Passover 5775

A Seder Discussion Starter on
the Role of Miracles in Our Lives

Soon Jews the world over will be sitting around their Seder tables with an ancient book in their hands all telling the wondrous story of “Yetziat Mitzrayim”, the going out from Egypt.  We will remind ourselves of the powerful symbols around the Seder plate, and we will taste the bitter herbs and speak of slavery and redemption then and now.   At one point we will hear those iconic words: “In every generation a person is required to themselves as if they were personally taken out of Egypt”.

But how?

Can we seriously imagine the plagues and the terror of that final night in Egypt? Can we really imagine that climatic moment when the sea split and Moses and the Children of Israel walked on dry land as the water rose in columns on the sides?  Many theorize that there are natural explanations for what the Bible presents as the greatest of all miracles.   The simplest being that Moses was familiar with the order of the tides and timed the march out of Egypt to take advantage of this phenomenon.  As for the Egyptians, the theory goes, their unfamiliarity with how dangerous a tide could be was their undoing.  Here is an explanation that satisfies our penchant for scientific thinking but falls short of touching our hearts or our souls.

Putting aside our scientific spectacles and donning those of the spirit, the splitting of the sea is the story of a people who chose to see the miracle in the moment.  Moses and the Children of Israel opted to see the presence of God’s hand intervening in their lives.  Here, we come upon a conversation that speaks to even the most scientifically minded.

Are we willing to allow for everyday miracles in our lives?

Yehudah Amichai was one of the greatest poets that our people ever produced.  His words and wit captured the spirit of Israel and continues to challenge us to look at things differently.  He wrote a number of poems about the Bible and our tradition.
I am including two poems on the Splitting of the Sea from his perspective.  Take a moment and read them aloud.

MIRACLES

From a distance everything looks like a miracle
but up close even a miracle doesn’t appear so
Even someone who crossed the Red Sea when it split
only saw the sweaty back
of the one in front of him
and the motion of his big legs,
and at most, a hurried glance to the side,
fish of many colors in a wall of water,
like in an aquarium behind walls of glass.
The real miracles happen at the next table
in a restaurant in Albuquerque:
Two women were sitting there, one with a zipper
on a diagonal, so pretty,
the other said, “I held my own
and I didn’t cry.”
And afterwards in the reddish corridors
of a strange hotel I saw
boys and girls holding in their arms
even smaller children, their own,
who also held
cute little dolls.

Like One Who Left Egypt:
In The Middle Of The Story

What is the continuity of my life? I am like one who left Egypt
with the Red Sea split in two and I passing through on dry ground
and two walls of water on my right and on my left.
Behind me Pharaoh’s force and his chariots and before me the wilderness
and perhaps the promised land. This is the continuity of my life.

In the poem “Miracles” how does Amichai perceive a women’s courageous step, or that vision of family continuity?  Do you share his perceptions?  In the poem “Like One who Left Egypt”, how do you understand his use of the story as a metaphor for life?  Do you agree?

This Passover, amidst the sensory feast of the holiday, let us determine to see differently to fully appreciate the power of our story.

Chag Sameach,
Rabbi Michael Siegel

Vayikra 5775

This Shabbat, we celebrate Shabbat Hachodesh, the Shabbat that introduces the month of Nisan. For some, the celebration of this Shabbat, and the sight of Passover in our grocery stories, induces the fear of the impending holiday.

What is interesting is how our rabbis prompt us to think about the advent of this month. Rabbi Gedalia Schwartz identifies that in the Shulchan Aruch, the major code of Jewish law, the first Halacha (or law) mentioned by the Rama is not regarding some of the minutia of Pesach (Passover) that one might expect. Instead, the first requirement, the first obligation related to Pesach is that a community must collect funds for "Maot Chittin," a fund that would support the poor in their preparations for Passover.

Rabbi Schwartz goes on to say that God’s role in the Egyptian drama conveys God’s will to rescue the weak and vulnerable. Those in a position of strength are mandated to protect and support those who are most endangered – the widow, the orphan, the stranger.

