August 8, 2024 | 4 Av 5784
Parashat Devarim "Deuteronomy"
Title: Moshe's Example, and Admonition
By Kevin Ary Levin, Latin America Jewish Educator
Parashat Devarim starts the last of the five books of the Torah and introduces us to a narrative shift: most of the book is written in the first person, as Moshe's farewell speech to his people before they enter the Land of Israel. It starts with this verse: "These are the words that Moshe addressed to all Israel on the other side of the Jordan, through the wilderness, in the Arabah near Suph, between Paran and Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth, and Di-zahab".
Our Sages taught us that the presence of the word devarim (words) always means that we are about to read an admonition. And indeed, Moshe recounts a few instances where the people rebelled or distrusted his words, leading to the condemnation of the entire generation that left Egypt not to enter the Land except for two people. As Rashi points out, even the specific mention of these locations in the beginning is a reference to spots where the people rose up or behaved poorly, such as when they wanted to return to Egypt when the spies sent by Moshe lied, Korach's rebellion and the sin of the golden calf.
"Admonish your neighbor" says Sefer Vayikra (Book of Leviticus) in chapter 19. What is the benefit of reprimanding someone? This admonition has been contrasted positively to Bilaam's praise of the people of Israel. Yet we cherish the legacy of the admonisher, not of the praiser. In fact, we can learn quite a few things about taking and accepting criticism from this parashah. Firstly, the admonition starts as something veiled and grows subtly, shrouded among happier moments where the people and their leader lived up to the expectations. Secondly, the Midrash says that Moshe did not rebuke anyone until that point, when he was close to this death. By paying close attention to the timing, he did not want the people to have a negative reaction or to fight each other over who was to blame, and he made sure that the people respected and loved him enough to understand his words and intentions the way they were supposed to be understood: as tools for growth.
The Alshich (16th century, Tzfat) points out that we admonish our neighbor not based on what they did wrong, but based on all the good that they can be, according to their potential. From this parashah and the teachings of our Sages, we can learn that a true leader, friend, partner, or neighbor is not someone who avoids expressing criticism when needed. Instead, their criticism comes from a place of responsibility, belonging, and love.
August 15, 2024 | 11 Av 5784
Parashat Va’etchanan “And I Pleaded”
Title: A Theory for Lost Faith
By Adira Rosen, Jewish Life Specialist
Deuteronomy is often seen as the recap episode of the Torah, and this parashah is no exception. In Parashat Va’etchanan we once again read the Ten Commandments as a reminder of the expectations for entering the Promised Land. But why do they need a reminder?
Recently, a friend of mine offered me a theory: If faith is lost, one should pray. But aren’t prayer and faith interconnected? Isn’t praying what you do when you have faith?
According to this theory, prayer is one of the ways to regain your faith, and in Va’etchanan we are introduced to the central Jewish anchor point: the Shema. The Shema is often labeled as a declaration of faith, and in this twice-daily declaration, there lies the acknowledgment that a little bit of faith has been lost. Human beings are constantly getting lost and needing to find themselves again. We declare the Shema to be reminded of our faith. We pray those words to find our faith again and again.
In this moment are you feeling lost or found?
What words do you need to hear right now to renew your faith?
What is your experience of saying the Shema?
August 22, 2024 | 18 Av 5784
Parashat Eikev "Consequently"
Title: The Seven Species of Our Character
By Rabbi Dimitry Ekshtut, Based in Harlem
We are introduced in Parashat Eikev to the seven species of grains and fruit for which the Land of Israel is praised - "a Land of wheat, barley, grape, fig, and pomegranate; a Land of oil-olives and date-honey..." (Devarim 8:8). The Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, taught that these seven species symbolize seven essential human attributes.
Wheat, being the ancient staple of the human diet, represents our essential and distinct humanity. Barley, more typically associated with animal feed, represents the nourishment and harnessing of our animal souls and driving passions. The grape, an intoxicant, represents joy and excitement - a heightened, more ecstatic state of being. The fig, exemplified by Adam and Eve eating of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil (here interpreted to be a fig tree), connotes the desire for depth, intimacy, involvement, and knowledge. The pomegranate, with its many compartments, represents our capacity for action, to reach beyond our perceived limits or current capacities. The olive, which requires being pressed to yield its oil, reminds us that not only is struggle an unavoidable part of life, but that we often perform best only when pushed to our limits. Finally, the date represents tranquility, calm, and perfection - as we sing in Tehillim (Psalms) 92: "Tzadik k'tamar yifrach" - "the tzadik (a completely righteous person) will flourish like a date palm." All seven of these attributes can be found in every person, and all are necessary to nourish for their proverbial fruits to blossom.
Perhaps if we recall these middot (attributes) when we praise the Land for its produce, we can strengthen our resolve to cultivate our own internal gardens.
Which of these seven species do you most resonate with?
Which attributes come most naturally to you, and which are you still working to develop?
What models for excellence in any of these attributes might you have access to, and how might you in turn serve as a model of these attributes to others?
