MIZRACHI MATTERS PARSHAT MISHPATIM / SHABBAT SHKALIM / ROSH CHODESH Friday, 12 February (Rosh Chodesh Adar) This week’s newsletter is generously sponsored by & ע"ה Janie Fixler & Fay Kingsley in loving memory of their late mother, Blima Ptasznik ע " ה Hanna & Geofrey Baum in loving memory of Hanna’s late father, Naji Yehuda ben Yehuda on their Yahrzeit, 3 Adar Early Mincha & Kabbalat Shabbat: 6:45pm1,2 Mincha & Kabbalat Shabbat: 7:15pm3 Shabbat Candle Lighting: 7:05-7:10pm Shabbat Candle Lighting: 8:04pm
Friday Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday 12 February 13 February 14 February 15 February 16 February 17 February 18 February 19 February Adar 3 Adar 4 Adar 5 Adar 6 Adar 7 Adar 2 ראש חודש אדר ראש חודש אדר 1. Beit Yehuda 2. Kehillat Ohr David 3. Beit Midrash (Beit Haroeh Shabbat Morning) 4 . Bnei Akiva 5 . Elsternwick 6 . Midrashah 7 . Goldberger Hall REGISTRATION & MASKS ARE MANDATORY FOR ATTENDANCE AT ALL MIZRACHI SERVICES. TO SIGN UP FOR WEEKDAY MINYANIM PLEASE GO TO: www.mizrachi.com.au/weekdayminyanim 6:10am1; 7:00am2 7:15am1, 9:00am7, 7:00am1; 8:00am1 6:20am1; 7:00am2 7:00am1; 8:00am1 6:30am1; 7:00am2 6:20am1; 7:00am2 6:30am1; 7:00am2 Shacharit 7:20am1 9:30am2,3 9:00am1 7:30am1 9:00am1 7:30am1 7:30am1 7:30am1 Dawn 5:34am 5:35am 5:36am 5:37am 5:39am 5:40am 5:41am 5:42am Tallit & Tefillin 5:50am 5:51am 5:53am 5:54am 5:55am 5:57am 5:58am 5:59am Sunrise 6:46am 6:47am 6:48am 6:49am 6:51am 6:52am 6:53am 6:54am 10:09am 10:10am 10:10am 10:11am 10:12am 10:12am 10:13am 10:13am (גר״א) Sh'ma Earliest Mincha 2:09pm 2:09pm 2:09pm 2:09pm 2:09pm 2:09pm 2:09pm 2:09pm Mincha / Ma’ariv 7:15pm1 7:45pm1 6:45pm1 6:45pm1 6:45pm1 6:45pm1 6:45pm1 6:40pm1,2/7:15pm3 6:57pm 6:56pm 6:55pm 6:54pm 6:53pm 6:52pm 6:51pm 6:50pm (גר״א) Plag HaMincha Sunset 8:22pm 8:21pm 8:20pm 8:19pm 8:18pm 8:16pm 8:15pm 8:14pm Night/Shabbat Ends 9:05pm 9:04pm 9:02pm 9:01pm 9:00pm 8:58pm 8:57pm 8:56pm
DAF YOMI Pesachim 83 Pesachim 84 Pesachim 85 Pesachim 86 Pesachim 87 Pesachim 88 Pesachim 89 Pesachim 90 Via Zoom 8:15am 8:45am 8:15am 8:15am 8:15am 8:15am 8:15am R’ James Kennard “(Trying to) Truly Rabbeinu Bachye Lunch and Learn “Following in the Parsha Shiur 9:20am6 Understand for women R’ Danny Mirvis Footsteps of our R’ Danny Mirvis Rina Pushett Rashi” shiur for R’ Danny Mirvis 1:00pm Fathers” 8:00pm SHIURIM Emunah Shuir students & young 9:30am Parsha HaShavua 7 Morrice Street Parasha Shiur Via Zoom Series Speaker: adults Tzurba Communal Shiur with 11:00am (Ivrit Kala) Amanda Castelan- R’ James Kennard Shiur R’ Leor Broh R’ Velly Slavin R’ Yehoshua Asulin Starr 8:30pm R’ Yehoshua Asulin 8:30pm Yeshivah Style 8:45pm 5:30pm 8:30pm Shiur with R’ James Kennard Ladies Tanach Shiur R’ Yehoshua 6:45pm Dr. Michal Kaufman Asulin Daf Yomi Shiur 9:00pm 8:15pm R’ Mottel Krasnjanski Gary’s Gemara 6:45pm Shiur 8:30pm MISHNAH Ohalot Ohalot Ohalot Ohalot Ohalot Ohalot Ohalot Ohalot YOMIT 16:4-5 17:1-2 17:3-4 17:5-18:1 18:2-3 18:4-5 18:6-7 18:8-9
