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Vayishlach
Mazal tov to Doug Marshall and Pat Dunphy on the birth of their grandson, Ari James – a very healthy 8.5 pounds. This week, Vayishlach, Yaakov, now a patriarch with a large family, leaves his uncle Lavan– but anticipating a difficult reunion with his brother Esau, he must first cross the River Yabbock. In the […]
Toldot
How can we best help each other in these challenging economic times? Last week we read about Avraham negotiating the purchase of a burial cave so he could honour Sarah with an eternal burial site. But we also read about the small acts of kindness that led Eliezer to know that Rivka would be the […]
Chaye Sarah
There is such a wonderful walking rhythm to our Torah readings, especially perhaps in the Book of Bereshit, Genesis. It can feel like we are actually moving our feet, alongside Avraham and Sarah. These stories, even with all their fractiousness intact, help us walk through our own lives. This week, in Chaye Sarah, we read about the death […]
Vayera
This week Vayera opens with Avraham sitting in his tent. In the opening words of this parashah, God appeared to Avraham, but then in the next verse we read that Avraham lifted his eyes and perceived three men were standing over him. And then he ran towards them. I find this sequence confusing – who […]
Lech Lecha
In Lech Lecha we meet Avram and Sarai, these two individuals who follow God’s command to leave their homeland and go to the land they (hope) they will know. Eventually their names will be change to Avraham and Sarah – each of them taking on a letter from one of the names we hold for […]
Noach
This week – maybe a bit of a breather, maybe not. We read about Noach and that infamous ark Noach built using all manner of measurements that are unfamiliar to us today. Measurement – measure – in English is such an interesting word. We speak of measurement in mathematical terms, but also measured as a […]
Bereshit
This week we begin at the beginning again – we roll our Sefer Torah to Bereshit, and read about the beginning of Creation. What are you beginning this season? As you roll the Sefer of your life, what is your order of creation in these coming days? Looking forward to speaking with you as you are […]
Sukkot
I look out onto our back porch and marvel again at this conjunction of joyous seasons. Our sukkah is up and colorful with hanging fabric walls, flowers, banana plant leaves and palm branches, a lulav and Etrog are awaiting to be shaken on the first morning of Sukkot – which also happens to be Canadian […]
Nitzavim
A number of us watched the funeral services for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth on Monday morning. I was so struck by the exactitude of execution of each element of this service, the dignity and grace of the services, and by the sheer magnificence of the honours offered to her. This service truly was unlike anything […]
Vayeshev
December 11, 2022 by Rabbi Lynn Greenhough • From the Rabbi's Desk
The lights and music of Hannukah approach – here is the link we played at our Kabbalat Shabbat service last Friday evening: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7MXDlPg_LI This week we are in Vayeshev – Jacob settled, dwelled, in the land of his ancestors. In the Biblical canon, the word לָשֶׁבֶת (lah-SHEH-vet) means primarily to settle down, though it can also mean, very literally, to sit […]