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21 Elul 5785 | September 14, 2025
Rabbi Judith Siegal
Playing games and reconnecting in the new year - for the sake of heaven 

In a time when there is so much division in our society, disagreements with those we know and love are almost inevitable. Whether it is about Israel, politics, or something else, we are in a time of great change, and there will be — and should be — robust debate. The challenge is to keep our machloket “l’shem shamayim,” for the sake of Heaven, and not just to prove we are right. 

One way is to focus on trying to understand and learn instead of to win. For those of us who like to win and be competitive, this is a hard shift. But much like learning a new game, sometimes we have to put away our competitive nature and take a learner’s stance instead. This mindset — what the rabbis call anavah (humility) — is praised throughout Jewish tradition.  

In the world of games, winning can be sweet — but in the world of relationships, a gracious loss can be even sweeter. In other words, real strength is not in crushing an opponent, but in choosing restraint, humility, and love — the kind of victory that builds relationships instead of breaking them.  
As we enter Elul, the month of preparation for the High Holy Days, may we remember that in the game of life, God does not count our wins, but the ways we repair, forgive, and strengthen the bonds between us. 

22 Elul 5785 | September 15, 2025
Rabbi Stephen Wise
I was in Israel with my wife this summer, and despite the ongoing conflict in Gaza and the threat of missile attacks, the country was vibrant and full of life. People often asked us why we chose to vacation there during such a tense time. Our answer was simple: Why not? Israel is our homeland. We wanted to witness the reality firsthand, support the local economy, and help in any way we could. We were struck by the resilience and spirit of everyday life. In Be’er Sheva, we joined our twin congregation Ramot Shalom for Tisha B’Av. After prayers, we reflected on the tragedies of Jewish history—the destruction of the Temples—and couldn’t help but draw parallels to today. Then it was senseless hatred among fellow Jews that led to our downfall.  Today, conflict continues though we are not powerless and will not be exiled from our homeland ever again.  We ended our trip with two incredible concerts, two different sides of Israel reflecting two parallel realities. The first was HaKeves HaShisha Asar (“The Sixteenth Sheep”), a beloved children’s album from 1978 brought to life by iconic Israeli musicians. The sing-along felt like a warm embrace across generations, a crowd filled with peaceniks. The next night, we saw Omer Adam—Israel’s pop sensation. He called out to Israel to continue to fight until Hamas is defeated to applause and cheers.  No one has all the answers despite everyone having an opinion, but surrounded by thousands of fans singing and dancing under the night sky, we felt the enduring pulse of Israel’s vibrant culture.

23 Elul 5785 | September 16, 2025
Rabbi Emma Gottlieb
There is a teaching about several verses that appear to be in dialogue between Eicha (Lamentations), which we read on Tisha B’av, and the first Haftarah of Comfort, read on the Shabbat immediately afterward (called Shabbat Nachamu, the Shabbat of Comfort). Where Eicha (1:9) proclaims, “There is no one to comfort Jerusalem,” the prophet Isaiah remarks (40:1), “Take comfort my people!” Eicha depicts the roads of Zion in mourning (1:4), and Isiah calls out, “Clear a path for God!” (40:3). Eicha describes how the exiles, “walk without strength,” yet Isaiah reminds us, “God gives strength to the weary … those who trust in God will be strengthened" (40:29,31). 
Isaiah's words respond directly to the pain of Eicha, intending to comfort the exiles. Thousands of years later, his words can also bring us comfort. Our tradition has long understood the power and importance of hope. In the darkest of times, our faith that things will improve has kept us alive.  Perhaps this is why we read haftarot of consolation in the 10 weeks leading up to the Days of Awe. If we are engaged in the hard work of introspection, we may be feeling low. Can we really change? Can our world be repaired? The comfort offered by the prophet is meant to be a balm – after darkness, comes light; After destruction, comes rebuilding. If we feel weary, our faith can bring us strength. So long as we have hope, we can continue on.

24 Elul 5785 | September 17, 2025
Rabbi Batsheva Appel
What is a “dispute for the sake of Heaven”? Is that designation only for weighty matters? Is it possible for something as simultaneously meaningful and trivial as Marvel versus DC or Star Trek versus Star Wars to also be disputes “for the sake of Heaven”?

