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!
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