If Mercy's In Business, I Wish It For Your (Robert Hunter & Mickey Hart- "Fire On The Mountain")

           With my wife visiting our son in Israel during the Christmas and New Year’s vacation, I decided to pay a visit to my parents. During dinner with my parents, they both became incredibly serious. It was the kind of serious where I was awaiting for one of them to tell me some dreadful news. Apparently, they had the same talk with my younger sister last week.  Thankfully, the news wasn’t dreadful but the subject matter was rather troubling. My parents have aged a lot and I think the fact that they both had Covid this past summer has given them a powerful concern about their own mortality. So, during dinner, my parents expressed their concerns about aging, their own health, and their anticipated deterioration of health. Both talked about their desire to remain in their home for as long as they were physically and mentally capable. Both shared their concerns regarding what “measures” to take during the coming years if, in fact, health deteriorates rapidly. They both understood that in the coming years, my sister and I would be much more involved in making decisions for them or with them, decisions that will affect them. They were anxious, nervous, and needed peace of mind as they head into their very golden years together. So I listened, I smiled and I told them that my sister and I will do everything we can to respect their wishes. 

             This morning we read from Parsha Vayechi. This is the final Parsha in the book of Breishit. T Parsha begins with Yaakov calling Yosef and making him swear an oath that he will not be buried in Egypt. He also blesses his grandsons Ephraim and Menashe. He gathers his sons together and offers each son a blessing or a prophecy. Yaakov dies and his sons take him out of Egypt and fulfill their vow. They bury their father in Heron alongside Avraham and Yitzchak and Sarah Rebecca and Leah. Afterward, the brothers fear that Yosef will finally take vengeance for their mistreatment of him. Yosef doesn’t, and the brothers and their families continue to grow and prosper in Goshen. As Yosef prepares for his death, he makes his brother's vow to take his bones out of Egypt and bury his bones in Eretz Canaan. 

Yaakov’s final wish is to be buried in Canaan, in the Caves of the Machpela with his ancestors, Avraham/Sarah, Yitzchak/Rivka, and his wife Leah. Yaakov shares this wish with Yosef. Given his position within Egypt, Yosef would be the most likely of the sons who could arrange to fulfill Yaakov’s wish. After sharing his final wish with his beloved son Yosef; Yaakov asks Yosef to swear to him that he will carry out this final wish. To demonstrate one’s “swearing a vow,” Yaakov tells Yosef: Im Nah Matzati Chein M’Einecha If now I have found grace in your eyes Sim Nah Yadcha Tachat Yereichi put, I pray of you, your hand beneath my thigh v’Asita Imadi Chesed v’Emet –, and deal kindly and truthfully with me. However, Yosef does not do as his father asks; Yosef does not put his hand beneath his father’s thigh as an indication of swearing an oath. Rather, Vayomer [Yosef] said, Anochi Eseh Chidvarecha – I personally will do as you said. Yaakov, sensing his son’s hesitation, asks Yosef to swear that he will fulfill the request. Finally, Yosef acquiesces and swears an oath to fulfill his father’s request.

          Why does Yosef hesitate? The text clearly conveys that Yosef did not make a “vow” to Yaakov when first asked. Yosef did not immediately put his hand beneath his father’s thigh as an indication of making a vow.  Yosef did not immediately say “I swear to bury you with your ancestors”.  Why doesn’t Yaakov’s favorite son, Joseph,  swear this last dying favor to his father? What kind of son doesn’t swear an oath if asked by his dying father to do so if it means peace of mind and a soul at peace for his father?  Yosef’s first answer indicates that he will look after the request personally. Midrash explains the difference between Avraham’s servant’s behavior and Yosef’s behavior: HaEved Asa K’Avadoto Uven Chorin Asah K’Chiruto – Rabbi Yitzchak said: The servant acted like a servant and the free man acted as a free man, The servant acted like a servant, as it says ‘And the servant put his hand beneath his [Avraham’s] thigh; While the freeman acted as a free person: ‘And he said, I will do as you said’’ As a free individual, Yosef is only bound by his conscience. He is free to question. The servant, on the other hand, has no such ability. He is bound to fulfill his obligations whether forced or unforced. The Malbim, the 17th-century commentator explains that Yosef was acting as a son should. Yosef was trying to act out of filial responsibility, based upon his own free will rather than a servant who is bound by oaths. 

