Tzedek, tzedek tirdof, these are the words at the beginning of our Torah portion this week, Shoftim. There are more than a few opinions on how to translate those words, but the core meaning is: justice is very important, and as a Jew, you ought to pursue it. The bookend to this parasha are the laws concerning vengeance-the short-term, emotion-filled side of finding wholeness. On the one hand we begin with the dispassionate value of justice for all and on the other hand we end with the fiery emotion to mete vengeance on those who have done wrong-two sides of what makes a society fair. On the side of vengeance is the feeling that there must be punishment against the wicked, and on the side of justice: wholeness for the afflicted. My favorite medieval Jewish commentator, Avraham Ibn Ezra, says that the meaning of the command to seek justice is to pursue it whether it will end up good or bad for you. Today, we might call Ibn Ezra's definition for justice the same as the definition for … [Read more...]
Judaism’s Cornerstone
There is a significant school of thought among rabbis and scholars that the 'synagogue', the word that encompasses the place where Jews worship, study and gather, has literally been vital to Jewish civilization for (at least) 2,000 years. Even before the destruction of the 2nd Temple in 70 A.D., there is significant evidence that many Jewish communities created a special place to gather in order to communicate ideals, distribute charity, study, and commune with the Divine. In theory any of this can be done anywhere. But the reality is that a designated place is necessary for this type of aspirational discourse to actually happen. Thus, the synagogue (or Shul, or Temple) exists to help us live our ideals. The theology behind the Judaism housed in the synagogue is that we have partnered with God to heal our sick world, to take it from where it is, to where it needs to be. Tikkun Olom. This is the mission of every individual Jew, of every Jewish generation, and of the Jewish people … [Read more...]
Our Spiritual ‘Instinct’
When my eldest son, Mac, was four years old, he was very into everything outer-space: rockets & planets, martians & the moon. One night, as we were reading one of his space books, in mid-sentence he stopped me with some urgency. "Papa, outer space is above the sky?" "Yes," I told him. "But what is above 'outer space'?" "More space," I told him, "and stars, and suns and planets." "Yes," he said getting frustrated, "BUT what is beyond all of that?" What is beyond all of that...? I did not (and still don't) have an answer for him; but this week's parshah gives some insight as to why he felt the need to ask this type of question. It is a need that, some would argue, every person in the world who has ever lived desires to fulfill. Some compare it to bird migration, or the compass needle seeking to find North, or even the ability to love. Torah tells us (Gen 1:27) that man & woman were made B'zelem Elohim, in God's image. Judaism tells us that this refers to our very … [Read more...]
We Have A Narrative
This week's Torah portion is Va'etchanan from the book of Deuteronomy, in which Moses continues his 'swan-song' to the Israelites, his final address before he dies and they continue on with their journey. The idea of a swan-song, the final words one might say to an audience that would hear (and perhaps, listen) is both fascinating, and sobering. Not surprising, a good chunk of what Moses relays to our people is a rehash of their recent history; how we got from 'there' to 'here'. Moses, as is typical with his personality and age, does not pull any proverbial punches. He 'tells it like it is.' Hearing this…truth…is not always easy. There are mistakes that we as a Jewish civilization have made that are painful to recount. Some of the mistakes were unintentional, and some were deliberate but misguided. But what Moses does so well, amid what we might hear as criticism, is to instill a sense of confidence and pride in our people. Yes, there have been lows…but … [Read more...]
Sinat Chinam…Again.
On Saturday night we recognize the destruction of the First and Second Temples, with the holiday of Tisha B'Av, literally the 9th of the month of Av. Often not celebrated by the Reform Movement in decades past, recognizing Tisha B'Av has come to mean that we mourn not only the loss of the unification of the Jewish people in Jerusalem, but also many other dates throughout history in which calamities to the Jewish people occurred: King Edward I's edict, sending the Jews out of England, Expulsion from Spain in 1492, and the start of WWI in 1914. When Israel became a State in 1948, there was talk of stopping the recognition of this holiday, with some believing her statehood meant a restoration of our biblical Holy Land. However, this opinion was in the minority and commemorations continued. On the saddest day of the year, we are called to abstain from activities that bring us joy as we mourn not only destructions of generations, past, but of the suffering that continues in the world … [Read more...]
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