RJ Blog

While most readers of the Torah consider Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son Isaac as his most troubling deed, his treatment of his firstborn son, Ishmael and Ishmael’s mother, Hagar, is also deeply disturbing. How can a father send his child away—to almost certain death—in the wilderness? Chapter 21 of Genesis begins auspiciously: we learn that Sarah becomes pregnant and bears a long-awaited child to Abraham. Abraham and Sarah celebrate the birth of Isaac by circumcising him at eight days in fulfillment of God’s command, laughing at the miracle of his birth at their old age, and holding a great [...]

Dear Mom and Dad, By the time you read this letter, Sarai and I, and our nephew Lot, will be well on our way to the land of Canaan. I wanted to say goodbye to you personally, but couldn’t figure out how to tell you we were leaving and not coming back. I love you dearly and would never do anything to hurt you. Why are we leaving? The short answer is that God told me to leave. I know that may sound strange to you, but for some time now I have had a strong feeling that I didn’t [...]

co-written by Barbara Binder Kadden Words are powerful. In Genesis, chapter one, God creates through words: “God said, ‘Let there be light!’–and there was light … God said, ‘Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters,’… God now said, ‘Let us make human beings in our image,’ ” (Genesis 1:3, 6, 26). In chapter three, the serpent’s words, “Did God really say: ‘You may not eat of any tree of the garden’?” (3:1) led to Adam and Eve’s eating the forbidden fruit and expulsion from the Garden of Eden. But sometimes it is the lack of words [...]

“You stand this day, all of you, before the Eternal your God . . . to enter into the covenant of the Eternal your God … ” (Deuteronomy 29:9–11). Parashat Nitzavim is a retelling of the exchange of giving and receiving that took place at Mount Sinai. Kabbalah is the art and discipline of “receiving.” The modern kabbalist Rabbi Yehuda Ashlag1 taught that there are four ways of giving and receiving: The first way is “to receive in order to receive.” This is what a baby or a very young child does. This is what an egotist of any age [...]

Tolstoy begins Anna Karenina with the following two assertions: “Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” Perhaps this explains why for every one blessing listed in this week’s parashah, there are five frightful curses. People who are blessed, are blessed in just a few ways. “Blessed shall be the issue of your womb” (Deuteronomy 28:4). “Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl” (Deuteronomy 28:5). “Blessed shall you be in your comings and blessed shall you be in your goings” (Deuteronomy 28:6). But people who suffer, suffer in a myriad of ways. [...]

Four hundred years of slavery in Egypt, 40 years of wandering in the desert: imagine the legends of the Land of Israel that must have been told. In the heat of the day, while baking bricks for Pharaoh’s cities, perhaps a grandfather told his grandson of the cool breezes and the shady places in the Promised Land. While walking in the wilderness, perhaps one girl was so thirsty she could hardly catch her breath, so her mother comforted her with tales of the sweet fruits and vegetables that grow in the Promised Land. And, when the Amalekites attacked Israel at [...]

Moses prepares his people for the battle awaiting them on the other side of the Jordan River, saying: “When you [an Israelite warrior] take the field against your enemies, and see horses and chariots—forces larger than yours—(lo tira) have no fear of them, for the Eternal your God, who brought you from the land of Egypt, is with you. Before you join battle, the priest shall come forward and address the troops. He shall say to them: ‘Sh’ma, Yisrael! Hear, O Israel! You are about to join battle with your enemy. Let not your courage falter. (Al tir’u!) Do not [...]

Parashat R’eih concludes with details concerning our sacred calendar (Deuteronomy 16). While other books tell of how to keep the holy days, here we see the reasons why. A rationale is given to the timing and rituals of our holy days. The traditional calendar indicates two days of Rosh Chodesh Elul: the thirtieth day of Av and the first day of Elul. Therefore, this Shabbat some of our Reform congregations will read the special haftarah designated for Shabbat Rosh Chodesh, which concludes: “And from new moon to new moon, and from sabbath to sabbath-says the Eternal One-all flesh shall come [...]

“The Eternal further said to me, ‘I see that this is am k’shei oref, a stiff-necked people’ ” (Deuteronomy 9:13). We’ve been called worse. But what does it mean to be “stiff-necked”? Usually when someone has a stiff neck, it is through no fault of one’s own and that person is the one who suffers. Taken literally, “stiff-necked” could describe the Jewish People after an injury was inflicted upon them. Some days (or centuries) the resulting physical pain is excruciating and other times it is manageable, but either way the suffering must be endured until something eases. However, most of [...]

The master poet of medieval Spain, Solomon ibn Gabirol, wrote: “You are One, and You are exalted, above abasement and falling— not like a human being, who falls when alone.”1 But others disagree. Others dare to say that God is diminished—not in power but in effectiveness—when left alone. Others believe that God needs a partner; that God wants desperately not to be left alone. The word echad has been translated as “singular,” meaning “one and only,” “unique” in all the universe. Echad can be translated to point to the eternality of God’s existence, that is: “infinite,” “ultimate,” as in “once [...]

“And I commanded you, at that time, about the various the things you should do” (Deuteronomy 1:18). The phrase “as God commanded” is repeated over and over again in the Book of Deuteronomy (D’varim Rabbah 1:1). It is a constant reminder that there is a God behind the mitzvot. As Reform Jews, we are constantly considering and reconsidering what motivates us to pursue a life of mitzvot—both ritual and ethical. What is it, really, to be commanded? For some, the commanding voice comes from the past. We may ask: “Who am I to turn away from 4,000 years of devoted [...]

by Kristine Garroway In Numbers 35:9–15, God commands the people to create cities of refuge in the Promised Land. The notion behind the cities of refuge—where one could claim asylum or sanctuary—is a construct that has found itself reinterpreted throughout the ages. What follows below is a brief exploration into the way the biblical text has been (re)interpreted from the Rabbinic period up until the present day. Examining the way a text has been received and interpreted is called “reception history,” which is a form of higher criticism.

by Kristine Garroway In the middle of Parashat Pinchas we find a curious passage suggesting that Moses is about to die (Numbers 27:12–22).1 In light of this fact Moses appoints a successor. Scholars have pointed out that the narratives describing the succession of Moses and the succession of Aaron share similar qualities.2 The death of both leaders results in the appointment of replacements, Joshua and Eleazer. Structurally, this appointment adheres to the following pattern: a geographical location is given, God announces the impending death and reason for the death, God appoints a successor, the successor is installed, the death occurs, [...]

By Kristine Garroway This week’s Torah portion centers on the story of Balak, King of Moab and Balaam, a foreign prophet. In Numbers 22:3 we learn that Israel had become numerous, which made the Midianites and Moabites nervous. Balak wished to wage war against Israel, but needed a “go” sign before engaging them. He sought out Baalam to curse the Israelites because he knew that whomever Baalam cursed would be cursed and whomever he blessed would be blessed (Numbers 22:6). Unfortunately, when Balak sent for Balaam, he did not get the favorable prophecy he wished for. Balaam wound up blessing, [...]