And Seasons Will End In Tumbled Rhyme (Bob Weir & Eric Anderson -"Weather Report Suite I")

I am due for a few days off next week, my “Summer Holiday”. Except for me, no one in my family seems to care. My wife is busy working at summer camp, three children are busy having a great time at the same summer camp, our eldest daughter is busy making New York City safer, and my parents are busy in retirement. The only “Holyday” they can seem to focus upon are the more “public” “national” and "religious" holidays. Our eldest daughter told me that she planned upon coming in for Festival of Sukkot rather than Rosh Hashanah.  I have to worry about plane reservations for her in the third week of September. My mother asked me about plans for American Thanksgiving which occurs the last Thursday in November and coincides with the first days of Chanukah. While Chanukah is important to American Jewry, Thanksgiving is a very important and a very big deal for Americans, including American Jews, much to the amazement of Canadian Jewry. My mother also wanted to know what we were doing in terms of Pesach festival which is celebrated in April. My wife and younger daughters and son asked about Christmas Vacation and whether we will be able to visit family out in Los Angeles at the end of December. 

This Shabbat we read from Parsha Reeh. Moshe continues his discourse. He has already explained the Mitzvot, and he continues to do that. Moshe has alluded to the blessings of life if B'nai Yisroel follows God's commandments. He has and continues to allude to the curses that will befall B'nai Yisroel if they violate the most important commandment-idolatry. "See I present before you today a blessing and a curse" (Deut.11:26). V'haklalah Im Lo Tishm'u el Mitzvot Adonai Eloheichem V'sartem Min Ha'Derech Asher Anochi M'taveh Etchem ha'yom La'lechet Acharei Elohim Acheirim Asher Lo Y'Datem-"And the curse: if you do not hearken to the commandments of the Lord your God, and you stray from the path that I command you today, to follow gods of others, that you did know." (Deut. 11:28) Moshe presents B'nai Yisroel with two pictures, a world when B'nai Yisroel lives up to it covenant with God and one in which they don't.  He reminds Bnai Yisroel of the sanctity of Eretz Yisroel (the Land of Israel), the consumption of foods that are consecrated to the Kohanim and he warns Bnai Yisroel to avoid imitating the Rituals and Rites of the Egyptians and the Canaanites. Moshe reminds Bnai Yisroel to be careful of false prophets, avoiding non-kosher foods, not living in wayward cities, forgiving loans after seven years, and caring for the less fortunate.

The parsha concludes with Moshe mentioning, for the third time, the commandments for celebrating the three pilgrimage festivals of Pesach, Shavuot, and Sukkot. Twice before, the Torah provided instructions regarding these Festivals. The first time occurs in VaYikra (Leviticus 23) order to present them in their due order; meaning Pesach occurs in the spring with the Barley (Winter Wheat) Harvest; Shavuot occurs six weeks later to coincide with the harvest of the First Fruits; and Sukkot occurs in the fall as part of the autumn harvest.  The second time these Festivals are mentioned occurs in Bemidbar (Numbers 28-29) in order to teach us what offerings needed to be made at the Mishkan (the mobile sacrificial altar) and later the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. The third time occurs in Parsha Reeh in order for the benefit of the public. Remember, this new generation, this generation born in freedom heard these laws declared in public for the first time. Sure they may have learned them during their 40 years of wandering. Now, however, Moshe was declaring for the public benefit what they had learned. Rashi, the 11^th century French vintner and great commentator clarifies his understanding of “public benefit”. For Rashi, “public benefit” means everyone needs to know when the holidays occur. So when the Moshe tells Bnai Yisroel to Shamor et Chodesh Aviv v’Asita Pesach L’Adoshem Elokecha Ki BaChodesh HaAviv Hotziacha Adoshem Elokecha Mitzrayim Laila – You shall observe the month of springtime, and perform the Pesach offering for Hashem, your God, for in the month of springtime Hashem, your God, took you out of Egypt at night, Rashi explains that Bnai Yisroel must understand that this holiday must be celebrated in Spring. Rashi comments Mikodem Bo’o Shamor, Sh’yehei Ra’u L’Aviv L’Hakriv BO Et Minchat Ha’Omer, V’Im Lav, Abeir et HaShana- Before its arrival (the month of Aviv) take care that it should be fit for first ripened produce in order to offer in it the meal offering of the omer. And if not late enough to harvest the omer add a month to the year. Since the Jewish calendar is Lunar and  seasons follow the Solar calendar, according to Rashi, Moshe is teaching Bnai Yisroel that for the public benefit, that is to say, to make sure everyone is celebrating at the right time, it will become necessary to make sure that two calendars are regulated and intercalated properly.  

