Deuteronomy Ki Tavo Verses 26:1-29:8

Although I miss the Moshava terribly, I am glad to get back to doing my usual Torah interpretation. Last time we looked at the Book of Life, we were in Numbers. Now we are toward the end of Deuteronomy. Late August and September with Judaism is like October with baseball. The Torah is already a very complicated, beautiful text to figure out. The last few portions are like the post-season. They are intense, difficult, and mean a ton to their domain. Then, Rosh Hashana is the championship series. The path to glory is on the line. Successfully celebrating Rosh Hashana takes us to the World Series. Next, Yom Kippur is the World Series of Judaism. Completing Yom Kippur makes us feel pure, new, and like champions. Maybe the Yankees should go to High Holy Services this year.

Anyways, Parshat Ki Tavo revolves around the idea that the Jews are promising allegiance to God and the commandments they have received in the desert. Then, God officially curses anybody who breaks main points in the Torah. For example, God curses those who do not respect their mother or father. After that, Adonai sends the blessings of following the Torah. Finally, God deciphers the punishments of absolutely disobeying the Torah for the rest of the reading. Let me share that I had shivers after reading the final portion this morning.

Disobeying Torah will lead to pure, personal downfall according to Parshat Ki Tavo. By disobeying, I mean constantly sinning to the point where we are known as a cruel person. Skeptics would say that this is truly not possible. God will not go after us, if we never observe the Sabbath. I like to think maybe this is a mental, personal downfall. In my eyes, Judaism gives me comfort. Faith allows me to take time to reflect and relax. Sitting in a service is like a mental vacation from the politics and pressures of growing up in 2010. Without that comfort, I would have to deal with the stress of life all alone.

As I said I had shivers after reading Parshat Ki Tavo. What makes it controversial is what God states as punishments.

Adultery, plague, sometimes death, and idolization? For instance, "The Lord will bring upon you a nation from afar, from the end of the earth, as the eagle swoops down, a nation whose language you will not understand,a brazen nation, which will not respect the elderly, nor show favor to the young.They will devour the fruit of your livestock and the fruit of your soil, to destroy you. They will not leave over anything for you of the grain, wine, oil, offspring of your cattle or flocks of your sheep, until they annihilate you." (Deuteronomy 28:49-51). God taught us not to do these things while we wandered desert. Why is God breaking the Torah? Maybe this refers to Parshat Emor. Eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth. Deuteronomy is known to refer the past lessons of the Torah.

This past week I was training for the IGNITE program. In my school, 8th graders are given the chance to mentor 6th graders as the enter the middle school. Being an 8th grader, this week was all about leadership. The first lesson in IGNITE we were taught this week was to lead by example. I do not know about the public, but God's example is not one that I think should be followed.

My Thoughts on Camp Shomria 2010

Camp Shomria was an amazing life-changing experience. Camp Shomria is a lovely camp in the Catskills mountains. It is an American simulation of Kibbutz life along with all the wonderful activities a camp should have. Hashomer Hatzair is a kibbutz youth movement that oversees the activities of Camp Shomria. By going to the camp, I have a new understanding of Israel. Also, my ideas of friendship of developed over the past six weeks. Overall, I feel to have grown as a person.

My first day was nearly impossible to process. When we picture camp, we most definitely do not envision Camp Shomria. Most people think a camp somewhere along the line of the camp in the Parent Trap . Camp Shomria is a little run down. To an outsider, it may even look abandoned. When I was finally settled in, I realized that the smiles of each camper makes Camp Shomria beautiful. The camp has been around longer than my grandparents have after all! Hadracha, or the counselors who run Camp Shomria, are also amazing. They really care for my welfare and my peers. The oldest member of Hadracha was 21, so it really gives the chance to create our own youth village.

Hashomer Hatzair is a worldwide movement that was formed by two merging movements in 1913. Hashomer, the guard, was a scouting movement that worked in and with nature. Hatzair, young/youth, was the intellectual side where we explore philosophy of ourselves and each other. When the two merged they created three pillars for their movement to put forth; Zionism, Socialism, and Judaism. Israelis are welcome onto the Moshava (camp/colony) and encouraged to share what they have experienced living in the Promised Land. Each age group combines all food and money received over the summer. Shabbat is an experience on Camp Shomria that can not be explained, it must be experienced.

