You Read About Samson, All From His Birth; He Was The Strongest Man Who Ever Lived On Earth (Traditional)

          Earlier this week, June 6th, was the 78th anniversary of the Allied invasion of Normandy, otherwise known as  D-Day. On June 6th, 1944, Canadian, American, British, Australian, and other allied forces, crossed the English Channel, established a beach head on the several beaches on the French coast around Normandie, and began a 10-month bloody arduous journey that led to the surrender of Nazi Germany and the end of WWII in Europe. In the years and decades that followed, it has often been suggested that these men saved the world from Hitler’s 1000 Year Reich. Those that died on the beaches of Normandie, those that died on the roads that ultimately led to Berlin, and those that survived those 10 months of fighting and made their way back home all engaged in something heroic. Those allied forces participated in something extraordinary, and, indeed, that makes them all heroes.  However, these heroes who saved the world were not perfect souls, without flaws,  with negative or even destructive human qualities. 

          This week's Parsha is Naso. It covers a variety of topics. First, we read that once again, God commands Moshe to count. This time Moshe takes a census of the families in the tribe of Levi. Each family has a very specific role concerning the maintenance of the Mishkan (the Tabernacle). After the census, we are reminded that anyone in contact with a corpse is considered impure and must be removed from the camp for a period of time. We are also told that besides capital punishment, certain crimes toward members of the community are punishable by fines. We read about Sotah, the bitter waters a woman accused of adultery must drink. If she survives the ordeal, then she is innocent. On the day the tabernacle was finally completed, each leader of each of the twelve tribes brought gifts. Each day, a different tribe brought these gifts.

          Before the twelve tribes bring their respective offerings, we read about those individuals who, if they so choose, can take upon themselves vows of abstinence. They are called Nazarites, and, indeed, they “volunteer” for a type of “spiritual heroism”.  In the Haftarah for Parsha Naso, we read about the birth of the most famous Nazir, Samson. However, as “spiritual heroic” as the Nazir might be; the vow of abstinence consists of no wine, no grapes, no haircut, and no contact with the dead (including parents and siblings). The Nazir puts himself in a circumstance where he tests his “spiritual strength”.  His abstinence is a vow of purity; he shall not have any contact with death. "All the days of his abstinence he is holy to God." (Num. 6:8). Interestingly, enough, the minimum time frame of this vow is only 30 days. That is all it takes to be considered heroic within this community: thirty days, no grapes, no haircuts, and no contact with death. Ironically, when the Nazir's vow expires, sometime after thirty days, he cannot just re-enter society. Instead, he must bring two offerings to the Kohen: a burnt offering and a sin offering. A sin offering: imagine that! Here is an individual who has voluntarily taken on more restrictions. Here is an individual who has successfully achieved a higher degree of piety. Now, in order to re-enter society, that individual must bring a sin offering. Is this the price for greatness? What is the  Nazir’s sin? The Nazir, in his/her attempt to achieve a higher level of piety,  voluntarily cut him/herself off from the community. This contradicts much of what we read in the book of Leviticus and even in Numbers. One is separated from the community when deemed impure by coming into contact with death. Separation from the community is a means of maintaining the spiritual purity of the community. The object is to remain in the community and elevate the holiness and purity of the community. Nazir's actions contradict the aims of the community and only emphasized the individual. The Nazir cannot join the community in Kiddush. The Nazir cannot prepare appropriately for an upcoming holiday with the rest of the community. According to Halacha, one prepares for a holiday by cutting hair, washing clothes, and preparing festive meals. Nor can the Nazir, along with the community help those who grieve. As a result, the Nazir must atone for voluntarily separating him/herself from the community.  Torah recognizes that there are those individuals who may adopt certain fanatical love for Mitzvot and God. However, it is quite clear that the laws regarding the Nazir do not condone fanatic behavior. On the contrary, the restrictions are quite minimal, the time frame is minimal, and the message is clearly unmistakable. Fanaticism, as in the case of the Nazir or voluntarily cutting oneself off from the community in order to achieve a higher level of spirituality, is a sin. One must atone for this behavior.

