Come Wash The Night Time Clean, Come Grow The Scorched Ground Green (John Barlow & Bob Weir - "Cassidy")

          I recently contracted Covid and have spent the past 10 days in our family’s basement, in isolation. For several days I woke up with an awful headache, my joints ached, my teeth ached, I wasn’t particularly hungry but I was incredibly fatigued. I couldn’t hold my head up, not due to nausea but rather due to the fact that I was so tired. For several days last week, I would fall asleep watching college basketball games. Finally, early this past week, I awoke and there was no headache, my joints no longer ached, my teeth no longer ached. I didn’t sleep 18 hours a day. I took a brief walk outside for a few minutes. Then took a nap. Each day, as symptoms faded. Instead of being fatigued after a 5-minute walk, I was now fatigued after a 20-minute walk. While still not great, I felt myself feeling better. By the end of the week, I was out of isolation, participating in family life, and actually working out on our elliptical machine for 45 minutes. Yes, I  was fatigued. Yes, I found myself still needing a nap, but I finally feel like I am back to feeling healthy.

          This Shabbat is known as Shabbat Para because of the special Maftir Aliyah we read concerning the offering of the Para Adumah (the Red Heifer). The weekly Parshat, which we read prior to the Maftir, is Parshat Shmini.  Consisting of three complete chapters, the Parsha focuses upon the three parties necessary for the Brit (the covenant) of B’nai Yisroel: God, the Kohen, and B’nai Yisroel.  Certainly, God is the embodiment of Purity, the second and third chapters of the Parsha explain how the Kohen and B’nai Yisroel are able to approach God and achieve spiritual intimacy. If either the Kohen or B’nei Israel is not pure, then they are unable to achieve that spiritual intimacy. B’nei Israel can either achieve this desired spiritual intimacy in the offering it brings, but to do so depends on the purity of the Kohen. If the Kohen is impure then no matter how pure B’nai Israel or its offering,  spiritual intimacy is not achievable. B’nai Israel can also achieve spiritual intimacy by eating certain foods. 

          The Parsha begins with Moshe telling his brother Aharon, that before the Mishkan can begin serving the people as a means for them to experience both personal and communal intimate moments with God, he (Aharon) must prepare himself. The first step in Aharon’s self-preparation is his own self-purification process. That first step is reflected in Moshe’s instruction:  Kach Lecha Eigel ben Bakar L’Chatat V’Ayil L’Olah T’Mimim V’Hakreiv Lifnei Adoshem - Take a calf of the herd for a Sin-Offering and a ram for a burnt offering, without blemish, and bring them before the Lord. Before Aharon could serve B’nai Israel, he had to atone for his “sin”.   Rashi, the 11-century French commentator,  cites the Midrash Tanchuma and explains that “this animal was selected as a sin offering to announce to him that the Holy One, blessed be He, granted him atonement by means of this calf for the incident of the golden calf which he had made.” The “Chatat” offering, literally a “sin” offering was to atone for Aharon’ role in the incident of the Golden Calf. Ibn Ezra describes this offering as Aharon’s atonement for that Cheit. Once atonement is made, Aharon is spiritually purified, cleansed, and ready to serve the people.

           According to Ontario Health,  a person needs to remain isolated for ten days from when Covid symptoms appeared. During those ten days, the symptoms were acute and eventually waned. By the 6th day, I did not feel any more symptoms, just incredibly tired.  I still tested positive. Howsoever on the tenth day, I no longer tested positive. I was able to leave the isolation of the basement and return to normal family life and my responsibilities.  Aharon’s atonement allowed him to be purified in order to begin his communal responsibilities. While there was no atonement, ten days in isolation allowed me to be considered purified enough to leave the basement and resume my day-to-day responsibilities to my family and my community. 

