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")

           We have been preparing for this moment since last September’s first day of school. We have talked about it, and we have tried to anticipate our feelings. I tried to downplay it. Earlier this week, our son, our youngest child graduated from high school. Yes, we knew this was going to happen. We circled the date on our calendar. We became acutely aware of this moment with the crossing of various thresholds: acceptance to yeshiva in Israel for his gap year, college acceptances, end of classes, and finally, the completion of his last exam, his senior banquet, and class trip. Despite all the preparation, when our son’s name was announced, my eyes welled up. When his name was announced as the recipient of the Liberal Arts Award for Excellence in English and Humanities, I smiled proudly through tears in my eyes. As I watched him walk out of the auditorium with his diploma, his award, and the big smile on his face; I noticed his blue eyes. His eyes seemed different. Light shone from them. 

          This week we read the third parsha from The Book of Numbers, Parsha Be’Halotcha. In the previous two parshiot: Bemidbar and Naso, B’nai Yisroel takes a census and prepares for its upcoming journey from Sinai to Eretz Canaan. This week, the final preparations are ordered and executed and the departure from Sinai begins. Aaron, Moshe’s brother as well as the Kohen Gadol, lights the lamp for the Mishkan, the entire Levite tribe is purified, offerings made and their service for maintenance of the Mishkan begins. Final instructions for observing Pesach under these new conditions, (they were not leaving Egypt anymore nor had they arrived in the land) were offered, including the case of coming into contact with the deceased and becoming spiritually impure. The narrative tells us the manner in which B’nai Yisroel traveled: sheltered by a cloud during the day and protected by a pillar of fire at night. Then the complaining begins. They complain about the Mannah. They complain about the food. They complain about Moshe’s leadership. Moshe’s sister complains about his wife.

          The first few verses, from which the Parsha gets its name Be’Halotcha seem rather disconnected from the rest of the narrative. Rather, these first few verses seem more connected to the previous Parsha that discussed the various responsibilities of each Levi family and gifts brought by the twelve tribal princes. Left out of last week’s Parsha is the specific role of Aaron and his family.  Now, Aaron is responsible for lighting the Menorah, the Neir Tamid, the eternal light, every day. Aaron is instructed El Mul Pnei HaMenorah- to kindle the lamps toward the face of the Menorah (Num.8:2). What does it mean to kindle lamps (or lights) toward the face of the Menorah? The flames burn leaning towards the center, towards the main trunk of the Menorah.   R’ Ovadia Sforno, the late 15th and early 16th century Italian Rennaissance commentator explains that the three branches on the right side symbolize spiritual pursuits and the three branches on the left symbolize ephemeral pursuits. The flames of each branch bend toward the center to symbolize both the spiritual and the ephemeral bend toward God. The flames on the right symbolize Jewish wisdom and the lamps on the left symbolize secular wisdom. All the flames bend towards the middle to symbolize that all wisdom emanates from God. God is the source of the intellectual and spiritual light. God is the source of knowledge and wisdom.

          The menorah reminds us that knowledge and its pursuit is a Godly endeavor. Indeed, looking into my son’s eyes I saw within him a desire to learn, pursue knowledge, to engage in inquiry and investigation. I saw within him a desire to honestly pursue this intellectual curiosity with passion and honesty. I welled up again, understanding that our son was ready to fuel this light and this passion for learning and I have high school and his teachers to thank.

Peace,
Rav Yitz

I Hear The Cries Of Children; And Other Songs Of War (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia - "Standing On The Moon")

