Adas Israel - Mason City, IA

Torah Thoughts 6 October 2023 Sukkot Part Two

Welcome friends to Torah Thoughts from Adas Israel the Jewish Congregation of Northern Iowa and based in Mason City. Before we get
into our "thoughts" for this week we're pleased to let you know that we'll be holding services on Friday the 20th of October at 7:00PM and our Midrash (Torah Study) will take place on Shabbat the 21st of October starting at 10:00AM.  All of this at the shul.  Hope you can be with us!

Sukkot Part Two

This week we read Lev. 22:26 - 23:44 which sets out the Torah mandated holidays which includes Sukkot and also this being an "agricultural festival". During this month we take the four species, the etrog, the palm, the myrtle and the willow and wave them in four directions while dwelling in the sukkah.

So, what's up with that? I know, explaining this festival to non-Jews is a task that is often hard to understand. But there is great symbolism in all of it.  Let's go!

The etrog is sort of like a large lemon. It has a wonderful aroma and it's shape is that which represents the heart. The palm (Lulav) represents the spine of a person. Long and straight. The myrtle (Hadass) represents the eyes and the willow (Aravah) represents the lips or mouth of a person. When we bind these all together it represents a person. The heart, the spine, our eyes and our lips which are all dedicated to the service of G-d. 

The other interpretation of the four species is this:

• The lulav has taste but no smell, symbolizing those who study Torah but do not possess good deeds.
• The hadass has a good smell but no taste, symbolizing those who possess good deeds but do not study Torah.
• The aravah has neither taste nor smell, symbolizing those who lack both Torah and good deeds.
• The etrog has both a good taste and a good smell, symbolizing those who have both Torah and good deeds.

Enjoying this holiday has real meaning. Oh, and one other thing tomorrow is not only Shabbat it is also Shmini Atzeret or an "extra day" of Sukkot. Then on Sunday we dance with the Torah as we conclude the final "book" and start reading again from "the beginning". It is a joyful day full of song, dancing, food and drink...and called Simchat Torah or "rejoicing in the Torah"

Enjoy my friends and Shabbat Shalom!

 

Torah Thoughts & Sukkot 29 September 2023

Hello friends and welcome to Torah Thoughts from Adas Israel the Jewish Congregation based in Mason City, Iowa. We're grateful you are
here. Tonight, at sundown, we not only will celebrate Shabbat but also the holiday of Sukkot. Many would know this as the "Festival of Tabernacles" or "Booths". For the next week we will sit in the Sukkah, the temporary "hut" with family and friends enjoying food and the meaning of the holiday. (You can click on the images to enlarge them.)

Sukkot

This is one of the many holidays we are told to celebrate in the Torah. We read in Lev. 23:33 as G-d tells Moses about the holiday. Then in Num. 29:12 we hear again about the holiday and finally in Deut. 16:13 we link Sukkot to agriculture. So, it's pretty clear that Hashem wants us to mark this week in a very special way. 

Also during Sukkot we are commanded to wave the Four Species.  What is that? The Lulav and Etrog. The etrog is a fragrant fruit with a thick, white rind and bright yellow.  Think a large lemon. The Lulav is a palm branch that is starlight and tightly bound. Attached to the Lulav are the Hadas or myrtle and the Arava the willow branch. We bind all the branches together: two willows on the left, one palm branch in the center, and three myrtles on the right. Say the following blessing, then lift them together with the Esrog and shake it in all directions, as a symbol of God's mastery over all Creation.

"Blessed are you Hashem, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us regarding taking the lulav."

The Sukkah

Building the sukkah or "tabernacle" is a great experience for family and friends. You don't have to build walls especially for the Sukkah; you can use the side of a building, or even a hedge of bushes. And if you can find an area that is already enclosed by 2 or 3 walls, then your job will be that much easier!

The roof material (S'chach) must be made from material that grows from the ground, i.e. branches or leaves (but not metal).  Also, the material must be presently detached from the ground. This means that nothing can be overhanging your Sukkah – not a tree, a gutter, air-conditioning unit, etc.

