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Traditional Congregation of Creve Coeur
Seth D. Gordon, Rabbi Ephraim I. Zimand, Rabbi Emeritus |
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Traditional Congregation
Members' Reprinted from the
Shabbat Bulletin - Year 5765 |
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October 1, 2005/27 Elul, 5765 Nitzavim With regard to the Divine Covenant between God and the People of Israel, which Moses reaffirms with the generation of Israelites about to cross the Jordan and enter the Promised Land, the parsha tells us Moses said: It will be, should people hear the words of these sanctions (of the covenant) they may fancy themselves immune, thinking, “I will be safe even if I follow my willful heart” – to the utter ruin of the moist and dry alike. (Duet. 29:18) God will never forgive them, for then God’s anger and passion will rage against those people, until every sanction written in this book shall descend upon them and God blots their name from under heaven.” (Deut. 29:19) What Moses speaks of with regard to people’s attitude toward the sanctions of the Covenant is also applicable to people’s attitude towards Torah itself. The worst attitude people can take is to say the Mitzvot of the Torah just do not apply to them, and they feel free to follow their own path without regard to the Torah’s requirements. In that case, Moses seems to be saying, God will never forgive their transgressions and Torah violations. On the other hand, if people take the attitude that Torah applies to them, but due to the weakness of the flesh and a human inability to resist temptations they transgress and violate Torah, in that case it will still be possible for them to receive forgiveness from God. Of course, to achieve that forgiveness they need to take the necessary steps of repentance, viz. regret, confession, determination and change. Given the sincerity of this process, God understands, provided of course, each attempt at improvement is serious and brings the people closer to the fulfillment of their ideal potential. My prayer is that as we approach these awesome days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Hakippurim, God gives us the strength to effectively pursue this goal of repentance and improvement. Rabbi Zimand September 24, 2005/20 Elul, 5765 Ki Tavo This weeks Torah portion, Ki Tavo contains a reiteration of the blessings and curses found in the concluding portion of Vayikra, Bechukotai. They both state if we follow the laws of Torah, we will be blessed with the proper rain, many children, plenty of livestock, and abundant produce. Likewise, if we fail to follow the mitzvot, we will be cursed with diseases, famine, and other terrible tragedies too numerous (and unfitting) to mention. Three things stand out as I examine these lines. The curses far outweigh the blessings, there are many more curses listed in this week’s portion as compared to the aforementioned Vayikra passage, and the curses in this weeks portion are in the singular while in Bechukotai they are in the plural. These facts lead me to believe that this Ki Tavo is of a more personal nature than Bechukotai. This fits in nicely with the month of Elul, where we are trying to make amends first with the people we may have wronged in the past year, leading to Rosh Hashanah where we ask for Hashem’s forgiveness. It reminds me that to examine the mitzvot I did accomplish and the ones I will strive to do better in the forthcoming year. May we all be inscribed in the book of life and have a real shana tovah. Mike Timmerman September 17, 2005/13 Elul, 5765 Ki Tetze Enumerated here are 74 mitzvot, more than in any other single parshah. The laws and regulations cover a wide range of topics. We're being guided on what to do and how to conduct ourselves – being kind, restoring lost property, sparing the mother bird anguish, shaatnes, tzitzis, regarding adulterous liaisons, immorality, interest, vows, individual responsibility for actions, kindness to animals, honest weights and measures, etc. We may not want to hear all of these regulations, but we need to hear them. They will guide the choices we make. "It is our choices…that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities." (Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, ch. 18 by J.K. Rawling). Wrong choices can produce disastrous consequences that may affect the rest of our lives. The parshah ends with the declaration to remember what Amalek did to us and to wipe out the memory of Amalek. We must unite as a camp in our efforts against the Amalekites of the world, but we must remember to move on from there to unite as a holy congregation united in our faith in God, Torah, and mitzvot. We should love God and the Jewish People. Isaac Boniuk September 10, 2005/6 Elul, 5765 Shoftim Parashat Shoftim includes many laws that detail how the Israelites are supposed to live, once they settle down in the land G-d has promised them. It is interesting to note that while the parasha has many practical commandments, it is not at all clear how strictly these commandments were followed once the Israelites entered the land. In fact, we know for a fact that many of the commandments listed in parashat Shoftim were violated. For example, chapter 17 deals with the laws surrounding a king of Israel. This chapter almost seems as if it were written for King Solomon. King Solomon, who is known for his wisdom, violates just about every commandment in chapter 17. He has too many horses, too many wives, and too much wealth. The Torah warns that the king should follow these laws so his heart will not become arrogant and he won’t stray from the commandments, so that he and his sons will lengthen their years over the kingdom. We see this warning being fulfilled, as Solomon’s kingdom is split in two after his death. Although this commandment applies specifically to kings, there is an important lesson to be learned for everyone. As my father always says, “everything in moderation." He probably got that quote from somewhere else, but I prefer to give him the credit. In any case, in everything that we do, it is important to remember there must be limits. Too much of anything can be dangerous. Radical Islam being a case in point. However, even in our own religion, we see people who take Judaism to the extreme, while comprising the unity of the Jewish People. Moderating our opinions and being open to our neighbor’s opinion can benefit ourselves, as well as all of the Jewish People. Shabbat Shalom, Zumi Brody September 3, 2005/29 Av, 5765 Re'eh This week’s parasha – Re’eh opens with a verse that any teacher of grammar would immediately red-pencil. The verse: Deuteronomy 11:26-28 See (in the singular) today I place (lit. give) before you [all] (in the plural) blessing and curse. The blessing that you [all] adhere to God’s mitzvot … and the curse, if you [all] do not adhere… If we find such grammatical mish-mash, it is our obligation to ask – and hopefully discover a response to – “what might be the significance of this Torah inconsistency?” Please take a moment or two to discover what significance it might have for you before reading on. The Torah commentator, Rabbi Shlomo Ephraim of Luntchitz (1550-1619), author of the Kli Yakar (Precious Vessel), by which name he is popularly known, suggests that though blessing and curse are addressed to the community at large, every single individual and his/her conduct has an effect on the outcome. No individual should think that his/her simple misdeed cannot possibly matter. As Maimonides suggests in his Regulations of Repentance (Chapter 3, Paragraph 4) each person should see him/herself – and also see the entire world – as perfectly balanced between merits and faults, so that one act either way will tip the balance – either for good, or, God forbid, for evil. With it’s grammatical inconsistency the Torah might be suggesting how overwhelming is the importance of every individual’s every deed. The behavior of every person not only impacts him/herself, but the entire world as well. Individuals do make a difference. The GR”A (HaGaon Rabbenu Eliyahu of Vilna, popularly known as the Vilna Gaon) suggests the significance of the Torah’s grammatical inconsistency is in the adhering or not adhering to God’s mitzvot. By being initially addressed to the individual – the Torah might be teaching that the individual has to choose his/her proper conduct independent of others. When the “it” of “everybody is doing it” is inappropriate, every person, having been addressed individually, must choose to refuse to follow the “everybody.” When the behavior is not evil, conformity is called for. However, when the conduct is bad, non-conformity is required. Though it is true in Judaism the collective is of great importance - most frequently, taking priority over the individual - both the Kli Yakar and the Vilna Gaon place a great amount of stress on the importance of the individual within Judaism. Rabbi Zimand August 27, 2005/22 Av, 5765 Ekev Parashat Ekev introduced us to the popular phrase "Man does not live by bread alone" (8:3). However, the end of that verse is far less famous, although the second part contains the true message. It reads, "Rather, by everything that emanates from the mouth of G-d does man live." If the point is that G-d's emanations are the source of our lives, why use bread as the subject, when bread only becomes edible through the toils of man? Wouldn't fruits be a better example of G-d's influence on the world?
I heard
Rabbi Greenberg and saw Rav Hirsch explain that bread is used as the
subject because it exemplifies the toils of man, and that the message here
is that even when you toil for the bread you eat, don't forget that Hashem
(G-d) has toiled for everything that we have, and His goal is not just to
sustain us, but to help us live physically AND spiritually. Man should not
only seek physical nourishment from the work of his hands, but should seek
spiritual nourishment from the word of his Ploni Almoni August 20, 2005/15 Av, 5765 Va'etchanan This week’s parasha, V’etchanan, opens with Moses telling the Israelites of his pleading with God to allow him to enter and see the Promised Land. In relating to the Israelites God’s refusal to permit him entry into the Promised Land, the Torah reports Moses’ words as follows: God was cross with me “l’maanchem”… (Deut. 3:26) At this point i have held off translating the final word of that verse, because how one interprets Moses’ attitude will determine how one chooses to translate it. This very dilemma of translation in and of itself contains a significant message for us concerning how we should approach translated texts. Every language is nuanced. Words may be synonymous, but that does not mean they are really interchangeable. As an example, our sense of a person’s character would differ if s/he was described as tenacious, determined or stubborn. Similarly, if the person was described as economical, frugal or stingy. Determining how to most accurately translate a word from one language to another must include not only the meaning of the word but also that the translated word, as closely as possible, reflects its connotation in the translated language. For instance, translating the Hebrew word “melacha” as “work,” though perhaps a correct translation gives us a sense of physical exertion which does not truly reflect its original use in connection to Shabbat. “Melacha” projects more a sense of creative fabrication and work with skill and artistry. The lesson i believe this should teach all of us is to approach all translated texts with a critical eye. We should ask ourselves what is the translator’s understanding of the text? And are there other possible understandings I am missing by relying only on this translator’s interpretation of the text? It is impractical for any of us to be totally expert in all languages. Thus, we will, at one time or other, need to make use of a translation. Nonetheless, we should understand there is no substitute for linguistic expertise to grasp the nuances of a text, and we should avoid drawing absolute conclusions from a translated text. Now back to our opening text. If i were to interpret Moses’ attitude at this point in his life towards the Israelites, i.e., ending his forty plus tumultuous years of leadership of the Israelite people as testy, petulant and annoyed, then i would translate the verse phrase as: “God was cross with me because of you…” However, if i imagine Moses at the end of his career, still the great lover and defender of the Israelite people as he was at the beginning of his leadership, i would translate it as: “God was cross with me for your sakes…” Take your pick. Rabbi Ephraim Zimand August 13, 2005/8 Av, 5765 Devarim In Parashat Devarim, there is considerable emphasis on the sin of the spies, which, after all, was ultimately responsible for the calamities we commemorate on Tisha b’Av. Our tradition ascribes a noble motive to their slandering of the Land of Israel. These leaders of the tribes were not afraid of the inhabitants of the Land G-d forbid. Rather they were concerned that the people would fall from their high spiritual level once their miraculous existence in the desert was replaced by a more mundane round of sowing, planting, harvesting and storing the crops. On the other hand, one could argue that in light of the constant open miracles with which our forefathers lived during the Exodus and the 40 years’ wandering, they didn’t, in fact, display such a high spiritual level. One often hears the question: “How could the Jews worship the golden calf just a few short weeks after the Revelation at Mt. Sinai?” Or “How could they wonder if G-d was among them when He was feeding them manna every day and guiding their steps with the pillar of fire?” I’d like to turn the question around: If we were living a life where G-d’s presence was continually manifest, smoothing out every little bump in the road, and then we hit a rough patch, wouldn’t it be natural to ascribe that roughness to G-d’s withdrawal from among us? Perhaps the spies reasoned from an a fortiori argument: if in the desert the people questioned G-d’s guidance whenever there was some roughness, in the Land where open miracles would be the exception rather than the rule, how much more so would there be a falling away from faith? The issue really is one of internalizing Torah values, so that rather than depending on external, perhaps coercive, and certainly miraculous forces to compel obedience, we make ourselves living embodiments of Torah. It is obvious that this is a long process. Our Tradition tells us two things about our situation: First, nobody so much as draws a breath without HaShem’s willing it, and second, “The prisoner cannot free himself.” It is up to us to make every effort to refine our characters, to learn and to observe Halachah. But we recognize that our success in these endeavors, as in all the works of our hands, is up to HaShem.
This brings us to a final
consideration. Our tradition promises us, at the End of Days, a period of
redemption, when all the stresses and blockages that have kept us
separated from HaShem will melt away, and we will live ideal lives
in an ideal world. Rambam in particular intimates that the natural
world will continue as it has, only Clal Yisrael will no longer be
subject to foreign domination. Others suggest more sweeping changes. I
believe from our current level we can have no conception of what the
Messianic Age will be like, any more than a baby has any conception what
it is like to be an adult. Internally we will be radically different
people, and externally,
as a consequence, society too will be
radically different. This will be the culmination of the opportunity
mankind had in the Garden, and again when we
received the Torah at Mt.
Sinai. Only this time, we won’t
blow it! May it come speedily in our day.
August 6, 2005/1 Av, 5765 Masei Parahsat Masei closes out the Book of Numbers. The Israelites’ forty-year sojourn through the Sinai desert is coming to a close. As they are getting ready to enter the land of Canaan and conquer it, the Torah recaps all of the stops they made during the forty years they spent in the desert. We all know that the Israelites wandered in the desert for forty years, but we tend to overlook how difficult it must have been to set up camp, only to leave it a few months later. Unfortunately for the Jewish people, the experience of our ancestors in Sinai was a harbinger for things to come. For thousands of years the Jewish people have been wandering in exile, trying to find their way back to the Promised Land. Just like our ancestors, we have had to endure hardships along the way. When we thought we had found a safe place to settle down, we were expelled, imprisoned in ghettos, or worse.
The Israelites managed to endure throughout
the forty years in the desert. The Jewish people have managed to endure
throughout 2000 years of exile. It is easy for one to lose his or her way
when constantly moving from place to place. The Jewish people have
managed to endure by holding on to the promise of a return to Jerusalem, a
return to Zion. That promise is now being fulfilled. The Jewish people
are finally completing the journey their ancestors began back in Sinai.
