BEBY NEXTgen NEWS - Parshat CHAYEI SARAH - Living Kindness
29/10/2021 04:39:06 PM
Oct29
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Shalom Everyone,
Yay for Shabbat! Shabbat is a day where we can disconnect from our devices and day-to-day life, and spend it instead, reconnecting with our own families and the other people in our lives and communities.
This year's B'nai Mitzvah Experience in underway and the program for the year is looking to improve on last year's success. You can still register.
I'm really excited to announce our first after-school programming. On Monday nights we will be offering classes in KRAV MAGA, the Israeli martial art.
There are classes for everyone, but we need enough people signed up to run each class. If you are interested, don't delay or spaces will fill up. SCROLL DOWN FOR MORE PROGRAMMING AND REGISTRATION INFORMATION!
Parshat Chayei Sarah - Living Kindness
Avraham, our forefather, is known by our sages as a man of Chessed - kindness. Eliezer is Avraham's servant. He is sent to find Yitzchak a wife. When he is almost at his destination he prays to Hashem and askes HaShem to be kind to Avraham and make his mission successful. He askes HaShem to show him a peson who will be kind to both him and his animals, and that will show that HaShem is showing kindness to Avraham.
Eliezer's prayer tells us that the appropriate daughter-in-law for Avraham is someone who lives a life of kindness, just like Avraham. Rivka shows exactly the kindness that Eliezer was hoping for.
This story teaches us each an important lesson about kindness. Every act of kindness is important and we should all act kindly as much as possible. However, there is another level of kindness that is not about a single act, but about the way a person lives and expresses themselves in every situation.
Ironically, the way to live that way is to start with one single act of kindness. And then another...and another.
Discussion Questions:
1. Why was the sign that Rivka would also feed the animals? 2. What is an act of kindness that you can do every day? 3. Why is kindness so important?
Rabbi David's Answers (from last week): 1. What is a challenge that you faced and were scared about, but later succeeded at? Studying to become a Rabbi, especially in Israel, especially in Hebrew. 2. How did you feel after you were successful? I felt really proud of myself for staying with it. There were times I thought I could find shortcuts or make it "easier", but I just kept working hard until I succeeded. 3. Why do you think laughing makes it easier to handle challenges? When I'm happy, I laugh. So, when I laugh, I'm also happier, which means I'm feeling happy as I am working hard overcoming the challenges I'm facing.
For more information about what is happening at Beth Emeth go to: www.beby.org
Rabbi David, Director of Ritual and NEXTgen Community rabbidavid@beby.org
Beth Emeth Bais Yehuda Synagogue 100 Elder Street Toronto, ON M3H 5G7