12.23.16 A little Love

Lately, my Torah has been coming from other sources.  This week, I find myself turning to "Put a Little Love in Your Heart" by Jackie Sherman who composed it with her brother, Randy Myers, and Jimmy Holiday.  Feel free to sing along.

Think of your fellow man, lend him a helping hand
Put a little love in your heart
You see, it's getting late, oh, please don't hesitate
Put a little love in your heart

And the world will be a better place
And the world will be a better place for you and me
You just wait and see

Another day goes by, and still the children cry
Put a little love in your heart
If you want the world to know, we won't let hatred grow
Put a little love in your heart

And the world will be a better place
And the world will be a better place for you and me
You just wait and see. Wait and see

Take a good look around and if you're lookin' down
Put a little love in your heart
I hope when you decide kindness will be your guide
Put a little love in your heart
And the world will be a better place
And the world will be a better place for you and me
You just wait and see
Put a little love in your heart
Put a little love in your heart

"Rabbi Hillel would say: 
Be a disciple of Aaron, loving peace and pursuing it, loving people and bringing them to Torah."
- Pirkei Avot 1:12

Mekor Ha'Chayiim, Source of Life, as we approach Chanukah, continuing to move through this season of light, let us be mindful of our capacity to love the other and to love ourselves.  May we be in Shabbat with a renewed commitment to Rabbi Hillel's teaching and may our collective commitment bring us closer to a time when all human beings are are doing the same.

Wishing you all joy and light.

Happy Chanukah and Shabbat Shalom,
Laurie

12.16.16 A little "Possibilities"

YOU COMING TO DINNER?????

It's cold outside - very cold!  

Let's warm up together through song and a yummy dinner.

Shabbat is just better together.

Wishing you all light and joy.

RLP

Dwell in Possibility

I dwell in Possibility -

A fairer House than Prose -

More numberous of Windows -

Superior - for Doors - 

Of Chambers as the Cedars - 

Impregnable of eye - 

And for an everlasting Roof

The Gambrels of the Sky - 

Of Bisitors - the fairest - 

For Occupation - This - 

The spreading wide my narrow Hands

To gather Paradise - 

Emily Dickinson

In this season of light, possibilities seem numerous.  It's an opportunity to brainstorm all of them and to then pick, choose one - just one - and take action.  

What is the hope?  What is the desire?  What is the dream?  

What if the hope, the desire and the dream could be reality?

What will each of us choose to make possible?

עֹשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם בִּמְרוֹמָיו, הוּא יַעֲשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם עָלֵיֽנוּ וְעַל כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאִמְרוּ : אָמֵן

Oseh Shalom bimromav.  Who ya'aseh shalom Aleinu, v'al kol Yisrael, v'al kol yoshvei teivel.  V'imru "Amen".

May the One who creates peace[wholeness] to reign in the high heavens create peace[wholeness] descent on us and on all Israel, and all the inhabitants of the land and let us say: Amen.

We are the ones who create peace[wholeness].  We are the ones who enable change.  We are the ones who make a hope, a desire, a dream, a reality.

Mekor Ha'Chayiim, Source of Life, may we take the stillness of Shabbat and decide which possibility to make a reality.

Shabbat shalom u'mevorach - a blessed and restful Shabbat,

Laurie 

12.19.16 Conditional faith?

12.16.16 
"Ants In Your Pants" and Shabbat Beineinu
                            12.17.16 Pre-Chanukah Program and Gift Donation 
                                                               Scroll down for details and RSVP today!

The family drama continues.  This week we read "Va'yeitzei".  Jacob is fleeing from his home, because that's what you do after you steal the birthrite from your older brother (even if your mother told you to).  As he makes his way through the unknown to the unknown he stops for the night.  He sees a stone and thinks "that would make a great pillow".  Not ony is it comfortable but it appears to also be a magical pillow.  While Jacob sleeps he dreams of a ladder with angels going up and down (ding ding ding - they should be traveling down and up - afterall don't angels live in the heavens?).  God appears and promises Jacob the same thing that was promised to Abrahm and to Isaac.  He awakens and says "God is in this place and I didn't know."  He names the place "Beit-El"/house of God and builds and altar thanking God.  

What happens next is completely bizarre.  Jacob starts listing the terms of his commitment to God.  Paraphrasing; IF God is with me....IF God guards my coming and going...IF God gives me food and clothing...IF God makes sure I get home safely...
THEN...God will be my God.

Wow!  Now that's "chutzpah"!  Jacob has a very strong sense of himself (to say the least). He steals his brother's blessing, THE BLESSING, and makes his faith in God conditional.  He places demands on God which is usually what God does to people.

And then...

God accepts the terms.  Jacob's faith is solidified.

So...I started thinking.

What if, it's ok to make demands of God?  What if we could create conditions for faith? What would yours be?  What would you expect from God?  What if God agreed to your terms? Would you give God your full faith?  

Mekor Ha'Chayiim, Source of Life, as we move into Shabbat, let's think about the conditions of our faith and check in on our willingness to respond with full faith?.

Shabbat shalom,
Laurie