Parashat Reading for Chol Hamoed Shabbat/Pesach Exodus 33:12 - 23, 34:26
2nd Torah Numbers 28:19 - 25
HafTorah Ezekiel 37:1 - 14
CHOL HAMOED
Dear friends,
What a wonderful Pesach seder we had Tuesday night. It marked our first in-person Passover seder in five years and reminds us of the missed opportunity during the "Covid years". We are grateful for the technical innovations that allowed us to Zoom our home seders to all that wanted to follow, but so much appreciate being able to be together as a congregational family again!
As we continue to observe the holiday through the intermediate days, we prepare for Shabbat Chol HaMoed, the intermediate Sabbath of Pesach. We will have our Shabbat services as usual, in-person and virtually on Zoom tonight at 7:30 pm and tomorrow morning at 9:30 am, but with special holiday additions.
This Shabbat in addition to chanting the Hallel prayers, we will read parts of Shir Ha Shirim, the Song of Songs. Attributed in its opening verse to King Solomon, Shir Ha Shirim records poetic conversations between two lovers, describing their pursuit of each other through vineyards and fields of blossoming flowers. It is traditionally understood as a metaphor for the loving relationship between Hashem and the people of Israel. In our Torah reading from the Book of Exodus, Moses is commanded to carve two tablets of stone and ascend Mount Sinai with them:
Moses carved two tablets of stone, like the first, and early in the morning he went up on Mount Sinai, as יהוה had commanded him, taking the two stone tablets with him. Then יהוה came down in a cloud—and stood with him there, proclaiming the name יהוה with this often chanted verse:
יְהֹוָ֣ה יְהֹוָ֔ה אֵ֥ל רַח֖וּם וְחַנּ֑וּן אֶ֥רֶךְ אַפַּ֖יִם וְרַב־חֶ֥סֶד וֶאֱמֶֽת׃
יהוה! יהוה a G-d compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in kindness and faithfulness,
נֹצֵ֥ר חֶ֙סֶד֙ לָאֲלָפִ֔ים נֹשֵׂ֥א עָוֺ֛ן וָפֶ֖שַׁע וְחַטָּאָ֑ה וְנַקֵּה֙ לֹ֣א יְנַקֶּ֔ה פֹּקֵ֣ד עֲוֺ֣ן אָב֗וֹת עַל־בָּנִים֙
וְעַל־בְּנֵ֣י בָנִ֔ים עַל־שִׁלֵּשִׁ֖ים וְעַל־רִבֵּעִֽים׃
extending kindness to the thousandth generation, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin
In addition, our main Torah reading from the Book of Exodus contains the description of
the three festivals (Pesach, Shavuot, and Sukkot). And the special Haftorah for this Shabbat is taken from the Prophet Ezekiel chapter 37 In his vision, the prophet sees himself standing in the valley full of dry human bones. He is commanded to carry a prophecy. Before him, the bones connect into human figures; then the bones become covered with tendon tissues, flesh and skin. Then G-d reveals the bones to the prophet as the people of Israel in exile and commands the prophet to carry another prophecy in order to revitalize these human figures, to resurrect them and to bring them to the land of Israel.
Finally, we will conclude our Pesach festival with services on the last day, Tuesday, April 30th which will include the Yizkor memorial prayer. Zoom Link to follow
Looking forward to seeing you in shul. !חג פסח שמח
Ron Becker,
Spiritual Leader
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FRIDAY:
JCC is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Shabbat Services, Friday 04/26/2024 7:30 pm
Time: Apr 26, 2024 07:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 497 903 0958
Passcode: 5QdVaA
_________________________________________________________
SATURDAY:
JCC is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Saturday Service, 04/27/2024 9:30 am
Time: Apr 27, 2024 09:30 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 497 903 0958
Passcode: 5QdVaA