05 Jan Makor’s Society joins the New Synagogue of Long Island for Kabbalat Shabbat 1/5/24-6:30pm
Makor’s Society of Jewish Science
will be joining
The New Synagogue of Long Island for
Kabbalat Shabbat Service with
Rabbi Scott Matous and Cantor Irene Failenbogen
Friday, January 5, 2023 – 6:30PM(Hybrid Service – in person/Zoom)
This Friday night, we are starting a new book in the Torah called Shemot. The story begins just after we see that Jacob, Joseph, and the entire family are reunited in Egypt and the entire region is saved from famine. Then, a new Pharaoh who does not know Joseph rises to power and enslaves all the Hebrews, fearing that they are becoming too powerful. The slavery is brutal, and the newborn males are being put to death. Miraculously, however, a Hebrew male (Moses) is born and saved by Pharaoh’s daughter, who adopts and raises him in the palace. Moses leaves the palace and sees the suffering of his people, the Hebrews. Later on, Moses sees an Egyptian beating a Hebrew slave, loses his temper, and kills him. Moses then has to flee to Midian to prevent Pharaoh from punishing him with death for the murder.
One day, after 40 years of shepherding in Midian, the L-rd appeared to Moses in a flame of fire coming out of a bush. Moses turned aside to see this great sight and when the L-rd saw that Moses had turned aside, He said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people… and have heard their cry… for I know their sorrows. And I have come down to save them from the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them out of that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey. The L-rd tells Moses he is being sent to Pharaoh, to bring the Hebrews out of Egypt. Moses asks, Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the people of Israel out of Egypt? The L-rd replies, Certainly I will be with you.
What does this story have to do with us in the year 2024? Why would G-d choose to reveal Himself from a burning bush? Why would G-d wait for Moses to turn aside before speaking to Moses? What insights does Jewish Science provide about this historic event? Please come join us and find out!