Peace,
Rav Yitz 

But I'll Roll Up My Shirtsleeves, And Make My Best Shot (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia -"Believe It Or Not")

     It isn’t often when “Mr. and Mrs. John Q. Citizen” have an opportunity to perform a patriotic act. No, I am not talking about paying taxes, hanging a flag outside one’s home on Canada Day, or wear all things red, white, and maple leaf during the Olympics. I am talking about an opportunity to protect the land in which we live. No there is no invasion from a foreign adversary. For the past year, we have been fighting a war against a virus. For the past year, we have been asked to make sacrifices including sacrificing time spent with family and friends. We have been asked to alter our behaviour by wearing masks, remaining socially distant, observing various levels of economic closures, and border closures. We have altered the way in which we gather to celebrate, mourn and pray. Now with the vaccination process up and running, the call for Mr. and Mrs. John Q. Citizen to perform his/her patriotic duty has never been clearer and more obvious. The sooner people sign up for their vaccination, and receive their vaccination, the quicker the line moves. The quicker that 80+year-olds sign up and get their vaccine, the quicker 65-79-year-olds can sign up and get theirs. The quicker that cohort signs up and gets vaccinated the quicker, 60-64-year-old cohort get theirs, and so on and so on. Everyone has a role in this process, whether it is shipping the vaccine, administering the vaccine, setting up a website for people to sign up and schedule a time to receive the vaccine, or just showing up at the appointed time and place to receive a shot, the fact is, we all have a role to play so that our society, our community, and our country begins functioning in a far more normal capacity.

    This week we combine the final two Parshiot, Vayakahel-Pekudie, and complete the Book of Exodus. Following the sin of the Golden Calf and Teshuvah (repentance), B’nai Yisroel begins executing God’s instructions for the Mishkan, the Ark, and the Tent of the Meeting. You will recall that when God gave these instructions to Moshe, God started from the middle of the Mishkan – the Aron (The Ark of the Covenant) and worked out to the walls of the Tent of the Meeting.  When B’nai Yisroel begins the building process, it begins with the walls of the Tent, then concludes with the altar, and finally the Ark of the Covenant.  

    After the destructive behavior of worshipping the Golden Calf, B’nai Yisroel comes together and shares a common constructive experience bound by a common goal. Their goal is to complete the construction of the Mishkan. The common experience is their contributions for raw materials. V’Yavo’u  Kol Ish Asher Nasahu Libo V’chol Asher Nadvah Rucho- Every man whose heart inspired him came; and everyone whose spirit motivated him brought the portion of God for the work of the Tent of the Meeting, for all its labor and for the sacred clothing (Ex.35:21). By participating in this constructive process, everyone had an opportunity to repent for the sin of the Golden Calf and for their lack of faith. If viewed as a process, B’nai Yisroel began on the outside of its relationship with God, struggling to connect to God by means of idolatrous behavior.  After repentance, and with the completion of each aspect of the Mishkan and the Ohel Moed; B’nai Yisroel began moving towards the Holy of Holies. They started with the walls of the Tent of the Meeting and finished with the ark. They started where they were capable.  As they continued to spiritually and grow and develop; they were able to move to the next level, concluding with the Aron.

    For the vast majority, we approach God in a similar way. As we become inspired, we come to Judaism. As we become motivated, we dedicate a greater portion to God, both in terms of Tzedakah and time. It is very rare when our motivation or dedication comes as a result of a “bolt of lightning” or some existential metaphysical sign or wonder. No, our motivation and dedication are a result of our recognition that there is something missing in our lives. We miss meaning and purposefulness in our lives. We miss contentment in our lives. We miss peace in our lives. Certainly, we can be happy without meaning. Certainly, we can be happy without contentment. Certainly, we can be happy without peace. Why? Happiness is rather fleeting and quite often it is the result of some external factor. Meaning, contentment, and peace are ultimately internally influenced and far less fleeting.  Our movement towards God, our movement towards greater observance, is a series of steps. We don’t begin as a Tzaddik observing all mitzvot.  Rather, one mitzvah leads to another, learning leads to more learning which eventually leads to doing. 

    We learn several vital lessons from these Parshiot. First, we learn that Judaism requires two parties, God and B’nai Yisroel. Both must exist together in a balanced relationship. When God and Torah become so far out of reach, B’nai Yisroel will become alienated and turn towards idolatry, such as the Golden Calf, crass materialism, money, or some other “God”. When B’nai Yisroel fails to elevate itself in Kedushah, in holiness, then we fail in our dual mission: making our lives more meaningful and spiritual and being  "a light among the nations”. However, when we enter into a highly participatory and shared communal experience, such as building the Mishkan, or any project or program, when we all sacrifice some of our personal needs for the well-being of the community, then our individual lives take on greater meaning and purpose. Second, we learn that when the community shares a commons sense of purpose, something wonderful happens. We achieve that balance between God and ourselves. The result, of course, is that God will dwell among us. God’s dwelling among us makes our community a little warmer, a little kinder, and more significant. Third, we also learn that the actual process of construction requires hard work. B’nai Yisroel, like any community, shared in the difficulty of the task. Greater participation makes the experience that much more meaningful and more rewarding. What is the reward? The reward is a community that shares Simchas (joy) and tsuris (sorrow), victories as well as defeats. The reward is that no individual member of the community should ever feel alienated and alone. The reward is a community that strives for growth and improvement. This brings more meaning to the life of the individual, the family, and the community. 

