Shabbat Shira
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10 Shvat 5771 15 January 2011 SHABBAT SHIRA Freedom, ORG . or...Shabbat Shalom Rabbi Daniel Bouskila KAHALJOSEPH . SEC Director Special Projects This week's "Torah Thoughts" WWW ● are dedicated to the good health & refuah shlemah of SEC Board Chairman Ron Nessim. The journey to freedom 310.474.0559 ● was long and difficult. God performed the For 210 years, the Jew- miracle of splitting the Prayer Schedule ish people were an en- Yam Suf, and the Jew- slaved population in ish people crossed SHABBAT SHIRA , CA 90025 90025 , CA Egypt, living under the through, the Egyptians PARASHA B’ SHALAKH sting of the Egyptian continued to chase Friday, January 14th taskmaster's whip. They them, not realizing that Minhah & Arbit 4:40 pm NGELES never enjoyed a moment they had entered God's Candle Lighting 4:47 pm A of freedom, nor did they trap: "The waters turned SEC Classes 4 the Masses OS really understand the back and covered the , L Saturday, January 15th concept of freedom. Fi- chariots and the horse- Shaharit 8:30 am nally, the moment of lib- men, Pharaoh's entire eration came, and it hap- army that followed them Tehillim before Minhah EVASSER pened in grand fashion. into the sea; not one of Minhah & Arbit 4:15 pm OULEVARD them remained"(Exodus Motzei Shabbat 5:52 pm B Parashat B'Shalach de- 14:28). Right before scribes the dramatic their eyes, the Jewish WEEKDAYS ONICA exodus from Egypt, cli- people watched with Sunday, January 16th M maxed by the miracle of amazement, awe and a Shaharit 7:30 am the splitting of the Yam sense of relief as the Monday to Friday ANTA Suf ("Sea of Reeds" Egyptian taskmasters Shaharit 6:30 am popularly known as the and their whips drowned M "Red Sea"). This great in the Yam Suf. With Talmud Torah Classes 10505 S 10505 ● Tuesday & Thursday 4:00 pm miracle not only allowed 210 years of slavery safe passage for the washing away into the TU B’S HVAT Jewish people, but it sea, the Jewish people Wednesday, January 19, 2011 also marked the defeat erupted into a simulta- Tu B’Shvat Seder 6:30 PM of Pharaoh's army. In a neous song of thanks last ditched effort to and praise to God: Az Thursday, January 20th ONGREGATION bring the Jewish slaves Yashir Moshe u-vnei Tu B’Shvat Day C back to Egypt, Pharaoh OL Yisrael et ha-shira hazot and his army chased the l'Hashem - Then Moses EREV SHABBAT OSEPH Jewish people all the and the Jewish people PARASHA YITRO J way to the Yam Suf, sang this song to God... Friday, January 21st where the Jewish people Minhah & Arbit 4:45 pm AHAL were encamped. When (Continued on page 2) Candle Lighting 4:54 pm K K P a ge 2 15 January 2011 (Continued from page 1) very place where they en- what the Lord meant," to "Remember Shabbat." countered bitter waters, Rashi concludes that The language Zachor With Egyptian slavery the Torah says "There Moses was explaining (remember) implies fa- washed away, it was now God made for them a what God meant in the miliarity with the concept. time to move on. It was fixed rule" (Exodus portion of Torah given to time for the Jewish peo- 15:25). The commentator them by God at Marah. In a recent Israeli book ple to turn away from the Rashi says that the "fixed To Rashi, this portion titled "Ha-Yom Ha- Yam Suf, put Egypt and rule" God made for them must have been about Shevií" (The Seventh it's slavery behind them, was Shabbat: At Marah Shabbat, otherwise what Day), 35 Israelis from all and march forward in (The Place of Bitter Wa- does Moses mean by walks of life write what pursuit of true freedom. ters) God gave them "This is what the Lord Shabbat means to them. Easier said than done, some sections of the To- meant"? After reading through for as the Jewish people rah to begin studying, these various viewpoints, began their new journey starting with Shabbat It is both logical and I found the following one as a liberated people, (Rashi on Exodus 15:25). symbolic that the first most compelling: they were confronted by piece of Torah study and a punishing hot desert Rashi concludes this the first mitzvah given to Without Shabbat, the where the water was bit- based on the following the Jewish people after State of Israel will never ter and food was scarce. episode, when God pro- the exodus from slavery be built, rather it will be By the grace of God, the vides Manna from is all about Shabbat. A destroyed, and all of our water was sweetened heaven. As the people band of slaves need in- toil will be for naught. and food (called Manna) gather their portions of struction on how to live in The Jewish people will rained down to them from Manna from the fields, the freedom, and the Jewish never abandon their heaven on a daily basis. Torah describes: "So they people had never heard Shabbat, which is not God provided physical gathered it every morning, of a "day off." They only only the basis of Jewish sustenance for His peo- each as much as he knew of work, work, existence, but is, in fact, ple, but the greatest act needed to eat...on the work, seven days of the basis of all human of Divine love was to come. sixth day they gathered week. Suddenly, God existence. Without Shab- double the amount of comes with this radical, bat, there is no image of When people are accus- food" (Exodus 16:21-22). revolutionary concept God in this world, nor is tomed to a way of life, it's When this was reported to called "Shabbat," send- there an image of hu- difficult to ask them to Moses, he said: "This is ing a message to the manity. It is the Shabbat suddenly change. For what the Lord meant: To- Jewish people that when that preserved the exis- 210 years, the Jewish morrow is a day of rest, a God takes them from tence of the Jewish peo- people knew nothing but holy Sabbath of the Lord. slavery to "freedom," it ple throughout our wan- slavery. This was their wasn't so that they could derings around the world. way of life, and watching continue to work 24/7. Pharaoh's army wash They are now instructed - Sound like a sermon by a away was not about to and commanded - to rest rabbi in a synagogue? instantly transform them. one day out of seven. Think again. These A slave is a slave, and This was their first taste words were written by the unless he/she is taught of freedom on the other secular poet Chaim how to live a free life, they side of the Yam Suf. By Nachman Bialik in 1933. will continue to live with the time they arrived at the mentality of a slave. Bake what you would Mount Sinai to receive From Moses to Bialik - bake and boil what you the Ten Commandments and to each of us today - It is for this reason that would boil...six days you (next week's Torah por- Shabbat - a beautiful day the very first mitzvah shall gather it; on the sev- tion), the Jewish people entirely devoted to God, given to the Jewish peo- enth day, the Sabbath, already knew what Shab- family, spirituality and ple as they turned away there will be none" bat was all about, which intellect -- is our greatest from the sea is the mitz- (Exodus 16:23-26). From is why in the Ten Com- blessing as Jews. vah of Shabbat. In the Moses' words "This is mandments they are told Shabbat Shalom 15 January 2011 P a ge 3 In Memoriam Community News It is customary to light a memorial candle in the evening and to donate CONDOLENCES tzedakah. Family members are SHABBAT encouraged to attend prayer ser- We send our heartfelt vices in honor of loved ones. condolences to the family of KIDDUSH Shabbat / 10 Shevat our devoted member and friend is sponsored by Naima bat Chahla Sason Sony Mizrahi, z’’l Laleh and Joseph Tizabi Sunday / 11 Shevat to his wife, Celia Serah bat Simcha in honor of the marriage to his children Monday / 12 Shevat of Jonathan and Ashley Abraham Shalom Mordechai Yitz- Victor, Vicki and Lulu hak Hacohen Congratulations and to his entire family Matatehu ben Shmuel to both of the families May Hashem comfort them together Moshe ben Saleh Kadoorie with all the mourners of Tzion. Rachel bat Masooda Tuesday / 13 Shevat Sheila Cohen SPONSOR A KIDDUSH Nanejan bat Hacham Mola Rebbi* If you would like to sponsor a Shab- TEEN PROGRAM Alex Sassoon bat Kiddush or afternoon meal, known as Seudah Shlisheet, in honor of a spe- AVE THE ATE Wednesday / 14 Shevat S D ! cial occasion for a family member or Shaul Saberi friend, please contact our office at Avdala ben Eliyahu Saltoon on Shabbat Day 310.474.0559. We ask that sponsors Thursday / 15 Shevat notify us one to two weeks in advance February 5, 2011 Yehezkel ben Abdullah Yehezkel* of the date so that we may coordinate Joseph Mussry and announce your generous tribute. Rabbi Shlomo Seidenfeld David ben Ezra* Friday / 16 Shevat Torah Readings will lead another Yehudah Hai Yehudah Parasha pp. 265 to 281 Teen Shabbat Program Menashe ben Yousef Sarraf Haftara pp. 281 to 287 Yehudah ben Mordechai Shabbat / 17 Shevat Learn to Chant The Haftarah Wouldn’t you like to chant the final portion from the Torah on Shimon ben Eliyahu Shabbat—the portion known as the Haftarah? Reserve a Haftarah reading by calling Sarah in our Ashraf Nassi office at 310.474.