We at Anshe Emet take this mitzvah seriously. We have multiple groups of people who participate in Chicago’s own Maot Chitim, celebrating 100 years of giving to Chicagoland Jews, as we help deliver Kosher for Passover food for members of our community who are unable to secure it on their own. Many of the recipients originally come from the Former Soviet Union. For me and many others, this volunteer opportunity allows us a chance to hear about what it was like to move to the United States, what their experience is in our community, and to determine how we can continue to be supportive of those in our community who need our help. Our arrival is eagerly anticipated and we are traditionally greeted with bright smiles, and thanked with a bar of chocolate! To be a part of this effort, please contact Amy Karp at akarp@anshemet.org. She can provide you with the address where we'll be meeting Sunday, March 29th at 9:30 a.m.

If you are unable to volunteer this Sunday, we have additional opportunities to fulfill our communal obligation to support those in need as they prepare for Pesach. Stacey Wolin is leading an effort in our community to support those in need at this time of year, by collecting:

1. Donations of non-food items which are not covered by SNAP benefits: paper towels, kleenex, napkins, dish sponges, dish soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, ziploc style bags and aluminum foil.
2. Donations of a gift card from Jewel or Hungarian Kosher.
   One mother who received a gift card said, "... For the 1st time I can go shopping with my kids like everyone else, and no one knows how we are struggling to feed our kids and provide them with the basics. With your beloved gift cards, we can now shop and hold our heads up high." If you would like to contribute to this important mitzvah, please be in touch with Stacey Wolin at staceyella@aol.com

Thank you for making this month of Nisan a time when we can enable all in our community to celebrate the season of freedom.

Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi David Russo

Vayakhel-Pekudei 5775

Last Sunday more than 300 members of our community gathered to celebrate Opa! L’Chaim!: Hazzan Mizrahi’s 25 years of service to the Anshe Emet Synagogue. It was a wonderful evening filled with joy and song honoring a remarkable legacy. It is my honor to share with you my remarks from the evening that touch on our Torah reading for this week.

As we celebrate Alberto and a quarter century at Anshe Emet we also celebrate Debbie and Belina and the love and support that make so much possible.

When I was a young Rabbi I read a speech entitled the “Vocation of the Cantor” by Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel. He wrote: To sing means to sense and to affirm that the spirit is real and that its glory is present. In singing we perceive what is otherwise beyond perceiving. Song, and particularly liturgical song, is not only an act of expression but also a way of bringing down the spirit from heaven to earth.

I was very moved by Heschel’s words but I did not appreciate their meaning until I met Hazzan Mizrahi. I was at an event honoring the Jewish Theological Seminary at the Field Museum. Alberto was the featured performer for that night. As soon as I heard him sing I was mesmerized. I knew that I wanted him to be the Hazzan for Anshe Emet and so I called him. He was shocked that a Rabbi would call him! Well I could never have understood when I made that call what the next 25 years would be like. To stand next to him before the Ark and hear him chant Shmah Koleynu is to appreciate the power of prayer: the fact that I cannot hear out of my left ear aside! To experience Hazzan Mizrahi’s Kol Nidre or Neilah is to know the grandeur of the liturgy as few Jews can on Yom Kippur. That is our privilege at Anshe Emet.   

But Alberto always brings the best of himself whether it be a Friday night service or a regular Shabbat service. He is the consummate professional continually working on his craft with voice coaches. I am continually impressed by his willingness to try new musical forms, Anshe Emet live, world music and all the while maintaining the traditional melodies of our worship.  

Beyond his remarkable voice, beyond his deep understanding of the liturgy, is the spirit of the man. If you wish to understand Alberto Mizrahi then I suggest that you begin here. His love of other people, of our traditions and of life itself sets him apart. In our portion this week Moses calls upon the people to contribute to the building of the Mishkan: the indwelling place of God. “Take from among you gifts to the Lord: Kol Nediv Lebo, Everyone whose heart so moves him shall bring them."  

Ladies and Gentleman: the man that we honor this evening has followed that ancient tradition and brings the gift of his beautiful voice, his knowledge of our liturgy, his responsibility to the memory of parents who survived the hell fire of the Shoah in order to bring a Jewish son into the world, his uncommon Jui d’vivre and mentchlikite has made it possible for Alberto Mizrahi to make an uncommon contribution to the glory of God and the Jewish people. All because Nediv Lebo, because his heart moves him.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Michael Siegel

Ki Tisa 5775

Shabbat, The Home, and Thankfulness

This week’s parsha, Ki Tissa, contains one of the more famous statements about Shabbat, the Kiddush that we recite during the daytime. It begins (Exodus 31:16):

The children of Israel shall observe Shabbat, performing Shabbat throughout the generations...

