What Truth Is Proof Against All Lies ( Gerrit Graham & Bob Weir - Victim Or The Crime)

          It was an especially bittersweet week this week. It was my grandfather’s yartzeit this week. It is also our son’s Bar Mitzvah Parsha. I found myself gazing just a little bit longer at my grandfather's pictures in our house. One picture, in particular, kept catching my I and I found myself gazing at it just a bit longer. The picture was taken during my sister’s wedding. It is a picture of my grandfather and his legacy: his son, grandson, and great-grandson. The three adults, my grandfather, father and I are standing shoulders straight across, but my son is situated between his grandfather and great-grandfather. The picture embodies the dual loyalty that we were all raised with, a dual loyalty that was never at odds with each other, a dual loyalty that was never contradicted each other, the sanctity of the American Dream and the sanctity of transmitting the values of Torah and Judaism to the next generation. My grandfather a member of what Tom Brokaw referred to as “The Greatest Generation”, grew up at a time when Jewish loyalty was always questioned. My grandfather was drafted and quietly served his country during the War. He dutifully paid his taxes claiming that it was a privilege to help support democracy. He also believed that paying taxes indicated if one “had a good year or a bad year”. Yet, as American as he was, his soul was distinctly Jewish. His love for America, his love for democracy, his powerful belief in the “American Dream”, his faith that tomorrow will be better than today were all informed by his Judaism, and Jewish Values. Never did he think or behave as if these dual loyalties conflicted with each other. If anyone ever questioned his “dual loyalty”: his love of country and his loyalty to Judaism, then he regarded that person with suspicion and disdain. 

          This week's Parsha is Re'eh. Moshe continues his discourse. He has already explained the Mitzvot, and he continues to do that. Moshe has alluded to the blessings of life if B'nai Yisroel follows God's commandments. He has and continues to allude to the curses that will befall B'nai Yisroel if they violate the most important commandment-idolatry. Moshe presents B'nai Yisroel with two pictures, a world when B'nai Yisroel lives up to its covenant with God and one in which they don't. He reminds Bnai Yisroel of the sanctity of Eretz Yisroel (the Land of Israel), the consumption of foods that are consecrated to the Kohanim and he warns Bnai Yisroel to avoid imitating the Rituals and Rites of the Egyptians and the Canaanites. Moshe reminds Bnai Yisroel to be careful of false prophets, avoiding non-kosher foods, not living in wayward cities, forgiving loans after seven years, caring for the less fortunate and celebrating the three pilgrimage festivals of Pesach, Shavuot, and Sukkot.

          Moshe’s dire warning concerning false prophets and listening to family members that follow false prophets is quite peculiar. First, the false prophet and dreamer come from among B’nai Yisroel. Second, Moshe presents the warning in an “if” then statement. Ki Yakum B’Kirbecha Navi O Chalom - If there should stand up in your midst a prophet or dreamer, and he will produce a sign or a wonder… (Deut. 13:2). The “then” part of the statement is straightforward and simple. “Lo TIshma” - Don’t listen, even if the prophecy or the sign and wonder comes true and apparently supporting the false prophet and dreamer. Moshe tells us to ignore the sign and the wonder, then Moshe continues by telling us that the false prophet is really God testing us, testing our loyalty and the integrity of our relationship with God. Moshe tells us what to do with the false prophet and the dreamer but there doesn’t appear to be any punishment for following the false prophet. Why are no punishments presented? Why would we ignore the “miracle” the sign and wonder? The false prophet and dreamer must be telling us something that we want to hear rather than what we need to hear. The false prophet must be telling us something that is easily demonstrable and provable yet, fails to appeal to the “holiness’ of our relationship with God. Rather, the false prophet and dreamer appeals to our ‘human nature’, our natural instincts. God, Torah, and the covenant always appeal to our godly and spiritual instincts. Moshe reminds us to help the stranger, help the poor, don’t behave like the dominant culture, not to “press” a borrower if they have difficulty repaying, and ignoring those in authority if they to convince you to do what you know is wrong, even if it makes us feel better. Moshe reminds the B’nai Yisroel that the punishment for disloyalty, for following the false prophet and the dreamer, is to end up like the rest of the nations that used to inhabit Canaan. The punishment for B’nai Yisroel’s failure is to lose the land. 

