Now I Live In Fear Of Waking Up Each Morning (Don Rollins - "The Race Is On")

          I haven’t been sleeping well lately. I wake up, a bit anxious, and worried. So I get out of bed, head downstairs,  sip some tea, and look out at the night sky.   While looking at the stars, I find myself thinking about my aging parents and their health. I think about my children and where they are in their lives. I think about how to afford college tuition, and pay for an upcoming wedding. I look at the stars and think about where I am in my life, where I am in my career and the anxiety of working and earning a paycheck.  As I continue to look out into the night sky and sip my tea, I am reassured that we all go through a period of time where we struggle with the existential angst of life. For some reason, it occurs late at night while everyone else sleeps soundly.

          This Shabbat we read from Parsha Vayishlach. Yaakov and his family prepare to return to Yaakov’s home. However, they will first need to deal with an almost twenty-year grudge held by Esav. Yaakov will hope for the best and prepare for the worst as he prepares to meet his brother.  After their short reunion, Yaakov makes his way back to his ancestral lands. His mother passes away. He is blessed with another son, Benjamin, born to his wife Rachel. However, she dies in childbirth. His daughter, Dinah, has an illicit relationship with the prince of Shechem. According to the text, she is rendered “impure” and her brothers wipe out the prince and his village. Yaakov’s name is changed to Yisroel. God blessed Yaakov within the context of the covenant made with Avraham and Yitzchok. Yaakov’s blessing includes children, land, and wealth, all of the things that God promised to Yaakov’s grandfather – Avraham. The Parsha concludes with Yaakov and Esav seeing each other one last time in order to bury their father Yitzchok, and then we read the final psukim: a list of Esav’s descendants down to grandchildren.

           Parsha VaYishlach is replete with dramatic moments. Arguably among the most dramatic moments occurs the night before Yaakov meets his brother Esav after a 20-year feud, a moment in which  Yaakov’s life is forever changed.  VaYivater Yaakov L’Vado, VaYei’avek Ish Imo Ad A lot HaShachar – Jacob was left alone and a man wrestled with him until the break of dawn.  VaYar Ki Lo Yachol Lo VYiga B’Chaf Yereicho VaTeikah Kaf Yerech Yaakov  B’Hei’Avko Imo – When he perceived that he could not overcome him, he struck the socket of his hip; so Jacob’s hip socket was dislocated as he wrestled with him.  VaYomer Shalcheini Ki Alah Hashachar Vayomer Lo Ashaleichecha Ki Im Beiractani – Then he said, “Let me go, for dawn has broken. “ And he said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” Vayomer Eilav Mah Shemecha VaYomer Yaakov – and he said to him, “what is your name” and he said “Jacob”. Vayomer Lo Yaakov Yei’Amar Od Shimcha Ki Im Yisroel Ki Sarita Im Elohim V’Im Anashim Vatuchal – He said, “No longer will it be said that your name is Jacob, but Israel, for you fought with the Divine and with man and have overcome.”  (Gen 32:25-29)  So if Yaakov was left alone, with whom did he wrestle?  The Torah tells us he wrestled with a man, however by the end of this brief narrative, Yaakov is asking the man to bless him.  There is no consensus among the classical commentators known as The M’forshim. Explanations attempting to define the “man” range from an angel, an angel of Esav, or an angel in the form of man. The language of the wrestling match only uses the Hebrew word “Hu” – in English "he". The Torah tells us that he held on, he didn’t let go, he blessed him, “he” wrestled with him. Yaakov’s name is only mentioned when his hip is pulled out of the joint, and Yaakov is about to be renamed. A more modern and psychologically aware understanding suggests that the “man” is Yaakov. Yaakov is struggling with himself. The reality is, During his sleepless night, during his “mid-life crisis” and his “moment of clarity”; Yaakov struggled with himself, and eventually Yaakov will accept his relationship with God and a sense of purpose in his life. This does not mean his life will be easier. It just means that Yaakov, with this renewed sense of purpose and identity, will be able to deal with all the troubles and heartache that are involved in living life.

          Yes, there have been more nights when my sleep is interrupted by worry and anxiety. Indeed, there are more worries, and there are more things that feel beyond my control.  There are more times that I worry about the direction of my life and whether this is the right path. No, we don’t necessarily have our hips pulled out of joint when we wake up in the middle of the night with this existential angst.  However, transitions can be filled with anxiety. It probably causes wrinkles and definitely causes gray hair. However, those struggles can serve a purpose. Those struggles can lead us to moments of clarity, and we understand that our lives do have a purpose, and our families will be ok and everything will be all right.

Peace,
Rav Yitz

Lady In Velvet Recedes In The Nights Of Goodbye (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia - "Dark Star")

           It’s not every day that we attend the funeral of a King or a Queen. Yet, earlier this week, a billion people tuned in for part of (if not all) Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral. For about a week, the coffin bearing the Queen lay in State in her beloved Scotland and then was brought to London. Along the way people stopped and respectfully acknowledged the coffin’s passing by. Once in London, Queen Elizabeth lay in state for several days and millions of people stood in line, some time for as much as 30 hours in order to be physically close to the coffin, and pay final respects. On the day of the funeral, millions lined the route as the coffin was brought to Westminster Abbey where the funeral service was conducted. During this time, it was clearly evident that all of the Royal Family wanted the coffin to be accessible to all of the Queen’s subjects. She did not lie in State for only the noble class. She did not lie in state for only white Englishmen. She did not lie in state for only a certain gender, or only for the wealthy privileged class. Anyone and everyone who stood there at the appropriate moment caught a glimpse and had a moment of closure.  

            This week’s Parsha is the Parsha Nitzavim. According to the Aggadah, this is the recounting of Moshe Rabeinu’s last day of life. Unafraid of his imminent death, he gathers his family: Rosheichem, Shivteichem, Zikneichem, v’Shotreichem, Kol Ish Yisroel, Topchem N’Sheichem V’Geircha Asher B’Kerev Machanecha Meichotev Eitzecha Ad Sho’eiv Meimecha – The heads of your tribes, your elders, and your officers, all the men of Yisroel; your children, your women, and the stranger who is in the midst of our camp, from the woodchopper to the one who draws water (Deut. 29:9-10). Moshe imparts the last vestiges of wisdom to his children and his people. Moshe wants to make sure that everything is in order when he dies and Joshua takes over. Moshe truly has been blessed. He has had the blessing of old age, and here God has granted him the gift of saying goodbye in perhaps the most wonderful fashion. God has commanded Moshe to say his goodbyes and impart the final vestiges of wisdom.

            We are taught that death is a part of life. Yet many of us are afraid of death. Many of us believe that we should shield our children from death, sadness and loss. However, when we read Parsha Nitzavim, we learn that while impending death is sad, death in the manner of Moshe’s can take on an aura of holiness – of Kedushah. It is in holiness that we attain the highest level of life, a life that is directly connected to God. When death comes like this, from God, with an opportunity to say Goodbye- with an opportunity to impart wisdom to one’s children, death is not mundane, death is not ordinary, but rather holy and part of life, the final expression of holiness in a very physical endeavor. When we talk of strength, we, unfortunately, think of the person who lifts a lot of weight. We think of the person who doesn’t cry, who remains stoic if he/she is all torn up inside. At this time of year, from Elul through Sukkot, when we recite the 27th Psalm and conclude with the words Chazak v’Ya’Ameitz Libecha, v’Kavei El Adoshem – Strengthen yourself, and he will give you courage; and hope to HaShem! We now understand what it means to strengthen oneself.  Moshe had that kind of strength. To be aware of the end of life, to prepare for it, to draw loved ones toward and tell them how we feel is the epitome of courage.

           In a sense,  Queen Elizabeth’s funeral wasn’t just a sacred ritual in which respect was paid to the deceased. Even in death, the Queen managed to allow her people to engage in a holy endeavor.  By giving her subjects the opportunity to come together and offer “final respects” we are reminded to reaffirm and celebrate life no matter how difficult, no matter how troubling. This Shabbat is the final Shabbat of the Jewish year. The  Jewish People are days away from celebrating Rosh HaShanah, (Jewish New Year). Rosh HaShanah is also known as Yom HaDin (Judgment Day). So while there is joy at arriving on the brink of a new year, perhaps there is a bit of anxiety while awaiting Judgment. However, during this anxious moment, we are reminded that we are all gathered and standing in judgment. Every Jew, from every walk of life, stands before God in Judgement, stands before God for a moment of accessibility.  

Peace,
Rav Yitz 

Search For Where The Rivers Ends Or Where The River Starts (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia- "Foolish Heart")

          There is a tradition that the Yeshivot in Israel begin their programs at the beginning of Elul. The Sages and the Mystics considered Elul a time of spiritual preparation for the Yamim Noraim, and after a year of drifting away from God, Elul provides the perfect opportunity to spiritually begin the process of returning to God. Well, with Elul beginning this Shabbat, this will be our son’s last Shabbat with us. He departs for Yeshiva this Monday.  Ironically, it is also his Bar Mitzvah Parsha.  Five years ago, when he became a Bar Mitzvah he took the first steps towards adulthood when he became Mechayeiv - obligated to fulfill the mitzvot. Now he takes another huge step towards adulthood by moving away from home, living on his own, and learning for the sake of learning instead of learning for a grade or transcript. This is also the last Shabbat that my wife and I have Shabbat with children living in our house. From now on, when we are blessed to have our children home with us for Shabbat, they will only be visiting us. Indeed this Shabbat is very emotional as our family prepares to enter a new phase of development.

