This week marks the beginning, again; once again we turn to the opening pages of our Torah and read of the beginning. Except that we do not. The first words of our Torah are בראשית ברא אלהים Bereshit bara Elohim Which literally means “during the beginning, G*d created…” And what does that mean? Well, we already … Continue reading
Shabbat Shuvah: Return To Yourself
Shabbat Shuvah is so named because it falls on the Shabbat between Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur, the time when we are urged to Shuvah, “return,” to our best selves. It is also the opening of the Haftarah, which is composed of excerpts of the greatest hits from Rosh HaShanah, Tashlikh, and Yom Kippur. There … Continue reading
Rosh HaShanah 5780 – The Akedah: Stop Killing the Future
Rosh HaShanah 5780 Akedah D’var Torah: Stop Killing the Future Have you seen the Greta Thunburg helpline? It’s “for adults angry at a child.” The video I saw begins with a middle-aged white man who calls the helpline and confesses that he’s been screaming at the image of Greta addressing the U.N. Climate Summit. … Continue reading
Shabbat Nitzavim: We Stand Together Even When Miles Apart
I’m so tired of “well this Jewish employee doesn’t do X so it can’t be a Jewish thing.” – tweeted on Thursday September 26 2019, 138 “likes” You don’t have to speak Twitter, understand “likes” or use social media at all to feel the frustration that prompted that posting. We Jews, and those who … Continue reading
Shabbat Ki Tetze: It’s Freezing Out
This 5th Shabbat of Consolation, Shabbat Ki Tetze, reminds us not to let our guard down while we are finding our emotional balance, post-Tisha B’Av, between tragedy and hope. At the very end of the parashah we find the warning: זָכ֕וֹר אֵ֛ת אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֥ה לְךָ֖ עֲמָלֵ֑ק בַּדֶּ֖רֶךְ בְּצֵאתְכֶ֥ם מִמִּצְרָֽיִם׃ Remember what Amalek did to you on … Continue reading
Shabbat Shoftim: Pursuing Justice is a Millennial Challenge
Parashat Shoftim begins with one of the most famous declarations in all of Judaism: צדק צדק תרדוף “justice, justice you must pursue.” (Deut. 16.20) It fits nicely on a placard if you’re participating in a protest; it’s a memorable tagline for your email signature; and once you dig into the Jewish commentary around this line, … Continue reading
