Rabbi Howard Morrison

The Haftarah for this coming Shabbat has the Prophet Amos envisioning a time when the land of Israel will be re-established with Jewish sovereignty. His vision has been realized in part since 1948.

This past week, we celebrated modern Israel's 75th birthday. Now in its aftermath, I encourage you to consider our shul's two week tour this coming October 30 - November 13. Already twenty have registered. Our travel agent has blocked 25 seats for the trip. The itinerary is posted on our website.

How exciting it will be for BEBY to celebrate Israel at 75 in a few short months.

Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Howard Morrison

The situations are different and similar at the same time. In this week's Parsha, Nadav and Avihu, the adult sons of Aaron, the High Priest, die tragically on the spot having brought a strange fire to the altar of the Tabernacle. Why they die is inexplicable. Commentaries have been offered throughout the ages, suggesting that the more one tries to understand, the more one will never understand. The grief of their father, Aaron, is indescribable. He is silent and perhaps in shock after the sudden deaths of his two sons.

A week ago today, which was already Chol Ha'Moed in Israel, Lucy Dee and her daughters, Maia and Rina, were brutally slain by a terrorist in Israel while driving en route to Tiberias. Husband and father, Rabbi Leo Dee, was unharmed while following them in another car. His two daughters were found dead and were buried last Sunday. The critically wounded Lucy died on Monday and was buried on Tuesday. A family of seven is now a family of four, with three surviving children and their father.

Demonstrating courage and bravery, Rabbi Dee, who buried three family members within a couple of days, spoke last Monday night. He proclaimed "Dees day" - a time to differentiate between good and evil. One must never blame the victim for being the recipient of terror. The terrorist is always to blame. While grieving in a way that no one should have to grieve, he made the halakhic decision to have five organs from his wife be posthumously donated to the living to help save five human lives. In addition, he encouraged every Jew to post a picture of himself or herself on social media with a flag of Israel to demonstrate that we always stand with Israel.

With the inexplicable loss of family life and the indescribable nature of their grief, Aaron, in Parshat Shemini, and Rabbi Leo Dee, during a Passover we will never forget, teach us how to be strong and proud ambassadors of our faith and heritage.

Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Howard Morrison

The Haggadah is one of the greatest literary masterpieces in Judaism. It contains citations from every period of Jewish history to this very day.

The Haggadah should not be merely davened or read. It should  be discussed, questioned, and made relevant.

For example, what are the four most  pressing questions in the world now? What are today's ten plagues? What four challenges face our children nowadays?

Lively question, respectful conversation, and constructive dialogue should define your Haggadah and Seder experience.

Chag Kasher V'Sameach,
Rabbi Howard Morrison

When I moved to Toronto in July of 2000, I was asked at the Canadian border to produce my SIN. I had no idea what was being asked of me? I explained to the border agent that I was coming to be the Rabbi, a clergy person, of a synagogue. That part of my responsibility was to help rid people of sin. Little did I know that the equivalent of my U.S. social security number was here called SIN, Social Insurance Number. 

Judaism differs from other religions when it comes to sin. The primary word in Hebrew is Chet, which means, missing the mark. For most offenses, there is no statute of limitations for correcting and refining ourselves after we have missed the mark, be it in our relationship with God or humanity.

In the new book of Vayikra, we read categories of offerings for different purposes. One is the Korban Chatat, the sin offereing. With other sacrifices, the Torah prefaces with the word "If . . . " When it comes to Chet, or sin, the Torah prefaces, "Asher . . . -When." We are all destined to make mistakes and miss the mark. Even regarding a chieftain, a leader, the Torah says, "Asher Nasi Yecheta - When a leader misses the mark."

It is no accident that the categories of the ancient sacrifices now have verbal and liturgical associations. Each weekday in the Amidah, we recite, "Slach Lanu Avinu Ki Chatanu - Forgive us our Father for we have sinned (missed the mark)."

On Yom Kippur, several times, we recite a long double acrostic list of offenses beginning with the words, "Al Chet Shechatanu Lefanecha - For the sin we have committed before you."

