Parashat Vayishlach 5781 https://youtu.be/hX5-_dP3Y4A Parashat Vayishlach / פרשת וַיִּשְׁלַח Read in the Diaspora on 5 December 2020 (19 Kislev 5781). Parashat Vayishlach is the 8th weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. In this week’s portion, Jacob prepares to meet Esau. He and his family has left the home of Laban and they are en route to Canaan, what will eventually be the Holy Land. Jacob goes ahead of them and has sent messengers ahead to reconnoiter. They come back to report that Esau is coming to meet him with 400 men. Jacob is concerned as he prepares to stay ahead of his family. During the night, he wrestles with a “man” who is actually an angel. (Some say it was Esau’s guardian angel). Jacob seems to defeat and the “man” dislocates his hip. Jacob still holds on to him and when morning comes, the “man” asks him to release him. Jacob demands he tell him his name, which the “man” refuses, but he says that Hashem will give him the name “Israel”. This will be in addition to his name “Jacob” (unlike “Abram” becoming “Abraham”), which means “he strives” and “prince”. Jacob takes three steps to meet Esau: he prays, he sends gifts as a tribute, and he divides his camp so that he and his men are in front, Leah and her maidservants and sons are behind him, and Rachel and Joseph are in the back. The sages say that this is how Jews should deal with foreigners who are in power. Esau surprises Jacob by greeting him with friendship. Some question his sincerity. He at first refuses Jacob’s gifts, saying he has more than enough (Isaac’s blessing). He then accepts the gifts and leaves. Jacob and his family continue on and they go their separate ways and settle in different places so that they have enough room to thrive. On the way, they get news that Rebecca, his mother, has died. Also on the way, Rachel gives birth to her second son, Benjamin, and also dies. Jacob and his family settle in Canaan near Shechem. Dinah goes out to meet the local girls and she is accosted by Shechem, the prince (same name as the area). Shechem decides he loves her asks for her to be his wife. Shechem’s father, the king, sees Jacob’s wealth and proposes that they intermarry their sons and daughters. Jacob’s sons are outraged that Dinah was raped, but seeing that they are outnumbered, they devise a plan. They tell the people of Shechem that they will agree to this only if they circumcise the men. Shechem agrees, seeing that this way they can get their wealth. During the third day, while all the men are in pain, Shimeon and Levi come in to the village during the night and kill all the males. The other sons come in and pillage. After they settle, Jacob has a vision, this time with Hashem. Hashem confirms that he will be known as “Israel”. This, however, does not preclude him being called Jacob as well.

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Parashat Vayeitzei Parashat Vayetzei / פרשת וַיֵּצֵא Read in the Diaspora on 28 November 2020 (12 Kislev 5781). Parashat Vayetzei is the 7th weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. Torah Portion: Genesis 28:10-32:3 In Parashat Vayetzei, Jacob has left his home fearing reprisal from his brother Esau for having got the blessing for the first born. He spends the night on Mount Moriah, where Abraham bound Isaac for sacrifice and later the Temple will stand. He arranges rocks as an altar to give thanks to Hashem and thus is Jacob credited with instituting the evening or Ma’ariv service. Jacob has a dream that night. He sees a ladder with angels going up and then coming down. Hashem is atop the ladder. Hashem tells him that the ground there will someday house the Temple and his descendants will spread out over the earth and prosper. The next day Jacob goes to Haran to Rebecca’s family. He stops at a well where some shepherds there confirm that his uncle Laban lives nearby and is well. His daughter Rachel shows up with the flock to water them. Jacob is attracted to her immediately and introduces himself as part of her extended family. Rachel takes him home to meet the family. Jacob asks Laban for Rachel to be his wife. Laban is disappointed that he does not have the wealth that his grandfather Abraham had. Laban tells Jacob he can work seven years for Rachel to be his wife. After the seven years are up, Jacob prepares to marry Rachel. The bride is veiled, and it is dark, so Jacob doesn’t see that he