B'Shalom Rav 5778
questions & answers
Author | |
Date Added |
“Yes, Oscar.”
“Rabbi Binder, do you believe in God?” “Yes.”
“Tell me you believe God can do anything.”
Rocks and Pebbles
Author | |
Date Added |
Shabbat Emor 5778 | May 5, 2018
counting to remember the shoah
Author | |
Date Added |
Shabbat Shemini 5778 | April 14, 2018
Passover Patience - Rabbi Shulman's Passover Message
Author | |
Date Added |
What if?
Author | |
Date Added |
investment advice
Author | |
Date Added |
moral reminders
Author | |
Date Added |
personal Jewish practice
Author | |
Date Added |
god is and god becomes
Author | |
Date Added |
Jerusalem, History, & Hanukkah
Author | |
Date Added |
Finding Our Voice
Author | |
Date Added |
Determining Our Prayers
Author | |
Date Added |
Shabbat Haye Sarah 5778 | November 11, 2107
This Shabbat in our sanctuary, our sacred space for prayer and celebration, we humbly pause as our hearts ache for the victims, for their families and friends, for their community and our society after what happened at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas. This disturbed act of violence hurts all of us deeply.
The assault on Sunday morning church goers, the deaths of 26 innocent people ranging in age from 18 months to 77 years is senseless as it is so sad. You and I do not live in this world to grieve and to suffer, though we do both too often. We are here to love, to nurture, and to fulfill the purposes of our creation. That’s precisely the meaning and vision of our prayer and gathering this and every Shabbat morning.
Each time we witness one of these tragic events, in reaction, we hear lots of noise and opining. Rarely, though, do we see any activity to prevent the next one.
David French, a Harvard Law School graduate, an Iraq war veteran, a best-selling author and opinion writer comments on last week’s church shooting in his piece at the National Review. David French calls prayer, “the most rational and effective response in the face of evil as manifested in mass shootings.” Among other things, he claims, prayer “includes the clear mind to consider and enact policies that might make a difference.”
I deeply appreciate the reflective and introspective value of prayer. I do hope prayer motivates us to consider our choices and direct our actions. I don’t appreciate turning to prayer as a substitute for taking personal or collective responsibility. If we want things to come out a certain way, whether or not we choose to pray, we have to behave accordingly.
Abraham’s servant Eliezer understands this. Sent by Abraham to find a suitable wife for Isaac, Eliezer defines the woman he is looking for and then asks God to confirm his decision. His prayer to God is not for guidance or that God fulfill his quest, but rather that God’s blessing be a confirmation of Eliezer’s will. It is a powerful way to understand the meaning of our own destinies and our relationship with God.
My own view is that things don’t happen to us because of some external controlling force or fate. No mass shooting or other tragedy is God’s will. Neither are our achievements. Rather, God is present through us, through our responses to life’s challenges and joys, and through the world’s wonder.
God's reality is not that of a genie granting our personal wishes. Instead, through our plans, and as a result of our reactions to every day’s surprises, we make progress. My faith is a trust that God grants our world and each one of us the resources, talents, and gifts to succeed. My prayer is for inspiration and encouragement. It is an exercise in evaluation, and a moral check on my purpose.
Listen to Eliezer’s words. “Eternal, God of my master Abraham…let the maiden whom I say, ‘Please, lower your jar that I may drink,’ and who replies, ‘Drink, and I will also water your camels’ – let her be the one whom You have decreed for Your servant Isaac.”
In other words, Eliezer determines that Isaac’s wife must demonstrate character traits of kindness and compassion. He knows what he wants and how he will attain it. His prayer is for God to affirm his choice.
Eliezer’s demeanor troubles some voices in Jewish tradition. Who is he, rather than God, to decide who is right for Isaac to marry? What if the woman who next approaches the well is less than everything a Biblical matriarch should be? His request of God is inappropriate, even though God’s graciousness extends to him and Rebekah is the one to appear first.
Yet from another perspective we are taught to see “that the servant does not ask for a miraculous divine intervention or for a revelation that would designate Isaac’s bride to be. He prays, rather, that the rational criteria of suitability that he himself determines might be in accordance with God’s will and be effective.”
