The Holy On Their Knees, The Reckless Are Out Wrecking, The Timid Plead Their Pleas (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia - "Days Between")

          Forgetting the fact that it’s October and that means baseball playoffs and eventually the World Series; There is something different during the days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. The ten days in between the Jewish New Year and the Day of Atonement are known as the Aseret Yamei Teshuvah – the Ten Days of Repentance. Maybe what makes these days different are its purpose. During these ten days, we are supposed to ask forgiveness from others; this process culminates with Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) when we ask forgiveness from God. Maybe what makes these different is that they are between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. These days between mark a ten-day transition from one point in time to another. These days in between are truly a journey, not necessarily in terms of geography but spirituality. Each day is another leg in that spiritual journey culminating in a 25 hour moment (Yom Kippur) where we are as close to God as humanly possible. I become keenly aware of that journey very early in the morning when I attend Selichot services well before dawn breaks. My children are aware of it when during quiet moments they ask for forgiveness from each other or from me or my wife. These days in between are a time where we are supposed to find spiritual clarity. For it is spiritual clarity that will allow us to ask to be forgiven and it is spiritual clarity that allows us to have the chutzpah and the courage to strive towards holiness and God.

            In this week’s Parsha, Va’Yeileich, Moshe is now experiences for the last time a tremendous moment of clarity. However of all the moments of clarity including: the Burning Bush, the Revelation at Sinai, the Personal Revelation when he saw the back of God while defending B’nai Yisroel following the episode of the Golden Calf; it is the moment of death to which we can all relate. It is at the moment of impending death that Moshe has perfect clarity. He sees and understands the anguish that his children will experience as they drift towards and away from their Covenant with God. He sees all that his life has been and he recognizes that while his life will be no more, there will be closure. Ki Yadati Acharei Motie Ki Hashcheit Tashchitun v’Sartem Min HaDerech Asher Tziviti Etchem V’Karat Etchem Ha’Ra’Ah B’Acharit Hayamim Ki Ta’Asu et Ha’Rah B’Einei Adoshem L’Hachiso B’Ma’Asei Y’deichem – For I know that after my death you will surely act corruptly, and you will surely act corruptly, and you will stray from the path that I have commanded you, and evil will befall you at the end of days, if you do what is evil in the eyes of HaShem, to anger Him through your handiwork (Deut.31:29). We should note that closure does not necessarily mean that the content of the closure will be positive, however, the process of closure is always positive. 
          Our sages are adamant about the vital importance of closure. If a person engages in Tshuvah, a repentant return to God, and Vidui, confession even if the moment before death it is tantamount to a person who has returned to living a life of Mitzvot. In a moment of clarity, certainly such a moment exists at death, Moshe has the opportunity to make that moment holy, sanctified, an un-wasted moment. We seek forgiveness from God, and we seek forgiveness from family and friends. Mostly, it seems to me, that during these ten days we honestly look at ourselves and assume that we have hurt others instead of being shocked when we find out that we are capable of hurting another. The ability to engage in this process known as Shuvah, the process of returning to the holiest aspect of our being, requires great clarity. Sometimes clarity occurs during a beautiful autumn day. Sometimes clarity comes on a starry night. Sometimes clarity comes sipping coffee at sunrise. Sometimes clarity comes at childbirth. Sometimes clarity comes when you tuck your children into bed and wish them sweet dreams. Sometimes clarity comes at the death of a loved one. Sometimes, clarity comes at one's impending death.
            I don't expect my teenage children to anticipate the moments when they will have a moment of clarity. Nor do I think they know when they will have those moments of clarity. However, they have them. Frequently it will occur when they can relate to some experience in a personal manner, or the moment may occur during a particular class. Sometimes they will have the moment when they hear about the difficult moments that friends or acquaintances may have. The important thing is that when it happens they are aware. When they ask me about my moments of clarity. I know it happens when I hear about the difficulties of others when I visit a person in the hospital when I listen to a person describe the life of a loved one who recently passed away. However, being aware of these days in between, these transitional moments presents us with greater opportunity to have moments of clarity and with greater clarity comes a greater perspective. 

Peace
Rav Yitz

Would You Hold It Near, As It Were Your Own (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia "Ripple")

There are two refrains that I hear quite often as summer draws to an end and the school year appear imminently on the horizon. “The Holidays are early this year!” or “The Holidays are late this year!” Usually my response is to remind the individual that Rosh HaShanah always begins on time – the first of Tishrei.  Well this year I stand corrected. The Jewish Holidays are early; like two days removed from Labor Day Early.  The Holidays are so early this year that the first day of school this year is before Labor Day.  This means is that that is an awful lot of chaos in our home. Getting kids their school supplies, their uniforms, shoes for the holidays, making sure that they have clothing appropriate for the Holidays that are comfortable for the late summer, and then of course, food shopping and the requisite cooking. I am tired just thinking about it and yes, there is still work to do on sermons.  Getting children ready for another school year is always a bit chaotic; add the fact that the High Holidays coincide with the beginning of school and it seems so easy to forget the point of all this chaos and tumult.

In this week’s double Parsha, Parsha Nitzavim/VaYeilech, Moshe gathers all the people around him one last time. He reminds them that they are a people with a covenant, warns them against idolatry, explains that they descendants will be punished with exile but will eventually return to the Eretz Canaan, and pleads with them to always keep the teachings of the Torah near to them wherever they and their descendants go.   Moshe explains that his death is days away. He completes writing his Sefer Torah, presents it to the Kohanim for safe-keeping. He passes all pertinent information and “state secrets” to Joshua, his successor. Moshe instructs the Kohanim to read the Torah to a gathering of the entire nation every seven years. Then God tells Moshe what will befall the people after his death and after they enter Eretz Canaan.  Moshe listens to God’s words and is instructed to put these words of prophecy into the format of poetry or a song. 

As the text ties up the “loose knots”, as Moshe makes the final preparations for his death; there seems to be a foreboding sense that Moshe’s final moments may not be so pleasant and peaceful and the future of the people may not be so bright after all.  Moshe says a lot of rather discouraging things on his “deathbed”.  He explains that later generations will fail to heed the Torah and they will be exiled. He explains that sad things will happen. He explains that bad things will happen.  Moshe does not offer some saccharine type of hope that suggests not worrying and everything will be OK. Rather Moshe offers a type of hope that empowers each and every individual, empowers each and every generation and, just as importantly Moshe tells them the secret to survival. HaMitzvah HaZot Asher Anochi M’Tzavcha HaYom For this commandment that I command you today Lo Nifleit Hee Mimcha It is not hidden from you  V’Lo Rechoka Hee and it is not distant. Lo Bashamayim Hee It is not in the heavens… Ki Karov Eilecha HaDavar Me’od B’Ficha U’Vilvavcha La’Asoto  Rather the matter (the word) is very near to you – in your mouth and your heart – perform it (Deut. 30:11-14). Moshe secret was that Torah is not inaccessible. Anyone can do it. You just have to learn it and then do it. Moshe reminded those who were listening that his words, his teachings are not beyond anyone’s capacity.  Sforno, the great Renaissance Rabbi and Commentator explains that Teshuva, repentance, and Torah is within the individual’s and the community’s capacity;  there is no need for a prophet to bring heavenly messages if the community behaves the way it is supposed to behave. The only thing that the community needs is someone to teach the community what to do and how to do it. Then the community will be informed enough as to how to behave appropriately. Moshe taught them that Torah was portable. It could go anywhere in the world as long as there was someone to learn it and teach it.  

Yes, the Holidays come early this year. Yes the school year is about to begin and yes indeed, this makes for a lot of chaos. But amid this chaos, we understand the Torah is close by. We know, or perhaps we need to be reminded that amid this chaos we are given the opportunity to continue learning, to spiritually prepare for holidays as well as physically prepare.  As chaotic as it seems, Moshe’s re-assuring words that the Torah is designed to be accessible to everyone suggests something even more profound; that amid the chaos, God is just as accessible.

