Carve Your Name In Ice And Wind (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia - "Foolish Heart")

        In the world of Marketing, “Brand” is everything. An iPhone is not just a cell phone. Kleenex is not only a facial tissue. January 6 isn’t just a date nor is 9/11. All of these items, these dates take on a deeper meaning than just the thing. They have a “Brand”. People also have “Brands”. Athletes are much more than athletes, they have a brand, and Air Jordan is perhaps the biggest brand. Indeed athletes understand the importance of their name. Their brand is ultimately dependent upon their name, and their statistics. Politicians, while running for office do everything they can to establish a brand. The worst politicians, the crassest dangerous politicians, are those that focus on their brand instead of the good of their respective political party and the people. Trump has a “brand”, Marjorie Taylor Green has a “brand”. For many that brand embodies nihilism, fascism, and authoritarianism. Recently a new politician arrived from the state of New York, specifically from Long Island. His name is purportedly George Santos. I use the term “purportedly” because Geroge Santos claimed to have graduated from college, claimed to have lost several employees in a mass shooting of a gay club in Florida, claimed that his mom was killed in 9/11, claimed to have worked for Citibank and Goldman Sacks,  and although raised Catholic, he claimed that his maternal grandparents were Jewish and Holocaust survivors. However, none of those claims are true. The politician that calls himself George Santos lied about everything. Even the Long Island Republican Party, the political party that supported his candidacy has renounced him and called for his resignation.  So if you lie about everything in your life, if you lie about who you are, yes you might have a name but it means nothing. Republican leadership in Long Island, which includes Georg Santos’ district understands that the Santos brand is toxic. Republican congressional leadership, in its crass and pathetic desire for power, keeps the Santos brand close by because it needs the vote. That is not only sad, and pathetic, but it diminishes democracy. Ultimately democracies require trust. George Santos has already broken that trust. 

          This week we begin the second book of the Torah; the Book of Exodus – Sefer Shmot, literally translated into “The Book of Names”. This second book begins with the Parsha Shmot –Names. The first few verses essentially recount the ending of the Book of Genesis. Shmot re-iterates the names of Jacobs’ sons and the fact that Jacob and his sons came to Egypt. We are reminded that Jacob had already died. We are reminded that the next generation, Jacob’s sons (including Yosef) passed 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, and a father. We learn of his epiphany with the Burning Bush and God’s instructions plan to redeem B’nai Israel from slavery and Moshe’s role in the redemptive process.

          Considering, that this is a completely new Sefer, a new Book of the Torah and that the dominant theme of this new book is redemption from slavery and the national revelation at Mt. Sinai, why should begin with something as mundane as the re-iteration of the names of Jacobs’ sons: V’Eilah Shmot  B’nai Yisroel Ha’Baim Mitzrayaima Eit Yaakov Ish U’Veito Ba’u- And these are the name of the Children of Israel who were coming to Egypt with Jacob, each man, and his household came, Reuven Shimon, Levi, Yehuda; Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin; Dan Naphtali; Gad and Asher. We don’t normally begin a new book with a conjunction, especially the conjunction “And”.  Instead of beginning the Parsha and the Book of Shmot with Eilah (These), the Parsha begins with V’Eilah (And these). Also, we know, based upon the conclusion of Sefer Breishit that the sons, along with Jacob, arrived in Egypt decades before (Gen. 46:8-30). Why do these opening verses repeat the concluding verses of the previous book? RaMBaN, (the great 12th-century Spanish doctor, commentator, and Halachist), and R’ Bachya (late 13th and early 14th-century Torah commentator), explain that the conjunction which begins the Parsha purposefully connects this new book to the previous book.  “B’nai Yisroel”, the term now used for the extended tribe owe their existence and their future existence to V’Eilah –“and these”…. these sons of Jacob, these sons who were “with Jacob” in his descent into Egypt. Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsh (19th Cent. Germany) explains that these twelve sons and their resulting twelve tribal families were intimately attached to Jacob, and this was the secret of Israel’s strength and survival in Egypt. Although each son had his own family, he remained connected and united with Jacob. Implicit to these opening verses we understand that the secret to B’nai Israel’s survival in Egypt as slaves: past, present, and future were connected through values and covenant of the name of Jacobs's twelve sons, Jacob, and his father and grandfather, Isaac and Abraham. The strength of those connections, the strength of being connected to the past with an eye towards a hopeful and positive future kept B’nai Israel spiritually free despite physical hardship and bondage.

          A name isn’t just a name. The names of Yaakov’s sons were so much more than names. They were the names of 12 tribes. Each tribe embodied a brand, an essence of some kind. Levi would come to embody the tribe of the priesthood. Levi would be the tribe that came to be known as always in service to God. So doesn’t it make sense that Moshe, the greatest of God’s servants came from the Tribe of Levi? So what does it say about a political party that won’t disavow a person who lied about everything that contributes to who he is? Yes, there is a name, but we don’t know who he really is. What we do know is the presence of such a person diminishes a Party that believes in nothing but power. The presence of such a person diminishes our trust in democratic institutions.  

Peace
Rav Yitz    

Please Forget You Knew My Name, My Darling, Sugaree (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia - "Sugaree')

            According to the school calendar, winter break began earlier this week.  With my wife and son both off from school, we drove our son to his grandparents in Upstate New York. My wife and I continued our drive to New York City.  We planned to pick up one daughter who was also beginning her semester break from university and visit our other daughter. It was also an opportunity to visit my sister and my wife’s aunt. However, there were some clues that our time in New York City was going to be a bit different. ‘ My niece spent her final days of school attending “online” classes before her winter break. My sister spent her last few days of work online before her winter break. Several Broadway shows were canceled, Saturday Night Live was not live in front of a studio audience, but rather live before a skeleton stage crew. Sporting events were being canceled throughout North America.  As I walked around Manhattan, I noticed a curious sight. I kept seeing lines of people form. No, these lines were not in front of Madison Square Garden or Broadway theatres, these lines were on various street corners.  It turned out that the lines were of people waiting to get tested for Covid. Indeed, with the powerful resurgence of the Delta variant and the new arrival of the Omicron variant, the number of people becoming ill quickly grew and the number of people dying has started to increase as well. During this resurgence, the empirical evidence has been clear. Those who are fully vaccinated with a booster may contract Covid, but their illness is relatively mild with an extremely low chance of hospitalization and death. Those who are unvaccinated suffer a far worse fate with a 20%  increased chance of hospitalization or death. As I walked around New York and saw people standing in line for testing, walking into pharmacies for their vaccinations, I thought about those hundreds of thousands of people who died needlessly because they either waited too long to get vaccinated or they refused to get vaccinated. These people had names. They had families, They had friends. Their lives touched others’ lives.  Yet through ignorance, naivete, hubris, obstinancy, or procrastination, their awful choice turned each of these people into a statistic, into one number of the over 800,000 people who have died from Covid in North America.

           This week we begin the second book of the Torah; the Book of Exodus – Sefer Shmot, literally translated into “The Book of Names”. This second book begins with the Parsha Shmot. The first few verses essentially recount the ending of the Book of Genesis. Shmot re-iterates the names of Jacobs’ sons and the fact that Jacob and his sons came to Egypt. We are reminded that Jacob had already died. We are reminded that the next generation, Jacob’s sons (including Yosef) passed 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 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 Israel from slavery and Moshe’s role in the redemptive process.

          Considering, that this is a completely new Sefer, a new Book of the Torah and that the dominant theme of this new book is redemption from slavery and the national revelation at Mt. Sinai, why should the text be known as a Book of Names and why should it begin with a re-iteration of the names of Jacobs’ sons: V’Eilah Shmot  B’nai Yisroel Ha’Baim Mitzrayaima Eit Yaakov Ish U’Veito Ba’u- And these are the name of the Children of Israel who were coming to Egypt with Jacob, each man, and his household came, Reuven Shimon, Levi, Yehuda; Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin; Dan Naphtali; Gad and Asher. We don’t normally begin a new book with a conjunction, especially the conjunction “And”.  Instead of beginning the Parsha and the Book of Shmot with Eilah (These), the Parsha begins with V’Eilah (And these).  Based upon the Sefer Breishit's conclusion, the sons, along with Jacob, arrived in Egypt decades before (Gen. 46:8-30). Why do these opening verses repeat the concluding verses of the previous book? RaMBaN, (the great 12th-century Spanish doctor, commentator, and Halachist), and R’ Bachya (late 13th early 14th century Torah commentator), explain that the conjunction which begins the Parsha purposefully connects this new book to the previous book.  “B’nai Yisroel”, the term now used for the extended tribe owes their existence and their future existence to V’Eilah –“and these”…. these sons of Jacob, these sons who were “with Jacob” in his descent into Egypt. Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsh (19th Cent. Germany) explains that these twelve sons and their resulting twelve tribal families were intimately attached to Jacob, and this was the secret of Israel’s strength and survival in Egypt. Although each son had his own family, he remained connected and united with Jacob. Implicit to these opening verses we understand that the secret to B’nai Israel’s survival in Egypt as slaves: past, present, and future were connected through values and covenant of the name of Jacobs twelve sons, Jacob, and his father and grandfather, Isaac and Abraham. The strength of those connections, the strength of being connected to the past with an eye towards a hopeful and positive future kept B’nai Israel spiritually free despite physical hardship and bondage.

          The names explicitly mentioned, Jacob and his son’s, stood for something. Implicitly, these names stood for and symbolized a covenantal relationship with God. These names stood for inheriting a land, as well as making a great name for itself. For their descendants, the names gave them an identity, an identity that kept them spiritually free despite their physical bondage. Every one of the over 800,000 deaths due to Covid had a name, a life, and touched others' lives. Yet those who died needlessly because they refused to be vaccinated because they erroneously thought that their personal liberties were the issue, suffered from a form of enslavement.   However, there is another kind of slavery: slavery to misinformation, slavery to obstinancy, naivete, ignorance, that carries with it a very real possibility of becoming an unnecessary statistic, or another unnecessary death. Perhaps all the unavoidable deaths are the greatest tragedy of this Pandemic.  

Peace
Rav Yitz 

You, Who Choose To Lead, Must Follow (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia - "Ripple")

           Sixty-five years ago, a book was co-authored by a young U.S. Senator and an attorney who would later become a Presidential advisor. The book’s title soon became part of the canon for any academic course "Leadership". The book, written in 1956 by then-Senator John F. Kennedy and Ted Sorenson is entitled Profiles in Courage. I first read the book while I was attending business school in Toronto. I read the book again while in Rabbinical School. I’ll never forget what my Rebbe, my spiritual mentor to whom I went with questions about observance or existential angst, said about leadership. He explained that sometimes leadership requires the courage and integrity to make difficult unpopular decisions even if it comes at the expense of losing one’s job. However, underlying courage is empathy, and the ability to express empathy allows that leader to face his/her congregants with a pure heart.

          In this week’s Parshah, Shmot, we encounter a man who is born a Jew, but he grows up in the Pharaoh’s Palace. He is a totally assimilated Jew. Pharoah’s daughter gives him an Egyptian name, “Moshe” (Ex 2:10). After fleeing Egypt, this well-bred, noble Egyptian, is befriended by a non-Jewish (Midian) priest and marries his non-Jewish daughter (Ex 2:21). While shepherding his father-in-law’s flocks (Ex. 3:1), he experiences a revelation. Through a burning thorn bush, he sees an angel and then God (Ex.3:1-3). God tells Moshe of the ancestral covenant and chooses Moshe to lead B’nai Yisroel out of Egypt. Moshe humbly explains that he is the wrong person for the job. “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh…” (Ex.3:11). He doesn’t believe he has enough credibility to lead. “They will not believe me and they will not heed my voice…” (Ex 4:1). He doesn’t speak well. “I am not a man of words…heavy of mouth and heavy of speech” (Ex. 4:10). Several times he explains that he doesn’t feel worthy to lead  B’nai Yisroel out of Egypt. Finally, Moshe returns to Egypt and now he begins to challenge Pharoah’s authority which will culminate in the tenth plague and the exodus.

          So, what qualities did Moshe possess that warranted his becoming the leader of B'nai Yisroel and the prototypical leader in the TaNaCh? Moshe grew up in the halls of power, he understood power, he knew how to use power, and he was raised to use it judiciously. Moshe learned and understood the balance between leadership and authoritarianism. Unlike his Egyptian family, however, Moshe also embodied one other vital quality. Moshe possessed the ability to empathize. “Moshe grew up and went out to his brethren and observed their burdens…” (Ex.2:11). Regarding this verse, Rashi comments Natan Einav V’Libo LiHeyot Matzar Aleihem- He focused his eyes and heart to be distressed over them. He looked closely at their burdens. He saw individual suffering and understood individual pain suffering to the point where he could personalize and identify with it. He could just as easily have stayed in the palace or not concerned himself with the plight of the “underclass”. Moshe chose to get involved, he chose to make a difference, and he chose to make an improvement. All that was left for God to do was convince, and then command Moshe to lead.

          The Torah’s version of Profiles in Courage is just a little older than the 1956 John F. Kennedy/ Ted Sorenson edition. In a sense, the Torah offers the prototype for Profile in Courage and it is Moshe. From the second chapter in Shmot until the end of the Torah, Moshe provides the first and foremost profile in courageous leadership and it is displayed in Parsha Shmot. First, we learn that a profile in courageous leadership is grounded in empathy for the less fortunate, the alienated, those that are enslaved. Second, we learn that a profile in courageous leadership means dealing with problems and issues, and not ignoring a problem or hope that it will magically disappear. Third, a profile in courageous leadership means willing to risk a job or social standing for the benefit of those less fortunate. Fourth, a profile in courageous leadership is never based upon a cynical assessment of a situation, or self-aggrandizement but rather a desire to make a difference in the lives of those who need help. Fifth, a profile in courageous leadership requires speaking “truth to power”. Finally, a profile in courageous leadership begins with the acknowledgment that no person is above God.

Peace,
Rav Yitz

I Would Slave To Learn The Way To Sink Your Ship Of Fools (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia - Ship Of Fools")

As a father of four, I spend a lot of time worrying. I worry about our four kids. I worry about my wife. I worry when they are very busy with work and school. I worry when they feel stress. I worry when I sense that they are not taking care of themselves. For our eldest daughter who works on a presidential campaign, this is one the busiest times of the presidential campaign cycle. She loves this time of year and she thrives during this time of year. Admittedly, as her dad,  I worry about her. I worry that she will forget to take care of herself. During a recent conversation, she reassured me that she was looking after herself and that she even decided to suspend her Facebook account, cut back on her use of social media and diminish the number of people she follows on Twitter, mostly comedians. She explained that the world of Social Media had grown incredibly toxic and she believed that by cutting back; she could reduce her stress and anxiety.  I decided to look into this relationship between social media and anxiety, depression and mental health. My daughter was onto something.  A recent study published in the Journal of Depression last year demonstrated a link between the high usage of social media sites such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, to name a few,  and depression.  Of the participants in the study who checked their social media accounts 30 times per week an hour per day; 25% faced a higher risk (2.7 times more risk) for depression. There is greater exposure to cyberbullying, and all the toxicity and hate that is in social media. Also, because people only post the best thing and the most “perfect” moments, others suffer from FOMO (Fear of Missing Out). Such people are left feeling that they have nothing worthwhile to post, their lives are not as great as those whom they follow.  A recent study at York University found that young women who were asked to interact with a post of someone whom they perceived as more attractive felt worse about themselves afterward. The 120 undergraduate women were either asked to find on Facebook and Instagram a peer who they felt was more attractive, or a family member who they did not feel was more attractive, and leave a comment. They reported that they felt worse about their own appearances only in the first condition, with peers, but not family. It would appear based upon scientific studies and our daughter’s social media experiences, too much Social Media can enslave.

            This week, we begin the Book of Shmot, the Book of Exodus. 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. Vayavidu Mitzrayim et B’nai Yisroel B’Farech – The Egyptians enslaved B’nai Yisroel with crushing harshness. Vai’Mareru et Chayeihem Ba’Avodah Kasha B'Chomer Uvilveinim Uvechol Avodah Ba’Sadeh Eit Kol Avodatam Asher Avdu Bahem B’Farech – They embittered their lives with hard work, with mortar, and with bricks, and with every labor of the field, all their labors that they performed with them were with crushing harshness (Ex. 1:13-14). These two verses strike me as problematic. Why does the first verse tell us that enslavement was with “crushing harshness” when the second verse goes into great detail as to what constitutes crushing hardness and then concludes with “the labor that they performed with them with crushing harshness? Either the verse seems redundant, or superfluous. Perhaps the best solution would be to eliminate the word b’Farech in the first verse and keep it in the second verse. So it would read: the Egyptians enslaved B’nai Yisroel. They embittered their lives….  How do we understand the use of the extra B’Farech?

            The second use of B’Farech is defined for us by the verse. Hard work, embittering lives, every labor of the field constitutes crushing harshness. The issue is the use of B’Farech in the previous verse. Perhaps the crushing harshness is not to be taken literally. In Hebrew B’Farech means “in a crushing manner” the slavery ground them into the ground. Farech can be divided into two words Peh and Rech. Peh means mouth and Rech means soft. Figuratively “soft speech” means persuasively or persuading via the “soft sell” as opposed to threats. With this in mind, we can understand that there were to steps to slavery. First, convince B’nai Yisroel that they were part of Egypt. Explain to B’nai Yisroel how much they are needed by Egypt. Incorporate them into the Egyptian workforce. Make it easy to be Egyptian. Encourage assimilation. Once B’nai Yisroel willingly gave up their “separateness”, once they gave up their identity, one piece at a time, they relinquished their freedom one piece at a time. The first verse could, therefore, be understood as Egyptians crushing slavery as the dominant culture and society overwhelming or crushing the minority culture. Once assimilation occurred, once B’nai Yisroel had assumed the bondage of the popular culture; putting them into chains and crushing them with backbreaking work became inevitable.

            To a degree, Social Media has enslaved us.  We are exposed to all the unfiltered thoughts and bilge that a person desires to share. We are exposed to everyone’s attempt to cast themselves in the best possible light, we think that we are the only ones with problems and imperfections. The second we receive a notification, we have programmed ourselves to look and see about what are we being notified, and if we don’t check our notification right away: we will miss out and then feel left out (FOMO). Ironic isn’t it? The one notification for which we ought to be attentive, answer or follow is God, and that is the one relationship that requires no technology, no plugging in, no screen and no cell tower. When I checked in our daughter and asked her how her diminished social media use was going; she explained that besides less stress, she has more time, more focus, less aggravation and a greater sense of calm. Now, I need to convince my three other kids and my wife to liberate themselves from too much social media.

Peace.

Rav Yitz

Born Where The Sun Don't Shine, And I Don't Deny My Name (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia)

After our children have spent time studying the Holocaust in school, I always asked each of them a question. I always wondered at what point did our children sense that Jews in Europe began to be de-humanized, and is there one image that symbolized that dehumanization. The Yellow Star of David was a symbol of dehumanization, much of the anti-Semitic imagery and language served to dehumanize the Jews. Suggestions in language that Jews were vermin or images of an octopus with its tentacles wrapped around the earth and squeezing out all its wealth also served to dehumanize the Jews. However, for my children, perhaps the tattooed numbers upon Jews entering into work camps and concentration camps, however, seemed to be the most powerful moments of dehumanization. When asked why, each said that the numbers were an attempt to take away their names, their own individual identity. Last week, our children saw stunning images at the border between Mexico and The United States. As more and more people try to enter the United States’ southern border and U.S. immigration officials have figured out a solution to avoid the risk of losing children if and when they are separated from their parents. The U.S. immigration officials have started writing numbers upon parents  and children. Numbers have started to replace names as a form of identity for those Spanish speaking people trying to cross the border from Mexico to the United States.

