Skeptics at the Seder?

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SELL YOUR CHAMETZ NOW click here and fill out an easy online form BOOK FOR SEDER, SEE PESACH TIMES, HELP THE NEEDY all at www.nefesh.org.au/pesach   Question of the Week: Who Really Wrote the Haggadah? With Pesach coming up, here's something I always wanted to know. Why do we place a chicken neck on the Seder Plate, and then leave it there and not eat it. I always look at the empty Seder plate with this lonely chicken neck left behind, and wonder, why is it there?  Answer: One of the most amazing characters in the story of the Exodus is Pharaoh. He witnessed with his own eyes the downfall of his country, he experienced first hand the miracles of the Ten Plagues one after the other, he saw how every prediction Moses made came true, and yet he stubbornly refused to let the Israelites go. Only when every firstborn Egyptian died in the final plague did he relent and let them go.  It is true that G-d hardened his heart, so he wouldn't be moved by the miracles happening in front of him. But that is because G-d helps people go whatever way they want to go. Pharaoh hardened his own heart, so G-d ensured that he would not get off lightly and kept him on the stubborn path that he himself chose.  Stubbornness is sometimes called having a stiff neck. The neck connects our head to our body, representing the passageway that translates what we see with our eyes and know with our mind into what we feel with our heart and do with our body. A stiff-necked person is unmoved by what they know to be true. They have blocked neck, and the message just doesn't reach their heart. This was Pharaoh's problem.  Indeed, the Hebrew word for neck is הערף Haoreph. When you rearrange those Hebrew letters it spells Pharaoh פרעה. So the chicken neck that sits on the Seder Plate and doesn't budge is a little reminder of Pharaoh and his stubbornness. After all the miracles and all the wonders, he is still there, same as ever, unchanged and unmoved.    When we sit at the Seder, we have a choice. We can be like Pharaoh, skeptical, cynical and unimpressed. Or we can take our honoured place at the table of Jewish history, and marvel at the miracle that here we are, over three millennia after Pharaoh's demise, still eating our Matzah and celebrating being Jewish.  Chicken necks get left behind. Don't be one of those. Good Shabbos,  Rabbi Moss  Sources: See Chukei Chaim Siman 473, Likkutei Torah Arizal Vayeshev To subscribe CLICK HERE or email rabbimoss@nefesh.com.au      Well well well! What a productive week it's been! All the formwork has been stripped from the ground floor level, and work is progressing at a pace that would make the horses at Randwick Racecourse envious. A really really big thank you to our block layers who have been super-efficient and productive this week.  Shabbat Shalom Brent ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ALL SERVICES AT NEFESH    1 FRANCIS ST BONDI BEACH   (OFF CAMPBELL PDE, BEHIND NOAH'S BACKPACKERS)   Sponsor a Kiddush  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ FRIDAY NIGHT  3 or 10 May: $120 Basic Kiddush      $200 Deluxe Kiddush    SHABBOS DAY 4 or 11 May:  $350 Standard Kiddush  Email office@nefesh.com.au with any questions SHABBOS TIMES & COMMUNITY INFO: Tazria ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Friday, 5 April 2019 |29 Adar II 5779 Candle Lighting............ 6:28pm (Not before 5:37pm) Mincha........................ 6:15pm Shabbos Service........... 6:30-7:20pm Kids Program .............. 6:30pm Followed by Kiddush   Shabbos Day, 6 April 2019 |1 Nissan 5779 In depth parsha class ..................... 9:00am Shabbos Service............................ 10:00am-12:20pm Kids Program ............................... 10:30am Kiddush sponsored by Natalie and Yitzchak Schapira in honour of Shlomo Zalman's first birthday - Mazel Tov!   Mincha followed by Seudah Shlishis ............6:20pm Gematria and Story by Rev Amzalak........... 6:50pm Shabbos ends.......................................... 7:22pm Followed by Havdalah   WEEKDAY SERVICES Mon - Friday....................... 7:00am Sunday.............................. 8:00am Latest Shema this week...... 10:01am   MAZAL TOV Andrew Binstock and Keren Small on their wedding call up! Yisroel Moss on his Bar Mitzvah this weekend, and to his parents Rabbi Aron & Nechama Dina Moss, grandparents and extended family.   HAPPY JEWISH BIRTHDAY Michael Barel............. 1 Nissan/ Saturday 6 April Yisroel Moss............... 2 Nissan/ Sunday 7 April Robert Goldshaft......... 4 Nissan/ Tuesday 9 April Lior Segre.................. 5 Nissan/ Wednesday 10 April Natalie Cromer............ 7 Nissan/ Friday 12 April   HAPPY ANNIVERSARY Ben & Laurel Weinberg...... 2 Nissan/ Sunday 7 April Cliff & Jessica Baskin..........2 Nissan/ Sunday 7 April Vicky & Adam Hendler....... 6 Nissan/ Thursday 11 April   LONG LIFE Toni Kleiner , Ann Saltoon & Jacki Saltoon for their late mother and grandmother Edna Isaacs Esther bat Menachem Mendel... 1 Nissan/ Saturday 6 April Victoria Hoch for her late father Ruben Jorge Rachitzky Reuven Yaacov Ben Avraham............. 4 Nissan/ Tuesday 9 April Robyn Weinberg for her late father Hyman Bando Chaim Be'er Ben David....... 6 Nissan/ Thursday 11 April Jaqueline Eliovson for her late mother Bessie Behrman Basha Bat Yaacov................7 Nissan / Friday 12 April 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 Personal Trainers Make Your Life Miserable?

