tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48917235852659255772024-03-13T00:59:23.539-07:00RabbiYoshSermons and Musings of Rabbi Josh LeightonRabbiYoshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09706455106638086935noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4891723585265925577.post-31386592134508980772020-11-08T11:25:00.000-08:002020-11-08T11:25:06.696-08:00From King Saul to King David: Uniting a Divided Nation<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;">For the past few weeks I have been teaching my 5th grade Religious School class about the ancient Israelites asking the prophet Samuel for a king, and the subsequent stories of King Saul and King David. </span></span></p>
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<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;">In the midst of Saul’s kingship, he disappointed God. Saul was selfish, taking from an enemy what was of value to him and destroying the rest. Even the promise of sacrificing some of the spoils in service of God wasn’t enough to appease God. God wanted a king over Israel who would follow God’s laws, for the benefit of the people. God, through Samuel, decreed that Saul would be replaced as king. And so Samuel was sent to find Saul’s replacement.</span></span></p>
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<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Samuel came to the house of Jesse and chose from among Jesse’s sons David, the youngest, and kindest. Unlike his warrior brothers, David was a shepherd whose purpose in life was to take care of those in his charge, above all else. David soon became known to Saul and to all of Israel as he, using his brains, calm and wit, not his power, anger, or hatred, managed to defeat the Philistines and their champion, Goliath. David became a national hero with the Israelites proclaiming that while Saul defeated thousands, David defeated tens of thousands.</span></span></p>
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<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Saul, naturally, became angry and jealous at David’s success. Knowing that he was to be replaced, Saul began to use every dirty trick in his playbook to get rid of David; to kill him. But that did not work. David fled, hid, and still continued to fight the Philistines for the benefit of Israel.</span></span></p>
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<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;">As this rivalry grew, Israel grew divided as well. The tribe of Judah, the largest in population and physical size, was loyal to David as the new king, but the northern, smaller tribes, remained loyal to Saul. For the last seven years of his life, Saul ruled only over the northern tribes.</span></span></p>
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<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This morning we learned about the death of King Saul and David’s rise to the kingship. </span></span></p>
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<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;">In a battle with the Philistines, instead of accepting certain defeat, Saul fell on his own sword. After the death of Saul, David emerged to claim the kingship and lead Israel. </span></span></p>
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<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;">But David faced a very divided Israel. Judah immediately accepted David and anointed him king. Winning over the northern tribes wasn’t as easy. Their loyalty to the House of Saul was strong. Eventually, the northern tribes came to accept David as king over all Israel, but were still weary over the larger territory seemingly ruling over them. In order to gain their acceptance and trust, David made compromises along the way. Part of those compromises included the moving of the capital of Israel to a new, neutral city: Jerusalem. </span></span></p>
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<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Even with the history of animosity and rivalry, and the trials and tribulations that come along with that, Israel was able to come together and achieve greater prosperity than it ever had before. </span></span></p>
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<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Saul and David were both chosen as king for important, valid reasons. They were both legitimately chosen. But both of them were only human. Neither was the perfect person. Neither was the perfect leader. Saul certainly had some narcissistic tendencies and David certainly had his issues with being a bit too touchy feely around women. They both had loyal followers who all strove for the same goal: the safety and prosperity of Israel and its people. </span></span></p>
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<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;">They just had different views on who was meant to achieve it. Ultimately, Saul fell out of favor and was replaced. Instead of going peacefully, he allowed his jealousy to take over, harming the soul of Israel and hindering its progress for years. </span></span></p>
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<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;">David put in the work and brought Israel together, acknowledging that just because they were opponents, didn’t mean that they were enemies.</span></span></p>
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<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The timing of the lesson for this week is a coincidence. The parallels to the moment of history in which we are living are uncanny. </span></span></p>
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<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Today I pray:</span></span></p>
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<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;">As we face a transition of power in a similarly divided America, I pray that our departing and incoming leaders can learn from the biblical history that they claim to share. </span></span></p>
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<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;">May one accept his defeat gracefully. Instead of fighting to the bitter end and falling on his sword, may he instead aid in a peaceful transition of power; helping to achieve the “greatness" he claimed to be seeking and furthering the cause of healing the nation he served.</span></span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;">May the other continue to work tirelessly to bring calm, healing, and prosperity to our nation by acknowledging what divides us, embracing what unites us, and making the appropriate compromises to ensure that everyone - regardless of their race, ethnicity, sexuality, religion, sex, or gender - feels as though their voices are being heard and that their health, their safety, their prosperity, their rights, and their lives matter equally.</span></span></p>
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<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;">And may we all work, together, towards becoming a greater, better, kinder nation, filled with possibilities for all.</span></span></p>
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<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Because:</span></span></p>
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<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;">"We the people have the power to build a better future.”</span></span></p>RabbiYoshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09706455106638086935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4891723585265925577.post-91714320763911357562017-06-30T13:10:00.000-07:002017-06-30T13:10:08.324-07:00CHANGE: Parashat Chukat— June 30th, 2017<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I, as I am sure many of you, am not always good at dealing with change. While we know that often change leads to growth and improvement, it is often easier to want things to stay the same. When things stay the same we can enjoy the comfort of our daily routines, we can let our long-held assumptions guide us, and we do not need to worry about challenges to what we perceive as “right.” Yet we know that, indeed, all things must change, and the more we are resistant to change, the more we run the risk of sabotaging our future.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>We are, in fact, warned about the dangers of resting on our laurels in this week's Torah portion, Chukat. After the death of Miriam, the Israelites in the wilderness find themselves without water to drink. They complained to Moses who, in turn, asked for God’s assistance. Much like a similar episode from the book of Exodus earlier in the Torah, God tells Moses that water will flow forth from a rock. In that first occasion God told Moses that he had to strike the rock in order to draw water forth from the rock. On this occasion, however, God instructs to Moses to speak to the rock in order to get the water flowing. Yet, despite this change in instruction, Moses defaults to what he knew from the previous episode; he again strikes the rock and the water flows. While we might assume since the water still flowed that all is well and good, God takes particular exception to Moses’ (and Aaron’s) stubbornness. The inclination to do things the way they had been done, while yielding the same grand result, also led to a life-altering punishment for both Moses and his brother Aaron. Aaron died as a result of this occasion of striking the rock. Moses—the greatest leader of the Jewish people, the one who led them out from Egypt and was meant to lead them into the Promised Land—was punished by being forbidden to enter the Land of Israel; he could only look upon the land from afar. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Learning from Moses’ mistake, we must always be open to change and cognizant of the short-term and long-term effects our willingness to changes can have. While resistance to progress can often yield a small victory in the short-term, the winds of change are always blowing and those who strive to conserve a particular orthodoxy will face the ramifications of their stubbornness later on. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>This week we have seen disappointing news come out of Israel as we learned both that Prime Minister Netanyahu and his government would be walking away from the compromise about creating a pluralistic prayer space at the Western Wall and that the government was considering a bill that would reject all non-Orthodox conversions. Jewish Religious life is changing in Israel and progressive expressions of Judaism are growing ever more popular. Israel’s future is indeed one of Jewish Pluralism, with all streams having an equal voice and legal authenticity. Leaders who try to appease those who strive for the status quo should be weary about losing out in the long-term.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>May we take time this Shabbat to allow ourselves to be open to change. May we learn to embrace the joys and possibilities that come with progress. And may we help to foster this sense of growth in our communities and families.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Shabbat Shalom,</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Rabbi Josh</span></div>
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RabbiYoshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09706455106638086935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4891723585265925577.post-7473085910262118532017-01-22T17:33:00.000-08:002017-01-22T17:33:35.737-08:00Honesty vs. Lying: Rosh Hashanah Morning 5777<div style="text-align: center;">
This sermon was delivered on October 3rd, 2016 during the Jewish Congregation of Kinnelon's Rosh Hashanah Morning Service, ahead of the election of the 45th president of the United States on November 8th. After the January 21st White House press briefing and the January 22nd <u>Meet The Press</u> interview claiming "Alternative Facts," the distinctions between Truth and Fact and Honesty and Lying are again/still being blurred. </div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">A great sage once taught: “Fear is the path to the dark side…fear leads to anger…anger leads to hate…hate leads to suffering.” (Yoda, </span><span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;">Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace</span><span style="font-kerning: none;">) This sage, of course, was none other than Yoda, the lovable and wise Jedi master from the Star Wars movies. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Yoda shares this timeless teaching with a young Anakin Skywalker in the midst of </span><span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;">Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace</span><span style="font-kerning: none;">, as the Jedi council determines if Anakin is worthy of being trained as a Jedi. Yoda and the other Jedi sense fear in Anakin’s heart, fear of losing his mother and fear of losing those he cares about. They worry that this fear may cause trouble in the future, foreshadowing Anakin’s eventual turn to the dark side as {spoiler alert} Darth Vader. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Fear, anger, hate, and suffering are all feelings that could lead each of us towards darkness. How ironic, then, that Jewish tradition has noted these as true concerns regarding human nature, describing it as the eternal tension between the <i>yetzer ha-ra</i>, the “evil inclination,” and the <i>yetzer ha-tov</i>, the “inclination towards goodness.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Further, the Jewish Mystical tradition of Lurianic Kabbalah, teaches that evil is able to exist in our world due to a shattering that occurred at the time of creation; the fractures of which remain open, due to, among other things, these elements of fear, anger, hatred and suffering. The Kabbalists assert that these elements of evil emanated from one side of God’s powers of judgement. It is, then, our duty as Jews, and as human beings, to use our powers of judgment in order to complete the process of <i>tikkun;</i> of healing and repair, in order to keep the dark side of judgment in check and, if we’re strong enough, to eliminate it completely.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">But as is the human condition, our own personal judgment, and our sense of right and wrong is, in many ways, shaped by the society that we live in, the philosophies and ideologies we subscribe to, and the people we choose to hold close as role models.