Come The Rocking Stroke Of Midnight, the Whole Place Is Gonna Fly (Bob Weir - "One More Saturday Night")

 It is New Year's Eve.  With my wife and children enjoying Southern California, I am here in a rather contemplative mood.  Soon I will call my wife and children and in the course of a second, I will be in a place where it will be the next year, 2014 but they will still be in the year 2013. Of course three hours later, while I am sleeping, it will become 2014 in Southern California as well. This passage of time is very precise. We watch a ball in New York City drop during the final 10 seconds of 2013 and when the Ball lands it is the first seconds of 2014, "Happy New Year". There is no such thing as “about” the New Year. It is an exact idea. One second its 2013 and the next second we have started something new.  In reality, except for our awareness of this one second, nothing changed. We don’t necessarily feel as if we have started something new and different.  My children, wife and I, because of the three hour time difference are acutely aware of this.

This week Parsha is Bo. God will bring the final plagues upon Egypt, finally convincing Pharaoh to let Bnai Yisroel leave Egypt.  Before the final plague, God will explain to Moshe and Moshe will explain to Bnai Yisroel the details and the importance of the acknowledging this historical moment by celebrating the Pesach offering. God explains that a lamb is to be chosen, slaughter, and consumed along with unleavened bread. Bnai Yisroel is commanded to put blood upon the doorposts of their homes so that they will not suffer from the final plague. God explains that this moment is to be transmitted to each generation by telling each successive generation what happened at this moment.  Then as Moshe predicted, final plague begins. the Egyptian first born are killed and the Parsha concludes with the children of Israel being commanded to wear Tefillin as sign that God outstretched arm bringing Bnai Yisroel out of Egyptian bondage.

Unlike the precise moment when the New Year changes from one year to the next; redemption from Egyptian bondage was not so precise. Certainly from God’s perspective, the moment of when freedom would arrive was as precise as the U.S. Naval Observatory Master Clock.  Yet Moshe Rabeinu doesn’t offer a precise moment when Bnai Yisroel leaves slavery and enters freedom. VaYomer Moshe And Moshe said, Ko Amar Adoshem KaChatzot HaLailah Ani Yotzei B’Toch Mitzrayim So said Hashem, ‘At about midnight I shall go out in the midst of Egypt' (Ex. 11:4) Why does Moshe Rabeinu tell Pharaoh and Egypt, “about midnight”. Wouldn’t it have been more awesome and impressive if he gave a precise time when the entire Egyptian world and Jewish world would have changed? Rashi explains that Moshe purposefully gives a vague time as opposed to an exact time because if Pharaohs astrologers miscalculate the time the Moshe said then it would be wrong. So even thought first born Egyptians would still be dying, the Magicians would claim Moshe a fraud since it wasn’t “exactly” midnight. Whatever faith they might have developed with the onslaught of the previous plagues would be lost.

However there is another reason why Moshe is less than precise with Pharaoh. By telling Pharaoh that this last plague was “about midnight”; Moshe was signaling something else to Pharaoh. Some things are beyond us. Yes we can be precise about many things, including countdowns and the passage of time – down to the second.  Faith is not so precise. The human transitions from one phase to the next is not so clean and not so neat. While it may happen at a precise moment, the reality of the change or the reality of transition is not exactly the same time as the “Happy New Year” moment.  Pharaoh was entitled to know that around midnight a horrible plague would happen. It takes faith to prepare for “about” as opposed to an exact time. Yet faith teaches us that we need to be able to be ready for “about” as well as exact.

Peace,

Rav Yitz

Tell Me All That You Know; I'll Show You Snow And Rain (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia - "Bird Song")

Fortunately for my family and I, we missed last week’s Toronto Ice Storm 2013. We were away on vacation in sunny Southern California.  Within twenty four hours, I went from clear blue sky and 75 degrees driving along the Pacific Coast Highway heading towards Malibu to minus 10 Celsius driving along the 407 into Thornhill seeing the destruction from the havoc of the ice storm.  Twenty four hours earlier, the Pacific Ocean was on my left and the cliffs were on my right. Now I am not a “west coast guy” but I admit the scenery was magnificent. It was as if God spent just a little bit longer during creation in order to make this scenery magnificent. Twenty four hours later, I returned to Toronto. I saw the aftermath of the Ice Storm. As I drove onto my block, there was an incredibly eerie scene both of beauty and devastation. The ice made everything look “otherworldly”. The torn trees bespoke of the devastation that ice can bring, as some streets were almost impassable because of the tree limbs that have yet to be removed from the street. Again, I couldn’t help but think God apparently had some extra time on his hands this past week and thought he would use ice to beautify and devastate.

