Elul 4 5781

 Elul 4, 5781/August 12, 2021

Rabbi Alan Cook 

In 1979, singer Harry Belafonte appeared on season three of The Muppet Show. Though I didn’t know of Mr. Belafonte at the time, I did watch the show regularly. Thus I was introduced to a song by Mr. Belafonte, reportedly based on an African melody he had learned during his

travels. The song “Turn the World Around” was widely acclaimed; Jim Henson considered that

Muppet Show segment to be some of his best work. Jewish musician Dan Nichols has adapted the song, updating the lyrics with a verse about Torah.

The refrain “Turn the World Around'' reflects many possible meanings. It could suggest that it is our responsibility to consider the world from a variety of perspectives—that we must be mindful of the fact that others may experience a particular situation differently. This echoes the teaching of the sage Rabbi Ben Bag-Bag in Pirkei Avot: “Turn it [the Torah] and turn it, for everything is in it.” The more we return to Torah, and consider the world in which we live, the more we learn new things.

The lyrics might also mean that each of us has the power to Turn the World Around, finding strength from the world’s resources to create powerful transitions that will serve l’taken olam b’malchut Shaddai, “to transform the world under the Sovereignty of God.” Fire, water, mountain, Torah all give us the tools we need to make a difference. As we work to do good in the world, as we “see one another clearly,” may 5782 be the year in which we Turn the World Around.

Elul 3 5781

 Elul 3, 5781/August 11, 2021

Rabbi Harry Rosenfeld

In Hebrew, the Book of Numbers is called Bemidbar. Midbar means wilderness. The Plaut Torah commentary, like most English versions of Torah, translates Bemidbar as: “The wilderness of Sinai” (The Torah: A Modern Commentary: Revised Edition (p. 899). CCAR Press. Kindle Edition.)

But, “in the wilderness of Sinai” is an incorrect translation. A literal translation would be: “in a wilderness of Sinai.” Together, the Israelites wandered through Sinai. More importantly, each individual was in his/her/their own personal wilderness as they transitioned from being slaves to being free.

With each transition in our lives, we each find ourselves in a wilderness that changes as we, and our circumstances change. In the past 18+ months, we have gone into, and are almost out of (we hope) the COVID-19 pandemic. We wandered through the wilderness of quarantine and isolation. As the pandemic waned and waxed and waned, our wilderness seemed endless and then suddenly almost over. Now, with the waning of the pandemic, we think we are transitioning back to life before COVID. But, we know that with transition we cannot go back to what was. We are transitioning into a changed, new world with its own challenges. A new wilderness for us to traverse.

We are blessed with these Days of Awe, a time of transition. May these 40 days from 1 Elul through Yom Kippur enable us to transition, once again, from one wilderness to the next.

Elul 2 5781

 Elul 2, 5781/August 10, 2021

Rabbi Brad Levenberg 

Our most impactful Jewish moments occur during the period known as bein hashmashot, or twilight. It is twilight when we kindle our Shabbat candles, indicating that the Sabbath is about to begin, and it is at twilight that we prepare for our Havdalah ritual where we prepare to sunset the sacredness of Shabbat and embrace the sacredness of the week to come. Twilight brings about our most celebrated Jewish holidays and prepares us for our days of holy days devoted to mourning. Neither day nor night, twilight, that in-between time, that time of transition, delights our souls with anticipation.

 

These days of Elul are also days of twilight. Preparing as we are for the close of one year and the start of the next, we transition from yesterday to tomorrow, from memory to hope. May these days of transition, informed by our experiences of the past, make our hearts flutter at the possibilities of unwritten tomorrows.

ELUL THOUGHTS: 1 Elul 5781

 The Hebrew month of Elul is the last month of the Jewish year. As such, it is considered a month of spiritual preparation for the High Holy Days. Special meditations are added to the daily service for some, known as S’lichot, or penitential prayers. (*The Saturday before Rosh Hashanah is also known as S’lichot, and it is used as a night of contemplation and study.) For several years, a group of Reform clergy and educators has collaborated on a series of Elul Thoughts, shared with our congregations in a daily email. 