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Throughout the Star Wars prequels, we see this tension of the <i>yetzer ha-ra</i> and <i>yetzer ha-tov</i> and the struggle to trust one’s own judgment in the character of Anakin Skywalker. The fear, the concern, the suffering, and the hatred are all present. Yet even with all of these feelings, Anakin was able, for a time, to keep the dark side at bay.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Anakin finally succumbed to the dark side because of the evil Emperor, who, from the time Anakin was young, was among his mentors and friends. The Emperor capitalized on Anakin’s feelings and manipulated him through misleading information and false promises. Through this process, Anakin was made to mistrust the governing body of the republic and the Jedi council. In short, Anakin Skywalker became Darth Vader because he was repeatedly lied to by a powerful figure that he trusted and that he looked to for advice and leadership. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Unfortunately, much of that same dynamic appears to be playing itself out in our society on a daily basis; a matter that is most prominently highlighted by the current political campaigning as we approach November.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">In 2012, as the Presidential campaign that pitted President Barack Obama against former Governor Mitt Romney was building steam, the phenomenon of fact-checking seemingly took center stage. In my sermon during the Kol Nidre evening service on Yom Kippur of that same year, I shared with you my concerns over the need for fact-checkers, and my hope that our society could be one based in reality. In that sermon I re-introduced us to the word “truthiness,” created and popularized by Stephen Colbert, and taking on an actual dictionary definition as: “the quality of preferring concepts or facts one wishes to be true, rather than concepts or facts known to be true.” I went on to explain the difference, as I saw it, between the words truth and fact. Truth can either “come from a reality of fact, or an idealism of story or faith,” whereas fact “has only one definition: a thing that is indisputably the case.” I also asserted my observation that truth, in 2012’s “overwhelming notion of it, [was] derived from ideologies or philosophies.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">One passage from that sermon continues to stand out as a cautionary note:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Eric W. Dolan, a writer for “The Raw Story,” an online news outlet, wrote…in August [of 2012] that scientists have discovered that Colbert’s idea of “truthiness” is not just a joke. The idea that one can present a story devoid of real supporting evidence, and convince people to actually believe that claim, is very apparent with regards to the human psyche. In multiple studies, researchers have discovered that more and more people will ignore facts in favor of convincing stories with dubious support.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">This natural human inclination towards believing something in their gut, rather than with tangible proof, represents a danger to diversified societies.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Now, four years later, I am disheartened that my concerns were not only warranted, but also that this phenomenon has become even more dangerous for our country. In 2012 I was concerned about the ways that the candidates seemed to play fast and loose with facts, either using the same facts to present differing truths, or ignoring facts completely in favor of truths found in their personal or religious ideologies. Even the process of spinning can, in part, be explained as a vehicle of truth, explaining how facts or recent events fit into a narrative that one believes to be true. Today, however, the campaign has gone beyond the mere distinction between truths and facts and the process of spinning. Instead it has brought to the forefront a conflict that for most of us, I am sure, was not really in doubt: the conflict between honesty and lying. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I define honesty as speaking the truth; either a truth rooted in facts, religious or philosophical narratives, or some combination of the two. When people are honest they are speaking out of a sense of concern and a sincere effort to make a positive impact on the world. In this same sense, Jewish tradition also looks favorably upon “white lies” for they are also told “<i>l’shem shamayim</i>” for the sake of heaven so that words and actions may either spare another from getting hurt or, in extreme cases, protect lives.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I define lying, however, as deliberately speaking untruths, rooted in fantasy or, perhaps, even anger or dissatisfaction to either cause harm to others or work to further selfish needs; or, in some cases, both.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">We have seen the problems, the violence, and the further worldly fractures that have been caused by outright lies in this campaign.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">When a candidate’s rhetoric deepens the divide between Americans; when a candidate’s mis-leading, and often false accusations fuels the hatred that is already present and leads to violence; when the only truths that a candidate offers are based on a self-created, self-serving, narcissistic narrative; when a candidate can openly deny saying or doing something when video recordings, screen shots, and even hard copy media provide facts to the contrary; and when the media will acknowledge all of this, yet <i>still</i> cover the hatred, the violence, and the un-truths, thereby implicitly encouraging more lies; when all of this has become the status quo, we as a country have two options: We can fear for our future, be angry, and develop a hatred for what is going on - a response that will most surely hasten our country’s turn to the dark side. OR, we can work to change the status quo, to restore hope, understanding, civility, and, God willing, love; leading our country to the light.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">The prophets have taught us to be that light to the nations, so that our truth, our Torah, our teachings may permeate the world and begin to heal those fractures, shrinking those voids where evil has room to dwell.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">The key to fulfilling this process of <i>tikkun</i>, of repairing our fractured world, goes back to the natural human tendency that we learned from Star Wars, that ultimately mis-direction, false promises, and outright lies are what tend to push us over the edge into darkness, causing us to create new fractures in the world. As such, our primary task in this season should be to work towards reducing or even eliminating this prominence of lying. Just getting back to basics, we need not look any further than the Ten Commandments to know this imperative: “Thou shalt not bear false witness.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">However, looking at just this commandment is not enough. There are two types of mitzvot, of commandments in our tradition, positive mitzvot and negative mitzvot: “the thou shalts" and “thou shalt nots.” In a national climate that is full of so much negativity, let us approach our holy work from the positive side of things. Instead of chastising people with “thou shalt not,” let’s encourage our fellow women and men with positivity.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">We have 613 commandments to draw from and an entire corpus of scripture and teachings to guide us. In the Book of Exodus, only a few chapters after the Ten Commandments, we are taught: “Distance yourself from words of falsehood.” (Exodus 23:7) </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">The Psalms also remind us of the benefit of honesty: “…God, who may walk in your sanctuary? Who shall dwell upon your holy mountain? One that walks upright, practices righteousness, and speaks truth in their heart…” (Psalm 15:1-2)</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">The rabbis of the talmud also pick up on this imperative of encouraging honesty. They have taught that “The seal of God is truth,” (Shabbat 55a, Sanhedrin 64a) and that speaking honestly is a spiritually favorable activity as it allows one to fully live the years that they have been allotted. (Sanhedrin 97a) Perhaps most importantly, the rabbis taught that we should avoid lying to children, thereby training them to be honest.” (Sukkah 46b)</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">We must do our best to train everyone to be honest and to seek out other honest people as friends, as colleagues, as confidants, as teachers, as mentors, and as leaders. By bringing more honesty into our world we will sustain the words of the Proverbs “A true tongue shall be established forever, but the lying tongue is only momentary,” (Proverb 12:19) which teaches us that honesty shall endure for eternity, but the credibility of a liar is fleeting. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">The Kabbalists that taught about the fracture of the world asserted that it is up to each member of the Jewish community to participate in this process of tikkun. They argued that everything can be restored to its place and that the fractures can be healed through a “secret magic” of our human acts.</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 10.7px; line-height: normal;"><sup></sup></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"> A powerful <i>force</i>, emanating from us.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">We are at a pivotal moment in history, the history of our country and, indeed, the world. As individuals we will help choose which path our nation takes next. Will <i>we</i> succumb to the dark side of fear, hared, anger, and lies, or will we emerge into the light; promoting hope, friendship, understanding, generosity, and love. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">History has not always been kind to the Jewish people, but the Jewish community has always stood on the right side of history. When we face moments in our lives that force us to turn either to our <i>yetzer ha-tov</i> or our <i>yetzer ha-ra</i> let us be guided by our <i>yetzer ha-tov</i>, our inclination towards goodness. Let us choose to promote positivity and hope. Let us side with honesty over deceit. Let us be that light, that role model of truth and righteousness to the world. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">May the force be with us.</span></div>
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RabbiYoshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09706455106638086935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4891723585265925577.post-68729936051083920152016-09-09T13:50:00.000-07:002016-09-09T13:50:02.014-07:00Shof'tim: Leadership and Our Personal Judgement<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">This Shabat we read<i> Parashat Shof’tim</i>, from our Torah; a portion that reminds us of our religious obligation to pursue justice, fairness, and continuous study. <i>Shof’tim</i> also teaches us what to look for when we fulfill our civil obligation of selecting new leadership for our national and local communities. In particular, the portion teaches us:</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; line-height: normal;"><sup>Deuteronomy 16:18</sup></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"> You shall appoint magistrates and officials for your tribes, in all the settlements that the Lord your God is giving you, and they shall govern the people with due justice. </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; line-height: normal;"><sup>19</sup></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"> You shall not judge unfairly: you shall show no partiality; you shall not take bribes, for bribes blind the eyes of the discerning and upset the plea of the just. </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; line-height: normal;"><sup>20</sup></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"> Justice, justice shall you pursue, that you may thrive and occupy the land that the Lord your God is giving you…</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; line-height: normal;"><sup>Deuteronomy 17:14</sup></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"> If, after you have entered the land that the Lord your God has assigned to you, and taken possession of it and settled in it, you decide, "I will set a king over me, as do all the nations about me," </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; line-height: normal;"><sup>15</sup></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"> you shall be free to set a king over yourself, one chosen by the Lord your God. Be sure to set as king over yourself one of your own people; you must not set a foreigner over you, one who is not your kinsman…</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; line-height: normal;"><sup>18</sup></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"> When he is seated on his royal throne, he shall have a copy of this Torah written for him on a scroll by the levitical priests. </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; line-height: normal;"><sup>19</sup></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"> Let it remain with him and let him read in it all his life, so that he may learn to revere the Lord his God, to observe faithfully every word of this Teaching as well as these laws. </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; line-height: normal;"><sup>20</sup></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"> Thus he will not act haughtily toward his fellows or deviate from the Instruction to the right or to the left, to the end that he and his descendants may reign long in the midst of Israel.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">As we move into our season of self-reflection, setting the course of our lives for the coming year we also, in turn, approach our country’s season of determining the course of our national life for the coming years. One characteristic of the Torah text that immediately stands out is that it only refers to leadership in male terms. Regardless of our political preferences, how wonderful it is that this year, especially, we get to teach the Torah something as history re-writes itself with a woman as the candidate for president of a major political party in the United States.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">From the above text, we learn from our tradition that those we choose to lead should reflect the values and characteristics of pursuing justice, judging all with fairness and impartiality, always learning about the law and from past experiences, staying true to an ideologic course, and being similar in kind to ourselves. In the weeks ahead we will hear from the candidates for president, vice-president, and all other offices up for election. In this process we must determine for ourselves which ones most wholly embody those qualities that our Torah holds so dear.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">Additionally, each of us are leaders of some sort, whether in our communities, at work, or at home. May we also learn from these teachings and incorporate these values and lessons into ur own lives; strengthening our personal abilities and hoping us to become the best versions of ourselves.</span></span></div>
