I hope you all had a wonderful winter break and that you are ready to welcome in 2022 over this Shabbat.
We always look forward to new years because of the possibilities that they offer. What are you excited about in 2022?
BEBY NEXTgen is starting off the year with a Family Shabbat / Pray and Play with skating at Chapley Arena to follow, and then our all new Sunday Funday programs. There will also be an amazing Tu B'Shvat program.
So much opportunity is ahead of us and I look forward to our community moving into the new year together. SCROLL DOWN FOR MORE PROGRAMMING AND REGISTRATION INFORMATION!
Parshat Va'eira - Seeing God The word Va'eira in Hebrew, means "And I appeared". HaShem tells Moshe that the way God "appeared" to Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov was different then they way that God would appear to Moshe and Bnai Yisrael, as they prepare to leave slavery in Mitzrayim (Egypt).
The Torah is reminding us all that we each have our own unique relationships with HaShem, and it all depends on our own lives and perspective. The more we work to build a relationship with HaShem, the more connected we can and will be to God in the lives of our ancestors, God in our own lives, and even God in the life of the Jewish people and humanity.
Discussion Questions:
1. How does HaShem "appear" to you? (What do you think God "looks" like?
2. Why did I use quotation marks ("") around the words "appear" and "looks" in question 1?
3. What is a way that you can strengthen your own connection with HaShem?
Questions and Answers from Last Week:
1. What is your Hebrew name? David Ely דוד אלי
2. What does your name mean? (If you don't know, then send me an email and I'll help you out!) "Beloved of my God" or "My God is my beloved". It could also mean "dear to me".
3. Do you think your name connects to your personality? Why or why not? One of my favorite things to do is learn Torah as a way of deepening my connection with HaShem and exploring deeper meaning in every part of life. This is not only true regarding HaShem, but also with every person I know and meet, and every relationship that I have.
4. What name(s) do you prefer and why? I generally prefer to be called David. As a Rabbi, I like Rabbi David (Rabbi Grundland - not so much). As a father, I like being called Abba (though Daddy still works). As a husband, my wife can call me anything she wants. :)
Beth Emeth Bais Yehuda Synagogue 100 Elder Street Toronto, ON M3H 5G7
