"Speak With Wisdom Like a Child" -Robert Hunter/Jerry Garcia 's "Foolish Heart"

Hello and welcome to the first posting of Drinking Wisdom - a blog of about life, Judaism, the blues, and the news from the perspective of an American Rabbi living in Toronto. As I have thought about what this blog will look like, and sound like - I must admit to feeling a tremendous sense of pressure and anxiety. Based upon what I am hoping to accomplish with this blog, I figure that coming up with juicy pearls of wisdom , whether taken from my experiences, the great Jewish texts, or even current events might not be the easiest thing in the world. As much pressure as I feel because I might not be able to come up with some great pearl of wisdom - I am comforted by the fact that there is a very good chance that I might be the only one reading it. So while I am comforted in the fact that the pressure should be minimal since I have no following just yet, G-d willing, someday, someone might be touched by some thoughtful words that a Rabbi offers about living life. Glenn Beck, of all people, says that everyone should have a rabbi and his is Rabbi Daniel Lapin. Hopefully, through this blog, a few more people in the world can fulfill the words of the Pirkei Avot (Ethics of the Fathers )- Asei Lecha Rav - Make for yourself a Rav (a Rabbi -a teacher).

As you may or may not notice, today's title is phrase from a Robert Hunter and Jerry Garcia song Foolish Heart. Yes I am a Dead Head and an enormous Jerry Garcia fan. I find so many of the Dead's lyrics are full of kernel of profound wisdom. Again I am reminded of the those Talmudic Sages (During the Roman Empire) that contributed to what is known as Pirkei Avot (Ethics of the Fathers). "Ben Zoma asks who is wise? He who learns from every person as it says : ' From all my teachers I grew wise'" . So, if I am doing my job, we should be able to derive wisdom from all kinds of sources, all kinds of places and all types of people.

I am blessed with 4 children, the youngest our only son. Given the time of year and the fact that Frank Capra's "It's a Wonderful Life" is one of my two favorite movies of all time -I thought my three youngest children were now old enough to watch and appreciate it. As we are watching the movie and George Bailey ( Jimmy Stewart) comes home from what is the worst day of work, the day that has put him over the edge, the day in which he is motivated to end his life, - George Bailey sits down in his chair - exhausted, and frightened. His youngest son climbs upon his lap and George tightly hugs his son and gently weeps. My son - who was sitting on my lap leaned over to me and said, " You know Abba - It is pretty tough being Abba (dad)". I smiled and asked him why and he answered, "Because Abbas have to worry about everyone - their wives, their children and their work, and they have to take care of everybody. I am not ready to be an Abba yet". He is six. I hugged him tightly - He has no idea.

In this week's torah portion: Shmot (The first section in the book of Exodus) the Torah portion begins with our being reminded of who came down to Egypt with Jacob (aka, Israel) - his sons and his entire household except for Joseph who was already in Egypt. V'Yamat Yosef 'vcho Echoav v' chol Ha'Dor Ha'Hu - and Joseph died, and all his brothers and that entire generation. U'vnai Yisroel Paru VaYishrtzu VaYirbu V'Ya'amtzu B'meod meod- and the Children of Israel were fruitful,teemed, increased, and became strong... (Ex. 1:6-7) Some commentators suggest that the children of Israel only became susceptible to Pharaoh's plan of national slavery once they had spiritually descended to such a point. That "susceptibilty was a function of the fact that their 'fathers' had passed away. Jacob was dead, Joseph and his brothers were dead, the Jacob's grandchildren who made the trip to Egypt from Canaan had died as well. While alive, these generations were able to pass down wisdom, and experience with G-d, and their covenant to their children. The reward for this successful transmission of these values was many more succeeding generations. However once each successive generation, passed down less and less to the ensuing generation, well you can see how the commentators might suggest that the slaver began in earnest at that point. Once the transmissions became less and less and the spiritual depravity became more and more.

Isn't this what we as parents do today? Our only job is to pass down tools for life, wisdom for living, and a means to getting along in the world in which is based principles and compromises. The wisdom is to always remember the principles and figure out the best type of compromises. No it isn't easy being a Dad or Mom. But I don't think that it ever was. If mom's and dad's are really doing their best - the transmission of wisdom, the tools for living a life, the code by which one behaves and the values that are modeled is both exhausting and gratifying.
In Peace - Rav Yitz