Find your talking donkey

And now a story…

During a Friday night service this summer, Rabbi Weiss did a sermon on Balak and Balaam. For those of you who missed it, and that means most of you, I 'd like to give a brief recap.

 The Israelites are traveling thru the desert, despite popular belief, they are actually battling there way thru populated lands and they’re winning! Balak, king of the Moabites, is afraid of them and tries to hire a powerful prophet, Balaam to curse this powerful group who has come out of Egypt, so that his army can conquer them. Balaam talks to god and god tells him “Don’t do it”, so he refuses. Once again, Balak sends officials to Balaam, this time with the promise of great rewards. Balaam once again asks god what he should do. This time god says its ok for him to go with Balak’s officials, but he can only do what god tells him to do.

Without giving him a chance to do more than saddle up his donkey, god gets angry seeing Balaam on his way, and sends a sword bearing angel to block the donkey’s way. The donkey veers off the road and gets hit for his troubles. On they go, and this time the angel forces the donkey against a wall and Balaam’s leg gets scraped. And the donkey gets hit again. The third time the angel is right in front of them, and the donkey lays down. Once again, smack.

 Only this time, the donkey asks Balaam “Hey, why are you hitting me?” I repeat, the donkey says “why are you hitting me?” Imagine that, a talking donkey.

 Now our rabbi is a great story teller and while he is telling us this story, it truly sounds like a Disney story, complete with a talking donkey. I'm there, thinking Shrek. Then I remember, this was the very first story I read when I joined my Torah study group back in 1993.

 Can you imagine? Before that day, I'd never read the bible, and I walk in and they're reading a story featuring a talking donkey! I was hooked!

 Of course, its not always that much fun. Sometimes we read long lists of names, we never skip a word. Sometimes its a travelog naming all the wells and stone alters the Hebrews passed on the way, but then you get something amazing...something that reads like a movie script... mothers bewailing that their sons are marrying shiksas. More variations on incest than you can imagine, battles, angels, god gambling with satan, and don't forget that talking donkey!

 Now, in my torah study group we each read from whatever version grabs our attention on that day. Some of us use the Plaut version that you should all be familiar with, or the King James. There are versions written by Catholics, Protestants, Orthodox jews, poets, scholars and many more. But they all tell the same story. The thing to remember is that they are all translations of the same scroll that is housed in the Ark right behind me.

This morning you've heard several of our congregants chanting from that scroll. I've had the honor of doing that on several occasions, and I can attest to the power of that experience. The scroll is a work of art. It is hand written with an incredible amount of reverence.

And this brings me to the reason I’ve just told you about my love story with the torah. This year we have a unique opportunity to participate in the repair of our Torah scroll. The very one that our children read from when they become b’nai mitzvah.

You will be getting information about the project and how you can get involved. Our hope is that there will be 100% participation.

 There will be educational sessions with the sofer who will be doing the work. There will be social events celebrating the scrolls, and you will each be given the chance to support the work in a very personal way.

 This will be a year long process, so watch for information about how you can be a part of this exciting experience. And don't forget, the torah is a scroll, but it is also our story. Get involved. Think about joining a torah study group, its the best way to be introduced to our book, and we have 3 of these groups meeting every Sunday right here in this building who would welcome you with open arms.

I encourage each of you to find your own talking donkey and follow him into the magical world of our Torah.