These two interpretations are our life options. We can leave it up to others, feeling that we’re not qualified to guide our own futures; worried that we won’t be resilient enough to overcome any unintended consequences of our choices.
Or, we can see in our lives the blessing of God’s trust in us, a convergence of our best instincts and life’s greatest opportunities. Aware that we can’t know the future, we can still imagine its promise and potential.
Let’s pray in memory of the victims who lost their lives last Sunday in church. Let’s pray for all those injured and grieving to heal as they are treated, embraced, and helped to reclaim their lives.
Prayer is not a substitute for responsible debate and determination to figure out how to minimize or even prevent these tragedies that plague our society. Through what we actually do to make right what’s wrong, we pray.
May the memories of those who died direct their loved ones toward comfort and goodness. May those who ail know healing. May all of us be safe and secure whenever and wherever we gather. Like Eliezer did, may we see in our prayers confirmation of our decisions and blessing for our behaviors.
© 2017 Rabbi Ronald J. Shulman
Prominent Indiscretions
Author | |
Date Added |
Shabbat Vayera 5778 | November 4, 2017
It seems like a rare day when we don’t learn of some prominent person’s indiscretions. Our culture is awash with the news of those who mistreat others, who believe it is their place to harass women or subordinates, or abuse their power through inappropriate authority, financial scheming, or arrogant disregard for law and decency.
I am pained for the victims, their family members and friends. I am embarrassed for so many public figures who destroy their own dignity as they cause others pain. The good news is we’re now starting to pay attention. The bad news is this is nothing new.
“While he was sojourning in Gerar, Abraham said of his wife Sarah, ‘she is my sister.’ So King Abimelech of Gerar had Sarah brought to him.” Abraham puts our matriarch Sarah in a compromising position because he’s worried for his safety. Abraham doubts the people of Gerar’s integrity and social values. In response to Abimelech’s anger, Abraham explains he gave Sarah to him because, “‘I thought,’ said Abraham, ‘surely there is no fear of God in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.’”
Abraham seems to think he is entitled to save himself, his prosperity, and his monotheistic project by putting Sarah and her dignity at risk. God takes a very different view. “But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night and said, ‘You are to die because of the woman that you have taken, for she is a married woman.’” Protecting Sarah while she is with the king, God prevents any harm from resulting from Abraham’s act.
Finally, to justify his bad act, Abraham exclaims, “And besides she is in truth my sister, my father’s daughter though not my mother’s; and she became my wife.” Voices in Jewish tradition want nothing to do with Abraham’s claim. I’m particularly struck by Nahmanides’ point of view.
“I don’t know the reason for this subterfuge. For even if it were true that she was his wife and his sister, and seeing their desire for her he said she was his sister to delude them in this matter, he still committed a sin toward her and brought upon them a grave wrong. In this matter, we cannot separate the truth from the lie.”
I accept that the Torah narrative is a story. I accept that we turn to a character like Abraham and his relationship with God as portrayed in the Torah for personal meaning, spiritual identity, and faith. I believe we must also glean ethics for our lives from what we read in Torah.
If our rabbinic tradition can call out Abraham for acting inappropriately toward Sarah, Abraham who himself called out God while trying to save any righteous people in Sodom and Gomorrah. As he hears God’s plans to destroy the cities, Abraham chastises God. “Shame on You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do justice? Then we must be able to find a way in our relationships, in our society, in our work places and businesses, in our homes and communities, in the culture of celebrity, entertainment, media, and sports to call out those who act beyond proper boundaries of personal space and individual dignity.
We must also be sensitive. Why do various individuals presume the right to impose themselves or their desires on others? How arrogant and shallow is their self-awareness? I don’t ask these questions in search of answers. I ask them in order for us to consider our own interpersonal relationships and behaviors.
It really isn’t all that complicated. The rule is simple. Every gesture toward another person conveys what we think of him or her. Each overture we make toward someone suggests who we think we are in relation to him or her.
We relate to some people because of our, or their, position of authority. We come to know other people through personal experiences. Emotions and memories connect each of us to others. Let’s recognize this. When anyone looks at anyone else through an illusory lens of power and entitlement they see an object or a target, not a person worthy of their respect.
I learned this from my children and their friends many years ago when they were young. They taught me that I do not have the right to enter their personal space or touch their bodies with a friendly pat or tickle without permission. Permission is always required. This is true for someone who is 5 years old, 25 years old, 55 years old, 75 years old, or 95 years old. Our bodies and the spaces around us are private places. No one has access without our permission.
This even applies every time we greet one another. We have a decision to make. How do we invite each other into our personal place? How do we initiate contact? Should we? If we’re not familiar or comfortable with each other, we share an unsure moment or pause.
Do we shake hands? Do we embrace? Do we offer a social kiss? Do we share a bro hug? Quickly, instinctively, we ask ourselves which gesture is right for this moment? Understand, our answer depends on how we each see the nature of our relationship.
The rule is simple. Every gesture toward another person conveys what I think of him or her. Each overture I make toward someone suggests who I think I am in relation to him or her.
Every person I meet deserves a comfortable and appropriate physical interaction. Let’s be open, warm, and sincere with each other. Let’s hug, let’s kiss, let’s shake hands, let’s do whatever is right for our relationships. Let’s also be sure, everywhere we go, our relationships demonstrate mutual respect and regard.
As individuals, we can model in our behaviors our expectations for and toward others. We can all honor the character of our relationships and the invitations we choose to make and accept with propriety and dignity. We can do this with caring. We can do this as a statement to the society around us. Without permission, no one has a right to any part of who I am.
© 2017 Rabbi Ronald J. Shulman
Feeling Jew-ish or Jew-like
Author | |
Date Added |
Shabbat Lekh Lekha 5778 | October 28, 2017
The title of a recently published book got my attention. Feeling Jewish – A Book for Just About Anyone, written by Dr. Devorah Baum, a lecturer in English literature at the University of Southampton.
The book title reminds me of Norma, a woman who helped prepare food for Jewish events and celebrations. After the food was prepared and ready to be served, Norma had one very important question. What time should she put out the meal? Typically, the answer came back, “Be ready to eat at noon-ish, or two-ish, or six-ish.” Unhappy with these imprecise times, Norma once asked, “Is this how you tell time because you’re Jewish?”
Dr. Baum argues feeling Jewish is no longer only about being Jewish. It is now a universal sensation, a feeling of angst most anyone can experience. To set out her notion, Dr. Baum points out what most of us understand. Whether or not someone considers him or herself religious, being Jewish is a condition of life.
The great German Jewish philosopher Franz Rosenzweig wrote in a similar vein in the early 20th Century. Except, he was addressing being Jewish as an identity, not feeling Jewish as an emotion. “Just as Jewishness does not know limitations inside the Jewish individual, so does it not limit that individual himself when he faces the outside world. On the contrary, it makes for his humanity… Jewishness is only lived, and perhaps not even that. One is it.”
As I read and understand it, this is Professor Baum’s working definition of feeling Jewish. Feeling Jewish is the “sensibility of whoever feels a bit unsure of who they are – a bit peculiar or out of place, a bit funny.”
Does that describe you? Not me! By her definition, I don’t feel Jewish at all. And that feels strange! I am not an ethnic Jew. I’m quite sure of and comfortable with my place in the world as a person and as a Jew. Cultural Jewish neurotic stereotypes like guilt and inadequacy don’t animate me. Jewish kitsch is cute and familiar but I’m not a person who identifies primarily through culture and association.
In response to Devorah Baum, I want to argue that while feelings of insecurity are one consequence of the Jewish people’s historical experience, they are not our best feature to offer others. The world doesn’t need more angst. How about a bit of self-understanding and wisdom to help us move forward these days?
I find a compelling sense of purpose results from our people’s journey through the ages. I am an ideational Jew, a person who identifies with Jewish ideas. Jewish meanings inspire me. An optimistic Jewish worldview engages me. A Jewish sense of ethics and compassion motivates me.
Never the less, I find Dr. Baum’s book to be thoughtful and poignant. She writes, “While modernity promised Jews and other minorities that they could move from the margins to the center, it’s the reverse that may have actually occurred. In the era of radical globalization and the internet, it doesn’t matter who you are – even if you’re male, white, straight, middle class – you’re probably feeling that your group or identity has been, if not existentially threatened, then at the very least marginalized.”
She arrives at this understanding by reflecting on Jewish culture through the ages. So much Jewish humor and so much Jewish angst comes from those before us who lived on society’s edges, who were marginalized and not welcome. Throughout history, Jews have been reviled and persecuted, both emulated and envied for their successes.
“When it comes to feeling panicky, weak, outnumbered, and existentially threatened,” she explains, “Jews are by no means all alone. Indeed, the sense of dispossession that might be said to underpin resurgent ‘nationalist’ feelings could hardly have more in common with the feelings of those rootless cosmopolitans accused of aggravating them.”
Essentially, Dr. Baum seems to argue, the Jew-ish condition is a feeling of unease, of not knowing who we are as a collective in an increasingly globalized world. Anyone who feels disoriented or dislocated is feeling Jew-ish.
Interestingly, though I don’t fully resonate with what Dr. Baum writes, I find a hint of her thesis in how the Torah describes Abram. As we come upon him, Abram (as Abraham is first known) has left his native home for a land that God will show him; a land in which his descendants will live as fulfillment of God’s covenantal promise. After Abram tours this Promised Land he settles in Hebron with his wife Sarai. We learn that his nephew Lot resides to the east.
Suddenly, it seems, war surrounds Abram. Lot is captured. We read, “A fugitive brought the news to Abram the Hebrew, ha-Ivri.” Abram goes into battle to rescue Lot and protect his new home. I’m interested in how Abram is described. What does it mean that he is called, “Abram the Hebrew, ha-Ivri?”
“Rabbi Judah said: “The Hebrew, ha-Ivri, signifies that the whole world was on one side (ivri is derived from the Hebrew word ever, which means “over there, across”) while he was on the other side.” In this view, Abram feels dislocated. Separated from the larger society in which he lives. We might even say that Abram ha-Ivri feels Jewish!
Rabbi Judah’s interpretation isn’t really about identity, however. It’s about belief. Among all of humanity only Abram was a monotheist, the first person we meet who believes in One God. The label describing Abram reflects his belief, perhaps his values, not his ethnic identity.
We who are Jewish are spiritual descendants of Abraham. Avram haIvri, Abram the Hebrew, also means Abram the Nomad. Our historical experience was as a people who wandered and migrated from place to place. We have indeed been among the outcast and insecure throughout our history. Thankfully, this is no longer our reality.
While it is true that feelings of insecurity are one consequence of the Jewish people’s historical experience, at this moment I believe the larger world needs to hear something else from who we are Jewish.
To be Jewish is to access one of the world’s great wisdom traditions. If we’re looking for some truth that all people can sense in their particular circumstance today this is it.
Every one of us is different from every other one of us. While we share much in common, we are each unique in essence and personal identity. Let’s talk about feeling unique rather than feeling estranged. Let’s talk about feeling Jew-like rather than feeling Jew-ish.
The best life lesson of Jewish history for the world at this moment is to respect what’s different about each of us. Let’s build a society that celebrates each person’s unique and precious place among us. Too much emotional and ideological energy is pushing us apart. Too many want to live and associate only with people similar to themselves. Making room for one another, and opening ourselves up to what’s different about us rather than what’s the same, is our great need today.
Abram, our spiritual father, stood across on the other side. He found his purpose in his different belief system. Yet, Abram brought his different perspective out into the world to live with it among his neighbors, not to separate from them. To feel Jew-like is to celebrate what’s different about you and me, to take care of ourselves, and to give our unique gifts and talents to the world. To give the world who we each are is to be Jew-like and to build the society in which we want to live.
© 2017 Rabbi Ronald J. Shulman
Rejection's Value
Author | |
Date Added |
Shabbat Bereshit Sermon 5778 | October 14, 2017
We begin again our people’s sacred book. This is what Torah is about. Torah is about us, and our lives. Torah points us to awareness of God as it urges us to find meaning, purpose, beauty, and responsibility in life.
