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Bar Mitzvah of Gabriel Lipof28th May 2008 | 23rd Iyyar 5768

Numbers 1:1-19

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Service:Jerusalem’s Old CityDavidson’s Archeological Research CenterUnder Robinson’s Arch

LEADER:Rabbi David Wilfond

HONORS:Talit Blessing Paul Lipof

Hinei Mah Tov Guy Lipof

Psalm 150 Susie Wilson

Veahavta Guy Lipof and Susie Wilson

Avot V’Imahot Paul Lipof And Fred McCarthy

Gevurot Yael Lipof and Leora McCarthy

Torah Lifting Eran Lipof

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Hinei Mah Tov umah Naim Shevet Achim gam Yachad!How good and pleasant when people live together in unity!

We turn our thoughts to the land of Israel, the cradle of our faith, aland hallowed by memories of kings and prophets, of poets and sages. In all theages of our history and in all the lands of our dispersion, we haveremembered it with love and longing, saying with the Psalmist:

"If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand wither. Let my tongue cleave tothe roof of my mouth if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem abovemy highest joy."

We celebrate the rebirth of Israel in its ancient land. We recall withgratitude the devotion of it's builders and the valor of it's defenders. We givethanks that we have been permitted to witness this great event and to beparticipants in this modern miracle.

Ma tovu ohalecha yaakov mishkenotecha, yisraeil!How lovely are your tents, O Jacob, your dwelling places O Israel!

Psalm 126When God returned us to Zion from exile we felt as if in a dream. Then ourmouths were filled with laughter and our tongues with song. The nations sawand said: "What great things God has done for them!" Indeed, God has donegreat things for us! How we rejoiced! God, bring back those who cannotreturn, like streams in the Negev; that those who sow in tears may reap in joy.The farmer wants to weep when he buries the precious seed but singing he comesback with his arms filled with grain.

These are the obligations without measure, whose reward, too, is withoutmeasure: to honor father and mother; to perform acts of love and kindness;to attend the house of study daily; to welcome the stranger; to visit the sick; torejoice with bride and groom; to console the bereaved; to pray with sincerity;to make peace when there is strife.

And the study of Torah is equal to them all, because it leads to them all.

Talmud: Shabbat 127aPsalm 150Halleluyah. Praise God in the sanctuary;praise the One whose power the heavens proclaim.Praise God for might acts.Praise God with sound of the shofar;praise God with the lyre and the harp.Praise God with drum and dance;praise God with stringed instrument and flute.Praise God with resounding of cymbals;praise God with blasting of cymbals. Let every breathpraise God; Halleluyah.

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Shema yisraeil: Adonai eloheinu, Adonai echad!Hear, O Israel: Adonai is our God, Adonai is one.

Baruch sheim kevod malchuto leolam vaed!Praised be God's name, God's glorious rule is forever and ever.

Veahavta eit Adonai elohecha bechol levavcha, uvechol nafshecha, uvecholmeodecha. Vehayu hadevarim haeileh, asher anochi metsavecha hayom, allevavecha. Veshinantam levanecha, vedibarta bam beshivtecha beveitechauvelechtecha vaderech, uveshochbecha uvekumecha. Ukeshartam leot alyadecha. Vehayu letotafot bein einecha. Uchetavtam al mezuzot beittechauvisharecha.And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all yoursoul, and with all your might. And all these words which I command you onthis day shall be upon your heart. And you shall teach them diligently untoyour children. And you shall speak of them when you sittest in your house,when you walkest by the way, and when you liest down, and when you risestup. And you shall bind them for a sign upon your hand. And they shall be forfrontlets between your eyes. And you shall write them on the doorposts ofyour house and upon your gates. That you may remember and do all of mycommandments, and be holy unto your God.

Mi chamocha baeilim, Adonai? Mi kamocha, nedar bakodesh,nora tehilot, osei feleh?Who is like you, Adonai, among the Gods that are worshipped?Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in splendor, doing wonders?

Adonai sifatai tiftach ufi yagid tehilatecha.Adonai, open my lips that my mouth may declare your praise.

Psalm 51

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Avot v’Imahot: Baruch ata Adonai, eloheinu vellohei avoteinu veimoteinu.Elohei avraham elohei yitzchak, veelohei yaakov. Elohei sarah, eloheirivchah, elohei leah, veelohei rachel. Haeil hagadol, hagibor vehanora, Eilelyon, gomeil chasadim tovim, vekonei hakol, vezocheir chasedei avot veimot,umeivi geulah livenei veneihem, lemaan shemo, beahava. Melech ozeirumoshia umagein. Baruch ata, Adonai, magein avraham veezrat sarah.Blessed are you, our God, and God or our fathers and mothers, God ofAbraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob, God of Sarah, God of Rebecca, God of Leah,and God of Rachel. Great, mighty and awesome God, God supreme. You bestowgood, kind deeds, possess everything, and remember the kind deeds of ourfathers and mothers. With love, you bring redemption totheir descendents for the sake of your name. You are our ruler, helper,savior and shield. Blessed are you, shield of Abraham and help of Sarah.