has married Rachel’s older sister Leah. Jacob confronts Laban in the morning and Laban tells him that the custom there is for the older daughter to be married first. Laban tells Jacob that after the week of nuptials with Leah, he can then marry Rachel as well, but he will have to work another seven years for her. Laban’s flocks increase and he becomes wealthy because Jacob works for him. Jacob favors Rachel over Leah. Leah first gives birth to four sons: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah. Rachel is barren, but gives her maidservant, Bilhah, to Jacob instead. Bilhah gives birth to Dan and Naphtali. Leah then allows her maidservant, Zilpah, to consort with Jacob. Zilpah gives birth to Gad and Asher. Leah then gives birth to two more sons, Zebulun and Issachar and she also gives birth to a daughter, Dinah. Finally, Rachel conceives Joseph. Jacob works for Laban for another six years. He makes a deal with Laban that for payment, he can keep any sheep or goats that are speckled or have markings on them, and Laban will keep the plain-colored animals. Jacob peels rods with markings on them and when the animals gaze on the peeled poles, they give birth to speckled, ringed and spotted animals. After twenty years, Jacob leaves with his family. Rachel has stolen her father Laban’s terrafim, which are idols. Laban chases after Jacob and accuses him of just leaving and stealing his terrafim. Laban had been warned by Hashem in a dream not to harm Jacob. Jacob confronts him that he has served him diligently the past twenty years even though Laban changed their arrangement a hundred times. After not finding the idols, Laban and his men leave. Jacob make a pact on Mount Gal-Ed. Jacob continues on his journey with his new family towards the Holy Land.

Parashat Toldot This week’s portion focuses on Yitzhak, Isaac, continuing the legacy of his father Abraham. Isaac has taken Rivka, Rebecca, as his wife. Rebecca is barren and prays to Hashem for children. Hashem tells her that she will have two sons who will contend with each other in her womb, which foreshadows their descendants’ conflicts as well. There is a famine in the land and they start to travel to Egypt to get food. While stopping in Phillistia, Hashem tells Isaac not to go to Egypt because he is too holy, having almost been sacrificed, to live with that pagan culture. The Canaanites there are attracted to Rebecca and Isaac, like Abraham, tells them she is his sister to avoid being killed so they can take her. The king, known as “Abimelech”, sees that the two are being romantic with each other, understands that they are in fact married and tells his people not to touch Rebecca. Esau is the first born of the fraternal twins. He is red-haired and ruddy complexion. He is strong and powerful and likes to hunt game. As the first born, he is entitled to Isaac’s legacy. Jacob is slighter of build. He is born right after Esau holding onto his heel. His name “Yaakob” come from the Hebrew word “ekev”, heel. He is more intellectual and likes to study Torah. When they grow up, Esau comes in from hunting. Jacob is cooking a red lentil stew (some say it is the meal of consolation for Abraham who has just died). He complains to Jacob that he is starving and wants to eat before he dies (he is being overly dramatic). Jacob makes him promise to give him his birthright in exchange for the food and Esau agrees, complaining what good is the birthright if he is dead. The Torah states that thus did Esau spurn his birthright. Years later, Isaac is old and believes that he is going to die soon. He tells Esau to go catch game and prepare a meal for him and he will give him his blessing, the blessing due him as the first born. Rebecca has been listening. She feels that Jacob is more suited to carry on the legacy and conspires with him to get the first-born blessing, not Esau, because Esau has married pagans and wouldn’t appreciate the concept of one, true G-d. When Esau departs, she goes to Jacob and tells him to get two of their own calves which she will prepare for a meal for Isaac. Since Isaac is almost blind, so she wants to make him think that Jacob is Esau so Jacob will receive those blessings. She then puts some of the skins on Jacob so he will feel hairy to Isaac. Isaac believes that Jacob is Esau and gives him the blessings to carry on the legacy of Abraham and him. Esau finally returns and Isaac realizes