Rabbi Jim Egolf’s Podcast

I am horrible at the game of chess.  While I have mastered the ability to beat my childhood nemesis (my dad), still the game is intricate and complicated.  Perhaps it provides one of the better metaphors for Korach, a real king (of pop), and those who would be kings in Iran.

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Given all the news about Iran, I felt that we might want to look back into the most famous story of the Jewish adventure in Persia.  Sometimes parallels can be scary, especially if you are the Ayatollahs.  Perhaps Neda had an ancestor.

Now for a Picture of the graves dug for protesters.

Charvonah, one of the king’s attendants, said to the king, “There’s also a fifty-cubit-high gallows in Haman’s house that Haman made for Mordechai, who saved the king.” Said the king, “Hang him on it.” So they hanged Haman on the gallows he had prepared for Mordechai, and the king’s anger subsided. (Esther 7:9-10)

Ayatollahs, be careful when digging graves.

And now, the Ayatollahs are not just afraid of women, but also fear those who they have shot and feel the need to punish her family.

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This Torah portion contains the passage that leads many Jews to wear a tallit.  Much of our religious life is represented by ‘to do’s,’ but true meaning is found in our ‘why do’s.’  Why does one wear a tallit?  Why do people find so much meaning in doing certain rituals and what happens when we confuse ‘to do’ and ‘why do?’

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Recently it was reported in the Jerusalem Post that the former president of Yeshivah University spoke on saying Kaddish for the non-Orthodox movements.  Unfortunately it seems that it might be the wrong prayer to utter since Kaddish is a generic pray that is made specific depending on certain additions.  Perhaps he meant El Malei Rachmin, or did he.  I actually recited Kaddish De-Rabbanan as I finished the STAR program Good to Great.  I wish that this program was the paradigm for everyone in the Jewish community.  One based on respect and encouraging all to strive for the best that will build our entire Jewish community.

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Shalom and thank you for joining me.  This week Jews around the world begin reading the Book of Numbers, however the name of the book in Hebrew is B’Medbar, which roughly translates as “in the desert.”  I am going to focus on those Numbers this week, but not on the census taken in the Torah.  Rather, I want us all to focus on those times and moments when we are the ones who make a difference.

Please check out G-dcast each week for a summary of the Torah Portion!

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Holiness is a word that we associate with sacred places, but there is a problem.  Why does this word make us uncomfortable?  Why are things that we though secular being treated as holy and why do people attempt to trade the holy as if it were something secular, mundane, and regular?

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This is the continuation of the sharing Vivian did with us on the bus as we went to the Negev.  Here she shares what it means to work for an institution that works for peace while living on the border with Gaza during the last war.

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Recently several people have decided to explain miracles through natural events in history.  What does this do to our idea of the miracles in the Passover story?  What happens when we decide that the miracle is not up to nature, but to human determination?  Please listen and learn.

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I found this article about price gouging.  It would be nice if Passover could be a truly sweet experience.

It is funny how times change.  Amazingly a Jewish Telegraph Agency report reads:

In 1943, rabbis marched to the White House to demand action from the President of the United States to save European Jewry from the Nazis.  President Franklin Delano Roosevelt responded by sneaking out the White House back door to avoid seeing the rabbis.

Today, this Passover we experienced the first Passover Seder being hosted in the White House by a sitting President, an African-American President who was accused of being everything possible during his campaign to the White House.  Why is this president different from all others…?  Perhaps the following articles will help us understand. — A Zissen Pesach!

JTA Article

Haaretz Article

Shalom and thank you for joining me.  About a month ago I was in Israel learning about Israeli-Arab issues.  This recording is the first of two of the story and issues shared with us by Vivian Silver.  Vivian made Aliyah in the 1970’s and lives on a kibbutz on the border of Gaza.  Clearly her perspective is one that lends clarity and teaches us what it means to try to find an answer to the conflicts both within Israel and with her neighbors.  NOTE: this recording was made on a bus and is not the best, however I think that the story you will hear will help you better understand one of the many complex issues we never see in the mainstream press. Inter-Agency Task Force on Israeli Arab Issues

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Part II of Rabbi Address

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Beyond the sermons I post here, I also like to include the speakers who come to Beth David to present and teach us about their core issues.  Rabbi Richie Address works for the URJ  (Union for Reform Judaism) and is Director of Jewish Family Concerns.  His department deals with the multitude of issues impacting the family.  What are the costs and strains being experienced by the Club Sandwich generation and why do so many Baby Boomers feel like the toothpick (with the cellophane on top) holding it all together? 

[NOTE: This recording and Part II are only part of Rabbi Address’ talk.]

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This week we look at the possible contradictions between the Torah Ex. 20 and Ex. 34.  What happens when the Torah tells us to do, and not do the same thing?  While this sermon is somewhat complicated, its semantics are exceeded by its message to us at this time.

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Shalom and thank you for joining me.  Recently I was in the Negev on a trip to visit Bedouin towns.  As we sat on the bus we were introduced to the Inter-Agency Task Force on Israeli Arab Issues.  We listened as Avivit Hai, one of the representatives of this group, shared one aspect of the story that plays out in Israeli society today.  NOTE: this recording was made on a bus and is not the best, however I think that the story you will hear will help you better understand one of the many complex issues we never see in the American press.

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