TORAH READING FOR 25 ELUL 5784 September 27-28, 2024
SHAZOOM ONLY 6:30 PM September 27, 2024
KETIVAH VECHATIMA TOVAH – A GOOD WRITING AND SEALING!
OUR HEARTS ARE WITH THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL AND ALL THE VICTIMS OF CONFLICT
From “Mishkan T’filah / A Reform Siddur” p.180
Oseh shalom bimromav, hu ya’aseh shalom alëinu, v’al kōl Yisraël, v’al kōl yoshvëi tëvël, v’imru: Amën.
May the One who makes peace in the high heavens make peace for us, for all Israel and all who inhabit the earth, and let us say: Amen.
PARSHA
From Reform Judaism https://reformjudaism.org/torah/portion/nitzavim-vayeilech
Nitzavim – Vayeilech (נִצָּבִים – וַיֵּלֶךְ Hebrew for “You Stand [This Day]”/ “[Moses] went”)
Deuteronomy 29:9-30:20, 31:1-30
You stand this day, all of you, before the Eternal your God–you tribal heads, you elders, and you officials, all of the men of Israel, you children, you women, even the stranger within your camp, from woodchopper to water drawer… – Deuteronomy 29:9-10 Moses went and spoke these things to all Israel. He said to them: “I am now one hundred and twenty years old, I can no longer be active. Moreover, the Eternal has said to me, ‘You shall not go across yonder Jordan.'” – Deuteronomy 31:1-2
SUMMARY
- Moses tells the assembled people that God’s covenant speaks to them and to all of the generations who will follow. (29:9–14)
- God warns the Israelites that they will be punished if they act idolatrously, the way the inhabitants of the other nations do. (29:15–28)
- Moses reassures the people that God will not forsake them and that they can attain blessings by following God’s commandments. (30:1–20)
- Moses prepares the people for his death and announces that Joshua will succeed him. (31:1–8)
- Moses instructs the priests and the elders regarding the importance of reading the Torah. (31:9–13)
- God informs Moses that upon his death, the people will commit idolatry and “many evils and troubles shall befall them.” God tells Moses to teach the people a poem that will “be My witness.” (31:14–30)
HAFTARAH
Isaiah 61:10-63:9
Selichot is observed
This haftarah concludes the cycle of seven haftarot of consolation after Tisha B’Av, leading up to Rosh Hashanah and the Yamim Nora’im (Days of Awe). It features God’s salvation, redemption, mercies and compassion. This year Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, begins the evening of Wednesday, October 2, 2024. This haftarah corresponds to Parashat Nitzavim-Vayëlech.
RECOMMENDED READING
From Reform Judaism Nitzavim – Vayeilech | Reform Judaism
How to Stand Proudly, Not Perfectly
Author not cited.
STRUGGLING WITH TORAH and REFLECTION
Until further notice, we will meet on Fridays for Shazoom only. Please see the NEW Shazoom schedule below. Read this week’s Torah Portion at https://www.sefaria.org/Deuteronomy.29.9-31.30, and Haftarah at https://www.sefaria.org/Isaiah.61.10-63.9.
From “The Torah / A Women’s Commentary” edited by Dr. Tamara Cohn Eskenazi and Rabbi Andrea L. Weiss, Ph.D., Women of Reform Judaism/The Federation of Temple Sisterhoods and URJ Press New York 2008
נצבים Nitzavim – Deuteronomy 29:9–30:20
Contemporary Reflection – Dianne Cohler-Esses, pp. 1230-1
FOR THE LAST four or five decades, feminist scholars have asserted that the Bible is an androcentric work reflecting a time when men controlled property, politics, and religious life, not to mention women themselves. Those insights de-legitimized the Torah as a source of meaning and authority for many women. How could a sacred text reflect the injustices of patriarchy? It did not seem possible.
However, the extent to which patriarchy de-legitimizes the Bible as a sacred book for women has become more nuanced in recent scholarship. While the Bible’s male-centeredness generally goes undisputed, at least in academic circles, various scholars (such as Phyllis Trible, Tikva Frymer-Kensky, and Carol Meyers) have highlighted a number of potentially mitigating or even redemptive elements concerning women. First are the powerful and highly delineated female characters in the Bible, most notably Sarah, Rebekah, Tamar, Miriam, Rahab, Deborah, and Ruth, all of whom are leaders who transform the private or public realms in which they act. Second are the Bible’s commandments that express a clear concern for the care of the marginal and/or impoverished in society: the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow. Third are the deep covenantal principles articulated in the Torah that can be used for feminist purposes. Parashat Nitzavim exemplifies this, with its rich, powerful–even revolutionary–concepts that can be used to further the creation of a feminist Judaism.
The parashah begins: “You stand this day, all of you, before your God יהוה –you tribal heads, you elders, and you officials, all the men of Israel, you children, you women, even the stranger within your camp, from woodchopper to water drawer–to enter into the covenant with your God יהוה” (29:9–11). Let’s take a close look at the language surrounding women. First of all, from the nature of the list, one can pretty safely assume that the women were not tribal leaders, elders, woodchoppers, or water drawers. The crucial fact, however, is that they are included. They are standing before God as full members of the covenantal community. In many other instances in the Torah, only the men are addressed or female inclusion is ambiguous–eclipsed by the nature of the Hebrew language itself, which retains a grammatically masculine form whether addressing or referring to an all-male group or a mixed male and female group.
Secondly, the “women” listed belong to the “you” being addressed. (The word is often translated as “your wives,” as if the women are not part of the “all of you” in v. 9.) But here “women” are not the only ones subject to belonging. Every individual belongs to a household, a clan, a tribe. In the Hebrew Bible, belonging is what constitutes a people. In this particular passage, leadership and power do not set one apart as an autonomous individual. No one, not even the most powerful male tribal leader, stands alone. For better or for worse, everyone is held in an inescapable web of interconnectedness and belonging.
With all of that, one might still dismiss the applicability of the text to us as contemporary women. Yet I believe we should not overlook the value of this text for women “this day” (29:9). Perhaps the historical context can account for some of the dispiriting force of androcentrism. The biblical authors could not imagine women in roles other than daughters who then became wives (or widows, a state also defined by marriage). Women simply were not necessarily visible if they did not fulfill wifely or maternal duties. Here we can summon the traditional concept of “the Torah spoke in the language of human beings” (dibrah torah kilshon b’nei adam). An alternative translation of this saying would be: “The Torah spoke in the language of men.” It is for us, as students of Torah and members of the covenantal people, to help construct our very lives in a way that takes text out of its historical context, out of its male dress or costume, and applies it to our own time. In this way, we redress Torah–and address it to ourselves and our own community, much as the Rabbis who authored the Midrash and Talmud did. It is time to do no less than to dress the Torah in the language of women.
The Torah itself is explicit about the fact that this covenant is not a thing of the past. As 29:13–14 makes clear, this covenant was intended for each one of us in our own time.
The covenant is made not only with those who stood in Moab listening to Moses’ words, but also with future generations. Every Israelite since that day, and every Jew to come into this world in the future, is directly and personally included in this covenant. Thus are we–those reading the Torah now–empowered to forge our own relationship to the contents of the ongoing revelation. The tradition is not fixed; quite the contrary, it is our very active and receptive listening that gives this text its meaning and its very sanctity. The text gains its k’dushah (“holiness”) from those in every generation who read it and add their voices to the endless, sacred conversation about what this all means. If women exclude themselves from that process, the full power, relevancy, and truth of the Torah are diminished.
To underline that point, the Torah itself adds words of encouragement further on in the parashah concerning our ability to apprehend this text: “Surely, this Instruction which I enjoin upon you this day is not too baffling for you, nor is it beyond reach…No, the thing is very close to you, in your mouth and in your heart, to observe it” (30:11, 14). The Torah belongs to every one of us, not just to experts or to certain segments of the community; it does not belong to men alone. As this parashah reminds us, the Torah is far more democratic, fluid, and subjective. We await revelation–and yet revelation is right here, precisely where we stand. “It is not in the heavens…No, this thing is very close to you” (30:12, 14)–exceedingly close.
