Yitro: Exodus 18:13-14, 18, 23 – “And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people; and the people stood about Moses from the morning unto the evening. And when Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he did to the people, he said: ‘What is this thing that you do to the people? Why do you sit alone, and all the people stand about you from morning to night? . . . . You will surely wear away, both you, and this people that is with you, for the thing is too heavy for you; you are not able to perform it yourself alone. . . . If you will do this thing, and God command you so, then you shall be able to endure, and all this people also shall go to their place in peace.’
Yitro wisely advised Moses to delegate his authority over the people to “rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.” How often do we with best of intentions take on more obligations than we can wisely fulfill in relation to ourselves and others?
May we be blessed to heed the advice of Yitro, sharing our responsibilities, so that we endure and those we encounter go in peace.
Showing posts with label peace. Show all posts
Showing posts with label peace. Show all posts
Friday, February 10, 2012
Friday, July 15, 2011
Parshat Pinchas - Turning from anger to peace
Num 25: 10 - 13. The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Phinehas the son of Eleazar the son of Aaron the kohen has turned My anger away from the children of Israel by his zealously avenging Me among them, so that I did not destroy the children of Israel because of My zeal. Therefore, say, "I hereby give him My covenant of peace. It shall be for him and for his descendants after him [as] an eternal covenant of kehunah (priesthood), because he was zealous for his God and atoned for the children of Israel."
Haftorah: Kings 19:11-13. The LORD said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
Why is the story of Pinchas split between two different parshiot? Last week we read that Pinchas killed two people engaged in idolatry. The parsha ends. We pick up again this week to learn that Pinchas’ zealous action is rewarded with an eternal covenant of peace and the priesthood. What was Pinchas doing in that time between killing and receiving the covenant of peace?
Midrash tells us that Pinchas and Elijah were the same person. Therefore, the haftorah gives us a clue as to what Pinchas/Elijah was doing in the interlude. He was trying to move from anger to peace. To do so, he had to turn inward and listen intently. Did he hear the sound of silence, the continuously gentle vibration of the energy of the universe? From carefully and patiently listening to the calm stillness within, Pinchas was transformed.
The break in the story itself teaches us something more about the place of righteous anger. It shows us that angry action, while sometimes needed, brings the story to a halt. Anger begets only an ending. In contrast, peace is a beginning. Peace creates a power that flows continuously from generation to generation.
May we be granted the discernment to take strong action when absolutely necessary, and the wisdom to then let go of anger, and listen intently to find and connect to the source of peace.
Haftorah: Kings 19:11-13. The LORD said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
Why is the story of Pinchas split between two different parshiot? Last week we read that Pinchas killed two people engaged in idolatry. The parsha ends. We pick up again this week to learn that Pinchas’ zealous action is rewarded with an eternal covenant of peace and the priesthood. What was Pinchas doing in that time between killing and receiving the covenant of peace?
Midrash tells us that Pinchas and Elijah were the same person. Therefore, the haftorah gives us a clue as to what Pinchas/Elijah was doing in the interlude. He was trying to move from anger to peace. To do so, he had to turn inward and listen intently. Did he hear the sound of silence, the continuously gentle vibration of the energy of the universe? From carefully and patiently listening to the calm stillness within, Pinchas was transformed.
The break in the story itself teaches us something more about the place of righteous anger. It shows us that angry action, while sometimes needed, brings the story to a halt. Anger begets only an ending. In contrast, peace is a beginning. Peace creates a power that flows continuously from generation to generation.
May we be granted the discernment to take strong action when absolutely necessary, and the wisdom to then let go of anger, and listen intently to find and connect to the source of peace.
Friday, June 3, 2011
Parshat Naso: Receiving peace
Parshat Naso: Ch. 6:24-26 - "May God bless you and protect you.
May God’s face shine upon you and be gracious to you.
May God’s face be lifted up to you, and grant you peace."
Numbers Rabbah 11:7 "Shimon ben Halafta said, Great is peace, for no vessel other than peace can receive blessing."
Another teaching: “Great is peace, for even at a time of war we need peace, as it says, when you draw near to a city to fight against it, you shall proclaim peace to it.”
It is easy to speak of peace at peaceful times, but how much more difficult—and necessary—to pursue peace in the midst of conflict, in the midst of threat and war.
May we find a place of peace in our awareness even in the midst of great aversion and agitation.
(with thanks to Rabbi Toba Spitzer)
Friday, November 12, 2010
Toldot - Making Space for Peace
Parshat Toldot:
Yitzhak and his servants dig a well, quarrel with the shepherds of Gerar, and name the well Esek/Bickering.
They dig another well, quarrel over it, and name it Sitna/Animosity.
Genesis Ch.26: 22 - “He moved on from there and dug another well, but they did not quarrel over it, so he called its name: Rehovot/Space.”
Struggling to find something as necessary as water in the desert, we risk locking ourselves in a struggle that deepens from bickering to full-blown animosity. Moving away, physically and mentally, lessens the desperate attachment, allowing spaciousness to infuse the situation. In the new space, new ways of relating are discovered, finally creating space for peace to flow.
Yitzhak and his servants dig a well, quarrel with the shepherds of Gerar, and name the well Esek/Bickering.
They dig another well, quarrel over it, and name it Sitna/Animosity.
Genesis Ch.26: 22 - “He moved on from there and dug another well, but they did not quarrel over it, so he called its name: Rehovot/Space.”
Struggling to find something as necessary as water in the desert, we risk locking ourselves in a struggle that deepens from bickering to full-blown animosity. Moving away, physically and mentally, lessens the desperate attachment, allowing spaciousness to infuse the situation. In the new space, new ways of relating are discovered, finally creating space for peace to flow.
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