Do You Remember Hearts Were Too Cold; Season Had Frozen Us Into Our Souls (Peter Monk & Phil Lesh - "Passenger")

           In the Haggadah we read, B’chol Dor V’Dor Chayev Adam Lirot Et Atsmo K’Ilu  Hoo Yatzah M’Mitzrayim-“In every generation on is obliged to see himself as though he himself had actually gone forth from Egypt." Implied in the Haggadah is the notion that “the Telling” of the Pesach story will be much more meaningful if we put ourselves there. As much as we complain about the Pesach preparations, the cleaning, the cooking, the washing, and the shopping; we prepare ourselves. In a sense, we began the process of putting ourselves back in Egypt at the time of the Exodus over the past few weeks. As we celebrate the final days of Pesach, we are reminded that Yetziat Mitzrayim did not end when B’nai Yisroel marched out of Egypt. Yetziat Mitzrayim continued for weeks, marked Kriyat Yam Suf (the crossing of the Reed Sea). Yetziat Mitzrayim continued for months, marked by Matan Torah (The Giving of the Torah at Mt. Sinai) nearly two months later (50 days). Yetziat Mitzrayim continued for a year, marked by the completion of the Mishkan and the beginning of the journey to Eretz Canaan. Yetziat Mitzrayim continue for 40 years until an entire generation passed away replaced by children and grandchildren born as free souls.

          This Shabbat is the last day of the Pesach Festival, it is a Yom Tov similar to the first two days of the Pesach Festival. The only difference is that we do not participate in a Seder. Also, the final day of Pesach is marked by Yizkor. The Torah portion for the 7th Day of Pesach is that excerpt from Parsha Beshallach, which includes the narrative of Bnai Yisroel being sent out of Egypt and one week later arriving at the shores and then successfully crossing the Yam Suf. The Torah reading for the 8th day of Pesach is an excerpt from  Devarim, Parsha Re’eh (14:22-16:17). Moshe is speaking to the generation born in freedom, invoking the memories of their parents and grandparents' experiences as slaves as he re-iterates the laws necessary for a community to function: The laws of Second Tithes (think social safety net), remission of loans, being charitable to the less fortunate and finally, the re-iteration of the sanctity of the Shalosh Regalim - the Three Festival: Pesach, Shavuot, and Sukkot. 

          How are we supposed to fulfill the Haggadah’s obligation of Lirot Et Atsmo K’Ilu  Hoo Yatzah M’Mitzrayim - see yourself as if you left Egypt if the narrative of Yetziat Mitzrayim is at least a 40-year experience? Perhaps the answer is playing out in Ukraine. A people fights for its freedom against the tyranny of Putin’s Russia. A small group of Ukrainian soldiers in a Mariupol steel factory holds out against the Russian army. The symbol is powerful and unmistakable. Some analysts invoke the image of the Alamo. When a small band of Texans fought off the Mexican Army for a while only to be overwhelmed and killed. That event served as an inspiring reminder as Texas fought to break away from the Mexican Empire. A more Jewish symbol that is certainly more geographically and Pesach relevant occurred 80 years ago this week. The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising was a small group of starving Jews who resisted the Nazi war machine for three weeks. The symbol of a small band of starving Jews in the Warsaw Ghetto filled with courage faith, a few guns and Molotov cocktails would inspire not only other WWII partisans but also those Jews who fought for the birth of Israel and continues to provide meaning today. 

          Whatever happens to those soldiers in the battle for Mariupol, we are witnessing the creation of a symbolic national moment. For any people that have been forced to struggle for their freedom, any community that has had to struggle to throw off the shackles of slavery and tyranny, symbols of that struggle are vital. Symbols of those events unite those who experienced the event and participated in that particular national moment and narrative.  Symbols of those events also bind future generations to their past by giving those future generations a meaningful present. Perhaps seeing ourselves as having left Egypt reminds us that freedom and liberty should never be taken for granted but instead is something that requires faith, and courage to fight for when necessary.

Shabbat Shalom & Chag Sameach,
Rav Yitz

If You Could See In My Heart You Would Know It's True; There Is None, Cérise, Except For You (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia - "Reuben and Cerise")

With three daughters, every so often I get anxious regarding that moment when they begin to seriously date a boy, or have strong feelings for a boy, or begin an exclusive relationship with a boy.  With a daughter in her twenties and two teenage daughters; my wife and I want boys to be interested in our daughters. We want our daughters to go out on dates. However, my desire for them to have the excitement of “puppy love” is quickly tempered by my anxiety of their being in a serious relationship and how that new relationship affects my relationship with my daughters. It is at that point, I try to stop thinking about the fact that my daughters are growing older (as am I), and try to end my anxiety attack.

