Rabbi Howard Morrison

Dear Congregational Family,

Will you be ready for the High Holy Days of 5781? Because of the pandemic, the coming new year will be unlike any previous one. While many synagogues will provide limited sitting for those who pre-register to attend actual Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services, many will end up choosing to participate from home via livestream.

Once our shul begins to broadcast Shabbat and Yom Tov services via livestream, I suggest that each home designate a particular room to be designated as your private shul. In it, your video screen can be kept on from before the sacred day through its conclusion, connected to the synagogue livestream. In that room, keep the volume loud enough for that particular space but inaudible in the rest of your home. Have your Siddur and Machzor handy. Dress up in that room as you would if coming to the actual synagogue.

This year, we will use the Birnbaum Machzor. You can drop by the shul and pick up as many copies as you need and keep them. Next year, we hope to return to the familiar normal and use our new Machzor, which we introduced last year.

In preparation, the current Pirkei Avot class will take a hiatus after August. On Tuesdays and Thursdays beginning September 1 from 12-1pm, you are invited to a new class entitled, "Navigating through the High Holy Day Machzor during the Pandemic." The class will  be offered on Zoom and Facebook. Please pick up your Birnbaum Machzor in advance of the class.

This coming Shabbat, we will recite the blessing for the new month, which will introduce the month of Elul. Not only is this month the last month of 5780, it serves as an introduction to the High Holy Day season with daily Shofar sounding, an additional Psalm, and Selichot. The letters of Elul stand for the Biblical phrase, "Ani L'Dodi V'Dodi Li - I am my beloved's, and my my beloved is mine," in reference to our relationship with God.

Will you be ready?

Rabbi Howard Morrison

Dear Congregational Family,

During the early part of this week, we marked the tenth yahrzeit ot our beloved Chazzan, Louis Danto, Zichrono L'Veracha, of blessed memory. On Thursday, the Toronto Council of Chazzanim presented a live tribute concert in his memory. Almost 300 people attended on Zoom from 2:00-3:45pm. Several cantors from our area spoke and performed beautifully in Cantor Danto's memory. A thirty minute video of his career was interspersed with words of Torah and music.

I was given the privilege of sharing a Dvar Torah. Among the classical criteria for serving as an emissary of the community are being humble, being acceptable to the community, being versed in Jewish texts, and being knowledgeable of nusach. Cantor Danto excelled in all. In addition, I was always impressed by his sincerity of heart, love for the Jewish people, and his pleasant voice, also essential qualifications for a chazzan.

For the first ten years of my Beth Emeth rabbinate, I was gifted to know Cantor Danto as a teacher, colleague, and friend. Until his passing, I lived a stone's throw away - my family on Blue Forest Drive, with him and Rouhama on Maxwell Drive. Often, Cantor Danto and I would walk home together after Shabbat services on Friday evening and Shabbat afternoon.

During Chanukah, we thank God with the words, "Danta et dinam - You, God, adjudicated our case." At Beth Emeth, we pronounced those words, "DANTO et dinam, you, Chazzan Danto, represented us before God to adjudicate our case."

The Haftarah for this Shabbat concludes with God comforting the Jewish people after the period of the first Temple, restoring joy, gladness, gratitude and the voice of melody.

We will remember over four decades served by Chazzan Louis Danto bringing us the spirituality of joy, gladness gratitude, and the voice of melody.

May his memory always be for a blessing.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Howard Morrison

Being grateful for food and our local kosher establishments

Dear Congregational Family,

The weekly portion of Ekev contains the basis for Birkat Ha'Mazon, reciting blessings after meals. The Torah states, "You shall eat, be satisfied, and praise God for the good land which He has given you."

From this verse, three Toraitic blessings were formulated followed subsequently by a fourth rabbinic blessing:

1. Praising God for sustaining all.

2. Praising God for the land of Israel.

3. Praising God for the establishment of Jerusalem.

4. Praising God who is good and beneficent.

It is noteworthy that blessings surrounding food appear in this week's parsha. A few weeks ago, some local kosher restaurants began offering outdoor patio seating. This past week, some local kosher restaurants began offering indoor seating with safe social distancing practices. I know. I have enjoyed indoor and outdoor dining recently.

