The Law Come To Get You If You Don't Walk Right (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia - "Tennessee Jed")

          My sister, brother in law and niece spent Family Day Weekend with us. Because they live in New York, their visit was a result of the President’s Day weekend. My brother in law is an attorney who used to work for the Justice Department office in New York, also known as SDNY (Southern District of New York). He was one of the hundreds of former Justice Department lawyers who signed a petition protesting the Attorney General’s recent behavior. While watching a news story about the U.S. Attorney General, my brother in law explained that the most important rule in the Justice Department, the fundamental code of conduct is to keep “politics” at arm's length. Politics doesn’t determine whether to prosecute or not; facts do. Politics doesn't determine whether to indict or not; facts do. Politics doesn’t determine whether to sentence or not; facts do. Politics doesn’t determine whether to commute a sentence or not; facts do. He explained that the idea of keeping "Politics" out of the Justice department was Justice Department training 101, so to speak, I asked if Politics ever entered into their decision making at the Justice Department. His answer stunned me. He explained that when he was at the Justice Department over twenty years ago; he was trained to view “Politics” that turned facts into something very different. Sometimes Politics would turn facts upside down, or into a lie, or something very subjective. For my brother in law, the law must be objective for the system to have integrity. The image of Justice wearing a blindfold and the scales set as equal must be the guiding principle of a society based upon law.
          This week’s Parsha is Mishpatim. Moshe is still at Har Sinai. However, the revelation that occurred with the giving of the Aseret Dibrot (Ten Commandments) is long gone. Instead, God has now started giving Moshe numerous laws that affect the day to day issues raised by human interaction. There is no shofar blowing, there is no anticipation of meeting God at the mountain. Rather there is only God telling Moshe how to decide various legal matters including the damages to be paid if my ox gores your ox; two men are fighting near a pregnant woman and she gets hurt, and how to treat to a Jewish servant, observing festivals, the issues of liability for those who are asked to safeguard another’s property as well as manslaughter, to name just a few of the fifty-three commandments (according to the Sefer HaChinuch). Moshe tells these laws to Bnai Yisroel and they respond with the words Naaseh v’Nishmah – we will do and learn. The Parsha concludes with glowing fire upon the Mountain that Moshe ascends once again.
          Amid the more than fifty Mitzvot and within the midst civil law appears a commandment that seems more like a warning than a commandment. MIdvar Sheker Tirchak V’Naki V”Tzadik Al Taharog–Distance yourself from a false word; (Ex. 23:7).Usually, a commandment uses language such as “do” or “don’t”. In fact, the commandments that immediately appear before and after utilizing the commandment language of “do” or “don’t”. This is the only commandment that tells us to Tirchak – distance ourselves and as a result creates inherent subjectivity. One person’s distancing from falsehood might not necessarily be another person’s distancing from falsehood. So why the relativism as compared to the absolutism of the all these other commandments? Perhaps the ability to discern falsehood carries with it a degree of subjectivity. Perhaps the Torah and later the sages understand that falsehoods are relative, relative to severity, relative to intent and even relative to harm. In Breishit Rabbah, the Talmudic Sages commentary upon the Torah, we learn: “When the Holy One Blessed be He was about to create mankind, the ministering angels divided into two parties. Mercy said: ‘Create him!’ Truth said: ‘Do not create him since he is all falsehood’ “. However the same Talmudic Sages teach in the Masechet Chullin (the Talmudic Tractate that deals with all the laws of Kosher ritual slaughter) HitRacheik Min HaKiOr U’Min HaDomah Lo V’Min HaDomah L’Doma – Keep far (distance yourself) from ugly dealings and that which smells of them, or even remotely resembles them (Chullin 44b). One statement acknowledges that a world only built upon absolute truth might very well be a harsh world that is not particularly forgiving. The other statement, like the Torah’s warning, reminds us that if we spend too much time near falsehood, then the world might become corrupt and no one would trust systems and institutions. We need to have enough judgment to determine when we are too close to "falsehood" that it leads to mistrust.
          Politics doesn't just occur at the Federal, Provincial or local level. Politics occurs in synagogues and politics occurs wherever there are groups of people including schools. Aristotle, the ancient Greek philosopher was right, man is a political animal. As a result, politics causes us to have ugly dealings and often times leaves a bad smell or aftertaste. As long as it remains untainted by politics, the Law can actually cleanse. At its best, the Law should be objective and the carrying out of the law, understanding of the law is also an exercise in objectivity and cleansing. Maybe that is why Judaism is grounded in the law, as it fundamentally wants to cleanse the soul of the mundane activities that occur because mankind is a political animal.

