Emor 5774

Emor 5774

In this week’s parasha, Emor, we read a phrase that seems to be commonplace in the Torah (Lev. 24:22):

מִשְׁפַּט אֶחָד יִהְיֶה לָכֶם, כַּגֵּר כָּאֶזְרָח יִהְיֶה:  כִּי אֲנִי ה' אֱלֹהֵיכֶם.

You shall have one manner of law, as well for the stranger and the home-born, for I am the Lord your God.

While many of us are used to this phrase that appears at the end of the verse “I am the Lord your God”, we often wonder, why do these words keep repeating themselves? We know that God is commanding us to do this!

Rashi asks this question on this verse, and responds:

)כב) אני ה' אלוהיכם - אלוהי כולכם, כשם שאני מיחד שמי עליכם כך אני מייחד שמי על הגרים:

Rashi explains, that when the Torah says, “I am the Lord your God” in this verse, he is proclaiming that he is the God for every person. That just as God’s name is unique for the Israelites, so too is God’s name reserved for gerim, for the stranger in our midst. I would suggest that just as we become used to this refrain, “I am the Lord your God”, Rashi encourages to look deeper into the words, and seek out equality for every person in our community, because that is how God wants God’s presence to be made manifest in our world.

With this week’s parasha in mind, I would like to invite you to join me at ONE Northside’s first inaugural convention, which we are hosting at Anshe Emet. On Sunday, May 4^th, from 2:30 - 4:00 p.m., we will be hosting a full house of 1,200 people to celebrate what ONE Northside has already accomplished – preserving people’s rights to housing, supporting those with mental health issues in our community, and helping to resolve major issues of violence in our neighborhoods. We will be upholding this biblical imperative of ensuring that civil rights are provided equally – for the Jewish community, the resident, and the stranger in our midst.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi David Russo

Kedoshim 5774

From the Particular to the Universal:
Love Your Neighbor as Yourself

It has been my great honor to work with Mazon: A Jewish Response to Hunger for much of my Rabbinate and see how this venerable organization makes a significant difference for those who are food insecure in the United States. One of the reasons that I sit on Mazon’s Board is because their support of the Jewish and non-Jewish community deeply resonates in my heart. The Lakeview Pantry is a great example of the important work Mazon does across the country. Only a half block from the synagogue, the Lakeview Pantry serves a clientele that is a true cross section of Chicago. Knowing that a Jewish organization is visibly making a difference in the area of hunger fills me with pride. 

I have also come to learn that not everyone shares that sentiment.

Some years ago I approached a Jewish philanthropist to make a contribution to Mazon. The person asked if the food went to Jews only or were non-Jews helped as well. When she learned that Mazon served the wider community, I was informed that no contribution would be forthcoming. The woman went on to say that when the Torah says: "love your neighbor as yourself" it is referring to other Israelites. With a wry smile she said: “I take this verse very seriously.”

I tried my best to explain that while the Torah may well have been functioning with a narrow definition of the “neighbor,” Jewish thinking has evolved over time. As Jews, we believe that it is perfectly natural for us to take care of our family and our people first. However, if we stop there than we are not fulfilling the ideal of the Torah. Our words and our actions must go beyond the boundaries of our own people and touch the lives of others for the good. This is what Hillel meant when he said: “If I am not for myself who will be for me.  If I am only for myself what am I, if not now, when?” I closed by saying that as Jews, our particularism should always lead us to universalism. It would be wonderful if I could report that my words impacted this person.  Sadly, they had no effect!

There is a wonderful lesson that we can learn from the laws of Kashrut. I am grateful to Rabbi Matthew Berkowitz for reminding me of this interpretation. Amongst the birds that are forbidden to eat is the stork. In Hebrew it has the name "Hasidah" or kindness. In the commentaries we learn that the stork was given this beautiful name because it feeds other birds. To this the Kotzker Rebbe responded: “If the hasidah is kind toward its kin, why is it unkosher?” His answer: “To be kosher, you have to be kind not only to your own kind, but to all.”
 
