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The
Happy Minyan Schedule for This Shabbat
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FYI: This Shabbat and last Shabbat are the latest of the year!
Hang in there - it's gonna start and end earlier soon!
Friday, 7/3
Plag HaMincha
(early Candle lighting):
6:38 pm
Candle lighting:
7:51 pm
Mincha:
6:15 pm
and
7:45 pm
followed by
Kabballat Shabbat and Maariv
Saturday, 7/4
Shacharit:
9am - 12:00pm-ish
followed by Kiddush
Mincha:
7:30 pm
followed by
Seudah Shlishit and Maariv
Havdallah from:
8:52 pm
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Weekday Shiur on
Likutei Moharan -
presented by
Reb Yedidyah Blanton
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Our own Reb Yedidyah Blanton teaches lessons from Likutei Moharan,
the teachings of
Rebbe Nachman of Breslov
Every Sunday night
8:00pm - 9:30pm
at Reb Shalom Yakov /
Jeff Mann's home:
1037 South Sherbourne Dr.
LA 90035
(between Olympic & Whitworth)
(There's no charge for this class!)
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Days Are Coming...
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Thursday,
July 9th:
17th of Tammuz,
Minor Fast Day (from 4:20am - 8:36pm) - Anniversary of the Sin of the Golden Calf and the breach of the walls of Jerusalem by the besieging ancient Romans (Ist century CE)
Wednesday night,
July 29th through
Thursday,
July 30th:
9th of Av,
Major
Fast Day (from 7:57pm Wednesday - 8:24pm Thursday) - Anniversary of the Sin of the Spies and the destruction of the First Holy Temple in Jerusalem by the Babylonians and the Second Holy Temple in Jerusalem by the
Romans, and many other calamities throughout Jewish History, may we be spared.
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Awesome Phone Shiur
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Listen to the deepest Torahs and stories from the teachings of
Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach and Izshbitz, from the book "Lev HaShamayim" - given over by
Rabbi Nossen and Rebbetzin Channah Schafer in Boston
Live: 9 pm - 10:00 pm EST
Call (641) 715-3300
Conf code: 818022#.
Recorded: Listen anytime! Each class is recorded and available until the next shiur, which will replace it.
Playback Number: (641) 715-3412
Access Code: 818022#
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Always in Our Prayers
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Please daven for the immediate
safe return of
Gilad (ben Aviva) Shalit;
Zachary (ben Miriam) Baumel;
Tzvi (ben Penina) Feldman;
Yehuda (ben Sarah) Katz;
Ron (ben Batya) Arad
and
Guy (ben Rina) Hever
as well as for the safety and success
of all of Israel's soldiers,
and the immediate release of Yehonatan (ben Malka) Pollard.
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Kol Chevra |
"Kol Chevra" is an
organization that is dedicated to perpetuating the legacy of Shlomo Carlebach that annually publishes a compendium for Reb Shlomo's Yahrtzeit (16 Cheshvan) with memoirs and recollections on how Reb Shlomo influenced and inspired the lives of the "Chevra"; memorial pages of those whose lives were motivated, awakened and exalted by Reb Shlomo; announcements of life cycle events; insights, writings and recordings of original work of the "Chevra" who are carrying on the legacy of Reb Shlomo by developing new commentary and relevancy to his life and works.
So here's the latest from Kol Chevra:
Announcing the beginning of the new 15th Issue of Kol Chevra:
Moments, Tikun, and Vision
Dedicate your articles, we want to give our chevra honor!!
Please send memories and stories of Reb Shlomo, your Torahs, Reb Shlomo Torahs, poetry, Reb Shlomo photos...
Donations welcome for mazal tov announcements (with photos, especially babies!!!), condolences, ads, artwork.
Keep articles short, 2-3 pages, and please send them right away!!
Add a little blurb about yourself, so we all get connected!!
Don't hold back, give nachos to the Rebbe!!
Thank you,
Emuna
emunawitt14@yahoo.com
emuna.witt@rebshlomo.org
050-862-9040
This fabulous compendium is read by hundreds of Reb Shlomo "Chevra" all over the world - hope you pick one up in the fall, and even better, hope you are able to contribute to it as well.
