There's a Branch Right Near You

MAKE YOUR YOMTOV/CALL-UP/YIZKOR DONATION click here   Question of the Week: Someone asked me why we wave the Lulav in six directions - right, left, forward, up, down, backward. I didn't really know how to answer. Is there a simple way to explain this? Answer: The four species that we bless on Sukkos correspond to the four letters in G-d's Hebrew name. Waving them in all six directions signifies our faith that G-d is everywhere. Specifically, we are saying that on every level, at every stage of life, in all that happens to us, G-d is there. Right and left represent Chesed and Gevurah, the power of love and the power of discipline. G-d, like a parent, can be loving and can also be strict. Sometimes G-d's light shines on us and we feel close to Him, other times He seems distant, we feel left in the dark and have to find our own way through. Whether we receive G-d's closeness and love, or whether He gives us space to grow on our own, it is all coming from G-d. He knows exactly what we need, and that's what we get. Up and down symbolize the highs and lows of life. When we feel we are on top of the world, we need to remember that G-d enabled us to get there. When we feel down in the dumps, we need to have faith that G-d is with us there. There is no success without help, and there is no failure without hope. Forward and backward stand for the future and the past. We don't know what tomorrow holds, but we have faith that G-d will guide us through whatever lies ahead. And as for the past, all that has happened to us is a part of the plan. All our past experiences, even those that we would rather forget, made us who we are today. We are where we are now because that is exactly where G-d wants us to be. Our entire past was a lead up to this moment. G-d brought you here for a reason. So the four species are waved around, to recognise that G-d is everywhere, in the good and the bad, in the ups and the downs, in the uncertain future and the turbulent past. And in the middle of all that is you. You are doing the waving. Because G-d will be there for you in all you do, if only you let Him in. Good Shabbos,  Rabbi Moss   To subscribe CLICK HERE or email rabbimoss@nefesh.com.au     SERVICES AT NEFESH ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Friday Night Candlelighting 5:37pm Mincha 5:45pm   Shabbos Service 6:00pm followed by Kiddush   Shabbos Day Class - The Spiritual Parsha 9am Morning Service 10am -12:20pm followed by Kiddush sponsored by Natalie (Chana) Itzkowic in honour of her birthday - 11th Tishrei - Mazel Tov!   Mincha 5:35pm followed by Seudah Shlishis and Maariv Shabbos ends 6:33pm   Sunday Shachris 8am   SUKKOS AT NEFESH ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   Sunday 14 Tishrei / 30 September Erev Sukkos 8:00am Shachris 5:39pm Candle Lighting 5:50pm Mincha 6:30pm Yomtov Evening Service, first night Sukkos   Monday 15 Tishrei / 1 October 1st Day Sukkos 10:00am Morning service followed by Kiddush in the Sukkah 5:45pm Mincha followed by Divrei Torah 6:35pm Maariv Second night Candle Lighting for second night must be after 6:35pm   Tuesday 16 Tishrei / 2 October 2nd Day Sukkos 10:00am Morning service followed by Kiddush in the Sukkah 5:45pm Mincha followed by Divrei Torah 6:36pm Motzei Yom Tov   Wednesday and Thursday 17 and 18 Tishrei / 3 and 4 October Chol Hamoed 7:00am Shachris   Friday 19 Tishrei / 5 October Chol Hamoed & Erev Shabbos 7:00am Shachris 5:43pm Candle Lighting 5:45pm Mincha 6:00pm Shabbos service followed by Kiddush in the Sukkah   Shabbos 20 Tishrei / 6 October Shabbos Chol Hamoed 10:00am Morning service followed by Kiddush in the Sukkah 5:15pm Mincha 6:39pm Shabbos ends   Sunday 21 Tishrei / 7 October Hoshana Rabba 8:00am Shachris 6:44pm Candle Lighting 6:55pm Mincha 7:30pm Shmini Atzeres evening service, followed by Kiddush and Hakofos dancing   Monday 22 Tishrei / 8 October Shemini Atzeres 10:00am Morning service followed by Kiddush in the Sukkah 6:55pm Mincha 7:30pm SIMCHAS TORAH SERVICE, huge Kiddush and Hakofos dancing till late   Candle Lighting for second night must be after 7:40pm   Tuesday 23 Tishrei / 9 October Simchas Torah 10:00am Morning service, Kiddush, Hakofos dancing, completing Torah and starting again 2:30pm (approx) Simchas Torah Lunch - $15 per person, $40 per family of four, book by emailing office@nefesh.com.au   6:30pm Mincha followed by Farewell to the Yomim Tovim 7:41pm Yom Tov ends

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