Thursday, May 31, 2018

Trust Your First Impressions?

Question of the Week:

I met a lovely girl on a blind date last week. We went to the art gallery and had a wonderful conversation. She has everything I am looking for. But she is not for me. There is nothing wrong with her, but I am a very good judge of character and my intuition can quickly assess people. I know when it is right and this time it just isn't. I would meet her a second time just to be polite, but wouldn't that be leading her on?
 
Answer:
 
There is a popular theory that we can know all we need to know about a person in the first few seconds of meeting them. It is a great theory. There is only one problem with it. It is rubbish.
 
A person is more than meets the eye. We are multi-layered. We have thoughts and feelings, memories and dreams, quirks and foibles. Everyone has a story and everyone has a soul. You can't see all this at first glance.
 
How many times have you been impressed by someone's first impression, only to be disappointed after a few conversations? And the opposite too, how many people have you met and not particularly appreciated, only to be pleasantly surprised after getting to know them better? Even looks are deceiving. A person who you find unattractive at first can grow on you as their full picture unravels.
 
I am sure you would agree that no one can know what you are all about by meeting you once. The same goes for others. Don't always trust your instincts. They can easily lead you astray.
 
Maybe I am wrong. Perhaps you do have an amazing sixth sense and can read people on the spot. But is it foolproof? What if you are right 99% of the time? What if you get it wrong only once? Imagine what you could miss out on...
 
I commend you for taking the plunge and agreeing to meet her the first time. It is not always easy to put yourself out there. But I think you should give it a second chance, and this time switch off the intuition and see what you find. You may discover that you are actually meeting her for the first time.

Good Shabbos,
Rabbi Moss

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

Good morning all and welcome again to another trusty addition of the weekly build up. This week was a little frustrating as we had no availability of tradies, so major work will start again next week. In the meantime, we prepared the footings for block work, installed all starter bars that will tie the walls to the footings, and had all necessary materials delivered. Speak again next week.
Brent


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ALL SERVICES AT NEFESH 
 
1 FRANCIS ST BONDI BEACH
 
(OFF CAMPBELL PDE, BEHIND NOAH'S BACKPACKERS)
 
SHABBOS TIMES & COMMUNITY INFO: Naso
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Friday, 1 June 2018 | 18 Sivan 5778
Candle Lighting............................................. 4:36pm
Mincha.......................................................... 4:45pm
Kids Program ................................................ 6:00pm
Shabbos Service.................................. 6:00-6:50pm 
Followed by Kiddush sponsored by Vitali Broyda in honour of his grandfather Pinchus ben Lipa.
 
Shabbos Day, 2 June 2018 | 19 Sivan 5778
In depth parsha class .................................... 9:00am
Kids Program .............................................. 10:30am
Shabbos Service............................ 10:00am-12:20pm
Followed by Kiddush sponsored by Jerome and David Stern in honour of their late mother Gerda Stern- Long Life.
 
L'Chaim sponsored by Larnce Gold in honour of the yortzheit for his grandfather, David Goldbaum (David ben Baruch) on 22 Sivan/ 5 June- Long Life.
 
Mincha with Pirkei Ovos Chapter 2
followed by Seudah Shlishis ......................... 4:30pm
Gematria and Story by Rev Amzalak............... 4:55pm
Shiur with Rabbi Moss................................ .. 5:15pm
Shabbos ends............................................ ... 5:34pm
Followed by Havdalah
 
WEEKDAY SERVICES
Sunday .......................................................... 8:00am
Mon- Fri......................................................... 7:00am
Latest Shema this week................................. 9:20am
 
MAZAL TOV
Jared & Lauren Kaplan on the birth of a boy, Zev (Rafael Wolf)!
 
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Janine Diamond................... 20 Sivan/ Sunday 3 June
Michelle Streimer.............. 21 Sivan/ Monday 4 June
 
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY
Nick & Carmelle Hedges ... 19 Sivan/ Saturday 2 June
 
LONG LIFE
Eric Melman for his late mother Nellie Melman
Necha bat Benzion............ 19 Sivan/ Saturday 2 June
Larnce Gold for his late grandfather David Goldbaum
David ben Baruch .............. 22 Sivan/ Tuesday 5 June
Robyn Tsipris for her late mother Anne Brandon
Channah bat Bension.... 23 Sivan/ Wednesday 6 June
Jonathan Shapira for his late father Miron Shapira
Meir ben Yosef.................. 24 Sivan/ Thursday 7 June
Anne Sarzin for her late mother Bertha (Betty)Elizabeth Levy, Elisheva bat Avraham                      25 Sivan/ Friday 8 June
Jackie Regos for her late father Paul Vertes Henanya Meyer ben Shmuel Yehuda      25 Sivan/ Friday 8 June
Jerome Stern & David Stern for their late mother Gerda Stern Yehudith bat Mordechai             26 Sivan/ Sat 9 June

SPONSORING A KIDDUSH IS EASY!
 
FRIDAY NIGHT:  SOUP $75 | BASIC $120| DELUXE $200
 
SHABBOS DAY: STANDARD $350 | LUNCH FROM $450
 
DATES AVAILABLE :  Fri Night 8th, Shabbos Day 9th and Fri Night 15th June.
 
EMAIL US: office@nefesh.com.au
Nefesh Shul, PO Box 7349, 0416 822 832, Bondi Beach, NSW 2026 Australia
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Thursday, May 24, 2018

Why Can't a Convert Marry a Cohen?

Question of the Week:

I am a convert to Judaism and I'm very proud of it. I have always felt totally welcomed by the community and in no way an outsider. But I am deeply bothered by the law that says a convert is not allowed to marry a cohen. If I am a fully fledged Jew like any other, why am I not good enough to marry into the priestly tribe?

Answer:
 
A convert can marry a king. A convert can marry a prophet. A convert can even marry a rabbi, the highest echelon of Jewish society (if you ask me). So it makes no sense to say that a convert can't marry a cohen because they are second class citizens. There must be some other reason. 
 
When the Torah forbids a marriage, it is never because one party is not good enough for the other. It is because both parties are not matched to each other. They are simply not soulmates. In the case of the cohen and the convert, their soul dynamics clash, their spiritual energies contradict, and so they can't marry.
 
The holiness of a cohen is hereditary. If your father is a cohen, then you are a cohen. Priesthood is a birthright that is not achieved through a person's effort nor deserved through a person's righteousness. It is an honour that is bestowed at birth.

The holiness of a convert is the exact opposite. It is completely earned. The convert was not born Jewish. They chose it. They achieve Jewishness of their own initiative and with their own hard work. They are self-made souls.

So these two souls, the cohen and the convert, are moving in opposite ways. The cohen receives their power from above. The convert creates their own soul energy from below. The cohen has the ability to bring down blessings to others, just as their soul was given to them as a blessing. The convert has the power of innovation, of initiative, of creating holiness from the ground up. T
hey are going different directions. For this reason their souls are not a match.
  
Both the cohen and the convert have awesome holiness. It is a great privilege to be gifted with the soul of a cohen. And yet, the self-made soul of a convert has a depth of experience that inherited holiness cannot compete with. Neither are second class souls.  
The cohen is crowned with a legacy from past generations. A convert creates their own legacy for future generations. The Jewish people is richer for both of them. 
 
Good Shabbos,
Rabbi Moss
 
Sources:
Shaar Hagilgulim 34:3-4 (Souls of converts come upwards from Malchus)
Likkutei Torah Korach 55c (Souls of cohanim come downwards from Chesed) 
 
 
To subscribe CLICK HERE or email rabbimoss@nefesh.com.au   
HUGE THANK YOU TO OUR SHAVUOS SPONSORS
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What an amazing Yom Tov! The learning, the personal stories, and so much great food! Thank you to all who participated and to our generous sponsors: 

First and Second Day Kiddushim: The Tsipris Family, Jack & Leyat Reuben, David & Janet Kessler.

