13 Tishrei 5776 / 25-26 September 2015
Parashat Ha’azinu
Torah: Deuteronomy 32:1-52
Haftarah: 2 Samuel 22:1-51
Haftarah: 2 Samuel 22:1-51
Dedications follow below. For more information
about our community, visit: www.bethemeier.org
Please feel free to pass this on to a friend,
and please cite the source
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E PLURIBUS UNUM?
"The Lord saw and was provoked by the
anger of His sons and His daughters. And He said, 'I will hide My face from
them, I will see what their end will be; for they are a very unstable
generation, children in whom there is no faith.'" Deuteronomy 32:19-20
Rabbi Moshe Pollak comments: "God becomes angry at us because of 'the anger of His sons and His daughters' - i.e., because the Jewish people fight among themselves."
Rabbi Moshe Pollak comments: "God becomes angry at us because of 'the anger of His sons and His daughters' - i.e., because the Jewish people fight among themselves."
Divrei Eliezer suggests what they fight about.
Regarding "they are a very unstable generation," he says that the
Jewish people are a nation of fast changes and contradictions. Even as they
preach and seek peace and brotherhood, there are always many arguments among
them. They create many organizations to help those in need, yet have many
jealousies between them.
This is both wonderful praise and a stinging indictment! Yes, our Torah and our holy texts are full of exhortations for peace and brotherhood. Many of our people do practice what we preach. And yet, we just spent Yom Kippur confessing our individual and communal failure to fulfill those goals, among others. What are we arguing about? Who is the most peaceful? Who defines peace and brotherhood? (For another take on this issue of “the anger of His sons and His daughters”, see my Yom Kippur sermon at: http://rav-rich.blogspot.com/2015/09/yk-morning-5776.html )
As for organizations helping the needy, the Jews are famous for establishing them, and succeeding. But how much more successful would the groups be if they would not engage in turf wars, or be jealous over each other's balance sheet? God knows (so do we all!) that there are enough needy people around - they don't need the helpers to waste precious time and resources in arguing over who needs the most help or who is the most helpful!
There is a lesson to be learned on these points not simply from the Holy Days just past, but the Holy Days to come - Sukkot. The sukkah requires us to live a minimalist existence, by the skin of our teeth. It helps us understand the most basic needs of those less fortunate than us. By sharing our sukkah with friends, family and members of the community, we create a sukkat shalom - a tent of peace. At the same time, the lulav and etrog set that is used during the holiday is composed of distinct parts, like the Jewish people, but the mitzvah of lulav and etrog is not fulfilled unless and until the parts are brought together as one - as a unit. Then it is shalem - complete.
Shalem and shalom - one depends upon the other. Only when our people come together in unity will we have truly formed a community of peace.
This is both wonderful praise and a stinging indictment! Yes, our Torah and our holy texts are full of exhortations for peace and brotherhood. Many of our people do practice what we preach. And yet, we just spent Yom Kippur confessing our individual and communal failure to fulfill those goals, among others. What are we arguing about? Who is the most peaceful? Who defines peace and brotherhood? (For another take on this issue of “the anger of His sons and His daughters”, see my Yom Kippur sermon at: http://rav-rich.blogspot.com/2015/09/yk-morning-5776.html )
As for organizations helping the needy, the Jews are famous for establishing them, and succeeding. But how much more successful would the groups be if they would not engage in turf wars, or be jealous over each other's balance sheet? God knows (so do we all!) that there are enough needy people around - they don't need the helpers to waste precious time and resources in arguing over who needs the most help or who is the most helpful!
There is a lesson to be learned on these points not simply from the Holy Days just past, but the Holy Days to come - Sukkot. The sukkah requires us to live a minimalist existence, by the skin of our teeth. It helps us understand the most basic needs of those less fortunate than us. By sharing our sukkah with friends, family and members of the community, we create a sukkat shalom - a tent of peace. At the same time, the lulav and etrog set that is used during the holiday is composed of distinct parts, like the Jewish people, but the mitzvah of lulav and etrog is not fulfilled unless and until the parts are brought together as one - as a unit. Then it is shalem - complete.
Shalem and shalom - one depends upon the other. Only when our people come together in unity will we have truly formed a community of peace.
HaRachaman hu yivarekh otanu kulanu yachad
b'virkat shalom - May the Merciful One bless us, all of us as one, with the
blessing of peace.
Shabbat Shalom! Chag Sukkot Sameach!
Rabbi Richard Flom
Congregation Beth Meier
Studio City, CA
Visit me on Facebook
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Candlelighting:
Friday: 6:28 pm
Sunday: 6:25 pm
Monday: 7:19 pm
Friday: Shabbat Evening Service – 8:00 pm. Oneg Shabbat follows.
Saturday: Shabbat Morning Service – 10:00 am. Kiddush lunch follows.
Sunday: Religious School – 9:30 am. Set up Beth Meier sukkah – 10:00 am.
Your help appreciated!
Monday: Sukkot Morning Service – 10:00 am
Tuesday: Sukkot Morning Service – 10:00 am. NO Lunch and Learn –
Resume October 13.
Friday, October 2: Shabbat Evening Service – 8:00 pm. Oneg Shabbat follows.
Saturday, October 3: Shabbat Morning Service – 10:00 am. Kiddush lunch follows.
Sunday, October 4: Religious School – 9:30 am. Pizza in the Hut at home of Rabbi
Flom and Lynn Kronzek – 1:30 pm. RSVP appreciated.
Monday, October 5: Shemini Atzeret Morning Service, with Yizkor – 10:00 am. Simchat
Torah Celebration – Dance with the Torah! – 7:00 pm.
Tuesday: Simchat Torah Morning Service – 10:00 am. NO Lunch and
Learn – Resume October 13.
Trip to Israel – 11 November.
It’s on! And there is still space available! Itinerary, brochure and other
information are at my blog: http://rav-rich.blogspot.com/2015/07/trip-to-israel.html or
I can send you a PDF version via e-mail.
This d’var torah is offered in
memory of Helen Gisser, who passed away last Shabbat. Condolences to Stewart
Gisser on the loss of his mother. Y’hi zichronah liv’rakhah - her memory is a
blessing.
This d’var torah is offered in
memory of my uncle, Sidney Schugar, whose yahrzeit fell on Yom Kippur. Y'hi
zikhrono liv'rakhah - his memory is a blessing.
This d’var torah is offered for a
refuah shleimah for Avi Shmuel Yosef Hakohen ben Bella, Miriam Minya bat Alisa
Batya, Sarah bat Devorah, Ken Bitticks, Elsbet Brosky, Jerry Daniels, Maya
Fersht (Maya bat Esther), Dr. Samuel Fersht (Shmuel Natan ben Gittel),
Annabelle Flom (Chanah Bella bat Kreina), Gig Flom (Gittel Tobi bat
Blanca), Leonard Foint, Jerry Forman, Pamela Huddleston, Stephanie
Kane, Philip Kovac, Marsha Meyers, Annie Rivera, and Gil Robbins.
Cyber Torah list management:
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send an e-mail from the receiving address to:ravflom@sbcglobal.net with
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shleimah, send an e-mail to: ravflom@sbcglobal.net with the heading “Dedicate Cyber
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