Shaking In The Garden, The Fear Within You Grows (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia - "When Push Comes To Shove")

            Nearly four weeks ago, the Jewish people began the Jewish Holiday season. A new year was inaugurated, judgment was handed down, atonement was made, forgiveness was received, and thanks was given and we celebrated. Amid the pattern of eating sleeping and praying was the acknowledgment of cycles and seasons. We began these nearly four weeks during summer and concluded them with autumn in the air. We finished reading the Torah and now begin a new Torah reading cycle. I know that some people find transitions to be difficult, a time of angst, where we leave the familiarity of ”what was” to the anxiety of “what will be”. While we have experienced a transition from summer to fall, from the end of the Torah to the beginning of the Torah, from the conclusion of one year to the start of a new year, we have taken the time to ritualize and celebrate these transitions. Ritualizing transitions can be seasonal, “Spring Training” for example and it can also be developmental, a toddler going through “toilet training”, or a child finishing high school choosing and applying to universities. Well, I am too old to be dealing with a child going through “toilet training”. However, our son, our youngest child, is currently in grade 12. This year, with the conclusion of the Jewish Holidays, the season of visiting University campuses begins. So my son and took a drive and looked at a few campuses outside of Toronto. There will be more visits to campuses, in Montreal, upstate New York, New Jersey, and around Washington D.C. As we walked around those first couple of campuses, I forgot how much I enjoyed being on a University campus.     

           This morning we begin the Torah from the very beginning in Parsha Breishit. We are all familiar with the narrative of this Parsha. The first chapter focuses upon the narrative of creation from God’s perspective. The second chapter focuses upon the narrative of creation from a humankind perspective. The third chapter focuses upon Adam and Chava’s disobedience of God, their obedience to the serpent their partaking of the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge, and the resulting consequences. The fourth chapter focuses upon the family’s growth, sibling rivalry as well as fratricide. The fifth chapter focuses upon ten generations of the family’s genealogy beginning with Adam and Chava and concluding with Noach and his sons. In the sixth chapter, God expresses disappointment with mankind’s behavior and God expresses disappointment in his creation.

          There is a moment after Adam and Chava ate from the Tree of Knowledge, and they realized that they had failed to follow directions. VaTipakachna Einei Shneihem VaYeidu Ki Eirumim Heim – then the eyes of both of them were opened and they realized that they were naked. By eating from the Tree of Knowledge, their eyes opened.  They had become enlightened. They had become “aware” of their existence in context. They were not like other aspects of creation.  Despite this enlightenment and this awareness what do they do? VaYitChabei Ha’Adam V’Ishto Mipnei Adoshem Elokim B’Toch Eitz Hagan – and the man and his wife hid from Hashem God among the trees of the garden.  They tried to lose themselves amid the trees. So when God asks Ayeka – Where are you? God knows where they are. The problem is that they do not know where they are. They don’t answer the question.  Et Kolecha Shamati BaGan VaIra Ki Eirom Anochi VaEichavei – I heard the sound of You in the garden and I was afraid because I am naked, so I hid. This answers the question of why did you hide? But the answer to “where are you” is simple. It is an answer that more spiritually mature and aware people will offer. The answer to the question “where are you?” is “here”.   However, the answer “here” assumes that one knows where they were before arriving “here”. On a deeper level, answering “here” suggests that one has arrived at a final destination or at a point along the journey. Such an answer suggests that the person is not so lost. Perhaps the answer to the question “where are you?” is  “I am here now,”. The answer could even be, “I don’ know”. All these answers suggest “enlightenment”.  If Adam is enlightened because he ate from the Tree of Knowledge, Adam’s response is disturbing. He is not as enlightened as his descendent Avraham who will respond “Hineini -Here I am”. Nor is he enlightened to know that he is lost. To be lost suggests at least knowing the destination but not knowing how to get there. Adam can’t answer the question because he doesn’t know where he is going nor does he know from where he comes. He only knows that he is naked and without purpose. 

          As our son walked around the campuses, I could see both a sense of excitement and trepidation in his eyes. We acknowledged these seemingly contradictory feelings, and he understood that it was perfectly normal to be excited by the future and as well as be a bit nervous. Our son also understood where he was coming from, a home, a family, and a community that stressed the importance of higher education. He also realizes that he has intellectual interests as well as career interests all of which are predicated upon attending University. So, where is our son? He is “here”, exactly where is supposed to be in this transitional time, laying the groundwork, and preparing to eventually be “there”.  I find it very reassuring and comforting in the seasonality and developmental transitions.

