His Job Is To Shed Light, And Not To Master (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia - "Lady With The Fan/ Terrapin Station Suite")

Several weeks ago, an article appeared in the New York Times, dated February 17^th entitled “Most Visible Jews Fear Being Targets As Anti-Semitism Rises”. The article explained that since Pittsburgh and Poway, synagogues and day schools have responded with increased security measures. However, the more recent displays of anti-Semitism have been less focused upon Jews who happened to be at those Jewish institutions and now anyone that “looks” Jewish. Just the other day, in a small town outside Rio De Janeiro, a Jewish man was beaten as thugs yelled anti-Semitic epithets. The 57-year-old Jewish man converted to Judaism 30 years ago and was wearing a Kippah. The recent anti-Semitic attacks in the New York Metropolitan area was aimed at those who wore the typical “Black Hat” uniform: a male wearing a black hat, dark suit, white shirt, and beard. As a step towards shining a light upon the rise of anti-Semitism, the Jewish community of New York had organized a series of “No Hate No Fear” solidarity marches. New York’s mayor created a new position: Office For The Prevention of Hate Crimes. Deborah Lauter, who worked for many years at the ADL has been named to the position. In an interview she gave to the Times of Israel, Lauter explained that prevention begins with education, dialogue and getting disparate communities to engage with each other.

This Shabbat we read from Parshah Tetzaveh. This Shabbat is also the Shabbat that immediately precedes the celebration of Purim. The day in which the Jewish people celebrate the redemption of Persian Jewry during the second or third century BCE. This Shabbat is known as Shabbat Zachor – Shabbat of Remembrance. Besides the weekly Torah portion, Tetzaveh, three verses (Deut. 25:17-19) are recited. In those verses, we are commanded to remember what Amalek did to the Jewish people as they left Egypt. They attacked and murdered the escaped slaves. The villain of the Purim story, Haman, according to Midrash (Rabbinic legend) comes from the tribe of Amalek, the Torah’s symbol of evil. However, the weekly Parsha Tetzaveh has nothing to do with Purim or Amalek. Instead, the Parsha focuses upon Aaron, Moshe’s brother, Aaron’s sons, their position as the Kohen Gadol, (High Priest), their “work uniform” and their preparations. Just like last week’s Parshah, Terumah contained numerous details concerning the construction of the Mishkan; Tetzaveh’s focuses primarily upon the details concerning the Kohen Gadol’s uniform. From material to design, this aspect of the Parshah is a tailor/fashion designer’s dream. Once the details for the uniform have been taught, the Parshah concentrates upon the necessary preparations that the Kohanim must engage in so that they are spiritually pure enough to make offerings on the behalf of the people. Only then, when the construction is complete, when the clothing is finished and the purification process fulfilled, then God will rest God’s presence among the people.

Despite the primary focus upon Priestly vestments, the Parsha begins with the commandment of the Ner Tamid, an Eternal Light. Until now Moshe has been a conduit: VaYiDaber Adoshem El Moshe Leimor, Dabeir El B’nai Yisroel – God spoke to Moshe, saying: ‘Speak to the Children of Israel’. Now, regarding the Lamp, Moshe doesn’t speak to the children of Israel or to the Priests; instead, Moshe is instructed to command the priests. No longer is he just a conduit. Regarding the Lamp, the command emanates from Moshe. Regarding God’s first command of Moshe, the Torah tells us,  V’Atah T’tzaveh et Bnai Yisroel VYikchu Eilecha Shemen Zayit Zach Katit La’Maor L’Ha’Alot Neir Tamid – Now you shall command the Children of Yisroel that they shall take for you pure, pressed olive oil for illumination to kindle the lamp continually (Ex. 27:20). So why is it so important for the command to appear as if it comes from Moshe and not God? Why is this Moshe’s commandment to the priests? Shmot Rabbah (Talmudic Rabbis’ commentary on the Book of Exodus) offers a figurative understanding of the perpetual light that Moshe commands to be lit. See how the words of Torah give light to man when he is occupied with them. But whoever is not so occupied and is ignorant, he stumbles…’The way of the wicked is in thick darkness’…. (Shmot Rabbah 36:3). Moshe is told to command the Aaron and his sons to light the Ner Tamid in perpetuity. Light and learning, not darkness and ignorance must be perpetual and constant. Light and knowledge must provide a lamp for all those who are in need of light and all those who are ignorant and don’t even realize it. Moshe, ever the teacher, ever the lawgiver, has been tasked to bring light, knowledge, and understanding in perpetuity.

