Weekly Shabbat Parsha Thoughts - Va-Yechi - 1.1.2010

JThis week’s parsha is an amazing closure to the first book of the Torah and has several moments that literally still live with us to this day.

Jacob dies in this week’s portion. He blesses his children. What is interesting is that the blessings do not just include hopes and positives for his kids but also addresses many of their mistakes and character flaws. From a practical point of view this may so people understand the positions of the tribes in the future. But I also feel that this reminds us once again that our imperfections are a part of our blessing and in fact part of our Judaism.

The book of Genesis tells many stories of evolution. These evolutionary steps take us from Abraham to the seeds of Israel, from familial feuds and distrust to a family coming together, and from the first steps of the covenant to the rewards and challenges of living our life within the code. All of these transitions are shown. We also see Jewish leadership and action in the world move from being one that allows respect in the world (Abraham) to literally being able to make a difference and save the world (Joseph). So in its final story of evolution Jacob wants to make sure these lessons are implanted in his family and he gives them this with his blessings. Blessing both their strengths and their challenges making sure that they (and we know) that these attributes both make up part of the personal and Jewish identity and evolution.

Two special moments to mention in the words of this weeks parsha:

1) This is where the blessings over the children that we say on Shabbat comes from. It is always a special to be able to look at our children each week and bless them and be appreciative of them. We should take each week and remind our children that we have hopes for them, we are proud of them and we are grateful for both who they are and what they will be.

2) In his blessing Jacob also is clearly concerned that his family continues the legacy of our forefathers. His concerns come though as well as his hopes. His sons reply with one of the key phrases in Jewish Practice today, “Shema Yisrael Adonai Eloheinu Adonai Echad" - "Hear O Israel, the Lord Our God, the Lord is One!". They are saying we hear you Dad and we will continue the work you have done. His response “Baruch Shem Kavod Malchuto Le'Olam Va'Ed" - "Blessed is the Name of His glorious Kingdom forever and ever" express the gratitude of knowing that lessons have been passed and that he too is part of something immortal and beyond him. Each day we are given an opportunity with our prayers and actions to remember that we are part of something larger and more connected. The next opportunity you have to say the shema think of the affirmation of faith, action and legacy it represents from this weeks parsha.

So this week we should remember that we are part of a legacy and a chain. One that requires action and therefore mistakes and that these strengths and weakness are part of not only what makes us human, but also Jewish. We are part of the evolution that started in Genesis and as we can see from this week’s portion it is a complicated and wonderful journey. And we have an opportunity to further the evolution and remember the legacy everyday and that truly is a blessing from our forefathers.

Shabbat Shalom

Weekly Shabbat Parsha Thoughts - Va-Yigash - 12.25.2009

This week’s parsha tells the story of the final reunion between Joseph and his brothers. In the story of saving their brother Benyamin the brother show their growth in protecting their family and Joseph shows that he has grown in not acting out a vengeance when he had all of the power and opportunity.

The theme that gets fully reinforced is the concept of working towards completeness. If you look at the evolution of the sibling relationships in the first book of the torah they show an evolution towards completeness. Cain and Abel begin with jealousy, Isaac and Ishmael learn to uncomfortably co-exist, Jacob and Esau learn to love each other and exist in peace but not working together and in this weeks parsha we see the 12 brothers learning to love, forgive and work together completely.

In addition you see the evolution of the Jewish leaders from defining the Jewish people and the covenant to establishing the internal beginnings of the legacy for Israel and finally in Joseph you have a Jewish leader who is also a leader and full member of the outside world while still working in HaShem's direct service for the fulfillment of the people of Israel. The theme of being in the world that was started with Joseph's Great Grandfather (Abraham) has continued to be evolved over the generations.

I think that there are two points that are key that this week is teaching us:

1) That you must not lose one’s connection to HaShem while engaging with the world. It is important to note because the Torah also shows us that Judaism must be experienced with the outside world.

2) That everything is a process or an evolution. And one of the key points to learn from these stories is that mistakes are made by everyone. Our forefathers made mistakes as a part of the evolution towards completeness. Joseph and his brothers made mistakes as well. This week reinforces the fact that these mistakes are a part of the process required by HaShem and are also a key part of the experience of becoming Jewish.

