Mizrachi Matters can now be found on the Mizrachi website at http://mizrachi.com.au/mizrachi-matters/ or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/MizrachiMelb MIZRACHI MATTERS - SHABBAT SHOFTIM Friday, 6 September (6 Elul) Mincha & Ma’ariv: 5:50pm 1 Candle Lighting: 5:44pm Drasha: R’ Mottel Krasnjanski Friday 6 September 6 Elul Shabbat 7 September 7 Elul Sunday 8 September 8 Elul Monday 9 September 9 Elul Tuesday 10 September 10 Elul Wednesday 11 September 11 Elul Thursday 12 September 12 Elul Friday 13 September 13 Elul 1. Beit Yehuda 2. Kehillat Ohr David 3. Beit Midrash (Beit Haroeh Shabbat Morning) 4 . Bnei Akiva 5 . Elsternwick 6 . Midrashah 7 . Goldberger Hall Shacharit 6:30am 1 , 7:00am 2 7:30am 1 7:30am 1 9:30am 1,2,3,4 7:00am 1 ; 8:00am 1: 9:00am 2 6:20am 1 , 7:00am 2 7:30am 1 6:30am 1 , 7:00am 2 7:30am 1 6:30am 1 , 7:00am 2 7:30am 1 6:20am 1 , 7:00am 2 7:30am 1 6:30am 1 , 7:00am 2 7:30am 1 Dawn 5:24am 5:22am 5:21am 5:19am 5:18am 5:16am 5:15am 5:13am Tallit & Tefillin 5:44am 5:43am 5:41am 5:40am 5:38am 5:37am 5:35am 5:34am Sunrise 6:36am 6:34am 6:33am 6:31am 6:30am 6:28am 6:27am 6:25am Sh'ma (גר״א) 9:27am 9:26am 9:25am 9:24am 9:23am 9:22am 9:21am 9:20am Earliest Mincha 12:48pm 12:48pm 12:48pm 12:47pm 12:47pm 12:47pm 12:47pm 12:46pm Plag HaMincha (גר״א) 4:50pm 4:51pm 4:52pm 4:52pm 4:53pm 4:53pm 4:54pm 4:55pm Mincha / Maa'riv 5:50pm 1 5:25pm 1 5:55pm 1 5:55pm 1 5:55pm 1 5:55pm 1 5:55pm 1 5:55pm 1 Sunset 6:02pm 6:03pm 6:04pm 6:05pm 6:05pm 6:06pm 6:07pm 6:08pm Night/Shabbat Ends 6:42pm 6:43pm 6:44pm 6:44pm 6:45pm 6:46pm 6:47pm 6:48pm Second Ma'ariv 9:30pm 9:30pm 9:30pm 9:30pm 9:30pm DAF YOMI Keritot 16 Keritot 17 Keritot 18 Keritot 19 Keritot 20 Keritot 21 Keritot 22 Keritot 23 8:15am 8:45am 8:15am 8:15am 8:15am 8:15am 8:15am SHIURIM R’ Leor Broh 9:00am R’ James Kennard 9:30am 7 Drashot R’ Danny Mirvis 1 R’ Chezy Deren 2 R’ Leor Broh 3 Shabbat Afternoon Shiur R’ James Kennard 4:30pm “(Trying to) Truly Understand Rashi” shiur for students & young adults with R’ James Kennard 8:30pm Ohr HaChaim on the Parsha for women R’ Danny Mirvis 9:30am 6 Tzurba Communal Shiur with R’ Yehoshua Asulin for men & women 8:30pm Sefer Devarim for women Michal Kaufman 9:00pm Lunch and Learn Guest Speaker: R’ Prof. Avraham Steinberg 1:00pm 6 Gemara B’Iyun Shiur with R’ Yehoshua Asulin 8:30pm “Following in the Footsteps of our Fathers” **11:00am** 11 Morrice Street R’ Alex Tyskin Gary’s Gemara Shiur @ 8:30pm R’ Yehoshua Asulin – “Exploring Emunah - A Journey in Understanding Hashem to Deal with our Personal Challenges” 8:30pm Beginners Gemara Shiur for Women with Rabbanit Ahuva Tsykin at 8:30pm 6 Lunch and Learn Guest Speaker: R’ Prof. Avraham Steinberg Lvl 28, 101 Collins St 1:00pm Tzurba Shiur R’ Mark Steiner 8:30pm Parasha Shiur (Ivrit Kala) R’ Yehoshua Asulin 8:45pm Advanced Gemara Shiur for Women with Rabbanit Ahuva Tsykin at 8:30pm 6 Masechet Rosh Hashana Shiur R’ Yehoshua Asulin & R’ James Kennard 9:45pm R’ Yehoshua Asulin & R’ James Kennard 9:45pm R’ Yehoshua Asulin & R’ James Kennard 9:45pm R’ Yehoshua Asulin & R’ James Kennard 7:00pm R’ Yehoshua Asulin & R’ James Kennard 9:45pm MISHNAH YOMIT Avot 3:6-7 Avot 3:8-9 Avot 3:10-11 Avot 3:12-13 Avot 3:14-15 Avot 3:16-17 Avot 3:18-4:1 Avot 4:2-3 5:40pm 5:15pm Between Mincha and Ma'ariv Between Mincha and Ma'ariv Between Mincha and Ma'ariv Between Mincha and Ma'ariv Between Mincha and Ma'ariv 5:45pm EVENTS MizKidz 10:45am Bnei Akiva 4:30pm Seudah Shlishit Aharon Poupko Topic: Torah Law through the Lenses of Modernity YAHRZEITS Raie Levy (Husband) Naomi Arber, Danny Levy Pninah Lissauer & Tamara Rubinstein (Father) Ann Kelman (Mother) Jeff Lefkovits & Judy Berkowitz (Father) Ursula Cher (Husband) Lawrence Cher, Leonie Balbin, Nathan Cher (Father) Ann Shnider (Father)
