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Welcome to Congregation Beth-El
Shabbat Shalom
‫שבת שלום‬
Friday Evening (May 15, 2015):
Services: 6:00 p.m.
Candle lighting: by 8:00 p.m.
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Saturday, May 16,2015 /
27 Iyar, 5775
Behar– Bechukosai
Morning Services: 9:30 a.m.
(Mazel Tov to Brandon Rudie on his Bar Mitzvah)
ANNUAL CBE RAFFLE
$14,600
In cash prizes for 5 lucky winners
$10,000 first prize
$1,800 2nd + 3rd prizes
$500 4th + 5th prizes
DRAW ON SUNDAY, JUNE 7, 2015
Tickets $100 each,
only 450 Tickets available
Torah :
Page:
530
Maftir :
Page:
550
Haftorah:
Page:
551
Mincha service: 8:30 p.m.
Shabbat ends: 9:12 p.m.
_______________________________
Next week Shabbat Candle lighting:
Friday, May 22, 2015 by 8:07 p.m.
Cantor David Guber
Reverend Gershon Katz
Rabbi Ronnie Cahana
Rabbi Emeritus Allan Langner
Cantor Hyman Gisser, z”l
Congregation Beth-El 1000 Lucerne Road, TMR, Quebec H3R 2H9
Telephone: 514-738-4766
www.beth-el.ca
events@beth-el.ca
SUMMARY, Parshat Behar/Bechukotai, Leviticus 26:3 - 27:34
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CONDOLENCES
To Anita Rochman, on the passing of her sister Beatrice Sherman
To Harvey Levinson, on the passing of his mother, Esther
Levinson
To Eileen Solomon, on the passing of her husband David
Solomon.
MAZEL TOV
To Pamela and Stephen Rudie, on the Bar Mitzvah of their son,
Brandon Rudie.
To Beverly White, on the Bar Mitzvah of her grandson Jacob
Trossman in Toronto, son of Marcy White and Andrew Trossman,
grandson of the late Frank White and Alva and Bernie Trossman
CONGREGATIONAL KIDDUSH
Sponsored by Pamela and Stephen Rudie on the occasion of the
Bar Mitzvah or their son, Brandon Rudie.
EVENTS:
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Thursday, May 21, 2015
Beth-El Sisterhood Torah Luncheon - honouring
Maxine Bercovici
Please call the office for more details
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Sunday, May 31, 2015 : Even More Cantorial Magic:
Cantors David + Shlomo Guber perform yet again !
You can now call the office to purchase tickets. We are also
selling advertising space in the Program book.
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Sunday, June 7, 2015 : Annual Beth-El RAFFLE
Please ensure you have your tickets for our Annual fundraiser.
Dinner will be served.
Parshat Behar concentrates on the mitzvot relating specifically to the land of Israel and
the cycle of planting and harvesting to be done in the land once the Israelites arrive. The
Shemitah, a sabbatical year, is commanded by G-d requiring the cessation of the normal
cycle of planting and harvesting and leaving the fields and orchards to lie fallow. Similarly, the earth in Israel is to remain unworked in the Yovel, the 50th year. G-d promises
that He will bless the land in the sixth year so that it will produce enough to last
throughout the Shemitah year. The Parsha explains the responsibilities to the poor and
downtrodden, and instructs on the way to fulfill acts of loving kindness and giving tzedakah to the less fortunate; ideally by providing ways for them to raise themselves from
poverty. The Parsha describes the regulations regarding Jewish and gentile servants working for Jews and the mitzvah to redeem Jews who are servants to gentiles. At the onset of
the Yovel, all Jewish servants are to be set free. The Parsha concludes repeating the prohibition against idol worship, and the mitzvot to guard the Shabbat, and revere G-d’s holy
places.
The Book of Leviticus (Vayikra) reaches its conclusion with Bechukotai, its final Parsha
that describes the blessings and curses that will come to the Israelites depending on their
conformity to, or disobedience of the terms of the covenant. The blessings are relatively
brief. G-d promises that the people of Israel will have prosperity and will dwell securely
in their homeland if they follow His commandments. The curses (known as the tochakhah) are set out at length and are replete with cruel warnings of persecution, exile and
many other fearsome evils should the Israelites abandon their covenant with G-d. However, the as Parsha concludes, G-d promises that "Even when they [the Jews] are in the
land of their enemies, I will not cast them away; nor will I ever abhor them, to destroy
them and to break My covenant with them; for I am the Lord their G-d." (AK)
HAFTARAH SUMMARY, Jeremiah 16:1916:19-17:14
Haftarat Jeremiah 16:19-17:14 is directly linked to the combined Parashot of Behar and
Bechukotai as it reviews the punishments to be dealt out to those who disregard G-d's
law, and the blessings that are the happy future for those choosing to follow G-d’s will.
The prophet Jeremiah rebukes the people of Israel for their idolatrous ways and for not
having faith in G‑d. He conveys G‑d's words of wrath towards those who do not put
their trust in Him as he prophesies bitter exile from the Holy Land as their punishment.
The prophet announces, "Cursed is the man who trusts in man and relies on mortal flesh
for his strength, and whose heart turns away from the G-d. He shall be like a lone tree in
the desert, and will not see when good comes, and will dwell on parched land in the desert, on salt-sodden soil that is not habitable. Blessed is the man who trusts in the G-d, to
whom G-d will be his trust. For he shall be like a tree planted by the water, and which
spreads its roots out into a stream, so it will not be affected when heat comes, and its
leaves shall be green, and in the year of drought will not be anxious, neither shall it cease
from bearing fruit."
Jeremiah ends his prophesy with several emotionally charged stanzas: "G-d who is the
source of the hopes of Israel, all that forsake You shall be shamed, and they who turn
away from me shall be marked out on the earth that they have forsaken G-d, the source
of living waters. Heal me, O G-d, then shall I be healed; help me, then I shall be helped,
for You are my praise!"(AK)