Thursday, December 28, 2017

Is Equality a Myth?

Question of the Week: 

I have often heard it said that Judaism believes that women are more spiritual than men. This is supposed to explain why men have more religious obligations than women - men need these things to become closer to G-d, women are there already. But do we really believe that? Is it not just a patronising way to avoid the question of the different gender roles in Judaism?

Answer:

I remember as a child being told that men and women are equal. I had a big problem with this. I asked, "If men and woman are equal, why do men and women never compete with each other in sports? You never see a man playing against a woman in tennis, or women's soccer teams facing men's, or a mixed gender 100 metre sprint. If we are all equal, why can't we compete together?"

The answer I received was unsatisfying. "Men are on average stronger physically than women. It would not be fair for them to compete against each other in sports which require bodily strength, because men would always win. But in every other way, men and women are equal."

This did not sit well with me. If men are superior to women in physical strength, but equal in all else, then men and women are not equal. Men have an edge. Unless there is some other area of human endeavour in which women are superior, we are not equal.

This bothered me for years. Until I learnt Judaism's attitude to women.
Women are more soulful than men. While men may excel in physical prowess, women are far ahead when it comes to spiritual strength. Women are more sensitive to matters of the soul, more receptive to ideas of faith, more drawn to the divine than men. The feminine soul has an openness to the abstract and a grasp of the intangible that a male soul can only yearn for. This is why G-d told Abraham, the first Jewish man, "Whatever Sarah your wife tells you, listen to her voice." She was the greater prophet, her soul more intuitive than his.

When I first heard this idea, it suddenly all made sense. There is indeed a balance between men and women. Men have stronger bodies, women have stronger souls.
Of course there are exceptions. Some women could beat any guy in an arm wrestle. And some men are more spiritually intuned than the women around them. But for the most part, men have bigger muscles, women have deeper feelings.

The Torah gives men more physical mitzvos, to tame the body and give the soul extra power. Women don't need this help. Because although men can jump higher in the air, women can reach higher into the heavens.

Good Shabbos,
Rabbi Moss

To subscribe CLICK HERE or email rabbimoss@nefesh.com.au 
SHABBOS SERVICES & COMMUNITY INFO
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ALL SERVICES AT NEFESH POP-UP
1 FRANCIS ST BONDI BEACH
(OFF CAMPBELL PDE, BEHIND NOAH'S BACKPACKERS)
 
SHABBOS SERVICES
Friday, 29 December 2017 | 11 Teves 5778
Candle Lighting........................... 7:51pm
............................................ (Not before 6:42pm)
Mincha....................................... 6:15pm
Shabbos Service.......................... 6:30-7:20pm 
(Kids Program on summer break)
Teen Boys Davening..................... 6:30pm
Followed by Kiddush.
 
Shabbos Day, 30 December 2017 | 12 Teves
No parsha class this week
Shabbos Service.................. 10:00am-12:20pm
(Kids Program on summer break)
Followed by Kiddush.
 
Mincha followed by Seudah Shlishis ......... 7:50pm
Gematria and story by Rev Amzalak......... 8:15pm
Shabbos ends and Maariv....................... 8:53pm
Followed by Havdalah 
 
WEEKDAY SERVICES
Sunday & Monday day (Pub.hols)... 8:00am
Tuesday-Friday............................ 7:00am
Latest Shema this week................ 9:19am
 
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO
Shai Behrman.......... 17 Tevet/ Thursday 4 January
 
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO
Gavin & Beatrish Gordon...... 9 Tevet/ Wed 27 Dec
Gilda & Jonathan Shapira..... 12 Tevet/ Sat 30 Dec
Sarah & Benjy Reid............. 12 Tevet/ Sat 30 Dec
Greg & Leah Weinstein........ 13 Tevet/ Sun 31 Dec
 
LONG LIFE TO
Libby Moss and Peter Irving for their late grand mother 
Jesse Stanley... 13 Teves/ Sunday 31 Dec
Harold Judelman for his late mother Esther
Judelman, Sheina Ester bat Chaim Guttel ... 14 Tevet/ Monday 1 January
Michelle Brenner for her late father Alexander Brenner...18 Tevet/ Friday 5 January

To make a donation for a birthday, an Aliyah, a Yahrzeit or anything else, 
please click here
Kiddush options:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Friday night: Soup $75 | Basic $120 | Deluxe $200
Shabbos Day: Basic $350 Lunch $750-$1200 
 
Dates available:
Fri 5 Jan, Sat 6 Jan, Fri 12 Jan, Sat 13 Jan.
 
