I've always been ambivalent about the themes in our sacred literature of God as warrior. I know that it is powerful metaphor for divine power ... and seeing God's hand of justice defending the disenfranchised, fills me with hope and even some courage. And although I am excited by reading the Story of the Red (Reed) Sea and God's mighty hand crushing the Egyptian chariot (tank) corps ... still calling God "eesh milchama" - a man of war, is disturbing.
My new insight [from one of my colleagues] is understanding this metaphor from yoga. One of my favorite, yet challenging positions on Tuesday mornings in my class (when I have time to go) is the 'Warrior pose.' It's great stretching, great toning and takes great concentration. It energizes me for the rest of my day. But the warrior pose is mostly not about physical strength, it's about mental strength. It takes warm up preparation. It's about focus. Thinking about your position, breathing, relaxing into the position and maintaining it - it's as much internal as external.
Maybe that's what it really means to be a warrior. It's about meeting the challenges of life: some physical, many interpersonal, just as many struggles within for making the right choices. Ethics of the Fathers asks: who is the person who is truly mighty? The person who can control their inclinations... That's real strength and power.
Maybe that's what it means to be a warrior. It certainly does in yoga. Maybe it's God who gives us the focus and strength to make the right choices. That would make God the Ultimate Warrior - the spirit that makes possible the strength to choice goodness.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Friday, January 29, 2010
Our New Torah
Last Sunday we began our educational programs for celebrating the creation of our brand new Torah. It was a wonderful day. Rabbi Menachem Youlus did a wonderful presentation to prepare everyone for the significance of what we're doing. The letters of the Torah provide a personal pathway for every one to connect with God. It was clear that everyone who participated felt this spirituality. It was sublime. When people came up it was clear that they were: realizing the holiness of the Torah and its history, sincerely praying in the moment for whatever flowed into their hearts, and knew that this scroll will last more than 200 years ... you could see it in everyone's faces - this was a sacred time of connection. And more than 100 people attended.
During the formal program we had five individuals (supported by their spouses and/or families) come up to the table to write a letter on the parchment. The letters were already outlined and you learned how to ink the quill and dab the ink onto the letters. Each person represented a different decade in the history of our sacred community. It was clear that everyone was in the moment and moved by the seriousness and holiness of filling in a letter in the Torah for themselves and as representatives of the entire community.
After a great fleshig lunch, we had two hours of those who had arranged to ink their letter. If you'd like to participate in writing your own Torah by writing a letter in our Torah - contact the office. I don't expect future programs to be as well attended as the first one - but I am confident that we will provide 7-8 opportunities in the coming months to energize individuals and our community through this mitzvah. On September 26th, we will complete the Torah, dedicate it and use on the holiday of Sukkot - hold the date - for a very, very special sacred time.
During the formal program we had five individuals (supported by their spouses and/or families) come up to the table to write a letter on the parchment. The letters were already outlined and you learned how to ink the quill and dab the ink onto the letters. Each person represented a different decade in the history of our sacred community. It was clear that everyone was in the moment and moved by the seriousness and holiness of filling in a letter in the Torah for themselves and as representatives of the entire community.
After a great fleshig lunch, we had two hours of those who had arranged to ink their letter. If you'd like to participate in writing your own Torah by writing a letter in our Torah - contact the office. I don't expect future programs to be as well attended as the first one - but I am confident that we will provide 7-8 opportunities in the coming months to energize individuals and our community through this mitzvah. On September 26th, we will complete the Torah, dedicate it and use on the holiday of Sukkot - hold the date - for a very, very special sacred time.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
The "B" page of the Amidah at Kehilat Shalom
Around 10 years ago when we switched from the "old" Sim Shalom Siddur to the newer "Slim" Shalom Prayerbook we had several months of discussions at Kehilat Shalom about utilizing the "B" page which includes the Imahot (the Matriarchs). At the time, I had indicated that I had no problem with adding words into the paragraphs, but that I was opposed to changing the benediction at the end of first blessing of the Amidah.
I've changed my mind, for two reasons. First, I've been reciting the "egalitarian" page frequently for the past six months and I've become comfortable with the words we add. More important though, in studying sources about the Amidah and the fixing of its wording, the evidence indicates to me that these words are not "biblical" in origin or time creation (as I had previously believed.) I still believe the words are divinely inspired, but not literally. They are not prophetic in origin, I believe from the time of the Pharisees or the Men of the Great Assembly. Therefore the possibility of changing the words is true of both the paragraphs as well as the chatimot (the closing blessing formulas).
After discussions with the Ritual Committee and the Board of Directors, we will be implementing use of the "B" page in the Musaf Amidah ONLY. We will retain the "A" page in all other services at Kehilat Shalom. I believe this affirms two other fundamental values: respect for tradition and pluralism. Using the A page affirms our devotion to our heritage. Using the B page in this fashion says that both versions of the Amidah are 'kosher' - there are legitimate liturgical variations in different communities and even within communities. We also have regulars at our services who will not wish to recite the egalitarian version of the Amidah and making the change in this way enables their desire to recite the A page for themselves.
