And There's Nothing Left To Do But Count The Years (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia - "Black Muddy River"

  This past Mother’s Day seemed bittersweet. When our four children were younger, they would wake up early and help me make coffee and breakfast for mommy. Carrying breakfast, cards, and presents, we would walk into mommy’s bedroom, wake her up,  serve her breakfast in bed, and give her Mother’s Day cards and gifts. Well, we are down to one child in the house, our grade 12 son who turns 18 in August and will be studying in Israel for the 2022/23 academic year. So this past Mother’s Day, our son brought in a hard drive and showed mommy, family “movies” of when he and his sibling were much younger. Instead of breakfast in bed, at mommy’s request, we went out for breakfast. As we sat outside in the Toronto spring sunshine and my wife looked at our son and commented that this was the last Mother’s Day with any of her children home to share the day. She verbalize what we both have known the day we became parents. Our kids grow up and then eventually leave home. Instead of viewing that as an accomplishment, that we raised four kids who have turned out to be pretty decent young adults, she lamented that she felt old. I am five years older than my wife, so I chuckled and reminded her that she neither looked old and suggested that instead of looking at our respective ages through the lens of “old” or “young”, we look at our age in terms of quality, what we have achieved in terms of raising our children. If we do that, then our jobs as parents have not concluded but rather entered a new stage and a different type of parent/child relationship. 

           This Shabbat we read from Parsha Emor. In the four chapters that comprise Emor, the first deals with the Kohanim and their very different way of striving for holiness as compared to the rest of the B’nei Israel. For example, because of the Kohen’s function within society, he must remain in a perpetual state of purity. He is restricted in terms of who he can marry. He is restricted in terms of whom he mourns. He cannot go to a cemetery. He cannot make sacrificial offerings if he has physical abnormalities. The second chapter reminds B’nai Israel that all animal offerings must be blemish-free. These offerings must come directly from the individual making them and not from “the hand of a stranger” (Lev. 22:25). Both chapters deal with the holiness of certain people, the Kohen and his family, and certain animals, those designated for sacrificial offerings. The third chapter of the Parsha deals with the designation of Holiness in regards to seasons and the calendar including Pesach, Shavuot, Sukkot, Rosh Hashanah, and Yom Kippur. Then the fourth chapter offers a narrative in which the son of an Israelite woman and an Egyptian man gets into a fight with another Israelite. During the fight, the son pronounces the forbidden name of God and is charged with blasphemy.

          Since the second night of Pesach, the Jewish people have been counting the Omer. The commandment to bring the Omer and count the days in which the Omer is brought occurs in Lev.23:9-16. The first five of the seven total verses explain what an Omer is, how it is prepared, and how the offering is made. The final two verses, 23:15-16 actually discuss the Mitzvah of counting the Omer.  וּסְפַרְתֶּ֤ם לָכֶם֙ מִמָּחֳרַ֣ת הַשַּׁבָּ֔ת מִיּוֹם֙ הֲבִ֣יאֲכֶ֔ם אֶת־עֹ֖מֶר הַתְּנוּפָ֑ה שֶׁ֥בַע שַׁבָּת֖וֹת תְּמִימֹ֥ת  תִּהְיֶֽינָה׃ And from the day on which you bring the sheaf of elevation offering—the day after the sabbath—you shall count off seven weeks.עַ֣ד מִֽמָּחֳרַ֤ת הַשַּׁבָּת֙ הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔ת תִּסְפְּר֖וּ חֲמִשִּׁ֣ים י֑וֹם וְהִקְרַבְתֶּ֛ם מִנְחָ֥ה חֲדָשָׁ֖ה לַיהוָֽה׃ you must count until the day after the seventh week—fifty days; then you shall bring an offering of new grain to the LORD.  The counting occurs in terms of days, fifty days “from the day in which you bring the sheaf offering”. That counting is represented by an absolute number: “Today is 3 days”, “Today is 12 days”, or  “Today is 30 days”. We also count in terms of weeks, “you shall count off seven weeks” reflected in “2 weeks and 3 days” or “4 weeks and 2 days”.  The first counting method reflects a number reflecting the number of days. However, the second method suggests that the number of days appears within the context of a week. 