וילך Vayeilech – Deuteronomy 31:1–30
Contemporary Reflection – Elaine Rose Glickman, pp. 1247-8
IT WAS THE MOMENT for which Moses had prepared nearly all his life. Reared in Egyptian luxury, mothered by a princess, Moses might have lived out his 120 years in careless splendor, unconcerned with the fate of hordes of Israelite slaves who labored outside his palace. Yet, from the moment that Moses–still a young man–slays the Egyptian taskmaster, he chooses to cast his lot with the slaves. For their sake–and their God’s–Moses spends forty years traversing the wilderness, leading a complaining and defiant people, interceding with an inscrutable and demanding Sovereign, and somehow transforming the despised and oppressed into witnesses of miracles and keepers of revelation. The work is almost finished. God and Moses have brought the people to the edge of the Promised Land, a place Moses will not reach. He will gaze upon it from the heights of Mount Nebo, but he will die before he enters it.
Why will Moses forgo the glorious completion of the task into which he has poured his very life? In parashat Vayeilech, Moses himself explains: “I am now one hundred and twenty years old, I can no longer be active” (31:2). Translated more literally, Moses says, “I can no longer go out and come in.” Either way, the message seems clear: Moses is tired out; he is no longer feeling strong or vigorous. So he will remain on this side of the Jordan River, take a peek at the Promised Land, and then die a peaceful and contented death. It may seem strange that he is willing to miss this crowning achievement; but this appears to be his choice.
Except, of course, that he has not made such a choice. As the verse continues, Moses adds what might seem to be a secondary explanation, an afterthought–yet it contains some crucial information “Moreover, יהוה has said to me, ‘You shall not go across yonder Jordan’” (31:2).
After all, isn’t this the real reason that Moses will not enter the Promised Land? The Torah itself is quite clear that what Moses had done at a certain point prompted God to forbid him from crossing the Jordan. We read the unequivocal divine decree first in numbers 20:12. After devoting his life to serving God’s chosen nation, Moses shall not set foot in God’s chosen land.
Moses’ fate is painful, even tragic. Standing before the people he has so steadfastly led, he prepares not to shepherd them triumphantly into the Promised Land, but to install a new leader who will bring them to their destiny. It is, for Moses, a moment of enormous loss. He may speak as if he has a choice–as if he could lead the Israelites into the Land if only he were a little younger, a little stronger–but truly there is no choice at all. He may act as if he has freely decided to stay behind, but it is clear that the choice was made for him.
Today, we like to make our own choices. We live in a time when almost every institution, every career, every level of leadership beckons us. We swell with pride and optimism as we see women serving in the highest echelons of government, in our universities and in our armed forces, as respected doctors, artists, scientists, teachers, philanthropists. We prepare ourselves and our daughters for lives in which every possibility is open to us. We can choose the life we want to live–except when we cannot.
Except when a 14-year-old girl falls prey to our society’s unspoken message to young women–“You are not pretty enough. You are not popular enough. You are not thin enough”–and spends her adolescence battling hateful voices in her head. She may tell you that she chose to watch her weight and eat very little. But in many ways, that choice has been made for her.
Except when a wife endures an abusive relationship, convinced that she is worthless and unable to make her own way in the world. When her husband begins to threaten their children, she finally gathers her courage and flees. Without money or marketable skills, she earns only substandard wages. She may tell you that she chose to go it alone, to work for low pay because she needs a job, to do without health care for herself so that she could provide for her family. But in many ways, that choice has been made for her.
Except when a woman devotes countless eighty-hour workweeks to her career and so is only a year to two away from a prestigious promotion when she and her spouse have a baby. When she returns to the office, her appeals for flexible hours, the chance occasionally to work from home, even a private place to express breast milk, are refused. She may tell you that she chose to quit her job and not work in an unsupportive environment, chose the rewards of at-home motherhood over the rewards of professional life. But in many ways, that choice has been made for her.
