The Torah
It was five years ago on Sunday,
May 15, 2016 (corresponding to 7th Iyar, 5776 on the Hebrew
calendar), that the New Synagogue of Long Island celebrated the completion of
our 100-year-old Torah. The entire Multi-Faith Campus joined us as we completed the restoration of the Torah and
welcomed the Torah into our home.
The Torah, or Jewish Written Law, usually refers to the Pentateuch,
the first five books of the Hebrew Bible – Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers,
and Deuteronomy. They were given by G-d to Moses on Mount Sinai. These books
make up the story of the Jewish people. These ancient stories touch upon
science, history, philosophy, rituals, and ethics. Included are stories of
individuals, families, wars, slavery and more. Running through these stories is
the unique lens through which the Jewish people come to view their world.
The Torah is a large
scroll of parchment. A Torah scroll may only be written on parchment from
the skin of a kosher animal. The Torah - all 304,805 letters in 5,845
verses in 248 columns - is handwritten by a Sofer (Scribe) who must copy
the text perfectly by hand. No machines are involved. Reading from the Torah is quite challenging
since no vowels or punctuation appears in the text. The Torah is divided into fifty-four
sections, each one called a sidrah or parasha. Each week, on Shabbat another portion is
read. We also read that same portion on
the Monday and Thursday before Shabbat.
The Torah
is “Light.” The main essential concept
of Torah is that it gifts us with “Spiritual Illumination.” In
English, the word “Aura” refers to a “Surrounding Light,” which is said to illuminate and surround the body. Torah is the Light - the
Spiritual Illumination that comes from the inside out.
The Torah is “Love.” In Kabbalah, Judaism’s mystical tradition, we
believe that we can understand the essence of anyone or anything by looking at
the sum of its individual parts. The
first letter of the Torah is Bet and the last letter of the Torah is Lamed. If we put the two letters together, a word is
formed, Lev which means “Heart.”
(לב)
The Torah is “Knowledge.” In Torah, G-d reveals himself / herself to each
of us. Studying Torah tells us not only what
is, but what G-d expects of us.
The study of Torah never ends.
Each year, as we read the sacred text again, it can be as if we are
reading it for the first time. Each encounter offers the possibility of new
meanings because even though the words and the stories of Torah are the same
from year to year, we change.
The study of Torah is what brings
us closer to G-d. G-d can be found wherever we come together. All people have the capacity to know G-d and
to be deserving of G-d’s favor. G-d
dwells wherever a heart reaches out in prayer and in actions. Just imagine what
the world might look like if we all came together, each with our own separate
gifts, but all revolving around the betterment of humankind. Showing kindness to others is something virtually
all religions teach. Imagine a just and
ethical society, where everyone gives to one another and helps one another and
protects one another.
Ve’ahav’ta lere’acha ka’mocha
“Love thy neighbor as yourself” (Leviticus
19:17-18)
The Torah in our shared sanctuary
therefore embodies the true spirit of each of our communities and honors all
who the call the Multi-Faith Campus their home.
The Torah belongs to all of us regardless of the path that we choose to
G-d, the One Truth.
Rabbi Stuart A. Paris, HaKohen
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