In addition, throughout the pandemic and at all times, we should be grateful for the depth and quantity of finding all kinds of kosher facilities in the GTA. I encourage us all to support our kosher establishments.

I have recently read sad news where some kosher places in the U.S. have had to close down during the pandemic. In at least one community, it was the only exclusive kosher site serving an entire Jewish area.

Let us be proactive in being grateful, observing, and supporting kashrut always.

Rabbi Howard Morrison

Dear Congregational Family,

The Sabbath following Tisha B'Av is called Shabbat Nachamu - The Sabbath of Comfort. For the next seven weeks, all the Haftarot will come from the Prophet Isaiah. In each selection, the Hebrew word for comfort will appear. The first Haftarah of comfort begins right away with a double imperative, as God commands Isaiah, "Comfort, comfort my people."

On Tisha B'Av, a slight liturgical modification was made to the familiar prayer called, U'Va L'Tzion. The following verse was consciously omitted, "This is My covenant with them: My spirit shall remain with you and with your descendants. My words shall be upon your lips and the lips of your children and your children's children, now and forever." The omission of this phrase implies that the covenant between God and the eternity of the Jewish people has been shattered, at least for a day.

The Shabbat Torah portion of Vaetchanan appears as the perfect response. Two of the most familiar passages in Judaism appear in this Parsha, the Ten Commandments and what is now called, the First paragraph of the Shma. The former begins with, "I am the Lord, your God." The latter begins with, "Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your might." Both fundamental passages establish and restore the eternal bond between God and the Jewish people. In fact, there was a time during the second Temple period and afterwards that these two texts were recited hand in hand every day. Only when certain groups falsely limited Judaism to only the Ten Commandments and nothing more was the daily liturgical text amended to include the Shma only.

With the High Holy Days now seven weeks away, I encourage us to find our own personal sources of comfort and renew our spiritual place in the context of our eternal Jewish heritage.

Rabbi Howard Morrison

Margo Grosbein, of blessed memory, died during the saddest time on the Jewish calendar, known as the Nine Days. Ironically, Shiva will conclude Thursday morning, the day of Tisha B'Av, when Jews around the world mourn and fast for all the sadnesses which have befallen the Jewish people. Perhaps there is meaning that the last day of Shiva coincides with Tisha B'Av.

As I reflect on my relationship with Margo, I also think of her husband, Norman, of blessed memory. He too died during this time of year. Norman picked me up at Pearson Airport when I was interviewing for the Senior Rabbi position over twenty years ago. The mantle, breastplate and yad on our Haftarah scroll were envisioned and crafted by the Grosbeins.

Over the years, Margo was a true leader. She served as past president of the shul and sisterhood. She was actively involved in the Women's League for Conservative Judaism. She attended the Tuesday morning sisterhood study class. She came to Shabbat morning services, and did so much more.

Margo was a true Eishet Chayil, Baalabusta, and a "mentsch." In traditional Jewish fashion, her home in Bathurst Manor was always open. I had the pleasure of visiting and being invited many times before she moved downtown to be closer to her children and granddaughter. A few years ago, I saw Margo shine at the Bat Mitzvah celebration of her granddaughter. It was a day of pure joy.

While many of us did not see Margo as often after she relocated, she will always be synonymous with Beth Emeth - a synagogue with a heart. She believed in those words about our beloved shul, which were part of our promotional literature during her leadership years.

On Tisha B'Av eve, we will sit low as mourners and recite the words, "How alone dwells the city that was once full of people."

With the sadness of Margo's loss, coupled by Covid-19, synagogues will be closed or sparsely attended this Tisha B'Av.

How alone dwells our Beth Emeth community without the physical, spiritual, and moral presence of Margo Grosbein. May Margo's memory be for a blessing.