The roof must be sufficiently covered so that it gives more shade than sun during the daytime, yet it should be sufficiently open so that the stars are visible through the roof at night. The roof material can only be added after the requisite number of walls are in place.

Enjoy the holiday!

Break Fast

We had a wonderful and meaningful Yom Kippur and everybody pitched in for our Break Fast. It was a lively group and following Havdalah we ate and visited until late in the evening. Thank you all who came and made this such a wonderful and joyful Yom Kippur.

The Wolf Family

Just ahead of Yom Kippur we were visited by a family with deep roots to Adas Israel in fact it was the Wolf family that is responsible for collecting funds for our first building back in 1910.  Pictured here are Meir Wolf, his son Matthew and his son, Charles. They were on a journey to reconnect with many of the memories attached to Adas Israel and Mason City. It was great to have them with us, even for a short time. A reminder that we are never far from each other.

Shabbat Shalom, Hag Sameach and enjoy.  Thank you for reading. 

 

 

 

High Holydays Schedule 5784

Hello Friends! We're excited that you might be with us for our High Holydays Celebration. This week we'll be reading Gen. 21 in Shul. Rosh Hashanah is also called Yom Teruah, “a day of blowing blasts” (Numbers 29:1). Teruah literally means “shouting,” since the day was probably initially a great popular acclamation of G-d, enhanced and led by trumpet calls. But, because we are meeting on Shabbat we'll not be blowing the shofar. However following the evening service on Shabbat we will.  Because we can!

Services at Adas Israel will start on the Eve of Rosh Hashanah which is September 15.  We'll be meeting at 7:00PM. That service is rather short.  We come back to shul on Shabbat the 16th for morning services starting at 10:00AM. Following services we'll have a light lunch in the Social Hall and a Midrash for those of you who wish to remain with us.  Then we will gather again for our afternoon service starting at 6:00PM and a celebration of the day in the Social Hall. 

Then for Yom Kippur we will begin on Sunday the 24th of September with Kol Nidre starting at 7:00PM. This also is a rather short service. We will gather again on Monday the 25th for services starting at 10AM and our break will come at about 1PM. For those of you interested we will then hold another Midrash in the Social Hall.  We return to the shul for the concluding service at 6PM and Break the Fast at roughly 7:30PM. 

Hope to see you in Shul!

CORRECTED High Holydays Service Schedule

Services at Adas Israel will start on the Eve of Rosh Hashanah which is September 15.  We'll be meeting at 7:00PM. That service is rather short.  We come back to shul on Shabbat the 16th for morning services starting at 10:00AM. Following services we'll have a light lunch in the Social Hall and a Midrash for those of you who wish to remain with us.  Then we will gather again for our afternoon service starting at 6:00PM and a celebration of the day in the Social Hall. Because all of this also happens on Shabbat there is no blowing of the shofar. 

Then for Yom Kippur we will begin on Sunday the 24th of September with Kol Nidre starting at 7:00PM. This also is a rather short service. We will gather again on Monday the 25th for services starting at 10AM and our break will come at about 1PM. For those of you interested we will then hold another Midrash in the Social Hall.  We return to the shul for the concluding service at 6PM and Break the Fast at roughly 7:30PM. 

A HUGH THANK YOU to Dr. Lederman for letting me know I had the wrong month.  Oy!

We look forward to seeing you in Shul.

Torah Thoughts 8 September 2023

Hello friends and welcome back to Torah Thoughts from Adas Israel the Jewish Congregation based in Mason City, Iowa. Today, rather than offer up some thoughts about this week's Torah Portion some thoughts about the High Holy Days coming up very soon. To be honest with you, this week has been full of challenges at my "other jobs". Nothing bad...just very full days writing a magazine, keeping up with the daily show (Insight on Business) and hosting yet another podcast for a client. No excuse but know that I did study a bit as well. This week we studied Deut. 29:9 - 31:30.