It is not that we will never commit a Chet. More important is how we respond after we have done so.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Howard Morrison

This coming Shabbat, we will read from two Torah scrolls. From the first, we will complete the book of Shmot-Exodus by reading the portions of Vayakhel-Pekudei. From the second, we will read the very first Mitzvah given to the people of Israel, the commandment to enumerate and sanctify the months of the Jewish calendar year. Thus, this coming Shabbat is entitled Shabbat Ha'Chodesh, literally, the Sabbath of the new month. In the days following this Shabbat, we will usher in the new month of Nissan and prepare for Pesach, only two plus weeks away.

It is noteworthy that we conclude the second book of the Torah on Shabbat Ha'Chodesh. As we review the highlights found in the book of Exodus, three major motifs emerge - the Exodus from Egypt, the revelation of the Ten Commandments, and the establishment of the Mishkan, a portable sanctuary. The first motif celebrates physcial freedom from slavery, which is celebrated each year during Pesach. The second motif celebrates spiritual freedom, which is celebrated each year during Shavuot. Very soon, we will begin to enumerate the forty-nine days which connect these two sacred holy day seasons. The third motif celebrates that the experiences of freedom are not limited to annual observances but are portable and accompany us every day of our lives.

The contemporary counterpart to the Mishkan is the synagogue. With the post-pandemic hybrid of in person participation coupled by livestream accessibility, as found in many synagogues, involvement in communal Jewish life is truly portable and can be with us at any moment in our lives.

Let us appreciate the lessons learned as we conclude the second book of the Torah and its introduction to the Pesach-Shavuot season.

Rabbi Howard Morrison

Three years ago on Monday March 9, 2020, hundreds of people, young and old, attended Purim evening services at Beth Emeth. One week later, on March 17, 2020, all synagogues and many other institutions were shut down for a long while to come. Over the last two years, Purim as well as much of our lives were not the same. This past Monday, however, March 6, 2023, things looked the way we knew and loved them. Over 200 people attended a youth carnival. Over 400 people attended Megillah reading. Once again, a volunteer-led Purim shpiel followed the evening services. A week ago, on Friday March 3, over 150 people attended our Shabbat Across North America dinner. While we continue to be concerned about post-pandemic health issues, it was great to see our shul lively over the past week. I hope that this is a sign to come. What was especially meaningful was seeing old and young, multi-generational families, participating in communal Jewish activities.

Every time we place the Torah scroll back in the Ark, we recite the words, "renew our days as of old." For many, this expression has us yearn for a nostalgic time when all was good in our lives. I pray that large robust happy gatherings in our shul will be more than a reminder of a nostalgic past. Let us build on the events of the past week. I look forward to seeing more and more of us in shul.

Rabbi Howard Morrison

A week and a half ago, on two consecutive days, the same person attacked two different Jews coming out of two different synagogues in Los Angeles. These acts of hatred were among the latest examples of Jew-hatred in the so-called civilized world. I am sure that the attacker did not care what brand of synagogue it was. He was simply and cruelly attacking Jews coming out from their shul. As I wrote in a blog a couple of weeks ago, the anti-Semites do a better job than Jews do in understanding that we are all part of one people. Internally, however, we Jews tend to tear each other apart over ideological, halakhic, denominational, and other concerns. 

Our shul, Beth Emeth, is a traditional shul. While we have evolved several practices over the years, we are true to the vision that created our synagogue in the 1950's. Several weeks ago, I was asked by our own shul leadership to formulate a working hypothesis on defining what a traditional shul is, and how it is not Orthodox, liberal, or egalitarian. I posted my interpretation on our website a number of weeks ago.

While Beth Emeth may have its own working definition of what kind of shul we are, the most important criterion is that we are Jewish and that we are welcoming to anyone, Jew or non-Jew, religious, cultural, or secular, who chooses to enter our synagogue space. We are not smug, self-righteous, or triumphant to think that our model of Judaism is the only one that works. I have tremendous respect for my colleagues and non-rabbinic friends who are involved in Chabad, Aish, Orthodox, Conservative-egalitarian, Reform and Reconstructionist synagogues. Personally, I tend to have more respect for a Jew who attends his/her liberal or more Orthodox synagogue every week than the one who begrudgingly attends his/her other synagogue once a year with only words of criticism and condemnation.

