Question of the Week:
I was playing the game of dreidel, as we do every Chanukah, when someone asked what it actually means. I wasn't sure what to say, apart from being a fun way to spend time with the family during the holiday, and a kosher way to gamble away your savings. But I guess there's more to it... is there?
Answer:
Toys don't play a major role in Jewish tradition. I can only think of two Jewish toys that are used religiously (unless you count iphones). On Chanukah we spin the dreidel, and on Purim we shake the gragger. The dreidel is a spinning top used in a game of chance. The gragger is a noisemaker that serves to heckle the wicked Haman, the enemy of the Jews, every time his name is mentioned in the Purim story.
But even toys have deeper meaning in Judaism. The dreidel and the gragger encapsulate the difference between the miracles of Chanukah and Purim.
When Haman stood to annihilate the Jewish people, it caused a mass stirring of emotion and spiritual introspection. The Jews knew that such a decree could only be averted if they changed their ways. And so they prayed, fasted, and recommitted themselves to Judaism. This awakening was the catalyst for the miracle that followed, with Haman's downfall and the Jewish victory over their adversaries.
In the story of Chanukah things were very different. The threat posed by the Hellenists did not inspire mass repentance among the Jews. On the contrary, many Jews of the time welcomed the Syrian-Greek occupation of their land and were happy to assimilate into their culture.
Only a small band of rebels stayed true to their beliefs and fought the foreign invasion. And yet, a miracle occurred for the Jewish people, totally undeserved, not earned, a gift from above, and the Hellenists were routed from the Land of Israel.
So Purim is a miracle that was initiated from below, from the people and their spiritual turn around. Chanukah was a miracle that the people had not earned but came completely from above, from G-d.
And so on Chanukah we play with the dreidel, which we spin from on top, symbolizing the divine hand that intervenes from above to spin the wheels of history. On Purim, the miracle we earned from below, we shake the gragger, which is grasped from below.
This is the power of Chanukah, the miracle we didn't deserve. Chanukah is a time where G-d's light can reach the darkest of places, and we can all be blessed, worthy or not. Because sometimes G-d rewards us for the good we have done, and at other times He blesses us for the good we will do. G-d is spinning the dreidel, and on Chanukah we know it will fall in our favour.
Good Shabbos and Happy Chanukah,
Rabbi Moss
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SUMMER LEARNING EXPERIENCE 2014
25 December 2014 to 1 January 2015 at BINA
Session 1
10am - 11am
Choose from 1 of 4 amazing classes on offer each day
- Men's Talmud Shiurim
- Women's Textual Shiurim
- Various Topics for Men and Women
- The Best of Personal Growth for Men and Women
25 December - 31 December
Session 2
11am - 12noon
Lectures and Panel discussions on a wide variety of topics
- Join Rabbis and Lecturers from across Sydney for an hour of inspiration
25 December - 31 December
NEW YEAR
SHIUR & SHMOOZE
"Shame" Positive or Negative?
Constructive shame as an engine of growth
A special live video lecture with renowned USA psychologist
Dr David Pelcovitz
1 January 2015
11am onwards
BINA SUMMER LEARNING EXPERIENCE FULL SCHEDULE
Session one: 10:00 - 11:00am
Choose from one of these four amazing classes each day;
Men's Talmud Shiurim with Rabbi Yaacov Chaiton
Thursday 25 December - Wednesday 31 December
An Ancient Land with Ancient Laws in a Modern Era
A text based analysis of some of the greatest Halachic complexities Israel has faced over the past 7 decades
OR
Women's Textual Shiurim:
Thursday 25 December - Parsha Secrets with Dina Gourarie
Friday 26 December - The Birth of Self Consciousness - The truth about Eve's sin and how Sarah fixed it with Nechama Dina Moss
Monday 29 December - Parsha Secrets with Dina Gourarie
Tuesday 30 December - Hidden Meanings of the Amidah with Rivka Aaron
Wednesday 31 December - More Parsha Secrets with Dina Gourarie
OR
Various Topics with Rabbi Aron Moss for Men and Women
Thursday 25 December - Four Elements of the Soul - Fire, Air, Water and Earth in your personality
Friday 26 December - Self Beyond Self - The altruistic impulse and why people do good
OR
"Personal Growth" Ancient Wisdom for Modern Living for Men & Women with Rabbi Michoel Gourarie
Thursday 25 December - The 3 Best and Worst Personalities
Friday 26 December - Dealing with Adult Temper Tantrums
Monday 29 December - Forgiveness - Do I have to forgive everyone?
