Adas Israel - Mason City, IA

Torah Thoughts 30 September 2022 - Parsha Vayelech

Hello Friends!  It is the first Shabbat of the New Year and welcome. Do you have anything special planned for this Shabbat? A reminder that we'll have Kol Nidre Services on Tuesday evening October 4th starting at 7:00PM. Then Yom Kippur Morning Service starts on Wednesday the 5th at 10:00AM. We'll take a break in the afternoon and come back at 5:00PM for closing services and our Break Fast will be about 7:00PM on Wednesday evening.  Hope to see you.

Parsha Vayelech

The word "vayelech" is the first word in this week's reading and means "he went out". As in, "Moses went out and spoke these words to all of Israel..." He goes on to say, "I am a hundred and twenty years old today, I can no longer go out and come in for Hashem has said to me that I shall not cross over the Jordan." 

He is saying his good-bye to his people.

Joshua

Moses then gives Joshua a command/blessing, which applies to every Jewish leader: “Be strong and brave. Do not be afraid or feel insecure before them. G-d your Lord is the One who is going with you, and He will not fail you nor forsake you.”

Moses writes the entire Torah and gives it to the Cohanim and Elders. He then commands that in the future at the end of the Shmita (Sabbatical Year) the king should gather all the people during the Succot festival and read to them the Torah so “[…] that they will hear and learn and fear the Lord your God and be careful to perform all the words of the Torah.”

The Almighty describes in a short paragraph the course of Jewish history (that’s starting from Deut. 31:16. Lastly, before Moses goes to “sleep with his forefathers,” he assembles the people to teach them the song of Ha’azinu, the next weekly Torah portion, to remind them of the consequences of turning against the Almighty.

It is truly a powerful parsha.

Yom Kippur

And so we now focus on Yom Kippur what some say is the most holy day of the entire Jewish Calendar.

Chief Rabbi Warren Goldstein writes about another aspect of Yom Kippur:

How would you describe Yom Kippur? A solemn day? A day of prayer and supplication? A day of abstinence? The Mishna has a different description. It says Yom Kippur is a day of joy - in fact, one of the two happiest days of the year. This seems surprising to say the least. Yom Kippur is a day spent praying and fasting, and generally putting aside the things that bring us physical enjoyment.

The Talmud explains the happiness and joy of the day is because it's a day of forgiveness for our misdeeds, the opportunity to begin our lives afresh, free from the mistakes and wrongdoings of the past. It's the miraculous opportunity, in a sense, to go back in time and change history… our history.

The Hebrew word for repentance is teshuva, which literally means "return". Through teshuva, we return to that pristine state in which there was no distance or disconnect in our relationship with our Creator and with our fellow human beings.

But, It's Not Magic

Of course, it doesn't just happen. Real repentance takes heart-rending effort and application. The Rambam, in his Laws of Repentance (Laws of Teshuva, 2:2), defines the process of repentance and sets out its various components: regretting the mistakes of the past, desisting from that wrongdoing in the present, resolving not to return to this course of action in the future, and finally, confession, an explicit verbal admission of all of our misdeeds.

The bottom line is that the redemptive, purifying powers of Yom Kippur can only be accessed through real action and sincere intention - through a deep and meaningful teshuva process. This also explains why an important part of our Yom Kippur prayers is devoted to viduy - "confession". In each of the Yom Kippur Amidahs, there is a section devoted to confession. The fact that the confessions formula is embedded in the most intimate and personal of our prayers - the Amidah - indicates that our confession is meant to be a direct encounter with G-d, a moment of truth as we stand before our Creator, our defenses down, without any pretensions of innocence.

Let us enjoy this First Shabbat of the New Year 5783 and gather together for Kol Nidre and Yom Kippur next week.

Thanks for reading and Shabbat Shalom

 

Torah Thoughts 23 September 2022 - Parsha Nitzavim

Welcome back to Torah Thoughts from Adas Israel the Jewish Congregation of Northern Iowa, based in Mason City. We're glad you came by. A reminder that the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashana, begins on Sunday evening.  We will hold services starting at 7:00PM and then come back for Morning Services on Monday the 26th at 10:00AM. Followed by a Kiddish in the social hall.  It is a joyous start to a new year. Yom Kippur services will be starting with Kol Nidre on October 4th at 7:00PM and Yom Kippur Morning Services will be starting at 10:00AM on Wednesday the 5th. There will be an afternoon break and then concluding services will start at 5:00PM that evening with the Break Fast at about 7PM.  We hope to see you in shul.

Parsha Nitzavim

This week we read Parsha Natzavim (Deut. 29:9 - 30:20). The word "natzavim" means "standing" as in, "You are standing today, all of you, before Hashem your G-d..." It's interesting that we read this just ahead of the Holydays because, yes, we do plenty of standing during our services. Here, in this parsha, we are reminded that we are all in this together. As the Torah says, "..."you, your small children, your women, and your proselyte who is in the midst of your camp. from the hewer of your wood to the drawer of your water." 

All of us. Not one left behind we are all in this together. 

What That Means

Over the years I've had the opportunity to visit with so many people who have made the decision to become Jewish to learn more about being Jewish and, yes, those who have left our faith and moved on only to, at some point in their life, to make the decision to return to the path of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Rachel, Leah and Rebecca. 

You see, there is much required but there is also so much to receive.  Here, in this parsha, we are reminded that while we may be "dispersed" G-d will bring us back and "...will have mercy upon you, and he will return and gather you in from all the peoples to which Hashem your G-d has scattered you."

In other words there is always a path home and this week, as we begin the Ten Days of Repentance let us focus on that message.  Let us be grateful for all that Hashem has created for us, done for us and know that He truly is...everywhere.

Nothing Is Hidden

This week we are reminded that nothing is hidden from us. It is all in the Torah: "For this commandment that I command you today, it is not hidden from you and it is not distant..." All of what we can be and strive to be is not a secret.

There is a midrash that the angels argued with G-d about humans being able to access the Torah. They argued that humans were not special enough to fully understand the Torah. They argued that the spirit of the Torah and all that it contained should be kept from humans and only be the property of the divine. 

However, G-d countered by saying, "Did we not create man in our image and in doing so is there not a spark of the divine in each?" And so the angels relented and Moses brought the Torah to the people. Nothing...is hidden.

The Birth of Man

Rosh Hashanah is also the birthday of Adam. It was on this day that G-d created man. Once again the angels were against all of this. They said that by creating humans G-d would be disappointed in their behavior. And, while this is often true G-d (who already knows everything) moved forward with his creation and proclaimed it "very good". (Gen. 1:31)

The Lesson

So, let's see if we can pull all of this together and just ahead of Rosh Hashana.  If it is true (and it is) that we are all in this together and that there is always a path to not only learn more but also to return to the faith of our very large family should we have strayed how do we do that?  Learning is everything. I was speaking to a reporter from Kansas City this past week who is doing a story about the Jews of Fort Dodge and the, long time closed, Congregation Beth El. He asked me what difference did the Jews make while in that community. The answer, on the surface, would be how much the Jews of Fort Dodge contributed to the economic development of that city. So many of the shops on Central Avenue were owned by Jews. But the deeper answer is a sense of perspective. The Jew sees everything as a blessing. From the decision of what to eat to how to conduct their public and private life. When that goes away...the community misses something special.

If this is truly the Birth of Man and a celebration of all we have been given in the Torah...there is a serious question to be asked. "Do we appreciate it all?" You and I were created to do something special. We are here to not only live but to honor the work that G-d creates year by year, month to month, day by day and hour by hour.

I recently had a person ask me about trying to explain to a young child where G-d is. After all there are no images. There are no paintings or statues...so, where do you find G-d? The answer is...everywhere. If we truly look we will see Him in the wonders that are of this world. We will see Him in the child that is born to the old person of wisdom. We will see Him in the changing of the seasons. We will see G-d in the sea and in the mountains. We will see Him in the coming harvest and we will see Him when there is justice, love and mercy. 

The question to ponder this New Year is, "Are we ready to accept the task of moving forward and recognize it is not us...but it is through Him all things flow?"  In other words...are we worthy?  It all takes work my friends.

Wishing you a Happy and Healthy New Year and may we all be inscribed into the Book of Life.

Thank you for reading and Shabbat Shalom!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Torah Thoughts 16 September 2022 - Ki Tavo

Welcome back to Torah Thoughts from Adas Israel the Jewish Congregation of Northern Iowa and based in Mason City. It's great to have you back.  A reminder that Erv Rosh Hashanah will be on Sunday the 25th starting at 7:00PM. Then morning services for the New Year will begin on Monday the 26th at 10:00AM. Then we move on to Kol Nidre on 4 October at 7:00PM and Yom Kippur services on the 5th starting at 10:00AM. We'll have an afternoon break and then back in the afternoon about 5PM for closing services and Break Fast at 7:00PM.  Hope to see you...

Parsha Ki Tavo

This week we read Ki Tavo which means "When you come in". (Deut. 26:1 - 29:8) as we read, "When you come into the Land which Hashem, your G-d gives you as an inheritance and you possess it and dwell in it..." Remember, this is Moses in his final days of life telling and retelling the people about their duty to not only each other and the Land but also to G-d. 

