To Slay the Righteous with the Wicked

November 2-3, 2012 / 18 Heshvan 5773

Shabbat Vayera

Torah Portion: Genesis 18:1-22:24 / Haftarah Portion: II Kings 4:1-37

“To Slay the Righteous with the Wicked”

Dear Friends,

Ah Las Vegas!  What a place for people watching!  I was in Las Vegas last week for a few days visiting with my parents and helping my mother deal with the stresses of my father’s going back and forth between hospital and nursing home.  Instead of the usual family pick-up at the arrivals terminal, I took the airport bus to a casino right by their home.  What a scenic ride, right up through central Las Vegas, past the strip and through the old town and Freemont Street area.  Just as interesting as the architecture were the people.  Coming from the fairly conservative Chicago north shore, I saw lots of people who dressed strange, walked strange, and talked strange.  Some had weird hair and others wore odd shoes.  Some carried unusual bags and backpacks.

It would have been very easy for me to criticize them for being different.  It would have been easy for me to be frightened of their odd mannerisms.  It would have been easy for me to condemn them for being so abnormal.

Instead I smiled.  Here I was riding through Las Vegas, Sin City, during the week when we read the Torah story about Sodom and Gemorah!

God wanted to condemn the cities, but Abraham argued for their defense.  He called out to God, “Far be it for you to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the innocent and the guilty fare alike.  Far be it from You!  Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly?”  Of course, the story tells us that there were not even ten righteous persons in Sodom and Gemorah, so God destroyed the towns.

Although it is easy to be prejudiced and to consider all depraved, decadent and corrupt, I think that we could find more than ten righteous people in Las Vegas. In fact, with patience, you will find lots of kind and good-hearted souls at every turn, even on my bus.   Abraham’s charge to God is a call to us as well.  We must rise above prejudice and bias.  We must see the humanity in each other.  Even through we may have different customs and styles, the basic humanity is still there.  We all eat, sleep and put our two dollars in the bus pay slot.  That should be enough to unify us.

Instead of finding fault, find merit.  Instead of seeking difference, find similarity.  Instead of feeling fear, find love.

Shabbat shalom.

Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow

Go Forth

October 26-27, 2012 / 11 Heshvan 5773

 Shabbat Lech Lecha

Torah Portion: Genesis 12:1-17:27 / Haftarah Portion: Isaiah 40:27-41:16

“Go Forth”

Dear Friends,

Our ancestors understood us well.  They knew that as some point in our lives we have to leave our parents’ homes and seek our place in the world.  Through new challenges we grow.

That was the challenge that Abram (who will soon be known as Abraham) faced when God told him to go to a new land, Canaan, and form his own tribe and nation.  What a great way for our Jewish people’s story to begin – God pushes us ‘out of the nest’ and tells us to grow up and fly for ourselves.

I had the chance to study this portion with some of our 7th graders earlier this week.  Some said that Abram’s challenge is just like leaving elementary school and going to junior high.  Some said that this is like leaving one sports team to join a more competitive ‘traveling’ team.  Others said that it’s like leaving one home, moving to another and finding new friends.

For adults, Abram’s challenge becomes our challenge when we take risks in life that lead us to new experiences, learning and growth.  For some, it is leaving home and starting college, beginning a new job, or moving to a new city.  For others, Abram’s challenge becomes real when we take a journey, start a project, or do anything out of our comfort zone.

Each one of us has a little Abram inside.  Our Jewish tradition recognizes that sometimes we must break away from the old and the known in order to find our true selves, talents, skills and interests.

With Abram’s willingness to try something new came a reward – God’s blessing.

Shabbat shalom.

Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow

Conformity vs. Diversity

October 19-20, 2012 / 4 Heshvan 5773

Shabbat Noah

Torah Portion: Genesis 6:9-11:32 / Haftarah Portion: Isaiah 54:1 – 55:5

"Conformity vs. Diversity"

Dear Friends,

What is our vision of the ideal society?  Do we want everyone conforming to the same social norms or do we prize diversity and following different drummers?  Do we want adherence to one dominant line of thinking or do we value multiple viewpoints?  According to the Torah commentator Sforno, this is the central issue when we confront the story of the Tower of Babel.  What is our vision of the ideal society – conformity or diversity?

We often hear from the political analysts that American politics are polarized to the extreme.  Each side wants to pursue only its vision for America.  Each side keeps isolated and has no room for understanding of or compromise with the ‘other.’  Yet, we know that much of the strength of America comes from having a mixture of divergent views.  The strength of America relies on having all kinds of people with all kinds of interests, talents and abilities.  We need artists and technology experts and politicians and teachers and free-spirits and salesmen and chefs and white collar and blue collar and... you name it.  The tapestry or kaleidoscope that we call American society exists only because we have such profound diversity.