Peace,
Rav Yitz 

If Mercy's In Business, I Wish It For You (Robert Hunter & Mickey Hart- "Fire On The Mountain")

           A not so new term has, once again, regained popularity this week during the Senate confirmation hearings of Amy Coney Barrett to replace the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the U.S. Supreme court.  This "not so new term" was ascribed to the late Justice Scalia and now it is used to describe his disciple. The term is “originalism”. The term describes a legal philosophy for interpreting the Constitution and law. Originalism looks at the intention of the ‘Founding Father” while writing the Constitution. In this school of thought, no legal decision would be rendered without a painstaking assessment of “original intention”. You know what’s so interesting about the “Founding Fathers”, and the basis of their  “original intention”, the foundations of their “moral code”, and their education? As Christians, they were all familiar with the New Testament. However, they also understood The Old Testament, Torah,  Neviim (Prophets), and Ketuvim (Writings)-TaNaCh. Many could read the Torah in its “original” Hebrew. As I watched and listened, I couldn't help but think that for the past six weeks, the Jewish People have been dealing with God as a Judge. As we marked the conclusion of the Jewish Holidays, we were keenly aware that the Jewish People begin another cycle of Torah reading.  Right there in the story of Creation, we learn the two fundamental qualities that a Judge must possess in order to judge.  For all those “originalists”, I suggest that they read the comment by Rashi (the great 11th century French commentator) on the two terms that refers to God. In Chapter One the Torah refers to God as “Elokim” -God's Judging aspect and in Chapter Two the Torah refers to God as  Hashem (Yod Keh Vav Key) -God Merciful aspect. 

          This week’s Parsha is Breishit. It is the first Parsha of the first Book of the Torah. For all intents and purposes, it is the beginning of the Torah. In Breishit, we read the story of Creation, (The Beginning); Adam and Chava’s banishment from Paradise (Gan Eden), and the fratricide of Cain and Abel. We begin however with God. God is the Creator, the ultimate power. If knowledge is power, then God is the ultimate source of knowledge. We accept this as part of our Jewish theology. God is all-knowing and all-powerful. We read the words: V’yivrah Elohim et Ha’Adam b’Tzalmo, B’Tzelem Elohim Barah Oto Zachar u’Nekeivah Barah Otam. “And God created man in His own image. In the image of God, He created him; male and female He created them. (1:27). The question, therefore, is: What is the image of God? Obviously part of that image is the power to create, the power to create life. We surmise this because, in the next verse, God commands Adam and Chava to be fruitful and multiply, to create life just like God had created. Another image of God is Power. God’s purpose in creating humanity was that they “should have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the air and over the cattle, and overall the earth…” (1:26) In today’s vernacular “dominion” is Power. However the ability to create, and the ability to exercise power sagaciously, and judiciously, requires IQ and EQ – intellectual intelligence and emotional intelligence. Perhaps that is our greatest gift. We have the ability to learn, to reason, to discern between right and wrong. We also have the ability to empathize.  Exercising both allows us to expresses our Holiness and demonstrate that we are created in God’s image.

In the Babylonian Talmudic tractate entitled Chagigah (14b), there is an Aggadah, a legend, which illustrates the notion that attaining knowledge and understanding how to attain knowledge is a holy endeavor. Four of the leading sages of their generation entered PaRDes (literally the “orchard” or Paradise). They were Ben Assai, Ben Zoma, Elisha ben Abuyah, and Rabbi Akiva. They entered PaRDeS and came into contact with pure power, pure knowledge, and complete perfection. They came into contact with God. As a result, one sage died immediately. One sage went insane, one became a heretic, and was referred to as Acher (the other), by the rest of the Talmudic Sages. Only Rabbi Akiva emerged unscathed. The commentators of this Aggadah explain that PaRDeS is an acronym for four methods of Torah inquiry: P’shat (the simple literal meaning), Remez (understanding the meaning based upon hint and intimation), Drash (derive meaning based upon interpretation), and Sod( deriving meaning based upon uncovering secret meanings). Imagine that? Our tradition explains that Paradise is achieved through Torah study and deriving meaning in four different ways. Relying on any one way will limit intellectual and spiritual growth. However incorporating each aspect, and understanding when to utilize one more than the other or how much of each aspect to use in order to determine meaning is what allowed Rabbi Akiva to leave PaRDeS unscathed. In a sense our sages are absolutely correct, PaRDeS is studying Torah for the sake of intellectual and emotional growth and enlightenment so that one can judge and empathize. 

