Sunday, September 13, 2020 - 10:00am Join Rabbis Matanky and Bresler for a pre-HIGH HOLIDAY TOWN HALL MEETING on zoom
Tuesday, September 15, 2020 – 12 noon STEMM – A Jewish Perspective on Risk Assessment with RABBI REUVEN BRAND
Wednesday, September 16, 2020 - 12:00pm DAYTIME DIALOGUES with HARAV YOSEF ZVI RIMON Rosh HaYeshiva, Jerusalem College of Technology, Founder of Sulamot, click here for the webinar link
HALACHA OF THE WEEK: Tashlich Typically on the first day (but this year because the first day of Rosh Hashana is Shabbat, therefore, on the second day) of Rosh Hashana there is a custom to go to a body of water (preferably one which has fish [Magen Avraham 583:5]) and recite various pesukim [Shulchan Aruch, Orech Chaim 583:2; Mishna Berura ibid., note 8]. Among the reasons offered for this custom is that when Abraham went to sacrifice his son, he passed through water that reached all the way up to his neck - and yet, he never hesitated, continuing on his way to fulfill the word of G-d. To remember that great deed of faith, we go near a body of water and recite verses which express our belief in G-d [Mishna Berura ibid.].
While there is a custom that when reciting Tashlich we empty our pockets of any crumbs that may have fallen inside - symbolic of our desire to remove all our sins [Mateh Ephraim 598:4] - there is no basis for the custom to throw things (crumbs or other objects) into the water. In fact, in most cases, those things which may be thrown (rocks or crumbs) are "muktzeh" and therefore forbidden to be handled on yomtov.
According to the Ari, it is preferable to perform Tashlich after Mincha. However, if there is not enough time between mincha and sunset, Tashlich can be performed earlier in the day [Mateh Efraim 598:7 and Elef l'Mateh ibid.]. If a person was unable to recite Tashlich on the first day of Rosh Hashana, Tashlich should be recited on the second day. If for some reason a person was unable to recite Tashlich on either day of Rosh Hashana, it can be recited on any day up until Yom Kippur [Mateh Ephraim ibid., note 6]. However, in such a case, it may be preferable to recite Tashlich on the day before erev Yom Kippur when we recite the selichot of the "Yud-Gimmel Middot" [Likutei MaHaRICH, Shaar Yisachar, Maamar Shuva Yisrael 22].
DVAR TORAH This week's double parsha begins with a soaring image of unity and closeness to G-d, but also include Moshe’s final admonition to the Jewish people where he reminds them to avoid worshipping idols.
Said Moshe to the people "…Lest there be among you a man or woman or family or tribe whose heart turns away this day from the L-rd our G-d to go to serve the gods of those nations; lest there should be among you a root that bears gall and wormwood… saying ‘I shall have peace, though I walk in the stubbornness of my heart… The L-rd will not be willing to pardon him, but then the anger of the L-rd and His jealousy shall be kindled against that man and all the curse that is written in this book shall lie upon him and the L-rd shall blot out his name from under heaven…” [Devarim 29:15-19].
Dr. Abraham Twerski asks a fascinating question - if Moshe described both the disgusting nature of idolatry and the terrible punishment that awaits those who worship it, why was it necessary to spend so much time and verbiage warning the Jewish people against it? Why would they even be tempted by it?
The answer he explained can be found in a fascinating research study that followed a two-hour TV documentary on the evils of cocaine addiction. In that TV show it explained how cocaine is such a powerful addictive substance and if a person gets entrapped in a cocaine addiction it will literally destroy his life, as he is willing to do anything just to get his next "fix."
Amazingly, researchers discovered that the teenagers and young adults who watched this program were more likely to try cocaine more than those who did not see this show!
But how can that be? How can two hours of scientific evidence and graphic images showing the dangers of cocaine lead to people using it?
Dr. Twerski's answer is that when you show people the pleasure of something together with the subsequent pain that results, psychologically the message of the pleasure overwhelms the message of the pain. The takeaway from the TV documentary was “Hey this stuff must be really great because look at what people are willing to do for it.”
So too he explained the challenge of idolatry. Moshe knew that when the Jews would enter the Land that idols and idolatry would be around them. But even more, he knew that the pleasure that the Canaanites found in worshipping idols, even if they would be conquered, would still be something very tempting to the Jewish people.
And so, he warned them - and emphasized to them that the pleasure of idolatry was far outweighed by the disgusting nature of that worship and the horrific punishment that might await them. Moshe spent the time, because he knew that the danger was there!
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MAZAL TOV * to Joel and Jenny Jacobson on the upcoming marriage of their son Rafi to Ariella Green of Toronto. Mazal tov to grandmothers, Mrs. Naomi Jacobson and Mrs. Barbara Klein. * to Elly and Mandy Bachrach on the birth of a granddaughter. The proud parents are Avigayil and Ari Scher. * to Esther Cardash on the marriage of her grandson Dovid Romanoff to Noey Malkin.
REFUAH SHLAIMA * to Etai Rimel who is recovering from surgery * to Shifra Yehudis Orlian who is recuperating at home * to Shulmais Ashkenazy who is recuperating from surgery.
CONDOLENCES * to Dalia and Yossi Brandman on the loss of Dalia’s grandmother Mrs. Rosalind Taragin z”l.
CLASSES @ KINS During the COVID-19 crisis, all of our shiurim will be online and can be accessed live at https://zoom.us/j/8618119980 or at https://www.congkins.org/video-shiurim.html A Donation to the Virtual Learning Fund was made by * Vivienne Sklar in commemoration of the yahrtzeit of her mother Ethel Kelman z”l. * Devora and Alan Sorscher in commemoration of the 7th yahrtzeit of Devora’s father Rabbi Victor Zwelling z”l.
TO SPONSOR A SHIUR - CLICK HERE DAILY & WEEKLY SHIURIM DAF YOMI – LIVE Mon.-Friday @ 7:30am; Sunday - TBA
COVID TRACING In order to assist our community in tracing COVID outbreaks (chas v’shalom) there is a grassroots efforts that has been endorsed by a number of our community organizations. For more information, click here - https://www.communitycounter.org/
HIGH HOLIDAY NIGGUNIM As we are aware, this year, Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur davening will be significantly shortened and absent many of the tunes we may typically sing. To help remember what “was” and prepare for what “will be,” the DeZimra Institute has created a website with all of the familiar Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur melodies.Click here
Congregation K.I.N.S. of West Rogers Park 2800 W. North Shore Ave • Chicago, IL 60645 P 773.761.4000 • F 773.761.4959 • www.congkins.org
DAF YOMI – LIVE Mon.-Friday @ 7:30am; Sunday - TBA
3 MINUTE HALACHA – RECORDED Sunday-Friday
DAYTIME DIALOGUES
NINE MEASURES of BEAUTY - Wed. 8:00pm
SEFER MELACHIM – LIVE Sunday @ 9:00am