In the many occasions we witness or experience with congregants, rabbis are asked, “Rabbi, what is the right prayer to say?” And while often there is a blessing or psalm that matches the simcha or sorrow, the congregant is usually asking something else. They want to know: will God hear the prayers they are offering? Do their words matter?
A Bisl Torah
Space and Memory
I recently heard that any given space should hold the potential to evoke memory. Our environs might spark emotion, connecting us to a past experience or perhaps, a moment in our collective history.
Summer Nights
Summer nights seem to last forever. The air thick with heat, ice cream stores packed with customers and a desire to be present with others a little bit longer. There may be a tendency to look towards September. The anticipation of what’s to come, a natural inclination to make plans, unpack goals, and shape the year ahead. And while there should be a little of that, summer nights give permission to revel in the moment. Hasidic rabbi, Levi Isaac Horowitz shares the following story: A king that owned a diamond mine told his employees that within a three hour time…
Refresh
Our children are spending a good part of their summer at Camp Ramah. While we know the inner workings of camp, we cannot help but check the camp photo sites multiple times a day. In conversations with close friends (also with camper children), we remind ourselves, “They’re fine! We’re fine!” And yet, we all habitually check the mailbox (snail and email) to see if there is communication from our kids, knowing full and well that there probably won’t be anything if we just checked five minutes ago.
Measuring
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.
Renewing Our Vows
When I stood under the chuppah with my husband, I chose the following verses to share with him:
Always in Reach
I had the blessing of addressing our Sinai Akiba Academy 8th grade graduates, and this is the story and message I shared:
A Tree of Life
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?
First, Look Inward
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.”
A Soulful Journey
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.
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