So as we finish up 2009 and think of the year to come we hope for one that allows us to learn and grow, have our mistakes make us better and gives us the opportunity to further our evolution towards our completeness as people in the world, in our family, in our Judaism and ourselves.

Shabbat Shalom

Weekly Shabbat Parsha Thoughts - Miketz - 12.18.2009

This week we see Joseph’s rise to power in Egypt and the reunion with his brothers.

What stood out to me reading over the parsha this week (and inspired by a reading by Rabbi Brad Artson) was the need for different types of intelligence for his success. He had the need for some spiritual knowledge and connection to HaShem (with dream interpretation) as well as the practical skills required to run Egypt as the viceroy.

The two sets of knowledge together is what truly allows Joseph to become a leader. We should remember that Joseph had spiritual intelligence for a long time – but it was only when he used other practical skills and types of intelligence to fulfill his position and destiny.

What I think the Torah is teaching us here is that we need to develop multiple skills and types of intelligence to be truly successful. A wholly religious or spiritual view will not get the job done nor will a totally secular view. Even in our oldest texts we are being taught the lesson of the value of action within the real world.

We would also do well to recognize in the real world that different people posses different skills and types of intelligence. And a leaders job is not just to make sure that we have both a spiritual and secular view of the world but also to make sure that different types of skills and intelligence are brought together to make sure that we have a full view of a problem and therefore a full view of a solution.

Let’s remember that it took Joseph using all of his skills and intelligence (as well as the entire nation of Egypt) to achieve his destiny of success and we should look at this as a lesson for ourselves. A lesson to develop ourselves spiritually and secularly as well as recognize the different skills required to achieve a goal.

Shabbat Shalom

weekly shabbat parsha thoughts - Va-Yishlach and va-yashev - 12.4.2009 and 12.11.2009

I am a few weeks behind - but there is a good excuse – a newborn baby boy!

But I want to catch up with some brief thoughts on the two parshot that I missed.

Two weeks ago we have the story of Jacob wrestling with the stranger/angel and last week we have the story of Joseph, his brothers, his being sold into slavery.

Looking over these two stories you see an interesting overarching theme about the place of humility and its importance to leadership and development.

With Jacob you have the contrast of his struggle to tie the angel as compared to the youngster who deceived his father to win a blessing earlier. While that may have given him some rights he does not realize his true destiny and position (and the name of Israel) until he wrestles with the angel. And what is important here as a lesson to me is that while he did wrestle with the Angel - Jacob did not WIN. This sets up the pattern we still see to this day with good Jewish expression - which is wrestling with ourselves and fitting it into a healthy reality.

When we think too much of ourselves we often get ourselves overextended and in trouble. We sometimes focus on winning so much in the moment we forget the objective and end result we are truly concerned about. Jacob's draw with the angel is a superb story to remind ourselves that victory in the moment for our pride is nothing compared to the end object that we are all working towards.

Similarly in last week’s parsha we have the story of Joseph, his pride and the trouble it gets him into. In Egypt Joseph uses the same skills and talents to find favor (some of which still get him in trouble) but these set him up for the successes to come in the future. In the beginning he was proud and boastful and angered those who should have loved him the most. In Egypt he used his talents and skills the same as before but without the same boastful pride. He even gives HaShem credit for the interpretation of the dreams in the prisons of Egypt.

In humbly portraying similar skills and information that got him into trouble in the first place (i.e. dreams) Joseph shows that humility changes the impact. He does not deny talent or ability but by putting it in the humble context he sets up his ultimate success.

So we should remember that the Torah asks us to humbly serve and lead. Not to deny our skills and talents, but to recognize that their use is not for simple zero-sum victories or boastful pride but important tools to help us build that which really matters.

Hope this finds everyone well.

Shabbat Shalom for the last two weeks!

What will you leave behind? A name? An inheritance? Or a Legacy? (credit to Bishop Wiley Jackson Jr.)

A few years ago we went to a funeral of a longtime family friend. The eulogy was delivered by our family friend's son the Bishop Wiley Jackson Jr. of the Gospel Tabernacle Churches and Word in Action Fellowship. The theme of that sermon still is in my head. He asked the question "What will you leave behind? A name? An inheritance? Or a Legacy?"

If we honestly look at those three items I would guess most of us spend time thinking and working on the second item on that list. And certainly our success and security that we provide for our loved ones and ourselves is very important. But my guess is that if you were to ask anyone what is the most important we would say our legacy is the most important(myself included).

