Celebrating 10 weeks in its current form!
g n i h t e Som e n o y r e v for E
Parshat Mikeitz Shabbat Chanukah
Service Times
29 Kislev 5776 11 December 2015
Shabbat (Rosh Chodesh) Kabbalat Shabbat
15:30
(Candle Lighting)
15:30
Shacharit
09:00
Leining
10:00
Mincha follows kiddush Shabbat terminates
16:48
Ma’ariv (followed by Avot Ubanim)
17:05
Weekday Shacharit
Ma’ariv Only
Sun
08:45*
19:30
Mon
07:00
19:30
Tues
07:00
19:30
Wed
07:00
Thur Fri
Tues
15 December 3 Tevet
Wed
16 December 4 Tevet
שבת
19 December 7 Tevet
Maftir
Haftarah
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Thought For The Week You Gotta Have Faith ing the hundreds of years they spent as
19:30
For many people it is a persistent blockage
slaves in Egypt. However, this led to our
07:00
19:30
in their faith in Hashem; one that paraly-
ability to receive the Torah as a Nation
07:00
15:30**
ses them from being able to make prog-
at Mount Sinai. But do we realise that
15:30
ress in their connection to Hashem and
Hashem already laid the groundwork in
commitment to His mitzvot. Although it is
this week’s parsha, to keep us safe in
a valid question to have, it can sometimes
Egypt, by installing Joseph as the Viceroy
be attributed to a misunderstanding of
in Pharoah’s palace? The same Hashem
Hashem’s purpose for creating the world.
who caused the pain and suffering that
to all those who have Yarzheit in the coming week as follows
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Rosh Chodesh 890 1060 695
that bad things happen to good people.
Chayim Arukim
Mon
Leining
pain and suffering the Jews endured dur-
Candle Lighting
13 December 1 Tevet
Page No.s Artscroll Gutnick Hertz
We are no strangers to the perception
* Rosh Chodesh **Mincha & Kabbalat Shabbat
Sun
d"sb
Lynne Hammond Marian Dobkin
Father Father
Paul Berman Gerald Berman Peter Kaye
Mother Mother Mother
Gilda Leinhardt Jonathan Lipton Mildred Stratton Eric Abrams Vivienne Keller
Mother Father Mother Father Mother
Brenton Walshaw Mother Stephen Cohen Father Denis Jacobson Father Andrew Joseph Maurice Miller Rabbi Portnoy
Kiddushim 12 December Leah & Rafi Bloom
Father Father Father
Fundamentally, Jews believe that Hashem created the world for the benefit of Mankind. By His very nature, there is nothing that he can take, only give. Therefore He has given us a world, and provided us
we read about in a few weeks, is the same Hashem who orchestrated history to ensure that Joseph, a Jew, would save Egypt this week, thus limiting the suffering later on.
with opportunities (mitzvot) to earn max-
Similarly, the same Hashem who tests us
imum pleasure and reward. The purpose of
with some of our darkest challenges, is
life is for us to make appropriate choices
the same Hashem who will bring us into
and decisions when faced with challenges.
the light, and reward us amply for our
Sometimes this can put us in some of the
commitment.
darkest scenarios. However, the whole point of these situations is for us to build
Shabbat Weather
19 December Diane & Robert Sterling
towards a brighter and stronger future. This is part of Hashem’s ‘Masterplan’.
11o High
26 December Unsponsored
One of the earliest examples of this is the
5o Overnight Low
AM Rainy
Rabbi Nick
Parsha
S L E W
verview
JE
First Aliyah - 14 verses Pharaoh has two disturbing dreams, which cannot be interpreted to his satisfaction. Pharaoh’s butler remembers Joseph, and Pharoah orders his instant release.
U J F O
Second Aliyah - 24 verses Joseph tells Pharaoh that his dreams are predicting seven years of plenty followed by seven years of severe famine. Joseph proposes a plan to save Egypt. Third Aliyah - 14 verses Joseph is appointed viceroy of Egypt, (at the age of 30!) and placed in charge of the collection of surplus grain. Joseph marries Osnat, the daughter of Poti-phera, and they have two sons: Menashe and Ephraim. Fourth Aliyah - 23 verses The famine commences, affecting Egypt and the entire Mediterranean region. Jacob sends his eldest ten sons – except for Benjamin – to Egypt to purchase food provisions. The brothers arrive and stand before Joseph, but do not recognise him. When the brothers make their request to purchase food, Joseph deals with them harshly, accusing them of espionage, and incarcerates them for three days. Fifth Aliyah - 35 verses On the third day, Joseph releases them all, except for Shimon, who is held hostage. He orders the brothers to return to Canaan and return with Benjamin, and thus establish their innocence. The brothers express regret for selling Joseph. When they arrive Canaan they discover their money is still in their sacks. Jacob initially refuses to send Benjamin, but eventually agrees, after Judah guarantees his safety. Sixth Aliyah - 14 verses The brothers return to Egypt and are reunited with Shimon. Seventh Aliyah - 22 verses Joseph keeps his cover even after seeing Benjamin. They eat with him, and he sends them on their way after planting his goblet in Benjamin’s sack. The parsha ends with Benjamin’s arrest for theft.
ad Today we will re rah, To i re sif 3 from as it is Shabbat, d Rosh Chodesh an Chanukah!
