June 17, 2022
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A D’var Torah for Parashat Beha’alotekha
By Rabbi Enid Lader (’10)On the day that the Mishkan [portable Tabernacle/Temple] was set up, the cloud covered the Mishkan, the Tent of the Pact; and in the evening it rested over the Mishkan in the likeness of fire until morning. It was always so: the cloud covered it, appearing as fire by night… At a command of the Eternal, the Israelites broke camp, and at a command of the Eternal, they made camp… (Numbers 9:15-16, 18)
In his commentary on this week’s Torah portion, Beha’alotekha, Netivot Shalom (Rabbi Shalom Noah Berezovsky, 1911-2000, better known as Netivot Shalom or The Slominer, after his book and the Hasidic sect he led) invites us to understand the building of the Mishkan on a personal level. When the Eternal said, “Let them make Me a sanctuary that Read More >
November 5, 2021
Our Torah portion opens with the words ‘Ele toledot (Gen. 25:19) – variously translated as “These are the generations/records/lineage/descendants/begettings of…”; basically, carrying us into the next generation, and, in the case of this week’s portion, continuing the story of Isaac and Rebecca. However, with the announcement of a barren wife (Gen. 25:21), the next generation is put in jeopardy. Ultimately, they will have children, but in looking back, what might they have shared with each other? I was walking in the field in the late afternoon; I was riding on a camel… I looked up and saw her from afar; I fell off my camel… and put on my veil… I heard about her generosity and strength; He brought me into the tent that had been his mother’s… I loved her; I loved him… In my loss she brought me comfort; I had left my home and found comfort in his arms… Almost twenty years later and no children; For almost twenty years we tried and tried… I cannot think of being with anyone else; No handmaid, no second wife, no surrogate for us… I appealed to God – for my wife is barren; I was right by his side – and in time, my own appeal: Oy! What did I ask for?
July 29, 2021
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The Ties That Bind
A D’var Torah for Parashat Eikev
By Rabbi Enid Lader (’10)In his book Be, Become, Bless: Jewish Spirituality between East and West (Maggid, 2019), Rabbi Dr. Yakov Nagen points out that the internet age is characterized by the unprecedented access to limitless information. However, all this information alone is not sufficient to generate change in our lives; true change comes about through deeply internalizing the knowledge. This requires a shift in consciousness; helping us to do and to be. (p. 286)
Eikev, our Torah portion this week, contains the fourth of as many passages from the Torah that mentions tefillin. These passages, written on parchment and placed in the boxes of the tefillin serve as a reminder of four basic principles in Judaism:
1. Exodus 13:1-10 – Our obligation to remember the Exodus from Egypt
2. Exodus 13:11-16 – Read More >
June 4, 2021
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The Arc of the Covenant
A D’var Torah for Parashat Shelah
By Rabbi Enid Lader (’10)What does it mean to be holy? What does it mean to be in a covenant with God? It seems to me that the Children of Israel – we – have been on a trajectory of learning about holiness and covenant ever since we were brought out of Egypt, stood at Sinai’s foot and heard these words of God from Moses:
וּמֹשֶׁ֥ה עָלָ֖ה אֶל־הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים וַיִּקְרָ֨א אֵלָ֤יו ה’ מִן־הָהָ֣ר לֵאמֹ֔ר כֹּ֤ה תֹאמַר֙ לְבֵ֣ית יַעֲקֹ֔ב וְתַגֵּ֖יד לִבְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
… and Moses went up to God. The LORD called to him from the mountain, saying, “Thus shall you say to the house of Jacob and declare to the children of Israel:
אַתֶּ֣ם רְאִיתֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשִׂ֖יתִי לְמִצְרָ֑יִם וָאֶשָּׂ֤א אֶתְכֶם֙ עַל־כַּנְפֵ֣י נְשָׁרִ֔ים וָאָבִ֥א אֶתְכֶ֖ם אֵלָֽי׃
Read More >
April 9, 2021
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A D’var Torah for Parashat Shemini
By Rabbi Enid Lader (’10)Our Torah portion’s opening chapters recount the celebration of Aaron’s and his son’s installation as Kohanim (Priests) and conclude with tragic loss, the punishment by a fiery death of Aaron’s oldest sons, Nadav and Avihu, who “…offered before the Eternal alien fire, which He had not enjoined upon them,” and who were then consumed by fire that “came forth from God.” (Leviticus 10:1-2). Moses makes an attempt to explain God’s actions: “Then Moses said to Aaron, ‘This is what the Eternal meant when He said: Through those near to Me I show Myself holy, and gain glory before all the people.’” In response, “…Aaron was silent” (Leviticus 10:3).
