Shabbat Thoughts- Kippah It Covered

One of the most common and significant Jewish items is the Kippah. Sometimes known as yarmulke it is, by far, the most obviously associated symbol of Jewish identity and expression. How often have you reached for a yarmulke upon walking into a synagogue? You might even bring your own. Hopefully, you might even put a yarmulke on your head at home. Yet, how often do we actually think about what a yarmulke represents? You would be surprised to learn that yarmulkes are not mentioned anywhere in the Torah.

          In fact they are not mentioned anywhere in the 39 books of the Hebrew Bible (Tanach). Only after the Bible is closed about 2,200 years ago, during the time of the Mishnaic Oral Law does the act of covering one’s head emerge as a sign of respect.

What is the link between covering one’s head and respect?

         When students from area schools and churches come to Shul, I offer them two explanations. The first is that the head is associated with our brains and we are to use our brains to the best of our abilities. When we do not use our brains appropriately we are dishonoring God. Insulting, teasing, ridiculing or bullying others demeans us because we are improperly using our intellectual abilities.  The second explanation that I offer is less esoteric. Our heads are closest to the heavens. In effect, it is a way of making us more aware of our surroundings and establishing a sense of humility. You might even say that wearing a yarmulke can lead to mindfulness.

         Kippah-wearing is a very strong tradition. While many people would unequivocally stipulate that Yarmulkes belong only to men, there is no prohibition against women wearing a Kippah. If females are comfortable wearing Kippot, let us encourage such a practice. After all, the goals of Yarmulke-wearing are to inculcate humility before God, to instill a sense of mindfulness and to remind ourselves to behave in a respectful manner in all areas of our lives. Better yet, let’s all wear kippot!

     This week’s Torah reading begins with the phrase “Naso et Rosh” which literally means “lift up your head”. Context indicates that it refers to ‘counting heads’. This parshah details a census of Levites, while last week’s parshah enumerated the other 12 tribes. The Levites are counted separately because they have to fulfill the special role of public-guided worship. At the end of the book of Numbers we have a secondary census which took place 40 years later. Why was it necessary to have a second census? Because the community had changed significantly over 40 years.

          Think of how dramatically Jewish life has changed over the past 40 years. Can you even imagine what American Jewish life will look like 40 years from now? Will people be wearing kippot, saying Kiddush, coming to synagogue or studying a Tanach (Bible) in their own homes?

         There is only one way to perpetuate these traditions. It is up to all who are reading this email to observe and maintain these rituals –even to the point of inviting a guest into your home. Such an act of invitation will ensure that at least one more person knows what a Kippah or kiddush cup is.  Such an act would truly lift up our heads and honor God.

Shabbat shalom.  

Shabbat Thoughts- Havdalah And the Wilderness

 Havdalah- A short melodic service to bid Shabbat farewell 

*Tomorrow night at 8:00 p.m. we will make  a Havdalah candle, study the enchanting Scroll of Ruth in English, nosh some ice cream or fruit and celebrate         Shavuos.*

     *Sunday morning, 10-11:00a.m. short study session in honor of Shavuot.*

     ** Monday, Noon- 1:00p.m. Memorial service for our loved ones and service women/men. **

  ******************************

     It has been two weeks and the high plains and mountain desert are still before my eyes, whether closed or open. Two weeks ago, after celebrating my niece’s college graduation, Manette, Jacob, Aaron and I left Boulder behind and entered magnificent country in western Colorado. Hills gave way to mountains and semi-arid desert gave way to green meadows. Cresting a mountain pass in Salida it began to snow, just 30 minutes after leaving expansive plains stretching from one horizon to another.

         Gulches etched with intricate designs evidenced flash flooding. Trees changed before our eyes and boulders of reds, whites, grays and blacks dotted the roads’ shoulders. Occasional herds of cows grazed alongside. Jacob found it unfair that some cows needed to forage for provender beneath snow and yet other cows 20 minutes away enjoyed plenty of green grass. Separate from the cows which sporadically came into view, miles of emptiness ribboned away from our car in all four directions.  It was wilderness.

          As beauty surrounded us it was easy to recognize God’s handiwork and delight therein. Ever-changing scenery held our attention and captured our eyes and our hearts. A restful silence was repeatedly broken by “wow” and “look at that”.

