TORAH READING FOR 8 ADAR I 5784 Feb 16-17, 2024

February 16, 2024 by templekol

SHAZOOM ONLY 6:30 PM February 16, 2024

OUR HEARTS ARE WITH THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL

From “Mishkan T’filah / A Reform Siddur” 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 ALSO JEWISH DISABILITY AWARENESS MONTH

Established in 2009, led by the Jewish Federations of North America, and observed every February, it is a worldwide effort among Jewish organizations to collaborate and raise awareness to inform, break down barriers and advance policies that empower people with disabilities and foster inclusion in our national and local Jewish community.

PARSHA

From Reform Judaism https://reformjudaism.org/torah/portion/trumah

T’rumah (תְּרוּמָה — Gifts) – Exodus 25:1−27:19

The Eternal One spoke to Moses, saying: “Tell the Israelite people to bring Me gifts; you shall accept gifts for Me from every person whose heart is so moved.” – Exodus 25:1-2

SUMMARY:

God asks the Children of Israel to donate gifts (t’rumah) for the building of the Tabernacle so that God may “dwell among them.” (25:1-9)
Instructions for the construction of the Ark, table, and menorah are provided. (25:10-40)
Detailed directions are given on how to build the Tabernacle. (26:1-27:19)

HAFTARAH

I Kings 5:26-6:13

From Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terumah_(parashah)

Connection to the Parashah

Both the parashah and the haftarah describe a great Jewish leader’s marshalling of resources to build a dwelling place for God, the parashah in Moses’ collection of gifts to build the Tabernacle, and the haftarah in Solomon’s conscription of labor and collection of timber and stone to build the Temple in Jerusalem. Both the parashah and the haftarah describe conditions for a structure where God could dwell (ve-shakhanti) among (be-tokh) the Israelites.

RECOMMENDED READING

From Reform Judaism https://reformjudaism.org/torah/portion/trumah

“Tools of Gold”

By: Jonathan K. Crane

STRUGGLING WITH TORAH and REFLECTION

We will continue to meet every other Friday for Torah Study to read and discuss selections from Ketuvim, the third section of Tanach (Hebrew Bible), which follows Torah and Nevi’im. Please see the NEW Torah Study-Shazoom schedule below. NEXT week we will continue studying the Book of Daniel, which is found in the Ketuvim (Writings). Read this week’s Torah Portion at https://www.sefaria.org/Exodus.25.1-27.19 and the Haftarah at https://www.sefaria.org/I_Kings.5.26-6.13

From “The Torah / A Women’s Commentary” edited by Dr. Tamara Cohn Eskenazi and Rabbi Andrea L. Weiss, Ph.D., Women of Reform Judaism/The Federation of Temple Sisterhoods and URJ Press New York 2008

תרומה T’rumah – Exodus 25:1-27:19

Contemporary Reflection – by Denise L. Eger, pp. 469-70

PARASHAT T’RUMAH [“gifts”] FOCUSES on building the symbolic core of the Israelites: the Tabernacle (Mishkan), which will become the central shrine and sacred symbol of God’s dwelling amidst the people. The Mishkan will be a physical entity, but it will spiritually link the Israelites into a nation through God’s divine Presence. This portable structure is considered the forerunner of the Temple built in Jerusalem many generations after the wilderness experience. Today, the synagogue, with its distinct reminders of the Tabernacle and Temple, functions as the communal focal point for the Jewish people. It, too, serves as the spiritual center connecting Jews of all generations to our history, people, and covenant.

The building of the Mishkan will focus the Israelites to work together in order to fulfill a common goal and prepare for a common future. Although they have just been given the Decalogue–the precepts that bind the Israelites to God and one another–the people’s participation in the making of the Tabernacle will unify the nation in a different way. It will elevate the seemingly mundane work of construction into a sacred vocation, dedicated to the service of the One God who freed them from Egypt and revealed the terms of the covenant.

These former slaves are no strangers to building monuments and cities. The backbreaking labor of the Israelites in Egypt glorified the pharaoh and the Egyptian gods; but this certainly was not a sacred endeavor. In contrast, constructing the Tabernacle and all its finery will be holy work that aims to create sacred space and sacred instruments of worship.

Parashat T’rumah goes into great detail about the various parts of the Tabernacle, describing the Ark of the Covenant, the special table for the bread of display, the menorah, the curtains of the tent, the parochet (partition that screens off the sacred inner sanctum), and the altar for delivering offerings to God. In this Torah Portion and the ones that follow, the design of the Tabernacle and its contents are laid out with precise measurements and great specificity. A number of these objects can be found in contemporary synagogues, reminders of the sacred structures of our biblical ancestors. Then and now, the ark stands as the epicenter of God’s presence and the container for the divine word. Many arks contain a special curtain or partition called a parochet, as in the Tabernacle. In sanctuaries today, the menorah shines as a symbol of the Jewish people, just as the ner tamid (27:20; understood as an eternal light) provides a sign of God’s indwelling presence.