Our Haftarah portion shares a similar story of celebration turning to tragic loss as King David is moving the Ark Read More >
February 12, 2021
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A D’var Torah for Parashat Mishpatim
By Rabbi Enid Lader (’10)In planning for this D’var Torah, I was set to focus on “Na’aseh v’nishmah” – “we will do and we will listen/understand.” (Ex. 24:7) Our Torah portion is filled with so many mitzvot – 53 to be exact; 23 positive imperatives, and 30 prohibitions. Moses shares this list with the Israelites and they say, “Na’aseh v’nishmah.” What does that mean? We’ll do these things first, and ask questions later? Even if we do not understand, we will do – and in the process of doing, understanding will come?
Then, a little over two weeks ago, I received the following text from one of the high school teachers in my congregation’s religious school:
Good evening, Rabbi! I was just walking three of our high school students through Mishpatim when we got to Read More >
December 18, 2020
Click HERE for an audio recording of this D’var Torah A D’var Torah for Parashat Mekeitz
By Rabbi Enid LaderPharaoh has had a sleepless night; well, one of those nights when you have a bad dream, wake up, get a drink of water to calm yourself down, get back into bed and fall back to sleep, only to have another even more frightening dream. Pharaoh gathers his counselors and magicians around him, but no one is able to (or wants to) interpret his dreams. It is the chief cupbearer who suddenly remembers Joseph’s last words to him when they both were in prison after Joseph had correctly interpreted the cupbearer’s dream – “Remember me to Pharaoh so as to free me from this place…” (Gen. 40:14). The cupbearer promptly forgot as he gained his freedom… And now, two years later, when a dream interpreter is needed, Read More >
October 23, 2020
Click HERE for an audio recording of this D’var Torah A D’var Torah for Parashat Noah
By Rabbi Enid Lader (’10)Our Torah opens with an organized story of creation – a place for everything and everything in its place. Each step of the way, the natural world is tov – good. And when it is filled with living creatures and human beings, it is tov me’od – very good. As we end chapter one and begin the second chapter of Bereishit, all seems right with the world. But “very good” or even “good” does not sustain us.
We have inquiring minds, and left to our own devices, we will seek out our own answers, rather than follow specific directions. Yet, unless there is some kind of structure in place, something that helps guide us in making good (or even very good) decisions, where will our own answers lead Read More >
November 8, 2011
By Rabbi Enid Lader
“Adonai appeared to him in the terebinths of Mamre, while he was sitting in the entrance of the tent in the heat of the day” (Gen. 18:1). Through Rashi’s commentary on this verse, we learn that God’s appearance before Abraham was an act of bikkur holim – visiting the sick, and that Rabbi. Hama ben Hanina said, “It was the third day after his circumcision, and the Holy One, Blessed be He, came to inquire after him.” This is indeed the proof text for the mitzvah of visiting the sick, and there is much to learn from God’s example.
There is a time for sending a get well card… and there is a time for a personal visit. And this verse teaches us the importance of a personal visit. But not right away. The patient needs time to heal on his (or her) own. Moses Maimonides (Rambam) Read More >
November 8, 2011
By Rabbi Enid Lader
“Adonai appeared to him in the terebinths of Mamre, while he was sitting in the entrance of the tent in the heat of the day” (Gen. 18:1). Through Rashi’s commentary on this verse, we learn that God’s appearance before Abraham was an act of bikkur holim – visiting the sick, and that Rabbi. Hama ben Hanina said, “It was the third day after his circumcision, and the Holy One, Blessed be He, came to inquire after him.” This is indeed the proof text for the mitzvah of visiting the sick, and there is much to learn from God’s example.
