Simply Torah

Va-Era. Meet Me by My new Name

2011-11-05T22:37:00.000-04:00

In last week’s Parashat: Shemot, Moses understands that he has failed in his mission and asks Ha-Shem: “G-d, why did You bring harm upon the people? Why did You send me?” (Ex. 5:22-23). G-d promises Moses in this week’s Parashat that the Israelites, suffering under Egyptian oppression, will witness G-d's fulfillment of the covenant He made with the patriarchs, by giving them the land of Canaan (Ex. 6:2-8).

Another revelation G-d makes is His other name, the name no one so far has heard or used. The name we don’t say nor try to decipher. This name we don’t even try to pronounce in our own minds for fear of mispronouncing it. To Avraham, Yitchak and Jacov, G-d went by El Shaddai or Elohim, here, He reveals Himself to Moshe as ‘Havaye’ (the Hassidic accepted referal to the real name). This new name G-d reveals to Moshe, is according to the Rashi (ibid, v 3), the name G-d uses when He is faithful to His word, by keeping his promises. G-d promised to take His people to Ha-Eretz before but did not fulfill them in their times. He did not reveal His ‘Havaye’ to them.

This time it’s different, He promises to take them out of the land in their time. This is interesting because this means that this present generation in Egypt will witness the fulfillment of the Exodus. The Lubavitcher Rebbe takes what Rashi states a bit further; based on the Kabbalistic meaning of the word ‘Havaye’, one who is on an extremely exalted level. Before, when G-d revealed Himself to our forefathers, He was on a lower level and thus used the names Shaddai and Elohim. But now that His Israelites underwent the hardship as a people, they were worthy to be exposed to the higher Name. In Chassidic thought, the two earlier names of G-d were in accordance of the development of nature: With other words, in the order nature happens.

According to the Chassidut (Netivot Shalom), the Jewish people are finding themselves on the 49th level of spiritual purity with only one level to go down, the 50,th which would keep them in Egypt for another 190 years. Remember, Ha-Shem did tell Avraham that they would be enslaved for 400 years. So Ha-Shem decides to override nature (his two other names) and stop the suffering. Another requisite to reveal and use the new Name is the receiving of the Laws, the Torah. Thus you can say that by G-d ‘stepping in,’ He also makes the commitment to stay for as long as the Exodus out of Egypt takes and to give the Israelites to the Torah when the time is right. So Ha-Shem, now known by His new name, is not leaving.

With this comes a third part: the revelation of his mighty miracles. Or, you could call that ‘G-d’s ammonition’ that is meant to physically get the Israelites out of there, and also meant to show the commitment to His own people. We’re set and ready to go: We have the divine Name, we will have His fullfilment of the promise and we have the ammo. Now, let my People go, go ,go.

Vayeshev 12

2011-11-05T22:31:00.000-04:00

Introducing: Divine Intervention Global Positioning System (DI-GPS).
Without it, Joseph is lost.

If you read this week's Parashat straight from the Torah, by yourself and without the help of the commentaries, it will be clear to you what the story of Joseph is all about. And when you read the story, you feel the Divine Intervention. That’s how clear the story about Joseph is written. This Divine Intervention that occurs time and again, helps Joseph reach his brothers and later his destiny: Egypt. Jacov sends him to find his brothers without a map and without guides. How's that possible? How can a man venture into the desert without anything? Rashi points out that when Jacov sends Joseph away, it really has double significance. On one hand, Jacov wants to know how his sons and his flock are doing. But much more significantly is the second underlying meaning. HaShem sends the future of Israel away from Israel! Rashi also points out that the words: Va-yishlachehu Mi Emek Hebron – And he sent him from the valley of Hebron, refer to the prophecy between HaShem and Avraham. Hebron is not in an ‘emek’ or valley. Technically, Hebron is 3,050 feet above sea level. Then why call it an ‘emek’?

Hebron is the burial place of Avraham, and the term ‘emek’ is used here signifying a ‘deep place’, according to Rashi. Jacov and Joseph are unwittingly fulfilling a prophecy as told to Avraham by HaShem regarding the future of his descendants. And the future - has to start somewhere else.

Now, on his way, Joseph meets a man who guides him where to go next – a man who actually overheard his brothers say where they went. How’s that possible? Who does that? Ramban thinks that by now, Joseph would have turned around and call it a day. But he meets this man who shows him the way. Clearly this is Divine Intervention. Our Sages designate this ‘man’ to be the angel Gabriel. We see how Divine Intervention guides every step that Joseph makes.

We have learned by now that Joseph is a chosen man. He’s given the title of Tzadik by birth - the only man ever to be given this title in the Torah. He snitches on his brothers to his father when they make mistakes, which makes him a hated figure. He’s also a vain man. The Torah even points out that he’s a good-looking man. Why do we have to know these details? Normally the Torah does not concern itself with describing a person as ‘beautiful’. Perhaps it is so we can understand that when his brothers sell him, because they hate him that much, he’s not harmed. He’s sold three times over as a slave and ends up in the prosperous House of Potiphar, unharmed. From the very start he’s not a normal slave. He climbs up the ladder and becomes the Master of Potiphar’s Estates. Joseph does not hide his loyalty to HaShem, in fact, he speaks about it all the time. This loyalty gets him into trouble. In the meantime, in chapter 38, the story of Judah and Tamar, suddenly interrupts the Parashat. Just like that we read about Judah and Tamar. Why? According to the Malbim, before we descent into Egypt and before the terror of the next Pharaoh and the greatest of exiles ever, the lineage of descendants that lead to David HaMelach and later will lead to the Maschiach, has to be established first. And that is why this chapter interrupts us.

But there’s something else here. As we know, Tamar seduced Judah. And Judah simply did not know. And later, when Tamar is being led before Judah, she does not give him away. As she was being brought out, she sent word to her father-in-law (Judah), "To the man to whom these belong, I am with child." And continues, "I pray you, whose these are, the ring (with signet) and the cord and the staff." With other words, Tamar could have given away Judah as the father, but she didn’t. And Judah realizes that she is more righteous than he. After this chapter we continue the story about Joseph and we learn that the wife of Potiphar also tries to seduce Joseph but does not succeed. Divine Intervention. We know Joseph is a beautiful figure, so it doesn’t come much as a surprise when Potiphar’s wife tries to seduce Joseph. As an emerging Tzaddik he also knows to refuse the courting of her. She is insulted by his refusal, and so it is Potiphar’s wife who turns events around and changes everything Joseph has built up so far in Egypt. She lies about the event by changing the truth with just a few words.

The truth: “Joseph left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got himself out. That she called unto the men of her house.” But her version to her husband Potiphar: “That he left his garment by me and fled out. As I lifted my voice and cried. The Hebrew slave came unto me to mock me.”

So here we see two women in this Parashat holding the garment of the men one succeeded in seducing and the other did not. We have Tamar holding the belongings of Judah without giving away what happened and therefore sparing him. And we have the wife of Potiphar holding the garments of Joseph doing the opposite: blaming Joseph and thus sending him away. Both these women have direct power to change things for better or for worse. Tamar shows the courage to use words carefully as not to blame Judah. Potiphar’s wife shows how words can blame Joseph for something he did not do.

Call it Divine… Intervention. Because there’s a reason we’ll learn soon why the Divine Intervention GPS leads Joseph straight into the dungeons of the Pharaoh, to continue his.. Divine… Destiny.

Chayei Sarah 12

2011-11-05T22:28:00.000-04:00

There are two themes here that can be easily translated into modern times. Firstly it is the command to purchase the burial plot for Sarah and secondly it is the discovery of Rebecca to be the right choice for Isaac. Death and Marriage, the passing of one generation to another: Dor va’Dor. Today, many of us use the actual purchase of the Cave of Machpelach as the black and white proof that Eretz Israel is ours. This Cave and the Temple and the burial ground for Joseph at Shechem, are the three steadfast places that stand as physical proof that we belong there (Bereshit Rabbah 79). Both Machpelach and Shechem are actually paid for. The price did go up: Abraham paid in silver while David paid in gold. Those in the world who call the Torah the Old Testament, know very well that these literal occurrences, described so plain and practical, are indisputably proof that The Promised Land is indeed our Land.

Usually the Torah does not go into the details of daily incidentals of human existence. It steers clear of domestic matters. That is why our Rabbis have been fascinated about this sidrah. Ibn Ezra regards the mentioning of the buying of the burial ground as: “The preeminence of the land of Israel over all other lands, both for the living and dead.” Ezra also sees it as proof of Avraham’s inheritance. The second theme in this Parashat, that of seeking a suitable wife for Isaac, can also be seen in modern time. It is the last of Avraham’s activities that of briefing his servant on how to go about seeking the right candidate. He makes his servant swear that he won’t take a wife for Isaac from within the Canaanites, “among whom I dwell”. Avraham directs him to go “unto my country, and to my kindred…” Let’s take a closer look as to what Avraham meant. Abravanel wonders about this as well, he asks: “why not from among the Canaanites? Was it because they were idol worshippers?” We know that even Avraham’s own family worshipped idols. Why did he place the daughters of Canaan out of reach and not the daughters of Bethuel and Nahor who were also among idol worshippers? Meanwhile, there were clearly good Canaanites like Aner and Eshkol whose offspring Avraham also excluded.

The answer comes down to the definition of the word ‘molad’ti’. When Avraham says ‘my kindred’ – molad’ti, the Sages had various ways of translating the meaning of the word. Rashi took the word in the usual sense of ‘birthplace’. Meanwhile, Ramban left it open and saw two possibilities; that of kindred, family and place and on the other side, members of the same race or origins but not necessarily family. Rashi finds the answer in the word ‘deeds’ - k’Maaseh’ – “According to the deeds of the land of Egypt in which you dwelt”. With other words, it was understood that the deeds of the Egyptians and Canaanites were worse than others. Deeds much worse than idol worshipping. Was Isaac to be married locally, within any of these people, Avraham feared that Isaac would assimilate. Later, when the servant meets Rebecca and she passes her character test by fetching more water for the camels, it becomes clear that symbolically the Torah teaches us about the importance of character. When the servant picks out Rebecca to talk to, because she was the prettiest among the maidens, the Torah sets the record straight and proves that her inner beauty is more important. A lesson every son’s mother wishes her future daughter-in-law to pass.

But where do find a Rebecca today, JDate?

Lech Lecha. Why Avram?

2011-11-04T19:57:00.002-04:00

We are three weeks into the Torah and we are twenty generations along. HaShem’s patience with men’s yotzer harah (bad instincts), can be measured in time. Firstly, Adam didn’t make it long. God didn’t have much patience with him. Then it seems He waited ten generations before his patience ran out again and God selects Noah and company as the only survivors after the flood. In this Parashat again after ten generations, He selects Avram as the one to lead the nations to come. Why Avram? What do we know about him? –Nothing at all.

We know more about why Noah was chosen, than why Avram was chosen. At least in Parashat Noah it’s written: “Walk before me and be thou whole-hearted.” We know Noah was Tamim, whole-hearted. Today’s parashat starts immediately with “Lech Lecha,” without any clarification. Rambam, Maimonides, in his Mishneh Torah, spends a great deal digging into Avram’s earlier life – that part the Torah does not mention. He sets it up with explaining that in the days of Enosh, men fell into grave error. They argued: “Since God created the stars and spheres to govern the universe, placing them on high…they need to be praised, glorified and paid homage to…” But with the passage of time, Rambam continues: “They arose false prophets, started making idols, and forgot all about the One God.” People started only recognizing and believing and worshiping idols made of wood and stone.

Rambam continues that only a few, Enoch, Methuselah, Noah, Shem and Eber, did recognize the One God. In this manner, he writes, the world continues on its course until there was born the pillar of the world.

In his effort to explain Avram, Rambam continues: “Forty years was Avram when he acknowledges his Creator.” What happens next is directly comparable with the behaviour Moses displays during his awareness of what his mission should be and Avrams awakening. Both Avram and Moses become angry and even physically violent. They both protest in similar ways against wrong – in the name of right.

Avram begins debating on behalf of the One God. According to Rambam, he tries to convince his fathers’ customers not to buy the images his own father Terach purveys and sells for a living. We can imagine a kind of Judaica store or even a souvenir shop to which Avram protests. Avram is good at debating the reason why there’s One God, so good that the King of the Chaldeans pursues him. Now we know that Avram is seventy five years old when he, Sarai and Lot depart from Charan. So you can say that HaShem watched Avram for 35 years debate and flee and become a pure believer before finally saying: “Lech Lecha.”

Rambam thinks it’s because Avram came close to Canaan and called upon God, that God spoke to Avram. Just like Moses, with the words “Lech Lecha”, God uproots Avram in the direction of the promised land. Just like Noah, Avram is the only shimmer of light left on earth. We know that from the words: ”…and in thee shall be blessed all the families of the earth.”

But where is Avram’s resumé?

The Torah doesn’t explain why Avram is perfect for the job. There aren’t clear words like: “Walk before me. Walk with me.” Or, words like: “…if you walk in My statutes,” or “if you hearken to the Lord your God,” as in the case of David, Solomon and Isaac. Rambam concludes that it isn’t Avram’s inner struggle with idols and outer struggle against them that makes him HaShem’s choice. No, Rambam clearly thinks that the real reason is that the Chaldeans had persecuted Avram and that he was heading into the direction of Canaan and that there his name, would become great and the nations would be blessed through him.

Our Sages were not content with making Avram out to be a martyr. They credit him with something amazing. They go as far as to believe that Avram observed the whole Torah even before it was given.
The bottom line for hiring Avram without a resumé, without references, the Sages agree was simply the choice. The choice by the President, CEO and Chairman himself: God – and who is going to argue with that?

Noah. The Ultimate Parashat.

2011-11-04T19:56:00.000-04:00

The historical speed with which we read Parshiot Bereshiet and Noah are mindboggling. In Noah we are ten generations and 1656 years further. The average age of each generation comes to 912 years, with Methusaleh taking the first price for living to a ripe old age of 969 years. If you fast-forward your DVD player while watching a movie, you still wouldn’t be able to catch up with the speed with which we are reading the beginnings of the Torah. Bereshiet teaches us history in light speed: We go from nothing to Gan Eden, from Adam to Cain. Alas most importantly, in Bereshiet we end on a very bad note.

The writing’s on the wall: mankind can be bad. We can divide the totality of sins in four stages: 1- Adam’s sin, 2- Cain’s sin, 3- Lemech’s sin and 4- The Collective Sins -(see Rosh Hoshana Liturgy). The decline of mankind is in fact so bad and so bloody and murderous, that HaShem sees no other way than to completely start over. This is the grim reality and the reason why Noah is selected and being called upon for help. While today we can buy Fisher Price toys with Noah, the Ark and multiple animals for children to play with; and while we can observe newborns sleeping under a Noah Mobile turning gently around and around playing a lullaby, not many parents realize the dark side of the story. So dark and so desperate, that HaShem is willing to destroy what He has built and literally re-start Ha-Olam. Noah, is chosen and he’s the first man in the Torah to receive titles of distinction. “Noah was a man, righteous (Tzadik) and whole-hearted in his generations.” Avraham received the same title of whole-hearted: “Walk before Me and be thou whole-hearted.” Clearly being whole-hearted – tamim, is a character trait more important than anything else. It’s what Avraham and Noah have in common. Meanwhile many of our Sages have discussed the phrase “For thee have I seen righteous before Me in this generation.” Rashi carefully admits that some Rabbis think that had Noah lived in a righteous generation, he’d be even more righteous, while had he lived during Avraham’s time, he’d be worthless. Pretty tough and harsh terms. In Levush Haora, Rabbi Mordechai Yaffe comments that both of Rashi’s observations pretty much mean the same: Noah was a mediocre man. Still, if we look at the circumstances and at the times in which Noah lived, then he must have been quite a righteous and good man. All and everything around him was against everything he stood for. We are talking about a society so much in decline and so bad, that only Noah and his direct family were chosen to survive what is to come next. Noah will become the next Adam. Noah will become the new and with that the first generation from which everyone else will arise. That makes this Parashat arguably the most complete and ultimate of all Parshiot.

Think about it, we have the new (read second) beginning of Olam, the lesson of bad versus good, a new leader, a new generation to start mankind with and seven brand new Noahhide laws to adhere to. That makes this Parashat the most complete lesson of all Parshiot. And most importantly, in time to come, we are now allowed to develop and refine the lean pastrami sandwich. We are no longer vegetarians. The most often quoted reason for that is the literal realization that all vegetation on earth had to grow back after the flood and that there was not enough food otherwise. Rav Kook, in Tallelei Orot, beautifully puts the meaning of suddenly being allowed to be carnivorous, in a different way. He believed that since mankind had let go of its moral instincts before, he was now allowed to kill an animal rather than his own kind. It was for this reason that mankind had been granted the permission to slaughter animals for food. But he called it a transitional tax, something temporary until the brighter era would be reached. From Isaiah -“Nation shall not lift up sword against nation neither shall they learn the arts of war anymore.” In this message, Rav Kook believed to hear that man’s compassion would extend to the animal Kingdom as well.

It is interesting to notice that the seven Noahide laws or shevah mitzvot bnei Noah, almost all are shaped to prevent what was before the flood. The seven laws listed by the Tosefta and the Talmud are: 1- Prohibition of Idolatry, 2- Prohibition of Murder, 3- Prohibition of Theft, 4- Prohibition of Sexual immorality, 5- Prohibition of Blasphemy, 6- Prohibition of eating flesh taken from an animal while it is still alive, 7- Establishment of courts of law. By this time HaShem realizes that man with his own free will, can easily engage himself in bad ways - of which the foolishness of Babel is the prime example. With the sin of Babel this Parashat comes finally to an end. In the next Parashat thankfully a better generation emerges. Thank God for Avraham.

Ki Tetzeh 11

2011-11-04T19:55:00.000-04:00

You can say that last week’s Parasha Shoftim, was about the architecture of how to build the right justice system. Shoftim teaches us to elect the judges and officers for local courts, regional courts and the High Court in Jerusalem and to obey our Sages.

This week’s Parashat is a perfect follow up. This week we are taught certain very important Mitzvot. You see, now that we know how we will be judged by HaShem, but also by our elected Judges, we can continue with learning the things we will be judged on.

Ki Tezeh is the only Parashat, according to Maimonides to contain 72 positive and negative precepts.

The Midrash discusses the difference between a person who obeys the Mitzvot blindly - based on the notion that everything is ‘HaShem’s’ will – whether one understands the mitzvah or not, versus; a person who wants to understand the Mitzvah and the meaning of it.

Some Mitzvot are easy to understand: the prohibition of fraud and Lashon Hora are clear. Other Mitzvot are not as clear. Rabbi Yosef Heinemann in his writings ‘Ta’amei Mitzvot’ , applauds the search of the meaning of Mitzvot. With other words, the searching of the ‘why’ is, in his eyes, a Mitzvot in and of itself.

Rabbi Heinemann writes: “…we must endeavour, as far as possible, to appreciate the wisdom and justice of His commands.”

Therefore it is beautiful to watch Maimonides fight it out with Nachmonides when it comes to the Mitzvah of sending away the mother bird from its nest with either young or eggs in it.

Maimonides understands both those who believe that commandments have no object at all. But he also hears those who say that the commandments have a certain aim, purpose and meaning.

Maimonides goes as far as explaining the separation of an animal and its young before the slaughter of either one, to prevent the suffering of the animals. Rambam explains that the suffering of animals does not differ from that of man; Quote: “…since the love and tenderness of the mother for her young ones is not produced by reasoning but by imagination, and this faculty exists not only to man but in most livings things.” (end quote)

Nachmanides does not believe that the sending away of the motherbird is dictated by considerations of cruelty of animals. Ramban thinks it is purely educational and teaches us kindness and compassion to eachother.

But both lead to the conclusion that compassion is the main meaning of the Mitzvah to take the motherbird away. The same can be said about separating the mother from its calf when one is about to be slaughtered.

And since these Mitzvot are mentioned at the beginning of the Parasha with many other Mitzvot to follow, we can make the following conclusion: It is necessary to understand what compassion is, before learning why making a vow is wrong. Why the fruit that you leave on the field is for those who find it after you. Why a father shall not be put to death for the sin of his children or vice versa.

The Judges in Parasha Shoftim are said not to respect the accused. But in this Parasha we learn that man needs to be taught what compassion is so that he understands the Mitzvot better and so that he can avoid going down the wrong path to end up standing in front of a Judge as the accused.

Balak 11

2011-11-04T19:54:00.000-04:00

Bilaam, not Balak

Which Rabbi or other source is responsible for naming the Parashiot? - for I would like to ask the person why he named this week’s Parashat after a morally bad example like Balak? Names like Yitro, Noah, Chayeh Sarah, or next week’s Pinchas are easier to understand - these are persons to look up to. The rest of the Parashiot’s names are ‘lazy’ names, often the first word or meaning of the Parasha. So it is possibly nothing to be really concerned about, but still, naming this week’s Parasha after Balak, is just undeserved.

Balak is nothing but an orchestrator who’s plan goes mostly wrong. In this story, he’s a bit player, not the name on the marquee. It is Bilaam who steals the show proven by the endless renderings, etchings and paintings of him over the centuries, including Rembrandt’s rendition simply called: Balaam and the Ass, - (1626) which hangs proudly in the Musée Cognacq-Jay in Paris. Balak is an orchestrator, by today’s standards; a politician. He knows whom to hire for the job. The Israelites are getting too powerful, so let’s hire a really well-known goyische prophet to curse them. Bilaam, is gifted, no doubt and he has something that is as dear and special as Moshe Rabbenu has: The direct voice (and ear) to HaShem. This greatest of all gifts prevents Am Israel to be cursed by him, since HaShem ‘puts words into his mouth’.

Three times does Bilaam try and three times does he fail. Not at Bamoth-Baal, not at Pisgah nor Peor. Strange actually, because Bilaam knows that the ‘Lord of the Israelites is not angry upon his own peoples’ and tells Balak so over and over in the words: ‘My message was to bless: When He blesses, I cannot reverse it. No harm is in sight for Jacob, no woe in view for Israel. The Lord their God is with them’. Let’s not try to feel pity for Bilaam though, he’s without doubt a crooked prophet. On one hand he’s highly susceptible to bribes and the money that Balak promises him, thus proving that his direct contact with HaShem is highly undeserved. On the other hand, he confesses to the greatness of HaShem by warning Balak how he cannot curse the Israelites. For two reasons; One, and this is the greatest moral point the Parasha makes; Bilaam knows that the Lord of the Israelites is not angry at His people and therefore a mere prophet cannot and should not curse them. By cursing the Israelites, he would pass the powers that are greater to him; namely the Lord Himself. And of course reason two; He simply cannot for physical reasons. HaShem places words into his mouth. But Bilaam also displays utter stupidity. After all, a donkey proves to be wiser than he is. And not only that, the donkey speaks! At first the donkey warns him by pushing him against a wall and by refusing to move further. Unfortunately, a donkey is known to be stubborn and maybe Bilaam confuses a sign of normal donkey-like behavior with that of a sign of divinity. Still the donkey knows faster than Bilaam how truly divine the moment is. This makes Bilaam and Balak as well, both men of false emotions. Bilaam is blinded by ego and greed, Balak by fear and panic.

Now as these mishaps happen high above the heads of the advancing Israelite armies, we can assume that down below in the camps no one really knows about curses turning into blessings. For it is the tribes that curse themselves. The exposure to promiscuous Midianite women is enough for the Israelite to lose his ways. He is weak. After all that Balak and Bilaam tried and failed to do high above them, it only takes the lifting of a skirt to strike them down. After all that HaShem did for them, weakness wins. At least one man appears and knows right from wrong and strikes mercilessly. He is next week’s hero in the Parasha that has a much more honorable name than this week’s Parashat; Pinchas.

Ha-Azino

2011-11-04T19:53:00.000-04:00

Moses goes out with a song. This is Moshe Rabbenu’s last day. And what does he leaves Bnei Israel with? A song.

A poem loaded with past, present and future. In fact, the predictions in this song are grave, harsh, and unapologetic.

Beautifully written, the first sentence calls us to listen in a strange way. Ha’azinu is an expression, a saying meant for someone standing nearby….’give ear’.

Yet, Moshe calls upon the heavens – Ha’Azinu HaShamaim - with this expression, as if, they’re that close to him.
And he calls to the Earth. What perfect connection to Bereshit – which opens with The Heavens and The Earth. We’ve come full circle.

Rabbi Munk states, that because it was Moshe’s last day, he could have felt closer to the heavens and less so to Bnei Israel which he calls upon in the same sentence by using the words Tish-mah Ha-Aretz….and may the Earth hear….

Rashi notes that this order of addressing the heavens first and Bnei Israel second, is quite fitting, since after Moshe would be no longer among Bnei Israel…the Heavens and the Earth would be the only witnesses to what would come.

And what would come is exactly what this brutal song is all about. HaShem is clearly worried that the riches awaiting Bnei Israel across the Jordan River, would literally make them fat…Va-Jishman Jeshurun… Jeshurun became fat and kicked…

Here, Israel is called Jeshurun…..only three times it is called that way in the Torah, all in Dvarim…derived from the word –Jashar- or straight – pointing to the straight path, man can choose to walk on –
For, in the past, Israel had been on the straight path before yet, succuming to the dangers of material prosperity.

Among the warnings - perhaps the most important one is:

Shichat Lo? Loh bnaiv muman! Is corruption His, written as Lamed-Wav – lo?
Answer: ….No – written as Lamed-Aleph – loh – it’s is his children who are at fault.

We know when things go bad, people tend to blame HaShem rather then themselves….

The Shir is so prophetic in that it clearly lays out the fate of Bnei Israel. It announces the Hatfutzot – the Diasporah….

And according to Rishonim as stated in Nachshoni’s book, this is the essence of the Shir (song) that it will be necessary to disperse Israel to the corners of the world in order to not be destroyed.

This is also the opinion of Ramban, who explains the words : Amarti Af-ehem…I thought I would make an end to them…as: I will leave a corner of them – because of the word Pe-ah – corner within the word Af-Ehem.

S’forno states that in the End of Days, the Jewish People will face destruction with only a corner remaining….

These words could easily be pointing at the Shoah.
I personally was looking for that connection….and I found it mentioned in Nachshoni’s book….

So… could it be that the Shoah (Holocaust) was announced here?

I asked a friend of mine a few years ago why he didn’t believe in God?

His name was Louis Bannet. A fellow Dutch Jew who grew up in Rotterdam in Holland before the second World War.

He survived Birkenau because he was such a great trumpet player. He bore the nickname ‘The Dutch Louis Armstrong’ before the Germans took him away.
He’s mentioned in Elie Wiesel’s book - Night.
He was Mengeles favorite musician.

He said to me: “God?” …shaking his head – “He wasn’t in Birkenau.”

Now…. What if that corner – or: Pe-ah - the Ramban found in the word Af-Eham, was The United States of America in 1940?

Still, you can go back a few phrases in the same song and pick out two words – lo? Written Lamed Wav? (l-O) Is He to blame? Followed by – loh – written Lamed Aleph. - No.

Ekev

2011-11-04T19:10:00.000-04:00

Here, the longest address of Moshe Rabbenu continues. It should not be surprising, since here is the great leader not being allowed himself to go into Eretz Israel (Land of Israel). Yet he knows the great dangers of the plenty that can turn man into complacency.

There, not far away is waiting a good land, a land of wheat and barley. With brooks of water and fountains you can almost hear. A land whose stones are iron and out of its hills copper may be mined… a land of milk and honey.

Here, manna does not have to fall from the heavens. Manna, so chosen for it wasn’t a known substance to this generation and the former generation. Perhaps chosen to be the perfect bland contrast to the plenty of food awaiting them across the Jordan River.

That plenty that’s awaiting them can lead to the faults and ignorance Am Israel has made before. Moshe fears this. And HaShem (The Name) fears it too.

So Moshe could have left it with the ten commandments and call it a day. But no, he spoke into great detail. Small details… how Israel should love HaShem. How HaShem loves Israel. And… how Israel should fear HaShem.

Back and forth. Love… and also the word fear.
Why fear?

Veh-Attah Israel, Ma HaShem Sho-el mimchah….

And now, Israel what does HaShem thy God asks of thee, But to FEAR the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways and to love him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with thy soul; to keep the commandments of the Lord, and his statutes which I command thee this day for THY good.
Ci-Iem Lir-ah et HaShem… but to fear HaShem…
Is not much to ask from Klal Israel. They may have shrugged and thought: ok, I’ll fear God.

But ‘fear’ is mostly understood by Moshe, (the Gemara explains); It is because of his unusual high moral standards that he, Moshe, understands these words perhaps better than anyone. He knows what fear really means.
Ramban says:
The phrase “what does HaShem asks of thee…
Must be understood in relation to the closing phrase…
for THY own good….

Here, Klal Israel is asked to follow instructions carefully so that THEY benefit from it… and not HaShem.

It’s important to realize that never in this address, is HasShem, through Moshe Rabbeinu asking to do good… by or for HaShem….

This is a new beginning… the word “and now” – ve-attah..
Signifies a clean slate for all of Israel.

No matter what the faults were in the past, as carefully repeated by Moshe in his address,
here, close by… is the good land as a gift… now start over and don’t mess it up….

Perhaps here, the greatest fear is that Moshe knows very well that with the gift of good and plenty also comes complacency.

Maybe, the long address to Israel going back and forth between loving God and fearing God is parallel to the Shema.

The first part of the Shema being about Unity and Love.
And the second part, as stated in this sidra, about the acceptance of the yoke of the mitzwot… and fear is certainly central to that.

Moshe Rabbeinu must have been aware of his days coming to an end. And therefore the word Ve-attah… can be read as You… as in ‘And You people’. As if Moshe wanted to distance himself totally from Am Israel, thereby giving them a totally new beginning, without any responsibility to him, but with sole responsibility to HaShem.

Moshe, in his address, carefully balances love and fear.
Good and bad. And with it he gives Klal Israel a post-it note; in the form of tefillin and the order of the mezuzah containing the ever so important Shema.

As if to say, you cannot blame me for anything anymore,
I have told you so.
And now, It’s totally up to you.

Shoftim

2011-11-04T13:38:00.001-04:00

The first two parts of this Parasha: The Shoftim and Tzedek (judges and justice) and secondly, The Mitzvot, (the obeying of the Sages) are the direct reason Judaism has survived in its entirety from a practical standpoint. Here’s why. The appointment of judges (shoftim) and officers (those that appoint them – shotrim), is a brilliant guarantee that laws shall be honored and behaviour shall be righteous.

The word mitzvot in this Parasha, needs to be read differently from its usual meaning: Commandments. Mitzvot in this Parasha means following or adhering to the laws of the Sages. “Lo, tasuh min ha-davar asher yigdu lecha yamin u-shmohl.” – “Don’t deviate from the thing which they tell you to the right or left.” Quite a puzzling statement. Maimonides explains this in his Code as: The Supreme Religious Court in Jerusalem is the root of the Oral Law. From them goes forth law and judgment to all of Israel. The Torah bids us repose our confidence in them, as it is stated – “According to the law which they shall teach you.” So in this Parasha we are told to adhere to the judgment of appointed judges and to listen to our Sages of our generation and to the Sages before our time. It is the perfect balance between daily and practical law through the Judges and Courts, and future by-laws and enhancements through our Sages. This is exactly what guarantees the perpetually enlightenment within Judaism.

The commandments of appointing officers who appoint judges in small towns, regional areas and the High Court, looks in hindsight normal to us. Isn’t that what we have today in this country? Then again, non-Jews will be the first to point out that our justice system today is based on Judeo-Christian values. And you can find it right here in Shoftim: the blue print for a fair and just societal system. It even points out how to judge. The Torah therefore makes every Israelite a potential candidate to be a judge. Shoftim is written for all of us - just like the rest of the Torah is - and therefore it becomes public knowledge how a judge will have to behave. One could say this is explicitly written so clearly in this Parasha, so that the rest of us will know how to judge a judge. Earlier in Parasha Devarim (1, 16-17) it is written: “And I charged your judges at that time, saying: Hear the causes between your brethren and judge righteously between a man and his brother, and the stranger that is with him. You shall not respect persons in judgment; you shall hear the small and the great alike. You shall not be afraid of the face of any man; for the judgment is God’s.” Repeated in detail in Shoftim: “Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift; for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise and pervert the words of the righteous.” And then followed by something extraordinary: “Justice, justice shalt thou follow.” Twice the word ‘justice’. - “Tzedek, tzedek,…” Why twice? This can easily be answered from a grammatical point of view: What else can you say? You cannot write “more just” for that would expose ‘being just’ as something that can be limited. Justice is never limited; it must be 100% pure to be justice. So writing it twice underlines the huge importance that “tzedek” has and makes it indisputable and final.

The mitzvah (read literally: follow): To adhere to what the Sages command, has brought up quite a stir over the years. Especially the phrase; “…you shall not deviate from the thing which they shall tell you.” Rashi’s exposition of the following text (Sifrei) is puzzling: “…to the right or to the left.” – even if you are told that the right is left or the left is right! – how much more so if the right is right and left is left!” This statement of Rashi has caused questions like: Does that mean that if the Sages declare the clean unclean or vice versa, we should follow it? But Rashi sums it up as: …attribute it to your lack of understanding, not theirs, and follow their ruling.” Meaning: the left or the right is off the straighten path. It is used in Va’ethanan (Deut. 5.29) as the left or right of the straighten path in the words: “You shall not deviate to the right or left.” Nachmanides explains: “Even if you feel deep down in your heart that they (the Sages) are mistaken…as clear as the difference between your right and left hand, follow their instruction.”

This is why we say our blessings in the following grammatical order: Blessed art thou…who has hallowed us with His commandments and commanded us to…” – and where did He commanded us? In the text (Deut. 17,11) “According to the law which they (the Sages) shall teach you…you shall do.” By commanding this in Shoftim, HaShem insured a continuation of Laws, a complete system of balance and justice and the first and forever growing enlightenment among the Jewish people.

Emor

2011-11-04T12:59:00.000-04:00

Parashat Emor begins with detailed instructions and restrictions for the Kohanim. Sum up these clear rules together and you get this:

1- The priests and especially the High Priest, must be worthy and ‘holy’ unto HaShem.
2- No priests with any blemish can serve at the altar.
3- A priest who is unclean cannot partake of the holy food.
4- No animals with any blemish can be an offer.
5- Plus other precise rules.

The tit for tat is interesting: Just as the human (priest) must be perfect and cannot serve if he has physical shortcomings, so cannot an animal have any blemishes if it serves as offer. Rabbis have pointed out that even though the Parashat is most important for the Kohanim, it has an even more important message. There’s an obvious redundancy in the words: “Emor el Ha’Kohanim…Ve’Amarta Aleihem.” Why does HaShem make it a point to tell Moshe to “speak to the priests”, only to immediately say: “…and tell them”? Rashi writes: “Le’Hachzir Ha’Gedolim Al Ha’Ketanim” – “to instruct the adults with regard to the children.” Moshe was to “say to the Kohanim” the Halachot, and then “say to them” that these laws must be taught to their children as well.

Obviously, here’s where Hinuch – Education begins. Moshe was to instruct the Kohanim their laws and requirements as they would have to teach them to their children. Ramban explains it like this; It is a warning to adults who regard themselves only not to forget about the purity of their children. Rabbi Asher ben Yechiel, (1250-1327) declares that in all other instances, the Torah refers to “the sons of Aharon, the Kohanim” (Vayikra 1:5). Here the phrase is reversed: “the priests, the sons of Aharon.” This suggests that this law includes a definition of Kohanim – who are no more than “the sons of Aharon” – referring to the children.

Is this the right time to introduce the mitzvah of Hinuch in the Torah? Aren’t we focused on a small group of privileged people?

One could argue that no group of people had a more difficult time educating their children than the Kohanim. After all, their children cannot do certain things other children can. And, as every parent surely has experienced before, a child will quickly ask why it cannot do certain things when it sees other children getting away with the things it can’t. Kohanim have special tasks and are bound to teach these privileges to their children. It could be that the Torah introduces Hinuch exactly for those reasons at this particular point. By extension, these Kohanim laws serve as a reminder to the rest of us of how much easier we have it. And that if the Kohanim must oblige by these rules, surely the rest of Israel can understand their simpler tasks?

So in fact, what we are seeing here is the trickle down effect. First, the Kohanim have their laws handed to them, only to immediately be asked to teach these to their children. Followed by the implied lesson that the righteous mitzvot have to be taught from parent to children among all of us. Later on we will learn that this is the only way for Am Israel to survive, for without Hinuch everything simply stops.

Va-Eira

2011-11-04T12:58:00.000-04:00

Please Welcome The Great Covenant.

No one in the Torah is spoken to the way HaShem speaks to Moshe. Not with Avraham, nor Yitchak, nor Yacov did HaShem have the kind of conversation or communication the way he did with Moshe. There is a direct back and forth here that is of the most unusual and realistic kind.

Moshe even argues with HaShem. In fact if I repeat what I just said in the form of a question, I almost argue the way Moshe did.

Did Moshe argue with HaShem – question mark - is a question and the way Moshe argues.

Listen to the two grievances Moshe argued in the form of two questions:
“Why did You bring misfortune on these people?”
and - “Why did You send for me?”

This is the man whom Bil-aam feared and called; “The man who has HaShem’s Peh - mouth”.

HaShem spoke to Avraham, Yitchak and Yacov through revelations or in dreams. But what we see here is that Moshe is held up to a level not precedent before and never repeated afterwards.

