Mazel tov to Yehuda Roll upon his engagement to Sara Fink from Miami Beach! May they be zoche to build a Bayis Ne'eman B'yisroel!
Mazel Tov to Mr. and Mrs. Ezra Katz upon the birth of a baby girl! May they have much Nachas!
Important information concerning pledges
We appreciate the dedication of our membership in support of our shul. As you know, the contributions given for aliyos are a significant source of income for the shul. Unfortunately, we have found that invoices billed for a matana without a specific amount are rarely paid. Therefore; moving forward, matanos will be billed for a $15 donation. If one does not want to give that amount, they may state the amount of their donation to the gabbai at the time of their aliya, or let the gabbai know shortly thereafter . However, Kohanim and Leviim who are members will continue to be billed for a matana without an amount. Thank you for your support! We appreciate it immensely!
If you have not yet paid for your Yomim Noraim seats, or an outstanding pledge from Yomim Noraim or Sukkos, we kindly ask that you take care of it at your earliest convenience. Payments can be made on our website, kbyeshiva.com.
Thank you!
Have a wonderful Shabbos!
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Dvar Torah
In this week’s parsha we learn that after the מבול Hashem promised never to destroy the world again. On the surface, this seems odd, as if Hashem now changed his mind. Furthermore, Hashem had brought the מבול in the first place because he had regretted creating the world. How, can it be that shortly thereafter Hashem is now guaranteeing there never to be another destruction, seeming כביכול as if He is constantly going back and forth חלילה!
Perhaps one approach is that Hashem כביכול only ‘regretted’ creating the world in its pristine form. As the Ramban writes, the reason for the length of life, beauty, and strength of the earliest generations was because they were direct descendants from the one whom G-d Himself created. One can imagine that the extreme physical superiority of the people then was mirrored by a beautiful natural world, physically and spiritually. This great beauty came with a tremendous price; it was exceptionally vulnerable and sensitive to destruction, like a precious glass that can easily break. The מבול was therefore able to come and destroy this pristine world, and the world is now significantly less magnificent and less sensitive than it was before. It will therefore never be vulnerable to destruction again.
However, destruction brings new opportunities. Just as with the חטא of the עץ הדעת and the עגל and the destruction of the first בית המקדש and all the other calamities throughout history that have always brought new opportunity [e.g. to defeat the יצר הרע (due to the חטא עץ הדעת) or of learning תורה שבעל פה (due to the חטא העגל and first Churban)]. Noach too was given the tools to become closer to Hashem after the מבול, most notably through קרבנות. These tools were given to him and all his descendants to enable us to reach and achieve the pristine existence that Hashem wants us to attain - on our own – not through His doing once again.
We too, in every situation in life, even when things seem to be going awry, are always given the tools to achieve whatever Hashem has in mind for us, to achieve our purpose in the world, and to reach our pristine potential.
Good Shabbos!