Peace.
Rav Yitz

If Only I Could Be Less Blind; If Only I Knew What To Find ( Phil Lesh & Jerry Garcia - "Mindbender Confusion's Prince")

For some reason, when Israel has elections, I feel compelled to reach out to a few friends who have made Aliyah.  This week was no different. I reached out to a few of my friends, a Brit and several Americans all of whom are all politically quite savvy and quite cynical. I spoke to them about a week before the elections and then immediately after the returns were finalized. With the results in, it appears at this point that Prime Minister Netanyahu does not have enough support to form a government. Perhaps the most fascinating result of the election was the fact that friends on the political left of the issue of peace and Palestinians and friends on the political right of the issue of peace and the Palestinians were both hopeful that Bibi would not remain Prime Minister. Both pointed out that Bibi has a cynical pattern: increasing tensions with Hamas which allows Bibi to threaten or militarily engage Hamas. My friends explained that this decision to respond militarily is completely justified; both sides point out the fascinating coincidence that tensions and incursion seem to occur around an election. They pointed out that a couple of weeks before this election there was increased tension with Hamas. My friends explained that rising tensions and a military incursion allow Netanyahu to portray himself as “Israel’s Protector”.  My friends also pointed out that Bibi tends to make extravagant promises regarding Israel’s security. Approximately a week before the election, Israelis heard President Trump’s talking about a defense treaty with Israel and Netanyahu’s pledged to annex the Jordan Valley. “So”, I asked, “What’s different this time?”

This week's Parsha is Ki Tavoh. For the past several Parshiot, Moshe has been listing and explaining all the precepts and laws. Last week's Parsha and the first part of Ki Tavoh explains the rewards. We will inherit the land; we will keep the land. Our enemies will be rendered weak. We will be fruitful and multiply. However, the second half of the Parshah explains all the curses that would befall us if we neglect to observe these laws. Every curse, of course, is the diametric opposite the previous blessings. So if we were promised bountiful harvests and many children, then our curse will be drought, famine, and bareness. Traditionally, the Aliyot that contain the curses are read in a softer voice. However, as horrible as these curses are, we must understand that it is up to us. We can either follow these laws or not, and as a result, we will bear the consequences of our actions. This is not necessarily a bad lesson for us as well as our children to learn. We are responsible for our actions, and we must bear responsibility for the consequences of those actions.

            One of the curses is most poignant given what my friends in Israel were explaining to me regarding cynical and corrupt leadership.  Arur Mashgeh Iveir Ba'Derech, Va'Amar Kol Ha'Am Amen - Accursed is one who causes a blind person to go astray on the road. And the entire nation said 'Amen" (Deut 27:18). If we read this literally then we are talking about a guide or a seeing-eye dog that would lead the blind astray. However, this curse is symbolic. We know that the Torah is light and the word Derech (way) is usually in combination with the Way of the Lord (God's Laws). On a metaphorical level, the curse is upon those leaders of a community that causes the less knowledgeable to go astray. If that knowledge causes those who are blind to go astray, then that leader should be cursed. Implicit to that statement is that the one who causes the blind to go astray sees the light, has the knowledge and teaches or guides the community away from God. Our Talmudic Sages offer an Aggadah about the teachers/Rabbis who were the leaders of their communities. "If there are two teachers, one who covers much ground but is not exact, and one who does not cover much ground but is exact, Rav Dimi b. Nehardea maintained that the one who is exact and does not cover much ground is to be appointed. The reason? A mistake once implanted (in the mind or in behavior) remains [a mistake]. (Talmud Baba Batra 21a-b). The Talmudic sages essentially understood the first rule in education. It is terribly difficult to undo that which has already been incorrectly taught.

It appears that the Talmudic Sages also understood quite a bit about Israeli political campaigns as well. My friends, both on the “right” and the “left” explained that at least half of the country has started to see that the Prime Minister takes a cynical approach to campaigning and governance. They explain that at least half of Israel has become aware that he is concerned about remaining in power and avoiding any corruption charges rather than solving the issues that matter to at least half of Israelis. They also sensed that Bibi’s disdain for democratic institutions including the courts, the press, and Israel’s Declaration of Independence had become evidently troubling to many Israelis. My friends all agreed that it doesn’t bode well for a leader of democracy to outwards and cynically express disdain for the very institutions that ought to be defended. Nor does it bode well for a leader of a democracy to divide and weaken the very institutions that make Israel such an incredibly unique and special place. As we hung up, they were all left wondering if there will be a new Prime Minister and if not, hopefully, this Prime Minister received the message transmitted by friends and the rest of the electorate.  

Peace,

Rav Yitz

The Judge Decreed It, The Clerk He Wrote It (Noah Lewis - "Viola Lee Jones")

          Following the horrific revelation of Jeffrey Epstein twenty years of molestation and rape of teenage girls in parts of Florida, New York, and New Mexico, his imprisonment awaiting trial and finally his suicide; the New York City Judge, Judge Richard Berman did something quite extraordinary.  Judge Berman received a lot of criticism however he also earned the admiration of our three daughters. When we heard about it in the news, it even sparked a discussion with our 12th-grade daughter. A couple of weeks ago, Judge Berman decided that those women who were victims, and witnesses to many of Epstein’s crimes, would be given the opportunity to offer testimony. Because the perpetrator was already dead, thereby avoiding trial and sentencing, many had asked what would be the point of entering the victims’ testimonies into the court records when the defendant was already dead and there would not be a trial per se. Our daughter thought the Judge was incredibly humane and brilliant for permitting the victims’ testimony. She intuitively understood that these women needed their testimony entered into an official court record because for the past ten years their testimony had been denied, and not validated. Our daughter then commented that the validation was not only for the victims but because an injustice had been perpetrated years before when the Florida court gave Epstein a minimal sentence and did not hear testimony, Justice itself had been corrupted. The victims’ testimony was a means by which Justice could be validated.

