Mosaic is a unique Jewish Community - in that we offer at least three weekly and festival services from the Liberal, Masorti and Reform traditions. After our services we get together for joint kiddushim, and offer study sessions before or after some of our services.
In parshat Ki Tissa, Moses pleads to be able to see God – “Let me behold your presence!” but that request is denied, “for a human may not see Me and live.” However God does promise that Moses will be able to see God’s “back.” So God places Moses “in a cleft of the rock” as God passes before him (33:21-23).
Rabbi Ismar Schorsch, the Chancellor of the Jewish Theological Seminary, writes, “Our knowledge of God, of existence, of truth will always be incomplete. What we see, at best, is only God’s back, and that from the obstructed view afforded by a cleft in the rock. It is the same answer that God will give to Job. Our presumption exceeds our grasp. While Judaism enables us to enlarge our vision, it also reminds us of our limitations.
In this week’s parasha, we read about the breastpiece, “choshen mishpat”, worn by the high priest, Kohen gadol. Twelve different gemstones, called the “Urim ve’ Turim”, were affixed to it. On each stone was engraved the name of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. They were placed in the pouch on the priest’s chest “so that they are over Aaron’s heart when he comes before the Lord” (28:30).
On the verse, “Aaron shall carry the justice of the Israelites over his heart,” one commentator explains that it refers to when Aaron had to act like a judge. When a judge must render a legal decision regarding a dispute between two people, he is forbidden to decide solely by the feelings of his heart, for then it is possible that sometimes a distorted judgement will result. When a wealthy person is suing a poor person, and the feelings of the heart incline toward judging in favor of the pauper, but in fact, according to the law, the rich man is right, then it is up to the judge to overcome his feelings and to decide against the pauper.
This is what it means when it says, “Aaron shall carry justice for the Israelites over his heart before the Lord at all times”— above his heart, law and justice determine and not the heart alone.
Parshat Terumah talks about the building plans for the Mishkan or tabernacle. This Mishkan was actually revolutionary for a number of reasons. 1] The fact that it was a travelling temple, in which G-d could be worshipped in any encampment the Israelites might set up, was a new concept in the ancient world. It is essentially a “flat-pack” structure, made to be assembled and disassembled quickly by its Levite attendants.
2] Its materials come from the people as a whole — from their “terumot” or donations. 3] While a dedicated priesthood will serve in it, anyone can bring the offerings that will be designated later in the Torah, and it will stand in the middle of the encampment for all to see. 4] Except for its innermost area, it will not be an exclusive or secret place. 5] It will not be built with forced offerings or forced labor; it will be a product of the people’s free will. It indicates that healthy spirituality flourishes best in situations where everyone is free, not coerced, to choose to worship G-d.
Jewish law is usually broken down into two groups, laws between humanity and G-d (bein adam la-Makom) and laws about interpersonal relationships (bein adam le-havero).
Yet, there are several Rabbinic sources that take the opposite approach. This position claims that there, indeed, exists no separation between the two types of law — bein adam la-Makom and bein adam le-havero — each of these categories complement one another.
Our portion, parshat Mishpatim, clearly reflects this idea. It states: “Six days you shall do your work, but on the seventh day you shall rest, that your ox and your ass may have rest and the son of your handmaid and the stranger shall be refreshed.” (Exodus 23:12)
Here, (as opposed to other places Shabbat is commanded in the Torah), G-d is not at all associated with Shabbat. It tells us to rest on Shabbat so that all in our household will rest. In other words, by obeying G-d’s law — we are taking care of others. Shabbat is the great equaliser – all people whatever their station, must rest.
If every human being is created in G-d’s image (tzelem Elohim), it follows that the way we conduct ourselves toward our fellow person, impacts directly upon G-d. If I bring joy or sorrow to another, I bring joy or sorrow to G-d within that person.
In this week’s parasha — Yitro — we read the ten commandments. The third commandment prohibits swearing in vain. What does it mean to swear in vain? The sages define this as:
swearing to the truth of something that is obviously true and well known (e.g. that the sun is hot);
swearing in denial of an obvious truth (e.g. that the moon is made of cheese);
swearing to violate the Torah (e.g. that one will eat pork, an oath which is immediately void because we are considered to have taken a prior oath at Sinai to not eat pork; hence, the oath is in vain and a disrespectful and potentially harmful use of God’s name);
swearing to do something that is impossible (e.g. to stay awake for a full week).
The common denominator of these types of vain oaths is that they all “cheapen” the use of G-d’s name and threaten the smooth functioning of society which relies on people keeping their word.
