Parshat Noah

The Hebrew word for “ark” in the story of Noah is “tevah,” which can also mean “word” (because words, like arks, are vessels).  According to the Baal Shem Tov, God’s command to Noah to “go into the tevah” has a deeper message, which is addressed to all of us. To make Torah and prayer meaningful, we must go into the tevah — the word —  with our whole selves.

To truly study Torah means not just to think about the text from a distance, but to put ourselves into the text, to let it shape our minds and hearts, so that — like Noah’s ark — it can renew our lives. In the same way, to truly pray means to enter into the language of the siddur, to allow its words to move us to a higher level.

Sacred words — words of Torah and prayer — are truly sacred only if we grant them the power to change us. That means finding the courage to go into the tevah. By daring to inhabit ancient words, we make ourselves new.

• The New Shul’s Shabbat morning service is from 9 am to noon on Saturdays. In accordance with the latest Covid guidance from the CDC, we require all those over the age of 2 to wear a mask while in our building.
• Childcare is available on Shabbat mornings from 10 am to noon.
• The kiddush this Shabbat, October 9, is sponsored by Althea Levine in honor of her birthday.
• Weekday minyanim at The New Shul are on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings at 6:30 pm, and on Sunday mornings at 9:30 am. Kabbalat Shabbat is at 6 pm on Friday evenings, at our rabbis’ home (please contact us for directions).