Adas Israel - Mason City, IA

Torah Thoughts & Passover 2021

Welcome back to Torah Thoughts from Adas Israel, the Jewish Congregation of Northern Iowa, based in Mason City. This week our Torah Portion is Parsha Tzav (Leviticus 6 - 8) it is where we learn more about the laws of: Burnt Offerings, Meal Offerings, High Priest's Offerings, Sin Offerings, Guilt Offerings, and Peace Offerings. It concludes with the portions of the Peace Offerings that are allotted to the Priests and the installation ceremony of the Priest for serving in the Sanctuary.

Some pretty heavy reading for Shabbat and our Midrash which will take place on Saturday at 10:00AM via Zoom.  Hope to see you on the call. Check our Facebook Page for details.  I'll also include it in the newsletter this afternoon.

This is also Shabbat HaGadol or the "Great Sabbath" because it is the sabbath before Passover. And you might ask, "Why is this Passover different from all others?"  The answer to that is this is the first time since 2008 that Shabbat falls on the day before Passover. So there are obvious things that should not be done on the sabbath that we would do normally. Everything from the fast that the first born do on the day before Passover (you can't fast on Shabbat) to the hunting for chametz. 

So Relax

Over the past week I've had the opportunity to visit with many of our members and friends about the holiday. You would be surprised at how many of our folks have gotten their Passover food via Amazon. Yes, not kidding. As you celebrate this holiday remember that we are celebrating the time when we became a nation. A time when we started our journey as a people to the foot of Mt. Sinai to receive the Torah, the Commandments and realize our purpose in life.  It is a wonderful holiday filled with hope and memories and the promise of spring.

Shul News

This past Sunday the scribe from Chicago came to Mason City to check our five Torah scrolls. I can report to you that of the five he says only two should be repaired. The others, according to Scribe Nathan, would not be considered Kosher among the Orthodox.  The leadership of the shul are making a determination as to what to do and, as always, we'll keep you in the loop.

Needless to say the experience of going through those five scrolls was a learning experience. The scribe took the time to explain so very much from key letters to the condition of the writing to even the parchment. It was truly amazing and for those of you who would like to learn more come and be with us during our Midrash on the 27th at 10:00AM.

Finally we did have a conversation as to when we might start having services again. Our goal is to keep everyone healthy and safe so it will be a bit before we gather at the shul but we believe that it will be sooner rather than later. Our message to you is to keep some distance, wear a face covering, wash your hands and, when it is your turn, get your vaccine.  

Midrash

Yes, we will be getting together to talk about the Torah Portion, Passover and so much more.  It's always a wonderful sharing experience and you'll come away from the event with knowledge and, perhaps, a fresh look at our faith.

Shabbat Shalom! 

 

Torah Thoughts 19 March 2021

Welcome back to Torah Thoughts from Adas Israel the Jewish Congregation of Northern Iowa and based in Mason City. If you will allow a moment of personal privilege today marks the 41st Birthday of my son Aaron. We usually go to lunch together but this year is so different than others.  Mazel Tov son! And, yes, matching bikes!

This week we learn from a new chapter Vayikra ("He called" in Hebrew) you might know this as the Book of Leviticus named so because it carries so many of the commandments. The portion is Lev. 1 - 5. "He called to Moses, and Hashem spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting..."

The "back-story" of this is that now that the Tabernacle had been built it was the dwelling place for G-d. So awesome was that fact that even Moses, who had a personal relationship with the Almighty, was fearful of entering the structure and had to be assured by G-d that it was OK to enter.

The rabbis tell us that the "voice of G-d" was so loud and powerful that it could "shatter the cedars of Lebanon". (Psalm 29:5) yet the people could not hear...only Moses.  What's that all about? The Sages teach us that even though we know the commandments, which came through Moses, the people (it would seem) were not worthy of hearing them directly from the Almighty. 

So, what makes us worthy? There is a movement described as "being in the moment". Being aware of the wonder that surrounds us all. Not to be aware leaves us less worthy of rejoicing in all the amazing things G-d has brought to us. People who get that also understand that nothing happens by chance. How many times does something "just happen" and we see the opportunity to understand from where that comes?