Rabbi Howard Morrison

Dear Congregational Family,

Yesterday was Rosh Chodesh Menachem Av. We preface the name of the month with a word meaning "Comforting." While the first nine days of Av are the saddest days of the year, we enumerate the following seven weeks, during Av and Elul, as weeks of comfort.

Our tradition teaches us that when Av begins, our joy is diminished. While the destruction of our two Holy Temples occured on Tisha B'Av, the Mishna enumerates five ancient tragedies which befell our people on that day, starting with the edict that the generation of Israelites which came out of Egypt would die during their forty year journey in the wilderness. The edict came after the episode of the tribal chieftains who came back from a tour of the promised land. Ten incited a panic. Only Joshua and Caleb inspired the people. Ultimately, only they would enter the promised land from that generation.

While the history books may ascribe the two periods of Jerusalem's destruction as coming from the Babylonians and Romans respectively, the Talmud points to many examples of internal breakdowns among our people. The most famous reason offered for the destruction of the Second Temple is "Sinat Chinam," baseless hatred among fellow Jews. Sadly throughout the ages, we Jews have been our own worst enemy because of baseless hatred within our ranks.

During late antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern life, Tisha B'Av has become a time to lament all kinds of historical tragedies which have befallen our people. Over the centuries, "Kinot," dirges and elegies, have been composed and recited on Tisha B'Av to liturgically mourn over much of our people's shared collective sadness.

This Summer, due to the pandemic, Tisha B'Av will be even sadder than usual. Much of Israel is locked down. Synagogue life around the world continues to be drastically affected.

For all kinds of reasons, we must follow the advice of Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook, the first appointed Chief Rabbi of pre-State Israel. When confronting the ideological clash between staunchly religious Jews and secular Zionists, he spoke of replacing Sinat Chinam with Ahavat Chinam, replacing baseless hatred with baseless love.

Rabbi Kook's lesson, offered over a century ago, speaks to us today, be it within our families, communities, and synagogues. More than ever, we must choose love over hate.

May we use the week leading up to Tisha B'Av as a time of true inner reflection and personal refinement.

Rabbi Howard Morrison

Dear Congregational Family,

The latter sections of this week's Parsha are well known to any synagogue attending Jew. Chapters 28-29 itemize all of the sacrifices which were brought to the wilderness Tabernacle and later in history to the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. These passages form the primary Torah reading on Rosh Chodesh and the Maftir readings on the High Holy Days and Festivals.

It is ironic that the Parsha which lists all the sacrifices is read on the first Shabbat during the Three Weeks of Sadness. Yesterday, the seventeenth of Tammuz, began the saddest period of the calendar year, culminating in three weeks on Tisha B'Av. We are spiritually transported to two periods in Jewish antiquity reflecting on the events leading up to and including the destruction of our Holy Temple during the Babylonian period in 586BCE and during the Roman period in 70CE. These two tragic eras left our people without the familiarity of praying to God with the accompaniment of the Torah's requisite offerings, as described in Parshat Pinchas.

While the void following the destruction of the First Temple lasted for a number of decades before the Second Temple was established, we are nearing 2000 years since the Second Temple was destroyed.

Our Sages who lived following the Second Temple period provided a pathway of Jewish continuity despite the significant changes taking place in Jewish history. One perspective teaches that by reciting the sacrificial passages, as we do in the Parsha this Shabbat, as well as in the Maftir readings on the various holy days, it is as if we are still bringing the sacrifices to this very day.

Another perspective tells the story of Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai walking among the ruins of the Second Temple, comforting his student Rabbi Joshua by explaining that the gift of God's atonement which was granted in former times via the sacrificial altar is now granted to us when we perform deeds of lovingkindness.

How ironic it is that we read the Parsha of the sacrifices as we begin to lament the destruction of the holiest site in Judaism. Nevertheless, our Sages and Scholars have taught us that Judaism transcends even the single greatest structure by reciting our history, observing Mitzvot, and performing acts of kindness.

