Shabbat Beha’alotecha
Numbers 8:1-9:14
Candle Lighting Time: Friday, June, 13, 2008 8:06 P.M.
Now that warm weather is here you can see me zipping around Queens and
Long Island on my bicycle. This past Sunday I road my bike to Oysster
Bay and back, just under 30 miles!Bicycling is the way I exercise
today. In my younger years as a rabbi in Springfield, MA I belonged to
the JCC’s Early Birds jogging club. On weekdays we ran a 4 mile loop to
Forest Park and back to the JCC. I can honestly say that I prayed with
the greatest kavannah, intention, and earnestness when I was jogging. I
remember praying to God something like this: “Oh God, just get me to the
next stop sign.” or “I see the JCC’s parking lot a half mile ahead.
Help me O Lord reach that parking lot.”
Too often our prayers are said rotely without any thought or emotion.
Thomas Brooks once said, “Cold prayers are as arrows without head, as
swords without edges, as birds without wings; they pierce not, they cut
not, they fly not up to heaven. Cold prayers always freeze before they
reach heaven.” To become more effective in our praying, we should
understand that it is not the arithmetic of our prayers, how many they
are; nor the rhetoric of our prayers, how eloquent they be; nor the
geometry of our prayers, how long they be; nor the music of our prayers,
how sweet our voice may be; nor the method of our prayers, how orderly
they may me; nor even the theology of our prayers, how good the doctrine
may be. Kavanah and fervency is what avails in the end.
This week’s Torah portion is proof positive of what I mean. Miriam,
Moses’ sister is stricken with tzara’at, snow white scales, and had to
be quarantined outside the camp. Moses prayed a short but earnest 5
word Hebrew prayer on her behalf, “O God, pray heal her.” (Numbers
12:13) She was ultimately healed and returned back to the camp.
Moses teaches us how we should daven. In contrast, indefinite prayer by
indifferent people brings little results. Productive prayer requires
earnestness, not eloquence.
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, June 14, 2008 June’s Lunch and Learn with Installation of
Synagogue Officers and Board Members. More than 40,000 Israelis who
were converted to Judaism in the past decade by the state's official
conversion courts may find their conversions annulled-rendering them
non-Jewish in the eyes of the law-following a ruling ...by Israel's
Supreme Rabbinical Court.
The Israeli Supreme Rabbinical Court has been hijacked by Ultra-Orthodox
rabbis who don't represent a more nuanced view of our tradition. Come
and study what our tradition asks of a convert before he or she joins
the Jewish people.
Call the office, 718-428-1580, to make reservations by June 14, 2008
Lunch costs only $8.00 per adult (12 years and older) and $4.00 per
child; children under 5 are free.
June 17, 2008 Ritual Committee meeting after Ma’ariv
Shabbat, June 21, 2008 We celebrate the Bat Mitzvah of Myra Greenberg
Sunday, June 22, 2008 Interfaith Dialogue Group meeting at MJCC at 8:00
P.M. This month we shall discuss two of the Ten Commandments, Remember
and observe the Sabbath and Thou shalt not steal” from our different
faith perspectives.
Shabbat, June 28, 2008 We celebrate Harry Makler’s special Birthday.
In the Community
Kenny Wallach, Murray and Irene’s grandson, is an Eagle Scout of Troop
267, Roslyn Hts and is collecting new, used, or damaged musical
instruments to donate to the students of PS 124 in South Ozone Park so
that their music program may continue. If you can donate an instrument,
contact Kenny to plan a time for pick-up. His cell phone number is
516-729-0913 or email the worstisover91@aol.com
Tuesday, June 17, 2008 7:00 P.M. at Cunningham Park, Union Tpke and
196th St, Celebrate Israel at 60 in song and music starring Yoel Sharabi
and His Orchestra. Co-sponsored by the Northeast Queens Jewish
Community Council and others.
Sunday, June 22, 2008 11:00 A.M. -6:00 P.M. Israeli Vendors Fair at
Bayside Jewish Center, 203-05 32nd Ave. Shoppers Delight! Vendors are
direct from Ben Yehuda Street with Hand Crafted Jewelry, Judaica, art
work, Tee shirts, Ahava Products, and much more. Live Entertainment
1:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. Co-sponsored by the Northeast Queens Jewish
Community Council, Hadassah, and others.
