Shabbat Shalom, Shabbat Shekalim Sameach, and Chodesh Tov!

[admin]

BS"D

30 Adar Aleph, 5768

The Staff of The JTF Forum wishes everyone a Chodesh Tov for The Month of Adar Bet! May we all increase in simcha (joy).

Today is the 30th day of Adar Aleph. A regular Adar only has 29 days, but since this is a leap year, the first Adar has an extra day at the end.

Rosh Chodesh is Friday and Shabbat. Friday Morning there is one Torah reading for Rosh Chodesh and the special Rosh Chodesh Musaf. Shabbat Morning, there are 3 Torahs. Usually Shabbat Rosh Chodesh has only 2 Torahs, but because this is Rosh Chodesh Adar, there is a third Torah for the special Maftir about the commandment to give half a shekel for tzedakah (charity), to be used for The Temple. This special reading is always the Shabbat before Rosh Chodesh Adar or on Rosh Chodesh Adar if it falls on Shabbat, like this year. The first 6 aliyot are from Parashat Pekudei, the last parasha in Exodus. The seventh aliyah is the musaf offering for Shabbat and Rosh Chodesh (Numbers 28:9-15). This is read from the second Torah. The Maftir is then read from the third Torah. There is then the special Haftarah for Shabbat Shekalim. The Musaf Amidah is a special one. It is only read when it is both Shabbat and Rosh Chodesh. It differs from a regular Shabbat Musaf and is also different from the regular Rosh Chodesh Musaf. It is very similar in form to when Yom Tov falls out on Shabbat. It talks about how we were exiled from our Land and we can't bring our offerings as required. The bracha "Mekadesh HaShabbat VeYisrael VeRoshei Chodeshim" is the conclusion to the special part.).

We commemorate the giving of the half shekel by giving half of the local currency. So we give half dollars in The United States. 3 are put together so the weight is that of half a sacred shekel. Shekel is related to the Hebrew word for scale and is a unit of weight just like the English pound is both a unit of weight and a monetary currency.

Yacov Menashe Ben Rachamim,
Chief Administrator.

[shimon]

its really unfortunate how in adar the month of happines, this year we have to mourn the lives of those lost in the yeshiva attack. it wont be a happy purim for the families of the victims and it will even be hard for me to enjoy purim as i always do

[shimon]

its really unfortunate how in adar the month of happines, this year we have to mourn the lives of those lost in the yeshiva attack. it wont be a happy purim for the families of the victims and it will even be hard for me to enjoy purim as i always do

On Purim 14 years ago, The Amalekites were killed before they could slaughter The Jewish Community of Hebron.

yeah i was very little when that happened. what was it like even though you were probably only 11 years old

[Eliezer Ben Avraham]

Mshenichnas adar marbim bsimchah!
(sorry about the transliteration)

[Vito]

Does this mean the forum will be closed for more than just Shabbat?

[Vito]

Oops, just read the opening time..