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RabbiYoshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09706455106638086935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4891723585265925577.post-75617535846147208542015-08-07T14:05:00.002-07:002015-08-07T14:05:38.118-07:00Eikev: Let Your Personal Experiences Guide You<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px;">
Rabbi Ben Bag-Bag, an ancient rabbi from the Land of Israel, has one teaching in all of Jewish tradition attributed to him. He said of the Torah, “Turn it and turn it again, for everything is in it.” From this we learn that every time we read the Torah we come to it with new eyes, even those portions we have read and re-read over and over again. Each time we study Torah we will notice something new and learn something we had never thought about before. This happened to me this week when looking at our weekly portion. I noticed a verse that jumped out to me in a way that it never had before.</div>
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<i>Parashat Eikev</i> teaches us about the obligation that the Jewish people has to learn and to live by God’s teachings and the rewards that come with that. We are warned, yet again that failure to observe the commandments will result in punishments from God, while also being reminded that loving God and living by God’s guidelines will result in good fortune and security in the promised land, the land of Israel. Much of the wording and sentiments in the <i>parasha</i> are quite familiar and echo what we have been taught in other portions and what we know of Jewish tradition. Yet in the midst of the familiar, one injunction stands out as seemingly contrary to what we have come to expect. Moses tells the people:</div>
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“Take thought this day that it was not your children, who neither experienced nor witnessed the lesson of the Lord your God…but that it was you who saw with your own eyes all the marvelous deeds that the Lord performed.” (Deuteronomy 11: 2-7)</div>
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This focus on the current generation - that it was <i>them</i> who experienced God’s marvels and instruction, not their children - is surprising as we are generally accustomed to the idea that what happened to our ancestors in the desert happened to us all. At our Passover Seders we prompt ourselves “<i>chayav adam lirot et atzmo k’ilu hoo yatza mi Mitzrayim,” </i>that we are obligated to see ourselves as if we personally were freed from Egypt, and that we experienced Gods wonders. When we read about the revelation of the Torah at Mt. Sinai we learn that the instruction was not given solely to those who were in attendance, but also to those who were not physically at Mt. Sinai, including future generations. This has led to the age old Jewish image that we were all present at Sinai.</div>
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Yet here, in <i>Eikev</i>, in Deuteronomy, Moses’ final sermons to the Israelite people, reviewing and repeating the rest of the Torah, here Moses stresses that he is not appealing to the people on the basis of another generation’s experience, but their own. Instead of asserting the importance of collective memory that is at the core of Jewish peoplehood, here it is one specific group, one generation that is tasked with remembering and understanding all that transpired and to use said experience as their impetus for adhering to God’s commandments and loving God. </div>
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What, then, does this instruction mean for their children? What does it mean for future generations?</div>
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We learn in this instance that past lessons serve as motivation for our future actions. We learn that we can only act based on what we know, what we’ve learned and experienced in our lives. Yet we also learn that our experiences contribute to who we are and how we interact with connect to the world around us. </div>
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Therefore, it is incumbent upon each of us to utilize our own experience to deepen our love of God and our connection to Jewish tradition. It is incumbent upon us to apply our life experiences to our Jewish lives and to make our own contributions to tomorrow’s tradition and culture. And it is further incumbent upon us to pass on what we know to our children so that they may learn and experience the world in their own way, putting their own stamp on the future of our people.</div>
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This Shabbat may we be open to noticing, experiencing, and understanding all that life has to offer. May we see the world and all that is in it in a new way. And may we let our own experiences help us to deepen our connections to each other and to our shared tradition.</div>
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Shabbat Shalom!</div>
RabbiYoshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09706455106638086935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4891723585265925577.post-10590425877577428042015-06-26T16:13:00.002-07:002015-06-26T16:13:24.858-07:00<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">A Light in the Darkness: June 26, 2015</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">In the midst of darkness</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">a light can still shine through.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">A light unto the nations,</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Though many have already found this light.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Today light beams forth from our nation.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We may not be the first</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We pray we are not the last.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Out of weeks filled with injustice, intolerance, and ignorance</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">For a country in need of good news</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">America bathes in a rainbow of light.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Today Americans “become something</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">greater than once they were.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Today “the highest ideals” ring true:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">“love, fidelity, devotion, sacrifice, and family.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Marriage is set free</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">“No union is more profound”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Fear loses</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Hate takes a back seat</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Irrational thought subsides</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">If only for a day</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Today is bright</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Today is right</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Today truth triumphs</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Today respect prevails</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Equality carries the day</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Today Love Wins</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">“<i>It is so ordered.</i>”</span></div>
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RabbiYoshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09706455106638086935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4891723585265925577.post-65939213927972229492015-02-06T14:06:00.004-08:002015-02-06T14:06:45.806-08:00Because We Love Being Jewish<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;">
The past Saturday, January 31st, I had the privilege of attending and teaching at the annual URJ East District (New Jersey & Friends) Shabbaton. This day of prayer, study, and socializing is one that I look forward to every year since I moved to New Jersey. The atmosphere, the energy, the excitement, and the desire to learn at the Shabbaton is contagious and uplifting. </div>
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This year, my now annual Talmud study session called “Those Crazy Rabbis” focused on a Talmudic discussion from Tractate <i>Sota</i> (pages 27b, 30b-31a) regarding <i>Shirat HaYam</i>, The Song of the Sea. The Song of the Sea, from <i>Parashat Beshalach</i>, the Torah portion from last week, is near and dear to me, not only for its importance in our history and our tradition, but also because it was the Torah portion I read at my Bar Mitzvah service.</div>
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While the “crazy” part of the discussion came in the Rabbis’ debate over how <i>Shirat HaYam</i> is to be recited (with even fetuses in the womb singing the song), the more enlightening discussion, and the one more relevant to us as liberal, autonomous Jews today, came immediately afterwards. In the Rabbis’ discussion of Job they attempt to answer the question of which is a better reason for serving God; out of love or out of fear. Before I comment on that question and the Rabbis’ discussion of it, we first need to understand why this discussion immediately follows one about The Song of the Sea. </div>
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The Rabbinic teachings flow by association, as if they were an active conversation between two or more parties. For example, if I were to be talking to someone about Cracker Jack, that might (read: definitely would) remind me of baseball, and the next part of that conversation would be about baseball, even if it had nothing to do directly with Cracker Jack. In much the same way, since the Song of the Sea recounts the awesome powers of God that were on display at the parting of the Red Sea, the Rabbis thought about what the response to that power might be. On the one hand, our ancestors could have felt a obligation to serve God out of love for God for redeeming them from slavery with such mighty acts. On the other hand, perhaps our ancestors felt compelled to serve God out of fear of what God might do to them with such power.</div>
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This same question could be asked of this week’s portion, <i>Yitro</i>,<i> </i>as well. As the Israelites are encamped at the foot of Mount Sinai, Moses ascends the mountain amidst the thunder, lighting and clouds. God’s power is on display as God utters to us the laws we are to follow in God’s name; The Ten Commandments. Did our ancestors follow God’s laws in fear of the thunder, lightning and clouds? Were our ancestors afraid of God’s powers as described in the midrash where God held Mt. Sinai above the Israelites until they agreed to accept the Torah? Or, did our ancestors choose to accept the Torah and serve God out of a love of God and a love of being Jewish?</div>
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According to the Rabbis of the Talmud, both approaches, serving God out of fear and serving God out of love, are valid and righteous. Both are authentic and appropriate ways of living a Jewish life. However, Rabbi Shimon ben Eleazar teaches us that serving God out of love is the greater of the two as the merit of this approach lasts for twice as long. Living a Jewish life out of a love of God and devotion to our tradition is twice as rewarding as living a Jewish life out of fear of punishment.</div>
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I<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">n our day we should not engage with Jewish life out of a fear of failing to live up to certain expectations. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">In our day we should not engage with Jewish life out of an obligation to merely fulfill a certain set of rules. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">In our day let us enjoy the freedom to celebrate and embrace our tradition because WE WANT TO, because WE ENJOY IT, because it has SPECIAL MEANING TO US, because it FEEDS OUR SOULS, and because WE LOVE BEING JEWISH.</span></div>
RabbiYoshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09706455106638086935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4891723585265925577.post-13018954738878921202015-01-23T15:36:00.000-08:002015-01-23T15:36:24.757-08:00Distinctly Jewish, From Ancient Egypt to Today<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;">
Throughout this week you may have seen on social media an article called <a href="http://www.haaretz.com/opinion/.premium-1.638249">“Hot pastrami and the decline of secular, Jewish-American identity: How deli stopped being an essential part of the Jewish-American story.”</a> This opinion piece, written by Peter Beinart and published by <i>Haaretz</i>, expresses Beinart’s observation that the secular American Jewish identity is being diluted and fading away to the point where there soon may not be a singular, distinctive American-Jewish persona and culture recognizable by Jews and non-Jews alike. Even if we do not necessarily agree with his assessment of the situation, Beinart’s concern is certainly one that we must take seriously.</div>
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Maintaining a strong Jewish identity, one that is distinct from other cultures, one that stands out even in assimilated societies, and one that we are proud to exhibit has always been a hallmark of our people. Even in the darkest of times, when fear might have led to this identity being hidden in public, it continued to grow and flourish in private circles. For centuries, our religion has been maintained through study of Torah, and our peoplehood has been maintained by Jewish culture: our rituals, our holidays, our foods, our language, and all of our idiosyncrasies.</div>
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This has been true even from the earliest days of the Jewish people. As we read this week in <i>Parashat Bo, </i>and as we know from the story of Passover, on the eve of the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt, our ancestors were commanded to mark their doorposts with lamb’s blood. This smearing of blood was used to identify and distinguish Jewish homes from non-Jewish homes, protecting our ancestors from the final plague: the killing of the first-born.</div>