July 30, 2005/23 Tammuz, 5765 Mattot Parashat Mattot has a number of commandments that by modern standards seem out of date, or even immoral. The parasha begins by explaining the laws when a woman takes a vow. It then jumps to the Israelites’ war with the Midianites and concludes with the request by some of the tribes to settle east of the Jordan River. At first glance, the laws concerning a woman’s vow seem somewhat restrictive, as a woman needs her father’s or husband’s “permission” in order to take a vow which would prohibit her in some way. It appears that only an adult woman who is not married has complete freedom in choosing her vows. The next part of Mattot seems even more problematic. G-d instructs Moses to lead a war of vengeance against the Midianites. They kill all of the men, but initially do not kill the women and children. They are then instructed to kill everyone else, with the exception of the young female children. By today’s standards, I imagine the Israelites would have been called war criminals. The key words in the last sentence are, “by today’s standards.” I think one of the great lessons of this parasha is to avoid the trap of moral relativism. There can be no question that by the standards of “Western” society, these actions seem criminal. However, we also know that much of “Western” society deems the actions of the Israeli Defense Forces to be criminal as well. It is easy for many European countries that are only now experiencing terror first hand, to claim that Israel acts immorally when dealing with the Palestinians. They have not had to deal with over half a century of terrorism on a daily basis. They judge Israel based on their own, often skewed, moral values.
Perhaps we are doing the same thing when we
make moral judgments about the Israelites. We have no idea what it was
like to be the only nation that worshiped one G-d, and was attempting to
break free of all the immoral practices of the surrounding nations.
Morality is not subjective. Ultimately, we need to look to G-d for our
moral compass. Fortunately, He gave us the Torah to help guide us. July 23, 2005/16 Tammuz, 5765 Pinchas Parasha Pinchas is jam packed with important information for the Israelite community, both then and today. God orders Moses and Aaron to take a census of all of the Israelites before they cross the Jordan River and enter the Holy Land; there are little women’s rights; God instructs Moses to appoint a successor; and finally, there is a laundry list of Jewish holidays and how to observe them. Most would expect a feminist like myself to jump on the daughters of Zelophehad, and I will, but not before I address the census issue. What a moment in history the Jewish people are at! They have gone through tremendous change from a people enslaved, to a free people. They have survived in the desert; they have risen above rebellions and the weaknesses of people in praying to other gods. And what do they do? They stop, take a moment, and count themselves. Ostensibly it is to make sure that when they enter and conquer the Holy Land, the ensuing bounty is divided up equally. Of course, if my lot is in the desert and I am a farmer, and your lot is in the valley and you are a camel herder, then maybe we should trade so that each of us, according to our abilities, is able to provide for our families and ourselves. In other words, in a land of abundance there is no reason that poverty, lack, or want should exist if a society stops and counts itself every now and then.
Which brings me to the daughters.
How forward thinking God was when he said their plea was just. Five
sisters end up in a place they never thought they would be, their father
has died, they’re not married, and they feel they deserve a piece of land
in his name. In other words, they should be given the same chance as
every one else to provide for themselves off a piece of land. When you
have a roof over your head and some land to grow some food, you will
always be okay just as long as no one kicks you off your land to build a
hotel. July 16, 2005/9 Tammuz, 5765 Balak The Children of Israel stand in the desert surrounded by enemies. With the protection of G-d, however, every nation that challenges them is defeated in battle. This is a troublesome time if you happen to be Balak, the king of Moab, and the next in line for an Israelite-style beating. With the Children of Israel at his doorstep, Balak hires Balaam, a pagan soothsayer, to curse them. He offers Balaam money and power, but Balaam’s response is simply: “Whatever Hashem will speak, that I shall do.” In other words, if Hashem refuses to curse the Israelites—tough luck. Balaam sets out with Balak multiple times to curse the Israelites, but every time; he ends up blessing them instead. Many commentators question Balaam’s motives, his willingness to join Balak’s cause, and his egotistical language. Even so, in the face of wealth and power and many other pagan gods, Balaam holds fast to the word and will of Hashem. Balaam respects the power of G-d and the power of his blessing. Directly following this event, the Torah relates that 24,000 Israelites died from a plague because some of the Israelite men fell to harlotry. The juxtaposition of these events teaches that even a powerfully blessed nation cannot rest on blessedness alone. The deeds of individual members of a community have an incalculable impact on the community as a whole. Communities comprised of individuals who respect that are blessed. In our time in the Traditional family, we have seen the power of this blessing. The individual members of the congregation make Traditional a blessed place for learning, community, and support. Next week we are moving to Boulder, Colorado. Being members at Traditional has been a joy for us. We treasure the friendships we have made and hope that they will continue to flourish. Thank you for welcoming us into your family. We will miss you! Love, Danny & Karli Sherwinter July 9, 2005/2 Tammuz, 5765 Chukat Parashat Chukat contains one of the mysteries in the Torah. The sedra opens with the rite of purification through the ashes of the red heifer. Those who actually do the burning and preparation of the ashes become ritually impure, while the actual ashes become the vehicle for purifying the impure. What a mystery! How often must we send our soldiers into battle to do the dirty work so that the nation (community) may have security, peace and freedom? Perhaps we can compare a state of freedom to a state of purity. How many of us recall Charles Lindbergh and his America First group who were vigorous and loud in their opposition to the U.S. entrance into the war against Germany? Indeed, Roosevelt had his opponents (who spoke like Korach), Washington had his Tories (who acted like Korach), Abraham Lincoln had his right wing Copperheads (whose Golden Calf was giving in to secession and slavery), and Israel now has its left winger “know it all mavens” who believe that the way to peace and security is by retreating from settled land and asking the Arabs (who often act like and resemble Amalek) to be part of our Minyan.
Someone has to do the dirty work. Those who do the dirty work are often
more righteous than those who are “being purified.” In Chapter 19, the
purifiers are all welcomed back in the community. Although there are no
words of thanks, both then and now, they may be the true heroes. July 2, 2005/25 Sivan, 5765 Korach I have written this commentary in the theme of Star Wars. As you will soon see, every great idea comes from Judaism. And that is what makes Judaism so great! A long time ago in a desert far, far away…. THE TORAH Episode XXXVIII THE KORACH REBELLION The (evil) Korach, of the tribe of Levi, gathers an assembly of 250 Israelites, and rebels against Moses and Aaron (Jedi masters). Korach is upset because he doesn’t understand why Moses is the leader (Jedi master) and he isn’t. Korach feels someone else should be in charge of the Israelites. Maybe Korach feels it should be himself. Moses (being the smart Jedi he is) says that Hashem (Master of the Force) will choose who will be the leader. Korach and his followers agree (because they were clouded by the dark side). When Korach and his followers stood in front of the Mishkan (the great Jedi temple), Hashem shows them going against Him (going to the dark side) will never prevail over the forces of good. All that were loyal to Korach were swallowed up by the earth. The rebellion had ended, so we thought…. O.K., enough of Star Wars. In chapter 18, verses 15-17 the Torah explains the laws of the first born. This parasha just happens to be our first born, Ilan’s parasha. The Torah explains the Pidyon Haben (redemption of the first born). That means that when our son was one month old, we bought/redeemed Ilan back from a Kohen (Stuart Boxerman) with five silver shekels (dollars). Up until that point, Ilan belonged to Hashem. I had never experienced a Pidyon Haben before, and it was such a beautiful ceremony. We held the ceremony at our home and then had a delicious dinner. It is interesting to me that we needed to buy back our son from Hashem because he wasn’t ours. I feel that every single person is actually on loan from Hashem. We should be treating our bodies with respect. We should keep our bodies looking nice. That is why we shouldn’t put tattoos on our bodies, we shouldn’t fill our lungs with pollutants like cigarette smoke, we shouldn’t overeat, but we should try to keep fit. When we die, we are not buried with anything that fancy, but with a simple garment. We are buried in a manner that will easily return our bodies back to the earth. Our bodies are only on loan from Hashem while we are on this earth. Treating ourselves with respect shows that we are also treating Hashem with respect.
