Times: Shabbat starts on Friday at 7:58pm and ends on Saturday night at 9.01pm. The weekly Torah portion is Toldot. 

Mincha in the CBD: Mincha is still virtual as we await people returning to work in the city. That means we all daven at an agreed time, which is 1.45pm now that we’re on summer schedule. Details at the WhatsApp group.

Study: Weekly Shiur continues Wednesday at 1:20pmvia zoom, with virtual mincha to follow at 1.45pm. BYO lunch. Details here.

Thought of the Week with thanks to Avi Gordon. This week’s Torah reading records the birth of Yaakov and Eisav. As it is well known, they were not only diametrically opposed to each other in utero, but even when they were born they were completely different: Eisav with thick hair like an adult while Yaakov was smooth like a baby.

What was the significance of their physical appearances?

The holiest place in Judaism is the Holy of Holies in the Temple, with the centrepiece the Ark. Atop the ark were two cherubic figures with the faces of children – obviously to impart an important lesson.

Children have a thirst for knowledge – always learning, always improving. They are open to guidance and don’t become complacent. It is a fundamental principle of Judaism to keep learning, every single day- emulating the nature of the child.

With this insight it is obvious why Yaakov was born like a child, while Eisav was born physically looking old. Eisav from day one was already complete and too arrogant to learn. While Yaakov was only just starting his life-long journey of learning.

May we always learn and grow.