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!
October 5, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
Forgetting Justice for the Sake of Forgiveness
Kol Nidre 5775 – October 3, 2014*
Rabbi Ari Saks
Congregation Beth Mordecai
There is a famous midrash (Masekhet Rosh Hashanah, 17b) in which Moses is standing atop Mt. Sinai about to greet God for the very first time. When God arrives, Moses does not see God’s face but rather a figure wrapped in a beautiful Tallit. God then brings Moses into God’s Tallit and declares: “Moses. I will show you how to lead the people of Israel in prayer.” And as God teaches Moses how to lead the Israelites in prayer, God also teaches him a secret. “Moses, whenever Israel sins, let them recite the following words before Me, and I will forgive them.” And then[...]
Category : Israeli News Jewish Current Events Rabbi Sermons Yom Kippur Tag : 13 attributes accuracy Ali Abu Awwad arguing compassion forgiveness God hearing high holidays israel israeli-palestinian conflict justice lie Listening mercy Palestine rabbi Rabbi Brad Hirschfield Rabbi Hanan Schlesinger right righteousness sermons Seven (7) Habits of Highly Effective People Stephen Covey understand Understanding undrstood Yom Kippur You Don't Have to be Wrong for Me to be Right
February 13, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
Dear Hevreh,
As a child, I loved it when it snowed. It felt like an unexpected gift because not only would it (usually) mean a day off from school, but the sight and feel of snow made me feel happy, even a little whimsical. There is such an indescribable beauty to the whiteness covering the earth that you might even call it spiritual.
Perhaps that spiritual element is embedded in a teaching from Pirkei D'rabbi Eliezer(chapter 3) which states:
הארץ מאי זה מקום נבראת? משלג שתחת כסא כבודו. לקח וזרק על המים ונקפאו המים ונעשו אפר ארץ שנאמר "כי לשלג אמר הוי ארץ" (אויב לז:ו) וכו
From where was the earth created? From the snow underneath [God's] Throne of Glory. God took the[...]
Category : Rabbi Rabbi's Journal Tag : choice judgment kabbalists mercy rabbi rabbi's journal snow zohar