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Throughout the ages we have maintained our ancestors’ practice. By following the precedent in Egypt and observing the commandments in our Torah, we continue to mark our doorposts to this day with a<i> </i><a href="http://www.myjewishlearning.com/life/Life_Stages/Building_a_Jewish_Home/Home_and_Community/Mezuzah.shtml"><i>mezuzah</i></a> , clearly and proudly letting people know that our home is a Jewish home. And we have even gone further, wearing bracelets, rings, and necklaces featuring a Star of David, a “<i>Chai</i>” (Hebrew word for life), and even a smaller <i>mezuzah. </i>Many Jews also choose to wear their <i>kippot (</i>skullcaps, also known as <i>yarmulkes) </i>in public due to a feeling of religious obligation, a sense of pride and identity, or, many times, both. </div>
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Over the past few months, and especially brought to a head over the past few weeks, we have come to clearly see that rampant Jewish hatred still exists in many parts of the civilized world. In these places, such as France, our fellow Jews have had to hide who they really are and temper their expressions of Jewish identity, fearing abuse, assault, or even the loss of their lives. They are no longer comfortable wearing their Jewish jewelry, <i>kippot</i>, or other outward signs of being Jewish. This fear has gotten to the point where an Israeli barber has created what is being called the <a href="http://www.haaretz.com/jewish-world/jewish-world-news/1.638683">“magic yarmulke;” </a>a washable skullcap made out of hair. This new “fashion statement” blends easily with regular hair and allows one to fulfill the obligation of covering the head, while remaining inconspicuous (read, safe) in public. </div>
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In ancient Egypt, when our people were persecuted and oppressed, their decision to actively and proudly display their identity is what saved their lives. In today’s Europe, when our people enjoy lives of freedom in the greater society, their decision to actively and proudly display their identity is what puts their safety at risk. I am, as we all should be, dumbfounded by this dichotomy.</div>
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Our hearts go out to Jews all over the world who live in fear, hesitant to announce that they are Jews. Our prayers go out to God that one day, very soon, the world will become enlightened. Our actions, therefore, must be put towards embracing OUR Jewish identities and proudly displaying them for all to see. If we can maintain a singular, unique, and distinctive identity as American Jews, we can give our brothers and sisters across the world hope that one day, they may be able to proudly show off their unique identities as well.</div>
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Let us put our Judaism on display. Let us embrace that which makes us unique in the world. And, this Shabbat, let’s have a bowl of matzo ball soup, corned beef (or pastrami) on rye, and a knish on the side, to remind us of who we are and where we come from.</div>
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RabbiYoshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09706455106638086935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4891723585265925577.post-35706189931036413792015-01-17T08:39:00.000-08:002015-01-17T08:41:51.440-08:00Show Your Marvel<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(20, 25, 35); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #141923; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;">
On Monday evening, the Ohio State Buckeyes won the first-ever College Football Playoffs National Championship. As great as that game was, and as exciting of a victory as it is for Buckeye fans, such as my wife, the football game itself was only part of what drew people to watch ESPN. Many were drawn to their TV screens in order to watch the premiere of the trailer for Marvel’s <i>The Avengers: Age of Ultron</i>, the next big superhero blockbuster to hit the silver screen. </div>
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With the recent successes of movies like Man of Steel, X-Men, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Captain America, and the success of TV shows like Agents of SHIELD, Arrow, and The Flash, we are, indeed, currently entrenched in the era of the superhero, comic book movie. Marvel and DC Comics are both pursuing an aggressive slate of upcoming projects like Avengers, and next year’s Batman v Superman movie. </div>
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Recently, Stephen McFeely, one of the writers of 2016’s <i>Captain America: Civil War</i>, told <span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;">The <a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/captain-america-civil-war-writer-764045">Hollywood Reporter</a></span> that he often gets asked questions of why comic book movies are prevalent nowadays. His response to these questions is: </div>
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"In some ways, we’ve become a genre that you can do well now given the world of computers and perhaps it’s also just a time in the sun. You went to the movies in the 50’s and 60’s you went to a western. So at this point, you’re going to a superhero movie. It’s taking over that same black hat, white hat myth-making surface.”</div>
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While I would certainly agree with McFeely that todays visual effects have the power to bring the worlds of the comic heroes to life in ways that earlier generations could only dream about, I would have to say that modern technology is not the only reason people flock to comic book movies and shows. </div>
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Day in and day out we see on the news and read online about horrific events taking place across the world and close to home. In this, the information age, we are more inundated than ever with knowledge of just how much evil exists in the world. Evils that we might choose to ignore at times, but evils nonetheless that do not go away just because we cannot handle them. </div>
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The superhero genre gives us a temporary escape. We immerse ourselves in worlds that are also full of evil but, at the same time, feature heroes who keep that evil at bay, make the world safe, and foster the feelings of freedom and protection that all people dream about. DC and Marvel are producing movies and TV shows about extraordinary individuals who are saving the day from unspeakable evils because that is what we need right now. We need heroes, marvels to behold and to inspire us.</div>
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In their oppression in Egypt, our ancestors sought a similar hero to free them from their burdens. This week in our Torah, Moses emerges as that wonder. Finally agreeing to be God’s messenger, Moses, along with his brother Aaron, are instructed by God to proceed to Egypt, confront Pharaoh, and demand the freedom of the Hebrews. At the same time, God also knows that it will take more than a mere demand to convince Pharaoh. As such, God tells Moses and Aaron that Pharaoh will need convincing:</div>
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The Eternal One said to Moses and Aaron, “When Pharaoh speaks to you and says, ‘Show your marvel,’ you shall say to Aaron, ‘Take your rod and cast it down before Pharaoh.’ It shall turn into a serpent.</div>
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(Exodus 7:8-9)</div>
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Our heroes were issued the challenge, “תְּנוּ לָכֶם מוֹפֵת (<i>t’nu lachem mofeit</i>),” “show your marvel.” God knew, just as we do, that it takes a marvel, a wonderful or astonishing person or thing, to initiate true change in the face of oppression.</div>
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This weekend, our country devotes itself to honoring one such marvel of recent history, The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. King was the epitome of a hero who stood up for what he believed in, inspired others to join his cause, and proved that equality was a goal for which many had strived. Dr. King’s work and his words still echo to this day as a call to action against many of the troubles our world faces today.</div>
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In the face of renewed feelings and tensions concerning racial inequality, we hear Dr. King say:</div>
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“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.”</div>
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And in response to those who have acted violently in protest, we implore as Dr. King implored:</div>
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“Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.”</div>
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In the face of renewed global terrorism we consider Dr. King’s words from a 1967 speech at Marietta College:</div>
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"When evil men plot, good men must plan. When evil men burn and bomb, good men must build and bind. When evil men shout ugly words of hatred, good men must commit themselves to the glories of love. Where evil men would seek to perpetuate an unjust status quo, good men must seek to bring into being a real order of justice.”</div>
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And for each and every time we hear about a terrible tragedy, we seek comfort from Dr. King’s charge:</div>
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“We must accept finite disappointment, but we must never lose infinite hope.”</div>
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In our broken and hurting world we maintain our hope for a brighter future, but hope, alone, is not enough. Rabbi Tarfon taught us:<br />
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לֹא עָלֶיךָ הַמְּלָאכָה לִגְמוֹר, וְלֹא אַתָּה בֶן חוֹרִין לִבָּטֵל מִמֶּנָּה.</div>
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<i>Lo alecha hamlacha ligmor, v’lo atah ben chorin l’hivatel mimena—</i></div>
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“You are not<i> </i>expected to complete the task, but neither are you free to avoid it.” </div>
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(Pirkei Avot 2:16)</div>
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It is up to each of us to bring some hope back to the world, to be that light unto the nations that our prophets urge us to be. We all have the power to be everyday super heroes, to bring reality closer to the world of the comic books, to make our fantasy play out in reality. All we need is someone to inspire us. So now I challenge the world, our country, our community, and you:</div>
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“תְּנוּ לָכֶם מוֹפֵת” </div>
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(<i>t’nu lachem mofeit</i>)</div>
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“Show Your Marvel!”</div>
RabbiYoshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09706455106638086935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4891723585265925577.post-52866611657982484162015-01-09T15:22:00.002-08:002015-01-09T15:24:44.999-08:00God Imperfect; World Imperfect<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica;">
These days it seems more and more apparent that we live in a broken and imperfect world. With all of the crises in the Middle East, the ever-growing list of victims of preventable gun violence in our country, and, especially, this week’s terrorist activities in France, we are all left dumbfounded as to how so much evil could have been permitted to exist. An obvious question that people of faith are likely to be asking in the wake of all of this violence and hate is, “where is God in all of this?” And, of course, the corollary question is sure to be asked, “how could God let all of this happen?” While these are certainly valid questions, at this moment in time, we are not well served, nor are we comforted, by answering these questions directly. We can never know God’s true plans or absolute nature. We can only speak to humanity’s experience of, and relationship to, that which is divine. </div>
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As we seek to understand God in our own lives, we find infinite guidance through the written words and eternal teachings of our Torah. We begin the book of Exodus this Shabbat, reading about Moses’ first interaction with God. After approaching the Burning Bush and accepting God’s mission of freeing the Israelites from bondage in Egypt, Moses asks God one of the most pivotal questions in the Torah:</div>
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Moses said to God, "When I come to the Israelites and say to them 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is God’s name?' what shall I say to them?" And God said to Moses, "<i>Ehyeh-Asher-Ehyeh</i>." He continued, "Thus shall you say to the Israelites, '<i>Ehyeh</i> sent me to you.’"</div>
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(Exodus 3:13-14)</div>
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God’s response to Moses, the name <i>Ehyeh-Asher-Ehyeh</i>, is one that comes with a variety of translations and, therefore, a variety of meanings. The common translation with which we are familiar is reflected in numerous editions of the Bible and even immortalized by Cecil B. deMille’s <i>The Ten Commandments; </i>“I AM THAT I AM.” The Midrash teaches us that the meaning of <i>Ehyeh-Asher-Ehyeh </i>comes to be found in the variety of names we use in reference to God: </div>
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R. Abba b. Mammel said: God said to Moses: ‘You wish to know My name. Well, I am called according to My deeds; sometimes I am called “<i>El Shaddai </i>(Almighty God)”, “Tz’vaot (Lord of Hosts)”, “Elohim (God)”, “Adonai (Lord)”. When I am judging created beings, I am called “<i> Elohim</i>",’ and when I am waging war against the wicked, I am called “<i>Tz’vaot</i>". When I suspend judgment for a person's sins, I am called "<i>El Shaddai</i>,” and when I am merciful towards My world, I am called "<i>Adonai</i>", … Hence “I AM THAT I AM” in virtue of My deeds.’ </div>
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<i>(Exodus Rabbah 3:6)</i></div>
