Thursday, November 28, 2013

Do We Need Rituals?

UGE MENORAH LIGHTING - DONUTS & WHISKEY TONIGHT 6:30pm

 

DIY CHANUKAH THIS SUNDAY - LAST CHANCE TO PREBOOK BELOW

 

Question of the Week:

 

I had this debate with my sister. We are both trying to raise proud Jewish families, so I was surprised to hear that in her home, they do not light Chanukah candles. She says rituals aren't necessary for Jewish identity. Her words: "It's very cute and quaint to light candles with the kids, but how does that help the world?" I feel she is wrong but couldn't explain why. It does seem a bit silly to say that lighting candles is such a big deal. So, how can I convey that rituals are important?

 

Answer:

 

Imagine you had never seen fire before in your life, and I showed you a flame on a candle. Then I asked you, do you think you can make a fire like this?

 

You would not think it is possible. A flame is such an intricate creation, with hues of red and orange and blue, a flickering motion, intense heat and bright light. Where can one get all the ingredients to make such a concoction?

 

Then I showed you how I made this flame. All I did was light a match.

 

You would be convinced that there is some trick here. How can the simple flick of a wrist create such a magnificent effect? The act doesn't fit the result.

 

We don't think about it, but it's true. The mere act of striking a match alone isn't worthy of its impact. We can't really take credit for making a flame. G-d created the power of combustion, which means that when you take certain materials and manipulate them in a certain way, a fire appears. So the flame is G-d's creation. But that flame can only come if you light the match.

 

The wise King Solomon said, "Every mitzvah is a candle." Like lighting a flame, our act in doing a mitzvah may seem insignificant, but the light it creates is not. An awesome divine energy is released each time we perform a Jewish ritual, because they are not just rituals, they are G-d's commands. Whether it be lighting Chanukah candles, putting on Tefillin or shaking a Lulav, making Kiddush or affixing a Mezuzah, these small acts have cosmic impact. The spiritual result far outweighs the physical effort.

 

Most of us don't understand why striking a match makes a fire. But we all know it works. Rituals work too. The most memorable and powerful moments are made around Jewish rituals. Your children will forget most of the lectures you give them. They wont forget the candles you lit with them.

 

Good Shabbos,

Rabbi Moss

 

To subscribe CLICK HERE or email rabbimoss@nefesh.com.au

 

Chanukah Shiur 

 In the Footsteps of the Maccabees

 

Please join Shlomo BenHaiem for an in depth historical understanding of the story of Chanukah. Get to know the Maccabees like never before!

This Shabbos 6:30pm at Nefesh for men and women

 

Do-It-Yourself Chanukah  
INFO
DIY CHANUKAH
Sunday 
December 1
4:30-6:30pm
at Nefesh

Donuts, BBQ, 
Huge Menorah Lighting

Game and Storytime for the kids with 
Rabbi Chaim and 
Morah Mushka!


BOOK NOW

AT THE DOOR 
$15 per person

Includes BBQ, donuts and all activities

WHAT MAKES A MENORAH KOSHER?

- place for eight candles plus a shammes (an additional candle to light the others)
  
- Eight candles all be in a straight line and on the same level, shammes a bit higher or off to the side
  
- Each candle clearly visible
  
- It should be one structure, i.e. have a base that connects all the candle holders into one piece  
Let's explain what
Do-It-Yourself Chanukah
means:

We are going to have some fun and create something unique that will make this Chanukah memorable....    
Make your own original and kosher Menorah using found materials.    
Enter the competition for the most creative Menorah and win!

 

 
Who Is This For?

This is a fun event for all ages, adults and children alike. 
 
Release the artist within you!

There will be a separate table for children with simple materials to help them stretch their imaginations. 
 
What You Will Need

Bring your tools and interesting odds and ends. You can bring your own supplies or choose from our selection on the day.


We really hope to see you there!
  
Happy Chanukah,
Rabbi Moss and Nechama Dina

Prebook and save!
$10 per person, $40 per family PREBOOKED
$15 per person at the door
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  Offer Expires: Friday November 29

SEARCHING FOR SOCCER STARS
 

Nefesh is competing in a five-a-side soccer tournament at Chabad of Double Bay's Chanukah at the Bay event this Tuesday. 

We have some players signed up and need some more.

Please tell Lior Segre or Rabbi Moss if you can play and uphold our unbeaten record!

Remember, winning is not important.....


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To advertise here contact office@nefesh.com.au 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  

SERVICES AT NEFESH ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Friday Night Candlelighting 7.30pm (not before 6.20pm)

 

Mincha 5.45pm

 

Chanukah menorah lighting with donuts and L'Chaim 6.30pm

Refreshments sponsored by the Morris family.

