Scrollers Preview
Parashat Mattot
7/23/2011
Rabbi Rachel Goldenberg
As we near the end of the Book of Numbers, we receive some additional laws, Moses receives his last task from God, and we begin to focus on the settlement of the Promised Land. The three main sections of the Parasha are:
1.) Laws regarding vows – Specifically, we learn about who is responsible for the vows or oaths of a woman, depending on her personal status (living in her father’s house, married, divorced, widowed.) A vow or oath is a powerful use of words, made binding by the use of God’s name.
2.) God asks one last thing of Moses before his death – to go to war against the Midianites. This war is meant to redress past wrongs, specifically the Midianites’ seduction of the Israelite men in last week’s parashah. Balaam reappears here as the mastermind behind that mass-seduction. Moses is unhappy when the Israelite armies only kill the men and not the women. So he sends them back to slay all male children and all women who have known men carnally.
3.) The tribes of Reuben and Gad claim the land on the East side of the Jordan as their inheritance and want to settle it because it is good cattle country. Moses is not happy; he is concerned that they won’t help the Israelites conquer the land. A compromise is reached in which the Reubenite and Gadite men will serve as “shock-troops” and will conquer the land before returning to their lands on the East side of the river.
This year, with a nudge from some Scrollers, I thought I’d look at the Women’s Torah Commentary on this Parasha, especially on the sections about vows and the war against the Midianites. On the vows section, we’ll look at how the rabbis of the Talmud limited the kinds of vows that husbands could annul on behalf of their wives. We’ll also look at how two later Biblical stories (Jepthah’s daughter, and Saul’s son) shed light on the power of vows.
An essay in the Women’s commentary asks the following question - Given how the Torah treats the vows of women and men differently, what impact might this have on a woman speaking up about her needs or acting independently? What status do the yearnings and dreams of women have?
Some additional questions we’ll explore include:
What role do vows play in your life? Do you make vows?
What meaning does the Kol Nidre prayer hold for you? (Kol Nidrei is the prayer we chant on the eve of Yom Kippur, in which we pray that any vows we utter in the coming year which we fail to uphold will be annulled.)
Friday, July 22, 2011
Friday, July 15, 2011
Holy Scrollers Preview - Parashat Pinchas 7/16/11
Scrollers Preview
Parashat Pinchas
7/6/11
Rabbi Rachel Goldenberg
The episode which made Pinchas famous actually takes place at the end of last week’s Torah portion. In that Parasha, Pinchas stabs an Israelite man and a Midianite woman as they are about to have sexual relations as part of idolatrous worship of the Moabite/Midianite god, Ba’al. Just prior to this incident, God had instructed Moses to impale all of the ringleaders involved with an outbreak of idolatrous whoring with Moabite/Midianite women. (The terms “Moabite” and “Midianite,” while referring to two different nations, seem to be interchangeable in this Torah portion. It may be related to the Moabites having conquered the Midianites at some point.)
Our Parasha opens with God making a pact with Pinchas that involves him and his descendants inheriting the priesthood for all time. God seems to be rewarding Pinchas for his “impassioned action for his God.” The word in Hebrew translated here as passion is “kin’ah.”
The next chapter of the Parasha involves yet another census, this one taken after the forty years of wandering are over. None of those counted except for Joshua and Caleb had been part of the original generation that left Egypt. After the census, God explains how the land is going to be apportioned to each tribe. What follows is the interesting case of the daughters of Zelopechad, who do not have any male relatives who might receive their deceased father’s portion of land. God creates a new law, saying that when there is no male relative, the land can be transferred to daughters. We learn later that the daughters must marry within their clan so that the land will stay in the clan.
At the end of this section about land apportionment, Moses asks God to identify a successor for him, and we have a simple but moving scene in which Moses lays his hands upon Joshua and commissions him to lead the people into the Land.
The last two chapters of this Parasha deal with daily sacrifices and festival sacrifices.
