However, another way to read Nadav and Avihu’s death is that through their passion about making an offering to God they stood too close to the fire.  As God accepted their offering they too were consumed by the fire God sent for their offering.

This week’s parashah, Acharei Mot-Kedoshim, begins with the offerings Aaron must make in expiation for his family. These offerings are meant create a strict structure of worship for the priestly clan as they served God and the people.  The detail of each of the offerings is carefully laid out in order to ensure there is no confusion as to what is expected of the Cohanim.

There are two thoughts toward achieving holiness: First, from Leviticus 10, where Nadav and Avihu were killed because of their offering, to later, these passages in Leviticus 16 setting a very clear structure and order for sacrificial offerings. Nadav and Avihu were overjoyed in their desire to make offerings to God. But is that passion considered to be dangerous? For the Priestly writers, those who took the job description of the Priests very seriously, yes. Nadav and Avihu were giving permission to others that if their sacrifices offered with such passion, were accepted, others would be free to do the same. The Priests were very concerned with anyone who went outside the religious practice box. Hence, why the commentators will suggest that they were killed because they were not following the rules.

On the other hand, is it wrong to be passionate about prayer? Of course not. Prayer is a way of expressing gratitude and seeking guidance and strength from and with God.  For some, being able to quietly reflect and focus on each word of prayer is a passionate way of speaking to God. For others, it is through singing out with full voice and body that brings the relationship with God ever closer.

These words in Leviticus are most challenging because we struggle to find meaning in a practice that is no longer relevant in our lives. We are challenged to take these words and find how we are able to bring them into our world. Where do you fall on this continuum of prayer? Where does prayer speak to you and how are you able to express it? We no longer live in Temple times when offerings to God were left to the Priests. Rather, it is each of us who have the responsibility to offer our prayers to God. How do you accept this responsibility?

Dahvi,

You made it very clear to me that I was not to “wing” this blessing for you. True, there are so many moments in a service that inspire me to speak to the Bar or Bat Mitzvah when we are at the ark. But today, this moment, I speak to you not as a rabbi, but today, I speak to you in the most important role I have…I speak to you, my daughter, as your Ima.

And, while I want to share each moment, from the time you were born, and when we welcomed you to our family, our covenant and this community to every amazing moment we’ve shared, and even some of the challenging, I know that there is too much to share now. But I do want you to know, we are so proud of all that you are and everything you do.

In the book of Psalms, Psalm 119, which is the longest of all the chapters, 176 verses to be exact, is written as an acrostic. Each Hebrew letter is represented by 8 versus. There is a tradition of using one’s Hebrew name and writing that person their own personal Psalm. So today, I have written you your own Psalm, carefully choosing verses that I feel reflect you and are words for you to hold on to for the years ahead.

Dalet

27: Make me understand the way of Your precepts, that I may study Your wondrous acts.

The world around you is so wonderful. Take time to explore it and enjoy it. Lift your eyes up and enjoy all the beauty that exists in this world and how you are a part of it.

Vet

14: I rejoice over the way of Your decrees as over all riches

You can strive to achieve greatness in all that you do. Some day you will achieve your goal and become who you dream to be. But always remember, even in greatness, even in glory, the simple things in life are the most precious – these are the things that money cannot buy, but can only be created and appreciated by you and everyone in our world.

Yud

76: May Your steadfast love comfort me in accordance with Your promise to Your servant.

Always feel God’s love surrounding you. This love comes in all forms. From the love of Aba and me, the love of your brother, Yoni, who you should remember, you only have one of, so cherish him. To the love of your extended family and your friends. Recognizing this love you are given and seeing that it is a gift that will fulfill the promise God makes to you each and every day.

Tav

171: My lips shall pour forth praise, for You teach me Your laws.

Torah has been on your lips from the day your were born. You learned how to chant blessings and bring the love of Torah and your Jewish self into your life very early on. Continue to allow your lips to speak words of blessing and always allow your mind to be open to learning each and every day. Torah is not only the words on the scroll, but the Torah of your heart given to you from one generation to the next.

Kuf

149: Hear my voice as befits Your steadfast love; O God, preserve me, as is Your rule.

Always allow your voice to speak clearly and be heard. Speak with kindness and compassion for all people. But remember to speak with compassion for yourself. Sometimes it’s easy to be so hard on ourselves, but take the time to not only have your voice heard by others, but also by yourself and be proud of that voice, for it will preserve you, your dreams and your future.

Vav

42: I shall have an answer for those who taunt me, for I have put my trust in Your word.

Life is not always equal. There are those who taunt you, those who do not speak with kindness. Allow your answer to them be one in which you remember for yourself – be proud of who you are, what you believe and what you do.  Remember to also speak out against injustice: you are a young woman who has no problem speaking her mind. You are a woman who has strong opinions. Allow your voice to ring out and be heard. You are a partner in this world for making it a better place, and that is the trust that has become your inheritance.

Hey

37: Avert my eyes from seeing falsehood; by Your ways preserve me.

There are moments that deceive us – moments when we are not so comfortable or moments in which we are unsure. Dahvi, always remember to keep your eyes wide open. Pay attention to everything around you. Learn from that paths you take that may not always be the right one at the moment, because the next path will be true. Each day is an opportunity for your eyes to be open. To see blessings in your life, to see challenges that are to be overcome, and to recognize the beautiful future that lies ahead. Enjoy the journey for it will bring you a life that is filled with blessing and a world in which you will leave your imprint.

Dahvi Tikvah – My Bear, Our Hope – You stand here with your family, your community and the people of Israel, and we could not be prouder of you. For the generations who came before you, who stand around you but you cannot see; for the generations that will come from you, always know that you are a blessing. You are our blessing and you are our hopes and dreams fulfilled. We love you and we are so proud of you!

All of us have our plagues in life. We are plagued by too many commitments; plagued by having to juggle not only our own schedules but also the schedules of our family – children or elderly parents. We are plagued with health issues; plagued by not having time for ourselves; we are plagued by unfulfilled goals; plagued by demands placed on us by others. We are plagued by not being in touch with our emotions; plagued by not realizing our passions; plagued by not knowing how to act on our passions; plagued by someone else fulfilling our visions when we did not have the courage to do so ourselves.

And while each of these ten plagues and so many others that go unnamed, and seem to darken our world, we are challenged to recognize them, name them and then learn how to walk through them.

Do these plagues control our lives or are we able to gain control of them, stripping each one down to its basic core and recognizing how we might shed it’s control over our lives? A plague can destroy us or it can strengthen us as we remove it from controlling each moment.

Our magid, retelling of the story of Passover, is not just to remind us of our history and our passage to freedom thousands of years ago. Our magid is our opportunity to tell our story today, recognize that which plagues us and then free ourselves from that which enslaves us.

What are your plagues and how will you move from the darkness that envelops you so that you may join the march toward freedom and light? May this Passover season be one that brings all of us to a new freedom and an embrace of the light of redemption that’s just within reach.

For anyone who has ever tried to bake fresh bread, you know that there is chemistry, art, and luck all involved. The chemistry is having the water temperature just right so that the yeast will not die from being too hot or too cold – yes, think of the three little bears, that climate has to be just right for the yeast to do it’s thing…grow! Not to mention, mixing the yeast and water with some sugar to feed those little yeast creatures – what a great brood of bubbling goodness. The art; to get it all mixed together and holding tight, there is the art of kneading. Not to fast, not too slow. Don’t pull too hard and don’t be too gentle. Get the mass of ingredients mixed just right so that it can sit in a warm spot (chemistry again) allowing the dough to rest and rise. And then there’s luck; you’ve followed all the instructions passed on from generation to generation. You hope the yeast is still alive and the temperature seems just right for rising, but you still have to cross those fingers and hope that luck is on your side and the bread will rise to satisfy your hunger.

It takes time, it takes patience, it takes art to make a perfect loaf of bread, let alone the challah that will make our Shabbat table that much more special. But there is no time, there is only haste and the need to hurry. And when that happens, we are only left with a tight, heavy, mound of bread – too hard to eat, too touch to break, too challenging to enjoy.

