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

          Well, it was the first full week of regular, mundane activity. There were no Jewish Holidays, there was no cleaning up from Jewish Holidays, and there were no days off because of Jewish Holidays. Life returned to routine ebb and flow of school, work, errands, and paying bills. Our dinner conversation reflected this return to the mundane. There was no discussion about menus, sukkah building, grocery lists, and more grocery lists; instead, discussion focused upon everything that we had missed in the world while dealing with three weeks of holidays. Apparently, the world has been in a bit of turmoil and chaos. Forming a coalition government in Israel, Brexit, Impeachment, California forest fires, Kurds, Syria, Turkey, and Putin. As this broad-ranging discussion wound its way from issue to issue; the phone rang. It was my mother asking how everyone was doing now that we had returned to our regular routines and schedules. Our son happily reported life was back to being quiet and boring. Then he added how much he loves living in Toronto because life, in general, was “quiet and boring”.
          This Shabbat we read from Parsha Noach. Comprised of two distinct narratives; both deal with the theology of chaos and confused boundaries. First, we read the story of Noach, God’s disenchantment with Creation and mankind’s behavior, the covenant made between God and Noah and the offering to God. Then there is a brief narrative about Noach’s drunkenness and one son’s inappropriate behavior. The second distinct narrative is also about chaos and confused boundaries. This time, mankind confuses boundaries and attempts to build a tower up to the heavens. The result is that God scatters mankind across the earth by making mankind speak numerous languages and hinder communication.
          When describing the world, when describing the net result of God’s creation ten generations after Adam and Chava, two words are utilized. V’Tishacheit Ha’Aretz Lifnei Ha’Elokim, VaTimalei Ha’Aretz Chamas - Now the earth had become corrupt before God; and the earth had become filled with robbery, VaYar Elokim et Ha’Aretz, v’Hinei Nishchata Ki Hishchit Kol Basar et Darko Al Ha’Aretz- And God saw the earth and behold it was corrupted for all flesh had corrupted its way upon the earth. The two words Sha’ChaT - corrupt and ChaMaS- robbery are not necessarily the words we envision when describing a miserable uninhabitable, dystopian place. Certainly, the Torah could have said that the world was "uninhabitable" or "an empty void" as it said in the Breishit. ShaChat literally means wanton harm to self and to others, twisted, pervert, ruin. Ten generations after God had created by separating light & dark, day & night, heaven & earth, land & water, fish & fowl, six workdays & one day of rest (Shabat); all that order had become twisted and was wantonly destroyed. Apparently, mankind wantonly hurt mankind's’ self and mankind’s environment. The second term ChaMaS means to do violence, to extort. Both words allude to the notion of chaos, wanton destruction. There is no rhyme nor reason and therefore one is unable to plan and exist within chaos. Extortion also alludes to chaos. A person has to “re-purchase” what they already own but had been stolen ie. kidnapping. Rashi explains that these terms suggest that corruption means immorality and idolatry, and “violence/extortion” suggests robbery. In other words, there were no boundaries, no separations nor distinctions. Recalling that HaVDiL, separation was the key to God’s creation, then chaos, no order, no boundaries are the means by which we destroy.
          Both the story of the Flood and the Tower of Bavel suggest the tension of humanity. God’s world is one of order. Mankind struggles between the godly instinct of order and ungodly instinct of chaos and wanton violence. Given all the news, whether it is the raging wildfires (controlling chaos) or Syria and the Turkish border (perpetrating chaos); stable societies and communities fear chaos. Families and especially children try to avoid chaos. Perhaps the human condition is to figure out how to create order amid chaos. So as our children spoke to their grandmother, they extolled the virtues of life in Toronto “that it was quiet and boring”. As they said these words to my mother, I heard her say the same words she has said to me my whole life. “I love to hear that my children and grandchildren’s lives are quiet and boring.”
Peace, 
Rav Yitz

Paradise Waits, On The Crest Of A Wave Her Angels In Flame (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia - Help Is On The Way)

           With the conclusion of the Chagim, my son and I immediately took down our Sukkah and put everything away. I packed up and began the long drive to New Jersey. The plan was to pick up our daughter and take visit a few universities. Over the course of two days, we drove through two states and visited two large campuses, one in New Jersey and one in New York state. We will visit a few Ontario schools over the next few weeks. Meanwhile, as we toured these two large university campuses, I was struck by the idyllic setting. The weather was beautiful, sunny around 15-20 C or 60-70 F. The foliage was spectacular, and the views inspiringly beautiful in these idyllic settings. Our daughter walked around, asked questions of a friend who led us around and seemed genuinely comfortable on a campus. We visited a variety of points of interest. Ironically, as we walked around, I thought about how much I missed studying at university. As I walked with our daughter, I realized that I missed the Idyllic setting of a university campus.
           This week’s Parsha is Breishit. It is the first parsha of the first Book of the Torah. For all intents and purposes, it is the beginning of the Torah. In Breishit, we read the story of Creation, (The Beginning); Adam and Chava’s banishment from Paradise (Gan Eden), and the fratricide of Cain and Abel. We begin however with God. God is the Creator, the ultimate power. If knowledge is power, then God is the ultimate source of knowledge. We accept this as part of our Jewish theology. God is all-knowing and all powerful. We read the words: V’yivrah Elohim et Ha’Adam b’Tzalmo, B’Tzelem Elohim Barah Oto Zachar u’Nekeivah Barah Otam. “And God created man in His own image. In the image of God, He created him; male and female He created them. (1:27). The question, therefore, is: What is the image of God? Obviously part of that image is the power to create, the power to create life. We surmise this because, in the next verse, God commands Adam and Chava to be fruitful and multiply, to create life just like God had created. Another image of God is Power. God’s purpose in creating humanity was that they “should have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the air and over the cattle, and over all the earth…” (1:26) In today’s vernacular “dominion” is Power. However the ability to create, and the ability to exercise power sagaciously, and judiciously, necessitates the attainment of knowledge. Perhaps that is our greatest gift. We have the ability to learn, to reason, to discern between right and wrong. To do so expresses our faith in God, re-affirms that, indeed, we are created in God’s image, and we possess an aspect of Holiness.
           In the Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Chagigah (14b), there is an Aggadah, a Rabbinic legend, which illustrates the notion that attaining knowledge and understanding how to attain knowledge is a holy endeavor. Four of the leading sages of their generation entered an idyllic setting called PaRDes (literally the “orchard” or Paradise). They were Ben Assai, Ben Zoma, Elisha ben Abuyah, and Rabbi Akiva. They entered PaRDeS and came into contact with the pure power, pure knowledge and complete perfection. They came into contact with God. As a result, one sage died immediately. One sage went insane, one became a heretic, and was referred to as Acher (the other), by the rest of the Talmudic Sages. Only Rabbi Akiva emerged unscathed. The commentators of this Aggadah explain that PaRDeS is an acronym for four methods of Torah inquiry: P’shat (the simple literal meaning), Remez (understanding the meaning based upon hint and intimation), Drash (derive meaning based upon interpretation), and Sod( deriving meaning based upon uncovering secret meanings). Imagine that? Our tradition explains that Paradise, an idyllic setting, is achieved through Torah study and deriving meaning in four different ways. Relying on any one way will limit intellectual and spiritual growth. However incorporating each aspect, and understanding when to utilize one more than the other or how much of each aspect to use in order to determine meaning is what allowed Rabbi Akiva to leave PaRDeS unscathed. In a sense our sages are absolutely correct, PaRDeS is studying Torah for the sake of intellectual and spiritual growth and enlightenment.
           The attainment of knowledge and Truth is a Godly endeavor. The use of such knowledge judiciously and wisely for creative purposes represents the notion that we are indeed created in God’s image. Not only is knowledge power, but understanding how to attain and use that knowledge is also the key to a spiritually enlightened life. No, I am not returning to University any time soon. but as I watched my daughter walk on these University campuses, asking questions and noticing her genuine excitement and curiosity, I hope she will eventually appreciate the opportunity of spending the next few years studying in her version of an academic Paradise.
Peace,
Rav Yitz

Speak With Wisdom Like A Child, Directly To The Heart (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia - "Foolish Heart")

My parents came to visit us for the first days Chag HaSukkot, the Sukkot Festival.  During their visit, our children were sitting on the sofa cuddling when my father began talking to our 17-year-old. During their conversation about plans for the future, a gap year, and university, my father began to offer his advice. As I listened, I knew what was coming next. He began to explain the importance of just walking around on a university campus, get of sense of it, and determine if it elicits a feeling. He quickly explained that the eyes through which she sees a campus now won’t be the “same eyes” through which she sees the campus upon her return from a gap year, let alone in the spring. As he explained to her that her perspective will evolve because she will have matured as she approaches high school graduation, and as she makes her plans for a gap year.  I smiled to myself because I remember my father saying the same thing to our 28-year-old daughter, our 19-year-old daughter, and I remember him saying the same thing to my sister and to me.  As his lecture continued, our 17- year-old-daughter looked and me and rolled her eyes. I gave her a look indicating that she should listen.

This Shabbat is known as Shabbat Chol HaMoed Sukkot. It is the Shabbat that falls during the 7 day Festival of Sukkot. As a result, we do not read the regular Torah Reading. Instead, we read of the narrative when Moshe re-ascended the mountain a second time in order to receive the second set of Tablets. As part of the Festival, we recite Hallel which is a series of psalms praising God and state our joy in being part of the Brit, part of the covenant with God. Also, because it is a festival, we read one of Five Megillot taken from the Ketuvim – the Book of Writings. On Shabbat Chol Ha Moed Sukkot, we read Kohelet, the Book of Ecclesiastes.  Jewish tradition ascribes the twelve chapters scroll to Shlomo HaMelech – King Solomon.  This wisdom literature is written from the perspective of an elderly man who has seen it all and experienced it all. – Ein Kol Chadash Tachat HaShemesh – There is nothing new under the sun! Kohelet – The Preacher speaks with brutal and harsh honesty. In what is perhaps the most famous few verses, the Preacher tells us that life is full of ups and downs, good times and difficult times. L’Kol Zman V’Eit L’Chol Chafetz Tachat HaShamayim – Everything has its season, and there is a time for everything under heaven: A time to be born and a time to die…..That may not sound so inspiring.  Yet our job is to live our lives according to a set of rules. The result may be good or it may be bad, but God will be the judge of that. All we can do is play according to the rules as we make our way through life and contend with the obstacles. As we grow older and our perspective changes, so will obstacles, the perceived severity of those obstacles, and, perhaps, the way we manage those obstacles.

             As my father lectured, our 19-year-old daughter began nodding in agreement with her grandfather.  Our 15-year-old son listened as well. The 19-year-old understood that her grandfather was remarkably consistent because she heard the lecture a few years ago. Our 15-year-old son paid attention because he understood that he was next to hear this lecture and wanted a head start. I watched my children, each listened from their own perspective. They were listening, they were thinking and I am sure they were trying to make sense of what their grandfather was talking about. I looked over at my dad, he gave me a wink  that asked, “How am I doing son?” I don’t think that there were too many more things in the world that gave my father pleasure than that moment. Like Kohelet concluded by reminding the younger generation that after all is said and done, Sof Davar HaKol Nishmah et HaElohim Yrah  v’Et Mitzvotav SHmor ki Zeh Kol HaAdam- Fear God and keep His Commandments, for that is man’s whole duty, Ki  et Kol Maaseh Ha’Elohim Yavoh V'Mishpat – For God will judge every deed…; my father looked at his grandchildren and reminded them that a good life means sitting with grandchildren and passing along wisdom to them.

Peace,

Rav Yitz

Looks As Though Tomorrow I'll Do Pretty Much The Same (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia - "Mission In The Rain")

