A Foolish Heart Will Call On You To Toss Your Dreams Away (Robert Hunter and Jerry Garcia - "Foolish Heart")

            Living here in Toronto means that I probably go a bit overboard with my kids when it comes to U.S. History, and politics. When our daughter was reading To Kill a Mockingbird, my wife and I routinely talked to all of our kids about the book, American society in the Jim Crow south and what America looked like during the Great Depression. Despite driving my children kind of crazy, I make sure that they follow the political news as they need to understand the process involved to become President, they need to know who is running, they need to understand the nuances of each candidate and each political party. Recently our children were shocked to hear that the former Grand Wizard of the KKK supported Donald Trump, and when Trump was asked to disavow the endorsement he hemmed and hawed. Our three younger children were shocked. One of them commented that even they knew that the Klu Klux Klan was a bad thing since they hate blacks, Jews, and all minorities. Donald Trump apparently has a tough time separating himself from those who hate, from those who are destructive, those who want to destroy those things that make the United States a noble experiment in democracy.  Since Donald Trump never held office and never had to vote for a specific piece of legislation, never had to make a hard decision that affected anyone’s life but his own, since Donald Trump never had to care about anyone else but himself and his family; there is not a record of public service that permits me to evaluate him. We can only evaluate Trump based upon his words and at times his lack of words. There are his insulting words to Hispanics. There is the slowness of his words regarding disavowing the Klu Klux Klan. There are his words of admiration for Vladimir Putin, for Kim Jun–un (neither of whom would be considered friends of America). There are his personal insults to those who ask him policy questions. There are inevitably a lot of words about himself, lots of words about his wealth, lots of words about his success. So it is amazing to me, how easily millions of people can be conned. Trump has only one care and one concern: Trump and the Trump brand. He isn’t interested in making anything great again except Trump. He doesn’t care about the Party of Lincoln, nor does he care about a society or a government “by the people and for the people".  Based on his Trumps words, a Trump presidency would mean that America would do what is best for Trump. Gone would be a sense that to be an American Citizen means to is participate in the noble political experiment call “Democracy”. Gone would be any sense of a society trying to improve itself for all to benefit, so that everyone as the opportunity for self-improvement and to aspire towards the American Dream. That is neither American nor is it particularly Jewish.  

This week’s Pasha is Vayakahel. Following the sin of the Golden Calf and Teshuvah (repentance), B’nai Yisroel begins executing God’s instructions for the Mishkan, the Ark, and the Tent of the Meeting. After the destructive behavior of worshipping the Golden Calf, B’nai Yisroel comes together, and shares a common constructive experience bound by a common goal. Their goal is to complete the construction of the Mishkan.  Before they begin the actual execution of God’s command, Moshe reminds B’nai Yisroel that observing the Sabbath’s restrictions are paramount and supersede the Mishkan’s, (The Tabernacle) building schedule. Even though this structure was to be a place for God, the Sabbath restrictions are more important. The text then begins describing the common experience of contributing raw materials to this enormous public works project. V’Yavo’u  kol Ish Asher Nasahu Libo V’chol Asher Nadvah Rucho- Every man whose heart inspired him came; and everyone whose spirit motivated him brought the portion of God for the work of the Tent of the Meeting, for all its labor and for the sacred clothing (Ex.35:21). By participating in this constructive process, everyone had an opportunity to repent for the sin of the Golden Calf and for its lack of faith. First, B’nai Yisroel began on the fringes with its idolatrous activity. Then, and after B’nai Yisroel repented, it began moving towards the Holy of Holies. First they built the walls of the Tent of the Meeting; then the altar, and, finally, the Holy of Holies.

