Then Give Hope To The Hopeless, The Helpless And The Homeless (Robert Hunter & Phil Lesh - "Wave To The Wind")

           Earlier this week, President Biden gave the State of The Union Address before a joint session of Congress, and all those who had tuned in. The President struck a note of hope.  He spoke of the growing frustration that people have when dealing with airlines, insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies,  and all the current sources of aggravation and inconvenience that everyday people experience.  Acknowledging that there are still many economically and politically alienated people, his goal remains to do as much as possible to create opportunities that mitigate the sense of alienation. He reminded Americans and the world that aspiring to the best version of America was still possible.  Several moments after the President’s State of the Union Address, the minority party’s response was offered by Sarah Huckabee, the former White House Director of Communications during the Trump Administration and the current Governor of Arkansas. She spoke of a Left Wing Cabal and registered the complaints that her former boss articulated seven years ago. She looked towards the past and spoke in a code that only the most passionate believers of her message would understand. President Biden spoke of the present and of the future in a language and using examples that everyone could understand and relate to. 

           In this week’s Parsha Yitro, there are two distinct narratives. The first narrative focuses on Moshe and his father-in-law Yitro.  Moshe leads B’nai Yisroel to Midian. While there, Moshe spends a little time with his wife, his two sons, and his father-in-law, Yitro. Yitro acknowledges that G-d has protected B’nai Yisroel and that the Lord is greater than all other gods. The next day, Yitro witnesses Moshe sit from morning to night mediating and adjudicating conflicts among B’nai Yisroel. Yitro understands that his son-in-law is overextended and the current method of governing is neither good for him nor for Amchah (the nation). Being both a Priest of Midian as well as his father-in-law, Yitro offers advice as both a father and a community leader. The second distinct narrative occurs, from chapters 19 through 20,  and focuses upon B'nai Yisroel’s revelation at Sinai.  The Parshah concludes with God’s declaration of the Aseret Dibrot, the Ten Commandments. The second part of the Parshah is very well known, incredibly unclear, and lends itself to numerous interpretations, commentaries, and Midrashim.  However, the two stories seem so disparate and could easily stand alone.  Why do these two separate narratives appear together in the same Parsha and how are they connected? 

           Yitro suggests to Moshe “You be a representative of God, and you convey the matters to God…you shall make known to them the path in which they should go and the deeds they should do. You shall discern from among the entire people, men of accomplishment, men of truth, men who despise money. You shall appoint them as leaders of thousands…they shall judge the people at all times, and they shall bring every major matter to you, and every minor matter they shall judge, and it will be eased for you, and they shall bear with you. If you do this thing and God shall command you, then you will be able to endure, and this entire people, as well, should arrive at its destination in peace.” (Ex. 18:19-23)  Yitro explains that a community must have a shared vision. To some degree, people need to know how to seek G-d on their own, and how to behave within a community. Others need to know God's ways in order to adjudicate and mediate conflicts or transmit information. Everyone must have access to G-d and G-d’s teaching. Only then will Moshe’s leadership responsibilities be light enough to bear. Only then will Amchah have a stake in the relationship with G-d. Only then will Moshe and B’nai Yisroel become willing participants in their covenant with G-d. Only then can this community uphold its role as a “priest to the nations”. Then and only then will Moshe and B’nai Yisroel arrive at its destination in peace.  However, Yitro’s suggestion is a top-down approach. Moshe sits atop.   After Moshe heeded his father-in-law’s advice, the preparation for the Revelation at Sinai occurs. While Moshe ascends and descends the mountain, the narrative focuses on B’nai Yisroel’s preparation, and its standing, waiting, and listening.  God instructs  Amchah to prepare for Revelation. The “entire people'' were in the camp, and they shuddered. Then Moshe brought the people from the camp toward God. (Ex 19:16-17). When presented with God’s covenant, “the entire people responded together and said, ‘everything that God has spoken we will do!’”(Ex 19:8) The narrative continually emphasizes that Revelation was not solely between God and Moshe.  B'nai Yisroel must be involved in the process. B’nai Yisroel must experience some aspect of Revelation. B’nai Yisroel must be active participants in Revelation. They were. They willingly and unanimously responded.  B’nai Yisroel’s unanimous response indicated that they were responsible and willing participants in the covenant. Their participation and the unanimous response indicated that they shared a common vision and purpose.

Moshe and B’nai Yisroel had a shared vision. Moshe experienced numerous revelations as an individual. However, at Sinia, he shared that revelation with B’nai Israel. As the leader, the disseminator of Law, and the one responsible for transmitting that law to the people, Moshe is responsible for not only transmitting law but doing everything he can to make sure that B’nai Israel has a shared and common vision, a sense of citizenship and common experience. By doing so, he improves the chances that this new society will be able to survive in the future. President Biden’s speech reflected that same idea. Speak in a language and from a common shared experience. That sense of shared common experience binds us as a people and offers the best chance of solving the problems of the future. 

Peace,
Rav Yitz

And Brave The Storm To Come, For It Surely Looks Like Rain (John Barlow & Bob Weir - "Looks Like Rain")

          While at major intersections in Toronto, one cannot help but notice all the signs for candidates running for local office. There are also mid-term elections that are occurring in the United States. In fact, early voting has already commenced in many states. It has been reported that some 12 million people have already voted. The issues that face perhaps the most powerful democracy and largest economy seem overwhelming. Internally, it appears that one set of candidates will deny election results, and prohibit abortion even in the case of rape, incest, or the mother’s health. There are a slew of candidates that try to scare the electorate with talk of rampant crime, ironically, the top ten crime-ridden states are those that have the most relaxed gun laws run by state legislatures that deny elections, want to restrict the rights of women’s health choices and have a large constituency that belief that the January 6th riot was a peaceful gathering. There is a rise in racism and antisemitism. Externally, there is a war between Ukraine and Russia, there is worldwide inflation, and a rise in fascism and totalitarianism throughout the world. Amid all this tension, North Korea fired more rockets into Japanese airspace, rockets that were able to fly further, faster, with a more destructive payload. Indeed Democracy seems to be under attack both from the inside and outside.  I can’t help but think of the late President, Harry S. Truman, who was President when the Korean War was fought and the 38th Parallel became part of the Western lexicon. President Truman used to keep a paperweight on his desk with the saying “The Buck Stops Here”. In a sense, it became indicative of President Truman’s view of leadership. The leader is ultimately responsible and therefore must assume that responsibility.

           This week we read Parshat Noach. Noach’s should be familiar to all of us. God sends a flood as a means of dealing with the growing disappointment in mankind's abysmal behavior. However one man, Noach, is deemed Ish Tzadik B’dorotav – a righteous man in his generation and God makes a covenant with him and his family.  As a result, Noach, his family, and the male and females of every species will be saved in to re-create after the flood. God instructs Noach to build a Tevah, an Ark. Noach, his family, and each animal species are protected. In a sense, a second creation ensues, and Noach and his family begin the narrative of re-creation. Generations pass, and eventually, mankind becomes corrupt. This time, the corruption is the result of mankind’s passivity by permitting, a certain kind of person to become the leader and never questioning or opposing his desire to build a Tower. A Tower is built, God views it as a violation of boundaries, and rather than destroying the world, multiple languages come into being and people are unable to communicate. As a result, the leadership which lacked respect for boundaries scatters across the earth. The Parsha concludes ten generations later with the birth of Avraham Avinu, Abraham the Patriarch.

           The narrative appears quite straightforward and simple. God is unhappy with the way people behave. He identifies Noach as a worthy partner and instructs him to build the Ark.  However one should keep in mind that Ark wasn’t built in a few days or weeks. According to the Midrash, the ark was built over the course of many decades. Even worse the flood didn’t come right away, that too was decades in the making. According to the Midrash Tanchuma, it took Noach 120 years to build the Ark. Also, the Ark was built atop a mountain in order to give Noach the greatest amount of time to complete the project. This meant hauling all the materials up a mountain. Imagine spending roughly 1/8th of your life preparing for the future. Imagine spending roughly 1/8th of your life engaged in a single endeavor. Imagine putting off gratification for 1/8th of your life and then knowing your sense of accomplishment is predicated on the destruction of so much. Imagine spending 1/8th of your life hauling Gopher wood up a mountain. Every day Noach spent his time engaged in one activity, building the first aircraft carrier. Eventually, the project would become the purpose of living. During this time, Noach’s life was not so easy. In fact, from a practical perspective, Noach’s life seems quite depressing. According to Midrash Tanchuma, Noach faced ridicule from others and was threatened with death. Yet despite it all, he continued building even though the gratification from the project would not occur for many years. Even with the first raindrops and the first opportunity to enjoy the fruit of his life's work and enter the Ark; he didn’t. Rather, he delayed his sense of accomplishment and gratification. Noach waited until the last possible second when there was no hope of saving any more of God’s creation, and then he finally entered the Ark.

           Being the leader can be a rather lonely job. Whether it’s the leader of a family, a tribe, or a community; it can be lonely. By no means was Noach a perfect leader. In fact, one of the criticisms was that he really didn’t lead, instead, his concern was limited to himself, his family, and the animals that entered the Ark. That being said, Noach offers a valuable lesson in leadership.  Leaders cannot be concerned with immediate gratification. Rather, a leader takes a long view of history and destiny. A leader has the strength of his belief and convictions which allows him to worry about the long term and not be concerned with the short term. When undo attention is given to the short-term perspective, it seems that more people suffer as is the case with leaders and politicians who are concerned with power instead of saving democracy. Hopefully, those in a position to make a difference will remember President Truman’s paperweight that once sat atop his desk: “The Buck Stops Here”.

Peace,
Rav Yitz

 

The Radical He Rant And Rage; Singing Someone's Got To Turn The Page (John Barlow & Bob Weir - "Throwin' Stones"

          What is the difference between a Believer and a Zealot?  Perhaps it depends on who is looking. When describing one’s self and dedication to a movement, one usually sees him/herself and fellow members of that group as Believers. Zealots are the extremists on the other side. Certainly, both Believers and Zealots believe in the “goodness”, the “holiness” or the “correctness” of their belief system. Maybe the difference between a Believer and a Zealot is the treatment of the “Other”.   Perhaps the most difficult task of any belief system is to acknowledge zealotry within one’s belief system. However, the sustainability of every belief system, whether it be social, religious, or political is the ability of that belief system to recognize that perhaps the belief system itself creates an environment for zealotry, eliminate that environment, and then isolate the zealots until there is a realization that zealotry ultimately fails. History has witnessed the eventual irrelevance of numerous belief systems that have gone the way of the Zealot eventually turning on themselves: The Montagnards during the Reign of Terror, Mao's Cultural Revolution. There were religious zealots that contributed to the religious wars between Catholics and Protestants and Sunnis and Shia. There are zealots who have killed and threatened abortion providers. Interestingly enough, there are no cases of zealots who harm those who hold anti-abortion or anti-choice positions.  

          This Shabbat we read from Parsha Pinchas. Pinchas came to our attention last week when at the conclusion of Parsha Balak, he threw a spear at Zimri the son of the head of the Tribe of Shimon (one of the Twelve Tribes), and Cozbi, a Midianite princess, while they were co-habiting. At the time, there was a plague that was wiping out B’nai Yisroel because of their relationship with the Midianite women and worshipping the Midianite/Moabite God Baal Peor. Pinchas put an end to it by killing Zimri and Cozbi. God tells Moshe to reward Pinchas for his behavior by giving him the Brit Shalom, the Covenant of Peace. God commands a new census be taken. 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, and they make the case that they should inherit their father’s tribal lands. 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). Then God also tells Moshe Rabeinu that his time as leader and in fact his life is quickly drawing to a close and that he should put his affairs in order and name a new leader (27:12-18). Joshua becomes the designated future leader.

          It appears that God offered a reward to Pinchas.  Pinchas Ben Elazar Ben Aharon HaKohen Heishiv et Chamati Mei’Al B’nai Yisroel B’Kano et Kinati B’TOcham V'Lo ChiLiTi et B’nai Yisroel B’Kinati – Pinchas son of Elazar son of Aharon the Kohen, tuned back My wrath from upon the Children of Israel when he zealously avenged My vengeance, among them, so I did not consume the Children of Israel in my vengeance. Lachen Emor Hinneni Notein Lo et Briti Shalom – Therefore, say: Behold! I give him My covenant of peace. V’Haitaha Lo U’LeZaro Acharav Brit Kehunat Olam Tachat Asher Kinei Leilohav VaYiChaPeR Al B’Nai Yisroel – And it shall be for him and his offspring after him a covenant of eternal priesthood because he took vengeance for his God, and he atoned for the Children of Israel. (Num. 25:11-13) Certainly, on a superficial level, it appears that because of Pinchas’ zealous defending of God and God’s Torah, he receives something, a Brit Shalom. The sages in the Jerusalem Talmud state that Pinchas's act of vigilante justice did not meet the approval of Moshe or the elders. In fact, they wanted to excommunicate him until then God stepped in and said that the line of Pinchas would be the line of the Kohen Gadol. Here is a belief system recognizing the dangers of the Zealot and suggesting that the only way to deal with the Zealot is ex-communication. So how do we make sense of God’s apparent reward for Pinchas’ zealous behavior? The  NeTziV (Rabbi Naphtali Tzvi Yehuda Berlin 19th Century Poland and Rosh Yeshiva of the Volozhin Yeshiva) offers a fascinating insight and explanation. The Brit Shalom The Covenant of Peace, was not given to protect Pinchas from those wishing to avenge Zimri’s murder, nor was it a reward for the purity of heart that some sages explained was necessary to ‘defend Hashem’.  Keeping in mind that the plague ceased, and lives were saved, The NeTziV comments “In reward for turning away the wrath of the HaKadosh Baruch Hu [God], He blessed Pinchas with the attribute of peace, that he should not be quick-tempered or angry anymore. Since it was only natural that such a deed as Pinchas’ should leave in his heart intense emotional unrest afterward, the Divine blessing was designed to cope with this situation and promised peace and tranquility of soul.” By becoming the eventual Kohen Gadol, Pinchas would have to pursue peace and compromise like his grandfather Aharon. In order to pursue peace like his grandfather, Pinchas will have to see both sides and neither side can be viewed as “other”. Pinchas will now have to learn patience, and understanding in order to recognize the intricacies of the law and sacrificial offerings. Perhaps most important, Pinchas will have to recognize his own fallibility and work on himself instead of harming others. 

          So Pinchas wasn’t rewarded per se. Instead, he would be a reminder that Judaism abhors zealotry and vigilanteism.  There is no place for it.  Before he does, Moshe will implore this new generation preparing to enter into Canaan, that God’s path is neither to the right nor to the left but rather the middle path (Deut. 5:29-30). Judaism doesn’t reward Zealots. Instead, Judaism recognizes that zealousness is a sickness. It is a spiritual sickness or perversion of belief. As a result, the soul within requires healing, the soul needs Shalom - Peace.

Peace,
Rav Yitz