All week, our children have had
a lesson in Civics. They have been watching the Impeachment hearings. I
recorded them because I wanted to watch the testimony of Lt. Colonel Alexander
Vindiman. Vindman is Jewish. In 1978, following his mother’s death, his
father, and brothers emigrated from Kyiv, which was then part of the former
Soviet Union and settled in an area of Brooklyn, NY known as “Little Odessa”. He and his brother’s all served in the U.S.
Armed Forces. During Vindman’s testimony, there were several moments when my
children became aware that he was Jewish. First, there was his father’s value of
making sure his children “got a good education”. Second, there was Vindman’s testimony. It
wasn’t so much a testimony but rather a narrative He was given the opportunity
to provide testimony. Vindman didn’t just offer testimony. He offered a
narrative to the House Intel committee. We heard about a plan (everything
leading up to the “perfect phone call”), his experience as the plan unfolds
(his listening to the “perfect phone call”), and finally his re-telling of
these events both in his deposition in his testimony. Finally, there was a moment towards the end of
his testimony where he was asked to re-read an excerpt from his opening
statement. In the excerpt he was asked to read, he thanked his father for
bringing the family to America and that his father shouldn’t worry about his
son testifying before the House Intelligence Committee, and that he would be
safe because he was speaking the truth.
This week's Parsha is Chayei Sarah. The Parsha begins with recounting the years of Sarah's life, Avraham's mourning for his wife,
purchasing the land for Sarah's burial and then burying her. Avraham then tells
his servant that he does not want his son, Yitzchak, marrying a Canaanite
woman. Instead, the servant must return to Avraham's hometown and look for a
woman from Avraham's family/ tribe. Avraham explains that the girl that returns
with the servant is the right girl. Armed with treasures, camels and plenty of
wealth for a dowry the servant sets off and decides that the best place to find
a girl is by the local well. There the servant decides that the
"right" girl is the girl who would offer him water, as well as offer
water to his camels. Sure enough, Rebecca arrives at the well and fulfills the
servant's standard. The servant returns with Rebecca to her family, he convinces
the family to let her go, and Rebecca is asked if she wants to return with the
servant. Rebecca unhesitatingly responds with a yes. Now Rebecca has fulfilled
the servant's requirement as well as Avraham's requirement. Upon her arrival at
her new home, she sees her betrothed, and, not knowing who he was, asked the
servant. The servant told her and she covered herself. Rebecca and Yitzchak are
married. The Parsha concludes with Yitzchak and Ishmael burying their father,
and the genealogy of Ishmael's family.
Three different times and in
three different contexts we read about a father’s desire to find a wife for his
son and then we read about that desire being fulfilled. First, Avraham tells his servant Eliezer to
swear an oath to find a wife for Yitzchak. Then we read about Eliezer actually
finding the future wife for his master’s son, Yitzchak. Finally, we read about
Eliezer’s transmitting the first two narratives to the future bride’s family
since they are about to be impacted by both Avraham’s desire for his son to
find a wife and their daughter’s decision to become that wife. Each narrative
contains numerous details and descriptions. Yet the narrative that immediately preceded
this week’s Parsha, the narrative that Jewish tradition points to as the
foundational essence of a people’s relationship to God, the Akedah, and The
Binding of Isaac is a scant nineteen verses and numerous details aren’t even
included. In this one long narrative divided into three subsections, we are
told of specific conversations, prayers, jewelry as well as gifts for Rebecca’s
family. Why does the Torah tell the
story of how a couple met in three different ways, the third being a
recapitulation of previous events by the servant. The only other time we read
of a detailed recapitulation of a narrative is when Moshe speaks to B’nai
Yisroel when they are on the eastern bank of the Jordan River and preparing to
enter into Eretz Canaan. The RaDaK (Rabbi David Kimchi- Provence, France
1160-1235) explains that Eliezer’s recapitulation serves to placate Rebecca and
her family. Avraham’s servant speaks candidly and enthusiastically of his
master and his master’s household. Eliezer’s re-capitulation hints at
Avraham’s character as well as the very unique covenant established between him
and God. Only by transmitting this message, this story in a face to face
manner, Rebecca’s family understands the significance and the necessity of
Rebecca leaving her family of origin for her future with Yitzchak.
Creating a narrative is
important for individuals and for nations. Eliezer’s re-capitulation to Rebecca’s
family and indeed, to the reader serves to placate Rebecca, her family and us.
Lt. Colonel Vindman’s testimony, his recapitulation of his story, his
narrative, including his background and his upbringing, was designed to placate
those for whom he had the greatest respect. His testimony, the narrative that
he offered and the way in which he provided it was designed to placate his
family, his father, in order to re-affirm to his father that he did the right
thing raising his children in a democratic nation based on the rule of law,
truth, and liberty. His testimony, the narrative he offered and the way in
which he offered it was designed to placate. The testimony placated his teachers and those who wore the
uniform. Finally, his testimony, his narrative was designed to placate those
who buy into the “American Dream” as understood by his father. After the
inspiring and comforting words that the Lt. Colonel offered his father and the rest
of his family the gallery applauded. We watched, and our children commented that
Lt. Colonel Vindman's father should be very proud and hopefully “shevved a lot of
nachas”.
Peace,
Rav Yitz
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