Take Care Of Your People; Get Some Of Them Fed (Robert Hunter - "One Thing To Try")

          About two weeks ago, days before 4 hostages were taken at a Texas shul, a 92-year-old Rabbi passed away. Rabbi  Israel “Sy” Dresner passed away. He was thought to have been the most frequently arrested Rabbi. His protesting and arrests began in 1947 when he protested and organized boycotts of British-owned businesses in New York City when the British government blocked Jewish immigration to what was then called Palestine. Rabbi Dresner was arrested while trying to register African American Voters in the Deep South in the early 1960s. He was arrested along with Martin Luther King in Selma. He was arrested protesting the Viet Nam War. Later, Rabbi Dresner would lead protests in front of the then Soviet Consulate in New York and the Soviet Embassy in Washington to shine a light upon the Soviet Union’s treatment of “Refuseniks” - Jews who were denied immigrating to Israel. For Rabbi Dresner, a Reform Rabbi who grew up Orthodox and always wore a kippah, being Jewish,  meant observing commandments between man and God and demonstrating empathy for society's most vulnerable: those without a homeland, those who couldn’t vote, those who were being drafted to fight an unjust war and those who were being denied the right to leave and emigrate to their spiritual home. About ten years ago, Dresner was giving an interview to the Jewish Telegraph Agency and explained that he would protest and get arrested all over again. When asked why his answer was simple yet incredibly profound. “Because I am Jewish and I didn’t see an alternative”. (Shira Hanau/JTA Jan. 17th, 2022 “Most arrested rabbi who marched with Martin Luther King Jr. dies at 92”).

          This week’s Parsha is Mishpatim. Moshe is still at Har Sinai. However, the revelation that occurred with the giving of the Aseret Dibrot (Ten Commandments) is long gone. Instead, God has now started giving Moshe numerous laws that affect the day-to-day issues raised by human interaction. There is no shofar blowing, there is no anticipation of meeting God at the mountain. Rather there is only God telling Moshe how to decide various legal matters including the damages to be paid if my ox gores your ox; two men are fighting near a pregnant woman and she gets hurt,   and how to treat to a Jewish servant, observing festivals, the issues of liability for those who are asked to safeguard another’s property as well as manslaughter, to name just a few of the fifty-three commandments (according to the Sefer HaChinuch).  Moshe tells these laws to Bnai Yisroel and they respond with the words Naaseh v’Nishmah – we will do and learn.  The Parsha concludes with glowing fire upon the Mountain that Moshe ascends once again.

          While the events at the Sinai proved to be awe-inspiring, no one can live everyday life in a perpetual state of awe. When B’nai Israel experienced that moment of revelation, it left them nearly paralyzed. Overwhelmed and paralyzed with awe and fear, B’nai Israel could not hear all Ten of the Dibrot, all ten God’s statements. After the first commandment,  B’nai Israel pleaded with  Moshe Rabeinu to return to the top of the mountain and receive the other nine commandments. The laws spelled out in Mishpatim are remarkably un-inspiring. They are incredibly mundane. Yet all these 53 laws answer one fundamental question. While at the foot of that smoking mountain,  experiencing revelation, B’nai Israel was told that they are a Kingdom of Ministers (Ex. 19:6). While that is all well and good, B’nai Israel is left wondering how is a Kindom of Ministers supposed to behave? What underlying philosophy or ethical standard provides a basis for all these seemingly mundane laws and concerns about my ox goring your ox?    V’Geir Lo Toneh V’Lo Tilchatzenu Ki Geirim HeYitem B’Eretz Mitzrayim - You shall not taunt or oppress a stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt . The Geir, along with the Almana and the Yatom - the widow and the orphan are examples of the most vulnerable members of that society. Taunting or oppressing the stranger or pain to the Widow or the Orphan V’Chara Api V”Haragti Etchem BeCherev - My Wrath shall blaze and I shall kill you by the sword (20:20-23). To be a “Nation of Priests”  defined by the commentators in Parsha Yitro is to serve God and minister to humanity (Ex. 19:6). Here, in Parsha Mishpatim, it means caring for the vulnerable and the weak. It means that the organizing principle of a civilized society is to protect the most vulnerable. 

          A society inhabited by a Nation of Ministers is a society that cares for the vulnerable and the alienated. Sometimes it seems easy to forget that the Judeo-Christian ethic that so many self-righteous religious and political leaders cloak themselves in is made from the simplest and most humble of fibers: empathy. Even former slaves may lack empathy.  Even former slaves need to be reminded that they were once strangers in a strange land. Remembering our humble and perhaps even humiliating origins are supposed to provide us with the requisite empathy in order to be the Kingdom of Ministers, to minister to the needy, to help the most vulnerable, and to shine a light upon socio-economic and religious persecution. Certainly, Rabbi Israel “Sy” Dresner understood that. 

Peace,
Rav Yitz

Whatever Happened To His Precious Self Control (Gerrit Graham & Bob Weir - "Victim Or The Crime")

           One of the most damaging results of the ongoing pandemic has been the increase of has been the increase in substance abuse and addiction. Whether alcohol, opioids, or another substance; the increased tension, and anxiety have led to an increased demand for mental health services.  Dr. Carl Erik Fisher author of The Urge: Our History of Addiction wrote a recent Op-Ed piece in the Jan 15th New York Times entitled "It's Misleading to Call Addiction a Disease". He explains that as a recovering addict, who is also a medical doctor, he has always struggled with the idea that addiction is a disease. His point is that the “addiction as a disease” paradigm oversimplifies the role of medicine and science. This paradigm assumes that a pill or a procedure will eradicate the disease. Besides, oversimplification, the “addiction as a disease” paradigm also eliminates the importance of empowering the patient to recover. A disease, if genetic, creates a degree of fatalism, and a disease that is entirely environmental and socio-economic eliminates the importance of hope. Rather, Fisher explains that when he wakes up every morning, his addiction reminds him that he, like everyone else, has a human struggle. His addiction reminds him that he, like everyone, must struggle with self-control and his addiction is just another example of human suffering and struggling with self-control.  

        This week's Parsha is Yitro. Named after Moshe's father-in-law, who happens to be a Midianite priest, the Parsha begins with Moshe leading B'nai Yisroel toward the wilderness of Midyan where he meets up with his father-in-law, his wife, and his two sons. Yitro suggests that Moshe should create a bureaucracy whereby others administer the small everyday rulings required of a judge. Difficult legal issues would be administered by Moshe. Moshe is then commanded by God to bring B'nai Yisroel to Har Sinai. For three days they will purify themselves, clean their clothes, not have marital relations, and purify their souls for a revelation. With the mountain smoking and thunder billowing from the heavens, God begins to speak. B'nai Yisroel is absolutely petrified and fearing death, they beg Moshe to go up the mountain as their Shaliach (appointed messenger). Moshe ascends the mountain and receives the Aseret HaDibrot (the Ten Commandments), then descends. Upon his descent, he tells B'nai Yisroel the Aseret HaDibrot. The Parsha concludes with B'nai Yisroel readily accepting the Ten Commandments, Moshe re-assures the people not to fear the thunder and the flames, God attests to the fact that B'nai Yisroel has accepted these commandments and then commands Moshe to build an altar of earth.