The two themes that stand out for me this year are that of passion and continuity. The impassioned Pinchas will take over the high priesthood from Aaron, who died in a previous Parasha. Joshua, who is described as having a unique “ruach,” or spirit, takes over for Moses.
We see both of these themes in the haftarah as well. The haftarah, about Elijah the prophet, also uses this term “kin’a” to describe Elijah’s passionate devotion to God. He too slaughters idol worshippers – in his case, prophets of Baal. Elijah flees and finds himself in the depths of despair. God appears to him and empowers him to continue as a prophet and to take on a successor – Elisha. Passion and continuity: Elijah, the impassioned prophet, rediscovers his passion upon finding a person to carry out his work.
Many questions this week…
What is the Torah telling us about the connection between passion and leadership? How does God view that connection? What is the “shadow” side of passionate leadership, and are there healthy ways to direct/redirect passion? What role does or should passion play in a community’s search or in God’s search for succession in leadership?
Parashat Pinchas
7/6/11
Rabbi Rachel Goldenberg
The episode which made Pinchas famous actually takes place at the end of last week’s Torah portion. In that Parasha, Pinchas stabs an Israelite man and a Midianite woman as they are about to have sexual relations as part of idolatrous worship of the Moabite/Midianite god, Ba’al. Just prior to this incident, God had instructed Moses to impale all of the ringleaders involved with an outbreak of idolatrous whoring with Moabite/Midianite women. (The terms “Moabite” and “Midianite,” while referring to two different nations, seem to be interchangeable in this Torah portion. It may be related to the Moabites having conquered the Midianites at some point.)
Our Parasha opens with God making a pact with Pinchas that involves him and his descendants inheriting the priesthood for all time. God seems to be rewarding Pinchas for his “impassioned action for his God.” The word in Hebrew translated here as passion is “kin’ah.”
The next chapter of the Parasha involves yet another census, this one taken after the forty years of wandering are over. None of those counted except for Joshua and Caleb had been part of the original generation that left Egypt. After the census, God explains how the land is going to be apportioned to each tribe. What follows is the interesting case of the daughters of Zelopechad, who do not have any male relatives who might receive their deceased father’s portion of land. God creates a new law, saying that when there is no male relative, the land can be transferred to daughters. We learn later that the daughters must marry within their clan so that the land will stay in the clan.
At the end of this section about land apportionment, Moses asks God to identify a successor for him, and we have a simple but moving scene in which Moses lays his hands upon Joshua and commissions him to lead the people into the Land.
The last two chapters of this Parasha deal with daily sacrifices and festival sacrifices.
The two themes that stand out for me this year are that of passion and continuity. The impassioned Pinchas will take over the high priesthood from Aaron, who died in a previous Parasha. Joshua, who is described as having a unique “ruach,” or spirit, takes over for Moses.
We see both of these themes in the haftarah as well. The haftarah, about Elijah the prophet, also uses this term “kin’a” to describe Elijah’s passionate devotion to God. He too slaughters idol worshippers – in his case, prophets of Baal. Elijah flees and finds himself in the depths of despair. God appears to him and empowers him to continue as a prophet and to take on a successor – Elisha. Passion and continuity: Elijah, the impassioned prophet, rediscovers his passion upon finding a person to carry out his work.
Many questions this week…
What is the Torah telling us about the connection between passion and leadership? How does God view that connection? What is the “shadow” side of passionate leadership, and are there healthy ways to direct/redirect passion? What role does or should passion play in a community’s search or in God’s search for succession in leadership?
Friday, July 1, 2011
Holy Scrollers Preview - Parashat Chukat 7/2/11
Holy Scrollers Preview
Parashat Chukat
July 2, 2011
Rabbi Rachel Goldenberg
Shabbat Shalom everyone! It’s nice to be back teaching Scrollers this week. Thanks to David and Rick for your facilitation these past few weeks, and thanks to everyone for welcoming visiting students from my summer Introduction to Judaism class.
