From the Rabbi’s Desk

Shemot is a tough act to follow!  Va’eira opens with yet another introduction by God to Moses, “Ani Adonai”, I am Adonai. And then God proceeds to outline both a history and an action plan to bring the Israelites out of Egypt, including the ensuing plagues.

During Pesach at our Seder tables, we read a summary of this action plan. I wondered, as I read through Va’eira, how many of us have an action plan for our lives. Do we have one-year goals? Five-year goals? What are our dreams, how have we determined to put our goals into place? Drawing on those four verbs from last week – See, Listen, Remember, and Do – how are we applying those verbs that God told us He would lead with?

When we are burdened, overwhelmed with “shortness of breath and hard work” to whom do we turn? God is on the other side of our soul doorway – waiting for an introduction. Will we keep the door closed or open it?

Va’eira also introduces what for many is a moral complexity. God tells Moses, “I shall harden Pharaoh’s heart, and I shall multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt.” In this statement we hear a long view – and a perplexing view – why would God turn Pharaoh’s heart into resistance if the overall goal is to have him approve the leave-taking of the Israelites? And then God, in excellent rhetorical fashion answers His own question – so that Egypt will know that I am God.

Perhaps, the Israelites might also be less inclined to leave their known lives for the unknown and mysterious future, even as they lived under such a heavy burden of oppression. We have had a Pharaoh is too many generations. 1948 was part of the plan for many Jews in the early 20^th century – to leave the Pale, their brutal oppression, the endless cycles of pogroms, to lean how to become agricultural workers, to learn Hebrew- there were so many plans for Jewish survival – and overall a plan to return to our homeland. Again. Kvetching and all.

What is our plan today? How do we open that door? Let’s talk.

With love,

Rabbi Lynn

 This week we begin a new Book – the book of Shemot. Seems very fitting for our first Shabbat service of 2024. A new year however it is marked, brings us yet another opportunity to reminisce and also to look forward. I am often living within the lintel, as it were, between babies and funerals, Bar and Bat Mitzvah preparation and adults planning a re-reading of the Bar Mitzvah portion 60 years ago!More

The very first words in this week’s parasha Vayigash, we read that Judah carefully approached Joseph. The tension has been building amongst the brothers – and is certainly building for Joseph. Eventually Joseph could no longer restrain his emotions and cried out with such a wail that all Egypt heard him! Imagine. In my experience, albeit limited to my days, that kind of wailing cry pours out of us when a loved one dies, or when we hear the news of such a death. It is an uncontrollable wail. Yet Joseph cried out in an emotional tsunami of recognition. Perhaps revealing his identity brought up all the vulnerabilities he had survived since his brothers sold him. Perhaps he was just overcome with an inability to restrain himself from finally revealing his identity to them.More

 We had a remarkable Hannukah party – about 80 people came to enjoy a wonderful dinner and most important for us all, Jewish connection. Thank you to everyone who brought food, who helped set up and make the room so beautiful, who helped serve, and of course those who helped pack up tables and chairs. What a wonderful Hannukah celebration.

Our parashah this week, Miketz, brings more dreams into Torah – this time the dreams of Pharaoh. Joseph is called to interpret these dreams, and in doing so, changes the course of his family’s fortunes, first for better, and then of course, for worse, and then, as we know, for better again as Moses is called to lead his people out of Egypt.

In the smallness of our lives, it is impossible for us to recognize the overall arc of what our choices will bring to our families. Miketz reinforces for us, that each choice however minimal, may have a massive impact on the generations that follow us.

Last week we reckoned with how we touch each person in every encounter, for good, for bad; similarly this week each choice we make rolls our history, our own specific torah forward. Dreams often, albeit eventually, can become reality. As we saw the dreams of millions of Jews over many centuries become a reality on May 14, 1948, we light each candle this week, and we pray and hope for our people wherever they might be. Am Yisroel Chai.

Rabbi Lynn Greenhough

Hannukah begins this week, and as always, we balance between real-politic and miracles. The victory of the Maccabees ensured our survival in our land for another few hundred years; the oil lasted eight days instead of one – a nes gadol!

Today of course, Hannukah resonates more strongly than ever as the war continues. We truly need a nes gadol, and with the return of each hostage we glimpse a miracle of both survival and hope.

Lighting each candle over these coming days is an opportunity for us to hold and protect the souls of those still held hostage. May we see the day soon when all souls are returned to their homeland.

With love, may each candle light hope in our hearts.
Rabbi Lynn Greenhough

Hello everyone, this is your Island reporter from central Vancouver Island!! We gave Major General Andrew Christie a fine farewell at the Courtenay Cemetery where his remains were interred alongside his beloved wife, Barbara. Those of us in Torah Talk knew Andy best; living in Comox and caring for Barbara made trips down Island infrequent at best.

We then drove to Parksville for Shabbat and on Saturday morning had a service with 25 or so mid-Islanders. It was a lovely opportunity for us to meet, share stories, and build connection. Steven Larre and Jon Sanders, KM members, joined us!

Whilst up Island I heard that Kabbalat Shabbat was everything and then some, so clearly KM is in good hands. Wishing everyone good health, and long life.

With love,
Rabbi Lynn Greenhough

Hello everyone, I am finally warming up after our chilly but ever so heartening vigil on Sunday evening. Hundreds and hundreds – and hundreds! of Jews and friends lined Belleville with posters and red balloons, to Bring Them Home. It was a turnout like we have not seen for years. I brought our ‘baby’ Torah, wrapped in a tallit that we should have the presence of Torah, and in particular our reading this week, Vayetze with us all – the opening passage wherein Ya’akov realizes, in an astonished voice, that he is the presence of HaMakom, of God.

At 6 pm voices sang together Hatikvah, along with other songs of hope for those who will, with the help of us all, be released soon.

I am up Island this Shabbat, meeting with the central Island Jews for a Shabbat morning service. Neomi Summers will be leading Kabbalat Shabbat, with the help of all who come.

With love,

Rabbi Lynn Greenhough

Hello everyone, this is such an interesting time at Kolot Mayim, we are growing with young people, young families, and interest in being part of who we are. Come and join us at services this Shabbat morning, and meet some of our younger people who are finding their home with Kolot Mayim.More

Good morning, afternoon, evening, everyone. This is a week of remembrance, with Kristallnacht on Thursday evening, and Remembrance Day on Saturday morning. I know many of us will be at both services, holding in our hearts the tragedies of too many lives ended.

This week, as we read the opening line of our parashah, we read of the death of Sarah, at 127 years. The reading of her years of life is given in a strange sequence: one hundred years, twenty years, and seven years. Each unit of years – hundreds, tens, and units, each of which held its own particular teaching. We think of what someone has seen in their lifetime, what were the momentous historic occasions that they may have witnessed, who were the family members that were in those countings of years. It is in this parashah that we learn many of the customs of burial and mourning that we hold to this day – a span of thousands of years, still providing the foundational teachings for us.More