2 Sivan 5773 / 10-11 May 2013
Torah: Numbers 1:1 – 4:20
Haftarah: Hosea 2:1-22
Shavuot 1
6 Sivan 5773 / 14-15 May 2013
Torah: Exodus 19:1 – 20:22; Numbers 28:26-31
Haftarah: Ezekiel 1:1-28; 3:12
Shavuot 2
7 Sivan 5773 / 15-16 May 2013 Book of Ruth
Torah: Deuteronomy 15:19 – 16:17; Numbers 28:26-31
Haftarah: Habakkuk 3:1-19
Please feel free to pass this on,
and please cite the source.
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You Have to Be There to Be Counted!
In Hebrew, this book of the Torah is titled “Bamidbar” - “In the wilderness”. However, the old name was “Chamesh - Hapekudim” - “one fifth (of the books of the Torah), that of the countings”. The English name of Bamidbar is “the Book of Numbers”, because the initial subject of the book is the numbering of the Israelites. One must wonder why God instructs Moses to take a census of the entire Israelite community, listing the names, head by head. (Num. 1:2)
Rashi says, "Because they were dear to Him, He counted them (literally) every hour. When they left Egypt, He counted them (Ex. 12:37); when [many] fell because [of the sin] of the golden calf, He counted them to know the number of the survivors (Ex. 32:28); when He came to cause His Divine Presence to rest among them, He counted them. On the first of Nissan, the tabernacle was erected, and on the first of Iyar, He counted them."
God is like a shepherd, constantly counting the flock. But there is more to it, according to Rambam (Maimonides), who says, "God brought them out according to the number of their hosts, God called all of them by name." The idea that God called every Israelite by name speaks volumes about the importance of every Jew. The commentary Bet Aharon says that every Jew is obligated to know and consider his/her uniqueness in the world. There has never been another identical Jew, for if there had been, one of them would have been superfluous. Each of us is an entirely new creation. Each of us has a unique perspective of the Torah. Each of us has a Torah to share with everyone else. This is because each of us was, and is, present at the giving of the Torah, and each of us saw, and sees, it from a unique point of view. When we conclude the blessing over the reading of the Torah, we refer to the giving of the Torah in the present tense - Blessed are You, Lord, the One who gives the Torah.
God is constantly giving us the Torah, through our own study and through our fellow Jews. But to be counted, to receive your Torah, you have to be there, you have to be at your Sinai. If you are not open to receiving God's Torah, you won't be counted, and the loss will not only be yours, but that of every other Jew. If your children do not receive Torah, then their Torah, and the Torah of their descendants, will be lost as well. This Tuesday evening through Thursday, we will be celebrating Shavuot, the anniversary of the giving of the Torah. Go to the synagogue, study and consider the Ten Commandments, read the Book of Ruth, receive your Torah. Let you and your Torah be counted.
Shabbat shalom v'chag sameach!
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You Have to Be There to Be Counted!
In Hebrew, this book of the Torah is titled “Bamidbar” - “In the wilderness”. However, the old name was “Chamesh - Hapekudim” - “one fifth (of the books of the Torah), that of the countings”. The English name of Bamidbar is “the Book of Numbers”, because the initial subject of the book is the numbering of the Israelites. One must wonder why God instructs Moses to take a census of the entire Israelite community, listing the names, head by head. (Num. 1:2)
Rashi says, "Because they were dear to Him, He counted them (literally) every hour. When they left Egypt, He counted them (Ex. 12:37); when [many] fell because [of the sin] of the golden calf, He counted them to know the number of the survivors (Ex. 32:28); when He came to cause His Divine Presence to rest among them, He counted them. On the first of Nissan, the tabernacle was erected, and on the first of Iyar, He counted them."
God is like a shepherd, constantly counting the flock. But there is more to it, according to Rambam (Maimonides), who says, "God brought them out according to the number of their hosts, God called all of them by name." The idea that God called every Israelite by name speaks volumes about the importance of every Jew. The commentary Bet Aharon says that every Jew is obligated to know and consider his/her uniqueness in the world. There has never been another identical Jew, for if there had been, one of them would have been superfluous. Each of us is an entirely new creation. Each of us has a unique perspective of the Torah. Each of us has a Torah to share with everyone else. This is because each of us was, and is, present at the giving of the Torah, and each of us saw, and sees, it from a unique point of view. When we conclude the blessing over the reading of the Torah, we refer to the giving of the Torah in the present tense - Blessed are You, Lord, the One who gives the Torah.
God is constantly giving us the Torah, through our own study and through our fellow Jews. But to be counted, to receive your Torah, you have to be there, you have to be at your Sinai. If you are not open to receiving God's Torah, you won't be counted, and the loss will not only be yours, but that of every other Jew. If your children do not receive Torah, then their Torah, and the Torah of their descendants, will be lost as well. This Tuesday evening through Thursday, we will be celebrating Shavuot, the anniversary of the giving of the Torah. Go to the synagogue, study and consider the Ten Commandments, read the Book of Ruth, receive your Torah. Let you and your Torah be counted.
Shabbat shalom v'chag sameach!
Rabbi Richard A. Flom – ZSRS ‘00
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"For the sake of Zion I will not be silent; for the sake of Jerusalem I
will not be still" Isaiah 62:1
------------------------------------------------------------------ Candlelighting: Friday - 7:20 pm
Tuesday – 7:28 pm
Wednesday – 8:30 pm
Saturday is the annual “Stamp
Out Hunger” Food Drive conducted by the National Association of Letter
Carriers. Leave a bag of sealed food items (boxes or cans, no glass) and the
good people of the US Postal Service will distribute it to a local pantry for
the hungry. Make a difference!
I am conducting services
on Thursday morning, the second day of Shavuot, at 9:30 am at Congregation Mishkon Tephilo, 206 Main
Street, Venice 90291.
Lunch and Learn is an
ongoing program of Beit Midrash Shalom
that meets Tuesdays to discuss Jewish texts and other topics of Jewish
interest. It is open to all regardless of affiliation. Next meeting is Tuesday,
May 14, 12:00 noon, at Congregation Beth
Meier. PLEASE DO NOT BRING ANY FOOD
UNLESS IT IS IN ITS ORIGINAL SEALED CONTAINER AND BEARING A HEKHSHER AS DAIRY
OR PAREVE. Lunch will be provided by Congregation Beth Meier. Donations
gratefully accepted.
This d'var torah is
offered in honor of my mother, Annabelle Flom, for Mother’s Day.
This d'var torah is
offered for a refuah shleimah for Eve Beatty, Gabor ben Devorah, Selby
Horowitz, Pamela Huddleston, Micah Kosche, Sara Lanxner, Emily Levin, Frank
Marcovitz, Phil Raider, Helen Reiter, Len Reiter, Gil Robbins, Rachel Robbins,
Judith Sakurai, and Kitty Schmerling.
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send an e-mail with the subject heading “Subscribe Cyber Torah” to: ravflom@sbcglobal.net
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