The Almond Tree - A new original midrash for the January 2019 El Paso Jewish Voice

    The Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden was wondering what had happened.  

    Everything was quiet.   There had been people there.  Two of them.  They were gone. She asked the Tree of Knowledge if he knew why there had been a change.   He told her to speak to the Eternal One.  

    “Eternal One!” 

    There was silence.  Then there was a voice. 

    “Yes, my Eitz Chayim, did you call?” 

    “Why is it so quiet?  Where did the people go? Did I do something to make them leave?”  The Tree of Life was extremely concerned. 

     The Eternal One reassured her, “No, Tree of Life.  You did nothing wrong.  They did, though.  I had told them not to eat of your fruit or the fruit of your companion, the Tree of Knowledge.  They did eat his fruit, and it opened their eyes in a way that made it impossible for them to stay here.”  

      Eitz Chayim replied, “My Creator, I am sad.   I was actually getting to like having them around.  Where did they go?  Will they be safe?”  

     The Eternal One was reassuring, “Yes, they will be secure.  They will have to work hard to survive.  I will be watching them and inspire them to grow when necessary.  Don’t worry about them.” 

      Eitz Chayim was not convinced. “Source of all life, I AM worried.   Will they always realize You won’t be far away from them while they are living in their new home?  Will they be able to overcome their fears and to live and thrive?  Will they make the right decisions for their future?   They might need a lot of assistance. I want to help!” 

      The Eternal One thought for a moment.  “Eitz Chayim, would you like to be closer to them?” 

      “Yes, my Creator, Yes!”   

     The Omnipresent One looked intently at the Tree of Life, causing a soft wind to move her leaves on her branches.  “I have a proposal for you.  I will send you out into the world.  There will be many other trees out there.  You will make friends with them.  You will guide them.  You will be My eyes and ears to make sure that the people - and there will be many of them - will treat my plants and creatures with great care.   They will tend to you, help you grow, and make more trees grow like you.   You will be called an almond tree - SHAKED, or, in your case, SH’KEYDIAH - and they will make many of you in all of the places where you can grow.”   

      “And I will give you a special gift.   Some of the people will follow a man named Moses, who will lead them to freedom after hundreds of years of enduring cruel slavery.   I will instruct Moses, their leader, to have them make a seven-branched symbol of light that will look like you.   It will feature shapes of almond blossoms on top.  And you, my Eitz Chayim, will be able to watch them (SHAKAD) day and night not only through all your tree children, but in any place where their light symbol - the Menorah - will stand in the special houses where they will worship Me and pray about taking care of the world - including you - and each other.”   

      “Really, Eternal One?  That is so kind of you.  I will do what you ask!”  The Tree of Life was excited about her new existence among the people.  

      “And...one more thing.  When it gets cold in the places where you grow, you will be the first tree to show your blossoms.  That will so amaze the descendants of Moses and his people that they will celebrate a New Year of Trees.   It will be called Tu Bish’vat.  It will be a day to remind them to care for the world, including you and your fellow trees, because this is the only world they will have.” 

      The Eitz Chayim was ready.  “My Creator, I will watch them and guide them. I promise!  Lead me to my new home!”  

     

A Patriarch's Legacy - A Midrash - D'var Torah - Parashat Vay'chi - December 21, 2018

Jacob had just finished blessing his grandchildren 

And was preparing to speak to his children to tell them of their future. 

He was alone, in the comfort of his quarters in Egypt

Provided by his son Joseph

Not only for him

But for his entire family

That had come down from Canaan

In the second year of a famine.

They would live.  They would survive.

Jacob was relieved.  

Yet, he still remembered the message

Passed down to him from his parents and grandparents.

God had told his grandfather,

"Know now that your descendants shall be strangers in a land not theirs;

they shall be enslaved and afflicted for four hundred years.

But then I will bring judgment upon the nation they are serving;

after that they shall go out with many possessions.”

But, for the moment, Jacob felt safe where he was, as he knew his death neared.

He was weary as the night came.

And he fell asleep.

He had a dream.

He was on a ladder.  