Individuals and individual families can worry about their own family vacations, or summer vacations.  Maybe those vacations and the plans for those vacations just don’t seem to require the same type of preparation since it really just involves getting in a car and driving.  Indeed, the “public” holidays, religious holidays and festivals are so well known that we worry about them months and months in advance. We worry about the airline tickets, the traffic, the food shopping and the menu. Meanwhile, I have ten days off and I haven’t thought about packing, where I am going or when I am getting to wherever I am going.

Says I Got No Satisfaction, That's Why I Sing The Blues ( Bob Weir - "One More Saturday Night")

When I visited my kids at camp last week, I couldn’t help but note the irony, especially from my 13 year old daughter. At home, she would routinely complain that her bedroom isn’t big enough, her closet wasn’t big enough, the bathroom is too small to share with her younger sister and brother and she doesn’t have enough clothes. Sounds like a typical 13 year old girl, or at least a typical 13 year old girl that doesn’t really want for anything. At camp, she shares a room with 12 other girls, she sleeps on the bottom of a bunk bed, has four shelves, about 9 inches of closet space, shares a bathroom with 12 girls and two counselors, and couldn’t be happier. She has less room, less privacy, less clothes and in general seems quite satisfied. Now that is ironic!         

This week’s Parsha is Eikev. Here in his second discourse, Moshe explains to the new generation how the second set of tablets came into being. He explains how God forgave their parents of their idolatrous behavior in regards to the Eigel Zahav (Golden Calf), and all B’nai Yisroel must do essentially refrain from Idolatry, serve God, worship God, and the nation will be rewarded with water, grass and quality lives. Moshe also reminds B’nai Yisroel that they have nothing to fear when they enter into Canaan and conquer the land even though they maybe outnumbered, because God has already demonstrated that he will protect his people. He did so during the Yetziat Mitzrayim (Exodus), and as long as B’nai Yisroel keeps its side of the B’rit, God will continue to protect his people.

            However it is towards the end of the Parsha, that we encounter a possible answer from a passage of Torah that is familiar to many. V’Haya Im Tishma’u El Mitzvotai Asher Anochi M’tzaveh Etchem Hayom L’Ahavah – It will be that if you hearken to My commandments that I command you today to love Hashem your God and to serve him with all you heart and with all your soul…(Deut. 11:13). This is the second paragraph of the Shema, a part of the daily prayers we say every Shacharit (morning service) and Ma’Ariv (evening service). In this second paragraph of the Shema, we are told that there is a reward for our obeying God’s commandments and there will be retribution for disobeying God’s commandments. Among the rewards is a phrase that, at first glance, does not seem like such a reward. V’Haya Im Tishma’u El Mitzvotai Asher Anochi M’tzaveh Etchem Hayom L’Ahavah Et Adonai Eloheichem Ul’Avdo B’Chol Levavchem Uv’chol  Nafshachem. V’Natati M’tar Artzechem B’Ito Yoreh Umalkosh V’Asaftah D’Ganecha V'Tiroshcha v’Yitzharecha – It will be that if you hearken to My commandments that I command you today to love Hashem your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul, then I shall provide rain for your Land in its proper time, the early and the late rains, that you may gather in your grain, your wine and your oil.  V’Natati Esev B’Sadcha Livhemtecha V’Achalta V’Savata – I shall provide grass in your field for your cattle and you will eat and be satisfied (Deut 11:15). Among the rewards is grass for our cattle and we will eat and be satisfied. The simple meaning of the verse suggests that we will eat the grass and or the cattle, but whatever we eat, we will be satisfied –v’Savatah. Satisfied implies that we will not be wanting for anything. Satisfied means fulfilled, content. How can the grass that God will make plentiful satisfy us. Rashi explains the verse as follows: When you are very prosperous, you must be very careful not to rebel against God, because man rejects God only when he is sated.” 