The Torah’s story of humanity begins as a reflection of human instinct and emotion. Our moods and passions may be the most complex part of being human. Our reactions and moods vary, often surprise us, and are not always ours to control.
The first portrayals of human personality in Torah reflect universal human truths. Adam is lonely. Seeking a companion, Adam represents our social desire. We crave being together with others. Eve is curious. Her appetite presents our drive to explore and discover. Cain is jealous of his brother Abel. He has trouble co-existing in relationship with someone else. Abel’s shorter life span demonstrates gratitude. Among our finest and healthiest traits.
When we meet Cain, he is a farmer. Abel, his brother whom we also meet, is a shepherd. According to some scholars, these brothers represent a tension between two original human settings. One, Abel, lives a nomadic existence. The other, Cain, is a settler. Both make necessary contributions to culture and economy. Cain is a “tiller of the soil,” just like his father. Abel raises livestock, “a keeper of sheep,” branching out from the family’s home.
“In the course of time, Cain brought an offering to the Eternal God from the fruit of the soil; and Abel for his part, brought the choicest of the firstlings of his flock.”
I’m curious. What is the purpose of Cain and Abel’s offering? Are they worshipping God? Is prayer instinctive to our nature? Why do people, including many of us, give something of ourselves or our possessions as an expression of caring, thanks, or praise? What do we, and Cain and Abel, seek? What internal feelings or personal sensations motivate us?
Jealousy is one, according to the Midrash. Adam, Cain and Abel’s father, sees the brothers’ rivalry and sends them to “pacify their Creator by offering to God from their strivings.” In part, prayer is expression of our emotions. A release of all we carry and feel within.
Submerged in this Torah text we find a deeper question. Notice what occurs. “The Eternal paid heed to Abel and his offering, but to Cain and his offering God paid no heed. Cain was much distressed and his face fell.” The question is obvious and uncomfortable. Why was Cain’s offering rejected?
The deeper question to learn from asks about that rejection. Why is it not okay to be rejected sometimes? We can ask a few more questions. Why does Cain assume that what he offered had to be acceptable to God? Why do any of us assume that something we do, or something we produce, must be accepted by others? Why can’t we be rejected?
Candidates seek our votes. Some of them are rejected in every election. Different choices, colors or flavors are presented to us all of the time. We like some of them. We reject others. Employers interview numerous candidates for a position. Most of them are rejected in favor of the person selected.
The Latin term for our human species is homosapien. The root of meaning is judicious and discerning. Of course, we accept and reject according to our preferences. By definition, it’s human nature. What needs to engage us are the criteria, good or bad, by which we make those decisions.
Again, from the Midrash we gain one insight. Abel’s offering reflected his humility. “Who am I to draw near to God?” the rabbis imagine him wondering. Cain, on the other hand, assumed everything he did every time he did it was worthy of acceptance. Which just isn’t true.
Rejection is a necessary, even a valuable, experience in our lives. Not all of the time, of course. No teenager finds pleasure in being told “no” when asking someone out on a date. Being accepted is crucial to forming our identities and supporting our personal feelings of self-worth. Even so, we ought to be mature enough and wise enough to understand the value in rejection.
Over the coming months students will be accepted or rejected by schools or programs they hope to attend. Their applications will be rejected based on statistics, demographics, and very selective, subjective, criteria. True, not everyone is qualified or a good fit for every slot. But, it is never personal. No admissions officer or evaluation committee actually knows the students they evaluate.
Life’s most enduring lessons challenge us. They don’t always make us happy. We learn from them to evaluate what we are doing. If we like what we are presenting, we gain confidence to continue. We look for the right place to offer what we can, to be who we are. How many members of the baseball teams currently in the playoffs were released by other teams only to find themselves now playing to get to the World Series?
We do not have to like, agree with, or accept everything people bring to us. Other individuals are entitled to our respect, not our automatic acquiescence. Think about your own opinions. You can’t agree with everybody. Unless you simply don’t care enough to have a view of your own. I agree and disagree with many good friends on this issue or that. I never feel dejected when a friend rejects my point of view. Isn’t it enough that my perspective was considered at all?
