Adas Israel - Mason City, IA

Torah Thoughts for This Week

Nearly missed you this week...busy times and scary times for many of us. This is Torah Thoughts from the Jewish Congregation of Mason City, Adas Israel. Thanks for coming by.

This week's Torah Portion is Shoftim (Judges) and you can find it in Deut. 16:18 - 21:9. Here, in the very first sentence we are told, "Judges and officers shall you appoint in all your cities...and they shall judge with righteous judgement."  The Torah it telling us we must be followers of the law. That we must not accept a bribe "...for the bribe will blind the eyes of the wise and make just words crooked".

What a lesson for our time.

We are also reminded against serving idols, "Forbidden Trees and Pillars" worshiped as idols, Blemished Sacrifice, Penalties for Idolatry, The Supreme Court, The King, Levitical Priests, Priestly Portions, Special Service, Divination and Prophecy, Cities of Refuge, Murder, Preserving Boundaries, Conspiring Witnesses, Preparing for War, Taking Captives, Conducting a Siege and the Case of the Unsolved Murder.

That's a bunch of stuff!

Then we have the famous admonition: "Righteousness, Righteousness shall you pursue, so that you will live and possess the Land that the Almighty your G-d, gives you" (Deut. 16:20).

Finally in Deut. 19:9 we are told, "...to love the L-rd, your G-d, and to walk in His ways all the days..." What does this mean?

The Sages explain that walking in G-d's ways means that we must emulate Him by bestowing kindness and being compassionate. Some people mistakenly think that if they do someone a favor, especially a major one, that they have fulfilled their obligation to do chesed (kindness) for the next few weeks. Therefore, says Rabbi Yisroel Meir Kagan, the Torah stresses that the obligation of chesed (kindness) is all the days. Every single day of our lives we must go out of our way to do someone a favor. This is how we can be like the Almighty!

It is a matter of focus and thinking ahead. Make it your policy to hold the door for someone. If a car wants to enter from a side street, allow it to enter in front of you. Before you leave your home in the morning, put a coin for tzedakah (charity) in a pushka (a charity box). You will find that walking "in His ways all the days" is so easy, if you plan in advance.

Torah Thoughts for This Week

Each week Adas Israel, the Jewish Congregation of Mason City, Iowa, offers up some "Torah Thoughts" on this week's portion. In addition we also share thoughts on holidays and events of Jewish and non-Jewish interest. Hope to help in the learning...

Next week (August 22) starts the Hebrew Month of Elul. That means we have one month until Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year). 

So? 

So, now isn't just the time to order the brisket or to plan the meal...it's also the month in which, during the daily morning service, we blow the shofar (rams horn) in order to "wake us up from our spiritual slumber and get ready for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement).  For Jews this is a period of time to reflect on our relationship with G-d and others. We figured you might appreciate a "heads up"!

The Torah Portion for this week is Re-Eh (Deut. 11:26 - 16:17). In Hebrew the word means "see" and it is the first word in this weeks bible reading as Moses says, "See, I present before you today a blessing and a curse." The "blessing" says Moses, is that the people follow the commandments of G-d and the curse is that they do not.

Notice something? The blessing is in the "following" of the commandments. There is no carrot other than simply following the commandments. It's an interesting statement to consider that the blessing is just doing...no "pie in the sky when you die". Just...do them and in doing them you will be blessed.

The Torah Portion continues with rules and laws for the land of Israel primarily oriented towards staying away from idol worship and the other religions in the land. In verses 13:1-12 you will find the section that caused a missionary's face to blanch and silenced him from continuing to proselytize a renowned rabbi. (Go ahead, look it up...we'll wait!)

In this Torah Portion there is also a "proof" that not only the Torah but also the Oral Law (Talmud) is divine: In verse 12:21 "You will slaughter animals ... according to the manner I (God) have prescribed."  However, nowhere in the Torah are we instructed in the manner of shechita, ritual slaughter. One might conclude that there was a very sloppy editor. Or -- one might conclude that there are additional teachings (the Oral Law/Talmud) clarifying and amplifying the written Word. This is why Jews not only study the Torah but also the Talmud.

In this week's reading we also learn of the "Chosen People" concept: "You are a nation consecrated to God your Lord. God has chosen you from all nations on the face of the earth to be His own special nation ... (Deut. 14:1-2)." We are chosen for responsibility, not privilege --to act morally and to be a "light unto the nations."

The portion then gives instructions regarding: permitted and forbidden foods, the Second Tithe, remissions of loans every 7 years, treatment of those in need (to have a warm heard and be and open-handed), a Jewish bondsman, the three pilgrimage festivals (Passover, Shavuot, Sukkot).

So much to learn...and thank you for reading. If you have questions or comment feel free to leave them here or on our Facebook Page and for Twitter it is @AdasIsraelMC.

May you have a blessed Shabbat and a thoughtful Elul!

 

 

Torah Thoughts for This Week

Greetings from the Jewish Congregation of Mason City, Adas Israel. Each week we bring you Torah Thoughts...some commentary on the Torah portion of the week. This week we are in the book of Devarim (Deuteronomy) 7:12 - 11:25. It is called Parsha Aikev for the second
word in this portion, "Aikev" or "the reward".

We open with Moses speaking the Israel, "This shall be the reward when you hearken to these ordinances, and you observe and perform them; Hashem, your G-d, will safeguard for you the covenant and the kindness that He swore to your forefathers."  The Midrash (conversation) also says the word "Aikev" means heel. This refers to the sort of commandments that we may regard as relatively unimportant so we feel we can tread on them with our heel. The Torah is telling us that if we are careful to observe even these "neglected commandments" we can be certain that G-d will reward us with his "covenant and kindness".

Here Moses also warns us against idolatry (the definition of idolatry is the belief that anything other than G-d has power) and against self-righteousness -- "Do not say because of my virtue that God brought me to possess this land ... but because of the wickedness of these nations that G-d is driving them out before you." (Deut. 9:5). He then details our rebellions against G-d during the 40 years in the desert and the giving of the Second Tablets (Moses broke the first Tablets containing the Ten Commandments during the sin of the Golden Calf.)

This week's portion dispels a common misconception. People think that "Man does not live by bread alone" means that a person needs additional foods beyond bread to survive. The quotation in its entirety is, "Man does not live by bread alone ... but by all that comes out of God's mouth" (Deut. 8:3). Context friends...context.

The Torah then answers a question which every human being has asked of himself: What does G-d want of you? "Only that you remain in awe of G-d your L-rd, so that you will follow all His paths and love Him, serving G-d your L-rd with all your heart and with all your soul. You must keep G-d's commandments and decrees ... so that all good will be yours" (Deut. 10:12).

We hope this helps a bit. 

Services are THIS Friday evening at 7:15pm and we will study from this chapter. Our learning session "Midrash" takes place on Saturday morning starting at 10am.

You are welcome to come to both our services and our Bible Study...please know our mission is not to "turn you into a Jew" (we are actually forbidden to do that...) but to share with you and others the wisdom of the Torah and what it says to us today.

Hope to see you in Shul!

 

 

Torah Thoughts for This Week

We are in the final book of the Torah which, in Hebrew, is Devarim or words. You would know it as Deuteronomy. This week is Shabbat Vetchanan (to implore) the first word in Deut. 3:23 - 7:11.  Why is this parsha called Vetchanan (implore)? It is here where Moses prays yet again. G-d had told Moses that he would not be entering the Land of Israel. However, Moses loved Eretz Yisrael so much that when he saw an opportunity to turn that decree around he did so and prayed. In this book it is Moses speaking in the first person and it is quite interesting.

Then there is this from Moses as he starts to review the commandments or the "words" of G-d: "Now, O Israel, listen to the decrees and to the ordinances that I teach you to perform, so that you may live and you will come and possess the Land that Hashem, the G-d of your forefathers gives you. You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor shall you subtract from it..."

Think about that for a moment. There are 613 Commandments in the Torah and here we are told by the greatest teacher that we should not add nor subtract from the word. Those of you who are Christian might see something here that is a reminder to what your faith also teaches you.

So, why do we do it? Why do we add our own interpretation to the Commandments and why is it that we feel we have the power to choose what to follow and what to cast aside? It's a good question for contemplation this Shabbat and it makes for a wonderful family conversation. 

He then reminds them that G-d has no shape or form and that we should not make or worship idols of any kind. Which is why when you enter a synagogue you do not see images of people or animals.

Later the cities of Bezer, Ramot and Golan are designated as Cities of Refuge east of the Jordan river. Accidental murderers can escape there to avoid revengeful relatives. They then are sequestered there until tried.

The Ten Commandments are repeated to the whole Jewish people. Moshe then expounds the Shema, affirming the unity of G-d, Whom all should love and transmit His commandments to the next generation. Other mitzvot (commandments) include: A man should wear Tefillin upon the arm and head. All Jews should put a Mezuzah (the scroll is the essential part) upon each doorpost of their home (except the bathroom).

Moses then relays the Almighty's command not to intermarry "for they will lead your children away from Me" (Deut. 7:3-4). Sadly intermarriage is the number one threat of our faith. It is not that men or women of other faiths are not good people it is, however, an obstacle to realizing the full potential of our faith. We can start with the question, "If you have children, what faith will you teach and have them follow?"

Something else to ponder this Shabbat.

Candle lighting tonight is at 8:11PM and Shabbat ends tomorrow at 9:17PM.

May you have a wonderful Shabbat and a reminder next week we will have our monthly service starting on Friday night at 7:15 with the Midrash (Study Session) on Saturday the 12th at 10:00AM. All are welcome to attend and to learn.