Here in our sanctuary, we don’t have open pits, and we don’t have hazardous oxen, but we do know some dangers are likely. It’s 100% guaranteed that there will be another earthquake in Seattle someday, for example. It is a known danger, but are we prepared? Mishpatim suggests we are responsible to make known hazards less dangerous. Like we should get prepared for if there was an earthquake during services.
I believe the Jews put too much power into the golden calf while our government is putting too much power into a vision of America
Fire has rained down from the heavens. Rivers have run with blood. This is not a baby’s book of cute animals waddling onto the Ark. This is a Torah of Horror.
Did you know there are five species of dolphins that are found in the Mediterranean Sea? There are bottle-nose dolphins, short beaked dolphins, striped and fiascos dolphins.
Wrestling with God, life, ourselves, takes different forms— But whatever it’s pushing through, whether pain in football, pain over the death of someone we love, or pain over political differences, we are different afterwards…hopefully we are stronger, because we brought our best selves to the struggle.
Even though G-d confronts Sarah, she isn’t punished for laughing. Maybe her laughter made sure she got her baby. Maybe her laugh was like a dare, and the challenge made G-d really want to make good on the promise.
What would have happened if we all still spoke the same language and lived in the same place? Would there be more peace or less? Would there be no refugees, because we would be one community?
Abraham takes a position of compassion—a position that values everyone as an equal—it doesn’t matter what they’ve done or what they’re capable of, every life is valuable.