TORAH READING FOR 11 TEVET 5785 Jan 10-11, 2025

SHAZOOM ONLY 6:30 PM Jan 10, 2025

 

OUR HEARTS ARE WITH THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL AND ALL THE VICTIMS OF CONFLICT

From “Mishkan T’filah / A Reform Siddur” CCAR, New York 2007, p.161

Baruch atah, Adonai, haporës sukat shalom alëinu v’al kōl amo Yisraël v’al Yerushaláyim.

GIVE US A PLACE TO REST, Adonai, our God. Bring us into shelter…. Spread over us Your shelter of peace, over all we love – over our Jerusalem and Yours.

PARSHA

From Reform Judaism https://reformjudaism.org/torah/portion/va-ychi

Vayechi (וַיִּגַּשׁ — Hebrew for “[Jacob] Lived”) – Gen. 47:28-50:26

Jacob lived in the land of Egypt for 17 years; Jacob’s days—the years of his life—were 147. – Genesis 47:28

SUMMARY:

• Jacob blesses his grandchildren Ephraim and Manasseh. (48:1-20)
• Jacob’s twelve sons gather around his deathbed, and each receives an evaluation and a prediction of his future. (49:1-33)
• Joseph mourns his father’s death and has Jacob embalmed. Jacob is buried in Hebron in the cave of the field of the Machpelah in the land of Canaan. (50:1-14)
• Joseph assures his concerned brothers that he has forgiven them and promises to care for them and their families. (50:15-21)
• Just before he dies, Joseph tells his brothers that God will return them to the Land that God promised to the patriarchs. The Children of Israel promise Joseph that they will take his bones with them when they leave Egypt. (50:22-26)

The Book of Genesis ends here. Upon completing a book of Torah Ashkenazi Jews shout “Chazak! Chazak! Venit-chazëk!”, which is translated as “Be strong! Be strong! And may we be strengthened!” The Sephardic custom is to say “Chazak U’baruch” (“strength and blessing”) at the end of every single individual Torah reading; the response is “Chazak Ve’ematz” (“be strong and have courage” from Deut. 31:23) or “Baruch Tihiye” (“may you be blessed.”)

HAFTARAH

I Kings 2:1-12

STRUGGLING WITH TORAH

Until further notice, we will meet on Fridays for Shazoom only. Please see the NEW Shazoom schedule below. Read this week’s Torah Portion at https://www.sefaria.org/Genesis.47.28-50.26 and Haftarah at https://www.sefaria.org/I_Kings.2.1-12.

RECOMMENDED READING

From Reform Judaism https://reformjudaism.org/torah/portion/vayechi

The Blessing of Jacob’s Saving Angel

By: Rabbi Dr. Wendy Zierler

PRAYERS

From “Mishkan T’filah / A Reform Siddur”:

FOR OUR COUNTRY p.376

THUS SAYS ADONAI, This is what I desire: to unlock the fetters of wickedness, and untie the cords of lawlessness; to let the oppressed go free, to break off every yoke. Share your bread with the hungry, and take the wretched poor into your home. When you see the naked, give clothing, and do not ignore your own kin.

O GUARDIAN of life and liberty, may our nation always merit Your protection. Teach us to give thanks for what we have by sharing it with those who are in need. Keep our eyes open to the wonders of creation, and alert to the care of the earth. May we never be lazy in the work of peace; may we honor those who have [served, suffered or] died in defense of our ideals. Grant our leaders wisdom and forbearance. May they govern with justice and compassion. Help us all to appreciate one another, and to respect the many ways that we may serve You. May our homes be safe from affliction and strife, and our country be sound in body and spirit. Amen.

PRAYER FOR THE STATE OF ISRAEL p.552

O HEAVENLY ONE, Protector and Redeemer of Israel, bless the State of Israel which marks the dawning of hope for all who seek peace. Shield it beneath the wings of your love; spread over it the canopy of Your peace; send Your light and truth to all who lead and advise, guiding them with Your good counsel. Establish peace in the land and fullness of joy for all who dwell there. Amen.

FOR HEALING – El Na R’fa Na Lah!

We recite MI SHEBËRACH for the victims of abuse, brutality, conflicts, fear, natural disasters, pandemics, tragedies, violence of all kinds especially directed at individuals and specific communities including us, and war; for all those at home alone or lonely; for all those in need of physical, emotional, and mental healing. “R’fuah sh’lëmah” – a complete recovery!

YAHRZEITS/ANYOS

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 (30 days since burial); those who have died in the last year; and those whose Yahrzeits/Anyos occur at this time; as well as the victims of brutality, conflict, disease, natural disasters, pandemics, tragedies, violence of all kinds, and war.

This coming week, 11 Tevet through 17 Tevet, we lovingly remember:

Domicinda Espinoza

Mother of Mary Caron

Sarah Levy

TKH Memorial Board, mother of the late Marvin Levy, husband of Iris Adler

Calik Rymar

TKH Memorial Board, husband of Henia Rymar-Sznejder

Those victims of the Sho’ah (Holocaust) who died at this time of year.

“ZICHRONAM LIV’RACHAH” – MAY THEIR MEMORIES BE FOR BLESSING.

SHAZOOM ONLY

We will meet for Shazoom ONLY this evening, Friday, January 10, 2025. Please see the NEW Shazoom schedule below.

Zoom regularly updates its security and performance features. If a screen pops up when you first join Shazoom asking permission for the Host to unmute you during the meeting, for everyone’s ease and comfort, click on Allow. Making sure you have the latest version of Zoom, please join us online this evening with wine/grape juice for Kiddush and Challah for Motzi.

Shazoom – Erev Shabbat Service

Time: Jan 10, 2025 06:30 PM Arizona

To join Shazoom click on the following link [you may need to copy it into your browser]: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/72510500854?pwd=Z3VQZWF4U1BBZytNYmh3aHFTWkFDZz09

Meeting ID: 725 1050 0854

Passcode: 4NrMk0

Hint: The last character of the password is the number zero.

Shabbat Shalom – Buen Shabbat – Gut Shabbos

-Ruben

PS – NEW Schedule through January 2025 for Shazoom (Arizona Time Zone):

January 10, 2025 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm

[January 10, Asara B’Tevet (10 of Tevet) – The fast commemorates the siege of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylonia; starts at dawn, ends at nightfall.]

January 17, 2025 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm

January 24, 2025 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm

[January 29-30, Rosh Chodesh Shevat]

January 31, 2025 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm