Thinking Torah Blog

Many of us are likely familiar with the practice of saying the second line of the Sh’ma quietly or at least in a quieter voice than the first line. The origin of this tradition comes from the Talmud. In Pesachim 56a, regarding this week’s Torah portion, Vayechi, we read: “Jacob’s sons said to him: Hear Israel, our father, Adonai is our God, Adonai is One. That is: Just as there is only one God in your heart, so too, there is only one...Read more...

At the end of two years' time Pharaoh had a dream: there he was, standing by the Nile, when seven cows came up out of the Nile, handsome and fat. - Genesis 41:1-2

TORAH, Genesis 41:1−44:17

SUMMARY

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Jacob now sent messengers ahead of him to his brother Esau in the land of Seir, in the countryside of Edom. - Genesis 32:4

TORAH, Genesis 32:4−36:43

SUMMARY

• Jacob prepares to meet Esau. He wrestles with a "man," who...Read more...

Gathering this past Sunday for the annual Erev Thanksgiving service with our friends at Saint Clare’s was truly wonderful. This year, we celebrated the 50th anniversary of Genesis—a historic and visionary partnership of co-ownership and relational living between our two congregations. Seeing our sanctuary filled with so many members from both communities was a powerful reminder of the shared journey we’ve undertaken together.

In...Read more...

The 2024 World Migration Report reveals a staggering trend: “The total estimated 281 million people living in a country other than their country of birth in 2020 was 128 million more than in 1990 and over three times the estimated number in 1970.” And yet, “The vast majority of people continue to live in the countries where they were born—only one in 30 are migrants.”

Those who have heard me speak on this before know that I...Read more...

As Sukkot departs and the holiday of Simchat Torah/Shmini Atzeret arrives tonight, I am reminded that our prayers shift with the changing seasons. In the Amidah, the central prayer of almost every Jewish worship service, there is a line in the second paragraph where we pray for dew during the summer and for rain and wind in the winter. This prayer reflects the climate of the land of Israel, where the summers are dry, and the winter months...Read more...

As we approach Yom Kippur, beyond wishing each other a G’mar Chatimah Tovah (A good final seal in the Book of Life), we might also consider the greeting, Shanah Yoter Tovah, a greeting I have been seeing a lot these past two weeks. The addition of “Yoter” changes the greeting from A Good Year to A Better Year. Let us pray, that as 5785 continues to open that it will be better than 5784.

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It is hard to believe that we are approaching the anniversary of October 7th, and it is even harder to believe there are still hostages being held in Gaza. The ongoing war in Gaza and the tremendous loss of life has been gut-wrenching, and it still seems unclear what might happen next in Gaza. I realize that with major escalations in Lebanon, the media hasn’t focused on Gaza as much, but we must. We must...Read more...

This week’s Torah portion, Ki Teitzei, is filled with mitzvot that focus on the relationships between people, and even between people and animals. While many commandments in the Torah guide us in our relationship with God, this portion shifts the focus to our responsibility towards others. There are some beautiful teachings here. For instance, we’re told, “If you see your neighbor’s ox or donkey wandering, you must take it back to...Read more...

Distinguishing ourselves from the surrounding communities is a fundamental directive of the Torah. Whether it is God or Moses speaking to the Israelites, this theme appears repeatedly in the Torah, including in this week’s portion, Re’eh. Through Moses, God instructs the people to destroy the holy places of other nations when they enter the land and warns them against worshipping God in the ways other people worship their gods....Read more...

My teacher, Dr. Michael Zeldin, an emeritus professor of Jewish Education at the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Los Angeles, often reminded us, "A teaching session isn't over until you reflect on it." He emphasized that crafting a great lesson plan and delivering it effectively isn't enough. Without reflection, an instructor misses a vital aspect of teaching. Reflection allows us to...Read more...

This past Sunday, many members of TBE joined me on a Zoom call with Rabbi Arik Ascherman from the West Bank, along with Palestinian villagers his organization, Torat Tzedek, has been defending. Rabbi Ascherman described the escalating situation, where a de facto policy is forcing Palestinians off their grazing lands and out of their villages, allowing extremist settlers to take over these areas. We heard firsthand from the Palestinians, who...Read more...

In this week’s Torah portion, Chukat, Miriam dies, and the people are without water. The rabbinic tradition attributes this lack of water to Miriam’s death, maintaining that Miriam merited a well for the Israelites, which would travel with them through the wilderness. With Miriam’s death, that well dried up, and the Israelites grew thirsty, a problem anywhere, especially in the desert.

Water metaphors abound, some of which come...Read more...

This week’s Torah portion, Sh’lach lecha, provides the context for the Israelites' 40-year journey through the desert. God instructs Moses to send scouts from each tribe to explore the Promised Land. Ten scouts return with reports of insurmountable obstacles, while two believe they can conquer the land. The Israelites choose to listen to the ten scouts, and as a result, their journey extends from a few weeks to 40 years. This period marks...Read more...

This week in Parashat Nasso, we encounter the Priestly Benediction, the profound three-fold blessing our ancestor priests offered to the people on behalf of God. Today, Jews invoke this blessing during special moments, often when blessing children at the Shabbat table. In some communities, though typically not Reform communities, Jews who trace their ancestry to the Cohanim, still bless the entire...Read more...