Tequila Sponsors: Ron & Libby Moss, Jack & Leyat Reuben, Mark Van De Vyver, David & Janet Kessler.

Cheesecake Sponsors: Leyat & Jack Reuben, Moshe David, Helene Solden, Dana Levy, David & Janet Kessler, Jeremy & Nikki Kinstlinger.
Mexican Dinner Sponsors: Michael Basserabie, Michael Singer, Vitali & Karen Broyda.

All Night Learning Sponsors: Jeremy & Nikki Kinstlinger, Richard Skimin, Josh Garber, Avi Rosencweig, Mark Van De Vyver.

Kids Ice Cream Party Sponsors: The Ezekiel Family, Mark Van De Vyver, David & Janet Kessler, Jeremy & Nikki Kinstlinger.

Kids Shavuos Program & Kids Kiddush Sponsors: Vitali & Karen Broyda.

Second Night Yom Tov Dinner: Jack & Leyat Reuben
 
The Concrete is Poured!
The Concrete is Poured!



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ALL SERVICES AT NEFESH POP-UP 

1 FRANCIS ST BONDI BEACH

(OFF CAMPBELL PDE, BEHIND NOAH'S BACKPACKERS)
 
SHABBOS TIMES & COMMUNITY INFO: Naso
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Friday, 25 May 2018 | 11 Sivan 5778
Candle Lighting............................................. 4:39pm
Mincha......................................................... 4:50pm
Class with Rabbi Moss.................................... 5:30pm
Shabbos Service.................................. 6:00-6:50pm 
Kids Program ............................................... 6:00pm
Hot Soup Kiddush sponsored in honour of the yortzheit of Shlomo ben Shalom Kantorovich on 11 Sivan- Long Life.
 
Shabbos Day, 26 May 2018 | 12 Sivan 5778
In depth parsha class .................................... 9:00am
Shabbos Service............................ 10:00am-12:20pm
Kids Program .............................................. 10:30am
Vegetarian cholent sponsored by Friends of Nefesh!
*let us know if you'd like your own Nefesh Tzedakah box.
 
Mincha with Pirkei Ovos Chapter 1
followed by Seudah Shlishis in honour of the birth and naming of Rob & Lana Goldshaft's baby girl- Mazal Tov! .............4:30pm
Gematria and Story by Rev Amzalak............. 5:20pm
Shabbos ends............................................ 5:36pm
Followed by Havdalah
 
WEEKDAY SERVICES
Sunday ..................................................... 8:00am
Mon- Fri..................................................... 7:00am
Latest Shema this week............................... 9:17am 

MAZAL TOV
Rob & Lana Goldshaft, Peter & Richelle Goldshaft, Les and Miriam Gerendas and families on the birth of their daughter and granddaughter. 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Batsheva Ezekiel......... 16 Sivan/ Wednesday 30 May
Aviya Musael................ 16 Sivan/ Wednesday 30 May
 
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY
Rabbi Chanoch and Sarah Chanah Sufrin....11 Sivan/Friday 25 May
Noach & Keshet Kessel....... 15 Sivan/ Tuesday 29 May
Moshe & Lucy Greengarten...17 Sivan/ Thursday 31 May
 
LONG LIFE
Danny Kidron for his late father Leslie Kidron
Zalman ben Zwi.................. 13 Sivan/ Sunday 27 May
Elias Reuben for his late father Solomon Reuben
Sholmo Reuven ben Eliyahu Saltoon ................. 14 Sivan/ Monday 28 May
Alex Bartos for his late father Chaim Ben Shmuel HaCohen  16 Sivan/ Wednesday 29 May
 
SPONSORING A KIDDUSH IS EASY!
 
