This past Monday, January 21, was the observance of civil rights leader Martin Luther King. I feel that his non-violent approach to equal rights is an example of chapter 22 verse 20: "You shall not wrong a stranger or oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt." That is, learning from your oppression and not holding it against other people. Dr. King didn't want to punish people for what blacks and other minorities had been through; He simply wanted better treatment by starting off on a new page.
Monday, January 27, 2014
Friday, January 17, 2014
Yitro (Ex. 18:1-20:23)
We must be willing to listen to our elders. Moses was certainly not a young man but he was willing heed his father-in-law Jethro's advice to split the responsibility of helping the Israelites with their issues. Rabbi Simcha Zissel Ziv, the Alter of Kelm also comments on willingness: "The one who answers 'amen' is greater than the one who makes the blessing " (Talmud, Nazir 66b). Why? Because this indicates willingness to accept the obligation of the words.
Tuesday, January 7, 2014
Beshalach (Ex. 13:17-17:16)
Beshalach includes the parting of the Red Sea. Separation is very vital to our religion. The Creation parasha (Bereishit ) involves division of light and dark, day and night, and heavens and the earth. The final parasha of the Torah (V'zot ha-berakh ) sees the separation of the Israelites from the wilderness and into the Promised Land.
An important tenet of our Ten Commandments is the observance of Shabbat. Shabbat is the separation from the six ordinary days. Havdallah brings us back to the work week. Finally, as the Chosen people there is a division. We live in the world but are also separate as we are to be a living example of holiness.
Sunday, December 29, 2013
Bo (Ex. 10:1-13:16)
Bo (בא ) has a gematria of 3. That makes me call to mind the 3 Patriarchs. Therefore, it signals what a great leader Moshe Rabbeinu would be for our people. We, too, can and will do great things for our and all people.
Monday, December 23, 2013
Va'era (6:2-9:35)
Moses is nervous but must lead his people. With great power comes great responsibility. Hashem appears as a burning bush in yet another example of the power of light. But before there can be light, there must be a spark. Mitzvot are are sparks to be the light among nations.
Shemot (Ex. 1:1-6:1)
By Moses' life being spared, the Jewish people had a leader. "Whosoever that saves a life, it is considered as if he saved an entire world." (Jerusalem Talmud, Sanhedrin 4:1)
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
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