Themes of life and death permeate this week’s Parasha. It opens with the laws regarding the red heifer (or perfect brown heifer, according to the Etz Hayim commentary,) the ashes of which are mixed with water to purify anyone who has come into contact with a corpse. We’ll see in this section the paradox of purity and impurity, as these ashes can at the same time purify the impure and render impure the pure!
Next, Miriam dies, and immediately we learn that the community is without water. This leads to the story of Moses striking the rock to get water for the eternally kvetchy Israelites. As a result of this incident, Moses and Aaron are barred from entering the Promised Land. Before this Parasha is over, Aaron dies on Mount Hor.
The end of the Parasha is framed by a series of military engagements, which the Israelites win, and we read about their travels South of the land of Israel, from one battle to the next. During this section, the people are without water again, and they rebel not only against Moses, but against God as well. God sends serpents to bite and kill many Israelites, until Moses is able to create what seems like a fetish to ward off this plague.
Eventually, the Israelites finally come across a well. This time, in order to get water, all the people have to do is sing, and it springs up. Somehow, after all of these experiences of death, of Aaron and of Miriam, of their fellow Israelites in the plague of the serpents, the living waters are again accessible.
My question is, why? Why at this point in the story are the Israelites finally able to access life-giving water so easily? When we are surrounded by death and hopelessness, what is it that sustains us? What helps us to tap into the cool water beneath the dry surface?
Parashat Chukat
July 2, 2011
Rabbi Rachel Goldenberg
Shabbat Shalom everyone! It’s nice to be back teaching Scrollers this week. Thanks to David and Rick for your facilitation these past few weeks, and thanks to everyone for welcoming visiting students from my summer Introduction to Judaism class.
Themes of life and death permeate this week’s Parasha. It opens with the laws regarding the red heifer (or perfect brown heifer, according to the Etz Hayim commentary,) the ashes of which are mixed with water to purify anyone who has come into contact with a corpse. We’ll see in this section the paradox of purity and impurity, as these ashes can at the same time purify the impure and render impure the pure!
Next, Miriam dies, and immediately we learn that the community is without water. This leads to the story of Moses striking the rock to get water for the eternally kvetchy Israelites. As a result of this incident, Moses and Aaron are barred from entering the Promised Land. Before this Parasha is over, Aaron dies on Mount Hor.
The end of the Parasha is framed by a series of military engagements, which the Israelites win, and we read about their travels South of the land of Israel, from one battle to the next. During this section, the people are without water again, and they rebel not only against Moses, but against God as well. God sends serpents to bite and kill many Israelites, until Moses is able to create what seems like a fetish to ward off this plague.
Eventually, the Israelites finally come across a well. This time, in order to get water, all the people have to do is sing, and it springs up. Somehow, after all of these experiences of death, of Aaron and of Miriam, of their fellow Israelites in the plague of the serpents, the living waters are again accessible.
My question is, why? Why at this point in the story are the Israelites finally able to access life-giving water so easily? When we are surrounded by death and hopelessness, what is it that sustains us? What helps us to tap into the cool water beneath the dry surface?
Friday, June 3, 2011
Holy Scrollers Preview - Parashat Naso
Holy Scrollers Preview
Parashat Naso
Numbers 4:21 – 7:89
Rabbi Rachel Goldenberg
Shabbat Shalom everyone! Before sharing my Torah preview with you, I want to remind you that the festival of Shavuot is coming (Tuesday night June 7th through Wednesday June 8th) encourage you to come to our Erev Shavuot services and study session (also called a “Tikkun”. See information below:
Erev Shavuot service and Tikkun Leil Shavuot study session
Tuesday June 7th
Service at 7pm, Tikkun 8:30-10pm
On Erev Shavuot, the festival which celebrates the giving of the 10 Commandments on Mount Sinai, we will begin with a special evening service with moments of extended contemplation on the themes of the prayers. This approach opens up the meaning of the traditional prayers and allows us to connect to them in new ways. We will hear the 10 Commandments read from the Torah, and through a Bibliodrama experience we’ll have a chance to imagine what it might have been like to be at Sinai.
At 8:30pm we will reconvene for an experiential study session led by Rabbi Goldenberg, Belinda Brennan and Peg Palmer (after noshing on delicious dairy treats). According to a Chasidic tradition, the only sound that the Israelites heard at Mount Sinai was the sound of the letter “Alef,” which is the first letter of the first word of the Ten Commandments. Through text study, meditation and chant we will try to find our own answers to the question, “What is the sound of the letter ‘Alef’?”
Please feel free to join us for all or part of the evening.
Shavuot morning service with Yizkor will take place Wednesday June 8th at 8AM.
Now for our preview:
The first half of Parashat Naso contains mostly legal material, concerning “circumstances when one’s place in the community is in question because of unusal behavior” (Etz Hayyim commentary). Categories include the person who has taken a Nazirite vow and the “sotah,” who is a woman who is suspected by her husband of having committed adultery. The “sotah” is required to undergo a ritual ordeal in order to exonerate her or punish her. The second half of the portion deals with gifts that the chiefs of each tribe brought to the Tabernacle on the occasion of its dedication.
We will focus most of our time on these categories of the “sotah,” the woman suspected of adultery by her husband, and the “nazir,” who has taken a vow to abstain from wine or other grape products. We’ll look at some articles on this parasha included in The Torah: A Women’s Commentary. One article by Judith Hauptman gives us an overview of how later generations, rabbis in the time of the Mishnah and the Talmud, interpreted and dealt with the “sotah.” Hauptman also gives examples from Jewish history of actual women who took Nazirite vows.
The other is an essay written by a friend of mine, Lisa Grushcow, on how the Talmudic rabbis’ treatment of the “sotah” can give us insight into their view of change, and how their view of change differs from ours today.
I look forward to exploring our questions as they arise!
Parashat Naso
Numbers 4:21 – 7:89
Rabbi Rachel Goldenberg
Shabbat Shalom everyone! Before sharing my Torah preview with you, I want to remind you that the festival of Shavuot is coming (Tuesday night June 7th through Wednesday June 8th) encourage you to come to our Erev Shavuot services and study session (also called a “Tikkun”. See information below:
Erev Shavuot service and Tikkun Leil Shavuot study session
Tuesday June 7th
Service at 7pm, Tikkun 8:30-10pm
On Erev Shavuot, the festival which celebrates the giving of the 10 Commandments on Mount Sinai, we will begin with a special evening service with moments of extended contemplation on the themes of the prayers. This approach opens up the meaning of the traditional prayers and allows us to connect to them in new ways. We will hear the 10 Commandments read from the Torah, and through a Bibliodrama experience we’ll have a chance to imagine what it might have been like to be at Sinai.
At 8:30pm we will reconvene for an experiential study session led by Rabbi Goldenberg, Belinda Brennan and Peg Palmer (after noshing on delicious dairy treats). According to a Chasidic tradition, the only sound that the Israelites heard at Mount Sinai was the sound of the letter “Alef,” which is the first letter of the first word of the Ten Commandments. Through text study, meditation and chant we will try to find our own answers to the question, “What is the sound of the letter ‘Alef’?”
Please feel free to join us for all or part of the evening.
Shavuot morning service with Yizkor will take place Wednesday June 8th at 8AM.
Now for our preview:
The first half of Parashat Naso contains mostly legal material, concerning “circumstances when one’s place in the community is in question because of unusal behavior” (Etz Hayyim commentary). Categories include the person who has taken a Nazirite vow and the “sotah,” who is a woman who is suspected by her husband of having committed adultery. The “sotah” is required to undergo a ritual ordeal in order to exonerate her or punish her. The second half of the portion deals with gifts that the chiefs of each tribe brought to the Tabernacle on the occasion of its dedication.