I wish you and your families Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Howard Morrison

Dear Congregational Family,

Already three weeks ago, the province of Ontario permitted houses of worship to reopen and allow thirty percent of sanctuary seating capacity to attend.

So, why is Beth Emeth still closed? Why have some other synagogues already reopened if not fully, at least partially?

If one probes into the local landscape of synagogues, smaller buildings are easier to control in terms of disinfecting the facility,  administering medical protocols, and monitoring the safety of who enters the congregation.

In some of the open synagogues, there are no other programs competing for synagogue space at the time of services.

At some, services are taking place outside in the parking lot. In others, a very small pre-screened group of attendees is permitted to enter. In at least one neighboring congregation, weekday services were put on hold less than a week after being reopened.

At Beth Emeth, we were one of the first synagogues to begin holding weekday on line services. Now, four months into the closing of our shul, our Zoom/Facebook services, morning and evening, have developed a loyal following.

While I yearn for our shul to reopen, we must be certain that we do so properly. Ours is a large and old facility. Also, we share space with a child care program, which has slowly begun to reopen. 

In addition, we need to clearly mark paths for entry and exit, make sure our Bimah and sanctuary space are safe for all participants, ensure clean washrooms, and more.

While we are already using Zoom and Facebook for weekday services, we are in the process of securing livestream equipment so that we can broadcast Shabbat, High Holy Day, and Festival services in accordance with Jewish Law.

Our dedicated volunteers, who are looking after many of the matters I have shared, are striving to begin having some services held in our sanctuary with small numbers during the latter part of the Summer. While a small number of people will physically attend, the late Summer services will enable us to practice the new normal in terms of livestreaming and overseeing synagogue safety and wellness, so that we can be fully functional for the High Holy Days and beyond.

A popular Western saying suggests, "Slow and steady wins the race."

Since the race at hand is for the long term well being of public Jewish life in our synagogue, we are not rushing. But we are definitely moving forward.

Until then, please continue to join us in our online services and programs.

To children and grandchildren, if your elderly parents or grandparents do not have a computer, please honour them by visiting as often as you can and have them connect to synagogue life on the internet.

As local regulations gradually loosen up, please remain vigilant about safety and wellness.

Rabbi Howard Morrison

Dear Congregational Family,

This Thursday, the seventeenth of Tammuz, begins the saddest three weeks on the Jewish calendar. The three weeks will culminate on July 30, Tisha B'Av, the saddest day of the year.

The week before Tisha B'Av, called the nine days, introduces the saddest week of the year, associated with additional rules of sadness, including a ban on meat and wine except during Shabbat.

Ironically, this year, exactly one week prior to Tisha B'Av, the baseball season will begin on July 23. Due to Covid-19, the baseball season did not begin in April with its regular 162 game schedule. Instead, an abbreviated 60 game season will begin in a little over two weeks.

The three weeks of sadness is called, "Bain Ha'Metzarim - in between the narrow straits." The term sounds like the Biblical word for Egypt, "Mitzrayim," the first place where the nation of Israel was trapped in the narrow straits of Egypt, suffering persecution and genocide for over two hundred years.

According to archaeological scholars, the ancient Egyptians invented the precursor to baseball. In an article entitled, "Pharaoh at the bat - the ancient Egyptians and American baseball," it is pointed out that in the fifteenth century BCE, King Thutmole III would hold a bat with a grapefruit size ball in hand. Ancient depictions show something like today's baseball or stickball.

For many of us, baseball begins Spring and a new season of joy and uplift. This year, baseball will begin in late July during the last period of the three weeks of sadness.

Just maybe, given the difficult new normal caused by the Corona virus, we are meant to have a little bit of joy soon before Tisha B'Av. Now, if the Red Sox or Blue Jays could shock the American League East, that would be helpful in transforming a time of Fasting into Feasting.