This Shabbat is the last day of Pesach. Among the additions to the Shabbat/Pesach service is the fact that we say Yizkor and commemorate the deceased. Because we are celebrating a Festival that did not have an intermediate Shabbat, but rather the last days fall on a Shabbat; we read a Megillah - a Scroll that corresponds to Pesach.  ChaZaL – our sages teach us that we read Shir HaShirim, the Song of Songs. This biblical text, taken from Ketuvim (Writings) is attributed to Shlomo HaMelech – King Solomon.  The eight chapters, which are a song in a melody different from both Torah and Haftarah speaks of the romantic love of a young couple.  I imagine that this young couple is in their early twenties but there is no evidence that suggests a specific age. Because the text begins with the words: Shir HaShirim Asher L’Shlomo – The Song of Songs by Solomon; ChaZaL explains that only a young man in throes of romantic love would write such poetry. A middle age man wouldn’t write such romantic poetry since some of the idealism of that romantic love would have waned, and certainly an older man, towards the end of life wouldn’t write of romantic love since an older man would be more scarred by life’s experience. Nevertheless, this beautiful poetry and the illusions of green meadows, deer, trees, and fruit, portray a romantic vision that would great poets such as Shakespeare and Keats jealous with its use of language.

The question is why we read Shir HaShirim during the Pesach Festival. How is a nation attaining liberty remotely connected to Romantic poetry?  R’Akiva, the same R’Akiva that we all read about in the Haggada at our respective sederim, comments that the Song of Songs is the holy of holies (Midrash Tanchuma).  We understand that something becomes holy when it has been separated from the mundane and ordinary and elevated to a higher purpose.  Certainly, B'nai Yisroel fits such a description. Throughout the story of the Yetziat Mitzrayim, when Moshe request of Pharaoh that B'nai Yisroel is released from bondage, Moshe repeatedly says to ‘Let me people go… Asher Ya’Avduni  “So that they may serve me.” Clearly, the purpose of being released from Pharaoh’s slavery enabled B'nai Yisroel to enter into a relationship with God. As long as Pharaoh declined Moshe’s request, the more Pharaoh prevented B'nai Yisroel from separating itself from Egypt and elevating itself for the sole purpose of entering into a sacred relationship with God. Now that B'nai Yisroel has been freed from Egypt, it can return to the sacred relationship with God, a relationship that it had not experienced for over two centuries.  From that perspective, the relationship, with this generation of B'nai Yisroel is novel, idealistic and romantic. After all, within our tradition we view Hashem as our protector, we view Hashem as bound to the Jewish people much like a husband is bound to a wife. On Friday nights, we have a Kabbalistic tradition of viewing the Shabbat Queen as our spiritual mate. After all, Sunday has Monday, Tuesday has Wednesday and Thursday has Friday. Can Shabbat really be left alone? According to Midrash, Shabbat is paired off with the Jewish People.  (Bereishit Rabba h 11:8)The Shabbat Bride serves as a symbol of that pairing off.

As Pesach draws to a close,  our story doesn’t end, nor does our relationship with God draw to a conclusion. Because we are counting the Omer each evening up until 50, we understand that our job is to prepare ourselves for our long, awaited reunion with Hashem.  That reunion will occur on Shavuot when we stand at Sinai to receive the Torah. Shir HaShirim merely marks the beginning of a loving relationship, a courtship prior to a marriage,  a time when we should be full of romantic visions prior to entering a relationship built upon obligations.  As a father of three daughters, someday all three will grow into relationships that culminate in the sanctity of marriage. For now, however, I have enough anxiety just dealing with “young romantic” love.

