Recall The Days That Still Are To Come (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia- "Crazy Fingers")

Recently we attended a family function with aunts, uncles, great-aunts, great- uncles, cousins and grandparents. It always amazes me to watch my children with this extended family.  My three children could be talking to the same great aunt, or cousin or grandparent. Inevitably, each of my children will connect to that relative in a different manner, walk away with a different experience, and have a different opinion. Each child has the same parents, grows up in the same house, lives by the same rules, and has the same “relative status” as the other children Vis a Vis the great aunt, or the grandparent. However each child is fundamentally different and each relative relates to each of my child in a different manner. Certainly, each child has his/her own personality as does the other relative. The result is that each child will develop their own relationship with their grandparents, their aunts, their uncles, and their great aunts and great uncles.

This Shabbat we read from Parsha Bechukotai, the last Parsha in Sefer VaYikra, the Book of Leviticus.  We are told of the reward that awaits us for following God’s Torah. We are told of the punishment if we treat God’ Torah B’Keri – in a cavalier sort of manner or if we are stubborn and fail to observe. These Tochachot, these punishments are laid out in a sets of seven. That is to say, the first series of punishments are meted out. We are given the opportunity to change our behavior. If we fail to do so, then the second set of Tochachot are meted out and so on and so forth.  After the seventh series of punishments are meted out, we are told that God will ultimately remember the covenant made with our ancestors thereby re-assuring us that the despite these horrible punishments, there will still be a covenant. The Torah provides instructions in case B’nai Yisroel wants to make voluntary offerings and how to value those offerings. Instructions for redeeming firstborn animals, houses, are also presented prior to the conclusion of the Parsha and Sefer VaYikra, the Book of Leviticus.

After the listing of the Tochachot, the punishments, the linguistic patter of the Torah becomes rather strange. Normally God’s covenant made with the three Patriachs is Avraham Yitzchak V’ Yaakov. They start with the father, then the son and then the grandson. The three are usually lumped together as a type of triad.  However after the punishments are described,  we read: V”Zacharti et Briti Yaakov, V’Af et Briti Yitzchak, V’ Af et Briti Avraham Ezkor V’Ha’Aretz Ezkor – I will remember My covenant with Jacob, and also My covenant with Yitzchak, and also My covenant with Avraham will I remember, and I will remember the land ( 24:42). When reading these words, they sound out of order. Indeed they are out of order. When we think of the Avot, the Patriarchs, we think of them beginning with Avraham. We also think of them as a list of one unit, Elohei Avrham, Elohei Yitzchak’ V’Elohei Yaakov. There is no “Et” in between which would grammatically make each single patriarch an individual item in a list as opposed to single grouping. Why does the Torah do this now? Keeping in mind that this verse appears immediately after the extremely harsh punishment that was to be meted out if B’nai Yisroel fails to observe God’s statutes and laws; according to the Or HaChayim two issues are involved. First, the confession of guilt helps reduce the severity of the afflictions to which B’nai Yisroel was subjected. Second, God invokes each Patriarch as an individual and not as a group, in order to restore B’nai Yisroel to its former status. So first God would invoke his covenant with Yaakov, if the behavior was deemed beyond the merit of Yaakov, then God invokes his covenant with Yitzchak. If that doesn’t work then God invokes the merit of Avraham.

While the covenant with each Patriarch was essentially the same, each Patriarch had his own relationship with God. The covenant meant something slightly different to each Patriarch. Each Patriarch embodied a certain Midah, a certain characteristic that made him worthy of the Covenant. Ultimately B’nai Yisroel should also embody all the Midot of the patriarch in order to make us worthy. However even if we embody one of these qualities, one of these Sacred qualities embodied by our Patriarchs; we too become worthy of the relationship and the covenant. However we will only connect to God in our own way, and in a way that is sacred and meaningful to both God and ourselves. That unique connection makes it possible for us to avoid behaving in a manner that is Keri- cavalier with God’s commandments. The same lesson holds true with our children. We related to them as individuals and each one of them relates differently to me and mom. They relate differently to each relative so that way each relationship is unique and has its own merits and strengths.

