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Shabbat
Beshalach
Exodus 13:17-17:16
Candle Lighting Time: Friday, January 18, 2008 4: 37P.M.
When a
couple left for vacation, their newly married son and daughter-in-law
promised to watch the house, take in the mail, and keep the lawn mowed.
The couple hadn’t been gone very long before they began to worry. What
if the young people were careless about locking the doors and all their
possessions were stolen? What if they didn’t pick up the mail,, and
some checks were stolen? What if the lawn weren’t mowed? What would
their neighbors think? The couple nearly ruined their vacation with
worry and they even cut it short a couple of days. When they returned;
however, they found the lawn mowed, the mail taken care of, and the
house in perfect order. They realized how foolish they had been because
their children had kept their word.
So it was with our ancestors. Before they left Egypt Moses fulfilled
the promise that the Children of Israel made to Joseph on his death
bed. ”Moses took the bones of Joseph with him; for he had solemnly
sworn the people of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you; and you
shall carry up my bones from here with you.” (Ex. 17:19) According to
the Midrash, while the Israelites were asking the Egyptians for their
gold, silver, and clothing as back wages for all their years of slavery,
Moses with the help up Serach bat Asher, one of Jacob’s favorite
grandchildren and a character of great import unto herself, retrieved
Joseph’s casket from its hiding place in the Nile. (Michilta, Beshalach)
So it is with God. He keeps His word. Isaiah declared that “the word
of our God stands firm forever.” ((40:8) This brings us great comfort
and can free us from worry. Why? We believe that God ultimately keeps
His promises. Here are just a few: “Many are the afflictions of the
righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.” (Psalm 34:19) “No
weapon formed against you will prosper.” (Isaiah 54:17) Finally one of
my personal favorites “I will bring again the captivity of my people of
Israel, and they shall rebuild the ruined cities, and inhabit them; and
they shall plant vineyards, and drink their wine; they shall also make
gardens, and eat their fruit. I will plant them upon their land, and
they shall no more be plucked up out of their land which I have given
them, says the Lord your God.” (Amos 9:14-15)
Are you fretting or doubting unnecessarily? If so , it’s time you laid
hold of a promise and remind yourselves that the Jewish people have a
legacy of keeping our promises to one another and that God always keeps
His word.
Shabbat
Shalom,
Rabbi Gary Greene
Services Schedule:
Friday night 7:00 p.m.
Shabbat 9:00 a.m.
Mon. & Thurs 6:30 a.m.
Sun. -Thurs night 7:30 p.m.
Announcements:
Shabbat, January 19, Lunch and Learn featuring an open political forum.
Sen. Padavan and Rep. Weprin will join us. There is a Carlebach minyon as
well. Join us for either service.
Sunday, January 20 No Sunday School in honor of MLK Weekend.
Tuesday, January 22, Tu B’shvat is here today. Have you planted a tree in
Israel recently? Today would be a good day to do so. Go to www.jnf.org.
Adult Education Classes 10 a.m. as usual. We are studying the Book of
Nechemiah in the Bible and reading Modern Israeli poetry in translation
Saturday, January 26 Join us for our Second film in our Israel Film Festival
in honor of Israel’s 60th Birthday.
Donation of $5.00 in advance or $7.00 at the door. All donations will be
put towards refurbishing our lobby. Please make all checks out to MJCC with
a notation Israel Film Festival
Tuesday, January 29 Adult Education Classes 10 a.m. as usual. We are
studying the Book of Nechemiah in the Bible and reading Modern Israeli
poetry in translation.
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