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Shalom Rav: “Teach us to Number Each Day: Counting the Omer During Covid”

April 29, 2020/in Rabbi Gaylia's Blog

Counting the Omer is found here

I’m sorry it’s been so long since I’ve written and appreciate the messages from those who were concerned. It’s been a difficult path, as I know it has been for many of us. 

We are now in the 50 days between Pesach and Shavuot known as the Omer, which are a unique and powerful time in the Jewish calendar. From crossing the Sea of Reeds to arriving at Mt. Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments, there are many ups and downs along the way. As surely there will be many ups and downs for us during this 7 week period. 

We have also just commemorated Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Memorial Day,the greatest tragedy of our modern lives. Perhaps that can give us some perspective for our own current crisis. Unlike the Nazis who targeted Jews, Gays, Gypsies, intellectuals, and many others, Covid-19 is an equal opportunity plague (although truthfully we know it is harming far more African Americans and people living in poverty). We, at least, do not have to suffer anxiety, fear, and loss as well as the incomprehensible outrage of people intentionally murdering other humans. 

Today is Yom HaAtzma-ut, Israel Independence Day, when we celebrate the birth of a haven and home for our people. The miracle of the past 72 years must not be taken for granted. Has Israel accomplished all for which we had hoped and dreamed? No, of course not. Modern democracies, even after 244 years, still struggle to create equality, freedom, and justice for all their citizens. 

The period between Yom HaShoah and Yom HaAtzma-ut is called, in Israel, the Time of Revival.  Such a time of transition from death to birth seems especially poignant this year in the midst of this overwhelming pandemic. It encapsulates the emotional intensity of mourning and joy at once. My friend and colleague, Moti Rotem (the first Israeli born, Israeli educated, and Israeli ordained Reform Rabbi), suggests that this period should be compared to the sacred days between Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur, a time for bearing witness.

Counting the Omer is found here

He said, “…it is appropriate to engage in introspection and self-reflection about how we measure up… Just as each of us goes through a process of self-examination during the Days of Repentance in Tishrei…” (which occur in the fall) this time period (in the spring) is an opportunity to do so on a whole new level. 

Right now, rabbis all across the globe are already considering their plans for this year’s High Holy Days. Whether we ultimately use Plan A, Plan B, or Plan C, it will clearly not be the same as previous years and there will surely be empty places and broken hearts. 

But I am wondering even more, how will these Days of Awe feel for us? Regardless of whether we are fortunate enough to gather together in our Houses of Worship or must celebrate through virtual services, what emotions will our prayers evoke this year? I believe when we read the liturgy, it will resonate in new ways.  How will we react to some of the traditional images, like being inscribed in the Book of Life, as we ponder in all new and frightening ways: who will live and who will die?

I know these High Holy Days will be different for all of us. Perhaps that is why this time of reflection now can be a form of preparation and consideration for how we will stand before our Creator at the New Year and look back on the year gone by. Now, while we are sheltering in place, while we are seeing the world through different eyes, now is the time to consider.  If we project forward to what the experience of Yom Kippur might be like, we can begin now the arduous task of self-examination and introspection. We can decide what truly matters in life. We can work toward change. We can decide to heed the timeless words of the Psalmist who said,  “Teach us to number our days that we might get a heart of wisdom.” (Psalm 90:12)

As we journey from Pesach to Shavuot, from Egypt to Sinai, from slavery to covenant, may we count each day for blessing and give thanks for the blessings of each day.

Rav Gaylia
Gaylia R. Rooks, Rabbi Emerita

Counting the Omer is found here

Tazria-M’tzora (Leviticus 12:1-15:33)

April 24, 2020/in Torah Tidbit

This Week’s Torah Portion: Tazria-M’tzora (Leviticus 12:1-15:33)

This week’s Torah Portion, Tazria-M’tzora, is so complex, so filled with slime and ooze, so disgustingly convoluted, that it drives even the great biblical commentator Rashi to simply say:
“I don’t know what this means.”
Seventy-seven times in his commentary on the Bible, Rashi admits this, which is something about Rashi which I have always admired. I mean, after all, he could have simply remained silent, ignored the quagmire of questions about bodily functions too gross to discuss in polite company, and simple moved on in his commentary to the next verse. Yet Rashi tells us, “I don’t know”, so that we would see there is a problem in the verse, even though Rashi himself could not figure out the answer.
It says in the Talmud (Berachot, 4a): “Teach your tongue to say: “I do not know”, from which we learn that it is an essential Jewish value to recognize that we can only know what we know – to know that there will always be more to learn, more to question, more we must struggle to understand.
Blessed are You, Adonai our God, who commands us to engage with words of Torah.

