Rabbi Jim‘s Podcast

This podcast is a reflection on our trip to Washington, DC with our confirmation class.  While we were there we had a chance to tour the Supreme court and while it was nice to see an image of Moses among the 'law givers' in the court, maybe one very important image was missing...

This podcast is a reflection on our trip to Washington, DC with our confirmation class.  While we were there we had a chance to tour the Supreme court and while it was nice to see an image of Moses among the 'law givers' in the court, maybe one very important image was missing...

The Torah portion this week continues with God's charge to Moses to continue to mission of freeing the Israelites.  Even after speaking from the heart of the Burning Bush, Moses continues to protest God's call.  Perhaps the question for us, like Moses, is not whether or not God calls to us, rather it is the question, "will I be ready for that moment?"  Are any of us ready for God to reveal the divine self and respond with, 'hineini?'

Recently I had the honor to write the Devar Acher for the URJ's 10 Mintues of Torah.  I want to share my reading of this passage with you this week.

I'd like to have an argument...

Among the things we don't know about the Torah we can include what the dispute was about in the week's Torah portion. Maybe in our Torah, Monty Python, and in our nation we are so use to the argument, we have forgotten why we disagree, and why we must get along.

PYTHONS

So the bad guy is dead...now what?  While several rush to attach a meaning to bin Laden's death, what does it really mean or is his death meaningless when the liberties we thought were promised to us as Americans are...denied...stolen...or treated as anachronisms?

The images from this week were truly amazing.  Royal weddings, massive destruction, and this week we read the Torah portion concerning how God defines holiness in our Torah.  Funny thing about holiness and nobility, at least God's definition, it is not what we usually associate with such words, rather it involves the actions of all...will it include you?

DONATIONS TO HELP RELIEF EFFORTS IN TUSCALOOSA:

Compassionate Coalition

PO Box 1507

Tuscaloosa, AL   35403-1507

The images from this week were truly amazing.  Royal weddings, massive destruction, and this week we read the Torah portion concerning how God defines holiness in our Torah.  Funny thing about holiness and nobility, at least God's definition, it is not what we usually associate with such words, rather it involves the actions of all...will it include you?

DONATIONS TO HELP RELIEF EFFORTS IN TUSCALOOSA:

Compassionate Coalition

PO Box 1507

Tuscaloosa, AL   35403-1507

I was not alive for the McCarthy hearings, but they seemed to have the effect of turning Americans against Americans which is something most would consider un-American.  Our country has put itself forward many times as one of the places that upholds freedom and justice, thus I found it disturbing to hear about the proceedings conducted by Rep. Peter King this week.  Even more ironic that most scientific data shows that such hearings are not focusing on the real threat as was reported on NPR's Hear and Now.  So why do we need to have such hearings?  Are they about facts...or is there something deeper at work...and what might that have to do with a Torah portion about sacrifices?

I was not alive for the McCarthy hearings, but they seemed to have the effect of turning Americans against Americans which is something most would consider un-American.  Our country has put itself forward many times as one of the places that upholds freedom and justice, thus I found it disturbing to hear about the proceedings conducted by Rep. Peter King this week.  Even more ironic that most scientific data shows that such hearings are not focusing on the real threat as was reported on NPR's Hear and Now.  So why do we need to have such hearings?  Are they about facts...or is there something deeper at work...and what might that have to do with a Torah portion about sacrifices?