Does any single kind of shul have all the answers? NO! And with minor exception, all kinds of synagogues are struggling to find successful ways of attracting the next generations of Jews.

When I first came to Toronto in 2000, I honestly thought that COR stood for Conservative, Orthodox, Reform-Reconstructionist working on Kashrut standards together. How wrong I was, but it is still an idealistic image for me.

When my older son began his working career in Alpena, Michigan, the only synagogue for a hundred miles was a 20-family small Reform congregation near where he lived. The group would meet one Friday night a month and one Shabbat morning a month. My son asked me whether he should participate or not. The services were truncated; the kitchen was dairy but not Kosher; the attendees were largely intermarried or secular. I encouraged him to attend. This congregation was founded in the mid 1800's and was still meeting in the same house as it was since the 1890's. The current members were perpetuating a Jewish presence in a small town and could have chosen to give up. Before too long, my son was helping to lead the services and training future prayer leaders for when his career would take him elsewhere. He now lives in Denver and still manages their website. I was a guest rabbi for them three times in person and have run Zoom programs with them twice.

When the Pandemic began, we and some other well-known Conservative synagogues in the area started talking about sharing our resources while maintaining our individual distinctiveness. With diminishing affiliations in many congregations, I and some others had a dream of creating a sort of Syna plex or 21^st century model of a U.S. Hillel house. A traditional shul like ours and a local Conservative-egalitarian shul could maintain their religious individuality and yet become a unified harmonious institution, where the participating members could pay one fee and choose when, how and where to celebrate a preferred style of Shabbat prayer, Holy Day prayer, the nature of a Bar/Bat Mitzvah, and more. As a university student, the Boston University Hillel I attended had under one affiliation the choice for Reform, Conservative, and Orthodox prayer every Shabbat and holy day, with everyone joining for the same Kiddush afterwards. Am I dreaming crazy that multiple congregations could create a unified model which preserves their particular identities? Can we not find a way to have our cake and eat it too, finding a meaningful niche for everyone???

I believe that today's Parsha supports everything I am saying. Parshat Terumah is the instructional manual for creating the 21^st century post-pandemic syna plex model. First, everyone participated freely and creatively by contributing what ever they could toward a shared enterprise. "Take for Me a Terumah, a free will offering, from everyone whose heart stirs him or her - gold, silver, copper, and so much more to choose from. The ultimate purpose - "Let them make a Mikdash, a sanctuary, for Me that I may dwell among them." The purpose of a synagogue is not to close God's presence within man-made walls, but to spiritually enrich God's presence within the hearts, minds, and souls of every single person. No one Jew and no one synagogue could ever do it all alone. Last week's theme of every Israelite contributing a half shekel tax reminds us that alone we are incomplete. A Jew alone, even a synagogue alone in a large city like Toronto, is incomplete. All Jews, all brands of congregations, should be finding ways to complete each other's needs as best as possible. 

How ironic that an evil anti-Semite has no problem identifying a Jew or a synagogue. How ironic that all too often we Jews ourselves become smug and self-righteous in how we look with disdain at how other Jews and synagogues are professing their approaches to Judaism.

Can a variety of segments in the Jewish community come together and create an exciting new vision based on today's Torah's words, "V'Asu Li Mikdash V'Shachanti B'Tocham -Let them make for Me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them."???????

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Howard Morrison

This week's Torah portion Mishpatim contains the first extensive law code in the Torah. The laws are prefaced by the opening words ' "These are the laws that you (Moses) will place before them." Rashi shares an ancient commentary on the language of "place before them." One should not merely memorize or recite the laws until one knows them fluently. Rather, one should understand the taste/reason for the laws, like a banquet table.

