Thursday, October 4, 2018

Why Don't My Kids Respect Me?

Question of the Week:

Can you explain my children to me? I have dedicated my life to looking after their every need. But if I ask one of them to get me a glass of water they moan and groan. Why is it that one parent can care for thre children but three children can't seem to care for one parent?

Answer:

We are all descendants of Adam and Eve, the first human beings. We have inherited from them the basic ingredients of human nature. They didn't have parents. They were created, not born. They had no umbilical cords. They probably didn't even have belly buttons. So any normal human being has an innate desire to look after their children. But looking after our parents (and our belly buttons) is a skill that doesn't always come naturally.
The genes we pass on to our children are not enough. We must pass on to them a moral code too. If they are raised to think of themselves as mere intelligent animals, then they will follow their instincts, which program them to care for themselves and their young, not their parents.
 
But if we teach our children that they are moral beings that can go beyond their genetic programming, then we raise them to know that life is about doing what is right rather than what feels right, what is good rather than what feels good. We are not just apes with intelligence, but ethical beings with a belly button.

Good Shabbos,
Rabbi Moss

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SHABBOS TIMES & COMMUNITY INFO: SHABBOS BERESHIS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Friday, 5 October 2018 | 26 Tishrei 5779
Candle Lighting.................................... 5:42pm
Mincha................................................ 5:50pm
Shabbos Service................................... 6:00-6:50pm
Kids Program....................................... 6:00pm
Followed by Kiddush sponsored by the Tartour family in honour of Arnaud's recent Bar Mitzvah anniversary- Mazal Tov!
 
Shabbos Day, 6 October 2018 | 27 Tishrei 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 ................ 5:40pm
Gematria and Story by Rev Amzalak..... 6:00pm
Shiur with Rabbi Moss......................... 6:20pm
Shabbos ends.................................... 6:39pm
Followed by Havdalah
 
WEEKDAY SERVICES
Sunday.............................. 8:00am
Mon- Fri............................. 7:00am
Latest Shema this week....... 8:33am
New Moon/ Molad............... Tuesday 9 October 9:01:11pm
Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan...... Tues - Wednesday 9-10 Oct
 
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Levi Weisz................... 28 Tishrei/ Sunday 7 October
Yehezkel-Yoel Ezekiel.... 28 Tishrei/ Sunday 7 October
Asher Waine................ 29 Tishrei/ Monday 8 October
Tom Cromer.................. 2 Cheshvan/ Thursday 11 October
Monique Klein................ 3 Cheshvan/ Friday 12 October
 
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY
Karen & Roger Berman... 28 Tishrei/ Sunday 7 October
 
LONG LIFE
Peppi Glick for his late father Ruby Glick... 2 Cheshvan/ Thursday 11 October

Les Pozniak for his late step-mother Joan Pozniak
Chai Bat Leah... 2 Cheshvan/ Thursday 11 October

Roy, Steven and Kim Eckowitz for their late mother Alma Eckowitz
Chana bat Kalman... 2 Cheshvan/ Thursday 11 October
Nefesh Shul, PO Box 7349, 0416 822 832, Bondi Beach, NSW 2026 Australia
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Thursday, September 27, 2018

Are You a Good Husband or an Amazing One?

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Question of the Week:

My very devout wife says I shouldn't miss Simchas Torah, as it is the most important festival of the year. I countered that the Torah speaks of no such festival, so how could it be so important? She said I should ask the rabbi. So I am.

Answer:

There are two types of good husbands. I'm not sure which one you are.

One is the type of husband that does whatever his wife asks. If she says, "Can you pick up some eggplants?" he says "Sure." If she asks for a new watch, he buys it. If she says "This house needs painting" he calls a painter. If she complains that the air-conditioning is on too strong, he turns it off.

He is a good husband. But he is not an amazing husband.

An amazing husband doesn't only do what his wife asks. He does things for her without her asking. He knows what makes her happy, and just goes ahead and does it. She still has to express her needs, because even an amazing husband can't read her mind. But he can intuit what she likes, and do it without being asked.

The Jewish people are in a marriage-like relationship with G-d. We don't just do what we are asked, but go beyond to do things we know would make G-d happy. In Judaism there are straight out rules that G-d has asked us to keep, like eating kosher and giving charity. They are called commandments, what G-d needs from us, and we do them as any loyal partner would.

And then there are customs, like wearing a kippah and dipping apples in honey. We were not commanded to do these things, but we ourselves intuited that G-d would like it, so we do it.

Among the festivals, there are those that we were commanded to keep, like Yom Kippur, and then there are those that we developed on our own, like Simchas Torah. Nothing we do on Simchas Torah is commanded in the Torah. The dancing, the Torah readings, the somersaults and the songs are all an expression of our love for G-d, doing what we know would make Him happy. And nothing makes Him happier than seeing us all dancing together in joy, celebrating the gift of the Torah, the gift of being Jewish.