Peace,

Rav Yitz

The A B C's, We All Must Face, And Try To Keep A Little Grace (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia - "Touch of Grey")

           This has been a very different sort of High Holiday Season. The Pandemic and its anticipated second wave have forced Jews to make some necessary modifications in the way in which they observe and celebrate Sukkot. Normally, during the week of Sukkot, Shuls will build a large communal sukkah so people can eat in it as well as to conduct all kinds of social and educational programs. Not this year. In order to have guests, an acquaintance of ours divided his sukkah with plexiglass and two separate tables and chairs in order to have guests. However, for the most part, the only guests that many will have had in their Sukkah would have been the Ushpizin, the seven mystical guests that appear day: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Aaron, Joseph, David,  This lack of guests, has been most difficult on my wife since she is is so incredibly social. One solution that we happened to have fallen into occurred earlier in the summer when some of the restrictions began to loosen. Every Shabbat, before or after lunch, my wife and I would catch up with two other couples. The patios and decks would rotate from Shabbat to Shabbat, yet the three couples would sit, shmooze, have a nosh and remain very socially distant. Under normal circumstances, we would have had these two couples spend time with us in the Sukkah. Ironically, we have to have these “socially distant” social calls outside of the sukkah.  

          Beginning on Friday Night and continuing this morning and until the sun sets on this Shabbat, we celebrate the Festival known as Shemini Atzeret. Shemini Atzeret immediately follows the Sukkot Festival. Sukkot technically concluded on Friday. The last day of Sukkot is known as Hoshana Rabba. It represents the very last opportunity to engage in the Tshuva of the High Holidays before the gates for this year close. The week-long celebration of Sukkot has concluded and we now have a day to recuperate, to talk about the party, to talk about the ceremony, to talk about the sermons, eat a little, and laugh a little. The Haftorah for Shemini Atzeret is from Kings I Chapter 8. Solomon, the son of King David, has assumed the throne. He finished building the Beit HaMikdash, The First Holy Temple in Jerusalem. Now that it is finished, he consecrates the building by holding a weeklong celebration that coincides with the Sukkot Holiday and pilgrimage to Jerusalem. The Rabbis chose this particular Haftorah as appropriate for Shemini Atzeret because of the last verse of the Haftorah. Bayom HaSHmini Shilach et Ha’Am Vayivarchu et Hamelech Va’Yeilchu L’Ahaleihem Smeichim V’Tovei Leiv Al Kol Tovah Asher Asah Adoshem L’David Avdo U’LeYisrael Amo – Then on the eighth day, he (King Solomon) dismissed them and they blessed the king and went to their tents rejoicing and contented because of all the good that the Eternal had done for David, God’s servant, and Israel God’s people.

          Solomon’s words are also found in Sefer Kohelet, Ecclesiastes. Normally, we would read Sefer Kohelet during the Intermediate Sabbath of Sukkot. However this year, there is no intermediate Sabbath. Therefore Kohelet is read on this Shabbat. Many consider Solomon’s wisdom as transmitted in Kohelet to be a rather bleak and offer a rather stark outlook:  Ein Kol Chadash Tachat HaShamesh - There is nothing new beneath the sun. However, there is wisdom in these words given the context of living during these trying times. Taking a  wide sweep of human history, Kohelet is probably right, ‘there really is nothing new under the sun.” There have been pandemics and epidemics before. There has been a rise in Fascism and authoritarianism before. There have been those who found comfort in the darkness of conspiracy and those who have been warmed by the light of truth. There have been those who have learned and transmitted their wisdom and there are those who are unable or unwilling to learn.  I suppose it just appears that the “new “ is just for those who aren’t old enough to remember the last time or haven’t studied the past. Yet even under these circumstances, there are moments of grace and blessing. 

