Dvar Torah & Dvar Tefillah Resource Guide
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Load more
Recommended publications
-
1 Jews, Gentiles, and the Modern Egalitarian Ethos
Jews, Gentiles, and the Modern Egalitarian Ethos: Some Tentative Thoughts David Berger The deep and systemic tension between contemporary egalitarianism and many authoritative Jewish texts about gentiles takes varying forms. Most Orthodox Jews remain untroubled by some aspects of this tension, understanding that Judaism’s affirmation of chosenness and hierarchy can inspire and ennoble without denigrating others. In other instances, affirmations of metaphysical differences between Jews and gentiles can take a form that makes many of us uncomfortable, but we have the legitimate option of regarding them as non-authoritative. Finally and most disturbing, there are positions affirmed by standard halakhic sources from the Talmud to the Shulhan Arukh that apparently stand in stark contrast to values taken for granted in the modern West and taught in other sections of the Torah itself. Let me begin with a few brief observations about the first two categories and proceed to somewhat more extended ruminations about the third. Critics ranging from medieval Christians to Mordecai Kaplan have directed withering fire at the doctrine of the chosenness of Israel. Nonetheless, if we examine an overarching pattern in the earliest chapters of the Torah, we discover, I believe, that this choice emerges in a universalist context. The famous statement in the Mishnah (Sanhedrin 4:5) that Adam was created singly so that no one would be able to say, “My father is greater than yours” underscores the universality of the original divine intent. While we can never know the purpose of creation, one plausible objective in light of the narrative in Genesis is the opportunity to actualize the values of justice and lovingkindness through the behavior of creatures who subordinate themselves to the will 1 of God. -
A Guide to Our Shabbat Morning Service
Torah Crown – Kiev – 1809 Courtesy of Temple Beth Sholom Judaica Museum Rabbi Alan B. Lucas Assistant Rabbi Cantor Cecelia Beyer Ofer S. Barnoy Ritual Director Executive Director Rabbi Sidney Solomon Donna Bartolomeo Director of Lifelong Learning Religious School Director Gila Hadani Ward Sharon Solomon Early Childhood Center Camp Director Dir.Helayne Cohen Ginger Bloom a guide to our Endowment Director Museum Curator Bernice Cohen Bat Sheva Slavin shabbat morning service 401 Roslyn Road Roslyn Heights, NY 11577 Phone 516-621-2288 FAX 516- 621- 0417 e-mail – [email protected] www.tbsroslyn.org a member of united synagogue of conservative judaism ברוכים הבאים Welcome welcome to Temple Beth Sholom and our Shabbat And they came, every morning services. The purpose of this pamphlet is to provide those one whose heart was who are not acquainted with our synagogue or with our services with a brief introduction to both. Included in this booklet are a history stirred, and every one of Temple Beth Sholom, a description of the art and symbols in whose spirit was will- our sanctuary, and an explanation of the different sections of our ing; and they brought Saturday morning service. an offering to Adonai. We hope this booklet helps you feel more comfortable during our service, enables you to have a better understanding of the service, and introduces you to the joy of communal worship. While this booklet Exodus 35:21 will attempt to answer some of the most frequently asked questions about the synagogue and service, it cannot possibly anticipate all your questions. Please do not hesitate to approach our clergy or regular worshipers with your questions following our services. -
Preparing a Dvar Torah
PREPARING A DVAR TORAH GUIDELINES AND RESOURCES Preparing a dvar Torah 1 Preparing a dvar Torah 2 Preparing a dvar Torah 1 MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE ASKED TO GIVE a dvar Torah don't know where to begin. Below are some simple guidelines and instructions. It is difficult to provide a universal recipe because there are many different divrei Torah models depending on the individual, the context, the intended audience and the weekly portion that they are dealing with! However, regardless of content, and notwithstanding differences in format and length, all divrei Torah share some common features and require similar preparations. The process is really quite simple- although the actual implementation is not always so easy. The steps are as follows: Step One: Understand what a dvar Torah is Step Two: Choose an issue or topic (and how to find one) Step Three: Research commentators to explore possible solutions Step Four: Organize your thoughts into a coherent presentation 1Dvar Torah: literallly, 'a word of Torah.' Because dvar means 'a word of...' (in the construct form), please don't use the word dvar without its necessary connected direct object: Torah. Instead, you can use the word drash, which means a short, interpretive exposition. Preparing a dvar Torah 3 INTRO First clarify what kind of dvar Torah are you preparing. Here are three common types: 1. Some shuls / minyanim have a member present a dvar Torah in lieu of a sermon. This is usually frontal (ie. no congregational response is expected) and may be fifteen to twenty minutes long. 2. Other shuls / minyanim have a member present a dvar Torah as a jumping off point for a discussion. -