L'Chaim sponsored by Yael Cacoub in memory of her grandfather Henri Aharon ben Esther z"l and her uncle Nahum Hai ben Louise Zeiza Taieb z"l.

 

Shabbos Service 7.00pm

 

Shabbos Day

Class - The Spiritual Parsha 9am

Service 10am -12:20pm Followed by Kiddush sponsored by Juliet Vesely and Jeff Reynolds on the occasion of their forthcoming wedding in two weeks. 

 

Mincha 7.30pm followed by Seudah Shlishis

Shabbos ends 8.32pm

 

Sunday Shachris 8am

Weekday Shachris 7am

 

Latest Shema 9.11am 
This email was sent to shmuly77d@gmail.com by rabbimoss@nefesh.com.au |  
nefesh | 54 roscoe st | bondi beach | NSW | 2026 | Australia

Thursday, November 21, 2013

Can My Marriage Survive Religious Differences?

Question of the Week:

 

Now that I am a family man, married with a newborn son, I want to step up in my Jewish observance. I feel very strongly in my heart that it's time to let my beard grow. My wife is trying to accept it but is finding it hard to get used to. We are obviously on very different religious levels. She says I'm going Hasidic on her and she doesn't want it. We have discussed it together several times, and we are definitely at a stalemate position where we both feel unwilling to adhere to the other's request. Of course I want to make my wife happy but to me this isn't just leaving the toilet seat up. How do we come out of this scenario peacefully and move forward with our marriage and family?

 

Answer:

 

When you were single, your spiritual growth was your own business. Now you are married, it is someone else's business too. Your wife married you as you were, and at that stage, you didn't let your beard grow. You now want to change the rules of the game, and as a married man you can't do that unilaterally.

 

Let me make it clear, it would be a wonderful thing to have a beard. The Kabbalah teaches that an untrimmed beard is a spiritual pipeline that draws blessings to the wearer and his family. But until now you chose not to have one. I am not saying not to do it. I am saying that your wife has to be on side first.

 

The Hasidic way is to integrate spirituality into your life organically, to smoothly fuse Jewish practice into your lifestyle. It has to be done with tact and sensitivity, so any resistance is softened.

 

Ask your wife to be open with you about why the beard idea bothers her. Is it just the look? So promise that you will brush it and wrap it up so it won't look messy.

 

But more likely, it is not the look that perturbs her. She is worried that growing a beard represents you going over the religious deep end. She is scared she is losing you. Make sure she doesn't feel pressured in any way to change. Reassure her that the beard won't come between you. Show her that you haven't lost your mind. And most importantly, show her how increasing your observance is making you a more attentive and considerate husband, by including her in your spiritual choices.

 

Unilateral decisions will only reinforce your wife's fear that she is losing you, and she will dig her heels in. Do it the Hasidic way, the way of harmony. Who knows, she may one day embrace it. But only when she sees you are growing your character, not just your facial hair.

 

Good Shabbos,

Rabbi Moss

 

To subscribe CLICK HERE or email rabbimoss@nefesh.com.au

 

KABBALAH LECTURE

The Depth of Darkness

Exploring the darker side of life and its power

Tuesday November 26, 8:15-9:15pm at 128 Wellington St 

 

Do-It-Yourself Chanukah  
at Nefesh
INFO
DIY CHANUKAH
Sunday 
December 1
4:30-6:30pm
at Nefesh

Donuts, BBQ, 
Huge Menorah Lighting

Game and Storytime for the kids with 
Rabbi Chaim and 
Morah Mushka!


BOOK NOW

PREBOOKED 
$10 per person 
$40 per family

AT THE DOOR 
$15 per person

Includes BBQ, donuts and all activities

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WHAT MAKES A MENORAH KOSHER?

- Must have place for eight candles plus a shammes (an additional candle to light the others)
  
- Eight candles must all be in a straight line and on the same level, shammes a bit higher or off to the side
  
- Each candle should be spaced enough to be clearly visible
  
- It should be one structure, i.e. have a base that connects all the candle holders into one piece
  
Let's explain what
Do-It-Yourself Chanukah
means:

We are going to have some fun and create something unique that will make this Chanukah memorable....    
Make your own original and kosher Menorah using found materials.    
Enter the competition for the most creative Menorah and win!

 

 
Who Is This For?

This is a fun event for all ages, adults and children alike. 
 
Release the artist within you!

There will be a separate table for children with simple materials to help them stretch their imaginations. 
 
What You Will Need

Bring your tools and interesting odds and ends. You can bring your own supplies or choose from our selection on the day.


How Can You Help?
 
