For more information and details on how to sign-up for our limited outdoor in-person services, please visit ostns.org/reopening.
Virtual learning today and tomorrow are sponsored by David Balto in memory of his bubbe, Baile Zlateh bat Ber Moshe v' Riva and in memory of the 10th yahrzeit of his father Yitzchak ben tzvi hersh v' taivel.
Chametz Burning Tomorrow (Friday), 9:30-10:30 AM at Ohev's parking lot. Masks and social distancing required; only one household at a time should approach the fire and please step to the side after putting in your chametz.
Shabbat Hagadol Dvar Torah On Wednesday, March 24, Maharat Friedman gave a Dvar Torah via Zoom in honor of Shabbat HaGadol titled "Mortal Panic: Chaos and Despair at the Crossing of the Sea." A link to the recording can be found here.
Please Note: DC Kosher Locations are NOT Kosher for Pesach. The one exception is cider from Anxo Cidery, which is kosher for Pesach. No food should be purchased from any DC Kosher establishment (aside from Anxo cider) beginning with Shabbat this week until one hour after the conclusion of Pesach (3/27/21 - 4/4/21). If you have any questions please contact Maharat Friedman at MaharatRuth@ostns.org. Thank you to our virtual learning sponsor for this past week: Grayce Warren-Boulton. If you are interested in sponsoring a day of virtual learning for $54, please fill out the form at https://www.ohevdc.org/form/virtual-learning-sponsor.html
Friday, March 26 6:15 pm Mincha/Kabbalat Shabbat (registration required) or via Zoom at https://zoom.us/j/3127816941 7:07 pm Candlelighting
Saturday, March 27 (Erev Pesach) 7:30 am Shacharit -- Note special time! (registration required) 11:10 am Last time to eat Chametz 12:10 pm Last time to own Chametz - Any chametz must be disposed of by flushing down toilet or public garbage; The final nullification is recited at this time. 6:15 pm Mincha/Maariv (registration required) 7:00-8:00 pm Seder Program: Communal in-person program in Ohev's tent, with to-go seder plate and dinner. Registration required; register here. 8:09 pm Candlelighting (Kiddush at or after 8:09 pm)
Sunday, March 28 (Day 1 of Pesach) 10:00 am Shacharit -- Note special time! (registration required) 7:10 pm Mincha/Maariv (registration required) 8:10 pm Candlelighting (Kiddush at or after 8:10 pm. The Second Seder should start after 8:10 pm.)
Monday, March 29 (Day 2 of Pesach, Day 1 of Sefirah) 10:00 am Shacharit -- Note special time! 7:10 pm Mincha/Maariv 8:11 pm Havdalah (via Zoom at: https://zoom.us/j/3127816941 at 8:13p)
Tuesday, March 30 (Chol Hamoed & Day 2 of Sefirah) Day of virtual learning is sponsored by James Karesh in honor of the Birthday of Noach Yaakov ben Chaim Avraham 7:00 am Daf Yomi via Zoom at https://zoom.us/j/427064286 8:00 am Shacharit in person (registration required) or via Zoom at: https://zoom.us/j/3127816941 7:20 pm Mincha/Maariv in person (registration required) or via Zoom at: https://zoom.us/j/3127816941 8:15 pm Class with Rabbi Herzfeld: Practical Halakhah from the Shulkhan Arukh via Zoom https://zoom.us/j/427064286
Wednesday, March 31 (Chol Hamoed & Day 3 of Sefirah) 7:00 am Daf Yomi via Zoom at https://zoom.us/j/427064286 8:00 am Shacharit in person (registration required) or via Zoom at: https://zoom.us/j/3127816941 12:30 pm Class with Rabbi Herzfeld at https://zoom.us/j/427064286 4:30 pm Class with Maharat Friedman on the Book of Melachim via Zoom at https://zoom.us/j/768103127 7:20 pm Mincha/Maariv in person (registration required) or via Zoom at: https://zoom.us/j/3127816941
Thursday, April 1 (Chol Hamoed & Day 4 of Sefirah) 7:00 am Daf Yomi via Zoom at https://zoom.us/j/427064286 8:00 am Shacharit in person (registration required) or via Zoom at: https://zoom.us/j/3127816941 7:20 pm Mincha/Maariv in person (registration required) or via Zoom at https://zoom.us/j/3127816941
Friday, April 2 (Chol Hamoed & Day 5 of Sefirah) *Registration will be posted next week* 7:00 am Daf Yomi via Zoom at https://zoom.us/j/427064286 8:00 am Shacharit in person (registration required) or via Zoom at: https://zoom.us/j/3127816941 6:15 pm Mincha/Kabbalat Shabbat (registration required) or via Zoom at https://zoom.us/j/3127816941 7:14 pm Candlelighting
Saturday, April 3 (Day 7 of Pesach, Yizkor, & Day 6 of Sefirah) *Registration will be posted next week* 9:00 am Shacharit (registration required) 10:45 am - 11:15 am Shir Hashirim (registration required) 7:15 pm Mincha/Maariv 8:16 pm Candlelighting
Sunday, April 4 (Day 8 of Pesach & Day 7 of Sefirah) *Registration will be posted next week* 9:00 am Shacharit with abbreviated Yizkor (registration required) 11:00 am - 11:30 am Dedicated Yizkor Service led by Gedalia Penner (registration required) 7:25 pm Mincha/Maariv 8:17 pm Havdalah (via Zoom at: https://zoom.us/j/3127816941 at 8:19p)
For Halachic guidance on preparing for and observing Pesach this year, please visit ostns.org/pesach-forms
Recordings
On March 17, 2021, Shuli Taubes gave a lecture via Zoom titled "Thou Shalt Not Harden Thy Heart": Pharaoh, Freedom, and the Philosophy of Shemitah. A link to the recording can be found here.