August 29, 2024 | 25 Av 5784
Parashat Re'eh "See"
Title: Seeing the Good
By Rabbi Danny Stein, Base UWS
רְאֵה אָנֹכִי נֹתֵן לִפְנֵיכֶם הַיּוֹם בְּרָכָה וּקְלָלָה
See, this day I set before you blessing and curse:
Blessing, if you obey the commandments of HaShem your God that I enjoin upon you this day.
And curse, if you do not obey the commandments of HaShem your God, but turn away from the path that I enjoin upon you this day and follow other gods, whom you have not experienced.
Deuteronomy 11:26-28
Parashat Re’eh, details a “pediatric theology:” if we follow God’s ways, good things will happen. If we rebel, bad things will happen. This is the kind of thinking that many of us may have been taught as children, but we quickly begin to doubt its accuracy as we grow up and learn about the very real pains that fill our world.
So, if we do not take these words literally, how can we understand them?
The Me’or Einayim, writing in 18th century Chernobyl, urges us to think of these “blessings” and “curses” as opportunities to choose the goodness around us amidst the bad. He writes, “Everything and every person you see is mixed with good and evil... You should choose to highlight the force of life and goodness that is in everything and everyone, not the evil, because that bit of goodness is a piece of the Divine.” In this incredibly hostile time with so much darkness on social media, in our news, and our world, we have an opportunity to highlight the blessings in our lives. Of course, it does not mean ignoring the very real pains within and around us. At the same time, we have an opportunity to see the goodness within that person with whom we disagree or to search for the good points in our stressful days. This is not an easy task, but one that I hope will help fill us with deep meaning and wholeness. I invite you to take a moment and reflect:
Think of a recent negative experience: what goodness can you draw out from that moment?
Think of a person with whom you have conflict: what goodness lies within them?
September 5, 2024 | 2 Elul 5784
Parashat Shoftim "Judges"
Title: Freeing Ourselves of Judgement
By Alyssa Gorenberg, Director, North American House & Pod Programs
I have found myself increasingly on edge about what others think of me over the last few years. Every ounce of myself that I put into the universe feels ripe for judgement. I am not innocent either, it's not long before I find myself four years back on a celebrity’s Instagram feed hoping I can find proof they align with my values. Or maybe they posted something so egregious I should feel ashamed of my fandom. But what gives me the right? Especially when I fear judgement so much...why waste my energy judging others? Does my judgement even matter?
As we close out this Jewish calendar year that has been fraught with sadness and sorrow, division and destruction, I challenge you to think about what it would be like to free yourself of judgement.
Can you distance yourself from what others think of you?
Can you release them all of your narrow expectations?
Can we all accept that we come to every moment with a unique set of life experiences that shape us into who we are and accept that we are all doing the best that we can?
September 12, 2024 | 9 Elul 5784
Parashat Ki Teitzei “When You Go Out”
Title: What if we disagree?
By Ali Gugerty, Director, Immersive Experiences
What if we disagree with what the Torah says? Parashat Ki Teitzei is heavy and awful. Moses delivers specific rules about family relationships, daily living, justice, sexuality, and more. I’m just throwing this out there: nothing good is coming from these 72 laws in this day and age. It says women can’t wear pants, women can’t dress like men, and men can’t dress like women.
After reading this text over and over, it's clear that many of us are building a new future while remembering the past, and throwing out these laws that Moses created. Reading this text has reminded me that it is okay to disagree with these laws and not follow them. With the fall and chaggim (High Holy Days) upon us, we remember that we atone for our sins and can return to these as teshuvah, and move forward to a better future.
September 19, 2024 | 16 Elul 5784
Parashat Ki Tavo "When You Arrive"
Title: The Value of Giving
By Rabbi Shari Shamah, Jewish Life Specialist
What does it mean to give? This week’s Torah portion, Ki Tavo contains two references to the previously introduced ideas of giving: not just of ourselves, but of tangible items. The first underscores the idea of giving first fruits of the soil when the Israelites settle in the Promised land (Deut 26:1). The second demonstrates the idea of tithing, and setting aside the tenth part of what you grow in the third year – the year of the tithe. In both cases, what we are asked to contribute isn’t something trivial. Imagine that you have a garden that you’ve been tending to all summer. You planted, weeded, watered, and waited. Finally, with eager anticipation you watch the first lovely cherry tomatoes and zucchinis started to emerge. Our first inclination is to dig in and eat, right? Not in the case of first fruits. You take the ones that mean the most, the first ones that signify that your hard work has yielded success and offer them to God. Same with the idea of tithing and setting aside a tenth of your crops. Ten percent is a decent portion of something. It’s not rounding up a couple of cents at the grocery store, or the 3% surcharge that we frequently overlook for the convenience of using a credit card. Ten Percent is real money.
