Rabbi Guzik - A Bisl Torah

In the fictional book The Measure by Nikki Erlick, the world turns upside down with a single occurrence. Outside each home is a box containing a unique string to be matched with the people within the household. Accompanying the string is a message, “The measure of your life lies within.” Some strings are longer, others shorter. The measurement of the string foretells whether you will live longer or spend less physical time on earth.

When I stood under the chuppah with my husband, I chose the following verses to share with him:

I had the blessing of addressing our Sinai Akiba Academy 8th grade graduates, and this is the story and message I shared:

The Torah is often compared to “a tree of life.” As we sing when we return to the Torah to the ark, “It is a tree of life for those that hold fast to it.” What is the essence of the analogy? What is a tree of life?

The Torah introduces us to the idea of not defrauding another person. Leviticus 25:17 teaches, “Do not cheat one another, but fear your God.”

The omer is not the most widely celebrated mitzvah. However, with patience, grace, and intention, the omer holds potential to be a soul-stirring experience.

Sinai Temple Religious School educator Elaine Seltzer shared the story of how her parents met:

It seems strange to think about Yom Kippur before celebrating Shavuot. However, the Torah reading compels us to think about the Yom Kippur rituals and how they apply to our lives, both during Yom Kippur and every day.

Many of us are familiar with the four children in the Haggadah. The wise, rebellious, innocent ,and voiceless children sit at the table. Adults are tasked to teach the story of our people according to each child’s learning style and ability.

The themes of Passover are smacking us in the face. In the Haggadah, we implore each Jew to see themselves as if they were the ones to personally leave Egypt. As we watch the Islamic Republic of Iran reign terror on Israel and experience direct antisemitism in our local communities, this line in the Haggadah feels as if it is being written, read, and lived in real time.