Parshat Mishpatim 5773 Schedule

Parshat Shekalim/Shabbat Mevarchim

Shabbat Schedule

Friday, February 8

  • 04:45 pm – Mincha
  • 04:49 pm – Candle lighting
  • Cancelled – Oneg Shabbat at the home of Solomon and Elka Davidoff, due to the impending storm.

Saturday, February 9

  • 08:45 am – Shacharit
  • 09:23 am – Latest time for Kriat Shema
  • 10:30 am – Jr. Congregation
  • 11:15 am – Kiddush
  • TBA – B’nos
  • 04:25 pm – Mincha and Se’udah Shlishit
  • 05:45 pm – Ma’ariv
  • 05:59 pm – Shabbat Ends

Weekday Schedule

February 10 – 15

Shacharit

  • 08:00 am – Sunday
  • 06:40 am – Monday and Thursday
  • 06:50 am – Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday

Mincha/Ma’ariv

  • 04:55 pm/05:25 pm – Sunday

Late Ma’ariv

  • 09:00 pm – Monday – Thursday. To confirm for any given day, please contact the shul.

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

Ascent and Protection

Insights into Parshat Mishpatim of Mr. Zach Greenberg of Yeshivat Sha’alvim, by Rav Re’uven Ungar of Sha’alvim.

Towards the end of our Parsha, the מצוה of עליה לרגל is tersely discussed. Hashem tells us that 3 times all Jews have an obligation go to Yerushalayim to be seen by Hashem. The obvious question is why must we go to Yerushalayim for Hashem to see us, He can see us wherever/whenever? What’s the purpose in everyone making the trek down to Yerushalayim anyways?

The Gemara in Chagigah 2B learns out a קרי/כתיב from the פסוקin our Parsha which says שָׁלֹשׁ פְּעָמִים בַּשָּׁנָה יֵרָאֶה כָּל זְכוּרְךָ אֶל פְּנֵי הָאָדֹן יְקֹוָק. The word is read יֵרָאֶה, which means to be seen by הקב”ה; but the word is written as יראה- “Yireh”- “you shall see”. The קרי is that each of us will be seen and make an appearance in the בית המקדש, but the כתיב is really “to see”. What’s the P’shat in this קרי/כתיב and what are we seeing?

The idea is that by going to Yerushalayim we all see/feel the שכינה and this causes us to become aware that we are being seen. The message is to get this חיזוק to say that by seeing the שכינה we become aware that Hashem is watching everything we do and this experience changes our outlook on the world. When we see Hashem right in front of us, it’s impossible for it not to have a positive impact on us.

The first Mishna in the second Perek of Pirkei Avot gives us advice how to protect from עבירה: If a person is consciously focused and aware that there is an eye watching, an ear is listening and all of his actions are being written in a ספר נכתבים, then he won’t come to עבירה.

Seemingly this is redundant! Isn’t it enough to know that everything is being recorded; that by itself will restrain us from seeking עבירה- why do we need the first two? The Maharal explains that they are all different forms of protection from sin and we need all of them. He goes on to explain that awareness of being watched in itself creates a protection from עבירה because you don’t want to be rebellious when Hashem is watching. This is precisely what Bnei Yisrael got by their עליה לרגל in seeing the שכינה and becoming more aware of Hashem and this brought them to זהירות from עבירה. May we all be Zoche to perform the beautiful מצוה of עליה לרגל in our days.