Prelude to Hope

This week we take a look at Parashat Vayetzei and Jacob's journey in life - the stone monuments that are like way points on the journey of life. A podcast of my sermon for this Shabbat in memory of my father whose Hebrew Yahrzeit falls this week. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Exploring David Daube's seminal work, "Collaboration with Tyranny in Rabbinic Law" and the challenge - what do we give up to save ourselves and what would we protest to save others? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Looking at one verse from the portion and how it's interpretation changes we learn about how Judaism has changed in time and place and then we learn about ourselves. Plus a beautiful idea that learning/teaching Torah is akin to creating the words themselves and should change us and form us. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Reflections on Noah and entering the ark with his family and leaving once again - what do we learn from the description of this in the Torah? How does the pandemic constrain our human connections and what can we do to help ourselves overcome that? Where are the windows that we can open to the world?Citing three articles on Hannah Arendt:https://aeon.co/essays/for-hannah-arendt-totalitarianism-is-rooted-in-lonelinesshttps://tocqueville21.com/le-club/isolation-loneliness-and-solitude-hannah-arendts-triumvirate/https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/philosophy/hannah-arendt-misunderstood-philosophy-fascism-authoritarianism-trump See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week we have the first Shabbat of the new Torah reading cycle - the beginning. It's the story of creation of the world, the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel...so much! At the same time many people are struggling with the rising numbers of COVID-19 and anxiety. In this podcast, we share the tale of the first human being and their anxiety about the world out of their control - how do they respond? How can we respond to stay well and build our resilience? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

What is at stake on Rosh Hashanah? There is plenty going on in the world today for us to think about, but on Rosh Hashanah we are called to look at ourselves. So what does the Psalm mean that we should 'speak the truth in our heart' - we explore that theme here.

What does it mean to observe Shabbat even during the coronovirus pandemic? The majesty of Shabbat is that it is about freedom for everyone to cease from work and the responsibility of employers to give that to all staff. This week we tied in to our Torah portion and the new 'Ascent to Sinai' project for counting the Omer. More info www.lyonslearning.org.uk/courses/ascent-to-sinai

What happens to Judaism as it evolves out of the priestly rites and into rabbinic and post-rabbinic Judaism? An introductory reflection on the nature of post-temple religion and our own freedom and responsibility with a mention of Ascent to Sinai - a learning programme for the Omer (the period between Pesach and Shavuot).

Source sheet here: https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/226037?lang=bi As we enter the month of Nissan and get closer to Pesach, what can we do to keep mentally well on lock down. Reflections on what's in our control and what we can't control, plus search for meaning and purpose.

Through our Torah portion of Vayakhel Pekudey reflections on essential work and key workers, values that underpin our society, the nature of giving and the need to rest and maintain spiritual, mental and physical health in these unsettling times of Corona Virus pandemic.

Viewing slavery in Egypt and rabbinic writings as a lens through which we understand structural oppression, teaching us how to listen carefully to the voice of victims and support those who survive and eventually change the system. We all need to listen more closely to the cries of the oppressed and seek change.

Can you name a time when you were courageous? Well perhaps we should first think about what we mean by courage. Professor Brené Brown talks about courage in this way in her book, ‘Dare to Lead’. “I’m not afraid of the word revolution, I’m afraid of a world that’s becoming less courageous and authentic. I’ve always believed that in a world full of critics, cynics, and fearmongers, taking off the armor and rumbling with vulnerability, living into our values, braving trust with open hearts, and learning to rise so we can reclaim authorship of our own stories and lives is the revolution. Courage is rebellion.” In honour of Shifra and Puah, the midwives of Exodus; and Miriam, Yocheved and Bitya - the other courageous women of Parashat Shemot. Other references in this podcast: Brené Brown - Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts Paul Tillich - The Courage to Be Nachmanides commentary on Exodus Abraham Joshua Heschel - “Choose Life!” in Moral Grandeur and Spiritual Audacity Simon Sinek - youtube video on Courage

What happens when we pay attention to Isaac who is old and fearful of his death, rather than Jacob and Esau and their fraternal rivalry and deception? Perhaps we are led to think about ageing and our responsibility for the honour and mitzvah to raise up in holiness. This podcast is a recording of a Torah Sparks Davar Torah written for the USCJ https://uscj.org/blog/torahsparks-parashat-toledot5780

Between Abraham's servant and Isaac there are modes of prayer and responses to our inner voice. Do we ask for intervention or stop and pay attention to ourselves and resolve for change through our own agency, take control over what we can control and acknowledge that some things are beyond us?

"Shall not the judge of all the earth deal justly?" - What is justice in a system that not only creates inequality but also takes advantage of it too? What is the nature of power and privilege? Drawing on Primo Levi's reflection on the Grey Zone, the Talmud's exploration of Sodom and Gemorrah, we're left with some uncomfortable expectations of ourselves not to be stuck like Lot but to change the systems of oppression.

What does it mean to navigate our sense of self with a particular identity and not negate the universal? In this midrash on Lech Lecha the rabbis imagine God seeking to balance these worlds in the naming of Jerusalem and through this imagine a world of the future in peace.

What does it mean to be righteous and blameless in a generation? Had we been there maybe we would have acted differently? Rabbi Neil Janes draws three conclusions about the interpretation of Noah as a righteous individual in his generation.