|
|
Welcome
to
|
|
|
Traditional Congregation Members' Torah Commentaries Reprinted from the
Shabbat Bulletin -Year 5769 |
|
|
Be a chacham! Sign up to write a dvar Torah for our weekly Shabbat Bulletin. You can pick the Torah portion you want to write about. You can select a portion of interest to you, or one corresponding to your bar/bat mitzvah, an anniversary, or any special occasion. You can use our library of Torah literature as reference and inspiration, or you can inspire yourself. To sign up, call the office at 314-576-5230 or email Anat Reschke, areschke@swbell.net. Volunteer Needed: To coordinate weekly parashah commentaries for our Shabbat Bulletin. If you can help out, please contact Anat Reschke, areschke@swbell.net. .Feb. 27, 2010/13 Adar, 5770 Tetzaveh Last week's Parashah dealt with the construction of the Mishkan (Tabernacle) which, in the final analysis, is the home of the Ark that contains the Tablets Gd gave to Moshe Rabbeinu. As we mentioned last year, this week's Parashah is the only Parashah (after Moshe's birth) in which his name is not mentioned at all. Rather, Parashat Tetzaveh focuses on Aharon and the Kohanim – their vestments and their investiture. (The word "investiture" comes from vestment – when one would assume a high office one got the uniform to match one's new status. Whether the locus classicus for this linkage is Aharon and the 8 vestments of the Kohen Gadol [High Priest] I don't know.) Let's then consider these two towering personalities and the complementary aspects of creation that they represent. (The following is based largely on Malbim to Tetzaveh.) When we refer to Moshe Rabbeinu, Moshe our Teacher, we refer to his primary role in the growth of the nation of Israel – bringing Torah to us from Gd. The impetus of this movement is from Gd to Israel; the movement begins Above and proceeds "downwards," from the infinite to the finite. This is the movement of Creation – an infinite Gd "contracting" within His own nature to leave a place for the finite to exist. Aharon, in a sense, has the opposite role. One of the primary functions of the Kohanim is to offer the daily offerings, especially the incense, in the Temple. In Hebrew the word for "offering" is korban, which comes from the root meaning "close." The purpose of the offerings is to bring Israel, and through Israel all the peoples of the world, and all creation, close to Gd. This is a reverse movement from that embodied in Moshe Rabbeinu. It is a move towards reintegration of the finite Creation with its infinite Source, a movement that begins with the finite and moves towards the infinite – an "upward" move if you will, like the smoke of the offerings and the incense. We find this same back-and-forth movement in our liturgy. Malbim points out that one of the central features of the liturgy – the recitation of the Sh'ma – has this same feature. The Sh'ma itself proclaims the Unity of Gd from Gd's perspective. This Unity is described by Rambam (Hilchot Yesodei haTorah 1:7): This Gd is One. He is not two or more, but one, unified in a manner which [surpasses] any unity that is found in the world; i.e. He is not one in the manner of a general category which includes many individual entities, nor one in the way that the body is divided into different portions and dimensions. Rather He is unified, and there exists no unity similar to Him in this world. (see also Rambam's 2nd principle of the faith) … The knowledge of this concept fulfills a positive commandment, as [implied by Devarim 6:4]: "Sh'ma Yisrael, Gd is our Lord, Gd is One." Immediately after reciting this sentence, we follow up with Baruch shem k'vod malchuto l'olam va'ed. Malbim regards this sentence (which is notoriously difficult to translate) as a kind of opposite/complement to Sh'ma Yisrael. Baruch shem k'vod represents …the Unity of H" spread over all the worlds, so that He should be Sovereign over them all. This Unity is not of this world, and therefore it was ordained that it be said in a whisper. Only in the future will H" be King over all the world, for the H" will be One and his Name will be One. In other words, Baruch shem k'vod represents the reintegration of the finite with the infinite, an integration that creates a whole that is greater than the sum of the parts. In some way, if we can even say it, Gd becomes greater by having created a finite world into which His infinite nature can become completely infused – as expressed by the idea that Gd is "now" sovereign over all finite creation. (Note that the two paragraphs of Aleinu can be seen in the same light. The first paragraph ends "ein od" – "there is nothing other than Gd," while the second paragraph ends with "bayom ha-hu, etc." – "on that day Gd will be One and his Name will be One.) We still possess the Torah that Moshe Rabbeinu brought down from Gd. Unfortunately the return movement symbolized by Aharon and the Temple is no longer physically present. Gd has given us a "replacement" – prayer, as the prophet Hosea says: "Let our lips substitute for [sacrificial] bulls." Through prayer we move, little by little every day, towards reintegration of our individual and communal lives with their Divine source. Through prayer we make ourselves whole, and, as it were, make Gd whole as well. Let's use the gift of prayer wisely and well! Shabbat shalom, Rafi Rabinoff Feb. 20, 2010/6 Adar, 5770 Terumah
From a strictly halakhic perspective, the kindling of the
menorah is not an act of serving God. No doubt the menorah is a holy
object, but still the Talmud concludes
that "lighting [it] is not considered a service." (Yoma 24b) Rabbi Avi Weiss Feb. 13, 2010/29 Shevat, 5770 Mishpatim Parashat Mishpatim begins with, “And these are the laws that you must set before them.” G-d is speaking to Moses and “them” refers to the Israelites. “And these” makes reference to these laws are a continuation of the laws (the Ten Commandments) given last week in Parashat Yitro. In the Stone Chumash, the commentary for Mishpatim makes mention of the interesting placement of this parasha. Last week, were the Ten Commandments and this week we learn of the additional 53 laws and rules which G-d commands us to follow. Many of these laws deal with civil law and laws concerning making remuneration for damages. Next week we will read about the extensive details that went into the preparation and construction of the Mishkan or Tabernacle. This very deliberate placement illustrates the way in which our spiritual, personal and professional lives are so very connected. We are judged on the ethics of our business