Torah Talk – January 3, 2014
This week’s Torah portion is BO or go, really go. This of course refers to God telling Moses to go to Pharaoh and plead his case once again and eventually go to the land that He will show him. It recounts the three last plagues or in a direct translation of the Hebrew, signs, marvels or wonders. They are locusts, darkness and the slaying of the first born. The portion ends with the Israelites escaping from Egypt unharmed. This is due to the omnipotence of the God of Israel. The signs or plagues are to prove to the Egyptians that the God of Israel is the most powerful. This is also to prove to the Israelites that God is the most powerful of all the Gods. After leaving Egypt our people come to that realization and God has been successful in teaching them this very important adage. God is the God of all peoples and that God will look over and protect the Children of Israel.

Another very important message is that we are a people of long memory. God tells the Israelites to teach this story to their children, and we do every Shabbat and holiday.

The miracle of this week’s Torah portion of course is the liberation of the slaves of Egypt and perhaps more importantly is that we still remember it and teach it to our children.

This week’s Torah portion is Noach.

Last week God created the world and one Torah portion later humans have angered God so much God is ready to destroy all of humanity. God searches for righteous individuals and finds one who according to the Torah is “righteous in his time”. The Rabbis take this to mean that we cannot compare Noach the righteous individual of his time to any of our fathers or prophets who lived after him. The Rabbis are saying that Noach was not so righteous. Noach was not Jewish, as Abraham was the first Jew. Noah did not know the mitzvote. He was told of the general laws that are applicable to all people in the world for all time according to God. These laws are general not specific like the 613 mitzvote found in the Torah. I think the Rabbis are saying that following the 613 mitzvote makes you a better person. You are a righteous Jew if you follow the laws of the Jewish people. It is very hard to change and improve yourself or your life, living a Jewish life gives structure for change, a change for good. As we begin the New Year let us use our tradition for good to improve ourselves and the world.

This week’s Torah portion Va’etchanan, begins the seven shabbatote of consolation leading to Rosh Hashana.  The Sh’ma and the v’ahavta are included in this portion. The Sh’ma states Hear O Israel Adonai is our God Adonai is One. This connotes a personal relationship to God . We are told to listen for God’s voice each one of us. This is a hard thing to do because there is so much tumult out there. It says in our Doxology  to pay attention to” the small clear voice within us.” This is of course a quote from our liturgy. If we as religious people listen to God, for God I believe speaks to us every day we will do what is right for ourselves and our congregation. The process of searching for the Divine Presence  makes us follow the moral path.

Last week’s Torah portion was Naso. This was the theme of the Sermon that Karyn Goldner gave at her Bat Mitzvah ceremony. Here is an excerpt.

This week’s Torah reading is Naso, the Priestly Benediction at the end of chapter six of the book of Numbers. This is one of my favorite Torah portions. The verses of the Priestly Benediction, or the Priestly Blessings, are integral to Jewish life. These Blessings are recited at Shabbat, Life-Cycle Events and Holidays. They are one of the most ancient texts of the Torah and one of the oldest prayers still in use today. Archaeologists have found a plaque with the identical words to those found in the Torah dating from as early as the seventh century b.c.e.

So what is a Blessing?
And what is it about these words that have endured thousands of years and still hold the very same meaning for us today?

The Torah states: “The Lord Spoke to Moses: Speak to Aaron and his sons: Thus shall you bless the people of Israel. Say to them:
The Lord bless you and Keep you.
The Lord deal kindly and graciously with you.
The Lord bestow His favor upon you and grant you peace!
Thus they shall link My name with the people of Israel, and I will bless them.

People have questioned this reading, wondering how the priests held such power to bless the people. The Rabbis teach us that The Lord bestowed his blessing on the Priests who in turn then blessed the Israelites.

Whether it come from the priest’s lips or from our own, we now realize the power of these words. And the feelings these words invoke to all who speak them. Often we seek blessings from one another. A young couple wants the blessing of their parents before they marry, we invoke God’s name to bless the sick or less fortunate. Even a sneeze will bring most people, even strangers, to offer a blessing.

Blessings can be powerful and yet, they offer no magical manifestation. A blessing is an expression of hope. This hope links us to one another, no matter what faith, no matter what creed. Offering a blessing can be very moving. The one who offers the blessing, offers the gift of caring. The one who receives the blessing, hearing these kind words, feels a spiritual focus and a connection.

Often we associate material goods and health, good friends and family with one who is truly blessed. This sentiment is exactly what the Torah means for us to take away from this reading. The three lines of the Priestly Benediction asks God to bestow all that we may need to live, be happy and be healthy.