          Now we are home and we are vulnerable to losing the splendor of ‘the Great Outdoors’ which fostered an intense meditative high. Absent the wilderness, how do we maintain such a glow?

          This week’s Parshah (B’meed-bar), which means “in the wilderness,” shares its name with the fourth volume of Torah. God is described as instructing Moses to communicate Divine mandates of holiness to the Israelites. In a glorious, heart-pounding display of beauty it is easy to appreciate God and to commit to follow Godly commands. But unlike Mt.Sinai where the best pyrotechnics in history occurred, B'Meed-bar opens with a voice emerging to Moses from a tent. Such a contrast! Is there a lesson to learn from the awesome experience of God’s coming out of a tent?

         The tent was constructed by a community of people; each of whom shared personal gifts. Some brought artistic ability, others contributed materials and others were the construction managers. The group’s effort, shouldered by many cooperating individuals, generated a structure worthy of housing God and bringing God’s own voice to people.

          We will not always find ourselves in a place of captivating beauty (unless we live in Colorado). Sometimes the wilderness will be unchanging and beauty will turn to monotony. There will be occasions when life is routine. The challenge for us is to feel that we are in God’s presence in ordinary surroundings.

         Until we all make it to a Caribbean island, Sequoia National Forest or Jerusalem, we run the risk of living in an ordinary place and potentially losing a sense of the grandeur of nature which is awe-inspiring. How do we maintain the freshness of our sense of awe? By inviting God into our own beautiful Shul, made all the more enchanting by the sharing of each and every one of us.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Steve Silberman

Shavuos Trivia

1-What is the name of this holiday?

 Ashkenazim call it Shavuos and Sephardim call it Shavuot.

2- Does Shavuot mean anything? ‘Shavua’ means week and ‘Shavuot’ means weeks. The holiday comes seven weeks after Passover.

3- What is the significance of Shavuos? There are two main elements to the holiday. One is it is the anniversary of standing at Mt. Sinai. Second, it is the summer harvest and first fruits are gathered. It is a season of gratitude for having enough to eat and also a season to share with those less fortunate.  

4-Why do we eat dairy foods on Shavuos? The immediate destination after leaving Mt. Sinai would have been the land of Israel (the land of milk and honey). Initially, they were going to arrive within a short span of time and some commentators associate milk and honey with being at and leaving Sinai. The debacle of the 10 spies discouraging them from entering Israel caused them to wander for 38 more years (a total of 40).

5- Do we decorate the house or Shul in any special way?  Yes. It is traditional to bring flowers and plants into homes and shuls in association with the agricultural aspect of Shavuos.

6- Is there a special Bible reading linked to Shavuot?

Yes. We read the Scroll of Ruth. Our shul will be studying Ruth in English on Saturday May 23 at 8:00p.m. (along with eating dairy refreshments).

7- Why do we recite memorial prayers in Hebrew or English (Yizkor) on Shavuot?

It is a Jewish holiday and, like Passover and Sukkot, we tend to think of loved ones on holidays. We pray that they be remembered by us, our families and God.

Our Yizkor service will be on Monday, May 25 from noon to 1:00p.m.

8-How do we greet each other on a Jewish holiday?

A Yiddish greting is ‘Gut Yontiff’ .Yontiff is Yiddish slang for Yom Tov (a Hebrew term which means ‘good day’ and nickname of holiday.

A Hebrew greeting is Chag  Sa-may-ach which means Happy Holiday!

Chag Samayach! Happy Shavuos!

Shabbat Thoughts- May 15 2015

  

Within minutes of hearing about a terrible train crash in Philadelphia and first responders immediately rushing to the site to aid the injured, I learned of a Colorado sheriff's deputy's death and that $67,000 had been raised for the local Sheriff Family Relief Fund and his patrol car been bought for and given to his teenaged son as an expression of consolation. In the wake of disaster, tangible expressions of support demonstrate love and compassion more powerfully than reams of poetry. People need support and care; we need to display tangible acts of concern just as we need to receive these acts of human compassion.

