Catchy Title Goes Here

Maybe it’s the time of the year with the High Holidays right around the corner (at least it feels that way to me as a rabbi) but I have to make a confession. I am a product of the TV generation. I grew up watching the television. The first thing I did when I went down to have my breakfast was to turn on the TV. If you ask I can even tell you the shows I used to watch – Superman and Circus Boy. And truth be told – I watched more TV than I allowed my own kids to watch as they were growing up. I can say this now given that Rachel is moving to college. I’m not proud of this fact, but it is a defining aspect of my youth.

I mention this now because several individuals have asked me what Torah portion Rabbi Baum and I have selected for this year’s High Holidays. My response:

A horse is a horse of course, of course and no one can talk to horse, of course. That is, of course, unless the horse is the famous Mister Ed.

One of the people to whom I sang this simply stared at me with a quizzical expression on their face. Unfortunately this was not the first time in my life that people had looked at me strangely after I had said something.

They did not know the television show to which I was referring – a show while not a classic – which had certainly consumed much of my free time. Mr. Ed was broadcast in black & white and starred Alan Young. But the real star of the show was Mister Ed, the talking horse. Even if you never saw the show, you can imagine the type of situation the owner of the horse, the only one who knew the horse
could talk, would find himself in. Mister Ed did more than just talk; Mister Ed was a smart alec.

So what does the famous talking Mister Ed have to do with this year’s High Holiday Torah – everything – well sort of. This year we have selected a Torah portion that has never been read at Beth Adam’s High Holiday Services. It tells the story of a king, Balak, who, fearing the Jews, hires a “sorcerer”, Balaam, to curse the Jews. You may be wondering how Mr. Ed fits into a story about someone cursing the Jews. Well a key element of the story is that Balaam travels to the spot where he is to offer his words of condemnation riding a donkey. But, while on their way, the donkey stops and will not move. In anger the rider, Balaam, beats him with a rod. Rather than bucking him off, the donkey turns and speaks to him. This is only the second time in the Torah that an animal has the gift of speech.

Of course, more than just examining this Torah portion during the High Holidays, Rabbi Baum and I will present original midrashim (legends) and sermons that explore religious issues of our day.

We look forward to seeing you at our High Holiday Services. If you’re unable to attend in person, remember Beth Adam’s services will be video streamed on OurJewishCommunity.org (our online congregation). You can even invite your family and friends around the country to participate in our services via the Internet. May this New Year be one of health, happiness and peace.