Hi,
As you’ll see below – there’s lots of stuff going on. We’d love to see you this Friday night for Persian Shabbat, and please read on about how you can get involved in the exciting Purim festivals and much more.
1) Free Trips to Israel – Registration opening Tomorrow MORNING
2) Pizza and Parsha
3) Persian Shabbat
4) Join a PAC: Purim Action Committee
5) Learning Opportunities
6) Save the dates: Jewnity Shabbat, Purim Shabbat, and Purim Extravaganzas
7) Thought for the Week
1) Free Trips to Israel – Registration Open NOW!
Yes – that’s FREE trips to Israel this summer with Mayanot Birthright. All you need to be is Jewish, 18-26, and have never been on an organized peer trip to Israel before. Eligible? Register now at http://www.mayanotisrael.com/. Not eligible? If you recruit 15 of your friends, you get to go back to Israel for free! And if you end up with less than that, there are other great prizes. www.mayanotisrael.com/recruit
Registration opens today, and is expected to fill up quickly. We’ve been guaranteed that anybody eligible that signs up and sends in their deposit for our trip within the first week of registration will DEFINITELY get a spot. So don’t delay!
Rabbi Dov will be leading the trip from USC tentatively scheduled to leave from LA on May 27th.
http://www.mayanotisrael.com/
2) Pizza and Parsha
You’re on campus. You’re breaking for lunch. What better way could there be to spend the time then join us for some great free Kosher pizza and an inspiring discussion about the day-to-day relevance of the weekly Torah portion?
This Thursday and every Thursday, 12:15 – 1:30 pm. On the grass behind the Chabad table on Trousdale.
3) Persian Shabbat
Jews and Chinese food. I don’t know what it is about those two things that goes together so well, but it’s a historical fact.
Get your fill of delicious Chinese cuisine at this week’s Chinese Shabbat at Chabad House. All the usual favorites of our delicious home-cooked five-course Shabbat dinner, but plenty of catered Chinese to boot.
Friday, February 9
Candle Lighting: 5:13 pm
Services: 6:00 pm
Dinner: 7:00 pm
Saturday, February 10
"Legal and Medical Ethics": 9:00 am
Services: 10:00 am
Torah Reading: 11:30 pm – we could use YOUR help with a Minyan
Lunch: 12:45 pm
Havdalah: 6:10 pm
4) Join a PAC: Purim Action Committee
Purim is just around the corner. Along with Purim come some really exciting events – the biggest Jewish party of the year (last time our crowd was estimated at over 1,000!!), and a huge pre-Purim carnival on campus benefiting "the Friendship Circle".
We need your ideas and your energy. As with all of our events, how these turn out will depend on our student volunteers. YOU can make it happen. A lot of preliminary work has already been done – now we need your help in bringing it to the next level.
Pre-Purim Carnival Committee. The Pre-Purim Carnival will be co-sponsored this year by USC Hillel and (hopefully) by USC Philanthropy Board. The proceeds benefit "The Friendship Circle" – an organization benefiting families of children with special needs. Contact Michal Cohen at michalco@usc.edu to volunteer your help and ideas.
Purim Party Committee. The Purim Party – this year "Purim in the Wild West" – will be held on Saturday, March 3. Contact Orit Hayun at funkydiva@aol.com to volunteer.
5) Learning Opportunities
Looking to learn something about your Jewish heritage? Wonder what it means to be Jewish, besides bagels and lox and Jewish mothers? Join one of our weekly discussion group/classes. There’s something for everyone:
Monday
Lunch and Learn at the Dental School – 12:00 – 1:00 pm
Discussion over Dinner at the Chabad House – 6:30 – 8:30 pm
"Origins" – a reading and discussion of the stories of Genesis at Tuscany #426 – 9:15 – 11:30 pm
Tuesday
Once-a-month Lunch and Learn at the Law School – 12:30 – 1:20 pm
Talmud and Tanya – 7:30 – 9:00 pm
Hebrew sound like *&^*@ to you? Learn to understand Hebrew with Runya – 9:00 pm
Wednesday
Twice-a-month Lunch and Learn at the Health Sciences Campus – 12:00 – 1:00 pm
Sinai Scholars – 7:30 – 9:30 pm
Thursday
Pizza and Parsha – 12:15 – 1:45 pm
Discussion Group on Jewish philosophy and open forum in Parkside #631 – 9:30 – 11:00 pm
6) Save the Dates: Jewnity Shabbat, Purim Shabbat, and Purim Extravaganzas
Schedule these on your calendar now:
Friday, February 23
Jewnity Shabbat at Chabad
Join USC’s entire Jewish community for an amazing joint Jewnity Shabbat at Chabad. Co-sponsored by Chabad, Hillel, and the Sig Delt’s (USCs Jewish sorority).