In his commentary, Rashi uses the word "Ta'am," which can be translated as taste or reason. Throughout the ages, we have a large literature called "Ta'amei Ha'Mitzvot - reasons for the commandments." The various reasons become a menu of different tastes. Jewish law and practice should be savored like one dining at a  banquet table. The Hebrew for banquet table, "Shulkhan Arukh," later becomes a term for a famous Code of Jewish Law in the sixteenth century.

Just as Jewish law and practice should be savored with fine taste, our davening experience should be savored as well and not treated robotically. This Shabbat, we welcome Cantor Adam Frei to our shul. He is a dear friend of mine. Hazzan Frei began his Cantorial career working with me in Long Island in the 1990's. Subsequently, he served at the Forest Hills Jewish Center in Queens, NY. Nowadays, he is the Cantor at Midway Jewish Center in Syosset, NY. Hazzan Frei will be our guest Cantor in residence this coming Shabbat, and he will join us for a Shabbat in late April and in late June.

I invite us all to physically attend shul this Shabbat, if possible, to experience a savory davening from a fine Cantor, whom I have known from the inception of his career.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Howard Morrison

In Parshat Yitro, this week's Torah lesson, we read the Ten Commandments. Almost every Commandment in Judaism, be it the initial Ten Commandments or its elucidations into the 613 commandments, contains the imperative "To Do" or "Not To Do." However, the first Commandment does neither. Many commentators have written on the complexity of the Torah's statement, "Anochi - I am the Lord your God who took you out of the land of Egypt." There is no imperative. Rather, the words are an acknowledgement, an affirmation, a belief in the oneness of God.  These opening words provide a preamble to every other Commandment in Judaism. Without the preamble which emphasizes the oneness of God, nothing else makes any sense.

It is no wonder that when tragedy strikes the world, Israel immediately sends support to disparate locations around the globe.

It is no wonder that Israel has now sent search and rescue teams to Turkey and even by request to Syria, a sworn enemy of Israel.

It is no wonder that Israel will join efforts in looking for survivors and bodies amidst a human tragedy.

It is no wonder because a basic premise of Judaism is to recognize "Anochi," the presence of God within every single person. "Anochi" reminds us of the very creation of humanity in Genesis - that every man and woman is created in the image and likeness of God.

Our prayer is that survivors will be found. Pikuach Nefesh, saving life, is a supreme Jewish value because of the Godliness found in each and everyone of us.

Sincerely,
Rabbi Howard Morrison 

Recently, I was asked to define the nature of Beth Emeth and explain how our shul is distinguished from other synagogues on the religious landscape. Here are some of my thoughts:Beth Emeth Bais Yehuda is a unique traditional synagogue serving the GTA Jewish community.

Many congregations in our area are affiliated with or define themselves as Reform, Reconstructionist, Conservative-Egalitarian, or Orthodox. What exactly does "Traditional" mean for Beth Emeth? Ideologically, "Traditional" is situated somewhere between Conservative-Egalitarian and Orthodox.

Ten points of interest about Beth Emeth - The Traditional Synagogue in the GTA

1.Our traditional synagogue adheres to the classical sources, texts, and methods for understanding, abiding by, and interpreting                    Halakha (Jewish Law). Any modifications of religious practice must conform to the normative processes used in Jewish legal                      interpretation.

2. Our traditional synagogue abides by the age-old criteria for counting men in the Minyan and distributing Aliyot to men during a Torah service.

3. Our traditional synagogue accepts some of the halakhic interpretations offered in classical Conservative Judaism which allows for mixed and family seating as well as the use of a PA system during services.

4.Our traditional synagogue adheres to a full liturgy and Torah reading, utilizing Siddurim (prayerbooks) published by classical Conservative Judaism and contemporary Orthodoxy.

5.Our traditional synagogue accepts diverse modes of Torah study and explanation. Thus, we provide the Hertz Chumash, the Etz Hayim Chumash, and the ArtScroll Chumash, whose choices of commentaries may be considered independent, from the Conservative Movement, and from contemporary Orthodoxy.

