One of the greatest Jewish scholars of all time, he was both a traditionalist and an innovator. BY DANNY MOSS Moses Maimonides, also known as the Rambam, was among the greatest Jewish scholars of all time. He made enduring contributions as a philosopher, legal codifier, physician, political adviser and local legal authority. Throughout his life, Maimonides deftly navigated parallel yet disparate worlds, serving both the Jewish and broader communities. Maimonides was both a traditionalist and an innovator. Although he endured his share of controversy, he nevertheless came to occupy a singular, unquestioned position of reverence in the annals of Jewish history. A Man of the World Moshe ben Maimon was born in 1138 or late 1137. “Maimonides” is the Greek translation of “Moses, son of Maimon,” whereas the acronym RamBaM (רמבּ״ם) is its Hebrew equivalent. He grew up in Córdoba, in what is now southern Spain. Reared in a prosperous, educated family, the young Maimonides studied traditional Jewish texts like Mishnah, Talmud and Midrash under the tutelage of his father, Maimon. (An accomplished scholar in his own right, Maimon was the intellectual scion of legendary halachist [Jewish legal scholar] Isaac Alfasi.) Maimonides also studied secular subjects like astronomy, medicine, mathematics and philosophy — a medieval “liberal arts” curriculum, so to speak. He was particularly captivated by the Greek philosophers Aristotle and Plotinus; their ideas persuaded him that reasoned inquiry was not only reconcilable with Judaism, but in fact its central discipline. Blessed with a prodigious memory and ravenous intellectual curiosity, Maimonides adopted an expansive view of wisdom. He had little patience for those who cared more about the prestige of scholars than the merits of their assertions and admonished his students: “You should listen to the truth, whoever may have said it.” (Commentary on the Mishnah, Tractate Neziqin) ADVERTISING Maimonides lived under Islamic rule for his entire life, and he both benefited and suffered greatly because of it. Maimonides spent his formative years in a society in which tolerant Muslim leadership catalyzed vibrant cultural exchange with its Jewish and Christian minorities. Islamic scholarship in particular influenced him, especially later in his life. Unfortunately, when Maimonides was 10 years old, a fundamentalist Berber tribe called the Almohads entered Córdoba and presented Jewish residents with three choices: conversion, exile or death. The Maimoni family chose exile, leaving Córdoba and eventually emigrating to Morocco in about 1160, when Maimonides was in his early 20s. Many scholars believe Maimonides may have outwardly practiced Islam during this period, not out of belief but in order to protect himself, and that he continued to practice Judaism secretly. In 1165, the Maimoni family set sail for Palestine. After a brief yet formative visit to the land of Israel, then under Crusader rule, they finally settled in Egypt in 1166 — first in Alexandria, and eventually in Fustat (part of present-day Cairo). Maimonides lived there until his death in 1204. Mishneh Torah and Guide of the Perplexed Despite his demanding schedule as a full-time physician, Maimonides wrote prolifically, composing philosophical works, ethical and legal response letters, medical treatises and, in his 20s, a commentary on the entire Mishnah. His most enduring masterworks are the Mishneh Torah and the Guide of the Perplexed. Although he wrote them at different times and for different audiences, modern scholars understand the Mishneh Torah and Guide to be highly interdependent. They project a unified and reason-based vision of the purpose of Jewish life. Mishneh Torah (written 1168-1178) Maimonides composed the Mishneh Torah (literally, a “repetition” or “second” Torah) over a 10-year period, continuing to edit it until his death. Comprising 14 books and nearly 1,000 chapters, it was the first ever comprehensive code of halakha (Jewish law). In writing the MT, Maimonides drew from earlier source, such as the Mishnah, Tosefta, Midrash and Talmud, with an encyclopedic memory and considerable attention to both intertextuality and literary aesthetics. His admiration for these works notwithstanding, he designed the MT to be so exhaustive and accurate that it would make all but the Torah itself obsolete. In his introduction, he instructs, “One should read the written Torah and then read [the MT]. Then he will know the oral Torah in its entirety, without needing to read any other text beside.” In order to make the Mishneh Torah accessible to the entire Jewish world, Maimonides organized it topically and composed it in clear, concise Hebrew. In a radical departure from tradition, Maimonides omitted from the MT both the names of earlier scholars and most of their opinions, preserving only those rulings he deemed correct. Critics attacked him for this decision, spawning an even greater literature that grows even to this day. Among his fiercest critics was Abraham ben David, the Ravad, (c. 1125-1198) a great