          This should be a time of year when parents take stock of their child's academic accomplishments. School is drawing to its inevitable conclusion and numerous elementary school, middle school, high school, and university students have "step-up" ceremonies as they move from one grade to the next, or graduate. As my family and millions of other families prepared to celebrate this type of transition, we all experienced deja vu all over again. Sandy Hook, Parkland, and now this week the Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas was the sight of another mass school shooting where 19 children, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd graders were killed. Nineteen families, who like millions of others, were preparing for their children to "step up" to celebrate a transition of learning, tragically must now mourn the ultimate transition. Of course, this could have been avoided, of course, society can do things that minimize the possibility of this kind of tragedy. As the days and weeks go by, and the discussion of Uvalde occurs, it will be fascinating to listen and watch, once again, the handwringing, the call to "pray for the victims and their families", the insistence that nothing would have stopped the shooter from the heinous act he perpetrated, or "guns don't kill people - people kill people" or "the best way to stop a bad guy with a gun is to make sure that a good guy has a gun". Some people might believe the boiler plate statements. Many will not. Some won't believe it at all, but they will say it over and over again. These are cynical people who want the status quo. These are cynical people who treat the lives of children cavalierly, they treat the law and the Constitution that they were sworn to uphold and protect cavalierly. They tread their elected position as legislators cavalierly. 

          This Shabbat we read from Parsha Bechukotai. It is the final Parsha of the Book of Leviticus. For the past ten Parshiot, Sefer Vayikra, the Book of Leviticus, has taught us how to act in a holy manner. We have learned how to behave towards God in a holy manner. We have been taught how to treat members of our family in a holy manner. We have been taught how to treat people outside of our family, friends, acquaintances, employees, and the needy in a holy manner as well. We have been given tools by which we are able to approach God in a sanctified way. We have been given tools to sanctify the seasons and the land of Israel. Finally, here in the last Parsha, we are told the reward as well as the punishment if we fail to learn and observe these commandments. The reward is quite simple and straightforward.  Im B’Chukotai Teileichu v’Et Mitzvotai Tishmeru Va’Asitem Otam V’Natati Gishmeichem B’Itam V’Natna Ha’Aretz Y’Vulah V’Eitz Ha’Sadeh Yiten Piryo – If you follow my decrees and observe my commandments and perform them; then I will provide you with rains in their time, and the land will give its produce and the tree of the field will give its fruit. (Lev. 26:3-4). Ultimately our reward is predicated upon fulfilling the commandments.

          The punishment is neither simple nor straightforward. Normally one would think that merely our failure to observe and fulfill the commandment would be reason enough for punishment. However, this is not the case. Our punishment is a result of something worse than our failure to observe and fulfill these commandments.  V’Im Lo Tishme’u Li, V’Lo Ta’asu Eit Kol HaMitzvot Ha’Eila – If you will not listen to me (obey) and will not perform all of these commandments; V’Im B’Chukotai Timasu V’Im Et Mishpatai Tigal Nafshechem – if you consider my Decrees loathsome, and if your being rejects My ordinances (Lev. 26: 14-15) then we receive punishment. There are a series of seven sets of punishments and after each set; we are given an opportunity for Tshuvah, for Repentance. If, after each set of punishments, we continue to ignore God, then we receive another set of punishments. The Torah keeps repeating a phrase that seems far more powerful than “ignoring” God. V’Halachtem Imi B’Keri and if you behave towards Me cavalierly. The result of continued cavalier behaviour will bring the next series of punishments. It could be argued that our divine punishment results from our lack of passion, our lack of care and concern for our role and responsibility in our relationship with God.

          Torah is teaching us a valuable lesson about life. Life is sacred. The relationships that we make can and should be sacred: not only with our husbands and wives and our children but with God as well. Life is not something to be treated cavalierly and with disdain. Yet as my children and I continue watching the heartbreaking news that comes out of Uvalde, Texas, and that came out of Buffalo, NY the two weeks before, as we look back at other school shootings, church shootings, synagogue shootings, the words that are spoken afterward seem empty, vapid, cynical and cavalier. My children find it difficult to see those elected officials as anything but empty suits with no soul. For if they had a soul, they could not continue to remain cynical and cavalier about another school shooting, another mass shooting at a supermarket, church, or synagogue. Perhaps it is the sin of treating the electorate cavalierly and disdainfully that allows this tragedy to happen again and again. It's time to stop permitting these people from treating human life cavalierly and disdainfully. 

Peace,
Rav Yitz

Walk Into Splintered Sunlight Inch Your Way Through Dead Dreams To Another Land (Robert Hunter & Phil Lesh - "Box of Rain")

           Our seventeen-year-old has come down with a sickness that strikes students in their final year of High School. This sickness is extremely prevalent in Canada and The United States. Our son’s U.S.  and Canadian summer camp friends are coming down with this. I remember having an awful case of it when I was 17 and in my last year of high school. The sickness is called “Senior-itis”. Senioritis for students in their final year of high school focuses upon the profound desire to leave home.  In some cases, the desire is so strong that the student will seek a university as far away as possible.  A less severe case might mean that the student only needs to be an hour away. Because the desire to get out of the parents’ home is so powerful,  life with the 12th grader can be quite strained and tense for the rest of the family. Suddenly rules are questioned, parents are considered to be overbearing and impossible to deal with. The 12th grader walks around frequently aggravated and muttering under his/her breath: “I can’t wait to get out of here.” While all this is perfectly normal and natural, it does carry one enormous risk. It is much safer to have Senioritis when the senior has already been accepted to University or at least a gap year program. Why? Senioritis also affects the 12th grader’s attitude towards school. Senioritis is most dangerous when the student has not yet been accepted because there is still the pressure to academically succeed and apply, all the while dealing with the overbearing desire to leave home.  One should keep in mind that depending on the behavior of the 12th grader, the symptoms can spread. Not only to younger siblings but more importantly, it can spread to us parents. The more the 12th grader becomes impossible; the more the parents can’t wait for the child to get accepted, graduate high school, and actually leave. Obviously, some parents may be more affected than others. In our home, for example, I have become quite vulnerable to our 12th grader’s case of senioritis. Like him, I am getting to the point where I cannot wait for him to leave. However, his mother seems completely invulnerable and can’t stand the idea that he wants to leave.

            This week’s Parsha offers an excellent example of the first steps towards independence, the natural need for reassurance, and mutual trust and faith between a parent and child. Many events occur in Parshat Lech Lecha. Included among these are: Abram leaving his birthplace, traveling down to Egypt and becoming wealthy, separating from Lot, his brother’s son and last blood relative, fight in a battle and killing those men responsible for territorial instability, fathering a son by his wife’s handmaid (with his wife’s approval), and finally circumcising himself at age 99 and all the males in his household, including his son Ishmael.

             In this Parsha, so many things happen to Avram. He is forever running ahead of God; He is forever living life and making decisions. Avram is forever wondering if he is indeed “doing the right thing”.  Like any good parent, God allows Avram to “run ahead”, be independent, and still offer the necessary parental reassurance.  Noach’s relationship was very different than Avraham’s. Noach walked with God suggesting an image of a parent holding a baby’s hands as he/she learns to walk.  Regarding Avram, the Torah says: “And the Lord appeared before Avram and said- Ani El Shaddai Hithaleich Lefanai Veheyei Tamim - I am El Shaddai; walk before Me and be perfect (17:1). Avram is spiritually more evolved; he can walk ahead. However, even when we allow our children to run ahead of us, or give them more and more independence, we still reassure them that we are part of their lives, and everything will work itself out. Six times Avram receives fatherly assurance in the form of a covenant. Ironically, the first time we read of this assurance is immediately following Avram’s father’s death. God tells Avram to leave his birthplace and he will become a great nation (12:2).  God reassures Avram a second time while Avram, literally, walks ahead of God and keeps going until God tells him where to stop. God reiterates his covenant to Avram (12:7), thereby reassuring Avram. God reassures Avram after he made the difficult decision of separating from the last vestiges of his family of origin, Lot (his brother’s son). By re-iterating his covenant (13:14), God reassures Avram that although the decision was painful, it was correct. After worrying whether he behaved appropriately by fighting against the five kings, God re-iterates and reassures Avram a fourth time (15:4). Avram receives reassurance for the fifth time after he drives away the birds of prey that ruined the sacrifice he made to God (15:13). Avram’s sixth reassurance occurs after making the difficult decision of sending away his firstborn son Ishmael.       