6.Our traditional synagogue encourages women's participation in many ways which conform to traditional halakhic interpetation. These include leading non-statutory prayers and readings in Hebrew and English, the chanting of the Haftarah, leading Kabbalat Shabbat, and more in congregational services. Women may lead statutory prayers and Torah readings for fellow women in a Simchat Torah women's setting and in the context of a women's Minyan. 

7.Our traditional synagogue, recognizing religious diversity in the Jewish world, permits private services which allow for Mechitza/separate seating as well as private services which allow for female participation in Torah reading and Torah honors.

8.Our traditional synagogue is welcoming, respectful, and non-judgemental. We embrace a diversity of religious practices and beliefs among our attendees and members.

9. Our traditional synagogue is a learning place for all. We offer classes regularly in Hebrew reading, contemporary responsa, rabbinic literature, the weekly Torah portion and more. Our approach to learning takes an age-old tradition and makes it relevant to our times. These and other topics are taught by our clergy, educated members, and guest speakers.

10. Our traditional synagogue fulfills the Torah's axiom, "With our young and with our old we go forward." we strive to find meaningful points of Jewish entry and involvement for all ages within our congregational family.

Respectfully,
Rabbi Howard Morrison

The joke is told about the chairman of the synagogue board visiting the rabbi who is recuperating in the hospital after a procedure. The Shul representative informs the rabbi of some really good news. The board voted and passed a resolution with fifteen in favor and fourteen opposed to wish their rabbi a Refuah Shlemah, a complete and speedy recovery.

This Friday, January 27, I will be undergoing a minor surgical procedure. I will be using two weeks of my allotted vacation time as a medical leave to heal and renew my energy. I will be returning to rabbinic service on Shabbat February 11. 

In the early Torah portions of Sefer Shmot, the Book of Exodus, we are introduced to the Torah's three main figures - Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. Toward the end of their legacy, we read how Moses prayed for his sister after she was stricken with an illness. In the Torah's shortest prayer text, Moses says, "El Na Refa Na La - God, please heal her, please." In both Hebrew and English, the first prayer for health contains just five words. Over time, these words would inspire the blessing for healing in the weekday Amidah as well as the familiar Mi She'berach prayer for healing.

May all of us have people who pray for our wellbeing when we are ill or injured. I wish everyone good health, a caring family, and a supportive community.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Howard Morrison

Rabbi Abraham Joshuh Heschel died on December 23, 1972 - the eighteenth of Tevet. The Hebrew date of his Yahrzeit coincides with January 11^th this week.

In  Toronto and New York, a Jewish day school is named after him. Heschel's legacy has touched all streams of Judaism, civil rights, racial equality, Jewish-Christian dialogue, and much more.

Born into a European Hasidic dynasty, Heschel found his way to the U.S. and became a scholar at the Hebrew Union College (Reform) and the Jewish Theological Seminary (Conservative). At rabbinical conventions, he would emphasize the importance of Halakha (Jewish Law) to the Reform rabbis and the importance of Aggadah (the non-legal ethical impulses of Judaism) to the Conservative rabbis.

His written words are manifold including but not limited to philosophical greats such as:

God in search of Man, Man's quest for God, Torah Min Ha'Shamayim (Heavenly Torah), the Prophets, the Sabbath, etc. In my first year of rabbinical school, I took a required course taught by his student, the late rabbi Fritz Rothschild ז״ל, who had edited a book on Heschel's vast writings called, "Between God and Man."

Heschel marched with the late Martin Luther King for the cause of civil rights and became famous for the expression, "praying with one's feet." 

Heschel developed strong ties with the Roman Catholic Church, which helped lead to Nostra Aetate, the Church's revised and positive attitude toward Judaism and Jewish-Christian relations.

Nowadays, we continue to need the leadership and inspiration of Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel on matters of civility, mutual-cooperation, an understanding of Jewish Law which is spiritually and ethically based, multi-faith and multi-cultural understanding, and more.

Yhi Zichro Baruch - May the memory of Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel this week of his fiftieth Yahrzeit be for a blessing.

