Sin and Atonement

 Shabbat Shalom from Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow

 

February 18-19, 2022 / 18 Adar I 5782

Shabbat Ki Tissa

Torah: Exodus 30:11 - 34:35       Haftarah: I Kings 18:1 - 18:39

 

“Sin and Atonement”

 

Dear Friends,

 

What are sin and atonement?  In this week’s Torah portion God told Moses to instruct each Israelite to give a half-shekel towards the building of the Mishkan, the traveling sanctuary.  Regardless of wealth or status, each was to give the same amount.  Each donation would serve as a personal atonement for past sins.

 

Rabbi Mordecai Kaplan wrote that, “Sin is the failure to live up to the best that is in us.  It means that our souls are not attuned to the divine – that we have betrayed God.”  Through atonement we reset and refocus our lives and deeds so that we can once again be our best.

 

Zay a Mentsch – Be a Good Person! 

 

Shabbat shalom.

 

Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow