D'var For Shemini

This week's d'var is written by Sam Rothkopf.

Aaron and his sons officially begin their jobs as Kohanim.  First they prepare a sacrifice, and then all the Jews come to the entranceway of the Mishkan to watch as they bring the sacrifice up on the altar. Then, Moses and Aaron bless the people and everyone sees as a fire came down from heaven and consume the sacrifice. The people are so overjoyed that everyone begins to sing praises to G‑d. But then, in middle of all the celebration, two of Aaron’s sons, Nadav and Avihu, light a fire to bring a sacrifice that they aren’t supposed to bring, and as their punishment, they die. This was a huge tragedy on Aaron, but he does not say anything, he remains quiet and accepts G‑d's judgment. Moses tells Aaron and his remaining sons, Eleazar and Itamar, to continue doing the service in the Mishkan, while the rest of the people of Israel mourn the death of Nadav and Avihu. We then learn about a law that G‑d tells Aaron: Whenever they will be serving in the Mishkan, Aaron and his sons, the Kohanim, are not allowed to drink wine and become drunk.

G‑d tells Moses to tell the people about the animals that may be eaten and those that may not be eaten. Kosher animals have two signs: they chew their cud and have split hooves. Kosher fish must have fins and scales. We are given a list of the non-kosher birds, and a list of four types of locusts which are kosher; the Torah tells us that all other insects are not kosher. We also learn about the idea of purity, which is like a spiritual type of cleanliness. If something becomes impure, by touching something impure, for example, the dead body of a non-kosher animal, then it must be immersed in a special body of water called a mikvah. The mikvah has a special power to restore purity to things (like vessels and dishes) and people that have become impure.

I think it is fitting that in this portion, it talks about how Aaron's sons are spiritually impure, but then later on it goes into how you can become pure again. In this parsha, G-d is sending the people a warning by letting everyone see when Aaron's sons are killed but then to ease their distress he tells them that sometimes people make mistakes and this is how to atone for them. G-d held the kohanim to a higher standard than the rest of israel and that is why when they messed up so bad he had to send a distinct message to everyone else.

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D'var For Tzav

This week's Parshah is Tzav.

G‑d instructs Moses to command Aaron and his sons regarding their duties and rights as kohanim (“priests”) who offer the korbanot (animal and meal offerings) in the Sanctuary.
The fire on the altar must be kept burning at all times. In it are burned the wholly consumed ascending offering; veins of fat from the peace, sin and guilt offerings; and the “handful” separated from the meal offering.
The kohanim eat the meat of the sin and guilt offerings, and the remainder of the meal offering. The peace offering is eaten by the one who brought it, except for specified portions given to the kohen. The holy meat of the offerings must be eaten by ritually pure persons, in their designated holy place and within their specified time.
Aaron and his sons remain within the Sanctuary compound for seven days, during which Moses initiates them into the priesthood.

"Tzav in a Nutshell." Chabad.org. Chabad, n.d. Web. 24 Mar. 2016.

IT'S PURIM TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy Purim!!!!!!!!!!

Get excited eveyone! This week, we will be celebrating the holiday of PURIM!!!!!!!!!!!! It is a holiday about the MIRACULOUS rescue of the Jewish people from a wicked, wicked man. It all started around the time of 350 BCE, with a Persian king named King Achashverosh. He was married to a beautiful queen named Queen Vashti, until one night at a party. Achashverosh told Vashti to come to the party dressed in very little and to dance for everyone there. She refused, and as a result, she was banished from Persia by Achashverosh and sent to exile. Achashverosh then had a beauty contest to choose a new wife, and a Jewish woman by the name of Hadassah entered and won (she first changed her name to Esther to hide the fact that she was Jewish.) Her cousin, Mordechai later overheard two guards plotting to kill Achashverosh, so he told Esther, and then she told Achashverosh (after walking into his palace without letting him know first, an action that would usually get someone killed). Nevertheless, Achashverosh spared her and rejoiced of the fact that Mordechai saved his life. On a separate note, Achashverosh had a wicked, wicked advisor, named… HAMAN (booooooooo!!!!!!!!!). HAMAN (*sound of graggers*) ordered that everyone bow down to him. When brave Mordechai refused, Haman made a decree to KILL all of the Jews on the 13th of Adar. Achashverosh, not knowing about this plot, asked HAMAN (*more graggers*) what to do for a guy the king wants to honor and praise. The wicked man, obviously thinking the king was talking about him, told the king that he should dress him in royal garments and have him ride on a royal horse all around the city. So the king told the wicked man to do all of that for Mordechai. Boy, this came as a shock to the evil man. A little bit later, Queen Esther told King Achashverosh about the evil plot to kill her people. The king was horrified and asked her who would do such a horrible thing. Her response… HAMAN!!!!!!!!!!!! (*graggers louder than ever now*) Achashverosh could not believe what he had just heard. He had HAMAN hanged on the same gallows that the wicked man was going to hang Mordechai on, and the Jewish people were saved!!!

