Built To Last Till Sunshine Fails And Darkness Moves On All (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia- "Built To Last")

           It has been one year since the world witnessed one of the darkest days of the Noble Experiment that is known as Democracy in The United States.  The January 6th attack upon the U.S. Capitol brought the dark underbelly of human nature, intolerance, and hatred to the surface. A recent Washington Post University of Maryland poll indicated that 34% of Americans think that violence against the U.S. government is acceptable. Along partisan lines, the numbers are even more frightening. Among Independent Voters, that 34% goes up to 41%. Among Republicans that number also goes up to 40%. Among those who identify as Democrats that number decreases to 23%. The “Noble Experiment” appears to be fraying and perhaps coming apart at the seams.  Of course, this Darkness isn’t new. It has existed for as long as human beings organized themselves in tribes, communities, and nations. In 1935, Sinclair Lewis wrote a dystopian novel about the rise of fascism and authoritarianism in the United States entitled It Can’t Happen Here. The premise was that a charismatic politician tapped into the raw populism, anger, and frustration of Americans who were experiencing the drastic changes brought on by the Great Depression. Dissatisfied with any of the current solutions, the electorate turned to “Buzz” Windrip. He promises answers and fast results. Windrip explains that Democracy is too slow a process, too untidy a process to solve these problems, and ever so slowly and meticulously undoes democratic institutions. Earlier this week, Jonathan Greenblatt, the CEO of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) came out with a new book: It Could Happen Here - Why America Is Tipping From Hate To The Unthinkable and How We Can Stop It. Greenblatt’s grandparents fled Nazi Germany. His wife and her family fled Iran when the Shah was overthrown. Greenblatt explains that there has always been “hate” in the United States. However over the past five years, where once the language and the behavior of hate was usually perpetrated by those out on the “fringe”; now this hatred has become normalized. The Darkness of Intolerance, anti-liberalism, fearmongering, is the standard operating procedure for the carrying out of the “Noble Experiment”. 

          This week's Parsha is Bo.  The ten plagues culminate with locusts, darkness, and finally the killing of the firstborn. On the night of the last plague, God instructs Moshe to tell B'nai Yisroel, to declare and sanctify the New Moon, and to slaughter a lamb for each family. Blood should be painted onto the doorpost. The sacrificed lamb must be completely eaten that night with no leftovers.  The command continues with God instructing Moshe to reiterate this story to the children of each family. The Parsha concludes with the command to sanctify the firstborn, remember this night, remember what God did for B'nai Yisroel, and how B'nai Yisroel eventually returned to the land.

           Parts of the Parsha are read on Pesach. Those parts dealing with the Paschal sacrifice, as well as the Mitzvah of "Telling" the child about the impending redemption, are read. However, there is one phrase that is particularly interesting and revealing. The ninth plague is Choshech, darkness. VaYomer Adonai el Moshe  N'Teih Yadchah al Hashamayim - And God said to Moshe "Stretch forth your hand toward the heavens,  Va'Yehi Choshech al Eretz Mitzrayim- "And there will be a darkness upon the land of Egypt, Vayameish Choshech - and the darkness will be felt. [tangible] (Ex. 10:21). What does it mean that the darkness will be felt? What will it feel like? Will it be hot or cold, wet or dry? Maybe it will thick like some type of fog. Maybe it will be the horrible emptiness as if one is falling through an abyss with nothing all around. Whatever kind of darkness it is, it can be felt. It is noticeable and therefore extraordinarily different than the standard night -time or even an eclipse. B’nai Yisroel still had light in their dwellings while the plague occurred. Pharaoh could not stand the darkness anymore and told Moshe to take everyone including the children and leave if that would alleviate the darkness in Egypt. The Or HaChaim, (18th Century Morocco) reminds us that while there was complete darkness in Egypt, there was light where the Jewish slaves lived: Goshen. U’LeChol B’nai Yisroel Haya Or B’Mishvotam – but for all the Children of Israel there was light in their dwellings (Ex. 10:23). Egypt was already in a state of primordial, spiritual Darkness,  darkness bereft of any acknowledgment of God’s presence. As a result, Egypt became a twisted, closed-minded, corrupt society.  Because of this ignorance and fear,  B’nai Yisroel was enslaved and the world devoid of the acknowledgment of HaShem. The plague of Choshech, of Darkness, was merely Egypt becoming aware of their darkness. As a result, Pharaoh all but pleaded with Moshe to take the slaves out from Egypt. The source of darkness was his fear of Israel and his reason for enslaving Israel (Ex 1:8-10). Only by ridding himself of hatred and fear and by acknowledging God’s presence could the light would return to Egypt.  B’nai Yisroel was already in a state of primordial Light, a spiritual acknowledgment of God’s presence; U’LeChol B’nai Yisroel  Haya Or B’Mishvotam – but for all the Children of Israel there was light in their dwellings. B’nai Yisroel already had a sense of their relationship to God, and a sense of purpose. Moshe had already told them that they would be freed, and they would return to the land that had been promised to their ancestors.

