No More Time To Tell How; This Is The Season Of What; Now Is The Time Of Returning (Robert Hunter & Phil Lesh - "The Eleven")

There are two refrains that I hear quite often as summer draws to an end and the school year appear imminently on the horizon. “The Holidays are early this year!” or “The Holidays are late this year!” Usually, my response is to remind the individual that Rosh Hashanah always begins on time – the first of Tishrei.  Late last week, during a phone conversation with our eldest daughter, we were discussing schedules, holidays and opportunities to see each other.  She explained to me that in a typical campaign year, her busy season begins after Labour Day. By October, she is usually in high gear up until elections, which normally occur on the first Tuesday of November. In the year before a Presidential Election, she becomes very busy as the fall progresses into winter and State Primaries and Caucuses begin in February throughout the rest of the winter and into the spring. She explained that the earlier the Jewish Holiday, meaning as close to Labour Day as possible, the more convenient. This year she complained because the Holidays occur during the first 3 weeks in October when her office working at a top speed nearly 18 hour days 7 days/week. That pace will continue until the end of November and take a few days for the U.S. Thanksgiving and then resume once again.

This week’s Parsha is the Parsha Nitzavim. According to the Aggadah, this the recounting of Moshe Rabeinu’s last day of life. Unafraid of his imminent death, he gathers his family: Rosheichem, Shivteichem, Zikneichem, v’Shotreichem, Kol Ish Yisroel, Topchem N’Sheichem V’Geircha Asher B’Kerev Machanecha Meichotev Eitzecha Ad Sho’eiv Meimecha – The heads of your tribes, your elders, and your officers, all the men of Yisroel; your children, your women, and the stranger who is in the midst of our camp, from the woodchopper to the one who draws water (Deut. 29:9-10). Moshe imparts his last vestiges of wisdom to his children, his people. Moshe wants to make sure that everything is in order when he dies and Joshua takes over. Moshe truly has been blessed. He has had the blessing of old age, and here God has granted him the gift of saying goodbye, in perhaps the most wonderful fashion. God has commanded Moshe to say his goodbyes and impart the final vestiges of wisdom.             

As the text ties up the “loose knots”, as Moshe makes the final preparations for his death; there seems to be a foreboding sense that Moshe’s final moments may not be so pleasant and peaceful and the future of the people may not be so bright after all.  Moshe says a lot of rather discouraging things on his “deathbed”.  He explains that later generations will fail to heed the Torah and they will be exiled. He explains that sad things will happen. He explains that bad things will happen.  Moshe does not offer some saccharine type of hope that suggests not worrying and everything will be OK. Rather Moshe offers a type of hope that empowers each and every individual, empowers each and every generation and, just as importantly Moshe tells them the secret to survival. HaMitzvah HaZot Asher Anochi M’Tzavcha HaYom For this commandment that I command you today Lo Nifleit Hee Mimcha It is not hidden from you V’Lo Rechoka Hee and it is not distant. Lo Bashamayim Hee It is not in the heavens… Ki Karov Eilecha HaDavar Me’od B’Ficha U’Vilvavcha La’Asoto  Rather the matter (the word) is very near to you – in your mouth and your heart – perform it (Deut. 30:11-14). Moshe secret was that Torah is not inaccessible. Anyone can do it. You just have to learn it and then do it. Moshe reminded those who were listening that his words, his teachings are not beyond anyone’s capacity.  Sforno, the great Renaissance Rabbi and Commentator, explains that Teshuva, repentance, and Torah is within the individual’s and the community’s capacity; there is no need for a prophet to bring heavenly messages if the community behaves the way it is supposed to behave. The community only needs someone to teach the community what to do and how to do it. Then the community will be informed enough as to how to behave appropriately. Moshe taught them that Torah was portable. It could go anywhere in the world as long as there was someone to learn it and teach it. 

As we spoke, she acknowledged that Jewishly speaking, she understands that the Jewish Holidays are always on time. I validated her and acknowledge the chaos that is her professional life during a presidential campaign.  I reminded her that not only are the holidays on time but they can never be too late because Torah is on time and it is never too late to “to observe and learn Torah”. Torah is always around and available. Amid this chaos, we understand the Torah is close by. Although I could hear her eyes rolling at me over the phone and she patronizingly and lovingly said, “Yes, Dad”; I gently reminded her that amid this chaos we are given the opportunity to continue learning, to spiritually prepare for holidays and participate in the Holidays. Again, I heard her say “Yes, Dad”, but this time she added that she knew of several minyanim nearby and will make plans with friends.   As chaotic as it seems, Moshe’s re-assuring words that the Torah is designed to be accessible to everyone, everywhere and all times, suggests something even more profound; that amid the chaos, God is just as accessible.

