by Rabbi Russ Resnik

                
Rabbi Hillel said, "Do not separate yourself from the community." (Pirke Avot 2:4)

 

In a day of unrestrained consumerism, how do we know that our faith is true, and not just one more religious option among many? The classic Jewish answer to this question is that our faith is founded not on private revelation or mystical insight, but on an event witnessed by the entire Jewish people. Shavuot celebrates this event, the revelation of Torah upon Mount Sinai. It is therefore the festival of revelation, and also the festival of community. The community of Israel is shaped by the encounter at Sinai, and it keeps alive this encounter for all the generations to follow. Shavuot, therefore, is the appropriate culmination of our communal prayers among UMJC congregations.

 

by Dr. Jeffrey Feinberg

We always read baMidbar, In the Wilderness, in the month of Iyar.  Meanwhile, we count the days until God covenants to guide the nation to the Promised Land. The English Bible re-titles, as "Numbers," the narrative of our wilderness wandering experience, because God orders Moshe (on the first day of Iyar) to number the warriors (Num. 1:1-2a).

 

After the Torah guarantees that we will dwell in our land safely if we observe the mitzvot, it states redundantly, "I will provide peace in the land." Some commentators explain that the second reference is intended to draw our attention to the internal state of peace that should exist within the nation of Israel.

 

Kehilat Ariel, San Diego, CA

Shabbat Emor (Vayikra/Leviticus 21:1-24:23) includes a rather comprehensive review of various ordinances for the priests.  It is actually a timely connection between the ancient tradition and current events in Hollywood with the upcoming release of the movie "The Da Vinci Code."

 

Achrei-Mot / Kedoshim

 

by Rebbetzin Malkah Forbes
Beit HaShofar, Seattle WA

As we enter into this week's double portion, we are introduced to the concept of the sanctity of space.  After all of the efforts of the people to build and realize a mutual dwelling, the time has come for the community to understand the meaning of sacred space first with Hashem, and then in their everyday dealings with each other.  Through this model, the ability to fulfill the command to be holy as Hashem is holy becomes more tangible for us today.

 

Adat Yeshua, Kansas City

 

As we enter the portion for this week, it is important to understand where we have come from and where we are going.

 

I still remember a lesson from my religious school, circa 1956, at Temple Beth Israel in Southern California. Every week we kids would bring some coins to class for tsedakah?contributing to needy Jews in post-Holocaust Europe, or the still-new state of Israel. One morning the rabbi came in to talk to our class about tsedakah. ?This Hebrew word doesn?t mean charity,? he told us. ?It means righteousness. We are not really giving charity, but doing what is right and fair by sharing with others in need.?