We find women all around us submitting to pressures and expectations that undercut our right to choose the life we want to live. And yet, the pressures and the expectations that we encounter are not God’s will. Whereas Moses’ ability to choose his destiny ended when God made known the heavenly decree, our choices should not–must not–be bound by earthly decrees that dishonor and punish women, that teach young girls they are not good enough, that refuse to assist a persecuted victim in need, that force a mother to decide between her career and her child. Acknowledging the injustice of the choices women often face is surely the first step toward changing the pattern.
HIGH HOLY DAYS – 2024/5785 – Shanah Tovah uMetukah – Anyada Buena i Dulce!
Please read the emails from Dr. Sam Caron, Congregational President, regarding Temple Kol Hamidbar’s plans this year for observing Rosh Hashanah (evening of Wed, Oct 2 – Fri, Oct 4, 2024) and Yom Kippur (evening of Fri, Oct 11 – Sat, Oct 12, 2024).
In the meantime, various congregations within the Reform Movement are still providing online resources to anyone interested in participating in services. In some cases, registration is required. You may want to visit the following websites for their latest information on the High Holy Days and how to access them.
Kol Ami (formerly Temple Emanu-El and Congregation Or Chadash), Tucson, AZ https://www.katucson.org/
Congregation Or Ami, Calabasas, CA https://orami.org/hhd/
Temple Sinai, Oakland, CA https://www.oaklandsinai-hhd.org/
The Union for Reform Judaism https://reformjudaism.org/jewish-holidays/rosh-hashanah/how-find-high-holiday-community-wherever-you-are
SELICHOT – nightfall Saturday, September 28, 2024
In Sephardic tradition Selichot (penitential prayers) are recited every morning starting the second day of Elul. In Ashkenazi tradition Selichot are recited starting with a special service beginning the Saturday night immediately before Rosh Hashanah. If the first day of Rosh Hashanah falls on a Monday or Tuesday, then the service is held the Saturday night one week prior. This ensures that Selichot are said at least four times. In the Reform Movement generally, the Saturday Selichot Service begins at nightfall. Sadly, we are unable to provide this beautiful service which highlights the 13 attributes of mercy, please check the internet for any online services.
ROSH HASHANA 2024 / רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה 5785
The Jewish New Year
Rosh Hashana for Hebrew Year 5785 begins at sundown on Wednesday, 2 October 2024 and ends at nightfall on Friday, 4 October 2024.
Rosh Hashanah (Hebrew: ראש השנה), (literally “head of the year”), is the Jewish New Year. It is the first of the High Holidays or Yamim Noraim (“Days of Awe”), celebrated ten days before Yom Kippur. Rosh Hashanah is observed on the first two days of Tishrei, the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar. It is described in the Torah as יום תרועה (Yom Teruah, a day of sounding [the Shofar]).
BENEDICTIONS
From Temple Sinai Machzor for the High Holy Days p.53
And now, at the beginning of a New Year, we pray for blessing:
The spirit of wisdom and understanding. Amen
The spirit of insight and courage. Amen
The spirit of knowledge and reverence. Amen
May we overcome trouble, pain, and sorrow. Amen
May our days and years increase. Amen
Eternal our God and God of our people, renew us for a good year: Amen and Amen.
PRAYERS
From “Mishkan T’filah / A Reform Siddur”:
FOR OUR COUNTRY p.376
THUS SAYS ADONAI, This is what I desire: to unlock the fetters of wickedness, and untie the cords of lawlessness; to let the oppressed go free, to break off every yoke. Share your bread with the hungry, and take the wretched poor into your home. When you see the naked, give clothing, and do not ignore your own kin.
