Torah Tidbit

Shabbat Shalom!

I know that we need something uplifting this evening. We’ll get there. Sometimes we have to face the facts before we can find the silver lining. Parshat Shmini is a tragic wake up call. On the very day that Israel’s priests are consecrated as priests, two of our almost priests, two of Aaron’s sons die because they made a mistake.

All who witness this moment are shocked. While Moses tries to offer an...Read more...

Tonight is Shabbat HaGadol – the great Shabbat, the Shabbat that comes right before Pesach/Passover. This is the night where traditionally the rabbi would explain all of the laws of Passover. Instead, tonight, I just want to focus on the word Pesach – Passover, instead.

When it comes to this virus – we certainly want it to pass over us. Although when looked at closely, the word Pesach may not actually mean Passover. It’s used...Read more...

We are in unfamiliar territory when on the surface, it looks like Raymond and I are praying in an empty synagogue with a computer and an awesome microphone. We are in unfamiliar territory when on the surface I’m telling you don’t come to the synagogue, stay home. Our world has been turned upside down – maybe not in a Stranger Things sort of way, but it’s strange enough.

Then again, on the surface, it appears that this...Read more...

350 teens… a good 75 chaperones… All living in a hotel for a long weekend. It sounds amazing, doesn’t it? We visited the Holocaust Museum, we hung out in Georgetown, we went to the National Mall. And every step of the way, we did Jewish and on Monday morning, after a lot of learning and activities and workshops and skits and more, we accomplished our goal.

Going to Washington, D.C. to lobby Congress is inspiring. In the midst of...Read more...

Shabbat Shalom!

So, fifth graders… What do you think? Is it good to be stubborn? Do your parents think it’s good to be stubborn? In this week’s Torah Portion – Va-eira, we have the story of one stubborn man. His name was Pharaoh. That’s right – this week we have part of the Passover story, including a description of the first few plagues

Throughout the book of Exodus, the Torah doesn’t call Pharaoh stubborn. It...Read more...

Shabbat Shalom!

This week’s Torah portion, Parshat Vayigash, gives us an unexpected hero. Judah is the one who vayigash – who “approaches” the most powerful man in Egypt besides Pharaoh. Judah has no idea that this man is actually Joseph. He only knows that the fate of his youngest brother, Benjamin, looks bleak. The evidence is against him – the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack. And yet he steps forward and speaks out,...Read more...

Shabbat Shalom! The Joseph story begins this week with Parshat Vaheishev and let me tell you – it’s got everything! Family intrigue – check! Attempted murder – check! Romantic/Sexual temptation - check! Betrayal and tragedy – check and check! And of course – miraculous change of fortunes! The Joseph story is fantastic storytelling – they should really make that into a musical… well, anyways…

It’s such a great story...Read more...

Shabbat Shalom!

Parshat Vayeira begins with Abraham as a model of hospitality. Even though he’s recovering from a recent surgery, he sits at the entrance of his tent, waiting. He interrupts an appearance from God to offer a little water and bread and shade. Then he gets the whole household moving – making cakes, slaughtering animals, preparing a feast, with Abraham himself serving the guests.

With Abraham as super-host,...Read more...

Shabbat Shalom!

This week’s Torah portion is parshat Lech Lecha where God asks Abraham to go on a journey. He travels hundreds and hundreds of miles with Sarah and all their possessions so they can make it to the Land of Israel.

We had another great leader, King Solomon who went on a different kind of journey. King Solomon was known as the wisest person in the world. He knew the language of every animal. He kidnapped...Read more...

Shabbat Shalom! I am not a fan of the idea that Noah and the Ark is a little kid’s story. If you go online and do a search for Noah’s Ark, the first thing that comes up is the Noah’s Ark experience near Cincinnati. Someone actually built a life-sized Noah’s Ark museum that you can tour and walk through. Not a joke – and there’s a zip line… it’s not far from a creation museum… it’s a real thing.

The second thing...Read more...

The following story is a modern retelling of a Tunisian folktale that I learned about from the brilliant story tellers Nina Jaffe and Steve Zeitlin (While Standing on One Foot, p. 81-86, adapted).

Once there was a man named Jacob Leibman, who lived in a small apartment on the top floor of a six-story house in New York City. Jacob lived alone, but he had many friends. Neighbors were always stopping by to see him, and children loved to...Read more...

Gut Yuntiv! Throughout these Days of Awe, I’ve talked about caring for ourselves: as individuals, as a people, and as a congregation. This morning, I felt it was important to focus on caring for ourselves as a part of the global community. Our Haftarah this morning begins with the strong words of Isaiah 58, “Cry with full throat, without restraint; raise your voice like a ram’s horn!” Why are we crying out? So that we can learn about...Read more...

L’shana Tova Um’tukah – Praying for a good and sweet new year!

In the Torah this morning, we read about one of the most significant moments in the history of the Jewish People – Isaac’s birth. Without Isaac, we’re over before we even began and we marvel at the notion that Sarah gave birth at the age of 90! The idea is that Isaac’s birth was miraculous and a fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham. A promise that has...Read more...

This week’s Torah portion, Nitzavim, tells us that we should choose life so that we shall live. And in the New Year ahead, we are hoping and praying for a year filled with life and good health and positive things! Our story tonight is therefore life affirming and might even be able to teach us a thing or two about what it means to choose life. It’s a Jewish story from Afghanistan that I learned from Howard Schwartz (Leaves from the Garden...Read more...