Some commentaries to Pirkei Avot 5:17 would indicate that the designation is for serious matters such as halakhah, Jewish law, or Torah. Bartenura’s commentary notes that the goal was to arrive at the truth. 

Another definition is based on the way opponents conduct themselves. In the Talmud a three-year dispute between the students of Shammai and the students of Hillel is ended when a bat kol, a heavenly voice, intervenes, and sides with Hillel. Why? 

It is because the students of Hillel were kind and gracious. They taught their own ideas as well as the ideas from the students of Shammai. Furthermore, they even taught Shammai's opinions first (Eruvin 13b:10-11).

Their argument was conducted with an attitude of respect, a curiosity about counter arguments, and a desire to learn.

Arguments about sports teams or movies are seemingly trivial. Yet, I would categorize them as disputes “for the sake of Heaven”, depending on approach. How can we learn without practice? Examples of arguing for the sake of arguing or for the sake of power are legion. Engaging in disputes with respect for our opponent, curiosity, and passion requires practice. Something to consider when we disagree about the small stuff that everyone is passionate about. 

25 Elul 5785 | September 18, 2025
Rabbi Kelly Levy
I have always had a deep-seated need to be right. Not because I think I know more than others, but because I love the satisfaction of knowing I had the correct answer all along. When challenged, I dig in. I defend my position. I stop hearing other points. Being right becomes more important than learning something new.

But this kind of arguing serves no higher purpose. In fact, it stunts my growth. Machloket l’shem shamayim calls us to go beyond ourselves, beyond pride. It invites us to see an argument as a bridge, not a battlefield — a chance to hear another person’s experience, to be changed by it, and maybe to change them in return. Machloket l’shem shamayim values arguments motivated by the pursuit of truth, growth, and connection rather than ego or victory. It’s a beautiful ideal.

I think of Stephen Fry’s reminder: “One of the greatest human failings is to prefer to be right rather than to be effective.” For me, being effective means choosing curiosity over certainty, connection over conquest. The next time I feel my heels digging in, I’ll ask: Am I trying to be right… or to seek what’s right?
Because in the end, winning an argument fades quickly — but learning from one can last a lifetime.

26 Elul 5785 | September 19, 2025
Rabbi Eric Linder
2 Jews, 3 opinions.
This popular quip amongst Jews reflects our argumentative nature. Whether it’s the right way to light Chanukah candles, the best texture for Matzah Balls, or matters of Jewish halachah, debating and argument is a fundamental part of Jewish identity.

We often say this sentence in a self-deprecating way. But during this period of Elul, I want to suggest that the best way to argue is so that when there are two Jews, there are three opinions.

When we have an argument for the sake of God’s name, for the purpose of learning, we do indeed have three opinions:
1 - The opinion you have.
2 - The opinion that I have.
3 - The opinion that we have after listening to and learning from one another.
Yes indeed, 2 Jews, 3 opinions.

27 Elul 5785| September 20, 2025
Rabbi David N. Young
I used to get so excited when the monthly issue of X-Men or Batman was in 3-D. It would be wrapped in plastic, and in the bag with the comicbook one could find a pair of 3-D glasses. You know the kind–cheap white cardboard with a blue lens on one side and a red lens on the other. When we put the 3-D glasses on, the images jumped out at us from the page. What a fun, vibrant, beautiful way to read a comicbook!

Today when I see red and blue in separate lenses it no longer elicits excitement and anticipation of an amazing reading experience. Today red and blue seem like they can only work against each other, each one trying to out-cheat the other, each one using disgusting tactics and exploiting legal loopholes until the people we have chosen to run our country are instead running it into the ground.

And yet, I do believe that there is a way for red and blue to work together again, like those old 3-D glasses. I have faith in a people who can vote out the game players and elect hard working leaders who truly have an agenda for all Americans and not just the ones reading through the lens that voted them in.
May we soon arrive at the day when red and blue work together to make our world vibrant, exciting, and beautiful again.