Kol Ramah

Parsha Talk with Rabbis Eliot Malomet, Barry Chesler and Jeremy Kalmanofsky. Parashat Va-yishlah [Genesis 32:4–36:43] features, among other things, Jacob’s wrestling match with an angel, the meeting with Esau after a twenty-year absence, the disconcerting story of Dinah, the genealogy of Esau, and a list of kings of Edom. We spent a fair amount of time on the story of Dinah, discussing it in a way that is unlike any previous conversations we have had on this story, at least if memory serves correctly! Comments and criticisms are welcome below or at [email protected].

As always our thoughts are with Israel, both עם [am, people] and מדינה [m’dinah, political entity or state]. May those held hostage be returned to their families, may the soldiers defending Israel be removed from harm’s way. Shabbat Shalom.

Parsha Talk with Rabbis Eliot Malomet, Barry Chesler and Jeremy Kalmanofsky. Parashat Va-yetze [Genesis 28:10–32:3] is a personal favorite, in that it is my Bar Mitzvah portion. Coincidentally [or not] it is the Bat Mitzvah portion of my wife, Carol. And, my Hebrew name is יעקב [ya’aqov, Jacob], who is the main character. The parashah begins with Jacob heading northeast, to the land of his uncle Lavan, as he flees from his brother Esau. The parashah ends with Jacob on his way back to Canaan, with two wives and two handmaidens s, in tow, with 12 children [11 boys and a girl], and much flocks, preparing to meet his brother after 20 years.. The parashah begins with a divine encounter, the angels going up and down the ladder, and ends with one, after Jacob concludes his treaty with Lavan. This parashah seems particularly rich, though we say that almost every week. We confine our conversation to the scene at the well, and how that shapes our understanding of the characters involved and the events that subsequently unfold.

Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with the hostages, the soldiers who defend Israel, and the people Israel [both of the מדינה (m’dinah, state) and of the עם [am, nation or people we call Jews). May all who are separated from their families and homes be returned to them speedily and in peace. Shabbat Shalom.

Parsha Talk with Rabbis Eliot Malomet, Barry Chesler and Jeremy Kalmanofsky. Parashat Toldot [Genesis 25:19–28:9] is the sixth of the weekly parashiyot in the Book of Genesis. The toldot, or generations, from which the parashah takes its name, belong to Isaac. Eilleh toldot yitzhaq ben avraham, avraham holid et yitzhaq: this is the story of Isaac, son of Abraham; Abraham begot Isaac. After a couple stories about Isaac, one of which concerns the birth of Jacob and Esau, the narrative frame shifts to Jacob and Esau. Part of our conversation is devoted to an evaluation of Isaac as patriarch. Does he have what it takes?

We began outside the box, so to speak, taking note of the passing of three teachers at the Seminary when we were students: Dr. Sam Klagsbrun, Dr. Israel Francus, and Dr. Avraham Holtz. We shared some memories of each of them. We also reflected on the Rally for Israel on Tuesday. Each of us went, but we did not manage to see each other. Apparently it is not so easy to find people in a crowd of nearly 300,000 with spotty cell service!

Finally, we got to the parashah! We hope you enjoy the conversation. Shabbat Shalom!

Parsha Talk with Rabbis Eliot Malomet, Barry Chesler and Jeremy Kalmanofsky. Parashat Hayyai Sarah [23:1–25:18] is the fifth of the weekly parashiyot in Sefer B’reshit [the Book of Genesis]. It begins with the death notice of Sarah, and continues with the first acquisition of land by Avraham in Canaan. This is the basis of the subsequent Jewish claim to the Land. Canaan is the place where Avraham the Hebrew buried his dead. In fact, this burial is the first mention of burial in the Torah. Heretofore, the death notice was simply a death notice, often accompanied with a note on the years the deceased lived. But now, we find Avraham engaging in negotiations to acquire land to bury his dead. A piece of the land now belongs to him, and to his descendants.

The story continues with Avraham now seeking to find a wife for his son Isaac. He sends his servant back east, to the ancestral homeland, to see if he might find a woman willing to come to Canaan. That woman is Rebecca, who we have had occasion to refer to as the Patriarch, so to speak, of the second generation. The parashah continues with the marriage of Avraham to K’turah [later to become the name of a kibbutz in the Negev], and the birth of six subsequent sons. The parashah ends with the death of Avraham, his burial at the Cave of Machpelah attended by both Isaac and Ishmael, and a genealogical line of Ishmael.

In these difficult times we turn to Torah not only for learning and wisdom, but also for comfort. Jeremy spent several days in Israel as part of a mission under the auspices of the Masorti Movement, and he shared his impression of Israel a month after October 7th. We focused our discussion on נחמה [n’hamah, comfort] and ברכה [b’rakhah, blessing]. It has been said that it is not easy to be a Jew, and these days have made that clear yet again. We turn to the Torah, our people’s quest for the eternal, in the hope that in some way the eternal might conquer the temporary, that in the image of Psalm 126, what we sow in tears we might yet reap in joy. Shabbat Shalom.

