The human capacity for avoiding uncomfortable truths is so very well-developed. Consider the time-tested, familiar, absolutely transparently false ways we get around what we don’t want to face: it’s someone else’s fault. I was busy and must have missed it. That can’t possibly be true. I was unavoidably detained. Circumstances conspired against me. You don’tContinue reading “Shabbat Hazon: Seeing”
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Shabbat Matot-Masei: Go and Learn
These are the journeys of the people of Israel (Num. 33.1) These journeys are a hint to us of redemption, and they offer a means toward atonement. One who must move from one place to another must continue to find a way to study Torah in that new place. Your slogan for this: tze ulmad,Continue reading “Shabbat Matot-Masei: Go and Learn”
Shabbat Pinkhas: Could Be Worse
Could be worse; could be raining. Young Frankenstein וַיֹּ֨אמֶר ה’ אֵלַ֗י מָֽה־אַתָּ֤ה רֹאֶה֙ עָמ֔וֹס וָאֹמַ֖ר אֲנָ֑ךְ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר א’ הִנְנִ֨י שָׂ֤ם אֲנָךְ֙ בְּקֶ֙רֶב֙ עַמִּ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לֹא־אוֹסִ֥יף ע֖וֹד עֲב֥וֹר לֽוֹ׃ HaShem said unto me: ‘Amos, what seest thou?’ And I said: ‘A plumbline.’ Then said Hashem: Behold, I will set a plumbline in the midst of MyContinue reading “Shabbat Pinkhas: Could Be Worse”
Shabbat Balak: Truth We Are Not Ready For
The prescribed reading from our Torah for this Shabbat Balak in the third year of the Triennial Cycle brings us to an interesting opportunity to consider the uses of power. King Balak of Moab sees the Israelite people emigrating through his people’s self-determined territory, and is concerned: וַיֹּ֨אמֶר מוֹאָ֜ב אֶל־זִקְנֵ֣י מִדְיָ֗ן עַתָּ֞ה יְלַחֲכ֤וּ הַקָּהָל֙ אֶת־כׇּל־סְבִ֣יבֹתֵ֔ינוּContinue reading “Shabbat Balak: Truth We Are Not Ready For”
Shabbat Shelakh: Telling Time in Jewish
לַכֹּ֖ל זְמָ֑ן וְעֵ֥ת לְכׇל־חֵ֖פֶץ תַּ֥חַת הַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃ A season is set for everything, a time for every experience under heaven (Kohelet 3.1) Before clocks and calendars, our people knew where we were in time by the sun, and by the Shabbat. On our ritual documents until today, traditionally we identify a day by its position inContinue reading “Shabbat Shelakh: Telling Time in Jewish”
Shabbat BeHa’alot’kha: Yes, It Can Get Worse
Sometimes the brain freezes and all one can do is say oh no. Stay with me now, for a moment: Our parashat hashavua is an amazing snapshot of many different human emotions and actions. People complain, people gossip, people go about their lives; and all while living through the profound impact on their lives of escaping slavery, and nowContinue reading “Shabbat BeHa’alot’kha: Yes, It Can Get Worse”
Shabbat Naso: How To Count
We are two parshas into the book BaMidbar, “in the wilderness,” called in English “Numbers” for the simple (and reasonable) reason that the first part of the book is focused upon counting. How many Israelites of fighting age who can help defend the camp in the wilderness? How many of the various families of theContinue reading “Shabbat Naso: How To Count”
Shabbat BaMidbar: Into the Wilderness
Necessary Chaos In the wilderness your possessions cannot surround you. Your preconceptions cannot protect you. Your logic cannot promise you the future. Your guilt can no longer place you safely in the past. You are left alone each day with an immediacy that astonishes, chastens, and exults. You see the world as if for theContinue reading “Shabbat BaMidbar: Into the Wilderness”
Shabbat BeHar-BeHukotai: This is Exhausting
so much suffering everywhere you look וְלֹ֤א תוֹנוּ֙ אִ֣ישׁ אֶת־עֲמִית֔וֹ וְיָרֵ֖אתָ מֵֽאֱלֹהֶ֑-ךָ כִּ֛י אֲנִ֥י ה’ אֱלֹהֵ-כֶֽם Do not wrong one another, but fear Eternity. (Lev. 25.17) Do not read עמיתו but אמיתו , not “your neighbor” but “your truth”. Do not wrong your truth. – D’vash HaSadeh Friends, this is hard. Every week brings freshContinue reading “Shabbat BeHar-BeHukotai: This is Exhausting”
Shabbat Emor: “Say” what?
today is Lag ba’Omer, the 33rd day of the counting of the ‘Omer: הוד שבהוד hod sheh-b’hod, gratitude in gratitude Today is the minor Jewish holy day known simply as lag ba’omer, a name which is nothing but the way to vocalize today’s Jewish date: the 33rd day of the counting of the ‘Omer; לContinue reading “Shabbat Emor: “Say” what?”
Torah for the 21st Century by Rabbi Ariel Stone 