Sunday, June 8
UPCOMING EVENTS:
June 11 - Book of Esther
June 8 - Mayoral Candidate
June 17 - Annual Meeting
June 20 - BBQ
June 27 - Pride Shabbat
June 29 - One Enchanted Evening
Wednesday, June 11
Pride Shabbat: June 6
Sunday, June 29
Family BBQ: June 20
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Rabbi Linda's Weekly Message |
June 6, 2025 |
Dear Friends,
At first glance, this Torah portion, Naso, "elevate or uplift" (Numbers 4:21-7:89), is filled with rules and procedures: rules for the priests, for the clans of the tribe of Levi, for dealing with a jealous husband, and for the Nazir, who have taken on special vows in dedication to the Divine. We then have an exceedingly repetitive section where the gifts of each tribe, which are identical, are listed in detail as they are offered at the dedication of the Mishkan (tabernacle). At the heart of the Mishkan is the Tent of Meeting, the Ohel Moed, where Moses hears the Divine voice. At the very center of this Torah portion we have the threefold blessing that the priests were told to offer to the people. It is in many ways the heart of this Torah portion.
“God spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying: ‘This is how you will bless the Israelites, saying to them:
May Adonai bless you and keep you;
May Adonai let the light of God’s presence shine on you and be gracious to you
May Adonai look kindly upon you, and grant you peace!
Thus they shall set my name upon the children of Israel and I will bless them.” (Numbers 6:22-27)
Mitzvah of the Week
In looking over my past divrei Torah on this week’s Torah portion, Emor, I quote the same passage over and over again, noting that we read almost the identical passage last week.
“When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap all the way to the edges of your field, or gather the gleanings of your harvest; you shall leave them for the poor and the stranger: I, the Eternal One, am your God (Leviticus 23:22).”
I invite you to imagine a planted field, filled with products of the farmer’s labor; yet the corners are not harvested. Those in need are not to be made feel lesser; they too have to labor to harvest. When we examine this type of giving, we discover that those being aided are able to maintain a sense of agency.
In this time with so many in need, may we remember the dignity of those whom we are aiding. When we are enjoined to do the same thing two weeks in a row, the importance of this action is emphasized.
Riverdale Y 
| Oseh shalom bimromav, hu ya'aseh shalom aleinu ve'al kol Israel, ve'imru, Amen. |
| May the One who makes peace in the heavens, make peace for us all and all the people of Israel. |
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