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Category: Rabbinic Thoughts

  • Parashat Miketz: Jew by choice should feel pride and be viewed as courageous

    In this week’s portion, Miketz, Joseph moves from being falsely imprisoned to becoming second in command in Egypt. As Joseph settles into his new life, he is given a new name by Pharaoh: Zaphenath-paneah. This name reflects Josephs new status in life and the journey on which he has embarked. We, as a congregation, as the Jewish people, do something similar when we admit new Jews by choice into our holy covenant with God.To receive a new name marks such an important moment in this person’s spiritual journey and should be something very joyful and outstanding, but unfortunately it is not always, as the second half of the new name, the ancestral link (bat / ben Avraham ve Sarah) is sometimes used by “born Jews” to shame or stigmatise those who converted. Using what should be a symbol of pride – to be a true daughter or son of those who have chosen to follow God’s path for the first time – to single out “converts”, leaves the bitter taste that Judaism is understood by them as a closed club for a born elite in the air, and that those who have joined the covenant are second class Jews, at the most.The fact that anyone with the drive and honest wish to convert is allowed to do so is one of the most important ideas on the Jewish conception of our covenant with God; being Jewish is not a genetic condition, but a complex hierarchy of identity and choice.  Judaism is an inclusive religion that is willing to welcome individuals who desire to become Jewish. Jewish tradition teaches that Jews by choice are not less authentic or authoritative than those who are Jewish from birth.When a convert receives an aliyah to the Torah for the first time, he or she should feel uplifted by a process of inclusion and holiness, not deflated by alienation and degradation. Jew by choice, like immigrants, should feel pride about their journeys and be viewed as courageous for responding to their transformative calling. This is why we bestow a new name on them and why we link them to Abraham and Sarah. There is no space to shame them.Shabbat Shalom – Rabbi Adrian M Schell

    Torah Reading Shabbat Miketz / ChanukahGenesis 41:1−44:17;and Numbers 7:30-41Reading: Gen 41:47-55 – Plaut p.271; Hertz p.158Haftarah: Zechariah 2:14-4:7 – Plaut p. 1448Rosh Chodesh Tevet is on Monday and TuesdayShabbat VayigashGenesis 44:18−47:27Reading: Gen 45:1 – 9- Plaut p.288; Hertz p.170Haftarah: Ezekiel 37:15 – 37:28 – Plaut p. 302; Hertz p.178Shabbat VayeichiGenesis 47:28–50:26 (End of Bereshit)Reading: Gen 49:1-12 – Plaut p.309; Hertz p.183Haftarah: I Kings 2:1 – 2:12 – Plaut p. 323; Hertz p. 191Chanukka @ Bet DavidA second chance to light the chanukiah with us will be this Friday, 15 December as part of our Kabbalat Shabbat service. The last candle is lit on Tuesday night, the 19 December.

      

  • Chanukah @ Bet David

    Chanukah (13. – 20. December 2017)Chanukah begins this year on the evening of Tuesday, 12 December. We celebrate the beginning of Chanukah with a short service, followed by a fun dreidl and donuts evening and a l’chaim sponsored by Len and Lali Gerber. Please bring your chanukiah  and candles.A second chance to light the chanukiah with us will be on Friday 15 December as part of our Kabbalat Shabbat service.The last candle is lit on Tuesday night, the 19 December.Chanukah (alternately spelled Hanukkah), meaning “dedication” in Hebrew, refers to the joyous eight-day celebration during which Jews commemorate the victory of the Maccabees over the armies of Syria in 165 B.C.E. and the subsequent liberation and “rededication” of the Temple in Jerusalem. The modern home celebration of Chanukah centers around the lighting of the chanukiah, a special menorah for Chanukah; foods prepared in oil including latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiyot (jelly doughnuts); and special songs and games.Candles are lit on each of the eight nights of Chanukah, one the first night, two the second, and an additional candle on each subsequent night. The candle for the first night is placed at the far right of the chanukiah; on each subsequent night, another candle is added to the left. An extra candle, designated as the shamash, is lit first, then used to light the others after the blessings are recited. Each night the candles are lit from left to right, starting with the new candle. The last blessing (Shehechiyanu) is recited only on the first night. The last candle is lit on Sunday night, the 13th December.What is a dreidel? The word dreidel derives from a German word meaning “spinning top,” and is the toy used in a Chanukah game adapted from an old German gambling game. Chanukah was one of the few times of the year when rabbis permitted games of chance. The four sides of the top bear four Hebrew letters: nun, gimmel, hey, and shin. Players begin by putting into a central pot or “kitty” a certain number of coins, chocolate money known as gelt, nuts, buttons or other small objects. Each player in turn spins the dreidel and proceeds as follows: nun – take nothing; gimmel – take everything; hey – take half; shin – put one in. Over time, the letters on the dreidel were reinterpreted to stand for the first letter of each word in the Hebrew statement “Neis gadol hayah sham,” which means “A great miracle happened there” and refers to the defeat of the Syrian army and the re-dedication of the Temple. In Israel, one letter on the dreidel differs from those used in the rest of the world. The shin has been replaced with a pey, transforming the Hebrew statement into Neis gadol hayah po, which means “A great miracle happened here.”