In conclusion, the Torah is
fascinating and gives us many ideas for movie plots and for living our
lives to the fullest. With Torah as our guide we can live much more
fulfilled lives. June 25, 2005/18 Sivan, 5765 Shelach Lecha Parashat Shelach contains the famous story of the spies. G-d instructs Moses to send one man from each tribe to spy out the land of Canaan. The spies spend 40 days in the land of Canaan and return to the Israelites in the wilderness. Ten of the spies provide what the Torah refers to as an evil report on the land. The Israelites accept the evil report and weep at the prospect of entering the land. G-d is angry. The people do not have faith in Him and He wants to annihilate the people. The question is why would G-d instruct Moses to send spies in the first place, if He expected the Israelites to have complete faith in him? It appears that G-d was testing the Israelites and they failed miserably. It is possible the ideal response would have been for the people to reject G-d’s command to send spies in the first place, since if they had complete faith in G-d, the particulars of the Land of Canaan should not make a difference. When the spies do return with a negative report, one assumes that the Israelites would have enough faith in G-d to bring them into the land safely, but instead they think it would be a better idea to go back to Egypt. It is at this point that G-d is fed up with the people and Moses has to “talk”G-d out of destroying the Israelites (again). Perhaps the moral of the story is to demonstrate that one has to have the “correct” amount of faith in G-d. By instructing Moses to send spies to the land, maybe G-d is indicating that while we should have faith in G-d, we should not come to the point where we are completely dependent on G-d for everything. On the other hand, we also need to be cognizant of the role G-d has played in our history and never mistakenly believe that everything we have achieved was by the power of man alone. We are all in a partnership with G-d and each one of us is responsible to do our part in order to bring about the complete redemption of the Jewish People to the land of Israel. In our generation, as in the generation of the Exodus, G-d has opened up the doorway to the land of Israel for all of the Jewish People. If we do not strive to walk through that doorway, G-d may be repeating his words to Moses from Chapter 14, verse 11, “How long will they not have faith in me, despite all the signs that I have performed in their midst?”
Shabbat Shalom June 18, 2005/11 Sivan, 5765 Beha'Alotecha
Parashat
BeHa’Alotecha in honor of the 8th
anniversary of Daniel’s, Although we usually translate the name of our parasha as “When you light (the menorah)…” the literal meaning is “When you cause to go up…” as the flames of the menorah’s lamps go up. Of course going up and the opposite have a spiritual meaning as well – we can go up in holiness, or otherwise, depending on our choice of actions. The reason for this mobility is that we are imperfect human beings, put on this earth to perfect ourselves. True perfection is only in the realm of the Divine. However, because we are finite creatures, we can only do an imperfect job. It is instructive to see how various figures in our tradition react to imperfection. In our parasha, Moses is the butt of the Israelites’ complaining to the point where he begs G-d to relieve him of the task. G-d’s response is to “take some of the spirit” which is on Moses and give it to the 70 elders, so that they could share the burden. Perhaps in this we may discern some of the impatience Moses has for imperfection, which later showed up in his striking the rock to obtain water. Moses was so close to perfection that imperfection simply could not be comprehended. In the Mishnah we have the debates between Bet Hillel and Bet Shammai. Bet Hillel generally takes the more lenient view, allowing for human imperfection. In our day, “the Halachah is according to Bet Hillel” but our Midrashim tell us that in the world to come, the world of perfection, such leniency will not be necessary and the Halachah will be according to Bet Shammai. We also learn of the “four who entered Paradise” – R. Akiva, ben Zoma, ben Azzai and Elisha ben Abuyah. One died – unable to return to our imperfect world. One went mad, unable to bear the contrast between the two worlds. Elisha ben Abuyah became a heretic. Perhaps having seen perfection, he could not abide its lack, could not see the value in the process of self-perfection, became embittered and blamed G-d for the human condition. Only R. Akiva “went in peace and came back in peace.” He who had once been an ignorant shepherd and hater of the Rabbis, had lived a life of growth and unfolding of his potential. Perhaps his take on perfection was that it was something to be earned and that the ability to earn it was G-d’s greatest gift to humankind. From this vantage point he could look on those still on the path with compassion, having been there himself.
What is the lesson in this for us?
We each have a Divine spark within us that lets us know when we do
something right and when we fall short of the mark. I think we need to
approach our lives with the attitude of R. Akiva. We should be
perfectionists – holding ourselves to the highest standard. If we set the
bar any lower we’ll never accomplish anything. On the other hand we
should always “remember that we are dust.” When we fall, we need to never
give in to despair. We need to be compassionate to ourselves, and always
continue striving. June 11, 2005/4 Sivan, 5765 Naso Although it seems as if this portion, Naso, is just a series of activities surrounding the mobile Ark in the desert, there is more to it. The beginning tells of the specific assignments of Levite clans to defined tasks pertaining to caring for the Ark as well as the Levite census: the Gershonites are assigned mostly soft goods; the Merarites carry the building structural elements; the Kohanim performed the ceremonies. The Torah specifically delineates the duties and also specifically states that these duties were under the supervision of Moses and Aaron. Each of these are stated individually, thus giving emphasis to the importance of the task specified by God, dictated to Moses and administered by Aaron directly. Next is a short section detailing what was to be done if a person wronged a fellow human. That person was to realize his guilt, confess the wrong and make restitution. If a husband suspected his wife of infidelity he was not to fly off the handle and harm her or anyone else. She was to be taken to the priest who would perform a ceremony, which would save her if innocent and curse her if not. Next, the ritual of the Nazirite is detailed, specifically outlining the consequences of the vow of the Nazirite. Lastly are the twelve days of the consecration of the Ark and its great ceremony. Each tribe sent a leader and the exact same offering, regardless of the size of the tribe or its relative position, toward the initial use of the Ark. It seems obvious that the Torah must be saying something important by specifically enumerating each type and quantity of the offering and the name of the tribal leader twelve separate times in the same words and trope. I believe that this is what brings this Torah portion together. Naso started by denoting the importance of specific tasks given to specific groups, thus implying that all tasks assigned by God were important, one not necessarily greater than another. It was both an obligation and an honor to be the bearer of a specific curtain or plank. In the midsection we see how individual errors and personal vows are resolved. Finally, we see that it is more important to be a part of the collective Jewish people than to stand out with separate observance, even if done with zeal for God.
