Parshat Korach

In this week’s parashah, Korach, God causes the earth to swallow up the rebel Korach and his followers. According to the Torah, the Israelites who witnessed it cried out: “Let the earth not swallow us too!”

Rabbi Moshe of Kubrin explained that what those onlookers were worried about was not a physical threat but a spiritual one. They were afraid of being swallowed up, not by the earth itself, but by earthliness, by a preoccupation with material things.

All week long, emails, phone calls and to-do-lists threaten to overwhelm us, to swallow us up. But every seventh day, Shabbat comes to the rescue. Shabbat restores our balance by reminding us of the deeper values that ultimately make our work worthwhile. It refocuses us on family, community and God. In that way Shabbat prevents the material world from swallowing us.

May this Shabbat, and every Shabbat, help us to remember what truly matters.

• Shabbat services at The New Shul are on Friday evenings from 6 to 7 pm and on Saturday mornings from 9 am to 12 noon. The kiddush this Shabbat, June 21, is sponsored by Gary and Gail Tasky in honor of their birthdays.
• Childcare is available from 10 am to 12 noon on Shabbat mornings.
• Minyanim during the week are on Sunday mornings at 9:30 am and Wednesday mornings at 7 am.
• Join us at The New Shul for an Israeli folk dance workshop on Thursday night June 26 at 7:30 pm. There is no charge, and all are welcome.
• The New Shul is collecting food donations for “Just Three Things,” to help young adults who have aged out of the foster care system. Please bring packaged items that are either ready-to-eat or require only microwave preparation. Contact usto arrange a drop-off time.
• Please note that this will be the last e-bulletin until August. Services at The New Shul will continue throughout the summer as always.