Provençal Talmudist who criticized Maimonides for omitting his sources, among other things. Nonetheless, the Mishneh Torah inspired important scholars such as Rabbi Jacob ben Asher (c. 1269 – 1343) and Rabbi Joseph Caro (c. 1488 – 1575), two of the most important later codifiers, changing the landscape of Jewish thought forever. Guide of the Perplexed (written 1185-1190) While he envisioned a broad audience for the Mishneh Torah, Maimonides intended the Guide of the Perplexed primarily for students accomplished in both Jewish studies and philosophy. Concerned that the Torah’s fanciful stories and anthropomorphic depictions of God might lead such students to doubt the compatibility of scripture and reason (hence their perplexity), Maimonides sought to demonstrate that the two could in fact coexist. Unlike the MT, which is written in clear, accessible Hebrew, the Guide is written in a more difficult, less commonly understood Judeo-Arabic — the language of Jews living in Muslim lands at the time. In contrast to the Mishneh Torah, which is highly organized, the Guide, by Maimonides’ own admission, lacks any cogent order. Topics “… are scattered and entangled with other subjects…for my purpose is that the truths be glimpsed and then again be concealed, so as not to oppose that divine purpose..which has concealed from the vulgar among the people those truths especially requisite for [God’s] apprehension” (From the introduction to the Guide, as it appears in the 1963 translation by Shlomo Pines). Maimonides also seeded the Guide with inconsistencies, sometimes stating one thing but intending another. He believed that truly capable students would discern the “truth” in the end. His authorial circumlocutions were intended to safeguard particularly powerful and dangerous knowledge about God, creation, and the afterlife. Theological Secrets and Controversies Although he denied there was anything incompatible about Greek philosophy and Jewish teachings, Maimonides may nevertheless have secretly believed things that were anathema to normative Judaism. Scholars debate the particulars fiercely, though; we will likely never know all of his true views with certainty. We do, however, know the central points of contention. In his Commentary on the Mishnah, Maimonides outlined 13 principles of Jewish belief, itself a controversial undertaking in predominantly non-creedal Judaism. (Many Jews sing a poetic adaptation of these 13 principles called Yigdal at the end of Shabbat prayer services each week.) Maimonides’ third principle is that God has no body. Although a universal premise today, it was not necessarily so in 12th-century Judaism. In fact, some medieval mystics even wrote treatises detailing the measurements of God’s body. Maimonides taught that biblical descriptions of God are allegorical, intended to help humans better understand lofty matters. For instance, the Torah describes God’s finger (Exodus 31.18), hand (Exodus 9.3) and feet (Exodus 24.10). According to Maimonides, these descriptions are “…adapted to the mental capacity of the majority of humans, who recognize only physical bodies. The Torah speaks in the language of humanity. All these phrases are allegorical” (Mishneh Torah, Foundational Laws of the Torah, 1.9). Maimonides recognized that language is inadequate to describe a God who is beyond ordinary human cognition. Therefore, he famously proposed, in Guide of the Perplexed, describing God by negation: ‘God is not a physical body’; ‘God is not composed of distinct parts’, and the like. Another main point of controversy is Maimonides’ account of creation. Normative Judaism understands the creation story in the first chapter of Genesis as creatio ex nihilo (creation out of nothing). Aristotelian philosophy, however, posits that the universe is eternal, and thus was never “created” as such. Maimonides claimed to follow rabbinic tradition on this matter, but scholars disagree about what he really believed. Finally, Maimonides’ opinions about the afterlife (See Mishneh Torah, Laws of Teshuvah, ch. 8) drew both admiration and scorn. He taught that in olam ha-ba (lit., ‘the world to come’) the souls of the righteous unite in perfect contemplation of God. Some critics accused him of rejecting the eventual, individual salvation of the righteous known as t’khiat ha-meitim (resurrection of the dead). One of Maimonides’ most outspoken detractors during his lifetime was Samuel ben Eli, the head of the Gaonic Academy in Baghdad. So problematic was the afterlife controversy for Maimonides that he eventually (c. 1190) wrote Treatise on Resurrection, to indicate that he did, in fact believe in the resurrection of the dead. Maimonides died in 1204 and was buried in Tiberias, in the north of Israel, in accordance with his wishes. An epitaph on his tombstone, which many people continue to visit, compares him favorably to his biblical namesake: “From Moses to Moses there never arose another like Moses.” Recommended Reading about Maimonides Halbertal, Moshe, trans. Joel A. Linsider. Maimonides: Life and Thought. Princeton, NJ: Princeton UP, 2014. Kraemer, Joel L. Maimonides: The Life and World of One of Civilization’s Greatest Minds. New York: Doubleday, 2008. Maimonides, Moses ( Isadore Twersky, ed.) A Maimonides Reader. New York: Behrman House, 1972. Stroumsa, Sarah. Maimonides in His World: Portrait of a Mediterranean Thinker. Princeton, NJ: Princeton UP, 2009. Join Our Newsletter