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MIZRACHI MATTERS - SHABBAT SHOFTIM · pagan residents of Israel practiced widespread sorcery and black magic. Many of these rituals including witchcraft, wizardry, necromancy and
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ד"בס
Mizrachi Matters can now be found on the Mizrachi website at http://mizrachi.com.au/mizrachi-matters/ or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/MizrachiMelb
MIZRACHI MATTERS - SHABBAT SHOFTIM Friday, 6 September (6 Elul)
Tuesday: Gabe Paneth (HBD) Friday: Rabbi Mordechai Gutnick
WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES: Tuesday: Amanda & Daniel Teller (HWA)
If you have an occasion or milestone event that you would like to be mentioned in Mizrachi Matters, please email it to [email protected] by 12:00pm on Thursdays
From the Gush Rav Moshe Taragin Parshat Shoftim – Statistics and Sorcerers
The ancient pagan residents of Israel practiced widespread sorcery and black magic.
Many of these rituals including witchcraft, wizardry, necromancy and soothsaying were
aimed at divining future events. Living in a chaotic world, ancient Man devised multiple
“schemes” attempting to predict the future. In truth, these crude tools of black magic were
partially effective in granting a blurry glimpse into the future.
As Jews, however, we are forbidden from engaging in these rituals and from associating
with this undignified world. Even the “innocuous” process of ‘nichush’- basing decisions
upon omens- is banned. As the Gemara in Sanhedrin asserts, it is prohibited to render
decisions based upon omens such as watching a deer cross our path or witnessing a
broken branch. Despite the partial effectiveness of these rituals, the Torah sternly warns
against adopting these premonitions. In part, this severe prohibition stems from the
inherent affiliation with the world of paganism. Relying upon these portents would
associate us too deeply with the dark world of idolatry. In addition to the prohibition based
upon the association with paganism, these practices are banned because it blurs our
vision of “freedom of choice” or bechirah chufshit. The prohibition against “predicting the
future” is based upon the notion that the future is undetermined. Obsessing about future
events implies a world of pre-determinism and threatens the inalienability of bechira
chufshit. “Nichush-predictors” are forbidden, because they imperil our core belief in
freedom of choice.
The launch of Elul and the buildup to the Great Days of Change demands a
reaffirmation of the importance of freedom of choice. Our freedom of choice doesn’t
only empower our “external” decisions, but also galvanizes us to determine and constantly
reshape our very identities- our internal world. Teshuva is a constant year-round pursuit,
but it is amplified during this period of transformation – the period of Man’s absolute
freedom.
We live in an era of unprecedented personal, political, religious and economic freedom.
Democracy has swept across the globe relieving persecution and discrimination while
liberating the entire gamut of human experience. Yet, ironically, in many ways our modern
world sometimes feels more predetermined and less “free” than in past generations. How
has this ironic transformation occurred? How have we achieved unprecedented political
and economic liberty while sometimes abandoning personal freedom?