          This morning we read from Parsha Shoftim. Moshe has completed his lecture on the values of monotheism and covenant. Now he begins telling B'nai Yisroel all the nitty-gritty details of living a Jewish life within this community. What a downer! B’nai Yisroel is inspired and ready to enter into Eretz Canaan and begin living the life in the land that God had promised their ancestors. They are now ready to begin fulfilling the dream that allowed them to survive centuries of slavery. So what does Moshe Rabeinu do? He brings them crashing back to reality. Now they will listen and understand laws concerning war, punishments for idolatry, choosing a king, jurisprudence, priestly entitlements, and unsolved murders. Moshe gives B’nai Yisroel a healthy dose of reality by supplying all the details required to uphold the Covenant.

            Implicit in Moshe’s lecture, implicit in a society, any society for that matter, is the role of justice. Justice provides a check and balance to corruption. However, the concept of Justice itself, let alone the reality of it, can also become corrupt and perverse. Hence it is not enough for Moshe to tell us Shoftim v’Shotrim Titen Lecha  Sh’Arecha Asher Adoshem Elokecha Notein Lecha Lishvatecha  V’Shaftu et Ha’Am Mishpat Tzedek – Judges and officers shall you appoint in all your cities- which Hashem, Your God, gives you -  for your tribes; and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment. Moshe must explain what “righteous judgment” means, its foundation for a civilized society, its difficulty to maintain, and the brutal honesty required. Lo Tateh Mishpat – You shall not pervert judgment, Lo Takir Panim – you shall not recognize a person’s presence, V’Lo Tikach Shochad Ki HaShochad Ye’Averi Einei Chachamim Visaleif Divrei Tzadikkim – and you shall not accept a bribe, for the bribe will blind the eyes of the wise and make just words crooked (Deut. 16:18-19).

            Justice is supposed to be blind. Whether poor or wealthy, whether blue-collar crime or white-collar crime, justice is supposed to be oblivious to our tendency to automatically side with the downtrodden or the wealthy well-heeled person. Why? Because corruption is blind as well. The poor can be corrupt and so can the wealthy. Sometimes, even the system itself can grow corrupt and perverse. When that happens, people, alienation increases. As parents, we sense that with our children. So when our daughter sees the courage of a Judge gives voice to the victim, to allow words of those who had been silenced to speak; our daughter’s faith in “the system”, is re-affirmed.  Corruption knows no barriers, knows no color, knows no religion, and knows no gender nor nationality. The only barrier to corruption is our own individual courage, a moral code, a constitution, the Torah and a profound desire to Tzedek Tzedek Tirdof – Righteousness Righteousness shall you follow (Deut. 16:20). As Jews, our sense of Righteousness comes from Torah, comes from these laws and the fact that justice must remain utterly pure and without a blemish.

Peace,

Rav Yitz

What Truth Is Proof Against All Lies ( Gerrit Graham & Bob Weir - Victim Or The Crime)

          It was an especially bittersweet week this week. It was my grandfather’s yartzeit this week. It is also our son’s Bar Mitzvah Parsha. I found myself gazing just a little bit longer at my grandfather's pictures in our house. One picture, in particular, kept catching my I and I found myself gazing at it just a bit longer. The picture was taken during my sister’s wedding. It is a picture of my grandfather and his legacy: his son, grandson, and great-grandson. The three adults, my grandfather, father and I are standing shoulders straight across, but my son is situated between his grandfather and great-grandfather. The picture embodies the dual loyalty that we were all raised with, a dual loyalty that was never at odds with each other, a dual loyalty that was never contradicted each other, the sanctity of the American Dream and the sanctity of transmitting the values of Torah and Judaism to the next generation. My grandfather a member of what Tom Brokaw referred to as “The Greatest Generation”, grew up at a time when Jewish loyalty was always questioned. My grandfather was drafted and quietly served his country during the War. He dutifully paid his taxes claiming that it was a privilege to help support democracy. He also believed that paying taxes indicated if one “had a good year or a bad year”. Yet, as American as he was, his soul was distinctly Jewish. His love for America, his love for democracy, his powerful belief in the “American Dream”, his faith that tomorrow will be better than today were all informed by his Judaism, and Jewish Values. Never did he think or behave as if these dual loyalties conflicted with each other. If anyone ever questioned his “dual loyalty”: his love of country and his loyalty to Judaism, then he regarded that person with suspicion and disdain. 

