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Category: Drasha

  • Take us back

    Chaverim,Repentance is acceptable, the Rabbis teach, at any time, but the special time for repentance is the season from Rosh Hashanah to Yom Kippur, the Ten Days of Penitence, our High Holy Days. In all the rabbinic sources, repentance involves two things: remorse at having sinned and confession of the sin. The numerous rabbinic statements regarding sin and repentance are scattered through the rabbinic literature and are not presented in any systematic form, nor linked to only specific rituals, giving us an idea of the openness and fluidity on how we can find our own personal path and approach to find back to the Eternal.Shabbat Shalom—Rabbi Adrian M Schell

    Take Us Back       A precious teaching I have given you: My Torah. Do not forsake it.        A Tree of Life to those who hold it fast: all who embrace it know happiness.        Its ways are ways of pleasantness, and all its paths are peace.        Take us back, Adonai — let us come back to You.       Renew in our time the days of old.

       Quote: Mishkan HaNefesh: Yom Kippur:Machzor for the Days  of Awe (Page 353).

  • Elul—a Month of spiritual preparation

    by Rabbi Robert A. Jacobs

    The sixth Hebrew month, Elul, begins this coming Shabbat as the last month of 5778, a little anomaly resulting from the setting of the first day of the seventh month, Tishrei, as Rosh Hashanah.  If we follow the Midrashic calendar, then the designation of Rosh Chodesh Elul as initiating a good time for Judaism has this reason: During the wandering in the wilderness, Av was marred by the disaster of the Golden Calf. The later weeks of Av were a time of penitence and imploring God not to destroy the faithless Israelites. Midrash says that Moses finally carried the argument with God, and on Rosh Chodesh Elul ascended Mount Sinai again. There he was to carve two new tablets and inscribe the Law on them.

    Through the generations, Elul has become a time of preparation. On weekdays one might hear the sound of the Shofar, as the difficult blowing is rehearsed in advance of Rosh Hashanah. For the greater Jewish community, however, the practice is the request to all whom we meet: “If I have offended you in any way through the past year, whether intentionally or inadvertently, I ask your forgiveness.” That request is required to be replied to with: “I forgive you and ask the same for myself.”

    At the end of Moses’ second sojourn on Mount Sinai, the second tablets were brought to the people. That fortieth day—the 10th of Tishrei—bears the name Yom ha-Kippurim, the Day of Atonement.  However, that atonement is for sins against God alone. The 40 days that precede Yom
    Kippur, beginning with Rosh Chodesh Elul, are the time for us to seek forgiveness from other people.

    Judaism’s practices are often humanistic. The concern with relations with others, with shalom bayit—peace in the house—remains central to our annual quest for forgiveness from God.

  • The vulnerability of our own existence

    Chaverim,

    At no other time of the year are we more exposed to the vulnerability of our own existence in this world as we are during in this season of the High Holy Days. It seems that our holy texts paint an image where we are unimportant figures in a game far bigger than us. But, looking closer, we see messages of hope and encouragement, love and an outstretched hand, inviting us to become active partners in God’s plan to heal the world, and to leave our footprint in a world redeemed.  

    Shabbat Shalom—Rabbi Adrian M Schell

    Our days —

    Like the grass of the field,

    like flowers in the meadow

    vanish in a momentary gust of wind,

    gone, never to be seen again.

    But God’s love is infinite

    and with us forever.

    God’s goodness reaches far

    into the future —

    This is the gift of the covenant.

    Psalm 103:15–18
    Quote: Mishkan HaNefesh: Yom Kippur:
    Machzor for the Days  of Awe (Page 546).

  • These I remember …

    Chaverim,In our journey of the High Holy Days, our tradition invites us not only to find our inner selves, but also to deepen our conection with those who lived before us and prepared this path for us. Our forebears are many, and their contributions are uncountable. May we find meaning in their acts and the inspiration to follow them:

    These I remember — The ones whose lives were shaped by a mitzvah: “You must not remain indifferent.” The ones who lost their lives through devotion to a mitzvah: “Justice, justice you shall pursue.” The ones who embodied, through deed and dedication, a mitzvah: “Choose life.” And these I remember… The ones who mended the broken, brought healing to the wounded, fought back despair with the solace of faith. The ones who breathed life into a prayer: L’takein olam b’malchut Shaddai: to establish in the world the sovereignty of High and Noble Purpose. I remember these… Artists of the soul, architects of redemption —the activists and advocates of justice and beauty, exemplars of tikkun olam: repairing the world. On this holy day, we remember…

    Rabbi Adrian M SchellQuote: Mishkan HaNefesh: Yom Kippur: Machzor for the Days of Awe (Page 518).

