Upcoming events

         · The new JLI course on Jewish Business Ethics, entitled “Money Matters” will be starting on Monday the   23rd of January. Money Matters will present Judaism’s approach to practical economic  dilemmas and monetary                      quandaries that we face daily in both our personal and professional lives.                                                                         To register and for more info, visit the website at www.myjli.com

· A memorial service will take place at the Choa Chu Kang Jewish Cemetery on Sunday 8 January 2012 after the morning services to commemorate the yahrzeit of the late Jenny Rose  Benjamin o.b.m.  

· The Hatima to commemorate the yahrzeit of the late Jenny Rose  Benjamin o.b.m. will take place on Sunday 8th of January between the afternoon and evening services at the JBC, 5th floor.

· Gesher Event– Screen Filming and discussion with Dan Almagor on the film entitled,“The battle over the soul". Tuesday 10th of January 8:30-10:00 pm, JBC 5th floor

Parasha in a Nutshell

 Vayechi

Genesis 47:28-50:26

Jacob lives the final 17 years of his life in Egypt. Before his passing, he asks Joseph to take an oath that he will bury him in the Holy Land. He blesses Joseph's two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, elevating them to the status of his own sons as progenitors of tribes within the nation of Israel.

The patriarch desires to reveal the end of days to his children, but is prevented from doing so. Jacob blesses his sons, assigning to each his role as a tribe: Judah will produce leaders, legislators and kings; priests will come from Levi, scholars from Issachar, seafarers from Zebulun, schoolteachers from Shimon, soldiers from Gad, judges from Dan, olive growers from Asher, and so on. Reuben is rebuked for "confusing his father's marriage"; Shimon and Levi for the massacre of Shechem and the plot against Joseph. Naphtali is granted the swiftness of a deer, Benjamin the ferociousness of a wolf, and Joseph is blessed with beauty and fertility.

A large funeral procession consisting of Jacob's descendants, Pharaoh's ministers, the leading citizens of Egypt and the Egyptian cavalry accompanies Jacob on his final journey to the Holy Land, where he is buried in the Machpeilah Cave in Hebron.

Joseph, too, dies in Egypt, at the age of 110. He, too, instructs that his bones be taken out of Egypt and buried in the Holy Land, but this would come to pass only with the Israelites' Exodus from Egypt many years later. Before his passing, Joseph conveys to the Children of Israel the testament from which they will draw their hope and faith in the difficult years to come: "G-d will surely remember you, and bring you up out of this land to the land of which He swore to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob."

Weekly Shabbat lunch sponsor

This week’s Shabbat lunch is  sponsored partially by:

Frank & Mavis Benjamin in memory of their late daughter

Jenny Rose Najmah bat Mozlee Benjamin o.b.m.

whose yahrzeit will be commemorated on

Sunday 8 Jan 2012.

And

Eyal Cohen and family in memory of the late Yosef Hanun ben Rachel Hacohen o.b.m. whose  12th month will be commemorated  on Saturday 7 January 2012.

The Seudah shelishit is sponsored partially by:

 Eyal Cohen and family in memory of the late Yosef Hanun ben Rachel Hacohen o.b.m. whose  12th month will be commemorated  on Saturday 7 January 2012. 

Our Shabbat lunches offer a beautiful opportunity to meet fellow
Jews from all over the world as well as much needed hospitality to
young students, guests and visitors who would not otherwise enjoy
the Shabbat experience. We hope that you will partner with us in
sponsoring these lunches and help us provide much
needed hospitality every Shabbat. Please contact us at :enquiries@jwb.org.sg

Main article

 Caring vs Achievement

There have been many attempts to characterize the essential difference between men and women. Some have been absurd male chauvinist inventions; others have sounded more acceptable and meaningful. Are there any Jewish views?

Obviously, every single individual, male or female, is created with the primary goal to connect with G-d in the details of their daily lives, and through this to fulfill the purpose of their existence, which means also helping the world as a whole to fulfill its purpose.

In this task, each person has their own unique situation in life. Does one live now, or a thousand years ago? Is one in a time of war, or of peace? Is one poor or rich? A man or a woman? Artist or scientist? In each situation one has specific challenges, privileges and duties, as defined by the Torah. Wherever one is, and in whatever circumstances, there is a unique task which only you can achieve.

Within this, there might still be a general characterization of the distinctive natures of man and woman. A discussion of a point in this week's Torah portion brings this out, as regards our great forebears Jacob and Rachel, and perhaps for everyone.