          The Jewish Holiday Season, the Chagim are drawing to a close. Certainly, celebrating the Chagim has required a bit of ingenuity and, as a result, has certainly been novel. The joy of ushering in a New Year as well as the trepidation associated with Yom HaDin – Day of Judgment have been tempered with the novelty of blowing Shofar during a Pandemic.  We have experienced the hope that the New Year, with its opportunity as well as its renewed commitment will be a year of possibility. Ten days later we experienced the intense spirituality of Yom Kippur when, for twenty-five hours, we focus entirely on our spiritual beings and ignore our physical beings. For twenty-five hours we spend praying, contemplating, and existing in the realm of the angels and God. Yet, due to a Pandemic, the object was to be as brief as possible and only be in shul for as little as possible.  Three days later, we celebrate our Thanksgiving; we celebrate Sukkot. We celebrate our Zman Simchateinu – Time of our Happiness – by offering our thanks to God. We thank God for the Harvest, for the fact that we arrived at this time in the Sukkah with Lulav and Etrog. We celebrate our joy with the opportunity to commune with God in such a special place like the Sukkah. Mostly, we are thankful for whatever blessings we are able to realize during this incredibly difficult time.

May we all have the insight to find it in our hearts to sense our blessing and be thankful as we continue to live through this pandemic. 

Peace,

Rav Yit

There Is Some Satisfaction In The San Francisco Rain (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia - "Mission In The Rain")

          It has been two full weeks since our twenty-year-old daughter had ACL replacement surgery. Since the surgery, she has passionately focused upon rehabbing her knee. Three times a week either her mother or I shlep her to rehab. Every day she insists upon taking a walk down the street She has gradually increased her distance and now walks approximately 100 yards on relying upon her crutches as little as possible. She walks these100 yards slowly, carefully and it is terribly exhausting. Every day, after the walk, we ice her knee and she takes a nap. When she wakes up, she begins doing her rehab exercises, then more ice. She has worked incredibly hard and I suspect that she will continue to do so. As impressed as her mother and I are with her dedication, we have been even more impressed with her attitude and mental toughness. She has learned to take nothing for granted. Getting herself in out of bed, going up and down the stairs, washing up, and even sitting with us at the Shabbat tables, she has been nothing but thankful and appreciative of these activities that the rest of us don’t even think about. 

           This week’s Parsha is Eikev. Here, in his second discourse, Moshe explains to the new generation how the second set of tablets that contains the Aseret Dibrot came into being. He explains how God forgave the parents of their idolatrous behavior in regards to the Eigel Zahav (Golden Calf), and all B’nai Yisroel must do essentially refrain from Idolatry, serve God, worship God, and the nation will be rewarded with water, grass and quality lives. Moshe also reminds B’nai Yisroel that they have nothing to fear when they enter into Canaan and conquer the land even though they may be outnumbered because God has already demonstrated that he will protect his people. He did so during the Yetziat Mitzrayim (Exodus), and as long as B’nai Yisroel keeps its side of the B’rit, God will continue to protect his people.

However, it is towards the end of the Parsha, that we encounter a possible answer from a passage of Torah that should be familiar to all of us. V’Haya Im Tishma’u El Mitzvotai Asher Anochi M’tzaveh Etchem Hayom L’Ahavah – It will be that if you hearken to My commandments that I command you today to love Hashem your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul…(Deut. 11:13). This is the second paragraph of the Shema, a part of the daily prayers we say every Shacharit (morning service) and Ma’Ariv (evening service). In this second paragraph of the Shema, we are told that there is a reward for our obeying God’s commandments and there will be retribution for disobeying God’s commandments. Among the rewards is a phrase that, at first glance, does not seem like such a reward. V’Haya Im Tishma’u El Mitzvotai Asher Anochi M’tzaveh Etchem Hayom L’Ahavah Et Adonai Eloheichem Ul’Avdo B’Chol Levavchem Uv’chol  Nafshachem. V’Natati M’tar Artzechem B’Ito Yoreh Umalkosh V’Asaftah D’Ganecha V'Tiroshcha v’Yitzharecha – It will be that if you hearken to My commandments that I command you today to love Hashem your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul, then I shall provide rain for your Land in its proper time, the early and the late rains, that you may gather in your grain, your wine, and your oil.  V’Natati Esev B’Sadcha Livhemtecha V’Achalta V’Savata – I shall provide grass in your field for your cattle and you will eat and be satisfied (Deut. 11:15). Among the rewards is grass for our cattle and we will eat and be satisfied. We won’t be ecstatic, we won’t be overjoyed. Rather we will be content and satisfied. This notion of Savata “you will be satisfied”, suggest satiety. It assumes that we know when we have “had our fill”. It suggests that in moments of quiet and perhaps anxiety and despair and we ask “is this all there is?” We are supposed to be able to say “Yes, this is all there is…. And it is enough to fill me.” Certainly, the Torah’s words are suggesting a means by which we are able to control our expectations and minimize our disappointments.

