Parshat Shemini Schedule

Shabbat Mevarchim

Shabbat Schedule

Friday, April 20

  • 06:50 am – Shacharit
  • 07:00 pm – Mincha
  • 07:14 pm – Candle lighting

Saturday, April 21

  • 07:45 am – Shacharit at Salem Towers
  • 08:45 am – Shacharit
  • 09:18 am – Latest time for Kriat Shema
  • 10:30 am – Jr. Congregation
  • 11:00 am – Kiddush
  • 05:45 pm – Men’s class
  • 06:45 pm – Mincha and Se’udah Shlishit
  • 08:10 pm – Ma’ariv
  • 08:23 pm – Shabbat Ends

Weekday Schedule

April 22 – 27

Shacharit

  • 08:00 am – Sunday (1 Rosh Chodesh)
  • 06:40 am – Monday (2 Rosh Chodesh) and Thursday
  • 06:50 am – Tuesday and Wednesday, and Friday

Mincha

  • 07:20 pm – Sunday – Thursday
  • 07:00 pm – Friday

Ma’ariv

  • 07:50 pm – Sunday – Thursday

To print this schedule, click here to go directly to the post, and then press ctrl-P (Windows) or cmd-P (Mac) to print it.

Weekly Words of Torah

Obeying the Will of Hashem

Insights into Parshat Shemini of Mr. Omri Kadosh of Yeshivat Sha’alvim, by Rav Re’uven Ungar of Sha’alvim.

In this weeks Parsha, Parashat Shmini, we have the tragic story about the death of Aharon’s two oldest sons, Nadav and Avihu. It was on the eighth day of the inauguration of the Mishkan when Nadav and Avihu “offered a strange fire that Hashem did not command” and as a result “a fire came from Hashem and consumed them” (10:1,2). Based of these two pesukim it seems the reason for their deaths is quite simple, they violated an commandment of Hashem and as a result they were punished with their lives. However this is a bit hard to understand, how can it be that people of the stature of Nadav and Avihu whom Moshe calls “the close ones of Hashem (10:3)” could have simply violated the commandment of Hashem? The Sifra explains that Nadav and Avihu came to sin out of their intense love for Hashem. The day of the inauguration was extremely joyous, there were many korbanot offered that day and the glory of Hashem was tangible. With all this going on, Nadav and Avihu in their intense joy just could not contain themselves and wanted to add more to the simcha and come even closer to Hashem, which they thought they could do by bringing another offering. However, even with these very lofty intentions it was still violating the will of Hashem and therefore they deserved to be punished.

Based of this unfortunate story, R’ Samson Raphael Hirsch writes as follows; “closeness and nearness to Hashem can only be attained by being disciplined to His will”. The Torah is a set of rules that is absolutely perfect. Therefore to violate any part of it, no matter how lofty the intentions, is a very grave sin. This may seem a bit harsh, but it is this dedication to strictly follow halacha that has kept the Jewish people alive throughout the generations. Imagine if the ancient rulers of Rome were to come to modern day Rome, they would be disappointed to find that the people are completely different. However, if Moshe Rabbenu were to come to our generation, aside from the exteriors, we are still the same nation as they were in his generation of Matan Torah! May we be zocheh to strict adherence to halacha which has not only protected us in the past, but will G-d Willing bring the geulah in the future.