          This week's Parsha is Re'eh. Moshe continues his discourse. He has already explained the Mitzvot, and he continues to do that. Moshe has alluded to the blessings of life if B'nai Yisroel follows God's commandments. He has and continues to allude to the curses that will befall B'nai Yisroel if they violate the most important commandment-idolatry. Moshe presents B'nai Yisroel with two pictures, a world when B'nai Yisroel lives up to its covenant with God and one in which they don't. He reminds Bnai Yisroel of the sanctity of Eretz Yisroel (the Land of Israel), the consumption of foods that are consecrated to the Kohanim and he warns Bnai Yisroel to avoid imitating the Rituals and Rites of the Egyptians and the Canaanites. Moshe reminds Bnai Yisroel to be careful of false prophets, avoiding non-kosher foods, not living in wayward cities, forgiving loans after seven years, caring for the less fortunate and celebrating the three pilgrimage festivals of Pesach, Shavuot, and Sukkot.

          Moshe’s dire warning concerning false prophets and listening to family members that follow false prophets is quite peculiar. First, the false prophet and dreamer come from among B’nai Yisroel. Second, Moshe presents the warning in an “if” then statement. Ki Yakum B’Kirbecha Navi O Chalom - If there should stand up in your midst a prophet or dreamer, and he will produce a sign or a wonder… (Deut. 13:2). The “then” part of the statement is straightforward and simple. “Lo TIshma” - Don’t listen, even if the prophecy or the sign and wonder comes true and apparently supporting the false prophet and dreamer. Moshe tells us to ignore the sign and the wonder, then Moshe continues by telling us that the false prophet is really God testing us, testing our loyalty and the integrity of our relationship with God. Moshe tells us what to do with the false prophet and the dreamer but there doesn’t appear to be any punishment for following the false prophet. Why are no punishments presented? Why would we ignore the “miracle” the sign and wonder? The false prophet and dreamer must be telling us something that we want to hear rather than what we need to hear. The false prophet must be telling us something that is easily demonstrable and provable yet, fails to appeal to the “holiness’ of our relationship with God. Rather, the false prophet and dreamer appeals to our ‘human nature’, our natural instincts. God, Torah, and the covenant always appeal to our godly and spiritual instincts. Moshe reminds us to help the stranger, help the poor, don’t behave like the dominant culture, not to “press” a borrower if they have difficulty repaying, and ignoring those in authority if they to convince you to do what you know is wrong, even if it makes us feel better. Moshe reminds the B’nai Yisroel that the punishment for disloyalty, for following the false prophet and the dreamer, is to end up like the rest of the nations that used to inhabit Canaan. The punishment for B’nai Yisroel’s failure is to lose the land. 

 
          My grandfather was a salesman. Maybe he intuitively knew when someone was trying to “sell” him. As a result, he knew when to ignore and he knew not to listen. He knew to be suspicious when someone expressed moral relativism. He knew to be suspicious when someone claimed easy answers to complex problems, He knew to be suspicious when someone told him not to trust his moral code and his value system. He knew never to trust a corrupt person and he was always wary of those who were only concerned with obtaining and retaining power. His loyalty was to his family, his moral code, and a deep and abiding sense of right and wrong as well as being intellectually honest enough to see the grey and complexity in life. So as we commemorated my grandfather’s Yartzeit and recalled our son’s Bar Mitzvah, we are reminded that the lessons that my grandfather imparted to me, I am obligated to impart to our son.

Peace,
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

She Has No Pain Like A Child She Is Pure, She Is Not To Blame (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia - "Help Is On The Way")

