Shabbat Shalom
Watch also for information on ReJewvenation services on the last Friday of most months. We will keep you informed of any further changes to Shabbat services. ✡ ReJewvenation ✡ Malvina Rapko and Hanna Jodrey are excited to launch ReJewvenation, an engaging and welcoming Kabbalat Shabbat musical services one Friday monthly. Regardless of affiliation, all Jewish people and their families are enthusiastically welcomed and encouraged to join us as we greet Shabbat together, with traditional blessings and songs. For further information, contact one of the organizers: hanna.jodrey@gmail.com or malvinarapko@gmail.com Watch for updates. ✡ Dvrei Shabbat ✡ Since we can’t meet right now, we thought we would keep in touch by doing Divrei Torah from Shir Chadash. Thoughts from the Torah… Bereshit 2020 Religiously, spiritually, (not so much weather-wise), I love this time of year. We have just been through the holiest time of the Jewish year: Making amends to our fellow human beings and to God at RH; promising to do better in the coming year, and to repent on YK; celebrating our inner wanderings and outer care at Sukkot; and dancing (well, singing this year) for joy at having received the Torah on Simchat Torah. And now we begin again. We roll back to the beginning of the scrolls and in metaphorical lockstep, we return to our roots, to our beginnings, to recognize that, despite our crazy 5780, there is potential for renewal in 5781…Same for 2020 and 2021. I pray that this will be a good year. Our parsha this week is “Bereshit”: In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was unformed and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep…And God said, “Let there be light. And there was light.” Slowly, the world (not necessarily as we know it today, but a pure, pristine world of the Garden of Eden) developed. We call it day by day, but there was no real time back then, just possibility. So, what do you picture when you hear that story? Do you see God as a man with a long beard conducting the beginning of the world? Or like a Disney character in the Magician, waving a magic wand? In fact, how do you picture God at all? And what impact does He – or She – have on your life? Did God create us, or did we create God? As modern humanity, particularly modern Jews, have distanced themselves, not just from each other because of Covid, but from the more formal religious Services and customs that are at the heart of religion, how do feel God? Are we aware of the spiritual when we take a walk on a windy autumn day (and we have had plenty of those) and connect the beauty and even the chill in the air to God? Do we give thanks for our health and the health of our loved ones? Do we marvel at the many different species of flora and fauna and, yes, of humankind – so varied, yet often so similar in factors that make each of us different, yet the same? Do we think of God as the centre of our universe, or an entity to be remembered and praised only on Shabbat and holidays? And, if God is in the centre, does that mean we have no control? Do you truly believe there is a God even though we cannot see Him or Her? For me, personally, even though bad things happen to good people, and despite the challenges of this past year, I choose to believe that this mostly wonderful universe that we live in was created by a Being beyond myself and that I should do my best to live my life with a belief in God. Of course, I can’t be sure, and I am obviously full of questions surrounding my own connection to God. No, I can’t prove it, but I feel that connection. That’s why they call it faith. I wish you a joyous and healthy Shabbat in this imperfect, but God-created world. ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ NOAH 2020 I have always found the story of Noah that we read this week, fascinating. As a little girl, I loved the idea of saving the animals, and, oh! That rainbow. So beautiful & (as I got older, so meaningful…a message from God). When I taught Hebrew School at Agudas, I took the class out to the park behind the building and we measured out approximately the size the ark would have been. Long and narrow is the best I can remember. It would have had to be tall to accommodate all that it ultimately held for 40 days and 40 nights. But, this year, in lockdowm, it has never been easier to identify with Noah. Alone with our thoughts ,we find a disruption of the “old normal” and who can imagine what the “new normal” will ultimately become? Saying goodbye to the physical togetherness that we shared for a different kind of togetherness. Of course, Noah didn’t have our electronic tools to help…and who would he contact anyway?! Now, as the days gets shorter and the month of Marheshvan has begun, the story of Noah reminds us that there will be a sunny future ahead. Hard to fathom when we have been cooped up