Monday, February 26
Pre-Purim Carnival
Everybody loves a carnival! Joust, ride the orbitron, bake-a-hamantash, throw a pie at the Rabbi, or much more at the annual pre-Purim Carnival benefiting the Friendship Circle. In Alumni Park.
Friday, March 2
Purim Shabbat
Already in the Purim mindset? Now add Shabbat into the mix. There’s no pre-party like this party. AND we’re also honoring Sinai Scholars past and present this Shabbat. Don’t miss it!
Saturday, March 3
Purim in the Wild West
Watch as the Chabad House is transformed to a saloon straight out of the Wild West as the Purim festivities get under way. One thing’s certain: This is THE party of the year!!
7) Thought for the Week
The Torah portion of Mishpatim contains, as evidenced in its name, a large part of the body of legal rulings issued by the Torah. It deals with the laws of torts and damages, the obligations of a borrower or renter, the prohibitions against theft and fraud, the laws of lost objects, bondage, and much more.
Even in such seemingly dry, legalistic proceedings, though, there are many lessons that talk to a broader outlook on life, and that provide us direction for our spiritual journeys.
Take the following verse:
23:5 If you were to see the donkey of someone you hate crouching under its load, would you refrain from helping it?! Rather, you must help him [unload it].
Seems very straight-forward. An issue of moral and ethical direction. Don't hate your enemy so badly that you make his innocent animal suffer as a result. Definitely something to think about, and to find ways of applying to our lives.
But the Ba'al Shem Tov saw this verse as encompassing a deeper message as well.
In Hebrew, sometimes words with very disparate meanings are written with the very same letters. It implies some relationship between the two, and allows us to derive lessons and directives from the convergences.
Chamor or donkey can also be read as chomer--matter.
Thus, says the Baal Shem Tov, the verse may be read as follows:
If you were to see…: If you properly examine and look into—
the donkey…: —your physical body, your material self--
…of someone you hate…: —you will see that it is your enemy. It's goals and direction are completely opposite that of the soul.
…crouching under its load…: You will also see that it is uncomfortably shifting and complaining beneath the load of Torah and mitzvot that God has placed upon it.
would you refrain from helping it?! Do you imagine that you should refrain from helping your body acclimate itself to its task? Do you intend to break its opposition by weakening it through fasts and punishments? No! This is not the way of the Torah.
rather you must help him: You must strengthen the body both physically and spiritually, and ensure that it, too, participates in Divine service
Until the Ba'al Shem Tov many people believed that one had to choose one of two extreme paths. Either someone was a glutton, giving into--even glorifying--bodily material desires, and allowing the body complete rule. The other option was to be an ascetic, regarding the body as the enemy, and trying in every way possible to break it and subjugate it to the control of the soul.
The Ba'al Shem Tov taught that there is a proper balance. On the one hand we must recognize that crass materialism does stand in the face of spiritual growth. If one doesn't exercise some control over physical desires, they take over and reject other, holier, influences.
On the other hand, however, the goal is not to break away or destroy the body. On the contrary: "Being of healthy and complete body is an aspect of the G-dly path" according to Maimonides. Our purpose is integration of body and spirit, integration of physical and spiritual, ensuring that both together are able to be utilized in a constructive manner attaining the objectives established for us by G-d in His Torah.
