Parasha Lech L'cha, Genesis 12:1−17:27 (SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2022)

Courtesy of the URJ

Summary:

-         Abram, Sarai, and Lot go to Canaan.

-         Famine takes them to Egypt, where Abram identifies Sarai as his sister in order to save his life.

-         Abram and Lot separate. Lot is taken captive, and Abram rescues him.

-         Abram has a son, Ishmael, with his Egyptian maidservant, Hagar.

-         God establishes a covenant with Abram. The sign of this covenant is circumcision on the eighth day following a male baby's birth.

Lesson by:  Rabbi Dr. Edwin C. Goldberg

"Who's there?" is the first thing we read in Shakespeare's Hamlet. It encapsulates the topic of the entire play. "Where are you?" is the first question asked by God in the Torah (Genesis 3:9). From a metaphysical point of view, it captures the topic of the entire Bible. Paying attention to questions is a clever way to get to the heart of any matter. As the physicist Isaac Rabi used to recall, when his mother greeted him at the end of the school day, she always asked, "Did you ask good questions?"

In his excellent business primer, Leadership Without Easy Answers, Ron Heifetz defines leadership as the ability to ask the right questions. This week's Torah portion, Lech L'cha, gives us the chance to ponder Abraham's leadership potential and why God chooses him to begin the enterprise that will lead to Judaism and the Jewish people.

I think I know why God chose Abraham: he asked the right question. What is that question? I will tell you, but first a digression.

When I was finishing rabbinical school and, along with my fellow students, looking for a job as an assistant rabbi, one senior rabbi impressed us by asking an interesting and unique question: What was our favorite midrash? (Midrash is the ancient rabbinical enterprise of inquiring into the hidden meaning of the Torah, often extracting a relevant nugget of wisdom.) I knew I would be writing a dissertation on such commentaries and sought the opinion of the most brilliant rabbinical student I knew. His answer became my answer (although not in the interview, naturally) because it is a perfect answer.

What was his favorite midrash? It is from an ancient collection of sermons on the book of Genesis (B'reishit Rabbah 39:1). The midrash wants to address the question of why God chose Abraham. As was typical of the time, the author of the midrash, a Rabbi Isaac, uses a parable. A man is traveling to different towns and he comes across a building in flames. He asks if there is a manager of the building (and if so, why is the building in flames)? The owner of the building shouts down from an upper floor and declares, "I am the owner of the building." Rabbi Isaac continues: Abraham was like that traveling man: he saw the world on fire (with injustice) and asked if no God cared. God then says to Abraham: "I am the owner of the world." Presumably God is asking Abraham for help in correcting the injustices of humanity.

An important point in this midrash is the word for building. It is birah. What is a birah? There are those who would translate it as "palace" and render the "burning" as simply being ablaze with light. In other words, Abraham is a philosopher, seeing the enlightened design of the world and intuiting the existence of a benevolent creator.

I disagree with this interpretation. I favor the rendering of birah as something radically different than a palace. It was a common, large building in which urban dwellers lived in small, private apartments. It was neither grand nor beautiful but it was tall for its time, dangerously tall. The Romans called it an insula. We would label it a tenement.

Abraham, then, is taking a serious look at a world in which poor people suffer injustice and sometimes even death because no one seems to care for them. So Abraham asks the big question, not so different than the beginning of Hamlet:

"Who is there?" And does anyone care?

Like Willy Wonka whose fears are alleviated when a repentant Charlie kindly returns the gift of a special candy ("So shines a good deed in a weary world"), God presumably is relieved that a human has finally asked the question that will make all the difference. "I care," says God, "and now it's time to get to work. But I am helpless to put out the flames myself. So I will depend on you."

The most important lesson from this powerful midrash is that the ancient Rabbis were struggling with their belief in God, and no wonder, when we consider the harsh reality they faced living under the rule of ancient Rome. For many other reasons, including the Holocaust, we, too, ponder the existence of God. I would argue that our task is not so much to attempt an answer to this impossible question.

The right question is not "Is there a God?" but "Does God care?" The answer is to realize that even if we believe in a God who cares—and I do—we are the ones who must aid God. To paraphrase William Styron in his book, Sophie's Choice, "Where was God in Auschwitz?" is trumped by the question, "Where was humankind?"

"How odd of God to choose the Jews," goes the silly refrain. The best retort: "It wasn't odd; the Jews chose God." Maybe so, but I like to think that God did choose Abraham as the leader for this new enterprise based on his asking the right question. And hence the call of Abraham becomes the call to Abraham.

The world, sadly, is still burning. Does anyone care?

Parasha Noach

Noah, Genesis 6:9−11:32 (SATURDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2022)

Summary:

 -         God decides to cause a flood that will destroy the world, sparing only Noah's family and the animals that Noah gathers together on the ark.

-         Life starts over again after the Flood. The Noahide Commandments are listed, and God uses a rainbow to make a symbol of the first covenant. 

-         People start to build a city and the Tower of Babel. God scatters the people and gives them different languages to speak.

-         The ten generations from Noah to Abram are listed. 

Lesson by: Rabbi Karyn D. Kedar

And it came to pass, for the sins of the people, a great flood covered the earth. And God warned Noah, for Noah was the righteous of his generation. And God told him how to build an ark, cubit by cubit.

We will never know the historicity of this great flood. Other cultures write of devasting floods, most notably the Babylonian narrative of the Epic of Gilgamesh. But it is clear that the author of the biblical narrative is not interested in giving us an historical account. The author is probing our relationship with God, and God with us, and is in search of a reason for natural phenomenon which causes great disaster.  

The author concludes that there is a cause and effect when we sin. God exacts punishment, usually harsh punishment. For the wickedness of the people, the earth would be destroyed. Indeed, this theology of reward and punishment is pervasive in our Torah. I do not believe in a connect-the-dots-deity. I believe that whenever we claim to know cause and effect, we do so with arrogance and hubris.  

Years ago, I had a dream. It was more like a night vision. I imagined a tailor in the forest working long into the night by the light of a single candle with only a simple needle and thread. And I thought, if only I could learn to sew, I could mend my life. When I woke, the vision wouldn’t leave me. I searched for its meaning.

And then I found the metaphor. Our lives are like a tapestry. There is a vague picture, and with needle and thread we fill in the colors one stitch at a time. When life is tough, we only see the reverse side of the tapestry, knots and threads that don’t seem to connect. When we feel strong, we see on the front side the picture of who we are, and the trajectory of our life materializes. Either way, it is ours to create, to see, and to decipher.

Then there is another cloth: deep, exquisite black velvet. Beautiful, shimmering with life but opaque. That is God, or rather the mystery. It represents what I can never know, never understand, never see clearly. It belongs to the mystery. And here is the revelation. I do what I can, what is in my control to do, and then release the rest.  The tapestry is mine to create. The velvet is mine to behold. I do what I can, what is in my control to do, and then release the rest. I am meant to sew the two pieces of cloth together, the tapestry and the velvet. Faith is living on the seam between what I can know and what I will never know.  