As I said, I finally get Israel. For one thing, I know really want to travel there. Hashomer Hatzair hosts a program that brings Arabs and Jews together onto the camp to live and coexist with each other. The program even lead a day teaching us about Israel. I understand both sides of the conflict and the cultures the go with them. We forget that Israel is only 62 years old. That is relatively new for a country. When the United States was 62, there were still slaves of another race, and a large gender gap. Israel has time to work out its tweaks.

Another element that is important is the process of the Kvutza, group. A Kvutza consists of the kids in your grade level. We do activities with each other twice a day. The friends I have made are friends I will keep for a lifetime. By the sixth week, I felt their full compassion and full trust. Any summer camp can not create that environment.

I hope I will be able to push forward with the knowledge I have received over the past year. Thank you Camp Shomria and all the people I have met for the opportunity I have gotten this summer.

Numbers Pinchas Verses 25:10-30:1

Unfortunately, this is my final post before I leave for camp. There will be no blog posts from July 4th to August 15th. I promise to write a blog about all the wonderful things I expect will happen at camp as soon as I can when I return. The camp is a Jewish camp in upstate New York that especially highlights the importance of Israel, teamwork, and friendship.

Anyways our Torah portion begins like many others in the book of Numbers, with Moses talking to God in the desert. In the beginning, God is talking about Aaron's grandson, Phineas (or in Hebrew Pinchas). Phineas chose to show passion to God rather than hostility going against peer pressure like Joshua. As a result, any descendant of Phineas shall be a powerful person in the Israelite nation. Then, the Lord asks Moses and Aaron to take a census of the people. Each tribe is counted. Judah had the largest population and the smallest tribe were the descendants of Simeon. Finally, God describes the different sacrifices necessary for various festive periods.

Although, a census provides decent information it got me thinking, "What is in numbers?" Strength is good in numbers, knowledge collaborates. Unfortunately, delegations is not always easy in large groups. Imagine being Barrack Obama, Benjamin Netanyahu, or even Michael Bloomberg. Leading has its rewards, but it is a tiring position.

Who is the leader of the Israelites? Some would say Moses, but they would be wrong. Aaron? Nope! Maybe even Joshua? Or even the newly mentioned Phineas? No, no, and no. God is the only leader of the Jewish people. Every person mentioned previously is a messenger of God. As Jews, we are all messengers of God. We show the world what we believe.

Jews are minuscule in numbers compared to Christianity or Islam. This used to bother me. I pictured myself as an ant in a world of people who were different. Not that I did not like the diversity, but I just wished there were more Jews whom I would have a large commonality with. Hitler's answer was to get rid of people in large quantities. Our mission is to add people.

Here is Judaism by the numbers. We have 13.3 million Jewish people. 37% live in Israel. The largest numbers of Jews per country is United States,Israel, and then France. 50.4% of the Jews in the world primarily speak English. Tel Aviv is the largest Jewish city in the world, followed by New York.

I thank http://www.simpletoremember.com/vitals/world-jewish-population.htm for providing me with very detailed statistics.

Now that we know the numbers, I say who cares? Numbers are for adding, subtracting, and doing taxes. The only Numbers I care about is the book in the Torah. I said we should add people. Add people? It is true! People do not even reveal their Jewish side to the world. Imagine a world where Jews flock to synagogue or fill their homes with prayer. Then maybe Jacob's big football game or Sarah's dance, won't be scheduled on a Friday night. It is a dream, but only we, the Jews can show passion for God rather than hostility.

Numbers Balak Verses 22:2-25:9

Balak is probably my favorite story outside of Genesis and Exodus. Mostly because it is an actual story. It has the same kind of spirit that the first two books are full of. Also, it is understandable, yet complicated.

Our story starts off away from the Israelites for a change. We are hearing the news of another Israelite victory. Last year, I talked about the very opposite main characters. Balak is a king who is out to destroy the Israelites. Balaam is an average Joe who believes in God. Balak is worried that the 12 tribes will attack his land. He asks Balaam to ask God to curse the Israelite nation.

There is another scene that is a little random in the Parshat. Balaam is with the donkey he has always ridden. The donkey sees an angel. Suddenly, the donkey begins to talk and try to tell Balaam of the angel. Balaam can not see the angel, so he beats the donkey. After three beatings, God reveals the angel to Balaam. Some may call it a symbol of how humans get angry too easily, but others may call it the Torah's only instance of comic relief.

