12:00pm A Little Mishnah on Zoom; 7:00pm “Shanah Tovah” - Elul Program on Zoom
Fri.
Sep 4
12:00pm Tefillah Class on Zoom; 6:00pm Kabbalat Shabbat Service and Bar Mitzvah of MikahYardeni on Zoom
Sat.
Sep 5
9:00amSpanish Services; 10:00amShabbat Services and Bar Mitzvah of Mikah Yardeni on Zoom
Sun.
Sep 6
9:00amDavening on Zoom; 10:00amNo Maimonides Class, Drive-by Party for Mikah Yardeni
Wed.
Sep 9
12:00pm A Little Mishnah on Zoom; 4:30pm Religious School
Thu.
Sep 10
11:00amA Little Mishnah on Zoom;7:00pmYoung Family Selichot – Elul Program on Zoom
Fri.
Sep 11
12:00pmTefillah Class on Zoom; 6:00pmKabbalat Shabbat Services on Zoom
Sat.
Sep 12
9:00amSpanish Services on Zoom; 10:00amShabbat Services on Zoom; 7:00pm Selichot Service on Zoom
Sun.
Sep 13
9:00amReligious School, Davening on Zoom; 9:30amMaimonides Class on Zoom; 12:30pmTBS-EV Board Meeting on Zoom
In this week’s Parsha, the Israelites are commanded to arrange themselves as witnesses to a long series of curses and blessings. In the place of blessings on Mount Gerizim stand the tribes of Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin. In the place of curses on Mount Ebal stand the tribes of Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali. The Levites proclaim Curses, and the people say Amen, followed by the blessings in the same manner.
While each particular curse and blessing makes sense on its own, the question remains whether there is a through line linking these elements together, or if they are meant to stand as discrete blessings and curses all their own.
Focusing on the words ושם בסתר- “and sets up in secret” - Rashbam (France, 11th Century) offers the following analysis on Deuteronomy 27:15- “there are a total of 12 “curses” corresponding to the 12 tribes, all of the sins mentioned in them being of the type that one commits in private when one is unobserved and no witnesses are present [...] Only when crimes are committed in secret do we leave punishment of the sinners to G’d.”
These curses are meant to focus on those actions which might be taken away from the eyes of others, where no one else can come to judge or evaluate our actions. We do not need long lists of curses for those crimes which are done publicly- that will be handled by the courts, and the system that has been established which the Israelites are meant to enact and fulfill as they cross into the Land. But Rashbam teaches that this moment on the mountains is meant to instill an awareness of God’s presence, and judgment, even when we believe we are alone and free of the influence or judgment of our fellows.
As the High Holidays approach, it is worth taking time to reflect on those actions which are bounded by witnesses or lack thereof. What are we doing because of our isolation that we would not do were we moving free in the public domain? What aren’t we doing that we would be if others were witness to our behavior? These curses and blessings come to remind us that an audience influences our behavior for good or ill. We are not merely islands to ourselves, but part of a larger network of expectation and community which can reinforce the good, or distort our awareness of our own actions and their consequences.
As we continue to take stock of our year, may we find space to evaluate how our choices and actions may have been improved or led astray by those around us (or, as likely as not in these strange times, not around to influence us).
Shabbat Shalom and remember the Days of Awe are at hand,
Note change of class schedule - A Little Mishnah will now take place on Wednesdays and Thursdaysfrom 12:00 - 1:00 pm. Every 2nd Thursday of the month class will be held from 11:00 - 12:00 pm.
Prayers are needed for Chaim Laib ben Esther, brother of Walter Berkey; Alexander Moshe HaLevi ben Rivkah, father of Regina Fischer; Brenda Carson, sister of Rebecca Toledo;Donnie Carson, brother-in-law of Rebecca Toledo; Roberta Rosenberg (Rivkah Fradel bat Sara);Shimson ben Etel, father of Florence Wibel; Irene Simpkins (Yocheved bat Miriam); Barbara Tricoci (Baila bat Rifka); Elazear ben Dreisyl; Eric Taylor; Sid Brodsky (Zundel Be'er ben Esther); Linda Heartquist;Allen Simon (Aaron Hirsch ben Ceil);Carol Osman Brown, friend of Linda Radke; Rijon Erickson; Chano Ruven ben Shaina Chaya; Matthew Werdean, friend of Regina Fischer; David ben Sarah, father of Rabbi Aberson; Jack Heller; Liba Yetta bat Tova; Ilana bat Bella, sister of Ruti Keren; David Ramirez, brother of Louis Ramirez; Pasha bat Fayge, friend of Gloria Windmiller; Moshe ben Hana, brother-in-law of Ruti Keren; HaRav Haim Baruch ben Chana; Raphael ben Rebekah, friend of Alan Sapakie; Jack Rosenberg (Ya'acov Avram ben Sarah Ruchel); Walter Berkey (Yossel Velvel ben Esther); Warren Stern (Binyamin ben Meyer Rav); Rose Tufarelli; Sarah Caliandro (Sarah Nechama bat Leah); Ingrid Gallegos; Chaim Shneur Zalman Yehuda ben Hinda Yocheved; Alex Shekhel;Avraham ben Chaya Udel;Mordechai Shimon ben Sarah, brother of Roberta Rosenberg; Harve Kimmel (Herschel Yehuda ben Avraham Ya'acov HaCohen); Chana Nassia bat Civia; Aharon Shmuel bat Tzinyah; Lynne Lieberman (Leah bat Meir HaCohen); Esther Malka bat Dubba Faga; Yedidah Sarah bat Shayna Bracha, friend of Scott and Mara Jaffa; Juliette Harvey (Zarie bat Esther).
Bill Costianes, father of Dennis Aust Miriam L. Pollack, mother of Bill Pollack Jolan Kurdin, mother of Janet Brodsky Elizabeth Pomush, mother of James Pomush Frank Markowitz, father of Helena Slavsky Raquel Rappaport, cousin of Miriam Libman William Slavsky, father of Edward Slavsky
HaMakom yenakhem etkhem b'tokh she'ar avelei Tzion Virushalayim.
May God comfort you together with all the other mourners of Zion and Jerusalem