          Friends of ours celebrated their son’s Bar Mitzvah. We ate, drank, and were subjected to incredibly loud music designed for young people. It always amazes me as a parent, that once you achieve the milestone of your youngest child’s Bar or Bat Mitzvah, the music at every other Bar/Bat Mitzvah seems so much louder. Yes, I suppose it is an indication of old age. We also sat through several speeches. The Bar Mitzvah boy gave offered interesting words of Torah. The siblings spoke. However, it was listening to both the father and the mother speak that began to understand and thinking about our children’s rights of passage and milestones: Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, Weddings, and Bris or graduations. The father spoke and referenced his mother who had passed away several years before. The mother invoked her father who had been unable to attend her older son’s Bar Mitzvah because he, the grandfather of the Bar Mitzvah boy, was in Israel mourning and sitting Shiva for his mother. Through her joy and pride in her son, through her tears and gratitude that her father was able to attend this family event; she demonstrated what every parent understands. At any achievement of a milestone, at every lifecycle event, the parents, we parents understand that the purer the joy, the greater the sense of a desire to invoke and share that moment with a loved one who is unable to be there and, in effect, temper that joy.
          This week’s Torah portion is Parsha Tazria. Parsha Tazria concentrates upon how impurity, a spiritual impurity is passed between people. The majority of the Parsha focuses upon Leprosy as it was considered to be a very physically contagious disease. Parsha Tazria puts the diagnosis, the treatment, and the convalescence in spiritual terms rather than physical terms. We learn that the while this Tumah, this spiritual impurity is present, the stricken individual cannot reside within the camp. After all, God dwells in the camp and we cannot tolerate any impurity near God.
          However, prior to its discussion of Leprosy, Parsha Tazria outlines the somewhat troubling laws concerning impurity in childbirth. Fundamentally, the notion of impurity relates to coming into contact with that which is dead. In Parsha Shemini, Torah outlined impurities that come from dead animals. In this Parsha, we are reminded that a Mother is touched by death during the miracle of childbirth. Isha Ki Tazria V’Yalda Zachar V’Tamah Shivat Yamim Kimei Nitdat Dotah Titmah – When a woman conceives and gives birth to a male, she shall be contaminated for a seven day period as during the days of her separation infirmity shall she be contaminated (Lev. 12:2). Imagine becoming spiritually impure after being blessed by the miracle of childbirth. Yet, this new mother lost blood; she lost some aspect of her life force during the birth process. As a result, while simultaneously being touched by a new life, she is also touched by her own mortality.
          Perhaps there is no more an intense moment than when a new mother, physically exhausted and spent, holds the newborn. The Rabbis of the Talmud teach that surviving childbirth is an equivalent to a near-death experience and saying Birkat HaGomeil is therefore required. (Praised are You, Lord Our God, King of the universe who graciously bestows favor upon the undeserving, even as He has bestowed favor upon me.) Inherent to surviving a near-death experience is the notion that the individual comes precipitously close to death. Even in the miracle of life, we are reminded of its fragility. Even in death, we are reminded that we are forever striving towards elevated levels of holiness. In the most physical moments, and certainly, childbirth is quite a physical endeavor, we are reminded that it is our spiritual task to elevate that physical moment into a spiritually holy moment as well. As parents celebrating our children’s milestones, we are innately aware of the need to acknowledge our sense of loss and elevate it by incorporating it into our celebration.

              Peace

Rav Yitz

That A Man Can Be As Poor As Me (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia - "Black Peter"

          Our sixteen-year-old daughter has been in Israel for the past 5 weeks. She is scheduled to return early next week. Because of cell phones and WhatsApp, we have communicated with her quite frequently, she has spoken to us, video phoned us, and texted us. She has sent us pictures of nearly everywhere she has traveled throughout Israel. She has been to Israel on numerous occasions so she is rarely surprised by what she sees. She spent last Shabbat in Jerusalem. When we spoke to her, she commented that she is always overwhelmed by the poverty she sees, the number of beggars, and certainly the numerous women begging, pleading, and asking for money in order get their food for Shabbat. Our daughter is astute enough to notice the shopping bags full of change that the women outside the Kotel (Western Wall) have while they continue to ask for more. She appreciates the irony that when she gave a few shekels to a woman, the woman incredulously returned the shekels to our daughter. However, our daughter explained that she felt a tinge dismay; that something seemed so wrong. Here she was at the Judaism’s most holy site, and economic poverty surrounded this source of spiritual light and holiness. It seemed, to her, counterintuitive and she wondered how these two images co-existed.

This week's Parsha is Re'eh. Moshe continues his discourse. He has already explained the Mitzvot, and he continues to do that. Moshe has alluded to the blessings of life if B'nai Yisroel follows God's commandments. He has and continues to allude to the curses that will befall B'nai Yisroel if they violate the most important commandment-idolatry. "See I present before you today a blessing and a curse" (Deut.11:26). V'haklalah Im Lo Tishm'u el Mitzvot Adonai Eloheichem V'sartem Min Ha'Derech Asher Anochi M'taveh Etchem Ha'yom La'lechet Acharei Elohim Acheirim Asher Lo Y'Datem-"And the curse: if you do not hearken to the commandments of the Lord your God, and you stray from the path that I command you today, to follow gods of others, that you did know." (Deut. 11:28) Moshe presents B'nai Yisroel with two pictures, a world when B'nai Yisroel lives up to its covenant with God and one in which they don't.  He reminds Bnai Yisroel of the sanctity of Eretz Yisroel (the Land of Israel), the consumption of foods that are consecrated to the Kohanim and he warns Bnai Yisroel to avoid imitating the Rituals and Rites of the Egyptians and the Canaanites. Moshe reminds Bnai Yisroel to be careful of false prophets, avoiding non-kosher foods, not living in wayward cities, forgiving loans after seven years, caring for the less fortunate and celebrating the three pilgrimage festivals of Pesach, Shavuot, and Sukkot.

During the course of his warning Bnai Yisroel of the dangers of not following the Torah and exhorting them to observe the Torah, Moshe makes a simple if not stunning admission regarding the reality of our physical existence. Ki Lo Yechdal Evyon Mikerev Ha'Aretz -For destitute people will not cease to exist within the Land, therefore I command you saying, 'You shall surely open your hand to your brother, to your poor, and to your destitute in your land" (Deut 15:11). The Torah may be many things, but spiritually unrealistic is not one of them. Judaism recognizes human reality and weakness as well as the importance of empathy. Focusing upon the word “brother”, Rashi (the great 11^th Century French commentator) explains that if someone fails to empathize with his brother’s poverty; there may come a point when he joins his brother in poverty. For Rashi, there is little that separates the impoverished brother and the well-off brother, and as a result, the well-off brother must be able to see himself in the impoverished brother.