https://youtu.be/YcR5gz_vRj8 Parashat Pinchas / פרשת פִּינְחָס Read on 3 July 2021 (23 Tamuz 5781). Parashat Pinchas is the 41st weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. Torah Portion: Numbers 25:10-30:1 Parashat Pinchas tells of Phinehas's killing of a couple, ending a plague, and of the daughters of Zelophehad's successful plea for land rights. After Pinchas had executed the prince from the tribe of Simeon and the princess from Midian, who were both shamefully displaying sexual activity in front of the Tent of Meeting, the people wanted to take vengeance on him. Hashem told Moses that Pinchas had acted rightly and had earned the High Priesthood succession for himself and his descendants. In fact, now the Children of Israel were commanded to “harass the Midanites and smite them” because they tried to seduce Israel into immorality. Moses and Elazar are now commanded to take a census of Israel. This is new generation set to enter the Promised Land and G-d wanted to take count of those who survived the plague (as punishment for succumbing to the sexual immorality) in the last portion. It was also to know how many males were available for battle. (Since the tribe of Simeon had many less men than the last census taken at the beginning of Numbers, the sages say that these are the people who engaged with the Midianite women). We now have the tale of the daughters of Zelophehad. Their father had died without producing any males and the women felt that they should still inherit their father’s land, even though they were women. G-d told Moses that the women speak correctly and that this is a new law, that when a man dies with only daughters as heirs, they do in fact inherit the father’s assets as would sons. There is also clarification of succession of heirs based on their relations. Moses then pleads with Hashem to be able to enter the Land again. G-d says “no”, but shows him the land. Moses then asks to be granted a successor to lead Israel to conquer Canaan and Hashem names Joshua ben Nun. The portion ends enumerating the various offerings for the mussaf (additional services) of the various holidays: Shabbat, Rosh Hodesh, Pesach, Shavuot, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Succot and Shemini Atzeret.

https://youtu.be/zdfHbzc9E5I Parashat Balak / פרשת בָּלָק Read on 26 June 2021 (16 Tamuz 5781). Parashat Balak is the 40th weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. Torah Portion: Numbers 22:2-25:9 In Parashat Balak, Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, tries to hire Balaam to curse Israel, Balaam's donkey speaks to Balaam, and Balaam blesses Israel instead. Balak, Moabite King, saw the Israelites moving through the wilderness and winning every battle waged. He was concerned that his people would be next. He sends for Balaam, a prophet (some say sorcerer), to come and curse the Children of Israel. Balaam had a reputation for being able to effectively curse, and Balak thought that Balaam by cursing Israel, could weaken them and prevent them from conquering the Moabites and Midianite. At first, Balaam refused because Hashem had approached him and told him not to curse the Israelites. The servants of Balak offered him more. Finally, Hashem approached Balaam again and told him to go if he wanted, but Hashem would tell him what to do if he did. Balaam set off and angered Hashem. Hashem sent an angel to block Balaam’s path. His she-donkey saw the angel and would not go. Balaam struck his donkey three times for refusing to go. The donkey then turned to Balaam and spoke to him, telling him an angel with a sword was blocking the way. Balaam’s eyes were opened and he saw the angel. The angel told him that he will say whatever words Hashem puts in his mouth. (Some sages contend that G-d gave the donkey the power of speech in this situation. Others contend that Balaam dreamed the whole incident. Prophets get messages from G-d during sleep.) Balaam met Balak and three times had him build seven altars and make seven offerings. Those three times as Balaam tried to pronounce curses, Hashem had him pronounce blessings. Balaam pronounced the third of the blessings, that the sages have instituted into our prayer service: “How goodly are your tents, O Jacob, your dwelling places, O Israel” (Num 24:5). Unsuccessful, Balak sent Balaam away. Balaam then tries a different approach. He sends Moabite women to seduce the Israelites into immorality and worshipping their idols. Hashem then tells Moses to have the elders tell the leaders to execute the idol-worshippers. Finally, Pinchas, Aaron’s grandson, executes an Israelite who consorts with a Moabite princess in front of Moses and the elders.