now for months in our own “arks”—alone or with others. Noah was lucky—he was saved. His first reaction upon exiting the ark was to build an altar and offer a sacrifice to God. It is not surprising that most sources understand this as an act of giving thanks. Yet, the Torah does not state this explicitly. The Zohar actually considers this to be an atonement sacrifice that blames Noah for not doing enough for those of his generation. Noah, the “righteous of his generation” knew that this was coming but did not pray on his generation’s behalf and call upon them to change their ways. We also see how much God needs human partnership to help Him solve the world’s problems. The parsha ends with Noah internalizing the depths of his personal failure. Noah’s sacrifice altar, it appears, is not one of thanks. It serves as an atonement for his own sin of inaction, as he let civilization devolve until the Earth as he knew it was destroyed. We can imagine Noah waiting in his ark, knowing but not fully coming to terms with what was actually going on outside; only once it was too late did he realize what should have been clear to him all along: that he had looked out only for himself. It is hard, in our own arks, to think beyond ourselves. Of course, we must focus inward to ensure our own health. But the challenges facing our generation—and the next generations—are too great for us to ignore. These challenges are repeated many times a day on TV and our computers. They are all challenges that we must address here and now. Noah’s experience reminds us that there will still be life when we exit the ark, but that we must constantly work to ensure that this reality is available to the generations that follow. So, as we focus on our own survival, we must fight and pray for the survival of our entire world. This year, that is the lesson that Parshat Noah brings us. (Excerpts taken from an article by Yitz Landes, Adjunct Instructor in Ancient Judaism, Princeton University) ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ Lech Lecha 2020 Lech Lecha, our parsha this week, means “leave” or “go for you”, and it led to Abraham leaving his birthplace and much of his family and heading off into the wilderness. How does this translate in this time of pandemic, when we are advised to stay close to home as often as possible? Do we really need to go away to find our path? Or is our journey more centred on doing what is within us? How can we “go for you” and “leave” at the same time? … But I’m getting ahead of myself. This parsha seems to be a chapter of short stories and little vignettes about Abraham’s life more than a saga about the beginning of belief in God and the Father of Faith. Throughout his life, more and more, Abraham has been wondering about how he got to earth and what it has to do with the idols that his father makes. He prays, at first to the idols, but finds no solace and slowly, he comes to the conclusion that there is one Creator of the entire Universe. The vignettes begin. Abraham builds some altars, goes to Egypt, splits up with his cousin Lot (with whom he has become close) because their shepherds can’t get along, gets involved in a big war, and, then, Abraham has this crazy dream in which God promises that he will be the father of nations. It all feels like a bunch of random episodes – sort of like a soap opera: “A Day in the Life of Abraham.” **But what are we supposed to learn from all of these stories? (After all, that’s the point of the Torah, isn’t it?). Is there some central theme here that can teach us about why God chose Abraham and not someone else? Well, In each of these life events, Abraham faces a single struggle, but each time Abraham holds forth his faith in God, and survives. And then the biggie: Sarah, his wife cannot get pregnant. The two grow older together, but still Sarah is not pregnant. It seems that God’s plan for him is not going to come to pass. He has a child with the maidservant, Hagar, but that doesn’t feel right. So he continues to pray and to have faith that he will be the leader of as many people as there are stars in the sky. In the meantime, Sarah’s faith is waivering. Then, at age 90 and Abraham was 100, she becomes pregnant with Isaac. Abraham’s steadfast faith proved him to be the person to lead the people to God, or at least it seems so…next week, another exciting story, another test of Abraham’s faith. The Torah: the greatest story ever told… ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ Vayera 2020 Like many of the Parshot in the Torah, Vayera has a number of interesting events and stories. Two that stand out as being directly opposed to one another are that of Abraham’s welcoming of three passing strangers, and the story of Sodom and Gomorrah. If we look back at today’s world prior to Covid, we can see that our world was becoming more and more chaotic. People were self-centred, and less drawn to faith. Of course, there were many fine people out there, but we were definitely on a downward track in caring for our environment and caring for others. Sodom and Gomorrah were like that, only worse. We were still on the per capita plus side. There were more than 10 good people throughout the world. But I believe that God saw the precipice and felt that the world needed a reset. God didn’t want to destroy the world completely. After all, hadn’t He/She just promised in Parshat Noah that this was a non-starter? And many will say that Covid had nothing to do with God. Yet as a Jew, I believe that, though we may not understand the “why”, God rules our universe. So, for argument’s sake, let’s say that one reason for this deadly pandemic appeared in the world was to give us time to reflect on our behaviour and make good changes. What changes? The answer lies in the story of the strangers. It leads us to opening our hearts and caring about others. It teaches us to watch for opportunities to serve others, not just ourselves. It teaches us humility and generosity. It teaches us to reflect on our life’s path and moves us toward hope and fulfillment. If we are open to seeing God in the form of "the stranger", we will be rewarded and blessed. The two stories are In sharp contrast with one another, but each has the ability to teach us lessons for living. Are we going to hate the stranger as in Sodom and Gomorrah? Are we going to think only of ourselves? Or are we going to receive the blessing of Vayera, by opening our heart to the one who is different? Standing at the door of our tent – our home -- our first challenge is to remain alert, attentive and open to the opportunities for service – even though we can’t currently welcome strangers into our home. Are we going to try to make this a better world bit by bit, not saying that we are only one person, but banding together even if via technology, to make a small difference bigger? We are also encouraged in this Parsha, to take on the role of the guest. For me, that means giving attention to self-nurturance - the right food, exercise, rest, meditation, play. The challenge – and sometimes it is an even more difficult challenge than welcoming others – is to love and take care of yourself so that you can effectively serve others. The stranger is not always easy to serve. He or she may be cruel, ungrateful, or even offensive. The challenge is to stay true to the spirit of service and to look for the Divine Mystery in every encounter even if we are not being perceived or received in the way we'd like. And, if we ourselves are treated as strangers, our challenge is remain steadfast in seeking allies, and to avoid becoming bitter. And so, I encourage you, despite (or maybe because of) Covid, to seek ways to help others, to be compassionate and caring, to reach out even while keeping distance. Remember that welcoming "The Guest" is a spiritual practice that takes skill, style, creativity, concentration, and sustained open-heartedness. And allow God into your home and your heart with graciousness and generosity. Bow inwardly to that Presence as you serve "The Guest." ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ Chayei Sarah 2020 In Chayei Sarah, Sarah dies and Abraham purchases the Cave of Machpela in what is now Hebron, as a burial plot for his wife. Abraham's servant travels to Aram to find a wife for Isaac. Isaac marries Rebecca. Abraham dies. Sarah, the matriarch of the Jewish people, is a rich and complex biblical character. As we read of her death and her husband’s quest for her rightful resting place, it seems fitting to reflect on her extraordinary life, her role in the creation of the Jewish people, and the model of leadership she, together with Abraham, bequeathed to us as a legacy. Sarah is, perhaps, the first woman we encounter in the Bible whose humanity and personality shine through in the text. She is physically beautiful, even drawing the attention of kings. She is wise; God instructs Abraham to heed her words. She is selfless, a barren woman giving her handmaid to her husband so that he may have progeny. But she is jealous, enraged by that same handmaid’s ability to birth a son. And, finally, she is passionate, sexually active even at an advanced age. As if the literal meaning of the Torah’s text did not provide enough details about Sarah’s qualities, the talmudic Rabbis broaden our view of her and deepen our awareness of her contributions to public life, in their midrashim. They contend that both Abraham and Sarah worked together to spread belief in monotheism. Both the biblical and rabbinic traditions are full of appreciation and admiration for this “first lady of Israel.” Indeed, Sarah is the first female royal of Israel. In fact, in Hebrew, her name means “princess,” and, in some translations, “queen”. Sarah