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 – Tuesday, January 25, 2022
I recently had the privilege of accompanying a member of our Wise community at the mikveh across the street from our campus at the American Jewish University. After many months of joining conversion students and soon-to-be-newlyweds at the beach for this ritual (due to COVID closures of the indoor mikveh), I was thrilled to return to this sacred space to participate in the ancient—yet supremely relevant—ritual. The mikveh—or the Jewish ritual bath—has been part of our tradition for thousands of years, but many (or most) of us have lost our connection to this meaningful and sometimes powerful practice. I myself did not enter a mikveh until the week before my ordination as a cantor, having made a plan to undergo the ritual to mark that momentous professional and spiritual transition. As simple as it was, perhaps, to dip in the cool water and recite the blessings for purity and celebration, I felt completely renewed and changed [...]
Daily Kavanah – Monday, January 24, 2022
I imagine that, like me, many of you are feeling extra anxious lately. It’s not just that familiar, healthy, and often-humorous dose of Jewish anxiety that has been passed down for generations, but real stress and unease caused by the unrootedness, disruption, and illness that we have all been exposed to for nearly two years. Whenever I feel anxious and fearful, this text from Isaiah comes to mind: "Have no fear, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with the power of my righteousness." – Isaiah 41:10 Jews don’t pray to a God who magically cures illness or washes away grief. Rather, our tradition encourages us to give our fear over to God when it becomes too much for us to bear on our own. When the fatigue from long hours in a mask [...]
Daily Kavanah – Friday, January 21, 2022
Crossing Over Together Almost a week has passed since we first heard about a synagogue under attack in Colleyville, Texas. Sadly, we certainly don’t need any more reminders about how rising antisemitism in America and around the world threaten our safety and security. We understand all too well that the Jewish community must be ever vigilant, now and always. In some ways, the experiences of the past week are old hat for us. What was new was the speed with which the Jewish community globally learned about it and responded. I heard about the situation just after I finished Shabbat morning services. A rabbinic colleague in Austin texted me that Beth Israel “in Colleyville, TX is being held hostage live on Facebook - you can hear Charlie Cytron-Walker talking with the gunman.” Within hours, synagogues and Jewish institutions around the world, including ours, had sent messages of solidarity and hope [...]
Daily Kavanah – Thursday, January 20, 2022
The Ninth of the Ten Commandments When I’ve asked groups to name the Ten Commandments, the most frequently omitted is “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” (Exodus 20:13) This commandment, which we read in our Torah portion this week, prohibits lying in court testimony as well as lying outside of court. The Torah understood that for a civil society, the integrity of the court had to be above reproach. The Torah later teaches (Deuteronomy 19:18-19) the penalty for bearing false witness (lying while testifying) is that the false witness could be subject to the penalty that the accused would have received. In other words, if the penalty for stealing was five years in prison, the lying witness could receive that sentence. In a murder trial, the false witness could be subject to death. The commandment concludes with “...against your neighbor,” which means it is not limited to [...]
Daily Kavanah – Wednesday, January 19, 2022
The First of the Ten Commandments I am Adonai Your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. — Exodus 20:2 It is noteworthy that this verse, which we read in this week’s Torah portion, does not command or forbid any specific activity. What is of particular interest is the Ten Commandments begin with a reminder that God took us out of slavery, and therefore, Jews owe their freedom and existence to God and, as we will soon learn, God wants something in return. What does God want? God wants us to live by the ideals that are articulated in the rest of Ten Commandments and in the balance of the Torah. Such is the mission of our people. It is noteworthy that God asks for nothing for God. Rather, what God does demand is that people should treat each other justly and [...]