Shabbat Zachor – the “Shabbos of Remembering” starts tonight. It’s the same root as the word “Yizkor” – the memorial service.
In my Thursday morning minyan breakfast class we are studying Psalms. Yesterday, we looked at a passage of Psalm 20 recited during the weekday morning prayers. “May He remember all your offerings and accept all your sacrifices.” Originally, of course, it referenced the Temple. We could analogize to today and say “May Gd take note of all the good you do in the world and all the sacrifices you make for others, thereby serving Him.”
But there’s more to it than that. The Hebrew uses a phrase that refers to a particular “remembrance” of sacrifices called “Terumat Ha-Deshen”. Every morning the Kohen would take a handful of the ash from the previous day’s sacrifices and put it on the altar to accompany the new sacrifices of that day. Curious, no?!
What’s a sacrifice? Simply: It’s giving up something precious in order to get something more. Short term “loss” for long term gain. True for all relationships: to friends, family, vocation, fitness, you name it. The Psalm seems to be suggesting that much of the values and ideals that lead us to make sacrifices in our own lives come from the sacrifices made by those who came before us. In the same way, we set paradigms for sacrifice for those who will follow our lead in years to come.
Shabbat Shalom!
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4 comments:
keep coming back to this post. Below states " Understanding what makes people lonely is very important as loneliness can increase the risk of health conditions, such as heart disease and depression, and other problems such as domestic violence” says Professor William Lauder from the University of Dundee, Scotland, who spent two years working in Australia."
I know that to be true. But I do not believe that people with strong religious beliefs are less likely to be lonely. The Jewish religion is one steeped in tradition of family and friends. If you are left without either it is one of the most difficult religions to practice. To cone to synagogue and look around at all of the people who are family and friends and not to be part of that is more difficult than to stop coming.
If you are one of those people who, after you say " Good Shabbos" or "Good Yuntiff" to goes home to isolation, you simply stop coming to synagogue. You do not believe any less in your religion, just in your ability to join in the practice of it. But the belief is as strong as it ever was. But no less lonely
Your health suffers, and the silence is deafening.
Dear Anonymous,
Thanks for your post. I'm glad that, in some small way, the blog is helping to make you feel closer to the congregation. I'm glad, too that you shared your heart since I'm sure you are not the only person who feels this way.
I was wondering if you know about "Boker Tov Beth El". It's a group of members who are building community together. Each day, a member of the shul calls to wish a good morning to a senior member without family. They just check in on each other. Because of this group, those who call and those who are called feel closer to one another. We just had a lunch for the entire group so they could get to know each other better. It was a lot of fun. Now, when they come to shul, they all have more friends.
Please send me an e-mail so that we can work together to create more opportunities for members like you to feel more at home on Shabbat morning. That's our #1 priority. Thanks again for your post.
I think it is unfair for you to count your answers as a Comment although you should still answer in a wrapup form. I was sorry that I read in this weeks Forward that the ` Gay Lesiban issue was tabled and will not be open for discussion in Mexico because this puts JTS another year behind in soliciting students who might be THE BEST OF THE BEST IN their choice of joining the rabbinate or cantorial career.The Jewish movement is always crying about our kids not looking to forward to a career in Judiasm.
Dear Anonymous (and all other bloggers),
I certainly don't mind anonymous posts. But if you don't give your name the only way I can respond is by posting it as a comment.
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