Shabbos Parshas Matos

B"H

The name "Midian" comes from the root "madon," meaning quarrel and strife. Midian symbolizes contention and unwarranted hatred. Therefore, the war against Midian is truly "the vengeance of G-d." For, there is nothing as opposed to G-d as dissension and needless hatred.

(Sefer HaMaamarim)

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Please be advised that Lubavitch House cannot be responsible for the safety of your valuables.  Please do not bring large amounts of money or expensive jewelry to Lubavitch House.

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Thank you to Reb Shea Bassewitz and the Meegan Family for co-sponsoring the Kiddush last Shabbos.

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Thank you to everyone who has donated toward the purchase of a new refrigerator.  It is very touching to see how many people want to give back to Lubavitch House.

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We are sorry if the temperature in the building is not always comfortable for everyone all the time.  You might want to consider bringing a sweater with you.

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If you have not already, please send me the dates of your birthday and those of your family.

Please check out our blog:  http://lubavitchhouse--westspaul.blogspot.com/

ב"ה

Parshas Matos

Shabbos Night

Shabbos Candle lighting:            8:31 pm

Kabolas Shabbos/Maariv:           8:31 pm

Shabbos Dinner:                            9:30 pm

Shabbos Day

Shacharis:                                  10:00 am

Kiddush Lunch:                           1:00 pm

Mincha:                                         8:30 pm

Maariv:                                             9:43 pm

Havdala:                                       after Maariv

What's In A Name

REUEL means "friend of G-d." Reuel was another name for Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, who joined the Jewish people during the their journey in the desert. (Exodus 2:18)

RUTH is from the Syrian and Hebrew meaning "friendship." In the Book of Ruth, Ruth was a Moabitess who married the son of Naomi when they lived in Moab. When Naomi's sons and husband died, Ruth returned with Naomi to Israel and said the famous words, "Wherever you go, I will go. Your people will be my people." Ruth, a righteous convert to Judaism, was an ancestress of King David, and, therefore, Moshiach.

Priorities and Price Tags

By Yossy Goldman

Is it the money or the man, the cash or the kids? Of course, no one would ever admit to putting money ahead of their children; but is it not an all too common phenomenon? Aren't most parents, even good parents, guilty of making that mistake now and then?

In this week's Parshah the Jewish People are preparing for the conquest of Canaan and the allotment of the Promised Land amongst the twelve tribes of Israel, when the tribes of Reuben and Gad make a special request of Moses.

They had abundant herds of livestock and the land east of the Jordan River was especially suitable for grazing. They asked Moses if they could receive this land rather than land west of the Jordan. In making this request they expressed themselves thus: "Pens for the flock we shall build here for our livestock, and cities for our small children."

Immediately, Moses chastises them and corrects their mistake. "Build for yourselves cities for your small children and pens for your flock." Moses turns around their sequence, putting the children ahead of the animals.

Rashi observes that these tribes were more concerned about their money, i.e. livestock, than they were about their sons and daughters. Moses needed to give them a lesson in values and priorities. Put family first. Possessions come later.

The veteran American spiritual leader, Rabbi David Hollander, once told me the story of a fellow who somehow managed to get himself locked in inside a big department store after they closed up for the day. To compound the problem, it was over a holiday weekend. When all his attempts to get out proved futile, he decided to give vent to his frustrations by taking revenge on the store management. He spent the time of his incarceration swapping price tags on the merchandise. The result? A mink coat was now priced at $29.99, a necktie at $999.00. Furniture was going for the price of peanuts, the latest hi-fi for a song, and a set of underwear was absolutely unaffordable! Imagine the chaos when the store reopened.

The question is, are our own price tags correctly marked? Do we value the things in our own lives correctly? Are our priorities in order? Or do we too put the cattle and the sheep -- the car and the office -- ahead of our children?

How many workaholic husbands have told their wives, "Honey, I'm doing it all for you and the kids." But the businesses we are busy building for them actually take us away from them in the most important and formative years of their lives. Rightly has it been said, "the best thing you can spend on your kids is not money but time."

I've seen many people become "successes" over the years. They achieve professional success, career success, business success, growing their fame and fortunes. Too many in the process have become family failures. At the end of the day, our deepest satisfaction in life comes not from our professional achievements but from our family -- the growth, stability and togetherness that we have nurtured over the years -- what our Jewish parents and grandparents simply called nachas.

To paraphrase the sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, "Jewish wealth is not measured in property portfolios or stocks and bonds; true Jewish wealth is being blessed with children who walk in the ways of G-d." For that, we need to be there for them and with them.

A congregant of mine once walked up to me and proclaimed, "Rabbi, I am a millionaire!" I knew the man to be of modest financial means but he immediately explained, "I'm a millionaire in nachas!"

Amen. I wish it upon all of us.

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If you need a place to stay for Shabbos,
please call Rabbi Mendel Feller or
Mrs. Nechama Dina Feller,
651-457-6778 for arrangements.