I still know we have a serious issue regarding transition and being comfortable with change. In the coming weeks, the hazzan will be reviewing the Amidah with the new words. I will also use Q&A time on Shabbat mornings to take questions. If you have any questions regarding this - please feel free to contact me.
I've changed my mind, for two reasons. First, I've been reciting the "egalitarian" page frequently for the past six months and I've become comfortable with the words we add. More important though, in studying sources about the Amidah and the fixing of its wording, the evidence indicates to me that these words are not "biblical" in origin or time creation (as I had previously believed.) I still believe the words are divinely inspired, but not literally. They are not prophetic in origin, I believe from the time of the Pharisees or the Men of the Great Assembly. Therefore the possibility of changing the words is true of both the paragraphs as well as the chatimot (the closing blessing formulas).
After discussions with the Ritual Committee and the Board of Directors, we will be implementing use of the "B" page in the Musaf Amidah ONLY. We will retain the "A" page in all other services at Kehilat Shalom. I believe this affirms two other fundamental values: respect for tradition and pluralism. Using the A page affirms our devotion to our heritage. Using the B page in this fashion says that both versions of the Amidah are 'kosher' - there are legitimate liturgical variations in different communities and even within communities. We also have regulars at our services who will not wish to recite the egalitarian version of the Amidah and making the change in this way enables their desire to recite the A page for themselves.
I still know we have a serious issue regarding transition and being comfortable with change. In the coming weeks, the hazzan will be reviewing the Amidah with the new words. I will also use Q&A time on Shabbat mornings to take questions. If you have any questions regarding this - please feel free to contact me.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Tu B'Shevat
Sorry for being off line on the blog for a while - it's been more than a little much with pastoral emergencies and some wonderful programming.
This past Sunday we had an amazing Tu B'Shevat Seder. 16 tables of students and parents celebrated the holiday of the trees and "Torah as our Tree of Life." We ate different fruits, drank different colors of juice, told stories like Honi, the Jewish Rip-Van-Winkle and reflected on the meaning of Torah. From the Seder:
Our Torah is called Aytz Chaim, the Tree of Life. Jews in every community plant seeds for future generations by passing on traditions and learning from parents to children, as we do here today.
Over 3000 years ago at Mount Sinai our ancestors heard the Ten Commandments and received the Torah. Since that time we have tried to understand God’s words and use them as a guide to live our lives. It teaches us how to live with others and how to respect our world. Especially on Tu B’Shevat we think about nature and our environment and to follow God’s teachings to enjoy our good world.
Another meaning: we remember when God gave the Torah at Mount Sinai out of fire. There’s a famous legend that that the Torah is black fire written on white fire. The Torah has black letters – the dark fire. But the spaces between the letters are white. We read the black words but the white reminds us that the meaning surrounds and flows with the words and also inside of us.
Torah is our tree of life because it helps us find our way to good deeds and wisdom. In the same way we mix the juices, we are a mix of ability and sometimes mistakes. We study Torah throughout our lives as we seek to live a life of love and goodness. Study is a means to an end: to be a good person. One of the early rabbis said the goal of Torah is: to refine our personality for goodness and build a community of peace and justice.
If you'd like a copy of the Seder as a pdf or rtf - please contact me.
This past Sunday we had an amazing Tu B'Shevat Seder. 16 tables of students and parents celebrated the holiday of the trees and "Torah as our Tree of Life." We ate different fruits, drank different colors of juice, told stories like Honi, the Jewish Rip-Van-Winkle and reflected on the meaning of Torah. From the Seder:
Our Torah is called Aytz Chaim, the Tree of Life. Jews in every community plant seeds for future generations by passing on traditions and learning from parents to children, as we do here today.
Over 3000 years ago at Mount Sinai our ancestors heard the Ten Commandments and received the Torah. Since that time we have tried to understand God’s words and use them as a guide to live our lives. It teaches us how to live with others and how to respect our world. Especially on Tu B’Shevat we think about nature and our environment and to follow God’s teachings to enjoy our good world.
Another meaning: we remember when God gave the Torah at Mount Sinai out of fire. There’s a famous legend that that the Torah is black fire written on white fire. The Torah has black letters – the dark fire. But the spaces between the letters are white. We read the black words but the white reminds us that the meaning surrounds and flows with the words and also inside of us.
Torah is our tree of life because it helps us find our way to good deeds and wisdom. In the same way we mix the juices, we are a mix of ability and sometimes mistakes. We study Torah throughout our lives as we seek to live a life of love and goodness. Study is a means to an end: to be a good person. One of the early rabbis said the goal of Torah is: to refine our personality for goodness and build a community of peace and justice.
If you'd like a copy of the Seder as a pdf or rtf - please contact me.
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