that he gave the blessing to Jacob, which he can not retract. Isaac then gives Esau a blessing that he will serve his younger brother, but he will vanquish his enemies. Esau says that he will kill Jacob after Isaac dies because he stole his birthright. Rebecca tells Jacob to leave to save himself and go to her brother Laban. Espanol: La porción de esta semana se enfoca en Itzjak, Isaac, continuando el legado de su padre Abraham. Isaac ha tomado a Rivka, Rebecca, como su esposa. Rebecca es estéril y reza a Hashem por los niños. Hashem le dice que tendrá dos hijos que competirán entre sí en su útero, lo que también presagia los conflictos de sus descendientes. Hay hambre en la tierra y empiezan a viajar a Egipto para conseguir comida. Mientras se detiene en Phillistia, Hashem le dice a Isaac que no vaya a Egipto porque es demasiado santo, casi siendo sacrificado, para vivir con esa cultura pagana. Los cananeos allí se sienten atraídos por Rebeca, e Isaac, como Abraham, les dice que ella es su hermana para evitar que la maten y poder llevársela. El rey, conocido como “Abimelec”, ve que los dos están siendo románticos entre ellos, entiende que de hecho están casados y le dice a su gente que no toque a Rebeca. Esaú es el primogénito de los gemelos fraternos. Es pelirrojo y de tez rubicunda. Es fuerte y poderoso y le gusta la caza. Como primogénito, tiene derecho al legado de Isaac. Jacob es de complexión más delgada. Nace justo después de que Esaú se aferrara a su talón. Su nombre "Yaakob" proviene de la palabra hebrea "ekev", talón. Es más intelectual y le gusta estudiar Torá. Cuando crecen, Esaú viene de cazar. Jacob está cocinando un guiso de lentejas rojas (algunos dicen que es la comida de consuelo para Abraham, que acaba de morir). Se queja a Jacob de que se muere de hambre y quiere comer antes de morir (está siendo demasiado dramático). Jacob le hace prometer que le dará su primogenitura a cambio de la comida y Esaú accede, quejándose de lo bueno que es la primogenitura si está muerto. La Torá declara que así Esaú despreció su primogenitura. Años más tarde, Isaac es viejo y cree que morirá pronto. Le dice a Esaú que vaya a cazar y le prepare una comida y le dará su bendición, la bendición que le corresponde como primogénito. Rebecca ha estado escuchando. Ella siente que Jacob es más adecuado para continuar con el legado y conspira con él para obtener la bendición del primogénito, no Esaú, porque Esaú se ha casado con paganos y no apreciaría el concepto de un Dios verdadero. Cuando Esaú se va, ella va a Jacob y le dice que consiga dos de sus propios terneros que preparará para una comida para Isaac. Ya que Isaac es casi ciego, ella quiere hacerle pensar que Jacob es Esaú para que Jacob reciba esas bendiciones. Luego le pone algunas de las pieles a Jacob para que Isaac se sienta peludo. Isaac cree que Jacob es Esaú y le da las bendiciones para continuar el legado de Abraham y él. Esaú finalmente regresa e Isaac se da cuenta de que le dio la bendición a Jacob, de la que no puede retractarse. Isaac luego le da a Esaú una bendición de que servirá a su hermano menor, pero vencerá a sus enemigos. Esaú dice que matará a Jacob después de que Isaac muera porque robó su primogenitura. Rebecca le dice a Jacob que se vaya para salvarse y que vaya con su hermano Labán.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE The Shema: How Listening Leads to Oneness PRAY The Shema PRAY There is no prayer more iconic within Jewish life as the Shema. Originally appearing in Deuteronomy, its words are recited numerous times, publicly and privately, throughout the course of each day. Its majesty lies in its sheer simplicity as the credo of the Jewish people: There is only one, true God. In the prayer book, the Shema is followed by three distinct and sometimes mystifying paragraphs. While many worshippers may be familiar with most of the words, they probably give little thought as to why these specific words are linked with the Shema. The first paragraph is in fact the most familiar and also the most logical in its inclusion: Veahavta et Adonai Elohecha — You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might. Just as these words follow the opening line of the Shema in the prayer book, they are also the very next verses in the Torah. The connection between the oneness of God and our obligation to devote our lives to follow Him are forever juxtaposed in our