Rabbi's Corner

Message from the Rabbi

When you enter the land that your God יהוה is giving you as a heritage, and you possess it and settle in it, you shall take some of every first fruit of the soil, which you harvest from the land that your God יהוה is giving you, put it in a basket and go to the place where your God יהוה will choose to establish the divine name. (Deuteronomy 26:1-2)

Parents will easily remember a time when their children came home from school proclaiming, “Look what I made.”  From those early days we have learned to take pride in our accomplishments.  And there is great satisfaction in making something. A member of our congregation, when we were in the city together, once said, with great pride, “I arranged the financing for that building.”  It stuck with me because of the joy that comes with bringing something into this world. 

There is great satisfaction in making something with your own two hands.  The rabbis remind us of the importance of being a productive member of society.  We must contribute to the greater good. While it is much easier to look at a cabinet you may have built or a piece of art you created, there are other ways to contribute. Find your skill and your talent and share it.