          Greenblatt explains that hate and intolerance must be called out. It must be called out at the water cooler at work and it must be called on social media platforms. Greenblatt also makes it clear that we must be aware of “moral relativism” and “what about-ism”. Historically, the Jewish People have always served as the proverbial “canary in the coal mine” when it comes to a rise in hatred, intolerance of minorities, of conspiracy theories, and a rise in authoritarianism, and fascism. Light must be shined brightly upon language, action, and legislation that peddles in hate, intolerance, and fear. Pharaoh and the Egyptians were paralyzed by the darkness caused by their fear and intolerance. This current plague of Darkness threatens to paralyze Democracy and the democratic institutions of what has  Noble Experiment. If it can happen there, then it can happen anywhere.     

Peace
Rav Yitz  

Promises Made In The Dark Dissolve By Light Of Day (Robert Hunter & Bob Weir - "Easy Answers")

           With the new year set to begin on Shabbat, there is a wonderful opportunity to look back on the year that was, and hold out hope for the year that will be.  Looking back at the year that was, the tragic loss of life, and the continued spread of Covid, some might question his/her faith in God. In looking forward to the new year, some might put his/her faith in God, in mankind, in both, or in none. Some may question faith. For others, their faith remains firm and unbending.  With two University age daughters home (one on winter break and one online heading into final exams) and our 12th-grade son who cannot wait to go to university, there is a lot of discussion regarding “authority”, “faith”, and there is a lot of questioning “authority” and “faith”. During one discussion with our children, I was reminded of an event that took place several years ago.  A congregant came into my office crying. “Rabbi, Rabbi, I have horrible news and I don’t know what to do!” My thoughts immediately went to the worst-case scenarios: her husband had been stricken with a terminal illness or that she discovered that one of her children was addicted to drugs, or she was deciding to get out of her marriage. Of course, all of my “worst-case scenario” thoughts were particularly troubling because this family was a pillar in the community. They were an extremely generous family, generous with their money and their time. They were in Shul all the time. Each of their two children was a mentsche, smart, Jewishly aware, and observant. I could not imagine what possible could be the crisis that this distraught woman brought into my office. “What is it?” I asked. With a heavy sigh, and eyes welling up in tears she explained that her son, who was a sophomore in college (2nd-year university students for Canadians), called her the other night and he told her that he no longer believed in God. I breathed a sigh of relief and said, “For a minute there some horrible tragedy had occurred in your family. So, Nu? What’s the problem? What’s the crisis?” She could not understand why I was smiling. Her son’s declarative statement expressing disbelief in God, apparently made her feel inadequate as a parent and challenged the foundation of her own belief system. I explained that for an intellectually honest and curious college student to think and express such thoughts is not only healthy and normal but also vital to the process of developing and strengthening faith. Most 19-year-old young men feel neither mortal nor limited. Everything is possible,  and they feel all-powerful as if they can “handle anything”. Under such circumstances and with such an attitude, who needs God? Instead of a belief in God, there is a profound belief in oneself.

           This Shabbat is Parsha V’Eira. In this Parshah, God reassures Moshe after Pharaoh and mocked and dismissed both him and Aharon. God explains the plan to Moshe, that Pharoah’s heart will be hardened after each plague but eventually Pharaoh will capitulate. God explains the various stages of redemption. The plagues begin. We are supposed to understand that each of these first seven plagues is more severe than the previous plague: Blood, Frogs, Lice, Wild Beasts, Animal plague, Boils, Hail. Moshe requests that Pharaoh allows B’nai Yisroel to worship God for three days, Pharaoh sometimes acquiesces sometimes he doesn’t. Sometimes he asks Moshe to pray on his behalf and sometimes he doesn’t. One thing is clear, that whenever Pharaoh gets his way (a plague ceases), something that would clearly indicate the power of God, Pharaoh acts almost like a child. He reverts right back to his nature.

