On The Dreams You Still Believe; Don't Give It Up; You Got An Empty Cup (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia - "Comes A Time")

           I happened to be at the supermarket this week. My wife needed oil, potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions, and something healthy to offset all the starch and oil of latkes and Chanukkah foods. As I left the supermarket, I saw one of my wife’s book group friends.  After the standard chit chat, she asked me which yeshivot and universities our son hopes to attend?  Which Yeshivot and universities did we prefer? For the next ten minutes, we discussed the merits of various yeshivot and universities in Ontario. She spoke about why her son attended a particular Yeshiva and planned upon attending a particular university as opposed to another. Then she made an interesting comment.  When she and her husband first discussed where they thought their son should attend Yeshiva and university,  their sole consideration was to protect and shield their son from all the shmutz of modern society, all the hedonistic behavior, the drugs, and all the difficult things that young vulnerable adults face. Then they realized that if this was the sole criteria for choosing a Yeshiva and university;  then they were going to be greatly disappointed. She explained that no Yeshiva nor university could protect her son from all the negative aspects of secularism. hedonistic culture. So they adopted a new approach and looked at yeshivot and universities that provided the tools to deal with, and not deny the negative aspects of secularism in our everyday culture. Ultimately, her son would have to decide how much he would assimilate into the dominant culture. She hoped that her son would have enough knowledge and character to make a thoughtful and informed decision. 

           This Shabbat we read from Parsha Mikeitz. Mikeitz always coincides with Chanukah.  The Parsha begins two years from when VaYeishev concluded. Pharaoh has a dream. He is unsatisfied with all attempts to interpret it. Pharaoh's wine chamberlain remembers that Yosef accurately interpreted his dream while in prison. Yosef is released from prison and brought before Pharaoh. He interprets that soon will begin seven years of abundance followed by seven years of severe famine. Pharaoh appoints him as viceroy to oversee the project. Egypt becomes the granary of the world. Yaakov sends his sons to Egypt to buy food. The brothers come before Yosef and bow to him. Yosef recognizes them but they do not recognize him. Without disclosing his identity, Yosef sells food to the brothers;  but he keeps Shimon hostage. Shimon will remain a hostage until they bring their brother Binyamin as proof that they are who they say they are. Yaakov refuses to let Binyamin go to Egypt, but when the famine grows unbearable, he accedes. Yehuda guarantees Binyamin's safety, and the brothers go to Egypt. Yosef welcomes the brothers lavishly as honored guests. When he sees Binyamin he rushes from the room and weeps. Yosef instructs his servants to replace the money in the sacks and to put his goblet inside Binyamin's sack. When the goblet is discovered, Yosef demands Binyamin become his slave as punishment. Yehuda interposes and offers himself instead, but Yosef refuses.

             For the first time, beginning in last week’s Torah portion, VaYeishev and again in Mikeitz, we read about an individual encountering a dominant culture while still retaining his sense of code and morality. Avraham left the dominant culture and encountered it periodically but did so accompanied by his wife. Yitzchak encountered a different culture but had never left home in a spiritual nor a physical sense (he always remained in the land). Even when Yaakov encountered Shechem, he did so accompanied by his sons. However, Yosef was in his late teens, early twenties when arrived in Egypt. He worked for Potifar. He had to stave off the sexual harassment of Potifar’s wife and accept the injustice of prison. At the beginning of Mikeitz, we find Yosef in prison, still referred to as Naar Ivri- Hebrew Youth even though he is 30 (Gen. 41:46).  Even after interpreting Pharaoh’s dreams, becoming a Viceroy, wearing Egyptian clothes, looking Egyptian, being clean-shaven like an Egyptian, speaking Egyptian, marrying an Egyptian woman (Asnat) and receiving an Egyptian name (Zaphenat Paneah), and essentially living an Egyptian lifestyle; Yosef somehow manages to maintain his tribal loyalty, his Jewishness, his sense of morality and code. When Pharaoh tells Yosef about his dream and is asked to interpret it; VaYa’An Yosef et Paroh Leimor, Biladai Elohim Ya’Eneh et Shlom Paroh – Joseph answered Pharaoh saying, That is beyond me; it is God who will respond with Pharaoh’s welfare.   The Or HaChaim comments that Biladai  “that is beyond me” is not necessarily an expression of humility. Biladai means “this does not depend on me”. Yosef’s response not only gives credit for his “Dream Telling Gift” to God; Yosef subtly indicates that his code and his theology will not waver within this overbearing and all-encompassing culture. Yosef adds the words Shlom Paroh- literally, the peace of Pharaoh. Yosef is merely a vessel. He isn’t so much interpreting a dream, as he is providing prophecy. As a result, Yosef must speak truth to power and cannot bend or interpret the meaning to satisfy some other agenda or plan except God’s plan.