To arrange, just email office@nefesh.com.au
Nefesh Shul, 54 Roscoe Street, Bondi Beach, NSW 2026 Australia
Sent by rabbimoss@nefesh.com.au in collaboration with
Constant Contact

Thursday, December 21, 2017

Would You Turn Down a Billion Dollars?

Question of the Week:

Is our family rich?

(From my 7 year old daughter)

Answer:

Our family is extremely rich. I'll tell you why.

If someone came to me and said, "I'll give you ten thousand dollars to buy your daughter," what do you think I would say?

Would I sell one of my children for ten thousand dollars? No way!

So what if they offered a hundred thousand?

I wouldn't do it, right?

And if they offered a million? Ten million? A billion dollars to buy my daughter?

I wouldn't even need to think it over. I would not sell you for all the money in the world.

A child is more precious than anything. And thank G-d, our family has a few. Each one of you makes our family richer than anyone with a lot of money.

So yes we are very rich. Some people think kids are expensive. I think they are our wealth.

Good Shabbos,
Rabbi Moss
 
To subscribe CLICK HERE or email rabbimoss@nefesh.com.au 
SHABBOS SERVICES & COMMUNITY INFO
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ALL SERVICES AT NEFESH POP-UP
1 FRANCIS ST BONDI BEACH
(OFF CAMPBELL PDE, BEHIND NOAH'S BACKPACKERS)
 
SHABBOS SERVICES
Friday, 22 December 2017 | 4 Teves 5778
Candle Lighting............... 7:48pm
................................ (Not before 6:40pm)
Mincha............................6:15pm
Shabbos Service............. 6:30-7:20pm 
(Kids Program on summer break for two weeks)
Teen Boys Davening....... 6:30pm
Followed by Kiddush sponsored by Josh and Orly Borenstein in honour of the birth of Leah Chai to Grant and Elana Smuts in New York - Mazal Tov! 
 
Shabbos Day, 23 December 2017 | 5 Teves
In depth Parsha Class........... 9:00am
Shabbos Service.................. 10:00am-12:20pm
(Kids Program on summer break for two weeks)
Kiddush sponsored by Friends of Nefesh to thank Rivka Leah Popack for her amazing contribution to the Nefesh Kids Program and wish her all the best for the future!
 
L'Chaim in honour of Gavi Sufrin's Birthday- Mazal Tov!
 
Mincha followed by Seudah Shlishis ......... 7:50pm
Gematria and story by Rev Amzalak.......... 8:10pm
Shiur with Rabbi Moss............................. 8:30pm
Shabbos ends and Maariv........................ 8:50pm
Followed by Havdalah 
 
WEEKDAY SERVICES
Sunday- Tuesday (Pub.hols)........ 8:00am
Wednesday-Friday..................... 7:00am
Latest Shema this week.............. 9:19am
 
Fast of Tenth of Teves | Thursday 28 December
Fast Begins: 4:08am | Fast ends 8:38pm
 
MAZAL TOV TO
Grant Smuts & Elana Castle on the birth of a baby girl in New York!
 
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO
Vera Feuermann...... 5 Tevet/Sat 23 Dec
Willow Glick............ 9 Tevet/ Wed 27 Dec
 
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO
Danielle & Gidon Weinstein.. .7 Tevet/Mon 25 Dec
Dale & Tal Levin.................. 7 Tevet/ Mon 25 Dec
Gavin & Beatrish Gordon...... 9 Tevet/ Wed 27 Dec
 
LONG LIFE TO
Linda Isdale for her late mother Joyce Vilensky
Simcha bat Aharon.... 4 Tevet / Friday 22 December
Peppi Glick for his late mother
Ettie Glick ......... 10 Tevet/ Thursday 28 December

To make a donation for a birthday, an Aliyah, a Yahrzeit or anything else, 
please click here
Kiddush options:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Friday night: Soup $75 | Basic $120 | Deluxe $200
Shabbos Day: Basic $350 Lunch $750-$1200 
 
Dates available:
Fri 29 Dec, Sat 30 Dec, Fri 5 Jan, Sat 6 Jan, Fri 12 Jan, Sat 13 Jan.
 
To arrange, just email office@nefesh.com.au
BINA Summer Learning Experience 2017/2018
***********************************************************************
Warm Up Learning
8:00 AM - Shacharis followed by Breakfast
9:20 AM - Learn with a Chavrusa the laws of Shabbos
 
10:00 AM - Pick A Class
Men: A Textual Talmudic Analysis on the war & self defence against terrorists,
civilian casualties & the place for compassion in the fight against terror
- Rabbi Yaacov Chaiton

Women: An in-depth look at stories in Tanach
- Rabbi Levi Gourarie (25 to 27 December)
- Mrs Rivka Aaron (28 and 29 December)

Men & Women: Living with Kabbalah - Explore your daily routine through
Kabbalah & Meditation
- Rabbi Michoel Gourarie

*************************************************************************
11:00 AM - Panel Discussions & Lectures

25 December - Fix the Building without Becoming Homeless
Addressing problems in the religious world
Presenter: Rabbi Michoel Gourarie
 
26 December - "Coffee with Levi"
A sit in conversation with Rabbi Michoel & Levi Gourarie
Relax and listen while you enjoy a coffee from "Cap Away Coffee Cart."
 
27 December - Dilemmas During Wartime
Halachic Questions in the IDF
Presenter: Rav Shua Solomon
 
28 December - Jews & the ADF
Spreading the message
Presenter: Rabbi Yossi Friedman
 
29 December - The Amazing Story of the Jews of USA
Presenter: Rabbi David Freedman
 
Special Program on the 1 January from 10am to 11noon - TBA

Cost - $12 per day or $50 for the week
************************************************************************
While you learn, we take care of your Kids: $18 per Day, $70 for the week
0-2 Years - Babysitting
3-6 Years - Cook craft, learn, arts and crafts, baking, games, davening, stories and more!
7 - 12 Girls - 'Create and connect' crafts, baking, scrap-booking and learning!
7 - 12 Boys - Fun and learn!

Booking essential! call the BINA office 9365 4421 or email office@bina.com.au

BINA 337 Old South Head Rd North Bondi | 02 9365 4421 | office@bina.com.au| bina.com.au


Nefesh Shul, 54 Roscoe Street, Bondi Beach, NSW 2026 Australia
Sent by rabbimoss@nefesh.com.au in collaboration with
Constant Contact

Thursday, December 14, 2017

Do You Believe the Statistics?

TONIGHT light Chanukah candles followed by Shabbos candles after 6:36pm, then:

Question of the Week:

I fear for the future of the Jewish people. When I look at my family and where they are headed it is not very promising. My grandfather was a rabbi, but I am not sure my grandchildren will even be Jewish. What is the secret to keeping Judaism alive?

Answer:

I can't tell you how often I hear, "My grandfather was a rabbi." I once read that 87% of the Jewish population today have at least one rabbi in their family tree. I also read that 93% of all statistics are made up on the spot.

It's impossible that three generations ago everyone was a rabbi. What people probably mean is that their grandfather was an observant Jew. He may have had a beard, he prayed every day, and was knowledgeable in Torah. He could have been a cobbler or merchant or baker, not a rabbi. But he was a committed Jew.

Anyone who identifies as Jewish today only need go back three or four generations to find observant Jews in their family. And from there an unbroken chain of observance that goes back three thousand years.

Not that everyone has always been observant. There have always been unobservant Jews. But we don't know their grandchildren. They have been lost to the Jewish community.

Jewishness without Jewish observance cannot last more than a couple of generations. Unless they rebel and turn to Judaism, the children of unobservant Jews will stop being Jewish altogether and assimilate. A family of unobservant Jews will lose one or the other - either the Jewishness, or the unobservance. You can't have both.

This is not a new phenomenon. Throughout Jewish history there have been individuals and groups who tried to keep a Jewish identity without Jewish practice. It has never worked. A vague Jewish ethnic feeling, devoid of any spiritual purpose and with no compelling message that is relevant to life, cannot last long. Only proud and authentic Judaism, that offers relevance and meaning, direction and inspiration, will stand the test of time.

In the Chanukah story, a small band of faithful Jews stood up against the assimilationist forces of Hellenism. They were overwhelmingly outnumbered, not just by the enemy, but among their own people. The vast majority of Jews subscribed to Hellenism, and wanted to assimilate. We celebrate Chanukah today because we descend from the faithful few.

