Yom Kippur Afternoon 5773 Temple Sinai, Reno, NV As our High Holiday worship draws near to completion, we arrive – in this year’s sermon series – at the blessing that concludes this package of blessings surrounding and including the Shema. This last blessing, G’ullah or the “Blessing of Redemption,” proclaims God’s saving power. This final […]
The Shema: A Little Known Verse Gone Famous
Rabbi Emerita Myra Soifer 2012 HHD Sermons for 5773
Yom Kippur Morning 5773 Temple Sinai, Reno, NV We arrive this morning, in my sermon series on “The Shema and its Blessings,” at the heart of this opening section of our prayer book, that is the Shema itself. This is a prayer that we all know well. Or do we? I’m guessing that when I […]
Birkat HaTorah (Ahavat Olam/Ahavah Rabbah)
Rabbi Emerita Myra Soifer 2012 HHD Sermons for 5773
The Challenges of Parenting . . . Even for God Erev Yom Kippur 5773 Temple Sinai, Reno, NV I continue, this Kol Nidre evening, with the theme of my High Holiday sermons this year, which is “The Shema and its blessings”. With the help of liturgist and scholar Lawrence Hoffman, we’ve been looking at these […]
Yotzeir: The Complexities of Creation
Rabbi Emerita Myra Soifer 2012 HHD Sermons for 5773
Rosh HaShanah Morning 5773 Temple Sinai, Reno, NV As many of you heard last night, or read in the synagogue e-bulletin, the focus of my sermons, this High Holidays, is upon the opening prayers of our worship service — that is, the Shema and its surrounding blessings. For these sermons, I’m leaning very heavily upon […]
The Barchu: How Can We Bless God?!?
Rabbi Emerita Myra Soifer 2012 HHD Sermons for 5773
Erev Rosh HaShanah 5773 Temple Sinai, Reno, NV As many of you are aware, the focus of my sermons, this High Holidays, is upon some of the prayers of our Jewish liturgy. Specifically, we’ll be looking at the opening prayers of our worship service, that is, the Shema and its surrounding blessings. To do so, […]