Once In A While You Get Shown The Light; In The Strangest Of Places If You Look At It Right (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia - "Scarlet Begonias")

           We have been preparing for this moment since last September’s first day of school. We have talked about it, and we have tried to anticipate our feelings. I tried to downplay it. Earlier this week, our son, our youngest child graduated from high school. Yes, we knew this was going to happen. We circled the date on our calendar. We became acutely aware of this moment with the crossing of various thresholds: acceptance to yeshiva in Israel for his gap year, college acceptances, end of classes, and finally, the completion of his last exam, his senior banquet, and class trip. Despite all the preparation, when our son’s name was announced, my eyes welled up. When his name was announced as the recipient of the Liberal Arts Award for Excellence in English and Humanities, I smiled proudly through tears in my eyes. As I watched him walk out of the auditorium with his diploma, his award, and the big smile on his face; I noticed his blue eyes. His eyes seemed different. Light shone from them. 

          This week we read the third parsha from The Book of Numbers, Parsha Be’Halotcha. In the previous two parshiot: Bemidbar and Naso, B’nai Yisroel takes a census and prepares for its upcoming journey from Sinai to Eretz Canaan. This week, the final preparations are ordered and executed and the departure from Sinai begins. Aaron, Moshe’s brother as well as the Kohen Gadol, lights the lamp for the Mishkan, the entire Levite tribe is purified, offerings made and their service for maintenance of the Mishkan begins. Final instructions for observing Pesach under these new conditions, (they were not leaving Egypt anymore nor had they arrived in the land) were offered, including the case of coming into contact with the deceased and becoming spiritually impure. The narrative tells us the manner in which B’nai Yisroel traveled: sheltered by a cloud during the day and protected by a pillar of fire at night. Then the complaining begins. They complain about the Mannah. They complain about the food. They complain about Moshe’s leadership. Moshe’s sister complains about his wife.

          The first few verses, from which the Parsha gets its name Be’Halotcha seem rather disconnected from the rest of the narrative. Rather, these first few verses seem more connected to the previous Parsha that discussed the various responsibilities of each Levi family and gifts brought by the twelve tribal princes. Left out of last week’s Parsha is the specific role of Aaron and his family.  Now, Aaron is responsible for lighting the Menorah, the Neir Tamid, the eternal light, every day. Aaron is instructed El Mul Pnei HaMenorah- to kindle the lamps toward the face of the Menorah (Num.8:2). What does it mean to kindle lamps (or lights) toward the face of the Menorah? The flames burn leaning towards the center, towards the main trunk of the Menorah.   R’ Ovadia Sforno, the late 15th and early 16th century Italian Rennaissance commentator explains that the three branches on the right side symbolize spiritual pursuits and the three branches on the left symbolize ephemeral pursuits. The flames of each branch bend toward the center to symbolize both the spiritual and the ephemeral bend toward God. The flames on the right symbolize Jewish wisdom and the lamps on the left symbolize secular wisdom. All the flames bend towards the middle to symbolize that all wisdom emanates from God. God is the source of the intellectual and spiritual light. God is the source of knowledge and wisdom.

          The menorah reminds us that knowledge and its pursuit is a Godly endeavor. Indeed, looking into my son’s eyes I saw within him a desire to learn, pursue knowledge, to engage in inquiry and investigation. I saw within him a desire to honestly pursue this intellectual curiosity with passion and honesty. I welled up again, understanding that our son was ready to fuel this light and this passion for learning and I have high school and his teachers to thank.

Peace,
Rav Yitz

The morning sun will rise, but the darkness never goes from some men's eyes. (John Barlow & Bob Weir- "Throwing Stones")

We attended two commencements this week, a middle school commencement and a High School commencement.  Grandparents attended as well as our eldest daughter in from Florida.  Yes, there was a lot of pride, and a realization of a “new normal”. Each graduation featured a similar comment regarding a need for the “graduates to be aware that the world is full of possibilities as well in need of some fixing.  When we talked to our graduates that the world might need some fixing, we immediately asked them if they had seen the pictures of children being taken from their immigrant parents along the Texas/Mexican border. We asked if they heard the White House Press Secretary refer to the Bible as the pre-text to justify a policy of separating children from parents as a deterrent from entering a land of freedom and opportunity.  As I watched my kids walk across the stage, to receive their diplomas; I thought about all the stages my wife and I walked across to receive our diplomas, diplomas from schools in the U.S. and Canada.  I thought about my Grandfather, a son of immigrants. As I watched our children, my grandfather’s words, one of his many mantras, haunted me. “Parents sacrifice so that the children, the next generation will do better”. I thought about my mother in law whose parents were among the last leave Germany, arriving in New York before Jews were turned away like the “Voyage of the Damned”. As our kids walked across the stage, I thought about all those parents just traveled 1500 miles fleeing the for their lives and their children’s lives seeking asylum,  only be refused entry and have their children taken from them in the process. 