Get the chameitz out of your house, hurry! And then during the week of remembering and celebrating our freedom, remember: when you return the chameitz into your home, do so with knowledge and learning (chemistry); art and the careful consideration of traditions passed down from one generation to the next – you can’t rush everything in life; and luck – we can always use a little faith that it will all turn out just right.

Mitzrayim, so easily thought of as that place thousands of years ago. It was there that Joseph was sent down into slavery; there that Jacob and his family joined Joseph to survive the famine; there that the Israelites were enslaved for over 400 years. It was in Mitzrayim where God heard the Israelites cry out in pain and suffering looking to be released. Mitzrayim was the narrow place, the tunnel in which there seems to be no easy exit and the walls continually creep in closer and closer as one passes through.

There are these caves in our own lives. The walls seem to be closing in around us at times and we can’t run fast enough toward the light to get out. The narrow places do not allow us to move so easily and eventually, turning around to go back is impossible. There is only one way to go, and that is forward.

How do we allow our feet to move us forward? How do we allow ourselves to not just crouch down and wait for something, anything, anyone?

Somehow, we do. Somehow our feet propel us forward and our ears listen for comforting sounds of others or that which will soothe our soul. We sing a song, we think in our heads, but really, its tune echoes on the walls. We are comforted by our own voice, our own thoughts, our own strength.

Mitzrayim is the perception that we feel we are stuck, we feel we cannot move, we feel we are enslaved. But if only we allow ourselves to stand, take one step at a time and have faith that we can move forward, we might see that the cave is not so narrow. We might see that we are not alone in this space. We feel the presence of others with us, singing our niggun and walking hand in hand. There is a light ahead in this narrow space, we only have to find our way toward it and remember, we are never alone.

The morning plenary was another great pep rally for supporting Israel and preparing for lobbying meetings on Tuesday. Senator Joe Leiberman addressed the conference for his last time while in office. The morning was filled with speeches and building the excitement for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address coming up in the evening.

The afternoon was filled with opportunities for break out group discussions and clergy meetings. Specifically, the Reform movement. There are 90 rabbis and cantors from the Reform Movement in attendance. This is significant considering the Reform movement has not been so visually present before. However, this year, with the Synagogue Initiative movement, more rabbis were encouraged to attend and see that AIPAC is an organization for all Jews. True, the Reform movements beginnings lay more in the social action/justice department, but since the 1967, Israel has come more to the forefront. However, with the perception of AIPAC being more conservative leaning, many Reform Jews stayed away. AIPAC however, is bipartisan. As I said in my d’var Torah for this week, and as you’ll hear me say this Friday night, there were times that I sat while others stood and applauded and there were times that I stood and applauded while others sat. What all 13,000 in the halls agreed upon was that Israel must be allowed defend herself and that America needs to support her fully.

Again and again the statement participants made to me when I asked them, ‘why do you support AIPAC?’ was that they feel that they are doing something. That even just being present at the AIPAC conference makes a statement that Israel is important and our government needs to support Israel to the fullest.

The evening energy was so intense with Benjamin Netanyahu on the schedule. Security was tight once again with long lines getting through secret service and into the hall. While I joked about there being no clergy seating for the Sunday morning plenary with President Obama and President Peres, clergy was allowed into a closer section for Monday night’s event. We were entertained by Rick Recht, the Maccabeats and Idan Rachael. (OK, so what did the ultra Orthodox think of his amazing women vocalists?)

Nancy Pelosi and Mitch McConnell were the warm up speakers and then it was time for Benjamin Netanyahu. We have all been wondering what happened in the meeting earlier that day with the President, but unlike last year, we were not going to hear. As Netanyahu said, you may be hearing that Israel is going to do this or that, please, I’m not going to tell you! Why would he? But he did express that something is going to happen, whether through the tougher sanctions created by the United States with containment off the table, or whether it was going to mean a direct strike. His statement was clear: Israel will defend herself no matter what.

The President and the Prime Minister cannot really come out and say that they are going to strike, that would be a declaration of war. And while we want to know what is going to happen and we live in a world of a constant barrage of information, sometimes, there are things that we are just not meant to know until it is happening.

