Shabboom! Weekly Announcements

Energize your week with Ohev Sholom                                                 May 2, 2019

Shabbat Times and Announcements

Erev Shabbat, May 3: 13th Day Omer (Nisan 28)
6:30a Shacharit
6:45p Kabbalat Shabbat
7:44p Candle Lighting
8:00p Communal Shabbat Dinner with Philos

Shabbat, May 4: Shabbat Mevarchim, 14th Day Omer, Achrei Mot (Nisan 29)
9:15a Shacharit, with a Dvar Torah from Mark Zaid
10:30a Shabbat Youth Groups
10:30a Pickle Minyan
11:45a Kiddush
6:25p Daf Yomi
6:55p Chaim Fruchter's Shiur
7:25p Mincha, followed by Seudah Shlishit with a Shiur from Dr. Chaim Saimon
8:46p Havdalah

Upcoming Kiddush Schedule
5/11: Kiddush Luncheon sponsored by the Lazarus/Rous family in honor of Shalvah's bat mitzvah
5/18: Kiddush 
5/25: Kiddush 

Message from the President & Security Committee
Our hearts are saddened from the tragic attack in Poway, California on the last day of Pesach as community members were gathered in prayer. We remember Lori Gilbert-Kaye זצ״ל, and our thoughts are with her family and the extended Chabad community.  Echoing the wounded Rabbi Goldstein's words, we want to encourage the community to come out and fill up our synagogue not only this week, but every week.

Ohev has been steadily improving its security for some years and we will continue to do so. The synagogue security committee has reached out to the leadership of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), and we are coordinating efforts to ensure a consistent armed police presence during synagogue services and events to help keep our building safe and secure for worshipers and visitors.

We also continue to look for volunteers to take an active role in the security committee and additional volunteers to sign up as greeters to help assist security personnel on Shabbat and Holidays. We would ask all members to consider signing up for one shift a month at a minimum. If you are able to volunteer, please email security@ostns.org. We also ask that you assist by reporting any suspicious activity or items to security personnel or a member of the synagogue staff or, if appropriate, calling 911. We look forward to seeing you in synagogue this Shabbat.

Sincerely,
Daniel Silverberg, President
& the Security Committee

Comments on the Torah Portion and Haftorah, Contributed by Rabbi Ben Mintz

The parsha this Shabbos is Acharei Mos. It begins with the rules governing access of the Kohen Gadol, the High Priest, to the Holy of Holies in the Sanctuary. The Torah states God's instruction that Aharon is not to come "at will" into the Sanctuary "behind the curtain." (Vayikra, 16:2); he is to enter it only in observing the Yom Kippur service. Rashi explains why these regulations are preceded by the words that God spoke to Moshe "after the death of the two sons of Aharon who died after they brought a "strange fire" into the Sanctuary. It is similar to a situation when a person goes to a physician with an ailment. If the physician instructs the patient to take a certain remedy, the patient may or may not, but if the physician says, "Take this remedy or you will die like so-and-so who had the same ailment," it is much more likely that the physician’s instructions will be followed. 

The Torah says that the High Priest has special garments for the observance of this ritual.  In particular, he wears linen clothes rather than the usual golden priestly garments. The midrash explains that if the High Priest came with golden garments, God could say, "Just yesterday, the people made for themselves a Golden Calf and today, on Yom Kippur. they come before me with golden garments." Another Rabbi's explanation is more down-to-earth: the Torah spares the money of Israel by not requiring the expensive golden garments. Yet another rabbi suggests that golden garments would be a sign of arrogance, inappropriate for Yom Kippur. 

The ceremony to be followed is familiar. The High Priest takes two goats; one goat is sacrificed and the second goat is the "sa'ir l'azazel," the goat that goes to "azazel." While the commentaries offer no precise meaning of the word "azazel," the procedure followed is that the second goat goes out carrying the sins of the Jewish people and becomes lost in the wilderness. This goat has come to be known as the "scapegoat", a word we continue to use, to refer to those who suffer blame for the sins of others. The Jewish people have a long, bitter history in confronting their becoming "scapegoats" for the ills of mankind. (The word "azazel" in popular speech has come to mean "hell:" Lech l'azazel.) 

This year, the two days following Shabbos are Rosh Chodesh, the New Month. When Rosh Chodesh is the day following Shabbos, there is a special Haftorah known as Machar Chodesh, "Tomorrow is the (new) Month" The Haftorah is from the First Book of Samuel (20:18-42), and is selected because the first words of the Haftorah are the words of Jonathan to David, "Tomorrow is the (new) month," -- and if you do not appear at King Saul's table in celebration, you surely will be missed. The context is the friendship of David and Jonathan, who is King Saul's son, and Saul's bitter jealousy in pursuing David. Ultimately, both Saul and Jonathan are killed in the battle with the Philistines. David's lament, which opens the Second Book of Samuel, has been a source of Jewish prayers for the martyrs of the Jewish people throughout history. "Beloved and cherished, never parted in life and death They were swifter than eagles, stronger than lions." (2 Samuel 1:23) It is repeated in the "Av Harachamim" prayer, which is part of the Shabbos morning service.

Haftorah Video by Hal Brodsky z"l

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
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