Torah Portion for this Shabbat 4/24-25/20 and prayers
The following words are meant to provide some comfort and support for each and every one of us at this time. You and yours are included in the “Mi Shebërach” prayer referred to below. Your loved ones who have died this past week or recently or at this time in the past are included in the “Mourners Kaddish”.
PARSHA
The Torah portion for this Shabbat is a combination of Tazria (תַזְרִיעַ – she conceives)
The Torah portion for this Shabbat is a combination of Tazria (תַזְרִיעַ – she conceives)
and M’tzora (מְּצֹרָע – one being diseased), Leviticus 12:1-15:33.
From ReformJudaism.org:
Bearing Seed / A Leper
The Eternal One spoke to Moses, saying: “Speak to the Israelite people thus: When a woman at childbirth bears a male, she shall be impure seven days; she shall be impure as at the time of her condition of menstrual separation.”
The Eternal One spoke to Moses, saying: “Speak to the Israelite people thus: When a woman at childbirth bears a male, she shall be impure seven days; she shall be impure as at the time of her condition of menstrual separation.”
– Leviticus 12:1-2
The Eternal One spoke to Moses, saying: “This shall be the ritual for a leper at the time of being purified.”
– Leviticus 14:1-2
SUMMARY:
God describes the rituals of purification for a woman after childbirth. (12:1-8)
God sets forth the methods for diagnosing and treating a variety of skin diseases, including tzara-at (a leprous affection), as well as those for purifying clothing. (13:1-59)
Priestly rituals to cure tzara-at when it afflicts humans are described. (14:1-32)
Rituals to rid dwelling places of tzara-at are presented. (14:33-57)
The parashah denotes male impurities resulting from a penile discharge or seminal emission. (15:1-18)
The parashah concludes with accounts of female impurities caused by a discharge of blood. (15:19-33)
God describes the rituals of purification for a woman after childbirth. (12:1-8)
God sets forth the methods for diagnosing and treating a variety of skin diseases, including tzara-at (a leprous affection), as well as those for purifying clothing. (13:1-59)
Priestly rituals to cure tzara-at when it afflicts humans are described. (14:1-32)
Rituals to rid dwelling places of tzara-at are presented. (14:33-57)
The parashah denotes male impurities resulting from a penile discharge or seminal emission. (15:1-18)
The parashah concludes with accounts of female impurities caused by a discharge of blood. (15:19-33)
ROSH CHODESH IYAR – began Thursday, April 23 at sundown and extends through Shabbat, Saturday, April 25.
From the R’TZEI ROSH CHODESH insert MT p.174:
Our God and God of our fathers and mothers, on this
first day of the new month
be mindful of us and all Your people Israel,
for good, for love, for compassion, life and peace.
Remember us for wellbeing. Amen.
Visit us with blessing. Amen. Help us to a fuller life. Amen.
Our God and God of our fathers and mothers, on this
first day of the new month
be mindful of us and all Your people Israel,
for good, for love, for compassion, life and peace.
Remember us for wellbeing. Amen.
Visit us with blessing. Amen. Help us to a fuller life. Amen.
From L’ROSH CHODESH – FOR THE NEW MONTH MT p.519:
Our God and God of our ancestors,
may the new month bring us goodness and blessing.
May we have long life, peace, prosperity,
a life exalted by love of Torah and reverence for the divine;
a life in which the longings of our hearts are fulfilled for good.
Our God and God of our ancestors,
may the new month bring us goodness and blessing.
May we have long life, peace, prosperity,
a life exalted by love of Torah and reverence for the divine;
a life in which the longings of our hearts are fulfilled for good.
YOM HAZIKARON and YOM HA’ATZMAUT
YOM HAZIKARON (יוֹם הַזִּכָּרוֹן Israeli Memorial Day) – MT pp.534-537
remembering Israeli Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Terrorism, sunset Monday, April 27, 2020
remembering Israeli Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Terrorism, sunset Monday, April 27, 2020
יִזְכֹּר Yizkor … we remember (MT p.534):
Remember our people who could not escape past tyranny and hate;
may their memory be more than a distant shadow.
