Freedom From and Freedom To Be (John Barlow & Bob Wier- "Lost Sailor")

Whenever we travel with our children back to the United States, I always feel compelled to give them a history lesson about the country in which they are citizens. Make no mistake; the experience that our children are getting by living outside of the United States has been wonderful in terms of perspective. However because our children learn about Canadian history, we tend to home school them in regards to U.S. History, Civics and Government.  We had a wonderful learning opportunity when we visited Philadelphia for a simcha (a happy occasion). I insisted that we see Independence Mall,  (where the Congressional Congress signed the Declaration of Independence), the Liberty Bell, and even Valley Forge, (where General Washington and the Colonial Army spent a horrible winter) prior to their battle with the British. Of course I enjoyed it. However the most meaningful moment for my children occurred while looking at the Liberty Bell. Our children looked at it and we made them read the inscription on the Bell: “Proclaim Liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants thereof. Lev 25:10”. First we asked our children what that meant. Then we asked them what book this verse was from? They thought about it for a moment and then realized that it was from the Torah. They didn’t realize that Lev., short for Leviticus, is English for VaYikrah.  The most fascinating moment occurred when they realized that the people who made the bell, and used that quotation, were using a pasuk from the Torah. Then they asked the obvious question, “Why did they use a verse from the Torah and why that particular verse for Liberty Bell?”

This week we read the double Parsha of Behar/Bechukotai. These final two parshiot offer us insight into another dimension of Kedushah. For most of  Vayikra (Leviticus), we learned how the Kohen Gadol makes himself holy. We have learned how the individual makes himself/herself holy. We have learned how the entire nation makes itself holy. We have learned how holiness permeates all are physical activities including what we eat, how we treat others and the relationships that may and may not have.  We have learned how we designated holiness in terms of seasons and special occasions. Now we read about the laws in which we acknowledge the holiness of Eretz Canaan Israel. We learn that the Jubilee is similar to  Shemitta accept on a grander scale, leaving the land to lie fallow for a year while it rests. We learn about the Yovel, the Jubilee year and all that it entails in terms of our behavior. Sefer Vayikra concludes with the Torah explaining the rewards for following these and all the commandments that God gave us at Sinai as well as the punishments that would befall us if we fail to observe these commandments.  

During the discussion Yovel, the Sabbatical year, we read: V’Kidashtem Eit Shat HaChamishim Shana Ukratem Dror Ba’Aretz L’chol Yoshveha Yovel Hi Tiheyeh Lachem V’Shavtem Ish El Achuzato V’Ish el Mishpachto Tashuvu – You shall sanctify the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty throughout the land for all its inhabitants; it shall be the Jubilee Year for you, each of you  shall return to his ancestral heritage and each of you shall return to his family. The context of this verse is clear. During the 50 year cycle, whether the indentured servant has served the usual minimum of six years or not, all indentured servants are to be freed. Everyone returns to their  tribal land of origin and everything is then, according to modern parlance, “rebooted”.  The interesting thing about this verse is the Hebrew word for freedom. Ordinarily “freedom” is “ChoFeSh.” The word ChoFeSh is used when the concept of freeing the indentured servant is first mentioned  in Parsha Mishpatim Ex 21: 2 Ki Tikneh Eved Ivri Shesh Shanim Ya’avod U’Vashviit Yeitzei LaChofshi Chinam: If you buy a Jewish servant, he shall work for six years; and in the seventh he shall go free (LaChofshi), for no charge. The word use in this week’s Parsha is DROR. The word DROR  appears once  in the entire Torah in this context, “Proclaim Liberty throughout the land…” Dror appears in Ex. 30:23 however it means “pure myrrh” Why would the Torah use Chofshi (Free/freedom) in Exodus and then use the word Dror (liberty) at the end of Leviticus in Behar/Bechukotai?

Certainly the word “Freedom” is more common than “Liberty”.  When Patrick Henry made his famous statement, he used the word “Liberty”. “Give me Liberty or give me death”. R’ Avraham Bedersi a late 13^th century French Rabbi explains that both terms Chofesh (Freedom) and Dror (Liberty) are the opposite of bondage.  However Dror (Liberty) denotes clarity and purity, without contaminates. Much like the term Dror is used to describe the pure Myrrh.  It is not accidental that the Torah uses a word that is the opposite of bondage but connotes a “pure” freedom. Throughout the book of Leviticus, the overarching themes as been purity and holiness.  So it would make sense that Dror would connote the holiest or purest sense of  the concept of Freedom.  R’Avraham Bedersi suggests that Chofesh (freedom) implies the mitigation of slavery whereas Dror (Liberty) implies the total abolition of slavery.  Left with that understanding we lose the nuance of “holiness” that accompanies Dror.

