Weekly Message 07.10.2026 Parashat Matot-Masei
- jccwestpasco
- Jul 9
- 4 min read
Parashat Matot (Tribes) - Masei (Journeys) Numbers 30:2 - 36:13
HafTorah Jeremiah 2:4-28, Jeremiah 4:1-2
Dear friends,
I hope you are enjoying the summer season! This Shabbat, we complete our reading and studying of the Book of Bamidbar (30:2-31:54). It takes us through the final period of time in the wilderness as the Children of Israel prepare to enter the Promised Land. One of the important themes concerns the solemnity and binding character of vows. We are never to take vows lightly. How often do we promise to live a better life while praying for recovery from illness or danger only to forget about our resolutions upon reaching better health or security? We end the Bamidbar with the chant of:
Chazak, chazak, v'nitchazek!
חֲזַק חֲזַק וְנִתְּחַזֵּק
Be strong, be strong, and may we be strengthened!
Now, only the Book of Deuteronomy (Devarim) lies ahead of us as we approach the end of the Torah and celebration of the High Holy Days in September and October.
As we are now in the second week of the three-week period between the 17th of Tammuz and 9th of Av, a period of semi-mourning for the destruction of the Temple and other calamities, we read the second of the three Haftorahs of Rebuke. This week, we read selections from the Prophet Jeremiah (2:4-28; 3:1-4; 4:1-2) who lived through that dark period and was deported from the Holy Land. In these selections, he rails against Israel's ingratitude for all that Hashem has done and how it could lead to disaster. However, in order to end on a positive note, Jeremiah in Chapter 4 speaks of better times ahead if all turn towards Hashem in "truth, justice, and righteousness".
אִם־תָּשׁ֨וּב יִשְׂרָאֵ֧ל
נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֛ה אֵלַ֖י תָּשׁ֑וּב וְאִם־תָּסִ֧יר שִׁקּוּצֶ֛יךָ מִפָּנַ֖י וְלֹ֥א תָנֽוּד׃
If you return, O Israel declares Hashem; if you return to Me, If you remove your abominations from My presence and do not waver,
וְנִשְׁבַּ֙עְתָּ֙ חַי־יְהֹוָ֔ה בֶּאֱמֶ֖ת בְּמִשְׁפָּ֣ט וּבִצְדָקָ֑ה וְהִתְבָּ֥רְכוּ ב֛וֹ גּוֹיִ֖ם וּב֥וֹ יִתְהַלָּֽלוּ׃
And swear, As Hashem lives, in sincerity, justice, and righteousness, nations shall bless themselves by you and praise themselves by you.
Ultimately, in exile, Jeremiah composes the Book of Lamentations (Eicha) that we will chant in Hebrew and English on Tisha B'Av, July 23rd at 9 am.
Please join me this evening at 7 pm (we will conduct a very brief weekday Mincha (afternoon) service so that those with Yahrzeit today can recite the Kaddish prayer) and tomorrow (Saturday) morning at 9:30 am in-person or virtually on Zoom as we pray and study together as a minyan. And don't forget our monthly Saturday evening game night and Havdalah tomorrow at 7 pm. Please see the summer and early fall schedule below and take note that volunteers at Metropolitan Ministries are needed more than ever during the summer when the young residents are not in school. Our next session will be on Tuesday, July 28th at 11 am. You will find the signup link below.
Shabbat Shalom,
Ron Becker,
Spiritual Leader
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COMING EVENTS - MARK YOU CALENDARS
Saturday, July 11 Game Night and Havdalah, 7 pm
Thursday, July 23 We will observe Tisha B'Av with the reading of the Book of Lamentations (Eicha) composed by the Prophet Jeremiah at 9 am.
Tuesday, July 28 We will volunteer at Metropolitan Ministries bringing sustenance, clothing, and hope to those in need at the headquarters at 3216 US-19, Holiday, FL 34691, at 11am-2 pm. Please sign up to help at this link: https://vhub.at/1L1BLIK
Saturday, August 8 Game Night and Havdalah, 7 pm
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HIGH HOLY DAY SCHEDULE
Selichot Saturday, September 5, 2026
Social hour 7 pm
Havdalah and Selichot services 8 pm
Cemetery Visitations, Sunday, September 6, 2026
Beit Olam Cemetery in Trinity 10 am
Grace Memorial Cemetery in Hudson 11:30 am
Erev Rosh Hashanah, Friday, September 11, 2026
Services followed by community dinner 6:30 pm
Rosh Hashanah, first day, Saturday, September 12, 2026
Morning services 9:30 am
Mincha/Maariv services 6:30 pm
Rosh Hashanah, second day, Sunday, September 13, 2026
Morning services 9:30 am
Tashlikh at the Cotee River on Grand Blvd between Vermont and Kentucky Aves 3 pm
Erev Shabbat Shuva, Friday, September 18, 2026
Kabbalat Shabbat and Maariv services 7 pm
Shabbat Shuva, Saturday, September 19, 2026
Services followed by luncheon honoring adult B'nai Mitzvah anniversary 9:30 am
Community Sukkah decoration, Sunday, September 20, 2026, 10 am
Kol Nidre, Sunday, September 20, 2026
Kol Nidre and Erev Yom Kippur services 6:30 pm
Yom Kippur, Monday, September 21, 2026
Morning services 9:30 am
Mincha service 6 pm
Yizkor service 7 pm
Neila service 7:20 pm
Havdalah followed by community break-the-fast meal 8 pm
Erev Sukkot, Friday, September 25, 2026
Services followed by Kiddush in the Sukkah 7pm
Sukkot, Tuesday, Saturday, September 26, 2026
Services followed by Kiddush in the Sukkah 9:30 am
Hashanah Rabbah, Friday, October 2, 2026
Services 9:30 am followed by community brunch at Panera's
Erev Shemini Atzeret, Friday October 2, 2026
Services 7 pm
Shemini Atzeret, Saturday, October 3, 2026
Services 9:30 am including the Yizkor memorial service
Simchat Torah, Saturday, October 3, 2026
Social hour 7 pm
Services 8 pm
Saturday, October 10, 2026, Game Night and Havdalah, 7 pm
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