Achim

Achim Newsletter
Parshas Ki sesa
&
Mazel Tov!

 

 

 

Dear Reader,

I hope you had a beautiful Purim experience.

Please note our upcoming Melave Malka next Saturday evening. See details below. We will be having Harold Gans presenting.


Also, please note the wonderful Mazel Tov to Gennady and Liel Novosletsky on the birth of their little daugther. See details below.

Candle lighting time for Baltimore 5:45 pm

Shabbos concludes                      6:54 pm

 

Please go to this site if you wish to print the Parsha thought as a normal document. Printable Newsletter

To enjoy our Parsha summary go to http://achim.org/parsha.htm


Vsego khoroshego,

Paysach Diskind

 

 

Mazel Tov!


Kehillas Achim takes much joy in announcing the birth of a little girl to Gennady and Liel Novosletsky last Shabbos.

Gennady and Liel will be naming their little daughter this Shabbos at Congregation Bet Yakov. A Kiddush in honor of her naming and her birth will be celebrated following the services.

Date: Saturday, March 6
Time: Services - 8:15 am / Kiddush 10:30 am
Location: Congregation Bet Yakov (3615 Seven Mile Lane)

 

Table of contents

:: Finding G.D in a test tube

:: Workshop working

:: Hassidic Parable

:: Gemara Class

:: Parsha Class

:: Sunday Shachris

:: Hebrew Literacy Level II

:: Women's Class

:: The Path Class

 

to print this as a webpage click http://achim.org/Newsletter%20Printable.htm  

 

Parsha Thought


The rhythm of the life of a Jew is guided by the calendar and its special days and occasions. The holidays play their role in creating this context. The Shabbos certainly plays its role in this as well. There are other moments of the calendar outside of holidays and Shabbos that play their role. Among these other moments are the Four Parshios. The Four Parshios are four Shabbosim (plural for Shabbos) on which we have an additional Torah reading. Every one of these four Torah readings addresses a specific theme that relates to the energy of that Shabbos. This week is the third of the Four Parshios, on which we will read the additional Parsha of the "Red Heifer". I would like to explore the reason we read this Parsha and how this affects our rhythm. We will begin our exploration with understanding what the Red Heifer is.
 
There is a concept in Torah called tumah which is a state of being that a person finds himself when he comes in contact with a body of a deceased person. The closest explanation I can find to describe this state is to identify it as a form of spiritual contamination. For this reason when one is in a state of tumah he may not participate in the services of the Bais Hamikdosh (Temple).
 
How does one purify himself or perhaps cleanse himself from his tumah? That was the role of the Red Heifer. In the Parsha of the Red Heifer the Torah instructs us to prepare this cow and mix its ashes in water and sprinkle the water on the one who is in the state of tumah.
 
One of the most important components of the holiday of Pesach (Passover) is the eating of the sacrificial lamb. Without participating in the lamb, one has not properly fulfilled the holiday of Pesach. (As long as the Temple is not rebuilt we have no obligation to bring this sacrifice.) With the holiday of Pesach approaching it was incumbent upon every Jew to purify themselves from any tumah so that they would be able to participate in the lamb.
 
With the holiday of Pesach less than a month away we read the Parsha of the Red Heifer in order to remind us of the need to purify ourselves before the Pesach. This is the reason for our reading this Parsha tomorrow.
 
We have touched the surface of why we read this Parsha this week. However, we need to delve deeper if we wish to find how this affects the rhythm of the Jew. What is the lesson that is being taught and how does it prepare us for the approaching holiday of Pesach? Another valid question we may ask is why do we read this Parsha today when there is no Temple and there is no sacrificial lamb? We have no need today to purify ourselves before the Pesach holiday?
 
We can often find this deeper level exposed in the words of the prophets that we will read in the synagogues tomorrow. The prophet Yechezkel (Ezekiel) tells his people in the name of HaShem "I shall take you from the nations and gather you in from all the countries and I shall bring you to your Land; and I shall sprinkle purifying water on you that you will be cleansed. From all your contamination and from all your filth I will cleanse you. I shall give you a new heart, and a new spirit shall I put in you..."
 
Behold! Ezekiel is drawing the metaphor of the purifying water of the Red Heifer as the means by which HaShem will purify His people in the Messianic period. Surely, HaShem will not sprinkle the water of the Red Heifer on His people.
 
Water is used in many places in Torah as a metaphor for humility. The reason for this is because water always moves to the lowest place. It is always flowing down.
 
Spiritual contamination occurs the moment a person detaches his existence from his Creator. When one begins to think that he is self sufficient and does not need the constant gift of life bestowed upon him by his Creator he becomes spiritually contaminated. Arrogance, too, occurs the moment one begins to think that he is independent of HaShem.  So long as a person maintains a consciousness of his absolute dependence on HaShem's gift of life to him he will maintain a strong sense of humility as well. Whether he is rich or beautiful or even intelligent he will recognize that all those gifts were bestowed upon him by HaShem. They are not intrinsic qualities that he possesses on his own.
 
It is true that today in 5770 / 2010 we celebrate Pesach without the purifying waters of the Red Heifer. However, to properly gain from the energy of Pesach we need to recognize that it was HaShem who took us out of Egyptian bondage. Without HaShem's intervention the Jewish people would never have come into existence. This recognition is necessary today as much as it was necessary when we had the Temple.
 
So when we read the Parsha of the Red Heifer tomorrow in the synagogue we must open ourselves to the purifying water that HaShem promised to sprinkle on us whereby He promised  "I shall give you a new heart, and a new spirit shall I put in you..."
 