dealings as well as the way in which we follow religious teachings. At first glance it would seem that the laws are extremely varied and pertaining to a multitude of topics. Moses tells the people of both ethical and ritual laws. In order to be a good Jew, appropriate behavior is expected in all aspects of our lives. In fact, the Talmudic sages thought that business ethics were extremely important. So much so, that it is said that the first question an individual is asked in the world to come is, “Were you honest in your business dealings?” In addition to stating the laws and rules we must follow. In many cases the statement of the law is followed by the punishment that will ensue if the law is broken. The punishments are handed out in a just manner with the idea that the punishment should fit the crime. The same is true of the laws that deal with making remuneration for damaging the property of another. This is illustrated in “An eye for an eye.” (Exodus 21:24) This statement is not to be taken literally, but it does imply that the repayment for something stolen should be equal to what was taken. At the conclusion of Mishpatim, we read of G-d’s promise to lead us into the land of Israel. We are to live up to our end of the bargain in following the Torah and doing the mitzvot that G-d has commanded. G-d promises to keep us safe on our journey. Shabbat shalom, Mimi Levy and Jean Kaplan Feb. 6, 2010/22 Shevat, 5770 Yitro Parashat Yitro is arguably the climax of the entire Exodus; in fact, it is the climax of creation, as our Sages tell us, had Israel not accepted the Torah from Gd, the universe would have been returned to primordial Nothingness (Tohu vaVohu). The ultimate purpose of creation according to our tradition is universal recognition of Gd's existence and sovereignty over the universe, and the Revelation at Mt. Sinai was, and is, the most exalted mechanism by which this purpose can be fulfilled. We have been discussing over the last few Parshiyot that the Egyptian exile and redemption from it was a rectification of Avraham our Forefather's slight lack of faith. Through the exile and through the process of the plagues in Egypt and the splitting of the Sea, the nascent nation of Israel learns to have faith and trust in Gd, a faith that is based on experience. However, in reality, Gd's plan calls for something greater – not so much faith in Gd as knowledge of Gd. In fact, throughout the experience of the plagues in Egypt, Gd continually states that the purpose of the plagues was the either the Israelites or the Egyptians, or both, would "know that I am Gd." Similarly, Gd tells Moshe that He would descend to Mt. Sinai so the people would hear Gd speaking to Moshe, so that they would believe in him [i.e. in his prophecy] forever – a belief based in clear knowledge based on direct experience. In truth, the greatest rectification to lack of faith is certain knowledge based on experience. As one might imagine, there are numerous traditions surrounding the 10 "commandments" given at Mt. Sinai. (The actual term in Hebrew is Aseret haDibrot or "the ten utterances" – harking back to the 10 utterances with which the universe was created.) One tradition of especial note is that the first two "commandments" were heard by the entire people from Gd directly, and the rest were heard from Moshe Rabbeinu. (This is derived partly from the text – the people acknowledge that the experience of hearing Gd directly is beyond their capability and ask Moshe to be an intermediary, and partly from the fact that the numerical value [gematria] of the word Torah is 611; since there are 613 mitzvot in Torah the two extra must have come from Gd directly, and not Moshe, and these two are identified as the first two of the Aseret haDibrot.) There is a dispute about the first "commandment" – whether or not it is a commandment at all. The text reads: I am H" your Gd who took you out of the Land of Egypt, the house of bondage. This appears to be more of a statement than a commandment; those who do take it as a commandment assert that it is a commandment to believe in the existence and unity of Gd. Those who dispute this position argue that before you can have a commandment, you must acknowledge the existence and superiority of One Who commands; hence implicit in any one of the commandments is belief in Gd; this belief does not have to be explicitly mandated. In fact however, one could argue that the commandment is not to believe in Gd, but to come to know Gd, to the extent humanly possible. In other words, the first thing that Gd spoke directly to the nation of Israel was that they should come into as close a relationship as possible with Gd. Now one would think that it is impossible for a finite creature to come into a relationship with the infinite Creator, and indeed on the level of logic that might be so. But consider Malbim's approach in his comment to our verse (Shemot 20:2) (my italics): This [knowledge of Gd] is innate in man's intelligence (b'sichlo) – H" implanted in man's intelligence from birth, from the womb, this knowledge. The soul brings with it from the place from which it is hewn, that there is a unitary, divine existence. So anyone who looks around with the eye of intellect into the houses of his soul, will find [this] knowledge buried there -- in the soul of every person, and in the roots of all souls, like the original knowledge (sichlut harishon). And we didn't need to receive it from Moshe through the medium of faith … and therefore this commandment was given to us directly by Gd [i.e. not through Moshe Rabbeinu like the 611 other commandments in the Torah – RAR]. What I believe Malbim is saying here is that innately structured in the consciousness of each individual is knowledge of the infinite, and that by turning within ourselves we will discover it there. It is open to direct experience by anyone, and does not require any intermediary. It is "original knowledge," that is knowledge that is part of the very fabric of creation and part of the fabric of our individual consciousness. It merely requires that we search within ourselves to uncover it. In this approach, the Revelation at Mt. Sinai begins with both a commandment and a reassurance – the commandment to know Gd, and the reassurance that this knowledge is possible. Gd created the entire Creation for the purpose of reflecting His glory, and at Sinai he conveyed to us the knowledge and the experience, albeit fleeting, of being perfect reflectors, through whom the purpose of Creation is fulfilled. The rest of the story is now up to us.