Peace,

Rav Yitz

Wade In The Water And Never Get Wet (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia - "Doin' That Rag")

During the winter months, we encourage our son to engage in some kind of Sunday activity, preferably of the physical variety. Whether he took snowboard lessons (which he did two winters ago), or played basketball (several winter seasons ago); we didn’t really care. We just wanted him to be doing something rather than sitting around all day. Our son always enjoyed swimming; this past winter he also grew intrigued by the idea of military operations that dealt with search and rescue missions. Whether the U.S. military or TzaHaL (the Israeli Army); he liked watching and reading about this types of missions. So I wasn’t terribly surprised when he asked to sign up for swim classes that would prepare him for ultimately becoming a life guard through the Canadian Red Cross.  Because of his age, he is still not eligible to sign up for the actual Life Guard course. Undeterred, he decided to take the Pre-Life Guard courses. He completed the Bronze Star and the Bronze Medallion courses. The latter course he finished a couple of weeks before Pesach. Now, in the midst of Pesach and in the middle of his Pesach vacation, our son has been reminding me to sign him up for the next level of Pre-Life Guard courses: Bronze Cross.  When I told him to remind me after Pesach, he grew quite irritated with me. First, he pointed out that I am always reminding him of the Talmud Tractate Kiddushin 29a which and the four obligations a father has in terms of raising a son. One of those obligations is teaching his son to swim (since it might save his life). Impressed that my son had actually listened, I began to answer him. However he quickly cut me off and reminded that nothing would be more appropriate than to sign him up as Pesach drew to an end and we read Shirat HaYam – the story of the Kriyat Yam Suf (the Crossing of the Reed Sea).

The Seventh Day of Pesach, we continued the narrative of the Exodus, and read of the miracle of Kriat Yam Suf (the Crossing of the Reed Sea). Already out of Egypt and now pursued by the Pharoah’s army; B’nai Yisroel finds itself stuck between the proverbial rock and hard place. Before them lies the Reed Sea and behind them is the Egyptian Army and it all of its chariots. These former slaves are panicked and thinking that they are about to die. Moshe, too, appears at wit’s end and, unsure of how to proceed, begins to pray on both his and the people’s behalf. VaYomer HaShem El Moshe -  God says to Moshe  Mah Titzahk Eilai Dabeir El B’nai Yisroel V’Yisau – speak to the Children of Israel and let them journey forth (Ex. 14:15). Eventually, B’nai Yisroel musters enough courage and they cross the sea. Upon their successful arrival to the other side, Moshe and B’nai Yisroel break out into song praising God’s strength, love, and protection.

The Talmudic Sages in the Talmud Sotah 36a credit the great- great- grandson of Judah, Nachshon Ben Aminadav, Aaron’s brother in law, as the first one into the Sea. However, the Sea did not open when Nachshon put his foot into the water. Nor did the sea part when he was knee deep, thigh deep or waist deep into the water. Undeterred, and apparently full of a profound and simple faith in God, Nachshon continued to wade into the water. The water covered his chest, his shoulders, his neck, chin, face and soon he was completely submerged. In the moment he was to sink or float, the waters open up. B’nai Yisroel followed and they made their way across. While the Midrash doesn’t suggest that Nachshon actually swam at all, certainly he was the ultimate lifeguard, risking his life to save B’nai Yisroel from their own spiritual paralysis.

                Nachshon’s courage in the Midrash, teaches a valuable lesson about faith and freedom. No matter the difficulty, no matter the pain, sadness and grief, there is a path across the Yam Suf. That is not to say that we may not be bruised, scarred, or damaged in some way. It only means that crossing our own sea gives us an opportunity for a future. Staying back, remaining paralyzed, succumbing to our fears, guarantees no future and remaining enslaved. Indeed, freedom is all about a sense of tomorrow, the future and possibilities. How could I deny my son’s pleading and his reasoning? I signed him up just before these last days of the Pesach. I signed him up knowing that he doesn’t suffer from any spiritual paralysis. I signed him up knowing that his positive outlook is a manifestation of his deep faith in God and in the words we sang at the Seder table: Dayeinu. Whatever we have in our lives, it is good enough.

