One Torah for All

Haazinu Shabbat Shuva 5775 – Why Return? Dvarim ch. 32

     As though each nation was a child with rules to follow set out by HaShem, Moshe sings of how they strayed and will stray and then were and will be rebuked by HaShem in this week’s portion of Parashat Haazinu. In a sense he sang of an ethical will for which a part was for each nation. Yet some nations are no more while others flourish despite their abominations.

     Still our focus is to remember how we were nurtured by Hashem even since the earliest of our ancestors. By pointing out the punishments meted out to errant other nations, Moshe encourages us not to go astray lest we meet a similar fate. Yet some nations flourish despite their abominations.

     They surely will not return to the behaviours and tasks HaShem had set out for them. Despite this, they continue in this world. Indeed it seems that some of these surviving nations feed upon the weak who do seem to try to lead ethical lives but do not have the wherewithal to defend themselves. Does that mean that to truly lead ethical lives along the path of HaShem that we also need to be prepared to stand up for ourselves and others against the abuses and terrors of Amalek? We were told to wipe out Amalek. Is that not the same?

     Yet there are nations with many comforts for their people amidst the ever-present greed, corruption, lusts, hatreds, etc. They did not return to the ways of HaShem and still they prosper.

     So why should we return? Can we not prosper even if we do not follow the path of HaShem?

On this Shabbat of Return, Shabbat Shuva between Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur, we truly need to decide whether we should return and why. Shall we return? Will you return? If we do, what will that return look like? Shabbat Shuva Shalom! Shabbat Shalom!

For the High Holy Days Season 5775

Another year of days has passed us by filled with challenges and joys,

With choices along ways we sought to try through reasoning or ploys.

The ripples from each step we took,

The friends we made or forsook

Each tell of our strengths and imperfections

Weighing harshly upon our souls,

As we now realign our goals

To renew ourselves in deep reflections,

Recall our good deeds,

Return to Mitzvot,

To good guidance heed,

For world repair lead,

But above all note:

Prosperity cannot truly come without Peace.

May we all strive for peace among ourselves and among the nations, coming from a stance of strength tempered by love and compassion!

SHANA TOVA TICHATEIMU ! MAY WE ALL BE SEALED FOR A YEAR OF BLESSINGS!

Bereishit 5775 When is the Beginning?

     After Simchat Torah, the cycle has completed for 5774 and again begun albeit now for 5775.  Our reading returns to the words: “In the beginning…”  Yet we need to ask: “Which beginning?  The beginning of what?”

     Is it the beginning of all creation?  Is it the beginning of the story of the Children of Israel?  Is it the beginning of the story of humankind?

     If the beginning of the Children of Israel, the pertinent timeframe indeed extends almost 6000 years as represented in our lunar calendar date of 5775.  If the beginning of humankind, then we need to add hundreds of thousands of years.  Although there are some who would protest such numbers, they speak from willful ignorance. 

     Jewish tradition according to the Rambam [Maimonides] requires us to be learned in all factual disciplines so that we can be adequately prepared to understand what Torah is telling us.  To do so we would use our time honored multiple methods of rational decision making that is taught in many versions of daily morning prayers.  Consistent with this is the State of Israel’s directive to all (orthodox) yeshivot [schools] that they must now teach sciences, math and other ‘secular’ topics as well as religious ones.

     So there is for Jews, therefore, nothing inconsistent with accepting archaeological and paleontological evidences.  Clearly then the beginnings of humankind was long before 6000 years ago!

     As for the beginnings of creation, even present day experts do not agree on how huge a time period has passed since the beginning.  Yet we can be sure that ‘yom’ in the creation stories we read this week for Shabbat Bereishit does not mean a 24 hour period.  Indeed it seems likely to represent epochs of undeterminate lengths of time.

     What other beginnings seem pertinent to this time of the year?  When did they start or have they started?  How many beginnings are described in this week’s portion, Parashat Bereishit [Genesis ch. 1:1-6:8]?  Please send us your list of the beginnings you have discovered for discussion on this Shabbat.  Shabbat Shalom!

Noach 5775 Must We Babble? (Bereishit [Genesis] 6:9-11:32)

     Middle Eastern legend had it that all people were all gathered at Shinar and all spoke one language, apparently preferring the comfort and safety of city life over rural or nomadic life. While archaeological evidence indicates that there were many other enclaves of people throughout the world at that time, let us assume that the people of the Middle East at Shinar were unaware of the others. However we are told that they had been interacting with heavenly beings [e.g. Nephilim, the Fallen Ones] and hence had been seeing technological wonders beyond their comprehension. Yet they were arrogant enough to think that they, too, could build such technical wonders, starting with a tower reaching up to the heavens to meet the heavenly host.

     So the heavenly host [divine messengers?] came down to see if indeed people posed any threat to them, to invade and overthrow / supplant them. Having decided that the threat was real, the heavenly host somehow made the people unable to understand each other. Were they no longer able to speak the same language? Were seeds of misinformation being spread around to create distrust and misunderstandings? Did the people not have the technical know-how to keep their projects from falling apart? Once their projects fell apart, did they have bitter repercussions, violently and vengefully blaming each other for the failures?

     Any of these scenarios could explain the story cliff notes we are given in this week’s portion of Parashat Noach [Bereishit (Genesis) ch. 11:1-9]. The infamous Tower of Babel led to the peoples babbling incomprehensibly.

     Does that sound familiar? So many countries have ongoing disputes today both internally and externally. Even though the parties to the various disputes do have common interests, they focus more on their disagreements than on their common interests to reach an accord and to avoid violence. They all seem to be babbling. No wonder marriage counselors and divorce lawyers appear to be doing very well for themselves.

     If we were ever to learn to stop babbling, would we not then truly be able to achieve huge technological successes? If we did so, would we not then be in a position to challenge the Heavenly Host even as was feared in 11:6 that if we all cooperated and understood each other, nothing would be out of our reach. Do you think that the nations will ever stop babbling and learn instead to cooperate? Or are we still under the divine curse of the Tower of Babel? If so, how can we overcome that “curse” while relaxing in Shabbat rest? Shabbat Shalom!

Lech Lecha 5775 Seeking Safety,  Bereishit [Genesis] 12:1-17:27

     So Avram’s family has fled Ur to seek their future fortunes.  Perhaps it was too painful to be in Ur where Avram’s brother Haran had died [Bereishit 11:28].  Was it no longer safe in Ur?  That would be consistent with the known history of a violent Elamite takeover of Ur from five generations of Semitic kings.

     To escape, Terah took part of his family [including Avram, Sarai and Lot] west to Hauran, a town on the east-west and the north-south trade routes of the area [as also noted by Herz, p.40].  Nahor, Milcah his wife and daughter of Haran, and Iscah son of Haran went elsewhere however.  Eventually Nahor and Milcah settled in Aram-naharaim by the rivers to the north of Ur [e.g. see Bereishit 24:10].

     In this week’s portion of Parashat Lech Lecha, we read that after becoming very wealthy in Egypt where they escaped the famine in Canaan, Avram and Lot went in opposite directions to settle and for safety by avoiding conflict between their two households.  However five warring kings invaded the Sodom area and took Lot and his family captives.  Yet safety of family continued to be the most important value for Avram.  So he organized a rescue mission with 3 friendly kings and saved all the captives but took no spoils for himself. [Ch. 14]

     After acting in such a righteous manner, Avram is told by HaShem that the lands of Canaan are promised to his descendants [CH. 15].  However no mention is made as to whether they will be safe.  In fact, there are many parts of Torah where this promise is repeated, but only conditionally.  In other words, the promise will be fulfilled only if the people observe the terms of the brit [contract / covenant with HaShem] which Avram did de facto without having been told to do so by HaShem. 

     Still, today we continue to seek safety.  We desire peace in our own country within safe borders.  It seems not much different than Avram seeking to have all of his family living in safe circumstances.

     How can we possibly achieve such safety - in our homes - in the countries where we live - in Israel - in the world?  What can we do to improve our safety?  What can we do to improve safety for us all?  Perhaps this Shabbat we can take the first steps towards making the world a safer place for us all.  Shabbat Shalom!

VaYera 5775 The Costs of Safety (Bereishit 19:1-20:18)

            As we learned this past week, safety of the family was paramount to Avraham.  However sometimes ensuring safety comes at a cost.  SO last week when Sarai and Avram passed themselves off as siblings, they ended up wealthy and kicked out of Egypt.  This week’s portion of Parashat VaYera has additional examples in chapters 19 and 20: a) Lot’s family fleeing the destruction of Sodom and Gemorrah, and b) Abraham and Sarah meeting Avimelech of Gerar.

            Lot valued hospitality and the safety of guests.  A cost was nearly the deflowering of two of his daughters.  The real cost came when they fled for their lives from massive destruction.  It was the loss of his wife who turned into a pillar of salt as she looked back while they fled and the rest of his family left behind.  Only those two daughters remained.

            After the destruction of all the towns on the plain of Sodom and Gemorrah, Lot’s daughters feared that the family line would be lost since they believed there were no men left with whom they could marry.  The cost for the safety of the family line was incest with their inebriated father, Lot.

            As for Avraham and Sarah in Gerar, undoubtedly their attempt to pass Sarah off as Avraham’s sister was in order to keep Avraham safe from those who would kill him to take his wife.  It surely also had a cost or two.  However it is not clear what that price was.  On the surface, Avraham and his family became wealthier and were welcomed to settle anywhere in the city of Gerar and its lands.  Yet the family did not stay in Gerar but went elsewhere in the land of the Philistines after a dispute over water rights with the people of King Avimelech for wells which Avraham had dug.  The King was called in and settled the dispute by deeding the land and the wells of Beer-sheva to Avraham.

            Why did Avraham and King Avimelech get along so well with the King helping Avraham to get wealthier and more settled? 

            Many of the choices we make in life are to secure our own safety and/or the safety of those we love.  What trade-offs, what costs do we incur when we make these choices?  Are we dishonest in our speech or in our transactions or in our interactions with others?  Do we tolerate idolatrous impositions upon us?  Do we put up with sexually compromising treatments?

            What are the costs for our choices to maximize safety?  This topic requires us to reflect deeply upon our actions and thoughts.  May we successfully do so this Shabbat as we discuss the costs of safety.  Shabbat Shalom!