           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 B'nai Yisroel of the sanctity of Eretz Yisroel (the Land of Israel), the consumption of foods that are consecrated to the Kohanim and he warns B'nai Yisroel to avoid imitating the Rituals and Rites of the Egyptians and the Canaanites. Moshe reminds B'nai Yisroel to be careful of false prophets, avoid non-kosher foods, not live in wayward cities, forgive loans after seven years, care for the less fortunate, and celebrate the three pilgrimage festivals of Pesach, Shavuot, and Sukkot.

          Moshe reminds B'nai Israel Ki Im El HaMakom Asher Yivchar Adoshem Eloheichem miKol Shivteichem LaSum et Shmo Sham L’Shichno Tidreshu Uvata SHama – Rather, only at the place that Hashem, your God, will choose from among all your tribes to place His Name shall you seek out his Presence, his dwelling, and come there. Certainly, this is reminiscent of God, at the time of the Akeida, telling Avraham that he will show him where to go with his son Yitzchak. Its reminiscent of Avraham as a much younger man, leaving his home and going to a place that God would show him., Certainly we could understand Moshe’s words as a  reminder for B’nai Yisroel that “sanctity”. Holiness, Kedusha is central to  Israel, Torah, and Jewish identity. The Sfas Emet (The Gerrer Rebbe from about 1870-1905) reminds us that God’s choice is not revealed until B’nai Yisroel “seeks”.  We only find answers when we seek, when we look, and when we investigate. Because we are commanded to seek Shechino, his divine aspects that dwell among us, we are tasked to seek holiness. Holiness is in Time and Space. Holiness is in our  Neshama, Holiness is in our choices, and in our words, our deeds, and the way we live our lives. That is the constant choice we are commanded to make HaYom Today –  a choice that we make each and every day and each and every moment. 

           While raising our children in North America, we consciously chose to raise them in vibrant Jewish communities and with day school education through high school. In doing so, we wanted them to learn how to experience God dwelling among us in each community we have lived. We also made sure that they would have the opportunity to experience God while they dwelled in Eretz Yisroel. Yes, it's different, powerfully meaningful, and provided our three older daughters with a firm foundation for the life choices that confronted them while in University and in life after University. It is my sincere hope that our youngest child, our son, will have a similar experience of making his upcoming ten months in Israel, ten months of HaYom- ten months of full and meaningful days;  full of experiencing God in his learning and daily life in Israel.

Peace,
Rav Yitz

Red And White Blue Suede Shoes, I'm Uncle Sam How Do You Do?; Give Me Five Stay Alive, Ain't No Such Luck I Learned To Duck (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia - "U.S. Blues")

           With the beginning of the July, I cannot help but think about the importance of July 1st Canada Day and July 4 U.S Independence Day, sacred days for both my adopted country and my country of origin, These first few days of July remind me of the importance of liberal democracy, on this continent and throughout the world. As Winston Churchill said, “democracy is the worst form of government except for all the others that have been tried”.Yet despite Churchill’s insightful words, democracy and democratic institutions are under pressure, especially in two of the three democratic countries that should be beacons of democratic light throughout the world: Israel and the U.S. In Tom Friedman’s June 28th New York Times Editorial, entitled “The victory-at-any-cost mentality of the Trump far right — which was vividly described in Washington on Tuesday during Cassidy Hutchinson’s testimony to the Jan. 6 committee — is part of a broader trend of deeply anti-democratic values that are at odds with what many Americans and Israelis still aspire to. If this trend prevails, it will tear apart both societies, which is why the soul of Israeli democracy and the soul of American democracy is on the ballot in their next elections”. However, Friedman takes solace in the one-year experiment of Israel’s outgoing governing coalition comprised of center left/right wing/and Arab parties that managed to govern, pass a budget for the first time in 3 years, and essentially govern based upon democratic ideals, facts, and hope instead of fascism, alternative facts and fear. Friedman also found solace in the recent testimony before the January 6th committee of a 25-year-old white house staffer who came forward and told the committee all that she saw, all that she made notes of, and all the conversations she had. Friedman reminds us that democracy depends upon the ability to govern from the center, not the extremes, and there comes a time when individuals must always remember that the first loyalty is to country, constitution, and the rule of law and not party or individual. 

          This morning we read from Parsha Korach. Following their punishment of wandering for forty years because of their initial belief in the ten spies’ false report, Korach, a member of Moshe Rabeinu’s family stirs up trouble. Moshe’s authority is questioned, those who rebel are punished, and those who were silent bystanders were also punished. The Parsha concludes with God speaking to Moshe and enumerating Aaron’s priestly responsibilities, all of the entitlements, and all the sacrifices that come with the position

          Clearly, the most poignant moment in the narrative is the confrontation between Korach, Datan and Aviram, and all their followers with Moshe and Aaron. After witnessing Miriam becoming a leper for speaking against Moshe (Parsha B’Halotcha), after witnessing God’s anger and Moshe’s defense of the people in Parsha B’Halotcha and Shlach Lecha, the rebellion is very troubling. Moshe is shocked by it. He is hurt by it. The fact that he didn’t want the job in the first place, the fact that he went to bat for his flock time after time, leaves Moshe questioning his purpose.  Vayishmah Moshe Vayipol Al Panav – Moshe heard [the complaints] and fell on his face (Num 16:4).  Why did Moshe fall on his face? The Medieval commentators offer a variety of explanations.  Chizkuni, the 13th-century French commentator explains “Moshe fell to the ground in humiliation [at Korach accusation]. Rashi, the 11th-century French commentator explains that “Moshe fell in despair, he felt powerless to appeal to God for the fourth time. He defended the people after the Golden Calf, when they complained for no good reason, and when they heeded the spies." However, there is another and, perhaps, more modern reason why Moshe fell upon his face. Moshe was not humbling himself before Korach and the rebels. Rather he was publicly demonstrating that he was humbling himself before God, Torah, and its institutions. Moshe publicly demonstrated that his own ego and welfare were subservient to God and Torah. Korach’s rebellion and the fact that Korach did not fall upon his face indicated that Korach put himself above Torah and the community. Moshe was trying to save and preserve Torah, God, and community at his own expense.  Korach was clearly trying to promote himself.

          From the episode of Korach, we see the first example of how messy leading a community can be in which laws are discussed and interpreted as opposed to enacted based solely upon power. From the episode of Korach, we see, for the first time, a leader placing the rule of law, a document, and its institutions above himself. In doing so, Moshe preserves the community as well as retains his role as leader.  This type of leadership can neither afford to be cynical, self-centered, nor arrogant. Rather, this type of leadership must have the courage and the patience to lead people in a direction that is required as opposed to what the people may desire. Indeed, great leadership requires the courage to rule from the middle and to preserve a community’s sacred institutions and documents even at the expense of power.

Peace,
Rav Yitz

Seems Like I've Been Here Before Fuzzy Then And Still So Obscure (Bob Weir - "Born Cross Eyed")

           As the war in Ukraine continues, prices continue to rise, and the stock market trends downward, it seems that the world continues to struggle with a sense of chaos. Chaos reared its ugly head in Israel as the governing coalition consisting of Arabs, secular Jews, and Orthodox Jews were unable to remain united against the intense political pressure of Netanyu’s minority coalition. As a result, Israelis will participate in the third election in 5 years. Polls show that Israel is fundamentally a divided nation and the numerous parties will have to find ways to coalesce around issues that unite in order to win an election. These parties can coalesce around a leader that unites people based upon fear or parties can coalesce around a leader that unites people based upon hope and a better future.

          This week’s Torah portion is Parsha Shelach Lecha. The Torah portion begins with the narrative of Moshe gathering up twelve spies, one corresponding to each of the twelve tribes, and giving them the mission. The spies are told to investigate the quality of the land – fertile or barren, its inhabitants - warlike or peaceful, the nature of cities –fortified or open? The spies go and investigate and return. Ten spies offer a negative report and two, Caleb and Joshua, offer a positive report. B’nai Yisroel listen to the ten spies with the negative report and fell utterly overwhelmed at the prospect of entering the land that Hashem promised them.  Hysterical, the people beg to return to Egypt. Hashem wants to wipe them all out immediately but Moshe defends the people just like he did after the Golden Calf. So rather than wiping out an entire people Hashem punishes B’nai Yisroel by prohibiting this generation from entering the land. Eventually, when the slave generation has died out, the generations born in freedom will enter Eretz Canaan.  The people hear the punishment and decide they are ready to enter the land. Moshe explains that it is too late since their entry into Canaan is ultimately premised upon faith.  Then Moshe begins teaching B’nai Yisroel laws specifically that assume the inevitable settlement in the Canaan.  First, Moshe teaches the Libation Offering as well as Challah. Next, Moshe teaches the laws of public atonement of unintentional idolatry, individual unintentional idolatry, intentional idolatry, a reminder about violating Shabbat, and finally the laws of Tzitzit.