Our children continue to watch the political fall-out from Super Tuesday. They listen to a candidate who aspires to become the most powerful person in the free world. They hear a candidate struggle to speak out against the KKK, but praise Putin and Kim Jun-un, and our kids understand and appreciate that he doesn’t elevate anyone’ hopes and dreams. They understand that he doesn’t speak a language that appeals to the goodness and holiness in anyone. Hopefully our kids will remember this and never fall for this kind of con. Rather they should listen to the candidate that speaks the language of “community”, of “common sense of purpose”, and “shared experience”. When that kind of language is utilized and then put into action and deed, something wonderful happens. We achieve that balance between God and ourselves. The result, of course, is that God will dwell among us. God’s dwelling among us makes our community a little warmer, a little kinder, and more significant.

Peace,

Rav Yitz

Promises Made In The Dark Dissolve By Light Of Day (Robert Hunter & Bob Weir -"Easy Answers")

Earlier this week, I woke up turned on my favorite morning news show, sipped my coffee and for the first time in my life I felt torn between my being American and being Jewish. No, my rights, as an American citizen, were not somehow being restricted because I am Jewish. I am still free to practice my religion. However, for the first time, I felt my allegiance being pulled between the American part of me and the Zionist part of me.  The Iran Nuclear Agreement scares me. I have always believed under the current Iranian regime, that a nuclear Iran poses an existential threat to Israel, (and a strategic threat to the North America). So while the West, and particularly the United States negotiated a deal base on strategic issues, Israel always had a very legitimate concern that Iran poses an existential threat.  Yet, this agreement, these words, these series of vows, oaths, promises and covenants mean that we, the West, and (therefore Israel) will now know with greater certainty than before, what the Iranians are doing with their nuclear program. Admittedly, that doesn’t make me feel much better, no does it assuage my concerns for Israel. Why? Like many in Congress, and certainly like many Jews and for that matter may Sunnis including Saudi Arabia, I don’t trust the Iranian Regime. Since there is no trust that the current Regime will keep its word, then the vows, the oaths, the promises don’t mean very much. The sanctity of words, the sanctity of a vow and oath is based entirely upon trust. This agreement, like many agreements of this kind, the 1985 agreement between the U.S. under Reagan’s administration and the former Soviet Union on Gorbachev was based upon Reagan’s idea of “Trust but Verify”. However “Trust but Verify” seems to undermine the importance and the sanctity of the spoken/ written word, vow, oath, and covenant.

This Shabbat, we read from the final two Parshiot in Sefer Bemidbar (Book of Numbers): Matot and Masei.  This double parsha begins with the laws of Nedarim (Vows), and then Bnai Yisroel fights against the Midianites. Moshe rebukes his officers for their collective failure to deal with the Midianite woman since they were the cause of Bnai Yisroel’s plague in the first place. Bnai Yisroel then begins the process of dividing the spoils of this battle. Two tribes, Reuben and Gad request to settle in land east of the Jordan River and not the land promised by Hashem. Moshe expresses his anger over the request and the two tribes amend their request. Moshe adds a condition and an agreement is reached. The Torah recounts the various stops that Bnai Yisroel made on their journey to Eretz Canaan, the boundaries of Eretz Canaan are clarified, the new leadership is introduced and the cities of refuge of explained and established. Finally, Sefer Bemidbar concludes with a reminder of the laws for tribal inheritance. With all those loose ends neatly sewn up; Bnai Yisroel now sits on the eastern bank of the Jordan River waiting to enter Eretz Canaan. As we conclude the reading, we say Chazak Chazak v’ NitChazeik – From strength to strength we shall go forward in strength.

The beginning of the Parsha, with its focus upon Nedarim v’Shvuot Vows and Oaths, we are being reminded of two vital concepts. First we are reminded of the Aseret Dibrot, of the Ten Commandments and specifically invoking God’s name in vain.  Ish Ki Yidor Neder L’adoshem When a man takes a vow to Hashem (Num. 30:3). Part of the process by which one makes a vow is to invoke God name. Therefore, a failure to keep the vow or the oath means that one has used God’s name in vain. The repercussions of which are extremely serious.  Second, we learned in Sefer Breishit (Book of Genesis) that speech is holy. Speech is part of the God’s creative process; Vayomer Elokim, Yehi Or, VaYahi Or- And God said: Let there be Light; and there was light. In a sense, speech is perhaps one of the only actions available to us that allows us to emulate God. When we make a vow or an oath, we are acting similar to God. A Neder is a pledge to prohibit oneself from something that that the Torah permits. Or a Neder can be obligating oneself to something that the Torah considers to be optional. Obligating one’s self to contribute to a specific charity would be an example of "obligating that which is optional". Refraining from apples would be an example of prohibiting something that is originally acceptable. In either case the individual is truly acting like God. The individual is creating Halacha and making his vow and or oath becomes tantamount to Torah. Clearly this cannot be taken lightly. After all, the severity of the language is a function of the fact that one makes this vow, pledge or oath to God and not to ones self or to another.  Fundamental to our vows with God is a trust in the relationship, trust that it exists, trust that it is desired by both and trust that is must be treated as sacred.

Like B’nai Yisroel recounting where they have been to arrive at this point in history, I look back and recount where the relationship between Israel and the United States has been and I wonder how we arrived at this point, a point where Trust and Verify has taken on a completely different meaning. In the world of “Trust but Verify” lies the fact that the side that does the verifying trusts that the side being verified will do everything it can to not keep its oaths, its vows and its promises. If there was truly mutual trust, then obviously there is no need to verify since the word, the vow, the oath is sacred since it is the embodiment of a Godly action: speech.  So now I have to trust that my government will keep its longstanding vow to Israel, to stand with Israel, to protect Israel, to “have Israel’s back” as the President said. I wish there was a way that we could trust but verify those words, those vows and those oaths. Maybe then Israel and the United States can Chazak v’Chazak Nitchazeik – from strength to strength go forward in strength.  

Peace,

Rav Yitz  

So Many Roads I Know; All I Want Is One To Take Me Home (Hunter & Garcia- So Many Roads))

Among the great cultural differences between Americans and Canadians is the notion of Thanksgiving. In living in Toronto, I have learned that indeed, Canada has Thanksgiving. It happens to coincide with Columbus Day in the United States. Yes there is a Turkey dinner with all the fixings. I have even noticed supermarkets have display shelves for Thanksgiving. However in the Jewish community, Canada’s Thanksgiving is not a big deal. Maybe Canada’s Thanksgiving is not a big deal because it usually falls right around the Jewish Holidays or maybe it’s not a big deal because there is no culturally unifying narrative. Whatever the reason may be, when I try to explain American Thanksgiving, Canadian Jews look at me like I am the typical patriotic American, or they think that this is another example of Jews assimilating into American culture, or that it is a quaint commercialized excuse to mark the beginning of Holiday shopping. While there is no question that Thanksgiving has evolved into a commercialized excuse for Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Thanksgiving is indeed a secularized and necessary Yom Tov. Yes there is a narrative: Pilgrims seeking religious freedom sail to the new world, land at Plymouth Rock, manage to survive the first winter and then develop a relationship with the native Americans who teach them how to survive in the New World, as the summer harvest is gather and much of it is stored, both groups join together for a feast in which Thanks is given – Thanks for a bountiful harvest, Thanks for positive relationship between two very different peoples and their respective cultures and Thanks to the opportunities that await this people in the New World. For Jews fleeing religious persecution in Europe and settling in America, their experience was no different than all those other immigrants that came to America decades before and after fleeing their own religious persecution and finding a new world built on the principals of Religious Toleration. When Thanksgiving is viewed from this perspective, it becomes very easy to understand why American Jews, from the most Reform to the Orthodox Jews of Young Israel and Aish HaTorah celebrate Thanksgiving. Indeed, it is a time in which we realize that we are indeed free to express our Thanks. Growing up in Rochester, Thanksgiving was truly Yom Tov. Certainly there was an expectation that I would be home for Thanksgiving. There is no question that going home for thanksgiving is part of the “Thanksgiving picture” and the reason why the Tuesday evening and the Wednesday before Thanksgiving is the busiest travel day of the year. In our home, we all look forward to Thanksgiving, reconnecting with family for a few days, and participating in one last get together before the onslaught of winter hibernation. Even if we could not physically “go home”, there was always the expectation that we would celebrate Thanksgiving wherever we were in the world.

This week we read from Parshat VaYeitzeh- a Parsha that is replete with the Holiday Themes of Thanksgiving and “Home for the Holidays”. The focus of the narrative is upon Yaakov. He has left his mother, Rivkah, and his father Yitzchak, for the first time. In fleeing his brother Esav, Yaakov now embarks on a new phase of his life. Yaakov will meet his future wives, his cousins Leah and Rachel. He will work for his father in- law, Lavan, and he will have children. The narrative will focus upon Yaakov life from young adulthood to becoming a responsible father, earning a living and all the trials, tribulation, and tensions of career and family. As Yaakov makes his way in life, hopefully he will learn more about himself. With each event, with each adventure, Yaakov has an opportunity to become better connected, better connected to himself, and better connected to a covenant that his father bequeathed to him.

Yaakov will have to have his own experiences, and live his own life before he is capable of truly offering thanks and being thankful. After Yaakov dreams of the ladder, he has a revelatory experience. V’hinei Adonai Nitzav Alav, Vayomer: Ani Adonai Elohei Avraham Avicha v’Elohei Yitzchak – and behold Hashem stood above it and said: I am Hashem the God of Abraham your father, and the God of Yitzchak (Gen.28:13). However God does not introduce himself as “your God” but rather the God of his Avraham and Yitzchak. God appreciates the fact that any sense of a relationship that exists between Yaakov and God is merely a function of Yaakov’s father and grandfather. Although he received a blessing upon fleeing from his home, Yaakov has not experienced his own narrative. He doesn’t share a common narrative with his father or grandfather. Certainly there is a pre-existing relationship but it is merely a function of a covenant between God and Yaakov’s father and grandfather. Yaakov does not yet have his own connection to God and the covenant. Rather the person must develop his or her own connection. Yaakov must eventually have his own relationship with God that is separate and based upon his own merit as well as God’s. Va’yidar Yaakov Neder Leimor: Im Yiheyeh Elohim Imadi, v’Shamrani b’Derech Hazeh Asher Anochi Holeich, v’Natan Li Lechem Le’Echol v’Beged Lilbosh, V’Shavti B’shalom El Beit Avi, V’hayah HaShem Li Leilohim – And Yaakov vowed a vow saying: if the God will stand with me, and guard me on this way that I go, and give me bread to eat and clothing to wear, and returns me in peace to my father’s home, then Hashem will be my God. (Gen 28:20-21). Yaakov has now laid out the conditions by which Yaakov and God will have their own unique connection, based upon a common narrative that he shares with his father and grandfather. Avraham left his home and went to Eretz Canaan, Avraham experienced exile twice when he left Canaan and returned. Yitzchak never physically left Canaan however his experience at the Akedah was so life altering that he first went to Beer Sheva before he returned to his parents (only to find out that his mother had died). Both men had left home and had the opportunity to have their own individual relationship with God. Yaakov understood that when he is able to “return home” then God can be his God as well. Only after experiencing exile and returning home does Yaakov share enough common experiences with his father and grandfather that he would feel connected to the Covenant and to his family.

Part of the Thanksgiving experience is the idea that Americans return “home” for Thanksgiving. Even when my wife was in Israel she and her friends celebrated Thanksgiving with a traditional Thanksgiving meal. Whether we Americans physically travel to our parents for the holiday or that we celebrate it in whatever country we live in, there is no question that the process of returning to a place where one is capable of offering Thanks is key to appreciating Thanksgiving. In a sense, we can look at Shabbat as weekly Thanksgiving. During the weekday we are in a type of exile and Shabbat is the opportunity in which we are able to return to our family and to God.

Peace,

Rav Yitz