We know there will always be those less fortunate.  Whether "less fortunate" is a physical, emotional, spiritual, economic, or intellectual not everyone is as fortunate as the next person. We learn that tzuris is part of life and it transcends gender, age, and color and nationality. Moshe recognizes that in our zeal to make the world better, in our zeal to do Tikkun Olam (fix the world) we may grow dismayed and even beaten down because there is so much suffering.  Moshe reminds us that we are not obligated to do the impossible and eliminate the condition of poverty. Instead, our job is to contribute to the solution, by extending oneself to one who is less fortunate. Our sixteen year old understood the message.  The Kotel and what it symbolizes is an ideal, a utopia perhaps. The poverty that seemingly surrounds the Kotel manifest in all those beggars reminds the rest of us that we need to continually strive towards that ideal, towards that utopia. Rather than be overwhelmed our daughter realized that these two disparate images were empowered her to engage in acts of Chesed (Kindness) and Tzedaka (Charity) throughout her life.

Peace

Rav Yitz

Now The Shore-Lights Beckon, Yeah There's A Price For Being Free ( John Barlow & Bob Weir - "Lost Sailor")

          The Middle East was a busy place this week. Israel celebrated its 70^thyear of being an independent country. Palestinians marked the day with what is known as Nakba – The Catastrophe. The leader of nearby Syria, Bashir Al Assad used chemical weapons upon his own people yet again.  England, France and the United States, despite Russian pressure to ignore Assad’s use of chemical weapons, bombed several sights as a warning that the West would not tolerate a dictator’s use of chemical weapons upon his own people. As our children watched the news, read the Tweets, I was asked why a leader would want to kill his/her own people, let alone kill them with an illegal weapon. For them, this was the first time that they paid attention enough to follow the news and ask the question. I reminded them that this was not the first time, and sadly it won’t be the last. In a recent speech to the European Parliament warned of the rising fascism with “antidemocratic and illiberal ideas, the deadly tendency which might lead our continent to the abyss, nationalism, giving up of freedom.” (NY Times Editorial Board April 18,2018). Macron didn’t mention anyone nor any country by name: not Hungary, not Poland, not Russia, not Turkey, nor any leader enthralled with strong armed dictators nor the populist movement that these types of leaders claim to represent. What seemed so fascinating was the way Macron spoke about it, an impurity that infects the soul of individuals, leaders and nations.

This week we combine two Parshiot: Tazriah and Metzorah. God tells Moshe the laws of purity and impurity as it relates to birth. God instructs Moshe about the appropriate korbanot (sacrifices) that a mother should make as she re-enters the camp. God also instructs Moshe about Tza'arat, or for lack of a good translation; leprosy. Throughout the rest of Tazria and Metzora, we are told all about Tzaarat. We are told what it is. We are told how it is diagnosed. We are told how it is treated. We are told how it spreads. We are told what to do in case it spreads. Basically, Tazriah is a type of Tza'arat, a type of skin ailment which is commonly thought of as leprosy. However this skin ailment is not treated by the resident dermatologist. Even if they had dermatologists in the Torah, we would not bring someone suffering from Tazriah to the dermatologists. Why? The skin ailment was not a symptom of any type of physical malady. Since the person with the skin ailment appears before the Priest, the Kohen, we know that the skin condition must be spiritual malady and not a physical one. Adam Ki Yiheyeh V'Or B'Saro S'Eit O Sapachat O Va'Heret V'Hayah V; Or B'Saroh L'Negah Tzara'at V'Huvah El Aharon H'Kohen O el Achad Mi'Banav Ha'Kohanim- If a person will have on the sin of his flesh a swelling, a rash, or a discoloration and it will become a scaly affliction on the skin of his flesh; he shall be brought to Aaron the Kohen, or to one of his sons the Kohanim(Lev. 13:2-3). The rest of the Parsha teaches us the appropriate protocol for treatment. The Kohen checks again to determine if that person has become ritually impure. If so, they must be sent out of the camp in order to avoid the risk of the skin ailment spreading to others. The quarantine would last for seven days. Afterwards, the Priest would check again, if there was no contamination the person was brought back into the camp, However if the contamination remained, then the quarantine would continue for another seven days. Then the process would begin all over again. We also learn that if this contamination spread to the clothes or vessels; then everything would be burned and destroyed.

In the Talmudic Tractate of Arichin, which primarily focuses upon the laws of valuations; we learn that the skin ailment is a punishment for the sins of bloodshed, false oaths, sexual immorality, pride, robbery, and selfishness (Arichin 16a). All of these physical occurrences are accompanied by a spiritual component. These occurrences all demonstrate the offender's failure to empathize with the needs of others. It is fascinating to think that in an ideal community, we are not only concerned with our own well-being. We should also be concerned about others as well. Our failure to do so leads to a spiritual sickness including: petty jealousy, alienation, and a further erosion of community and society. All of which diminish the holiness within the individual and the holiness within the community. By removing the contaminated offender from the community two positive results occur. First the welfare, integrity and holiness of the community is spared from spiritual sickness. This is the primary concern since we fear that God will cease dwelling in a community that becomes spiritually sickened or spiritually dysfunctional. The second positive result is that the contaminated offender has experienced the isolation and concern from others. This is exactly what he/she wrought upon the community with such behavior.

