TORAH READING FOR 27 SHEVAT 5786 Feb 13-14, 2026
SHAZOOM ONLY 6:30 PM Feb 13, 2026
OUR HEARTS ARE WITH THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL AND ALL THE VICTIMS OF CONFLICT AND VIOLENCE
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם מַתִּיר אֲסוּרִים
Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Ruler of the Universe, Who frees the captives.
From “Mishkan T’filah / A Reform Siddur” CCAR, New York 2007, p.385
HELP ME PERFECT my ways of loving and caring. Inspire me to make myself whole so that I may honor Your name and create a world of justice and peace.
FEBRUARY IS BLACK HISTORY and JEWISH DISABILITY AWARENESS MONTH
PARSHA
From Reform Judaism https://reformjudaism.org/torah/portion/mishpatim
Mishpatim (מִשְׁפָּטִים — [These Are the] Rules) – Exodus 21:1-24:18
These are the rules that you shall set before them. – Exodus 21:1
SUMMARY:
- Interpersonal laws ranging from the treatment of slaves to the exhibition of kindness to strangers are listed. (21:1-23:9)
- Cultic laws follow, including the commandment to observe the Sabbatical Year, a repetition of the Sabbath injunction, the first mention of the Three Pilgrimage Festivals, rules of sacrificial offerings, and the prohibition against boiling a kid in its mother’s milk. (23:10-19)
- The people assent to the covenant. Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy elders of Israel ascend the mountain and see God. Moses goes on alone and spends forty days on the mountain. (24:1-18)
HAFTARAH – Shabbat Shekalim
Ashkenazim: II Kings 12:5-16 [historic: II Kings 12:1-17]
Sefardim: II Kings 11:17-12:17
SHABBAT SHEKALIM 2026 / שַׁבַּת שְׁקָלִים 5786
Shabbat before Rosh Chodesh Adar
Shabbat Shekalim for Hebrew Year 5786 begins at sundown on Friday, 13 February 2026 and ends at nightfall on Saturday, 14 February 2026. This corresponds to Parashat Mishpatim.
Shabbat Shekalim (“Sabbath [of] shekels” שבת שקלים) read in preparation for Purim, requests each adult male Jew contribute half of a Biblical shekel for the upkeep of the Tent of Meeting. The Torah portion Exodus 30:11-16 is read. This Shabbat takes place on the Shabbat before the 1st of the Hebrew calendar month of Adar, or on the 1st of Adar itself if it falls on Shabbat. In leap years on the Hebrew calendar, when there are two months of Adar, Shabbat Shekalim is on the Shabbat before the 1st of Adar II (or on the 1st of Adar II itself if it is Shabbat).
Read more from ou.org or Wikipedia
STRUGGLING WITH TORAH
Until further notice, we will meet on Fridays for Shazoom only. Please see the Shazoom schedule below. Read this week’s Torah Portion at https://www.sefaria.org/Exodus.21.1-24.18, and the Haftarah at https://www.sefaria.org/II_Kings.11.17-12.17.
RECOMMENDED READING
From Reform Judaism https://reformjudaism.org/torah/portion/mishpatim
By: Rabbi Kelly Whitehead
ROSH CHODESH ADAR 2026 / רֹאשׁ חוֹדֶשׁ אֲדָר 5786
Start of month of Adar on the Hebrew calendar
Rosh Chodesh Adar for Hebrew Year 5786 begins at sundown on Monday, 16 February 2026 and ends at nightfall on Wednesday, 18 February 2026.
Start of month of Adar on the Hebrew calendar. Adar (אֲדָר) is the 6th month of the civil Hebrew year and the 12th month of the biblical Hebrew year. It has 29 days and corresponds to February or March on the Gregorian calendar. רֹאשׁ חוֹדֶשׁ, transliterated Rosh Chodesh or Rosh Hodesh, is a minor holiday that occurs at the beginning of every month in the Hebrew calendar. It is marked by the birth of a new moon.
Read more from ou.org
PRAYERS
From “Mishkan T’filah / A Reform Siddur” CCAR, New York 2007
ROSH CHODESH ADAR – FOR THE NEW MONTH
From “Mishkan T’filah / A Reform Siddur” p.519
Our God and God of our ancestors, may the new month bring us goodness and blessing. May we have long life, peace, prosperity, a life exalted by love of Torah and reverence for the divine; a life in which the longings of our hearts are fulfilled for good.
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.
A PRAYER FOR ISRAEL
Anat Hoffman – https://reformjudaism.org/beliefs-practices/prayers-blessings/prayer-israel
My God אלי
In this sacred moment, give us hope for Israel and her future.
Renew our wonder at the miracle of the Jewish State.
In the name of the pioneers who made the deserts bloom – give us the tools to cultivate a diversity of Jewish expression in Israel.
In the name of our fallen soldiers – give us courage to stand up to the words and ways of zealots. Those in our own midst and those among our neighbors.
In the name of Israeli inventors who have amazed the world with their innovations – help us apply the same ingenuity to finding a path to peace.
In the name of all these individuals – grant us the strength to conquer doubt and despair in Israel.
Replacing doubt with action.
Replacing despair with hope.
And let us say: 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, 27 Shevat through 3 Adar, we lovingly remember:
Lisa Chavez Espinoza
Sister-in-law of Mary Caron
Natalia bat Aharon Gomez
Cousin of Ruben Gomez
Jerry Klein
Father of Bill Klein
Alfred Drake Rosenquist
Cousin of Ruben Gomez
Marsha Rapp
Friend of Jorge Nevarez
Tom Ryan
Former neighbor of Ruben Gomez
Naomi Sanchez
Cousin of Mary Caron
Scott Sonders
Cousin of Iris Adler
Pearl Wolffs
Friend of Ruben Gomez
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 6, 2026. Please see the 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 13, 2026 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.
“When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall do him no wrong. The stranger who sojourns with you shall be to you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.” Lev. 19:33
Shabbat Shalom – Buen Shabbat – Gut Shabbos
-Ruben
PS – Schedule through February 2026 for Shazoom (Arizona Time Zone):
February 13, 2026 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm
[February 13-14, Fri-Sat, Shabbat Shekalim – Sabbath of the Shekel]
[February 14, Sat, Valentine’s Day]
[February 17-18, Tues-Wed, Rosh Chodesh Adar]
February 20, 2026 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm
February 27, 2026 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm
[February 27-28, Fri-Sat, Shabbat Zachor – Sabbath of Remembrance]
[March 2, Mon, Ta’anit Esther – Fast of Esther – Erev Purim]
[March 2-3, Mon-Tues, Purim]
[March 3-4, Tues-Wed, Shushan Purim]