VOLUME 20, ISSUE 21 FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 2013 \/ 16 IYAR 5773
\nCANDLE LIGHTING: 7:23 P.M. SHABBAT ENDS: 8:35 PM (CHICAGO)
\nTORAH PORTION: EMOR (LEVITICUS 21:1 – 24:23)<\/p>\n
This week\u2019s CTN Shabbat Fax is sponsored by all of us at CTN, wishing a huge Hang in there – Shabbos is coming!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n One of the many times the Torah teaches us about charity. \u2018Wherever you live\u2019. VOLUME 20, ISSUE 21 FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 2013 \/ 16 IYAR 5773 CANDLE LIGHTING: 7:23 P.M. SHABBAT ENDS: 8:35 PM (CHICAGO) TORAH PORTION: EMOR (LEVITICUS 21:1 – 24:23) This week\u2019s CTN Shabbat Fax is sponsored by all of us at CTN, wishing a huge Mazel Tov to the entire Hartman family on the occasion of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-758","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-the-chicago-torah-network-shabbat-fax"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/torahnetwork.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/758","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/torahnetwork.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/torahnetwork.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/torahnetwork.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/torahnetwork.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=758"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/torahnetwork.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/758\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":760,"href":"https:\/\/torahnetwork.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/758\/revisions\/760"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/torahnetwork.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=758"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/torahnetwork.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=758"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/torahnetwork.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=758"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\n<\/em>Mazel Tov to the entire Hartman family on the occasion of Ruben\u2019s<\/em> Bar Mitzvah.
\nMay he grow to make you and the entire Jewish People proud!<\/em><\/p>\n1. When you reap your land\u2019s harvest, do not completely cut the corners of your
\nfields \u2026 You must leave them for the poor and the stranger \u2026 (23:22)<\/h4>\n
\nIt\u2019s interesting.
\nNot, \u2018give a portion to the poor\u2019.
\nBut, \u2018leave it for them\u2019.
\nBecause it is not yours. It\u2019s theirs.
\nThe Jewish approach to charity.
\nIn Hebrew, we call it Tzedakah. From the word Tzedek. Justice.
\nBecause Judaism teaches, that we are only custodians of our Tzedakah money.
\nAnd, if we keep it for ourselves \u2013 if we are not conscientious about giving it to the needy \u2013 it\u2019s
\nmore than just \u2018not doing a nice thing\u2019.
\nIt\u2019s doing an injustice.
\n\u00a7 Many Jewish communities had a beautiful tradition. A very special way of doing Tzedakah.
\nIt was done during \u2018shiva\u2019 \u2013 the mourning period following the death of a close relative.
\nA very difficult time.
\nAnd the last thing the family needs then, is the added burden of financial pressures.
\nSo the community would send a large box to the home.
\nIn it \u2013 a significant amount of money.
\nNo one knew how much. Because it was never counted.
\nAnd in the privacy of its home, each family had a choice.
\nThey could either take what they needed.
\nOr put in what they could afford.<\/p>\n2. Six days you may work, but Saturday is a Sabbath \u2026 Wherever you live, it is G-d\u2019s Sabbath. (23:3)<\/h4>\n
\nIt turned out to be an accurate description of Jewish history. Because we\u2019ve certainly lived in
\nmany places.
\nTime after time, Jews had to pick up and start again.
\nSometimes, it was very difficult.
\nThis week\u2019s CTN Shabbat Fax is sponsored by all of us at CTN, wishing a huge
\nMazel Tov to the entire Hartman family on the occasion of Ruben\u2019s Bar Mitzvah.
\nMay he grow to make you and the entire Jewish People proud!
\nLack of opportunity. Struggle. Poverty. And worse.
\nAt others times, things were much better.
\nFreedom. Acceptance. Success. And wealth.
\nThe Torah gives us a tool. A way to deal with both.
\nThe tool? Shabbat.
\nThink of the Jews of the shtetel. How tough their life was. In so many ways.
\nAnd how hard they worked \u2013 to just barely make it.
\nBut when Shabbat came \u2013 everything changed.
\nThey wore the best clothes they had. Made their meals a little more special.
\nThey lit candles. Sang songs. And celebrated being Jewish.
\nAnd it worked.
\nWhatever their weekdays were like \u2013 on Shabbat their home was a castle.
\nFor most of us, it\u2019s a very different story. Thank G-d.
\nBut Shabbat is no less meaningful. Because it has a powerful message for us as well.
\nIt reminds us: True. Freedom and success are wonderful.
\nBut we can get caught up in them. And lose sight of what\u2019s really important in life.
\nShabbat tells us to step back. And focus.
\nTo get in touch with our family. Our heritage. Our priorities.
\nAnd ourselves.
\nEllis Island.<\/strong> Today, it houses a fascinating museum. Documenting the waves of immigration
\nin the early 1900\u2019s.
\nOne of the things you\u2019ll see in it is a copy of a note written by a child.
\nAbout his family\u2019s journey to America.
\n\u201cThe most important thing my mother packed for the voyage, were her Bible, and her Sabbath
\ncandle sticks \u2026\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"