Adas Israel - Mason City, IA

It's Purim!

Welcome to Adas Israel the Jewish Congregation of Mason City, Iowa!  It's another holiday and something celebrated by Jews around the world. Tonight at sundown we'll celebrate Purim with the reading of the Book of Esther. It's a story about love and hate and betrayal and courage. 

A king finds a Jewish woman to be attractive and he marries her...not knowing she is Jewish. The king has a "second in command" who plots for the murder of the entire population. When learning of the plot Esther has a choice. She can keep quiet (and safe) or she can tell the king about her faith and her people and take the chance that the plot will fall apart.

It is a fascinating story for young and old and it is full of joy for the kids as they dress up, get candy and goodies and adults remember to give charity.

On February 28th Adas Israel will hold a public reading of the Book of Esther starting at 6:30PM. Rabbi Ferelman from Postville will be in Mason City to read the Megillah (Book of Esther). You and your family are encouraged to attend.  We hope to see you for PURIM!

Torah Thoughts - 16 February 2018

Thank you for visiting us here at Adas Israel the Jewish Congregation of Mason City, Iowa. This is Shabbat Trumah (gift or offering) and the Torah Portion this week is Exodus 25:1 - 27:19. We're often asked why each Torah Portion is "named" rather than simply offer up the place where the reading can be found in the Bible. The answer is that each Torah Portion is unique and because the Sabbath corresponds to the Torah reading we name the reading and the Sabbath. Trumah, by the way, is the 12th and first distinctive word in this week's Torah Portion.

This week week we start to learn all about the construction of the Mishkan or the portable sanctuary. It would be a designers dream passage. It begins with G-d telling Moses what the people should bring as trumah (gifts) to build the tabernacle. 

The idea that everyone could take part in the construction offers us an important lesson as we consider our own relationship to our faith. No matter our standing we can, in some way, contribute to the welfare of our house of worship. "Give until it hurts" isn't a Jewish saying but "Give because it feels good" very well could be. We all feel more connected when we offer our time, talent and support to what is important to us. We, honestly, believe your connection to your house of worship should include your...gifts.

But, back to building: The Torah continues with the details for constructing the Ark, the Table, the Menorah, the Tabernacle (the central area of worship containing the Ark, the Menorah, the Incense Altar, and the Table), the Beams composing the walls of the Tabernacle, the Cloth partition (separating the Holy of Holies where the Ark rested from the remaining Sanctuary part of the Tabernacle), the Altar and the Enclosure for the Tabernacle (surrounding curtains forming a rectangle within which was approximately 15x larger than the Tabernacle).

Lots of work to be done...and we're just getting started.

A reminder that funeral services for Sylvia Kropman will take place on Friday afternoon the 16th of February at Fullerton Funeral Home in Mason City. Services are scheduled for 1PM.

Shabbat services are Friday Evening at 7:15PM and the Midrash, or Bible Study, takes place on Saturday Morning at 10:00AM. All are welcome to attend.

See you in Shul! 

 

Torah Thoughts - 9 February 2018

This Sabbath is Shabbat Mishpatim, meaning "laws" (Exodus 21 - 24). We read, "And these are the ordinances (laws) that you shall place before them:" And, thus, we begin reading a series of civil and tort law. While some see a distinction between "church and state" the Torah knows of no such distinction. The rabbis tell us that, to the contrary, all areas of life are intertwined and holiness comes from adhering to a set of laws from ritual to dealings with one another. The concept that religion must only take place within the walls of a building does not make a person righteous. What does create a noble life is following not only ritual but the law.

And, so it is in this week's Torah portion which happens to be filled with the most mitzvot (commandments). Here we will learn of 23 positive commandments (You shall...) and 30 negative commandments (You shall not...).

Included are here are laws regarding: the Hebrew manservant and maidservant, manslaughter, murder, injuring a parent, kidnapping, cursing a parent, personal injury, penalty for killing a slave, personal damages, injury to slaves, categories of damages and compensatory restitution, culpability for personal property damage, seduction, occult practices, idolatry, oppression of widows, children and orphans.

The portion continues with the laws of: lending money, not cursing judges or leaders, tithes, first-born sons, justice, returning strayed animals, assisting the unloading of an animal fallen under its load, Sabbatical year, Shabbat, the Three Festivals (Pesach, Shavuot & Succot).

Mishpatim concludes with the promise from the Almighty to lead us into the land of Israel, safeguard our journey, ensure the demise of our enemies and guarantee our safety in the land -- if we uphold the Torah and do the mitzvot. Moses makes preparations for himself and for the people and then ascends Mt. Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments.

Candle lighting on Friday evening is at 5:18 and Shabbat ends Saturday evening at 6:21. The days are getting longer!

Mark your calendar: Adas Israel will hold Shabbat Services on Friday the 16th of February at 7:15PM and our Torah Study (Midrash) on Shabbat (Saturday) starting at 10:00AM. All are welcome to attend either our service, our study session or...BOTH!

See you in Shul and have a blessed Shabbat!   

Torah Thoughts 2 February 2018

Hello and welcome to Torah Thoughts from Adas Israel the Jewish Congregation of Mason City, Iowa. We hope this bit of inspiration carries you through the Sabbath and well into next week. Let's get started!

This is Shabbat Yitro (Jethro) where we read Exodus 18:1 - 20:23. It is called Yitro because that is the the first word in this week's Torah reading, "Jethro, the minister of Midian, the father-in-law of Moses heard everything that G-d did to Moses and to Israel, His people..."

What happens is that Jethro, a distinguished person and former adviser to Pharaoh decides to cast his lot with Israel. At first Moses was seen by Jethro as a homeless wanderer who married his daughter. But now he understands the plan G-d has for Israel and he converts. An interesting fact is that his name was Jether but after his conversion the letter vav was added which changed his name to Jethro. In a way, he was added to the people of Israel. In this portion we also learn that Jethro advises Moses on how to better serve and judge the people. Our thanks to Cecil B. Demille for casting Carlton Heston huh? 

This is also the Torah portion that contains the Ten Commandments.  Did you know that there are differences in the Ten Commandments as stated here (Exodus 20:1 -14) and restated later in Deuteronomy 5:6 - 18? No, really. Go ahead and look it up.  We are told that the first two were heard directly from G-d by every Jew and then the people begged Moses to be their intermediary for the remaining eight because the experience was too intense. Can you imagine what that must have been like?

An interesting side-story about this photo. Some people thought the light coming from Moses was really...horns. Often anti-Jewish images of Moses show him with horns...

The Torah portion ends with the Almighty telling Moses to instruct the Jewish people not to make any images of G-d. To this day if you walk into any synagogue it is highly unlikely that you will see images of anything least of all a person. So strong is this commandment that we are very careful not to even hint at the idea we worship something or someone other than G-d.

They were then commanded to make an earthen altar; and eventually to make a stone altar, but without the use of a sword or metal tool. Why? Because the alter was to be holy and the intent was to honor G-d and not take up a weapon in the building.

It looks like our next Friday night service will be on the 16th of February at 7:15PM and our Midrash (Bible Study) will take place on the 17th starting at 10:00AM.  All are welcome to attend our services and our Torah study.

May you have a wonderful Shabbat!

See you in Shul!