Newsday Asking the Clergy: What makes a good summertime sermon?

This past weekend, I appeared in Newsday's "Asking the Clergy."  Check out my response to the question: What makes a good summertime sermon?

 

It should not matter whether a sermon is delivered on the hottest day of summer or the coldest evening in winter.  In Judaism, a sermon is called a d’var Torah, a word of Torah, which is based upon the weekly reading from the Five Books of Moses.  Luckily, the stories and lessons from the Torah don’t change!  Over the next few weeks, the Jewish community will delve into the Book of Numbers, which addresses the interactions between competing groups in the Sinai Desert.  Stories of rebellions and skirmishes remind us of the difficulty of navigating relationships with those around us, especially when we each possess such different viewpoints.

Although the Torah remains the same, the world around us is constantly changing.  It’s imperative that a sermon soothe the heart and uplift the soul.  Many of us are searching for comfort and healing after the devastating massacre in France.  Others are saddened by the recent shootings across our country and look for an approach forward around issues around racism, security, injustice, and violence.  Our eyes now turn towards the election, as we reflect upon the leadership traits of our next president, who we hope will lead us towards a better tomorrow.

A sermon is a sermon whether delivered in July or February.  The only difference is that we now possess a little more time for reflection.  May the words we hear guide us forward, pushing us towards action, to make our world a more caring, compassionate, and peaceful place.