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Happy Minyan Newsletter - Kol Sasson
Parshios Chukas and Balak
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July 2009 |
Greetings!
This Thursday is the 17th of Tammuz, which is not only a fast day (see "Days are coming" on the left below for more information) - it also marks the beginning of The Three Weeks
period of mourning which culminates on the 9th of Av, commemorating the
conquest of Jerusalem, the destruction of the Holy Temple and the
dispersion of the Jewish people. These coming
three weeks are called "Bein Ha
Meitzarim" - "(the Time) Between Dire Straits", since they begin and end with the dates of tremendous tragedies in Jewish history, and it is a time when we more intensley feel the great loss of our Holy Temple and the pain of exile we have endured subsequently.During the Three Weeks, the custom is to observe some aspects
of mourning over the destruction of the Holy Temple. The observance intensifies as Tisha B'Av approaches.
(The following is according to the Ashkenazic custom, for the Sephardic custom please consult an appropriate rabbi.)
Curtailing Rejoicing
-Weddings should not be performed during this period.
-Engagements may take place with a meal until the 1st of Av. From the 1st of Av until after Tisha B'Av they may take place with refreshments only.
-Dancing to and playing or listening to live music is prohibited. A musician
who earns his living by playing for non-Jews may do so until the 1st of Av.
-The custom is to refrain from reciting the blessing "sh'hecheyanu"
on new garments or fruit, except on Shabbat. Pregnant women or ill
people who need the fruit may eat it normally. New garments that don't
require this blessing may be purchased and worn until the 1st of Av.
Haircuts, Shaving, Cutting Nails
-The custom is to refrain from taking a haircut, including the beard. An adult may not even give a haircut to a child.
-Trimming the mustache is permitted if it interferes with eating. -Combing and brushing the hair is permitted.
-A person who usually shaves daily (in a permitted manner) and would
suffer business or financial loss by not shaving, may do so until the 1st of Av, or at most until the Friday before Tisha B'Av. In any case, one should consult a competent rabbi.
-A married woman may remove hair that protrudes from under her hair
covering, and facial or bodily hair that may be unnattractive to her
husband.
-Cutting the nails is permitted until the Friday before Tisha B'Av.
Even then it is permitted for a woman before immersion, or for a man as
well, in honor of the Shabbat (for example if Tisha B'Av is on Shabbat
and postponed to Sunday, or if it is on Sunday itself).
Based on "A Summary of Halachos of the Three Weeks" by Rabbi Shimon D. Eider - from Ohr Somayach, www.ohr.edu
Of
course, should mashiach come first, these coming three weeks will no
longer be called as they are now - the time between dire
straits, but will rather be celebrated as the Times of Our Redemption, may we merit this speedily!
Wishing One and All a Shabbat Shalom,
Rachel Espana
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Happy Minyan News & Upcoming Events
* Summer Schedule for Friday night!
We have two minyanim for Mincha / Kabbalat Shabbat at our regular davening location:
An early minyan will start at around 6:00pm and, a later minyan (after candle-lighting) will start at around 7:30pm. Early minyan'ers should please be sure to be on time so that the second minyan is not delayed.
* Moshav - Melave Malka Concert at the Happy Minyan
Last chance before the 3 weeks!
Bring your friends to the Happy Minyan
and Get Happy with MOSHAV : )
 MOSHAV Band
playing THIS Saturday night
July 4, 2009
10:30 pm
at the Happy Minyan
(9218 W. Pico Blvd (in the Karate
Academy)
$15 admission / $10
students
...and remember: "It's a Mitzvah to Always be
Happy !!!
* Inspiring Shabbos in the Redwoods with Reb Naftali Citron:
The Jewish Learning Center joyfully invites you to spend a
spirited Shabbos with Rabbi Naftali Citron in a beautiful vineyard setting in
the Santa Cruz mountains. Rabbi Naftali Citron is the spiritual leader of the
Carlebach Shul in New York. In
the 1990s he co-founded and ran the Jewish Learning Center in Santa
Cruz. Rabbi Naftali is an amazing Torah scholar and
teacher as well as spiritual leader. He travels all over the country presenting
workshops on Kabbalah and Jewish Meditation. It is a special privilege to have
him again lead a shabbaton in Santa Cruz.
We very much hope you will join us this year!