           Yosef, at the relatively young age of 30 has accepted the fact that his path, is part of God’s plan. Yes, some people are lucky to sense that a plan has been revealed to them. Yosef’s spiritual strength, his unwavering sense of belonging to a covenantal relationship means that no matter the name, no matter the clothes, no matter the culture, he is acutely aware that certain constants will keep him grounded in his relationship with God.  No, I don’t know the path our son or any of our children are supposed to take. We can offer them guidance as they make their way along the path of their lives. Eventually, they will need to make those decisions for themselves. While we light the Chanukah candles, we are reminded of Judaism’s survival within a powerful Hellenistic culture, we are reminded of Yosef surviving within a powerful Egyptian culture.  As our children make their way in the world, their mom and I only hope that we have provided them enough tools, enough education, and enough grounding in values that we deem important so that their decisions are an expression of a moral code and covenant to which they belong.

Peace,
Rav Yitz

Don't Give It Up You Got An Empty Cup Only Love Can Fill (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia - "Comes A Time")

Among the more interesting experiences that my family and I have enjoyed while living in Toronto, has been experiencing U.S. Presidential campaigns from outside the U.S. First, living outside the U.S. during this time allows for a bit of an escape as opposed to the national obsessing that has been occurring south of the border.  Second, by living outside the U.S, we have wider perspective as part of our “calculus” for voting is now influenced from the perspective of how the rest of the world views the candidate. Third, by being outside of the political storm we can see things a little clearer than those who live in the storm. We have watched the debates. We have spoken frequently to our eldest daughter who has been living in the storm that is a Presidential campaign for nearly 18 months. As we watch the campaign from across the border, there have been numerous times where we have shaken our heads in disgust as this campaign has seemed to be a race to the gutter as Donald Trump has demeaned the process in terms of his language, his behavior, and his lashing out at numerous constituencies including fellow Republicans. However what has been particularly revealing is the insight he has given us into his character. As the campaign has evolved, as incendiary statements have been made, as he didn’t engage in any preparation for the first debate, as tapes were discovered in which he discussed groping women, as he missed an opportunity to apologize and prepare for the second debate, and has polls indicate diminished support for him, Trump began to do something unprecedented. As the futility of campaigning rose, he began planting the seeds of a “rigged election”, that the “fix” was in, and if he anyone but Trump wins, then the new president-elect out to be considered illegitimate. That idea, an idea that he had been sharing at numerous “Trump Rally’s”, now became explicit this week during the third debate. Trump’s stunning closing comment now attempts to spread his sense of futility of his campaign to the futility of the entire voting/electing process.

This Shabbat is known as Shabbat Chol HaMoed Sukkot, the Intermediate Sabbath of Sukkot holiday, one of the Five Scrolls is traditionally read.  On this particular Shabbat, we read from Sefer Kohelet, the scroll of Ecclesiastes. According to the tradition, Shlomo HaMelech, King Solomon, towards the end of his life, wrote this Megillah, this scroll. Tradition has this perspective because the language is not one of optimism but rather realism. This is a person who as “seen it all” – Ein Kol Chadash Tachat HaShemesh – There is nothing new under the sun! There is a certain harsh realism and a certain sense of harsh optimism.  V’Saneiti et HaChayim Ki Ra Alai HaMa’aseh SH’Na’aseh Tachat HaShemesh Ki HaKol Chavel – So I hated life, for I was depressed by all that goes on under the sun, because everyone is futile. The author provides us with a no holds barred sense of comfort. He does not coddle us. He does not baby us. He doesn’t offer any artificially sweetened philosophy, or anything will dull our pain, diminish our disappointment, or ease the fear of death. Rather the author shoves our faces in “reality”, telling us that our labor seems futile, and if it is futile what is the point of it?