Maybe this is because HaShem has to come to a level where intimacy is necessary to go through the many steps of the Exodus - starting with the covenant he makes with Moshe, written in a most peculiar way.

The covenant starts with “Ani Adonai” and closes with “Ani Adonai.”

First HaShem declares who he is, followed by whom He appeared in front of: Avraham, Yitchak and Yacov, followed by the promise He made to them, followed by acknowledging that He heard the suffering of the Children of Israel which reminded Him of the covenant He made before, then followed by a repetition in reverse, ending with “Ani Adonai.”

And so the covenant stands.

And perhaps the most beautiful of all the words are; Ve-Hayiti LaChem Le-Lohim – And I shall be your God. Here, HaShem takes Moshe as His messenger very much the way a bride is lead to a groom by way of her father. This is also the moment where HaShem choses His people through the words “…your God.”

And so the Covenant means:
- The people of Israel are the chosen People
- Freedom will be upon them
- The land of Canaan is promised forever

And what’s Moshe’s reaction? He argues again.
“…the children of Israel have not hearkened unto me, how then shall Pharaoh hear me, who am I of uncircumcised lips?”

And what’s the reaction of the Children of Israel?
They would not listen to Moshe. No trace of faith or trust. No misgivings, arguments or opposition. They would simply not listen.

At this point of time, the Children of Israel were a great amount of people, a mass of people. Things had changed from the days of Avraham, Yitchak and Yacov. HaShem had to deal with a new generation and much larger group of people.

Yehudah Halevi (Spain, ca 1075-1141) in his work The Kuzari, picks up on this. HaShem did not create miracles for the Patriarchs the way he did for Moshe as implied in the statement; “…and by my name the Lord was I not known to them.” The circumstances between HaShem and Avraham were intimate, closer and simpler than the new relationship with Moshe.

Perhaps the reasons why Moshe had HaShem’s ear like no man ever before, is that there was despair and doubt in the hearts of Am Israel and especially Moshe himself.

With other words, communication had to be performed on a much larger scale. With other words, HaShem had to put up a new show;
A large show to demonstrate His presence. A show of miracles. A show of miracles not just to convince the Pharoah of HaShem’s awesome might and truth, but a show of miracles to convince Bnei Israel of the same.

This Parashat is truly remarkable. It is the absolute covenant between Am Israel and HaShem as told to Moshe. It is the brit that Am Israel are the chosen as told to Moshe.

Who would have known that this divine and direct revelation was not enough for Am Israel, and that it would take many miracles and many years to convince Am Israel of the blessings of HaShem. Even the writing of the covenant in stone later on would not be enough for these obstinate People.

Who would have known that Am Israel would be more stubborn that the Pharaoh himself?

And by asking all these questions, am I arguing? I hope not.

Shemot

2011-11-04T12:57:00.000-04:00

Leader Wanted. No Experience Neccesary.

Much has been written on why Moshe Rabbenu was picked by HaShem to become the most dramatic, charismatic and human leader of the Jewish people. There’s not much in the form of a resume to read on Moshe. We know fairly little about him. Born out of two parents who both are identified as members of the Tribe of Levi. Rav Samson Raphael Hirsch explains this as ‘a quality Moshe needs.’ According to Rav Hirsch, the Levi-im “had the feeling of communal brotherhood developed to a high degree, which, completely free of egoism, made them feel affected by any wrong done to the least important member of the family circle, as if it had been done to themselves.”

We know that Moshe was the son of Amram and Yocheveth’s second marriage to eachother. Amram, the Tzaddik, had ordered himself to divorce Yocheveth as to inspire others to follow, out of despair after the Pharaoh ordered the first borns to be drowned. It was Miriam, Amram’s daughter who talked him into marrying Yocheveth publicly for the second time again.

We know that Moshe felt his background while growing up inside the palace. He went out of the palace to see the Israelites, to observe them and to be close to them.
Rav Simchah Zissel points out that Moshe’s anger and killing of an Egyptian who is hurting a fellow Israelite and later the intervention between two fighting Israelites, is the sign of a true leader. One who not only sees the larger picture, but one who sees the individual.

Rav Matisyahu Solomon points out that the ‘zenith’ of Moshe’s career is finally the act of herding sheep. Being a shepherd. In those days, a shepherd was a lowly, simple occupation. Yet Yakov Avinu and David HaMelech were both shepherds at one time. It is the Midrash that tells us that Moshe once carried an exhausted young sheep which had run away back to the herd. Upon seeing this, HaShem knew that this kind of compassion was the ultimate proof of being able to lead a bigger herd: Klal Israel.

Was the refusal to HaShem by Moshe to become the chosen leader, stupidity or a form of courage? Chazal tells us that Moshe refused out of respect for his older brother Aharon. But did he have the right to even question HaShem?

The Gemara tells us about the comment by HaShem that Moshe is different from the Avot - Avraham, Yitchak and Yacov – that “they don’t make them like they used to…” A remarkable comment. Meanwhile Rambam calls Moshe the greatest human being that ever lived, the father in Torah and wisdom. And Rambam writes Moshe into his Thirteen Principles of Faith.

There’s a way to look at it from an Emunah and Bitachon point of view, why Moshe was the right man for the job.

Rambam sees emunah as the absolute knowledge that HaShem created the world and continues to run the world as well. That nothing exists or happens without HaShem. The Chavot HaLevavot (Rabbi Bahyai ben Rabbi Yosef Ibn Paquda) defines bitachon as ‘trusting’ in HaShem, and believes that although a person may take responsibility, he still relies on HaShem dictating the outcome of events.

Emunah is therefore a state of understanding, while bitachon is a state of total trust.

Pharaoh had emunah but not bitachon in HaShem. The Midrash explains that Pharaoh’s demand for newborn boys to be drowned was a highly calculated one. Pharaoh knew that HaShem had made a promise to Noah not to have another flood ever. Therefore HaShem could not have brought a flood as punishment upon Mitzrayim. Pharaoh had emunah in HaShem but he didn’t trust HaShem. He lacked bitachon.

It is clear from the writings in the Torah that Moshe had the highest level of emunah rather than bitachon in God. Moshe spoke to HaShem, Moshe could see him when He was there or not. Moshe argued with him. Moshe was the one to be on a one to one basis with God. The Avot were on higher level of bitachon than Moshe. Their trust level was greater, perhaps because their relationship towards HaShem was not as intimate and direct.

So why is Moshe the man for the job?

It is clear that this entire Parashat is Moshe’s resume in living form. The Parashat does two things very well; it explains and sets up the conditions in Mitzrayim, while at the same time giving us the most compelling reasons why the candidacy of Leader of the Jewish people could only have been rewarded to the son of two Levi-im: a Prince and a Shepherd, an obstinate and arguer, a normal human being and most of all the man who reached the highest level in emunah.

Behar Behukotai 10

2011-11-04T12:56:00.001-04:00

The meaning of absolute freedom.

A word appears in this Parashat: dror. It’s the first time and last we will see it in the Torah with this particular meaning: freedom. As in absolute and pure freedom.

'Uhkrahtem dror baEretz leKol yeshVeyah' - 'And proclaim dror throughout the land to all it’s inhabitants'.

We know the word Chofesh as ‘free’ or ‘setting one free’. For instance in Deuteronomy 15:12 we find “And in the seventh year you shall let him go free”, but here the difference is that even if a slave goes free it is to return to another master somewhere else.

Unquestionably, ‘dror’ is linked to the Yovel year. The year of jubilee - Yovel, is all about freedom. In fact it is Ibn Ezra who looks at the word Yovel as ‘releasing’ - unlike Rashi who defines the word as 'sheep' and by extension ties it to the shofar.

And if you look at Parashat Behar carefully, you'll see that it teaches us what freedom actually is. It teaches us what the exact differences are between free and truly having freedom. It does that by commending us to set slaves free, just as we were set free as slaves. Yet out newly given freedom wasn't called dror during Yetziat Mitzrayim (exodus from Egypt). Weren't we free?

The answer may be found in the writings of Rabbi Bedersi, father of Rabbi Yedaya, at the end of the 13th Century, in where he compares ‘dror’ with the purity of the swallow, it being a ritually pure bird. Or, ‘dror’ as a word combined with oil or myrrh means pure in its finest form.

So, one could say that during the time of the exodus, we were literally given the road to freedom, but weren't free of corruption and doubts and did not achieve enough spiritual belief yet to achieve 'pure' freedom or shall we say ‘dror’.

It's not for nothing that Martin Buber calls ‘dror’ the ‘rare and dear word’.

Other proof that we're being taught here what freedom really is, is the referral to send the slave away. Buber writes in his native tongue: “Aber im Siebenten geht er in die Ledigung aus...”, “But in the seventh he shall go out free”. Followed later with: “Schicke ihn geledigt von dir weg” - “Send him to go free from you”.

It is Abravanel who sums up the obligation of the Yovel year in three parts:
1- setting all servants free as ‘Bnei Israel being set free in Egypt’
2- no harvesting nor sowing as “No harvesting nor sowing just as there was none at Mount Sinai”
3- all land returns to its original state as ‘Am Israel not owing any land in the Sinai’.

But Abravanel does not compare freeing a servant with the setting free of Am Israel. Instead, he considers achieving freedom only through studying Torah. (Bamidbar Rabba 10,21)

Back to Yovel.

It is powerful to realize that HaShem does not consider the gift of the exodus for Am Israel to be a true dror. And it’s even more remarkable to realize that we have been given that honor in the year of Yovel. We are to give dror and enjoy dror by setting our servants free, our land free and ourselves free. In a way, we get the chance to achieve true ‘dror’ every Yovel year. Translate this into today's scenario and then think of starting over. Think of shedding your material things. Think of setting your servants free (if you have any). Think of not chasing income. Think of bringing yourself back to a natural state.

Maybe it's what some call retirement.
The Torah calls it ‘dror’, only once.

Parashat Shmini

2011-11-04T12:55:00.000-04:00

Aharonʼs Disaster.

This parashat is an unsolved mystery for the most part. Countless hours have been spent by our Sages and Rabbis over the ages trying to explain what happened on - what should have been a most joyous day. The eighth day, counting the seven days before as the days in which the Kohanim were to prepare for this big day (miluim), is also the first day of Nissan. A big day. The first and only dedication day for the Mishkan.

After years of yearning for a specific place to honor HaShem, after months and months of preparation, days of nervous last details and instructions, and hours of anticipation, the day starts with the exact delivery of various korbanot. In order for HaShem to appear, these offers are to be followed precisely. Aharon gets the honor to prepare the calf thatʼs to be offered, by many a Rabbi explained as a reminder of the sin of the golden calf. No surprise then that Aharon is the one to deliver it as if to state to Bnei Israel that even the highest of priests is not faultless.

Vayirah kavod HaShem el col Ha-Am, And the glory of Gʼd appeared to all the people. Just to understand this moment, we have to realize that human endeavors following HaShemʼs instructions, from broidery, to gold smiting, to architectural plans, to specific offerings, made it work. Through direct cooperation between Am Israel and HaShem, a structure was built in which Gʼd appeared as promised to all the people and not just Moshe Rabbenu. What a moment this must have been.

And then it happened.

Aharonʼs sons, Nadav and Avihu, young priests, take it upon themselves to offer a strange fire (esh zarah), with a certain incense. And the Torah follows this incident with the words: “which He commanded them not”, followed immediately with: “And there went fire out from before Gʼd and devoured them and they died before Gʼd.”

Just like that.

In an instant, a sin is followed by capital punishment. The Torah needs two sentences to write of this event. It takes Aharonʼs breath away and has puzzled practically all Sages and all Rabbis throughout the ages. From the text it is not clear to what extent Nadav and Avihu were in the wrong. For instance it is written “they came near…”, but we donʼt know if they entered the actual Sanctuary. They may not have, since HaShem had moments before shown Himself to the entire nation and would have had some kind of presence outside the Sanctuary. The second fault made by Nadav and Avihu was the strange fire. Not much is known about what exactly was strange about it and the word “zarah”, strange is strange in itself. It only describes that HaShem did not command it. The third fault was that of using incense, which was also not prescribed.

There was no warning here. Was this a sin so great that immediate death was the only answer HaShem could give? The Torah doesnʼt dwell on this situation but instead turns to Moshe to break the silence of Aharon. Moshe turns to him and explains: “This is it – that Gʼd spoke, saying: Through them that are nigh unto Me I will be sanctified, and before all the people I will be glorified.”

Sages and Rabbis have come to the conclusion, that both Nadav and Avihu served as a symbol that no one, especially those who are learned, and in this case blessed to be so close to HaShem, are above anyone. In fact, they are more closely scrutinized. And so, setting this example serves as a reminder that no one, not even Moshe is above any other member of Clal Israel. This becomes evident again later when Moshe Rabbenu is not allowed to enter Eretz Israel.

The question that stands out here is not what kind of sin Nadav and Avihu committed, but rather why they committed it. In Or HaHayim the judgement is that the men were “overwhelmed by joy…” (Sifra 24). The Biur tells us that “in their superabundant joy, they lost their judgement…”, and that “they acted on their own accord.” With other words, even if their heart was in the right place, they committed a sin by simply not following the commandments or volunteering acts that werenʼt commanded in the first place.

If we accept that they were joyous and did not do this out of malicious reasons, then why was the punishment so quick and fierce? Wasnʼt there time for a warning? Couldnʼt they have been hurt instead of killed? Moshe tries to explain to Aharon the way HaShem speaks through those that are near to him. Rashi explains it by stating that Moshe tells Aharon that “this House would be sanctified by those who are cherished by Gʼd and I thought it would be either through me or through you. Now I see that these (two sons) are greater than I or you.” Did Rashi intent to say here that both sons became korbanot themselves? That they served as an example for punishment and ultimate power of HaShem?

A Birkenau survivor by the name of Louis Bannet z”l, once told me that he could never again understand HaShem. That there was no explanation possible for a Gʼd who allowed that much suffering to His people during the Shoah. This man was my friend and I had no words for him. There is no answer for a Gʼd without rachmanut. Something we should search for on Yom HaShoah, the day after this coming Shabbat.

Shabbat Chol Hamoed Pesach

2011-11-04T12:54:00.000-04:00

What is the connection between Yeheskel Chapter 37 and Pesach?

Written in this Haftorah it reads:

“The hand of HaShem came upon me. He took me out by the spirit of the HaShem (ruach HaShem) and set me down in the valley. It was full of bones. He led me all around them; there were very many of them spread over the valley, and they were very dry (Yehezkel 37:1- 2).”

And then before Yehezkel’s eyes this happened:

“The breath entered them, and they came to life and stood up on their feet, a vast multitude (37:10).”

“These bones are the whole House of Israel. They say, 'Our bones are dried up, our hope is gone; we are doomed.' Prophecy, therefore, and say to them: Thus said the Lord God: I am going to open your graves and lift you out of your graves, O My people, and bring you to the land of Israel (37:11-12).”

The obvious observation is: both the Exodus and Yeheskel’s visions are about redemption. Another explanation comes from the Talmud (Sanhedrin 92b), where the belief is that the revived bones are those of the sons of Efraim whom were killed because they left Egypt to prematurely. They miscalculated the right time to leave Egypt.

So then why is Yeheskel to be read on this Shabbat when it is not precisely connected to Pesach?

The answer might come from another set of bones, those belonging to Yosef. Remember, Yosef made his brothers swear that should they leave Egypt, they would bring his bones with them, making the bones a symbol of redemption and hope. (Bereshit 13;19)

What really is the connecting theme here is the redemption in both situations. And the defenition of what successful redemption is.

In Mitzrayim we are carefully taught how the redemption took place, the right timing for it and the matzah as the symbol of haste that came with it. After all, one second past 18 minutes and a matzah turns to chametz. So redemption might need careful planning, but when the time is there, one should not waste time either.

Moshe asks Yosef directly if he’s coming or not, adding that it is up to him. As if Moshe cannot know if it is an individual’s right time for redemption.

He said to him: 'Yosef, Yosef, The time has arrived which the Holy One Blessed be He swore I would redeem you, and the [time of the] oath which you made Israel take has arrived. If you show yourself – good, if not - behold we are clean of your oath.'
(Talmud - Sotah 13a)

Through his prophet Yeheskel, HaShem wanted to deliver a message of hope, of revival to Israel. He wanted it understood that He was in control and only He could give life and sustain it. The power of HaShem is evidenced in his communication with the prophet Yeheskel and the message which was delivered.

That’s something you could also say about the relationship between HaShem and Moshe: both Moshe and Yeheskel are messengers.

Since we’re talking bones, let’s go a few thousand years ahead to the archeological findings of bones in Egypt.

Bones are found in certain area’s of Egypt at a ratio of 3 women to 1 man. And in certain area’s 65% of the bones are children.

Without knowledge of the Torah this is hard to explain. However we know why. We know that boys were to be killed by Pharaoh’s order.

Further proof that the Exodus story factually took place, can be found in the Elephantine Papyri; A collection of ancient Jewish manuscripts dating from the 5th Century BCE mostly written in Aramaic and scattered among various museums including the Brooklyn Museum. These are carefully written documents about daily Jewish life and there’s one part that’s called the “Passover Letter”, a handbook on how to keep Pesach, that’s in the Egyptian Museum of Berlin.

On the back of one of these Papyri called Brooklyn 35.1446 (held in the Brooklyn Museum), you can find a list of Jewish sounding names: Yissachar, Asher, Sjafra, Menachem etc. On the front we find an order from the Pharaoh to move a group of slaves from one place to another. One of the names on the list is Siphrah, one of the two midwives who helped prevent the killing of the children -Shemot 1:15-21.

On wall drawings in caves and in hieroglyphic writings one can see the depiction of slaves having a lighter skin color than the Egyptians themselves.

One other Papyrus scroll called Harris A, column 75, line 1 through 9, we read about the description of a man of Semitic background who becomes Prince of Egypt and who “teaches” the people.

In “El Arish”, a black plaque was found made from pure granite on which the story of 9 black days is written during which no one left their house and one couldn’t see each other nor the gods.

And archeologists are dumbfounded by the amount of chariot parts, human bones found at what they call the underwater bridge at Nuweiba in Egypt, the exact area to be believed the spot where Moshe and Bnei Israel crossed.

Back to the Bones of Ephraim. The Talmud sees them as symbols of a resurrected nation. One could say the re-birth of a nation. Isn’t that what Yitziat Mitzrayim is all about?

Ilana Goldstein Saks, formerly from Bar-Ilan, a teacher at the Women’s Beit Midrash in Efrat writes;

“The midrash suggests that although they erred with their lack of caution, and consequently suffered, their efforts were not disregarded. Redemption, ultimately, will come to those who look at the world with open eyes and are poised for action. The exiles in Babylonia, to whom Yehezkel spoke his comforting words, only needed to recall the exodus from Egypt to be assured that God would remember them, even when they felt so forgotten. All the more so, the image of the revived bones of the first unsuccessful exodus would remind them, and us, that even when hope seems so distant and actions so useless, one should never despair.”

