Holy Energy of the World, I ask that you spread a sukkat shalom, a shelter of peace over those tasked with the accurate, safe, and honest counting of our citizens’ ballots. God of the anxious and the weary, provide a calming presence to those glued to their phones, computer screens, and televisions as they continually hit refresh. Guide them on a path toward screen breaks and fresh air. God of the timid and the afraid, may our streets be protected from violence, outrage, and a lashing out against the other. May storefronts, homes, and buildings be protected from damage and harm. God of the quiet voice within, may the citizens of this country find the courage to fight for justice for their neighbors each and every day. God of strength and goodness, once the election is decided, may we each move forward, placing one foot in front of the other, extending a hand to those who have fallen, and continuing to lift up those in need. May we all engage in the necessary work to heal our divisions, … [Read more...]
Rabbi, What’s Jewish About Voting?
In short, everything. In Pirkei Avot, the sage Hillel says “al tifros min hatzibur”—do not separate yourself from the community. For the past 300 years, wherever Jews have lived freely, we have engaged deeply in the proper stewardship of the public. The desire to serve others for the benefit of all comes directly from our sacred texts like the passage from Hillel above. Later, in the Talmud, Rabbi Yitzḥak teaches, “A ruler is not to be appointed unless the community is first consulted.” Now, we shouldn’t read this as the clear predecessor of our modern democracy, BUT it is an endorsement that the leadership and the everyday citizens must work together. Even the prophet Jeremiah, who often speaks of doom and gloom, shared these words from God when the Israelites were exiled by the Babylonians, “seek the welfare of the city to which I have exiled you and pray to God on its behalf; for in its prosperity you shall prosper.” Wherever the Jewish community is found, in Eretz Yisrael, the Land … [Read more...]
Turn it Again
Our Rabbinic Sage with the funniest name, Ben Bag Bag, used to say, “Turn it, and turn it, for everything is therein.”* Meaning, “Study the Torah, then study it again, because we always have something to learn from the text.” Friends, it is that exciting time of year! We have warmed up our muscles and taken the twenty minutes to roll our Torah scroll all the way from the end of Deuteronomy back to the beginning of Genesis. We have literally turned the scroll, turned the scroll, and turned it again so that we can start anew. Whether you’re a Torah study regular, you pop in and out, or you’ve never been before, the beginning is the PERFECT time to hop on in! We’re a judgment free group open to all levels of learners interested in expanding their Jewish knowledge. There’s a prayer we have the chance to say every morning, Eilu D’varim, which goes like this: These are the things that are limitless, Of which a person enjoys the fruit of the world, while the principal remains in the world to … [Read more...]
Be Kind, Rewind—Let’s Start at the Very Beginning!
Be Kind and Rewind—a phrase that will make less sense the further and further we get from the days of cassettes tapes and VHS, except when it comes to Torah! In the very digital age in which we live, we still wind and rewind the Torah the same way as our ancestors have done for thousands of years. Just as we watch and rewatch our favorite shows and movies, or read and reread classic books, Simchat Torah is our yearly reminder that there is no limit to the number of times we can learn from the same text. Even though the text remains the same, we change every time we read it. Every Saturday morning we hold up the Torah like a prism through which we view our world and ourselves. That’s the eternal gift of Torah—no matter the number of times that we read the text, we see something new with each glance. Maybe you’re feeling stuck in a rut because of the burden that comes with COVID. Or, maybe you’re exhausted from the neverending news cycle. Or, perhaps you’ve always wanted to revisit the … [Read more...]
Quick! Build Your Sukkah
Each year Sukkot quickly follows the High Holidays. There is a tradition that after Havdallah on Yom Kippur, that we immediately begin building our sukkah. I always felt that this was a lot for Judaism to ask of us. After a 25 hour fast, intense prayers and reflection, and the emotional roller-coaster that Yom Kippur can bring, to start with the Sukkah immediately? Why? The answer that our Sages bring speaks to me more this year than ever before. Essentially, they say, “kol ha kavod’ (lots of respect) for really doing Yom Kippur right. You did some soul searching, and have made resolutions to make the most out of your life and your relationships. But all that is work of the mind and of the heart, what about the hand? Take all that ‘inner work’ that you have done, and go…build…something. Don’t stay in your head. Act. The other lessons that Sukkot teaches are amazing (join us Friday night for online services), but this is the lesson that calls to us with a sense of urgency. With Yom … [Read more...]
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