Communal Seder Bookings open

Question of the Week: Inspired to Clean for Pesach? I understand (somewhat at least) why Hashem sends people difficulties in life. Life is not meant to be easy. What I'm having a problem with is why He will make it difficult for us when performing a mitzva.  For example, the car breaks down just when you're doing someone a favour, or the oven stops working on Friday when you need to cook for Shabbos, or your boss schedules an important meeting that you must attend, but you can't because of all days it just happens to be on Yomtov.  I've heard answers like Hashem wants you to pray harder, or the harder the mitzva the greater the reward, but these just seem like cop out answers.  The Talmud says Hashem helps people do what they choose to do, whether it be bad or good. If that's the case, why does He put stumbling blocks before people who set out to do good? Answer: Imagine you're in the middle of a heavy work out at the gym. Pretty exhausted, you turn to your personal trainer and say, "You have asked me to lift these dumbbells. I am more than happy to do it. But why do you keep on adding weight to them? You're just making my job harder." The trainer responds, "Yeah, that's the point. Every time you sweat, you burn calories. The heavier the load, the more you burn. I don't just want dumbbells to be lifted, I want you to work for it! The stronger you get, the more resistance you need to make you sweat." It is similar with G-d's commandments. If He just wanted these things to get done, then it would be ridiculous for Him to make it difficult for us. You don't give someone a job and then put obstacles in their way. You don't ask someone to lift something, and then make it heavier.  But our mission is not just to get the mitzvos done, it is to battle evil and change the world for good through doing mitzvos. Every good deed we do brings a ray of divine light into the world. Anything that gets in way of us doing a good deed is a layer of darkness trying to block that light. When we overcome that obstacle, the powers of light have vanquished a little corner of darkness in the universe. And every victory over darkness, no matter how small, is a step closer to the ultimate goal, creating a world of goodness and light.  If you are facing a lot of resistance to doing a mitzvah, that is a sign that you are doing a great job. The more hurdles you jump, the more darkness you banish and the more goodness you achieve. As you win more battles and your light gets stronger, you are sent new obstacles, because you now have the spiritual stamina to overcome them. So expect the obstacles, even welcome them. This is what you are here for, to burn away the darkness and bring more light. So next time your car breaks down and you have to get out and run to do a mitzvah, remember, G-d loves that. Your personal trainer might like it too.   