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According to this teaching, God’s essence is to be learned from God’s actions in the world, with each name referring to a different action or characteristic of God’s being. Therefore God is what God is, depending on how we as humans refer to God. If this is so, what are we then to learn, or, for that matter, teach about how the three Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) relate to and address the same, One God. In light of recent events, and of the countless instances of radicals from all three religions acting “in God’s name,” one might draw a conclusion that referring to God by the name of Jesus, or Allah, or, heaven forbid, Adonai, might insinuate that God’s nature is evil, violent, and vengeful. Thankfully we know this not to be so and, as such, we know that as instructive as the above midrash is, God’s essence goes beyond mere absolutes; “I AM THAT I AM” is too rigid of a translation and too definite of an answer for a people whose eternal quest is to struggle with God’s being.</div>
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Another midrash, found in the Talmud, approaches Moses’ question from a different perspective: God’s surprise that the Israelites even needed to know God’s name.</div>
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Then the Holy One, blessed be God, said to him, ‘Alas for those who are gone and no more to be found! For how many times did I reveal Myself to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob by the name of El Shaddai, and they did not question my character, nor say to Me, What is Your name? I said to Abraham, Arise, walk through the land in the length of it, and in the width of it,’ for I will give it to you: yet when he sought a place to bury Sarah…had to purchase it for four hundred silver shekels; and still he did not question My character. I said to Isaac, Sojourn in this land, and I will be with you, and will bless you: yet his servants sought water to drink, and did not find it without its being disputed…still he did not question My character. I said to Jacob, The land on which you lie, to you will I give it, and to your descendants: yet he sought a place to pitch his tent and did not find one until he purchased it…nevertheless he did not question My character; nor did they say to me, What is God’s name?</div>
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<i>(Sanhedrin 111a)</i></div>
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This midrash teaches us that just as Abraham, Isaac and Jacob knew God personally, so too did God expect the Israelites, hundreds of years later, to accept God for the deeds of the past, not questioning God’s existence or, for that matter, which god was coming to their rescue. Instead, what God is faced with, and what Moses will come to lead, is an Israelite people who have not experienced God’s actions in the world. They had no personal interaction with the God of their ancestors. They are bound to ask for God’s name as proof of God’s identity, essentially questioning of God, “what have<i>You</i> done for <i>me</i> lately.” For the Israelites of Moses’ generation, God is not an absolute and “I AM THAT I AM” is not a convincing introduction.</div>
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Grammitcally speaking, “I AM THAT I AM” is a less-than-accurate translation of <i>Ehyeh-Asher-Ehyeh. </i>The word <i>ehyeh </i>is<i> </i>a verb conjugated in the imperfect aspect. This means that it reflects an uncompleted, ongoing action, that can exist either in the past, present, or future tense. As such, a more accurate translations would be “I WILL BE THAT WHICH I WILL BE,” “I AM BECOMING THAT WHICH I AM BECOMING,” or some combination of the two. By God’s own description, we can understand God as the divine entity whose nature is in a constant state of flux. God’s essence is fluid and determined by our experience of and relation to God; God’s becoming is determined by our doing. God is imperfect because we are imperfect.</div>
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Therefore, we must not look to God when trying to comprehend all of the evil and hate in our world. Instead we must look inward and ask ourselves: How can we help to bring perfection to the world? What can we do to help God become the gracious and merciful being that God strives to be?</div>
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Rabbi Haim Korsia, the chief rabbi of France, said in response to Wednesday’s attack “We must give hope to all of society. It is one of our jobs as Jews to give hope and be an <i>or lagoyim</i>, a light to the nations.” We are a light to the nations when we promote freedom for all races and faiths. We are a light to the nations when we engage in meaningful discussions with those who are different from ourselves. We are a light to the nations when we promote acceptance of others, not just tolerance. </div>
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Albert Einstein said, “Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding.” We can come to understand God only by understanding each other. By celebrating our differences and by learning from our similarities we can come to understand each other. By embracing the all that is unique in the world, we can help to save the world. To take poetic license from a reading in our prayerbooks by Edmund Fleg:</div>
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We are Jews because for Israel, God is not perfect; we are perfecting God.</div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">We are Jews because for Israel, the world is not perfect; we are perfecting the world.</span></div>
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RabbiYoshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09706455106638086935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4891723585265925577.post-67847799271505357772013-10-29T14:52:00.001-07:002013-10-30T09:24:22.403-07:00Journey to the Secret Mikveh<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Last week I journeyed to Israel for my friend Scott’s wedding. Although my trip was short (a mere three days) I was, nonetheless, able to embark on an interesting and rather cool adventure.</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scott and me during Color War, 2004 at Blue Rill Day Camp</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Scott and I met at day camp, spent many years together in NFTY, and have continued our friendship to this day. From college onwards, Scott’s religious practices and beliefs shifted towards orthodoxy eventually leading him towards making <i>aliyah</i> (immigrated to Israel) and identifying as a modern Orthodox Jew. As such, prior to his wedding, Scott spent the day fasting and desired to immerse himself in a <i>mikveh </i>(ritual bath, in order to purify himself before getting married. So, early Tuesday morning, I met Scott at his Jerusalem apartment and we began the day of ritual preparations leading up to the ceremonies and party that evening. Since Scott was fasting, I took on the role of <i>shomer</i> (guard) to make sure he didn’t pass out and was able to make it to the wedding.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Through some of the people Scott studied with at the Pardes Institute in Jerusalem, he had heard about a special <i>mikveh</i> at the Western Wall (<i>Kotel) </i>that was reserved just for grooms on the day of their wedding. Our first stop that morning was the <i>Kotel</i> itself to pray <i>shacharit</i>, the morning service. After successfully joining a <i>minyan </i>we then asked around, inquiring as to the location of the <i>mikveh chatanim</i> (grooms’ mikveh). There was, however, a slight problem: no one seemed to know where it was, or even what we were talking about. The <i>mikveh chatanim, </i>as it turns out, is a secret <i>mikveh</i>. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The first people that we asked sent us out of the Western Wall plaza, up the stairs back toward the Jewish Quarter and, with typical Israeli directions, told us to go straight, then make a right, then make another right, and it would be there. After following those rather dubious directions we found ourselves in the middle of the Jewish Quarter with no idea of where to go. We then asked a few of the shop keepers and passers by, one of whom was able to direct us to a <i>mikveh</i>, not the grooms <i>mikveh</i> (because no one knew what that was) but a <i>mikveh</i> nonetheless. With more definitive directions, we were able to locate that <i>mikveh </i>only to (thankfully) discover that it was closed for the day.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Now, rather desperate to find Scott a place to immerse himself before the wedding, we tried, once again, to find the grooms’ <i>mikveh</i>. This time, however, we turned to a source more knowledgeable than the men praying at the <i>Kotel, </i>the shop keepers, and the passers by. We turned to “Rav Google.” Scott pulled out his phone, googled “<i>mikveh chatanim" </i>and, wouldn’t you know it, we learned where it was. We had to re-enter the Western Wall plaza and find the offices of the Western Wall rabbi. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tunnel Corridor at the <i>Kotel</i></td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">This, too, proved challenging as there were no signs pointing us in the right direction. Finally, we were able to find a nice woman, originally from America, who was working as an information agent for the Western Wall tunnels. Not only did she know what we were talking about and not only was she able to direct us to the <i>mikveh chatanim</i>, she also asked us a surprising question in return; “Are you looking for the legal or the illegal <i>mikveh</i>?” Unbeknownst to us, archaeologists had discovered an ancient <i>mikveh</i> in the Western Wall tunnels that had naturally re-filled itself with water and many people had been using it illegally. (This woman graciously offered to show us this <i>mikveh</i> after Scott immersed himself in the legal <i>mikveh</i>, but she was no where to be seen when we were done.) </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sign and Gate to <br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Confirming that we were, indeed, looking for the legal </span><i style="letter-spacing: 0px;">mikveh</i><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">, she sent us into a tunnel corridor, through a gate, and up the winding stairs to the offices of the Western Wall rabbi. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scott Retrieving the Key</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">After ascending the stairs, we entered one office where, without Scott even saying a word, all the men there wished him </span><i style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Mazel Tov</i><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">, obviously knowing why he had entered what I would label as an otherwise exclusive inner sanctum. Scott went to the back of the office and retrieved the secret key. </span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">And so, key in hand, </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb1ZkmPFPskkRB5OTsGzqJjsY2lw2WJ6ngG7hmCtFyNfW93M5FQyDiYTzgPIE_C9C2RXgo_y9pCBvDf6vTU2EAqHFzehrnQbgrv0yRjryAci2yvW1bxCVfFkuZZ0xC5FBX7GcSnWGes18/s1600/IMG_0674.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb1ZkmPFPskkRB5OTsGzqJjsY2lw2WJ6ngG7hmCtFyNfW93M5FQyDiYTzgPIE_C9C2RXgo_y9pCBvDf6vTU2EAqHFzehrnQbgrv0yRjryAci2yvW1bxCVfFkuZZ0xC5FBX7GcSnWGes18/s200/IMG_0674.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">we ascended another flight of stairs, </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVa6pZiuJSKdBwxIaHSCXTdbLXKxLySmjYxm7vT4pyNJwBKupp-ZRfTlcsr_Ynx9Dhr8kiUZYTr4i0BadR2AHxIX5yhxAw9lwMbdO6zzO0_MVGpiLukojSaFNrj9IGYbidg0lv_bITgII/s1600/IMG_0679.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVa6pZiuJSKdBwxIaHSCXTdbLXKxLySmjYxm7vT4pyNJwBKupp-ZRfTlcsr_Ynx9Dhr8kiUZYTr4i0BadR2AHxIX5yhxAw9lwMbdO6zzO0_MVGpiLukojSaFNrj9IGYbidg0lv_bITgII/s200/IMG_0679.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">walked down another hallway, </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpSHMdIetzJxGKXpsDB6uU-7tTOXHLAmsnEHmmB_3PAB5pMA1IJq_aEKfW7rGU_UIsKdAEOWlvJ9EU7hMrDoGFmbJGXMoqWr72cT7-RhPXUJmsYFRjUB7doqw1pvaJ-VCzkM8PUGBN2U0/s1600/IMG_0673.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpSHMdIetzJxGKXpsDB6uU-7tTOXHLAmsnEHmmB_3PAB5pMA1IJq_aEKfW7rGU_UIsKdAEOWlvJ9EU7hMrDoGFmbJGXMoqWr72cT7-RhPXUJmsYFRjUB7doqw1pvaJ-VCzkM8PUGBN2U0/s200/IMG_0673.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">and turned to enter a very small bathroom. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjURKphEFfYZ5FVdZW1Ufn4bfVVU95jufAGRUwteErl6FB2MTetMy2U-U2fJzH-Gl8_mFfC42NAyUwGWqsFSPQkFyDI8cxL7o6tzuZW40odZWytPdxVRCM-sWEpA9b6sLYJcvjDhbGsALY/s1600/IMG_0670.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjURKphEFfYZ5FVdZW1Ufn4bfVVU95jufAGRUwteErl6FB2MTetMy2U-U2fJzH-Gl8_mFfC42NAyUwGWqsFSPQkFyDI8cxL7o6tzuZW40odZWytPdxVRCM-sWEpA9b6sLYJcvjDhbGsALY/s200/IMG_0670.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">On the right hand wall of the bathroom, just as we entered, was a big, frosted-glass door </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj56FCyisqtN9mdU-BnkomO9L0dLxopsNyqsqOAZSxhXiEJFu5DnbvwSnp3WZtsKMDguhSyzUcM702E5N2MWiq1WqKs4ILNGCuu5xkhoeRQirX7arkV1HLP-32Es8yPXh-HPWrdxHxbsCw/s1600/IMG_0672.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj56FCyisqtN9mdU-BnkomO9L0dLxopsNyqsqOAZSxhXiEJFu5DnbvwSnp3WZtsKMDguhSyzUcM702E5N2MWiq1WqKs4ILNGCuu5xkhoeRQirX7arkV1HLP-32Es8yPXh-HPWrdxHxbsCw/s200/IMG_0672.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">and beyond the door, finally, was the <i>mikveh chatanim.</i> </span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Scott was able immerse himself in the cold </span><i style="letter-spacing: 0px;">mikveh</i><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> waters and our crazy, roundabout journey to the secret </span><i style="letter-spacing: 0px;">mikveh</i><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> was complete.</span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Those who know my religious practices and viewpoints will know that immersing <i>mikveh</i> is not really my thing. Before my wedding, I never thought about going to the mikveh (I went for a massage instead). Also, I have very mixed feelings about the administration of the <i>Kotel</i>, as I am in full support of the efforts to bring equality and an egalitarian section to the Western Wall plaza. In fact, when we were making our way to the offices, I joked with Scott that we probably shouldn’t let them know that I was a Reform Rabbi and a supporter of Women of the Wall. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Given those feelings, this experience was actually pretty amazing. I was able to venture into a part of the Old City that I would have never imagined and, likely, will not have occasion to visit again. I was able to be part of a relatively small group of people who not only know of, but also have seen, the secret <i>mikveh chatanim</i>. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Most of all, this adventure was ever the more special because I was able to share it with one of my best friends, someone I have known for over twenty years, and someone who, because we are both only children, I consider a brother. Our journey to the secret mikveh is one that I will remember and cherish all of my life.</span><br />
