Rabbinic Reflection: Rabbi Yael Splansky
April Fools Day!
1950 Bathurst Street, Toronto, ON, M5P 3K9
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Founded in 1856, Holy Blossom Temple is Toronto’s first synagogue with a rich history of tradition and modernity in our religious and spiritual expression.
Happy Birthday Rabbi Splansky, and many, many more.
My words of wisdom are from E.M. Forster. The epigram to Howards End was: “Only connect.”
“Only connect the prose and the passion, and both will be exalted…”
Thank your Mother for all the hard work she did 51 years ago.
Rabbi Splansky—You spoke perfectly for the day—–thank you. Shabbat shalom
Rabbi Splansky—
You spoke perfectly for today—April Fools day
Shabbat Shalom and be well and safe.
Ann Shendroff
Happy Birthday Rabbi Splansky,
You are asking for wisdom so I would give it back to you in the Hebrew, mitzvah goreret mitzvah. We have seen how your leadership has created too many good things to enumerate. Your love of learning, skillful teaching and your love of questions, music, and Jewish texts has enriched our lives. This is the power of the mitzvah multiplier effect, creating a powerful compelling and enriching ecosystem. …..A friend of mine gave out “words” to people as birthday presents during covid, choosing a word that in her mind best encapsulated the person to whom she was giving the word gift…. I am giving you the phrase, mitvah goreret mitzvah. It sounds corny but I have observed it is a profound truth in our tradition. We never know the impact of small gestures. A toast to you. Lchaim!
Rabbi Splansky—-
You spoke perfectly for the day—-April Fool’s Day
Stay well and safe,
Shabbat Shalom
Ann Shendroff
Happy Birthday Yael. Glad to honour your request. I have a developed a new approach to my birthdays over the past few years in my 70’s. Giving personal cherished items I have to our children and grandchildren is my way of expressing my gratitude to them for their love and support of me over these special years. This way, I know they have the chance to discover what they might have to connect me to them, and also we spend time reminiscing about the history of what they cherish.
יום הולדת שמח!
As time goes on, I am learning to ‘not worry about things you cannot control’. It helps to keep me sane and healthy. May you have many more birthdays to celebrate!
Stay optimistic and positive.
Dear, dear Yael:
I wonder what wisdom I could possibly impart to one who is wise beyond her years?
But in thinking about it . . . I often say to my children: “It’s not that I’m ‘wiser’ than you . . . It’s just that I’ve lived longer.” And the longer I live, the more I recognize how precious each day is — each moment — each memory.
I treasure the opportunity to love: my husband, my daughters, their husbands, their children, my extended family, my friends — yes, those friends, who, like you Yael, give me the privilege of endless learning by being part of their world.
April 1, 2022. Happy 51st Birthday. I cherish your wisdom!!
Dear Rabbi Splansky,
Happy Birthday! Let me pass on the wisdom I received from my mother as I aged. These mature years (including the 60’s and 70’s) are the best years of your life.
Also, Heschel’s radical amazement keeps the soul refreshed, especially when applied to the infinite vagaries of the natural world.
With affection and respect,
Brenda
Dear Rabbi Splansky. Not only do I feel connected to you because of my sister’s eulogy, you happen to share your birthday with my grandmother.
Of all the lessons I learned in writing “Smartphones Don’t Give Hugs “ the biggest one is the need to develop our listening skills in our personal battle against loneliness. It may seen counter intuitive but is often the quickest way to be present. Shabbat Shalom
Dear Yael,
Mazel tov, yasher koach, and kol hakavod. Have a wonderful birthday. Thank you for all the wisdom you have shared and the inspiration you have provided. Edward Gordon (z’l – if I can say that for a non-Jewish person) was my grade 10 History teacher at Oakwood Collegiate. His first lesson and the greatest wisdom he gave was to learn that everything in life changes and we must learn to adapt and deal with the changes. Certainly, COVID has brought some of the most challenging changes I have had to deal with. And so I share Mr. Gordon’s wisdom with you. Wishing you many years of happiness with family, friends and our Holy Blossom community.
With love and admiration,
Ruth Ellen
a belated YOM HULEDET SAMEACH
In the spirit of April 1, I wish to honour your thoughtful efforts to break down walls between your students and texts every Shabbat morning with an idea to confront one of the most painful issues dividing our people…THE WESTERN WALL.
The Western Wall contains SECRETS though not exactly what Psalm 51 had in mind. These secrets in fact may yield the solution to the most vexing problem of this much disputed space.
As you are aware many have clearly stated the Western Wall was never a shul in Jewish history and does not need to be one now.
Hidden between the massive stones of the wall are the entrances to the nesting sites of 70-80 pairs of swifts, small swallow like birds often described as a “cigars with wings”. Late in March, year after year, (probably for millenia) the swifts return to their nesting sites in the stones to raise their young. (see you tube : swifts at the wall)
The solution to the problem of the Western Wall is quite simple. The entire wall and plaza should be declared a BIRD SANCTUARY . Maybe some trees for tree nesting birds and shade and some benches for personal meditation.
With this idea in mind I will be contacting the Chief Rabbinate and the Women of the Wall. Do you think this idea has “wings”? I am sure the idea of the swifts bringing “shalom bayit” will appeal to all. Let us not forget the birds singing at “shirat hayam” and how commemorate them every Shabbat Shira with feeding birds.
Best wishes on 51 (” nah: nun alef”)
Jerry Friedman