According to parashat T’rumah, the Israelites–women and men alike–provide not only the labor, but also the raw materials for the Mishkan. Their gifts, brought as voluntary offerings, are gathered and transformed into a place for God to reside in their midst. Imagine how these former slaves felt as they became both builders of a nation and builders of a dwelling place for the Divine!

God instructs Moses: “Tell the Israelite people to bring Me gifts; you shall accept gifts for Me from every person whose heart is so moved” (25:2). This kind of giving, a freewill offering, does not come through guilt, coercion, or competition, but from the deepest recesses of the soul. The Israelites bring yarns, precious metals, cloth, and tanned skins–an array of earthly objects that will eventually become the sacred space where Israel can seek God’s presence.

Today, it is important for all of us to continue to make freewill offerings to the institutions that unify the Jewish people. Along with tzedakah (required giving), t’rumah (voluntary giving) is vital for sustaining our community. Synagogues, Jewish centers, and Jewish communal agencies cannot survive on membership fees or dues alone. As they struggle to meet their financial needs, these institutions require our heartfelt support through the freewill gifts that are necessary to fulfill the good and holy work of these organizations.

The synagogue, in particular, lies at the intersection of the earthly and heavenly realms. The heir to the Ohel Mo’ed (Tent of Meeting), the contemporary synagogue is the place where Jews most often seek out God. Through study, prayer, and communal gatherings, the synagogue provides the necessary environment for Jewish connection, renewal, and survival. When we bring our voluntary gifts of money, time and other resources, we bring the realm of the holy into our lives.

Just as our ancestors were transformed from ordinary slaves into builders of God’s home on earth, we too are transformed through this sacred endeavor. We bring more peace, more hope, and more faith into our own lives and the life of our community when we support and build the synagogue. We strengthen the Jewish people even as we strengthen ourselves as Jews.

Voluntary giving is different for each and every person; it is not simply a percentage or flat rate. A person of substantial means has the ability to give greater sums, while a person of more modest means might not have the capacity to give at such large levels. Nevertheless, each person can and should give significantly. The definition of a “meaningful gift” varies for each individual, depending on one’s circumstances. But regardless of the quantity of the offering, the quality is the same; giving a meaningful voluntary offering to a synagogue or other Jewish institution is a privilege, not a burden. This kind of giving–be it of money or time and effort–is cheerful giving, giving that makes a difference, giving that matters. Our parashah teaches that the t’rumah-gift is an offering that comes from the deep recesses of the heart. Then and now, it is a privilege to be involved in the sacred work of building community and constructing a dwelling place for the Divine.

ABOUT PURIM KATAN – February 22-23, 2024 – 14 Adar I 5784

PURIM KATAN פּוּרִים קָטָן – from Hebcal https://www.hebcal.com/holidays/purim-katan

Purim Katan for Hebrew Year 5784 begins at sundown on Thursday, 22 February 2024 and ends at nightfall on Friday, 23 February 2024. Minor Purim celebration during Adar I on leap years.

From Jewish Encyclopedia https://jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/5874-esther-feast-of

Purim Ḳaṭan.

In leap-years Purim is celebrated in the second Adar, but by the Karaites in the first; the respective days of the first Adar being then called “Purim Ḳaṭan” (Little Purim), for which there have been set forth certain observances similar to those for Purim proper, with the exception of reading the Megillah, sending gifts to the poor, and fasting on the 13th of the month. The distinctions between the first and the second Purim in leap-years are mentioned in the Mishnah (Meg. i. 46b; comp. Oraḥ Ḥayyim, 697).

From Encyclopedia.com

https://www.encyclopedia.com/religion/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/purim-katan

According to talmudic tradition, Purim should be celebrated in the second Adar because that was the date of the original Purim (which occurred in a leap year). The rabbis also wanted to bring the period of the redemption of Esther closer to that of the redemption of the Israelites from Egypt celebrated in the following month of Nisan (Meg. 6b).

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

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, 8 Adar I through 14 Adar I, we lovingly remember:

Mabel Manuelito

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 Friday evening, February 16, 2024. Please see the NEW Torah Study-Shazoom schedule below. NEXT week we will continue studying the Book of Daniel, which is found in the Ketuvim (Writings).

Zoom regularly updates its security and performance features. 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 16, 2024 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 – About the Book of Daniel and the NEW schedule through June 2024:

From Wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Daniel

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_(biblical_figure)