On this Shabbat Ki Tavo, “when you arrive,” it seems so appropriate that we are counting the sixth of seven Weeks of Consolation before Rosh HaShanah. We have nearly arrived at the time toward which we are counting, and whether because of procrastination, distraction or inaction, most of us are caught by surprise. והָיָה, כִּי-תָבוֹא אֶל-הָאָרֶץ, אֲשֶׁר יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ, נֹתֵןContinue reading “Shabbat Ki Tavo: Final Approach To Landing”
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Shabbat Shoftim: How To Be Judgemental
“Whoever studies the Torah for its own sake [l’shmah] merits many things…[among other things] it gives the individual sovereignty and dominion and the ability to judge.” – Pirke Avot 6.1 By an interesting coincidence, it was on this week of Shabbat Shoftim (“judges”) that our weekly Talmud study class contemplated this teaching. At first glance we are, perhaps, notContinue reading “Shabbat Shoftim: How To Be Judgemental”
Shabbat Ekev: Listen With Care
Which of us is not angry, disappointed, even resentful, of the way our lives have changed in the past few years? Aren’t we all getting very tired of the stress served up daily by the media, infusing our every interaction with each other? Of course, there is more than one response to this situation. InContinue reading “Shabbat Ekev: Listen With Care”
Shabbat Nakhamu: Consolation Is In Our Hands
It has been a bittersweet week. In this week alone we have felt the sharp impact of pain on our relationships both near and far. The State of Israel passed a law that undermines the values of equality and justice promised in its own declaration of independence; the Federal government of the United States admitted thatContinue reading “Shabbat Nakhamu: Consolation Is In Our Hands”
Shabbat Devarim: It Gets Worse
An ox knows its master and an ass knows where the food is; but Israel does not know, my people is thoughtless.” (Isaiah 1.3) The haftarah for this Shabbat gives the Shabbat its name: Hazon, “[prophetic] vision.” It is always chanted on this Shabbat before Tisha b’Av, the day of mourning for the destructionContinue reading “Shabbat Devarim: It Gets Worse”
More signatures added to our Open Letter to Mayor Ted Wheeler
Portland Interfaith Clergy Resistance Bearing Moral Witness in Times of Turmoil To Mayor Wheeler: The Portland Interfaith Clergy Resistance affirms your original decision NOT to use Portland Police to intervene in any way to address the Occupy ICE encampment at the ICE headquarters on SW Macadam. Even if members of the Portland Police Bureau wereContinue reading “More signatures added to our Open Letter to Mayor Ted Wheeler”
Shabbat Matot-Masey: We’re In This Together
Shalom Shir Tikvah Learning Community, On this Shabbat we read a double parashah, both Matot and Masey, and at the end of it we finish the Book BaMidbar, the account of much wandering in geography and in relationships. And in this specific Torah narrative, part of the second year of the Triennial Cycle of reading,Continue reading “Shabbat Matot-Masey: We’re In This Together”
Shabbat Balak: Do You Know Where You Stand? Do You Know Why?
Thousands of years ago, a prophet appearing in our parashat hashavua, Bil’am ben Be’or, stood on a high place overlooking the tents of the people of Israel. He had been tasked with cursing the people, at the order of King Balak, who had hired him. Balak feared the presence of these immigrants at his border andContinue reading “Shabbat Balak: Do You Know Where You Stand? Do You Know Why?”
Shabbat Shelakh L’kha: There Are People Living There
Once again, the scouts of Sh’lakh-L’kha are left holding the bag. Every year around this time we Jews who engage in weekly Torah study again reach this story, of the moment when our ancestors stood at the verge of the land they had traveled to find, the land of their ancestral home. Scouts sent aheadContinue reading “Shabbat Shelakh L’kha: There Are People Living There”
Shabbat BeHa’alot’kha: Lift It Up
Last week the parashah began with the command to lift up every face; this week, the word beha’alot’kha, “in your lifting up” refers to raising up the lights of the menorah, the seven-branched lamp designed by G*d, according to Jewish tradition, to illuminate the holy place. To lift up the face is to see theContinue reading “Shabbat BeHa’alot’kha: Lift It Up”
Torah for the 21st Century by Rabbi Ariel Stone 