Molad for Adar Bar Mitzvah Holy Bagel Stretching & Mizrachi Chill n Chulent 6:19 (4 chalakim) Caleb Epstein 9:00am Strengthening with Committee 9:30pm AM Mizkids Gloria Blau – 9:30am Meeting 10:45-11:30am Mizrachi together 8:00pm Seudah Shlishit with Australian Richard Friends of Rambam, Zimmermann present Next EVENTS Generation Therapies for Ovarian Cancer 7:00pm Learn to Read Hebrew 8:00pm at the home of David & Belinda Fisher
Lauren Wiener Aryeh Elbaum Judy Seigel & Hanna Baum Helena Wyman Sonia Slonim Joe Felman (Father) (Father) Ruth Paneth (Father) (Father & Husband) (Husband) (Father) Jacob Weinmann (Father) Janie Fixler & Shuki & Elli Wyman Ronen, Matan, (Father) Fay Kingsley (Father) Hadar & Amit (Mother) Slonim (Father) YAHRZEITS Eva & Ben Slonim (Son) Daniel Slonim & Aviva Debinski (Brother)
Mizrachi Matters can now be found on the Mizrachi website at http://mizrachi.com.au/mizrachi-matters/ or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/MizrachiMelb
We wish a hearty Mazal Tov to:
Esther & Yaakov Cohney on the birth of their daughter, Ayelet Hallel. Mazal tov her grandparents: Ilana & David Cohney and Siounit & Ervin Katz Mazal tov to her great grandparents: Tamara & Benjamin Cohney
Racheli & Matan Kofsky on the birth of their baby girl. Mazal tov to her grandparents: Amanda & Daniel Teller and Jodi & Malcolm Kofsky Mazal Tov to her great grandparents: Lea & Harvey Teller and Judy & Sam Seigel Mazal Tov to her great great grandparents: Abe & Hetty Seigel
Avital & Marc Seifman on the birth of the baby son. Mazal tov to his grandparents: Adina & Ian Waller and Susan & Robert Seifman Mazal tov to his great grandmothers: Erna Seifman & Wendy Waller
Caleb Epstein on the occasion of his Bar Mitzvah. Mazal Tov to his parents: Yona & Dion Epstein. Mazal tov to his grandparents: Ruth & Robert Epstein and Rita & Jack Gottlieb
Nechama Ruschinek & Ari Fisher on their engagement Mazal tov to their parents: Belinda & David Fisher and Ruth & Adam Ruschinek Mazal tov to their grandparents: Masha Fisher, Chana & Ben Ruschinek and Rose & Chaim Mehlman
Rivkah Figdor (Israel) & Ephraim Kremer (Israel) on their engagement Mazal tov to their parents: Zehava & Chaim Eliezer Kremer and Malka & Shimon Figdor Mazal tov to their grandmother: Ruth Figdor
BAR & BAT MITZVAH ANNIVERSARIES: Joshua Heinrichs, Edward Lichtig, Joshua Lissauer
HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Monday: Dean Ellinson Tuesday: Kasriel Oliver, Raphy Hersh Wednesday: Robert Lowinger Thursday: Andrew Strum, Avi Gilboa, Ian Symons, Nushi Gordon Friday: Isaac Rochwerger, Michael Dodge, Rochelle Herz
WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES: Saturday: Rachel & Yehuda Gottlieb (HWA) Wednesday: Rachel & Robert Lazar
If you have an occasion or milestone event that you would like to be mentioned in Mizrachi Matters, please email it to [email protected] by 12:00pm on Thursdays
MISHPATIM
"And people of holiness (Anshei Kodesh) you shall be to me…" (Shemot, 22:30).
In the middle of this week's list of civil ordinances, Hashem commands us to be holy people. Focusing on the term, "people of holiness", the Kotzker Rebbe taught that Hashem is saying, "Angels I have in sufficient quantity – I am looking for human beings who will be holy people".
Hashem does not only want us to be holy - he wants us to be holy people. In light of the Kotzker Rebbe's comments, my Rosh Yeshiva, HaRav Yehuda Amital zt"l highlighted the order of the words, "Anshei Kodesh" (people of holiness), explaining that we should first be decent people and only afterwards worry about being holy.
This is the main theme of this week's Parsha, which we read sandwiched between two accounts of the events at Har Sinai. At the beginning of the Parsha, Rashi comments on the significance of the location of these laws,
"Just as the previous ones were from Sinai, so too these are from Sinai" (Rashi, Shemot 21:1).
From the fact that the laws of Mishpatim were given at the same time, in the same place and from the same "mouth" as the Ten Commandments, the important message emerges that somebody who does not keep the monetary or civil laws of Parshat Mishpatim does not fully believe in "I am Hashem your Go-d". We cannot claim to be fully Religious Jews if we do not treat our workers well, if we show negligence towards other people or their possessions, abuse our positions of power, act with violence or corruption, accept bribes or transgress any of the other laws of Parshat Mishpatim.
The guidelines in this week's Parsha teach us how to be "anashim" – decent human beings. Without being "anashim" we cannot truly be "kedoshim". Without being "Bnei Adam" (human beings) we cannot claim to be "Bnei Torah" (Torah Jews).
Along these lines, Rav Amital zt"l continued:
"There has been a tendency in recent years to idealise great Rabbis, to the point of total disregard of their human feelings and weaknesses. The Torah presents the opposite approach: Every person has a human side, which must not be denied. Even the prophets had doubts and difficulties. The Torah recognizes that man lives in this world and has no expectation that he behave as if he were living in an ideal and unreal universe".
We cannot ignore our human side and must never forget the human side of Torah, Mitzvot and the service of Hashem. Parshat Mishpatim goes hand in hand with the Ten Commandments, as is reflected in Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya's teaching,
"If there is no Torah, there is no 'Derech Eretz'. If there is no 'Derech Eretz' there is no Torah" (Avot 3:17),
Shabbat Shalom, Rabbi Danny Mirvis
Reb Leor Broh
Riddle for Mishpatim
In this parsha, where do the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 appear? (for some numbers, there are multiple answers)
Answer to Riddle for last week (Yitro)
In Parshat Yitro, something is mentioned in common with regard to each of the following three. What is it? • Shabbat • Bnei Yisrael • Mount Sinai
In each of the three, there is “kedusha” holiness mentioned.
