Tonight's Friday Afternoon/Evening Services will take place at 4:00 pm.
Next Friday, December 31: Morning Minyan will take place at 9:00 am and Afternoon/Evening Services will take place at 4:00 pm.
Our BA offices will be closed today and next Friday, December 31 as they are Federal Legal Holidays.
This Week's Torah Portion is
Shemot
D'var Torah From Rabbi Jeffrey Abraham
What's in a name?
Our names are important to us. To some degree, they define our identities in society. This week's Torah portion, Shemot, and the new book (also Shemot in Hebrew), are about names (literally, the word Shemot means "names"). The parsha begins with listing the names of those who passed away in Egypt after Jacob's passing and then mentions each of Jacob's sons beginning a tribe and the aggregate totaled seventy.
Immediately after this formal listing of names, our Torah shifts and mentions that our people quickly multiplied. (By the time we leave Egypt, we number over 600,000.) Suddenly, a new Pharaoh arises who no longer remembers Joseph and his deeds that saved Egypt in the previous generation. This new Pharaoh does not care about who any of the Israelites are and goes so far as to instruct midwives to murder Israelite boys, as they were becoming “much too numerous for us,” (1:9) thereby serving to all but extinguish our future.
At that moment, it is two Israelite midwives, Shifra and Puah, mentioned by name, who defy Pharaoh's decree and save the babies. Rashi tells us Shifra was Yocheved (Moses' mother) and Puah was Miriam (his sister). The Torah here is reminding us yet again that each of us is important. We should be recognizing each other by name and respecting the good deeds each of us does and brings to our society.
It was Pharaoh who forgot the common decency of each individual, and our Torah reminds us that we must take time to respect one another each and every day. Who of us doesn't revel when someone we think does not know our name walks up and says, “Hello, John?”
Shabbat Shalom!
Rabbi Jeffrey Abraham rabbi.abraham@bnaiamoona.com
314-576-9990 x136
Shabbat Service Schedule & Candle Lighting Times
Shabbat Candlelighting:
Friday, December 24 at 4:27 pm
Havdallah, Saturday, December 25 at 5:16 pm
Friday, December 24 Friday Evening Services with Andy and BelleAnne Curry in the Main Sanctuary: 4:00 pm In-Person, Livestream, FB Live,Kosher Zoom (Password: Shabbat)
Saturday, December 25 Tefillah with Cantor Sharon Nathanson and Eitan Kantor in the Main Sanctuary: 9:00 am
Shabbat Song Circle with Eitan Kantor in the Mendelson Library The Shabbat Song Circle will begin thirty minutes after the conclusion of Shabbat Morning Services, approximately 11:30 am In-Person, Livestream, FB Live,Kosher Zoom (Password: Shabbat)
Shabbat Afternoon/Evening Services with Rabbi Neal Rose and David Kantor in the Main Sanctuary: 3:45 pm
In an effort to keep our community and special guests safe, we are rescheduling our weekend with Max Levin and his mother Judy to June 11 and 12, 2022 when Omicron and the Covid viruses may be less virulent and it will be safer for our guests to travel.
We will continue to celebrate our Benefactors on Sunday, January 30 at noon followed by the grand opening of the Gallant Family Judaica Shop at 1:00 pm.
Weekday Minyan Information Join us In-Person or on Zoom, BA Livestream or Facebook Live
Morning and Evening Minyan will take place in-person in the Main Sanctuary. Additionally, we will continue to offer virtual options on Zoom, Facebook Live and our BA Livestream Page. Friday, December 24 and Friday, December 31:
Morning Minyan Services will take place at 9:00 am
Friday Evening Services will take place at 4:00 pm
Regular Morning Minyanim Sunday Morning Minyan: 9:00 am Monday - Friday Morning Minyan: 7:00 am In-Person, Zoom, Livestream, and FB Live Zoom Link: https://zoom.us/j/97189645201 Meeting ID: 971 8964 5201 This Zoom link is for all morning Minyan Services
Regular Evening Minyanim
Sunday - Thursday Evening Minyan: 6:15 pm via Zoom, Livestream, and FB Live Zoom Link:https://zoom.us/j/97924715014 Meeting ID: 979 2471 5014 This Zoom link is for all evening Minyan Services
