- Congregation Beth El–Keser Israel
85 Harrison Street, New Haven, CT 06515-1724 | P: 203.389.2108 | office@beki.org
85 Harrison Street, New Haven, CT 06515-1724 | P: 203.389.2108 | office@beki.org
…fear is the foundational emotion? In my experience fear doesn’t yield love, it, as Yoda warns, leads to anger and eventually to hatred. On Yom Kippur we read that Hashem is good and does good to all, sinner and saint alike. Depicted is a Gโd with eternal patience for all Gโd’s children, always calling those who have gone astray to repentance and reconciliation. This is a Gโd I can love with all of my being. But what then are we to make of the fir…
…om our Thursday Talmud study group.² According to the Mishna (Sanhedrin 7:1), the second-century law compendium created by Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi based on the mishna of Rabbi Meir, student of Rabbi Aqiba: There are four means of execution imposed by the Supreme Court:Stoning, burning, the sword, and strangulation. Rabbi Shimon says: Burning, stoning, strangulation, and the sword. Under Jewish law, capital punishment has not been legal since 70 C.E. a…
…discussing the Noah story, is also asked in the Zohar (Perush HaSulam I:68a), the 12th-century work on Jewish mysticism (Qabbala). The Torah text explains that humanity had become corrupt and irredeemably sinful. But why should the innocent animals be washed away with the guilty people? The question assumes that there is some value to the life of the individual animal. After all, Noah rescues at least two of each kind of animal, insuring species s…
…form the ceremony of biur hametz and bittul hametz (nullification of leaven), which provides a legal cover for the possibility of any contamination. Similarly, a small amount of hametz contained in a non-hametz item before Passover is considered nullified due to its insignificant proportion. These covers are not available for items produced or acquired during the festival, so the items must be produced and acquired before mid-morning Erev Pesah wh…
…but not one of the mourners during shiva? Signed, Still Mourning Dear Still, Yes, you may. “Mourners’ Qaddish” is specifically for anyone who is mourning and needs to say qaddish. Dear Rabbi, Why do people use the back side of the shovel at funerals? Is this a law? Signed, Dying to Know Dear Dying, The back side of the shovel is used, at least for one shovelful, to indicate that this digging is different in kind from any other. This distinction ma…
…to tell you about the Torah portion for today, VaYetsei (Gen. 28:10 – 31:54), and then focus my thoughts and opinions on Jacob’s famous dream about angels. VaYetsei begins with Jacob running away from Esau as a frightened young man and ends with his leaving Laban as a married and successful man with a very large family including 11 sons, two wives and two maidservants. It starts when Jacob sets out for Haran escaping his brother’s anger. Before he…
…erson (when he would organize food for Egypt to get them through the famine), and that’s why he dreamed about his sheaf standing up, and that it was because of produce that his brothers came and bowed down to him (when they would come to Egypt to ask for food). In his second dream he dreamed that the sun and the moon and 11 stars bowed to him. His brothers hated this dream and even his father asked: “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Do yo…
…enjoy them again. For years, people had talked about a kosher wine tasting: now, thanks to the Colten-Berry duo, it’s an annual tradition. In the past three years, we’ve had concerts — Magevet, Earl Banquer, Elm City Girls Choir — and we’ll have more in the year ahead. A choir is beginning to form. Ask Isaiah Cooper or Sascha van Creveld about it. If you can sing, they want you. Despite the fact that the Men’s Club no longer functions, we’ve mana…
…shul with him – us walking, he on his scooter – we would teach him to stop, look, and listen for cars at every crosswalk. He still needs reminders sometimes, but he more-or-less has learned how to cross the street safely. If something doesn’t make sense to Shai, or if he doesn’t see a point to it, he won’t pay attention to it. If we give him instructions with the singular intention of keeping him safe, if he doesn’t understand why it’s important…
…10 Mar Abraham’s Tent March 10, 2015 5:30 pm – 11:30 pm BEKI Abraham’s Tent is a community-based program with Columbus House which, through the generosity of local religious congregations and organizations, provides shelter and case management for […] More Info…