https://youtu.be/jdOeft_cZ4E Parashat Chukat / פרשת חֻקַּת Read on 19 June 2021 (9 Tamuz 5781). Parashat Chukat is the 39th weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. Torah Portion: Numbers 19:1-22:1 Parashat Chukat sets out the laws of corpse contamination (tumat hamet) and purification with the water of lustration prepared with the Red Cow (פָרָה אֲדֻמָּה, parah adumah, also called the “Red Heifer”). It also reports the deaths of Miriam and Aaron, the failure of Moses at the Waters of Meribah, and the conquest of Arad, the Amorites, and Bashan. This portion discusses the ritual of the Red Cow. A cow which is completely red, never had a yoke, is burned completely. The ashes are mixed with pure water in a clay vessel to purify anyone who was contaminated by touching a human corpse. The person is contaminated for seven days and is purified on both the third and seventh day. This is a decree, a law for which the rational reason has not been logically discerned. Some believe that the Red Heifer is to atone for the sin of the Golden Calf. This is why the cow was chosen. It is red because that is the color of sin. It is burned completely the same way the gold was burned to be molded into the shape of the Golden Calf. The portion then records the deaths of Miriam and Aaron. Thirty-eight years have passed. First Miriam dies and is buried. The presence of Miriam was responsible for water becoming available every three days. With her death, there was no water. The people of Israel complained to Moses and Aaron. Hashem told Moses to speak to the rock to bring forth water. Moses then struck the rock two times and water burst forth. Hashem told Moses that because he did not sanctify Him in front of the Children of Israel, he would not be allowed to enter the Promised Land. Israel came to the land of Esau/Edom. They asked to use their roads but Edom would not allow it. They then had to take a different route. Aaron then went off to die. Hashem told him to take his son Elazar with him to a cave which will be his sepulcher. Aaron took off his priestly garments, dressed Elazar in them as his successor and then died. The people then complained about having unsubstantial food. Hashem sent fiery serpents to attack them. The people then repented, and Hashem had Moses place a fiery serpent on top of his staff. This way, anyone who stared at it was looking upward towards Heaven and thus gazing at Hashem. That way, they would be healed. Israel then came to the lands of Sihon and Og. Those lands would not let them pass, but they battled them and won.

https://youtu.be/DloN01m0ETE Parashat Korach / פרשת קוֹרַח Read on 12 June 2021 (2 Tamuz 5781). Parashat Korach is the 38th weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. Torah Portion: Numbers 16:1-18:32 Korach, a Levite, leads a rebellion against Moses and Aaron. While some sages disagree—and the Torah doesn’t always necessarily follow chronologically—many other sages believe this incident followed, and was the result of, the decree that the Children of Israel over the age of twenty would die in the Wilderness. There was a lot of discontent among the general population for Korach to try and become the new High Priest. Moses and Aaron consulted Hashem and set up a test for who would be the true leaders. Both Aaron and his priests, and Korach and his followers would take their incense pans and offer to G-d. G-d accepted Aaron’s incense and Korach and his 250 followers were swallowed up by the earth. At the same time, Dathan and Abiram, from the tribe of Reuben, tried also to lead a rebellion against Moses. They felt that being from the tribe of the first born, it should have been them, not the Levites, who should serve as priests and ministers. They, too, were swallowed up by the earth. (The sons of Korach will become righteous people. They composed Psalms 45 – 49. One of their psalms, 48, is the Psalm of Day Two/Monday). Some of the Children of Israel, seeing what happened to Korach, Dathan and Abiram, complained against Moses and Aaron, thinking that they had caused their deaths. Hashem started a plague against the complainers and Moses quickly had Aaron bring his incense pan to the Tabernacle to make atonement for the people, and the plague stopped. The people needed more proof that Hashem had chosen Aaron. Moses had each of the heads of each tribes bring their staffs to him. In the morning, only Aaron’s staff had almonds on it. Hashem then declares that Aaron’s family will be the Cohanim, the priests, of the Temple. They will eat the offerings that Israelites bring to the Tabernacle. G-d also tells Aaron that the first born of every human and beast will be consecrated to Him after 30 days of life. The Levites will have no share of the land in the Promised Land because Hashem is their heritage. They will receive the tithes (or one-tenth of the produce) as payment for service.