          The attainment of knowledge and Truth is a Godly endeavor. The use of such knowledge judiciously, wisely, and empathetically for creative purposes represents the notion that we are indeed created in God’s image. Not only is knowledge power, but understanding how to attain and use that knowledge and empathy is the key to a spiritually enlightened life. Certainly, Judge Barrett has a deep sense of the importance of a spiritually meaningful life. No, I don’t expect Judge Barret to read her translation of the “Original” Torah the same way as I do. However, I think of myself as a bit of an Originalist. However, like the Rabbinic tradition I come from, The Talmudic Sages understood that the beauty of “Originalism” was based upon rules of interpretation and for the text and law to remain cerebral, and a living organism that remains meaningful, then perhaps she ought to rethink the understanding of “originalism”.  But what do I know, I’m just a Rabbi.

Peace,

Rav Yitz

Paradise Waits, On The Crest Of A Wave Her Angels In Flame (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia - Help Is On The Way)

           With the conclusion of the Chagim, my son and I immediately took down our Sukkah and put everything away. I packed up and began the long drive to New Jersey. The plan was to pick up our daughter and take visit a few universities. Over the course of two days, we drove through two states and visited two large campuses, one in New Jersey and one in New York state. We will visit a few Ontario schools over the next few weeks. Meanwhile, as we toured these two large university campuses, I was struck by the idyllic setting. The weather was beautiful, sunny around 15-20 C or 60-70 F. The foliage was spectacular, and the views inspiringly beautiful in these idyllic settings. Our daughter walked around, asked questions of a friend who led us around and seemed genuinely comfortable on a campus. We visited a variety of points of interest. Ironically, as we walked around, I thought about how much I missed studying at university. As I walked with our daughter, I realized that I missed the Idyllic setting of a university campus.
           This week’s Parsha is Breishit. It is the first parsha of the first Book of the Torah. For all intents and purposes, it is the beginning of the Torah. In Breishit, we read the story of Creation, (The Beginning); Adam and Chava’s banishment from Paradise (Gan Eden), and the fratricide of Cain and Abel. We begin however with God. God is the Creator, the ultimate power. If knowledge is power, then God is the ultimate source of knowledge. We accept this as part of our Jewish theology. God is all-knowing and all powerful. We read the words: V’yivrah Elohim et Ha’Adam b’Tzalmo, B’Tzelem Elohim Barah Oto Zachar u’Nekeivah Barah Otam. “And God created man in His own image. In the image of God, He created him; male and female He created them. (1:27). The question, therefore, is: What is the image of God? Obviously part of that image is the power to create, the power to create life. We surmise this because, in the next verse, God commands Adam and Chava to be fruitful and multiply, to create life just like God had created. Another image of God is Power. God’s purpose in creating humanity was that they “should have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the air and over the cattle, and over all the earth…” (1:26) In today’s vernacular “dominion” is Power. However the ability to create, and the ability to exercise power sagaciously, and judiciously, necessitates the attainment of knowledge. Perhaps that is our greatest gift. We have the ability to learn, to reason, to discern between right and wrong. To do so expresses our faith in God, re-affirms that, indeed, we are created in God’s image, and we possess an aspect of Holiness.
           In the Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Chagigah (14b), there is an Aggadah, a Rabbinic legend, which illustrates the notion that attaining knowledge and understanding how to attain knowledge is a holy endeavor. Four of the leading sages of their generation entered an idyllic setting called PaRDes (literally the “orchard” or Paradise). They were Ben Assai, Ben Zoma, Elisha ben Abuyah, and Rabbi Akiva. They entered PaRDeS and came into contact with the pure power, pure knowledge and complete perfection. They came into contact with God. As a result, one sage died immediately. One sage went insane, one became a heretic, and was referred to as Acher (the other), by the rest of the Talmudic Sages. Only Rabbi Akiva emerged unscathed. The commentators of this Aggadah explain that PaRDeS is an acronym for four methods of Torah inquiry: P’shat (the simple literal meaning), Remez (understanding the meaning based upon hint and intimation), Drash (derive meaning based upon interpretation), and Sod( deriving meaning based upon uncovering secret meanings). Imagine that? Our tradition explains that Paradise, an idyllic setting, is achieved through Torah study and deriving meaning in four different ways. Relying on any one way will limit intellectual and spiritual growth. However incorporating each aspect, and understanding when to utilize one more than the other or how much of each aspect to use in order to determine meaning is what allowed Rabbi Akiva to leave PaRDeS unscathed. In a sense our sages are absolutely correct, PaRDeS is studying Torah for the sake of intellectual and spiritual growth and enlightenment.
           The attainment of knowledge and Truth is a Godly endeavor. The use of such knowledge judiciously and wisely for creative purposes represents the notion that we are indeed created in God’s image. Not only is knowledge power, but understanding how to attain and use that knowledge is also the key to a spiritually enlightened life. No, I am not returning to University any time soon. but as I watched my daughter walk on these University campuses, asking questions and noticing her genuine excitement and curiosity, I hope she will eventually appreciate the opportunity of spending the next few years studying in her version of an academic Paradise.
Peace,
Rav Yitz

