And There's Nothing Left To Do But Count The Years (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia - "Black Muddy River")

One of the amazing things about the congregation that I serve is the number of Holocaust survivors. Children of these congregants, now in their fifties and sixties routinely call the area where the synagogue is located “survivor central”.  The synagogue was built by survivors. Its life cycle affairs, whether a Bris, a Baby Naming, a Bar/Bat Mitzvah or a wedding, are large lavish affairs almost symbolically suggesting that not only have they survived but they have thrived.  So when I listed to certain American politicians’ criticism of the Iran Nuclear Deal as the equivalent of marching Israel to the doors of the gas chambers; I want to hang my head in despair. The despair results from the complete disrespect and lack of sensitivity for the numerous survivors of my congregation as well as the numerous family and friends of theirs that, indeed, were marched to the doors of the gas chambers. I look at the elderly congregants who are Holocaust survivors and realize that they have done much more than survive, they have thrived. They are a testament and a symbol of the Jewish People’s ability to survive. As difficult as the situation has been I am reminded of Mark Twain’s opinion of  the Jewish People. “If the statistics are right, the Jews constitute but one percent of the human race. It suggests a nebulous dim puff of stardust lost in the blaze of the Milky Way. Properly, the Jew ought hardly to be heard of, but he is heard of, has always been heard of. He is as prominent on the planet as any other people, and his commercial importance is extravagantly out of proportion to the smallness of his bulk. His contributions to the world’s list of great names in literature, science, art, music, finance, medicine, and abstruse learning are also way out of proportion to the weakness of his numbers. He has made a marvelous fight in this world, in all the ages; and has done it with his hands tied behind him. He could be vain of himself, and be excused for it. The Egyptian, the Babylonian, and the Persian rose, filled the planet with the sound and splendor, then faded to dream stuff and passed away. The Greek and the roman followed, and made a vast noise, and they are gone. Other peoples have sprung up and held their torch high for a time, but it burned out, and they sit in twilight now, or have vanished. The Jew saw them all, beat them all, and is now what he always was, exhibiting no decadence, no infirmities of age, no weakening of his parts, no slowing of his energies, no dulling of his alert and aggressive mind. All things are mortal but the Jew; all other forces pass but he remains. What is the secret of his immortality (Mark Twain, “Concerning the Jews” Harpers Magazine, 1898).

This week’s parsha is V’Etchanan. The Parshah begins with Moshe's recounting his experience of pleading to God to allow him into the Land. Moshe explained to this new generation that because of the previous generation's whining and complaining, he lost patience and failed to adhere to God's command. Moshe explain that this is why he cannot cross into the land as well as Joshua becoming the leader. Moshe then recounts his experience and his generation's experience of revelation at Sinai. However instead of just stating the facts, Moshe adds his own editorial comments. "For the Lord your God is a merciful, He will not abandon you or destroy you, He will not forget the covenant of your forefathers that he swore to them" (Deut. 4:31). Moshe is offering hope, suggesting that no matter what happens to this people, they must always know and believe that we always have the capacity for T'shuvah for return or repentance to God, and that we will always be accepted. Moshe then begins recounting the giving of the Aseret HaDibrot, The Ten Commandments. Moshe again reminds B’nai Yisroel to never participate in Avodah Zarah (idolatry), and avoid it at all costs. He implores us to pass this information, and to teach these traditions and these laws to the next generation.

Throughout this Parsha, the secrets to our survival are revealed in large broad statements as well as the use of certain words. One secret to our survival is the “Aseret Dibrot” -The Ten Commandments (Deut. 5:6-19). Another secret to our survival is perhaps the one theologically dogmatic statement in Torah: Shmah Yisroel Adoshem Elokeinu, Adoshem Echad – Hear O Yisroel O Lord Our God, the Lord is One. (Deut. 6:4). Certainly the “Shmah” contributes to the secret of our survival. Moshe’s re-iteration of God’s nature also contributes to the secret of our success.  Ki Eil Kanah Adoshem Elokecha B’kirbecha pen yechreh af Adoshem Elokecha   bach v’hismidcha mei’al pnei Ha’Adamah- For a jealous God is the Lord your God, among you lest the wrath of the Lord your God will flare against you and He destroy you from upon the face of the earth…(Deut 6:15-19). Certainly these powerful explicit statements of theology, universal moral guidelines, and our fear of retribution contribute to the secret of our survival.