          There are too many threats to our personal and familial safety to enumerate. Acts of terror, cyber-bullying, white-collar crime, antibiotic-resistant bacteria, abuse of loved ones-the list is discouraging. Yet, volunteers and professionals alike continue to selflessly offer their energies, their funds and their personal hope; standing as human shields of compassion for strangers and loved ones alike. Flooded by news stories of anguish, pain and loss, we often do not remember the many accounts of kindness and concern which also abound. All of us want our families to flourish; nothing is more important!

          In this week's Torah reading (Behar) the challenging rules of the sabbatical year are put forth. During every seventh year, farmers in ancient Israel were commanded to refrain from planting or harvesting crops. Instead, they were to rely on bountiful crop yields in the 6th year to carry them through to a Divinely-promised bountiful 8th year of crops. Letting the earth itself rest reflected tangible compassion for the earth and an abiding faith in God. Kindness to others, for Israelites shared their crops with others, fostered faith in humanity, a link to the world and a personal bond with the Divine.

          This year is a Shmitah (sabbatical year) and modern Israeli farmers are still bound to comply with Torah agricultural law. Legal loopholes which developed 2,000 years ago through Mishnaic innovation allow Israelis to sell or lease land to non-Jews, thereby allowing the land to be farmed. Also, land parcels outside certain Biblical boundaries are exempt from Shmittah. But the overarching concern for others still remains. Tangible acts of compassion are essential for life and the sensitivity which prompts our acts of concern is not limited to people and extends to animals and our world itself.

          May we never lose our abilities and inclinations to offer support and kindness to others.

Shabbat Shalom.

Rabbi Steve Silberman

A Jewish Idea- Jerusalem and an important day

 Two months before my 15th birthday I arrived in Israel. It was the first time I had ever visited. I grew up with magical descriptions of a land flowing with milk and honey and arrived nine years after the fabled Six-Day war triumph. Visions of a powerful and vibrant Israel danced throughout my mind. Having been blessed and very fortunate to travel to Israel nine more times and live there during rabbinical studies for two years, some neighborhoods of Jerusalem are as familiar to me as areas of Mobile.

         In my mind’s eye I can navigate one of the most beautiful, meaningful and historic cities on the planet's surface; a city which has seen far too much conflict and war. Jerusalem’s heartbeat captures the fancy of Jews, Christians, Muslims and many of no declared religious affiliation.

           Three days ago was Yom Yerushalayim, a day that many Americans have never experienced. It is the Hebrew anniversary of the reunification of the city of Jerusalem. On June 7, 1967 Israeli paratroopers entered the Old City through the Lion’s Gate and restored Jewish sovereignty to an area smaller than 1/20 square mile (yes-1/20 of one square mile!) which had not been exercised for 1,897 years. For the first time since the destruction by Rome in 70 C.E. Jewish people could freely and independently walk the mazes of alleys which honeycomb the Old City.

         48 years have passed since the city of Jerusalem became a unified city. 48 years have passed since freedom of access for people of all religions has been made possible by Jewish control of what once was King David's capital 3,000 years ago.

         Too many people forget that prior to 1967, Jordan controlled old Jerusalem. From 1948 to 1967 the Jordanian Legion fired upon Jews on the Israeli side of an armistice line. Bullet holes still remain in some structures which now overlook a modern light rail running through the bustling commercial downtown district wherein tourists and Jerusalemites pass both Jewish- owned and Arab-owned stores, markets and businesses.

        When the Jordanian Legion conquered the Jewish Quarter the Jewish residents were evicted and the Jewish Quarter was reduced to rubble. A book by Chaim Zelnicker, a distant cousin of Ed Zelnicker , z”l, and John Zelnicker, includes the following terrifying quote;

“Holy Jerusalem has been cleansed of Jews and for the first time in over one thousand years, not a single Jew remains in it. The Jewish Quarter has been destroyed. Nothing remains there that has not been hit and has not suffered serious damage, which makes the return of the Jews to this place impossible.”

(Abdullah El-Tel commander of Jordanian Legion’s forces, May 21, 1948. One Last Day).  

       Daily we offer prayers of peace for the entire world and specifically for Jerusalem.  Once again, the city of gold bears a special glow and uplifts the heart and spirit of those who walk through the alleyways first destroyed by Roman legionnaires 2,000 years ago but now rebuilt. Her history is alive. Her people have come home!