          For some, the notion of “satisfied” suggests an acceptance with mediocrity, after all, a final grade of a “C” suggested, “satisfactory” while a “B” suggested “Good and an “A” suggested “Excellence”. However, that notion of “satisfactory” is an external evaluation. V’Savata suggests that the person’s soul is at peace. Satisfaction is a form of wholeness and completeness. V’Savata suggests that you hve the strength and are at peace with the present, with “what is”.  Our daughter understands that recovery takes time. She understands that her recovery from surgery is a process that takes time. She has learned to appreciate each physical accomplishment. She has learned that frustration only detracts from her recovery. She has learned to find satisfaction from the most mundane and ordinary and in doing so she remains motivated to do a little more each day. B’nai Yisroel needs to learn to appreciate the blessings that God has given them, and that requires an ability to find blessings in the smallest of places and activities.

Peace,

        Rav Yitz

Believe It If You Need It, If You Don't Just Pass It On (Robert Hunter & Phil Lesh - "Box of Rain")

          Our daughter just turned twenty this week. Because of the Covid 19 Pandemic caused summer camps to close; our daughter celebrated her birthday at home. I think that the last time she was home for her birthday was our first year in Toronto when she attended day camp. That was eleven years ago. Yes, of course, her mother did everything she could to make our daughter’s birthday special. In fact, it began last Shabbos and continued right on into Sunday.  The whole weekend,  I was keenly aware that I was sharing participating in something that I usually don’t get to participate in. The moment first struck me last Erev Shabbos when I blessed her. Every Friday Night, I bless our children. With our University age student home since the Pandemic began in March, I have had the opportunity to bless her along with her younger sister and brother. However this last Friday Night, my blessing seemed different. The words were the same, but because we were both aware that on this particular Shabbat, this time seemed different.  As I blessed her, I thought about her turning twenty. I thought about her making her way through university, directed, and enthusiastic about her studies. I thought about my own mortality and all my children. I thought about what, if anything, they will inherit.
          This Shabbat we read from Parsha Pinchas. The first few psukim (verses) of the Parsha are a direct continuation of the previous Shabbat Parsha Balak. There is no elapse of time in the narrative. Balak concludes with a plague upon B’nai Yisroel for its worship of Moabite/Midianite god, Baal Peor. Aaron’s son Pinchas zealously acts by killing Zimri from the tribe of Shimon and Cozbi the Midianite woman. God tells Moshe to reward Pinchas for his behavior by giving him the Brit Shalom, the Covenant of Peace. This covenant is only for Pinchas and his descendants. Keeping in mind that B’nai Yisroel has now concluded it 40 years of wandering in the wilderness and is poised upon the eastern bank of the Jordan River; a new census is taken. Just like we needed to know how many left Egypt, we now need to know how many will enter into Eretz Canaan. After the census is taken Moshe must judge a legal case concerning the laws of inheritance when a man has only daughters. This brief narrative is about the “Daughters of Tzelophchad”. Following this narrative, God commands Moshe to teach the new generation the laws for time-bound offerings including the Shabbat offering, the Rosh Chodesh offering, the offerings for the Shalosh Regalim (Three Pilgrimage Festivals, etc).
          Following the narrative of Pinchas and the second census taken in the book of Bemidbar; two narratives occur. One narrative involves the daughters of Tzlophchad and one narrative involves Moshe. Both deal with inheritance. In the case of the daughters of Tzlophchad, there were no sons to inherit Tzlophchad’s portion in Eretz Canaan. In the case of Moshe, he had sons whom he had hoped would succeed him as the leader, much like Aaron’s sons and grandsons ultimately succeeded him as the Kohen Gadol. The daughters make it clear that their father did not die during the various plagues. Rather he died in the Wilderness, (commentators explain that he was the person picking up sticks on Shabbat and was punished with death for having violated the Shabbat). The daughters’ argument was that his punishment should not effect his rightful portion, Avinu Meit BaMidbar V’Hu Lo Hayah B’Toch Ha’Eidah HaNoadim Al Adoshem B’Adat Korach Ki v’Cheto Meit U’Vanim Lo Hayu Lo – Our father died in the Wilderness, but he was not among the assembly that was gathering against Hashem in the assembly of Korach, but he died of his own sin; he had no son. Lamah Yigra Shem Avinu MiToch Mishpachto Ki Ein Lo Bein T’nah Lanu Achuzah B’Toch Achei Avinu – Why should the name of our father be omitted from among his family because he had no son? Give us a possession among our father’s brothers. Quite cleverly, the daughters explain that their father did not participate in any rebellion against Moshe’s nor God’s authority. Rather he committed and the individual sin that led to his death. However, that should not preclude him nor his family from receiving land. Clearly, this was entirely new and Moshe had no idea how to solve this precedent-setting legal issue.  VaYakreiv Moshe et Mishpatan Lifnei Hashem – So Moshe brought their claim to Hashem. However, a hint as to decision exists in the word Mishpatan (their claim). The last letter of the word is written in a bold font compared to the rest of the Torah letters. This special letter designating the daughters tells us that the daughters were meritorious and worthy of making the claim. They did so in a respectful manner mindful of the law and willing to work within the system.  Immediately after the narrative, Moshe asks about entering the land and is reminded that he is prohibited. He asks about his successor. He suggests the qualities that the leader should possess “who shall go out before them and come in before them, who shall take them out and bring them in; and let the assembly of the Hashem not be like sheep that have no shepherd (Num 27:17) God’s answer is direct and unequivocal. Kach Lecha et Yehoshua ben Nun Take for yourself Joshua son of Nun. According to Rashi, Moshe had hoped that his sons would have been worthy and chosen to succeed him. However, Moshe had to “take for himself” Joshua as though Joshua were his own son.
          Moshe had everything to pass down to his successor. Tzlophchad’s daughters sensed that their father’s name to be  “omitted” from the census and lose out on his portion in Eretz Canaan. Nowhere in the Torah do we hear or read about Moshe’s sons doing anything. We read about Aaron’s sons, we read about Aaron’s grandson, Pinchas. We read about Tzlophchad’s daughters. We read about Joshua and Caleb. We read about those who have Zchut (merit) and those who don’t have Zchut, there is only silence. Tzlophchad never knew had a claim on his portion. Moshe wasn’t aware that he could pass his leadership to Joshua. As I blessed my twenty-year-old, I realize that “inheritance” isn’t necessarily about what the parent or grandparent has to pass down to the younger generation. When I bless our children, I realize now that I am passing to my children that which I inherited from my grandparents and my parents. Our children will inherit any wisdom that we have acquired from our parents, our grandparents, and from our own experiences.

