Shabbat Shalom from Rabbi Arnow 11/26/2021
Dear Kol Rinah Family,
Please note that the eruv (which permits carrying objects outside on Shabbat) is still down due to construction, although I hear that it is getting closer to being repaired.
My sermon from last Shabbat is here.
Thanksgiving can often contain very little (giving of) thanks and very little giving. It can, rather, be a symbol of and even embody our acquisitiveness, our appetites, our serenity, even while others are in distress.
In the first verse of this week's parasha, Parashat Vayeshev, which begins the Joseph story, we read, "Jacob settled in the land of his father's sojournings" (Genesis 37:1). The midrash on this (Genesis Rabbah 84:3) reads Jacob's "settling down" pretty negatively:
Rabbi Acha said, At such time that the rghteous dwell in tranquility and they seek to dwell in [even greater] greater tranquility in this world, the Accuser comes and accuses them, saying, "It is not enough that tranquility is prepared for them for the World to Come, but they seek to dwell in tranquility in this world!" You should know that it is so, for Jacob, because he sought to dwell in tranquility in this world, he was met with the distress of Joseph.
Now, there's nothing wrong with tranquility, but the midrash is suggesting, I think, that pursuing tranquility rather than focusing on serving God and the world and the people around us can be tempting, but is not ultimately what we are here for.
We realistically cannot spend every moment working though. Some measure of tranquility is certainly ok, and one way to make that calm even more worthwhile is by injecting gratitude into it.
I found this a useful reflection on how to "do" gratitude.
How do you maintain a balance between tranquility and work and gratitude?
This Shabbat, we'll be celebrating the bar mitzvah of Benjamin Spector, son of Lvav and Marc Spector, brother of Claire Spector, grandson of our members Barbara and Amos Shamir and Patsy and Gershon Spector. Mazal tov to the entire family!
We'll have our last mincha/Kabbalat Shabbat on Zoom for the forseeable future today at 3:25pm (link below).
Candle lighting is at 4:24pm.
Services tomorrow begin at 9:30am, live and livestreamed.
Mincha Saturday afternoon will be at 4:15pm and Shabbat ends at about 4:27pm.
There is much happening over the coming weeks, for Hanukkah, and after--take a look at our website-- www.kolrinahstl.org!
And start getting excited for our musical Shabbat with Deborah Sacks Mintz December 10-12, 2021!
Wishing you a Shabbat shalom, and I hope to see you soon,
Rabbi Noah Arnow
ZOOM AND STREAMING LINKS
To join our Zoom Minyanim or classes, click on the desired meeting link, or call into either of the following numbers:
+1 312 626 6799
+1 646 558 8656
Then, when prompted, enter the Meeting ID of the desired minyan/class then press #. Then, when prompted, enter the password then press #.
Services (all times Central)
Evening Minyan on Zoom
Sunday-Thursday evenings at 6pm (but not on Jewish holidays)
Friday evenings when not in person one hour before candle lighting
Morning Minyan on Zoom
Monday-Friday mornings at 7am; Sunday mornings and national holidays at 8am (not including Jewish holidays)
Learning Opportunities
Torah Talk with Rabbi Arnow or Rabbi Shafrin
Every Friday at 12pm (No Torah Talk on Friday, November 26)
Join us for study and discussion of the week's Torah portion.
Friday nights when in person and Shabbat mornings
Fridays, 6pm
Saturdays, 9:30am
Click the link below, then click the triangular "play" buttom:
tinyurl.com/KR-Streaming
You can also set your computer or device in advance so that this link will continue streaming continuously and you will not have to press any buttons on Shabbat. To make sure that your device will not shut itself down or do into sleep mode, follow the directions below to disable sleep mode:
For PC:
To disable automatic Sleep:
1. Open up Power Options in the Control Panel. In Windows 10 you can get there from right clicking on the start menu and going to Power Options
2. Click "change plan settings" next to your current power plan
3. Change "Put the computer to sleep" to never
4. Click "Save Changes"
For Apple Products:
1. On your Mac, choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click "Energy Saver."
2. Do either of the following:
a. Set the amount of time your computer or display should wait before going to sleep: Drag the “Computer sleep” and “Display sleep” sliders, or the “Turn display off after” slider.
b. Keep your Mac from going to sleep automatically: Select “Prevent computer from sleeping automatically when the display is off.”
Please note that the eruv (which permits carrying objects outside on Shabbat) is still down due to construction, although I hear that it is getting closer to being repaired.
My sermon from last Shabbat is here.
Thanksgiving can often contain very little (giving of) thanks and very little giving. It can, rather, be a symbol of and even embody our acquisitiveness, our appetites, our serenity, even while others are in distress.
