Shabbat Table Talk from the desk of Rabbi Alexander Seinfeld
September 12-13, 2025 • 20 Elul 5785 • Ki Savo (Deut 26-29).
Our countdown timer to Rosh Hashanah is here.
How are you doing at saying "yes"? (last week's topic)
Can you recall the Hebrew expression from last week?
(Being mevater.)
Did it occur to you that a political assassination is the diametric opposite of being mevater?
Try listing the 3 most pressing issues facing yourself, your family, your city, your country, the world:
1. __________________ 2. __________________ 3. __________________
Now, try that again, but predict what our great-grandchildren — looking backward to today — will consider to be the 3 most pressing issues that we should have been worrying about:
1. __________________ 2. __________________ 3. __________________
Does your list include "people not being mevater"?
I predict that our great-grandchildren (or perhaps great-great-grandchildren) will want to know whether or not we:
1. Were honest in every transaction.
2. Gave ten percent of our income to worthy tzedakahs, with Jewish education high on the list.
3. Pursued wisdom and critical thinking
And they will want to know — or should want to know — did you and I cultivate being mevater?
And if not, why not?
And if not now, when?
Shabbat Shalom
PS - We've put a link to get this year's "40 Meditations for the High Holidays" on TorahHealth.org.
Appreciated this Table Talk? Like it, tweet it, forward it...
Our countdown timer to Rosh Hashanah is here.
How are you doing at saying "yes"? (last week's topic)Can you recall the Hebrew expression from last week?
(Being mevater.)
Did it occur to you that a political assassination is the diametric opposite of being mevater?
Try listing the 3 most pressing issues facing yourself, your family, your city, your country, the world:
1. __________________ 2. __________________ 3. __________________
Now, try that again, but predict what our great-grandchildren — looking backward to today — will consider to be the 3 most pressing issues that we should have been worrying about:
1. __________________ 2. __________________ 3. __________________
Does your list include "people not being mevater"?
I predict that our great-grandchildren (or perhaps great-great-grandchildren) will want to know whether or not we:
1. Were honest in every transaction.
2. Gave ten percent of our income to worthy tzedakahs, with Jewish education high on the list.
3. Pursued wisdom and critical thinking
And they will want to know — or should want to know — did you and I cultivate being mevater?
And if not, why not?
And if not now, when?
Shabbat Shalom
PS - We've put a link to get this year's "40 Meditations for the High Holidays" on TorahHealth.org.
Appreciated this Table Talk? Like it, tweet it, forward it...