WHEN: Shabbos, July 24-25; from 7:00 PM on Friday July 24 through Havdalah on Saturday
July 25
WHERE: Four Gates Vineyard (aka Benyomin's Farm), 503
Happy Valley Road, Santa Cruz, CA
COST: $72 - $360. Children under 12: $36 - $54.
Large families: please inquire by calling Benyomin at 831 457-2673
Kosher meals will be provided. We are able to keep costs
reasonable because this is a cooperative shabbaton. All participants are asked
to take a turn helping to set up, serve and clean up for our meals. Accommodations are beautiful but rustic. Please bring a tent so you can camp outdoors in the meadow,
near the vineyard, or among the redwood trees. Plan to arrive by 6:00 PM on Friday to allow time to set up your
"living space" before the service (Kabbalat Shabbat) which begins at 7:00 PM. During prayer services on Friday
evening and Saturday morning, there will be a mechitzah (a screen dividing men
and women). Send questions and confirmations to Howie Schneider: chaim@mac.com. Please include
"Naftali" in the subject line.
Space is limited. The first 40 people to confirm by email
AND send their payment will be be able to attend. Make your check payable
to the Jewish Learning Center and mail to Howie Schneider, 6016
Soquel Dr., Aptos CA
95003. Include the names of
those coming and your contact information. An email confirmation will be sent
upon receipt of your check, along with driving and parking directions.
We hope to see you for a wonderful Shabbos together!
* Refuah Shlaimah: Shaindel Feiga bat Baila Eeta (Sharon Asher) |
Parshat Chukat - The Red Heifer and the 12 Steps
- Rav Sholom Brodt, Rosh Yeshiva of Simchas Shlomo
 Parah Adumah and the
[first two of the] "12 steps"
We have learned about "tumah" and "tahara", ritual impurity
and purity, in many of our classes. The most powerful tumah is "tumat
meit" - tumah acquired by coming in contact with a corpse, or in some
cases, even being in the proximity of one. 'Tummat meit' is the most
powerful spiritual block there is. It can come about even while we are
performing a mitzvah- such as the mitzvah of 'halvayat hameit'-
attending to the needs of, and escorting the dead to their burial.
Whenever a physical stain or imperfection has to be removed,
neutralized, controlled or transformed you need something that is
'stronger' than the causative agent. Since tumat meit is the most
powerful tumah that there is, the normal remedies of immersion in a
mikvah, bringing sacrifices, or prayer are not sufficient to remove
this most powerful tumah
This tummah is removed only by the ritual of the Parah Adumah,
because it is in this mitzvah that Hashem declares "this is his
purification [tahara]" - Hashem is the One who removes the tummah of
the 'meit' from us. The Ramban says that this tahara is decreed solely
by the Torah- that is why it says, "Zot chukkat HaTorah". 'Tummat meit" results from the absence of human life, which
alone has the power to reveal and implant G-dliness into the world. The
'meit', the dead person is no longer capable of doing a mitzvah, and is
therefore incapable of revealing G-d's light.
This tumah is so intense that even a human life that comes in
contact with a meit is powerless to rid itself of the tumah of death.
To be purified of this tumah, we need to find a power of tahara that
emanates directly from the Source of Life. Hashem has made this
'tahara' power accessible to us through the study of Torah and
performance of the mitzvot, and in the case of 'tummat meit' it is the
mitzvah of Parah Aduma specifically. But we need to understand, why
particularly through a mitzvah that is totally beyond our
understanding? I have heard it said in the name of Dr. Rabbi Abraham Twerski
n"y, that the 12 Step recovery program is one of the most powerful
spiritual tools available to us today to achieve authentic spiritual
healing for everyone, and not just for the addicted.
The first step requires the admission by the addict that he is
powerless over his addiction. The second step is to turn to a Higher
Power- to Hashem, for direct help.
So long as there is death in the world we cannot avoid 'tummat
meit', because we are completely powerless over death. Even if the
deceased person never was 'tamei' in his lifetime, once dead, he is the
source of this tumah, and if there are a thousand people or ten
thousand people with his corpse under the same roof, they all become
tamei, regardless of how holy they may be, because they too are
powerless over death.
