https://youtu.be/0TZOhXju-K0 Parashat Ha'Azinu 5782 / פרשת הַאֲזִינוּ Read on 18 September 2021 / 12 Tishrei 5782. Parashat Ha'Azinu is the 53rd weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. Torah Portion: Deuteronomy 32:1-32:52 https://tikkun.io/#/r/5-32-1 Parashat Ha'Azinu sets out the Song of Moses — an indictment of the Israelites' sins, a prophecy of their punishment, and a promise of God's ultimate redemption of them Triennial year 3 1: 32:1-6 · 6 p’sukim 2: 32:7-12 · 6 p’sukim 3: 32:13-18 · 6 p’sukim 4: 32:19-28 · 10 p’sukim 5: 32:29-39 · 11 p’sukim 6: 32:40-43 · 4 p’sukim 7: 32:44-52 · 9 p’sukim maf: 32:48-52 · 5 p’sukim This is Moses’ song to Israel. The text in the Torah is constructed as two columns like pillars, verse upon verse. This is like placing bricks on top of each other. This has a meaning that like the pillars, there is no support side-by-side, so the pillars are tentative and easily toppled. This is symbolic of Israel’s commitment to Hashem and Torah. He starts out praising Hashem and all that Hashem has done for the Children of Israel. G-d is their Rock and their strength. Moses then goes on about how Israel becomes prosperous due to following Torah, but then forgets and turns away from Hashem and worships idols. Moses laments how people could be so ungrateful and turn away from Hashem. G-d then punishes them by allowing Israel’s enemies to overpower them. But those peoples will think it was because of their might. When Israel repents, they will defeat those same enemies. Finishing this “song”, G-d then commands Moses to ascend Mount Nebo, gaze out over the Promised Land, and then he will die.

https://youtu.be/aG1Io4VJwKc Yom Kippur 2021 / יוֹם כִּפּוּר 5782 Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) for Hebrew Year 5782 begins at sundown on Wednesday, 15 September 2021 and ends at nightfall on Thursday, 16 September 2021. Yom Kippur (Hebrew: יוֹם כִּפּוּר or יום הכיפורים), Also known as Day of Atonement, is the holiest day of the year for the Jews. Its central themes are atonement and repentance. Jews traditionally observe this holy day with a 25-hour period of fasting and intensive prayer, often spending most of the day in synagogue services. Yom Kippur completes the annual period known in Judaism as the High Holy Days (or sometimes "the Days of Awe"). Yom Kippur / יוֹם כִּפּוּר Thursday, 16 September 2021 / 10 Tishrei 5782 Torah Portion: Leviticus 16:1-34; Numbers 29:7-11 1: Leviticus 16:1-6 · 6 p’sukim 2: Leviticus 16:7-11 · 5 p’sukim 3: Leviticus 16:12-17 · 6 p’sukim 4: Leviticus 16:18-24 · 7 p’sukim 5: Leviticus 16:25-30 · 6 p’sukim 6: Leviticus 16:31-34 · 4 p’sukim maf: Numbers 29:7-11 · 5 p’sukim Haftarah: Isaiah 57:14 - 58:14 · 22 p’sukim The Torah reading for Yom Kippur Shacharit picks up after the death of Nadav and Abihu, Aaron’s two sons who entered the Holy of Holies during a time not proscribed by Hashem. The Cohen Gadol, High Priest, now gets specific directions when and how to come into the innermost sanctum of the Mishkan. The High Priest is to come into the Holy of Holies after he has made his own offerings for his own sins. He is to remove any golden vestments and be dressed only in clothes of simple white linen after he has bathed in the mikveh. He is to take a pan of burning incense. He makes atonement for the Children of Israel. This is the only time of the year that he is to use the true pronunciation of the holy Name of Hashem. He is to then take two goats. He will determine by lot which is sacrificed as an offering of atonement for the community, and which is to be sent off into the wilderness for Azazel. This latter is a symbolic gesture for casting off everyone’s sins. The term “Azazel” or “scapegoat” has been rendered as “dismissal”; it has also been translated as the “strength of G-d”. It has also been translated as “steep mountain” in later days as the custom became to send the goat over a cliff to its death as another offering. After offering the goat and sprinkling some of its blood on the horns of the alter, he will remove his garments and bathe in the mikveh. As the priest puts his hands of the goat, he confesses various transgressions on behalf of Israel. He confesses iniquities (עון), which are willful departures from Torah and only forgivable on Yom Kippur; transgressions ( פשע), rebellions; and sins (חטא), sins or unintentional deviations. Finally, this is to be a statute forever. This is a Shabbat of solemn rest. We are to afflict our souls, interpreted as fasting and denial of gratification. This demonstrates to us that we can, indeed, conquer our own temptations that lead to sin, and demonstrates our resolve to do better in the coming year. Yom Kippur (Mincha) / יוֹם כִּפּוּר מנחה Torah Portion: Leviticus 18:1-30 1: Leviticus 18:1-5 · 5 p’sukim 2: Leviticus 18:6-21 · 16 p’sukim 3: Leviticus 18:22-30 · 9 p’sukim Haftarah: Jonah 1:1-4:11; Micah 7:18-20 · 51 p’sukim This important passage addresses moral and social purity. It gives precedence to the institution of marriage and the family as sacred; the home is the basis of learning morality, and thus should our relationships be pure. Marriage is sacred in Judaism. The husband, during the wedding ceremony, pledges to love his wife as himself and honor her more than himself. This chapter addresses the prohibitions of specific relationships and enumerates forbidden relationships. As other pagan societies had no restraints and engaged in immoral practices, by abstaining from these relationships Israel would be a spiritually clean and just society. This chapter prohibits relations between blood relations and cases of affinity. We are also admonished not to “pass our children through fire for Molech”, a warning against child sacrifice.

