{"id":67240,"date":"2022-04-29T04:03:11","date_gmt":"2022-04-29T09:03:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/?p=67240"},"modified":"2022-04-29T04:03:11","modified_gmt":"2022-04-29T09:03:11","slug":"off-the-pulpit-what-would-you-give","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/off-the-pulpit-what-would-you-give\/","title":{"rendered":"Off the Pulpit: What would you give?"},"content":{"rendered":"

By RABBI DAVID WOLPE<\/p>\n

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Why should the Torah choose this improbable moment to mention love for the first time?For a moment let us set aside all the other questions involved in the very difficult story to ponder why love is introduced here.<\/p>\n

All love has an element of sacrifice. The Hebrew word for sacrifice, Korban, comes from the root “to draw close.” When you sacrifice for another you draw close to them. One of the reasons we so treasure our children is we have given them so much. The idea is suggested in the Hebrew word for the Isaac story: \u201cAkedah\u201d \u2013 binding.<\/p>\n

All relationships require offerings: to be betrothed in Jewish tradition one must give a gift. Most importantly, to love another as friend, family, partner, you must make an offering of yourself. We often ask those in love, \u201cWhat do you feel?\u201d We might better ask, \u201cWhat would you give?\u201d<\/p>\n

Rabbi David Wolpe is the senior rabbi of Sinai Temple in Los Angeles.<\/em><\/p>\n

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