Despite God’s desire for us to
be very aware of personal responsibility in the areas of observance and
sin, He also wishes that we see ourselves as part of the whole people,
taking responsibility for the collective well being. This is later echoed
in the Book of Esther when Mordechai implies that if Esther did not stand
up for her people, then someone else would. We should each take some
pride in doing our religious, and secular for that matter, obligations
since doing so honors God and brings blessings upon our people when we do
well. June 4, 2005/26 Iyar, 5765 Bamidbar This week’s sidra, Bamidbar, begins the fourth book of the Torah-Bamidbar (Numbers). Being an engineer by education and a business manager by profession, I have always been fascinated and intrigued by the use of numbers. The parasha begins with God requesting Moses to take another census of the children of Israel--this time on the first day of the second month in the second year after leaving Egypt. My first thought when I began to delve into the sidra was – What is God’s fascination and intrigue with numbers? Didn’t God just request Moses to take a census at Sinai? In that census the total number of the congregation was calculated by having each person to be counted donate a half shekel, and then counting the coins. The coins were to be used to help finance the building of the Tabernacle. In this new census, no such contribution was mandated. In fact, each person (males of the age of 20 and above) was to be individually counted and each was to be associated with his tribe and the house of his father. Surely, I thought, God must have some purpose in mind for all this counting and for the different approaches. I was happy to find out I was not alone in wondering about God’s message regarding the numerous census taking. It seems the sages have spent a great deal of time contemplating their meaning, the significance of the differences in the methods, and their frequencies. Rashbam (Rashi’s grandson) provides the briefest and most direct explanation. The Israelites were preparing to go to war, to take over the land which God had promised to their forefathers, and it was necessary for Moses to know how many troops he would have and how to divide them for the ensuing battles. This suggestion receives confirmation because the Levites were not counted in the census as they were forbidden to participate in battle. Although this certainly may have been a reason for taking the census, I much preferred the thoughts of Nahmanides. He reasoned that the multiple counts were necessary to emphasize to the people the miracle of our existence. We had come down to Egypt with 70 souls and were now leaving Egypt for freedom, in a relatively short timeframe, with great multitudes. He further pointed out that this census took place after pestilence and plague, emphasizing Jewish history and the fact that we have never succumbed to suffering and persecution, but instead have prospered and multiplied. Yet another thought of Nahminides was related to the method of this census, whereby each person was counted as an individual, demonstrating the importance of every person to the make up of the whole. Each Jew counts. Each Jew is important and without each one of us the nation will not, cannot survive. Hopefully in our time, we too will witness and experience klal Yisroel. Jerry Chervitz May 28, 2005/19 Iyar, 5765 Bechukotai Bechukotai is the last parasha in the book of Leviticus. Leviticus contains detailed rules and laws concerning sacrifices, priestly duties, the laws of sanctity and other various laws. In Bechukotai, God tells us what the consequences will be as a result of following or disobeying all these commandments. And so, it seems at first glance that it is clear what the rewards and punishments of our choices will be. But is it really so clear? What is the meaning of the first sentence, “If ye walk in my my ordinances, and keep my commandments, and do them”? Does this statement mean that we must follow all 613 commandments to be rewarded? Commentators have expressed differing views regarding this question. Several first century Talmudic commentators had the following opinions; Rabbi Hama Ben Hanina says that "all the commandments of the Torah were given to human beings in order to safeguard them from their inclination to make evil choices;” Rabbi Eleazar’s view is that the Jewish people were given a package, “If you observe what is in the Torah, God told the people, then you will be saved by the sword. If you do not live according to the Torah then you will be destroyed by the sword.” Rashi, the famous commentator who lived in the 10th century, believed the first statement in Bechukotai is an admonition that “you should study the Torah laboriously with the intention to take heed and to fulfill its teachings.” We tend to agree with Rashi because it is impossible to observe all the commandments, but our intention should be to study and do what we are able to do. We also feel as other commentators have maintained, that the subject of why human beings are rewarded or punished, why we are at peace or suffer, is beyond human comprehension. However, also revealed in this parasha is that God is compassionate and forgiving. Perhaps just as parents ultimately love their children no matter what they do, God loves us as well. God says in the parasha, “And yet for all that when they are in the land of their enemies I will not despise them nor will I abhor them and destroy them utterly and to break my covenant with them for I am the Lord their God.”
Shabbat Shalom May 21, 2005/12 Iyar, 5765 Behar Parashat Behar deals primarily with issues of social justice. The parasha begins with the laws of Shmita, where the Israelites are instructed to allow the land to rest every seven years. It continues with the laws of the Jubilee year, real estate laws, poverty, and concludes with the laws of slavery. The common thread with all of these laws is that they deal with how the Israelites should treat their fellow man. When I recently reread the parasha, I was struggling to find a unique insight. Then I started thinking of how this commentary would look if it were written 150 years ago. Back then there was no State of Israel, and very few Jews, if any, were engaged in agriculture on land that was owned by Jews in the land of Israel. The laws of Shmita had been almost entirely theoretical for more than a thousand years. Today, the laws of Shmita have moved from the theoretical to the practical, as the Jewish People have reclaimed their ancestral homeland. This is an excellent demonstration of the Torah being for Jews of all generations, and not just a specific time period. We can never be sure when laws that appear to be theoretical in the Torah will once again become practical. The other issue in the parasha that I would like to address pertains to the redemption of a Jewish indentured servant. Once again, it would appear that the laws pertaining to the redemption of a Jewish indentured servant are theoretical. While we may not have the opportunity today to redeem Jewish indentured servants, we certainly have the opportunity to help redeem Jewish captives. Jonathan Pollard has been in captivity for the past twenty years in various maximum-security prisons in America. He sacrificed his freedom for the welfare of the State of Israel. The least that we can do, as American Jews, is try to help redeem this Jewish captive who has been in captivity for far too long.