           Avram walks ahead of God knowing that God is always around to reassure him. Ultimately this type of relationship breeds a strong sense of security, trust, and faith in the parent figure. Faith breeds faith and trust breeds trust. Certainly, our 12th-grade son might think that he is ready to begin his own version of Lech Lecha. Yet about some things, he still needs to walk with his parents and, believe it or not, still wants to walk with his parents. About other things, the frustration and aggravation that he feels towards us is merely an expression of the fact that he wants to walk on ahead of us. In both instances, he is telling us about his level of self-confidence to handle the first steps of the path of his own lifelong journey.  One thing is for sure, as parents, we never stop trying to guide and teach him so when he does walk on ahead, he remains grounded in his values and the lessons that she learned. Hopefully, as he grows older and well on his journey, his aggravation with his parents will diminish. Perhaps he will even begin to appreciate the wisdom that we transmitted to him. I hope. 

Peace,
Rav Yitz

Let's See With Our Heart These Things Our Eyes Have Seen (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia - "Blues For Allah")

          Our grade 12 daughter just participated in her high school graduation. Covid -19 forced her, her classmates, and the school to re-adjust what a graduation ceremony would look like. My wife and several other mothers reached out to the school and pointed out other high school graduations that would be more than picking up a diploma at the school parking lot, or sitting in front of a computer on a Zoom graduation ceremony. So we decorated our minivan, drove to a drive-in movie theatre, and along with her classmates, as well as a live stream audience of extended family members (including her oldest sister, her grandparents, aunts uncles and cousins watched, listened, cheered and honked our car horn as our daughter received her diploma as well as an award. Certainly, we are proud parents. Mostly however we recognize that she is about to embark on the next chapter of her life as she continues to develop life skills and, in a sense, leadership skills.
          This week's Parsha is Shlach Lecha. Several disparate events occur in this Parsha. First, we read the story of Moshe sending Twelve Spies (one representing each tribe) into Eretz Canaan. Their mission was to ascertain the lay of the land, the strength of the inhabitants, and the fertility of the land. Except for Joshua and Caleb, the remaining ten spies returned with a negative report. The people heard this and wanted to return to Egypt. As a result of both the report and B'nai Yisroel's response, this generation was prohibited from entering the land. Next, we read about the laws concerning the taking of Challah, a fire offering, a burnt offering, feast offering. We read about the offering required for unintentional sin. After this brief discussion about ritual, B'nai Yisroel is reminded about the ethical treatment of native members of the community or proselytes. Then we read about who desecrates Shabbat by gathering wood on Shabbat.  Like the person who acts high handedly, this man was removed from the camp and punished with death. The Parsha concludes with a familiar passage that we know as the 3rd paragraph of the Shemah. We are commanded to wear tzitzit in order to remind us of three ideas: God's commandments, not to follow our eyes and our hearts (which will lead us astray), and God brought us out of Egypt (Num. 15:37-41).
          While reading the spies report, Numbers 13:27-29, and 13:31-33., we find out that the land is flowing with milk and honey and plenty of fruit. We find out that the native tribes dwell in fortified cities. We are told the names of the indigenous tribes and their geographical location. The tone suggests that these tribes are quite strong.  In the second part of their report, we are told that these spies do not think that B’nai Israel is physically capable of conquering this land and these indigenous tribes, for they are giants “and we were like grasshoppers in our eyes and so we were in their eyes (13:33) One spy, in one verse 13:30 publicly expresses disagreement with the spies. Caleb is the voice of dissent, Caleb speaks out. Caleb is heroic and inspiring.  However the Talmudic sages in the Tosefta comment that the first part of the report: “We came to the land and it flows with milk and honey and this is its fruit” was offered by Joshua. The rest of the report, except for 13:30 was offered by the other 10 spies.  Why do the Talmudic sages bring Joshua into the narrative and by doing so diminish Caleb’s powerful and passionate heroic voice? Indeed Joshua was Moshe’s choice. We know that one of the spies received special treatment from Moshe. Joshua was one of the spices and Moshe had renamed him. Clearly Joshua was Moshe’s eyes and ears on this mission and we know that Joshua will be one to assume the mantle of leadership. Even at this time, Joshua was being groomed for leadership. However, the dissenting opinion was not offered by Joshua; it was offered by Caleb. Caleb was the spy who went off on his own and went to Hebron to the Caves of the Machpela to “visit” the ancestors: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sarah, Rebecca, and Leah. Caleb the same letters that make the word K’LeiV like the heart, Caleb speaks passionately from the heart. Also the same letters KLV which means dog. A dog barks when something appears or smells wrong, or dangerous. Joshua represents leadership within the system, cool and thoughtful, and endorsed by the establishments: Moshe and the Talmudic Sages.  Caleb represents leadership outside the system, passionate, inspiring, and challenging the majority and a voice of dissent. The Talmudic Sages bring Joshua into the text because the Talmudic Sages understand that both types of leadership: Cool and Passionate, working within the system and a voice of dissent; both types of leadership are required depending upon the situation.
         For our daughter, as she graduates during a time when people have taken to the streets to express a desire for social justice while other leaders deal with the cold analysis of numbers and fighting a pandemic, we see both styles of leadership are vital. Whatever the style, both types of leadership require a desire for truth, a desire to improve make society better, and a desire to care for society’s most vulnerable. As our daughter begins the next phase of her life, we hope that she incorporates both types of leadership so that way she remains true to herself, her values and strives to make the part of the world that she touches a better place.