However the essence of our survival is our sense of purpose and our sense of existence. Our purpose is to live according to these laws. “You shall be careful to act as the Lord your God commanded you, you shall not stray to the right or left". B’chol Ha’derech Asher Tzivah Adoshem Elokeichem Etchem Teileichu L’ma’an Tishyun V’Tov Lachem v’haractem Yamim – On the entire way that the Lord your God, commanded you shall you go, so that you shall live and it will be good for you, and you shall prolong your days…(Deut.6:29-30).  We live according to Torah so that our lives will go well, so that our lives will have more meaning, so that the quality of our lives determines length. We learn that living a long life is not about length it is about quality. Our sense of purpose is to achieve this quality. Besides “purpose” we must have a sense of our existence. Our sense of existence is our acceptance of our place. There were generations that came before us and, G-d willing, generations will follow us. Ki Yishalcha vincha Machar Leimor Mah Ha’eidot vHa’chukim v’Hamishpatim Asher Tzivah Adoshem Elokeinu Etchem – If your child asks you tomorrow saying; What are the testimonies and the decrees and the ordinances that the Lord your G-d commanded you V’Amarta L’vincha Avadim Ha’yinu l’Faroh B’Mitzrayim – You shall say to your child, “We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt…(Deut. 6:20-21). Our sense of purpose is of that of transmitter between the older generation and the younger generation, between the past and the future. As we delve deeper into the Book of Deuteronomy we understand that our survival is dependent upon our ability to transmit this sense of purpose and sense of existence to the next generation. That ability is what makes us a holy nation.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Peace, 

Rav Yitz

It's Got No Signs Or Dividing Lines And Very Few RulesTo Guide (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia - "New Speedway Boogie")

Several weeks ago, the United States Supreme Court,  a court that has been perceived as very conservative and with the majority of the Justices appointed by Republican Presidents, issued two landmark decisions that seemed to fly in the face of its “conservative”/Republican perception. One decision upheld the Affordable Care Act, cynically called Obama care. For many Republican congressman and Senators and their most vociferous constituents, this decision was another step towards “Socialism”. Funny I have been living here in Toronto for five years now. Sure I have my criticism of health care, but “socialism” isn’t one of the criticisms. The other landmark decision finally legalized same-sex marriage. Again, certain Republican Senators and Congressman and their constituents considered this the end of the Western Society. When the question was taken to the “person on the street”; some were so angered that they thought they would now move to Canada.  I have always said that my home country has always possessed a certain anti-intellectual strain. Well it’s not just anti- intellectual sometimes I think it’s just anti-thoughtful. I guess they didn’t know that Canada has had legalized same sex marriage for the past decade. What with a national health care, and same sex marriage; funny thing it doesn’t feel Canada has fallen off the map.  I guess Mexico is out of the question, especially after Donald Trump shared his feelings about Mexicans. As idiotic as some of the responses have been to these two Supreme Court decisions, the response of certain individuals running for the Republican nomination has been disturbing to say the least and borderline treasonous to say the most. Some of these “leaders” have said that the Supreme Court decision should be ignored.  Ted Cruz, a senator from Texas, a graduate of Harvard Law School, (and born in Canada to American parents) made the most disturbing troubling statements. “What we saw was five unelected lawyers saying that the views of 320 Americans don't matter because they're going to enforce their own policies…"What a crazy system to have the most important issues of our day decided by unelected lawyers."  Here is someone who understands the sanctity of the law, of Judicial Review, and the United States Constitution and he demeans the sanctity of law and the courts because the decision wasn’t what he wanted. For such a smart guy, he certainly seems quite intellectually dishonest.

This Shabbat we read from Parsha Devarim. This week’s Parshah is Devarim, which is the first Parshah of the Book of Deuteronomy or Sefer Devarim. Moshe recounts in very wide brushstrokes, the experience of the generation that fled Egypt. Moshe begins with the appointment of Judges. Then recounts their departure from Chorev (Sinai); after the Torah had been given; after the incident of the Golden Calf. Rather he recounts the incident with the spies. He recounts their travels through the wilderness and their victories over Esav over Moab, their inevitable march towards their covenanted land, Eretz Canaan, their most recent conquest of Og and finally Moshe’s version of the 2 ½ tribes request to remain on the eastern side of the Jordan River.  Except for the appointment of Judges; underlying all the other events that Moshe recounts is the relationship of Faith to B’nai Yisroel’s success. When B’nai Yisroel has Faith in God, then only good things happen. When B’nai Yisroel lacks faith, then B’nai Yisroel suffers; they suffer from plague, they suffer from wandering for 40 years.

