These are the names of the children of Yisrael who went with him to Mitzrayim.

 

Mi/mah/aipho zeh?

Colors!

Numbers review!

service review!

Choref! Wah wah. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nR65JZ-Bcc0

 

      מי זה? מה זה? איפה זה?

            Tulsa, Cleveland, Iron,  Grover Clevland, Pizza,  Shemesh,  Paris, Barak Obama,  Tungsten,  siddur,  Mardi Caminer,  Butter,  Rabbi Dror,    Rock and Roll,  Golda Meir  Sugar,   Shakespeare,  Shanghai,  Tel Aviv,   Choref, Gefen,  Lechem, Panama,  Play Doh,  Torah,  Sofer,  Tokyo,  Etz,   

What’s in a name?  Do you know what your names mean? https://www.names.org/

            Quiz:  the meaning of names:

            Ex. 1 and comments Page

Closing Halacha:  Names you may not use for someone else. 

 

 

1.     Katz-   

a.     Cat person

b.     Corn Merchant

c.     “Koheyn Tzedek” (righteous priest)

d.     Lion

e.     Short for Katzernichtvossonmachter- a person up to no good

 

2.     Fleishman  -

a.     Butcher

b.     Baker

c.     Candlestick Maker

d.     Messenger

e.     Ninja master

 

3.     Zuckerman —

a.     Prominent person

b.     Large/Tall person

c.     Good looking person

d.     Strong person

e.     Dude, it’s German for sugar merchant

 

4.     Haddad-

a.     Praiseworthy (Hebrew hadad)

b.     From town of Haddad in Syria

c.     Blacksmith.

d.     Butcher

e.     Theater Lighting technician

 

5.     Rothman —

a.     Right man

b.     Red head

c.     Reichman- reich- reign of king-  kings man

d.     Son of Rutteh,  son of the south

e.     Son of Ruth-  Ruth’s little man!

 

6.     Drucker

a.     Trucker

b.     Jockey

c.     Rookie

d.     Catcher

e.     A maker of pickles and sauces (Drukim)

 

7.     Gelfand/Helfand —

a.     Elephant  

b.     Glazier (glass worker)

c.     Helper

d.     Gelf,  slang name for Jew

e.     Turtle farmer

 

8.     Bensoussan- 

a.     From shoshana, hebrew for Lily flower.

b.     Son of Shushan,  Persian

c.     Corruption of Son of Husain

d.     Blacksmith

e.     Iranian terms  for an undercover cop posing as a mobster

 

9.     Mandelbaum —

a.     pear tree  

b.     cherry tree  

c.     apple tree  

d.     almond tree

e.     Dude, I’m trapped in a tree

 

10. Schechter:

a.     Scholar

b.     Messenger

c.     Tailor

d.     Butcher

e.     Microbiologist

 

 Tie breaker:  True or False:  Hyatt is Yiddish for hotel. 

 

SEFER SHEMOT – a chunk of chapter one

 Joseph died, and all his brothers, and all that generation.  But Bnei Yisrael were fertile and numerous; they multiplied and increased very greatly, so that the land was filled with them.  A new king arose over Egypt who did not know Joseph.  And he said to his people, “Look, Bnei Yisrael are much too numerous for us.  Let us deal shrewdly with them, so that they may not increase; otherwise in the event of war they may join our enemies in fighting against us and rise from their lower status.

So they set taskmasters over them to oppress them with forced labor; and they built storage cities for Pharaoh—Pit’om and Raamses.  But the more they were oppressed, the more they increased and spread out, so that the [Egyptians] came to dread Bnei Yisrael.  The Egyptians ruthlessly imposed upon Bnei Yisrael  the various labors that they made them perform; they made life bitter for them with harsh labor at mortar and bricks and with all sorts of tasks in the field.  

The king of Egypt spoke to the Ivri midwives, one of whom was named Shif'rah and the other Puah,  saying, “When you deliver the Ivri women, look at the birthstool;  if it is a boy, kill him; if it is a girl, let her live.”  The midwives, fearing God, did not do as the king of Egypt had told them; they let the boys live.  So the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this thing, letting the boys live?”  The midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Ivri women are not like the Egyptian women: they are wild. Before the midwife can come to them, they have given birth.”  And God dealt well with the midwives; and the people multiplied and increased greatly.  And God established houses  for the midwives, because they feared God.  

It was then Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, “Every boy that is born you shall throw into the Nile, but let every girl live.” 

----------------------------------------

·       What do you think it means to “hold God in awe”?

·       Based on this text, do you think Shifra and Pu’ah were Hebrew or Egyptian? Why?

·       Does their affiliation change how you feel or think about the fact that they defied Pharaoh to protect Israelite babies?  If so, how?

 

SHEMOT -- CHAPTER ONE: INTERPRETERS AND COMMENTATORS:

Dr. Everett Fox, Schocken Bible, pg. 259 “Midwives of the Hebrews”: The ambiguity of this phrase raises an ancient question: were they Hebrew or Egyptian? The names seem Semitic (and hence un-Egyptian). Then, too, the use of “Hebrew” in the Bible usually occurs when a foreigner is talking about Israelites. Yet the women’s answer in v.19 suggests that they are in fact Egyptians.

Talmud Bavli (the one written in Babylonia),  Sotah, 11b:

The verse states: “And the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, of whom the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah” (Exodus 1:15). Rav [“The Master”] and Shmuel [“Sammy”]  disagree as to the proper interpretation of this verse. According to Rav, they were a woman and her daughter, the women were Yocheved, the mother of Moses and Aaron, and her daughter, Miriam. And according to  Shmuel, they were a daughter-in-law and her mother-in-law, Yocheved and her daughter-in-law Eli’sheva, the wife of Aaron.

·       As you can see (and as we’ve seen in other parshiyot), Biblical scholars and commentators don’t always agree!  Sometimes, there can be several different interpretations of a single verse or idea, such as the midwives’ identities, without a clear “right” answer.  But wait, there’s more!

Dr. Nachum Sarna, JPS Torah Commentary on Exodus, pg. 7

Shiphrah: The Semitic stem means “to be beautiful.” Puah: It was originally a term for a fragrant blossom….

Dr. Robert Alter, “The Hebrew Bible: A Translation”, pg. 310

 Since the root pa’ah can also mean “to murmur” or “to gurgle,” Rashi inventively suggests it is the sound a nurturing woman makes to soothe an infant.

Shemot Rabbah, (“The Great Midrash” on Shemot) 1:13

She was called Puah because she poured (nopha’at) the newborns wine.

Another interpretation: She was called Shifra because the people of Israel multiplied (paru) at her hand.

Another interpretation: She was called Shifra because her deeds were pleasant (shafru) before God.

Another interpretation: She was called Puah because she appeared (ho’fia) before Pharaoh, stuck up her nose at him, and said, “Woe to you Pharaoh when God punishes you!”

·       Who do you think Shifra and Pu’ah were?   Yocheved and Miriam?  Yocheved and Elisheva?  Egyptian women? Others?  Which interpretation of their names do you like best?

You want out of this parking lot? Okay.

 I'm  not sure I want to eat these on Purim...

 

In Pacific palisades many wear a frown

But at Kehilat Israel, they’re not down

Go north just two blocks

It’s all ash and rocks

But Somehow this shul did not ______  ______

 

 

 

In London,  pro-Palestinians will march to say

They will protest the BBC’s  pro-Israel way

the cops are in shock

 protestors  won’t move one  block

And will protest by a synagogue on ____________

 

 

Ozzy’s story is amazing to tell

Raised by a deaf mom as well

Three brothers, one sister you know

Their names all begin with the letter O

He’s playing hockey in the ______________

 

 

The very first Solomon Shechter school’s  door

Has a new name, displayed on each floor

Now an Orthodox school in Queens

Conservative Jews ask what it means

That none of their kids go there ___________

 

 

It’s become so normal, as if it’s a bore

We’re not paying much attention any more

Israelis and Palestinians, yes

Are still dying in the mess

It’s still ongoing, the Israel-Gaza ___________

https://www.jta.org/2025/01/10/united-states/a-synagogue-that-survived-the-palisades-fire-has-become-a-refuge-for-many-who-lose-their-homes

https://www.jta.org/2025/01/10/global/london-police-ask-upcoming-pro-palestinian-rally-to-move-away-from-synagogue

https://www.jta.org/2025/01/10/sports/jewish-hockey-player-ozzy-wiesblatts-unlikely-journey-to-the-nhl

https://www.timesofisrael.com/north-americas-first-solomon-schechter-conservative-day-school-turns-orthodox/

https://www.timesofisrael.com/idf-announces-4-soldiers-killed-6-wounded-during-fighting-in-northern-gaza/

 

A.     The ban on milk and meat  foods mixed to gether is not only on eating it but selling it

B.     The mikvah, the jewish ritual bath must be filled with hot water.

C.      The kabalat shabbat service goes back 2000 years.

D.     Jews are supposed to say Birkat Hamazon after EVERY time they eat bread.

E.      Shacharit is the name of the morning service because the word for dawn is shachar.

F.      Tefilin are only a must for orthodox jews

G.     techeylet is the color of the crimson wool used in the bible.

H.     The old city of Jerusalem has five quarters.

I.       Shabbat Candles are supposed to be lit at home before sundown.

J.       Challah bread is only 500 years old and was adopted from a special bread for easter.  

K.      Tzitzit are only needed on a garment you pray in.

L.      Beit Din is a Jewish court of three Judges, now only used for conversion

M.    A traditional Jewish wedding contract, or Ketubah, has the vows of the bride and groom translated into Aramaic.

N.     Suri Olives are a new breed created in the state of Israel in 1956

O.     The aleph in a torah scroll is made from three other letters

P.     Jews first lived in China in the 19th century.

Q.     Ethiopian Jews have their own religious leaders, each known as a kes

R.     swordfish is only kosher when it grows scales as an adult

S.      The term Palestine is from an Arab word.

T.      "Losers weepers finders keepers" is actually a law in the Talmud.

U.     Chanukah was originally only seven days in the land of Israel.

V.     You need one rabbi present at a Jewish divorce ritual.

W.   Incense was burned in the Temple on a golden altar.

X.      The teruah on the shofar is three medium length sounds.

Y.      shatneyz is the torah's law forbidding wearing garments with wool blended with cotton.

Z.      The sanhedrin was the name of Jewish courts in the 2nd temple period

AA.  When a person says they are a koheyn, they mean they are descendents of Judaism's priests of long ago

BB.  The ark of the covenant had a heavy lid with two golden angels on it

CC.  There is a special blessing for the fragrance of fruit.

DD. it takes about six years after college to become a rabbi.