Shabbat
shalom, Jan. 30, 2010/15 Shevat, 5770 Beshalach In the rapid departure from Egypt, the children of Israel anticipated a substantially better existence on their path to liberation. Liberation was one of the goals of the Exodus. In Beshalach, their lives do not follow a smooth path. In this parsha, they are chased and trapped by Pharaoh's armies, are thirsty and hungry in the desert, and are attacked by the Amalekites. The Israelites face both internal and external threats to their personal and spiritual freedom. Today, what internal struggles and external battles with society do the inheritors of this tradition face as they seek their place in the world? The Exodus is a departure from slavery in one society to unforeseen opportunities in another land. This change provides an occasion of loss as well as gain. In this parsha this sort of conflict is found in confrontation between Moses and Aaron and the people. It is interesting to consider what imagination did the children of Israel have about the immediate and long term future when they left Egypt? Further, how does this imagination shape the destiny of the Jewish people? An important part of the Jewish people's leaving Egypt was to break out of the emotional universe that constrained them. An initial step of the Exodus is the first commandment that Maimonides lists in his Mishnah Torah. This direct commandment is to "Know there is a G-d." To fulfill this obligation it will be necessary for the children of Israel to undergo changes in their behavior as well as their understanding of the surrounding world. In this parsha, the creation of the Israelite's belief in the Almighty occurs through G-d's miracles and instruction about appropriate behavior. First, the Almighty sweetens the bitter waters of Marah, Moses brings forth water from a rock, and manna comes from heaven each morning and quails each evening. Second, the Almighty instructs the Israelites to gather a double portion of manna on Friday, as none will be distributed on Shabbat. The Almighty also provides the guidance for the circuitous path that the Israelites will follow to reach the land. The children of Israel find their lives under new pressures and new forms of social relations. In the movement from "slavery to freedom," they will find it necessary to break out of an emotional universe that has become as circumscribed as their physical surroundings in Egypt. During the forty year exodus in the desert/wilderness what questions would you raise during dark nights of spiritual soul searching? Israelites give recognition to the Almighty's miracles by creating a special song of thanks--Song of the Sea--for the splitting of the sea, allowing them to cross, and destroying the Egyptian army. Miriam, Moses' sister, and the women lead this song of praise. This reference suggests that women will play a significant role in the Jewish people's relationships with the Almighty in their post-Egypt society. As a remembrance, we sing Miriam's song as part of our regular, Shabbat and holiday services. Shabbat Shalom, Steven Puro Jan. 23, 2010/8 Shevat, 5770 Bo God’s promise to Abraham is the gift of freedom for his descendants. This freedom begins for the Israelites on the eve before their Exodus. We learn that freedom comes with specific expectations. For the first time, God addresses the Israelites as a new nation. God’s first expectation is that the Israelites are to keep a lunar calendar instead of the Egyptian solar calendar. The second is the creation of a series of community rituals. Why are these obligations imposed on the eve of their great freedom? God knows that freedom means being able to choose. The simple and controlled life of the slaves was about to end. Now they would be faced with a life full of possibilities. With such a staggering number of options what should the people choose? How can they avoid the fear and confusion that can come with such choices? God gives the Israelites the lunar calendar to renew themselves in this transitioning. The contrasts between the solar and the lunar calendar can give us insight into the significance of this commandment. We can look at different shapes of the moon and the sun . While the sun keeps its round appearance, the moon is forever changing its shape during its 28 day cycle. The moon gets smaller and smaller and then, just when it looks like it might disappear, a new moon begins to show itself. This rebirth of a new moon offers a sliver of hope to show the Israelites that they now have a chance to be reborn as a free people. The Hebrew word for month is Chodesh, which actually means renewal. It is God’s gift to the Israelites and all future generations to be able to constantly evaluate and have the possibility to renew themselves every month just like the moon. The lunar calendar shapes the freedom the Israelite community will experience. Today in our own generation, let us help each other continue the journey towards freedom and the freedom of choice initiated by our ancestors. With every new moon, may we encourage the asking of questions and allowing for changes so that the world will be open to multiple possibilities for all of us. To all of you, family and friends, and especially to my son, Benjamin, take this Torah portion from Bo and hold it in your hearts and minds as a reminder of our freedom to choose. This gift to the Jewish people, to choose, and choose wisely, was granted us from God at the time of the Exodus. Let us all commit to making wise choices in our own lives because choices we make as individuals affect us all. Amen.
Shabbat shalom, Barbara Gaponoff Berson Jan. 16, 2010/1 Shevat, 5770 Va'era Beginning in the fourth Aliya, we read about Moses and Aaron asking Pharaoh to let the children of Israel ‘do their own thing,’ as it were. The initial requests to Pharaoh are modest ones. “Let us go and worship our G-d”. This begins the story of the pleadings of Moses and Aaron, and Pharaoh’s agreeing and then breaking his word. This process is repeated a number of times before the Almighty finally sends the terrible plague of the firstborn. What an extreme measure G-d finally had to resort in order to finally get the point across. How many times have the Jewish people said to their oppressors, we simply want our freedom to live as Jews without bothering anyone else? How many times have we pleaded with host countries and cultures just to be left alone? How many times has Israel extended its hand to the Arab communities to live in peace? And how many times have their hearts hardened to reject the Jewish plea for peace. Today’s enemies, just like Pharaoh, wish us ill. They want us to live according to their worldview and their expectations. Thus in order to settle the conflict, just as in bible times, the solution may be so radical, that the enemies of the Jews, at the end, may be very sorry that that they didn’t listen to the initial overtures for peace and tranquility. Rather than negotiate with terrorists whose word will not be kept, we may be forced to fight. A possible outcome would be the creation of an exodus of vast numbers of Arabs from the area of the Jordan River westwards. This will be similar to the plague of the firstborn, which convinced Pharaoh to finally let our people go. This way may be the last option to achieve real peace.
