Adas Israel - Mason City, IA

Torah Thoughts 28 July 2022 - Mattos-Masei

Hello and welcome back to Torah Thoughts from Adas Israel, the Jewish Congregation of Northern Iowa based in Mason City. Glad you're with us again. A reminder that we'll be holding services at the shul on Friday evening and our Midrash (Torah Study) is on Shabbat starting at 10:00AM. Hope to see you with us.  This week we read Parsha Mattos-Masei which you can find in Bamidbar (Numbers) 30:2 - 36:13. Let's go...

We Need A Leader

If you remember last week Moses, knowing he will not be allowed to enter the Land of Israel asks G-d to appoint a successor. Someone that will "go in with Israel and go out with Israel".  What does that mean?

Often, when it comes to battle, kings would sit in their palace or at the rear of the army. Yes, they might have been there but they were not engaged. Moses, who had led the people into and out of battle many times requested that the next leader do the same.  That leader was Joshua who would go in and come out with Israel.

But Wait!

This week we read the Hashem tells Moses to go into battle and take vengeance on the Midianites in retribution for the licentious plot the Midianites perpetrated upon the Israelites. Remember Bilaam and Balak and the 24,000 who died due to the "cavorting" with the daughters of Midian? 

But in a strange twist Moses appoints his nephew Pinchas to lead the army into battle. Why would Moses defer to another when G-d tells him to go and smite the Midianites?

Being Thankful

Here is where the story give us a great lesson. If you remember, long ago, it was Moses who was on the run for killing an Egyptian Taskmaster who was beating a Jewish slave.  Where did he end up? In Midian where he also married a woman from Midian. The people there sheltered Moses for years and now, to lead an army to destroy Midian, was just too much. 

We are told that he could not do such a thing because he was so thankful for his treatment there.

The Lesson

The lesson here for us is to always be...thankful. G-d has created an amazing world for us and our responsibility is to remain thankful. Every day, in every way we should than Hashem for the wonder that is the world and for the faith that we have.  This is why there are so many blessings in our lives. For when we get something new, when we eat bread, when we eat, well, anything. When we get up in the morning and when we lay down at night.  Blessings of being thankful.

After all, it is in our name. We are Jews from the Hebrew word of Judah which means, you guessed it, "Thanksgiving".

We can do no less.

One other thing we learn from this Parsha is how to make things...utensils...kosher. We'll talk about it. 

See you in Shul! 

 

 

 

Torah Thoughts - Parsha Bechukotai - Lev. 26:3 - 27:34

Greetings friends of Adas Israel the Jewish Congregation of Northern Iowa and based in Mason City. Grateful that you've come by for a bit of Torah Learning. This week we read about the many blessings we are to receive IF we follow the commandments. What is interesting is there are commandments that have benefits to others in this world. And there are commandments that accrue to our tally of good which are rewarded in the after-life. This is what the Mishnah means when it says that the “fruit” (i.e. the “interest”) is enjoyed in this world, but the “principal” remains for the World to Come. Make sure you open your Chumash (Bible if you will) and read these first lines. Amazing!

This Week

This week's Torah portion is introducing all the benefits that G-d provides in this world as the result of observing the mitzvot (commandments). What is interesting is that the commandments related to social justice are the only mitzvot that are rewarded in this world as well as the next.

Fascinatingly, the Mishna equates the study of Torah to all the mitzvot. (See you are not wasting your time here!)  In other words, aside from the self-improvement and connection to the Almighty that comes from Torah study, there are tangible benefits to this world through the study of Torah was well. This would also explain why Rashi understands that the rewards that follow the observance of “My statutes” refers to one’s immersion in Torah study.

Perhaps this is what the Talmud is referring to when it says, “Torah scholars increase peace in the world” (Brachos 64a). The Talmud chose to end its very first tractate with that statement, explaining that those Torah scholars are builders of the world and they increase the peace within it. The Torah, after all, was given to us to both improve ourselves and the world around us and we must make every effort to see that mission fulfilled.

Meanwhile

While this week's portion begins with the multitude of blessings you will receive for keeping the commandments of the Torah (truly worth reading!). It also contains the tochachah, words of admonition: “If you will not listen to Me and will not perform all of these commandments…” There are seven series of seven punishments each. Understand that G-d does not punish for punishment’s sake; He wants to get our attention so that we will introspect, recognize our errors, and correct our ways. G-d does not wish to destroy us or annul His covenant with us. He wants us to know that there are consequences for our every action. He also wants to get our attention so that we do not stray so far away that we assimilate and disappear as a nation.

A Word About Prayer

This past week has jolted us, once again. So much senseless pain in the world.  I was struck by something, very simple, which was tweeted by Rabbi Mark Asher Goodman just this past Thursday: "In Judaism, if you say a prayer over something and then fail to do the requisite action that follows, like saying the blessing over bread but not eating it, it's a bracha levatla - which is a sinful act."