So how do we find meaning in this great and curious Noah narrative, even as some of us, me included, reject the theology of reward and punishment. If we do not read this narrative as history, and do not read it as theology, perhaps we can find the meaning within literary conventions. There is meaning in the parable.  

Every detail of the ark that Noah is instructed to build is described, including the window: make an opening (tzhar) for light in the ark  (6:16). Bartenura, a 16th -century commentator on Rashi, writes that the word for window, tzhar, shares the root for the word tzhariyim, meaning noon. He along with other commentators say that Noah was commanded to build an opening that would let the noon light shine within the ark. This was a window of hope waiting for the new day to dawn; a window to the world, to the heavens, to an external source of help; an opening so that Noah could send forth a messenger, a dove who could search the landscape and let him know that it is safe to emerge.  

And indeed, the birds circle the world for dry land. After a while, towards the evening, as the sun begins to set, behold, the dove returns, carrying an olive leaf in its beak, proof that we can begin again. And here Torah offers us a great spiritual metaphor. It is the story of the window in the ark, which teaches us the abiding lesson of resilience, for sometimes life imposes upon us great distress. And when it does, Torah teaches through metaphor and allegory: We should be a vessel of safety to weather the storm. And when we do, we shall not forget to build a window, an opening to the world, a way out of our despair, for the ark is not meant to harbor us forever.

The rabbis offer a second explanation for the meaning of window, tzhar. Malbim, a 19-century Hebrew grammarian and Torah scholar, suggests that Noah didn’t build a window but rather the word tzhar refers to a precious stone called zhorit. This stone, he says, is iridescent by its very nature, illuminating from within and generating its own light. He then uses his metaphoric interpretation to offer a different reading of the prefix “l” in the verse,  from placing an opening (tzhar) for light to shine into the ark to making an opening for light inside the ark. ;

This stone that generates its own light is a beautiful metaphor for resilience. Meaning is not found within the adversity and tragedy; meaning is found within the inner resources of our being. We regain our balance through the courage it takes to live with mystery and ambiguity. We live in a vast sea of unknowable, confusing, and ambiguous living. There is so much we simply do not know and will never understand. Faith is not blind. Faith is not a simplistic connecting of the dots. Faith takes root within the constant struggle to know the limits of our humanity, living on the seam of what we can know and what is simply unknowable.

So when we find ourselves overwhelmed by trouble and pain, we can build ourselves an ark, a safe haven, with a tzhar, a source of light and resilience. 

(With permission - https://reformjudaism.org/learning/torah-study/torah-commentary/  This has been translated from English to Italian. The author was not responsible for the translation.)

Parasha Shavua

B'reishit, Genesis 1:1−6:8 (SATURDAY, 22 OCTOBER)

Summary:

- God creates the world and everything in it in six days and rests on the seventh.

- Adam and Eve are placed in the Garden of Eden, where they eat the forbidden fruit and are subsequently exiled.

- Adam and Eve have two sons, Cain and Abel. Cain kills his brother, Abel.

- Adam and Eve have another child named Seth. The Torah lists the ten generations from Adam to Noah.

- God regrets having created human beings and decides to destroy everything on earth, but Noah finds favor with God.

Lesson by:  Rabbi Michael Dolgin

Parashat B’reishit is both the first portion in the Torah and the foundation of our Jewish tradition. These chapters teach us how to find meaning in our days, not just what happened before they began. While the Torah is certainly not a history or science book, this parashah is our starting place to learn what Judaism has to say about the basic reality of the human experience. Science tells us how humans evolved, but not what it means or how it feels to be human.

What are the questions that animate our thoughts and challenge our assumptions? Here are two possibilities drawn from this portion.

Regardless of what religion one may practice, few stories are more familiar than Adam, Eve, and the Garden of Eden. Its details are so colorful (forbidden fruit, a talking serpent, curses, the concept of clothing, etc.) that they continue to fire the human imagination thousands of years later. However, we can be so easily distracted by the trappings of the story that we might miss one of its most basic messages. 

Meir Sternberg, professor of literature at Tel Aviv University, examines the two trees that are named in this text. In his book, The Poetics of Biblical Narrative (Indiana University Press, 1987, page 46), he describes the significance of the “tree of knowledge of good and bad” (Gen 2:17) and the “tree of life” (Gen 3:22). They represent two basic issues in human life: our mortality and the limits of our knowledge. Many cultural and religious perspectives assert that wrestling with mortality defines the human experience.

The Torah’s story of the birth of humanity focuses not only on our struggle with mortality, but also with the limits of what we can know.

Why do tragic events occur? How can we be agents of good and holiness, when we cannot fully know the consequences of our choices and actions? Our moral knowledge is limited and the multiplicity of questions to which we most desire answers are in the center of our proverbial garden.

We cannot turn away from the gap between the moral order we desire in our world and our often-painful reality. Like the Divine One, we are aware of the moral dimension of life, but that gift of moral awareness comes with a high price. We struggle with hearts filled with questions that have no clear answers, but we struggle together. In our shared quest, the burden of right and wrong is lessened.

Gender is another key topic in B’reishit. While many believe that the Creation story is centered on the story of one man and one woman, a close reading of the text reveals that it is significantly more nuanced. In B’reishit Rabba 24:7, Rabbi Akiva deemed the essence of Torah to be “Love your neighbor as yourself.” His colleague, Rabbi Ben Azzai, asserts that the essence of Torah is found in Gen 5:1-2: “This is the written record of the human (adam) line from the day God created [adam] making [them] in the likeness of God, creating them male and female, blessing them, and naming them [adam] on the day they were created.”

Staying true to the original Hebrew, we see that Adam is entirely human, while being neither uniquely male nor female. The pronouns in these verses are quite intentionally inconsistent; our Torah merges differently gendered forms with singular and plural all at once, echoing Gen 1:26: “And God said, “Let us make [adam] in our image, after our likeness...” This declaration’s plurality is usually explained as reflecting a sense of majesty or a consultation with the divine angelic host, but I prefer a more direct interpretation: Only God is one.

This Divine unity is reflected in a diverse human plurality – gender, race, culture, ability, etc. The human image is ours; it belongs to all, and by our very Divine creation, we have the right to self-definition. The Hebrew first-person tense knows no gender, which allows each of us to find and affirm a unique identity, a personal singular expression of the Divine image and likeness.

We are all children of God. No matter how we identify or which moral questions occupy our thoughts, we each express the image of God through the powerful human act of self-definition.