Given all the turmoil going on in the world. Iran’s bombing of a Saudi oil field, Israel elections and inability to create a governing coalition, phone calls with Ukraine, pulling out of Syria and leaving the Kurds unprotected, an Impeachment investigation, Brexit, and elections here in Canada, let’s just say that I have some anxiety about the future in the “macro” sense of the word. I have a concern about the future over which I have no control. In our home, we are also experiencing some anxiety about the future or at least the next four or five years. With a daughter in Grade 12 (12^th grade if you speak American), Shabbat and Holiday meals with friends and family always include a question directed at her. “So, grade 12, that’s terrific, what are your plans for next year?” With that simple, innocent, innocuous question are daughter understands that she actually needs to think about this next stage of her life. I remind her that we call this idea, “The Future”.   She understands that she needs to make some self-assessments and ask herself some questions: What are her academic interests, does she want to take a Gap year in Israel? If so, which program and will that program offer credit that is accepted by a university? Does she want to attend university in Ontario or the Northeast United States? If she wants to go to university in the U.S., then she needs to sign up for standardized tests and study for these tests. There are a lot of decisions and it is incredibly overwhelming and without a plan, it is paralyzing.  The good news for our daughter is that her parents went through it, her older sisters went through it and even her aunts and uncles all went through it. Her friends at school and her friends from camp are also going through it. So she is not alone. When her mother and I have tried to discuss “The Future, and her Plan”, she smiles at us and, blessed with a biting wit and great sense of humor, she says in her most dead-panned delivery, “I plan to take next year off preparing for my gap year.” I smile and ask how she intends to finance her year of gap year preparation? We all laugh but we realize that we need to get our daughter to be more excited about the future rather than anxious and dreading it.

This Shabbat, we read from Parshat Ha’Azinu. The Parsha is poetry, a song that God had commanded Moshe to compose in the previous Parsha, VaYeleich. Composing this song was the final deed that God commanded Moshe. The song is the final prophecy that God told Moshe in the previous Parsha, VaYeilech.  As a song, it does not contain the most pleasant of lyrics, and it is not particularly uplifting or inspiration. The song does not offer such an optimistic future.  Rather, Moshe invokes Heaven and Earth to offer testimony to God’s prophecy and future punishment against his people.  Throughout Sefer Devarim, Deuteronomy, Moshe has taught the law and inspired B’nai Yisroel to choose fidelity to God and God’s Torah.  Choosing to follow would result in a reward. Choosing not to follow would result in a punishment. Now, during the final moments of Moshe Rabeinu’s life, the song suggests neither choice nor the results of that choice. Instead, we are told that we will choose badly and that we will be punished.  There is nothing explicit within the song that suggests or even offers a means by which we can do Teshuva (repent) and ultimately return to God. While intellectually, Moshe has taught that concept to B’nai Yisroel; here in the song that possibility is not explicit.

Only when he completes writing the song,  Moshe then transmits his words to B’nai Yisroel. His words offer a sense of hope, a sense of inspiration. He reminds B’nai Yisroel that even when they have grown distant from God, even though the resulting punishment will be brutal; there is still a measure of hope, hope for the next generation.  Simu Levavchem L’Chol Hadvarim Asher Anochi Mei’id Bachem Hayom, Asher T’Tzavoom et Bnaichem Lishmor La’Asot et Kol Divrei HaTorah Ha’Zot -  Apply your hearts to all the words that I Testify against you today, with which you are to instruct your children, to be careful to perform all the words of this Torah.  Ki Lo Davar Reik Hu Mikem Ki Hu Chayeichem Uvadavar HaZeh Ta’Arichu Yamim – for it is not an empty thing for you, for it is your life, and through this matter shall you prolong your days on the Land to which you cross the Jordan to possess it. In Moshe’s final moments, he reminds us that the key to our survival is to teach Torah to our children. Yes, according to the song, we will grow distant from God, yes we will engage in idolatry. Yes, we will be punishment. However, there will always be hope for the next generation if they are educated in such a manner that when it comes time for them to make a choice; they choose wisely, they choose God’s Torah.  Moshe reminds his people that the Torah is not empty. Rashi reminds us that if we find Torah to be empty and unsatisfying then the fault lies with us, Mikem.

Rashi seems to be empowering us. If the fault lies with us, then we have it within our power to do something about it. Parsha HaAzinu is always read at this time of year, a time when the Jewish people have stood before God to be judged for past behavior as well as received the message that the future is NOT set in concrete. Our behavior, our deeds can affect our future. I can see why some may find that to be an overbearing weight. At the same time, I find such empowerment to offer a bit of hope in dealing with the future. Sensing our daughter’s avoidance of dealing with the future by joking about a “gap year to prepare for a gap year”, we tried to think of something within our control that might help alter her outlook, something that would allow her to see herself in the future. Since our daughter was planning on spending the final days of the Sukkot Festival in New Jersey, we decided that I would pick her up and on our way home we would stop at a few University Campuses. Hopefully, just walking around, getting a tour, and speaking to with the admissions department, at least she will have a sense that the future is not as daunting as perhaps she envisions.  