https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/havdalah-celebrates-jewish-uniqueness/?utm_campaign=MJL_Prayer&utm_medium=email&utm_source=mjl_maropost Reveling in uniqueness is wonderful, proclaiming superiority is not. BY RACHEL SCHEINERMAN Havdalah (literally: distinction or separation) is the ceremony that marks the end of Shabbat and the beginning of the next work week. The rituals of sipping wine, smelling sweet spices, and creating shadows in the light of a multi-wicked candle are all designed to draw our attention to the vast gulf between Shabbat, the sacred day of rest that is a foretaste of the World to Come, and the rest of the week. Jewish tradition teaches that drawing distinctions is critical — a key to wisdom, in fact. But it’s not just a distinction between Shabbat and the rest of the week that is celebrated in the Havdalah ceremony. The primary blessing for Havdalah highlights three other distinctions of import to the Jewish people: Blessed are you, Lord our God, ruler of the universe, who distinguishes between the sacred and the profane, between light and darkness, between Israel and the other nations of the world, and between the seventh day and the six days of creation. The four separations in this list are not value-neutral. We know that sacred is preferred to profane. Ditto Shabbat and the six days of work. Light and darkness, too, are not without moral valence. So where does that leave the distinction between Israel and the nations of the world? Are we to understand that Israel is superior to other peoples? It is not troubling to say that Jews, like any group of people, are distinct — and to celebrate that uniqueness. But are we to understand from this prayer that Jews are better than other people? The rabbis who formulated Havdalah drew these distinctions from the Torah, from places where the biblical text uses the same word, l’havdil (to separate), that gives us the name of this ceremony. As we can see from their recorded conversation in the Talmud, these four were not the only options available to them. In the tenth chapter of Talmud tractate Pesahim, the rabbis discuss Havdalah at some length. They conclude that, strictly speaking, naming only one distinction — that between Shabbat and the other six days of the week — is necessary for the ceremony. And yet, in the spirit of beautifying and elaborating the ritual, they noted that as many as four other distinctions could be added to the list. They are: …between the ritually impure and the ritually pure; between the sea and the dry land; between the upper waters and the lower waters [a reference to the second day of creation]; between the priests, Levites, and Israelites. (Pesahim 104a) Not all of these additional items imply a strong value judgment. Can we say which is greater, sea or dry land? And when God created the sky above and the sea below by separating the waters, and then subsequently populated each with birds and fish respectively, was there a strong sense that one was better than the other? This longer list allows for the idea that there can be distinctions between two things that have equal value. (And one would certainly hope this is the case for Israel, the Levites, and the priests as well.) Toward the end of the Talmudic discussion of Havdalah, we find this argument about the final concluding blessing of the ceremony: What formula should be used to conclude the blessing of Havdalah? Rav said the blessing should conclude with the phrase: Who sanctifies Israel. And Shmuel said the concluding phrase is: Who distinguishes between sacred and profane. Abaye, and some say it was Rav Yosef, cursed those who concluded the blessing in accordance with that opinion of Rav. (Pesahim 104a) Shmuel argues that the final blessing should point back to the main purpose of Havdalah — distinguishing between the sacred (Shabbat) and the profane (the six days of the week). But Rav suggests a different closing formula, “who sanctifies Israel.” Rav is likely using this formula because it echoes the conclusion of Kiddush on Friday night (“who sanctifies Shabbat”), creating a beautiful set of liturgical brackets around Shabbat. But Abaye vociferously condemns this formulation, whatever its literary merit, cursing those who close Havdalah by thanking God for sanctifying Israel. We could understand him to be registering disgust with those who would conclude the holiest day of the week with a statement of Jewish superiority.