One of the beautiful aspects of Judaism is there is a blessing for EVERYTHING. No, really. When I became more closely associated to the Orthodox movement my rabbi explained that it is our way of being aware of everything. For example there are blessings for various things we eat. There is a blessing when we see lightening. There is a blessing when we get something new. There is even a blessing for when we exit the restroom. Honest!  When I asked my rabbi Aaron Schwarzbaum (pictured here) about that he explained, "Have you ever been in a position where the organs of your body don't work?  Being aware that it was G-d who fashioned all of what is us we give thanks when things...work."

Good enough for me.

And so when we are aware and realize what happens is the work of G-d we become worthy of seeing and "hearing" His actions and voice. Make sense?

The book of Vayikra (Leviticus) primarily deals with what are commonly called “sacrifices” or “offerings.” According to Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch: a “sacrifice” implies giving up something that is of value to oneself for the benefit of another. An “offering” implies a gift, which satisfies the receiver. The Almighty does not need our gifts. He has no needs or desires. The Hebrew word is korban, which is best translated as a means of bringing oneself into a closer relationship with the Almighty. The offering of korbanot was only for our benefit to come close to the Almighty.

Shul News

This is the Sunday when we meet with the scribe from Chicago as he looks at our Torah Scrolls to see what needs fixing and, perhaps, let us know the age of them. I am so looking forward to this adventure and, yes, I'll keep you in the loop. 

Reminder that Pesach starts next Saturday evening after sundown and we will hold our virtual Midrash at 10:00AM on the 27th. Be watching for the ZOOM link.

Shabbat Shalom!

 

 

 

  

Torah Thoughts 12 March 2021

This past week you could feel it in the air. Passover is coming...along with spring. Welcome to Torah Thoughts from Adas Israel the Jewish
Congregation of Northern Iowa and based in Mason City. Here we'll dive into this week's portion. Let's go!

This week we read Parsha Vayakhel and Pekudei (Exodus 35:1 - 40:38). Much of what we read this week is a repeat of what we read in Parsha Ki Sisa about collecting funds to build the Tabernacle. However we begin the reading with more about the Sabbath even when it comes to doing the holy work of building the Tabernacle. "On six days, work may be done, but the seventh day shall be holy for you, a day of complete rest for Hashem; whoever does work on it shall be put to death. You shall not kindle fire in any of your dwellings on the Sabbath day." (Ex. 35: 2-3)

There is much to unpack here. Again we see the importance of Shabbat. That even as we are to be doing the work that G-d commands we must still take the day off to even further honor Hashem. If we must stop building the Tabernacle, which represented a resting place for G-d, how difficult can it be to put down the iPhone for 25 hours? The idea that to have a full life we must be busy every waking moment is a false narrative. There is goodness in rest. There is goodness in connecting with our family there is goodness in reflection and reading and study and sharing. 

That Death Part

Pretty strict huh? However it is not what it seems. The rabbis say that working on the Sabbath creates a spiritual death in that we are cut off from our duty to honor Hashem. That we go about our regular business on Shabbat puts distance between us and G-d. Our efforts really should be about getting closer to Him and we do that by observing the Sabbath. And, it is one of the easiest commandments to take on...or it should be.

The Talmud (Shabbat 10b) describes Shabbat as a special gift the Almighty gave to the Jewish people. "When you observe Shabbat," said the Chofetz Chaim, "you testify that the Almighty created the world in six days and rested on the seventh. By keeping Shabbat you proclaim that you have this awareness of God. A person who fails to keep Shabbat demonstrates that this is unimportant to him."

Thus, as long as a person observes Shabbat we see that he still maintains a relationship with the Almighty. If a person, as it were, returns this gift of Shabbat (i.e. violates it), it signifies that the integrity of the relationship has been fractured. This leads to the dissolution of the relationship.

What? No Fire!

That last line, "You shall not kindle fire in any of your dwellings on the Sabbath Day" sounds pretty dreadful. People who are committed to a faith other than Judaism have often used this line to degrade being a Jew and suggest that Jews spend the entire Sabbath in the dark. They also say that if only they believe in their faith they would see "the light" and not be in the darkness.

You get the point...right?  Except they are wrong and that is why having an understanding of our faith is so important. Note, again, the prohibition is about "kindling" a fire. We know from the Creation Story that for six days G-d created the world we know today and that on the seventh day he rested. When we start a fire what is it we are doing?  We are creating something. It is true that observant Jews today do not turn on lights during the Sabbath. We do not cook on the Sabbath. Observant Jews don't drive on the Sabbath (because when you start a vehicle it does create a "fire" to propel the car). It is the prohibition about "creating" that is being referenced here.  

