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December 20, 2015 By bethmordecai no comments.
(12/20/15),
Reflection on Friday night's White Out Shabbat with the theme of "Peacefulness"...
Dear Hevreh,
Peacefulness is not a state of being, it's not a place in which we feel "at peace." Rather peacefulness is a mentality, a willingness to put our minds, bodies, and souls in the right position to feel at peace. This doesn't just happen. It's not like there's a simple breath meditation that will blow down the walls of anxiety that make us feel restless, full of worry, and concern. However through each breath meditation, each song we sing together, each conversation we have about trying to bring peace into our lives, the more likely we make peace possible. God is called oseh shalom, the maker of peace, but[...]
Category : Rabbi Rabbi's Journal Shabbat White Out Friday Night Tag : peace shalom
March 20, 2015 By bethmordecai no comments.
Parashat Vayikra 2015/5775 (Triennial II) -- All for One and One for All
The first verse of this week's triennial Torah portion (Leviticus 3:1) speaks of the "zevah sh'lamim korbano," the offering of the sacrifice of well-being. This sacrifice is the third of six sacrifices described in the early chapters of Leviticus (burnt, grain, well-being, sin, guilt, and thanksgiving). The key Hebrew root embedded in the offering of the sacrifice of well-being is "sh-l-m" meaning peace or wholeness. The rabbis in the Sifra, a 3rd century CE midrash on Leviticus, teaches us that because it contains the root "sh-l-m," the well-being sacrifice contains within it all of the other sacrifices so that TOGETHER they bring peace/wholeness to the world AND that[...]
Category : Online Learning Online Parashah Class Tag : action collective history leviticus musketeers online learning online parashah class peace sacrifice shalom vayikra weekly torah portion well-being wholeness ויקרא שלום
November 8, 2013 By bethmordecai no comments.
Dear Hevreh, Each of us is capable of finding our own sense of "peace." Whether it's a relaxing walk, a good book, or perhaps even coming to shul, there are certain times when our minds are relaxed and our spirits are put at ease as we experience the calming effect of...peace. How do you find a sense of peace? Have you ever wondered why there certain moments, particular environments, or perhaps even encounters with people give you that sense of peace? How is it that at one moment our hearts, minds, and souls are full of restlessness but at the very next moment we can fill ourselves with love, as the sh'ma teaches us, and thus become aware of an overwhelming feeling of[...]
Category : Rabbi's Journal Shabbat White Out Friday Night Tag : rabbi's journal shabbat shalom white out friday night