Get Back Home Where You Belong ( Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia - "Row Jimmy Row")

I am always intrigued how our children’s opinions are affected by western culture, the mass media and even our community’s values and standards. When we discuss the concept of heroism, greatness, and what it means to be a hero; the influence of Western Culture and the mass media is most evident. For our nine year old son, heroism is manifest in saving a life and defeating the bad guys by putting one’s own life at risk. For our daughter who has been participating in the Holocaust Educational program entitled “Names not Numbers”, heroism means surviving the most heinous conditions. Yes, the fireman who saves a child from a burning building, the soldier who jumps upon a grenade saving the lives of his company, and the survivor of the Holocaust are all heroes. I completely agreed with them but then I offered a much more subtle, less dramatic definition. Sometimes heroism is evident by dealing with cancer treatments, by going through hard work of rehab. Sometimes heroism is waking up every morning and going to work in order to support a family. In all these cases, heroism is a function of the strength and integrity of the individual’s soul.  In all these cases, heroism is a function of the individual having a sense of sanctified purpose.

This morning we read from Parsha Naso. The Parsha’s 176 psukim make it among the longest single parshiot in the entire Torah.  Its length is also reflected in the wide variety of topics covered including: further description of Priestly obligations, the dedication of offering that each tribe brought prior to the Mishkan’s opening and laws concerning the wayward wife. Each of these seemingly disparate narratives and laws focuses upon a specific segment of the population. However all of the narratives and laws contain a common thread, how to raise the level of holiness. The Parsha also provides a mechanism for the most common individual to achieve spiritual greatness. The individual merely swears a vow to forego wine, grapes, grape products and haircuts for thirty days.  This vow of abstinence could be annulled if the individual comes into contact with death, a corpse. These are the three requirements of spiritual greatness: 30 days, no haircuts, and no grape products. Once those requirements are satisfied, then the Nazir has briefly lived on a higher spiritual plane than need be. As a result the Nazir achieved a higher level of spiritual greatness. Kol Yemai Nizro Kadosh Hu L’Adoshem – all the days of his being a Nazir, he is Sanctified to HaShem (Num. 6:8). Rashi clarifies that “all the days of his status as a Nazir as sanctified” refers to Zo Kedushat HaGuf Milhitamei L’Meitim – the sanctity of the body, which is manifest through abstinence from becoming impure through contact with the dead. Rashi explains that striving towards a higher level of Kedusha, of Holiness is attainable for all of us if only for a limited period of time. Theoretically the possibility of an “inner hero” resides in all of us.

Torah teaches us a valuable lesson. Very often we confuse greatness with size. “Greatness” is not only the courage to make “big” decisions. Greatness is not only initiating or responding to big events and crises. Very often, more often than not, “heroism” and “greatness” are not only big steps but rather the small initial steps that someday build into greatness. All of us can achieve “Greatness” and be “Heroes”. When a child hears this, when an adult learns this, then they become truly empowered to make the mundane activities such as: going to work, going to school, getting involved in the community, engaging in a small simple act of Gemilut Chasadim, sanctified holy and heroic deeds and behaviors.

Peace,

Rav Yitz

A Soldier By The Looks Of Him, Who Came Through Many Fights (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia - "Lady With a Fan")

Several weeks ago, Israel commemorated Yom HaZikaron, a day in which Israel takes a moment to remember its fallen soldiers. Early next week, the United States will commemorate Memorial Day. Originally known as Decoration Day, it commemorated all those soldiers who had died fighting in the Civil War – for both the North and the South.  By the early Twentieth century, Memorial Day replaced Decoration Day as all soldiers who had died in all of the United States wars were commemorated and memorialized on the last Monday in May.  As a kid, I always remember that each town would have Memorial Day Parade. There would always be an elderly veteran lighting a candle near where the Town’s memorial for those who died in the Civil War, WWI and WWII. In fact nearly every small town throughout the north east and the Midwest has some type of memorial that lists those who died. This is especially the case in terms of the Civil War.  Once, while in Niagara Falls, my son called attention such a memorial. Yes, Memorial Day also served as the unofficial start of summer. Yes, many stores would be open.  Yes, I am sure most Americans don’t think twice about the solemnity of the day, but there are still small towns, and certainly there are Memorials that counted the names, listed the names of those who served and didn’t come home.  We watch the ceremony at Arlington National cemetery and explain the importance of commemorating those who died in service to their country. Memorial Day shouldn’t be confused with Veterans Day which celebrates all those who served their country and lived.