https://youtu.be/VLCLZEwPLTQ Rosh Hashana I / רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה יוֹם א׳ Tuesday, 7 September 2021 / 1 Tishrei 5782 Torah Portion: Genesis 21:1-34; Numbers 29:1-6 1: Genesis 21:1-4 · 4 p’sukim 2: Genesis 21:5-12 · 8 p’sukim 3: Genesis 21:13-21 · 9 p’sukim 4: Genesis 21:22-27 · 6 p’sukim 5: Genesis 21:28-34 · 7 p’sukim maf: Numbers 29:1-6 · 6 p’sukim Haftarah: I Samuel 1:1 - 2:10 · 38 p’sukim This portion focuses on Sara giving birth to Isaac at the age of 90 after having been barren all of her life. Isaac is circumcised at eight days. Sara then implores Abraham to send off Hagar and Ishmael because she doesn’t want Isaac to be influenced by their pagan practices and Ishmael seems to be harassing Isaac. When in the wilderness, an angel saves Hagar and Ishmael from dying of thirst by point out a well. The angel then assures Hagar that Ishmael will be the father of a people. Some say that Ishmael, during this time, repented his aggressive ways. Rosh Hashana II / רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה יוֹם ב׳ Wednesday, 8 September 2021 / 2 Tishrei 5782 Torah Portion: Genesis 22:1-24; Numbers 29:1-6 1: Genesis 22:1-3 · 3 p’sukim 2: Genesis 22:4-8 · 5 p’sukim 3: Genesis 22:9-14 · 6 p’sukim 4: Genesis 22:15-19 · 5 p’sukim 5: Genesis 22:20-24 · 5 p’sukim maf: Numbers 29:1-6 · 6 p’sukim Haftarah: Jeremiah 31:1 - 31:19 · 19 p’sukim This portion is the story of the Akeidah, the binding of Isaac. Abraham is told by Hashem to bring Isaac and offer him to Hashem. While at first Isaac doesn’t know what’s happening, he then willingly submits. Before Abraham is able to strike Isaac with his knife, an angel stays his hand. They then see a ram stuck in the thicket and sacrifice the ram instead. This demonstrates that Hashem does not want human sacrifices and sets the stage for using the shofar, the ram’s horn, in our religion, which honors the ram. This portion ends describing the lineage of Rebecca, who will become Isaac’s wife.

Happy Rosh Hashana Happy New Year יום תרועה ראש השנה Rosh Hashana / רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה Rosh Hashana (The Jewish New Year) for Hebrew Year 5782 begins at sundown on Monday, 6 September 2021 and ends at nightfall on Wednesday, 8 September 2021. Rosh Hashanah (Hebrew: ראש השנה), (literally "head of the year"), is the Jewish New Year. It is the first of the High Holidays or Yamim Noraim ("Days of Awe"), celebrated ten days before Yom Kippur. Rosh Hashanah is observed on the first two days of Tishrei, the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar. It is described in the Torah as יום תרועה (Yom Teru'ah, a day of sounding [the Shofar]) Information about Rosh Hashanah Join us for our High Holiday Services for Rosh Hashahah Erev Rosh Hashanah 1, Mon, Sept 6 at 7:00 pm PT Rosh Hashanah Shacharit 1, Tues, Sept 7 at 9:30 am PT Erev Rosh Hashanah 2, Tues, Sept 6 at 7:00 pm PT (Zoom) Rosh Hashanah Shacharit 2, Wed, Sept 8 at 9:30 am PT Zoom links to come. May you be inscribed in the Book of Life for a Happy and Healthy and Successful New Year!

https://youtu.be/VYegtJPIZw0 Parashat Vayeilech 5782 / פרשת וַיֵּלֶךְ Read on 11 September 2021 / 5 Tishrei 5782. Parashat Vayeilech is the 52nd weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. Torah Portion: Deuteronomy 31:1-31:30 https://tikkun.io/#/r/5-31-1 In Parashat Vayeilech, Moses told the Israelites to be strong and courageous, as God and Joshua would soon lead them into the Promised Land. Moses commanded the Israelites to read the law to all the people every seven years. God told Moses that his death was approaching, that the people would break the covenant, and that God would thus hide God's face from them, so Moses should therefore write a song to serve as a witness for God against them. Triennial year 2 1: 31:1-3 · 3 p’sukim 2: 31:4-6 · 3 p’sukim 3: 31:7-9 · 3 p’sukim 4: 31:10-13 · 4 p’sukim 5: 31:14-19 · 6 p’sukim 6: 31:20-24 · 5 p’sukim 7: 31:25-30 · 6 p’sukim maf: 31:28-30 · 3 p’sukim Haftarah: Hosea 14:2-14:10; Micah 7:18-7:20; Joel 2:15-2:27 · 25 p’sukim // Shabbat Shuva Moses announces the approaching end of his leadership and that Joshua will be taking over and leading Israel into the Promised Land. Moses is 120 years old and is done leading the people. He assures them that Hashem will defeat their enemies. He compels them to be strong and faith in G-d who will help them win the battles. He then encourages Joshua to be strong. Moses then writes down all the laws. He commanded the people that every seventh year, when they are not working the land, they are to travel to Jerusalem to hear the law read. (Some say this was mostly from Deuteronomy including the first two paragraphs of the “Shema”.) This was to include everyone, men, women, especially children, and even non-Jewish servants. G-d also tells Moses that, yes, the Israelites will stray from Torah. That is why all efforts should be taken to teach everyone Torah because for all the times they stray, they will ultimately come back. He then had the priests and Levites put the words of the Law by the side of the ark of the covenant.

