Shabbat Shalom! I hope this finds you all well. Oftentimes when we read Torah, we say “That’s cool, but what they’re talking about took place thousands of years ago. It can’t possibly relate to our lives here and now.” But other times, it might as well have been written five minutes ago. Case in point – in this week’s parasha of Re’eh (Deuteronomy 11:26-16:17) we receive the following mitzvah (commandment): “You will consecrate to Adonai your God all male first-born in your herd and in your flock: you must not work your first-born.” (Deuteronomy 15:19). In other words, the first-born male cattle and sheep in one’s possession are meant to be offered up as sacrifices to God and therefore can serve no other role, function, or purpose (ex: shearing their wool, using them to plow the fields, etc.). At first glance, this falls under the “um cool, what does this […]

Shabbat Shalom. I hope this finds you well. There’s this kid, like 7 or 8. He sees his dad building those small model airplanes, and it sparks his interest, so he says to his dad, “Hey Dad, can I have my own to build.” His dad agrees and gets him his own kit. Well, everything is going well…until it isn’t. The kid accidentally breaks a part, gets flustered, throws a tantrum, and throws the kit in the trash. Well, the dad scolds his son for his outburst and sends him to his room. Later, he goes to his son and they talk it out. And honestly, you’d expect a dad to do that. It’s typical. But here’s where the story gets interesting. The kid comes home the next day from school, and on his desk is… another kit with a note on it: “we’ll build this one together.” Failure, setback, […]

Shabbat Shalom. I hope this finds you well. What do a John Deere baseball hat, a New England Patriots hoodie, and a pair of Oakley sunglasses have in common? Other than the fact that the guy wearing them is probably a fisherman from Gloucester, Massachusetts, a lot actually. We wear our lives on our bodies. We are able to discern a lot by how people dress. For instance, you can tell what many people do for a living – doctor, nurse, soldier, police officer, airline pilot, construction worker, mail carrier, etc., by their uniform or work clothes. You can surmise where someone lives or where they’re from based on what team sweatshirt, school jacket, or event t-shirt they’re wearing. And you can get a pretty good idea of where they stand on things by the ball cap on their head or bumper sticker on their car The same goes with […]

This D’var Torah is lovingly dedicated to you, our Beth El family. Today marks the 5th anniversary of Rebbetzin Eliza and I becoming your Rabbi and Rebbetzin. It is an honor to humbly serve and spiritually lead you all. We have been through so much together, both good times and crucibles alike. Through it all, you have inspired us, taught us, and most importantly, befriended and loved us. For that, we are beyond grateful. Thank you for an incredible 5 years! – Rabbi Aaron, Rebbetzin Eliza, Goonie, Rilke, Walter, and Stumpy Shabbat Shalom. I hope this finds you well. Fear – it is the ultimate naturally-occurring, organic paralytic. Its effects can put most lab-made substances and drugs to shame. Fear can literally cause people to freeze up, to act against their own deeply-held beliefs, cherished morals, or best self-interests, or to not even act at all. So what are people […]