Good Shabbos,  Rabbi Moss  Sources: Zohar Terumah 128 Tanya Chapter 27 To subscribe CLICK HERE or email rabbimoss@nefesh.com.au      This week a miracle happened. The recent storms caused a flood in the basement of the building. We expected to have lost many tools to water damage, but upon inspection we found that our tools were 1cm above the water level. Some of our tool boxes were even floating on top of the water. Thank G-d we lost nothing to the damage! Shabbat Shalom Brent ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ALL SERVICES AT NEFESH    1 FRANCIS ST BONDI BEACH   (OFF CAMPBELL PDE, BEHIND NOAH'S BACKPACKERS)   Sponsor a Kiddush  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ FRIDAY NIGHT  5 April or 3 May: $120 Basic Kiddush      $200 Deluxe Kiddush    SHABBOS DAY 6 April or 4 May:  $350 Standard Kiddush  Email office@nefesh.com.au with any questions SHABBOS TIMES & COMMUNITY INFO: Shemini ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Friday, 29 March 2019 |22 Adar II 5779 Candle Lighting............ 6:37pm (Not before 5:44pm) Mincha.........................6:15pm Shabbos Service........... 6:30-7:20pm Kids Program .............. 6:30pm Kiddush sponsored by Lani Elder in honour of her late husband Bertrand Elder.   Shabbos Day, 30 March 2019 |23 Adar II 5779 In depth parsha class ...................... 9:00am Shabbos Service............................ 10:00am-12:20pm Kids Program ................................ 10:30am Kiddush sponsored by Rita Super in honour of her late mother, Ida Flora Bat Aziza Benjamin.   Mincha followed by Seudah Shlishis ......6:30pm Gematria and Story by Rev Amzalak..... 7:00pm Shiur with Rabbi Moss......................... 7:15pm Shabbos ends.................................... 7:31pm Followed by Havdalah   WEEKDAY SERVICES Mon - Friday....................................... 7:00am Sunday.............................................. 8:00am Latest Shema this week...................... 10:00am New Moon/ Molad.............. Friday 5 April 1:25:17am Rosh Chodesh Nissan......... Shabbos 6 April   THANK YOU TO OUR PURIM SPONSORS! L'Chaim sponsors: Anonymous, Malka Kurta.  Care Package Sponsors: Anonymous, Malka Kurta, Robyn & Irving Weinberg, Lana & Rob Goldshaft, Richard Skimin, Harry Fester, Josh & Shiran Garber, Mandy & Gavin Shnier, Nicola & Justin Rosenberg, Kevin Levine, Dani & Paul Milner, Helene & Gerard Solden, Karen & Michael Martin, Ron & Libby Moss, Stephen Brookes & Robyn Greenstein. General Purim Sponsors: Anonymous, Karin Puels, Michael Basserabie, Harry Fester, Robyn & Irving Weinberg, Henich & Esther Hirschowitz, Ron & Libby Moss, Shlomo Bension, Joshua Susskind, Harriet Ziff, Karen & Gary Lazarus, Rabbi Chanoch & Sarah Chana Sufrin, Marvin Weinman, Dvora Markovits, Yacov Richter, Chaim Bondar, Dovid Deitz, Elka Feldman. Big thank you to Aron Sufrin for his assistance collecting tzedakah! THANK YOU TO OUR CARE PACKAGE VOLUNTEERS! Daniel and Megan Lazarus, Harriet Ziff, Charlotte Ziff, Kirsty White, Mandy Shnier, Gavin Shnier, Maxine Radus, Chana Michla Deitz, Adam Ensly, Malka Kurta, Nadine Saacks, Shiran and Josh Garber, Karen Uziel. Thank you Dov Meguedeche for setting up the Shul for our party! AND A HUGE THANK YOU TO TZVI COHEN for organising, catering and managing our amazingly successful Purim this year!

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Can You Talk Business on a Date?

