March 5-6, 2021 Parashat Ki Tisa
22 Adar 5781 Shabbat Parah
After 40 days and nights, Moses descends Mount Sinai carrying two tablets. Seeing people dancing around the golden calf, he becomes so enraged that he hurls the tablets to the ground, shattering them to pieces. After another 40 days and nights, he returns, carrying a second set of tablets.
The Rabbis offer three different stories about the pieces of broken tablets. In one, they teach that Moses “cast” away the broken stones. In another, they teach that the people traveled with two arks; one held the Torah (the second set), and the other held the broken pieces. In a third story, the broken pieces and the intact tablets were placed side by side in one ark. Here the rabbis teach the importance of respecting the elderly: “Take care to respect an old man who, through the unavoidable circumstances of aging, has forgotten what he once knew.” In this midrash, the rabbis insist that all the intact and all the broken parts of our tradition (and our bodies) hold value.
Shabbat Parah is the third of four special Shabbatot before Pesach. It represents the beginning of preparation for Pesach. The Torah portion details the matter of the parah adumah (red heifer). In the days of the Temple, the priest would use the ashes of the parah adumah to purify people who were in an impure state and who would not have been eligible to eat from the Passover sacrifice.
‘We Remember’ Service: Friday, March 12 at 3:00 PM
Channel 1960 or in the Synagogue (limited seating). Masks must be worn at all times.
Please join in this week’s Shabbat celebrations on Channel 1960 (Residents Only) or in the Synagogue (limited seating). Masks must be worn at all times in the Synagogue.
Birthday Blessing This Friday night, we will offer a special blessing and Yom Huledet Sameach (Happy Birthday) for all our Residents with March birthdays.
Friday at 4:30 PM: Kabbalat Shabbat & Ma’ariv (Evening Service) & Blessings
Saturday at 10:00 AM: Shabbat Shacharit (Morning Service) & Blessings
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Candle lighting time for the city of Mission Viejo:
Friday evening at 5:33 PM
Shabbat ends Saturday evening at 6:29 PM
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Shabbat Shalom! Rabbi Sherman