Peace,
Rav Yitz

The morning sun will rise, but the darkness never goes from some men's eyes. (John Barlow & Bob Weir- "Throwing Stones")

We attended two commencements this week, a middle school commencement and a High School commencement.  Grandparents attended as well as our eldest daughter in from Florida.  Yes, there was a lot of pride, and a realization of a “new normal”. Each graduation featured a similar comment regarding a need for the “graduates to be aware that the world is full of possibilities as well in need of some fixing.  When we talked to our graduates that the world might need some fixing, we immediately asked them if they had seen the pictures of children being taken from their immigrant parents along the Texas/Mexican border. We asked if they heard the White House Press Secretary refer to the Bible as the pre-text to justify a policy of separating children from parents as a deterrent from entering a land of freedom and opportunity.  As I watched my kids walk across the stage, to receive their diplomas; I thought about all the stages my wife and I walked across to receive our diplomas, diplomas from schools in the U.S. and Canada.  I thought about my Grandfather, a son of immigrants. As I watched our children, my grandfather’s words, one of his many mantras, haunted me. “Parents sacrifice so that the children, the next generation will do better”. I thought about my mother in law whose parents were among the last leave Germany, arriving in New York before Jews were turned away like the “Voyage of the Damned”. As our kids walked across the stage, I thought about all those parents just traveled 1500 miles fleeing the for their lives and their children’s lives seeking asylum,  only be refused entry and have their children taken from them in the process. 

This week we read from Parsha Chukkat. This Shabbat we read from Parsha Chukkat. Chukkat begins by telling us the Law for the Red Heifer. The Priest who prepares the mixture of water and the Red Heifers burnt ashes will render the entire nation spiritually pure; but the mixture will render him impure. A brief narrative concerning the death of Miriam, the lack of water and B’nai Yisroel’s resulting anxiety and lack of faith leads to the issuance of another test of faith in the Wilderness. Moshe and Aaron don’t know what to do; so God tells them: Kach et HaMateh v’Hakhaeil Et Ha’Edah Ata v’Aharon Achicha v’Dibartem El HaSela L’Eineihem V’Natan Meimav V’Hotzeitah Lahem Mayim Min HaSela V’Hishkita et HaEidah v’Et B’Iram – Hashem spoke to Moshe saying: Take the staff and gather together the assembly, you and Aaron your brother, and speak to the rock before their eyes that it shall give its waters. You shall bring forth for them water from the rock and give drink to the assembly and to their animals (Num. 20:8). Instead of following instructions, Moshe succumbed to his anger and hit the rock with his staff. Indeed water came out, the people drank, but Moshe and Aharon were punished. Aharon died and Moshe learned that he would not be able to enter into Eretz Canaan. As B’nai Yisroel resumes its wandering, they are attacked by Amalek. As a result, B’nai Yisroel is forced to go around the heart of Amalek territory. The people complain to Moshe again. They try to seek permission from the Sihon, the King of the Amorites, to pass through Amorite territory. Sihon denies permission and B’nai Yisroel attacks and eventually defeats the Amorites. Og King of Bashan tries to prevent B’nai Yisroel from marching through his land, B’nai Yisroel, with the help of Hashem, defeats King Og and his army.  The Parsha concludes with B’nai Yisroel settling on the Plains of Moab on the eastern side of the Jordan poised to enter into Canaan.