          Sefirat HaOmer (Counting The Omer) focuses on two aspects of counting. First, we are always interested in numbers, in data, in the idea of the linear.  There is a starting point and there is an endpoint. , We began counting four weeks ago and we will conclude in approximately three weeks hence. We count in terms of days as well as weeks. In doing so, we acknowledge that the result of counting is twofold. First, we are reminded that counting yields a piece of data, a number. Second, we are reminded that the data, the number indicates how far we have come and how far we still have to go. From that perspective, we can evaluate how far we have come how far we have to go, and the quality of the journey. As my wife and I both realize that this was the last Mother’s day with any of our children living with us, we both understood how far we have come. We can only hope that Mother’s Day in the future, while different, will still remain meaningful and purposeful just like those Mother’s Days when our kids would help me make breakfast, and serve mommy breakfast in bed.

Peace,
Rav Yitz

Standing In The Clothes You Once Wore (Bob Dylan - "It's All Over Now Baby Blue")

 For the past couple of weeks, Canada has experienced a loud minority publicly demonstrating against vaccine mandates, mask mandates, and any other public health mandate for the sake of their “freedom”. As my son and I watched the news coverage of truckers occupying Ottawa, demonstrating in downtown Toronto, along the border in Alberta, Quebec City, and other parts of Canada; our daughters called us to tell us that this “trucker demonstration” has made the national news in the U.S. and even the local news in New York City. As the days passed and we continued to watch what was occurring in Ottawa, our son commented that these truckers were starting to look like some of the same types of people who appeared at another national capital, protesting their general unhappiness. He noted that the appearance began to change when he started to see Confederate Flags, Nazi flags, and swastikas at the trucker demonstrations. He noticed the appearance began to change when one western  Conservative leader went to speak to the truckers and commented that they were just like his neighbors. Indeed, it seems that below the surface of the “trucker protest” there is a very different type of uniform.   

This Shabbat, we read from Parshah Tetzaveh, and in it, we learn about the uniform of the Kohen Gadol, the High Priest. Just like last week’s Parshah was a series of instructions on the way in which a physical space becomes beautified and holy, Parshah Tetzaveh offers a series of instructions on the way in which a certain individual’s physical appearance is beautified, and glorious. From head to toe, we are told that each item of the Kohen Gadol’s priestly uniform is made of fine linen, valuable stones, gold, cotton silk turquoise wool to name just a few of the ingredients. 

Certainly, we could understand the Parshah from a superficial perspective but to do so would be to misunderstand a deeper and perhaps more powerful message. We live in a society where “clothes make the man”, clothes define who and what we are Clothes express our likes, our dislikes, as well as express our “brand” and even how we wish to be identified. However, what if clothing were a symbolic expression, an indicator of our intelligence, our emotional health, our sense of decency, the holiness that exists within our soul, and the degree to which that holiness is expressed?  What would such clothes look like?   Parshah Tetzaveh teaches us that clothing, our exterior can serve as an expression of spiritual holiness.  The Bigdei Kehuna -The Priestly Vestments express the degree to which the Kohen Gadol must permit God into his life in order to achieve the requisite level of Holiness to serve the people as well as establish the appropriate environment for God Shechina (the godly Aspect that dwells among the people) to dwell in the Mishkan. V’Kidashti et Ohel Mo’Ed v’Et Ha’Mizbeach V’Et Aharon v’Et Banav Akadesh L’Chahen Li – I shall sanctify the Tent of Meeting and the Altar, and Aaron and his sons shall I sanctify to minister to Me V’Shachanti B’Toch Bnai Yisroel V’Hayiti Lahem L’Elohim I shall rest My Presence among the Children of Israel, and I shall be their God (Ex. 29:44-45). God’s presence will make the Tent of the Meeting holy. In other words, God’s presence will make a particular space holy.   Rabbi Ovadiah Sforno (15/16th Century Italy) explains that God rests among us in order to accept with favor our prayers and service. However, God resting his Presence is not enough. The Kohanim and ultimately the rest of us need to recognize that this is our God and we need to act appropriately. We can never take God’s proximity for granted. Therefore Aaron and his sons, serving on behalf of the people, must achieve a higher degree of holiness compared to the rest of the people. This higher level of holiness must exist both inside and outside. Any inconsistency renders the Kohen Gadol impure. If the clothes become physically dirty, then he is momentarily impure. If his heart wanders, if his mind is elsewhere, or if he has not completely given of himself to the service to God on our behalf, then he is momentarily impure as well.