Chayei Sarah 5775 Separating Truth from Myths and Assumptions [Bereishit 23:1-25:18]

     Some people in modern times treat the Torah and other liturgical books as idols.  They want to take every word as the literal truth.  Last month we read a classic case example when we read the story of creation of the world [Bereishit ch. 1].  It was then we realized that he story was not talking about six 24 hour days but rather six extended periods of undefined time.

      The critical, rational, thought process we used was according to the teachings of Maimonides, the Rambam.  So, too, now we need to view the continuing Torah and Haftorah stories in such a way taking into account historical, archaeological, and paleontological evidences.

     Last week we had two stories in our Haftorah.  The first one dealt with a barrel of unending oil, allegedly a miracle by the Prophet Elisha to help a righteous widow pay off her debts and support her family.  Since there were many similar, popular stories in the cultures of biblical times, we suspect this is a myth.  All the stories seem to have a common underlying theme that the needy righteous will be rewarded and cared for.

     The second story tells of Elisha being a favorite guest of a childless Shunamite couple during his travels through their town.  To comfort the wife, Elisha predicts that she would have a son in about a year’s time.  She did.  When the child was a lad in the fields with her husband, he complained of a headache and was sent home.  There he seemed to die in her arms.  The mother rushed to Elisha who rushed then to the child.  Through what sounds like warming and artificial respiration, Elisha revives the child.  Reasonable?  Yes, there are several scenarios that could explain such a story as realistic.

     A most interesting question does arise:  Was the relationship between King Avimelech and Sarah similar to the relationship between Elisha and the Shunamite?

     In this week’s portion of Parashat Chayei Sarah, we learn that Sarah died.  Avraham bought a plot of land for a sepulchre in which to inter her.  Then he sent his most trusted servant to find a wife for Isaac [Bereishit 24]. Many would have us believe that the trusted servant was Eliezer of Damascus mentioned in Bereishit XV:2 .  This seems to be quite an assumption.  What evidence supports or refutes this contention?  

     Is it myth, likely truth, or assumption?  Can we unravel all this during Shabbat and the upcoming Global Jewish Day of Learning on Sunday?  ………………………………………………..Shabbat Shalom!

Toldot 5775 Water Rights

     During our reading so far in Bereishit [Genesis], we have learned that Avraham, Sarah, and their kin lived for some time in the cosmopolitan city of Ur.  As camel route traders, they would have been highly educated. Certainly if Sarai was a princess priestess, as her name appears to indicate, she would need to have been well educated in royal priestess duties, herbology, etc.  According to Josephus, Avraham was a superb teacher of math and astronomy.  Early in their travels, when they fled to Egypt from the famine in Canaan, it is said that Avraham supported himself and those with him by teaching math and science.

     So it would be no surprise if Avraham and Sarah kept records of everything they did even as royalty kept such records through the use of scribes.  Of course such a record would likely include detailed stories about the use of the brother/ husband – sister/ wife escapades.  However more mundane dealings would have been recorded such as when famines and droughts happened and where wells were dug and what became of them.

Hence it is no surprise that in the lives of Rifka and Yitzchak, as recorded in this week’s portion of Parashat Toldot, there are clear reminders that the family knew of all these exploits of Avraham and Sarah [ch.26-27].  

     For example, we read that Yitzchak and Rifka tried the sister/ wife ploy when sojourning in Gerar during a famine in Canaan.  However Avimelech would have none of it.  He told them plainly that he remembered well when Sarah and Avraham visited.

     Further, Yitzchak tried to excavate the old wells his father had dug.  As with Avraham before him, he met with opposition by the locals.  Again Avimelech stepped in, broke up the row, and confirmed Yitzchak’s water rights to some of the wells.

     Why was Avimelech so protective of Yitzchak?  What other commonalities are there between the lives of Sarah and Avraham and of Rifka and Yitzchak?  How did such commonalities affect their children?  May we successfully explore the generational repetitions during this Shabbat’s discussion.  Shabbat Shalom!

VaYetzei 5775 Wise Husbands and Husbandry  [Bereishit 28:10 - 32:2]

     As we continue the saga of Avraham’s family, we focus this week on the survival of Yaacov, Avraham’s grandson.  In this Parasha of VaYetzei, Yaacov goes to relatives at the north end of the coastal camel route both to escape the wrath of his brother Esau and to search for a wife among the relatives.

     Although tricked into marrying both twins Leah and Rachel, we learn that he was a good husband to both and included them in important family decisions [31:15-16].  Despite the rivalry between the two sisters as to who would bear more sons, it is clear that they worked together for the best welfare of the family.

     We also learn that Yaacov had good powers of observation so that he could breed for strong speckled and striped ovines.  However, like any company protecting trade secrets, he led others to believe that he achieved this by the magic of whittled rods.

     Since Yaacov came from a family of well-educated people who passed on their education [at least in part] to their most promising offspring, it makes one wonder what [if any] education Laban passed on to his offspring.  Clearly his daughters, Rachel and Leah, were no dummies, but did they learn that wisdom from Yaacov after they were married? 

     Apparently Laban’s sons were jealous bullies.  This led to Yaacov and his wives deciding to flee the clutches of Laban and their brothers.  So like his paternal grandparents in Egypt before him, Yaacov left an uncomfortable and perhaps dangerous situation with his entire family and much wealth in livestock and followers while being told not to come back ever.

     Is making lemonade out of lemons a family tradition?  How influential and important is parental education of offspring?  How does that affect us now in modern times?  This Shabbat, let us reflect on how parental influence and education affect us all in the paths of our lives.  Shabbat Shalom!

VaYishlach 5775 Repercussions of Revenge [Bereishit ch. 34:1-35:15]

     As we read last week in Parashat VeYetzei, when Laban swore revenge on whomever stole his family teraphim [ancestor idols], Yaacov agreed to punish the culprit if among his people.  Sadly prophetic words?

     In this week’s portion of Parashat VaYishlach, Yaacov is forced to flee Shechem from which ripples flowed ending with the death of that culprit.  What, though, caused Yaacov to flee Shechem?

He had thought he had found a copasetic place to settle.  The neighbors seemed friendly.  However, the neighbors’ prince forced himself upon Dina, Yaacov’s daughter.  When the Prince offered to marry Dina, it looked like diplomacy might prevail.

      Yet Dina’s brothers were duplicitous.  After insisting that all men of Shechem be circumcised, they took revenge on the Prince and his people during their discomfiture.  They slaughtered them all. The others of Yaacov’s sons, possibly affected by the blood lust frenzy, then pillaged the town.  This was definitely not a high point in our ancestors’ history…

     So Yaacov realized that he had become odious to the surrounding tribes and leaders.  Since Israel was small in number and unprepared to fight many trained warriors, Yaacov had all his people bury their idols and flee with him to BethEl.  Apparently this is a clear example of a repercussion of revenge.

     During their flight, Rachel’s elderly midwife Devorah died.  So when Rachel went into labor, possibly induced early by the flight,  she had less familiar [and possibly less experienced] nurses to work with her.  Whatever the reason, she died in childbirth.  Was this a repercussion of Laban’s desire for revenge?  Perhaps instead it was a repercussion of the vengeful folly of Shimon and Levi when they took revenge upon all men of Shechem for the violation of their sister Dina by the Prince of Shechem?

     Have you ever taken revenge for a perceived violation?  What were the repercussions?  What repercussions do we see when other people or groups take revenge on those they feel have done them wrong?  We are in for a serious and somber discussion this Shabbat.  May we thereby possibly get a handle on a way to strive for Tikun Olam.  Shabbat Shalom!

VaYeishev 5775 Righteousness

     It is strange that when we read of the lineage of the righteous king Solomon, we usually find the emphasis on the male lineage.  We hear of the house of Judah and of King David who was most challenged in the area of righteousness.  We also hear of Boaz who was a decent man.  However it was the righteousness of Naomi and especially of Rut that led eventually to the birth of Solomon.  Yet even before those righteous women spun their tale, there was a first righteous woman during the time of the sons of Yaacov in Canaan.

     As we read in this week’s portion of Parashat VaYeishev (Bereishit [Genesis] ch. 38), Judah married a local woman who bore him three sons.  He married off the oldest to a woman called Tamar.  However this son died before Tamar could bear him an heir.  As was the custom, Judah then had Tamar marry his second son in a Levirate marriage so that she could bear a child on his older brother’s name.  The second son, it is said, also displeased HaShem and died.

     Judah told Tamar then to wait until his youngest son became old enough to marry.  However he continued to procrastinate.  Tamar feared she would become too old to bear children if she waited much more.

     Now people back then were really not much different than people now.  Some were observant and others walked around in a fog.  We know Yaacov was observant as he figured out how to breed for spotted and striped livestock.  Women were no less observant.

     For thousands of years women had been tracking their cycles relative to lunar cycles.  At least some of them figured out when during their cycles they would be most fertile.  So when Judah became a widower and went to shear sheep, folk within his clan [unhappy with his procrastination] worked with Tamar to set her up to seem to be a harlot along the way to the sheep.  Judah could not resist but had no payment.  So he left tokens as an I.O.U: his signet and his staff as collateral.  The then pregnant Tamar was vindicated by Judah when she presented his tokens of good faith.  He called her righteous.  One of the twins she bore was a paternal line ancestor to King Solomon.  

     Who are the righteous women you have known?  Let us enjoy sharing our tales of righteous women this Shabbat!  Shabbat Shalom!

Miketz 5775 Another Righteous Woman and the Dreamer

The tale of another Righteous woman comes this week to the fore.

Hannah gave up her own life and those of her sons to praise the Lord,

While Yosef clung to life of unwarranted incarceration

Beneath a Pharoah of a different faith.

Yet Yosef, too, was righteous in his own way.

Or were they?

Choose life we are told should we be so bold –

Why then is Hannah so lauded?

We could never know of her lonely show

Had survivors not applauded!

So who is righteous and who the dreamer?

Who clings to HaShem?  Who’s just a schemer?

Will we coerced by tyrants like Hannah give up our lives and dreams?

Or let those of other faiths impose their dogma upon us?

Can we yet now strive to teach sensitivity and tolerance

To those who push their beliefs and who would be tyrants among us?

Chanukah proclaims that stand to reject religious oppression.

Tikun Olam is preferred to sin of omission confession!

Yet do we heed the call to not hide, to dream and teach for freedom?

