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M A Weekly - Bulletin Feb 15th 2025 - YITRO - 17 SHEVAT 5785

02/14/2025 10:11:38 AM

Feb14

M.A. WEEKLY

                      
 

 CLIQUEZ ICI Pour voir ce communiqué en Français (Traduction automatique par Google)

SCHEDULE

SHABBAT TIMES

Friday Night, @Maghen Abraham

 

Mincha 4:50pm followed by Shir Hashirim -Kabbalat Shabbat - Arvit

 

Shabbat Candle lighting  5:02 pm

 

Saturday - @Maghen Abraham  

 

Shahrit 9am

 

Perasha -  Yitro

Haftara - Yeshayahu (Isaiah) Chapter 6:1-13

 

Kiddush Sponsored by

MAGHEN ABRAHAM

 

Mincha 4:50PM followed by Arvit & Havdalah

 

Havdalah: 6:07pm

 

>Montreal Shabbat/Holiday Calendar 5785 can be found here<

 

UPCOMING HOLIDAYS

PURIM

Thursday March 13th-Friday March 14th

UPCOMING THIS WEEK

CELEBRATIONS

MABROOK!!!

 

Moshe Natan Saad

 

on his Bar Mitzvah

 

TIZKU L'MITZVOT!!

 

 

Proud parents are
Nino & Ofira Saad
Proud Grandparents
Moussa & Nina Saad
Roger & Yardena z'L Parienti
Liliane Cohen

 

MABROOK!!!

Laurie Tobianah

on her Birthday

 

MABROOK!!!

Beverly Sasson

on her Birthday

 

MABROOK!!!

Ezra Cohen

on his Birthday

 

 

HAZKAROT

 

HAZKARAH

  Ronald W. Dalfen z'L

Father of Samara Sayegh

 

HAZKARAH

  Yaacov Pisarevsky Ben Luba z'L

Father of David Pisarevsky

 

NOTICES

The cOMMUNITY OFFERS IT's CONDOLENCES TO 
NAdIA NACHTIGALL-SASSON on the passing of her Grandfather Moises Botner z'L
___________________________________________________
refua shelema to AHOUVA BAT MAZAL
___________________________________________________

REFUA SHELEMA TO Shlomo Ben Linda

NEWSLETTER

Bonjour / Hello [nickname_else_first_name],

Table of contents

 

1) Perashat Hashavoua - Rabbi Eli Mansour

2) Halakhat Hashavoua (Halakhot related to day to day life) By Hazzan David Azerad  -

The Mitzvah of Keriat Shema (The Recital of Shema) -Peninei Halacha

3) Holy Jokes!

4) For KIDS

 

 

 This Week's Parasha Insight with Rabbi Eli Mansour

Parashat Yitro: Peace in This World and the Next

We read in Parashat Yitro of Yitro’s suggestion that Moshe Rabbenu appoint a network of judges to work alongside him judging the people, rather than judge all the cases by himself. Yitro assures Moshe that if he follows his suggestion, "Kol Ha’am Ha’zeh Al Mekomo Yabo Be’shalom" – "This entire nation will come to its place in peace" (18:23). By establishing an efficient judicial system whereby everybody is guaranteed to have his disputes resolved promptly and fairly, Moshe can help maintain peace and goodwill among Beneh Yisrael. When people know that all disputes are being handled properly, and that everyone is giving and receiving precisely what they are supposed to, there is no resentment and people get along with one another in peace and harmony.

While on the surface Yitro’s point seems clear, the Hafetz Haim (Rav Yisrael Meir Kagan of Radin, 1839-1933) notes a subtle point in Yitro’s choice of words that should draw our attention. Our Sages have taught that there is a distinction between wishing somebody that he should go "Le’shalom" and go "Be’shalom." The word "Le’shalom" is the term that should normally be used when bidding somebody farewell, whereas "Be’shalom" is reserved for the deceased. We should use "Be’shalom" only when bidding farewell to a departed person and wishing him or her a pleasant and peaceful afterlife. Why, then, would Yitro use the word "Be’shalom" in this context? He obviously wasn’t anticipating that everyone among Beneh Yisrael would die; the point he was making was that an efficient judicial system would help ensure a peaceful existence here in this world. So why did he use the term associated with the deceased?

The Hafetz Haim explained that Yitro here actually refers to peace in both worlds – this world and the next. If a person leaves this world holding onto money or property that does not lawfully belong to him, he does not experience rest in the afterlife. He will have to return to this world in a different incarnation in order to return the assets. A proper judicial system thus ensures "Be’shalom" – that people can enjoy peace in the afterlife and enjoy the delights of the next world. If disputes are not properly handled in this world, then the soul will have to return at some later point to handle them.

The Hafetz Haim’s powerful words should serve as an added deterrent against dishonesty in our financial dealings. People might be tempted to think, "Well, it’s only a few dollars," or "Look, this is how things are done," and justify dishonesty on this basis. The Hafetz Haim warns us that even "if it’s just a few dollars," and even if "this is how things are done," these factors will not help one in the next world. For those few dollars, he will be denied rest in the next world.

Simply put, we need to remind ourselves that it’s never worth it to act dishonestly. No matter how much money we stand to gain or save through even a so-called "minor" ethical breach, we will end up losing, either in this world or the next. And the loss will always far, far exceed anything we could possibly gain.

 

 

Halachot this week are selected and Translated by Hazzan David Azerad

The Mitzvah of Keriat Shema (The Recital of Shema) -Peninei Halacha


It is a positive biblical commandment to recite Shema at night and in the morning, as it is written (Deuteronomy 6:7), “And you shall say them… when you lie down and when you get up.” “When you lie down” denotes nighttime, and “when you get up” refers to morning.

 

We read three paragraphs, the first: “Shema Yisrael” (“Hear O Israel”) (Deuteronomy 6:4-9), with which we accept the yoke of Heaven, and which discusses the unity and love of Hashem. The second is “V’hayah Im Shamo’a” (“And if you follow”) (Deuteronomy 11:13-21), which includes the acceptance of the yoke of the mitzvot. The third is “Vayomer” (“And He said”) (Numbers 15:37-41), including a command to remember the mitzvot through the commandment of tzitzit, and mention of the Exodus from Egypt.

 

The Chachamim arranged the Shema paragraph to precede V’hayah Im Shamo’a so that a person will first accept the yoke of Heaven, and only afterwards accept the yoke of the mitzvot. They also placed V’hayah Im Shamo’a which involves a general mandate to keep all the mitzvot, including those performed during both day and night, before the Vayomer paragraph, which discusses the mitzvah of tzitzit, performed only during the day (Berachot 13a).

 

In the opinion of some Rishonim, the biblical commandment is to recite the verse “Shema Yisrael.” According to them, this is the meaning of (Deuteronomy 6:6-7), “These words I am commanding you today must be in your heart…when you lie down and when you get up.” However, the Chachamim instituted reciting the entire three paragraphs.

 

It can be explained, that the essence of the mitzvah of Keriat Shema is that a person accepts upon himself the yoke of Heaven, and for that reason, even one who only recites the first verse fulfills the biblical commandment. Yet, the more a person enhances his acceptance of the yoke of Heaven, the more completely he fulfills the biblical commandment. Therefore, the Chachamim instituted the recital of all three paragraphs, for within them are the fundamentals of faith, the acceptance of the yoke of the mitzvot, and the remembrance of all the mitzvot through the mitzvah of tzitzit. Hence, in actuality, we fulfill the biblical mitzvah by reciting all three paragraphs.

 

Bevirkat Shabbat Shalom Umevorach

David Azerad 

 

 3) HOLY JoKeS!!

 

Selection of funny snippets, loosely related to this weeks parashah or current events, to brighten your day 


 

 

 

 

4) FOR KIDS

Click on the image to open the youtube video

 

 

 

LIFECYCLE EVENTS

Celebrate a lifecycle event with us by sponsoring a Kiddouch

 

CONGREGATION MAGHEN ABRAHAM

 

Contact Us

Maghen Abraham
POB 111, Succ Snowdon, Montreal,

H3X 3T3

 

Synagogue:
4894 St-Kévin 
Montréal, Québec, Canada 
macommunaute@maghenabraham.com

 

Update kiddush - M A Weekly - Bulletin Feb 8th 2025 - BESHALACH-TU B'SHVAT - 10 SHEVAT 5785

02/06/2025 10:17:44 PM

Feb6

M.A. WEEKLY

                      
 

 CLIQUEZ ICI Pour voir ce communiqué en Français (Traduction automatique par Google)

SCHEDULE

SHABBAT TIMES

Friday Night, @Maghen Abraham

 

Mincha 4:40pm followed by Shir Hashirim -Kabbalat Shabbat - Arvit

 

Shabbat Candle lighting  4:52 pm

 

Saturday - @Maghen Abraham  

 

Shahrit 9am

 