             This Shabbat we begin the fourth book of the Torah, Sefer Bemidbar, by reading the first Parsha, Bemidbar. Literally meaning “In the Wilderness”, this fourth book of the Torah resumes the narrative format with B'nai Yisroel preparing to leave the foot of Mount Sinai. For the past year, B'nai Yisroel has essentially camped out at Har Sinai and listened to Moshe and Aharon teach all the laws concerning Tamei/Tahor –Purity and Impurity, Kodesh and Chol – the Holy and the Mundane, as well as the laws for Korbonot, sacrificial offerings. Prior to B'nai Yisroel’s embarking on the remainder of its journey a census is required. In fact, Parsha Bemidbar consists of three types of census. The first census counts all men over the age of twenty that come from all the tribes except for the Levites. The second census focuses only upon the Levites. Since this tribes’ sole function is to operate and manage the Mishkan, ascertaining the number of workers in the Mishkan suggests the importance of the Mishkan to the everyday life of the B'nai Yisroel. The third census focuses upon the organizational placement of each tribe around the Mishkan while traveling.

The Census that God commands Moshe at the beginning of this fourth book of the Torah is very different than the last census taken. Until now there had been one Census taken while Bnai Yisroel was at Sinai, engaged in the construction of the Mishkan. All the way back in Parsha Ki Tissa, in Sefer Shmot (the Book of Exodus) God had commanded Moshe to count everyone by levying a half shekel tax. In fact we are commanded not to count by pointing and counting but rather we would count the number of ½ Shekel collected and that number would then tell us the total number of men twenty years and older. (Ex 30:11-14) Now God commands Moshe S’u Et Rosh Kol Adat Bnai Yisroel L’Mishpechotam L’Veit Avotam Mispar Sheimot  Kol Zachar L’Gulgulotam; Miben Esrim Shana Va’Malah Kol Yotzei Tzavah B’Yisroel Tifkedu Otam….- Take a census of the entire assembly of the Children of Israel according to  their families, according to their father’s household, by number of the names and every male according to their head count; from  twenty years of age an up everyone who goes out to the legion in Israel, you shall count them (Num. 1:2-3)…. Abravanel, the 15^th century Portugese commentator points out the apparent contradiction in the two types of census:  the first being found in the Sefer Shmot, and the second in Parsha Bemidbar. “Surely this (Bemidbar) is just the opposite of what the Torah had commanded on an earlier occasion (Sefer Shmot Parsha Ki Tissa).” There in Ki Tissah, they poll (a tax) was taken.  “How could the Almighty have commanded them here to number them by their polls?” Abravanel notes the word “Tifekedu Otam” – you shall “account for them” (according to Rashi and “accounting” is a Poll or a levied tax).  Ramban, the 12^th century Spanish commentator and philosopher points out that Tifkedu is an expression of visitation, remembrance and providence.  

The Census in Parsha Bemidbar was a census to determine those who were eligible to fight, who will be asked to perhaps give their lives for the welfare of the nation.  If and when the time came and they did have to lay down their lives who would have remembered them? Who would have mourned them? Who would tell stories about them and carry on their name?  L’Mishpechotam L’Veit Avotam Mispar Sheimot    to their families, according to their father’s household by number of the names. Perhaps that is why in nearly every small town, at the town square, there is a monument for those who gave their lives. The loss of those fine young men would have been most felt by the small towns and villages they grew up in and the communities in which they were associated. Yes, Memorial Day might be the first unofficial day in summer in the United States, but it is also a day in which people should take a moment and appreciate what so many have done in service to their country.