We will focus most of our time on these categories of the “sotah,” the woman suspected of adultery by her husband, and the “nazir,” who has taken a vow to abstain from wine or other grape products. We’ll look at some articles on this parasha included in The Torah: A Women’s Commentary. One article by Judith Hauptman gives us an overview of how later generations, rabbis in the time of the Mishnah and the Talmud, interpreted and dealt with the “sotah.” Hauptman also gives examples from Jewish history of actual women who took Nazirite vows.
The other is an essay written by a friend of mine, Lisa Grushcow, on how the Talmudic rabbis’ treatment of the “sotah” can give us insight into their view of change, and how their view of change differs from ours today.
I look forward to exploring our questions as they arise!
Friday, May 27, 2011
Holy Scrollers Preview - Parashat Bamidbar 5/28/11
Scrollers Preview
Parashat Bamidbar
5/28/11
Rabbi Rachel Goldenberg
The modern commentator, Hirsch, contrasts this book of Bamidbar (Numbers) with the previous book of Vayikra (Leviticus) when he writes that Bamidbar contrasts, “the people of Israel as it actually is” to “the ideal to which it was summoned in Va-yikra.”
This week we begin a new book, and I think that Hirsch got it right. This book of Bamidbar is gritty and harsh. It takes us down from the heights of the vision of an ideal priestly society outlined in Leviticus to the muddy, messy, earthly realm of these Israelites who are forever kvetching and rebelling and misbehaving.
This Parasha opens with what we usually call a census, but which really is a military draft. It continues with the layout of the Israelite camp like an army encamped troop by troop around the Tabernacle. Then we have a section that focuses mostly on the Levites and its clans and their duties. At the end of chapter 3, we learn that the Levites stand in for all of the first-born of the Israelites to serve God. The Parasha ends with instructions to the priests and Levites on how to break down the Tabernacle and transport it when they are on the march.
Rabbi Lawrence Kushner and the playwright David Mamet collaborated on a book of short essays related to each Torah portion. Mamet’s essay caught my attention this week. He sees a motif in our Parasha of child or infant sacrifice, in the form of the draft. Here is Mamet’s response to our Parasha, Bamidbar:
Much of the tropism to war must be infant sacrifice. The English and Germans—armies of the two most advanced and philosophic countries in the worlds of 1914 – convened across a trench to slaughter each other. Sixty thousand young men were sent to Vietnam to die in an action pointless and absurd unless its point was the very death of these young men. They died to assuage anxiety on the part of the elders themselves, in the world. Or, to put it differently, they died as a sacrifice to the sun god – a propitiation. The student opposition to the war was disproportionately Jewish – that is to say, Jews were less likely to embrace blindly the tropism to infant sacrifice. Can one trace the roots of that reluctance to the Akedah, and see the autonomic attempt at its reinstitution in this story of the draft? Does a nation require a draft as much for its psychic integrity as for its military purposes? Was the draft a proclamation of having as a nation succeeded to the status of Elder; and, so, of being prepared to sacrifice the young?
I’d like to discuss this Parasha in light of Mamet’s interpretation, first of all because it is a powerful commentary on the idea of a draft. I also see in this essay a kind of response to the idea of the redemption of the first-born and the “sacrifice” of the Levites to serve God. Looking forward to a lively discussion tomorrow!
Shabbat Shalom, Rabbi Goldenberg
Parashat Bamidbar
5/28/11
Rabbi Rachel Goldenberg
The modern commentator, Hirsch, contrasts this book of Bamidbar (Numbers) with the previous book of Vayikra (Leviticus) when he writes that Bamidbar contrasts, “the people of Israel as it actually is” to “the ideal to which it was summoned in Va-yikra.”
This week we begin a new book, and I think that Hirsch got it right. This book of Bamidbar is gritty and harsh. It takes us down from the heights of the vision of an ideal priestly society outlined in Leviticus to the muddy, messy, earthly realm of these Israelites who are forever kvetching and rebelling and misbehaving.