  •  Avinu Malkeinu

    Chaverim,Tisha B‘Av marked a turning point in our preparations towards the High Holy Days. The days of rebuke and warning are replaced by those of comfort and love. God is not only the judge, assessing our short comings, but also the parent, helping us to grow and to overcome fear and hopelessness. The following prayer encourages us to open ourselves to those important aspects of God, to invite God into our lives, as a source of strength and love:On the night of return, let us find the humility to come close to You, and open ourselves to Your presence. For You are absent only when we fail to make room for You in our hearts; distant, only when we turn away from You. Now, as others have done before us, let us overcome doubt and speak these words of affirmation:  Avinu MalkeinuWe call YouAvinu — as loving Parent, forgive our wrongs and failings; accept us in our human frailty.We call YouMalkeinu — as Sovereign of our souls, help us rise from our brokenness to build a world of shalom. To this vision we offer ourselves anew. Shabbat Shalom—Rabbi Adrian M Schell Quote: Mishkan HaNefesh: Rosh Hashanah: Machzor for the Days of Awe (Page 74).  

  • Let there be light

    This week, South Africa celebrated Mandela Day in honour of a man who undoubtly was a light for this nation, and also a light to the nations. Our Jewish tradition teaches us that striving for justice and equality is the foundation for tikun olam, but also that we have to open our hearts and souls for any other person to contribute to a world redeemed.The smiling children I saw on the many pictures taken last Sunday made me grateful, witnessing that little deeds can bring happiness into this world. Thank you to all of you who supported, contributed and helped to create a special day for those children.Perhaps the following quote from our new Machzor mirrors best this holy bond between our actions and the betterment of the world we live in:

    The first mitzvah in the Torah is “Let there be light!”

    So, we are commanded:In everything you do, be a menorah, a bringer of light. Live with honour, act with integrity, do your work with passion — and the radiance of your deeds will live after you.

    May our ideals burn bright, forever unextinguished, and may we live our lives like the flames we kindle — always stretching upward, striving for the good, reaching for You.

    May God‘s light shine upon you and grant you peace –Shabbat Shalom—Rabbi Adrian M SchellQuote: Mishkan HaNefesh: Rosh Hashanah: Machzor for the Days of Awe (Page 11).To make life easier for you, we will sell the new High Holy Day prayer book every Friday before services. The price per set is R700. Please note that we can only accept cash payments. Learn more about our new High Holy Day prayer book and how you can order your personal set at: www.betdavid.org.za/mishkan/  

  • HAKARAT HATOV: RECOGNIZING THE GOOD

    We loved.And we wept.We were kind—and spoke thoughtfully.We were faithful and trusting.We put forth effort.We were mindful.We embraced.We took delight in the holy books.We were creative.And we yearned.We fought for justice—and searched out the good.We tried our best.And we were attentive.We did what You commanded us to do.We found meaning in Torah.And, most of the time, we did what is right. We proclaimed Your name.And we were accepting.We were joyful.And we cared.

    This wonderful poem from our new Machzor invites us to acknowledge the good in us. May this wisdom serve us as a source of strength where we feel weak, where we need to improve, or where we might have failed on our journey towards Rosh HaShanah.Shabbat Shalom—Rabbi Adrian M SchellQuote: Mishkan HaNefesh: Yom Kippur: Machzor for the Days of Awe (Page 659)