    Blessings for Chanukah

    בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו, וְצִוָּנוּ לְהַדְלִיק נֵר שֶׁל חַנֻכָה.

    Baruch atah, Adonai Eloheinu, Melech haolam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tsivanu l’hadlik ner shel Chanukah. Blessed are You, Eternal our God, Sovereign of all, who hallows us with Mitzvot, commanding us to kindle the Chanukah lights.

    בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁעָשָׂה נִסִּים לָאבוֹתֵינוּ בַּיָּמִים הָהם בַּזִּמַן הַזֶּה.

    Baruch atah, Adonai Eloheinu, Melech haolam, she-asah nisim laavoteinu v’imoteinu bayamim hahaeim baz’man hazeh.

    Blessed are You, Eternal our God, Sovereign of all, who performed wonders for our ancestors in days of old at this season.

    Add every night: We kindle these lights because of the wondrous deliverance You performed for our ancestors. During these eight days of Chanukah, these lights are scared; we are not to use them but only to behold them, so that their glow may rouse us to give thanks for Your wondrous acts of deliverance.

    First night only:

    בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הַעוֹלָם שֶׁהֶחֱיָנוּ וְקִיְּמָנוּ וְהִגִּיעָנוּ לַזְּמַן הַזֶּה

    Baruch atah, Adonai Eloheinu, Melech haolam, shehecheyanu v’kiy’manu v’higianu laz’man hazeh.

    Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Sovereign of all, for giving us life, for sustaining us, and for enabling us to reach this season.

    See also Mishkan T’filah page 572 and 668.Chag Chanukah Samei’ach ~ חג חנוכה שׁמח  A joyous Chanukah to allMore about Chanukah can be found here: http://www.reformjudaism.org/jewish-holidays/hanukkah

  • Parashat Vayishlach: “Encountering God”

    In our Torah portion for this week, we are told of Jacob’s fears, and of his wrestling with a man-angel who changes Jacob’s name to Israel.  Following that struggle “Jacob therefore named that place Peni’el–‘For I have seen God face-to-face(פנים-אל-פנים / Panim-El-Panim), yet my life has been spared” (Genesis 32:31).In Jacob’s struggling with an angel, he discovers two things:  that he can survive conflict, and that in struggle he encounters God.  Moreover, this encounter is two way–he and God meet face to face, one does not see the other alone.  The encounter is, by definition, mutual.Interestingly, Jacob is the only individual in the Torah whose encounter with God is described as such, panim-el-panim.  Abraham and God have dialogue, and Moses sees God’s back side, but neither of these figures meet God face to face.  Later in the Bible, Gideon encounters God face-to-face, Ezekiel speaks of the Israelites’ encounter with God in the wilderness as meeting them face to face, and Hosea makes a similar reference.  It seems to remain the case that an individual meeting God face-to-face is quite a special experience for Jacob, and later for Gideon as well.We, in our most ancient prayers, seek after our forefather Jacob’s experience.  With the words of the priestly blessing, we pray “may the Eternal’s face shine upon you and be gracious with you, and may God’s face be lifted upon you, and grant you peace,” (Numbers 6:25-26).  When we pray our most sacred words, we express a deep longing, one that Jacob gave voice to after his encounter in this week’s Torah portion: that we may be blessed with an encounter with God, and that it may be face-to-face. In that struggle with the Divine we may come to learn that through it we find life and all the more so survive.Jacob Wrestling with the Angel by Léon Bonnat  (1833–1922)Shabbat Shalom Rabbi Adrian M Schell (Source: Rabbi Harvey Fields) 

