As we read through this week’s Torah reading, we cannot help but be struck by God’s wanting us to live with beauty – and precision. Everything in order, everything measured, everything in its place. B’Seder – even as we may use this phrase to mean all is okay, we are actually saying all is in order. Marie Kondo has nothing on Torah.
But is all this sense of beautiful order and order in beauty about our physical surroundings? Yes and no. Primarily, as the opening of Vayekhel would suggest, it is to put our spiritual homes in order. How do we keep Shabbat? How do we create a calendar that revolves around taking time for our families, our dear friends every week? Do we cover the challah or pita with a beautiful cover, full of memories? What is the story of our candlesticks, gleaming in candle light? Judaism is not an occasional happen-stance practice. Judaism is hourly, daily, weekly, monthly. It is cooking, planning, singing, loving, polishing, building, finding, baking, calling, joining, da’avening, caring, working, learning. Judaism is a verb. And then there is Shabbat. A blessing of restraint and rest.
This past week many of us noticed ads in the paper for Random Acts of Kindness week. Kindness yes. Random no. Judaism demands we pay attention to engaging in kindness, as frequently as we can. Call that friend. Help that neighbour. Create a little beauty along that pathway of intentional kindness. That is the beauty HaKadosh Baruch’Hu wants of us. Be a beautiful Verb.
With love,
Rabbi Lynn
Vayekhel
February 20, 2022 by Rabbi Lynn Greenhough • From the Rabbi's Desk Tags: acts of kindness, vayekhel •
As we read through this week’s Torah reading, we cannot help but be struck by God’s wanting us to live with beauty – and precision. Everything in order, everything measured, everything in its place. B’Seder – even as we may use this phrase to mean all is okay, we are actually saying all is in order. Marie Kondo has nothing on Torah.
But is all this sense of beautiful order and order in beauty about our physical surroundings? Yes and no. Primarily, as the opening of Vayekhel would suggest, it is to put our spiritual homes in order. How do we keep Shabbat? How do we create a calendar that revolves around taking time for our families, our dear friends every week? Do we cover the challah or pita with a beautiful cover, full of memories? What is the story of our candlesticks, gleaming in candle light? Judaism is not an occasional happen-stance practice. Judaism is hourly, daily, weekly, monthly. It is cooking, planning, singing, loving, polishing, building, finding, baking, calling, joining, da’avening, caring, working, learning. Judaism is a verb. And then there is Shabbat. A blessing of restraint and rest.
This past week many of us noticed ads in the paper for Random Acts of Kindness week. Kindness yes. Random no. Judaism demands we pay attention to engaging in kindness, as frequently as we can. Call that friend. Help that neighbour. Create a little beauty along that pathway of intentional kindness. That is the beauty HaKadosh Baruch’Hu wants of us. Be a beautiful Verb.
With love,
Rabbi Lynn