In just a few days we'll be gathering for Rosh Hashanah (Hebrew for "Head of the Year") the Jewish News Year. Unlike the secular new year we don't have fireworks, a ball dropping from the sky or singing a song that I'm not sure anybody really understands. Nope, Rosh Hashanah is a day of celebration that marks the start of not only a new year (5784) it is also the beginning of the Ten Days of Repentance which ends at Yom Kippur.

Rosh Hashanah marks the beginning of the civil year, according to the teachings of Judaism, and is the traditional anniversary of the creation of Adam and Eve, the first man and woman according to the Torah, as well as the initiation of humanity's role in G-d's world.

Service Schedule

Services at Adas Israel will start on the Eve of Rosh Hashanah which is October 15.  We'll be meeting at 7:00PM. That service is rather short.  We come back to shul on Shabbat the 16th for morning services starting at 10:00AM. Following services we'll have a light lunch in the Social Hall and a Midrash for those of you who wish to remain with us.  Then we will gather again for our afternoon service starting at 6:00PM and a celebration of the day in the Social Hall. Because all of this also happens on Shabbat there is no blowing of the shofar. 

Then for Yom Kippur we will begin on Sunday the 24th of October with Kol Nidre starting at 7:00PM. This also is a rather short service. We will gather again on Monday the 25th for services starting at 10AM and our break will come at about 1PM. For those of you interested we will then hold another Midrash in the Social Hall.  We return to the shul for the concluding service at 6PM and Break the Fast at roughly 7:30PM. 

We look forward to seeing you in Shul.

Thank you for reading and Shabbat Shalom! 

Torah Thoughts 25 August 2023 - Ki Teitzei

Welcome back to Torah Thoughts from Adas Israel the Jewish Congregation of Northern Iowa and based in Mason City. A reminder that in September we'll be gathering for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.  The Jewish New Year (Rosh Hashanah) services will take place at 7PM on Friday the 15th of September and also at 10AM on Shabbat the 16th of September. Then on Yom Kippur we will gather for Kol Nidre at 7PM on Sunday, September 24 and then again on Monday the 25th at 10AM. A break and then back for concluding services at 6:00PM with Break-Fast at nightfall. Hope to see you in Shul.

Parsha Ki Teitzei (Deut. 21:10 - 25:19)

The words "ki teitzei" is Hebrew for "When you go out".  As we read in Deut. 21:10" "When you go out to war against your enemies, and Hashem, your G-d, will deliver him into your hand..."  One of the interesting facts about this Parsha is it's the home to the most Commandments in the Torah and opens with the law about a captive woman "of beautiful form". 

So here is a quick example of just some of the laws covered in this Parsha:

• to build a guard rail around your roof (to protect against a fatal fall),
• not to plant a mixture of seeds together (hybrids) or to wear a mixture of wool and linen (shatnez),
• to wear tzitzit (fringes) on your garments,
• the penalties for rape and adultery,
• to maintain the cleanliness and holiness of the camp,
• to provide shelter to a slave on the run,
• not to engage in prostitution,
• not to lend with interest to a fellow Jew,
• to be careful about making vows,
• not to kidnap, and
• to pay a worker promptly.

Whew...

The Wayward Son

In this parsha we also read about punishing a "wayward son": "If a man will have a wayward and rebellious son, who does not hearken to the voice of his father and the voice of his mother . . . a glutton and a drunkard.." (Deut. 21 18-20)

The sage, Rabbi Twerski writes:

The Talmud says that the capital punishment of the wayward son was never carried out and is a technical impossibility. Why then does the Torah mention it? So that we will be rewarded for studying it.

Is it logical to have a Jewish law that is a technical impossibility and is there only to be studied in theory? And what is the specific reward for this?

Rabbi Elyah Lopian addresses this issue. He prefaces with a question. The Talmud says that the wayward son is a youth who steals to satisfy his gluttony and his craving for alcohol. The harsh punishment decreed by the Torah is not for the crime of theft, but because his behavior is certain to progress to the point where he will kill to satisfy his cravings.

