Juneteenth
When I started to write this drash, I knew it would be given on Juneteenth. I had no idea, however, that it would be recognized as a federal holiday as happened on Thursday. So it’s pretty exciting to be part of the cohort that is giving the first drash on the first time that Juneteenth is an official holiday in the United States.
Yom Kippur 2020 : The truth of who I am
I don’t remember your birthday. I promise I don’t. And even if I do, I won’t remember to send you a card. And if you have me over for dinner (remember when we used to have people over for dinner?) I will have a wonderful time and enjoy myself thoroughly. And I won’t send you a thank you note, probably not even an e-mail. It’s not a good thing about me. I’m not proud of this. All my life I have wished that I were more gracious in these ways, and I admire very much those people who do send little notes and bring thoughtful house gifts when they come over. Those small gestures show attentiveness and respect. They bring ease and pleasure and communicate appreciation — all things I want to do.
Rosh Hashana 2020 : So much unknowing
So how are you doing? We’ve all asked and answered this question a million times, right? And lately very often the answer we hear, and maybe the one we give, is something like, “Well I’m doing okay, except for, you know, uh, the world...”
Parshat Ekev
While I waited for Ada to be born on that long Saturday, one of the things I did to pass the time was look at the torah reading for that day. Every week a portion of the torah is read in chronological order and every Jewish community throughout the world reads the same portion each week.
The Ark of your soul
Exodus 34:1-9 The Lord said to Moses, “Carve for yourself two tablets of stone like the first ones, and I will inscribe on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you shattered. 2 Be ready in the morning, and ascend in the morning to Mount Sinai and stand by me yourself there, on the top of the mountain. 3No man shall come up with you, and do not let anyone be seen throughout the entire mountain; and do not let flocks or herds graze in front of that mountain.” 4 So Moses carved out two tablets of stone like the first ones; and he rose early in the morning and went up on Mount Sinai, as the Lord had commanded him, and took in his hand the two tablets of stone.
My teaching on Toldot
First I want to summarize this week's parashah. Abraham and Sarah, who we could say were 'the first Jews, have a son Isaac, who marries Rebecca, who gives birth to twins: Esau and Jacob. Jacob becomes a scholar and a homebody who is favored by their mother; Esau is a ruddy-complexioned and hairy man, a hunter, who plies their father’s favor with tasty game.
Parshat Toldot
Our Aliyah today is Toldot, Chapter 26, verses 6-12. It is a very short self -contained vignette inserted into the midst of the family drama of Isaac, Rebecca, Jacob and Esau that makes up most of the Parsha. We read that Isaac and Rebecca journey to the land of the Philistines in a time of famine. Isaac passes Rebecca off as his sister. Avimelech, king of the Philistines, observes Isaac fondling Rebecca and suspects the truth. When he confronts him, Isaac admits the lie, and Avimelech says, “What is this thou hast done to us? One of the people might easily have lain with your wife and thou wouldst have brought guiltiness upon us.”
A Picto-D’rash of Parsha Yitro
1. Core significance of this Parsha
2. The Scene of Sinai
3. The People
4. The Boundary
5. Moses: Who said what to whom?, “Darsheini”
6. The Torah is Given
7. Torah Kedumah / Primordial Torah
8. Oral Torah/ Written Torah
9. God / Clouds of Glory / Shekhinah
10. Hands of God
13. Unification/ Our Portion
Parshat Hukas
1. Num. 19:1-22: The Red Heifer and the preparation of what is often translated as the “water of sprinkling” or “the water of lustration”. The Hebrew actually reads as the “water of nidah/separation (Num 19:13). Commentators call this a classic example of a HUKKAH, a commandment for which there is no rational explanation, observed because it is divinely commanded. It may have reference to other, older pre-Mosaic rituals and cult practices.
Why did the snake do what he did?
Shabbat shalom. In my parshah, parshat bereshit, there are many major things that happen. God creates the world; he creates life, plants, animals, and lastly humans. Also there is the matter of Adam and Eve getting sent out of Eden. Here is the story, in case you don’t know it; god made Adam and Eve on the sixth day placing them in the Garden of Eden, and then on the seventh day he rested. He told Adam and Eve that “from all the trees in the garden you may eat, but from the tree of knowledge of good and evil you may not, because it will surely bring you death.” Then came the snake, he said “even if God said do not eat from the tree...” this statement suggests that it is okay to eat from the tree, he proceeds to then trick Eve to eat the fruit and give some to Adam. God saw this and banned them from Eden. He also gave the snake a punishment for tricking them.
Why did the snake do what he did?
Shabbat shalom. In my parshah, parshat bereshit, there are many major things that happen. God creates the world; he creates life, plants, animals, and lastly humans. Also there is the matter of Adam and Eve getting sent out of Eden. Here is the story, in case you don’t know it; god made Adam and Eve on the sixth day placing them in the Garden of Eden, and then on the seventh day he rested. He told Adam and Eve that “from all the trees in the garden you may eat, but from the tree of knowledge of good and evil you may not, because it will surely bring you death.” Then came the snake, he said “even if God said do not eat from the tree...” this statement suggests that it is okay to eat from the tree, he proceeds to then trick Eve to eat the fruit and give some to Adam. God saw this and banned them from Eden. He also gave the snake a punishment for tricking them.
The Beginning of the World
The portion I picked is part of Bereshit, which is about the beginning of the world. This particular part tells how the serpent tricks Eve into eating the fruit of the forbidden tree by saying "Did perhaps God say: 'you shall not eat of any tree of the garden'?" The woman replies saying that they are permitted to eat from any tree except that particular one. She goes on to say that they must not eat of or touch that tree or they will die. The serpent then says "you will not surely die for God knows that on the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and bad."
Facing your Fears
Could you imagine if you were playing a basketball game and your coach told you to destroy all of the rival team’s equipment? The coach orders us to do this because they are different from us. But does that make it okay?