The world feels a little different than it did a week ago. All the living hostages are home, and the ceasefire is holding. We are still awaiting the return of nineteen deceased hostages, and a more robust peace is still distant.
Nonetheless, Israelis are breathing a sigh of relief, as are we.
With the holiday season over as of Simchat Torah's end Wednesday night, those of us living on Jewish time are also breathing a sigh of relief.
This week we read the beginning of the Torah--Genesis/Breisheet. "God said, 'Let there be light, and there was light.'" That's how God creates--by speaking the world into being.
So why does God need to rest on the seventh day? Specifically, we could wonder, "what about what God does is exhausting?" Or we could be curious about why God would need to rest--we might need rest, but God?!
God's work of creating through speech presumably involves thought, creativity, expending energy, and extended, continued focus and attention. When I have to do those things, at the end of it, I am tired, even when the work itself is not taxing to my muscular or circulatory systems.
Speaking, creating, interacting, listening, watching--these are indeed a form of work, from which we as humans cannot really cease, yet which tire us, and perhaps, even God.
Or maybe God isn't tired at all.
Maybe God is giving all of us permission to rest on the Shabbat, whether or not we are tired, regardless of the kind of work we do.
Speaking of Shabbat... tonight at 6pm join Karen Kern for a musical Kabbalat Shabbat.
Candle lighting is at 6:03pm.
Tomorrow morning, we'll celebrate the bar mitzvah of Eitan Buch. Mazal tov to Eitan, his parents Rachel Bezalel-Buch and Daniel Buch, and his brother Noam!
(We will not be having Shabbat mincha tomorrow night. It will be back in November, on 11/15.)
Shabbat ends tomorrow night at 7:04pm.
There is no KoREH this Sunday.
Next Sunday (10/26) from 12-3pm at the Saul Mirowitz Jewish Community School there will be a Jewish camp and summer opportunities fair. All are welcome-- signup is here.
Shabbat shalom and see you in shul,
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
MISSION: Create a welcoming community that embraces Torah, meaningful worship, lifelong learning, music, Israel, and tikkun olam, guided by the tenets of Conservative Judaism.
Phone: 314-727-1747