Tazria-M’tzora Summary:

God describes the rituals of purification for a woman after childbirth. (12:1-8) God sets forth the methods for diagnosing and treating a variety of skin diseases, including tzara-at (a leprous affection), as well as those for purifying clothing. (13:1-59) Priestly rituals to cure tzara-at when it afflicts humans are described. (14:1-32) Rituals to rid dwelling places of tzara-at are presented. (14:33-57) The parashah denotes male impurities resulting from a penile discharge or seminal emission. (15:1-18) The parashah concludes with accounts of female impurities caused by a discharge of blood. (15:19-33)

Sh’mini (Leviticus 9:1-11:47)

April 17, 2020/in Torah Tidbit

This Week’s Torah Portion: Sh’mini (Leviticus 9:1-11:47)

“You are what you eat.”
“So on Passover, I am a matzah? Flat, dry, and crumbly?”
“No, give this a chance.”
“You are what you eat.”
“Ok. On Passover, I am a matzah? A remembrance of our Exodus from Egypt.”
“And who are you on Hanukkah?”
“I am a latke, cooked in oil, to remember the miracle of the oil that lasted for eight days.”
“Good, so when this week’s portion teaches us what is fit and unfit to eat, we should learn?”
“You are what you eat.”
“So Parashat Sh’mini teaches us…”
“That we should eat to be fit.”
“Not exactly what I meant, but I think you are getting the idea.”

Sh’mini Summary:

Aaron and his sons follow Moses’ instructions and offer sacrifices so that God will forgive the people. (9:1-24) Two of Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu, offer “alien fire” to God. God punishes these two priests by killing them immediately. (10:1-3) God forbids Moses, Aaron, and his surviving sons from mourning but commands the rest of the people to do so. Priests are told not to drink alcohol before entering the sacred Tabernacle and are further instructed about making sacrifices. (10:4-20) Laws are given to distinguish between pure and impure animals, birds, fish, and insects. (11:1-47)

Chol Ha-moeid Pesach (Exodus 33:12-34:26)

April 10, 2020/in Torah Tidbit

This Week’s Torah Portion: Chol Ha-moeid Pesach (Exodus 33:12-34:26)

This week’s Passover Torah portion carries within it one of the most luminous and awe inspiring moments in all of the Torah. Moses, cradled gently in the hand of God, emerges from the cleft of the rock to glimpse a sight of the Divine Presence just as the glory of God passes by.

But, what exactly did Moses see? What can we learn from this vision of God’s back which Moses glimpses as God passes by? My favorite response to this question is found in the Talmud where Rabbi Shimon Hasida explains that what Moses saw was the knot of the leather strapped tefillin which encircled God’s head. (Berachot 7a)

Wait a minute! God wears tefillin, the traditional prayer garb of a Jew in prayer? Does this mean that God prays? To whom, and for what? The answer, I believe, can only be that God prays for us.

May we be sheltered in God’s protective hands, may we be in God’s prayers, now and always.

Chol Ha-moeid Pesach Summary:

On the Shabbat during Passover, we are reminded of the age-old desire to know God. Moses implores God to let him see God. While God will not allow Moses to see God’s face, God tells Moses, “I will make My goodness pass before you…” Perhaps we experience the divine presence through the goodness we create in the world. The Torah then sets forth the thirteen attributes of God, among them that God is compassionate, gracious, slow to anger and abounding in kindness. By emulating these very attributes, we create the goodness which allows us to know God.

