Gotta Love People...?

Apropos the Kit, try asking these two questions at your Shabbat table:

Shabbat Table Talk from the desk of Rabbi Alexander Seinfeld

June 27-28, 2025 • 2 Tamuz 5785 • Korach (Num 16-18).
In memory of my grandmother, Yehudis bas Alexander, on her 19th yahrzeit.

My grandmother, Bubby, loved people.

Due to this trait, taking her on an errand was never a speedy activity.

Unlike many of her peers, into her 90s she wasn't mobility challenged; she never used a cane etc. Even after she gave up driving because she realized that her reflexes had dulled, she continued to walk everywhere and enjoyed every step.

But what slowed her down was that she seemed to be able to find an excuse to talk to everyone she met. It could be a stranger walking a dog or merely wearing a hat - anything slightly unusual would be an excuse to start a conversation. And if the person had absolutely no unusual garment or pet, she would break the ice with something like, "Are you enjoying the fabulous weather?"

Those were the quick conversations. The longer ones were in the stores. She couldn't buy a box of toothpicks without getting the salesperson's life story and without explaining why she needed that box of toothpicks on that particular day.

But I cannot recall anyone ever responding to her in anything other than the most warm and lovely way. The reasons is obvious - her questions were genuine - she truly was interested in everyone and spoke from her heart.

Question for your table... In Proverbs (27:19), King Solomon says, "As water reflects one's face, so does the heart of person to another." - Do you think that's true?

 I
Shabbat Shalom



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Who's the We?

Apropos the Kit, try asking these two questions at your Shabbat table:

Shabbat Table Talk from the desk of Rabbi Alexander Seinfeld

June 20-21, 2025 • 25 Sivan 5785 • Shelach (Num 13-15).

 

The happiest Jews I know right now are those who spend the least time online.

It's obviously heartening to read pro-Israel comments.

The anti-Israel comments are to be expected, nothing new here. But the pro-Israel comments from around the world are a big boost.

Including President Trump's.

Here's a question for your table: 

When Mr. Trump said, "We have complete control of Iranian airspace" — what did he mean?

Presumably, he was talking like a Yankees fan watching his team trouncing the Dodgers in the top of the Ninth.

"We've got this one in the bag..."

Mr. Trump is a big fan of Israel. He's rooting for the Jews.

Just pause for one minute and think about this one fact: regardless of your personal opinion of Mr. Trump, regardless of your opinion about his policies or his style or anything else - how does it feel to know that the President of the USA is rooting for your people?

It feels almost like a Biblical moment:

- When we left Egypt in 1300 BCE, why did there need to be 10 Plagues? Couldn't God have taken us out without all that? The answer is: God wanted the King (Pharaoh) to green-light our freedom.

- When we left Persia ca. 380 BCE, King Cyrus not only green-lighted the return to Israel, he underwrote it and the rebuilding of Jerusalem.

But these facts give us a theological question for the table:

Why would God set it up this way? Putting aside realpolitik, in the big scheme of things, why should it matter whether or not the most powerful person in the world supports our sovereignty?


May we share good news.

Shabbat Shalom

PS - Want to know a trick for having a truly peaceful Shabbat? Try going 25 hours - from 18 min before sunset tonight until 48 min after sunset tomorrow - without looking at a screen or listening to the radio. Guaranteed serenity. Added serenity if you light candles this evening before sunset - a simple act that connects you to Jewish people around the world and going back in time for thousands of years.



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When In Rome?

Apropos the Kit, try asking these two questions at your Shabbat table:

 

 

Shabbat Table Talk from the desk of Rabbi Alexander Seinfeld

June 13-14, 2025 • 18 Sivan 5785 • Behalosecha (Num 8-12).
In memory of Sima bas Mordechai Yaakov and Eliezer ben Zelig.

 

This week was the yahrzeit of my paternal grandparents (Gigi and Poppy), pictured here.

In many ways they were great role models. They loved each other, they were very family- and community-oriented. And as far as I know they lived clean, ethical lives. And they loved life - they were happy people.

