Lech lecha 5776

SHABBAT

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Parshat Lech Lecha

11 Cheshvan 5776 24 October 2015

Service Times Shabbat Kabbalat Shabbat

17:40

(Candle Lighting)

17:40

Shacharit

09:00

Leining

10:00

Mincha - followed by Communal Seudah & Ma’ariv

17:15

Leining Haftarah

Page No.s Artscroll Gutnick Hertz

Shabbat terminates 18:47 *Clocks move back one hour tonight

Weekday

54 66 45

1133 1377 60

Thought For The Week

Shacharit

Ma’ariv Only

Sun

09:00

19:30

Mon

07:00

19:30

Tues

07:00

19:30

Wed

07:00

19:30

join with thousands the world over, we

just the economy.

Thur

07:00

19:30

celebrate Hashem’s gift of Shabbat - no

The Jewish people always understood that

Fri

07:00

16:25*

doubt one of Judaism’s greatest innova-

you need to have an epicentre, an inner

tions.

unshakable core that cannot go down

One day in seven, when the market was

with the fluctuations and vicissitudes of

closed, there was no work; a limit was

the market and of life in general. That core

set on economic striving. The focus was

is made up, not of possessions or money,

placed, not on our financial status, but on

but of our moral integrity, our connected-

our inner character.

ness to G-d; it is comprised of our love,

That day is a time dedicated to all those

our loyalty, our faith, and the intimacy we

things that money can’t buy and e-bay

share with our soul, our Creator and our

can’t sell: our relationship with Hashem,

loved ones.

the inner development of the human being

Inspired by our experience this Shabbat let

Judaism’s Greatest Innovation This week is Shabbat UK and

Candle Lighting 16:25 *Mincha & Kabbalat Shabbat

Chayim Arukim

to all those who have Yahrtzeit this week as follows

as

we

labour. Carl Marx was wrong; We are not

Annaliese Gordon Marian Dobkin Philip Science Victor Brim

Mother Sister Mother Sister

Sun

Carol Latter Rochelle Stoll Nicola Lee

Mother Mother Mother

Mon

Pat Sufrin Alan Dobkin Charles Lewis

Sister Mother Mother

27 October 14 Cheshvan

Larraine Goldwater

Father

and the appreciation of what we have.

us resolve to focus in the months ahead

Wed

Joyce Solomon Anita Rubin Eve Pincus

Husband Mother Father

This is the essence of Shabbat. One day

on what Shabbat truly is - a sacred spiri-

a week we celebrate, not our external

tual and family time when we recall that

Louise Leinhardt Sidney Aarons Lady Beryl Steinberg Jonathan Steinberg Lynne Attias Shirley Horwich

Father Father Husband Father Father Sister

achievements, but our inner humaneness,

the greatness of man is not in what he or

our inner person and our Neshama - our

she has, but is in who we really are.

‫שבת‬

24 October 11 Cheshvan

25 October 12 Cheshvan

26 October 13 Cheshvan

Tues

28 October 15 Cheshvan

Thurs

29 October 16 Cheshvan

soul.

Rabbi Joel Portnoy

Shabbat teaches us to not define our-

Unveiling

selves exclusively by our bank account or

For Neville Margolis, the father of Debbie Hilton, takes place on Sunday at 12pm at Rainsough Beit Olam, followed by a plaque dedication at Heaton Park Synagogue.

job title. There is more to us than finances.

Shabbat Weather

We make money, but we are not money;

AM Showers

we have a job, but we are not a job; We engage in work, but we are not actually

12o High 7o Overnight Low

Parsha

verview

First Aliyah - 13 verses G-d commands Avram to leave his home and travel to an unknown location. Avram is promised a great reward for obeying. He arrives in Canaan and is soon forced to leave to Egypt because of famine.

Second Aliyah - 11 verses Sarai is taken captive and brought to Pharoah because of her beauty.

G-d strikes the Egyptians with a plague, and Sarai is released.

Third Aliyah - 14 verses Lot, who had accompanied Avram and Sarai decides to part ways and settle in Sodom.

Fourth Aliyah - 20 verses The victors of the war between the four kings and the five kings take Lot captive. Avram defeats the kings almost singlehandedly to release Lot, and return stolen property.