  • Shabbat Vayeitzei: If – Then – Else

    A joke is told about the New York man driving around desperately seeking a parking place.  He can’t find one, and so in desperation, he says, “Oh God I pray that you give me a parking space, if you give me a parking space then I promise to go to synagogue every Shabbat, I promise to give more money to tzedakah and I promise to be more observant of mitzvot.”  At that moment in front of him a parking space opens up and the man says “Oh never mind God I found one.”In our lives we often engage with this ‘if’.  “If this happens, then I will do such and such.”  We set up the negotiation, the exchange between ourselves and God, or between ourselves and the fates of the universe, imagining that it gives us some elements of control.In this week’s Torah Portion, we get a very strange parallel moment of “If”.  Jacob, having left Be’ersheva on his way to Haran, has this amazing dream of a stairway leading up to heaven where he sees angels going up and coming down. Then God speaks to Jacob informing him that He (God) will be with his descendants, and that they will receive the land upon which he is sleeping as an inheritance. In the morning when Jacob awakes he has no doubt about the significance of the dream.However, Jacob is then quoted by saying “IF, God remains with me, IF God protects me on the journey that I’m taking and gives me bread to eat and clothing to wear and IF I return safely to my father’s house, then Adonai shall be God and this stone which I establish as a pillar shall be God’s abode.”   After all that Jacob has just seen in that dream, after all of the promises which God gave to Jacob, Jacob feels the need to make a vow beginning with “If”.There is the ‘if’ of uncertainty, the ‘if’ of doubt, and possibly even the ‘if’ of fear.  And so in trying to regain some control even in this moment after all that he has seen, Jacob says “If”.   We often use the word ‘if’ without all the signs and wonders presented to Jacob.  And we do it for similar reasons, because we seek to regain that sense of control.Unfortunately, our lives are not arranged around certainty and control, and from time to time we need to let things happen as they happen. It was a long learning process for Jacob to accept that most things are out of his control, too. He struggled with God for the rest of his life, but he also understood that this is the real sense of a partnership – the partnership with God.Shabbat ShalomRabbi Adrian M Schell (Source: reformjudaism.org) 