He goes on: "If you pray for victims of gun violence but do nothing. It is a sinful act."

Prayer and Action...

Shabbat Sholom and thank you for reading. 

 

Torah Thoughts 13 May 2022 - Parsha Emor

Welcome to Torah Thoughts from Adas Israel the Jewish Congregation of Northern Iowa and based in Mason City. Thank you for coming by. This week we read Parsha Emor which is in the book of Vayikra (Leviticus) Chapter 21 - 24. Let's go!

Lag B' Omer

As you might remember we are counting up the 49 days until Shavout or the giving of the Torah. This Shabbat is the 28th day of the Omer. The Omer was a barley offering from the first harvest that the Jews would bring to the Temple in Jerusalem. Omer is actually a measurement of volume roughly equating to three quarts.

Forty-nine days are counted from the second day of Passover until the fiftieth day, which is Shavuot – the holiday celebrating the receiving of the Torah on Mount Sinai. There is actually a mitzvah to count each specific day, which is done at the completion of Ma’ariv, the evening service.

This coming Thursday is Lag B' Omer which means the 33rd day of the Omer. It is historically significant for multiple reasons. On this day, the plague that was killing Rabbi Akiva’s disciples stopped. It is also the yahrzeit (yearly anniversary of the death) of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, reputed author of the Zohar, the book of Jewish mysticism. Tradition has it that the day of his demise was filled with a great light of endless joy through the secret wisdom that he revealed to his students in the Zohar.

In Israel, there are huge bonfires across the country. From Pesach onwards, the children gather fallen branches and build pyres often 20 or 30 feet high. Then, as it grows dark, they are lit and the sky is filled with flames (and smoke). The fires are symbolic both of the light of wisdom Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai brought into the world and as a “yahrzeit candle” in memory of his passing. Haircuts and weddings take place on this date and there is much festivity including dancing, singing, and music.  See what you learn here?

Parsha Emor

This week's portion sets forth the standards of purity and perfection for a Cohen; specifies the physical requirements of sacrifices and what is to be done with blemished offerings; proclaims as holidays the Shabbat, Pesach, Shavuot, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot. Yes, each one of our holidays are set out in the Torah.

It reminds the Jewish people to provide pure olive oil for the Menorah and designates the details of the Showbread (two stacks of 6 loaves each, which were placed on the table in the portable sanctuary and later in the Temple once a week upon Shabbat). The portion ends with the interesting story of a man who blasphemed G-d’s name with a curse. What should be the penalty for this transgression? Curious? Leviticus 24:14.

What is Kosher?

You might remember that during the recent Midrash we started talking about this interview with Rabbi Levi Goldstein who works with the Orthodox Union to inspect food manufacturers to insure they are kosher or helps them become kosher. It is a fascinating conversation and I hope you'll click the player and give it a listen. There is so much to learn and myths to dispel and my friend does a great job explaining so many things. Oh, and, he's been traveling the roads of Iowa for the past 18 years doing this amazing work. Take some time and give it a listen.

Partly Personal

I'm writing this from a hotel in Washington, D.C.  I've been here on assignment over the past several days. It's always an amazing journey. The days have been spent in meetings with congressional staff and our Iowa delegation. I'm here with nearly 200 business, non-profit and elected leaders from Central Iowa discussing a variety of items that are of great importance to not only the Des Moines Metro but the entire state. While we are in polarizing times you need to know that, often behind the scenes, there is an amazing amount of work being done on a bipartisan level. It may not always seem that way but I can tell you, with the exception of a few partisan "jabs" there is a commitment to become much more civil in, at least, the dialog with those of us who are here.  Just thought you should know.

Have a wonderful Shabbat and thanks for reading! 

Torah Thoughts 29 April 2022 - Acharei Mot

Welcome back friends to Torah Thoughts from Adas Israel the Jewish Congregation of Northern Iowa, based in Mason City. We hope you had a wonderful Passover as we now are counting up the days until we reach the giving of the Torah or Shavout. It is called "Counting the Omer" and it is done the night before each day, beginning this year on April 16, 2022 and ending on June 3, 2022. So you know today (Friday the 29th) is the 13th Day of the Omer.

Speaking of days this past Thursday was memorable for two reasons. First of all it was Holocaust Memorial Day. The day we remember and respond to the horrors of that time. And, indeed, today seems so much like what we have witnessed in the past. Evil exists and must, like Amalek, be blotted out. Thursday was also the Workers Memorial Day. Fifty-three years ago the U.S. Congress passed the Occupational Safety and Health Act, promising every worker the right to a safe job. We still have far to go. On Thursday, in Iowa, the names of 71 individuals were read. Seventy-one. They were the names of workers, firefighters, police officers who died last year due to illness contracted on the job or of injuries inflected at work.  The two days have much in common and it was fitting that both happened just this week.