Fifth Aliyah - 10 verses When G-d promises Avram great wealth he exclaims that it is worthless without an heir (he was childless). G-d assures him that he will have a child, and his descendants will be as numerous as the stars.

Sixth Aliyah - 37 verses G-d commands Avram to perform the ‘Covenant of the Parts’ to serve as a sign that his descendants will inherit the Land of Canaan.

Following this Sarai suggests that he father a child with Hagar, her Egyptian maid. Hagar is exiled because of the way she treated Sarai, but returns by the instruction of an angel. She gives birth to Yishmael, who she is assured will become a great nation. The portion ends with Hashem adding the letter ‘‫ ’ה‬to Avram’s name, making him Avraham.

Seventh Aliyah - 21 verses Abraham performs a brit milah at the age of 99 and is promised another son. Sarai’s name is changed to Sarah, and the Parsha ends with a Divine promise that she will give birth to a son.

e This week is th e first time th t mitzvah of Bri ed. on Milah is menti

S L E W

JE

M S I DA

U J F O

Delve into the deeper side of Judaism This week we focus on the episode that G-d forgot.

Trial By Fire There is a fascinating episode involving Abraham which goes completely unmentioned in the Torah, but is alluded to in the verse (11:31) “Terach took his son...and Lot...and...

Sarai...and they departed... from Ur Kasdim to go to the Land of Canaan.

The Midrash relates the cause of this departure.

Nimrod still hoped to convince Avram to worship him and his gods. For each of the four elements that Nimrod suggesting they worship, Avraham managed to counter his arguments. Fire should not be worshipped because water has the power to extinguish it. Clouds are stronger than water because they carry it, therefore we should not worship water. Wind disperses clouds, therefore it must be superior. However, a human being is stronger than the wind because he is full of air despite having bodily openings.

Nimrod lost his temper, and stated “I worship fire, and I will have you thrown into fire. We will soon see if your G-d is stronger

than mine!”

Nimrod ordered his officers to cast him into a huge furnace (some say this was the same furnace used to make bricks for the Tower of Babel).

However, despite the strength of the fire, Avram remained completely unhurt. It is explained that he survived because of his unshakeable belief

Only G-d can decide the appropriate way to serve Him and sanctify His name. in Hashem, Who miraculously decreed that the fire should not harm him.

His brother, Haran, who witnessed Avram’s ordeal could not decide whether to join his side or to profess his loyalty to Nimrod. When he saw Avram escape the furnace, he declared that he too believes in Avram’s G-d. However, when he was seized and thrown into the furnace, no miracle occurred and he was

consumed by the vicious flames.

Why does this incredible story go unmentioned in the Written Law, and only reserved for the Midrash?

It is an incredible story about sacrificing your life for Hashem!

One reason is because the Torah is not a book to teach us of personal successes. Rather, it wishes to teach us that only G-d can decide the appropriate way to serve Him and sanctify His name.

While we can guess what Hashem wants from us, ultimately, we must listen to His instructions.

Had Avram followed his own plan, he would not have affected many people.

It was only due to G-d’s plan that Avram was successful. It was only when G-d intervened in Avram’s life at the beginning of Lech Lecha, that the story of his success began.

Based on ‘The Midrash Says’

by Rabbi M.Weissman

SHABBAT

If we explore this idea further we often find that Jewish practices and traditions are often mistaken for meaningless, tedious, distracting rituals, instead of the opportunities they present to build a relationship with our Creator.

Shabbat - A Date With The Divine Rabbi Nick

I want you to close your eyes for a moment and picture a romantic date.

What do you see? Many will visualise a beautiful candle-lit dinner, gorgeous flowers, fine wine, delicious food, and no other distractions. Even if that was not your first thought, few would argue that romantic dates often feature these descriptions.

If I ask you to close your eyes and describe a beautiful Shabbat table, would you describe anything differently? Every week Jews set grand Shabbat tables, with candlesticks, kiddush wine (not to mention l’chaims!), fresh flowers, delicious food, company with your nearest and dearest, and phones and ipads far away.

QA &

Judaism is never called a ‘religion’ throughout the entire Torah. Over 500 times, G-d refers to the Jewish People in relationship terms: My child, My loved one, My precious, My beloved, etc., but never once as a religion.