Perasha -  BESHALACH

Haftara - Shoftim (Judges) Chapter 4:4 - 5:31

 

Kiddush Sponsored by

MAGHEN ABRAHAM

 

Mincha 4:45PM followed by Arvit & Havdalah

 

Havdalah: 5:58pm

 

>Montreal Shabbat/Holiday Calendar 5785 can be found here<

 

UPCOMING HOLIDAYS

TU B'SHVAT

- Wednesday Evening (feb 11th) - Thursday afternoon FEB 12

Tu BiShvat (Hebrew: ט״ו בִּשְׁבָט‎, romanizedṬū bīŠvāṭlit.'15th of Shevat') is a Jewish holiday occurring on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Shevat. It is also called Rosh HaShanah La'Ilanot (ראש השנה לאילנות‎), literally "New Year of the Trees". In contemporary Israel, the day is celebrated as an ecological awareness day, and trees are planted in celebration.

-wikipedia

UPCOMING THIS WEEK

CELEBRATIONS

 

 

MABROOK!!!

Haim Sadi

on his Birthday

 

 

HAZKAROT

 

HAZKARAH

 Rosie Bari z'L

Sister of Salim Chahine

 

 

 

NOTICES

The cOMMUNITY OFFERS IT's CONDOLENCES TO 
NAdIA NACHTIGALL-SASSON on the passing of her Grandfather Moises Botner z'L
___________________________________________________
refua shelema to AHOUVA BAT MAZAL
___________________________________________________

REFUA SHELEMA TO Shlomo Ben Linda

NEWSLETTER

Bonjour / Hello [nickname_else_first_name],

Table of contents

 

1) Perashat Hashavoua - Rabbi Eli Mansour

2) Halakhat Hashavoua (Halakhot related to day to day life) By Hazzan David Azerad  -

Pesukei D'Zimrah -The Reason for Its Recital -Peninei Halacha

3) Holy Jokes!

4) For KIDS

 

 

 This Week's Parasha Insight with Rabbi Eli Mansour

Parashat BeShalah: G-d Will Pay You Will Back

The Gemara in Masechet Pesahim (118) tells that after the miracle of the Yam Suf, when Beneh Yisrael crossed the sea and stood at the shore, they were still frightened. They feared that just as they crossed the sea to the shore, the Egyptians, who were pursuing them, also crossed the sea on dry land and would soon come to shore and try to kill them. In order to allay the people’s fears, G-d ordered the angel assigned over the sea to spew forth the corpses of the drowned Egyptians, so Beneh Yisrael would see that their pursuers were dead. The angel, however, objected, asking, "Does a master give a gift and then take it away?" G-d had given the fish of the sea a "gift" – the remains of the Egyptians, which the fish could feed on. It would not be right, the angels protested, for G-d to now take this "gift" away from the fish. G-d replied by promising the angel that He would repay the fish 1.5 times that which He was taking from them. He was only "borrowing" their food, and would pay this "debt" at some point in the future. The angel demanded a guarantor, and G-d named the Kishon River, in Northern Israel, as the guarantor for this "loan" which He took from the fish. The angel accepted the deal, and the sea threw the bodies of the Egyptians onto the shore to show Beneh Yisrael that their former oppressors were drowned.

Many years later, during the time of Debora, Beneh Yisrael fought a fierce battle against the army of Sisera in Eretz Yisrael. The Gemara relates that to help Beneh Yisrael, G-d made the ground underneath the enemy’s horses very hot. The horses rushed to the nearby Kishon River to cool off their feet, and G-d instructed the Kishon to overflow its banks and drown Sisera’s army. He said to the river, "Go pay My debt," as the time had come to repay the "debt" owed to the fish. Sisera’s army was drowned, and it was then that the fish were repaid for giving up the bodies of the Egyptians after the miracle of the Yam Suf. The Gemara concludes that at that point the fish sang praise to G-d, exclaiming, "Ve’emet Hashem Le’olam," extolling G-d’s trustworthiness, seeing that He fulfilled His commitment.

This remarkable story may help explain the custom observed by many to eat fish on Shabbat. This custom is very common among Ashkenazim, as well as among some Sephardic communities (particular Moroccan Jews). Indeed, there is expression, "Ha’ochel Dag Be’yom Dag Nisol Mi’dag." The Hebrew word for "fish" is "Dag," which has the numerical value of 7, and has two letters – "Dalet" and "Gimmal" – which stand for "Din Gehinam" ("the punishment of Gehinam"). And it is thus said that whoever eats "Dag" on the day of "Dag" – the seventh day, Shabbat – is saved from "Dag" – the punishment of Gehinam.