 
          My grandfather was a salesman. Maybe he intuitively knew when someone was trying to “sell” him. As a result, he knew when to ignore and he knew not to listen. He knew to be suspicious when someone expressed moral relativism. He knew to be suspicious when someone claimed easy answers to complex problems, He knew to be suspicious when someone told him not to trust his moral code and his value system. He knew never to trust a corrupt person and he was always wary of those who were only concerned with obtaining and retaining power. His loyalty was to his family, his moral code, and a deep and abiding sense of right and wrong as well as being intellectually honest enough to see the grey and complexity in life. So as we commemorated my grandfather’s Yartzeit and recalled our son’s Bar Mitzvah, we are reminded that the lessons that my grandfather imparted to me, I am obligated to impart to our son.

Peace,
Rav Yitz

No Matter What Comes Down, The Mission Always Looks The Same (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia -"Mission In The Rain")

Our 15 year old daughter will be going to New Jersey to spend the conclusion of the Sukkot Festival: Shemini Atseret and Simchat  Torah with her “camp friends”. For the past couple of weeks we have been searching for a way to get her to New Jersey: plane, train, bus, a car ride with friends who are heading to New York. We couldn’t find anything then satisfied our concern for time, cost, or safety. Then we found out that the grandparents are heading to New York.  Well actually Grandpa is driving down to New York City. Grandma is already there but she will drive back with grandpa. In any case, we hit the transportation jackpot. Our fifteen year old had a ride! I just had to get her to Rochester and then Grandpa would do the rest of the driving. Mom and Dad were happy because it’s cheaper, it’s safer, and the schedule is more convenient. Grandpa is happy because he has a captive audience for six hours so he can transmit knowledge, share his wisdom and ruminate on human nature, and his granddaughter’s future. Grandma was happy because she would have time with her granddaughter on the return ride from New York City/New Jersey. The only one with any concern and trepidation was our fifteen year old. She would be locked in a car for six hours with my father (Grandpa), forced to listen to the same lectures that I had to listen to when I was about her age, with no choice but to listen.

This Shabbat is known as Shabbat Chol HaMoed Sukkot. It is the Shabbat that falls during the 7 day Festival of Sukkot. As a result we do not read the regular Torah Reading. Instead, we read of the narrative when Moshe re- ascended the mountain a second time in order to receive the second set of Tablets. As part of the Festival, we recite Hallel which is a series of psalms praising God and state our joy in being part of the Brit, part of the covenant with God. Also, because it is a festival, we read one of Five Megillot taken from the Ketuvim – the Book of Writings. On Shabbat Chol Ha Moed Sukkot, we read Kohelet, the Book of Ecclesiastes.  Jewish tradition ascribes the twelve chapter scroll to Shlomo HaMelech – King Solomon.  This wisdom literature is written from the perspective of an elderly man who has seen it all, and experienced it all. – Ein Kol Chadash Tachat HaShemesh – There is nothing new under the sun! Kohelet – The Preacher speaks with brutal and harsh honesty.. In what is perhaps the most famous few verses, the Preacher tells us that life is full of ups and downs, good times and difficult times. L’Kol Zman V’Eit L’Chol Chafetz Tachat HaShamayim – Everything has its season, and there is a time for everything under heaven: A time to be born and a time to die…..That may not sound so inspiring.  Yet our job is to live our lives according to a set of rules. The result may be good or it may be bad, but God will be the judge of that. All we can do is play according to the rules as we make our way through life and contend with the obstacles presented.

          Somewhere on the New York State Thruway or on I81 South, my father will give her the Kohelet lecture. After all it’s a seasonal thing for him. Our daughter will look around, wondering if she should put her earbuds in and listen to her music or pay attention.  Her grandfather will look in the rearview mirror and make a comment and his granddaughter will smile and the lecture will resume. He will talk, she will listen. She will ask questions, and he will give answers. I can all but guarantee he will have flashbacks to having these conversations about life, relationships and responsibility with his eldest granddaughter, with his daughter, and with me. He will probably even wistfully smile, thankful, that as he approaches another birthday, he has had this opportunity to bond with this granddaughter. While he is talking I am sure he will also try to figure out he will have a similar opportunity with our 13 year daughter and our 11 year old son. Like Kohelet concluded by reminding the younger generation that after all is said and done, Sof Davar HaKol Nishmah et HaElohim Yrah v’Et Mitzvotav SHmor ki Zeh Kol HaAdam- Fear God and keep his Commandments, for that is man’s whole duty, Ki et Kol Maaseh Ha’Elohim Yavoh V'Mishpat – For God will judge every deed…; my father will remind his granddaughter that if she follows his advice, she will be able to handle life’s obstacles and remain positive and happy.