          

           When I asked her to compare the living conditions at home with the living conditions at camp, she looked at me as if I was a fool. She explained that she was with her friends, that she was doing so many amazing things and as a result didn’t need so many creature comforts.  I didn’t tell her, but it was quite evident to me, that spiritually she was flourishing and as a result she didn’t spend time “wanting”. She was satisfied with what she had.

            Peace,

            Rav Yitz

Wonder Who Will Water All The Children Of The Garden (Robert Hunter, Phil Lesh & Jerry Garcia - "St. Stephen")

I had a few days off from work, so I took the opportunity to spend Shabbat with my wife and kids at a summer camp in the Poconos Mountains of northeastern Pennsylvania. My nine year old son was very excited to see me. He also managed to strike a balance between spending time with me and being with his bunk. My 13 and 11 year old daughter, on the other hand, were a very different story. After lunch, I met them towards the middle of the camp, where other parents were visiting their children. We sat at a picnic table and talked. I couldn’t stop looking at them, listening to them and realizing that in the few weeks they have been at camp, there is a noticeable difference. They sounded just a little bit older, they sounded a little bit smarter, they sounded just a little bit more mature, and they sounded just a little bit more confident than they ever have been. Of course, my 13 year old daughter kept asking “what time is it?” Clearly she didn’t want to be there, she preferred to have been with her friends and with her bunk, as it should be. As both my daughters kissed me good bye, and headed off to their bunks and Shabbat activities, I realized just how much my children have learned, and how their learning has made them more mature and confident young people.

 how their learning has made them more mature and confident young people.

I realized just how much my children have learned, andThis Shabbat is Parsha V’Etchanan. It is always the Parsha that immediately follows Tisha B’Av (the Ninth of Av), the day in which we commemorate the destruction of both the First and Second Temple. The Parsha is a continuation of Moshe Rabeinu’s lecture to Bnai Yisroel. While last week’s Parsha, Devarim featured Moshe gently castigating and criticizing Bnai Yisroel; in Parsha V’Etchanan, Moshe urges and cajoles Bnai Yisroel to learn from their hardships. Moshe explains that the hardships that Bnai Yisroel already faced and will face in the future are a direct function of their following God’s Torah. Good things will happen when they followed God’s Torah, and not so good things will happen when they don’t follow God’s Torah. Failure to follow the Torah will result in exile, however there will always be the opportunity to learn from those mistakes and return to the land and to the relationship with God.

Moshe re-iterates the Ten Commandments and his experience at Sinai. Then Moshe explains that while he can speak of the Ten Commandments and share his experience, Bnai Yisroel will now have to pass this information and these commandments in a very different way than sharing a firsthand experience of the revelation of Sinai. Instead, this generation, the generation that did not stand at Sinai, will have to teach the meaning of these words, ideas, and commandments, to their children. V’Shinantam Levanecha V’Dibarta Bam, B’Shivtecha, B’Veitecha, Uv’Lectecha VaDerech, U’Veshachbecha U’vKumecha. – And you shall teach them [these words] thoroughly to your children and you shall speak of them while you sit in your home, while you walk on the way, when you go to sleep and when you arise. The sages explain that a person’s devotion to Torah is the priority given to teaching it to one’s children.

As parents, we teach our children many things. Sometimes we teach them things consciously and formally; sometimes we teach them things inadvertently and quite unintentionally. However, when we consciously decide to teach our children, we obviously only teach them those ideas, those values, and information that we think is relevant and important.  Yes my wife and I teach our children Torah, its rules, its ideas, and its values. We also teach them to have judgment, confidence, and to learn from their experiences. Generally, we have no idea if they learn their lessons. Usually it is quite impossible to watch our children grow up in front of our eyes. However visiting my children at camp, I received a gift. I saw firsthand, that my children have learned, they have matured a little, and they have grown up just a little.

