Candle 4:38 Welcome to the DAT Minyan! Lighting pm Va’Eira January 13, 2018 - 26 Tevet 5778 5:41 Joseph Friedman, Rabbi | David Fishman, President pm

Shabbat Schedule D’var with Rabbi Jonathan Sacks Why did Moses tell Pharaoh, if not a lie, then less than the full truth? Here is Please help make our prayer service more the conversation between him and Pharaoh after the fourth plague, arov, meaningful by refraining from talking during the “swarms of insects” (some say “wild animals”): service. Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Go, sacrifice to your God here in FRIDAY the land.” But Moses said, “That would not be right. The sacrifices we offer the 4:40 pm: Mincha/Kabbalat Shabbat/Maariv, Lord our God would be detestable to the Egyptians. And if we offer sacrifices that (Shema should be recited after 5:40 pm) are detestable in their eyes, will they not stone us? We must take a three-day journey into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to the Lord our God, as He SHABBAT commands us.” (Ex. 8:21-23) Parasha: Page 318 / : Page 1149 Not just here but throughout, Moses makes it seem as if all he is asking is 7:30 am: Hashkama Minyan for permission for the people to undertake a three day journey, to offer sacrifices to God and (by implication) then to return. So, in their first Hashkama Minyan sponsored by Alex appearance before Pharaoh, Moses and Aaron say: and Hanah Polotsky “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Let My people go, so that they may hold a festival to Me in the wilderness.’” 8:25 am: Daf Yomi Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey Him and let Israel go? I do not 8:30 am: Tefillah Warm-up with Ellyn Hutt know the Lord and I will not let Israel go.” 9:00 am: Shacharit Then they said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Now let us take a three- day journey into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to the Lord our God, or He may Kiddush this Shabbat is co-sponsored by the strike us with plagues or with the sword.” (Ex. 5:1-3) shul and Mark and Sarah Raphaely in honor of God even specifies this before the mission has begun, saying to Moses at the 4th birthday of their daughter, Ava the burning bush: “You and the elders of Israel will then go to the king of Egypt. You must tell him, ‘The Lord, God of the Hebrews, revealed Himself 3:25 pm: HS Boys’ Gemara w/ Rabbi Zalesch at to us. Now we request that you allow us to take a three day journey into the the Zalesch home, 315 S. Newport Way desert, to sacrifice to the Lord our God’” (3:18). 4:30 pm: Mincha, followed by Seudah Shlisheet The impression remains to the very end. After the Israelites have left, we read: Seudah Shlisheet is sponsored by the shul The king of Egypt received news that the people were escaping. Pharaoh and his 4:50 pm: Shabbat Mishna w/ Howie Shapiro officials changed their minds regarding the people, and said, “What have we done? How could we have released Israel from doing our work?” (14:5) 5:41 pm: Maariv / Havdalah At no stage does Moses say explicitly that he is proposing that the people 6:30 pm: Mish Mosh should be allowed to leave permanently, never to return. He talks of a three day journey. There is an argument between him and Pharaoh as to who is to go. Only the adult males? Only the people, not the cattle? Moses —————————————————— consistently asks for permission to worship God, at some place that is not Egypt. But he does not speak about freedom or the promised land. Why not? Why does he create, and not correct, a false impression? Why can he Weekday Schedule not say openly what he means? The commentators offer various explanations. R. Shmuel David Luzzatto SHACHARIT (Italy, 1800-1865) says that it was impossible for Moses to tell the truth to a tyrant like Pharaoh. R. Yaakov Mecklenburg (Germany, Sunday: 8:00 am (Continued on Page 5) Learning Opportunities @ the DAT Minyan Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 6:35 am • Kitzur Shulchan Aruch: Daily, after Shacharit Wednesday: 6:25 am (Rosh Chodesh ) • Daf Yomi Shiur : Sun—Fri after Shacharit for 30 minutes and

8:25 am on Shabbat MINCHA/MAARIV • Mishnayot: Daily, between Mincha and Maariv • Wednesday Evening Jewish History Class: 7:30 pm, next class Sunday — Friday 4:45 pm topic, “The Hassidic Movement” (Continued on page 5)

DAT Minyan is a dynamic and friendly Modern Orthodox synagogue for all ages and dedicated to meaningful personal spiritual development, community growth, youth involvement, Torah education, and Religious Zionism. DAT Minyan - 6825 E. Alameda Ave. Denver, CO 80224 - 720-941-0479 - www.datminyan.org DAT MINYAN NEWS, EVENTS AND LEARNING

 Our thanks to Fred and Pia Hirsch for their generous donation of 50 more new siddurim to the DAT Minyan, in honor of their children and grandchildren. Thanks also to Lenny Kark for his generous donation of new siddurim.  Mazal Tov to Dr. Paul and Susie Fishman, our President, David Fishman, and the entire Fishman and Michaels families on the marriage this week of son and brother, Ben to Shayna Michaels, daughter of Chuck and Sara MIchaels.  Our condolences to Moira Saltz on the loss of her mother, Faith Saltz, last week. Baruch Dayan Emet. May her memory be for a blessing.  Join us each Wednesday evening, 7:30 pm at DAT for Jewish History with Rabbi Friedman. And, you can always catch any class you miss by visiting the audio page section on the homepage of our website, or going directly to www.datminyan.org/audio . This coming week’s topic, “The Hassidic Movement.”  The Denver Academy of Torah marks its 25th Anniversary with the Annual Dinner, Sunday, January 28th, 6:15 pm at BMH-BJ, 560 S. Monaco Pkwy. Please join with the DAT Minyan in attending this milestone event and supporting the DAT School with a donation. The DAT Minyan will match donations up to $10,000. Registration deadline is Friday, January 12th, at http://www.datcampus.org/news/dinner.html .  The Women's Book Club returns! We will be reading Ilana Kurshan's Memoir "If All the Seas Were Ink." This book creatively intertwines the author's passion for Daf Yomi study with insights into her daily life. Come join us on Sunday February 4th at 7:30 pm for a lively discussion. Location TBD.  AIPAC 2018 takes place in Washington, D.C. March 4th through 6th. The DAT Minyan has a block of 20 reserved spots at the AIPAC discounted rate of $399.00 per person and we are now accepting registrations. To register online, please go to https://www.datminyan.org/form/aipac2018 , or contact the shul office for additional information.  Save-the-Date of Monday, March 19th for our Annual Event honoring Rachel and Nathan Rabinovitch. More details coming soon!  All able Torah leiners are encouraged to sign-up to lein one or more aliyot for any upcoming Shabbos. The sign-up website, www.datminyan.org/laining, lists all the open slots through Purim in need of your ability to help us carry out this central segment of the Shabbos morning service. Sign-up takes about 15 seconds, and can be done weeks in advance, giving you plenty of time to prepare. We have also made advance sign-up easy (via the same website) for those interested in participating by chanting a Haftorah, again allowing plenty of time for those who'd like time to brush-up on a Haftorah previously chanted, or to learn one they've not done yet. Please contact Steve Hutt with questions or for more information.  Please check the lost and found every month to see if any of your lost belongings are there. It is located right near the main entrance doors. The school donates all remaining items at the end of each month.

COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS  Looking to improve your Hebrew skills? The Jewish Experience invites the community to join the next 10-class series of Hebrew Nights, on Monday nights from 7:00-8:15 PM at The Jewish Experience Center. Choose from Hebrew Reading, Reading Comprehension, or Conversational Hebrew/Ulpan. Groups will also be divided by skill level to give everyone the maximum benefit. New series begins January 8, 2018. Sign up at TheJE.com/Hebrew or call 303-316-6412 for more information.  Bais Yaakov of Denver will mark its jubilee year with a 50th Anniversary Gala honoring Rabbi Myer J. and Mrs. Bruria Schwab on Sunday, January 14, 2018 at the Doubletree Hotel, 4040 Quebec St. Gala Buffet Reception at 6:45 pm and program at 7:30 pm. To reserve, place an ad or for more information, visit: www.bjhs.org, email: reservations@bjhs, or call: 303-893-1333. Ad deadline December 29th.  It’s an evening of artistic inspiration as the Denver Academy of Torah, together with the PTO and the Teacher Institute for the Arts present visiting Jerusalem-based artist David Moss, Tuesday, January 16th, 7 to 9:00 pm at DAT. The artist will present original artwork and discuss his unique approach. DAT faculty will share exciting student projects in the new “Explore Tefilla” program taking place in the high school. Parents and adults only. RSVP to [email protected] .  Merkaz presents Shovavim Classes for men by Rabbi Tzvi Steinberg on January 16th and 30th, at 9:15 pm, at Merkaz.  Congregation B’Nai Havurah and the Lighthouse Writers Workshop present a Conversation with translator Jessica Cohen and C.U. professor David Shneer, “Literature Without Borders: The Art of Translation,” Saturday, January 20th, 7:00 pm at the Tattered Cover, Colfax. For more information: 303-388-4441 or https://www.bnaihavurah.org/event/ Jessica CohenandDavidShneer . This event is free and open to the public.  The Jewish Experience invites the community to its annual Wine & Cheese Gala, An Evening in Black & White 2, celebrating Rabbi Ahron Y. Wasserman's 18th year of visionary leadership. Saturday evening, February 3 at 8:00 pm at The Studios at Overland Crossing. RSVP at TheJE.com/WC2018 or call 303-316-6412.  EDOS will hold its 55th Annual Event on Sunday Evening, February 11th, at 7:00 pm. The theme is “An Evening Of Celebration & Honoring Of Those Who Disseminate Torah.” The event includes a concert by musical sensation Yehuda Green, and delicious, Torah-themed food! As a special bonus, EDOS hosts a preceding the event on February 9th & 10th, Shabbos Shekalim & Shabbos Mevarchim for Chodesh Adar, with Davening throughout Shabbos, an Oneg, and Havdalah led by Yehuda Green. For more information, please visit http://edosdenver.org/Events/2017- 2018AnnualEvent/2017-2018AnnualEvent.html .  Tomchei Shabbat is once again providing Purim letters to honor your friends and family. Beautiful full color 2018 Mishloach Manot Purim letters are available. 25 cards with envelopes are only $36.00. An electronic version of the Purim Card is also available. 25 e-cards for $25.00. Tomchei Shabbat will provide you with a beautiful PDF Purim Card, personalized with your own custom greeting and name that you will be able to email to your friends and family! To order either version online, visit purimcards.org .

Please help make our prayer service more meaningful by refraining from talking during the service. DAT MINYAN NEWS, EVENTS AND LEARNING

New Weekly Halacha Chaburah

The DAT Minyan is introducing a new chaburah using Hebrew text-based study for intermediate- advanced learners (men and women), in pairs or small groups. Professionally prepared source booklets will be provided developing a halachic topic from the gemara and moving forward through Tur, Rambam, Shulchan Aruch, Mishna Brurah, etc. Several weeks will be devoted to each topic, and Rabbi Friedman will guide and ensure that participants understand the sources and what they are teaching. This will be chaburah style learning, not a lecture style. The first topic will be the Chiyuv of Kriat haTorah.

The chaburah will be offered two times each week (pick one) – Thursday nights from 8-9, and Sunday mornings from 10-11, for added convenience. Please speak with Rachel Rabinovitch or Rabbi Friedman if interested.

It’s the Grand Prize Drawing for MISH MOSH

This Motzaei Shabbat, January 13th at 6:30 PM

The lucky winner will go home with a Hamzer 61-Key Digital Music Piano Keyboard – Portable Electronic Musical Instrument - with Stand & Microphone

There will also be a second prize as well as the weekly prizes and snacks for Everyone!

Be there within the first five minutes to get an extra prize ticket!

SAVE-THE-DATES Be sure to be with us next Shabbat and the following Shabbat for two important events:

Next Shabbat, January 20th, we welcome Sarah Prostak to kick off our Israel Bonds campaign with a special presentation and kiddush sponsored by Israel Bonds.

And, on Shabbat, January 27th, we honor the memory of our dear friend Rabbi Israel Rosenfeld on his third yahrzeit with a community-sponsored kiddush. To become a sponsor, please visit https://www.datminyan.org/form/rosenfeld-yahrzeit-kiddush2018 .

Please help make our prayer service more meaningful by refraining from talking during the service.

DAT MINYAN MEMBER MILESTONES

The DAT Minyan wishes to acknowledge the following milestones* of our members in the coming week: Aryeh Fischer, Dahlia Fishman, Iris Freedman, Roy Kaluzshner, Nathan Rabinovitch, Terry Samuel, Akiva Shapiro, Richard Winkel

