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Marathon Jewish
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Shabbat
Mishpatim
Exodus 21:1-24:18
Candle Lighting Time: Friday, February 1, 2008 4:54 P.M.
We who
are parents can identify with the following mother. She had begun to
nag when she was disciplining her young son. She said, “I realized this
when somebody asked him his name. He replied ‘Tommy No No’” Many people
think that whenever they want to have fun, God waves a cosmic finger and
says, “No! No!” J. B. Phillips, in his book Your God is Too Small,
calls this the “Resident Policeman” concept of God.
Perhaps that perception comes from this week’s Torah portion, Mishpatim.
Mishpatim continues the list of the laws God gave the Jewish people from
Mt. Sinai after the giving of the Ten Commandments. Of course many of
them are prohibitions. For example, you find the following prohibitions
as you study this week’s parasha. “You shall not wrong a stranger or
oppress him…” (22:20) “You shall not ill-treat any widow or orphan.”
(22:21) “You must not carry false rumors; you shall not join hands with
the guilty to act as malicious witness.” (23:2) God told Moses that if
the people walk in His ways they would live. It would go well with them
and they would prolong their days. That does not guarantee that all
Jews will live to be 90, and they will never get sick or have trouble.
It just means that God promises not to abandon us in our hour of need
and He will be there to help and strengthen us to overcome all
adversity.
The Bible says no to many things-no adultery, no murder, no stealing, no
lying, no cheating. Rabbi Akiva summed up the commandments when he
taught “You shall love your neighbor as yourself. This is an essential
teaching of the Torah.” Love produces life. All God’s prohibitions are
for our protection and our perfection.
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:
Tuesday, February 5th Adult Education 10 a.m.
Executive Board Meeting
Tuesday, February 12th Board Meeting 8:00 p.m.
Shabbat, February 16, Lunch and Learn. This week’s topic will be “Does
‘Thou shalt not steal’ include intellectual property? The internet has
blurred the lines of ownership, particularly over words, images, and most
critically ideas. We shall explore the halachic challenges presented to us
by the ease with which we can appropriate intellectual property-plucking it
out of the very air- and the issues of ownership and theft must resolve.
Saturday, February 23rd 7:00 P.M. Join us for our Third film in our Israel
Film Festival in honor of Israel’s 60th Birthday Featuring
"The Cemetery Club"
Every Sabbath morning the Mt. Herzl Academy Social Club meets at the
eponymous National Cemetery, where its members-elderly, in-your-face
Polish-born Jerusalemites (the director’s stupefying great-aunt among
them)-debate Immanuel Kant, declaim poetry, argue incorrigibly, and together
face inexorable losses. Don’t miss this tremendously moving, hilarious
portrait of Israel’s emotionally rugged, dwindling Holocaust generation.
Winner of the European Film Academy best Documentary in 2006
Winner of the Asian International Best International Documentary in 2006
Winner of the Leipzig Golden Dove for the Best Documentary in 2006
Winner of the best international women's film in Israel 2006
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
Mark your calendars!
Monday, March 10 at 7:30 p.m. The sisterhood presents: A Purim Happening:
Learn to Belly Dance with Miss Lena. $15.00 per person. Light refreshments
will be served. RSVP By March 3rd at the synagogue 718-428-1580. Bring Out
Your Inner Vashti!
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