          Hail, the seventh plague, devastates the land. Hail destroyed any living being, person or animal that was outside during the plague. Witnessing the devastation and destruction of land and life; Pharaoh’s belief system appears to have evolved. Rather than dismissing the plague, rather than demonstrating a self-centered attitude in which Pharaoh is all powerful, Pharaoh seems to have acquired a degree of humility.  Vayishlach Paroh Va’Yikrah L’Moshe U’le’Aharon Vayomer Aleihem Chatati HaPa’am Adonay  HaTzaddik v’Ani V’Ami Harsha’im – Pharaoh sent and summoned Moshe and Aaron and said to them, “This time I have sinned; Hashem is the Righteous One, and I and my people are the wicked ones (Ex. 9:27). Pharaoh asks Moshe to pray on his behalf to end the plague. He seems to be genuine in his belief. By acknowledging sin, by explicitly calling God the Righteous One, Pharaoh not only acknowledges the fact that God exists but admits that Pharaoh is not a God. Unfortunately, as soon as the plague ends, Pharaoh sins again and refuses to let B’nai Yisroel leave. However, now Pharaoh is choosing to ignore that which he has come to legitimately accept. The Parsha concludes with Pharaoh committing the sin of ignoring God based upon his own willful stubbornness not ignoring based upon the failure of recognition.

           Pharaoh, like the 19-year-old college student, obviously believes he is the center of the world. Time and History begin and end with him. Pharaoh, like the 19-year-old, believes he is immortal and without limitations. At times, it is our process as well. We constantly question and wonder about God. Like Pharaoh, ultimately our belief in God cannot be solely confined to experiencing miracle after miracle. Rather our belief, our complete and devoted faith in God will evolve from the small things in life. Unlike Pharaoh, hopefully that 19-year-old son of my former congregant learned what so many learn as they mature. Hopefully, he has a sense of mortality, hopefully he understands that he is not all powerful, hopefully he has come to learn to rely on on others. Hopefully, he understands that he is not the center of the universe, nor has much control over the universe.  Hopefully, as he developed his own faith, he was able to sense God in the presence of his life and his family’s life.

Shabbat Shalom,
Rav Yitz

Things Went Down That We Don't Understand, But I Think In Time We Will (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia - "New Speedway Boogie")

           As we receive more information about the terrorist attack in Washington D.C, the more troubling and disturbing the information becomes.  Besides seeing swastikas, Nazi paraphernalia, and white supremacist symbols, one of the more disturbing bits of information was the identity of a 34-year-old Jewish man from Brooklyn, NY. His father is a judge and former president of a Brooklyn Shul.  When my children saw the story about this particular individual and his recent arrest, they were troubled.  How does a  Brooklyn Jew whose father is a judge, align himself with anti-Semites, White supremacists, and their Nazi symbols my children wondered? He clearly had become radicalized by swimming in a parallel universe, a universe built upon propaganda and dystopian lies, or otherwise known as “alternative facts”.  This young man’s participation in the attack upon the Capitol served as a powerful example of what can happen when a person begins to sink into the quagmire of all those conspiracy theories and dystopian white supremacist alternative realities.  Alternative facts justify chaos.  Alternative facts, conspiracies, and ignorance replace science, empirical evidence, and thought. Alternative facts and conspiracies lead to a cult of personality.

          This week we read from Parsha Va’Eira. In this Parshah, God reassures Moshe after Pharaoh mocked and dismissed both he and Aharon. God explains that he will cause Pharaoh’s heart to harden after each plague, but eventually, Pharaoh will capitulate and free the Hebrew slaves. God explains the various stages of redemption to Moshe. The plagues begin. We are supposed to understand that each of these first seven plagues is more severe than the previous plague: Blood, Frogs, Lice, Wild Beasts, Animal plague, Boils, Hail. Moshe requests that Pharaoh permit B’nai Yisroel to worship God for three days. At times, Pharaoh acquiesces and there are moments he changes his mind. Sometimes he asks Moshe to pray on his behalf and sometimes he doesn’t. One thing is clear,  whenever Pharaoh gets his way with the cessation of a plague, ordinarily an indicator of God’s presence and power, Pharaoh behaves like a petulant child. He returns to his arrogant self-centered nature. It seems that Pharaoh is operating under an alternative set of facts regarding Hashem’s authority and power. By the Parsha’s conclusion, the plague of Hail has devastated the land and killed anything that was outside, Pharaoh expresses the evolution of his belief system based upon facts, not alternative facts nor upon an incorrect interpretation of facts.

