Ki Tavo- A Biblical Musical about Gratitude

It has been awhile since I have pontificating on the internet highway.  Being at a day school in Las Vegas allows me to return to more Biblical thoughts.  So here is some commentary on this week's Torah portion.  If you want to read more, you can go to www.stanbeiner.com

Torah Notes                      Ki Tavo

There are many ways to remember the message of a Torah portion like…Show Tunes!

(sung to My Favorite Things)

The Torah is clear in its preference for First Fruit

Remember our God is whose horn that you first toot

The purpose is giving our thanks to the Lord

By bringing the best and not trying to hoard.

Bee-KU-room is Hebrew for the very first PRO-duce

Sort of like charging the farmers fair share dues

The fruit went to Levites who didn’t own land

Sharing the bounty was part of the plan

CHORUS

Think of desert

Wand-ring minions

Rejoice that we’re out of the sand

And simply remember to give God your thanks

Obey the Bi-KU-rim plan

At first there was Mishkan* where people brought yummies

Thank heaven for bounty and fill the priests’ tummies

Then it was Temple where farmers brought stuff

Parades and processions- oh my, what a fuss!

CHORUS

*Mishkan- Portable sanctuary carried through the desert until the Israelites decided enough was enough, entered the land, built the Temple, and retired the Mishkan.

So, the bottom line here is that we need to remember to be grateful for the gifts we are given and not take things for granted.   And also Rodgers and Hammerstein were geniuses.