This Shabbat we read Parsha Va’Eira. In this Parshah, God reassures Moshe after Pharaoh and mocked and dismissed both he and Aharon. God explains the plan to Moshe that Pharaoh’s heart will be hardened after each plague but eventually Pharaoh will capitulate. God explains the various stages of redemption. The plagues begin. We are supposed to understand that each of these first seven plagues is more severe than the previous plague: Blood, Frogs, Lice, Wild Beasts, Animal plague, Boils, Hail. Moshe requests that Pharaoh allows B’nai Yisroel to worship God for three days, Pharaoh sometimes acquiesces sometimes he doesn’t. Sometimes he asks Moshe to pray on his behalf and sometimes he doesn’t. One thing is clear, that whenever Pharaoh gets his way (a plague ceases), something that would clearly indicate the power of God, Pharaoh acts almost like a child. He returns to his arrogant self-centered nature. Finally at the very end of the Parsha, after the plague of Hail has devastated the land and killed anything that was outside, Pharaoh expresses the evolution of his belief system.

          The Parsha begin in a rather peculiar way. Usually we will see the verse VaYidaber Elohim (or Adoshem) El Moshe Leimor – And Hashem spoke to Moshe saying: In Parsha Va’Eira the verse does not end in the more common spot. Instead the verse continues VaYomer Eilav and he said to him Ani Adoshem I am Hashem. The next verse begins Va Eira El Avraham El Yitzchak V’El Yaakov B’KEil Shaddai U’Shmi Adoshem Lo Nodaati Lahem – And I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob as El Shaddia, but with my name “Hashem” I did not make Myself known to them… Why does God state his identity in the first verse and not in the second verse? If the second verse began with “I am the Lord, but I appeared to Abraham to Isaac and to Jacob….,” then the juxtaposition between God’s “identity” as Adoshem and God’s identity to the Patriarchs as El Shaddia would be more stark. So again, why is it written in this manner?  It would appear that the answer is context. The context of God’s appearance to Moshe at this time, and the Bnai Yisroel shortly, (in the form of the plagues) is the context. Moshe and Bnai Yisroel are about to experience a very different type of revelation than the Avot (patriarchs). Their revelatory experience was based upon a God who would give them Sh’Dai of enough. Moshe and Bnai Yisroel will need a more powerful revelatory experience. The difference in revelatory experiences suggests different spiritual needs from God. The Patriarchs were of such supreme faith that they required very little in the way of a relevatory experience. Moshe watched the hardship of slavery become even harsher and more acute. He needed a revelation that was something more than the Patriarchs experienced. Bnai Yisroel who has turned their anger and frustration upon Moshe and God, feel abandoned and need much more evidence of God’s involvement.

          We all have moments and opportunities to experience God’s presence. Certainly context has a lot to do with it. Experiencing the Ice Storm, losing heat, hearing trees split and shatter may not exactly re-enforce God’s presence. Sitting on Malibu beach, or watching the sunset over the Pacific might bring on such a wave of serenity that one cannot help but think of God’s presence at that moment. Both are of God. Both inspire a sense of awe, awe in beauty and awe in the destructive power of a storm. The point is as spiritual beings, we need to be able to be aware that God does appear to us in a variety of manifestations.

