TORAH READING FOR 10 SHEVAT 5785 Feb 7-8, 2025
SHAZOOM ONLY 6:30 PM Feb 7, 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.178
SHALOM RAV al Yisraël amcha tasim l’olam, v’al kol yoshvëi tëvël, v’imru. Amen.
GRANT ABUNDANT PEACE to Israel Your people forever, [and all who inhabit the earth. Amen.]
FEBRUARY IS BLACK HISTORY and JEWISH DISABILITY AWARENESS MONTH
PARSHA
EXODUS 15:20-21
Then Miriam the prophet, Aaron’s sister, picked up a hand-drum, and all the women went out after her in dance with hand-drums. And Miriam chanted for them:
Sing to the Eternal, for God has triumphed gloriously;
Horse and driver God has hurled into the sea.
TALMUD MEGILLAH 10b
A famous Midrash (or commentary) in the Talmud says that as the Egyptians started to drown in the Sea of Reeds, the angels began to sing praises, but God silenced them, saying, “the work of My hands are drowning at sea, and you wish to sing songs?”
PARSHA – Shabbat Shirah
From Reform Judaism https://reformjudaism.org/torah/portion/bshalach
B’shalach (בְּשַׁלַּח — Hebrew for “Now When [Pharaoh] Let [the People] Go”) – Exodus 13:17-17:16
Now when Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although it was nearer; for God said, “The people may have a change of heart when they see war, and return to Egypt.” – Exodus 13:17
SUMMARY:
- The Children of Israel escape across the Sea of Reeds from Pharaoh and his army, who drown when God drives back the sea. (13:17-14:31)
- Moses and the Israelites sing a song praising Adonai. (15:1-21)
- In the wilderness, God provides the grumbling Israelites with quails and manna. God instructs the Israelites to gather and prepare on the sixth day food needed for Shabbat. (15:22-16:36)
- The people complain about the lack of water. Moses hits a rock with his rod and brings forth water. (17:1-7)
- Israel defeats Amalek, Israel’s eternal enemy. God vows to blot out the memory of Amalek from the world. (17:8-16)
HAFTARAH – Shabbat Shirah
For Ashkenazi Jews: Judges 4:4–5:31 (the longest of the year)
For Sephardi Jews: Judges 5:1–31
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/Exodus.13.17-17.16 and the Haftarah at https://www.sefaria.org/Judges.4.4-5.31.
RECOMMENDED READING
From Reform Judaism https://reformjudaism.org/torah/portion/bshalach
By: Rabbi Jessica Kirschner*
*Rabbi Kirschner is the daughter of Comm. Glenn Oleon (Ret.), a fellow congregant at Temple Sinai in Oakland.
SHABBAT OF SONG – SHABBAT SHIRAH שבת שירה
Shabbat Shirah for Hebrew Year 5785 begins at sundown on Friday, 7 February 2025 and ends at nightfall on Saturday, 8 February 2025.
Shabbat Shirah (“Sabbath [of] song” שבת שירה) is the name given to the Shabbat that includes Parsha Beshalach. The Torah reading of the week contains the Song of the sea (Exodus 15:1–18). This was the song by the Children of Israel after the Passage of the Red Sea.
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, 10 Shevat through 16 Shevat, we lovingly remember:
Susan Rohrbach
FIRST YAHRZEIT – Friend of Various TKH members and friends.
Flory Jagoda
Am Yisrael – promoter and composer of Sephardic-Ladino Music
Gilda Joseph
Survivor of Mengele’s twin experiments, relative of Ruben Gomez
Carlos Sanchez
Friend of Dr. Sam and Mary Caron
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, February 7, 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: Feb 7, 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.
TU BISHVAT 2025 / טוּ בִּשְׁבָט 5785
New Year for Trees
Tu BiShvat for Hebrew Year 5785 begins at sundown on Wednesday, 12 February 2025 and ends at nightfall on Thursday, 13 February 2025.
Tu BiShvat or Tu B’Shevat or Tu B’Shvat (Hebrew: ט״ו בשבט) is a minor Jewish holiday, occurring on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Shevat. It is also called “The New Year of the Trees” or (Hebrew: ראש השנה לאילנות, Rosh HaShanah La’Ilanot). Tu BiShvat is one of four “New Years” mentioned in the Mishnah.
See Dr. Sam Caron’s February 6, 2025, email about this year’s Temple Kol Hamidbar observance on Wednesday, February 12 at 6 pm. Please RSVP to him as soon as possible.
Shabbat Shalom – Buen Shabbat – Gut Shabbos
-Ruben
PS – NEW Schedule through February 2025 for Shazoom (Arizona Time Zone):
February 7, 2025 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm
[Shabbat Shirah 2/7-8]
[Tu Bishvat, Wed-Thu 2/12-13]
[Temple Kol Hamidbar Tu Bishvat Seder, Wed 2/12, 6 pm]
February 14, 2025 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm
February 21, 2025 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm
February 28, 2025 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm
[February 27-March 1, Rosh Chodesh Adar]