Weekly Announcements
Ahavat Yisrael of Wesley Hills Announcements
Shoftim
August 29 – September 4
5 Elul – 11 Elul
High Holiday
Please remember to reserve seats for Rosh Hashanah/Yom Kippur
Letter: https://images.shulcloud.com/866/uploads/Events/AhavtYisraelRHletterfinalversion2025.docx
Seats: https://images.shulcloud.com/866/uploads/Events/AhavatYisraelSeatForm2025.docx
To reserve online: https://www.ahavatyisrael.org/event/high-holiday-seats-5786.html
SCHEDULE
FRIDAY (8/29)
Mincha: 7:00 PM
Candles not after: 7:15 PM
SHABBOS 8/30)
Shacharis: 9:00 AM
Latest time for shma: 9:38 AM
Parsha shiur resumes next week
Mincha: 7:00 PM
Shabbos Ends/Tehillim: 8:16 PM
Maariv: 8:33 PM
SUNDAY (8/31)
Shacharis: 8:00 AM
Rabbi’s Gemara Shiur on zoom only: 8:45 AM https://zoom.us/j/3812539596
Mincha/Maariv: 7:10 PM
MONDAY – THURSDAY (9/1-9/4)
Tehillim: 8:55 PM
Maariv: 9:00 PM
Monday: Labor Day: Shacharis 8:00 TBD
Monday: Labor Day: Mincha/Maariv: 7:10 PM
Wednesday: Parsha previews on zoom resumes this Wednesday night at 8pm https://zoom.us/j/3812539596
Dvar Torah & Thoughts on Shoftim
Rabbi Asher Bush
The words תמים תהיה עם ה' א'/You shall be wholehearted with the Lord your God, are explained by Rashi to teach to walk with God in faith, to trust that He will take care of us in the future and to not seek to predict the future. Similarly, the Ibn Ezra explains that it teaches that we should have full and complete faith in God. Each of them and pretty much all of the classical mefarshim understood this in the context of that which preceded it, namely the various prohibitions of attempting to predict or affect the future through supernatural means. It is only these irrational and supernatural methods that the Torah so strongly rejects as this is a complete encroachment on the realm of God, and borders on idolatry. [This is by definition not speaking about attempting to affect the future through natural and logical means such as getting a good education in order to get a good job, working hard in order to succeed in one’s profession, living and eating healthily hoping that it will make a difference. While none of these common sense ideas comes with a guarantee, there is good reason to think that they may make a difference, often a big one, and it is completely appropriate to engage in them in this spirit.]
So while it is certainly true that the attitude of כחי ועוצם ידי/”it is my strength and power of hand that causes my success”, is wrong and can harm one’s faith, even worse is the use of the superstitions and supernatural, as this is a direct assault on the realm of God. It is for this reason that the Canaani who seemingly were never told not to engage in these practices were still held accountable for practicing them, even being one of the primary causes of their loss of the right to live in Israel. It is not just a matter of less or no faith in God, effectively it is not very different that polytheism, as they place their faith in powers other than the One and Only.
Believing that these powers can affect or at least foretell the future, means one is less than a full believer. Amazingly, some variations of the behaviors and beliefs have crept into Jewish life, sometimes marginally, other times in a far more mainstream manner. They can be dressed up with Hebrew or Yiddish descriptions, but that doesn’t make them any more kosher than the cloven hooves of a pig don’t affect its kashrus.
To place our faith elsewhere, aside from just being false and potentially very destructive, is the antithesis of the month of Elul. I say this because giving credence to these ideas, whether those that smack of another faith, or often just “innocent” folk superstitions, gives room to say that such and such happened to me because of this alternative power or superstition or good/bad luck, and not because of the Master of the Universe, whose ways we often do not and cannot understand (which really is the ultimate meaning of תמים תהיה עם ה'/having pure faith in God). To invoke these superstitions actually has a great subconscious appeal as it removes any sense of accountability, as it takes away any motivation or thought that it might be time for me to improve my character, conduct or life. as we have entered the month of Elul a few days ago, these words ring more loudly than ever. If we want to have a successful Elul, and the Yomim Noraim that follow, it is about taking ownership and responsibility for our lives. If we do not reject the role of these superstitions, Elul and the Chagim that follow will be of limited value as we will have already decided that responsibility lies elsewhere, not with us and not even with God.