recitation. The next paragraph seems to go in a completely different, and even troubling, direction. On the surface, the words represent typical biblical expressions of obedience. Love God. Heed the commandments. Serve God with all your heart. If we do these things, we read, then God will provide all that we need. We’ll have rain in the proper season and an ample harvest of grain. There will be an abundance in the field for our cattle and we will eat to contentment. Then the text takes a dark turn. Don’t stray, we are told, and don’t worship false gods. For then God’s powerful wrath will be directed against you. There won’t be any rain. The earth will not yield its produce. You will soon disappear from the land. Why couldn’t we have been left with positive words of hope and benevolence? What was the value in this overt threat of punishment for disobedience? God is effectively communicating to us that our motivation for performing the commandments and expressing our devotion is the threat of annihilation. Do what I say, God tells us, and no one gets hurt. This primitive message of reward and punishment does not resonate so well with modern ears. In fact, in some recent editions of the prayer book — most often used in Reform and other progressive congregations — omit this paragraph in its entirety. But this misses a prime opportunity to delve into human nature and explore why people act justly or resist the urge to follow a more destructive path. Ask any child why they do homework each evening and they will not explain the value of reinforcing what they learned that day. More likely, they’ll say something akin to, “Because if I don’t, I’ll get in trouble.” Ask any adult why they pay taxes each year, don’t expect to hear a lesson on civic responsibility and the need for all of us to equally bear the burden of supporting the government. Instead, like the young student, they’ll likely answer, “Because if I don’t, I’ll get in trouble.” The words of the Shema are not simply an anachronistic call for blind obedience. Rather, they are an accurate reflection of the fact that good and moral behavior must sometimes be motivated by the possibility of negative consequences. Humanity cannot live solely on the honor system. We aim for the day when doing the right thing is its own reward. But in the meantime, we work for a paycheck and we obey laws that carry a penalty for disobedience. The Shema concludes with a third paragraph, a seeming non-sequitur which strangely instructs us to attach tzitzit fringes to the four corners of our garments. Seeing these fringes serves as a reminder of all of God’s commandments. Just as we surround ourselves with these tzitzit, so too do we symbolically live within the bounds of God’s mitzvot. These three paragraphs — love God with all your heart; obey God’s commandments or perish; see the tzitzit and remember God’s commandments — seem at first glance to be three unrelated texts. But really, they work together to brilliantly represent humankind’s moral development. Each paragraph of the Shema leads us to the next step of a spiritual journey. First, we proclaim that we recognize just one true God and that He should be the object of our devotion. Next, we strive to obey God’s teachings, but realize that we will stray from the path and incur negative consequences, both individually and collectively. Finally, we structure our lives so that we are surrounded by God and His commandments every minute of the day, ultimately living a life a life of mitzvot because God is — in the Shema’s final words — Adonai Eloheichem Emet, the God of truth. We want the prayers that we recite to reflect our thoughts and experiences and the Shema links the words to emotions that all of us can relate to. We seek to do the right thing for its own sake, but realize that it’s easy to fall short. We are always searching for reminders of God’s presence around us, and the Shema tells us that this can be as simple as looking down at what we’re wearing. Cantor Matt Axelrod has served Congregation Beth Israel of Scotch Plains, New Jersey, since 1990. He is a graduate of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America and a national officer of the Cantors Assembly. Cantor Axelrod is the author of Surviving Your Bar/Bat Mitzvah: The Ultimate Insider’s Guide, and Your Guide to the Jewish Holidays: From Shofar to Seder. You can read his blog at mattaxelrod.com.

