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Achim
Newsletter
Parshas
Ki sesa
&
Mazel Tov!
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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
Vsego khoroshego,
Paysach Diskind
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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)
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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
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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 
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.
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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.
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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?!
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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.
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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.
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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
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 .
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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
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Weekly Women's
Class
Continuing professional education
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.
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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.
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