Overall, it was an amazing evening event. That continuned even into Tuesday morning with the final plenary before delegates would go to the Hill for lobbying.

Tuesday was a campaign day! Romney, Santorum, and even Gingrich (hoping for a panel of four to ask him questions like they set up for Romney) spoke to the eager crowd. But the man who everyone was waiting to hear was Secretary of Defense, Leon Panetta. He was articulate and consistently clear wiht the President’s message. America has the back of Israel and a strong interest in making sure that Iran does not become nuclear capable. That containment is not on the table, and if needed, military action is not off the table. He gave a long list of all the work the Israeli and American military have accomplished together and the strength that both share with one another. It was informative and inspiring no matter what side of the aisle the delegates were on.

And then, just like that, the conference was over. It was time for everyone to head out to meet with Senators and House Representatives. To be counted in saying that we care about Israel and as your supporters, we expect that you will also.

I went into the conference not sure what to expect, and came out better informed and enlightened. I agree that if one is looking for a way to really “do” something for Israel along with making donations, participating in AIPAC and being a voice for Israel is truly a beautiful way to be counted. No matter where one falls on the political spectrum, AIPAC is a place where there are shared values and hopes for a strong and peaceful Israel and world. So what will be next….

The morning started off early. We were told to report to the security lines by 7:00 am for a 9:30 am program start. Everyone had to go through two security lines – one for the convention center, the other for the secret service. No food or drink allowed inside. Fortunately for a colleague who did not eat breakfast, I had a Cliff bar that had to be eaten or thrown out.

Once inside it was 1 1/2 hours of waiting. The hall is huge – it has to be to hold 13,000 people! I did ask if there was a Rabbi section – the security guard just smiled. That’s ok, I met some great people and for the next 1 1/2 we bonded!

Finally, it was time! The program began with a panel discussion including anchor from Israel Channel 2 news and Liz Cheney. Let’s just say, she had some very strong opinions regarding President Obama.

Next, a beautiful video about President Shimon Peres. He is 88 years old, but the strength and endurance of a young determined man. When leaving Poland in 1934, his grandfather who was not well enough to travel with him said, “Shimon, stay Jewish.” Those three words shaped his life and career. It is in and through Israel that he keeps that promise to his grandfather. In a matter of weeks, Shimon Peres will receive the Medal of Freedom by President Obama.

Then it was time for President Obama. He received a warm but cautious welcome. His speech was everything that we want to hear from our President. His support of Israel, commitment to not allowing Iran create nuclear weapons, and commitment to the Jewish community. You can read his remarks here.

The morning plenary came to a close and it was time for lunch and break out sessions. Lunch was great – dim sum in China Town. The break out session was a wonderful study session with clergy and scholars from the Shalom Hartman Institute.

The day ended with a final plenary including remarks by the new President of AIPAC and a discussion with renowned reporters from different agencies. Each of them were entertaining and informative in discussing the elections ahead.

It was a very full day and now, it’s time to get some rest to start it all over again tomorrow. Tomorrow brings Nancy Pelosi and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Just when you think you have a semblance of order of some information, they give you more to make it even more complex.

Shema

In this final parashah of Genesis, Vayechi, Jacob is about to die. Jacob, the one person in Torah whose entire name was changed, from Jacob to Israel. And from him we are called Israel; we are those who wrestle each day with God and our Jewish identity. But Jacob has some unfinished business he must take care of before he departs. So he calls forward his sons to deliver his blessings and final instructions to return his body to the cave where his father and grandfather, Isaac and Abraham, are buried.

A midrash from D’varim Rabbah recalls how when Jacob calls all of his 12 sons to gather around him, he is concerned that all that has been passed on to him through his father Isaac, his grandfather, Abraham, and from God, will be lost with this new generation. He is struggling with his death because he is concerned that once he is gone, no one will continue this relationship with God and the responsibility of being the Israelite people and the commitment to this faith. But his sons gather around him and say, ‘Shema Yisrael, listen Dad (Jacob), ADONAI Eloheinu ADONAI echad!, ADONAI is our God, ADONAI is one.’ Upon hearing this conviction, hearing in their voices that all will not be lost, Jacob is able to say in a final quiet voice, ‘baruch Shem k’vod malchuto l’olam va’ed’ Blessed is God’s holy name, now and forever; I know that you will not forget your covenant with God, that you will teach it to your children, and pass it on for generations to come.