Different explanations are given to explain the significance of eating fish on Shabbat, but one possibility may relate to the story of the fish in the Yam Suf. The Talmud teaches that a person’s livelihood for the entire year is determined on Rosh Hashanah, but the money spent for Shabbat, Yom Tob and Torah education are not included in this sum. Meaning, the money spent for these Misvot is taken off G-d’s account, as it were; He promises to pay us back for all the expenses incurred for Shabbat, holidays and Torah education. And thus when we sit down for the Shabbat meal, after spending significant sums of money for the delicacies that will be served, we eat fish to remind ourselves of the fish of the Yam Suf. We are shown that just as G-d fulfilled His promise to the fish, and many years later repaid them for the food He "borrowed" from them after the Egyptians were drowned, similarly, He can be trusted to pay us for the money we "borrowed" from Him when shopping for Shabbat. We have no reason to be concerned about the charges made to the credit card when purchasing our Shabbat goods, because Hashem made a promise to repay us for these expenses – and He can always be trusted to fulfill His promises.

 

 

Halachot this week are selected and Translated by Hazzan David Azerad

 

Pesukei D'Zimrah -The Reason for Its Recital -Peninei Halacha 

 

The appropriate prayer sequence is to begin by praising Hashem and only afterwards approach Him with our requests. We learn this from Moshe Rabbeinu who commenced his prayer with praise, saying (Deuteronomy 3:24), “Hashem, God, You have begun to show Your servant Your greatness and Your mighty hand. What force is there in heaven or earth that can perform deeds and mighty acts as You do?” Only afterwards did Moshe plead, “Please let me cross [the Jordan] so that I may see the good land…” Based on this, Rav Simlai interprets, “A person should always praise Hashem first and afterwards pray” (Berachot 32a). This is the order of the berachot in the Amidah. The first three berachot open with words of praise and only later continue to the berachot detailing our requests. Even in the rest of the prayer service, it is proper to begin in this fashion; therefore the Chachamim established the recital of Pesukei d’Zimrah, words of praise and exaltation of Hashem. The Chachamim instituted opening Pesukei d’Zimrah with Birkat Baruch She’amar and ending it with Birkat Yishtabach.

 

During the time of the Tanna’im, the recital of Pesukei d’Zimrah was considered to be an extra pious act praised by the Chachamim. As time went on, however, the minhag spread until it became an obligatory custom, and now all of Israel commenced their prayers with Pesukei d’Zimrah.

 

By reciting Pesukei d’Zimrah, a person reflects upon the magnitude of the Creator, and thus when he subsequently prays, he knows before Whom he stands. Otherwise, he might come to request his needs like idol worshipers, whose whole aim is to achieve personal success in their lowly matters, and who are not interested at all in devoting themselves to Hashem, the Source of Life. However, a person who purifies his heart by meditating on the greatness of Hashem knows how to pray. Even when requesting health and livelihood, he does so to devote himself to Hashem’s Torah and to rectify the world under the Almighty’s sovereignty. In this spirit, his prayers will be accepted (see Olat Ra’aya part 1, p.14).

 

The name “Pesukei d’Zimrah” means “verses of songs of praise.” Additionally, it derives from the phrase “zemirat hakerem” (the pruning of a vineyard). Just like one who prunes his vineyard cuts off the extra branches to increase the growth of the vines and thus produce better fruit in the future – by saying Pesukei d’Zimrah we destroy our flawed thoughts and negative feelings so that our prayers will ascend upward and be accepted. This process of mental and emotional purification inspires us to joyous songs; therefore these passages are called “Pesukei d’Zimrah.”

 

Bevirkat Shabbat Shalom Umevorach

David Azerad

 

 3) HOLY JoKeS!!

 

Selection of funny snippets, loosely related to this weeks parashah or current events, to brighten your day 


 

 

 

 

4) FOR KIDS

Click on the image to open the youtube video

 

 

 

LIFECYCLE EVENTS

Celebrate a lifecycle event with us by sponsoring a Kiddouch

 

CONGREGATION MAGHEN ABRAHAM

 

Contact Us

Maghen Abraham
POB 111, Succ Snowdon, Montreal,

H3X 3T3

 

Synagogue:
4894 St-Kévin 
Montréal, Québec, Canada 
macommunaute@maghenabraham.com

 
Tue, February 18 2025 20 Shevat 5785