Daily Kavanot
Writings of reflection by the Stephen Wise Temple clergy.
Each weekday morning, members of our mailing list receive the “Daily Kavanah,” which includes messages of thought, inspiration, and contemplation from our clergy, along with a schedule of events. Every Thursday, the “Daily Kavanah” turns into “Eyes on Wise,” our weekly newsletter featuring the latest news, photos, videos, stories, and tikkun olam opportunities from our community. Sign up and don’t miss out!
Daily Kavanah – Monday, June 6, 2022
On Sunday we celebrated Shavuot, the day God gave the Torah to the Jewish people at Mt. Sinai. It was a transformative moment in history. Additionally, in Israel, it is the time of the harvest of grain. This week, I will share thoughts on four verses in the Torah which impact my life. Human Nature Following the flood God brings because “the earth was corrupt before God, and the earth was and filled with violence” (Genesis 6:11), the Torah records that God resolved, “Never again will I doom the earth because of man since the devisings of man’s heart is evil from his youth …” (Genesis 8:21). This is a critical statement about human nature—our inclinations and desires. At times we must struggle with our inner desires (such as lashing out when we are angry). Indeed, if humans were so good by nature, God would not have given us 613 [...]
Daily Kavanah – Friday, June 3, 2022
Today is the 48th day of the counting of the Omer, the special time that falls each year between Passover and Shavuot. Each day we are called closer and closer to Torah which, according to tradition, was given to the Jewish people on Shavuot, seven weeks after Passover, on the sixth day of the Hebrew month of Sivan. What inspires me most about this time of the year is how Torah points us towards a life of meaning and purpose. Through clever word play, the rabbis teach us that the true meaning of the freedom we experienced when we were delivered from Egyptian bondage is a life of service. The text (Exodus 32:16) says that the Ten Commandments were “engraved” (חָרוּת—charut) on the tablets. The rabbis of the Talmud (Eiruvin 54a) teach: “Don’t read it as ‘engraved’ (חָרוּת—charut) but rather as ‘freedom’ (חֵירוּת—cheirut).” The lesson? Freedom isn’t about doing whatever you [...]
Daily Kavanah – Thursday, June 2, 2022
With Shavuot beginning on Saturday night, June 4, this is the final week of the counting of the Omer. Today is the 47th day of the Omer Hod in Malchut: Humility in Sovereignty How do we prepare for life’s significant moments? Granted, we do not always know when they are coming, but when we do, what can we do to get ready? How can we ensure that we are present as we mark moments of transition, moments of celebration, moments of deep sorrow? These questions animate the discussion of Shavuot in our Talmud. Almost 2,000 years ago, our rabbis understood that we cannot—literally or metaphorically—stand at Sinai without being ready, without taking time for spiritual and emotional (and sometimes even physical!) preparation. Today, the third day of the Hebrew month of Sivan, kicks off what our tradition calls Shloshet Yamei Hagbalah—the Three Days of Limitation, of Demarcation. They are days of preparation, based on the Torah’s description [...]
Daily Kavanah – Wednesday, June 1, 2022
With Shavuot beginning on Saturday night, June 4, this is the final week of the counting of the Omer. Today is the 46th day of the Omer, which is Netzach in Malchut: Eternity in Sovereignty This afternoon, our Wise School second graders (including one Jacob Cutter!) will ascend the bimah in the sanctuary to present their Heroes Assembly. The culmination of a year-long focus on the value of leadership, this project combines research skills, art, music, and more. As the parent of a second grader and as an educator, I know that this is also—deeply—a project about legacy, about what it means to leave a lasting impression on the world, and about understanding what it means to be a changemaker. But, I remember from past Heroes Museum days here at Wise, we celebrate not only public figures—those who have books written about them—but also the heroes in the students' lives, the ones who teach them and love them and [...]
Daily Kavanah – Tuesday, May 31, 2022
With Shavuot beginning on Saturday night, June 4, this is the final week of the counting of the Omer. Today is the 45th day of the Omer, which is Tiferet in Malchut: Balance in Nobility May it be Your will, Adonai our God and God of our ancestors, to reawaken in us joy and blessing in the month ahead. Grant us a long life, a peaceful life with goodness and blessing, sustenance and physical vitality; a life free from shame and reproach, a life of abundance and honor, a reverent life guided by the love of Torah; a life in which our worthy aspirations will be fulfilled. Based on a Talmudic blessing attributed to the Babylonian sage Rav, these are the words with which we welcome each new month. As the new moon waxes, we are given this moment—this gift—of resetting. We are invited to reset ourselves spiritually and emotionally, to reset our goals and our hopes, [...]