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Shabbat Matot
Numbers 30:2-32:41
Candle Lighting Time: Friday, July, 25, 2008 7:59 P.M.
This week’s Torah portion begins with the laws of vows. “The Bible stresses
the power and the solemnity of words, from the opening verses of the Torah,
in which God creates a world with words, to the commandment to distance
oneself from falsehood, to the repeated emphasis against insulting the
convert or the physically handicapped….A word is not merely a sound; it is
real, it has substance with power to hurt or heal, to elevate or to
denigrate. The seriousness with which takes vows and promises is the basis
of the words with which the service on the eve of Yom Kippur. With those
words (known as Kol Nidre, ‘All Vows’) we declare that any promises to God
that we make and are unable to keep in the New Year are hereby publicly
retracted and should not be held against us.” (Etz Hayyim Commentary below
the Line, page 941)
A Hassidic rebbe told his followers, “Everything that has been created in
God’s world has a lesson to teach us.” Thinking that the rebbe was engaging
in hyperbole, one of his followers called out, “And what can we learn from
the train? “That because of being one minute late,” the rebbe answered,
“you can loose everything.”
“And from the telegraph?” “That for every word, you pay.”
And from the telephone?” “That what we say here, is heard there.”
I would like your help to update this wonderful Hassidic tale and bring it
into the 21at century. Answer the following questions and I shall share
your keen insights with all my subscribers. The question is: What do we
learn from “e-mail?
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.
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