This week's Torah portion relays the story of the Israelites worshipping the Golden Calf. One might ask: what were they thinking?! And yet, one maybe can also relate to the Israelites who felt anxious, worried, and scared in the uncertainty they were surrounded by. Moses had just successfully led them out of the Narrow Place, away from enslavement, but he sure had been up on that mountain top for a long time and they were in the middle of the wilderness!
Being anxious in times of uncertainty is certainly an understandable human reaction. And at times, perhaps for some of us like events of this month, the anxiety and fear can lead to rash decision making and doing things against our values and community standards.
This parasha, Ki Tisa, while showing us the gravest collective sin in our canon, also shows us how to recover, how to make teshuvah. Core liturgy from the High Holidays comes directly after the episode of the Golden Calf, reminding G-d of G-d's own compassion and mercy.
L'havdil – while these two scenarios are not at all the same – as we seek recovery from a community rupture, may we also know that repair is possible, that showing up with compassion and mercy are the attributes our tradition asks us to keep primary, and that taking the actions to restore what has been lost is possible. Perhaps this is the point Bart Simpson has been making all these years with his astute pun of “don't have a cow.” Perhaps. After all, we are on the heels of Purim.
Shabbat shalom,
R’ David
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Important Community Meeting Update
Sunday, March 8th | 2-4pm | Cherry Street Village & Zoom
Join us this Sunday for a community meeting to learn more about our finances, new volunteer task forces, and more.
Sunday’s Community Meeting is going hybrid! We now have an in-person option to gather at Cherry Street Village in Seattle’s Central District. Please arrive at 1:45pm if you are attending onsite so we can begin promptly at 2pm and wrap up at 4pm as planned. For those attending on Zoom, here is the link you’ll need to join.
Onsite accessibility info: All onsite attendees are required to mask with a KN95 or better; please stay home if sick. CSV is a historic landmark in the process of restoration, and has a history of mold that has not yet been completely eradicated; those with sensitivities may wish to attend virtually or upgrade their PPE. Please aim to be fragrance-free. CSV is an ADA accessible venue with all-gender bathrooms. Speakers onsite will use microphones for easier audibility.
We look forward to being in constructive community dialogue with you this Sunday!
Click here to learn more & to save the event to your calendar.
Being anxious in times of uncertainty is certainly an understandable human reaction. And at times, perhaps for some of us like events of this month, the anxiety and fear can lead to rash decision making and doing things against our values and community standards.
This parasha, Ki Tisa, while showing us the gravest collective sin in our canon, also shows us how to recover, how to make teshuvah. Core liturgy from the High Holidays comes directly after the episode of the Golden Calf, reminding G-d of G-d's own compassion and mercy.
L'havdil – while these two scenarios are not at all the same – as we seek recovery from a community rupture, may we also know that repair is possible, that showing up with compassion and mercy are the attributes our tradition asks us to keep primary, and that taking the actions to restore what has been lost is possible. Perhaps this is the point Bart Simpson has been making all these years with his astute pun of “don't have a cow.” Perhaps. After all, we are on the heels of Purim.
Shabbat shalom,
R’ David
_______
Important Community Meeting Update
Sunday, March 8th | 2-4pm | Cherry Street Village & Zoom
Join us this Sunday for a community meeting to learn more about our finances, new volunteer task forces, and more.
Sunday’s Community Meeting is going hybrid! We now have an in-person option to gather at Cherry Street Village in Seattle’s Central District. Please arrive at 1:45pm if you are attending onsite so we can begin promptly at 2pm and wrap up at 4pm as planned. For those attending on Zoom, here is the link you’ll need to join.
Onsite accessibility info: All onsite attendees are required to mask with a KN95 or better; please stay home if sick. CSV is a historic landmark in the process of restoration, and has a history of mold that has not yet been completely eradicated; those with sensitivities may wish to attend virtually or upgrade their PPE. Please aim to be fragrance-free. CSV is an ADA accessible venue with all-gender bathrooms. Speakers onsite will use microphones for easier audibility.
We look forward to being in constructive community dialogue with you this Sunday!
Click here to learn more & to save the event to your calendar.
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