The Last Word

       If I were to ask the question what the first word of the Torah is, most people would be able to answer - “In the Beginning” (B’reishit). Yet, I would wager most people would not know what the last word of the Torah is. Again tellingly, I think most Americans could start the Declaration of Independence, the Preamble of the Constitution, or the Gettysburg address but, ending them is a whole other story. I believe this phenomena exists because it is inherently more memorable and easier to begin things; while it is much harder to finish them, and see them through to the end. In our personal lives we can probably count home projects or ideas that we started but never finished. Sometimes we simply lose interest and focus, and other times life just gets in the way. 
 
      But, when we do finish a project, complete an assignment, or graduate there is a real sense of accomplishment. Often it becomes sweeter looking back over the journey and taking stock of all of the twists and turns we never could have imagined when we first began. So it is as well with the Torah. “In the Beginning” (B’reishit), starts with God creating the world but, while God finished and rested on the seventh day - Shabbat - the real journey was truly only beginning. Similarly, the last word of the Torah, “Israel” (Yisrael) or more accurately All Israel (Kol-Yisrael) is not really the conclusion of the story but, also a new beginning albeit very different. While God initiates the original Creation, in contrast the end of the Torah highlights the partnership between God and the whole people of Israel. The journey of creation has now been placed not only in God’s hands, or into any one person’s hand (like Moses) but, instead into the Jewish people’s hands as a whole. In truth, it is all Israel who are about to cross-over into the Promised Land, and create the homeland which will bear their name. 

      Similarly our life journeys have many ups, downs, twists and turns from our own “In the Beginning” to “All Israel”. For nine wonderful years I have been a part of Temple Beth David, and the larger Palm Beach Jewish community. Never could I have imagined the amazing people I would get to meet, work with, and become dear friends with. I have been truly blessed to have such dedicated rabbis, cantors, educators and lay leaders who every day strive to make Jewish life in the Palm Beaches deeply meaningful, vibrant, and sacred. Thank you for the opportunity to teach Torah, bring my voice and vision, and add my hands to the holy work of this community. As Rabbi Simlai taught, “the Torah begins with acts of lovingkindness and ends with acts of lovingkindness,”(Sotah 14a) and so too has my journey here in the Palm Beaches. Thank you for nine years of kindness, understanding, and most of all - love.