M S I DA
Delve into the deeper side of Judaism This week we focus on Joseph’s instant promotion from prisoner to viceroy of Egypt
Any Dream Will Do Joseph had spent twelve long and painful years in prison. He did not know if he would ever be a free man again, but Hashem said, “You will not be detained in captivity even one moment longer than was decreed by Me. Your prison years atoned for your transgressions: You were imprisoned for ten years to atone for slandering your ten brothers.
time arrived for Joseph to be freed, Pharoah woke up in the morning and clearly remembered his dream. The night of Pharoah’s dream was the night of Rosh Hashanah when Hashem determines the fate of the entire world and decrees famine or surplus for each country.
You had to spend two additional years in the dungeon as a punishment for having said to the chief butler, ‘Remember me and mention me’ - two years for two wrong words.
If the butler had mentioned Joseph’s name any earlier, he would have become a professional dream interpreter and made an honourable living. Instead, two years later, after interpreting Pharoah’s dreams, he was swept to power, becoming the Egyptian viceroy. For two consecutive years, Pharoah had strange dreams every night but could not recall them when he woke up. When the
He had summoned magicians and soothsayers, demanding an explanation,
Joseph knew the dream and the interpretation through Divine assistance. but he was never satisfied, because he had also been shown the interpretation, but was unable to recall it. He was very disturbed that he could not remember the meaning of his dreams, and gave hundreds of people the chance to interpret the dreams. Hashem thwarted of all the magicians and astrologers inthe kingdom in order that Joseph should be the one to offer the correct explanation, and ensure that
none of the others could claim that they would have interpreted the same way. Joseph was careful to mention to Pharoah that it could only be Hashem who could interpret his dreams, not Joseph personally. Pharoah even tested him by giving a false account of his dreams, but Joseph was able to correct him, as he had knew both the dream and the interpretation through Divine assistance. Among other things that we can learn from this episode, the Torah teaches us that the attainment of riches and success rests in Hashem’s hands, not in ours. If He wills it, an imprisoned slave can be transformed overnight into a king; if He so decrees, a king can be demoted to slavery. Hashem alone determines whether someone shall be wealthy or poor, mighty or weak, prosperous or failing. Based on ‘The Midrash Says’ by Rabbi M. Weissman
Parsha Stats Mikeitz is the 10th of 54 sedras
What’s the HYPE?
10th of 12 in Bereshit
A packed Chanukah programme for kids and youth of all ages, including:
Written on 254.6 lines in a Torah (ranks 6th)
Over 350 people at the South Manchester Chanu-
2022 words - ranks 3rd (2nd in Bereshit)
kah Extravaganza last Sunday, hosted by Shaare
146 verses - ranks 8th (joint 5th in Bereshit)
7914 letters - ranks 2nd (1st in Bereshit)
Hayim, Didsbury! Over 400 toys collected at the annual Chanukah Toy Drive! Toys will be distributed to needy families for Chanukah, as well as donations to the Manchester Royal Infirmary and Wythenshawe Hospital. On Wednesday 40 people from Hale, Bowdon, and Allerton Shul got together for Chanukah Ice Skating. On Thursday we lit candles at Allingham House!
Did You Know Joseph’s wife, Osnat, the daughter of Poti-phera, was actually the daughter of Dina. She was adopted by Poti-phera. Joseph was not trying to be cruel by testing his brothers. He was trying to encourage their repentance for the way they treated him, and not risk future punishment from Hashem.
QA &
Joseph selected Shimon to be his captive, so that he would be separated from Levi, as they had previously wiped out the city of Shechem together as revenge for violating Dinah. 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 does the butler refer to Joseph when telling Pharoah about him? What did Joseph have to do before he could stand before Pharoah? What did Pharoah give Joseph when he appointed him as viceroy? Which brother was imprisoned by Joseph after their first visit to Egypt? Which items did Jacob tell the brothers to take down to Egypt with them? Why did Joseph treat his brothers in such a cruel way?
Just For Fun Sadie: I would like to buy 50 stamps for my Chanukah cards please. Cashier: What denomination? Sadie: Oy vey, has it come to this? Give me 6 Orthodox, 12 Conservative and 32 Reform.
L YOUTH LEARN and EARN
KING AHEAD
For Parents and Children
In The Spotlight
EDUCATION
Eli Portnoy This week’s kiddush is being hosted by Leah and Rafi Bloom, in honour of Eli’s first birthday, and also in honour of the nursery children who are entertaining us in Shule this Shabbat. Eliyahu Moshe Portnoy was born last December, and is named after Rabbi Portnoy’s late father, whose yarzheit is next week. He is a perfect addition to an already lively household, and is doted on by his older siblings, Elianna and Manu.
Tuesday Dinner & Discussion - 7.30pm Years 7-13 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 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
Leah has spent most of her life living in Hale, and has shared numerous special occasions with the community. Therefore it only seemed right that they share this special birthday too. They also wish to highlight the amazing job the nursery staff do for the children of our community, and wish to pay tribute to them as well as the children to whom they give their time. Eli will be celebrating with his proud grandparents, and his Zaide will be addressing the community from the pulpit! We are grateful for their hospitality, and we wish a Eli a very happy birthday, and a happy and healthy year ahead.