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Elul 20, 5781 August 28, 2021 Parshah: Ki Tavo: Deuteronomy 26:1 - 29:8 Something to think about... Haftarah: How Did Become a Isaiah 60:1-22 Tradition? From Ezra to the present: On eating meat on Rosh Hashanah Rabbi By Yehuda Shurpin (edited for space) Leslie Lipson [email protected] In many families, Bubby's brisket is up there with round raisin , apples and honey, pomegranates, fish heads and the other traditional foods that invariably grace our Rosh Hashanah Cantor dinner tables. But where does this tradition come from, and does it have any true significance? Charles Weinberg In the Times of Ezra [email protected] It was Rosh Hashanah in Jerusalem and the Jews who had recently returned from the Babylonain Ritual Director exile to rebuild the Holy Temple gathered "as one person" to hear the Torah read by Ezra the Larry Spring Scribe. After hearing the Torah, the nation began to mourn and weep, realizing that it was the Day of Judgement and they had not fulfilled the Torah laws properly. Interim Ritual Director However, "Nehemiah . . . and Ezra the priest . . . said to all the people, 'This day is holy to the L‑rd Larry Shilling your G‑d; neither mourn nor weep . . . Go eat succulent (literally "fatty") foods and drink sweet [email protected] beverages and send portions to whoever has nothing prepared, for the day is holy to our L‑rd, and do not be sad, for the joy of the L‑rd is your strength." Synagogue Chairperson Michelle Epstein Thus, although Rosh Hashanah is a solemn day of judgment, it is also a day of festivities and [email protected] rejoicing, for we are certain that the ultimate judge, "our Father our King," will judge us favorably. Since the verse specifies fatty meat as exemplifying the tasty food one is to eat on this day, many Society President have the custom to eat meat during the Rosh Hashanah meal. Willy Lindo [email protected] Why Brisket? Brisket became a popular "traditional" Jewish dish on Rosh Hashanah (and other Jewish holidays, Ritual Chairman for that matter) for a number of reasons. Carl Zeliger Being a tougher cut of meat, it isn't easily grilled and takes a lot longer to cook than some other Sisterhood President cuts. This in turn made it a cheaper cut of meat (my, how things have changed!), allowing even Carol Arshoff Jews with limited income to purchase some in honor of the holiday. [email protected] Additionally, brisket is a larger cut of meat, making it ideal for large family gatherings. Neither of these reasons have the slightest religious significance, and if you prefer a different kosher cut, there is no objection from a traditional perspective. Candle Lighting Aug. 27 - 7:43 p.m. Shabbat Service Times Sept. 3 - 7:31 p.m. Shabbat, August 28 Friday, August 27 9:00 a.m. in-person must pre-register/ 6:30 p.m. on Zoom live-stream available PRIDE OF ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE Maariv 8:50 p.m. on Zoom 59 Lissom Crescent, North York, ON M2R 2P2 Weekdays on Zoom (416) 226-0111; Fax: (416) 226-0128 Shacharit Mincha Monday - Friday 7:30 a.m. Sunday - Friday 6:30 p.m. Website: www.prideofisraelshul.org Sunday April 29 -8:30 a.m. Talking Torah I Was Blind All The Time, I Was Learning To See Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia - Help Is On The Way This week, I spent precepts and laws. Last week's Parsha and the first part getting our youngest of Ki Tavoh explain the rewards. We will inherit the land; daughter, our 19-year- we will keep the land. Our enemies will be rendered old, ready to head off to weak. We will be fruitful and multiply. However, the university in New York City. After picking her up from second half of the Parshah explains all the curses that camp at the beginning of the week, there was laundry, would befall us if we neglect to observe these laws. Every doctors appointments, shopping, course registration, curse, of course, is the diametric opposite of the previous housing registration, medical forms to be submitted, blessings. So if we were promised bountiful harvests and and all the stuff that college students need for dorm life, many children, then our curse will be drought, famine, and creating a new home while they are away at school. and bareness. Traditionally, the Aliyot that contain the Finally, with all that finished, and a car loaded we drove curses are read in a softer voice. However, as horrible as down to New York and encountered hurricane Henri. We these curses are, we must understand that it is up to us. came to New York very late in the afternoon, dropped off We can either follow these laws or not, and as a result, her duffle bags and suitcase, and headed uptown to my we will bear the consequences of our actions. This is not sister and brother-in-law's upper west side apartment. necessarily a bad lesson for us as well as our children to We were wet, tired, hungry, and very tired. The next learn. We are responsible for our actions, and we must day, while the rain from Tropical Storm Henri continued bear responsibility for the consequences of those actions. to fall, we got her squared away and then attended a One of the curses is most poignant in light of listening couple of orientation sessions. There was something to Trump. Arur Mashgeh Iveir Ba'Derech, Va'Amar Kol for just the students, just the parents and both. Even Ha'Am Amen - Accursed is one who causes a blind person though this was the third of four children, I knew the to go astray on the road. And the entire nation said drill when it comes to preparing and dropping children 'Amen" (Deut 27:18). If read this literally, it seems the off at university. This felt different. Ten years ago, I verse is speaking about a guide or maybe a seeing-eye brought our eldest to University by myself, I suppose dog that would lead the blind astray. However, this curse I really didn't know what I was doing. But ten years is symbolic. We know that Torah is tantamount to light, ago, our world was a very different place. Besides she to spiritual light, and the word Derech (way) is usually was in a campus setting in the middle of nowhere in in combination with the Way of the Lord (G-d's Laws). Upstate New York. The second daughter, both my wife On a metaphorical level, the curse is upon those leaders and I brought her down to school, and although it was in of a community that causes the less knowledgeable to New York City because the responsibilities were shared go astray. If that knowledge causes those who are blind and my wife happily attended many of the orientation (re: those who are in the dark or without light) to go sessions. It was also pre-Covid. Knowing my wife wanted astray, then that leader should be cursed. Implicit to that me to attend these orientation sessions; I went. To be statement is that the one who causes the blind to go honest, I wanted to hear the University administrators, astray sees the light, has the knowledge, knows better, teachers, and campus officials speak about the students' and teaches or guides the community away from G-d. safety, security, health, and welfare. I wanted to know the policies about Covid, and testing in order to ensure Our Talmudic Sages offer an Aggadah about the teachers/ the safety and welfare of not only my daughter but all Rabbis who were the leaders of their communities. "If the daughters who are attending school. There was there are two teachers, one who covers much ground but a long presentation about Covid, masks, testing, and is not exact, and one who does not cover much ground vaccination requirements. It was very different from but is exact, Rav Dimi b. Nehardea maintained that the several governors of southern states and their stubborn one who is exact and does not cover much ground is to refusal to permit school mask mandates and the safety be appointed. The reason? A mistake once implanted (in and welfare of its students. the mind or in behavior) remains [a mistake]. ( Baba Batrah 21a-b). The Talmudic sages essentially This week's Parsha is Ki Tavoh. For the past several understood the first rule in education. It is terribly difficult Parshiot, Moshe has been listing and explaining all the to undo that which has already been incorrectly taught. It 2 appears that the Talmudic Sages also understood quite of last-second fatherly advice, something inspirational. a bit about how impressionable college students can be. However, my daughter beat me to it. She smiled and said It appears that the Talmudic Sages also understood the to me what I have been saying to her for the past week power of those in trusted positions of authority, teachers, as we prepared for this moment. "Yes, Abba, I know, my administrators, some elected officials, and the media. job is to study, take classes that I enjoy, and, most of all, So, standing on a Manhattan sidewalk in front of our don't do stupid. I know you spent your life teaching me daughter's dorm and my car parked, I hugged and kissed 'to avoid stupid decisions and not do stupid', I know, you my youngest daughter goodbye. Through smiles and tear- taught me well." With one last hug and kiss, I watched her filled eyes, I told my youngest daughter what I have told head off to her next orientation session, and I realized that her and her three siblings their whole lives. I reminded her as she began this new chapter of her life; she was where how she was raised, I reminded her to use her common she was supposed to be. sense: don't walk alone in New York at night, don't take the subways alone at night, be aware of surroundings, Peace, avoid parks at night, wear a mask when going indoors. Rav Yitz I reminded her that she can call me at any time of day for anything good, bad or just to say 'hi'. I reminded her that I won't call her five times a day as I never want to be the overbearing parent that doesn't give a child room to grow. Finally with one last hug and kiss, and a wipe away of her tear, I was about to give one more piece

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PUBLICATIONS Weekly Shabbat Matters Newsletter - Shul Matters A sense of belonging, a friendly community, a place to call home and . . . SERVICES Daily or Shabbat, For information on other benefits of belonging morning or evening services to the Pride of Israel Synagogue, please email Judy Abraham, our membership chair RABBI’s CLASSES at [email protected] or to Tuesday or Thursday classes speak with our rabbi, Rabbi Leslie Lipson, Holiday workshops please call 416 226-0111, extension 205.

EVENTS Monthly Movies Holiday celebrations

MEMORIALS and HONORARIUMS Memorial Plaques Tree of Life Leaf Seat Plaques

3 Join Jews around the world in ushering in the New Year Holy Days

beginning with

8:50 p.m. Maariv, Havdallah, Slichot Program and Service

Zoom link will be on the website Readings will be shared on the zoom link for you to follow along.

www.prideofisraelshul.org 59 Lissom Crescent Cemetery Visitation 416 226 0111 ext 201

Cemetery visitation will take place on Sunday, August 29, 2021 (not on September 5, 2021 as mentioned in the High Holiday letter sent to the membership). The times set out in that letter for the event are correct, namely 10:00 a.m. for Roselawn Cemetery, and 11:00 a.m. for Mt. Sinai Cemetery. Please join Clergy and members of our shul in showing respect to your dearly departed and to those departed members of our shul family. The services are short but meaningful. Your presence can also help to ensure that there will be a minyan. Masks and social distancing protocol will be followed.

4 YAHRTZEITS FOR THE WEEK OF: August 28 - September 3

Agnes Berkelheimer Mother of Wanda Berkelheimer Louis Bernstein Brother of Sam Bernstein Joseph Brown Father of Bill Brown, Father-in-Law of Miriam Brown David Chesney Father of Robert Chesney David Chodick Father of Phyllis Levene, Grandfather of Gloria Solomon Molly Collis Mother of Rochelle Hoffman Harry Kelman Uncle of Karen Truster Hyman Chaim Klein Father of Ronny Klein Simon Korolnek Father of Alan Korolnek Abraham Krigstein Father of Sharon Rattner Sylvia Lesk Mother of Thea Wasser Hilda Mandel Mother-in-law of Stan Beder Esther Monshine Mother of Mollie Freud Rosalie Nowell Mother of Hindy Bieler Molly Shelson Mother of Harry Shelson Max Snyder Father of Frieda Goldhar, Father of Lillian Sokoloff Abraham Warga Father of Harry Warga Tillie Wasserman Mother of Stan Urovitz Albert Winer Brother-in-Law of Helen Winer Sheila Wiseberg Mother of Harvey Wiseberg

MAY THE SOULS OF OUR LOVED ONES REMAIN FOR AN ETERNAL BLESSING

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