With permission from the URJ https://reformjudaism.org/learning/torah-study/torah-commentary/

Parasha Korach - Numbers 16:1−18:32 (1 July)

Summary:

In our weekly Torah portion, Korach and his followers, Dathan and Abiram, lead a rebellion against the leadership of Moses and Aaron. In a horrible scene, God punishes the rebels by burying them and their families alive. Once again, God brings a plague on the people. Later, the chief of each tribe deposits his staff inside the Tent of Meeting and Aaron's staff brings forth sprouts, produces blossoms, and bears almonds. Then, the Kohanim and Levites are established and assigned the responsibility of managing the donations to the Sanctuary. All of the firstborn offerings shall go to the priests and all the tithes are designated for the Levites in return for the services they perform.

Lessons from our Haftarah - Samuel 11:14-12:22.

In both our Torah and our haftarah portions, Moses and Samuel faces rebellion. Korach rebels against Moses’ preeminence and demands power for himself. In our haftarah the people rebel against Samuel as their judge and leader and demand a king so they can be like the other nations. Korach’s rebellion fails – he and his followers all die at the hand of God. The demand of the people for a king is however successful and in our haftarah Saul is crowned the first king of Israel.

Both Moses and Samuel respond similarly to the rebellions they face. From them we can learn what Jewish tradition sees as important in leaders.

Moses responds to his detractors by saying: “Pay no regard to their offering. I have not taken the donkey of any of them, nor have I wronged any of them.” Setting up the qualities of a good leader, Moses protests that he has not taken from the people, nor has he done wrong by them.

Moses’ response echoes in Samuels words. “Whose ox have I taken, or whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I defrauded or whom have I robbed? From whom have I taken a bribe to look the other way. I will return it to you.” Samuel too cries out in response to the rebellion of the people. He too attests to his honesty and integrity as a leader.

Today we distrust many leaders. Like Korah in our Torah portion, and the people in our haftarah portion, we rebel. However, both our portions this week remind us of the qualities of a strong leader. When we decide upon leadership, we must search for those who are honest and fair. Judaism teaches us that our leaders must have integrity and concern for the people they serve.

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Don Goor

Parasha Sh'lach L'cha - Numbers 13:1−15:41 (June 24)

Summary:

In our portion this week Moses sends twelve spies to the Land of Israel to report on the inhabitants and the country. Despite the positive report of Joshua and Caleb, the people are frightened.  God threatens to wipe out the Children of Israel but relents when Moses intercedes on their behalf. To punish the people, God announces that all those who left Egypt would not enter the Land of Israel except for Joshua and Caleb. Moses also instructs the Israelites regarding setting aside challah, the observance of the Sabbath, how to treat strangers, and the laws of tzitzit.

Lessons from our Haftarah - Joshua 2:1-24

There is a strong connection between the Torah and haftarah portions. In both of them spies are sent into the land to report on the conditions the people of Israel will face upon entering the Promised Land.  In the Torah 2 spies give a favorable report (Joshua and Caleb) and 10 spies give a negative, fearful report.  As a result of the negative report, the people refuse to go forward into the land.  As punishment the entire generation must die and only a new generation will be able to enter the land.  

In our haftarah portion it is Joshua, one of two spies to give a positive report in the Torah, who follows Moses’ example and again sends out spies – this time only two of them.  The two spies enter Jericho and meet Rahab, a fascinating character.

People often surprise us.  Sometimes well-polished, impressive people let us down while rough and tumble, unremarkable people unexpectedly teach us important lessons.  This is the case of Rahab, the star of our haftarah portion.  We learn upon meeting her that Rahab has spent the early part of her life serving in a disreputable profession – as a prostitute.  However, it is precisely this uninspiring woman who ends up ensuring that our people can enter into the Promised land. 

Rahab is the epitome of the outsider.  She is a woman, a prostitute, a foreigner.  She lives in the city wall – on the boundary of what is inside and what is out. 

The Talmudic rabbis are so taken with Rahab’s actions, that they create an entire mythology around her.  Because she took the two spies into her house and rescued them, the rabbis write that she is rewarded by God.  They teach that she converts to Judaism and as a reward none other than Joshua himself becomes her husband!   The Christian Scriptures honor Rahab as well.  Matthew writes that Rahab is an ancestor of Jesus because she lived by her faith.

Rahab is an example for us all.  First, she teaches us that even the most simple and marginal people in our society can act with faith and bring about great change in the world.  She also teaches us that teshuva/repentance is possible.  She takes control of her life and in so doing, changes history.  Her life story is a model of us.  When we open our eyes and our hearts to all human beings, we allow them to bring the fullness of their gifts into the world.

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Don Goor

Parasha Behaalotcha –Numbers 8:1−12:16: (June 17)

Summary:

In our portion this week, God speaks to Moses, describing the menorah for the Tent of Meeting. Then the Levites are appointed to serve as assistants under Aaron and his sons. Those who are unable to celebrate Passover during Nisan are given a time in the month of Sivan to observe a "second Passover." A cloud by day and fire by night show God's Presence over the Tabernacle. When the cloud lifts from the Tabernacle, the people leave Sinai, setting out on their journey, tribe by tribe. In a recurring theme, the Israelites complain about the lack of meat, and Moses becomes frustrated.  God tells him to appoint a council of elders. God provides the people with meat and then strikes them with a very severe plague.  Miriam and Aaron talk about the "Cushite woman" whom Moses has married. In addition, they complain that God speaks not only through Moses but also through them. Miriam is struck with leprosy, and Moses begs God to heal her. After her recovery, the people resume their journey.

Lessons from our Haftarah - Zechariah 2:14-4:7: 

Both our Torah and haftarah portion describe the Menorah that stood in the ancient temple.  Both portions go into great depth as they talk about the place of the Menorah as a symbol of the nation.  No visit to Rome is complete without seeing the Arch of Titus on which the Menorah from the temple in Jerusalem is carried out of Jerusalem into captivity.  And on visit to the Knesset in Jerusalem is complete without a visit to the ceremonial Menorah which stands facing the Knesset and which retells the history of the Jewish people. 

The power of the Menorah – and other ritual objects – cannot be understated.  The beauty of the Menoral fulfills the mitzvah of “hidur mitzvah”, the principle of enhancing a mitzvah through aesthetics.  This concept is derived from Rabbi Ishmael’s comment in the Talmud on the verse in the Torah, “This is my God, whom I will glorify.  Any cup can hold the wine for Kiddush for Friday night; however a decorated silver cup sets the moment aside as unique and glorifies it.  Because of hidur mitzvah just as the beautiful menorah stood in the ancient Temple, so too are Jewish homes today filled with beautiful ritual items. 

