One of the parts of parenting that I struggle with the most is when my children’s actions have negative consequences, and they don’t understand they’ve brought it upon themselves. Because they are not developmentally ready to make that connection, they have no understanding that they played a role in causing those results. Instead, they blame me.
Some words of Torah. We live in a country that has copyright law and protections for intellectual property. Ultimately, those laws are on the books primarily for commercial reasons. While these rules have their inspiration, therefore, in economic concerns, they also assume that there is something such as creativity. Specifically, they assume that inventors, businesses and artists can bring into the world something novel, something that didn’t exist before.
I’ll be honest - even though I love my daily walks, I don’t often model the best self care when it comes to knowing my limits, but the creation of Shabbat in our Torah portion this week reminds us all that even God needed to rest, and now more than ever we need that time to refresh, renew, and reset.
Yesterday, the Nobel Committee awarded its prize for literature to a very worthy writer, the American poet Louise Glück. Her verse is stark, controlled, tight. You read her poems, and you think, “the words are simple, the lines are clear, but their meaning is elusive.” That would bother some. For other readers, that is the source of their power and grace.
By now, you are aware that the president and first lady have contracted coronavirus. Among some rabbis, people were asking, should we include the president’s name on our misheberach list? Should we offer prayers of healing?
Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg left her chambers for the final time in the waning minutes of 5780. Learning of her death two hours before our Erev Rosh Hashanah services felt like a punch to the gut. What a devastating loss to our nation.
As his final wish, Moses simply wants to be listened to. Isn’t that what we’re all seeking? We all want the reassurance of knowing our voices are being heard. May the gift of listening - both giving and receiving - be something we take with us into the new year.