For their dreams left unfulfilled and lives taken too soon: we remember.
Remember our brothers and sisters whose sacrifice gave birth to the State of Israel;
may their courage be our inspiration and our strength.
For life cut short and vision unrealized: we remember.
Remember the fallen of the Israel Defense Forces, the victims of terror and tragedy;
may the darkness of their loss not obscure the light of peace.
They were in love with the Land and in love with Life.
For the agony, the tears, the mothers and the fathers,
for the children who were and for the children yet to be: we remember.
Remember our people who could not escape past tyranny and hate;
may their memory be more than a distant shadow.
For their dreams left unfulfilled and lives taken too soon: we remember.
Remember our brothers and sisters whose sacrifice gave birth to the State of Israel;
may their courage be our inspiration and our strength.
For life cut short and vision unrealized: we remember.
Remember the fallen of the Israel Defense Forces, the victims of terror and tragedy;
may the darkness of their loss not obscure the light of peace.
They were in love with the Land and in love with Life.
For the agony, the tears, the mothers and the fathers,
for the children who were and for the children yet to be: we remember.
YOM HA’ATZMAUT (יוֹם הַעַצְמָאוּת Independence Day – 1948) – MT pp.538-553:
From sunset Tuesday, April 28 until nightfall Wednesday, April 29, 2020.
From sunset Tuesday, April 28 until nightfall Wednesday, April 29, 2020.
Seven candles are lit:
For the miracle of rebirth
For the beauty of the land
For the ingathering of the exiles
For a just society
For the renewal of Jewish learning, and language
For hope and peace
For the courage of Israel’s people
For the miracle of rebirth
For the beauty of the land
For the ingathering of the exiles
For a just society
For the renewal of Jewish learning, and language
For hope and peace
For the courage of Israel’s people
HATIKVAH
So long as within the inmost heart a Jewish spirit sings,
So long as within the inmost heart a Jewish spirit sings,
so long as the eye looks eastward, gazing toward Zion,
our hope is not lost – the hope of two thousand years:
to be a free people in our land, the land of Zion and Jerusalem.
HODAAH INSTERT – MT p.555:
In the return to Zion of our time,
Your people gathered in Your land
to build it up and to be built up themselves.
They established this Independence Day
as a festival of joy, thanksgiving and praise to You.
As You performed miracles for our ancestors,
do likewise for us, saving us now as You did then.
In the return to Zion of our time,
Your people gathered in Your land
to build it up and to be built up themselves.
They established this Independence Day
as a festival of joy, thanksgiving and praise to You.
As You performed miracles for our ancestors,
do likewise for us, saving us now as You did then.
COUNTING THE ‘ÕMER
Today is 15 Days in the ‘Õmer, which is two weeks and one day of the ‘Õmer.
Today is 15 Days in the ‘Õmer, which is two weeks and one day of the ‘Õmer.
Day 16 begins this evening at sundown.
PRAYERS
We recite MI SHEBËRACH for the victims of abuse, fear, natural disasters, pandemics,
We recite MI SHEBËRACH for the victims of abuse, fear, natural disasters, pandemics,
violence, and war; for all those in need of physical, emotional and mental healing.
“R’fuah sh’lëmah” – a complete recovery!
We say KADDISH YATOM for those of our friends and families who have died and been
buried this last week; those in the period of Sh’loshim; those who have died in the last year;
and those whose Yahrzeits/Anyos occur at this time; as well as the victims of disease,
natural disasters, war, violence; and of the Holocaust, who died at this time of year and
have no one to say “Kaddish” for them.
“Zichronam liv’rachah” – May their memories be for blessing.
Shabbat shalom – buen Shabbat