        Judaism is about creating opportunities where the physical world seamlessly connects to the spiritual world. In the realm of time; Shabbat is a designated day when the physical seamlessly knits together with the spiritual world.  However, even in the course of a regular day, we have the opportunity through prayer, Kashrut, study, and Gemilut Chasadim for our internal “clothing” to match our external clothing. Sometimes it is very easy to lose sight of what matters. No, there is nothing wrong with protesting against disagreeable policies. Such expression is one of the protected rights and one of the privileges of living in a liberal democracy. However, there is a difference between the trucker and the typical clothing a trucker wears while on the road, protesting public health policies, and the trucker who wears a cap with an emblem of the Confederate flag or has the Confederate Flag on his truck, and swastika flag next to the Canadian Maple Leaf. Suddenly, the trucker's clothing has been "accessorized with symbols of a darker and far more sinister message. Just as clothing can elevate the soul, some uniforms and symbols can diminish the soul and express a blight upon the soul.

Peace,
Rav Yitz

And There's Nothing Left To Do But Count The Years (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia -"Black Muddy River")

          My wife and I approach our children’s milestones differently. Normally, when our children reach a milestone, my wife will reflect not only on the child’s achieved milestone, but will explain that the milestone is also an indicator of her growing older and feeling older. I don’t need my children’s milestones for me to feel old. I feel old. However, we both agree, that when we experience our children’s milestone moments, we can’t help but reflect. So earlier this week, we celebrated our youngest daughter’s 18th birthday. We had a zoom birthday party for her. Her classmates lined up in their cars, honking and singing happy birthday. A birthday video was made by her siblings that included birthday messages from family and friends. During dinner, as we sat around the table and talked about our daughter, she pointed out that turning 18 meant that she could vote. I reminded her that she now had a responsibility to be informed and educated about both types of issues: issues that matter to her and issues that matter to other people. Then, for a moment, I waxed philosophical by reminding her that turning 18 is all well and good but what matters is the quality in which one lives or the context of those years.
          This Shabbat we read from Parsha Emor. In the four chapters that comprise Emor, the first deals with the Kohanim and their very different way of striving for holiness as compared to the rest of the B’nei Israel. For example, because of the Kohen’s function within society, he must remain in a perpetual state of purity. lHe is restricted in terms of who he can marry. He is restricted in terms of whom he mourns. He cannot go to a cemetery. He cannot make sacrificial offerings if he as physical abnormalities. The second chapter reminds B’nai Israel that all animal offerings must be blemish-free. These offerings must come directly from the individual making them and not from “the hand of a stranger” (Lev. 22:25). Both chapters deal with the holiness of certain people, the Kohen and his family, and certain animals, those designated for sacrificial offerings. The third chapter of the Parsha deals with the designation of Holiness in regards to seasons and the calendar including Pesach, Shavuot, Sukkot, Rosh Hashanah, and Yom Kippur. Then the fourth chapter offers a narrative in which the son of an Israelite woman and an Egyptian man gets into a fight with another Israelite. During the fight, the son pronounces the forbidden name of God and is charged with blasphemy.
          Since the second night of Pesach, the Jewish people have been counting the Omer. The commandment to bring the Omer and count the days in which the Omer is brought occurs in Lev.23:9-16. The first five of the seven total verses explain what an Omer is, how it is prepared, and how the offering is made. The final two verses, 23:15-16 actually discuss the Mitzvah of counting the Omer. וּסְפַרְתֶּ֤ם לָכֶם֙ מִמָּחֳרַ֣ת הַשַּׁבָּ֔ת מִיּוֹם֙ הֲבִ֣יאֲכֶ֔ם אֶת־עֹ֖מֶר הַתְּנוּפָ֑ה שֶׁ֥בַע שַׁבָּת֖וֹת תְּמִימֹ֥ת תִּהְיֶֽינָה׃ And from the day on which you bring the sheaf of elevation offering—the day after the sabbath—you shall count off seven weeks.עַ֣ד מִֽמָּחֳרַ֤ת הַשַּׁבָּת֙ הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔ת תִּסְפְּר֖וּ חֲמִשִּׁ֣ים י֑וֹם וְהִקְרַבְתֶּ֛ם מִנְחָ֥ה חֲדָשָׁ֖ה לַיהוָֽה׃ you must count until the day after the seventh week—fifty days; then you shall bring an offering of new grain to the LORD. The counting occurs in terms of days, fifty days “from the day in which you bring the sheaf offering”. That counting is represented by an absolute number: “Today is 3 days”, “Today is 12 days”, “Today is 30 days”. We also count in terms of weeks, “you shall count off seven weeks” reflected in “2 weeks and 3 days” or “4 weeks and 2 days”. The first method of counting reflects a raw number with a starting point and ultimately and ending point. However, the second method suggests that the number of days appears within the context of a week. The HaKtav VeHaKabbalah, a 19th century German Torah commentator explains that the counting is לָכֶם֙ (for you), for your benefit; that is to say an opportunity for introspection. Introspection requires context.
          Sefirat HaOmer focuses on two aspects of counting. First, we are always interested in numbers, in data, in the idea of the linear. There is a starting point and there is an endpoint. Regarding counting the Omer, we started on the second night of Pesach and we conclude on the fiftieth day. We do the same thing with a milestone birthday. Our daughter turned 18 a few days ago. Someone turns 50 or 70 or 100. The number has merit. The number in it of itself is important. Numbers tell us how many have been infected with Covid 19 and numbers tell us how many have died. However we also count in terms of context, we take stock, we reflect. We count Omer in terms of Shabbat because the context of a week, the context of our day to day lives is always measured in terms of Shabbat. All those infected had a context and a narrative. All those who died leave loved ones. All those who died lived lives within a context, a narrative. It’s not only that our daughter turned 18. Eighteen means something; she can vote. Eighteen means that my wife and I can appreciate the context of her 18 years in terms of her growth and development into a young woman who is off to Israel for her gap year. Eighteen means that she is a University student and as we reminded her, eighteen means she is a high school graduate and is now starting on a path, and that path comes with responsibilities, privileges, and expectations. There is a context to her age and she began to appreciate it after the zoom birthday party after her friends drove by and honked their car horns. She began to appreciate it when we sat together and looked at her pictures over the years and recognized the context of her life.

Peace,
Rav Yitz

Lotta Pretty Vanity, No Not Me; Glorified Insanity, No Not Me - (John Barlow & Bob Weir - "Heaven Help The Fool")

Raising three daughters has made me extra sensitive to issues concerning self-image, peer pressure, social cliques, and body image. Over the years,  their mother and I have tried to create an environment where our daughters acquired the tools to deal with the perils of social cliques and peer pressure; all the social network apps that our daughters “must be on” has made our job that much more difficult. Over the years, their mother and I have tried to create an environment where deeds, substance, effort and the content of character receive more praise and are held in much higher regard than the superficiality of physical appearance and fashion. However, television, fashion magazines, Twitter, and all the social networks, podcasts, and peer pressure has made our jobs more difficult. Thankfully, we only have one teenage daughter remaining in High School that demands our vigilant attention. So what did our Grade 11 daughter do last week that heightened her parents’ concern over the tumultuous nature of teenage girls, their self-image, popularity and sense of self-worth? She decided to run for Student Council Treasurer. All week, she and several friends made posters and videos, created slogans and developed a campaign. With the advice of her older sister, a political consultant currently managing a presidential campaign, our the declared candidate spent ten days speaking to as many of the students as possible, faculty and school administrators.  All of us, parents and siblings alike, helped on this campaign. So from that perspective, it was nice to see our children working together for a common goal.  On the other hand, I am aware that running for office in Student Council is not exactly the same as running for office at the municipal, provincial/state or federal level.  Running for office at the student council level is far more brutally honest. It is strictly a popularity contest. There are no real issues per se. And certainly one can’t “buy” the election with Super-Pac money or millions of small online donations. Student council politics can be a brutal endeavor precisely because it remains a popularity contest. So who are the teenage girls that tend to be the most popular? That’s right, the girls with the most pleasant and appealing appearances tend to be considered popular, the girls that keep up with popular culture and all that is trending. They might not necessarily be well-liked, but everyone knows who they are. Needless to say, I can’t help but notice the irony of the week. Our daughter, who we raised to have a positive self-image, participated in a school activity that focused upon those very qualities that can demean self- image.

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 in regards for whom he can mourn. He cannot go to a cemetery. He cannot make sacrificial offerings if he has physical abnormalities. Second, the Torah reminds B’nai Yisroel to be in a state of ritual purity when approaching God with a blemish-free offering. These offerings must come directly from the individual making them and not from “the hand of a stranger” (Lev.22:25). Third, the Torah focuses upon the perfection and the purity of time. Perfection in time is manifest in the prescribed order of each season and their timely commencement and conclusion. Each corresponding Festival acknowledges that perfection. Shabbat acknowledges the perfection of Time in the context of the Week. That sense of order and Timeliness is both pure and perfect since the designation of “Sacred” time comes from God. Fourth, the Torah concentrates on maintaining purity and perfection of physical space as embodied by The Mishkan. The Torah even deals with perfection and purity of human relationships and the punishments meted out when that perfection, purity, and holiness is violated. In a sense, this last chapter reminds us of God’s charge to B’nai Yisroel.

Like running for student council places an emphasis upon physical appearance as it relates to popularity; 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, a13th Century Spanish commentary, explains: “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 hear…” (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 the flaw in appearance, our Kavanah (our intention) would be lacking and the sacrificial process would fail.

            This line of reasoning doesn’t offer any solace to the Kohen with the physical flaw or abnormality.  I don’t for a second agree with it. However, it is important to remember that the Torah’s goal was to make sure that the offerings were accepted and the Kavanah (the intention) behind the offerings was both pure and focused. Thankfully, we don’t have a Third Holy Temple. We have evolved beyond animal offerings as a means of engaging God in a sacred relationship. However, human nature has remained fairly consistent.  All these decades later, the Home Coming King and Queen are still very good looking and popular, and running for Student Council remains a popularity contest as well. Maybe what really matters is not winning a popularity contest but rather, putting oneself out there as the offering, showing external physical flaws and all, and showing people the goodness and purity and authenticity within. Maybe having the courage to run and be exposed to the vulnerability of losing truly is a measure of the content of character. Thankfully, as election night drew to an end, our daughter won her campaign by being as authentic as possible and avoiding the social cliques and drama.

Peace,

Rav Yitz

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

One of the most indelible memories of my grandparents was the ritual of my grandfather taking out the garbage. Back in those days, there was no recycling, no separating paper and plastic and food. The ritual had more to do with the command given. The command would come from my grandmother, all 4’10” of her. She would only notice that the garbage needed throwing out when she was in the kitchen and he was not. So she would yell out his name tell him the garbage needed to be thrown out. All that was involved was removing the plastic sack from underneath the sink, tie it in a knot, walk out of the apartment into the hallway, open up the door to the garbage chute and let go. As a child, it was pretty fun to partake of this task with him and watch the garbage bag go down and then listen for the landing. Sometimes the landing would be muffled and sometime you would hear more stuff break. However as I grew older, so did they. The command never changed, nor did the fact that my grandfather would always be somewhere else in the apartment when she yelled at him to throw out the garbage. Usually, during my visit, I would be sitting in the kitchen as my grandmother felt obligated to give me something to eat or drink, that’s when the command would be issued. I learned to suggest to my grandmother that I would throw out the garbage and that she didn’t need to bother Grandpa. My grandmother claimed that he liked to throw out the garbage, maybe he derived the same thrill of listening to the garbage bag land that I did when I was a little boy. However, my grandfather explained that he didn’t really like it. However, for my grandfather, there was a valuable lesson in throwing out the garbage. As the President of a sportswear company, my grandfather explained that it was pretty easy to get caught up in the perks, the benefits, the “image” and the superficial. Throwing out the garbage, he explained, allowed him to retain his humility and that he wasn’t too important to engage in menial tasks. Menial work kept allowed him to maintain a sense of perspective, balance, and appreciation for everyone who worked an honest day.

This week’s Parsha is Tzav.  Like last week’s Parsha, Parsha Tzav focuses upon Korbonot (offerings). While last week we read of God’s commanding Moshe to teach the laws of Korbonot (Offerings) to B’nei Yisroel, this week we read of God commanding Moshe to teach the laws of Korbonot (Offerings) to Aaron and his sons. The Parshah concludes with instructions for Aaron and his sons to remain outside of the camp for seven days. These are the seven days required for spiritual and to some degree, physical preparation. The Priests must remain outside of the camp because they are in the process of purifying themselves for this extremely sacred and vital position, Kohen Gadol.