Peace,

Rav Yitz

I'll Still Sing You Love Songs, Written In The Letters Of Your Name (John Barlow & Bob Weir- "Looks Like Rain")

The bad thing about teen-age daughters is that they are teen-agers. The good thing about teen-age daughters is that eventually they will no long be teen-agers. In the meantime, I remind myself that “it’s a phase” or “patience this will end someday.” While our teen- age daughters are not quite “boy crazy”, they do have their pop culture teen heart throbs, such as One Direction, Nick Jonas, and Zac Efron. Of course, I recognize that this is merely the first step towards increased angst and aggravation about dealing with boys. In the meantime when they appear on tv or are heard on the radio, why must they scream or begin talking so loudly, quickly and excitedly.  I also keep reminding myself that although our teenagers are loud and dramatic about the “heart throb” thing; the real focus and concern should be upon our 25 year old. After all, she could actually meet someone, fall in love and get married. Until now I had very little anxiety about her and boys, and relationships. There are, not too many choices in Des Moines or Salt Lake City for a young woman who one day would like to have a Jewish home.  Now that she has moved to Philadelphia, a place with lots of Jewish graduate students, a sizeable Jewish population and only a 90 minute train ride from New York City, well let’s just say we perfectly happy with her dedication and focus upon her career in politics.

This Shabbat is the last day of Pesach. Among the additions to the Shabbat/Pesach service is the fact that we say Yizkor and commemorate the deceased. Because we are celebrating a Festival that did not have an intermediate Shabbat, but rather the last days fall on a Shabbat; we read a Megillah - a Scroll that corresponds to Pesach.  ChaZaL – our sages teach us that we read Shir HaShirim, the Song of Songs. This biblical text, taken from Ketuvim (Writings) is attributed to Shlomo HaMelech – King Solomon.  The eight chapters, which are song in a melody different from both Torah and Haftarah speaks of the young romantic love between a young couple.  I imagine that this young couple is in their early twenties but there is no evidence that suggests a specific age. One thing is for sure, because the text begins with the words: Shir HaShirim Asher L’Shlomo – The Song of Songs by Solomon. ChaZaL explains that only a young man in throes of romantic love would write such poetry. A middle age man wouldn’t write such romantic poetry since some of the idealism  of that romantic love would have waned, and certainly a older man, towards the end of life wouldn’t write of romantic love since an older man would be more scarred by life’s experience. Nevertheless, this beautiful poetry and the illusions of green meadows, deer, trees and fruit, portray a romantic vision that would great poets such as Shakespeare and Keats jealous with its use of language.

The question is why we read Shir HaShirim during the Pesach Festival. How is a nation attaining liberty remotely connected to Romantic poetry?  R’Akiva, the same R’Akiva that we all read about in the Haggada at our respective sedarim, comments that the Song of Songs is the holy of holies (Midrash Tanchuma).  We understand that something becomes holy when it has been separated from the mundane and ordinary and elevated to a higher purpose.  Certainly, Bnai Yisroel fits such a description. Throughout the story of the Yetziat Mitzrayim, when Moshe request of Pharaoh that Bnai Yisroel be released from bondage, Moshe repeatedly says to ‘Let me people go… Asher Ya’Avduni  “So that they may serve me.” Clearly the purpose of being released from Pharaoh’s slavery enabled Bnai Yisroel to enter into a relationship with God. As long as Pharaoh declined Moshe’s request, the more Pharaoh prevented Bnai Yisroel from separating itself from Egypt and elevating itself for the sole purpose of entering into a sacred relationship with God. Now that Bnai Yisroel has been freed from Egypt, it can return to the sacred relationship with God, a relationship that it had not experienced for over two centuries.  From that perspective, the relationship, with this generation of Bnai Yisroel is novel, idealistic and romantic. After all, within our tradition we view Hashem as our protector, we view Hashem as bound to the Jewish people much like a husband is bound to a wife. On Friday nights, we have a Kabalistic tradition of viewing the Shabbat Queen as our spiritual mate. After all, Sunday has Monday, Tuesday has Wednesday and Thursday has Friday. Can Shabbat really be left alone? According to Midrash, Shabbat is paired off with the Jewish People.  (Breishit Rabbah 11:8)The Shabbat Bride serves as a symbol of that pairing off.

As Pesach draws to a close,  our story doesn’t end, nor does our relationship with God draw to a conclusion. Because we are counting the Omer each evening up until 50, we understand that our job is to prepare ourselves for our long, awaited re-union with Hashem.  That re-union will occur on Shavuot when we stand at Sinai to receive the Torah. Shir HaShirim merely marks the beginning of a loving relationship, a courtship prior to a marriage,  a time when we should be full of romantic visions prior to entering a relationship built upon obligations.  As a father of three daughters, someday all three will grow into relationships that culminate in the sanctity of marriage. For now, however, I have enough anxiety just dealing with the inevitability of their interest in boys!

Peace,

Rav Yitz