Peace,

Rav Yitz

See Here How Everything Lead Up To This Day (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia - "Black Peter")

          Our family received some sad news this week. My 98 year old grandfather, suffering from severe dementia over the last several years of his life, passed away peacefully and quietly today.  For these past few years, when I have visited him, I tried to see past this shell of a man and instead focus upon the spirit, the essence of this man that was not only my grandfather but “father once –removed”.  Among the powerful memories I have of my grandfather occurred on a golf course. My father, my grandfather and I went out on a Sunday afternoon in August. After a particularly crummy tee shot, I muttered something about my swing, about my shot lying in the rough and that I was playing as badly as my then 85 year old grandfather.  Of course if I was 85 I would be happy with the result, however at 36, I had hoped to have been somewhat more competent. In any case, when I finished muttering and getting into the cart next to my grandfather, he looked at me and said “You know, you do have a choice. You can stay upset about your crummy tee shot,  which means that you will miss out this gorgeous day and the blessing you are experiencing by playing a round of golf with your dad and your grandfather, or you can let go of the crummy golf shot and appreciate the blessing you are experiencing by playing a round of golf with your father and grandfather.~ I asked him which would he do. Without hesitating he said he has put many crummy golf shots out of his mind and celebrated the moment he was blessed to experience.  He added that he never had regret about any decision he made since he always was able to see the blessing. Finally he added that he is so blessed that he could die tomorrow at peace with no regrets. Well, it is thirteen years later, my grandfather died at peace, peace with himself, his choices, and the life he led. As a result he was always able to appreciate life's blessings.

          This week’s Parsha is Re'eh. In the first few Parshiot of Sefer Devarim, Moshe offered B'nai Yisroel a history lesson. In Parsha Re'eh, Moshe Rabeinu shifts his focus away from the history lesson and concentrates on reminding this generation of their sacred task upon entry into the land. This sacred task is highlighted by observing Hashem’s Mitzvot. These Mitzvot are wide ranging: including dietary restrictions, offerings, Pilgrimage Festivals, False prophet, leading people astray and away from Mitzvot, how to deal with a city or a community that fails to observe these Mitzvot, as well as the sanctity of Eretz Canaan. Moshe also reminds them that following Mitzvot will result in blessings and close proximity to God. Failure to observe the Mitzvot will result in a curse and a growing distance from God .

          The genius of Moshe Rabeinu was the way he presented the plea to observe Mitzvot. He presented his case in the form of a choice. Re’eh, See Anochi Notein Lifneichem HaYom Bracha U’Klala – I present before you today a blessing and a curse. Implied in this statement is that Moshe is giving the people a choice. The only command is to Look, to see what choices exist and to be thoughtful, responsible and wise enough to make a choice. Clearly one choice will carry a vast amount of regret and one choice will carry a sense of accomplishment and a purposeful life. Also, Moshe seems to be demonstrating that the Mitzvot, contains, within in it, a degree of empirical data. Malbim,19^th century Russian Rabbi who served as chief Rabbi in Bucharest, explains that the blessing are there for all to see because those who observe have a spiritual fulfillment and meaning within their lives.  From Moshe’s perspective, this choice is not really a choice because a rational person would want a life that had meaning and purpose. 

          My grandfather was not a particularly observant man. However he understood  that if life was purposeful, if life was meaningful, then that life is indeed blessed. For my grandfather,  choosing a life without meaning and without purpose  is not logical and it certainly would not create an environment that allows for the next generation to succeed.  Rather, the more meaning one could find within life, meant the more blessing one would find as well. Needless to say not only did my grandfather have a meaningful and purposeful life with no regrets, he intuitively understood that he would be able to find and appreciate the numerous blessing of life. VaYitzror Bitzror HaChayim et Nishmato, May his soul be bound up in the bond of life.

Peace,

Rav Yitz