Doing what we are told is good. Doing what makes G-d happy without being told is even deeper. That's why the most intensely loving moment between G-d and the Jewish people is Simchas Torah.

I'm not sure if you are a good husband or an amazing one. But either way you need to come celebrate Simchas Torah. Because it's what G-d would like, or because your wife told you to.

Good Shabbos and Good Yomtov,
Rabbi Moss

Source:
Siddur im Dach Shaar Sukkos

SIMCHAS TORAH CELEBRATIONS THIS MONDAY 6:30PM UNTIL LATE
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SHABBOS TIMES & COMMUNITY INFO: SHABBOS CHOL HAMOED SUKKOS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Friday, 28 September 2018 | 19 Tishrei 5779
Candle Lighting.................................... 5:37pm
Mincha................................................ 5:45pm
Shabbos Service................................... 6:00-6:50pm
Kids Program....................................... 6:00pm
Kiddush in the Sukkah sponsored by Libby Moss & Peter Irving in honour of the yortzheit for their late father, Henry Irving (Tzvi ben Reuven) on 20 Tishrei/ Saturday 29 September; and by Dan and Lisa Helfand in honour of Rabbi Moss and Nechama Dina and family.
 
Shabbos Day, 29 September 2018 | 20 Tishrei 5779
Shabbos Service............................ 10:00am-12:20pm
Kids Program ............................... 10:30am
Followed by Kiddush in the Sukkah
 
Mincha......................................... 5:35pm
Seudah Shlishis in the Sukkah
Maariv and Shabbos ends................6:33pm
Followed by Havdalah
 
WEEKDAY SERVICES
Sunday Hoshana Rabba................................ 8:00am
Wed- Fri..................................................... 7:00am
Latest Shema this week............................... 8:39am

CONDOLENCES
Isaac, Michelle, Michael and David Barel on the passing of their wife and mother, Wendy Barel A"H
 
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Larnce Gold... 19 Tishrei/ Friday 28 September
Maya Segre... 23 Tishrei/ Tuesday 2 October
 
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY
Bella & Reuven Barukh... 26 Tishrei/ Friday 5 October
 
LONG LIFE
Libby Moss and Peter Irving for their late father, Henry Irving
Tzvi ben Reuven... 20 Tishrei/ Saturday 29 September
SERVICE TIMES FOR SHEMINI ATZERES & SIMCHAS TORAH
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sunday, 30 September 2018 - Erev Shemini Atzeres
Light Candles.................................. 5:39pm
Mincha........................................... 5:50pm
Shemini Atzeres Evening Service....... 6:00pm
Kiddush in the Sukkah sponsored by Michael & Linda Lenn and Hakafos/Dancing.
 
Monday, 1 October 2018 - Shemini Atzeres
Morning Service................................ 10am - 1pm
Yizkor.............................................. 11:30am (approx.)
Kiddush in the Sukkah
 
Mincha .......................................... 5:50pm
Simchas Torah Evening Service......... 6:30pm
Huge Kiddush, Hakafos/Dancing, Kids Special Feature, Somersaults, Yom Tov meal (till late)
Light Candles............. after 6:35pm
 
Tuesday, 2 October 2018 - Simchas Torah
Morning Service................................ 10:00am
Big Kiddush ......................................11:00am 
Hakafos/Dancing, Completing Torah and starting again, Lunch 
 
Mincha............................................. 5:50pm
Yom Tov ends and Maariv....................6:36pm
 
THANK YOU TO OUR SIMCHAS TORAH SPONSORS:
Richard Skimin, Jared and Nicole Gersun, Dovi and Janine Diamond, Moshe David, Nick and Lilach Weininger, Moshe Moses, Jack and Leyat Reuben, Ron & Libby Moss and Maxine & Lance Radus!
 
 
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Thursday, September 20, 2018

What Does Pe-Pe-Pe Mean?

Question of the Week:

I am hoping you can explain something about my grandmother. Every time she would give me a compliment she would add "pe pe pe." (Nice haircut pe pe pe/I like your dress pe pe pe/Well done on your test pe pe pe)  I was too young to ask her what that meant and no one in my family has the faintest idea what she was doing. Do you?

Answer:

Yes, I know exactly what she was doing. She was spitting in your face. In a nice way. She meant it with love. Her pe pe pe was saving you from the Evil Eye.

There is a belief that when someone's virtues are highlighted, there is a risk of harm from the forces of evil. Heaping praise or speaking too much good about you could invite the Evil Eye, the destructive powers of the universe, to counter the praise by hurling negative energy and bringing into question whether you really are so good.

