Do we observe the Torah because we have to obey G-d’s laws, or are we in a relationship in which one desires the other?
There can be no bigger difference and no greater ideological divide.
Do I behave the way I do because I have no choice, because there is a heavenly power that will be upset if I don't. Or do I choose to live the way I do because I know it will make the one who cares deeply for me happy.
Believing that we are in a relationship with G-d requires a degree of faith that G-d is actually close with us, cares about us and desires us. It is a much more meaningful and powerful relationship and one that also takes more work and dedication.
Any important relationship requires a great deal of maintenance, honesty, commitment and dedication which makes the connection more meaningful and worthwhile. It is this type of relationship however that brings real meaning and purpose to life.
Wishing you a good Shabbos!
Rabbi Mendel & Elke Zaltzman
Shabbos Times
Friday, April 29
Candle Lighting: 7:32pm Evening service: 7:30pm
Saturday, April 30 Morning service: 10:00am
Kiddush Brunch: 12:00pm Evening service: 7:35pm
Shabbos ends 8:37pm
Kiddush Sponsored by Yuri and Polina Melnikov
in memory of Yuriy's Mother Bella bas Shneyer ob'm
An engaging class for women, using the Torah’s timeless wisdom to gain practical tips and guidance on relationships, raising children and daily stress. Light refreshments and wines served.
Full BBQ dinner! Cold beer for adults! Rides and giant inflatables! Cotton candy! Music! Arts & crafts! Round the fire marshmallow roasting!
Admission includes all rides, attractions, crafts, all food and drinks and full BBQ dinner.
Early pricing before May 2: $15 per person
After May 2: $20 per person
Join for a women's night out, creating your own beautiful flower arrangement, enjoy wine, cheese desserts and great discussion!
Reserve a table with your friends!
Couvert: $36 per person
After May 13: $40 per person
Complimentary for Partners in Pride
Thursdays 4pm- 5pm Geared for boys and girls in grades 6th - 8th, MVP is volunteering and Mitzvah madness, while connecting with other pre-teens and having a meaningful impact!
MVP is open to all junior teens free of charge!
A BISSELE HUMOR
Izzy owned a small deli in Stamford Hill, in London. One day, a tax inspector knocked on his door and questioned him about his recent tax return. Izzy had reported a net profit of $250,000 for the year and he wanted to know all about it. "It’s like this," said Izzy. "I work like a maniac all year round and all of my family helps me out whenever they can. My deli is closed only five days a year. That’s how I made $250,000."
"It's not your income that bothers us," said the taxman. "It's the business travel deductions of $80,000 that worries us. You entered on the tax return that you and your wife made 28 business trips to Israel, Italy, Switzerland, France, the US, Hawaii, and the Caribbean Islands. What are all these business trips about?"
"Oh," said Izzy, smiling. "I forgot to tell you that we also deliver!"
WEEKLY eTORAH
If anyone was bent on convincing us that Torah was old-fashioned, this would be a good Parshah to prove it. Leviticus, Chapter 18, contains the Bible's Immorality Act. Our moral code, the forbidden relationships, who may marry whom and who may not—all come from this week's reading.
We read this same chapter every year on Yom Kippur afternoon. And every year in every Shul around the world someone asks the very same question. "Why on Yom Kippur, Rabbi? Was there no other section of the Torah to choose besides the one about illicit relations? Is this an appropriate choice to read in Shul on the holiest day of the year?"
Fair question. So the Rabbis explain that this is, in fact, the ultimate test of our holiness. The most challenging arena of human conduct, the one that really tests the mettle of our morality, is not how we behave in the synagogue but how we behave in our bedrooms. To conduct ourselves appropriately in public is far easier than to be morally consistent in our intimate lives.
Old-fashioned? You bet. In a world of ever-changing, the Torah does indeed seem rather antiquated.
Man-made laws are forever being amended to suit changing times and circumstances. When a new super-highway is built, traffic officials may decide that it is safe to raise the speed limit. Should there be a fuel shortage, these same officials may decide to lower the speed limit in order to conserve the energy supply. Human legislation is constantly adapting to fluctuating realities. But G‑d's laws are constant, consistent and eternal. Divine legislation governs moral issues. Values, ethics, right and wrong, these are eternal, never-changing issues. Humankind has been confronting these problems since time immemorial. From cavemen to Attilla the Hun to nuclear superpowers, the essential issues really have not changed very much. Questions of moral principle, good and evil, have been there from the very beginning. Life choices are made by each of us in every generation. These questions are timeless.
Ultimately, morality cannot be decided by referendum. We desperately need a higher authority to guide us in the often confusing dilemmas of life. In Egypt and Canaan lots of degenerate behavior was acceptable, even popular. In this week's Parshah, G‑d tells His people that He expects us to march to a different beat. We are called upon to be a holy nation, distinctively different in this, the most challenging test of our morality. It doesn't matter what is legal or trendy in Egypt, Canaan, America or Scandinavia. We have our own moral guide, our own book of books which requires no editing or revised editions for the new age. Because right is right and wrong is wrong and so it will always be.
-adapted from www.chabad.org