We need your junk!  
If you would like to contribute please drop stuff off 
in the crates out the front of Nefesh this Sunday November 24.

Materials that would help include: tiles, old costume jewelry, metal scraps, wood pieces, beads, old crayons, glass, bolts, egg cartons, toilet paper rolls, paper towel rolls...........
We really hope to see you there!
  
Happy Chanukah,
Rabbi Moss and Nechama Dina

Save 33%
Prebook and save!
$10 per person, $40 per family PREBOOKED
$15 per person at the door
undefined
  
Offer Expires: Friday November 29
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To advertise here contact office@nefesh.com.au 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  

SERVICES AT NEFESH ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Friday Night Candlelighting 7.24pm (not before 6.15pm)

 

Mincha 6.10pm

Shabbos Service 6:30pm followed by Kiddush sponsored by an anonymous friend

 

Shabbos Day

Shiur 9am

Service 10am -12:20pm Followed by

Kiddush sponsored by Mila's Catering.

 

Mincha 7.20pm followed by Seudah Shlishis

Shabbos ends 8.25pm

 

Sunday Shachris 8am

Weekday Shachris 7am

 

Latest Shema 9.11am

 

NEXT FRIDAY NIGHT

Our Huge Menorah Lighting 6:30pm with donuts and lechaim

Shabbos service 7pm

(Mincha 5:45pm)

 
Email sponsored by:
 
Mila's Catering 

Mazel Tov! You deserve the very best in Kosher catering for your special day.

 

Let Mila's Catering take the stress and worry out of your important occasions with our delicious catering options and flexible approach. Providing sumptuous Kosher catering for all events, of all sizes and needs, Mila's Catering will tend to every detail. Sit back, relax and indulge in the finest culinary delights. Ask us about our specialty Kiddush catering!

 

This email was sent to shmuly77d@gmail.com by rabbimoss@nefesh.com.au |  
nefesh | 54 roscoe st | bondi beach | NSW | 2026 | Australia

Thursday, November 14, 2013

The Ethics of Online Shopping

Question of the Week:

 

Here's the scenario. I walk into an electronics store and ask the sales staff for advice on which digital camera is best for my needs. The guy spends half an hour explaining the pros and cons of all the different models. I say thanks and walk out of the store, go on the internet and order the exact camera he recommended, but much cheaper from an online store. Am I being dishonest?

 

Answer:

 

"Thou shalt not steal" does not only apply to outright thievery. The Torah warns against stealing people's minds, which means misleading them through words or actions, in order to gain some personal benefit.

 

Say you are getting married, and you send an invitation to an acquaintance who you know won't attend the wedding. If your true motive is just to earn a gift in return, and you don't really want the person to come to the wedding, then that's stealing their mind for selfish gain. But if you are extending the invitation to honour them, or so they don't feel insulted, then that's fine. In such a case, you are not taking, you are giving. It all depends on your intent.

 

The Talmud prohibits asking a shopkeeper the price of an item that you have no intention to buy. You are stealing his mind, by making him think he has a customer. It would seem that the same applies to your camera shopping expedition. The sales guy invested half an hour in you, thinking he has a buyer. If you never intended to purchase the camera in that store, you stole his mind, as he gave you his time for nothing.

 

Now you could argue that your case is different to the Talmudic one. The guy who served you doesn't own the store, he is just in sales. It makes no difference to him if he made the sale or not, his job is to answer customers' questions. Ok, but perhaps he gets commission on each sale, so he wouldn't have bothered wasting his time on you if he knew there was no chance of sealing the deal. And even if not, are you not stealing from the shop owner, who pays his sales team to serve genuine customers?

 

You might say that you would be more than happy to purchase the camera from the store, if they would match the online price. So you weren't deceiving, just comparative shopping. That may indeed be the case. Only you and G-d know.

 

In most questions of right and wrong, actions count more than intentions. But when it comes to stealing minds, the action is always defensible. Your intentions should be too.

 

Good Shabbos,

Rabbi Moss

 

To subscribe CLICK HERE or email rabbimoss@nefesh.com.au

 

NEW KABBALAH LECTURES

The Depth of Darkness

Exploring the darker side of life and its power

Tuesdays November 19 and 26, 8:15-9:15pm at Nefesh


 
Massive Menorah Lighting
Whisky and Donuts
Friday November 29 6:30pm at Nefesh

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To advertise here contact office@nefesh.com.au 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  

SERVICES AT NEFESH ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Friday Night Candlelighting 7.17pm (not before 6.09pm)

 

Mincha 6.10pm

Shabbos Service 6:30pm followed by Kiddush sponsored by Michelle Jacobs in memory of her uncle Dr Michael Hirshorn

And

Whisky L'Chaim sponsored by an anonymous friend.