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RabbiYoshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09706455106638086935noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4891723585265925577.post-66876843468677955352013-10-04T09:11:00.005-07:002013-10-04T09:11:39.823-07:00"A New Spiritual Search:" Rosh Hashanah Evening, 2013/5774<br />
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The following is one of three sermons I delivered on the High Holidays (2013/5774). This "sermon trilogy" was delivered before the joint services including the Reform congregation I serve as rabbi, The Jewish Congregation of Kinnelon (JCK), and the Conservative congregation with whom we co-own the synagogue building, Congregation Beth Shalom (CBS). More information about the partnership between JCK and CBS can be found <a href="http://www.njjewishnews.com/article/14348/one-building-two-rabbis-alternating-services#.Uk7fHBbt53Y"><span style="color: blue;">here</span></a>.</div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>If you have called my cell phone and I was not able to respond, odds are that you have heard the following message: “You’ve reached Rabbi Josh Leighton. Unfortunately I am unable to take your call at the present time. Please leave your name, number, favorite biblical character and a brief message and I will return your call as soon as I am able. Thank you very much, Shalom, and have a great day!” For as long as I can remember, my family and I have been utilizing outgoing messages like this, sneaking in a creative and rather unusual request.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I have been using the current zany question, “favorite biblical character,” ever since I began my Rabbinic studies, and the responses to the question have ranged from the obvious (Moses, Miriam, <i>Joshua</i>), to the comedic (third donkey from the left), and to the profound (God). As a matter of fact, more than one person has answered that God is his/her favorite biblical character. Not only was I taken aback for a few seconds the first time God was left as an answer to my voicemail question, but that response has, in fact, helped form my theology and the way I go about teaching and discussing the various ways that we, as humans and as Jews, think about and believe in the divine.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Our tradition is replete with ancient wisdom. Among them, Proverbs 29:18 teaches: “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” Clearly, our ancestors knew what many of us know today, it is far easier to achieve your goal when you actually know what that goal is. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Over the past few years, the Union for Reform Judaism has gathered professional and lay leaders from the various arms of the movement in an effort to create a vision for the entire movement going forward. As of this summer, that Think Tank produced what is meant to be the final proposal of that vision. While the proposed vision statement is a product of, and intended for the Reform Movement, many of the major themes that are expressed in the statement pertain to all of us.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The proposed Vision Statement for the Reform Movement is divided into three over-lapping spheres. And, since I will be delivering three sermons over the course of these High Holy Days, I think you can guess how this is going to work…</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Tonight, I would like to share with you the first part of the vision statement, under the heading of “Our Faith.” It reads:</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“Reform Judaism maintains faith in the Covenant between God and Israel as expressed over the generations in the teachings of an ever-evolving Torah and tradition. Stirred by the mandate of tikkun olam, Reform Judaism seeks to be the living expression of those teachings. It welcomes all who seek Jewish connection to pursue a life of meaning as inspired by the Divine and proclaimed in the truths grasped by Jewish teachers throughout time.”</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The major theme from this excerpt that I wish to focus on is that of “Spirituality.” My colleague Rabbi James Gibson states in the <a href="http://urj.org/thinktank/?syspage=article&item_id=90780"><span style="color: #021eaa; letter-spacing: 0px;">commentary</span></a> that accompanies the vision statement that the vision welcomes, “those who embrace God, those who struggle in their search and those for whom spirituality is only to be found in sacred human connection.” </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>In this case, the vision points us to the goal of fostering increasingly meaningful connections to Jewish tradition by determining the nature of both our personal relationships with God and our individual spiritual searches. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>This leads us to the inescapable question: Why? </span></div>
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<li style="font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Why is it important for us to develop a personal relationship with God? </span></li>
<li style="font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Why is is necessary to find a spiritual connection in our lives as Jews, even if that connection is with something different from the classical notions of God? </span></li>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Because, by and large, many Jews sit in the pews, listen, and recite passages that often hold little to no personal meaning. Because, quite frankly, I don’t want coming to services to be a waste of your time. Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel observed this trend back in 1953. He wrote:</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">“[P]eople who are otherwise sensitive, vibrant, arresting, sit there aloof, listless, lazy. … They recite the prayerbook as if it were last week’s newspaper. … Prayer must have life. … It must not be flattened to a ceremony, to an act of mere respect for tradition.” </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span> (“The Spirit of Jewish Prayer,” 1953)</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>We all agree with Tevya that we come to temple and do these things because they are, “Tradition, tradition.” Yet, increasingly, “tradition” is not the captivating and mesmerizing force that it used to be. We, clergy and congregant alike, can no longer rely on tradition alone to compel attendance at services, connection with worship, or, for that matter, involvement in Jewish life in general. Rabbi Heschel’s exhortation is the ultimate answer as to why this vision of spirituality is important; it is important because “prayer must have life.”</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The clergy can lead prayer, teach, and pose all sorts of provocative questions, but those are effective only when we have willing partners; allies for invigorating meaningful connections to our prayers and traditions. <b>We need you!</b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Before we can work towards the vision of creating strong relationships with God, before we can raise our spirituality, and before we can build meaningful and engaging worship we must first figure out where we each stand at this point in our lives.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>In truth, I would surmise that, generally, we go about our days not really contemplating God all that much. We rarely take the time to evaluate our sense of spirituality. We don’t typically have extended philosophical or theological discussions around the dinner table about the character of God or the nature of God. And when we meet someone new, absent among the first things we inquire about that person are the rather daunting questions: “Do you believe in God?” and “Where are you spiritually.”</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>For most of us, all we know about God, or what we default to, are the characterizations about God that we find in our liturgy and scripture. In our prayers and in our selections from the Tanach, the Hebrew Bible, we are introduced to God as an entity with a persona of caring and compassion, a parental figure, and, of course, <i>the</i> all powerful deity. This will be succinctly summarized tomorrow morning during our Torah service when we hear: </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“<i>Adonai, adonai, el rachum vchanun, erech a’payim v’rav chesed v’emet, notzeir chesed l’alafim, noseh avon vafesha v’chata-ah v’nakeh.” </i>“Adonai, Adonai is merciful and gracious, endlessly patient, loving, and true, showing mercy to thousands, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin, and granting pardon.”</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>These are all extraordinary character traits, ones we certainly hope for and expect in God, as well as ones we, as humans, aspire to embrace in our own lives. But do these accurately depict the true essence of the divine? Is there some detail about God that exists outside of that character in the Bible? Can we even relate to this passage and others if we don’t believe in God?</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Consider the following writings of Martin Buber. On the one hand, Buber teaches that “It is not necessary to know something of God in order really to believe in God; many true believers know how to talk to God but not about God.” Elsewhere he also wrote that “God does not want to be believed in, to be debated and defended by us, but simply to be <i>realized</i> through us.” These seemingly contradictory writings teach the same lesson; that God is ambiguous, intangible, and wholly un-knowable. In keeping with the theme of our eternal struggle with God, Rabbi Leo Baeck taught:</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“The Jews have always been a minority. But a minority is compelled to think; that is the blessing of its fate. The conviction of the few is expressed through the energy of constant searching and finding.”</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>In that spirit, take a moment now. Close your eyes if you’d like. And think about your relationship with God:</span></div>
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<li style="font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Do you believe in God? </span></li>
<li style="font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Do you believe in some divine presence that doesn’t quite fit with the “character” of God? </span></li>
<li style="font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Are you pretty sure there is some greater force in the universe but you’re hesitant to call it God? </span></li>
<li style="font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Are you pretty sure that there is no such thing as a god or any divine or supernatural force in the universe? </span></li>
<li style="font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Do you have a relationship with God?</span></li>
<li style="font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">How would you characterize that relationship?</span></li>
<li style="font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Are you even yearning to have a relationship with the Divine?</span></li>
<li style="font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">What exactly are you doing when you pray? Why are you doing it?</span></li>
<li style="font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Do you yearn to be connected to something greater?</span></li>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="font-size: 16px; white-space: pre;"> </span>Let us switch gears and talk about spirituality. Rabbi Lawrence Hoffman writes<span style="font-size: xx-small;">1</span> that Jewish spirituality is a journey very much like “connect the dots.” </span><span style="font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0px;">We are on a journey going from stop to stop looking to complete a greater picture. And we complete this picture by finding places where our individual lives connect with Jewish tradition. Rabbi Hoffman continues by saying that “to be religious is to aspire to a life that is a pilgrimage, not a tour.”</span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Now take a moment to reflect on your personal sense of spirituality:</span></div>
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<li style="font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">When do you feel the most spiritual? During what activities? In what locations? With which people?</span></li>
<li style="font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Have you ever felt spiritual?</span></li>
<li style="font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Are you on a personal journey? </span></li>
<li style="font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">If so, what are looking for? Where are you going?</span></li>
<li style="font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">How often do you try to reach beyond yourself?</span></li>
<li style="font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">What role might God play in your sense of spirituality?</span></li>