So the Torah teaches us that we ourselves are so powerless, that
only by acknowledging our helplessness and then turning to Hashem can
we become tahor once again. The very fact that we do not and cannot
even understand the mitzvah of Parah Adumah, is in itself our admission
of complete helplessness.
In performing this mitzvah we must go beyond ourselves, we must go
to the Higher Power, to the very Source of all Life, the very source of
all existence for help; and that is the second step. Truth is that ever since the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash
we don't even know what it is like to be tahor. May we merit to see and
be present in the rebuilding of the Beit Hamikdash quickly in our days.
May we merit the fulfillment of the prophecy of the end of death when
we will be cleansed of all tumah and we will once again be able to
serve Hashem and humanity b'tahara, b'ahavah ub'simcha.
Wishing you kol tuv b'ahavah ubivracha
Sholom |
 You Don't Say in Balak
In this week's parsha, Balak, the wicked prophet Bilam seeks
to curse the Jews. G-d intervenes, and instead of curses, he utters sweet
blessings. Our Sages teach us that Bilam was as high and great a prophet
amongst the rest of the world's peoples as Moshe was to the Jews. And yet, Bilam
was evil.
An evil prophet? - Yes. Bilam is not called a false prophet,
but rather a wicked one. That means he had true prophecies, but just wanted to
use his powers for evil purposes - specifically towards the Jews.
But conventionally, prophecy is understood to mean the word
of G-d coming to someone; it is Divine. Can evil be from a Divine Source? Yes.
Evil people and their visions and words all come from G-d, and they also serve
a Divine Purpose.
In this story, however, HaShem intervened and prevented
curses from being uttered, and rather we were blessed with great blessings. Why
did G-d intervene if even prophetic curses would serve a purpose and be
ultimately for the good? Because the word of G-d is what comes to a true
prophet, no matter what the prophet's intentions and personal desires are. Despite
his desire to do evil, Bilam is granted the ability to speak from the same
Source that all prophets are given their ability - the One and Only G-d. Despite
whatever Bilam thought he was going to do, all he was actually able to do was
fulfill G-d's Will. And so, he blessed us, according to G-d's Will.
Later in the Torah, we see that Moshe, our faithful leader
for 40 years in the desert, actually rebukes the Children of Israel before he
blesses them. And here, Bilam blesses the Children of Israel instead of cursing
them. It seems backwards. But really, it's not. A prophet carries a message
from G-d. G-d wanted a certain amount of rebuke given to the Jewish People, as
well as blessings, and that's why it came out as it did. Even if Moshe only
wanted to bless us, and even if Bilam only wanted to curse us - only what G-d
wants them to say is what was actually said.
May the words we speak be completely aligned with the Divine
Will. May those who wish to do evil and those who want to curse find that all
they can do is fulfill G-d's Plans and sing praises. May we all only give each
other and receive from one another the strongest most beautiful blessings.
Good Shabbos!
Rachel
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 David Sacks teaches every Sunday at 10:30 am
at Mogen David, 9717 W. Pico Blvd
You can also listen to David Sacks online anytime by down- loading his Torah on iTunes, or you can read some of his best articles - check out his fantastic site Spiritual Tools for an Outrageous World.
A Guide to Happiness - Secrets for a Life Well Lived
Dear Friends,
We all desperately want to be happy. But how? In this week's talk we
lay out a detailed program for success in this most crucial area of
life.
Have a Great Week,
David Sacks
www.torahonitunes.com |
About Happy Minyan - Los Angeles
Please join us for davening every Shabbat!
Friday night: (Summer time) Early services begin at 6pm. Regular Mincha begins at candle-lighting time, followed by Kabballat Shabbat and Maariv.
Saturday morning: David Sacks' class begins at 8:30am, followed by Shacharit at 9am, then Torah reading and Musaf. There is a Kiddush after davening at around 12pm.
Saturday afternoon:
Mincha and Seudah Shlishit are usually around an hour and a half before
Shabbat ends and followed by Maariv and Havdallah at the conclusion of
Shabbat.
We also meet for davening on all major Jewish holidays.
The Happy Minyan is located at
the Karate Academy
9218 West Pico Blvd (at Glenville)
Los Angeles, California90035
Good Shabbos! Good Shabbos!
The Happy Minyan
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