          Two men, Moshe and Pharaoh, two groups, Hebrew slaves and Egyptian task masters, experience a type of revelation. Moshe is told by God, Ani Adoshem VaEira el Avraham El Yitzchak v’ El Yaakov B’Eil Shaddai U’Shmi Adoshem Lo Nodati LaHem – I am Hashem, I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob as El Shaddai, but with My Name Hashem, I did not make Myself known to them (Ex. 6:2) With Signs and Wonders, God wanted Moshe and B’nai Yisroel to know exactly who God is.  V’Yadu Mitzrayim Ki Ani Adoshem, BinToti et Yadi Al Mitzrayim V’Hotzeiti et Bnai Yisroel MiTocham – And Egypt Shall know that I am Hashem when I stretch out My hand over Egypt; and I shall take the Children of Israel out from among them (Ex. 7:5). With each ensuing plague, God wanted Pharaoh and Egypt to know and accept God’s existence and God’s authority as a fact.  What is being transmitted? Ani Adoshem – I am Hashem, the fact that Hashem exists and has a covenantal relationship with his people.  How is this fact transmitted? Va’Eira – I appeared through signs and wonders or as a harbinger of plagues. It depends on who is experiencing the appearance and how that experience is perceived. For the Egyptians, God displays God’s presence through plagues. For Bnai Yisroel, God displays God’s presence through signs and wonders. That is to say, each interprets God’s presence according to their values, their perceptions, their world view, and their place within the world. However, there is one fact, one truth, one God, everything else, is perception and interpretation. This is the lesson that Moshe and B’nai Yisroel will be reminded of and this is the lesson that Pharaoh, a man who thought himself to be God, will eventually learn and accept.

We have seen that alternative facts can be very dangerous and even deadly.  Alternative facts are the tools of dictators and kings. When society accepts alternative facts, it ultimately accepts moral relativism and becomes corrupt.  There are plenty of historical reminders of the dangers of “alternative facts” with the rise and fall of dictatorships and totalitarian regimes. As the participants in this recent terrorist attack are arrested, placed on “no-fly” lists, and treated as threats to the welfare and safety of democratic institutions,  maybe they will begin to understand the dangers of listening to those who espouse conspiracy theories and alternative facts for their own self-aggrandizement.

Peace,
Rav Yitz

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

Think This Through With Me, Let Me Know Your Mind; What I Want To Know Is, Are You Kind? (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia - "Uncle John's Band")

We had a very interesting New Years Day. With our children visiting their grandparents, we were in a very quiet house. After having brunch, my wife received a troubling WhatsApp from a friend of ours in San Diego. Her husband was scheduled to return to San Diego from Israel. However, the plane had to stop in Toronto because someone had become seriously ill. That person also happened to be from San Diego and we knew that person, his wife, and their family. The person was rushed to the hospital and his wife went with him leaving their children with our other friend and another San Diegocouple (whom we do not know).  My wife’s friend tells us the whole story and we learn that her husband and the sick man’s children are in a hotel by the airport with no kosher food. We get her husband’s phone number, make contact and within 90 minutes we have brought several pizzas, salad, and sandwiches. we meet up with our friend. He appeared exhausted, and worried, We hugged, listened to his story and gave him the food. He thanked us over and over and was so appreciative of this act of kindness.  We headed home, attended a bris and afterward my wife began to cook. With New Years Day almost finished;  there was a San Diego couple in the Emergency Room of a hospital near Toronto’s Pearson airport. So with tins of pasta, soup, salad, some fruit, instant coffee packets, and a USB cord for the wife’s cell phone; we drive to the hospital. We find the sick man’s wife, and she too looks even more tired with physical exhaustion and anxiety than our friend at the hotel. She sees us, we hug and my wife explains the bag's contents. The wife is so relieved, expresses so much gratitude and over and over again expresses amazement at the kindness that she has experienced on what must have been one of the most exhausting and emotionally frightening days of her life.