Peace,

Rav Yitz

Bite The Hand That Bakes Your Bread, Dare To Leap Where The Angels Fear To Tread (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia - "Foolish Heart")

Every summer our children attend summer camp, and every summer my wife works at summer camp. This year she has a new job at the summer camp where she and our children attend. This year she will be running the “Cooking/Baking” hobby or activity. For several sessions each day, she will have the campers cook or bake something that they can eat along with a recipe to bring home after the camp session. Preparations for camp usually begin soon after Shavuot and last for a couple of weeks until the minivan is packed and everyone leaves. Because of my wife’s new job, preparations began even earlier. So for the past six weeks, she has been pouring through cookbooks looking for easy recipes to do adolescents and teenagers. Of course, after she has found recipes that she thinks are feasible, she needs to practice. Needless to say, she has been doing a lot of cooking and baking. Among the most important food items that she feels obligated to teach is Challah baking. She has tried numerous recipes and techniques. As a result, there have been at least three dozen Challahs over the past 6 weeks that we have sampled and consumed. Of course, all of my wife’s preparations are designed for when she finally enters into camp and begins teaching the campers.

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 3^rd paragraph of the Shmah. 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).

It seems rather ironic and perhaps superfluous that following their prohibition from entering into the Land, we read about a series of offerings, including the taking of Challah, which will only go into effect once they enter into the land. "B’Vo’Achem El Ha’Aretz Asher Ani Meivi Etchem Shama, When you come to the Land to which I bring you V’Haya Ba’Achlachenm MiLechem Ha’Aretz TaRimu Terumah L’Adoshem It shall be that when you will eat of the bread of the Land, you shall set aside a portion for God. Reishit Arisoteichem Chalah Tareimu Terumah KiTrumat Goren Kein Tarimu Otah As the first of your kneading you shall set aside a loaf as a portion like the portion of the threshing floor, so shall you set it aside.  M’Reishit Arisoteichem Titnu La’Adoshem Terumah L’Doroteichem From the first of your kneading shall you give a portion to God, for your generations. (Num. 15:18-21). The Mitzvah of Challah repeats words such as “Land” “Kneading” and “a Portion to God”.  From planting the wheat, making the flour and eventually baking the Challah, and all the steps in between; the process is an incredibly physical endeavor. It is only human nature that when we are engaged in extremely physical endeavors we tend to think that the task, whatever it may be, in this case baking bread, relies solely upon human effort. It is precisely at those moments, where we need to remind ourselves that what may appear to be primarily a physical endeavor has an element of the spiritual, of the sanctified and of the holy. So the baker of the Challah take separates a portion for God. The Torah never specifies how much should be set aside for God’s portion. That amount was eventually decided by the Talmudic Sages. For now, B’nai Yisroel, the “Children of Israel” needed to learn the very important lesson that 1) they have been gifted the Land and us such anything they create from the land, they need to acknowledge God and 2) the success of their hard work is a result of their relationship with God.

 For anyone who has baked Challah, man or woman, fulfilling this mitzvah is incredibly empowering. Anyone can do it, which means that anyone has it within themselves to do something for beyond themselves. To do something for oneself tends to focus on the physical. To do for another tends to focus upon the spiritual. The person needs to see beyond him or herself and appreciate that they are part of something larger. In this case, the person taking Challah is part of the Land and part of a relationship to God and part of the generations that will follow. The Challahs have all been delicious. I suppose the weight has not been only physical weight but spiritual as well. These pounds  I have gained over these past several weeks has been my sacrifice on behalf of my wife’s perfecting her Challah baking skills. With her heading to camp, hopefully, I can lose this excessive “Challah Weight.”

Peace,

Rav Yitz

Heard A Voice A-Calling, Lord You Was Coming After Me (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia - "Bertha")

