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Annual Meeting Dvar Torah by Rabbi David Baum - January 29, 2025 - Parashat Bo

Writer's picture: Rabbi David BaumRabbi David Baum


One of the things I often hear from our chaverim/congregants who have made a connection with Shaarei Kodesh is a version of this statement:


“We were at a synagogue, but it just felt like we were going through the motions. We weren’t feeling anything; but when we came to CSK, it was like the lights turned on. We didn’t realize that we were walking in the dark until we came here.”

This is the gift we bring to our chaverim and sacred guests. We provide a place where the lights are not only on, but where each of our own Jewish sparks can be ignited.


In this week's parashah, Bo, we read about the final three plagues: locusts, darkness, and the slaying of the firstborn—each bringing darkness to the land, both physical and spiritual. The rabbis ask an important question: If the land was already darkened by the locusts, why did God send another plague of darkness?


Here is how the Torah describes the ninth plague:


In this week's parashah, Bo, we read about the final three plagues – locusts, darkness, and the slaying of the first born which all bring darkness to the land, both physical, spirirtual, and emotional. The question the rabbis ask is, if locusts already darkened the land, why did God send another plague of darkness?  


Here is how the Torah describes the 9th plague:


וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְי אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֗ה נְטֵ֤ה יָֽדְךָ֙ עַל־הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וִ֥יהִי חֹ֖שֶׁךְ עַל־אֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם וְיָמֵ֖שׁ חֹֽשֶׁךְ׃

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Hold out your arm toward the sky that there may be darkness upon the land of Egypt, a darkness that can be touched.”

וַיֵּ֥ט מֹשֶׁ֛ה אֶת־יָד֖וֹ עַל־הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם וַיְהִ֧י חֹֽשֶׁךְ־אֲפֵלָ֛ה בְּכָל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרַ֖יִם שְׁלֹ֥שֶׁת יָמִֽים׃

Moses held out his arm toward the sky and thick darkness descended upon all the land of Egypt for three days.

לֹֽא־רָא֞וּ אִ֣ישׁ אֶת־אָחִ֗יו וְלֹא־קָ֛מוּ אִ֥ישׁ מִתַּחְתָּ֖יו שְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת יָמִ֑ים וּֽלְכָל־בְּנֵ֧י יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל הָ֥יָה א֖וֹר בְּמוֹשְׁבֹתָֽם׃

People could not see one another, and for three days no one could get up from where he was; but all the Israelites enjoyed light in their dwellings.


This darkness was different because it was a thick darkness, a darkness that one could touch.  I thought about this darkness, and I thought about that line that I heard from so many congregants. Sometimes, you can be in a spiritual darkness and not even know it. The Etz Chaim Chumash writes the following about the ninth plague: 


“During all other plagues, the average Egyptian could not do anything to end them.  During a plague of darkness, however, could Egyptians not light candles?  Perhaps the plague was not a physical darkness, a sandstorm, or a solar eclipse; perhaps it was a spiritual or psychological darkness, a deep depression.  People suffering from depression lack the energy to move about or to be concerned with anyone other than themselves, precisely as the Torah describes the Egyptians.  Perhaps the Egyptians were depressed by the series of calamities that had struck them or by the realization of how much their own comfort depended on the enslavement of others.  The person who cannot see his neighbor is incapable of spiritual growth, incapable of rising from where he is currently.  In Jewish legal discussion defining how early one may recite the morning prayers, “dawn” is defined as “when one can recognize the face of a friend” (Babylonian Talmud Berachot 9b).  When one can see other people and recognize them as friends, the darkness has begun to lift.”


When we come together as a community, we bring the lights together. But it is vital that each of us brings our individual spark to the collective. This idea ties directly to our purpose statement: to ignite the spark within each individual journey together as a holy Jewish community.


We have operationalized this purpose by incubating new and innovative Jewish communal experiences. I want to share some recent successes that reflect our vision.


For example, we hosted a beautiful art exhibit in our congregation thanks to Helene Yentis. Idit Kendall brought us a Kabbalat Shabbat service where our teens led the congregation, recreating their camp Shabbat experience for the larger community. Lori Rabinowitz, a sommelier, is leading an upcoming Tu B’Shvat Seder. One of our chaverim, Sircei, a gifted Jewish artist, taught our children Hebrew calligraphy, Ron Brandt taught a high-level lunch and learn about the Binding of Isaac, and Rob Murstein gave a dvar torah on Shabbat after a long hiatus. 


These are just examples from the past few months! The list of what we’ve created together could keep us here all night. Beyond programs, we have also trained new leaders through our Sulam for Emerging Leaders class, which has already resulted in four participants joining our board. And of course, we are bringing light to sacred guests. I can think of no other more sacred guests than our weekly friends from JARC who join us every Shabbat morning. 


This is an exciting time for CSK. As I said during the High Holy Days, we are at our Hineni moment - the surge is here! Now is the time to be a part of it—to bring your light, your spark, to our sacred community.

Let us continue to be the place where the lights are always on, where darkness lifts, and where we see one another’s faces as friends. Together, may we continue to ignite sparks and shine brightly for generations to come.



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