Acharei Mot

This week we read from Lev. 16 - 18. There are many lessons here and some of them should be very familiar because one of the sections is read during Yom Kippur. But, I'm getting ahead of things.  This week we read about the prohibition of acting with cruelty. We are told not to engage in the evil that was Moloch. Moloch was a Canaanite deity that we find in several biblical sources as being associated with the practice of child sacrifice.

According to the great biblical commentator Rashi (Leviticus 18:21), service of this deity consisted of handing over your child to the Moloch priests who would then burn them by passing them through fire. Rashi elaborates with more detail as to the exact worship of Moloch in his comments found in the book of Jeremiah (7:31). The famous Spanish biblical commentator, Nachmanides, notes this ritual sometimes resulted in the child’s death.

One would think we would not need a commandment to defy this evil...but we get it anyway. In this week’s Torah reading we find that G-d expressly forbade the Jews from doing what was done in Canaan: “You shall not give any of your children to devote them by fire to Moloch, and so profane the name of your G-d” (Leviticus 18:21).

Then, again, At the end of this week’s Torah reading we find: “Speak to the people of Israel, and say to them, I am the Lord your G-d. Like the practices of the land of Egypt where you dwelt, you shall not do; and like the practices of the land of Canaan, where I bring you, you shall not do...” (18:2-3).

The Lesson

The teaching should be clear. We are not to join in on the practices of those who are of other faiths. Look, it's not because non-Jews practice anything as abhorrent as child sacrifice. Just the opposite our non-Jewish friends and neighbors are commanded to uphold the laws of the Torah. They talk about it all the time.

No, the prohibition of joining in on those religious events is all about assimilation. It can be spiritually intoxicating to deny the mitzvot and eat what you wish, celebrate as you wish, engage in religious services that are not...Jewish. And we can feel welcome and, I will admit, find some comfort there. However, that is the issue. Being a proud Jew who strives, every day, to become better is what we are all about. We've been doing this for thousands of years and the Torah, in this parsha, is telling us to refrain from engaging in the practices of others.

We opened this up with the loss of millions during the Holocaust. It is said that we have lost more due to assimilation which is tragic. Every day we have a choice, which is also in this week's Torah potion, to do what G-d asks of us.  "Carry out my laws and safeguard my decrees to follow them; I am Hashem your G-d. You shall observe my decrees and my laws, which man shall carry out and by which he shall live...I am Hashem."

Remember, it's not a...suggestion.

Thank you for reading and about our next Midrash. I'll be out most of May but if you would like to gather for a Virtual Midrash on Shabbat the 7th day of May I can make that happen. Be watching for the email newsletter next week that will also have the ZOOM Link.

On other thing: On Monday of next week my guest will be Rabbi Levi Goldstein who, for eighteen years, has worked for the Orthodox Union traveling Iowa making sure various items are...kosher. I'm really looking forward to this conversation and yes...I'll make sure to send it along. 

Thanks again and Shabbat Shalom! 

 

 

Torah Thoughts - Teach Your Children - 21 April 2022

Welcome back to Torah Thoughts from Adas Israel the Jewish Congregation of Northern Iowa, based in Mason City. Thank you for coming by for a quick read. 

Passover Thoughts

The first two days of Pesach are full holidays as are the final two days. That Passover started on Shabbat and now ends after Shabbat on Saturday evening means that food and everything we do to prepare for the Sabbath has to take place on Thursday. It has been a whirlwind to say the least.

A quick thank you to everyone who came to our Community Seder and then on Shabbat to our Midrash ass we learned even more about the laws and customs of Passover. As always it was great to be with everyone and to study and learn. Several folks were absent as Pesach collided with Good Friday.

Teach Your Children

What comes of a revolution? So often we find that those who were oppressors are overthrown by the oppressed through some violent activity only to, in time, become the oppressors. The faces change but the suffering remains. We've seen it hundreds of times in hundreds of places.  So how do you insure that a revolution toward freedom does not repeat that same system?

Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks z"l wrote an interesting piece on the topic that I'll share with you here.  

The books of Exodus and Deuteronomy take a different route altogether. It’s astonishing how, reflecting on the Israelites’ journey from
slavery to freedom, Moses keeps returning to one subject above all others: how we teach our children. “When your children ask you this, you should answer them that.” “Teach your child on that day.” “Say to your child ...” Four times Moses speaks about the duty of parents to educate their children, handing on to them their people’s story until it becomes their own.

That’s what we do each year on Passover as we gather in our extended families to re-enact the night long ago when our ancestors readied themselves to leave Egypt and begin the long walk to freedom. It’s a remarkable ceremony, the oldest continuously observed religious ritual in the world, going back thousands of years. We still eat the matzah, the dry unleavened “bread of affliction,” and taste the maror, the “bitter herbs” of slavery. And children are still at the heart of this celebration. For we can only tell the story in response to questions asked by a child. That’s why, for many of us, our earliest Jewish memory is of asking the “four questions,” beginning with “Why is this night different?” We remain faithful to Moses’ mandate: first teach the children.