was a focal figure in contributing to Israelite religion’s humble beginnings. As appropriate for her time and place, she—together with Abraham—faithfully brought their joint message of monotheism, the mission of God in heaven who would bring freedom, salvation, and eternal truth to the world. Through Sarah, the very human, beautiful, courageous, regal, and strategic spouse of Judaism’s first “president,” the message of monotheism’s truth spread and sounded in the land of milk and honey and beyond. Let us be proud of both Abraham and Sarah and the legacy of leadership they have passed on to us. And let us take example from the power and grace with which they conducted their lives into our own dealings with others throughout our lives. When we respect the loving memories of those who have gone before us; when we invest in our relationships; we possess all that is truly valuable in the human experience. ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ Great Growth Can Come From Great Struggle Toledot 2020 In researching Parshat Tol’dot, I found myself nodding when Cantor Ellen Dreskin pointed out several questions that often comes to mind as I read the parsha: “How can we receive our name (Yisrael) from someone as manipulative and easily sucked into deceit as Jacob seems to be?” And who is really to blame? In deceiving Isaac, was Rebekah only doing her part to manifest the prophecy that she had heard from God? Was Isaac really deceived, or did he also knowingly give Jacob the blessing that was supposed to have been given to Esau, his firstborn? And why did Jacob, our supposed “hero,” dive so willingly into his mother’s plan to lie to Isaac? What blessings and lessons are we meant to glean from this story that contains all the elements of a well-written soap opera. The Torah describes Jacob as tam, often translated as “mild,” “simple,” or “naive”. He is most comfortable close to home; he does not seem to be an adventurous soul. And while he seems to desire to be more than he is, he only attempts to elevate his status through deception and trickery, with the full knowledge of at least one of his parents. How can this easily led, simple tent-dweller be the next link in our chain of tradition? Rabbi Stephen Robbins suggests that both Rebekah and Isaac were in cahoots to push Jacob from the nest from the beginning. They knew that Jacob would go along with the plan to deceive Isaac. They knew that Esau’s anger would further convince Jacob that he had to leave for parts and paths unknown. And they knew that Jacob could never become who he was meant to be until he became the outcast, the stranger, the one who himself was manipulated and deceived. He survived all of these struggles so that he might ultimately become resilient and confident enough to openly wrestle with God. Great growth often comes from great struggle. And Torah is filled with situations in which we are forced to confront adversity, leave our comfort zones, and face our fears to move forward and realize our potential. Perhaps both Rebekah and Isaac understood that until mild-mannered, homebody Jacob was forced out of his tent, out of his parents’ house, and out of his homeland, he could never be Yisrael, one who struggles (with God). Adam and Eve had to leave Eden. Abraham had to leave everything he knew in order to become his strongest self. Perhaps even Isaac needed the near-death experience of the Akeidah in order to leave his parents behind and spiritually strike out on his own. And what of Esau? Much maligned through the ages by our commentators, he is the real victim here. But Isaac counsels him: As long as you accept the yoke, it is your fate. If you are strong, you do not need to live under the yoke of assigned roles and expectations. In order to meet our own challenges in life, we must discover our own gifts and strengths. Our name, “Yisrael”, begins with the Hebrew letter yud because that letter signifies future tense. The blessing of being forced to confront life and wrestle with God is granted in every generation. If we live our lives entrenched in the familiar, we may never grow, and the world may never change. We must form our own opinions, make mistakes, face the consequences of our actions, weather the storms of life, and break the yoke of the stories that others have told us about how our lives ought to be. Particularly in today’s world, we must all be jolted into realizing that life is not simple, there are challenges that must be met. In 2020 this has involved staying close to home when we are not accustomed to it and looking inward to discover our souls. And when we are able to leave our tents, and are pushed from our now secure places, we must be ready to step boldly into the unknown. This is our inheritance, our responsibility, and our blessing. |
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