Parshas Bo January 26 Mazel Tov to Jean & Jerry Sadoff and the Entire Sadoff and Yaffe Families

בס‘‘ד Announcements Schedule of Services/Events

Mazel Tov to Mr. & Mrs. Shalom Tuvia (Ryan) and Sarah Malka Gordon. Friday Erev Shabbos Parshas Bo January 26 Mazel tov to Jean & Jerry Sadoff and the entire Sadoff and Yaffe families. May Shacharis 6:50 & 7:10 AM T HE BAIS YISROEL the couple be zocheh to build a Bayis Ne’eman B’Yisroel L’Shem U’lisferes. Mincha 4:55 PM Mazel Tov to Rabbi & Mrs. Hillel & Shaina Gitty Engelson on the birth of a Candle Lighting 4:54 PM S HABBOS OBSERVER baby girl. May they see much nachas from her and all their children.

Volume 2:Issue Number 032 8 Shevat, 5767 Parshas Bo Rabbi & Mrs. Hillel Engelson invite the entire Kehilla to a Kiddush to cele- Shabbos, January 27 January 26 & 27, 2007 brate the birth of their daughter, at their home 2621 Toledo Avenue, follow- Shacharis 8:30 AM ing davening. Mincha 4:40 PM Taharas Hamishpacha Review Rabbi Lieff will be giving review course for Shabbos is over 6:04 PM Parshas Bo the Worldwide Taharas Mishpacha/Family Purity Shovavim Project 5767. All married women are invited to review the fundamental Halachos and Haskafos that preserve the sanctity of the Jewish Home, Monday Feb 12 at 7:30 PM. Sunday, January 28 Shacharis 7:00 & 8:00 AM Sha’arim will host its annual auction on Sunday January 28, 2007 at the Mincha 2:45 PM & Mincha/Maariv 5:00 PM Sabes JCC at 6:00 PM. The Grand Prize is round trip airfare for 2 to Israel and Hotel accommodations for 6days/7nights. There are 50 prizes to choose from Maariv 8:00 PM & 10:00 PM and 50 chances to win! There is an $18 entrance fee per person. For more information please call Chana Shagalow at (612)327-9195 or e-mail Monday-Thurs January 29-February 1 [email protected] See you at the auction! Shacharis 6:45 & 7:05 AM No Bnos This Shabbos Mincha 2:45 PM & Mincha/Maariv 5:00 PM

Beginning this Shabbos Rabbi Schnall will deliver an additional shiur on Maariv 8:00 PM & 10:00 PM the 39 Melachos at 8:15 AM. Friday Erev Shabbos Parshas Beshalach February 2 The Minneapolis Community Kollel will resume the “Shabbos Afternoon Iyun Shiur” this Shabbos, 45 minutes before Mincha. This week’s shiur enti- Shacharis 6:45 & 7:05 AM tled “The Calendar in Halacha” will be given by Rabbi Greenberg. Mincha 5:05 PM

Save The Date for the Bais Yaakov Production, “Fleeting Shadows” Sun- Candle Lighting 5:04 PM day, February 25th @ 7 PM. The Rav addressing the 11th Annual Banquet of the Bais Yaakov of the Twin Cities, For advanced tickets at re- Good Shabbos! honoring the Rav & Rebbetzin Moshe Tuvia Lieff THE KOLLEL KORNER duced cost, call 952-952-915-

The Shabbos Afternoon Iyun Shiur 9117. Details to follow! משה טוביה ליף ,”entitled “The Calendar in Halacha There will be a Women & רב קהילת בית ישראל resumes 45 minutes before Mincha with Message from the Rav Girls Motzei Shabbos מיניאפוליס מיניסוטה Rabbi Greenberg. Shiurim Given by HaRav Moshe Tuvia Lieff Swim at the Sabes JCC, Study “The Path of the Just”, Wed. at Mon Wed & Thurs After Maariv Mesechta Sota MAKING A MOCKERY OF MITZRAYIM January 27th and the swim Torah Academy 8:00 – 9:00 P.M. Con- will be extended through, Until this very day, most Jews the world over, no matter how assimilated, will observe a Tues & Thurs 8:15 AM Mesechta Suka tact Rabbi Koval, 612.296.9634 Feb 3. 6:30-7:30 PM, $18 for Seder commemorating Yetzias Mitzrayim. According to Rashi and Ramban, the mitzva of [email protected] . sippur Yetzias Mitzrayim includes relating those events that show how Hashem made a all six sessions (Feb. 3rd in- Wednesday. Feb. 7 @ 12 PM -Altman & Izek Lunch & Learn mockery of the Egyptians. "Ulima 'an tisaper biaznei vincha uven bincha es asher hisallalti biMitz- The nightly ”Mishna Berura” shiur cluded) or $5 per session. 901 North 3rd Street, Minneapolis

given by Rabbi Pam, on the Halachos of rayim vies ososai ashersamti vam viyidatem ki ani Hashem. (Parshas Bo 10:2) And so that you may The Congregational Nurse, U of M @ 4:00 PM on Thursday Hillel relate in the ears of your son and your son's son that I made a mockery of Egypt, and my daily conduct, meets 9:30–10:00 PM. Doris Ginsberg is available to signs that I placed among them, that you may know that I am Hashem." What the Torah Bais Yisroel Shabbos Observer is a weekly publication that Congregation Bais Yisroel A 10 minutes shiur, given by Rabbi help you with your health is teaching us is that it is just as important to highlight Hashem's mockery of the Egyptians brings you Divrei Torah on the weekly parsha and community 4221 Sunset Boulevard Schnall on “The 39 Melachos” begins concerns. Please call the con- events. To submit items for publication please contact the Bais Minneapolis, MN 55416 as it is to emphasize the mighty wonders He performed on behalf of the Bnei YisroeI. at 8:15 AM & 5 minutes after Shacharis fidential Shul Nurse Line at Yisroel Office by 2 PM Wednesday of each week. For general Phone: 952-926-7867 Both elements are necessary to viyidatem ki ani Hashem, to a total and complete understand- on Shabbos. 952-926-7867 ext. 160. See information regarding activities and events or membership infor- Fax:952-926-2936 ing and knowledge of Hashem.

back panel with contact information please contact the shul office or HaRav Moshe Tuvia Shul Nurse Line Ext. 160 So in what ways did Hashem mock the Egyptians? The Be'er Yosef, discusses them as Rabbi Greenberg will give his Parsha E-mail: mation for future reference . Lieff. follows: Hashavua shiur, Thurs. evening 8:15 – [email protected]

9:00 PM. [email protected] (continued) Founding editors: Arnie and Hindy Frishman Webpage The BYSO Is anonymously sponsored in honor of www.baisyisroel.org Rabbi Yaacov Hutman for all he does for us.

I) Shouldn't Have Said That. After the plague of darkness, choshech, Pharaoh dis- cha" (Genesis 12:1), which means "go for yourself from your land." Based on the nity for meditation, for asking oneself, "Am I living by what I want to do, or by played great chutzpah towards Moshe and said: "Lech me'alay hishamer licha al tosef rios Midrash, Rashi explains: "Go for your own pleasure." God is promising Abraham what God wants me to do?" panai ki bayom rioscha phnai tamus. Go from me, beware do not see my face anymore, wealth, fame, and power. The word "lecha" means "for your benefit and pleasure." for on the day you see my face you shall die." (Shemos 10:28) Yet, as events will Then came the final plague, the Death of the Firstborn. This came in the middle of unfold and the plague of makos b'choros sets in, Pharaoh is forced to swallow his So too, in our case, the word "lachem" (the plural of lecha) means the same thing. the night, and in that darkness God revealed himself. He passed over the homes pride and literally go running to find Moshe to make the plague stop. The wicked son it asking: "what is this service lachem?" It is for your own enjoy- where Jews were eating the Passover lamb, for the sake of Heaven. Those who ment. He says: "Stop kidding yourselves into thinking that you are doing the will of perished were those who fooled themselves into thinking that they were really doing 2) I Should Have Just Taken My Punishment. Pharaoh is informed that God. You are really just hiding behind your religiosity as you go about fulfilling your the will of God, but in reality they were basically serving themselves. The light of Klal Yisroel has escaped. His reaction, and the reaction of his people, is one of own desires." The wicked son simply cannot understand how it is possible to do God made the truth clear. great remorse. "Mah zos asinu ki shilacniu es Yisroel meyavdeinu. What is this that things that are pleasurable completely for the sake of Heaven. we have done that we have sent away Israel from serving us?" (Shemos 14:5). May we all have the clarity to know the true path, so that we are not fooled by the Earlier, however, they demanded from Pharaoh that he release Klal Yisroel Sure, we want serve God better and improve ourselves. Yet, how can we know if yetzer hara, who sometimes tries to paint negativity as something spiritual. And may complaining, "ad mosai yihiyeh zeh lanu limokesh. How long will this be a snare for what we are doing is really for God, or because of some ulterior motive? Maybe we we merit to see the light in the darkness, all the days of our lives. (Used with Permis- us?" (Shemos 10:7) And now after suffering the most decimating of plagues, do it all for our own sakes. Even when it comes to Torah and mitzvot, maybe we sion, Aish,.com)