My children love to play games with me. No, I am not talking about “Monopoly”, or cards, or any of those kinds of games. My children like to play a game called: “Ignore”. Have you ever heard of it? I am convinced that every home that has teenage children plays some iteration of the “Ignore” game.  I remember playing it with my parents when I was a teenager.   The game can be played at any time of day and under nearly any circumstance. The rules of the game are rather simple. The parent initiates play by calling out to the teenager by making a request of him/her. The teenager ignores the first request. The parent generally should wait not less than 30 seconds but not more than 60 seconds before calling out to the teenager with the same request. Again, the teenager ignores and again after another 30-60 seconds, the parent calls out for the same request, only louder and more specifically. “Hello, I am talking to you” or “can you hear me? I am talking to you.” Now the game changes slightly. The teenager needs to respond, and generally, the response involves a grunt, “Huh” or a question such as “what?” or a statement such as “Ok, Ok, I heard you” or “Ok, I’ll do it in a minute”.  Keep in mind, that those statements are code for “I am ignoring you doing something else that I prefer to be doing rather than anything you request.” Now the game escalates, the parent needs to close the physical gap, stand in front of the teenager and issue the request, thereby making the teenagers ability to ignore much more difficult. The teenager can escalate by ignoring or declining to fulfill the request. Now, the parent faces three alternatives and needs to quickly assess the importance of the request. If the request is unimportant, then the parent can end the game by ceasing to make another request. If the request is important then the parent can utilize leverage in a loud threatening way. However, this usually leads to a delay in fulfilling the request by engaging in a fight, at which point the teenager wins the “Ignore” game. The third alternative requires great discipline but offers the greatest possibility of a parent’s victory. The parent needs to get the teenagers attention and to focus upon the request. To accomplish this the parent still utilizes leverage however does so in a quiet disarming manner. When I was a teenager, I knew that when my father took off his glasses and squint/glare like Clint Eastwood and spoke quietly, that it was time for me to listen, and fulfill whatever request was being made. I never mastered the Clint Eastwood glare like my father. Instead, I try to close the physical distance, and with as much calm in my voice, as I can muster, I turn the request into a transaction. While my father relied on his inner Clint Eastwood stare; I rely on my inner Don Corleone and try to “make an offer they can’t refuse”. I try to speak quieter in a colder more calculating manner and begin with a confirmation that they will ultimately fulfill the request.  Then I make a business arrangement and tell them that I know what their more imminent requests will be and that I won’t be able to fulfill them unless my request is imminently filled. We agree on a reasonable timeframe for the request to be fulfilled and with mutually agreed upon deterrents to prevent potential “forgetfulness”. Then I say “thank you” and the Ignoring game concludes.

This Shabbat we begin the third book of the Torah, Sefer Vayikra by reading from the Parsha with the same name VaYikrah. For all of Bereishit (Genesis) and the first half of Shmot (Exodus), we read narratives. The Second half of Shmot, we read the blueprints of and then the actual construction of the Mishkan – the portable worship station that would accompany Bnai Yisroel on their Trek towards Eretz Yisroel. Now the Torah takes a break from narrative and construction. Now we begin reading the various types of offerings that Kohen Gadol, the High Priest, will make on our behalf. These offerings are the various means by which the individual or the community is able to approach Hashem. We approach Hashem for a variety of reasons, including special occasions for personal reasons: repentance, thanksgiving, and special occasions for communal reasons: seasonal festivals, or daily service.

We are familiar with the language that usually appears when Hashem speaks to Moshe. VaYomer Adoshem el Moshe Leimor – Hashem said to Moshe saying; or VaYiDaBeR Adoshem El Moshe Leimor – And Hashem spoke to Moshe saying. Now for the first and perhaps only time, Hashem neither ‘says’ nor “speaks” to Moshe. Instead, we read   Vayikrah el Moshe -God called to Moshe (Lev 1:1). ” Imagine, God calling out to a person before speaking? The word “VaYiKRa” ends with a letter that is in smaller font size than the rest of the letters that are found in the Torah. So clearly, this type of VaYiKRa is different than the typical kind of VaYiKRA with all the letters being the same size. Rashi, the 11th-century French vintner, and commentator explain that God speaks in a loud booming voice; a voice that can shatter trees and be heard throughout the world. However, this VaYiKRa, was only heard by Moshe. The calling was done so in a loving manner. The diminutive final letter – Aleph; suggests two possibilities.  First, Hashem whispered Moshe’s name in a manner that only Moshe could hear. Second, Moshe was humble enough, as symbolized by the diminutive letter, that his soul was receptive to God’s calling. The result of which Moshe quickly and eagerly responded with Hinneni –“Here I am”.

I can’t imagine Moshe ignoring God’s calling out to him. On those rare occasions when my children don’t feel like playing their games, and they respond to my calling the first couple of times, they always seem surprised that I am nicer, easier going, and my request never seems so neither overbearing nor unreasonable. They even think that I am a good mood. Usually, their acknowledgment elicits a smile from me. I explain to them that no one likes to be ignored and that we get along so much better when we actually pay attention to one another, especially when we hear our names being called.

Peace,

Rav Yitz