Congregation Beth Mordecai
Congregation Beth Mordecai
An inclusive congregation affiliated with the Conservative Movement.
Your Jewish Home for the Soul!
An inclusive congregation affiliated with the Conservative Movement.
Your Jewish Home for the Soul!
September 19, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
Parashat Nitzavim/Vayelekh 2014/5774 (Triennial I) -- Stranger Danger
In this week's Torah portion, Moses tells the Israelites that "you stand this day, all of you, before the LORD your God...even the stranger within the camp, from woodchopper to water drawer" (Deuteronomy 29:9-10). The Hebrew text does not intimate a separation between the "strangers" and the "Israelites," but the rabbinic commentator Panim Yafot (18th Century, Poland & Germany) points to how even in this text the strangers the Israelites must be wary of strangers. As we approach the High Holidays and open our communities to all people who seek Jewish wisdom, how does this text help us (and how does it NOT help us) understand how to welcome strangers into our communities?
Join us[...]
Category : home Online Learning Online Parashah Class Tag : Deuteronomy 29:10-11 high holidays nitzavim online learning online parashah class panim yafot strangers welcoming גרים נצבים פנים יפות
September 12, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
Parashat Ki Tavo 2014/5774 (Triennial I) -- Having a Positive Outlook
In this week's Torah portion, the Israelites ask God to look upon them positively: "Look down (hashkifah) from Your holy abode, from heaven, and bless Your people Israel" (Deuteronomy 26:15). What gives the Israelites the confidence that God will look upon them positively, and is there a lesson from this on how we can retain a positive outlook even in gloomy moments?
We will explore this question of how to have a positive outlook through an exploration of the hebrew term used in this verse -- "hashkafah."
Please join us for this fascinating class!
Photo taken from -- http://irishbizwoman.blogspot.com/2013/04/the-difference-between-positivity-and.html
Category : home Online Learning Online Parashah Class Tag : Deuteronomy 26:15 Genesis 18:16 hashkafa Ki Tavo online learning online parashah class Or Hameir outlook positivity weekly torah portion אור המאיר השקפה כי תבוא
September 5, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
Parashat Ki Teitzei 2014/5774 (Triennial I) -- Sinning: Just Because You Can, Doesn't Mean You Should
In this week's Torah portion, we read of the laws concerning marriage to a beautiful maiden who was captured in battle (Deuteronomy 21:10-14); dealing with unloved and loved sons from different mothers (Deuteronomy 21:15-17); and the handling of a rebellious and wayward son (Deuteronomy 21:18-21).
In Daat Z'kenim, an anthology of rabbinic interpretations from the Tosafot (12th-14th Centuries, France & Germany), conflation of these three laws are seen an example of "aveirah goreret aveirah," of how a sin causes [one to commit] another sin" -- when one takes a captured maiden as[...]
Category : Online Learning Online Parashah Class Tag : Absalom captured women daat z'kenim Deuteronomy 21 high holidays Ki Teitzei king david online learning online parashah class rebellion of Absalom rebellious son sin sinning tosafot weekly torah portion
August 29, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
Parashat Shoftim 2014/5774 (Triennial I) -- How Do You Pursue Justice?
At the beginning of this week's Torah portion, Parashat Shoftim, we read some of the most talked about words in the entire Torah: "Justice, Justice You shall pursue" (Deuteronomy 16:20). But what does it mean to pursue justice? Is it a job for the few or is it a job that each of us can undertake in our own way?
We will explore this question using wisdom from Jewish tradition. Please join us for this important conversation.
Category : Online Learning Online Parashah Class Tag : Deuteronomy 16:20 Deuteronomy 17:11 halakhah justice justice you shall pursue leaders Lo Tasur mitzvot Rabbi Joel Roth ramban rashi sages לא תסור צדק
August 22, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
Parashat R'eih 2014/5774 (Triennial I): Is The Harder Path Worth It?
In this week's Torah portion, we read that God will bless the Israelites if they follow God's commandments, and will curse them if they do not. Yet, as one rabbinic commentator teaches in a parable, the way of doing God's commandments is a difficult one. So is this harder path really worth it? In our day and age, what kind of blessing can be gained through the hard path of Jewish observance? And what, if any, curse will occur if we do not go down this path?