Peace,

Rav Yitz

Some Come To Laugh Their Past Away, Some Come To Make It Just One More Day (Robert Hunter, Billy Kreutzman, Jerry Garcia - "Franklin's Tower")

This week, our family will be boarding a plane and heading to the West Coast. Even though Winter barely officially begun, the cold and the snow makes it seem like we are in the middle of February. So a visit to sunny (hopefully) Southern California is an eagerly anticipated break from the cold and the snow.  Besides visiting Los Angeles, the home of my wife’s sister, her husband and their four children; we also make it a point to visit San Diego and the community in which we lived prior to moving to Toronto. Our visit to San Diego is as much as a desire to visit as it is a sense of obligation to our chevre (our community).  This obligation runs both ways: when members of our community are in Toronto, or are making their way to the East Coast, quite frequently, our friends make it a point to visit us. We feel that as long as we are on the West Coast and less than 150 miles away, we make it a point to visit them. For me, at least, it is important to remind myself that I am connected to a past, and to a community that was quite unique. Not only were these friends; they were my surrogate family since most of our families were back East.  Our visit to San Diego is always a connection to our past.

This week’s Parsha is the first Parsha of the second book of the Torah: Exodus or Shmot. Parsha Shmot In this week’s Parsha, Shmot, we encounter a man who is born a Jew, but he grows up in the Pharaoh’s Palace. He is a totally assimilated Jew. Pharaoh’s daughter gives him an Egyptian name, “Moshe” (Ex 2:10). After fleeing Egypt, this well-bred, noble Egyptian, is befriended by a non-Jewish (Midian) priest, and marries his non-Jewish daughter (Ex 2:21). While shepherding his father-in-law’s flocks (Ex. 3:1), he experiences a revelation. Through an insignificant thorn bush that burns, he sees an angel and then God (Ex.3:1-3). God tells Moshe of the covenant and that he has been hired to lead B’nai Yisroel out of Egypt. Moshe humbly explains that he is the wrong person for the job. Eventually God convinces and then tells Moshe that he has been designated as the person who will fulfill the plan. Moshe goes to Egypt, and the first steps in the freeing of Bnai Yisroel from slavery begin.

Throughout the Parsha, we encounter several moments where we are reminded that this second book, Shmot is deeply connected to Breishit. The Torah reminds us of this connection linguistically, literarily and thematically. The first letter of the Parsha, “vav” connects Shmot to the previous book. The Parsha should have begun with the words Eilah Shmot – these are the names. Because the Parsha begins with V’Eilah Shmot – And these are the names; we are reminded that something came before what we are about to read (Yetziat Mitzrayim- Exodus). We are reminded that the Exodus is deeply connected to Genesis.  Moshe makes his way up to a “Mountain of God” (Sinai/Horev) in search of a lamb only to experience God calling out to him twice and experiencing a revelation; we are reminded of Avraham Avinu heading toward a “Mountain of God” (Har Moriah), with his son Yitzchak, experiencing God calling out to him twice, a revelation and search for a lamb/offering that happened to be stuck in a thicket. We are reminded that both Avraham and Moshe experienced a private revelation and were privy to God’s plan/prophecy concerning Bnai Yisroel. Later, when God has to convince Moshe to go to Egypt in order to fulfill God’s plan; we are reminded of Yaakov Avinu’s hesitancy to descend to Egypt and fulfill God’s plan. In both cases, God needs to explain and re-assure both leaders that everything will be for the good.

The subtle reminders and connections between Sefer Shmot and Sefer Breishit serve two functions. For the Moshe and Bnai Yisroel who was enslaved at the time, the covenant made between God and the Patriarchs in Breishit served as a source of strength for their enslaved descendants. For Moshe, even though he was raised in the Egyptian palace, he was also a descendant of these patriarchs, and therefore a beneficiary and custodian of God’s Brit. For us, the readers of the text, we understand that our past connects us to our present and provides us insight into shaping our future.  Revisiting our past gives us perspective as we make our way in the present and head towards the future. Sure we will enjoy the physical warmth of San Diego, as well as the spiritual warmth of our Chevre. It will serve as a reminder of how blessed we are that we have such wonderful friends as well as give us perspective to appreciate the Jewish vibrancy of Toronto and the path of our family’s life.

