For 08/30/2025
Shalom Aliechem,
Hoping your Elul has been coming along great and he is to his beloved, and his beloved is to he. Part of Elul is taking stock, and for our home synagogue dinner today we took stock of our kosher growings here at the top end of the month…as below, to help us understand this weeks Torah portions that is Shoftim. Shoftim is Hebrew in plural form for Judges.
So, today we put together our Kosher Shabbat meal from taking inventory of the Rabbis home garden, and we “judge” it is good to eat. Easy enough in just one home synagogue for a Shabbat meal lined up for the weekend. Yet, Shoftim in Hebrew covers multiple judges, for a much larger setting. The Torah portion covers Judicial, Kings, Priest and Prophets. If you survive the coming nuclear wars, like in the movie Book of Eli, you would need to rebuild society from the Torah, for it outlines how to create the old customary rulers, leaders and party to govern over us if some messiah or leader is not otherwise had.
Torah portions this week…
Deuteronomy 16:18-21:9
Isaiah 51:12-52:12
No wooden trees for altars, and it covers the police (Shoter) and judges are to be appointed for righteous Judgement. Isaiah covering that we are held in his hands. In great simplifying, these readings cover us as being set apart as his, and we follow his laws as what sets us apart. It is good to be held “in his hands”, for he leads us to peace, safety and assurance. When we chose to follow his commands, his laws, we are ruled with peace and not lawlessness and violence the way some current rulers run cities with crime and violences. The state this ministry is in, is Colorado with the nations 4th highest crime rate, the result of people leaving the Torah laws and electing wicked leaders to in turn let them be wicked, that lead to wicked results.
In Judaism, we have compared to Christianity, that there is 1,050 laws in Christianity. Whereas the written Torah only has 613 laws. We of Judaism here in the USA have 279 laws to adhere to, because there is no Temple, and we live in diaspora…not in Israel. That’s why here in the USA, we look wicked and sinful like Denver, Colorado. Too many laws, or not enough laws.
We have great love for all our Christian and Judaic family and friends, and encourage discussion about the laws and who we serve….and how we follow the laws and our leaders.
B’Shalom,
Rabbi Mark Howard
markhoward2012@mark