I reject the idea that we cannot balance gun ownership and gun safety. I reject the view that suggests there is nothing we can do as a society to keep people safe from those who should not have easy access to weapons.
I reject the behaviors of those who disrespect another person’s dignity, body, or opportunity. I reject efforts to confuse people by denying what is true or promoting what is not.
In Torah God asks Cain, “Why are you distressed, and why is your face fallen? Surely if you do right there is uplift. But if you do not do right, sin couches at the door.” Torah rejects the false choice between doing what is expedient or doing what is right.
Cain murdered his brother Abel because he didn’t understand the possibilities present in God’s rejection of his offering. We can discover this potential. Not all expressions are equal even though all people are. Our efforts bring value even when the results of our efforts fall short.
We’ve begun reading our sacred text again for a New Year. Striving to help us be aware of God, Torah urges us to find meaning, purpose, and responsibility in life. Let’s reject the notion that life is void of meaning. Torah is about us, and the purpose of our lives.
© 2017 Rabbi Ronald J. Shulman
My Rabbinic Letter - why
Author | |
Date Added |
Renewal
Author | |
Date Added |
and the end of all exploring will be to arrive where we started, and know the place for the first time.”
Storytellers
Author | |
Date Added |
Rosh HaShanah Sermon 2017 | 5778
Resilient, Positive People of Integrity
Author | |
Date Added |
Symbols After Charlottesville
Author | |
Date Added |
But God gave me a stage, a guitar and a song.”
You know we are made up of love and hate
But both of them are balanced on a razor blade.”
But what do I know?”
But what do I know?”
Our Hearts' Desires
Author | |
Date Added |
New Memories
Author | |
Date Added |
Mon, May 29 2023
9 Sivan 5783
Friday Night
Young Family Shabbat : 5:45pm |
Kabbalat Shabbat Service : 6:15pm |
Shabbat Day
Torah Reading Class : 9:00am |
Saturday Morning Service : 9:30am |
Upcoming Programs & Events
Jun 1 Women's Connection Canasta Thursday, Jun 1 10:30am |
Jun 2 Young Family Shabbat Friday, Jun 2 5:45pm |
Jun 4 Short Stories Sunday, Jun 4 10:30am |
Jun 5 |
Jun 7 Wise Aging Wednesday, Jun 7 10:30am |
Shabbat Mevarchim
Shabbat, Jun 17 |
Join Our Mailing List
Why ShulCloud?
Zmanim
Alot Hashachar | 4:16am |
Earliest Tallit | 4:51am |
Netz (Sunrise) | 5:43am |
Latest Shema | 9:14am |
Zman Tefillah | 10:25am |
Chatzot (Midday) | 12:46pm |
Mincha Gedola | 1:22pm |
Mincha Ketana | 4:54pm |
Plag HaMincha | 6:22pm |
Shkiah (Sunset) | 7:50pm |
Tzeit Hakochavim | 8:32pm |
More >> |
-
Thursday ,
JunJune 1 , 2023
Thursday, Jun 1st 10:30a to 12:30p
-
Friday ,
JunJune 2 , 2023
Friday, Jun 2nd 5:45p to 6:15p
-
Sunday ,
JunJune 4 , 2023
Sunday, Jun 4th 10:30a to 12:00p
-
Monday ,
JunJune 5 , 2023Women's Connection Mah Jongg
Monday, Jun 5th 11:00a to 3:00p
-
Wednesday ,
JunJune 7 , 2023
Wednesday, Jun 7th 10:30a to 12:00p
-
Thursday ,
JunJune 8 , 2023
Thursday, Jun 8th 1:00p to 3:00p
-
Monday ,
JunJune 12 , 2023Women's Connection Mah Jongg
Monday, Jun 12th 11:00a to 3:00p
-
Thursday ,
JunJune 15 , 2023
Thursday, Jun 15th 10:30a to 12:30p
-
Monday ,
JunJune 19 , 2023Women's Connection Mah Jongg
Monday, Jun 19th 11:00a to 3:00p
-
Monday ,
JunJune 19 , 2023Women's Connection Rosh Chodesh Gathering
Monday, Jun 19th 5:30p to 8:00p