So why the disconnect?

I think it is because we have grown up being given the tools for asking the questions about inheritance. It is in our language, standard curriculum of schools and in shows on television. We do not spend time answering a very simple and important question...

"What do you want your legacy to be?"

We should ask ourselves that question and then write down the answer. And then read it, edit it, re-write it and read it again. We then should set an appointment on our calendar and read it again and again.

There is a psychological phenomenon in business planning they call "memories of the future" - by looking forward at descriptive conditions for the future we can be act and prepare and be ready for that future. It allows us to plan and act today for that future "memory". And with our legacy the same is true. We need to create the same discipline and rigor in our lives for our legacy as we do for our careers, finances etc...

If that is what is going to live on the longest should we not give our legacies the right place in our everyday consciousness and processes?

Obviously our vision for our won legacy is very personal. Notice I have not mentioned mine here at all. And remember that we do not have to share it with anyone else - but it is a real shame if we never take the time to stop, and share what we want our legacy to be with ourselves.

Weekly shabbat parsha thougths - Va-Yetzei - 11.27.2009

This week’s parsha – Va-Yetzei - touches on a lesson that seemed especially appropriate for the week of thanksgiving. It covers the concept of a sacred spot. Jacob has several moments where the ground is used to mark a special spot. First (and most famously) with his dream on the mount of the angels rising and falling and then when Jacob leaves his father-in-law after toiling for many years, finding his wives and building his fortune. Both moments are marked with setting stones in the ground marking otherwise innocuous pieces of land as special to them.

A location is sacred because of the touch point it becomes in our lives. And this is true for Jacob as well. On the mountain he arises after his dream of the angels and ladders to realize he is the presence of HaShem. He makes a prayer and sacrifice to mark the spot – and in doing so also further cements the idea that HaShem is located wherever we are willing to recognize the holy presence. The idea that god is not everywhere but can be anywhere. Many rabbis point to the prayer Jacob makes here as the early formula that most of our modern prayer is modeled on. What it is significant as well is this special and meaningful location is referred to simply, and generically, as “the place”. In lacking details the torah is telling us that any place can become holy and sacred if we feel it is that way to us.

With his father in law the land they mark as a special sign of the agreement between Laban and Jacob is again a piece of land with no description or significance. But it is the deal that Jacob makes that allow him to leave with his family, his fortune and return to Israel that makes this spot special. So that leads us to thanksgiving where we should take a thought and have a hope.

As we review that which we are grateful for we should think of the many sacred spots in our lives. Whether it is Shabbat, family memories places in our homes there are many places we return that we should recognize and treat as a sacred spot. We never stop to look at a Shabbat table or family gathering as a sacred spot, but if we look at the meaning they can imbue in us makes these locales amongst the most sacred we have in our lives. On this thanksgiving we should remember these spots as thankful and stop and be thankful and pray for being aware of the fortune of such spots.

And I hope that we all not only become aware of these sacred spots but recognize that we have the ability to find and make sacred spots with our loved ones. If we are with people whom we love, and realize that we are in the presence of HaShem, than we have the potential to find a sacred space.

On this thanksgiving we should all be grateful for all of the sacred spaces in our lives, the people and beliefs that have led to them and the ability to have the perspective to recognize them and create more sacred spaces in our lives as we continue on our journeys.

"Blessed are You, LORD, our God, King of the universe, Who has kept us alive, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this season."

For this moment and for all of our moments that create our special and sacred places.
Shabbat Shalom

Weekly Shabbat Parsha Thoughts - Toldot - 11.20.2009

This week we have the story of Jacob and Esau. Of course the younger brother in me has always liked part of the story!

But one of the points that seems to resonate as a theme this week is that of long term value. You have this week Jacob receiving the blessings that literally put him in the beginning steps of birthing the nation of Israel. I have always found it interesting that the Torah has Isaac not see this value. (of course the husband in me sees a lesson about always trusting your wife’s instincts!)

So what does this tell us? Well there are some obvious points that bear a quick mention. The risks of favoritism and the costs of deception certainly come to mind. Not being superficial in your judgments or relationships also stands out. But again I see this as a lesson in looking for long term value.

Each of us has a long term value – that something that we can bring to the world that impacts it. We often do not feel this way but the reality is our world that we currently live in is the outcome of billions of lives before each of which has shaped that world that we stand in today. And in our Jewish community we recognize that there are actions of those who came before us that impact our communal world. In day to day grind we almost always find a way to forget that this is part of our life.

And I think that is one of the lessons this parsha tries to impart. If you forget that anyone you interact with has this long term value we will often create mistakes and damaged relationships. And the closer we are to the people the more potential risk. This is what we see with Isaac, Rebecca, Jacob and Esau. It is in this vein that I see one of the major planks of Hillel’s logic when he said “"Do not unto your neighbor what you would not have him do until you; this is the whole Law; the rest is commentary."

But this week let us try to remember that everyone we interact has this long term value and impact. We have a choice to embrace that value and work with it – or we can forget it and risk so much more.

And there is one scenario where I implore all of us to remember this lesson of long term value which is the easiest to forget – and that is to ourselves. We should remember that we too have this same impact, potential and risks of long term value and should remind ourselves everyday that one of the best ways to recognize it and develop it in others is to first do that to ourselves. The Torah never misses a moment to remind us that to love our neighbor as we love ourselves that we should first love ourselves.

So let us be reminded of the spark of long term value and potential that each of us has within ourselves and remember it in each other. The world is always a better place with greater potential when we remember this in our interactions with each other and with ourselves.

Shabbat Shalom

Weekly Shabbat parsha thoughts - Chaya Sarah - 11.13.2009

This portion has always intrigued me. The story is relatively simple. It follows Abraham as he negotiates to buy land for Sarah’s burial place and then tries to find a wife for his son.

Now it should not be lost that this parsha marks the first time a Jewish person owned land in Israel. And it is not insignificant that it had to be negotiated in the real world with a respectful honest transaction. As was shown a few weeks ago – part of our covenant and chosen nature is how we interact with others.

But what always strikes me about this portion is how placed next to last week it seems to make a poignant contrast. Last week was filled with Sodom and Gamora, heavenly visits and the surreal story of the binding of Isaac. This week has real estate transactions and marriages. The placement to me tells a story that we should always remember.

I believe the torah is telling us here that our actions should be viewed in our own minds as our best attempt to work with HaShem’s hands. We may not have the ability to create miracles but we have a great part in creating the world HaShem desires. Our actions in the world are part of HaShem’s structure of how the world becomes the world we all want. It cannot happen without our hands and actions. We are integral to the solution.

And when we do we can find completeness – as Abraham did this chapter. He bought a piece of the holy land for his family and people. And this was a transaction with the Hittities which shows the utmost respect for both parties. He is able to make sure his son gets married and sees that the legacy and covenant that has driven him continues. And this “completeness” only comes after these real world interactions and transactions are completed. So this feeling of completing something cannot end with HaShem’s hand it must be in concert with our actions.

And we should remember that in Hebrew “complete” and “peace” come from the same root words. To attempt to find both a feeling of completion and peace we MUST transact respectfully with our world. This is not a formula for seclusion and judgment but for inclusion and engagement.

These lessons are often forgotten in today’s Jewish world. We get caught up in politics or ritual and forget that these actions too are representative of our view of the world and HaShem. We may not always remember that – but this weeks parsha both in its behaviors shown and position remind us that even if we do not remember that we are acting out our beliefs on the world that we, in fact, are always doing that. So we should remember that in our life we show these beliefs in our actions and beyond our life these actions echo through the generations as legacies and lessons of our view of the world as it should and can be.

All actions are an opportunity to be part of HaShem’s plan and “hands” on this earth. If we learn from the “Life of Sarah” (which is what our portion this week means) then we can learn that our actions are needed to find completeness and peace. Once again our faith does not solve the problem – but it does make sure that we know that this solution, this peace, the world that we wish to make is in our hands.

Weekly Shabbat parsha thoughts - Vayera - 11.6.2009

This week’s parsha gives us a fascinating set of bookends.

We start with Abraham talking with HaShem – stopping the conversation to go welcome guests, taking them in and finding out that they are caring for heavenly visitors and are promised a son. The end of the parsha tells the infamous story of the binding of Isaac. This is still amongst the most disturbing and memorable stories in our torah.

These stories both talk about faith – but their juxtaposition speaks of the importance of placement of faith. The binding of Isaac talks of the importance of faith and belief in HaShem – but the blind nature of it and the unspeakable act always sits uncomfortable.