This section of the Amidah is understood as one of thanks, but that's not the only way to read it. BY MJL The central Jewish prayer, the Amidah, is actually a series of blessings recited three times daily and customized to the particular occasions on which it is said. There’s a regular weekday Amidah, a special Amidah for each of the four times it is recited on Shabbat (evening, morning, Musaf and afternoon), and versions particular to the major Jewish festivals. But regardless of when it is said, the Amidah always begins with the same three blessings and ends with the same three blessings. The second of the three standard closing blessings, known as Modim, begins like this: .מוֹדִים אֲנַחְנוּ לָךְ, שָׁאַתָּה הוּא ה’ אֱלֹהֵינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד. We gratefully thank You, for You are the Lord our God, are God of our ancestors, for all eternity. The Hebrew word modim, translated here as “thank,” is from the same root as Modeh Ani, the first prayer Jews traditionally recite upon awakening in the morning. Both prayers are typically understood as prayers of thanksgiving — Modeh Ani for waking from sleep, and Modim for God’s kindness and salvation. But in the Talmud, the word “modeh” has a different connotation entirely — it means to defer or concede, as in an argument. In modern Hebrew, the word can also mean admit or confess. Both the content and the choreography of Modim can be said to fit more seamlessly with the notion of deference than thanks. Modim is one of a handful of times during the daily prayer service when Jews bend the knees and tip forward slightly in a bow — more a gesture of humble submission than gratitude. The content of what we are supposedly thanking God for in Modim also fits better with the notion of deference. The prayer continues: We thank You [or “defer to you”] and recount Your praise for our lives. We trust our lives into Your loving hand. Our souls are in Your custody and Your miracles are with us every day and Your wonders and goodness are with us at all times: evening, morning and noon. You are good, for Your mercies never fail us, and the Compassionate One, for Your loving kindness never ceases; forever we have placed our hope in You. The theme of Modim is best described as trust: Our souls are in God’s hands, God’s mercy is always with us, God’s love never ceases, miracles abound. On weekdays, we come to Modim in the Amidah after a series of requests — for health, wisdom, prosperity, and more. These blessings are offered in a spirit of optimism, in the hope that through our own efforts and God’s beneficence we can secure the essentials of a happy life. They are about actively shaping our lives for the better. But when we arrive at Modim, our tone shifts from beseeching to acceptance (or reminding ourselves to accept). Ultimately many things are out of our hands, despite our prayers and best efforts. The human impulse in such cases is often anger and resistance. Modim reminds us that a better approach is often acceptance of what life throws at us. And if we can achieve that, it’s really is something to be grateful for.

https://youtu.be/8QnLlJUBy9A Parashat Nitzavim / פרשת נִצָּבִים Read on 4 September 2021 / 27 Elul 5781. Parashat Nitzavim is the 51st weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. Torah Portion: Deuteronomy 29:9-30:20 https://tikkun.io/#/r/5-29-9 In Parashat Nitzavim, Moses told the Israelites that all the people stood before God to enter into the covenant, violation of which would bring on curses, but if they returned to God and heeded God's commandments, then God would take them back in love and bring them together again from the ends of the world. Moses taught that this Instruction was not beyond reach, and Moses put before the Israelites life and death, blessing and curse, and exhorted them to choose life by loving God and heeding the commandments. Triennial Year 2 4 Sep 2021 1: 29:9-11 · 3 p’sukim 2: 29:12-14 · 3 p’sukim 3: 29:15-28 · 14 p’sukim 4: 30:1-6 · 6 p’sukim 5: 30:7-10 · 4 p’sukim 6: 30:11-14 · 4 p’sukim 7: 30:15-20 · 6 p’sukim maf: 30:15-20 · 6 p’sukim Haftarah: Isaiah 61:10 - 63:9 · 23 p’sukim This is Moses’ last day of life, and he gathers everybody together to reëstablish the covenant, everyone who is here and everyone who is not here. He reminds them of the abominations of the detestable idols they have seen in the past 40 years of wanderings. He warns them not to indulge in them for Hashem’s anger will flair up against them if they do. The people may, and probably will, stray from Hashem, and their lives will be a struggle. They will eventually realize their errors and return and be prosperous once more. Torah is accessible and available to everyone.