Anyways, Balak is furious at Balaam. Each time Balak has sent Balaam to ask the Lord for the curse, God rejects him. Even when Balak offers Balaam a world of riches and luxuries, Balaam simply says he can not control the decisions of God. In the end, Balaam gets God to bless Israel three times.

Let us return to why Balak did this in the first place. He feared the power of the Israelites. In the fear of his own downfall, Balak tries to curse them into their downfall. Why do we fear anything that is different?

Balak illustrates the savage result of ignorance. We think Balak is just a villain in a story, but our antagonist is not far fetched from a modern day person. Anything new is bad. Different is dangerous. Eccentric is evil! The donkey got a whacked for trying to perform an act of good. Sometimes I feel the world whacks us down when angels appear.

Numbers Korach Verses 16:1-18:32

I am going to be honest with all of my readers and say I have not read one page of the Torah this week. About an hour ago, one of the worst hours of my life began. As I come out of it, I figured, I could do Shabbat or I could take my anger out on what I love the most about my life. I should probably explain.

Geography ended and I was psyched to be running for a Drama Club office. It was the end of the day on a Friday! The second to last Friday of school! Six people are chosen to be drama club officers, a president, a vice president, a treasurer, a secretary, and two sentinels. Prepared with speeches, I had confidence a mile high. I ran for all six offices hoping to have authority on another favorite asset of my life. When the voting began, frankly democracy sometimes sucks.

At 3:45 p.m., I realized I had lost each office. It felt awful. My mind raced. First, I of course blamed it on the people who beat me. That would not have been right. Then, I blamed it on the facilitator of the election. That would not have been right. After that, I blamed God. That was certainly not right. I left the school knowing that there was no one to blame.

Walking home was the most difficult part. 15 minutes of pure torture. Luckily, I had two of my best friends to guide me through. Emma and Cassidy made me feel comfortable. I got out the door and I had to wait. They were still inside. To prevent myself from being envious (Commandment 9), I left the club as soon as elections were over. When they got outside, they gave me a big hug. They made me feel like someone cared. Two someones.

I got home and I still felt like yesterday's trash. The seal of recovery was about to fall asleep on the couch. My dad was the aid to my problem. We talked and by the end of the talk I was not thinking "It's been an hour and I have still lost", I thought "It is getting late and I have not done my blog yet."

Moping around would not do me any good. I am alive, have a healthy family, and hopefully God will forgive me in doubting the Lord. What does this have to do with Numbers Parshat Korach? Probably nothing, but I felt I needed to tell someone. Why not tell the world?

Numbers Sh'lach Verses 13:1-15:41

I apologize for not writing lately. Life in spring is as hectic. Weeks 5,6, and 7 of the Omer have passed. I will continue to write each week until I leave for מןש קיץ (summer camp).

We find ourselves distressed by the choices of the Israelites...again. After about two years in the desert, they reach the Promised Land. Upon entering, men from each tribe are sent to scout the land by Adonai. Everything is splendid in Canaan, but then the Israelites do not think. The men come back and spread news that larger civilizations dwell in the land. Ones that could rise up and destroy them as a nation. That small group turns into all the Israelites. Two of the men do not tell the negative side of the story, Joshua and Caleb. Other than this pair, God's chosen people are doubting the Lord's choice. Why would God choose the wrong "Promised Land"?

The Israelites are so close. They have tasted the grapes, pomegranates, and figs of the Promised Land. Cries go up to God pleading not to go to the land flowing with milk and honey. A trifle want to return to Egypt. God cannot believe what is being spoken. In anger, God does not allow anybody into the Promised Land. Egypt's liberated generation has betrayed their Lord. God sentence them to forty years of wandering in the Middle Eastern deserts. One year for each day the men scouted the beautiful land that they came so close to. Every Israelite from this generation shall perish in wandering, except Joshua and Caleb.

Joshua and Caleb are the Torah's lesson in dealing with peer pressure. They resist the temptation to doubt the word of God. Not even Moses and Aaron were successful in their lifetime. Middle school is like the headquarters of Peer Pressure International. I know that on occasion I have been a Moses or an Aaron. Luckily, I aspire to be Joshua and Caleb. Strong people who know what is right and what is wrong. Contrary to Pinocchio, no cricket is going to tell you what is bad. Just remember giving into peer pressure could lead down the path to forty years of wandering.