  • Two Cities—two lessons—one people

    This Shabbat we learn of two cities and two lessons.  Each of these cities offers us a value and a cautionary note.  We relearn these values and we recall their accompanying cautionary notes.The first city is from the Torah portion.  It is Hebron.  In this week’s Torah portion Sarah dies at the age of 127 years.  Abraham mourns her and seeks to buy a burial plot.  He purchases the Cave of Machpeleh from Ephron, the Hittite.  We learn that Abraham pays more than the asking price and thus Hebron becomes the first Jewish place.  From this city we are reminded that the land, the land of Israel, is more than a sentimental note, it is holy to us.  It is made holy by Sarah’s death, by Abraham’s purchase, and God’s promise.Here is where it all started.  Our faith began in Hebron, located in the modern day West Bank.  Thus it is not just any land that the Palestinians claim. It is our people’s as well.  When it comes time to make peace (may that day be very soon) it will not be as simple as withdrawing from Gush Katif in Gaza.  And if you recall this recent history, remember that it wasn’t simple or easy at all.  In Hebron we still feel Jewish history and its reverberations.  There one can sense Abraham’s and Sarah’s presence.Still our cautionary note is that the land is no more holy than any people;  no place is worth more than human life and preserving Jewish democracy.  Even a place as holy as Hebron, with its many Jewish resonances, is worth “sacrificing” for the sake of furthering security for Israel and saving lives.The second city is Berlin.  We think of it because of our commemoration of “Kristallnacht” this week.  On November 9, 1938 in Germany and Austria, and in particular in Berlin, the Nazis perpetrated this “night of broken glass”.  There are many dates to which we can point and date the beginning of the Holocaust.  This date would be one.  On this day the Nazis destroyed and burned synagogues and Jewish books.  And on this day the world stood by.  Kristallnacht was reported but little, if anything was done.  The Nazis were allowed to destroy Jewish lives and homes with impunity.We are reminded that even the most cultured of places can become evil.  The place that gave the world Max Liebermann, Alexander von Humboldt and Rahel Varnhagen also gave rise to the past century’s most unparalleled evil.Lest we be naïve, we must proclaim that anti-Semitism still exists.  We hear its venom coming from Iran. It exists in Europe, in the United States, and even in South Africa.  There are tinges of it emanating from BDS. This is a movement that is all about anger and not about peace and empowerment of the Palestinian people.  Standing in front of Jewish owned places and calling for boycott of exactly those stores and companies follows only one pattern, the Nazi terror of the Third Reich. From the memory of Jewish Berlin we are cautioned: stay vigilant. Never be so quick to dismiss racism and anti -Semitism. It can arise anywhere and everywhere. It can be found in any city.For us Jews, history is relevant, it is part of our identity. Those two cities are only two examples for how history has shaped us as a people, as a faith, as human beings.Shabbat ShalomRabbi Adrian M Schell (Source: Rabbi Steven Moskowitz  ) 

  • Parashat Toldot: Living For Tomorrow

    One day, Jacob was making a stew when his brother Esau came in from a long day of being in the field and… “Esau said to Jacob, ‘Pour … me … some of that red stuff for I am exhausted.’ Jacob said, ‘Sell … your birthright to me.’ ….Esau said, ‘…I am going to die, so of what use to me is a birthright?’ “ (Genesis 25:30-32)Why would someone sell his birthright, which was worth an incalculable amount both spiritually and monetarily, for a bowl of stew? Esau gladly did so, and then justified it because one day he was going to pass away…Sadly, this is a similar rationale that we use ourselves when we want to engage in any unhealthy behavior. We all live with a constant inner struggle between having immediate gratification or thinking about the future. But healthy decisions can only be made when someone lives with the awareness that their choices have a direct impact on their life. This “tomorrow filter” is what all of your desired actions need to pass through.Many smokers rationalise their habit by declaring that, “we’re all going to die of something … I might as well enjoy myself.” If you push that faulty logic a little further, they might as well live their entire lives just as recklessly. How about only eating foods that are loaded with sugar or fat? Or maybe experiment with drugs after a long, hard day.The problem with all of this is there is a tomorrow, and it’s precisely how you live today that will determine this tomorrow. Pointing out someone you know who never got sick and lived to 129 years old on a diet of whiskey, steak and cigars doesn’t give you the freedom to live recklessly and without limits. In fact, it’s actually these stories that give you true freewill to choose a correct and healthy path.Esau cared only about what he wanted now. There was no thinking about tomorrow. This kind of thinking can lead us to do anything we feel like doing and then proudly and confidently, justify our behavior.Our tradition teaches that we can only truly feel great when we sacrifice short-term pleasure by investing in our future and doing what’s right. Our Jewish tradition set up a system that demands that we grow; and this can only happen through being aware of temptations and doing what’s right. Then the lasting joy we‘ll own forever will be on a stratospheric higher level than the temporary and fleeting pleasure we passed up. Today for tomorrow.Shabbat Shalom, Rabbi Adrian M Schell (Source: Adam Lieberman / Picture: Esau Sells His Birthright for Pottage of Lentils  by Gerard Hoet (1648-1733)) 

