Parshat Ki Tzeitzei
Rabbi David Laor
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Shabat Shalom!
The large portion of the Torah reading this week is called KI TETZE, and its four chapters in the book of Deuteronomy, handles a large number of issues, many related to morality, some more difficult to understand than others. Chapter 23 mentions foreign peoples who can convert to Judaism. From the outset, the Torah excludes the Ammonites and Moabites, that no longer exist in our days, and are eternal...Read more...
Parshat Shoftim
Rabbi David Laor
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Shabbat shalom!
This week's Torah portion Shoftim begins in Deuteronomy ch. 16, as follows:
“18 Shoftim veshotrim (Judges and officers) shalt thou make thee in all thy gates which the Lord thy God giveth thee, throughout thy tribes; and they shall judge the people with just judgment. 19 Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a bribe; for a...Read more...
Parshat Re'eh
Rabbi David Laor
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Shabat Shalom!
Next Tuesday is Rosh Chodesh Elul the last month of the Jewish calendar, and our week´s Parashat Re’e concludes on Deuteronomy 16, with details concerning the calendar itself. While recent Parashot tell us how to keep the holidays, from Perashat Re´e we learn the reasons why to keep them. A rationale is given, as to the timing and rituals of our holidays. To ensure that the holidays...Read more...
Parshat Eikev
Rabbi David Laor
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Shabat Shalom!
This week's portion is called Parashat Ekev. The children of Israel are now on the verge of entering the Land of Israel, following forty years of wandering in the desert. At that moment, Moshe repeated in their ears the same basic things on which they were about to base their life from that moment on. Rashi claims, that the laws mentioned in this reading of the Torah are mostly "light...Read more...
Parshat Va'et'hanan
Rabbi David Laor
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Shabat Shalom!
This weekly portion Vaetchanan is a continuation of Moses' story, in the moment just before the entering of the people of Israel to the Promised Land. A new generation looks forward to conquering the desired land, leaving behind 40 years of travel around a desert world on the Sinai Peninsula. After so long, Moses addresses a generation that was born free in the desert, but was not present...Read more...
Parshat D'varim
Rabbi David Laor
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Shabat Shalom!
This Shabbat, which takes place before the 9th of Av, is called “Shabbat Chazon”, in light of the first words of the Haftarah reading, that we read from the first chapter of the book of Isaiah ben Amotz. On the one hand, Isaiah rebukes at people who sins against God, and on the other hand, he offers us a comforting and very important ethical message, which teaches us the deep meaning...Read more...
Parshat Matot
Rabbi David Laor
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Shabat Shalom!
This week we read the two combined Torah readings that conclude the Book of Numbers (Sefer BaMidbar): Parashat Matot and Parashat Masei. Parashat Matot opens with the topic of vows:
"אִישׁ כִּי יִדֹּר נֶדֶר לַה', אוֹ-הִשָּׁבַע שְׁבֻעָה...Read more...
Parshat Pinchas
Rabbi David Laor
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Shabat Shalom!
If we were asked – who we considered as the most representative female figures – who have a symbolic role in the world of Judaism – I think that the vast majority of us would name, intuitively, the three matriarchs: Sara, Rivka, Rachel and Lea, surely leaving Bilha or Zilpa aside. Young girls receive a...Read more...
Parshat Balak
Rabbi David Laor
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Shabat Shalom!
The haftarah from this week's portion, Parshat Balak, from the book of the prophet Micah Ch. 6, speaks of the powerlessness that the prophet feels before the sins of the people. The text reads, as follows: “4 For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of the house of servitude; and I...Read more...
Parshat Chukat
Rabbi David Laor
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Shabat Shalom!
The weekly Torah portion of this week is Chukat which presents us with a great challenge of faith. At the beginning of chapter 19, we can read the laws regarding the red heifer. For those who do not know about the subject, I will explain briefly. The red heifer is a cow whose fur color is reddish brown. The ashes...Read more...
Parshat Korah-2024
Rabbi David Laor
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Shabat Shalom!
