Times: Shabbat starts on Friday at 4:50 pm and ends on Saturday night at 5:51 pm. The weekly Torah portion is Shlach and Shabbat Mevarchim Tammuz. Rosh Chodesh is on Friday.

Mincha in the CBD: Mincha is in recess because of the lockdown; hope to be able to try again after the long weekend. The Thursday mincha at L1 28/101 Collins is also in recess. Join the the WhatsApp group to stay across the details.

Study: The Weekly Shiur continues on Wednesday at 1:10pm (note new time)via zoom. BYO lunch. We will switch to combined zoom/in-person based on demand. Details here.

Thought of the Week with thanks to Rafi Goodman.  In this week’s Torah reading, we are dismayed by the spies’ slander against what they observed in the Holy Land of Israel. How can such leaders talk such slander and sin against G-d and his plans for the Jewish people?

Chassidis sources explain that the spies’ sin was their desire to remain in the holy environment of the desert – surrounded by the Clouds of Glory, being fed Manna, Miriam’s well with water supply, and being taught Torah by Moshe and Aaron. Upon entering the land, all this would vanish, and they preferred to keep the former rather than face the challenges of maintaining spiritual consciousness while working for their livelihood in the Land of Israel.
Their mistake was that G-d appreciates what we accomplish in adversity more than in a protected spiritual environment.

There are always opportunities for one to enter a Shul/Yeshivah and enjoy a protected holy environment, but G-d did not intend for us to remain forever in this environment. He wants us to venture into the outside world in order to refine and elevate it, transforming it into a true home for G-d.