With Our Thought Jewels Polished And Gleaming (Robert Hunter & Phil Lesh - "The Eleven")

           In between the Jewish Holidays, and playoff baseball games, I have tried to keep up today with the approaching midterm elections in the United States. I have watched excerpts of numerous debates between Democrats and Republicans, between those who believe that the events of January 6th were the equivalent of a domestic terrorist attack and those who continue to deny the results of the 2020 Presidential election, between those who believe who fundamentally believe in individual rights of choice and those who believe that only the state mandate and thereby revoke rights that had existed for over 50 years. As a father blessed with three daughters, all of whom study and work in the United States, all of whom are U.S. citizens, and all of whom are eligible to vote, I watched, I listened and needless to say, I am fearful about the future of democracy in the United States. I fear that my daughter's right to choose is at risk. I am also savvy enough and aware that when one group's rights begin to be revoked, those who believe they have the power to revoke,  continue to revoke other rights of other people. All of a sudden a democracy which guarantees individual rights and liberties soon ceases being a democracy and evolves into the first vestiges of fascism.  As we marked the conclusion of the Jewish Holidays, the Jewish People begin another cycle of Torah reading.  Since so many of those Republicans enjoy invoking God and religion as justification for revoking others' rights, I wish they would take a closer look at the Genesis narrative (Breishit),  the two different names/references to God, “Elokim” and Hashem (Yod Keh Vav Key) and the commentary as to what we learn from these two references to God.

          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 over all 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, reason, and discern between right and wrong. We also have the ability to empathize.  Exercising both allows us to express 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, who would now be referred to as Acher (the other).  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 PaRDeS otherwise known as  Paradise can only be achieved through Torah study and investigating the deeper meaning utilizing these four different methods of interpretation. Relying only on the literal meaning of the text, or even relying only on one method of interpretation limits intellectual and spiritual growth. However incorporating each aspect, and understanding when to utilize one or more methods of interpretation 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, 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 and a democracy that upholds the rights of its citizens.

 

Peace,
Rav Yitz

Once In A While You Get Shown The Light In The Strangest Of Places If You Look At It Right (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia - "Scarlet Begonias")

Like so many millions of people, we had have been following the news regarding the Supreme Court nominee hearings. For our son, it has been a valuable lesson in learning what is and is not acceptable behavior in regards to drinking, and girls. For our daughters, it has been a valuable lesson in having a strong voice and learning to speak up for oneself. For all of us, we watched, we listened and we talked about the qualities and characteristics that are required for a person to judge other people. As we watched, listened and read, we were all keenly aware 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. I suggested to my children that perhaps we can determine the requisite qualities for a Judge by looking at the Torah. 

          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.  We see what God does when God has no one or nothing to interact with. We see God create, then we see God evaluate or the Judge.  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). So, what is the image of God?

 Well, the two fundamental activities that God engages in the story of Creation is to create something and then evaluate or judge it upon completion. As we talked about the qualities required to be a judge; I suggested to my children that they take a look at the commentary by Rashi and understand the two references to God (Yod Keh Vav Key) and Lord (“Elokim”) in the first two chapters of Creation “Elokim” and Hashem (Yod Keh Vav Key). Rashi, the great 11th-century French commentator explains that Elokim is the term that denotes the divine attribute of Justice (Midat Ha’Din), ruler, lawgiver, and Judge of the world. This was the term used exclusively in the first chapter of Breishit, where God only Judges. However, in the second chapter, the Torah uses the HaShem (Yod, Keh Vav Keh) which denotes the attribute of Mercy. In the second chapter, God doesn’t Judge, rather he creates Ha’Adam  Afar Min Ha’Adama VaYipach B’Apav Nishmat Chayim VaYehi Ha’Adam L’Nefesh Chaya- from the dust of the ground and blew into his nostrils the soul of life and man became a living being (Gen.2:7). There was no judgment, no evaluation just the mercy required to take something from the dust of the earth and elevate it in holiness by breathing into it. So it seems that the image of God is to Judge, and to have knowledge of the law. The other image of God is to demonstrate Mercy and to have the ability to empathize, the ability to see the image of God in each and every person.

            So as we continued to discuss the necessary qualities of a Judge, let alone the Supreme Court Judge, our children began to understand that the ability to Judge is not just a human endeavor, it is a holy and certainly a Godly endeavor. Both Knowledge and Mercy, IQ and EQ, intellectual intelligence and emotional intelligence, are equally necessary. Acquiring knowledge and an honest desire to discover Truth is a Godly endeavor. Being able to empathize, to see the Ruach HaKodesh, the divine aspect in each person is also a Godly endeavor. While I doubt our kids will be nominated for the Supreme Court, I hope that they will strive to acquire both knowledge and empathy in order to have the judicial temperament and lead a spiritually enlightened life. After all, to be created in the image of God is to possess both knowledge and empathy.

Peace,

Rav Yitz

Lost Now On The Country Miles In His Cadillac (John Barlow & Bob Weir- "Cassidy")

Our teen-age daughters spent the last days of the Jewish Holidays, Shemini Atseret and Simchat Torah, with their camp friends in the New York metropolitan area. Everyone had a great time. However the journey down towards New York almost ended in one of them missing out on their re-union. The plan was simple enough. Last Saturday night, while listening to the Chicago Cubs defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers on the radio, I drove our daughters down to my parents in Rochester, NY. My parents, who were driving to New York to spend Simchat Torah with their other granddaughter, were to provide a ride to the New York Metropolitan area. We had arranged for the daughter heading to Teaneck to be dropped off at a Teaneck area hotel just off the highway. From there, my parents would drive into New York City, and drop our other daughter off at my sister’s apartment. From there, she would take a cab with her aunt or her grandmother to the East Side, where she would meet her friends and get a ride to New Rochelle. The Teaneck bound daughter should arrive by 2:30 the latest, and the New Rochelle bound daughter should arrive at the Upper East Side by 3:30 the latest. We arrived on Saturday night, happy that the Cubs were going to the World Series. I asked my father if he needed directions to the Teaneck hotel. He said he didn’t as he had already downloaded the directions and even confidently stated that he knew to get into the local lane in order to exit off of I 80 East.  I spent the night, woke up the next morning and returned to Toronto. My parents and daughters left Rochester and began the drive to New Jersey. By 11:30am I had arrived in Toronto. Their drive was just fine. By noon, they were about 45 minutes from Teaneck. Then the adventure began. They were lost in Teaneck. My father missed the exit. He tried to double back. He became more lost. He kept stopping and asking for directions and he proceeded to get more lost, more anxious and more upset.

This morning we begin the Torah from the very beginning in Parsha Breishit. We are all familiar with the narrative of this Parsha. The first chapter focuses upon the narrative of creation from God’s perspective. The second chapter focuses upon the narrative of creation from a humankind perspective. The third chapter focuses upon Adam and Chava’s disobedience of God, their obedience to the serpent their partaking of the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge and the resulting consequences. The Fourth chapter focuses upon the family’s growth, sibling rivalry as well as fratricide. The fifth chapter focuses upon ten generations of the family’s genealogy beginning with Adam and Chava and concluding with Noach and his sons. In the sixth chapter, God expresses disappointment with mankind’s behavior and God expresses disappointment in his creation.

There is a moment after Adam and Chava ate from the Tree of Knowledge, and they realized that they had failed to follow directions. VaTipakachna Einei Shneihem VaYeidu Ki Eirumim Heim – then the eyes of both of them were opened and they realized that they were naked. By eating from the Tree of Knowledge, their eyes opened.  They had become enlightened. They had become “aware” of their existence in context. They were not like other aspects of creation.  Despite this enlightenment and this awareness what do they do? VaYitChabei Ha’Adam V’Ishto Mipnei Adoshem Elokim B’Toch Eitz Hagan – and the man and his wife hid from Hashem God among the trees of the garden.  They tried to lose themselves amid the trees. So when God asks Ayeka – Where are you? God knows where they are. The problem is that they do not know where they are. They don’t answer the question.  Et Kolecha Shamati BaGan VaIra Ki Eirom Anochi VaEichavei – I heard the sound of You in the garden and I was afraid because I am naked, so I hid. This answers the question of why did you hide? But the answer to “where are you” is simple. It is an answer that more spiritually mature and aware people will offer. The answer to the question “where are you?” is “here”. Such an answer suggests that the person is not so lost. Or the answer the question “where are you?” is “I don’ know”.  If Adam is enlightened because he ate from the Tree of Knowledge, Adam’s response is disturbing. He is not as enlightened as his descendent Avraham who will respond “Hineini -Here I am”. Nor is he enlightened to know that he is lost. To be lost suggests at least knowing the destination but not knowing how to get there. Adam can’t answer the question because he doesn’t know where he is going nor does he know from where he comes. He only knows that he is naked and without purpose.

Eventually, I managed to get my father to the highway heading towards the George Washington Bridge. They were stuck in traffic for a while, but eventually managed to drop off our daughter at the rendezvous point and she arrived at her final destination in time. Yes, they had been lost, but they always had in mind the final destination. Yes they had been lost but they always knew that the direction they needed to go, eventually they would find the right path. Needless to say, everyone arrived where they were supposed to be and everyone had a wonderful end to the Chagim.  I guess next time I will make sure to buy my father a GPS so that way when I ask him

“Ayeka – where are you?”, he will know.

Peace,

Rav Yitz