The solution to Jewish continuity is no secret, it's obvious. Living breathing Judaism produces living breathing Jews. Do for your grandchildren what your grandfather did for you - be a living example of what it means to live an actively Jewish life. They don't need their grandfather to be a rabbi, but they need him to be a proud and practicing Jew.

Good Shabbos and Happy Chanukah,
Rabbi Moss
 
To subscribe CLICK HERE or email rabbimoss@nefesh.com.au 
   
 
 
Shabbat Shalom everyone!

I thought this week I will give you a few fun facts about the piles we are digging. Currently we have dug more than half a kilometre of piles into the ground, using 11 tons of steel and 150 tons of concrete. It has taken us so far 10 days or 50 man days to get this far. G-d willing, our estimated completion date will be Wednesday, 10 January next year.

Today we have had our second delivery of steel, 11 tons of it! It took us approximately 1.5 hours to offload it and bring it on site. Hard hard work! 

Have a great weekend everyone and Chag Sameach!!!!
SHABBOS SERVICES & COMMUNITY INFO
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ALL SERVICES AT NEFESH POP-UP
1 FRANCIS ST BONDI BEACH
(OFF CAMPBELL PDE, BEHIND NOAH'S BACKPACKERS)
 
SHABBOS SERVICES
Friday, 15 December 2017 | 27 Kislev 5778
Candle Lighting .................. Earliest 6:36pm
No Mincha this week
Special Menorah Lighting with Latkes and Doughnuts!... 7:00pm
Sponsored by Shirley Sher in honour of her late mother Rivkah Samuels bat Jane's yortzheit on 27 Kislev - Long Life
 
Followed by Shabbos Service..... 7:30pm  
Kids Program........................... 7:30pm
Teen Boys Davening..................7:30pm
 
Shabbos Day, 16 December 2017 | 28 Kislev
In depth Parsha Class............ 9:00am
Shabbos Service.................. 10:00am-12:45pm
Kids Program ........................10:45am
Communal Lunch in honour of Shabbos Chanukah - all welcome!
 
Mincha followed by Seudah Shlishis ........ 7:40pm
Gematria and story by Rev Amzalak........ 8:00pm
Shiur with Rabbi Moss........................... 8:20pm
Shabbos ends and Maariv...................... 8:41pm
Followed by Menorah Lighting and Havdalah
 
WEEKDAY SERVICES
Sunday........................... 8:00am
Monday-Friday................. 7:00am
Latest Shema this week......9:12am
 
MOLAD/ NEW MOON: MONDAY 18 DEC 1:41:1PM
ROSH CHODESH TEVES: MONDAY/TUESDAY 18/19 DEC
 
MAZEL TOV TO
Guy and Karli Lazar and their families on the birth of Netanel Yehudah! 
 
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO
Aviv Farhy......... 2 Tevet/ Wednesday 20 December
Amber Lessem... 3 Tevet/ Thursday 21 December
 
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO
Julia & Jarred Rubin..... 27 Kislev/ Friday 15 December
Rachael & Brett Kaplan. 29 Kislev/ Sunday 17 December
Adam & Jodi Karpas..... 29 Kislev/ Sunday 17 December
Jack & Leyat Reuben...... 2 Tevet/ Wednesday 20 December
Lina & Richie Barel......... 3 Tevet/ Thursday 21 December
 
LONG LIFE TO
Reverend Amzalak for his late brother Avraham ben Yitzchak 28 Kislev / 16 December
Gavin Krawchuk for his late grandfather David Sandler David ben Mordechai 3 Tevet / Thursday 21 December

To make a donation for a birthday, an Aliyah, a Yahrzeit or anything else, 
please click here
Kiddush options:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Friday night: Soup $75 | Basic $120 | Deluxe $200
Shabbos Day: Basic $350 Lunch $750-$1200 
 
Dates available:
Fri 22 Dec, Fri 29 Dec, Sat 30 Dec, Fri 5 Jan, Sat 6 Jan.
 
To arrange, just email office@nefesh.com.au
Nefesh Shul, 54 Roscoe Street, Bondi Beach, NSW 2026 Australia
Sent by rabbimoss@nefesh.com.au in collaboration with
Constant Contact

Thursday, December 7, 2017

Should Doctors be Trusted?