It is with great honor and wonderful blessing that we once again bring Elul Thoughts to our congregations across the United States and Canada this year. We have been sending Elul Thoughts to our congregations since 2008 when I worked with Rabbi Alan Litwak at Temple Sinai in North Miami Beach, FL. This project was his brainchild then, and it has taken on a renewed life again and again as we connect with colleagues and friends who want to contribute. Every year we invite cantors, rabbis, and educators. Some years we invite congregants or teachers from other areas of expertise. This year a wide swath of invitations were sent, but only rabbis responded. So for the first time in many years we are able to present an all-rabbi Elul Thoughts for you.

This year’s Elul Thoughts include contributions from:

Rabbi Michael Birnholz, Temple Beth Shalom, Vero Beach, FL

Rabbi Erin Boxt, Temple Beth El, Knoxville, TN

Rabbi Alan Cook, Sinai Temple, Champaign, IL

Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker, Congregation Beth Israel, Colleyville, TX

Rabbi Ben David, Adath Emanu-El, Mt. Laurel, NJ

Rabbi Daniel Fink, Congregation Ahavath Beth Israel, Boise, ID

Rabbi Neal Katz, Congregation Beth El, Tyler, TX

Rabbi Brad Levenberg, Temple Sinai, Atlanta, GA

Rabbi Eric Linder, Congregation Children of Israel, Athens, GA

Rabbi Alan E. Litwak, Temple Sinai, North Miami Beach, FL

Rabbi Laurence Malinger, Temple Shalom, Aberdeen, NJ

Rabbi Harry Rosenfeld, Congregation Albert, Albuquerque, NM (ret)

Rabbi Andrew Rosenkranz, Temple Beth Torah, Wellington, FL

Rabbi Benjamin Sharff, The Reform Temple of Rockland, Upper Nyack, NY

Rabbi Simone Schicker, Temple B'nai Israel, Kalamazoo, MI

Rabbi Stephen Wise, Shaarei-Beth El Congregation, Oakville, ON, Canada

Rabbi David N. Young, Congregation B’nai Tzedek, Fountain Valley, CA

You can follow any of us on Facebook or Twitter.

If you have missed any of these daily emails or want to go back and remember something from earlier in Elul, feel free to read them all at https://tinyurl.com/elulthoughts.

Elul 1, 5781/August 9, 2021

Rabbi David N. Young

Welcome to Elul Thoughts 5781!

This year our High Holy Day celebrations will look different from any other. Last year we were all watching and leading from our own homes or from empty synagogues. This year some of us will be home, some of us will be in our sanctuaries. Perhaps it could be phrased, “Who by live shul and who by Zoom?”

Wherever we will be, we can be sure that it will not be the same as it was in 2019, and not quite as isolated as it was in 2020. 2021 will be something different, something perhaps temporary, something that might inspire new practices or may even teach us what we hope to never do again. No matter what our services look like, we acknowledge that we are in transition this year. As such, this Elul (which is often a time of spiritual transition) we have gathered 18 rabbis to offer our thoughts on transitions: an auspicious number that will hopefully imbue our year with life! We hope that you find meaning, comfort, and inspiration from our teachings, and we all wish you a very safe, happy, and healthy last month of 5781.

29 Elul-1 Tishrei

Rabbi Nancy Rita Myers

We are now at the end of the Hebrew month of Elul, and the time of preparing for our High Holy Days ends tonight. Preparation will be over, and the work of forgiveness begins. Forgiving and asking for forgiveness are essential themes of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Maimonides, a great sage who lived in the Middle Ages, wrote “It is forbidden for a person to be cruel and refuse to be appeased. Rather, he should be easily pacified, but hard to anger. When the person who wronged him asks for forgiveness, he should forgive him with a complete heart and a willing spirit. Even if he aggravated and wronged him severely, he should not seek revenge or bear a grudge.”

