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Shabbat starts on Friday at 4:50pm and ends on Saturday at 5:51pm. The weekly Torah portion is Beha’alotcha.

Mincha continues at  1.00pm at A-P GF/459 Collins, using the WhatsApp group to confirm a minyan each day.

Weekly sushi & shiur continues on Wed at 1.10pm at A-P GF/459 Collins – and via zoom. Current topic: God, Satan & Job. Details here and on the WhatsApp group.

Thought of the Week with thanks to Asher Seifman

This week’s Torah reading begins with the command to Aharon to clean and light the menorah daily. It follows the dedication offerings of the mishkan, the tabernacle, by the prince of each tribe. Rashi, quoting the midrash, says that Aharon was despondent due to the fact that each tribe had their own day to bring a personal, large and elaborate gift to the mishkan, while his own tribe, Levi, was excluded. G-d immediately commands him regarding the daily lighting of the Menorah as if to say “Your lot is greater than theirs, for you get to set up and light the candles.”

The question is raised, how does the menorah service allay Aharon’s feelings? If it is that he gets to actually perform the service while the princes merely bring donations, wouldn’t something comparable to what the princes brought be a better way to placate Aharon? Or another service requiring greater effort and equipment?

This can serve as a reminder to us to always treasure the value of learning Torah (symbolised by light). Whereas other displays of religious devotion may sometimes attract more attention and honour, learning Torah, though perhaps more discreet, is our special ‘in’ to G-d and a duty we should tend to every day.