EVERY WEEK @ KINS Every Motzaei Shabbat – 1hr after havdala FATHER & SON LEARNING @ KINS Mishnayot, Prizes and Snacksclick her for more information
Mommachef's SOUP KITCHEN @ KINS - will not meet January 1st KINS is proud to host a kosher soup kitchen for the less fortunate. To sign up to help, click here To help fund the Soup Kitchen, click here
Shabbat, January 4-5, 2019 Scholar in Residence RABBI AVROHOM LEVENTHAL Friday night Oneg - the Feifels, 2947 Jarlath @ 7:30p Shabbat (after early Minyan) "To Pray or not to Pray, That is the Question'' Shabbat Afternoon 3:15p- "Unclogging Our Spiritual Arteries" Seuda Shlishit - "Somebody is Knocking at My Door...Should We Answer?"
Friday, January 11, 2019 – 7:45p YOUTH ONEG – 6th-8th grade boys
Shabbat, February 8-9, 2019 Scholar in Residence RABBI MOSHE TARAGIN
Motzaei Shabbat, Feb. 9, 2019 – 8:00p JUF MELEVEH MALKA Featuring Rabbi Moshe Taragin Click here for more information
February 10, 2019 – 7:30pm KINS Comedy Night Featuring: Eli Lebowicz Click here for more information Congregation K.I.N.S. is proud to now be using the new RCA siddur that is designed to make davening more meaningful. Please consider sponsoring one or more siddurim in honor or memory of a loved one, or to mark a special occasion. To sponsor one or more of our new siddurim ($36 each), please click here
HALACHA OF THE WEEK: One of the most unusual lifecycle celebrations is the Shalom Zachar because unlike other events there is no set ceremony, no prayers, and no program. Instead, as the Rema writes "It is customary to make a festive meal on the Friday night after the birth of a baby boy. People go to the house where the baby is, to taste something, and this [eating] is a seudat mitzvah." [Yoreh Deah 265:12].
So what is the reason for this event?
1.Rabbeinu Tam [Tosafot Bava Kamma 80a "l'bei yeshua haben"] explains that the reason for this "seudat mitzvah" was in celebration that the child escaped the dangers involved in childbirth. As such the shalom zachar is a celebration that the baby was born "shalem" - complete and in good health. (Rabbi Reuven Margolis, [Margalios HaYam - Sanhedrin 32b paragraph 15] suggests that in the times of the gemara a similar event was held for girls who also "escaped the dangers involved in childbirth.")
2. Rabbi David HaKohen (the "Taz") suggested that this event is based on a midrash [Midrash Rabbah Emor 27:10] which explains that a bris was established on the eighth day to make sure that before entering into the covenant with G-d a baby first "greets the Shechina" on a Shabbat." According to this, the shalom zachar is a celebration of that first encounter (greeting/shalom] with Shabbat.
3. Perhaps the best-known explanation is found in the Drisha [Yoreh Deah 264:2] is that the shalom zachar is a celebration based on a famous midrash [Niddah 30b] that before birth an angel comes and strikes the child on his mouth causing him to forget all of the Torah he knew. As a result, the shalom zachar is meant to comfort the newborn for all of that Torah that was forgotten, and a prayer that the child "remember" (zechor) all that he forgot [Migdal Oz Introduction #16]. (Since it is a meal that connotes mourning over the loss of Torah, some have the custom of serving lentils or chickpeas, which is a traditional food of mourning. Others maintain that these round foods are served because it is a lifecycle event. And yet others suggest that it is served because of the Yiddish name for chickpeas - "arbis" - which reminds us of the "bris" about to occur.)
4. Finally, in some communities, the shalom zachar was used as an opportunity for a person to reconcile with his enemies. Indeed the Talmud notes that when a male child enters the world, peace enters the world with him [Niddah 31b]. To do this, people would invite their enemies to the shalom zachar to receive their blessings at this auspicious time in their lives. The shalom zachar was then seen as a community-wide celebration both in honor of the child as well as the renewed bonds of friendship between former adversaries [Orchot Chaim, Mila 9]. Accordingly, the shalom zachar is a plea to bring peace (shalom) to a community.