  • Two Cities—two lessons—one people

    This Shabbat we learn of two cities and two lessons.  Each of these cities offers us a value and a cautionary note.  We relearn these values and we recall their accompanying cautionary notes.The first city is from the Torah portion.  It is Hebron.  In this week’s Torah portion Sarah dies at the age of 127 years.  Abraham mourns her and seeks to buy a burial plot.  He purchases the Cave of Machpeleh from Ephron, the Hittite.  We learn that Abraham pays more than the asking price and thus Hebron becomes the first Jewish place.  From this city we are reminded that the land, the land of Israel, is more than a sentimental note, it is holy to us.  It is made holy by Sarah’s death, by Abraham’s purchase, and God’s promise.Here is where it all started.  Our faith began in Hebron, located in the modern day West Bank.  Thus it is not just any land that the Palestinians claim. It is our people’s as well.  When it comes time to make peace (may that day be very soon) it will not be as simple as withdrawing from Gush Katif in Gaza.  And if you recall this recent history, remember that it wasn’t simple or easy at all.  In Hebron we still feel Jewish history and its reverberations.  There one can sense Abraham’s and Sarah’s presence.Still our cautionary note is that the land is no more holy than any people;  no place is worth more than human life and preserving Jewish democracy.  Even a place as holy as Hebron, with its many Jewish resonances, is worth “sacrificing” for the sake of furthering security for Israel and saving lives.The second city is Berlin.  We think of it because of our commemoration of “Kristallnacht” this week.  On November 9, 1938 in Germany and Austria, and in particular in Berlin, the Nazis perpetrated this “night of broken glass”.  There are many dates to which we can point and date the beginning of the Holocaust.  This date would be one.  On this day the Nazis destroyed and burned synagogues and Jewish books.  And on this day the world stood by.  Kristallnacht was reported but little, if anything was done.  The Nazis were allowed to destroy Jewish lives and homes with impunity.We are reminded that even the most cultured of places can become evil.  The place that gave the world Max Liebermann, Alexander von Humboldt and Rahel Varnhagen also gave rise to the past century’s most unparalleled evil.Lest we be naïve, we must proclaim that anti-Semitism still exists.  We hear its venom coming from Iran. It exists in Europe, in the United States, and even in South Africa.  There are tinges of it emanating from BDS. This is a movement that is all about anger and not about peace and empowerment of the Palestinian people.  Standing in front of Jewish owned places and calling for boycott of exactly those stores and companies follows only one pattern, the Nazi terror of the Third Reich. From the memory of Jewish Berlin we are cautioned: stay vigilant. Never be so quick to dismiss racism and anti -Semitism. It can arise anywhere and everywhere. It can be found in any city.For us Jews, history is relevant, it is part of our identity. Those two cities are only two examples for how history has shaped us as a people, as a faith, as human beings.Shabbat ShalomRabbi Adrian M Schell (Source: Rabbi Steven Moskowitz  ) 

  • About Bet David’s ‘Jews-by-Choice Programme’

    Becoming a Jew involves becoming part of a people. Like all nations, the Jewish People has its own culture and civilisation, comprising of religion, language, cuisine, art forms and other facets of life. Completion of Bet David’s Jews-by-choice programme is an important first step to becoming a Jew. We hope that those who join the programme will share our enthusiasm about what choosing Judaism represents, with us.Abraham and Sarah were not born as Jews — they were the first to “choose Judaism”. Ruth, a convert to Judaism, was the great grandmother of King David. We recognise the tremendous contributions converts have made to Judaism. We also recognise the difficulties with personal feelings, families of origin and/or certain members of the Jewish community, in the choice.Our Congregation’s Jews-by-Choice Programme gives instruction in the basic belief system and practice of Judaism, from a Progressive, liberal point of view, as well as a basic command of the Hebrew language for the purposes of following the prayer service. The course is recognised by the State of Israel, the South African Union of Progressive Judaism (SAUPJ) and by the World Union of Progressive Judaism (WUPJ; the largest organised Jewish body in the world).Taking on a new religious identity is not a frivolous thing. In fact, it can be one of the most profound steps in a person’s life. We invite those interested in Judaism to enrol in the Introduction to Judaism class. This class, which meets weekly, includes one-on-one study with Rabbi Schell, the opportunity to attend worship services, and instruction on the ways in which one can become involved in our community in accordance with one’s interests and skills. Choosing Judaism is a highly personal journey and not bound by a time frame, but when a student is ready to join the faith, she or he comes before a Rabbinic Beit Din.The duration of the Jews-by-Choice programme is a minimum of 12 to 15 months (40 classes) enabling the students to experience the full festivals‘ cycle and to become acculturated into the Jewish People. The program is divided in 3 terms; intakes to join the program are in January, May and August. We ask everyone who is planning a wedding after completion of a conversion, NOT to schedule the wedding without consulting the Rabbi.If you have questions about the program, and/or would like to join, please contact Glynnis to schedule an appointment with Rabbi Schell (admin1@betdavid.org.za). The next intake is in January 2018.By the way, the members of Bet David can attend the ‘Introduction to Judaism classes‘, too, but must please enrol and commit to attend on a regular basis.