O GUARDIAN of life and liberty, may our nation always merit Your protection. Teach us to give thanks for what we have by sharing it with those who are in need. Keep our eyes open to the wonders of creation, and alert to the care of the earth. May we never be lazy in the work of peace; may we honor those who have [served, suffered or] died in defense of our ideals. Grant our leaders wisdom and forbearance. May they govern with justice and compassion. Help us all to appreciate one another, and to respect the many ways that we may serve You. May our homes be safe from affliction and strife, and our country be sound in body and spirit. Amen.
PRAYER FOR THE STATE OF ISRAEL p.552
O HEAVENLY ONE, Protector and Redeemer of Israel, bless the State of Israel which marks the dawning of hope for all who seek peace. Shield it beneath the wings of your love; spread over it the canopy of Your peace; send Your light and truth to all who lead and advise, guiding them with Your good counsel. Establish peace in the land and fullness of joy for all who dwell there. Amen.
FOR HEALING – El Na R’fa Na Lah!
We recite MI SHEBËRACH for the victims of abuse, brutality, conflicts, fear, natural disasters, pandemics, tragedies, violence of all kinds especially directed at individuals and specific communities including us, and war; for all those at home alone or lonely; for all those in need of physical, emotional, and mental healing. “R’fuah sh’lëmah” – a complete recovery!
YAHRZEITS/ANYOS
We say KADDISH YATOM for those of our friends and families who have died and been buried this last week; those in the period of Sh’loshim (30 days since burial); those who have died in the last year; and those whose Yahrzeits/Anyos occur at this time; as well as the victims of brutality, conflict, disease, natural disasters, pandemics, tragedies, violence of all kinds, and war.
This coming week, 25 Elul through 2 Tishri, we lovingly remember:
Hakim Monsour
Friend of Jane Kolber
Jesse Way
Father of Diana Turner
Those victims of the Sho’ah (Holocaust) who died at this time of year.
“ZICHRONAM LIV’RACHAH” – MAY THEIR MEMORIES BE FOR BLESSING.
SHAZOOM ONLY
We will meet for Shazoom ONLY this evening, Friday, September 27, 2024. Dr. Sam and Mary Caron will lead the service. Please see the NEW Shazoom schedule below. During Elul, Mary Caron will sound the Shofar before the start of Shazoom.
Zoom regularly updates its security and performance features. Making sure you have the latest version of Zoom, please join us online this Friday evening with wine/grape juice for Kiddush and Challah for Motzi.
Shazoom – Erev Shabbat Service
Time: Sep 27, 2024 06:30 PM Arizona
To join Shazoom click on the following link [you may need to copy it into your browser]: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/72510500854?pwd=Z3VQZWF4U1BBZytNYmh3aHFTWkFDZz09
Meeting ID: 725 1050 0854
Passcode: 4NrMk0
Hint: The last character of the password is the number zero.
Ketivah Vechatima Tovah – A Good Writing and Sealing!
Shabbat Shalom – Buen Shabbat – Gut Shabbos!
-Ruben
PS – Some High Holy Day Greetings besides Shanah Tovah and Chag Samëach:
Tizkú Leshaním Rabbót (“May you merit many years”),
to which the answer is Ne’imót VeTovót (“pleasant and good ones”)
or
Muchos Anyos (“many years”) to which the answer is I Muchos Mas (“and many more”) or Dulces i Buenos (“sweet and good [ones])
PPS – NEW Schedule through October 2024 for Shazoom (Arizona Time Zone):
September 27, 2024 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm
[Leil S’lichot 9/28 nightfall – preparation for High Holy Days]
October 2, 2024 – Wednesday, Erev Rosh Hashanah
[Rosh Hashanah – Tishri 1-2]
October 4, 2024 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm
Shabbat Shuvah – Sabbath of Returning
October 11, 2024 – Erev Yom Kippur
Kol Nidrë
[October 12, 2024 – Yom Kippur]
[October 16, 2024 – Sukkot]
October 18, 2024 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm
Shabbat in Sukkot – Chol HaMoed Sukkot
[October 23, 2024 – Shemini Atzéret]
[October 24, 2024 – Simchat Torah]
October 25, 2024 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm