What Fatal Flowers Of Darkness Bloom From Seeds Of Light (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia- Blues For Allah)

           Several weeks ago, I was blessed to celebrate my niece's Bat Mitzvah. Maybe as I have grown older, I have become more aware of it, but I cannot help but notice that Simchas and Tsuris, joyous occasions and sorrowful or difficult occasions occur incredibly close together. Over the last few years, in the age of Covid, we have heard how weddings became “super spreaders”. My niece’s Simcha, her Bat Mitzvah, was no exception. The joy of Shabbat when she read Torah and chanted Haftarah in a women’s service, her poise when she gave her Bat Mitzvah speech in the main sanctuary, the joy of watching my children dance and celebrate at their cousin’s party was greeted the next day with the news that people were testing positive for Covid. As we were preparing to drive my parents to their home in upstate New York and then make our way to Toronto, we noticed that my father did not appear well. Coughing and lethargic, we had him wear a mask, left the car windows open, and the air conditioning on. Five and half hours later, we brought my parents into their home and tested them for Covid. My father tested positive and he began his isolation. By the end of the day, there were a dozen people and three babies who had Covid. A day later our twenty-year-old daughter tested positive for Covid. She and her brother were supposed to go to summer camp the next day. That had to be delayed. 48 hours upon returning my parents to their home, my mother tested positive for covid. However, her case was more severe than my father’s case. Within 36 hours of testing positive, my mother was brought to the hospital due to complications resulting from Covid. She remained there for six days. On Day 5 of her stay in the hospital, our daughter finally tested negative and the next morning I drove her and her brother to camp.  Then two days later, my mother came out of the hospital, weakened but on the road to recovery. Within a week, our family went from experiencing the beautiful lifecycle of a young person reaching the age of young adulthood to the stark reality of aging and mortal parents whose vulnerabilities Covid found. Of course, we are not the only ones, Covid has forced us to see with new clarity the blessings and difficulties in life.  

          This Shabbat we read from Parsha Chukat. Chukat begins by telling us the Law for the Red Heifer. A Chok is a statute for which there is no logical reason. Unlike Mitzvot which is a commandment, and for which reasons and rationale may abound in order for the Mitzvah to make sense, a Chok is simply taken on faith. Unlike a Mishpat, which is a judgment that comes from a specific case/decision, a Chok is seemly plucked out of the air and there is no thought given to decisions. The Chok concerning the Red Heifer is that the individual Priest who prepares the mixture that will render the entire nation spiritually pure, will himself become impure from the mixture. However, the Parsha continues the theme of Chukat following the statute of the Red Heifer. A brief narrative concerning the death of Miriam, the lack of water, and B’nai Yisroel’s resulting anxiety and lack of faith leads to the issuance of another Chuk.

          When the people express their fear and anxiety about a lack of water immediately after Miriam’s death,  Moshe and Aaron don’t know what to do. God tells them: Kach et HaMateh v’Hakhaeil Et Ha’Edah Ata v’Aharon Achicha v’Dibartem El HaSela L’Eineihem V’Natan Meimav V’Hotzeitah Lahem Mayim Min HaSela V’Hishkita et HaEidah v’Et B’Iram – Hashem spoke to Moshe saying: Take the staff and gather together the assembly, you and Aaron your brother, and speak to the rock before their eyes that it shall give its waters. You shall bring forth for them water from the rock and give drink to the assembly and to their animals (Num. 20:8). This statute was directed at Moshe and Aaron.  Like the statute regarding the Parah Aduma, the Red Heifer, this statute directed at Moshe and Aaron also appears to have  no apparent logic or reason behind it. Why does Moshe need to take the rod if he has to speak to the rock to get the water? And when Moshe fails to heed the statute, he is punished without any mercy. He is forbidden to lead B’nai Yisroel into Eretz Canaan. The last time God issued such a directive to Moshe (back in the book of Exodus 17:6), Moshe was instructed to strike the rock. Now, without warning, God has changed the way Moshe was to draw water from the rock. Now without warning of the punishment if Moshe fails to heed the directive, Moshe is unable to fulfill his mission and bring B’nai Yisroel into Eretz Canaan. The Parsha concludes with B’nai Yisroel defeating the Amorites and temporarily dwelling on the planes of Moav, on the Eastern side of the Jordan River. The Torah text offers a very simple explanation of Moshe’s sin and ensuing punishment. After striking the rock twice, water came out from the rock, and the assembly drank, God explains the reason for the harsh punishment. Ya’an Lo He’ehmantem Bi L’Hakdisheine L’Einei Bnai Yisroel Lachein Lo Taviu et HaKahal Hazeh el Ha’Aretz Asher Natati Lahem: Because you did not believe in Me to sanctify Me in the eyes of the Children of Israel, therefore you will not bring this congregation to the Land that I have given them (Num. 20:12). The most humble man who had the closest relationship to God, receives perhaps the most hurtful of punishments for a moment of weakness. However, it seems that Moshe’s ultimate shortcoming was that he wasted an opportunity to teach this new generation, this generation that was not familiar with slavery, familiar with life in Egypt, nor directly experience the miracle of the Exodus. Moshe, the greatest teacher, prophet, and transmitter of law and theology missed a glaring opportunity to teach B’nai Yisroel. 

