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, November 30, 2020
This week’s Torah portion, Vayishlach, tells the story of Jacob sending messengers to his brother Esau upon his return to the promised land of Canaan. Twenty-two long years have passed since he stole his brother’s birthright—Jacob is afraid of what Esau might do to him in retaliation. Jacob returns to Canaan with his wives, children, livestock, and servants. His brother Esau is equally powerful—there are 400 men in his encampment to greet Jacob. Though these two brothers represent very different spiritual traditions, each will be the progenitors of nations living side by side in the Holy Land. What is striking to me is the nature of their sibling rivalry, the behaviors and emotions that it elicits. The world has changed over the course of thousands of years but people, at heart, remain the same. Families are torn apart by squabbles over inheritances. Favoritism among parents and long-held grudges between siblings have [...]
Daily Kavanah – Friday, November 27, 2020
Today our bellies are full, but then again, so are our hearts. Even though our Thanksgiving traditions had to be modified this year to ensure the safety of our loved ones, we were able to spend the day seeing friends and family in small gatherings or on Zoom or FaceTime. We are feeling hopeful for the year ahead and, God willing, filled with a sense of gratitude for all the goodness in our life, despite this year’s many challenges. Although the Thanksgiving table looked a bit different this year, the festive meal was still delicious! While we are familiar with the blessings our tradition calls upon us to recite before eating and drinking, uplifting prayers like the Motzi and Kiddush prayers that we will recite tonight before our Shabbat meal, our Torah teaches that the greater obligation is to bless and thank God after we have eaten in great fulfillment: “You will eat, then you will [...]
Daily Kavanah – Thursday, November 26, 2020
As we celebrate Thanksgiving, may Psalm 100, our psalm of gratitude, fill each of our hearts with joy and celebration: מִזְמ֥וֹר לְתוֹדָ֑ה הָרִ֥יעוּ לַ֝יהוָ֗ה כָּל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃ עִבְד֣וּ אֶת־יְהוָ֣ה בְּשִׂמְחָ֑ה בֹּ֥אוּ לְ֝פָנָ֗יו בִּרְנָנָֽה׃ דְּע֗וּ כִּֽי־יְהוָה֮ ה֤וּא אֱלֹ֫הִ֥ים הֽוּא־עָ֭שָׂנוּ ולא [וְל֣וֹ] אֲנַ֑חְנוּ עַ֝מּ֗וֹ וְצֹ֣אן מַרְעִיתֽוֹ׃ בֹּ֤אוּ שְׁעָרָ֨יו ׀ בְּתוֹדָ֗ה חֲצֵרֹתָ֥יו בִּתְהִלָּ֑ה הֽוֹדוּ־ל֝֗וֹ בָּרֲכ֥וּ שְׁמֽוֹ׃ כִּי־ט֣וֹב יְ֭הֹוָה לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּ֑וֹ וְעַד־דֹּ֥ר וָ֝דֹ֗ר אֱמוּנָתֽוֹ׃ A psalm of thanksgiving: shout to God of all the earth! Worship God with gladness, approach God in joy. See the Creator who made us; we are God’s people and tended flock. Enter the gates with gratitude, the courts with a song of praise. Give thanks to God, give blessing to the Name. For God is good: God’s love is eternal and God’s faithfulness is for every generation. God, thank you for the gift of life, for the ability to recognize goodness and to sing Your praises, and for the infinite blessings [...]
Daily Kavanah – Wednesday, November 25, 2020
A Thanksgiving Prayer of Gratitude by Rabbi Yoshi Zweiback When something wonderful happens to us, it’s easy to be filled with a sense of gratitude. Believers and non-believers alike find themselves saying “thank you” to God at the birth of a child or in the relief that comes from hearing good test results in the doctor’s office. What’s often truly hard, however, is being grateful in the face of misfortune. This Thanksgiving holiday comes at a difficult time. When we most long to be close to family and friends, we find ourselves isolated, disconnected, and anxious about our future. We worry about our health and the safety of those around us. More broadly, we worry about the terrible toll this pandemic is taking on our communities, our nation, on Israel, and all the world. But as hard as it might be, our Jewish tradition is clear about this: it is [...]
Daily Kavanah – Tuesday, November 24, 2020
Many wonderful teachings come from our Mussar tradition, a set of Jewish teachings that offer guiding principles and encourage us to pay attention to our highest values and most pronounced personal traits. This story told by the great Mussar teacher, Rabbi Eliyahu Lopian (1872-1970), reminds us of our sacred guiding principle of gratitude, particularly in unexpected or typically unnoticed places: I was once speaking with one of my students following the morning prayers. As we connected with one another in conversation, I simultaneously removed my tallit (prayer shawl). It was my grandfather’s tallis, a large piece of cloth that needed extra love and care, and so, I placed it on a nearby bench to fold it gently. My student noticed that the bench was dusty and generously offered to fetch a towel to wipe it off. When he returned, I insisted on cleaning the bench myself, for I felt the [...]