Shabbat
shalom, Jan. 9, 2010/23 Tevet, 5770 Shemot And Yosef died and all his brothers and that whole generation … Once Yosef was gone, Israel's protector in high places was gone, and things went south pretty quickly after that. This is as was foretold at the "Covenant between the Pieces" (See Gen. Chapter 15) – Know for sure that your offspring will be strangers in a land not theirs, and they will afflict them, four hundred years… Now Gd's announcement of the Egyptian exile comes right after he has promised Abraham that he would be given the Land of Israel. Abraham's response is "How will I know that I will inherit it?" (This whole exchange takes place 30 years prior to Yitzchak's birth, so the idea of having offspring was already getting fairly questionable in Abraham's mind.) From this juxtaposition our Sages deduce that the Egyptian exile was required by a lapse of faith on Abraham's part, and provided the opportunity for Abraham's offspring to grow in faith and rectify this lapse. The entire rest of the Torah, and perhaps the entire rest of the Hebrew Bible, can be looked at through the lens of Israel's waxing and waning faith. The foundations are in our Parashah. We must understand what we are talking about when we discuss Abraham's level of faith. First, Abraham was the only member of his generation to get past the prevalent climate of polytheistic idol worship and to recognize that there is one Gd who created Heaven and earth. Abraham was able to argue with Gd (about Sodom and Gemorrah) and was even able to transcend his own conception of what Gd must be, when Gd told him to slaughter his son as an offering. He had an intensely personal, direct relationship with Gd. This was not a person of little faith! On the other hand, Abraham was also the founder of the Jewish nation. Every beginning is both very precious and very delicate. Any slight deviation at the beginning of a process will be amplified as the process continues, leading to disastrous results in the end. If the foundation of a building is out of alignment, the building will surely not stand. The same lack of alignment in the roof will not be nearly so threatening. Therefore, if there was any slight lack in Abraham, and nobody in the Bible is perfect, it needed to be corrected early on, before the very existence of the nation of Israel became impossible. When we use the word "faith" in English it is often modified by the word "blind." That is, we think of faith as belief in something that has little or no rational basis. This is very far from the Jewish understanding of faith. In our tradition faith is always based on experience. For example, we often hear the expression "faith in our Sages" (emunat chachamim) – those Sages who have proven themselves by giving sound guidance have earned our faith, and although we may not always understand their reasons behind some of their rulings, we do owe them our faith. In the case of faith in Gd of course we can't speak of Gd's earning our faith. Gd created us and we owe him all our allegiance, trust and love. Where there is a process of development is in our ability to know and understand Gd's ways, and to emulate them in our individual lives. As we grow, our faith grows, and as our faith grows, we grow. It's a self-reinforcing cycle of growth, and we see, even in the greatest of our leaders, the same process of growth. In our Parashah we find that Moshe Rabbeinu is quite resistant to leading the Israelites out of Egypt. He has no faith in himself, and very little faith in the people that they are deserving of redemption. All this, it seems to me, may be reflective of a lack in his faith in Gd. Had Moshe had perfect faith that Gd could, and would, carry out His plan of redemption, I think he would not have had the slightest hesitation. But we see here that even in the case of Moshe Rabbeinu, there is room for growth. (Contrast the tentative, tongue-tied reluctant leader of our Parashah with the Moshe Rabbeinu of Deuteronomy for example.) Malbim (19th century Poland/Lithuania) points out that at the beginning of Parashat Va'era the word used to describe Gd's communication with Moshe Rabbeinu changes, from the root 'amr, to say, which is used with all the Prophets, to dvr, to speak, which is unique to Moshe Rabbeinu. This indicates, as Malbim says explicitly, that Moshe Rabbeinu has reached a new level in his relationship with Gd, one that is more intimate, and one in which all doubts and obstacles to faith have been removed. Our time is certainly not one in which faith is highly valued, even (sometimes especially) by those who loudly proclaim themselves as people of faith. I would submit that as faith has waned, experience of the Divine has waned, and as experience of the Divine has waned, doubts have replaced faith. What faith we have is often a relic, passed down from our ancestors and venerated under glass, not a living, breathing, integral part of our lives. We need to restore our faith, and to do so I believe we have to learn to see the world with different eyes. We need to look beyond the surface level of existence, and learn to perceive the play of the Divine, infinite effulgence of life in every little bit of existence. Prayer and Torah study I have found to be two very effective ways to begin on this road. It is a very different path than one commonly finds in our world today, but it is the path trod by our great and holy forebears, and it leads straight to an intimate relationship with Gd. What more could we want?!
Shabbat shalom, Rafi Rabinoff Jan. 2, 2010/16 Tevet, 5770 Vayechi In Vayechi, the last parshah in Genesis, there is an exploration of future generations of the twelve tribes of Israel. We find that both Jacob, the Patriarch, and Joseph, his son, die in this portion. Substantially more attention is given to Jacob's passing, his instructions to future generations, and instructions concerning the lineage of future leaders. Jacob instructs each of the twelve tribes to take heed of the Almighty through their own skills and virtues. Future generations are reminded and mandated to keep the Almighty's statutes, commandments, and ordinances. In an important decision Jacob rules that Joseph's two sons who were born in Egypt are within the people of Israel in order to continue the generational lineage. Jacob's authority and vision requires that Ephraim, the younger of Joseph's two sons, rather than Manasseh--the first born son-- will have the task of unifying the tribes of Israel and make them into one nation in the land (Ezekiel 38:20-22). To maintain the generational line, Joseph forgives his brothers to insure continuity and unity within the Jewish people. He argues that G-d caused the brothers' acts against him for a greater good (Gen 50:20). A possible approach for this parsha is the question of how will future generations of Israel behave so that their sons and others are able to carry forth the heritage of Israel? Let us consider in this parsha how Jacob and Joseph's behavior reflect their heritage. As one example, both Jacob and Joseph specified and demanded in the strongest terms that they not be buried in Egypt but in the land the Israel people would inherit. Reasons for this request were that they were "strangers in the land" of Egypt , and that Egyptian culture and idolatrous religious practices were sharply contrary to Judaism. In the current complex culture, we can inquire how our way of life allows the next generation of Jews to accept what we have taught them? Joseph's last words to future generations contain the central promise of the Almighty to the Jewish people. In Gen 50:24 Joseph says "but G-d will surely remember you, and bring you up out of this land into the land which HE swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob." This central promise is continued throughout the Book of Exodus. The wisdom of past, current, and future generations will establish the Almighty's relation to the Jewish people.