“Cliff Notes” 2021-2022 5781-5782
Jewish Day School “Cliff Notes” 2021-2022 5781-5782 A quick run-down with need-to-know info on: • Jewish holidays • Jewish language • Jewish terms related to prayer service SOURCES WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE INFORMATION FOR THIS BOOKLET WAS TAKEN FROM: • www.interfaithfamily.com • Living a Jewish Life by Anita Diamant with Howard Cooper FOR MORE LEARNING, YOU MAY BE INTERESTED IN THE FOLLOWING RESOURCES: • www.reformjudaism.org • www.myjewishlearning.com • Jewish Literacy by Rabbi Joseph Telushkin • The Jewish Book of Why by Alfred J. Kolatch • The Jewish Home by Daniel B. Syme • Judaism for Dummies by Rabbi Ted Falcon and David Blatner Table of Contents ABOUT THE CALENDAR 5 JEWISH HOLIDAYS Rosh haShanah 6 Yom Kippur 7 Sukkot 8 Simchat Torah 9 Chanukah 10 Tu B’Shevat 11 Purim 12 Pesach (Passover) 13 Yom haShoah 14 Yom haAtzmaut 15 Shavuot 16 Tisha B’Av 17 Shabbat 18 TERMS TO KNOW A TO Z 20 About the calendar... JEWISH TIME- For over 2,000 years, Jews have juggled two calendars. According to the secular calendar, the date changes at midnight, the week begins on Sunday, and the year starts in the winter. According to the Hebrew calendar, the day begins at sunset, the week begins on Saturday night, and the new year is celebrated in the fall. The secular, or Gregorian calendar is a solar calendar, based on the fact that it takes 365.25 days for the earth to circle the sun. With only 365 days in a year, after four years an extra day is added to February and there is a leap year. -
Shulchan Arukh Amy Milligan Old Dominion University, [email protected]
Old Dominion University ODU Digital Commons Women's Studies Faculty Publications Women’s Studies 2010 Shulchan Arukh Amy Milligan Old Dominion University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/womensstudies_fac_pubs Part of the History of Religions of Western Origin Commons, Liturgy and Worship Commons, Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion Commons, and the Yiddish Language and Literature Commons Repository Citation Milligan, Amy, "Shulchan Arukh" (2010). Women's Studies Faculty Publications. 10. https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/womensstudies_fac_pubs/10 Original Publication Citation Milligan, A. (2010). Shulchan Arukh. In D. M. Fahey (Ed.), Milestone documents in world religions: Exploring traditions of faith through primary sources (Vol. 2, pp. 958-971). Dallas: Schlager Group:. This Book Chapter is brought to you for free and open access by the Women’s Studies at ODU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Women's Studies Faculty Publications by an authorized administrator of ODU Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Spanish Jews taking refuge in the Atlas Mountains in the fifteenth century (Spanish Jews taking refuge in the Atlas Mountains, illustration by Michelet c.1900 (colour litho), Bombled, Louis (1862-1927) / Private Collection / Archives Charmet / The Bridgeman Art Library International) 958 Milestone Documents of World Religions Shulchan Arukh 1570 ca. “A person should dress differently than he does on weekdays so he will remember that it is the Sabbath.” Overview Arukh continues to serve as a guide in the fast-paced con- temporary world. The Shulchan Arukh, literally translated as “The Set Table,” is a compilation of Jew- Context ish legal codes. -
Mattos Chassidus on the Massei ~ Mattos Chassidus on the Parsha +
LIGHTS OF OUR RIGHTEOUS TZADDIKIM בעזרת ה ' יתבר A Tzaddik, or righteous person , makes everyone else appear righteous before Hashem by advocating for them and finding their merits. Kedushas Levi, Parshas Noach (Bereishis 7:1) MATTOS ~ MASSEI _ CHASSIDUS ON THE PARSHA + Dvar Torah – Mattos Keep Your Word The Torah states (30:3), “If a man takes a vow or swears an oath to G -d to establish a prohibition upon himself, he shall not violate his word; he shall fulfill whatever comes out of his mouth.” In relation to this passuk , the Midrash quotes from Tehillim (144:4), “Our days are like a fleeting shadow.” What is the connection? This can be explained, says Rav Levi Yitzchok, according to a Gemara ( Nedarim 10b), which states, “It is forbidden to say, ‘ Lashem korban , for G-d − an offering.’ Instead a person must say, ‘ Korban Lashem , an offering for G -d.’ Why? Because he may die before he says the word korban , and then he will have said the holy Name in vain.” In this light, we can understand the Midrash. The Torah states that a person makes “a vow to G-d.” This i s the exact language that must be used, mentioning the vow first. Why? Because “our days are like a fleeting shadow,” and there is always the possibility that he may die before he finishes his vow and he will have uttered the Name in vain. n Story The wood chopper had come to Ryczywohl from the nearby village in which he lived, hoping to find some kind of employment. -
Admissions Policy and Procedures
