ghetto, but considering the non-Jewish ing abuse upon us? Why does it still pain us when Bramley Gardens wishes all congregants a Good world to be so great. The real exile is the we hear them say we are guilty of disproportion- Shabbos. Call 011-887-5456/082-854-5706. Fur- exile within, the exile inside our own heads ate responses and excessive force? Why do we niture, Bedding & Appliances. and hearts. When we attach so much signifi- suffer anxiety attacks every time the United Na- Vehicles wanted. Any make, any condi- cance to the outside world, then we are still tions condemns us? tion. Best prices. Phone ARNOLD ORKIN living in a state of exile and with a Galut The answer is because the big, wide world is the 082 823 7826 mindset, no matter where we may be geo- Acknowledgements: Chabad.org, wilderness we live in. And that wilderness is per- graphically. ceived by us as great and awesome. And as long as Please take Good Shabbos Sydenham home if you will only carry it within the Eiruv. And once we start attaching greatness to this a corrupt, hypocritical, morally bankrupt world impresses us, we will continue to be demor- Their forty years in the desert, says Moses to the Then Joshua wrote the second paragraph, can’t see Him. This enables freedom of choice. alized by its negative opinion of us. people, during which G‑d sustained them with which starts by thanking G‑d for the sacred Because if G‑d were visible, we would be

So know, Jew, that there is nothing whatso- daily manna from heaven, was to teach them Land of Israel. This paragraph also thanks G‑d ashamed to sin. His presence would be so im- “that man does not live on bread alone, but by for the Covenant of Circumcision, for posing that we would not have a choice. ever to be impressed with—that this world is the utterance of G‑d’s mouth does man live.” the Exodus from Egypt and for the Torah. nothing but a wilderness and a moral wilder- Since G‑d can’t be seen, it is possible to occa- ness at that. The world’s presidents and Moses describes the land they are about to enter The third paragraph, composed by David and sionally forget that He is here. prime ministers with all their moral indiscre- as “flowing with milk and honey,” blessed with Solomon, concerns the sacred city of . He wants you to make Him a real part of your tions give us precious little to be over- the “seven kinds” (wheat, barley, grapevines, It also speaks of the Davidic line of kings and of life. To develop such a close relationship with whelmed about. The princes of the wilder- figs, pomegranates, olive oil and dates), and as the the Temple. This paragraph ends with a plea to Him that His presence is as tangible as if you ness society are paupers of the spirit. place that is the focus of G‑d’s providence of His G‑d to rebuild the holy city of Jerusalem with could see Him. Anti-Semitism is a fact of life, and the sooner world. It is also the source of the precept the coming of the Messiah. This takes a strong commitment, getting to we accept that reality, the healthier and saner of prayer, and includes a reference to the resur- The final paragraph of Grace after Meals was rection of the dead in the Messianic Age. know G‑d through the study of his Torah and we will all be. By all means, wage the diplo- composed by the Sages some 1,870 years ago. getting closer to him through prayer. Using matic war; do battle with media bias. Don’t Not On Bread Alone It is a general expression of gratitude to G‑d: words like Baruch Hashem (“Blessed is tolerate the blatant hypocrisies. But don’t fret He is "the King who is good and who does By Dr Tali Loewenthal G‑d”), b’ezrat Hashem (“With G‑d’s help”) if you fail to turn around public opinion. good to all." and im yirtzeh Hashem (“If G‑d wills it”). Gratitude is a basic aspect of Jewish life. To feel Remember that the first step in leaving the In fact, this last paragraph was written after the When making important decisions, ask: What exile is to stop being impressed by it. In or- and express gratitude to the people around us, terrible tragedy of the failure of the Jewish re- does G‑d want? der to redeem our land and our people, we and also, to feel and express gratitude to G‑d. volt against the Romans in 135 CE. When Hashem is felt in your life, you can’t help must first redeem our own souls and our An important aspect of this special gratitude is the Huge numbers of Jews were massacred. The but follow in His ways. Your choice to make own