Dear Friends,
Shabbat Shalom!This shabbat is the 2nd day of Elul -Remember to say "Ledovid" - Psalm 27 in Shacharit and Maariv all month -see next section
The High Holiday Anthem -by SDY
Nations, states, provinces and even some Japanese corporations have anthems.
An anthem is a piece of music that expresses the essence of the entity it celebrates, a common theme which unites all of the diverse people and variegated activities of life in that place.
For example, there are a lot of different types of gatherings at which the “Star-Spangled Banner” is played in the United States. Some are happy and some sad. Some are deeply serious and some are frivolous. Some are large and some quite small. The common theme the anthem gives voice to is: we are proud to be Americans, and are grateful for the opportunities this country has given us; we know that our felicity and security has been bought with sacrifice and blood, and we know that only absolute steadfastness in protecting our liberties will retain them. We are cognizant of these truths both when swearing in a new president and when enjoying ourselves at a baseball game, as they are equally crucial to both.
The High Holiday season also has an “anthem.”
We are now entering a season of profound, powerful and experientially diverse days on the Jewish calendar. The festivals and special dates of this season pluck every string of our being, and sound virtually every note our soul can sing.
During the month of Elul, we engage in introspection and self-evaluation.
On Rosh Hashanah, we explore our personal and communal connection to G‑d and renew our belief that we can make a difference in our world.
During the Ten Days of Return which climax on Yom Kippur, we confront the negativity in our past. We then connect ourselves to our ultimate Source at a level deeper than our shortcomings can reach, and with the power of that bond transform the bitterness of the past into the sweetness of a better future.
With this newfound closeness to the transcendent, we then enter the festival of Sukkot, where every aspect of our lives is embraced and suffused with the presence of G‑d’s love for us and our reciprocal love of G‑d—an experience that engenders the great happiness which culminates in the consummate joy of Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah.
These experiences are very varied, yet are part of a single continuum. They have an anthem that expresses that continuity.
The “anthem” of the High Holiday season, which spans the Jewish months of Elul and Tishrei, is Psalm 27, “G‑d is my light.”
For fifty days—from Rosh Chodesh (“the head of the month”) of Elul to the seventh day of Sukkot (“Hoshana Rabbah”)—we recite this psalm twice a day, morning and evening. Its opening line is the key to all of the aforementioned experiences: “G‑d is my light . . .”
The purpose of light is to reveal. It enables us to see clearly that which it shines upon. This anthem gives voice to our sense that during this time of year G‑d is uniquely accessible, and we therefore can open the doors of our consciousness to G‑d and allow His light to reveal all that we possess, but have somehow missed in the dimmed corridors of everyday life.
This light is the overarching theme of this season:
The light reveals our flaws.
It reveals our potential to transcend those flaws.
It reveals that our negativity runs no deeper than a bad dream from which we can awake with a surge of willed consciousness.
It reveals that our dream of perfection is a vision we are empowered to attain.
It reveals that we are not as far from G‑dliness as we thought we were.
It reveals that we are not a separate entity from G‑d, but an extension of G‑d’s essence.
It reveals our ability to see this divine quality in everyone else as well.
It reveals our capacity to rise above the pain of the transient and ephemeral.
It reveals our capacity to rejoice in the real and eternal.
As we say these magnificent words each day during this crucial period, let us open ourselves up to the G‑dly light within us, and transform ourselves and our world—for good.
Psalm 27 Follows below
