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NELSON LEGACY
PRESENTS

BOB ALPER

Rabbi/Stand-Up Comic ( really )

As seen in Newsweek, on The Today Show, CBS’s The Early Show, Good Morning
America, ABC Evening News, CNN, BBC, Comedy Central and Showtime.

AN EVENING OF COMEDY

Wednesday, June 8 at 7:30 p.m.
Congregation Beth Shalom - Oak Park

Give It A Rest!

Program and Dessert Reception: $12 in advance $18 at door

Parshat Behar: Leviticus 25:1-26:2;
Jeremiah 32:6-32:27.

LUNCH AND LEARN

The Spirituality of Laughter: A Jewish Look at the Holiness Of Humor

L

ately, the Gmail app on my
the sabbatical year give the land time to
iPhone hasn’t been working! I
rejuvenate. Maimonides, another well-
check my email on my phone
known Torah commentator, recognized
regularly, probably way too often and,
that allowing the land to occasionally
more often than not, when I look at my
lie fallow would cause it to regain its
Gmail there is nothing new.
strength.
So I pull down the screen,
Isn’t that what our weekly
trying to update the app, and it
Shabbat is supposed to accom-
circles and circles and circles. And
plish as well? While it cer-
then nothing happens. And I get
tainly is a time for prayer and
incredibly frustrated.
reflection, and for family and
So I turn my phone off, count to
friends, its deeper purpose it to
10 and then turn it back on. And
give us a chance to rest and to
each time, incredibly, my Gmail
renew ourselves before the new
has updated! All it needed was a
week begins.
Rabbi Arianna
little rest and reset.
What does Shabbat mean
Gordon
This week’s Torah portion,
to you? How can you take this
Behar, found in the Book of
sacred day and make it mean-
Leviticus, reminds us how important
ingful? For some of us, we use Shabbat
a little rest and reset can be. We have
as an opportunity to reconnect with our
learned that God created the world in six
families, to read a book that has been sit-
days, resting on the seventh. In honor of
ting on our shelves, to appreciate the holi-
God’s work of creation, human beings
ness of prayer in our communities.
have been commanded to observe a
Others of us may turn our devices off,
weekly rest. Our Shabbat is an opportu-
putting technology on hold, or take a walk
nity to reset, to spend time focusing on
outside to enjoy nature. Perhaps we spend
the holiness of God and the majesty of
Shabbat eating delicious food or learning
God’s creation.
something new. Shabbat is meant to be a
Parshat Behar teaches us that human
day that is set apart from the rest of the
beings aren’t the only work of creation
week, a day to reset.
deserving of rest. Just as the Torah calls
Our Torah portion teaches, “You shall
for a Sabbath day of rest for people after
keep my Sabbaths …” (Leviticus 26:2)
every six days of work, it also commands
“Sabbaths”— plural. Shabbat is not a
a Sabbath year of rest for the land after
once-in-a-lifetime occurrence, nor even a
every six years of cultivation. For six years once-a-year event. Our land experiences a
the people may sow their fields and prune Sabbath every seven years. But, for people,
their vineyards, but on the seventh year,
Shabbat happens each and every week.
the land is to be given a complete rest.
Perhaps the frequency of Shabbat is
This Torah portion further instructs
what makes it so important, so powerful.
the Israelites that every 50th year is to
Each week we are instructed to reset, to
be a jubilee year; a year in which land
make ourselves new.
and vineyards must not be worked and
Maybe this Shabbat, instead of strug-
in which freedom will be granted to all
gling with my Gmail app, I will take the
Israelites enslaved during the previous 49
day off, allowing us both to refresh. How
years.
will you reset this Shabbat?
Our Torah commentator Rashi suggests
Rabbi Arianna Gordon is the director of educa-
that just as our weekly Shabbat obser-
tion and lifelong learning at Temple Israel in West
vance gives each of us the opportunity to
Bloomfield.
seek renewal through rest, so, too, does

*

Thursday, June 9 at 12:30 p.m.
Congregation Beth Shalom - Oak Park

Bloom's Kosher Catering. $22 for Lunch and Program.
Reservation Required. (248)547-7970

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May 26 • 2016

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