Reuben and Gad

Shabbat Shalom from Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow

August 2-3, 2019 / 2 Av 5779

Shabbat Matot-Masei

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

“Reuben and Gad”

Dear Friends,

In this week’s Torah portion, the Children of Israel are at the end of the forty years of desert wandering and are nearing the Promised Land. Two tribes, Reuben and Gad, ask to settle on the east side of the Jordan to build sheep pens and towns. Moses agrees, by telling them to build towns and then sheep pens.  Here is Ruth Brin’s poem capturing the essence of this moment.

Reuben and Gad

Numbers 32:14-16

And they stepped up to him and said: “We will build here

sheepfolds for our flocks, and towns for our little ones;…”

And Moses said: “Build towns for your children,

and sheepfolds for your flocks;”

By a simple inversion of word order

Moses corrected the leaders of Gad and Reuben,

Telling them they must build houses for their

children before they build barns for their cattle.

Though his forces were decimated from battling

Midian and he faced a new campaign in Canaan

Though he must lead his desert wanderers

against the established kings of the land

Neither military necessity nor the uncertainties

of desert life stopped Moses from teaching that

children come before sheep, human values before

property.

The city we build may have pillars of ivory and

gold, pavements of sapphire, and silken curtains

shot with color,

But we build in vain unless we build

gates of thanksgiving and windows of praise,

gardens of contemplation, and walls of love

to shelter the little ones.

(From “Harvest: Collected Poems and Prayers” by Ruth Brin)

Zay a mentsch – Be a good person!

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow

Peaceful Transfer of Leadership

Shabbat Shalom from Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow

July 26-27, 2019 / 24 Tammuz 5779

Shabbat Pinchas

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

“Peaceful Transfer of Leadership”

Dear Friends,

In this week’s Torah portion, God told Moses to ascend a mountain to view the Promised Land from afar.  Moses will not be permitted to enter the Land of Israel because of the incident when he hit a rock to bring forth water for the people when he should have spoken to the rock as instructed.  Nevertheless, he will see the land into which the Children of Israel will soon enter when they cross the Jordan River. Moses was then instructed to select Joshua as his successor.  He placed his hands on Joshua’s head and invested him with the power of leadership.

From this, we learn that Judaism has a long tradition of transferring leadership peacefully from generation to generation.  

Zay a mentsch – be a good person.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow

Privacy

Shabbat Shalom From Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow

July 19-20, 2019     17 Tammuz 5779

Shabbat Balak

Torah Portion:  Numbers 22:2-25:9 / Haftarah Portion: Micah 5:6-6:8

“Privacy”

Dear Friends,

In this week’s Torah portion, the Moabite prophet Bil’am was sent to curse the Children of Israel as they made their way to the Promised Land.  However, instead of cursing Israel, Bil’am blessed them.  One of the most famous lines from his poems of blessing is, “How beautiful are your tents, O Jacob, your dwellings, O Israel!"

The medieval Torah commentator Rashi interprets this line by suggesting how impressed Bil’am was by the layout of the Israelite tents encamped on the plain below. According to Rashi, Bil’am noticed that the Israelite tents were not directly facing one to the other.  Thus, no one could look into someone else’s tent and see what was going on. Rashi understood this as a Jewish value assuring privacy for each family.

In as much as Judaism stresses the power of community and sharing our lives together, it also recognizes that each home should have its needed seclusion and separateness.

Zay a Mentsch – Be a Good Person.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow

Anger

Shabbat Shalom From Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow

July 12-13, 2019 / 10 Tammuz 5779

Shabbat Hukat

Torah Portion: Numbers 19:1 - 22:1 / Haftarah Portion: Judges 11:1 - 11:33

“Anger”

Dear Friends,

This week’s Torah portion has a lot to teach us about anger.  The Children of Israel were out in the desert on the way to the Promised Land when Miriam died.  Suddenly, the water dried up and the people complained to Moses and Aaron.  According to some commentaries, the people taunted, teased, and embarrassed them.  Ashamed and fed up, Moses lost his temper and got angry.  He called the people rebels. God told Moses to speak to a rock and water would flow.  Instead, Moses hit the rock twice with his staff.  The water flowed.  However, God chastised Moses for losing faith.

Maimonides comments that instead of remaining calm, Moses flew into a rage and thus, failed as a leader. Simeon ben Lakish said, “Anger deprives a wise person of wisdom and a prophet of vision.” (Talmud – Pesachim 66b)

This week’s Torah portion teaches us to do our best to remain calm in challenging situations. We must make every effort to keep our composure and draw on reason and understanding in difficult times.

Zay a Mentsch – Be a good person.

L’Shalom,

Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow

Honesty and Transparency

Shabbat Shalom from Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow

July 5-6, 2019 / 3 Tammuz 5779

Shabbat Korah

Torah: Numbers 16:1 - 18:32  /  Haftarah: I Samuel 11:14 - 12:22

“Honesty and Transparency”

Dear Friends,

This week’s Torah portion tells the story of Korah’s rebellion against the leadership of Moses and Aaron out in the desert on the way to Promised Land.  According to the Torah commentary Numbers Rabbah, Korah went to each tribe accusing Moses and Aaron of misconduct.  He told them that he was not like Moses and Aaron, who were leading the Children of Israel in order to gain fame and power for themselves.  Korah said that his aim was for all the people to enjoy life. Thus, he won the support of so many by misleading them.

Eventually, the rebellion was put down and Moses and Aaron continued their leadership.  Our Jewish tradition teaches us to lead with honesty and transparency.

Zay a Mentsch – Be a Good Person.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow