For more information and details on how to sign-up for our limited outdoor in-person services, please visit ostns.org/reopening.
Thank you to our virtual learning sponsors, Jeff and Lea Mendelsohn, sponsoring beginning today through the end of the year.
Tot Shabbat this Week: Join Yoni Friedman this Shabbat, December 26 at 10:30 am. Please dress warmly. Masks, social distancing, and registration required; register here.
Tomorrow (Friday) is Asara b'Tevet, please see important information about this fast day below.
New Music Video Featuring Ohev Sholom! We were proud to collaborate with our guest Chazzan Gedalia Penner on a new original composition of "Im Eshkachech," which we feel reflects the spiritual mood in these challenging times. Watch it here.
Bubbie’s Plant Burgers (recently certified by DC Kosher) and the DC Jewish community are the focus of a great article; read it here.
Thank you to our virtual learning sponsors for this past week Elena Tscherny and Naomi & David Balto. If you are interested in sponsoring a day of virtual learning for $54, please email Alejandra at alejandra@ostns.org.
Important Information on Asara b'Tevet
Tomorrow (Friday) is Asara b'Tevet, a fast day that commemorates tragic events in Jewish history (including the onset of an 18 month long Babylonian siege of Jerusalem that culminated in the destruction of the first temple.) The fast begins at 5:59 AM, and ends at 5:22 PM.
Asara b'Tevet is the only fast day that ever falls on a Friday, which raises some unusual questions about how to transition from a fast day into Shabbat. Because there is special laining at mincha on a fast day, we will be starting Friday mincha earlier than usual at 4:15 PM, followed by a normal Kabbalat Shabbat. There are halachic debates regarding what time one may break their fast, and we are following the position that this year comes out at 5:22 PM. One should break their fast with Shabbat dinner, beginning with kiddush.
Please don't hesitate to reach out to Rabbi Herzfeld or Maharat Friedman with questions. We wish you an easy fast.
Spotlight On..... Tonight's Lecture!
Lecture with Natan Sharansky and Gil Troy - January 5
OSTNS on YouTube!
The shul has two YouTube accounts which have recordings of past classes, shiurim, and events. They can be accessed here:
The Magic of Bradley Fields z'l: On Dec. 17, the last night of Chanukah, Ohev Sholom hosted an event with the friends and family of Bradley Fields in his memory on Zoom. The program featured highlights and video clips from his amazing career (including a magic show!) and is suitable for people of all ages. A recording of the event can be found here.
Words on the Weekly Parsha and Haftorah Contributed by Rabbi Ben Mintz
Dramatic scenes abound in this week's parsha, Vayigash. As the parsha begins, Yehudah approaches Yosef (a move that gives the parsha its name) to issue a heartfelt plea that Binyomin be allowed to return to his father, Yaakov. He offers to stay in Mitzrayim in Binyomin's place. Overcome with emotion, Yosef identifies himself to his brothers as the one they had placed in a pit and sold as a slave, years ago.
That leads to the emotional reunion of Yosef and Binyomin. Before this, Binyomin, along with the other brothers, had not known that the Egyptian official, second to the king in Mitzrayim, was their brother. The Torah states that Yosef fell, crying, on the "necks" of Binyomin. (Bereshit 45:14) Why the plural? After all, how many necks did Binyomin have? The Talmud explains that the Holy Temple, which would be built in the territory to be assigned to Binyomin, would be destroyed twice, once by Babylon and once by Rome. Yosef wept twice, once on each neck, for the two Temples.
The parsha goes on to relate that Yosef sent the brothers back to Canaan to bring their father, Yaakov, to Mitzrayim with his entire family. On dispatching his brothers, Yosef, in the words of the Torah, told them not to enter into any disputes on the way. (45:24). The simple explanation is that Yosef correctly thought that the brothers would start fighting with one another about who was responsible for the treatment of Yosef when he was thrown into the pit. The Talmud has a fuller explanation. Yosef told his brothers not to enter into any discussions about Jewish law. Yosef knew, as we know full well now, that any discussion about issues of Jewish law can sometimes lead to bitter discussions among the participants. Thus, for instance, a discussion as to whether a certain activity is permitted on Shabbos could well elicit strong opinions and consequent bad feeling. This would disrupt the brothers' trip and delay Yaakov's journey to Mitzrayim.
