Dear Friends,
As we read this week’s Torah portion which deals with the Golden Calf, I believe that each of us should think about what is important to us and how we relate to G-d. I believe that our ancestors struggled with how to connect to G-d and when Moses didn’t come down from Mt. Sinai when they expected, they built the Golden Calf. Was the Calf an idol? Did they need to see G-d and therefore build a likeness of G-d? And…what does this mean to us in our world as we think about our own personal connection to the Divine and to our religious beliefs?
I recently asked members of our confirmation class at Congregation Adat Reyim whether they could root for a football team in the Super Bowl when there had been accusations that one of their star players may have been involved in an immoral sexual act and had been suspended for a number of games by the NFL. The consensus was that we root for the way our “heroes” play on the field and not what they do in their personal lives. I was troubled by their response because in my ideal world, it should matter what our”heroes” do both on and off the field. However, sometimes I believe that we put aside our moral and religious values because we want our team to win. I am personally as guilty of this as anyone since I hope that the teams I root for have the best players who can help them win. But…then I become concerned that perhaps I too am an idolater who worships winning over good sportsmanship and moral behavior.
As we think about our own careers and what is important to us, I wonder how many of us chase after the idols of money, fame, status, material possessions and other “idols” at the expense of devoting ourselves to helping others, spending time with our families, and making a difference in the lives of members of our community.
Finally, I wonder whether I would have patiently waited for Moses to return or whether I would have built an idol to personify G-d in my life. As members of the Jewish community, I believe that we should strive to pursue justice and to live by the selection from Pirke Avot (Teachings of the Sages) that reminds us that the world stands on three things, Torah (study), Avodah (worship), and g’milut hasadim (deeds of loving kindness). May we be inspired by the experience of our ancestors to study, find time for spirituality, and perform actions that will heal our world.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Bruce Aft