RABBI KELLER

rabbikeller@cbiboca.org

Lift Up Your Eyes and See

“The Passover Haggadah prompts us all to ask a very good question: What if we were slaves and we didn’t even know it? What if what enslaved us was not a Pharaoh in Egypt but a way we’ve grown accustomed to living? How can we free ourselves?

Among the many Israelites who left Egypt were two men: Sh’lumi’el and Buz.

Slaves never look up; they only look down. And as slaves for their entire lives, Sh’lumi’el and Buz had grown so accustomed to looking down they could no longer lift their eyes.

When Moses brought us across the Red Sea, we all witnessed the great miracle: The sea parted, and we escaped from slavery. We became a free people. We came to know that God has a purpose in our history.

Sh’lumi’el asked Buz, “What do you see?”

“I see mud,” Buz responded.

“I see mud, too. What’s all this about freedom? We had mud in Egypt; we have mud here!” And they missed the miracle of their escape. The sea split before them, but they didn’t see it. They saw only mud.

Then we stood at Mount Sinai in the Presence of God and heard God’s voice proclaiming the commandments. We accepted God’s Covenant and pledged ourselves to become a holy people, God’s partners in healing the world.

Sh’lumi’el asked Buz, “What do you hear?” “I hear someone shouting commands,” Buz answered. “I hear commands, too. What’s all this about Torah? They shouted commands in Egypt; they shout commands here.”

4 And they missed the miracle of hearing God’s voice. God spoke to every Israelite, but Sh’lumi’el and Buz didn’t hear God’s voice. They had heard enough commands. Finally, after forty years of wandering in the desert, we arrived at the Promised Land, the land of milk and honey, the land promised our ancestors. We arrived in the place of our fondest dreams. Buz asked Sh’lumi’el, “How do you feel?”

“My feet hurt,” Sh’lumi’el replied.

“My feet hurt, too. What’s all this about a Promised Land? My feet hurt in Egypt; my feet hurt here!”

And they missed the miracle of entering our own land, Eretz Yisrael. The Israelites returned to the land promised them by the Covenant. The promise to our ancestors was fulfilled, but Sh’lumi’el and Buz didn’t know it – they knew none of it. Their feet hurt too much.

So, what did they do? Sh’lumi’el and Buz turned around and began walking back toward Egypt.

Some say that Sh’lumi’el and Buz are still wandering in the wilderness, looking down at the desert sand and rocks and complaining to each other.

Others say they went back to Egypt. Back to Pharaoh. Back to slavery. Back to the place they knew best. Back to the place where they began.

Still others say they’ve seen Sh’lumi’el and Buz – or perhaps their descendants – walking among us, living right here and now, wandering about with their eyes cast down, missing all the miracles that are taking place around them all the time. They haven’t any idea where they’re going. And they continue to miss all the many chances to know about what life is all about.

If only they could lift up their eyes and see!”

*Feinstein, E. (2008). Capturing the moon: classic and modern Jewish tales. Springfield, NJ: Behrman House.

WELCOMING YOU FROM THE FIRST SHALOM Rabbi Keller Senior Associate Rabbi Passover is a time of celebrating our freedom! This matzah-filled holiday sits deep within our DNA as a Jewish people. It consistently reminds us that we should never lose sight of the miracles we experienced…and continue to experience. Let’s not get stuck looking down at our feet, instead let’s celebrate our freedom and rejoice!

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Dear CBI Family,

In an on-going effort to provide meaningful and accessible worship services for our entire community, this past fall, we changed our Friday evening Shabbat service to 6:15 p.m. We chose this time after much thought and deliberation. It was felt that this time provided the most convenience and accessibility for members and children of all ages, thus providing a joyous communal worship experience we could all enjoy together.

After several months we experienced feedback as to the challenge this earlier time created for some in our congregation. In the best interest of the congregation, we therefore held Town Hall meetings and even sent out a survey to provide our community the forum in which to express their feelings.

In response to these meetings and the survey we have decided to change the Friday evening Shabbat service times to 7:00 p.m. and continue the 6:15 p.m. service on the first Friday of each month beginning in March and continuing for April and May.

March 6 @ 6:15 p.m. and March 13, 20, 27 @ 7 p.m. April 3 @ 6: 15 p.m. and April 10, 17, 24 @ 7 p.m. May 1 @ 6:15 and May 8, 15, 22, 29 @ 7 p.m.

Commencing with this change, we will discontinue the pre-nosh before all services but will continue to provide Oneg Shabbat refreshments after all services. Additionally, in June we will begin our normal summer schedule of early services every Friday night at 6:15 p.m.

As our sole interest is in doing what’s best for the congregation, we feel, that at this time, this is the proper path to pursue. Please know that you have our assurance that this will be an on-going conversation with you, our members, to ensure that we always address the needs and concerns of all of our members with the goal to make those moments of communal gathering and prayer meaningful and accessible to all.

On behalf of the entire clergy, I thank you for your participation in this process and in the ability to have an open dialogue, which we hope to continue.