Question of the Week:

My doctor has prescribed more medication for me, but I am not sure I need it. I sometimes suspect that these doctors give blanket diagnoses and dish out medicine rather than really trying to get to the core of the issue. Does Judaism teach us to trust whatever a doctor says, or should we exercise caution?

Answer:

Your skepticism may be wise. Or it may be preventing you from getting better.

The Talmud teaches that G-d gave permission to doctors to heal. Having faith in G-d means having faith in doctors and their medicine.

This doesn't mean doctors are infallible. They can make mistakes, misdiagnose, and be lazy like the rest of us. And so while we can assume that most doctors are doing their utmost to help their patients, it can sometimes be prudent to get a second opinion.

The Rebbe often advised people when facing major medical decisions to seek the opinion of a doctor who is also a friend. Like all professionals, doctors can come to see you as just another number. A friend who has medical expertise and also cares for you personally will never view you as a statistic, and have your best interest at heart.

But another advantage of a doctor who is a friend is that you trust them more. Trust is itself an essential element of healing. A doctor you believe in has far greater chance of helping you than a doctor you mistrust, even if they both prescribe the exact same medicine.

So you need to manage your skepticism. Put your faith in G-d, who sends us angels to cure us, in the form of doctors and friends.
 
Good Shabbos,
Rabbi Moss
 
To subscribe CLICK HERE or email rabbimoss@nefesh.com.au 
CLICK HERE TO BOOK NOW

 
Here is a summary of what we have done this week:
 
 
Drilling of piers has begun and will continue now for three weeks solid.
SHABBOS SERVICES & COMMUNITY INFO
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ALL SERVICES AT NEFESH POP-UP
1 FRANCIS ST BONDI BEACH
(OFF CAMPBELL PDE, BEHIND NOAH'S BACKPACKERS)
 
SHABBOS SERVICES
Friday, 8 December 2017 | 20 Kislev 5778
Candle Lighting................. (Not before 6:31pm) 7:39pm
Mincha.............................. 6:15pm
Shabbos Service................ 6:30-7:20pm 
Kids Program.................... 6:30pm
Teen Boys Davening.......... 6:30pm
Kiddush sponsored by Catherine De Picarda to mark a new chapter- we wish her much success and bon voyage!
 
Shabbos Day, 9 December 2017 | 21 Kislev
In depth Parsha Class.............................. 9:00am
 Shabbos Service...................... 10:00am-12:20pm
Kids Program ........................................ 10:45am
Kiddush sponsored by Michael & Karen Martin in honour of their recent wedding anniversary- Mazal Tov!
 
Mincha followed by Seudah Shlishis ... 7:40pm
Gematria and story by Rev Amzalak... 8:00pm
Shiur with Rabbi Moss.......................8:20pm
Shabbos ends and Maariv................. 8:41pm
Followed by Havdalah 
 
WEEKDAY SERVICES
Sunday............................ 8:00am
Monday-Friday.................. 7:00am
 
Latest Shema this week...... 9:10am
 
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO
Jake Glick.......... 24 Kislev/ Tuesday 12 December
Levi Diamond..... 24 Kislev/ Tuesday 12 December
Jonah Ink.......... 25 Kislev/ Wednesday 13 December
 
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO
Jeremy & Nikki Kinstlinger... 22 Kislev/ Sunday 10 Dec
Jonathan & Joanne Capal .... 24 Kislev/ Tuesday 12 Dec
Julia & Jarred Rubin ........... 27 Kislev/ Friday 15 Dec
 
LONG LIFE TO
Linda Isdale for her late father Lionel Eric Vilensky Elia Leib...23 Kislev/ Monday 11 December
Rene Bermeister for her late mother Malcha bat Hillel ...  25 Kislev/ Wednesday 13 December

To make a donation for a birthday, an Aliyah, a Yahrzeit or anything else, 
please click here
Kiddush options:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Friday night: Soup $75 | Basic $120 | Deluxe $200
Shabbos Day: Basic $350 Lunch $750-$1200 
 
Dates available:
Fri 22 Dec, Sat 23 Dec, Fri 29 Dec, Sat 30 Dec, Fri 5 Jan, Sat 6 Jan.
 
To arrange, just email office@nefesh.com.au

Nefesh Shul, 54 Roscoe Street, Bondi Beach, NSW 2026 Australia
Sent by rabbimoss@nefesh.com.au in collaboration with
Constant Contact