Shabbat Shalom Steven Puro Dec. 26, 2009/9 Tevet, 5770 Vayigash
Today's parashah, Vayigash, has an underlying theme which is carried from
the previous parashah, Miketz. As the story goes, Yosef's jealous
brothers sell him to merchants, who take him to Egypt. When the brothers
go back to Yaakov, they tell him that Yosef has been killed by a wild
animal. Since that day, Yaakov mourns over his favorite son.
Shabbat Shalom, Dec. 19, 2009/2 Tevet, 5770 Miketz Joseph became a very powerful man in Egypt and his brothers came to Egypt for food. In the story, we see that Joseph hid himself from his brothers and he manipulated their transactions by hiding their payments in the bags of grain. Immediately upon seeing his brothers, why did Joseph hide himself? Why did he not run into their arms and reunite as their brother? Some of our texts remind us of earlier dreams in which Joseph interprets that his brothers all bow down to him as king. Some would say that is the reason that Joseph must hold Simon and force his other brothers to return to Canaan and bring Benjamin back to Egypt. We are told that the dreams must be fulfilled in their sequence. Please look at Chapter 42 verses 21 through 23, and you will see that the brothers emotionally respond to the request. The brothers expressed anguish over what they had done to Joseph and felt that they were now being punished for their actions. Joseph heard their words and wept. The famine brought Joseph’s brothers to Egypt and God brought them in need of food. God fulfilled the vision of the brothers bowing to Joseph the moment that they appeared to Joseph, and Joseph knew it. The question is why Joseph maintained the charade. The answer is what I share with you this Shabbat: Repentance. Joseph needed to see if his brothers were cruel men who would deceive or would they do anything they could to protect Benjamin and the last strength of Jacob. The latter is what Joseph saw. Joseph remembered not his vision from God, but God’s promise to Abraham. Who would be the seeds of the Jewish people? Would it be the two sons of Joseph or all of the grandchildren of Jacob? Here again, Joseph’s heart was moved to the latter. Joseph saw that his brothers wanted forgiveness for the way that they treated him and they wanted no harm to come to Benjamin. Joseph could reunite the family of Jacob and work toward fulfilling the promise God made to Abraham. Forgiveness is a powerful lesson through all of Torah. After Shabbat perhaps you can call an old friend who you have not spoken to in a long time and catch up. Forgive whatever has kept you apart. Believe in them as Joseph believed in the good of his brothers.
Shabbat Shalom, Mark Seigel Dec. 12, 2009/25 Kislev, 5770 Vayeshev In Parshat Vayeshev, the focus of the story shifts from Jacob to Joseph. The story of Joseph is a fascinating one, and it sets the stage for the Exodus story. The story contains many valuable life lessons, and raises many questions as well. The most glaring question in my mind is why the Torah goes into such detail with story of Joseph? In Exodus, Chapter 12, Verse 2, G-d tells Moses and Aaron that “This month shall be for you the beginning of months…” The significance of this verse is that it is considered to be the first commandment given to the entire Israelite Nation. Many commentators ask why the Torah does not begin with this commandment. The most well known response is that the book of Genesis was necessary to establish that G-d had promised the land of Canaan to the Patriarchs, and the land belonged to the Israelite Nation. As a result, no other nation could accuse the Israelites of stealing the land following the Exodus. This brings us back to the original question, why does the Torah go into so much detail regarding Joseph? Clearly, some elements of the story are needed, as the Torah needs to set the stage for the Exodus from Egypt. Yet, Joseph is not a Patriarch, nor did G-d renew the promise He made with the Patriarchs to Joseph. Furthermore, in the end, Judah would become the dominant tribe, and G-d’s promise to the Patriarchs would seem to be ultimately fulfilled by the tribe of Judah, not the tribe of Joseph. I had difficulty answering this question, yet I ultimately came up with a Zionistic answer, which I often do. In essence, Joseph lived the American dream. He was a foreigner who went to Egypt with nothing, and rose to be the second in command of Egypt. Perhaps the Torah is teaching us that while G-d may bless us both individually and as a People outside the land of Israel, we shouldn’t get too comfortable in the Diaspora. We should strive to return to the land that was promised to our Patriarchs while we are living, and not wait like Joseph, until only our bones can be buried in Israel.