Shabbat Shalom May 14, 2004/5 Iyar, 5765 Emor With this commentary on parashat Emor we initiate the 13th year of this project of weekly Torah portion insights at Traditional Congregation. This program began on parashat Emor of 5753 (1993) when i returned from a six-month sabbatical in Israel. i appreciate it a great deal that it has fallen to me to submit the first commentary of the 13th year. In this morning’s Torah portion as a kind of coda to regulations concerning sacrifice eligibility, the Torah states: Leviticus 22:31 – You shall observe My mitzvot and do them, I am God. From a Rabbi Yishmael approach to Torah, we can claim this is merely literary style where the same thought is expressed in two different phrases. But from a Rabbi Akiva perspective of Torah – where nothing extraneous is acceptable as mere literary style, but requires interpreting so that it is not extraneous. How would you then differentiate “observe My mitzvot” and “do them?" The Midrash Aggadah on Leviticus (cited by Rashi) suggests the following differentiation: “Observe My mitzvot” refers to study, while “do them” refers to action. With this understanding of the phrases, i would suggest that the phrase would more accurately be translated as “Preserve My mitzvot,” for the study of Torah preserves the mitzvot. Perhaps we can say study preserves the mitzvot even more than doing them. In the sense that action without knowledge can be perceived as a mere folkway, having no divine character. On the other hand, the theoretical preservation of mitzvot without the actual doing of them makes of Torah and mitzvot mere academics with no life. Study without action is lifeless. Action without study is mere habit. The more authentic approach to Torah and mitzvot is "study and action." Rabbi Zimand May 7, 2005/13 Nissan, 5765 Kedoshim “Love your neighbor as yourself.” In Leviticus, Chapter 19, verse 18, G-d commands us to love our neighbors as ourselves. In modern times, this is known as the Golden Rule. In Talmud tractate Shabbat (31a), we are told that Hillel was asked to briefly describe the Torah. He responded by saying, “What is hateful to you do not do to your fellow. This is the essence of Torah; the rest is commentary. Now go and study.” In Leviticus, Chapter 19, verse 28, G-d commands, “You shall not make gashes in your flesh for the dead, or incise any marks on yourselves…” We can look at “incising marks” in both a physical and a psychological light. Perhaps we don’t physically beat ourselves but we can be emotionally self abusive. G-d commands us to love our neighbors as ourselves but would we ever emotionally destroy our neighbor? How quick we are to find our flaws. How quick we are to criticize our work. How quick we are to demean our abilities. This is hateful behavior. G-d does not command us to love our neighbors more than we love ourselves, but it seems that to berate ourselves comes naturally. I wonder if
we could better fulfill G-d’s commandment if we first developed a love and
respect for ourselves.
April 23, 2005/14 Nissan, 5765 Acharei Mot Parashat Acharei Mot speaks in detail about the Yom Kippur service that Aaron performed in the Mishkan. It opens with G-d giving instructions to Moses for Aaron after the death of Aaron’s two sons. It seems odd that the Torah would mention this incident again, when it does not appear to have any connection to the parasha. Additionally, the instructions for atonement seem to be a one-man show, without the participation of the rest of the nation. It must have been difficult for Aaron to receive these instructions immediately after the death of his two sons. He is given the instructions to atone for himself, his household, and the entire community, yet his own children were not given this opportunity. One would expect that Aaron would be angry at G-d for the death of his two sons. However, the Torah seems to indicate that Aaron had accepted the will of G-d by keeping quiet after the death of his sons. Many people have a tendency to blame G-d when dealing with loss. It is often hard to understand how G-d could let certain things happen. I have often wondered how G-d could let something like the Holocaust take place. How much more so would it have been natural for Aaron to blame G-d, when G-d was directly responsible for the death of his two sons? Perhaps the Torah is teaching us the proper way to atone. It is difficult to atone for your sins if you don’t accept responsibility for your own actions. Aaron’s acceptance of G-d’s will makes him the ideal person to atone for all of Israel. We can’t always understand G-d’s will, but by the acceptance of His actions, we can atone for ourselves, for our families, and for all of Israel. Zumi Brody April 16, 2005/7 Nissan, 5765 Metzorah In honor of the 11th anniversary of Joseph’s celebrating becoming a Bar Mitzvah One of the elements of the ritual of purification of a Metzora (someone who has been punished with tzara’at, a spiritual disease that our tradition tells us is a punishment for lashon haRa’ or “evil speech”) is an offering of a ram as a guilt-offering. After the ram is slaughtered, some the blood is daubed on the cartilage of the metzora’s right ear and the right thumb and the right big toe. R. Hirsch interprets the significance of these particular parts of the body as indicating that the metzora must mend his ways in the areas of mind (ear, which hears and through which we understand), deed (thumb, representing action) and effort (big toe, representing forward movement) [as paraphrased in Artscroll’s Stone Chumash]. Interestingly, just a few chapters back (Parashat Tzav, Vayikra 8:23), the Torah describes the inauguration of Aaron and his sons as Kohanim, and Moshe places the blood of the inauguration ram on the same three places. R. Avraham ben HaRambam explains that the blood on the ear represents the imperative that the Kohen always listen to G-d’s commandments, the thumb that the Kohen actively carry out G-d’s Will, and the big toe that he always move with alacrity to serve G-d (also as paraphrased in Artscroll’s Stone Chumash). I have never seen a comment on the fact that a nearly identical ritual is used in these two vastly different cases. The homiletic lessons are similar, although the emphasis is of course different in the two cases. In one case we have a group of people that is taking steps to reach the most exalted spiritual level and on the other hand we have those who are just returning to the camp after seeing their spiritual standing plummet to the point that G-d’s special community cannot even abide their presence. Yet in both cases the individuals in question are to be careful with their mind and body, that they direct all their thoughts and actions to their Parent in Heaven. Perhaps Torah, by creating a parallel between the two cases, is validating and uplifting the repentant metzora. Our Sages have said “Where the truly repentant person stands, the perfectly righteous cannot stand.” It is one challenge to start on a high spiritual level, and from that level continue to advance in perfection. Even the angels don’t do this! It is quite a different thing to humble oneself and accept reproof from a loving and also rigorous G-d, a G-d who sets very high standards for His People, and to change one’s entire personality. Anyone who has struggled with lashon haRa’ (and that should be just about everyone) knows how extremely difficult it is to “cure.” Perhaps Torah is telling the metzora who is being purified: “Look, it is as if you are now on the level of the High Priest. Congratulations!” Wouldn’t anyone be careful not to fall off that high perch again? Bob Rabinoff April 9, 2005/29 Adar II, 5765 Tazria Parashat Tazria states the laws of purity for childbirth, contact with the dead, leprosy of the body, material and walls. In Chapter 12 of Leviticus, Verse 2, G-d tells the Israelites the rules of purification for childbirth. There is a distinction between the purification rules for the birth of a male and a female. When a woman bears a male child she is sacrally ineligible for 7 days, while for a female child it is doubled. One reason given for this is that she should be available for the circumcision of her son on the 8th day. The new mother was barred from entry into the sanctuary for a period of 33 days for males and 66 for females. The miracle of birth and having provided life gives a greater insight into the power of G-d and thus, in reality, since G-d has come to her she doesn’t have to search for Him in the sanctuary. Linda Brody April 2, 2005/22 Adar II, 5765 Shemini In this week’s parasha, Shemini, Moses said to Aaron, “Come near to the Altar and perform the service of your sin-offering and provide atonement for yourself and for the people” (Leviticus 9:7). Moses had to urge Aaron to perform the service because he was embarrassed by his part in the Golden Calf (Exodus 32:35). It was destined that Aaron have a taste in the participation of this sin. Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu performed an unauthorized service and lost their lives. Moses’ and Aaron’s reaction to this loss showed greatness in their ability to accept this great loss. Aaron had to empathize with the Israelites and understand the mistakes they had made in the wilderness. Only in this way could he act as the appointed Kohen Gadol. This is an important lesson. In order to be of help to others we first must be able to set aside our view of them and the world around us. We must feel what they feel and then we can be of true help to them. Susie & Andy Zimmerman March 26, 2005/15 Adar II, 5765 Tzav This week’s parasha is titled Tzav, which means command. In Tzav the various offerings are discussed as they relate to the Kohanim. The rituals and procedures for elevation, meal, peace, sin, guilt, and thanksgiving offerings are commanded to the Kohanim, the proper procedure for koshering vessels and implements which may have become unclean or unusable. The Kohanim are also told what to do with Pigul, disqualified or rejected offerings. The last section of the parasha describes in detail the consecration ceremony for the Kohanim. It is interesting to note that commands that Hashem gives through Moses are directed to Aaron and the Kohanim. However in the second half of the parasha there are two specific commands given to B’nai Israel as a whole. The first is a prohibition against eating fat. The second is a prohibition against consuming blood. The penalty for violating these commandments is the infractor’s soul being cut off. Why are such important commandments with such severe consequences for all of B’nai Israel be placed in the middle of commandments directed to a small portion of the overall population, the Kohanim?
