Pride

August 3-4, 2018 / 23 Av 5778

Shabbat Ekev

Torah: Deuteronomy 7:12 - 11:25 / Haftarah: Isaiah 49:14 - 51:3

“Pride”

Dear Friends,

What are the responsibilities and pitfalls of pride? In this week’s Torah portion Moses warns the Children of Israel not to get too full of themselves when things go so well in the Promised Land.  When God showers abundance and blessing upon them through wonderful crops, healthy herds, and more, they should not think that they are responsible for the results. They should beware not to take all of the goodness for granted.  Rather, they should give thanks to the Eternal One and recognize God’s blessing.

The Israelites are compared to a grapevine loaded with clusters of grapes.  Some clusters are large, sweet, and juicy.  Others are smaller and less select.  Note that the larger the cluster, the heavier, and the closer it hangs to the ground. Thus we are taught that the greater a person’s lot in life is, the greater must be his humility.  

Jews say blessings throughout the day to demonstrate this basic point - humility. All of life is amazing and miraculous. We must be mindful of the good fortune and blessing that surrounds us at all times, morning, noon, and night.

Zay a mentsch – be a good person.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow

If Not Now, When?

Shabbat Shalom from Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow

July 13-14, 2018 / 2 Av 5778

Shabbat Matot-Masei

Torah: Numbers 30:2 - 36:13  Haftarah: Jeremiah 2:4 - 28; 3:4

“If Not Now, When?”

Dear Friends,

How can we find balance in our lives?  With so much going on and so many distractions around us, it is easy to get thrown off course and loose focus. We might forget to take care of our needs. We might lose sight of our communal responsibilities. This is the dilemma that is clarified in this week’s Torah portion.

As the Israelites approached the Promised Land, the tribes of Gad and Reuben requested to settle east of the Jordan River, outside the Land of Israel citing that the land was good for raising cattle.  Moses was suspicious of the request because he knew that the upcoming conquest of the Holy Land would require the participation of all the tribes, including these two. In the end, Gad and Reuben promised to come to the aid of their fellow Israelites who were about to settle in the Promised Land.

The great Rabbi Hillel summed up this situation in one simple teaching. If I am not for myself, who am I?  And if I am only for myself, what am I?  And if not now, when?  One of the great Jewish values is Community. We live in community in order to find support in the fulfillment of our needs.  We live in community to help others fulfill their needs. The Torah teaches us to find focus and purpose in life by striking a balance, taking care of each other and ourselves. If not now, when?

Zay a mentsch – Be a good person!

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow

Equal Rights

Shabbat Shalom from Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow

July 6-7, 2018 / 24 Tammuz 5778

Shabbat Pinchas

Torah: Numbers 25:10 - 30:1     Haftarah: Jeremiah 1:1 - 2:3

“Equal Rights”

Dear Friends,

We often think that women’s rights and equality between the sexes is a contemporary thing.  But, the Torah records an incident more than 3,000 years ago when women protested and demanded equal treatment.  In this week’s Torah portion, five sisters came before Moses.  Their father Tzelofehad had died and there were no sons to inherit – only 5 daughters.  The daughters of Tzelofehad demanded the right to inherit their father’s property. Moses consulted with God and a judgment was rendered.  The daughters could indeed inherit.

That story has been read every year in synagogues throughout the world for millennia.  It took lots of patience for the next chapter of this story to be written.  Finally, women are being ordained as rabbis and cantors. Women lead in every sector of the Jewish community.

We should be proud that our Reconstructionist movement played a pivotal role in these recent advancements in women’s participation in Jewish life in America.  It was Judith Kaplan daughter of Rabbi Mordecai Kaplan, founder of Reconstructionism, who celebrated the first bat mitzvah in 1922.  It was the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College that admitted the first women for rabbinic study when it first opened its doors in 1968.

From Tzelofehad’s daughters to today, there is an unbroken chain of great Jewish women leading and guiding Jewish life from generation to generation.

Happy Independence Day!

Zay a mentsch – be a good person.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow