"If you take this one from me, too, and he meets with disaster, you will send my white head down to Sheol in sorrow." (Genesis 44:29)
There are events in our lives that break us. However, there is no way to determine that in advance. All we can do is take one day at a time.
Imagining the worst is human nature, predicting the future is not.
FinishStrong is Back - Join me for a discussion of the “Topic of the Day” right after services on Shabbat “In the Beginning” class is next Wednesday, December 15, 2021 at 8:00pm In person at GHC and on Zoom
Greenburgh Hebrew Center rabbistein@ghcny.org 515 Broadway Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522 914-693-4260 office@ghcny.org www.ghcny.org
As children and as adults we don't always get what we want. I imagine there are those who are disappointed by their gifts this year. Disappointment in life is real. Moving on is difficult. Thankfully, there are many opportunities throughout the year to give and receive from each other. Recallibrating our expectations is worthwhile. Which of our expectations should we rethink and which are worth maintaining.
Greenburgh Hebrew Center rabbistein@ghcny.org 515 Broadway Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522 914-693-4260 office@ghcny.org www.ghcny.org
Since tommorrow is Shabbat here are two thoughts. 1. In America we trationally eat latkes, in Israel they usually eat Donuts. Recently we have been eating both. Christians light the Christmas trees and we light our Menorahs. Similarities and differences abound in the world. Appreciating them is what makes living in a diverse world connected by humanity is wonderful. 2. The Rabbis forbid us from using the Hanukkah candles for anything. We should not read by them or use their flames for heat. Rather we should just appreciate their beauty. Do we ever just stop and enjoy the present? The present is our presnt on this holiday of gift giving.
Greenburgh Hebrew Center rabbistein@ghcny.org 515 Broadway Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522 914-693-4260 office@ghcny.org www.ghcny.org
Driedel is a game of chance, there is no way to control the outcome. Sometimes letting go of our sense of control can be liberating. Being able to know over what we have control and what we don't can be very freeing.
Greenburgh Hebrew Center rabbistein@ghcny.org 515 Broadway Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522 914-693-4260 office@ghcny.org www.ghcny.org
Yesterday we thought about the flame getting stronger and how we grow. Today, let's focus on the opposite, how easily the small flame can blow out. The tiny little flame is so fragile and can go out so easily. What are the things we take for granted? Are there people in our lives who we don't appreciate enough?
Greenburgh Hebrew Center rabbistein@ghcny.org 515 Broadway Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522 914-693-4260 office@ghcny.org www.ghcny.org
One of the interesting aspects of lighting candles for Hanukkah is that each night we add one candle. If we were re-enacting the miracle of the oil lasting for eight days, we would light all eight and then reduce by one candle each night. Hillel teaches that just as the flames burn brighter each night, we get stronger. What have been the challenges in your life that have left you with an increased sense fo confidence? How have you used that new found strength to make the world a little brighter?
Remember today is Giving Tuesday and your synagogue can always use your support. Click here to make a gift.
Greenburgh Hebrew Center rabbistein@ghcny.org 515 Broadway Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522 914-693-4260 office@ghcny.org www.ghcny.org
2nd of 8 Thoughts to guide your candle lighting We think this is holiday about gift giving. What are your special gifts? What gifts have you received from others? Love, kindess, courage, compassion can be shared wiith others and should be showered on us, even by us.
Greenburgh Hebrew Center rabbistein@ghcny.org 515 Broadway Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522 914-693-4260 office@ghcny.org www.ghcny.org
Each night of Hanukah I will give you something to think or talk about as you light your candles. Here is the first: There are those who explain the Macabees weren't fighting the outside Roman forces as much as the Zealots were struggling with internal secularized Jews. What are the internal struggles we have both nationally and personally?
Greenburgh Hebrew Center rabbistein@ghcny.org 515 Broadway Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522 914-693-4260 office@ghcny.org www.ghcny.org
Rising from the Pit When Midianite traders passed by, they pulled Joseph up out of the pit. They sold Joseph for twenty pieces of silver to the Ishmaelites, who brought Joseph to Egypt. (Genesis 37:28) “This is the pits” can often be heard by a child as they get too much homework or get a poor grade on an exam. The pit is the universal allegory for when things have gone wrong. Yet, in this story this is a glimmer of hope. Someone comes to help (albeit not great help) and this is the beginning of Joseph’s self awareness and ultimate rise. Sometimes our beginning starts at the bottom and an understanding that we can do better, be better than earlier versions of ourselves.
May we all share great food, friendship and abiding gratitude this Thanksgiving. Join us this evening at 7:30pm at Immaculate Conception in Irvington or Click herefor the zoom link for our annual Interfaith Thanksgiving Gathering.
Greenburgh Hebrew Center rabbistein@ghcny.org 515 Broadway Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522 914-693-4260 office@ghcny.org www.ghcny.org
Wrestling with Ourselves is the Result of Our Conscience Growing “Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the break of dawn.” (Genesis 32:25) After two decades apart Jacob still concerns himself with the stolen birthright. We struggle with singular acts in our lives. We replay decisions over and over again. We are determined never to act that way again and resolve to do better in the future. That is what it means to have a conscience. That is a good thing, not something to beat ourselves up over. It is something to recognize and build upon. We all make mistakes. If we are wrestling with ourselves, we have a conscience.
Unfortunately, our “In The Beginning” learning is postponed until next month.
On Saturday evening November 20, 2021 at 7:30pm I will be teaching at the Westchester Night of Jewish Learning. My class will be “Modern Jewish Prayers.” There are many extraordinary Israeli musicians producing music that speaks to our hopes and dreams. Join me as I share them through videos and lyrics. click here for link
To register for the event and see all of the offerings please click here.
Greenburgh Hebrew Center rabbistein@ghcny.org 515 Broadway Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522 914-693-4260 office@ghcny.org www.ghcny.org
"And Laban said to Jacob, “What did you mean by keeping me in the dark and carrying off my daughters like captives of the sword? Why did you flee in secrecy and mislead me and not tell me?" (Genesis 31:26-27)
Jacob begins with lying to his father to give him the birthright. Then Lavan tricked Jacob into marrying his older daughter before his true love. Jacob in return tricked Lavan by leaving, after his many years of working together with him, in the middle of the night.
We tell half truths and we intimate alternative facts and sometimes we just lie to each other and to ourselves. Do we do so to save another pain or as a shortcut or to truly take advantage of someone? Rabbi Chaim Luzzato in Mesilat Yesharim reminds us to be exact in our language.
We must always ask ourselves, are we stretching the truth, are we exaggerating and if so, why? Wouldn’t it just be better to tell the truth?
Please join me for “In The Beginning.” Together we will understand the stories that shape the foundation of Judaism. Wednesday, November 17, 2021 on Zoom click here
On Saturday evening November 20, 2021 at 7:30pm I will be teaching at the Westchester Night of Jewish Learning. My class will be “Modern Jewish Prayers.” There are many extraordinary Israeli musicians producing music that speaks to our hopes and dreams. Join me as I share them through videos and lyrics. click here
To register for the event and see all of the offerings please go to www.wjcouncil.org
Greenburgh Hebrew Center rabbistein@ghcny.org 515 Broadway Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522 914-693-4260 office@ghcny.org www.ghcny.org
Now Esau harbored a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing which his father had given him, and Esau said to himself, “Let but the mourning period of my father come, and I will kill my brother Jacob.” (Genesis 27:41)
Harbouring a grudge does more damage to ourselves than to others and the longer we hold on to it the more damage is done.
Sometimes we say things in a moment of anger that we really don’t mean. Those words leave an indelible, hateful scar.
This one sentence teaches two important lessons, wait before you speak and let go of grudges. Easier said than done.
Greenburgh Hebrew Center rabbistein@ghcny.org 515 Broadway Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522 914-693-4260 office@ghcny.org www.ghcny.org
“I am a resident alien among you; sell me a burial site among you, that I may remove my dead for burial.” (Genesis 23:4)
After Sarah dies, Abraham feels lost, dazed, confused.
As with most losses in our lives, we feel an initial numbness, even shock that leaves us in a transitional state. It is our way of coping and is part of a necessary process of surviving. For some it will last a long time, for others it will be shorter. Whether you have had losses in your life or not, we are all now in a transitional state because of the overwhelming loss brought on by COVID. Many in our community arte feeling dislocated. That is normal. Until we all land together, be patient with yourself and with others.
Greenburgh Hebrew Center rabbistein@ghcny.org 515 Broadway Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522 914-693-4260 office@ghcny.org www.ghcny.org
Is Honesty Always the Best Policy? “Sarah lied, saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was frightened. But He replied, “You did laugh.”” (Genesis 8:15)
Honesty is the best policy… except if telling the truth only serves to hurt someone else. Protecting the feelings of loved ones should always be weighed against telling the truth. The challenge is making sure we are protecting our loved ones and not protecting ourselves. Sometimes we lie because we don’t want to hurt someone’s feelings when, in fact, we are saving ourselves from having to answer for our own actions. That challenge is what lies (pun intended) at the heart of the matter.
Please join me on Wednesday night for “Genesis: An Adult Reading” on zoom click here
Greenburgh Hebrew Center rabbistein@ghcny.org 515 Broadway Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522 914-693-4260 office@ghcny.org www.ghcny.org
“I will make of you a great nation, And I will bless you; I will make your name great, And you shall be a blessing.” (Genesis 12:2)
In convincing Abraham to leave the only place he has ever known, God promised Abraham two concrete and two abstract benefits. He will be the father of a great nation and experience extraordinary renown. He will be blessed and he will be a blessing to others. The first two are easy to understand. Being blessed and being a blessing to others is a little more difficult to define. But as Justice Stewart said in another context, “I know it when I see it.” Feeling blessed and being a blessing to others is a feeling that can motivate. It can challenge us to be better, it can drive us to build a better world. The feeling of gratitude for what we have and the equally substantive feeling of knowing our value to others is immeasurable.
I am interested in teaching a class that would meet weekly to look at the adult lessons of Genesis on Wednesday evenings at 8:00pm. We would spend time reevaluating the Bible stories we may have learned as children or may have overlooked entirely. Would anyone be interested in that?
Greenburgh Hebrew Center rabbistein@ghcny.org 515 Broadway Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522 914-693-4260 office@ghcny.org www.ghcny.org
“He drank the wine and became drunk.” (Genesis 9:21)
In this story Noah emerges from the ark, plants a vineyard, harvests the grapes, makes wine and gets drunk. I'm not sure he had that plan in mind from the beginning or if life just became overwhelming. All of humanity has been wiped out and he must start over with just his immediate family. Seems, maybe a drink might be in order. Yet it is a cautionary tale because his drunkenness leads to embarrassing himself.
We are emerging from a pandemic that has seen the death of millions of people. During quarantine we may have picked up some bad habits. Now is the time to step back and see if we can realign our healthy behavior patterns. For some, quarantine has uncovered dangerous substance abuse problems. Now is the time to seek help.
If you are in need of help, please simply hit reply to this email and I am ready to get you the assistance you need. I am here for you.
Greenburgh Hebrew Center rabbistein@ghcny.org 515 Broadway Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522 914-693-4260 office@ghcny.org www.ghcny.org
Life is hard, challenging, exhausting, complicated and demanding. You can fill in the rest. We all “need a place to get away,” a place of joy where we can unplug for an hour of two. The holiday of Sukkot, known as the Time of Our Rejoicing, culminates in the holiday of Simchat Torah when we conclude the Torah and start over again. It is the time when we can restart and plug in to something deeper and more rejuvenating. Our synagogue is a place of joy, acceptance, diversity and kindness. Make it a point to engage with us this year. I can almost guarantee you will find something unexpected that will bring you back again and again.
This year we will only be having services on Tuesday (9/28), 9:30 am for Shemini Atzeret (including Yizkor) and Wednesday (9/29), 9:30 am for Simchat Torah. There will be no evening services.
Greenburgh Hebrew Center rabbistein@ghcny.org 515 Broadway Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522 914-693-4260 office@ghcny.org www.ghcny.org
אַתָּה נוֹתֵן יָד לַפּוֹשְׁעִים, וִימִינְךָ פְשׁוּטָה לְקַבֵּל שָׁבִים "You extend Your hand to those who sin." Lev Shalem "You let sinners sin, but Your right hand is extended to penitents" Reuven Kimmelman
In the final hours of Yom Kippur in the service known as Neilah we say the above words. Here I have offered to different translations each with their own agenda. The message is similar. God welcomes us back.
In the final hours of Yom Kippur we are tired and hungry and we our at our most vulnerable. In this moment we need to feel as though we will find a way to return. God is reaching out to you, just take God hand's and we can all walk together into a better year. I wish you an easy fast filled with insight and new found energy. I pray this year grants you your most meanignful wishes and that you and your family find health and joy.
Greenburgh Hebrew Center rabbistein@ghcny.org 515 Broadway Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522 914-693-4260 office@ghcny.org www.ghcny.org
Tying Up Loose Ends The LORD said to Moses: The time is drawing near for you to die. Call Joshua and present yourselves in the Tent of Meeting, that I may instruct him. Moses and Joshua went and presented themselves in the Tent of Meeting. (Deuteronomy 31:14)
"Getting your affairs in order" is the phrase we use today when we recognize our end is imminent. It is the way we prepare ourselves and our loved ones for when we are gone. The challenge for most is not knowing when that will happen. Our rabbis teach, treat every day as if it were your last.
Today is the end of the Jewish year. Tomorrow we begin again. Today is our opportunity to make one last effort to accomplish our goals for last year. Tomorrow we commit ourselves to new goals or goals we were still not successful accomplishing. Today is the day to get our morals and values in order.
Sharon and I wish you and the whole world good health and wisdom, joy and shalom. We pray for a safe, loving, and happy New Year and with much gratitude for all of you, Shana Tova .
Greenburgh Hebrew Center rabbistein@ghcny.org 515 Broadway Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522 914-693-4260 office@ghcny.org www.ghcny.org
Start with What You Do Know “Concealed acts concern the LORD our God; but with overt acts, it is for us and our children ever to apply all the provisions of this Teaching.” (Deuteronomy 29:28)
There is so much we don’t understand about the universe. There is so much we still don’t understand about how people work. There is so much we don’t understand about why we behave in certain ways at certain times. "Why?" "How?" Can plague us at times. They can shake us. They can paralyze us. We ask for a sign, we beg for an answer and yet sometimes they never come.
Through it all, keep going. When evil confronts us, be kind. When inexplicable pain befalls those whom we love, hold them closer. When fear overwhelms us, stare into the dark and reach out for someone.
What we don’t know far outweighs what we do know. No doubt. However, what we do know is where we all begin. Love exists. Kindness abounds. And we are in this together.
Greenburgh Hebrew Center rabbistein@ghcny.org 515 Broadway Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522 914-693-4260 office@ghcny.org www.ghcny.org
“And on those stones you shall inscribe every word of this Teaching most distinctly.” (Deuteronomy 27:8) As we make our way from one location to another, we too pick up items and they become part of who we are. They become part of our story. Some people call it baggage, some call it experience. No matter, we must decide what becomes sacred to us and what has become an obstacle for further growth. It is this week’s parsha, as we prepare ourselves for the upcoming high holidays that reminds us to consciously decide what moves forward and becomes permanent and what we can finally let go of.
Greenburgh Hebrew Center rabbistein@ghcny.org 515 Broadway Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522 914-693-4260 office@ghcny.org www.ghcny.org
“If a man has two wives, one loved and the other unloved, and both the loved and the unloved have borne him sons, but the first-born is the son of the unloved one…“ (Deuteronomy 21:15)
Insert joke here about one wife being plenty. All joking aside, the pain of living in a loveless marriage or in a home filled with conflict and tension can be unbearable. It is the reason why Judaism has always permitted the dissolution of a marriage.