The Menorah that stood in the Temple teaches us another important lesson as well.  In our haftarah this week we read, “Not by might, nor by power, buy by My spirit.”  While the Menorah was a physical object which we used to bring about holiness, it did not have the power of a religious relic which embodied holiness on its own.  No, Zechariah reminds us that it not by might, and not by power that God invited into our world.  It is not through ritual objects such as the menorah or the light of its candles that God enters our lives.  Instead we pray that the light of the candles that flicker from the branches of the Menorah can touch our souls, creating a spirit of holiness that can fill our lives and our world.

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Don Goor

Parasha - Naso –Numbers 4:21−7:89: (June 10)

Summary:

In our portion, a census of the Gershonites, Merarites, and Koathites between the ages of thirty and fifty is conducted and their duties in the Tabernacle are detailed.  God then speaks to Moses concerning what to do with ritually unclean people, repentant individuals, and those who are suspected of adultery. The obligations of a nazirite vow are explained. They include abstaining from alcohol and not cutting one's hair.  God tells Moses how to teach Aaron and his sons the Priestly Blessing. Moses consecrates the Sanctuary, and the tribal chieftains bring offerings. Moses then speaks with God inside the Tent of Meeting.

Lessons from our Haftarah - Judges 13:2-25: 

Both our Torah and haftarah portions focus on the Nazerite – someone who is set aside to God as ritually pure, abstaining from alcohol and not cutting one's hair.

We are familiar in the Christian religion with monks and nuns who, like Nazerites, take vows of purity.  It is common in Christianity for these figures to separate themselves from daily life, living in monasteries or convent.  Judaism has no such notion that separation from daily life and vows of purity lead to increased holiness. The closest we come is the vow of the Nazerite who makes vows to remain pure for a period of 30 days.

In the Torah portion the vows of the Nazerite are temporary – valid for only a limited time.  The Nazerite of the Torah was not allowed to separate himself from the people for an extended period of time.  In the Haftarah portion we hear the story of Samson, who seemed to have been obligated to the vows of the Nazerite from the time of birth to be a Nazerite.  He didn’t make a choice nor was the period of time limited.  While great powers are ascribed to Samson, he is known to be a giant of a warier, he is also known to be weak of character, a womanizer. 

We too, in our lives, make vows from time to time. We often promise to eat less, to drink less, to be better to our loved ones.  However, as Jews we don’t make vows of holiness that separate us from daily life. Instead, by taking on the obligations of mitzvot, through daily and weekly prayer, through tzedakah and loving kindness, we have the ability to make ourselves holy every single day.

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Don Goor

Parasha - Behukotai – Leviticus: 26:3-27:34: (May 27)

Summary:

In our portion, God promises blessings to the Children of Israel if they follow the law and warns about the curses that will befall the people if they do not observe God's commandments. Then, gifts made to the Sanctuary whether by conditional vows or by unconditional acts of pious gratitude are discussed.

Lessons from our Haftarah - Jeremiah 16:19-17:14:

In our Torah portion this week, the book of Leviticus comes to an end.  Its final words remind the Jewish people that when they follow God’s word, they will be blessed and when they go astray, they will be curses.  Jeremiah, in our haftarah continues this theme, telling the people that when they make the right choice, they can be certain of God’s favor. 

This message is often a difficult one. In our lives we see evil people seemingly blessed and good people suffer great evils.  Throughout the generations we have asked ourselves if our actions actually have an impact on the world. Is there reward and punishment?  There seems to be no correlation between right belief, good acts and positive results.  Rabbi Harold Kushner wrote a best-selling book relating to this issue – When Bad Things Happen to Good People. 

Reform Judaism took issue with Jeremiah’s message from our haftarah this week.  Like Rabbi Kushner, most modern Jews believe in a God that does not direct daily events and does not intervene in the ways of the world.  Reform Judaism felt so strongly about this, that in our siddur we took out a significant paragraph of the V’ahavta which reads: 

And it will be, if you will diligently obey My commandments which I enjoin upon you this day, to love the Eternal your God and to serve God with all your heart and with all your soul, I will give rain for your land at the proper time, the early rain and the late rain, and you will gather in your grain, your wine and your oil. And I will give grass in your fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be sated. Take care lest your heart be lured away, and you turn astray and worship alien gods and bow down to them. For then the Eternal’s wrath will flare up against you, and God will close the heavens so that there will be no rain and the earth will not yield its produce, and you will swiftly perish from the good land which the Eternal gives you. 

These words are hard for most modern Jews to believe.  Rain and draught are not due to our actions or our prayers.  My teacher and mentor, Rabbi Richard Levy, wrote a modern interpretation of this paragraph of the V’ahavta:

If you hear the words from Sinai, then love will flow from us; and we shall serve all that is holy with all our intellect and our passion and all our life.  If we can serve all that is holy we shall be doing all that humans can to help the rains to flow; the grasses to be green, the grains to be golden like the sun and the rivers to be filled with life once more.  All the children of God shall eat and there will be enough.  But if we turn from Sinai’s words and serve only what is common and profane, making gods of our own comfort or power, then the holiness of life will contract for us; our world will grow inhospitable….

Jeremiah and traditional theologians teach that there are direct ramifications to our actions…rains or draught, health or sickness.  Rabbi Levy reminds us that while the consequence of the lives we live may not have an effect on the rains or the produce of our fields, they do deeply affect our world. The message of Jeremiah is relevant for us in our day.  Who we are and how we live makes a difference in our world.

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Don Goor

Parasha Behar – Leviticus 25:1-26:2; (May 20)

Summary:
In our portion, God instructs Moses to tell the Israelites that in every seventh year, the land shall observe a Sabbath of complete rest: Fields should not be sown and vines should not be pruned. After forty-nine years, a jubilee year is to be celebrated when all the land that had been sold during that time should be returned to its original owners and slaves are to be freed. God then instructs Moses to tell the Israelites not to make idols, to keep the sabbath, and to venerate the sanctuary of the Eternal.

Lessons from our Haftarah - Jeremiah 32:6-27:

Our Torah portion teaches about the importance of keeping a family’s title to their ancestral land.  It commands that if a family member is in financial difficulty, another family member should come and help, so that his family can keep the land.  Jeremiah, in our haftarah, actually fulfills this law in a symbolic way and in so doing brings hope to the people who are despairing while under attack by the Babylonians.

What could possibly be the most interesting aspect of our haftarah can be found in the present day Israel Museum in Jerusalem.  In verse 12 we learn of a man named Baruch.  It’s not often in the Torah or the Haftarah that we learn about people by name and it’s even more infrequent that we learn about someone whom we can prove, through archeology, actually existed.  

In the Israel Museum a stamp-seal impression is on display.  When a document was sealed, a wax stamp was placed on the closure.  In the stamp was the seal of the scribe.  In this stamp, we find and impression which reads: “property of Berach-yahu ben Neri-yahu, the scribe.  With this ancient stamp impression, we find proof of a scribe named Baruch the son of Neriah – exactly the name of the person described in our haftarah.   

