** A few of us just launched dailygiving.org - where everyone donates $1 a
day, and Daily Giving aggregates and donates to a different approved Jewish
charity daily. Please consider joining, and tell your friends - $1 is not
much, but combined with all our donations we can make a huge difference for
a deserving charity! **
This short, practical Lelamed Dvar is also available in your local App
Store (iTunes and Android). I hope you enjoy this Dvar...
Parshat Vaera relates G-d introducing the name Kel Shakkai (spelling was
modified, out of respect for the actual name) to Moshe (6:2-3), and tells
him that the forefathers all knew Him as Kel Shakkai, but that now I am
YHVH (we don’t know how to pronounce that, so we say Hashem). What is G-d
telling Moshe? What is the difference between G-d’s different names, and
what will now change?
Beth Lesch of AlephBeta pieces together several clues that can combine as
an answer to our question. She points out that the first time Kel Shakkai
is introduced is when G-d appeared to Avraham (17:1). There, Avraham is
instructed to walk before G-d. How does one walk before G-d? Skip to Yakov,
who on his deathbed says “The G-d before whom my fathers Avraham and
Yitzchak walked, the G-d who has been my shepherd.” (Gen. 48:15) G-d led as
a shepherd leads, from the rear. You see, to herd sheep, you don’t lead
from the front, for they will not follow. You lead from behind, the flock
senses movements from behind them and moves as a group. It’s the perfect
metaphor for how G-d guides us, as Kel Shakkai, and asks us to be his
sheep, under His protection. The change in our Parsha is from G-d replacing
His typical position of guiding us silently and subtly to guiding the Jews
out of Egypt with miracles and spender. G-d’s attributes are used as
needed, both in the times of the exodus, and in our current lives. Whether
we’re being gently guided or boldly led, guidance is always there when we
need it.
Quotation of the week:
“Be a warrior, not a worrier,"
** A few of us just launched dailygiving.org - where everyone donates $1 a
day, and Daily Giving aggregates and donates to a different approved Jewish
charity daily. Please consider joining, and tell your friends - $1 is not
much, but combined with all our donations we can make a huge difference for
a deserving charity! **
This short, practical Lelamed Dvar is also available in your local App
Store (iTunes and Android). I hope you enjoy this Dvar...
_______________________________________________
Parshat Vaera relates G-d introducing the name Kel Shakkai (spelling was
modified, out of respect for the actual name) to Moshe (6:2-3), and tells
him that the forefathers all knew Him as Kel Shakkai, but that now I am
YHVH (we don’t know how to pronounce that, so we say Hashem). What is G-d
telling Moshe? What is the difference between G-d’s different names, and
what will now change?
Beth Lesch of AlephBeta pieces together several clues that can combine as
an answer to our question. She points out that the first time Kel Shakkai
is introduced is when G-d appeared to Avraham (17:1). There, Avraham is
instructed to walk before G-d. How does one walk before G-d? Skip to Yakov,
who on his deathbed says “The G-d before whom my fathers Avraham and
Yitzchak walked, the G-d who has been my shepherd.” (Gen. 48:15) G-d led as
a shepherd leads, from the rear. You see, to herd sheep, you don’t lead
from the front, for they will not follow. You lead from behind, the flock
senses movements from behind them and moves as a group. It’s the perfect
metaphor for how G-d guides us, as Kel Shakkai, and asks us to be his
sheep, under His protection. The change in our Parsha is from G-d replacing
His typical position of guiding us silently and subtly to guiding the Jews
out of Egypt with miracles and spender. G-d’s attributes are used as
needed, both in the times of the exodus, and in our current lives. Whether
we’re being gently guided or boldly led, guidance is always there when we
need it.
_______________________________________
Quotation of the week:
“Be a warrior, not a worrier,"