        The Ten Commandments are bound by several themes. The first five commandments are God-oriented. The second five commandments are people-oriented. The Aseret HaDibrot is punishable by death. Through our modern perspective, we may not agree but we can understand the concept of capital punishment in terms of murder, testifying falsely, (in which false testimony leads to death), or even kidnapping. However, how do we explain capital punishment as a punishment for not honoring your parents, keeping the Shabbat, or committing Avodah Zarah (Idolatry)? Certainly violating Shabbat or violating the first five commandments that are all God-  does not necessarily hurt someone else. Even not honoring one's parents might not warrant capital punishment in today's day and age. So how do we understand that each commandment is punishable by death? We know that if we do not take care of our bodies, there is a chance our bodies will be hurt. If we don't eat right, get enough sleep, and exercise then our resistance is low and there is a chance we will get sick. If we don't fasten our seatbelts then there is a chance that we won't be able to walk away from an accident. If we drink too much and too often or if we smoke, we know that we are doing damage to our bodies. There are things that we do to help our spiritual existence as well. Failure to take care of our souls is also detrimental to our existence. Failure to take care of our soul leads to emptiness, purposelessness, and a misguided existence. The first five commandments are about the welfare of our souls.  The first five commandments give our existence a higher more spiritual purpose. The first five commandments fill our lives with meaning even when overwhelmed with the onslaught of the humdrum of everyday life. The first five commandments give us a sense of where we fit in the universe. The first five commandments are for each individual's soul and the soul's relationship to God.

        The Aseret HaDibrot is much more than the Ten Commandments. The Aseret HaDibrot provides a blueprint for a life that is part of a community  (the second five commandments) and accounts for our own sense of self-worth and purpose (the first five commandments). The Aseret HaDibrot teaches us and commands us to transcend time and space by adding meaning and holiness to our lives. The Aseret HaDibrot teaches us that our spiritual well-being is just as important as our physical well-being. When our soul is complete, filled with a sense of purpose, filled with love, and filled with the acknowledgment that there is God, we are able to transcend the physical. As Dr. Fisher explains, addiction is just another type of human struggle that occurs on a daily basis. That struggle is as much a struggle of the soul as it is a struggle of the body. The Aseret Dibrot, gives our soul a higher purpose, choosing to connect to the holy and the sacred rather than the mundane, the ordinary, or the destructive.

Peace,
Rav Yitz.

Now Is The Time Past Believing; The Child Has Relinquished The Reign (Robert Hunter & Phil Lesh - "The Eleven")

          Well, Covid arrived at our home. Despite being doubly vaccinated, despite a booster, despite mask-wearing, our son managed to contract Covid. He has remained quarantined in his room all week. Thankfully, no one else has expressed any symptoms and we have tested negative. When our son first complained about feeling congested, a sore throat, and chills, and then tested positive, both his mother and I wondered how did this happen? After a few minutes of wondering “how”; we both quickly realized that “how” no longer mattered. All that mattered was the fact that he is completely vaccinated with a booster and statistics, science, and all the empirical evidence indicated that his symptoms should not worsen, he should not require hospitalization and he should be feeling better shortly. So we monitor his symptoms and we continue to place our faith in science, empirical data, and God. 

          This Shabbat is known as Shabbat Shira (Shabbat of Songs) because of the "songs" or poetry in both the Parsha, Beshallach, and in the Haftarah. In Parsha Beshallach, B'nai Yisroel finally left Egypt. Pharaoh sent them out and they hurriedly departed. Three days later, B'nai Yisroel arrived at the Yam Suf, The Reed Sea,  along the Mediterranean coast. With Pharaoh's army behind them and the Sea in front, B'nai Yisroel was trapped. Eventually, the sea opened up, B'nai Yisroel crossed through and arrived safely on the other side. The Egyptian army was caught in the sea as its waters came crashing down. Out of joy and relief, B'nai Yisroel composed Shirat HaYam, The Song of the Sea. No sooner are they finished celebrating than they complained about the lack of water and food. God provided water and Manna. However, B'nai Yisroel still felt safe. Now they were attacked by the indigenous tribe, the Amalekites. Putting aside its hunger and thirst, B'nai Yisroel fought for its life and eventually won. The Parsha ends with God commanding Moshe to blot out the very existence of the Amalekites.