        The ten spies whom B’nai Yisroel chose to believe did not really bring such a negative report. They explained that the land was fruitful, fertile,  full of trees, and quite beautiful.  The problem with the report was that it revealed more about the spies and B’nai Yisroel than the land itself. When seeing some of the inhabitants and the physical size of some of those inhabitants.  The Ten spies said Vanhi V’Eineinu Ka’CHaGaVim V’Chain Hayinu B’Eineihem – we were like grasshoppers in our eyes and so we were in their eyes. (Num. 13:33) How do the ten spies know how the Nefilim (the Giants) perceive them? Did they ask the Nefilim? The answer to both questions is “No”. No, they don’t know how the Nefilim perceive the Ten Spies, and “No”, the Ten Spies did not ask the Nefilim. The spies feel small because, from their own perspective and self-image, they are small. When they look in a mirror, they see slaves. They don’t see people who stood at Sinai and received the Torah. They don’t see people who carry a Mishkan with Hashem protecting them and scattering their enemies. They don’t see a people worthy of Hashem’s daily miracles of Manna, and water.  Instead, they carry with them the burden of two centuries of slavery and being slightly less than human rather than being slightly less than angels.  Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Kotzk (The Kotzker Rebbe) explained that this was the root of the spies as well as Bnai Yisroel’s sin. They had no right to consider how others viewed them, nor should they have been at all concerned. How could they consider how others viewed them? The Spies had no perspective or they had a rather limited perspective.  They should have all been spiritually strong enough to realize and accept that they were “priests to the nations” and “chosen by God”.  After a couple of centuries of slavery, they lacked an accurate sense of self-perspective. The fact that such spiritual awareness was still lacking even after all the miracles and promises that God made; meant that problem lay with B’nai Yisroel. These former slaves were not ready for the responsibility of land and peoplehood; they lacked a healthy sense of national self-perspective.

          Perspective affects not only how we see ourselves but how we deal with the rest of the world. The Talmudic Sages taught us is that both perspectives are important in order to render a judgment because both majority and minority perspectives were presented in the Talmud.  Dictatorships and fascist regimes only need to worry about the perspective of the ruler. In a Democracy, everyone has a vote, and each voter has his/her own perspective and opinion. The health and vitality of a Democracy depend upon the perspective that each voter has regarding Democracy and the democratic institutions that protect it.

Peace,
Rav Yitz  

       

One Step Done And Another Begun, In I Wonder How Many Miles (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia - "New Speedway Boogie"

           A few days ago I conducted a funeral. While meeting with the family prior to the Levayah (funeral), I was asked if I believed that people can change. Certainly, Judaism is pretty clear about the possibility of change. Because Judaism is behaviorally based and not dogmatically based, we believe that if the behavior changes, then ultimately the individual will change. Among the most prevalent themes of the Yamim Noraim (High Holidays) is the notion that we are capable of changing our behavior, changing ourselves, improving ourselves, and becoming better versions of ourselves. Certainly, I want to believe that, and as a Rabbi that is my first response. However, I don’t think it is so simple. Changing a personality, changing who we are, changing our core seems a rather daunting task. Several years ago, a book by Stephen Guise entitled Mini Habits: Smaller Habits Bigger Result appeared. Guise’s theory, based upon Lao Tzu’s famous pearl of wisdom “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a small step”, begins with the brutally realistic view of human nature. Guise explains that change is predicated upon two ingredients: intention and over-estimating competence. Big intentions and big ambitions are worthless if they don’t bring results. The lack of intended result harms and defeats the person and then he/she will eventually stop the process. The Dunning-Kruger effect is a cognitive bias that people generally overestimate their competencies. For Guise, this means that “self-control” ought to be considered as “competency” and, in general, we think we have much more self-control than we really do. This unrealistic evaluation of our self-control also contributes to our inability to change.

          This week we read from Parsha Vayishlach. We read about Yaakov and Esav’s reunion, Yaakov’s wrestling match, and his name change the night before the reunion. We read about Yaakov’s daughter Dina and her unholy tryst with Shechem a member of the Hivvites. We learn of what many consider to be the fanatical response on behalf of her brother Shimon and Levi. Yaakov returns to Bet El, the place where he dreamt of the ladder many years before, builds an altar, and receives the covenant from God. During that process, God changes his name from Yaakov to Yisroel, even though his name was changed prior to the reunion. Rachel dies as well as a wet nurse named Deborah. Finally, we read a list of Yaakov’s children as well as Esav’s. 

          Yaakov’s trepidation prior to his reunion with his brother stems from the one unanswered question. Has Esav really changed? Yaakov just crossed the Yabok River and is unsure as to what to expect from his brother Esav.  VaYaratz Esav Likrato VaiChabkeihu, VaYipol Al Tzavarav Vayishahkeihu Vayivku – Esav ran toward him, embraced him, fell upon his neck, and kissed him; then they wept (Gen. 33:4). Certainly, at first blush, Esav appears to have forgiven his brother. Certainly, it appears that the decades have washed away Esav’s animosity towards his brother.  It appears that Esav has changed. The plain meaning of the text suggests this. However, in the plain text, the simple meaning is focused upon behavior, upon the margins, and not at the core. Imagine not seeing someone for thirty years for fear of your life. Then as you approach; the person runs towards you. Are they a friend or foe? When you embrace, would it be out of the question to wonder if this hug felt more like an assault instead of a loving embrace? What happens when the person falls upon your neck and kisses you on the neck? Is this a kiss of brotherly love or the proverbial “kiss of death”?  All these questions were cause for Yaakov’s trepidation. One thing is clear, however, the narrative concludes with Esav expressing a desire to escort Yaakov and his family to their destination. When Yaakov politely rebuffs Esav’s offer; Esav suggests that some of his armed men should escort Yaakov and his family. Again, wary of his brother, Yaakov politely responds Lamah Zeh Why this (suggestion), Emtzah Chein B’Einei Adoni Let me just have favor in my Lord’s eyes. VaYashav BaYom HaHu Eisav L’Darko Seirah So Esav started back that day on his way toward Seir. V’Yaakov Nasah Sukkotah - but Yaakov traveled to Sukkot (Gen. 33:15-17). The brothers go their separate ways. They don’t hug and kiss each other goodbye, or at least the Torah text doesn’t tell us that they hugged and kissed each other goodbye. Rather there is an offer by Esav to take Yaakov to Seir. Maybe Esav was attempting to be nice,  or perhaps he was trying to lull Yaakov into a trap and planned to wipe out Yaakov and his family later.  Yaakov understood that while his brother’s outward behavior may have changed, it was more realistic to assume that at Esav’s core, big brother Esav hadn’t changed at all. For the sake of the future safety of his family, Yaakov was best served by staying as far away as possible from his brother. 

            Yes, at first blush it was so easy for Yaakov and Esav to hug and kiss each other, to weep together.  Over the course of twenty years, maybe each had marginally softened, perhaps they had become better versions, more honest versions of themselves. However, at their respective cores, Yaakov, ever the spiritual clinger now grasps firmly to Hashem. This is worthy of a new name or an additional name: Israel.  Esav, ever the hunter, would wait for his prey to grow careless then go in for the kill. There is nothing in the text to suggest that Esav is capable of introspection. He hunts. His viewpoint is always external,  focused upon his prey. At the core, he is who is. So do people change? It seems that change is only possible if they are brutally honest and are inclined to embrace the effort required to engage in mini habits with an eye towards big results.

Peace,
Rav Yitz

And It Speaks Of A Life That Passes Like Dew (John Barlow & Bob Weir- "Black Throated Wind")

           My wife is from California, and she has family in Los Angeles and San Francisco. So I read about environmental issues faced by the West with a bit of personal interest. At the end of August, there was a troubling article in the New York Times about the drying up of the Colorado River. The Colorado River supplies approximately 40 million people with water. My wife is from California. Lake Meade, the largest man-made reservoir, and the Hoover Dam are part of the infrastructure dating back from 1930 that regulates the supply of water for California, Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico. The reservoir has not been completely filled since 1983. California has been experiencing a drought for the past several years. While California has done yeoman’s work to conserve water, drought has taken its toll. It is dry, it is parched. Several years of above-normal rainfall would be required to alleviate the drought.  Such torrential rains have occurred exactly three times over the past 135 years.   California’s current fires have burned a total acreage the size of New Jersey or the size of Israel. Eventually, the fires will be brought under control, but the drought conditions will continue. The dire need for precipitation will remain.

          This Shabbat, we read Parshat Ha’Azinu. Parshat Ha’Azinu was the “song” or the “Poem” that God had commanded Moshe to compose in the previous Parsha VaYeilech.  The content of this “song” is not very cheerful. Moshe invokes the heavens and the earth to witness these words that he gives to B’nai Yisroel. Moshe reminds B’nai Yisroel of their covenant with God. Moshe reminds B’nai Yisroel of their spiritual shortcomings and the ensuing punishment. He reminded B'nai Yisroel that despite all of these shortcomings, despite the idolatry, despite wavering from the covenant, we can still engage in T’shuvah, we can still return to God and know that God will welcome us back.

          In the poem, during the introduction, Moshe not only invokes Heaven to listen to these words as a testament to the prophecy offered to his people, but Moshe also hopes Ya’Arof KaMatar Likchi Tizal Katal Imrati Kisirim Alei Desheh Uch’revivim Aley Eisev – May my teaching drop like the rain, may my utterance flow like the dew; like storm winds upon vegetation and like raindrops upon blades of grass (Deut. 32:2). The word “teachings” in this verse comes from the verb LaKaCh or Take. The idea, of course, is a two-way street. Moshe’s words, his wisdom his teachings are offered to B'nai Yisroel. Moshe offers his teachings as a source of spiritual nourishment. His words, like water, are a life-sustaining force. The other half of the equation, of course, is B’nai Yisroel. B’nai Yisroel must drink in the teaching,  they must "take in" the words of wisdom, the nourishment, and the water that Moshe continues to provide up until his death, and make it part of their lives. When rain falls and it is not absorbed it pools together it forms a puddle. However, when water is absorbed, it nourishes, it maintains life it sustains vegetation, and it sustains our physical existence. Moshe’s words, in fact, all the words of the book of Deuteronomy are Moshe’s words. Moshe makes his final plea to B’nai Yisroel to listen to the wise words of an old and dying man. Moshe makes a final plea to B'nai Yisroel to “take” his words to heart, to drink them in, and incorporate them into life. For the Rabbis, a draught was not only a physical condition due to lack of water. A draught was a spiritual condition caused by a lack of Torah. After all, Torah is alluded to as “Mayim Chayim” living waters. Rain is categorized as Mayim Chaim. Mayim Chayim sustains physical life as well as spiritual life. Torah sustains our spiritual life.