Or are we in shadows not seeing those Liberties?  We need some…

Not much up to an update you all… not since I exacerbated something in my shoulder injured 2 years ago in that wreck.  So be well all of you and wishes for a wonderful winter season!  Happy Chanukah and Shabbat Shalom!

VaYigash 5775 Unconditional Family Reunion – 

(Bereishit ch. 45-46)

     What an appropriate topic for this season!  Now we read in this week’s portion of Parashat VaYigash that Yaacov’s sons are unconditionally reunited after a bit of uncertainty and drama when Judah offers to be responsible for all deeds by his brothers.

     Is it possible that Judah learned humility and responsibility from Tamar?  After all, she effectively made him uphold the family dignity by fathering an heir [in fact, twins] on the name of her late husband, his oldest son.

     By doing so, Judah supplanted Reuven, the oldest son of Yaacov, who lost favor through arrogant, selfish acts. Examples of such acts are consorting with his Father’s concubine [an act common at that time when the oldest son took over the ruling of a tribe from his father] and acting as if he was tribe leader before his father died [much to the ire of Yaacov].  This is further consistent with the tribe of Judah being the ancestors of King David and his progeny, especially his wise son, Solomon.

     What a wonderful example of a family reunion after which the family all ended up together in Goshen!  How do the families you know get along – and why?  

     May we have good family and friends get-togethers this season…  May we also appreciate our blessings as we discuss the idiosyncrasies of families this Shabbat!  

Shabbat Shalom!

VaYechi 5775 Origins, Bereishit [Genesis Ch. 49-50]

     As we finish the first book of Torah [Bereishit] this week, we realize that it has shared with us stories of many origins such as:  the origin of this planet, the origin of good and evil, the origin of plant and animal diversity, the origin of human diversity, the origins of some specific livelihoods and talents, and the origin of the Israelites.  At the end of this book, each tribe receives blessings and ethical cautions as well as descriptions of their strengths in livelihoods.

     Why is it important for a people to know about these various origins?  What difference does it make to recall who developed tent dwelling or figured out how to make metal tools, who developed a system of music and musical instruments or organized a consistent method of singing?

     How significant can any of this be when we only have names of inventors and no stories to fill in details of context or of how they achieved their inventions?  Were they the first inventors or only the people who brought these inventions to a specific locale?

     Perhaps today the only significance we can attach is that there was a logical, gradual progression along a path of advancement to civilization and urbanization, from nomadic hunting to raising livestock and then to agriculture!  Yet the last of the origin stories in Bereishit are the ones which give us an identity of who we are and where we come from. They tell us of our imperfections and our potentials.  They hint at how we can live ethical, righteous lives.

     Still, we will need to wait until the next books to learn about the origins of our laws and the ensuing battles we fought encourage others to accept them [? impose them on others?] What interest do you have in the stories of our origins?  How should we use them to guide and improve our lives?  Do we need all of them?  There is much to ponder and discuss this Shabbat…  Chazak, Chazak, v’Nitchazek!  Be strong, be strong, and we will be strengthened!  

Shabbat Shalom!

Shemot 5775 Characterizing the Holy [Shemot/ Exodus Ch. 1-]

     In Bereishit, Genesis, our forefathers and foremothers knew HaShem in a personal fashion.  It was as if they instinctively knew how to live in the Presence of HaShem, the One and Only.  They could not depend on guidance from their relatives who were idol worshippers, greedy, corrupt, vengeful, jealous, and so forth.

     However by the 4th generation [the children of Yaacov/ Yisrael], the forces of assimilation had become quite powerful.  The allure of assimilation offered many temptations to stray from righteous and ethical lifestyles.  Unlike previous generations where the neighbors and relatives were for the most part antagonistic and often threatening, the fourth generation’s neighbors were often welcoming and friendly.

     Now we get to the second book of Torah, Shemot [Exodus] which starts with a reiteration of the list of the people who went to Egypt with Yaacov/ Yisrael.  Yet at this point the People of Yisrael, for the most part, do not have an instinctive sense of the Holy.  They lived as most people in Egypt lived, as indentured servants to the tyrannical Pharaohs of the times.  They followed the rituals taught to them but with minimal direct interaction with HaShem until the advent of Moshe Rabeinu [Moses our Teacher].

     So Exodus is a book wherein the major players are Moshe and HaShem working together to teach the People how to return to HaShem while seeking to fulfill the dreams of our foremothers and forefathers.  It appears that it is Moshe who defines the Holy and characterizes HaShem.

How do you characterize the Holy and the Holy One?  From where do your ideas of the Holy and the Holy One come from?  Are they from Torah?  If so, where in Torah?  

     This Shabbat, let us tolerantly discuss the variety of our perceptions of the Holy and the Holy One – and where we think these understandings came from.   Shabbat Shalom!

Shavuah Tov!    Commentary coming soon:

  Plagues:  Natural or Miracles?

VaEra 5775 Plagues: Natural and/or Miracles?

     Who was Moshe?  Sure he was the son of Yochevet and Amram.  He was brother to Miriam and Aaron, too.  Yet he was also a prince of the Egyptian rulers.  That means he had the best military, scientific, court ‘magic’, and political training available at that time.  He met people from all over the known world including contemporaries attending the Egyptian court university.

     As a result Moshe would have contacts and likely friends all around the known world.  He would also likely have worked with the Egyptian military in many foreign countries, as Josephus reports.  This would have further expanded his group of friends and contacts.

It is not a stretch to think that when Moshe went into exile in Midian, he kept in touch with friends in many far away places.  So when multiple natural disasters started in the Middle East, and particularly around the Mediterranean, Moshe heard rather quickly about all the bad news.  Hence Moshe was able to choose to use these natural events to his benefit.

    While we are told by commentators that the first plague described in this week’s portion of Parashat VaEra, was similar to the ‘magic’ of the court advisors, the other plagues were not so easily explained away.  There are investigators, as cited by Rabbi Reeve [Reuven] Brenner, who convincingly tie the second through ninth plagues to the effects of a series of massive volcanic eruptions on Santorini Island.  As for the last plague, that too can be explained by a natural event.  However that is more complex an explanation and for further discussion next week.

     So while HaShem knew during creation when the earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and other natural disasters would occur, it was up to the choices of people to use them to perform the miracle of gaining freedom from servitude.  This Shabbat we will delve into the questions surrounding the plagues and their relationship to geological, archaeological, and historical finds.  Shabbat Shalom!

Shavuah Tov!    Commentary coming soon:

Yitro 5775 Where’s Mt. Sinai, the Mountain of HaShem? [Exodus 18-20]

     We start this week’s portion of Parashat Yitro with the arrival of Yitro bringing back Moshe’s wife and young sons to him. Apparently they had earlier been sent to Midian, likely for their safety given the dangers from Amalekites who attacked the weakest of the escaping people. This return, we are told, occurred at the foot of the mountain of HaShem, Har [Mt.] Sinai. Then Torah turns to the first telling of the giving of the brit [covenant] between HaShem and the Israelites, popularly known as the 10 commandments.

     This sequence of events has been very troubling to scholars trying to explain why Zipporah and the children were sent so far to Midian from what they assumed was the wilderness between the gulfs of Suez and Aqaba and then brought back such a long distance. Their assumption was that Mt. Sinai was in the peninsula next to Egypt now known as the Sinai Peninsula. However we must question this assumption and pose several queries.

      First, what was the name of the Sinai Peninsula at the time of the Exodus? We now know that the northern route was not then known as the Philistine Way [but rather the Horus Way]. Second, the mountain of HaShem is said to be the same place where Moshe, the Midianite shepherd, saw the ‘burning bush’. So why would someone take a flock of livestock across the narrow isthmus between the Gulf of Aqaba and the Jordan River to the wilderness in that Sinai Peninsula? Third, given that Mt. Sinai is described as having the behavior of a volcano [e.g. with a cloud pillar above it, rumblings, fire, etc.], where was Mt. Sinai? As discussed last week, there were no active volcanoes in the Sinai Peninsula during biblical times. So Torah references to Sinai may simply be speaking of the area in the vicinity of Mt. Sinai, wherever it was. As described in last week’s commentary, the accessible volcanoes were in southern Arabia not far from Midian.

     While generally following the cloud and fire pillars, the People would have had to pass overland through the narrow isthmus [an ideal place for marauders like Amalekites to attack] north of what is now known as the Gulf of Aqaba and then southeast near Midian en route through wilderness to the active volcano. Along the way, Moshe could easily have sent his wife and small sons to their Grandfather in Midian. Once encamped by the volcano in S. Arabia, word would have reached Yitro about what was going on and where Moshe was. It would have been a relatively short trip for Yitro to reunite the family and then give Moshe advice on how to keep the family together by delegating power to a hierarchy of tribal leaders able to care for the mundane tasks of governing and leadership.

     When the terms of the brit were given, we read that it was just after the third new moon since the people left Egypt [6 or 7 of Sivan?]. In other words, likely at least 60 or so days. Time wise this is reasonable for the journeys described with a huge number of people and livestock. This travel time would easily have allowed for some people to leave, return, etc. In the end though Torah states that those who stayed would approach the Promised Land from the east. That would be easier from S. Arabia than from the Wilderness near Egypt and would explain the later difficulties with Midianite and Moabite neighbors during the 40 years of wandering.

     Is it important to know where Mt. Sinai is located? If so, why? If not, why not? Shabbat Shalom!

Shekalim75 / Mishpatim, Charity and Laws - Exodus 22-23; 2 Kings 12:1-17

     In last week’s Torah portion we read that Moshe delegated authority to leaders of the tribes thereby setting up a multi-tiered judicial system.  It follows that we might be curious as to what guided such a system.

     Further, last week we started to read about the basic guiding laws in the form of the ten terms to our brit, our covenant contract with HaShem [known by some as the “Ten Commandments”].  So it is no surprise that in this week’s portion of Parashat Mishpatim for Shabbat Shekalim we read about a variety of laws used to govern the interactions of the People and to guide the judges at the various levels of the system.

     Some of these laws, Mitzvot, are still in use.  Others are no longer easily understood such as the prohibition against cursing of a chieftain [Shemot (Exodus) 22:27] or the exhortation to not tolerate a sorceress [22:17].  At the time of this portion, the people were reminded to care compassionately for the needy including all strangers [23:9-11].  Gratitude and prayers were expressed through burnt offerings [24:5].