Baruch, and Jeremiah, lived in a time when most people did not have the ability to read or write.  While rulers and prophets were most likely literate, they always had scribes at their side, who transcribed their documents and kept their records.  Baruch served in this role for Jeremiah.  

Over the generations legends have been told about Baruch.  He is known to have been loyal and steadfast, which earned him the love of the people.  Several lesser- known books from the time tell tales of visions and miracles that he performed. While Jeremiah is the name most known, it is Baruch who is beloved by the people. And it is Baruch whom we actually meet, through his stamp, when we visit the Israel Museum.

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Don Goor

Parasha - Behar – Leviticus 25:1-26:2; (May 20)

Summary:

In our portion, God instructs Moses to tell the Israelites that in every seventh year, the land shall observe a Sabbath of complete rest: Fields should not be sown and vines should not be pruned. After forty-nine years, a jubilee year is to be celebrated when all the land that had been sold during that time should be returned to its original owners and slaves are to be freed. God then instructs Moses to tell the Israelites not to make idols, to keep the sabbath, and to venerate the sanctuary of the Eternal.

Lessons from our Haftarah - Jeremiah 32:6-27:

Our Torah portion teaches about the importance of keeping a family’s title to their ancestral land.  It commands that if a family member is in financial difficulty, another family member should come and help, so that his family can keep the land.  Jeremiah, in our haftarah, actually fulfills this law in a symbolic way and in so doing brings hope to the people who are despairing while under attack by the Babylonians.

What could possibly be the most interesting aspect of our haftarah can be found in the present day Israel Museum in Jerusalem.  In verse 12 we learn of a man named Baruch.  It’s not often in the Torah or the Haftarah that we learn about people by name and it’s even more infrequent that we learn about someone whom we can prove, through archeology, actually existed. 

In the Israel Museum a stamp-seal impression is on display.  When a document was sealed, a wax stamp was placed on the closure.  In the stamp was the seal of the scribe.  In this stamp, we find and impression which reads: “property of Berach-yahu ben Neri-yahu, the scribe.  With this ancient stamp impression, we find proof of a scribe named Baruch the son of Neriah – exactly the name of the person described in our haftarah.  

Baruch, and Jeremiah, lived in a time when most people did not have the ability to read or write.  While rulers and prophets were most likely literate, they always had scribes at their side, who transcribed their documents and kept their records.  Baruch served in this role for Jeremiah. 

Over the generations legends have been told about Baruch.  He is known to have been loyal and steadfast, which earned him the love of the people.  Several lesser- known books from the time tell tales of visions and miracles that he performed. While Jeremiah is the name most known, it is Baruch who is beloved by the people. And it is Baruch whom we actually meet, through his stamp, when we visit the Israel Museum.

Are abortions legal according to Judaism?  This is a question currently being asked in Italy and the US.  Below is a piece written by a friend and colleague, Rabbi Mara Nathan of Temple Beth-El in San Antonio Texas.  She gave me permission to share it with the Beth Shalom community. 

The content of the leaked Supreme Court Draft Opinion [In the US] regarding Roe vs. Wade, while not surprising, is still quite unsettling. Despite claims from [Judges] Gorsuch, Kavanaugh and Coney Barret at their confirmation hearings that they had no interest in contesting Supreme Court precedent regarding legal access to abortion, there can no longer be any question how they feel about the 1970 decision. So, while we wait for an official decision to be issued, it seems likely that the Court will dismantle Federal protections for access to abortion services, reserving that power for individual states.

What might be the Jewish response to this impending reality?

When opponents of abortion access use religious and moral language to inform their arguments, they attempt to speak for all people of faith. Yet, as I have written before, Judaism does not view abortion as a criminal act. Our tradition is clear that until a child is born it is not considered to be an independent being.  The health and well-being of the mother always takes precedence over her unborn child. This perspective is not solely a Reform one but is consistent for all branches of Judaism.

[The recent] Torah portion, Kedoshim, offers us a way to think about this dichotomy through one of the most well-known verses in all of Torah: “You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against your countrymen. Love your neighbor as yourself, I am Adonai.” (Leviticus 19:18). Read Kedoshim here.

Ramban, the 13th century sage explains, “This commandment is not meant literally, for it is unrealistic to love another to this degree. Likewise, saving one’s own life- the halacha would teach- must take precedence over saving another. So it is written not ‘Love your neighbor- reyacha”’ but’“L’reyacha---Love towardsyour neighbor.’….A person should see himself as reaching towards...never begrudging another the maximum good he, [she or they] hopes for themself.”

In the context of the debate over abortion access, what does it mean to “love your neighbor as yourself”?

I think Ramban is emphasizing the importance of self-care as well as the need for empathy and respect for another person’s autonomous self. Supporting access to abortion does not mean that you would choose one for yourself. It means that you protect other people’s right to make informed, autonomous decisions about their own bodies and their own lives.

All human beings should be entitled to essential health care which, according to Jewish tradition, could include access to a safe and legal abortion. [We must] continue to proactively facilitate conversations about reproductive health, reproductive rights, and reproductive justice. To love your neighbor as yourself does not mean that you can require that they act and believe just as you do, but rather that you protect their welfare and well-being. In this case, it refers to their ability to make autonomous decisions about their own body.

Rabbi Mara Natha

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Don Goor

Parasha Kedoshim – Leviticus 19:1-20:27: (May 7)

Summary:

In our portion – sections of which are also read on Yom Kippur, God issues a variety of commandments, instructing the Israelites on how to be a holy people. Various sex offenses are also discussed and punishments for them are presented.

Lessons from our Haftarah – Amos 9:7-15:

Our Torah portion and haftarah portion are connected by the vision of what it means to be a holy people. In the Torah portion, commandments are listed which lead to such holiness.  In the haftarah portion Amos points out how far Israel has strayed from being a holy people.  Amos ends on a high note however, envisioning a brighter future for the holy people of Israel.

In our portion we find a very difficult and challenging verse.  In the first verse Amos states: “Are you not to Me, O people of Israel, like the Cushites?”  Amos is directly comparing the people of Israel with the people of Northern Africa, known for their black skin. 

Our commentators over the generations disagree as to the purpose of this comparison. It is meant to state that God despises us just as God despises the Cushites? Or is it meant to make a universal statement that for God, the people of Israel are like any other people?

Joseph Hertz was the Chief Rabbi of Britain in the mid-1900’s. In his traditional commentary on the Torah, he clearly takes the first position.  He writes: “Degenerate Israel is no more to God than the despised inhabitants of distant Ethiopia…”  According to Hertz there is no lower comparison for the people of Israel than to be compared to the Cushites.