Gevurot: Ata gibor leolam, Adonai, mechayei hakol ata, rav lehoshia.Mechalkeil chayim bechesed, mechayei hakol berachamim rabim, someichnoflim, verofei cholim, umatir asurim, umekaueim emunato lisheinei afar.Mi chamocha, baal gevurot, umi domeh lach, melechn meimit umechayehumatsmiach yeshua? Veneeman ata lehachayot hakol. Baruch ata, Adonai,mechayei hakol.You are the eternal power, renewing life. Great is your power to save. Yousustain the living with loving kindness; You give life to all with greatcompassion. You support those who fall, heal the sick, release the captives, andkeep faith with those that sleep in the dust. Who is like you? Who is similar toyou, O God, in whose hands are death and life, and who causes salvation tospring forth? Blessed is Adonai, the source of life.

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Kedushah:Nekadesh et shimcha baolam, kesheim shemakdishim oto bishmei marom,kakatuv al yad neviecha: vekarah zeh elzeh veamar.We sanctify your name on earth, even as all things, to the ends of time andspace, proclaim your holiness; and in the words of the prophet we say:

Kadosh, kadosh, kadosh Adonai tsevaot, melo chol haarets kevodo.Holy, holy, holy is the God of hosts; the fullness of the whole earth is yourglory!

Adir adireinu Adonai adoneinu mah adir shimcha bechol ha-arets!Source of our strength, sovereign, how majestic is your presence in all theearth!

Baruch kevod Adonai mimekomo.Blessed is the glory of God in heaven and earth.

Echad hu eloheinu hu avinu hu malkeinu hu moshieinu vehu yashmieinuberachamav le-eini kol chai:You alone are our God and our creator; you are our ruler and our helper;and in your mercy you reveal yourself in the sight of all the living:

Ani Adonai Elochechem. Yimloch Adonai leolam, elohayich tsiyon, ledorvador. Haleluyah!I am Adonai your God. The eternal shall reign forever; your God, O Zion,from generation to generation. Halleluyah!

Ledor vedor nagid godlecha, uleneitsach netsachim kedushatcha nakdish.Veshivchacha eloheinu, mipinu lo yamush leolam vaed.To all generations we will make known your greatness, and to all eternityproclaim your holiness. Your praise, O God, shall never depart from our lips.

Baruch ata, Adonai, haeil hakadosh.Blessed is the eternal, the holy God

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Blessings Before the Torah Reading

Bar'chu et Adonai Ham'vorach.Bless the holy one of blessing.

Baruch Adonai ham'vorach l'olam va-edBless the holy one forever blessing.

Baruch ata Adonai Eloheinu melech ha-olam, asher bachar banu mikol ha-amim, v'natan lanu et torato. Baruch ata Adonai, notein ha-TorahHoly one of blessing. Your presence fills creation. You called us from all thepeoples and gave us your Torah. Holy one of blessing, You give us Torah.

Reading of the Torah

See next page for Torah Portion Readings.

Blessing Following the Torah Reading

Baruch ata Adonai Eloheinu melech ha-olam, asher natan lanu Torat emet,V'chaiei olam nata' betocheinu. Baruch ata Adonai, notein ha-TorahHoly one of blessing, your presence fills creation. You gave us the Torah oftruth and planted within us eternal life. Holy one of blessing, you give usTorah.

V'zot hatorah asher sam moshe lifnei b'nei yisrael al pi Adonai b'yad moshe.This is the Torah which Moses placed before the children of Israel, inaccordance with God's command through Moses.

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Numbers/ Be-MIdbar 1:1 – 1:19

1On the first day of the second month, in the second year following theexodus from the land of Egypt, the Lord spoke to Moses in the wildernessof Sinai, in the tent of Meeting, saying: 2Take a census of the wholeIsraelite community by the clans of its ancestral houses, listing thenames, every male, head by head. 3You and Aaron shall record them bytheir groups, from the age of twenty years up, all those in Israel whoare able to bear arms. 4Associated with you shall be a man from eachtribe, each one the head of his ancestral house.

5These are the names of the men who shall assist you: From Reuben, Elizurson of Shedeur. 6From Simeon, Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai. 7FromJudah, Nahshon son of Amminadab. 8From Issachar, Nethanel son ofZuar. 9From Zebulun, Eliab son of Helon. 10From the sons of Joseph: fromEphraim, Elishama son of Ammihud; from Manasseh, Gamaliel son ofPedahzur. 11From Benjamin, Abidan son of Gideoni. 12From Dan, Ahiezerson of Ammishaddai. 13From Asher, Pagiel son Ochran. 14From Gad,Eliasaph son of Deuel. 15From Naphtali, Ahira son of Enan. 16Those are theelected of the assembly, the chieftans of their ancestral tribes: they arethe heads of the contingents of Israel.

17So Moses and Aaron took those men, who were designated by name, 18andon the first day of the second month they convoked the wholecommunity, who were registered by the clans of their ancestral houses-the names of those age twenty years and over being listed head by head.19As the lord had commanded Moses, so he recorded them in thewilderness of Sinai.