Jacob, who has been living for the last seventeen years in Egypt, feeling that soon he will leave the world, asks his son Joseph to make sure that he will be buried in the Holy Land, in the Machpelah Cave in Hebron where Adam and Eve, Abraham and Sarah, and Isaac and Rebecca were buried. Joseph agrees at once, but Jacob asks him to take an oath that he will do so, which Joseph does willingly.

Then, a moment later, Jacob speaks about the fact that when his wife Rachel, the mother of Joseph, passed away, he did not transport her to the Cave in Hebron, but buried her at the wayside. He did not even carry her to the nearby town of Bethlehem.

The great commenter, Rashi comments that Jacob felt that Joseph might feel upset that his father was asking him to make sure he would be buried in the ancestral burying place in Hebron, while he had not done the same for Joseph's mother.

Nonetheless, Rashi says, Jacob had acted according to G-d's Will, and hence, Rachel's own will. For many years later, when the Jews would be led into exile by the Babylonians, they would pass near Rachel's grave, where they would take courage, for they knew that she was imploring G-d on their behalf. The prophet Jeremiah, who lived through those events, said that "Rachel is weeping for her children" but also declared that G-d reassures her that they will be redeemed.

Here we see the difference between Jacob and Rachel. Jacob sought the highest level of holiness which could possibly be achieved. Hence he wanted to be buried in the sacred Machpelah Cave in Hebron. By contrast Rachel was concerned for her children. She was ready to forgo the sanctity of the Machpelah Cave, because instead she would have the chance to help her descendants who were going into exile.

Perhaps this distinction applies, among many other distinctions, to men and women in general. The male seeks achievement and fulfillment, through Torah study, many practical mitzvahs, and activity in the world. The woman seeks to care, to protect, to love and to help. It has been suggested that for this reason she has less mitzvahs to carry out. Of course, there is a certain level of feminine characteristic in every man, and a masculine quality in every woman. Yet in general, one represents achievement, the other caring: Jacob and Rachel. The combination of these two qualities builds a wholesome life and a wholesome world.

Elite kosher shop

The Kosher shop stocks a wide range of products such as meats (imported from Australia),
poultry, dairy products, as well as a large variety of wines. 

                        
The Kosher Shop also just received a wide range of products form Israel at very affordable prices such as popular snacks (Bissli etc…), canned foods and much more.

 The Awafi Restaurant

Open for Lunch and Dinner To make a reservation call 6336. 5166
Also serving breakfast every morning after Shacharit.Awafi also provides for outside catering.
 Feel free to contact us at: 6336 5166 

Halacha Corner

 Mezuzah

The mezuzah contains the sections "Hear, O Israel..." and "If you listen...", written on ruled lines on parchment (preferably the inner layer on its outside, and on a single piece); this is rolled up, placed in a container, and fastened to the doorpost [as it says "And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house"]. It is placed at least two-thirds of the way up the doorpost on the right-hand side as one enters (in the case of a door between two rooms the hinge side is regarded as the inside). It is required only on doorways at least ten handsbreadths high that have two doorposts, a lintel, and a door; the doorway must lead to a room at least four by four cubits in size which has a roof and is used as a dwelling.

Growing Each Day-With Rabbi Dr. Abraham J. Twerski

 The beginning of wisdom is the fear of God (Psalms 111:10).

Would it not have been more appropriate to refer to the fear of God as the beginning of piety rather than wisdom?

One of the Chassidic masters interpreted the above verse most uniquely. "The fear of God," he said, "refers not to man's fear of God, but to God's fear." It might seem strange to speak of God as having fear, but his explanation quells this objection.

God has decreed that people have free will. Although everything else in the universe is under Divine control, God wishes our moral choice to be free, and He therefore does not intervene to influence our moral decisions. Since God wishes us to be just and virtuous, He thus has a fear that we will harm ourselves by sin. This fear is similar to that of parents who fear that their young children may harm themselves by doing things that they do not recognize as dangerous.

If we would realize that everything else in the universe is controlled by God, and that only our moral choice is not under Divine control, we would then concentrate on moral choices and leave everything else up to God. It would be wise, therefore, if we had the fear that God has for us; namely, that we might sin. We show wisdom, not just piety, if we devote our attention to what is not under Divine control.

Arseth

 11 Tevet/ 6 January

Menashe Yossef Yona (ben Girgee)

13 Tevet/ 8 January

Martin Best

Jenny Rose Najmah (bat Mozlee)

14 Tevet/ 9 January

Rahma (bat Rahel)

15 Tevet/ 10 January

Shifra bat Yehoshua

Abraham Manasseh Ezekiel ben Rahma

Isac Pinsler

16 Tevet/ 11 January

Girgee bat Amnah

17 Tevet/ 12 January

Yehezkel Manasseh Akerib be Rivka

Today in Jewish history...