Just a couple of week’s ago, the Union for Reform Judaism held the National Biennial outside of Washington DC. It was the largest Biennial in Reform Jewish history during which lay and professional leaders gathered to learn, pray and study. It is an inspirational experience, one that I hope more of us will participate in two years when the Biennial will be in San Diego, CA.

During the Biennial, current URJ President, Rabbi Eric Yoffie and incoming President, Rabbi Rick Jacobs, spoke about the future of the Reform movement and Judaism as a whole. Rabbi Yoffie reflected on his past 16 years as URJ President and reminded Rabbi Jacobs to change everything. That the work we have engaged in over his tenure should continue, that we should create more ways of connecting to all of our congregants and the Jewish people as a whole. Our congregations and the movement are constantly asking, “who we are and how do we operate?” Rabbi Jacobs shared that we have a responsibility to work toward the fulfillment of our dreams, including “making dreams into reality, combating a world of want and challenge through concrete plans that seize opportunities, weathering tough times, and lighting the way forward with Torah as our guide.”

The Reform movement is only 200 years old and we are Reform Jews, meaning, we’re not done yet! We are far from completing the work of envisioning what Judaism is in our world. Both Rabbis Yoffie and Jacobs remind us that our Jewish world is not the same as it was when we were younger. There is a strong foundation from which we stand, but to remain relevant, to continue to connect in an ever changing world, we have a responsibility to create change while holding on tightly to the tenets of our Jewish faith and halachah. But that change has to be made together. No one person can do it alone. And if we want Judaism to be passed on to the next generation, we have to take responsibility for creating, sustaining and supporting Judaism for ourselves, our children and our future.

Jacob (Israel) was afraid to die because he was afraid that once he was gone, all that had been passed on to him would end with his final breath. But his children gathered around and promised to be links in the chain of tradition that began with Abraham and Sarah and continues today.

How are you that link? How will you promise Israel that when you are gone, Judaism is not gone with your final breath? No one can take the responsibility for you; we must all be partners in continuing the promise made by Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

You can read the full text of Rabbi Yoffie’s and Rabbi Jacob’s speeches at:

http://blogs.rj.org/blog/2011/12/17/2011-urj-biennial-presidential-shabbat-sermon/

http://blogs.rj.org/blog/2011/12/18/at-the-end-of-two-years/

It has been 34 years since Jacob and Esau were last together. Jacob bought the birthright from his brother Esau for a bowl of lentil stew and later stole the blessing given by Isaac to whom he thought was his first born. To avoid his brother’s deep anger, Jacob fled and the time is now that they must meet.

What will Esau do? Jacob is fearful that his brother seeks revenge and wants to destroy him and his family. So Jacob divides his family and livestock in hopes that at least half may survive.

The night before this confrontation, Jacob wrestles with an angel who renames him Yisrael. Prepared for the worst, Jacob heads out to meet his brother, prepared to accept any consequences before him.

But Jacob is surprised – his brother does not strike out to kill him, rather, Esau reaches out to embrace Jacob, to forgive him, ready to move on.

How often do we wrestle with needing to confront someone or a situation? We put it off, afraid of what someone might say or what might happen. We wrestle with these thoughts yet, when we finally take that deep breath and approach the person or situation, we realize, it wasn’t as bad as we expected it to be. But sometimes, our pride, our consciousness makes what we expect the outcome to be that much more difficult.

And yes, email, social media and texting makes confrontation that much easier. We don’t actually have to face someone eye to eye or even talk to them. It seems so much easier to send the email or text message rather than approaching someone directly. And society seems to put its stamp of approval on this impersonal connection. But when we take the time to talk to someone, reach out to someone hand to hand, we realize that the personal connection is so much better, so much more human.

While we might wrestle with needing to approach a person, while we may not be sure of the words we should use to either ask for something or just connect, remember Jacob and Esau, for they embraced and they wept when they were finally able to connect person to person.