Rabbi's Blog

Dear OZ family,

The 929 chapters of the Bible contain hundreds of verses that encapsulate our vision of Godliness and holiness. I paraphrase below a few choices of what appears in various sources, about that all-encompassing verse.

• God created the human in His own image
• Hear O Israel the Lord our God, the Lord is one.
• Love your neighbor as yourself.
• Moshe commanded us regarding the Torah; it is an inheritance for the congregation of Yaacov.
• You shall find favor and approbation in the eyes of God and man.
• Its ways are ways of pleasantness and all its paths are peace.
• In all your paths, know Him.
• Do justice, love goodness, and walk humbly with God.
• I place God before me at all times.
• Do what is right and acknowledge the truth.
• Be holy.
• Do the right thing.
• You shall strive to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.
• The righteous shall live by faith.

Yet the verse that always wins these contests is in this week’s Parsha and here it is:  (B’midbar 28:4)

• You shall offer one lamb in the morning and one lamb in the afternoon.

The most important, all encompassing verse in the Bible describes the daily Korban Tamid and it teaches us consistency and constancy. To be reliable. To show up. To be in the first ten of a minyan. To be the one people turn to in times of trouble.

May the summer months offer us many opportunities for Chesed, kindness, spreading good will , and consistency in our Mitzvos.  One last word about the Bible in the form of a Mussar Moment:

• If you don’t have a Bible, get one. If you have one, read it. If you read it, live it. If it could help with Rocky Raccoon’s revival, think of what it can do for us.

Please join me in wishing Mazel Tov to Jessica and Ilan Katz on the Bris of their son, Ziv Chaim. And Mazel Tov to Yoann and Rivkah Mallet on the Bris of their son, Yedidya Yosef Chaim. And Mazel Tov to Nicole and Michael Strongin on the bris of their son, Aharon Yosef Shimon. And Mazel Tov to Jessica and Aharon Herring on the Pidyon Haben of their son Yoel Betzalel. And Mazel Tov to Glenn and Amy Leibowitz on the engagement of their daughter Dalia to Moshe Fink. Simcha continues unabated!

Shabbat Shalom.

Stay well. Be healthy. Be excellent.

Rabbi Allen Schwartz

Rabbi Allen Schwartz

Congregation Ohab Zedek

118 West 95^th Street | New York, NY  10025-6604

Phone 212.749-5150, ext 200 | Fax 212.663-3635

E-mail ras@ozny.org

Website:  www.ozny.org