https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/mechayeh-hameitim-rethinking-the-resurrection-blessing/?utm_source=mjl_maropost&utm_campaign=MJL_Prayer&utm_medium=email One of the most daring prayers in the daily Jewish liturgy has been frequently rewritten to reflect modern sensibilities. Here's another approach. BY RABBI ELIE KAUNFER My Jewish Learning is a not-for-profit and relies on your help One of the most daring prayers in the daily Jewish liturgy is the second blessing of the Amidah, which praises God for “giving life to the dead.” Worshipers have always had the choice of whether to read words literally or metaphorically. In the 19th century, literalists who could not abide by a belief in a physical, bodily resurrection rewrote the prayer, praising God who “plants within us eternal life” (Rabbi David Einhorn, 1856) or who “gives life to the souls of the dead” (Rabbi Isaac Mayer Wise, 1873). But for those willing to read this as metaphor and analogy, there are a host of options for understanding this line, many of them from the rabbis of the Talmud. Resurrection and Waking Up “The school of R. Yannai said: One who wakes from sleep must say: Blessed are You, YHVH, who gives life to the dead.” (Jerusalem Talmud Berakhot 33a). We often take for granted that we will wake up from sleep. But there is no guarantee that we will live another day. Nowadays, the Jewish prayer book offers a different prayer to be said upon waking: Modeh Ani. The school of Rabbi Yannai, however, had an earlier tradition. They encourage us to consider the simple act of regaining consciousness in the morning equivalent to rising from the dead. Indeed, elsewhere rabbinic literature considers sleep 1/60 of death (Genesis Rabbah 17:5; Babylonian TalmudBerachot 57b). So the link between resurrection and awakening is not completely unknown. We have all experienced a form of it every morning. Centuries later, the Baal Shem Tov, the founder of Hasidism, proposed an interpretation of waking up in which you are, in fact, reborn: “One should wake up with energy from his sleep, for he was renewed and made into another person, who was worthy to be born.” (Tzava’at HaRibash, Brooklyn, 1998, p. 9) Resurrection and Seeing the Other “R. Yehoshua ben Levi said: He who sees his friend … after 12 months says: Blessed … who gives life to the dead.” (Babylonian Talmud Berachot 58b) Seeing one’s friend after not being in touch for an entire year is an opportunity to bless God for raising the dead. Death is not only an objective experience for the person. You can be “dead to someone” you simply lose touch with. A relationship, once frozen, begins again with a reconnection after 12 months. Resurrection and Child Birth One of the key phrases in the Amidah blessing is the description of God as one who “causes death and gives life.” This phrase is actually a direct quote from the Book of Samuel (1 Samuel 2:6). The prophet Samuel’s mother, Hannah, is the paradigmatic example of a woman who for many years could not give birth and then was granted a child. In her prayer of gratitude, Hannah calls God the one who “causes death and gives life.” Having been barren and unable to give life, she has been transformed into a mother. The original biblical context of this phrase is thus not about a physical resurrection of a dead body, but about the body of a child. The blessing then is about being able to give life to a new person. Hannah is in some ways created anew in this transformation and given new life. Other Experiences of Resurrection Besides these literary links to other sources, the Amidah blessing itself understands certain experiences to be analogous to returning from the dead. The blessing praises God for “causing the wind to blow, causing the rain to fall, feeding all living things … supporting the fallen, healing the sick, and releasing the captive.” (Other ancient versions of the prayer include God supporting the poor.) Each of these actions give renewed life. The first three relate to the renewal of agriculture and the source of food. In the winter, death reigns — but this is not a permanent state of affairs. Every spring vegetation “returns to life” through new growth. Similarly, the experiences of being supported after falling, being healed after a sickness, being released after having been taken captive, or overcoming poverty are mini experiences of resurrection. In sum, the prayer praising God as giver of life has a broad understanding of that experience. While certainly physical resurrection is an element of this blessing, it is not the only possible understanding of the phrase. Rabbinic literature itself understands many experiences as aspects of resurrection, and it is these experiences that the prayer encourages us to notice and never take for granted. Rabbi Elie Kaunfer is president and CEO of the Hadar Institute. This essay is adapted from his forthcoming book on interpreting the Amidah.