 11 Tevet

-100,000 Jews of Sicily expelled, 1492.

12 Tevet

-Yechezkel prophesied the downfall of Egypt and the triumph of Bavel, 587 b.c.e.

-A violent earthquake rocked Eretz Yisrael seriously damaging the walls of Jerusalem and Tower of David, 1033.

13 Tevet

-First issue of the Hebrew printing press of Amsterdam (the Siddur), 1627.

14 Tevet

-Population of Israel reached three million, 1971.

15 Tevet

-First printed edition of Sefer Mitzvot Gadol, Soncino, Italy, 1488. [Day-by-Day includes many similar items for various dates. The early printing of Judaica is noteworthy for its significance in the transmission of Torah throughout the generations. Imagine how many more Jews had access to Jewish books since the advent of printing. Especially in contrast to the commemoration of the tragic event of the translation of the Torah into Greek on 8 Tevet, these "anniversaries" of the "healthy spread of Torah" are all the more special.]

16 Tevet

-Emperor Joseph II of Austria issued an Edict of Toleration in 1782 which repealed most restrictions on Jews that had been imposed by the Church. [The intention of the edict was not the emancipation of the Jews but their assimilation. Similarly, Napoleon's efforts had similar motives. On the other hand, the emancipation of the Jews in England and Holland beginning in the 17th century, stemmed from liberal policies rather than anti-Jewish prejudices and hopes of assimilating and converting Jews. Ironically, the former type of motivation was often successfully fought by Jews who saw what was behind the easing of restrictions against Jews. The latter type of removal of restrictions often led to an increase of assimilation.

17 Tevet

-The yahrzeit of the Dubno Maggid, 1804. 

Q&A with the Rabbi

Q: Am I allowed to buy non-kosher food items to give to a non-Jew?

A: While gentiles have only few dietary restrictions, we should still refrain from giving them non-kosher food as gifts. The reason for that is that some foods (like chametz on Pesach) or food mixtures (such as cooked milk and meat) are not only forbidden for consumption but also to benefit from in any way. Even other non-kosher food from which we may derive benefit (such as non-kosher meat which we are allowed feed our pets with) may not be used for commerce or business.

Jewish law stipulates that in many instances a gift is considered to be equivalent to sale since it is given ‘in payment’ for a favor and therefore giving a non-kosher food gift is akin to a business transaction. Consequently, it is prohibited.

While it would allowed under certain circumstances, it is best to be on the safe side and stick to kosher food items.

However if one received a non-kosher  item, he may in turn give it to a non-Jew.

 Submit your questions to:

Asktherabbi.singapore@gmail.com

The weekly Recipe

French Pancakes/crepes

Ingredients:

½ cup plain four

2 tsp caster sugar

1 cup milk

2 eggs

60 grms melted butter

1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. Sift together flour and sugar; set aside. In a large bowl, beat eggs and milk together with an electric mixer. Beat in flour mixture until smooth; stir in melted butter.

2.  Heat a very  lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 2 tablespoons for each crepe. Tip and rotate pan to spread batter as thinly as possible. Brown on both sides and serve hot.             

Please share your recipes with us! email us at

theweeklyrecipe@gmail.com

Ongoing Events & Programs

Weekly Minyan, stories and snacks for children after reading of the Torah. For more info contact The boys.
One on one learning with the Yeshiva Boys for adults and children. Contact Mrs. Rivni@ 92327095.
Lunch & Learn Tuesdays at Awafi, JBC. Contact Rabbi Abergel
Talmud class every Wednesday@ 9:00pm in tractate Sanhedrin. Contact Rabbi Abergel
Mikva: Mrs. Simcha Abergel 9673 9184
Mrs. Odelia Rivni 9232 7095
(Appointments at least one day before)

Yeshiva Boys

• Mendy Ash: 9459 8690
• Yisroel Drihem: 9459 8125
• Dovid Knapp: 9459 8152
• Sroli Gutnick: 9384 3236
• Mendel Kranz : 9488 8610
• JWB Offices, Julia: 6337 2189 ext 103
• Awafi Restaurant, Sushil: 6336 5166
• Kosher Shop, Maya: 6337 2189 ext 107

www.singaporejews.com
enquiries@jwb.org.sg