Tag: Torah sparks by Rabbi Schell
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Yom Kippur isn’t an easy day
Chaverim—Friends, Yom Kippur isn’t an easy day. Not because of the fasting. What isn’t easy is the affliction of the soul, the practice of going deeply into ourselves and revealing our innermost fears, doubts and insecurities in front of the Eternal. There is no more bargaining time left. No more time to negotiate with God, to…
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Awesome moments between past, present and future – Greetings for the New Year 5779
Dear congregants, members, supporters, friends—chaverim,This will be my 5th High Holy Days with you, or to be more precise, my 6th, as Chayim and I joined the congregation exactly 10 years ago for my rabbinic internship at Bet David. Much has changed in the past years, but also many things have remained untouched and sacred, as…
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Yizkor: Let my cry come before You.
As a deer yearns for streams of water, so I yearn for You, O God. My whole being thirsts for God, for the living God. Psalm 42:2 Hear my prayer. Let my cry come before You. Do not hide from me in my time of sorrow. Turn Your ear to me. When I cry, answer…
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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…
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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.…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
