From the Rabbi’s Desk

Vayakhel

March 7, 2021 by • Tags: •

This coming Shabbat is Shabbat haChodesh – the Shabbat before Rosh Chodesh Nisan – the month in which we celebrate Passover (first night of which will be a full moon). Rosh Chodesh, the New Moon, was traditionally honoured by a gathering to see the sliver of moon, and say prayers. We must calculate our dates and holidays very carefully so that we are celebrating our holidays at the proper time. We read in Torah that, “Hachodesh hazeh lechem Rosh Chodashim” – this month is the first of months for you.”  And we say, Chodesh tov.

By the light of the silvery moon…we will spoon!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0uJqmJpIqs

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Ki Tisa

March 1, 2021 by • Tags: •

Last Thursday evening we celebrated Purim on Zoom – what a fun evening! I find myself filled with trepidation before our holidays, wondering how we will ever find the ‘tam’, the flavour of the holidays on Zoom – and every time I am thrilled that we taste every flavour imaginable! Thank you to everyone for coming and joining in the reading of Megillat Esther. We look forward to our Seder, knowing we will continue to find the taste of community and connection through all mediums necessary.

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Tetzaveh

February 21, 2021 by • Tags: •

I don’t use this forum to advertise websites very often (except for some wonderful videos!) but I would like everyone to be aware of one particular website that is a fountain of knowledge about Jewish life – My Jewish Learning. See: https://www.myjewishlearning.com/  From history to recipes to discussions about Jewish beliefs and practices this site offers succinct and engaging discussions. I highly recommend this site to all our students MJL provides daily learning into the backbone of who we are. Give it a try – you can sign up for a daily email and a daily inspiration!

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Terumah

February 15, 2021 by • Tags: , •

This week we read and learn about the building of the Mishkan, the Sanctuary in the Bamidbar, the Wilderness. All manner of exotic building materials are required and the building begins!  And yes this transition seems a tad abrupt! Just last week we were in Mishpatim and learning the mishpat, the social laws and now we are building contractors and interior designers! Sometimes Torah seems to proceed in a linear fashion and sometimes we take leaps forward. Terumah is one of those leaps. Terumah means portion – a hint of Shabbat Shekalim, perhaps, where each of us brought our half-shekel portion towards the cost of construction of the Mishkan.More

Mishpatim

February 8, 2021 by • Tags: •

Mishpatim follows immediately on the giving of the Aseret Dibrot, the Ten Declarations in Yitro – and what a follow up it is. We read through 53 Mitzvot – about 23 positive and 30 negative (thou shall and thou shall not) are found in Mishpatim, our social laws. Here we learn how to govern ourselves as a social community – and learn to know where the boundaries are to create maximum social well-being.

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Yitro: Good Advice from the Shver

February 1, 2021 by • Tags: , , •

Yitro is the shver, the chotain, the father-in-law of Moses, and he is also a Midianite priest. Within the first 15 verses this relationship to Moses is reiterated 10 times. Yitro is positioned in Torah as having a far greater influence on Moses, as he leads the Israelite people into the lands out of Egypt, than his own father. But one wonders, as with all repetitions, why this aspect of their relationship is so stressed. Why isn’t Yitro merely introduced as the father-in-law and then named in subsequent verses?

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Torah for the Birds

January 25, 2021 by • Tags: , , •

Shabbat B’Shallach is also known as Shabbat Shira – the Shabbat of Song. After crossing over the Sea of Reeds, escaping from the narrow confines of Mitzrayim, Egypt, the Israelites break out in a song, and sing words that speak of themselves in the past, present and future – just as we heard when Moses asked God, God’s Name: I Was, I Am and I Will Be. Just as we live with our past within us in every present moment, we too are always in a state of becoming.

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Bo

January 18, 2021 by • Tags: •

In our Torah reading this week, BO, the Israelites finally leave Egypt – and, with the guidance of God and Moses head, presumably, to the Land of covenant. Perhaps my aversion to camping trips is embedded in knowing that what should have been 10 days became an interminable 40 years!

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Va’eira

January 11, 2021 by • Tags: •

Last week we opened the Book of Shemot, or Exodus; this week we are in the second parashah – Va’eira. God tells Moses that God “appeared” to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob…This is a passage of reassurance to Moses, who, whilst having agreed to challenge Pharaoh for the release of his people Israel, is still clearly in need of a confidence boost.

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Shemot

January 3, 2021 by • Tags: •

Dear friends,

I have just completed formatting the announcements – and so much is going on. We are very blessed to have such an engaged congregation, with members willing to participate in all manner of ways, be it volunteering to interview members as we write our ‘torah’, our story of the beginnings of Kolot Mayim, or participate in leading services, or make offers of shiva meals as needed. And more. Truly this is Jewish life – a life of doing. Community is what we build everyday – and yet this can be very hard for new members to tap into when we can’t have people over to our homes. Hence our idea for people to visit over Zoom, one-on-one. Originally this idea came to me as I was thinking about how to better engage individuals who are thinking about conversion. Some people joined Kolot Mayim just as we were locking down – and even as I stress community, it can be very difficult for any of them to build connection with members. But as I thought about this idea, I realized there is an opportunity for many of us – if not all of us, to build deeper connections, even as we are still online for a while yet. Please think about participating. I will put a list in circulation and then leave it up to people to make calls, put up the tea and visit.

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