Friday, November 12, 8 Kislev 6:00 PM Please join Rabbi Plumb and Rose Spitzer for In-Person and Virtual Kabbalat Shabbat Services.
Saturday, November 13, 9 Kislev 9:30 AM Please join Rabbi Plumb and Rabbi Lev Friedman for Shabbat morning prayer for our In-Person and Virtual "From Our Home to Yours" Service.
If you have a simcha, please share it with us and receive a special blessing from Rabbi Plumb during an upcoming Shabbat service. Sponsor a Kiddush by virtually inviting us to your home as you lead the community in KIddush and HaMotzi prayers. (we will provide challah and grape juice!) Please contect Rosalie Reszelbach, Janet Stein Calm or Toni Spitzer to arrange.
Please click here for the link to the new Conservative prayerbook, Siddur Lev Shalem: Shabbat Shaharit Siddur Lev Shalem The prayers will be the same as in our usual blue siddur, so feel free to use that instead if you wish.
Please click here for the link to the page numbers for Shabbat morning prayers in Sim Shalom (Blue) and in Lev Shalem Page Numbers for Shabbat Morning
Save the Date: In-Person December 3, 6:00pm Shabbat Hanukkah
We Remember: This week's upcoming Yahrzeit Observances
Shloshim Harvey Hecker Carole Silk Phyllis Sacks Mark Shooman
Saturday Tena Miller Evelyn Winet Bertha Cohen
Sunday Amy Tichnor Elaine Berman Gross Robert A. Lushan
Monday Arieh Frankenstein Joseph Miller
Tuesday Chava Reuveny Lena Wise
Wednesday Eva Shepatin Naomi Diamond
Thursday Agnes Bridges
Friday Marjorie Sue Rosenthal Elias Figler Todd Schwartz Harold Kaitz
From Our Rabbi: A Teaching
וַיִּפְגַּ֨ע בַּמָּק֜וֹם וַיָּ֤לֶן שָׁם֙ כִּי־בָ֣א הַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁ וַיִּקַּח֙ מֵאַבְנֵ֣י הַמָּק֔וֹם וַיָּ֖שֶׂם מְרַֽאֲשֹׁתָ֑יו וַיִּשְׁכַּ֖ב בַּמָּק֥וֹם הַהֽוּא׃ He came upon a certain place and stopped there for the night, for the sun had set. Taking one of the stones from that place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place. . According to the Zohar, the central text of Kabbalah, the stone (אבן/even) that Jacob lay his head on to sleep, and dream, was a powerful rock. It was not just any old stone. It was the foundation stone of the world. The entire universe emerged from that stone. Israel is also known as אבן/even. Therefore, according to Jewish mysticism, the Jewish people are not only the original source of humankind (who are all descended from Adam, Eve, and Abraham), but also the cornerstone of the universe.
When Jacob lay his head on the stone, he hoped to learn the secrets of the universe through osmosis, while he slept. As the commentator Kedushat Levi says, ‘Ya’akov attempted with all the intellectual and emotional powers at his disposal to unravel the secrets of creation in order to convert Israel’s potential into reality.’ Jacob hoped that if he placed his head on the foundation stone, his mind would absorb the wonders of the universe. Then he would be able to pass this wisdom and knowledge to future generations who would bring about Israel’s potential.
The stone became the teacher for the Jewish people, and all humanity. Today, stones continue to carry the mysteries of creation. The strata of the earth’s layers give us the history of our planet, and keep humanity alive. We, however, have forgotten how to listen and learn. Jacob’s experience of learning from the rock comes as the COP26, the climate crisis conference concludes this weekend. The rock from our parasha calls out to us to return to our closeness with the earth, and learn new wisdom in order to save our precious planet.
May this Shabbat be filled with wonder for our planet and the wisdom of earth. May our dreams be filled with angels of blessing.
Shabbat Shalom, Rabbi Marcia Plumb
Congregation Mishkan Tefila 384 Harvard St. Brookline, MA 02446