Ki Tissa 10

2011-11-04T12:50:00.002-04:00

The Anger of Moshe.

Upon seeing the Golden Calf, Moshe Rabbenu breaks the Tablets immediately; he smashes them to pieces.

Something is wrong here. Moshe Rabbenu, our greatest ambassador ever; He, who was so convinced that he wasn’t worthy enough to bring us out of Mitzrayim at first, pleaded with HaShem not to pick him; He who then became the sales representative of HaShem and vice versa, the salesman of Am-Israel - He smashes the tablets written by Ha-Shem personally in a moment of anger.

As it is written;
“Ve-Haluchot Ma-aseh Elohim neimah. Ve-Hamichtav michtav Elohim, Hu charut al-Haluchot.” “And the Tablets were the handiwork of Ha-Shem, and the writing was the writing of Ha-Shem, graven upon the Tablets.”

So Moses knows the importance and value of these Tablets to Ha-Shem and Am Israel.

That Moses was angry, all Sages agree, but the question is what was the anger for?

Sforno offers this thought: “ He (Moshe), thought that when he came to Am Israel they would have already have repented. He did not expect to find them rejoicing in the sin. Dancing was not what he expected. This is what made him irate.

HaShem had prepared Moshe for the Golden Calf, yet Moshe wanted to give Am Israel the benefit of the doubt.

Just before, coming down the Mountain, Joshua greeted him. Joshua, who had waited there loyally for Moshe to return and had not been back to the camp. When they approached the camp and heard the noise, Joshua expressed the unknown nature of the noise, while Moshe just explained it as “singing”.

Rambam explains this as Moshe’s humility and his reluctance to speak bad of Am Israel.

And before that, on the top of the mountain, Moshe gives Ha-Shem a masterful pleading argument;
“…for it is a stiff-necked people; pardon therefore our iniquity and our sin.”

As Moshe Rabbenu argues with HaShem that the Egyptians will be able to say that Ha-Shem took his people out of Mitzrayim only to kill them in the mountains, thereby weakening His stature among the Egyptians,
Am Israel is busy deceiving Ha-Shem and their leader Moshe below.

Back to Moshe’s anger.

How is it possible that a man like Moshe allows himself to lose his conduct and smashes that what Ha-Shem himself has written?

How come Moshe doesn’t confront his brother and makes him responsible? You know, have a brother to brother conversation?

Most Sages agree with the thought that Moshe wanted to shock Am Israel. Says Isaac Arama; Moshe saw that the calf was indeed a calf and broke the Tablets under the mount to shame them.”

In the Ha’amek Davar we find: “…He broke a unique treasure before their eyes.”

So we know that Moshe knew that the Torah, the Tablets are most holy. That he, the messenger is to deliver them to Am Israel and yet, he breaks the Tablets and with that, his promise to Ha-Shem as well.

Is this a tit for tat? Is the breaking of the Tablets the sin that balances the sin of the calf? Does Moshe do this to show Am Israel that what they’ve done is exactly the same in terms of degree of crime?

Is Moshe Rabbenu holding up a mirror?

Ramban avoids going here. Ramban concentrates on what caused Moshe to act this way; “He could not control himself…”

But he saw the Calf and he broke the Tablets within the same sentence. There was no moment to think.

Yet, on his way back from the mountain, he could have had plenty of time to think. And when Joshua pointed out the strange noise, Moshe was dismissive.

But Ramban could not see a man so full of love for Ha-Shem, Israel and Torah, to plan something so dreadful.

Interestingly, it’s Meshach Chochmah who offers an in-between explanation that it was Moshe’s frustration that the People saw him as part god. That they couldn’t except the Torah as a whole without Moshe.
That even if Moshe had not returned, the Torah is enough and theirs to have. For this reason God approved of Moses’ action.

Rashba calls the broken pieces that find their place in the Ark, the “accuser” and the second and whole Tablets the “defender” thereby also concluding that the breaking was valued by Ha-Shem.

One thing is very clear, of all the actions of Moshe Rabbenu ordered by Ha-Shem, this one is the most important one. Sages have said that Moshe came down the mountain happy and positive, holding the Tablets proudly. This was to be the physical welcoming of the Torah, more important that the exodus from Mitzrayim and more important than the entering of Eretz Israel. This was the most important moment to Moshe Rabbenu and Am Israel, and they blew it.

It was enough for the most Chassid of all men Am Israel ever had on their side, to blow up.

Which in itself is a lesson for all time; those who defile the Torah, lose Moshe Rabbenu, the best friend they ever had, in an instant. For those, all hope is no more.

Shelach

2011-11-04T12:49:00.000-04:00

The importance of Zizit.

No, HasShem did not sent twelve of the most wise men selected by Moshe Rabbenu to spy on the promised land. True, HaShem did not stop them, but that’s because He does give us the freedom to make our own decisions. (see Rashi’s comments on Numbers 13:2) This was a test. A rather decisive test.

Let’s read Shelach backwards to make the point.

10 – You should wear zizit, so that you do not forget the word of HaShem, otherwise you get into trouble.
09 – What shall we do with the man who was found collecting sticks on Shabbath? Says HaShem: “He shall be put to death by the entire kehilla outside the camp.”
08 – From now on more mitzvoth will be added to offerings intended for HaShem. These Menachot consists of meal, wine and oil offerings that will be offered at the same time the animals are offered.
07 – A good part of Am Israel doesn’t listen to HaShem, goes into the mountains towards the Land of Canaan and meets their fate opposite mighty Amalekites and Canaanites.
06 – HaShem makes so that ten of the spies die in a plague, while directing Am Israel to go back into the dessert.
05 – Moshe begs HaShem not to kill His people as other nations will look upon God and think that He, God, failed. HaShem gives in but punished this generation by giving them another 40 years in the dessert.
04 – Bnei Israel weeps. They’re ready to give up and give thought to appointing a leader to go back to Egypt.
03 – Twelve wise men return from spying on Canaan and ten of them think that it is impossible to enter The Promised Land, since they seem to be outnumbered by giants. Only Caleb and Joshua think they can and should enter.
02 – Moshe changes the name of Hoshua bin Nun, the spy representing the tribe of Ephraim, to Joshua, meaning ‘God shall save’.
01 – Send you, Shelach Lecha, that they may spy on The Land of Canaan, which I am giving to Bnei Israel.

The proof that is a test, a test by HaShem to see if Am Israel is ready for Canaan, is stated by the words: …’which I am giving to Bnei Israel’. Right there, the wise and able men, carefully selected by Moshe himself should have known that a gift and promise by HaShem (the Promised Land), is a gift for the ‘bitachon’ (faith) in Him. The last part of this Parashat, which we just read first; the mitzvah of the zizit, doesn’t appear out of context. The Torah gives us a visible reminder to stay on the straight path. And, judging from the apathy that Am Israel demonstrates – it doesn’t support Moshe, nor the returning spies – it clearly needs a visual reminder. So it doesn’t really matter how we read this Parashat, backwards or forwards, it is inconceivable why Am Israel fell into the trap. Weren’t all miracles proof that HaShem stood by His own word? This time, the test was clearly announced with the words; …’which I am giving to Bnei Israel.’ It deserves attention that the Torah writes the words; ‘Bnei Israel’ and not ‘Am Israel’, as if to say, you will fail this test and therefore I will give The Land to your children and not you. And so, the decision to dwell another 40 years in the dessert shouldn’t come as a surprise. Back to reading backwards. Even when God punishes ten of the twelve spies, Am Israel still revolts and wants to go into Canaan only to meet their death by mighty men. Just like the spies had forecasted, HaShem let them have it, making the point that this would only happen if you deny yourself the ‘Daht’ the ‘belief’ in Him. When reading the occurrences backwards, you see that this test was so clear from the beginning, it is hard to understand why these wise and able men failed it completely.

The question that arises when reading it backwards is this; if they had worn zizit; known the tale of the man who gathered sticks on Shabbat and the swift punishment by HaShem; if they had known the meaning of the extra offerings of wine, meals and oils next to animals, would they have heard the words; ….’asher Ani no-ten le Bnei Israel..’? - ‘…which I shall give to the Children of Israel’? Would they, the spies and Am Israel have had a better chance to defy rumours and evil subjective reporting?

Let’s have Sforno answer this; “You shall see it and remember all the precepts of the Lord. You will remember that you are slaves of the Lord whose precepts you accepted by beholding the zizit, which is like the seal of the Master on his slaves. Through this you will cease going astray after your own hearts to satisfy the whims of your heart for the sake of wealth and honour even if it involves robbery.” Ten men robbed an entire generation from entering The Promised Land. They didn’t wear the zizits.

Chayei Sarah

2011-11-04T12:48:00.000-04:00

The Eulogy of Sarah

In this week’s Parashat we find death and life following each other closely. Dor vah Dor, generation and generation, in the form of Sarah and eventually Abraham’s demise and the start of the next generation between Yitzhak and Rivka. What is interesting is that the Torah takes the time to express real emotion. Abraham mourns. In fact, this Parashat honors Sarah simply by opening with the words Chayei Sarah or “Sarah lives”. One could take that as “Sarah lives on…” We are made aware of the importance of the Jewish woman in two ways. One, is that Sarah played such an important supporting role in the life of Abraham – why else does a great man mourn? And two, Abraham challenges women to a test in order to find the best suitable woman with the best character, worthy to further the generations.

This is clearly a testament that women are equal or at least have their own important role in the development of the (Jewish) people. This is the only time in the Torah that the death of a person is recorded in age, time and place. We also know that Abraham was reminded by HaShem to “listen to her advice…” (Bereshit 21:12). She is the only woman whose name was changed by HaShem (Bereshit 17:15) and the Prophet Isiah writes about her in name equally to Abraham: “Look back to Abraham your father and to Sarah who brought you forth” (51:2). One could read part of this Torah section as a eulogy to Sarah, with the buying of her burial ground as a testament to how important she was. Why else specify in great details the buying of The Cave of Machpelah? Some Sages have understood this as proof that we never stole these lands but rather bought them. As Rabbi Yudan ben Simon points out: …”the Cave of Machpelah, the Temple and the burial place of Joseph (Shechem)….three places of which the world cannot say these are stolen lands.” (Bereshit Rabah, 97, 7)

Ibn Ezra has two opinions why the purchase and its details play such an important role. One is that the purchase cements the first stone in “our country” and two is that this is the first fulfillment of God’s promises to Abraham of Eretz Israel. It is interesting to see how Abraham lives on only to fulfill certain important tasks to connect his generation with the next. The choosing of where to find a bride for Yitzhak is perhaps the most important last task Abraham commands. The comment to ‘…not choose from the daughters of the Canaanite in whose midst I dwell’, has kept the Sages very busy over the centuries. Various answers have been given, from political reasons to corruption. Rashi comments that because it’s written that: …you (Yitzhak) shall not dwell among the Egyptians… nor the Canaanites, according to their deeds.’ With which he implied that the deeds of both nations were more corrupt than others. Rabbi Hirsh, centuries later, believed that Yithak would assimilate if he would take a Canaanite woman from nearby, because of her families and surrounding people. After all, Sarah was not to be buried among these people.

How beautiful is it to read later that after Yithak discovers Rivka, that he loves her. How important is it to see the connection between the mourning of Abraham, which clearly indicates his deep love for Sarah, and the necessity for Yithak to love Rivka. Here, the Torah teaches us that character is very important in a person, but that only love is the necessary foundation of building a lasting generation.

Noah by Fisher Price

2011-11-04T12:45:00.000-04:00

Noah

This is the only parashat from which toy companies have profited for years. Noah is everywhere thanks to Fisher Price. It’s everymans story. Yet mostly misunderstood.

The re-start of Olam Hazeh, only 21 days after we come out of Yom Kippur is alarming. We know the Torah doesn’t often write in days or months or years. And it’s totally unclear where we are in Bereshit when it comes to a timeline. But this is only the second parashat and already we’re starting over.

Beginning of world. End of world. New beginning. New covenant. HaShem makes a covenant between Noah and him, similar as the one he made with Adam. This is a serious new beginning, which makes us all Bnei Noah, rather than Bnei Adam.

And here is where the internet comes in. The amount of websites written about Noah are staggering. Noah is alive and well on the internet amongst all religions.

What stands out on the internet and in articles written by Hasidic bloggers and writers is the notion that Bnei Noah is everyone but us Jews. Bnei Noah are appearantly non-jews who keep the Noahide Laws.

You have Noahide.com, Noahide.org. – Noahide is hot on the Internet.

Maimonides, who today undoutably would have been one of the world’s foremost bloggers, has this to say in Mishne Torah (8:11). “A non-Jew, who upholds the seven Noahide commandments is considered a Righteous Gentile and has earned entry to Olam HaBah.” But our Rambam does add an interesting caveat here.

According to Rambam; Should the Gentile follow these Noahide laws out of intelligence because it’s a good way to live versus following them out of respect for the divine origin of the laws, he won’t cut it. Thus Maimonides adds the distinction of belief to the commandments.

The seven laws, mentioned specifically in Talmud Sanhedrin 56 a/b and Tosefta Sanhedrin 9:4 are :

-Avodat Zarah – The prohibition on Idolatry.
-Birchat HaShem – The prohibition on blasphemy.
The most important one:
-Shfigat Damim – The prohibition on murder – litterally the “spilling” of blood.
-Gezel – Prohition on robbery and theft.
-Gilui Arayot – The prohibition on immorality and certain sexual relations.
-Ever MinHaChay – Not taking or cutting alive limb from an animal.
-Dinim – The establishment of a justice system.
Now forgive me, but as we know all our Sages including Rashi, Rambam and so on are Monday Morning Quarterbacks. None commented during the establishments of the Torah. During the game.

So as long as we’re Monday Morning Quaterbacking, what if Bnei Noah, all people that came after Noah, would have adhered to these commandments, would we have had the Ten Commandments?

I know it’s a naive question because half of the answer is that Bnei Israel was given a new beginning and covenant and a more restrict set of commandments because they were so called “chosen.”.

So in a way the seven Noahide Commandments become the perfect counterweight to the deeper Ten Commandments the Jew has to uphold. The Sages, years later, had now a perfect way to split the people from the chosen people without taking away the most pertinent laws the unchosen had to uphold. And, as Maimonides points out, every Jew has the task to make sure these seven laws were to being followed by all people in the world.

The difference between the Seven Commandments and the Aseret Ha-Dvarim are:
-the introduction of HaShem and reminder that it was He who brought us out of slavery.
-the promise of love for those who love HaShem.
-the promise to make and keep the Sabbath.
-the promise to love one’s parents.

What Maimonides noticed was the distinction to love HaShem. Something that’s missing from the seven commandments. Yes, there’s the Noahide Mitzvah to recognize that there’s one God but not the specific mentioning to love HaShem.

That’s why Maimonides added the notion to not just follow the seven mitzvot as a way to be a good person but rather to honor HaShem’s commandments because they came from HaShem. An atheist can be a good man if he follows these seven mitzvot but he obviously doesn’t honor its origins.

And then there’s the mentioning of the Sabbath in the Ten Commandments. Clearly there to be much more than just a day of rest, but rather a clear sign of distinction of who the Jews are.

In a way Parashat Noah draws an early line in the Torah; On one side, all people who are given laws to be just and on the other side that of a people who later, will be chosen to receive a different covenant with extra mitzvot.

In the words of Rambam (in Kings/Malachei 8:10): “Moshe Rabbenu commanded from the mouth of HaShem to convince all the inhibitants of the world to observe the commandments given to the Children of Noah.”

When we see a rainbow, we say the Bracha; …Ve Zoher Ha Brit Ve Ne-eman B-Vritoh, VeKayam Be Ma-amaro – …Who remembers the covenant and is faithful to His covenant and who keeps His word.

At the time of the first rainbow, there were seven commandments. Just remember when you look up and see a rainbow today to think of the other three as well.

Sabbath Shalom.

Ki Tissa

2011-11-04T12:40:00.001-04:00

I’m watching Law & Order, episode 1000 BCE.

The Scene: an impressive courtroom quite different from most. This one is particularly large and has a group of about three thousand defendants sitting on one side. On the other side, at the table usually reserved for the prosecution, I see an unusually large contingency of prosecutors. I recognize Rashi, Ramban, Arbravanel and many others. Also represented at that table are Midrash and Talmudic writers.

On the other side I find just one lawyer representing the defense: Judah Ha-Levi, who is sitting all by himself.

On the bench there’s no one. However there’s something strange about the impressive chair usually filled by a judge, it’s lit up in a strange way.

The rest of the courtroom is filled by scholars and rabbis; I recognize Nehama Leibowitz, and in awe I recognize Moses sitting by himself.

For the prosecution, Rashi, played by Sam Waterston who normally plays District Attorney Jack McCoy, rises up from his chair and calls Aaron Ha-Cohen to the stand.

Aaron, after affirming the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, seats himself behind a wooden balustrade.

Rashi begins with the simple question: “How could this disaster happen before you?”

Aaron: “They asked me to supply them with a leader like Moses, not an actual g-d.”

Rashi concludes: “Didn’t they acknowledged other g-ds as well?” He then turns to the jury , doesn’t wait for Aaron to answer the question and says: “Acknowledge, can only apply to actual worship of idols.”

I see Ramban and other prosecutors nodding their heads in agreement.

“Objection!” cries out Judah Ha-Levi, as he jumps out of his chair, “Heresay...”
No sign from the bench.

Rashi turns to Aaron and asks: “Did you not give them the idea to use gold?”
Aaron: “They said, rise, make us a g-d.” “And I said whoever has gold, strip it off and give it to me and I threw it into the fire.”

Aaron looks at Moses in the audience and says: “Do not be annoyed with me”.

Avraham b. Ha Ramban hands over a note to Benno Jacob. On it I see the words:
The Almighty Judge said to Moses: “Your people have corrupted themselves”, not My people. Only by exclusively worshipping Him did they qualify to be called “His people...”.

Benno Jacob, approves of this opinion by nodding.

Judah Ha-Levi approaches Aaron for questioning. He paces back and forth between the Jury box and Aaron as if to say; “How am I going to make my case without further prosecuting the defendants?”

The camera zooms in on the witness and we see Aaron sweat profusely. He has the look of a man who knows he’s a conspirator of idolatry.

Judah: “How many souls were involved here?”
Aaron: “Three thousand, give or take.”
Judah: “And how many souls do you count among Am Israel?”
Aaron: “Six hundred thousand, give or take.”

The prosecution feverishly is taking notes.

Judah Ha-Levi: “Isn’t idolatry common among other Nations?”
Without waiting for Aaron to answer he continues:
“Weren’t you privy to idolatry among the Egyptians during your years in Mitzrayim?”
“Isn’t it normal for people to expect to have a physical example of their g-d?”

Rashi, clearly amused shoots Ramban a note: “If that’s all he’s got, he’s losing the case.” Ramban agrees.

I’m interrupted by a commercial break.

As we come back to the program, the prosecution is back asking Aaron questions.

“How was it possible that within forty days after the Sinai Revelation with one of the commandments clearly stating: “I’m the Lord - Thou shall have no other g-ds but me”, still ringing in their ears, they did seek other g-ds?”

Aaron hesitates to answer.

I watch the doors of the court room open and in walks a man named Shadal who makes his way quietly over to Judah Ha-Levi. Without saying a word he shakes Judah’s hand and joins him.

Shadal hands Judah a note stating: “G-d did not say- They have turned away from me - indicating that they have not abandoned the worship of G-d in favor of other g-ds.

The prosecution continues.

Isaac Arama for the prosecution.

To Aaron: “Did you not think that when Moses broke the two tablets, written by Ha-Shem himself, something so dire had happened for him to do this?”

He continues: “Did Moses do this to shock you or to shame you?”

Ramban takes over. He’s not concerned over finding a motivation for the Divine decision to wipe out the transgressors. He disagrees with Tanna debei Eliyahu that G-d never gave the order. It is a Divine decree and that’s sufficient for him.

Ramban calls Moses to the stand.

Ramban examines Moses: “I want to go back to something here, everyone knows that you, Moses, are an outstanding leader but not a g-d. Yet they asked - Since Moses has left us, let us make G-d. They did not ask for a g-d-calf representing the supreme powers of life and death but merely a substitute for Moses’ leadership. - would you agree?”

Moses: “So it was...”

Commercial break, I’m watching a spot about Egyptian cotton claiming to be the best in the world.

Back to the program and the closing statements have begun. Judah Ha-levi paces back and forth again.

He passionately addresses the Jury; “All the people in those times worshipped images....The people were left waiting for Moses to come down without having changed their clothes since the Revelation. They had remained as they were, waiting for Moses who was forty days late, not having taken any food for himself and having left them with the intention of returning the same day.”

As I’m watching this I can’t help but think - this is still no reason to build yourself a golden calf. And I’m wondering, why didn’t they give it a catchy name? All other idols in those days had them. For idolators they did a half-job, plus for a show like Law & Order, it would have made the point that much more.

As the credits roll up, we see the large group of defendants being led away. Aaron catches up with Moses as they slowly leave the room.

Pinchas

2011-11-04T12:40:00.000-04:00

An Executive Decision.

We're finding ourselves in the middle of multiple wars stretching from Parashat Balak to Pinchas. These are bloody times and HaShem is handing out the orders like a real Commander in Chief. Am Israel is easily derailed by an army of beautiful women throwing themselves at them on the condition that they worship Peor. Orders are given to kill 25,000 Jewish souls as punishment and a plaque comes over Am Israel. In the midst of all this Pinchas kills Zimri, an Israelite and Kosbi, a Medianite princess in one strike by using a spear.

Besides the fact that killing two people in one swoop with a spear requires enormous control over the weapon - our Sages say that when a man does a mitzvah, HaShem helps him finishing it - Pinchas takes the Wrath of HaShem in his own hands. Rashi explains this (ibid) as Pinchas taking the place of HasShem - "…when in fact I (HaShem) should have been angry."

Pinchas acted on his own. In the midst of a war, one man's action to kill two people without a trial and seemingly without hesitation, becomes a blessing. Even Moses doubts this and considers punishment, but it is God who immediately recognizes the deed as His own by speaking to Moshe and re-introducing Pinchas as the son of Eleazar and the son of Aaron the Priest, as if to set a new place in history for Pinchas.

Next, HaShem continues to protect Pinchas in an amazing way; first He says: "..he (Pinchas) turned my Wrath away from Bnei Israel"… - clearly stating that Pinchas has also saved lives with his act of vengeance. The plague stopped when Pinchas killed. Then, HaShem says: "…he was zealous for My sake among them…," as if to say that Pinchas set an example.

The Sages weren't happy with the violence Pinchas displayed. Some wanted to excommunicate him. Rabbi Baruch Epstein (Torah Temimah) explains the reaction of the Sages this way: They, the Sages, understood that such an act of extreme violence under the flag of 'zealotry' had to be completely pure to be allowed. How could they know that Pinchas did not have another reason to have done this? Did Pinchas hide behind HaShem to commit murder?

But it must have been with the purest of commitment to HaShem otherwise why does God reward Pinchas with "…My covenant of peace…"? Abravanel is quick to say that it was a form of protection against Zimri's next-of-kin's wrath. Yet, Rabbi Zvi Yehuda Berlin in his Ha'amek Davar states: …"a covenant of peace constitutes rather a guarantee of protection against the inner enemy, lurking inside the zealous perpetrator of the sudden deed, against the inner demoralization that such an act as the killing of a human being, without due process of law is liable to cause."

As Commander in Chief in time of war, God judges Pinchas quickly and decisively. In a way Pinchas allows the War to continue without the unnecessary hold-ups and failings of Am Israel. It's back to business! Mercessly HaShem commands Moses to "harass" the Midianites and "smite" them. Just like the Amalekites whom the Israelites were ordered to "kill", we now get the order to "harass" a people. Rashi find the prostituting of one's daughters enough of a reason, while Nachmanides states that it was the Midianites who constituted the idea to lure the Israelites into the arms of the daughters of Moab.

The difference between Amalek and Midian is perhaps that Amalek threatened Israel physically while Median threatened the soul of Israel.

If that can be said, then Pinchas stopped this by his act of violence. Not only did he translate HaShem's wrath, but he also stopped the deterioration of Am Israel. And so, his violence became an enormously important mitzvah follow by an Executive Decision from above. Pinchas received the silver star not withstanding the complaints from literally everyone around him. Even Moshe Rabbenu.

Mishpatim 10

2011-11-04T12:35:00.000-04:00

The introduction of Rachmanut.

Why here? Why now? All of a sudden, in the middle of Shemot, we find this Parashat thatʼs hidden like a couple of forgotten law books. And, without any announcement, Mishpatim throws at us the most detailed and specific of codes and rules.

One reason can be that Bnei Israel continuous to develop into One People - Am Israel in Shemot, and thus is ready for a detailed set of rules. One could say that without this Parashat there would be no developed or compassionate legal system as we have today.

Why else does the Torah make such an effort as to write in details the difference between stealing an ox versus a sheep? While the Babylonian answer to that is to treat stealing as just stealing, period - we on the other hand, are taught to reason. Akedat Yitzhak puts it this way: “A thief who deliberately sets out to inflict loss on his fellow man deserves to have a taste of his own medicine...”

We are being taught many things in this Parashat and perhaps the most important lesson of all: that of Rachmanut - compassion. Repeatedly does the Torah bring up the most severe crimes first and lesser ones next, only to teach us reasoning.

Steal a cow or sheep and you will be punished by having to pay double back. But if the thievery includes slaughtering or disposing of the loot, the Torah fixes the punishment; a four or five-fold restitution.

Sages point out that the Torah starts out by pointing towards the more severe crime of slaughtering or disposing, because a thief almost never keeps the stolen property on his land. He usually immediately will slaughter it or dispose of it. But we are reminded that if a thief who doesnʼt, deserves a lesser punishment. And why then the difference between stealing an ox and sheep? Why is stealing an ox worse? Philo comments in a practical way; “The sheep has four benefits - milk, cheese, wool and offspring (lambs), while the ox has five - milk, cheese, offspring (calves) and in addition, ploughing the land and pulling the wagon.” Other Sages did not count milk and cheese as two benefits, but Ibn Ezra agrees with the ploughing benefit.

This is fascinating. In Mishpatim we are taught to reason. We are taught to judge situations carefully. We are being taught Rachmanut.

We are taught that when a thief enters a premise, the owner can take his life. “Thereʼs no blood in him...” - Rashi explains the thief as a soulless and bloodless person with no value. That is pretty harsh for Rashi. While Rashbam also observes that the owner is guiltless and no “blood” payment is required. Again, the Torah starts out with the worst case scenario, only to follow with reason; “If the sun be risen upon him, there shall be blood guiltiness for him.” Rambam explains “...that a thief by day is usually just that; a thief. If it was obvious to the house owner that the thief had no homicidal intentions but merely came to steal, it is forbidden to kill him.”

Very carefully are we taught our behaviour towards the Ger - the stranger. In Bava Metzia 59b, our Sages point out that this mitzvah of respect is repeated thirty six times in the Torah. More than any other mitzvah even the mitzvah to love HaShem! Mishpatim is not just a carefully assembled list of laws and regulations. This Parashat teaches us through careful judgement to “reason.” This Parashat sets the ultimate foundation for Rachmanut, no matter what the circumstances.

Shemot 09

2011-11-04T12:30:00.000-04:00

The Making of a People. The Making of a Leader.

If we may consider Bereshit the book of the birth of all life and mankind and the chosing of the families from which the Jewish people will grow, than allow Shemot to be the Book of the establishment of the Jewish people as one united people. After all, all stories in Bereshit are about personalities like Adam, Cain, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph. All Parashot so far center on their actions and significances. Now, scroll on into Shemot and suddenly the Torah refers to the grandchildren of Jacob and his sons as “People.” And, interestingly enough it was Pharaoh himself who calls them “The People of the Children of Israel” first.

“U-vnei (Bnei) Israel paru vyishretzu vayirbu vaya-atzmu bimeod meod.”
“The children of Israel proliferated, swarmed, multiplied and grew more and more.” Rashbam sees the odd style of words: “bi-meod meod” not as quantity but rather as “very powerful.”

Paraoh’s concern grows with the words: “Look, the Israelite people have become too many and too strong for us.” Followed by the chilling words: “Come, let us deal shrewdly with them”, admitting that he’s starting to think of a final solution for them. What follows next, is nothing short of the same slow suppression we will see during the thirties in Germany.

Could Pharaoh have foreseen that by causing fear and slavery he laid the groundwork for a non-people to become a united people?

Much has been said about the reason why Bnei Israel was punished so severely for so many years in a land where their forefathers enjoyed such wealth and freedom. The Midrash writes: “They said, let us be like Egyptians. Because they did so, the Holy One blessed be He turned the love which the Egyptians bore them into hatred…” Meaning that HaShem caused bondage as punishment for the total assimilation the Jewish People sought. They were about to lose their identity. Ha’amek Davar states: “They were punished for violating Jacob’s wish that they should live apart from the Egyptians in Goshen.”

Fascinating is the command to the midwives to kill the male newborns. It is the first sign of rebellion. And it’s women who stand up against Pharaoh first! It is Rashi, Ibn Ezra, Rashban and Ramban who agree with the Talmud in thinking that these midwives were Jewish. They all read: “…LaMeyaldot Ha-ivriyot” as “the Hebrew Midwives,” thereby making this a Jewish heroism. But why would Pharaoh put his trust in Jewish women killing Jewish male newborns? This contrast does not escape others who think that the words should be read as “the midwives OF the Israelites!” The Midrash writes that two of them “feared HaShem” and thus the discussion goes that these two heroines, Shifrah and Puah, could have been converts (according to Shadal and Imrei No’am).

Enters Moses. The Torah doesn’t prepare us much into why Moses notices the wrong doings of his brethern and becomes the champion of his fellow Israelites. In fact there’s only one mentioning of his turn-about: …when Moses was grown, and he went out to his brethern, and saw their burden.” Rashi interprets this seeing, or looking as Moses’ sharing their burden with his eyes and heart. As if Moses opened his heart and felt their suffering. And also feeling one with them.

This is the turning point. Here Moses takes the direction to eventually become the Leader of all Leaders Bnei Israel has ever seen. Next, Moses intervenes three times on behalf of the victim:
1- between Jew and Non-Jew.
2- between Jew and fellow Jew.
3- between Non-Jew and Non-Jew.
Brilliantly does the triple test serve as indubitable proof that it is about justice and not revenge. Moses breaks every law and it is as if he cannot go back. This is it, he is without doubt destined to become leader.

It is unclear how long the time was between Moses’ rebellion, his life as a shepherd and his rise to become Moshe Rabbenu. But we know that Moses didn’t take his calling at the thornbush likely. Five times he refuses his mission. “Who am I to go to Pharaoh and take the children of Israel out of Egypt?” Rashi believes that Moses found himself undeserving to perform such a task and that Moses also thought that Israel was underserving of a miracle.

This may be interpreted as the making of the leader Moses at the hand of HaShem. As if to clearly state that the God fearing Moses didn’t rise up out of anger but as a chosen leader. Or is it that Moses wanted to know how much HaShem would help him?

As Moses with Aaron on his side declares the first “Let my People go”, his heart must have been pure and convinced of HaShem standing there next to him as well. We will see in the rest of the book of Shemot the strengthening of a leader and that of Bnei Israel into one people. It has to be done word for word, foot by foot, miracle after miracle. After all, this is not just about freedom; it is just as much about the birth of Am Israel.

Toldot

2011-11-04T12:29:00.000-04:00

A Twin After All.

Already in the womb of Rivka did Esau and Yaakov have issues. They were difficult enough for Rivka to complain to Shem ben Noach, who explains to her that she will give birth to twins.

Commentaries believe that Rivka didn’t know that she was having twins. She thought that the turmoil inside her was coming from one person. Yaakov gets born after Esau clutching his heel.

Years later, as Yaakov prepares lentil soup for his father Yitzhak (commentaries point out that this traditional mourners dish is so chosen because Avraham died that day), Eisav comes home and asks for some of the food. When Yaakov asks Esau for his birthright in return, Esau gives it to him.

How wicked was Esau really?
How wicked was Yaakov really?

Giving up your birthright for a cup of lentil soup doesn’t fit the portrait of a wicked person. But Esau learned that day that even a man like Avraham eventually dies. Don’t forget, Esau had great respect for Avraham and that day he didn’t sinned but merely gave in to mortality. He believed in Avraham’s immortality. Did Yaakov seized this moment of weakness of his brother by negotiating food for birthright?

How wicked was Esau really?
How wicked was Yaakov really?

Rabbis state that one child would devote his energies to the conquest of the external world. The second child would concentrate his abilities on the conquest of the internal world. This makes Esau a man of the field and Yaakov a man of Torah. Yet, how does one explain the conspiracy between mother and child to deceive on her husband and his father; Yitzchak? Yaakov cheats on his father Yitzchak; dresses up as his brother to steal away his rightful firstborn’s blessing.

It seems that our Sages jump gladly to the defense of Yaakov in some direct or indirect way. Abravanel is no different here, he almost blames Yitzchak for letting it come this far:

Quote: “There is no doubt that Yitzchak should have given thought to Esau’s character”…”He should have prayed to G’d for guidance as to whether he should bless the eldest or the most deserving…”

There are quite some contrasts and variations in opinion among the Rabbi’s as to why Yitzchak insisted in blessing Esau. The author of Hamidrash VaHama-aseh, writes that Yitzchak’s deed was even greater than Avraham’s willingness to offer up his son, because Avraham was given an direct order and Yitzchak obeyed out of pure Da-at – faith. The Torah informs us all too well that Yitzchak did know of Esau’s misbehaviour, like his marrying of the wrong wives.

Or HaChayim, suggests that Yitzchak insisted of blessing Esau versus Yaakov, because he hoped that this meaningful blessing would correct Esau from his ways.

Many Rabbi’s have pointed out that Yaakov paid for this terrible behaviour by being cheated on himself. One example: Lavan tricks his son-in-law Yaakov by giving him Rachel instead of Leah. Pointing out to him that in his house the eldest does take precedence. Years later it is his own sons who lie to him about the fate of Yosef using his garment stained in goat’s blood to prove that he had died. Just like Yaakov used the skin of a goat to trick his father, did his own sons use a cloth to trick him.

Maimonides argues that true repentance is finding one self in the same circumstance where one sinned – and not making the same mistake.

But did that second chance ever arise for Yaakov?

Interestingly the Torah shows us that Yaakov’s son Yehudah is blessed with a twin from Tamar. During birth the firstborn receives a scarlet thread as if Yehudah wants to say that he will not make his father’s mistakes.

Years later, when Yosef brings his children before his father Yaakov, Yaakov reverses his hands and puts his right on the youngest and his left on the eldest. Yosef not wanting to follow his father's mistake, tries to correct his father.

It is as if Yehudah and Yosef make tikkun for what happened to their father and uncle.

It is said that twins can feel each other even when they’re not together. Studies have been done that point out that one twin knows that the other is sick, even when thousands of miles apart. Maybe it’s because Esau and Yaakov were twins, that the Torah tries to tell us that tikkun can be had perhaps not through your own direct deeds, but your indirect deeds like having righteous children.

Both Yehudah and Yosef were the better deeds of Yaakov. Both reject deception. And by that Yaakov has been repaired and can die in peace.

Miketz

2011-11-04T12:28:00.000-04:00

Joseph: the opportunist.

After being sold twice, once on the suggestion of Judah to the Midianites and the second time to Potiphar, Joseph has grown into a man who knows his strengths.
As we know from last week’s Parashat, Joseph rises within the house of Potiphar while getting to know the political do’s and dont’s in Egypt. After all, he’s within the household of the Pharao’s courtier.

It is therefore interesting to see how Joseph “sells” himself to the Pharao when getting the chance to explain Pharao’s dream. And I write dream, because seeing both dreams as one dream, was perhaps the most genius step Joseph took.

But was it Joseph made that assumption? Was it his mistake, or was it HaShem’s divine intervention?

Joseph uses HaShem’s name and words freely in what we can call a foreign country. He refuses his master’s wife with the words: “How can I do this great wrong and sin against God?” - thereby closing the argument forever. And, if anyone is troubled or even angry at his interpretations, Joseph answers with: “Do not interpretations belong to God?”

And so does Joseph again, standing before the Pharaoh: “It is not in me; God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.”

Four times does Joseph mention God’s name:
-What (1) God is about to do He has declared to Pharaoh…
-What (2) God is about to do He has shown to Pharaoh…
-It is because the thing is established by (3) God and (4) God will shortly bring
it to pass.

Joseph shows Pharaoh here who’s boss. Who’s the Doer, the Declarer, the Shower and the Bringer to Pass. But, he also immediately uses this moment to promote himself ever so cleverly. Joseph continues with: “Now therefore let Pharaoh look for a man discerning and wise and set him over the land of Egypt.”
Followed by what is to be done as far as overseeing the land, supervising the job, spelled out in careful detail.

Did Joseph make a political and shrewd move here? Did he count on two things: his knowledge and closeness to God and his knowledge of the details as to how to implement the harvesting, the saving and the distribution of the corn?

Ramban writes: “….It was not his own advice. Had they commissioned him to advice the king? It was merely part and parcel of the dream’s interpretation….”

