Dear Kol Rinah Family,
To what are you vulnerable? What is your kryptonite (the substance that weakens Superman--and isn't it amazing how a fictional, comic-book rock has become part of our lexicon!)?
For Isaac, our patriarch, it's leaving the land of Canaan (or Israel, as it will come to be known). When it's time for Abraham to find Isaac a wife, as we read about this week, Abraham sends a servant back to Abraham's homeland to bring back a wife for Isaac, but Abraham is super clear: "On no account must you take my son back there" (Genesis 24:6).
In next week's parasha, there's a famine, but God tells Isaac not to go down to Egypt (as his father Abraham did, and where, presumably, there is food), but rather, Isaac should stay and dwell in the land of Canaan (Genesis 26:2).
The Torah never says why it's so important for Isaac to stay in Canaan, and never to leave. Rashi explains that Isaac was consecrated as a sacrifice (when Abraham almost sacrificed him), and it would be in appropriate for him to leave the holy land.
Isaac, according to this approach, had some spiritual energy or power that would have been damaged, removed or dishonored if he left the land.
And it's not because of anything Isaac did himself or chose himself--it's because of what his parents (mostly his father) and God (the universe?) did to him.
Just like Superman. It's not Clark Kent's "fault" that he's allergic to Kryptonite--it's part of the body and circumstances he inherited from his parents, who conceived and birthed him, and sent him to Earth.
But there's also another approach--that Isaac is spiritually, psychologically, or morally vulnerable--put him in the wrong situation and he could go "off the derech"--off the straight and narrow.
Our own vulnerabilities may be inborn, or may be the result of choices we've made, or some combination.
What's are the boundaries you need to stay within to remain more holy, more strong, more your best self?
It's also interesting to note that both Abraham and God recognize this about Isaac, while Isaac seems to need to be told and reminded.
Who knows these vulnerabilities about you? Which are you inclined to forget?
***
Looking back at last Shabbat, mazal tov to Simon Leeds on celebrating his bar mitzvah. Mazal tov also to his parents, Julie and Zach, his brother Spencer, and his grandparents, Sherri and Bob Daniel, and our members Beth and Steve Leeds.
This Shabbat, we'll celebrate the bar mitzvah of Asher Fox. Mazal tov to Asher, his parents Brett and Jada, his siblings Autumn and Liav, and his grandmother, our member Arlene Fox.
Candle lighting tonight will be at 4:31pm.
Kabbalat Shabbat services will be at 6pm in the sanctuary (no instruments).
Tomorrow morning, we'll start as usual at 9am. Kiddush will follow.
Tomorrow afternoon our monthly Shabbat mincha returns, after a two-month hiatus. Join us at 3:30pm for Shabbat mincha, some food, some learning, ma'ariv and havdalah.
Shabbat ends at 5:30pm.
This Sunday, November 16, from 11am-3pm (11am-12pm just for our members) will be our Pop-Up Craft Fair. There will be food, and crafts from over twenty different artists, at all different price points. And it's mostly not Jewish art, fyi. All the info is on the website.
If you're coming to the Craft Fair, bring some canned food to donate to the Harvey Kornblum Jewish Food Pantry, which still needs our support and donations!
Wednesday, November 19 at 3pm (in person only), will be the first meeting of Overbooked!
Are there books piled next to your favorite chair or towering above your head on the nightstand? Do you search out ideas about what to read next? Are you curious about what others are reading? OVERBOOKED! is perfect for you.
Here's how it works. Each person attending speaks for five minutes about a book, essay or magazine article that interested them. They will also give the reading a letter grade, A-C. A recorder will keep a list of the material presented for distribution to registrants. Anyone presenting a Jewish book/essay will speak first.
Coffee and sweets provided. Details here.
Thursday, November 20 at 2pm on Zoom, we'll be hosting a talk by Professor Yevgeniy Vorobeychik of Wash U's McKelvey School of Engineering, on AI, Privacy and Judaism:
In this lecture, Professor Yevgeniy Vorobeychik's goal is to offer a brief introduction to the history and technical background of privacy policy in the US and Europe, focusing in particular on its philosophical foundations. He will then turn to privacy as it appears in Talmudic tort law, and contrast the Jewish view of privacy with its modern Western conceptualization. Details and registration (required) here.
Both of these events are coming out of our vibrant Community Learning Committee.
For more events later in November and beyond, check our website.
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
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Phone: 314-727-1747