Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for 11 Tishri, 5784

Good morning! Yesterday there were no Torah thoughts as it was Yom Kippur.  What an amazing day of Fasting and focus!

Today, we will catch up on our Parsha “Ve-Zo’t Ha-Berakhah” which means “This is the blessing.”

Our Torah cycle is coming to a conclusion.  We have passed the 10 days of Awe between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur – we now start doing the work this week – until sundown on Friday – when we have the AMAZING blessing of Shabbat AND Sukkot starting at the same time!

For our Christian friends, Sukkot is LIKELY when Jesus was born – as the “manger” discussed at Christmas time would have likely been a sukkah – because Joseph and Mary, as Jews, would have likely traveled to Jerusalem because Sukkot was one of the three times of the year, all Jews were called back to the Temple for the Census. Just an FYI to connect the Torah to your faith.

Anyway – we do the work of building the Sukkah – and while most move from the beach and camping outdoors, as Jews, we move outside.  We’ve done the internal work until now – it’s time to start seeing the work manifest itself externally.  And on Friday, when Sukkot begins? We will see the first fruits of the Harvest!

More to come!  Lets dig into Today’s Portions (we have two to catch up):

Today we read about the blessings for the tribes of Levi, Benjamin, and Joseph.

The most interesting part of this for me is the idea of the Umim and Thumim.  

The Levis had almost what would be considered “Tarot Cards” or “oracle cards” they would consult.  Someone would approach with a question like “Should we go to war” and the priests would consult and get an answer.  It’s a fascinating snippet of Judaism we don’t often discuss.

Anyway – as we go this week, keep your eyes open to the blessings around you that are coming our way as we get ready for the harvest of sukkot!

What are your thoughts?

Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for Tishri 15

It’s the full moon! Chag Sameach! It’s also the first day of Sukkot.

As many are transitioning from being outside to coming in for the fall, as Jews we take a counter intuitive approach. We build temporary dwellings and go out into them each day and night.

The idea of Sukkot is the tabernacle. It’s a feast to celebrate all of the internal work we’ve done in 5782 and the head of 5783. We have experienced Rosh Hashanah. We experienced Yom Kippur. We’ve reflected, repented, and been forgiven. Now it’s time to go out and live our lives joyously! We see winding down to Simchat Torah; where we turn back the Torah scrolls, dance. Have a party. And “begin again.”

Let’s dig into our Portion for today!

Yesterday Moses gave us blessings. Many blessings. And then he began to bless each tribe. Yesterday we saw Moses bless Reuben and Judah.

Today, Moses starts with Levi.

Levi is told that God’s thummim and umim belong to His pious man, Levi. The Thummim and Umim were devices that the priests used to divine what Hashem wanted. For more on this, here’s a good resource:

https://www.chabad.org/…/What-Were-the-Urim-and-Thummim…

Why did the Thummin and Urim belong to Levi? Because they remained faithful when tested at Massah and Meribah. The Levites did as God asked them to do, even when no one else did. Because of this, the Levites will teach Hashem’s laws to Jacob and the Torah to Israel. It is interesting that there is a distinction between Laws and Torah and between Jacob and Israel.

Jacob wrestled with Hashem. Hashem renamed him Israel. I wonder if we are meant to wrestle with the laws, but when we rename them Torah in our hearts, and we see them as Mitzvahs – we are free. Just something I’m reflecting on.

More of the blessing; the Levites will place incense before Hashem, burnt offerings on the altar. Their blessing is as Hashem’s priests. Moses tells them; “may God bless him with his possessions, and may God favor the work of his hands.” Finally Moses asks God to smash the loins of Levi’s foes and enemies – so they will never recover.

Um. Wow. Basically, Moses is asking God to kick Levi’s enemies in the groin. How’s that for a blessing?

Ok- let’s move to Benjamin. I love this line; “may God’s beloved dwell securely with Him, (when the Holy Temple will be built in Benjamin’s portion. May the Divine presence) cover him (and protect him) forever, and dwell among (the high places of Benjamin’s territory, which are likened to) his shoulders.”

Benjamin is blessed with security.

What are your thoughts?

Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for Tishri 16

Happy Second Day of Sukkot! May this temporary time be one of joy and harvest! May we all start harvesting the spiritual and emotional work we’ve done over the past year since we started reading the Torah together!

Moses is continuing today with blessing the tribes. We get one tribe today. Yoseph. This is the blessing for Yoseph:

Deuteronomy 33:13-17

About Joseph he said: “May his land be blessed by God, with delicacies (nourished by rains) from the skies, from dew, and (from underground waters that rise) from the depths that lie below. (May it be blessed with) the delicacies of produce (sweetened by) the sun, and with delicacies from crops (ripened) by moon(light. May it be blessed) with crops (that ripen) early (on its) mountains and with delicacies from its hills, all year round. (May it be blessed) with the abundant delicacies of the (low)lands, through the goodwill (of God, who was first revealed to Me) dwelling in the thornbush. May (all this) come upon Josephs head, upon the crown of the one (who was) separated from his brothers (when they sold him. Joshua, a descendant of Joseph, is like) his firstborn ox (for he is to be a powerful king, and) glory will be (given to) him. His horns are (beautiful like the horns of an oryx. With them, he will gore (thirty-one) nations together. (as far as) the ends of the land (of Israel). These (nations will number) tens of thousands (all killed by Joshua, a descendant) of Ephraim, (besides) the thousands (to be killed in Midian by Gideon, a descendent) of Manasseh.

Wow. That’s some blessing!

Now – let’s reflect on it again. But this time instead of the word land, let’s substitute the idea of body or soul. Because in the Torah, there are literal meanings and deeper meanings.

What if…this blessing is about “spiritual delicacies?” That Hashem would bless us, like Joseph with spiritual delicacies nourished by rains from Hashem. From above and below? From the sun and the moon? Early in the year and all year round? That we may produce fruit from even the low times (lowlands)?

And this came from and out of a separation? Like Joseph being separated from his brothers, we are often times separated from others. What if this separation leads to these blessings?

And Joshua represents our children – or even those we mentor spiritually – that our blessing of spiritual fruit would grow and flourish in others?

That is a blessing indeed!!! Especially as we talk about the Harvest of Sukkot!!!

What are your thoughts?