Ekev 5777

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Parshat Ekev

Shabbat Kabbalat Shabbat

19:30

(Candle Lighting)

19:30

Shacharit

09:15

Leining

10:15

Mincha followed by Seudah & Ma’ariv

20:30

Shabbat Ends

21:41

19 Av 5777 11 August 2017

Security team: Green

Page No.s Artscroll Gutnick Hertz

Leining

Haftarah

980 1170 780

1197 1472 794

Weekday Shacharit

Mincha & Ma’ariv

Sun

09:00

19:30*

Mon

07:00

19:30*

Tues

07:00

19:30*

Wed

07:00

19:30*

Thur

07:00

19:30*

The second paragraph of the Shema is

not worthy enough to receive divine bless-

Fri

07:00

19:30**

taken from this week’s Parasha and contin-

ing. Surrounded by other people, when we

19:30

ues the theme we read last week. However,

pray together, we can pool our merits to

while the first paragraph is written in the

make our prayers more effective.

Candle Lighting

* Hale Shule ** Mincha & Kabbalat Shabbat

Chayim Arukim

to Lauren Davies on the loss of her mother, and to all those who have Yahrzeit this week as follows ‫שבת‬

12 Aug 20 Av

Sun

13 Aug 21 Av

Mon

14 Aug 22 Av

Malcolm Jaffa Father Charmaine Mattison Father Sidney Kaye Nadine Wagman

Mother Father

Doreen Torz Mavis Marsh Ella Lentin Jeremy Hart

Father Mother Brother Sister

Hilary Black Susan Kaitcer Steven Falk

Thought For The Week Together Everyone Achieves More

singular tense, the second is written in the plural tense. The first paragraph deals with

Prayer is one of the many mitzvot that we

the personal relationship between man and

best fulfill as part of a community. When

G-d, while the second paragraph describes

we stand together and couch our prayers

how the Jewish people will be rewarded or

in the plural, we strengthen their impact by

punished collectively for maintaining that

drawing on the merits of the entire Jewish

relationship.

people, going back many generations - all the way to Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov.

Our obligation to pray is derived from the

Only when we put ourselves within the

Father Father Father

second paragraph, and many of our tefillot -

Jewish people and pray in the plural, for

prayers - are also written in the plural. Not

the benefit of everybody, do we deserve

Tara Knopf Dinah Crystal Gerald Adlestone

Father Mother Mother

only our requests for blessings but even

to share in the blessings that Hashem has

our confessions, when it comes to Rosh

promised to us.

Fri

Brian Freeman Barrie Bloom

Mother Mother

Hashanah and Yom Kippur, are written as

‫שבת‬

Joyce Solomon Cynthia Cowan Beryl Nevitt

Father Father Husband

Tues

15 Aug 23 Av

Thurs 17 Aug 25 Av

18 Aug 26 Av 19 Aug 27 Av

coming from the community and not just

Rabbi Joel Portnoy

from the individual who is praying.

Mazaltov to

Such is the strength of the Jewish commu-

Shabbat Weather

Stephen Cohen on the occasion of his 65th birthday.

nity. A person who stands before Hashem

AM Partly Cloudy

on his own merits runs the risk that he is

17o High 13o Overnight Low

Parsha

verview

First Aliyah - 25 verses If the Israelites observe G-d’s commandments, they will be blessed in a multitude of ways, including the obliteration of their Canaanite enemies. Moses promises that G-d will miraculously deliver them into their hands. The Israelites must destroy all idols which they find in Canaan. Moses describes many of the wonderful features of the Land of Israel, and the source for Grace After Meals is mentioned.

Second Aliyah - 13 verses Moses admonishes the Israelites not to forget that G-d provides them with the wealth they earn when they settle in the Land of Israel. Such a blunder would lead to their destruction and ruin.

Third Aliyah - 26 verses The Israelites are told they will not inherit the Land of Israel due to their own merits and righteousness, but because of the promise G-d made to the Patriarchs.

Moses reminds them of the many times they angered G-d while in the desert, placing special emphasis on the Golden Calf.

Fourth Aliyah - 11 verses After the Golden Calf, G-d commanded Moses to carve two new tablets upon which G-d engraved the Ten Commandments, to replace the first set which Moses had shattered.

Fifth Aliyah - 20 verses Moses charges the Israelites to love and fear G-d, to serve Him, and to realise G-d has chosen them to be His treasured nation.

Sixth Aliyah - 12 verses The Land of Israel is solely dependent upon G-d for rain, and is constantly under His watchful eye. The second paragraph of the Shema mentions this connection.

Non-observance will lead to exile.

Seventh Aliyah - 4 verses Moses informs the Israelites that if they follow G-d’s ways and cleave to Him, they will easily occupy the land of Israel, and no man will stand up against them.

There is an order for making brachot on different types of food which is learnt from the 7 species unique to the Land of Israel.

S L E W

JE

M S I DA

U J F O

Delve into the deeper side of Judaism This week we take a look at how Judaism views conversion

A Convertible Religion The Torah commands us to love an authentic convert (a ger tzedek), and, in very many places, enjoins us not to hurt their feelings.

A shepherd led his flock to the fields in the morning and gathered them into the stable at night. One day a deer appeared from the forest, joined the flock, and stayed among the sheep; it grazed with them and at night entered the stable.