EE.   the dead sea in Israel is disappearing.

FF.   the ten plagues all happened within one year.

GG. Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, who was chief rabbi of Israel in the 1980's, had 800,000 people join in his funeral procession.

HH. Goldah Meir was president of the State of Israel.

II.      A Torah scroll can be written on heavy paper.

JJ.     King Saul was the first king of the Jewish people.

KK.  The sixth of the ten commandments is "do not murder."

LL.    The symbol of the tribe of Benjamin was the wolf.

MM.                  The ten commandments are actually called something else in Hebrew

NN. Cooking is forbidden on the sabbath, but warming food up is not.

OO. 2.            Using a bycycle is forbidden on the sabbath.

PP.  3.            The Jewish community in Iraq has a history that goes back 2600 years.

QQ. 4.            The expression "chas ve shalom",  a way of saying god forbid, is about 200 years old.

RR.  5.            If you can sleep in your sukkah, you are supposed to.

SS.   6.            Rabbi Benjy is from Canada

TT.   7.            tefilat haderech is the prayer for when you are traveling.

UU. 8.            The Talmud is no longer relevant to modern Jews.

VV.  9.            Queen Ataliyah was a liberator.  Queen Shlomit Alexandra was a tyrant.

WW.                  10.         Moses spent 40 days and 40 nights on mount sinai -- TWICE.

XX.  11.         Shir hammalot  is the name of 15 psalms in the bible.

YY.   12.         Shavuot is celebrated by most Jews.

ZZ.   13.         There is a different Psalm for each day of the week.

AAA.                  14.         The fourth book of the torah is Bamidbar.

BBB.                   15.         Joshua took over leading the Jewish people after MOses.

CCC.                   16.         at a jewish funeral, everyone is supposed to help with the burial

DDD.                  17.         The Torah says there is a serious puniushment for a person who eats bread on passover

EEE.                    18.         The fast of Gedaliah is the day after Rosh Hashanah

FFF.19.         The maccabees began their rebellion from the Town of Modiin.

GGG.                 20.         Cholent is a special salad made on shabbat.

HHH.                 21.         Leket is the mitzvah of leaving food dropped during harvest behind for the poor.

III.    22.         Chuldah is one of the seven female prophets.

JJJ.   23.         Moses was 80 when he went to tell pharoah "let my people go!"

KKK.                   24.         One only has to say Hamotzi over bread when it is shabbat.

LLL. 25.         an Eruv is a symbolic boundary that allows Jews to carry on shabbat.

MMM.             26.         Hazzan Mizrahi's family is from Greece.

NNN.                 27.         on yom kippur, we don;t wear gold so we don;t remind God about the Golden Calf.

OOO.                 28.         Rambam was both a rabbi, a doctor, and a community leader.

PPP.                   29.         the tribe of Dan had lived the furthest north in ancient Israel.

QQQ.                30.         Mishlei is the book of the bible about the destruction of Jerusalem

RRR.                   31.         Rashi is the most famous of comentators on the Torah.

SSS.32.         There is only one Conservative Yeshiva and it is in Jerusalem.

TTT.                    33.         Anshe Emet used to use an organ and choir for shabbat morning services.

UUU.                 34.         war is always wrong according to the Torah.

VVV.                  35.         the kaddish shalem is a hebrew prayer in the siddur.

WWW.            36.         The torah says jacob wrestled with an angel on the banks of the Yabbok river.

XXX.                   37.         the english word for etrog is citron

YYY.                    38.         It is a mitzvah to return a lost item to its owner.

ZZZ.                    39.         There are two tropes so rare they only appear once in the entire torah.

AAAA.               Rabbi akibah began his studies at age 40. Before then, he  was illiterate.

BBBB.               there is no such thing as a heretic in Judaism.

CCCC.                Rabbi Siegel used to have a beard of redish brown hair.

DDDD.              The aleinu prayer at the end of services used to be said once a year.

EEEE.                 a person with a tattoo can not be buried in a Jewish cemetary

FFFF.                  There are people who can trace their family back to king david

GGGG.             The black hats worn by orthodox Jews goes back to the 1700's in Eastern Eruope

HHHH.              Jews from Yemen pronounce hebrew vowels and consonants differently than everyone else in the Jewish world.

IIII.   non-kosher wine might be clarified with animal fats or blood.

JJJJ. deconstructionist Judaism is one of the newest movements.

KKKK.                the first jews that came to the united states were Sephardic jews,

LLLL.                  at a brit milah, A guest of honor holds the baby in a special chair named for elijah.