Candle Lighting Times: Friday, January 27 @ 5:06pm | Evening Service 5:10pm

The entire storyline of the Exodus has a gaping hole. Why didn’t Pharaoh simply kill Moshe? Why prolong the agony until all was lost and destroyed?

The premise of the Exodus was unique. Moshe’s goal transcended emancipation and Pharaoh's reluctance went beyond economics or politics. Both were engaged in a theological debate. Often overlooked in the drama, Moshe's consistent request was not for the slaves to be freed but rather for them to worship their G-d at Sinai and then return. 

Pharaoh suffered from a god-complex and stubbornly refused. He not only denied the existence of Hashem but declared himself a god. He looked at the Nile (the power source of Egypt) and proclaimed: “The Nile is mine, I created it” (Yechezkel 29:3). 

Moshe’s request from Pharaoh was simple and direct: let the Jews worship the real God. For Pharaoh, that’s when things got personal. A straightforward request for freedom would have been much easier for Pharaoh to stomach. A frontal attack on his ego was a fight to the end. Simply assassinating Moshe would not convincingly accomplish his goal.

An atheist once quipped to Rabbi Soloveitchik, zt'l, that he searched the entire Torah but never found a statement against being an atheist - only not to believe in false gods. Rabbi Soloveitchik responded that everyone has a god. God is simply our highest value. Some prostrate to money, others pleasure or ego.  

It's no coincidence that we mark our freedom by eating a little Matzah - the bread of humility. The key to freedom is purging ourselves of ego and recognizing that there actually is something greater than ourselves.

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Daniel Green

Mazal Tov to Ryan & Chana Griver on the Bar MItzvah of their son Zev Golan. Kiddush is sponsored by Ryan and Erin Griver on the occasion of their son, Zev’s, Bar Mitzvah.

Condolences to the Katz Family on the loss of Cuppy Katz, a'h. May the Almighty console the family among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.

"Shalosh Seudot" is sponsored by Phil Cohen in honour of his mother, Rose Cohen’s, Yahrzeit.

Shevat 6 (Eve of January 27) - Anne Pancer, David Hoffman, Harry Bergart, Janice Lipson

Shevat 7 (Eve of January 28) - Charles Seligson, George Goldblatt, Rosa Kotlarevsky Shmukler, Sophie Bensky, Rose Cohen

Shevat 8 (Eve of January 29) - Shimshon Ben Rachamim Kurgaunger, Mendel Ben Moshe Schwartz

Shevat 9 (Eve of January 30) - Aaron Greenberg, Irving Leon, Isaac Goldberg, Miklos Herskovits

Shevat 10 (Eve of January 31) - Bertha Bockner, Eleanor Pattenick, Jeanette Silver, Margaret Weisz

Shevat 11 (Eve of February 1) - Anne Waxman, Abraham Poltur, Rose Diamond, Yaakov Ben Meir Ohayon

Shevat 12 (Eve of February 2) - Hilda Rosen, Jocelyn Katz

* The Adas will recite E-l Maleh memorial prayers and Kaddish on behalf of all the registered Yahrzeits in our community.

Gr. 5-8 in Main Sanctuary

Monday at 10:30am

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Or call (646) 876-9923 (Meeting ID: 459666235. Password: 037335)

Welcome to The JCentre for Wellbeing    

All Classes and Programs take place at JHamilton | 1605 Main St. W, Hamilton.

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