Rabbi Janine's Messages

Dear Community, 

Most people come to religion and spirituality wanting to know, how do you live a good life?  

In Parshat Eikev, we read: 
And now, O Israel, what does the your Gd ask of you? Only this: to revere the your Gd, to walk only in Gd’s paths, to love Gd, and to serve your Gd with all your heart and soul. 

Bahya (an eleventh century rabbi and philosopher) understands this line as Moses explaining to the Israelites that even though they annoyed Gd so many times in the desert, Gd is prepared to forgive them as long as from this moment on the people of Israel display reverence for Gd. 

Torah is clear that Gd wants to be revered. But the details on how are not as clear. How do we revere Gd, walk in Gd’s path, love Gd, and serve Gd?  

The rabbis of Talmud answer this question through word play, saying when we read in Eikev, 
 "מה ה' שואל" or "What does Hashem ask?"
We should actually be reading it as "מאה ה' שואל" or “the Lord asks for one hundred"

By adding an aleph to the word "מה" the rabbis turn the word "what" into "one hundred." By doing so, the rabbis turn the question "What does Hashem ask (of us)?" into a new lesson: What does Hashem want from us? One hundred blessings. 
 
How do we revere Gd? By reciting one hundred or "מאה" blessings a day. 

Are those 100 blessings really for Gd?

You may not be surprised to hear that our ancient rabbinical scholars had different opinions on this matter too. In a seemingly modern take from a 12th century rabbi, Nachmanides writes that this verse in Eikev includes the words "לטוב לך" or “for your benefit.” The message is that Gd does not require obeisance, service, love, reverence for Gd’s sake, but all of these requests are for your benefit. […]Gd owns the universe and all there is in it, there is nothing that a creature can do to enhance Gd’s well being.

As a Reconstructionist, I believe that prayer is necessary as a way to connect to Gd. I do not believe Gd needs our prayer but rather that we need it to remain connected with the Source of all blessings. Aiming for one hundred blessings a day is a powerful way to cultivate gratitude for one’s life. 

That is how you live a good life.  

Shabbat Shalom, 

Rabbi Janine Jankovitz