Parsha Talk with Rabbis Eliot Malomet, Barry Chesler and Jeremy Kalmanofsky. Parashat Va-yera [Genesis 18-22] is the 4th weekly parashah in the Book of Genesis. It primarily consists of a series of events in the life of Abraham: the visitation of the angels/messengers of God with the news that Sarah will give birth to a son, Avraham’s discussion with God over the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah, a second iteration of the wife-sister story, this time featuring Avimelekh instead of Pharaoh, and the binding of Isaac. There are also stories about the fate of Lot and his family who had been living in Sodom and Gomorrah, and the expulsion of Hagar and Ishmael, a story to which Avraham is only tangentially connected. Any one of these is worthy of an extended discussion; we chose to focus on the discussion between God and Avraham over the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah, going verse by verse until we ran out of time. The story resonates with the political situation today; while we do not necessarily look to the Torah for the solutions to today’s problems, we do use it to help us frame our discussion of modern issues. Please let us know what you think either here or at [email protected]. With continued prayers that all hostages are returned to their families and that soldiers are removed from harms’ way. Shabbat Shalom!

Parsha Talk - with Rabbis Eliot Malomet, Barry Chesler and Jeremy Kalmanofsky. Parashat Lekh L’kha [Genesis 12:1–17:27] is the third parashah in the Book of Genesis. It opens with God’s dramatic call to Avram, instructing him to leave “his land, his birthplace, his father’s house, to go to the land that I [God] will show you”. Because this is the opening verse of the new parashah, it is easy to forget that Avram has already left his land and his birthplace with his father Terah, his nephew Lot, and his wife Sarai for the land of Canaan, making it as far as Haran, just two verses ago. This call to Avram is the beginning of Jewish peoplehood [if we allow for anachronism]. What distinguishes the journey in chapter 12 from the one at the end of chapter 11 is the voice of God. Avram not only hears the voice of God, he follows it. He allows God to lead him. What follows in the parashah are a number of events both in and out of the land, events of moral complexity which lead Avram to Egypt, to a war in the neighborhood, a separation from his nephew Lot, and a covenant with the promise of an heir for the renamed Avraham and his heretofore barren wife. With such a rich parashah, we could not get to everything, but we did talk for quite a while! We hope you enjoy it. Shabbat Shalom!

Parsha Talk with Rabbis Eliot Malomet, Barry Chesler and Jeremy Kalmanofsky. Parashat Noah [Genesis 6:10–11:32] is the second parashah in the Book of Genesis. The main story in the parashah is the flood that God brings in order to destroy God’s creation, to begin again with Noah, his wife, their three sons, and their wives. Our tone was more somber than usual, in the wake of the news in Israel since Sh’mini Atzeret/Simhat Torah. We call the Torah a tree of life to those who hold fast to it; when the events of the day threaten to restore the pre-Creation chaos, the tohu va-vohu of Genesis 1:2, we cling to what we can. For us as Jews, it is Torah, and for the three of us, it is our weekly conversation about the parashah. Our thoughts and prayers are with Israel: the Land, the State, the People. We say Shabbat Shalom about time; in the qaddish we express our wish for peace about space: עושה שלום במרומיו הוא יעשה שלום עלינו ועל כל ישראל ועל כל יושבי תבל – May God who makes peace from God’s heights, grant peace to us, to all Israel, and to all who dwell on earth. Amen.

Rabbis Eliot Malomet, Barry Chesler and Jeremy Kalmanofsky. We start our annual Torah Reading again this week with the first parashah, B’reshit [Genesis 1:1-6:8]. Because of scheduling issues, we recorded this last week, before the war in Israel broke out. Our prayers and thoughts are with Israel: the land, the state, and the people. May comfort come to those who mourn, may loved ones, soldiers and civilians, be restored to their families. May the words of Torah provide a measure of comfort and healing in dark times. Shabbat Shalom.

Parsha Talk with Rabbis Eliot Malomet, Barry Chesler and Jeremy Kalmanofsky. Because Sh’mini Atzeret and Simchat Torah fall on Shabbat and Sunday, we have another special edition of Parashah Talk. The parashah for this Shabbat is Deuteronomy 14:22–16:17, from parashat Re’eh, which is also read on the last day of Passover and second day of Shavuot. It is Deuteronomy’s festival calendar. Ironically, this calendar does not mention Sh’mini Atzeret.

Our conversation took up in turn, the holidays of Hoshanah Rabbah [Friday, October 6], Shmini Atzeret [Shabbat, October 7], and Simchat Torah [October 8]. Next week we return to the regular weekly parashah, as we start the Torah reading cycle over, with Bereshit [Genesis 1:1–6:8]. At this time of year, with the conclusion of the long holiday season in sight, I am reminded of President Ford’s comment when he assumed office in August, 1974: Our long national nightmare is over. Regularity and routine never looked so good! Shabbat Shalom & Chag Same’ach!!

Parsha Talk - with Rabbis Eliot Malomet, Barry Chesler and Jeremy Kalmanofsky. The parashah this week is a special Torah Reading for Sukkot. This may be familiar to those who remember the Torah reading from the second day of Passover, 6 months ago, and it will be repeated again on Sunday in communities observing two days of yom tov [holiday]. The Torah reading comprises the sacred calendar of Leviticus. Of special note is verse 23:40, from which the rabbis derive the commandment to gather the four species [etrog (citron), palm branch, myrtle, and willow] and 23:43, which gives the reason for building the sukkah, the temporary dwelling in which one lives during the holiday of sukkot. Our conversation focused primarily on the meaning of the holiday itself, and the symbolism of the sukkah. In hoping you enjoy it we are only underscoring a special commandment associated with Sukkot, v-samachta b-chagekha [Deuteronomy 16:14], to rejoice in the holiday. Shabbat Shalom and Chag Sa’me’ach!