This week we read from Parsha Va’Eira. This Shabbat we read Parsha Va’Eira. In this Parshah, God reassures Moshe after Pharaoh and mocked and dismissed both he and Aharon. God explains the plan to Moshe that Pharaoh’s heart will be hardened after each plague but eventually, Pharaoh will capitulate. God explains the various stages of redemption. The plagues begin. We are supposed to understand that each of these first seven plagues is more severe than the previous plague: Blood, Frogs, Lice, Wild Beasts, Animal plague, Boils, Hail. Moshe requests that Pharaoh allows B’nai Yisroel to worship God for three days, Pharaoh sometimes acquiesces sometimes he doesn’t. Sometimes he asks Moshe to pray on his behalf and sometimes he doesn’t. One thing is clear, that whenever Pharaoh gets his way (a plague ceases), something that would clearly indicate the power of God, Pharaoh acts almost like a child. He returns to his arrogant self-centered nature. Finally at the very end of the Parsha, after the plague of Hail has devastated the land and killed anything that was outside, Pharaoh expresses the evolution of his belief system.

Two men, Moshe and Pharaoh experience a type of revelation. Each man’s revelation is shaped by who they are, their life experiences and their outlook upon the world. Each leader will experience something very different than what fits their current theological system. Moshe is told by God, “Ani Adoshem VaEira el Avraham El Yitzchak v’ El Yaakov B’Eil Shaddai U’Shmi Adoshem Lo Nodati LaHem – I am Hashem, I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob as El Shaddai, but with My Name Hashem, I did not make Myself known to them (Ex. 6:2) For Moshe, his revelation assumes questions.  Why did you, Hashem, reveal yourself one way to Abraham Isaac and Jacob, and another way to me?  God will reveal himself to Moshe through “Signs and Wonders”.  V’Yadu Mitzrayim Ki Ani Adoshem, BinToti et Yadi Al Mitzrayim V’Hotzeiti et Bnai Yisroel MiTocham – And Egypt Shall know that I am Hashem, when I stretch out My hand over Egypt; and I shall take the Children of Israel out from among them (Ex. 7:5). With each ensuing plague, Pharaoh and Egypt will experience God. For Pharaoh, the embodiment of a system that did not permit questions, the revelation was much more absolute and stark. That revelation would manifest itself in a series of plagues.

Pharaoh’s world is harsh, he felt threatened by a minority culture and he believed that Egypt was threatened by that same minority culture. As a result, the blood, the frogs, the lice, swarms of wild beasts, livestock disease, boil, hail, locusts, and the death of the first born were perceived as plagues and God was perceived as a harsh judge with little mercy. Moshe had experienced kindness. His mother hid him in the basket, Pharoah’s daughter drew him out of the basket and raised him as her own. After he demonstrated kindness to the slaves by attempting to protect them, he leaves Egypt and demonstrates kindness to Yitro’s daughters. Yitro takes in this stranger as his own son, and eventually, Moses marries Yitro’s daughter Zipporah.  Zipporah demonstrates kindness to Moshe when she perceives that his life is endangered because he didn’t circumcise their son in a timely fashion (Ex. 4:24-26). Because Moshe experienced kindness through his life and he demonstrated kindness to others; it only makes sense that God is not so much a harsh judge as God is merciful and kind.  Needless to say, when we arrived with food for our stranded friends, their faith was re-affirmed. Despite the difficulties and inconveniences, they were experiencing in a Toronto hospital, they could only see the kindness that people had extended. As for me, I was reminded that we always have opportunities to demonstrate kindness. Some are big and some are small. Some opportunities are obvious and explicit, some are less so. However those opportunities exist, and as much as our friends’ faith was reaffirmed by an act of kindness, being presented an opportunity to spend a day engaging in random acts of kindness re-affirmed my faith as well. Besides, it seemed like a pretty good way to start 2019.

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

Hang It Up And See What Tomorrow Brings; Other Times I Can Barely See (Robert Hunter, Phil Lesh, Bob Weir,& Jerry Garcia - "Truckin'")

My wife and kids were in San Francisco last week. Upon their return, my wife expressed exasperation with our son and getting him to put on Tefillin and pray in the morning. I chuckled, and I told her to start by leaving him alone and not hock him. Putting on Tefillin and praying should not sound like and receive the same visceral feeling as being told to do homework or clean up one’s room.  So my wife said she wouldn’t hock him. Then I spoke to our son about it. He explained that he puts on Tefillin, he prays and quite often he feels nothing.  He explained that he has been taught how he should feel when he puts on Tefillin and when he prays, that if he doesn’t feel that way, he thinks maybe he doesn’t believe. Clearly he was upset telling me this because he was afraid that I would be upset. I laughed and explain that I don’t always believe, certainly I didn’t when I was 13. I didn’t really start believing until I became a parent. We talked, and I explained that maybe he should stop listening to everyone tell him how he is supposed to feel and instead focus upon an activity, a moment, something that will give him a sense of God’s presence. Maybe such a “revelation” occurs at sunrise, or sunset. Maybe it occurs when studying something difficult and ultimately understanding it. Maybe it occurs during a moment of sublime peace like sharing a moment with a loved one. Regarding the last possibility, I asked if he planned to cuddle with me and watch the college championship football game between The University of Georgia and the University of Alabama.

