TORAH READING FOR 13 ELUL 5785 September 5-6, 2025
SHAZOOM ONLY 6:30 PM September 5, 2025
KETIVAH VECHATIMA TOVAH – A GOOD WRITING AND SEALING!
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/ki-teitzei
Ki Teitzei [Ki Tëtzë] (כִּי־תֵצֵא — Hebrew for “when you go out (to battle)”)
Deuteronomy 21:10-25:19
When you [an Israelite warrior] take the field against your enemies, and the Eternal your God delivers them into your power and you take some of them captive, and you see among the captives a beautiful woman and you desire her and would take her to wife…. – Deuteronomy 21:10-11
SUMMARY
- Moses reviews a wide variety of laws regarding family, animals, and property. (21:10–22:12)
- Various civil and criminal laws are delineated, including those regarding sexual relationships, interaction with non-Israelites, loans, vows, and divorce. (22:13–24:5)
- Laws of commerce pertaining to loans, fair wages, and proper weights and measures are given. (24:10–25:16)
- The parashah concludes with the commandment to remember for all time the most heinous act committed against the Israelites—Amalek’s killing of the old, weak, and infirm after the Israelites left Egypt. (25:17–19)
HAFTARAH
Isaiah 54:1-10
The fifth haftarah in the cycle of seven haftarot of consolation after Tisha B’Av, leading up to the holiday of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, which this year begins the evening of Monday, September 22, 2025. This haftarah corresponds to Parashat Ki Tëtzë.
STRUGGLING WITH TORAH
NOTE: this is the last Friday we will meet for Shazoom until October 10, 2025. As a result, the midweek emails will be on hiatus until then. Please see the Shazoom and Observances schedule through December 2025 below. Read this week’s Torah Portion at https://www.sefaria.org/Deuteronomy.21.10-25.19, and Haftarah at https://www.sefaria.org/Isaiah.54.1-10.
RECOMMENDED READING
From Reform Judaism https://reformjudaism.org/torah/portion/ki-teitzei
By: Rebecca Good
HIGH HOLY DAYS 2025/5786
This year Rosh Hashanah takes place on the evening of Monday, September 22 to Wednesday, September 24, 2025. The Reform Movement normally observes one day. Yom Kippur begins the evening of Wednesday, October 1 (Kol Nidrë) through Thursday, October 2, 2025. Temple Kol Hamidbar will NOT be holding High Holy Day services either in person or online.
Various congregations within the Reform Movement, however, are still providing online resources to anyone interested in participating in services. In some cases, registration and/or a password is required. You may want to visit the following websites for their latest information on the High Holy Days and how to access them.
Kol Ami (formerly Temple Emanu-El and Congregation Or Chadash), Tucson, AZ https://www.katucson.org/
Congregation Or Ami, Calabasas, CA https://orami.org/hhd/
Temple Sinai, Oakland, CA [please contact the Temple Office at 510-451-3263 for details] https://www.oaklandsinai.org
The Union for Reform Judaism https://reformjudaism.org/jewish-holidays/rosh-hashanah/how-find-high-holiday-community-wherever-you-are
PRAYERS
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, 13 Elul through 19 Elul, we lovingly remember:
Phyllis Berkowitz
Temple Kol Hamidbar member
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, September 5, 2025. NOTE: This is the last Shazoom we will meet until October 10, 2025. Please see the Shazoom and Observances schedule through December 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: Sep 5, 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 – Shazoom and Observances schedule through December 2025 (Arizona Time Zone):
September 5, 2025 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm
September 12, 2025 – NO Shazoom
[September 13. Saturday nightfall – Lëil Selichot – preparation for High Holy Days]
September 19, 2025 – NO Shazoom
[September 22, Monday PM – Erev Rosh Hashanah]
[September 23-24, Tuesday-Wednesday – Rosh Hashanah (one day in Reform)]
September 26, 2025 – NO Shazoom
[September 27, Saturday – Shabbat Shuvah – Sabbath of Returning]
[October 1, Wednesday – Erev Yom Kippur – Kol Nidrë]
[October 2, Thursday – Yom Kippur]
October 3, 2025 – NO Shazoom
[October 6, Monday – Erev Sukkot]
[October 7 to 13, Tuesday-Monday – Sukkot]
October 10, 2025 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm
[October 11, Saturday – Shabbat in Sukkot]
[October 13, Monday – Columbus/Indigenous Peoples’ Day]
[October 14, Tuesday – Shemini Atzéret and Simchat Torah (in Reform)]
October 17, 2025 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm
[October 22-23, Wednesday-Thursday – Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan]
October 24, 2025 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm
October 31, 2025 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm
November 7, 2025 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm
[November 11, Tuesday – Veterans Day]
November 14, 2025 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm
[November 27, Thursday – Thanksgiving Day]
November 21, 2025 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm
[November 21-22, Friday-Saturday – Shabbat Rosh Chodesh Kislev]
November 28, 2025 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm
December 5, 2025 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm
December 12, 2025 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm
[December 14, Sunday – Erev Chanukah, First Candle]
[December 15 to 22, Monday-Monday – Chanukah]
December 19, 2025 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm (Chanukah Sixth Candle)
[December 19-20, Friday-Saturday – Chag HaBanot–North African Chanukah Festival of Daughters]
[December 20, Saturday – Shabbat in Chanukah]
[December 20-21, Saturday-Sunday – Rosh Chodesh Tevet]
[December 21, Sunday – Eighth Candle]
December 26, 2025 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm
[December 30, Tuesday – Asara B’Tevet – Fast, Siege of Jerusalem]
[December 31, Wednesday – Secular New Year’s Eve]
[January 1, Thursday – Secular New Year’s Day 2026]