The Hotel Story

Several years ago my congregation held a "Shabbaton", a retreat, if you will, that took place from Friday afternoon through Saturday and ended after the Sabbath. We were all in a hotel in Des Moines and it was a wonderful experience. On Saturday our Rebbetzin Janice, walked into a room that was going to be our place for lunch. She went to check on the arrangements. Unknown to her the dark room was equipped with automatic sensors that detect movement and then turn on the lights. Well, you can imagine her surprise. True she did not turn the lights on (and kindle fire) but there she was. If she left it would cause the lights to go off, which again, would have been a conscious action that would have been a Sabbath violation. So...she sat down and waited. She waited for about fifteen minutes until a staff person came in to start setting the tables.  Now, with two people in the room she could leave without "turning off" the lights and quietly (and quickly) made her exit.

We laughed about that for a very long time. But, it is a reminder of how serious some take the commandment.

The Mirrors

Further into the parsha we read, "He made the Laver of copper and its base of copper, from the mirrors of the legions who massed at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting." (Ex. 38:8). What is that all about?

This too has an interesting "back story". The "mirrors" were highly polished piece of copper that the women used to apply their makeup. They were the same mirrors that were used when they were slaves in Egypt. If you remember, one of the reasons Pharaoh feared the Jews was because they became "too numerous". In other words the Jews continued to have children.  The women knew how important it was to produce kids so...they would make themselves attractive so when their husbands returned from their labors it might spark a...well, fire of sorts.

Moses was reluctant to use the mirrors because he knew the "back story" and thought that it would not be appropriate to use these mirrors in the construction of the Holy Laver that held the water.  However, G-d said that not only should the mirrors be accepted but they should be used in the construction of of the Laver. Why? Because what the women did in Egypt to bring legions of Jews into the world.

Meanwhile...

There is so much more going on in this parsha the craftsmen are selected to do the work on the Tabernacle and the work begins. The craftsmen report that there are too many donations, and for the first and probably the only time in fundraising history, the Jewish people are told to refrain from bringing additional contributions!

Finally, there is an accounting of all the materials that went into the making of the Mishkan and details of the construction of the clothing of the Cohanim. The Tabernacle is completed, Moses examines all of the components and gives his approval to the quality and exactness of construction, the Almighty commands to erect the Tabernacle, it's erected and the various vessels are placed in their proper place.

Shul News!

While Passover is coming Adas Israel will not hold a Community Seder this year...for obvious reasons. We had discussed the possibility but the risks are still too great. However, we encourage you to get ready for your own family Seder. While this year is so very different we must try to remain healthy and safe.  Do everything you can so that soon we can be together at the shul.

Our next online MIDRASH will be held on Shabbat HaGadol the "Big Sabbath" before Passover on the 27th of March. We'll be sending out that Zoom Link in advance and hope to see you with us.  We will have much to discuss. Thank you Tracy Smith! 

Finally, our scribe is headed to Mason City from Chicago on Sunday the 21st to examine our Torah Scrolls. We're looking forward to that adventure.

Thank you for reading and Shabbat Shalom!

 

 

 

Torah Thoughts 5 March 2021

Welcome back to Torah Thoughts from Adas Israel the Jewish Congregation of Northern Iowa and based in Mason City. This week we'll be studying Parsha Ki Tisa (Hebrew for "when you take") from the first line in the reading, "Hashem spoke to Moses, saying: 'When you take a census of the Children of Israel, according to their numbers, every man shall give Hashem an attornment for his soul when counting them..."

A couple of things to explain about this. In our tradition we do not count the number of Jews in a room or really anywhere else. Rather than counting them we actually say, "Not one, not two, not three..." and so on.  Counting, in this way. is important because for certain prayers to be said as there must be ten Jews to make a minyan or a quorum.

But, there is really so much more going on here.

It's About Unity

This is, perhaps, something we might well learn as our nation faces such division. Because it is forbidden to count the Jews we read in this portion that the counting was done by each person bringing a specific contribution.  Then those half shekels would be counted to come up with the census number. Oh...but it was much more than that.

By each person, rich and poor, making a contribution the status of Israel is elevated. Everybody counts, nobody is left behind we are all in this together. So it's not only about taking a census and to provide for the Tabernacle it is also about elevating the contributors.  They are all working together to achieve a national goal. They are united in giving something up for the betterment of the nation. The great Rabbi Hirsh said, "One who shares gains infinite benefit, because the mission of Israel is dependent on the unity of the whole."

