Friday, November 30, 2012


Parashat Vayishlach
17 Kislev 5773 / 30 November – 1 December 2012
Torah: Genesis 32:4 - 36:43
Haftarah: Ovadiah 1:1-21

Dedications and calendar follow below.

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Name Change

'And (the angel) said to him, "What is your name?" And he said, "Jacob." And he said, "No longer will it be said that your name is Jacob, but  Israel ; for you have striven with God and with man and have prevailed."' Genesis 32:28-29

When a person converts to Judaism, the final step is immersion in a mikvah. When the convert emerges, s/he is given a new name. It is a symbol of rebirth, by prevailing in a trial by water, if you will. The change of identity coincides with the change in status. But it occurs only after a lengthy period of study, practice and reflection, confronting the past and facing the future, a struggle with humans and the Divine.

How, then, was Jacob reborn? Other than the change of name, how had he become different? The answer, I think, lies not in the final struggle with the angel, the symbolic trial by combat, but rather in the vast change Jacob had undergone since he left his parents' house 22 years previously. He confronted himself, and no longer cared for his own safety, but for that of his wives and children. He faced down Laban and finally escaped from his clutches. He looked at God face to face, and asked for confirmation of the covenant with Abraham and Isaac. The wrestling match and the name change were the culmination of years of personal development, of discerning the ways of God and man.

Each of us is Jacob. Each of us also has the potential to convert, to change, to grow and improve, to become  Israel , the one who wrestles with God, with other people and with the self. But we earn the change of name, the rebirth, only if we are prepared to engage in the necessary struggles to change ourselves and our world. It is not about resistance, but gaining knowledge and wisdom, acting in a purposeful way, and living a life of meaning. 

Shabbat Shalom.

Rabbi Richard A. Flom - ZSRS '00
Blogging at: rav-rich.blogspot.com/
Visit me on Facebook

"For the sake of Zion I will not be silent; for the sake of Jerusalem I will not be still." Isaiah 62:1
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Candlelighting: 4:25 PM

Lunch and Learn is an ongoing program of Bet Midrash Shalom that meets most Tuesdays to discuss Jewish texts and other topics of Jewish interest. It is open to all regardless of affiliation. Next meeting is this Tuesday, December 4, 12:00 noon, at Congregation Beth Meier,  11725 Moorpark St. ,  Studio City ,  CA   91604 . PLEASE DO NOT BRING ANY FOOD THIS WEEK UNLESS IT IS IN ITS ORIGINAL SEALED CONTAINER AND BEARING A HEKHSHER AS DAIRY OR PAREVE. Beth Meier is providing bagels, cream cheese and coffee for this session. Thank you to Rabbi Aaron Benson and my fellow Beth Meier congregants for offering the space and the food.

Bet Midrash Shalom is also offering monthly text study, the first Tuesday evening of each month, at Congregation Beth Meier, at 8:00 pm. This Tuesday, December 4, we will be studying the Gemara at BT Shabbat 21b – 23b as it relates to Hanukkah. No prior text study experience is required. All Bet Midrash Shalom programs are open to all, regardless of affiliation.

Next Saturday, December 8, Rabbi Flom will be conducting Shabbat morning services at 9:30 at Congregation Mishkon Tephilo, 206 Main Street, Venice 90291. Torah study follows kiddush.

This d'var torah is offered in honor of my wonderful son, Robert Abraham Flom, whose 18th (!) birthday is Saturday. Mazal tov! We are very proud of you!

This d'var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah for Bobbie Chasen, Selby Horowitz, Pamela Huddleston, Stephanie Kane, Sara Lanxner, Emily Levin, Yitzchak Simcha ben Bayla, Steve Pearlman, Herman Rassp, Helen Reiter, Len Reiter, Adin Ring, Gil Robbins, Rachel Robbins, Judith Sakurai, Helen Tomsky, Betty Varon and Seymour Waterman.

Friday, November 23, 2012

Parashat Vayetze
10 Kislev 5773 / 23-24 November 2012
Torah: Genesis 28:10 – 32:3
Haftarah: Ashkenazim - Hosea 12:13 – 14:10
Sephardim - Hosea 11:7 – 12:12
Dedications and calendar follow below.

Please feel free to pass this on to a friend, and please cite the source
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Holy Dreams

"And Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, 'Surely the Lord is in this place and I, I did not know.' And he was afraid, and he said, 'How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.'" Gen. 28:16-17

Rashi: For had I known, I would not have slept in such a holy place.

Shlomoh of Radomsk: "My I, I did not know." I erased everything that was in me; my self-awareness; ego consciousness; self-intention.

Jacob dreamt of angels going up and down a ladder. He realized that God was beside him, speaking to him, reaffirming the promise made to Abraham and Isaac. Then Jacob awoke. Had Jacob known that the place was holy, he would have slept elsewhere, according to Rashi. But then, perhaps he would not have had the dream. Perhaps God would not have spoken with him, and what would have become of the covenant with Abraham and Isaac? Was it mere ignorance through which Jacob came to sleep in such a holy place? How then did he merit a visitation from God?