Paradise Waits, On The Crest Of A Wave Her Angels In Flame (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia- "Help On The Way")

There is no question that the highlight of our family's week is Shabbat. The house is cleaned; the kitchen smells of my wife's delicious cooking. With teenage children in the house, there is an expectation that they contribute to the Shabbat preparations. They are expected to have their rooms picked up, shower, set the table, and help in any of the last minute cooking or baking preparations and the ensuing clean up. Inevitably, one of them is on the phone, or the computer slacking off. After a gentle reminder or three, and sometimes a less gentle reminder, the preparations resume with everyone contributing. When we finally sit down to our meal, we all take a deep breath as we are ever mindful of the physical preparation that was required in order to appreciate such a spiritually powerful moment. So as we sing “Shalom Aleichem”, bless our children, and chant Eishet Chayil, and I see the Shabbat Candles burning; our home has achieved a level of spirituality that is very different from the weekday. Shabbat is very unique day in which the physical and the spiritual combine in a perfect symmetry and create the opportunity for a truly wonderful day. Ever mindful of our physical existence, Shabbat is the day where our physical existence is infused with spirituality. Shabbat is the day where we bring Olam Habah, and Gan Eden down to us and our physical existence.

This Shabbat, Jews throughout the world will be celebrating Yom Kippur –The Day of Atonement. The name of the day does sound rather solemn. For most Jews, Yom Kippur is considered a rather somber sort of day and a day in which we are supposed to “afflict” ourselves. In Masechet Yoma (the Talmudic tractate that focus on Yom Kippur), five afflictions are mentioned as part of Yom Kippur. These five afflictions are: fasting (no food or drink from sunset to sunset); washing; anointing; wearing of leather, and marital relations. While Shabbat is the day we do not afflict ourselves, when Yom Kippur falls on Shabbat, Yom Kippur supersedes the laws of Shabbat. Only Yom Kippur supersedes Shabbat in terms of importance. It is known as Shabbat Shabbaton – the Sabbath of all Sabbaths.  How can a day in which we physical afflict ourselves supersede the one day of the week where we miraculously bring the spiritual world down to our physical world?

The Midrash explains that Yom Kippur is the day that Moshe re-ascended the mountain and received the second set of the Aseret Dibrot, (the second set of commandments). Remember, the first set was destroyed when Moshe saw Bnai Yisroel worshipping the Eigel Zahav, the Golden Calf. In his anger, Moshe smashed the first set of stone tablets.  During this second revelation, this more private sort of revelation, Moshe had begged God to be permitted to see God’s face. While God rejected Moshe’s request, God did in fact allow Moshe to see God’s back as God passed (Exodus Chapter 33).  During these 40 days and nights, (beginning on Elul 1 and concluding on Yom Kippur), Moshe fasted.  On the one hand, he experienced a physical affliction due to the lack of food. On the other hand, he had the opportunity to be as near God as was humanly possible. In that moment he had become more spiritual than physical.  Yes we afflict ourselves. However, the “afflictions” are base on the desire to be more spiritual than physical. The “afflictions” are based upon our desire to be as close to God as humanly possible. Our “afflictions” are based upon our desire to experience God from the exalted position of the Angels without care or concern to our physical existence. The Atonement therefore is not the sole purpose of the day. The ultimate purpose of the day is to be as close to God as possible. How can we be close to God if we are ensconced in the physical realm? How can we be close to God if we need to atone for our spiritual shortcomings (our Chetaim –sins)? Our spiritual shortcomings are just that, short of God. Atonement allows us to be closer. Closer to God is a good thing. Closeness to God is the main objective of Yom Kippur. When we achieve this, we should be totally happy, at ease in utterly in awed just like Moshe was when he descended the mountain the second time with the second set of tablet.  God’s spiritual light emanated from Moshe. Who wouldn’t be happy if that happened to each and every one of us?

                 Rather than thinking of Yom Kippur as so somber and serious, it is the one day of the year where we purposefully supersede Shabbat. Rather than bringing HaKadosh Baruch Hu down to us, Yom Kippur is the day that we elevate our souls towards the Kadosh Baruch Hu. The experience should be much more “awe” as in “awesome” instead of somber. That experience ought to fill us with awe, joy, and leave us radiating light.

Gmar Chatima Tov -May we all be sealed in the Book of Life.

