Rabbi’s Message, February 2017
By Rabbi Robin Sparr, from our February Bulletin: Our tradition teaches us that we are not expected to go it alone, but are instead urged to seek out support.
From the earliest stories in the Torah, beginning with Adam and Eve, we are taught we need a partner. For many, that partner is a spouse, but for others, and at various times in our lives, it is a best friend, a sibling, or a colleague.
From the Talmud, we learn “Aseh l’cha rav, uk’neh l’cha chaver” – find yourself a teacher, and acquire for yourself a friend. Rambam explains that we must find a mentor – one with whom we can study and debate and who will help guide us – and also a study partner – who may be of greater, equal or lesser learning than ourselves – because examining a topic with a partner helps us to better understand and clarify the issue.
In Exodus 18:18-23, Jethro, Moses’ wise father-in-law, observes...
