Weekly Newsletter
Wednesday, May 9th
Religious School 4:15 pm - 6:15 pm
Sunday, May 13th
Religious School 9:30 am - `12:30 pm
Wednesday, May 16th
Religious School 4:14 pm - 6:15 pm
Sunday, May 20th
Last Day of Religious School 9:30 am - 12:30 pm
Avodah
Sunday, May 20th
Beth Am, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Tikkun Olam
Sunday, May 13th
Emergent Jewish Communities
Sunday, May 20th
Emergent Jewish Communities
Torah From the Rabbis Burg
(as seen in the Baltimore Jewish Times)
Hear More Evil
Parashat B’har-B’hukkotai
Rabbi Daniel Burg, Beth Am Synagogue
There is no silent prayer in Judaism. Not really. In fact, silence is almost antithetical to our tradition – a disposition of the dead not the living. An American library is almost defined by its lack of noise and conjures up images of little old ladies running around shushing people. A beit midrash, the Jewish equivalent to a library, is no quiet place. On the contrary it is a noisy, boisterous venue where study is an exercise in argumentation and debate. Even the “Silent Amidah” is a misnomer: the central prayer of each Jewish service is recited b’lachash (in a whisper), loud enough to hear one’s own voice but said quieter so as not to disturb others.
Sacred texts, too, are read either aloud or in an undertone. One famous example of the latter comes in this week’s parasha which contains the tochecha or rebuke. In these passages, God threatens Israel with a series of “curses” to be acted upon im b’hukotai timasu, “if you reject My laws…” (Lev. 26:15). This execration is so disturbing that a series of customs developed around it: Protecting children from reading this section, reserving the aliyah for the ba’al koreh (Torah reader) so as to avoid assigning an undeserving individual this dubious honor and a prohibition against breaking the tochecha into smaller portions so that one is not reciting a blessing immediately before or after these verses.
But most recognizable among these customs is the one that suggests the tochecha be read sotto voce, in an undertone. This custom has led some to believe that the tochecha should not be heard at all, that it may be better to leave the room during the rebuke or to “tune it out.” Like the famous image of three monkeys, some would prefer to “see no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil.” The Chofetz Chayim, Rabbi Yisrael Meir Kagan, explains: “Such behavior can be compared to one who was warned not to walk through a certain path because it was filled with thorns and dangerous obstacles. The man, though, did not heed the warnings, and decided to walk along this path. He did take one precaution, though – he blindfolded himself… and made the trip that much more dangerous.”
Too often, I think, we get hung up on the tochecha (and other similarly disturbing verses in Torah) as an inaccurate portrayal of how God works in the world. This may be true (I think it is), but to dismiss these verses because of theological discomfort is to jettison a more profound instinct revealed through our tradition. By speaking these words audibly but in an undertone, we draw attention to them. We remind ourselves that there is real suffering in the world. Speaking quietly encourages better listening. When we whisper prayers so that only we might hear, it’s as if we’re challenging ourselves to respond to our own petition or blessing. But not listening begets more not listening. If we “hear no evil,” we confront no evil – in others or in ourselves.
Lunch and Learn with Rabbi Burg
TUESDAY, JUNE 12 2012
Topic: Tisha B’Av
12:00 pm to 1:00 pm
THESE LUNCH SESSIONS WILL CONTINUE ON THE SECOND TUESDAY OF EACH MONTH
All are welcome - Please bring a dairy lunch
Location: Tydings & Rosenberg, LLP (Richard Rosenthal’s office)
26th Floor, 100 E. Pratt St.
On-street parking is very limited. Garage parking available for a fee
Please RSVP to office1@bethambaltimore.org.
Volunteer at Our Daily Bread
MAY 2012
Sundays: 20 & 27
Thursdays: 17 & 31
9:00 AM
Volunteers must be 14 or older, with 14-yr-olds accompanied by an adult. For more information, please email Victoria Dorf at: Victoria.dorf@ssa.gov or call her at work: 410-965-9245 or at home: 410-945-0652 on eves/weekends. A meaningful activity for families with teens all year long…
SOCIAL ACTION
Spring Book Giveaway
*Please note the addition of the Giveaway Date!
Once again, we are asking all of you generous, community committed folks to support our Book Giveaway at John Eager Howard Elementary School. While it may be a rather small thing for you to buy and donate a couple of books for the children of Reservoir Hill, this is HUGE. Ask any child what books he/she chose at the Holiday Book Giveaway last
December, and you’ll get an answer and a smile.
The date for the Giveaway, is Wednesday, June 6th so that all
children will be able to start the summer with one or two new books.
Anyone who would like to volunteer at the school the morning of June 6th should contact Jackie Donowitz.
Of course, we accept VERY gently used books. Several reminders: You’ll get a 15% discount at The Childrens Bookstore on Deepdene Road if you identify the purchases as going to John Eager Howard Elementary School (thanks to JoAnn Fruchtman), and bear in mind when purchasing that two-thirds of the school population is children ages 3-6. The donation box is in the Chapel lobby and we will take donations up until THURSDAY,
MAY 31, 2012.
In advance, I thank you for your generosity and for your commitment to the Reservoir Hill children.
For more information, contact Jackie Donowitz at 410-235-5761 or email her at
jemdonowitz@hotmail.com.
BAYITT
2nd FRIDAYS
FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012
6:00 pm Service
7:00 pm Dinner
“Like” BAYITT on Facebook.com/bayitt or RSVP to office3@bethambaltimore.org