In the first verse of this week's parasha, Parashat Vayeshev, which begins the Joseph story, we read, "Jacob settled in the land of his father's sojournings" (Genesis 37:1). The midrash on this (Genesis Rabbah 84:3) reads Jacob's "settling down" pretty negatively:
Rabbi Acha said, At such time that the rghteous dwell in tranquility and they seek to dwell in [even greater] greater tranquility in this world, the Accuser comes and accuses them, saying, "It is not enough that tranquility is prepared for them for the World to Come, but they seek to dwell in tranquility in this world!" You should know that it is so, for Jacob, because he sought to dwell in tranquility in this world, he was met with the distress of Joseph.
Now, there's nothing wrong with tranquility, but the midrash is suggesting, I think, that pursuing tranquility rather than focusing on serving God and the world and the people around us can be tempting, but is not ultimately what we are here for.
We realistically cannot spend every moment working though. Some measure of tranquility is certainly ok, and one way to make that calm even more worthwhile is by injecting gratitude into it.
I found this a useful reflection on how to "do" gratitude.
How do you maintain a balance between tranquility and work and gratitude?
This Shabbat, we'll be celebrating the bar mitzvah of Benjamin Spector, son of Lvav and Marc Spector, brother of Claire Spector, grandson of our members Barbara and Amos Shamir and Patsy and Gershon Spector. Mazal tov to the entire family!
We'll have our last mincha/Kabbalat Shabbat on Zoom for the forseeable future today at 3:25pm (link below).
Candle lighting is at 4:24pm.
Services tomorrow begin at 9:30am, live and livestreamed.
Mincha Saturday afternoon will be at 4:15pm and Shabbat ends at about 4:27pm.
There is much happening over the coming weeks, for Hanukkah, and after--take a look at our website-- www.kolrinahstl.org!
And start getting excited for our musical Shabbat with Deborah Sacks Mintz December 10-12, 2021!
Wishing you a Shabbat shalom, and I hope to see you soon,
Rabbi Noah Arnow
ZOOM AND STREAMING LINKS
To join our Zoom Minyanim or classes, click on the desired meeting link, or call into either of the following numbers:
+1 312 626 6799
+1 646 558 8656
Then, when prompted, enter the Meeting ID of the desired minyan/class then press #. Then, when prompted, enter the password then press #.
Services (all times Central)
Evening Minyan on Zoom
Sunday-Thursday evenings at 6pm (but not on Jewish holidays)
Friday evenings when not in person one hour before candle lighting
Morning Minyan on Zoom
Monday-Friday mornings at 7am; Sunday mornings and national holidays at 8am (not including Jewish holidays)
Learning Opportunities
Torah Talk with Rabbi Arnow or Rabbi Shafrin
Every Friday at 12pm (No Torah Talk on Friday, November 26)
Join us for study and discussion of the week's Torah portion.
Friday nights when in person and Shabbat mornings
Fridays, 6pm
Saturdays, 9:30am
Click the link below, then click the triangular "play" buttom:
tinyurl.com/KR-Streaming
You can also set your computer or device in advance so that this link will continue streaming continuously and you will not have to press any buttons on Shabbat. To make sure that your device will not shut itself down or do into sleep mode, follow the directions below to disable sleep mode:
For PC:
To disable automatic Sleep:
1. Open up Power Options in the Control Panel. In Windows 10 you can get there from right clicking on the start menu and going to Power Options
2. Click "change plan settings" next to your current power plan
3. Change "Put the computer to sleep" to never
4. Click "Save Changes"
For Apple Products:
1. On your Mac, choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click "Energy Saver."
2. Do either of the following:
a. Set the amount of time your computer or display should wait before going to sleep: Drag the “Computer sleep” and “Display sleep” sliders, or the “Turn display off after” slider.
b. Keep your Mac from going to sleep automatically: Select “Prevent computer from sleeping automatically when the display is off.”
Mon, May 5 2025
7 Iyyar 5785
MISSION: Create a welcoming community that embraces Torah, meaningful worship, lifelong learning, music, Israel, and tikkun olam, guided by the tenets of Conservative Judaism.
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Minyans on Zoom:
Mornings- M, T, W, F 7am & Sun 8am.
Evenings- Sun-Th 6pm.
Log in to view the Zoom Links page.
Thursday mornings 7am are in-person only.
Office Hours
Monday – Thursday 9am to 5pm
Friday 9am – 3pm
Phone: 314-727-1747
Friday 9am – 3pm
Phone: 314-727-1747
Mon, May 5 2025 7 Iyyar 5785