Sefirat Omer- Week 4

Endurance is an interesting word. When I think of endurance, I think of running. I remember back in fifth grade. We would all run the mile. Four laps around the track. As the race began, about fifteen of the kids went in knowing they would not do a good time. Endurance handles drive and determination. Sprinting the first lap tired them out for the rest of the mile. I think of passing by slow runners when I hear the word endurance.

Is life a race? We are born and we pace ourselves, but there is no sprint at the end. A marathon? Where is the training season for life? Life is like eating fruits and vegetables. It takes determination sometimes. To endure in a healthy life, we love the healthy life. Loving what we do is half the battle, doing it a quarter, and the last quarter is effort.

Effort comes from discipline. Where do our efforts lie? We should benefit the good not the evil. Think of others before ourselves. Determination can come in many forms. The form of waking up in the morning when we feel down. The form of going out for a run when we see potato chips. Discipline focuses endurance.

Yesterday, we focused our endurance. Today we take that focus and put it into action. Caring for a friend takes love for the friend. Compassion for a homeless man on the streets on the Bronx takes endurance. At my cousins Bat Mitzvah, we worked at a homeless shelter. The man in charge of organizing the shelter told us to remember something as we were cleaning up and leaving. Too many times we see homeless people on the street and we look away. He said to just give them a little wave. Have the determination to avoid treating them like the other. 20th Century Jews were treat like the other. That got us nowhere.

The Holocaust was an awful test of humanity. Endurance was the key component. Having the endurance to live when the country around us wants us dead. Hope is a dwindling feeling as hate emerges. As Jews were wared down, a love of endurance may have been lost. Discipline and compassion were gone too. Enduring endurance kept the few, remaining Jews of Europe alive.

Fortitude comes from within us. God gave each one of us determination, yet we all express it in our shape and manner. The unique views come from one's ability to look out at the world. Humility lets us decide where to take a stand. If something makes us upset, we should not let it roll by us. People I know are over dramatic about the unnecessary. In real times of trouble, they are untouched. Humility lacks in their determination.

Bonding with endurance should keep us sticking to our goals. President Obama decided he wanted to be President. He went to law school, studied hard, became a senator, held a good campaign, and now he is in the White House. At law school, homework may have been piled on Barack. Bonding with the dream of being president prevailed him.

As our week ends once more, we examine the dignity of our endurance. Do our goals put in a brighter path for the person we want to be? Am we where we want to be at our age? If we are not, we can think of it this way. A dreamer is always asleep dreaming pleasantly. A go-getter follows the dream they like. I would personally rather be awake than in a permanent sleep.

Four weeks down, three to go. More than half the human heart has already been explored. As of now we have the endurance to handle the rest!

Sefirat Omer- Week 3

Of all seven qualities that overlap each other during the Omer, compassion means the most to me. Last week, I talked about how I have written a list of goals. One of those goals was to be considered a nice, caring person. I phrased it this way for a certain reason. I can try to be a nice person, but my nice does not matter. People around me could think my nice, is devious. Compassion is simply not about ourself, but about everyone around us.

To be compassionate, we must love it. A love of compassion is a commandment in the Torah. We are supposed to welcome the stranger into our dwelling. Compassion is never forced on us. The good do good and the wicked remain wicked. Never do a good deed without a love and care. No completion is better than a sloppy completion.

Compassion is everywhere. Holding a door open and saying thank you take compassion. These simple tasks are great, but compassion should be bigger. Fundraising or donating take discipline. The money belongs to the donor. A bit of discipline helps cure the cause.

Compassion of compassion. The quality goes forever. Exceeding new limits. Discipline focuses compassion, but never stops us from expressing it. I attempt to live an everlasting compassionate life. Holding a door yesterday does not benefit anyone today.

Prevailing compassion means anywhere at anytime. My schedule is simple. On Tuesday, I always have Hebrew School. On Thursdays, there are drums lessons. Where does it say, "Be compassionate"? Never do we plan to take a stand. Are we ready to stand up for ourselves and others?

Humility is not always ripping your pants embarrassing. Humility lets us realize that a selfish reign always comes to an end. I feel sometimes we are only compassionate for ourselves. How horrible? Middle school is the perfect example. I see people who are kind and nice, but only when the cameras are rolling. Giving compassion should help the receiver. The giver does it out of the goodness of their humble heart.

Bonding is an important asset of compassion. Although the internet has made this a less significant aspect, kindness is never distant. Holding a door for a stranger can not be done six feet away. For instance, Holocaust victims in concentration camps had every disease imaginable. They stuck together! No one person was better than they other. A bond was formed.