Parashat Chayei Sarah 5781 The sedrah opens with Sarah dying at the age of 127. The parashat lists her age as "100 years, twenty years and seven years". At 100 she was as sinless as she was at twenty, and at twenty she was as pure as when she was seven. Since this is juxtaposed and comes right after the incident of Abraham almost sacrificing Isaac, her only son, the sages presumed that while she died of natural causes, this hastened her death. Abraham makes a deal with Efron, the chief of the Hittites, to buy land that includes the Cave of Machpelah to be a sepulcher for Sarah. He will be buried with her when the time is right. He then marries a woman named Keturah, whom some sages believe is Hagar. She has grown and is now more righteous, hence the change of name. Abraham knows that Isaac is taking the mantle of worshipping the one, true God and needs a wife who will be his partner and support him in that mission. He has his servant, Eliezer, his main disciple, go back to his people to find one. He sends with him 10 camels laden with riches as a dowry. Eliezer prays to Hashem to help him find the right girl, one who will offer him and his camels water for refreshment. No sooner does he finish his prayer then Rebecca shows up and offers him exactly that. Eliezer tells her of his mission, gives her two gold bracelets and a nose ring and ten coins, and she takes him back to meet her family. Laban, Rebecca’s older brother, sees the wealth that Eliezer has brought with him and welcomes him into their home. Rebecca agrees to go with Eliezer and forego the usual 10 month – 1 year waiting/betrothal period. They arrive at dusk and find Isaac in the field praying. The sages say that he instituted the Mincha, or afternoon, prayer, just as his father Abraham instituted the Shachrit or Morning prayer. When they saw each other, they fell in love. Isaac took Rebecca to be his wife and he was comforted for his mother. Abraham dies and leaves his legacy to Isaac.

Parashat Vayera / פרשת וַיֵּרָא Abraham is in his third day recovering from his circumcision. Sitting outside his tent, three visitors pass by and he invites them in. These are angels disguised as humans. Abraham washes their feet, has Sara prepare some curds and milk while his manservant prepares a calf for the main meal (notice that the dairy is served before the meat in accord with later Kashrut laws). Abraham está en su tercer día recuperándose de su circuncisión. Sentado fuera de su tienda, pasan tres visitantes y él los invita a entrar. Se trata de ángeles disfrazados de humanos. Abraham les lava los pies, hace que Sara prepare cuajada y leche mientras su criado prepara un ternero para la comida principal (observe que la lechería se sirve antes que la carne de acuerdo con las leyes de Kashrut posteriores). Angels are messengers of Hashem, each with his own message. The first angel tells them that with Abraham at 100 years old and Sara at 90 years old, they will have a son, an heir. Hashem tells Abraham that the son will be named Yitzhak (Isaac). The name comes from the word “to laugh” because of their reaction to having a son at their old age. Los ángeles son mensajeros de Hashem, cada uno con su propio mensaje. El primer ángel les dice que con Abraham a los 100 años y Sara a los 90, tendrán un hijo, un heredero. Hashem le dice a Abraham que el hijo se llamará Yitzhak (Isaac). El nombre proviene de la palabra “reír” por su reacción al tener un hijo a la vejez. The second angel tells them that G-d is going to destroy Sodom and Gemorrah (and Admah, Zeboiim and Zoar) because of their wickedness and hatred of strangers and foreigners. The third angel tells them that they will rescue Lot and his family, who are living in Sodom. G-d is going to make it rain fire and sulfur. El segundo ángel les dice que Di-s va a destruir Sodoma y Gemorrah (y Admah, Zeboim y Zoar) debido a su maldad y odio hacia extraños y extranjeros. El tercer ángel les dice que rescatarán a Lot y su familia, que viven en Sodoma. Di-s va a hacer llover fuego y azufre. When the “men” leave, Abraham petitions Hashem to spare those cities if He can find fifty righteous men. When G-d agrees, Abraham bargains further until they agree that ten righteous people in all those cities will save their destruction. Cuando los “hombres” se van, Abraham le pide a Hashem que perdone esas ciudades si puede encontrar cincuenta hombres justos. Cuando Di-s está de acuerdo, Abraham negocia más hasta que acuerdan que diez personas justas en todas esas ciudades salvarán su destrucción. The men (angels) arrive in Sodom and Lot meets them at the gate. He invites them into his home for hospitality. The residents of Sodom hear about the visitors, and they confront Lot demanding that he turn over the visitors so they can attack them. The angels make them temporarily blind and tell Lot and his family to leave