Rabbi Reuven Katz, in his 17th century book “Yalkut Reuveni”, quotes a passage from the mystical Zohar text, emphasizing that the word “ledorotam” is written in the shortest form possible, without the Hebrew letter “vav”. So, it could actually be read “lediratam”, meaning in their dwelling places. Rabbi Katz is emphasizing that Shabbat is not only something that is to be observed forever - but a day that centers around the home.

We are so lucky to have a community that prizes having Shabbat in the home. This Friday night (March 6th), dozens of families will celebrate Shabbat together during our “Taste of Shabbat.” They will get to live out this rabbinic notion that the calming, peaceful, song-filled, delicious Shabbat experience is enjoyable when we are invited in to each other’s homes.

At Anshe Emet, we celebrate the homey nature of Jewish life constantly. We convert our synagogue space to feel like our homes once a month, when we gather for Shabbat is Awesome. People play board games, sports, activities, and spend time together, making the synagogue feel like an extension of our homes.

And so this shabbat, and every shabbat, I wish that you and your family will experience Shabbat ledorotam, for many generations, and lediratam, in all of the places in which we reside.

Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi David Russo

Tetzaveh 5775

The Spirit of Amalek is Alive and the American College Campus

In a recently published study of more than 1100 Jewish college students it was found that 54% had experienced an anti-Semitic incident his past year.  Ariella Kasar, who headed the study and teaches at Trinity College, was quoted as saying: “We were surprised how prevalent it is. There are no pockets where it is in specific places, regions or universities. It’s kind of widespread,” Most surprising, perhaps, is that there is virtually no difference in the rates of experiencing anti-Semitism between those who are “never open” about being Jewish on their campus and those who are “always open” about being Jewish. 

The reality of anti-Semitism on college campuses is a clear and present reality around the country.

The Shabbat before Purim is called Shabbat Zachor: the Sabbath of memory.  We will read the passage regarding Amalek at the conclusion of our Torah reading:

Remember what Amalek did to you on your journey, after you left Egypt -- how, undeterred by fear of God, he surprised you on the march, when you were famished and weary, and cut down all the stragglers in your rear. Therefore, when the LORD your God grants you safety from all your enemies around you, in the land that the LORD your God is giving you as a hereditary portion, you shall blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven. Do not forget!  (Deuteronomy 26:17-19)

Amalek was a tribal chieftain who attacked the Children of Israel as they marched through the desert directly after the splitting of the sea.   In this passage Moses reminds the people that Amalek attacked the most in the back of the caravan.  Had he wanted to simply fight the Israelites, Amalek would have chosen to focus on the front of the caravan where the fighting men were.  Rather, he chose to slaughter the weakest and most vulnerable element of the Jewish people.  For this cowardly and hateful act Amalek wins the eternal ire of God.  Moreover, Moses teaches us that the war against Amalek will be an eternal one.  Haman, who tries to destroy the Jews of Persia in the time of Mordecai and Esther was a direct descendant of Amalek.  In the eyes of Jewish tradition, Amalek was more than a historical figure, he was the very symbol of anti-Semitism throughout time.

The sad reality of the modern day is that the spirit of Amalek is alive and well throughout the world and as this recent study shows, on college campuses as well.  In the past weeks the students bodies of Stanford University and Northwestern University voted to divest from 6 major companies that do business with Israel.  The claim is that the products from these companies are used by Israel in human rights violations in the Palestinian territories.  The vote on the Northwestern Campus was 24 to 22.  The Jewish students who were involved in the struggle against the divestment experienced both abuse and the worst form of anti-Semitism thinly disguised as anti-Israel rhetoric.  I am proud to say that some of the Jewish leaders at Northwestern and Stanford were from Anshe Emet.

On this Shabbat Zachor Mitchell Caminer will share his experience of this struggle with the Boycott, Divestment and Sanction Movement on his university campus as well as his encounter with anti-Semitism.   Sadly, the spirit of Amalek is not only present in terrorist acts in places like Paris and Copenhagen but in our halls of higher education as well.  Please plan to be with us this Shabbat.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Michael Siegel

Mishpatim 5775

What the Death Penalty Teaches Us about a Society

Abraham Joshua Heschel once said that: a society is measured by the way it treats its elderly.   In watching the news this week I came to the conclusion that we can learn a great deal about a society by the way they administer the death penalty. The world had a terrible example of this in the past few days.  ISIS put a Jordanian pilot to death in such a grossly barbaric way that the world cannot pretend there is anything civilized or redeeming in this new Caliphate. Then, yesterday we heard the news that Kayla Mueller, an American aide worker, was put to death despite the pleading of her parents; despite the fact she was not an armed combatant, nor that her sole purpose for being in Syria was to help the innocent.