I suppose our children are more sensitive to and are more acutely aware of antisemitism than I was at their age. Maybe I was more oblivious. Maybe society was more polite and such “unpleasantness” was part of the extreme aspects of society that scurried about in the dark shadows where polite people didn’t venture. Nowadays society is far less polite and over the past year, we have watched extreme aspects of society receive a warm embrace by what used to be thought of as “mainstream”. As this week immediately precedes Purim, a celebration that commemorates Persian Jewry’s victory over Anti- Semitism; we are reminded that darkness and ignorance remains present even here and that we need to remain vigilant. Generally, light is symbolic of wisdom and enlightenment. The only way to combat intolerance and ignorance is to shine a light upon it, a strong glaring light of an enlightened, educated, sensitive, and democratic society that possesses a profound respect for its democratic institutions and the strength of will to root out the Amalek, the evil, ignorance, and intolerance that exists in every generation.

She Went Down To A Tailor's Shop And Dressed In Man's Array ( "Jack A-Roe" - Traditional Folk Song)

Earlier this week, there was a particularly disturbing news story about three teenage British girls (15,15,16) who packed their respective suitcases, went to the airport, boarded a flight to Turkey, and from there planned to make their way across the border into Syria and join ISIS. As the story broke, the parents of these teenagers were interviewed shaking their heads, shocked that their daughters had become radicalized. Their sibling were interviewed and they begged from their sisters to return to England knowing that once they enter Syria and join ISIS they will never be able to leave. Each news story showed the three girls wearing the traditional garb of religious Muslim women including a hijab (traditional scarf head covering). If and when they arrive in Syria and join ISIS; they will add a niqab (face covering) and burka (a full body cloak).  At first we all thought that hijab was an expression an Islamic woman’s extreme religious fervor. By the time the news story finished and we saw the niqab and the burka, we realized that the hijab was actually an expression of moderate religious fervor compared to the other two articles of clothing. Soon after the story broke, we were in a mall and my son and I were walking in front of two woman wearing the entire uniform: head covering, face covering and full body cloak. We were wearing our kippot.  We heard the two woman speaking Arabic. Maybe it’s the times in which we live, maybe it’s my own ignorance, maybe it’s a bias that has developed over the past 15 to 20 years, maybe it’s the images that I see in digital media or print media regarding Islamic fundamentalism, terrorist attacks, and the every increasingly loud call for Jihad; but I held my son’s hand just a little tighter, walked just a little quicker and was just a little bit uncomfortable. I felt this way simple because of the clothing that these woman were wearing.

This Shabbat, we read from Parshah Tetzaveh, and in it we learn about the uniform of the Kohen Gadol, the High Priest. Just like last week’s Parshah was a series of instructions on the way in which a physical space becomes beautified and holy, Parshah Tetzaveh offers a series of instructions on the way in which a certain individual’s physical appearance is beautified, and glorious. From head to toe, we are told that each item of the Kohen Gadol’s priestly uniform is made of fine linen, valuable stones, gold, cotton silk turquoise wool to name just a few of the ingredients. Certainly we could understand the Parshah from a superficial perspective but to do so would be to misunderstand a deeper and perhaps more powerful message. We live in a society where “clothes make the man”. Make no mistake, clothing also make the woman. Clothing defines who and what we are, and sometimes it defines our beliefs and even the depth and fervor of that belief. However Parshah Tetzaveh is teaches us something radically different. Instead of clothing making us look sharper, slimmer, better proportioned, what if clothes could express our intelligence, our emotional health, our sense of decency, the holiness that exists within our soul and the degree to which that holiness is expressed. What would such clothes look like? Such clothes would have to express the degree to which we have permitted God into our lives. Such clothes would have to express the holy magnificence of God’s presence within our lives.

            The Torah is very clear as to the reason for such highly decorative, highly ornate clothing. V’Kidashti et Ohel Mo’Ed v’Et Ha’Mizbeach V’Et Aharon v’Et Banav Akadesh L’Chahen Li – I shall sanctify the Tent of Meeting and the Altar; and Aaron and his sons shall I sanctify to minister to Me (Ex. 29:44). God’s presence will make the Tent of the Meeting holy. In other words, God’s presence will make a particular space holy.  Aaron and his son’s, serving on behalf of the people must achieve a higher degree of holiness compared to the rest of the people since Aaron and his sons work on behalf of the people directly dealing with God. This higher level of holiness must exist both inside and outside. Any inconsistency renders his the Kohen Gadol impure. If the clothes become physically dirty, then he is momentarily impure. If his heart wanders, if his mind is elsewhere, if he has not completely given of himself to the process and the service to God on our behalf, then he is momentarily impure as well.

            If this was seventy five years ago we would be uncomfortable if we saw young men in brown shirts, tall leather boots and a swastika. If this was twenty years ago we would be uncomfortable if we saw a group of teenagers  with shaved heads, tattoos, and symbols of Aryan Nation on their jackets. Nowadays if we see men and woman, dressed in clothing that is not only the clothing of religious fervor but is clothing that has been co –opted by Muslim extremists that want to bring harm to the world. While clothing always expressed socio-economic status, religious belief, political affiliation and gang affiliation; now the combination has become much more toxic and dangerous to those vulnerable young people being actively recruited in the by a perverse and evil ideology.

Peace,

Rav Yitz