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Service Schedule
May 14th – May 20th |
| Mon. — Thurs. Evenings |
6:00pm |
| Wed & Thurs Mornings |
7:00am |
| Sunday Morning |
8:00am |
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| Friday, May 18th |
| Drum Circle |
6:00pm |
| Candlelighting |
7:41pm |
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| Saturday, May 19th |
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| Shabbat Services |
9:15am |
| Havdallah |
8:41pm |
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| Upcoming Events |
| 5/14 |
Israeli Dance |
| 5/15 |
Meditation Group |
| 5/16 |
Limmud |
| 5/17 |
Lunch and Learn |
| 5/18 |
Drum Circle |
| 5/19 |
Anniversary/Bday Shabbat |
| 5/13 |
Men's Club Minyan |
| 5/19 |
Anniversary/Bday Shabbat |
| 5/20 |
Tora Fund Brunch |
| 5/26 |
Tikkun Leyl Shavuot |
| 5/27 |
Shavuot |
| 5/28 |
Shavuot |
| 6/2 |
Starbucks Shabbat |
RH 1 - The Battle Against Bitterosity
Strings Attached, 2nd Day RH 2010
KN 2010
YK Day 2010 Justice & Change
Archived Articles:
Good and Evil
Psalms On Our Tongues
Memorial
Torah
Ties That Bind
Happy Birthday Rabbi!
Sderot Journey
Shabbat Hachodesh
Seder 09
June 20, 2009
July 4, 2009
July 18, 2009
August 5, 2009
August 07, 2009
August 14, 2009
August 28, 2009
September 4, 2009
October 22, 2009
November 4, 2009
November 15, 2009
November 19, 2009
November 24, 2009
December 4, 2009
December 10, 2009
December 17, 2009
December 24, 2009
December 31, 2009
January 8, 2010
January 15, 2010
January 21, 2010
January 29, 2010
February 5, 2010
February 12, 2010
February 18, 2010
February 25, 2010
March 5, 2010
March 11, 2010
March 19, 2010
March 26, 2010
April 2, 2010
April 9, 2010
April 14, 2010
April 22, 2010
April 30, 2010
May 7, 2010
May 13, 2010
May 21, 2010
May 28, 2010
June 3, 2010
June 9, 2010
June 18, 2010
June 25, 2010
July 6, 2010
July 9, 2010
July 15, 2010
July 22, 2010
July 29, 2010
August 5, 2010
August 13, 2010
August 19, 2010
August 27, 2010
September 2, 2010
September 7, 2010
September 16, 2010
September 22, 2010
September 29, 2010
October 7, 2010
October 14, 2010
October 22, 2010
October 29, 2010
November 4, 2010
November 11, 2010
November 19, 2010
November 26, 2010
December 3, 2010
December 10, 2010
December 17, 2010
December 22, 2010
December 31, 2010
January 7, 2011
January 21, 2011
January 25, 2011
February 3, 2011
February 9, 2011
February 18, 2011
February 22, 2011
March 3, 2011
March 10, 2011
March 17, 2011
March 24, 2011
March 31, 2011
April 8, 2011
April 14, 2011
April 18, 2011
April 28, 2011
May 5, 2011
May 12, 2011
May 19, 2011
May 27, 2011
June 2, 2011
June 10, 2011
June 16, 2011
June 24, 2011
July 1, 2011
July 8, 2011
July 14, 2011
July 21, 2011
July 28, 2011
August 4, 2011
August 11, 2011
August 18, 2011
August 25, 2011
September 2, 2011
September 8, 2011
September 15, 2011
September 22, 2011
October 12, 2011
October 27, 2011
November 4, 2011
November 18, 2011
December 1, 2011
December 8, 2011
December 16, 2011
December 22, 2011
December 29, 2011
January 5, 2012
January 12, 2012
January 20, 2012
January 27, 2012
February 3, 2012
February 12, 2012
February 17, 2012
February 23, 2012
March 1, 2012
March 12, 2012
March 19, 2012
March 23, 2012
March 29, 2012
April 5, 2012
April 12, 2012
April 18, 2012
April 26, 2012
May 3, 2012
May 10, 2012
May 17, 2012
RH
Day 1 Sermon - 2011
RH
Day 2 Sermon - 2011
Kol Nidre Sermon - 2011
Yom Kippur Sermon - 2011
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A FEW PRE-SHABBAT WORDS FROM RABBI AARON
The Challenging Journey of Sacrifice
Last Shabbat we opened the third book of the Torah, Vayikra. This section of Torah is dominated by several chapters detailing the regulations and procedures of the korbanot, ritual sacrifices offered by our ancestors. I've referred to the etymologies behind sacrifice [giving something up for God, doing for another] as well as korban [karov - near; drawing near to God through the gestures of korban].
When you visit the rabbi page on the shul website you'll see a drawing of Moshe consecrating his brother Aaron for service as the kohen gadol, the High Priest. He is smearing blood upon Aaron's right earlobe, thumb and big toe. Last year I referred to a drash which attached special meanings to those appendages. Ear = listening Big Toe = balance Thumb = power of action, articulation, coordination
This understanding helps us view the rituals as a moral charge to the kohanim. In their roles as listeners - judges ministering to the people, as offerers of the sacrifices, and as leaders - all their actions needed to be sanctified. They needed to be vigilant against the lures of power which tend to seduce and corrupt the leader. The blood of the sacrifice was seen as a form of ritual protection.
Below, another take on sacrifice - three slices of poetry from authors borne of different cultures. Keep in mind the etymologies for sacrifice and korban to which I referred earlier... My suggestion - the way into sacrifice is through the heart, much more than the mind.
Sacrifice your intellect in love for the Friend
Sacrifice your intellect in love for the Friend:
for anyway, intellects come from where He is.
The spiritually intelligent have sent their intellects back to Him:
only the fool remains where the Beloved is not.
If from bewilderment, this intellect of yours flies out of your head,
every tip of your hair will become a new knowing.
In the presence of the Beloved, the brain needn't labor;
for there the brain and intellect spontaneously produce
fields and orchards of spiritual knowledge.
If you turn toward that field, you will hear a subtle discourse;
in that oasis your palm tree will freshen and flourish.
-Melvana Rumi (Persian Muslim poet, jurist, theologian, Sufi mystic 1207-1273)
In My Heart [these words ring the dome of our beautiful chapel]
In my heart a sanctuary I'll build
To His glory's splendour,
And in it an altar I shall place
To the rays of His grandeur.
And for an Eternal Flame I shall take
The fire meant for Isaac of old,
And the sacrifice offering that I shall make
Is my one and only soul.
-Rabbi Elazar Azkar (mystic born in Tsfat [Safed], 1533-1600)
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Aaron
Click any of the images below to view the complete pdf file
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