they too contradict themselves, bemoaning how they could have allowed the are thinking, "What's in it for me?" HAFTORAH: YIRMIYAHU 46:13-28 Jewish nation to leave. The Mechilta compares this to a master who requests This is a serious question which we have to ask ourselves. This is what bothers the The Buck Stops Here that his servant go out and bring him a fish from the marketplace. Upon re- wicked son. turning with a rotten fish, he is told by the master that he must either, eat the "But you, be not afraid, My servant Yaakov, and be not frightened, O Israel, for I fish, pay a hundred silver pieces, or receive a hundred lashes. The servant de- * * * shall save you from afar, and your offspring from the land of their captivity, and cides to eat the fish. However, after a few bites, the servant becomes violently LITMUS TEST Yaakov shall return and be tranquil, and secure, and none shall make him trem- ill and decides to receive the lashes instead. After about 60 lashes, he again ble." (46:27) changes his mind and decides to pay the fine. The result? In the end, the ser- The Ba'al Shem Tov offers three pieces of advice to help clarify whether we are vant effectively received all three punishments. He ate the rotten fish, receives really serving God or ourselves: 1) Remove all pleasure. 2)Meditation.3)The light of Neither the ovens of Europe nor the melting-pots of the New World have lashes and pays the fine. So too, with Pharaoh. He was beaten with plagues and God. managed to obliterate the Jewish People. To be sure, in our days, we have wit- nessed massive casualties -- a silent holocaust -- walking/talking bodies that conceal then sent out Klal Yisroel along with the entire nation's money. To explain: The Ba'al Shem Tov first recommends that we imagine that all pleasure charred remnants of Jewish souls. 3) Bread Basket to the World No More. Pharaoh considered himself a deity. has been removed from a mitzvah. In reality, it is a good thing to derive pleasure When he passed before the Nile, it rose to greet him and irrigated the land. To from mitzvot, but for the purposes of this exercise we should imagine that we have The mystical writings tell us that Yaakov never died. Yaakov is eternal. He is like the Egyptian people he was considered the provider and sustainer of the entire no taste buds and we're not getting anything out of eating matzah. Would we still the moon: Whether engulfed by fire or physicality, just when he seems about to empire. Now after the plagues of hail and locusts that completely decimated all spend the time, effort and money to do this mitzvah? We have to honestly ask our- disappear, he renews himself. The Jewish People, the seed of Yaakov, live on, so of the crops and created a devastating famine, his limited shortcomings were selves this question. If the answer is "yes," this is an indication that we are indeed Yaakov himself lives on "and Yaakov shall return and be tranquil, and secure, and revealed to all. He couldn't even provide for himself. Moreover, his nation, doing it completely for God. none shall make him tremble."(Avnei Ezel in Mayana Shel Torah)

which had been the bread basket for the world, was reduced to begging from The Ba'al Shem Tov gives the second piece of advice: We need to ask ourselves Good-Luck Charm its neighbors. whether what we are about to do is really a mitzvah. One should meditate and con- In last week's Haftorah, the Prophet Yechezkel depicted the downfall of Egypt at To fully appreciate Hashem, it is not enough to look at the big picture and marvel at sider that maybe the opposite of what you are about to do is the really the will of God. It requires patience before we jump to do a mitzvah. Are we really doing it for the hands of the Babylonian king Nevuchadnetzar. This week, it is the Prophet the broad strokes of wonder and majesty. It is necessary to look closely, very closely, Yirmiyahu who speaks of the judgment that will be executed on the Egyptians by at the details; for in the details lies the full presence of Hashem. the sake of God, or for ourselves? the Babylonians.

The Ba'al Shem Tov gives us the third piece of advice on how to check our motives. WHO ARE WE SERVING? The Haftorah also deals with the world-historic exile of the Jewish People, and by Rabbi Abba He calls it "the light of God." Sometimes after we have removed all pleasure, and we have done some deep meditation, we still find ourselves in the dark and can't inspires Israel with courage. Greetings from the holy city of Jerusalem! decide what to do. At that time we need God to reveal Himself, and light the path The prophet directs Israel to the only "good-luck charm" that will work in all times This week's Torah reading says: "When your children ask you: 'What is the nature of for us. God hid His light in the Torah, and that is where we can access it. We have and all places. The name of that talisman is "eved Hashem" -- "servant of G-d." this service to you?' you shall say: 'It is the sacrifice of God's Passover.' " (Exodus to turn to the Torah, or to those who know the Torah, for guidance. 12:26) In spite of great suffering, the only sure protection against the storms of history will * * * be to be a servant of G-d. For no one canbe closer to the Master than he who is In the Passover Haggadah, we read about four sons, and we find that the wicked LESSONS FROM THE PLAGUES His servant at all times and in all places, unconditionally. (Based on Rabbi Hirsch) son asks this exact question. We could suggest that the Ba'al Shem Tov's three pieces of advice correspond to the (Used with Permission, Aish,.com)

The commentator Kli Yakar explains the real question of this wicked child. He is three plagues mentioned in this week's parsha. The numerical value of the name asking, "What is this service lachem (for you)?" In other words, the wicked son "Bo" is also three. Three plagues are placed in this week's parsha, separate from the (Continued) thinks that the whole reason we eat the Passover offering is for our own sake. We other seven, because they correspond to the three pieces of advice, as follows: If you have not made your donation yet to the Eruv of MN, please send your are doing it because it tastes good, because we enjoy it! First came the plague of locusts, which removed all pleasure. They ate up all the check to Eruv of MN, 4800 West 27th Street, St. Louis Park, 55416. Copies of We find a proof for this when God tells Abraham: "Lech lecha m'artez- food in the land. Then came the plague of darkness, which was the perfect opportu- the new Eruv map are available at the shul.