          There are moments when one’s own volition is not enough to fulfill a final wish. Yaakov makes Yosef swear the oath because he wants Yosef to acknowledge an authority greater than his own. He also wants Yosef to acknowledge an authority greater than Pharaoh. Yaakov wanted Yosef to be completely powerless and act solely on behalf of his father. Under normal circumstances, according to ChaZaL – our Talmudic sages of Blessed Memory, the acceptance of the Torah and its commandments are an acknowledgment and acceptance of an external authority greater than ourselves. Intrinsic to that acceptance is a humbling awareness that we are not all that powerful or in control of every aspect of life.  Of course, my sister and I will do everything we can to respect our parents' wishes as they enter these upcoming years.  As my parents spoke to me, and I listened, I only had one thought. After all the sacrifices my parents have made in helping me to become the best possible version of me, how could I not honor their request and do everything I can to make their golden years together as golden and as dignified as possible?  

Peace,
Rav Yitz

If Mercy's In Business, I Wish It For You (Robert Hunter & Mickey Hart- "Fire On The Mountain")

           A not so new term has, once again, regained popularity this week during the Senate confirmation hearings of Amy Coney Barrett to replace the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the U.S. Supreme court.  This "not so new term" was ascribed to the late Justice Scalia and now it is used to describe his disciple. The term is “originalism”. The term describes a legal philosophy for interpreting the Constitution and law. Originalism looks at the intention of the ‘Founding Father” while writing the Constitution. In this school of thought, no legal decision would be rendered without a painstaking assessment of “original intention”. You know what’s so interesting about the “Founding Fathers”, and the basis of their  “original intention”, the foundations of their “moral code”, and their education? As Christians, they were all familiar with the New Testament. However, they also understood The Old Testament, Torah,  Neviim (Prophets), and Ketuvim (Writings)-TaNaCh. Many could read the Torah in its “original” Hebrew. As I watched and listened, I couldn't help but think that for the past six weeks, the Jewish People have been dealing with God as a Judge. As we marked the conclusion of the Jewish Holidays, we were keenly aware that the Jewish People begin another cycle of Torah reading.  Right there in the story of Creation, we learn the two fundamental qualities that a Judge must possess in order to judge.  For all those “originalists”, I suggest that they read the comment by Rashi (the great 11th century French commentator) on the two terms that refers to God. In Chapter One the Torah refers to God as “Elokim” -God's Judging aspect and in Chapter Two the Torah refers to God as  Hashem (Yod Keh Vav Key) -God Merciful aspect. 

          This week’s Parsha is Breishit. It is the first Parsha of the first Book of the Torah. For all intents and purposes, it is the beginning of the Torah. In Breishit, we read the story of Creation, (The Beginning); Adam and Chava’s banishment from Paradise (Gan Eden), and the fratricide of Cain and Abel. We begin however with God. God is the Creator, the ultimate power. If knowledge is power, then God is the ultimate source of knowledge. We accept this as part of our Jewish theology. God is all-knowing and all-powerful. We read the words: V’yivrah Elohim et Ha’Adam b’Tzalmo, B’Tzelem Elohim Barah Oto Zachar u’Nekeivah Barah Otam. “And God created man in His own image. In the image of God, He created him; male and female He created them. (1:27). The question, therefore, is: What is the image of God? Obviously part of that image is the power to create, the power to create life. We surmise this because, in the next verse, God commands Adam and Chava to be fruitful and multiply, to create life just like God had created. Another image of God is Power. God’s purpose in creating humanity was that they “should have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the air and over the cattle, and overall the earth…” (1:26) In today’s vernacular “dominion” is Power. However the ability to create, and the ability to exercise power sagaciously, and judiciously, requires IQ and EQ – intellectual intelligence and emotional intelligence. Perhaps that is our greatest gift. We have the ability to learn, to reason, to discern between right and wrong. We also have the ability to empathize.  Exercising both allows us to expresses our Holiness and demonstrate that we are created in God’s image.

In the Babylonian Talmudic tractate entitled Chagigah (14b), there is an Aggadah, a legend, which illustrates the notion that attaining knowledge and understanding how to attain knowledge is a holy endeavor. Four of the leading sages of their generation entered PaRDes (literally the “orchard” or Paradise). They were Ben Assai, Ben Zoma, Elisha ben Abuyah, and Rabbi Akiva. They entered PaRDeS and came into contact with pure power, pure knowledge, and complete perfection. They came into contact with God. As a result, one sage died immediately. One sage went insane, one became a heretic, and was referred to as Acher (the other), by the rest of the Talmudic Sages. Only Rabbi Akiva emerged unscathed. The commentators of this Aggadah explain that PaRDeS is an acronym for four methods of Torah inquiry: P’shat (the simple literal meaning), Remez (understanding the meaning based upon hint and intimation), Drash (derive meaning based upon interpretation), and Sod( deriving meaning based upon uncovering secret meanings). Imagine that? Our tradition explains that Paradise is achieved through Torah study and deriving meaning in four different ways. Relying on any one way will limit intellectual and spiritual growth. However incorporating each aspect, and understanding when to utilize one more than the other or how much of each aspect to use in order to determine meaning is what allowed Rabbi Akiva to leave PaRDeS unscathed. In a sense our sages are absolutely correct, PaRDeS is studying Torah for the sake of intellectual and emotional growth and enlightenment so that one can judge and empathize. 

          The attainment of knowledge and Truth is a Godly endeavor. The use of such knowledge judiciously, wisely, and empathetically for creative purposes represents the notion that we are indeed created in God’s image. Not only is knowledge power, but understanding how to attain and use that knowledge and empathy is the key to a spiritually enlightened life. Certainly, Judge Barrett has a deep sense of the importance of a spiritually meaningful life. No, I don’t expect Judge Barret to read her translation of the “Original” Torah the same way as I do. However, I think of myself as a bit of an Originalist. However, like the Rabbinic tradition I come from, The Talmudic Sages understood that the beauty of “Originalism” was based upon rules of interpretation and for the text and law to remain cerebral, and a living organism that remains meaningful, then perhaps she ought to rethink the understanding of “originalism”.  But what do I know, I’m just a Rabbi.

Peace,

Rav Yitz

You Say It's A Living, We All Gotta Eat (Robert Hunter & Mickey Hart- "Fire On The Mountain")

The holiday of Passover has passed over and our kitchen has returned to normal. Perhaps the happiest person was our 10th-grade daughter who has been experimenting with vegetarianism. Her commitment to this additional dietary restriction created some difficulties for her during Pesach. Obviously, there was no regular pasta. Even though there is a Matza based pasta on the market, she did not like it. There was no such thing as a Kosher For Passover vege-burger. There was no Tofu on Passover as soybean (and all beans for that matter) are considered kitniyot (legumes) and we hold by that restriction during the Passover festival. She ate lots of quinoa and lots of fish, eggs and cheese. Throughout the entire week, her mother and I constantly worried about her getting enough protein in her diet. I even told her that it was time she acknowledges her rightful place atop the food chain and enjoys her mother’s chicken and brisket. While our daughter smiled at my joke, she will not be persuaded to begin eating meat. So whenever we do eat meat, we always make sure that she has a “vegetarian option. Despite the inconvenience for the one cooking and our perpetual anxiety about her protein intake, I actually admire her discipline.

This week’s Parsha is Shemini. It is comprised of three chapters. The first chapter tells us how sacrificial offering is supposed to work. While receiving instructions from Moshe, Aharon, his brother, and the High Priest, makes sacrificial offerings on behalf of the people. Following every instruction down to the minutest detail, and remaining in the highest state of spiritual purity, Aharon slaughters the animal, sprinkles the blood, and burns the animal. Once finished, Moshe and Aharon leave the Mishkan and come out to bless the people. V’yeirah Kavod Adonai El Kol Ha’Am-“And the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people” (Lev 9:23). Obviously, we can see how sacrifices are supposed to work. We see how God’s pleasure is displayed and the people's response to witnessing such glory. They bow their heads. This chapter essentially explains God’s response to the sacrifices. When everything is appropriate and in the proper spirit, God accepts our approach. The second chapter concentrates much more on the priests and what happens when things are not appropriate or not conducted in the proper spirit. Aharon’s eldest sons die for their inappropriate approach toward God. Moshe reminds Aharon and his remaining sons that one must be physically and spiritually pure when offering sacrifices both on their own behalf and on B’nai Yisroel’s behalf. However, what do either of these chapters half to do with Kashrut?

The discussion of Kashrut is confined to the last chapter of the Parsha, chapter 11. In it, we read a list of animals that we are forbidden to eat. Some of which I probably would not eat even if it was kosher. However the answer to why we keep kosher is provided “For I am Adonai your God-you are to sanctify yourselves and you shall become holy, and you shall not contaminate yourselves…For I am Adonai who elevates you from the land of Egypt to be a God unto; you shall be holy, for I am holy. This is the law of the animal, the bird, every living creature that swarms in the water, and for every creature that teems on the ground; to distinguish between the impure and the pure, and between the creature that may be eaten and the creature that may not be eaten.” Kashrut is merely a physical expression of our purity. God accepts offerings of all kinds. Priests purify themselves in order to make offerings acceptable to God. What about the rest of us? What everyday activity do we engage in which allows us to demonstrate our sense of purity and our own sense of holiness?  We eat! We separate animals as acceptable for consumption and unacceptable for consumption. We separate milk from meat. We separate the time from when we eat by the time when we do not eat with a blessing. We remind ourselves every day of our own sense of holiness and our relationship to God through Kashrut.

How wonderful! Parsha Shemini teaches that we all have a means to approach God. Priests make sacrifices, and the rest of us eat. By engaging in such physical activity in a manner that consists of limits to that physical activity, we remind ourselves of our relationship with God.  We are reminded that our natural state of existence is entirely physical, only when we infuse our existence with spirituality are we able to embody the sacred. However, the object is to be able to elevate every aspect of our physical existence and infuse it with holiness, even something as physical as eating. Just like God was able to make things holy, so too, are we able to make things holy as well.

Peace, 

Rav Yitz

If Mercy's In Business, I Wish It For You (Robert Hunter & Mickey Hart - "Fire On The Mountain")

During the excitement of the last couple of weeks in the world of baseball, (The Kansas City Royals defeat of the Toronto Blue Jays in 6 games to win the American League Championship Series and Kansas City’s defeat of the New York Mets in 5 games to win the World Series,), and Canadian politics, (the recent victory of the Liberal Party and Justin Trudeau), the stabbings continued in Israel. Recently one of those who was murdered caught my attention. His name was Richard Lakin, a 76 year old man from Newton Massachusetts who made Aliyah in the 1980’s. Prior to making Aliyah, Mr. Lakin was a Glastonbury, Connecticut Elementary School Principal.  This was a man who participated in the Freedom Rides in the early 1960s as part of the America Civil Rights Movement. When he arrived in Israel he and his wife opened up a business teaching English language to Israeli and Palestinian children and he was very involved in the CoExist movement that attempts to bring Israeli and Palestinian youth together teaching them to listen and learn from each other. He recently wrote a book entitled Teaching as an Act of Love: Thoughts and Recollections of a Former Teacher, Principal, and Kid. Here was a man whose life’s purpose was to help young people, to educate young people in tolerance, to expose them to new ideas, and perspectives. Here was a man who saw young people as a symbol of home for a better future and therefore such symbols, such beings must be nurtured with kindness and understanding. He was shot and stabbed by Palestinian teenagers who have become the symbol of worse future, and intolerant future. Ironically, these Palestinian Teen Age terrorist, murdered the wrong guy. This was a person who tried to help everyone.

This week we read from Parsha Chayei Sarah. This week's Parsha is Chayei Sarah. The Parsha begins with the recounting the years of Sarah's life, Avraham's mourning for his wife, purchasing the land for Sarah's burial and then burying her. Avraham then tells his servant that he does not want his son, Yitzchak, marrying a Canaanite woman. Instead, the servant must return to Avraham's hometown and look for a woman from Avraham's family/ tribe. The servant wants to know how to determine the appropriate girl for his master's son. Avraham answers that the girl that returns with the servant is the right girl. Armed with treasures, camels and plenty of wealth for a dowry the servant sets off and decides that the best place to find a girl is by the local well. There the servant decides that the "right" girl is the girl who would offer him water, as well as offer water to his camels. Sure enough, Rebecca arrives at the well and fulfills the servant's standard. The servant returns with Rebecca to her family, convinces the family to let her go, and Rebecca is asked if she wants to return with the servant. Rebecca unhesitatingly responds with a yes. Now Rebecca has fulfilled the servant's requirement as well as Avraham's requirement. Upon her arrival at her new home, she sees her betrothed, and, not knowing who he was, asked the servant. The servant told her and she covered herself. Rebecca and Yitzchak are married. The Parsha concludes with Yitzchak and Ishmael burying their father, and the genealogy of Ishmael's family.

This Parsha is the first Parsha that focuses upon two powerful lifecycle events: Death and Marriage. Ironically the majority of the Parsha focuses upon marriage and the story of how Yitzchak and Rivka met. However it is the brief narrative of Avraham’s dealing with the death of his wife that we are taught what is involved in Meit Mitzvah, in caring for the deceased. According to Jewish Law there are three obligations in caring for the deceased: 1) Tahara or washing the body. This is a form of purification, much like a women or a convert enters a Mikvah (the Ritual Bath). 2) Burial was manifest in the protracted negotiation between Avraham and Ephron as Avraham ultimately purchased the Caves of the Machpelah in Hebron in order to bury his wife.  3) Hesped- Eulogizing the deceased. VaYavoh Avraham Lispod L’Sarah V’Livkotah- “And Avraham came to eulogize Sarah and to bewail her (Gen23:2).  The commentators explain that eulogizing someone means to speak of the righteous traits that embody the individual. For Avraham this meant seeing Sarah’s life in phases: Meah Shana, V’Esrim Shana, V’Shevah Shanim – A Hundred Years, Twenty Years, and Seven Years. Rashi explains that in each of these phases there were certain righteous qualities that Sarah embodied. Regarding Avraham’s weeping, Rabbi Shimshon Raphael Hirsch explained that the word Livkota with a diminutive letter in the text, teaches us that a small aspect of Avraham’s grief and mourning remained private.

This first funeral, first burial, and first process of mourning provides a model of how the Jewish people mourn. We offer words that speak of the righteous qualities of the deceased. We publicly mourn utilizing various symbols and public expressions of mourning but there is always an aspect of grief that remains private. For Richard Lakin, who possessed righteous qualities in the various phases of his life, he will be mourned by his family, an ex-wife, children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren because they lost the patriarch of a family. He will be mourned by the Israel and the Jewish people because he was a mentsche that did great acts of Chesed- Selfless acts of kindness in a troubled world both in the United States and in Israel. He should be mourned by the Palestinians because more than anything else, they need Israelis and Jews like Richard to create bridges of understanding as a means of arriving at coexistence and respect.

Peace,
Rav Yitz

"More Than Just Ashes When Your Dreams Come True" (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia - 'Fire on the Mountain')

A few weeks ago, we had Shabbat dinner at a friends’ home. While we were there, our friends little boy (maybe 5 or 6) spilled something and began to cry. The little boy’s father tried to calm his son down, he tried to get him to stop crying. The little boy was hysterical, clearly he was crying about something more than just a spilled glass of water. The father continued to try to calm his son, reassure his son that “it’s no big deal, it’s just a little water.” Through his tears and gasping, the little boy whimpered and asked, who was going to clean it up if the nanny wasn’t there to clean it up? We all laughed and the father said that both he and the son could clean it up together. They did and everything returned to normal. On the walk back from dinner, our kids talked about the incident. We all agreed that on one level there was an innocence and humor about the little boy. However we also agreed that there was something disturbing about a child who had not yet learned to be responsible enough to clean up after himself.

This week’s Parsha is Tzav. It is also Shabbat HaGadol, the Shabbat that immediately precedes Chag HaPesach, the Passover Holyday.  Like last week’s Parsha, Parsha Tzav focuses upon Korbonot (offerings). While last week we read of God’s commanding Moshe to tell Aaron and his sons, this week we read of Moshe actually telling Aaron and his sons. This week we read about the actual sacrificing, the actual sprinkling, the actual burning and the actual donning of appropriate clothing. The Parshah concludes with instructions for Aaron and his sons to remain outside of the camp for seven days. These are the seven days required for spiritual and to some degree, physical preparation. The Priests must remain outside of the camp because they are in the process of purifying themselves for this extremely sacred and vital position, Kohen Gadol.

Besides Moshe, the Kohen Gadol was the most vital role within Israelite society. It was the Kohen Gadol that served as a vehicle for the common person to draw closer to God. When the common person or the king needed to atone, they would bring a sacrifice to God. However it was the Priest that had to check for blemishes. It was the priest that had to slaughter the animal in a very precise way. It was the priest that had to sprinkle the blood.  Later on it was the priest who became the “spiritual advisor” to the king. Unlike any other position, the priesthood was based upon lineage and was promised by God to Aaron for eternity (or as long as there was a Temple). Yet as important as this was for the welfare of B’nai Yisroel’s relationship to God, the Priest was eternally reminded of the importance of humility within a leader. V’hotzi et a Hadeshen el Michutz La’Machaneh el Makom Tahor-“and he shall bring the ashes to the outside of the camp, to pure place (Lev 6:4).” Here is arguably the most important position within the community and he has to shlep the ashes out of the Mishkan. What’s even more amazing is what the Talmudic tractate Yoma teaches. The Talmud explains that the priests were so anxious to take out the ashes that a lottery system had to be introduced to pacify all those who wanted this “honor”. Anyone could have been commanded to take out the ashes. Why the Kohanim (the Priests)? Like all other aspects of the sacrificial process, the priests’ sole concern was the Temple and everything about the Temple. No task was below the priest. No aspect of the Temple remained untouched or unaffected by the Priest. The Sefer HaChinuch, a thirteenth century work enumerating and explaining all 613 Mitzvot explains that Terumat HaDeshen is a positive commandment. The priest removes these ashes daily, and in doing so, he is enhancing the Mizbeach (the altar) and beautifying it to the best of his ability. Rashi adds that the priest would wear old clothes and nice his daily Priestly Vestments or his Holiday Vestments to do this type of menial work. All agree that the Kohen was never thought to be too important for such a lowly task.

So what can we learn from Parsha Tzav, and the Priest’s most menial of tasks? First we learn just how vital it is for leadership, of any kind, to roll of its shirtsleeves and do some of the dirty work. After all, if leadership is unwilling to “to get dirty” for a greater purpose, then the purpose is not so great. Also if the leadership is unwilling “to get dirty”, why should anyone else “get dirty”? Effective leadership is not only about convincing others to act; it is about one’s observance of the same rule. No matter how important we think we are, we always should be reminded to take out the ashes. We need humility in order to remind us of where we fit in, and who we are. Possessing this humility gives us credibility when dealing with anyone. Possessing this humility reminds us of how we should treat others as well as how we wish to be treated. As we make our final preparations for Pesach, as we rid our homes of chometz, as we cook, clean and make all the preparations for a festive and Kosher Pesach, we should be aware that we are not only preparing our homes, we are preparing ourselves. If we participate in the preparations, we appreciate the Pesach. If we participate in the preparations, we will invariably rid ourselves of our own chometz, our own arrogance. If we participate in the preparations, we remind ourselves that Judaism is about the individual fitting into something larger, the community, the Jewish people and our ancestors. Let us all remember that none of us are so important that we can’t throw out the trash or clean up after ourselves. Hopefully that little boy has learned to clean up his room for Pesach, and not rely upon the nanny or the maid.

Peace & Chag Kasher v’ Sameach,

Rav Yitz