         So where is the heroism? Heroism is not found in self-absorbed large actions. Heroism is not found in a one-shot deal. Heroism is not found in loud rhetoric. Heroism is found in the humility of small and usually selfless actions. Heroism is found in the constancy of appropriate behavior. Heroism is found in the quiet deeds that improve the community and the world without calling attention to oneself. Heroism occurs as part of something bigger than the individual. Heroism is the acceptance of the daily Mitzvot of Torah Study, Ethical/Menschlikite behavior, Prayer, and Gemilut Hasidim (Acts of Loving Kindness). We learn that heroism and greatness are something we can all achieve. 

Peace,
Rav Yitz

Every Man Is Prophet At The Mercy Of A Fool (Phil Lesh - "Equinox")

            Our 17, 19, and 21-year-old kids begin their summer camp jobs in Pennsylvania this week. The two younger ones will be counselors and the older one will be a unit head. With the packing completed, the car loaded, we headed out.  Our 17-year-old son asked his two older sisters what some of the challenges might be. Knowing that I had been a camp counselor many, years ago; he thoughtfully included me in the conversation.  So, his sisters spoke of their experiences and some of the challenges they had faced with campers. Finally, I spoke up and said that one of the biggest challenges facing their campers is a condition known as “PC”. No, PC doesn’t only stand for “Politically Correct”, PC also stands for Parentally Challenged. Many of their campers will be Parentally Challenged, this condition will manifest itself by being insecure, a misguided desire to “fit in with the cool kids”, or even suffer from severe “homesickness”.  I reminded them that their job is to teach and to demonstrate to their campers how to find “joy” and “happiness” in something other than all the negative stuff that some parents think will make their kids happy.  I reminded them that they had eight weeks to model a value system where a child need not be jealous of others or insecure with who and what they are. 

          This Shabbat we read from Parsha Balak. Balak was a Moabite King. After watching what B’nai Yisroel had done to the Ammonites, Balak was distressed. He realized that fighting B’nai Yisroel with a regular army was doomed to fail because he realized that God had blessed them. Being a clever king, Balak surmised that the only way to fight B'nai Yisroel was to fight them on a spiritual level. Since God blessed B'nai Yisroel, Balak wanted to find someone to curse them. There lived a prophet, a “Prophet Consultant,” a “hired gun” if you will, named Bilaam. King Balak hired Bilaam to curse B’nai Yisroel. God appears to Bilaam and instructs him to avoid cursing B’nai Yisroel. Bilaam ignores God’s instructions and heads off on his donkey towards B’nai Yisroel’s camp. Along the way, the donkey suddenly stops, and despite Bilaam’s prodding, the donkey refuses.  A sword-wielding “angel” appeared and the donkey continued to refuse Bilaam’s prodding. However, Bilaam, the prophet, the seer cannot see this “angel”.  Finally, Bilaam realizes that a divine force occupies the middle of the road and he must confront it. Bilaam listens and heads toward the camp. Looking down upon the encampment, Bilaam blesses B’nai Yisroel with words that we say upon entering into any synagogue, words that we teach our children at the youngest of ages. Ma Tovu Ohalecha Yaakov Mishkenotecha Yisroel – How goodly are your tents, O Jacob, your dwelling places O Israel – Kinchalim Nitayu K’ganot Alei Nahar K’Ahalim Natah Adoshem Ka’Arazim Alei Mayim – stretching out like brooks like gardens by the river, like aloes planted by Hashem, like cedars by the water (Num 24:5-6). Try as he might, Bilaam is unable to curse B'nai Yisroel, rather he blesses them.

          However, more than blessing B'nai Yisroel, Bilaam learned something else. He examined B’nai Yisroel and he reflected upon his own life. Whatever B'nai Yisroel has, he wishes it was bottled for his use. Tamot Nafshi Mot Yi’sharim Ut'hi Achariti Kamohu – May my soul die the death of the upright, and may my end be like this. Bilaam, a once materialistic, prophet for hire, looks out upon a peaceful people’s encampment. Bilaam looks out upon a warm caring community in which boundaries are observed, Derech Eretz is respected (the considerate treatment of one’s fellow man), observance of ritual, and the desire of everyone to live as a holy a life as possible is lived out every day in a million and one little ways. Bilaam looks out upon a nation that has achieved a sense of spiritual completeness, Shalem. This is a community that is at peace with itself, with a sense of purpose and destiny. If an entire nation has achieved this, what individual would not want this? Bilaam realized that this spiritual wholeness is attainable. If Bilaam realizes this, why don’t we?

