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, September 12, 2023
I have a dilemma and I'd honestly like to hear from you, our readers, with your thoughts. After you read this, please email me. I love my Tesla Model 3. It's fun to drive, fast, full of bells and whistles, and—most importantly—it is a huge part of my efforts to reduce my carbon impact. The Tesla charging network is a gamechanger—there's virtually no range anxiety! Given my wife's satisfaction with her Tesla, there's no question that there will never be a combustion engine car in the Sobelman-Stern household again. My problem is Elon Musk. Up until recently, it was possible to see him as a strange, often offensive, quirky, yet brilliantly innovative developer of cutting-edge technology. Whether the Tesla company, Space X, or even Starlink satellites, Musk had the vision and capability to get his ideas to market. He has transformed the EV market, brought the internet to the [...]
Daily Kavanah – Monday, September 11, 2023
It was 22 years ago today. For those of us who lived through it, the memories are almost as vivid as if it were last week. We remember where we were when we first heard of the planes hitting the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and crashing to the ground in Pennsylvania. We remember the fear that grounded flights for days, closed borders, brought previously unthinkable security procedures to our daily routines. That fear and determination to strike at the root of the terrorists who launched the attack led most of us to support the U.S. incursions into Iraq and Afghanistan. As we look back on events in history—certainly those within our memories—it’s so important that we appraise how past events influence subsequent experiences. Though a comprehensive review is beyond the scope of this short article, the 22-year span of time since 9/11 has provided an opportunity for a host [...]
Daily Kavanah – Shabbat Message From Rabbi Yoshi and Cantor Emma – Friday, September 8, 2023
Dear Wise Community, We are so excited to see you all over the coming weeks as we celebrate the High Holy Days together. For us, the emphasis on that word is crucial, as it is the most important part of our communal celebration. We can reflect on our behavior—perform what our tradition calls heshbon hanefesh, an accounting of the soul—all by ourselves. The work of t’shuvah is also very much a personal task. But communal worship requires a community. We so want you to join us in person this year on magnificent Bel Air campus. There are both indoor and outdoor options available to you and we have incorporated all of your feedback from last year in order to create experiences that are varied, rich, engaging, and uplifting. The clergy is ready. The choir is ready. Our campus is ready. We just need you. We will have plenty of shuttles and parking available. We also encourage [...]
Daily Kavanah – Thursday, September 7, 2023
"Should your sins be like crimson, they can still turn white as snow. Should they be redder than dye, they can become like wool." —Isaiah 1:18 This Saturday night, many Jewish communities will observe the ritual of s'lichot, a special service containing prayers for forgiveness designed to prepare us for the coming Days of Awe. While many Sephardic communities begin reciting s'lichot at the beginning of Elul, most Ashkenazi communities, in the tradition of the 11th-century Machzor Vitri, begin saying them on the Saturday night prior to Rosh Hashanah. By beginning their prayers at the conclusion of Shabbat, these communities symbolically mark that the work of t'shuvah—of repentance—represents the principal effort for the coming week. Traditionally, these services were held in the morning, before dawn, but it became customary to arrange the first service for midnight in order to make it easier for people to attend. One of [...]
Daily Kavanah – Wednesday, September 6, 2023
"Seek God while you may find the Divine; call out while God is near. Forsake the paths of wickedness; dismiss iniquity from your mind. Turn to the Source of compassion, to our God, who is always prepared to forgive." —Isaiah 55:6-7 Today is the 20th of Elul; 10 days remain before Rosh Hashanah. If the 10 days from Rosh Hashanah to Yom Kippur represent aseret y’mai t’shuvah—10 days to seek atonement for our transgressions through repentance—then perhaps these last days of Elul prior to Rosh Hashanah represent an opportunity to remind ourselves of our fitness for the task that lay ahead. Despite our errors or shortcomings, our tradition continually reminds us that mercy remains abundant for those who earnestly seek it. The message of reassurance delivered by the prophets and other Jewish texts serve to remind us that change is always possible, but only if we wish it. Regardless [...]