Day seven is always the hardest to write about the Omer. Dignity and humility are opposite. Compassion is meant to make us feel good too. As long as we remember, why we LOVE to be humane. Did you know most bullies have low-self esteem? Their wicked deeds are a slight boost. Dignity really comes from compassion.

I worry today, where compassion has gone? Every day on the news we hear about Iraq and Afghanistan. 9/11 lowered our self-esteem. Instead of making an effort of peace, we bullied these countries. 99% of teenage boys play video games. (http://www.csmonitor.com/Innovation/Horizons/2008/0916/by-the-numbers-teens-and-video-games). How many play the ones with guns? The "compassion suckers". Violence is something that is common in our world. Compassion is not.

Sefirat Omer- Week 2

What is the purpose of counting 49 days? Why does God even tell us to do this in the Torah? Passover is a time when we commemorate the liberating of our people. Shavuot we celebrate God giving us the Torah and the Ten Commandments. The Omer is seven weeks of self-evaluation.

Unlike Yom Kippur, we are not atoning the sins we have committed. Instead, we look at our moral character and how it compares to the image God had in mind for humans. Each day is a moral fiber. The qualities form a decent being. During the second week, we discover discipline.

On day one, we discover the love of discipline. Now as I said last week, the same seven traits collaborate to make 49 combinations. What is the difference between discipline of love and love of discipline? Discipline of love focuses on how we stay loyal in any relationship. Love of discipline does not necessarily mean in a relationship. God gave us 613 mitzvot to respect in the Torah. Loving discipline is determination to follow them.

Next, we observe the discipline aspect of discipline. Life is not all work. After all, not even God worked a full week. Discipline should be orderly. God created us to be people, not robots. Too much discipline turns us into robotic scraps of humans. Too little discipline turns us into pigs. Although robots are worse than pigs, neither is kosher.

Discipline takes compassion. For example, a teacher needs to be strict, but compassionate. I once had a teacher who no one really liked when they had her. The next year I realized she may have been strict, but she really cared about the students and their education. It is easy to make a batch of cookies, but they are worthless if they are not sweet.

Today we observe how enduring discipline should be. About a year and a half ago, I set a list of goals. Though the path has been tough, I have kept up with those goals and continue in the direction of fulfillment of them. Athletics, academics, music, art,drama or anything else in life really takes practice. Practice comes from enduring discipline.

Too many times in life we make assumptions. Assumptions come from a large amount of discipline and a subordinate amount of humility. Sometimes we put our bad traits into another's personality. For instance, a person calls another a gossiper. The whole student body hears the accusation. The person who started the rumor was the true gossiper. Humility is a major aspect of processing productive discipline.

After that, we take the extra step to bond with others. We try to shed our discipline onto others. Being a student I understand that discipline includes honesty. When testing, the temptation to cheat is always available, but my discipline sets an example. Hopefully, potential cheaters follow the right path.

On our last day focusing on discipline, we explore the dignity it takes to have the trait. We examine how our spirit is weakened by discipline. Do we loose our childlike wonder? I feel that greed is the perfect example. Greed can destroy a person. We aim with our enduring discipline to be rich, but despite our perseverance we loose respect for others. Our dignity is destroyed and on the road another's usually is too.

In fact, the entire Omer takes discipline to count.

Sefirat Omer- Week 1

I hope that everyone is enjoying Passover and the beginning of springtime. Did you know that today is a special day in Judaism? And tomorrow is too? Actually the next 42 days are quite significant. There are exactly 49 days between Passover and Shavuot. These 49 days are called Sefirat Ha'omer or Counting of the Omer.

The Torah commands us to the count the Omer. The Omer is just a measurement. It is like a quart or a gallon. Rabbis have interpreted that each week is an attribute of the human heart. There is love, discipline, compassion, endurance, humility, bonding, and leadership. All the topics intertwine each day. Week 1 is all about love. Week 1 Day 1 is "Love; love. Week 1 Day 2 is "Love Discipline". It goes on each day. Week 1 is now coming to a close. By the conclusion of the Omer, the 49 aspects form into one heart.

Starting on Tuesday night, the heart is supposed to realize humans love to love. Our hearts hold the capacity to love as much as we want. There is no quota on the number of people to be friendly and loving to. Every person has their own story. By loving, the stories become a library.