Clearly, Moshe telling B’nai Yisroel about the Appointment of Judges, does not seem to fit the underlying agenda of Emunah, of faith.  So why does Moshe begin his historical recounting with appointing Judges. Va’ Ekach et Roshei Shivteichem Anashim Chachamim Vidu’im Va’Etein Otam Roshim Aleichem Sarei  Alafim V’Sarei M’ot V’Sarie Chamishim V’Sarei Asarot V’Shotrim L’Shivteichem: So I took the heads of your tribes, distinguished men, who were wise and well known, and I appointed them as heads over you, leaders of thousands, leaders of hundreds, leaders of fifties and leaders of tens, and officers for your tribes. (Deut. 1:15) As important as Emunah is for B’nai Yisroel, without a just that accepts the fundamental importance of the rule of law, the sanctity of the law, courts and judges, then society cannot function. Without the sanctity of Law and Judges; Faith becomes whatever someone says it is. Moshe reminds the people Ki Mishpat L’Elohim – for the Judgment is Gods’; (Deut. 1:17).  The commentators explain that the process of Judging is a Godly endeavor, rendering a decision based upon listening, based upon evidence, and their wisdom makes the decision Godly.

 

The sanctity of the Law, the Sanctity of the Courts, and the criteria for choosing Judges based solely upon wisdom and intelligence, and not political affiliation nor popularity was revolutionary for the day. Ironically it is the basis upon which Liberal Democracy and Constitutional laws are built. It’s not accidental that a bust of Moshe Rabeinu sits above the Speaker of the House in the Capitol Building. Yes, Supreme Court Judges are appointed by the leader, the criteria is the breadth of knowledge and the wisdom to apply it. The focus is not upon the weak nor the strong, as the Moshe reminds the judges to favor neither. The focus is upon the sanctity and integrity of the law. So how can someone running for President, whose fundamental responsibility is to protect the Constitution, demean the Supreme Court and want them to become elected officials subjected to popular opinion as opposed to interpreting law?

Peace,

Rav Yitz

Promises Made In The Dark Dissolve By Light Of Day (Robert Hunter & Bob Weir -"Easy Answers")

Earlier this week, I woke up turned on my favorite morning news show, sipped my coffee and for the first time in my life I felt torn between my being American and being Jewish. No, my rights, as an American citizen, were not somehow being restricted because I am Jewish. I am still free to practice my religion. However, for the first time, I felt my allegiance being pulled between the American part of me and the Zionist part of me.  The Iran Nuclear Agreement scares me. I have always believed under the current Iranian regime, that a nuclear Iran poses an existential threat to Israel, (and a strategic threat to the North America). So while the West, and particularly the United States negotiated a deal base on strategic issues, Israel always had a very legitimate concern that Iran poses an existential threat.  Yet, this agreement, these words, these series of vows, oaths, promises and covenants mean that we, the West, and (therefore Israel) will now know with greater certainty than before, what the Iranians are doing with their nuclear program. Admittedly, that doesn’t make me feel much better, no does it assuage my concerns for Israel. Why? Like many in Congress, and certainly like many Jews and for that matter may Sunnis including Saudi Arabia, I don’t trust the Iranian Regime. Since there is no trust that the current Regime will keep its word, then the vows, the oaths, the promises don’t mean very much. The sanctity of words, the sanctity of a vow and oath is based entirely upon trust. This agreement, like many agreements of this kind, the 1985 agreement between the U.S. under Reagan’s administration and the former Soviet Union on Gorbachev was based upon Reagan’s idea of “Trust but Verify”. However “Trust but Verify” seems to undermine the importance and the sanctity of the spoken/ written word, vow, oath, and covenant.

This Shabbat, we read from the final two Parshiot in Sefer Bemidbar (Book of Numbers): Matot and Masei.  This double parsha begins with the laws of Nedarim (Vows), and then Bnai Yisroel fights against the Midianites. Moshe rebukes his officers for their collective failure to deal with the Midianite woman since they were the cause of Bnai Yisroel’s plague in the first place. Bnai Yisroel then begins the process of dividing the spoils of this battle. Two tribes, Reuben and Gad request to settle in land east of the Jordan River and not the land promised by Hashem. Moshe expresses his anger over the request and the two tribes amend their request. Moshe adds a condition and an agreement is reached. The Torah recounts the various stops that Bnai Yisroel made on their journey to Eretz Canaan, the boundaries of Eretz Canaan are clarified, the new leadership is introduced and the cities of refuge of explained and established. Finally, Sefer Bemidbar concludes with a reminder of the laws for tribal inheritance. With all those loose ends neatly sewn up; Bnai Yisroel now sits on the eastern bank of the Jordan River waiting to enter Eretz Canaan. As we conclude the reading, we say Chazak Chazak v’ NitChazeik – From strength to strength we shall go forward in strength.

The beginning of the Parsha, with its focus upon Nedarim v’Shvuot Vows and Oaths, we are being reminded of two vital concepts. First we are reminded of the Aseret Dibrot, of the Ten Commandments and specifically invoking God’s name in vain.  Ish Ki Yidor Neder L’adoshem When a man takes a vow to Hashem (Num. 30:3). Part of the process by which one makes a vow is to invoke God name. Therefore, a failure to keep the vow or the oath means that one has used God’s name in vain. The repercussions of which are extremely serious.  Second, we learned in Sefer Breishit (Book of Genesis) that speech is holy. Speech is part of the God’s creative process; Vayomer Elokim, Yehi Or, VaYahi Or- And God said: Let there be Light; and there was light. In a sense, speech is perhaps one of the only actions available to us that allows us to emulate God. When we make a vow or an oath, we are acting similar to God. A Neder is a pledge to prohibit oneself from something that that the Torah permits. Or a Neder can be obligating oneself to something that the Torah considers to be optional. Obligating one’s self to contribute to a specific charity would be an example of "obligating that which is optional". Refraining from apples would be an example of prohibiting something that is originally acceptable. In either case the individual is truly acting like God. The individual is creating Halacha and making his vow and or oath becomes tantamount to Torah. Clearly this cannot be taken lightly. After all, the severity of the language is a function of the fact that one makes this vow, pledge or oath to God and not to ones self or to another.  Fundamental to our vows with God is a trust in the relationship, trust that it exists, trust that it is desired by both and trust that is must be treated as sacred.

Like B’nai Yisroel recounting where they have been to arrive at this point in history, I look back and recount where the relationship between Israel and the United States has been and I wonder how we arrived at this point, a point where Trust and Verify has taken on a completely different meaning. In the world of “Trust but Verify” lies the fact that the side that does the verifying trusts that the side being verified will do everything it can to not keep its oaths, its vows and its promises. If there was truly mutual trust, then obviously there is no need to verify since the word, the vow, the oath is sacred since it is the embodiment of a Godly action: speech.  So now I have to trust that my government will keep its longstanding vow to Israel, to stand with Israel, to protect Israel, to “have Israel’s back” as the President said. I wish there was a way that we could trust but verify those words, those vows and those oaths. Maybe then Israel and the United States can Chazak v’Chazak Nitchazeik – from strength to strength go forward in strength.  

Peace,

Rav Yitz  

So Many Roads To Ease My Soul (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia- "So Many Roads")

While Canadians and Americans were celebrating their country’s respective Independence Day and the added bonus of the U.S. women’s soccer team winning the World Cup; a great irony began to take shape in the Middle East and specifically in Gaza. Beginning on July 1^st in the New York Times and in various other news outlets including a Sunday morning news show; a story appeared about Isis and Hamas. It wasn’t exactly what you might have thought… a joint partnership bent on the destruction of Israel. Ironically, Isis believes that Hamas is an illegitimate government for Palestinians. According to ISIS policy makers and spokesman, Hamas is too secular and they are not true believers in the Caliphate and returning Jerusalem to the Caliphate. From Isis perspective, Hamas is too political, too cynical since they only pretend to be Muslim Fundamentalist. ISIS believers that Hamas’ sole reason for existence is to return Israel to the Palestinians and not necessarily rule according to Sharia law. Even in the world of extremism, some extremists are not extreme enough.  During the Sunday news show that explored ISIS’ rise, its popularity and even a version of extremism that overshadowed Hamas; Tom Friedman commented that young men who were disenfranchised, young men with bleak futures, young men who have never held a girl’s hand let alone kissed a girl are promised power, a future and a bride all the while earning a living.  So, these young men move from one form of extremism, extreme exclusion, to another form of extremism, extreme inclusion. While they think they will achieve contentment and peace, ultimately they will only achieve the dead end of an existence based in extremism, based in Sharia law, and a medieval life.

