Vayakhel-Pekudei 5777

g n i h t e Som e n o y r e v for E

Sponsored in loving memory of Alan Lewis z”l Yitzchak Chaim ben Tzvi z”l

Service Times

Parshat Vayakhel-Pekudei Parshat Hachodesh

Shabbat (Mevarchim) Kabbalat Shabbat

18:15

(Candle Lighting)

18:15

Shacharit

09:00

Leining

10:00

Mincha & Seudah

18:10

Shabbat Ends

19:21

Weekday

d"sb

26 Adar 5777 24 March 2017

Security team: Orange

Page No.s Artscroll Gutnick Hertz

Leining 516 584 373

Maftir 348 406 253

Haftarah 1218 1502 1001

Shacharit Mincha & Ma’ariv Sun

09:00

19:30

Mon

07:00

19:30

Tues*

06:45

19:30

Wed

07:00

19:30

Thurs

07:00

19:30

Fri

07:00

18:30

Thought For The Week Mirrors: A Reflection of Devotion Among the items donated for the building

donating their jewellery and mirrors. They

* Rosh Chodesh ** Mincha & Kabbalat Shabbat

of the Mishkan were the mirrors that the

were rewarded with the special women’s

Chayim Arukim

Jewish women had used in Egypt. Rashi

holiday of Rosh Chodesh, which symbolises

tells us that Moshe was initially unwilling to

monthly renewal and inspiration.

Candle Lighting

18:30**

to all those who have Yahrzeit this week as follows Anne Greibach Tony Crystal Jonathan Lever Miriam Berman Alan Becker

Mother Father Wife Mother Brother

26 March 28 Adar

Marcia Lister

Mother

Mon

Jennifer Orchant Angela Cohen Evy Blaskey

Father Mother Mother

28 March 1 Nisan

Hilary Black

Husband

Wed

Linda Science Rita Leigh Amanda Falk

‫שבת‬

25 March 27 Adar

Sun

27 March 29 Adar

Tues

29 March 2 Nisan

Thurs

30 March 3 Nisan

accept gifts that symbolized vanity to make the copper basin, from which the Kohanim

Just as any object can be positively used

would wash their hands. But Hashem told

or negatively abused, the mirrors from

him that these mirrors were more precious

Egypt were donated in the spirit of kedu-

than all the other gifts, because they had

shah – holiness. Hashem does not ask us

helped the women to keep their morale

to elevate that which is already holy but

high and their families together under the

that which is ordinary. He values most

oppressive Egyptian regime. These mirrors

highly the commitment of ordinary people

Father Father

had played a key part in the continuation

who choose to do extraordinary things and

of the Jewish people and their redemption

remain positive against the odds.

Father

from Egypt, and were an appropriate gift.

The Unveiling for

Ruth Bookbinder will take place on Sunday - 12 noon at Dunham Bet Olam.

The mirrors represented the women’s faith

Kiddushim

Golden Calf, in which they had refused to

25 March Ginni & Jonathan Steinberg 1 April Communal Kiddush and Variety Programme 8 April Unsponsored

in redemption and, after the disaster of the

Rabbi Joel Portnoy

participate, they inspired their husbands to donate to the Mishkan and led the way by

Shabbat Weather AM Mostly Sunny 15o High 3o Overnight Low

Parsha

S L E W

verview

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First Aliyah - 29 verses The day after Moses brought the Second Tablets, he starts to construct the Mishkan. He describes the materials needed, and a list of everything which was to be produced. The men and women generously donate all the materials.

Second Aliyah - 60 verses G-d chooses Bezalel and Oholiab to serve as foremen of the project.

The tapestries which covered the Tabernacle are assembled. They construct the wall panels, sockets, curtains, and the Showbread Table.

Third Aliyah - 13 verses The menorah and the Incense Altar are constructed. The anointing oil and the incense are also prepared.

Fourth Aliyah - 32 verses Details the construction of the Outer Altar, the copper wash basin, the mesh curtains, and the beams and hooks which anchored them.

Lists an exact accounting of the amounts of gold, silver and copper donated, as well as the vessels and building materials constructed with these supplies.

Fifth Aliyah - 20 verses The High Priest’s ephod and its precious-stone-studded shoulder straps are made. The High Priest’s Breastplate is assembled. It was then secured by straps which connected it to the ephod.

Sixth Aliyah - 22 verses The rest of the priestly garments are completed: The High Priest’s robe and tzitz, and the four garments worn by all Kohanim: tunics, turbans, sashes and pants.

With this, the construction of the Tabernacle and all its vessels, etc. are finished.

Seventh Aliyah - 38 verses The Mishkan is erected on the first of Nissan. All the vessels are put in their proper places, and are anointed with the anointing oil, Moses dresses Aaron and his sons in the priestly garments, and anoints them too. A Cloud of Glory and the Divine Presence then fill the Mishkan.

The first verse of Pekudei, the repetition of the word ‘Mishkan’ are said to reference the two Temples which stood in Jerusalem.

M S I DA

U J F O

Delve into the deeper side of Judaism This week we examine why so many of the verses talk about the Mishkan

Repeat After Me The Torah gives a fivefold account of the Mishkan and its holy vessels:  Hashem gave Moshe the detailed commandments in Parshat Terumah.

The commandments are explained in a more general manner in Parshat Ki Tissa. 