Two blessings said every day invoke the High Holiday mood of returning to God. BY RABBI DANIELLE UPBIN The sages taught: “Repent one day before your death.” Since it is impossible to know when we are going to die, we are expected to repent every day as if it could be our last. This principle explains two blessings we say daily in the weekday Amidah that express contrition for our wrongdoings and ask God to forgive us and lead us toward repentance. The blessings read as follows: הֲשִׁיבֵנוּ אָבִינוּ לְתוֹרָתֶךָ. וְקָרְבֵנוּ מַלְכֵּנוּ לַעֲבוֹדָתֶךָ וְהַחֲזִירֵנוּ בִּתְשׁוּבָה שְׁלֵמָה לְפָנֶיךָ. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה’, הָרוֹצֶה בִּתְשׁוּבָה Return us, our Father, to Your Torah, and draw us near, our King, to Your service. Cause us to return to You in perfect repentance before Your face. Blessed are You, O Lord, Who desires repentance. סְלַח לָנוּ אָבִינוּ כִּי חָטָאנוּ. מְחַל לָנוּ מַלְכֵּנוּ כִּי פָשָׁעְנוּ. כִּי מוֹחֵל וְסוֹלֵחַ אָתָּה. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה’, חַנּוּן הַמַּרְבֶּה לִסְלחַ Forgive us our Father for we have sinned, pardon us our King for we have willfully transgressed, for You pardon and forgive. Blessed are You, O Lord, Who is gracious and ever willing to forgive. These benedictions follow the blessing asking God for wisdom and understanding (Ata Chonen), and this is not a coincidence. The intellect directs us to choose how we wish to live, as well as how to forgive. Through this window of self-knowledge, we ask God to pardon and forgive us when we have strayed from the path. God’s forgiveness in turn, allows us to forgive ourselves as well as others who have hurt us. These two benedictions are the only ones in the Amidah that appeal to God as avinu malkeinu, 
“our Father, our King,” a turn of phrase associated with the High Holiday liturgy as well as other days of fasting and petition. These words link us to the time of year when we are most conscious of the process of repentance, but they also remind us of our vulnerability every day — not just during the High Holiday season. We appeal to God as a parent to welcome us back with tender loving arms. And we appeal to God as king, to ask for leniency and mercy, even as we are subjected to the rule of law. The first of the two blessings, Hashivenu, echoes the ways in which we are partners with God, upholding the pillars of creation. As the rabbis taught: “The world stands on three things: Torah, service, and good deeds.” (Pirkei Avot 1:2) The path of return is paved with the study of our holy texts, prayer (“service” in the Talmud refers to prayer), and the transformation that comes with doing for others. Returning to God requires the engagement of mind, spirit, and physical action. Hashivenu reminds us that this triad of tools is never beyond our reach. The tandem benediction, S’lach Na, adds a physical dimension to the process of return. Reminiscent of the choreography on Yom Kippur, these opening words are recited while beating our heart — not too hard, and no more than two times. This ritual evokes the sensation of contrition and remorse. On a spiritual level, we knock on our heart’s door to soften it and open ourselves to God’s compassion and pity. The technical language of repentance is also employed in both these blessings. S’lach (forgive) implies beseeching God to forgive our sins, as a child might turn to a parent. M’chal is a legal term, connoting forgiveness of a debt. We appeal to God as a ruler — not only to forgive us, but also to nullify any punishment that would have been meted out for our wrongdoing. Although we may deserve punishment, we appeal to God to accept our repentance nonetheless. The presence of these two blessings in the Amidah reminds us that repentance and returning to God is a persistent, daily act. The rabbis who penned these prayers wanted us to know that there is always another chance to improve ourselves and our relationship with God and with others. In the quiet space of prayer, we can carve out our good intentions and plan our next step forward. In these moments, we invoke God’s attributes of protection and mercy to help us confront our flaws and change them — not because of who we are, but because of who God is — a gracious and forgiving deity.