          It is no accident that Shavuos, the anniversary of our standing at Mt. Sinai occurs shortly after the reunification of Jerusalem. Shavuot can be likened to a wedding ceremony between the Jewish People and God. What could be more appropriate for a wedding than receiving a jewel as a gift? The greatest jewel of all is Jerusalem.

Happy Shavuos to us all!

**Please remember that we will have a special celebration on Saturday, May 23 beginning at 8:00 p.m. in honor of Shavuos. Make your own Havdalah candle. Enjoy ice cream and assorted fruits while we study an enchanting Biblical book of friendship (Scroll of Ruth- in English).

Blintzes to follow! Nosh and shmooze on Yontif after Bible study!!

Shavuot is one of the three major yomtovim (holidays). We say Good Yontif on Shavuos just as we do on Pesach and Sukkot.

Please join us also on:

**Sunday, May 24- 10:00-11:00 a.m. a brief service.

**Monday, May 25 Yizkor  Noon-1:00 p.m.(office closed)

Shalom!

Rabbi Steve Silberman

This picture testifies to the first Jewish soldiers to restore the Kotel (Western Wall) to Jewish hands in 1,897 years!

Shabbat Thoughts April 30 2015

Original Post April 30 2013

 Nations of the world are rushing to assist Nepal. All of us are in turmoil as we witness the devastation unfolding before our very eyes. There are so many nations attempting to supply aid and emergency personnel that the only major cargo airport is bottlenecked. How frustrating! We can only help by offering Tzedakah, prayers and moral support to all who are suffering and to all who are attempting to assist.

       None of us would ever imagine ignoring such a terrible disaster. Extreme tragedy demands help. A famous phrase from this week's Torah reading calls out to us: “Do not stand idly by the blood of your neighbor” (Lev.19:18).  All of us would immediately nod our heads in agreement when hearing this phrase from Torah! However, the first phrase in this same verse reads as follows: “Do not walk around telling tales about other people.”

       These 2 phrases are not even separated by a comma! How powerful! So few of us would restrain ourselves from helping victims of a disaster and yet how many of us restrain ourselves from doing harm by talking about others?  

       It is very telling that our beloved Torah, which has changed the world by bringing Godly words of humanity into at least 3 major world religions, links “Don’t tell tales” with ”Don’t stand idly by”. Just as we quickly rush to the other side of the globe to help people suffering so must we rush to avoid wounding people in our own neighborhood by talking about them.

       May this Shabbat be a time of support for people throughout the entire world, beginning with Nepal and our own neighborhoods.

Shabbat Shalom, 

Rabbi Steve Silberman

Shabbat Thoughts April 23 2015

Original Post Date: April 23 2015

 An old medical school adage goes as follows: “watch one, do one, teach one.” Perhaps this adage is accurate. (Ask a doctor you know). Imagine being a physician and being expected to overcome squeamishness. Not everyone has the intellectual ability or the personal fortitude to be a physician. Most of us laypeople cannot handle wounds, bodily fluids, injuries, serious ailments or worse.

       We rely on others who have a more formidable constitution and specialized training. They help us to find our way during rough episodes in our lives. In this week’s Torah reading (Tazria-Metzora) we encounter extremely detailed protocols to be followed if an Israelite is ill.

        This long portion is actually a double portion. 85 sentences (Leviticus chapters 13–15) cover many topics including skin rashes, discolorations and bodily discharges. Likely, most people will read this passage and retort “it does not feel like God's word at all!”  Initially, it may not appear as lofty as Revelation on Mount Sinai or as spiritually compelling as “Am I my brother's keeper?”

       Pause for a moment. If we truly empathize with someone who is suffering, identifying with his pain or her anguish and we comfort that person, we are making a huge mark on the world for the better.

        In the ancient times, Israelite spiritual leaders (Kohanim /Priests) were called upon to guide their fellow Israelites during difficult moments in life. We, too, experience profound fear and worry. The challenge before us all is to support our loved ones as they and we navigate fearful experiences. Standing by their sides as physicians explain treatment options, share ’good news and disclose ‘bad news’ literally makes the difference between life and death. Hearing all of the specific details clearly is the first step in beginning the next stage, whatever that stage may be.  Doing so is, most assuredly, a Godly experience.

       May we all be blessed with health and the strength to support one another.

 Shabbat Shalom,

 Rabbi Steven Silberman