I find it moving when adults set themselves new learning targets. Learning anything new once past childhood is more of a challenge.
Rabbi Yehuda ben Teima says in Mishnah: Be bold like a leopard, light like an eagle, run like a deer, and be strong like a lion to perform the will of your Eternal...
The idea that being bold and brave in undertaking new things is compelling, and I salute these four women this Shabbat who will mark their Bnot Mitzvah with their community. This week's portion Behaalotecha includes the account of Miriam and Aaron critiquing their brother Moses and asking plaintively, “Hasn’t [God] also spoken through us?”
It's poignant and I am enjoying this Shabbat witnessing Sharon, Lesley, Eti and Charlotte asking something similar boldly and with lightness and strength leading service and reading from and illuminating Torah for us.
These are the best moments of community, accompanying each other through these rites of passage. I should add a Mazal Tov to Gosia and Max who welcomed the safe arrival of their daughter Leni-Ela just a day after Shavuot when Gosia shared her journey to us as a modern day Ruth. A reminder also that the stone setting for Miriam Bixer will be this Sunday June 10th 10am at Edgwarebury cemetery, Monty wanted to be sure his friends at FPS knew.
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Rebecca