Welcome to Adas Yeshurun Herzlia, Winnipeg’s only Modern Orthodox synagogue. We offer traditional services, interesting classes, and programs for every age. It is a place where everyone is welcome regardless if you are Ashkenazi or Sephardic, observant or not so observant. We invite you to join our welcoming and caring Jewish community where you’ll feel right at home.
Weekly Dvar Torah
Shoftim: Is there only one way to serve G-d?
Parshat Shoftim has what could be one of the most important verses in the Torah.
You must be wholehearted (Tamim) in your service of the Lord your God
(Devarim 18:13)
What exactly does “serving G-d wholeheartedly” mean? This was the subject of much discussion. According to the Ibn Ezra it means serving G-d without question. The term was used to describe Avraham’s service of G-d when at ninety-nine years old he was commanded to perform a Brit Milah. The Ibn Ezra says, “Do not question the reason for Brit Milah” (Ibn Ezra Beresheet 17:1). According to the Ibn Ezra we serve G-d not through intellectual inquiry, but through simplicity of thought.
Maimonides disagrees and explains the total opposite. To serve G-d wholeheartedly can only be accomplished through intellectual pursuit. To Maimonides the more one studies, the closer they can become to G-d. In the Laws of the Foundations of Torah, Maimonides explains that the goal of the Torah is “To know” (לידע) that there is a G-d.
There is yet a third position of Nachmanides, who takes a middle of the road position balancing the opinions of the Ibn Ezra and Maimonides. Our service of G-d begins with intellectual curiosity. We question, we study, we understand, but then at some point we also let go. We try to understand the purpose of Mitzvot as much as we can but when we get to those Mitzvot (like shaatnez) that we cannot understand then we let go and trust wholeheartedly in Hashem.
Which one of these approaches is the correct one? The answer is none of them. For some people the approach of the Ibn Ezra is best, for others the approach of Maimonides is best, and for others the approach of Nachmanides is the best. More than that for any given individual it could be there are times where each of the approaches is appropriate.
The message is a valuable one. There is no one way to serve G-d. Chazal said there are seventy faces to the Torah. When we internalize this message, we learn to respect each other. We value what each approach has to offer. We learn to respect adherents to an approach that may not be ours.
Wishing you all
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Yosef Benarroch
Adas Yeshurun Herzlia
Prayer Services
Shabbat Shoftim
1 Elul 5786 – 7 Elul 5786
August 14, 2026 – August 20, 2026
| Friday | Saturday | |||
| Shacharit | 7:30 AM | Shacharit | 9:30 AM | |
| Candle lighting | 7:17-8:30 PM | Latest Shema | 9:55 AM | |
| Mincha & Kabbalat Shabbat | 7:00 PM | Mincha | 7:00 PM | |
| Havdala | 9:29 PM | |||
| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | |
| Shacharit | 9:00 AM | 7:30 AM | 7:30 AM | 7:30 AM | 7:30 AM |
| Mincha and Maariv | 7:00 PM | 7:00 PM | 7:00 PM | 7:00 PM | 7:00 PM |
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Address: 620 Brock St, Winnipeg, MB R3N 0Z4 , Canada
Phone: (204) 489-6262
Email: reception@adasyeshurun.ca