This week's Torah reading, Parashat Korach, begins with the words: "Vayikach Korach - And Korach took" Numbers 16:1. But it does not indicate at any point, what was the thing that he took! There are many commentators, who interpret these words in various ways. Onkelus translates into Aramaic: "Veitpleig Korach -...Read more...
Parshat Sh'lach-2024
Rabbi David Laor
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Shabat Shalom!
Besides the flag of Israel and the menorah, perhaps one of the most representative iconic images of the Land of Israel is the one having two characters carrying huge bunches of grapes on their shoulders. This image appeared several decades ago, on Israel's postage stamps, and is as old as the one that was found...Read more...
Parshat B'ha'alotcha
Rabbi David Laor
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Shabat Shalom!
"וַיְהִי בִּנְסֹעַ האָרֹן,♫ וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה: קוּמָה ♫ ה', וְיָפֻצוּ אֹיְבֶיךָ, וְיָנֻסוּ מְשַׂנְאֶיךָ, ♫ מִפָּנֶיךָ. לו וּבְנֻחֹה, יֹאמַר: שׁוּבָה ה', רִבְבוֹת אַלְפֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל".
Read more...
Parshat Naso-2024
Rabbi David Laor
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Shabat Shalom!
It is traditional that after the lighting of the Shabbat candles at home, or after the Kiddush, the father, or the mother if the father is not present, blesses his children with an emotional blessing. The sons are blessed: "May the Eternal make you like Ephraim and Menasseh" and the daughters: "May the Eternal make you like Sara, Rebekah, Rachel and...Read more...
Parshat Bamidbar-2024
Rabbi David Laor
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Shabat Shalom!
“And the Lord spoke unto Moses Bamidbar Sinai - in the Wilderness of Sinai, in the tabernacle of the congregation, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt”, thus begins the fourth book of the Torah, the book of – “Bamidbar”, or – “Numbers”, that we begin to read this...Read more...
Parshat B'hukotai-2024
Rabbi David Laor
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Shabat Shalom!
The great Israeli writer and poet, Yehuda Amichai, wrote an interesting prose entitled: “דיוק הכאב וטשטוש האושר” – “The precision of the pain and the vagueness of the happiness”. The text translated into English reads as follows:
“I think about how accurately humans...Read more...
Parshat Behar-2024
Rabbi David Laor
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Shabbat Shalom!
This week's Torah portion – Parashat Behar – raises one of the most difficult, interesting and complicated topics in Judaism – slavery. Unfortunately, even today, slavery still exists in some countries – albeit not in the brutal form that was prevalent among ancient people, nor as it existed...Read more...
Parshat Emor-2024
Rabbi David Laor
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Shabat Shalom,
In this week's reading of the Tora, called EMOR, we can read one of the most famous laws, known in Latin as LEX TALIONIS or the Law of Talion (retaliation authorized by law), that can be found in three different sources in the Torah. In today’s Parsha, as written in the book of Leviticus 24:17 to 20: "18 And he...Read more...
Parshat Kedoshim-2024
Rabbi David Laor
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Shabat Shalom,
This Shabbat’s portion of the Tora is called “KEDOSHIM-Saints”. After the book of Leviticus makes a detailed analysis of the purity and impurity issues of the material world, it is time to deal with spiritual issues of...Read more...
Parshat Acharei Mot-2024
Rabbi David Laor
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Shabat Shalom
Last week while we happily celebrated the Seder Pesach, 133 families in Israel were painfully remembering what freedom means for their relatives still hostages with Hamas… during this week you surely watch the news about dozens of students at the University of Columbia and other campus from different cities in the USA, students that were...Read more...
Shabbat chol ha moed Pesach 2024
Rabbi David Laor
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Shabat Shalom!
Chag Pesach Sameach! This Shabbat we do not read a weekly portion of the Torah, but special readings for Passover are read. In that spirit, I will take the opportunity to talk about this holiday. I am sure you enjoyed eating matzo in your Leil Haseder meal and will surely have a couple of them ready for the...Read more...