This Shabbat we begin the Book of Exodus with the Parsha Shmot. Jacob’s twelve sons have died. With the passing of that generation of immigrants, a new Pharaoh took over and did not have the same relationship with Joseph’s family as the previous Pharoah. He enslaves Jacob’s descendants. Then in the second chapter of Shemot, a baby is born from the tribe of Levi, He is hidden and eventually found by the Pharoah’s daughter and raised as Egyptian and given the named Moshe. The grown boy sees an Egyptian beating a slave and kills the Egyptian taskmaster. He sees two Hebrew slaves arguing and again gets involved. However, he is identified and known as someone who has killed a taskmaster.  Moshe flees Goshen and Egypt and arrives in Midian. He marries and becomes a shepherd for his father in law. While serving as a shepherd he encounters God at the Burning Bush. During this moment of revelation, God tells Moshe that he has been chosen to lead the people from slavery to freedom. Moshe hesitatingly accepts the jobs and he returns to Egypt. Moshe meets his brother Aaron, and together they meet Pharaoh and makes the first request to release the slaves.

Parsha Shemot begins V’Eilah SHmot B’nai Yisroel, these are the names of the Children of Israel (Yaakov) HaBaim Mitzraima Eit Yaakov Ish U’Veito Bau- who were coming to Egypt with Jacob, each man, and his household. Each son and each tribe is mentioned. Keeping in mind that each tribe received a blessing at the very end of Breishit, each tribe represents some innate quality and value that is vital to the people as a whole. Each name is a source of identity to those people. With the appearance of a new Pharaoh, these children have swelled in population: Paru V’Yishretzi VaYirbu V’Ya’Amtzu B’Meod Meod V’Timaleh HaAretz Otam - fruitful, teemed increased and became strong - very very much so; and the land became filled with them. The new Pharaoh sees the increasing minority population as a threat. He doesn't see individuals, he sees a group, a tribe, a people.  In the second chapter of the Shemot we read narratives how Moshe receives his name an the meanings of the names of Moshe’s sons. When Moshe encounters God, the first thing Moshe asks of God is Ma Shmo What is His name? Commenting on the importance of Shem - name, the Chatam Sofer, the late 18th/ early 19th-century commentator taught “Be careful not to change your name, language, and do not dress like non-Jews, Heaven forbid. This alludes to the fact that Jacob arrived in Egypt  Shalem (intact) and for Bnai Yisroel to remain intact, and complete, they must not change their names (Shem), their language (Lashon)  and their dress (Malbush). A name is one of the three legs upon which identity rests.

Names are sacred. Names are empowering. Parents name their children. Pet owners name their pets. To give another a name is a source and perhaps a demonstration of power and authority. Receiving a name or a title could be empowering when it separates and elevates the individual. However, receiving a name or a title could also be incredibly demeaning.So when we see those in power writing numbers upon the arms of the powerless; we see an act of dehumanization. We see a people telling a powerless group that they are insignificant and have no identity. Treating them like second-class citizens could be considered acceptable and perhaps expected. As our children continued to watch those immigration officers write numbers upon the wrists of those immigrant children, we couldn’t help but think how dangerously weak the beacon of liberty and democracy has become.    

