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, July 26, 2021
In mainstream film, the triumph of perseverance over adversity often involves protagonists overcoming economic hardships; from Rocky to The Goonies to Spider-Man, Hollywood heroes typically succeed despite their means, not because of them. History, however, is rarely as consistent. On this day in 1858, Sir Lionel Nathan Rothschild took his seat in the House of Commons, making him the first Jewish member of the British Parliament. A member of the prominent, wealthy Rothschild banking family, Rothschild was first elected to Parliament in 1847. However, the oath of office of Parliament required members to swear upon, “The true faith of a Christian.” Despite four successive bills passed by the House of Commons to alter the oath, Rothschild’s seat remained vacant as the House of Lords failed to assent to changes, and Rothschild refused to swear the oath as written. Only after Rothschild won three successive elections without occupying his seat did the [...]
Daily Kavanah – Friday, July 23, 2021
If you look for it, you can always find something to be distressed about. There is no shortage of tzuris: the Delta variant, antisemitism, the demonization of Israel through ice cream boycotts, wildfires raging out of control—it seems endless. If you look for it, you can always find something to celebrate as well. There is no shortage of hope and joy: marriages, new babies, medical breakthroughs. There is no end to these things, either. The juxtaposition of sorrow and celebration is keenly felt at this time in the Jewish calendar. Last Sunday, on the 9th of Av, we remembered the destruction of the first and second temples and other tragedies that befell our people through the centuries. This Shabbat, we celebrate Tu B’Av (the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Av). Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel said: “There were no days as joyous for the Jewish people as the fifteenth of Av.” The [...]
Daily Kavanah – Thursday, July 22, 2021
The Shabbat after Tisha B’Av, the Shabbat which just passed, is known as Shabbat Nachamu, the Shabbat of Comfort. The name is taken from the first lines of the haftarah, where the prophet Isaiah cries out: Nachamu, nachamu ami—comfort, comfort My people. On our calendar, we are now in the 7 weeks of consolation between Tisha B’Av and Yom Kippur. This week, we will reflect on the theme of nechama, of comfort. There is a tradition in our sacred texts. For all of the pain and anger and destruction that exists within the words of Torah, the rabbis believe deeply in the notion of a nechemta, the notion that we do not end a reading or a teaching on a note of despair. For this reason, we finish our reading of the Book of Lamentations not with its final verse, but with the penultimate one: Return to us, O God, and we will [...]
Daily Kavanah – Wednesday, July 21, 2021
The Shabbat after Tisha B’Av, the Shabbat which just passed, is known as Shabbat Nachamu, the Shabbat of Comfort. The name is taken from the first lines of the haftarah, where the prophet Isaiah cries out: Nachamu, nachamu ami—comfort, comfort My people. On our calendar, we are now in the 7 weeks of consolation between Tisha B’Av and Yom Kippur. This week, we will reflect on the theme of nechama, of comfort. Whether or not you were raised with his red cardigan, I am sure you have encountered the words of Fred Rogers, often offered as comfort after a communal tragedy—whether natural or human made. “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’” Rabbi Rachel Barenblat says: "We find God when we bring comfort." Nachamu is in the plural; it [...]
Daily Kavanah – Tuesday, July 20, 2021
The Shabbat after Tisha B’Av, the Shabbat which just passed, is known as Shabbat Nachamu, the Shabbat of Comfort. The name is taken from the first lines of the haftarah, where the prophet Isaiah cries out: Nachamu, nachamu ami—comfort, comfort My people. On our calendar, we are now in the 7 weeks of consolation between Tisha B’Av and Yom Kippur. This week, we will reflect on the theme of nechama, of comfort. וַיִּנָּ֣חֶם יְהֹוָ֔ה כִּֽי־עָשָׂ֥ה אֶת־הָֽאָדָ֖ם בָּאָ֑רֶץ וַיִּתְעַצֵּ֖ב אֶל־לִבּֽוֹ׃ Adonai regretted having made humanity on earth, and God's heart was saddened Noting that the Hebrew verb for regret here is from the same root as the word for comfort, the Medieval sage Rashi suggests that this is a moment in which God turns from the Divine attribute of justice—expectations of behaviors and lack of tolerance for mistakes—to the Divine attribute of mercy. While we might be in the throes of summer, [...]