DVAR TORAH In describing Moshe Rabbeinu’s early years, the Torah writes: "The boy grew up [‘vayigdal hayeled’] and she brought him to the daughter of Pharaoh...” and then in the very next verse states: "It happened in those days that Moshe grew up [‘vayigdal Moshe’] and went out to his brethren and saw their burdens" [Shemot 2:10-11].
Why does the Torah describe Moshe as “growing up” twice? According to the Ramba”n the answer is that the Tora was two stages in Moshe’s development. The first was his physical growth - the period of time between his birth and when the daughter of Pharaoh adopted him. While the second verse refers to his spiritual growth - his readiness to assume the mantle of true Jewish leadership.
But what was it about the second verse that indicates Moshe’s readiness for leadership? It’s simply that he left the palace “to his brethren and saw their burdens” - or as Rashi describes it, "he gave his eyes and his heart [in order] to be troubled about them".
Because a true Jewish leader never turns away from trouble or suffering, but rather, seeks out those in need, feels their pain, and finds ways to help. As the late Chief Rabbi of England, Rabbi Joseph Hertz, notes on this verse, "He went out to his brethren. In later ages it must alas be said of many a son of Israel who had become great, that he went away from his brethren."
But not Moshe. He “grew up”, became great and went out to seek his brethren.
MAZAL TOV * to Yitzi and Aviva Matanky on the birth of a son. Mazal tov to grandparents Dr. Harvey Rosenbaum and Dr. Bonnie Feldman, and to Rabbi Leonard and Margaret Matanky. Special mazal tov to great-grandparents, Dr. Oscar and Bernice Novick and Mrs. Trude Matanky. The Shalom Zachar will be this Friday evening from 7:30-9:30p at 2932 West Greenleaf.
REFUAH SHLAIMA * to Yosef Shapiro who is recuperating at home. * to Nava Gavriella bat Naomi Tova Shicker
Donations to the Kiddush Fund were made by * Zevi and Yonit David in honor of their anniversary. * Rachel Silverman in honor of Richard’s birthday. * Sam and Shuli Medow in honor of their anniversary. * Gilbert and Eva Gertzfeld in commemoration of the yahrtzeit of Gil’s grandfather Avrohom HaCohen Gertzfeld z”l. * Shoshana Axler in commemoration of the yahrtzeit of her parents Robert and Jeanette Nelson z”l
Cong KINS Community Reminder Congregation K.I.N.S. is proud to support the community-wide effort to have all of our children vaccinated. Please protect your children and respect the health of others by making sure that if anyone in your family was exposed to measles or any other contagious disease that s/he remains at home until such time as a physician says it is safe to return to shul. For more information on the halachic obligation for vaccinations, please read ( click here) the statement of Rabbi Feurst and Rabbi Reiss.
SHABBAT 8:30am – Parshat Hashavua with Rabbi Myers 3:00pm – Parshat HaShavua with Wisdom of Torah Institute 45 min. before Mincha – Mesechet Ketubot with Rabbi Matanky
SUNDAY 6:30am - Daf Yomi with Yoel Goldberg 9:00am – Sefer Shmuel with Rabbi Matanky 9:00am – Contemporary Halacha with Rabbi Lerner - will resume 1/6 8:00-9:45pm – YU Torah MiTzion Kollel Night Seder 8:00-8:45pm - Teen SNL (Sunday Night Learning) with Rabbi Kanter
MONDAY 7:05am – Daf Yomi with Yoel Goldberg 2:00pm - Halacha and Chumash for Men 8:00-9:45pm – YU Torah MiTzion Kollel Night Seder 8:00pm – Halacha Then and Now with Rabbi Meyers
TUESDAY 7:05am – Daf Yomi with Yoel Goldberg 2:00pm - Halacha and Chumash for Men with Rabbi Lerner - will resume 1/2 8:00-9:45pm – YU Torah MiTzion Kollel Night Seder
WEDNESDAY 7:05am – Daf Yomi with Yoel Goldberg 12:40pm - Navi class for women with Rabbi Rosenbaum 2:00pm - Halacha and Chumash for Men with Rabbi Lerner - will resume 1/3 8:00-9:45pm – YU Torah MiTzion Kollel Night Seder
THURSDAY 7:15am - Daf Yomi with Yoel Goldberg 2:00pm - Halacha and Chumash for Men 8:00-9:45pm – YU Torah MiTzion Kollel Night Seder 9:00pm - From the Dayan's Desk with Rabbi Reiss
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