He remembered, “I have seen this ladder before.

But I was standing below.   Now I am high above the ground.

I have ascended.  But why?  How did I get here?”

He didn’t realize that another presence was with him.

“You climbed the ladder, Jacob.  I wasn’t sure you would.”

It was God. 

Jacob couldn’t see the Eternal, but he could sense

That God was speaking from above.

“What was I supposed to do, my Creator? 

You showed me this ladder when I was young,

Just after I had left my home to escape the wrath

Of my brother Esau.   I realized that stepping onto the ladder

Meant that I needed to live.  I couldn’t be immobilized and stuck

In my fear and trepidation.”

God was impressed.  “Jacob, or should I say, Israel, you have done well.”

Jacob was doubtful at this evaluation, even from the Eternal One.

“My God, I deceived my brother Esau, and when he sincerely asked me

To come with him, I declined.  I favored one wife over another.

I then favored the children of Rachel over the others. 

And I realize now that the rivalry of my life, with my brother,

was passed down to my children.  The consequences

could have been disastrous.”

God was silent, and then spoke.

“Jacob - Israel - you have a new name because you were willing to struggle

To reunite with your brother.   It wasn’t about following him.

It was about facing him, even once, where you could be yourself,

Confident, courageous, comfortable in your own skin.

And you now know that what appeared to be a tragic end for Joseph

Was part of a plan to bring your family to safety in Egypt.

How do you think Joseph was able to succeed without you

as an exemplar?   No, you weren’t perfect. 

But your relationships that could have been forever tinged with deceit

Found a resolution.

Even with the favoritism you extended to one wife and her children,

You were a dedicated father who supported and preserved your entire

Household.    You struggled with my angel and prevailed.

You struggled with life, even with moments of mourning and sadness,

Even when your some of your children did not do what you wished.

You are still here.  You and the generations of your family are all together.   What more could you want?”

Jacob was not yet convinced.  “Eternal One, how will my descendants think of me?   Will they only see the deception that began in my childhood?  Or will there be something more that they will remember?”

God was reassuring.

“Jacob, Israel, my child,

You have ascended this ladder because of all the good you have done.

You have loved.

You have pursued your goals with passion.

You have met challenges in your life with perseverance.

You have looked upon your grandchildren, held them and blessed them.

That blessing was not only a passing on of your faith, but an expression of gratitude.   

Remember, a long time ago, you declared,‘If God is with me and watches over me on this path that I am taking and gives me bread to eat and clothes to wear, and if I return safely to my father's house, then will the Eternal be my God.’ 

Jacob, I never heard that as a lack of faith or trust in me. 

You didn’t know how your life would unfold, but here you are.

You are still dreaming of Me and how I have been with you

And I am with you now.

Look down.”

Jacob looked below and saw his whole life laid out as if it was a landscape.

God told him,

“This is who you have been, and who you have become.

Do you know what your children’s children and their descendants

will call themselves?

B’nai Yisrael - the children of Israel - Your children.

They will remember you as family, as an ancestor – a patriarch - who had a vision that, in many ways, he was able to realize.  

Don’t get off this ladder, Jacob.  History needs you to keep climbing.”

“I won’t get off, Eternal One. 

I will hold on tight and move up, rung by rung.”

Suddenly, Jacob awoke in his bed.  He was in Egypt, with his family.

Night had become morning. 

The promise of his dream earlier in life

Had become a legacy he had passed to his children and grandchildren.

He knew that they would thrive.  They would face challenges to their very well-being.

But they would live and climb up their own ladder

Rung by rung. 

Reveal our Lights - D’var Torah - Temple Beth-El Las Cruces Board meeting - December 13, 2018

Eternal God,

Our Creator

Who rolls darkness away from light,

Uncover and reveal the lights inside of us that You have nurtured throughout our lives

The light of kindness, which guides us to offer support and concern to our fellow human beings and to overcome heartlessness and cruelty; 

The light of truth, which leads us to discover, speak and share what is true and real and to gives us the strength to prevent deception from allowing justice and fairness to flourish;

The light of wisdom, which enables us to develop our most creative ideas and to share them in ways that engender cooperation;

The light of patience, which makes it possible for us to be accepting of others when we might not otherwise not be;

The light of leadership, which gives us the opportunity to find new abilities within ourselves and to inspire others;

The light of healing, through which we are able to let go of past hurts that can cause us pain and hold us back, and to overcome the challenges to our well-being that are a part of our present; 

The light of dedication, which binds us together in vision, friendship, and community as we walk our common path side-by-side. 