A curious feature of the poetry of this prayer hints at a key component of the quest for happiness. BY SARA ESTHER CRISPE Ashrei Remember in summer camp when they did that trust and bonding activity where you had to fall back with your eyes closed and hope that everyone standing there would catch you? Even when you were sure they would, really letting yourself fall was hard. That’s because falling requires us to be totally vulnerable and, for a moment, completely reliant on others. Yet that is what every healthy relationship needs. Perhaps the inability to fully trust and be vulnerable is at the core of why so many relationships fail? We often define strength and courage as independence and not needing others. But the Jewish perspective is quite the opposite. Being able to ask for help and to accept it is not an expression of weakness, but rather of our humanity. We were created to need one another. We were created to connect. And it is not just to one another that we need to bond, but ultimately and foundationally, to our Creator. Only when we can trust that we are never really alone in this world, that we are always loved and supported, are we stable enough to connect with others in a trusting way. This concept is at the root of the Ashrei prayer, which means “happiness.” The prayer is mainly a compilation of psalms (but mostly psalm 145) and is traditionally recited three times a day — twice in the morning and once in the afternoon. The Talmud even teaches us that one who recites Ashrei three times a day is guaranteed a place in the World to Come. A secure future is quite the promise for reciting this prayer. So how does Ashrei show us how to be happy? The prayer is organized alphabetically, with each verse corresponding to a successive letter in the Hebrew alphabet. Except for one. There is no verse for the 14th letter, the nun. The Talmud suggests that the nun verse is unnecessary because it is covered by the following verse, which begins with the Hebrew letter samech: “God supports all who are fallen….” In Hebrew, the word for support, somech, begins with a samech, and the word for fallen, noflim, begins with a nun. What is this really telling us? One of the messages is that a recipe for happiness is knowing wholeheartedly that in our most challenging times we are not alone, that when we fall, we will be supported. And since that message is so hard to remember when we struggle, we say it three times a day, with a double dose first thing in the morning. It’s not enough to say it once. It’s almost as if before we head out for the day, we need to repeat it. Say it again. Own it. And then, go out and impact that big world. And then, after a long day, we say it again. We end our day with the reminder that we made it. And while it’s sometimes hard to see, God has our back. Like all prayers, Ashrei isn’t said because God needs to hear it, but because we need to hear it. We need to believe it. We need to internalize it. And when we do, when we realize that if we fall we will always be caught, then we can move forward with determination, inspiration and gratitude. Read the complete text of Ashrei here. https://youtu.be/SEZlELiD9xI Sara Esther Crispe is a writer, motivational speaker, and life and relationships coach. She is the founder of LuminStory.org and co-director of Interinclusion, an educational non-profit celebrating the convergence between contemporary arts and sciences and timeless Jewish wisdom. She lives with her family in Danby, Vermont, where they run experiential Jewish retreats.

Recited at the end of Shabbat morning services, this beautiful poem does a lot with a little. BY RACHEL SCHEINERMAN https://youtu.be/-V0LVzea11E I’ve always been partial to Ein Keloheinu, the deceptively simple, upbeat hymn that signals the approaching close of Shabbat morning services. It’s fun to sing and it generally means that Kiddush and refreshments are forthcoming. But my appreciation for Ein Keloheinu — the title, also the first line, translates to “None is Like Our God” — is more than Pavlovian. Ein Keloheinu is simply and beautifully constructed, and it’s got a fascinating history. Ein Keloheinu was originally written to solve a problem. According to the Talmud (Menachot 43b), Jews are required to say 100 blessings each day. The regular weekday Amidah contains 19 blessings and is said three times daily, for a total of 57 blessings. When said in combination with other standard prayers, it’s not difficult to hit the 100 blessing mark. But on Shabbat, the Amidah contains only seven blessings of praise and thanks. The blessings of supplication that form the long core of the Amidah are omitted because on Shabbat Jews imagine themselves in a world so complete no supplications are needed. This means that on Shabbat there is a blessing deficit. Enter Ein Keloheinu, a rapid-fire blessing machine. Here’s the first verse: None is like our God None is like our Lord None is like our King None is like our Savior In English translation, each line is five words. But in the Hebrew, they’re only two words apiece. How’s that for efficiency? There’s more hidden in this compact blessing powerhouse. These four words for God — eloheinu (our God), adoneinu (our Lord), malkeinu (our King), moshienu (our Savior) — all come from the Bible and together review Israel’s relationship with God over the course of the entire Torah. The first, God, appears in the very first line of the Torah, Genesis 1:1. The second, Lord, comes from Genesis 15:2, and is the word Abraham uses to address God personally. The third, King, comes from the beautiful Shirat Hayam, the Song of the Sea, which Moses and the Israelites sang as they crossed the Reed Sea, grateful to have been redeemed from Egypt (Exodus 15:18). And the fourth, Savior, comes from the very end of the Torah, Deuteronomy 33:29, which describes God in that role. Together, these four epithets — God, Lord, King, Savior — provide a shorthand for Israel’s relationship to the Almighty. Ein Keloheinu uses these four names for God through five cycles of blessings. The second verse is much like the first in meaning but, Jeopardy-style, is phrased in the form of a question: Who is like our God? Who is like our Lord? Who is like our King? Who is like our Savior? Because the phrasing here reflects the prayer Mi Chamocha (“Who is like You?”), also derived from the Song of the Sea, this new formulation feels just a bit more personal. Now we come to the third verse: We thank our God We thank our Lord We thank our King We thank our Savior With this verse, Ein Keloheinu switches to explicit gratitude for God. And the fourth verse, similarly, blesses God: Blessed is our God Blessed is our Lord Blessed is our King Blessed is our Savior But the best verse comes last, because it switches to the most personal form of address, second person. It is the verse that draws God closest: You are our God You are our Lord You are our King You are our Savior And just like that, with five verses each composed of four lines of only two and sometimes three words a piece (for those keeping score, that’s a total of 44 words), Ein Keloheinu has allowed the pray-er to complete 20 unique blessings, review the history of God’s relationship with Israel as told in the Torah, and steadily draw God closer. Not bad for one of the fastest prayers in the book. Let’s eat!

https://youtu.be/O18EOa1r_L4 Parashat Sh'lach / פרשת שְׁלַח־לְךָ Read on 5 June 2021 (25 Sivan 5781). Parashat Sh'lach is the 37th weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. Torah Portion: Numbers 13:1-15:41 The parashah tells the story of the twelve spies sent to assess the promised land. Hashem tells Moshe Rabbeinu that he can send spies out to reconnoiter the Promised Land. Moses has the tribal chief select a man from each of the tribes to join the brigade, including Caleb ben Yefunneh and Hosea ben Nun. Moses adds a “yud” to Hosea’s name to call him “Yehoshua” of Joshua, which adds the oversight of G-d. The spies return after 40 days with very fertile produce (figs, grapes and pomegranates). Ten of the spies report that the Canaanites are huge and they were like “grasshoppers in their eyes”. While they were telling the truth, they described it in such a way that made the Israelites think they would not be able to defeat them. Caleb and Joshua step up and try to reassure the people that with everything that G-d has done for them, surely He will see to it that the Israelites are victorious. The people panic at the spies’ report and say that they wish they were back in Egypt so they wouldn’t have to die in battle. G-d tells Moses that He’s had enough of the people complaining and decrees that the people—those twenty years and older— will die in the Wilderness and their children will conquer the Holy Land. Moses is then informed about libations, offerings, to make atonement for unintentional sins. There are various levels—individuals and the priests, when they unintentionally observe a rite for an idol. They are also informed about the challah. This is the portion of grain that is used to make bread, that is separated as an offering for the priests. There is also an incident related about a man gathering wood on Shabbat. He had been warned not to do so and was seen by two witnesses. G-d tells Moses that he is to receive capital punishment. Finally, we receive the commandment of the fringes (צִיצִת, tzitzit). We are told to put fringes on the four corners of our garments. This has now become the third paragraph of the “Shema”.

