- Congregation Beth El–Keser Israel
85 Harrison Street, New Haven, CT 06515-1724 | P: 203.389.2108 | office@beki.org
85 Harrison Street, New Haven, CT 06515-1724 | P: 203.389.2108 | office@beki.org
…based on the prophecy of Hosea taught that the bad behavior of men would cause HaShem to refuse to judge the actions of women in cases where courts could not act without the testimony of witnesses, as is the case with the sota in our Torah reading. There, at verses 23 and 24, the power source for the ceremony’s “bitter waters” is detailed as follows. Then the kohen shall write these curses — which are the penalty for her perjure in God’s name — on…
…d, “That man is you!” What Nathan meant was that Batsheva was the lamb because King David had caused the death of her husband. To understand the intensity of Nathan’s statement, one must know that sheep were something that people might have an emotional attachment to. King David, Moses, Abram, Itzchak, and Yakov were all shepherds. All of them were influential Jewish figures who started their lives out as shepherds. That alone should tell us that…
…k, for Qaddish and for daily services. No action was taken on building because of the delay in acquiring the property. Meanwhile, the Benton School property had been acquired. Dr. Herbert Winer, led a crew of men who rehabilitated the yellow house on Harrison Street to serve as a temporary synagogue, school and rabbi’s office. Martha Goldman was tireless in organizing the religious school. Joan Gelbert was the first Sunday School teacher. A nurser…
…te without further comment.35 Most of the discussion about the wife who refuses to do her work focuses on whether she has the right to do so, and under what circumstances, rather than on the question of whether the court or the husband can force the wife to do her job by using the rod. There is one case in which the husband is explicitly permitted to hit his wife. Rabbi Yisrael ben Petihyahu Isserlein (1390-1460) was sent this question: One who he…
…period of sacred time. The act of lighting the candles links one Jewish household to another and one generation to another. Dear Rabbi, Is it permitted to use Razor Boards [skateboards with handles] on Shabbat? Signed, Cutting it Close Dear Cutting it, Halakha (Jewish law) enjoins us from engaging in dangerous activities, and to follow safety rules in everything we do. Thus halakha requires those using Razor Boards, skateboards, skates and bicy…
…involving Isaac and Rebekah in Toldot. By the way, to avoid confusion (because God changes their names between the first and second stories), I’ll use the enlarged names for Abraham and Sarah in this talk. I’ve put the three passages into a handout which has been distributed so that you can see them together, and can compare them. I’ve decided to focus on Isaac’s deception of Abimelech along with the two earlier passages of deception. Abimelech ha…
…vice usually concludes by noon. Services today may run a little longer because of the ceremonies recognizing the b’mitzvah. The Kiddush reception following the service may last an hour or more. Telephone, Electricity, Smoking, Cameras Shabbat is distinguished from the rest of the week, in our synagogue as in many others, by not operating electronic items (although there is a telephone available for emergency use and for physicians on call). Simila…
…uring Ḥol HaMoed and Hoshana Rabba (except on Shabbat), some wear tefillin until Hallel is begun; others do not wear tefillin during this period. The general practice at BEKI is to not wear tefillin. The BEKI Moishe Schnitman Sukkah is open for use to members and their guests, supporters and neighbors; no representation is made by the synagogue concerning the kashrut of food brought by members and their guests, supporters and neighbors for person…
…from Jewish essence. People who use violence against other people just because they are too ignorant to recognize varieties of Jewish ritual are not Jews. People who destroy non-Jewish property because they think the Torah allows to hate non-Jews have not really received the Torah. People who violate the holiness of Shabbat and Yom Tov have not received the Torah properly and do not fear God. People who push and harrass physically and verbally Jew…
…e to be children of Jacob–renamed Israel when he struggled with God–and to use our words, our intellect and compassion, our vision of a better world to counteract the violence that surrounds us. Our sages noted a play on words in the Hebrew text: The phrase “haqol qol ya`aqov — the voice is the voice of Jacob” can also be read “heqel qol ya`aqov” meaning “when the voice of Jacob is stilled, then the hands are the hands of Esau.” When the voice of…
