Parshat Tzav, Shabbat Hagadol, 9 Nisan 5780 - April 3, 2020
04/03/2020 06:25:38 PM
Parshat Tzav, Shabbat Hagadol, 9 Nisan 5780 - April 3, 2020
Shabbat Candle Lighting before: 6:55 PM
ERUV IS UP! Please check the ERUV hotline at (781) 446-9797
For Women’s Mikvah usage advice, please contact: Yoetzet Halakhah Sarah Cheses (339) 364-2848 or via email at NE.yoetzet@gmail.com
Solar-Power Production Dashboard, click here: SolarEdge
RABBI’S MESSAGE: This Pesach Corona, one of the things I am thinking about is how Makat Chosech - darkness is the plague of the hour. I read an excellent article about risk and uncertainty and their differences. Risk is estimated using data, and thus measurable – yiesh lo shiur. Uncertainty is unknown and unknowable – ein lo shiur. The plague of Darkness is uncertainty. And that uncertainty can be so thick, so palpable, that it is paralyzing, just as the Torah and Midrash say. But the Children of Israel miraculously could move about in the Darkness visible. Why? Their faith in Hashem's promise scattered the darkness of uncertainty and made them understand that while there may be short-term risk, their faith in Hashem's havtachot, in God's long arc of justice, is a breaking light on the horizon of hope. We may not be able to move freely, but we are not paralyzed. We are the Children of Israel. We are managing our risk, aspiring to save lives, living the best lives of Torah and Mitzvot that the hour allows, and are abidingly faithful in our certainty that netzach Yisrael lo Yishaker - the destiny of Israel is no lie.
Mah Nishtanah HaShanah HaZot MiKol HaShanim – How is this year different from all other years? This year, some of our practices remain the same, and some of our observances indeed will be different. Our Sages taught us long ago that we need to construct a zekher leChurban – a remembrance for what was lost, as well as a zekher leMikdash (Me’at) – a consciousness of what we will restore. Please God, our sheltering in place will be temporary, and we will regain in good health the fullness of our community. We may have to do some things differently this year, but once again, we are managing our risk, aspiring to save lives, living the best lives of Torah and Mitzvot that the hour allows, and are abidingly faithful that redemption springs eternal.
Shabbat Shalom and Chag Kasher v’Sameach, Rav Benjie
COMMUNAL CHESED: Today, (Friday), through the heroic efforts of Danielle Lebowitz Kampler, an MPH student at BU, Cold Press (a Kosher restaurant in Brookline) will be delivering 125 meals (sandwiches, salads, and drinks) to the Emergency Room of Mass General Hospital to support its doctors, nurses, and health care workers. Our Shul is a primary sponsor of this effort leZekher u-le’iluy nishmot my (RBS) beloved teachers and rabbinical role models, Rabbi Israel Miller zt”l (yahrtzeit 8 Nisan, father of my teachers: Deb Kram, Rabbi Dovid Miller, Rosh Kollel at YU, Michael Miller, JCRC NYC) and Rabbi Hershel Schacter zt”l (yahrzeit, 10 Nisan, father of my rebbe of rabbanus, Rabbi Jacob J. Schacter), both of whose yahrzeits are this week (8 Nisan; 10 Nisan). In this global Public Health Crisis, they stand before my eyes as exemplars of avodat Hashem, rabbinical excellence, emunah and hishtadlus. May their memories continue to inspire blessings for their families, for Klal Yisrael whose lives they saved, and for all who were zocheh to know them.
VIRTUAL SHABBAT DAVENING SCHEDULE
Parshat Tzav, Shabbat Hagadol, 9 Nisan 5780 - April 3, 2020
Kavod Shabbat: Although we cannot be in shul together this Shabbat, we can create a special atmosphere of Shabbat kedushah (holiness) by cleaning our homes, setting the table, and wearing our special Shabbat clothing.
FRIDAY NIGHT
6:20 PM Virtual Kabbalat Shabbat Live via ZOOM! This week, Kabbalat Shabbat will be led by Ezra Robison and family.
Please daven Minchah in advance. We will begin with brief words from Rabbi Samuels, sing Yedid Nefesh, recite Kabbalat Shabbat through Lekhah Dodi, then we will hang up, women light Shabbat candles, followed by the acceptance of Shabbat with Mizmor Shir LeYom HaShababt and Maariv.
Candle lighting is at 6:55 PM
SHABBAT MORNING (Parshat Tzav, Shabbat Hagadol)
Latest Shema is 9:41 AM; Sof Zeman Tefillah is 10:44 AM
Keriyat HaTorah: Although Torah reading is a Chovat Hatzibbur - a communal responsibility, we should still endeavor to read the parashah from a chumash, Vayikra 6:1-8:36. This week’s Haftorah is Malachi 3:4-24. Artscroll and Koren publishing houses have made this week’s parashah and Haftorah available for free: https://www.artscroll.com/tzavdownload.html
Minchah: Please remember to daven Minchah (any time after 1:20 PM before sunset) and then later eat Seudah Shelishit before sunset (7:14 PM). If one begins their meal before sunset, one may continue eating after sunset.