Rabbi Lopian says that the Torah relates that when G-d provided water for Ishmael to prevent him from dying of thirst in the arid desert, the angels protested, “Why save him? His descendants will kill Jews!” (as we so tragically know). G-d responded, “I do not judge people by what may transpire in the future.”

Why, then, is the wayward son punished for what he will do in the future?

Rabbi Lopian answers that every person has freedom of choice in his moral and ethical behavior. Even a profligate sinner may do teshuvah, repentance. However, a youth who steals for food and drink has lost his freedom of choice. His cravings have overwhelmed his freedom of choice, and he is capable of eliminating anything that stands in the way of his gratifying his desires.

Anyone familiar with addiction recognizes the phenomenon Rabbi Lopian describes. An addict essentially loses his freedom of choice and becomes enslaved by his addiction. How many recovered addicts say, “When I needed drugs, I did things that I never thought myself capable of doing.”

The Lesson

Any addiction can enslave a person, whether it be to alcohol, drugs, cigarettes or food. It is, therefore, extremely important that we take great precaution not to develop habits that can be destructive.

This is especially important for parents to know. It is not uncommon for parents to think that their son's frequent recourse to alcohol is a phase which he will outgrow. It is far more likely that the condition will progress to most serious proportions.

When parents become aware of use of drugs or excessive use of alcohol in a child, it is a mistake to think that asking or ordering him to stop will be effective. He may have lost his freedom of choice. Parents should consult someone with established competence in addiction, and follow the advice they are given.

Understanding the unrelenting course of addiction is a reward we receive from studying this portion of the Torah.

Thank you for reading and Shabbat Shalom!

Torah Thoughts 20 July 2023 - Parsha Devarim

Welcome back to Torah Thoughts from Adas Israel the Jewish Congregation of Northern Iowa, based in Mason City. We're glad you are here A note that our July services will be this week. Erv. Shabbat services will be on Friday the 21st starting at 7:00PM with a kiddish following in the social hall. Then on Shabbat (22 July) we'll hold our Torah Study (Midrash) and be studying this week's portion Devarim or Deut. 1:1 - 3:22.  Hope to see you in shul!

Devarim

This week we begin the final book of the Torah, Devarim ( Hebrew for "words") which we find in the first sentence: "These are the words that Moses spoke to all Israel on the other side of the Jordan...". The entire "book" is about Moses recounting all that the Jews have been through since they left Egypt. You would know this book, perhaps, as Deuteronomy which is Greek (and we don't speak Greek) that some say means the "Second Law" and some say means "repetition". Now you see why we call it Devarim...that simply means "words". This is also the portion that is always read before Tish' a B'Av or the "9th of the Hebrew month of Av". More on that later.

What Words?

Here Moses is in the final days of his life and he recounts for the people what they have been through From the appointment of judges to the story of the spies. Why?  He is getting the people ready to forge a new life in Israel. In a place where the people would no longer see the constant presence of G-d and the daily miracles witnessed as they journeyed through the wilderness.  From here on the people would have to plow and plant and harvest. They would need to enact courts and they would be tempted.

And, Moses also tells them he knows they will falter but says to them that they will learn from their mistakes. 

What profound wisdom. If we make a mistake and we fail to learn and grow from that mistake what a missed opportunity. If you go to hammer a nail and just before you strike you shut your eyes chances are you won't make that mistake again.  So too is it as we attempt to follow the Torah.  We may fail to always do what is right but if we learn from that failure all is not lost. It is a constant effort and it never gets old.

