Selflessness

Shabbat Shalom from Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow

 

February 26-27, 2021 / 15 Adar 5781

Shabbat Tetzaveh

Torah: Exodus 27:20-30:10

Haftarah: Ezekiel 43:10 - 43:27

 

“Selflessness”

 

Dear Friends,

 

What does it mean to be selfless?  As Purim approaches, we see in the Megillah text how selfish so many of the characters were.  The king wanted Vashti to dance at his party.  She wanted her privacy and refused to dance.  The king then wanted virgins so that he could select a new queen.  Two of the palace guards wanted to kill the king. Haman wanted everyone to bow down to him.  Then he wanted to punish Mordecai and finally, to kill the Jews.

 

In stark contrast to all this wanting and scheming are Mordecai and Esther.  His only concern was for her well-being.  Her only concern was for her life and the survival of her people. Each time she appeared before the king, he offered her anything, up to half his kingdom.  She declined his offers, only to invite him and Haman to a banquet.  She wanted nothing. Thus, when Haman’s plot was revealed and Esther was threatened, the purity of her motives and wishes became clear.  She only wanted to live and for her people to survive.

 

We Jews are a people of life.  Like Esther, may our motives and wishes be notable and exemplary.  May we move from selfishness to selflessness in the pursuit of justice, kindness, fairness, and truth.

 

Shabbat Shalom,

 

Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow

Actions Speak Louder

 Shabbat Shalom from Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow

 

February 19-20, 2021 / 8 Adar 5781

Shabbat Terumah - Zachor

Torah: Exodus 25:1-27:19

Maftir: Deuteronomy 25:17 - 25:19 | Shabbat Zachor

Haftarah: I Samuel 15:2 - 15:34 | Shabbat Zachor

 

“Actions Speak Louder”

 

Dear Friends,

 

They say that actions speak louder than words.  And this week’s Torah portion supports that adage.  In Genesis, it takes only 34 verses to describe the Creation of the World.  However, in this week’s Torah portion, its take more than 100 verses to describe the construction of the Mishkan, the traveling sanctuary.  And still, we cannot agree on what the mishkan looks like.  Words alone don’t cut it.

 

So it is in life.  Words are a tremendous tool for teaching and explanation.  However, they are easily misunderstood and misinterpreted.  Action, example, and demonstration actually show others how one should act and live life to the fullest.  A mentsch is one who goes beyond the words and leads by example – one who shows the way to living a good and helpful life.  Actions do speak louder than words.

 

Zay a mentsch – Be a good person.

 

Shabbat Shalom,

 

Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow

Experience

 Shabbat Shalom from Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow

 

February 12-13, 2021 / 1 Adar5781

Shabbat Mishpatim - Shekalim

Torah: Exodus 21:1-24:18

7th aliyah: Numbers 28:9 - 28:15 | Shabbat Shekalim (on Rosh Chodesh)

Maftir: Exodus 30:11 - 30:16 | Shabbat Shekalim (on Rosh Chodesh)

Haftarah: II Kings 12:1 - 12:17 | Shabbat Shekalim (on Rosh Chodesh)

 

“Experience” 

 

Dear Friends,

 

They say that experience is a great teacher. Certainly, we find that in this week’s Torah portion.  Exodus 22:20 reads: “You shall not oppress a stranger or wrong him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.”  It would have been enough to decree that we should not harm the stranger and back it up with legal or ethical arguments.  However, the text gives us the best reason of all, one drawn from personal experience.  Simply put, we know what it is like and we know what it feels like.  We have stood in their shoes and we know the pain.  That alone should stop us from visiting this wrong upon others.

 

Experience is a great teacher when it moves us to acts of goodness.  Experience is an even greater teacher when it keeps us from committing a sin.

 

Zay a mentsch – Be a good person!

 

Shabbat shalom.

 

Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow

The Shofar

 Shabbat Shalom from Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow

 

February 5-6, 2021 / 24 Shevat 5781

Shabbat Yitro

Torah: Exodus 18:1 - 20:23     Haftarah: Isaiah 6:1 - 7:6; 9:5 - 9:6

 

“The Shofar”

 

Dear Friends,

 

What did the Israelites hear when they stood at the foot of Mount Sinai?  Tradition says that when the Ten Commandments were given, there was complete silence followed by the sound of the heavenly shofar. Ever since, we Jews have been sounding the shofar at some of the most sacred moments in our lives.  At Shir Hadash, we sound the shofar at the High Holidays.  When in Jerusalem, you might hear the shofar at the start of shabbat and the festivals. 

 

The shofar sound is about calling us to attention and keeping us focused. It is about repentance. It is about calling us to rise to our best selves. It is about community.  It is about holiness.

 

Tradition teaches us that we were all present at Mount Sinai when the Ten Commandments were revealed.  Every time we hear the shofar sound, perhaps it will remind us of that moment.

 

Shabbat Shalom,

 

Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow