THE OR CHAIM MINYAN BULLETIN

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1 18 Elul 5777 Parshat Ki Savo September 9, 2017 THE OR CHAIM MINYAN BULLETIN Shabbat Schedule Friday Evening: Mincha: Candle Lighting 7:00 pm 7:23 pm Shabbat Day: R. Gal Ben-Meir Shiur: 7:45 am Shacharit: 8:30 am Jewnior Games: 9:15 am Bnei Akiva Cancelled Rabbi Jay Kelman Shiur: Cancelled Mincha: 7:10 pm Maariv: 8:17 pm Shabbat Ends: 8:24 pm Weekday Schedule Shiurim Tuesday & Wednesday: 5:45 am - R. Eisenstock Monday & Thursday: 5:45 am - R. Engel Shacharit Sunday: 7:45 am Monday-Friday: 6:20 am Mincha/Maariv: Sunday-Thursday: 7:20 pm Dvar Torah Boaz Sonenberg Shiur Special - Michael Lax & Aaron Blumenfeld with R. Yair Eisenstock Kiddush Toranut September 9: Weitzner & Wesfield KIDDUSH Leslie and Annette Robicsek are co-sponsoring kiddush to mark the 23rd yarzheit of Leslie's father Mordechai Dov ben Yitzchak Shalom Ha Levi and also for Hakarat hatov to the minyan on their fourth anniversary in the neighborhood. Aaron and Avigail Blumenfeld, and Michael and Marsha Lax are co-sponsoring the Kiddush this week in honour of Rav Yair and Tanya HaLevi, who agreed to let Rav Yair join Aaron and Michael's chavruta, which turbo-charged their completion together of Masechet Sanhedrin. The siyum will follow Kiddush. Mazal Tov Mazal Tov to Marcia and Jeff Shumacher on the birth (and Bris) of their grandson Lior Eyal, son to Navah and Azari Shumacher of Modiin. Mazal Tov to the proud Great Grandparents Dr. Harry and Helen Cohen. May the family be zoche to watch Lior grow up l Torah, Chuppah, V Massim Tovim. Message from Your Seating Committee If you have not done so already or submitted the forms, please go to and fill the online forms to reserve seats for the Yamim Noraim. You can also submit payment via Paypal at The deadline is Friday, September 8th, YAMIM NORAIM Schedule Please see the schedule on Page 7. September 16: No Toranut Page 1

2 Jewnior Games Toranut September 9: Dovid Zlochower Or Chaim Minyan: 159 Almore Avenue Toronto, Ontario M3H 2H9 President Alan Simon Gabbayim Steve Frenkiel Dan Rabinovitch Mark Ross Kiddush Coordinator Anita Bromberg Toranut Coordinator Rhona Grodzinski Education/Shiurim: Jeffrey Dorfman Leining Coordinator: Daniel Grodzinski Bulletin Editor: Jonathan Samson Kids Program: Dovid Zlochower The Specialist: Alan Simon Board Members: Aharon Kagedan Yisrael Dov Meyer Barry Pakes Alan Simon Lori Stochinsky Sam Stochinsky Dovid Zlochower If you have any questions, join our minyan or would like to book an event, please send an to Shabbat Speaker Between Mincha & Maariv, Eli Beer from United Hatzolah will be speaking. As an EMT in Jerusalem, Eli Beer recognized that heavy urban traffic and narrow streets prevented ambulances from getting into accident scenes quickly. In response, he organized a volunteer unit of EMTs using specially equipped motorcycle ambulances to manoeuver efficiently to urgent-care situations. Eli Beet shares the story of United Hatzalah and its impact on the communities it serves. Morning Shiurim Starting Wednesday September 6th, Rabbi Yair Eisenstock will be giving a shiur on Mesechet Sotah on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 5:45 am. Starting Thursday September 7th, Rabbi Dovid Engel will be giving a shiur on Sefer Yehoshuah on Mondays and Thursdays at 5:45 am. ITS BACK THIS WEEK at 9:15 am! Page 2

3 Ki Tavo: What a Waste! DVAR TORAH Thought of the Week by Rabbi Jay Kelman Man has an innate desire to see the fruit of his own efforts. When life's blessings are handed to one on a silver platter, those blessings are robbed of much of their meaning. This explains the wellknown phenomenon in which children of very successful parents want to strike out on their own, gaining their own sense of accomplishment. Though their success can often be attributed to the support and the safety net of successful parents, nonetheless, these children feel that they have succeeded on their own. In a similar vein, G-d's kindness manifests itself by allowing man to feel that his successes are primarily due to his own hard work, and not because of G-d's benevolence. We would find it difficult to enjoy our success if G-d's role was too overt; only through our own hard work can we feel the joy of our success. Thus, the farmer, after labouring so intensely to produce fruit, can "rejoice in all the good that G-d, your Lord, has granted you and your family" (26:8). It is all too easy to fall prey to the other extreme, namely, feeling that our entire success is due to our own efforts. That same farmer must bring his fruit to the Temple and publicly acknowledge G- d's ongoing role in history, thereby admitting that his efforts would have been fruitless without the blessings of G-d. No one knows this better than the farmer, who understands that one bad storm can ruin six months of hard work. While the farmer has no choice, and must put in the work without knowing what the result will be, the fear of wasted effort often prevents people from attempting to achieve great heights, especially in communal affairs. Why expend all that energy when success is far from certain? While seeing one's efforts go for naught is a most distressing experience, it is far worse to see others expropriate your efforts for their own personal gain. For this reason, Jewish law forbids a departing employee to actively court the clients of his former firm; to do so would be to take unfair advantage of the firm's efforts in recruiting that client in the first place. Yet such wasted effort, and the expropriation by others of our hard work, is the fate that awaits the Jewish people if they ignore the warnings of the Torah. "When you betroth a woman, another man will sleep with her. When you build a house, you will not live in it. When you plant a vineyard, you will not enjoy its fruit. You ox will be slaughtered before your eyes, but you will not eat from it...your sheep will be given to your enemies, and no one will Page 3