Kohelet, the Preacher, explains that life does indeed seem futile. He shares his frustration that he has toiled and had to give to those who haven’t toiled. He shares his frustration that his work, his business seems futile because when the day ends, he is still worrying about his business at night. Kohelet seems to have no internal peace, no ability to appreciate the moment, nor does he seem to have a mechanism that allows him to find a sense of peace amid his perceived futility. So, Kohelet, the Preacher, begins to search, and begins to experiment with the various lifestyles, hoping that he will be able to find internal peace, that he will be able to develop an ability to appreciate the moment.  Certainly has we read the twelve chapters of a man striving for wisdom; we gain insight into his character. Kohelet shares with us what he has learned. V’Ra’iti Ki Ein Tov Mei’Asher Yismach Ha’Adam B’Maasav Ki Hu Chelko – I observed that there is nothing better for man than to be happy in what he is doing; Tov M’Lo Chaf Nachat Mimlo Hafnayim Amal UrUt Ruach -  Better is one handful of pleasantness than two fistfuls of labor and vexation of the spirit; Al T’Vaheil Al Picha V’Libecha Al Yimaheir- Be not rash with your mouth and let not your heart be hasty to utter a word before God,  Ohev Kesef Lo Yisbah Kesef – a lover of money will never be satisfied with money;  Tov Lishmoah Ga’Arat Chacham M’Ish Shomeah Shir K’silim – It is better to listen to the rebuke of a wise man than for one to listen to the song of fools; and finally Sof Davar Ha’Kol Nishma et Ha’Elohim Y’Rah et Mitzvotav Shmor Ki Zeh  Kol Ha’Adam –The sum of the matter, when all has been considered; Fear God and keep his commandments for that is man’s whole duty.

If there was any one individual who might have thought a system was rigged; it was Kohelet.  His sensed of futility is indeed the modern day version of claiming that the system is rigged. Yet Kohelet is a man of great character, he is honest and comes to a powerful realization. The futility is the struggle to acquire, acquire money, fame and power.  Peace is realized by learning to appreciate the blessing that God had provided. The ability to appreciate is a function of wisdom. Wisdom is function of being able to listen to those have experience. Finally, Kohelet, the Preacher, explains that ultimately, the ability to appreciate the moment, the ability to find peace comes from observing God’s commandments because the commandments are based upon finding holiness, in each moment.   Donald Trump could learn a valuable lesson from Kohelet, and instead of thinking the system is rigged against him, maybe he should be a little more introspective like Kohelet. Maybe, then Trump will realize that his shortcoming are about him rather than everyone around him. Then again, maybe not, Trump doesn’t have character nor the intestinal fortitude that Kohelet does to enter upon such a journey.

Peace,

Rav Yitz

I Can't See Much Difference Between The Dark And Light (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia - "Comes a Time")

On the weeknights that we sit down to dinner as a family; I insist that the network newscast joins us. Sure we ask the kids about school and friends. However I want them to hear what is going on in the world, to respond, to ask questions, and even to learn something, in particularly about the United States (since they don’t learn about the U.S.  in a Canadian Jewish day school). Frequently they are left feeling pretty good about the U.S. and just as frequently they are left feeling pretty good about Israel. So earlier this week, our children were left with a feeling that I never had to struggle with when I was there age. Never did I feel that I had to choose between being Jewish and American, between Israel and the United States. This week our kids felt as if the Jewish/pro Israel side was at odds with their democratic/American ideals. The United States Supreme court ruled that a person born in Jerusalem cannot have a U.S. Passport that says born in Israel. Why? The President decides on recognizing Capitols of sovereign nations. And this President, like all Presidents since Harry Truman, does not officially recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.  More disturbing was a report that John Kerry believed the rise of ISIS, radicalized Muslim youths, and Jihad was a result Israel’s treatment of the Palestinians and the lack of progress towards a two state solution. Wow! Young Muslims are radicalized because of Israel? Wow! Secretary of State Kerry is ascribing a lot of power to a very small nation with population of approximately 6 million Jews; compared to over a billion Muslims in the world (most of whom live under non-democratic rule). Kerry presented a rather interesting perspective ignoring the US role in the Iraq invasion after Sept 11, 2001, the failure to figure out a comprehensive and decisive strategy in Syria, and any demonstrable concern for the plight of Libya, all of which created vacuums in authority. Besides, experts will say that Muslim young people become radicalized for much more subtle reasons much of which has to do with their own sociological micro issues. Only afterwards does the “radical Muslim Spiritual guide” link the individual micro with the macro geo-political reasons. Yet, here is the Secretary of State of the most powerful country in the world accepting the perspective of Radical Islam, Hamas and Hezbollah regarding who is to blame for the problems of the Middle East. Needless to say, the jaws of our children dropped to the floor when they heard this.

