“Remembering our sufferings should lead us to be sensitive, compassionate, and kind with the ‘ger’, stranger, who lives in our societies”

B”H

Rabbi Daniela Szuster

This week’s parashah deals with different kinds of laws: civil, moral, and religious. Among these laws, there is one related to strangers. This law appears twice in this week’s portion of the Torah:

“You shall not wrong a stranger or oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.” (Sh’mot 22:20)

“You shall not oppress a stranger, for you know the feelings of the stranger, having yourselves been strangers in the land of Egypt.” (Sh’mot 23:9)

This law does not appear only in this portion of the Torah but it appears, according to the Talmud, thirtysix times in the Torah! (Talmud Babli Baba Metzia 59b).

Why do we have this law so many times in the Torah? Maybe to highlight the importance of this law. It is important and essential to not oppress the stranger who lives in our societies.

What is the reason for that? You may say that because the stranger is a human being, it is created in God’s image.  Therefore, he deserves respect and be treated with dignity as every person does. These are rational reasons.  However, it is interesting to note that the Torah does not appeal to a rational argument but to an empathetic one.

Read More...

Torah Thoughts: Parashat Yitro 5780

B”H

Rabbi Rami Pavolotzky

The parasha for this week, Yitro, includes the reading of the Ten Commandments. The first word of the Ten Commandments is Anochi, “I” in Hebrew. The Hebrew word anochi starts with the Hebrew letter aleph, which is the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet. It seems natural to have such an important text as the Ten Commandments start with the first letter of the alphabet.

However, there is another very important text in the Torah that starts with the second letter of the Hebrew alphabet, bet. I am referring to the creation of the world (and you could say, to the Torah in general), which starts with the word Bereshit, “In the beginning.”

There is a charming Midrash that describes how the letter aleph was so upset with God, and angrily complained to Him that He should have created the world with her (starting the story of the Creation of the world with the letter aleph). After all, she was the first letter! Why had God started his creation with the second letter of the alphabet?

Read More...

The Dropping of the Manna as a Way to Rebuild the Israelite’s Trust in God

B”H

Rabbi Daniela Szuster

After the Israelites were liberated from the tyranny of Pharaoh, after six weeks of the Exodus, the people started to complain. First, because they were thirsty and then, because they were starving. God, immediately, provided them with water and food. Regarding the food, God said to Moses:

“I will rain down bread for you from the sky, and the people shall go out and gather each day that day’s portion—that I may thus test them, to see whether they will follow My instructions or not.” (Sh’mot 16:4)

The Israelites were starving, and God assured them food giving them bread from the sky. At the end of this verse it is written, “that I may thus test them, to see whether they will follow My instructions or not.” What does it mean? Did God give them manna to feed them or to test them? How did God test the people providing them manna?

Read More...

“Come with Me”

B”H

By Rabbi Rami Pavolotzky

This week’s parasha is titled Bo, which literally means “come.” On this parasha we are told about the last three of the ten plagues. Many commandments appear on the last part of the parasha.

The first verse of this Torah section read, “The Lord said to Moses: “Come to Pharaoh…” The meaning of this order seems to be “Go to Pharaoh,” but, as I already wrote, the literal meaning is, “come to Pharaoh.” Why is this and what can we learn from this?

According to the famous Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Kotzk (better known as the Kotzker Rebbe, Poland, 1787-1859, he was a Hasidic rabbi and leader), this verse hints to God’s omnipresence. Since God is everywhere all the time, you cannot really walk away from God. As it is written in Isaiah (6:3), “the whole earth is full of His glory.” Therefore, God tells Moses, “come, let us go to Pharaoh.” Moses cannot go alone, because God is always with him.

Read More...

The Diversity of God’s Names

B”H

Rabbi Daniela Szuster

“God spoke to Moses and said to him, ‘I am the Lord, I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as El Shaddai, but I did not make Myself known to them by My name YHVH.’” (Sh’mot 6:2-3)

This is the beginning of this week’s parashah. Several questions arise from these words, concerning the names of God. God affirms that he appeared before the patriarchs in a particular way, as El Shaddai, while He reveals Himself before Moses with the name of Adonai (YHVH).