The world we build tomorrow is born in the stories we tell our children today. Politics moves the pieces. Education changes the game. If you want a free society, teach your children what oppression tastes like. Tell them how many miracles it takes to get from here to there. Above all, encourage them to ask questions. Teach them to think for themselves. Get them to continue the heritage not through blind obedience – the world’s worst preparation for liberty – but through active, challenging conversation across the generations. That’s how we learned, as children, about the long walk to freedom. It’s how we came to take our ancestors’ story as our own.

Amid all the talk about the challenges facing the world in the twenty first century – climate change, the global economy, political turmoil, the impact of the new technology – far too little is said or thought about education, and even when it is, it focuses on the wrong things, such as technical skills. Education is the single most important determinant of the future of the human race, and what and how we teach our children is the most important decision we can make.

We have to teach our children that freedom only comes when you respect the freedom of others, that it involves responsibilities as well as rights and that it means making sacrifices for the common good. G-d, the supreme power, intervened in history long ago to help the supremely powerless, a nation of slaves, and ever since, His work must be ours. Nor can we teach these things without giving children the space to ask, question and challenge, thereby learning the dignity of dissent, itself one of the elements of freedom.

Liberty is born not on the battlefield but in homes, schools and houses of study. That is the message of the world’s oldest ritual, Passover, and its force remains undiminished today.

Powerful Message

What Rabbi Lord Sacks wrote is so powerful...especially today when there are politicians demanding that our children not be called upon to ask questions about our past and our present. I was fortunate to share a table with Rabbi Sacks when he was the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the British Commonwealth. It was one of the high points of my trip and I credit Rabbi Lord Sacks for helping me dig deeper into our shared faith. He did that not always by teaching but also by asking questions.  We can learn much by simply asking.

Good Yom Tov and Shabbat Shalom!

 

 

Torah Thoughts 8 April 2022 - Think Pesach!

Greetings from Adas Israel the Jewish Congregation of Northern Iowa, based in Mason City. Homes around the world are in a flurry of activity getting ready for Passover that begins on Friday evening the 15th of April. That is also the time for the Adas Israel Community Seder which is back after a year-long absence. We will gather at 7:00PM for a brief Erv Shabbat Service and then move into the Seder. The cost for the expertly prepared meal is $30 per person, $75 for a family of four and for larger numbers please contact President Alan Steckman who can be reached at 641-424-9362 and leave a message or you can text him at 641-420-7251.  Checks may be sent directly to Post Office Box 621 Mason City, Iowa, 50402-0621.  Then on Shabbat we will hold our Monthly Midrash at the shul starting at 10:00AM. Come to both and learn even more about Passover. 

This Week...

This week's Torah Portion if Parsha Metzora (Lev. 14 - 15) as we read in the opening sentence. "Hashem spoke to Moses, saying, This shall be the law of the metzora on the day of his purification." Metzora is the Hebrew word for a person afflicted with a skin disease then there is a commandment as to what that person must do. Key to this is that the person becomes afflicted with this skin disease because of a degraded spiritual condition. 

The rabbis say that the removal of the person from the camp allows him the opportunity to reflect on his deficiencies and to repent so that he can once again become part of the nation. As soon as that happens G-d will remove the mark and he can begin the process of reunification.

Look Back

To better understand metzora (the person afflicted) we need to look back at the Torah Portion of last week Here we learn that the skin disease has a name, and that is tzaraas.  We find that in Lev. 13:2, "If a person (adam) will have on his skin . . .a tzaraas affliction..."  As Rabbi Abraham Twerski z"l wrote, "The Talmud is very clear that the affliction of tzaraas (the exact nature of which is unknown to us) is a punishment for having spoken lashon hara, derogatory speech."

Here is where this gets really interesting. The Hebrew word the Torah uses for “person” in the above verse is adam. There are several other Hebrew words for “person”: enosh, ish, gever. The ethical writings state that each refers to a level of spirituality, and adam represents the highest level. We must understand, therefore, the Torah's choice of the word adam for a person afflicted with tzaraas.

The Chafetz Chaim said that the juxtaposition of this portion of the Torah to that of the previous portion dealing with non-kosher animals is to teach us that people who may be meticulously careful about what goes into their mouths should be equally as scrupulous about what comes out of their mouths. There are sins which a Torah observant person would never do, but as for lashon hara, it is a rare person who is saved from it. Hence, even a spiritual person, adam, is vulnerable to lashon hara.

The Lesson

Here the lesson for us all is clear. in order to refrain from becoming an outcast we much watch our words carefully. Believe me, in the passion of the moment it is easy for us to say something evil about another person. While we might "think" those thoughts once we say them the "cat is out of the bag" so to speak.

But, there is another lesson here that has to do with gossip which is also defined as lashon hara or the "evil tongue".  Gossip is the worst. And each of us are called to truly "watch our tongue" especially when hearing gossip. The correct way to deal with a person who is peddling gossip is to ask them to stop unless there is proof of the charges. Often, on reflection, if the gossip does not make sense it is a severe problem to repeat it. Deal?

