Shabbat Beshalach
Torah - Exodus 13:17-17:16 / Haftarah - Judges
4:4-5:31
“To Life”
Dear Friends,
To Life! That’s what Moses, Miriam, and the Children of Israel must have called out when they
crossed the Sea of Reeds and spontaneously broke out in song. They had just done the most difficult thing
of their lives by rebelling against Pharaoh and running from Egypt. The barrier of the sea could have broken
their spirits. Yet, they moved forward,
determined to leave 430 years of slavery behind and seek out freedom in the
Promise Land of Israel.
What a moment
that must have been when they looked back towards Egypt and realized that they
were not being followed. What a moment
that must have been when they understood that they were truly free. What a moment that must have been when our
ancestors danced and sang their celebration to life and all its new possibilities!
Since that
day, we Jews have never stopped dancing and singing our celebration. Every prayer and every blessing is an
affirmation of our gratitude for the abundance given to us each and every day –
in the worst of times and the best of times.
Every song, every story, every ritual, and every tradition takes us
deeper and deeper into our appreciation for the honor of living a life of
goodness and kindness here in this amazing universe. Every meal, every drink, every moment shared
with family, friends, coworkers – anyone – is an opportunity to affirm our joy
of life. That’s what it means to be a
Jew and it all started at the shores of the Sea.
This Friday
evening, we will celebrate Shabbat Shira, the Sabbath of the Song. It will be a celebration of singing and music
led by our Lahaka choir. Come join in
the festivities and express your appreciation for life itself. Oh, and join us for our oneg wine tasting,
when we raise our cups, bless the fruit of the vine, and call out “L’chayim –
To Life.”
Shabbat
shalom.
Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow
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