Va'etchanan 5777

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Service Times

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Parshat Va’etchanan

Shabbat Kabbalat Shabbat

19:30

(Candle Lighting)

19:35

Shacharit

09:15

Leining

10:15

Mincha followed by Seudah & Ma’ariv

20:45

Shabbat Ends

21:58

12 Av 5777 4 August 2017

Security team: Purple

Page No.s Artscroll Gutnick Hertz

Leining

Haftarah

958 1146 755

1196 1470 776

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*

I have had several conversations with teen-

us that the mitzvot should be on our

Fri

07:00

19:30**

agers who have told me that they do not

hearts. This is strange. Surely we should

19:30

believe in G-d. This is quite a conclusion to

want our commitment to His mitzvot in

reach at their age, considering how unlikely

our hearts?

Candle Lighting

* Bowdon Shul ** Mincha & Kabbalat Shabbat

Thought For The Week Let It In

it is that they have researched the issue

Chayim Arukim

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

thoroughly enough to have formed such an

Nina Lee Anne Cohen Pauline Ridgeway Wendy Herz Eve Woolf

Sister Mother Mother Father Father

or two, (or more), deep questions, which

Tony Alex

Father

10 Aug 18 Av

Sharon Cohen

Father

‫שבת‬

Malcolm Jaffa Father Charmaine Mattison Father

‫שבת‬

5 Aug 13 Av

Wed

9 August 17 Av

Thurs

12 Aug 20 Av

Kiddushim 5 August Karen & Martin Abramson 12 August Gillian & Stephen Cohen 19 August Nicholas Herz

important opinion. Upon further probing, it transpires that they struggle with one without an answer that they can understand, or are willing to understand, creates an obstacle in believing in G-d.

The Sfat Emet explains that at the very least a person should put Hashem and His mitzvot on our hearts. At least they are there, ready for absorption whenever we are ready. There may be several mitzvot and traditions that we are not ready to bring into our lives, and there may be several reasons why not. But this lesson teaches

I choose to tell them that instead of “cast-

us to not be afraid of them and throw them

ing G-d away”, it can be possible to believe

away. Don’t ignore them. Just let them sit

that G-d exists, but to admit that they are

there. Become aware of them. Learn about

not yet ready to have a mature relationship

them. By doing so, it will make it easier to

with Him. At the very least, let G-d into

mature and develop our relationship with

your life, and speak realistically to Him. At

Hashem as time goes on.

least this keeps G-d present, and in time

Rabbi Nick Kett

you can come to develop that faith and that relationship.

It was only recently that I discovered a source for this approach. The Shema tells

Shabbat Weather AM Light Rain 17o High 11o Overnight Low

Parsha

verview

First Aliyah - 11 verses Moses pleads with G-d to allow him entry into Israel. G-d refuses this request, but shows him the Promised Land from a mountain.

Moses enjoins the people to follow G-d’s law, and never to add to or detract from it.

Second Aliyah - 36 verses Moses implores the Israelites to treasure the Torah. He describes the day they received the Torah.

Worshipping graven images will result in national exile and decimation. But even when exiled, G-d will not forsake His people, and eventually they will repent and return to G-d. This section concludes with Moses praising the Israelites’ uniqueness.

Third Aliyah - 9 verses Moses designates three cities of refuge on the eastern side of the Jordan River.

Fourth Aliyah - 18 verses Moses repeats the Ten Commandments, reminding the Israelites that the Sinai covenant was not limited to those who were physically present at Mount Sinai.

Fifth Aliyah - 15 verses Moses describes the fright which gripped the nation following the revelation on Sinai, and how the leaders of the tribes pleaded that he be the intermediary to transmit G-d’s words to them.

Sixth Aliyah - 22 verses The first section of the Shema contains fundamental mitzvot of belief in G d’s unity, love of G d, tefillin, mezuzah, and Torah study.

G-d promises to give the Israelites a land filled with bounty and spoils.

Moses instructs the nation what to respond to their children who might inquire why they observe all the commandments.

Seventh Aliyah - 11 verses The Israelites are directed to destroy the inhabitants of Canaan along with their idols, and the prohibition against intermarriage is discussed.

The Land of Israel is referred to as a land of “milk and honey” twenty times in Tanach.

S L E W

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M S I DA

U J F O

Delve into the deeper side of Judaism This week we discuss the effectiveness of tefillah

Does Prayer Work?

The beginning of this week’s parsha focuses on Moshe and his prayers to Hashem to allow him to enter the Land of Israel, a privilege he knew he had already lost.

Among the lessons we can learn from his decision to pray, two stand out.

Firstly, despite a lifetime of service to Hashem, Moshe did not feel that G-d should fulfill his request as a form of repayment.