          When Moshe hit the rock, he not only missed an opportunity to teach a fundamental lesson to this new generation that was coming of age in the Wilderness. By losing his temper, as justified as he may have been, by hitting the rock, he also diminished himself. No longer was he a statesman concerned about the welfare of the community during a moment of crisis. For a brief moment, he became caught up in his own emotion. When such a person with vast amounts of power and responsibility misses a sacred opportunity to teach, explain and create an opportunity for the common folk to draw closer to God, then we can understand the harshness of the punishment. Experiencing the joy of the entire weekend only to be struck with the cold reality of my parents' mortality, made us understand the importance of acknowledging, and cherishing blessings but never getting so caught up that we forget the fragility of our blessings and the lives of our loved ones.  

Peace,
Rav Yitz

Arabian Nights Our Gods Pursue Their Fights; What Fatal Flowers of Darkness Bloom From Seeds Of Light - Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia - "Blues for Allah"

           This week was the 80th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor and the United States’ entrance into WWII when the world was divided between the forces of fascism/authoritarianism and democracy. Ironically, this week President Biden met with the largest democracies in Europe prior to his meeting with Europe’s most authoritarian regime: Russia. Russia has amassed approximately 100,000 soldiers and equipment along its border with Ukraine. It seemed that the President wanted to confront Putin using the language of sanctions and diplomacy, so he needed to know the position of Europe’s largest economies regarding any such diplomatic response. Also, the President responded to another authoritarian regime by announcing a diplomatic boycott of the upcoming winter Olympics in China. On a global diplomatic scale, we witnessed the confrontation or a clash between liberty/democracy and suppression/authoritarianism.

          This week’s Torah portion is VaYigash.  The confrontation between Yosef and his brothers is about to occur. The Parshah begins with Yehudah approaching his brother Yosef, whom he does not recognize, and pleads for Benjamin’s freedom.  Yosef reveals his identity. Then Yosef and his brothers hug and kiss each other. They cry and they forgive each other. Yosef asks about his father’s welfare. The brothers return to their father, Yaakov, and tell him that Yosef is alive. The brothers explain that everyone, the entire clan, should go down to Egypt. So this clan, including Jacob, the brothers, their wives, and children, heads down to Egypt. Yaakov meets Pharaoh. Yosef’s family is given a parcel of land outside of Egypt in a place called Goshen, where they can tend to their flocks. Yaakov is reunited with his beloved Yosef in the land of Goshen.

          For the ChaZaL, the Sages of Blessed Memory, the Sages of the Talmud, the confrontation between Yosef, the second most powerful man in Egypt, and Yehudah, the leader of Yaakov’s sons; the confrontation is much more than just two brothers meeting up after a couple of decades. For ChaZaL, the word VaYiGaSh refers to Yehudah girding himself for war. Remember, Yehudah does not yet know the identity of the man standing before him. For all Yehudah knows, this man, who looks Egyptian, dresses Egyptian, and speaks Egyptian embodies the most powerful empire and the most dominant culture in the world. However, according to the Or HaChayim that is not the plain meaning of the word. The Or HaChayim, Rabbi Chaim ibn Attar an early 16th Century Moroccan Kabbalist and Talmudist,  explains that if Yehudah was “girding himself for war” then he would not have spoken so respectfully and politely to Yosef: Bi Adoni “if it pleases my lord”. Nor would Yehudah be concerned with antagonizing Yosef’s anger. Instead, Yehudah approached  Egypt’s second in command diplomatically, not girded for war with his sword unsheathed or his gun drawn so to speak,  but confidently,  striding powerfully towards Yosef bypassing guards and advisors, and then quietly and privately speaking into the minister’s ear. Make no mistake, when Yehudah tells the minister that he is just like Pharaoh he is not paying the Minister a compliment. Yehuda speaks truth to power,  without subtleties, coldly and brutally honest. However, Yehudah confronts the minister in a  whisper, privately, without causing embarrassment to the second most powerful man in the Egyptian empire.