This week’s Passover Torah portion carries within it one of the most luminous and awe inspiring moments in all of the Torah. Moses, cradled gently in the hand of God, emerges from the cleft of the rock to glimpse a sight of the Divine Presence just as the glory of God passes by. But, what exactly did Moses see? What can we learn from this vision of God’s back which Moses glimpses as God passes by? My favorite response to this question is found in the Talmud where Rabbi Shimon Hasida explains that what Moses saw was the knot of the leather strapped tefillin which encircled God’s head. (Berachot 7a) Wait a minute! God wears tefillin, the traditional prayer garb of a Jew in prayer? Does this mean that God prays? To whom, and for what? The answer, I believe, can only be that God prays for us. May we be sheltered in God’s protective hands, may we be in God’s prayers, now and always.

Shalom Rav: Mah Nishtanah? Why is this Pesach different from all others?

April 8, 2020/in Rabbi Gaylia's Blog

We find ourselves in a strange place this year for Pesach. The Hebrew word for Egypt is “Mitzrayim,” which has the root “tzar” in it, meaning narrow. We are currently in a “narrow place” in more ways than one.

Pesach is the festival where we are commanded to retell the story of our slavery in Egypt; how we found the faith and courage to go forth to freedom and a new way of life. Even more, we are told to relive this experience, year after year, as if we ourselves came forth from bondage. And we do. Each year we gather together and open the Haggadah to observe the single most celebrated of all Jewish holidays.

But this year, we – the descendants of Moses and Miriam – have new challenges. We cannot “gather together” and family traditions that may be generations old will be broken. The gift of sitting around the table with family and friends, some even reclining to show we are free, will not be possible in its usual way. Pesach is all about freedom and that is something we see in a new light this Spring, something we have completely taken for granted in our lives.

I’m sure we are all considering how the modern plague of Covid-19 will impact the rest of our lives. Surely this time, the death of loved ones cannot be prevented by smearing our lintels/doorposts with the blood of the paschal lamb (or juice of a beet, as Talmud allows). But we are the Children of Israel and we have survived far worse. We will find the strength and courage to face the challenges of this time. We are a people of eternal hope, even in the face of crisis.

One of my favorite parts of the seder service is the Hillel sandwich. I love the fact that the Earl of Sandwich is credited with having invented the sandwich when actually Rabbi Hillel used it as a teaching tool before even the birth of Jesus. Hillel combined the sweetness of the charoset with the bitterness of the maror to remind us that in hard times, we must always remember that there will, again, be good times. And even in the good times, it’s still important to remember the difficult times. Not because we want to be depressed or dwell on our difficulties, but because hard times will always come. In fact, as we spend this frightening Passover in physical isolation, we pray that we might focus more on the blessings in our lives than the “narrowness” of this moment. Not only will this help to cheer us and make us more filled with gratitude, but more because these hard times can make us more sensitive to other people who have had and are having much more difficult times than we are. And when will finally have this deathly plague under control, they will still be going through much harder times than we ever have.

And so, even though we may be separated from our families, our friends and our communities, we know deep in our souls that we are still part of this ancient people who have survived good times and bad, for millennia. We are connected and sustained by our common sacred stories, our shared history of bravery and faith, and the timeless lessons of our traditions.

This Pesach, let us give thanks for the blessings we are so fortunate to have: our homes, our family (even if they are not at table with us), our precious friends, our community, and the technology to stay connected and supported through cellphones and computers.

T’ruah, the Rabbinic Call for Justice, reminds us that in this time of social distancing, opening our doors for Elijah feels like a radical act, one of hope and freedom.  Rabbi Julie Hilton Danan writes:“Near the end of the Seder we open our doors for Elijah the Prophet, harbinger of salvation. Even when the present is filled with danger and oppression, we maintain our hope and faith, striving for a better future, as symbolized by Elijah and the vision of ‘Next year in Jerusalem.’”

To that I would add, “Next year in Jerusalem – next year COVID-19 free!”

I wish you and your loved ones much sweetness this Passover. Mixed with the bitter herbs of social distancing, it will surely be an unusual holiday. May the example of our ancestors who survived so much more, be a source of strength and inspiration for us all.  May there be soon be times where the sweetness of freedom far outweighs the bitter times, not just for us but for all children of G!D.      And so, from our narrow places, let us celebrate in every possible way our Festival of Freedom, knowing that hope, health, and healing are not far away.      A zissen Pesach – May be it be a sweet Passover.

