You can join us either in person or on Zoom for Shabbat services and/or Torah study. If you are in the Bay Area, we’d love to have you join us in person. This week, in addition to Shabbat morning services and Torah study, we will also host a hybrid Tu B’shvat seder. We’d love to have you join us.

A peek into Torah study with us and the parsha this week
What is going on here? Pharaoh lets the Hebrews go after the slaying of the firstborn sons of all Egyptians but then God stiffens Pharaoh’s heart so he will pursue the Hebrews and so “I will gain glory through Pharaoh and all his host; and the Egyptians shall know that I am יהוה.” Why is God hardening Pharaoh’s heart? Sounds like God is on a power trip to prove that this God, the Hebrew God YHVH, is the most powerful God of all. God seems to be in competition with Pharaoh and the Egyptian gods. God, apparently, still has some growing to do!

The text continues: “And so they did.” In hindsight, Pharoah decides it is not such a great idea to let all the Hebrew slaves go, who after all will do all the manual labor in Egypt for free? The slaves, it turns out, are rather central to the socio-economic power structure in Egypt.

As the Trump administration carries out raids on immigrant communities and peoples, will the administration eventually realize the importance of immigrants to the well-being of our society? In our Torah story, we are told that the mass multitudes fled with us. In other words, there were many other people in Egyptian society who saw the injustices and chose to leave the society when the opportunity presented itself. What is needed of the mass multitudes today? How can we stand up as our cities and communities are being ripped apart by a staggering number of policies and actions, affecting immigrants, LGBTQI people, and so many others? Rather than flee or turn away, will we stand together and refuse to back down?

We are also told that many Hebrew slaves did not leave, perhaps too scared to face the unknown. It seems that many in our community are refusing to face the ongoing horrors in Gaza and the West Bank. Trump just announced that he wants to take over Gaza and kick all the Palestinians out. While not surprising, it is horrifying. Facing the unknown and being willing to honestly look at what has been and is happening is necessary. What will it take for us to do so?

Tu B’shvat Seder
We will begin our Tu B’shvat Seder after Torah study at 11:30am PST. Our seder is based on the Kabbalist Tu B’shvat seder, grounded in the four worlds, tasting fruits and nuts, and drinking mixtures of white and red wine or grape juice unique to each of the four worlds: Asiyah, the world of embodiment and action; Yetzirah, the world of formation and emotions; Briyah, the world of creation and thoughts; Atzilut, the world of spirit and soul. Tu B’shvat is an opportunity to reconnect with our spiritual selves and renew our commitment to both tikkun ha-nefesh (repair of our soul) and tikkun ha-olam (repair of the world). We will have opportunities for sharing and reflection as well as meditation. Ami Goodman will lead us in song and Abby Caplin will share some of her poetry. It will be a nourishing balm during these turbulent times.

Accessibility & Covid Practices for this gathering:
The house has 5 stairs to enter. We will be sitting in a living and dining room, either on couches or the floor (cushions provided). During the Seder, we will be sitting at a table with chairs. Please feel free to bring a seat or cushion that is comfortable for you. The windows will be open and an air filter will be on. If you are able to wear a mask, we request that you do so. If you are sick, please join us on Zoom.

If you intend to join us in person, please email Austin at austin@beyttikkun.org by Thursday at 5:00pm PST so we know to expect you. This is particularly helpful for us to predict how much supplies to purchase for our Tu B’shvat seder (if you forget to do so, no worries, please come either way!).

Organization: Beyt Tikkun