Rabbi Howard Morrison

Dear Congregational Family,

In Parshat Balak, the second of the double Parsha this Shabbat, the Moabite emperor Balak hears of the miracles befalling the people of Israel during their wilderness journey. Does he fear them? Is he simply anti-Israel? In any event, he commissions the heathen Prophet Bilam, a well known authoritative voice at the time. Bilam is hired to observe the people of Israel and curse them.

On two occasions Bilam is unable to curse. On the third attempt, he not only refrains from cursing, but he offers words of praise. He is unable to see any fault. On reflection, he sees only the good of Israel.

Today, many nations curse Israel, the people and its homeland, without any real thought. Upon a deeper truer reflection, maybe they would hold back their curses, or even offer praises for the good that Israel shares with the world.

In one's personal experience, how often do people curse others without any thought. Upon a deeper truer reflection, maybe they would hold back their curses, or even offer praises for the good that the other person embodies.

The lesson of Bilam has implications for nations and individuals for making a better world in which to live.

Rabbi Howard Morrison

Dear Congregational Family,

On Sunday evening, well over a hundred people from Adath Israel and Beth Emeth observed and participated in a "virtual fireside chat" with me and Rabbi Adam Cutler.

The two rabbis have known each other since 1999 when the USY age Cutler interviewed a younger Rabbi Morrison as part of Beth Emeth's interview process. We have been friends and now colleagues for over twenty years.

We spoke personally and rabbinically on how we are doing, what's going well, what's challenging, the challenges and opportunities of technology, lifecycle commemorations during the pandemic, our vision of the next two years, and more.

The overall goal of our two synagogues and most others is to maintain and grow an authentic, engaging, personal, and meaningful Jewish experience. Despite the many similarities between these two synagogues, our strategies and methodologies have differed. For example, Beth Emeth had its clergy start right away with conducting on line prayer weekdays, morning and night. Adath Israel had its clergy start right away with calling its membership.

We noted how easy it is to shul hop these days on social media and to marvel at the similarities and differences in the styles of prayer and outeach.

Both Rabbi Cutler and I struggled but came to the same conclusion that come the High Holy Days and Shabbat, it becomes imperative to halakhically livestream our services until the pandemic is completely over. We recognized that even when the pandemic is over, some of what we have discovered over the past few months will continue as we integrate the old and new normal.

Check out our conversation on YouTube below.

Rabbi Howard Morrison

It is with a heavy heart that I share this with you. I was shocked and saddened to learn that my father in law, Raymond Sasson, passed away Tuesday evening. From the first moment I entered his family's embrace, I immediately loved Raymond and grew to consider him as a second father to me.

I will always cherish the times I would walk to shul with Raymond on Shabbat, be it in New Jersey, Long Island, or Toronto. I especially enjoyed sitting next to him in his shul at the East Brunswick Jewish Center.

Raymond was one of the kindest and most caring people I ever knew. I saw how lovingly he interacted with his immediate family, extended family on all sides, synagogue members, and people he barely knew.

While he was a traditionalist, Raymond was open minded and accepting of others. He was never judgemental toward those who had different beliefs or practices. The Jewish world truly benefited by having such a mentsch named Raymond Sasson.

I will always celebrate and recall Raymond as the sandek at the Brises of Elie and Yonah. Both boys are beside themselves that they cannot attend the funeral due to Covid-19. They understand that their place is at the side of their mother, physically for Yonah and metaphysically for Elie.

Raymond passed away on Rosh Chodesh Tammuz, the first day of this Hebrew month. Ironically, this is the month, beginning on its seventeenth day, when we observe the saddest period of the calendar year, known simply as "the three weeks." At the culmination of this period, we quote from Scripture a verse which points to the time when days of sadness will be transformed into days of joy.

For now, the sadness is overwhelming. But I know that in time to come, the whole family will be filled with all kinds of joyous memories.

Rabbi Howard Morrison

Dear Congregational Family,

My on line Pirkei Avot class and this week's Parsha of Korach converge with a timely lesson.