A religion denotes a belief in a controlling power and the careful adherence to the system of rules which that god chooses. Judaism is not a religion. Judaism is a relationship. The differences are staggering.

One key difference is in a system of restrictive rules, people may tend to push the accepted boundaries, as long as they stay out of trouble.

In a healthy relationship, you will do anything within your power and capabilities to do as much for that person as possible.

The rules do not always make sense, and most of the time you are not breaking the law if you violate one, but you adhere to the rules in order to have a happy, loyal and peaceful relationship.

Rules help create boundaries to allow the relationship to flourish, but they are not ends to themselves. The rules of Shabbat and other mitzvot are designed to allow our relationship with Hashem to grow.

By disconnecting from technology for 25 hours we give space to connect with G-d and our loved ones. Just like we would not spend time on a date checking Facebook, we don’t do it on Shabbat either.

There are countless other examples. With further thought one will find much more depth and meaning in all the mitzvot, which can only increase the enjoyment and fulfillment when performing them.

Read through the Parsha in English and find answers to the questions.

LOLLIPOPS WILL BE AWARDED TO ANYONE WHO READS THROUGH IT, AND TELLS RABBI NICK THE CORRECT ANSWERS!

How old was Avram when he left Charan?

Where did Avram and Lot settle when they decided to split?

What were the names of the kings who fought in this week’s parsha?

Which animals were used for the Covenant of the Parts?

What was the age gap between Avraham and Sarah?

What was Malkitzedek’s real name?

Parsha Stats Lech Lecha is the 3rd of 54 sedras 3rd of 12 in Bereshit Written on 208 lines in a Torah (ranks 23rd) 126 verses - ranks 13th (Joint with Parshat Re’eh) 1686 words - ranks 18th (7th in Bereshit) 6336 letters - ranks 19th (7th in Bereshit)

Did You Know The Torah tells us Avram rescued Lot with a force of ‘318’.

Although this sounds like the size of his army, Rashi suggests that he only took his servant, Eliezer to fight the five kings.

The numeric value of ‘Eliezer’ is 318!

Being compared to both dust and stars is not just about our numbers, but also reflects the ups and downs of Jewish history: we can be stepped on like the dust of the ground, or as lofty and grand as the stars of the heavens.

On the 8th day of a baby’s life, prothrombin and Vitamin K levels (which help blood to clot) reach their peak.

Just For Fun Question: Why did the mohel retire?

Answer: He just couldn’t cut it anymore!

L

KING AHEAD

SHABBAT UK

In The Spotlight Shabbat UK Hale prides itself as a community which regularly provides innovative and varied ways of experiencing Shabbat. In fact, we have inspired many of the ideas being used by other communities across the country!

BEYOND HALE Cheshire Friends of ALYN invite you to ‘Shopping, Mooching, Coffee & Catch Up’.

Tuesday 10th November - 12.30pm-7.30pm Wednesday 11th November - 9.00am-5.00pm

YOUTH

Suka Style Fashion Boutique • • Jewellery by Deanne • • Linen Loft • • Funky Readers • • And much more •

Tuesday

Motley Bank, South Downs Rd, Bowdon, WA14 3HB

•

Dinner & Discussion - 7.30pm Years 7-13 ‘Do You Think What You Think You Think?’

Thursday Cholent & Chill - 8.00pm Years 11-13 You choose the topic!

For more details on all events visit www.halehype.com, or contact youth@hale-community.org.uk

EDUCATION All regular Adult Education programmes continue as normal If you would like to sponsor an edition of ‘Something For Everyone’, in honour of a simcha or for a yahrtzeit, or for any reason, please contact the Shule office on 0161 980 8846 or admin@hale-community.org.uk

Nonetheless it is exciting to be pushing the boundaries for this special weekend in our own way.

We will be breaking local records on Friday night with our communal banquet for 230 people! We are also privileged to host the Havdalah Event for all South Manchester communities, featuring Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis, our Guest Speaker, Benji Levine, and music by Eli Tamir, one of the UK’s top leading Jewish performers.

Whatever you may have planned, we hope that this is an exciting and inspiring Shabbat, and we look forward to the community coming together and celebrating for much of it.

Kiddushim 24 October Shabbat UK 31 October Marilyn & Alan Segal 7 November Unsponsored