  • Your book of life

    YOUR BOOK OF LIFE doesn’t begin … on Rosh HaShanah. It began when you were born. Some of the chapters were written by other people: your parents, siblings, and teachers. Parts of your book were crafted out of experiences you had because of other people’s decisions: where you lived, what schools you went to, what your homes were like. But the message of Rosh Ha-Shanah, the anniversary of the creation of the world, is that everything can be made new again, that much of your book is written every day—by the choices you make. The book is not written and sealed; you get to edit it, decide what parts you want to emphasize and remember, and maybe even which parts you want to leave behind. Shanah tovah means both a good year, and a good change. [Every single day] you can change the rest of your life. It is never too late. In 72 days, on Rosh HaShanah 5779, we will open a new page in our books of life. 72 days sound like a lot of days left to prepare ourselves for the new year — to organise the usual, and to fix what needs to be fixed.While I agree that there is enough time left to make arrangements for the Rosh haShanah dinner, to get flights booked for family members to join us, and even to get your new machzorim (High Holy Day prayer books) from the Shul, I often have the feeling there is never enough time to review our past year.Therefore, I‘d like you to begin with some simple, but important questions, making the next 72 days hopefully more meaningful: Which of the choices you made make you proud—which not so much? Had you time to celebrate achievements—where have you failed and have you had a chance to think about why?  When did you last suprise your partner/friend/children—and when did you last apologise to them?Shabbat Shalom—Rabbi Adrian M Schell Quote: Rabbi Laura Geller (b. 1949) Mishkan HaNefesh: Rosh HaShanah, Page 5

  • Parashat Chukat: For a future with new hopes and dreams

    This Torah portion records Miriam’s death in one simple verse, “Miriam died there and was buried there.” Unlike the 30-day mourning period for her brother Aaron, who dies later in the same Torah portion, neither her brothers nor the community formally observe Miriam’s death; even though the Torah declares Miriam a “prophet,” a designation never bestowed on Aaron. Instead the Torah quickly turns to a seemingly unrelated topic: the heated quarrel between Moses and the Israelites over the absence of water and its dramatic fallout, God banning Moses from entering the Promised Land.I believe that these seemingly unrelated events are linked. Unaware grief and unresolved loss can lead to grave consequences as in this case. In counselling we are told to allow people to mourn before they can move one, not only to bury their beloved once, but also their dreams they had for a common future. If we don’t give ourselves the time to end one episode in our lives before we embark on the next, the past dreams, hopes, and ideas will overshadow everything we do in the future. Memories of the past will not become a source of strength, but a stumbling block on our path to heal our broken souls.I feel for Moses; I can understand that Miriam’s death must have shaken him to his core. But, reading the Torah as it is, my impression remains that he tried to fill this void by running from one job to the next, reacting to the demands of the Israelites and not adhering to his own needs, ending up in a big break down, losing his faith in God and the people. The consequences are dramatic – but perhaps an important lesson to realise that life changes when someone dies – the future will not remain the same. If we allow ourselves to mourn and mark those changes, we will find the strength to build up a new future, with new hopes and dreams.Shabbat ShalomRabbi Adrian M Schell (Source: Rabbi Lisa Edwards) 

  • Parashat Korach: It is not about what we are, but what we can become

    The revolt in the Israelite camp reached its climax at a mass meeting of the rebels. The majority of the speakers were from the tribe of Reuben. In their so-far sharpest attack, the rebels questioned Moses and Aaron and held them guilty for unlawful appropriation of power and severe mismanagement. They called for an immediate return of the people to Egypt and warned clearly that under the continued leadership of Moses the people of Israel would be led into disaster. Among the rebels was the singer songwriter Korach from the tribe of Levy, who becamefamous for writing many psalms which we still recite.Korach and his supporters, who took part in the rebellion against Moses, died in a tragic manner. In front of thousands of people, who watched terrified, they sank into the ground, as a rift broke up and dragged them into the depth.But why the punishment? Does not everyone in a just society have the right to express their opinion? The rebels had claimed that the whole people of Israel are holy. Which indeed is hugely different to what Moses and the Torah tried to teach: It is not about what we are, but what we can become — one should strive to become holy, one should strive to be a moral and religious people. The Torah presents some guidelines to help with this. The rebels had sharply attacked this teaching and had proclaimed, the whole people of Israel as it is, is holy. They understood holy as being special, with no need for guidance in any matters.Holiness is not granted as a birth right to us, but as a gift, rewarding us for bringing healing—Tikun Olam—into the world.Shabbat ShalomRabbi Adrian M Schell (Source: Annette Böckler)