______________________________________________________________________________ In the first verse of this week’s parasha, we learn that God led the Israelites out of Egypt through a longer route, “lest they regret [their departure from Egypt] when they see war, and they return to Egypt”. If they had taken the more direct route toward the Promised Land, they would have had to confront the Philistines in battle. God “worried” that the Israelites would be daunted by war and they would run back into the slavery of Egypt.
But the very next verse informs us that “the children of Israel went up armed out of the land of Egypt”. Apparently, the Israelites gathered weapons before departing Egypt, so that they would be ready to face enemies that confronted them.
Question: If the Israelites were well armed, why was God worried that they would become so frightened by war that they would return to Egypt rather than to fight their enemies? Obviously the children of Israel had weapons and were expecting to use them.
My colleague Rabbi Marc D. Angel explains that the Torah is teaching us an important insight into human nature. “Yes, the Israelites had weapons; they had the physical tools to fight wars. But God knew that they lacked emotional preparedness. They had spears, but they did not have courage. They had weapons, but they did not have confidence in their ability to use them effectively.” They had lived so long as slaves, they did not have the mindset to act courageously as free, powerful people. Physical preparedness is not the same as emotional preparedness.
Parshat Bo introduces the laws of Passover, including telling children the story of the exodus – “we were slaves and now we are free” . This idea is so important that three times this week’s portion speaks of a father telling it to his son. (The Torah uses male language.) The Torah even mentions the law a fourth time in Devarim/Deuteronomy. Why does the Torah need to repeat that parents should tell the story to their children four times ! ?
The haggadah gives an answer. The Torah repeats it four times because there are four kinds of children. Some children are wise and want to learn it all. Some children are rebellious and do not want to be there at all. Some children are simple and can only ask the most basic questions. Some children cannot ask any questions at all. And some children are each of these at some point in their lives.
What is the responsibility of a parent at the Passover seder ? The haggadah states (lefi dato aviv m’lamdo) – “according to his mind, his father teaches him” . This teaches a powerful idea that most parents do not appreciate. Teaching is not generic. There is not one way to teach children (or adults!). Every child is different and every child learns differently. To quote the Bible (again using male language), “Teach a child according to his way, even when he grows up he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6)
Shabbat comes in 3.55pm : goes out 5.05pm _________________________________________________________________________ Pharaoh is being s tubborn and doesn’t want to free the children of Israel. So after a warning Moses and Aaron bring the first plague. But when they go down to the Nile to bring out the frogs, it is Aaron, not Moses who, stretches out his rod and and strikes the Nile to bring the frogs out of the water. Why is it Aaron who stretches out the rod and causes the frogs to come out of the water? Why does Moses not do it?
According to the Midrash, it was because it was the Nile that protected Moses when his mother put him in a crib, and set the crib at the edge of the water, and therefore Moses could not bring himself to strike the Nile.
The Midrash is teaching us the importance of gratitude. If we are not supposed to hurt even inanimate objects that once helped us, then how much more must we not hurt human beings who have helped us.
Moses is out shepherding and encounters a burning bush. He is called by God to be a prophet and leader of the Israelites. Moses protests his calling. In Midrash Exodus Rabbah 2:5 it gives three different explanations as to why God chose a burning bush.
It explains that the burning bush was not merely a flashy way to attract Moses’ attention, but rather a symbol that conveyed a powerful message: “It is to teach that no place is devoid of God’s presence, not even a thorn bush.”
Another explanation says the bush was chosen because Moses had thought to himself that the Egyptians might consume the Israelites. Therefore, God showed him a fire which burnt but did not consume, saying to him, “Just as the thorn bush is burning and is not consumed, so the Egyptians will not be able to destroy Israel.”
Moreover, the Holy One said to Moses, “Do you not sense that I live in distress whenever Israel finds itself in distress ? Just look at the place out of which I speak to you, out of a thorn bush. I fully share in their distress, as the prophet Isaiah said: ‘In all their affliction, God is afflicted.’ (Isaiah 63:9) “
Modern science tells us the importance of a good hug; it actually releases dopamine in the brain which calms the receiver. This kind of physical contact is also important as Jacob, on his deathbed, blesses Ephraim, Menashe, and Joseph. His blessing is “May God…bless the lads. In them may my name be recalled, and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac, and may they be teeming multitudes upon the earth.”
The next verse in the Torah tells us just how Jacob gave the blessings. He placed a hand on each grandson, establishing physical contact. For this reason, when parents bless their children today, (usually at the start of the Shabbat meal) they too place a hand on the head of their children , to heighten the intimacy and communication through some form of physical contact during the blessing.
Shabbat comes in 5.20pm: goes out 6.24pm 
Shabbat comes in 4.29pm; goes out 5.36pm
