From the Rabbi's Desk
Inside and Out
This month, we observe the festival of Passover. At our seder tables, we retell the story of our redemption from Pharaoh. During that retelling, we are asked to place ourselves inside the story — to feel as if we were there, in servitude, then redeemed, present at Sinai, and now on a journey to a promised land. It was on that journey that the Israelites built a portable sanctuary, the Mishkan. At its center was the Kodesh HaKodashim, the Holy of Holies. And inside the Holy of Holies was the Ark.
Bezalel made the Ark of acacia wood — a rare and precious commodity in the desert. He then covered the wood, inside and out, with pure gold, and made an Ark cover of pure gold. We are also told of a further adornment: וְעָשִׂ֧יתָ עָלָ֛יו זֵ֥ר זָהָ֖ב סָבִֽיב — and make around it a gold molding. Inside the Ark would rest the tablets of the covenant — both the broken first tablets and the unbroken second set.
Our sages take note of the detail that the Ark was overlaid inside and out with pure gold, and they wonder why. It is a reasonable question. The Israelites are given no instruction that the Ark is ever to be opened. The Ark, with the covenant inside and the hammered gold cherubim above, is the throne of God. It is from that place — hovering over the Ark, between the almost-touching wings of the cherubim — that God speaks to Moses. If the Ark is never to be opened, if its inside is never to be seen, why cover the inside with gold at all?
The rabbis answer by comparing the Ark to a person. Rava taught: Any Torah scholar whose inside is not like their outside is not truly a Torah scholar. But this teaching extends well beyond scholars. When the Israelites ask for a king — forgetting that they already have one, namely God — they are told that the king must write two Torah scrolls, read them, know them, and live by them. The king is meant to be the greatest scholar of the law, the Rosh Yeshivah of the nation. But the king has something no ordinary scholar possesses: authority, an army, and the ultimate power to decide who is jailed and who is free, who goes to war and who lives in peace.
As the Ark is covered in pure gold inside and out, so too must the king’s inner life and outer actions be of one seamless, unquestionable integrity. With the power to send people to war, to put the lives of soldiers and civilians on the line, the king must be of pure integrity — wholly dedicated to the moral and ethical demands of Torah. No wavering. No pretense.
Without that integrity, the power of the king ceases to be a source of blessing and becomes a force of chaos and destruction.
This brings us back to that gold molding on the Ark — זֵ֥ר זָהָב, zeir zahav. The rabbis notice that this word, זֵר, zeir, ‘molding’, is very close to another word we encounter later in Torah: אֵ֣שׁ זָרָ֔ה, aish zarah, the ‘strange fire’ that consumes Aaron’s sons Nadav and Avihu when they misuse the power of the Mishkan. The difference between adornment and annihilation is as fine as the change of a single vowel, זֵר zeir becoming זָר zar— and what crowns the Ark becomes what kills.
If the mere breath of pronunciation can mean life or death, how much more so the power of whole words — words used carelessly, words used to disparage, words used to incite. Words can transform the covenant’s power into destruction for entire peoples. The king must be like gold inside and out. Appearance matters. Words matter. When a leader plays games with power, those around them will surely suffer. Integrity is not an adornment that makes some leaders look more impressive than others. Integrity is the difference between a leader who brings people to flourishing and one who leads them to ruin.
The Mishkan of the Exodus became the model for the First Temple, for the Second Temple, and for synagogues like ours. Above our own Ark is inscribed a teaching from the Babylonian Talmud: דַּע לִפְנֵי מִי אַתָּה עוֹמֵד — Know before Whom you stand. Every leader — every person — must ask that question. Not just when we are in the sanctuary, but in every moment when our power is exercised and words are spoken.
At Passover, we place ourselves inside the whole arc of our journey — from bondage to redemption, from Sinai to here. We are still on our journey to a promised land. We carry the covenant not in a portable Ark, but within ourselves. The charge has not changed: inside and out, in our private intentions and our public actions, we must reflect Torah’s gold.