MAARIV/SHABBAT Ends after 7:57 PM
8:10 PM Virtual Songful Havdalah Live!
This week we will be led in Havdalah by the Samuels family.
SUNDAY MORNING
Virtual Shacharit at 8 AM
Tune into Radio 88.9 FM or stream worldwide on WERS.org Sunday morning @ 8:30 AM.
Listen to Rabbi Samuels as he shares a special Spring Pesach Hagigah message for resilience, hope, and redemption.
Virtual Teen Minyan at 8:30 AM
Join Zoom Meeting:
https://zoom.us/j/579210584?pwd=eFZaY0JnUlEydmViQlVqZUhPeXlXUT09
SUNDAY - THURS @ 6:45 PM
Shaarei's Minchah, Mishnah, Memory & Maariv Meets at 6:30 PM
DAVENING SCHEDULE
PREPARING FOR PASSOVER
Mechirat Chomet - Sale of Chometz: As usual, you may appoint me as your power-of-attorney agent to sell your Chometz for you this year. Additionally, you may stock-up (without hoarding!) on Chometz supplies before Pesach with the intention to sell them over Pesach so that you have a full pantry upon the conclusion of Pesach. Click here: https://tinyurl.com/CSTSaleOfChometz5780-2020
Maot Chittim - Charitable Support of those in Need. In most years, there is an advantage in collecting tzedakah and pooling our communal resources for Maot Chittim, and making a donation as a Shul to hunger alleviation efforts for the Jewish community. However, this year, for the sake of expediency and efficiency, we are recommending that people donate directly to our communal agencies that will provide for this year’s increased needs. Please consider Maot Chittim Donations to the follow organizations and relief efforts:
CJP COVID-19 Emergency Fund - Yad Chesed - JFCS’s Family Table - LEKET Israel
Our Tzedakah community will also be making a contribution to the Newton Relief Fund , in the spirit of the Jewish obligation to support the gentile poor along with the Jewish poor, especially during times of shared danger.
PDF OU Guide to Passover 2020: Download complete guide click here.
Crowdsourcing Seder ideas, organized by Rachel Goldstein 1. ways you can engage the participants (which will be our immediate families this year!); 2. Questions/discussion topics you are planning to share (or have shared in the past); 3. Files that would be helpful to share; 4. Links to websites/documents; Please add your ideas at https://forms.gle/s9mpsTiE8icEhpg37; or you can just email me back and I will aggregate and send out the link: rgoldstein2000@gmail.com
Newton Community Pesach Cookbook is here! Thank you to our Shlichot, Shai and Hadar, for putting together a community recipe book for Passover. Please download here and share. It is full of great recipes from our community members. Thank you for sharing your recipes with us! Even if we are apart, we are still united by spirit! Chag Kasher Ve'Sameach!
SUPPORT SERVICES FOR OUR MEMBERS and VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
We have set up a number of committees to help support our members whose lives may have been disrupted in recent weeks by the novel Coronavirus Pandemic. These include helping people find (general) medical information, social connections, shop for life's essentials for those in quarantine, support for young families and more. We have created a dedicated page on the shul website, accessible directly here and also from the Shaarei website homepage .
Thank you to all our dedicated and hard working committee members.
If you are experiencing any level of financial need, please contact Rabbi Samuels at ravbensam@shaarei.org or by cell phone (857) 636-8489. All requests will be held with confidentiality.
Additional financial resources:
CJP Warmline (1-800-CJP-9500) may be able to assist you.
With one phone call or by filling out a simple online form, trained Warmline counselors can begin to help you navigate available services across our Jewish community.
Yad Chesed - Anyone who wants to reach out should email intake@yadchessed.org with their full name, date of birth, address, number of dependents and best phone number to be reached.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES JF&CS: Taking Action and Staying Together
Family Table: Our friends at Jewish Family & Children's Services are in dire need of volunteers to help at their Sunday distributions in Waltham, Marblehead, and Canton. Their next distribution is in Waltham on Sunday, April 5th and they need volunteers on-site and to pack and deliver groceries. Click here to sign up.
Write personalized cards to home-bound older adults:
Another request from JF&CS: In the past, this generation primarily communicated through handwritten notes and letters, so your personally-written note will be particularly meaningful. If you are proficient in Russian, we would love to receive cards written in Russian as well. Please contact Ava Harder for more information at aharder@JFCSBoston.org.
