Rabbi Moss: Don't Go Back to Shul. Ever.

Question of the Week:


	Back to Normal: Do We Really Want to Go There?

I need to be honest. I am not excited about going back to life after this coronavirus thing. I've enjoyed working at home at a slower pace, my family is getting on better than ever, I don't mind shopping online. And I hope you don't get offended by this, but I'm not sure I want to come back to shul. I have learned to enjoy praying at home. I actually concentrate more on the prayers and have more focus than I ever did in shul. So what should I really be doing: staying home and praying better or coming back to shul?

Answer:

My suggestion: don't go back to shul. Ever. That's just not what Jews do.

I'll prove it to you from an unlikely source.

I'm sure you know that Israel's national airline is called El Al. Do you know what the name El Al actually means? It means Onwards and Upwards. Cute name for an airline, isn't it?

But just stop and think about it for a minute. The names of every other airline are pretty matter of fact - British Airways, American Airlines, Egypt Air. But not the Jewish one. In typical Jewish style, our airline doesn't just have a simple name stating what it is, it has a name that requires philosophical analysis.

Onwards and Upwards could be the motto of Jewish faith. We never go back, and we never go down. Every life experience is a step forward, every hurdle in our path is an invitation to jump higher. There are no detours, it's all a part of the ride. There are no set-backs, only set-forwards. We don't live in the past, trying to regain some glorious moment that was. We march on into the future, trying to make a better moment that will be. Onwards and Upwards.

After the experiences of the last few months, we have been forced to rethink our view of the world and ourselves. We have adopted novel means to connect with family, friends and even G-d. We should never go back. We should go forward, and apply these new skills to a non-crisis reality.

You've learnt to work more efficiently. So don't go back to work as it was, only better. Your family has learnt to appreciate each other more, you should never go back to the family you used to be, you are closer now. And you've learnt to pray better. So please, don't just go back to shul. Go to shul like you never went before. Take your newfound connections and bring them forward, never backward.

El Al, onwards and upwards. Welcome aboard.

Good Shabbos,
Rabbi Moss

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SHABBOS SONGS AUDIO

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To help you recreate the holy energy of shul in your home, here are recordings of the Friday night tunes we sing at Nefesh, created by the super-talented Zalmy Okunov. Download and listen to them during the week, so when it comes to Shabbos, you can be the chazan! Note: they are not to be played on Shabbos itself - nothing can replace your own voice on Shabbos.

CLICK HERE OR ON THE IMAGE BELOW. ENJOY!

SHABBOS SERVICES & COMMUNITY INFORMATION: SHABBOS NASO

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The Nefesh community looks forward to getting back together! In the meantime, make your Shabbos special by doing your own little service at home. Here are some instructions. Page numbers are from the blue Chabad Siddur. Don't have one? You can download it here and print it.

We will run a minimal minyan with Torah reading this Shabbos day. To register CLICK HERE

Friday 5 June - 13 Sivan

Light Candles............ 4:35pm

Before 4:53pm:........ Mincha p101

After 5:21pm............ Shabbos evening service p154

Kiddush.....................p179

Saturday 6 June - 14 Sivan

Morning Service for Shabbos:

p5-25, p181-219, Torah reading Naso, Mussaf p234, Kiddush p248.

Virtual Lechaim 1:30pm - raise a glass and have us all in mind!

This week's Virtual Lechaim sponsored by Jenny Kantorovich in honour of the yorzheit of her late grandfather, Semion Kantorovich (Shlomo ben Shalom) on 11 Sivan/ Wednesday 3 June - Long Life.

Before 4:53pm .................. Mincha p253

Pirkei Avos ........................ Chapter 1 p271

After 5:21pm ..................... Maariv p161

Shabbos Ends..................... 5:34pm

Havdala p297

Latest Shema this week....... 9:21am

BIRTHDAYS

Batsheva Ezekiel......... 16 Sivan/ Monday 8 June

Aviya Musael............... 16 Sivan/ Monday 8 June

Theresa Bengis............ 18 Sivan/ Wednesday 10 June

Janine Diamond........... 20 Sivan/ Friday 12 June

ANNIVERSARIES

Noach & Keshet Kessel.............15 Sivan/Sunday 7 June

Moshe & Lucy Greengarten...... 17 Sivan/ Tuesday 9 June

Adam & Loren Blumgart.......... 17 Sivan/ Tuesday 9 June

Nick & Carmelle Hedges...........19 Sivan/ Thursday 11 June

YORTZHEITS

Elias Reuben for his late father Solomon Reuben,

Sholmo Reuven ben Eliyahu Saltoon...14 Sivan/ Saturday 6 June

Judi Berman and Martine Springer for their late father

Ralph Schuftan...14 Sivan/ Saturday 6 June

Alex Bartos for his late father

Chaim Ben Shmuel HaCohen...16 Sivan/ Monday 8 June

Vitali Broyda for his late grandfather

Pinchus ben Lipa...18 Sivan Wednesday 10 June

Eric Melman for his late mother Nellie Melman

Necha bat Benzion...19 Sivan Thursday 11 June

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