Peace,

Rav Yitz

'Cause When Life Looks Like Easy Street, There Is Danger At Your Door (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia - (Uncle John's Band")

Our 8^th grade daughter participated in softball tournament with other 8^th girls representing the Toronto area Day Schools. Thankfully the weather was in the mid sixties, sunny and clear. The tournament was held right near my shul so I strolled over and watched for a few minutes. Some of the school teams had talented girls representing them. It was evident that some of the school teams had practiced for weeks, understood the fundamentals of the game and used appropriate technique to catch the ball, throw the ball and hit the ball. I remember that when our daughter was younger, I taught her how to swing a baseball bat, how to catch and how to throw. After she turned 11 or 12 and exhibited absolutely zero interest in baseball, I didn’t exert the effort in showing her how to catch, throw, hit or even really play the game. Thankfully our daughter has a wonderful attitude and likes to participate so she wasn’t too terribly despondent when I showed up and she told me that she had not had a hit yet nor had she even reached base in eight at bats. Interestingly enough her lack of despondency and disappointment were directly related to the fact that this was a casual sort of experience and not something to take so seriously.  

This Shabbat we read from Parsha Bechukotai. It is the final Parsha of the Book of Leviticus. For the past ten Parshiot, Sefer Vayikra, the Book of Leviticus has taught us how to act in a holy manner. We have learned how to behave towards God in a holy manner. We have been taught how to treat member of our family in a holy manner. We have been taught how to treat people outside of our family, friends, acquaintances, employees, and the needy in a holy manner as well. We have been given tools by which we are able to approach God in a sanctified way. We have been given tools to sanctify the seasons, as well as the land of Israel. Finally, here in the last Parsha we are told the reward as well as the punishment if we fail to learn and observe these commandments. The reward is quite simple and straightforward.  Im B’Chukotai Teileichu v’Et Mitzvotai Tishmeru Va’Asitem Otam V’Natati Gishmeichem B’Itam V’Natna Ha’Aretz Y’Vulah V’Eitz Ha’Sadeh Yiten Piryo – If you follow my decrees and observe my commandments and perform them; then I will provide you with rains in their time, and the land will give its produce an the tree of the field will give its fruit. (Lev. 26:3-4). Ultimately our reward is predicated upon fulfilling the commandments.

The punishment is neither simple nor straightforward. Normally one would think that merely our failure to observe and fulfill the commandment would be reason enough for punishment. However this is not the case. Our punishment is a result of something worse than our failure to observe and fulfill these commandments.  V’Im Lo Tishme’u Li, V’Lo Ta’asu Eit Kol HaMitzvot Ha’Eila – If you will not listen to me (obey) and will not perform all of these commandments; V’Im B’Chukotai Timasu V’Im Et Mishpatai Tigal Nafshechem – if you consider my Decrees loathsome, and if your being rejects My ordinances (Lev. 26: 14-15) then we receive punishment. There are a series of seven sets of punishments and after each set; we are given an opportunity for Tshuvah, for Repentance. If after each set of punishments we continue to ignore God, then we receive another set of punishments. The Torah keeps repeating a phrase which is far more powerful than “ignoring” God. V’Halachtem Imi B’Keri and if you behave towards Me cavalierly, then the next set of punishments are warranted. It could be argued that our divine punishment is a result of our lack of passion, our lack of care and concern for our role and responsibility in our relationship to God.

Torah is teaching us a valuable lesson about life. Life is sacred. The relationships that we make can and should be sacred, not only with our husbands and wives and our children but with God as well. Self improvement and trying to get the most out of our abilities is directly proportional to how casual and cavalier we are. Success, as Malcolm Gladwell writes in his book Outliers, depends upon putting in tremendous amounts of time, effort and energy to doing something better than the previous time. For our covenant with God, we need to put in the effort and energy to study and learn. For my daughter’s last at bat of the day, well she finally got on base.  I guess I better find the time and have her put in the time if this is something that she truly enjoys doing.

Peace,

Rav Yitz