Shabbat Shalom, Dec. 5, 2009/18 Kislev, 5770 Vayishlach This Torah portion considers whether Jacob (Yaacov) and Esau can integrate their worlds and resolve past disputes. The conflicts and agreements between Jacob and Esau and the nations they represent are of historical significance. Similar issues occur in our lives as we decide whether to take chances that could enhance our well being, but there is a deep apprehension about going forward into uncertain territory. There are many struggles in this portion – Jacob and Esau; and Jacob with an angel. Why are these struggles different? The first struggle between Jacob and Esau concerns Jacob’s personal survival and whether both of them can mutually establish new sets of relationships. Their past relationships were based upon hatred and trickery. The second struggle involves the continuing path of the Jewish people (Klal Yisroel), and how they will emerge in future generations. Jacob’s struggle with an angel is transformative; afterwards he is called Israel (Yisroel). At that time he is able to confront his personal fears and meet Esau. The portion suggests that apprehension about events is often a greater struggle than facing the actual event. Shabbat shalom, Steven Puro Nov. 28, 2009/11 Kislev, 5770 Vayetze There are several interesting linguistic oddities at the beginning of our Parashah that have been commented on extensively by the commentator and by the Midrash as well. The very name of the Parashah is problematic: "Ya'akov left Be'er Sheva and went toward Haran." Rashi asks why we need to be told where Ya'akov is leaving from – for purposes of the story we only need to know where he is headed. He answers, "It tells us that a tzaddik's leaving a place makes an impression – when a tzaddik is in a city he is its splendor, he is its glow, he is its glory, and when he leaves, its splendor and glow and glory leave with him." In a talk given by R. Frand shortly after the death of R. Ruderman, the head of the Ner Yisrael Yeshiva in Baltimore, he quoted a eulogy given by the Brisker Rav (R. Yitzchak Zev Soloveitchik) at the funeral of the Chazon Ish (d. 1953 in Israel). The Brisker Rav stated simply, "There was a world with the Chazon Ish and there is a world without the Chazon Ish." These are two completely different worlds. Once a great leader, a great person, passes away it is a completely different world, and the values and qualities of the "old world" are simply no longer available to us in the same way. Those of us who have lost parents or revered teachers will understand this immediately. The second verse says "And he met the place…" – the place where he would sleep that night and have the dream of the ladder and the angels going up and coming down. The Midrash focuses on the identification of the place, and why Ya'akov would be described as "meeting" it. We are told that "the place" is in fact the place where Avraham had almost slaughtered Yitzchak, and the place where the Temple would, in the future, be built. In other words, "the place" is Jerusalem, the holiest "place" on earth. This would make good sense, as it is a place where Gd chose to reveal himself to Ya'akov, and which Ya'akov himself identifies as "the gateway to Heaven." The only difficulty is that Ya'akov names the place Beit El, and Beit El is almost 20 km north of the Temple Mount. How are these facts to be reconciled? The Midrash tells us that in fact in his flight to Haran (Ya'akov was fleeing from his brother Esau's wrath over the incident of Yitzchak's blessings), Ya'akov went right past "the place" without stopping at all. When he arrived in Haran he exclaimed "How is it possible that I passed the place where my fathers prayed and I didn't stop?" He turned to go back to "the place" and Gd caused it miraculously to move towards him. Thus he "met" the place coming towards him. The Midrash goes on to explain that the foot of the ladder of Ya'akov's dream was on the Temple Mount, and the head of the ladder was in the "Heavenly Jerusalem," the spiritual counterpart of the earthly Jerusalem, which, under normal circumstances, is directly above the earthly Jerusalem (and at a height of 18 mil according to the Midrash; a mil is 2000 cubits or about a kilometer). The Chatam Sofer (R. Moshe Sofer, leader of the Hungarian Jewish community, d. 1839) expands on these Midrashim (paraphrased in Milei d'Oraisa by R. Shlomo Goldhaber). He explains the significance of the fact that the Heavenly Jerusalem is directly above its earthly counterpart. When this is the case, all the worlds are, as it were, in alignment and the spiritual world shields and protects its material counterpart. What happened in the case of Ya'akov's dream is that the earthly Jerusalem had to move, and therefore the alignment was disturbed – and Ya'akov's ladder was at an angle. The result of this was that to a certain extent the protection afforded by the Heavenly Jerusalem was no longer available, apparently even after the earthly Jerusalem was restored to its proper place; thus the Temple had lost its shield and was able to be destroyed, many centuries later. How are we to understand these Midrashim? Perhaps the concept of a homology between the spiritual world and the physical world is not so strange. After all, we know from science that the world is structured in layers; science, being objective, can only operate on the physical, measurable layers, but we can certainly extrapolate to layers that exist beyond the physical. And since the deeper layers provide the basis for the more superficial layers, we can perhaps understand the "shield" effect that the Midrash posits. What I find fascinating is that the alignment between the layers must be correct in order for the protective effect to be there. What we see implied then is that Ya'akov's "forgetfulness" requires him to return to the Land of Israel. Gd uproots the earthly Jerusalem to meet him, but in so doing misaligns the layers of creation, causing a kind of instability at the surface that eventually results in the destruction of the two Temples. The upshot of this argument is that it is up to every individual human being to maintain the alignment of the spiritual and material planes of existence. This is the true meaning of the Kabbalistic term tikun olam – rectification of the world. It is our privilege as human beings, and especially as Jews, to have been given the ability to gain wisdom and understanding in order to guide our life in accordance with Gd's Will. Gd has given us the Torah and its mitzvot, by practicing which we can in fact maintain and repair the alignment among all levels of creation. It is an awesome responsibility, and one that requires an awesome level of spiritual attainment. Yet Gd expects us to succeed, and we should settle for nothing less. Shabbat shalom, Bob Rabinoff Nov. 21, 2009/4 Kislev, 5770 Toldot
This week's