     Yet this week also happens to be Shabbat Shekalim, the first of four special Haftorah readings before Pesach [this week from 2 Kings 12:1-17].  It discusses primarily the need for monetary donations [e.g. with Shekalim coins] given for guilt or purification offerings or other sacrifices.  The donations were to be used for the rebuilding of the second Temple desecrated and destroyed by worshippers of Baal.  However, corruption prevented use of the building donations for 16 years.  Then the King discovered the corruption and the Priests lost their salaries.  It is also clear that in those times, sacrifices were done at shrines around the country while only monetary donations were given at the Temple site.

     Today we have changed our practices to all monetary and goods [clothing, food, etc.] donations.  At this season, we are about to celebrate Purim [March 5] and being saved from annihilation in Babylonia.  It is custom during Purim to give donations of gratitude and mitzvot to maintain our facilities, of charity for the needy [esp. so that they can fully observe the upcoming Pesach (22:20-26)], and of trust for use in good works not specified.  What sacrifices and donations will you be giving this season?  Shabbat Shalom!

Shabbat Zachor, Tetzaveh 5775 How can Amalek be wiped out?

Exodus 27:20-30:10

     This week’s portion of Parashat Tetzaveh discusses specifics of dress and accoutrements for Cohanim [Priests] in the Tabernacle.  It is not therefore a portion conducive to commentary on practical application.  One of the topics popular in Orthodox circles is a discussion why Moshe’s name is not written in this parashah.  However this portion is just a continuation of the previous portion which started with one mention of Moshe being addressed by HaShem.  Every further directive is a continuation of this mention through the use of the personal pronoun ‘you’ as Moshe being further addressed by HaShem as to what instructions to follow.  The key is to realize that the division of Torah into weekly portions was not done when Torah was first put down in writing.  Indeed, Torah most probably was originally in five separate scrolls and only much later combined into one large scroll.  Indeed it is reported that after one of the many desecrations of the Second Temple, only one scroll of Deuteronomy was found.  The other books/ scrolls were not found on the Temple grounds at that time.

     So more importantly for this week’s portion is to focus on the Haftorah of Shabbat Zachor, the Sabbath to remember.  [1 Shmuel , Samuel 15:1-34]  What are we to remember?  We are to remember to wipe out Amalek.  This is consistent with heralding the Festival of Purim during which Haman and his line are considered to be Amalek.  Hence when Haman and his family were wiped out, the exhortation to wipe out Amalek was followed by literal wiping out as killing of the ‘evil’ Amalekite people.

     In the Haftorah, Samuel chastised Saul for not following the directives Samuel told him were from HaShem by not killing the Amalekite King Agag and by pillaging the Amalekite property [e.g. flocks].  For this, Saul lost the Kingship.  To make amends to HaShem, Samuel killed Agag himself.

     Today though how must we wipe out Amalek?  First, who is Amalek?  ISIS?  Iranian leaders?  Hamas?  Hezbollah?  Russians in the Ukraine?  Next, what does ‘wipe out’ mean?  Can we rehabilitate Amalek to productive citizens?  Must we instead kill all of Amalek?  If so, how does that make us any better than Amalekites?  This is a painful topic we are obliged to discuss often and also on this Shabbat Zachor.  Shabbat Shalom!

Topic:  Intents Behind Donations

     As we approach the celebration of Purim we at Beit Torah (www.onetorah.org) try to take to heart the lessons of the last few weeks to wipe out Amalek and provide charitable donations to improve the lives of all and to support the institutions which help us educate and fulfill these goals.  So it is also important to talk about Kavanah, the purity of Intent that may or may not be behind these actions, these mitzvot:

Ki Tisa 5775 Intents Behind Donations

     This week’s portion of Parashat Ki Tisa starts off with a familiar and timely theme:  donations.  The first part [Exodus 30:13-16] talks of the same half shekel donation of every person, rich or poor, who is included in the census [flat tax?].  These donations were to HaShem for the upkeep of the Tabernacle, later for the Temple, and today for our congregations, our schools, and our places of worship.

     There were also expiation donations collected to cleanse people of their sins.  These were used to maintain the Tent of Meeting.

      Yet while Moshe went up the mountain to get all the laws and directives from HaShem, some men decided that Moshe had abandoned them and that they needed a new connection to HaShem.  So the men were told to take the gold jewelry from their wives, daughters, and sons to give to Aaron to build an idol to be an intermediary to HaShem [32:2-3].  Then, however, we read that all the people who were speaking against Moshe and Aaron took off their own earrings to give for making the calf idol golden.  These were donation for building a thing, as though the possession of such a thing would give us spiritual enlightenment!  Worship of a thing is clearly idolatry.

      Similarly we have worship of things in our times:  money; highly decorated homes, meeting halls, corporate offices, places of worship, and etc.; gidgets and gadgets; keeping up with the Jones’; jewelry; clothing; etc.  Where should we draw the line between what we have to meet our basic needs and what there is as excessive luxury that could be used to better the world and the lives of others?

At this season we are encouraged to see beyond our selfish desires and give donations to others not as fortunate as ourselves, to the institutions needed to enrich our lives, and to causes that will help maintain and preserve our resources for generations to come.  Like the women who later voluntarily gave their gold to maintain the Tabernacle, so may we be willing to donate to these worthy causes.  Come Purim and then Shabbat, let us discuss how best we can donate to better the world.  SHABBAT SHALOM!

Shabbat Parah 5775 Vayechel/Pekudei [Exodus 35:1- 40:37] Spiritual Return

     This week we have another special Shabbat, the third of four special Haftorot before Pesach [Passover]. [Ezekiel (Yehezkel) 36:16-36, for Sephardim]  Ezekiel’s focus appears to have been an effort to comfort the people in exile and give them hope through the promise of return both to their homeland and, perhaps more importantly, to their spiritual roots.  Indeed the last two Torah portions of Exodus [Shemot, ch. 35-40] which we read this week are also focussed on bringing the People spiritually closer to HaShem.

     In a sense, this Shabbat is an introduction to the upcoming yearly Festival of Pesach during which we annually celebrate our physical freedom from oppression and thereby allowing us to fully enter a new spiritual year, each and every year.  It reminds us that the work to be spiritually connected never ends.  Every Seder reminds us that we always need to strive to return as they end with “Next Year in Jerusalem”.  This refers to both our physical return and to our spiritual return to the Shechinah, often described as residing most intensely in Jerusalem.  This seems to be what Ezekiel described in this week’s Haftorah.

     Given the modern styles of life and the perhaps more mature view that the Shechinah is everywhere if only we look and listen, physical ‘return’ is very unlikely for us especially given the uprooting and moving financial and other costs.  However, spiritual return is a real possibility for each and every one of us.

     How can we prepare ourselves to spiritually return to HaShem?  What can we do to prepare ourselves for the spiritual depths of the upcoming Festival of Pesach?  Perhaps first we need to prepare ourselves to want to spiritually return to HaShem.  Yet is doing mitzvot enough to prepare ourselves for that spiritual journey?

It is a lot to ponder as we prepare for the Pesach coming in less than a month…  and especially for our Annual Pesach Seder on April 3 at the community center where we were last year.  Shabbat Shalom!

Shabbat HaChodesh 5775 Purification Sacrifices

     As we start VaYikra, the Book of Leviticus, we realize that this start heralds the month of Nissan, the month during which we observe the Festival of Pesach [Passover].  The narrative of Torah changes now from history and basic laws to the details of Priestly responsibilities.

In this week’s portion of Parashat VaYikra [Leviticus ch.1-5], as well as in the related Haftorah of Shabbat HaChodesh [Yehezkel/ Ezekiel 45:18-46:16], we read about an emphasis on purification rituals.  

     In those times, blood was considered imbued with the essence of life.  We read that it was used to purify the sacrificial altars and such as well as the households of the people trying to escape the Angel of Death.  The animals used for sacrifice were drained of blood which was then used for purification rituals.  Some of the sacrifices were then dedicated to the purification of the imperfect people.

     The ancient rituals for purification no longer are in use.  We now know that blood does not have miraculous properties of purification and is not the essence of life.  Animal sacrifice is no longer a focus for purification from sins although we do appreciate a good barbeque.  Nonetheless, modern folk have little taste for the shechita, ritual slaughter, and leave it to the relatively few who are specially trained and emotionally secure for the task, a task now exclusively for obtaining kosher meat.

     So we are left with a need to spiritually purify ourselves.  What has been developed to replace the purification sacrifices of old?  What modern practices provide ways to keep our families and our communities safe and pure?  Is the mikvah, the ritual bath, sufficient for that task?  What other past rituals do we no longer use for purification?  

      A better understanding of past and present purification rituals may lead us to the discovery of how we can today achieve spiritual purification.  May we be successful in this search so that we can be best prepared to utilize the freedom that this upcoming season of Pesach recalls.  Shabbat Shalom!

Shabbat HaGadol & Tzav 5775 VaYikra ch 6-8, Malachi 3:4-24

Pesach Preparations: Internal and External

     Once again we have a Shabbat with a special Haftorah reading, the fourth of the special readings before Pesach [Passover]. In this case, the reading heralds Pesach as coming within the week. The theme of purification continues for this week.

     So how do we prepare for Pesach? Perhaps most familiar is how we purify our homes. We clean. It is supposed to be a thorough spring cleaning. We get rid of old foods and foods not kosher for Pesach. At midnight the night before the first Seder we go through the house with a light and a brush [candle and feather] to sweep up the last of the chometz [leavened, not kosher for Pesach crumbs]. Then we even have a ritual of burning the symbolic amount of chometz collected during the late morning before the first Seder.

     We clean our clothes and linens and covers, wash ourselves, cook our special foods, and say we are ready. However, are we? We have taken all possible steps to purify our external environment. We even have “sold” all chometz that might “accidentally” be left on our properties.

     Nonetheless, what have we done to purify our internal environments? What can we do to purify internally?

     For the firstborn there is the fast of the firstborn before the first Seder. In order not to really fast, especially not before Shabbat, study of a tractate topic is completed in the morning in order to break the fast. However, is study sufficient to purify our internal environment, firstborn or not?

     Many go to the mikvah [ritual bath] to purify the external body and the internal through good, pure intentions and prayers. Is that enough? What else can we do to purify ourselves internally? With the rush to prepare for the Pesach, do we even remember that we need to? What will you be doing for self-purification this season?

