Birkat Kohanim, the Blessing of Peace, is one of the most sacred, well-known pieces of Jewish liturgy. Found at the end of Parashat Naso, the prayer is often recited on Friday nights, a blessing extended from parent to child. Additionally, the clergy offer the prayer at brit milah/baby namings, b’nai mitzvah ceremonies, and under the chuppah during a wedding. The blessing asks God to offer protection, kindness, and ultimately, peace, as the person navigates their various life milestones.
A Bisl Torah
Be Counted; God is Counting on You
At the beginning of Bamidbar, we see a counting of each male, head by head. The commentators debate the merit of counting each person when in Jewish tradition, there is strong merit in the collective. If B’nai Yisrael is trying to become a nation, what is the purpose in identifying each individual?
Finding God Through Abner Goldstine
The Jewish world lost a giant this week: A luminary and a visionary. We mourn the passing of Abner Goldstine, past president of Sinai Temple.
Fragile Time
Rabbi Simon Jacobson created a “Spiritual Guide to the Counting of the Omer.” He offers 49 steps “to personal refinement” as a means of readying ourselves for the receiving of the Torah during Shavuot. Rabbi Jacobson writes, “Each day in time has a life of its own. A day is a unique energy flow waiting to be tapped and channeled into the fiber of man’s being.”
Contagious
The Torah dislikes sloppiness, specifically, the lack of regard for others and oneself when it comes to how we choose to use our words. Tazria-Metzora lays out a framework of isolation and return when a person, clothing, or home develops some kind of disease. And the rabbis attribute this disease to spiritual malaise, primarily caused by using words that contribute to the spreading of gossip and lies.
Freedom in the Familiar?
If one reason why we refrain from chametz is to experience a hint of suffering, when do we begin to feel a sense of freedom?
So Much Matzah
While we know there are four questions during the Passover Seder, there seems to be a fifth over the course of the week: how many ways can matzah be eaten?
Check Your Pockets
We are in the final preparations for the holiday of Passover: The pantries cleaned, the refrigerator scoured, and the oven thoroughly inspected.
Lingering Chametz
As Pesach begins on a Saturday evening, Jewish laws surrounding the holiday are more confusing than usual. While we usually check for chametz on the evening prior to the Seder, this year, we will perform the ritual almost two days before Passover officially begins. Technically, while chametz will mostly be rid from our homes, we can eat chametz on Shabbat morning. This means that some chametz will remain and is even permissible after the formal “burning” on Friday morning.
Waiting Versus Walking
There is an odd dance we play: Waiting versus Walking. Think of the street light warnings; some patiently wait until it is safe to cross the street, looking both ways and looking yet again before timidly stepping onto the asphalt. Others walk—fast, sometimes quickly looking around, but mostly barreling into the street—reminding those around they should be the ones watching out for you.
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