parasha, Toldot, is the progression from Abraham to Jacob. Shabbat Shalom, Nov. 14, 2009/27 Cheshvan, 5770 Chaye Sarah Chayei Sarah, “the life of Sarah, contains many life changing events for the Jewish people. This parsha contains generational linkages for Jews where the first patriarchal and matriarchal generation gives way to the next generation, from Abraham and Sarah to Isaac and Rebekah. The parsha contains the death of both Sarah (at 127 years) and Abraham (at 175 years), Abraham's detailed negotiation to purchase a burial ground for his family--the cave of Machpelah in Hebron, Eliezer’s (Abraham's elder and most trusted servant) mission to obtain a wife for Isaac (Gen 24:34-48), and the marriage of Isaac to Rebekah. The latter will continue the patriarchal line for the Jewish people. In development of these generational linkages the Torah leaves us with additional questions, e.g., what changes would we expect to occur in Judaism as we move further from the founding generation? It is important to note that both Sarah and Abraham are buried in the cave of Machpelah, and the land and site of the cave are the source of disputed control between Israel and Palestinians. For Jews the cave forges an ancient bond of the Jewish people to the Holy Land and the cave represents a spiritual message concerning the Almighty's promises to Abraham and future generations (Gen 12:1-2). If we utilize the perspective that the parsha is looking towards future generations, then we may be able to answer the classic question of why we learn such a limited amount about Sarah. Interestingly, in a consistent path for the future generations theme, the parsha ends (Gen XXV 12-18) with a discussion of the generations of Ishmael, also Abraham's son. Abraham' s search for a bride for Isaac is an important element for future generations of the Jewish people. Abraham's instructs Eliezer, who would be considered in today's terms the CEO of Abraham's enterprises, to be his agent to find this bride. He requires that Eliezer take an oath in this serous matter and instructs him to return to Haran, from where Abraham's family came prior to going to Canaan. He forbids Eliezer to seek a bride in Canaan. What rationale can be suggested for Abraham forbidding Isaac’s intermarriage with Canaanite women? Perhaps, Abraham knew from the Lord's promise of the land to him and future generations, that the Canaanites would be destroyed. Eliezer finds Rebekah, the daughter of Abraham's nephew Bethuel--i.e., Nahor's son. Could Abraham be sure that the search would find someone with such a close family relationship? Perhaps there is a broader interpretation, that Abraham was seeking someone who was kindred (moledet) to him from the area of "his father's house." The idea of kindred could mean either a close relation or an individual a bit further apart from the direct family line, or as the term is currently used, an individual of the same spirit and spiritual foundation. In this parsha there are clear differences between Abraham's instructions to Eliezer (Gen XXIV 1-27) and Eliezer's interpretation of his mission in obtaining a wife for Isaac (Gen XXIV: 34-48). Is this a form of Eliezer's conflict or disobedience from Abraham's requirements? In interpreting immediate circumstances, each of us may be willing to modify instructions from others. Eliezer recognizes that his task is to convince Laban and Bethuel to allow Rebekah to go with Eliezer and become Isaac’s wife. In modifying the instructions, Eliezer uses initiative to convince them of Abraham's importance and Abraham's connections to the Lord. This initiative is important since Laban, her brother, wants Rebekah to remain for a while. A key departure from prior cultural practices is that Rebekah is asked if she consents to the marriage, and she does (Gen XXIV 57-58). This practice of a woman's consent becomes an important part of Jewish law governing marriage. How is the idea of a woman's consent to be married an important statement about the marriage relationship between men and women in Jewish tradition? Current practice in some societies gives a male family member the right to give consent for a woman of that family to marry.
Shabbat Shalom, Nov. 7, 2009/20 Cheshvan, 5770 Vayera In the Parasha Vayera, we read of the incident of the Akeidah, in which God directs Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac on one of the mountains in the land of Moriah. By doing so, God puts Abraham to the ultimate test. It seems as if God wants to see if Abraham has complete faith in Him and if Abraham would sacrifice anything on His behalf. Although Abraham does not go through with the actual sacrifice, he comes close enough that he passes the test. Many interpret this passage of the Torah as a demonstration that Abraham has total faith in God. This could mean that Abraham had such strong faith that he knew all along that God would not let him kill Isaac. Or perhaps his faith was so strong that even if he were to sacrifice Isaac, there was a hidden purpose that justified the sacrifice. However, what is puzzling is that, in verse Genesis 22:12, an angel sent down from God says, “Do not stretch out your hand against the lad nor do anything to him for now I know you are a God-fearing man…” Why would God want to know if Abraham is afraid of Him? Abraham was already willing to stand up to God, which is shown by the earlier discussion between Abraham and God when Abraham tries to keep God from destroying Sodom because innocent people might have lived there. Due to the fact that Abraham does indeed put his favorite son’s life in jeopardy, it shows that Abraham not only fears God but trusts Him as well. Perhaps the Binding of Isaac shows that even one of the most inspirational figures of the Torah feared God, but in order to accomplish great things in his life, he had to put his fears aside. As John B. Putman Jr. said, “Courage is not the lack of fear but the ability to face it.”
Shabbat Shalom,
Oct. 31, 2009/13 Cheshvan, 5770 Lech Lechah Special parashah commentary for Youth Shabbat, Oct. 31, 2009 This week’s parashah is parashah Lech Lecha. In Lech Lecha, HaShem tells Abram: “Go forth from your native land And from your father’s house To the land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you. I will make your name great, And you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, And curse him that curses you, And all the families of the earth Shall bless themselves by you.” Now, even if we didn’t already know HaShem loved Abram, this is even more proof. I mean, would you say all this to someone you hate? Actually, HaShem says nothing to those he hates, he turns his back on them and forsakes them, as they have done to him. But that’s a whole other thing. Anyway, HaShem is telling Abram that he is so important to Him that his name itself could become a blessing, and those who hate him will be hated. All Abram has to do is move to a foreign land that he’s never heard of before, never been to, and didn’t know it even existed. Yes, that seems like a hard thing to do, but just think; who do you know, how many people -if they could- would do so much for you if you just did one thing for them? The answer is simple. Only someone who loves and really cares about you. Someone who cares about you should also care about your offspring, and HaShem is no different. He allows him to have a child with Sarai, which doesn’t seem extraordinary, until you realize that she is 90 years old, and he 100! Shabbat Shalom, Rebecca Levin Oct. 24, 2009/6 Cheshvan 5770 Noach In parsha Noah there is a restatement of principles expounded in Bereshit (Gen 1:1-6:8). The Almighty decides to start the world again. The destruction--the flood--was a form of salvation and a catalyst for a new beginning. The flood is a key indicator that the Almighty controls nature, rather than nature or human behavior controlling the Almighty. Isaiah (XLIII:8) indicates that these actions are related to the Almighty's role as Creator of the Universe. Who was Noah and why was he selected? The limited information indicates that "he was a righteous man who was morally pure and who walked with G-d" (Gen VI:9), and that Noah willingly followed the Almighty's commands. The Almighty chooses to maintain the covenant with Noah. He is accompanied by his household; i.e., his three sons, Shem, Japeth, and Ham, Noah's wife, his son's wives, and animals. The animals were seven pair of each clean animal, one pair of each unclean animal, seven pair of fowl, and pairs of all insects. The Almighty will maintain those on the ark while destroying the remainder of the world. The Almighty's action was to "blot out all that I have made in seven days" (Gen 7:10). This idea is a mirror image from Bereshit where the world was created in seven days. There are differing interpretations whether the Almighty's covenant was with Noah alone or with Noah and his household. The later interpretation would seem to be an important linkage to Abraham. When the flood subsides, the Almighty gives the rainbow as a sign of his covenant; and the rainbow is a statement of the Almighty's promise never to destroy the Earth again (Gen 9:13-15). Part of this promise is the Almighty's blessing and commandment to Noah and his family to "Be fruitful and multiply" (Gen 8:17, 9:1, and 9:7). What meanings should we attach that this instruction is given three times, and does the instruction have the same implication each time it is given? The Torah will show that the Almighty told both Noah and Abraham that he was going to destroy the people. Abraham argued for their lives while Noah did not argue with the Almighty about the destruction (Gen VII:5). There is a substantial time period between Noah and Abraham. The parsha shows ten generations between them; i.e., Terah--Abraham's father--is a descendant of Shem. Did the different generations of Noah and Abraham have a different understanding of the covenant? Perhaps the Almighty's promises to Noah and sign of the covenant to Noah allowed Abraham to argue with and request that the Almighty keep those commitments and not destroy the people or the world. Shabbat Shalom, Steven Puro Oct. 17, 2009/29 Tishrei, 5770 Bereshit
I LOVE THIS PARASHA! It not only begins a new cycle of the year; it is
also marks a new chapter for each of us in the Book of Life for 5770. We believe there are 613 mitzvot by which we are to live. In the first two chapters of the parasha, we find three basic mitzvot. In chapter one after breathing life into Adam and creating Eve, we are told (1:28) “P’ru u’r’vu”-“be fruitful and multiply.” Thus we are to raise a family. To me, it means whether naturally or via adoption we are obligated to teach Jewish laws, morals, values and customs to the next generation.
A second mitzvah is found in chapter two.
Verses one through three acknowledge G-d as Creator, the One we are to
emulate and rest every seventh day. Shabbat is instituted from the very
beginning of the Torah. Thus we are obliged to recognize the significance
of our labors. We are required to step back once a week to assess our
successes and mistakes. What a valuable opportunity for us! Thus one sees in B’raysheet, not merely a story of creation, but the opportunity to learn the purpose of creation: living in a way that enhances the acts of creation by multiplying G-d’s gifts of life; emulating G-d in rest and reflection; and taking responsibility for using the bounty G-d bestowed upon us. Shabbat Shalom, Rabbi Jay M. Krause Oct. 3, 2009/15 Tishrei, 5770 Sukkot The Torah says, “Everyone settled in the Land of Israel must live in huts.” In the month of Tishri, the harvest season, when the silos are brimful with the produce of the fields there is reason for concern that one may become complacent, and, as the Torah puts it, “Your heart may grow haughty, and you may forget Hashem your God” (Deut. 8:14). Therefore, the Torah decreed that at a time when people may feel securely settled, they should leave their comfortable home and live in the frail sukkah. This will make them realize that they are only as strangers passing through this world, and their existence is as unstable as the sukkah. Instead of relying on their sturdy home, they should place their trust in the protective shade of God, as the children of Israel did when they left Egypt. In the wilderness they dwelled in flimsy huts, but God’s Clouds of Glory surrounded them, and the Shechinah dwelled among them. One should always be mindful of the message of the sukkah, for the sukkah symbolizes God’s care and guardianship of Klal Yisrael (collective Israel). Therefore, the s’chach may not be made from such items that are subject to tum’ah (defilement), such as a ladder, a spade, or a shovel. Also, there may not be significant separation between the sukkah and the s’chach, intimating that there exists no separation between Klal Yisrael (collective Israel) and Hashem (God). Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, O.B.M. (Adapted) Sept. 26, 2009/8 Tishrei, 5770 Ha'azinu In Moses’ penultimate address to the children of Israel, in poetic form (an aid to memory), he telescopes our history. In a nutshell, difficult straits, liberation by God, prosperity, rebelliousness against God, great suffering at the hands of alien nations who misunderstand their role as God’s instruments for temporary discipline of Israel and then God will avenge and redeem us. In the past when Moses exhorted the people to remain loyal to God and described the woes which will result from our disobedience, he always linked our salvation to teshuva, repentance and return to God. However in this poem Moses makes no such connection. Instead he says that despite our backsliding and deserved dire consequences thereof, God will, in His own time, deliver us from our distress with no mention of necessary compensatory behavior on our part. It seems to me that God, through Moses, is telling us that ultimately He has unqualified love for us; that He has no intention of ever allowing our total destruction, whether we earn it or not. However, i believe we would be ill-advised to take this for granted and be lulled into behavioral complacency based on this assurance. There is no doubt in my mind that we are better off – in and of ourselves, and in our relationship with God – through the constant practice of teshuva. And though we have just come through – i hope successfully for all of us – an intense period of teshuva, there is no time like the present to start – or continue, as the case may be. Eleanor (the better) Roosevelt beautifully expressed what should be a person’s response to the condition of unqualified love. She wrote: “Up to a certain point it is good for us to know that there are people in the world who will give us love and unquestioned loyalty to the limit of their ability. (Which in God’s case is limitless and infinite.) “I doubt however if it is good for us to feel assured of this without the accompanying obligation of having to justify this devotion by our behavior.” Shabbat shalom, Rabbi Ephraim Zimand
| Staff | Membership | Rabbi's Bio | Rabbi's Message | Halachah | Minyan | Youth | Events | Links | Holidays | News Volunteering | Tzedakah | Environment | Ethiopian Students | All in the Family | Shopping | EZ Life | Israel Ritual Committee | Education Committee | Adult Education | Building and Grounds | Publicity | Membership | Men's Club | Sisterhood Click here to return to Home Page
|
|