Zooming My Father's Funeral?

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Question of the Week:    My father just passed away in London. I couldn’t fly to be there with him in his last days. I won’t be able to be there for his funeral. My family won’t be able to sit shiva together, as they are all over the world and borders closed. To be honest, I am at peace with his passing. He lived a long and good life. But how can I come to terms with not being there for him at the end?  Answer: It must be so hard to miss your father’s final days. And watching a funeral on Zoom can’t be the same. But perhaps there is some comfort you can find in this difficult time.  During this pandemic we have been forced to connect virtually. We have learnt that tuning in to a live event can really make you feel a part of it. It takes some focus and a bit of imagination, and of course it isn’t the same as face to face contact, but on some level you really are there. This has profound ramifications. It’s not just a technological step forward, it’s a step forward in our consciousness. We have become less bound by the limits of physicality. We can be on two different sides of the world and yet share an intimate moment almost as if we were side by side.  We have the ability to transcend spatial distance because we have a soul, and the soul is not limited to space. Only the body is stuck to one place. The soul can be anywhere any time. On a soul level, connection is not virtual, it is real.  Your father has moved to a higher world, beyond the one that we inhabit. But we have the technology to connect to that world from ours. When you say Kaddish in his memory, when you give charity in his honour, when you remind your children of his ways and continue the Yiddishkeit he instilled in you, you are connecting to him at those moments. You are zooming in on his soul.  He is not physically here anymore. And that is painful. But his soul is as alive as ever. You can still share space with him. When you connect more to your soul, when you enter a more spiritual state, you will feel his presence, as he feels yours.  Perhaps this is a deeper meaning of the blessing we give to mourners, Hamakom Yenachem Etchem - G-d should bring comfort to you. The name we use for G-d is unusual: Hamakom, which literally means “The Place.”  G-d is the place in which everything exists. He is the all inclusive space within which creation resides. And that is the comfort. No matter where we are - Sydney or London, on earth or in heaven - we all share the exact same space, Hamakom, G-d’s embrace.  You were always there for your father. You are there for him now. And he is there for you. Good Shabbos, Rabbi Moss To subscribe CLICK HERE or email rabbimoss@nefesh.com.au THIS WEEK'S PODCASTS THIS WEEK'S VIDEOS live every Tuesday 8pm www.facebook.com/rabbimoss/live SHABBOS SONGS AUDIO ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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. ENJOY!  SHABBOS SERVICES & COMMUNITY INFORMATION: SHLACH ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 Friday Night Service tonight and minyan with Torah reading tomorrow. To register CLICK HERE Friday 19 June - 27 Sivan Light Candles............ 4:35pm Before 4:53pm:........ Mincha p101 After 5:21pm........... Shabbos evening service p154 Kiddush................... p179   Saturday 20 June – 28 Sivan   Morning Service for Shabbos: p5-25, p181-219, Torah reading Shlach, Bless the New Moon p231*, Mussaf p234, Kiddush p248.     Virtual Lechaim 1:30pm - raise a glass and have us all in mind!   Before 4:53pm ...................... Mincha p253 Pirkei Avos ........................... Chapter 3 p291 After 5:21pm ........................ Maariv p161 Shabbos Ends........................ 5:35pm Havdala p297 Latest Shema this week........... 9:25am *New Moon/Molad.... Sunday 21 June 12:26:14am Rosh Chodesh Tammuz........ Mon 22-Tues 23 June   CONDOLENCES Errol Goott on the passing of his father Selwyn Goott in South Africa. Long Life to the entire Goott family. BIRTHDAY Amber Radus.............. 28 Sivan/ Saturday 20 June Gemma Lessem.......... 30 Sivan/ Monday 22 June Ayla Goldshaft............. 2 Tammuz/ Wednesday 24 June Alan Hedges................ 3 Tammuz/ Thursday 25 June ANNIVERSARIES Evelyn & David Tobin... 3 Tammuz/ Thursday 25 June Ralph & Jackie Zeltzer.. 4 Tammuz/ Friday 26 June YORTZHEITS Adam Pisk for his late grandfather Alan Kaufman Milston Avraham ben Yaacov... 28 Sivan/ Sat 20 June Eric Borecki for his late father Osher Borecki Asher ben Yoseph... 29 Sivan/ Sunday 21 June Jodi Lowe for her late grandmother Violet Irene Collins              Tsipora bat Moshe 2 Tammuz... Wednesday 24 June Stephen Etkind and Di Moritz for their late father David Julius Etkind...2 Tammuz/ Wednesday 24 June 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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Do You Remember Your Past Lives?

Sinai Down Under This Thursday!