What does this difference in God’s revelations mean? Why did God choose to appear as El Shaddai before the patriarchs and as Adonai before Moses? What do each of these names represent? Is one of them more important than the other? These words hold a large spectrum of mysteries as regards to God’s names.

Read More...

Preserving Human Life

B”H

By Rabbi Rami Pavolotzky

This week we begin the book of Shemot, Exodus. It begins by telling us that a new king arose in Egypt who did not know Joseph. This new king saw that the Israelites were very numerous and, in fact, could threaten his kingdom. This Pharaoh taxed the Hebrews and forced them to work for him, but despite these hardships the Hebrew people continued to increase in number.

Pharaoh then decided to make harsher rules against the Israelites. He decreed that

Read More...

Reuben’s Fears and the Consequences of not Acting with Determination

B”H

Rabbi Daniela Szuster

This week’s parashah, Parashat Vayeshev, starts telling the story of Joseph and his brothers which lasts the four last parashiyyot of the Book of Berehsit.  The Torah tells us that Jacob favored Joseph among his children and gave him a special garment. Joseph loved to tell his dreams to his father and brothers. Joseph had grandiloquent dreams where he appears as the star and the rest of the family are like his servants. Besides this, the Torah tells us that Joseph brought bad reports of their brothers to his father. In sum, Joseph had very bad relationships with his brothers. They hated him and could not stand him anymore. Joseph’s brothers hated him so much at the point that they wanted to kill him.  What evil plans did they have?

It is written in the Torah: “They said to one another, “Here comes that dreamer! Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits; and we can say, ‘A savage beast devoured him.’ We shall see what comes of his dreams!” (Bereshit 37: 19-20).

Read More...

A Recipe for Spiritual Growth

B”H

Rabbi Rami Pavolotzky

At the beginning of our parasha, Jacob returns to Canaan. He has been living in Charan for 20 years avoiding meeting with his brother Esau. Esau had expressed his intention of killing Jacob, as revenge for taking his blessing from their father Isaac.

Before the feared reunion, Jacob sends representatives to Esau in hope of a reconciliation, but his messengers report that his brother is coming to him with 400 armed men. A well-known commentary by Rashi to this Torah section explains that we can learn from these verses that Jacob prepares himself for the high-stakes meeting by doing three things: He prays to God, he sends Esau a huge gift (consisting of hundreds of heads of livestock) to appease him, and he gets ready for war.

Read More...

Looking for Meaning in our lives

B”H

Rabbi Daniela Szuster

This week’s parashah tells us that Jacob ran away from his family’s home because he feared that Esau would kill him after Jacob tricked their father into giving him the blessing, the blessing that should have been given to Esau.  

Jacob, our patriarch, reached Haran, where his mother’s family lived.  He saw Rachel there, and it was love at first sight. It is written in the Torah: “Jacob kissed Rachel and broke into tears.” (Bereshit 29: 11). He was so excited to find the love of his life that he cried with emotion.

After that, Jacob made an agreement with Laban, Rachel’s brother.  Jacob would work for him for seven years in order to marry Rachel. The Torah says, “Jacob loved Rachel so answered, ‘I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel” (Genesis 29:18).

This verse is very special, given that there are few places in the Torah that use the verb ‘to love’ between a man and a woman. We could say that Jacob was the first romantic lover to appear in the Torah.

Read More...

Living Meaningful Lives

B”H

By Rabbi Rami Pavolotzky
 
In this week’s parasha, Toldot, the Torah tells us that Rebecca and Isaac had twins, Jacob and Esau. We also find the famous story of the “sale of the birthright” by Esau to Jacob. We read the story of Isaac and Rebecca in Gerar in the land of the Philistines, including the problems Isaac had there with both the wells that his father Abraham had dug, and the wells Isaac himself dug. Finally, we are told what happens when Isaac, old and blind, is tricked by his son Jacob into giving him the firstborn blessing. Fearful of how his brother Esau might respond to the deception, Jacob leaves his home.