https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/an-aramean-destroyed-my-father/ Commentaries on the Haggadah contrast the evil of Laban with Pharaoh and see Laban as a symbol for political, sociological, and psychological evil. BY JEFFREY SPITZER One of the most difficult texts in the Haggadah is "arami oved avi." This verse from Deuteronomy 26:5, translated as "my father was a wandering Aramean," is part of the formula that was recited when the first fruit offerings were brought to the Temple in ancient times. The Haggadah includes the classic interpretation of the verse, reading it as "an Aramean destroyed my father." Who is the Aramean mentioned in this ritual formula? In this article, the author looks at this verse, which is at the center of the Haggadah, alongside the verse’s rabbinic interpretation–which differs dramatically from the Torah text–and the numerous commentaries surrounding it that have arisen over the centuries. "They pour him a second cup, and here the child asks the parent [about what makes this night different]–and according to the child’s understanding, the parent teaches, beginning with shame and concluding with praise, interpreting from arami oved avi (‘My father was a wandering Aramean’) until he finishes the entire passage" (Mishnah Pesachim 10:4). This passage in the Mishnah defines what is seen as the core of the Haggadah. The traditional Passover Haggadah includes a long section of midrash (rabbinic interpretation) in which the verses Deuteronomy 26:5-8 are dissected and associated with other verses and interpreted in light of the spiritual and political history of the Jewish people. The traditional text of this midrash begins: "Come and learn what Laban the Aramean sought to do our father Jacob. For Pharaoh issued his edict against only the males, but Laban sought to uproot all, as it is said, ‘An Aramean would have destroyed my father, and he went down to Egypt and he became there a nation, great, mighty and populous.’" The Haggadah understands the word oved (wandering) as ibed (destroyed), changing the vocalization of the word. Read this way, Laban the Aramean destroyed my father, that is, Jacob. Of course, Laban did not destroy Jacob; they made a covenant not to kill each other. Consequently, Laban is usually seen as one who would have destroyed Jacob. It should be noted that while the great French commentator Rashi (1040-1105) accepts this reading, the Spanish commentator Ibn Ezra (1089-1164) strongly rejects it, noting the problem with the grammar and the non sequitur with "and he went down to Egypt." According to Ibn Ezra, the verse refers to Jacob, who, when he was in Aram, was lost. Rashbam (c. 1085-1174) also rejects (his grandfather) Rashi’s interpretation, but argues that the verse more appropriately applies to Abraham, who can correctly be identified as an Aramean. The following passages, drawn from commentaries to the Passover Haggadah, understand this passage about the Aramean as different kinds of threat to the people of Israel. Gleanings: Deriving Intention "An Aramean wanted to destroy my father." Since Laban did not actually succeed in doing evil to our father Jacob, we must derive his intentions from his words. He himself admitted, "It is in my power to do harm to you" (Genesis 31:29), and this shows his evil intention. Laban wanted to root out the whole, to kill the mother and child when he says "The daughters are mine and their children are mine, and the flocks are mine, and all that you see is mine" (Genesis 31:43), that is, they should be mine, if God had not prevented me. –Isaac ben Judah Abarbanel (1437-1508), Portuguese philosopher and scholar, from his commentary on the Haggadah, written in 1496 Destroying Jacob’s Fatherhood An Aramean wanted to destroy my fatherhood. When Laban said, "The daughters are mine and their children are mine, and the flocks are mine," he wanted them to still be his and be called by his name. In this, he wanted to destroy Jacob’s fatherhood, that is, his title of "father." In truth [Rachel and Leah] had said "Are we not as strangers to him (i.e., to our father, Laban)?" that is, Laban no longer had the title of "father" over them. –Rav Tzadok haKohen of Lublin (1823-1900), Polish Hassidic Tzaddik , Sefer Dover Tzedek Laban vs. Pharaoh Why does the Haggadah consider Laban worse than Pharaoh? Jacob and his sons went down to Egypt because Joseph was already there. Joseph had been sold by his brothers into Egypt because his brothers had envied the way their father favored their youngest brother, who was born in Jacob’s old age. Joseph was born in Jacob’s old age because Rachel’s marriage had been delayed. Rachel’s marriage had been delayed because Laban tricked Jacob by giving him Leah rather than Rachel as a wife. Had Jacob married Rachel first, Joseph would have been the firstborn and his brothers wouldn’t have envied him and wouldn’t have sold him into slavery. If he had not been sold into slavery, Jacob and his sons would not have gone down to Egypt. If they had not gone down to Egypt, their descendants would not have been enslaved under Pharaoh. We learn from all this that if it had not been for the act of deceit of Laban, there would not have been a Pharaoah as we know him. –R. Azriel Hildesheimer (1820-1899), German rabbi and educator, from his haggadah commentary, Hukkat HaPesach The First Exile of Israel (i.e., Jacob) The key to the Haggadah’s midrash on arami oved avi is the covenant with Abraham cited earlier in the Haggadah, "?your seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them and they shall afflict them? Afterward they shall come out with great wealth?and the fourth generation shall come here again" (Genesis15:13-16). The language of the text–"stranger (gerut)," "serve (avdut)," and "afflict (inuy)"–applies not only to Israel, but to Jacob who lived in a strange land, served Laban, and was afflicted by him. Then Jacob left Laban’s service with great wealth (and with Laban chasing after him), and his children (the fourth generation) returned to the land. Laban’s persecution of Jacob confronts us with the image that this cycle of exile, persecution, and return predated our enslavement and redemption from Egypt and reinforces the Haggadah’s message that redemption can and does recur in every generation. — Devora Steinmetz, "An Aramean in Every Generation" (unpublished paper), Assistant