This Parasha opens with what we usually call a census, but which really is a military draft. It continues with the layout of the Israelite camp like an army encamped troop by troop around the Tabernacle. Then we have a section that focuses mostly on the Levites and its clans and their duties. At the end of chapter 3, we learn that the Levites stand in for all of the first-born of the Israelites to serve God. The Parasha ends with instructions to the priests and Levites on how to break down the Tabernacle and transport it when they are on the march.
Rabbi Lawrence Kushner and the playwright David Mamet collaborated on a book of short essays related to each Torah portion. Mamet’s essay caught my attention this week. He sees a motif in our Parasha of child or infant sacrifice, in the form of the draft. Here is Mamet’s response to our Parasha, Bamidbar:
Much of the tropism to war must be infant sacrifice. The English and Germans—armies of the two most advanced and philosophic countries in the worlds of 1914 – convened across a trench to slaughter each other. Sixty thousand young men were sent to Vietnam to die in an action pointless and absurd unless its point was the very death of these young men. They died to assuage anxiety on the part of the elders themselves, in the world. Or, to put it differently, they died as a sacrifice to the sun god – a propitiation. The student opposition to the war was disproportionately Jewish – that is to say, Jews were less likely to embrace blindly the tropism to infant sacrifice. Can one trace the roots of that reluctance to the Akedah, and see the autonomic attempt at its reinstitution in this story of the draft? Does a nation require a draft as much for its psychic integrity as for its military purposes? Was the draft a proclamation of having as a nation succeeded to the status of Elder; and, so, of being prepared to sacrifice the young?
I’d like to discuss this Parasha in light of Mamet’s interpretation, first of all because it is a powerful commentary on the idea of a draft. I also see in this essay a kind of response to the idea of the redemption of the first-born and the “sacrifice” of the Levites to serve God. Looking forward to a lively discussion tomorrow!
Shabbat Shalom, Rabbi Goldenberg
Friday, May 20, 2011
Holy Scrollers Preview - Parashat B'chukotai
Scrollers Preview
B’chukotai
Rabbi Rachel Goldenberg
Parashat B’chukotai seals the book of Leviticus with blessings if we follow the commandments and curses if we don’t. This section of the Torah is called the “Tokhecha” or “Reproach” and is traditionally chanted in a quiet voice.
A key word in this section is that of “keri,” which is translated as “hostility.” God warns that if we are hostile to God and to the commandments, then God will be hostile to us, shutting up the skies from bringing rain, and bringing enemies to decimate us and exile us from the land. Apparently this word “keri” doesn’t appear anywhere else in the Bible.
The Etz Hayim commentary gives several possible interpretations of “keri”. One commentator, Hoffman, understands it as ‘“at cross purposes,’ doing the opposite of what God commands, in the way that adolescents will often do thte opposite of what they are told, to proclaim their autonomy. Rashi and Ibn Ezra relate it to the word for ‘chance,’ (mikreh), following God’s ways only when convenient. . . . Salanter relates it to “kor” (cold), so that it would mean ‘calculated, without passion.’ These curses will occur not only if the people Israel violate God’s laws but even if they obey them in a spirit that drains them of religious value. . . .”
This text seems to reflect a Deuteronomic theology. We see this theology of reward and punishment throughout the Book of Deuteronomy, and this kind of language pops up in other parts of Torah as well.
As we study tomorrow, we’ll explore whether this theology works for us today, and what it means to us to walk with God, or to be hostile to God. If we imagine that this text was written during the time of Josiah, just a century or so before the destruction of the Temple and the Babylonian exile, do we see it differently?
If there is time, I hope we’ll also read the Haftarah from Jeremiah, which probably comes from the same era as our Torah text (6th or 7th century B.C.E.) Here we have a similar prediction of blessing for those who follow God and curse for those who do not, but Jeremiah is expressing these themes in the form of prayer, such as the opening line, “O Lord, my strength and my stronghold, my refuge in a day of trouble, to You nations shall come from the ends of the earth and say: Our fathers inherited utter deliusions, things that are futile and worthless” (Jer. 16:19) And the closing line, “Heal me, O Lord, and let me be healed; Save me, and let me be saved; For You are my glory.” (Jer. 17:14)
B’chukotai
Rabbi Rachel Goldenberg
Parashat B’chukotai seals the book of Leviticus with blessings if we follow the commandments and curses if we don’t. This section of the Torah is called the “Tokhecha” or “Reproach” and is traditionally chanted in a quiet voice.