          From the time B’nai Yisroel complains to Moshe about the oncoming Egyptian army and Yam Suf that lies before them, to the lack of water, lack of food, and lack of meat, one could understand the entire Parsha as God testing B’nai Yisroel’s faith. With all the complaining, with the refrain of the people cynically asking Moshe if God brought them out of Egypt to have them die in the wilderness, or die on the banks of the Yam Suf; it is very easy to view these newly released slaves as not at all ready to engage in a covenantal relationship with God since they lack faith. However, the Midrash in Shmot Rabbah teaches us that Nachshon ben Aminadov, from the tribe of Judah, went first into the Reed Sea even before it split open. In fact, the waters didn’t open up until he was completely submerged. Only then did the waters open due to his faith. Only then did the rest of B’nai Yisroel follow.  The sea didn’t part because of Moshe’s praying on behalf of the people; it split because of one man’s Emunah, one man’s faith that taking the next step forward would ultimately prove to be the step that saved a nation.  As a result of Nachshon’s faith, the tribe of Judah would have dominion over Israel.

  Yes, we worried about our son dealing with Covid. As far as a test of faith goes, perhaps our test was the equivalent to Nachshon Ben Aminadov wading into the Reed Sea up to his ankles. I continue to be in awe of those who, like Nachshon Ben Aminadov is fully submerged before their faith is rewarded and their circumstances change. I am always intrigued by those who have the ability to keep faith under the most trying circumstances. Obviously, some circumstances are much more difficult than others. A family that must always contend with poverty, and homelessness, a family member with a terminal disease, anyone who must contend with the daily trauma of abuse, and war, or anyone who has managed to survive such trauma, all of these people have had far more difficult circumstances than I could ever hope to imagine.  I am struck by those who have faith in the decency and goodness of humanity when they themselves carry the scars of those impossibly difficult circumstances. When I speak to Holocaust survivors, I am in awe of those who struggled with and kept their faith in the idea of the fundamental decency of people, despite the pain they have experienced by the murder of a loved one at the hands of those who don’t want to co-exist. Just as we learn from Nachshon who kept his faith in God despite being fully submerged underwater, we can learn from those who kept their faith in spite of experiencing incredibly sad, painful, and gut-wrenching circumstances. Having that sense of perspective, helped us to manage the test in our faith. 

Peace,
Rav Yitz 

Built To Last Till Sunshine Fails And Darkness Moves On All (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia- "Built To Last")

           It has been one year since the world witnessed one of the darkest days of the Noble Experiment that is known as Democracy in The United States.  The January 6th attack upon the U.S. Capitol brought the dark underbelly of human nature, intolerance, and hatred to the surface. A recent Washington Post University of Maryland poll indicated that 34% of Americans think that violence against the U.S. government is acceptable. Along partisan lines, the numbers are even more frightening. Among Independent Voters, that 34% goes up to 41%. Among Republicans that number also goes up to 40%. Among those who identify as Democrats that number decreases to 23%. The “Noble Experiment” appears to be fraying and perhaps coming apart at the seams.  Of course, this Darkness isn’t new. It has existed for as long as human beings organized themselves in tribes, communities, and nations. In 1935, Sinclair Lewis wrote a dystopian novel about the rise of fascism and authoritarianism in the United States entitled It Can’t Happen Here. The premise was that a charismatic politician tapped into the raw populism, anger, and frustration of Americans who were experiencing the drastic changes brought on by the Great Depression. Dissatisfied with any of the current solutions, the electorate turned to “Buzz” Windrip. He promises answers and fast results. Windrip explains that Democracy is too slow a process, too untidy a process to solve these problems, and ever so slowly and meticulously undoes democratic institutions. Earlier this week, Jonathan Greenblatt, the CEO of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) came out with a new book: It Could Happen Here - Why America Is Tipping From Hate To The Unthinkable and How We Can Stop It. Greenblatt’s grandparents fled Nazi Germany. His wife and her family fled Iran when the Shah was overthrown. Greenblatt explains that there has always been “hate” in the United States. However over the past five years, where once the language and the behavior of hate was usually perpetrated by those out on the “fringe”; now this hatred has become normalized. The Darkness of Intolerance, anti-liberalism, fearmongering, is the standard operating procedure for the carrying out of the “Noble Experiment”. 