We can measure a society by the way it values human life—in the manner in which it administers the death penalty.

This week we read Parshat Mishpatim. It contains one of our people’s most ancient law codes. We learn that if one knowingly takes a life they must forfeit their own. Such is the holiness of every person created in the image of God. Even if the perpetrator claims sanctuary they must be removed from the very alter itself so that justice may be done. However, if the murder was unintentional then the Torah makes provisions to have a person live in a city of refuge where they would be safe from the vengeance of the family members of the slain person. While the Torah allows for capital punishment it also takes care to ensure that great care be exercised to ensure that the State not abuse such power. The Rabbis themselves adopted this attitude. It is recorded in the Mishnah: Makkot 1:10 that “A Sanhedrin that puts a man to death once in seven years is called a murderous one.” This attitude regarding the sanctity of life has been carried on by the modern State of Israel, which does not allow for Capital Punishment. In fact, the only recorded case of a person put to death was that of Adolph Eichmann whose Crime against the Jewish People could be punished no other way.

The distinctiveness of our tradition can be seen in the last few sentences of this section on capital crimes. It is a familiar phrase: the penalty shall be life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise. It is of interest to us that the Code of Hammurabi, one in existence since during the time of Abraham, contains almost the exact same wording. The difference is that in Mishpatim these laws were administered to everyone equally and, in the Code of Hammurabi, based upon ones class in society. Furthermore, in our tradition it is understood from the start that the Torah was not advocating the simple meaning of the text, but rather monetary compensation. For our people the punishment must always fit the crime. 

To use the death penalty as an opportunity to publicize one’s cause, as ISIS does, is an affront to the very God they purport to worship and honor. Now that the world has had the opportunity to peer into the dark soul of these people, we can only pray that they will be dealt with in a way that is commensurate with their crimes. 

Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Michael Siegel

Yitro 5775

Amongst the many dating websites that are around today, there is one called “Saw You at Sinai.” It serves Jewish singles of various ages, backgrounds, cultures and interests find their match (their bashert). And the origin of this website’s name appears in this week’s Torah portion.

It is in parshat Yitro that we read of God revealing the Torah to the people of Israel at Sinai. What is interesting is how the rabbis interpret this revelation. They claim that (Babylonian Talmud Shevu’ot 39a), that all Jews were present at the Sinai encounter, including those who had not yet been born or who were not yet Jews. Our rabbis assert that this was the greatest gathering of Jewish souls in history. Hence the website name, SawYouatSinai – we all were there.

Every year, I bring the book, “Present at Sinai” or in Hebrew “Atem Re’item” with me to shul on this Shabbat, when we read the Torah portion Yitro. Because in this book, Shai Agnon (Nobel Laureate in Literature) collected thousands of rabbinic interpretations on the Revelation at Sinai. And what is interesting is the title that he chose – atem re’item, which literally means “you yourselves (plural) saw.” Quoting a rabbinic commentary in the book, he emphasized this point that all future generations witnessed the Sinai revelation. This midrash was so important to him that it became the title of his book.

I think about this teaching often around this time of year, as we approach the 2nd largest gathering at Anshe Emet – Purim, and the Purim Carnival. It’s not as big as the rabbis’ vision of Sinai, nor is it the High Holy Days – but it is a time when over a thousand people gather together to celebrate the fun of Purim together. We hope to celebrate with you by reading and listening to the Megillah together (Wednesday night, March 4th and Thursday morning, March 5th), and by being a part of our Purim Carnival. The Carnival this year is on Sunday, March 1st. We would deeply appreciate any volunteers – so please contact Aviva Schnoll at 773-868-5152 or aschnoll@ansheemet.org to help us make this carnival the most exciting one in the Chicago area.

I so look forward standing with all of you, as the future generation that the rabbi envisioned, as we celebrate Jewish life together.

Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi David Russo