Much of this erosion of “behavioral” freedom stems from the development of the field of
statistics. Over the past two centuries, as humanity has urbanized and amassed together
in large populations, it became necessary to develop the field of statistics to enable the
gathering and processing of information about large groups of people. At first statistics
assisted in gathering and documenting information but, ultimately, trends of human
behavior were noticed yielding to the ability to predict “mass behavior”. Without these
predictive skills, large-scale economies couldn’t function, and advance planning would be
impossible. The Modern City is predicated upon our forecasting abilities. However, this
emergent field of statistics has created the false impression that human behavior can be
charted and predicted. The often-heard phrase “I feel like a number” reflects the
depersonalization of the individual in the modern world. By contrast, the phrase “I feel
like a statistic” reflects a sense
From the Gush Rav Moshe Taragin Parshat Shoftim – Statistics and Sorcerers
of pre-determinism and the abdication of personal autonomy. If human behavior can be
so easily predicted, how “free” are we to shape our future. Our exposure to statistics
creates the mirage of a world of trends and mass habits; at some deep level we abdicate a
sense of personal prerogative. Without question, there are broad trends which govern
general human behavior, but each individual remains free to render independent
decisions.
More recently, the emergence of the internet has deepened the perception that human
behavior is predictable and predetermined. We no longer merely conduct statistical
surveys among ‘ourselves’ - in our cities or even in our countries. The internet has allowed
us to easily calculate worldwide trends in a global village. Sadly, sometimes life in this
global village feels coerced. How often have we decided to view an on-line video based upon
the number of “views” it received rather than based on personal interest or based on
relevant “content”. The notion of a video going “viral” is, by definition, anti-democratic, as
it is based upon “group think”: millions watch a video not because of personal interest but
merely because that video is popular. At some point popularity feeds popularity rather
than content creating interest and popularity. Furthermore, social media imprisons us in
‘echo chambers’ within which our opinions ricochet off people almost identical to
ourselves. Barricaded by these chambers from alternate viewpoints, our opinions seem
very ‘protected’, unexamined and oftentimes simplistic. How truly free are we if our
opinions and positions are not assessed but merely shaped by the cyber sphere?
As the internet has shrunk our world science has dramatically expanded it. Space travel
has expanded the “space” of human experience while science has greatly expanded the
“space” of human inquiry. As our universe has swelled, it becomes more difficult to
appreciate the centrality of a human being and the power of free choice. About 100 years
ago Franz Kafka commented “We no longer live in space cut to human size but on a small
lost star surrounded by millions of larger and smaller worlds. Solar space looms up like
an act of vengeance. In its abysses we lose more and more of our freedom of movement
day by day. I believe that it can't last much longer ...The world is changing into a ghetto.
...The world is opening out but we are driven into narrow defiles of paper”
We are the only living creature gifted by G-d with freedom of choice. Unwavering belief in
absolute freedom is crucial in general, but even more so during this period of teshuvah.
Sorcerers of the ancient world predicted the future through black magic whereas “modern
sorcerers” more accurately predict human trends through statistical analysis. This
analysis is vital for collective planning but cannot eviscerate the belief in the personal
freedom of the individual. Our ancestors were prohibited from entering the cave of a
sorcerer; we must guard against the ‘graphs’ of statistics. As with every instrument we
must wield it in the service of human progress, however we mustn’t allow the predictive
ability of statistics to strip our individuality and our abiding sense of individualism and of
bechirah chufshit.
