Rabbi Howard Morrison

Dear Congregational Family,

One of the oldest and briefest prayers appears in Parshat Naso. The fifteen word Priestly Blessing concludes with the words, "May God establish for you peace."

In Judaism, we yearn for an authentic peace. We always have. Our tradition contains many many aspirations of peace in all the literary layers of our tradition.

The Priestly Blessing inspired the ends of the Amidah and Birkat Ha'Mazon to conclude with a prayer for peace.

In the Ethics of the Sages, the first Priest, Aaron, is the exemplar of peace, "Be amongst the disciples of Aaron, loving peace and pursuing peace."

Earlier in the Ethics of the Sages  we learn, "The world is sustained on three pillars - on justice, on truth, and on peace." An authentic peace must be interwoven with justice and truth.

In today's climate, I ask you to ponder - who yearns for an authentic lasting piece and who does not?

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Howard Morrison