          Moshe makes his last plea prior to his death. Like the land can be subjected to drought; so it is with the Jewish People. Without our “water supply”, without our heavenly rains, and gentle dew, we can suffer through spiritual drought, our souls dry up and we became empty. Torah, like the rain, comes from the heavens. From Moshe’s perspective, it is a limitless supply of spiritual Mayim Chayim, Living Waters. We need only study it, learn it, incorporate it into our lives and we will have a limitless supply of spiritual water, water that nourishes our soul, allowing it to grow in holiness.

Peace,  
Rav Yitz

I Was Blind All The Time I Was Learning To See (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia - "Help Is On The Way")

             This week, I spent getting our youngest daughter, our 19-year-old, ready to head off to university in New York City. After picking her up from camp at the beginning of the week, there was laundry, doctors appointments, shopping, course registration, housing registration, medical forms to be submitted, and all the stuff that college students need for dorm life, and creating a new home while they are away at school. Finally, with all that finished, and a car loaded we drove down to New York and encountered hurricane Henri. We came to New York very late in the afternoon, dropped off her duffle bags and suitcase, and headed uptown to my sister and brother-in-law's upper west side apartment. We were wet, tired, hungry, and very tired. The next day, while the rain from Tropical Storm Henri continued to fall, we got her squared away and then attended a couple of orientation sessions. There was something for just the students, just the parents and both. Even though this was the third of four children, and I knew the drill when it comes to preparing and dropping children off at university. This felt different. Ten years ago, I brought our eldest to University by myself, I suppose I really didn’t know what I was doing. But ten years ago, our world was a very different place. Besides she was in a campus setting in the middle of nowhere in Upstate New York. The second daughter, both my wife and I brought her down to school, and although it was in New York City because the responsibilities were shared and my wife happily attended many of the orientation sessions. It was also pre-Covid. Knowing my wife wanted me to attend these orientation sessions; I went. To be honest, I wanted to hear the University administrators, teachers, and campus officials speak about the students' safety, security health, and welfare. I wanted to know the policies about Covid, and testing in order to ensure the safety and welfare of not only my daughter but all the daughters who are attending school. There was a long presentation about Covid, masks, testing, and vaccination requirements. It was very different from several governors of southern states and their stubborn refusal to permit school mask mandates and the safety and welfare of its students.

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 explain 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 of 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 in light of listening to Trump.  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 read this literally, it seems the verse is speaking about, a guide or maybe a seeing-eye dog that would lead the blind astray. However, this curse is symbolic. We know that Torah is tantamount to light, to spiritual 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 (re: those who are in the dark or without light) 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, knows better, 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 Batrah 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 how impressionable college students can be. It appears that the Talmudic Sages also understood the power of those in trusted positions of authority, teachers, administrators, some elected officials, and the media. So, standing on a Manhattan sidewalk in front of our daughter’s dorm and my car parked, I hugged and kissed my youngest daughter goodbye. Through smiles and tear-filled eyes, I told my youngest daughter what I have told her and her three siblings their whole lives. I reminded her how she was raised, I reminded her to use her common sense: don’t walk alone in New York at night, don’t take the subways alone at night, be aware of surroundings, avoid parks at night, wear a mask when going indoors. I  reminded her that she can call me at any time of day for anything good, bad or just to say “hi”. I reminded her that I won’t call her five times a day as I never want to be the overbearing parent that doesn’t give a child room to grow.  Finally with one last hug and kiss, and a wipe away of her tear, I was about to give one more piece of last-second fatherly advice, something inspirational. However, my daughter beat me to it. She smiled and said to me what I have been saying to her for the past week as we prepared for this moment. “Yes, Abba, I know, my job is to study, take classes that I enjoy, and, most of all, don’t do stupid. I know you spent your life teaching me ‘to avoid stupid decisions and not do stupid’, I know… you taught me well.” With one last hug and kiss, I watched her head off to her next orientation session, and I realized that as she began this new chapter of her life; she was where she was supposed to be.

Peace,
Rav Yitz

When All We Ever Wanted Was To Learn And Love And Grow (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia- "Days Between")

         The great turn of the 20th-century philosopher and Harvard professor, George Santayana famously said, “Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”, Early last week, when the Jewish world commemorated the destruction of both the First and Second Temples, a painful and tragic incident occurred making Santayana’s words prophetic. The Talmudic Rabbis remind us that the reason for the destruction of the 2nd Temple, which occurred in 70 C.E.) was because of Sinat Chinam – Baseless Hatred (Talmud Yoma 9B). Nearly 2000 years later, that lesson was tragically forgotten. At the Kotel, the last remnant of the 2nd Temple, Jews gathered to read the Eicha, the Book of Lamentations, and pray. There are three sections at the Kotel. The main plaza is divided between a “men’s section”, and a “women’s section”.  South of the main plaza, in a much smaller area, there is a designated “non-orthodox” section where men and women can pray together in an Egalitarian setting.  As Tisha B'Av was about to begin and non-orthodox Jews made their way to this section, they were met by Orthodox protesters who attempted to occupy the site and set up partitions separating men and women. The protesters tried to shout down the worshippers, and things became physical. Eventually, the police had to come to break up the conflict and cool down the tension. Jewish and Israeli leaders have denounced the behaviour of a fundamentalist mob. The lessons are tragic, as we witness the greatest threat to the Jewish people is the Jewish people. Yet, as tragic as the events this past Sunday were, there is more to the lesson from which the Jewish world can learn. In order to make sense of the tragedy of Tisha B’Av, The Talmudic Sages remind us that the Messiah was born on Tisha B’Av. From the pure hate that led to a national tragedy comes the possibility of goodness, holiness, and Pure Love.

          This morning we read from Parsha V’Etchanan. V’Etchanan is always the Parsha that immediately follows Tisha B’Av.  The Parsha itself portrays B’nai Yisroel sitting intently and listening to Moshe's first discourse on the Law. Moshe reiterates the covenant, the punishment of exile, and the constant possibility of return. Moshe reiterates the experience of revelation at Sinai as well as a re-statement of the Aseret Dibrot, the Ten Commandments. Moshe teaches this new generation that when they experienced revelation, they witnessed the fire. And the fact that they sit on the Eastern Bank of the Jordan River is a testament to that fact. Moshe reminds this new generation that this Torah is perfect, one can interpret but we cannot add or subtract words. Instead, we must struggle and make sense of every aspect of Torah. Moshe then introduces the lone piece of dogma in the entire Torah: Shema Yisroel Adonai Eloheinu Adonai Echad Hear O Israel the Lord is God the Lord is One. The Parsha concludes with Moshe reminding B’nai Yisroel that in order to fulfill the Covenant, it must reclaim the land. 

          Central to Moshe’s message is the transcendent power of God’s Covenant at Mt. Horeb. The covenant was made with their ancestors, it is made now with this generation and it will be renewed with each and every generation. Then Moshe tells this generation V’Ahavta et Adoshem Elokecha – Love the Lord your God.  Moshe clarifies that this is accomplished through deed, B’Chol Levavcha U’Vechol Nafshecha U’vechol Meodecha – With all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your possessions.  Only by demonstrating a love for God with every fiber of being;  will B'nei Yisroel be able to enjoy the covenantal blessings.  Moshe understood that Love will be the key for this covenant to survive. When B’nai Yisroel loves God, it will listen, cherish and keep all the means of expressing that love towards God. Perhaps, just as important is that to truly demonstrate one’s love for God, one must demonstrably love God’s Torah and God’s people. Moshe also reminds them what will happen when love wanes and they cease listening, cherishing, keeping and observing, and caring for one another.

          For Moshe, love was not just an emotion it was a source of energy. It was a constructive force.  Moshe also understood that Love was something that needed to be acted upon. Love was not for the passive.  The Aggadah tells of Rabbi Akivah’s impending death and his recitation of the Shema while being tortured immediately prior to his death is an expression of love, maybe the ultimate expression of love. What parent wouldn’t choose his/her own life in exchange for his/her child? Love isn’t a seasonal short term fleeting emotion such as just a summer. Rather, Love is every day, love is hard work, and love is commitment. Because Love is all those things, love transcends time.  So while ChaZaL can say that the destruction of the 2nd Temple was due to pure hatred; ChaZaL can also teach that from the fleeting, short-term destructive nature of hatred comes the transcendent, constructive force of goodness, of holiness, and of a future that focuses upon the possible. As Jewish leaders around the world, including the current Israeli government, denounced this tragic behaviour; the current Bennet/Lapid government said that it would renew the 2016 agreement.  Perhaps the current government has learned its lesson from History as well as from the previous government. A people divided by fundamentalism, intolerance,  and ignorance endangers their very survival. We saw it with two Kingdoms and the eventual destruction of the First Temple in Kings I and Kings II. We saw it again, as the sages reminded us in the Talmud (Yoma 9B), we witness it as younger diaspora Jews turn away from Israel, and we witness it when religious fundamentalism and closed-mindedness drowns the idea of Ahavat Israel (Love for the Jewish People).  However, if we overcome this with all our heart, our soul, and by all of our means, perhaps we can aspire to a better world. Certainly, the Talmudic sages thought so. 