This Shabbat we read from Parsha Pinchas. The first few Psukim of the Parsha are a direct continuation of the previous Shabbat Parsha Balak. There is no elapse of time in the narrative. Balak concludes with a plague upon B’nai Yisroel for its worship of Moabite/Midianite god, Baal Peor. Aaron’s son Pinchas zealously acts by killing Zimri from the tribe of Shimon and Cozbi the Midianite woman. God tells Moshe to reward Pinchas for his behavior by giving him the Brit Shalom, the Covenant of Peace. This covenant is only for Pinchas and his descendants. Keeping in mind that B’nai Yisroel has now concluded it 40 years of wandering in the wilderness and are poised upon the eastern bank of the Jordan River; a new census is taken. Just like we needed to know how many left Egypt, we now need to know how many will enter into Eretz Canaan. After the census is taken Moshe must judge a legal case concerning the laws of inheritance when a man has only daughters. This brief narrative is about the “Daughters of Tzelophchad”. Following this narrative, God commands Moshe to teach the new generation the laws for time bound offerings including the Shabbat offering, the Rosh Chodesh offering, the offerings for the Shelosh Regalim (Three Pilgrimage Festivals etc).

Isn't it odd, or perhaps even disturbing, that Pinchas' zealousness, his subsequent spear throwing and impaling his targets is rewarded with a Brit Shalom - a Covenant of Peace and Brit Kehunat Olam - a covenant of an everlasting Priesthood? (Num. 25:12). Through our modernist lens, I imagine that most people consider or at least can understand why some may consider Pinchas act to be nothing more than fanaticism or vigilantism. If we consider Pinchas' behavior to be no different that some fanatic or vigilante; then have a difficult time in understanding Hashem’s rewarding Pinchas. To offer Pinchas Peace and the Priesthood becomes seems incomprehensible. The NeZiV (Rabbi Zvi Yehuda Berlin Poland 1817-1893; the Rosh Yeshiva of the Volozhin Yeshiva) offers a fascinating explanation that might be valuable in todays’ age of extremists recruiting young people. The NeZiV explains that the Brit Shalom is a guarantee of peace from an inner enemy from whatever lurked within Pinchas that caused him to kill another human being without due process. "The Holy One Blessed He blessed him [Pinchas] with the attribute of peace, that he should not be quick tempered or angry. Since it was only natural that such a deed as Pinchas' should leave in his heart an intense emotional unrest afterward, the Divine blessing was designed to cope with this situation and promised peace and tranquility of the soul." We can now begin to make some sense of these covenants. Once Pinchas committed his first act of zealous defense of God's glory, perhaps it becomes easier and easier to commit a second third of forty-eight act of zealous defense of God's glory. At some point, from the NeZiV's perspective, the zealot's soul becomes damaged, the zealot's emotions are incapable of feelings, and the zealot's eyes become unseeing except through the lens of their zealousness. The zealot by definition is an extremist and we know that extremism in Judaism is frowned upon and halachically unacceptable (see the laws of the Nazarite).  Precisely because the zealot does not know peace when he/she commits such an act, in Pinchas' case the only gift God could give was that the tumult of his own soul should cease and he should be whole, complete and at peace.

Just imagine if there was no way for Isis to recruit vulnerable young men. What if there were no vulnerable young men. Imagine if young men throughout the world had education, job prospects, a future, didn’t feel disenfranchised or alienated and had been kissed by a girl or at least held a girl’s hand. Yes Isis would still be able to recruit a few, but that is exactly the point. There would only be a few. Young men and young women for that matter, would be far less vulnerable to Isis videos and recruiters. Without fresh recruits, Isis will eventually shrivel up and die, as would Hamas. For the sake of the non-extremists, here’s hoping that the souls of these young men, achieve a sense of peace and contentment sooner rather than later.

Peace,

Rav Yitz