TORAH READING FOR 16 TAMUZ 5785 July 11-12, 2025
SHAZOOM ONLY 6:30 PM July 11, 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/balak
Balak (בָּלָק – Hebrew for “Balak”, a name) – Numbers 22:2−25:9
Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. – Numbers 22:2
SUMMARY
- Balak, the king of Moab, persuades the prophet Balaam to curse the Israelites so that he can defeat them and drive them out of the region. However, Balaam blesses the Children of Israel instead and prophesies that Israel’s enemies will be defeated. (22:2-24:25)
- God punishes the Israelites with a plague for consorting with the Moabite women and their god. The plague is stayed after Pinchas kills an Israelite man and his Midianite woman. (25:1-9)
HAFTARAH
Micah 5:6-6:8
STRUGGLING WITH TORAH
Until further notice, we will meet on Fridays for Shazoom only. Please see the Shazoom and Observances schedule through December 2025 below. Read this week’s Torah Portion at https://www.sefaria.org/Numbers.22.2-25.9, and Haftarah at https://www.sefaria.org/Micah.5.6-6.8.
RECOMMENDED READING
From Reform Judaism https://reformjudaism.org/torah/portion/balak
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, 16 Tamuz through 22 Tamuz, we lovingly remember:
Carol Ginsburg
First Yahrzeit – Acquaintance of Ruben Gomez
Julius Chee
Friend of Jane Kolber
Danny Huber
Husband of Susie Morss
John McElrath
Brother of Anne Rich, friend of Jane Kolber
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 11, 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: July 11, 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):
July 11, 2025 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm
[July 13, Sunday – Tzom Tamuz – Fast of Tammuz]
July 18, 2025 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm
July 25, 2025 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm
[July 25-26, Friday-Saturday – Rosh Chodesh Av]
August 1, 2025 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm
[August 2, Saturday – Shabbat Chazon – Shabbat of Vision]
[August 2, Saturday – Erev Tish’a B’av – Fast begins in the evening]
[August 3, Sunday – Tish’a B’av – Fast, Ninth of Av]
August 8, 2025 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm
[August 8-9, Friday-Saturday – Tu B’Av – minor Jewish holiday of love]
[August 9, Saturday – Shabbat Nachamu – Shabbat of Consolation]
August 15, 2025 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm
August 22, 2025 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm
[August 24-25, Sunday-Monday – Rosh Chodesh Elul]
[August 25, Monday – Rosh Hashanah LaBehemot – New Year of the Animals]
August 29, 2025 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm
[September 1, Monday – Labor Day Observed]
September 5, 2025 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm
September 12, 2025 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm (TBD)
[September 13. Saturday nightfall – Leil Selichot – preparation for High Holy Days]
September 19, 2025 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm (TBD)
[September 22, Monday PM – Erev Rosh Hashanah]
[September 23-24, Tuesday-Wednesday – Rosh Hashanah (one day in Reform)]
September 26, 2025 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm (TBD)
[September 27, Saturday – Shabbat Shuva – Sabbath of Returning]
[October 1, Wednesday – Erev Yom Kippur – Kol Nidrë]
[October 2, Thursday – Yom Kippur]
October 3, 2025 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm (TBD)
[October 6, Monday – Erev Sukkot]
[October 7 to 13, Tuesday-Monday – Sukkot]
October 10, 2025 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm (TBD)
[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]