Shlomoh of Radomsk, a mid-19th century Polish chasidic rebbe, suggests that it was not ignorance, but rather, intentional and practiced suppression of the ego, through which Jacob merited the dream and the promise. This seems to be the opposite of Rashi. Perhaps not.

By not being self-focused, Jacob became God-focused. Jacob became more attuned to the holiness around him when he stopped thinking of himself as the center of the universe. By living a minimalist physical (outer) life (he was using a rock for a pillow), Jacob maximized his spiritual (inner) life. Read Rashi, then, as, "Had I known (i.e., had I in my egocentric way been looking to know such a place), I would not have been able to sleep in such a holy place."

Holiness and communion with God come not when we look for them as entitlements, but rather, when we recognize the potential for holiness in every place and every person, and empty out our egos in order to become vessels for receiving that holiness.

Have a wonder-filled Shabbat!

Rabbi Richard A. Flom – ZSRS ‘00
Burbank, CA
Blogging at: rav-rich.blogspot.com/
Visit me on Facebook
"For the sake of Zion I will not be silent; for the sake of Jerusalem I will not be still" Isaiah 62:1
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Candlelighting: 4:27 PM
Lunch and Learn is an ongoing Adult Education program that meets most Tuesdays to discuss Jewish texts and other topics of Jewish interest. It is open to all regardless of affiliation. Next meeting is December 4, 12:00 noon, at Congregation Beth Meier, 11725 Moorpark St., Studio City, CA 91604. Thank you to Rabbi Aaron Benson and my fellow Beth Meier congregants for offering the space. We will be learning about Hanukkah. NO Lunch and Learn this Tuesday, November 27, as I am unavailable. Apologies for the inconvenience.
This d'var torah is offered in honor of my sister, Lorrie Flom Goodman, whose birthday falls on Thursday. Mazal tov!
This d'var torah is offered in memory of my uncle, Daniel Flom, whose yahrzeit falls on Wednesday. Y'hi zikhro liv'rakhah.
This d'var torah is offered in memory of Lynn’s grandfather, Gabriel Stern, whose yahrzeit falls today. Y'hi zikhro liv'rakhah.
This d'var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah for Bobbie Chasen, Selby Horowitz, Pamela Huddleston, Stephanie Kane, Sara Lanxner, Emily Levin, Yitzchak Simcha ben Bayla, Steve Pearlman, Herman Rassp, Helen Reiter, Len Reiter, Adin Ring, Gil Robbins, Rachel Robbins, Judith Sakurai, Helen Tomsky, Betty Varon and Seymour Waterman.
Cyber Torah list management (no salesman will call!):
Send requests for dedications of Cyber Torah in honor of a simchah, in memory of a loved one or for a refuah shleimah to: ravflom@sbcglobal.net
To subscribe to Cyber Torah, send an e-mail with the subject heading “Subscribe Cyber Torah” to: ravflom@sbcglobal.net
To unsubscribe from Cyber Torah, send an e-mail with the subject heading “Unsubscribe Cyber Torah” to: ravflom@sbcglobal.net

Friday, November 16, 2012


Parashat Toldot

3 Kislev 5773 / 16-17 November 2012
Torah Reading - Genesis 25:19 - 28:9
Haftarah: Malachi 1:1- 2:7

Dedications and calendar follow below

Please feel free to pass this on to a friend, and please cite the source

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Can You Dig It?

"And Isaac dug again the wells of water which they had dug in the days of Abraham his father, that the Philistines had stopped up after the death of Abraham; and he called them by the same names that his father had called them." Genesis 26:18

Our rabbis taught that water is a metaphor for Torah. Both are necessary for life itself. The body cannot survive without water, and the Jewish people cannot survive without Torah.

Bunim of Worka was asked by the people of his town to be their new rebbe. He sought the blessing of Rebbe Yankele of Radzimin. R. Yankele said to him, "I knew your grandfather, and I heard of your father, but what about you?" Bunim replied, "We find that Abraham dug wells and that Isaac did the same, but there is no mention of Jacob digging any wells. The reason is that after Abraham and Isaac had dug their wells and found pure water, their descendant was already able to draw water directly from the spring." R. Yankele put out his hand and said, "Shalom aleikhem, Rebbe of Worka!"

R. Bunim's answer is a bit of a rebuke. Just as Jacob had to do no digging in order to drink deeply, R. Bunim should not have had to prove himself, thanks to the high quality of Torah learning which he had received from his father and grandfather, of which R. Yankele was obviously aware. R. Bunim's sharp reply nevertheless demonstrates his learning.

If we are to have any hope that our children and grandchildren will speak this way of us; if we want our children and grandchildren to drink directly from the wellspring of Judaism, then we need to dig those wells now. Our learning, attitudes, practices and examples will determine whether our descendants will survive in a parched and thirsty land.

Shabbat Shalom.

Rabbi Richard A. Flom - ZSRS '00 - ravflom@yahoo.com
Burbank, CA


rav-rich.blogspot.com/

Visit me on Facebook

"For the sake of Zion I will not be silent; for the sake of Jerusalem I will not be still." Isaiah 62:1

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Candle lighting: 4:30 pm

Rabbi Flom will be conducting services this Shabbat morning at Mishkon Tephilo in Venice. Services are at 9:30 am. Torah study follows Kiddush.