This week we read from Parsha Chukkat. This Shabbat we read from Parsha Chukkat. Chukkat begins by telling us the Law for the Red Heifer. The Priest who prepares the mixture of water and the Red Heifers burnt ashes will render the entire nation spiritually pure; but the mixture will render him impure. A brief narrative concerning the death of Miriam, the lack of water and B’nai Yisroel’s resulting anxiety and lack of faith leads to the issuance of another test of faith in the Wilderness. Moshe and Aaron don’t know what to do; so God tells them: Kach et HaMateh v’Hakhaeil Et Ha’Edah Ata v’Aharon Achicha v’Dibartem El HaSela L’Eineihem V’Natan Meimav V’Hotzeitah Lahem Mayim Min HaSela V’Hishkita et HaEidah v’Et B’Iram – Hashem spoke to Moshe saying: Take the staff and gather together the assembly, you and Aaron your brother, and speak to the rock before their eyes that it shall give its waters. You shall bring forth for them water from the rock and give drink to the assembly and to their animals (Num. 20:8). Instead of following instructions, Moshe succumbed to his anger and hit the rock with his staff. Indeed water came out, the people drank, but Moshe and Aharon were punished. Aharon died and Moshe learned that he would not be able to enter into Eretz Canaan. As B’nai Yisroel resumes its wandering, they are attacked by Amalek. As a result, B’nai Yisroel is forced to go around the heart of Amalek territory. The people complain to Moshe again. They try to seek permission from the Sihon, the King of the Amorites, to pass through Amorite territory. Sihon denies permission and B’nai Yisroel attacks and eventually defeats the Amorites. Og King of Bashan tries to prevent B’nai Yisroel from marching through his land, B’nai Yisroel, with the help of Hashem, defeats King Og and his army.  The Parsha concludes with B’nai Yisroel settling on the Plains of Moab on the eastern side of the Jordan poised to enter into Canaan.

After the decree of the Law of the Red Heifer, the Torah begins a new narrative, a narrative about Miriam’s death, a lack of water, B’nai Yisroel’s complaint and God’s response. Rashi comments on the first Pasuk of Chapter 20.  Eidah Shaleim – the congregation is complete (whole). Sh’Kavar Meitu Metai Midbar, V’Ilu Parsho L’Chayim (Tanuchuma) – All those of the generation that left Egypt that was supposed to die have died in the wilderness, and all those who are alive at this point are supposed to enter into Eretz Canaan.  From this point on, the Torah records the final year of B’nai’ Yisroel’s time in the wilderness.  So 38 years have transpired from the first chapter of the Parsha to the second chapter of the Parsha. Yet in 38 years, a generation that didn’t really know slavery, which only knew that Hashem provided food and water, a generation that didn’t have do anything except learn Moshe’s Torah begin to sound like their parents and perhaps their grandparents. Yes, Moshe disobeys God by hitting the rock rather than talk to the rock. However, Moshe’s frustration might have been a result of the fact that he expected this generation to know better, to have more faith in Hashem, more trust in Hashem, more of sense of purpose in terms of its relationship with Hashem. Sadly, after thirty-eight years, our ancestors, this time, a generation born to freedom, still had work to do Vis a Vis its relationship to Hashem. Yes, they came a long way since their parents were slaves, but they still had a long way to go in terms of trust in Hashem, faith in Hashem, and a confidence that Hashem would not abandons his chosen people.

                Sadly, the White House Press Secretary is right.  The events transpiring along the U.S. Mexico border have a biblical sensibility about it. She thinks that the “enforcement of the law” defines the biblical nature of the treatment of these immigrants/refugees. A group of people fleeing a miserable place and seeking a “promised land” is indeed biblical. However, it is the behavior of Og and Sihon, denying entry of a people seeking a better life that is so troubling.  One would have thought after the dismal record of preventing Jews from entering with the outbreak of WWII and the detention of Japanese Americans, it would do better than that. Sadly, a nation that had once been a moral beacon is not an Eida Shalem (a Complete Congregation). Instead, it is incomplete and as such a darkness emanates from that moral beacon rather than light. Needless to say, at each graduation, my family has never sung the “Oh Canada” louder nor with as much pride.

