by RabbiOlivier | Oct 25, 2013 | Adult Learning, Torah Reflections
Chayei Sarah Genesis 23:1 – 25:18 Where Life Hangs by a Thread The cry of the shofar is the tears of Sarah, says a midrash. This midrash comes to fill-in the blank space between the end of last week’s Torah portion and the...
by RabbiOlivier | Oct 18, 2013 | Adult Learning, Torah Reflections
Vayeira Genesis 18:1 – 22:24 The Spiritual Aim of Circumcision The subject of circumcision has engendered much controversy over the past few years. Should we or should we not, as a Jewish people, continue to honor this millennia old tradition that is said to...
by RabbiOlivier | Sep 9, 2013 | Adult Learning, High Holy Days Meditations, Torah Reflections
If these Days of Awe have revealed anything to me this year so far, it is — above all — that the work has to start with us. Doing the work of forgiveness is far from easy, far from comfortable; yet if we commit ourselves to healing, to living our lives...
by RabbiOlivier | Sep 9, 2013 | Adult Learning, High Holy Days Meditations, Torah Reflections
Making amends is truly when the rubber meets the road. We have done all this work forgiving others, and now we have to go out there and repair the damage we have done. If we worked on our letter yesterday, and rehearsed our conversation, we might feel ready. Yet...
by RabbiOlivier | Sep 9, 2013 | Adult Learning, High Holy Days Meditations, Torah Reflections
On Day 5 of our “Days of Awe” Retreat, we made a list of the people we have hurt. We selected one person from that list and went through a little writing exercise about our hurting this person. Today we prepare ourselves to make amends to this person....
by RabbiOlivier | Sep 9, 2013 | Adult Learning, High Holy Days Meditations, Torah Reflections
On this Day 6 of our personal retreat, we come to a place where we might be ready to forgive. On Day 4 we brought to mind and wrote about a person who has mildly hurt or offended us. I invite you to have what you wrote in front of you for this exercise. As we begin, I...
