From the Rabbi

April 1, 2016
‫ פרשת שמיני‬- ‫כ״ב בַּאֲ דָ ר ב׳ תשע״ו‬
From the
•
Rabbi Kalatsky will give his hilchos Shabbos
class at 8:35AM, & his Shmiras Halashon class
at 7:00 PM.
Rabbi
•
The Kantar and Hillman families will sponsor a
Signature Shabbat on 4/2/16 in honor of Ned
and Carol's 42nd wedding anniversary and
Merle and Anna's 32nd wedding anniversary.
This is the 23rd annual Shabbos Kiddush
celebrating their anniversaries at Kenesseth
Israel! Anna and Merle Hillman are also
celebrating the recent wedding of their son, Yoni
to Bari Scheckner of Woodmere, Long Island
NY in February and the upcoming wedding
of their daughter Talia to Yoni Steinberg of
Pittsburgh, PA on 4/3/16.
•
Shalosh seudah is sponsored by Chaim Fink in
memory of the yahrtzeit of his sister Tracy Fink
•
Annette is planning her wedding, if you'd like to
help in any capacity please call Debra Yardley at
612-225-7714
“WINE AND OTHER INTOXICATING
BEVERAGES YOU SHALL NOT
DRINK.” (Vayikra 10:9)
The Midrash warns against the harm of
alcoholism: “If a person drinks too much wine,
he will end up selling all that he owns to keep
his drinking addiction going.”
The Midrash then relates a story of a man who
spent all his money on his drinking habit that his
children were nervous they would soon be
penniless. One night when he was drunk they
tied him up and took him out to a cemetery.
They left him lying there hoping when he would
sober up he would be shocked to see himself in
a cemetery and would realize the danger of
what he was doing. That day a caravan carrying
barrels of wine passed near the cemetery. The
caravan was attacked and traveled as fast as it
could. As it was escaping one of the large
barrels of wine fell off the wagon and.
Continued on page 2
“Your children need
your presence more than
your presents.”
Continued from page 1
landed by the head of the drunk man. When he awoke from his drunken state he was surprised to
see the faucet of the barrel right next to his face and kept drinking right there in the cemetery.
Rabbi Eliyahu Desseler commented we see from here the principle that the Almighty leads a
person in the way he wants to go. The events that led to this person finding wine in the cemetery
were so abnormal they were almost miraculous. If this is true by someone who yearns for the
improper all the more so for a person who yearns to accomplish and become a better person. The
greater your desire to accomplish, the more successful you will be.
For this week take one project you want to invest in and throw yourself into it. When that is done
you will find success in every way.
Have an awesome Shabbos!
Rabbi Kalatsky
Dvar Halacha
In this week’s Parsha Nadav and Avihu die while performing the incense offering. The Talmud
(Eiruvin 63A) says they were killed for bringing fire onto the altar without being instructed by
Moshe to do so. We learn from here that without indisputable proofs, one cannot argue a ruling
of their Rebbe Muvhak (primary Rabbi from whom one has acquired the majority of his Torah
knowledge). Further, one cannot give a shiur in his Rebbe’s company without permission. When
asked a halachic question, one must direct the inquirer to their Rabbi as long as he is reachable.
It is permissible to answer a theoretical question, a well known halacha, or to quote a sefer, even
with your Rebbe nearby. Semicha is conferred upon people nowadays as a sign that they are
learned enough to rule halacha and they have permission from their Rebbe to do so
independently. (Yora Deah 242)
Question to ponder: If you see someone violating a halacha in your rebbe’s presence and he
does not say anything are you allowed to inform the person of the correct halacha? What if your
Rebbe is the one violating halacha?
Answer to last weeks Question to ponder: There is much debate amongst rabbinic authorities
regarding whether or not women should read the passages related to specific animal offerings.
The majority view holds that women should not as a habit read the offerings, however if they
recently had a baby or they know they committed a sin then the should read the specific
sacrificial passages pertaining to those events.
Visit ParshaHalacha.blogspot.com for further discussion.
Zmanim
April 1-8
Friday
Shabbos
Sunday
Monday
Friday
&
Shabbos
Shmini
Thursday
Erev Shabbos
Tazria
Parishas Parah
April
1
2
3
4&7
8
22
23
24
25 & 28
29
6:30 AM
8:45 AM
8:00 AM
6:30 AM
6:30 AM
Early Mincha 6:05
7:10 PM
7:30 PM
7:30 PM
Early Mincha 6:10
Adar II
Shachris
Mincha
Candle Lighting
Havdalah
PM, Light Candles
PM, Light Candles
6:21-6:30 PM
6:28-6:35 PM
7:23 PM
7:32 PM
8:28 PM
Kenesseth Israel Congregation
Rabbi Mordechai Kalatsky
4330 W. 28th Street
Chaim Goldberger, Rabbi Emeritus
St. Louis Park, MN 55416
Jerome Herzog, Rabbi Emeritus
952-920-2183
www.kenessethisrael.org
Ned Kantar-President, Michael Moskowitz-Vice President, Joey Greenberg-Secretary, Yarden Wolfe-Treasurer
Nina Baker, Lili Khabie, Gabe Silverberg, Judy Victor.
The Kenesseth Israel Bulletin is sponsored by Melvin & Miriam Graf