4 come to your aid. A strange nation will consume the fruit of your land and all your toil. You will be constantly cheated and crushed" (28:30-33). The impact of working so hard for naught, or worse yet, so others can take advantage of you is such that immediately thereafter, the Torah tells us, "You will go insane (meshugah ) from what you will have to witness" (28:34). It takes a great person to lay the groundwork for something from which he will never benefit himself. This helps explain the short-sightedness of many politicians, business leaders, and the like, who focus on extending their own terms in office, often sacrificing long-term interests for short-term gains that benefit them. Moshe Rabbeinu, over and over again, demonstrated his willingness to suffer so that the Jewish people could prosper. It is this point, I believe, that is key in understanding why Moshe was the greatest leader in history. While we may not have a Moshe Rabbeinu to lead us, let us strive to maximize our efforts for the benefit of the Jewish people and mankind in general. We can trust that G-d, in His infinite wisdom, will ensure that our efforts will be rewarded; and that someone, even if it's not us, will reap those benefits. Shabbat Shalom! Join Rabbi Kelman on opening night Saturday September 16 at 11:00pm (selichot at midnight) and 20 minutes before Maariv and Selichot (9:10pm) every other night, as we discuss the origin, meaning and literary techniques of these beautiful, yet rarely understood piyutim. Page 4

5 yeshivat or chaim BNEI AKIVA SCHOOLS SHELICHIM Aviad Don From: Gush Etzion Was a tank driver in the army, and served as Technical Supervisor of the Beit-Midrash and was In charge of the Education program in Yeshivat Hesder Maaleh Adumim. Eitan Weiss From: Petach Tikva Was active in Bnei Akiva, studied at Yeshivat Hesder Kiryat Shemona and served in the Israeli Navy. Uri Wolfson From: Merkaz Shapira Originally from Uruguay, ran a Chorus business, active in Bnei Akiva, served in Givati, and taught at Yeshivat Or Etzyon. ULPANAT OROT 45 Canyon Ave Downsview, ON M3H 3S (fax) YESHIVAT OR CHAIM 159 Almore Ave Toronto, ON M3H 2H (fax) Page 5

6 Mother & Daughter Bat Mitzvah Program JEWISH WOMEN THROUGH THE AGES Wednesdays, November 1, 2017 to January 24, 2018 no class December 20 - January 3 7:00-9:00pm A Bat Mitzvah is an opportunity for a girl to prepare for her entry into Jewish adulthood by exploring what it means to be a Jewish woman. The aim of the Matan Bat Mitzvah program, Jewish Women Through the Ages, is to see how we, as Jewish women, are part of a chain across the generations, and how the Bat Mitzvah can serve as a bridge connecting the young girl to Jewish continuity. The program consists of ten sessions during which mothers and daughters study sources together about Jewish women throughout history. The women studied in the program were selected because they embody positive attributes and values from which the girls can learn. Highlights: 10 two-hour sessions for mothers and daughters Each session includes textual Torah study (sources in Hebrew and English) A creative activity in each session Each girl is encouraged to prepare a special Woman of Valour project based on a biblical personality, a woman studied or an inspiring woman in her life Closing celebration The program is led by Shira Cantor Katchen. Shira holds a BA from Brandeis University in Fine Arts and Hebrew and a Masters of Teaching degree from OISE (U of T). Shira teaches in the elementary school system in Toronto and brings much experience in informal education from her many years in camp where she teaches art and connects that to Jewish themes. Shira and her husband served as the Jewish chaplaincy couple at Oxford University. For registration information visit torahinmotion.org מכון תורני לנשים ע"ש שרה בת יצחק יעקב רעננערט The Sadie Rennert Women s Institute for Torah Studies info@torahinmotion.org Page 6

7 YAMIM NORAIM 5778 EREV ROSH HASHANAH - WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 20 7:01 pm Candle Lighting & Eruv Tavshilin 7:05 pm Mincha and Maariv ROSH HASHANAH DAY 1 THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 21 6:30 am Hashkama Minyan 8:00 am Shacharit 10:30 am Shofar 5:50 pm Rabbi Jay Kelman Shiur 6:50 pm Mincha 8:02 pm Candle Lighting (not before) ROSH HASHANAH DAY 2 FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 22 6:40 am Hashkama Minyan 8:00 am Shacharit 10:30 am Shofar 5:50 pm Rabbi Jay Kelman Shiur 6:50 pm Mincha 6:58 pm Candle Lighting SHABBAT SHUVA - SHABBAT SEPTEMBER 23 7:45 am Shiur 8:30 am Shacharit 5:30 pm Drasha with Rabbi Gemara 6:35 pm Mincha 7:52 pm Maariv 7:59 pm Motzei Shabbat/Havdalah 10:00 pm Selichot TZOM GEDALIA SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 24 5:55 am Fast Begins 7:45 am Shacharit 6:40 pm Mincha 7:12 pm Maariv 7:43 pm Fast Ends 9:30 pm Selichot MONDAY SEPTEMBER 25 TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 26 WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 27 THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 28 EREV YOM KIPPUR FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 29 3:00 pm Mincha 6:45 pm Kol Nidrei 6:45 pm Candle Lighting (no later) & Fast Starts YOM KIPPUR - SHABBAT SEPTEMBER 30 9:00 am Shacharit 11:30 am Yizkor 4:45 pm Mincha 7:46 pm Motzei Yom Kippur and Fast Ends