  • Mishkan ha Nefesh: A dwelling place for our souls

    Chaverim,This is not the first time, I have mentioned it, but I think it is still exciting news. Together with our sister congregations in South Africa we will embark on a new spiritual journey, introducing a new prayer book for the High Holy Days: Mishkan HaNefesh. The new Machzor will be a valuable tool for innovation in our Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur experiences. The language in the books is modern and accessible, with gender neutral wording and all Hebrew prayers available in transliteration.  There are inspired alternative options, a variety of study commentaries throughout the book, Torah reading options, and some magnificent new prayer alternatives. We are going to use the new Machzorim for the first time on Rosh HaShanah 2018.Why do we need a new machzor? Why should we switch to Mishkan HaNefesh? Our current Machzor, Gates of Repentance, has served Bet David well for many years. When it was first published in 1978, it represented exciting and progressive liturgical innovation. However, time has changed and we have changed. The fact that it does not include transliteration is a stumbling block for many in our communities. So too, many of today’s Jews feel disconnected from prayer and from theological and ideological concepts that do not seem consistent with a contemporary sensibility. Like Mishkan Tfilah, our Shabbat prayer book, Mishkan HaNefesh makes strides towards a multi-vocality that creates a space for all to inhabit, offering a multiplicity of different approaches. Through updated translations, elucidating essays, rich commentary, and a beautiful selection of poetry, Mishkan HaNefesh provides an environment for those of all backgrounds to find meaning in the High Holy Days.Mishkan HaNefesh gives both the prayer leader and the community a wealth of resources for finding new and old meaning for the High Holy Days and to match the requirements for today‘s services. Mishkan HaNefesh breathes new life into High Holy Day services and forms a meaningful bridge to our Shabbat liturgy we love at Bet David.How do you get your copy?The new two volume Machzor can be bought from the offices from March 2018 on, but we are happy to offer you a pre-order option to save your copies already now, with a early bird discount. The regular set (one set includes the Machzorim for RoshHaShanah and Yom Kippur) price is R700. If you order your set(s) before 31 December and pay it by the end of 2017, we can offer you a special pre-order price of R600 per set. The other option we can offer you is to order now and pay them off in several installments for the regular price. Please use the order form (Mishkan HaNefesh Information Letter).With your support, we will be able to make this important change in the worship life of our congregation. If you have questions regarding the new Machzor, please don‘t hesitate to contact me or any members of the ManCom. Rabbi Adrian M Schell 

  • Gusti Braverman’s encouragement for unity and engagement

    Last Shabbat we had Gusti Yehoshua Braverman (pictured above) from the World Zionist Organisation visit Bet David. In her talk prior to the Shabbat service she highlighted the importance of the World Zionist Organisation and of the Progressive Judaism in Israel, and how important it is that we—Progressive Jews—need to made our voices be heard in order to keep the dream of Herzl alive, making Israel a place where all Jews feel connected with.In her sermon, during the service she explained why destructive organisations – such as BDS – can‘t create anything that leads to a positive solution, as boycott and disengagement always leads to seperation and division. She understood that many of us struggle with and criticise the current goverment in Israel, and she encouraged us continue this, but in a positive, constructive way, which will lead to  more unity and engagement.