          The community model that Bilaam sees and wants for himself is still possible today. Obviously, it takes work. Obviously, it takes a group of people with similar values, similar goals, and similar concerns for a community’s most vulnerable including children. Obviously, members of a community need to be "on the same page" in terms of spiritual priorities and a desire to learn. Members of a community need to care about one another, while simultaneously respecting each other’s space and privacy. It takes the parents of “parentally challenged kids” to stop worrying if their children will like them.  It takes parents' understanding that children are not little adults but rather children, children that mimic what we say, what we do, and how we behave towards others.  Gee, I can’t wait to hear how our kids handled “PC” kids and their parents.

Peace,
Rav Yitz 

My Words Fill The Sky With Flame; And Might And Glory Gonna Be My Name (John Barlow & Bob Weir - "Estimated Prophet")

            As we listened to the Prime Minister share the additional restrictions on entry into Canada, my wife and I called our daughters in the Washington D.C. metro area. As parents, we needed to inform them of the new restrictions if they planned on returning home for Pesach. They would need to plan ahead accounting for testing, quarantining and the most efficient mode of travel.  My wife was upset because bringing them home for Passover became more expensive and more inconvenient. However, both our daughters agreed with the Prime Minister that further restrictions in order to prevent unnecessary travel were actually a smart and responsible decision. Each daughter explained that both Australia and New Zealand have initiated similar restrictive travel policies back in the late spring and early summer.  Compared to Europe and the United States, both Australian and New Zealand society appear far healthier, having returned to a more normal life. Testing and monitoring for outbreaks in those places remain constant and ongoing. The populace fully accepts what so many in North America consider “heavy-handed” because the vast majority in those respective nations believe that each person plays a vital role in making Australian and New Zealand society safe and open. Each individual feels connected to the greater good.

In this week’s Parsha Yitro, there are two distinct narratives. The first narrative focuses upon 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 been protective of 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 or 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. Those with enough knowledge and integrity to serve as judges sit beneath Moshe. Eventually, this knowledge will “trickle-down” to Amchah, the general population.  

          After Moshe heeded his father in-law’s advice, the preparation for and the Revelation at Sinai occurs. While Moshe ascends and descends the mountain, the narrative focuses upon 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. If it were, then Moshe’s role as teacher, prophet, and adjudicator of law would be overwhelming. Rather,  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.

          The two narratives join together in order to demonstrate that covenant is a sacred partnership between God and Amchah (the Nation), and between God and each individual. The two narratives combine to demonstrate that B’nai Yisroel connects directly and through a shared intermediary, Moshe. As a result, each individual understands the benefits of self-sacrifice for his/her own welfare as well as the welfare of the covenant and the community. Ideally, this self-sacrifice will allow B'nai Yisroel and Moshe to arrive at their destination in peace. The citizens of Australia and New Zealand care enough about themselves and their community to engage in behaviour that requires some self-sacrifice in order to prevent the spread of Covid,  re-open society thereby arriving at its destination in peace.  This attitude benefits both the individual and the community.  So our daughters will plan accordingly. Their inconvenience is a small price to pay to combat the spread of Covid and hopefully return to a more normal way of life. 

Peace,

Rav Yitz

They're A Band Beyond Description Like Jehovah's Favourite Choir (John Barlow & Bob Weir - "Playing In The Band")

Our 11th-grade daughter plays on her high school’s volleyball team. This week,   her volleyball postseason tournament which culminated in the championship game took place this week. Forgetting the outcome of the team’s tournament performance; our daughter has grown and matured in a manner that can only occur as a result of participating in a team sport or group activity. I played basketball for my High School and I played two years of college basketball. That experience continues to be an importance influence in how I view my family, my friends, my job, my community and functioning as an observant Jew. We noticed similar changes in each of our children as they participated in a team or in a long term group project. Our volleyball playing daughter has taken greater initiative at home, and at school. Playing volleyball has taught her the importance of teamwork, doing one’s job, putting aside individual accolades for the good of the team, and working hard towards a common goal. I was particularly fascinated when she expressed frustration when a teammate seemed to be a bit lax in their effort in practice, and I was just as fascinated as she expressed frustration when she sensed that some of her teammates didn’t appear to understand that the team was more important than the individual.                

