VOLUME 12, ISSUE 11 TAMUZ/AV 5780 / JULY/AUGUST 2020 EDITION THE MONTHLY PUBLICATION OF THE YOUNG ISRAEL OF HOLLYWOOD - FT. LAUDERDALE Alan Mendelsohn, M.D. Nathan Klein, O.D. 954.894.1500 Welcome to Eye Surgeons and Consultants! WE USE THE MOST ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY AND CUSTOMIZE OUR SERVICE TO YOUR EYES! SERVICES For your convenience, we also have a full service optical dispensary Laser Cataract Surgery with the highest quality and huge selection of the latest styles of Laser Vision Correction eyeglasses and sunglasses, including: Glaucoma Laser Surgery Comprehensive Eye Exams Oliver Peoples • Michael Kors • Barton Perreira • Tom Ford • Burberry Macular Degeneration Marc Jacobs • Lily Pulitzer • Mont Blanc • Nike Flexon • Silhouette Diabetic Eye Exams Glaucoma Exams We provide personalized, professional care using Red Eye Evaluations a state-of-the-art computerized in-house laboratory. Dry Eye EXTENDED HOURS: MON: 7:30AM – 8:00PM Contact Lens Exams TUE – FRI: 7:30AM – 4:30PM • SUN: 7:30AM – 11:30AM Scleral Contact Lenses 4651 Sheridan Street, Suite 100, Hollywood, FL 33021 • 954.894.1500 PLEASE SEE OUR WEBSITE: www.myeyesurgeons.com for sight-saving suggestions! YOUNG ISRAEL OF HOLLYWOOD-FT. LAUDERDALE JULY-AUGUST 2020 PAGE 3 RABBI’S MESSAGE CONSOLATION THROUGH RECONSIDERATION The Shabbat after Tisha B’Av is referred to by the special Loving G-d must express itself in actions. Rabbi Avi Weiss Haftorah that we read, Shabbat Nachamu. The term “nechama” tells a story: Whenever his parents flew to New York, it was his is generally translated as “comfort” or “consolation.” In the responsibility to meet them at the airport. One time, his father aftermath of the Churban Beit Hamikdash, the prophet Isaiah called to say that their arrival was moved up by a day…. conveys a message of hope. But the word nechama means Professing my deep love for my parents, I insisted that I couldn't something else as well. change my schedule on such short notice. “You became a hot The very first time the word is used is in Parshat Bereishit shot Rabbi,” my father responded, “and don't have time for your parents?” “I love you deeply,” I protested, “but it's difficult to .וינחם ה' כי עשה את האדם בארץ, ויתעצב אל לבו :(6:6) If we were to translate this using the word comfort, it would alter plans at the last moment.” To which my father responded read that God was consoled by the fact that He created man, and with a memorable line “Don't love me so much, just pick me up His heart was saddened. Rather, we translate the verse as, “And at the airport!” God reconsidered having made man on earth, and He had What is true of our love towards Hashem must be a guiding heartfelt sadness.” force in all of our relationships. Love must be something we Another example of the root nechama in the Torah is in show with actions, and not merely relegated to our thoughts and Parshat Ki Tisa, in the leining we read on fast days (Shemot words. The Gemara in Yoma explains that Ve’ahavta mandates (2 .וינחם ה' על הרעה אשר דבר לעשות לעמו :(32:14 It does not translate as, “And God was comforted over the us: Sheyehay Shem Shamayim Mitahev al yadecha. evil that He said He would mete out against His people.” Rather, We might assume that our love for G-d is meant to be a it means, “And God reconsidered regarding the evil that he private affair, one that need not affect or be known by anyone declared he would do to His people.” else- our devotion can be kept personal and confidential. Nechama means a change of perspective that can lead to a However on this Shabbat Nachamu, Rashi tells us to reconsider; change from the current or most expected attitude or to think expansively and realize that Hashem wants us to love conventional wisdom. In the immediate aftermath of tragedy the G-d, and to be Jewish, in such a way that others love G-d and in only response should be grief. Although it is a human tendency ways that other Jews are proud of their identity. In our Parsha we to seek the silver lining, we are supposed to sit with the loss at learn that this mandate extends beyond our fellow Jew and least for a bit before putting it into any context of consolation. includes creating a proper impression of Torah to general non- That is why the Mishna tells us that if something bad happens Jewish society as well. (4: 6 Ki Hi Chachmatchem Uvinatchem that may have long term positive results (such as terrible flooding L’einei Ha’amim.) which in the long term may be beneficial for agriculture) we are 3) We are to love Hashem B’chol Levavcha with all our mandated nonetheless to say the bracha over tragedy- Dayan hearts. Rashi quotes