 

Shabbos Day

Shiur 9am

Service 10am -12:20pm Followed by Thanksgiving Kiddush for Shlomo Behar, Zev Aronstam and Shlomo BenHaiem to celebrate everyone's full recovery to good health. 

Contributions to the Kiddush and blessings of support received from: 

Michelle Brenner, Maxine and Lance Radus, Martine and Michael Springer, Adam and Nicki Ensly and Shaul and Vanessa Creighton.

Mincha 7.15pm followed by Seudah Shlishis

Shabbos ends 8.17pm

 

Sunday Shachris 8am

Weekday Shachris 7am

 

Latest Shema 9.11am


Email sponsored by:
 
Mila's Catering 

Mazel Tov! You deserve the very best in Kosher catering for your special day.

 

Let Mila's Catering take the stress and worry out of your important occasions with our delicious catering options and flexible approach. Providing sumptuous Kosher catering for all events, of all sizes and needs, Mila's Catering will tend to every detail. Sit back, relax and indulge in the finest culinary delights. Ask us about our specialty Kiddush catering!

 

This email was sent to shmuly77d@gmail.com by rabbimoss@nefesh.com.au |  
nefesh | 54 roscoe st | bondi beach | NSW | 2026 | Australia

Thursday, November 7, 2013

Do You Know How to Relax?

Question of the Week:

My partner says I should spend more time chilling out, relaxing, and just enjoy life. And that I should do stuff purely for entertainment/leisure value.

 

I'm the kind of person who does things to improve myself (really, not my imagination). 

 

Everything I do is for the purpose of education or self improvement. All I ever do is read self help books, learn Torah insights, watch lectures, or listen to them.

 

Apparently that's my problem. I take life too seriously.

 

What do you reckon?

 

Answer:

  

There is no question that Jewish wisdom abhors time wasting. "The day is short, and we have a lot of work to do," say our sages. The Talmud warns, "Remember that the day of death approaches," which Chassidic masters explain to mean, "Remember that each day dies and never returns. Don't waste even one day."

 

And then there is the famous saying:

 

"People worry about losing money, but don't worry about losing time. Yet money can't save you, and time can't be recaptured."

 

Clearly, we are in this world to achieve. And yet, there is a concept of meaningful rest. Sometimes we do need to chill out. This is not necessarily a waste of time. We are much more effective after resting. Just like we need to sleep to be able to achieve more when we wake up, we need to have down time so our minds can be more focused and energies replenished to get on with our mission.

 

Not that we should do things that will lower our moral standards, but we can sometimes just chill, take a walk, read something light, go to the zoo, fly a kite. This will refresh us and lead to more productivity. Not learning Torah is sometimes the best way to promote learning Torah.

 

If your reluctance to waste time comes from a true desire to serve G-d, then you have nothing to fear from relaxation. For that is serving G-d too.

 

But if something else is driving you, if it is psychological rather than spiritual, then this avoidance of time wasting may not be such a good thing at all. It could be compulsive, or an attempt to prove your worth by always achieving something, or an aversion to sharing time with others, or a fear to really face yourself. Ironically, addiction to self help can be a great way to avoid facing your real self and caring for others. There is nothing holy about that.

 

This has very recently been dubbed the shark syndrome. Sharks constantly swim through the water, even when they are asleep, because if they don't they will sink to the ocean floor and die. Perhaps you are scared the same will happen to you. If you stop for a minute, you will fall apart.

 

You are not a shark. You are a soul that needs to achieve its purpose. We do this through meaningful work, and meaningful rest too.

 

Good Shabbos,

Rabbi Moss

To subscribe CLICK HERE or email rabbimoss@nefesh.com.au

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To advertise here contact office@nefesh.com.au 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  

SERVICES AT NEFESH ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Friday Night Candlelighting 7.11pm (not before 6.04pm)

 

Mincha 6.10pm

Shabbos Service 6:30pm followed by Kiddush sponsored anonymously in honour of Batya Moss' birthday - Mazel tov!

 

Shabbos Day

Shiur 9am

Service 10am -12:20pm Followed by Kiddush/Farbrengen sponsored by Jasmine and Omer Ingber in honour of their wedding

and the guys who have returned from the Chabad Convention in New York.

 

Mincha 7.10pm followed by Seudah Shlishis

 

Shabbos ends 8.10pm

 

Sunday Shachris 8am

 

Weekday Shachris 7am

 

Latest Shema 9.12am

 
This email was sent to shmuly77d@gmail.com by rabbimoss@nefesh.com.au |  
nefesh | 54 roscoe st | bondi beach | NSW | 2026 | Australia