Just like the many articles of clothing the priests wore, there are many levels on which we each connect to God and each other. The colors and materials represented diversity of the community, and the priest served them all at any time and any stage. What a wonderful example for leaders today.
Unsurprisingly, both the Bible and the Talmud confront illness head on. As we know, the Torah is not squeamish about reality. Illness, intimate relations, monetary status, politics. All have pride of place in our sacred writings precisely because the Torah is a guide for life itself.
There's a common tradition that when you say motzi, each person touches someone who is touching the challah, so that everyone present is connected to the things that nourish and sustain us, like food and family. So much of who we are as a people is tied to this feeling of intimate connection, and it stems from the Torah.
Click to view the March/April 2020 issue of Neveh Shalom’s Chronicle Please note that the file is large, thank you for your patience.
While the Israel360 lecture was going on, a great many other people were at home, glued to their television sets for the ninth Democratic primary debate, held in Nevada. But there’s another election going on, which I’ve previously talked about here, and that is the World Zionist Congress Elections.
While it may not be the most significant act of social kindness, there's a small measure of compassion that’s transferred from person to person every time you say "please" and "thank you." When we use these words, we're expressing gratitude for the gift of partnership. And I would argue that to walk through the world without this is to steal that gift.
Click to view the Special Rabbi Joshua Stampfer, z”l issue of Neveh Shalom’s Chronicle Please note that the file is large, thank you for your patience.