David and Shira Fishman — 12 years

Mavis Burton— Wed., 1/17/18 (1 Shevat) Sol Stern — Thu., 1/18/18 (2 Shevat) *These details were obtained from the DAT Minyan database, which contains information provided by the members when they joined. We apologize for any omissions or mistakes. For corrections or additions, please log on to your account and update the information, or contact the synagogue office at 720-941-0479. This Day In Jewish History - Jan 13 / 26 Tevet  26 Tevet, 1369 — By an order issued by King Frederick III of SiciIy, Jews of Sicily are forced to wear a special badge indicating they are Jewish. The badge consisted of a piece of red material, not smaller than the largest royal sea. Men were required to wear it under the chin, and women on the chest.  26 Tevet, 1826 — Maryland adopts a law, called the “Jew Bill,” which allows Jews to hold public office on condition that they accept the concept of reward and punishment in the afterlife. Maryland was founded as an asylum for Catholics in 1634, and in its early days, the denial of Christianity was a capital crime in Maryland. The practice of was finally legalized in Maryland in 1776, but other restrictions remained in place.  January 13, 1963 — Bob Dylan (Robert Allen Zimmerman) performs in a radio play for the BBC in London. The play is called "The Madhouse on Castle Street" and, by no stretch of imagination, Dylan plays a folk singer.  26 Tevet, 1968 — The British-made Israeli Naval submarine Dakar disappears under mysterious circumstance at sea on its maiden voyage en route to Haifa. The remains of the submarine were only located 31 years later, in 1999, on the seabed between the islands of Crete and Cyprus. No remains of the Israeli sailors were ever found.  January 13, 2009 — Israel’s offensive into Gaza enters its third week with Israeli troops engaged in street fighting with Palestinian militants. The battle is in retaliation for rocket and mortar attacks from Gaza on Israeli cities. Refuah Shelayma Please include the following names in your prayers. May each be granted a Refuah Shelayma. Names are kept on the list until the next Rosh Chodesh. Help us keep the list accurate by verifying the necessary details each month on the Cholim Document at https://goo.gl/aeyJG2. Baruch Getzel ha Cohen ben Esther Guy Chaim ben Rita Shaina Meryl bat Rivka Bella bat Malka Hadassah bat Fruma Rahel Shashi bat Batya Baila Borukh ben Eydya Ilana Dintza bat Ita Mirrel Shifra Hadassah bat Chaya Leah Carmel ben Tirtza Kalia bat Miriam Shira Chana bat Sara Chaim Tuvia ben Dina Leah Devora Kivitiya bat Chaya Shirley Hasia bat Devorah Chana Yetta bat Bryna Lebick Yitzchak ben Bracha Shoshanna bat Liora Channa Bat Henny Rus Leya bat Sara Shoshanna bat Smadar Chaya Chanah Elisheva Rivka bat Sarah Lyudmila bat Roza Shoshanna Miriam bat Chanah Chaya Miriam bat Shoshana Malka bat Sarah Shulamit Leah bat Chava Chaya Orah bat Sarah Michel ben Leah Tirtza bat Sarah Chaya Sarah bat Tzirel Miriam Tova Chaya bat Chanah Tirtza Chana bat Malka Chaya Talia bat Shayna Leah Moshe Feivel ben Rose Tomas ben Galit Devorah Leah bat Chanah Nataniel ben Elisheva Tova bat Nechama Dinah bat Chayala Noa Shani bat Chaya Bracha Tziporah Rut bat Cissie Doniel ben Chana Rafael Avraham Sholom ben Henna Tzvi Gershon ben Shaindel Shaina Raizel Dovid ben Laya Raphael Yotam ben Efrat Yaffa Bat Rachel Dovid ben Leah Reuven Yehoshua ben Nechama Yehuda Mordechai Shrage ben Roiza Feige Eliyahu Chaim ha Cohen ben Sara Rifka Rina bat Lea Yona Malka bat Pola Eliyahu Dovid ben Ita Sheiva Roshka bat Bryna Yonatan Zeev ben Netaa Ephraim ben Henna Sara bat Yocheved Yosef ben Malka Eunice bat Sarah Sara Chana bat Shaina Zev ben Yehudis Faige bat Sarah Sarah Shoshanna bat Sarah Ziporah Sarah Mirrel bat Miriam Faigel bat Shaindel Sender ben Helen

Please help make our prayer service more meaningful by refraining from talking during the service. YOUTH ANNOUNCEMENTS

Join us for Shabbat Mishna Class Junior Congregation will start January 27th for grades 1—3, and 4—6. Join us for Geared for parent and child learning- 5th grade and up. davening, friends, a raffle, prizes and fun!

Open to all who'd like to attend. Where: DAT Kindergarten room. SAVE-THE-DATE of February 10th for Family Shacharit! When: Shabbat afternoon between Mincha and Maariv. More information to follow soon.

