Judaism and Wellness
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Judaism and Wellness
Parshat B'shalah, 5781
Saturday, January 30, 2021
פרשת בשלח, תשפ״א
Parshat B'shalah, 5781
by Rabbi Sydni
Saturday, January 30th, 2021
Judaism and Wellness
A few weeks ago, a woman walked into Agudath Achim, asking for a kosher cookbook. When I asked why, she explained that in the new year, she wanted to eat healthier! While I helped her find some books, I couldn’t help but think about a litany of unhealthy kosher foods - brownies, donuts, French fries, noodle kugel, and nachos. A kosher diet does not necessarily equate to a balanced diet. And yet, as I continued to reflect, I realized that the mindfulness needed to keep kosher can lead to greater physical and mental health. When we check labels for ingredients and when we ask the servers at restaurants about their preparation techniques, we slow ourselves down enough to make healthy choices. We ask ourselves not just what do I want to eat right now, but what defines food that is sacred enough to sustain me? When we integrate food blessings into our eating practice, we remind ourselves of the contents of our food - borei p’ri ha-adamah for vegetables, borei p’ri ha-etz for fruits, and she-hakol for either animal products or items we can’t quite identify. If we can’t pronounce most of the ingredients present on our labels, if we don’t know what blessings to say, is that food really worthy of entering our body? Our lengthy after blessings force us to stay at the table and identify how our body feels after the food we eat. And of course, kashrut is not the only Jewish practice that can lead to greater wellness.
We learn shortly after the Israelites cross the Sea of Reeds on dry land that as long as we keep God’s mitzvot, כל המחלה אשר שמתי במצרים לא אשים עליך כי אני ה׳ רפאך - “Regarding all of the illness that I placed throughout Egypt, I will not place it onto you, for I am Adonai your healer” (Exodus 15:26). When a person takes the first steps to practice mindfulness and to embrace the good, she earns access to God’s healing powers. Note, here, that God is not asking simply for belief or faith in exchange for that healing, but rather, God is asking for direct practice.
So many of our mitzvot demand attention to our wellbeing. For those who daven three times a day, we spend a whole lot of time with our bodies, standing, sitting, and bowing. We spend a lot of time with our inner selves as we talk to God about topics ranging from wisdom to finances to guilt to peace. Through our davening, we have the chance to identify our ease of breath, the level of challenge we face in moving our joints, and the emotions coursing through our veins at any particular moment in the day. We have a regular chance to check in - to ask ourselves what we need, physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Because so many of our prayers require a minyan, a group of ten people, we often find ourselves in Jewish community. In the past year, we have learned how important it is to check up on one another, and our Judaism helps contribute to our keeping tabs on one another. We form bonds in this community partly so that we can surround ourselves with people who will let us know when we are acting unsafely, who will notice when we need some measure of support. And of course, we have our synagogue and Jewish Federation structures to help provide that assistance, whether in the form of driving individuals to medical appointments or providing funds towards care.
Once a week, every week, we have the chance to experience a halakhic form of Shabbat, refraining from driving for twenty-five hours. While it would be a whole lot easier if Shreveport had sidewalks in more places or if our synagogues were closer to where most people live, we can take this time to find those paths around our homes and take to walking or running. We can take this day to step aside from buying and selling and working to pay attention to what our bodies need right now.
God and this Jewish tradition can be our healers, but only if we make the effort to bring them into our lives. As the Israelites are about to cross the Sea of Reeds they cry out to God, and God proclaims, מה תצעק עלי - What are you doing crying to me?, as if to say, get out there, and start your healing process. Once you show me you’re ready by walking into those waters, then I will split the sea for you.
No, God does not always enact medical miracles. We were created with fragile bodies. However, even in those instances when we’re not in our ideal physical shape, our access to mitzvot and the Jewish community give us the tools to find emotional strength and to lend that strength to others. May we commit ourselves to God and the Jewish community through our daily mitzvotso that we can both be strong for those who need and gain the wisdom, understanding, and relationships to find our way through when we are in need.
עזי וזמרת יה, ויהי לי לישועה
God, you are and may you continue to be my song, my strength, and my salvation. Shabbat Shalom.