https://shoutout.wix.com/so/9bNavwvEz?languageTag=en Happy Memorial Day Monday, May 31 Memorial Day 2021 in United States Memorial Day Memorial Day is an American holiday, observed on the last Monday of May, honoring the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. Memorial Day 2021 will occur on Monday, May 31. Early Observances of Memorial Day The Civil War, which ended in the spring of 1865, claimed more lives than any conflict in U.S. history and required the establishment of the country’s first national cemeteries. By the late 1860s, Americans in various towns and cities had begun holding springtime tributes to these countless fallen soldiers, decorating their graves with flowers and reciting prayers. Did you know? Each year on Memorial Day a national moment of remembrance takes place at 3:00 p.m. local time. It is unclear where exactly this tradition originated; numerous different communities may have independently initiated the memorial gatherings. And some records show that one of the earliest Memorial Day commemorations was organized by a group of formerly enslaved people in Charleston, South Carolina less than a month after the Confederacy surrendered in 1865. Nevertheless, in 1966 the federal government declared Waterloo, New York, the official birthplace of Memorial Day. Information about Memorial Day History of Memorial Day Memorial Day, as Decoration Day gradually came to be known, originally honored only those lost while fighting in the Civil War. But during World War I the United States found itself embroiled in another major conflict, and the holiday evolved to commemorate American military personnel who died in all wars, including World War II, The Vietnam War, The Korean War and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. For decades, Memorial Day continued to be observed on May 30, the date General Logan had selected for the first Decoration Day. But in 1968, Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which established Memorial Day as the last Monday in May in order to create a three-day weekend for federal employees. The change went into effect in 1971. The same law also declared Memorial Day a federal holiday. Check out my website

https://youtu.be/CRiD1f9JXpA Parashat Beha'alotcha / פרשת בְּהַעֲלֹתְךָ Read on 29 May 2021 (18 Sivan 5781). Parashat Beha'alotcha is the 36th weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. Torah Portion: Numbers 8:1-12:16 This portion starts out discussing the daily lighting of the Menorah. Then Aaron is told to consecrate the Levites to the service of Hashem. Every first-born is consecrated to Hashem and Hashem takes the Levites in place of the first born for His service. A Levite will apprentice in the Temple at age twenty-five for five years and serve from ages thirty to fifty. The Children of Israel are then commanded to observe the Pesach offering each year on the fifteenth day of the first month (Nissan). For those who either were contaminated by a corpse or were out on the road during that time, they can observe Pesach Sheni, a month later. This is observed only for one day. When the Tabernacle rested during the day a cloud would cover it. There would be a pillar of fire at night. The cloud would be lifted when they traveled. Moses was commanded to make two silver trumpets. Different sounds were used to muster the Children of Israel, to journey, to rest, or to wage war. They were also used to proclaim festivals and the New Month. Moses invites his father-in-law Jethro (also known as Hobab) to join them. Chapter 10, verses 35 and 36 form what some consider a separate book. We recite these words during our Shabbat Torah service: ׆ וַיְהִ֛י בִּנְסֹ֥עַ הָאָרֹ֖ן וַיֹּ֣אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֑ה קוּמָ֣ה ׀ יְהֹוָ֗ה וְיָפֻ֙צוּ֙ אֹֽיְבֶ֔יךָ וְיָנֻ֥סוּ מְשַׂנְאֶ֖יךָ מִפָּנֶֽיךָ׃ וּבְנֻחֹ֖ה יֹאמַ֑ר שׁוּבָ֣ה יְהֹוָ֔ה רִֽבְב֖וֹת אַלְפֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ ׆ {פ} "When the Ark was to set out, Moses would say: Advance, O LORD! May Your enemies be scattered, And may Your foes flee before You! And when it halted, he would say: Return, O LORD, You who are Israel’s myriads of thousands!" The people start complaining. They grew tired of just eating manna and the rabble among them (the mixed multitude that accompanied the Children of Israel) incited dissatisfaction by longing for what they said was the meat and fish they were fed in Egypt. Moses despairs and Hashem tells him to gather seventy elders (who would become the Sanhedrin, the highest court) to bear the burden of the complaints. G-d then tells Moses he will feed the people meat for a month. Hashem provided quail and Hashem then struck down the instigators of the complaint. Miriam and Aaron were concerned that Moses was not paying attention to his wife, Zipporah, as a husband should. They confronted him. Miriam came down with tza’arat for gossiping and intruding into Moses’ relationship. However, she quickly recovered and that demonstrated that even prophets and leaders are not above the commandments.

https://youtu.be/rrMOG6z5RM0 Parashat Nasso / פרשת נָשׂא Read on 22 May 2021 (11 Sivan 5781). Parashat Nasso is the 35th weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. Torah Portion: Numbers 4:21-7:89 This portion continues discussing the census and duties of the other Levite clans. The census was for those Levite men between the ages of thirty to fifty since they would be officiating. Gershon would carry the curtain and cover and lace-hangings. Merari would carry the planks, bars, pillars and sockets. They would also be assembling when they camped. The sedrah also discusses restitution for someone who has stolen. The sedrah then discusses the Sotah, or wayward wife. If a man suspects his wife of indiscretion or straying because she was secluded with a man in private, he brings the issue to the Cohen. The Cohen will arrange a procedure to prove her innocence or guilt. The Cohen prepares a meal offering and recites a passage. He then takes water, puts earth from the Tabernacle in it along with a scroll with the name of Hashem that will erase in the water. This is the only time Hashem allows His name to be treated this way. The woman then drinks the mixture. If her stomach distends and thigh collapses, she is guilty. If nothing happens, she is innocent and returns to her husband and bears children. This is the only supernatural judgement in the Torah. The sedrah then discusses the oath of the Nazirite. This is someone who wishes to achieve a situation of enhanced holiness. They take the oath for a period of time, typically at least a month. They abstain from wine and other grape products, do not cut their hair, or touch or handle a human corpse. At the end of his or her term, they will bring a ram for a wave offering along with unleavened loaves. They will shave their heads and burn the hair. The portion then states the priestly blessing. The portion closes with the dedication of the Tablenacle. Each head of each tribe in turn brings their offerings over the course of twelve days, each tribe for each of the days. Their offerings are: one silver bowl and a silver basin filled with fine flour; a gold ladle filled with incense; one young bull; one young ram; one young sheep; one ram; and two cattle, five rams, five he-goats and five sheep as well. This chapter also forms the various readings for Hanukkah.