<li style="font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">How does your Judaism factor into your spiritual self?</span></li>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>And now that we have contemplated where we each are with regard to the divine, and where we each are spiritually, all that we are left with is to figure out how to get from where we are to where we want to be. Even if you have found that you have a solid relationship with God and a strong spiritual sense, there is no limit to those feelings. We can always grow, our connections can always be bolstered and rejuvenated, and there are endless, boundless amounts of meaning that we can find in our tradition.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I have posed a number of questions this evening, and, like a good rabbi I have answered those questions with even more questions. Now I would like to pose one more question, and, actually, provide a few answers.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How? After reflecting on your personal stance regarding God and spirituality, after all that we have discussed, how do you go about strengthening these aspects of your soul. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Throughout the year we offer a multitude of opportunities to delve deeper and deeper into our tradition, to build connections to our culture and to each other, and to continually discover your personal relationship with something greater than all of us. Every week we hold services right here in this sanctuary. Come by once in a while and immerse yourself in the words and melodies of our prayer. Sporadically, we also offer a number of innovative worship opportunities. Come to one of the JCK family services that morphs into “Hands-Free Shabbat” as we project the words of our prayers onto the big screen. This allows everyone to pray as one, without having our heads buried in our prayerbooks. Or join us for a musical shabbat with guitar led prayers. Or attend one of Rabbi Bockman’s various Lab-Shuls. Learn more about our prayers, scripture, and other aspects of Judaism in adult ed classes. Learn Hebrew. If we are not offering something that you might be looking for, ask us and we will either begin to offer whatever you’d like, work on it with you, or point you in the right direction for your own personal studies. Become involved in congregational life in some way greater than you already do now. That sense of ownership also translates into meaningful connections.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Pslam 39, verse 4 reads, “While I was musing, the fire was kindled.” I hope that this opportunity for you all to reflect on the questions posed has allowed fires to be kindled in your thoughts and your souls. I hope that my musings and my words throughout this sermon have helped to spark a greater understandings of where each of us is in our lives. And I hope to have ignited your desires to continually build upon those understandings.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>We are here for you. <b>I am here for you</b>. Please be a curious and willing partner. Let us heed the advice of our ancient wisdom and work towards achieving our vision. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Together we will foster meaningful worship, we will build stronger relationships with God, and we will advance our individual spiritual searches. <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The next time you leave a voicemail on my phone, you might just be asked a new zany question about God or spirituality. Think about it. When the time comes...what will your answer be?</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-small; letter-spacing: 0px;">1) Hoffman, Lawrence A. “In search of a Spiritual Home.” in <i>Reform Judaism</i>, Fall 1994. Vol. 23, No.1 (p. 32)</span></span></div>
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RabbiYoshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09706455106638086935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4891723585265925577.post-81214490894277234152013-10-04T09:01:00.001-07:002013-10-04T09:09:36.424-07:00"The Community Comes Back:" Rosh Hashanah Day 2, 2013/5774<br />
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The following is one of three sermons I delivered on the High Holidays (2013/5774). This "sermon trilogy" was delivered before the joint services including the Reform congregation I serve as rabbi, The Jewish Congregation of Kinnelon (JCK), and the Conservative congregation with whom we co-own the synagogue building, Congregation Beth Shalom (CBS). More information about the partnership between JCK and CBS can be found <a href="http://www.njjewishnews.com/article/14348/one-building-two-rabbis-alternating-services#.Uk7fHBbt53Y"><span style="color: blue;">here</span></a>.</div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="letter-spacing: 0px; white-space: pre;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">During my years as a Rabbinical Student, I had the honor of serving three wonderful small congregations as their Student Rabbi. My first year as an ordained rabbi, I, again, was privileged to serve another small congregation for the High Holidays. In order, those congregations are located in: Natchez, MS; Sioux Falls, SD; Pine Bluff, AR; and Jefferson City, MO. Clearly, these four congregations are all in relatively small and rather remote places; towns and regions where you wouldn’t expect to find that many Jews, let alone living congregations. And yet, there they are, four, collections of Jews who come together because they are a small minority in parts of our country; they come together because they are Jews.</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span></div>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I am continually amazed at how these congregations and their membership (some of whom travel upwards of and hour-and-a-half just to attend services) day after day make the active choice to identify as Jews and to join together in their shared heritage. I know that many of the towns where we all live are not bursting with Jews, nevertheless, we are a bit spoiled by the fact that we live in the greater New York area, arguably the second largest and most vibrant concentration of Jews in the world, next to Israel. With all of the resources that have a mere car ride away (and the thousands of resources offered by the internet), we don’t quite feel the same urgent need to actively choose to be Jewish.</span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>If you were here at services on Wednesday evening, the next couple of paragraphs are going to sound rather familiar!</span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Our tradition is replete with ancient wisdom. Among them, Proverbs 29:18 teaches: “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” Clearly, our ancestors knew what many of us know today, it is far easier to achieve your goal when you actually know what that goal is. </span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>As I mentioned on Erev Rosh haShanah, over the past few years, the Union for Reform Judaism has gathered professional and lay leaders from the various arms of the movement in an effort to create a vision for the entire movement going forward. As of this summer, that Think Tank produced its final proposal of that vision. While the proposed vision statement is a product of, and intended for the Reform Movement, many of the major themes that are expressed in the statement pertain to all of us.</span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The proposed Vision Statement for the Reform Movement is divided into three over-lapping spheres. And, again, since I will be delivering a total of three sermons over the course of these High Holy Days, you can all see how this is going to work…</span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>This morning, we turn to the second paragraph of the vision statement. It reads:</span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“In sacred attachment to the Jewish people and with connection to the State of Israel, Reform Jews, as members of a group and as individuals, in holy congregations and in diverse settings, strive to make thoughtful choices about how we put our values into action. Reform Judaism asks us to seek the holiness that is present throughout creation through reflection, critical study, and sacred acts so as to renew our living Covenant with God, the people Israel, humankind, and the earth.”</span></div>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The key points that I would like to highlight from this paragraph are the ideas of sacred attachment, reflection, critical study, and sacred acts. These highlighted points reflect the overall theme of the paragraph, which is obvious by its heading: In Community.</span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Community has been one of the central driving forces of Jewish life since the earliest days of our people. From the wilderness, to the ancient kingdom of Israel, to the lower east side, to Natchez, Sioux Falls, Pine Bluff, and Jefferson City, to Pompton Lakes, to Kinnelon, Jews have always sought out each other, forming close neighborhood enclaves and extended communities. Our Talmud reinforces this trend, teaching us in Sanhedrin 17b:</span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">"A <i>talmid haham</i> (Torah scholar) is not allowed to live in a city that does not have these 10 things: a <i>beit din </i>(law court) that metes out punishments; a tzedakah fund that is collected by two people and distributed by three; a synagogue; a bath house; a bathroom; a doctor; a craftsperson; a blood-letter; a butcher; and a teacher of children"</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The cities that the Talmud envisions as proper places for us to live must provide support for all of our basic needs. In the time when the Talmud was written, not all places had these luxuries that we all find so common. In ancient days, these “proper” communities had to be rather small and very close-knit. In contrast, today our “proper” community could, theoretically, be as large as a tank of gas would allow you travel. The beit din, the tzedekah fund, the butcher...and yes, even the blood-letter, do not have to be in <i>your</i> city, per-se, just so long as they are convenient. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Such is the same with our synagogues and other Jewish communal organizations. In the past, our Jewish ancestors were forced to live in tight quarters with each other. Today we must only live in close proximity to each other; just a reasonable car-ride apart. This change in the geographical distance between fellow Jews has also altered the types of communities that we form. While we still organize ourselves in various types of groups, most notably the traditional synagogue/congregational model, the intimate nature of those groups, of our groups, is not what it used to be, nor is it what it <i>should</i> be. It should not take the High Holidays to bring together an entire congregation, we should feel the need to, and we should feel compelled to come together regularly throughout the year.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>This is why the vision of building strong communities comes with those highlighted ideas that I shared just a moment ago. Sacred acts, critical study, reflection, and sacred attachment. These are the keys to strengthening the feeling of community in our congregations. We touched briefly on the ideas of critical study, reflection, and sacred acts on Wednesday evening as we explored our personal relationships with God, building towards increasingly meaningful worship. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Indeed, feeling connected to prayer and finding prayer worthwhile and fulfilling will inspire each of us to attend services more often, resulting in more and more familiarity with each other, and leading towards a stronger sense of community. Yet critical study, engaging in sacred acts, and reflecting on our Jewish lives can also take on many forms outside of the realm of worship. Just as we are traditionally required to have a minyan, at least ten people together in order to pray, so too should Judaism be studied in groups. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>A traditional structure of Jewish study is the chevruta system; where two students will study a text together, reflecting, debating, discovering, and discerning what the text is saying and how it applies to their lives. This dynamic is only multiplied with larger and larger classes. We all know that if you put two Jews in a room you will get 3 opinions. In a class of Jews all studying some facet of Jewish life, imagine how many opinions would exist, and how many connections would be made with Jewish life and with each other. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Sacred acts also help to build connections between us. Again, while coming to services and studying are sacred acts, there is a plethora of other sacred activities that we can do together. Whether or not you plan on coming to services, Shabbat dinner with family and friends is a great opportunity to build community in a sacred way. Further, as individual congregations or as a collective, we can engage in acts of <i>tikkun olam</i>. Coming to temple and making hundreds of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for a shelter or a bridges run, or visiting and serving at soup kitchens, are also sacred actions which help to not only build community between us, but extends to the greater community as well. We could spend an afternoon at a food pantry helping to sort food, or go to a nursing home or hospital and visit the sick. And let’s not forget about Synagogue School, Jewish summer camp, teen programming, and youth group. Not only are all of these acts sacred in keeping with the teachings of our tradition, but they also help us create shared memories and form bonds with each other. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Each of these various ways of building that sense of community is nothing without that final highlighted point from the vision: sacred attachment. Activities, social groups, services, studies...all of those help to build acquaintances and form some bonds. But in order to build a truly Jewish community we must <i>feel</i> a sense of sacred attachment, an unbreakable, spiritual, and higher connection that we all share as members of the Jewish people; a mutual responsibility that we feel towards one another.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The natural tendency to be connected one-to-another was even identified and expressed by, perhaps, the smartest Jew who ever lived, Albert Einstein. He said: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Strange is our situation here upon earth. Each of us comes for a short visit, not knowing why, yet sometimes seeming to divine a purpose. From the standpoint of daily life, however, there is one thing we do know: that man is here for the sake of other men-above all for those upon whose smile and well-being our own happiness depends, and also for the countless unknown souls with whose fate we are connected by a bond of sympathy.”</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>We are all connected by our shared sympathy as Jews. Our collective memory of hardship, wandering, redemption, and life as a minority has enhanced that inherent connectivity between humanity with the need to draw close as a sacred community. And we fulfill that need not by programming and prayer alone. In order to truly realize that sense of sacred attachment for which we all yearn, we must build strong relationships with each other in the contexts of our synagogue building and our individual congregations.</span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>This is the start of a brand new year for our congregations. On a personal note, with my first year as the JCK rabbi and our transitional year behind us, my main focus for the year will be on my JCK family, building our bonds with each other and with this building, and ensuring that we have ample opportunities to gather together socially and religiously throughout the year. May we all, JCK and CBS, take this year as a time to focus on our relationships with the members of our congregations and as a whole.</span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>As we enter the new year, let us restore that sense of intimate community that our ancestors felt in their close-knit towns, let us actively choose to embrace our Judaism, and let us be aware of that sacred connection that we all share. My hope for 5774 is that, together, we will all find ways to connect to our tradition and to each other. </span><br />