Join us for this interesting discussion on the[...]
Category : Online Learning Online Parashah Class Tag : da'at z'kanim discipline Jewish mitzvot next world olam haba olam hazeh parsha path r'eih rashi re'eh עולם הבא עולם הזה
August 1, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
Parashat D’varim 2014/5774 (Triennial 1): “Many Hands Make Light Work”:The Importance and Challenge of Delegating
In any position of leadership, it is important to be skillful in delegating authority. In this week’s Torah portion as we begin the book of Deuteronomy, Moses recounts how he “cannot bear the burden [of the people of Israel] himself” (Deuteronomy 1:9) and how he set out to delegate responsibility to other chiefs of Israel. This is not the first time that the Torah recounts Moses’ attempt to delegate responsibility (Exodus 18:13-27 and Numbers 11:11-15). How are these accounts similar to or different from each other? What do each of them uniquely teach[...]
Category : Online Learning Online Parashah Class Tag : d'varim delegating deuteronomy devarim God Jethro leaders leadership moses online learning online parashah class responsibility דברים
July 22, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
Parashat Mattot 2014/5774 (Triennial 1): Insights on the Road to War
Much of our attention this week is focused on the situation in Israel and the Gaza strip. As Israeli troops enter Gaza to protect the Israeli people from Kassam rockets, we read in this week's Torah portion (Mattot) of a different war, this one between the Israelites and the Midianites (Numbers Chapter 31). Are there any insights from this week's reading that will help us understand the issues of war and provide some insight on the challenges facing Israeli troops as they enter this conflict? Join us for this timely lesson!
Photo taken from Wikipedia -- http://en.wikipedia.org/?title=Portal:Bible/Featured_article/2008
Category : Online Learning Online Parashah Class Tag : family Gaza Hamas IDF israel Midianites Moabites online learning online parashah class war
July 18, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
Parashat Korah 2014/5774 (Triennial I) Israel: The Only Land of Milk and Honey
Today's learning will be for the sake of adding the light of Torah to the efforts undertaken to safely bring home Naftali Fraenkel, Eyal Yifrah, and Gilad Shaar.
In this week's Torah portion, the rebellious Korah challenges Moses by saying "Is it not enough that you brought us from a land flowing with milk and honey (i.e. Egypt) to have us die in the wilderness?" (Numbers 16:13). But isn't Israel the only land of milk and honey? We'll investigate how the Panim Yafot (an 18th Century rabbi from Poland & Germany)[...]
Category : Online Learning Online Parashah Class Uncategorized Tag : honey israel korach korah milk online learning online parashah class panim yafot terrorism קרח
June 13, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
Parashat Sh’lah L’kha: The Religious Value of Doubting What You See and Desire
In this week’s Torah portion we read the stories of twelve leaders of Israel who are commanded to “spy” (la-tur) the land of Canaan (Numbers 13:2). Yet at the end of the Torah portion, the root t-u-r that was used earlier for the positive command “to spy” is used here as the negative command for the Israelites to “not follow (v’lo taturu) what they feel in their hearts and what they see with their eyes (Numbers 15:39). What can we learn from the juxtaposition of different meanings for this same root? Why[...]
Category : Online Learning Online Parashah Class Tag : desire doubt eyes God heart online learning online parashah class rashbam rashi see shelach lecha shelach lekha shelah lekha shelakh lekha sotah spies talmud tzitzit weekly torah portion
June 6, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
Parashat B'ha-alot'khah 2014/5774 (Triennial I) -- Does God Need Light?
At the beginning of this week's Torah portion, we learn how the Israelites (and particularly the Levites) are instructed to light the m'norah in the Temple. But why is that light there? Do the people need the light to see in the Temple? Or does God need the light of the people? Or is there another purpose to this light altogether! Come join us for this fascinating conversation about the usage of light in our sacred spaces.
Category : Online Learning Online Parashah Class Tag : b'ha-alot'khah behaalotecha candles God light m'norah menorah online learning online parashah class parasha parsha rabeinu bachya rashi weekly torah portion בהעלותך