Shabboom! Weekly Announcements

Energize your week with Ohev Sholom                                      November 22, 2018

Shabbat Times and Announcements

Erev Shabbat, November 23 (Kislev 15)
4:31p Candle Lighting
4:35p Kabbalat Shabbat

Shabbat, November 24: Vayishlach (Kislev 16)
9:15a Shacharit, with Divrei Torah from Milo & Lucas Lutzky
10:30a Shabbat Youth Groups
11:45a Kiddush Luncheon 
3:10p Daf Yomi
3:40p Chaim Fruchter's Shiur
4:10p Mincha, followed by Seudah Shlishit with a Shiur from Nathan Weissler
5:31p Havdalah

Upcoming Kiddush Schedule
12/1: Kiddush
12/8: Kiddush Luncheon sponsored by the Blumenthal family in honor of Ari's bar mitzvah
12/15: Kiddush Luncheon sponsored by the Saka family in honor of Emma's birthday

Early Bird Registration Deadline EXTENDED to Friday, Nov. 23
$36 per adult | $20 per child (11 & under) | $118 family max
(after 11/23, prices increase to $43/adult and $25/child)

View the menu and register at ostns.org/event/ethicallysourced.

Comments on the Portion, Contributed by Rabbi Ben Mintz

In the last Parsha, Vayetzei, we learned of Jacob's flight to Laban's house because of Esau's animosity, and of Jacob’s building of a family.

In this Parsha, Vayishlach, we learn of Jacob and Esau meeting once again after many years. Were they reconciled? The Torah says that Esau "kissed" Jacob and the two brothers "cried." However, a midrash tells us that this was not sincere, but rather, that Esau "bit" Jacob. Furthermore, when they "cried," Jacob cried because he was bitten, and Esau cried because of the pain in his teeth because Jacob's neck had turned to marble. The Rabbis comment, "Halacha." "It is a rule" that Esau hates Jacob. This theme is picked up in the Haftorah.

The Parsha goes on to tell of the death of Rachel in the course of her giving birth to a second son, called, by his father, Benjamin. Jacob buries his wife, Rachel, on the road to Efrat, which is in Bethlehem. The question is asked by the Rabbis: Why was Rachel not buried in the Cave of Machpelah, with her ancestors? The Midrash explains that, many centuries later, when the Jews were exiled from their homeland, they passed Rachel's burial place, and she rose up and cried for them. In the words of the prophet Jeremiah: "A voice is heard in Rama, the sound of bitter weeping, Rachel crying for her children, refusing to be consoled because they are no longer there." (Jeremiah 31:14). (That is the Haftorah for the second day of Rosh Hashana.)

The Haftorah for this week is from the Prophet Obadiah (one of the twelve prophets known as the "trei asar," The Twelve). In fact, the haftorah is the entire book of Obadia – only 21 verses. The prophet speaks of God's animosity toward Edom, the nation that descended from Esau.

(According to tradition, Rome descended from Edom. Gershon Cohen, the late head of the Jewish Theological Seminary, wrote a famous essay on how the tradition came to be of that connection between Esau, Edam and Rome.)  

The Haftorah ends with the verse which appears in our daily prayers: "For the liberators will march up on Mount Zion to pronounce judgment on Mount Esau and dominion shall be the Lord's."  

For a video by Hal Brodsky, Z”L, about this week’s Haftorah, please click here​​​​​.

Upcoming Events and Weekly Schedule

To view and register for upcoming events and weekly schedule, visit our website's online calendar. 

Lifecycles

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Contact Us

Synagogue Office
info@ostns.org
(202) 882-7225
Sarah Shapiro, Executive Director
Sarah.Shapiro@ostns.org
(202) 882-7225, ext. 103
Rabbi Shmuel Herzfeld
RabbiShmuel@ostns.org
(202) 812-8900 
Maharat Ruth Balinsky Friedman
MaharatRuth@ostns.org
(202) 882-7225, ext. 107
Stacey Watson, Director of Engagement
Stacey.Watson@ostns.org
(202) 882-7225, ext. 102
Lisa Redisch, Director of Youth & Family Programs
youth@ostns.org
(202) 882-7225, ext. 105
Board of Directors
board@ostns.org
Hospitality & Welcome Committee
BeOurGuest@ostns.org
Mikvah Chaim
mikvahchaim.org
attendant@mikvahchaim.org
Cemetery Information
cemetery@ostns.org
​​​​​​​(202) 882-7225