Liberty is not solely confined to people. It extends to the land. It extends to every aspect of life.  Freedom is something that is given or taken by people. Liberty  is not something that a person gives to another, nor is it something that a person gives to animal. Rather “Liberty” is a godly concept.  Liberty invokes holiness and therefore something that God grants to people and to “all the inhabitants”.  Since we are all created in God’s image, since God breathed God’s spirit into the first man (Gen. Chapter 2); one could argue that Liberty is an internal concept. Someone may be a slave, but their soul is free, therefore they are in a state of Liberty.  Liberty is the spiritual version of freedom. 

Shavuot, the commemoration of the Matan Torah (the Giving of the Torah) begins a week from this coming Shabbat.  Perhaps freedom suggests a lack of slavery or servitude. Liberty suggests that the highest level of freedom is one in which only the rule of law governs all of us equally, without bias or prejudice. As we explained “Liberty” to our children, it was re-assuring to think that those who inscribed the Liberty Bell, understood that Liberty was the most noble and the most pure form of Freedom. Needless to say, our children were impressed when they realized that our Torah was so integral in the establishment of the United States, their place of birth.

Peace,

Rav Yitz

A Voice So Sweet And Clear (Barlow & Weir "Gloria Monday")

We just returned from spending Shabbat and the weekend in Philadelphia. I did my undergraduate work in Philadelphia (actually the Philly suburbs), so in a sense, I experienced a lot of déjà vu. The bar mitzvah was very nice and it was terrific seeing our San Diego friends. On Sunday, as we began the 9+ hour drive home to Toronto, the discussion turned to the inevitable. Our eleven year old daughter will have a Bat Mitzvah sometime this summer and early fall. We are still designing the whole bat mitzvah concept. We are planning a trip to Israel, I have started learning text with our daughter specifically Hilchot Tzeddakkah – the Laws of Charitable Donations. Our plan is to have an informal get together on this continent so she can share with us what she has learned as well as to have a type of Siyyum for her completion of this course of study. While so many details need to be worked out, we are all in agreement that our daughter needs to speak, she needs to share with us what she has learned as well as to explain how she has incorporated the learning into some type of mitzvah project.

This Shabbat is known as Shabbat Shira (Shabbat of Songs) because of the "songs" or prose in both the Parsha, Beshallach, and in the Haftarah. In the 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 Amalakites. 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 Amalakites.

When we read and study Torah, we notice that there are not a lot of narratives about women. When woman are mentioned it is in a context that is somewhat tangential to the main story line, i.e. Dinah, Tamar, Lot's wife turning into a pillar of salt, Leah and even Rachel. The mention of women is either associated with the birth of children or in the context of someone or something else. Even when we read the genealogies we should notice that it is traced through the man. However in Parsha Beshallach we read about Miriam and B'not Yisroel in a very different context. They are not mentioned in the context of childbirth, nor are they are not mentioned in the context of marriage. V'Tikach Miryam Hanavi Achot Aharon et Hatof B'yadah-Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took her drum in her hand, Va'Teithenah Chol Ha'Nashim Achareha B'Tupim U'Vimcholot- and all the women went forth after her with drums and dances (Ex 15:20). Miriam is being mentioned in her own right and not within the context of someone else. Miriam is mentioned in the framework of the story. B'nai Yisroel finishes the crossing. They sing their song. The waters swallow up Pharaoh’s army. Miriam leads the women in celebratory song and dance. V'Ta'an Lahem Miryam Shiru L'Adonai Ki Ga'oh Ga'ah Sus v'Rochvo Ramah VaYam - Miriam spoke up to them "Sing to G-d for He is exalted above the arrogant, having hurled horse with its rider into the sea (Ex 15:21). Miriam is given a public voice. She is given a forum for public expression. Except in the Haftarah, when another prophetess named Devorah has a similar forum, nowhere else do we read of a woman given such a public voice and public expression. How empowering this moment was for Miriam. She not only led women but La'hem (to them) refers to both men and women. She spoke to and convinced everyone to sing praises to God.

Our perception of Miriam is that of a strong female character. Our perception of Devorah is that of a strong character. Our perception of the matriarch Rivka is that of a strong female character. Miriam and Devorah had occupied a very public forum for their voices. Rebecca's forum existed in the confines of the family. All three spoke out, all three were listened to. All three were given a voice in the Torah. From this we learn just how vital it is for woman to have voice, to have opinion, to have a forum and a means to express their voice.

As our daughter prepares for her bat mitzvah, I have already noticed a change in her voice, a change in how she deals with life and voices an opinion. She is starting to be a little more thoughtful, a little more insightful, and a little less superficial. Her voice has started to get stronger and with that, we have started to add more responsibility to her plate. Hopefully, by the time of her Bat Mitzvah she will have discovered her voice and a way for us to hear it in the young adult she is soon to become.

Peace,

Rav Yitz