Peace,
Rav Yitz

There's A Fear Down Here We Can't Forget, Hasn't Got A Name Just Yet, Always Awake Always Around (John Barlow & Bob Weir- "Throwing Stones")

           For the past couple of weeks,  after dinner, my wife will go onto her social media, become visibly upset and report to me and our son the numerous Anti-Semitic attacks that have occurred. My son and I have sent the New York Times, The Times of Israel, and Washington Post Op-Ed pieces from Brett Stephens and Tom Friedman to our family "chat". This current round of Anti-Semitic attacks has come from those who view the conflict between Israel and Hamas in terms of racial justice, minority rights, and the “woke Left”. From this perspective, Hamas is an organization of “freedom fighters'' with no alternative but to respond to Israel's treatment of Palestinians except through justified violence. This lens conveniently leaves out an important but inconvenient truth; Hamas is a fundamentalist Islamic terrorist organization that routinely persecutes Gays and Lesbians, enslaves its citizens to build tunnels, and hides behind civilians and civilian institutions such as mosques, hospitals, and schools in order to launch its rockets and carry out its terrorist agenda. Regarding Israel, Hamas only desires Israel’s destruction and a Palestinian homeland that adheres to strict Islamic law.  Indeed the anti-semitic attacks from the “woke Left" have managed to conflate anti -Zionism and Anti-semitism.  Earlier this week,  a U.S. Congresswoman from Georgia compared the rules for mask-wearing similar to the Nazis making Jews wear a “gold” star. By the way, she is the same Georgia Congresswoman who claimed that the wildfires from last autumn were a result of an outer-space laser beam created by and controlled by Jews.   A few years ago, Nazis marched in Charlottesville, Virginia. There were Anti-Semitic attacks in Pittsburgh, outside of San Diego, in New Jersey. These comments, these attacks had very little to do with Israel, but everything to do with Jews as “other”, part of a conspiratorial group that runs the media, controls international finance and is a threat to the right-wing White Christian world. Extremism on the Left and extremism on the Right extremely is bad for the Jews and bad for Israel.  Indeed, extremism is a darkness that allows Anti Semitism to grow and thrive.

          This week we read the third Parsha from The Book of Numbers, Parsha BeHA'alotcha. 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 BeHA'alotcha seem rather disconnected from the rest of the narrative. B’Ha’Alotcha et HaNeirot El Mul P’nei HaM’norah Ya’Iru Shivat Ha’Neirot - When you kindle the lamps, toward the face of the Menorah shall seven lamps cast light (Num. 8:2)  According to Rashi, the flames on either side of the middle are bent towards the middle, and the middle flame burns brightest and longest.  Aaron is given the job to light the Menorah, the Neir Tamid, the eternal light, every day. 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 of the Menorah back up prior to lighting, thus ensuring complete functionality: Ya’Iru Shivat HaNeirot - so that the seven lamps will cast light (Num. 8:2) If only six of the seven lamps function properly, Aaron will not have fulfilled the commandment. Why is it necessary to make sure that all seven lamps are fully functional and lit? Will one unlit lamp on the candelabra really make a difference in terms of light? Rabbi Isaac Luria, “The Arizal”,  a 16th-century mystic, explained that the central shaft of the seven-branched candelabra (menorah) represents God’s divine light as manifest in Torah. The three branches on either side of God’s Torah represent science and other academic pursuits such as philosophy, and theology. For Sforno, the great Italian Renaissance biblical commentator, the right three branches symbolize the pursuit of enlightenment through spiritual endeavors and the left three branches symbolize the pursuit of enlightenment through secular and worldly knowledge. Like The Arizal, Sforno interprets the middle trunk of the Menorah to be the Divine Light of God, as illuminated throughout creation, and as a result, all the other flame leaned toward this Divine primordial light of the middle branch.

            By fulfilling the mitzvah of the Menorah, and making sure it was completely lit each and every day, Aharon understood what it meant to be a light to the people. Knowledge and enlightenment embrace both the Holy and the Secular, as does a complete and meaningful life. Like Aaron, the High Priest, the Jewish people are supposed to be  “a light unto the world”, a “nation of priests”. Judaism has a long history of being “woke”. Judaism is the original “truth to power”, and has always challenged authority and the status quo. The very foundation of Judaism is a response to extremism. Regarding the Torah, Jews are reminded to avoid drifting too far to the left and too far to the right, but rather stick to the middle (Deut. 28:14). Indeed, it seems that Judaism is the ultimate “canary in the coal mine” when it comes to mankind’s darkest recesses of the soul, inhabited by hate, extremism (political or religious), fanaticism, ignorance, and self-loathing. Perhaps the only response to Anti-Semitism is to continue lighting the seven branches of the Menorah and shining the light of Godliness upon those who are surrounded by the darkness of hate, extremism, and fanaticism.

 Peace,
 Rav Yitz

Full Of Hope, Full Of Grace Is The Human Face (John Barlow & Bob Weir- "Throwing Stones")

           Earlier this week, the Jewish People celebrated Shavuot, the Feast of Weeks, the celebration of the Giving of the Torah. A synagogue ritual that normally occurs on Shavuot, as well as on  Pesach and Sukkot, is the ceremony known as Duchening. The Kohanim of the congregation stand upon the bimah and with Talis covering them, and bestow a blessingknown as Birkat Kohanim upon the congregation. In Israel, the Duchening ceremony occurs every Shabbat. On Friday night, before sitting down to the Shabbat dinner, it is traditional for the father to give the Birkat Kohanim upon his children.  Many years ago, I attended  a wedding and  a baptism in a Catholic church.  During both ceremonies the Catholic Priest invoked the words of the Birkat Kohanim, both in Latin and English. When I made the Birkat Kohanim this past Friday, our dinner discussion included the recent events in Gaza and Hamas’ continued rocket fire targeting Israeli citizens. Even more disturbing than Hamas’ rocket fire has been the street violence that occurred in Lod, Haifa, and other Israeli towns where Israeli Jews and Israeli Arabs live near each other.  Our son asked if there was an Islamic equivalent of Birkat Kohanim that a parent offers his/her child, or to the community for that matter. I explained that I did not know. I assumed that there is probably a blessing that a parent gives a child but I did not think that such a placing was also the same as a “Priestly Benediction” since Islam did not have “priests” like Judaism or Christianity. 

          This Shabbat we read from Parsha Naso. The Parsha’s 176 psukim make it among the longest single parshiot in the entire Torah.  Its length is also reflected in the wide variety of topics covered including the census for the tribe of Levi - the Priestly tribe, the responsibilities for the maintenance and operation of the Mishkan, the purification of the camp,  the treatment of the wayward wife (the Sotah), the vow of the Nazir (a vow that limits the behavior of the individual as a means of elevating oneself to a higher level of holiness for only a limited time),  the identical tribal offerings made by each leader in order on twelve successive days. This ritual offering celebrated the fact that the Mishkan was “open for business”. Inserted into these seemingly disparate rules and narratives are the priestly benedictions. A quick glance at the different components of Parsha Naso suggests that each blessing is connected to the other by focusing upon the image and the theme of Naso – “lift up” or "raise up". Indeed, each of the three blessings focuses upon the idea of  issues of spiritually uplifting our souls, spiritually uplifting  ourselves in holiness. We accomplish this either through our own actions or the actions of the other.

          The Priestly benediction is an example of a third party elevating us, or at least offering supplication to God on our behalf that we indeed are worthy of blessing.  From that perspective, I can’t imagine a more powerful ritual for parents to do with their children. Yevarechecha Adoshem VaYishmarecha, May Hashem bless you and keep you. Ya' eir Adoshem Panav Eilecha VaYichuneka, May Hashem make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you Yisa Adoshem Panav Eilecha VaYaSem Lecha Shalom May Hashem lift his countenance upon you and give you peace. ( Num 6:24-26). What does it mean that God should “keep" our children or “guard” our children? Naturally, as parents invoking Hashem to protect our children seems like a great idea given all the tsuris in the world. Yet Rashi, the great 11th-century French commentator explains that this first blessing is not an expression of  Hashem protecting our children. Rather the “blessing” expresses a blessing that had already been enumerated in the Torah, namely, that our children should be materially well off. Also we ask that Hashem (the loving and kind aspect of God) should “protect” our children and their material blessings from those who might usurp such a blessing. The second blessing which speaks of “shining Hashem’s face upon” our child expresses our desire for our children to become enlightened by Torah and experience a meaningful relationship with Hashem. The “gracious” is the subliminal understanding that we can only request that our children have an intellectual and spiritual ability to learn Torah and connect to Hashem. We hope Hashem was gracious in giving our children plenty of ability to be worthy enough to receive such “light”.  The third blessing is perhaps the most relevant for parents and children. Rashi explains that “lifting His countenance to you” means that Hashem should suppress His anger. One could also understand that the light or the enlightenment we seek is God's gift raising his face up towards us. With God's countenance before us, we sense God's love and we are able to cast aside or let go of our anger and hatred. Only after we, only after our children are capable of casting aside their anger and hatred will our souls be complete, whole and at peace in this world.  Both interpretations suggest that we hope and pray that our children are at spiritual peace, their souls will be  Shaleim, to be whole and complete. Anger and hatred prevent Shleimah – wholeness, harmony, peace.

          I thought about our son’s question, I thought about my own childhood dutifully walking towards my father and receiving this blessing. I thought about the blessing itself with its invocation of peace, of God’s shining his glory about the person receiving the blessing. I thought about God raising his face towards the person receiving the blessing.  I remain unfamiliar with any equivalent in Islam where a priest stands before the community and issues Birkat Kohanim - a “Priestly Benediction”  or an equivalent. To this day, I can’t imagine why parents in Gaza, the West Bank, East Jerusalem, or mixed Israeli Arab and Jewish neighborhoods (Haifa for example) would listen to Hamas and place their children in harm’s way. I can’t imagine hating so much that I am willing to harm my own children in order to feed that hatred. I thought about the words that Golda Meir purportedly said: ”Peace will come when the Arabs will love their children more than they hate us.”  When the Palestinian people stop listening to Hamas, when they stand up to Hamas rather than offer their own children to Hamas’ hatred, then Israel will know there is a partner for peace in Gaza.  

Peace,
Rav Yitz 

Paint By Numbers Morning Sky, Looks So Phony (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia - "Touch of Grey")

           Frequently, numbers are more than just numbers. Frequently, numbers become a shorthand for a narrative. For the past year, we have grown increasingly aware of the asking “about the numbers”.  Regarding the Pandemic, we are concerned about numbers that tell us the rate of spread,  the total number of Ontarians that received one vaccine, the total number of Ontarians that are completely vaccinated.  Lately, we are focused upon the number of new cases that will indicate an end to the current lockdown in Ontario. Numbers of course are not confined to the Pandemic. The number 6,000,000 is shorthand for the Holocaust. Unfortunately, there are those who look at numbers in order to justify their own bias or moral relativism. The current rocket attacks and violence in Gaza and Israel are a case in point.  For those who see numbers as the narrative,  at the time of writing this stood at a death toll of 62. 15 children have died. 1 Israeli child, 15 Palestinian Gazan children. Hamas has fired over 1000 rockets over the last several days. When looking at the numbers, those living in Gaza have experienced more loss of life and more injury than those living in Israel. No, numbers don’t lie. However, numbers also don’t offer a complete explanation. So when the chief prosecutor for the ICC (International Criminal Court),  Ms. Fatou Bensouda tweets: “I note with great concern the escalation of violence in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, as well as in and around Gaza, and the possible commission of crimes under the [ICC’s guiding] Rome Statute,” then numbers have lost their original objective empirical value and instead have become a subjective tool for moral relativism. The manipulation of numbers does not undo the criminal nature of what Hamas has perpetrated with its numerous rocket launches. In fact, the only number that should matter to the ICC is the number “1”.If even one rocket launched by Hamas that targeted a civilian location,  a crime occurred and Hamas ought to be prosecuted for perpetrating crimes of humanity upon both Jew and Arab. Any country that experienced just one such launching would be well within its right to defend its population and dismantle or destroy the possibility of any future launching.  

          This week, we begin reading the 4th of the 5 books of the Torah, Sefer Bemidbar, the Book of Numbers. This week’s Parsha is the same name Bemidbar. The Book of Numbers is aptly named; the book begins with counting, the counting of people, a census. God commands Moshe to take a census, MiBen Esrim Shana V’Mala Kol Yotzei Tzava B’Yisroel – of all males over the age of twenty, everyone who goes out in the Legion of Israel (1:3). Once the number of fighting age males has been established by tribe, each tribe is placed in a specific formation around the Ark. This will be the formation in which B’nai Yisroel travels from the foot of Sinai to Eretz Canaan. Finally, in the Tribe of Levi, the Priests are counted. However because Levi’s only responsibility is the Ark and the Mishkan; they will not be able to hold land in Eretz Canaan, nor do they fight. Rather they are now counted and assigned specific functions in terms of maintaining the Mishkan.   

           God ordered a census of people. However, for whom is the counting?  Certainly, God is God and already knows the number of souls that comprise B’nai Yisroel as well as those able to fight. When God wants Moshe and Israel, or anyone for that matter, to do something for himself the language indicates it.   In the Book of Genesis,  God commanded Avraham to Lech Lecha – Go for yourself.  Later in the Book of Numbers God will command Moshe to  Shelach Lecha send for yourself.  Here in Parsha Bemidbar, the first parsha in the Book of Numbers, God commands Moshe to Se’u et Rosh Kol Adat Bnai Yisroel - count the heads. Since Lecha- for you does not appear; it would seem that the counting is not for B’nai Yisroel nor Moshe, but rather for God. So, why does God need or want a counting? We have already been told that B’nai Yisroel is Am Segula – a treasured nation.  A "treasured nation", by definition, must possess some type of intrinsic value. Each individual has value and from that, each individual has a purpose. Parshah Bemidbar demonstrates that there is an intrinsic value in the individual.  Halachically, we know this because the legal principle of Pikuach Nefesh, Saving a Soul exists. This principle appears in the Babylonian Talmud Tractate Shabbat, “the saving of life supersedes the Sabbath (Shabbat 132a). There is a Midrash in Tractate Sanhedrin which expresses the individual’s importance to God, and therefore God’s desire to count us. “If a human being stamped several coins with the same die, they would all resemble one another. But the King of kings stamps all human beings from the mold of the first person; and yet not one of them is identical to the other one. Therefore every individual has merit and is obliged to say “for my sake the world was created”. (San4:5).

          Indeed, numbers are important. Numbers are necessary to have a society remain organized. Governments routinely take a census of their population in order to understand demographics and political representation. It would seem that it is very easy to lose oneself and an individual’s narrative amid all these numbers and statistics. Indeed, numbers can serve as a shorthand for understanding a narrative. Unfortunately,  numbers can be manipulated to justify moral relativism and cloud the differences between good and evil. Each individual has a narrative, a code that allows survival.  The same holds true for societies and nations, The numbers that are coming from Israel and Gaza speak of pain and suffering, fear, and terror. It is our sincere hope that the pain, suffering, death, fear, and terror ceases.  Perhaps those that want to investigate the criminality of recent events in Gaza and Israel should be reminded that the numbers don’t speak of the criminality;  narrative and context do. 

Peace,
Rav Yitz

Hearts Of Summer Held In Trust, Still Tender Young And Green (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia "Days Between")

           The Jewish world is a small world, so we were not surprised that our daughter and my wife’s cousin s who live in Teaneck knew the 19-year-old Teaneck,  New Jersey boy who died on LaG B’OMer at Mt. Meron, Israel.  Along with our daughter, we were among the 70,000 people that watched the Livestream of the funeral.  I saw two parents, broken, and shattered. I listened as the mother of the 19-year-old boy began to speak. It was completely heartbreaking and I could only watch for a few minutes. Through her sobs and heavy breathing, I listened to the mother say words like “gratitude”,  and “thanks”. I heard her invoke God. I listened as she told us about her son. There was no anger in her voice;  instead just a profound sense of grief and loss. Her words didn’t reflect a crisis of faith nor a lack of “trust in God’s Plan”.    

          Parsha Behar and Parsha Bechukotai. These are the last two Parshiot in Sefer Vayikrah (Book of Leviticus). Throughout the entire book, we have read how to elevate our lives with holiness. We elevate our lives by thanking God and atoning to God, through a variety of Korbonot. We elevate our lives by avoiding behavior that defiles us; we don’t marry our sisters. We elevate our lives in every day physical behaviors; we only eat certain types of food. We elevate our lives by consciously setting aside holy times throughout the day, week, and season. In Parsha Behar, we elevate our lives and our land with holiness by setting aside another type of sacred time, Shmita (the seventh year.) Just like the seventh day (Shabbat) is a day of rest. Shmita is a year of rest. Every seventh year, all outstanding debts are canceled. The land lies fallow. Slaves and servants are set free. Agriculturally speaking, there is a benefit. Resting the soil for a year allows for replenishment of nutrients. Rabbinically speaking, less time devoted to agricultural concerns meant more time devoted to Torah study! Parsha Bechukotai, being the end of Leviticus, tells us the ramifications for behavior. “If you’ll keep the commandments… then I’ll send the rains in their time, the earth and trees will give forth their produce, you’ll settle securely in the land…I will multiply you…I will walk with you” (Lev. 25:3-10). If we don’t live up to these standards, if we neglect to add Kedushah (holiness) to our lives, if we “don’t perform these commandments, if we consider these decrees loathsome, if we reject these ordinances, if we annul the covenant, then I will do the same to you…. (Lev. 26:14:17) God will annul us. All blessings will become curses.

          While the curses in the Torah portion don’t paint a very pleasant picture, both parshiot reflect the vital importance of Bitachon, trust in God. In Behar, this idea of Bitachon is evident in the commandments of Shmitta (the 7-year agricultural cycle) and Yovel (Jubilee). In the Jubilee year, all debts are canceled, and there is a quasi-national “reboot”. While it may sound nice for those of us with credit card debt, consider the turmoil. The economy would grind to a halt in the months or perhaps in a year or two before the 50th year. What lender would lend knowing that the loan would be canceled within  6 -12 months.  In the Shmitta year, the land lies fallow. We all agree that the field needs a rest, a Shabbat, just like we do. If the field lies fallow, what would people eat? We are urged to trust God. “I will command my blessing upon the sixth year and it will bring forth (enough) produce for three years (Lev. 25:20-21). Just like God provided a double portion of Manna on Friday and thereby guarantee enough food for Shabbat, so too God will “guarantee enough produce in the sixth year. B’nai Yisroel won’t starve in the seventh (Shmita) year.