Parshat Metzora 2024
Rabbi David Laor
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Shabat Shalom
Those who read the weekly Torah portion - metzora, will surely remain with lots of questions about the meaning behind the almost mysterious ritual of the purification from leprosy. Chazal our sages, could not interpret the secret behind the ritual cleansing of a patient after his recovery, and Maimonides himself, despite his profession as...Read more...
Change of Rabbi
Rebecca Austin, Agudath Achim President
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Before 4/15/2024 all Divrei Torah are from Rabbi Sydni Rubenstein, unless otherwise noted. After today, all Divrei Torah are the work of Rabbi David Laor unless otherwise noted.
Korah 5783 - Physical Reminders in the Torah and at Agudath Achim
Rabbi Sydni Rubenstein
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A framed quote from Proverbs hangs on my wall, a gift from someone who drifted in and out of this community during my time here:
פיה פתחה בחכמה ותורת חסד על לשונה
She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue (Proverbs 31:26).
That picture stands as an intention for me to pause...Read more...
B'ha'alot'kha 5783 - And With the Opening of the Ark...
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June 9, 2023 - 20 Sivan, 5783
Shavuot, Day 2, 2017. I had just returned to Los Angeles from a year in Israel. I was jet-lagged and not feeling well, but I decided to come to synagogue because I felt like I “should,” and I hadn’t seen people for a while. I dragged myself to shul and was immediately greeted with hugs, smiles, and a wave of comfort that I was home again. An hour later, I heard it: “Vay’hi binsoah ha’aron...Read more...
B'ha'alot'kha 5783 - Complaining for the Sake of Complaining
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June 10, 2023 - 21 Sivan, 5783
At Swarthmore College, the students often played what we called “Misery Poker.” It sounded something like this:
“I stayed up all night studying for a test today.”
“I stayed up the past two nights writing a paper.”
“I’ve been working all week on a project, while battling the flu!”
…and so on. Not realizing we were playing the game, we would up the ante...Read more...
Bemidbar 5783 - Assign Each Person to Their Task
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May 20, 2023 - 29 Iyar, 5783
In a small synagogue community, everyone has a hand in every process and program. Volunteer email chains go out to half of the congregation, and our building is often bustling with people working on our finances, security, kitchen, or rabbinic search process. While the communal passion for our congregation is exciting, that passion sometimes leads to confusion about who is responsible for what. We have had...Read more...
Naso 5783 - Isaiah's Ideal Spiritual Leader
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June 2, 2023 - 14 Sivan, 5783
Right now, our Rabbinic Search Committee is working tirelessly to find a solution for the mess that I have created in leaving on such short notice. The committee is posting job descriptions, reviewing applications, and conducting interviews. Through it all, they are asking the big question - what is our community looking for in a spiritual leader? As I look back over the past four years, and as I look...Read more...
Emor 5783 - Pursuing Kiddush HaShem
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May 6, 2023 - 15 Iyar, 5783
When I hear names like Bernie Madoff and Harvey Weinstein, I cringe not just because of their acts (wide-ranging financial crimes and sexual abuse), but also because of what their names do to the public perception of Jews and Judaism. As both men were (and are) openly and proudly Jewish, both men have fed into the stereotype of Jews seizing power through money and media. When Jews so publicly act with...Read more...
Rosh Hodesh Iyyar 5783 - Freedom and Responsibility in Time
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April 22, 2023 - 1 Iyyar, 5783
On this journey from Pesah to Shavuot, from freedom to joyful responsibility, we embrace Rosh Hodesh Iyyar as a celebration of our freedom of time and all of the responsibilities that come with it. Before our ancestors leave Egypt, Exodus 12:2 establishes that freedom and responsibility for the people Israel as a whole. As the Israelites prepare for the tenth plague and the Exodus from Egypt, God gives...Read more...