          For the Talmudic Sages, Yehuda’s approach to this representative of Egypt was not an approach between two men but a clash between two cultures, a clash between idolatry and monotheism, a clash between two diametrically opposite worlds. Most of history, at least European History is a similar clash albeit, between religions or between sects of the same religion. This week, we are reminded that these powerful clashes are not solely confined between religions. These “cosmic” sorts of clashes also occur between the force of democracy and the forces of authoritarianism and tyranny. In either case,  depending on the diplomatic skills of both sides, such “cosmic” clashes can either exacerbate tensions or diminish tensions.

Peace,
Rav Yitz

Let's See With Our Heart These Things Our Eyes Have Seen (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia - "Blues For Allah")

           Our youngest daughter will turn 19 this Shabbat. On this particular year, her secular birthday and her Hebrew birthday fall on the same day. However, this year, because she is in Israel,  we won’t be able to celebrate her birthday with her.  However, I am willing to bet that we will miss celebrating her birthday with her more than she will miss celebrating her birthday with her parents. Of our four children, she is the most blonde, the most artistic, and appreciates the creative process that art embodies. Her Jerusalem apartment is adorned with her paintings. When we packed her year in Israel, she insisted on bringing paint, brushes and small canvases. She finds the creative process of painting cathartic and soothing.  She is the daughter who could spend hours looking at fashion and home design magazines, appreciating the colors, lines, and shapes. Certainly, she has an affinity for the physical realm. Ironically, she is not at all superficial nor is she mesmerized and awed by physical beauty and “perfection”. On the contrary, her eye is drawn to that which is interesting:  the juxtaposition of color, shade, light, lines, and shapes.  When her two older sisters and younger brother comment that my white beard makes me look much older; our 19-year-old notices my white beard in the context of the wrinkles around my eyes when smiling or squinting. She is the daughter that sees the wrinkles and the “youthfulness” in my eyes and comments on that juxtaposition. Because of her artistic eye, she is able to find beauty everywhere. Interestingly enough, my grandmother for whom our daughter is named also had a similar “artistic” eye.

          This Shabbat we read from Parshat Emor. The four chapters that comprise Parsha Emor focus on the various aspects of Perfection. First, the Torah focuses upon the importance of the spiritual perfection and purity of the Kohen. He must remain in a perpetual state of purity. He is restricted in terms of whom he can marry. He is restricted for whom he can mourn. He cannot go to a cemetery. He cannot make sacrificial offerings if he has physical abnormalities. The second of the four chapters reminds B’nai Yisroel that when approaching God with an offering, the individual must be spiritually pure and perfect and so must the offering. These offerings must come directly from the individual making them and not from “the hand of a stranger” (Lev.22:25). The third chapter of the Parsha deals with the perfection and the purity of time. Time is perfect; each season follows another in order, the holidays such as Shabbat, Pesach, Shavuot, Sukkot, Rosh Hashanah, and Yom Kippur are designated to come in a particular order. That order is both pure and perfect since time and the designation of “Sacred” time comes from God. The fourth chapter speaks about maintaining purity and the perfection of physical space in this case the Mishkan, and all that is in the Mishkan. The Torah even deals with the perfection and purity of human relationships and the punishments meted out when that perfection, purity, and holiness are violated. In a sense, this last chapter reminds us of God’s charge to B’nai Yisroel.