This week’s Parsha 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. We recall that when God gave these instructions to Moshe, God started from the middle of the structure (the holiest point of the structure) and worked out towards the outer walls of the structure. God gave instructions beginning with the building of the Aron (the Ark), and concluding with the walls of the Tent of the Meeting. When B’nai Yisroel begins the building process, they begin with walls of the Tent, and then conclude with the altar and finally the Ark. 

After the destructive behavior of worshipping the Golden Calf, B’nai Yisroel comes together and shares a common constructive experience bound by a common goal. Their goal is to complete the construction of the Mishkan. The common experience is their contributions of raw materials. V’Yavo’u  Kol Ish Asher Nasahu Libo V’chol Asher Nadvah Rucho- Every man whose heart inspired him came; and everyone whose spirit motivated him brought the portion of God for the work of the Tent of the Meeting, for all its labor and for the sacred clothing (Ex.35:21). By participating in this constructive process, everyone had an opportunity to repent for the sin of the Golden Calf and for its lack of faith. If viewed as a process, B’nai Yisroel began on the fringes, idolatry, and after repentance, began moving towards the Holy of Holies. First, they built the walls of the Tent of the Meeting, the altar, then the Holy of Holies. For the vast majority, we approach God in a similar way. As we become inspired, we are drawn towards Judaism. As we become motivated, we dedicate a greater portion to God, both in terms of Tzedakah and time. It is very rare when our motivation or dedication comes as a result of a “bolt of lightning” or some existential metaphysical sign or wonder. No, our motivation and dedication is a result of our recognition that there is something missing in our lives. We miss meaning in our lives. We miss contentment in our lives. We miss peace in our lives. Certainly, we can be happy without meaning. Certainly, we can be happy without contentment. Certainly, we can be happy without peace. Why? Happiness is rather fleeting and quite often it is the result of some external factor. Meaning, contentment, and peace are ultimately internally influenced and far less fleeting.  Our movement towards God, our movement towards greater observance, is a series of steps. We don’t begin as a Tzaddik observing all mitzvoth.  Rather, one mitzvah leads to another, learning leads to more learning which eventually leads to doing.

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

Peace,

Rav Yitz

And I'll Call Down Thunder And Speak The Same; And My Words Fills The Sky With Flame (John Barlow & Bob Weir - "Estimated Prophet')

                My kids and my wife know that if I am driving, they will be listening to thirty years’ worth of soundboard quality concerts of the Grateful Dead.  It may be a concert from 1967; it may be a concert from 1995 or the recent shows this past summer or something in between. Every so often I will even chime in and tell them that I was at a particular show.  Yes, I am a Dead Head.  If anyone has ever attended a Grateful Dead Show (the original band played over 2300 concerts from 1965-1995), or had the opportunity to experience the more than 200 shows after the death of Jerry Garcia in August of 1995 (surviving members of the original band performed as Further, The Other Ones, The Dead, and most recently Dead and Company); then understanding the notion of public revelation isn’t so unique nor too difficult to comprehend. Statistically, many more people have not experienced this type of concert. Many more people have seen The Rolling Stones. However whether one has seen one Grateful Dead show or 1000 shows, whether one saw the original band in 1965 or saw the latest rendition of the band during the summer or fall of 2015; make no mistake, those who have experienced a show share a common language, saw similar sights, maybe even heard the similar songs, and were part of a community that is happy to be routinely considered outside the mainstream society. Everyone knows that no two shows are ever the same. Therefore the experience at a show is both communal and individual.  In today’s day and age, the concept of a Revelation is tends to be more individual in nature. Of the three Abrahamic religions, Christianity and Islam are based upon the revelation of the individual. However Judaism, the oldest of the three Abrahamic religions and with the smallest number of adherents is completely based upon a public revelation. Certainly each individual experienced something slightly different, but they experienced some type of revelation while standing at Mt. Sinai.  When learning about another’s revelation, “awe” and “fear” becoming obstacles for those learning about an individual’s revelation. If the person is unapproachable, then it becomes all but impossible to be spiritually close enough to that person in order to learn all that there is to learn from that revelatory experience. However, after three and half hours of a Grateful Dead Show, the experience is so powerful that it any longer would become overwhelming. That’s not to say one might not show up for consecutive shows or even tour with the band, but eventually individual shows, a three night runs in a particular city, and typical six week tour will eventually come to an end. Nobody can experience a constant first hand revelation and be expected to live.

