Noah Genesis 6:9-11:32
Isaiah 54:1-10
Dear friends,
As we have begun the month of Cheshvan, I wish you all a Chodesh Tov (good month)!
It was good to see many of you on zoom and in-person last Shabbat as we began the reading of the Book of Genesis (Bereshit). This week we continue in our reading of the third (last) triennial of each portion and read in Chapter 11 of Parashat Noach, the construction of the Tower of Babel built originally out of the fear of being scattered away from each other as the population grew in leaps and bounds. It was then a very homogeneous population with nearly everyone related in some way and all speaking the same language, so their fears are understandable. We then read of the genealogy of all those from Noah (the survivor of the great flood) to Abram, who as Abraham became the father of our faith. There is a rebirth in the interest in genealogy as we want to learn where we came from and how are ancestors impact our own lives.
Our Haftorah featuring the wise words of the prophet Isaiah chapter 54 is the perfect complement to this Torah portion:
בְּרֶ֥גַע קָטֹ֖ן עֲזַבְתִּ֑יךְ וּבְרַחֲמִ֥ים גְּדֹלִ֖ים אֲקַבְּצֵֽךְ׃ For a little while I forsook you,
But with vast love I will bring you back.
בְּשֶׁ֣צֶף קֶ֗צֶף הִסְתַּ֨רְתִּי פָנַ֥י רֶ֙גַע֙ מִמֵּ֔ךְ וּבְחֶ֥סֶד עוֹלָ֖ם רִחַמְתִּ֑יךְ אָמַ֥ר גֹּאֲלֵ֖ךְ יְהֹוָֽה׃
In slight anger, for a moment,
I hid My face from you;
But with kindness everlasting
I will take you back in love
—said the LORD your Redeemer.
כִּֽי־מֵ֥י נֹ֙חַ֙ זֹ֣את לִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֣ר נִשְׁבַּ֗עְתִּי מֵעֲבֹ֥ר מֵי־נֹ֛חַ ע֖וֹד עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ כֵּ֥ן נִשְׁבַּ֛עְתִּי מִקְּצֹ֥ף עָלַ֖יִךְ וּמִגְּעׇר־בָּֽךְ׃
For this to Me is like the waterscOther Heb. mss. and the ancient versions read “days.” of Noah:
As I swore that the waters of Noah
Nevermore would flood the earth,
So I swear that I will not
Be angry with you or rebuke you.
כִּ֤י הֶהָרִים֙ יָמ֔וּשׁוּ וְהַגְּבָע֖וֹת תְּמוּטֶ֑ינָה וְחַסְדִּ֞י מֵאִתֵּ֣ךְ לֹא־יָמ֗וּשׁ וּבְרִ֤ית שְׁלוֹמִי֙ לֹ֣א תָמ֔וּט אָמַ֥ר מְרַחֲמֵ֖ךְ יְהֹוָֽה׃ {ס}
For the mountains may move
And the hills be shaken,
But my loyalty shall never move from you,
Nor My covenant of friendship be shaken
—said the LORD, who takes you back in love.
There is much to discuss so I hope you will "tune in" either in person or virtually on Zoom tonight at 7:30 pm and tomorrow at 9:30 am.
I thank those who have responded so quickly to our appeal for volunteers at the food and toy distributions at Metropolitan Ministries for the Thanksgiving and winter holiday seasons. We already have a full contingent of four JCCers lined up for the morning shift on November 19th. There are many other slots available on weekdays and weekends, so please let me know if you have some time to contribute to this extremely worthy cause.
See you in shul! Ron
Ron Becker
Spiritual Leader
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FRIDAY:
JCC is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Shabbat Service
Time: Oct 8, 2021 07:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/4979030958?pwd=YXJPT2FGVTdzVVV2bVQ3c1ZnS1lMZz09
Meeting ID: 497 903 0958
Passcode: 5QdVaA
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SATURDAY:
JCC is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Saturday Morning Service
Time: Oct 9, 2021 09:30 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/4979030958?pwd=YXJPT2FGVTdzVVV2bVQ3c1ZnS1lMZz09
Meeting ID: 497 903 0958
Passcode: 5QdVaA
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