Dear Aria: Torah for my Daughter
This year, having a beautiful three week old daughter kept me from attending a Tikkun Leil Shavuot (a nightlong study session). Instead, as we celebrate receiving the Torah, I got to thinking about the Torah I hope to raise my daughter on. Here are a few of those teachings.
כז) וַיִּבְרָ֨א אֱלֹהִ֤ים ׀ אֶת־הָֽאָדָם֙ בְּצַלְמ֔וֹ בְּצֶ֥לֶם אֱלֹהִ֖ים בָּרָ֣א אֹת֑וֹ זָכָ֥ר וּנְקֵבָ֖ה בָּרָ֥א אֹתָֽם׃
(27) So God created the human beings in [the divine] image, creating [them] in the image of God, creating them male and female.
Dear Aria,
As you grow in our tradition, in our society, in our world, never forget this foundational verse. Despite endless translations that define adam in the masculine, our Torah defines adam as wholly male and wholly female. God creates man and woman as equals, making adam more accurately defined as human beings. Consider this your first piece of #FeministTorah.
Love,
Dad
וְגֵ֥ר לֹא־תוֹנֶ֖ה וְלֹ֣א תִלְחָצֶ֑נּוּ כִּֽי־גֵרִ֥ים הֱיִיתֶ֖ם בְּאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃
You shall not wrong a stranger or oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.
Dear Aria,
Every Shabbat we recall leaving Egypt, singing zecher litziat mitzrayim during the kiddush. We are so blessed to live comfortably in this great country. Every time we sing those words at our shabbos table, I want you to remember this verse. Ingrained in our tradition is not just feeling empathy for the stranger and the oppressed, but taking action to make the stranger welcome and the oppressed freed. I pray, en route to the White House, that you to take on this holy work.
Love,
Dad
יח) ...וְאָֽהַבְתָּ֥ לְרֵעֲךָ֖ כָּמ֑וֹךָ אֲנִ֖י יְהוָֽה׃
(18) ...Love your neighbor - he or she is like you. I am Adonai.
Dear Aria,
There are few passages from the Torah that I want you to take more to heart than this one. As you grow in a world in which bullying and selfishness often reign, be the counterweight. Stand up to bullies with kindness and always be generous in deeds and time. You don't know Rabbi Richard Levy, but he is a special soul who greatly influenced me. He taught me to see every person with a יְהוָֽה hovering above their head. I hope you do the same.
Love,
Dad
כד) יְבָרֶכְךָ֥ יְהוָ֖ה וְיִשְׁמְרֶֽךָ׃
כה) יָאֵ֨ר יְהוָ֧ה ׀ פָּנָ֛יו אֵלֶ֖יךָ וִֽיחֻנֶּֽךָּ׃
(כו) יִשָּׂ֨א יְהוָ֤ה ׀ פָּנָיו֙ אֵלֶ֔יךָ וְיָשֵׂ֥ם לְךָ֖
שָׁלֽוֹם׃
(24) May God Bless you and guard you. (25) May the light of God shine upon you, and may God be gracious to you. (26) May the presence of God be with you and give you peace.
Dear Aria,
Mom and I recite these words of toyrah to you every shabbat. Y'varechecha Adonai V'yish'm'recha. May God and mom and me and Mimi and Pops and Gigi and Saba and Aunt Alyssa and Aunt Mira and Uncle Dov and Uncle Josh and Aunt Rebecca and our friends and our community make you feel blessed and keep you safe. Ya'er Adonai panav eilecha vichuneka. May the light of God shine upon you and emanate from you. May God always be gracious to you and may you always be kind to others. Yisa Adonai panav eilecha v'yasem l'cha shalom. May the presence of God and our tradition always lead you forth in strength and maintain your peace of mind.
Love,
Mom & Dad
טז) שָׁל֣וֹשׁ פְּעָמִ֣ים ׀ בַּשָּׁנָ֡ה יֵרָאֶ֨ה כָל־זְכוּרְךָ֜ אֶת־פְּנֵ֣י ׀ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ בַּמָּקוֹם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִבְחָ֔ר בְּחַ֧ג הַמַּצּ֛וֹת וּבְחַ֥ג הַשָּׁבֻע֖וֹת וּבְחַ֣ג הַסֻּכּ֑וֹת וְלֹ֧א יֵרָאֶ֛ה אֶת־פְּנֵ֥י יְהוָ֖ה רֵיקָֽם׃ (יז) אִ֖ישׁ כְּמַתְּנַ֣ת יָד֑וֹ כְּבִרְכַּ֛ת יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָֽתַן־לָֽךְ׃
(16) Three times a year—during Pesah, during Shavuot, and during Sukkot—all your males shall appear before the your God יְהוָ֥ה in the place that [God] will choose. They shall not appear before יְהוָ֥ה empty-handed, (17) but each with his own gift, according to the blessing that your God יְהוָ֥הhas bestowed upon you.
Dear Aria,
During this festival of Shavuot, as well as during Sukkot (my fav!) and Pesah (Uncle Fyn's fav!), God commands us to offer our own gifts to Adonai, as we are able. I pray that as you grow in our faith, you bring your unique gifts, passions and insights to all of our holiday celebrations. Innovate, think outside of the box, push your mom and I to create new rituals and family traditions. The future gifts of your nascent generation will carry the torch of Judaism into the future.
Love,
Dad
Dear Aria,
Your first Shavuot was uneventful, besides you peeing on mom. #BatMitzvahReel
I hope these nuggets of Torah come in handy in the future and you apply them in your own, unique, beautiful way.
Chag sameach, shmush.
Love,
Dad
A source sheet of these texts can be found on Sefaria.