בס"ד
                           Kehillat Shomre Hadas Antwerpen                              


Quick Links

Quick Links

Weekly Humor

Howard has just finished reading an article in the Jewish Report about fathers, genetics, and the intelligence of children. 

He turns to his wife Judith and says, "Darling, I've just read an article that says something I've believed in for a long time."

 "So what does this article say, Howard?" asks Judith, trying to look interested.

"It says that scientific evidence now points to the fact that the intelligence of a father often proves a stumbling block to his son." 

"Thank God for that," says Judith. "It means that there is nothing standing in the way for our little Paul to be a great success in the future."

Shoftim
 Antwerpen Times
 
Friday 
9/9 - ו' אלול

Candle Lighting  

After 

18:48

Must Light Before

20:08

Saturday 
10/9  -  ז' אלול
   
Shabbos Ends

21:05


Community News

On behalf of the entire community I would like to wish my condolences to the William family  on the lost of their father and grandfather Dr. Philippe William. We wish them long life and may the Almighty comfort them.



If I missed any Mazal Tovs or news please send them to info@shomre-hadas.be


Join Our Mailing List
From the Rabbi's Desk



I hope and pray that all is well with you and your family.

Save the Date! On Thursday 22/9 Rabbanit Yemima Mizrachi will be coming to speak beofre our community. For more information click here or see end of email.

This Shabbat Rabbi Carlebach will once again be holding a learning session on Pirkei Avot for men at 19:00 in the Van den Nestlei.

This Shabbat we will be having Father & Son learning - Avot Ubanim at the VDN. This week's time 18:50 - 19:50.
   
Wishing you & your family a sweet & happy Shabbat.
The Mayor Rewarded the Thief?!

There is a story about Fiorello LaGuardia, a Jewish mayor of New York City, during the worst days of the Great Depression and all of W.W.II. He was adored by many New Yorkers who took to calling him the "Little Flower," because he was so short and always wore a carnation in his lapel.
He was a colorful character -- he rode the New York City fire trucks, raided city "speak easies" with the police department, took entire orphanages to baseball games, and when the New York newspapers went on strike, he got on the radio and read the Sunday funnies to the kids.

One bitterly cold night in January of 1935, the mayor turned up at a night court that served the poorest ward of the city. LaGuardia dismissed the judge for the evening and took over the bench himself. Within a few minutes, a tattered old woman was brought before him, charged with stealing a loaf of bread. She told LaGuardia that her daughter's husband had deserted her, her daughter was sick, and her two grandchildren were starving.

But the shopkeeper, from whom the bread was stolen, refused to drop the charges. "It's a real bad neighborhood, your Honor," the man told the mayor. "She's got to be punished to teach other people around here a lesson."

LaGuardia sighed. He turned to the woman and said, "I've got to punish you. The law makes no exceptions. Ten dollars or ten days in jail." But even as he pronounced sentence, the mayor was already reaching into his pocket. He extracted a bill and tossed it into his famous hat, saying, "Here is the ten dollar fine which I now remit; and furthermore I am going to fine everyone in this courtroom fifty cents for living in a town where a person has to steal bread so that her grandchildren can eat. Mr.Bailiff, collect the fines and give them to the defendant."

The following day, New York City newspapers reported that $47.50 was turned over to a bewildered woman who had stolen a loaf of bread to feed her starving grandchildren. Fifty cents of that amount was contributed by the grocery store owner himself, while some seventy petty criminals, people with traffic violations, and New York City policemen, each of whom had just paid fifty cents for the privilege of doing so, gave the mayor a standing ovation.

The Torah in this weeks Torah reading Parashat Shoftim teachs us: "Justice, justice shall you pursue, that you may live and inherit the land which the Lord, your God, will give you".

The commentators wonder why the Torah, which is very exact in its wording, chooses to repeat the word Tzedek - Justice? Why does it not only mention the word once?

There are many explanation but let me share two of them.

The Chassidic master, Rabbi Bunim of Perszyscha explained, that the double term is to teach us that we must pursue justice through just means. The end results must be Just - and the journey getting there must be just too. Justice cannot be attained through devious means - even if the end result will be just. We must ensure that what we will actually achieve is just and correct, but just as importantly, that the journey getting there is also honest and straight.

