Vayikra

Shabbat shalom! This week we start the book of Leviticus (aka the book with no stories). BUT even though there aren't stories the Torah still has something to say! Vayikra gives us the details about sacrificing animals...ew. But what was the point of sacrificing animals anyways? The word for sacrifice comes from the same root as the word 'close'. So giving a sacrifice was supposed to bring the people closer to God. Think of it this way, when it's nice outside what do you do? You have a barbecue! And God likes a good BBQ.

There were even different types of sacrifices for when you alone sinned, the community as a whole sinned or if you might have sinned but aren't sure. And for the vegetarians out there, most sacrifices had a veggie option! Not because some Israelites were vegans but because meat is hella expensive. Seriously, back then buying an ox was like buying a motorcycle!

Today, instead of sacrificing animals three times a day we (are supposed to) pray three times a day. Also, many younger people feel like they are sacrificing their Friday nights and/or Saturday mornings and go to services. Yes, that sounds like a terrible way to put it but, we live in a country where everything does not come to a standstill every Friday. On the 4th of July, I was in Jerusalem for Shabbat and as I looked out the windows of the bus I could see all the people scurrying around so they could get ready in time for Shabbat. Many people even start saying "Shabbat Shalom" on Wednesday! It's like a holy countdown for everything to freeze when the sun goes down on Friday night.

Anyways, the whole point of sacrificing animals was not just burning it but the feeling it gives you. It's the same thing with sacrificing  your Friday night. So maybe I would rather watch Netflix or go out with my friends but when I do go to services I try to remember why I'm there. I look up at the gold words on the ceiling or listen to my mom singing in the choir and I think about how lucky I am to be on this planet, living this life. Try to take the "veggie option" this week and sacrifice some of your time to pray and be thankful that you are here. (This is the one time that I will advise you not to be like Ron Swanson, metaphorical veggies are good for you!)

Vayak'heil and P'kudei

Vayak'heil & P'kudei

Starring:

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In parashat Vayak'heil the Israelites gather all the pieces mentioned before and start building a home for God, not just a house. All the Israelites come together and build something beautiful for the one that created and freed them. The Godcast to go along with this is a song and I suggest you listen because it's very good! Finally, in parashat P'kudei, all the pieces come together. The tabernacle is built, the priestly garments are finished and every priest has been anointed by Moses. The cloud that had followed the Israelites since they first came to the desert settled into the Tabernacle. God was finally home.

From parashat Vayak'heil we see this quote:

"Six days work may be done, but on the seventh day you shall have sanctity, a day of complete rest to the Lord; whoever performs work thereon [on this day] shall be put to death” (Exodus 35: 1-2).

In this article from the Jerusalem Post, Rabbi Shlomo Riskin, the chief rabbi of Efrat, discusses why we should not use cell phones on Shabbat. It apparently has nothing to do with the kindling fire law but more to do with something Maimonides said:

"And this point is clearly made by Maimonides, in his biblical commentary...that in addition to the negative prohibition of work (melacha) on Shabbat there must be also a positive biblical commandment for a positive and recognizable expression of Shabbat menuha (spiritual activity which can be accomplished on the one day in which the individual is freed from his usual necessary weekday toil), a day dedicated to God."

So basically this means that we shouldn't do work on Shabbat but we also shouldn't lie in bed all day! Rabbi Riskin suggests that instead of going on our phones and 'talking' with our friends we should go out and be with them. How are we supposed to have holy moments if we're on our phones all the time? It's hard, trust me I know.

However, on Friday night I watched a movie called The Darjeeling Limited and it made me realize that we all need to get away from our distractions every once in a while. The movie is about three brothers who haven't spoken in a year after their father died. The eldest decides that they need to take a spiritual journey together through India by train in order to reconnect. At one point, their train gets lost.

Their travel assistant says to the impatient brothers that "we haven't located us yet". Again, the eldest brother has a revelation! He interprets this to mean that the brothers hadn't found themselves yet. For the duration of the trip, the three of them had either been visiting temples and distractedly 'praying' or smoking, drinking and abusing prescription drugs.

After getting kicked off their train (for the above mentioned illegal activities), it takes a journey into the wilderness for them to finally find themselves. While walking along, they passed a river where three boys were on a raft. The raft tipped but only two of the three could be saved. When the brothers arrived at the boys' village, all of their distractions disappeared. They finally saw the fragility and beauty of life.

At the funeral for the boy, everyone wore white (the traditional color of respect in India). The three brothers were finally given the opportunity to start over and let the pain in their lives go.

At the end of their trip, the brothers know that they are not entirely healed or free from grief, but they know that they have each other.

It doesn't take a trip to India to have a meaningful Jewish experience, it takes time. Holy moments come along when you least expect it so don't try to force it like the brothers! This week, take time to step back and reassess. Throw out the itinerary, put down your phone and find your own path. 

Namaste.

Ki Tisa

Shabbat Shalom! This week's portion is a Hebrew School Classic: The Golden Calf story. So you guys know the deal, Moses goes up to Mt. Sinai and the people get lonely so they get Moses' brother Aaron to make a golden calf out of their earrings, God and Moses get mad yada yada. There are two major things you can take from this portion:

1. Taking responsibility can be hard
2. Believing without seeing is also hard

Starting with responsibility, HSTY went to Rutgers Hillel for Shabbat last night and their rabbi gave us this situation:

"Say you really want to go to Wawa in the middle of the night and you beg your friend to drive you. She agrees as long as you give her directions. You get near the Wawa and you tell her to make a sudden turn but she can't see it- and she hits another car. Who's responsible for the crash?" 

I personally thought it was my own fault for making my friend drive me in the first place but there's room for debate. This debate thing is where it gets tricky in regards to the creation of this golden calf. Is it Moses' fault for leaving the Israelites, Aaron's fault for suggesting the idea without thinking it would actually happen, the Israelites fault for not staying true to God or God's fault for making the Israelites in the first place? Aaron tried to escape blame by saying that when he put the gold in the fire a calf randomly came out *legit Torah right there*. No matter what angle you take, each group shares a little bit of the blame.

Next, believing without seeing. When Moses left for Mt. Sinai, the Israelites were without their leader and didn't know what to do with their lives. They built an idol, not to replace God but to fill the void that Moses left. God saw what was going on and was PISSED. God threatened to kill all the Israelites and start a new nation from Moses but Moses had hope that this was just a mistake. Also, what was the point of killing the Israelites if God made all that effort to get them out of Egypt? Anyways, Moses came down the mountain with the 10 Commandments but finally saw what his people had created and were worshipping. He was horrified as well! In his anger, Moses threw the 10 Commandments on the ground and they shattered into pieces. DUN DUN DUNNNN

So that's where the Torah leaves us this week, in quite a pickle. The only way to fix this mess is if everyone owns up to their mistakes and trusts each other so this week try to take responsibility for your actions and have a little faith!