It is here where we learn about the "First Fruits". The details that were alluded to back in Exodus 23:19 where the people are instructed to take the first fruits of the harvest to the Temple and present them to the Kohen. In the ritual that includes a moving declaration of gratitude to G-d for His eternal role as the Guide of Jewish history. It all symbolizes that the Jew dedicates everything he has to the service of G-d.

Imagine what it would be like should we commit to that same idea of service...

The Forever Link

We then move on in our reading to a reminder of who and what we are. (Deut. 26: 16 - 19). In short we are commanded to always follow the commandments set before us and that we must, "...walk in His ways" and that we have been chosen as a "treasured people" and commanded to be Holy. And this is for all time...all time.

That's a big calling right? But, think about it. Why not? Why would we not wish to do what we are told to do. To help create a world of peace and caring for others? If we realize that everything comes from G-d why would we not wish to, even in some seemingly small ways, work toward showing our gratitude? 

We have been given not only Israel abut also the gift of the Torah. It is a great responsibility and a great reward.

But What If...

The Torah reading also contains explicit details of both the rewards for following the Almighty’s word and the calamitous repercussions for going against it. The Torah commits over fifty verses to detailing the depths to which we will fall and the nearly unimaginable suffering we will endure as a result of this (e.g. financial and societal ruin, horrible diseases, starvation to the point of cannibalism of one’s own children – need we go into further detail?).

The Torah then makes a remarkable statement – why did all these horrible things befall the Jewish people? “Because you did not serve Hashem, your G-d, with simcha – joy” (28:45). This is actually quite astounding. Nowhere in the Torah are we commanded to serve Hashem with joy! There is no positive commandment to be happy. So what exactly is this failure – of not serving with happiness – that it would lead to such horrific consequences?

The Lesson

The lesson here is that we must always remember that we've been given not only responsibility but also specific actions to do in gratitude to what all that we have. Look, I get it. Sometimes we might think of going to shul is a pain because we've got "other" things to do. Yes, it's not joyful to be at an event where the food is treif and because it is you don't eat. Do we give charity with a heart of joy? Do we joyfully say a blessing and really internalize what that means?

Long ago I learned a lesson in "have to" vs. "get to". You know how it goes: "I have to go to the grocery store." or, "I have to pay the mortgage today.", or "I have to go to work..."  If you replace your "have to" with a "get to" it makes a huge difference. No, you GET to go to the grocery store, you GET to pay the mortgage you GET to go to work.  So many people can not.  We should find simple joy in those everyday events and, at the same time frame our relationship with G-d with a sense of profound joy.

This portion ends by Moses stating the obvious, "You shall observe the words of this covenant and you shall perform them, so that you will succeed in all that you do." (Deut. 28:8)

Thank you for reading and Shabbat Shalom!

 

 

 

Torah Thoughts 9 September 2022 Ki Teitzei

Welcome Friends to Torah Thoughts from Adas Israel the Jewish Congregation of Northern Iowa, based in Mason City.  Some Holiday News
first: Later this month we will observe the Jewish New Year or Rosh Hashanah. Services will take place on Sunday evening the 25th starting at 7:00PM. We will then hold morning services on Monday the 26th starting at 10:00AM. Following services join us in the Social Hall for some "holiday nosh" and conversation. We're back for Kol Nidre on October 4th with services starting at 7:00PM. Yom Kippur services will be on the 5th of October starting at 10:00AM. We'll adjourn for several hours and then back in Shul starting at 5PM to conclude the holiday. Break Fast (around 7:00PM) is being catered this year by our friend Cynthia who always does a wonderful job.  We hope to see you. 

This Week's Torah Portion

This week we read Parsha Ki Teitzei (Deut. 21:10 - 25:19). The words "ki teitzei" are Hebrew for "When you go out..." as we read: "When you will go out to war against your enemies..." And then the Torah speaks to a "woman of beautiful form" who becomes the captive of a soldier and how he should treat her so that he does not sin.

But the sages offer us another thing to consider. What might that be? Our sages tell us that the opening verse is hinting at going out to war against our most fearsome enemy - the evil inclination.

Rabbi Bachya ben Yosef zt"l of the 12th Century writes, "Your greatest enemy in the world is your evil inclination. He gives you (bad) advice every step of the way. While you sleep he is awake, plotting against you. He appears to you as a friend, and he becomes one of your most trusted advisors... His greatest weapons against you are confusion and false arguments, which make you forget your true interests and doubt your confirmed goals and beliefs..."

We have all come face to face with an inclination to do evil. Sometimes the inclination seems to be slight, "What could be the harm in having just one cheeseburger?" Or it cam be great as in, "I have been wronged and I will seek vengeance by killing that person!" Which of those two inclinations might be the worst?  Surprise, it is the first. The prohibition of murder is clear but what could be the harm in a cheeseburger?  The answer is that it may lead to yet another evil inclination and then another...before you know it you have abandoned all of Torah.