About Tish' a B'Av

This next week Jews all over the world will remember the 9th Day of the Hebrew Month of Av which falls on July 27. This is no picnic.  Over the centuries some very bad things have happened on the 9th day of Av. Consider this list:

• The incident of the spies slandering the land of Israel with the subsequent decree to wander the desert for 40 years.
• The destruction of the first Temple in Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon in 423 BCE.
• The destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem by the Romans in 70 CE.
• The fall of Betar and the end of the Bar Kochba revolt against the Romans 65 years later, 135 CE.
• Pope Urban II declared the First Crusade. Tens of thousands of Jews were killed, and many Jewish communities obliterated.
• The Jews of England were expelled in 1290.
• The Jews of Spain were expelled in 1492.
• World War I broke out on Tisha B'Av in 1914 when Russia declared war on Germany.
• German resentment of the Treaty of Versailles set the stage for World War II and the Holocaust. In fact, many believe it was merely the continuation of World War I. Thus, the Holocaust also has it’s roots in Tisha B’Av.
• On Tisha B'Av, deportation began of Jews from the Warsaw Ghetto.

And there have been others. So, how do we mark this day?  On this day, one is forbidden to eat or drink, bathe, use moisturizing creams or oils, wear leather shoes, or have marital relations. The idea is to minimize pleasure and to let the body feel the distress the soul should feel over these tragedies. Like all fast days, the object is introspection, making a spiritual accounting and correcting our ways – what in Hebrew is called teshuva – returning to the path of good and righteousness, to the ways of the Torah.

Thank  you for reading and may you have a blessed Shabbat and an easy fast next week.  We'll see you this Shabbat!

 

Torah Thoughts 16 June 2023 Parsha Shelach

Welcome to Torah Thoughts our weekly look at the Torah Portion of the week from the Adas Israel the Jewish Congregation of Northern Iowa which is based in Mason City. Today, along with a look a this week's portion a word about the celebration of Juneteenth. Let's get started. And, a word about our June service schedule: We will meet for services on Friday the 23rd at 7:00PM and our Midrash will take place on Shabbat the 24th starting at 10:00AM. Hope to see you in shul!

The Parsha

This week we read from Shelach, Numbers 13:1 - 15:41. Shelach, in Hebrew, means "send" and comes from the first sentence in this reading, "Hashem (The Name) spoke to Moses, saying, 'Send forth men, if you please, and let them spy out the Land of Canaan that I give to the Children of Israel; one man from each of his father's tribe shall you send, every one a leader among them."

Right away we see something very different in what G-d has said.  Notice it is less a commandment and more a "suggestion" as He says, "Send forth men, if you please, and..."

Why?

The people had come to Moses and asked him to send spies to check out the land. Even though G-d had said they would be protected and it was His gift to the Jews the people still...doubted. Sound familiar?  And, so, Moses wishing to placate the people said he would do what was asked of him. In reality, Moses thought that by agreeing to sending spies the people would be satisfied and not wish the action to go forward. Oh, but he was wrong.

The twelve spies went out and when they returned from their 40 days of work. Two, Joshua and Caleb, reported that it was a land of "milk and honey". However, the other ten spies shared frightening stories of what they saw.  The people made the choice, once again, to doubt G-d and they sided with the majority.

The result was a national hysteria. The people were scared and they begged Moses not to enter The Land. The result was that G-d said they would wander in the desert for one year for every day the spies were on their mission. So, for 40 years, until the doubters had died...the Jews wandered.

There is so much to unpack here: That the people doubted is nothing new. Their lack of faith even in the sight of great miracles is astounding but easy to understand. How many of us doubt? It is going on in our nation today. Conspiracy theories, just like those that came back with the ten spies, invade our lives...and we doubt reality. Why? Mostly, like our ancestors, we are afraid and fear makes way for doubt.

The Connection to a National Day of Mourning 

All of this took place on the 9th day of the Hebrew month of Av and according to tradition G-d declared, “You cried on this night for no reason. I will give you a reason to cry forevermore on this day.”  And so it has been. From the expulsion of the Jews from Spain on the 9th of Av in 1492 as well as the expulsion from England. It was on the 9th of Av that both Temples were destroyed. It was on the 9th of Av that World War I started as Germany declared war on Russia.  It was on the 9th of Av that the Warsaw Ghetto was obliterated. If you want more examples here is a link.  Coincidence?  Hardly.