The parsha then tells of Yaakov and his entire family embarking on the trip to Egypt. The Torah says that when Yosef heard that they were approaching, he fastened his chariot for the journey to meet his father (46:29). The question arises: Surely Yosef, as a ruler in Egypt, had assistants who would prepare his chariot. Why did he have to do this task himself? The same question is asked when the Torah says that Balaam prepared his horses when he was about to leave on his journey to curse the Jews. The rabbis explain that just as great love was sufficient to upset the normal hierarchies which assign menial work to staff, as in the case of Yosef, so the great hatred of Balaam for the Jews was sufficient to encourage Balaam to perform the onerous work of preparing for the journey himself.
The parsha ends with Yaakov and his entire family -- that is, the entire Jewish people at that point -- now living in Mitzrayim. We are ready for the next chapter in the history of the Jewish people: the slavery in Egypt.
The haftorah is from the prophet Yechezkel (Ezekiel), and speaks of the future reconciliation of the Northern Kingdom and the Kingdom of Judah. This parallels the reconciliation of Yosef and his brothers in the parsha. The haftorah states "My servant David shall be king over them, and there will be one shepherd for all of them." (37:24)
Haftorah Video, by Hal Brodsky z"l
... will return in several weeks
Upcoming Events and Weekly Schedule
To view and register for upcoming events and view the weekly schedule, visit our website's online calendar.
Sunday, December 27 (Tevet 12) 8:00a Shacharit (in person or via Zoom) 9:00a Daf Yomi with Rabbi Herzfeld 11:00a Exploring Judaism: The Richness of our Tradition with Rabbi Mintz via Zoom 4:45p Mincha/Maariv (in person or via Zoom)
Monday, December 28 (Tevet 13) 7:00a Daf Yomi with Rabbi Herzfeld 8:00a Shacharit (in person or via Zoom) 12:30p Class with Rabbi Herzfeld on the Parsha via Zoom 4:45p Mincha/Maariv (in person or via Zoom)
Tuesday, December 29 (Tevet 14) 7:00a Daf Yomi with Rabbi Herzfeld 8:00a Shacharit (in person or via Zoom) 4:00p Parshah Storytime with Rabbi Herzfeld (recommended ages 4-6) 4:45p Mincha/Maariv (in person or via Zoom) 7:15p Class with Baruch Roth via Zoom 8:15p Class with Rabbi Herzfeld: Practical Halakhah from the Shulkhan Arukh via Zoom
Wednesday, December 30 (Tevet 15) 7:00a Daf Yomi with Rabbi Herzfeld 8:00a Shacharit (in person or via Zoom) 12:30p Class with Rabbi Herzfeld on the Parsha via Zoom 4:45p Mincha/Maariv (in person or via Zoom)
Thursday, December 31 (Tevet 16) 7:00a Daf Yomi with Rabbi Herzfeld 8:00a Shacharit (in person or via Zoom) 4:45p Mincha/Maariv (in person or via Zoom)
Erev Shabbat, January 1 (Tevet 17) New Year's Day (Office Closed) 7:00a Daf Yomi with Rabbi Herzfeld 8:00a Shacharit (In person or via Zoom) 4:35p Mincha/Kabbalat Shabbat (Registration required; Mincha available via Zoom) 4:38p Candle Lighting
Shabbat, January 2: Vayechi (Tevet 18) 8:45a Shacharit (In person, registration required) 3:50p Daf Yomi 4:40p Mincha/Maariv 5:40p Havdalah
Sunday, January 3 (Tevet 19) 8:00a Shacharit (in person or via Zoom) 9:00a Daf Yomi with Rabbi Herzfeld 11:00a Exploring Judaism: The Richness of our Tradition with Rabbi Mintz via Zoom 4:50p Mincha/Maariv (in person or via Zoom)
Lifecycles
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