Some Come To Laugh Their Past Away Some Come To Make It Just One More Day (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia - "Franklin's Tower")

          This week, a 98-year-old man passed away. However, he did not pass away due to the Corona Virus. He went to sleep and didn’t wake up the next morning. I remember this man from my childhood. I remember him on television. I remember listening to comedy records with my dad, as this man and his co-writer and partner performed incredibly funny and poignant comedic sketches. Years later, I listened to those same comedic sketches with my daughters and son and again laughed hysterically. There were even moments when three generations: my father, my children, and listened and laughed together. Carl Reiner passed away earlier this week. He and his long time partner Mel Brooks created numerous skits including The 2000 Year Old Man and the 2013 Year Old Man. Before that, Carl Reiner brought laughter to millions when he co-wrote the Show of Shows and the Dick Van Dyke Show.  Later, my children recognized him from the Ocean’s Eleven Movies.  Regarding laughter, Reiner said, “Everybody wants to laugh, you know that. They need to laugh. People need to laugh.” Carl Reiner understood that laughter is indeed fundamental to a quality of life.
          This week we read from Parsha Chukkat. This week we read from Parsha Chukkat. This Shabbat we read from Parsha Chukkat. Chukkat begins by telling us the Law for the Red Heifer. The Priest who prepares the mixture of water and the Red Heifer's burnt ashes will render the entire nation spiritually pure; but the mixture will render him impure. Miriam passes away and there is a shortage of water.  To alleviate the water shortage, Moshe and Aharon are commanded to speak to the rock causing water to flow. However, Moshe struck the rock. While water still flowed, Moshe and Aharon would be punished for their transgression and would not be worthy enough to enter into Eretz Canaan. The Parsha records the death of Aharon, and his son’s assuming their late father’s position within the nation.  As B’nai Yisroel resumes its wandering, they are attacked by Amalek. B’nai Yisroel is forced to go around the heart of Amalek territory. The people complain to Moshe again. They try to seek permission from the Sihon, the King of the Amorites, to pass through Amorite territory. Sihon denies his permission and B’nai Yisroel attacks and eventually defeats the Amorites. Og King of Bashan tries to prevent B’nai Yisroel from marching through his land, B’nai Yisroel, with the help of Hashem, defeat King Og and his army.  The Parsha concludes with B’nai Yisroel settling on the Plains of Moab on the eastern side of the Jordan poised to enter into Canaan.
          Following the Law of the Red Heifer, The Parsha contains several distinct narratives. One focuses upon a lack of water, two focus upon the death of Moshe’s siblings. Several narratives focus upon B’nai Yisroel’s complaints about the lack of food ad water.  Between the Statute of the Red Heifer and these seemingly disparate narratives, a very subtle transition of nearly thirty-eight years occurred. VaYavo’u  B’nai Yisroel Kol HaEidah Midbar Tzin BaChodesh HaRishon VaYeishev Ha’Am B’Kadesh - And the Children of Israel, the entire assembly, arrived a the Wilderness of Zin in the first months and the people settled in Kadesh. (Num. 20:1) Rashi, the great, 11th-century French commentator comments on the phrase Kol HaEidah- Eida HaShlamah Shekvar Meitu Midbar V’Eilu Parshu LaChayim- The whole assembly, for those who were to die in the wilderness had already died, and these (who composed the current assembly) were set apart for life. Citing the Midrash Tanchuma, Rashi noticed that the phrase B’nai Yisroel Kol Ha’Eidah seems syntactically incorrect. On more than twenty occasions, including last week’s Parsha Korach, the more common phrase is Kol Adat B’nei Yisroel The entire assembly of the Children of Israel. Now this group is described as The Children of Israel, the entire assembly. While they are still the descendants of Israel (of Yaakov) this Eidah, this assembly must be composed of something different than those that were first described as  Eidah. This Eidah, this assembly is composed of those born in the wilderness. The old assembly must have died out and the 40-year punishment and wandering must be coming to its conclusion.  As we read about this new Eidah, this new assembly of B’nai Yisroel, thirty-eight years later, we read about an Eidah and assembly that seem remarkably similar to their parents and grandparents.  The first assembly (those who left Egypt) taught this new assembly to worry about the apparent lack of water. The first assembly taught this new assembly to worry about the lack of food. The first assembly worried about and dealt with Amalek. This new assembly also deals with Amalek.
          Every “new assembly” should have the opportunity to learn from the “older assembly”. Sadly, and unfortunately for this new assembly, they were “came of age’ with the death of Miriam and Aaron, the sources of their water and the sources of the sanctity of the Kehuna died with them. Upon the death of Miriam and Aaron, this “new assembly” never had to worry about water nor the Rodef Shalom of Aaron. The “older assembly” always has the distinct opportunity to mentor the younger, and teach them the “how” to do. For all of Carl Reiners’ gift of as a comedian, writer, and director, perhaps his greatest gift was as a mentor to the numerous comedians and writers that, like Carl Reiner, understood the importance and the sanctity of laughter. Perhaps the most important gift of Carl Reiner was his ability to make multiple generations share laughter together as I once did with my grandfather and father and now as I am blessed to do with my children and my parents.

Peace,
Rav Yitz