Chag Sameach,
Rabbi Marc
Hazzan Sherry's Note
Chag haAviv, the festival of spring, is one of the names for Passover. Even though it is a bit chilly on the day that I am writing this article, I am beginning to see the daffodils shooting up from the cold ground and anticipating their beautiful yellow flowers. I am appreciative that the giant snow piles are finally gone from my yard and Temple Emanu-El’s parking lot. I’m so happy that spring is coming, that I bought a ticket to go to Wicked Tulips Flower Farm in Preston, to see their 1.5 million tulips beginning to bloom this month! I am really excited to experience the beauty of rows and rows of colorful tulips.
Looking to next month, I hope you will be joining me on Saturday, May 2nd, at 5:00 p.m., as I celebrate my 25th year on the bima serving as Temple Emanu-El’s Hazzan. I’m looking forward to celebrating this milestone with my family and especially with you, my Temple Emanu-El family. I know it will be a wonderful evening with all of the amazing people planning it. So please make sure to RSVP and join me for this celebration.
As I write this article, it’s been a little over 4 weeks since my surgery. I wanted to express my gratitude for your patience, support, and understanding, as I move through my recovery. Thank you so much.
April 4, is our next Shabbat Morning service, starting at 10:00 a.m. I want to say thank you to Jeff Elkin for chanting Torah and Haftarah at last month’s Shabbat morning service and for chanting Haftarah at our April service. Rabbi Marc crafts a very beautiful creative service that is sure to enrich your Shabbat soul.
Rosh Chodesh will be on Thursday, April 16, at 1:00 p.m., in the sanctuary. The theme for the month of Iyar will be Healing. Hope to see you there.
Chag Sameach Pesach!
Wishing all of you a very sweet and meaningful Passover,
Hazzan Sherry
President's Message
As we move into April, the signs of spring are all around us. The days are getting longer, the weather is beginning to warm, and our clocks have officially “sprung forward.” With the extra daylight comes a renewed sense of energy and activity throughout our Temple community.
One of the highlights of early spring for many of our families is Passover. By the time you read this, many of us will have gathered with family and friends around the Seder table to retell the story of the Exodus and reflect on the timeless themes of freedom, resilience, and hope. These traditions remind us of the importance of community and the strength we draw from being together.
April is also shaping up to be a meaningful and active month at Temple Emanu-El. On Sunday, April 5th, we will be hosting an important community program, Stop the Bleed, from 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM. This free workshop, presented through the American College of Surgeons initiative, teaches simple but lifesaving techniques that anyone can use to help in an emergency before professional responders arrive. I encourage everyone to consider attending and to register with the Temple office by April 1st. Programs like this reflect our commitment to safety, preparedness, and caring for one another.
Looking ahead, we are excited to celebrate a very special milestone for our congregation. On May 2nd, we will honor Hazzan Sherry Barnes’ 25th Anniversary of service to Temple Emanu-El. For twenty-five years, Hazzan Sherry has enriched our community with her beautiful voice, spiritual leadership, warmth, and dedication to our congregation. The anniversary celebration will be a wonderful opportunity for all of us to come together to express our gratitude and appreciation. I encourage everyone to support the event and participate in the tribute opportunities that will help make the evening truly special.
Planning is also underway for the Second Annual Terri Goldsmith Memorial Golf Tournament, which will be held on Monday, June 15th. This event continues to grow as a meaningful community gathering while raising funds for both Temple Emanu-El and the Yale New Haven Smilow Cancer Center, honoring Terri’s memory in a powerful and lasting way. We look forward to sharing more details soon about sponsorships, golfers, and ways to get involved.
Behind the scenes, the Temple Board of Trustees continues to stay busy with several important initiatives. Our Nominating Committee has begun preparing the slate of candidates for the 2026–2027 Board of Trustees, helping ensure strong leadership and continuity for the future of our congregation. The board is also working on the Temple Employee Handbook and developing an Ethics Document to further support strong governance and best practices for our organization. In addition, we are preparing the Temple’s Annual Report, which will be mailed to members in advance and reviewed together at our Annual Meeting on June 14th.
Spring is always a season of renewal and connection. As we continue through this busy and exciting time, I want to thank each of you for the many ways you contribute to the life of our congregation. Your participation, support, and commitment help make Temple Emanu-El such a warm and vibrant community.
I look forward to seeing many of you at our upcoming programs and celebrations.
Wishing everyone a wonderful spring season.
Warmly,
John Murphy
President, Temple Emanu-El
president@tewaterford.org | 860-608-0774
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