But the Evil Eye only poses a risk when you give praise and praise only. You can block the Evil Eye if you spit at the person you are praising. The insult of being spat at serves to counter-balance the praise, thus neutralising the powers of evil.

A full blown spit is not necessary. I little pe pe pe does the job. That's what your grandmother was doing.

And she didn't make it up. This custom is mentioned by the holy master Rabbi Levi Yitzchok of Berditchev in a curious context. He used it to explain the rain on Sukkos.

Something that has baffled meteorologists around the world is the sudden weather change after Yom Kippur. As Sukkos arrives we seem to always get an unexpected downpour. This is so reliable that my non-Jewish neighbour brings her pot plants inside as soon as she sees us build the Sukkah. It seems a little ironic. How can G-d let it rain on the one festival when we eat outdoors?

Rabbi Levi Yitzchok explained that rain on Sukkos is actually a blessing. Sukkos is the celebration of the cleansing of our souls that happened on Yom Kippur. As we sit in the holy shade of the Sukkah, celebrating the new year and our newly purified souls, the Evil Eye may look at us with an accusing glance. We have it too good. We don't deserve to be forgiven for our sins. We aren't worthy of such special treatment. We are spoilt.

So it rains on Sukkos. G-d is spitting on us. After showering us with blessings on Yom Kippur, the rain is G-d saying pe pe pe. The Evil Eye should leave us alone. We do deserve to be forgiven, and we do deserve to celebrate in G-d's Sukkah, because no matter what we do, we are His children. The rain, like your grandmother's pe pe pe, is all an expression of love.

Good Shabbos and Good Yomtov,
Rabbi Moss

Source:
Yashresh Yaakov on Shema Shlomo (Karlin) Parshas Kedoshim. This explanation reconciles the Chassidic custom to remain in the Sukkah in the rain with the Talmudic statement that rain on Sukkos is an expression of divine displeasure. Indeed, pe pe pe is an insult. But who would walk away from such a loving insult?
  
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SHABBOS TIMES & COMMUNITY INFO: HA'AZINU
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Friday, 21 September 2018 | 13 Tishrei 5779
Candle Lighting.................................... 5:32pm
Mincha................................................ 5:40pm
Shabbos Service................................... 6:00-6:50pm
Kids Program....................................... 6:00pm
Followed by a HOT soup kiddush
 
Shabbos Day, 22 September 2018 | 14 Tishrei 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 ........................ 5:30pm
Gematria and Story by Rev Amzalak............. 5:50pm
Shiur with Rabbi Moss................................. 6:10pm
Shabbos ends............................................ 6:28pm
Followed by Havdalah
 
WEEKDAY SERVICES
Sunday..................................................... 8:00am
Wed- Fri................................................... 7:00am
Latest Shema this week.............................. 8:45am
 
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Leon Goldshaft...... 15 Tishrei/ Monday 24 September
Joshua Lever......... 16 Tishrei/ Tuesday 25 September
Cassia Partane...... 18 Tishrei/ Thursday 27 September
Tali Whitten.......... 18 Tishrei/ Thursday 27 September
 
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY
Suzy Moss & Todd Gothelf..... 13 Tishrei/ Saturday 22 September
 
LONG LIFE
Tauba Tanchum for her late mother Rose Kaplan
Rose bat Avraham...13 Tishrei/ Saturday 22 September
Magda Schaffer for her late father Chayim Ben Avraham...13 Tishrei/ Saturday 22 September
SERVICE TIMES FOR SUKKOS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sunday, 23 September 2018 - Erev Sukkos  
Light Candles ............................................................ 5:34pm
Mincha.......................................................................5:45pm    
Sukkos Evening Service ...............................................6:00pm    
Kiddush in the Sukkah sponsored by Rachel Ezekiel in honour of her Dad Zac's birthday and her Mum Jessey's unwavering strength. May they go from strength to strength.
 
Monday, 24 September 2018 - Sukkos, Day 1
Morning Service....................................................... 10am - 1pm
Kiddush in the Sukkah sponsored by....CLICK HERE TO SPONSOR
 
Mincha ........................................................................ 5:45pm
Sukkos Evening Service.................................................. 6:30pm
 
Light Candles........................................................... after 6:30pm
 
Tuesday, 25 September 2018 - Sukkos, Day 2
Morning Service....................................................... 10am - 1pm
Kiddush in the Sukkah sponsored by....CLICK HERE TO SPONSOR
 
Mincha.........................................................................5:45pm
Yom Tov ends and Maariv.............................................. 6:30pm
 
CHOL HAMOED SUKKOS
Wed-Fri, 26-28 September 2018 - Sukkos, Chol HaMoed
Shacharis ................................................................... 7:00am
Nefesh Shul, PO Box 7349, 0416 822 832, Bondi Beach, NSW 2026 Australia
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