One possible explanation could be that these
commandments being where they are is to stress the importance of the Torah
as a whole. That all of it applies to all of B’nai Israel. At
first glance it may seem that this parasha and its commandments
would only be relevant to Kohanim. Close study shows that it
contains commandments that have a very important bearing on the entire
nation of Israel. March 19, 2005/8 Adar II, 5765 Vayikra This week’s Torah portion, Vayikra, offers a detailed description of animal offerings in the Temple. For us “moderns” the concept seems very primitive and barbaric. This is true despite the fact that most of us don’t have any problem with killing animals to make a purse or a football or a cozy couch. But the apparent purposelessness of the act itself is unsettling. As is often the case, context is everything. Unfortunately the translation from the original Hebrew to English misdirects the context. In English we describe the offering as a “sacrifice.” The term carries with it the pagan implication that there is some finite god who needs or wants something and will get angry if it doesn’t get it. Under this scenario that god is the receiver. From a Jewish perspective, G-d does not need our sacrifice, and does not receive the offering. In Hebrew, the descriptive term used for the offering is korban, which means “to draw nearer” and refers to its effect on the giver. The purpose of the offering, therefore, is found in its effect on the giver, not on G-d. So what does one get by making an offering? Simply put, the gain is spiritual. In Jewish tradition we understand that a person has two souls, both of which are essential to our being. The first one, and one shared with all animals, is more properly thought of as the “life force.” It inextricably connects us to the physical world and accounts for our dependence on the physical world—through, for example, eating and drinking—and it gets its pleasure from material things. The second soul is referred to as the Nefesh HaElohit, and refers to our “Divine soul.” It is that part of us that is eternal and which craves the connection to G-d. It gets its pleasure from such things as meaning, love, and good deeds. It is the part of us that makes us more than a sophisticated chemistry experiment. When the materialistic animal side of us assumes dominance, we invariably make mistakes. The offerings address mistakes, but only if the giver has the right frame of mind. If one makes an offering and does no more than kill an animal, it is purposeless and is barbaric. But, the act can be imbued with purpose if one engages in appropriate introspection by affirming, in essence: “I made a mistake and my animal side got the better of me. I don’t want to repeat that, and I pledge to slaughter the animal in me as a dominant force in my life. In fact, I am bringing something here that I worked hard for or had to buy and therefore had real material value to me. By giving it away I can better understand the real loss I inflict on myself when I focus on the material.” Today (and since the destruction of the Temple almost 2000 years ago) we do not offer animal sacrifices. Instead, we offer prayer and recount the “formulas” for offerings as a replacement for the actual sacrifices. But as we read about the Temple offerings we should still be reminded that the acknowledgment of our mistakes should be a focused spiritual event aimed at drawing us closer to G-d. Bob Kaiser March 12, 2005/1 Adar II, 5765 Pekudei Parashat Pekudei details the construction of the Mishkan or Tabernacle along with its accouterments when the Jewish people began their journey to Canaan. Three points from this parasha intrigue me. The first that I find revealing is that the construction of the Mishkan required the participation of every Jew, and required them to contribute an equal amount (a beka for each head and one half shekel for each person age 20 or over). A second point I see is that although the construction and detail were commanded by Hashem, the work was completed properly by the Jewish people. Thirdly, I took note that Bezalel was given the role of supervisor for the construction of the Mishkan. Each Jew contributed to the construction of the Mishkan. Regardless of relative wealth, the amount contributed by every Jew was the same. This signifies to me that a person’s wealth was unimportant with regard to the building of the Mishkan. Rather that every one of the Jewish people was equally critical in the construction if it was to be done properly. The commentaries here suggest that the amount received was the precise amount needed for the construction. Hashem commanded Moses to build the Mishkan with specific instructions as to its details. Despite the fact that the Jewish people were in the wilderness and apparently under difficult conditions, they were able to cooperate in performing all of the elements needed to complete the task to perfection. The Torah text emphasizes this, using the phrase in Hebrew, kain asu (so had they done) three times in the description of Moses’ inspection and approval of the work. Most clearly, we know that their work was done perfectly because upon completion, a cloud covered the Mishkan and their work was filled with the glory of Hashem. Bezalel, according to the commentary, was thirteen years old when he was made supervisor over the construction of the Mishkan. Despite his relative youth, he, along with all of the Jewish people of the time, understood the importance of their roles. The third sentence of the Torah text for this parasha states that Bezalel did everything that Hashem commanded of Moses. This suggests to me that Bezalel, as the supervisor, understood the commands of Hashem applied to all Jews even though they were given to Moses. This also suggests to me that each of the Jewish people equally understood and were therefore able to complete the Mishkan. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we all could act upon knowledge of Hashem’s commandments as these ancestors of ours did? If only for one shabbat, each of us could come to hear the Torah read, the synagogues around the world would overflow. I believe that if all Jews would take their knowledge of Hashem’s commandments and do what they each know to be correct as Bezalel and Jewish people in the time of Pekudei did, we could, through our deeds, help bring about the coming of the Mashiach. May it happen in our lifetime. Rick Hack March 5, 2005/24 Adar I, 5765 Vayakhel The main part of this parasha is the description of how the Tabernacle was built. It goes into explicit measurements and details concerning who contributed and who was the artisan in charge of the project. While building the Tabernacle was significant, if we accept that every aspect of the Torah is significant there must be a reason for the details being relayed to us. Another consideration is the placement of this parasha. Chronologically the building of the Tabernacle did not follow immediately after the incident with the golden calf. The Israelites had sinned mightily and atoned, is their reward the building of the Tabernacle as a visible sign that G-d is with them? Or is there more to it? If G-d is everywhere, why does He need a Tabernacle to be with the Israelites? There is no way for us to know the workings of G-d, but a possible explanation could be that G-d did not want or need a Tabernacle at all. The question then arises why did He have the Israelites build one and why is it described so explicitly in the Torah? A possible answer is that G-d did not need a Tabernacle, the Israelites did. They were a slave people who had not adjusted to freedom. The fact that this parasha follows the incident with the golden calf illustrates the point that the Israelites could not deal without their leader Moses. To the Israelites he was their