Shalom Chaverim,
I hope everyone enjoyed Thanksgiving yesterday!
Let’s acknowledge the important symbolism of all those leftovers in the fridge that need to be eaten, even if your tummy remains full from yesterday:
Giving thanks is never really over and done with. If you live another day there is always more to be grateful for.
Today, as you gnaw on a turkey sandwich, is a day to prepare for tomorrow’s Shabbat which is the holiday day we get to have each week for taking a step back, relaxing, and appreciating all we have. For giving thanks.
This week’s Torah portion is Toldot, in which Isaac discovers there is much work still to be done in carrying on the birthright of Jewish legacy and blessing…
…and so it is with us, although not just in terms of eating leftovers from the Thanksgiving feast!
…and so it is with us, although not just in terms of planning and preparing Shabbat dinner tonight!
…So it is with us and our world:
When we now ask the same question that the great singer Harry Chapin asked many years ago following a Thanksgiving Day food drive at a local school: What are those people going to eat next week? Or Tomorrow?
We can provide at least a partial answer: We continue to collect food for the Family Table North Shore food pantry run by the Jewish Family & Children Services which is hosted at Temple Sinai, and our work on the MANNA project to serve those who lack food security is ongoing. Besides food, we are also currently collecting warm clothes for those in need, and our knitting club meets weekly to make hats and gloves which are donated as well.
Please think about ongoing gratitude as the leftover thanksgiving feast and thanksgiving mindset extends through this weekend. Please call the Temple Sinai office or email to get more involved in our Social Justice Committee’s and MANNA project’s work!!!
Thankful? Show it by giving…
From Psalm 136, note especially the concluding two lines…
הוֹד֣וּ לַיהֹוָ֣ה כִּי־ט֑וֹב כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃
ה֭וֹדוּ לֵאלֹהֵ֣י הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃
ה֭וֹדוּ לַאֲדֹנֵ֣י הָאֲדֹנִ֑ים כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃
Thank God, for God is good –
God’s loving-kindness is eternal…
Thank God the ultimate essence of All –
God’s loving-kindness is eternal…
Thank God the master of all forces –
God’s loving-kindness is eternal…
לְעֹ֘שֵׂ֤ה נִפְלָא֣וֹת גְּדֹל֣וֹת לְבַדּ֑וֹ כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃
לְעֹשֵׂ֣ה הַ֭שָּׁמַיִם בִּתְבוּנָ֑ה כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃
לְרֹקַ֣ע הָ֭אָרֶץ עַל־הַמָּ֑יִם כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃
לְ֭עֹשֵׂה אוֹרִ֣ים גְּדֹלִ֑ים כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃
אֶת־הַ֭שֶּׁמֶשׁ לְמֶמְשֶׁ֣לֶת בַּיּ֑וֹם כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃
אֶת־הַיָּרֵ֣חַ וְ֭כוֹכָבִים לְמֶמְשְׁל֣וֹת בַּלָּ֑יְלָה כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ…׃
God who alone works great marvels –
God’s loving-kindness is eternal…
Who made the heavens with wisdom –
God’s loving-kindness is eternal…
Who spread the earth over the water –
God’s loving-kindness is eternal…
Who made the great lights –
God’s loving-kindness is eternal…
Who made the sun to enlighten day –
God’s loving-kindness is eternal…
Who made the moon and stars to illumine the night –
God’s loving-kindness is eternal…
…וַיּוֹצֵ֣א יִ֭שְׂרָאֵל מִתּוֹכָ֑ם כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃
בְּיָ֣ד חֲ֭זָקָה וּבִזְר֣וֹעַ נְטוּיָ֑ה כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ…׃
…לְמוֹלִ֣יךְ עַ֭מּוֹ בַּמִּדְבָּ֑ר כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃
…וְנָתַ֣ן אַרְצָ֣ם לְנַחֲלָ֑ה כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ…׃
נַ֭חֲלָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל עַבְדּ֑וֹ כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃
שֶׁ֭בְּשִׁפְלֵנוּ זָ֣כַר לָ֑נוּ כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ…׃
and Who brought Israel out of the midst [of slavery] –
God’s loving-kindness is eternal…
Who led [us] through the wilderness –
God’s loving-kindness is eternal…
and gave [us our] land as a heritage –
God’s loving-kindness is eternal…
and rescued us from our enemies –
God’s loving-kindness is eternal…
…נֹתֵ֣ן לֶ֭חֶם לְכׇל־בָּשָׂ֑ר כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃
ה֭וֹדוּ לְאֵ֣ל הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃
God, who gives food to all flesh –
God’s loving-kindness is eternal…
Thank God in the heavens –
God’s loving-kindness is eternal…
Accounted among God’s great kindnesses in the context of world history, and among the long list of all there is to be thankful for, is the feeding of the hungry. Let’s have feeding the hungry accounted as a great kindness for our community.
SHABBAT SHALOM!
Rabbi Michael Schwartz