Peace,Rav Yitz

Carve Your Name In Ice And Wind Search For Where The Rivers End (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia "Foolish Heart")

Our fifteen-year-old daughter recently solved a family mystery that has plagued my father for his entire 76-year existence.  I have never known anyone else who has had to live so long with such a mystery. While I have no statistical proof, I think every child learns for whom they are named after. In the non-Jewish world, if the given name ends with Junior then it is pretty obvious. Frequently Jewish children, when asking their parents this question, receive several different answers. English names have an origin and Hebrew names have an origin. If the person is Ashkenazi, then usually the name comes from a deceased family member(s). If the person is Sephardi, then the name may originate from a living family member (s).  Until his fifteen-year-old granddaughter completed a school project about family origins and immigration to this continent, my father never knew the origins of his Hebrew name. The story he had told me was that he never knew his Hebrew name and always thought that his Hebrew school teacher gave him a name. I always thought that such a story was completely ridiculous and far fetch. Finally, our daughter uncovered the great mystery. It turned out that my father was named after his maternal great-grandfather who was born in 1860’s back in Russia and came with his family to America in 1903. When our daughter completed the project and recently showed this “Family Tree” with commentary to my parents, they both welled up with tears. Besides the mystery of my father’s name being solved, their granddaughter reminded them both of their origins as they saw their respective family’s traced back to the Napoleonic Wars.

This week we begin the second book of the Torah; the Book of Exodus – Sefer Shmot, literally translated into “The Book of Names”. This second book begins with the Parsha Shmot. The first few verses essentially recount the ending of the Book of Genesis. Shmot re-iterates names of Jacobs’ sons and the fact that Jacob and his sons came to Egypt. We are reminded that Jacob had already died. We are reminded that next generation, Jacob’s sons (including Yosef) passed 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 Israel from slavery and Moshe’s role in the redemptive process.

Considering, that this is a completely new Sefer, a new Book of the Torah, and that dominant theme of this new book is redemption from slavery and the national revelation at Mt. Sinai, why should the text be known as a Book of Names and why should it begin with a re-iteration of the names of Jacobs’ sons: V’Eilah Shmot  B’nai Yisroel Ha’Baim Mitzrayaima Eit Yaakov Ish U’Veito Ba’u- And these are the name of the Children of Israel who were coming to Egypt with Jacob, each man, and his household came, Reuven Shimon, Levi, Yehuda; Issachar, Zebulun , and Benjamin; Dan Naphtali; Gad and Asher. We don’t normally begin a new book with a conjunction, especially the conjunction “And”.  Instead of beginning the Parsha and the Book of Shmot with Eilah (These), the Parsha begins with V’Eilah (And these). Also, we know, based upon the conclusion of Sefer Breishit that the sons, along with Jacob, arrived in Egypt decades before (Gen. 46:8-30). Why do these opening verses repeat the concluding verses of the previous book? RaMBaN, (the great 12th century Spanish doctor, commentator and Halachist), and R’ Bachya (late 13^th early 14^th century Torah commentator), explain that the conjunction which begins the Parsha purposefully connects this new book to the previous book.  “B’nai Yisroel”, the term now used for the extended tribe owe their existence and their future existence to V’Eilah –“ and these”…. these sons of Jacob, these sons who were “with Jacob” in his descent into Egypt. Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsh (19^th Cent. Germany) explains that these twelve sons and their resulting twelve tribal families were intimately attached to Jacob, and this was the secret of Israel’s strength and survival in Egypt. Although each son had his own family, he remained connected and united with Jacob. Implicit to these opening verses, we understand that the secret to B’nai Israel’s survival in Egypt as slaves: past, present, and future were connected through values and covenant of the name of Jacobs twelve sons, Jacob, and his father and grandfather, Isaac and Abraham. The strength of those connections, the strength of being connected to the past with an eye towards a hopeful and positive future kept B’nai Israel spiritually free despite physical hardship and bondage.

The names explicitly mentioned, Jacob and his son’s, stood for something. Implicitly, these names stood for and symbolized a covenantal relationship with God. These names stood for inheriting a land, as well as making a great name for itself. For their descendants, the names gave them an identity, an identity that kept them spiritually free despite their physical bondage. A given name matters as does the surname. Often times, a given name reflects the parents’ hopes and dreams for that child. A given name expresses a parents’ hope of whom the child should emulate, and whose values the child should grow to aspire to and embody. As my parents sat there studying their family’s origins, history, and narrative, looking back at 200 years of history, I noticed my parents frequently looking up at their grandchildren. I was struck by the fact that there must be such a sense of contentment looking at the past while sharing it with the future, with their grandchildren.