Shabbat Shalom and a Joyful Pesach to all!

5775

Pesach Season Once More Arrives

Once more the cleaning of the home;

Once more the cooking up a storm!

Is there enough for all the guests?

Will they enjoy the tale of the People’s tests,

The plagues, the oppression, and all the rest?

More, too, then there is the cleansing of our souls:

Have we saved others from crashing on the shoals?

Do we promote freedom where-ever needed?

When we learn of a mitzvah, do we heed it?

So here is the time to reflect

On our ethics and introspect:

Do we now deserve our freedom, so hard won –

Or exist asleep, never feeling the sun? 

Pesach 5775 What Price Freedom?  Counting towards the Law…

Seventh Day : Exodus 13:17-15:26 ;  II Samuel 22:1-51 

Eighth Day: Deuteronomy 15:19-16:17 ; Isaiah 10:32 - 12:6 ;  and maftir, for both Torah readings:  Numbers 28:19-25

     In order for the Israelites to achieve escape from Egypt, Pharaoh and all his host [horses and men] were drowned in the Sea of Reeds.  Yet so many more had dies during the years of Egyptian oppression including innocent male newborns.

As the People travelled nomadically through the area, they had many trials:  plagues, bad or lack of water, murderous Amalekites, seductive neighbors, etc.  Many more died from these natural and man-made disasters.

     Where then should we draw the line as to what price we each are willing to pay for freedom?  Had the male newborns not been killed, would we have risen up against Pharaoh?  Once underway, we had no choice but to lure Pharaoh and his host to their deaths so that they no longer threaten to kill us.  When natural disasters [which were perceived as divine punishments] struck, we had to keep on trucking [so to speak].  Yet was it an acceptable price to slaughter those among us who opposed the leadership of Moshe and Aaron?  Was it right for Pinchas to murder Cozbi?  Was it a proper cost for our freedom to try to slaughter or war with those who opposed our travel through their lands, those who were not willing to have a diplomatic treaty or settlement?  Are these actions not like those we abhor in modern terrorist groups like ISIS?

     On the other hand, doesn’t “no boots on the ground” mean that we are not willing to pay the necessary price to effectively keep or gain our freedom?  When is diplomacy a viable alternative, if ever?

     What is the price of freedom and who pays it?  Let us reflect during this end of Pesach on the challenges during the journey of our People as we count the days of travel from Egypt to Mt. Sinai and the parallels to challenges of modern times.  Shabbat Shalom and Chag Pesach Sameach!

Shabbat Shemini 5775 Fire Safety?  VaYikra [Leviticus] 10:1-10

          When modern people are faced with reading and studying the Book of Leviticus, VaYikra, they often shrug their shoulders and contend that it is just for the Priests [Cohanim] and hence no longer relevant to us today without The Temple.  However, isn’t that like throwing the baby out with the bath water?

          Even though much of what is written is no longer relevant to us since we no longer do altar sacrifices and no longer have Priests to dress and purify, there are still parts that can be very important to modern folk.  Our obligation is to dig through to find what parts may be important to hygiene, kosher eating, safety, etc.  If we look at each story as a parable, we can find basic truths in each one that perhaps can help us live better lives today.

          For instance, in this week’s portion of Parashat Shemini, we read the story of the untimely demise of two of Aaron’s sons.  Apparently they were exuberant and over-joyous in their preparations for purification of the tabernacle, the altar[s], and the Priests.

          They had liberally doused themselves with volatile fragrant oils and had liberally consumed alcoholic drinks.  Their hair was unkempt and unruly.  In their exuberance (and perhaps drunken lack of good judgement), they decided to change the normally used procedures to light fires and go for the ‘big bang’ by using ‘strange fire’.

          All this is quite tragic, but where is the lesson?  This is clearly a lesson of what not to do when lighting fires.  Just to be sure that the reader gets the points, a list of fire safety rules follow the story:  tie back your hair; don’t be exuding fumes of fragrant oils or alcohols;  always face the open fire when entering, in, or exiting the tent of fire; etc.

          What other useful information can you glean from VaYikra?  How will you apply it to your living a good, ethical life?  Let us search this Shabbat for such tasty tidbits!  Shabbat Shalom!

Shabbat Tazria / Metzora 5775 What is Purity?  [VaYikra (Leviticus) 12-15]

     What does it mean to be pure or impure?  This week we have a double portion of Parashot Tazria and Metzora.  Both deal with reasons for impurity and ways to return to a pure state.  Yet the original reasons for why these regulations were developed and why they were administered by the Priests are poorly understood.  From Talmudic times Rabbis and Sages of those times made comments based on the assumptions of their times.  When they failed to reach a consensus, many promoted the concept of spiritual impurity causing the physical.  As so often happens when people are faced with an honest answer of “I do not know”, they prefer to make up one of their own. 

When the rules and procedures were developed, it was common belief that blood was the holy source of life… a kind of “holy water [liquid]” that could be used to transfer holiness / purity to whatever it touched.  Yet the Priests and Sages would never have thought that drinking blood would make one holy.  Nonetheless they blamed women as sinful for bleeding during monthly menses and childbirth.

       Further, many communicable diseases [plagues] started with rashes of various sorts – all of which were viewed as punishments for impurity.  Since there were no known effective cures for nearly all skin disorders, those in power undoubtedly decided better safe than sorry.  Hence removal of the afflicted from the mainstream was a prudent measure.  If it healed on its own, then washing to purify and returning to the general population could be achieved.  If not, the victims became pariahs. 

       Similarly treated were rashes of homes and clothes [mildew, fungal, etc.].  If the cleansing procedure did not get rid of the ‘impurity’, removal from use followed.  Was someone early really aware of increased fragility in women during and post menses and childbirth?  Was this why these restrictions were developed?  Our Haftorah [2 Kings ch. 7] speaks to the righteousness of lepers and their rewards.  Today we use cremes and antibiotics, antifungals and strong cleaning chemicals.  We no longer know who lepers are.  Our homes can be treated for unsafe contaminations.  Nonetheless, do we still treat some people as lepers?  Why? Do some modern folk treat women as fragile during and post- menses and childbirth?  Should they?  We have an opportunity this Shabbat to reflect on our biases and assumptions –and maybe change them so we can better do Tikun Olam and maybe become more 'pure'.  What is being pure or impure?

Shabbat Shalom!

5775 Acharei Mot/Kedoshim; VaYikra [Leviticus] 16-19:14, Amos 9:7-15

The Value of Blood

     Where does blood appear in our Torah readings?  Blood makes people impure, especially women during and after menses and childbirth.  Yet blood can purify an altar!  What value did blood have for people during biblical times?

     It was nearly universally accepted that blood was the source of life.  Some peoples believed that the consumption of blood imparted the properties of the animal slaughtered to the one who drank or ate the blood. So drinking cheetah blood was believed to impart speed to the consumer.  Drinking children’s blood would similarly impart innocence and purity. In some cultures this property was believed to be in the meat as well.  For the cannibals of the Easter Isles, it gave honor to the consumed adversary that his essence would live on in those who ate him.

     In other cultures, it was the height of disrespect to the soul of a creature if its blood was consumed.  It seems that from this type of culture, the Israelite abhorrence of the consumption of blood was derived.  Along the way other benefits from not consuming blood were realized.  For instance, blood borne diseases from raw or undercooked blood and meat were avoided.  More rapid microbial degradation of foods with nutrient rich blood content was also avoided.

     Today we understand blood in a totally different fashion.  We know that souls and essences do not reside in blood.  We know that good hygiene will prevent the blood of menses and childbirth from putrefying.  

     So why do we continue to follow old practices stemming from outdated assumptions and superstitions?  Is it to maximize health?  Is it because we have abdicated our obligation to be educated [as the Rambam taught] about how best to maintain our bodies, the vessels of our spirits /souls /being?  What value do we place on blood today in our eating and hygiene habits?  How does that value [or those values] tie into the Mitzvot of Judaism?  May we value this Shabbat as we explore possible answers to these questions.  Shabbat Shalom!

Behar/ BeChukotai 5775 Combatting Poverty, VaYikra 25 [Leviticus]

     In previous readings in VaYikra [Leviticus], we learned that during the harvest both the corners and that which fell [10% of the harvest, or gleanings] were to be left for the needy. However this is only a seasonal fix for the poverty of hunger. Other mechanisms needed to be put into place to address the needs throughout the year.

     During certain of Temple times, it is said that the Priests would have tables out for their eating of certain of the sacrifices. At these tables, 10% of the seats were dedicated to the needy as guests. Of course, this only helped some of the needy in Yerushalayim.

     This week, in the portions of Parashot B’Har and B’Chukotai, we read about some other methods used to help reduce poverty. For people healthy enough to work, they could contract themselves out as indentured servants. Every seventh year, the contracts of such servants would be nullified if the servants so wished. With whatever they had saved up they could start new, independent lives.

     However if the servants were not Jews, they would have to wait until the Jubilee year [fiftieth] to be redeemed. In parallel, property could be redeemed within the first year after sale or at the Jubilee such as for indentured non-Jews. Nonetheless, no plan is given for the needy servants “to get back on their feet” in order to redeem themselves, their families, and their lands.

     Lastly gleaning only worked 6 out of 7 years as the land lay fallow on the seventh year and on the Jubilee. So unless plenty of non-Jews grew produce [usually estimated at between 60-70% of the population during most of the Temple times], food would be hard to get during the fallow years. Ideally crop rotation could have been used where land would be divided into 7 sections with a different section lying fallow each year. However Babylonian and Roman records seem to indicate that all land was fallow every seventh year.

This is not the optimal way to meet the basic needs of all the people. Do we use any of these biblical concepts in our present day addressing of poverty? What other methods do we use? How could we improve our present day approaches for our country? ---For the world? Has anyone ever succeeded in wiping out poverty? A sobering discussion is in store for us this Shabbat. Shabbat Shalom!

BaMidbar 5775 First Born and First Fruits [BaMidbar (Numbers)3:12-13]

     It has been a commonly held belief for centuries that the first born son has, for some not totally clear reason, the right to control the inheritance of the family upon the passing of his father.  This was true for the biblical patriarchal town and nomadic tribes.  However there were contemporary societies that were matriarchal such as Ethiopia before the invasion by Egypt during the time of Moshe Rabeinu [our Teacher].