Peace,

Rav Yitz

Lost Now On The Country Miles In His Cadillac (John Barlow & Bob Weir- "Cassidy")

Our teen-age daughters spent the last days of the Jewish Holidays, Shemini Atseret and Simchat Torah, with their camp friends in the New York metropolitan area. Everyone had a great time. However the journey down towards New York almost ended in one of them missing out on their re-union. The plan was simple enough. Last Saturday night, while listening to the Chicago Cubs defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers on the radio, I drove our daughters down to my parents in Rochester, NY. My parents, who were driving to New York to spend Simchat Torah with their other granddaughter, were to provide a ride to the New York Metropolitan area. We had arranged for the daughter heading to Teaneck to be dropped off at a Teaneck area hotel just off the highway. From there, my parents would drive into New York City, and drop our other daughter off at my sister’s apartment. From there, she would take a cab with her aunt or her grandmother to the East Side, where she would meet her friends and get a ride to New Rochelle. The Teaneck bound daughter should arrive by 2:30 the latest, and the New Rochelle bound daughter should arrive at the Upper East Side by 3:30 the latest. We arrived on Saturday night, happy that the Cubs were going to the World Series. I asked my father if he needed directions to the Teaneck hotel. He said he didn’t as he had already downloaded the directions and even confidently stated that he knew to get into the local lane in order to exit off of I 80 East.  I spent the night, woke up the next morning and returned to Toronto. My parents and daughters left Rochester and began the drive to New Jersey. By 11:30am I had arrived in Toronto. Their drive was just fine. By noon, they were about 45 minutes from Teaneck. Then the adventure began. They were lost in Teaneck. My father missed the exit. He tried to double back. He became more lost. He kept stopping and asking for directions and he proceeded to get more lost, more anxious and more upset.

This morning we begin the Torah from the very beginning in Parsha Breishit. We are all familiar with the narrative of this Parsha. The first chapter focuses upon the narrative of creation from God’s perspective. The second chapter focuses upon the narrative of creation from a humankind perspective. The third chapter focuses upon Adam and Chava’s disobedience of God, their obedience to the serpent their partaking of the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge and the resulting consequences. The Fourth chapter focuses upon the family’s growth, sibling rivalry as well as fratricide. The fifth chapter focuses upon ten generations of the family’s genealogy beginning with Adam and Chava and concluding with Noach and his sons. In the sixth chapter, God expresses disappointment with mankind’s behavior and God expresses disappointment in his creation.

There is a moment after Adam and Chava ate from the Tree of Knowledge, and they realized that they had failed to follow directions. VaTipakachna Einei Shneihem VaYeidu Ki Eirumim Heim – then the eyes of both of them were opened and they realized that they were naked. By eating from the Tree of Knowledge, their eyes opened.  They had become enlightened. They had become “aware” of their existence in context. They were not like other aspects of creation.  Despite this enlightenment and this awareness what do they do? VaYitChabei Ha’Adam V’Ishto Mipnei Adoshem Elokim B’Toch Eitz Hagan – and the man and his wife hid from Hashem God among the trees of the garden.  They tried to lose themselves amid the trees. So when God asks Ayeka – Where are you? God knows where they are. The problem is that they do not know where they are. They don’t answer the question.  Et Kolecha Shamati BaGan VaIra Ki Eirom Anochi VaEichavei – I heard the sound of You in the garden and I was afraid because I am naked, so I hid. This answers the question of why did you hide? But the answer to “where are you” is simple. It is an answer that more spiritually mature and aware people will offer. The answer to the question “where are you?” is “here”. Such an answer suggests that the person is not so lost. Or the answer the question “where are you?” is “I don’ know”.  If Adam is enlightened because he ate from the Tree of Knowledge, Adam’s response is disturbing. He is not as enlightened as his descendent Avraham who will respond “Hineini -Here I am”. Nor is he enlightened to know that he is lost. To be lost suggests at least knowing the destination but not knowing how to get there. Adam can’t answer the question because he doesn’t know where he is going nor does he know from where he comes. He only knows that he is naked and without purpose.

Eventually, I managed to get my father to the highway heading towards the George Washington Bridge. They were stuck in traffic for a while, but eventually managed to drop off our daughter at the rendezvous point and she arrived at her final destination in time. Yes, they had been lost, but they always had in mind the final destination. Yes they had been lost but they always knew that the direction they needed to go, eventually they would find the right path. Needless to say, everyone arrived where they were supposed to be and everyone had a wonderful end to the Chagim.  I guess next time I will make sure to buy my father a GPS so that way when I ask him

“Ayeka – where are you?”, he will know.

Peace,

Rav Yitz