September 16th, 2011 Ki Tavo
S.T.A.R. News & Events
Here are S.T.A.R.’s upcoming exciting events:
September 25th
October 16th
This Shabbat
Shabbat Parashat: Ki Tavo
Candle Lighting: 6:42pm
Shabbat Ends: 7:35pm
Torah Message
613 Problems
"…I have removed the holy things from the house…" (26:13)
We can keep the Torah in two different ways: We can fit the Torah into our lives, or we can fit our lives into the Torah.
The first way involves seeking out as many leniencies as possible so the mitzvot don’t interfere with our lives too much. Or we can look at the mitzvot as life itself – "For they are your life."
Everyone would agree that the better we keep the mitzvot in this world, the bigger will be our share in the future world. That’s only fair. But the truth is that a person who fits his life into the mitzvot, rather than fits the mitzvot into his life, has it better not only over there but over here too.
The Talmud relates the following story: "Rabba bar Chana and Rebbe Yochanan taught in the name of Rebbe Yehuda bar Ilai: ‘Observe the difference between the former generations and ours! The former generations brought in their produce through the front gates because they wanted to separate the tithes, whereas the later generations brought their produce through the gardens, yards, and skylights that do not lead to the front of the house, in order to evade the obligation to give tithes. (A person need only tithe if the produce is brought through the front entrance.) What is the result? The produce is no longer blessed’."
When the Jewish People deliberately obligated themselves to separate tithes by bringing the fruit in through the front entrance, they had a delicious aroma and succulent taste. However, when they avoided giving those tithes, even though what they did was perfectly legitimate, they diminished the taste of this world as well as the next.
You can look at the Torah as 613 problems or 613 ways to be connected to G-d. For nothing tastes as sweet as a mitzvah, neither in this next world nor in this one.
- Source: Berachot 35; Midrash Hagadol 26:15
Rabbi M. Weiss Rabbi Y. Sakhai
Community News
Em Habanim Congregation
Weekly Parashat Hashavua class with Rabbi Joshua Bittan on Wednesdays at 8:30pm for more info. visit www.emhabanim.com
Em Habanim Congregation’s annual banquet will be held on Sunday the 6th of November, 2011. The honored Guests are: Mark Castiel, Andre Chrique and Johnny Elbaz Deckel.
Em Habanim will be celebrating close to 40 years of service to the community.
Yom Kippur services will be held at the Century Plaza Hyatt Regency in Century City. More details will follow.
Volunteers needed
Volunteers are needed for mitzvot ofHessed including Bikur Holim . Pleasecall the office (818) 762-7779 to inform of your availability. Thank you
Sephardic Temple: