Says I Got No Satisfaction, That's Why I Sing The Blues ( Bob Weir - "One More Saturday Night")

When I visited my kids at camp last week, I couldn’t help but note the irony, especially from my 13 year old daughter. At home, she would routinely complain that her bedroom isn’t big enough, her closet wasn’t big enough, the bathroom is too small to share with her younger sister and brother and she doesn’t have enough clothes. Sounds like a typical 13 year old girl, or at least a typical 13 year old girl that doesn’t really want for anything. At camp, she shares a room with 12 other girls, she sleeps on the bottom of a bunk bed, has four shelves, about 9 inches of closet space, shares a bathroom with 12 girls and two counselors, and couldn’t be happier. She has less room, less privacy, less clothes and in general seems quite satisfied. Now that is ironic!         

This week’s Parsha is Eikev. Here in his second discourse, Moshe explains to the new generation how the second set of tablets came into being. He explains how God forgave their parents of their idolatrous behavior in regards to the Eigel Zahav (Golden Calf), and all B’nai Yisroel must do essentially refrain from Idolatry, serve God, worship God, and the nation will be rewarded with water, grass and quality lives. Moshe also reminds B’nai Yisroel that they have nothing to fear when they enter into Canaan and conquer the land even though they maybe outnumbered, because God has already demonstrated that he will protect his people. He did so during the Yetziat Mitzrayim (Exodus), and as long as B’nai Yisroel keeps its side of the B’rit, God will continue to protect his people.

            However it is towards the end of the Parsha, that we encounter a possible answer from a passage of Torah that is familiar to many. V’Haya Im Tishma’u El Mitzvotai Asher Anochi M’tzaveh Etchem Hayom L’Ahavah – It will be that if you hearken to My commandments that I command you today to love Hashem your God and to serve him with all you heart and with all your soul…(Deut. 11:13). This is the second paragraph of the Shema, a part of the daily prayers we say every Shacharit (morning service) and Ma’Ariv (evening service). In this second paragraph of the Shema, we are told that there is a reward for our obeying God’s commandments and there will be retribution for disobeying God’s commandments. Among the rewards is a phrase that, at first glance, does not seem like such a reward. V’Haya Im Tishma’u El Mitzvotai Asher Anochi M’tzaveh Etchem Hayom L’Ahavah Et Adonai Eloheichem Ul’Avdo B’Chol Levavchem Uv’chol  Nafshachem. V’Natati M’tar Artzechem B’Ito Yoreh Umalkosh V’Asaftah D’Ganecha V'Tiroshcha v’Yitzharecha – It will be that if you hearken to My commandments that I command you today to love Hashem your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul, then I shall provide rain for your Land in its proper time, the early and the late rains, that you may gather in your grain, your wine and your oil.  V’Natati Esev B’Sadcha Livhemtecha V’Achalta V’Savata – I shall provide grass in your field for your cattle and you will eat and be satisfied (Deut 11:15). Among the rewards is grass for our cattle and we will eat and be satisfied. The simple meaning of the verse suggests that we will eat the grass and or the cattle, but whatever we eat, we will be satisfied –v’Savatah. Satisfied implies that we will not be wanting for anything. Satisfied means fulfilled, content. How can the grass that God will make plentiful satisfy us. Rashi explains the verse as follows: When you are very prosperous, you must be very careful not to rebel against God, because man rejects God only when he is sated.” 

          

           When I asked her to compare the living conditions at home with the living conditions at camp, she looked at me as if I was a fool. She explained that she was with her friends, that she was doing so many amazing things and as a result didn’t need so many creature comforts.  I didn’t tell her, but it was quite evident to me, that spiritually she was flourishing and as a result she didn’t spend time “wanting”. She was satisfied with what she had.

            Peace,

            Rav Yitz

Actions Speak Louder Than Words, But I'm A Man With Great Experience (Otis Redding - "Hard To Handle")

Earlier this week, I started my morning like I always do and I turned on my favorite morning news show. The talking heads were discussing the General Colin Powell’s appearance on Meet the Press and his criticism of the state of the Republican Party. Our son came downstairs as I am watching and asks who they were talking about and who that African American person is. I explained that Colin Powell had been a General, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Secretary of State. Our son asked if he was a friend to Israel. I told our son the following story about Colin Powell. “The South Bronx of the 1950’s was a thriving community that was predominantly home to Orthodox Jews. There was a baby store on the corner of Westchester Ave. and Fox, called Sickser’s. While the language of the store was primarily Yiddish, all languages were spoken since so many different people purchased baby items from Sickser. One spring day, when business was unusually heavy, Mr. Sickser went outside and stopped the first young man he saw and offered him a job. The young teen-age boy smiled and took the job. He proved to be an excellent worker, willing to learn, diligent and honest. Despite his Jamaican background, he picked up enough Yiddish that he could converse with those Jewish customers whose English was not fluent. While attending CCNY (City College of New York), the young man kept his job with Sickser as it offered him stability. The young man graduated from CCNY with a degree in Geology and Engineering. He did several tours of duty during the Viet Nam War. Along with General Schwarzkopf, he was the unquestionable authority during the Persian Gulf War. He became a Five Star General, and Head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Colin Powell is now the Secretary of State. In 1993, upon meeting then Prime Minister, Yitzchak Shamir, General Powell said to him “Men Kent Reden Yiddish” (We can speak Yiddish). Shamir was stunned. Powell never forgot his early days in the Bronx. More important, Powell never forgot the lesson: The object in life is to do good. Work within the system, apply oneself to obligations and everything is possible.”

  In this week’s Parsha, Bo, we read all about actions and deeds. God’s actions are embodied by the final 3 plagues. The tenth and last one being the destruction of Egypt’s first born. Pharaoh’s actions are embodied in his calling to Moshe and Aharon, in his apology (Ex. 10:16), in revoking the apology, and finally in sending B’nai Yisroel out. B’nai Yisroel’s actions are embodied in the 16 separate, yet seemingly redundant actions concerning the Pesach holiday as explained in Ex.11:4-13:16. From the Paschal Sacrifice to “remembering this day”, there is a sense that Moshe tells B’nai Yisroel of God’s plan before he hears it from God. There is also the sense that we, as the readers, must read the instructions two or three times. First we read the instructions as given to Moshe. Second, we read the instructions as given to B’nai Yisroel. Third, God reiterates all this to Moshe and B’nai Yisroel three days into their journey. Perhaps this sense of redundancy is best illustrated in chapter 12.  VaYeilchu VaYa’Asu Bnei Yisroel Ka’Asher Tzivah  Adoshem et Moshe V’Aharon, Kein Asu -B’nai Yisroel went and did as God commanded Moshe and Aharon, so did they do (12:28).

Fundamental to Judaism is the notion that we must do Judaism. Ultimately we are judged by actions. We are a people of Mitzvot, Chukim, u’Mishpatim (commandments, statutes and judgments). These Laws and Statutes govern our behavior.  On Yom Kippur, we stand before God and our fellow human beings and seek forgiveness for our actions, and for our behavior. We are a religion built upon actions and deeds, not creeds and dogmas.The Sefer HaChinuch, the 14^th century book of Mitzvah education explains the redundancy from the Jewish perspective of judgment based upon action and deed. “A person is influenced in accordance with his actions. His heart and all his thoughts are always drawn after the deeds in which he is occupied, whether he is good or bad.” Even a person who is thoroughly wicked in his/her heart, and every thought is evil, if his/her spirit is aroused to do Torah and mitzvot, even for the wrong reasons, eventually he will veer towards good. The heart follows the deed. Likewise the person who is thoroughly righteous, and honest, but constantly engages in questionable behavior or a questionable occupation, at some point his/her heart will turn from righteousness. “For this reason the sages said: God wished to make the Jewish people meritorious; therefore he gave them a multitude of Mitzvot.”

            Upon our actions, we are evaluated. Upon our deeds, we are judged. In Parshah Bo we read how our ancestors behaved with merit. They observed God’s instruction, and finally, they left Egypt. Every day we have the opportunity to do good.  Fortunately for us, we neither have the hardship of slavery, nor the torturous workouts to prepare us for all of life’s possibilities. To be mentshlekite we need only learn and apply what we learned to doing good.  So on that early morning discussion with our son, I reminded him that his job is to learn and to do at least one good thing for another person.
          

Peace,

Rav Yitz

I Get No Satisfaction, That's Why I Sing The Blues (Bob Weir - "One More Saturday Night")

Our eldest daughter has now started her new life. Now a college graduate, she has beaten the odds and actually found a job in her major: Political Science. She has moved out west to work on the Presidential campaign. While we are all excited for her; the conversations leading up to her first day of work had very little to do with working on a presidential campaign.  In fact she seem to call me only when she needed something from me: Money, a credit card, her anxiety about starting a new phase of life, a car. So I gave her some money, I have put off the issue of a credit card for a while,  I laughed at her anxiety reminded her that she is lucky to be employed and then reminded her that this is what she wanted to be doing, “What could possibly be the problem?” Then I explained how to buy a car. Thinking for a moment that I had been a wise and good father, I receive another phone call from my daughter. It turns out that I am no co-signing for her car loan.  A couple of days later she called. Before she could speak, I told her that she cannot call me anymore if she is only going to ask me for things. It seemed that with every phone call, she indicated another degree of frustration, aggravation or dissatisfaction with her life circumstances.  I am thinking what I wouldn’t give to be 22, right out of college working and having minimal expenses and only being responsible for myself! How dissatisfying could one possibly be?

This week’s Parsha is Eikev. Here in his second discourse, Moshe reminds B'nai Yisroel of the reward for fulfilling the commandment, their parents’ experience of the Exodus from Egypt, the miracle, the Eigel Zahav (the Golden Calf) as well as the trials and tribulations of the life in the wilderness. Moshe also reminds B’nai Yisroel that they have nothing to fear when they enter into Canaan and conquer the land even though they maybe outnumbered, because God has already demonstrated that he will protect his people. He did so during the Yetziat Mitzrayim (Exodus), and as long as B’nai Yisroel keeps its side of the B’rit, God will continue to protect his people and they will remain in the Eretz Canaan

Particularly noteworthy in the parsha is what is known as the second Paragraph of the Shema. This Paragraph contain 7 verses and essentially outlines the reward for Bnai Yisroel’s observance of God’s commandments. Just exactly what is the reward for Bnai Yisroel’s undying loyalty to Hashem and the observance of the commandment? While I am sure many expected something really large and quite awesome; the reward seems rather small and simple. Yet the reward is also quite profound. V’Haya Im Tishma’u El Mitzvotai Asher Anochi M’tzaveh Etchem Hayom L’Ahavah Et Adonai Eloheichem Ul’Avdo B’Chol Levavchem Uv’chol Nafshachem. V’Natati M’tar Artzechem B’Ito Yoreh Umalkosh V’Asaftah D’Ganecha V'Tiroshcha v’Yitzharecha – It will be that if you hearken to My commandments that I command you today to love Hashem your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul, then I shall provide rain for your Land in its proper time, the early and the late rains, that you may gather in your grain, your wine and your oil.  V’Natati Esev B’Sadcha Livhemtecha V’Achalta V’Savata – I shall provide grass in your field for your cattle and you will eat and be satisfied (Deut 11:15). Among the rewards is grass in our fields for our cattle and we will eat and be satisfied. It certainly doesn’t very glamorous. Yet it does speak to the human condition.  Rashi explains the reward as follows: When you are very prosperous, you must be very careful not to rebel against God, because man rejects God only when he is sated.”

I spoke to my daughter earlier this week. I said it would be nice to hear from her and not have her need something from me nor express some degree of dissatisfaction with something. She actually understood and proceeded to tell me that now that she has a car, now that she has started working, now that she has collected her first paycheck, she feel like a person. For now she actually used the word “satisfied”.  I wish I could say that I was satisfied. Now I just have another thing to keep me awake at night. Now I need to worry about my daughter having a car at her disposal driving all around the state of Colorado. Even worse, because of the two hour time difference, I won’t know if she arrived home safely by the time I go to sleep at night. I guess I won’t be very satisfied with the quality of my sleep until the campaign is finished.

Peace,

Rav Yitz.

You And Me Bound To Spend Some Time Wondering What To Choose ( Hunter, Garcia - Deal)

There are moments I catch myself as a parent, saying things my parents said or doing things my parents did. Sometimes these moments are a result of an instinctive behavior, expression or gesture that I never gave any thought about. Sometimes these moments are a result of a strategic decision based upon my own personal experience as a child dealing with my parents. Sometimes these moments arise because I am reminded of advice that was offered to me decades ago. A few days ago when speaking to one of my daughters I had that moment. I saw myself as my father. As I responded, I was reminded of a piece of sage advice offered to me. "Let children make decisions, but don’t let a child make a teen-age decision, don’t let a teenager make an adult decision, don’t let young adult make a decision that a 60 year should make." So as my father’s advice streamed across my mind I now had to think of a creative deal for my daughter. I thought of the old television game show “Let’s Make a Deal”. The studio audience would dress up in ridiculous costumes hoping to be a contestant. Then the host, Monty Hall, would make a proposition. The contestant could take the amount of cash in Monty Hall’s pocket or behind door number 1 or 2 or 3. During the course of the conversation he would make the choice more difficult by telling the contestant how much money was in the pocket. Now the contestant would have enough information to know what he/she stood to gain or lose with the ensuing decision. Some took the cash; some took what was behind the door. It was interesting to watch the contestant’s reaction when he/she finds out what was behind the door, what could have been won or what was lost.

This Shabbat we read from Parsha Re'eh. Moshe re-iterates numerous commandments both positive and negative. Moshe reminds B'nai Yisroel of the obligation to observe the Shalosh Regalim (the Pilgrimage Festivals: Pesach, Shavuot, Sukkot), the laws concerning Jewish servants/bondsman, providing charity to the less fortunate and the cancellation of loans in the 7^th year of the 7 year business cycle. Moshe reminds us of the foods we can and cannot eat. Moshe also reminds us to be wary of family and friends that try to convince to stray from these obligations, as well as following false prophets, and behaving like the neighboring tribes such as the Canaanites, as well as a myriad of other commandments and warnings.

Certainly Moshe issues many warnings, and lists many mitzvot. However, instead of issuing these commandments “from on High”, Moshe teaches these commandments and offers warnings. Rather than the unilateral legislation of these commandments, Moshe provides this generation with a choice. Moshe wants this generation to make a responsible informed decision for which they will be held responsible. Moshe tells B’nai Yisroel what lies behind doors number one and two. Et HaBracha Asher Tishma’u El Mitzvot Adoshem Elokeichem Asher Anochi M’tzaveh Etchem Ha’Yom – The blessing: that you obey the commandments of Hashem, Your God, that I command you today. V’Haklalah Im Lo Tishme’u El Mitzvot Adoshem Elokeichemt V’Sartem Min HaDerech Asher Anochi M’Tzaveh Etchem Ha’Yom LaLechet Acharei Elohim Acheirim Asher Lo Y’Datem –And the curse; if you do not obey the commandments of Hashem, Your God, and you stray from the path that I command you today, to follow gods of other people that you did not know. (Deut. 11:27-28). It is interesting to note that Moshe did not tell us our reward or our blessing. Likewise, Moshe did not tell us the curse. Rather he defined the blessing and the curse. A blessing is tantamount to obeying and observing the Mitzvot, and a curse is tantamount to disregarding the commandments and following other gods instead.

In a sense this is the ultimate game of Lets Make a Deal. Moshe perspective is clear. He doesn’t really need to tell us the specific contents behind door number one neither does he need to tell us the specific contents behind door number two. Intrinsic to obedience and observance is a blessing. Intrinsic to disobedience and going wayward is a curse. Intrinsic to every commandment and every mitzvah is the expression of our relationship with God. Moshe reminds us: “ Ki Am Kadosh – For you are a Holy Nation” (Deut. 14:2). Therefore everything we do should be an expression of our desire to be near God. Observance draws us closer to God. Being close to God is a blessing. Disobedience pushes us away from God. Being far from God is a curse. By presenting the mitzvot in this fashion, Moshe accomplishes several important goals. First, Moshe empowers B’nai Yisroel. They can now make an informed decision regarding obedience or disobedience because they understand the consequences to both. Second Moshe speaks to B’nai Yisroel as if they were a mature nation instead of children. We are offered a choice. We are presented the opportunity to take responsibility for our choices. This is the difference between the slavery and freedom. The generation born in freedom must be able to take responsibility for its choices or it might as well remain enslaved.

So I sat down with my daughter and gave her a choice. I told her what was behind door number one and two. I explained that whatever she decided was her decision and she was responsible for it. I told her I loved her however that has absolutely nothing do with what is behind door number one or two. We all have the opportunity to make decisions about our lives however the key is whether we take responsibility for our lives. We should always be aware of our own blessings and our curses. However if we knew that behind door number one , the door with the blessings, exists holiness and meaning in our lives we would always choose wisely. More than the blessing of holiness and meaning behind door number one, there is more. Behind door number one, behind the blessing is God. We only need the strength and the wisdom to choose the blessing of Torah, to have holiness, meaning, and God in our lives.

Peace,

Rav Yitz

I Was All Night Running, Running, Lord, I Wonder If You Care (Hunter/Garcia -Bertha)

Last Sunday was the final episode of the television season for Desperate Housewives. It was a two hour episode that neatly tied up numerous loose ends developed over the course of the past season and previous seasons. Like any good final episode there was a bit of cliffhanger so that we have something to look forward to in the next season. Two of the Desperate Housewives story lines are particularly poignant. One had to do with the WASPY prim and proper Bree who finally consummated her new romance with Detective on the local police force. The Detective was going through a divorce and did not want to do anything with Bree that would endanger his divorce. Knowing that they were off limits to each other, their passion for each other was expressed in kisses, innuendo, and speaking to one another. Even before this relationship is consummated, we know that this is an intensely passionate relationship between two adults. The second story has to do with Tom and Lynette Scavo. They have been married for approximately twenty years. They have five children and Tom recently landed an incredibly lucrative position thereby allowing his family to live in a comfortable manner that they had never enjoyed. However over the past few episodes we have watched this couple become passionate-less. They no longer fight; instead they have resigned themselves to the fact neither of them “wants to keep doing this anymore.” In one particularly poignant scene, when Lynette mistakenly thought that Tom had left the two were talking about her reaction. She explained that she was not so sad, nor shocked but mostly relieved. She was relieved that they were no longer stuck but rather making a decision and moving forward. Both of these relationships succeed or fail because of Passion. Passion can be expressed in a positive manner or a negative manner, but in what every manner it is expressed, passion demonstrates that people are engaged and not alienated. Passion demonstrates caring about something as opposed to being utterly cavalier. When there is no passion, when people are only cavalier then the relationship dies.

This Shabbat we read from Parsha Bechukotai. It is the final Parsha of the Book of Leviticus. For the past ten Parshiot, Sefer Vayikra, the Book of Leviticus has taught us how to act in a holy manner. We have learned how to behave towards God in a holy manner. We have been taught how to treat member of our family in a holy manner. We have been taught how to treat people outside of our family, friends, acquaintances, employees, and the needy in a holy manner as well. We have been given tools by which we are able to approach God in a sanctified way. We have been given tools to sanctify the seasons, as well as the land of Israel. Finally, here in the last Parsha we are told the reward as well as the punishment if we fail to learn and observe these commandments. The reward is quite simple and straightforward. Im B’Chukotai Teileichu v’Et Mitzvotai Tishmeru Va’Asitem Otam V’Natati Gishmeichem B’Itam V’Natna Ha’Aretz Y’Vulah V’Eitz Ha’Sadeh Yiten Piryo – If you follow my decrees and observe my commandments and perform them; then I will provide you with rains in their time, and the land will give its produce an the tree of the field will give its fruit. (Lev. 26:3-4). Ultimately our reward is predicated upon fulfilling the commandments.

The punishment is neither simple nor straightforward. Normally one would think that merely our failure to observe and fulfill the commandment would be reason enough for punishment. However this is not the case. Our punishment is a result of something worse than our failure to observe and fulfill these commandments. V’Im Lo Tishme’u Li, V’Lo Ta’asu Eit Kol HaMitzvot Ha’Eila – If you will not listen to me (obey) and will not perform all of these commandments; V’Im B’Chukotai Timasu V’Im Et Mishpatai Tigal Nafshechem – if you consider my Decrees loathsome, and if your being rejects My ordinances (Lev. 26: 14-15) then we receive punishment. There are a series of seven sets of punishments and after each set; we are given an opportunity for Tshuvah, for Repentance. If after each set of punishments we continue to ignore God, then we receive another set of punishments. The Torah keeps repeating a phrase which is far more powerful than “ignoring” God. V’Halachtem Imi B’Keri and if you behave towards Me cavalierly, then the next set of punishments are warranted. It could be argued that our divine punishment is a result of our lack of passion, our lack of care and concern for our role and responsibility in our relationship to God.

Worse than our failure to fulfill our obligations in relationships; is our utter lack of concern or care that we failed to fulfill our obligations. Worse than fighting in the relationship; is disengaging from the relationship. When one disengages in the relationship, the other becomes desperate desiring some type of passion either positive or negative. God grows angry with us when we disengage, when we drop out and don’t care that we have dropped out. Our punishments all reflect God’s creating greater distance from us, a form of dropping out as well. Desperation is not confined to housewives; it is a universal and unfortunate result of others treating something that is sacred and holy B’Keri in a cavalier manner.

Peace,

Rav Yitz