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. [...]

Shabbat Shalom, Last year on our congregational mission to Israel, my friend Yael Goodman led some of the members of our group on a running tour of Jerusalem. Just five minutes from our hotel, we came to a place called Ketef Hinnom, tucked behind the Menachem Begin Cultural Center. It was originally a series of rock-hewn caves used for burial, dating back to the First Temple Period—nearly 3,000 years ago. Yael then explained that this place was the site of one of the most significant biblical archaeological discoveries ever made. In 1979, archaeologist Gabriel Barkay uncovered two tiny silver scrolls in one of the tombs. Inscribed on those scrolls—likely worn as amulets by ancient Israelites more than 2,600 years ago—were the words of Birkat Kohanim, the Priestly Blessing found in this week’s Torah portion, Naso: יְבָרֶכְךָ ה׳ וְיִשְׁמְרֶךָ Yevarechecha Adonai v’yishmerecha May God bless you and guard you. יָאֵר ה׳ פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ וִיחֻנֶּךָּ Ya’er [...]