Shabbat Schedule
Friday, July 8
- 06:50 am – Shacharit
- 07:00 pm – Mincha
- 08:05 pm – Candle Lighting
Saturday, July 9
- 07:45 am – Shacharit at Salem Towers
- 08:45 am – Shacharit
- 09:02 am – Latest Time for Kriat Shema
- 10:30 am – Junior Congregation
- 11:15 am – Kiddush
- 04:45 pm – Ladies’ Class in Brachot (at the home of Rabbi & Rebbetzin Rabinowitz, 265 Fellsway East)
- 06:30 pm – Men’s Class in Derech Hashem
- 07:30 pm – Mincha
- 08:00 pm – Se’udah Shlishit
- 09:00 pm – Ma’ariv
- 09:13 pm – Shabbat Ends
Week of July 10 – 15
Shacharit
- 08:00 am – Sunday
- 06:40 am – Monday and Thursday
- 06:50 am – Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday
Mincha
- 08:05 pm – Monday – Thursday
- 07:00 pm – Friday
Ma’ariv
- 08:35 pm – Monday – 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
Connecting to our Roots
Insights into Parshat Balak by Sgan Rosh Yeshivat Sha’alvim, Rav Aryeh Hendler, by Rav Re’uven Ungar of Sha’alvim.
“For I see them from the top of mountains and from hills I gaze upon them” (Sefer Bamidbar 23:9).
The Midrash (Bamidbar Raba 20:19) comments that Bilaam opined as follows: If a person desires to cut down a tree, if he is a novice he will cut down the branches and get tired. The wise person will cut the roots. Similarly Bilaam attempted to curse the roots of the Jewish People but realized that they were formidable, for from the top of mountains….
The Sfat Emet explains that the Jewish Nation is connected to the fathers and mothers of the nation, to a deep and essential place- which is immune to curses. We connect to this special status via our day-to-day spiritual worship of Hashem via Torah & Mitzvot. As Rav Kook wrote to the Ridvaz (Iggerot Ha’Ra’ayah, Volume II, 555), this inner state is reached by action, sacred faith and study of Torah. Concrete action leads us to realize our inner potential.
Many ask, why should a Jew don tefillin if he doesn’t feel an inner push? Why should a woman light the candles of Shabbat if she doesn’t recognize the sanctity of Shabbat?
Rav Shlomo Carlebach tells a story concerning the wife of the Chasidic master, the Seer of Lublin (the Chozeh). Once when she did not possess the funds to acquire the needs of Shabbat she requested financial assistance from passersby. A vulgar individual who was quite distant from the sanctity of Shabbat gave her two golden coins which virtually covered the needs of Shabbat. She blessed him that the light of the Shabbat should accompany him.
Later on, during Kiddush, the soul of the Chozeh ascended to Heaven and witnessed a controversy whether the blessing of his wife would affect the Jew who donated her needs for Shabbat. After all, he was quite coarse. In Heaven it was noticed that the soul of the Chozeh was present; his opinion was solicited. He remarked “You think that he does not deserve the light of Shabbat because he is vulgar, perahps he is vulgar because he does not have the light of Shabbat. If he would receive the light of Shabbat he may become refined.”
The Chasidim relate that this individual benefited from the light of Shabbat and subsequently became one of the major Chasidim of the Chozeh.
Who knows the value of the Mitzvot and how they can influence a person? External actions lead us to reveal our internal essence. Through study of Torah and performance of Mitzvot may we merit to connect with our true inner essence.