Dear Friends,
I hope this email finds you well.
It has been a period of consequence and of activity for our nation and world.
It already feels like a long time since our country ushered in a new beginning.
Some of us have been vaccinated.
Yet, the new strains of the virus are worrying to us. We are still far from the end of the pandemic. In one month, we will mark one year since Covid-19 entered our lives.
Israel is leading the world in vaccinating its population and it is also in the midst of a dangerous third wave and is seeing its highest ever level of hospitalizations.
Tensions there – as here - are fraying between the different segments of the population, in particular with the Ultra-Orthodox communities.
In these past days, I have also been touched by the many acts of chesed, lovingkindness that I have witnessed in our community. I heard of a new member who found she had cooked extra portions for Shabbat and searched out who would appreciate a hot meal. I heard of members devoting time and energy to help less tech-savvy neighbors access our synagogue’s Zoom services and programs. I know there are many concerned friends who are regularly calling those who have been secluded for all of these months.
I would like to thank the members of the Caring Committee and our office staff, in particular Sheila Essig, for their work and yes – their care. I would like to remind you to please not hesitate to be in touch with us if you have a need.
Amidst the intensity, it is also important to have fun, laugh, relax, and enjoy each other’s company. I heard from my daughter Shalva’s class in the preschool that the children are enjoying practicing and telling each other jokes. Shalva said to me: “Wouldn’t it be funny to have a rhinoceros as a pet?”
Purim is just around the corner. Expect to hear more news and details about our services and programs in the coming weeks.
And this Shabbat is Shabbat Shirah! It is the Shabbat of Song when we celebrate the crossing of the Sea of Reeds as we will read in the Torah. The slaves were freed at last from Egypt. As part of services on Saturday morning we will be playing videos of soulful music from different parts of the Jewish world, and a brand new video from our Davening Team.
I hope that you will join us.
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Now for our weekly question.
On Shabbat our president Juli Geldner asked: What is it that makes a Torah scroll, kosher or not? Why is it important?
Right after services last week, Cantor Figa shared a story with us of attending a minyan in New York. The Torah was being read. Around the Torah reader were the gabbai rishon, the first gabbai (the person who hands out honors), and the gabbai sheni, the second gabbai (who helps the Torah reader if they stumble in the reading), when suddenly one of them called out, ‘A letter is erased!’ The reading stopped immediately. Everyone looked down. They then rolled the Torah up, put it in the ark, and brought a different scroll out.
This is it. If a single letter is missing the Torah is not considered kosher anymore. Over time, the ink on the parchment wears off and entire sections can become blurry. But if a single letter is erased, the Torah is no longer whole. It is no longer kosher, literally “fit”.
There is a moment at the end of the Torah service, when the scroll is lifted in the Hagbah (the term for the ritual lifting of the Torah showing at least 3 columns to the congregation) and everyone points their pinky finger at the Torah and says, “V'zot haTorah asher sam Moshe lifnei b'nei Yisrael, al pi Adonai b'yad Moshe,” “This is the Torah that Moses set before the Children of Israel by the command of the Lord through Moses.” We point our fingers to say ‘this very Torah is the same Torah’. The traditional belief is that when the Torah is complete, it is the perfect copy of what Jews have handed down from generation to generation for millennia all the way to Moses. We know from the earliest copies we have that the chain has been almost perfectly maintained. The Torah has a certain amount of letters, of words, and in its totality achieves a holiness and a perfection. It is extraordinary to contemplate how much energy has gone into this feat.
In my mind, it is both the tradition but also the powerful love and care that such attentiveness demonstrates that imbues our sacred scriptures with their presence.
As Jews, we take that very seriously.
I wish you a Shabbat shalom. As we cross the sea in our Torah reading this Saturday, may song and joy fill our hearts as filled the hearts of the ancient Israelites.
Here is a clip of the crossing from the movie, Prince of Egypt:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocOs1zes4IA
Sincerely,
Rabbi Adir Glick