Our tradition understands that sometimes people who were once in love with each other can no longer live with each other.
The lesson extends beyond the boundaries of marriage to life in general. Through our daily liturgy we grow to understand that we can always change our direction. We all have choices and we can change. It is the work we do now in preparation for the high holidays that we begin to pave a new path.
Greenburgh Hebrew Center rabbistein@ghcny.org 515 Broadway Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522 914-693-4260 office@ghcny.org www.ghcny.org
Pursue Kindness and Compassion Parashat Shoftim "Justice, justice shall you pursue, that you may thrive and occupy the land that the LORD your God is giving you." (Deuteronomy 16:20)
One of the most quoted verses in the Torah, the Rabbis explain that the double use of the word "justice" indicates that in pursuing justice we must be just. It is their way of saying the ends cannot justify the means.
While we would all love to see a judicial system that was perfect, we might agree that what we have leaves us wanting more. Justice is different from revenge. Justice seeks to balance the scales and in some cases that can never be accomplished. Justice doesn't always heal the pain. Maybe we ought to pursue kindness and compassion with the same vigor as we pursue justice.
Greenburgh Hebrew Center rabbistein@ghcny.org 515 Broadway Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522 914-693-4260 office@ghcny.org www.ghcny.org
"But whenever you desire, you may slaughter and eat meat in any of your settlements, according to the blessing that the LORD your God has granted you. The unclean and the clean alike may partake of it, as of the gazelle and the deer." (Deuteronomy 12:15) Some family members stand on ceremony and will only visit when they are invited. Some visit whenever they want. Some call first. Family shouldn’t have these pretenses.
When loved ones want to see each other they should figure how to make it happen. Waiting for an invitation seems not to be the best approach.
Here at GHC you never need an invitation. Now that we have relaxed some of our COVID protocols, you can just show up and we will be happy to see you. If you aren’t comfortable yet, don’t worry God can hear you from anywhere.
Greenburgh Hebrew Center rabbistein@ghcny.org 515 Broadway Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522 914-693-4260 office@ghcny.org www.ghcny.org
"When you have eaten your fill, give thanks to the LORD your God for the good land which He has given you." (DEUTERONOMY 8:10)
“I hate to eat and run” is one the great escape lines of all time.
You recognize the feeling of a attending a never ending dinner party. First, it takes forever to sit down to the meal. Then each course comes out so slowly you have forgotten what you ate in the previous course. You sit there and the conversation is boring or overly political and all you want is for the evening to end. You are even happy to leave before dessert. You simply can’t take it anymore.
Finally there is an end in sight, you place your napkin back on the table. You begin to rise from your seat and while you are half way there the words come out. “I had a wonderful time. Thank you for a lovely evening. I hate to eat and run but…”
Note, you must say thank you. It would be impolite not to. So says our tradition. When you have had enough, make sure to say thank you.
Greenburgh Hebrew Center rabbistein@ghcny.org 515 Broadway Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522 914-693-4260 office@ghcny.org www.ghcny.org
“Hear of Israel, Adonai is our God, Adonai is one.”
This may be the single most important statement for a Jew. Next week we will welcome two new Jews to our beloved religion. At the end of the ceremony, they will declare their faith and recite these words. From that moment, they will be linked with our people irrevocably. Through these words, they will announce their commitment not just to our God but to our people.
As Rabbi Akiva was being burned at the stake, he recited these words. Jewish soldiers whether in the American services or Israel have recited them upon going into battle. Countless generations of children have recited these words before they go to bed. We say them morning and evening, when we take out the Torah and they are embedded within the musaf Kedusha.