Communal Seder Bookings open

WE ARE LOOKING FOR A CAR ...  Nefesh is looking for a car for our rabbinical intern to use. If you have a drivable car which you could gift to Nefesh please be in touch. Question of the Week:    As you know, my wife is a little behind me when it comes to religious observance. One thing she challenged me on and I didn't have an answer. Last week I forgot to leave the light on in the bathroom before Shabbos. She wanted to turn it on, but I said to leave it.  So she asked, What is the big deal if I switch on a light on Shabbos? It isn't such hard work to flick a switch. Will the day of rest be totally disturbed by by me turning a light on? I wasn't sure what to say.... Answer: Here's something I think your wife will relate to.  You are out for a romantic dinner, just the two of you. You make a reservation at a fancy restaurant, a quiet table for two in the corner. Gentle music is playing, lights are dimmed, and the ambiance is just perfect for an evening of romance.  You resolve not to talk about work, not to talk about the kids, rather to take the time to really connect and enjoy each other's company. You laugh together, chit chat, and give one another complete focus and attention.  Then suddenly you say, "Oh, I just remembered something." You take out your phone and call your business partner to remind him to send a report you are waiting for. It all took no more than fifteen seconds. You quickly put your phone away and smile at your wife.  But she's not smiling. You just ruined the moment. You destroyed the atmosphere. Until now it was all about the two of you. As soon as you took out your phone, the ambiance was shattered. You brought the outside world into your intimate space.  You could try explaining that it was just a little phone call and is really no big deal. Good luck with that. If you think you can make a business call on a date night, you just don't get what it means to create an intimate ambiance.  The Shabbos laws are all about creating an ambiance of rest, a moment of spiritual intimacy, when we appreciate G-d's creation as it is without trying to change it. The state of the world when Shabbos comes in is the way it remains, and we do not interfere. If the light was off, it stays off. The flick of a switch, as insignificant as it may seem, would change the ambiance and ruin the moment.  Someone who has never fully kept Shabbos may find this hard to understand. But if you've tasted the profound sense of restfulness that Shabbos can bring, you know how even a slight interruption can make a difference.  We all need date nights and we all need Shabbos. And we need to protect the intimacy of these sacred moments.  Good Shabbos,  Rabbi Moss  To subscribe CLICK HERE or email rabbimoss@nefesh.com.au      This week we progressed from this:  to this: Mission complete! We are now ready to keep building up. Hope everyone had as great a Purim as my family did. Thanks to Rabbi Moss and Nechama Dina and everyone who made it happen! Shabbat Shalom to all! Brent ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ALL SERVICES AT NEFESH    1 FRANCIS ST BONDI BEACH   (OFF CAMPBELL PDE, BEHIND NOAH'S BACKPACKERS)   Sponsor a Kiddush  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ FRIDAY NIGHT  29 March or 5 April: $120 Basic Kiddush      $200 Deluxe Kiddush    SHABBOS DAY 6 April:  $350 Standard Kiddush  Email office@nefesh.com.au with any questions SHABBOS TIMES & COMMUNITY INFO: Tzav ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Friday, 22 March 2019 |15 Adar II 5779 Candle Lighting............ 6:47pm (Not before 5:52pm) Mincha........................ 6:15pm Shabbos Service........... 6:30-7:20pm Kids Program ............... 6:30pm Kiddush sponsored by Steven, Karen and Shirley Sher in honour of the Moss Family, for bringing Nefesh to us all!   Shabbos Day, 23 March 2019 |16 Adar II 5779 In depth parsha class ......................9:00am Shabbos Service............................ 10:00am-12:20pm Kids Program ............................... 10:30am Followed by Kiddush   Mincha followed by Seudah Shlishis .............6:40pm Gematria and Story by Rev Amzalak............ 7:10pm Shiur with Rabbi Moss................................ 7:25pm Shabbos ends........................................... 7:40pm Followed by Havdalah   WEEKDAY SERVICES Mon - Friday..............................................7:00am Sunday.................................................... 8:00am Latest Shema this week............................. 9:58am   THANK YOU TO OUR PURIM SPONSORS! A complete list will be posted next week HAPPY JEWISH BIRTHDAY Ruth Cromer............................................ 17 Adar II/ Sunday 24 March Michael Lenn.............................................18 Adar II/ Monday 25 March Jack Reuben............................................. 18 Adar II/ Monday 25 March Russell Klein............................................. 19 Adar II/ Tuesday 26 March   HAPPY ANNIVERSARY Leah & David Dennes.................................. 17 Adar II/ Sunday 24 March Brandon & Deborah Rieders.......................... 21 Adar II/ Thursday 28 March Danny & Romy Lessem................................. 22 Adar II/ Friday 29 March   LONG LIFE Gary Lazarus for his late father,  Avraham Yitzchak ben Chaim ... 20 Adar II/ Wednesday 27 March Michael Franks for his late father, Leopald Franks Ephraim ben Shlomo... 22 Adar II/ Friday 29 March Darren Segal for his late brother Ryan Segal Shalom Yisroel Ben Zalmen... 22 Adar II/ Friday 29 March

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 it free today