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Story: Parshat Sh'mini, 4/9/21 (honoring new members)

04/14/2021 09:47:42 AM

Apr14

Rabbi Charlie

This week’s Torah portion, Parshat Sh’mini, details our original dietary laws. So in honor of food and in honor of our Newest Members – a story about food and the building of community in the most unexpected of ways.

A long time ago in the town of Tzefat, the richest man in town was sleeping, as usual, through Shabbat morning services. He awoke just long enough to hear the chanting of the Torah verses from Leviticus in which God instructs the children of Israel to place twelve loaves of challah on a table in the ancient wilderness tabernacle.

        When the services ended, the wealthy man woke up, not realizing that all he had heard was the Torah reading about how God wanted twelve loaves of challah.  He thought that God had come to him in his sleep and had asked him personally to bring twelve loaves of challah to God.  The rich man felt honored that God should single him out, but he also felt a little foolish. God wanted challah? But who was he to argue?  He went home and baked the bread.

        Upon returning to the synagogue, he decided the only proper place for his holy gift was alongside the Torah scrolls in the ark.  He carefully arranged the loaves and said to God, “Thank You for telling me what You want of me.”  Then he left.

        No sooner had he gone that the poorest Jew in the town, the synagogue janitor, entered the sanctuary.  All alone, he spoke to God.  “O Lord, I am so poor.  My family is starving.  Unless You perform a miracle for us, we will surely perish.”  He started to tidy up.  When he ascended the bimah and opened the ark, there before him were twelve loaves of challah!  “A miracle!” exclaimed the poor man, “Blessed are you, O God, who answers our prayers.”  Then he ran home to share the bread with his family.

        An hour later, the rich man returned to the sanctuary, curious to know whether or not God ate the challah.  Slowly he ascended the bimah, opened the ark, and saw that the challot were gone.  “Oh, my God!” he shouted, “You really ate my challot!  I thought you were teasing. You can be sure that I’ll bring another twelve loaves.”

        The following week, the rich man brought a dozen loaves to the synagogue and again left them in the ark.  Minutes later, the poor man entered the sanctuary.  “God, I don’t know how to say this, but I’m out of food again.  Seven loaves we ate, four we sold, and one we gave to charity.  But now, nothing is left and, unless You do another miracle, we surely will starve.”  He approached the ark and slowly opened its doors.  “Another miracle!”  he cried, “twelve more loaves, and with raisins too!  Thank you God, this is wonderful!”

        The challah exchange became a weekly ritual that continued for many years, with both feeling closer to God than they ever had in their lives. Then, one day, the rabbi, detained in the sanctuary longer than usual, watched the rich man place a dozen loaves in the ark and the poor man receive them.

        The rabbi called the two men together and told them what they had been doing.

        “I see,” said the rich man sadly, “God doesn’t really eat challah.”

        “I understand,” said the poor man, “God hasn’t been baking challah for me after all.”

        They both feared that now God no longer would be present in their lives.

        Then the rabbi asked them to look at their hands.  “Your hands,” he said to the rich man, “are the hands of God giving food to people who need it.  And your hands,” said the rabbi to the poor man, “also are the hands of God, receiving food to care for you, your family, and other people in need.  So you see, God is present in your lives.  Continue caring for your community and your family for your hands are the hands of God.

        This story drives home the understanding that we can never know the impact we are having. When we are willing to give and receive, when we are willing to be a part of, when we are willing to celebrate together and mourn together and struggle through challenging times together – we strengthen our community and strengthen one another.

        Tonight, we celebrate our new members whose presence and participation strengthens CBI!

Thu, March 28 2024 18 Adar II 5784