There is a time for sending a get well card… and there is a time for a personal visit. And this verse teaches us the importance of a personal visit. But not right away. The patient needs time to heal on his (or her) own. Moses Maimonides (Rambam) Read More >
October 5, 2011
By Rabbi Enid Lader “As you are able, please stand for the Kol Nidre Service…” Kol Nidre…Such powerful words. Words many of us might not understand, but powerful nonetheless. Powerful through the connections… and the feelings… and the memories they invoke. As we enter through the gates of Yom Kippur, Kol Nidre is there almost like an usher, welcoming and reminding us that this is it – the serious thinking and the self-reflection are about to begin. Kol Nidre has played many roles in my experiences of entering into Yom Kippur. At each stage of my life it has had a new and special meaning. Read More >
February 15, 2011
By Rabbi Enid Lader
Karan ‘Or Panav – His Face Was Radiant
At the end of our Torah portion, Moses comes down from his encounter with God at Sinai with the second set of tablets. His face is described as “radiant” – so much so, that it is difficult for others to look upon him, and he needs to cover his face with a veil. This is indeed quite something, since the text mentions this three times: Exodus 34:29, 30, 35. However, this is not the first time Moses and God are in “conversation,” yet this is the first time Moses’ countenance is so affected. Why was this time different from all other times?
Moses’ first encounter with God was the scene of the burning bush on Mt. Horeb (Exodus, ch. 3). Moses saw that a bush was burning, yet not consumed, and went toward it for a closer Read More >
February 18, 2009
Enid C. Lader
In last week’s Torah portion, we were commanded to “Honor your father and your mother…” [Ex. 20:12] As we recall the mitzvah, we usually stop with these six (in English; five in Hebrew) words. But, wait; there’s more! The verse continues: “… that you may prolong your days on the land that the Lord your God is giving to you.” This appears to be teaching us that respecting our parents is connected to long life. It is even more importantly teaching us that obligations toward our parents are directly related to our relationship with God. Rabbi Dayle A. Friedman, writing in That You May Live Long: Caring for Our Aging Parents, Caring for Ourselves, suggests that “… clearly the connection to God underscores the importance of the mitzvah. Perhaps the text draws an analogy between our obligations to parents and our obligations to God… That the promised Read More >
October 18, 2006
By Enid C. Lader
This past September marked the fifth year of remembering the tragic events of 9/11 and the thousands who lost their lives. As the television cameras panned the site of the World Trade Center and politicians pledged renewed effort to build towers even taller to replace the ones lost and pundits decried the amount of time that has passed without our rebuilding, I could not help but be reminded of the story of the Tower of Babel.
In this week’s Torah portion we read that:
‘Everyone on earth had the same language and the same words’ They said to one another, ‘Come, let us make bricks and burn them hard.” And they said, ‘Come, let us build for ourselves a city, and a tower with its top in the sky, to make a name for ourselves”’ (Gen. 11:1, 3, 4)God becomes very angry with these people, destroys Read More >
March 23, 2006
‘And You Shall Be a Blessing’
By Enid C. LaderIn this week’s Torah portion, Lech Lecha, God tells Abram to ‘Go for yourself from your land, from your birthplace, and from the house of your father.’ (Gen. 12:1) Sarna, in the JPS Commentary on Genesis, writes: ‘The enormity of God’s demand and the agonizing decision to be made are effectively conveyed through the cluster of terms arranged in ascending order according to the severity of the
sacrifice involved: [leaving his] country, extended family, nuclear family.’ Ramban suggests that each level helps Abram narrow the focus of God’s call’not only leave his country, not only leave his kinfolk, but also leave his father. Abram will be continuing the journey his father began in Ur of the Chaldeans as he leaves Haran for the land that God will show him.- God’s call to Abram is accompanied by a list of seven promises:
Rabbi Enid C. Lader
Rabbi Enid C. Lader (AJR ’10) is the rabbi at Beth Israel – The West Temple in Cleveland, Ohio. She is the past-president of ARC (The Association of Rabbis and Cantors - the only joint rabbinical and cantorial professional organization in America), and is the treasurer of the Greater Cleveland Board of Rabbis.
