November 21, 2003 D'var Torah

Dear BSO Congregant,

This coming Shabbat, November 21-22, 2003 - Heshvan 27, 5764, we will read Parshat Hayay Sarah (annual cycle - Genesis 23:1 - 25:18; triennial cycle Genesis 24:53 - 25:18). The Haftarah is from I Kings 1:1 - 31.

There is an important and intriguing lesson we can learn just from the title of this week’s Torah portion. Ironically, the Torah introduces the portion with a verse describing the end of Sarah’s life using the phrase “Hayay Sarah – the life of Sarah” which becomes the title of the portion. However, another literal translation of this phrase could also be “the lives of Sarah.” The Hebrew word “haim – life” appears only in a form (with the suffix “eem”), which usually indicates the word is plural. Or, to put it differently, the Hebrew word haim means both life and lives. This fact fascinates me. If any of us were to take even a second to think about it, we would agree that everyone’s life is certainly a multi-faceted entity. It makes sense that the word itself (in Hebrew) should hint at the muti-faceted nature of human existence.

Sarah is the first person in the Bible about whose life we have a more full understanding. We know and share her joys and sorrows. Although we do not hear of her birth, we do learn much about her adult life and how she and Abraham changed the course of history. There were many different aspects to Sarah’s life through her many different roles as Abraham’s wife, Hagar’s superior, Isaac’s mother, and eventually her role as the first matriarch of our people. We must imagine that neither she nor Abraham had any idea of how great an impact they would have on the future of Judaism and the world.

What’s true about Sarah’s life is true about every life. While it is unlikely that any of us will have anywhere near that type of impact, we are not unaware that our lives are also multi-faceted and have many different dimensions. In our roles as children, parents, spouses, friends, employers or employees, we may experience many of the same joys and sorrows shared by Abraham and Sarah. We may also hope that at the end of our lives, we will be able to review what we have accomplished and discover at least a sense of consistency and purpose that will have added grace to our own lives, and if we are especially fortunate, to the lives of others. So it was for Sarah; so shall it be for us!

On Friday night, November 21 we will hold a Tot Shabbat service at 6:45 PM and a late Friday night service at 8:00 PM. The later service will continue our emphasis on disability awareness. Candle lighting time is 4:30 PM.

Our service on Shabbat morning, November 22 will begin at 9:00 AM. During this service we will celebrate the Bar Mitzvah of Matthew Permison. Mazel Tov!

Our Shabbat Minha/Ma-ariv/Havdalah service will begin at 4:30 PM. During this service we will celebrate the Bar Mitzvah of Adam Marcus. Mazel Tov!

Our service on Sunday morning, November 23 will begin at 8:45 AM.

Our service on Thanksgiving morning, November 27 will begin at 9:00 AM.

On Shabbat morning, November 29 (Thanksgiving weekend) we will be priviliged to hear from one of our members, Rob Goldberg.
BSO's own Youth Committee Chair, Rob Goldberg, serves as Hillel's Vice President for Campus Strategic Services. In that capacity, Rob leads a team of professionals at Hillel who proactively serve and advance the agenda of campus Hillel Foundations. Rob travels extensively and is in daily contact with Jewish college students and Hillels throughout North America.

We have invited BSO's college students, high school juniors and seniors to join Rob at services (just get here by 10:30 AM). He will share with us changes in the campus community and issues confronting Jewish students as well as invite our students to share their own stories of Jewish life on campus.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Philip Pohl

Rabbi Philip Pohl
B'nai Shalom of Olney
18401 Burtfield Dr.
Olney, MD 20832
301-774-0879
301-774-3992 FAX