The More Torah, The More Life
Image from legacy.com
This week’s Dvar Torah was written by Rabbi Laila Haas, CAJE’s Director of Adult Learning and Growth, and is dedicated in memory of Sandi-Jo Gordon, who was buried today by her beloved family. Sandi-Jo was a passionate student of Torah, a lifelong learner through CAJE classes, an artist, and a larger-than-life personality. May her neshamah have an aliyah. CAJE and the entire Adult Learning Community will miss her deeply.
Photo by Seif Amr on Unsplash
In this week’s portion, Parshat Emor, the Torah teaches us about the festivals that make up the Jewish year.
We currently find ourselves in one of those appointed times between the Festival of Pesach and the Festival of Shavuot.
From the second night of Pesach, we begin counting upwards towards Shavuot where we celebrate the receiving of Torah at Mount Sinai.
“When you come to the Promised Land that I give you and you reap the harvest, you shall bring an omer, a portion of your first reaping to the priest, who will offer it to God. After seven complete Sabbaths from the time of these offerings, counting fifty days, you shall bring a new offering to God.” (Parashat Emor Leviticus 23)
The ritual of counting days has become a spiritual practice where we imagine ourselves on a profound journey towards Sinai.
We are encouraged to take time out of our daily routine to pause, to count, and to anticipate how much closer we are to standing once again at the base of Mount Sinai with our hearts open.
On this Shabbat, as we are at the halfway point to Sinai, we ask ourselves: “How will I receive the gift of Torah this year?”
Every year at this time, I find myself spiritually moved by the practice of counting my steps towards Sinai.
As I engage in my daily ritual of counting the omer, I reflect on how important it is to make my lived-moments truly lived, by living with an intentional spirit.
As Shabbat Emor approaches, be inspired to give yourself the gift of Torah.
Immerse yourself in the richness of Jewish wisdom and our sacred texts.
Become part of our meaningful, relevant and dynamic learning community.
As the Director of Adult Learning and Growth at CAJE, I’ve had the pleasure of attending online classes and reading the evaluations that students write after every course.
Our students are eager to share their personal experiences with us.
They all used the word “transformative” to describe the impact of our courses—the content, the teaching, the sense of community they experience.
Our students express how studying the richness of our tradition and sacred texts with our dynamic faculty has changed their lives.
Being part of the Adult Learning/ Melton & More learning community has given them new perspectives, and enhanced their understanding of who they are as Jews.
The act of studying in community has strengthened their connection to their faith, and to the people around them.
We invite you to join us “around the virtual table” and start your personal journey of enhancing your own connection to Torah by becoming part our Adult Learning community.
It is energizing to be part of a group of learners who are passionate, eager to learn more, and engaged in meaningful conversations.
Nearly 2000 years ago, the great sage Hillel said: The more (study of) Torah, the more life.
He was, of course, speaking about our spiritual lives.
He was reminding people in his day and us in our day that life is lived on multiple levels and that we must not neglect the deep spiritual / emotional / intellectual parts of ourselves, while only attending to the physical.
We have an amazing lineup of online mini-courses being offered this summer. To learn more, please contact Carla Spector at carlaspector@caje-miami.org for more information.
Shabbat Shalom!
