Shabbat Shalom ~ Emor 2026

Shalom WJC Family,

The great Medieval rabbi and doctor Moses Maimonides had a lot to say about time. He recognized it as God’s most precious gift, and one that, perhaps uniquely, God gives everyone in equal measure. A day has 24 hours no matter where you are on earth. We are all challenged to spend them wisely, and few of us spend them as wisely as we should. As Rabbi Jonathan Sacks z’l explained Maimonides perspective, “We feel the tyranny of the clock but forget the larger calendar of a life.” Much of Jewish practice and ritual is an attempt to aid us in recognizing the passage of time and the preciousness of every moment.

We are now halfway through the period of time between Passover and Shavuot known as Sefirat HaOmer often simply called “The Omer.” The Omer (especially the first 33 days until the holiday of Lag B’Omer) is marked by a certain seriousness expressed by ritual practices like not shaving or getting haircuts and not scheduling weddings. The solemnity is explained two ways: either with mourning an ancient plague that killed many of Rabbi Akiva’s students almost 2000 years ago, or with the historical journey from the yoke of slavery in Egypt to the yoke of Heaven at Mt. Sinai. Interestingly, during this solemn period there is a celebration that is often seen in great numbers – b’nai mitzvah. The last few Shabbat services have been particularly joyful as we celebrated the b’nai mitzvah of several of WJC’s children. The simchas, as we call ritual times set aside for celebration in Hebrew, will continue for the next few weeks as well. There are many meanings to a bar or bat mitzvah, but one important aspect of it is capturing this liminal moment in the life of a child, taking control of time, if you will. This is the kind of simcha we create for ourselves.

Our Torah portion this week, Emor, highlights another kind of simcha, the moed, or appointed sacred time. We know them simply as Jewish holidays. Emor includes one of several versions of the sacred calendar reported in the Torah. I meet with each of our bnai mitzvah several times and I ask each of them, “What is your favorite thing about being Jewish?” More than half will answer, “The holidays.” When pressed they will speak about family gatherings with cousins they see once or twice a year, signature dishes of grandparents, and memorable rituals (like that one Passover when their grandfather hid the afikomen in the most outrageous spot and they couldn’t find it for what seemed like hours). The holidays are the Torah’s fixed moments for taking control of time and setting some aside for joy.

This idea of simcha, both the fixed times and the ones we create ourselves with lifecycle celebrations and community events, is one of Judaism’s most powerful and influential ideas. I am so excited for one of WJC’s big annual simchas, our Gala, coming this Sunday. Our chairs, Laura Grill and Nancy Joselson, along with all their committee members, the office team, and the maintenance staff, have done an extraordinary job putting together a beautiful evening. It will be a chance to celebrate our beautiful, interconnected, sacred community that is WJC, and of course to honor our most worthy honorees, Susan and David Miller, Andre and Jacqui Kaplan, and emerging leaders Justin and Amy Mayer. I am so grateful to all involved and am looking forward to celebrating with you on Sunday evening!

Then, in a few weeks we will celebrate one of our appointed sacred times, the holiday of Shavuot. Shavuot marks the anniversary of the Revelation at Sinai and receiving the great gift of the Torah. Mark your calendars for our annual celebration of Torah and Jewish learning, the Tikkun Leil Shavuot, on Thursday evening May 21st – Next week we will send out the full schedule of teachers and timing – as well as for the Yizkor Memorial prayers which will be recited on the second day of Shavuot, which is also Shabbat, May 23rd.

This Shabbat includes a lot of celebration too – our regular Shabbat service or Rhythm & Ruach at 6pm, a dinner, and an author talk with Pierre Lehu, co-author and collaborator of the famous Dr. Ruth Westheimer z’l. Pierre will discuss his relationship with Dr. Ruth, as well as their recently released 26th and last book together, The Joy of Con­nec­tions, released after her passing. Then on Saturday we have another simcha, the bar mitzvah of Mitchell Langus, to celebrate together. It promises to be another beautiful Shabbat at WJC.

See you in shul,

RJA