The placement of blind faith at the beginning of any journey will always lead to a great deal of discomfort. In the opening story Abraham puts proper treatment of people and behavior before faith and is welcoming to his earthly guest – does not ignore them and he is rewarded with the gift of a child.

Faith while important must be placed as a backdrop of our interaction. It must always be there but not driving us at every step. What our faith teaches us is that faith is a powerful tool and statement. But its placement within our lives leads us to very different places. Faith, common sense and reason must work together.

When put inside a context of the world in which we live it gives us great rewards and figuratively (or in this story literally) brings HaShem and blessing into our house and into our lives. When that is not in balance we lead ourselves to the precipice of disaster where only something extraordinary can save us.

So as we interact with the world as Jews we must remember the very important and very powerful impact of faith. Without faith we of course have nothing. All of our lives and anyone’s belief has a component of faith. Even an atheist takes it on faith that there is no god (they can no more “know” than a believer – it is taken on faith) – faith is omnipresent in our lives. It is a truth of being a finite being within an infinite world. Faith allows us to understand the edges of reality that go beyond our finite existence.

Given its unavoidable reality we must be aware of how it can be used. If you ignore it you are closing your eyes to the reality of the world and will be stepping through the world with danger. If you put it first and only you will (by the very nature of faith) be living on the edges and always risk falling off. Faith gives us structure and borders between that which we know and that we can never know – reason, common sense and the rules of how we treat each other is grounded center our faith protects. If we live in that center and we are surrounded by faith we are following in the footsteps of our forefathers, learning from their lessons and will have invited HaShem into our lives.

Shabbat Shalom

Weekly Shabbat parsha thoughts - lech lecha - 10.30.2009

This week is one of the defining moments as a Jewish people.

Abraham, our forefather, takes the first step on our journey to becoming the chosen people. Abraham (at the time called Abram) leaves his home and heads for the promised land of Canaan. It catalogues the beginning of the steps Abraham takes in his partnership with HaShem. By the end of the portion this week

What is interesting about this step is what it entails – it means walking out into the world and acting in line with a philosophical and ethical code. There is no mystical requirement, no miracle to perform but instead the core of the requirement is to simply go out and live by this code. In our parsha this week Abraham takes the first steps in building this code by trusting HaShem and going out into the world. That is the beginning of the partnership between HaShem and Jewish People that has lasted through the millennia.

The covenant with HaShem is a contract, which requires both sides to commit something to the “transaction”. For the Jewish people our part of the transaction is to live by that ethical code (of which Abraham took the first steps this week) – and we have “to go” (derived from the Hebrew word “l’lechet” and a part of the title of this week’s portion “Lech lecha”) out into the world, and have interactions with the world in order to reach our promised land and become a chosen people. Abraham’s actions were those of a moral man trying to go out into the world and interact (and make mistakes) with the world in accordance with this code, in accordance with the covenant.

It is the everyday nature of this requirement that is the extraordinary thing. A system that is based on the exceptional or miraculous is based upon CREED – a system which is based on a ethical way of approaching everyday life is based on DEED. And “deeds” are actions that we have the control to perform.

And this self determination is the key. In order to be “chosen” we have to “choose” to uphold (or attempt to uphold) this ethical code of living. And this code is based not on miracles and mystery but in everyday actions. It is designed to be within our grasp to perform – our religion is structurally designed to allow us to access that which makes us special or “chosen” through our own actions and belief.

We all have been in situations in our communities and our lives where we feel as though we have no control, or it is not within us to make the difference. It is at these times we must remember that we are commanded and required to act with our own hands to make a difference in the world around us. It is part of the covenant. Our requirement to interact with the world and take the change into our hands is truly the core of our commitment to HaShem as a people and as individuals.

As our work this year continues we will find times of hardship, stumbles and difficulties. That is when we must remember our part of the contract, our piece of the covenant – which is to look at ourselves and “lech lecha” out into the world. We must take the solution in our own hands and as Gandhi said “be the change you want to see in the world”.

We have the ability to take action. It is crucial to refuse to accept a tone of desperation and show through our own deeds the possibilities of inspiration.

It is by design in our hands, it is by contract our duty and it is by fortune our time to help.

Shabbat Shalom