Shabbat Shalom,
Dov, Runya, Mushky, Menachem, Shneur, and Moshe
As you’ll see below – there’s lots of stuff going on. We’d love to see you this Friday night for Persian Shabbat, and please read on about how you can get involved in the exciting Purim festivals and much more.
1) Free Trips to Israel – Registration opening Tomorrow MORNING
2) Pizza and Parsha
3) Persian Shabbat
4) Join a PAC: Purim Action Committee
5) Learning Opportunities
6) Save the dates: Jewnity Shabbat, Purim Shabbat, and Purim Extravaganzas
7) Thought for the Week
1) Free Trips to Israel – Registration Open NOW!
Yes – that’s FREE trips to Israel this summer with Mayanot Birthright. All you need to be is Jewish, 18-26, and have never been on an organized peer trip to Israel before. Eligible? Register now at http://www.mayanotisrael.com/. Not eligible? If you recruit 15 of your friends, you get to go back to Israel for free! And if you end up with less than that, there are other great prizes. www.mayanotisrael.com/recruit
Registration opens today, and is expected to fill up quickly. We’ve been guaranteed that anybody eligible that signs up and sends in their deposit for our trip within the first week of registration will DEFINITELY get a spot. So don’t delay!
Rabbi Dov will be leading the trip from USC tentatively scheduled to leave from LA on May 27th.
http://www.mayanotisrael.com/
2) Pizza and Parsha
You’re on campus. You’re breaking for lunch. What better way could there be to spend the time then join us for some great free Kosher pizza and an inspiring discussion about the day-to-day relevance of the weekly Torah portion?
This Thursday and every Thursday, 12:15 – 1:30 pm. On the grass behind the Chabad table on Trousdale.
3) Persian Shabbat
Jews and Chinese food. I don’t know what it is about those two things that goes together so well, but it’s a historical fact.
Get your fill of delicious Chinese cuisine at this week’s Chinese Shabbat at Chabad House. All the usual favorites of our delicious home-cooked five-course Shabbat dinner, but plenty of catered Chinese to boot.
Friday, February 9
Candle Lighting: 5:13 pm
Services: 6:00 pm
Dinner: 7:00 pm
Saturday, February 10
"Legal and Medical Ethics": 9:00 am
Services: 10:00 am
Torah Reading: 11:30 pm – we could use YOUR help with a Minyan
Lunch: 12:45 pm
Havdalah: 6:10 pm
4) Join a PAC: Purim Action Committee
Purim is just around the corner. Along with Purim come some really exciting events – the biggest Jewish party of the year (last time our crowd was estimated at over 1,000!!), and a huge pre-Purim carnival on campus benefiting "the Friendship Circle".
We need your ideas and your energy. As with all of our events, how these turn out will depend on our student volunteers. YOU can make it happen. A lot of preliminary work has already been done – now we need your help in bringing it to the next level.
Pre-Purim Carnival Committee. The Pre-Purim Carnival will be co-sponsored this year by USC Hillel and (hopefully) by USC Philanthropy Board. The proceeds benefit "The Friendship Circle" – an organization benefiting families of children with special needs. Contact Michal Cohen at michalco@usc.edu to volunteer your help and ideas.
Purim Party Committee. The Purim Party – this year "Purim in the Wild West" – will be held on Saturday, March 3. Contact Orit Hayun at funkydiva@aol.com to volunteer.
5) Learning Opportunities
Looking to learn something about your Jewish heritage? Wonder what it means to be Jewish, besides bagels and lox and Jewish mothers? Join one of our weekly discussion group/classes. There’s something for everyone:
Monday
Lunch and Learn at the Dental School – 12:00 – 1:00 pm
Discussion over Dinner at the Chabad House – 6:30 – 8:30 pm
"Origins" – a reading and discussion of the stories of Genesis at Tuscany #426 – 9:15 – 11:30 pm
Tuesday
Once-a-month Lunch and Learn at the Law School – 12:30 – 1:20 pm
Talmud and Tanya – 7:30 – 9:00 pm
Hebrew sound like *&^*@ to you? Learn to understand Hebrew with Runya – 9:00 pm
Wednesday
Twice-a-month Lunch and Learn at the Health Sciences Campus – 12:00 – 1:00 pm
Sinai Scholars – 7:30 – 9:30 pm
Thursday
Pizza and Parsha – 12:15 – 1:45 pm
Discussion Group on Jewish philosophy and open forum in Parkside #631 – 9:30 – 11:00 pm
6) Save the Dates: Jewnity Shabbat, Purim Shabbat, and Purim Extravaganzas
Schedule these on your calendar now:
Friday, February 23
Jewnity Shabbat at Chabad
Join USC’s entire Jewish community for an amazing joint Jewnity Shabbat at Chabad. Co-sponsored by Chabad, Hillel, and the Sig Delt’s (USCs Jewish sorority).
