Dear Kol Rinah Family,
This week's Torah portion, Ki Tetzei, has more laws in it than any other parashah (seventy-four, by one count). One caught my eye this week:
You shall not abhor an Edomite, for he is your kinsman. You shall not abhor an Egyptian, for you were a stranger in his land. Children born to them may be admitted into the congregation of the LORD in the third generation (Deuteronomy 23:8-9).
There are other groups (Ammonites and Moabites, for example), who we are supposed to never make nice with. But the Egyptians, who enslaved us and drowned our chidlren, we cannot abhor, and after a couple of generations, they can become part of the Israelite nation.
Why is this? Rashi and others explain that this is in recognition of the good that the Egyptians did--when Jacob and his family came to Egypt escaping famine in Canaan, the Egyptians welcomed them, and we know that hospitality is a crucial mitzvah.
So, says one commentator, you can't completely despise the Egyptians, but you can despise them "a little." Or, as Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz puts it, you have to remember the ambivalent treatment you received--that it was not entirely bad, with the implication that you might be inclined only to remember the bad, and none of the good.
In this month of Elul, looking towards teshuvah and the High Holidays, we can't ignore the ways we have been hurt and wronged. But rarely are we treated in unequivocally bad ways; usually there's a mix--ambivalence. And we have to remember both--and not ignore the ways we've been hurt, but also not ignore the good people have done for and with us.
This goes for us as individuals, and also communally. This past year, there have been people, groups, organizations we may have written off because they haven't shown up the way we've needed them to. We can't, we shouldn't forget that. And we can't only focus on that. It may take time though (hopefully less than three generations) for us to be able and ready to also see the good again though, after we've been hurt.
And by the way, when I've messed up and hurt someone, I don't want them to only ever remember the hurt--I want them, when they're able, to remember the good too.
In what relationships in your life do you need to acknowledge more hurt than you have? And where do you need to acknowledge more good?
***
I'm feeling a bit under the weather--just a cold, but I'm going to stay home this Shabbat. If you're sick, stay home too. But if you're healthy, please come to shul!
Karen Kern will lead services tonight at 6pm. We didn't have a minyan last Friday night, and with people coming to say Kaddish, it's nice to have a few more people--come if you can!
Candle lighting is at 6:53pm.
Tomorrow morning, we'll start at 9am. Our new Shinshin, Roni Shhorry, will be speaking.
Shabbat ends at 7:55pm.
All of our High Holiday information is now online here. If you know people who are not members who are planning to come to services, please have them fill out the guest registration form, so that we can welcome them smoothly and have nametags for them!
Please note that the deadline to order lulavim and etrogim is next Friday, September 20. The deadline to sign up for babysitting is also September 20!
We also need lots of help in all ways on the holidays. If you would like to participate or help in any way, you can always just email me and I'll forward your interest to the appropriate folks.
There's much coming up over the coming weeks. Verein is having two sessions on Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi on Sunday afternoons 9/15 and 9/22 at 4pm on Zoom. I'll also be teaching about Reb Zalman on Teshuva at 7:30pm on Wednesday, 9/25 in person.
Our Grief Havurah with Rabbi Jessica Shafrin meets again on Wednesday, September 18 at 6:30pm.
And mark your calendars for next Saturday, September 21, when JTS Rabbinical Student Ariel Ya'akov Dunat will join us for a JTS Student Ambassador Shabbat.
Sunday, September 29 will be Sababa, a festival of Jewish arts and culture, taking place this year on the Millstone Campus of the J and Jewish Federation. Many organizations, including Kol Rinah, will have tables there, and we could really use some volunteers to help. Sign up here to volunteer, and thank you!
The St. Louis Jewish Community coming together for an a commemoration of October 7 on October 7, 2024 at 7pm. Registration and more info are here.
For more and collected Israel information, see this page on our website, as well as the Jewish Federation of St. Louis's Israel Resources page.
Every Shabbat and festival morning, we are still reciting a prayer for the State of Israel, a prayer for Israel Defense Forces soldiers, and a prayer for hostages, who have now been in captivity 336 days.
May the one who makes peace in the heavens make peace over us, and over all Israel, and over all who dwell in the world.
Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Noah Arnow
ZOOM AND STREAMING LINKS
To join our Zoom Minyanim or classes, click on the desired meeting link, or call into either of the following numbers:
+1 312 626 6799
+1 646 558 8656
Then, when prompted, enter the Meeting ID of the desired minyan/class then press #. Then, when prompted, enter the password then press #.
Services (all times Central)
Evening Minyan on Zoom
Sunday-Thursday evenings at 6pm (but not on Jewish holidays)
Morning Minyan on Zoom
Monday-Wednesday and Friday mornings at 7am; Sunday mornings and national holidays at 8am (not including Jewish holidays)
(Please note that Thursday morning minyan is now being held in-person at 7am (8am on national holidays) and is not on Zoom)
Friday nights and Shabbat mornings
Fridays, 6pm in the chapel (no streaming)
Saturdays, 9:00am (9:30am when we are doing our musical Kol Chadash service)
Click the link below, for the stream, as well as for additional instructions:
https://www.kolrinahstl.org/kr-streaming
|
|
Phone: 314-727-1747