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Vayeitzei (Genesis 28:10−32:3)

November 27, 2020/in Torah Tidbit

This Week’s Torah Portion: Vayeitzei – וַיֵּצֵא (Genesis 28:10−32:3)

The story of Jacob’s Ladder is one of the most luminous spiritual moments in all of the Torah.  Our wayward ancestor Jacob, having set forth on a journey he is totally unprepared to complete, lays his head down in the darkness of a desert night and dreams of a ladder that connects heaven to earth with God standing beside it, blessing Jacob on his journey. When Jacob awakens from his dream he says: “God was in this place and I, I did not know.”

What is the meaning of Jacob’s dream? Well, here is an interesting bit of gematria, mystical mathematics, based on the numerical value of the letters of each word of Torah. The Hebrew word for a ladder is sulam. The numerical value of the letters in that word (samech, lamed, mem) is 130. The value of the letters in the word Sinai (samech, yud, nun, yud) is also 130.

Jacob’s Ladder is a lesson on the presence of God in all of our lives. We expect to see God in the once upon a lifetime, Mount Sinai, miraculous moments of our lives. What Jacob discovers is that God is with us always and everywhere, in times of thanksgiving and in times of need. 

“Where is God? Wherever we let God in.”

Parsha Vayeitzei Torah Summary:

Jacob dreams of angels going up and down a ladder. God blesses him. Jacob names the place Bethel. (28:10-22) Jacob works seven years in order to marry Rachel, but Laban tricks Jacob into marrying Leah, Rachel’s older sister. (29:16-25) Jacob marries Rachel but only after having to commit himself to seven more years of working for Laban. (29:26-30) Leah, Rachel, and their maidservants, Bilhah and Zilpah, give birth to eleven sons and one daughter. (29:31-30:24) Jacob and his family leave Laban’s household with great wealth. (31:1-32:3)

BRO TALK with Max Shapira

November 24, 2020/in Featured, News

BRO TALK with The Temple Brotherhood
Tuesday, November 24 at 6:00 pm

Join The Temple Brotherhood for their first BRO TALK with Max Shapira, President of Heaven Hill Distillery.

from https://www.whiskeyuniv.com/s-max-shapira

Max Shapira was the only son of Ed Shapira, one of the five brothers who founded Heaven Hill Distilleries following the repeal of Prohibition. Max has been with Heaven Hill for 48 years and at the helm of the Bourbon Behemoth during a period of rapid growth and expansion and brand acquisitions which has made Heaven Hill the world’s second largest bourbon distiller by volume.

Dating back to 1935 five local Bardstown businessmen including Ed and David Shapira and Mr. Joseph L. Beam (Jim Beam’s cousin) put their heads and their wallets together and started a distillery. The Shipira’s initial investment was 40% of total and equaled $17,500 (Mr. Joe had a 20% share or half of that of the Shapiras at $8,750) into a company that had no still, no warehouses, no brand names and no inventory. That amount is the equivelent of $330,000 in today’s monetary value. On December 13th, 1935, the first barrel was filled at Heaven Hill Distillery. The name was taken from William Heavenhill, a farmer who previously owned the land where the distillery was built. An old wise tale claims that when one of the partners went and applied for the distillery permit he typed the name wrong as two words instead of one. From that point on the name stuck. Ed later went to all his other brothers and asked them to join him. Around 1939 the five Shapira brothers (David, Ed, Gary, George and Mose) all agreed to invest another $20,000 to buy out their partners and keep the business running. The Shapira Brothers were inducted posthumously into the Bourbon Hall of Fame as a collective group in only its second class in 2002.

Two of the sons of the five Shapira brothers followed in their collective fathers’ footsteps. Max L. Shapira (1943-present), Ed Shapira’s son, came aboard at Heaven Hill at the age of 28 in 1971. Max had graduated with his Masters in Business Administration from Harvard and worked on Wall Street for five years before coming back to join the firm. Max became the first member of all the Shapira grandchildren to join the family business. His cousin Harry Shapira (1947-2013) , who was David Shapira’s son would also go to work for Heaven Hill when he started in 1973.

Max Shapira , the son of Ed shapira was born in Louisville in 1943 and most of his childhood he grew up in Bardstown near the the Heaven Hill distillery. Shapira left the family and Bardstown to go to college. He earned his Batchelor’s degree at Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia in 1965 and went on to earn his Masters in Business Administration from Harvard Business School in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1967. Among all his siblings and cousins in the Shapira family it would be Max that eventually assumed a leadership role for the second generation of Shapiras. He came aboard at Heaven Hill at the age of 28 in 1970 as the Director of Corporate Planning after five years at J. P. Morgan on Wall Street working in corporate acquisitions.

Early on in his days at Heaven Hill he was thrown into learning all aspects of the distillery business, he worked with his father side by side until his father’s death in 1982. The longest surviving of the five Shapira brothers was George Shapira who passed away in 1996. At that time Max took over as President at Heaven Hill. Shapira would become the Captain and pilot of the Heaven Hill ship guiding through both good and bad times.

It wasn’t an easy business to run at that time because the whiskey industry was at the bottom of all liquor sales in eighties and almost disappeared. But under Max’s stewardship Heaven Hill diversified. The made or bought a branded liquor product in all spirit categories. They actually started buying up other brands whean almost everyone else way selling. He encouraged Master Distiller Parker Beam to amp up research and development inside of Heaven Hill’s laboratories to find new products. They also built upon their current route structure to leverage their new and acquired products with their existing distributors.

In September 2018, Max Shapira became only the third recipient of the Kentucky Hall of Fame’s Parker Beam Lifetime Achievement Award. Only illustrious Bourbon leaders Jimmy Russell of Wild Turkey and Bill Samuels Jr. of Maker’s Mark proceeded Max in earning the award. The award was named in 2015 for Parker Beam, who joined Heaven Hill in 1960 as a sixth-generation distiller in his storied family. He became Master Distiller in 1975 and earned numerous awards for distilling, aging and selecting some of the world’s most acclaimed Bourbons.

YouTube link for BRO TALK with Max Shapira: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99QUpebZcPY

Toldot (Genesis 23:1−25:18)

November 20, 2020/in Torah Tidbit

This Week’s Torah Portion: Toldot – תּוֹלְדֹת (Genesis 25:19−28:9)

Jacob’s journey to adulthood is a long and arduous tale and it does not begin well. Jacob, whose name means “heel,” begins his life as the ultimate trickster. He is born grasping onto his brother’s heel and so he lives out his young life – grasping always to trip up his brother, grasping to gain what is not rightfully his own.

But, eventual he sheds the name “heel” and Jacob begins to “heal.” Jacob finds love and begins a family. He learns to use his wits to find his own way in the world. Jacob journeys home hoping to heal that rift he has created. He has been blessed with more than enough wealth in flocks and herds to have and to share with his brother. He has learned that family matters more than anything any of us might have or own. Jacob wrestles with an angel and receives a new name, Israel.  Israel is our people’s name. Israel represents us all.

Jacob’s journey to becoming Israel is a lesson for us all: a lesson on our ability to learn and to grow, a lesson on what really matters in life, a lesson on what to be thankful for. 

Parsha Toldot Torah Summary:

Rebekah has twins, Esau and Jacob. (25:19-26) Esau gives Jacob his birthright in exchange for some stew. (25:27-34) King Abimelech is led to think that Rebekah is Isaac’s sister and later finds out that she is really his wife. (26:1-16) Isaac plans to bless Esau, his firstborn. Rebekah and Jacob deceive Isaac so that Jacob receives the blessing. (27:1-29) Esau threatens to kill Jacob, who then flees to Haran. (27:30-45)

Chayei Sarah (Genesis 23:1−25:18)

November 13, 2020/in Torah Tidbit

This Week’s Torah Portion: Chayei Sarah – חַיֵּי שָׂרָה (Genesis 23:1−25:18)

Abraham had three sons, not two.

Abraham had three sons, Ishmael (literally God will hear), Yitzhak (literally he will laugh) and Yivke (literally he will cry).  

Nobody ever heard about Yivke, because he was the small one

The beloved son who was sacrificed on Mount Moriah.

Ishmael was saved by his mother Hagar, Yitzhak was rescued by the angel,

But nobody saved Yivke. When he was small

His father lovingly named him Yivke, Yivk, my lovely little Yevk.

But he sacrificed him at the Akeda.

The Torah says it was a ram, but it was Yivke.

Yishmael never again heard God.

Yitzhak never laughed again

And Sarah only laughed once, never again.

Abraham had three sons,

Yishma, Yitzhak, Yivke,

Ishmael, Yitzhak-el, Yivke-El.  