This week’s Torah portion is Parsha Shelach Lecha. The Torah portion begins with the narrative of Moshe gathering up twelve spies, one corresponding to each of the twelve tribes, and giving them the mission. The spies are told to investigate the quality of the land – fertile or barren, its inhabitants - warlike or peaceful, the nature of cities –fortified or open? The spies go and investigate and return. Ten spies offer a negative report and two, Caleb and Joshua, offer a positive report. Bnai Yisroel listen to the ten spies with the negative report and fell utterly overwhelmed at the prospect of entering into the land that Hashem promised them.  Hysterical, the people beg to return to Egypt. Hashem wants to wipe them all out immediately but Moshe defends the people just like he did after the Golden Calf. So rather than wiping out an entire people Hashem punishes Bnai Yisroel by prohibiting this generation from entering into the land. Eventually, when the slave generation has died out, the generations born in freedom will enter Eretz Canaan.  The people hear the punishment and decide they are ready to enter the land. Moshe explains that it is too late since entry into Canaan is ultimately premised upon faith.  Then Moshe begin teaching Bnai Yisroel laws specific and premised upon settlement in the Canaan.  First Moshe teaches the Libation Offering as well as Challah. Next, Moshe teaches the laws of public atonement of unintentional idolatry, individual unintentional idolatry, intentional idolatry, a reminder about violating Shabbat and finally the laws of Tzitzit.

            The ten spies whom Bnai Yisroel chose to believe did not really bring such a negative report. They explained that the land was fruitful and fertile, there were trees and that it was really quite beautiful.  The problem with the report was that it revealed more about the spies and Bnai Yisroel than the land itself. When seeing some of the inhabitants and the physical size of some of those inhabitants.  The Ten spies said Vanhi V’Eineinu Ka’CHaGaVim V’Chain Hayinu B’Eineihem – we were like grasshoppers in our eyes and so we were in their eyes. (Num. 13:33) How do the ten spies know how the Nefilim (the Giants) perceive them? Did they ask the Nefilim? The answer to both questions is “No”. No they don’t know how the Nefilim perceive the Ten Spies and “No”, the Ten Spies did not ask the Nefilim. The spies feel small because from their own perspective and self- image, they are small. When they look in a mirror, they see slaves. They don’t see people who stood at Sinai and received the Torah. They don’t see a people who carry a Mishkan with Hashem protecting them and scattering their enemies. They don’t see a people worthy of Hashem’s daily miracles of Manna, and water.  Instead they carry with them the burden of two centuries of slavery and being slightly less than human rather than being slightly less than angels.  Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Kotzk (The Kotzker Rebbe) explained that this was the root of the spies as well as Bnai Yisroel’s sin. They had no right to consider how others viewed them, nor should they have been at all concerned.  They should have all been spiritually strong enough to realize and accept that they were “priests to the nations” and “chosen by God”. The fact that such spiritual awareness was still lacking even after all the miracles and promises that God made; meant that problem lay with Bnai Yisroel. These former slaves were not ready for the responsibility of land and people hood.

            Perspective really is very powerful and it certainly can substitute for objective reality.  Unfortunately people will see what they want to see. Maybe “honest” politicians are those that clearly state their agenda first and then bend the objective reality to fit the agenda. Maybe the dishonest honest politicians are those that claim no agenda at all. As I listened incredulously to the report and tried to explain it to my kids, finally giving up any desire to defend Secretary Kerry as a supporter of Israel, I reminded our children that he is a former Senator, he is a politician, and politicians want to be liked by somebody. In this case because Kerry is constantly trying to improve relations in the Arab world, and Iran, better to blame the country with 6 million as opposed to a billion Muslims. Ironically, even Saudi Arabia, Jordan and other stable Arab nations are realizing that Israel is not a cause of the rise of Iran/ Isis, but rather can contribute to being a deterrent and therefore an ally to various Arab countries. Maybe Secretary Kerry needs to get a new perspective and a new sense of reality.