Be with us, Eternal One, and may Your light always make our lights shine.  

Faiths United in Humility, Patience, Service to Others - Column for Las Cruces Bulletin on December 7, 2018

     Several days before Thanksgiving, beginning in 2015, Temple Beth-El’s Social Action and Adult Education committees have sponsored a program of interfaith dialogue on a chosen theme.  Several local clergy and faith leaders offer their perspectives on the topics, and then they lead program participants in small group discussions reflecting on the presentations. 

     This year, at the program on November 18, the theme was “With Liberty and Justice for All - Leadership, Justice and Unity: What Can We Achieve Together?”  

       To begin, I shared two prayers for our country from Jewish prayerbooks. Both prayers spoke about liberty, justice, unity, and respect. 

      Father Ron Catherson (St. John’s Catholic Church of Antioch) defined liberty as “the power to act,” and explained that the freedoms we are granted in our country (religion, speech, peaceful assembly, etc.) carry with them responsibility and consequences.  We can use our freedom to treat others with respect and love. 

      Pastor Donna Cavedon (First Christian Church) declared that people of faith respond to the injustices they witness based on their sacred texts.   Religious teachings, rather than politics, form the foundation of a belief that justice is only justice when it is justice for all. 

      Sureyya Husain (Islamic Center of Las Cruces) said that “it is the foundation of faith to hold fast to humility that teaches us to honor the differences among us.  We are admonished to stand firm for liberty, and for justice, and to not let the hatred of any people prevent us from being just.”  

      The Rev. Carol Tuck (United Methodist), in her remarks on leadership, focused on biblical examples of leaders who served the people.   Public service is a privilege that citizens need to honor and support, because so many public servants do their work without appreciation.   Competent servant leadership is necessary for accomplishing justice and liberty for all. 

      Gordon Butler, from the Baha’i community, addressed the topic of unity.  Religion, he said, has the true purpose of bringing unity to humankind.  Even when some human communities have been at war with each other, there has always been a persistent pursuit of peace, stability, and dignity for our fellow human beings.  

       The Rev. Dr. Harvey Daiho Hilbert (Founding Abbot and Senior Teacher of the Order of Clear Mind Zen) explained that “the path of unity of spirit is a path of getting out of our own way.  When we can do that, all faith traditions can come together.  It is rather like setting ourselves aside for the sake of the higher good.” 

       Pastor Jared Carson (Peace Lutheran Church) spoke about collaboration, which he characterized as “hard, complex and messy,” but it begins when we are willing to put ourselves in the same place with people from other faith traditions. 

      Insightful comments emerged from the small group discussions following the presentations: 

• People recognized how their respective faith traditions help them handle change in their lives.
• Caring for others and being present with them can give us a clear perspective about their realities.
• Collaboration and cooperation are not about being in agreement, but, rather, about the desire to be together. We, as human beings, don’t want to be alone. 

    This time of year features celebrations that are characterized by symbols of light.   May we be guided in our own lives and in our connections to the greater community by the lights of understanding and respect that can lead us all to freedom, justice and unity.  

The Angel Who Sent Joseph on his Way - Parashat Vayeishev - D’var Torah - November 30, 2018

I didn’t want to go. 

But I was told I had to go. 

I knew about Joseph’s dreams

And his conflicts with his brothers

Because Joseph seemed to be expressing delusions of grandeur.

That view was only the understanding

Of the rest of his family.  

He was only telling them

Of the visions that had come to him as he slept. 

He was a dreamer then

But not yet an interpreter of dreams. 

That would come later.   

