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Table of contents
1) Purim
2) Perashat Hashavoua - Rabbi Eli Mansour
3) Halakhat Hashavoua - David Azerad
4) Holy Jokes!
1) PURIM
We are delighted to invite you to the Maghen Abraham Purim Party, held at the Spanish on Wednesday March 16th, 2022. There will be a very nice Purim Seudah after the fast.
Services will commence at 6.30 PM.
The Fast ends at 7.32 PM.
We estimate that the purim Dinner will be around 8.00 PM.
Bring the Children in disguises for PURIM please to enhance the Holiday.
Happy Holidays!
Cher(e)s membres de la MAGHEN ABRAHAM,
Nous sommes ravis de vous inviter à la Maghen Abraham Purim Party, qui prendra place à la Spanish Mercredi 16 mars 2022.
Les Services de Minhah, Aravit et la Lecture de la Megillah débutera à 18h30.
Le jeûne se termine à 19h32.
Nous estimons que le dîner aura lieu vers 20h00.
Amenez les enfants déguisés pour POURIM afin d’augmenter la joie de la Fête.
Joyeuses Fêtes!
MAYER SASSON / PRÉSIDENT/ CONGRÉGATION MAGHEN ABRAHAM MONTREAL
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Purim is a Jewish holiday which commemorates the saving of the Jewish people from Haman, an Achaemenid (Achashverosh) Persian Empire official who was planning to kill all the Jews in the empire, as recounted in the Book of Esther. Haman was the royal vizier to King Ahasuerus. Wikipedia
Traditionally the Holiday is celebrated by reading the Megillah and eating Hamantaschen (oznei haman)
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2)PERASHAT HASHAVOUA
This Week's Parasha Insight with Rabbi Eli Mansour
Parashat Vayikra: Remembering Adam’s Sin
Parashat Vayikra deals with the laws of the sacrifices, which a person would bring during the times of the Bet Ha’mikdash to atone for certain transgressions. The Torah begins this discussion by speaking of "a person…who offers a sacrifice" – "Adam Ki Yakrib…Korban." Interestingly, the Torah chooses the word "Adam" in referring to somebody who brings a sacrifice, and the Rabbis comment that this term was chosen to allude to the first person who committed a sin – Adam Ha’rishon. When a person sins and seeks atonement, he is told to reflect on the sin of the ancestor of all people, Adam.
Why should a person seeking atonement think about Adam Ha’rishon? What message from the story of Adam is particularly relevant to a person in this situation?
The explanation, perhaps, is that a person who sins must recognize the gravity and profound effects of his actions. Adam Ha’rishon committed a seemingly minor infraction – eating a fruit from a tree which G-d had designated as forbidden. We might have dismissed his act as a more or less innocent mistake, which although cannot be justified, can nevertheless be excused. But as a result of this "innocent mistake," G-d decreed death upon all mankind, and forever more we have to work to earn a livelihood rather than enjoy the blessings of Gan Eden. We cannot even imagine all the sorrow, anguish and aggravation that was brought to the world because Adam ate a fruit from the forbidden tree. The lesson of the story of Adam is that violating G-d’s word has severe repercussions. When a person commits a mistake and seeks to atone for his wrongdoing, he needs to be mindful of this reality. He cannot cavalierly dismiss his action as just a benign oversight and think that it’s "no big deal." He is told to remember Adam’s sin, and to realize that it is a very big deal.
The entire notion of Korbanot (sacrifices) is that a person is able to rectify his mistakes and rebuild his relationship with G-d after it has been strained by sin. Overall, the message of this section of the Torah is an optimistic and upbeat one, assuring us that just as parents continue loving and caring for our children even when they misbehave, G-d continues loving and caring for us even after we sin. However, part of this process of rectification is remembering the message of Adam, and recognizing that sin is a very serious matter that could have grave repercussions. Only once we acknowledge the severity of sin can we then humbly approach G-d to beg for forgiveness and repair the strained relationship.
3) HALAKHAT HASHAVOUA
Selected & translated by David Azerad, Hazzan Maghen Abraham
The laws of Purim , according to the rulings of Maran Rabbi Obadiah Yosef Z”TL
What is "Zecher L’Machatzit Hashekel”?
The offerings of half a shekel, which the Torah commanded to give, were for the purpose of buying the perpetual sacrifices they sacrificed in the Temple every day. Even today, when we have no Temple, it is customary to give this amount. We have to be careful not to call these coins "half a shekel" but rather “Zecher” {remembering} of the half a shekel. Women are also obliged to give a half a shekel.
When can we start giving “Zecher L’machatzit Hashekel?
At the beginning of the month of Adar, we can begin giving half a shekel,as long as we should try to give before reading of the Megillah.This amount is given to Torah institutions and Yeshivot where Talmidei Chachamim (scholars) are raised and study Torah, which is a substitute for sacrifices that were atonement for the people of Israel during the Temple period.
Bevirkat Shabbat Shalom Umevorach
David Azerad
3) HOLY JoKeS!!
Selection of funny snippets, loosely related to this weeks parashah, to brighten your day
One shabbat, Rabbi Bloom told his congregation, "Next week, my sermon will be all about the sin of lying and to help you understand it better I would like you all to read Leviticus chapter 28 before next week."
The following shabbat, at the start of his sermon, Rabbi Bloom asked his congregation, "How many of you have read Leviticus 28?" Every hand went up.
Rabbi Bloom smiled and said, "Leviticus has only 27 chapters. I will now proceed with my sermon on the sin of lying."
10 ways to know that you’ve had enough to drink on Purim
10.You hold a volume of the Babylonian Talmud upside down, thinking “Hey, they finally decoded the human genome!”
9.You argue with hamentashen…and lose.
8.You forget to open your eyes and instead grope around for the light switch. You finally find the light switch, flick it off and say “There.”
7.You think that calves’ foot jelly is a dessert.
6.You ask people how many candles they lit last night.
5.You begin speaking Yiddish with a Sephardic accent.
4.You dream that you are asleep.
3.You have a nightmare that you are awake.
2.You combust spontaneously.
1.You think these jokes are funny.
A Jewish knock, knock joke!
Knock knock.
Who’s there?
Vashti!
Vashti who?
Vashti dishes and I’ll give you a hamantaschen!