After the decree of the Law of the Red Heifer, the Torah begins a new narrative, a narrative about Miriam’s death, a lack of water, B’nai Yisroel’s complaint and God’s response. Rashi comments on the first Pasuk of Chapter 20.  Eidah Shaleim – the congregation is complete (whole). Sh’Kavar Meitu Metai Midbar, V’Ilu Parsho L’Chayim (Tanuchuma) – All those of the generation that left Egypt that was supposed to die have died in the wilderness, and all those who are alive at this point are supposed to enter into Eretz Canaan.  From this point on, the Torah records the final year of B’nai’ Yisroel’s time in the wilderness.  So 38 years have transpired from the first chapter of the Parsha to the second chapter of the Parsha. Yet in 38 years, a generation that didn’t really know slavery, which only knew that Hashem provided food and water, a generation that didn’t have do anything except learn Moshe’s Torah begin to sound like their parents and perhaps their grandparents. Yes, Moshe disobeys God by hitting the rock rather than talk to the rock. However, Moshe’s frustration might have been a result of the fact that he expected this generation to know better, to have more faith in Hashem, more trust in Hashem, more of sense of purpose in terms of its relationship with Hashem. Sadly, after thirty-eight years, our ancestors, this time, a generation born to freedom, still had work to do Vis a Vis its relationship to Hashem. Yes, they came a long way since their parents were slaves, but they still had a long way to go in terms of trust in Hashem, faith in Hashem, and a confidence that Hashem would not abandons his chosen people.

                Sadly, the White House Press Secretary is right.  The events transpiring along the U.S. Mexico border have a biblical sensibility about it. She thinks that the “enforcement of the law” defines the biblical nature of the treatment of these immigrants/refugees. A group of people fleeing a miserable place and seeking a “promised land” is indeed biblical. However, it is the behavior of Og and Sihon, denying entry of a people seeking a better life that is so troubling.  One would have thought after the dismal record of preventing Jews from entering with the outbreak of WWII and the detention of Japanese Americans, it would do better than that. Sadly, a nation that had once been a moral beacon is not an Eida Shalem (a Complete Congregation). Instead, it is incomplete and as such a darkness emanates from that moral beacon rather than light. Needless to say, at each graduation, my family has never sung the “Oh Canada” louder nor with as much pride.

Peace,

Rav Yitz

It Can Ring Like Fire When You Lose Your Way (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia - "Franklin's Tower")

The end of the school year culminates in commencement activities.  When I was a kid, the only graduation ceremonies that mattered were High School, College/University. If a person attended graduate school, depending upon the timing, graduation might not even have mattered since that person had started working.   Now the world is a bit different now. My sister called me, her voice a little weepy, and told me that her daughter graduated from Kindergarten and she was brought to tears. We attended our daughter’s graduation from 8^th grade. Yes, school now have graduation exercises for students completing 8^th grade. I don’t really consider completing 8^th grade to be a major accomplishment a particularly high academic benchmark. Admittedly, I even tried to downplay it as our daughter was going through the preparations for her commencement activities.  That being said, accomplishments should be recognized, and, as my wife pointed out, sometimes the accomplishment is not the flash of brilliance from a standardized test, or a final exam. Sometimes accomplishment should be measured in being able to navigate the everyday grind and the consistency demanded in order to succeed.

