Shabbat Shalom GRJC

Weekly Emails to the Congregation

Parshat Vaetchanan 2007

Shabbat Shalom to the GRJC family,

This week we light candles at 7:59 PM.  Friday night services will begin at 8 PM.  Our Saturday morning service will begin at 9 AM.

This Shabbat has a special name:  “Shabbat Nachamu”, “The Shabbat of comfort.”  The word “nachamu”, “Take comfort,” comes from the first words of this week’s Haftorah from the Book of Isaiah, Chapter 40.   This week’s Haftorah is the first of 7 Haftarot that lead us to the High Holidays with visions of comfort and consolation to the Jewish people following our observance of Tisha Be’Av/the Ninth of Av.  The Ninth of Av was a day for remembering the tragedies of Jewish history, and now as we move toward the High Holidays, we focus our thoughts on our hopes for a year of happiness and blessings.

We read this week from parshat Vaetchanan in the Book of Devarim (Deuteronomy).  There are two significant passages in this week’s reading:  The 10 Commandments and the Shema/Ve’Ahavta.

The 10 Commandments, called in Hebrew “Aseret Ha’dibrot”/10 Statements, are a basic code of law for the people of Israel.  There are many more laws and ideas within the Torah but these 10 have always been special to us.  They include some of the basic religious and human concepts of belief and justice.

The Shema and Ve’ahavta are often called the “Jewish creed.”  They stress the belief in one God and our responsibility to both study and teach the Torah.  They remind us to keep God’s words in our minds and hearts.

The juxtaposition of these two passages reminds me of a discussion that David Freidenreich, a friend and colleague, held with campers at Ramah in the Poconos some years ago.  He asked them to look at the 10 Commandments and the Shma/Ve’ahavta and to decide which is more important to us as Jews?  He asked them how often do we recite each passage?  What place does each passage have in the life and art of our people?

What do you think?  Which passage is more significant for your religious and spiritual life?  Does one passage resonate more for you at certain points in life?

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

1. Join us for the annual GRJC Barbeque on Friday night August 10th.   You can find a registration form on the website:  www.grjc.org.  Join us for an evening of good food and fellowship followed by spirited prayers and singing.

2. August 11th, the morning after the BBQ, join us again under the tent for Saturday morning services followed by kiddush.

3. Please support the religious school’s HONEY FUNDRAISER for this year.  It is a wonderful way to help greet the New Year with sweetness and support our religious school.  (Forms are available in the office.)


Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Tow
 

  Back to Home