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RabbiYoshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09706455106638086935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4891723585265925577.post-1743258308739842872013-10-04T08:57:00.001-07:002013-10-04T08:59:16.721-07:00"Return of the Leadership:" Kol Nidre, 2013/5774<div style="text-align: center;">
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The following is one of three sermons I delivered on the High Holidays (2013/5774). This "sermon trilogy" was delivered before the joint services including the Reform congregation I serve as rabbi, The Jewish Congregation of Kinnelon (JCK), and the Conservative congregation with whom we co-own the synagogue building, Congregation Beth Shalom (CBS). More information about the partnership between JCK and CBS can be found <a href="http://www.njjewishnews.com/article/14348/one-building-two-rabbis-alternating-services#.Uk7fHBbt53Y"><span style="color: blue;">here</span></a>.</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">"Return of the Leadership"</span></b></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The date was September 28th, 1987. There was excitement in the air that evening as, just like millions of others, I sat on the couch with my dad to watch the premier episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation. The voyages of the starship Enterprise, which began in 1966 under the command of Captain Kirk, Mr. Spock, and their legendary crew, was now being handed over to Captain Picard, Commander Riker and their crew; a new generation to care for and take command of the Enterprise.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>That same model of generational stewardship can be found in our Torah. After freeing our ancestors from Egypt, Moses led our people through the desert for 40 years. Just like the crews of the Enterprise, Moses had a crew of supporting characters to help him, including his brother Aaron, the high priest. But, no one person, no singular, stagnant crew can effectively shepherd a people for such an extended length of time. When the time came for Israel to fulfill its destiny and cross into the promised land, God handed over the reigns and gave the control, to a new crew. Joshua took the place of his mentor Moses, Eleazar took the place of his father Aaron, and the Israelite people, this great ship journeying through the wilderness, continued it’s voyage under the command and care of the next generation of leaders.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>If you have been following my sermons these High Holidays, either on erev Rosh Hashanah or on the second day of Rosh Hashanah, the next couple of paragraphs are, again, going to sound quite familiar!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Our ancient wisdom from Proverbs 29:18 teaches us that, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” The Israelites and Jews of past generations knew what many of us know today; it is far easier to achieve your goal when you actually know what that goal is. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>As I have mentioned previously, the Union for Reform Judaism has gathered professional and lay leaders from the various branches of the movement in an effort to create a unified vision for Reform Judaism going forward. As of this summer, that Think Tank produced its final proposed vision statement. While this statement is a product of, and intended for the Reform Movement, many of the major themes that are expressed in the statement pertain to all of us.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The proposed vision statement for the Reform Movement is divided into three over-lapping spheres. Seeing as how I have already covered two of these spheres, this evening we will turn to the final sphere of the vision statement.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Under the heading of “With Leadership” the third paragraph reads:</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“The organizations of the Reform Movement exist for the purpose of bringing the teachings of Judaism to the world. In partnership with one another, these organizations hope to realize the many lessons contained in those teachings by nurturing individual Jews, by sustaining congregations and groups that foster authentic and innovative community, and by shaping a shared destiny for Reform Jews with fellow Jews in Israel and around the world.”</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">This section envisions the role that the various organizations of the Reform movement play in leading the movement and creating an interdependent network that will help to strengthen each of the individual organizations. <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The vision of leadership espoused by the statement is one of responsibility and obligation to one another. This leadership, according to some of the key words from this paragraph should be one of partnership, with the goals of nurturing, sustaining, fostering, and shaping our microcosms. It must be stalwart, driven, and energetic with a clear sense of purpose. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Strong, determined, vibrant, and visionary leadership is crucial, not only for guiding a movement, not only for shepherding a whole nation through the wilderness, and not only for commanding a starship in the 23</span><span style="font-size: 10.7px; letter-spacing: 0px;"><sup>rd</sup></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"> or 24</span><span style="font-size: 10.7px; letter-spacing: 0px;"><sup>th</sup></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"> centuries, but also for managing even the smallest of organizations; the congregations that we each call our own. Yet maintaining the strength, determination, vibrancy, and forward thinking of a congregation’s leadership requires remembering why each leader serves, periodically altering the crew that is in charge and, at indiscriminate moments, perhaps turning to a new generation of leaders.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Both of our congregations currently face a dilemma when it comes to leadership. For those who are unaware, and since we all could use a harsh reminder, neither of our congregations currently has a president. I will repeat that, neither CBS nor the JCK has a president. It is like a ship without a captain, a nation without a leader, and like the Israelites in the desert without Moses. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>When my colleagues ask how we manage to operate without a president, I share that we have a committed executive committee and board so we get by. But, that’s just it; we get by. Getting by is not good enough, and we have to do better.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The lack of a president is, in many ways, a symptom of a larger and more troublesome issue facing our communities. To the best of my knowledge, both of our congregations have, by and large and over the past many years, been recycling leaders. Our boards have either remained stagnant or have seen a turnover in the form of certain board members moving off the board, only to be replaced, more often than not, with former board members. This does not work.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>In a <a href="http://womensrabbinicnetwork.wordpress.com/2013/06/04/the-ten-commandments-for-smalls/"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: blue;">blog post</span></span></a> for the Women’s Rabbinic Network, my colleague Rabbi Dr. Kari Tuling lists what she has derived as the “Ten Commandments for Smalls.” After serving a variety of small congregations, each under 100 families, she offers advice to congregations, like both of ours, to ensure our successful existences. As her second commandment, she writes:</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“Enforce turnover in your leadership. What is the fastest way to kill a congregation? Allow certain members to sit on the board indefinitely. You absolutely must – and I cannot stress this enough – create a mechanism for turnover and see to it that your newcomers are able to cycle through the leadership positions. Otherwise, three things will happen, to your great detriment: (a) newcomers will leave because they will see that they have no hope of being heard (b) the ‘perma-members’ on the board will eventually veto any and all new ideas (‘we tried that before and it didn’t work’) and (c) if someone persists and actually tries implementing a new idea, doing so will create an old-guard/new-guard split. New blood is necessary to the health of the congregation.”</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">To her list of three detrimental things I would also add that, without turnover, our current leaders will begin to feel burnt out, grow cynical, might develop feelings of apathy for our congregations or, in the worst case scenario, just give up. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The problem we face is the small and ever-shrinking pool of willing leaders. Which leads me back to one of those key words from the vision statement; partnership. Within our individual congregations we are all in partnership with, and responsible for, one another. I conveyed this idea on the second day of Rosh Hashanah with the goal of getting us each to realize the true sense of intimate, shared community. A congregation is nothing without relationships and the sacred attachment between one another. To highlight that point, I shared with you this observation made by Albert Einstein: </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“Strange is our situation here upon earth. Each of us comes for a short visit, not knowing why, yet sometimes seeming to divine a purpose. From the standpoint of daily life, however, there is one thing we do know: that man is here for the sake of other men-above all for those upon whose smile and well-being our own happiness depends, and also for the countless unknown souls with whose fate we are connected by a bond of sympathy.”</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">In that sermon, however, I was a little less than honest with you; I only used half of Einstein’s quote. The rest reads:</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“Many times a day I realize how much my own outer and inner life is built upon the labors of my fellow men, both living and dead, and how earnestly I must exert myself in order to give in return as much as I have received. My peace of mind is often troubled by the depressing sense that I have borrowed too heavily from the work of other men.”</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Being a member of a community, especially a small congregation, comes with certain responsibilities to that community. Leadership of a congregation cannot be left to the few men and women who have been bold and spirited enough to step up. We should all feel a sense of pride in our congregations and a sense of duty and obligation to step into leadership roles. If nothing else, we should feel that same sense of indebtedness that Einstein expressed, the desire to give as much, if not more, than we received, and the drive to pay it forward.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Arguably, the greatest leader in all of Jewish history, again, is our pal Moses, who never wanted to be a leader in the first place. God called to Moses from the Burning Bush, summoning him to service. In that same vein I call upon all of you this evening. If you are not currently, or have yet to become a leader in either of our congregations, I am calling on you, asking for your support in the form of service to your congregation. We need your intelligence, honesty, energy, creativity, logic, and talent to help us pay it forward.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>When God called upon Moses, Moses used every excuse he could think of to get out of leading the people. We all live hectic and busy lives and treasure every precious free moment in our schedules. Up until this point, I have labeled the idea of taking on leadership roles in our congregations as a duty, an obligation, and a debt that we need to pay. We all make excuses when trying to avoid adding to our calendars, especially when we are <i>told</i> that we are <i>obligated</i> to do something which we might not want to do. </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span> But taking on a leadership role goes far beyond obligation and debt. Taanit 11a in the Talmud teaches us, </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“When the community is in trouble, a person should not say, ‘I will go to my house and I will eat and drink and be at peace with myself.’” Further, </span><span style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Pirke Avot 2:2 teaches, “Let all those who occupy themselves with the business of the community do so only for the sake of heaven, for the merit of their ancestors will sustain them and their devotion, too, will endure forever.” </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">To take time out of your busy day, to work for the benefit of your greater community, and to become a leader in your congregation is a mitzvah and, I can assure you, it will be a rewarding and enriching experience for our congregations and, most of all, for you.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>To those who have previously fulfilled and those who are currently fulfilling the mitzvah of leading your community, I thank you for your time and effort. To those who have yet to take on the mantle of leadership, I ask you for your help. We need you, your energy, and your ideas. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The Moses generation is expending more and more energy each day, growing increasingly tired and burnt out. The time for excuses is over. The time for true partnership, for shared responsibility, and for the fulfillment of a great mitzvah is upon us. Now is the time for the next generation, the Joshua generation, the Picard generation, to take control and lead the continued journeys of our congregations. <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><i>Chazak v’Ematz</i>, may you be strong and resolute in your service to your congregation, so that each of us, JCK and CBS, may live long and prosper.</span></div>
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RabbiYoshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09706455106638086935noreply@blogger.com0