This week we read the third parsha from The Book of Numbers, Parsha Be’Halotcha. In the previous two parshiot: Bemidbar and Naso, B’nai Yisroel takes a census and prepares for its upcoming journey from Sinai to Eretz Canaan. This week, the final preparations are ordered and executed and the departure from Sinai begins. Aaron, Moshe’s brother and the Kohen Gadol, lights the lamp for the Mishkan, the entire Levite tribe is purified, offerings made and their service for maintenance of the Mishkan begins. Final instructions for observing Pesach under these new conditions, (they were not leaving Egypt anymore nor had they arrived in the land) were offered, including the case of coming into contact with the deceased and becoming spiritually impure. The narrative tells us the manner in which B’nai Yisroel traveled: sheltered by a cloud during the day, and protected by a pillar of fire at night. Then the complaining begins. They complain about the Mannah. They complain about the food. They complain about Moshe’s leadership. Moshe’s sister complains about his wife.

The first few verses, from which the Parsha gets its name Be’Halotcha seem rather disconnected from the rest of the narrative. Rather, these first few verses seem more connected to the previous parsha that discussed the various responsibilities of each Levi family and gifts brought by the twelve tribal princes. Left out of last week’s parsha is the specific role of Aaron and his family.  So Aaron is given the job to light the Menorah, the Neir Tamid, the eternal light, every day.  Visually, it appears that Aaron turns on the lights of the Mishkan, the mobile worship station that was central to B’nai Yisroel’s social organization and theological understanding. Imagine the boss arriving so early that he/she turns on the lights every morning. According to the Talmud in Menachot 88, Aaron didn’t just light the Menorah, he had to clean the seven lamps out every morning prior to lighting the lamps. He would have to lean it over to clean it and the stand the Menorah back up prior to lighting. Every morning, cleaning the lamp and lighting the lamp was the first activity.  So it is interesting to note the word that the Torah uses to describe this process. Normally, the Hebrew word for “kindling a light” or “lighting a lamp” is LeHadlik.  On Shabbat, and on Holidays, when candles are lit the blessing uses the word Le’Hadlik Neir – kindling the lights. So why does the Torah use Be’Halotcha – literally “when you raise the lamps”? The Or HaChaim, the 18^th century Moroccan commentator, explains that the process of removing the lamps, cleaning them out, re-assembling the lamps upon the main stem, putting the lamp back to an upright position and finally lighting it is tantamount to building a new Menorah every day.  Six branches three on either side of the main trunk bent toward the middle flame were lit everyday reminding Aaron and all who entered into the Mishkan that there was one source of spiritual light. Perhaps that entire process, the awareness which occurred on an everyday basis, was much more than must striking a match and lighting a wick. Instead Aaron became aware that everything he did on a daily basis was really about elevating his soul.

Yes, our daughter graduated from 8^th grade this week. No we don’t think that “graduating” from 8^th grade is a particularly high academic benchmark. Sometimes she wasn’t exactly keen to wake up and go to school, and sometimes the educational process was not altogether so intellectually inspiring. However, there were moments, more often than not, where we saw our daughter’s intellect light up and she was looked forward to learning and studying. There were moments that we witnessed the ripening of an intellect being prepared for the rigors of high school and eventually, university. Perhaps most importantly, we watched our daughter become aware that every day presents an opportunity to learn, to become intellectually stimulated and engaged.  On Friday nights, sitting at the Shabbat table, when we have time to hear excitement about what she learned during the past week, we understand that over the course of a year, something more than just a kindling an intellectual light occurred. Instead we appreciate that the process has elevated her. Hopefully she appreciates the fact that she can elevate her mind everyday like lamps in the Menorah.

Peace,

Rav Yitz

One Step Done and Another Begun (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia - "New Speedway Boogie)

Our children finally completed the school year. Our 13 year old daughter just graduated from 8^th grade. All week, we have been purchasing clothing, toiletries and sundry camp items in order to get our three adolescent children packed and ready for camp. For the past week our 13 year old has been studying for a few final exams and focusing on a strong academic finish. When we have offered to help her to label clothing and help her pack for camp, well let’s just say she had difficulty focusing upon both preparing for final exams and packing.  Needless to say, the final 24-36 hours prior to her departure for camp, was filled with high drama and tension because she insisted that she knew what was required in order to pack for camp, she insisted that she knew how to label and pack for camp, and that she did not want any help.  While I thought that this growing sense of independence was commendable, I just about blew a gasket when I would see her watching something stupid on TV or wasting time on the computer instead of focusing upon the task at hand. Yes, our daughter might have graduated from 8^th grade, but she just starting the process of growing up. She has a long way to go. Yet, she has taken a first step.