“Love your neighbor as yourself" is found in our Torah reading of Kedoshim this week. It offers us an opportunity to have a conversation with family or friends as to the meaning of these words and then to act on them through our Feed the Deed Omer Challenge. During the 49 days of the Omer, we will be tapping people to "Feed the Deed." If you get the Facebook tag, an email, or a phone call, then do something good for someone else. Once you are done, pay it forward and pick two or three others and tell them they have 24 hours to Feed the Deed. If you are Facebook friendly, post what you did on the Anshe Emet Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ansheemet. As a community let us act on behalf of others and do an ancient verse justice as we explore the spectrum of loving your neighbor in both word and deed. 

Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Michael Siegel
Senior Rabbi

Achrei Mot 5774

Achrei Mot

Next week during Pesach, we’re going to read from Parashat Emor, Leviticus 23, which always read during Pesach and Sukkot, and which we’ll read again during the week of May 3  in our normal progression through the Torah. This is one of the most oft-read sections of the Torah.

There is one particular verse that stands out (Lev. 23:22):

וּבְקֻצְרְכֶם אֶת-קְצִיר אַרְצְכֶם, לֹא-תְכַלֶּה פְּאַת שָׂדְךָ בְּקֻצְרֶךָ, וְלֶקֶט קְצִירְךָ, לֹא תְלַקֵּט; לֶעָנִי וְלַגֵּר תַּעֲזֹב אֹתָם, אֲנִי ה' אֱ-לֹקיכֶם.

And when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap the corner of your field, neither shall you gather the gleaning of your harvest; you shall leave them for the poor, and for the stranger: I am the LORD your God.

This verse teaches us the mitzvot of peah and leket – that we are commanded to reserve the corner of our field to the poor, and that we are to leave fallen sheaves for those who are less fortunate. Considering that Biblical Israel was a predominantly agrarian society, the Torah is making a demanding claim: that as we all collect the fruits of our labor, that we simultaneously must keep in mind the needs of those who are less fortunate.

The core reason why we read this on Pesach and Sukkot is because it is one of the sections where the Torah describes what we do on the various holidays. But what is interesting is that while this verse is specifically regarding the holiday of Shavuot, we also read it on Pesach and Sukkot. This Torah reading announces to us, during every yom tov (holiday), that while we must spend time and energy on our own celebration – preparing for the seder, cleaning our homes, selling our hametz – we simultaneously MUST ensure that we remember the needs of those who are vulnerable in our community. We cannot solely focus on our own holiday celebration – we must always keep in mind the needs of those who need support in our world.

This time of year, as we recall the freedom of our ancestors, I would like to invite you to join me at ONE Northside’s first inaugural convention, which we are hosting at Anshe Emet. On Sunday, May 4^th, from 2:00 - 4:30 p.m., we will be hosting a full house of 1,200 people to celebrate what ONE Northside has already accomplished – preserving people’s rights to housing, supporting those with mental health issues in our community, and helping to resolve major issues of violence in our neighborhoods. And we will be taking action, working together to continue making our community, helping all of us in our quest for greater civil rights for all. For while we are celebrating our holidays, our freedom, we must simultaneously work towards the freedom of everyone in our world.

Shabbat Shalom and Chag Sameach,

Rabbi David Russo

Metzora 5774

SOUNDS OF FAITH:
Our link to the Eternal

Metzorah, our Parsha this week, is a disease that is said to be afflicted upon one who has slandered a fellow human being or spoken ill of someone. The Torah takes this very seriously. When we examine other texts, Psalm 34 says, "Who is the one desiring life...guard your tongue from evil and your lips from deceit...seek peace and pursue it!" It would seem that if one is careful about the way they speak of fellow human beings, they would certainly be on the road to avoid doing anything that would harm that same being.

We speak as we sing, as we cry and as we pray; using the breath that was breathed into us at birth and taken away at the end. Breath makes SOUND and allows us to join with the harmony of the universe in our quest for our FAITH and belief in the Almighty. I have no doubt that all music, but above all music that is sung, is our spiritual connection to Hashem. The study of Torah being the most important "mitzvah," prayer and the SOUNDS OF FAITH are our closest physical link to the Eternal.

This is what we will present this Sunday, April 6, at 3:00 p.m. in the sanctuary of Anshe Emet Synagogue.  I need not tell you about the plethora of talent from Muezzins chanting their call to prayer to a gospel choir and soloists rocking the House of The Lord! I cannot wait to join this magnificent whirlwind of sounds from the softest hush to the loudest exultation!  I pray you will join us in what will be an S.R.O. concert!


Shabbat Shalom,
Hazzan Alberto Mizrahi