I think the main theme here is courage. Courage was shown by many people throughout this story. Let’s start with the one and only Queen Vashti. Imagine how much courage it must have taken her to say no to the king when he wanted her to participate in degrading activities. She stood up for what she really believed in. Now, let’s talk about Esther. What would have happened had Achashverosh found out she was Jewish when she first married him. She probably would have been killed. It took guts to do what she did by marrying him when she could have easily had her life taken away for it. And last of all, Mordechai. He knew that HAMAN was going to try to kill him if he didn’t bow down, but he stuck to his guns and refused to do it. With his life, and the life of all Jews, on the line, he still defied the evil man. That shows how much faith he had in the Jewish people to stay strong and survive, and THEY DID!!!!!!!! The big lesson we can learn from this story is that even though the Jewish people are small, we are incredibly strong and we will NEVER be brought down. Let’s all think about this on Wednesday night as we read Megillat Esther!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Last chance for March Madness

Today is the deadline for signing up for March madness! All brackets must be submitted by today, March 17th, at noon! 

D'var For Vayikra

This week's d'var is written by Michael Berelowitz.

In parshat Vayikra, G-d tells Moses the laws of the korbanot, or the animal and meal offerings to bring into the sanctuary. These offerings are: the ascending offering (offering that is raised to G-d by the fire on top of the altar), the meal offering (prepared with fine flour, olive oil and frankincense), the peace offering (person bringing the offering eats the meat and the parts are burnt and given to the kohanim/priests), different types of the sin offering (offering given to G-d to get repentance for sins), and the guilt offering (offering given by someone who has disrespected G-d’s name or the Sanctuary).

March Madness

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March SA/TO Snap!

Here is March's SA/TO snap!

It would cost about $13 billion annually to satisfy the world’s basic sanitation and food requirements. That’s roughly equivalent to what Americans and Europeans spend on perfume and cologne every year.

Visit this site on your phone to donate water to those in need.

- Amy Azaria

SA/TO co-VP

D'var For Vayakhel

This week's parshah is Vayakhel.

Moses assembles the people of Israel and reiterates to them the commandment to observe the Shabbat. He then conveys G‑d’s instructions regarding the making of the Mishkan (Tabernacle). The people donate the required materials in abundance, bringing gold, silver and copper; blue-, purple- and red-dyed wool; goat hair, spun linen, animal skins, wood, olive oil, herbs and precious stones. Moses has to tell them to stop giving.

A team of wise-hearted artisans make the Mishkan and its furnishings (as detailed in the previous Torah readings of Terumah, Tetzaveh and Ki Tisa): three layers of roof coverings; 48 gold-plated wall panels, and 100 silver foundation sockets; the parochet (veil) that separates between the Sanctuary’s two chambers, and the masach (screen) that fronts it; the ark, and its cover with the cherubim; the table and its showbread; the seven-branched menorah with its specially prepared oil; the golden altar and the incense burned on it; the anointing oil; the outdoor altar for burnt offerings and all its implements; the hangings, posts and foundation sockets for the courtyard; and the basin and its pedestal, made out of copper mirrors.

"Vayakhel in a Nutshell." Chabad.org. Chabad, n.d. Web. 02 Mar. 2016. <http://www.chabad.org/parshah/article_cdo/aid/1338/jewish/Vayakhel-in-a-Nutshell.htm>.