Rabbi Moss: Don't Dessert Me!

ALL NIGHT LEARNING - KIDS FUN SHAVUOS see below

Question of the Week:

Shavuos is when G-d gave the Torah to the Jewish people at Mt Sinai. So why is it celebrated by eating cheesecake, rather than something a little more spiritual? Is it not ironic that the holiest event in history is acknowledged by indulging in cake?

Answer:

Some have suggested that eating cheesecake on Shavuos is based on a spelling mistake. An early English Bible read, "And G-d spoke to Moses in the middle of the dessert..."

But I think there's more to it.

Spirituality existed long before Judaism. People prayed and meditated, brought sacrifices and served their deities many centuries before Moses climbed Mt Sinai. Judaism didn't invent spirituality. It was around before.

But what was not around before was the idea that your physical life can be made holy. People knew that G-d was in heaven, but never dreamed that you could find Him on earth. All pre-Sinai religious thinking went along the same lines: we are physical beings in a physical world, G-d is a spiritual being in a higher world. To reach G-d, we must negate our physical self and reach toward heaven.

Suddenly the Torah came along and said something no one ever thought could be true. G-d can be found in cheesecake too. You can't limit G-d to being only in the spiritual. He is infinite, which means no place is too low for His presence. You can find G-d right here in the physical world. It may take some work, but that's what we are here to do, to transform our bodily self and our physical world into a home for G-d.

While other spiritual traditions emphasized abstinence, celibacy and other-worldliness, Judaism emphasizes this-worldliness. The commandments of the Torah enjoin us to create sanctity in our family life, to view the home as a sanctuary, and the workplace as an arena for kindness and integrity. Don't seek G-d in the heavens, reveal Him right down here on earth.

So we celebrate the giving of the Torah by eating cheesecake, one of the most physical and indulgent activities you could possibly imagine. Because to find G-d in the middle of a meditation is nice, but to find G-d in the middle of dessert, that's our mission.

Good Shabbos and Happy Shavuos, may we all receive the Torah with joy and internalise its message,

Rabbi Moss

EVERY MAN WOMAN AND CHILD SHOULD HEAR TEN COMMANDMENTS, even newborn babies! Sunday 11am - see below full program

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

NEW AUDIO CLASSES

Higher Than Angels - Shavuos Maamar Part Five

CHABAD Meditation

LAST MINUTE ADDITION TO PROGRAM - RABBI YONI JOHNSON

WATCH THIS BEFORE YOMTOV:

http://www.torahcafe.com/jewishvideo.php?vid=098605003

SERVICES TIMES AND COMMUNITY INFO

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Friday, 10 June 2016 |4 Sivan 5776

Candle Lighting.............................................. 4:35 pm

Mincha............................................................. 4:45 pm

Friday Evening Service......................... 6:00-6:50 pm

Kids program................................................... 6:15 pm

Followed by Kiddush.

Shabbos, 4 June, 2016 | 28 Iyar 5776

Parshas Bamidbar

Morning Service................................ .......... 10:00 am

Followed by Kiddush

Early Mincha............................................... .....12:45 pm

Candle Lighting (Light after)....5:34 pm

Shavuos Evening Service....... 5:35 pm

All Night Learning............................. .... from 9:00pm

Sunday, 12 June 2016 | 6 Sivan

Shavuos, Day 1
Morning Service........................................ ...10:00 am

Reading 10 Commandments

and Ice Cream Party ................................. .. 10:30 am

Followed by Dairy kiddush!

Mincha..................................................... ........4:45 pm

Candle Lighting................................. .....after 5:34 pm
Shavuos Evening Service........................... ... 5:35 pm

Monday, 13 June 2016 | 7 Sivan (Public Holiday)
Shavuos, Day 2
Morning Service.................................... .....10:00am

Yizkor-Memorial Service........................ ... ..11:00am

Followed by Kiddush

Mincha...................................4:45 pm
Shavuos ends & Maariv......... ..5:34 pm

Thank You to our Shavuos sponsors;

Vitali Broyda, Avi Rosencweig, Noach & Keshet Kessel

and Dan & Tegan Barnett!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO

Lilah Hedges..................... 5 Sivan/ Saturday 11 June

Wayne Kaplan..................... 6 Sivan/ Sunday 12 June

Alison Brown................. 10 Sivan/ Thursday 16 June

LONG LIFE TO

Eric Borecki for his late brother, David Borecki............................... 4 Sivan/ 10 June

Gabor Palanszky for his late sister-in-law Georgina Palansky.......... 5 Sivan/ 11 June

Judi Berman for her late grandfather Hyman (Ray) Segal ............. 6 Sivan/ 12 June

Richelle Goldshaft and Rob Goldshaft for their late father

and grandfather Leon Israel Rosenthal.......................................... 7 Sivan/ 13 JuneRosalie Cohen , Gilda Cohen-Shapira and Lee-Anne Whitten for their late husband, brother and father Edward Cohen.................................................8 Sivan/ 14 June

Nicholas Levy for his late grandmother Ruby Levy.......................... 8 Sivan/ 14 June

Allen Rosenberg for his late wife Anita Louise Rosenberg .............. 9 Sivan/ 15 June

Abie Greengarten for his late mother Musia Greengarten............ 10 Sivan/ 16 June

WEEKDAY CLASSES

Chassidus................................. No Chassidus this week

Tanya Meditations......................No Tanya this week

Thank you to this week's sponsor...

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