Fri, May 2 2025
4 Iyyar 5785
Rabbi's Sermons
Bereshit - Genesis
- Parshat Bereshit: Oct. 26, 2019, October 1, 2021, October 2, 2021, October 25, 2024
- Parshat Noah: Nov. 2, 2019, October 8, 2021, Oct. 29, 2022, Nov. 1, 2024
- Parshat Lekh-L'kha: Nov. 9, 2019, Oct. 31, 2020, Oct. 31, 2020 - Part 2, Oct. 15, 2021, Nov. 8, 2024
- Parshat Vayeira: Nov. 16, 2019, Nov. 7, 2020, Nov. 7, 2020 - Part 2, Oct. 22, 2021, Oct. 23, 2021, Nov.15, 2024
- Parshat Hayei Sara: Nov. 14, 2020, Oct. 30, 2021, Nov. 22, 2024
- Parshat Toldot: Nov. 30, 2019, Nov. 21, 2020, Nov. 6, 2021
- Parshat Vayeitzei: Nov. 28, 2020, Nov. 13, 2021, Dec. 6,2024
- Parshat Vayishlah: Dec. 14, 2019 , Dec. 5, 2020, November 20, 2021, Dec. 13, 2024
- Parshat Vayeisheiv: Dec. 12, 2020, Nov. 27, 2021, Dec 20, 2024
- Parshat Miketz: Dec. 4, 2021, Dec 27, 2024
- Parshat Vayigash: Jan. 4, 2020, Dec. 26, 2020, Dec. 11, 2021, Jan 2, 2025
- Parshat Vay'hi: Jan. 11, 2020, Jan. 2, 2021, Jan. 10, 2025
Shemot-Exodus
- Parshat Sh'mot: Jan. 18, 2020, Jan. 18, 2020 - Part 2, Jan. 9, 2021 , Jan. 17, 2025
- Parshat Va'eira: Jan. 25, 2021, Jan. 24, 2025
- Parshat Bo: Feb. 1, 2020, Jan. 23, 2021, Jan 31, 2025
- Parshat B'shalah: Jan. 30, 2021, Jan. 15, 2022, Feb. 3, 2023, Feb.4, 2023, Feb.7, 2025
- Parshat Yitro: Feb. 15, 2020, Feb. 6, 2021, Feb. 6, 2021, Feb. 21, 2022, Feb. 22, 2022, Feb. 14,2025
- Parshat Mishpatim: Feb. 22, 2020, Feb. 18, 2023
- Parshat T'rumah: Feb. 29, 2020, Feb. 29, 2020 - Part 2, Feb. 20, 2021, Feb. 4, 2022, Feb. 5, 2022, Feb. 25, 2023, Feb.28, 2025
- Parshat T'tzaveh: March 7, 2020, Feb. 27, 2021, Feb. 12, 2022, Feb. 11, 2022, March 7, 2025
- Parshat Ki Tisa: March 14, 2020, March 6, 2021, February 19, 2022, March 14,2025
- Parshot Vayak'heil-P'kudei: March 21, 2020, March 13, 2021, February 26, 2022, March 18, 2023
Vayikra-Leviticus
- Parshat Vayikra: March 20, 2021, March 11, 2022, March 24, 2023, March 25, 2023, April 4, 2025
- Parshat Tzav: April 4, 2020, March 27, 2021, March 19, 2022, April11, 2025
- Parshat Sh'mini: April 18, 2020, April 26, 2025
- Parshot Tazria-Metzora: April 25, 2020, April 17, 2021, April 2, 2022, April 20, 2024
- Parshot Achrei Mot-Kedoshim: May 2, 2020, April 24, 2021, May 7, 2022, May 3, 2024, May 10, 2024
- Emor: May 9, 2020, May 1, 2021, May 13, 2022, May 14, 2022, May 6, 2023
- Parshot B'har-B'hukotai: May 8, 2019, May 16, 2020, May 7, 2021, May 21, 2022, May 28, 2022, May 24, 2024, May 31, 2024
Bamidbar-Numbers
- Parshat Bamidbar: May 15, 2021, May 20, 2023, June 7, 2024