With other words, Joseph spelled out the interpretation to its fullest describing the words as actionable words. In Haketav Vehakabbala it is written that this is also based on the words: “And Pharaoh awoke…”, which Joseph saw as “…awake to action.”

So unlike the interpretations of others before him, Joseph’s interpretation was immediately understood and especially liked by the Pharaoh. I couldn’t find any writings as to why Joseph took both Pharao’s dreams and interpreted as one. Which must also have contributed to Pharao liking Joseph’s explanation.

So did Joseph gamble his interpretation by making it into a speech loaded with actionable points? Ramban doesn’t think so. Ramban insists of thinking that Joseph was no magician and that any wisdom he displayed came from HaShem.

The speech paid off.

Pharaoh: “Fore as much as God has shown thee all this, there is none so discerning and wise as thou. Thou shalt be over my house.”

At this point there must have been a physical expression of relief with wonderment, for the Pharaoh repeats himself in stronger words: “See I have set thee over all the land of Egypt.”

Abravanel closes the question as to why Joseph rolled the dice in front of Paraoh like a man who has nothing to lose, by stating: “This advice was prompted from beginning to end by HaShem. The prophet cannot keep back his prophecy and must unburden himself.”

Personally it does bother me that Joseph’s language of self-promotion stands so near to the use of HaShem’s name. He clearly was desperate enough to grab the opportunity to sell himself.

And speaking of opportunity, why did Joseph later not reveal himself? Why did he denounce his brothers? Was it vengeance that caused him to denounce his brothers at first?

Vengeance? Not. (Ibid) Joseph did comfort his brothers and kept stating to “fear not…”. And, according to Ramban, Joseph was lead by his past dreams. Even though he remembered clearly how his brothers had cast him into a pit and sold him, his dreams take prevalence.

Joseph also has to excuse himself while in a room for the first time with his brothers, in order not to reveal his tears. Still, he’s using the opportunity to put his brothers to the task.

Why?

Ramban thinks that Joseph realized that his past dreams had not been fulfilled. The part: “…where we were binding sheaves…”, meant that all of his brothers had first to bow down to him.

Basically, we see that what got his brothers so angry twenty years ago; that Joseph felt that the elder brothers should “serve” the younger, and later, made them throw Joseph in a pit and sell him literally down the river - had to be fulfilled. So Joseph did what he did to make his dreams come true. Isaac Arama in Akedat Yitzhak, thinks it’s preposterous to even think such a thing. The fulfilling of dreams is only up to HaShem.

In the end, Joseph does right by Pharaoh. And he certainly does right by his brothers after a grueling test. And meanwhile he does “OK” for himself.

Opportunist or not.

Noach

2011-11-04T12:27:00.000-04:00

Only a few weeks ago we read the book of Dvarim (Deuteronomy) and listened to the words of Moshe Rabbenu as if we were standing there in front of him. It is as if the Torah was written in a slower pace, so that we would learn Moshe’s words carefully.

Last week, in Bereshiet (In the beginning) we read at lightning speed. Biologists might say that every sentence according to science counted for thousand upon thousands of years.

Seven days to create everything. Mankind shaped. Mankind disappoints. 4 sins among Mankind; first Adam’s sin, then Cain’s sin followed by Lemech and if that’s not disappointing enough the collective sin of the Son’s of HaShem. All that in one parashat.

Then turn the page so to speak and enter the story of Noach. This parashat basically starts with what you could call Noach’s resume. As if to say; “People, we found a good one!”

Noach - iesh tzadik - tamim haja bedorotav. Noach – a man righteous and whole-hearted in his generations…

In his generations? What does that mean? Some credit Noach to be righteous enough for the times he was living in. Rashi writes: “He was righteous compared with his generation; but had he lived in Avrahams generation he would have been naught”. A lot has been commented on the difference of Noach’s closeness to HaShem versus Avrahams.

Compare this:
Noach iesh tzadik – tamim haja bedorotav Eht HaElohim hithalech Noach.
Noach walked – with God Versus Avraham: HitHalech Lefanai VeHaja tamim. Avraham walked in front of HaShem… Big difference it is as if there was a greater trust between HaSham and Avraham. Since it takes trust to walk in front – in order to announce HaShem.

Still, Noach was chosen to be saved and to save. Save seven pair of all clean animals and two pair of all the unclean.

Question I have is ….is the Torah telling us that the state of affairs was so bad that this Noach - was the best HaShem could find? And yet, out of this Noach, mankind would continue? Just like the Torah painstakingly describes Noach to be fit for the role lest we doubt HaShem, so does the Torah continue to painstakingly describe the circumstances why HaShem took the drastic steps to destroy what he had given to us one parashat ago.

As if to make clear that HaShem rather would spare mankind. As if to assure us that He had no other choice. The Midrash and also Rabbi Yohanan in Sanhedrin agree that HaShem had no choice after violence was being committed:

Ki-Malah Ha-Aretz Chamas Mi-Pneihem
For the earth was filled with violence…

Yet in the time it took for Noach to build the ark, plenty of time was given for Mankind to repent. Even the first rain, says Rashi, served more as a warning. Had mankind repented, it would have been a blessed rain.

I couldn’t find any references to the following, but you could say that the state of Haolam – the earth - during the flood was that of the first day in Bereshiet. For in the second sentence of the Torah the last word is Mayim (water). Thus describing the darkness, the earth and just the waters.

Because after all, during the flood HaShem made the waters cover the highest mountain, and so the complete earth was back to where it was during the first day.

What does HaShem say after the flood had abated: no more floods. All of mankind is equal. And he blesses Noach almost the same as he did with Adam. A complete new beginning. With a distinct difference. Adam was made directly in the likeness of God. Noach was not. Therefore Noach beginnings came with different warnings.

Mankind is equal. Mankind shall not lift up sword against nation. The latter statement being a direct reaction against the Chamas from before the flood.

But the actual first thing HaShem said was tye new dietary law of eating flesh. Something mankind had not done for 1656 years since creation. But with the new law the Torah also includes a rule to withhold Mankind from becoming bestial by clearly stating; But flesh with its soul – its blood you shall not eat… Rashi explains this as the first forbidding rule that not only states not to eat flesh from an animal that’s alive, but also forbids the eating of blood from an animal.

We’re on our way to becoming kosher…

A covenant between mankind and HaShem is signed by ways of the sign of the rainbow. Whenever the rainbow appears it would serve as reminder of the briet (the covenant).

But many generations later while mankind is multiplying and the first monarch Nimrod rules… mankind divides and starts to become subordinate again. Three reasons are given for building the Tower. One is that the Semites wanted to commemorate the victims of the flood. The second is that the Hamites wanted to use the tower as a way to wage war with HaShem and third is that the offspring of Japheth wanted to erect a gigantic temple to their idols….

Midah ke-neged Midah…

And so these three reasons to build… also became the three reasons for punishment... that - of no longer one common language but instead many languages.

And so again we see punishment… a new beginning and again punishment for mankind’s failing.

A direct comparison with Bereshiet.

Parashat Noach is yet another clean start with a somewhat unhappy ending… but in this case we at least are also somewhat more developed with more laws to adhere to and a somewhat greater morality to follow for the length of an exact ten generations long period of time.

Until next week, when a star player arises, so chosen by HaShem and when HaShem decides to concentrate his efforts of development on a smaller group of people… you know… the chosen ones.

Bereshiet

2011-11-04T12:25:00.001-04:00

No other Parashat tests our faith more than Bereshiet. And more so now than a thousand years ago. For this Parashat has been the counter weight of Darwin and millions of scientist after him. It is also the excuse of many not to believe in Ha-Shem (The Name). And as time goes on, those who do not believe, think they’re proven right with the uncovering of yet one more fossil.

None of our Sages really dives into the rapid beginnings of this Parashat. It’s only on the sixth day that they come into action after the creation of animals and man. It is as if the creation of earth, wilderness and all other life, that Darwin used as his theory of evolution, is a given to our Rabbis.

The exact order in which Ha-Shem creates Olam (the world), is also Darwin’s order of evolution theories; fishes and birds (on the fifth day) followed by animals and man (on the sixth day). And some modern Rabbis will sometime allow themselves to think that God’s days of creation were perhaps longer days than regular modern days are. Could the first day have been a few millions of years long? With other days being equally that long, thereby making the creation in fact the evolution?

This is the Parashat that tests us in another way. It asks us to believe or not. This is where the Hebrew word ‘Daht’ - ‘Believe’, comes into play and makes us who we are. Almost always do modern writers translate the word ‘Daht’ for the English word ‘Religion’, and measure people by the words; ‘He’s very religious or he’s not very religious’.

That’s a mistake. Hebrew does not have a word for religion. Bereshit tests us by asking us to believe it or not. To be ‘Dahti’ or not. To be a ‘Believer’ or not. The Torah does not measure us whether we are religious, very religious or super religious. It cannot, because it doesn’t have a word for religion.

The Torah asks you only one thing; ‘Are you a believer in all of this, or not? And the answer isn’t, I believe a little, or very, or I’m an orthodox believer. Believing is black and white. Believing is simply a yes, or a no.

We are blessed. We are created in God’s likeness - ‘Be-Tzalmoh’. Which gives us the responsibility, the duties and the glory we can achieve in this newly created world. Prof. Gutman in his book; Dat Umadda, - Religion (wrongly translated) and Science, dwells on the thought; ‘The Image of God’; “The personality of man is placed vis-a-vis the personality of God…” Meaning, every individual is equally significant before God, since every man was created in His image. Darwin will of course disagree, but in the words; “And fill the earth and subdue it: And rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of heaven; and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth”, - Ramban understands that man has been given dominion over the earth to do as his will with the rest of he animal creation, to build, uproot, plant, mine metal from the earth and the like. As if God gave man the right to complete creation.

Upon creating man, God does not speak the phrase: And God saw that it was good” as He did before upon delivering other creations. Many have said that this is because man has his own road to walk and can be good or bad. Ramban, in Tshuva 5 states; Freewill is accorded every man. If he desires to take the evil one and be wicked, he is free to do so…the Creator does not preordain man to be good or bad.

There are a few reasons that have been discussed in the past and present for the creation of the woman:
1- She is the ‘help’ every man needs. (Literally; cook for him - Yevamot)
2- She is the companion every man needs. (Loh-tov hayot ha-adam le-vadoh.)
3- A life without a wife is without joy, blessing and well-being. (Talmud)
4- Without a woman, man would have to devote all of his effort to supply his daily needs. (Sforno)

The Talmud comes closest to establishing the clear partnership that evolves later in the Torah between man and woman upfront. Like a reporter who gets the story first, the Talmud ’sees’ the future benefits of a woman. But is that written in hindsight?
There’s a strange thing going on here. Before the creation of man, there’s clearly the creation of male and female animal, in order to multiply. The Torah announces ‘man’ and ‘female’ creation of ‘man’ before the more explicit way in which He creates first him then her. - “And God created man in his own image, in the image of God created He him, male and female created he them.”

Then why is there any discussion that a woman should be created as a reaction to loneliness? Is that just to point out that man should seek woman for time to come? The Sages see this as evidence that marriage is sacred, and that without this divine institution, man cannot be complete. But it is as if the Torah backtracks in telling us how woman was created later out of man’s rib. We are asked to believe without questioning. As is Adam in Eve. And when Eve believes in the wrong, Adam follows her down the wrong path, turning good into bad. Proving that Ha-Shem’s worry about man’s freewill in doing good or bad, right. The blessing; and it was good - Va-Yareh Elohim Ki-Tov, was indeed good for the sees, the skies, the plants, the trees and the animals, but not man. For he and she, has a mind of their own.

He and she can decide to believe or not to believe. And the answer is either a yes or a no. It’s not something that can be measured in a word called ‘religion’.

BeShallach

2011-11-04T12:23:00.000-04:00

It is the highest grossing Parashat in Hollywood history.
And maybe the longest discussed Parashat among our sages.

Take the first five words.
"Va-yehi BeShalach Paroh eht-HaAm."
And then when Pharoah let the people go.

Yet Teheliem (psalm) 114 says:
When Israel went out of Egypt….

So why give the credit to Pharaoh?
Abravanel agrees and states that it should have been “When Israel went out of Egypt…”

After all the plagues - the word the Pharoah used came from the root Lish-Loach – to send…. Translated in English all to often wrongly as “let go.”

After the last plague it’s the Egyptians and not just the Pharoah using the word “LeSchalcham” – to send them – often translated as “to get them to go…”

Rashi and others do conclude that it is written as a subordinate clause. Only three words later does Elohim take over… It is as if the people were handed over from Pharoah to HaShem.

And I say The People, because there’s no mentioning of Israel here. Three times the Torah mentions “Ha-Am”, and the forth time it writes “Bnei Israel.”

“Am Israel” has of course been described as “Bnei Israel” before, but never did it have a more precise meaning than in this Parashat. For here they are, being born out of slavery and carefully lead into freedom.

Is that why HaShem leads them the long way - around the land of the Philistines, avoiding a struggle and battle?
Is it not a child who would run back to safety even if that safety it calls home - in really is the house of bondage?

Is it not a child that returns to what it knows?
You cannot discard two hundred and ten years of home even if it is slavery.

More often than not a prisoner after years of prison rather stays inside than being set free into a world he doesn’t know.

Rashbam - Rabbi Schmuel ben Meir, explains that HaShem diverted them from going the short route in order to avoid the Caanites and the possible hostilities because they would have preferred to return.

However Rambam simply believes that HaShem wanted to prepare them for hardship in order to make them tougher in the long fight ahead to conquer the Promised Land.

Can we say that this is similar to bringing up a child?
Should the parent be more lenient? Should it always be yes and never no?

Rambam continues to observe that man cannot be expected to fight after being in slavery by simply washing off the sweat and toil of his previous occupation.

The Torah continues:
“…and when Pharaoh drew nigh,
the children of Israel lifted up their eyes,
and, behold, Egypt was marching after them;
and they were sore afraid…”

“VaYiruh Meod”

Afraid? Why? 600,000 men against 600 elite forces. That’s 1 against 1000. Then again 1 highly trained soldier hand picked by the Pharaoh against 1000 former slaves.

Ibn Ezra observes that they were suffering from a slave mentality that would have to die with the generation that had endured slavery. And, that only a new generation would have the independence and the spirit to fight a war of conquest.

So unsure they were that they said to Moses: were there no graves in Egypt that you had to take us to die in the wilderness.

Not only does Ha-Am complain mentioning Egypt five times…they forget that Moses took the bones of Joseph as he so wished - with him. Wasn’t that symbolic enough to say Egypt isn’t good enough to be buried in?

Children complain when they do not understand what is happening around them. And when pushed between an approaching army and the sea, and nobody knows what is about to happen; not even Moses, your believe is being tested to the max.

But by then, you would think after ten plagues, and after all the miracles, wasn’t the believe in HaShem established? Didn’t Ha-Dat (the believe) set in already among Bnei Israel or should we say Am Israel?

The answer comes from Ramban who divides The Israelites into two groups. One group crying out to HaShem. And another group not accepting the salvation performed for them – still believing that it would have been better not to have been set free.

And here is why he’s thinking this way: Because in the text of the Torah there’s the distinction being made between Bnei Israel and HaAm, between the Children of Israel and The People.

But it was “to The People” to whom Moshe turned to allay their fears:
“VaYomer Mosche el-HaAm el-TirUh…”And Moses said unto the people: fear not…

With other words it was The People and not the Children of Israel who uttered: what have you done to us to bring us out of Egypt…

What a moment of truth. You either believe or not in HaShem… We often forget that in Hebrew there is no word for religion there’s only the word Dat – Believe. And here, at the edge of the water you had to believe or not.

A Jew is not religious or more religious or very religious. Nonsense, a jew is a believer. Period. A believer in HaShem.

And here at the edge of the water HaShem told Moshe to the Children of Israel to march forward. Not following Moshe but rather in front of him. With Dat. With Believe.

According to Shemot Rabbah the Tribe of Judah plunges in first. Stated in Tehilim 114 Judah was the one who sanctified him… Even this amazing miracle didn’t convince all. But then again HaShem doesn’t perform miracles for all, but for those who are special.

Only three days later the complaining was back over lack of food and shortage of water.

As if the historic and great miracle filmed by Cecil B DeMille – by the way, the only oscar they got for the movie was for special effects, – wasn’t enough to make permanent believers out of them.

And how did the Torah mention those whose complained? As Ha-Am. The People, eventually to be replaced by Bnei Israel. A people of newly born believers and ready to grow up worthy to be called The Chosen People.

Behar Behukotai

2011-11-04T12:20:00.000-04:00

I want to be a farmer.

Nothing is perhaps more defined in the Torah than the Shabbat. It’s compared to a covenant between HaShem and Bnei Israel. It’s discussed to be a sign whereby Israel leads among nations. It’s defined as a blessing towards Am Israel. And it’s also seen, simply, as a day of rest. Because after all HaShem rested on the same day. Let us see the Shemitah, the Shabbat for the Land, in the same light. Only, there are huge differences between our Sages and Rabbinic Commentators as to how far we can go in defining Shemitah. “…then shall the land keep a Shabbath to the Lord.” (25:2)

Here’s a list of various commentators (Sages from various times) as to how to understand the above.
1‐ Alshikh: “Since mankind has a strong feeling of proprietorship, the Shemitah puts him in place. As to remind him that the Land is created by and of HaShem.”
2‐ Maimonides: “…it (the Shemitah) implies sympathy with our fellow men and promotes the well‐being of mankind; for in reference to these precepts it is stated in the Torah: That the poor of thy people may eat.” (Ex‐23:11)
3‐ Maimonides again: “…the land will also increase its produce and improve when it remains fallow for some time.”
4‐ Abravanel: disagreeing with Maimonides: “The truth is that this is not so” – His argument: “If the Torah is concerned about the natural weakening of the land in consequence of working year after year, how then is it going to yield produce for three years?”
5‐ Keli Yakar: also disagreeing with Maimonides: “…If the purpose of the Torah had been to avoid the weakening of the soil, why should violating this law be punished by exile? ...Furthermore, in this case the Shemitah year would not be –Shabbat L’El‐ but for the benefit for the Land.”
6‐ The Akidat Yitzhak: “…that the seven years of work and the suspension of work in every seventh year causes us to realize that our mission on earth is not to be slaves to the soil but a much higher and nobler one.”
7‐ Ibn Ezra sees it as a year in which mankind should raise his spirituality.
8‐ Rav Kook agrees with Ibn Ezra but adds that in the quest for sustenance of commercial activities, even the cancellation of debts, man is given the chance to purify his soul and of uncovering and activating the Divine treasure which dwells in the soul of the nation.

On one hand most commentators aren’t willing to define the Shemitah year as a year to let the Land rest for biological reasons; so that the soil can somehow restore itself. No, most are looking for a much grander meaning. It is also the only time that a specified time is named as Shabbath to the Lord. No other festival or day, not even Yom Kippur has been given that status.