Rabbi Eliezer Berkovits explains that the double terminology denotes two different meaning. One is justice in the legal or juridical sense; and the other is closer to tzedakah, implying salvation, righteousness, compassion and love. As in the story above, even though we must uphold the law in all ways, we must still show compassion as well.

A story that inspires 
   
A young girl approached the rabbi of her village. With tears in her eyes she described her situation to the kindhearted rabbi. She was engaged, but her joy in her upcoming wedding was marred by the fact that she was an impoverished orphan, and her intended was also very poor. There was no money for a wedding gown or even a proper wedding feast.

The rabbi turned to her and said, "Don't worry, my child. With G-d's help we'll celebrate a fine wedding." The young girl went home, comforted by the rabbi's optimistic words.

No sooner had she left when the rabbi immediately donned his coat and set off to visit some of the wealthier members of the community to attempt to raise money for the wedding.

His first stop was at the home of a very wealthy and generous man, and the rabbi felt confident that he would find success there. When he arrived, the wealthy man greeted him warmly.

"Peace unto you, Rabbi," he said. "I am greatly honored by your visit. Please allow me to fulfill the mitzva of welcoming guests properly." With that, he offered the rabbi a seat and served him some fruit.

The rabbi pointed to the fruit and said, "While I enjoy the fruit that you have so kindly offered me, I want you to enjoy the fruit that I have brought."
The man looked puzzled, and the rabbi went on to explain:

"As we say in our morning prayers, 'These are the things, the fruits of which a man enjoys in this world and the remainder is held for him in the World to Come: Honoring one's father and mother, giving charity, hospitality, visiting the sick, endowering a bride...'

"You see, my friend, I am collecting money to enable a poor orphaned girl to get married, and I have come to offer you a chance to partake in this great mitzva (commandment) of endowering a bride."

His host smiled at him and replied, "If you will stay and enjoy some refreshments, I will take upon myself the full expense of the wedding, And if your time permits, I would like to tell you a story which will explain why I'm so eager to fulfill the mitzva of endowering a bride."

The rabbi was indeed curio us to know what motivated his host to make such a generous offer, settled himself comfortably and listened intently to the man's story.

"This happened soon after my own wedding had taken place. It was my first time heading out to the market to seek my fortune. I had a substantial amount of money in my pocket, and I was eager to get involved in the noise and excitement of trading in the marketplace.

"As I was about to get started, I noticed a poor woman standing off to the side, crying quietly. I was greatly affected by her obvious distress, and went over to her to uncover the cause of her sorrow. When I inquired as to what was wrong, she informed me that her daughter was to be married shortly, and she had no money to cover the expenses, and both she and her daughter were heartbroken.
"At that moment, the bundle of money in my pocket began to feel like a heavy burden. I took it out and handed it to the woman without saying a word, and then I left quickly before the woman could even thank me.

"I had no choice but to return home, as I had no money to purchase goods in the marketplace. As I made my way home, a stranger stopped me and greeted me warmly, and then he offered me some diamonds for sale. As my father had been a diamond merchant, I was able to examine the stones competently, and I judged them to be beautiful stones offered at a fair price. I told the stranger that I would be happy to purchase them, but I had no money.

"The stranger didn't seem surprised by that, and he said, 'I knew your father, and I know you to be an honest man. Take them on credit, and when you resell them you can pay me back. You will be able to find me in the study hall.'

"I had no problem selling the stones at a substantial profit. At the end of the day I hurried to the study hall to pay back my debt. I searched the study hall, but the stranger was nowhere to be found. When I arrived home, I calculated my earnings, and they were ten times what I had given that poor woman. I put the money aside, but I have not seen him since. Since then, I have, thank G-d, been very successful, and I have always been aware of the importance of this mitzva. Permit me then, rabbi, to arrange the wedding of the orphaned bride in my home."

With that, the wealthy man handed the rabbi an additional sum of money to pay for the wedding gown and to cover additional expenses of setting up a home.

The wedding was celebrated amidst great joy and festivity, and the young couple was able to set up a true Jewish home which was the pride of the community.

(from Talks and Tales, published by Merkos L'Inyonei Chinuch)




Wishing you and your family a happy & successful week . 
 
Best Regards,

Rav Ephraim Carlebach
Shomre Hadas