Love then requires discipline. Respect is the basis of a healthy relationship. Knowing boundaries is a way of showing respect. Scandals of ignorance to the second day of the Omer are released constantly. For example, a certain golfer lacked discipline of love. Without discipline there is no love.

An average relationship has two friendly people put together. An extraordinary relationship has two COMPASSIONATE people put together. Love's roots are buried in compassion. To think of a loved one over ourselves is truly a mitzvah.

Love is enduring. We can all love to love, have discipline of love, and be compassionate for love, but to constantly love is a different story. Two friends are together. One is starving. Since they are by the stream, one friend catches a fish for the other friend. Tomorrow that friend will return to a starving state. An enduring love would teach the other how to fish. Love should never be turned on and off like a light switch.

When in love, we are confident. We feel like we are on top of the world. Unfortunately, confidence is the key to arrogance. To stop the path towards arrogance, we remember our humility. No one person in a relationship is always right. Being humble allows us to see that compromise is possible.

Of course, love requires bonding. Never rush into a relationship. Friendship is always the first step. Enjoy getting to know the person. On this day of the Omer, we try to find a new thing we can bond over to strengthen our love.

Finally, dignity. It is obvious a relationship needs two people. Two people can sometimes form into one person. Leaders stand their ground. Although, we are humble, we are strong. When something is wrong, we change it. Figure out what your contribution to the relationship is. True love requires dignity. Actually, true love require all of these qualities.

A Tulip in the Life

Photo by: Rachel Graubart

Last night, I was reading in the living room, I look at tulips my dad gave as a treat for my mother on her birthday. As I sat, I pondered about these tulips. My mind began to race. All week I had noticed these tulips. Then I had a burst of an idea.

Tulips are life, no the tribe's life. These tulips went through three stages. Tulips look different in these three stages. A Jew can deal with antisemitism three ways.

At first, my dad brought home young tulips. These tulips were new to the world. Drinking water for the first time. The tulips are closed. These Jews are the Jews who watch. Antisemitism is everyone, but if we say nothing, it just keeps happening. A closed tulip is beautiful, but no one remembers a closed tulip.

Then, as days passed, the sun shined on the flowers. The tulips open up. Our eyes could not help, but notice the beauty of the tulips. Being the outgoing person I am, I choose the open-tulip path. Fighting for the Jews is my style, people know I am Jewish. I carry a yarmulke and have a blog all about Judaism. Antisemitism is diminished by the brightness of the vibrant tulip.

Finally, yesterday. A Jew can join in antisemitism. I always relate antisemitism to a fire. People who are Jewish make jokes that do light the fire. Pedals on the drooping tulips looked burn. As the fell off the tulip, I knew the "burnt" tulip was dead.

Any conflict can be taken these three ways. Be a bystander. Be an upstander. Or be a putdowner. It is up to us to decide. Which tulip are you?

Bible Through Basketball?

When I thought about writing this, I thought, Adam, are you going insane? Then, my mind said "You're just being yourself." Tonight I felt God's presence through basketball. I learned about Shabbat, God, the Torah, my own faith, and of course how to play the game of basketball. It is a Friday night. Jewish families across the globe are lighting candles, blessing wine, and eating delicious challah. For the first time in the long time, my family was not one to enjoy the pleasure.

It is the playoffs. If we win this game, we advance to the finals. We lose, we go home with nothing. My team had a decent shot this year, but God does not appreciate the game being played on Shabbat. We lost that game. It was over for the team, but a new beginning for me.

The Torah hit me like a ton of bricks. Last week, God tells the Israelites the consequence of breaking the Sabbath laws. God proclaims, "Therefore, keep the Sabbath, for it is a sacred thing for you. Those who desecrate it shall be put to death, for whoever performs work on it, that soul will be cut off from the midst of its people" (Exodus 30:14). Literally, punishment of disobedience is death in this situation. With three minutes left, I the Torah and God spoke to me.

I had made up a blessing for basketball. It goes "Baruch atah Adonai, elohanu melech haolam, asher k'dishanu b'mitzvotav m'sahaek cadoor sal". That translate to "Blessed are you, Adonai our God, Ruler of the Universe, who sanctifies us with mitzvot to play basketball." Blessing are a give and take though. I had taken too much.

