Shabboom! Weekly Announcements

Energize your week with Ohev Sholom                                               May 30, 2019

Shabbat Times and Announcements

Erev Shabbat, May 31: 41st Day Omer (Iyyar 26)
6:30a Shacharit
6:45p Kabbalat Shabbat followed by Dinner with Chazzan Alexander Rabinowitz
8:08p Candle Lighting

Shabbat, June 1: Shabbat Mevarchim, 42nd Day Omer, Bechukotai (Iyyar 27)
9:15a Shacharit, with a Dvar Torah from Rabbi Herzfeld
10:30a Shabbat Youth Groups
11:45a Kiddush
6:50p Daf Yomi
7:20p Chaim Fruchter's Shiur
7:50p Mincha, followed by Seudah Shlishit with a Shiur from Baruch Roth
9:10p Havdalah

Upcoming Kiddush Schedule
​​​​​​​6/1: Kiddush
​​​​​​​6/8: Kiddush Luncheon in honor of Rabbanit Aliza Sperling
6/15: Kiddush​​​​​​​

Join OSTNS for an exciting and spiritually uplifting Shavuot in 2019/5779! This year, we are celebrating women's scholarship. We are proud to learn from innovative spiritual leaders, including Rabbanit Aliza Sperling, Rabbanit Tali Schaum Broder, and Rabbanit Chava Evans. Please join us for additional learning opportunities, including a special Shabbat morning dedicated to Rabbanit Aliza, and our first women's reading of Megilat Rut.

Details on programs and the full schedule can be found at ostns.org/shavuot.

Comments on the Portion, Contributed by Rabbi Ben Mintz

This week's parsha is B'chukotai, the last parsha in the Book of Vayikra. As is customary at the end of reading a book of the Torah, we say Chazak, Chazak, V'nischazek. Let Us be Strong Together. Next Shabbos, we begin the book of Bamidbar, which tells of the Jews' wandering in the desert.

B'chukotai begins with the brachot and klalot, the blessings and the misfortunes. The blessings come if the Jews follow God's commandments, the misfortunes if they fail to do so. One of these misfortunes, says the parsha, is "faintness of heart" so that even the sound of "a driven leaf" will put them to flight. The phrase "as a driven leaf" has become famous, as it is the title of a 1939 novel by that name by Milton Steinberg, a prominent rabbi of that time. The novel is the true and tragic tale of a rabbi a thousand years ago named Elisha ben Abuya, who was learned in the Jewish tradition, but who lost his faith when he saw a young man die accidentally after performing Torah commands which promise a long life for those who fulfill them. As an apostate, Elisha was shunned by the rabbinical community, which referred to him as "Acher" – "other," a stranger.

The parsha concludes with various laws dealing with contributions to the sanctuary. One of these is the law of Ma'aser, giving one tenth of a particular possession to Hekdesh -- for holy purposes. According to the parsha, if the contribution is an animal, the owner is required to pass his animals under his rod, and to mark off the tenth animal, which is to be the contribution. He is expressly not allowed to switch a poor animal for a healthy animal as a contribution. This image has constituted the basis for one of the most famous religious prayers in the High Holiday service, "U'Nesaneh Tokef." We say that on the high holidays, it is we who are the sheep, and we are passing under the rod of our shepherd – Hashem -- who decides what the new year holds for us. "Kvakorat ro'eh edro," are the words of the prayer, often sung together by the congregation. 

(As an aside, the Hebrew word "ba'ker" in the prayer means to examine, so strictly speaking, the phrase, "bikur cholim" does not mean visiting the sick but rather, giving attention to the sick person's needs.)  

The Haftorah is from the book of Jeremiah (16:19–17:14). It, too, speaks of the rewards and punishments for adhering, or not, to God's words. The Haftorah ends dramatically with words that we repeat in the weekday Shmoneh Esreh: "Heal us, O God, and we will be healed, Save us and we will be saved, for You are our Praise. Grant us a perfect healing to all our ailments." 

PIRKE AVOT, ETHICS OF THE FATHERS
Chapter 5, Mishna 20: Every controversy which is for the sake of heaven will be permanent; a controversy not for the sake of heaven will dissolve. What is a controversy for the sake of heaven? The dispute between the rabbinical schools of Beit Hillel and Beit Shamai. (We previously discussed their dispute over when to count the Omer.) What is a dispute not for the sake of Heaven? Korach's dispute with Moses. (See parshat Korach, coming up in the book of Bamidbar.)

Haftorah Video, by Hal Brodsky z"l

A video about this week's Haftorah can be viewed here: Jeremiah 16:19–17:14

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