            Certainly we can understand that power be a source of impurity. When leaders and their political parties focus so much on obtaining power and do everything possible to remain in power; leaders, political parties, and a society’s values become corrupt. That corruption leads to cynicism which eventually destroys the purpose of power: a tool, a mechanism to help those who need help, bring relief to those in need, and bring those who are alienated and in the dark back into the light.  The Torah reminds us that our spiritual shortcomings can also affect our physical well-being.  Our psychological well-being, our spiritual well-being, and our physical well-being, according to Tazriah/Metzorah must reflect life. Just as important, we need to have life affirming rituals that we can engage in when we are confronted with things that threat our life affirming existence. Each act of kindness reaffirms the idea that freedom and democracy are the only viable means by which one can to strive towards Kedushah (holiness) and Chesed (kindness).

Peace,

Rav Yitz

And The Politicians Throwing Stones; So The Kids, They Dance, They Shake Their Bones (John Barlow & Bob Weir - "Throwing Stones"

          Last weekend, while our son was reading Torah and chanting Haftarah in a shul in Efrat, while Neo Nazis had already marched and the world was waiting for the President to denounce the Neo Nazis, and while Israel waited three days  for Prime Minister Netanyahu to denounce the Neo Nazis; a story of corruption has been plaguing Prime Minister Netanyahu.  In fact four cases of corruption have been raised including the acceptance of gifts, illegal purchases of submarines and negotiating with an Israeli newspaper to insure positive coverage. Being here in Israel, there is weariness when it comes to Netanyahu. Nowhere was this more evident than last Shabbat lunch.  Two friends of ours, one political liberal from Tel Aviv and one political conservative from Efrat were arguing politics as all Israelis do. However as much as they disagreed about solving the Palestinian –Israeli conflict, both agreed that Netanyahu was not part of the solution. Why? The perception is that Netanyahu is only concerned about Netanyahu and remaining in power.

                This week, we read from Parsha Shoftim. Moshe has completed his lecture on the values of monotheism and covenant. Now he begins telling B'nai Yisroel all the nitty gritty details of living a Jewish life within this community. What a downer! B’nai Yisroel is inspired and ready to enter into Eretz Canaan and begin living the life in the land that God had promised their ancestors. They are now ready to begin fulfilling the dream that allowed them to survive centuries of slavery. So what does Moshe Rabeinu do? He brings them crashing back to reality. Now they will listen and understand laws concerning war, punishments for idolatry, choosing a king, jurisprudence, priestly entitlements and unsolved murders. Moshe gives B’nai Yisroel a healthy dose of reality by supplying all the details required to uphold the Covenant.

            Implicit in Moshe’s lecture, implicit in a society, any society for that matter, is the role of justice. Justice provides a check and balance to corruption. However the concept itself let alone the reality of it can also become corrupt and perverse. Hence it is not enough for Moshe to tell us Shoftim v’Shotrim Titen Lecha  Sh’Arecha Asher Adoshem Elokecha Notein Lecha Lishvatecha  V’Shaftu et Ha’Am Mishpat Tzedek – Judges and officers shall you appoint in all your cities- which Hashem, Your God, gives you -  for your tribes; and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment. Moshe must explain what “righteous judgment” means, its foundation for a civilized society, its difficulty to maintain, and the brutal honesty required. Lo Tateh Mishpat – You shall not pervert judgment, Lo Takir Panim – you shall not recognize a person’s presence, V’Lo Tikach Shochad Ki HaShochad Ye’Averi Einei Chachamim Visaleif Divrei Tzadikkim – and you shall not accept a bribe, for the bribe will blind the eyes of the wise and make just words crooked (Deut 16:18-19).

            Justice, as we have learned, is supposed to be blind. Whether poor or wealthy, whether blue collar crime or white collar crime, justice is supposed be oblivious to our tendency to automatically side with the downtrodden or the wealthy and privileged person. Why? Because corruption is blind as well. The poor can be corrupt and so can the wealthy. Corruption knows no barriers to color, religion, gender or nationality. The only barrier to corruption is our own individual constitution and desire to Tzedek Tzedek Tirdof – Righteousness Righteousness shall you follow (Deut. 16:20). For Bnai Yisroel and for the Jewish people, our sense of Justice comes from Torah, these laws and the fact that justice must remain utterly pure without a blemish. Later on in the Parsha we are taught that a king, the one person who must wield justice, must write two Sifrei Torah. One he carries one he keep pristine and locked away only to be used to check against the “everyday Torah”.