On March 21, 2021, Pesach Practicals with the Beltway Vaad (Pesach 2021). A link to the recording can be found here.
Community Resources
USDA Free Kosher Food Boxes for Children: Yad Yehuda has partnered with the USDA for this free weekly Kosher food program for children. Food items include grocery items and prepared foods. Open to DC residents for all children under age 18.
Ordering is now open for next week at usda.yadyehuda.org. All items in next week's box are Kosher for Pesach.Order deadline is Monday, March 29 at 11:59 PM; pick up is Wednesday, March 31.
Meal Pickup Location: Northwood High School, 919 University Blvd West, Silver Spring
Pickup Times: 7:00 – 8:30 pm, Pre-order pickup only; 8:30 – 9:00 pm, First-come, first-served & while supplies last.
MoveDC Survey: DDOT wants your input on moveDC, the District’s long-range transportation plan. Want faster travel times? Worried about safety for pedestrians, cyclists, or drivers? Have thoughts on how DDOT should use and dedicate roadway spaces? Take the moveDC Phase 2 Survey and tell DDOT what your priorities are! Your responses and comments in the survey help us make the District better for all.Click here to take the survey; survey closes on March 31st.
OSTNS on YouTube!
The shul has two YouTube accounts which have recordings of past classes, shiurim, and events. They can be accessed here:
Words on the Weekly Parsha and Haftorah, Contributed by Rabbi Ben Mintz
In parshas Tsav, the Torah continues to present the laws that pertain to the kohanim, the priests, the sons of Aharon.
One of these is that the kohanim shall wear linen clothes. However, the Torah then states that when they take the ashes from the sacrifices outside the camp, they shall remove their linen clothes, and wear "other clothes." (Vayikra 6:4). The rabbis learn from this that an individual's Shabbos clothes should not be the same as his or her weekday clothes and that a person should have "special" clothes in order to perform a mitzvah.
The parsha instructs that the kohen should not leave the entrance of the Ohel Mo'ed, the Tent of Meeting, for seven days, until the ceremony of the ordination of the kohanim is complete. (Vayikra 8:33) This is required in order to "make atonement for you," and in order to "keep the Lord's charge." The rabbis learn from this that the period of mourning (for a close relative) is also seven days. Just as God watches over the world for a period of seven days, so we must watch over members of our family for that same amount of time when they have departed.
This Shabbos is the Shabbos preceding Pesach and is known as Shabbos Hagadol. The special haftorah for Shabbos Hagadol is from the prophet Malachi. "And I wlll send to you Elijah the prophet, before the great and wonderful day. And he will reconcile parents with their children, and children with their parents." The first day of the festival of Pesach is this Sunday, with the first seder on Saturday night.
We ordinarily read Shir Hashirim, Song of Songs, on Shabbos Chol Ha'moed Pesach. But this year, because there is no Shabbos during chol ha'moed, it will be read on the seventh day of Pesach, next Shabbos.
Haftorah Video, by Hal Brodsky z"l
A video about this week's haftorah can be viewed here: Malachai 3:4-24
Lifecycles
Support our community and its members by making a donation dedicated in honor of (IHO) or in memory of (IMO) a loved one.
Aaron Troy Maureen Stone Nili Auerbach Zachary Levy Joseph Meltzer Jeruchim Hobbes Nadata Lirone Wolf Adele Green Harris Cohen Matthew Sherman Michael Morse Idan Gris Yifat Alon Perel
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Members Observing Yahrzeits
Thursday Rena Fruchter for mother Leatrice Troy William Stixrud for father Hershel Jonah
Friday Carol Miaskoff for father Leonard Miaskoff David Feinsilber for aunt Sadie Rosenblum Stephen Markowitz for maternal grandmother Sylvia Levin Levit
Shabbat Robert Kott for father Jerome Kott
Sunday David Balto for father Irving Balto
Monday Carol Valoris for mother Lillian Cecilia Valoris
Wednesday Ellen Reinach for father Jacob Lichtenstein Ken Klein for father Arnold Klein
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