While they were very Jewishly active and oriented, they had their limits.

For instance, in my mid-twenties, when I took time out from my career in order to spend some time studying Judaism in a yeshivah, Gigi was unable to comprehend my motivation.

I recall her specifically asking me, "Don't you want to have nice things?"

Apparently, she assumed that I had chosen a life of poverty. Because unlike a grad student, my studies were not even ostensibly career-building.

Poppy was a bit different. He had gone to law school so could appreciate somewhat the value of study for its own sake. But what puzzled him more was why I would want to keep kosher. Although his own upbringing had been Orthodox, he had learned from his Reform rabbi that the entire idea of kosher was outdated. While he wasn't critical, he would chide me with a smile, "Haven't you heard of the expression, When in Rome...?"

To which I would reply, "Sure, but look at what has happened - the Romans are gone, and we're still around."

To which he would laugh.

Question for your table: When, if ever, does the expression, "When in Rome..." apply these days?  


Shabbat Shalom


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Basketball, Symphony, or Diamond?

Apropos the Kit, try asking these two questions at your Shabbat table:

Shabbat Table Talk from the desk of Rabbi Alexander Seinfeld

June 6-7, 2025 • 11 Sivan 5785 • Naso (Num 4-7).

Last week's message was about Gentiles doing Judaism. This week is about how Jews "do" Judaism. 

Here's a real question from my inbox this week that I think represents a common view not only of Judaism but of "organized religion:"

I'm proud to be Jewish, I'm fascinated with our history and many of the traditions, I love our food, I love recognizing my traits in other Jews and vice versa. I want to dive in much deeper and finally 'live Jewish'. But. Religion feels forced to me, even the Jewish religion. Why do we need to follow rules to mourn a certain way? To eat a certain way? To sit through services that repeat the same messages, over and over again? It all feels unnatural to me.

Question for your table: how would you respond to this person? 

It seems to me that the main part of the message is the words, "I want to dive in much deeper, but..."

I'd like to share my response to this person, in case it may benefit anyone reading this, or someone you know...

Believe it or not, this desire for "deeper diving" is very familiar situation that many people have experienced lately! And it was foretold by our Prophets thousands of years ago that in the lead-up to the Messianic Age, many disconnected Jewish people (and even many who didn't even know they were Jewish) will appear "like grass sprouting from parched land."

You say your understanding of "religion" isn't meaningful to you. What about our weekly holiday? In my opinion an easy way to start getting a deeper connection would be to start by taking the simple action of lighting candles 18 minutes before sunset every Friday. This will connect you to millions of Jews around the world and your grandparents and great-grandparents going back thousands of years. You could try it this week and see if it feels forced or authentic! 

Beyond that, here's a suggested reading list that I think you will find very informative:

Judaism: A Historical Presentation
My Friends We Were Robbed!
The Art of Amazement
Living Inspired
The Everything Torah Book

Putting aside ritual, Tribal membership is magnified and enriched by community, I would certainly encourage you to try finding a group of Jews whom you enjoy being with - whether it be for services or classes or social events.

Some of us believe that nothing occurs randomly - if this is your background and your story, it there's undoubtedly a reason for it! There is a traditional teaching that each one of us was sent to this world to fulfill a mission, and if you are Jewish, then your mission is possibly bound up with whatever that means. 

Bottom line, Judaism belongs to you as much as to any other Jew, regardless of how you were raised and regardless of what you choose to do with it! The above suggestions will surely help you along that path and you can go as far as you want to — as others have before you! Just take it slow and over time try to find a rabbi to guide you.

Hope that's encouraging and helpful.... enjoy the journey!


Second question for your table: I've heard Judaism compared to basketball (we're all playing the same game, but with different talents and styles), to music (we're all members of a symphony orchestra, each playing a different instrument), to a diamond (we're all facets of the same gem, but each person needs to self-polish for the gem to shine). Which of these analogies - or other - appeals to you the most?


Shabbat Shalom


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