Peace,

Rav Yitz  

That Path Is For Your Steps Alone (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia - "Ripple")

It’s that time of year again. We have weathered “Black Friday”. We have withstood “Cyber Monday”. It is impossible to find parking at the mall, and I dread running into pick up one item at stores like Costco or Target because the checkout lines are absolutely brutal.  Thankfully, from this chaos of Holiday Shopping, our family has engaged in one Holiday Season ritual: we have watched It’s a Wonderful Life. We will probably watch it two or three times. For me, it is one of my top five movies (The Godfather I and II, Cool Hand Luke, The Big Lebowski, and Charade being the other four). One of the themes of It’s a Wonderful Life is that an individual’s life touches many other lives. Sometimes we explicitly affect others lives, sometimes we implicitly affect other lives. Perhaps we may never know the extent to which we affect and influence others' lives. However, as George Bailey watches people from his town give a few dollars to help him out of a difficult financial bind, he becomes acutely aware that everything he did, every decision he made, every trial and tribulation, every joyous moment and every difficult moment were necessary parts of his life. All of which allowed him to arrive at this final moment; a moment in which he was able to experience the holiness of an act of Loving Kindness.

 This week’s Parshah, Vayechi is the conclusion of the book of Breishit (Genesis). Because this is the last Parshah of the Sefer B’reishit, we read of the passing of the mantle of power from one generation to the next. Yaakov is 147 years old and it is time for him to bless his children and his grandchildren. To each of his twelve sons, he offers a blessing. To Yosef’s sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, he not only offers a blessing but he reserves the blessing of the first born to the younger brother, Ephraim.  This is fitting. Yaakov also received the blessing reserved for the first born. He also leaves Yosef with one last mission. Yaakov tells Yosef of the covenant that God made with Avraham, Yitzchak and himself. He also made Yosef swear an oath that he would bring him out of Egypt and bury him with his father and grandfather. Yosef accepts this oath. He and his brothers leave Egypt and bury their father. Because the famine remains pervasive throughout the land, they return to Egypt. Now the brothers fear Yosef’s wrath. Although he has not expressed any anger towards them, the brothers believe now that their father is dead; Yosef’s anger will not be contained. First they sent servants to Yosef in order to plead on their behalf. Then the brothers plead to Yosef and prostrate themselves before Yosef. Yosef’s response indicates his maturity, his spiritual contentment and his peace with himself and his environment. Vayomer Aleihem Yosef Al Tirau Ki Hatachat Elohim Ani -“But Joseph said to them, ‘Fear not, for am I instead of God? V’Atem Chashavtem Alai Ra’ah Elohim Chashava L’Tovah L’Ma’An Asah KaYom HaZeh LHaChayot Am Rav - Although you intended me harm, God intended it for good: in order to accomplish, it is as clear as this day, that a vast people be kept alive.  V’Atah Al Tirau Anochi Achalkeil Etchem V’et Tapchem Vayinachem Otam Vayidaber al Libam -So now fear not, I will sustain you and your young ones.’ Thus he comforted them and spoke to their heart.” (Gen: 19-21) Yosef bears no animosity towards his brothers. The tears he shed in last week’s Parshah, VaYigash, were genuine. The joy of re-uniting with his family without rancor and bitterness overwhelmed any negative or bitter feelings. Yosef understands and accepts his place. Yosef understands that he had to experience all the tsuris and all the simcha of his life in order to arrive at that point in time and in that manner. Yosef arrived at that moment without bitterness. He chose not to have bitterness. Rather, his faith and sense of self provided enough strength for him to make peace, achieve contentment, and appreciate the path that his life had taken.

It took George Bailey to sink to his lowest point, wishing he “had never been born” in order to understand that by living life, by working hard, by trying to make a difference, he ultimately did. Like most of us, we don’t always get to see how our deeds and actions make a difference to those lives we touch. Like George Bailey, Yosef understood all this. He too had to go through all kinds of difficulty, namely an estrangement from his family for more than twenty years, in order for him to learn the lesson that that everything has to happen in order for us to arrive at this point in time. Both George Bailey and Yosef teach us to try hard, to do our best, never lose faith and don’t allow negative feelings to overwhelm us to the point of becoming embittered souls. Ultimately we need to learn and eventually accept that everything unfolds the way it does in order for us to be here at this moment in time.