It is said that Parshat Korach is always timely because it deals with dispute and division in the Jewish community, which sadly persist from generation to generation. Korach is considered the paradigmatic divisive character in Jewish history.

In Pirkei Avot, the following lesson is taught. "A dispute for the sake of heaven has lasting value. A dispute not for the sake of heaven does not have lasting value. An example of the former is the dispute of Hillel and Shammai. An example of the latter is the dispute of Korach and his cohorts."

In the above text, Korah and his cohorts are already divided before they take their propaganda to Moses and Aaron. Korach and his followers were only interested in their respective political gains.

When Hillel and Shammai disputed over the interpretation of Jewish Law, both were sincere and validated each other. Elsewhere in the Talmud, we learn why the view of Hillel is followed in most of their disputes. Hillel would first explain the position of Shammai with respect and accuracy before sharing his position. Hillel knew that most disputes were based on at least two different perspectives or narratives. He always sought to understand all points of view before presenting his own. Thus, Hillel was known for carefully reasoned articulations, which led to his positive reputation.

In all matters of dispute, in every generation, we can learn from the merit of Hillel and understand the damage caused by Korach and those like him.

Rabbi Howard Morrison

Dear Congregational Family,

On Monday afternoon, I participated in the monthly meeting of the Toronto Board of Rabbis. One of our topics of concern was maintaining interest and affiliation in synagogues during this era of Covid-19. Some colleagues expressed concern about synagogue membership, given that the High Holy Day experience will be vastly different for so many people. While synagogue doors may be open, many people may not be eligible or interested, based on health concerns, to attend services this coming Fall.

Others, like me, expressed that the importance of synagogue far outweighs three particular days in the course of a year. At Beth Emeth, we value the richness of Jewish life which is offered every day with daily prayer, meaningful programs, educational classes, rabbinic counseling, engaging liturgical music, lifecycle celebration and comfort, spiritual connections for young and old, and so much more.

Attached to today's message is a contemporary list of twenty-five reasons to join a synagogue, compiled in 2015. Over the next week or so, you will receive our annual Beth Emeth guide toward your membership renewal. I hope you will agree that there are so many reasons to support the importance of belonging to a synagogue during this Covid-19 era and in every era of Jewish history.

Twenty-Five Reasons to Join a Synagogue

A synagogue is the place where…

1. We can encounter God, engage with God, wrestle with God.

2. We can hear God’s voice without the intrusion of the world’s noise around us.

3. We can say prayers for healing and find personal healing of the soul.

4. We can pray with a community that supports and nurtures us.

5. We can find answers to the big questions in life.

6. We can find help formulating the questions.

7. We can find an anchor in a rudderless world.

8. We can be lifted up when we fall.

9. We can be taught to be humble.

10. We can learn to express gratitude.

11. We can intimately connect to Jewish religion or religious practice where it is preserved along with its contemporary expression.

12. We can mark the transitions of life.

13. We can educate our children and grandchildren.

14. We can learn Hebrew and learn about Judaism and Jewish religious practice.

15. We can learn the Torah of living a righteous and fulfilling life.

16. We can discover our place in the collective history of the Jewish people, as well as determine our role in it.

17. We can find affinity with others who hold values similar to our own.

18. We can hear a message of hope we can offer to the greater community.

19. Our children can be taught to be menschen, moral and upstanding contributors to society, and taught a values system to make their own moral and ethical decisions.

20. We can find a community of transcendent meaning and at the same time be intellectually stimulated Jewishly.

21. We can explore and deepen our relationship with the land and people of Israel.

22. We can make a statement to our neighbors about the rightful, equal place of Jews in society, as well as the importance of Judaism and Jewishness for our own identity and the identity of our families.

23. We can organize and be organized around societal and social justice issues that affect us and our community, and we can volunteer to help others in need.

24. We can participate in Jewish cultural and social, as well as religious, activities.

25. We can develop and offer our leadership to the Jewish community and the Jewish people.

Rabbi Howard Morrison