Peace,

Rav Yitz

If My Words Did Glow With The Gold Of Sunshine (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia - "Ripple")

When I was young and I behaved badly; my parents would criticize, castigate and lecture me about my poor behavior or misguided judgment. It didn’t happen frequently, but it happened enough. While they meted out the punishment, I would frequently hear things like: “this is going to hurt me a lot more than it will hurt you” or “Do you think that I enjoy this?” After the criticism and lectures and the punishment would be meted out, their shoulder would slouch, their head would hang. Yes I was punished, but they were exhausted.  Yes I would be punished, but they would be exhausted. However I never understood how or why my parents were more deeply affected or more tired after such an episode. Recently I had a fight with our eldest daughter. What we fought about is irrelevant. However there I was, criticizing her behavior and lecturing her about her misguided judgment. During the course of my leveling criticism at her, I sensed that she stopped listening although she was courteous enough to stay on the phone. But I was pained and exhausted having lectured someone who just didn’t seem to listen nor validate a word I said.

This Shabbat we begin the final book of the Torah, Sefer Devarim, the Book of Deuteronomy. This fifth and final book begins with the Parsha of the same name Devarim. This book is completely apart from the previous four books. Moshe criticize and even berates B'nai Yisroel while simultaneously recounting their recent 40 year history. He mentions the various places they stopped along the course of their 40 journey. He reminds them that what should have been an eleven day journey continued another 38 years because of their misguided judgment. Moshe reminds them that their misfortunes are a direct function of their poor behavior. In the first five verses Moshe points out their current location: M’Ever HaYarden – The Other Side of the Jordan. That is too say they are currently on the wrong side of the Jordan (east of their promised land) due to their poor behavior. Moshe subtly reminds them that it is because of them, that he (Moshe) is destined to remain M’Ever HaYarden – the Other Side of the Jordan.  The Parsha begins with the words Eila HaDevarim Asher Diber Moshe El Kol Yisroel B’Ever HaYarden – These are the words that Moshe spoke to the All of Israel on the Other (wrong) side of the Jordan.  Moshe shares his perspective of the Israel’s most recent history. In so doing, Moshe portrays himself as pained, exhausted, and aware that he nearing the end of his role as leader of Bnai Yisroel.

The Midrash points out the significant of the words Devarim (words). It has the same consonants as Devorim which means “bees”.  Moshe’s criticism, his words, his lecture, and his castigation of Kol Yisroel of all of Israel are words that sting. Moshe was not being “nice”. He shared his perspective, his emotions 38 years of pent of frustration because of Israel’s poor behavior and lack of judgment. Yes, the words stung. However assuming no allergies, we all know what happens when we are stung by a bee. Yes we get stung. We have some discomfort. However the bee dies. Moshe will grow weary, exhausted and eventually die at the end of Devarim, after he has shared his stinging words. The Talmud points out that Bilaam was the Moses for all the other nations. When he finally got around to cursing B’nai Yisroel by getting the Midianite and Moabite woman to have illicit relations with Bnai Yisroel, we are not told that Bilaam is so exhausted from the enterprise. We are not told that Bilaam was worn out and eventually died because he leveled so much hate and vitriol upon Bnai Yisroel. No, it’s Moshe’s critical words that leave Moshe old, cranky, exhausted and eventually dead. Why was Moshe so affected by his own words? The Midrash explains that deep down, Moshe’s criticism was done out of love and concern for the welfare and future welfare of the Bnai Yisroel. If he were indifferent then he wouldn’t have been as affected. Moshe was hardly indifferent. Rather he cared so much he was willing to lose his "stinger" and with it his vigor and vitality.