As much as these words tie us to God they bind us to each other. As Rabbi Eli Garfinkel writes, “the Shema is both concise and deep.” Please join us this week as we celebrate the naming of Andy and Sharon Weiss' granddaughter and kiddush for the first time since the beginning of COVID
Greenburgh Hebrew Center rabbistein@ghcny.org 515 Broadway Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522 914-693-4260 office@ghcny.org www.ghcny.org
"These are the words that Moses addressed to all Israel on the other side of the Jordan." (Deuteronomy 1:1) "A healing tongue is a tree of life, But a devious one makes for a broken spirit." (Proverbs 15:4)
As the long trip through the desert to the promised land comes to a close and Moses readies himself to bid farewell to the people he birthed and led, he has a few parting thoughts. As most commentaries indicate, the words aren’t kind. Moses recalls how this stiff necked, belligerent and at times mutinous group of ragtag tribes were molded into an elite fighting army.
Though harsh, it is clear Moses is trying to warn the Jewish people that if this behavior continues, he will not be around to make it right. It is out of love Moses speaks harshly. However, I am left wondering if there is a more effective way to communicate concern. We must always find ways to speak words of criticism in ways that are loving. We must all learn how to speak so we can be heard. Tisha B'av Conservative/Masorti Movement Eicha Reading: On Saturday night, July 17, Camp Ramah Nyack staff will livestream their Eicha reading for all directly to ourRA YouTube account at 9:45 PM ET.
Greenburgh Hebrew Center rabbistein@ghcny.org 515 Broadway Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522 914-693-4260 office@ghcny.org www.ghcny.org
Promises Made, Promises Kept “If a man makes a vow to the LORD or takes an oath imposing an obligation on himself, he shall not break his pledge; he must carry out all that has crossed his lips.” (Number 30:3) We make deals with God all of the time. Whether it is the child about to receive their test results or the adult facing illness, we all make promises. Coming out of this pandemic is the moment when we decide which of the alterations we have made to our lives are going to stay or which we will abandon. How many, hoping to see family and friends again made promises to value others in our lives more, will actually remember to do so? How many, longing for community will recommit to the real work of community building?
Greenburgh Hebrew Center rabbistein@ghcny.org 515 Broadway Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522 914-693-4260 office@ghcny.org www.ghcny.org
Numbers Don't Lie and They Often Don't Matter ”All who were enrolled came to 603,550.” (Numbers 1:46) “This is the enrollment of the Israelites: 601,730.” (Numbers 26:51) In three different places in the Torah we read of a census. Each time they occur after a catastrophic event. Each time we encounter a harrowing experience we take stock of our lives. We must always remember we can never reduce the story to just being about the numbers. While numbers don’t lie and they do help us quantify our sense of loss, we must remind ourselves that each and every person has value. May we continue to bring healing to all who have suffered loss.
Greenburgh Hebrew Center rabbistein@ghcny.org 515 Broadway Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522 914-693-4260 office@ghcny.org www.ghcny.org
Choose to See Life's Blessings מְבָרְכֶ֣יךָ בָר֔וּךְ וְאֹרְרֶ֖יךָ אָרֽוּר׃ "Blessed are they who bless you, Accursed they who curse you!" (Numbers 24:9)
Raffaello Pantucci has summed up the Arab/Israeli conflict in the title of his book, “We Love Death As You Love Life”. In it he has has written a sober, detailed, and invaluable assessment of Islamist radicalisation in the United Kingdom.
There are always going to be people in life who seek out the worst and those who seek out the best. Those who want death and destruction will try to impose their will on others. The task of the good is to hold steadfast to the blessings of life. In the face of negativity, we must rise to the positive. Challenged by the harsh forces of this world we must respond with care.
SHABBAT at GHC
Join the Cantor and me for Friday night services at the Dobbs Ferry Waterfront. 6:30pm
Sermon: “Seeing Things: Why We Believe the Absurd”
FinishStrong: Let’s Talk Israel
Greenburgh Hebrew Center rabbistein@ghcny.org 515 Broadway Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522 914-693-4260 office@ghcny.org www.ghcny.org
Welcome to Rabbi's Corner. This is a stream of Rabbi Stein's דברי תורה (divrei torah, words of Torah).