And that is the point of this Torah portion and the value of giving. True giving should require some effort on our part. The Etz Chaim Torah commentary teaches: “Gratitude and generosity do not seem to come naturally to most people. Most of us must be taught to remember to thank God for our food fortune and must learn through experience the satisfaction of sharing our bounty with others.” (Etz Chaim: Torah and Commentary, p. 1142)
September is a giving month for Moishe House. It’s the month where we ask one another to give back to Moishe House, and to find creative ways to inspire our communities to support this incredible organization through the WE ARE campaign. It’s the month where we use the values spelled out in this week’s Torah portion to put forth the effort, and to teach and inspire others to give as well.
What does giving mean to you?
How are you teaching and inspiring others to give?
What will you do this week for the WE ARE campaign?
September 26, 2024 | 23 Elul 5784
Parashat Nitzavim-VaYeilech “[You All] Stand Upright-Then [Moshe] Walked”
Title: Moses’ 11 O’Clock Number
By Adira Rosen, Jewish Life Specialist
This week we get the gift of a double parashah! We find ourselves at the end of Moses’s life. He emphasizes the covenant between Hashem and the Israelite people and he blesses Joshua as their new leader. In Parashat Vayeilech, as Moses is passing on his wisdom to the Children of Israel, he says:
וְעַתָּה כִּתְבוּ לָכֶם אֶת־הַשִּׁירָה הַזֹּאת וְלַמְּדָהּ אֶת־בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל
שִׂימָהּ בְּפִיהֶם לְמַעַן תִּהְיֶה־לִּי הַשִּׁירָה הַזֹּאת לְעֵד בִּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל׃
Now, write for yourselves this song and teach it to the Children of Israel.
Put it in their mouths so that this song may become my testimony in the Children of Israel.
What a beautiful thing that Moses leaves us with a song. It amuses me to think that perhaps this is the 11 o’clock number of the Torah. But in all seriousness, Maimonides in the Mishneh Torah (Positive Mitzvot 17) interprets this pasuk (verse) to mean that “every person should write a Torah scroll for themselves.” What a lofty (and expensive) task!! But what if we expand “Torah” to include all teachings that extend from our lives as Jews? With that in mind perhaps Maimonides and Moses are just asking us to document what we learn—our teachings, our wisdom, our music. Perhaps even a Spotify playlist could fulfill the mitzvah of “scroll”(ing).
There’s something special about Torah in the form of a song, it can so easily get stuck in your head and travel with you from moment to moment. With this teaching in mind, I am thinking about a piece of Torah that takes the form of a song taught to me by my father. “May God bless and keep you always, may your wishes all come true. May you always do for others and let others do for you…” These words by Rav/Chazan Bob Dylan are the perfect example of musical Torah that spans generations.
What song feels like Torah to you?
What form will your personal Torah scroll take?
How do you want to document your teachings?
October 2, 2024 | 29 Elul 5784
Parashat Ha'Azinu “Give Ear”
Title: Water we doing this year?
By Aiden Pink, Jewish Life Specialist
Ha’Azinu is the second-to-last Torah portion, at the tail end of Moses's weeks-long monologue, and you get the sense reading it that Moses is trying with all his might to impart every last bit of advice and wisdom he can before he is fated to die and the Israelites go ahead to the Holy Land without him. It seems to me from the parashah’s first two verses (Deuteronomy 32:1-2) that he is incredibly anxious that his message is heeded: “Give ear, O heavens, let me speak; Let the earth hear the words I utter! May my teaching come down as the rain, my speech distill as the dew, like showers on young growth, like droplets on the grass.”
This is not the only time that Moses’s teaching - the Torah – is compared to water, which, after all, is necessary for sustaining life. But it’s noteworthy that he compares it to rain, rather than, say, a mighty river or the endless ocean. In the midrash collection Sifrei, Rabbi Yehuda compares collecting the raindrops of Torah that Moses mentions to carrying money. If (to translate to modern currency) you want to have $100 in your wallet, it’s better to have five $20 bills than 10,000 pennies, which will only wear you down. So too with Torah: You’ll quench your thirst more easily if you gather buckets of rainfall rather than trying to catch thousands of little raindrops; therefore, it’s better to first gather the principles of Torah and understand them, because focusing on understanding thousands upon thousands of details will wear you down.
That’s not to say the details don’t matter. But it’s noteworthy that this Torah portion always falls between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, when we are focusing on teshuvah (repentance) and the ways in which we want to do better in the upcoming year. Moses’ lesson, as explained by Rabbi Yehuda, is that before we obsess over each and every tiny mistake we made over the last year, we should first think about the major themes of our lives: both the themes of where we could have done better, and the themes of what we want our upcoming year to look like. Only if we can collect the waters of Torah and teshuva will we be able, to borrow a phrase from elsewhere in the Bible (Amos 5:24), to let justice thunder down like a waterfall, and let righteousness flow like a mighty stream.
What are your themes of the past year, for good and for bad?
Is it better to focus on the details or the big picture?
Besides the Torah, what other lessons in your life have come down on you like the rain?