Elul 5779 September 2019
Dear Friends, Rosh Hashana is fast approaching and as we begin to focus ourselves on teshuva and m’asim tovim it is a perfect opportunity to consider the needs of others especially those that rely on support from our community. Throughout the year the Mizrachi Charity Fund (MCF) is committed to providing members of our extended community with the necessary support to ensure that they are able to provide for their families adequately. The need is constant and the requests endless. Unfortunately, there is an increasing number of families within the community that rely on our support in order to manage their financial burden. The range of support we offer is diverse and we are committed to finding the most beneficial form of support for each individual case. *David recently approached MCF following a serious workplace accident which has left him severely impaired and unable to work. David has a large family and unfortunately the disability payments he receives are inadequate to cover the full extent of the expenses incurred. David is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and the additional stress which he is experiencing due to financial pressures is impacting upon him greatly. *Rachel is an orthodox single mother who is the sole provider for her son. Her limited resources render it impossible for her to be able to afford to live in an area where there is a shule or any other communal resources. Rachel and her son both desperately wish to be involved in the community however their financial limitations result in them feeling isolated and disconnected. David and Rachel, and their families are just two examples of families who turned to Mizrachi Charity for assistance when they found themselves so vulnerable. We receive requests from families within our community and beyond. The most alarming feature is that many of these requests are coming from families that are deeply integrated in our close knit community. The need is literally on our doorstep and it is something that we cannot ignore. We are pleased to be able to assist those families that seek our support and the only hurdle we face is having limited funds which restricts our ability to assist to the full extent required. We are completely reliant on the support of our generous community which ensures that we sustain our record of distributing approximately $180,000 a year to those who find themselves hungry, homeless, jobless and with few avenues of support. Every month, funds are disbursed to provide food vouchers, rental assistance, medical assistance, payment of utilities and occasionally, financial support in order to retrain or re-educate an individual so that they can return to the workforce. We hope to do more of this. Obviously the more money we raise the more capability we have to assist. Sometimes what we provide is only enough to help our clients out of a drastic predicament and we always wish we had the ability to help on a grander scale. Please consider those families whose added challenges can be alleviated by our thoughtful assistance by supporting our Rosh Hashana Appeal. We are so grateful for your continued support and are delighted to advise that donations can now be made online by clicking on our website charity.mizrachi.com.au . Wishing you all a Shana Tova and Gmar Chatima Tova. Warm regards,
Karen Franks Mizrachi Charity Fund Executive Director
Dear Mitpalel, The sale of kibbudim for the yamim nora’im in Beit Yehuda has always been an important source of revenue to help fund the many activities of the Mizrachi Organisation. As the sale of kibbudim by auction prior to k’riat ha’Torah can sometimes lead to a lack of decorum in the shule and lengthen the tefilah times, we are selling the kibbudim in advance of the yamim nora’im. Procedure: 1. We invite you to consider purchasing any of the following kibbudim, in advance, by completing the form below and returning it to the Mizrachi office via fax (9527 5665), post (81 Balaclava Road, Caulfield North 3161) or email (scan and send to [email protected]). 2. As we are not conducting an auction, you are required to indicate your bid(s) only once. The highest respective bids received by the deadline of COB on the respective dates will be successful. 3. The minimum bid that will be accepted for each kibbud is listed. Bids should be in $50 increments. 4. If the highest bid is shared by two people, and an alternative equivalent kibbud is not available, a phone conference will be held between the bidders to run an open, over the phone auction. Priority will be given to a chiyuv or anyone commemorating a special event so please make it clear if this is the case. Otherwise, there is no need to fill in the ‘Reason / For whom’ column.
Name: Mobile:
Email:
ROSH HASHANA Due back into the Mizrachi Office by
Friday 20 September at 2:00pm
Day 1 Day 2 Kibbud Min. bid Your bid Reason/For whom Min. bid Your bid Reason/For whom Petichah $400 $ $400 $ Kohen $400 $ $400 $ Levi $400 $ $400 $ Shlishi $400 $ $600 $ Revi’i $400 $ $400 $ Chamishi $400 $ $400 $ Shishi Shabbat only
Dear Mitpalel, The sale of kibbudim for the yamim nora’im in Beit Yehuda has always been an important source of revenue to help fund the many activities of the Mizrachi Organisation. As the sale of kibbudim by auction prior to k’riat ha’Torah can sometimes lead to a lack of decorum in the shule and lengthen the tefilah times, we are selling the kibbudim in advance of the yamim nora’im. Procedure: 1. We invite you to consider purchasing any of the following kibbudim, in advance, by completing the form below and returning it to the Mizrachi office via fax (9527 5665), post (81 Balaclava Road, Caulfield North 3161) or email (scan and send to [email protected]). 2. As we are not conducting an auction, you are required to indicate your bid(s) only once. The highest respective bids received by the deadline of COB on the respective dates will be successful. 3. The minimum bid that will be accepted for each kibbud is listed. Bids should be in $50 increments. 4. If the highest bid is shared by two people, and an alternative equivalent kibbud is not available, a phone conference will be held between the bidders to run an open, over the phone auction. Priority will be given to a chiyuv or anyone commemorating a special event so please make it clear if this is the case. Otherwise, there is no need to fill in the ‘Reason / For whom’ column.