I regard Rabbi Simchah Zeisel Levovitz (1908-2001) as a teacher and spiritual mentor even though I spent very little time with him. When Carol and I began dating she took me to be "checked out" by the Rabbi and his wife, Shulamith (the sister of the late Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach). Reb Simchah, as he was known in his immediate world, was the descendent of teachers of the Musar movement which, among other things, emphasized the need to cultivate forethought and introspection; both of which they believed sharpened our moral and spiritual sensibilities.
What follows is the way that the late Rabbi Levovitz introduced us, Carol and I, to the world of Mussar, and it is directly related to this week's Parashah. This week's Torah portion,Vayishlach, deals with the return of Jacob to the land promised to him by God. Yet, this return was accompanied by many obstacles - not the least of which was his reunion with his estranged brother, Esau. In preparation for his encounter with Esau, Jacob organized himself, very much as one might organize a military operation. Note, for example, the manner in which he sought to protect the women in his family and their children: he quickly grouped the children with their mothers, Leah and Rachel. He put the female servants, with their children in front, then Leah and Rachel at the rear, which provided his wives and their children with maximum coverage, and security (Genesis 32:23 to 24). We learn that he was able to protect 11 of his 12 children. Who was missing from that grouping? It was Dinah, the daughter of Jacob and Leah. The Midrashic teacher Rabbi Abba of Bardela tells us that "Jacob hid her in a box from the licacious eyes of her uncle Esau". In this imaginative scenario, God condemns Jacob for apparently wanting to to protect his daughter in this way.
What, in heaven should this father have done? God, in this interpretation, says that Jacob should have placed Dinah at his side so that when her uncle saw her he would have been "swept off his feet" by her beauty. Then they would have married and Dina’hs charm and piety would have motivated Esau to return to the ways of his ancestors! Doesn't this interpreter's version of God's demand exceed the bounds of reason?
In my first meeting with the late Reb Simchah, he used this imaginative dialogue to explain the nature of Mussar spirituality. "You see", he told us, "Mussar teachings explain what it was that troubled God. It was not that Jacob concealed his daughter, rather", the Rabbi continued," Jacob should have paused for a brief moment of introspection or, what we might call, forethought. And he should have said to himself, perhaps if Esau sees my beautiful daughter he will be motivated to marry her and live a sacred life. Once having reflected on that possibility then, and only then, should he have slammed the box (in which she was hidden) closed".
As he spoke, I could literally hear the slamming of this crate or packing box. That sound has remained with me ever since that first teaching. Many times that "metaphorical sound of the slamming of the box" has come back to me in moments when I have had the wisdom to stop and reflect on what I was about to do or say. Over these long months of Covid, Rabbi Simchah Zeisel’s wise teaching has reminded me to think before acting, to reflect before speaking. Yes, it's amazing that the "slam of that box" still echoes in my soul. In this way, the learned Rabbi and his wife gave us their blessing … and we have learned to, therefore, live a bit more dilebertely and conciously.
This Shabbat, we welcome Haven Jaskot to the Bimah in celebration of his Bar Mitzvah. Haven is the son of Neta and Jarrod Jaskot. Click HERE to read more about Haven.
A Note About Shabbat Audio:
When we have Congregants participating in Services from their homes via Zoom on Friday and Saturday Evenings, we recognize that the audio may be difficult to hear on our Livestream or Facebook Live. To insure you hear all of our wonderful participants, we highly encourage you to join our services via Zoom. The links to join in on Zoom are provided in the schedule below.
If you need help connecting to our services or classes via Zoom, please contact Liessa Alperin atliessa@bnaiamoona.com. Todah Rabbah!
Friday, December 4 Friday Evening Services with Cantor Sharon Nathansonin the Guller Chapel: 6:00 pm
*Please note that you may need to input a Zoom password to access our Friday Night, Shabbat Morning & Saturday Afternoon/Evening Zoom link. The Password is Shabbat
Weekday Minyan Information
Join Us For Minyan!
Our B’nai Amoona’s Minyan Program consists of our amazing, dedicated Minyannaires who assure warm and welcoming ongoing daily Minyanim, morning and evening. These services support those in our community who have lost loved ones and may be feeling lonely and isolated. Our BA virtual Minyanim are a constant source of strength and comfort for those who wish to recite the Kaddish. Moreover, our Minyanim are a wonderful opportunity for spiritual uplift, social connection, community building, and the ability to fulfill one's daily Chiyuv, duty, to thank God for all that we have. This combination of Kehillah and Kibbitzing allows up to remain spiritually connected despite being socially distant. All are warmly welcomed! Please join us!
Virtual Morning Minyan
Sunday Morning Minyan will take place virtually at 9:00 am
Monday - Friday Morning Minyan will take place virtually at 7:00 am
Sandi Brecher; mother of Leslie Freeman (Gary), David Brecher (z"l), Deanne Brecher, Neil Brecher (Emily) and Andrew Brecher (Dara); grandmother to Hannah and Noah Freeman, Jeremy, Amanda, Cate and Vivienne Brecher.
Harriet Gail Baron Dunski; beloved wife of Naphtali (Neil) Dunski; mother of her loving and admiring daughters Dr. Sharon (Dr. Laird) Vermont and Michelle Dunski (Bryan Hicks), and loving grandmother of her grandchildren Sage and Jordyn Vermont. She is also survived by her many nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews in Louisville, KY and other parts of the US and in Israel.
Ivan "Irv" Bitterfield; beloved husband of Sharon Bitterfield; dear father of Debra (Glen) Gelber, Stacey (Donald) Wyatt and Andrew (Bridget) Bitterfield; loving grandfather of Casey Lee Wyatt, Samantha Elizabeth and Jacob Charles Bitterfield; dear brother of Bernice (Z"L) (Irv) Model; beloved son of Esther (Z"L) and Charles Bitterfield; dear father, "Popo", uncle, cousin and friend.
We invite you to join us each of the eight nights of Chanukah for an incredible outdoor candle lighting experience. Our eight themed nights will include special guest appearances, giveaways, music, games and our exciting "Light the Lot" Drive-Thru Chanukah Extravaganza -- all from the comfort and safety of your vehicle.
For more information and to register for Men's Club Parking Lot BINGO and our "Light the Lot" Drive-Thru event, please clickHERE.
Todah Rabbah to our generous donors for helping make this meaningful and exciting program possible.
In-Person Shabbat Service Registration
We are now offering the opportunity to attend Shabbat Services "in-person." Space is limited and pre-registration is required. Please click the image below to reserve your spot - see you in Shul!
Congregation B’nai Amoona 324 South Mason Rd St. Louis, MO 63141