Peace,

Rav Yitz

You Got An Empty Cup; Only Love Can Fill (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia- "Comes A Time")

A few weeks ago, our eldest daughter moved to Iowa. Our younger children, who are still learning to locate all fifty states on a map (living in Toronto for the past 5 years, they are able to locate all the Canadian provinces on a map); know that it is somewhere in the middle of the United States, in the flat part of the country.  Iowa is a place with lots of corn, lots of pigs and I think it provided the setting for the musical “The Music Man”.  For many Americans, Iowa is generally FOS - “Fly Over State” three out of four years. However, in the fourth year Iowa becomes a political center for Presidential candidates. For our daughter, working for the former First Lady and former Secretary of State is the specific reason for her move to Iowa. As Parents, we worry about our children, not just one in Iowa. We worry about their choices, we worry the lessons we thought we were teaching become misinterpreted.  We worry about the type of adults they may or may not become. As Jewish parents we worry about their Jewish lives, their Jewish choices, and relationships. As parents we foolishly and naively think we have more control when they are younger and living in our house and living by our rules. Of course, in reality we have very little control, we just fool ourselves. However with a child in Iowa, well, we don’t even have the convenience of lying to ourselves. Rather we talk our eldest daughter. (Sometimes, I think we talk just to make me feel better and less worried). However I remind her to always remember who she is. No she doesn’t need to remember that she is a Rabbi’s daughter. That doesn’t matter to me. No, I don’t need to remind her that she is Jewish. She knows that. No, I remind her, like I remind all my kids before they go out, to keep in mind who she is, how she was raised and the type of values that we instilled in her. Like all of our kids, we remind them to avoid going along with the crowd. We remind them to be a mentsche even when people around are being a little less than mentschlekite, less than ethical and a little less than kind and decent.

This Shabbat we read from Parsha Emor. In the four chapters that comprise Emor, the first deals with the Kohanim and their very different way of striving for holiness as compared to the rest of the nation. For example, because of the Kohen’s function within society, he must remain in a perpetual state of purity. He is restricted in terms of who he can marry. He is restricted in terms of for whom he mourns. He cannot go to a cemetery. He cannot make sacrificial offerings if he has physical abnormalities. The second chapter reminds B’nai Yisroel that all animal offerings must be blemish free. These offerings must come directly from the individual making them and not from “the hand of a stranger” (Lev.22:25). Both chapters deal with the holiness of certain people, the Kohen and his family, and certain animals, those designated for sacrificial offering. The third chapter of the Parsha deals with the designation of holiness in regards to seasons and the calendar.including: Shabbat, Pesach, Shavuot, Sukkot, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. The fourth chapter offers a narrative in which the son of an Israelite woman and Egyptian man, and another Israelite man get into a fight. The son pronounced the forbidden name of God and was charged with blasphemy. The Torah tells us the punishment for blasphemy is death. This is the same punishment for an individual who commits murder. 

As the Torah upon Holiness and perhaps even Perfection, we learn that striving for Holiness and striving for Perfection requires creating a distinct separation from the mundane, the ordinary, and the less than perfect. The Torah reminds the Kohen, “Lo Yikrechu Korcha B’Rosham U’Fa’at Z’Kanam Lo Y’Galeichu UVivsaram Lo Yisr’tu Saratet- They shall not make a bald spot on their heads, and they shall not shave an edge of their beard; and in their flesh they shall not cut a gash (Lev21:5). Rashi explains that certain tribes that lived in Biblical Canaan, as well as Ancient Egyptians would engage in these types of behaviors while mourning the death of a loved one. Literally the Torah reminds the Priestly class to be sure and NOT behave like other people, don’t mourn like other people, don’t worship like other people, don’t behave like these ancient tribes of idolaters. The Chatam Sofer, one of the great 19^th century Central European Rabbis, explained that the verse has a homilietical meaning as well. The Torah reminds us not to create a bald spot upon our head, we don’t create an emptiness on our head. The Chatam Sofer understand the emptiness as ignorance, a lack of learning. The head should be filled with Torah, with mitzvoth, with doing good things in the world, and making sound, intelligent choices. Sometimes that requires the person to be just a bit separate, distinct and apart from those who create an emptiness in their own respective heads.  

Certainly Judaism is difficult. Climbing the ladder of holiness requires effort and desire. Climbing this ladder will affect and even change our lives. It affects what we eat, it affects how we relate to our mates, it affects our treatment of others, it affects how we look at time and space, it affects our relationship to God, and how we relate to ourselves. If Judaism, the sanctification of the self, and the sanctification of God were easy, then neither could we appreciate it, nor commit to it. We strive to fill our heads knowledge, with Torah. We avoid creating “empty spaces”, bald spot, in our heads, knowing that what our heads are filled with or not, will be expressed in our behavior, our attitudes our relationship with our loved ones and with God. So our daughter lives in Iowa. The more we speak with her, the more re-assured we are that she hasn’t created an emptiness in her head, but rather has kept it filled and continues to fill it with wisdom, knowledge and mentschelekite.

        

Peace

Rav Yitz