TORAH STUDY THURSDAY NIGHT

Learn with Reb Dovid

Hi, my Nafshenu friends! It’s been a while since I saw most of you and I really miss you. The next in-person Nafshenu event comes next week, when we’re having a potluck Shabbat dinner and short musical service. It’s on Friday, August 11, at 6pm. We’ll either be under the tent at Prince of Peace church or inside, depending on weather. Please come if you can.

Meanwhile, we’re continuing with our regular Thursday night Torah talks, focused on the weekly portion. Our next is tomorrow night, August 3, 7-8pm, at the regular link: bit.ly/NafTorah.

Folks, we have a good one in this week's Torah reading. It’s not because of the action (there isn’t much) but because of the challenging ideas and beliefs it presents. Parashat Ekev (Deuteronomy 7:12-11:25: Here’s a link to the full text) contains a passage best known from its use as the second paragraph of the Shema. This passage was challenging to many 20^th century Jewish thinkers because it linked obedience to God to the fate of the Jews.

“If you follow my laws,” it says in essence, “then you will live long and prosper in the Promised Land. But if you don’t then you will face famine and exile.” 

That sounded like magical thinking to the liberal rabbis who cut this paragraph from Reconstructionist and Reform prayerbooks. Then came a little thing called global warming. And all of a sudden, the link between human conduct and climate change seemed a lot more plausible. Should we reconsider the idea that this passage presents? 

Please join me tomorrow night at 7pm and we can kick that question around.

--Rabbi David Goodman

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A look ahead:

The High Holidays are only six weeks away. Details on Nafshenu’s Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur schedule are coming soon. Here are Nafshenu events for the rest of August:

Thursday the 3^rd: Zoom Torah study, 7pm.

Thursday the 10^th: Zoom Torah study, 7pm.

Friday the 11^th: Potluck and musical service, Prince of Peace, 6pm.

Tuesday the 15^th: (Moved from Thursday), Zoom Torah study, 7pm.

Thursday the 24th: Zoom Torah study, 7pm.

Saturday the 26^th: Shabbat lunch and Learn under the tent at Prince of Peace (weather permitting), 11:30am.