Benji Jefferson was big, 6’9” to be exact, and over 300 pounds. He was an offensive lineman on the Huguenots, my high school football team, and we all knew his skills on the field would take him far. Although he never became an all-star or even a top-ranked player, he did make it into the NFL, playing for the Cleveland Browns for a year, as well as a few other teams. I think his professional career lasted six years or so.
It’s in this week’s parshah when the first blessing of the ill is offered, and we actually see several variations. This blessing in Parshat Vayera doesn’t look quite like it does today.
Whether it’s a short trip from your home to camp in the summer, or venturing out to explore the world, the traveler’s prayer can connect us to our hearts, and the grounding of home.
Abram and Sarai (before their names are changed to Abraham and Sarah) are on a road trip, one initiated by God’s powerful command to lekh lekha. Go forth! Go to yourself! Go for yourself! But go, get out. Leave where you have been, because I have something to show you, a place I want to give you, a promised land.
When we take the time to take in the rainbow, to pause and remember that the covenant God made comes with expectations of humanity to treat one another with kavod, respect, we renew our covenant with God and create a kehillah kedosha, a holy community.
How often do you take the time to take a step back, zoom out, and just marvel at a moment in time? What about a project or event? After each part of creation, the text teaches us that God “saw that it was good.” This action models presence and gratitude in a way we might not be accustomed to.
As we begin Sukkot with a variety of blessings to usher in the holiday, from leisheiv basukkah (sitting in the sukkah) to al n'tilat lulav (shaking the lulav) to the Shehecheyanu, may we use these blessings as opportunities to find and recognize other blessings in our lives and hopefully tap into some much-needed joy along the way.