          Our sixteen-year-old asked me about the mother's words. I explained that I would be far too angry to speak as the mother spoke.  I would have needed more time without thousands of people, to move from anger to grief. Our son then asked me about whether my trust and faith in God would have been affected. Maybe it is easier to have Bitachon, to have trust and faith in God when it comes to large “macro” issues such as rain in the rainy season and dry in the season. Maybe it's easier to have Bitachon -trust, to have trust and faith that a 50-year “reboot” or “re-do” won’t turn people's lives and an economy upside down. Maybe it's easier to have faith and trust in something that is more emotionally distant in an “idea” or in the metaphysical. When my son asked me whether I would have questioned my faith and trust in God. I answered immediately and without hesitation. Yes, a tragedy like this would test my faith, and my trust in God would have waned. I think that it would be a long time before I could trust in God again and have my faith restored. Yes, I could understand the parents speak about the wonderful qualities of their 19-year-old son. I understood why they focused on his “living”, and the things he did over the course of his short 19 years of life. Yes, I could understand it, but I don’t think that I would be able to speak of it nor share it, not yet, not until the shock and anger subsided.

Peace
Rav Yitz 

And It Speaks Like A Life That Passes Like Dew

          Over the past two weeks, one nation mourned the loss of its Prince and several days later acknowledge the 95th birthday of its Queen. Another nation, as it does every year, remembered those who gave their lives for their country and the next day celebrated its independence. Our eighteen-year-old daughter has been studying in the latter country, Israel. she called us to describe the moving experience she had while attending a Yom HaZikaron ceremony and Yom Ha’Atzmaut celebration. It is a yearly phenomenon. Yom HaZikaron is otherwise known as Israel’s Remembrance Day or Israel’s Memorial Day. Like Canada, the United States, and nearly every other country, Israel set aside a day in which it remembers its fallen heroes, those who made the ultimate sacrifice, those who gave their lives for their country. Yom Ha'Atzmaut is otherwise known as Israel's Independence Day. Like Canada, the United States, and nearly every other country, Israel set aside a day in which it celebrates its independence. Unlike Canada, the United States, and nearly every other country, only Israel observes and celebrates these Civic holy days consecutively. The juxtaposition between the solemnity of a Remembrance Day and the joy of an Independence Day occurs in the moments between  Mincha/ The Afternoon prayer service, as Yom HaZikaron (Remembrance Day) concludes, and Maariv/The Evening Service,  as Yom Ha’Atzmaut (Independence Day) commences. As Yom Ha’Zikaron drew to a conclusion, our daughter and her classmates attended a special ceremony which included the Mincha service a candle lighting ceremony, mourner’s Kaddish, a moment of silence, and the sounding of a siren. With that, Yom HaZikaron concluded and a new day began. Moments later, our daughter and her classmates now participated in a special Maariv service full of singing, and dancing that marked the celebration of Yom Ha’Atzmaut. 

          This Shabbat, like last Shabbat, we read two Parshiot. This week we read the double Parsha of  Acharei Mot/ Kedoshim. The two previous Parshiot, Tazria, and Metzorah, essentially interrupted the narrative and the laws that had been focused upon the Kohanim. In Acharei Mot/Kedoshim, we now return to the Kohen as the central focus in the Parsha. Now that he has become spiritually pure, the Torah is now ready to teach the laws for the spiritual purity of the nation. We have focused upon the impurities of individuals, now we focus upon the community. The Kohen acts on behalf of the nation just like he acts on behalf of the individual. The Torah teaches the laws for the offerings of Yom Kippur, national atonement, and Azazel otherwise known as the Scapegoat. The Scapegoat is not offered as a sacrifice to God, but rather is sent out from the camp and left to wander in the wilderness, eventually succumbing to the elements. The second half of the Parsha focuses upon the holy and unholy relationships within the family. It is interesting to note that the list of immoral behaviors between family members is taught within the context of other nations. Also, the list of immoral behavior in terms of worship,  labour relations, and the treatment of the vulnerable are all taught within the context of other nations. Essentially other nations offer examples of immoral behavior and immoral societies.

          The paradigms for immoral behavior and immoral societies were Eretz Mitzrayim - Egypt and Eretz Canaan. One was a place of slavery where  B'nai Yisroel's national journey began. The other place was Eretz Canaan; the place where B'nai Yisroel's national journey will eventually conclude. The Torah considers the behaviors of the inhabitants of each place to be impure,  unholy, and an abomination. In both places, Eretz Mitzrayim and Eretz Canaan, the dominant culture worships death and does not sanctify life. Human sacrifices are made, the vulnerable are not taken care of, and there is no mechanism in place for a community to repent, to return to a previous point of spiritual purity and sanctity - T’Shuvah (repentance).  In fact, both places, the place of origin and place of destination are so impure, the abominations are so deplorable that to mimic such behavior is tantamount to spiritual death. Instead, the Torah implores B’nai Yisroel to mimic and imitate God, the embodiment of spiritual purity, holiness, and life. Vi’Heyitem Li Kedoshim Ki Kadosh Ani Adoshem Va’Avdil Etchem Min Ha’Amim Li’heyot Li – You shall be holy for me for I, Hashem, am holy; and I have separated you from the People’s to be mine. (Lev. 20:26). Holiness is the act of sanctifying life. Even if touched by death, as Aharon had been touched by the death of his sons, a person can engage in behaviors that sanctify life. Alternatively, a person could wallow in misery and sadness engage in behavior that demeans or desecrates life allowing his/her own spirit to die.

          Our daughter described the moments between Mincha and Maariv, the moments between the end of one day and the commencement of another day as “stark”. She described the sorrow and sadness of death in one moment and the joyous celebration of life in the next moment.  Only Israel, only Judaism, which marks the end of one day and the beginning of another day with the setting sun,  demonstrates that life and death are inextricably connected. Yes, the memories of those who died, Acharei Mot, after their deaths,  in Israel’s war and victims of terrorism were remembered. Remembering those men, women, and children had a distinct purpose. The purpose was Kedoshim, to make a place holy, and to make a particular time holy. By engaging in the solemnity of remembering, Israelis and those who observe and celebrate with Israel,  celebrated more than Independence. Israel and those who observe and celebrate with Israel celebrated the holiness of life itself. As our daughter and her friends stood in silence, couldn’t help but acknowledge celebrate the miracle that is the State of Israel.

Peace,
Rav Yitz

Lord, Try To Read Between The Lines; I Had A Feeling I Was Falling, Falling, Falling Lord, I turned Round To See (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia -"Bertha")

           It has been quite an emotional week. This week is my grandfather’s 6th yahrzeit. Six years later, there is rarely a day that I don’t think about him. Three years ago, this week was our son’s bar mitzvah which we celebrated in Israel. Also, three years ago, on the day our son read Torah at the Kotel, Nazis marched in Charlottesville, Virginia. This week, my Rebbe passed away after a long illness. Unable to travel to the States, I had to watch as the service was streamed. Our family attended a Zoom memorial service for a great uncle, my late grandfather’s brother in law (his children and I were very close). We also celebrated with our friends who celebrated their son’s wedding in Israel. We also celebrated our son’s 16th birthday this week. Amid the emotional whipsaw of these moments of joy and sorrow, I have cherished quiet moments of watching the ball game with my son, or a movie with my daughters.

          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 it covenant with God and one in which they don't.  He reminds B'nai Yisroel of the sanctity of Eretz Yisroel (the Land of Israel), the consumption of foods that are consecrated to the Kohanim and he warns B'nai Yisroel to avoid imitating the Rituals and Rites of the Egyptians and the Canaanites. Moshe reminds B'nai 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.

          The Torah tells us: Ki Im El HaMakom Asher Yivchar Adoshem Eloheichem miKol Shivteichem LaSum et Shmo Sham L’Shichno Tidreshu Uvata SHama – Rather, only at the place that Hashem, your God, will choose from among all your tribes to place His Name shall you seek out his Presence, his dwelling, and come there. Certainly, this is reminiscent of the Kadosh Baruch Hu, at the time of the Akeida, telling Avraham that he will show him where to go with his son Yitzchak. Its reminiscent of Avraham as much younger man, leaving his home and going to a place that God would show him., Certainly we could understand Moshe’s words as a  reminder for B’nai Yisroel that “sanctity”. Holiness, Kedusha is central to  Israel, Torah, and Jewish identity. The Sfas Emet (The Gerrer Rebbe from about 1870-1905) reminds us that HaShem’s choice is not revealed until B’nai Yisroel “seeks”.  We only find answers when we seek, when we look, when we investigate. Because we are commanded to seek Shechino, his divine aspects that dwell among us, we are tasked to seek holiness. Holiness is in Time and Space. Holiness is in our  Neshama, Holiness is in our choices, and in our words, our deeds and the way we live our lives. That is the constant choice we are commanded to make HaYom Today –  a choice that we make each and every day and each and every moment.  