It is only the Shemitah that has been given the same status and therefore gravity and importance as the Shabbat. And it comes with a severe punishment for not abiding by its rules: exile.

For a farmer reading this, and I don’t believe there are any among you, the word exile should send shivers down his or her spine. That’s losing your land, status and occupation. For a farmer giving up the land for one whole year meant also the mandatory sharing of the crops with your servants and with strangers.

Shemitah is a way to literally stop being slaves to materialism. To step back and leave your possessions behind, in order to reflect, to study and to share (tzedakah). Keli Yakar explains the Shemitah of the land against the Shemitah (cancellation) of debts: …”since no sowing or planting is allowed, the poor may eat freely and none may store produce and treat it as his own, this undoubtedly creates favorable conditions towards peace, because all strife originates from the attitude of ‘mine is mine’ and people claiming their rights. But in the seventh year all are equal – this can indeed generate peace.”

Now what to do if you’re not a farmer? What if you’re a hedge fund manager? Leave your fund unattended the seventh year? Open it up to everyone while studying Torah? Share the crop with the poor?

If you’re a banker and you’re wondering how this affects you, the answer is easier: all loans are supposed to be cancelled every seventh year. Good for you. But seriously, besides being interested in vineyards that uphold the Shemitah rules for kashrut (eating laws) reasons, many of us aren’t affected by any of this. What a pity. Unless of course we remind ourselves how lucky the Jewish farmer and landowner actually are to be able to follow the rules of Shemitah and take mandatory time off to study the Torah, reflect on life and do Tzedakah (charity) all at the same time.

Makes you rethink agriculture as a career. Doesn’t it?

Acherei Mot - Kedoshim

2011-11-04T12:19:00.000-04:00

We are approaching the middle of the Torah and one could read both these Parashot as an advanced second beginning of the Torah.

Let’s look at Acharei Mot as the end of part One and Kedoshim as the beginning of part Two. Now we know that the Torah isn’t written with exclamation points, or commas nor any other markings. But we can say from similar observations and commentaries, made by almost all Sages and Rabbi’s, that Kedoshim especially, holds the most important lesson within the Torah.

Starting with the details of the Yom Kippur service in Acharei Mot, the Torah is perfectly arranged keeping the part of the service that is performed in linen - divided from the part written about the service to be performed in golden garments.

The Torah states:
And Aaron shall present the bullocks of the sin-offering, which is for himself and make atonement for himself and his house.

Rashi states: “He confesses over it his sins and the sins of his household.”

Confession, is at the center of the Yom Kippur service and prayers. And if we continue the thought to split the Torah in two, then we consider this a most important ending to the first part, namely that HaShem has given us the power and the chance to judge ourselves. As if to say that we’ve learned part One of the Torah and it should give us the wisdom to judge ourselves. In other words, being able to perform atonement requires us to carefully learn the Torah up to this part. We have graduated to a level that allows us atonement.

Not only in the psychological sense, but in practical sense as well; having to choose between two animals, of which the bullock shall be slaughtered and the goat shall escape. Basically and symbolically giving man the chance to choose over life and death.

Kedoshim, being part One of the second half of the Torah, begins appropriately with Moses calling in all of Bnei Israel at the same time. This time not spreading the Oral Law first to Aaron, then Aaron and his sons, then Aaron, his sons and the elders, followed by Aaron, his sons, the elders and the people. No, this time the Torah states: Speak to the congregations of the children of Israel and say to them…

What Moses was about to say next is in Rabbi Hillel’s opinion the absolute most crucial lesson to be learned in all of the Torah.

The first words being “Kedoshim tiheyu, ki kedosh ani HaShem Eloheichem – You shall be holy, for I the Lord your G’d am holy.

If we hold on to the notion that this is in fact the first part of the second half of the Torah, then let’s look at Bereshit, the first part of the first half of the Torah for a moment and remember that mankind was born out of the likeness of HaShem. Equality to a certain amount at least in physical appearance with HaShem.

Here, in Kedoshim mankind is now said to be equal in stature as well. He’s thought to be as holy as HaShem is.

Provided, we keep to the rules and regulations.

Why call all of Bnei Israel together to teach them this lesson? Says Rabbi Eliyahu Mizrahi: “They had to attend together so that if doubts should arise over a ruling, they could enlighten one another by reference to the primary source. If they had, however, received these laws in separate groups, this would not be possible since each group could deny hearing Moses say such a thing.”

Moses continues:
“You shall not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people…
But you shall love your neighbour as yourself.

It is said that Rabbi Hillel was challenged by a man who said that if Hillel could explain the Torah during the time in which the man would stand on one leg, he’d convert to Judaism. Hillel waited for the man to do as he said and answered: “You shall love your neighbour as you do yourself. Now go practice that.”

Thereby, years later, proving that the 1968 Hippies were right for saying: “All you need is Love.”

The term “holy” refers to a new set of understandings. A “next lesson to be learned.” This is part Two after all, and part One ended with a complex learning of sexual do’s and don’t’s.

Rashi and Nachmonides have spent the most time arguing the meanings of why Acharei Mot ended with the laws of chastity. For, to be pure and holy, one must obstain from certain lusts. Rashi points out that there’s a loophole in the Torah. That man can still lust for his wife or even wives, thereby being less holy. Nachmanides believes that the purity these laws describe so carefully, pertain to many more circumstances and must lead to abstaining from excess in sexual as well as drinking behaviour.

Making the argument that Kedoshim is a new beginning in the Torah even stronger, is the repetition of the phrases “I am the Lord your G’d or I am the Lord”, as if HaShem wanted to reintroduce himself all over again.

Another argument is the repeat of the Laws of Mount Sinai. As if Bnei Israel had never heard these laws before, the Torah repeats them carefully and deliberately.

The most profound promise that Moses makes in Parashat Kedoshim; is that man is holy. The most profound revelation that G’d makes in Parashat Bereshit; is that man is made in the likeness of HaShem himself.

Kedoshim blesses mankind to be holy as a reward for learning the first part of the Torah and holy as a promise for learning the next part of the Torah. As if being a teacher; seeing the potential in his students and promising an A+ at the beginning of the second semester.

Ki Tetzeh 10

2011-11-04T11:56:00.002-04:00

Moshe Rabbeinu interrupts himself this week with ‘Ki Teitzeh’…
He wonders off with a discussion of mitzvoth and hallachic family matters.

Why?
He was on a roll so far…

This week’s parashat resembles more the previous parshiyot of Mishpatim and Kedoshim. But Moshe does not see the inclusion of this parsha of detailed and numerous mitzvot and hallachic issues as being an interruption in the flow of his final oration to klal Israel..

Of course not. He sees it as a reinforcement of what he’s said so far and what he still has to say.

The first issue is that of Eishes Y’faht To’ar…a captured woman with whom a soldier may be intimate under certain conditions while at war…in last week’s parsha we heard all about rules of warfare. So why is this rule included here instead of Shoftim?

This is followed by the mitzvot of the rights of the first born, followed by the Ben Sorer U’Moreh (Rebellious son). On this, Rashi quoted the words of Tanchuma to explain a connection: The Torah permitted an Eishes Y’fat To’ar to address a person’s Yetzer Hara, for had HaShem not permitted her, the soldier would marry her in a prohibited way. However if he’d married her, he would dislike her…and cause her to perhaps bear a Ben Sorer U’Moreh…..

Did you catch that….Yetzer Harah….

This explanation not merely depicts the doom of Yetzer Harah, but it also shows how …by making life’s decisions based on earthy passions, instead of directing one’s path on ways of kedushah, …will bring one down, and result in decadence.

This Parashat features many divergent Mitzvot. 74 of the Torah’s 613 commandments are found in Ki Teitzeh. And, looking at where we are in the book of Dvarim, we are about in the middle.

Rabbi Avraham Gordimer wonders: Is the reason for bringing all this up perhaps that we are talking about life-decisions based on materialism and indulgence, rather than on Avodat HaShem?

Moshe in his last and longest oration to Am Israel leaves out nothing. He knows what struggles are behind and what’s to come. And just as he spoke about outer warfare. Litterally, being at war ….and the mitzvot during such times, …He now speakes about inner warfare.

The war between Yetzer Harah….and Yetzer Hatov. Why else… insert the mitvah of Shiluach Hakan?

This is major sensitivity training.

Sending away the mother bird before taking her eggs or young. The reward being uncharacteristically large… that of living a long life in Olam Haba.

According to Rashi these are the easy mitzvot since they involve no monetary loss and require no preparation. Yet, this commandment connects us to the beginning of Dvarim and the mitvot to honor one’s parents… which… the Rabbis deem to be one of the most difficult of mitvot …of all mitzvot….

The parsha of Ki Teitzeh is almost exactly in the middle of Dvarim. It is the linchpin upon which the entire book balances according to Rabbi Wein.

It’s also read in the month of Elul, the month of intense self-assessment and introspection. All of Jewish history, life and destiny lie in people’s relationship to mitvot and respect to abide by halachic standards.

Take your right arm and place it straight upwards, that’s Ki Teitzeh. Place your left arm horizontal on top of your right. That’s the first half and second half of Dvarim. That’s how Ki Teitzeh balances destiny…

Vayakhel Pekudei

2011-11-04T11:52:00.000-04:00

Why is it that Am Israel is being instructed five times over on how to build the Mishkan (Temple)? Practically verbatim the Torah repeats itself in explaining the details.

Abravanel is most puzzled by Moses saying to Israel:
“And let every wise man among you come and make all that the Lord hath commended, The Tabernacle, its tent…enumerating in detail all the things which Ha-Shem had commanded them to do.

“Why didn’t Moses just say “…and make all that the Lord hath commended.” Period?

This recapitulation is even strange in Pekudei, observes Abravanel:

Instead of laboriously repeating that they brought Moses, the Tabernacle, the Tent, the Vessels….it would have been enough to write “…they brought Moses the complete work of the Tabernacle.”

Rashi doesn’t concern himself with the recapitulation, but Ramban has a much more specific explanation.
1- Moses had to outline to the congregation what was involved so that they could respond with the needs.
2- Bezalel and his craftsmen had to hear the specifics and the general ideas so that they could plan it.
He also concludes that the repetitions reflected the love and esteem with which the Mishkan was viewed by Ha-Shem.

Note that this was a job by all of Am Israel. That those who stayed away from the calf this time freely donated their gold, their jewelry to the cause. It was clear that this time, as explained five times over, the effort of building an object, was a blessed effort.

That makes me wonder. And I couldn’t find much agreement with my own wondering. Was the repetition perhaps a reaction to the golden calf disaster? Was it to proof that this time the building of something to honour the one and only G’d which the Israelites wanted to imagine through an object so badly before, was sanctioned?

On the other hand, was the repetition written to make absolutely clear what to do and what not to do? With other words, not to imagine things, and make designs or objects that weren’t asked for?

I found many explanations but none that led to my simple questions.

Hirsch proposed that these were symbols and that the validity of these symbols were connected and that the strength was in the total of these symbols. So they could not be split up.

The Biur – Mendelsohn, offers this explanation:
All kinds of expertise and skills would be necessary in the time to come. Essential, Useful and Artistic. And just as they had offered Ha-Shem the first fruits, soil and cattle, was it not possible that Ha-Shem demanded the first fruits of their free-thinking and abilities - to dedicate to him?

If Ha-Shem was the Architect of the Mishkan, then Bezalel surely was the contractor.

Of course when you hear the word contractor you may add that as another reason the exact specifics were repeated five times over. Anyone ever to have expanded their kitchen probably repeated themselves five times to their contractor, possibly even with a slightly raised voice.

With Bezalel being the contractor and designer, surely Am Israel were the workers. Man and women alike. The difference with any other work ever before done by Am Israel, was that this time it became a work of the heart.

Kol iesh Ve-iesha, Asher Nadav Libam ottam Lehavie Lechol-HamLacha
Heh-Viehu Bnei Israel Nedavah La Shem….
Every Man and Woman whose heart moved them to bring for all manner of work…the children of Israel brought a willing offering unto the Lord.

Says Abravanel:
The gifts weren’t the important things to Ha-Shem but rather the hearts that they gave to Him…

Which takes me to the beginning of this Parashat. Why does Moses start off this massive project by reminding Am Israel to understand the Shabbat? To follow this day of complete rest. A holy day. And if they do not follow it they would be put to death?

This is pretty strong language to start off a project with. The Shabbat had clearly been explained before in the Decalogue and in Mishpatim.
Why a repetition here as well?

Abravanel says that true perfection lies in action and that performance is more perfect than non-peformance - which is the same as resting.

On account of this, the Israelites might have thought that the importance of the Mishkan, the Tabernacle overruled the importance of keeping the Shabbat.

Years later, in 1951 to be exact in A.J.Heshel’s book: The Sabbath, it’s meaning for Modern Man, Heshel writes that Judaism is more concerned with time than space. He points out that the first thing mentioned HOLY in the Torah is not an object but rather a time, namely the Shabbat. Immediately in Bereshit the Shabbat is made synonymous with the word ‘kadosh’.

“…and Ha-Shem blessed the seventh day and made it holy.”

Heshel points out:
“We must not forget that it is not a thing that lends significance to a moment, it is the moment that lends significance to things.”

The Midrash maintains that holiness was applied to a place or a thing by mankind, whereas the holiness of time was pronounced by G’d at the very beginning of things.

Moses sanctified the Mishkan, like any architect would sign off on a finished house, but it was G’d who sanctified the Sabbath time.

So we may look at things around us that are important and meaningful. Historical symbols like the Mishkan, or a modern Aron HaKodesh, a prayer book, a Kiddush cup even - the physical Torah Scroll.

None however are as Kodesh as the time between sundown Friday and sundown Saturday.

Vayishlach

2011-11-04T11:34:00.000-04:00

Jacov’s Fear

After twenty years of hiding from Esau, Jacov returns to Beersheba.
He chooses to prepare himself in three ways;
With gifts, through prayer and should the two not work, by force – milchamah.

Upon hearing that Esau might meet him with a force of 400 men, Jacov appears frightened. He shows it. He starts calling Esau –adoni- my lord. Some of our Sages clearly voiced disapproval of Jacov showing that kind of appeasement towards Esau.

Both Rabbi Huna in Bereshit Rabba and later Rabbi Judah ben Simon are stunned by Jacov positioning himself towards Esau as –quote- “thy servant Jacov”. In the words of HaShem: “Thou didst humble thyself and called Esau ‘my lord’ eight times. By thy life. I shall raise up from his children eight kings that reigned in the land of Edom, before there reigned any king over the children of Israel”.

So much for diplomacy first. For Jacov did have the right intentions. After all he didn’t know what to expect of Esau. It’s as if he was punished for trying diplomacy first. Ramban even sees a parallel between Jacov’s behaviour and that of the Hashmoneans seeking the good offices of the Romans. By this they actually hastened the downfall of Israel.

An opposite point is made by Rabbi Judah HaNasi. Close friend of the Roman Emperor Antoninus. Rabbi Judah HaNasi was a master in diplomacy in order to keep good relations with the Romans and to safeguard the interests of the Jewish People.

The Midrash has this quote:
Writing an epistle to his majesty the Emperor Antoninus. He started to write: …from Judah HaNasi (the prince)…and then corrected himself to write: …from thy servant Judah HaNasi….thinking –what am I better than my forefather? Did not Jacov say thus: “thus said thy servant Jacov?”

And it worked judging by Esau’s reaction. Is this parashat the first lesson in diplomacy? Are we taught to humble ourselves towards others beyond HaShem?

Jacov showed fear. Ramban points again at the Hasmoneans:
“For we ourselves initiated our fall at the hands of Edom, since the kings in the Second Temple allied themselves with the Romans…”

I just finished a Dutch book written by a fellow Dutch Jew by the name Leon de Winter, The Right Of Return. In it, he describes Israel in 2024 shrunken to nothing more than Tel Aviv and surroundings. Eilat has fallen, Jerusalem has fallen. And Tel Aviv will undoubtedly also fall. Clearly this fictional story of a future Israel falling and falling more and more because of appeasement and weakness written in 2008, has a direct line to today’s parashat and the reaction of Sages and Rabbi’s alike warning of the consequences.

And yet, there’s another reason Jacov may have chosen to be so humble. Maybe it was because HaShem did promise to look out over him. Maybe Jacov wanted to show HaShem he could forgo his own pride by showing humbleness first.

Moshe Rabbenu knows better than anyone the responsibility of HaShem’s good graces. At the same time Moshe Rabbenu still had to make his own choices that could loose him the right of HaShem’s favour. And he did make a mistake and lost his favour, standing just a few meters away across the Jordan from HaEretz.

The same goes for Jacov. He still had to choose his own way, and approach.

Our sages phrase it this way:
The genuinely upright man understands that the promise granted him by divine grace is only conditional, depending on him not becoming “soiled by sin”…

Not often enough does one hear of a wealthy man bestowing his children of their trust funds upon certain conditions. Just to make sure they develop a character of good standing first.

Back to Jacov’s Fear.

Why should he? He had HaShem’s blessing. He had HaShem’s support.
Abravanel says it this way:
Jacov’s fear was not due to the weakness of his faith. Indeed he genuinely trusted in God. But his fear was like that of the real hero who going to battle is afraid of death and senses the danger but out of noble motives scorns life and choses a brave death…

Since it is forbidden for men to rely on a miracle, Jacov takes precautions.
The gift, the prayer and lastly the battle.

Jacov doesn’t have to go any further than the gift. Esau comes running towards him, embraces him, falls on his neck and kisses him and both weep.

Vayechi

2011-11-04T11:28:00.000-04:00

The last of the twelve parashot of Bereshiet.

One could ask themselves, if having to choose only one of the five books of the Torah, which one would you choose?
The answer could easily be …Bereshiet.
For Bereshiet is a complete book and ends perfectly with the cornerstone being laid for Am Israel in the twelth parashat: Vayechi.

The sages say that you can take Bereshiet and look at it as the complete human story:
The purpose of our creation.
The transformation of the soul from a spiritual entity to a physical human being.
The manner in which we develop our self and environment.
And finally the realization of the purpose of life.
Translated as follows:

Bereshiet – Purpose
Noach – Tranquility
Lech Lecha – Journey
Vayeira – Vision
Chayeh Sarah – Invigoration
Toldot – Production
Vayetzei – Excursion
Vayishlach – Delegation
Vayeishev – Integration
Miketz – End
Vayigash – Union
And finally
Vayechi – life (itself)

Sages translated “vayechi” as “and he lived”
Making thereby a connection to eternal life.
The Lubbavitcher Rebbe describes the Death of Jacob as
“and he Lived” he- being Jacov. For Jacov’s life is immutable… Jacov lives on…

Looking at how the Torah is written, one can see that this parashat is literally closed. It has no indentation in it’s typography. It’s a closed book. Rashi points out that this is not only the closing of a book, but the book is closed, meaning that Jacov cannot speak to the end of days to his sons on his deathbed. He whishes to reveal the “ketz”, the end of days but he can’t.