Well, I am not close to 120 years old. However I will be turning 48 in a few months. It took me all this time and a fight with my daughter for me to have greater sympathy and empathy for my parents. The words, the criticism, and the lecture left me physically and emotionally exhausted. Of course it did; I was “talking at” my daughter. I was “lecturing at” my daughter”, and I could not sense if my words were getting through.  They probably were not. Maybe I should have “talked with” my daughter, “spoken with” my daughter, “discussed with” my daughter and I would have been less physically and emotionally drained like my stinger had been taken out of me.   I hope that she understood that the effort made through the words, the criticism and the lecture are a direct function of my care and concern for her.

Peace,

Rav Yitz

Truckin' I'm A Going Home Whoa, Whoa, Baby, Back Where I Belong (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia - "Truckin")

Well sleep away camp finally started. While it has been a busy and somewhat difficult time for our three children; our soon to be teen-ager seemed to have the most difficult time. After weeks of list making, shopping, schlepping, shopping some more, labeling, listening to the whining, and the crying about going to a place where she doesn’t know anyone and watching the fits and starts of  numerous attempts to pack, finally the moment is at hand. The kids are at camp; they are in their bunks and they are meeting their bunk mates. There have been numerous pep talks. There have been reminders of previous experiences that should provide a source strength and confidence. However I have learned that my reminding her of those experiences is not nearly as effective as her recalling those experiences and her learning to derive strength and confidence herself.

This morning we read from Parsha Matot/Masei. These are the final two parshiot of Sefer BaMidbar (Book of Numbers).  Like the end of most books, these parshiot tie up numerous loose ends. It ties up the loose ends of the narrative such as how to deal with the Midianites following episode with Pinchas, the daughters of Tzelophchad and issues of inheritance, as well as the borders of Eretz Canaan, and the Cities of Refuge. All these final issues must be dealt with since, from a narrative perspective, Bnai Yisroel is spiritually and physically ready to cross the Yarden River and enter into Eretz Canaan. Bnai Yisroel is about to realize the Brit, the covenant that God made with the Avot: Avraham, Yiztchak and Yaakov.

Whenever an individual, a group, a community or a people stand on the precipice of a realized goal; looking back upon the journey only makes sense.  Whenever an individual, a group, a community or a people experience anxiety about the ability to handle future unknowns; looking back at past lessons also seems to make a lot of sense. We look back upon the journey for a variety of reasons. First we look back upon the journey in sheer wonderment; we cannot believe we have traveled so far and finally achieved. Second, we look back upon the journey in order to provide context and meaning for all those who joined in the journey towards the middle or the end. Third, we look back upon the journey as a series of opportunities that were necessary in order to realize the stated goal. Fourth, we look back knowing that if we overcame past obstacles and fears, then we should be able to overcome future anxieties, obstacles and fears.  Eilah Masei V’nai Yisroel Asher Yatzu M’Eretz Mitztrayim L'tzivotam  B’Yad Moshe v’Aharon – These are the journeys of the Children of Israel, who went forth from the Land of Egypt according to the legions under the hand of Moshe and Aharon … V’Eilah Maseihem L’Motzaheihem – And these are the their journeys according to their departures. (Num. 33:1-2) God commanded Moshe to keep a record of their travels according to their Maseihem - destination. This is means of recording based upon positive expectations, when there were no travails, issues or problems. Moshe also kept a record of their travels based upon Motzaheihem their departures, when there were travails, issues and great difficulties, when people murmured against God, against Moshe etc. Now that Bnai Yisroel stands on the brink of entering Eretz Canaan, all the experiences, both positive and negative gave Bnai Yisroel an opportunity to learn Faith.  The journey and all that was experienced during that 40-year journey was necessary in order to arrive at this point in time.

Hopefully, as our daughter experiences her first few nights at sleep away camp, experiences the gnawing fear of wondering if she will make new friends, hopefully she will be able to recall her own journey into new and unknown experiences. Hopefully she will remember that she made friends quickly and easily when she moved to California, when she arrived here in Toronto, or when she played for her school basketball team. Hopefully she will realize that the anxiety is really in her own mind rather than in the reality of her experiences or the reality of each new day at camp.

Peace

Rav Yitz