Taken from “Open Shut Open” by Yehuda Amichai:

Parsha Chayei Sarah Torah Summary:

Abraham purchases the cave of Machpelah in order to bury his wife Sarah. (23:1-20) Abraham sends his servant to find a bride for Isaac. (24:1-9) Rebekah shows her kindness by offering to draw water for the servant’s camels at the well. (24:15-20) The servant meets Rebekah’s family and then takes Rebekah to Isaac, who marries her. (24:23-67) Abraham takes another wife, named Keturah. At the age of one hundred and seventy-five years, Abraham dies, and Isaac and Ishmael bury him in the cave of Machpelah. (25:1-11) Abraham had three sons, not two. Abraham had three sons, Ishmael (literally God will hear), Yitzhak (literally he will laugh) and Yivke (literally he will cry). Nobody ever heard about Yivke, because he was the small one The beloved son who was sacrificed on Mount Moriah. Ishmael was saved by his mother Hagar, Yitzhak was rescued by the angel, But nobody saved Yivke. When he was small His father lovingly named him Yivke, Yivk, my lovely little Yevk. But he sacrificed him at the Akeda. The Torah says it was a ram, but it was Yivke. Yishmael never again heard God. Yitzhak never laughed again And Sarah only laughed once, never again. Abraham had three sons, Yishma, Yitzhak, Yivke, Ishmael, Yitzhak-el, Yivke-El. Taken from “Open Shut Open” by Yehuda Amichai:

Behind the Scenes with The Temple Staff

November 9, 2020/in Featured, News

Join us Behind the Scenes! While our members continue to stay safe at home, The Temple staff has been busier than ever!

For a peek behind the curtain of what goes on in a typical day, we created a quick video! While we may not see you in person, The Temple continues to facilitate an expansive array of educational classes, religious services, meetings, mailings, ZOOM calls, emails, technology advancements, building updates, membership, volunteers, Tikkun Olam, maintenance projects, fundraising, Covid-19 protocol, religious school, preschool, special events, inter-congregational alliances, etc. All require an enormous amount of legwork! In short, it takes a lot to run a congregation from a very small team and the goal is to continue to engage our members safely each month and maintain The Temple’s continuity in your life.

Thank you for being a Temple member – we value your ongoing support and look forward to seeing you again in person soon!

Behind the Scenes Video Director, Producer, & Editor: Benji Berlow

Join us Behind the Scenes! While our members continue to stay safe at home, The Temple staff has been busier than ever!

For a peek behind the curtain of what goes on in a typical day, we created a quick video! While we may not see you in person, The Temple continues to facilitate an expansive array of educational classes, religious services, meetings, mailings, ZOOM calls, emails, technology advancements, building updates, membership, volunteers, Tikkun Olam, maintenance projects, fundraising, Covid-19 protocol, religious school, preschool, special events, inter-congregational alliances, etc. All require an enormous amount of legwork! In short, it takes a lot to run a congregation from a very small team and the goal is to continue to engage our members safely each month and maintain The Temple’s continuity in your life.

Thank you for being a Temple member – we value your ongoing support and look forward to seeing you again in person soon!

Behind the Scenes Video Director, Producer, & Editor: Benji Berlow

Vayeira (Genesis 18:1–22:24)

November 6, 2020/in Torah Tidbit

This Week’s Torah Portion: Vayeira – וַיֵּרָא (Genesis 18:1–22:24)

Lovingkindness, compassion, and empathy are the highest values of Jewish living, way before religious observance and ritual and worship as we learn  – “The reward one receives for accompanying guests is greater than all of the others. This is a statute which Abraham our Patriarch instituted and the path of kindness which he would follow. He would feed wayfarers, provide them with drink, and accompany them. Showing hospitality for guests surpasses receiving the Divine Presence.” Maimonides Mishne Torah, Laws of mourning, 14:2

Parsha Vayeira Torah Summary:

Abraham welcomes three visitors, who announce that Sarah will soon have a son. (18:1-15) Abraham argues with God about the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. (18:16-33) Lot’s home is attacked by the people of Sodom. Lot and his two daughters escape as the cities are being destroyed. Lot’s wife is turned into a pillar of salt. (19:1-29) Lot impregnates his daughters, and they bear children who become the founders of the nations Moab and Ammon. (19:30-38) Abimelech, king of Gerar, takes Sarah as his wife after Abraham claims that she is his sister. (20:1-18) Isaac is born, circumcised, and weaned. Hagar and her son, Ishmael, are sent away; an angel saves their lives. (21:1-21) God tests Abraham, instructing him to sacrifice Isaac on Mount Moriah. (22:1-19) Lovingkindness, compassion and empathy are the highest values of Jewish living, way before religious observance and ritual and worship as we learn – “The reward one receives for accompanying guests is greater than all of the others. This is a statute which Abraham our Patriarch instituted and the path of kindness which he would follow. He would feed wayfarers, provide them with drink, and accompany them. Showing hospitality for guests surpasses receiving the Divine Presence.” Maimonides Mishne Torah, Laws of mourning, 14:2

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