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 30, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
Let Us Sing Our Songs Together
Rosh Hashanah 5775 – September, 25 2014*
Rabbi Ari Saks
Congregation Beth Mordecai
Picture this. You are an Israelite in approximately 1600 BCE. You, your family, and your people have just escaped the torture and slavery of the Egyptians with the help of God and Moses, and as you turn back from reaching the other side of the Red Sea , you hear the deafening, vicious sound of waves devouring your Egyptian pursuers, until the last of them are no longer seen.
You stand there aghast, not knowing what to say…you are free! After a moment or two of reality sinking in, you feel this overwhelming urge to shout out for joy. To sing praises of thanksgiving, of joy,[...]
Category : Rabbi Rosh Hashanah Sermons Tag : Arukh Hashulkhan Benjamin Segal birds community Expression high holidays joy love mary poppins rabbi Rabbi Irwin Kula reflection Rosh Hashanah sermons shower song song of songs To Rome With Love Unique Songs unique torah vulnerability Woody Allen Yearnings
May 28, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
Day 43 -- חסד שבמלכות/שכינה (Lovingkindness within Indwelling Presence) The flow of lovingkindness into the world is never-ending, like the stars wandering along their paths in the sky or gentle ripples in a constantly refreshed natural spring. It is no surprise that a person who exudes Hesed, lovingkindness, is called a Hasid, a righteous person, a person whose caring is continuous. We understand how Hesed influences Malkhut/Sh’khinah when we recognize the protecting compassion of God as our ideal parent — guiding, counseling, influencing, loving, guarding. The Source of Presence can be experienced as the sheltering wings of Sh’khinah; these wings protect, but do not smother. Today, we remember that the caring Presence always surround and shields us (Counting the Omer:[...]
Category : Omer Online Learning Tag : chesed God hesed Indwelling Presence kingship love lovingkindness malkhut omer online learning presence sh'khinah shekhina shekhinah חסד מלכות שכינה
April 30, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
"We know that each individual is part of a large, harmonious system that has been unfolding for millions of years. We honor our ancestors’ struggles to harmonize contradictions, to find calm in paradox, and we are grateful to them for capturing some of that struggle in writing. The Talmud, for example is full of legal discussions, chronicling attempts to resolve opposing opinions about the proper interpretation of Jewish law. It also contains hundreds of stories and anecdotes, examples of the attempts of our ancestors to choose honorable ways to live their lives. Study of sacred texts and wisdom literature is at the heart of the Jewish spiritual path" (Counting the Omer: A Kabbalistic Meditation Guide, p.100) For other days of the Omer,[...]
Category : Omer Online Learning Tag : balance chesed harmony hesed jewish text learning love lovingkindness omer online learning sacred text tiferet חסד תפארת
April 24, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
"By discerning and restraining our impulses we can more deeply understand the deep flow of love within them. Each time we stop ourselves from impulsive behavior in realization that such behavior could harm someone we love, we are acting from lovingkindness within discernment. Those choices can sweeten our appreciation of our choices" (Counting the Omer: A Kabbalistic Meditation Guide p.71). For other days of the Omer, please click here
Category : Omer Online Learning Tag : chesed control discernment g'vurah gevurah hesed impulse love omer online learning restraint strength גבורה חסד
April 23, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
"There are many Hasidic stories about ordinary people finding God in everyday activities. This reminds us that the concept of an indwelling God means that God is close to us, and according to some sources, dwells in every aspect of creation. In Deuteronomy 30:15, God reminds us that the Torah is not distant or baffling but rather “No, the thing is very close to you , in your mouth and in your heart, to observe it.” Today we an stop and pay close attention to some small task, recognizing that even in the most mundane of daily activities, we can increase our awareness of the presence of God in our lives" (Counting the Omer: A Kabbalistic Meditation Guide pp.62-63). For other days of the[...]
Category : Omer Online Learning Tag : appearance chesed God hesed Indwelling Presence love lovingkindness reality small tasks חסד מלכות שכינה
April 22, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
"Yesod is the sephira of foundation, and also of reproductive energy, of sexual energy. Yesod within Hesed brings awareness of the future, the generative energy of continuity, within lovingkindness. The foundation of the future is built on the creative continuity of the past. Jewish tradition teaches us that each generation stands on the shoulders of the last. Thus we are able to see further into the future by standing on a firm foundation. Today we remember that this entire pyramid of generations is upported by story, memory, and love. Without the founation, the pyramid, like a tower of cheerleaders, can tumble. The parade of generations is like a caravan over time, where precious cargo is guarded and passed on at each[...]
Category : Omer Online Learning Tag : foundation generations love lovingkindness omer online learning past stories חסד יסוד
April 20, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
“Splendor can be envisioned as a brilliant varied display, whether of insights, objects or beings. Lovingkindness and compassion also appear ina splendid diversity of types and patterns. Hod sheb'Hesed can be experienced in the astonishing variety of ways Divine care is manifested in the world" (Counting the Omer: A Kabbalistic Meditation Guide, p.54).For other days of the Omer, please click here
Category : Omer Online Learning Tag : care chesed diversity God hesed hod love lovingkindness manifestation omer online learning splendor הוד חסד
April 18, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
"Knowing the right amount of love to give can be like the story of Goldilocks and the three bears. Sometimes we give open hearted love and can feel overwhelmed, sometimes we give "tough love" and can feel callous, but when we have the right balance of opening our heart out of love and creating boundaries out of love, then our love can feel just right (ORIGINAL)" For other days of the Omer, please click here
Category : Omer Online Learning Tag : balance beauty chesed chessed counting glory goldilocks and the three bears hesed just right love lovingkindness omer online learning sefirat ha-omer tiferet חסד תפארת
April 17, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
"Just as too much water can drown a plant, and too little can parch it, the precise irrigation that an observant gardener provides can nurture strong plants without wasting water. Similarly, Gevurah, careful discernment, can fine-tune the flow of Hesed, aiming it for clarity, shape, and effectiveness. Hesed alone would be like drowning in spiritual chicken soup. Instead, the soup needs to be carefully ladled out, into manageable portions (Counting the Omer: A Kabbalistic Meditation Guide, p.42)" For other days of the Omer, please click here
Category : Omer Online Learning Tag : borders boundaries burn out chesed direction discernment flow gardener gevurah hesed love lovingkindness online learning strength water גבורה חסד
November 29, 2013 By bethmordecai no comments.
DAY 517: The Meaning of Love V'ahavta et Adonai Elohekha וְאָהַבְתָּ אֶת ה' אֶלֹקֶיך You shall love the Lord Your God (Deut 6:5) V'ahavta L'reiakha Kamokha וְאָהַבְתָּ לְרֵעָךָ כָּמוֹך You shall love your neighbor as yourself (Lev 19:15) Dear Hevreh, Love is one of the most powerful words we have at our disposal -- just ask any couple how the first time they said "I love you" to one another changed their relationship forever. Whether it's through our own experience or through our culture, we are quite aware of the emotional power of love. Yet, in addition to[...]
Category : Rabbi's Journal Tag : bris commitment emotion family love passion sh'ma