- Parshat Nasso: June 6, 2020, June 6, 2020 - Part 2, May 22, 2021, June 10, 2022, June 2, 2023, June 14, 2024
- Parshat B'ha'alotcha: June 13, 2020, June 13, 2020 - Part 2, June 9, 2023, June 10, 2023, June 21, 2024
- Parshat Sh'lach: June 20, 2020, June 20, 2020 - Part 2, June 5, 2021, June 28, 2024
- Parshat Korah: June 27, 2020, July 18, 2020, July 24, 2023, July 5, 2024
- Parshot Chukat-Balak: June 26, 2021, July 12, 2024, July 19, 2024
- Parshat Pinchas: July 11, 2020, July 11, 2020 - Part 2, July 2, 2021, July 3, 2021, July 22, 2022, July 23, 2022, July 26, 2024
- Parshot Matot-Masei: July 18, 2020, July 18, 2020 - Part 2, July 10, 2021, July 30, 2022, August 2, 2024
D'varim-Deuteronomy
- Parshat D'varim: July 25, 2020, July 25, 2020 - Part 2, July 17, 2021, August 6, 2022, August 9, 2024
- Parshat Va'et'hanan: Aug. 1, 2020, July 24, 2021, August 12, 2022, August 13, 2022, Aug. 16, 2024
- Parshat Eikev: Aug. 8, 2020, July 31, 2021, August 19, 2022, August 20, 2022
- Parshat Re'eh: August 7, 2021, August 30, 2024
- Parshat Shoftim: September 7, 2019, Aug. 22, 2020, August 14, 2021, August 14, 2021 - Part 2, September 3, 2022, September 6, 2024
- Parshat Ki Teitzei: Aug. 29, 2020, August 20, 2021, September 13, 2024
- Parshat Ki Tavo: Sept. 5, 2020, Sept. 5, 2020 - Part 2, August 28, 2021, Sept. 17, 2022, Sept. 20, 2024
- Parshot Nitzavim-Vayeilech: Sept. 11, 2021, September 24, 2022, Sept. 27,2024
- Parshat Ha'Azinu: Sept. 26, 2020, October 4, 2024
- Parshat Haberakhah
Rosh HaShanah: Sept. 19, 2020, Sept. 19, 2020 - Part 2, Sept. 19, 2020 - Part 3, Sept. 20, 2020, Sept. 7, 2021, Sept. 8, 2021, Sept. 9, 2021, Sept. 26, 2022, Oct 2, 2024
Yom Kippur: Sept. 28, 2020, Sept. 16, 2021, October 5, 2022
Sukkot: Oct. 3, 2020 , Sept. 20, 2021, Oct. 16,2024, Oct. 18, 2024
Passover: April 3, 2021, April 23, 2022, April 7, 2023, April 12, 2023, April 27, 2024, April 18, 2025
Rosh Hodesh: April 22, 2023
Today's Sefirah Count Is 19
היום תשעה עשר יום שהם שני שבועות וחמשה ימים לעמר |
Today's Calendar
: 6:00pm |
Candle Lighting : 7:39pm |
Friday Night
: 6:00pm |
Candle Lighting : 7:39pm |
Shabbat Day
: 10:00am |
: 1:30pm |
Havdalah : 8:47pm |
Upcoming Programs & Events
May 15 Lag Ba'Omer Thursday, May 15 6:30pm |
May 25 Vet Flag Distribution Sunday, May 25 9:30am |
May 25 Board Meeting Sunday, May 25 4:00pm |
May 25 Annual Congregational Mtg Sunday, May 25 5:00pm |
May 26 Office Closed Monday, May 26 |
This week's Torah portion is Parshat Tazria-Metzora
Shabbat, May 3 |
Candle Lighting
Friday, May 2, 7:39pm |
Havdalah
Motzei Shabbat, May 3, 8:47pm |
Pesach Sheni
Monday, May 12 |