     In that vein, our own history clearly points out that the first born son was not automatically the inheritor of the family wealth nor the caretaker of the family spiritual weal as Priest of the tribe/ family.  Yitzchak [Isaac] inherited Abraham’s wealth and position, not his older and more incorrigible brother, Ishmael.  Yaacov [Jacob] inherited Yitzchak’s legacy, not his “wild” older brother, Esau.

     In this week’s portion of Parashat BaMidbar, HaShem says clearly [3:12-13] that the first born of Yisrael [Yaacov] would not inherit the Priesthood, that Levites would.  Yisrael’s first born son, Reuven, had tried to steal the leadership from still alive Yisrael as well as consorting with one of his concubines.  So his disfavor is understandable.  However both Shimon and Levi massacred the men of Shechem, ostensibly to protect the honor of their sister, Dina.  SO why Levi?  Was he unduly under the influence of his brother Shimon?  Did the good work the Levites did in Egypt uplift their honor?  Perhaps the choice was because Moshe was a Levite… politics?

     In any case, once again it becomes clear that the worthy should inherit and not necessarily the first born.  Regardless of who became the spiritual leaders, they were charged with keeping the Festivals and other Holy Days at their appointed times.

     Hence at this season during Temple times, the Levite Priests received the first fruits of the wheat harvest and the first born of the livestock in honor of the Festival of Shavuot.  Today, other leaders receive such honors regardless of tribe.  Shavuot starts Motzei Shabbat, about 8 pm this Saturday.  

    Study sessions on Ruth, the “Ten Commandments”, and other related topics should be available all night at www.oneshul.org [if the livestreaming capacity is fixed].  Let us celebrate Shabbat and the Festival this weekend with love and joy. Shabbat Shalom!

Heed the Call, Shavuot 5775

Once more we’ve heard the call that we should

With love heed the mitzvot best we could.

However that surely promises NOT

That we will understand them on the spot.

It is an endeavor for all our lives

To find out those answers, understand those why’s.

May this joyous season continue us on the journey to understanding of how we can engage in mitzvot for Tikun Olam, the betterment of the world!

Shabbat Naso 5775, Blessings: Then and Now [BaMidbar (Numbers) 6:22-27]

We have been taught that each of us should have a personal relationship with the Holy One, HaShem, a one-on-one interaction so to speak.  Yet both in Torah and in our lives we see signs that we often ask others to act as intermediaries between us and HaShem, trusting that their words truly reflect the blessings HaShem wishes to bestow. 

For instance, when the People were at Mt. Sinai, they feared direct interaction with HaShem.  Instead, they begged Moshe to be their spokesperson.  It was common among peoples of those ancient times to beseech blessings from god(s) through idols, priests, priestesses, royalty, oracles, prophets, etc.  For most people, the world was full of mysteries that could only be explained in their minds as acts of god(s).  Hence they had needs to pray for blessings, for further acts of god(s) to better their lives.  In this mode then, the blessings of the Kohanim Priests took on value far beyond the mere words said.

In this week’s portion of Parashat Naso, we read perhaps the most well-known of such blessings, the three-fold Priestly Blessing recited by some every day.  Not only is it widely used in Jewish Congregations, but also has been adopted by many non-Jewish groups.  Among Jews it is no longer strictly the province of being pronounced by the Kohanim.  Yet for many, it is a comfort to hear regardless of who blesses them with these blessings since few (if any) can hear such blessings directly from HaShem.

We no longer ask for blessings from Prophets known only to speak the truth, but we do ask in many less obvious ways in our cultures especially through intercession by clergy.   Even today, our language shows this combo of the mysterious, the superstitious, and the belief in HaShem.  Phrases like “kinahura’ [keyn ayin harah – may it be without the evil eye], HaShem Yirtzeh [may God be willing], HaShem Yirachem [may God be merciful], etc. are widespread.

There are those who seek blessings from parents or other significant people in their lives, especially towards the ends of these significant others’ lives.  Yet how can we know if we are truly blessed?  If we cannot hear the still, small voice of HaShem, what significance then are the voices of all those others that we can hear?  This Shabbat, let us reflect on our blessings and how they came to be, how we have been blessed.  Shabbat Shalom!

BeHaalotecha 5775 Clouds and Fires 

[BaMidbar, Numbers, 8:1-12:16; Zechariah 2:14-4:7]

When we read Shemot, the book of Exodus, we read about pillars of cloud and fire leading the people on their journey [Shemot 8:21-22; 14:19-20, 24]. This experience appears to have led the People to believe that these pillars had the Presence [Shechina] of HaShem therein.

This week we again read about pillars of cloud and fire in the portion of Parashat B‘Ha-alotecha [BaMidbar 9:15-22]. However this time, the pillars are not centered at a distance but rather over the tabernacle are. Once again, there seems to be a connection between these pillars and the Presence of HaShem. Since the People have accepted the Brit [Covenant] at Mt. Sinai, is it not appropriate that the Shechina move in closer among them to show approval of their acceptance?

In practical terms, when there is a smoky fire pyre, what does one see from a distance during the day? [a cloud of smoke?] – during the night? [the fire of the pyre?] When travelling with a widely spread-out group of people, how best can one communicate easily with them to share what the travel plans are, i.e. whether to tarry in an area or to move on? So if the resources in the area have become depleted [e.g. no firewood/ brush left to be easily collected and burned in the fires or not enough future water for the livestock] and scouts have located an area with better resources, how will the people be notified that it is time to pack up and move?

The speed of the moving may well be determined by many other factors: numbers of young and elderly in the human and livestock populations; dangers in the area such as marauders; Shabbat; etc. The speed of communication to let them know may well be the speed of seeing smoke cloud signals or fires, a common idea throughout history: native pre-Americans with smoke signals; announcing the start of the months during Temple times with mountain top fires; etc.

Do we now need a visible indicator of the Presence of HaShem despite being taught that HaShem is everywhere? If so, what would such an indicator look like? May we find signs of HaShem where-ever we look be it at Beit Torah (www.onetorah.org) or elsewhere. Shabbat Shalom!

Sh'lach Lecha 5775 Politics Then and Now, [BaMidbar(Numbers)13-15; Joshua 2]

We often say that ancient people of biblical times were basically no different than modern people.  They merely were adapted to a different culture and environment.  This week’s portion of Parashat Shlach Lecha [send out for yourselves] is a perfect example of this during which twelve leaders of the twelve tribes are sent to scout out the “Promised Land”. 

Twelve different parties on a committee research the feasibility of moving in on the neighboring territories.  When the majority report is not well received by the supreme leader, some in that majority try to create unrest among the people in order to unseat the leader.  They spread false rumours and propaganda to promote fear in the populace which eventually block and scuttle the leader’s plans.

That scenario sounds like it could be happening somewhere today!  Yet it describes what happened after Moshe sent out the tribal leaders to scout out the “Promised Land”!  The scuttling of plans led to forty years of nomadic wandering in the wilderness.  After these forty years, fewer scouts were sent out [Haftorah Joshua ch. 2].  This time they recruited assistance among the disenfranchised and abused people in Jericho.  Of course this assistance had a cost.  The cost:  the safety and status rehabilitation for those who helped.

Quid pro quo – support for favors.  Again this kind of bargaining is well known in the modern world.  Sometimes it is bordering on corruption.  Sometimes it delves into espionage.  Sometimes it is legitimized as lobbying.

What are the similarities between these ancient practices and the ways modern people behave?  What are the differences?  Has improved technology changed how we do business?  Are we more civilized now or just as bloodthirsty and violent?  Since the giving of the Law, Torah, have we become more ethical in what we do?  OR…  Is it true that the more things change, the more things stay the same?   We hope that these questions will guide us to evaluate the hearts and souls of modern people to get a glimpse of what answers there may be…  Shabbat Shalom!

Korach 5775 More Politics: BaMidbar [Numbers] 16-18; 1Samuel 11:14-12:22

Last week in Parashat Shlach Lecha we read that there were tribal leaders who not only opposed the views of Moshe, but also tried to poison the minds of the people against his leadership.  This week in  the portion of Parashat Korach, the politicking continues.  

Korach, a Levite sees no reason why he couldn’t be leader instead of Moshe.  Ignoring the facts that he had limited knowledge of the area they were in and also no direct contact with HaShem [unlike Moshe whom we are told regularly conferred with HaShem], Korach gathered other unsatisfied tribal families [250 men] to support his opposition to Moshe:  a new political party so to speak.  According to Torah, Korach and his cohorts set up camp close to the foot of the mountain [Sinai].  Moshe warned them that it was a dangerous location.  [The string attached was that if they left that site, it implied giving up the opposition.]  Korach thought that Moshe was just being bossy and refused to leave.

Did Moshe know that they were camped by an active volcano and in danger of volcanic instabilities?  Probably.  Having lived quite a while in Midian, he would have been familiar with the local geological peculiarities.

We read in Torah that these instabilities were punishment by HaShem for opposing Moshe.  However, HaShem has given us free will.  Our choices have natural consequences set up by HaShem through the laws of nature.  So Korach, through is choices, brought about his own destruction when the 250 were swallowed up by the earth, etc.

Similarly in the Haftorah of this week [1 Samuel 11:14-12:22], we read that Samuel wanted the people to take individual responsibility to keep the laws.  They, however, did not want that responsibility.  They wanted to be told what to do by a king.  Samuel warned them that kings would be sucked into corruption temptations.  Against his better judgement, he then relented and anointed King Saul.

So here too is a political lesson:  If we abdicate our individual responsibilities, we open the door to tyrants.  Do we exercise individual responsibilities?  How?  If not, how have we failed?  This Shabbat, may we try to identify and take control of our responsibilities!  Shabbat Shalom!

Balak 5775 Live and Let Live or?  BaMidbar 25: 22:2-25:9

Live and let live is given to us as a reasonable way to live in a cooperative, diverse world. 

Yet intolerance seems rampant everywhere we look:  hate crimes, murder, arson; laws restricting access to health care for women; laws restricting access to voting; “Islamic” State atrocities; violence among Muslim sects; Ukraine; Gaza; and abuses of so many others such as Native Americans, the disabled, etc.  Then there is political intolerance with both verbal and physical violence:  assassinations in Egypt; suicide bombers in many places; right wing reactions to the [conservative!] Supreme Court rulings; etc.  

Nor have people changed much over the centuries.  In this week’s portion of Parashat Balak, we read about King Balak who intimidates a Prophet, Balaam, into trying to curse the Israelites.  His belief was that a curse from a Prophet would magically come to pass.

Even more troubling are the first nine verses of the twenty-fifth chapter of BaMidbar [Numbers].  Here starts a troubling tale that will be continued next week. The zealot, Pinchas, was Aaron’s grandson with a protected life and guaranteed job due to his lineage.  These verses tell us that an Israelite [Zimri, prince of Shimon] brought a Midianite woman [his wife, Cozbi, daughter of a high Midianite official] before the Moshe and the men gathered before the tent of meeting to plead for relief from a plague [v. 6].  Did she have knowledge to share about combatting the plague?  Was she used to being an active part of problem resolving given her background?  We will never know because Pinchas took affront at a woman foreigner being by Moshe and the Tent of Meeting.  He then took a spear and followed the man [and his wife] to their [sleeping] chamber [v. 8] and skewered them both as they lay there.  Supposedly this stopped the plague, but remember Torah is written to laud the winners, in this case Pinchas.  Would we condone this behavior today?

Josephus expands upon the story relating that Zimri and his wife had gone to the Tent to discuss/ argue some political points and had called Moshe a tyrant.  They were arguing for more tolerance of mixed marriages and the allowance of some Midianite practices.  Hence Pinchas, in a rage, murdered them.  Other young men then emulated Pinchas and killed many of the other mixed families who had adopted some Midianite practices.  Only then there was a ‘plague’ [poison?] that killed all remnants of these families.

What lesson can we draw from this intolerant bloodshed?  Did the Levites fear religious/ idolatrous contamination from the Midianites?  Remember Moshe’s wife was a Midianite daughter of a Priest.  Certainly the lesson is not that we have to shun all mixed marriages. Yet some, even today, would see it as such.  

How can we tie this tale to living in a diverse community? –and where does ‘Live and Let Live’ get applied?  A troubled conversation is in store for us this Shabbat as we recall U.S. Independence Day and the bloodshed that was needed to achieve it.                 

Shabbat Shalom!

Shabbat Shalom!

Mattot / Masei 5775 Idolatry from Intermarriage?: [BaMidbar 30:2-ch36]

Dvarim 5775 Modern Lamentations,[Deuteronomy, Dvarim 1-3:22; Isaiah Ch. 1]

As we approach the last Shabbat before the fast of Tisha B’Av on Sunday, we continue to contemplate the mournful thoughts about the horrors of the past.  Since the ninth of Av is Shabbat, the fast will actually start about 7:30 pm on Sat. and continue through Sunday- i.e. the tenth of Av.  We read the Book of Lamentations which recounts the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple as well as the horrors experienced by the doomed people there.

Many say that it is an obsolete observance, that we need to heal from the scars / wounds from the destruction of the Temples.  Yet it is a tradition to write kinot – elegies – and recite them after Lamentations.  The topics of these kinot elegies can be anything related to such horrors.  What topics do you think might have been used for elegies over the centuries?  Crusades?  Cossacks?  Inquisition? Holocaust [along with its Holocaust scroll]?  McCarthy era?  The Rosenberg’s?  The Maalot school girls?  The rock throwers?  The Gazan rocket launchers?

These are only a few of the many examples of horrors over which we can lament.  So given that lamentable horrors have happened in every century and continue to happen, perhaps the real purpose of the Tisha B’Av commemoration is to remember all the horrors especially with kinot and vow to make all choices possible to prevent future such horrors.  Here is an example of an elegy, chanted in a similar way to the haunting, dirge-like chant of Lamentations:

The ninth of av

[can be read with Eicha trop]

how can i express my soul

on a day of such black mourning?

our temples are lost forever,

our homeland has brought world scorning...

no solace i find in praying-

lamentations are all i’m saying-

So gather in your broken hearted

and pray with sorrow

for today we mourn the galut,

life resumes tomorrow.

What topic would you use for kinot, elegies?  Would you prefer on the other hand to choose to ignore the traditions of Tisha B’Av?  How much of our traditional practices are meaningful to you today?  This is a topic we will discuss not only on Shabbat, but also on Sunday during the Tisha B’Av fast.  However, will we find answers?  Shabbat Shalom!

Shabbat Nachamu, VaEtchanan, 5775, What Brings Us Comfort?

Dvarim 3:23-7:11; Isaiah 40:1-26

During the last three portions we have had Haftorot decrying arrogance and hypocrisy. Isaiah 1 was particularly harsh last week. It pointed out that doing all the practices was bereft of meaning if no intent to be just was included. It was as though the people had agreed to practice the mitzvot but had forgotten that they also had agreed to study and understand them. Practice by rote is therefore meaningless according to Isaiah.

Now we have been brought down as low as possible recalling the horrors we have experienced during Av. It is time to return to seeking justice and understanding – and maybe a bit of love and comfort on Fri. Tu B’Av, the fifteenth of Av. [It is kind of like a Sadie Hawkin’s Day for Jews…] In this week’s portion of Parashat VaEtchanan, Moshe’s discourse has us start from basics: the ten basic terms of our brit, covenant, with the Holy One [ch. 5]. The watchword of our people, the Shema, is also included in this portion. It is a call to remember these basics. If we can understand these basic ten guiding principles and apply them with justice for all, the implication is that things will go well with us. Clearly this is a message of comfort and encouragement to embrace a life of mitzvot.

This is echoed by the Haftorah [Isaiah 40]. Isaiah encourages us to embrace humility given that we are but ephemeral. Further he wants us to recognize with awe the wonders of creation. Then, when we are in sync with HaShem’s creations, we will be comforted.

Can we achieve justice through intent and humility? If we can, will that be enough to comfort us? Would understanding all of the mitzvot be of more comfort to us?

Indeed for those whose faith has been harshly challenged, trust in the simplistic formula of righteous intent and humility would be hard to come by. What then would be of comfort to them? –to us? –to you? Perhaps arrogance and hypocrisy have led us to believe we need no comforting. Yet given the harsh realities of the politics of modern times, we all should be seeking comfort. How then can we successfully seek comfort? We have seven weeks before Rosh HaShanah to ponder these questions… Shabbat Shalom!

Eikev 5775 How to Receive Blessings,

Dvarim [Deuteronomy] 7:12-11:25, Isaiah 49:14-51:3

As Moshe [Moses] continues his discourse reminding the People of their history since leaving Egypt, one theme is constantly reiterated: If you want to receive the Blessings in Life, then you all need to perform the Mitzvot [Good Deeds] religiously. Most of the blessings listed in this week’s portion relate to agriculture such as adequate rain, good harvests, healthy livestock, etc. There is even a caution that when things are going well, we should not forget to continue doing the mitzvot. Even the best of times could be lost to an unexpected tragedy. It is implied that we need to constantly earn continuing or returning Blessings through our Good Deeds.

There have been times when people ask me: “Why am I suffering all kinds of troubles? I have tried to follow the mitzvot most carefully, but it seems that I am not getting Blessings in return.”

These people seek comfort and are having their faith challenged. Yet many of our sages have spoken to this very concern.

Maimonides [the Rambam] comes to mind as does Levi Yitzchak of Berdovitch. They taught that the Laws of Nature never change. They are as HaShem, the Holy One, created them. Now that HaShem is in a “day” of resting after finishing the works of creation and given that we are tasked with maintaining the works of creation, it is up to us to make the choices so that the laws of nature will benefit us. However we may not understand fully how they work. Hence we have been given the mitzvot to perform and use in making the best choices possible.

HaShem set it up that if we make the best choices [including doing the good deeds], then we will receive blessings. Still, one person alone can not bring on blessings for the whole community. The whole community must choose to follow the mitzvot, to seek justice for all, and to watch out for each other.

Unfortunately, as seen in the past, a small group of people can choose to ignore the respect and nourishment of the mitzvot. This can lead to dire consequences for all [think WWII for example]. If we want to receive Blessings, then we need to make choices to be prepared for any such dire consequences. These choices, too, are good deeds so long as we are still being caring and respectful of others.

This week let us discuss how best we might fulfill the doing of the mitzvot in order to receive Blessings in our lives. May we all have a Shabbat of Peace! Shabbat Shalom!

Reeh 5775 Choices, Dvarim [Deuteronomy] 11:26-16:17; Isaiah 54:11-55:5

Last Shabbat, Moshe emphasized the need to follow the mitzvot in order to receive blessings in life. Also in that portion we read the watchword of our people, the Shema, which we use in daily prayer morning, noon, and night to affirm one and only one Holy One. According to the Sages, the Shema is one of the three things required during prayer. The other two are the silent devotion and the study of Torah.

This week in the portion of Parashat Reeh, Moshe gives greater details as to what the possible blessings and the possible curses are. These are dependent on the choices of the people as to whether or not they observe the Laws, the mitzvot. We are encouraged to try to earn blessings for ourselves and for all people.

However, part of following the law is studying what each law means and how best to apply the laws. Unfortunately not everyone agrees on all the interpretations on how to do so. As a result, there are arguments, sometimes vicious, over interpretations. Indeed there are those who would [in their arrogance, ego, and/or vanity] forcibly impose their way on others through physical means or through verbal and emotional coercion. In doing so though, these people choose to violate other mitzvot.

It is obvious to all that we are supposed to respect each other despite our differences. We are not to speak ill of each other nor demean/ embarrass each other. “You will not steal” is interpreted by some to mean we are not to steal another’s soul through abuse or “kidnapping”. Yet these very concepts are the ones violated when the vicious arguments occur and when some try to force their ways upon others or speak ill of them when they refuse to change their paths. Choices…

Last week, an Orthodox woman Rabbi [known as Rabba] wrote a lovely commentary about how we should be kindly to those who wish to convert to Judaism, how we should befriend them with the understanding that one can challenge the sincerity of their wishes without abusive, demeaning, nasty, etc. treatment. It is not rubber stamping their stated desires but rather an honest investigation into whether Judaism is the right path for them. Choices…

Unfortunately many of the on-line comments about her article were nasty. Some wrote that she wasn’t a real Rabbi. Others said she could not be orthodox. Yet others insinuated she was a liar to say that she had met sincere potential converts who had been treated abusively – just because they had never seen such!

