A good case could be made that LeBron James is the most despised athlete in Toronto. His Cleveland Cavalier team has eliminated the Toronto Raptors from the playoffs in each of the last three years, and, as a result, he has broken the hearts of Toronto Raptors fans. The broken hearts have become so acute, that following the most recent playoff loss to Lebron James and his Cleveland Cavalier team; Raptor management fired the coach and traded away its most beloved player who, by the way, liked Toronto so much that he wanted to remain in Toronto. LeBron James earns nearly $100 million a year in salary and endorsements. He acknowledges that his family is financially secure for several generations. He understands that he has more than enough. He understands that he can’t possibly spend all that he earns. He readily acknowledges that he has been blessed and with such a blessing comes the obligation to “do good in the world”. LeBron strongly believes that he has an obligation to give back to the community. For LeBron, giving back to the community means providing educational programs for “at-risk youth” in his hometown of Akron. Until this past week, LeBron’s foundation has invested tens of millions of dollars in college scholarships for at-risk students, providing them with academic and emotional support in order to help them earn a college diploma. Then earlier this week, LeBron’s foundation opened up a school in his hometown of Akron, Ohio. The elementary school is designed for at-risk students. It provides breakfast, lunch, tutors and uniforms for the students. It provides family and career counselling for families, and tutors for its students. As well as aftercare programs for students. The school is considered to be a state of the art facility. When the school opened, LeBron said that besides the birth of his children, the opening of the school was the most meaningful moment of his life, more than winning an NBA Championship.
This week’s Parsha is Eikev. Here in his second discourse, Moshe explains to the new generation how the second set of tablets that contain the Aseret Dibrot came into being. He explains how God forgave the parents of their idolatrous behaviour 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 if they are outnumbered. God already demonstrated that he will protect his people. He did so during the Yetziat Mitzrayim (Exodus), and he did so over the past 40 years in the wilderness. As long as B’nai Yisroel keeps its side of the B’rit, God will continue to protect his people. 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. 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. What does this mean and how does it relate to the perils of celebrity?
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. Have we ever been too busy to eat? Have we ever been in a place or a situation that cause our adrenaline to pump that we didn’t even feel hunger pangs? Most probably yes, we have all been in situations or places where we were too busy, to wound up, too excited to eat. Yet, we were clearly in a place, both physical and spiritual where we were satisfied. 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.”
Experience shows that the temptations of wealth are among the hardest to resist. People who are rich in wealth but poor in sophistication often succumb to temptation. They succumb due to ignorance. They succumb due to arrogance. Sometimes they succumb to boredom. It is so refreshing to see an athlete, even one despised here in Toronto, acknowledge his blessings, accept his obligation to give back to the community, and then do so in a manner that will benefit this generation of young people as well as leave a future legacy.
Peace,
Rav Yitz
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