B"H
 
Temple Beth Or     בית אור
 House of Light 
  
      b&s wedding       

July 3, 2009

                                                   Last Shabbat -  June 5, 2009           
              
          Shabbat Service & Dairy Pot Luck 
                              6:00pm - 8:00pm
 
                              2580 City View 
                                 Reno, NV  
 
Everyone is welcome.  Call for directions. 
No meat dishes for the potluck please.
 
When planning to bring food, consider that there were over 30 people who attended last month.  Everyone works to bring "healthy" foods.  A big thanks to everyone who brought food - and especially the challah makers!  

775-322-5542  [email protected] 

   Rabbi ElizaBeth Beyer
 ******************
 Rosh Chodesh Tammuz  
 
June 22, 2009
8:35 4/18 pm 
 
 
Please click here to forward to anyone interested...
 
 
SUMMER HEBREW CLASSES
  Interested in learning the prayer book? Torah?  Do you want to refresh your memory on some of the prayers or learn new ones?  There are Hebrew Tutors available.   
 
 Call for more information.
775-322-5542
KABBALAH CLASS
AT UNR THIS FALL

   Interested in studying Kabbalah in depth?  Consider taking (Religious Studies) RST 495 or RST 695 for graduate credit this fall.   The class will be held on campus Monday and Wednesday 11-12:15pm.  You can audit the course, if you do not need the credits.

   The call numbers for registration are:  
RST 495 is 62779  MW 11-12:15MW 
RST 695 is 50505  MW 11-12:15MW
      
Kabbalah is an ancient Jewish tradition which became prominent in the Middle Ages.  Its lofty goal is  to "experience" G-d.  It can be thought of as a means of bridging heaven and earth - to reach the divine.   
j101 - BASIC JUDAISM AND CONVERSION CLASS
Do you remember what you learned in Hebrew School?  Would you like a refresher?  or are you considering conversion?  Come enjoy a lively presentation of the basics of Judaism starting August 25, 6-9pm.  
 
RSVP if you are interested.
775.322.5542
שלום שלום לום שלום שלום  Shalom Chevre,   
 
      At the last monthly gathering, we talked about the path toward holiness and read the Torah portions about the Nazirite and the priestly blessing.  The evening was magical - a wonderful way to bring in Shabbos.     
 
SHAVUOT May 28, 2009:
       We joined Temple Emanu-El learning for the first half of the evening discussing the minhag (customs) of Shavuot and the Book of Ruth - thank you Lynn Pierce for teaching those - yasher koach!  I spoke about the Ger Toshav (non Jew in the shul), which has been posted to our website under the membership tab. 
        Our chevre returned to the rabbi's house to continue studying Sefer Raziel.  We paused at midnight when, as tradition has it, "the heavens open and one's earnest plea may be heard."  Most people left or went to sleep around 3am...but a few of us made it until dawn fueled by cheese cake, coffee and Torah.  It was an unforgetable Shavuot.  Thank you to all who helped create it.    
 
SHABBAT SERVICES NEXT WEEK: 
       Friday evening July 3, we have Shabbat services and dinner.  Music is an integral part of our service.   
       Services are accessible and informal.  Come and learn - or come for dinner - or both!  No meat.  Dairy/fish/eggs/vegetarian are ok.
 
TEMPLE BETH OR:
        TBO is now "official" with non-profit, tax exempt Articles of Incorporation filed and a Board in place.  Our website (www.TempleBethOr.us) and Facebook (Beth-Or) have been created.  We are looking ahead to continuing to grow and to beginning our High Holiday prepraration. 
      
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: 
           TBO is planning High Holidays and we would like YOU to be included.  Have you thought about reading from Torah?  Awesome - get started now.  The rabbi will make a CD for you to make it easier.  Interested in singing?  We are looking for choir members.  Do you play an instrument?  We are looking for musicians.  Please contact us ASAP. 
         
 May all good things come to you and your family.
 ברכות
Blessings,
Rabbi ElizaBeth Beyer   
http://www.ajrca.org/parsha_of_the_week.shtml
 
This Drash is posted on the AJRCA website
 
Parshat Shelach
Torah Reading for Week of June 14 - June 20, 2009
"Exploring our Mission"
by Rabbi Elisheva Beyer, '06
Temple Beth Or (Reno, NV)

      G-d said to Moses, saying, Speak to the Children of Israel and say to them that they shall make themselves tzitzit on the corners of their garments. Throughout their generations...that you may see it and remember all the commandments of G-d and perform them; and not explore after your heart and after your eyes...and be holy to your G-d.
      According to the Talmud, one who is careful about the mitzvah of wearing tzitzit will merit seeing the Shechinah (Divine Presence). Menachot 43b. Why is this mitzvah of wearing tzitzit on our garments so important?
     When we wear tzitzit, we are reminded of all of the commandments. According to Rashi (Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki, 1040-1105), the gematria (numerical value) of the word, "tzitzit" is 600 and one adds to that the number of the eight threads, and the five knots. This equals 613 of the commandments (Tanhuma). When we look at tzitzit, we are reminded of our duty towards G-d. We can focus on either seeing inanimate threads, or the intention of G-d to bring us into a spiritual relationship - to be holy.
      Rabbi S. R. Hirsch (1808-1888) says that tzitzit are meant to remind us to be dedicated in our mission as human beings, and as Jews, to be holy. They are meant to keep us on task. He notes that from a Biblical perspective, clothing was created by G-d after Adam and Eve "went about after their own heart and after their own eyes" and regarded as "good" anything that, in the judgment of their greedy eye and their mental quest for bodily gratification, seemed conducive to the satisfaction of their physical desires." As humans, we are endowed with moral character and choice. Thus, tzitzit help us focus daily on our work to lift ourselves up by our speech and actions towards being holy.
     When wearing tzitzit, we are admonished to lo taturu "not go exploring after your own heart and after your own eyes." However, the parsha began with Moses sending out spies to "latur et ha'aretz" (to explore the land). They failed their mission as tarim (explorers). Due to their eyes and hearts, they lacked confidence in G-d who was prepared to help to overcome the obstacles in taking the land. The spies diminished, in their own eyes, to the size of grasshoppers. The land and its inhabitants grew too big for them to overcome. The exploration should have been done with trust in G-d, who oversees our lives. Indeed, every blade of grass has an angel standing over it, telling it to "grow." Midrash Rabbah, Beresheet 10:6.
      The Sefat Emet (Rabbi Yehudah Lieb Alter of Ger, 1847-1905) advises that this mitzvah to wear tzitzit is related to concentrating on the unity of G-d. One of the significant uses of our tzitzit is when we gather them during our morning prayer of the Shema, which proclaims G-d's unique oneness. Also, a person who prays wrapped up in a tallit (prayer shawl) emulates G-d, who prays with a tallit of light. Psalms 104:2.
      We are commanded to not explore after our heart and after our eyes because in craving the material goods of this world, we run into trouble. Instead, we are to focus on G-d, work on our mission G-d has entrusted to us and know G-d will help us overcome the obstacles in our path. In focusing on G-d, we merit seeing the Divine Presence in our lives.  
Temple Beth Or is a Jewish congregation that is unaffiliated with a specific denomination in order to better serve and honor the rich diversity of our chevre.  Our services range between Reform and Conservative, with some elements of Renewal and Reconstructionist.  We are an evolving group dedicated to Jewish values and learning. 
 
For more information contact Rabbi ElizaBeth Beyer, 2580 City View Reno, NV 89512.  322 5542.  Email  comments or questions to her [email protected]    

For information on Jewish Renewal   https://www.aleph.org/