This week we read from Parsha Va’Eira. In this Parshah, God reassures Moshe after Pharaoh mocked and dismissed both he and Aharon. God explains that he will cause Pharaoh’s heart to harden after each plague, but eventually Pharaoh will capitulate and free the Hebrew slaves. God explains the various stages of redemption to Moshe. The plagues begin. We are supposed to understand that each of these first seven plagues is more severe than the previous plague: Blood, Frogs, Lice, Wild Beasts, Animal plague, Boils, Hail. Moshe requests that Pharaoh permit B’nai Yisroel to worship God for three days. At times, Pharaoh acquiesces and there are moments he changes his mind. Sometimes he asks Moshe to pray on his behalf and sometimes he doesn’t. One thing is clear, that whenever Pharaoh gets his way (a plague ceases), something that would clearly indicate the power of God, Pharaoh behaves like a petulant child. He returns to his arrogant self-centered nature. It seems that Pharaoh is operating under an alternative set of facts regarding Hashem’s authority and power. By the Parsha’s conclusion, the plague of Hail has devastated the land and killed anything that was outside, Pharaoh expresses the evolution of his belief system based upon facts, not alternative facts nor upon an incorrect interpretation facts.

Two men, Moshe and Pharaoh, two groups, Hebrew slaves and Egyptian task masters, experience a type of revelation. Moshe is told by God, “Ani Adoshem VaEira el Avraham El Yitzchak v’ El Yaakov B’Eil Shaddai U’Shmi Adoshem Lo Nodati LaHem – I am Hashem, I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob as El Shaddai, but with My Name Hashem, I did not make Myself known to them (Ex. 6:2) With Signs and Wonders, God wanted Moshe and B’nai Yisroel to know exactly who God is.  V’Yadu Mitzrayim Ki Ani Adoshem, BinToti et Yadi Al Mitzrayim V’Hotzeiti et Bnai Yisroel MiTocham – And Egypt Shall know that I am Hashem, when I stretch out My hand over Egypt; and I shall take the Children of Israel out from among them (Ex. 7:5). With each ensuing plague, God wanted Pharaoh and Egypt to know and accept, as fact, of God’ existence and God’s authority.  What is being transmitted? Ani Adoshem – I am Hashem, the fact that Hashem exists and has a covenantal relationship with his people.  How is this fact transmitted? Vaiera – I appeared through signs and wonders or as a harbinger of plagues. It depends who is experiencing the appearance and how that experience is perceive. For the Egyptians, God displays God’s presence through plagues. For Bnai Yisroel, God displays God’s presence through signs and wonders. That is to say each interprets Gods presence according to their values, their perceptions, their world view and their place within the world.

Clearly God made himself known to Abraham Isaac and Jacob. However that revelation was not in the same capacity as it was with Moshe Rabeinu. Clearly Pharaoh experienced a type of revelation as well. As my daughter realized over the course of our discussion, we all experience some type revelatory experience. As he is beginning to find out, he needs to be open minded and open hearted about it. It may occur in a comfortable familiar manner, and it may occur in an unanticipated unfamiliar manner. As our son realized, not engaging in the activity guarantees that there will be no possibility of sensing God’s presence He smiled and realized that putting on Tefillin was just an activity that might allow for a possibility. I smiled back and reminded him that it’s the same as cuddling with your dad watching the ball game. Maybe the feeling of sublime peace and calm, that everything is right in the world at this moment is indeed, a revelatory experience.