the Talmud in Berachot that the word levav Haemet. The process of nechama means that after facing the alludes to a plurality of hearts. This means that we are to love situation we are then allowed, and encouraged, to alter our G-d with both our Inclinations: The Good and the Bad. We might perspective and think differently, in order to see the silver lining/ think that the Mitzvah of Ahavat Hashem is confined to our the positive than can emerge/ the hope for the future. positive midot and actions. However on this Shabbat Nachamu This is how we should understand the story at the end of Rashi teaches us to reconsider and realize that with true love, you Tractate Makkot. Akiva Nechamtanu- Rabbi Akiva has caused take the good with the bad. You hold nothing back; rather you the other Rabbis to think differently as it relates to destruction work to recognize those tendencies that can be detrimental – such and redemption. as ego, selfishness, impatience – and either repress them as an Shabbat Nachamu is not merely a Shabbat of Consolation. It expression of love or look for ways in which those traits can be is a Shabbat of Reconsideration. One during which we are utilized in a positive manner. encouraged to think more broadly and differently about ideas that On this Shabbat Nachamu we learn to reconsider our we thought we already knew. understanding of what love means. How we reconsider Ahavat It is not surprising that on Shabbat Nachamu we always read Hashem can be helpful in a parallel process of reconsidering how Parshat Vaetchanan. For within its reading and its interpretations we express love towards others: our spouses, children and our we are encouraged to look at ideas and seek a nechama, a new friends. Just like Ahavat Hashem, our love for others must find and fresh – even an unexpected – approach to familiar ideas. expression in action, it should be done in a way that impresses There are many such examples in the Parsha, I’d like to share and inspires others, and by a process in which we embrace who three that emerge from one phrase and can be described as “what we are- for better and for worse. Rethinking our assumptions we think G-d wants from us” versus what G-d really wants from about how we love G-d and others can make this Shabbat us, as explained by Rashi. Nachamu not only a time for reconsideration, but also a time for 1) Vaetchanan contains the familiar verses from the first consolation and hope. paragraph of Shema: Veahavta et Hashem elokecha: you should love G-d. We generally assume love to be a feeling. And yet on RABBI YOSEF WEINSTOCK this Shabbat Nachamu, Rashi encourages us to reconsider and realize that love must express itself in action: Asah Devarav Me’Ahavah. YOUNG ISRAEL OF HOLLYWOOD-FT. LAUDERDALE JULY 2020 PAGE 5 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE . One of my closest friends recently suggested New ideas need to be developed. Whether it’s that we rename the days of the week during this programming, spirituality, educational - in all of the pandemic. Every day is “Blursday” as it is hard to areas the shul impacts the community and is distinguish one from the other given the limitations impacted by it. We need YOU more than ever to on what we can do. The challenge of maintaining support us - financially and with your efforts and the communal customs that add so much spice to ideas. If you were a founder or builder, now’s your our lives and our Judaism is especially acute chance for a next chapter in the contributions without the ability to congregate freely and interact you’ve made. If you came more recently and have with so many members of our community. benefitted so much from what was in place for you - now is your chance to add something new. This challenge becomes even clearer when we think about the part of the year that is fast While there are so many devastating approaching. We just past Shiva Asar B’Tammuz consequences to the pandemic, we could choose and are heading quickly toward Tisha B’Av, and to squeeze some good out of it. Let’s redouble our like all the other recent holidays, they are going to efforts to join together and improve the anchor of look very different than in years past. Turn a couple our community. In doing so we can turn strange of more calendar pages and we head into what times into strong times. promises to be a most unusual high holiday season. Wishing all of us a healthy, creative, productive summer! My last few columns have outlined many of the efforts the shul has made toward remaining David Lasko engaged with its members, from virtual minyanim PRESIDENT to online programming to rabbinic home visits and so many more.