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

And Might And Glory Gonna Be My Name (John Barlow & Bob Weir- "Estimated Prophet")

During dinner one night last week, we talked about the recent decision by USY (United Synagogue Youth) to permit its executive council to inter-date. For our children, the discussion raised several important issues. First my wife and I explained what USY is, and then we explained Conservative Judaism. Then we talked about inter dating.  Interestingly enough, our children did not focus upon the issue of inter-dating. Rather they focused upon the change of policy and whether or not the elected members of the USY Executive council need to be an example of Conservative Jewish behavior for their fellow USY members. However the most passionate issue our children focused upon and perhaps the issue that they were most confused about was the fact that young adults in their late teens and early twenties were changing a policy that affected a branch of Judaism. Ultimately they wondered aloud that if enough rules are changed or even abolished, does that change Conservative Judaism? One of our children even commented that if enough rules are changed or even abolished then Conservative Judaism is a movement in name only but in substance it will come to mean nothing.  I smiled and nodded approvingly.

This week we begin the second book of the Torah; the Book of Exodus – Sefer Shmot. This second book begins with the Parsha Shmot. This week, we begin the Book of Shmot, the Book of Exodus. 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.

Considering, that this is a completely new Sefer, a new Book of the Torah, and that dominant theme of this new book is redemption from slavery and the national revelation at Mt. Sinai, why should the text and for that matter, the Parsha begin: V’Eilah Shmot  B’nai Yisroel Ha’Baim Mitzrayaima Eit Yaakov Ish U’Veito Ba’u- And these are the name of the Children of Israel who were coming to Egypt with Jacob, each man and his household came, Reuven Shimon, Levi, Yehuda; Issachar, Zebulun , and Benjamin; Dan Naphtali; Gad and Asher. We don’t normally begin a new book with conjunction, especially the conjunction “And”.  Instead of beginning the Parsha and the Book of Shmot with Eilah (These), the Parsha begins with V’Eilah (And these). Also, we know, based upon the conclusion of the previous book, Sefer Breishit, that the sons, along with Jacob, arrived in Egypt decades before (Gen. 46:8-30). Why do these opening verses repeat the concluding verses of the previous book? RaMBaN and R’ Bachya explain that the conjunction which begins the Parsha purposefully connects this new book to the previous book.  “B’nai Yisroel”, the term now used for the extended tribe owe their existence and their future existence to V’Eilah –“and these”…. these sons of Jacob, these sons who were “with Jacob” in his descent into Egypt. Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsh (19^th Cent. Germany) explains that these twelve sons and their resulting twelve tribal families were intimately attached to Jacob, and this was the secret of Israel’s strength and survival in Egypt. Although each son had his own family, he remained connected and united with Jacob. Implicit to these opening versus we understand that the secret to B’nai Yisroel’s survival in Egypt as slaves was the strength of their connection to the teachings of their ancestors: Avraham Yitzchak and Yaakov.

The names explicitly mentioned, Jacob and his son’s, stood for something. Implicitly, these names stood for and symbolized a covenantal relationship with God. These names stood for inheriting a land, as well as making a great name for itself. Our children seemed to understand the importance of names.  Names have meaning. If the meaning is removed then the name becomes irrelevant and soon forgotten.  As we continued to discuss the recent USY decision and change in the dating policy, each one of our children reached the logical conclusion that their mom and I, and a generation of USY’ers sadly reached as well. It’s tough for a movement to have an identity if it doesn’t stand for something, and it is certainly hard to inspire people to join a movement when the movement is afraid to clearly stand for something. As our discussion finally drew to a close, my wife and I were amazed that a 14, 12, and 10 year old understood the importance of remaining connected to a sacred tradition as well as the importance of making responsible choices.

Peace,

Rav Yitz