But The Darkness Never Goes From Some Men's Eyes (John Barlow & Bob Weir - "Throwing Stones")

          There have been so many disturbing images that have left our children riveted to the news.  Our eldest daughter works in politics and runs campaigns. However, our three younger children, all of whom are in their late teens, have generally been less politically aware. Now, with the disturbing events and images, our dinner conversations focus upon race, democracy, the Bill of Rights, the Constitution, the right to demonstrate, the extent of police authority, the extent of Presidential authority, states rights, fascism, recognizing the difference between peaceful protesters and rioters, and of course the police response to both.  We have watched the shocking image of a police officer squeeze the life out of an African American man.  We have watched peaceful demonstrations throughout American cities and now in Toronto, Montreal, London, and Paris. We have watched looting, we have watched rioting, we have watched the police break up peaceful demonstrations by shooting rubber bullets, pepper spray and tear gas as well as a successful rocket launch with two U.S. astronauts. As our children watched these images, I reminded them that none of those images are new. We have seen images of African American men killed before in their own lifetime (Eric Garner eg.).  I reminded my children that in the 1960’s there were student protests in Paris, civil rights and anti-Viet Nam War protests throughout the United States and rockets and astronauts going off into space. There were vicious dogs and fire hoses turned onto civil rights protesters. There were riots after a black man was killed (Martin Luther King) throughout the United States. Even before King’s assassination, there were race riots in Detroit, Watts, Newark to name a few just a few places. The police beat non-violent protesters in Chicago and Birmingham, and the National Guard killed four anti-war protesters at Kent State University.  There were even angry white men who stood in front courthouses and state capitol buildings to speak out against the “rioters”.  Unfortunately, it does not appear that too much has changed since the tumultuous decade of the 1960’s.   I pointed out that there I have seen only two new types of images that I don’t recall ever seeing. One new image has diffused the tension between the police and the protesters. I pointed out in places like Houston, New York, Atlanta, Denver, and Flint, Michigan the police have “taken a knee”  or have marched alongside the peaceful demonstrators, and, by doing so, have diffused a tense situation.  The other image laid bare an amoral cynical soul and utter lack of character in an elected official. The image, which I had never seen anything like before was of the President standing on the steps of St. John’s Church, brandishing a bible,  doing his best impression of Mussolini’s scowl. Funny thing, the bible was handed to him by his Jewish daughter Ivanka. Maybe she could have given him a verse to quote, something, anything so that he wouldn’t have stood there like an utter buffoon making a mockery of the Constitution, the Bible,  a house of worship, and the country itself. If she gave him a pasuk, he might have been able to dial down the temperature instead of talking about vicious dogs, mass arrests.

          This Shabbat 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 the census for the tribe of Levi, the Priestly tribe, the responsibilities for the maintenance and operation of the Mishkan, the purification of the camp,  the treatment of the wayward wife (the Sotah), the vow of the Nazir ( a vow that limits the behavior of the individual as a means of elevating oneself to a higher level of holiness for only a limited time),  the identical tribal offerings made by each leader in order on twelve successive days that celebrated the fact that the Mishkan was “open for business”. Inserted in these seemingly disparate rules and narratives are the priestly benediction. A quick glance at the different components of Parsha Naso suggests that each is connected to each other because of the idea of Naso – “lift up”. Indeed each component discussed issues of how we can raise ourselves up in holiness, either through our own actions or the actions of the other. 

          The Priestly benediction is an example of a third party elevating us, or at least offering supplication to God on our behalf that we indeed are worthy of blessing.  From that perspective, I can’t imagine a more powerful ritual for parents to do with their children. Yevarechecha Adoshem VaYishmarecha, May Hashem bless you and keep you. Ya' eir Adoshem Panav Eilecha VaYichuneka, May Hashem make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you Yisa Adoshem Panav Eilecha VaYaSem Lecha Shalom May Hashem lift his countenance upon you and give you peace. ( Num 6:24-26). What does it mean that God should “keep" our children or “guard” our children? Naturally, as parents invoking Hashem to protect our children seems like a great idea given all the tsuris in the world. Yet Rashi, the great 11th-century French commentator explains that this first blessing is not Hashem protecting our children. Rather the “blessing” should be the blessing enumerated in the Torah, that our children should be materially well off and Hashem should “protect” our children and their material blessings from those who might take such blessing. The second blessing which speaks of “shining Hashem’s face upon” our child is our desire for our children to become enlightened by Torah and a meaningful relationship with Hashem. The “gracious” is the subliminal understanding that all we can ask for is that our children have an intellectual and spiritual ability to learn Torah and connect to Hashem; we hope Hashem was gracious in giving our children plenty of ability in order to receive such “light”.  The third blessing is perhaps the most relevant for parents and children. Rashi explains that “lifting His countenance to you” means that Hashem should suppress His anger. One could also understand that that the light of the enlightenment we seek is the gift of God raising his face up towards us so that we can cast aside or let go of our anger and hatred in order that our souls shall be at peace in this world.  Both interpretations suggest that we desire for our children to at peace, to be Shaleim, to be whole and complete. Anger and hatred prevent Shleimah – wholeness, harmony, peace. 

Indeed, imagine if Ivanka had not only handed her dad the Bible but indicated to him that she had put a marked the chapter and verse that he should cite. Imagine if he had given a blessing and said those words. Those words are well known by Jews and non-Jews. Those words are simple.  Those are words that invoke God’s care and concern.  Those are words that bring people together. Those are words that offer sustenance. Those are words that offer hope.  Those words are said by the Kohen to the congregation during the three pilgrimage festivals. I say those words to my children every Friday night. Those words I say in our family WhatsApp when our children are not home with us on Shabbat. Coming from Trump, those are words that would sound so incredibly disingenuous. Coming from Trump, those words would sound almost blasphemous. Maybe standing there with a bible and scowling, is the clearest display of Trump’s complete lack of character and his amoral soul. That image, of an amoral President with no character, no beliefs, just a need for cynical self-promotion, maybe that is the most troubling and unique image of the past week.
 
Peace, 

Rav Yitz