Shabbat Shalom and Happy Spring Cleaning...no, really! Where do you think the whole idea of "spring cleaning" came from? Yes, once again the Jewish effort to entirely cleanse our homes of chametz...think even crumbs of bread.  You're welcome.

See you for Pesach! 

 

 

 

Torah Thoughts 10 March 2022 - Parsha Vayikra

Welcome back to Torah Thoughts from Adas Israel the Jewish Congregation of Northern Iowa and based in Mason City. We're glad you are here to learn with us.  A couple of quick announcements before we get into our Torah Study: Services at Adas Israel will be on the 11th of March starting at 7:00PM and our Midrash (Torah Study) will take place on Shabbat the 12th at 10:00AM. Both events at the shul. In other news mark you calendar for our Passover Community Seder which will take place on Friday evening the 15th of April. We'll have more details about the event in the coming weeks but wanted you to know the date. It's a major event and we hope to see you in shul!

Parsha Vayikra

This week we begin the Book of Vayikra. (The first portion or "parsha" is also known by the name of the entire "book".) Some may know this as the Book of Leviticus which is a Latin word that means "of the Levites". We don't speak much Latin...so it is Vayikra. This is the third "book" of the Torah and it contains the largest number of "mitzvot" or commandments than any of the five "books". Why it was named to make mention of the Levites is because of the large number of commandments that have to do with the priestly tribe including a vast number of commandments that have to do with the sacrifices brought to the Temple which many people find confusing and unimportant. Today we'll change that perception.  But let us start at the beginning.

The Little Aleph

The very first Hebrew word in this parsha is "Vayikra" which means, "He called": "He (G-d) called to Moses, and Hashem spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting.." What is noteworthy is this first word and how it is written in Hebrew. In the Torah scroll, the word for “He called,” vayikra, is written with a diminutive aleph. (See the first word reading from right to left and the last letter in that word here in the image.) Without the aleph, the word would be vayikar, which means “He happened upon him,” a rather defamatory term used when G-d spoke to the villainous Bilaam (Numbers 23:4). The Baal HaTurim explains that because of his profound humility, Moses wanted to use the word vayikar in regard to how G-d spoke to him. Inasmuch as G-d commanded him to write vayikra, Moses wrote a diminutive/smaller aleph.

What Is Going On?

The great Rabbi Avraham Twerski z"l writes that, "When G-d called to Moses at Sinai, it was in the presence of the entire congregation of Israelites. To have asserted his diminutive status before the eyes of everyone at that time would have been flaunting his humility, which is vanity rather than humility. Moses, therefore, did not make any pretense of humility. When he was called to the Tent of Meeting, however, no one but Moses heard the call (Rashi). Here the expression of humility was genuine and sincere."

There are people who try to impress others with their humility. This affected humility is the polar opposite of true humility.

Humility is the finest of all character traits, but it must be sincere.

Another significance of the small aleph is that in addition to being the name of a letter, aleph is a word that means “learning.” The message of the small aleph is that one can learn only when one is humble. There are some very bright people who do not learn much because they think they already know everything. Vanity is an obstacle to learning.

And, there is more: The mountain of the Sinai range where the Torah was given is the lowest in the range. This was to teach the Israelites that one can acquire Torah only if one is humble.

The Lesson

Repeatedly in Torah literature, Torah is symbolized by water, and it is pointed out that just as water always flows to the lowest level, so Torah flows to those who think of themselves as least. The greatest acquisition of Torah was by Moses, of whom the Torah says was “the most humble of all men on earth” (Numbers 12:3).

The small aleph represents both Moses' profound humility and the lesson that only with humility can one gain knowledge.

Now, Them Sacrifices...

The Book of Vayikra is full of the commandments of sacrifices. And, I get it, it can be a bit overwhelming. There are laws about what sacrifice goes to what life event. What to bring if a person sins or what to bring if a person has a positive event or what to bring on a holiday. There are animals and flour and oil sacrifices. It's a bunch of stuff going on and one can get lost in the details

Until you come to realize what is really going on.  The Hebrew word for "sacrifices" is "korban" and the word mean to "draw near". The whole idea of the korban was to draw the people closer to G-d. 

OK so far?  Good, now let's go deeper.

Today there is no Temple there are no "sacrifices". So what has taken the place of the korban? You might be surprised to learn that we have been given something that replaces those ancient sacrifices.  It is called...prayer. The sages tell us that prayer is what now takes the place of the korban. 

The Place of Prayer

To be sure our rabbis tell us that when we pick up our "prayer book" and read the prayers in English or in Hebrew we are communicating with G-d. But, that's kind of hard to explain when what we are reading just seems like...words on paper. How can those "words" mean anything?

