Building the World from Love (Shabbat Terumah)
Building the World from Love (Shabbat Terumah)

Why does Torah emphasize the spirit in which the materials for the Mishkan should be gathered above the kind and quality of the materials? Because, it’s not the wool or dye or metals, but rather the act of giving gifts, of connecting with others to create something special – that ultimately makes the Mishkan a holy place. A few verses after our opening, Torah describes what happens when we build something in this way. God says:

V’asu li mikdash v’shechanti betocham / [If they] make Me a sanctuary…I will dwell among them. (25:8)

When we approach a task with generosity of heart, more powerful that the product of our labor is the tangible sense of sacred presence we bring to it, resulting in a monument to love we can see and touch.

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Adam Lavittcommunity, creativity
Sharing Lightens the Load (Shabbat Yitro)
Sharing Lightens the Load (Shabbat Yitro)

Moses and the Israelites [having] narrowly escape Egypt…now must now traverse a seemingly endless wilderness. People quarrel with each other, and Moses tries to mediate their disputes. They struggle to find food and water, and Moses responds by trying to ensure everyone has what they want to eat. In disbelief, Yitro, Moses’ father-in-law hears what Moses has been doing, and famously scolds him:

לֹא־טוֹב֙ הַדָּבָ֔ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר אַתָּ֖ה עֹשֶֽׂה׃ / The thing you are doing is not good…

Focused on making it through each day, Moses completely loses perspective; forgets what an impossible situation he’s in.

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sermonAdam Lavittdecision fatigue, exhaustion, support, compassion
Approaching our Inner Pharoah (Shabbat Bo)
Approaching our Inner Pharoah (Shabbat Bo)

Torah tells us to meet God we must first meet Pharaoh right here. Who is Pharaoh? He is essentially recognizable by his heart, repeatedly described as “hard”, or “heavy”.… At first, Pharaoh sets his own course. But, with every plague, it becomes more difficult for him to change. His reactions become engrained in habit, until his heart closes completely. Maybe we recognize this in ourselves. Can see Pharaoh’s hardened heart right here in our midst.

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sermonAdam Lavitthope, Pharoah, compassion
Telling Your Most Life-Giving Story (Shabbat Vayigash)
Telling Your Most Life-Giving Story (Shabbat Vayigash)

At times we all feel overwhelmed by the challenges we are facing. But when we can take a step back and tell our fullest story – though it’ll include moments of challenge, they will only be a part, not the entirety of our story. When Joseph meets his brothers, he tells a full story: “Do not be distressed or reproach yourselves because you sold me [into slavery]; it was to save life that God sent me ahead of you” (45:5). Joseph acknowledges what his brothers did, but what happened to him is only part of his story.

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sermonAdam Lavitthope, Joseph, story-telling, faith, pandemic
What We Need is Here (Shabbat Vayishlach)
What We Need is Here (Shabbat Vayishlach)

Stuck in “if only” mind, Jacob never felt like what he had was enough. On the eve of his reunion with the brother he has betrayed we would understand if he felt he needed more, begged God for protection. But instead, Jacob turns and does something very different: Jacob prays to God - not with a plea, but with gratitude. He says: “Katonti mi-kol ha-chasadim u’mi-kol ha-emet asher asita et avdecha” / I am unworthy of all the kindness You have so steadfastly shown Your servant.” (Gen 32:11). He has a realization that he already has everything he needs to face his past, take responsibility for his actions, and live with integrity.

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sermonAdam Lavittgratitude, meditation, Jacob, Thanksgiving
Prayer Not Despair (Shabbat Toldot)
Prayer Not Despair (Shabbat Toldot)

As “two separate peoples” striving against each other, we, too, are in existential pain, hindered in our ability to emerge from pandemic, or find clear ways to prevent climate catastrophe. But Rebecca, in her pain, does not despair. Rather, the Targum says, “…she went to pray before God in the House of Study...”. Rebecca goes to her community and prays. Only as she comes face to face with her Source…that Rebecca finally finds space for all the conflicting thoughts and feelings inside of her.

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sermonAdam Lavittprayer, hope, uncertainty, community, parenting
The Greatest Love (Shabbat Lech Lecha)
The Greatest Love (Shabbat Lech Lecha)

On my walk, I found a speckled yellow mushroom. An app on my phone told me this mushroom only grows in association with the Eastern White pine. The mushroom is just a hint, a temporary manifestation, of the massive web of tiny filaments that invisibly bound themselves to the roots of that Eastern White pine to help it grow. This is how I imagine the great love all around us: it steadfastly sustains our world, operates invisibly, except at rare moments when it shows itself to us.

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sermonAdam LavittShabbat, Abraham, love, mushrooms
Live the Questions (Shabbat Bereshit)
Live the Questions (Shabbat Bereshit)

Rav Kook, an early 20th century rabbi and philosopher explains in that moment, Adam “did not know how to give a clear answer to the question, ‘Where are you?’, because he did not know himself, because he had lost [touch with his essence].” I’m sure we can all relate to this feeling. Especially at this point in pandemic, we are all just trying to get through the day. As Aline mentioned at Community Meeting, “How are you?” is no longer a good question, because we just don’t know the answer anymore.

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sermonAdam Lavittrelationships, poetry, self care