However, Rabbi Gunther Plaut, a contemporary Reform rabbi and author of the Reform commentary on the Torah and Haftarah writes, “there is no warrant for this kind of assessment.”  He points out that in the Torah there is a negative image of the Cushites, together with many other peoples – such as the Egyptians, the Canaanites, the Philistines, the Assyrians and the Babylonians – all of whom were traditional enemies of Israel. 

For Plaut, the Bible knows no racial prejudice.  In fact, Moses himself married a Cushite woman.  Whenever the Torah describes a foreign nation, it does so according to language and location.  The Torah never mentions race.  

Plaut understands Amos’ statement in our haftarah as a proclamation that “God is the God of all humanity and that, as humans, the Children of Israel are no different from the inhabitants of Africa – the Cushites…” 

While Amos focuses on the sins of the people of Israel, he reminds them that to be a holy people, they must act in a holy way. 

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Don Goor

Parasha Aharei Mot - Leviticus 16:1-18:30: (April 29)

Summary:

In our Torah portion the duties that the head priests must perform on Yom Kippur are delineated and the ceremony of the scapegoat is outlined. Moses then instructs Aaron about the Yom Kippur laws for fasting and atonement.

Warnings are issued against the offering of sacrifices outside the Sanctuary and the consumption of blood. Finally, Moses condemns the sexual practices of some neighboring people and certain forms of sexual relations are prohibited.

Lessons from our Haftarah – Ezekiel 22:1-19:

When I was studying to become a rabbi, my Bible professor, H.M. Orlinsky wrote: ``If one reads the book of Ezekiel, one gathers that the government and the people of Judah were on the greatest sinning binge in the history of Judah and Israel, if not in all of history.” Both our Torah portion and our haftarah portion focus on sexual impropriety.

During Ezekiel’s visit to Jerusalem, the prophet was horror-struck by what he saw. He denounced the leadership and the people for their moral depravity. He calls Jerusalem a city of blood.

Eight times Jerusalem and its people are accused of violating the strict Torah laws dealing with blood. Why does Ezekiel use the image of blood? Blood is Ezekiel’s metaphor for total corruption. Ezekiel knew that his audience in Jerusalem understood the metaphor. Blood is equivalent to life itself. For Ezekiel, who rails against the corruption of the people and the leadership, blood is the vehicle for his message. For Ezekiel extortion, dishonesty, and other moral depravities is akin to bloodsucking. We learn that maltreatment of the poor and the needy is an act of bloodshed. He even mentions slander. For Ezekiel the slanderer is killing the reputation of another person thus the sin is equivalent to murder.

Ezekiel returned to Jerusalem from Babylon, hoping to enjoy the sanctity of the holy city. Instead, he encounters sin and wickedness among the people and the leadership. Only in the last verse of the haftarah is there a glimmer of hope. Yes, for Ezekiel there is the possibility of the triumph of hope over despair.

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Don Goor

Parasha - M'tzora - Leviticus 14:1-15:33 April 8, 2022

Summary:

For the second week in a row, our Torah portion covers uncomfortable topics.  It begins with Priestly rituals to cure tzaraat (a skin condition) when it afflicts humans.  Rituals are then described which are meant to rid dwelling places of tzaraat. The parashah then denotes male impurities resulting from a penile discharge or seminal emission. The parashah concludes with accounts of female impurities caused by a discharge of blood.

Lessons from our Haftarah – First Kings 7:3-20:

Just as in our Torah portion, in our haftarah we continue to deal with skin diseases.  This week we read of four lepers who come to Samaria and end up saving the nation.                                                         

Throughout the Bible there is a focus on leprosy.  The fear stems from a lack of understanding and of contagion. Josephus, the Roman historian of the first century, refers to lepers as “dead persons.”  An early king of Israel, Uzziah, is forced to live in a separate house. In our haftarah the four lepers, following the biblical injunctions, are banished and sit outside the gates. In the story they behave in a fatalistic way, endangering their lives by going over to the Samarian side during the battle. 

In ancient days disease was understood as a punishment from God.  Leprosy was a terrible punishment and thus the sin must have been severe. Our rabbinic sages determine that leprosy is punishment for the sin of slander, learning this lesson from Miriam who is struck with skin disease and temporarily removed from the camp as a result of speaking ill of her brother, Moses. 

We too often react out of fear rather than knowledge.  The four lepers of our haftarah teach is that even in despair there is hope.  Despite being afflicted with leprosy, in the end, they save the nation.

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Don Goor

Parasha Tazria - Leviticus 12:1−13:59 - April 2, 2022

Summary:

Our Torah portion this week is not pleasant.  It covers topics that we don’t often discuss in public!  God describes the rituals of purification for a woman after childbirth. God then sets forth the methods for diagnosing and treating a variety of skin diseases, including tzara-at (a leprous affection), as well as those for purifying clothing.

Lessons from our Haftarah – Second Kings 4:42-5:19

Our Torah portion focuses on the unpleasant topic of skin diseases.  In our haftarah, a foreign general is healed from his leprosy by the prophet Elisha. 

How is it that Naaman, a foreigner is in Israel searching for a cure?  Why does an outsider turn to a prophet of Israel to rid him of his leprosy?

It is interesting that in ancient times people were open to outside ideas and beliefs both in the realm of the spirit and of the body.  From our haftarah we learn that in the ancient middle east, despite its inward focus with differing tribes and beliefs, people were willing to cross societal boundaries, open to expanding their horizons.  

After his miracle cure, Naaman acknowledges God’s uniqueness and in appreciation swears loyalty to God.  Lest we see this as a conversion to Judaism, we should realize that when he returns to his homeland, Naaman will continue to serve his foreign king and bow down in worship at pagan shrines.  This does not seem to offend Elisha who turns to Naaman and says “Go in peace.” 

Now-a-days people are willing to cross all boundaries when they search spiritually or even medically!  Our haftarah teaches us that we aren’t so different from our ancestors. They too sought out holy leaders from throughout the region for consultation on matters of health or wealth.  We also learn that even in ancient times political and religious boundaries were porous. It is human nature to want the best that can be found!

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Don Goor

Parasha Sh'mini - Leviticus 9:1-11:47 -March 25, 2022

Summary:

In our portion this week, Aaron and his sons follow Moses' instructions and offer sacrifices so that God will forgive the people. Two of Aaron's sons, Nadab and Abihu, offer "alien fire" to God. God then punishes these two priests by killing them immediately. God forbids Moses, Aaron, and his surviving sons from mourning but commands the rest of the people to do so. The portion continues as Priests are told not to drink alcohol before entering the sacred Tabernacle and are further instructed about making sacrifices. Laws are given to distinguish between pure and impure animals, birds, fish, and insects.

Lessons from our Haftarah – 2 Samuel 6:1-7:17:

In our Torah portion, two of Aaron’s sons die as a punishment for bringing “alien fire” into the Tabernacle.  In our haftarah portion Uzzah dies for inadvertently touching the ark during the procession to bring it to Jerusalem.  In both cases the punishment is severe while the act for which Nadab, Abihu and Uzzah are being punished is not clearly understood. 

All three people who are killed in our portions die for a ritual violation.  Clearly the holiness of the ark – in the tabernacle and on its way to Jerusalem – is not a trivial thing.  By bringing “alien fire” into the holy space, Nadab and Abihu break the law and their punishment is harsh.  However, the situation is not as clear when it comes to Uzzah.  The text tells us that the oxen carrying the cart on which the ark had been placed, stumble. In order to stabilize the ark, Uzzah reaches out and “seizes hold of the Ark of God.” 

What is Uzzah’s crime? It seems that he was simply helping to ensure that the ark didn’t fall.  Rashi, the great commentator, sees the evil act as defying God.  According to Rashi, the Ark is such a holy vessel that it is actually carried by God.  Humans are not necessary.  In this case, Uzzah’s sin was that he didn’t have confidence that God would protect the ark. Rabbi Yochanan in the Talmud  has trouble with this interpretation.  Like Rashi, Yochanan understood Uzzah’s actions as a sin.  However despite the sin he ascribes to Uzzah eternal life.  Even though Uzzah dies as a result of his sin, his sin isn’t so serious as to deny him immortality! 

Traditional commentators are uncomfortable with severe punishment when the sin is unclear.  They struggle to find meaning with the verdict of death when it seems unfair.  We are not alone in questioning God’s actions when they seem so inexplicable. 

Death – as well as so much else in life – is impossible to understand.  For the storyteller in our texts, what is beyond understanding must be as a result of God’s will. For us, as modern scientific thinkers, we search for deeper meaning.  However, our haftarah reminds us that there is so much we cannot understand.  Thousands of years after our haftarah, there are still much in our world that is beyond our comprehension, that remains a mystery.

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Don Goor

Parasha Vayikra - Levitico 1:1−5:26: March 11 2022

Summary:

As we begin a new book of Torah this week, our focus shifts to the offering of sacrifices in the Temple.  In our portion we learn about a variety of different sacrifices.  The olah or "burnt offering" was a voluntary sacrifice that had a high degree of sanctity and was regarded as the "standard" offering. The entire animal, except for its hide, was burned on the altar. The minchah or "meal offering" was a sacrifice made of flour, oil, salt, and frankincense that was partly burned on the altar and partly given to the priests to eat. The zevach sh'lamim or "sacrifice of well-being" was a voluntary animal offering from one's herd, sometimes brought to fulfill a vow.  The chatat or "sin offering" was an obligatory sacrifice that was offered to expiate unintentional sins. This offering differs from the others in the special treatment of the blood of the animal. Finally, the asham or "penalty offering" was an obligatory sacrifice of a ram that was required chiefly of one who had misappropriated property.

Lessons from our Haftarah – Isaiah 43:21-44:23:
The Torah portion focuses on sacrifices that are to be brought to the Temple in Jerusalem.  During the time of the prophet Isaiah the temple had been destroyed and thus Isaiah urges the people to bring God the offerings of their hearts.

In our haftarah, Isaiah speaks to the Jewish people who are in exile.  They wonder if they have been forsaken by God.  Isaiah’s message is that contrary to what the people have experienced, they are still treasured by God.

Isaiah’s image reinforces the idea of the Jewish people as chosen by God.  In the Torah, the Jewish people are referred to as a “treasured possession” of the Eternal, a “kingdom of priests and a holy nation.”  Because they were chosen for divine service, they have an obligation to God…an obligation to avoid idolatry and to act in an ethical and holy way. 

Our Judaism, thousands of years later, is still based upon this ideal.  It is a privilege to be a Jew.  In our daily and Shabbat prayer we continue to thank God for setting us apart from all the peoples, giving us a unique destiny.  When we accepted Torah at Mt Sinai, we promised to fulfill our role in the covenant.  God’s plan for history can only properly unfold when we meet our obligations to God.

Chosenness does not mean that we are a superior people.  Instead, it reminds us that we have a privilege – to partner with God in the ultimate redemption of the world.

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Don Goor

Parasha Pekudei - Esodo 38:21-40:38 -March 4, 2022

Summary:

In our Torah portion this week we read a statistical summary of the materials used for the Tabernacle. Moses then blesses the Israelites for all the work they did.  Upon God's instruction, Moses sets up the Mishkan and the priests are anointed and consecrated. Finally, a description is given of a cloud that covers the Mishkan by day and a fire that burns by night, indicating God's Presence within.  With this portion, we end the book of Exodus.

 Lessons from our Haftarah - I Kings 7:51-8:21:

Our Torah portion continues the focus on the building of the tabernacle in the desert while the haftarah portion focuses on the building of Solomon’s temple in Jerusalem. In both, the underlying spiritual question is:  Where does God reside? 

In our haftarah portion, it becomes clear that God is present in the holy ark.  We know that the ark contained the two tablets of the covenant (the 10 commandments) as well as, according to tradition, the fragments of the first set of commandments that Moses broke upon seeing the Golden Calf.  The poles that were used to carry the ark through the desert were also stored inside the ark in Solomon’s temple. 

In the film, Raiders of the Lost Ark, magical powers are assigned to the ancient ark of the covenant.  These magical powers are evident in our texts as well.  Armies took the ark with them into battle in order to ensure victory.  Joshua carried it around the walls of Jericho during the assault on the city.  Eventually, it became the centerpiece of Solomon’s Temple.  It seems that the ark itself disappears after the Babylonians destroy the Temple in 586 BCE. 

We no longer assign mystical powers to the ark in our synagogues, even though it remains a focus architecturally.  For us, the ark, with its eternal light hovering above, stands as a symbolic manifestation of God’s presence in our midst.  When we, with great ceremony, remove the Torah scroll from the ark, we make the statement that God’s presence remains with us when we read and teach Torah. 

At Beth Shalom the Torah scroll rests on a table, covered by a Talit.  When we ask the question, “where does God reside?”, we know that God resides in the midst of our community when we pray and study together.

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Don Goor

Parasha Vayakehel - Exodus 35:1–38:20 -February 25, 2022

Summary:

In our fairly short Torah portion, Moses teaches the rules of Shabbat.  Then the main theme appears when Moses asks the Israelites for a donation of gifts for the building of the Tabernacle.  Next, God appoints Bezalel and Oholiab to help build the Mishkan [Tabernacle].  They are skilled artisans inspired with the spirit of God.

Lessons from our Haftarah - I kings 7:40-7:50 

This week’s haftarah is quite short – only 11 verses.  However, very often, good things come in small packages!  The parallel between the Torah and haftarah portions is quite clear.  Both portions focus on the building of holy space. In the Torah the focus is on the construction of the Tabernacle in the desert while in the haftarah the focus is on the building of Solomon’s Temple in Jerusalem. 