Rav Gaylia
Gaylia R. Rooks, Rabbi Emerita

Social Distancing, Not Social Isolation

April 3, 2020/in Rabbi Gaylia's Blog

While we are living in a critical time of “social distancing,” we NEED NOT BE in a time of social isolation. We are physically separated but we can have many social connections.

You may be reading this blogpost on your computer or smartphone—let us give thanks that we are privileged to have this technology which so many vulnerable people lack.

Many of us have mobile technology and communication software (like Zoom or Skype) which provide us with opportunities for dates, meetings, check-ins, social hours and even dinner—let us be grateful for these platforms/services which allow us to meet.

We can also reach out (especially to those who are unable for various reasons to connect through technology) with notes, cards, letters, and messages. Once, not so long ago, there was an art to letter writing. Sharing poems, writing notes,and sending expressions of care and thoughtfulness have changed over the past years, but perhaps that only serves to make them more meaningful today.

Sometimes we will feel isolated and lonely. Yet while we are not able to embrace friends and loved ones, we are embraced by G!D’s Presence and sustaining love. While we cannot breathe on anyone, we know that G!D breathes life and hope into us. While we cannot physically comfort others, we know that G!D surrounds us eternally offering comfort. With these assurances, we know too that we share in “Tikkun Olam,” G!D’s redemptive work for us and all creation. G!D’s Presence permeates the world and connects all of creation to G!D.

Sometimes we will feel isolated and lonely. But we are never separated, distanced, excluded, or removed from G!D’s embracing Healing and Love.

While we certainly wish we could meet in person, let us be grateful that we can help “flatten the curve” and join together across great distances by making use of technology and sharing in virtual community and support.

Let us nourish our hearts and sustain our souls during these unprecedented times.

I’ll close by saying that I continue to pray for your health and safety, as well as your own social solidarity in response to this necessary social distancing, and appreciate all you are doing and will be doing to reach out and uplift others.

Rav Gaylia
Rabbi Emerita

The following was written by Paul Williams

When you go out and see the empty streets, the empty stadiums, the empty train platforms, don’t say to yourself, “It looks like the end of the world.” What you’re seeing is love in action. What you’re seeing, in that negative space, is how much we do care for each other, for our grandparents, for our immuno-compromised brothers and sisters, for people we will never meet.

People will lose their jobs over this. Some will lose their businesses. And some will lose their lives. All the more reason to take a moment, when you’re out on your walk, or on your way to the store, or just watching the news, to look into the emptiness and marvel at all of that love. 

Let it fill you and sustain you.  

It isn’t the end of the world. 

It is the most remarkable act of solidarity we may ever witness. 

Tzav (Leviticus 6:1−8:36)

April 3, 2020/in Torah Tidbit

This Week’s Torah Portion: Tzav (Leviticus 6:1−8:36)

“The burnt offering that is to remain on the altar … while the fire is kept burning on the altar” Leviticus 6:2

This is the ongoing endeavor of the people of Israel, to keep the flame burning. The fire needs to remain burning; our relationship with Adonai needs to go on, day and night, never stops.

This Week’s Torah Portion: Tzav (Leviticus 6:1−8:36)

“The burnt offering that is to remain on the altar … while the fire is kept burning on the altar” Leviticus 6:2

This is the ongoing endeavor of the people of Israel, to keep the flame burning. The fire needs to remain burning; our relationship with Adonai needs to go on, day and night, never stops.

Tzav Summary:

The five sacrifices that the priests are to perform are described. (6:1-7:38) Limitations on the consumption of meat are delineated. (7:17-27) Details about the ordination of Aaron and his sons as priests and the preparation of the Tabernacle as a holy place are given. (8:1-36)This Week’s Torah Portion: Tzav (Leviticus 6:1−8:36)

“The burnt offering that is to remain on the altar … while the fire is kept burning on the altar” Leviticus 6:2

This is the ongoing endeavor of the people of Israel, to keep the flame burning. The fire needs to remain burning; our relationship with Adonai needs to go on, day and night, never stops.

Tzav Summary:

The five sacrifices that the priests are to perform are described. (6:1-7:38) Limitations on the consumption of meat are delineated. (7:17-27) Details about the ordination of Aaron and his sons as priests and the preparation of the Tabernacle as a holy place are given. (8:1-36)

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