Worst was that some of the comments were gratuitous. They seemed to be only to make the writer feel good about himself for creating arguments on-line. For me, it was a great sadness.

Why can’t people choose to treat each other respectfully? What is the attraction of Lashon HaRah, the Evil Tongue, that it tempts people to forget being decent to each other? What comfort can we give to each other when we see such obnoxious behavior? What choices can we make that will help repair the world and oppose these behaviours? A deep discussion is in store for us this Shabbat to help us prepare for the High Holy Days… Shabbat Shalom

Shoftim 5775 Judges and Justice for All,

Dvarim [Deuteronomy] 16:18-21:9; Isaiah 51:12-52:12

In this week’s portion of Parashat Shoftim, Moshe picks up a different thread of thought to emphasize. Up to now it has been about our choices of whether to follow the mizvot good deeds. Now the focus is on other people or groups of other designated people deciding the choices, determining our paths. Whether judges, elders, soldiers/ warriors, etc.; all are given a set of ethics to follow. Even Priests and Kings [as well as these others] are supposed to be above reproach and not falling to temptations.

Described are lofty goals of respect and justice for all. Examples: During war, the trees are not to be cut down. At least two unrelated and un-invested witnesses are needed for court cases to proceed. In such cases where abominations are proven, the witnesses are to be the first to cast the stones of death. If they do not, a lesser penalty than death is administered.

Still we know from historical sources that the Canaanites were not expelled from the Land, only the practices of abominations. Nonetheless expulsion is far kinder than execution unlike what other countries have perpetuated on the inhabitants of lands they invaded [native Americans, Australian aborigines, etc.].

If only these concepts of Justice for all and Judges beyond reproach were embraced by all nations! Unfortunately this has never been the case… not even today in Israel.

Is there something we can do to ensure justice in the judicial systems? – compassion and impartiality among judges? What can we do if we find there to be judges who have decisions colored by personal biases? Are there other ways with which we can pursue justice for all? How effective do these other ways seem to be?

These are questions that concern us all throughout our lives. So, we are likely to have many ideas to share when we discuss this topic come Shabbat. Shabbat Shalom!

 Shabbat Shalom!

Ki Tetze 5775 Justice for All with HaShem’s Everlasting Love

Deuteronomy, Dvarim 21:10- 25:19; Isaiah 54:1-10

The theme of justice for all continues this week in the portion of Parashat Ki Tetze [when you go out (to face your enemies)]. Now however more emphasis on individual responsibility is given. Hence 74 of the mitzvot [good deeds] are described in this portion.

This parasha is one of my favorites for a totally different reason though: I truly enjoy the Haftorah of Isaiah 54, especially verses 7-10. It also seems to me that it happens to be the shortest haftorah of the year. Its message is beautifully and concisely presented in these few verses: Hashem’s love for us is unending, filled with forgiveness for all our trespasses. These four verses:

• For a small moment I forsook you, but with vast love and mercy I will bring you back;
• Briefly in slight anger I hid my face from you, but with everlasting kindness I will return you in love and mercy – so said HaShem, your redeemer;
• For this is to me as the waters in the time of Noach for which I swore that the waters of Noach would never more flood the earth, so too now I swear that I will not cut you off in anger or rebuke;
• Even though mountains may move and hills may be shaken, my faithfulness will not be moved away from you and my Covenant of Peace and Friendship will not be shaken – said HaShem, the One who takes you back in love and mercy.

are verses promising friendship, loyalty, kindness, mercy and love. However there will be moments of anger over our misdeeds when the ‘face’ of HaShem will be hidden from us and unpleasant happenings will be the fare of the moment.

Who knows what we will lose if we stray from the mitzvot? Yet the promise is that no matter how far we stray, we will be taken back in love. Truly this portion is one of intense comfort and promise that when we are forgiven after atoning [during Yom Kippur, etc.] we will perceive the vast Love of HaShem. It is a wonderful part of the path towards the High Holy Days we soon will be observing!

What burdens do we have to unload during this Season? For what shall we repent? Can we truly bare our souls before HaShem and achieve full atonement and forgiveness? For, as this parasha clearly describes, not only are institutions responsible for meting out justice, but so too are the individuals who construct and support the institutions as well as all of us on our individual paths to personal redemption through embracing acts of justice. Are you able to share with others some of the burdens you need to address this Season? We’ll see when we meet this Shabbat. Shabbat Shalom!

 Shabbat Shalom!

Ki Tavo 5775 IN THE VALLEY, Dvarim/ Deuteronomy 26:1-29:8, Isaiah 60:1-22

According to Deuteronomy, Dvarim, Moshe instructed the People in this week’s portion of Parashat Ki Tavo, that when they entered the Promised Land, they should set up twelve pillars of stone upon which were carved in plaster all the words of the Law, the teachings of Moshe [Torah]. (Ch. 27-28) These pillars were to be set upon two mountains, six on each mountain: Mt. Ebal, the tallest in the region, and Mt. Gerazim. Each was to have, along with the pillars, six tribes standing upon it, listening to the Levites in the Valley with the Ark of the Covenant reciting the blessings and the curses which could befall the People depending on their choices of whether to abide by the Laws. Additionally Mt. Ebal was to have an altar totally of stone to be the highest altar of the Land.

Can twelve pillars contain all the words of the teachings of Moshe? Given biblical archaeological finds such as of such a pillar with the Hammurabian code, it is totally possible. The Hammurabian pillar contained 232 paragraphs of about 8000 words! (Hertz, p. 862) Yet to this day, no evidence of the twelve has been found. That is perhaps not surprising given that the wetter climate of the Land would have relatively rapidly eroded the plaster layer from the pillars. So the intent was probably for the benefit of those newly entering the Land as a ratification of the Laws under which they would live.

Nonetheless, evidence or not, let us take this episode as a metaphor for our lives. As we stand on the peaks above the Holy of Holies, we can read the words of Torah, but only part of them. We can hear the reverberations of the explanations as they echo up from the valley below into the mountains. They are to remind us both of the laws and of the consequences of our choices of whether to follow them. However they do not provide the full understanding of the Laws that we seek as promised at Mt. Sinai: Na-aseh v’nishmah – we will perform the mitzvot [good deeds] while constantly seeking to understand them and why we follow them.

If instead we stand in the valley with all of the Law available to us to read, we will not clearly hear the echoes in the high mountains explaining the consequences of our actions. We will have a longer way to go to reach understanding of the mitzvot even though we might be well acquainted with the mechanics of them.

This goal remains to us even today. As we approach the Selichot Forgiveness Service this weekend, for what are we asking forgiveness? Perhaps it is not only for not performing the mitzvot as best as possible, but also for not seeking to understand them and why we do them. 

May we succeed in discovering for what we need to be forgiven during our contemplations, meditations, and prayers throughout this Season from Selichot through Simchat Torah… and even then throughout the year. May all be revealed to us whether we stand on the mountain slopes or look upwards from the Valley. Shabbat Shalom!

Nitzavim 5775 The Hidden and the Obvious; 

Dvarim [Deuteronomy] 29:9-30:20; Isaiah 61:10-63:9

There is an interesting passage in this week’s portion of Parashat Nitzavim about the hidden and the obvious which follows descriptions of devastation of the Land should the People not adhere to the mitzvot.  Yes, yet again the People are exhorted to avoid idolatry and cling to the Mitzvot /law.  Yet again many curses are described for failure to do so.  In fact, the language of some may be the inspiration for Jeremiah’s lamentations as we read in last week’s portion [28:32, 41, 49-55].  This week though, the blessings and the curses seem to be more general with the portion ending with the plea that we should Choose Life [30:19-20].

Most of Parashat Nitzavim is straightforward and easily understood.  However there is one verse [29:28] that is presented as difficult to understand.  Apparently there are 15 such verses in Torah with certain confusing and/or important and/or additional words marked by multiple dots above them.  Each Tanach seems to have at least one version of interpretation.

  For instance, Etz Chaim:  “Concealed acts concern the Lord our God; but with overt acts, it is for us and our offspring ever to apply all the provisions of this Teaching/Torah.” This passage is interpretted as: “Sins committed secretly are known to God who will punish them” and “Overt acts [known sins] are the communities’ responsibility to punish by applying to the perpetrators the stipulations in the covenant.”  Yet the verse only mentions the hidden and the overt/ obvious.  It comes after eleven previous verses describing horrors that will come should the Law not be observed, which horrors people would view as the wrath of HaShem.

Hertz’s translation is quite different:  “The secret things belong unto the Lord our God; but the things that are revealed belong unto us and our offspring forever, that we may do all the words of this Law.”  Hertz interprets secret things as things of sins.  He cites Moulton as interpreting the overt as the punishments by HaShem revealed to all [thereby encouraging] the People to forever follow the Law.  Others think that the revealed/ obvious are the words of Torah which the People must willingly obey.

Benjamin Szold is cited as preferring to interpret all secret and revealed as belonging to HaShem whereas carrying out the Law faithfully is incumbent upon the People.  He bases this on the extra dots above the words “upon us and upon our offspring/ generations” which may be emphasis or may be indicting to understand words or may be words to point out a homiletic teaching.

Harkavy has a simpler translation:  “The secret things belong unto the Lord our God; but those things which are revealed belong to us and our children forever, that we may do all the words of this Law.”  

Keeping in mind that biblical writers tended towards writing poetically and with rhythmic techniques such as parallelism, two possible other translations/ interpretations come to mind.  First:  “The hidden is the realm of HaShem; the obvious [out in the open for all to see] is realm/ domain for us and our offspring so that [we] forever perform/ apply all the provisions/ details of this Teaching/ Torah.” Second:  “HaShem acts in hidden ways; it is incumbent on us and our offspring to always act in an obvious/ overt manner in order to fulfill the provisions/ mitzvot of this Teaching/ Torah.”

Which of these possible verses sounds most likely to be biblical in nature?  Was blind obedience always expected/ demanded?  Does this verse relate to the upcoming High holy Days?  If so, how?  Let us reflect on these questions as we approach Rosh HaShanah this weekend.  Who knows?  Maybe they will help us in our journey towards repentance and redemption…  Shabbat Shalom and 

A HAPPY, HEALTHY, WONDERFUL NEW YEAR TO ALL!  SHANA TOVA TIKATEIVU!!