conduit to G-d. Even though he was not a priest, he was the instrument that G-d had utilized to free them and perform miracles. The Israelites needed a symbol that could represent another method of communing with G-d, since they did not yet realize that they could do so directly. The slave mentality kept them from appreciating that G-d was everywhere and available to all, even a slave or an ex-slave. There certainly would come a time when Moses would no longer be with the Israelites. Thus, the Israelites needed a symbol that could be with them even after Moses was gone. The creation of the Tabernacle was not under Moses directly. Moses told the Israelites what G-d wanted, a then unknown artisan to do the work. G-d did not provide the materials, the Israelites did. The Tabernacle became a part of them because they contributed to its creation. They gave generously so that they could have ownership. Women gave up their mirrors. Thus the people had a symbol that could go with them to the Promised Land. A representation that the next generations could be brought up knowing they were worthy of serving G-d and accept that He would listen to them and that they were His chosen people. By relaying this history the Torah illustrates G-d’s divine qualities, all forgiving, all loving and knowing what is in our hearts even if we do not always understand our own motivations. G-d is always ready to accept us back to Him even with our frailties as long as we have a desire to repent our sins and let Him into our hearts. Michael Roth Feb. 26, 2005/17 Adar I, 5765 Ki Tissa By far the most famous incident in Ki Tissa revolves around the golden calf (or bull, depending on the translation). Very briefly, Moses was late coming down from Mt. Sinai and so the crowd asked Aaron to fashion “gods (elohim) for us who will go in front of us.” Aaron asks for their (and their wives’) gold jewelry and made the calf. The people say, “This is your god, O Israel, who brought you out of Mitzrayim.” Aaron builds an altar and exclaims that tomorrow will be a festival for HaShem. Needless to say, this was very troubling and HaShem did not take this very well. How could the Israelites, who only recently had heard HaShem exclaim (in Chapter 20) that they “shall have no other gods before them,” be so ungrateful as to return to idolatry? Was this really idolatry, or was it simply a case that the people wanted an intermediary between them and HaShem to replace Moses? Why was Aaron not punished for fashioning the calf without so much as a word of protest? (His two sons were killed for what seems a much lesser infraction. Aaron is not only spared, he remains the Kohen Gadol.) Why do the people say, “These are your gods, Israel…” when there is only one calf? Why do the people refer to the golden calf as having “brought you up from Egypt,” when the calf was obviously not made until after the Exodus? The reaction of G-d and Moses are quite interesting. First, G-d disowns the Israelites, telling Moses that they are “your” people whom “you” (that is, Moses) brought out of Israel. Of course we know that is not true. G-d then asks Moses to leave Him alone so that He can destroy the people. That raises still another question –why does G-d need to ask Moses to leave Him alone? Unless, of course, G-d is subtly asking Moses to plead for his people – which Moses promptly does. Rejecting G-d’s offer to make a new nation from Moses, he instead asks G-d to forgive the Israelites. And He does so. Would He have relented anyway, or was He swayed by Moses? Was the sin “excused” because we had just gotten out of Egypt where bulls were worshipped? Or was punishment just deferred? In any case all was not forgiven because G-d says, “He who has sinned against Me, him only will I erase from My record.” Thus we hear the case for individual accountability, although Aaron is not punished. But G-d does send a plague upon the people, so there is also collective responsibility. Moses descends from Mt. Sinai, rebukes Aaron, and smashes the tablets, which the Almighty Himself wrote on, and makes the Israelites literally drink the golden calf. There have been a number of commentaries on why Moses smashed the tablets. One says all the letters flew off, thus making the stones heavy. Another says that when Moses thought he was elevating the people with the Commandments, he had the strength to carry them, but when he thought the people were going astray, his strength left him. Yet another posits that by destroying the Commandments at that time, he could help excuse the Israelites. I believe the incident teaches us that no physical object, even one as holy as the tablets, takes precedence over moral behavior. Alan Rosenberg Feb. 19, 2005/10 Adar I, 5765 Tezaveh Don’t Judge a Priest by His Garments In this week’s portion the Torah devotes an entire chapter (Exodus 28) to describe the clothing of the Kohanim, Aaron and his sons. Does G-d really care how many lazuli stones are in Aaron’s ephod? Garments both conceal and reveal. They say, “clothes make the man.” On one hand, as much as people don’t want to admit it, first impressions are often superficial. On the other hand, we can actively transcend the surface to truly reveal the person. The Talmud says, “G-d wears the world like a garment.” We cannot see Him without opening our eyes to the world around us; but only seeing Him at that level is superficial. We must also abandon reason and logic and have faith. In this way, we transcend the visible world hoping to truly experience G-d. Two weeks ago, we read that the Children of Israel heard the Revelation and responded: “na’aseh v’nishmah”; “we will do, and we will hear.” Active performance of the mitzvoth elevates us so we may transcend the physical world. This week marks Karli’s and my second wedding anniversary. A comedian once compared marriage to the Temple service, saying, “people still make sacrifices at the altar.” Sacrifice is scary, but also important. Our ancestors were thankful for the opportunity to use sacrifices to approach G-d. Similarly, we all must sacrifice some of our rationality and ego to become stronger through interpersonal relationships. May we all have the strength to transcend the superficial to become closer to each other and to G-d. Shabbat Shalom Danny Sherwinter Feb. 12, 2005/3 Adar I, 5765 Terumah In this week’s
parasha, Terumah, G-d gives instructions to the Israelites for
building the Mishkan, the Tabernacle. Unlike most of the previous
portions in Bereshit and Shemot, this is not a story – it is
simply a listing of instructions. But it is not so simple. One notes how
detailed these instructions are. Not only does These instructions
given by G-d are actually told to Moses: “The Lord spoke to Moses,” and
Moses, in turn, is to deliver these directions to the Israelites. This
Tabernacle is a holy place – it is to house the “presence of It struck me how
important all these details were, as even in the Chumash we use at
our synagogue, there are pictures showing what these spaces should all
look like. You will note very few other pictures in the entire text. I
also found it interesting that as specific as G-d directed, even down to
half measurements “two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half
wide,” our synagogues today and for centuries have been all different.
The materials are different, the colors used are different, the shapes of
the buildings are different, and the layouts are all different. Recently,
on a trip to Israel, while visiting the Museum of the Diaspora, I enjoyed
an exhibit with model synagogues of the past from many countries of the
Diaspora. All these models were vastly varied. Each synagogue took on
the look and culture of its Jewish people, from its shape to the materials
used. Although Sue Weintraub
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