Today I was lazy. I did not plan to do this blog at a quarter of ten. School gave us the day off for a professional day and I did not bother to do any blog. I ignored Shabbat as the week came to a close. At dinner, no candles, no wine, no challah. The Sabbath is a sacred thing to me. I desecrated it and are part of me was put to death. I performed work on the Sabbath and cut myself off from all the other Jewish people. The Torah finally made sense.

Although the lesson was not pleasant to watch a good team fall hard, I am glad that I can now grow. Grow into a better, faithful, loyal Jew.

Exodus Ki Tisa 30:11-34:35

Moses has finally finished talking to God on top Mount Sinai. God has given him the Ten Commandments and a few extra guidelines to start the Israelites off as they head to the Promised Land. Unfortunately, the people below were impatient. Aaron led them in the construction of the Golden Calf. Of all the commandments, this is the ultimate commandment. There is only one God. Moses is enraged as he smashes the Tablets. Both side lost in the long run.

This parshat troubled me terribly. Idols? Bowing to other than God? Jews do not do that. We look at this as a dark spot on our history. Mistakes happen. How far should God let things slide?

Making mistakes proves that we are humans. Walking away from mistakes unattached is the blank trait a human can possess. When I make a mistake, I try to learn from it. If I were in Aaron's position, I would pray for God's forgiveness. Also, I would teach myself and the people who had followed me how to be loyal to God, the one and only. If I were Moses, I would also pray for forgiveness. I would learn to control my anger. Aaron was forgiven, but Moses had already let his anger get the best of him. In Egypt, he killed a man whipping the slaves. God never forgets, but God learns. People can be the same way.

Exodus Tetzaveh Verses 27:10-30:10

Tetzaveh continues the description of the Tabernacle. This week describes how the lighting and interior of the Tabernacle should appear. I found it peculiar that God kept mentioning 4 colors to be in the Tabernacle. These colors are gold, blue, purple, and crimson. I believe that the Torah has hidden one its many metaphors in Tetzavah. Everyone of us is a painting.

Gold is a regal, polite person. Golden people are confident and classy. For example, Steven Spielberg has the class that is on a golden level. He could live as one of America's greatest Hollywood legend and that only. Instead, Steven has continued to help the community by doing גמיולית חסדם-Acts of Love and Kindness. An eye for an eye makes the world go blind, but giving an eye stops the blindness.

Blue is a the calm side of a worthy character. A temper can spoil someone else's day. Going with the flow is how blue people roll. To be a blue person, we must remember to not be a bystander either. Bruce Springsteen is the perfect example of someone who is blue as a smurf on the inside, yet not another person's beanbag. During a performance, he is a rocker who follows the mood of the show. Bruce also is an active liberal Demacrats. Keep it relaxed, keep it blue.

Purple is the creative side of life. The color resembles that although we are classy and calm, we think outside the box. When I read about the Tabernacle, I had to be purple to interpret the very specific instructions of its construction. Without purple in our personality, music, art drama, and sports would never have existed. Having the color purple is proof all humans are truly unique. Why be someone's clone?

Crimson is the bold color. God turned the Nile red with ambition, ambition to free the Israelites slaves from bondage. Barrack Obama was a crimson person to run for president as an African American. With a purple point of view, a blue attitude, and plenty of gold with his staff and fellow politicians, his painting is forming into a work of art. Without the color red, the world will stop moving. Ambition is the drive, the drive of people.

According to my theory, God filled the Tabernacle with dignity, serenity, creativity, and ambition just as God filled everyone of us. I believes we should shine like the gold frames of the Tabernacle which God commanded were built. On the frames there are tons of red, blue, and purple yarns. Life is your painting. Why not make it look nice?

Exodus Terumah 25:1-27:19

In this week's portion, God sets up the plan for Tabernacle. God asks Israel to gather the materials necessary to begin building. The Tabernacle is traveling synagogue that is carried around as the Israelites continue their voyage across the desert. Then, God describes the whereabouts of everything in the Tabernacle. By the end, everybody is prepared to construct the holy building.

What should we think of when we walk into temple? Some think of it as a school. To others it is a home. A place of worship can even be a lounge. It is holy to most of us. When we go to temple, what are we looking for?

I am looking for confirmation of my faith. Synagogue is a place where I believe I can affirm that God is there, looking down at me. I can go there and think about life. The Tabernacle was really the first civilized synagogue, but I still feel intertwined with Moses and the Israelites. Whether it is a synagogue, church, or any other building, we should try to look into our hearts and feel at least something...anything