Adas Israel - Mason City, IA

Torah Thoughts 25 January 2019

Welcome to Torah Thoughts from Adas Israel the Jewish Congregation of Northern Iowa and located in Mason City. Glad you came by for a little Torah.

This week we read the parsha Yitro (Exodus 18- 20). It is named after the father-in-law of Moses, Jethro. The first sentence in this portion says, "Jethro, the minister of Midian, the father-in-law of Moses heard everything that G-d did for Moses and Israel - His people that Hashem (the name) had taken Israel out of Egypt."

He was warmly received by the Jews and in time converted. There is an interesting Talmudic dispute regarding exactly when Jethro came. Was it before the giving of the Torah or after. Some rabbis hold that it was after the Torah was given to Moses. Other say that it was before and that Jethro had heard about the sea splitting and other events of the Passover.  Hey, it's something to argue about...right?

Jethro was so well thought of by Moses that we read it was Jethro who offered a list of requirements for leadership. (Ex. 18:19-23)  We, during our time, could learn a thing or two from his wise words.

It is now time for the Torah at Sinai.

By the way, Did you know that there are differences in the Ten Commandments as stated here (Exodus 20:1-14) and restated later in Deuteronomy 5:6-18? It's a good Shabbat dinner table game for the kids.

The Ten Commandments are given, the first two were heard directly from G-d by every Jew and then the people begged Moses to be their intermediary for the remaining eight because the experience was too intense.  Can we even start to imagine what that must have been like?

The portion ends with the Almighty telling Moses to instruct the Jewish people not to make any images of G-d. They were then commanded to make an earthen altar; and eventually to make a stone altar, but without the use of a sword or metal tool.

Why? Because the metal can be made into a sword, something that shortens life. And the alter gives people the opportunity to atone for their sins and thereby lengthens life. 

SERVICE SCHEDULE

Sabbath services will be Friday the 25th at 7:15PM and our Midrash or study session will be on Shabbat starting at 10:00AM. Everyone is welcome to attend.

See you in shul!

Torah Thoughts 17 January 2019

Welcome to Torah Thoughts our weekly look at the Torah Portion from Adas Israel the Jewish Congregation of Northern Iowa. Each week we read a different part of the Torah. In the Jewish faith we read through the entire Torah (Genesis - Deuteronomy) each year. Each Shabbat (Sabbath) has a name that matches the Torah Portion read that week. For example this week we read for Shabbat Beshalalach (Ex. 13:17 - 17:16). By the way the word "Beshalalach" means, "when he let go" in Hebrew and it is the second distinctive word in the opening verse.

Let's get to it!

We read that now the Jewish people have left Egypt and Pharaoh has regrets so he gathers together an army to chase them and bring them back. Because what good is slave labor if you don't have slaves?

The Jews see the army coming and get angry saying, "What? There were not enough graves in Egypt so you bring us out to the desert to die?" Grateful...huh?

But then the sea splits and the Jews walk through. The water comes back and destroys the Egyptian army. Moses, with the men and Miriam (the sister of Moses) sing praises to G-d. In fact, each Shabbat we sing that very verse.

Oh, but then...

The Jews arrive at a place called Marah and, guess what...the get angry again. Moses throws a tree into the "bitter water" to make it drinkable. Oy...such complaining! And, such wonderment.

Then it is G-d who says, "If you obey G-d your Lord and do what is upright in His eyes, carefully heeding all His commandments and keeping all His decrees, then I will not strike you with any of the sicknesses that I brought on Egypt. I am G-d who heals you."

You would think we would...listen.

The people rebel over food and G-d provides quail and manna a double portion on the 6th day so the Jews would not have to forage on the Shabbat. Which is why, today, our tradition is to have not one but two challahs on Friday night.

Moses then recalls the laws of Shabbat. The people rebel over water and G-d instructs Moses to hit a rock and out comes water...

OK...are you catching a pattern here?

The people are like spoiled children. When something does not go their way they rebel. G-d, as he promised to do, takes care of them but yet...the people have such little faith.

Sound familiar?

Each day we are given so many blessings. Those blessings, my friends, come with a condition. That condition is that we must do what we can to uphold and do the commandments G-d has given us. When we do that, with joy, we are truly blessed.

So, this Shabbat...let us all stop complaining and relish the wonders of life and the many gifts, including the Torah, that we have been given.

May you have a wonderful Shabbat!

January Service Schedule

Next week (25 January) our Eve Shabbat Service will be on Friday evening starting at 7:15pm. Then on Shabbat (Saturday the 26th) we will gather for our Midrash - Torah Study - starting at 10:00am in the social hall of the synagogue.

See you in Shul!!

 

Torah Thoughts 4 January 2019

Welcome to this week's Torah Thoughts, a review of this week's Torah Portion. This week we read Parsha Va'eira (meaning "I appeared") "I appeared to Abraham, to Issac and Jacob as...." We are in Exodus 6:2 - 9:35. Here we read that G-d is reassuring Moses and then says
this about what is called The Four Expressions of Redemption:

"I am Hashem (The Name) and I shall take you out from under the burdens of Egypt; I shall rescue you from their service; I shall redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgements. I shall take you to Me for a people and I shall be a G-d to you; and you shall know that I am Hashem your G-d, who takes you out from under the burdens of Egypt. I shall bring you to the land about which I raised My hand to give it to Abraham, Issac and Jacob; and I shall give it to you as a heritage - I am Hashem." 

And then...comes the start of the plagues.

"And the Lord said to Moses, say to Aaron: Take your rod and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt, over their streams, their rivers and their pools, and over every gathering of their water, that they may become blood; throughout all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood and in vessels of stone" (Exodus 7:19).

So, why did G-d have Aaron do the deed and not Moses?

Rashi, one of the greatest Biblical commentators, cites the Midrash Shemot Rabbah to answer this question. It explains that Aaron, rather than Moses, was chosen to initiate the plague of blood because the water had protected Moses when he was cast into it as an infant in a basket. It would, therefore, not be proper for Moses to smite the water which helped save him.

What is the point of this?  Water is not human...

That is true, water is an inanimate object which does not have free will. When something floats in water and does not sink, it would not occur to us to give thanks to the water for its buoyancy. Nevertheless, we learn from this verse that if a person derives pleasure from an object, he should show his gratitude by being careful not to cause harm or damage to the object, even though it would not suffer pain. As the Talmud (Bava Kama 92b) states: "If you drank water from a well, do not throw stones at it". Although this advice is basically meant as a metaphor for people who have given you something, the literal meaning should not be ignored.

Think about that the next time something gives you comfort or pleasure even if that is something that is inanimate. And, if we show gratitude to that imagine our sense of gratitude to other humans.

Thanks for reading and have a wonderful Shabbat!