This Shabbos, we will have the distinct honor of having the directors of the newest Houston area Chabad House in The Heights, Rabbi Sholem & Aidele Vigler, who will be running the Chabad House in our absence! Rabbi Shmuly & Geula Gniwisch of Torah Day School will also be joining. Please join them for services, dinner and lunch and give them a warm Uptown reception!
Of all the fast days on the Jewish calendar, only one can ever occur on a Friday, as it does this year: the 10th of Tevet. Mincha includes a special Torah reading and the fast is observed heading into Shabbos, making Kiddush to break the fast. As such, Mincha will be earlier than usual, at 4:50 pm, with candle lighting at 5:09. The fast actually ends at 5:54 pm when the Maariv evening serivce is concluded followed by Kiddush. Please be on time, so the schedule can be followed accordingly!
This fast commemorates the beginning of the siege of Jerusalem which ultimately led to the destruction of the first Holy Temple.
The purpose of a fast day, in addition to being a day of mourning, is to inspire us to repair and correct the reason for the destruction in the first place.
The primary reason for the destruction of the Temple was discord and strife among the Jewish people. To that end, the siege of Jerusalem was actually the beginning of the remedy. By shuttering all entry and exit points of the city, the Babylonians forced its Jewish inhabitants to live with one another, providing them with the opportunity to come together as one. This was G-d’s way of sending a cure before the illness.
While at the time this was not actualized, and the destruction still followed, every year on the 10th of Tevet we are reminded of the need to be united, to come together and bring an end to this 2,000 year exile. This is especially significant this year, as Jewish communities have been coming together in unprecedented ways in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Israel, and in our own cities.
That’s why the fast can be observed on a Friday, even though all other fasts are postponed or the calendar is arranged so it would never occur: Going directly from fasting to the holy day of Shabbat is the most indicative expression of transforming the destruction into an opportunity for growth and redemption. May we indeed experience it this year, with the coming of Moshiach and the ultimate redemption, when all fast days will be transformed into days of joy and celebration!
Good Shabbos!
Rabbi Chaim & Chanie
We extend our condolences to Ady Fisberg Levine and Tanian Fisberg Cannon and family on the passing their father, grandfather and great-grandfather.
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Shabbos Parshas Vayigash
Friday, December 22, Fast of Asara B'Teves
4:50 pm Mincha with Torah Reading - PLEASE BE ON TIME
Shabbos Candle Lighting at 5:09 pm
Fast Ends at 5:54 pm
As fasting on Shabbos is a prohibition, under these circumstances you should make kiddush as soon as possible, even if you are delayed until the "sixth hour" begins.
6:00 pm Shabbos Dinner - Kiddush breaking the Fast
RSVP for Shabbat Dinner www.chabaduptown.org/shabbatdinner
Shabbos, December 23, 11 Teves
Chassidus at 9 am
Services at 10 am
Followed by Shabbos Lunch Kiddush & Farbrengen
Mincha at 5:00 pm
Seder Niggunim
Maariv, Havdalla and Shabbos ends at 6:07 pm
Living Torah
Good Shabbos!