This week’s parasha, Behaalotecha, picks up a familiar theme for anyone who knows the Jewish community: complaining. The Israelites are learning to deal with realities of life “on the road.”. God provides them with Manna-a mysterious food which appears in the morning and sustains their basic needs. Nonetheless, they crave variety and rise up against Moses asking for meat. Moses, in frustration, cries out to God who sends massive amounts of quail.
The quail, however, turns out to be more of a curse than a blessing. File this parasha in the category of “Be careful what you ask for…..”
With only the Manna to eat
The Israelites wanted some meat
They cried and they wailed
Till God sent them some quail
Which rotted away at their feet.
Rabbi Black is Senior Rabbi of Temple Emanuel in Denver, Colorado. Prior to moving to Denver, he served as Senior Rabbi of Congregation Albert in Albuquerque, New Mexico from 1996-2010,and as Assistant then Associate Rabbi of Temple Israel in Minneapolis, Minnesota from 1987- 1996. He is married and has two children.Rabbi Joe Black is one of the most popular Jewish contemporary artists in the United States. He has been a featured performer at the Coalition for Alternatives in Jewish Education (CAJE) Conference as well as the Biennial Conventions of the Union for Reform Judaism. He has shared his music with hundreds of Jewish communities around the United States and Canada. He also has been featured in many acoustic music venues around the country. Rabbi Black has been honored as one of the “Top Ten Artists” in both the categories of “Jewish Children’s Music” and “Male, Adult Contemporary Jewish Music” by Moment Magazine and TARA Publications. His recordings have received accolades from sources as diverse asThe New York Times, Haddasah Magazine, Parent’s Choice, The American Library Journal and Kids First: The Coalition for Quality Children’s Video. While living in Chicago, he hosted the Emmy award winning television program, The Magic Door on WBBM TV.
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