Torah Study

My favorite prayer from the liturgy has always been the one beginning, "Grant us peace, Your most precious gift, and give us the will to proclaim its message to all the peoples of the earth." I remember it from my childhood, especially the evening services for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur – although, of course, then it was the more formal Union Prayer Book II version beginning, "Grant us peace, Thy most precious gift, O Thou eternal source of peace, and enable Israel to be a messenger of peace unto the peoples of the earth."

Parashat B’midbar is the first Torah portion in the book of “Numbers” and is referred to as “Numbers”, based on the census that takes place among the Israelites. However, the word literally means “In the desert” (or wilderness). In the end, we see how both of those translations are important and very telling about where the Israelites were at this point in their existence.

Though ‘curses and blessings’ are presented in this parashah, our bigger takeaway is that it is up to us to make good choices and take action. I am proud that Women of Reform Judaism has always done the right thing and more than 100 years of our resolutions continue to address the needs of the hungry, the poor, our environment, along with the rights of all peoples and so many relevant and important issues. The smiles we have on our faces and in our hearts come from the joy we share with others.