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Shabbat starts on Friday at 6:49pm and ends on Saturday at 7:45pm. The weekly Torah portion is Shmini, Shabbat Mevarchim and Parshat HaChodesh. Rosh Chodesh Nissan is on Tuesday. On Saturday night, turn the clocks back one hour.

Mincha at Ainsworth Property – GF/459 Collins resumes on Monday. Join the WhatsApp group where we take a count to confirm each day.

Weekly sushi & shiur continues on Wed at about 1.10pm (after mincha) at A-P GF/459 Collins – and via zoom. Current topic: employee carry provisions. Details here and on the WhatsApp group.

Thought of the Week with thanks to Michelle Coleman.

In this week’s Torah reading we covers the laws about which living creatures we may and may not consume. Although these laws are considered chokim (decrees that are beyond human understanding), we can nevertheless try to understand them to the best of our limited abilities.

G-d, who knows the inherent nature of every creature, prohibited eating all animals that are carnivorous, as well as 24 types of birds of prey. The Ramban explains that by eating any of these, we ingest their cruel traits.

Why then is the stork (chasidah) forbidden? After all, its name derives from the same root as kindness because “it does kindness with its companions with food” (Rashi, Vayikra 11:19).

The commentator Chiddushei Harim highlights that the stork is forbidden because it shares its food only with its companions, and not more broadly with those in need. This makes the stork an inherently cruel bird; when someone is hungry – no matter who they are – we need to do all we can to assist.

This principle is enshrined in the laws of giving charity: “When a poor person whose identity is unknown says, “I am hungry, provide me with food,” we do not investigate whether he is a deceiver. Instead, we provide him with sustenance immediately.” (Mishneh Torah, Matnot Aniyim).