Tuesday 30 December - Courage and Consideration - how to combine them
Wednesday 31 December - How many friends do I need?
Session Two - Lectures and Panel Discussion 11am- 12noon
Thursday 25 December
Judaism and Technology - A panel discussion
with Rabbi Michoel Gourarie- Jewish Knowledge available through technology
with Rabbi Yaacov Chaiton - Has Technology made Jewish law easier or more difficult?
Friday 26 December
Atheism Exposed - the de-evolution of disbelief
with Rabbi Aron Moss
Monday 29 December
So many different Jewish groups - which one has got it right?
with Rabbi Michoel Gourarie
Tuesday 30 December
A King, Two Mothers and a Baby - What you didn't know about the most well-known court case.
with Rabbi Yaacov Chaiton
Wednesday 31 December
Modern Halachic Case Studies
with Rabbi Yoram Ulman
NEW YEAR SHIUR AND SHMOOZE
Thursday 1st January 2014
"Shame" - Positive or Negative?
Constructive shame as an engine of growth
A special live video lecture with renowned USA psychologist
Dr David Pelcovitz
There will be a children's program available
Ages 1 to 12 years
Booking is Essential - Please call the office for details
Cost: $15 per day or $70 for the entire week
Summer Learning Experience Cost: $12 per day or $50 for the week
SERVICES AT NEFESH
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SHABBOS SERVICES
Friday Night, 19 December 2014
Candle Lighting: 7:46pm (*Not before 6:34pm)
EARLY Mincha: 5:45pm
LIGHTING THE NEFESH FIRE MENORAH 6:45PM
FOLLOWED BY LATKES & DOUGHNUTS, SONG & SPIRIT.
Sponsored by Jack & Leyat Reuben in honour of their wedding anniversary- Mazal Tov!
Shabbos Service to follow.
Shabbos Day 20 December | 28 Kislev
Parshas Mikeitz
The Chassidic Parsha Class: 9.00am
Shabbos Service:10:00am-12:15pm followed by Grand Chanukah Farbrengen lunch cosponsored by: Ivan and Veronica Kessel in honour of their miracle grandchild, Orly and Joshua Borenstein in honour of their official return to Sydney, and by Elana Castle in honour of the yahrzheit of her grandfather Irmiyahu ben Shlomo, her husband Grant Smuts' birthday and in gratitude to Hashem for a miraculous escape from danger.
Mincha:7:40pm
Shabbos ends and Maariv: 8:48pm
Light 5th candle
NEW MOON | MOLAD: 10:31PM SUNDAY 21 DECEMBER
ROSH CHODESH TEVES
MONDAY- TUESDAY 22-23 DECEMBER
WEEKDAY SERVICES
Shacharis Sunday: 8:00 am, Mon - Wed 7am, Thu-Fri 8am (public hols)
Latest Shema this week: 9:16 am
CHASSIDUS CLASS
Monday 8:00-8:45am
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO
Justin & Lindy Stern for 29 Kislev/ 21 December
Jack & Leyat Reuben for 2 Teves/ 24 December
Richie & Lina Barel for 3 Teves/ 25 December
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO
Grant Smuts for 4 Teves/ 26 December
LONG LIFE FOR THE FOLLOWING YORZHEITS
Avraham ben Yitzchak a"h 28 Kislev marked by his brother Rev Amzalak
David Sandler (David ben Mordechai) 3 Teves/ 25 December marked by Gavin Krawchuck
If you have a life cycle event not listed here, we don't have your info. Please email [email protected] to update us.