A key word in this section is that of “keri,” which is translated as “hostility.” God warns that if we are hostile to God and to the commandments, then God will be hostile to us, shutting up the skies from bringing rain, and bringing enemies to decimate us and exile us from the land. Apparently this word “keri” doesn’t appear anywhere else in the Bible.
The Etz Hayim commentary gives several possible interpretations of “keri”. One commentator, Hoffman, understands it as ‘“at cross purposes,’ doing the opposite of what God commands, in the way that adolescents will often do thte opposite of what they are told, to proclaim their autonomy. Rashi and Ibn Ezra relate it to the word for ‘chance,’ (mikreh), following God’s ways only when convenient. . . . Salanter relates it to “kor” (cold), so that it would mean ‘calculated, without passion.’ These curses will occur not only if the people Israel violate God’s laws but even if they obey them in a spirit that drains them of religious value. . . .”
This text seems to reflect a Deuteronomic theology. We see this theology of reward and punishment throughout the Book of Deuteronomy, and this kind of language pops up in other parts of Torah as well.
As we study tomorrow, we’ll explore whether this theology works for us today, and what it means to us to walk with God, or to be hostile to God. If we imagine that this text was written during the time of Josiah, just a century or so before the destruction of the Temple and the Babylonian exile, do we see it differently?
If there is time, I hope we’ll also read the Haftarah from Jeremiah, which probably comes from the same era as our Torah text (6th or 7th century B.C.E.) Here we have a similar prediction of blessing for those who follow God and curse for those who do not, but Jeremiah is expressing these themes in the form of prayer, such as the opening line, “O Lord, my strength and my stronghold, my refuge in a day of trouble, to You nations shall come from the ends of the earth and say: Our fathers inherited utter deliusions, things that are futile and worthless” (Jer. 16:19) And the closing line, “Heal me, O Lord, and let me be healed; Save me, and let me be saved; For You are my glory.” (Jer. 17:14)
Friday, May 6, 2011
Oops - we got ahead of ourselves!
Dear Friends-
How apropos that the text we studied last Shabbat dealt with the priests and the idea of perfection and imperfection! It turns out that for the past two weeks, we've been out of sync with the calendar of weekly Torah portions. I completely forgot that on the Shabbat during Pesach that we had a special Torah portion to read, and so we got ahead of ourselves by a week.
Not to worry! There are plenty of things to study. I thought that we would spend some time on the Haftarah from last week, which is a fascinating text from Ezekiel about the restoration of the priesthood after the destruction of the First Temple.
If there is time, we will also study some selections from Pirke Avot, a tractate of the Mishnah which is traditional to study during the days of the Counting of the Omer, between Passover and Shavuot. Pirke Avot is a collection of ethical teachings and sayings of the Rabbis of the Mishnah. There will be plenty to talk about!
Looking forward to studying together.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Goldenberg
How apropos that the text we studied last Shabbat dealt with the priests and the idea of perfection and imperfection! It turns out that for the past two weeks, we've been out of sync with the calendar of weekly Torah portions. I completely forgot that on the Shabbat during Pesach that we had a special Torah portion to read, and so we got ahead of ourselves by a week.
Not to worry! There are plenty of things to study. I thought that we would spend some time on the Haftarah from last week, which is a fascinating text from Ezekiel about the restoration of the priesthood after the destruction of the First Temple.
If there is time, we will also study some selections from Pirke Avot, a tractate of the Mishnah which is traditional to study during the days of the Counting of the Omer, between Passover and Shavuot. Pirke Avot is a collection of ethical teachings and sayings of the Rabbis of the Mishnah. There will be plenty to talk about!
Looking forward to studying together.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Goldenberg
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