Shabboom! Weekly Announcements

Energize your week with Ohev Sholom                                      December 27, 2018

Shabbat Times and Announcements

Erev Shabbat, December 28 (Tevet 20)
6:30a Shacharit
4:35p Kabbalat Shabbat
4:35p Candle Lighting

Shabbat, December 29: Shemot (Tevet 21)
9:15a Shacharit, with a Dvar Torah from Rabbi Herzfeld
10:30a Shabbat Youth Groups
3:15p Daf Yomi
3:45p Chaim Fruchter's Shiur
4:15p Mincha, followed by Seudah Shlishit with a Shiur from Baruch Roth
5:37p Havdalah

Upcoming Kiddush Schedule
12/29: No food served
1/5: Kiddush Luncheon in honor of Aliza Lesser's Bat Mitzvah
1/12: Kiddush Luncheon sponsored by the Sperling-Milner family in honor of Batya's bat mitzvah

Save the Dates

Yom Iyyun - Reading Torah in Braille for the Congregation 
A Day of Study with Aliza Sperling
January 1, 9:30am-12:00pm

Zusha in Concert
at Milton Gottesman Jewish Day School
February 2, 8:00pm

Kosher Komedy  
featuring Comedian Leah Forster
Pop up Restaurant from Pow Pow
February 23, Doors Open at 7:30pm; Show at 8:30pm

Comments on the Portion & Haftorah, Contributed by Rabbi Ben Mintz

This Shabbos we open a new Book of the Torah, the Book of Shemot, or Exodus. The first parshah of that book, also entitled Shemot, tells of the enslavement of the Jews in Egypt, the selection of Moshe as their leader, and the first confrontations between Moshe and the Pharaoh, King of Egypt.

Moshe first demonstrates his capacity to lead when, as a prince of Egypt, the adopted son of the Pharaoh’s daughter, he comes upon an Egyptian beating a Jewish slave. The Parsha states that Moshe looks about and sees "ki ain ish", that there is no "man" present. The plain meaning of the phrase is that Moshe ascertained, before he took action, that there would be no witnesses to the event. The Midrash digs deeper, and interprets "ki ain ish," that there was no "man" present who would be courageous enough to protect the Jew from the Egyptian. In contemporary jargon, Moshe ascertained that there was no one there who would "man up." Moshe kills the Egyptian and buries him in the sand.

The story continues. Moshe sees two Jews fighting and seeks to intervene. One of the Jews says, "Do you intend to kill me the way you killed the Egyptian?" Moses understands this statement as indicating that his killing of the Egyptian was being discussed among the Jews. Moses states that "the matter has become known," and concludes that his action has been the subject of gossip among the Jews. This idle gossiping ("lashon ha'ra") explains to Moshe why the redemption of the Jews has been delayed. 

The Pharaoh seeks Moshe's death as punishment for his action. He is unsuccessful because, as the Midrash says, the Pharaoh’s advisors become deaf, dumb, and blind when instructed to take action against Moshe. Moshe flees to Midian and becomes the shepherd for Yisro, the Midianic priest. Moshe the shepherd experiences the revelation of God at the Burning Bush, returns to Egypt, becomes the leader of the Jewish people and has his first confrontations with the King of Egypt.

The Haftorah comes from the Book of Isaiah, (27:6 and following). It talks of the gathering of the dispersion to Jerusalem from Assyria and Egypt. In other words, it describes a second exodus parallel to the Exodus that will take place in Egypt, during the Book of Shemot. "And in that day, a great ram's horn shall be sounded, and the strayed who are in the land of Assyria and the expelled who are in the Land of Egypt shall come and worship the Lord on the holy mountain in Jerusalem." At the same time, the Prophet speaks forcefully against the "drunkards of Efraim, whose glorious beauty is but a wilted flower." He goes on to excoriate the leaders of the people, who are "muddled in their judgment..." (28:1, 7-8) 

Haftorah Video, by Hal Brodsky z"l

A video about this week's Haftorah can be viewed here.

Upcoming Events and Weekly Schedule

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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
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