Peace
Rav Yitz

Though I Could Not Caution All, I Still Might Warn A Few ( Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia "Ship Of Fools)

          Our eldest daughter moved to Austin, Texas in order to manage a congressional campaign.  Before she embarked on her drive, I did the typical dad thing. I told her to make sure to bring the car in for a going over, make sure that everything worked perfectly, and when she was driving, make sure that the indicator lights are functioning properly.  Of course, her response was to roll her eyes and remind me that moving to a new city to work on a political campaign was not new for her or for me. She has been doing this for eight years. She has lived all over the U.S: north, south, east, west, coastal states, landlocked states, primarily agricultural states as well as big cities. Yet this move, from Boston to Austin, seemed different. It was different for three reasons. It was different because of the Covid 19 Pandemic, it was different because a video lasting 8:40 from Minneapolis shined a light on a racial pandemic that has burned for centuries. Her move was different because she was moving to Austin Texas. Make no mistake, Austin is a cosmopolitan place with a huge university, a thriving economy, a great music scene, and stereotypically has been a liberal-leaning place like most large cities in the north and on the two coasts.  However, Austin is in Texas, and because of my bias and my being a history buff, I appreciate that Texas is just different. As a dad, my worries were and remain simple yet existential. She has moved to a place where the Governor’s desire to “open early” has resulted in a spike of those being stricken with Covod-19. She has moved to a state where putting a mask is a statement of politics rather than a statement regarding the sanctity of life. She has moved to a state that doesn’t seem to respect a women’s right to choose but protects everyone’s right to own a firearm. My daughter reminded me that was precisely why she chose to manage this particular congressional campaign.  In terms of her car,  the drive from Boston to Austin was uneventful. The car ran fine,  and she paid attention to the warning lights.

          This morning we read from Parsha BaHalotcha. This Shabbat we read from Parsha Bahalotcha. For the previous two Parshiot, Bemidbar and Naso, Bnai Yisroel has counted and prepared for their journey from Sinai to Eretz Canaan. This week, the final preparations are ordered and executed and the departure from Sinai begins. Aaron, Moshe’s brother and the Kohen Gadol, lights the lamp for the Mishkan, the entire Levite tribe is purified, offerings made and their service for maintenance of the Mishkan begins. Final instructions for observing Pesach under these new conditions, (they were not leaving Egypt anymore nor had they arrived in the land) were offered, including the case of coming into contact with the deceased and becoming spiritually impure. The narrative tells us the manner in which Bnai Yisroel traveled: sheltered by a cloud during the day and protected by a pillar of fire at night. Then the complaining begins. They complain about the Mannah. They complain about the food. They complain about Moshe’s leadership. Moshe’s sister complains about his wife.

          As Bnai Yisroel finally begins its trek from Sinai towards Canaan, the Torah makes the following statement.  Vayehi Binsoah Ha’Aron VaYomer Moshe, Kuma Adoshem VeYaFuTzu Oyavecha, VeYaNuSu Misanecha MiPanecha. U’vNucho Yomar Shuva Adoshem Rivvot Alfei Yisroel – When the Ark would journey, Moshe said: ‘Arise Hashem, and let Your foes be scattered let those who hate You flee from before You. And when it rested, he would say, ‘reside tranquilly, O Hashem, among the myriad thousands of Israel. (Num. 10:35) Today we say the first part of the verse while we take the Torah out from the Aron before we read the Torah, and we say the second part of the statement when we have finished reading from the Torah and are returning it to the Aron.  In the Torah, this verse is enclosed by two brackets. The bracket is really an inverted letter, the letter “Nun”.   The Talmud in Shabbat 116a teaches us Mipnei Sh’ Sefer Chashuv Hu Bifnei Atzmo – Because it constituted a book on its own. This is a rather cryptic statement since it suggests that there are more than 5 books comprising the Torah. We normally think of the Torah as comprised of 5 Books (Breishit- Genesis, Shmot –Exodus, Vayikra – Leviticus, Bemidbar-Numbers, Devarim-Deuteronomy). Now the Talmud is suggesting that there is another book? 

          Perhaps the brackets are the indicator lights. The verse within the brackets is the one section of the User’s Manual that will constantly be referred to during this one aspect of the journey. Originally this journey was supposed to be a few weeks or months at the most. B’nai Yisroel had not yet been punished with 40 years of “wandering in the desert’.  Most of the Torah’s instructions were given in anticipation of B’nai Yisroel’s eventual arrival in Canaan. In the meantime, this is the verse that they will need to refer to, this is the section of the user manual that B’nai Yisroel will need in order to survive until their eventual arrival. In reality, this is the “Book” that they would use each day that they traveled, and each day that they would temporarily rest.  In today’s reality, there are all kinds of warning lights. There have been warning lights in terms of Covid 19. Certainly, there have been warning lights regarding race. For my daughter, there were plenty of other warning lights on her drive down and even in Texas. There were protests in the various cities she spent the night: Louisville and Little Rock. While wearing a mask, she received looks and sneers. She saw people behaving as if there was neither racial tension nor a pandemic.  Some people have chosen to ignore the warning lights.  Yet ignoring the warning lights doesn’t mean that a problem does not exist. Thankfully, my daughter pays attention to all the warning lights, heeds them, and wants to fix the problems.

Peace, 
Rav Yitz 

As Well To Count The Angels Dancing On A Pin (John Barlow & Bob Weir- Weather Report Suit Part II: Let It Grow)

Like davening Shacharit (the Morning Service),  Minchah (the Afternoon Service) and Ma’Ariv (the Evening Service) fulfill my spiritual need for prayer;  there are three new shows, one in the morning, one late afternoon and one late night, that fulfill my need to be informed throughout the day. If I am not able to watch these shows, at the very least, I will listen to them on my phone app. Each of the shows begins the same way. They mention the number of COVID 19 cases throughout the world as well as countries with the largest number of cases and deaths due to COVID. Then after showing and speaking about the world numbers, they update the total number of cases and deaths in the United States.  During the first few weeks, each of these shows just provided data, just the numbers. Then, several weeks ago, the afternoon show began doing something more than just provide numbers and data. The final story of the afternoon news show is dedicated to one or two people who passed away over the previous 24 hours. During these moments we learn about the individual, his/her accomplishments, passions, and loved ones. The idea is to put a face, a life, a context to numbers, and the data. Some are famous, some are what we would call, a “regular, ordinary person”.  