Question of the Week:    If it is true that we are all reincarnated souls and have been here before, why don't we remember our previous lives? Wouldn't it be helpful to know what you were in a past life so you know what to fix in this one?   Answer: Personally, I find it hard enough to remember where I put my car keys five minutes ago, let alone what I did in a previous life. But there have been very holy individuals who were aware of their past lives. One example is Rabbi Moshe Teitelbaum of Ujhely, who said he remembers his past three lives. Previous to his current life as a Rabbi in 18th century Hungary, he said he lived in the times of the first Temple in Jerusalem in 587 BCE. He was the prophet Jeremiah, who foresaw the destruction of the Temple. For that reason Rabbi Moshe was famous for his constant yearning for the redemption and rebuilding of the third Temple.  He also recalled an even earlier incarnation, when he was a witness to the debate between Moses and Korach, which took place during the Israelite sojourn in the desert, some three thousand years ago. But Rabbi Teitelbaum remembered further back, all the way to the time of the patriarchs. He said that when our forefather Jacob tended the sheep of his father-in-law Lavan, his flock numbered 600 000 sheep. They contained the souls of the future nation of Israel. Your soul and mine were there. We just don't remember. But Rabbi Moshe did. "I remember being a sheep in Jacob's flock," Rabbi Moshe told his students. "I even remember the song Jacob would sing to gather us together." And he would sing this most beautiful and haunting song, the song Jacob our forefather sang to our souls hidden in the sheep. The song is still known to this very day. Rabbi Moshe is an exception. Most of us have no conscious memory of our previous lives. But somewhere deep down, we do remember. We have a sense of what our mission is and what we need to fix. Our mission is usually found in the very area of life that we find the most challenging. Our soul knows that this is what we have to face. That's why it's so daunting.  There are certain people in our lives who push our buttons. There are particular weaknesses in our character that we loath to face. And there are mitzvahs that we know we have to do but are scared to do them. These are the faint memories of our past lives. These are what we need to fix in this life.  And if you're not sure that you believe in all this, listen to Jacob's song. Its heavenly melody just might arouse some hidden memory in the recesses of your soul. Tell me you're not moved by it. We may not remember exactly who we were before, but one thing we know. We are all Jacob's sheep. We each have a soul that matters, we each have a mission to accomplish, and we each have a song to sing.    Good Shabbos, Rabbi Moss To subscribe CLICK HERE or email rabbimoss@nefesh.com.au  This newsletter proudly sponsored by:   Clothing and accessories for mothers, babies and toddlers.  Free shipping in USA  www.mamalejoy.com  THIS WEEK'S PODCASTS THIS WEEK'S VIDEOS Are the riots our business? DILEMMA: Do I Have to Pay for a Shop's Mistakes? SHABBOS SONGS AUDIO ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 BEHAALOSCHA ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 Friday Night Service tonight and minyan with Torah reading tomorrow. To register CLICK HERE Friday 12 June - 20 Sivan Light Candles.............. 4:35pm Before 4:53pm:........... Mincha p101 After 5:21pm............... Shabbos evening service p154 Kiddush....................... p179 Saturday 13 June - 21 Sivan Morning Service for Shabbos: p5-25, p181-219, Torah reading Behaaloscha, Mussaf p234, Kiddush p248.   Virtual Lechaim 1:30pm - raise a glass and have us all in mind!   This week's Virtual Lechaim sponsored by Michael & Karen Martin in honour of Harper's Birthday- Mazal Tov!   Before 4:53pm ................. Mincha p253 Pirkei Avos ...................... Chapter 2 p273 After 5:21pm ................... Maariv p161 Shabbos Ends................... 5:34pm Havdala p297 Latest Shema this week...... 9:24am   MAZAL TOV Gilda Cohen-Shapira and Jon Shapira on the birth of a grandson in London! Mazal Tov to parents Natalia and Robert and sister Maya.   BIRTHDAYS Harper Martin............. 21 Sivan/ Saturday 13 June Michelle Streimer........ 21 Sivan/ Saturday 13 June Justin Rosenberg........ 26 Sivan/ Thursday 18 June Sarah Weisz.............. 27 Sivan/ Friday 19 June   ANNIVERSARIES John & Linda Isdale.............. 27 Sivan/ Friday 19 June Wendy & Barry Steinberg...... 27 Sivan/ Friday 19 June Claudia & Murray Foltyn........ 27 Sivan/ Friday 19 June Ben & Melissa Schwarz......... 27 Sivan/ Friday 19 June   YORTZHEITS Tania Hasanoff for her late aunt Thelia Hasanoff,  Tzela...21 Sivan/ Saturday 13 June Larnce Gold for his late grandfather David Goldbaum,  David ben Baruch...22 Sivan/ Sunday 14 June Robyn Tsipris for her late mother Anne Brandon,  Channah bat Bension...23 Sivan/ Monday 15 June Jonathan Shapira for his late father Miron Shapira Meir ben Yosef...24 Sivan/ Tuesday 16 June Anne Sarzin for her late mother Bertha Elizabeth Levy, (aka Betty) Elisheva bat Avraham...25 Sivan/ Wednesday 17 June Jackie Regos for her late father Paul Vertes, Henanya Meyer ben Shmuel Yehuda...25 Sivan/ Wednesday 17 June Jerome Stern & David Stern for their late mother Gerda Stern, Yehudith bat Mordechai...26 Sivan/ Thursday 18 June   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.

Nefesh Shul, PO Box 7349, 0416 822 832, Bondi Beach, NSW 2026 Australia SafeUnsubscribe™ shmuly77d@gmail.com Forward email | Update Profile | About our service provider Sent by rabbimoss@nefesh.com.au in collaboration with Try email marketing for free today!

Don't Go Back to Shul. Ever.

Sinai Down Under This Thursday!

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 To subscribe CLICK HERE or email rabbimoss@nefesh.com.au  This newsletter proudly sponsored by:   Clothing and accessories for mothers, babies and toddlers.  Free shipping in USA  www.mamalejoy.com  Can a successful bidder at a charity auction on-sell and profit off the charity? SHABBOS SONGS AUDIO ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 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.

Nefesh Shul, PO Box 7349, 0416 822 832, Bondi Beach, NSW 2026 Australia SafeUnsubscribe™ shmuly77d@gmail.com Forward email | Update Profile | About our service provider Sent by rabbimoss@nefesh.com.au in collaboration with Try email marketing for free today!