YESHIVA TORAS CHAIM Admission Requirements Students applying to Yeshiva Toras Chaim must meet one of the following requirements: 1. Have graduated high school and provide evidence of high school graduation 2. Have been homeschooled and provide documentation of homeschooling 3. Meet one of the recognized equivalents. Recognized equivalents include: a. GED/TASC/HISET b. Successful completion of an associate’s degree program; c. Successful completion of at least 60 semester or trimester credit hours or 72 quarter credit hours that does not result in the awarding of an associate’s degree, but that is acceptable for full credit toward a bachelor’s degree at any institution; or d. Enrollment in a bachelor’s degree program where at least 60 semester or trimester credit hours or 72 quarter credit hours have been successfully completed, including credit hours transferred into the bachelor’s degree program. Applicants to Yeshiva Toras Chaim must also meet the following requirements. Competence in the Chumash (Pentateuch) and commentaries Completion of 150 folio pages of Talmud Competence in the laws and customs codified in Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim, along with a personal commitment to their observance Positive references from previous schools attended A commitment to fulfilling the institution’s mission and to conforming to its culture A commitment to high standards of morality and character Yeshiva Toras Chaim does not utilize an Ability to Benefit test for admitting students. Additionally, students must have: . A commitment to develop in the personal growth of character traits, and ethical and moral obligations . An interview and oral exam administered by the Rosh Yeshiva Before being granted an interview applicants are carefully vetted by contacting previous instructors and/or Rosh Yeshiva to make sure they will be a “good fit” to the Yeshiva. -
The Hatan Damim Episode: a Preamble to Yetziat Mitzrayim Mrs
The Hatan Damim Episode: A Preamble to Yetziat Mitzrayim Mrs. Rivkah Kahan Principal, Maayanot Yeshiva High School for Girls The episode of the hatan damim, told in three pesukim in the fourth perek of Sefer Shemot, is among the most enigmatic narrative sections of Humash. There are several technical as well as philosophical questions that arise from a preliminary reading of the story. In this article, my focus is on the latter: on understanding why Hashem acts as He does in these pesukim, and why this short narrative is placed as a prelude to the story of geulat Mitzrayim.38 The chief philosophical question that arises from the story of the hatan damim is why Hashem would seek to kill Moshe or his son39 for the delay in performing a brit milah. This poses a problem not only because the punishment seems excessively severe, but also because the hatan damim episode immediately follows Hashem’s protracted efforts to convince Moshe to accept the mission of redeeming Bnei Yisrael. It is therefore especially difficult to understand why Hashem would threaten to kill Moshe or his son just after Moshe has acceded, and has set out to Mitzrayim as Hashem’s shliach mitzvah. R. Yaakov Tzvi Mecklenburg, in his sefer Haketav Vehakabbalah, is so troubled by the difficulty of understanding why Hashem would mete out the death penalty in this context that he proposes a radical reinterpretation of the pesukim. He suggests that Hashem, in fact, did not seek to kill anyone in the story of the hatan damim. He suggests that “vayifgeshehu Hashem” (Shemot 4:24) -
Judaism 2.0: Identity
ph A ogr N Judaism 2.0: identity, ork Mo philanthrophy W and the Net S new media der N u F h S i W A Je 150 West 30th Street, Suite 900 New York, New York 10001 212.726.0177 Fax 212.594.4292 [email protected] www.jfunders.org BY Gail Hyman ph A the (JFN) Jewish Funders network ogr is an international organization N udaism 2.0: of family foundations, public J philanthropies, and individual identity, ork Mo funders dedicated to advancing the W philanthrophy quality and growth of philanthropy and the Net rooted in Jewish values. JFN’s S new media members include independent der N philanthropists, foundation trustees u F and foundation professionals— h S a unique community that seeks i W to transform the nature of Jewish giving in both thought and action. A Je special acknowledgement the Jewish Funders network thanks the andrea and charles Bronfman philanthropies for its support of this Judaism 2.0: identity, philanthrophy and the new media. we are very grateful to Jeffrey solomon and roger Bennett, of ACBp, who were instrumental in conceiving the project, offering guidance, critique and encouragement along the way. we also thank Jos thalheimer, who provided research support throughout the project. we are also grateful that the Jewish Funders network was given the opportunity to publish this monograph and share its important insights about the role of the Jewish BY Gail Hyman community in the emerging digital communications age. JUDAISm 2.0: iDEnTiTy, PHILANTHROPHy a JEWiSH FUnders network AND THE nEW mEDIA mOnograph 2007 According to the pew internet future, and yet they, like most of the philanthropic world, are Adoption rate Survey, internet penetration among American falling behind when it comes to the new media. -
In the Educational Philosophy of Limmud