Professor of Talmud, Jewish Theological Seminary of America Hatred Without Reason How can it say "Pharaoh decreed against only the males"? Does scripture not say, "The enemy said:? I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them" (Exodus 15:9)? Pharaoh wanted to destroy the whole! The Haggadah’s intention is to say that in every generation there are those who stand against us and hate us without any reason. Consequently, the Haggadah does not recall the hatred of Esau, who had a reason to hate since Jacob took his blessing, and the pursuit by Pharaoh after Israel was in order to return them to Egypt; if they would not return, then he would make war against them. But Laban had no reason to hate Jacob who had done so much good for him, and similarly, Pharaoh’s decree against the male children was without reason. –Rabbi Judah Loew (Maharal) of Prague, (1525-1609) Sefer Gevurot Hashem, 54, published in the Ostrog Haggadah Still Seeking Destruction An Aramean destroys my father. The word oved is present tense and means destroys. Laban was always trying to destroy Jacob and even today, the forces that he represents are still seeking the destruction of Israel. –R. Zalman Sorotzkin (1881-1966), Lithuanian rabbi and communal leader, from his posthumously published Haggadah commentary, Sefer HaShir vehaShevach The Enemy Within The Haggadah teaches us through Laban’s example that Jews ought to fear the enemy within as much or even more than the enemy without. While non-Jewish persecutors, such as Pharaoh, have taken their toll of Jewish lives throughout history, even more Jews have been lost through the blandishments of the Labans of the world. Those presumably close to us–our "family"–have caused more danger to the Jewish community through the scourge of assimilation. Their kiss has been the kiss of death. –Rabbi Shlomo Riskin, modern Orthodox rabbi and leader of the Jewish community of Efrat, The Passover Haggadah (KTAV, 1983) Evil Inclination I remember when I was a little child at the seder of [my grandfather], Rabbi Jacob Aryeh, I heard from his holy mouth concerning [the verse, "an Aramean would have destroyed my father"] that there are two kinds of yetzer hara (evil inclination). The first is like Esau; it kills through the temptation to sin, which causes a person to forfeit both this life and the life of the world to come. This is the common form, which affects average people. There is, however, another form of the yetzer hara that is like Laban the Aramean, which convinces a person that a mitzvah (a commandment) is a sin or that a sin is a mitzvah. And this kind of yetzer hara can come against even a tzaddik (a righteous person), since it comes through trickery (rama’ut, a pun on Aramean). And this is what the Haggadah means by saying that Laban wanted to uproot the whole, since this kind of yetzer hara can affect everyone, including the righteous. This is what I heard from my grandfather, and his face was lit up like a flame and he appeared like an angel. –Rabbi Jacob Aryeh ben Solomon Guterman of Radzymin (1792?1874), Polish Hassidic Tzaddik quoted by his grandson Aaron Menahem Mendel, Haggadah Commentary Tzemach Menahem Shame to Praise In Temple times, people would recite this passage from Deuteronomy when they brought their first fruits on Shavuot. The Mishnah describes its use in the seder as part of the teaching that proceeds from shame to praise. The shame is the desperation brought on by hunger; the root oved is the same as the root of the word in the second paragraph of the shema "[if you stray from God,] the land will stop producing its fruit and you will quickly perish (v’avad’tem) off of the good land" (Deuteronomy 11:17). "My ancestors were starving Arameans." The person bringing the first fruits to the Temple in Jerusalem remembers the shame of the famine that led his ancestor Jacob and the Jewish people into slavery in Egypt and praises God for the redemption from Egypt and the restoration to the Land of Israel with its abundant harvest. The person at the seder recalls this hunger with his invitation, "Let all who are in need, come and eat." And throughout Passover, we remind ourselves of our blessings by eating lehem oni, the bread of poverty. –Rabbi Roy Tanenbaum, Congregation Beth Tzedec, Toronto

https://youtu.be/B3pZCJMhwSk Parashat Ki Tavo / פרשת כִּי־תָבוֹא Read on 28 August 2021 / 20 Elul 5781. Parashat Ki Tavo is the 50th weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. Torah Portion: Deuteronomy 26:1-29:8 https://tikkun.io/#/r/5-26-1 Parashat Ki Tavo tells of the ceremony of the first fruits (בִּכּוּרִים, bikkurim), tithes, and the blessings from observance and curses (תוֹכֵחָה, tocheichah) from violation of the law. Triennial Year 2 28 Aug 2021 1: 26:12-15 · 4 p’sukim 2: 26:16-19 · 4 p’sukim 3: 27:1-3 · 3 p’sukim 4: 27:4-8 · 5 p’sukim 5: 27:6-10 · 5 p’sukim 6: 27:11-28:3 · 19 p’sukim 7: 28:4-6 · 3 p’sukim maf: 29:6-8 · 3 p’sukim Haftarah: Isaiah 60:1 - 60:22 · 22 p’sukim Ki Tavo starts off discussing the process of bringing the first fruits (the seven species—wheat, barley, vines, figs pomegranates, olives and date-honey) of their harvest to the priests/Cohenim after they settle the Promised Land. This is to thank Hashem for their bounty. They will recite a prayer that discusses how “A wandering Aramaen was my father who went down to Egypt…” and then discusses the Exodus. The Children of Israel are then to make sure they complete the three-year cycle of tithes (Cohenim, Levites, Needy) and affirm that they’ve completed that cycle. When the Israelites cross the Jordan, there are procedures to follow. They are to inscribe the commandments on twelve rocks and set them on an altar on Mount Ebal. They are then to offer peace offerings. Half of the tribes are then to stand on Mount Ebal and the other half on Mount Gerizim. The Levites will then pronounce blessings and curses—relating to extreme cases of irreligion and immorality—which the tribes will acknowledge. The parashat then, as in Leviticus, discusses the Tochahah, or “Warning”. It first enumerates blessings if the Israelites follow the commandments. It then enumerates a series of warnings, each set worse, as the Israelites continue to ignore the commandments. Finally, Moses states that the Israelites will indeed realize the error of their ways and return to Torah and Hashem will bless them once more.