FRIDAY NIGHT:  SOUP $75 | BASIC $120| DELUXE $200
 
SHABBOS DAY: STANDARD $350 | LUNCH FROM $450
 
DATES AVAILABLE :   Fri Night 1st, Fri Night 8th, Shabbos Day 9th and Fri Night 15th June.
Nefesh (pop-up) Shul, 1 Francis Street, 0416 822 832, Bondi Beach, NSW 2026 Australia
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Thursday, May 17, 2018

Why Do You Wear a Hat?


Question of the Week:

I understand the reason behind wearing a Kippah is to acknowledge the presence of G-d above you. My question is, why do chassidim also wear a hat on top of that? Isn't the Kippah enough?

Answer:

There's above, and then there's above. Indeed G-d is above us. But He's not just above us, He is above being above us. However wondrous we think G-d is, He is way beyond that. However much we think we have understood G-d, there is an infinity we haven't even come close too.

But that doesn't mean we shouldn't try. As beyond as G-d may be, He wants us to attempt to grasp Him as far as is humanly possible. This is why He gave us the Torah, His infinite wisdom expressed in terms that we finite beings can relate to. Through studying Torah we engage our minds in an intimate relationship with the Divine, we get to know G-d, all the while knowing that our minds can only go so far.   
 
For the Jew, faith and reason do not clash. On the contrary they are two complimentary powers within the human character. Our mind explores the limits of the finite world, and our faith takes us beyond those limits to the world of the infinite. The logic in our brain analyses what's possible, and the faith in our soul opens us up to the realm of the impossible. And the Torah is the marriage of the two - infinity in a finite package.

This is perhaps why Jews have always been at the forefront of innovation, invention and the furthering of humankind. We encourage intellectual inquiry, but are not limited by the shackles of logic. When you are propelled by faith in that which we can't understand, the possibilities are endless.

This is also the symbolism of the dual headwear, the Kippah and the hat. The Kippah covers my head snugly, fitting to the shape of the skull. This represents the recognition that G-d is above us, but in a way that we can understand, appreciate and somewhat relate to. The hat, on the other hand, surrounds my head completely. It represents that light of G-d that is beyond our understanding, beyond our imagination, that I can't grasp with my mind, but I can touch with my soul.  
 
Use your brain to think, but don't let your mind be your limit. Hats off to that.

Good Shabbos and Good Yomtov,  
May we all receive the Torah with joy and internalise it, 
Rabbi Moss 
 
To subscribe CLICK HERE or email rabbimoss@nefesh.com.au   




HUGE THANK YOU TO OUR SHAVUOS SPONSORS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Tsipris Family, Libby & Ron Moss, Leyat & Jack Reuben, Moshe David, Helene and Gerard Solden, Dana Levy, Michael Basserabie, Michael Singer, The Ezekiel Family, Vitali & Karen Broyda, Mark Van De Vyver, Richard Skimin, Josh Garber, Avi Rosencweig, David & Janet Kessler, Jeremy & Nikki Kinstlinger, Stephen Brookes, Liz and Ezri Lerba. 

Good afternoon and welcome to another instalment of the weekly buildup.
This week we have concentrated on digging more holes and contending with more ground water. These are the footings that will be holding the weight of the building as the loads travel through beams and columns into the earth. A very crucial part of any building site. Speak again next week and hope to meet with all of you soon again in person.  
Shabbat Shalom, Brent 


 



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ALL SERVICES AT NEFESH POP-UP 

1 FRANCIS ST BONDI BEACH

(OFF CAMPBELL PDE, BEHIND NOAH'S BACKPACKERS)
 
SHABBOS TIMES & COMMUNITY INFO: BAMIDBAR
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Friday, 18 May 2018 | 4 Sivan 5778
Candle Lighting............................................. 4:43pm
Mincha.......................................................... 4:50pm
Shabbos Service............................................. 6:00pm
Kids Program ................................................ 6:00pm
Followed by Kiddush.
 