This Shabbat we begin the fourth book of the Torah, Sefer Bemidbar, by reading the first Parsha, Bemidbar. Literally meaning “In the Wilderness”, this fourth book of the Torah resumes the narrative format with B'nai Yisroel making preparations to embark on its journey from Mount Sinai to Eretz Canaan. For the past year, B'nai Yisroel camped out at Har Sinai and listened to Moshe and Aharon teach all the laws concerning Tamei/Tahor –Purity and Impurity, Kodesh and Chol – the Holy and the Mundane, as well as the laws for Korbonot, sacrificial offerings. Before B'nai Yisroel embarks on the remainder of its journey, a census is required. In fact, Parsha Bemidbar consists of three types of a census. The first census counts all men over the age of twenty that come from all the tribes except for the Levites. The second census focuses only upon the Levites. Since the Levi tribe's sole function is to operate and manage the Mishkan, ascertaining the number of workers in the Mishkan suggests the importance of the Mishkan to the everyday life of the B'nai Yisroel. The third census focuses on the organizational placement of each tribe around the Mishkan while traveling. 

The Census that God commands Moshe at the beginning of this fourth book of the Torah is very different than the last census taken. Until now, there had been one Census taken while B’nai Yisroel remained at Sinai and constructed the Mishkan. All the way back in Parsha Ki Tissa, in Sefer Shmot (the Book of Exodus) God had commanded Moshe to count everyone by levying a half-shekel tax. In fact, we are commanded not to count by pointing and counting but rather we would count the number of ½ Shekels collected and that number would then tell us the total number of men twenty years and older. Now God commandsMoshe:  S’u EtRosh Kol Adat Bnai Yisroel L’Mishpechotam L’Veit Avotam Mispar Sheimot  Kol Zachar L’Gulgulotam; Miben Esrim Shana Va’Malah Kol Yotzei Tzavah B’Yisroel Tifkedu Otam….- Take a census of the entire assembly of the Children of Israel according to their families, according to their father’s household, by the number of the names and every male according to their headcount; from twenty years of age an up everyone who goes out to the legion in Israel, you shall count them (Num. 1:2-3)…. Abravanel, the 15th-century Portuguese commentator points out the apparent contradiction in the two types of census:  the first being found in the Sefer Shmot, and the second in Parsha Bemidbar. “Surely this (Bemidbar) is just the opposite of what the Torah had commanded on an earlier occasion (Sefer Shmot Parsha Ki Tissa).” There is Ki Tissah, they poll (a tax) was taken.  “How could the Almighty have commanded them here to number them by their polls?” Abravanel notes the word “Tifekedu Otam” – you shall “account for them” (according to Rashi, “accounting” is a Poll or a levied tax).  Ramban, the 12th-century Spanish commentator and philosopher, points out that Tifkedu expresses visitation, remembrance, and providence.   

   

          Something has happened during these ten weeks of the pandemic. In the beginning, we heard about numbers: number of cases, number on respirators, number of deaths. We watched and listened as those numbers grew and we watched and listened as those numbers were plotted on a graph and we could visualize “going up a curve” and “going down a curve”.  At first, the numbers grew so rapidly, and the pictures from Italy, from Spain, and from New York were jarring.  Now, we have adapted, we have grown accustomed to these number of cases and deaths. During these past few months, the need to count cases and deaths has remained important although the side effect has been an increase in callousness, an increase in de-personalizing the tragedy, and a diminishment of context and PaKaD, accounting.  The conclusion of these news shows puts these numbers and data into a context, an individual’s life.   I think it was a couple of weeks ago, (who can be certain) when the death toll in the United States was at 55,000, that each news show reminded the viewers that the death toll due to Covid19 during these past several months had surpassed 11 years of fighting in the Viet Nam War.  Suddenly, on that particular day, those deaths had a context, those lives had received an accounting and a perspective.  Not only do I look forward to my news shows; I feel compelled to watch or listen to the final minutes and learn about a life well lived so that an individual’s life can be accounted for as well as counted. 

Peace, 

Rav Yitz