The Still, Small Voice This week our parashat hashavua narrates a – literally – peak moment in the Israelite story: the revelation at Mt Sinai. It’s a moment that our ancestors assumed was full of intensity and the resultant stress. One midrash goes so far as to aver that our ancestors died when they heardContinue reading “Shabbat Yitro: Silence”
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Shabbat BeShalakh: “do something” is not enough
A lot happens in this parashat hashavua, from great fear to exulting celebration; running from Pharaoh and certain death turns to dancing with joy, and then, from the sublime to the ridiculous, becomes complaining about the food. So, too, with our own lives. Epic moments mix with the mundane. Water the plants. Endure the news. Celebrate aContinue reading “Shabbat BeShalakh: “do something” is not enough”
Shabbat Bo: Do Something
וְ֠אַתָּ֠ה אַל־תִּירָ֞א עַבְדִּ֤י יַֽעֲקֹב֙ וְאַל־תֵּחַ֣ת יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל כִּ֠י הִנְנִ֤י מוֹשִֽׁעֲךָ֙ מֵרָח֔וֹק וְאֶֽת־זַרְעֲךָ֖ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ שִׁבְיָ֑ם וְשָׁ֧ב יַעֲק֛וֹב וְשָׁקַ֥ט וְשַׁאֲנַ֖ן וְאֵ֥ין מַחֲרִֽיד׃ But you, have no fear, My servant Jacob, Be not dismayed, O Israel! I will deliver you from far away, your folk from their land of captivity; Jacob again shall have calm and quiet, with noneContinue reading “Shabbat Bo: Do Something”
Shabbat VaEra: A Time of Transition
שִׁ֗יר לַֽמַּ֫עֲל֥וֹת אֶשָּׂ֣א עֵ֭ינַי אֶל־הֶהָרִ֑ים מֵ֝אַ֗יִן יָבֹ֥א עֶזְרִֽי׃ עֶ֭זְרִי מֵעִ֣ם יְהֹוָ֑ה עֹ֝שֵׂ֗ה שָׁמַ֥יִם וָאָֽרֶץ׃ A song of ascents. I shall lift my eyes to the mountains. Whence shall my help come? My help is from HaShem, maker of heaven and earth. (Psalm 121. 1-2) Our parashat hashavua picks up the developing story of Moshe demandingContinue reading “Shabbat VaEra: A Time of Transition”
Shabbat VaYekhi: Lying for the sake of Heaven
תנא דבי רבי ישמעאל גדול שלום שאפי’ הקב”ה שינה בו שנאמר (בראשית יח, יב) ותצחק שרה בקרבה וגו’ (בראשית יח, יב) ואדוני זקן וכתיב (בראשית יח, יג) ויאמר ה’ אל אברהם וגו’ ואני זקנתי It was taught in the house of R. Yishmael: “Peace is so great that even God lies for its sake.” SarahContinue reading “Shabbat VaYekhi: Lying for the sake of Heaven”
Shabbat VaYigash: Now I Can Die
וַיֹּ֧אמֶר יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל אֶל־יוֹסֵ֖ף אָמ֣וּתָה הַפָּ֑עַם אַחֲרֵי֙ רְאוֹתִ֣י אֶת־פָּנֶ֔יךָ כִּ֥י עוֹדְךָ֖ חָֽי׃ Then Israel said to Joseph, “Now I can die, having seen for myself that you are still alive.” (Gen. 46.30) This is the time of year for darkness, and as light recedes our metaphors turn to death. The solstice festivals summon light, as ifContinue reading “Shabbat VaYigash: Now I Can Die”
Shabbat VaYishlakh: Waiting To See
Looking to the future is normal. Even though it is true that we only have the moment in which we live, we spend most of our moments either looking back and remembering, or looking forward and wondering. When we are hoping and expecting good times to come, it’s diverting and pleasant to plan for them:Continue reading “Shabbat VaYishlakh: Waiting To See”
Shabbat VaYetze: Rough Neighborhood
not every boundary, or border, is healthy אַל־תַּ֭סֵּג גְּב֣וּל עוֹלָ֑ם אֲשֶׁ֖ר עָשׂ֣וּ אֲבוֹתֶֽיךָ׃ Do not move the long-standing boundary marker which your ancestors have established – Mishle (Proverbs) 22.28 In this, the third year of the Triennial Cycle of Torah, we discover the benefits of having our attention forced away from the marquee event (Jacob’sContinue reading “Shabbat VaYetze: Rough Neighborhood”
Shabbat Toldot: Parental Blessings, Sibling Rivalry
As we enter the most difficult time of the year for those who feel any kind of pain or regret related to their family of origin, our Torah offers for our consideration an ancient story of family discord. It touches upon favoritism vs aptitude, truth vs smoothing relationships, avoidance vs honesty. Most of all, though,Continue reading “Shabbat Toldot: Parental Blessings, Sibling Rivalry”
Shabbat Hayye Sarah: The Opposite of Despair
If you have been watching the news with anything like the frequency of the average person in the U.S. over the past few weeks, you may rightly be feeling overwhelmed. The urge to despair is strong for those of us who believe that the most recent election results are catastrophic for human rights, civil rights,Continue reading “Shabbat Hayye Sarah: The Opposite of Despair”
Torah for the 21st Century by Rabbi Ariel Stone 