Lord There Opened Up A Hole So Big, He Thought His Time Was Up (Rodney Crowell- "California Earthquake")

           I was reading the Times of Israel and the Jerusalem Post this week. I was getting more and more aggravated. Our son asked me what I was reading that caused me to become so upset. In an attempt to cheer me up, he even joked that the last time he saw me this upset was after the U.S. elections occurred when Trump and his minions spent every day until the inauguration screaming about “a stolen election” “the deep state”, and “and one of biggest conspiracies of all time”.  Of course all his and his minions’ hate, vitriol, lying,  race-baiting and conspiring, led traitorous right-wing, fascist, white supremacist organizations to riot at the United States Capitol.   Amid all the Israel bashing, amid all the Antisemitism and all the Jewish organizations screaming “anti-semitism” at various pop cultural influencers, and various political leaders, and Palestinian leaders, I am shocked at how quiet that same Jewish world has been with the vitriolic, poisonous rhetoric of Bibi Netanyahu, his followers, certain right-wing Orthodox Rabbis. Ever since a coalition was cobbled together to form 61 seats, a coalition that includes Right Wing Nationalists, Secularist, and Islamists, Bibi and his followers have cried out that the “deep state” is the cause of this illegal coalition, the “election was stolen”,  The head of the Shin Bet has warned that such provocative language served as motivation 26 years ago when a lone, ultranationalist gunman assassinated Yitzchak Rabin. The rhetoric then and now is remarkably the same. This coalition was successfully cobbled together after Netanyu was asked and failed to form a 61 seat coalition. Why the vitriolic poisonous rhetoric that claims this coalition is doing to destroy Israel? That’s easy, the right-wing Orthodox parties and rabbis are not part of the coalition. They backed Bibi. So now, they, along with their idol, Netanyahu, have been trying to scorch the earth, creating irreparable harm to Israel’s most noble experiment, a Jewish Democracy.  

          This week we read from Parsha Korach.  Korach was a relative of Moshe's. They both came from the tribe of Levi. Korach questioned Moshe, and soon Korach was leading a rebellion against 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 swallowed them up. However, God is angry and a plague falls upon the people. However, B'nei Yisroel doesn't speak out against Korach. They don't "call him out". They are passive and because of their passivity, they are punished.  Yet the people are still not convinced that Moshe and Aharon should remain in charge, only that Korach was unworthy. So a second divine test is administered this time with 12 rods stuck in the ground and almond branches resulting in Aaron’s staff, thus symbolizing that God has chosen Aharon to be the Kohen Gadol.  The Parsha concludes with God speaking to Aharon and re-iterating his obligations in terms of the Mishkan, the Altar, and the Tent of the Meeting.

          The Torah portion begins rather innocuously, much like many rebellions. VaYikach Korach ben Yitzhar Ben Kahat ben Levi v’ Datan V’Aviram B’nai Eliav V’On ben Pelet Bnai Reuven – Korach son of Itzhar son of Kohath son of Levi took Datan and Aviram.  Korach “took” these men? Where did he “take” them? Rashi, the 11th-century French commentator, offers an explanation based upon the Midrash Tanchuma (a fifth-century compilation of rabbinic commentary). Rashi points out that VaYiKach he took - suggests that there should be a direct object. Since there is no direct object, Lakach Et Atzmo LTzad Echod – he [Korach] took himself off to one side or separated himself from the rest of the Leviim. By definition, a rebellion is a means of separating oneself from authority or from accepted norms. No, Korach wasn’t debating policy. Korach was questioning Moshe’s legitimacy as the leader. In a sense, Korach was questioning God’s authority. Korach was challenging God by asking, “why was Moshe chosen and not me?” Perhaps even more troubling than that question raises a crisis of faith.  “Who is God, that God should appoint a leader over us? Shouldn’t the people choose their own leader?”. Korach didn’t question Moshe’s authority in a private meeting between individuals. Rather, Korach gathered 250 supporters, and then publicly challenged Moshe. The public questioning, the tone, the vitriol eventually led to a rebellion and people died. Korach's rebellion against Moshe was not an attempt to create a better, more efficient form of governance. Instead, Korach's rebellion was an attempt to elevate his own stature, authority, and power. He gathered leaders from other tribes, tribes that were geographically near him that heard his complaints. He didn’t have the support of other Leviim.  Korach was the first great “disruptor”, challenging Moshe’s authority and the institutions that he helped to establish in order to keep B’nai Yisroel safe from all those threatening societies.  

So when will I be able to read the news out of Israel without angst, concern, and muttering under my breath? On June 14th,  the Knesset is scheduled to vote to approve of this new coalition and this noble and sacred experiment in Democracy.  Until then, another outgoing leader will scream, yell and spew the same poisonous vitriol, rhetoric, and winking and nodding to right-wing extremists as a  former  U.S. President. I explained to my son that in the meantime, while Israel and the world wait for the new coalition to actually assume its rightful place as the new government, it would be nice if those same Jewish organizations that call out the Anti-Semitism and Anti Zionism  call out the poisonous rhetoric, the hateful vitriol of Netanyahu and his extreme supporters before Jews turn on Jew. The Shin Bet has warned us that the political and religious environment is growing frighteningly similar to 26 years ago. The rhetoric and the words of the extreme right-wing Rabbinic community grow increasingly intolerant, self-righteous, and demonizing of fellow Jews. My son reminded me that the irony and the tragedy of  Netanyahu and his religious supporters is that they should know better since they are all too familiar with this “scorched earth” strategy, and the deadly rebellion of Korach.

Peace,
Rav Yitz

Now The Shore-Lights Beckon, Yeah There's A Price For Being Free ( John Barlow & Bob Weir - "Lost Sailor")

          The Middle East was a busy place this week. Israel celebrated its 70^thyear of being an independent country. Palestinians marked the day with what is known as Nakba – The Catastrophe. The leader of nearby Syria, Bashir Al Assad used chemical weapons upon his own people yet again.  England, France and the United States, despite Russian pressure to ignore Assad’s use of chemical weapons, bombed several sights as a warning that the West would not tolerate a dictator’s use of chemical weapons upon his own people. As our children watched the news, read the Tweets, I was asked why a leader would want to kill his/her own people, let alone kill them with an illegal weapon. For them, this was the first time that they paid attention enough to follow the news and ask the question. I reminded them that this was not the first time, and sadly it won’t be the last. In a recent speech to the European Parliament warned of the rising fascism with “antidemocratic and illiberal ideas, the deadly tendency which might lead our continent to the abyss, nationalism, giving up of freedom.” (NY Times Editorial Board April 18,2018). Macron didn’t mention anyone nor any country by name: not Hungary, not Poland, not Russia, not Turkey, nor any leader enthralled with strong armed dictators nor the populist movement that these types of leaders claim to represent. What seemed so fascinating was the way Macron spoke about it, an impurity that infects the soul of individuals, leaders and nations.

This week we combine two Parshiot: Tazriah and Metzorah. God tells Moshe the laws of purity and impurity as it relates to birth. God instructs Moshe about the appropriate korbanot (sacrifices) that a mother should make as she re-enters the camp. God also instructs Moshe about Tza'arat, or for lack of a good translation; leprosy. Throughout the rest of Tazria and Metzora, we are told all about Tzaarat. We are told what it is. We are told how it is diagnosed. We are told how it is treated. We are told how it spreads. We are told what to do in case it spreads. Basically, Tazriah is a type of Tza'arat, a type of skin ailment which is commonly thought of as leprosy. However this skin ailment is not treated by the resident dermatologist. Even if they had dermatologists in the Torah, we would not bring someone suffering from Tazriah to the dermatologists. Why? The skin ailment was not a symptom of any type of physical malady. Since the person with the skin ailment appears before the Priest, the Kohen, we know that the skin condition must be spiritual malady and not a physical one. Adam Ki Yiheyeh V'Or B'Saro S'Eit O Sapachat O Va'Heret V'Hayah V; Or B'Saroh L'Negah Tzara'at V'Huvah El Aharon H'Kohen O el Achad Mi'Banav Ha'Kohanim- If a person will have on the sin of his flesh a swelling, a rash, or a discoloration and it will become a scaly affliction on the skin of his flesh; he shall be brought to Aaron the Kohen, or to one of his sons the Kohanim(Lev. 13:2-3). The rest of the Parsha teaches us the appropriate protocol for treatment. The Kohen checks again to determine if that person has become ritually impure. If so, they must be sent out of the camp in order to avoid the risk of the skin ailment spreading to others. The quarantine would last for seven days. Afterwards, the Priest would check again, if there was no contamination the person was brought back into the camp, However if the contamination remained, then the quarantine would continue for another seven days. Then the process would begin all over again. We also learn that if this contamination spread to the clothes or vessels; then everything would be burned and destroyed.

In the Talmudic Tractate of Arichin, which primarily focuses upon the laws of valuations; we learn that the skin ailment is a punishment for the sins of bloodshed, false oaths, sexual immorality, pride, robbery, and selfishness (Arichin 16a). All of these physical occurrences are accompanied by a spiritual component. These occurrences all demonstrate the offender's failure to empathize with the needs of others. It is fascinating to think that in an ideal community, we are not only concerned with our own well-being. We should also be concerned about others as well. Our failure to do so leads to a spiritual sickness including: petty jealousy, alienation, and a further erosion of community and society. All of which diminish the holiness within the individual and the holiness within the community. By removing the contaminated offender from the community two positive results occur. First the welfare, integrity and holiness of the community is spared from spiritual sickness. This is the primary concern since we fear that God will cease dwelling in a community that becomes spiritually sickened or spiritually dysfunctional. The second positive result is that the contaminated offender has experienced the isolation and concern from others. This is exactly what he/she wrought upon the community with such behavior.

