Good Erev Shabbat to all!
We are only a little over a week away from "An Evening of Inspiration" for the benefit of the children of the Hebrew Academy of West Queens, featuring the renowned author and lecturer HaRav Yissocher Frand, Shlita. The event will, B'Ezrat Hashem, take place on Monday evening March 24 @ 7:30 pm, and will be graciously hosted by the Young Israel of Queens Valley in Kew Garden Hills, HaRav Peretz Steinberg, Shlita, Morah D'Asra. Rabbi Frand's timely topic will be Klal Yisroel: A Study in Diversity. We thank our co-chairmen of the event Mr. & Mrs. Jack schmidt and Mr/ & Mrs. Itzi Laub, as well as sponsors Mrs. Carol Wittenberg and alumnus Mr. Alex Wittenberg. We appeal to anyone who would like the Zchut of bringing this Gadol B'Torah to the community, as well as supporting our Yeshiva, to join us in sponsoring this evening. Contact us by phone (917-747-7342, 646-706-8124), E-mail (HAWQ613@yahoo.com), or fax (718-847-1472). We are looking forward to greeting you in person.
Last Friday, the Yeshiva was Zocheh to receive a visit from the Pittsburgher Rebbie of Ashdod, Israel. The Rebbie had the boys and staff alike mermerized with inspiring words of Torah as he reached straight to their hearts with tremendous Ahavat Yisrael and Divray Chizuk. He regaled them with singing and the morning was highlighted with his Bracha to the boys and their dancing him out to the car. What an inspirational Erev Shabbat! We thank Mr. Jack Schmidt for making it all possible.
We pointed out last week several aspects of the Mishkan that highlighted the concept of Achdut (Jewish unity) and Ahavat Yisrael (love of fellow Jews). With the festive Yom Tov of Purim just around the corner, this theme is very much an integral part of the holiday. In the Purim story itself the wicked Haman accuses the Jews of being "Mifuzar Umiforad", separate and scattered. Also, Esther, in search of merit for the Klal Yisrael to be granted a salvation from destruction, commands Mordechai- "Laich Knos et Kol HaYehudim"- Go! Gather all the Jews!- a call for unity. In the Mitzvot of Purim, the same theme is echoed. Mishloach Manot, Matanot Levyonim promote our love and concern for our fellow Jews. Even the custom to hear the Megila in a large shul with a large crowd (B’rov Am Hadrat Melech) encourages us to join together. In a article written by Rabbi Shimon Finkelman, he points to the fact that the calendar has been set for Purim to never occur on Shabbat. The more common explanation of why this is so is that the Rabbis were afraid someone might carry his Megila outside on Shabbat, thus violating the Holy day. However, there is another explanation brought in the Gemara. If the Megila were read on Shabbat, the poor who usually receive Tzedaka at the Megila reading would lose out. The entire community must push off the great Mitzvah to celebrate Purim in its proper time to show our Ahavat Yisrael for the needy amongst us. What an appropriate time to show concern and generosity towards those Jewish Neshamot that are spiritually impoverished, as well! Please help us with our Avodat HaKodesh and keep our precious Neshamot in mind during the Purim holiday.
Shabbat Shalom!
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