As we continue to study and to better understand what it is that we are saying when using the prayerbook we come to understand that this is a way of communicating with G-d. Of drawing us closer to Him and when we examine prayer we come to realize its power.

You have the power to make a "local call" to Hashem. Just by opening up the book or even in your own words you are dialing direct to G-d. You have your "Father in Heaven" on...speed dial.  And, you can do this from anywhere and at any time.  And the best new is...G-d is listening.

Dad I Love You

Think about this for a moment. You, at any time and from any place call and say, "Dad, I love you. So great to visit with you. Thank you for all you have done for me..."  You get the idea. And, many of us take this time to ask for something; "Oh, by the way, I need a new car or a new job or a job.  I need a positive outcome on a health issue or I need a husband or a wife..." 

So, OK...you've maybe been praying for many things but those "things" have not yet happened. What do you make of that?

The sages tell us that prayer is in addition to how we lead our lives. If you do what you are supposed to do or fix the stuff that you are not supposed to do and change your way of life you then become a different person. And, because you have made those positive changes in you...G-d now hears you and may say, "Hmmmm, that person has changed. Sure he/she looks a bunch like you but until now the answer to your prayer has been no...but now you are different and so the answer today is...yes."

That can happen so don't ever give up. Don't stop praying just because what you have asked for has not happened.  Better it is that you work on you. Look it took Sarah, who prayed constantly for a child but the answer was "no" until she became 90 years old. Think of that for a moment. Sarah did not give up.  

But, Wait a Minute!

I get it, this can be discouraging. You might think you've done everything right but still the answer is "no" or "wait". So, what do you do? You still make that call and say, "Hey Dad, I feel lousy. I know I did something that I should not have done.  I know that I deserve to be grounded or lose the keys to the car. or maybe thrown out of the house.  But, help me please know what I can do to change. I'm begging you to forgive me; to give me another chance. Let me back in..." And, He will. Prayer is an amazing opportunity...make the most of it..

Purim

Yes, another Jewish Holiday is upon us.  Purim begins on the evening of Wednesday the 16th and end on the evening of the 17th.  For the full scope of the holiday open your Bible and read the Book of Esther. In short it is about a tyrant who was out to kill the Jewish people and the bravery of a woman to stand up to power and turn the heart of a king away from violence against the Jews and deal with the evil in his midst.

Today we are at another Purim and it is Ukraine.

Ukraine has a rich and vibrant Jewish history. The Hasidic Movement was born there. Many sages come from those cities and towns.  It was also the site of horrible pogroms and where the Nazis with help of supporting Ukrainians murdered more than one million of our people. (The map give you the major cities where Jews are today.)

Today, by estimates, it is again the home to a large number of Jews. President Zelensky is a Jew. The Prime Minister of the government is a Jew and now the modern day evil that was Haman is out to murder not only the Jews but also each and every citizen of Ukraine. To learn more about the Jews of Ukraine read this! 

The United States and our allies must see this for what it is. Genocide, and it is up to each and every Jew to stand up to this terror and the despot that is Putin. The U.S. just passed a $13.6 billion rescue plan to send support to Ukraine. But there is more we can do. To think Putin will stop with Ukraine is to fool yourself. The other Baltic states and all of NATO is in his crosshairs. He dreams of a once again Soviet Empire.  He must be stopped. Poland must send it's Migs to Ukraine. We must pray for Ukraine. There is no middle ground here my friends. This is yet...another Purim.

See you in Shul!

 

Torah Thoughts 25 February Parsha Vayakhel

Torah Thoughts is from Adas Israel the Jewish Congregation of Northern Iowa and based in Mason City since 1910. Before we begin it is simply awful what is going on in Ukraine.  The fact that the Russian dictator said that he was going to march into that nation to "denazify" the county when, in fact, the elected president is a Jew is repugnant.  End of rant....

Each week we bring you some thoughts about the Torah Portion of the week.  This week it is Parsha Vayakhel (Exodus 35:1 - 38:20) the word "vayakhel" means "he assembled" in Hebrew, "Moses (he) assembled the entire assembly of the Children of Israel and said to them: These are the things that Hashem commanded to do them." 

The Sabbath

The day before all of this happens it was Yom Kippur. Moses had come down from the mountain with the second set of commandments which signified G-d's forgiveness and His renewed love for His people.  It is then, just ahead of the call to build the tabernacle that Moses reminds the people about the Sabbath. And underscores the importance of it.  Even building the holy tabernacle was not to take place on Shabbat. How critical is it that we observe the Sabbath...part of that lesson is right here.

Wise Hearts

Then we, once again, get into the details of building the Tabernacle. Much of this is repetition of earlier parts of the Torah but there is something unique here.  Several times in this parsha we are reminded of people having "wise hearts".

    "Every wise-hearted person among you shall come and make everything that God has commanded (Exodus 35:10); Every wise-hearted     woman... (Exodus 35:25); He (G-d) filled them with a wise heart to do...every craft (Exodus 35:35) and The wise-hearted among those     doing the work made the Tabernacle (Exodus 36:8)

What is going on?

