Dear Haverim,
In the Jewish weekly cycle of Torah readings, Jews all over the world have been focused, over the last few weeks, on the greatest leader in Biblical Judaism, Moses. “Our” Moses is also considered a great prophet in Christianity and Islam, as well as in the Bahai and Druze faiths.
From Talmudic times to this very day, he is called, in Judaism, “Moshe Rabbeinu” – Moses, our teacher, our Rabbi. Importantly, Jews never raised his stature to that of a god, precisely so that he could serve as a model of a fully human being with a wide range of emotions. Humility, patience, anger, intelligence, and wisdom combined within him to remind us that even the greatest leaders are always complex and subject to a variety of psychological forces. Still, our tradition paints him, through Biblical texts and Midrashic commentaries, as a highly actualized human being.
Of course, even Biblical scholars know very little about the “actual” Moses. The Moses of religion is aspirational and inspirational, but many traditionalists don’t want to examine what history tells us lest it compromise faith. As Reconstructionists, we’re not worried about a loss of (liberal) faith; even more, we are certainly interested in what history can teach us.
So, please join us this Friday night, when Dr. Matthew Lupu will speak after 7:00 p.m. “Shabbat Alive” services on “The Historical Moses.” Not only is Moses interesting, but so is Dr. Lupu. A dentist, whose curiosity led him to get advanced degrees in archaeology and philology, he is now a PhD candidate at Florida State University’s Department of Classics. From neurobiology to ancient mythology, Dr. Lupu will bring us the history of Moses, situated in the facts as well as in the mysteries and myths of the Ancient Near East.
So, RSVP now (click here to attend in person) for a delicious Shabbat dinner at 6:00 p.m., and our jazz and pop Shabbat Alive services with our band at 7:00 p.m., followed by Dr. Lupu.
This is a Torah talk that you don’t want to miss! (We’ll also honor those with February birthdays and anniversaries.) Join us for “Super Bowl Shabbat” and meet Judaism’s Most Valuable Player, Moses.
Shavua Tov/ Have a week of learning,
Rabbi Arnie Rachlis
