Times: Shabbat starts tonight with candlelighting at 4:58pm, ends Saturday night at 5:58pm. The weekly Torah portion is Behar-Bechukotai.

Mincha in the CBD: Mincha continues at 1:00pm. using the SMS system as a reminder.

Study: Wednesday shiur & lunch is on Wednesday at about 1.15pm at Billing Bureau, following mincha.

Kosher Food in the CBD: Unfortunately, due to lack of demand there is no longer kosher food being sold in the CBD. Glicks, we want you back!!

Thought of the Week with thanks to  Rafi Goodman. In this week’s Torah reading, we see the specific example where one must sell their ancestral inherited property due to financial problems and one’s “brother” comes to assist so they can keep the property.

Additional Torah laws such as the Seventh year (Shemita), when debts are cancelled and servants go free, or the that agricultural leftovers are automatically left for the poor, all demonstrate the Tzedaka that the Torah has implemented as part of society as a social responsibility and obligation.
Evidently, Tzedakah is much more than just charity – what we give out of generosity. Literally Tzedek means “justice”, or what we are bound to give others.

This is clearly demonstrated by Maimonides’ eight levels of Tzedakah, where on top of the list is helping a person to stand on their two feet by either giving a loan, entering a partnership, or helping someone find employment. This is the quintessential Tzedaka.