Link Yourself to Torah

Rabbi Gary S. Creditor 
December 12, 2003 

The Torah is the holiest object in the Jewish religion because it comes from God. No matter when or by whom it was finally written down, when we read and study the Torah we hear God's voice and words. It is fascinating to read the Torah in present tense, because it truly is as if it is speaking directly to us, no matter when or where we live. Even if we have read the Torah many times before, we read the lives of the patriarchs and matriarchs as if it is the first time we ever read it! Coming from God, recording our sacred history, laws, traditions and values, the Torah is the most precious document and object of the Jewish people. We are in awe of its greatness! We are in radical amazement that our people have cherished it, carried it, wrote it and read it, in every place that we have traveled, through every millennium of our existence of nearly four thousand years! Hundreds of commentaries have been written on the Torah, continuing to this very day.

We have the unique and exquisite opportunity to link ourselves to the Torah! In doing so we connect ourselves to God, to all the Jewish people who came before us, to an eternal document, and to all the Jews who will come after us. Someone asked Rabbi Druin, "How long can a Torah scroll last?" He answered, "If you take care of it properly, it can last forever!" Indeed, we do not know the exact age of our seventeen Sifrei Torah (Torah scrolls), but with this restoration, they will last and be read for countless years in the future of our congregation. We, today, will forever be part of the Temple Beth-El that will read from these Sifrei Torah in the future.

Our program enables us to link ourselves in a meaningful way to the Torah by dedicating an entire Sefer Torah, one book of the Torah, a Parasha (Torah portion), a chapter, verse, word or even a letter. It can be the Torah portion in which you became Bar/Bat Mitzvah, or when you were married! It can be the portion when we named your daughter, or the parasha in which your son had his brit milah! With the Jewish perpetual calendar you can locate the Torah portion of your birthday. Similarly, the calendar can indicate a yahrzeit date and thus commemorate a loved one. Many Jewish names are found in the Torah and others can be connected to words in the Torah. Especially for the children, each one can attach themselves to their own special letter. Every child should somehow be bonded with our eternal Torah. Because this program will restore all our Torahs and they will now be perpetually maintained, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity! This experience will create everlasting memories and strengthen each individual Jewish soul for the rest of our lives! Come and be part of this exciting, spiritual and wonderful program. Link yourself to the Torah and participate in this Jewishly transformational experience.