Monday, February 26
Pre-Purim Carnival
Everybody loves a carnival! Joust, ride the orbitron, bake-a-hamantash, throw a pie at the Rabbi, or much more at the annual pre-Purim Carnival benefiting the Friendship Circle. In Alumni Park.
Friday, March 2
Purim Shabbat
Already in the Purim mindset? Now add Shabbat into the mix. There’s no pre-party like this party. AND we’re also honoring Sinai Scholars past and present this Shabbat. Don’t miss it!
Saturday, March 3
Purim in the Wild West
Watch as the Chabad House is transformed to a saloon straight out of the Wild West as the Purim festivities get under way. One thing’s certain: This is THE party of the year!!
7) Thought for the Week
The Torah portion of Mishpatim contains, as evidenced in its name, a large part of the body of legal rulings issued by the Torah. It deals with the laws of torts and damages, the obligations of a borrower or renter, the prohibitions against theft and fraud, the laws of lost objects, bondage, and much more.
Even in such seemingly dry, legalistic proceedings, though, there are many lessons that talk to a broader outlook on life, and that provide us direction for our spiritual journeys.
Take the following verse:
23:5 If you were to see the donkey of someone you hate crouching under its load, would you refrain from helping it?! Rather, you must help him [unload it].
Seems very straight-forward. An issue of moral and ethical direction. Don't hate your enemy so badly that you make his innocent animal suffer as a result. Definitely something to think about, and to find ways of applying to our lives.
But the Ba'al Shem Tov saw this verse as encompassing a deeper message as well.
In Hebrew, sometimes words with very disparate meanings are written with the very same letters. It implies some relationship between the two, and allows us to derive lessons and directives from the convergences.
Chamor or donkey can also be read as chomer--matter.
Thus, says the Baal Shem Tov, the verse may be read as follows:
If you were to see…: If you properly examine and look into—
the donkey…: —your physical body, your material self--
…of someone you hate…: —you will see that it is your enemy. It's goals and direction are completely opposite that of the soul.
…crouching under its load…: You will also see that it is uncomfortably shifting and complaining beneath the load of Torah and mitzvot that God has placed upon it.
would you refrain from helping it?! Do you imagine that you should refrain from helping your body acclimate itself to its task? Do you intend to break its opposition by weakening it through fasts and punishments? No! This is not the way of the Torah.
rather you must help him: You must strengthen the body both physically and spiritually, and ensure that it, too, participates in Divine service
Until the Ba'al Shem Tov many people believed that one had to choose one of two extreme paths. Either someone was a glutton, giving into--even glorifying--bodily material desires, and allowing the body complete rule. The other option was to be an ascetic, regarding the body as the enemy, and trying in every way possible to break it and subjugate it to the control of the soul.
The Ba'al Shem Tov taught that there is a proper balance. On the one hand we must recognize that crass materialism does stand in the face of spiritual growth. If one doesn't exercise some control over physical desires, they take over and reject other, holier, influences.
On the other hand, however, the goal is not to break away or destroy the body. On the contrary: "Being of healthy and complete body is an aspect of the G-dly path" according to Maimonides. Our purpose is integration of body and spirit, integration of physical and spiritual, ensuring that both together are able to be utilized in a constructive manner attaining the objectives established for us by G-d in His Torah.
Shabbat Shalom,
Dov, Runya, Mushky, Menachem, Shneur, and Moshe
posted by Rabbi Dov | 6:19 PM
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