Peace,

Rav Yitz

It Can Ring Like Fire When You Lose Your Way (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia - "Franklin's Tower")

The end of the school year culminates in commencement activities.  When I was a kid, the only graduation ceremonies that mattered were High School, College/University. If a person attended graduate school, depending upon the timing, graduation might not even have mattered since that person had started working.   Now the world is a bit different now. My sister called me, her voice a little weepy, and told me that her daughter graduated from Kindergarten and she was brought to tears. We attended our daughter’s graduation from 8^th grade. Yes, school now have graduation exercises for students completing 8^th grade. I don’t really consider completing 8^th grade to be a major accomplishment a particularly high academic benchmark. Admittedly, I even tried to downplay it as our daughter was going through the preparations for her commencement activities.  That being said, accomplishments should be recognized, and, as my wife pointed out, sometimes the accomplishment is not the flash of brilliance from a standardized test, or a final exam. Sometimes accomplishment should be measured in being able to navigate the everyday grind and the consistency demanded in order to succeed.

This week we read the third parsha from The Book of Numbers, Parsha Be’Halotcha. In the previous two parshiot: Bemidbar and Naso, B’nai Yisroel takes a census and prepares for its upcoming journey from Sinai to Eretz Canaan. This week, the final preparations are ordered and executed and the departure from Sinai begins. Aaron, Moshe’s brother and the Kohen Gadol, lights the lamp for the Mishkan, the entire Levite tribe is purified, offerings made and their service for maintenance of the Mishkan begins. Final instructions for observing Pesach under these new conditions, (they were not leaving Egypt anymore nor had they arrived in the land) were offered, including the case of coming into contact with the deceased and becoming spiritually impure. The narrative tells us the manner in which B’nai Yisroel traveled: sheltered by a cloud during the day, and protected by a pillar of fire at night. Then the complaining begins. They complain about the Mannah. They complain about the food. They complain about Moshe’s leadership. Moshe’s sister complains about his wife.

The first few verses, from which the Parsha gets its name Be’Halotcha seem rather disconnected from the rest of the narrative. Rather, these first few verses seem more connected to the previous parsha that discussed the various responsibilities of each Levi family and gifts brought by the twelve tribal princes. Left out of last week’s parsha is the specific role of Aaron and his family.  So Aaron is given the job to light the Menorah, the Neir Tamid, the eternal light, every day.  Visually, it appears that Aaron turns on the lights of the Mishkan, the mobile worship station that was central to B’nai Yisroel’s social organization and theological understanding. Imagine the boss arriving so early that he/she turns on the lights every morning. According to the Talmud in Menachot 88, Aaron didn’t just light the Menorah, he had to clean the seven lamps out every morning prior to lighting the lamps. He would have to lean it over to clean it and the stand the Menorah back up prior to lighting. Every morning, cleaning the lamp and lighting the lamp was the first activity.  So it is interesting to note the word that the Torah uses to describe this process. Normally, the Hebrew word for “kindling a light” or “lighting a lamp” is LeHadlik.  On Shabbat, and on Holidays, when candles are lit the blessing uses the word Le’Hadlik Neir – kindling the lights. So why does the Torah use Be’Halotcha – literally “when you raise the lamps”? The Or HaChaim, the 18^th century Moroccan commentator, explains that the process of removing the lamps, cleaning them out, re-assembling the lamps upon the main stem, putting the lamp back to an upright position and finally lighting it is tantamount to building a new Menorah every day.  Six branches three on either side of the main trunk bent toward the middle flame were lit everyday reminding Aaron and all who entered into the Mishkan that there was one source of spiritual light. Perhaps that entire process, the awareness which occurred on an everyday basis, was much more than must striking a match and lighting a wick. Instead Aaron became aware that everything he did on a daily basis was really about elevating his soul.

Yes, our daughter graduated from 8^th grade this week. No we don’t think that “graduating” from 8^th grade is a particularly high academic benchmark. Sometimes she wasn’t exactly keen to wake up and go to school, and sometimes the educational process was not altogether so intellectually inspiring. However, there were moments, more often than not, where we saw our daughter’s intellect light up and she was looked forward to learning and studying. There were moments that we witnessed the ripening of an intellect being prepared for the rigors of high school and eventually, university. Perhaps most importantly, we watched our daughter become aware that every day presents an opportunity to learn, to become intellectually stimulated and engaged.  On Friday nights, sitting at the Shabbat table, when we have time to hear excitement about what she learned during the past week, we understand that over the course of a year, something more than just a kindling an intellectual light occurred. Instead we appreciate that the process has elevated her. Hopefully she appreciates the fact that she can elevate her mind everyday like lamps in the Menorah.

Peace,

Rav Yitz