Peace,

Rav Yitz

Life May Be Sweeter For This, I Don't Know, Feels Like It Might Be Alright (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia - "Crazy Fingers")

I received some sad news this week. One of my childhood Rabbis, a teacher, a mentor, someone I have always looked up to and frequently sought guidance from, my Rebbe,  was diagnosed with Leukemia. So earlier this week, while bringing our children to visit their grandparents for a few days, I went to visit my Rabbi. He was very tired since he had just underwent a transfusion earlier in the day. Nevertheless, when we spoke, he told me to stop by before returning to Toronto.  He spoke. I listened. He spoke about chemo, he spoke about bone marrow transplants, and he spoke about his wife, his children and his family. Then he began to actually teach. No, we didn’t pick up a daf of Talmud, nor did we look at a pasuk of Torah and then the Rashi. However what he did do was to explain to me how one deals with a life threatening illness and he explained to me what the Torah means when it tells us to choose life.  He explained that there is a process: first shock, then denial, then a deep and dark sadness. Sometimes, depending upon the person, the depth of sadness is simply too great to climb out from. The only way to climb out is with what my Rebbe called the “Ladder of Purpose”. To choose life, he explained, is a conscious choice, an active choice –not passive. Too choose life means to consciously do something each and every day: prayer, study, time spent with loved ones, etc. Choosing life for my Rabbi means going through this process of chemo, transfusion, bone marrow transplants etc., so that he can somehow make it more manageable, more tolerable, for the next person. As a result, he continued, he can’t waste time with negativity. Instead he replaces negativity with lots of humor and he tries spend some time each day in self-reflection because he understands that if he can show others how to deal with this, he has not only chosen life, but he has infused the process with Kedushah, with Holiness.

This Shabbat we begin the second book of the Torah, Sefer Shmot the Book of Exodus, with the Parsha of the same name: Shmot. The first few verses essentially recount the ending of the Book of Genesis. Shmot re-iterates the fact that Yaakov and his sons came to Egypt, Yaakov dies, and the next generation, Yaakov’s sons (including Yosef) pass away. A new king assumes the mantle of power and does not know of Yosef’s great deeds. Instead, the new Pharaoh believed that this foreign population was tantamount to a fifth column. Therefore this tribe must be enslaved in order to prevent their uniting with Egypt’s external enemies. We read about the birth and growth of Moses, and his flight to Midian. We read about his becoming a husband, a shepherd, a father. We learn of his epiphany with the Burning Bush and God’s instructions plan to redeem B’nai Yisroel from slavery and Moshe’s role in the redemptive process.

During this epiphany from Burning Bush, Hashem repeats himself. VaYomer AdoShem Ra’Oh Ra’iti Et Oni Ami Asher B’Mitzrayim V’Et Tza’Aktam Shamati Mipnei Nogshav Ki Yadati Et Macho’av- I have indeed seen the affliction of My People that is in Egypt and I have heard its outcry because of its taskmasters, for I have known of its sufferings. God explains that there will be a redemption and then he will bring his nation to Eretz Canaan. Then in the next pasuk, God continues speaking: V’Atah, Hinei Tza’akat Bnai Yisroel Ba’ah Eilai V’Gam Ra’Iti Et HaLaChatz Asher Mitzrayim LoChatzim Otam – And now, behold! The outcry of the Children of Israel has come to Me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them.  Hashem finishes the epiphany by telling Moshe “I shall sent you to Pharaoh and you shall take My People the Children of Israel out of Egypt. (Ex3:7-10) Why does God repeat God’s self. Certainly the epiphany would have been powerful enough had God said that he saw and heard B’nai Yisroel’s suffering only once. So why repeat? Even with the authority and the force behind the repetition, Moshe’s answer suggests hesitation, humility and later, we discover that Moshe didn’t really want such a difficult task. RaMBan the great 13^th century Spanish commentator, explains that God’s repeating the fact that he has seen and heard the suffering, suggests that the promise made to Avraham was about ready to come to fruition. In a sense, God once again had a purpose in terms of a relationship with his people. They were ready and God was ready.  However, Moshe still needed convincing. Moshe still needed to be infused with a sense of purpose. He needed to understand that had all the necessary spiritual tools to choose a relationship with God, to choose Freedom, to choose Torah and ultimately to choose a life of purpose, infusing life with Kedushah, Holiness.

When I said good-by to my Rebbe, I left his home and wept. As I drove back to Toronto, re-playing his words in my mind, I began asking questions. Was my Rebbe’s drasha (explanation) for his benefit or mine? Why was I so sad?  I came to a few realizations during my three hour drive back to Toronto. He had a sense of purpose. He didn’t shy away from the load that God had dumped upon him.  My tears were because I felt as if I didn’t do anything during the course of my visit to cheer him up. Instead, his words inspired me. He offered me a way to deal with his tsuris. He showed me that despite such deep sadness, that there was humor, hope and a purpose. He was going to make the path smoother and demonstrate to all those, who God Forbid are struck with something awful, how to muster enough courage, humor, hope and strength so that they will have an easier time of it. Please God he should have a Refuah Shleima, a speedy and complete recovery.

Peace,

Rav Yitz