This is the true point of the Bible’s Tower of Babel story.  Those who insist on there being only one path, one identity and one philosophy for a community ultimately weaken its potential.  Hearing many voices and seeing many viewpoints will bring about the strongest and most harmonious society.  While it seems that God punished the tower builders by confounding them with many languages, actually it was a gift. God’s ultimate lesson was that through diversity comes understanding.  Through tolerance comes wisdom.  Through acceptance comes justice.  Through open-mindedness comes love.

Shabbat Shalom.

Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow

The Creation of Humanity

October 12-13, 2012

27 Tishrei 5773

Shabbat Bereisheet

Torah Portion:

Genesis 1:1-6:8

Haftarah Portion:

Isaiah 42:5-43:10

“The Creation of Humanity”

Dear Friends,

In this week’s Torah portion we learn of the creation of the world and all life, especially people.  The Torah makes it seem so simple.  God created human beings in the God’s image, gave them instructions for living in the Garden of Eden and that was that.  But when it comes to the creation of people, the rabbinic sages suggest that perhaps it wasn’t so simple.  The rabbis imagined an argument between the angels in heaven... and it went something like this:

“Rabbi Shimon said: when the Holy One came to create people, the angels divided themselves into two parties.  One group said, “Let people be created,” while the other group argued, “Don’t create people.”

The first group held up a sign that read “LOVE” and argued, “Create people because they will love.”  The other group held up a sign that read “TRUTH” and argued, “Do not create them because they will lie and cheat and steal.”

The first group held up a sign that read “TZEDAKA” and argued, “Create people because they will perform mitzvot.”  The other group held up a sign that read “SHALOM” and argued, “Do not create them because they will always be fighting.”  The debate continued on and on.  Neither side would give in...

Rabbi Huna of Tzipori said, “While the angels were busy arguing and disagreeing with each other, God went off and created people.  The Holy One said, “Arguing will do no good, people have already been created.”  (Genesis Rabbah)

Jewish tradition has always recognized that human beings are capable of both fulfilling the loftiest of ideals and misbehaving in the most heinous ways.  We have within us Yetzer hatov (Good inclination) and Yetzer hara (Evil inclination).  God gave us the benefit of the doubt and created humanity.  Thus, we are offered the opportunity to choose LOVE, TRUTH, TZEDAKA and SHALOM as our way of proving that we can live well.   The guide to living a good and blessed life is our Torah, the foundation of Jewish ethics and law.

At Shir Hadash, as we begin a new year with our best High Holiday season ever, let us focus on how we can bring blessing to our lives and the whole world.  As individuals and households let us join together in proving the doubting angels wrong.  As a holy Jewish community, let us show them and the world that together we can be a powerful force for justice, kindness, fairness, hope and peace.

Shabbat shalom.

Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow

Ushpizin – Welcoming Mystical Guests into Our Sukkah

October 5, 2012 / 20 Tishrei 5773

Shabbat Chol Hamo’ed Sukkot

Torah Portion: Exodus 33:12-43:26, Deuteronomy 16:13-17

Haftarah Portion:  Ezekiel 38:18-39:16

“Ushpizin – Welcoming Mystical Guests into Our Sukkah”

Dear Friends,

The Festival of Sukkot continues through next weekend and concludes on October 7-8 with the festivals of Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah.  Sukkot is our Jewish harvest festival, the forerunner of America’s Thanksgiving holiday.  It is also a deeply spiritual and mystical holiday as it embodies all the elements of Hachnasat Orchim – Welcoming guests into our homes.

At Sukkot time, we invite guests into our Sukkah to relax, enjoy and even eat a meal.  That’s how we demonstrate that we are actually living outside for the week in solidarity with our ancestors, who lived in Sukkot for forty years as they traveled from Egyptian slavery to freedom in the Promised Land.  Our tradition encourages us to invite actual guests along with mystical guests, such as Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Aaron and David.  We invite Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, Leah, Miriam, Avigail and Esther.  They are symbolic guests, honorary guests, who represent the best of the ancient leaders of our people.  They are also individuals who represent wandering, arrival and a strong connection with our people, our heritage and our homeland in Israel.

This year, as you celebrate Sukkot, think of those whom you would like to invite into your sukkah, your homes and your lives.  Ask to be a guest in someone else’s sukkah.  Renew connections to those in our community, actual and mystical.

Come to Shir Hadash Sukkot services this Friday evening at 7:30 for our family and community celebration. Following an abbreviated kabbalat Shabbat service, we will all join in creating special art pieces to represent the seven traditional mystical guests.  Then, we will dedicate our Shir Hadash sukkah and enjoy refreshments outside in the cool night air.

Two nights later, on Sunday night, join back again for a pizza dinner and Simchat Torah celebration.  What a weekend of joy and celebration!

Shabbat Shalom and Hag Same’ach – Happy Holidays,

Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow