Rabbi Bruce's Reflections on Life

  Dear Friends, As we commemorate Tisha B'Av, we remember the tragedies that have occurred on the 9th Day of the Hebrew month of Av. When we were recently in Rome, I was somewhat unnerved by the tour of the Roman Colosseum. As I learned that the Colosseum was built with some materials from the Second Temple and that a number of slaves who built the Temple were Jewish, I began to think more about Jewish suffering. I spoke to a group  at a local retirement home recently and mentioned this.  One of the residents suggested that instead of dwelling on the sadness and tragedy, that we should celebrate that despite persecution, we are still here. I hope that as we think about the modern meaning of Tisha B'Av, we will remember the sadness but will celebrate the joys of our faith, religion, culture, and civilization.  As we begin the process of preparing for Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year), let's think about what we can do to alleviate suffering in our world....

 Dear Friends, Last Shabbat I commemorated the 25th and 22nd anniversaries of my parents' deaths. I gave a sermonette at a local congregation where I spoke about the weekly Torah portion (scriptural reading) which was a double portion from the Book of Numbers, "Hukkat" and "Balak." In this portion, "Hukkat", Moses' brother, Aaron dies and the people mourn for 30 days.  Moses' sister Miriam dies and there is no opportunity to mourn. Immediately afterwards as a response to the Israelites' complaining that they did not have enough water, Moses is asked to speak to a rock to provide water for the people (which had been Miriam's responsibility).  Moses, who had not had the opportunity to mourn for his sister, loses his temper with our ancestors' complaints and hits the rock instead of speaking to it. G-d reprimands Moses by telling him he will not enter the promised land. I have often thought that this was a harsh consequence since Moses...