          The Torah places an emphasis upon the physical appearance of the Kohen as it relates to his spiritual purity and eligibility of serving as the Kohen Gadol.  The last eight verses (21:16-24) explain all the physical abnormalities that exclude the Kohen from assuming the position of Kohen Gadol. Blemishes, blindness, being lame, having any broken bones, bad skin, abnormally long eyebrows, a blemish in his eyed, are but a few of the physical attributes that make a Kohen ineligible for the position of Kohen Gadol.   How can the Torah, with its primary focus upon Mitzvot (commandments) and the importance of deeds and the Kavanah, the intentionality behind those deeds, now focus upon something as superficial as appearance? Sefer HaChinuch, a 13th-century halachic texts that lists and comments on each of the 613 commandments in the order in which they appear in the Torah,  comments: “At the root of the precept lies the reason that most actions of people are acceptable, appealing to the heart of those who see them, in accordance with the eminence of those who do them. For when a man is distinguished in his appearance and good in his actions, he will find grace and good understanding (Prov. 3:4). With all that he does in the eyes of all who observe him. Should he be, however the opposite of this- inferior in his form, or peculiar in his limbs then even if he is correct in his ways, his activities will not be so attractive to the heart…” (Emor 275). As upsetting and politically incorrect as that sounds, the comment and the Torah text infer a keen understanding of human nature. While watching the physically flawed Kohen conducting the ritual slaughtering in a perfectly correct manner; our attention would be upon a perceived flaw in appearance or perceived imperfection. As a result, our Kavanah - our intention concerning our sacrificial offering would be lacking and the sacrificial process would fail.

          We are now thousands of years removed from a Beit HaMikdash (Holy Temple), the institutions of sacrificial offerings, and a Priestly class. The Beit HaMikdash has been replaced by Synagogues, shteibles, or wherever a community gathers to pray. Sacrificial offerings have been replaced by the words and music of prayer. The community no longer relies upon the Kohanim to serve as a conduit between it and God. Rather, the person leading the community in prayer and the community itself connects to God. Over thousands of years, there has been a spiritual maturing of God’s children. While the physical characteristic of a person may have once appeared like a flaw or an imperfection to spiritually immature eyes, now those perceived flaws and perceived imperfections are sources for interest and wonderment as we recognize that we are created in God’s image. As a result of mankind’s spiritual maturation, what had once been a physical “imperfection” is now viewed as part of the panoramic display of God’s presence. So as my wife and I look at pictures of our daughter on her birthday, I think about how our daughter sees the world, sees colors, light,  lines, and shapes. May she continue maturing into a confident, thoughtful, intelligent free spirit who can still see the youthfulness in my eyes despite my white beard and wrinkles around my eyes.  May she continue to find beauty in the world.

Peace,
Rav Yitz

Let's See With Our Heart These Things Our Eyes Have Seen (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia - "Blues For Allah")

