Bereshit Text Message

Parashat Bereshit (Genesis)

The first parasha of the Torah ends with a very interesting verse. It is a prelude to what we will be reading in the following parasha, Noah.

It is written (Genesis 6:8) “But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord”; in Hebrew, ונח מצא חן בעיני ה"

If you carefully read the Hebrew, Noach was able to find his opposite; in Hebrew, “favor” is “Noach” written backwards. He is the only character in the Bible who found his “opposite.”

Think for a minute who or what is your exact opposite, your “rival”.

If you found your opposite, now find favor in his/her eyes and you may save the whole world.

In memory of my beloved mother and teacher Miriam Rachel bat Israel Itzchak Z"L

Text message Haazinu

Parashat Ha’azinu

This section has a very particular layout in the Torah scroll. Most of the text of this parasha is written in two columns.

This is a song, Moses’ final song before his departure to Mount Nevoh where he will die.

The first verse that comes after the song (and here the text returns to its normal layout) says:  “And Moses spoke all the words of this song for the people to hear.”

Was it a song or maybe a poem? But Moses spoke the words to the people rather than singing them or reciting as one might for a poem.

Sometimes the right words may resonate better than the best melody and, on other occasions, the sound of a good melody can be better than thousands of words.

In memory of my beloved mother and teacher Miriam Rachel bat Israel Itzchak Z"L

Vayelech Text message

Parashat Vayelech (Moses went)

One very special mitzvah is added towards the end of the book of Deuteronomy. It is called “Hakhel”.

The leader (king) of the Jewish people should gather all the people during the festival of Sukkot, once every seven years in the year after the “shmita”.

Once they are all together, the king should read aloud the Torah.

Wasn’t the Torah already read on Shabbat and Mondays and Thursdays? What is the point of reading it again?

The point is not only to listen to the Torah, but also to see others doing the same thing you are doing and knowing you are not alone.

On days when we see synagogues filled with people, we need to remember those who cannot attend and may feel lonely.

In memory of my beloved mother and teacher Miriam Rachel bat Israel Itzchak Z"L

Nitzavim Text message

Parashat Nitzavim (Firm)

This short section of Deuteronomy has the longest series of dots on top of letters in the Torah.

In 10 different places in the Torah scroll, letters get dots on top of them.

In this section there are 11 letters next to each other with dots on top of them.

This section is always read the Shabbat before Rosh Hashanah.

Perhaps the 11 dots remind us of the 11 months of the year we didn’t behave very well, but now, with the arrival of Tishrei and a new year, we look for a new opportunity.

A new beginning without black marks, without stains. That may happen only if we remember the previous 11 dots.

In memory of my beloved mother and teacher Miriam Rachel bat Israel Itzchak Z"L

Ki Tavo text message

Ki Tavo      

The image is very powerful.

Moses and the Levites said in a loud voice: Cursed is the person who does such and such thing against G-d (several times).

And the people of Israel answered altogether “Amen” (several times), validating what Moses and the Levites said.

Sometimes we agree with what has been said, not because of the content but because of the authority of the person who said it.

Our task is not to question the authority of Moses or the Torah, but to question whether we are saying Amen to words we have not seriously thought about and are just agreeing with because of the authority of the person who spoke them.

In memory of my beloved mother and teacher Miriam Rachel bat Israel Itzchak Z"L

Ki tetze Text Message

Parashat Ki Tetze (When you go out)

This section contains several rules not necessarily related one to the other.

Towards the end of the parasha, there is a paragraph that became a mitzvah, Zachor. We are commanded to remember what Amalek did to us when we left Egypt,  when they attacked the Israelites from the back.

Before that, we are also reminded (with the same verb, Zachor) that we had been slaves in Egypt and, therefore, need to treat strangers nicely.

Also before that, we are told to remember what happened to Miriam in the desert when she got sick with leprosy.

Three sad episodes that happened to the people of Israel. Our memories sometimes are very selective and we may easily forget or remember things that happened long ago.

At this time of the year, it is important to remember what we easily forget, and to forget (and forgive) what still hurts and disturbs.

In memory of my beloved mother and teacher Miriam Rachel bat Israel Itzchak Z"L

Shoftim Text message

Parashat Shoftim (Judges)

The Torah says “Tamim tiyieh im Ad-nai Elo-cha”

The word Tamim is a very challenging one when we try to translate it.  Perfect, blameless, never guilty, and innocent, are some of the words I found in different translations.

I would like to suggest that all those translations are incorrect.

The right translation should be: “with the capacity of being surprised”. You should be able to be surprised. The context is the prohibition of going to palm readers, magicians, or fortune tellers, so therefore I strongly believe the translation I proposed is the right one, especially if we learn that “Tamim” comes from the word “Tmihah”; in Hebrew that means surprise.

Sometimes with all the technology we have handy, we believe we know everything and we forget we can still be surprised.

In memory of my beloved mother and teacher Miriam Rachel bat Israel Itzchak Z"L