Sincerely,
Rabbi Howard Morrison

This Shabbat is a liturgical variety of flavours. I encourage you to attend shul to witness a service like nothing you have ever seen before.

Three Torahs will be utilized - The weekly Torah portion (Miketz), the last Aliyah for Shabbat Rosh Chodesh, and the Maftir Aliyah for Shabbat Chanukah (Day #6).

Special insertions in the Shacharit Amidah - Ya'aleh V'Yavo for Rosh Chodesh. Al Ha'Nisim for Chanukah (Also in Musaf).

A special Haftarah - For Shabbat Chanukah (Some append the opening and closing verses from the Shabbat Rosh Chodesh Haftarah at the end).

Three special Psalms - for Shabbat, Rosh Chodesh, and Chanukah.

A completely different Musaf Amidah text - for Shabbat Rosh Chodesh.

A full Hallel - for Chanukah (and including Rosh Chodesh)

I invite you to experience, learn, and enjoy the various liturgical flavours for this coming Shabbat/Rosh Chodesh/Chanukah.

Shabbat Shalom, Chodesh Tov, and Chag Urim Sameach,

Rabbi Howard Morrison

The first day of Chanukah has personal meaning for me. Even though I was obviously not present, my parents, Ruben and Helen Morrison, were married on December 19, 1954, which coincided with the first light of Chanukah. This year, the secular and Jewish dates coincide again.

Chanukah, along with Passover, are the two most family-centric holidays on the Jewish calendar. I remember as a child that our family Chanukiah had a wind up key and played the melody of Maoz Tzur, as we kindled the Chanukiah as a family.

I remember as a child that the four Morrison kids would receive fun gifts on the first couple of nights of Chanukah. On the remaining nights, we received necessities such as articles of clothing and school supplies. While not being overly commercial, my parents did give us something each night of the festival.

Perhaps the most outstanding Chanukah/wedding anniversary of my parents took place when my siblings and I surprised mom and dad for their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary. We took them out to a surprise dinner at a downtown Boston hotel and presented them with two original poems and an engraved platter inscribed with a recognition of their silver anniversary. 

While mom and dad passed away three months apart from each other in 1999, I remember them every day and even more significantly on the first day of Chanukah and December 19. How meaningful it is that both dates converge this year. 

As I lit the candles for the first night, I thought of my parents being like the Shamash candle, and their children being like the candle for the first day of Chanukah. As the Shamash illuminates the candles of the holiday; so too, Ruben and Helen Morrison brought light, love, and dedication of Judaism to all four of their children.

May their memories be a blessing. 

Wherever you are in the gates of Paradise, I wish you a Freyleche Chanukah, mom and dad.

Love,
Your son - Howie

This coming Sunday evening, we will usher in the first light of Chanukah. We will do so in grand fashion at Beth Emeth beginning at 5pm. I encourage as many of us as possible to attend. A fun time will be had by all. A year ago, I missed our shul party because I had committed to visiting my son in Denver for American Thanksgiving, which took place just a couple of days before the onset of Chanukah. As a result, I have not celebrated Chanukah with our shul since prior to the pandemic.

I am very excited that on Sunday night, I will lead us in reciting the blessings surrounding the Chanukiah and lead us in singing some festive Chanukah songs. On the first night only, we recite three blessings, the third one being Shehecheyanu which is recited on the first night only. While the first blessing is a recitation on the actual candle-lighting, the second blessing thanks God for miracles associated with this season of the year. Does one think only of the miracles attached to the origin of Chanukah, such as the oil lasting for eight days and the few defeating the many? Or does one also consider miracles of Jewish history and in our personal lives to this very day? The answer depends on a variant regarding the text of the second blessing. Most Jews recite the words "In those days at this season." Some Jews, based on an ancient manuscript discovery, recite the words "In those days AND at this season. The little Hebrew letter "Vav - And" changes the whole meaning of the blessing. 

Either way, I wish us all a healthy and happy Chanukah. I look forward to seeing you Sunday evening.

Chag Urim Sameach - A joyous Festival of lights

Rabbi Howard Morrison