Peace,

Rav Yitz

Death Will Go In Any Family In This Land (Rev. Gary Davis- Death Don't Have No Mercy)

A little over a week ago, the United States and many other countries observed the 10^th Yartzeit of the 9/11 attacks. Two of our children were born after 9/11 and one was only a couple of months old when the attack occurred. It is hard to imagine that ten years have passed. We have all grown up and aged. Now I have to explain 9/11 to my children. I have to teach them that there are people out there who hate them because they are American, that hate them because they are Jewish. I have to teach them that we always need to be careful and alert. So the war on terrorism continues. Our nation carries the scars of that horrific day. The wounds lie just below our national surface. Yet those scars and that pain govern so much of American life. We are also keenly aware that we are in a very special time of year. We are in the midst of a very spiritual time of year. This Motzei Shabbat (Saturday Night) we begin, in earnest, the High Holiday season. This Motzei Shabbat we will gather together late this Saturday night and daven the Selichot service. This is a service that consists of psalms and prayers in which T’shuva is the main focus. This Motzei Shabbat we begin the spiritual process of returning to God after a year of drifting away. This Motzei Shabbat we begin the spiritual process of returning to that which is holy in us and in our fellow human beings after a year of drifting away and witnessing a rather dark side of the human nature. This Motzei Shabbat, when we begin the Selichot service, we begin a process of striving for spiritual clarity, a state of being in which we learn that no matter the pain, anguish, and emptiness, our soul’s can remain content and able to always focus upon the goodness in life. For a nation that just revisited that horrific day by commemorating the 10^th Yartzeit, we are reminded of the importance of finding meaning where there is tragedy; in having clarity where there is the murkiness of tragedy. Sometimes, clarity comes at one's impending death.

In this week’s Parsha, Va’Yeileich, Moshe is now experiences for the last time a tremendous moment of clarity. However of all the moments of clarity including: the Burning Bush, the Revelation at Sinai, the Personal Revelation when he saw the back of God while defending B’nai Yisroel following the episode of the Golden Calf; it is the moment of death to which we can all relate. It is at the moment of impending death that Moshe has perfect clarity. He sees and understands the anguish that his children will experience as they drift towards and away from their Covenant with God. He sees all that his life has been and he recognizes that while his life will be no more, there will be closure. Ki Yadati Acharei Motie Ki Hashcheit Tashchitun v’Sartem Min HaDerech Asher Tziviti Etchem V’Karat Etchem Ha’Ra’Ah B’Acharit Hayamim Ki Ta’Asu et Ha’Rah B’Einei Adoshem L’Hachiso B’Ma’Asei Y’deichem – For I know that after my death you will surely act corruptly, and you will surely act corruptly, and you will stray from the path that I have commanded you, and evil will befall you at the end of days, if you do what is evil in the eyes of HaShem, to anger Him through your handiwork (Deut.31:29). We should note that closure does not necessarily mean that the content of the closure will be positive; however the process of closure is always positive. Our sages are adamant about the vital importance of closure. When a person engages in Tshuvah, a spiritual return to God holy presence, or Vidui, the confession immediately prior to death; these actions are tantamount to a person who has returned to living a life of Mitzvot. In moments of clarity, certainly such a moment exists at death, Moshe has the opportunity to make that moment holy, sanctified, an un-wasted moment.

On this Shabbat, as we prepare for Selichot and the season of T’shuvah, let us be reminded and strengthened to accept moments of clarity. Over the course of a year in mourning, let us be wise enough to look back and learn. Let us be pro-active enough to take advantage of moments of clarity by moving towards our loved ones. Let us be spiritually aware enough and realize the absolute importance of moving towards God. Let us not wait until we become aware of an impending loss. Instead, during this final week of Elul and the upcoming Yamim Noraim, we should be spiritually clear enough to see every moment, as an opportunity to return to that which is holy.

Peace,

Rav Yitz