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Gabriel’s Speech

My Torah portion is the first part from the book of Numbers, also known as‘Bamidbar’ or ‘in the wilderness’. It takes place after our exciting departurefrom Egypt, and G-d giving us the laws, known as Leviticus. The Laws tell uswhat to do and what will happen if we disobey them. Leviticus is probably oneof the more interesting parts of the Torah.

Then comes Numbers, which to say the least is far from exciting. In this book,G-d tells Moses to take a census of how many Israelites can bear arms. A censusis not very exciting, but organizing one is even less, and that’s my portion. G-dtells Moses who shall take the census. Nothing happens, except G-d listing namesand Moses being very patient. He not only has to listen, but he has to remembereveryone’s name, and their father’s (literally).

This sounds familiar, like life at home. Sometimes I should listen more likeMoses. I could even be a bit more patient. But that is not enough. I feel becominga Bar Mitzvah, I need to rise to the occasion and show leadership. Becoming aBar Mitzvah is not just about reading your portion and getting presents. It isabout learning to take responsibility for your actions and helping thosearound you. It is about becoming an adult and learning to treat others withrespect.

PARENT’S Blessing

(Susie) Gabriel, In the sense of the letters,God’s Angel Born Raised In Earthly Love.

I remember how gracefully you slept.I remember how healthy you were.A boy who would have strength,But a loyalty of spirit to the ways of G-d,Like the Angel, whose name you‘ve been given.

So, Gabriel I ask that G-d give youThe strength to flyThe Heart to FeelThe grace to help othersThe survival from failuresAnd most of all, the understanding of the meaning of life

(Guy) Gabriel, thirteen years ago, your entry into this world was our adulttransition to being parents. We felt like Moses and the Israelite tribes, tryingto navigate the wilderness of life. We made good and bad decisions and weachieved many successes. Throughout the adventure, family and friends werethere to help guide and encourage us. Today, as you transition to being anadult member of the Jewish Community, we are all here for you.

You are a good and loving person and we enjoy seeing you share similarsupport and love for others. We love you and wish you success along the pathof life.

Mazel Tov!

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Aleinu leshabeiach laadon hakol, lateit gedulah leyotseir bereishit, sheloasanu kegoyei haaratsot, velo samanu kemishpechot haadamah; shelo samchelkeinu kahem, vegoraleinu kechol hamonam. Vaanachnu koreimumishtachavim umodim lifenei melech malechei hamelachim, hakadoshbaruch hu. Shehu noteh shamayim veyosed arets. Umoshav yekarohbashamayim mimaal, ushechinat uzo begavhei meromim. Hu eloheinu, ein od.Emet malkeinu efes zulato kakatuv betorato veyadata hayomvehashevota el levavecha, ki Adonai hu haelohim bashamayim mimaal vealhaarets mitahat, ein od. Veneemar Vehaya Adonailemelech al kol haarets; bayom hahu yiheyeh Adonai echad ushemo echad.

Let us adore the everliving God and render praise unto the one who spreadout the heavens and established the earth, whose glory is revealed in theheavens above and whose greatness is manifest throughout the world. OurGod is one; there is none else. We bow our heads in reverence and worship theholy one, praised be our God.

(Please be seated)

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Mourner's Kaddish

Yitgadal veyitkadash shemei raba bealma divera chireutei, veyamlichmalchutei bechayeichon uveyomeichon uvechayei decholbeit yisraeil, baagala uvizeman kariv, veimeru: amein.

Yehei shemei raba mevarach lealam uloalmei almaya.

Yitbarach veyishtabach, veyitpaar veyitromam veyitnasei, veyithadarveyitaleh veyithalal shemei dekudesha, berich hu, leeila min kol birechataveshirata, tushbechata, venechemata, daamiran bealma, veimeru, amein.

Yehei shelama raba min shemaya vechayim aleinu veal kol yisraeil, veimeru:amein.

Oseh shalom bimeromav hu yaaseh shalom aleinu veal kol yisraeil, veimeru:amein.We sanctify your name on earth, as we pray for the coming of your kingdomin our own day, our own lives, and the life of all Israel. Let your great namebe blessed for ever and ever. Let your name be exalted and honored, thoughyou are beyond all the praises we can utter, all the songs we can ever sing.For us, for all Israel, for all men and women, may the blessingof peace and the promise of life come true. May the one who causes peace toreign in the heavens let that peace descend on us, on all Israel, and all theworld, and let us amen.

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HaTikvah

Kol od baleivav p'nimahNefesh y'hudi homiyahUlfa'atei mizrach kadimahAyin l'tziyon tzofiyahOd lo avdah tikvateinuHatikvah bat sh'not alpayimLihyot am chofshi b'artzeinuEretz tziyon virushalayim

As long as a Jewish heart still beats;And as long as Jewish eyes look eastwards,then our hope is not lost.The hope of two thousand years,To be a free nation in our own land,The land of Zion and Jerusalem.

Mazel Tov!