If we are open to recognize our absolute dependence on His Graciousness then in fact we will be receive a new heart and a new spirit will be put in us.
 
Have a wonderful Shabbos.
 
Paysach Diskind

 

 

Next Upcoming Melave Malka

Harold Gans

Date: Saturday evening, March 13

Time: 8:30 - 10:00


Location: home of the Malchevsky's 
(3002 Lightfoot Drive 21208)
 
What: Melave Malka

Featured Speaker: Mr. Harold Gans
Searching the Test tube

Topic: Searching for G.D in a Test Tube


Who: YOU, of course, and that Jewish friend you wanted to introduce to Achim.

Mr. Gans was a Senior Cryptologic Mathematician with the National Security Agency, United States Department of Defense until his retirement after 28 years of service. While there, he received the prestigious Meritorious Civilian Service award for research. Mr. Gans is currently a mathematical consultant and international lecturer throughout North America, Israel, Australia and South Africa.

 

 

Mom's Workshop
 

Our Workshop got off to a beautiful start. The next session will meet in two weeks.

The topic of discussion will be holding down the house while preparing for the holiday of Pesach.

Date: Monday evening, March 8 (Zhensky praznik)

Time: 8:45 - 9:45 pm

Location: the Mikeladze home (6807 Park Heights Ave. apt. 3I)

If you have any questions call me at  443.286.9338  or
paysach@achim.org.

 

 

Хасидская притча
          
Раби Пинхас из Кореца говорил:

- Некоторые думают, что ребе должен уберечь их от грехов, должен быть им сторожем. А я говорю, что только разум охраняет человека и нет сторожа, кроме разума. Ребенку нужна няня, скотине - пастух, безумному - охрана. Взрослому разумному человеку сторож не нужен А если не дай Б-г, нет у него разума - чем поможет ему ребе?!


 

Gemara Class

Weekly class in Russian language 

The Talmud is the exposition and clarification of the Oral Torah. Talmud and Gemara are interchangeable terms for this work. So much of classic Jewish literature is built on the teachings of the Talmud. Children 13 years old as well 80-year rabbis study this ancient text. It engages the mind and activates the thinking process in a very deep way.
 
Monday evenings from 8:00 - 9:00 Dr. Michael Keidar gives a class on Gemara (Talmud) in Russian. This class is designed to accommodate people with limited background in Torah study.
 
Dr. Keidar gives the class at the Baltimore Community Kollel (3800 Labyrinth Road 21215)
 
If you are interested in participating or have questions contact Dr. Keidar at keidar@gwu.edu.

 

Parsha Class

Weekly Class in Russian Language 

The Torah carries within it many messages. Every Shabbos is assigned its own special portion that is read in the synagogue. This weekly portion is called the Parsha. The lessons and insights that are packed with the Parsha are timeless as they are profound.
 
Tuesday evenings 8:00 - 9:00 Dr. Michael Keidar presents insights on the weekly Parsha in the Russian language. Participation does not require any background in Jewish education.
 
Dr. Keidar gives the class at the Baltimore Community Kollel (3800 Labyrinth Road 21215)
 
If you are interested in participating or have questions contact Dr. Keidar at
keidar@gwu.edu.

 

Sunday morning @ Milbrook

Shachris service 

Every Sunday morning we have a morning prayer service followed by tasty donuts with coffee and lively discussions with insights on the weekly Parsha dealing with relevant applications.
 
People who need to recite kaddish but are embarrassed to do so will feel comfortable at our service. We provide help and support in reciting kaddish in a friendly atmosphere.
 
Sunday morning schedule
Service 8:00 - 9:00
For kaddish be there no later than 8:45
Donuts, coffee and discussion 9:00 - 9:45
Everyone is welcome

 wafting coffee 
Special prayers are recited by the minyan for sick members of the community. If you have someone you wish to be mentioned contact me at 
paysach@achim.org .

Hebrew Literacy Level II
 

This class ran its six sessions and is currently not running.

If you are interested in creating a new class please contact me at 443.286.9338 or paysach@achim.org



 

Weekly Women's Class

Continuing professional education  

Challah

 The Jewish woman has many responsibilities, each of which is critical to their family and to their people as whole. We can define the position of Jewish womanhood as requiring a degree in culinary arts, psychology, clinical social work, business management, human resources and education. In addition to this list, a comprehensive background in Jewish law comes in handy.

 

As with every profession, Jewish womanhood requires Continuing Professional Education. Achim is very fortunate to have Mrs. Tamar Englander who is an outstanding member of this elite class of Jewish Women. Tamar conducts a weekly class that provides motivational and educational approaches to practical Jewish womanhood. A sampling of the areas that are covered in her classes include perspectives on Shabbat, dealing with the challenges of stress that find themselves in life, cooking with a touch of spirituality, child rearing, marital relationships and many more.


Every Wednesday evening from 8:30 - 9:30 Tamar conducts this class at her home, 6307 Wirt Avenue 21215. All women are invited to participate in this group.

Please contact paysach@achim.org if you wish to join.

 

Mesilas Yeshorim / Path of the Just

This class meets Wednesday's twice a month.

 

Our next session: 

Date: Wednesday evening,

March 17

 

Time: 8:00 - 9:00

 

Location: Home of Alla and Joseph Kovalerchik (101 Clarendon Road 21208)

 

In our next session we will conclude Chapter 1.

If you wish to join contact me at

paysach@achim.org.