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Happy end of financial year! Shabbat starts on Friday at 4.52pm and ends on Saturday at 5.55pm. The weekly Torah portion is Chukat-Balak. Fast of Shiva Assar b’Tammuz is on Thursday July 6, fast begins at 6:13am and ends at 5:49pm.
Mincha continues at Ainsworth Property – 7/459 Collins St (North Tower), at 1.00pm and we use the WhatsApp group to confirm numbers.
The weekly lunch & shiur continues on Wed at 1.10pm at A-P 7/459 Collins – and via zoom, followed by mincha. Current topic: default lease notice terms and rules for eviction. Details here and on the WhatsApp group.
Thought of the Week with thanks to Yudi New.
The Jews in the desert lived a miraculous existence. They ate heavenly bread, drew water from a travelling well and were protected by the Clouds of Glory.
Our Rabbis teach that these clouds were maintained in Aron the High Priest’s honour. In this week’s portion, the clouds depart (albeit temporally) following Aron’s death. Sensing vulnerability, the Canaanites immediately launched an attacked on the Jewish Camp.
What is the connection between clouds, Aron and protection from physical harm?
The holy Reb Yisrael of Rhuzyn explains that the Clouds of Glory represent a spiritual protective forcefield created through love and connection. Conversely, rupture causes these protective clouds to scatter, leaving the community vulnerable to external forces.
Aron was the master peace maker, dedicated to promoting harmony. Observing Aron pursue peace, the community was inspired to follow and remained protected. Alas, upon Aron’s death and missing an exemplar for living with love, concern and connection, the people could no longer maintain the intensity of their harmony and immediately became vulnerable to attack.
The Rhuzyner gives us a whole new take on the Clouds of Glory and one that is certainly thought provoking in terms of our ability to achieve physical protection through love, respect and harmony. As we approach our national period of mourning for the destruction of the Temple, I bless us all that we can collectively recreate the unity of Aron’s Clouds of Glory.
Shabbat Shalom