Details: We will explore how to dissect a Mishna and explore the text analytically. Ideal for pre-Gemarah prep. Our thanks to the Mark and Sarah Raphaely for No previous background required. English and Hebrew text sponsoring youth snacks this Shabbat in honor of the will be provided. 4th birthday today of their daughter, Ava

Rabbi Sacks (Continued from page 1) 1785-1865, Ha-Ktav veha-) says that technically Moses did not tell a lie. He did indeed mean that he wanted the people to be free to make a journey to worship God, and he never said explicitly that they would return. The Abarbanel (Lisbon 1437 – Venice 1508) says that God told Moses deliberately to make a small request, to demonstrate Pharaoh’s cruelty and indifference to his slaves. All they were asking was for a brief respite from their labours to offer sacrifices to God. If he refused this, he was indeed a tyrant. Rav Elhanan Samet (Iyyunim be-Parshot Ha-Shevua, Exodus, 189) cites an unnamed commentator who says simply that this was war between Pharaoh and the Jewish people, and in war it is permitted, indeed sometimes necessary, to deceive. Actually, however, the terms of the encounter between Moses and Pharaoh are part of a wider pattern that we have already observed in the Torah. When Jacob leaves Laban we read: “Jacob decided to go behind the back of Laban the Aramean, and did not tell him that he was leaving” (Gen. 31:20). Laban protests this behaviour: “How could you do this? You went behind my back and led my daughters away like prisoners of war! Why did you have to leave so secretly? You went behind my back and told me nothing!” (31:26-27). Jacob again has to tell at best a half-truth when Esau suggests that they travel together: “You know that the children are weak, and I have responsibility for the nursing sheep and cattle. If they are driven hard for even one day, all the sheep will die. Please go ahead of me, my lord” (33:13-14). This, though not strictly a lie, is a diplomatic excuse. When Jacob’s sons are trying to rescue their sister Dina who has been raped and abducted by Shechem the Hivite, they “replied deceitfully” (34:13) when Shechem and his father proposed that the entire family should come and settle with them, telling them that they could only do so if all the males of the town underwent circumcision. Earlier still we find that three times Abraham and Isaac, forced to leave home because of famine, have to pretend that they are their wives’ brothers not their husbands because they fear that otherwise they will be killed so that Sarah or Rebecca could be taken into the king’s harem (Gen. 12, 20, 26). These six episodes cannot be entirely accidental or coincidental to the biblical narrative as a whole. The implication seems to be this: Outside the promised land Jews in the biblical age are in danger if they tell the truth. They are at constant risk of being killed or at best enslaved. Why? Because they are powerless in an age of power. They are a small family, at best a small nation, in an age of empires. They have to use their wits to survive. By and large they do not tell lies but they can create a false impression. This is not how things should be. But it is how they were before Jews had their own land, their one and only defensible space. It is how people in impossible situations are forced to be if they are to exist at all. No-one should be forced to live a lie. In Judaism, truth is the seal of God and the essential precondition of trust between human beings. But when your people is being enslaved, its male children murdered, you have to liberate them by whatever means are possible. Moses, who had already seen that his first encounter with Pharaoh made things worse for his people – they still had to make the same quota of bricks but now also had to gather their own straw (5:6-8) – did not want to risk making them worse still. The Torah here is not justifying deceit. To the contrary, it is condemning a system in which telling the truth may put your life at risk, as it still does in many tyrannical or totalitarian societies today. Judaism – a religion of dissent, questioning and “arguments for the sake of heaven” – is a faith that values intellectual honesty and moral truthfulness above all things. The Psalmist says: “Who shall ascend the mountain of the Lord and who shall stand in His holy place? One who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not taken My name in vain nor sworn deceitfully” (Ps. 24:3-4). Malachi says of one who speaks in God’s name: “The law of truth was in his mouth, and unrighteousness was not found in his lips” (Mal. 2:6). Every Amidah ends with the prayer, “My God, guard my tongue from evil and my lips from deceitful speech.” What the Torah is telling us in these six narratives in Genesis and the seventh in Exodus is the connection between freedom and truth. Where there is freedom there can be truth. Otherwise there cannot. A society where people are forced to be less than fully honest merely to survive and not provoke further oppression is not the kind of society God wants us to make.

Please help make our prayer service more meaningful by refraining from talking during the service.