Toldot is the only parasha in the book of Genesis where we can find Isaac as the main character.

Read More...

Abraham and Rebecca: Leaders in Kindness and Hospitality

B”H

By Rabbi Daniela

This week’s parashah, parashat Chayyei Sarah, begins by telling us about Sarah’s death and her burial at the cave of Machpela. After this, Abraham sent his servant Eliezer to Haran in order to find a wife for his son Isaac.

When Abraham’s servant came to the spring of Haran, he met a young woman who was carrying a jar on her shoulder. Then, it is written in the Torah: “The servant ran toward her and said, “Please, let me sip a little water from your jar.”  “Drink, my lord,” she said, and she quickly lowered her jar upon her hand and let him drink. When she had let him drink his fill, she said, “I will also draw for your camels, until they finish drinking.” Quickly emptying her jar into the trough, she ran back to the well to draw, and she drew for all his camels.” (Bereshit 24: 18-20)

After these actions, Abraham’s servant realized that this young woman would be the appropriate wife for Isaac. Why? Because through these actions she showed her kindness, generosity, and compassion for human beings and for animals.

Read More...

Thanks, God, for the Guests!

B”H

By Rabbi Rami Pavolotzky

At the beginning of our parasha Abraham is sitting in his tent when God appeared to him. He sees three men nearby. The Torah says: “And he lifted his eyes and saw, and behold, three men were standing beside him, and he saw, and he ran toward them from the entrance of the tent, and he prostrated himself to the ground. And he said, “My lords, if only I have found favor in your eyes, please do not pass on from beside your servant. Please let a little water be taken, and bathe your feet, and recline under the tree. And I will take a morsel of bread, and sustain your hearts; after[wards] you shall pass on, because you have passed by your servant.” And they said, “So shall you do, as you have spoken” (Genesis 18:3-5).

This is considered a classic Jewish source for Hachnasat Orchim, the mitzvah of welcoming guests. As you may know, inviting and welcoming guests is considered a great commandment, a great honor, and a great pleasure at the same time. That is why you will see observant people trying to have guests whenever they are able to, especially for Shabbat and festival meals.

Among the verses I quoted above, you can find Abraham telling his prospective guests,

“וְאֶקְחָה פַת לֶחֶם וְסַעֲדוּ לִבְּכֶם”

Read More...

“The Blessing of Seeing and to Be Seen”

B”H

By Rabbi Daniela Szuster

Parashat Lech Lecha tells us that Sarah couldn’t bear a child so she had the idea that her servant Hagar would conceive a child with Abraham on her behalf. That was what happened. When Hagar was pregnant, Sarah treated her harshly and Hagar ran away from her.

When Hagar was in the desert, an angel of God found her and encouraged her to return with Sarah and Abraham and promised her great blessings for her future son. After listening to the angel, Hagar named God and said:

 “You Are El-Roi,” by which she meant, “Have I not gone on seeing after He saw me!” (Bereshit 15: 13)

Read More...

Torah is Not a Book of History

B”H

By Rabbi Rami Pavolotzky

This week we read parashat Noach, the Torah section that tells the famous story of the universal flood. The main character of this parasha is, of course, Noah, the leader God chose to rebuild humanity. The fact that this parasha bears the name of Noah only adds to his remarkable figure.

According to the Torah, Noah lived 950 years (Genesis 9:29). However, how much do we know about Noah, apart from we are told regarding the story of the flood? Almost nothing! We are only told about a dark episode that apparently occurred right after the flood ended, when Noah got drunk (Genesis 9:20-27). We are also told that he had three children and that he was 650 years old when the flood started (Genesis 7:6) and that he lived 350 years after the flood (Genesis 9:28).

Read More...