וְאַ תֶּ֧ם תִּ הְ יוּ־לִ֛י מַ מְ לֶ֥כֶת כֹּהֲנִ֖ים וְג֣וֹי קָ ד֑ וֹ שׁ (יט:ג) הַ גְ בֵּ ֥ ל אֶ ת ־ הָ הָ ֖ ר וְ קִ דַּ שְׁ תּֽ וֹ (יט:כג) זָ כ֛ וֹ ר֩ אֶ ת ־ י֥֨ וֹ ם הַ שַּׁ בָּ֖֜ ת ְ ל קַ דְּ ֗שֽׁ ו ֹ(כ:ח)
From the Gush
Rav Moshe Taragin Parshat Mishpatim - Murder Hornets and The Long Walk Home
The past year shook the world. Humanity faced a pandemic, the likes of which only occurs every hundred years. Locked in battle with an invisible but deadly virus, we also discovered that, bees can also be deadly. Regular bees sometimes cause irrational fear because they buzz and are airborne. But their sting rarely inflicts more than temporary discomfort or passing irritation. This past year, the Northwest region of the USA was introduced to "murder hornets" which are highly venomous, aggressive, and capable of wreaking significant damage both to the "ecological balance" as well as, in rare cases, to human beings. Parshat Mishpatim actually describes murder hornets – swarming wasps which G-d dispatched to defeat the residents of Israel and pave the way for Jewish settlement. This promise of supernatural victory, spearheaded by deadly hornets, suggests a very quick and easy conquest of the land and a rapid and trouble-free settlement of Israel. Dashing these expectations, the very next verse cautions us that, the process will be slow and staged. Conquest and settlement will not occur quickly but slowly and gradually; the overall process of inhabiting the promised land of Israel lasted over a fourteen-year period. In His very first detailed description of Jewish entry into the land of Israel, G-d reminded us not to expect a quick or immediate process. The Torah lists two reasons that the schedule will be delayed: Firstly, the frontier cannot be quickly tamed; if the entire land were immediately delivered to the Jewish people, the frontier would overwhelm the city and the jungle would overrun human habitat. A more gradual pace allowed the Jews to slowly build their cities and villages and to stabilize their society. However, it wasn’t just the threats of the frontier which dictated a more gradual pace of settlement. For internal reasons as well, the young and fledgling nation wasn’t yet prepared to settle the vast land. Ensuing verses describe the extensive borders of Israel – a swath of land which could not possibly be inhabited by a young nation of former slaves; a more paced and gradual timeline would allow natural growth and would allow the nation to slowly ease into their homeland. The promise of murder hornets vanquishing their enemies may have aroused undue expectations about a rapid conquest of the entire land of israel. The Torah quickly ramps down these expectations by stressing that, for both internal and external reasons, a more staged pace of settling Israel is beneficial and preferable.
Jewish History is all about patterns- what happened before is bound to happen again. We study past redemptions to uncover the general outline of our own redemption. Thousands of years later, we, once again, find ourselves living the "historical pattern" described in Mishpatim. G-d has returned His people to His land; we haven’t exactly witnessed murder hornets but the overall experience feels very similar. We have lived through amazing miracles and G-d has blessed us with the ability to protect ourselves against innumerable enemies; we may not have murder hornets but G-d has enabled us to assemble a pretty impressive air force! We are back in the land that we have dreamed of for over two millennia. Two thousand years of dreams often stokes unrealistic expectations. In our dreams, we sometimes expect the return to be immediate and "electric". When we struggle or when the process lags, we sometimes lose our enthusiasm and, sometimes, even our faith. Evidently, G-d has others plans for our return; evidently now, as then, the process will be more staged than electric. Evidently, then, as now, there are both internal as well as external reasons for the delayed process. The external reasons for this delay surround G-d's desire to conduct our return to Israel through the historical process. Though God can "impose" redemption upon history, He often chooses to "stream" redemption "through" human history. Rather than wrecking the historical order and introducing apocalypse, G-d often works within historical factors. In Egypt, G-d could have effortlessly and immediately emancipated the Jews, yet he chose to operate within Egyptian politics; our fate and ultimate redemption was streamed through the will of Pharoh, who ultimately became the driving force of our release from Egypt.
