Oh boy, do the Israelites slip up this week. They have just received the Ten Commandments, have heard God speak to them and have vowed to do all that God commands them, even if they do not fully understand why they must. Forty days later, they\’re dancing around a calf made of melted golden earrings and calling it a god! What happened?
The eighth day of the holiday of Sukkot is actually a separate holiday called Shemini Atzeret. It means \”the eighth day of the assembly.\”
In this portion, God tells us something so important that it is mentioned twice: Do not sacrifice anywhere but in the Temple.
Why are we the People of the Book? Why aren\’t we the People of the Question?
After all, before Moses receives the Torah on Mt. Sinai, like Abraham earlier, he answers God\’s call to service with a question. In Exodus 3:11, he says, \”Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and free the Israelites from Egypt?\”
At our Ski Passover, experience the thrill of the 2002 Winter Olympics … Ski the mogul run and view the aerial jumping hill; ride the snowboard half-pipe and ski the giant slalom course … take a bobsled or luge ride or even try Nordic jumping …
When I was 16, I was elected president of my synagogue youth group. I will never forget that feeling of euphoria that accompanied the victory. But I also remember how I felt the very next day after the excitement and thrill of the victory had already started to wear off. I was suddenly struck by an overwhelming feeling of fear and near panic. \”Oh my God,\” I remember thinking, \”now I am the one responsible for whether this entire program and youth group is successful or not. How am I going to know what to do?\”
More news and opinions than at a Shabbat dinner, right in your inbox.