Welcome to Shabbat at Shomrei Torah

THE SHABBAT MANIFESTO

Take a break. Call a timeout. Find some balance. Recharge.
visit www.sabbathmanifesto.org

• Avoid technology
• Connect with loved ones
• Nurture your health
• Get outside
• Avoid commerce

• Light candles
• Drink wine
• Eat bread
• Find silence
• Give back

Lending Library Test Gets Underway

We are starting an experimental program making part of the library circulating. Initially, this will be for a period of six months to see whether it can work without a significant loss of books.

Books that can circulate will be those marked with a green dot on the label adhered to the spine. Books with a red dot and those without a label will remain non-circulating. Basically, all the books will be available, except reference books and books relating to Torah study.

Circulation will be limited to members who are at least 18 years of age. Those younger may have parents take out books for them. Anyone taking out a book should fill out one of the 3x5 cards which will be found in the Kolbo room on the bottom shelf of bookcase number 4. Please put the card in the box labeled �library,� which will be on the information table in the lobby. A book may be taken out for a period of two weeks, and the period may be renewed provided no one else has placed a hold on it. When the book is returned, it should be put into the �library� box on the information table. It should not be returned to the library. To place a hold on a book that has been checked out, please contact Manny Nestle, preferably by email at [email protected], or you may phone at 538-2981.

To determine whether the library has a particular book, you may check on the website, which will have spread sheets listing books by author, by title, and by category number. (The number listing is useful if you wish to browse through the books in the library by category�a listing of categories will precede the category number spread sheet.) The spread sheets will also be placed in a binder in the bottom shelf of bookcase number 4, together with a list of categories and the bookcase and shelf for each category. Please do not phone the office to ask whether a particular book is in the library.

When using the library, if you remove a book from the shelf, please make certain that you return it to its proper place. This should not be too difficult. The easiest way is to insert a sheet of paper in the book�s slot. Colored card stock for this purpose will be found on the bottom shelf of bookcase number 4. Please be sure that the letters on the book label match the section you are returning it to. Second, be sure that the number on the label lies between the numbers of the books on either side of the place you are considering returning it to. This is very important because a book that is misplaced is essentially �lost��a person looking for it may not easily find it. If you have some difficulty with this or if you are in a hurry, please just place the book on the bottom shelf of bookcase number 4.

�Manny Nestle

Ask Rabbi George

email your question to [email protected]

Does one sit or stand for the recitation of the Shema?

The question of whether one should stand or sit while reciting the Shema is as old as the Talmud. There you will find in Tractate Brachot 1:3 a debate between the two great sages Hillel and Shammai. Shammai argues that one should recline when one says the Shema in the evening and stand while one says the Shema in the morning. Why? Because right after "Shema" we have, "And you shall love Adonai your God with all your heart all your soul and all your might...these words...shall be upon your heart, you shall teach them diligently to your children, you shall speak of them when you sit in your house and when you walk on your way...when you lie down and when you rise up." (See Duet 6:1-9 for the complete passage).

Shammai takes the words "reclining" and "rising" in a very literal sense, and taught that the evening Shema should be recited lying down and the morning Shema should be recited standing up. In contrast, Hillel argues that you should say the Shema in the "way" you are when the time comes for its recitation. In other words, if you are sitting when the Shema is to be recited, you should stay seated, if your are standing, you should remain standing. Hillel's argument is also based on the Biblical text but he takes a more creative approach. He notes that the word for "way" (derekh) in Hebrew has two meanings - road/path or approach/position, as in 'a way of doing something'. Thus, he argues that one should remain in the 'way' you are when the time arrives for reciting the Shema so as not to be distracted by changing ones position.

In general, the Talmud follows Hillel over Shammai so in more traditional synagogues (Orthodox & Conservative), one always sits for the Shema (except for the Torah service since folks are already standing). Reform congregations do different things, but most stand, not out of deference to Shammai but rather to emphasize the importance of the Shema. This calls back to the early history of the Reform movement and its emphasis on Ethical Monotheism as the essence of Judaism.