Announcements

Parshat Emor highlights the Jewish holidays: 

דַּבֵּ֞ר אֶל־בְּנֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵהֶ֔ם מוֹעֲדֵ֣י ה' אֲשֶׁר־תִּקְרְא֥וּ אֹתָ֖ם מִקְרָאֵ֣י קֹ֑דֶשׁ אֵ֥לֶּה הֵ֖ם מוֹעֲדָֽי׃

...The festivals of Hashem, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations...

The verse presents us with a proverbial Chicken/Egg dilemma. Proclaiming holies and holy callings. Do the holidays transform us into a holy people as immersive holy convocations or are the holidays holy because we call them such and make them so? Yes and Yes. Hashem provides us with opportunities to grow in sacred purpose, but we need to choose to invest the occasions with holiness. Shavuot is coming up. We plan on Leil Shavuot learning, all night learning, daytime learning, Shaarei Family learning, a WTG megillat Ruth reading, special davenings and kiddushes – but, we will only be able to make Shavuot festive and holy if we as a community of upstanders rise up to plan, prepare,, participate, teach and learn. Just as we all stood together at Har Sinai, once again this Shavuot let’s stand together to receive the Torah anew! 

Shabbat Shalom, Rav Benjie