The shepherd took special delight in the deer. He selected choice grazing land for it, and ordered all those who handled the animals to be especially gentle with the deer. At night, when the flocks returned, the shepherd made sure that the deer was given water to drink.

“Why do you fuss only over that deer?” the peasants asked him. “Why don’’t you give the same attention to your sheep?”

“There is a difference,” replied the shepherd. “The sheep follow me naturally.

However, the deer by nature avoids people and prefers to roam in uninhabited forests and open fields.

I value that it submitted itself to the confines of a stable.”

Hashem similarly said, “Shall we not appreciate the convert, who has left his family and people, who chose the Truth and rejected falsehood? He came to take shelter under the wings of the shechina; is he not deserving of our special regard and kindness?!”

Many famous Torah leaders

Many famous Torah leaders descended from converts or were themselves converts. descended from converts or were themselves converts: Onkelos, the nephew of Roman emperor, Hadrian, became a supreme Torah scholar, whose Aramaic rendition of the Torah is accepted and approved by our people (to the extent that the Sages required that it be read weekly).

Shemaya

and

Avtalyon

taught the famous Sages, Hillel and Shammai, and were descended from the Assyrian king Sancheriv.

Rabbis Meir, Akiva, Yossi and Shmuel bar Shilos were either descended from Haman or from the Canaanite general, Sisera.

The prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel descended from the convert, Rachav.

Even though the mitzvah of loving a convert refers to one who committed for the authentic and holy reasons, Hashem defends the honour of converts who joined the Jewish people with impure motives, as is seen in the episode involving King David, King Saul and the Givonim.

The Sefer HaChinuch comments that from the mitzvah to be kind to converts, we derive an obligation to show special kindness to any stranger in our midst.

We should endeavour to help any visitor and make him “feel at home”.

Based on ‘The Midrash Says’,

by Rabbi M. Weissman

If you would like to share your words of wisdom, please submit your article of no more than 500 words to nick@hale-community.org.uk

Parsha Stats Ekev is the 46th of 54 sedras 3rd of 11 in Devarim Written on 231.83 lines in a Torah 111 verses - ranks 26th (4th in Devarim) 1747 words - ranks 16th (3rd in Devarim) 6865 letters - ranks 14th (3rd in Devarim)

Did You Know Ekev contains 8 of the 613 mitzvot. 6 of these are positive mitzvot, and 2 are prohibitions.

Commentators interpret the word ‘Ekev’ as referring to the ‘minor’ mitzvot, which people find easy, or who overlook as not being that important.

The verse comes to remind us that these mitzvot are just as important.

Tip #41 Gratitude

TEFILLAH TIPS

During Temple times, a person would bring a thanksgiving offering whenever he survived a life-threatening situation, such as serious illness. Psalm 100 was chanted during the process. As a daily reminder of all the potential dangers that we may encounter, many of which we may not even be aware about, this chapter of thanksgiving was inserted into the morning service.

A relationship can only thrive if both parties are cognizant and grateful for the many things which are done for them.

Our relationship with Hashem is no different, and this point is an apt time to reflect on that fact. The chapter includes an imperative to ‘know’ that Hashem exists, and that He is the source of all the good that we have in life. Constant reflection can also help with internalising this.

While the Jews were in the desert, Hashem took care of every need. Aside from food and drink, their clothes and shoes did not wear out, and even grew in size as they grew.

The Clouds of Glory even released a fragrance that would prevent the Jews from developing bodily odours.

Just For Fun

Question: What is heavy forward but not backward?

Answer: Ton.

2

L

KING AHEAD

UPCOMING EVENTS

COMMUNITY Mincha & Ma’ariv Announcement As in previous years we will be having joint minyanim for Mincha and Ma’ariv with Bowdon during the summer.

The schedule is as follows: Sun 13 August - Thurs 17 August Hale Sun 20 August - Thurs 24 August Bowdon Sun 27 August - Thurs 31 August Hale We would be grateful if you could support all minyanim. Thank you.

In The Spotlight Stephen Cohen This week we celebrate Stephen’s 65th birthday.

It will also be one of his most conflicted Shabbat mornings to date, as he will be reading the Haftorah in honour of the occasion, while forfeiting his attendance at the Naughty Boys Kiddush, at which he is a regular! No doubt he will have something even more naughty than that up his sleeve, as he tries to get a post-leining whisky (or two?) in before returning to the service.

Stephen is a long standing and reliable member of the community, who has served as president, vice-president and treasurer, and latterly, trustee. However, he is perhaps most popular as the purveyor of sweeties on a Shabbat morning.

Stephen is married to Gillian, and they are blessed with a growing family, all of whom will be joining the celebrations in Hale over Shabbat.

Rebecca and David, along with Jacob, Joshua and Leah, live in Hale. Maxim and Chana will be coming from Prestwich, along with Ari, Anaelle and Benny.

We wish Mazaltov to Gillian and Stephen and we thank them for their hospitality.

Kiddushim 12 August Gillian & Stephen Cohen 19 August Caroline & Nicholas Herz If you would like to sponsor an edition of ‘Something For Everyone’, in honour of a simcha or for a yahrzeit, or for any reason, please contact the Shule office on 0161 980 8846 or admin@hale-community.org.uk

26 August Audrey & Bill Lister