https://youtu.be/LH2qyrpUzI8 Parashat Ki Teitzei / פרשת כִּי־תֵצֵא Read on 21 August 2021 / 13 Elul 5781. Parashat Ki Teitzei is the 49th weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. Torah Portion: Deuteronomy 21:10-25:19 https://tikkun.io/#/r/5-21-10 Parashat Ki Teitzei sets out a series of miscellaneous laws, mostly governing civil and domestic life, including ordinances regarding a beautiful captive of war, inheritance among the sons of two wives, a wayward son, the corpse of an executed person, found property, coming upon another in distress, rooftop safety, prohibited mixtures, sexual offenses, membership in the congregation, camp hygiene, runaway slaves, prostitution, usury, vows, gleaning, kidnapping, repossession, prompt payment of wages, vicarious liability, flogging, treatment of domestic animals, levirate marriage (יִבּוּם, yibbum), weights and measures, and wiping out the memory of Amalek. Triennial Year 2 - 21 Aug 2021 1: 23:8-12 · 5 p’sukim 2: 23:13-15 · 3 p’sukim 3: 23:16-19 · 4 p’sukim 4: 23:20-24 · 5 p’sukim 5: 23:25-24:4 · 6 p’sukim 6: 24:5-9 · 5 p’sukim 7: 24:10-13 · 4 p’sukim maf: 25:17-19 · 3 p’sukim Haftarah: Isaiah 54:1 - 54:10 · 10 p’sukim When Israelites go to war and a soldier sees a foreign woman of beautiful form, he may take her to be his wife after he has allowed her to look unattractive and mourn her family for thirty days. If a man has two wives, one hated and one loved and the first born son is from the hated wife, he still is entitled to his inheritance of double portion than any other sons. If a couple has a wayward and rebellious son who is steals to indulge his excesses and doesn’t mind his parents, they take him to the elders for judgment. If someone finds a lost beast or article and they don’t see the owner, they are to keep it until they find the owner and avoid human nature to keep the lost beast or article. Men and women should not dress in each other’s garb. In building a new house, take precautions so no one can fall off the roof. Do not mix different seeds in a vineyard and do not work an ox with a donkey. Put tzitzis on the corner of all garments. Unmarried women need to be respected. Any suspicions about her innocence need to be addressed and she needs to be protected from any man who wants to abuse her sexually. Certain peoples are dealt with differently. Egyptians and Moabites are respected, as well as Edomites who are our brothers and allowed after three generations to join Israel. Ammonites and Midianites are to be ostracized because they tried to entice Israel into depravity. Practice proper cleanliness and good hygiene in the camp. A runaway slave finds refuge. Give no-interest loans to Israelites in need as charity. There is no need to make a vow, but if you do, honor the terms. When you work in a field you may feed on the produce, but no more than to take care of your hunger. When husband and wife divorce and remarry, they do remarry again. A newlywed for the first year is exempt from military service. Collateral necessary for livelihood can not be kept as a pledge. A review of tzaaras for Lashon Harah. Out of dignity for a debtor, the collector may not intrude into their actual premises. Poor workers need to be paid immediately so they can support themselves. Parents and children are not punished for each others’ sins. Some of the field’s harvest must be left for the poor. If two witnesses conspire false testimony in a case, they are lashed forty times. If a husband dies without an heir, his brother will marry her and they shall bring forth an heir. If he refuses, there is a procedure. Always have honest weights and measures and be fair in business dealings. Finally, remember how Amelek attacked the weak and helpless and wipe them out.