What is the remedy for not being swept away by our evil inclination? The only sure way to beat the evil inclination is by studying Torah. As the Talmud states: God created the evil inclination and created the Torah as its antidote.

The Rebellious Son

Along those same lines we find this interesting section (Deut. 21: 18 - 21). This is a difficult section of the parsha where we are told that a wayward and rebellious son might suffer the sentence of death. The Torah Sage Ramban comments that often small sins can become the the path to greater sins. A parent or elder must do all they can to set the feet of the wayward child back on the path but if all that fails the courts must intervene. The bottom line is that a parents love of G-d must supersede their love of their children.  Unless a society has values that come above normal human emotions, that society will crumble and children will become the enemies of what their parents revere.

Give It Back

Let's say you find something.  Nobody knows that you found it...other than you.  Let us then say you know to whom the item belongs but you hide that fact. The bottom line is you are forbidden to ignore the opportunity to return the item. (Deut. 22 1 - 4) This is both moral and financial. It is wrong to take advantage of another person's loss especially if that loss brings with it a financial loss.  If a fellow comes to you and says an item is worth $500 but because he/she needs the money he/she is willing to sell it for $250...you should buy the item at face value so as not to bring financial hardship to the seller. Pretty astounding...right?

Finally

There are so many, many commandments in this weeks portion and if you read and have a question please don't hesitate to reach out. It's by learning that we grow.  May you have a wonderful Shabbat and looking forward to seeing you for the holidays.

Shabbat Shalom! 

 

 

 

Torah Thoughts 2 September 2022 - Parsha Shoftim

Let's learn some Torah with Torah Thoughts from Adas Israel the Jewish Congregation of Northern Iowa based in Mason City!  Welcome back and a reminder that Erv Rosh Hashanah services will be held on Sunday the 25th of September starting at 7:00PM and then we will gather back at the shul for services on Monday the 26th starting at 10:00AM.  Finally, just so you have it down, Erv Yom Kippur services will be at 7:00PM on Tuesday, October 4 and morning services starting at 10:00AM on Wednesday, October 5th.  See you in shul...

The Rule of Law

This week we read Parsha Shoftim (Deut. 16:18 - 21:9). The word Shoftim means "judges" as we read, "Judges and officers shall you appoint in all your cities...and they shall judge the people with righteous judgement." What a timely reminder that no one is above the law. If we read on we learn that, "You shall not pervert judgement..." We are warned about disrespecting the law and against taking bribes. Oh...how very timely.

We are told that respecting the law of the land is critical. That if there is a breakdown in that respect the downfall of the nation is not far behind. In other words, friends, we need to pay attention and be mindful of the law because that brings order. When we give immunity to some it has the impact to sow distrust among the others. 

The King Issue

Now we get to an interesting section where Moses tells the people that they must say, "I shall set a king over myself..." And, "You shall surely set over yourself a king, whom Hashem your G-d shall choose..." (Deut. 17: 14-15). So, if it is a mitzvah (commandment) to have a king why did Samuel rebuke the people for requesting a king? (1 Samuel 8:5)

The commentaries have given a number of answers to this question. Perhaps the most satisfying is that of the Klei Yakar, who directs our attention to a subtle nuance in the verses of Deuteronomy and Samuel.

It is a mitzvah to appoint a king when the intention is, “I will set a king over myself,” i.e., when one is willing to subordinate oneself to the king's rule and accept his authority. Close attention to the request of the Israelites of the Prophet Samuel show that they requested, “Give unto us a king,” not a king over us whom we will obey, but rather a king unto us who will cater to our wishes. It was this request that angered the prophet.

Leading or Following

Here is an interesting take by Rabbi Twerski z"l: "A term frequently used to refer to a rabbi is “spiritual leader.” However, and not infrequently, the rabbi is a spiritual follower rather than leader."

Rabbi Yisroel of Salant commented on the Talmud that describes the sorry state of affairs that will prevail before the Ultimate Redemption, among them, “the face, i.e., the leaders, of the generation will be similar to dogs” (Sanhedrin 97a). He said that a dog often runs ahead of its master, but then looks back to see whether the master has turned the corner. If he sees that the master has veered off in another direction, he runs back to follow him.

“That is how the leaders will be before the Ultimate Redemption,” Rabbi Yisroel said. “They may give the appearance of leading the community, but like a dog watching its master, they turn around to see which way the community is heading, and they follow them.”

The bottom line is this: We must accept authentic leadership and defer to authority, rather than expect the leaders to follow us.  Mob rule is never a good thing.

Thank you for reading and Shabbat Shalom!