Sodom to save their lives. They tell them to leave and not look back. Los hombres (ángeles) llegan a Sodoma y Lot los encuentra en la puerta. Los invita a su casa para recibir hospitalidad. Los residentes de Sodoma se enteran de los visitantes y se enfrentan a Lot y le exigen que entregue a los visitantes para que puedan atacarlos. Los ángeles los dejan ciegos temporalmente y les dicen a Lot y su familia que se vayan de Sodoma para salvar sus vidas. Les dicen que se vayan y que no miren atrás. Only Lot’s two unmarried daughters leave with Lot and his wife. Lot’s wife turns around and looks and becomes caught in the deluge and is covered with salt. Lot’s daughters, believing they are the only people alive on Earth, have relations with Lot to give birth to more people. The son of the younger daughter is the ancestor of Ruth and the Davidic line, and ultimately the Messiah. Solo las dos hijas solteras de Lot se van con Lot y su esposa. La esposa de Lot se da vuelta y mira y queda atrapada en el diluvio y está cubierta de sal. Las hijas de Lot, creyendo que son las únicas personas vivas en la Tierra, tienen relaciones sexuales con Lot para dar a luz a más personas. El hijo de la hija menor es el antepasado de Rut y la línea davídica y, en última instancia, el Mesías. Abraham and his family and servants move to Canaan after the destruction. He once again claims Sara to be his sister to protect themselves. The king, called “Avimelech”, sees that his citizens have their bodily functions impaired and finds out it’s because they approached Sara. He tells his citizens to avoid Sara and Abraham prays for their relief. Avimelech and his general Phicol seal a covenant of friendship with Abraham and give his gifts of livestock and precious metals. Abraham, su familia y sus siervos se mudan a Canaán después de la destrucción. Una vez más afirma que Sara es su hermana para protegerse. El rey, llamado "Avimelech," ve que sus ciudadanos tienen sus funciones corporales dañadas y descubre que es porque se acercaron a Sara. Él les dice a sus ciudadanos que eviten a Sara, y Abraham reza por su alivio. Avimelec y su general Phicol sellan un pacto de amistad con Abraham y le dan sus obsequios de ganado y metales preciosos. G-d then approaches Abraham and challenges him with his last and most important test. Hashem tells Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. Abraham takes Isaac on a three-day journey and binds him. As he raises the sacrificial knife, and angel stops him. He then sees a ram caught in the brush and sacrifices that animal. G-d then tells him that his ancestors will become numerous like the stars in the sky and will defeat their enemies. Entonces Dios se acerca a Abraham y lo desafía con su última y más importante prueba. Hashem le dice a Abraham que sacrifique a Isaac. Abraham lleva a Isaac en un viaje de tres días y lo ata. Mientras levanta el cuchillo de sacrificio, un ángel lo detiene. Luego ve un carnero atrapado en la maleza y sacrifica a ese animal. Di-s luego le dice que sus antepasados se volverán numerosos como las estrellas en el cielo y derrotarán a sus enemigos. The parasha closes announcing the birth of Rebecca who will become Isaac’s wife. La parashá se cierra anunciando el nacimiento de Rebecca, quien se convertirá en la esposa de Isaac.

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Min Ha-meitzar karati Yah, Anani b’merchav Yah From a narrow place I called out to YAH; God answered me within the expanse Traditionally, Psalm 118 is chanted as part of Hallel, a series of psalms recited on Jewish celebratory holy days. It is typically joyous, chanted from a place of freedom, from the headspace of having passed through the tough times. It suggests that we were enslaved and now we are free. But it’s not uncommon for this verse to also find its way into prayer when we are still in crisis — the moments that cry out for answers, for finding our way out to the other side. This verse is a vision of how we long to feel and how we long to be seen. Ha-meitzar literally means the constricted space, a narrow blind spot, our own personal Mitzrayim (the Hebrew word for Egypt). Mitzrayim is enslavement, darkness, hopelessness. When you are down and out, you aren’t just in the meitzar, you become it. Notice what happens in your body when you are stressed: tightness in the chest, tense shoulders, altered breath, temperature change, the toxic loop of negative thoughts. The meitzar becomes an all encompassing grip on our sanity. No one wants to be in the meitzar. And God doesn’t want us there either. As the psalmist suggests, God has already heard our cries. And his answer, the antidote to our constriction, is space. God is known by many names: Rock, Redeemer, Protector, Judge, Parent, the Ineffable One. In this prayer, God is called by the name Yah. Yah is different than the Tetragramaton