לְדָוִ֨ד ׀ יְהוָ֤ה ׀ אוֹרִ֣י וְ֭יִשְׁעִי מִמִּ֣י אִירָ֑א יְהוָ֥ה מָֽעוֹז־חַ֝יַּ֗י מִמִּ֥י אֶפְחָֽד׃
בִּקְרֹ֤ב עָלַ֨י ׀ מְרֵעִים֮ לֶאֱכֹ֪ל אֶת־בְּשָׂ֫רִ֥י צָרַ֣י וְאֹיְבַ֣י לִ֑י הֵ֖מָּה כָשְׁל֣וּ וְנָפָֽלוּ׃
אִם־תַּחֲנֶ֬ה עָלַ֨י ׀ מַחֲנֶה֮ לֹֽא־יִירָ֪א לִ֫בִּ֥י אִם־תָּק֣וּם עָ֭לַי מִלְחָמָ֑ה בְּ֝זֹ֗את אֲנִ֣י בוֹטֵֽחַ׃
אַחַ֤ת ׀ שָׁאַ֣לְתִּי מֵֽאֵת־יְהוָה֮ אוֹתָ֪הּ אֲבַ֫קֵּ֥שׁ שִׁבְתִּ֣י בְּבֵית־יְ֭הוָה כָּל־יְמֵ֣י חַיַּ֑י לַחֲז֥וֹת בְּנֹֽעַם־יְ֝הוָ֗ה וּלְבַקֵּ֥ר בְּהֵיכָלֽוֹ׃
כִּ֤י יִצְפְּנֵ֨נִי ׀ בְּסֻכֹּה֮ בְּי֪וֹם רָ֫עָ֥ה יַ֭סְתִּרֵנִי בְּסֵ֣תֶר אָהֳל֑וֹ בְּ֝צ֗וּר יְרוֹמְמֵֽנִי׃
וְעַתָּ֨ה יָר֪וּם רֹאשִׁ֡י עַ֤ל אֹֽיְבַ֬י סְֽבִיבוֹתַ֗י וְאֶזְבְּחָ֣ה בְ֭אָהֳלוֹ זִבְחֵ֣י תְרוּעָ֑ה אָשִׁ֥ירָה וַ֝אֲזַמְּרָ֗ה לַיהוָֽה׃
שְׁמַע־יְהוָ֖ה קוֹלִ֥י אֶקְרָ֗א וְחָנֵּ֥נִי וַעֲנֵֽנִי׃
לְךָ֤ ׀ אָמַ֣ר לִ֭בִּי בַּקְּשׁ֣וּ פָנָ֑י אֶת־פָּנֶ֖יךָ יְהוָ֣ה אֲבַקֵּֽשׁ׃
אַל־תַּסְתֵּ֬ר פָּנֶ֨יךָ ׀ מִמֶּנִּי֮ אַֽל־תַּט־בְּאַ֗ף עַ֫בְדֶּ֥ךָ עֶזְרָתִ֥י הָיִ֑יתָ אַֽל־תִּטְּשֵׁ֥נִי וְאַל־תַּֽ֝עַזְבֵ֗נִי אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׁעִֽי׃
כִּי־אָבִ֣י וְאִמִּ֣י עֲזָב֑וּנִי וַֽיהוָ֣ה יַֽאַסְפֵֽנִי׃
ה֤וֹרֵ֥נִי יְהוָ֗ה דַּ֫רְכֶּ֥ךָ וּ֭נְחֵנִי בְּאֹ֣רַח מִישׁ֑וֹר לְ֝מַ֗עַן שׁוֹרְרָֽי׃
אַֽל־תִּ֭תְּנֵנִי בְּנֶ֣פֶשׁ צָרָ֑י כִּ֥י קָֽמוּ־בִ֥י עֵֽדֵי־שֶׁ֝֗קֶר וִיפֵ֥חַ חָמָֽס׃
לׅׄוּלֵׅׄ֗אׅׄ הֶ֭אֱמַנְתִּי לִרְא֥וֹת בְּֽטוּב־יְהוָ֗ה בְּאֶ֣רֶץ חַיִּֽים׃
קַוֵּ֗ה אֶל־יְה֫וָ֥ה חֲ֭זַק וְיַאֲמֵ֣ץ לִבֶּ֑ךָ וְ֝קַוֵּ֗ה אֶל־יְהוָֽה׃
27:
Of David. The LORD is my light and my help; whom should I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life, whom should I dread?
When evil men assail me to devour my flesh— it is they, my foes and my enemies, who stumble and fall.
Should an army besiege me, my heart would have no fear; should war beset me, still would I be confident.
One thing I ask of the LORD, only that do I seek: to live in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD, to frequent His temple.
He will shelter me in His pavilion on an evil day, grant me the protection of His tent, raise me high upon a rock.
Now is my head high over my enemies roundabout; I sacrifice in His tent with shouts of joy, singing and chanting a hymn to the LORD.
Hear, O LORD, when I cry aloud; have mercy on me, answer me.
In Your behalf my heart says: “Seek My face!” O LORD, I seek Your face.
Do not hide Your face from me; do not thrust aside Your servant in anger; You have ever been my help. Do not forsake me, do not abandon me, O God, my deliverer.
Though my father and mother abandon me, the LORD will take me in.
Show me Your way, O LORD, and lead me on a level path because of my watchful foes.
Do not subject me to the will of my foes, for false witnesses and unjust accusers have appeared against me.
Had I not the assurance that I would enjoy the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living…
Look to the LORD; be strong and of good courage! O look to the LORD!
Shabbat Times for Shabbat Shoftim 8/21 - 8/22, 2020:
Candle Lighting 7:22 PM Evening Shema should be Recited (again) no earlier than 8:19 PM Morning Shema on Shabbat 7/18 no later than 9:22A AM -Recite three paragraphs of Shema before Synagogue services. This Shabbat we study the 6th Chapter of Pirkei Avot, Ethics of our fathers Shabbat ends and Havdalah is recited after 8:23 PM Schedule The following applies to Both Friday Night and Shabbat morning Services: Please observe all the directives found in this document: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UXGyYWX5nyIto7Plj6P0iS7xiGk9eQhg/view?usp=sharing Please consult with your physician before attending if you have any health concerns! Please let us know if you are coming (You can still come if you forgot) Please follow all directions of the Rabbis and appointed ushers. Please Stop by and come earlier if you can to have your temperature taken using our Tzomet Institute Shabbat Compliant thermometer. Please sit in the same place you sat last week Public prayer is a contingent - although important, Rabbinic obligation. Guarding one’s health is a Biblical obligation of the greatest strictness. Please remember these priorities!
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