From the Rabbi

WHEN YOU CAN’T TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN UP AND DOWN ….

It's Adar, Purim approaches, so of course I’m thinking costumes! And, of course, amidst the merry-making, there are serious themes, compounded this year -not for the first time – by our awareness of wider-world issues.

There is also an overlay within the tradition, and that is the attention paid in this week’s parsha to the matter of garb. For this Words of the Spirit, I offer a devar torah on how garments can be, among other things, concealing and revealing of one’s true self.

Perhaps that’s why I love Purim so much. From deep within the tradition, we can explore and expose and interweave the inner and the outer as well as confront what is liberatory and what is oppressive, not as equivalent forces but as present in our lives.

On this 14th of Adar, with what seem like far too many farces being played out IRL rather than on stage, let yourself get into a few hours of playful yet serious upside-down-ness. Things will all get, er, back to normal on the 15th.

Enjoy this guest post by Rabbi Jenna Shaw:

TETZAVEH: A LETTER TO MY YOUNGER TRANS SELF: THE LIBERATORY POWER OF DRESS

Dear little me,

I remember it like it was yesterday: We were sitting in the fitting room together, looking into the mirror. "I don’t want this dress," we said to our mom in frustration. "It doesn’t fit right." "I don’t like the sleeves." Finally, the classic: "It’s just too blue." This led to the inevitable meltdown, ending with the familiar line: "Why can’t I wear a suit like Adam (my brother)!" This moment must have felt so intense! No agency over what you got to wear or who you got to be.

We are living in a terrifying moment to be trans in America. As we watch legislation after legislation trying to take away our rights, I want you to know that moment shopping can be a crucial learning experience for you. In a society where so many want to take away your rights and agency, how you choose to look, present, and dress is liberatory. It is life-affirming and a great gift. When those in power try to take away your rights, being your authentic self is the most revelatory thing you can do. When you grow up, you will discover this. But at this moment, it feels like no one gets you, and loving fashion may feel impossible to imagine.

 This idea is core to our teachings as Jews. In Parshat Tetzaveh, we discover that Judaism has a lot to say about clothing.

Read the rest of the devar torah here