TORAH READING FOR 9 TAMUZ 5785 July 4-5, 2025
SHAZOOM ONLY 6:30 PM July 4, 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.98
SIM SHALOM tovah uv’rachah, chën vachésed v’rachamim, alëinu v’al kōl Yisraël ‘amécha, [v’al kōl yoshvëi tëvël, v’imru: Amën.]
GRANT PEACE, goodness and blessing, grace, kindness, and mercy, to us and to all Your people Israel [and all who inhabit the earth, and let us say: Amen.]
PARSHA
From Reform Judaism https://reformjudaism.org/torah/portion/chukat
Chukat (חֻקַּת – Hebrew for “The Ritual Law”) – Numbers 19:1−22:1
The Eternal One spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying: “This is the ritual law that the Eternal has commanded: Instruct the Israelite people to bring you a red cow without blemish, in which there is no defect and on which no yoke has been laid.” – Numbers 19:1-2
SUMMARY
- The laws of the red heifer to purify a person who has had contact with a corpse are given. (19:1-22)
- The people arrive at the wilderness of Zin. Miriam dies and is buried there. (20:1)
- The people complain that they have no water. Moses strikes the rock to get water for them. God tells Moses and Aaron they will not enter the Land of Israel. (20:2-13)
- The king of Edom refuses to let the Children of Israel pass through his land. After Aaron’s priestly garments are given to his son Eleazer, Aaron dies. (20:14-29)
- After they are punished for complaining about the lack of bread and water, the Israelites repent and are victorious in battle against the Amorites and the people of Bashan, whose lands they capture. (21:4-22:1)
HAFTARAH
Judges 11:1-33
STRUGGLING WITH TORAH
Until further notice, we will meet on Fridays for Shazoom only. Please see the Shazoom and Observances schedule through September 2025 below. Read this week’s Torah Portion at https://www.sefaria.org/Numbers.19.1-22.1, and Haftarah at https://www.sefaria.org/Judges.11.1-33.
RECOMMENDED READING
From Reform Judaism https://reformjudaism.org/torah/portion/chukat
“Finding Freedom in Letting Go”
By: Cantor Jamie Marx
PRAYERS
From “Mishkan T’filah / A Reform Siddur”:
WEEKDAY T’FILAH – Al HaRishah – עַל הָרִשְׁעָה p.88
AND FOR WICKEDNESS, let there be no hope, and may all the errant return to You, and may the realm of wickedness be shattered. Blessed are You, Adonai, whose will it is that the wicked vanish from the earth. Amen.
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, 9 Tamuz through 15 Tamuz, we lovingly remember:
Requel Aragon
First Anyos – Cousin of Mary Caron
Louis Michael Levy
First Yahrzeit – Friend of Ruben Gomez
Donald Annino
Father of Doug Annino
Samantha Archie
Friend of Jane Kolber
Jay Hertz
Temple Kol Hamidbar Memorial List
Samuel Klein
Shofar Donor to Temple Kol Hamidbar
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, July 4, 2025. Please see the Shazoom and Observances schedule through September 2025 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: July 4, 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
Happy Independence Day,
-Ruben
PS – Shazoom and Observances schedule through September 2025 (Arizona Time Zone):
July 4, 2025 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm
[July 4, US Independence Day]
July 11, 2025 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm
[July 13, Tzom Tamuz – Fast of Tammuz]
July 25, 2025 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm
[July 26, Rosh Chodesh Av]
August 2, 2025 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm
[August 2, Shabbat Chazon]
[August 2, Erev Tish’a B’av]
[August 3, Tish’a B’av – Ninth of Av]
August 8, 2025 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm
August 15, 2025 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm
August 22, 2025 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm
[August 24-25, Rosh Chodesh Elul]
[August 25, Rosh Hashanah LaBehemot – New Year of the Animals]
August 29, 2025 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm
September 5, 2025 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm
September 12, 2025 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm (TBD)
[September 13 – Leil Selichot]
September 19, 2025 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm (TBD)
[September 22 – Erev Rosh Hashanah]
[September 23-24 – Rosh Hashanah]
September 26, 2025 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm (TBD)
[September 27, 2025 – Shabbat Shuva]