But, There is More!

Here, also, is an interesting fact that links to this story. This is the basis of the Minyan. While one may pray at any time and by ourselves there are specific prayers that should not be uttered unless there are ten Jews present. In the Orthodox world it is ten men in our other denominations the Minyan may be mixed...men and women. How is that linked to the Spies? 

We find in Leviticus, “And I shall be sanctified in the midst of the children of Israel” (22:32). The same word also appears in the verse: “Separate yourselves from the midst of the congregation” (Numbers 16:21).

This word, “eidah – congregation” is found as the description of the group of ten spies who rendered a negative report on the land of Israel: “How long shall I bear with this evil congregation which murmur against me?” (Numbers 14:27). Hence, the Talmud derives from here that to sanctify G-d in a congregation – the congregation must consist of at least 10.

See what you learn here...

Finally, there is this major link to the story:

United we Stand; Divided we Fall

Think of this for a moment as we witness the tearing apart of our society. We are divided on politics; Fact or Fiction. We are divided on the world stage; Friends or Enemies. We are divided along economic lines; Rich or Poor. We are divided along racial lines; Caucasian, Black. Asian, Latino. We are divided on law and order; Law Enforcement or Public Safety. We are divided on issues of orientation; Gay or Straight.  We are divided on religious lines and the list goes on and on.

Where is the unity?  Are we repeating history as we doubt the greatness of our people?

This Monday is Juneteenth a day that marks the freedom from slavery in our nation. While the Emancipation Proclamation was handed down years earlier it was not until June 19, 1865 that slaves in Texas were notified they were...free. That event has been largely scrubbed from our history books and so today many people have no clue as to what Juneteenth means nor do they know of the Tulsa Massacre or the Red Summer, the bombing in May of 1985 as police dropped a bomb onto the compound of MOVE, a black liberation group.

And so we doubt that there is any need for racial, economic and social justice...even when it is right in front of us.

Unity is not a bad word and while we may never be totally unified it is up to us to find common ground and then go about the business of fixing what is broken. It is not easy work but, if we pay attention, we know the danger that exists if we fail.

Thank you for reading and Shabbat Shalom!

Torah Thoughts and Shavout 25 May 2023

Hello Friends and welcome to Torah Thoughts from Adas Israel the Jewish Congregation of Northern Iowa, based in Mason City. A reminder
that services and our Midrash for June will take place on the 23rd and 24th. Services will be Friday evening at 7:00PM and our Midrash (Study Session) will take place on Shabbat the 24th at 10:00AM both at the shul.  Hope to see you.

This week, the 25th and 26th, we'll be observing Shavout which means "weeks". This holiday commemorates Israel's receiving of the Torah. It's been a 49 day "countdown"  or seven weeks since Passover.  We now reach Shavout on the 50th day. In the shul we read the story of the revelation at Sinai where G-d came down from the mountain and communicated directly with Israel, giving the Ten Commandments and our unique mission to G-d and to all humanity. We also read the Book of Ruth which tells the story of one of Israel's first converts.

While there are no specific mitzvot (commandments) to fulfill on Shavout, people will stay up all night studying Torah and eating dairy foods. Do we get a YES for...Cheesecake?  Have a meaningful holiday.

Torah Portion

This week we read Exodus 19:1 - 20:23. It is the portion of the Torah that answers the question, "Did G-d 
really speak to the entire nation of Israel at Sinai?"  The clear answer is a resounding "Yes!" and it has been our answer for 3,000 years.

However most people believe that G-d gave the Torah only to Moses and then Moses shared it with the people. No doubt that idea comes from the famous movie "The Ten Commandments". However it's clear that Cecil B. DeMille didn't read the original account.

The version found in the Torah is quite different. The Torah's claim is that the entire people heard G-d speak at Mount Sinai, experiencing national revelation. G-d did not just appear to Moses in a private rendezvous; He appeared to everyone, some 3 million people. This claim is mentioned many times in the Torah.