          Our grade 12 daughter just participated in her high school graduation. Covid -19 forced her, her classmates, and the school to re-adjust what a graduation ceremony would look like. My wife and several other mothers reached out to the school and pointed out other high school graduations that would be more than picking up a diploma at the school parking lot, or sitting in front of a computer on a Zoom graduation ceremony. So we decorated our minivan, drove to a drive-in movie theatre, and along with her classmates, as well as a live stream audience of extended family members (including her oldest sister, her grandparents, aunts uncles and cousins watched, listened, cheered and honked our car horn as our daughter received her diploma as well as an award. Certainly, we are proud parents. Mostly however we recognize that she is about to embark on the next chapter of her life as she continues to develop life skills and, in a sense, leadership skills.
          This week's Parsha is Shlach Lecha. Several disparate events occur in this Parsha. First, we read the story of Moshe sending Twelve Spies (one representing each tribe) into Eretz Canaan. Their mission was to ascertain the lay of the land, the strength of the inhabitants, and the fertility of the land. Except for Joshua and Caleb, the remaining ten spies returned with a negative report. The people heard this and wanted to return to Egypt. As a result of both the report and B'nai Yisroel's response, this generation was prohibited from entering the land. Next, we read about the laws concerning the taking of Challah, a fire offering, a burnt offering, feast offering. We read about the offering required for unintentional sin. After this brief discussion about ritual, B'nai Yisroel is reminded about the ethical treatment of native members of the community or proselytes. Then we read about who desecrates Shabbat by gathering wood on Shabbat.  Like the person who acts high handedly, this man was removed from the camp and punished with death. The Parsha concludes with a familiar passage that we know as the 3rd paragraph of the Shemah. We are commanded to wear tzitzit in order to remind us of three ideas: God's commandments, not to follow our eyes and our hearts (which will lead us astray), and God brought us out of Egypt (Num. 15:37-41).
          While reading the spies report, Numbers 13:27-29, and 13:31-33., we find out that the land is flowing with milk and honey and plenty of fruit. We find out that the native tribes dwell in fortified cities. We are told the names of the indigenous tribes and their geographical location. The tone suggests that these tribes are quite strong.  In the second part of their report, we are told that these spies do not think that B’nai Israel is physically capable of conquering this land and these indigenous tribes, for they are giants “and we were like grasshoppers in our eyes and so we were in their eyes (13:33) One spy, in one verse 13:30 publicly expresses disagreement with the spies. Caleb is the voice of dissent, Caleb speaks out. Caleb is heroic and inspiring.  However the Talmudic sages in the Tosefta comment that the first part of the report: “We came to the land and it flows with milk and honey and this is its fruit” was offered by Joshua. The rest of the report, except for 13:30 was offered by the other 10 spies.  Why do the Talmudic sages bring Joshua into the narrative and by doing so diminish Caleb’s powerful and passionate heroic voice? Indeed Joshua was Moshe’s choice. We know that one of the spies received special treatment from Moshe. Joshua was one of the spices and Moshe had renamed him. Clearly Joshua was Moshe’s eyes and ears on this mission and we know that Joshua will be one to assume the mantle of leadership. Even at this time, Joshua was being groomed for leadership. However, the dissenting opinion was not offered by Joshua; it was offered by Caleb. Caleb was the spy who went off on his own and went to Hebron to the Caves of the Machpela to “visit” the ancestors: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sarah, Rebecca, and Leah. Caleb the same letters that make the word K’LeiV like the heart, Caleb speaks passionately from the heart. Also the same letters KLV which means dog. A dog barks when something appears or smells wrong, or dangerous. Joshua represents leadership within the system, cool and thoughtful, and endorsed by the establishments: Moshe and the Talmudic Sages.  Caleb represents leadership outside the system, passionate, inspiring, and challenging the majority and a voice of dissent. The Talmudic Sages bring Joshua into the text because the Talmudic Sages understand that both types of leadership: Cool and Passionate, working within the system and a voice of dissent; both types of leadership are required depending upon the situation.
         For our daughter, as she graduates during a time when people have taken to the streets to express a desire for social justice while other leaders deal with the cold analysis of numbers and fighting a pandemic, we see both styles of leadership are vital. Whatever the style, both types of leadership require a desire for truth, a desire to improve make society better, and a desire to care for society’s most vulnerable. As our daughter begins the next phase of her life, we hope that she incorporates both types of leadership so that way she remains true to herself, her values and strives to make the part of the world that she touches a better place.

Peace,
Rav Yitz

What Fatal Flowers Of Darkness Bloom From Seeds Of Light (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia - "Blues for Allah")

                The Republican Convention occupied much of the news this week. Even on talk radio here in Toronto, one of the programs was dedicated to American trivia and American politics. Granted, there were all types of news worthy issues that came out of the Republican National Convention. However one story of particular interest was what didn’t happen at the convention. What didn’t happen was the Modern Orthodox Rabbi who converted Ivanka Trump, Rabbi Lookstein, was asked to begin the convention with a convocation. The Rabbi is retired from both the Jewish day school and the congregation that he led for decades; so he agreed to speak. Soon after he accepted the invitation, graduates from his school, and former congregants send out a petition trying to make it clear to Rabbi Lookstein, that speaking at the Republican National Convention would tarnish him and the community due to guilt by association. The person who began the petition explained that Rabbi Lookstein's words would be diminished by the fact that the presumptive nominee had said controversial, demeaning and often time’s hateful words, and the Rabbi would be associated with those words. Furthermore, there are many who have voted for the presumptive nominee who are part of the racist underbelly of the United States, including David Duke and those of his ilk. So even if the presumptive nominee is not a racist, the fact that he never disavows that racist undercurrent of the electorate is equally as problematic.