Lovingkindness Frames the Entire Torah

B”H

Rabbi Daniela Szuster

Last Tuesday, during the services for Simchat Torah, we concluded the reading of the Torah, we read the last section of the Torah and immediately after that, we started to read the beginning of the Torah again. This means that we never stop reading the Torah, it is like an eternal cycle without a beginning and end.  From the death of our great leader Moses we went directly, without brakes, to the narration of the creation of the world.

The sages find something similar in the last part of the Torah and in the beginning of it. They narrate different stories which happened in different times, but both texts contain a similar spirit.

In the final Torah portion, V’zot Habrachah, we read that God personally carried Moses to his final resting place and buried him there (Deuteronomy 34:6). It is sweet and lovely to know that God personally accompanied Moses in his last days and buried him. It is a very deep and moving scene.

Read More...

Dancing with our Books!

B”H

By Rabbi Rami Pavolotzky

Simchat Torah‎, literally “The Joy/Rejoicing of the Torah” is the holiday that celebrates and marks both the conclusion of the annual cycle of the ritual Torah reading and the beginning of a new cycle. It also marks the end of the “holiday season” of the month of Tishrei, which includes Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, and Shemini Atzeret.

The main celebrations of Simchat Torah take place in the synagogue during evening and morning services. On each occasion, the worshippers leave their seats to dance and sing with the Torah scrolls. In the morning, the last and the first paragraphs of the Torah are read

Read More...

“I will Hide My Countenance from Them” (Devarim 32:20)

B”H

Rabbi Daniela Szuster

Parashat Haazinu is the only parashah where most of the text is written in a poetic manner.  In this song, Moses speaks mostly of the future, but without forgetting the present and past.  He warns his people, guides them and advises them, just before he passes the mantle to Joshua, after Moses’ many years of leadership.

In this opportunity, I would like to focus on one verse from this parashah:

“The Lord said: I will hide My countenance from them, and see how they fare in the end. For they are a treacherous breed, children with no loyalty in them.” (Devarim 32:20)

Read More...

A Good Start to a Good Year

B”H

By Rabbi Rami Pavolotzky

This coming Shabbat, the one happening between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, is called Shabbat Shuva. These are the first words of the special Hafatarah we read during this Shabbat, which begins with the words Shuva Israel, literally “Return people of Israel.” Some people call this Shabbat Shabbat Teshuva, meaning the Shabbat of repentance. In both cases, it is clear that this Shabbat is an appropriate time for repentance, right before Yom Kippur. As Maimonides wrote in his Mishne Torah (Hilchot Teshuva 2:6), “Although it is ever well to cry out and repent, but during the space of the ten days’ time between Rosh ha-Shanah and Yom ha-Kippurim it is exceedingly better, and the supplication is presently accepted, even as it is said: ‘Seek ye the Lord while He may be found’ (Is. 55.6)”.

Read More...

What Do We Stand For this New year?

B”H

Rabbi Daniela Szuster

“You stand this day, all of you, before the LORD your God—your tribal heads, your elders and your officials, all the men of Israel, your children, your wives, even the stranger within your camp, from woodchopper to water drawer— to enter into the covenant of the LORD your God, which the LORD your God is concluding with you this day, with its sanctions; to the end that He may establish you this day as His people and be your God, as He promised you and as He swore to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I make this covenant, with its sanctions, not with you alone, but both with those who are standing here with us this day before the LORD our God and with those who are not with us here this day.” (Devarim 29: 9-14)

Read More...

“During the year, we live our lives forward, during the High Holidays we are encouraged to understand our lives backwards”

B”H

by Rabbi Daniela Szuster

This week’s Parasha begins by saying: “When you enter the land that the Lord your God is giving you as a heritage, and you possess it and settle in … “(Deuteronomy 26: 1).

After so much suffering as slaves, after years of wandering in the desert, the special moment finally came, the entrance to the desired land of Israel.  The people went through many obstacles and made many mistakes; they experienced pains sorrows and fears.

 At last came the long-awaited moment.  What should the people have done as they entered the land of their dreams?  What would you have done upon arriving there? What did God command in the Torah?

Read More...