Mazel tov to Yehuda and Rachel Gottlieb and family on the birth of their baby boy.

Our deepest sympathies to Alan Bacher and family on the passing of his father in South Africa.

Times: Shabbat starts tonight with candle lighting at 7:33 pm, and ends Saturday night at 8:28 pm. The weekly Torah portion is Pekudei.

Mincha in the CBD: Mincha has resumed Monday-Friday (currently 2.01pm) and is using a WhatsApp group until the end of DST. Message 0412-389-389 to join. Please note: No mincha on Monday 11th March as it is Labour Day (public holiday)

Study: The Wednesday shiur and lunch has resumed and continues at 1.30 pm.

Thought of the Week with thanks to Ari Gordon. In this week’s Torah portion, Pekudei, Moses finished the work of setting up the mishkan.

The commentator Sforno writes that because the Jewish people wholeheartedly donated the materials to build the mishkan, they were deemed to have shared in the task of actual construction. Even if one was physically unable to do the work of creating the mishkan, if they merely provided support for its construction, they were a full partner.

The Torah clearly attributes the project to the entire community when it says “The Israelites did so just as God had commanded Moses, so they did.”
When asked to volunteer for communal projects, people often excuse themselves that they may not be perfect for the role, that there are those more skilled or more experienced who would be more suited. The mishkan teaches us that each individual person has an obligation to do what s/he can for communal projects to the best of their ability. As long as they are contributing and doing their bit – God considers them an equal partner in the project as a whole.

May we all work for tzorchei tzibur (community causes) to the best of our abilities.