Dear Friends,
This past week I attended the annual Jewish and Catholic Friendship Dinner held at the St Kilda Hebrew Congregation. It was a pleasure to represent our community at such an important event dedicated to providing a forum for members of both faith communities to interact, share conversations and learn about each other.
In the current world environment where there are attacks against Houses of Worship of all denominations, it is especially important to continue to emphasize our shared goals and support each other. As noted by a fellow faith leader at the dinner, these friendship dinners are especially important to nurturing mutual respect and meaningful relationships even if all areas of faith are not shared.
Attending this dinner and interacting with other faith leaders was especially pertinent in light of this week’s Parsha, Bechukotai.
The Torah reading, the last in the book of Vaykira (Leviticus), discusses how if the Jewish people follow G-d’s laws they will be blessed with bounty, success in all their endeavours and most importantly, rain. The rain would provide plentiful harvests which in turn would result in people having plenty to eat and the ability to enjoy the produce of the land in abundance.
The Parsha then continues on to discuss how failure to abide by G-d’s laws will result in a host of misfortunes befalling the people of Israel including pestilence, famine, desolation and starvation amongst other ills.
This is known as the “Tochacha Ketana” (The small rebuke) and is followed by a more extensive list of ills that may befall the people of Israel in the book of Devarim (Deuteronomy) if they do not obey G-d’s laws.
In contrast to the usual emphasis on blessings and goodness that the Torah provides, these frightening rebukes are very difficult to absorb. Famous Jewish commentators, Rashi and his grandson Rashbam, note that if the People of Israel sin by worshipping G-d erratically and without consistency, in turn, G-d will only erratically and inconsistently protect the Jewish people.
While this seems harsh, the relationship of the people of Israel and G-d is compared to a marriage. While marriages, like all relationships, undergo challenges and complications, the one thing that underpins a strong relationship is trust. While the Tochacha seems unnaturally harsh, it helps us to remember that we are challenged as a people to earn G-d’s trust.
It helps us to remember that Judaism, with its blueprint for life and all its details, are not something that can be approached in a haphazard and unfocused manner. Rather, each law and each commandment has a unique place in the overall tapestry of our religion and we cannot take them for granted nor ignore them at will.
By approaching our Judaism in a consistent and diligent manner we show our trust in G-d’s blueprint for our lives and ensure our observance and adherence to the expectations set out for us.
In Judaism, we know that all of creation have their own specific role. We believe fervently in the wholeness of the Torah and its eternal messages and laws.
This week’s Parsha reminds us of our obligations to approach our observance consistently and ensure our adherence to our Torah heritage. While each religion has its own method of worshipping G-d, we as the Jewish people have been given the blueprint of the Torah to approach our personal lives in the most meaningful and relevant way for us as a people.
Once we read the Parsha using this frame of mind, that the Torah and its laws offer us the path to the most meaningful life possible, it is easier to accept the Tochacha Ketana as we understand that failure to adhere to G-d’s laws will not only affect us personally but also our ability to function as a people effectively.
On one final point, I would like to note the sad passing of our beloved Prue Goldsmith ob’m this week. I will personally miss Prue as she had the most beautiful warmth, manner and smile and always took it upon herself to give people feedback or pay a compliment. She taught me that it is always possible to find a kind word for another. I pay my respects to her and wish her family a long life. In the short time I knew her, she demonstrated herself to be a true Eishes Chayil and I will take the lessons of her demonstrated Ahavat Yisrael (Love for her fellow human) into my daily life.
Wishing you and your families a Shabbat Shalom!
Rabbi Gabi
ARK Centre acknowledges the Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of this nation. We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the lands on which our organisation is located and where we conduct our activities. We pay our respects to ancestors and Elders, past, present and emerging. ARK Centre is committed to honouring Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ unique cultural and spiritual relationships to the land, waters and seas and their rich contribution to society.