If we pay attention to what the Ramban tells us in the notes that none of the Israelites had learned the skills necessary for the work of the Sanctuary and the vestments. However, because they were intensely motivated to do the Divine will, they discovered that they were in fact able to do the skilled craftsmanship. This might be interpreted as a miraculous endowment of skills they had not had. However, the words of Ramban indicate that it was not an endowment of something new. Rather, it was a discovery that they had these skills within them.

You Are a Miracle

Have you ever been tasked with a project and think to yourself, "Why, I know nothing about this. There is no way I can complete this task." But, how do you know?  True I can not do brain surgery but so many tasks can be learned. If our hearts are wise.

According to Ramban, this is what happened with the Israelites. Many people did not have an inkling that they had the requisite skills for the intricate work in crafting the vessels, vestments and curtains of the Sanctuary. But their devotion to G-d and their desire to do His will resulted in “their hearts being elevated in the ways of G-d” (II Chronicles 17:6). Their spirits soared, and the emotional fervor enabled them to discover the skills within them.

The Lesson

The great Rabbi Twersky writes, "We usually think of wisdom as associated with the mind and brain rather than with the heart. We associate the heart with emotions rather than with wisdom. The Torah repeatedly refers to the “wise-hearted” to indicate the overriding influence of emotion over intellect, and that only when one's emotions permit can one implement the powers of the intellect.

We have untouched reserves of both physical and mental abilities. Under conditions of stress, people have been known to perform physical feats that they never thought were within their capacities. There is reason to believe that some geniuses were not of such superior intellect, but rather that their emotional investment allowed them to fully utilize their potential.

This is an important principle in education. If we can stimulate interest and desire for knowledge in children, they are likely to excel in their studies. A good teacher is, therefore, one who can reach the students in a way that they become “wise-hearted.”

Midrash

We have been able to set service dates in March. We'll gather at the shul on Friday the 11th at 7:00PM and then for our Midrash (Study Session) on Shabbat the 12th of March starting at 10:00AM.  We'll be discussing not only the Torah Portion but also Purim which begins after sundown on March 16.

See you in shul and Shabbat Shalom! 

 

 

 

 

 

Torah Thoughts 7 January 2022 - Parsha Bo

Hello friends and welcome back to Torah Thoughts from Adas Israel the Jewish Congregation of Northern Iowa and based in Mason City. Grateful you've come by again to learn. A reminder that we'll be holding out January services at the shul on Friday the 14th at 7:00PM and our Midrash (Torah Study) on Shabbat the 15th at 10:00AM. Once again, our services are socially distanced and we require you to be fully vaccinated to attend. Thank you for respecting the wishes of the Board. Now, let's go!

The Portion Is...

This week's Torah portion is Bo (Exodus 10:1 - 13:16). "Bo" is Hebrew for "go" as we read in the first line of the parsha: "Hashem said to Moses, come (go) to Pharaoh, for I have made his heart and the hearts of his servants stubborn so that I can put these signs of Mine in his midst..." I'm reminded, each year, that this parsha was a favorite of my Father z'tl. I fondly remember that when we got to this portion of the Torah he really engaged in the conversation both at the shul and at home. It's a good memory.

Often I get the question as to why G-d would make the heart of Pharaoh "stubborn" and in some places "harden". The answer is in that first line. If Pharaoh had simply complied and let the people go G-d would not have that opportunity to show how He truly controlled everything. And so, to carry on the mission the heart of Pharaoh and his servants were hardened.

Which Is It?

Studying for this week I came on an interesting question posed by Rabbi Yitzchak Zweig that has its basis in this week's reading. The question is, "Are you a Jewish American or an American Jew"? At first blush you might think they are the same thing...but are they?

This week we read "at midnight the Almighty struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon” (Ex. 12:29) What does this mean?

The great commentator Rashi wondered why the firstborn sons of the captives were also killed. After all, they weren’t even citizens of Egypt and had nothing to do with the enslavement of the Jewish people.

He then offers two approaches, one of which is that the captives rejoiced that the Jews were being enslaved and abused and they would have happily participated had they been given an opportunity. This is akin to the Nazi soldiers who claimed to only be “following orders,” but in many pictures they can be seen laughing and jeering while terrorizing and abusing the German and Polish Jewish population.

Now, follow this logic: The fact that Rashi has to explain why the first born children of the captives were included in the plague indicates that otherwise the first born children of the captives would not have died.

The Sign

Remember, Moses instructed the Jewish people to put the blood of the Paschal lamb on the door posts of their homes so that they would be protected and not fall victim to the tenth plague. Moses is therefore informing them that the first born sons of the Jewish nation would also die unless there was blood on the door posts.

How is it possible that first born Jews would die and not the first born of the captives in jail?

