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The Four Mitzvot of Purim
Purim is a time of joy and gladness. But there are also some serious themes to consider. I have tried to condense the meaning and observance of Purim into four basic mitzvot and provide some food (Hamentashen) for thought. Here is my recipe:
The first mitzvah is the hearing of the Megillah - the Scroll containing the Biblical Book of Esther. It is chanted in a special Trope (chant) and describes the background of the holiday. We remember how Haman sought to destroy the Jewish people. But the Almighty had other plans. In the reading and in the hearing, which is obligatory upon every man, woman and child, we relive our history and recapture our destiny. Haman, like the mask worn on Purim, is still around, masquerading himself in a variety of modern-day shapes and forms. Just listen to the news and you know what I mean. The struggle goes on, and we continually affirm that with G-d's help victory will be ours.
The second mitzvah is called Shalach Manot - sending portions of food to friends. A minimum of two items, either baked goods or cooked foods or sweets or fruit or drink, are presented as a gift to a minimum of one other person. The purpose of the mitzvah is to underscore the importance of friendship and the family/community spirit of Judaism. Rabbi Isaac Luria stressed the importance of this mitzvah. He especially emphasized the need to use the occasion to end enmity and discord. Therefore, he suggested that Shalach Manot become a means of making a friend out of a foe, as well as a statement of our desire to deepen the relationships and friendships we already cherish.
The third mitzvah is Matonot Laevyonim - gifts (charity) to the poor. At least two needy persons or worthy causes must be remembered on Purim day itself. The originator of the custom is Mordechai. In gratitude for the miraculous saving of the Jews, he instructed us to send gifts to the needy. Mordechai teaches: How do we show gratitude and joy? By helping to improve the lot of others.
The last mitzvah on Purim is the Seudah - the special feast shared at home with family and friends. Purim is a time of joy and gladness, a time of sharing, feasting, and celebrating. We come together, once again, to strengthen the most important bonds we have - those in our own home.
On behalf of myself, my family and the entire staff of the Synagogue, I wish you all a happy and joyous Purim.
Hag Purim Sameach,
Rabbi Reuben Landma
A Letter from Rabbi Landman
Dear Friend,
As you enter the lobby of our education building, on the wall to your left, you will see the pictures of nine beautiful children whose lives we helped save. These children are from Sri Lanka, Ethiopia, Vietnam, Russia, China and even a child from Iraq. Imagine, having saved the lives of nine children! This year we have an opportunity to go for a full minyan – a minyan of children who can receive from us the gift of life.
For the past few years, between Purim and Pesach, our Synagogue members have joined together to save the life of a child in need of heart surgery. In celebration of Purim, the Holiday of Jewish Survival, we have consistently raised over $20,000 each year to provide two children with life-saving heart surgeries performed in Israel by the medical volunteers of Save A Child’s Heart Foundation.
This year our goal is to go for a minyan of children. It is one of the most meaningful causes that I have ever been involved with. It is personal. It saves the lives of children, one at a time, who have no access to medical care. It helps the image of Israel on a personal level. The miracle stories of children who return home after their treatments to live normal lives are so inspiring and uplifting. When you read the notes and letters from grateful parents, you cannot help but cry with them in joy.
For your information, we are already half way there. We have a contribution of $10,000 to start us off. All we need to do is match that figure and we will have our minyan of children. Here is the background: Twelve years ago, Dr. Ami Cohen, a former member of our congregation and pediatric heart surgeon, made aliya to Israel with his family. In Israel, Ami founded the Save A Child’s Heart Program. Unfortunately, Ami died tragically six years ago. But his vision and his work live on.
What was his vision? Ami brought indigent children from underdeveloped nations with no medical facilities to the Wolfson Medical Center in Israel. There, a group of 75 physicians, nurses and technicians volunteered their services to perform the life-saving heart surgery and accompanying care. The children then returned to their homes and resume normal lives. Hundreds of children have been saved so far, one at a time.
There is another child waiting now, on Purim, to be brought to Israel and to be saved by us. We did it nine times before. We can do it again. All funds collected for this purpose will go directly to the source, no middle-people. All we have to do is to match the donation already given.
Please consider sending a tax-deductible contribution to HTAASave a Child’s Heart Fund, (send it directly to Congregation Har Tzeon Agudath Achim, 1840 University Blvd., West, Silver Spring, MD 20902) as soon as possible between Purim and Pesach. Our goal is to raise $10,000 and have a minyan of pictures of beautiful children saved by HTAA portrayed on our wall. You can follow our progress on the thermometer which will be displayed in the lobby of the Main Synagogue.
If you have any questions or suggestions, please feel free to call me (301-649-3231), the synagogue office (301-649-3800) or any of our synagogue officers.
Thank you for your help. May we always be able to join together to become a force for healing and for life. Have a happy, healthy and joyous Purim.
Biography of Rabbi Reuben Landman
Rabbi Reuben Landman has been the spiritual leader of Congregation Har Tzeon-Agudath Achim since 1976. He has served as President of the rabbinical Assembly of Greater Washington and a member of the Executive Board of the Board of Jewish Education. He is also a founding member of the Maryland Hospice Society and served on the Advisory Boards of Holy Cross Hospital and the Virginia Lung Association.
Rabbi Landman was instrumental in forming a community High School known as "Tichon" in 1995. He has served as its Director since its inception and has attracted many Jewish teenagers including those from Hebrew Schools, Day Schools and Unaffiliated.
In recognition of his many years of service as a Congregational Rabbi - Rabbi Landman was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Hebrew Literature by the Jewish Theological Seminary in November 1996.
Rabbi Landman is married to Gila and they have four children and nine grandchildren (soon to be ten).
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The Minyan Depot
You have heard of Home Depot. You have heard of Office Depot. Now HTAA offers you The Minyan Depot. Each day we struggle to provide a morning and evening minyan. We can only do so with your participation and cooperation.
Please continue to offer one night a week or one night a month to this mission. We need you to volunteer, especially during the winter months until March when the days get shorter. We are okay for the mornings but the evenings are tough. If you sign up for a full week, we will even throw in a special prize - a chance to choose one free evening minyan the next week! This is a limited offer.
For those who require a late evening minyan for Kaddish, please let us know a day in advance and we will arrange one for you at 7:45 p.m.
Sing-A-Long With Seymour Berry
and Help Us Make a Minyan
To the tune of She'll Be Coming 'Round the Mountain
When you daven in the evening it's a blast
Twenty minutes more or less is all it lasts
It's a mitzvah - it's a pleasure
It's a joy beyond all measure
That is why the time goes racing by so fast
To the tune of Making Whoopee
If you have yartzheit or want to pray
Come and make a minyan; we're here each day
Come daven mincha; come daven maariv
Come make a minyan
To the tune of Tennessee Waltz
There are people to say Kaddish for a loved one - they are in mourning
Or for someone whose yartzheit is
But they can't perform this mitzvah if we do not have a minyan;
And their efforts would end up amiss
Please remember to come to the minyan at night
You are needed to join us in prayer
We will meet you; we will greet you - On the bimah we will seat you
All to show you just how much we care.
Composed by Seymour Berry)
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