God told me,

“Go meet Joseph when he is searching for his brothers 

At the behest of his father.  Show him the way.”

I didn’t want to go. 

I told God, “Eternal One, you know what will happen if I tell Joseph

The location of his brothers. 

They are conspiring, even now,  

to exile him from the family one way or another. 

And we know, God, what will happen. 

They will sell him and he will end up in Egypt

Where he will meet his destiny.

His dreams will come true. 

His father and his brothers will bow down to him. 

He will be in control of the situation

Because he will learn to explain the dreams of others. 

But why, God, must he spend so much time in prison? 

Why must he suffer to make his dreams come to pass? 

God reassured me, “I will make the time pass quickly. 

People never know how one moment 

Can be so important, so pivotal, to their future. 

You have to be there to point him in the right direction.

His brothers will not appreciate his presence when he finds them. 

But they will remember after he is gone

After they have lied to their father about the death of his favored son

That Joseph had come to them 

In peace and in service to them and to the family. 

You, of all angels, know about brothers who will eventually

Find their common bonds

Find their connection

And find, on some level, the love between them. 

I sent you to be with Jacob before he met with Esau after so many years, 

And they reconciled, but only because you did so well

In wrestling with Jacob, helping him to find his true self, 

giving him his new name, Israel.

If you send Joseph to greet his brothers, 

Even knowing what they will do to him in the moments to follow,

You will set in motion the survival of Joseph and his whole family. 

So go, send him on his way.  

He will find himself, and his place in the world.

And he will be reunited with his brothers and save them.” 

I thought for a moment, and said, 

“Eternal God, my teacher, my guide, I will go 

Only if you promise to grant Joseph and every human being

An extra measure of compassion 

So that when they feel they are conflict with each other

To the point of no return,

They will be able to deeply sense each other’s feelings

To understand one another

And they will remember that they are brothers and sisters, 

Part of the same family.” 

God told me, “If you go send Joseph on his way,

I will grant your request.  People will be so inspired

By the story of the eventual reunion of Joseph and his brothers

That they will find a way to do the same with each other.  

Even when people feel they are far apart,

They will still find a way to come together.”

So I went, and I prayed for the reconciliation of humanity 

Throughout their generations 

So that they would know

Harmony and peace.  

So may there be among us.  

I Am Grateful - For Thanksgiving 2018 - November 22, 2018

I am grateful for 

   People who give

   Leaders who serve

   Family and friends who listen 

I am grateful for

    People who provide support

    Leaders who inspire

    Family and friends who offer love

I am grateful for

     People who challenge

     Leaders who honestly communicate

     Family and friends who show compassion

 I am grateful for.    

     People who think

     Leaders who ponder  

     Family and friends who instill confidence

I am grateful for 

      People who heal 

       Leaders who protect

      Family and friends who are a refuge. 

I am grateful for 

      People who are unassuming 

      Leaders who are humble

      Family and friends who foster unity 

I am grateful for 

       People who act with decency

       Leaders who take responsibility  

       Family and friends who engender respect. 

I am grateful for

        This life. 

         This world. 

         This existence. 

For it is all I have 

And all we have.  

May we choose wisely

As we journey along our way. 

A Prayer for Prayer - November 21, 2018

I pray that I may be able to pray with a full heart 

But I am sometimes fearful that I will not be able

To open my lips, to pray the words on the page

Or even to fashion my own thoughts

into whispers

That will speak

Praise

Gratitude

Or Hope.

It may be that, at times,

I feel so separated

From my community

that my words

both Internal

and external

Will not be worthy

And will not be heard.

It may be

That, in some moments,

I cannot muster

The proper intention

To make my expression

Thoughtful

And sincere.

But it may be that if I do,

In any case, allow myself

To speak, to chant, and to sing,

To offer silent thanks for just living

I will reconnect with my deepest self,

with others, and with G-d,

and I will be able overcome any barrier to sincerity

Because being honest with myself is all God wants of me

And whatever I pray will be worthy. 

So I will speak and chant and sing.  

I will openly offer thanks for every opportunity to pray 

that I may be able to pray with a full heart.