There seems to be only one possible explanation: there was no decree of death from the plague on foreigners – the tenth plague was only a decree on the Egyptians. That is why the children of the captives would have been excluded. But still, why were the children of the Jewish nation susceptible to this last plague?

Entitled

We have often talked about this in shul. There were Jews in Egypt that did not believe and they failed to mark their doors. Why did they not believe?  Because they had become...entitled.

Many Jews began to feel like privileged Egyptian citizens and they were faced with the question of self-definition – are we Jews living in Egypt or rather Egyptians of Jewish descent?

You see, the tenth plague came at the end of a year when many Jews in Egypt were doing just fine...thank you very much. The rabbis tell us they had been relieved of their slavery shortly after the plagues began. And then they started to prosper. They sold water during the plague of blood, their livestock were not affected by the pestilence, their crops were not destroyed by the hail, etc. They were no longer perceived as the downtrodden class. Their circumstances changed dramatically for the better. So, why...leave?

In a very short time, the Jewish people began to feel that they had finally “made it” and were now members of the upper class of Egyptian society. Many preferred to self-identify as Egyptians, of Jewish descent.

The Answer

Moses gave the people the sign of how to define themselves: If you’re an Egyptian Jew put the blood of the Paschal lamb on the doorpost and proudly declare “I am a Jew.” Those who were merely Jewish Egyptians met the same fate as the Egyptians. It is no coincidence that we place mezuzahs on the same place (as the blood of the Paschal lamb) to declare that the home is inhabited by Jews who are proud to be members of the Jewish nation.

It is indeed unfortunate that so many of us identify as American Jews rather than Jewish Americans. If history has taught the Jewish people anything at all it should have taught us that, try as we might to blend into a host nation, they will always consider us Jews first and citizens of the state second. From ancient civilizations all the way to 20^th century Europe – they have made their opinion of us very clear. We must internalize this message and understand who we really are and where our allegiances must ultimately lie.  That is not to say we can not be proud Americans but we must also be proud Jews.

Shul News

Once again we'll be holding services on Friday the 14th at 7:00PM and then our Midrash on Shabbat the 15th at 10:00AM. We're looking forward to seeing you.

Shabbat Shalom!

 

 

 

 

Torah Thoughts 18 November 2021 - Parsha Vayishlach

Hello again friends and welcome to Torah Thoughts from Adas Israel the Jewish congregation of Northern Iowa, based in Mason City. It's great to have you here. Before we start a reminder that services will be at Adas Israel on Friday the 19th at 7:00PM and our Midrash (Torah Study) will be on Shabbat the 20th at 10:00AM. Both events at the shul.

Parsha Vayishlach

This week Vayishlach (Hebrew for "and he sent") can be found in Genesis 32:4 - 36:43. The name comes from the first words in the Torah, "Then Jacob (he) sent angels ahead of him to Esau his brother..." What we learn is that Esau, who has vowed to kill his brother Jacob, is on the march with 400 men intent on killing Jacob.  What Jacob does is interesting: He first prepared himself and his camp to fight to the death, he throws himself into prayer for G-d's mercy and sends a lavish gift to Esau in the attempt to calm him down. 

He then divides his camp into two camps. "Jacob was very frightened and distressed. He divided the people accompanying him into two camps […] If Esau comes to attack at least the other camp will escape. The rabbis tell us this action was done to preserve life. True, by dividing the camp he would be weaker but Jacob was most interested in saving lives.

Israeli Army

It is even that way today.  The Israeli army goes to great pains to keep civilian causalities at a minimum. Even dropping leaflets in areas where they will attack warning people of the danger. While this act puts the men and women of the army in greater danger it is the respect for life that is driving these decisions. That concern comes directly from the Torah. Meanwhile others may not be as concerned.  For example:

Rabbi Yitzchak Zweig writes: To understand the difference between the Jewish people and the Arabs, consider for a moment the celebration and dancing in the streets displayed by many Palestinians (and captured on CNN) on 9/11 when civilian targets were chosen by Osama Bin Laden to maximize loss of life. This abhorrent behavior is often repeated after terror attacks – murders of Israeli civilians are celebrated by handing out sweets on the streets in Gaza and the West Bank.

Jacob is Distressed

Jacob knows that Esau is coming for him and he knows that Esau is enraged yet Jacob is distressed over the prospect of killing Esau. Why? How does that work?  The answer is that one is never supposed to be comfortable with murder, even if the situation warrants it and there is no other option. This has been the Jewish legacy for thousands of years; to this day the Israeli army’s policy is to be hyper-vigilant about protecting Arab civilian lives. They maintain this policy even when it creates an elevated risk to their own soldiers. That is because Jews understand that life – all life – is precious.

In The End...

In the end Jacob meets Esau and there is no bloodshed and for awhile it looks like brotherly love will dominate the story. However Jacob knows Esau only too well and realizes that Esau could still turn and attempt to do harm. 

There is so much more in this sidrah and we look forward to gleaning more when we gather this Shabbat.  Thank you for reading and we'll see you soon!