            No, the corruption charges that Netanyahu faces don’t appear to be going away. Yes, the corruption charges have diminished the effectiveness by which Netanyahu governs. Yes it’s frustrating to listen to our son the Bar Mitzvah, shake his head and wonder aloud about moral leadership, and the importance of service when a leadership is more worried about self promotion,  enriching his own wallet, and working outside the democratic process. However even more troubling, as we have seen Israel, and spent time with close friends who have made Aliyah, is to hear our son’s concern and disillusionment when he says that he didn’t think that a country built upon Torah would have leaders that were corrupt, just like leaders in other countries. All I can tell him is that whether a society is built upon Torah or not; power can corrupt.

                                                                                      

Peace,

Rav Yitz

You Know All The Rules By Now (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia - "Uncle John's Band")

          I admit it. I am a news junkie. I deeply believe that we should know what is going on in the world, not just our neighborhood, not just Israel, but the world.  It just so happens one of the more ironic news stories that I made my children watch had to do with the UN and the investigation of war crimes that it wants to conduct against Israel and its execution of it war in Gaza. After the story ran, our children were incredulous. They wondered what “war crimes” were. They asked if there was going to be an investigation of war crimes against Hamas. I added not only would Israel be investigated, but Israel will do everything it can to cooperate with this investigation. Our children wondered if Hamas was to be investigated for war crimes, would it be as cooperative?  My short answer is no, Hamas would never be cooperative in investigating itself.  However in terms of Israel, as painful as it may be, Israel’s ability to investigate itself actually reflects the strength of Israel and democracy in another wise totalitarian part of the world.  I reminded our children that Israel is very similar to the United States, and Canada. Justice and Law are the bedrock foundations upon which Israel is built. No individual and no institution is above the law but all members of Israeli society are responsible to maintain the integrity of the law. Unfortunately, no one has the ability within the Arab world, no one has the legal framework or the foundation to hold the leadership of Hamas responsible for civilian deaths both in Gaza or Israel. There will never be an investigation, there will never be a self-reflective process that examines corruption or decision among the leadership of Hamas since laws don’t apply to Hamas leadership.

                This week, we read from Parsha Shoftim. Moshe has completed his lecture on the values of monotheism and covenant. Now he begins telling B'nai Yisroel all the nitty gritty details of living a Jewish life within this community. What a downer! B’nai Yisroel is inspired and ready to enter into Eretz Canaan and begin living the life in the land that God had promised their ancestors. They are now ready to begin fulfilling the dream that allowed them to survive centuries of slavery. So what does Moshe Rabeinu do? He brings them crashing back to reality. Now they will listen and understand laws concerning war, punishments for idolatry, choosing a king, jurisprudence, priestly entitlements and unsolved murders. Moshe gives B’nai Yisroel a healthy dose of reality by supplying all the details required to uphold the Covenant.

            Implicit in Moshe’s lecture, implicit in a society, any society for that matter, is the role of justice. Justice provides a check and balance to corruption. However the concept itself let alone the reality of it can also become corrupt and perverse. Hence it is not enough for Moshe to tell us Shoftim v’Shotrim Titen Lecha  Sh’Arecha Asher Adoshem Elokecha Notein Lecha Lishvatecha  V’Shaftu et Ha’Am Mishpat Tzedek – Judges and officers shall you appoint in all your cities- which Hashem, Your God, gives you -  for your tribes; and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment. Moshe must explain what “righteous judgment” means, its foundation for a civilized society, its difficulty to maintain, and the brutal honesty required. Lo Tateh Mishpat – You shall not pervert judgment, Lo Takir Panim – you shall not recognize a person’s presence, V’Lo Tikach Shochad Ki HaShochad Ye’Averi Einei Chachamim Visaleif Divrei Tzadikkim – and you shall not accept a bribe, for the bribe will blind the eyes of the wise and make just words crooked (Deut 16:18-19).

            Justice, as we have learned, is supposed to be blind. Whether poor or wealthy, whether blue collar crime or white collar crime, justice is supposed be oblivious to our tendency to automatically side with the downtrodden or the wealthy and privileged person. Why? Because corruption is blind as well. The poor can be corrupt and so can the wealthy. Corruption knows no barriers to color, religion, gender or nationality. The only barrier to corruption is our own individual constitution and desire to Tzedek Tzedek Tirdof – Righteousness Righteousness shall you follow (Deut. 16:20). For Bnai Yisroel and for the Jewish people, our sense of Justice comes from Torah, these laws and the fact that justice must remain utterly pure without a blemish. Later on in the Parsha we are taught that a king, the one person who must wield justice, must write two Sifrei Torah. One he carries one he keep pristine and locked away only to be used to check against the “everyday Torah”.

            So with tremendous irony, Israel will be investigated for war crimes, and a known terrorist organization will not be investigated for war crimes. As our children contemplated this awful irony, they then asked what was wrong with the United Nations that are not investigating Hamas. I let them think for a moment to see if they would come up with their own answer.  A light went on and they understood, there are more countries in the UN that are not governed by the democratic ideals of justice than those that are governed by the democratic ideals of justice.  Hopefully, those nations that are governed by the democratic ideals of justice will prevail.

Peace,

Rav Yitz