self-respect. saying of Grace After Meals (Bentching) after praise to G‑d could be seen as gratitude that we G‑d important in your home is true reverence. eating bread. It is a significant event whether at a May we never forget where our true strength survive to bring living to the next gen- The more you develop your relationship with large banquet, at a family meal on or lies. When we remember who took us out of eration. In this final section we also thank our Him, the more your life will become an expres- Egypt and led us through the wilderness and simply when one individual eats a sandwich for hosts and our parents, and again ask G‑d to sion of your love for him. who is truly the Great and Awesome Being lunch. send Elijah who will announce the Messiah. Thank G‑d, I am blessed with many visitors, of Beings, then we will be able to truly walk The saying of Grace After Meals expresses the Additional paragraphs and sentences, or slight people of all levels of Jewish observance. The tall and stand proud forever. idea that we depend on G‑d for every detail of changes of wording, provide recognition of one thing that is clear is that all of them believe our lives, and we are grateful to Him for caring special days such as Shabbat, the New Moon deeply in G‑d. We all believe. Yet G‑d wants Parsha Pointers for us at every step. We need G‑d for our exist- and the festivals. even more; He wants us to feel Him in our day Eikev: Artscroll Chumash pg 980; ence from moment to moment, for the air we Living Torah pg 905 Grace After Meals not only thanks G‑d for sup- -to-day lives. breathe and for the food we eat. In the Parshah of Eikev (“Because”), Moses plying our basic needs; it is an integral part of I bless you that when you welcome Shabbat The idea that we should recite this prayer comes continues his closing address to the Children our lives as Jews, expressing the entire course of into your home, you truly feel G-d’s presence, from a verse in the Torah. "You should eat and of Israel, promising them that if they will Jewish history, with its joys, tragedies and and that this presence permeates your entire be satisfied and bless G‑d for the good land He hopes. Reciting it or singing it bonds us to fulfill the commandments (mitzvot) of the being. has given you" (Deuteronomy 8:10). The Sages Torah, they will prosper in the Land they are thousands of years of the life of the Jewish peo- comment that the literal meaning of this implies Rabbi Yitzi Hurwitz—father of seven, husband about to conquer and settle in keeping ple, and also provides a precious opportunity to that we are commanded to bless G‑d only if we speak directly to G‑d. of Dina, and spiritual leader at Chabad Jewish with G‑d’s promise to their forefathers. have eaten enough to be "satisfied." However, Center in Temecula, Calif.—has been rendered Moses also rebukes them for their failings in the Sages introduce the idea that we should say What Does G-d Want? immobile by ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease). Una- their first generation as a people, recalling Grace After Meals even if we are not actually By Rabbi Yitzi Hurwitz ble to speak or type, he uses his eyes to write their worship of the Golden Calf, the rebel- sated, as long as we have had a minimum amount heartfelt thoughts on the weekly Torah portion. In this week’s parshah, Eikev, we read: “And lion of Korach, the sin of the spies, their an- of bread (an "olive-size," regarded as one ounce). now Israel, what is G‑d your L‑rd asking of gering of G‑d at Taveirah, Massah and Kivrot This prayer has four paragraphs. The first con- you? Only to revere Him, to walk in His ways, Hataavah (“The Graves of Lust”). “You have cerns the fact that G‑d provides food for the Sydenham Shul 24 Main Street, Rouxville, 2192. to love Him.” been rebellious against G‑d,” he says to whole world: this was composed by Moses. The Telephone: 640-5021, Fax: 485-2810 What is G‑d asking of us? How does one re- them, “since the day I knew you.” But he Jewish people wandering in the desert recited it E-mail: [email protected] ‑ also speaks of G‑d’s forgiveness of their sins, after eating the manna which fell from heaven. vere and love G d? Website: www.sydshul.co.za and the Second Tablets which G-d inscribed After forty years they entered the Promised Land. When G‑d created this world, He hid His pres- www.facebook.com/sydenhamshul and gave to them following their repentance. ence. You can know that He is here, but you