In Jacov’s words - Pesachim:
“Perhaps there’s an inadequancy in my bed (read: offspring) like Avraham who fathered Ishmael, or my father Yitchak who fathered Esau”….

Now the last of the three patriarchs finds himself fearful again to be given the responsibility - to give out, hand over responsibilities among his own offspring.

We saw Jacov being fearful before in Vayyishlach when, after hiding from Esau for twenty years, he returns to face his brother calling him “adoni” – “Sir…”.

But this time his fear is deeper and more spiritual. For perhaps Jacov knows that not all of his sons are perfect.

“Shimon and Levi are brothers, instruments of violence are their weapons…in their anger they slew a man….cursed be their anger…”

Or in Reuven’s case: ….”hasty as water, you shall not excel; because you went up and violated your father’s bed…”

Jacov’s fear can be understood as the fear of a man who fears HaShem. A man who fears his own responsibility.

He must have known that he was the last of the dynasty.

In Hebrew,
“shalshelet, which is derived from “shalosh” – number three, is the word for dynasty. And according to the Kabbalah, each of the patriarchs created a different spiritual awareness in this world.
Each contributing to the three pillars necessary to complete the establishment of the nation.

Avraham is identified with Chesed.
Yitzchak with the opposite of kindness; gevurah and din (strength and justice)
And Jacov with the merging of the two namely Tiferet – beauty.

Jacov knows he’s becoming Israel. It’s up to his sons to grow into Israel. Jacov is fearful that there maybe a klipat gevurah – a counterfeit, among them and maybe it’s not time for the nation to be formed.

From Pesachim:
His sons responded to Jacov’s fear:
His sons said to him: Shma Israel HaShem Elohenu, HaShem Echad. And Jacov immediately responded: Baruch Shem Kavod Malchuto Leolam Vaed.

His sons trying to assure their father that they truly accept the One God. As if to say: Yes we understand your fear, but herewith we declare our believe, our dat, and now you can be assured.

And as Jacov says this later on his deathbed again, he doesn’t do so sadly but as to uplift himself. As did Rabbi Akiva when the Romans tortured him. According to the Talmud it was time to uplift himself and to infuse the people with a sense of nationhood…

So the Shema becomes the perfect end to a book not because someone is dying but because a Nation Is Born.

This is why Bereshiet is a closed book.

Not necessarily chapter one of the Torah; but rather it’s own beginning, middle and complete end.

With Vayechi being the last chapter giving official birth to Am Yisroel- Bereshiet is complete…

And what kind of end?
A happy one?
That’s depends how Am Israel handles themselves.

It will be tested soon with the tide changing in Egypt.
But that’s another, completely separate book.

Mattot Massei

2011-11-04T11:11:00.001-04:00

Israel, The Gift.

Read the Torah in Spanish, or German, or Japanese and you will find the words “promised land” translated exactly as “promised land”. The rest of the world has acknowledged our right to Israel by way of the word “promised”.

But in this Parashat another word stands out that actually means much more than just a promise:
“nah-tati” or literally: “I gave…”

As in: Ki La-chem Nah-tati Eht Ha-Aretz La-reshet Oh-tah.
Or: For unto you have I given the land to possess it.

That’s the gift of Israel.

All through the Torah, HaShem alludes to the gesture of Israel belonging to the Israelites in different ways and with different words.

From “granted”, to “shall dwell in”, to “posses it”, to “brought you…” the promise of Israel is clear. And, what’s more, the word “promise” is repeated every time we switch forefathers.

It’s Nachmanides who is convinced that the promise of Israel is more than that. He thinks it’s a command to “go and posses” the Land.

Twice the phrase “Ve-Horashtem” – “and thou shalt posses them” occurs in Massei. Some, including Rashi translate the first mentioning as:
“Thou shalt dispossess the inhabitants of the land”.
And they translate the second mentioning of “Ve-Horashtem” as: “You shall possess the land and dwell therein…”

Rashi therefore sees the second mentioning of the same word, as a pre-condition of the first settlement. With other words, if you first re-possess, that you will possess next.

Even translating the same word twice in a row, and giving it different values can lead to dramatic results. Can you imagine if Nachmanides, Maimonides, Rashi and the like would have translated their discussions and opinions in their own languages? The chance of us having had various other mitzvot would have been great.

Even staying within the Hebrew of the Torah itself, the interpretations of our Sages have been fascinatingly different.

Back to the rest of the world. Why is it that the common acceptance of our status in the non-Jewish world is that we were “promised” the land of Canaan and not “given”?

Is it the oversight of the Sages not to make more of the word: Nah-tati (I gave you)? Nachmanides goes beyond the word “promise”. He thinks that the inhabitance of Israel is a command. Even more than just a mitvah. He sets the stage for the thought that only in Israel can one truly observe all the precepts of the Torah.

When King David was expelled by Saul he complained: …”since whoever resides in Eretz Israel is like to him who has a god, whilst whoever resides outside it, is like him who has no god…

We were “given” the land in Leviticus 25,38 before: “To give you the land of Canaan, to be your God.” Which makes me wonder, what would have happened if the Sages had made much more of the word: “given” or gift? What would have happened if first the Monks in Latin and Greek and later in printed Christian Bible versions the “Promised Land” would instead have been “the Gift of the Land of Israel to the Jews?”

Could it have stopped Richard the Lionheart during the Third Crusade from brutally slaughtering us in every city or town he stopped on the way to free the Promised Land? Would it have made a difference in our history at all? Of course we’ll never know. But in my personal opinion, a gift has a greater value than a promise.

Shelah

2011-11-04T07:14:00.000-04:00

Never Trust a Spy.

Lack of faith is not an uncommon theme when it comes to Am Israel since leaving Egypt. And the sages have pointed out many times why Am Israel doubt itself, spread rumours, defies Moses or even ignores HaShem. HaShem does not prevent men and women to go their own way, even if it is a bad way. Our Sages point out: “Mankind is led on by the path he wishes to pursue”. Here, we find Am Israel choosing the path of doubt by selecting spies to enter their promised land in order to report back what to expect. HaShem doesn’t prevent this; on the contrary – He helps carrying out this act as good as it can be done.

Moses formulates six clear questions for the spies.
1‐ “See” the land what it is.
2‐ Check out the people whether they’re strong or weak, few or many.
3‐ What the “land” they dwell in is all about.
4‐ …Whether it’s good or bad.
5‐ What kind of cities they dwell in.
6‐ And, whether they live in tents or strongholds.

Pretty simple and straightforward questions. On top of that, you don’t have to be James Bond to figure all that out. But as soon as they returned, their report wasn’t at all straightforward. Their stories grew more opinionated. They reported back three times and the stories grew as follows: The first time their report about the inhibitants was …Nevertheless the people be fierce that dwell in the land, and the cities are very strongly fortified… Repeating this to Caleb it became: “We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we”. Lastly to Moses they offered the opinion that “The land, which we have thoroughly explored, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof, and all the people that we saw in it are men of great stature”. Here, these leaders acting as spies are now defying HaShem’s will. Ramban doubts if they did anything wrong by offering their opinion: “…the people who live there are a fierce lot”, but does detect subtectivity. After all, they reported back the good of the land and at the same time saying that the people there were too strong to overcome.

What’s the crime here?

Isaac Arama in Akedat Yitzhak: They were no longer neutral. They didn’t only deliver the facts but gave their opinion. This is mostly clear in the double meaning of the sentence: Loh Nuchal La‐a lot El Ha‐am, Ki Chazak Hu Mimenu. We are not able to go up against the people for they are stronger than: 1‐ WE or 2‐ HE. The word ‘Mimenu’, after all can mean – ‘than we’‐ or –‘than he’‐, which could mean –‘than He’ – He, as in HaShem. Rashi was convinced they meant ‘Him’ ‐ That they implied that these people were stronger than God. Isaac Arama concludes that we may thank these pessimistic spies for the Diaspora. The trials and tribulations that were to follow Am Israel over the next ages, are to be pointed back to this moment. Nachmanides did not consider the act of sending out spies as a sign of lack of trust. He considers the sin of the people to be in their reaction to the subjective report of the spies.

We’ve heard this many times before:
1‐ The immediate longing to Egypt.
2‐ The doubt in HaShem to “fall by the Sword?’
3‐ The actual intent to organize the return to Egypt: “Let us make a leader, and let us return into Egypt”.

Rashi gives two explanations of the words: Nitnah Rosh…make a leader. One is that we may see this litterally as “making a King” – a leader. And secondly that this also points to idolworship. At this point Moses has to come inbetween a people that repeats their mistakes and insults HaShem in just a similar way as when they invented the golden calf. At the time of the golden calf, Moses acted with three pleas; firstly; Love of HaShem towards his people, secondly; Hillul HaShem – the bringing of the name into disrepute among the nations and thirdly; the covenant made with the Patriarchs.

This time, Moses tries it with just one argument. That of bringing the name of HaShem in disrepute; “What will the Egyptians be thinking? The same argument Joshua uses after Israel’s first defeat; “What wilt Thou do for the sake of Thy great name?” Moses himself is also giving up on Am Israel since he doesn’t refer to them as ‐Thy People‐ but merely as –this people‐. Did Moses realize that be distancing himself so clearly from his people he could save them?Was this perhaps the reason for HaShem to punish the ten spies with death and tocontinue the journey with an ungrateful and underserving people?

Let’s give the last on this to Maimonides who will do the apologizing for all of us; “Man cannot be expected suddenly to leave the state of slavery and toiling in bricks and straw and the like, wash with soiled hands at the spur of the moment and fight
with giants. It was therefore part of the Divine wisdom to make them wander around the wildernes until they had become schooled in courage. For, as we know, a nomadic existence under spartan conditions breeds courage, and the reverse, cravenness. In addition a new generation of people grew up who had known no humiliation and bondage”.

Keep walking Am Israel. Just a little more.

Mishpatim 09

2011-11-03T21:04:00.000-04:00

Too often we forget, that the word ‘Torah’ can be translated as a word for ‘Law’. And there’s no better Parasha to make a case for that than Mishpatim. Am Israel, freshly given the Ten Commandments is now handed multiple ordinances, or Mishpatim.

According to Rashi, the Torah makes no difference in the importance of any of these Mishpatim. The parasha starts off matter of factly with the words: “And these…” thereby adding to what was directed to Am Israel before; namely the Ten Commandments.
It’s important to know that these Mishpatim were “…set before them” - not taught by Moses, but rather a written law. Lest they forget them. Rashi argues (Tanchuma Mishpatim 3) that these laws were for Am Israel only - not for gentiles, hence the difference in importance here between oral Torah and written Torah. (From Mechilta, Eruvin 54b)

With the second sentence the Torah dives into various laws in a very direct and clear language, as if it were a law book one finds in a common law office. Is there a meaning as to the order of these new laws? Why start of with slaves and especially Hebrew slaves?

Recently, in a documentary on the life of Abraham Lincoln and his fight against slavery that aired on PBS, several historians made a point of reminding the audience that history should be judged within the time it took place. That Mister Lincoln didn’t wake up one day and took on slavery, but rather that it was a gradual and carefully planned struggle.

Perhaps the Torah features slavery first, as if it wants to immediately set certain things straight. Slaves and slave ownership was common among nations, but it was to be different among Am Israel. The human value of the lowest person within Israel’s society was just as much HaShem’s creation as any other member of our People - Ha-Am.
So why start off with slaves? I couldn’t find the exact reason but I did find this.
Arbarbanel looked for a lesson to be learned from the juxtaposition between the Ten Commandments and the passage on Hebrew slaves at the beginning of the Parasha. Abarbanel felt that the juxtaposition taught - that by taking the Israelites out of bondage, Hashem acquired them as His very own - as indicated by the Midrash by the words, “The children of Israel are My servants,” (Lev. 25:58) “and not servants of servants”.

Not exactly what I had hoped for. Personally, I thought that maybe the Torah wanted to make a direct connection between our slavery in Mitzrayim and keeping slaves of our own as something that is wrong.

In Diyyukim, Rabbi Pinehas Wolf asks - why did the Torah allow slavery at all? He argues that had slavery been abolished, this act would not have achieved its goals among all peoples. Indeed, the Torah would not have had an impact on all people. The other nations would have dismissed it as another crazy idea from the Hebrews just as taking off a day from work. The word for slave used here is ‘Eved’ directly from the root La-Avod - to work. At our seder tables we sing Avad-iem Hayenu - which of course literally translates into ‘workers we were’. Unless the meaning of the root ‘To Work, La-Avod’ - means ‘To Slave’, we could find the answer in the notion that there may be no word in Hebrew for slave, as we understand it in English. Maybe the Torah means simply ‘worker’. In modern and older English, throughout translated books, whether for the Mishna, Midrash or Torah, we find the word ’slave’ more often than not translated as ’servant or maiden’. Then again, Mishpatim continues with very precise laws that make the life of the sold or bought human, whether called slave, servant or maiden, better and more secure than any other slave among any other People.

Let’s say for a moment that Mishpatim did start off with slavery because of Am Israel’s own recent history as slaves. Can we then find other links between the recent past and the recent freedom? Are we not called “Bnei Israel”- Children of Israel, in BeShallach and as such reduced into children that must learn things anew after hundreds of years in captivity?

Is Mishpatim simply the deeper lesson that had to follow the Top Ten Commandments of Good Behaviour? Or is there a reason for putting it in a certain order?
Let’s see.

Mishpatim continues with murder. As slaves, Pharaoh and other forms of criminal behaviour by the Egyptians often exposed us at unlawful murder. Mishpatim even points out that murder by a beast is just as punishable as that by a human. Next, laws about offences against property. In Egypt, there was no property to think off and even if there was, it could be taken by the Egyptians at any time. Followed by Laws of Morality. Laws against witchcraft, sodomy, oppression of the weak and polytheism meant to keep Israel on the straight and narrow path of the One G’d, rather than the common law of multiple Gods in Egypt. Laws of thievery. Didn’t the Egyptians steal our lives, our freedom our wives and children? How to deal rightfully with strangers. Weren’t we treated wrongfully as strangers in Egypt? Rules of lending and mercy towards the poor. Doesn’t that help keep a People together and make a People stronger? Isn’t it so that when one man falls, a People begin to fall? Not for nothing it is stated in the Torah: Iem Kesef Talveh eht-Ami - When you lend My People money - thereby pointing towards one People and not a singular person.

Up next: laws towards honesty and avoidance of falsehoods. Clearly the glue to keep a People at peace and united. Followed by the prohibition to not take bribes, to not take gifts, to stay on the side of the righteous. Rashi points out in Bereshit Rabbah (70,8) - “…there is no transgression more serious and widespread than falsehood.”
And then?

Moses ascends to the mountain. Returns after forty days. Reads the book of the Covenant and the People answer as one. Not individually, but as one People. “Vah-yomeru kol asher diber HaShem na-aseh veh-nishmah.” “And they said, all that The Lord has spoken we will do and obey.”

And so the children of Israel begin to learn through mitzvoth the lesson to become one People. From Bnei Israel to Am Israel. Something they could never have imagined nor achieved in Egypt.

Mattot

2011-11-02T09:15:00.000-04:00

The kidnapping of a word.

Rabbi Immanuel Shochet, Professor emeritus of Philosophy at Humber College in Toronto, finds the term: “Zeh HaDavar asher Zivah HaShem...” - This is the thing that the Lord our God has commended, of the greatest importance. Because it is testament to the fact that Moshe Rabbenu is indeed the only and greatest Prophet of the Jewish People. Because no other Prophet uses the word “zeh”. You see, “zeh” means “this is” and thus comes directly from HaShem as spoken or given to Moshe.

Why is this important?

Well, Moshe goes on to explain that vows - ‘neder’ in hebrew, are directly connected to the soul. And therefore are not to be broken. By using the word “zeh” at the beginning of the explanation, we now know that these words came directly from HaShem.

Parashat Mattot continues to explain in the minutest details what vows are and how they work. And now that Israel has learned what the value of a vow is, Moshe, in the name of HaShem, recruits an army. He commands them to commit vengeance successfully against the Medianites and Bilaam – again, in the name of HaShem.

Soon, Am Israel is getting ready to cross the Jordan. But the land they’re on isn’t bad. In fact it’s good enough land for cattle, so the Children of Reuven and Gad think. And they, along with half the tribe of Menashe, make it known that they would like to stay where they are.

Chutzpah of the greatest kind. We just learned what a vow is. We’ve been in the desert, sponsored by HaShem, for 40 years. We’ve have become supposedly a new people: Bnei Israel. And now, shortly before getting ready to take the Promised Land, two-and a half tribes decide not to come.

We also just read the word 'zeh' placed in front of the paragraph that teaches us what vows really mean. And Rabbi Shochet teaches us that only Moshe Rabbenu can speak the word 'zeh' at the beginning of a sentence given to him directly by HaShem. Meaning, that if you say 'no' to Moshe like the children of Reuven, Gad and Menashe dared, you also say directly 'no' to HaShem.

The idea to stay behind, comes from thinking about the well-being of their live stock first. They’re not even thinking about their children, wives or anything else human. No cows, sheep, chickens, whatever, come first.

“Eretz, mikneh hu...” - it’s a land for cattle.

The Children of Reuven and Gad approach Moshe. They were sounding Moshe Rabbenu. They were feeling him out, warming him up. But Moshe did not respond. Didn’t take the bait. So they carefully continued: “...El-ta-avirenu et HaYarden” – ...bring us not over the Jordan. What an insult. So naturally Moshe Rabbenu flips out. Goes berserk and hangs them out to dry. Telling them that they have learned nothing from the past. Klum!

Here’s comes the most perplexing part. Strange for two reasons.

One: They offer their heads of their tribes: the Mattot, to enter Eretz Israel as Chalutzim: Armed Warriors. Only to return to their stock, children and wives on the Trans-Jordan site when the other tribes have safely inhibited and received their shares of the Promised Land.

And Two: Moshe takes the deal. Moshe does correct them, since they placed their live stock ahead of their children.

In the words of Rashi: They enviced more concern for their own money than their sons and daughters, as they placed their cattle before their little ones. Said Moshe to them; do not do so!...Build your first cities for your little ones and afterwards, folds for your sheep.”

Eliezer Yitchak Perlman, better known as Eliezer Ben-Yehuda was born in Luzhki (Belarus) in 1858. He started studying hebrew at the ripe age of 3-years. He is of course considered the father of the modern hebrew language.

He made one mistake. He allowed the word Chalutzim to become a symbol of freedom. We envision black and white documentaries of men and women dancing in very short shorts and singing yiddishe songs. The word 'Chalutz' stands for an early pioneer. Someone we look up to today. Yet, the word was kidnapped thousands of years before by selfish families who didn’t even want to settle in Eretz Israel.

And Mister Ben Yehuda, that’s a serious grammatical mistake.