Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for 5 Tishri, 5785
Parsha Ve-Zo’T Ha-Berakhah – “This is the blessing”: (Deuteronomy 33:1 – 34:12)
Second portion: Deuteronomy 33:8 – 33:12

Good morning! It is now day 5 of the spiritual year, and we are halfway between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.  The energies right now are fairly intense. Right now, we are digging into the shadow of inadequacy – to see our own resourcefulness. This energy and resourcefulness provides WISDOM.  That is where we are!

Tonight? Things are going to shift a bit.  We are going to transition into the shadow of “unease” which will put us in touch with our gifts of intuition. This will provide us the prize of clarity. Clarity is interesting. In Tibetan Tantra, clarity is often connected to Anger – because we are left with a lack of denial. We have the data we need to be in a place where we have clarity. And sometimes, we don’t LIKE the clarity we get.

This is the shift. So we can flow with it or resist it. Our choice. With this energy, let’s dig in:

8And of Levi he said: “Your Tummim and Urim belong to Your pious man, whom You tested at Massah and whom You tried at the waters of Meribah,

I’ve written about the Tummim and Urim before – it is like Jewish Oracle cards. It helped the priests with knowing the flow of the energies of where Hashem was leading.

9who said of his father and his mother, ‘I do not see him’; neither did he recognize his brothers, nor did he know his children, for they observed Your word and kept Your covenant.

The priests who saw the flow of the universe? Did not see their own family.  Because they concerned themselves with flow.

10They shall teach Your ordinances to Jacob, and Your Torah to Israel; they shall place incense before You, and burnt offerings upon Your altar.

Those who flow, will teach. The question for us is – will we learn?

11May the Lord bless his army and favorably accept the work of his hands; strike the loins of those who rise up against him and his enemies, so that they will not recover.”

12And of Benjamin he said, “The Lord’s beloved one shall dwell securely beside Him; He protects him all day long, and He dwells between his shoulders.”

So that is interesting about Benjamin, right? Who is “the Lord’s beloved one?” And who is this that dwells “beside” Him? And that Him is capitalized. So we KNOW the “Lord’s beloved one” dwells with Hashem. AND. Dwells between “his” shoulders. What is between our shoulders? MY first thought was my head. But that isn’t true, is it? It’s between the shoulders – but ABOVE them. What is between my shoulders? My heart.

This is the message. I believe we are talking about the Neshama. The Neshama is with Hashem at the same time it is within our hearts.

This is the foundation and grounding.

It’s a beautiful reminder for us of this process as we approach Yom Kippur. Will we see within us, how Hashem dwells within us? Between our shoulders?

What are your thoughts?

Here are my thoughts from the past two years:

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, 5783

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?