            Certainly we can understand that power be a source of impurity. When leaders and their political parties focus so much on obtaining power and do everything possible to remain in power; leaders, political parties, and a society’s values become corrupt. That corruption leads to cynicism which eventually destroys the purpose of power: a tool, a mechanism to help those who need help, bring relief to those in need, and bring those who are alienated and in the dark back into the light.  The Torah reminds us that our spiritual shortcomings can also affect our physical well-being.  Our psychological well-being, our spiritual well-being, and our physical well-being, according to Tazriah/Metzorah must reflect life. Just as important, we need to have life affirming rituals that we can engage in when we are confronted with things that threat our life affirming existence. Each act of kindness reaffirms the idea that freedom and democracy are the only viable means by which one can to strive towards Kedushah (holiness) and Chesed (kindness).

Peace,

Rav Yitz

And The Politicians Throwing Stones; So The Kids, They Dance, They Shake Their Bones (John Barlow & Bob Weir - "Throwing Stones"

          Last weekend, while our son was reading Torah and chanting Haftarah in a shul in Efrat, while Neo Nazis had already marched and the world was waiting for the President to denounce the Neo Nazis, and while Israel waited three days  for Prime Minister Netanyahu to denounce the Neo Nazis; a story of corruption has been plaguing Prime Minister Netanyahu.  In fact four cases of corruption have been raised including the acceptance of gifts, illegal purchases of submarines and negotiating with an Israeli newspaper to insure positive coverage. Being here in Israel, there is weariness when it comes to Netanyahu. Nowhere was this more evident than last Shabbat lunch.  Two friends of ours, one political liberal from Tel Aviv and one political conservative from Efrat were arguing politics as all Israelis do. However as much as they disagreed about solving the Palestinian –Israeli conflict, both agreed that Netanyahu was not part of the solution. Why? The perception is that Netanyahu is only concerned about Netanyahu and remaining in power.

                This week, we read from Parsha Shoftim. Moshe has completed his lecture on the values of monotheism and covenant. Now he begins telling B'nai Yisroel all the nitty gritty details of living a Jewish life within this community. What a downer! B’nai Yisroel is inspired and ready to enter into Eretz Canaan and begin living the life in the land that God had promised their ancestors. They are now ready to begin fulfilling the dream that allowed them to survive centuries of slavery. So what does Moshe Rabeinu do? He brings them crashing back to reality. Now they will listen and understand laws concerning war, punishments for idolatry, choosing a king, jurisprudence, priestly entitlements and unsolved murders. Moshe gives B’nai Yisroel a healthy dose of reality by supplying all the details required to uphold the Covenant.

            Implicit in Moshe’s lecture, implicit in a society, any society for that matter, is the role of justice. Justice provides a check and balance to corruption. However the concept itself let alone the reality of it can also become corrupt and perverse. Hence it is not enough for Moshe to tell us Shoftim v’Shotrim Titen Lecha  Sh’Arecha Asher Adoshem Elokecha Notein Lecha Lishvatecha  V’Shaftu et Ha’Am Mishpat Tzedek – Judges and officers shall you appoint in all your cities- which Hashem, Your God, gives you -  for your tribes; and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment. Moshe must explain what “righteous judgment” means, its foundation for a civilized society, its difficulty to maintain, and the brutal honesty required. Lo Tateh Mishpat – You shall not pervert judgment, Lo Takir Panim – you shall not recognize a person’s presence, V’Lo Tikach Shochad Ki HaShochad Ye’Averi Einei Chachamim Visaleif Divrei Tzadikkim – and you shall not accept a bribe, for the bribe will blind the eyes of the wise and make just words crooked (Deut 16:18-19).

            Justice, as we have learned, is supposed to be blind. Whether poor or wealthy, whether blue collar crime or white collar crime, justice is supposed be oblivious to our tendency to automatically side with the downtrodden or the wealthy and privileged person. Why? Because corruption is blind as well. The poor can be corrupt and so can the wealthy. Corruption knows no barriers to color, religion, gender or nationality. The only barrier to corruption is our own individual constitution and desire to Tzedek Tzedek Tirdof – Righteousness Righteousness shall you follow (Deut. 16:20). For Bnai Yisroel and for the Jewish people, our sense of Justice comes from Torah, these laws and the fact that justice must remain utterly pure without a blemish. Later on in the Parsha we are taught that a king, the one person who must wield justice, must write two Sifrei Torah. One he carries one he keep pristine and locked away only to be used to check against the “everyday Torah”.

            No, the corruption charges that Netanyahu faces don’t appear to be going away. Yes, the corruption charges have diminished the effectiveness by which Netanyahu governs. Yes it’s frustrating to listen to our son the Bar Mitzvah, shake his head and wonder aloud about moral leadership, and the importance of service when a leadership is more worried about self promotion,  enriching his own wallet, and working outside the democratic process. However even more troubling, as we have seen Israel, and spent time with close friends who have made Aliyah, is to hear our son’s concern and disillusionment when he says that he didn’t think that a country built upon Torah would have leaders that were corrupt, just like leaders in other countries. All I can tell him is that whether a society is built upon Torah or not; power can corrupt.

                                                                                      

Peace,

Rav Yitz