We as Jews are the people of the book, which means we’re the people of stories. There are stories we tell ourselves, sometimes hold us back, and stories we hear that teach us and allow us to grow.
In Pirkei Avot, a book of maxims in the Mishnah, an ancient rabbi, Ben Bag-Bag said about Torah study, “Hafokh bah, va’Hafokh vah, d’khola bah.” Turn it over and over, for everything is in it. For two thousand years, that’s what Jews have done. Here is another turning.
In Pirkei Avot, a book of maxims in the Mishnah, an ancient rabbi, Ben Bag-Bag said about Torah study, “Hafokh bah, va’Hafokh vah, d’khola bah.” Turn it over and over, for everything is in it. For two thousand years, that’s what Jews have done. Here is another turning.
May we be for ourselves, recognizing our worth and advocating for our needs. May we look beyond ourselves, finding our true purpose in our connections and contributions to the world. And may we seize the present moment, nurturing our souls and finding joy in the here and now.
The other day, Rabbi Brad Artson, Vice President of the American Jewish University, and I were speaking. During our conversation, I lamented that although our tradition offers us many different models of change in its discussion of teshuvah, it’s really difficult to state whether any of them actually work. They sound good, and they have the advantage of giving us a sense of control over our lives that we often lack, but just because a concept is beautifully packaged doesn’t mean that it is effective.
As God is giving the final instructions for Moshe to relay to the people, we are instructed that the Torah is to be read out loud so that those who did not stand at Sinai can still hear and learn its laws. We are the “People of the Book” for good reason, and the way our story lives on is by us telling it over and over again, and in every possible way.
In Pirkei Avot, a book of maxims in the Mishnah, an ancient rabbi, Ben Bag-Bag said about Torah study, “Hafokh bah, va’Hafokh vah, d’khola bah.” Turn it over and over, for everything is in it. For two thousand years, that’s what Jews have done. Here is another turning.