Lunch and Learn is an ongoing Adult Education program that meets most Tuesdays to discuss Jewish texts and other topics of Jewish interest. It is open to all regardless of affiliation. Next meeting is November 27, 12:00 noon, at a location to be determined. We will be learning about Hanukkah. Bring a dairy or pareve brown bag lunch.

This d’var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah for all those Palestinian civilians and Israelis injured or displaced by the Gaza conflict.

This d’var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah for all those injured or displaced by the recent storms on the east coast.

This d’var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah for Emily Parkhurst Hoggatt and her newborn daughter.

This d’var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah for Bobbie Chasen, Selby Horowitz, Pamela Huddleston, Stephanie Kane, Sara Lanxner, Emily Levin, Yitzchak Simcha ben Bayla, Steve Pearlman, Herman Rassp, Helen Reiter, Len Reiter, Adin Ring, Gil Robbins, Rachel Robbins, Judith Sakurai, Helen Tomsky, Betty Varon and Seymour Waterman.

Cyber Torah list management (no salesman will call!):

Send requests for dedications of Cyber Torah in honor of a simchah, in memory of a loved one or for a refuah shleimah to: ravflom@sbcglobal.net

To subscribe to Cyber Torah, send an e-mail with the subject heading “Subscribe Cyber Torah” to: ravflom@sbcglobal.net

To unsubscribe from Cyber Torah, send an e-mail with the subject heading “Unsubscribe Cyber Torah” to: ravflom@sbcglobal.net

Monday, November 12, 2012

Chayei Sarah - 5773

After a lengthy hiatus, trying to get back into the swing of posting weekly divrei torah and other (hopefully) interesting and useful material. Constructive comments welcome.

25 Cheshvan 5773 / 9-10 November 2012
Parashat Chayei Sarah
Torah - Genesis 23:1 - 25:18
Haftarah - 1 Kings 1:1-31

 
Please feel free to pass this on to a friend, and please cite the source.
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Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner!

“And Isaac brought her into the tent of Sarah his mother; he married Rebecca, she became his wife, and he loved her; and Isaac was comforted after his mother.” Genesis 24:67

Rashi: He brought her to the tent, and behold, she was Sarah his mother! That is to say, she became like Sarah his mother. For as long as Sarah was alive, a candle burned from one Shabbat eve to the next, a blessing was found in the dough and a cloud was attached to the tent. When she died, these things ceased, and when Rebecca came, they resumed (citing Genesis Rabbah 60:16).

According to the Midrash, Sarah was the first to kindle Shabbat lights and to take challah (a symbolic offering) from dough. In doing so, she caused the Shekhinah (the Divine Presence, symbolized by the cloud) to descend to her home. Isaac and Abraham either could not or would not do these things. It was Rebecca, the wife who replaced (became?) the mother, who reinstituted the practices, and brought about the return of the Shekhinah.

There are several ways to look at this. There is a rather obvious oedipal reference. There is the female viewpoint that men are clueless when it comes to certain matters. However, I am more interested in mystical cause and effect.

Simply by kindling Shabbat lights, Sarah and Rebecca (and any of us!) could bring God’s Sheltering Presence into the home. What’s the mystery? Take a mundane act, lighting candles, infuse the act and yourself with holiness through kavannah (focused intent) and by reciting the appropriate blessing, and you have instant Shalom Bayit, a peaceful household. This Shabbat, perform this simple mitzvah; then look at the light, marvel at the Creation it symbolizes, and bring the Shekhinah home for dinner!

Have a Wonderful Shabbat!

Rabbi Richard A. Flom - ravflom@gmail.com
Burbank, CA

Visit me on Facebook

"For the sake of Zion I will not be silent; for the sake of Jerusalem I will not be still." Isaiah 62:1

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This d’var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah for all those injured or displaced by the recent storms on the east coast. The need for relief is still great. Please help by making a donation to Nechama: A Jewish Response to Disaster, at: http://www.nechama.org


This d’var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah for Selby Horowitz, Pamela Huddleston, Stephanie Kane, Sara Lanxner, Emily Levin, Yitzchak Simcha ben Bayla, Steve Pearlman, Herman Rassp, Helen Reiter, Len Reiter, Adin Ring, Gil Robbins, Rachel Robbins, Judith Sakurai, Helen Tomsky, Betty Varon and Seymour Waterman.
 
 
Cyber Torah list management (no salesman will call!):
 
 
Send requests for dedications of Cyber Torah in honor of a simchah, in memory of a loved one or for a refuah shleimah to: ravflom@gmail.com
 
 
To subscribe to Cyber Torah, send an e-mail with the subject heading “Subscribe Cyber Torah” to: ravflom@gmail.com
 
 
To unsubscribe from Cyber Torah, send an e-mail with the subject heading “Unsubscribe Cyber Torah” to: ravflom@gmail.com

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