‘Shabbat’ Category

Shabbat

December 12, 2014
By bethmordecai
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DAY 895: Shabbat is a Day to Strike

Dear Hevreh, As I've often remarked, Shabbat is a wonderful time to rest. It's a chance to break from the usual grind of work and life to take a moment and reflect. Yet, this Shabbat I'm thinking of another kind of "break" that also comes from the root of the word Shabbat (Sh-b/v-t) meaning "to rest;" yhat word is Sh'vitah which means "strike." In particular, sh'vitah refers to the actions of a group of people (usually workers) to STOP what they're doing in order to achieve some kind of goal (i.e. better wages, better working conditions, etc.). What is remarkable about the term sh'vitah (especially as it relates to Shabbat) is that by its very root it indicates that when someone (or some group)[...]

Category : Rabbi Rabbi's Journal Shabbat
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Shabbat

November 20, 2014
By bethmordecai
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DAY 873: In Trying to Process the Attack in a Jerusalem Synagogue

(11/20/14), Most, if not all of us, are aware of the terrible crime committed the other day in a synagogue in Jerusalem. Terrorists murdered a group of Jewish worshippers while the worshippers were standing in the opposite direction -- to the east -- to davven the Amidah, a prayer recited by all Jews everywhere around the world. The symbolism of this horrible moment in an increasingly devastating conflict couldn't be more acute. The davveners were facing towards the center of Jewish worship -- the Temple Mount -- while their murderers attacked in response to purported fears that Jews wanted to take over the Temple Mount for Jewish worship. Despite occasional flare-ups, the fact that Jews pray towards the Temple Mount and Muslims pray[...]

Category : Adult Education Israeli News Jewish Current Events Rabbi Rabbi's Journal Services Shabbat
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Shabbat

November 14, 2014
By bethmordecai
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DAY 867: Celebrating Jonah’s First Year

Dear Hevreh, I've experienced many firsts in my time at Beth Mordecai, from lifecycle events to preaching, teaching, and organizing. But none of these firsts can compare to another first that I experienced while being at Beth Mordecai...the first time I became a father. The wonderful highlights (and rare lowlights) of first year of fatherhood are too numerous and overwhelming to describe in a simple journal. But what I can share is that during this journey, it feels like every step (literally) is a major lifecycle event, every conversation is a chance to teach (and sometimes preach), and every moment is replete with the little details that need to be organized. And as I reflect on this first year, I realize how Beth[...]

Category : Rabbi Rabbi's Journal Shabbat
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Shabbat

November 7, 2014
By bethmordecai
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Shabbat

September 12, 2014
By bethmordecai
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DAY 804: Reflecting on America — A message in honor of September 11th

Dear Hevreh, Yesterday our country commemorated another anniversary -- the 13th -- of the attacks on September 11th, 2001. This "bar mitzvah" year is no celebration, but as we shared at Perth Amboy's commemoration yesterday it is an opportunity to recall what unifies us together, what makes us uniquely American. For many of our ancestors, America represented a beacon of light that promised a better and more prosperous future for us, their children. And for many of us though not all, that promise of a "goldene medinah (a golden land)" has been fulfilled. Yet, for many, including in our community and in our hometown, that promise is still a dream. If we are one of the lucky ones who feels[...]

Category : Perth Amboy News Rabbi Rabbi's Journal Shabbat
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Shabbat

June 6, 2014
By bethmordecai
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DAY 706: Busying Ourselves With Torah

Dear Hevreh, As we come out of a holiday full of meaningful Torah learning, I am reminded that no matter how enjoyable, how meaningful, or how special Torah learning can be it is not always easy to find the time to continue our learning. The blessing we are supposed to recite before learning Torah -- Barukh Attah Adonai Eloheinu Melekh Ha-Olam Asher Kid'shanu B'mitzvotav V'tzivanu La-asok B'divrei Torah (Blessed Are You God King of the Universe Who Has Sanctified Us with Your Commandments and Commanded Us To Busy Ourselves With the Words of Torah) -- teaches us that like any business or occupation, Torah learning needs our time and effort. Yet, how often do we actually busy ourselves with Torah? If we're[...]

Category : Bar and Bat Mitzvah Bar Mitzvah Rabbi Rabbi's Journal Shabbat Shavuot
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Shabbat

June 3, 2014
By bethmordecai
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Sermon for Cantor Showcase of Unique Torah — Our Unique and Godly Torah

*Sermon for Friday night of "Cantor Showcase of Unique Torah" (Shabbat prior to Shavuot) – May 30, 2014  Our Unique and Godly Torah Rabbi Ari Saks Some of you may remember a story my father told during my installation on this same bimah over a year and a half ago. I was a little boy in Benton Harbor and my father and I had just come back from shul on Simhat Torah. As we approached home I started making a frantic pointing motion in a not-so-specific direction (with the requisite grunting of a child). So my father, in attempting to respond my neediness, took me on a walk trying to follow my random pointing. Eventually we ended up back at shul where my pointing got[...]

Category : Bulletin Articles Cantorial Showcase Holidays home Rabbi Sermons Shabbat Shavuot
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Shabbat

May 23, 2014
By bethmordecai
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DAY 692: A Shabbat of Life

Dear Hevreh, Every Shabbat we gather together to sing the joys of life, to share the moments the matter, to offer our prayers on behalf of those who are ill, and to recall the memory of our loved ones. In short, every Shabbat we have an opportunity to appreciate all that is contained within life. Some weeks we are more joyous, some weeks we are more sad, but all weeks are necessary parts of the fabric of life. So whether you are sad, happy, concerned, excited, curious, upset, or all of the emotions in between, join us this Shabbatat 8 pm tonight and 10 am tomorrow to share these important feelings of life together. Shabbat Shalom, Rabbi Ari Saks P.S. For those[...]

Category : Rabbi Rabbi's Journal Shabbat
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Shabbat

April 13, 2014
By bethmordecai
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Sermon for Shabbat Hagadol (April 12, 2014): Faith In Words

Faith in Words Sermon for Shabbat Hagadol (April 12th 2014) Rabbi Ari Saks Congregation Beth Mordecai Once there was a king who ruled many kingdoms, yet no matter how much wealth he amassed, no matter how many people he helped, he never felt at peace. His mind raced in so many different directions he could never feel as if he was in the right place at the right time. When he was sad he wanted to be happy, and for some reason when he was happy, he wanted to be sad. Well, he thought, if my mind is never at peace then neither should my kingdom. So he set about making every part of his kingdom the opposite of what it should be –[...]

Category : Cantorial Showcase home Passover Rabbi Sermons Shabbat
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Shabbat

April 4, 2014
By bethmordecai
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DAY 643: Aspiring To Be More Like A Family

Dear Hevreh, When I was in rabbinical school, we talked a good deal about the language we use to describe our communities. One of the terms that got tossed around a lot was "family." It's a word that connotes a feeling of closeness, of connection, of security, and of a deep and powerful bond that holds us together. Yet there is a certain amount of poetic license in describing our synagogue community as a family. Not only are most of us not related, but despite the close bonds that some of us feel with one another, do we really have such strong ties that each of us would call each other "family"?    Personally, I've tried to be cognizant of how often I describe[...]

Category : Family Shabbat Rabbi Rabbi's Journal Shabbat
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