Do Your Candles Help the World?

Menorah Lighting 7pm TONIGHT

COMMUNAL MENORAH LIGHTING 7PM TONIGHT SHUL SERVICE AT 7:15PM FOLLOWED BY DONUT & LATKA KIDDUSH 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, the act of 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 create a warmth and a light that impact us. If one person becomes more spiritually sensitive, if one family is brought closer, it changes them and our world forever.    Most of us don't understand why striking a match makes a fire. But we all know it works. Mitzvahs work too. The most memorable educational moments are made around Jewish rituals. Your kids may not remember all the lectures you give them. But they will remember the candles you lit with them.  Gather your family together, and on each night of Chanukah as you light the candles explain to them the power they have in their very hands. Good Shabbos and Happy Chanukah! Rabbi Moss To subscribe, CLICK HERE or email rabbimoss@nefesh.com.au CHANUKAH INFO HERE GO TO www.bina.com.au FOR FULL PROGRAM Would you like to sponsor a Kiddush?  We currently have some dates available to sponsor.  FRIDAY NIGHT 3 January: $120 Basic Kiddush      $200 Deluxe Kiddush     SHABBOS DAY 4 January:  $350 Standard Kiddush    Email office@nefesh.com.au with any questions SHABBOS SERVICES & COMMUNITY INFORMATION: MIKEITZ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Friday, 27 December 2019| 29 Kislev 5780 Light Menorah then Shabbos Candles after 6:42pm and before 7:50pm Communal Menorah Lighting at Nefesh ... 7:00pm Shabbos Service ...................................7:15-8:00pm Followed by Festive Kiddush of Donuts & Latkas!   Shabbos Day, 27 December | 30 Kislev 5780 Morning Meditation.................................... 9:00am Shabbos Service......................... 10:00am-12:20pm STORY TIME for children ages 3-10 with Rabbi Sufrin.....11:45am Kiddush sponsored by Noach and Keshet Kessel in honour of Chanukah!   Shabbos Shiur at Wellington St with Nechama Dina Moss   5:00pm   Parsha Shiur with Rabbi Sufrin................... 6:45pm Mincha followed by Seudah Shlishis ............7:45pm Gematria and Story with Rev Amzalak......... 8:20pm Shiur with Rabbi Moss............................... 8:35pm Shabbos ends.......................................... 8:52pm Light 7th candle on Menorah Followed by Havdalah   WEEKDAY SERVICES Sunday & Wed (Pub.Hol)............................ 8:00am Mon, Tues, Thurs & Fri................................ 7:00am Latest Shema this week.............................. 9:17am Rosh Chodesh.............. Saturday-Sunday 28-29 Dec   MAZEL TOV Paul & Yehudit Khodor on the birth of a baby boy! HAPPY BIRTHDAY Aviv Farhy.............. 2 Tevet/ Monday 30 December Amber Lessem...... 3 Tevet/ Tuesday 31 December Vera Feuermann....... 5 Tevet / Thursday 2 January   HAPPY ANNIVERSARY Jack & Leyat Reuben... 2 Tevet/ Mon 30 December Lina & Richie Barel..... 3 Tevet/ Tues 31 December LONG LIFE Ruth Jacobs for her late mother Karoline Sukiennik Kreindel bat Yaacov... 2 Tevet/ Monday 30 December Gavin Krawchuk for his late grandfather David Sandler David ben Mordechai... 3 Tevet/ Tuesday 31 December Elana Castle for her late grandfather Edmond Castle Irmiyahu ben Shlomo ... 4 Tevet/ Wednesday 1 January Linda Isdale for her late mother Joyce Vilensky Simcha bat Aharon... 4 Tevet / Wednesday 1 January   If you would like Nefesh to include your Birthday, Anniversary or Yortzheit in our newsletter and send you an email reminder, just fill in this quick ONLINE FORM.

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