The first prayer traditionally recited upon awakening in the morning is commonly translated as "I thank you," but that's not all it means. BY SARA ESTHER CRISPE YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE Modeh Ani: Beginning the Day with Gratitude PRAY Elohai Neshama: Breathing the Soul Alive PRAY Join Our Newsletter Empower your Jewish discovery, daily Email SIGN UP Be honest. What’s the very first thing you do in the morning? Hit the snooze button? Check email? Head straight for the coffee? Unless you’re a real morning person, getting out of a warm bed and starting your day is tough to do. And this is specifically why there is a prayer to be recited at the very moment we wake up, before we do or say anything else. מוֹדֶה אֲנִי לְפָנֶיךָ מלך חַי וְקַיָּם שֶהֶחֱזַרְתָּ בִּי נִשְׁמָתִי בְחֶמְלָה, רַבָּה אֱמוּנָתֶךָ Modeh ani l’fanecha, melech chai v’kayam, shehechezarta bi nishmati, b’chemla raba emunatecha I thank You, living and enduring King, for You have graciously returned my soul within me. Great is Your faithfulness. Most translations render Modeh Ani as some version of “I thank you.” And rightly so. There’s a concept in Jewish mysticism that sleep is 1/60 of death. We are by no means guaranteed to wake up in the morning, so when we do, it’s only proper that we take a moment to express gratitude for another day, for another opportunity to live our lives. It’s both ironic and unfortunate that so many of us groan in annoyance that we have to get up, without recognizing the incredible blessing that we are able to. The wording of Modeh Ani also offers a powerful lesson. Grammatically, it would be correct to say Ani modeh — “I thank You.” Yet, the words are in the reverse order, which translates literally as “Thank You, I.” The point is that the very first word that comes out of our mouths should be one of gratitude. We often spend the rest of our waking day focused on ourselves, our needs, our work. So we want to ensure that we never forget to have the foundation of our day be “Thank You.” Only after that has been said, do we mention ourselves. But Modeh Ani is about much more than gratitude. The word modeh can mean “thank,” but it can also mean “admit” or “surrender.” Thank is clearly about gratitude. Our lives are gifts. And another day means another opportunity to figure out why we are here and what we are supposed to be doing. Admit is the acknowledgment and verbalization of our gratitude. When we take an honest look at ourselves, we must admit that we have made mistakes. Nonetheless, we were given another chance to transform our reality. Often we allow our past to determine our present: If we messed up yesterday, chances are today we will again. With that mindset, it’s hard to motivate to even try. The opposite approach is problematic as well: If yesterday was amazingly positive and productive, we may rest on our laurels and fail to take responsibility for making today even better. This is why the Hebrew word for the past, avar, shares the same root as aveira, which means “sin.” Living in the past, relying on the past, focusing on the past, whether good or bad, is unhealthy. Our focus needs to be on the present, on today. So we begin the day with the admission that no matter who we have been up until now, today is a new opportunity to be that much more. Surrender is the recognition that there is something bigger than us, that the same God who gave us life is the God who takes it away. And until the morning comes when we are not gifted with another day, we want to ensure we never take for granted the day we are now blessed with. Modeh Ani: How to Say This Jewish Prayer Only after we thank, admit and surrender can we can focus on ourselves — who we are, what we are capable of, and who we want to be. And with this in mind and on our lips, we can get out of bed and start our day ready for the new opportunities that await us. Sara Esther Crispe is a writer, motivational speaker, and life and relationships coach. She is the founder of LuminStory.org and co-director of Interinclusion, an educational non-profit celebrating the convergence between contemporary arts and sciences and timeless Jewish wisdom. She lives with her family in Danby, Vermont, where they run experiential Jewish retreats.