Besides Moshe, the Kohen Gadol was the most vital role within Israelite society. It was the Kohen Gadol that served as a vehicle for the common person to draw closer to God. When the common person or the king needed to atone, they would bring a sacrifice to God. However, it was the Priest that had to check for blemishes. It was the priest that had to slaughter the animal in a very precise way. It was the priest that had to sprinkle the blood.  Later on, it was the priest who became the “spiritual advisor” to the king. Unlike any other position, the priesthood was based upon lineage and was promised by God to Aaron for eternity (or as long as there was a Temple). Yet as important as this was for the welfare of B’nai Yisroel’s relationship to God, the Priest was eternally reminded of the importance of humility within a leader. V’hotzi et a Hadeshen el Michutz La’Machaneh el Makom Tahor-“and he shall bring the ashes to the outside of the camp, to a pure place (Lev 6:4).” Here is arguably the most important position within the community and he has to shlep the ashes out from the Mishkan. What’s even more amazing is what the Talmudic tractate Yoma teaches. The Talmud explains that the priests were so anxious to take out the ashes that a lottery system had to be introduced to pacify all those who wanted this “honor”. Anyone could have been commanded to take out the ashes. Why the Kohanim (the Priests)? Like all other aspects of the sacrificial process, the priests’ sole concern was the Temple and everything about the Temple. No task was below the priest. No aspect of the Temple remained untouched or unaffected by the Priest. The Sefer HaChinuch, a thirteenth-century work enumerating and explaining all 613 Mitzvot explains that Terumat HaDeshen is a positive commandment. The priest removes these ashes daily, and in doing so, he is enhancing the Mizbeach (the altar) and beautifying it to the best of his ability. Rashi adds that the priest would wear old clothes and nice his daily Priestly Vestments or his Holiday Vestments to do this type of menial work. All agree that the Kohen was never thought to be too important for such a lowly task.

So what can we learn from Parsha Tzav, and the Priest’s most menial of tasks? First, we learn just how vital it is for people to be willing to roll up their shirtsleeves and do some of the dirty work. After all, if family members or members of a community are unwilling to “to get dirty” for a greater purpose, then the purpose must not so great. Also if those in leadership positions within a family or a community are unwilling “to get dirty”, why should anyone else “get dirty? So on Thursday morning, it’s my job to take the trash and recycling to the curb. Our children know that they have their respective tasks and they know that they are responsible for and chores around the house. No one is so special that they are absolved from these tasks. Sure, they complain but I remind them that this is about developing character, independence, humility, and empathy. No matter how important we think we are, we always should be reminded to take out the ashes. We need humility in order to remind us of where we fit in, and who we are. Possessing this humility gives us credibility when dealing with anyone. Possessing this humility reminds us of how we should treat others as well as how we wish to be treated. Besides, it allows me to keep one of the lessons that my grandfather taught me alive and well in his great-grandchildren.

Peace

Rav Yitz

Steal Your Face Right Off Your Head (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia- "He's Gone"

          My wife and I are very different. She gets very emotional about every milestone our children reach. Normally with the arrival at a milestone, my wife will think that our child in question has grown older which of course means that she has grown older. I don’t necessarily see our children’s’ milestones as a reflection of my aging. I’m older and I feel that way. No, I can’t believe that we at the milestone, I can’t believe that the child in question is really old enough to achieve this milestone, and I wonder if reaching the milestone will give them a sense of maturity and becoming a person. Three of our four children reached milestones this week. Our 12^th grader had to make a decision about college/university. So she will spend a year in Israel and with the intention of going university in the U.S. Our 10^th grader just turned 16 and she will be taking her G1 test (permit test in America) before the end of the May. Since we had already sent a daughter to college and we have had two daughters turn 16; I wasn’t too emotional about either milestone. However, I was happy for both daughters who reached their respective milestone. However, it was the milestone of our son, our youngest child, which I found most meaningful. Since the second night of Pesach, as is the custom associated with Sefirat Ha’Omer (The Counting of the Omer); I haven’t shaved until this week which was the 33 day of the Omer (L’AG B’Omer). So I prepared to shave. However for 13 years 8 months and 23 days, our son has never shaved. So on L’AG B’Omer, he and I bonded in a way that he could never bond with his mother. I gave him his first shaving lesson. He shaved his upper lip. I shaved my face.

This Shabbat we read from Parsha Emor. In the four chapters that comprise Emor, the first deals with the Kohanim and their very different way of striving for holiness as compared to the rest of the nation. For example, because of the Kohen’s function within society, he must remain in a perpetual state of purity. He is restricted in terms of who he can marry. He is restricted in terms of for whom he mourns. He cannot go to a cemetery. He cannot make sacrificial offerings if he has physical abnormalities. The second chapter reminds B’nai Yisroel that all animal offerings must be blemish free. These offerings must come directly from the individual making them and not from “the hand of a stranger” (Lev.22:25). Both chapters deal with the holiness of certain people, the Kohen and his family, and certain animals, those designated for sacrificial offering. The third chapter of the Parsha deals with the designation of holiness in regards to seasons and the calendar including Shabbat, Pesach, Shavuot, Sukkot, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. The fourth chapter offers a narrative in which the son of an Israelite woman and Egyptian man, and another Israelite man get into a fight. The son pronounced the forbidden name of God and was charged with blasphemy. The Torah tells us the punishment for blasphemy is death. This is the same punishment for an individual who commits murder. 

As the Torah upon Holiness and perhaps even Perfection, we learn that striving for Holiness and striving for Perfection requires creating a distinct separation from the mundane, the ordinary, and the less than perfect. The Torah reminds the Kohen, “Lo Yikrechu Korcha B’Rosham U’Fa’at Z’Kanam Lo Y’Galeichu UVivsaram Lo Yisr’tu Saratet- They shall not make a bald spot on their heads, and they shall not shave an edge of their beard; and in their flesh, they shall not cut a gash (Lev21:5). Rashi, the great 11th-century French commentator, explains that certain tribes that lived in Biblical Canaan, as well as Ancient Egyptians, would engage in these types of behaviors while mourning the death of a loved one. Literally, the Torah reminds the Priestly class to be sure and NOT behave like other people, don’t mourn like other people, don’t worship like other people, don’t behave like these ancient tribes of idolaters. The Chatam Sofer, one of the great 19^th century Central European Rabbis, explained that the verse has a homiletical meaning as well. The Torah reminds us not to create a bald spot upon our head, we don’t create an emptiness on our head. The Chatam Sofer understands the emptiness as ignorance, a lack of learning. The head should be filled with Torah, with mitzvoth, with doing good things in the world, and making sound, thoughtful, and intelligent choices. Sometimes that requires the person to be just a bit separate, distinct and apart from those who create an emptiness in their own respective heads. We strive to fill our heads knowledge, with Torah. We avoid creating “empty spaces”, bald spot, in our heads, knowing that what our heads are filled with or not, will be expressed in our behavior, our attitudes our relationship with our loved ones and with God.

So there we stood in front of the mirror. As I looked into the mirror, for a brief moment through the steam of the hot water, and as the mirror began to fog over I saw my father standing with me all those years ago showing me to shave. I saw my grandfather telling me to grow a mustache like he has in order to avoid shaving. My son wiped the mirror clear in order to see and the images of my father much younger than I am now and the images of my grandfather healthy, vibrant, smiling at me was wiped away. As my son and I stood there, I thought about what I had learned from these two men and wondered I would transmit all that I learned from them to my son. One thing is for sure, I won’t wait until our son has to shave his upper lip for the next time to offer them the wisdom of his grandfather and great-grandfather.

Peace,

              Rav Yitz

Once In A While You Get Shown The Light In The Strangest Of Places If You Look At It Right (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia - "Scarlet Begonias")

Our third child, and youngest daughter, just turned 15. Of our four children, she is the blonde. She is the most artistic, and seems to appreciates the creative process that art embodies. Her school had its annual “Art Exhibit” this week, so we attended. Immediately I could pick out our daughter’s work. I could tell her work by the content, and by her use of color. She definitely has an “eye”. When she looks at something or someone, she sees color, shape, lines, mood, and character. She expresses this in her drawings as well as her photographs. The subjects of photographs are not only of family and friends, but also includes pictures of landscapes, sunsets, sunrises, and animals. She could spend hours looking at a fashion magazine and appreciate the colors, lines and the movement of material. Certainly she has an affinity for physical appearance. Ironically, she is hardly superficial nor is she mesmerized and in awe of beauty and perfection. Actually it is quite the opposite. Her eye is drawn to that which is interesting, to the juxtaposition of color, of shade, and line.   For example, while her older sister will comment that my beard, which is now essentially white, makes me look old; she notices my white beard in the context of the wrinkles around my eyes when I smile or squint. She is the daughter that sees the wrinkles  around my eyes juxtaposed  to my still “youthful” twinkle in my eyes when I smile. Because of her artistic eye, she is able to find beauty everywhere.

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 in regards 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 define as perfect in the season follow an 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 perfection and purity of human relationships and the punishments meted out when that perfection, purity and holiness is 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 intention behind those deeds), now focus upon something as superficial as appearance? Sefer HaChinuch, 13th century Spain, 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 eve if he is correct in his ways, his activities will not be so attractive to the hear…” (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 a perceived imperfection. As a result, our Kavanah our intention 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 upon which we relied as a conduit between the people and God. The Beit HaMikdash has been replaced by Synagogues, shtiebles or wherever a community gathers to pray. Sacrificial offerings have been replaced by the words and music of prayer. The community no longer rely 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 maturing of humanity, of God’s children. While a physical characteristic of a person may have once appeared as a flaw or an imperfection to spiritually immature eyes, now those perceived flaws and perceived imperfection are sources for interest and wonderment as we recognize that we are created in God’s image. As a result of spiritual maturity, what once were considered perceived physical flaws and perceived imperfections are testimony to a more spiritually mature relationship we have with God. Because, we have become more spiritually mature; we are capable of appreciating God’s presences in every aspect of creation including what was once perceived as flawed and imperfect. As I look at my daughter’s art work, and see her use of color, light and line, I see her maturing into a confident, thoughtful, intelligent free spirit.

Peace,

Rav Yitz

Delilah She Gained Old Samson's Mind When First He Saw This Woman, She Looked So Fine (Learned from Rev. Gary Davis - "Samson & Delilah"

Raising teen-age girls has made me extra sensitive to issues concerning self-image, peer pressure, social cliques, and body image. Try as we might to create an environment where are daughters will learn the tools to deal with the perils of social cliques and peer pressure; all the social network apps that our daughter “must be on” make our job that much more difficult. Try as we might to create an environment where deeds, substance, effort and the content of character receive more praise and are held in much higher regard than the superficiality of physical appearance and fashion; television, fashion magazines and the desire to fit in and be socially accepted makes our job more difficult. So what does our fifteen year old do this week heighten my concern over the tumultuous nature of teenagers, their self-image, popularity and sense of self-worth. She decides to run for Vice President of Student Council. All week, she and several friends have been making posters and videos, creating slogans and putting together a campaign. With the advice of her older sister who is actually in the political campaign business, the candidate has spent the week speaking to as many of the students as possible.  All of her siblings have been helping on this campaign. So from that perspective it is nice see our children working together so that one can accomplish something. On the other hand I know that running for office in Student Council is not exactly the same as running for office at the municipal, provincial/state or federal level. Running for office at the student council level is far more brutally honest. It is strictly a popularity contest. There are no real issues per se. And certainly one can’t “buy” the election with Super-Pac money or millions of small on line donations. What makes student council politics a brutal endeavor is the fact that is a popularity contest. So who are the teen age girls that tend to be the most popular? That’s right, the girls with the most pleasant and appealing appearance tend to be considered popular. They might not necessarily be well liked, but everyone know who they are. Needless to say, I can’t help but notice the irony of the week. Our daughter who we raise to have a positive self-image spent the week participating in a school activity that focuses upon those very qualities that can demean self- image.

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 in regards 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 define as perfect in the season follow an 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 perfection and purity of human relationships and the punishments meted out when that perfection, purity and holiness is violated. In a sense, this last chapter reminds us of God’s charge to B’nai Yisroel.

Like running for student council places an emphasis upon physical appearance as it relates to popularity; 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 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 eve if he is correct in his ways, his activities will not be so attractive to the hear…” (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 the flaw in appearance, our Kavanah our intention would be lacking and the sacrificial process would fail.

While this line of reasoning doesn’t offer any solace to the Kohen with the physical flaw or abnormality, and I don’t for a second agree with it; it is important to remember that the goal is making sure that the offerings are accepted and the Kavanah (the intention) behind the offering is pure and focused. The common person making the offering would lose focus by concentrating more upon the physical abnormality or flaw instead of the offering to God.  Thankfully we don’t have a Third Holy Temple. We have evolved beyond animal offerings as a means engaging God in a sacred relationship. However, human nature has remained fairly consistent.  All these decades later the Home Coming King and Queen are still very good looking and popular, and running for Student Council remains a popularity contest as well. Maybe what really matters is not winning a popularity contest but rather, putting oneself out there as the offering, external physical flaws and all, and showing people the good and the pure within. Maybe having the courage to run and be exposed to the vulnerability of losing truly is a measure of the content of character. Maybe if the voters see that in a candidate, then running for Student Council isn’t so bad.

Peace,

Rav Yitz