Mindful Torah...and more

This sermon being delivered tonight at my congregation, The Jewish Fellowship of Hemlock Farms (www.jfhf.org) in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. ----------------------------------- This evening is the start of Rosh Hashanah, the beginning of a new Jewish Year. However, the day is not called Rosh Hashanah in the Torah, it was the rabbis who later assigned that name. In the Torah the day is referred to as Yom ha'Zikaron , the Day of Remembrance. But what is it that we are remembering on this day? According to the rabbinic tradition, Rosh Hashanah celebrates the creation of the world. To be more exact, it celebrates the creation of the Adam, the first human being. In the Biblical and Rabbinic tradition, the human being was seen as the pinnacle of creation. Yet, knowing what we do about human beings and human nature today, do we believe we are the pinnacle of creation? Do we believe that the world was created for our sake? Does the universe exist merely to be ...

 I first wrote and posted this poetic commentary on Psalm 27 a few years ago.  Each time I return to it I make some changes, as my experience of the psalm, and of life, has changed.  I wanted to share this psalm once again with all those who are preparing their hearts and souls for the Yamim Noraim, or Days of Awe, which begin tomorrow night with Rosh Hashanah and end 10 days later at the close of Yom Kippur. Below is the poem and introduction as I posted it two years ago as, to be honest, I am still caught up in finishing my sermons for this year, which I will also post online.  I hope you find these words meaningful and I wish you a happy, sweet, blessed and fulfilling New Year of 5755. L'shanah tovah tikateivu - may you be inscribed for a good new year, SPN ----------------------------------------- From the beginning of the month of Elul , the last month of the Jewish year, through all of the fall holiday season, it is customary to read Psalm 2...

The joyous, introspective time of soul searching begins at sundown tonight with the start of Rosh Hashanah, the New Year.  As we light the candles to welcome the holy day, it is good to remember that bringing light where there is darkness first requires darkness.  And seeking forgiveness means there are things for which we need to be forgiven.  May we all do our best to bring in the light, forgive ourselves, forgive others and seek forgiveness from those whom we have harmed and from God. L'shanah tovah, A good year to you all SPN Rekindling the flame:  a poem for the evening of Rosh Hashanah we come together tonight   as one community extended family in celebration apples and honey wine and challah fill our bellies gladden our spirits candles glow flickering beacons illuminating the room and our souls then suddenly candles are extinguished some unknown force seems to plunge us the world around us...