Peace,

Rav Yitz

The Holy On Their Knees, The Reckless Are Out Wrecking, The Timid Plead Their Pleas (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia - "Days Between")

          Forgetting the fact that it’s October and that means baseball playoffs and eventually the World Series; There is something different during the days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. The ten days in between the Jewish New Year and the Day of Atonement are known as the Aseret Yamei Teshuvah – the Ten Days of Repentance. Maybe what makes these days different are its purpose. During these ten days, we are supposed to ask forgiveness from others; this process culminates with Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) when we ask forgiveness from God. Maybe what makes these different is that they are between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. These days between mark a ten-day transition from one point in time to another. These days in between are truly a journey, not necessarily in terms of geography but spirituality. Each day is another leg in that spiritual journey culminating in a 25 hour moment (Yom Kippur) where we are as close to God as humanly possible. I become keenly aware of that journey very early in the morning when I attend Selichot services well before dawn breaks. My children are aware of it when during quiet moments they ask for forgiveness from each other or from me or my wife. These days in between are a time where we are supposed to find spiritual clarity. For it is spiritual clarity that will allow us to ask to be forgiven and it is spiritual clarity that allows us to have the chutzpah and the courage to strive towards holiness and God.

            In this week’s Parsha, Va’Yeileich, Moshe is now experiences for the last time a tremendous moment of clarity. However of all the moments of clarity including: the Burning Bush, the Revelation at Sinai, the Personal Revelation when he saw the back of God while defending B’nai Yisroel following the episode of the Golden Calf; it is the moment of death to which we can all relate. It is at the moment of impending death that Moshe has perfect clarity. He sees and understands the anguish that his children will experience as they drift towards and away from their Covenant with God. He sees all that his life has been and he recognizes that while his life will be no more, there will be closure. Ki Yadati Acharei Motie Ki Hashcheit Tashchitun v’Sartem Min HaDerech Asher Tziviti Etchem V’Karat Etchem Ha’Ra’Ah B’Acharit Hayamim Ki Ta’Asu et Ha’Rah B’Einei Adoshem L’Hachiso B’Ma’Asei Y’deichem – For I know that after my death you will surely act corruptly, and you will surely act corruptly, and you will stray from the path that I have commanded you, and evil will befall you at the end of days, if you do what is evil in the eyes of HaShem, to anger Him through your handiwork (Deut.31:29). We should note that closure does not necessarily mean that the content of the closure will be positive, however, the process of closure is always positive. 
          Our sages are adamant about the vital importance of closure. If a person engages in Tshuvah, a repentant return to God, and Vidui, confession even if the moment before death it is tantamount to a person who has returned to living a life of Mitzvot. In a moment of clarity, certainly such a moment exists at death, Moshe has the opportunity to make that moment holy, sanctified, an un-wasted moment. We seek forgiveness from God, and we seek forgiveness from family and friends. Mostly, it seems to me, that during these ten days we honestly look at ourselves and assume that we have hurt others instead of being shocked when we find out that we are capable of hurting another. The ability to engage in this process known as Shuvah, the process of returning to the holiest aspect of our being, requires great clarity. Sometimes clarity occurs during a beautiful autumn day. Sometimes clarity comes on a starry night. Sometimes clarity comes sipping coffee at sunrise. Sometimes clarity comes at childbirth. Sometimes clarity comes when you tuck your children into bed and wish them sweet dreams. Sometimes clarity comes at the death of a loved one. Sometimes, clarity comes at one's impending death.
            I don't expect my teenage children to anticipate the moments when they will have a moment of clarity. Nor do I think they know when they will have those moments of clarity. However, they have them. Frequently it will occur when they can relate to some experience in a personal manner, or the moment may occur during a particular class. Sometimes they will have the moment when they hear about the difficult moments that friends or acquaintances may have. The important thing is that when it happens they are aware. When they ask me about my moments of clarity. I know it happens when I hear about the difficulties of others when I visit a person in the hospital when I listen to a person describe the life of a loved one who recently passed away. However, being aware of these days in between, these transitional moments presents us with greater opportunity to have moments of clarity and with greater clarity comes a greater perspective. 

Peace
Rav Yitz