Renewal in Learning

Rabbi Mark Diamond
Executive Vice President
Board of Rabbis of Southern California

Parshat Mishpatim: Exodus 21:1-24:18

Special Maftir Portion for Shabbat Shekalim: Exodus 30:11-16

Haftorah: 2 Kings 11:17-12:17

Can you teach old rabbis new tricks? Yes, if you can get them to pray, sing, dance, listen and learn together with 700 other Jews at LimmudLA. Last weekend I participated in this remarkable gathering in Costa Mesa. I went to the second annual LimmudLA conference not quite sure what to expect. I came away from LimmudLA with a renewed appreciation of the awesome power of. . .

  • Dedicated volunteers who organized and ran a four-day happening for 700 people with high expectations of instant community, inspired davening (prayer) and great learning, not to mention nutritious kosher meals and excellent childcare. There were glitches, of course, and we know that 700 Jews adds up to a lot of kvetching. But you have to admire and appreciate all the volunteer hours that went into LimmudLA and how well the conference came together.

  • Talented teachers who led dozens of simultaneous workshops, classes and seminars for the eclectic mix of young and old, liberal and traditional, affiliated and unaffiliated, advanced learners and new learners. I was privileged to offer two classes- a text-based seminar on interfaith relations and a panel discussion on the same topic with my friend and colleague Fr. Alexei Smith of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. More importantly, my wife Lois and I were fortunate to attend classes and presentations led by other volunteers- Gidi Grinstein's informative sessions on Israel, Natan Greenberg's class on "Purim Unmasked, " comedy writer Jeff Astrof's humorous reflections on "Being Observant in Hollywood, " Danny Landes' text study "In Search of the Messiah and Tikkun Olam," and Doreen and Chaim Seidler-Feller's session on "Sexual Repression and Obsession in Traditional Jewish Practice" (ask me about that one off-line). It was an embarrassment of riches, and we only skimmed the surface in our time at LimmudLA.

  • Dynamic prayer leaders who facilitated a full array of prayer services, including traditional Orthodox, traditional egalitarian, liberal egalitarian and musical family minyanim. Havdalah was especially vibrant, with hundreds of Limmudniks singing and dancing together to close Shabbat and usher in the new week.

  • Eclectic musicians who shared the gifts of their voices and instruments individually and collectively. I loved Matisyahu's Saturday night concert, and I'm not even a fan of reggae or rap. Even more, I loved the fact that Matisyahu, like all other LimmudLA presenters, was not paid for his session. Fees and titles evaporate at LimmudLA. Everyone, from Hassidic reggae stars to Jewish comedians, rabbis to academicians, goes by first names and volunteers his/her time and talents to create and enhance this colorful k'lal Yisrael tapestry.


The LimmudLA experience remains with me this Shabbat as we read parashat Mishpatim, the portion that immediately follows the revelation at Mount Sinai. Towards the end of the parashah, we learn: "Moses took the record of the covenant and read it aloud to the people. And they said, kol asher deebayr Ado-nai na-aseh veh-nishmah. "All that God has spoken we will do and we will hear" (Exodus 24:7-8).

Some 3,200 years after our forebears proclaimed na'aseh v'nishmah, we live in a world of "Been there. . .done that." We are ever on the lookout for new thrills and adventures to make our lives whole and complete. Looking back on thirty-two centuries of Jewish life, we can say with pride: We'vebeen there, and we've done that. For our tradition places a premium on finding joy and meaning doing the same things over and over and over again. Things like- praying each day; keeping Shabbat each week; celebrating holidays each year. 

Our challenge is to make each experience more meaningful and spiritually satisfying than the previous one. We ought to find something new in the siddur each time we pray. We must uncover a fresh insight into the Torah each time we open up the Humash. We should discover a new melody for a family Shabbat celebration or a new custom to incorporate into our own fabric of Jewish living.

Rav Kook taught: "What is holy must be renewed and what is new must be made holy. " This is the genius and inspiration of LimmudLA. Na'aseh venishmah. May we always be a people of doing and hearing. May we create new rituals and uncover new layers of meaning as we live, learn and celebrate together.