There is great power in the unity of a nation striving toward a cause. When everyone, as we see here, contributes to the constructive goal of caring for the Tabernacle the spiritual merits of all of the individuals become merged so that not only their funds, but their personal attainments come together to assist one another. There is no "going it alone".

Oh, The Lesson For Us

Think of that for a moment. The goal for society should not be division but unity and when we are united we can then attain greatness. This is not to say there will not be disagreement because there will always be a difference of opinion. The goal should be to find common ground for the elevation of society rather than the glory of the individual.

We see this in the Talmud where famous rabbis disagreed on various issues be they laws or customs. In the end all sides were given the space to offer input and in the end they agreed not to hold a grudge but to elevate our understanding and our faith.

The Sabbath

This is also the parsha where we learn about the importance of the Sabbath for all generations. "...it is a sign between Me and you for your generations, to know that I am Hashem, who makes you holy. You shall observe the Sabbath..." (Ex 31: 13-14)  Life, my friends is not about being...busy.

There is great benefit in taking a day off. This doesn't mean sitting in a dark room and doing nothing. Shabbat can be a wonderful experience for the entire family. Just taking a day and putting aside the cell phone or the tablet and reconnecting with each other and the world around us.  Just try it. Pick up a book and read. Visit with your neighbors and friends. Take a walk.

In Israel as Friday afternoon approaches you can see people rushing to get home or going to the homes of friends or getting themselves to the synagogue. And, because there is a synagogue on nearly every block you're always close. And then, as Shabbat begins at sundown the city and country...stops. There are no busses, no trains and no horns honking...the folks in Israel love to honk their vehicle horns.  All is quiet.  It's hard to imagine but it's true and it can be true for you as well.  The Sabbath is one day out of the week when we are reminded about our holy relationship with G-d.

The Golden Calf

OK, so this too is in this week's parsha. You can read all about it in Ex. 32: 1-6. Moses had left the people and ascended the mountain and when he did not return at the time when THEY thought he should be back they panicked. They had just left Egypt and their many gods and now they feared their leader was not going to return and they told Aaron to make for them a god.  The rabbis say that Aaron knew this was wrong but did so to buy some time because he knew Moses would return. So he "played along". 

This story speaks to the fragile nature of society. And the people paid a great price.  But, in the end Moses does return and begs G-d not to destroy the people for their actions.  It would not be the last time that Moses begged for G-d to spare Israel.

The Thirteen Attributes of Mercy

During Yom Kippur a central theme revolves around what are known as the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy that come from G-d following the Golden Calf and the Second Tablets coming from the mountain. We read in Ex. 34:5-7: "Hashem descended in a cloud and stood with him (Moses) there and He called out with the Name Hashem. Hashem passed before him and proclaimed: 'Hashem, G-d, Compassionate and Gracious, Slow to Anger, and Abundant in Kindness and Truth. Preserver of Kindness for thousands of generations, Forgiver of Iniquity, Willful Sin, and Error, and Who Cleanses, but does not cleanse completely, recalling the inequity of parents upon children and grandchildren to the third and fourth generation."

Wait a minute!  So if G-d does not  punish for sins more than four generations into the future why did He say that he would inflict part of the punishment for the sin of the Golden Calf even after the passage of many generations? (Ex. 32:34)  The answer, say the rabbis, is that the punishment would have been so severe and to avoid that G-d made an exception and spread it out over all of history.  In addition according to Rabbi Bachya, G-d does not punish for the Golden Calf; He only remembers it, so that the degree of His mercy is diminished from what it would otherwise have been.

So much to unpack!  May you have a restful and peaceful Shabbat!

Shul News

Last week we had a spirited Midrash and, again, our thanks to Tracy Smith for making that available on Zoom. Let's set our next online Midrash for March 27 at 10:00AM.  Why?  It is Shabbat HaGadol or the Great Sabbath. The Sabbath before Passover. Please join us for an inspiring look at the holiday and the parsha.  We'll be posting the LINK as soon as we can coordinate.

Secondly, know that our scribe will attempt to be with us on Sunday the 21st to review our Torah Scrolls. We put it off for several weeks due to the severe cold on the 14th of February. We'll report on the findings.

Again, thanks for reading and Shabbat Shalom!