Deliver meals to older adults and quarantined immigrant families:
Our friends at Jewish Family Service (Metrowest) need volunteers to deliver meals to isolated older adults and immigrant families. Click here to fill out their volunteer interest form.
Donate supplies to hospitals:
Hospitals are in need of sanitizer, gloves, wipes, and more. Click here to fill out the City of Boston's donation intake form.
TEACHING AND PARENT RESOURCES
Ideas for Teaching and Amusing Children:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KCqmgu1CZpxOwS_CT0J2_K4Lb6CFvU3LfhwWfvpRHrU/edit?usp=sharing
Teaching Remotely for Grades K - 12 | Free Resources and Strategies:
https://classroommagazines.scholastic.com/support/learnathome.html
THIS WEEK’S VIRTUAL PROGRAMS FROM SHAAREI
VIRTUAL CST Daf Yomi
Find a Hebrew-English version of Daf Yomi at https://www.sefaria.org/?home
Are you already utilizing the internet for listening to shiurim podcasts, keep going!
For those who were members of our in-person daf yomi group, David Fischer has graciously agreed to teach virtually.
We have created a friendly self-accountability mechanism to motivate people to make the time to continue in their Daf Yomi learning.
Download a daf yomi Whatsapp Chat Group. If you don’t already have the app, go to your App Store on your smart phone and download the app, and then open a free account. Click on this link to join the Whatsapp Chat Group: https://chat.whatsapp.com/FJpoJkOABMY9cqU85OmvKo
“Daf with David” schedule generally includes Sun-Thurs at 8:00 PM, Friday at 7:15 AM or 8AM, Motzaei shabbat at 9PM, changes are noted in the whatsapp group.
SUNDAY April 5
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Sunday Morning Teen Minyan at 8:30 AM. All middle and high school girls and boys and their parents are invited to join us. For details please contact Hagay Ramati or David Berlove.
Snif with Schlichot at 12:00 PM: Virtual Mifkad and Passover Wheel of Fortune with Shlichot.
TUESDAY April 7
Mishna Study with J. David Jacobs, 7:15 AM - 8:00 AM
Tai Chi: Join us on Tuesday night at 7:00 PM for an hour of Virtual Tai Chi. We have been working on our seated meditation practice, a helpful skill in these stressful times.
UPCOMING AT SHAAREI
Shiur n'(BYO)Shmear with Avi Rockoff at 10:00 AM via Zoom
Sessions: Apr. 19, 26.
לכולם שמות נקרא : Jewish First Names in History, Halacha, Minhag, and Social Practice.
Join Zoom Meeting: https://uml.zoom.us/j/203487408
One tap mobile: +16468769923,,203487408#
Dial-in: +1 646 876 9923 US Meeting ID: 203 487 408
Shaarei Book Club Update: We have chosen our next book. It is: Where the Crawdads Sing, by Delia Owens. If you have questions, email them to bookclub@shaarei.org
ONLINE CLASSES/EVENTS
e-learning
Virtual NCSY/JSU
NCSY Online Programs
We have created multiple different webinars about a variety of topics that will engage our local teens while they're not in school, including a series on Judaism 101, Israel activism, virtual fellowship and more!
Sign-up today! Find out more at: https://greaterboston.ncsy.org/virtual/ or email: yudi@ncsy.org
List of Youth Programs
Mondays, 8:00 PM: Judaism 101
April 6, Imperfection in G-d’s Perfect World, with Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin
April 13, Purpose of Creation, with Shlomo Sprung
Find out more at: https://greaterboston.ncsy.org/virtual/ or email: yudi@ncsy.org
Tuesdays, 1:30 PM: Webinar Series: Israel Advocacy
April 7, Why Hasn’t a Two-State Solution Worked?
April 14, What Can We Do To Help Advocate For Israel?
Find out more at: https://greaterboston.ncsy.org/virtual/ or email: yudi@ncsy.org
Wednesdays , 7:30 PM: Online Fellowship Program for teens:
April, 22, Yichud with an Elderly Man
April 29, Killing a Neutralized Terrorist
Pre-registration is required.
Find out more at: https://greaterboston.ncsy.org/virtual/ or email: yudi@ncsy.org
Teens can also fill out the following form to let us know what type of topics they'd like to discuss over the next few weeks: https://forms.gle/sPE7wR7QRYWTNece6
ONGOING AT SHAAREI
New England Yoetzet Halacha Initiative (NEYHI) of Ma'ayan Yoetzet Halacha Sarah Cheses is available for consultation on questions regarding Taharat HaMishpacha (Jewish law relating to married life) and its intersection with women's health. She can be reached via phone or text at (339) 364-2848 or via email at NE.yoetzet@gmail.com. The best hours to contact Sarah are 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM and 8PM to 10PM. For more information and to stay connected, please visit www.NEyoetzet.org and sign up for the mailing list.