          Indeed, the week has been full of all kinds of emotional swings. Yet it dawned on me that precisely during those moments of joy, sorrow, anguish, and gratitude; “seeking” God is most possible. When we are spiritually sedentary, when we are spiritually lazy, we probably lack the spiritual insight of “sight”  of being able to sense or see God. Yet, when we experience the full range of human experience and emotion, we begin to ask questions. Some ask “why”, although I rarely suggest we ask that question. Rather we ought to ask “How”. How do I make this moment, this moment of anguish, or joy, meaningful? How do I make this moment of sorrow or joy holy? When we ask those questions, and we adapt rituals that express meaning in those moments, we embody the words of the Sfat Emet and seek God. In doing so, we make the week full of anguish, and joy, meaningful and sacred.

Peace,

Rav Yitz

It's Got No Signs Or Dividing Lines And Very Few Rules To Guide (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia - "New Speedway Boogie")

          Well, it was the first full week of regular, mundane activity. There were no Jewish Holidays, there was no cleaning up from Jewish Holidays, and there were no days off because of Jewish Holidays. Life returned to routine ebb and flow of school, work, errands, and paying bills. Our dinner conversation reflected this return to the mundane. There was no discussion about menus, sukkah building, grocery lists, and more grocery lists; instead, discussion focused upon everything that we had missed in the world while dealing with three weeks of holidays. Apparently, the world has been in a bit of turmoil and chaos. Forming a coalition government in Israel, Brexit, Impeachment, California forest fires, Kurds, Syria, Turkey, and Putin. As this broad-ranging discussion wound its way from issue to issue; the phone rang. It was my mother asking how everyone was doing now that we had returned to our regular routines and schedules. Our son happily reported life was back to being quiet and boring. Then he added how much he loves living in Toronto because life, in general, was “quiet and boring”.
          This Shabbat we read from Parsha Noach. Comprised of two distinct narratives; both deal with the theology of chaos and confused boundaries. First, we read the story of Noach, God’s disenchantment with Creation and mankind’s behavior, the covenant made between God and Noah and the offering to God. Then there is a brief narrative about Noach’s drunkenness and one son’s inappropriate behavior. The second distinct narrative is also about chaos and confused boundaries. This time, mankind confuses boundaries and attempts to build a tower up to the heavens. The result is that God scatters mankind across the earth by making mankind speak numerous languages and hinder communication.
          When describing the world, when describing the net result of God’s creation ten generations after Adam and Chava, two words are utilized. V’Tishacheit Ha’Aretz Lifnei Ha’Elokim, VaTimalei Ha’Aretz Chamas - Now the earth had become corrupt before God; and the earth had become filled with robbery, VaYar Elokim et Ha’Aretz, v’Hinei Nishchata Ki Hishchit Kol Basar et Darko Al Ha’Aretz- And God saw the earth and behold it was corrupted for all flesh had corrupted its way upon the earth. The two words Sha’ChaT - corrupt and ChaMaS- robbery are not necessarily the words we envision when describing a miserable uninhabitable, dystopian place. Certainly, the Torah could have said that the world was "uninhabitable" or "an empty void" as it said in the Breishit. ShaChat literally means wanton harm to self and to others, twisted, pervert, ruin. Ten generations after God had created by separating light & dark, day & night, heaven & earth, land & water, fish & fowl, six workdays & one day of rest (Shabat); all that order had become twisted and was wantonly destroyed. Apparently, mankind wantonly hurt mankind's’ self and mankind’s environment. The second term ChaMaS means to do violence, to extort. Both words allude to the notion of chaos, wanton destruction. There is no rhyme nor reason and therefore one is unable to plan and exist within chaos. Extortion also alludes to chaos. A person has to “re-purchase” what they already own but had been stolen ie. kidnapping. Rashi explains that these terms suggest that corruption means immorality and idolatry, and “violence/extortion” suggests robbery. In other words, there were no boundaries, no separations nor distinctions. Recalling that HaVDiL, separation was the key to God’s creation, then chaos, no order, no boundaries are the means by which we destroy.
          Both the story of the Flood and the Tower of Bavel suggest the tension of humanity. God’s world is one of order. Mankind struggles between the godly instinct of order and ungodly instinct of chaos and wanton violence. Given all the news, whether it is the raging wildfires (controlling chaos) or Syria and the Turkish border (perpetrating chaos); stable societies and communities fear chaos. Families and especially children try to avoid chaos. Perhaps the human condition is to figure out how to create order amid chaos. So as our children spoke to their grandmother, they extolled the virtues of life in Toronto “that it was quiet and boring”. As they said these words to my mother, I heard her say the same words she has said to me my whole life. “I love to hear that my children and grandchildren’s lives are quiet and boring.”
Peace, 
Rav Yitz

What Truth Is Proof Against All Lies When Sacred Fails Before Profane (Gerrit Graham & Bob Weir -"Victim Or The Crime")

Prior to Israel and Jews throughout the world observed Yom HaZikaron (Remembrance Day), and Yom Ha’Atzmaut (Israel’s Independence Day) Israelis had to endure rocket fire from Gaza. This wasn’t just a couple of rockets that were shot down by the Iron Dome. This was over two hundred rockets fired over the course of about 36 hours. Schools in Ashkelon and along Israel’s southern border near Gaza were closed. With our daughter in Israel, my wife felt compelled to remind me that our daughter was in the North parts of Israel with her program so I shouldn’t be overly worried. Yet, I did worry. Maybe not so much for my daughter but for YouTube videos that showed Israeli children listening to sirens, running to bomb shelters, and clutching to their parents. I also saw YouTube videos and numerous Palestinian teenage boys standing near the border with Israel hurling slingshots, and trying to float incendiary balloons across the wall. Can I empathize with their frustration? Yes. Can I empathize with their anger? Yes. However as my children point out, and I agree, those angry frustrated Palestinians were aiming their slingshots, and rockets and directing their frustration and hopelessness the wrong way. How do we know this? It was self- evident from all those YouTube videos filmed by the Gazans and Hamas who clearly support and instigate the unrest and the rocket fire. The videos indicate that Hamas rockets were launched from schools, hospitals, apartment buildings and houses of worship.  Videos indicate that the mothers and the daughters, dressed in traditional observant Muslim clothing, remain behind their sons and their brothers, encouraging and supporting their sons and brothers slingshot stones and float incendiary balloons over the wall. When I saw that, any empathy I may have had dried up. I couldn’t imagine my wife and my daughters running behind her son and their brother all the while encouraging and supporting him as he endangered his life and the lives of those around him.  Rather, I could imagine my son’s mother and his three older sisters walking up to him and dragging him out of harms’ way.  I thought about Golda Meir’s words: “Peace will come when the Arabs start to love their children more than they hate us.”  

This Shabbat we read from Parsha Kedoshim. Kedoshim is the plural form of the adjective Kodesh, which means holy.  In this particular case, the antecedent for Kedoshim is Kol Adat B’nai Yisroel – the Entire Assembly of the Children of Israel. All of Israel is Holy, why? As we will read over and over again in a mantra-like fashion, Ki Kadosh Ani Adonai Eloheichem – Because Holy am I, Hashem your God. We are holy because of our sacred relationship to God. Interestingly, the rest of the Parsha does NOT concentrate on the relationship between God and humanity. Instead, the Parsha outlines the moral and ethical behavior that we are commanded to display towards our fellow human being. Keeping in mind that we are all created B’Tzelem Elokim – the Image of God; we are urged to imitate God. We are reminded to treat others as we would treat God.

The plethora of ethical behaviors outlined includes “do not place a stumbling block before the blind”, or “a workers wage shall not remain with you overnight until morning”. Even the Golden Rule, urging us to treat others as we hope to be treated is part of Kedoshim. The great Talmudic Sage Rabbi Hillel, explained to an individual who wanted to learn Torah while standing on one leg that this one rule embodies the essence of Torah “the rest are the details” (Shabbat 31a). V’Ahavta L’Rei’echa K’Mocha – You shall love your fellow human being as yourself (Lev 19:18).  Rabbi Akiva, another Talmudic Sage, explains that this is the fundamental rule of the Torah (Jerusalem Talmud Nedarim 9:4). Rabbi Avraham Yehoshua Heschel explained that this commandment does not mean to love saintly and righteous people – it is impossible NOT to love such people. Rather God commands us to love even people whom it is hard to love. However we do not “love” to our detriment. These ethical statements and the re-iteration of many of the commandments are put into the context of human relationship because it is much easier to see the immediacy and relevance of these commandments in human terms while aspiring to and appealing to the Godliness in each soul.

How different would Gaza, its inhabitants, and Israel be if Gazans sought Kedushah, holiness here on earth rather than in death? How different would Gaza, its inhabitants, and Israel be if Gazan sought Kedushah and understood the words Loving your neighbor as Heschel understood it: even if he is difficult to love? How much poison, how much hate can an organization have that uses its own people for fodder in order to promote despair and death?  How many Gazans need to be enslaved by Hamas to build tunnels? How much money and supplies does Hamas need to for tunnels rather than hospitals, schools, and community centers? How many children need to be poisoned with hate in order to convince them to fight? How many mothers need to be rewarded/bribed with funds in order to allow their children to be “martyred”?  The tragedy is that Hamas and every organization like Hamas have placed a stumbling block in front of the blind. The tragedy for Palestinians in Gaza is not Israel. Rather, the tragedy is that they allowed themselves to be fooled when they voted for Hamas all those years ago. They chose to unholy poison offered by Hamas rather than the nectar of Kedushah and peace with Israel. As tragic as all that is; I find Golda Meir’s words even more tragic: We can forgive [them] for killing our children. We cannot forgive them from forcing us to kill their children.

Peace,

Rav Yitz