               

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   

We're Standing On The Beach, The Sea Will Part Before Me (John Barlow & Bob Weir - "Estimated Prophet)

Shabbat has now entered the mainstream media and press. In numerous articles and a number of newscasts, the press has arrived at a fascinating and powerful realization.. Our children and their friends have been talking about Jared Kushner, Ivanka Trump and the fact that “Shabbat” has effected the Whitehouse and the world. The theory is fascinating and even made it to Saturday Night Live. All week Jared Kushner as at the side of his father – in- law.  However late Friday afternoon, Jared leaves his White House job as an advisor to the President and return home for Shabbat. He doesn’t deal with his Father-in-law until after Shabbat. Well, the chaos of the President’s controversial Executive Order regarding travel, immigration and vetting from seven Muslim countries was signed around 6 pm on a Friday evening, when Jared had left for Shabbat. The week after the Executive Order, on Shabbat, the President angrily tweeted about “so called judges” deciding issues of national security. The week before, on Shabbat, President angrily commented and tweeted that his inauguration was the most well attended, and anyone who had contradicting evidence was lying. It seems that when Jared leaves work for Shabbat, the President stops following appropriate channels and following the necessary protocols that allow a democratically elect leader to govern in a low maintenance minimally dramatic manner.  It seems that when Jared leaves for Shabbat, there is no one who can tamp down the President’s anger and frustration. 

This Shabbat we read form Parsha Beshallach This Shabbat is known as Shabbat Shira (Shabbat of Songs) because of the "songs" or poetry in both the Parsha, Beshallach, and in the Haftarah. In Parsha Beshallach, B'nai Yisroel finally leaves Egypt. Pharaoh sends them out and they hurriedly leave. Three days later, B'nai Yisroel arrives at the Yam Suf, the Reed Sea, which is along the Mediterranean coast. With Pharaoh's army behind them, and the Sea in front, B'nai Yisroel is trapped. Then the sea opens up, B'nai Yisroel crosses through and arrives safely on the other side. The Egyptian army gets caught in the sea - bed as the waters comes crashing down. Out of joy and relief, B'nai Yisroel composes Shirat HaYam, the Song of the Sea. No sooner are they finished celebrating, then they begin complaining about the lack of water and food. God provides water and Manna. However, B'nai Yisroel is still not safe. Now they are attacked by the indigenous tribe, the Amalekites. B'nai Yisroel must put aside its hunger and thirst and fight for their lives. They do, and they are victorious. The Parsha ends with God commanding Moshe to blot out the very existence of the Amalekites.

As the tragic effects of the Tenth Plague wear off, the first born are buried and mourned, Pharaoh, his servants and his noble class, regret VaYehi B’Shallach Paro Et Ha’Am – that Pharoah sent the slaves out and they were now making their way towards freedom. So what did Pharaoh do? How did he respond? In a rather  innocuous statement, the Torah states: VaYesor et Richbo V’Et Amo Lakach Imo – He made ready his chariot and took his people with him   VaYikach Sheis Meiot Rechev Bachur V’CHol Rechev Mitzrayim V’SHalishim Al Kulo – He took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt and captains over all of them.  However this very simple sentence ‘he made ready his chariot’ has far deeper implications that a many hitching his horses to his chariot.  Rashi, the great 11^th century French commentator crytically states: Hu B’Atzmo – He himself readied his horses and hitched the royal horses to the royal chariot. Rashi’s cryptical comment is based upon a far more ancient comment dating back from the Talmudic Rabbis in Breishit Rabbah stating that hatred disrupts protocol. Pharaoh had servants to prepare the chariot, why didn’t they do their job? The Mechilta clarifies Breishit Rabbah’s concern. Kings usually stand by while others prepare their chariots and harness it. Pharoah was so angered, so wicked that he did so himself. Once the generals and the courtiers saw Pharaoh preparing his own chariot they did the same. They didn’t discuss strategy, they didn’t formulate a plan. Pharaoh’s anger burned so uncontrollably that he didn’t think; he just impulsively responded, and the results were disastrous.

Literally, Pharoah required a horse-whisperer; someone to calmly talk him down from his rage. However Pharaoh’s rule was absolute, and without a “horse whisperer” without a trusted advisor who could “talk him down” this absolute ruler, this most powerful man in the ancient world, arrogantly and mistakenly led his army into the Reed Sea and suffer an ignominious defeat at the hands of Hebrew slaves and God.  As our children continue to watch the news, hear newscasters and news commentators continue to mention “Shabbat” and as the “Shabbat” continues to become part of the mainstream cultural lexicon; we can only hope that Jared can figure out a way diminish his father in law’s anger, rage and frustration and follow process and protocol.

Peace,

Rav Yitz