This Shabbat we read from Parsha Yitro. This week's Parsha is Yitro. Named after Moshe father in-law, who happens to be a Midianite priest, the Parsha begins with Moshe leading B'nai Yisroel toward the wilderness of Midian where he meets up with his father in-law, his wife and his two sons. Yitro suggests that Moshe should create a bureaucracy whereby others administer the small everyday rulings required of a judge. Difficult legal issues would be administered by Moshe. Moshe is then commanded by God to bring B'nai Yisroel to Mt. Sinai. For three days they will purify themselves, clean their clothes, not have marital relations, and purify their souls for a revelation. There with the mountain smoking and thunder billowing from the heavens, God begins to speak. B'nai Yisroel is absolutely petrified and fearing death, they beg Moshe to go up the mountain as their Shaliach (appointed messenger). Moshe ascends the mountain and receives the Aseret HaDibrot (the Ten Commandments), then descends. Upon his descent he tells B'nai Yisroel the Aseret HaDibrot.

However the Parsha concludes in a very peculiar way. B’nai Yisroel just shared an absolutely surreal experience; they prepared for three days, they approached the mountain, the mountain looked like it was smoking and full of fire and then they heard the voice of God. Despite this incredibly surreal moment, despite this awesome experience, they were only spiritually capable enough to handle hearing the first commandment. They relied upon Moshe to tell them the remaining nine commandments. Indeed this was an awe inspiring moment, yet simultaneously it was a spiritually overwhelming moment. V’Chol Ha’Am Ro’im et HaKolot V’Et Halapidim V’Eit Kol HaShofar V’Et HaHar Ashein VaYar Ha’Am  VaYanu’U VaYamdu Meirachok The entire nation saw the thunder and the flames, the sound of the shofar and the smoking mountain; the people saw and trembled from afar. VaYomru El Moshe Daber Atah Imanu V’Nishma’ah B’Al Yidabeir Imanu Elohim Pen Namut. They said to Moshe, “You speak to us and we shall hear; let God not speak to us lest we die. (Ex. 20:15-16)  So Moshe goes back up into the darkness of the mountain and God tells Moshe to say to B’nai Yisroel Atem Riitem Ki Min HaSHamayim Dibarti Imachem You (B’nai Yisroel) have seen that I spoke to from heaven. (Ex. 20:19) Normally one hears what is spoken; however because the experience is so surreal, apparently one “sees” what is spoken from heaven. Rashi, the great 11^th century French commentator, explains the phrase “see what was spoken” as opposed to hear what was spoken. Yeish Hafreish Bein Mah Sh’Adam Roeh L’Mah Sheh’Acheirim MSichin Lo Sh’Mah She’ Acheirim M’Sichin Lo Pa’Amim Sh’Libo Chaluck MilHaAmin There is a difference between that which a man sees and that about which others tell him, for about that which others tell him, at times his heart (mind) is doubtful about believing. When one experiences revelation first hand, then there is a minimal chance of “sin”, of having some other God before Hashem. However when one hears about revelation, there is more risk for individual to have another god before Hashem.  

                Revelation is fraught with boundaries and limitations.  Too much revelation can lead to fear, spiritual paralysis and even fear of death -Pen Namut perhaps We Die.  Not enough revelation, that is to say, experiencing it second hand creates a possibility that followers of the individual who had the revelatory experience may elevate that individual to a status of more than just a person, more than just a prophet.   The Revelation at Sinai had one profound purpose. B’nai Yisroel had to see, hear, and acknowledge that there can be no other god before Hashem. That acknowledgement, that communal and national acknowledgement of each person having a first-hand Revelation on that day, at that time, and at that place is what makes Judaism completely unique from the other Abrahamic religions. Always with the fewest followers compared to Christianity and Islam, always considered outside the dominant culture, that moment at Sinai connected a group of people through space and time. From a secular perspective, those who have experienced a Grateful Dead Show understand what it’s like to “See the thunder” and hear the “sound of the smoking mountain.”  Like the bumper sticker says: “There’s nothing like a Grateful Dead concert”.

Peace,

Rav Yitz  

The People Might Know, But The People Don't Care ( Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia - "Black Peter")

It has been an exciting week in Toronto. For a while, the city was buzzing about its baseball team. The Blue Jays reeled off 12 straight victories before losing three games in a row to the N. Y. Mets. The Women’s World Cup began and Canada and the United States are winning the matches they are supposed to in order to get to the next round. Hockey enthusiasts were rewarded with 6 close and exciting even if another year has come and gone without Lord Stanley’s cup residing with Toronto’s beloved Maple Leafs. Yet for all that excitement, our home experienced some very real turmoil. My wife comes from San Francisco, and while she is not at all a sports enthusiast, when her home team is playing for a championship, well we all get kind of excited. My wife love all things Israel. She loves the food, loves the music, loves the cities, and loves the people. Yes, if it was up to her, we would have made Aliyah the day after we were married. For the past week, my wife’s hometown basketball team, the Golden State Warriors have been vying for the NBA championship against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Normally, this should not have caused any turmoil for my wife as she should have been completely supportive of her hometown team. Always the one to stir the proverbial pot, I shared some vital information about the Cleveland coach: David Blatt. First I told her that he went to Princeton University (I remember him in college). That bit of information certainly did not impress her. Then I revealed that he is Jewish. My wife’s interest was piqued. Yet she still could not be swayed about rooting for her Golden State Warriors. Then I shared the last bits of information. First, he played professional ball in Israel for several years. Second he coached Maccabi Tel Aviv for many years. Third he married an Israeli girl and made Aliyah.  Well my wife still cheered for her hometown team but she also was cheering for the “Israeli” coach. The series was fascinating to watch. One team had the best player on the planet LeBron James, and otherwise played undermanned as two of their starters were injured. The other team, Golden State, played as a team and didn’t rely only upon one player to do everything even though it had the league MVP in Stephen Curry.  Needless to say the better team beat the better individual. As heroic as the individual was in his efforts to carry the team, he understood that a championship is a collective success and losing the championship is a collective defeat.

This week's Parsha is Korach. Korach was a relative of Moshe's. They both came from the tribe of Levi. Korach questioned Moshe's authority. He did not do this during a private meeting between individuals. Rather, Korach gathered 250 supporters, and then publicly challenged Moshe. Moshe tried to keep peace within the community, but to no avail. A divine test is administered, and Korach and his supporters fail. The earth swallows them up. However God is angry and a plague falls upon the people. God speaks to Aaron and binds Aaron's line even closer to the rest of the tribe of Levi, and Korach's family. In a sense, they now have greater reliance upon one another. "Also your brethren the tribe of Levi, the tribe of your father, shall you draw near with you, and they shall be joined to you….. (Num. 18:2-7). 

Normally, as part of our modern perspective, we disapprove of communal punishment. Even B’nai Yisroel considered it unfair as they raise their concern to God. "Ha'Ish Echad Yechtah v'Al Kol Ha'Edah Tiktzof- shall one man's sin, and you be angry with the entire assembly?" (Num. 16:22). The answer is yes, there are times when communal punishment is most effective.  Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai explained this verse with the following analogy. "A man on a ship took a drill and began to drill a hole under his own seat. When his companion asked him 'Why are you doing this?' he replied, 'Why should it bother you? Am I not drilling only under my own seat?' His companions look at him incredulously:  'But the water will rise up and flood the ship for all of us!' (Leviticus Rabbah 4:6). A community is a combination of symbiotic relationships. For B'nai Israel that symbiotic relationship was manifest in the role that each tribe played within the community. That symbiotic relationship was also manifest in Amcha's (the nation's) desire for God to dwell among it. If anything threatened God's dwelling among the nation, then the threat must be removed. Such a threat was removed from the camp in the previous Parsha when the man was corporally punished for violating the Sabbath when he was picking up sticks during the Sabbath Day. During that episode the community was not punished because the community did not follow the individual’s behavior, in fact the “community” was offended by the behavior and brought the issue to Moshe. However here in the rebellion of Korach, and even in the narrative of the Twelve Spies, the community stayed silent and passive. Their silence was condoning the behavior.

What do we learn from Korach's rebellion, and the ensuing communal punishment? First, we learn that a community cannot be polarized and hope to survive. That was the reason Korach was punished in the first place. Second, we learn that a community and its leadership must share in a common vision. Third, there must be room for disagreements to take place. There must be room to ask questions. Questions must be asked, and disagreements must arise and be dealt with in a way that focuses upon the welfare of the community, the welfare of the team and not the glory of the individual. Korach's demise demonstrates that questions and disagreements can never occur under false pretenses, arrogance, or in a self-serving manner.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rav Yitz