Shabbos Day, 19 May 2018 | 5 Sivan 5778
In depth parsha class .................................... 9:00am
Shabbos Service............................ 10:00am-12:20pm
Kids Program .............................................. 10:30am
Followed by Early Mincha and Kiddush....... 12:18pm
 
SHAVUOS TIMES
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Saturday 19 May | 5 Sivan
Candle Lighting ........ (Light after)................ 5:40pm
Shavuos Evening Service............................... 6:00pm
 
All Night Learning........................... 9:30pm- 5:00am
 
Sunday 20 May | 6 Sivan
Shavuos, Day 1
Morning Service......................................... 10:00am
 
Kids Program and Ice Cream Party ............. 10:30am
EVERY MAN WOMAN AND CHILD SHOULD HEAR THE 10 COMMANDMENTS.....................................11:00am
Followed by Dairy Kiddush sponsored by the Tsipris family in honour of Sabrina's birthday- Mazal Tov!
Early Mincha after Kiddush
 
Candle Lighting.................................... .after 5:39pm
 
Shavuos Evening Service at 128 Wellington St with Kiddush sponsored by Jack and Leyat Reuben in honour of the completion of kaddish for Nissim Chai ben Yaakov a"h....................5:40pm  
 
Monday 21 May | 7 Sivan
Shavuos, Day 2
Morning Service.......................................... 10:00am
Yizkor-Memorial Service.............................. 11:30am
Followed by Dairy Kiddush sponsored by Jack and Leyat Reuben in honour of the completion of kaddish for Nissim Chai ben Yaakov a"h
 
Mincha........................................................ 4:40 pm
Shavuos ends & Maariv................................. 5:39 pm
 
WEEKDAY SERVICES
Tues- Fri............................................ 7:00am
Latest Shema this week....................... 9:17am
 
MAZEL TOV
Rob and Lana Goldshaft on the birth of a baby girl!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Lilah Hedges.....................5 Sivan/Saturday 19 May
Wayne Kaplan.................. 6 Sivan/ Sunday 20 May
Nicholas Maksimovich....... 9 Sivan/ Wed 23 May
Alison Brown.................. 10 Sivan/ Thursday 24 May
 
LONG LIFE
Gabor Palanszky for his late sister-in-law Georgina Palansky,
Georgina Bat David...... 5 Sivan/ Saturday 19 May
Judi Berman and Martine Springer for their late grandfather Hyman (Ray) Segal
Chaim ben Leib........... 6 Sivan/ Sunday 20 May
Richelle Goldshaft and Rob Goldshaft for their late father and grandfather Leon Israel Rosenthal Leib Yisrael ben Shmuel..... 7 Sivan/ Monday 21 May
Mark Gindin & Faina Strier for their late father Ilya Gindin
Eliyahu ben Mordechai........ 7 Sivan/ Monday 21 May
Rosalie Cohen, Lee-Anne Whitten and Gilda Cohen-Shapira for their late husband, father and brother Edward Cohen, Tuvia ben Moshe ... 8 Sivan/ Tuesday 22 May
Nicholas Levy for his late grandmother, Ruby Levy, 
Rifka ben Daniel....8 Sivan/ Tuesday 22 May
Allen Rosenberg for his late wife Anita Louise Rosenberg,
Channah bat Laizer.......... 9 Sivan/ Wednesday 23 May
Abie Greengarten for his late mother Musia Greengarten,
Chana Miriam bas Shlomo Halevi.... 10 Sivan/ Thursday 24 May
Tina Moddel for her late mother Grace Tovah Bat Michael... 10 Sivan/ Thursday 24 May
Nefesh Shul, 54 Roscoe Street, 0416 822 832, Bondi Beach, NSW 2026 Australia
Sent by rabbimoss@nefesh.com.au in collaboration with
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