Shabbat Shalom,
This week’s Torah portion, Beha’alotcha, opens with a commandment regarding the lighting of the menorah—the seven-branched lampstand whose purpose was to bring light into the sacred space of the Tabernacle.
God instructs Moses: “Speak to Aaron and say to him, ‘When you cause the light to go up…’” (Numbers 8:2).
Not simply “light the lamps.” But “cause the light to go up”—
.בְּהַעֲלֹתְךָ אֶת־הַנֵּרֹת
As always, our tradition finds deep meaning in the nuance. Aaron was not merely to ignite a flame, but to do so with care and intention—so that the light would rise on its own, enduring and strong. It’s a lesson in how we bring heat and fire into the world: not recklessly, but with patience, with purpose, and in service of something higher.
Right now, there is a lot of heat in our city. Anger. Frustration. Fear. We are witnessing protests and disruptions throughout Los Angeles. Trust in public institutions is fraying. And many of us are asking: Is this helping us move forward—or simply deepening our divides?
We must say clearly: immigration reform is desperately needed. The current system is broken. But this is not the way. We do not want to see soldiers in our streets or military vehicles deployed in our neighborhoods. We do not want violence. We want peaceful protest—rooted in our constitutional rights and in respect for one another’s humanity.
We do not want open borders and unchecked chaos. Nor do we want to see divisions between our elected officials—local, state, and federal—whose shared responsibility is to protect us and to lead with care, collaboration, and thoughtful action.
What we do want—born of the commandment of our Torah to “love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt” (Deuteronomy 10:19)—and what we must work toward is a just and realistic pathway to legal documentation for hard-working people who are here seeking, like so many of us—our parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents once did—the American dream.
Unfortunately, a small but vocal minority of protestors have introduced unnecessary and inappropriate heat into this already fraught moment by attempting to conflate genuine and important concerns about immigration, First Amendment rights, and due process with hateful anti-Israel and antisemitic messages. We condemn these expressions unambiguously. They do not advance justice. They do not serve peace. And they have no place in a moral or constructive public conversation.
Let us work to elevate the conversation—not inflame it. In person and online, let us ask ourselves: Is the fire we’re spreading bringing light—or just more heat? Are we kindling justice, compassion, and understanding? Or are we risking harm—to one another, to our city, to the fragile social fabric that binds us?
This evening, we will install and bless the leaders of our congregation—the new members and officers of our Board of Directors. At our Kabbalat Shabbat services at Wise, our clergy will speak to these themes, and we will continue the discussion Saturday morning during Spirit of Shabbat. We invite you to join us—so that together, we can respond to this moment not with fear or fury, but with faith and wisdom.
Like Aaron, may we be those who cause the light to rise—not flare up and burn out, but shine steadily—bringing clarity, hope, and healing to all.
Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Yoshi
