Candle lighting time is 7:59
A Righteous People
As I read this week’s parshah, Ki Thetze, and thought back over the last two parshahs, it occurred to me once again that many of the mitzvos that Moses reiterates in his farewell address have a common goal – to make the Jewish people a righteous people; a people who stand apart and above, in ethical and moralistic terms, of the pagans and idol worshippers of the day.
Two weeks ago Moses issued a challenge to his people, to choose the fork in the road that would take them on the high road to the laws of God, or down the wrong road to a hedonistic life lacking in the rewards that God had promised to the Jewish people.
In this week’s parshah we see a continuation of the recounting of mitzvos that would make our ancestors far more righteous, far more humanitarian, than any of their contemporaries. There are 74 mitzvos in this parshah and among those that stand out to me are those dealing with the burial and dignity of the dead, treatment of slaves, treatment of servants and employees, fair treatment of debtors, laws pertaining to warfare, and proper treatment of a divorcee. There are even laws on how to treat a fallen animal.
Yes, God has given us laws to make us a righteous people, and yet, as humans we all too often do not live up to the standard that God has asked of us. With Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur right around the corner, can there be a better time for us to resolve to be a little more righteous during the coming year? I believe that the rewards will be well worth the effort.
The Shofar
The holiday edition of our newsletter, The Shofar, was e-mailed to our members with e-mail addresses this week. If you did not get one, please let me know. I will be glad to send it to you even if you are not a member. Members who do not have e-mail received paper copies by snail mail.
I am posting here our holiday schedule. Please note that the schedule correct time for the Breaking of the Fast is 8:12.
Holiday Schedule 5774, 2013
Rosh Hashanah
Wednesday, September 4
Evening Service…………………… 7:15pm
Thursday, September 5
Preliminary Service………………. 8:30am
Shachris…………………………………. 9am
Torah Reading……………………….. 10am
Sermon…………………………….. 10:45am
Musaf………………………………. 11:15am
Recess……………………………….. 1:15pm
Tashlich……………………………… 6:15pm
Minchah………………………………… 7pm
Maariv……………………………….. 7:15pm
Friday, September 6
Preliminary Service………………. 8:30am
Shachris…………………………………. 9am
Torah Reading……………………….. 10am
Sermon…………………………….. 10:45am
Musaf ……………………………… 11:15am
Shabbos
Saturday, September 7
Morning Service…………………… 9:20am
Yom Kippur
Friday, September 13
Sermon……………………………… 7:30pm
Maariv ………………………………. 7:45pm
Saturday, September 14
Preliminary Service…………………… 9am
Shachris……………………………… 9:30am
Torah Reading……………………. 10:30am
Sermon…………………………….. 11:15am
Yizkor……………………………….. 11:45am
Musaf………………………………. 12:15pm
Recess……………………………….. 2:30pm
Minchah…………………………….. 5:50pm
Neilah……………………………….. 6:50pm
Breaking of the Fast……………… 8:12pm
Sukkos
Thursday, September 19
Morning Service…………………… 9:20am
Friday, September 20
Morning Service…………………… 9:20am
Thursday, September 26
Preliminary Service………………. 9:20am
Shachris……………………………… 9:40am
Yizkor…………………………………… 11am
Simchas Torah
Friday, September 27
Morning Service…………………… 9:20am