This Shabbat we read form Parsha Balak. Balak was a Moabite King. After watching what B’nai Yisroel had done to the Ammonites, Balak was distressed. He realized that fighting B’nai Yisroel with a regular army was doomed to fail because he realized that God had blessed them. Being a clever king, Balak surmised that the only way to fight B'nai Yisroel was to fight them on a spiritual level. Since God blessed B’nai Yisroel, Balak wanted to find someone to curse them. There lived a prophet, a “Prophet Consultant,” a “hired gun” if you will, named Bilaam. King Balak hired Bilaam to curse B’nai Yisroel. Bilaam is visited by God and told not to curse B’nai Yisroel. Bilaam ignores the visitation. On his donkey heading towards B’nai Yisroel’s camp, and preparing his curses, the donkey stops. Although Bilaam could not see the angel standing in the middle of the road with a sword drawn, the donkey did. As a result the donkey refused to continue forward. Finally Bilaam realizes that there is a divine force in the middle of the road and must confront it. Bilaam listens and heads toward the camp. Looking down upon the encampment, Bilaam blesses B’nai Yisroel with words that we say upon entering into any synagogue, words that we teach our children at the youngest of ages. Ma Tovu Ohalecha Yaakov Mishkenotecha Yisroel – How goodly are your tents, O Jacob, your dwelling places O Israel – Kinchalim Nitayu K’ganot Alei Nahar K’Ahalim Natah Adoshem Ka’Arazim Alei Mayim – stretching out like brooks like gardens by the river, like aloes planted by Hashem, like cedars by the water (Num 24:5-6). Try as he might, Bilaam is unable to curse B’nai Yisroel, rather he blesses them.

            These are certainly beautiful words, so beautiful in fact, that they are part of the morning service. These words are so beautiful in fact, that we say them every morning. Yet, despite these beautiful words, ChaZaL, the Talmudic Sages, look at Bilaam and they see a disingenuous person. The Commentators wonder why God gets so angry with Bilaam for going with Balak and the Moabite officers even when God told him to go with them.  V’Yavoh  Elohim El Bilaam Lailah, VaYomer Lo Im Likro Lecha Ba’u Ha’Anashim Kum Leich Itam V’Ach et HaDavar Asher Adabeir Eilecha Oto Ta’Aseh – Hashem came to Bilaam at night and said to him “If the men come to summon you , arise and go with them but only the that I shall Speak to you – that you shall do. Bilaam BaBoker VaYaChaVeish et Atono VaYeilech Im Sarei Moav – Bilaam arose in the morning and saddled his she-donkey and went with the officers of Moav. VayiChar Af Elokim Ki Holeich Hu…. God’s wrath flared because he [Bilaam] was going... Why does God so angry? What did Bilaam do so wrong? What did ChaZaL see in the text to warrant such a deep seated disgust with Bilaam? Certainly it could not have been the words of blessing uttered at the end of the Parsha. Rather the problem is what the word “with” means. God says “Leich Itam” – go with them.  Bilaam, we are told “Valeich Im Sarei” Bilaam went with them [the officers]. The issue is the way in which Bilaam went with them. God’s instruction “Leich Itam” suggests a passive sort of going. Several of the classical commentators including RamBan (13^th Century France) and Sforno (16^th Century Italy) suggest that word “Itam” suggests that passive accompaniment. However Bilaam saddles the donkey himself, which already suggests an active desire to go. We saw this with Pharaoh saddling his chariot to chase B’nai Yisroel, and we saw this when Avraham saddles the donkey first thing in the morning when preparing to fulfill God’s instructions regarding offering Yitzchak as a sacrifice. “Im” also defined as “with” or “along with”. “Im” suggest a type of equality. That is, Bilaam actively accompanies the Moabite officers and Balak. In a sense Bilaam was an active participant in his desire to curse B’nai Yisroel. ChaZaL’s disdain and animosity towards Bilaam was because he clearly intended malice towards B’nai Yisroel. He actively pursued his intentions until God became explicitly involved.

            It is safe to say that the Rabbi Lookstein had no intention of harming people, saying nor saying hateful words. Rather quite the contrary, Rabbi Lookstein’s words were designed to provide a moral voice to the convention and a reminder of the foundations upon which the process is built, democracy, law, the constitution and goodness. His words were actually quite beautiful. The problem is association. I have no doubt that the intention of Rabbi Lookstein’s association with the RNC would have been passive accompaniment as God had instructed Bilaam. It appears to be a very fine line between passive accompaniment and active accompaniment. In fact its two letters: “Aleph” “Tav” or “Ayin” “Mem”. However after watching how this campaign preys upon fear and ignorance, do I really think that the American public would see that difference?  Maybe, but I am guessing that those whose fears and ignorance are preyed upon are unable to see the difference.