Most of the haftarah portions about which I’ve written are words uttered by prophets…one who speaks words and shares visions inspired by God. Both our Torah and haftarah portion focus on a different version of someone inspired by God – an artist.  When Moses embarks upon the building of the Tabernacle, God singles out Betzalel, along with Oholiab, and fills him “with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills to make artistic designs…” God also gives special wisdom to Solomon, in our haftarah, together with the craftsman, Hiram as they embark upon the creation of the Temple in Jerusalem. 

Holy people are those who are inspired by God - prophets who speak God’s word, priests who serve God in the Temple, and even rabbis who teach God’s word.  However, we learn from our portion this week that artists and artisans are also imbued with a special gift given by God. Our texts recognize that artists are endowed with spirit, with skill, with ability, and with knowledge.  Judaism recognizes and celebrates these unique talents and sees them as holy.

Just as God created the world and saw that it was good, and blessed it, and declared it holy, so too does God see the construction projects in our Torah and haftarah portions and describe them as good, as blessed, and as holy. In an echo of the creation story, our haftarah recognizes that artists, with their inspirational work, also create new worlds.  Just as we find inspiration and holiness when we gather together at Beth Shalom, so too can we find not only inspiration but also holiness when we listen to beautiful music, read beautiful words and see beautiful art. 

And yes, what do Jews do when they experience holiness?  We say a blessing.  May each of you have many opportunities to recite this blessing! 

 בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם שֶׁכָּכָה בְּעוֹלָמוֹ

Barukh atah Adonay Eloheynu me lekh ha-olam she-kacha lo b'olamo.

 Blessed are you, our God, Ruler of the Universe, who has such [beautiful things] in God’s universe.

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Don Goor

Parasha Ki Tissa – Esodo 30:11-34:35 -February 18, 2022

Summary:

Our portion this week is jam-packed with action!  It starts as Moses takes a census of the Israelites and collects a half-shekel from each person.  God then tells Moses to construct a water basin and to prepare anointing oil and incense for the ordination of the priests. Bezalel and Oholiab, skilled artisans, are assigned to make objects for the priests and the Tabernacle. The Israelites are instructed to keep Shabbat as a sign of their covenant with God. God gives Moses the two tablets of the Pact. The Israelites ask Aaron to build them a Golden Calf. Moses implores God not to destroy the people and then breaks the two tablets of the Pact on which the Ten Commandments are written when he sees the idol. God punishes the Israelites by means of a plague. Moses goes up the mountain with a blank set of tablets for another 40 days so that God will again inscribe the Ten Commandments. Other laws, including the edict to observe the Pilgrimage Festivals, are also revealed. Finally, Moses comes down from the mountain with a radiant face.

Lessons from our Haftarah – 1 Kings 18:1-39

In our Torah portion, the people rebel by creating a Golden Calf which they then worship.  In our Haftarah portion, the prophet Elijah battles a foreign cult - the priests of Baal whom the Queen, Jezebel had installed.  Both the Torah and haftarah portions are an indictment of idolatry, which didn’t end with the destruction of the Golden Calf but continues throughout history.  Both portions are a reminder of God’s presence and strength, even at moments when God seems absent.

Our haftarah tells the story of the great prophet Elijah who seems to appear without any introduction.  The mystique surrounding his character is underlined by his sudden appearances and disappearances in the texts.  Elijah is the subject of many legends which focus on his wonderous deeds and miracles.  The Talmud attempts to downplay this mystique and yet throughout the Talmud when a difficult legal question couldn’t be answered it was routinely left to be solved in the unknown future by Elijah!  

The focus on Elijah continues even today when we celebrate a Brit Milah.  We set aside a chair for Elijah as a symbol of hope for the future.  Each week at Havdalah we invite Elijah to join us in hopes that the new week will bring better fortune. And of course, at the Pesach Seder, we set aside a cup for Elijah.  We invite him to join our festivities, symbolizing the hope for a future of freedom for all. 

Despite his greatness and the large role he plays in our history Elijah is always portrayed as a commoner.  He was known to dress simply even when addressing royalty.  He came from the periphery of society and remained a voice for the outsider and the persecuted.  It is Elijah the prophet who will announce the coming of the messianic time when the world is perfected. 

Elijah serves as a beacon of hope for us, just as he did in ancient days.  When we despair at the state of our world, and when we feel that God is absent from our lives, we can remember that Elijah continues to visit us, at every Brit Milah, at every Seder, and each week at Havdalah, as a symbol of hope for the future.  

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Don Goor

Parasha Tetzaveh - Esodo 27:20−30:10: -February 11, 2022

Summary:

In our parasha, the children of Israel are commanded to bring pure olive oil for the ner tamid "a constantly burning light," above the sanctuary. Then, Aaron and his sons, Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar, are chosen to serve as priests.

God instructs Moses to make special clothes for the priests. Aaron and his sons are ordained in a seven-day ceremony. Finally, Aaron is commanded to burn incense on an acacia altar every morning and evening.

Lessons from our Haftarah – Ezekiel 43:10-27:

Did you know that your dining room table has religious significance?  Did you know that your home is as important as the ancient Temple in Jerusalem?  According to the commentary on our haftarah this week, your dining room table and your home have the potential to be deeply religious places!

In the year 587 BCE Jerusalem was destroyed and the Temple was burned.  Along with the destruction almost all of the population was deported to Babylon. It is in this setting of destruction and exile that the prophet Ezekiel offers his words of consolation.  The highlight of his prophecy is the return to Jerusalem with the rebuilding of the Temple.  Much of this short haftarah focuses on the details of the building of the sacrificial altar in the Temple as well as its consecration. 

The centrality of the altar points to its importance in Judaism at the time. Instead of offering prayers, the people connected heaven and earth through the sacrificial service.  The people depended upon the priests in the Temple, without whom the people could not offer sacrifices to God. 

Later generations, also in exile and without a Temple in which to offer sacrifices, returned to Ezekiel’s vision.  In the midrashic commentary, we are taught that when the nation is in exile, preparing a plan for the temple would be considered as if they were actually occupied with the building of the Temple itself.  Noting that Ezekiel also refers to the altar as a “table”, the Talmud teaches that when the Temple is destroyed, a person’s table has the same power as the Temple itself.  In Pirke Avot in the Mishnah, we learn that when three people sit together at a table and discuss Torah, it is “as if they ate from the table of the Presence of God.” 

Each Friday night when you light your Shabbat candles.  Each time you say a blessing in your home.  Each time you take a minute to learn Torah (or read this blog) you turn your table, and your home, into a holy place – as holy as the Temple in ancient Jerusalem!  

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Don Goor