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KoREH, our religious school, begins classes on Sunday, September 8. If you know anyone who might want be interested, have them be in touch with me (rabbishafrin@kolrinahstl.org ). More information is available under the KoREH tab on our website.
If you haven’t driven by the new building yet at 7701 Maryland Avenue, it’s exciting to see all the progress. I was walking through on Tuesday, and it’s beautiful and inspiring. Can’t wait!
Many of you have asked for sermons that either I or Rabbi Arnow have given. You can find copies online under the "About Us" section of our website. Please take a look and feel free to share widely!
And now for a little more Torah…
How many times have you found something important to you in a place you'd least expect? I certainly did not intend to meet the love of my life while studying Rashi's Torah commentaries at the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies, but that is precisely what happened. And thank God it did!
Often, we feel as though we are dictating our path though life and can get frustrated when things appear to veer off course. And sometimes, life can throw us curve balls that do hurt, that turn us about, stress us out, and cause us to maybe even lose some hope.
But, as Parashat Ekev reminds us, there are often times when we simply don't see what is coming around the corner. As my friend and colleague, Rabbi Noah Farkas, wrote earlier this week:
"Three times in Eikev, Moses boils the message of Judaism down into a single, simple truth. What God wants from us is to be humble, reflect on our lives and ‘Walk in God’s ways.” (Deut. 8:6, 10:12, 11:22). It’s not that God has a plan for each of you. You wouldn’t know it even if that were true. The goal of the Torah is to give you means to sacred ends. As the Book of Proverbs teaches, “the Torah is a sacred path, not a destination.” (Prov. 3:17). None of us know exactly where this path leads."
It may be that some of the best things come from the parts of our lives that are unplanned. At very least, life is made better and more interesting by the surprises, the unexpected gifts, and the times in our life when we realize that our own control is limited, but allow ourselves the freedom to connect with the Source of All Blessing, the Holy, Sacred One.
Shabbat shalom and see you in shul,
Rabbi Scott Shafrin
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