Peace,

Rav Yitz

And Know The Truth Must Still Lie Somewhere In Between (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia - "Blues for Allah")

With a daughter working for Secretary Hilary Clinton, we have all payed particularly close attention to the very long and winding road that is the Presidential campaign. One of the more intriguing back stories in both the Democratic and Republican campaigns has been how all these candidates finance their respective campaigns. The two candidates with the most interesting approach has been Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders, neither for whom would I vote. Trump, a multi billionaire brags that he can finance his own campaign. The result of self-finance, he explains is that he not politically beholden to any special interest group. There are many who vote in the Republican primaries and caucuses who are attracted to Trump for that very reason. Bernie Sanders is the diametric opposite of Trump. He has financed most of his campaign from the private individual donations. Those donations come in the form a few dollars per person. Rarely if at all will there be a donation from a PAC (Political Action Committee) for millions of dollars. The result of being financed primarily through individual donations, he explains, is that he is beholden only to the American people and not the special interest group. There are many who vote in Democratic primaries and caucuses who are attracted to Mr. Sanders for that very reason.  

This Shabbat, we read from Parsha Terumah. In it, Moshe has re-ascended the mountain in order to receive the laws, and the blueprint, if you will, for the construction of the Mishkan, the portable tabernacle that will eventually permit B’nai Yisroel to gather, to make offerings to God and to provide a physical dwelling for God. If you are an architect, or if you are an interior decorator, this Parsha goes into tremendous detail about Mishkan’s construction and decoration. Before all the detail are presented for construction and decoration, God commands Moshe to tell B’nai Yisroel that the funding for this vital public works project will come from each individual V’Yikchu Li Terumah Mei’eit Kol Ish Asher Yidvenu Libo Tikechu et Terumati – They shall take for me a portion, from every man whose heart motivates him, you shall take my portion (Ex. 25:2). The holiest spot within the community, the most sacred area is based upon each and every individual apportioning a percentage of their assets to the construction of, decoration of, and maintenance of the Mishkan. How incredibly equitable! Everyone is involved and everyone has a stake in the outcome.

There were no “dues” per se. Rather each individual had to look within him/herself and be brutally honest. Each individual would give as they saw fit. This was a sacred moment between the individual and God. The object was not to give due to social pressure but rather for the holiest of reasons. However such a process requires tremendous honesty. Such a process requires us to be sure that our outside matches our inside. Such a process forces the individual to “mean what you say and say what you mean”. Such a process forces the individual to not only “talk the talk” but walk the walk”. This message is subliminally hinted at when we read about the design of the Aron, the Ark that is to hold the Shnei Luchot Ha’Brit – the Two Stone Tablets upon which are written the Ten Commandments. V’Asu Aron Atzei Shitim – they shall make an Ark of acacia wood (Ex.25:10).  V’Tzipitah Oto Zahav tahor Mibayit U’Michutz T’Tzapenu V’Asita Alav Zeir Zahav Saviv – You shall cover it with pure gold, from within and from without shall you cover it, and you shall make on it a gold crown all around (Ex. 25:11).  It makes sense that the outside of the Ark is covered with gold since that will be viewed by the people. However what is the reason for lining the arc with pure gold from the inside? Rabeinu Chananel, the 11^th century North African Talmudist, comments that this arrangement symbolized the Talmudic dictum that a Torah scholar must be consistent; his inner character must match his public demeanor, his actions must conform to his professed beliefs. However there is no reason to limit such sentiment to Torah scholars. Kol Ish Asher Yidvenuy Libo Tikechu et Terumati – every man whose heart motivates him you shall take my portion. Every man should be motivated to be consistent. Every person’s actions should conform to his/her professed beliefs, and his or her beliefs should be expressed by behavior.

            Every day, we face the struggle to keep the pure gold that exists within our insides the same as the pure gold that exists on the outside. The object is to never tarnish that which lies within nor that which lies with out. So every opportunity we have to express holiness, whether Mitzvot l’Ben Adam L’Chavero – Mitzvot that pertains between people or Mitzvot L’Hashem – Mitzvot that pertain to God, must be taken advantage of. For in our neglect to do so, we tarnish the most precious aspect, our souls’ purity and holiness. The same idea holds for these two men with their unique methods of financing a campaign (as well as for the other candidates). The issue is not so much of accepting donations or not leaves one beholden to no one, someone or everyone. Rather it seems much more important that these candidates are beholden to themselves and their moral code. That is to say, their insides, match their outsides. That is how the voters will judge authenticity. That is how the voters will be able to judge is a candidates word and deed are consistent.  

Peace,

Rav Yitz