This Shabbat we read from Parsha Chukkat. God gives Moshe the Law of the Red Heifer. Miriam dies. The well that provided water for Bnai Yisroel due to her merit, dried up. Moshe and Aharon have the unfortunate incident of asking God for water, striking the rock rather than speaking to the rock and then are told that neither will enter into Eretz Canaan. The people get water. Bnai Yisroel fights Edom and wins. Aharon dies, and his son replaces him as Kohen Gadol. Amalek attacks and Bnai Yisroel fights back and wins. Bnai Yisroel complains about the fact that they have to take another detour and food seems scarce. God gets angry and punishes them with fiery serpents. Bnai Yisroel pleads for forgiveness. They travel some more and arrive at the border of the Amorites and the Moabites.  Bnai Yisroel asks Sihon, Amorite King, permission to pass through his land. He refuses and instead chooses to fight Bnai Yisroel. Bnai Yisroel fights and beats King Sihon and his Amorite army.  The parsha concludes with Bnai Yisroel encamped on the Plains of Moab on the eastern side of the Jordan River opposite Jericho. 

Yes, a lot things occur in this Parsha, however it is important to realize that nearly 38 years passed between the start of the Parsha, and the conclusion of the Parsha.  Somewhere in the Parsha, those born in the wilderness, or those that were very young at the time of Yetziat Mitzrayim, reached adulthood, they developed physically, they developed emotionally, and they developed spiritually. This generation’s growth and development spiritually is not a straight line gradually going up at a 20 degree angle. There are stops and starts, there are moments of growth, there are moments of regression and there are moment of plateauing.  Yet it is Parsha Chukkat which contains within it a transition of nearly forty years, a period of time in which a generation grew up.  However there is one small narrative that occurs which serves as the first indication that this generation is growing up, graduating. No it is not too terribly a large accomplishment but it is the first step.  Miriam had died, the incident with the water and the rock had occurred. Clearly there was a transition of leadership that was in process. Aharon just died and his son Elazar had just been anointed Kohen Gadol.  Bnai Yisroel weeps and mourns for Aharon.  Then the Canaanite king of Arad attacks Israel and takes a captive. At this point we are told that Vayidar Yisroel Neder L’Adoshem, VaYomer Im Noton Titen Et Ha’Am HaZeh B’Yadi, VHaChaRaMti Et Areihem – If You will deliver this people into my hand, I will consecrate their cities.” (Num21:2)  God listens, and delivers the enemy into Israel’s hand. Israel consecrates the cities to God.  There is no complaining. There is no whining. There is only an expression of faith during an anxious moment, and “if, then” vow. For the first time, Bnai Yisroel acts as one people, hence the use of the singular rather than the plural. For the first time, Bnai Yisroel appeals to God directly. For the first time, Bnai Yisroel doesn’t expect something for nothing, rather they are willing to do something in return - VHaChaRaMti et Areihem, I will consecrate their cities. Certainly, they still have some spiritual growing up to do, but this was their first step towards being a people of spiritual maturity and faith.

               

An 8^th graduation is not a very big deal as far as graduations go. As parents our “graduation bar” has been set a little higher: graduation from college/university, and hopefully graduate school.  However, as our daughter walked across the stage to receive her “diploma”, I smiled proudly knowing that I just saw her take her first steps towards intellectual maturity and emotional maturity. Yes there will be some regression; there will be stops and starts, and perhaps resting upon a plateau or two.  However, both she and I understood the significance of the small and seemingly insignificant first step. She understood that she took the smallest steps towards independence and growing up.  

Peace,

Rav Yitz