Oh Yeah...Where?

Here are three examples for you:

"G-d spoke to you from the midst of the fire, you were hearing the sound of words, but you were not seeing a form, only a sound. He told you of His covenant, instructing you to keep the Ten Commandments, and He inscribed them on two stone tablets." Deut. 4:9 - 13)

"You have been shown in order to know that G-d, He is the Supreme Being. There is none besides Him. From heaven he let you hear His voice in order to teach you, and on earth He showed you His great fire, and you heard His words amid the fire." Deut. 4:32 - 36)

"Moses called all of Israel and said to them: 'Hear, O Israel, the decrees and the ordinances that I speak in your ears today – learn them, and be careful to perform them. The Lord your G-d sealed a covenant with us at Horev [Mount Sinai]. Not with our forefathers did G-d seal this covenant, but with us – we who are here, all of us alive today. Face to face did G-d speak with you on the mountain from amid the fire."  Deut. 5: 1-4) 

Happy Shavout and Shabbat Shalom!

Finally, may you have a safe and meaningful Memorial Day Weekend. Please remember this isn't all about mattress sales.  It is a day to remember and be grateful to those who gave their lives that we might live our lives in this nation.  

Torah Thoughts 5 May 2023

Hello Friends and welcome back to Torah Thoughts from Adas Israel the Jewish Congregation of Northern Iowa, based in Mason City. Following a two week vacation it's great to be back with you.  Like Shabbat a vacation is designed to recharge and relax and we did both.  I'm writing this as the United States, this past week, celebrated the National Day of Prayer which followed a congressional action back in 1952.  What struck me about this event is that, for a Jew, it seems odd that we would dedicate one day a year for...prayer. Not that I'm against it but as a Jew who prays multiple times each day it strikes me as, well...different.  As you know Jews offer a prayer when we see lightening, when we eat or drink anything, when we experience something new and even when we exit the restroom. Three times each day, we get to pray with an organized minyan...and even without a minyan...nothing stands in our way of formal prayer. Anyway, just a random thought to kick this edition off.

Parsha Emor

This week we read Emor (Lev. 21 - 24) which is Hebrew for "Speak" as in the first line: "Hashem said to Moses; Speak to the Kohanim, the sons of Aaron..." In the previous Sidrah we learned about the commandments the entire House of Israel needed to do in order to become a "holy people". Now we turn our attention to the laws of the Kohanim, the priestly class. and there are plenty. Each is directed to how the priests must have an even higher sense of standards.

The Holidays

Beginning with Chapter 23 we read about the Jewish Holidays. Starting with Passover (Pesach) we are told exactly when to celebrate the holiday: "In the first month...and on the fifteenth day is the Festival of Matzos..."  Then we read about the Counting of the Omer or the seven weeks between the end  of Passover until Shavous. And then Hashem tells us about charity: "When you reap the harvest of your land you shall not remove completely the corners of your field as you reap and you shall not gather the gleanings of your harvest; for the poor and the proselyte shall you leave them; I am Hashem, your G-d."  In other words caring for others is a duty and an obligation.

Then we learn about Rosh Hashanah, Succos, Shemini Atzeres and reminded these are "eternal decrees"...like...forever.

The Lesson

Here we learn a valuable lesson. No matter how far one may stray from our Jewish roots...it is Shabbat and the Festivals that call us back. While some may miss services, or fail to come to the Midrash or shy away from dietary laws it is the Biblical Holidays that call to us to remember who we are and what we are called to do. And, in the end, it is our eternal hope that Shabbat and some holiday will stir a yearning to learn more and honor our family members who came to this nation. You see, they came here with the knowledge of our faith, we would do well to also remember.

Shabbat & Midrash

A reminder that we'll hold services at the shul on Friday the 19th of May at 7:00PM and then hold our Midrash (Study Session) on Shabbat the 20th starting at 10:00AM.

Thank you for reading and Shabbat Shalom!