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!
June 6, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
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 Tag : avima darnov bar and bat mitzvah hebrew corner partnership rabbi rabbi's journal rabbis shabbat shavuot torah
June 3, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
Day 49 -- מלכות/שכינה שבמלכות/שכינה (Indwelling Presence within Indwelling Presence) Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel wrote beautifully on revelation: "The nature of revelation, being an event in the realm of the ineffable is something which words cannot spell, which human language will never be able to portray. Our categories are not applicable to that which is both within and beyond the realm of matter and mind. In speaking about revelation, the more descriptive the terms, the less adequate is the description. "Revelation is a mystery for which reason has no concepts. "Collecting the memories of the sparks of illuminations we have perceived, the installments of insight that have been bestowed upon us through the years, we will find it impossible to remain certain of the impossibility of revelation." Today[...]
Category : Omer Online Learning Shavuot Tag : end of the omer God Indwelling Presence malkhut omer online learning rabbi min kantrowitz revelation sh'khinah shavuot thank you מלכות שכינה
By bethmordecai no comments.
*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 Tag : bulletin articles Cantorial Showcase godly holidays neil gillman norman lamm pirkei avot potential rabbeinu yonah rabbi revelation sermons shabbat shavuot unique torah
June 2, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
Check out some teachings by Rabbi Saks from this year's count of the Omer! To download a copy of the omer calendar so that you can count alongside Rabbi Saks, please cklick here for the calendar and please click here for the blessings
Today's Count:
Day 49 -- מלכות/שכינה שבמלכות/שכינה (Indwelling Presence within Indwelling Presence)
Calendar of Days
Day 1 -- חסד שבחסד (Lovingkindness within Lovingkindness)
Day 2 -- גבורה שבחסד (Discernment/Strength within Lovingkindness)
Day 3 -- תפארת שבחסד (Balance within Lovingkindness)
Omer
Online Learning
videos-archive
Tag : counting the omer discernment lovingkindness omer online learning passover s'firat ha-omer sefirat ha-omer shavuot strength גבורה חסד
April 17, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
(4/17/14)
Human beings love to count. Whether we are counting sheep in our sleep or attendees at services, there is something built into our DNA that enjoys the act of counting. It soothes us and it gives us a sense of accomplishment, especially when we reach a desired number at the end of our counting. Yet, Judaism teaches us that while counting is an inevitable part of life, we must also be wary of the dangers of putting too much stock in numbers.
As the Magen Avraham, a 17th century Polish commentator on the Shulkhan Arukh, writes in one of his long comments on Orah Hayyim (156:2), it is forbidden to count Jews:
אסור למנות ישראל אפילו אינו מכוון למנות רק להטיל גורל אפילו[...]
Category : Omer Rabbi Rabbi's Journal Tag : 1 Samuel 11:8 1 Samuel 15:4 counting counting Jews Judges 1:5 magen avraham minyan omer passover rabbi rabbi's journal shavuot spiritual journey Yoma