Our return to Israel has, so far, been similar to the liberation from Egypt. Our return in 1948 occurred within the most historically dramatic decade of the past century. During the 1940s, wars raged, Communism ascended, Fascism was defeated, European colonies were dismantled and the maps of Europe were redrawn. This events of the first half of the 20th century served as the historical platform for our return to Israel. If the return of Jews to Israel is meant to repair all of humanity, the process must be embedded within the history of humanity. However, if redemption evolves within history it will also be slowed by geopolitics, diplomacy and various other historical pressures. The pace of our return may be slow since, at least at this stage, G-d has chosen to encase our redemption within human history and within human historical factors. The "seas of history" haven’t parted yet, and we are still struggling for our homeland within the battlefield of history. If Mishpatim warns the Jews about the beasts of the jungle, today, we face the "beasts of History"! However, beyond the "external factors" delaying the process there are also internal "holdups". Rebuilding our national identity after two thousand years of dispersal isn’t an easy task nor can it be completed in one or two generations. Israel has assimilated Jews from fifty-two dialects and from vastly different cultures; creating a common national identity will take time. Additionally, and sadly, our country is still badly split between religious and secular Jews and, regrettably, the Corona experience is likely to exacerbate these tensions. Incredibly, we have built a robust democracy but evidently haven’t "bred" the type of visionary and selfless leaders which the "founding generation" enjoyed. Additionally, there are many specific "thorny" issues which probably cannot be solved in our generation. Hundreds of thousands of Jews in Israel, many of them emigres from Russia, seek Jewish and Israel identity without a desire for full halachik conversion. We can't compromise our standards for conversion but we also can't ignore so many "Jews" living in Israel but without halachik Jewish identity. Another dilemma surrounds the status of the kotel which should, and does, serve as a magnet for different Jews across the world and across many different denominations. The proper standards of prayer-which includes separation between men and women- must be preserved at the kotel. Alternatively, we must carve out space for people who, currently, don’t desire or adhere to those standards. It would be a pity if we severed Jews from the kotel and from greater Jewish identification. These, and many other issues, will probably take time to solve and, evidently, G-d has decided to give us the time and the opportunity to devise our own solutions. G-d can always decide to shuffle the historical deck, descend into our world, and immediately resolve all these dilemmas and challenges. Until that day we all need a little patience. Building a nation will take some time, and G-d is giving us the opportunity to iron out the wrinkles.
History is all about patterns.
PURIM 5781 TIMES @ MIZRACHI 81 Balaclava Road, Caulfield
Attendance at all Minyanim is subject to prior registration at www.mizrachi.com.au/Purim/Minyanim
Thursday 25 February – Ta’anit Esther Fast begins: 5:33am Earliest time for Tallit & Tefillin: 6:06am Early Shacharit (BY): 6:10am Second Shacharit (KOD): 7.00am Third Shacharit: 7.20am
Mincha (BY): 7:45pm Sunset: 8:06pm
First Maariv and Megillah: 8:25pm Fast ends: 8:34pm Later Maariv and Megillah: 10:00pm (Please note that Bnei Akiva and Kehillat Ohr David are coordinating their own Megillah readings - details to be released shortly)
Friday 26 February – Purim Earliest time for Tallit & Tefillin: 6:08am Shacharit (BY): 6:00am Megillah: 6:35am (BY) (approx.) Shacharit (KOD): 7:00am Megillah: 7:35am (KOD) (approx.) Shacharit (BY): 8:00am Megillah: 8:35am (BY) (approx.)
Later Megillah Reading: 9:00am (KOD)
OTHER READINGS: Women’s Megillla Reading at Leibler Yavneh College: Details to be confirmed. Megilla Reading and Lunch at East Melbourne Synagogue (sponsored by L1 Capital), 12:00pm (refreshments from 11:45am).
Seudat Purim this Year
As Purim falls on Erev Shabbat, it is important to ensure that our Purim Seudot do not negatively impact our hunger or preparedness for our Seudat Shabbat on Friday night.
Therefore, it is ideal to hold one's Purim Seudah before Halachic midday (1.32pm), but acceptable to start one's Seudah later if required. Either way, one's Seudah should be held prior to the 10th Halachic hour of the day (4.48pm).
The theoretical halachic option of having one's Purim Seudah run into their Shabbat meal is not recommended in the first instance or without detailed halachic guidance.
PURIM 5781 @ MIZRACHI Hearing the Megillah over Zoom
Every effort should be made to hear the Megillah in person and we are adding extra readings and locations this year to cater for everybody. Please register using www.mizrachi.com.au/Purim/Minyanim.
For the benefit of those unable to attend Shul in person, we will be providing Zoom readings, based on Rav Rimon's ruling below:
Live access to Megillah readings over Zoom will be made available at the following times:
Thursday 25 February . 8.25pm
Friday 26 February . 7.35am (approx.) . 9.00am
All online Megillah readings will be accessible by going to www.mizrachi.com.au/MeetingRoom1.
If you have any questions about any of our Purim programming or online Zoom Megillah readings please contact the office on 8317 2504.