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, April 11, 2022
The Israelites and the Hebrews The Passover Seder represents an engaging, inspiring opportunity to celebrate our people’s story of liberation from servitude in Egypt, but reconciling our people’s identity represents a task imperative to ensuring our celebrations meet their potential. The traditional Haggadah uses only the name Israel to refer to our ancestors, but the Torah refers to our forebears by two distinct names: B’nai Yisrael—Israelites—and Ivrim—Hebrews. “Israelites” refers to the descendants of Israel, an alternative name for Jacob that he earned after struggling with a Divine messenger. “Hebrews,” meanwhile, comes from the word avar, which means “to cross over.” As such, the first use of Ivri in reference to Abraham indicates his origin—the opposite side of the Euphrates—while its usage for Joseph—and later the Israelites in the Exodus narrative—indicates their origins, on the opposite side of the Nile. In each case, Ivrim refers to foreigners held in lower esteem than their host nation. When Moses appears [...]
Daily Kavanah – Friday, April 8, 2022
As a child, one of my favorite parts of the Seder was when we would open our dining room door for Elijah. I remember looking out into the dark of our backyard, half expecting to see him, wondering how it would be possible to travel to every Seder in the world over the course of one evening. When I was older, I studied the Haggadah more carefully and I learned that the liturgy of this part of the Seder was more challenging than I had realized. Sometime after the Crusades, probably in the 12th century or so, a paragraph made up of verses from the Psalms and the Book of Lamentations was added that ask for God to “pour out Your fury (שְׁפֹךְ חֲמָתְךָ)” on the nations who have oppressed us. From the pain and trauma of witnessing whole communities destroyed by the Crusaders on their way to “liberate” the Holy Land, [...]
Daily Kavanah – Thursday, April 7, 2022
Take me back to the Seders of my childhood and I can so clearly hear my Grandpa Stan chanting the words of Chad Gadya. I always looked forward to this moment because I love a call and response. Everyone would join in on the repetitive chorus as together we cried out “one little goat!” and then we would sit back to listen to my grandfather cramming in the words of each verse: The Holy One got the angel of death who slew the slaughterer who killed the ox that drank the water that put out the fire that burned the stick that beat the dog (quick catch breath!) that bit the cat that ate the goat that my father bought for two zuzim, chad gadya! I live for singing with my family, laughing, reclining on the pillows, simultaneously relishing the humor and taking note of the rich lessons along the way. [...]
Daily Kavanah – Wednesday, April 6, 2022
:מִן-הַמֵּצַר, קָרָאתִי יָּהּ; עָנָנִי בַמֶּרְחָב יָהּ "Out of the narrow place, I called out to God, God answered with a wide expanse." —Psalm 118:5 Every year at Passover, we tell the Maggid, the story of how the Israelites escaped from slavery in Egypt. We remember, as a community, what it was like to be confined to a “narrow place,” and revel in the freedom, prosperity, and expansiveness we largely enjoy today as Jews in the United States. We remember that our work isn’t over until all Jews and people of all faiths are free from the narrowness of bigotry, poverty, oppression, and war. When we gather for Seder, retell the story, and sing together, we rededicate ourselves to that work. I created this Spotify playlist last year, and re-vamped it this year to provide a soundtrack for your Passover celebration. I pray that these 36 songs of redemption and freedom—by some of the world’s greatest [...]
Daily Kavanah – Tuesday, April 5, 2022
Next week, when we sit down together at our Seder tables, we will take a moment to ingest maror, the bitter herb that reminds us how the Egyptians deeply embittered the lives of our ancestors. While some of us are accustomed to (or even enjoy) the taste of this bitter bite, there is no doubt that the sour sense is present as we take in our horseradish root or the like. This is a most special moment in the Seder because it is not just minhag (evolved tradition) but also a biblical commandment: “With bitter herbs they shall eat” (Exodus 12:8). God calls upon us to take in the astringent herb so that we may never forget the harshness of personal and communal suffering. In “Women at the Seder: A Passover Haggadah” (a wonderful compendium that celebrates the emergence of uniquely feminine traditions and teachings for Pesach), there is an added understanding offered [...]