          This week's Parsha is Bo.  The ten plagues culminate with locusts, darkness, and finally the killing of the firstborn. On the night of the last plague, God instructs Moshe to tell B'nai Yisroel, to declare and sanctify the New Moon, and to slaughter a lamb for each family. Blood should be painted onto the doorpost. The sacrificed lamb must be completely eaten that night with no leftovers.  The command continues with God instructing Moshe to reiterate this story to the children of each family. The Parsha concludes with the command to sanctify the firstborn, remember this night, remember what God did for B'nai Yisroel, and how B'nai Yisroel eventually returned to the land.

           Parts of the Parsha are read on Pesach. Those parts dealing with the Paschal sacrifice, as well as the Mitzvah of "Telling" the child about the impending redemption, are read. However, there is one phrase that is particularly interesting and revealing. The ninth plague is Choshech, darkness. VaYomer Adonai el Moshe  N'Teih Yadchah al Hashamayim - And God said to Moshe "Stretch forth your hand toward the heavens,  Va'Yehi Choshech al Eretz Mitzrayim- "And there will be a darkness upon the land of Egypt, Vayameish Choshech - and the darkness will be felt. [tangible] (Ex. 10:21). What does it mean that the darkness will be felt? What will it feel like? Will it be hot or cold, wet or dry? Maybe it will thick like some type of fog. Maybe it will be the horrible emptiness as if one is falling through an abyss with nothing all around. Whatever kind of darkness it is, it can be felt. It is noticeable and therefore extraordinarily different than the standard night -time or even an eclipse. B’nai Yisroel still had light in their dwellings while the plague occurred. Pharaoh could not stand the darkness anymore and told Moshe to take everyone including the children and leave if that would alleviate the darkness in Egypt. The Or HaChaim, (18th Century Morocco) reminds us that while there was complete darkness in Egypt, there was light where the Jewish slaves lived: Goshen. U’LeChol B’nai Yisroel Haya Or B’Mishvotam – but for all the Children of Israel there was light in their dwellings (Ex. 10:23). Egypt was already in a state of primordial, spiritual Darkness,  darkness bereft of any acknowledgment of God’s presence. As a result, Egypt became a twisted, closed-minded, corrupt society.  Because of this ignorance and fear,  B’nai Yisroel was enslaved and the world devoid of the acknowledgment of HaShem. The plague of Choshech, of Darkness, was merely Egypt becoming aware of their darkness. As a result, Pharaoh all but pleaded with Moshe to take the slaves out from Egypt. The source of darkness was his fear of Israel and his reason for enslaving Israel (Ex 1:8-10). Only by ridding himself of hatred and fear and by acknowledging God’s presence could the light would return to Egypt.  B’nai Yisroel was already in a state of primordial Light, a spiritual acknowledgment of God’s presence; U’LeChol B’nai Yisroel  Haya Or B’Mishvotam – but for all the Children of Israel there was light in their dwellings. B’nai Yisroel already had a sense of their relationship to God, and a sense of purpose. Moshe had already told them that they would be freed, and they would return to the land that had been promised to their ancestors.

          Greenblatt explains that hate and intolerance must be called out. It must be called out at the water cooler at work and it must be called on social media platforms. Greenblatt also makes it clear that we must be aware of “moral relativism” and “what about-ism”. Historically, the Jewish People have always served as the proverbial “canary in the coal mine” when it comes to a rise in hatred, intolerance of minorities, of conspiracy theories, and a rise in authoritarianism, and fascism. Light must be shined brightly upon language, action, and legislation that peddles in hate, intolerance, and fear. Pharaoh and the Egyptians were paralyzed by the darkness caused by their fear and intolerance. This current plague of Darkness threatens to paralyze Democracy and the democratic institutions of what has  Noble Experiment. If it can happen there, then it can happen anywhere.     

Peace
Rav Yitz