Shabboom! Weekly Announcements

Energize your week with Ohev Sholom                                      December 19, 2019

Shabbat Times and Announcements

Erev Shabbat, December 20 (Kislev 22)
6:30a Shacharit
4:30p Kabbalat Shabbat
4:30p Candle Lighting
5:00p Dinner and Drash

Shabbat, December 21: Shabbat Mevarchim, Vayeshev (Kislev 23)
9:15a Shacharit with a D'var Torah by Hadar Ernst
10:30a Shabbat Youth Groups
11:45a Kiddush Luncheon
3:10p Daf Yomi
4:10p Mincha followed by Seudah Shlishit with a D'var Torah by Rabbinic Intern Yael Keller
5:32p Havdalah

Upcoming Kiddush Schedule
12/21: Kiddush Luncheon sponsored by Ernst/Loeb family
12/28: No Kiddush/
​​​​​​​No food served
​​​​​​​1/4: Dessert Kiddush (sponsorship available)

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

This week's Parsha, Vayeshev, includes two dramatic stories, the story of Yosef and his brothers and the story of Yehudah and Tamar.

The Torah tells us that Yaakov loved Yosef more than his other children. This, not surprisingly, caused Yosef's brothers to resent him. So, when Yaakov sent Yosef to see if  his brothers who were tending the sheep were well, the brothers conspired against Yosef, threw him into a pit and then sold him to Egypt. The Torah says that the pit was "empty and there was no water in it." The rabbis ask, this phrase is redundant: if it was "empty" there was no water in. The rabbis therefore interpret, there was no water in the pit, but there were snakes and scorpions there. So, we can understand that Yosef's brothers intended his harm. Moreover, as pointed out in the Haftorah section, below, according to the tradition, the brothers did not receive money for him, but they traded him for "shoes." This, we can understand, is a profound insult. demeaning his worth to that of shoes.

In Egypt, Yosef is sold to the house of Potiphar, an officer of the King. His wife becomes infatuated with Yosef. He initially resists her seduction. However, one day, when the house is empty except for Potiphar's wife, the Torah tells us that Yosef goes to the house, "la'asos melachto", "to do his work." There is a difference of view among the rabbis at to what this means. Some say he went there to do his normal work of running the house. Others say, "to do his work with her". In other words, that he was ready to consummate the affair. But, the rabbis conclude, at the last minute he has a vision and his father appears to him, causing him to flee. The wife resents his rejection and causes Yosef to be imprisoned. The next parsha picks up the story of Yosef in Egypt from there.

The story of Yehudah and Tamar is one if the most memorable in the Torah. Two of Yehudah's sons are married to Tamar, one after the other, and when they die, Yehudah promises his third son to her in marriage. When he fails to keep his promise, Tamar poses as a prostitute to entice Yehudah, in order to produce an heir within Yehudah's family. Tamar is tried for prostitution, but Yehudah, who is the judge at her trial, does not realize that it is Tamar, his daughter-in-law, who is sentenced to death. Tamar says nothing, but sends to Yehudah his signet ring, staff and belt which he gave to her as a prostitute, as security for payment. Yehudah, recognizing these objects, realizes the truth and says "tzudkah mi'meni," "Tamar is more just than I am." and he frees her from imprisonment. 

The rabbis learn from this story that a person should be willing to be put to death rather than humiliate another in public. If Yehuda had not admitted his fault, Tamar would have been put to death. Tamar then gives birth to a son, Peretz, who is an ancestor of King David who, according to  the tradition, is to be "father" to the Messiah ("mashiach ben David" in Kedusha).

The haftorah is from Amos (2:6-3:8).  "Thus says the Lord, For three transgressions of Israel, but for four I will not pardon it, Because they sold an honest person for silver, and the needy they sold for sandals." (Amos, 2:6) 

TFILOT: FROM THE MORNING PRAYERS

For our brothers and sisters, the whole house of Israel, who may be in distress or in captivity, on sea or on land, may God  have compassion for them, and lead them from trouble to deliverance, from darkness to light, from oppression to freedom, speedily and soon. Amen.

This is the prayer that we said at Ohev Sholom the day the 1967 War began.

Haftorah Video, by Hal Brodsky z"l

A video about this week's Haftorah can be viewed here:  Amos 2:6–3:8

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