INDIVIDUALS PRACTISING COMMUNITY: THE CENTRAL PLACE OF INTERACTION IN THE EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY OF LIMMUD JONATHAN BOYD, BA (HaNS), MA THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF EDUCATION APRIL2013 ABSTRACT In light of growing evidence of exogamy among Jews and diminishing levels of community engagement, the question of how to sustain and cultivate Jewish identity has become a major preoccupation in the Jewish world since the early 1990s. Among the numerous organisations, programmes and initiatives that have been established and studied in response, Limmud, a week-long annual festival of Jewish life and learning in the UK that attracts an estimated 2,500 people per annum and has been replicated throughout the world, remains decidedly under-researched. This study is designed to understand its educational philosophy. Based upon qualitative interviews with twenty Limmud leaders, and focus group sessions with Limmud participants, it seeks to explore the purposes of the event, its content, its social and educational processes, and contextual environment. It further explores the importance of relationships in Limmud's philosophy, and the place of social capital in its practice. The study demonstrates that Limmud's educational philosophy is heavily grounded in the interaction of competing tensions, or polarities, on multiple levels. Major categorical distinctions drawn in educational philosophy and practice, and Jewish and general sociology, are both maintained and allowed to interact. This interaction takes place in a "hospitable and charged" environment - one that is simultaneously safe, respectful and comfortable, whilst also edgy, powerful and challenging - that allows the individual freedom to explore and navigate the contours of Jewish community, and the Jewish community opportunity to envelope and nurture the experience of the individual. -
KMS Sefer Minhagim
KMS Sefer Minhagim Kemp Mill Synagogue Silver Spring, Maryland Version 1.60 February 2017 KMS Sefer Minhagim Version 1.60 Table of Contents 1. NOSACH ........................................................................................................................................................ 1 1.1 RITE FOR SERVICES ............................................................................................................................................ 1 1.2 RITE FOR SELICHOT ............................................................................................................................................ 1 1.3 NOSACH FOR KADDISH ....................................................................................................................................... 1 1.4 PRONUNCIATION ............................................................................................................................................... 1 1.5 LUACH ............................................................................................................................................................ 1 2. WHO MAY SERVE AS SH’LIACH TZIBUR .......................................................................................................... 2 2.1 SH’LIACH TZIBUR MUST BE APPOINTED .................................................................................................................. 2 2.2 QUALIFICATIONS TO SERVE AS SH’LIACH TZIBUR ..................................................................................................... -
CONGREGATION OHR MOSHE in Conjunction with MEZUZAH DOCTOR REB MOSHE GANTZ PRESENT a TEFILLIN and MEZUZAH CHECKING CAMPAIGN
CONGREGATION OHR MOSHE in Conjunction with MEZUZAH DOCTOR REB MOSHE GANTZ PRESENT A TEFILLIN AND MEZUZAH CHECKING CAMPAIGN DID YOU KNOW THAT HALACHA REQUIRES YOU TO CHECK YOUR MEZUZOS TWICE EVERY SEVEN YEARS? DID YOU KNOW THAT IT IS SIMILARLY STRONGLY RECOMMENDED TO HAVE YOUR TEFILLIN CHECKED TWICE EVERY SEVEN YEARS? DID YOU KNOW THAT THE POSKIM RECOMMEND THAT DURING CHODESH ELUL WE CHECK OUR TEFILLIN & MEZUZOS? DID YOU KNOW THAT IF A SINGLE LETTER GETS WORN OR FADED THE ENTIRE TEFILLIN OR MEZUZAH BECOMES POSUL? DID YOU KNOW THAT THE PROTECTION AND MITZVA PROVIDED BY TEFILLIN AND MEZUZOS ARE UNAVAILABLE IF THEY ARE POSUL? DID YOU KNOW THAT IN THE SIFREI KODESH WE FIND THAT KOSHER MEZUZOS INSTALLED IN JEWISH HOMES IN THE DIASPORA ALSO HELP PROTECT THOSE LIVING IN ERETZ YISRAEL? THESE DAYS WE CAN ALL USE AS MUCH PROTECTION AS WE CAN GET!!! JOIN US ON SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2019 STARTING AT 9:00 AM AT CONGREGATION OHR MOSHE 170-16 73rd AVENUE, HILLCREST We will have a team of Sofrim, all certified by VAAD MISHMERES STAM, examining and repairing (if necessary) your Tefillin and Mezuzos the entire day. The Shul will also provide new pre-checked Tefillin, Mezuzos, and parshios, all with the Hashgacha of VAAD MISHMERES STAM, and related items available for sale. The Sofrim will be compensated for their professional services (on a time basis) only and they will not have any financial interest in the sale of any of these replacement items. Bring your children and watch the Sofrim in action. The Sofrim will take the time to discuss and show any problems which they may find.