Shabbat Shalom - Tammuz 12

This evening’s Erev Shabbat service extends an annual tradition of incorporating America’s Independence Day celebration to the Sabbath. Carole Fefferman, Ruth and Ernie Ratowitz and Carolyn and Brian Zakem lead the festivies and supply and excellent set of refreshments. The service begins at 8:00 PM.
Tomorrow Morning’s Shabbat Service conducted by Rabbi Dreyfus with Barry Bayer as the cantorial solois begins at 10:00 AM.
Both evening and morning services will be in the Garfein Wing. Park in the shade in back; the back door will be open.

This week we read Balak, Numbers 22:2-25,9 which brings us in line with many of the other synagogues who have been a week behind for the last month, and who are reading a double potion of Chukat and Balak this week. The narrative continues with the story of Balak, a Moabite leader, who is afraid of the children of Israel, and hires Balam, a mystic of some sort who is known for the efficacy of his blessings and curses, to curse the Jews in defense against their military campaign. Balam travels to the Jewish encampment to carry out his mission, but through G-d’s intervention so clear that even Balam’s ass can see it, is compelled, in what has become a well known phrase to bless the Jews, instead, praising the goodness of the Tents and Dwelling Places of Jacob, the children of Israel.

Having been blessed, and presumably ending the problems with the Moabites, the Israelitesl camped in the area, and became immorally acquainted with the Moab women, and began to pray to the idol Baal Peor. The heavenly judgment was that the idolators should be killed, and the judges were instructed to carry out the sentences. When one of the Israelites brought a pregnant Moabite woman into the Tent of Meeting, Pinchas, one of Aaron’s grandsons became enraged and empaled man, woman and presumably the fetus, killing them all. The plague, which ultimately killed 24,000 immediately stopped.