Moshe transmitted the general outlines of the instructions to B’nei Yisrael in this week’s parsha, saying that every wise man shoudl participate in the construction. 

The Torah reports a fourth time how Hashem’s commands were fulfilled, mentioning separately that each vessel was constructed (36:8-39:2).



Finally, the Torah again enumerates the vessels of the Mishkan after they were completed and brought to Moshe (39:33-43).



Why did Hashem devote so many verses in the Torah to the subject of the Mishkan?

The answer is that these repetitions are meant to arouse us in the realisation of the importance of the

Mishkan and of its greatness in Hashem’s eyes.

We find parallel instances in the Torah. For example, Hashem repeats the name of K’lal Yisrael five times in one verse (Bamidbar 8:19).

He thereby wishes to make us aware of His great love for His people.

After the crown prince returned from his first day in school, he was the object of his father’s unceasing attention. For the remainder

Repetitions are meant to arouse us in the realisation of the importance of the Mishkan and of its greatness. of the day, the king could not refrain from expressing concern for the crown prince who had taken his first steps outside the palace. He continually repeated, “Has my son returned from school already? Has my on eaten lunch yet?”

A repeated account of an event in the Torah is an expression of Hashem’s concern and the importance He attributes to the mat-

ter. Similarly, the account of Eliezer’s meeting Rivka is narrated twice in Parshat Chayei Sarah, demonstrating that the conversations of our forefather’s servants are precious to Hashem.

Although the commandments concerning the Mishkan do not apply to us today in practice, we are promised immense reward for learning the sections dealing with the Mishkan. We are rewarded for studying the layout of the Mishkan and its vessels and certainly for delving into their inner symbolic significance.

Our Sages state that someone who studies the laws pertaining to the sacrifices is considered by Heaven as if he had actually offered a sacrifice. Similarly, one who learns the chapters concerning the Mishkan is equated with one who assisted in its actual construction. With the merit of his study, he will cause the shechina to return to Zion once again!

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 Vayakhel & Pekudei are the 22nd and 23rd in the Torah 10th and 11th of 11 in Shemot Written on 369.8 lines in a Torah (ranks 2nd) 214 verses - ranks 2nd (2nd in Shemot) 2740 words - ranks 2nd (2nd in Shemot) 10613 letters - ranks 2nd (2nd in Shemot)

Did You Know HALE & DISTRICT WALKERS Our newly formed group has been out and about!

We aim to meet up most weekday mornings (weather permitting) at 11.00am outside Booths, to walk for about an hour, usually in the Bollin.

Hope you can join us.

Contact Gillian Cohen on 07785 270 044 DATE FOR YOUR DIARY! Walk with a Talk with Tony Woolf Wednesday 15th February - 10.30-12.30

Tip #22 From A-Z

TEFILLAH TIPS

The Sages permitted us to pray in any language. However, this does not equate Hebrew, the Holy Tongue, with other languages. The Ramban shows us that Hashem created the world using Hebrew.

That alone explains why prayers have greater sanctity if uttered in Hebrew.

Jewish law tells us that if one prays in another language, he or she only fulfills their obligation if they understand what is being said. However, in Hebrew, one

fulfills their obligation even if they don’t understand.

Kabbalah teaches us that the letters of the Aleph Bet were created first, and using the letters, Hashem created the world. The very first verse of the Torah alludes to this; ‘Bereshit bara Elokim ET’ (‘‫ )’את‬- ‘In the beginning G-d created ‘‫’את‬ - that is, His first act of creation was to create the letters from ‫ א‬to ‫ת‬. We will explore this further next week.

Vayakhel has one single mitzvah counted among the 613.

Pekudei has none.

The first three verses in this week’s parsha contain 39 words, plus the word “Shabbat”; a symbolic reference to the 39 categories of labour, forbidden on Shabbat.

A connection is made between the 100 silver foundation supports that the Mishkan rested on, and the 100 brachot which we are supposed to recite daily; signifying that our brachot are the foundation of our days.

The copper used for the washing basin was taken from the women’s mirrors as a reward for their role in the redemption of the people from Egypt. They took care of their beauty in order to endear themselves to their husbands, even throughout the oppressive slavery.

Just For Fun Question: Where was Solomon’s temple located?

Answer: On the side of his head!

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KING AHEAD HYPE

In The Spotlight Ginni & Jonathan Steinberg This Shabbat we celebrate the joint 50th birthdays of Ginni and Jonathan.

EDUCATION

Apart from celebrating by spending quality time abroad with their family, they will be hosting Kiddush this week for the whole community. They will be joined by friends and family, and we welcome Max back to Hale who is spending a gap year in Israel.

We wish Mazaltov to proud parents Lady Beryl Steinberg, Alain de Boton, and Evi Rosenblatt, as well as to Ginni and Jonathan, and we thank them for their hospitality.

Mazaltov to Mark, Gabrielle, Gerald and Elaine Adlestone, together with all the family on Mark’s appointment as Deputy Lord Lieutenant for Greater Manchester.

Deanna & Marc Ferster and to Shelley & Stuart Ferster on the birth of a son and grandson.

Caroline & Nicholas Herz on Charles’ marriage this week to Rebekah Woolfstein.

Rabbi & Ruthie and to Helen Krell on the birth of a granddaughter and great granddaughter - a daughter to Avi & Matzi.

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

Ginni & Jonathan Steinberg in celebration of their 50th birthdays.