or Eloheem. Yah is not Protector nor Redeemer. Yah is neither Judge, Father, nor Rock. Yah goes right to the source — our deep soul connection. Take a deep breath, exhale, and say it: Yaaaah. That’s how you really say it. Yah is the breath of life. It is an answer to our prayers. Maybe not “the” answer, but a key to navigating whatever personal crisis presents itself. Yah directs us to get quiet. Conscious, mindful breath creates the opening for us to step into our soul-expanse. When we begin to focus on the breath, to slow it down, to welcome the discomfort instead of pushing it away, the grip on our body loosens and our thoughts become clearer. From a place of calm, we are invited to take a step into a wide open space — merchav Yah. We are invited to pause and take it in. From the merchav, we can make a conscious choice from the full range of possibilities that lay ahead. We can see for miles. The open space doesn’t profess to solve our problems. It doesn’t erase the root cause of our trouble. But it does provide us with the foundation to master our next step. It creates a safe-haven moment in which to reflect and prepare our way forward. In times of crisis, the psalmist reminds us that we can and should cry out to God. There is a place for wailing and gathering with others. But we must also allow ourselves to get quiet to hear an answer. Rabbi Danielle Upbin teaches widely on Jewish spirituality, meditation and yoga. She is also the associate rabbi and prayer leader at Congregation Beth Shalom in Clearwater, Florida. Her musical release, “Reveal the Light,” is available on Amazon, iTunes, and Spotify or through her website, danielleupbin.com.

Parashat Lech Lecha 5781 This week’s portion, Lech L’cha, focuses on Abram (Avram), who will be re-named Abraham (Avraham). Abram is seventy-six (76) years old when Hashem approaches him. He tells him to leave his home and go “to a place where I (G-d) will show you”. G-d also tells him that He will bless whoever blesses him and curse those who curse him. He will be the father of a people who will multiply like the sands on the shore of the sea and the stars in the sky. This was the first of ten tests that G-d will put him through to verify that he is worthy of being our first patriarch and “Father of a multitude of nations”. So Abram takes his wife Sarai and his nephew Lot, whom is taking care of since his parents died, and his servants and wealth. Abram passes through Canaan and G-d shows him that he will give his descendants that land. There is a famine in the land and Abram and his entourage go to Egypt where there is plenty. While there, he tells Sarai to pretend to be his sister instead of his wife (actually, she was the daughter of his brother). Sarai was beautiful, and Pharaoh wanted her as his wife, and Abram was fearful that they would kill him so they could take her. G-d creates a plague and Pharaoh figures this out. He releases Sarai and gives Abram gifts of cattle and gold and silver and they all leave. Abram and Lot have a lot of animals and their herdsmen fight over which land is theirs. Abram tells Lot he can choose where he wants to settle, and Abram will settle far enough away so there is enough room for them to both thrive. Lot chooses to settle near Sodom and Gemorrah; even though the people are wicked, he likes the fertile land. Lot ends up getting involved in the middle of a war between five kings of Sodom and Gemorrah (and three other cities) and four more powerful kings. Lot is captured. Abram musters 316 of his men and they rescue Lot. Hashem then makes a covenant with Abram that he will give his children that land. Abram complains that Sarai is barren, but Hashem reassures him that he will indeed have an heir to carry on his legacy. Sarai is concerned that barren and too old to have any children anyway. She tells Abram that he should have a child with Hagar, his mistress, who was given to Abram when he left Egypt. Abram and Hagar have Ishmael. Hashem reassures Abram that he and Sarai will have a son, Isaac (Yitzhak). The name Yitzhak comes from the Hebrew word for “laughter” because they laughed with joy about having their own son. When Sarai is 90 and Abram is 100 years old, Sarai is pregnant. G-d then tells Abram he will no longer be Avram, “the father of Haran”, but Avraham, “the father of a multitude of nations”. Sarai will now be Sarah, “a princess”. Hashem tells Abraham to circumcise himself, his son Ishmael, who is 13, and all the male members of his household, and Isaac who is now eight days old. Hashem tells Abraham that all his descendants should circumcise all males at the age of eight days from on as a sign of the covenant between them. It is also a negative commandment to not call them Abram and Sarai and a positive commandment to call them Abraham and Sarah.

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