Category: Judaism

The complexities of Menorah Lighting made simple

People have been asking me how to light the Hanukkah Menorah, or Chanukiah. Should you light from left to right or right to left? And is that perspective from the person lighting the candles or from the window where others see it? Who knew it could be so complicated! Of course, this assumes we’ve already answered other questions: do we light all the candles every night or just one additional candle each night? Do we all light the same Menorah, or does each person get to light their own? Oy!

But the answer is that we have our opinion on the proper way for it to be done, which is as follows:

Facing the Menorah, we light the candle for the newest night, then light the rest of the lights. Our tradition says we should say the blessing and then do the thing for which we said the blessing immediately afterward. But because there are at least two blessings (three on the first night), many of us light while the blessings are in process.

But the most important rule of all is that we participate in the Hanukkah celebration by lighting the candles.

So, how do you light the Menorah?

With intention!

Chag Urim Sameach- Happy Festival of Lights

Chag Chanukah Sameach, Happy Hanukkah

Chag Urim Sameach and Shabbat Shalom

As we welcome Shabbat, Chanukah is just beyond.  The Shabbat Candles of Friday will be followed by the first lights of Chanukah on Sunday eve.

Six13 shares a delightful medley blending Wicked music with great Chanukah lyrics.  Enjoy!

Lean into the light this season and experience the warmth and glow of our tradition.

Shabbat Shalom

Parsha Noach: Noah’s Perserverance is our Hope

The story of Noah and the Ark begins with a devastating judgment—God considers the world “irretrievably corrupt” and plans to wipe out all living creatures. But beyond that, the story is really about a single, extraordinary act of preservation. From moral despair, one family is chosen for a nearly impossible, world-saving mission, as long as they are willing to accept it.

At the heart of the story is Noah’s character. He was deliberately chosen; the Torah explicitly describes him as “a righteous man, faultless despite the influences of his generations,” adding the powerful phrase: “Noah walked with God.” This is more than just praise—it is a message of hope.

Torah further states, “Noah did everything he was commanded to do”—this is not just about mere compliance; it is a declaration of Noah’s spiritual strength and his ability to hear God’s voice despite all the surrounding noise, challenging us with an important question. Can we look past the judgment of others and the dictates of society and focus on the hope rooted in our own integrity, like Noah? Noah is aligned with the Divine. His response inspires us to act in moments of moral calling. How do we respond to our individual “Ark Moments”? This is the essence of our Judaism, a commitment to goodness and a partnership in the ongoing perfection of our world.

In a generation lost to selfish pursuits, Noah lives a life of virtue. His Neshama, or soul, was such that the Divine voice wasn’t an anomaly but a natural part of his soul’s purpose. Through this, Noah demonstrates that the potential for redemption resides within each individual heart. Our tradition assures us that we have a divine spark (Neshama) and that through our daily ethical choices, we can build the inner vessel needed to hear and act upon that truth clearly, just as Noah built the Ark.

The true test of Noah’s mission wasn’t just the instruction, but the years of solitary, sustained effort, enduring what must have been relentless public mockery. He faithfully built on a vision rooted in an unseen, promised truth, despite being surrounded by a society focused on a cynical reality.

Yet, he kept building. Noah’s perseverance is our hope, demonstrating the power of (Jewish) values to strengthen resolve. His commitment to truth serves as a model for Tzedek (righteousness) and Yosher (straightness/integrity). Building the Ark was a significant act of Tikkun Olam (repairing the world). It teaches us that our inner strength is not only personal determination but also the spiritual legacy that enables us to prioritize the obligation to repair the world over the fear of human judgment.

The universal “Ark Moment” happens when our inner voice urges us to make tough, sacrificial, or unpopular decisions. We often feel tempted to justify our actions for comfort, ease, or self-protection. But in doing so, we sacrifice our integrity and ethics.

However, the Noah story goes beyond this challenge to reveal the ultimate promise of the Rainbow Covenant. The lasting hope is that we are not destined to repeat the past. We are equipped with spiritual tools—Teshuvah (repentance and return) and the ongoing call to Hesed (loving-kindness)—to rise above our baser instincts. We have the inner strength to turn away from temptations, not because we are commanded, but because we are hopeful agents of repair.

Parshah Noah is not just about the flood that was, but about the world that can be. We have the power to make a difference in the things we believe in enough to stand for. The subsequent story of Abraham shows us that the initial strength needed to preserve humanity (Noah) directly leads to the covenantal strength required to build a people (Abraham). Our challenge is to nurture that inner space—to walk with God, as Noah did—so that when our own Ark Moment in life comes, we not only have the courage to act but also believe that through our actions, we are partners with the Divine in Tikkun Olam.

Shabbat Shalom

#BringThemHomeNow

 

What am I entitled to?

What can I or any member of society reasonably expect? What is it that each of us deserves, and who provides it? This is a question to ask of our society and the communities in which we live. I think it’s fair to say that most of us want to be valued, seen, heard, and shown a modicum of respect and dignity. Our Jewish tradition offers us “rules of the road” to guide proper behavior, including how we treat others and how others treat us. Our government has also set certain expectations. According to our founding documents, we are entitled to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Of course, understanding what these mean and how to provide them to each citizen is a very complex task. Sometimes we handle it well, but often we fall short as a country. This creates the core tension and highlights the need for ongoing conversation to truly understand what these rights mean.

The lack of conversation and understanding that there are multiple ways to achieve solutions creates problems in our society. Both the left and the right become more entrenched in political arguments instead of engaging in meaningful discussions about what these issues truly mean. For example, regardless of politics, most people of goodwill would agree that allowing children to go hungry should not happen in this country. But how do we feed the hungry children?

This is a process argument, not about the underlying value, and here is where our faith tradition becomes a vital guide.

One of our core wisdom texts, known as the Talmud, provides a roadmap for understanding. A fundamental value is introduced, followed by a series of discussions, debates, and disagreements. “Makhloket L’Shem Shamayim,” an argument for the sake of heaven, seeks to understand how the underlying value manifests itself in various circumstances. The arguments, including both the majority and minority views, are presented in this book. The reason is that even the winning argument may not always be correct. In the future, the dissenting opinion that was once preserved may be proven right if cultural or societal norms change.

In the debate about feeding hungry children, parents are primarily responsible, but if they are unable to do so, the community should step in and provide food. But how does the community feed the hungry child? That raises an important question about the process. There is also legitimate disagreement about how to deliver food to hungry children. It can be through a government program. It can be achieved by providing money so that others can obtain food, or by helping parents improve their living standards, enabling them to afford to feed their children. And to make things even more complex, what does alleviating hunger actually mean?

Are we required to feed children according to a specific nutritional standard? How much influence should outside forces have over family decisions? What happens when parents are incompetent, and what occurs when nutritional standards are set or changed—something we’ve seen happen many times in the past? All of this assumes that well-meaning people are committed to preventing children from going hungry.

Some people only care about themselves, ignoring everyone else. Others realize that society should be judged on whether all who are hungry are fed. Still, others believe it is simply the morally right and ethical thing to do.

Questions like these are fundamental, which is why today’s tribal politics are counterproductive. These politics don’t help us address our societal obligations or what I am entitled to; instead, they emphasize power and control and vilify the opposing side. We must ask the right questions, engage in meaningful conversations, reach a conclusion, and then act on that decision. This presents both a significant challenge and a valuable opportunity for building a thriving, vibrant, and just society. Let’s start discussing what truly matters.