Tue, October 8 2024
6 Tishrei 5785
Rabbi's Sermons
Bereshit - Genesis
- Parshat Bereshit: Oct. 26, 2019, October 1, 2021, October 2, 2021
- Parshat Noah: Nov. 2, 2019, October 8, 2021, Oct. 29, 2022
- Parshat Lekh-L'kha: Nov. 9, 2019, Oct. 31, 2020, Oct. 31, 2020 - Part 2, Oct. 15, 2021
- Parshat Vayeira: Nov. 16, 2019, Nov. 7, 2020, Nov. 7, 2020 - Part 2, Oct. 22, 2021, Oct. 23, 2021
- Parshat Hayei Sara: Nov. 14, 2020, Oct. 30, 2021
- Parshat Toldot: Nov. 30, 2019, Nov. 21, 2020, Nov. 6, 2021
- Parshat Vayeitzei: Nov. 28, 2020, Nov. 13, 2021
- Parshat Vayishlah: Dec. 14, 2019 , Dec. 5, 2020, November 20, 2021
- Parshat Vayeisheiv: Dec. 12, 2020, Nov. 27, 2021
- Parshat Miketz: Dec. 4, 2021
- Parshat Vayigash: Jan. 4, 2020, Dec. 26, 2020, Dec. 11, 2021
- Parshat Vay'hi: Jan. 11, 2020, Jan. 2, 2021
Shemot-Exodus
- Parshat Sh'mot: Jan. 18, 2020, Jan. 18, 2020 - Part 2, Jan. 9, 2021
- Parshat Va'eira: Jan. 25, 2021
- Parshat Bo: Feb. 1, 2020, Jan. 23, 2021
- Parshat B'shalah: Jan. 30, 2021, Jan. 15, 2022, Feb. 3, 2023, Feb.4, 2023
- Parshat Yitro: Feb. 15, 2020, Feb. 6, 2021, Feb. 6, 2021, Feb. 21, 2022, Feb. 22, 2022
- Parshat Mishpatim: Feb. 22, 2020, Feb. 18, 2023
- Parshat T'rumah: Feb. 29, 2020, Feb. 29, 2020 - Part 2, Feb. 20, 2021, Feb. 4, 2022, Feb. 5, 2022, Feb. 25, 2023
- Parshat T'tzaveh: March 7, 2020, Feb. 27, 2021, Feb. 12, 2022, Feb. 11, 2022
- Parshat Ki Tisa: March 14, 2020, March 6, 2021, February 19, 2022
- Parshot Vayak'heil-P'kudei: March 21, 2020, March 13, 2021, February 26, 2022, March 18, 2023
Vayikra-Leviticus
- Parshat Vayikra: March 20, 2021, March 11, 2022, March 24, 2023, March 25, 2023
- Parshat Tzav: April 4, 2020, March 27, 2021, March 19, 2022
- Parshat Sh'mini: April 18, 2020
- Parshot Tazria-Metzora: April 25, 2020, April 17, 2021, April 2, 2022, April 20, 2024
- Parshot Achrei Mot-Kedoshim: May 2, 2020, April 24, 2021, May 7, 2022, May 3, 2024, May 10, 2024
- Emor: May 9, 2020, May 1, 2021, May 13, 2022, May 14, 2022, May 6, 2023
- Parshot B'har-B'hukotai: May 8, 2019, May 16, 2020, May 7, 2021, May 21, 2022, May 28, 2022, May 24, 2024, May 31, 2024
Bamidbar-Numbers
- Parshat Bamidbar: May 15, 2021, May 20, 2023, June 7, 2024
- Parshat Nasso: June 6, 2020, June 6, 2020 - Part 2, May 22, 2021, June 10, 2022, June 2, 2023, June 14, 2024
- Parshat B'ha'alotcha: June 13, 2020, June 13, 2020 - Part 2, June 9, 2023, June 10, 2023, June 21, 2024
- Parshat Sh'lach: June 20, 2020, June 20, 2020 - Part 2, June 5, 2021, June 28, 2024
- Parshat Korah: June 27, 2020, July 18, 2020, July 24, 2023, July 5, 2024
- Parshot Chukat-Balak: June 26, 2021, July 12, 2024, July 19, 2024
- Parshat Pinchas: July 11, 2020, July 11, 2020 - Part 2, July 2, 2021, July 3, 2021, July 22, 2022, July 23, 2022, July 26, 2024
- Parshot Matot-Masei: July 18, 2020, July 18, 2020 - Part 2, July 10, 2021, July 30, 2022, August 2, 2024
D'varim-Deuteronomy
- Parshat D'varim: July 25, 2020, July 25, 2020 - Part 2, July 17, 2021, August 6, 2022, August 9, 2024
- Parshat Va'et'hanan: Aug. 1, 2020, July 24, 2021, August 12, 2022, August 13, 2022, Aug. 16, 2024
- Parshat Eikev: Aug. 8, 2020, July 31, 2021, August 19, 2022, August 20, 2022
- Parshat Re'eh: August 7, 2021, August 30, 2024
- Parshat Shoftim: September 7, 2019, Aug. 22, 2020, August 14, 2021, August 14, 2021 - Part 2, September 3, 2022, September 6, 2024
- Parshat Ki Teitzei: Aug. 29, 2020, August 20, 2021, September 13, 2024
- Parshat Ki Tavo: Sept. 5, 2020, Sept. 5, 2020 - Part 2, August 28, 2021, Sept. 17, 2022, Sept. 20, 2024
- Parshot Nitzavim-Vayeilech: Sept. 11, 2021, September 24, 2022, Sept. 27,2024
- Parshat Ha'Azinu: Sept. 26, 2020, October 4, 2024
- Parshat Haberakhah
Rosh HaShanah: Sept. 19, 2020, Sept. 19, 2020 - Part 2, Sept. 19, 2020 - Part 3, Sept. 20, 2020, Sept. 7, 2021, Sept. 8, 2021, Sept. 9, 2021, Sept. 26, 2022
Yom Kippur: Sept. 28, 2020, Sept. 16, 2021, October 5, 2022
Sukkot: Oct. 3, 2020 , Sept. 20, 2021
Passover: April 3, 2021, April 23, 2022, April 7, 2023, April 12, 2023 April 27, 2024
Rosh Hodesh: April 22, 2023
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Kol Nidre Service : 6:20pm |
Candle Lighting : 6:28pm |
: 7:30pm |
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Yom Kippur : 9:00am |
: 1:30pm |
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Havdalah : 7:35pm |
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