Torah Reflections
Each week, Rabbi Olivier prepares a written reflection on the weekly Torah portion. These provide yet another way to discover the texts sacred to Judaism and to prepare for Shabbat each week.
Torah Reflections – October 13 – 19, 2013
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 originate...
A “Days of Awe” Retreat – Putting Our Name on The List – Day 9
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 with a more...
A “Days of Awe” Retreat – Making Amends – Day 8
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...
A “Days of Awe” Retreat – Preparing to Make Amends – Day 7
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. Before actually...
A “Days of Awe” Retreat – I Now Forgive – Day 6
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...
A “Days of Awe” Retreat – Searching The Heart: A Practical Exercise – Day 4
This is the time in our retreat when we get to practice. We can hear about forgiving, we can read about forgiving, but all the books and the talks in the world won't help if, at some point, we don't roll up our sleeves and get to work. Now, your mind might come up...
“Days of Awe” Retreat – What Does it Mean to Forgive? Why do we Resist it? Day 3
Forgiving does not come easy to us. Let's be honest, the ego is not one to easily give up the past hurts, affronts, painful incidents, and grudges it holds onto in its memory bank. All of these past experiences have impacted us greatly, taught us a great deal, and...
A “Days of Awe” Retreat – Back to Life, Back to Reality – Day 2
The Ten Days of Awe between Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur, are an opportunity to enter into a time of personal retreat, the theme of which is "forgiveness." The path of forgiveness is one of the most powerful spiritual paths available to us. Forgiving ourselves and...
Torah Reflections – Aug. 25 – 31, 2013
Nitzavim - Vayelech Deuteronomy 29:9 - 31:30 Embracing Our Unpreparedness My heart is beating a little bit faster than usual today. No, I didn't have one cup of coffee too many. But it just so happens that the combined Torah portions for this...
Torah Reflections July 28 – Aug. 3, 2013
Re'eh Deuteronomy 11:26 - 16:17 Letting Go Of All The Truths How do I invite God into my life? How do I fill my life with the Divine Presence moment to moment? These are the questions many of us on the spiritual path ask ourselves. And more...
Torah Reflections July 14 – 20, 2013
Va-Et'chanan Deuteronomy 3:23 - 7:11 Because Love is Our Natural State This week we find in our parashah the words that are at the center of our daily worship: the Sh'ma, and the first verses of the V'ahavta. While the Sh'ma is calling us to...
Torah Reflections July 7 – 13
Devarim Deuteronomy 1:1 - 3:22 The Power of Spiritual Transmission There is a powerful story that comes to us from the Native American tradition. It used to be that after the fall hunting season, the tribe would spend the winter months working...