Sign In Forgot Password

Weekly Announcements

Ahavat Yisrael of Wesley Hills Announcements

Vayikra

Zachor

Mar 22 – Mar 28

12 Adar 2 – 18 Adar 2

 

 

Matanos L’evyonim: As in past years Rabbi Bush will be collecting for Matanos L'evyonim which will be distributed in Israel on Purim day. It is best to have funds, or at least specific amounts no later than Purim night, Motzei Shabbos

Checks can be made out to Od Yosef Chai, devoted to aiding needy families in Israel.

or to American Friends of Lema'an Achai Inc, who will be distributing funds to help many Israelis who are "newly categorized as evyonim" due to being forced out of their homes and jobs due to the events of October 7 this includes about 250 families from Ofakim, Sderot, Ashkelon and Netivot who fled to the Beit Shemesh area.

 

Connections Israel:  Connections Israel connects schools and shuls with IDF units, usually distributing food baskets for the holidays.  Through them we adopted our kids’ units and Connections used to deliver treats for them during their service.  It's these small things that make army service more bearable.

Now Connections is also supplying winter gear, etc. But what a soldier spending 2-4 weeks in Gaza really wants is beef jerky, fruit rollups, and gummy fish (and a shower).  It makes them feel human.

Connections is now purchasing gear and Mishloach Manot which they will deliver to the units.  Allen Kolber knows Ishai Gelb personally, and all funds go straight for purchases and all volunteers are unpaid.

 https://www.connectionsisrael.com/

 

 

Kiddush is sponsored by Eve and Irwin Hollander for the upcoming Yahrzeit of Irwin's mother, Roiseh bas Moshe

 

SCHEDULE

 

FRIDAY (3/22)

Candle lighting/Mincha: 6:53 PM

 

SHABBOS ZACHOR (3/23)

Shacharis : 9:00 AM

Latest time for shma: 9:58 AM

Parsha Shiur: 5:55 PM

Mincha: 6:40 PM

Shabbos Ends: 7:57 PM, recite havdalah at home before driving to shul, [or at least baruch hamavdil and recite havdalah after returning home]

Maariv & Megillah: 8:30 PM

 

SUNDAY PURIM (3/24)

Shacharis & Megillah:

First Minyan 7:00 AM

Second Minyan 8:30 AM

Mincha: 1:45 PM

Tehillim: 8:50 PM

Maariv: 9:00 PM

 

MONDAY – THURSDAY (3/25-3/28)

Tehillim: 8:50 PM

Maariv: 9:00 PM

Monday: Shushan Purim

Wednesday: 8:00 PM Parsha Previews https://zoom.us/j/3812539596

 

 

Dvar Torah & Thoughts on Purim/Amalek

Rabbi Asher Bush

On one hand the entire story of Purim often seems so distant, almost like a fairytale, but in so many ways the Megilla is the most real book of Tanach and Purim is the most relevant Chag to Jewish life. It is so real as there are no open miracles and no prophecy; instead, we find Jewish people living in a world that for reasons they could not quite understand turned quite hostile, even dangerous, where neighbors they never worried about all of a sudden were quite menacing. It is about a Jewish world that includes Israel and much of chutz l’aretz as well, a Jewish world full of piety and plagued by assimilation at the same time. In short, it sounds very much like our world as we head to Purim 5784.

If there is a “good side” to any of this perhaps it is that we can now better understand one of the most difficult portions of the Torah, namely, how to view and treat Amalek. As this year in particular we have seen and experienced hatred in ways not seen in almost a full lifetime, since the dark days of the holocaust. It has shocked many to consider or reconsider their place in the world and their relationship with it, it has caused some to intensify their Jewish feelings and connections, and in some cases (not generally in the orthodox world, but nothing should be taken for granted), these connections are strained or being subdued. But at least when we read of this nation that is just the essence of evil and hatred, and at all costs wants to destroy us, we can visualize what this is all about. Yes, there really is something called absolute evil, something does not care for good, does not want to make it better, has no desire to work or live together, no interest in finding a way to make it right. We aren’t used to this absolute evil, and we shouldn’t be, but it is real. So, while it would not be accurate or smart to use the term “Amalek” in a literal or technical sense, this is clearly the spirit of Amalek, a perspective that gives meaning to us as we approach Purim.

That the day after Purim is called Shushan Purim is based on the history of the events, but today and for a long time there has been no Shushan (which at best is an archeological site), and this day primarily finds its place in Yerushalayim. Yerushalayim, the heart of Israel, the center of Jewish existence, our focal point every time we turn to God in prayer, in times of crisis, and in good times as well. It is this place that commemorates the fact that an extra day was needed to fight, an extra day was needed to set things right. While most of Israel certainly does not observe this day, the fact that its heart does serves to help us focus on the fact that the struggles which are real everywhere, have a special place in Israel, and in no way can be compared.

But how are we to be joyous, how are we to feel like celebrating this year? I believe that two different halachic discussions in the Gemara can shed much light on this real question. The Talmud addresses the fact that Hallel is not recited on Purim. It offers several explanations as to why not, the most striking one being that we really are accomplishing Hallel, not through the usual collection of Tehillim but through the reading of the Megilla itself. Why just read beautiful Tehillim that offer praise to God, better for us to read the actual account; what could be a better way to say thanks. But when addressing the need to read it at night and again the next day, it quotes the pasuk from Tehillim (22). It is worth noting that that the first real line of this paragraph expresses what we are all feeling so much this year as it states למה עזבתני רחוק מישועתי דברי שאגתי/God, why have you abandoned me, my salvation is far away from the cry of my words. Followed by this introduction comes the pasuk that the Gemara says serves as the source of our reading the Megilla night and day. The pasuk states  אלקי אקרא יומם ולא תענה ולילה ולא דומיה לי/God I cry out by day, and you do not answer me, and at night and I am not silent. These words are not words of praise, but words of prayer, pleading and supplication.

This I believe is the key to a real Purim, especially in a year like this when are not just observing Purim but living it. On one hand the Megilla is our praise and thanks to God, but at the same time it is our supplication. Both are part of this day, and while it is not our practice, some of the Geonim had the practice of reciting Tachanun on Purim. While this may sound almost crazy to us as we associate Tachanun with sad days and not days of celebration, they understood that commemoration of this great Geula is to be accompanied by prayers for even more Geula, hence the recital of Tachanun.

So, this Purim will in so many ways be as real and as genuine as it gets, a day of supplications, a day of thanks, a day we wonder about how and why this is all happening, and a day when it all makes perfect sense. And above all, it is a day to connect; it is a time to connect with God both with our thanks and our pleas, and a time to connect with each other through our Mishloach Manos and Matanos L’evyonim. Hopefully it is a time to get the message, that message being these are the events are not about what happened way back when, as they are the events of the past, present and future, they are who we are and how we live, they are our history and our destiny all at once; they are Purim, .

 

 

Fri, March 29 2024 19 Adar II 5784