Maimonides teaches the importance of forgiveness.  However, letting go of our disappointment, anger, hurt, and pain can at times feel impossible.  I have struggled with it for years.  On my mother’s side of the family, people keep grudges for decades. Yikes!  I have found though if I can understand the other person’s pain, grief, insecurity, and fear; it is much easier to let things roll off my back.  I ask myself what challenges is the other person facing? Could they be having a hard time at work, in school, with their family, or significant other?  When I’m able to see the person as one who is also struggling, I’m less likely to be offended or wounded by their words or actions.  I’ve found that with compassion, it is easier to be appeased.

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On behalf of all of us who participated in Elul Thoughts 5780, we wish you and yours a Shanah Tovah Umetukah! May the New Year be good and sweet for you and your loved ones!

 

As we move from 5780 to 5781, we want to thank those of you who have been reading our Elul Thoughts, especially if you have been reading them for eight years. One of the great High Holy Day texts reminds us that T’shuvah, T’filah, and Tzedakah help nullify judgment’s severe decree. We hope we have put you on the road toward T’shuvah (repentance) with these daily messages. That is surely our goal. We also hope to have gotten you in the mood for T’filah (prayer) of the High Holy Days. If you have appreciated these messages, we also hope you will consider a gift of Tzeddakah to one or all of the synagogues represented by these daily Elul thoughts. Your gifts help keep us inspired to bring messages of renewal to our congregations.

 

Thank you, and Shanah Tovah!

Rabbi Heidi Cohen, Hanefesh, Orange County, CA

Rabbi Matthew Cohen, Congregation B’nai Israel, Galveston, TX

Rabbi Benjamin David, Adath Emanu-El, Mount Laurel, NJ

Rabbi Brad Levenberg, Temple Sinai, Atlanta, GA

Rabbi Eric Linder, Congregation Children of Israel, Athens, GA

Rabbi Alan E. Litwak, Temple Sinai, North Miami Beach, FL

Rabbi Larry Malinger, Temple Shalom, Aberdeen, NJ 

Rabbi Nancy Rita Myers, Temple Beth David, Westminster, CA

Rabbi Harry Rosenfeld, Congregation Albert, Albuquerque, NM

Rabbi Benjamin Sharff, The Reform Temple of Rockland, Upper Nyack, NY

Rabbi Michael Sommer, Har-Shalom Synagogue, Northbrook, IL

Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker, Congregation Beth Israel, Colleyville, TX

Rabbi Michael Weinstein, Temple Israel, Tulsa, OK

Rabbi David N. Young, Congregation B’nai Tzedek, Fountain Valley, CA

28 Elul, 5780

Rabbi Larry Malinger

Letting Go

Many of us are burdened by unresolved anger and hostility – at so many people and places that we interact in our lives. Frequently we turn this anger inward against ourselves. We burden ourselves with guilt – some real, but mostly imagined. “I should have said this,” “or not said this,” or, “I could have done (or not done) that,” or, “coulda, shoulda, woulda . . .” – the most corrosive words in the English language because they can destroy personality and make people live their lives in a self-created fantasy of their past.

It’s hard to let go. It’s hard to let go of all of the cares and troubles and concerns and rationalizations that we carry with us. Somehow we think that we are so important, that our cares and our perspectives are so vital, that we can’t possibly put them down. As we enter a new year, it occurs to me that this is a good time to reflect on what we are carrying into the year ahead, and what, perhaps, we might be able to let go? 

This season calls upon us to let go of anger, hostility, and guilt and to forgive ourselves. Forgiveness is the key to understanding this season and to unlocking our own hearts. Forgiveness of others for their slights, wrongs and for inflicting pain, whether by word or deed, whether intentionally or accidentally, only works when we muster the strength to let go of our own accumulated destructive feelings and forgive ourselves.

27 Elul, 5780

Rabbi Michael Sommer

You are only given one day at a time. Each day, take a deep breath and make what you can of that day. God always appreciates the thought you put into your every moment.