Peace,

Rav Yitz

All The Years Combine; They Melt Into A Dream (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia - "Stella Blue")

We spent the American Thanksgiving with our family in Rochester. Our children spent time with their grandparents and their 97 year old grandfather.  Because of his severe dementia, when we saw him, he asked us to introduce ourselves when we greeted him.  I sat next to him during thanksgiving dinner. I cut his turkey for him. I fed him sweet potatoes, I fed him stuffing. Besides the fact that suffers from dementia, at 97, and confined to a wheelchair, he looks small, he looks frail, and he looks old. He seems almost unrecognizable compared to the recent images of my grandfather, even as recent as 4 years ago. For all of my life, my grandfather has always had an incredibly young spirit.  Yes, he was part of the “Greatest Generation”: born during WW I, experience the Great Depression, and WWII. However as a salesman of athletic wear to numerous university athletic departments; he spent an inordinate amount of time on university campuses. He frequently sat with college students, spoke with them, asked them school and would frequently check their collar labels in order to make sure that it was his brand.  When I traveled with him, I would find this act utterly embarrassing; I intuitively understood that this environment, engaging university students in conversation, checking their sweatshirts to make sure that they wore his brand, kept my grandfather spiritually young. Ironically, it was about 4 years ago when he stopped checking the labels of my sweatshirt labels and the sweatshirt labels of his great grandchildren.

In this week’s Parsha, Vayigash, Yosef reveals himself to his brothers. He urges his brother Yehudah to bring his father down to Egypt in order to reunite father and son as well as save him from the famine. Yosef arranges for his brothers and all their households to live in Goshen, thereby preserving their livelihood as shepherds. Yosef then brings his 130 year-old father to meet Pharaoh. After a very revealing exchange, Yaakov blesses Pharaoh. The Parsha concludes with all Yaakov’s sons, and their households and cattle settling down again. However instead of Canaan they settle down in Goshen, and they thrive.

While last week’s Parsha embodied the theme of appearances, this week’s Parsha is all about the effect of emotions upon appearances. Specifically, we read that Yosef could no longer contain his anguish and his excitement at the possibility of seeing his father. Later towards the end of the Parsha, Pharaoh looks upon this 130 year old man and asks, “How old are you”? We see what life has done to Yaakov and his response. “Uma’at Shanah V’Raim hayu y’mei Shnei Chayai, V’lo Hisigu et Y’mei Shnei Chayai Avotai Bimei M’gureihem” Few and bad have been the day of the years of my life, and they have not reached the years of the life of my forefathers in the days of their wanderings.  Yaakov has had his share of tzuris. He spent over twenty years working for his evil uncle Lavan, and fearing his brother Esav. His daughter was raped. Then for the last twenty- two years he has been living with the anguish that his beloved son Yosef had been dead. Yaakov has been through life, and these tragedies aged him. Yaakov tells Pharaoh that he is not as old as his father or grandfather. He just looks old. So much so, that when Pharaoh looked upon Yaakov, he was amazed to see such an ancient looking man.

Our experiences affect us. We know that tragedies age us, and longevity takes a toll upon our bodies, our minds and sometimes our spirit. While Yaakov’s answer indicates that he had been through a lot, his answer is that of a Tzaddik. Not only does Yaakov answer, indicating that his mind is still sound, but his answer gives us insight into his soul. No matter how sad the situation, or tragic the experience, Yaakov possessed within him the element of a fighter. His name is Yisroel, and he is called by this name several times during the Parsha. He could accept a situation and then handle whatever came his way. His descendant, my grandfather, is no different. His experience aged him, but it did not kill him. Instead other experiences kept him young both mentally and spiritually. He possessed within him the spirit of Yisroel. He, too, wrestled and survived.  The sparks of my grandfather’s soul are less evident and they come less frequently. However, every once in a while, we see a spark and we are thankful for it. Every once in a while we see a glimmer of the man my grandfather used to be. When we see that glimmer, we smile and indeed, we are thankful as we were on Thanksgiving. The good days of his life are much less frequent now. They are not days, but rather a seconds. However even in those couple of seconds, I can see my grandfather’s spirit still fighting to emerge from the darkness of his dementia.

Peace,

Rav Yitz