Rather, Moshe presented his prayers in the form of entreaties and supplications. As the humblest of men, Moshe was clearly aware that no matter how greatly person exerts himsefl for Hashem, he remains always in the Almighty’s debt. Thus our Sages advocate to not pray in a demanding manner; rather, humbly entreat Hashem to have mercy no you, despite your shortcomings.

Secondly, Moshe’s intensive prayers, which he resumed on the day of his death, taught future generations to persist in praying. Even if a person feels literally or figuratively - the blade of the sword already touching his bare neck, he shouldn’t say, “What pur-

pose is there in my praying further?”

Moshe continued praying even though Hashem had clearly told him that he would not enter. He therefore demonstrated that a person must never say that there is no point in praying.

No prayer is “in vain”.

King Chizkiyahu fell dangerously ill and was confined to his bed.

A person should never despair, even if a sword is being held to his throat.

The prophet Yeshayahu entered and announced to him in G-d’s Name that he is about to die, and he will not be revived at the Resurrection of the Dead. Dismayed, Chizkiyahu inquired to know what crime he had committed to warrant such an exclusion.

G-d informed him that it was because he had refused to have children. His excuse had been because he foresaw prophetically

that his chidlren would abandon Hashem’s mitzvot. However, it was not his place to meddle with Hashem’s with G-d’s affairs.

Chizkiyahu davened to rectify the problem, because he had been taught that a person should never despair, even if a sword is being held to his throat.

In response, Yeshayahu received word from Hashem that the king’s prayers had been answered, and fifteen years would be added to his life so that he could correct his problem.

Two wicked sons were indeed born to him: Menashe, who became king over Yehudah and performed evil deeds, and Ravshakei, who became an apostate and collaborated with the Asssyrian king Sancheriv against the Jews.

What he had not foreseen, however, was that his son Menashe would repent at the end of his life and that he would have a righteous descendant..

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 Va’etchanan is the 44th of 54 sedras 2nd of 11 in Devarim Written on 249 lines in a Torah 122 verses - ranks 17th (2nd in Devarim) 1878 words - ranks 10th (2nd in Devarim) 7343 letters - ranks 10th (2nd in Devarim)

Did You Know Va’etchanan contains 12 of the 613 mitzvot. 8 of these are positive mitzvot, and 4 are prohibitions.

A primary cause of idolatry is the natural human tendency to relate better to something concrete, visible, and tangible, rather than something abstract and intangible.

The Jews received the Ten Commandments in Parshat Yitro, and then Moshe repeated them in this week’s parsha. However, there are various differences between the two versions.

Tip #40 Give Thanks

TEFILLAH TIPS

The lengthy prayer Hodu Lashem (Give thanks to Hashem) is comprised of 29 verses from the Book of Chronicles I, and 18 selected verses from Psalms. We are told that the first set of verses were recited every day in the Mishkan as part of the morning and afternoon Tamid sacrifices.

This prayer, or song, calls upon the Jewish People to maintain its faith in G-d and

its confidence that He will bring salvation from exile and persecution. The first fifteen verses refer to the miracles of past salvations, while the next fourteen verses refer to the song of gratitude that everyone will sing in Messianic times. The final verses are found throughout Psalms, and are referred to as the ‘Verses of Mercy’, because they are effective in beseeching G-d’s mercy in bringing an end to exile and dispersion.

It is possible to trace accurate chains of transmission of our Torah all the way back to people who physically stood at Mount Sinai and received the Torah. No other religion can boast such a claim.

Just For Fun

Question: What do you call a man with no body and just a nose?

Answer: Nobody nose!

2

L

KING AHEAD

In The Spotlight Gabby Benson and David Witkin This week we celebrate the forthcoming marriage of Gabby to David, on Sunday.

THIS SHABBAT

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 6 August - Thurs 10 August Bowdon 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.

Gabby met David 18 months ago, and was amazed by how many interests they share, most notably their love of dogs, and their insatiable thirst for conquering escape rooms. They have travelled nationwide in search of new challenges, and even some abroad.

Gabby, 24, works for the NHS as a psychological wellbeing practitioner, and David, 30, is a primary school teacher at William Hulme. Although originally from North Manchester, they are very excited about settling in Hale.

We wish Mazaltov to the proud parents - Ruth Benson, Hilary Witkin, and Mark Benson, and at this time we remember David’s late father, Richard. We also wish Mazaltov to grandma Leila Spiero, as well as to Karen and Martin, and we thank them for their hospitality.

Mazaltov to Gabby Benson & Ruth Benson on the occasion of Gabby’s marriage to David Witkin.

Michelle & Raymond Green, Lynne & Jonathan Hammond, and Kitty Joseph on the birth of a granddaughter and great-granddaughter.

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

Danielle & David Woolf and Melanie & Tony Woolf on the birth of a daughter and granddaughter.