Where All The Pages Are My Days, And All My Lights Grow Old (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia - "Attics Of My Life")

          Shimon Peres passed away earlier this week. It was interesting to note that earlier in his political career, there were moments where he was reviled by Israel’s electorate and was beaten on several occasions for the Prime Minister position. Eventually he did serve as Prime Minister. However even as Prime Minister, he never enjoyed resounding political support. Yet Peres managed to persevere and even transcend his lack of Israeli popularity to forge the Oslo Peace accords in the early 1990’s. It was only as he grew older holding his last position as President when he began to truly enjoy a popularity as a statesman, a popularity that was long overdue. Perhaps his lack of popularity was a result of his courage, courage to act and do the unpopular and the difficult.

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

            We are taught that death is a part of life. Yet many of us are afraid of death. Many of us believe that we should shield our children from death, sadness and loss. However when we read Parsha Nitzavim, we learn that while impending death is sad, death in the manner of Moshe’s can take on an aura of holiness – of Kedusha. It is in holiness that we attain the highest level of life, a life that is directly connected to God. When death comes like this, from God, with an opportunity to say Goodbye- with an opportunity to impart wisdom to one’s children, death is not mundane, death is not ordinary, but rather holy and part of life, the final expression of holiness in a very physical endeavor.

            When we talk of strength, we unfortunately think of the person who lifts a lot of weight. We think of the person who doesn’t cry, who remains stoic if he/she is all torn up inside. At this time of year, from Elul through Succot, when we recite the 27^th Psalm and conclude with the words Chazak v’Ya’Ameitz Libecha, v’Kavei El Adoshem – Strengthen yourself, and he will give you courage; and hope to HaShem!, we now understand what it means to strengthen oneself.  Moshe had that kind of strength. Shimon Peres had that kind of strength. Both had the spiritual capacity to be aware of the end of life, to prepare for it, to draw loved ones toward them and share that wisdom. Perhaps that is the epitome of courage.Shimon Peres spent his transmitting his love of Israel and the Jewish People. He spent a lifetime teaching and cajoling the Israeli electorate and the world that Israel must be counted among the nations and that she has the strength to make peace even if its not the popular thing to do. Shimon paid the price and earned the praise of the world for those beliefs. As an old year winds down and a new year begins, may we have the strength  of our morals and our character to teach those values to the next generation.

Peace,

Rav Yitz.

Just Like A Deaf Man Dancin'; Like A Blind Man Shootin' Pool; Heaven Help The Fool (John Barlow & Bob Weir "Heaven Help The Fool")

          This past Saturday night, and for the 48 hours that followed on into Monday, I had the same sickening feeling in my stomach that I a little over fifteen years ago with the 9/11 terrorist attacks and its immediate aftermath. While in the movie, my cellphone vibrated, a New York Times breaking news stated that a bomb had exploded in the Chelsea section of New York City. I watched and listened to the news all day on Sunday, and on Monday. No, thankfully this was not 9/11 all over again. Because this is an election year, as the investigation unfolded, the story became political and in a sense a political referendum on the Hilary Clinton’s candidacy and Donald Trump’s candidacy. Perhaps the most ridiculous, dangerous and saddest comment came from Donald Trump during a rally in Fort Meyers, Florida, “If you choose Donald Trump, these problems are going to go away, far far greater than anyone would think, believe me.”  Really? Is he serious or just speaking in Trump hyperbole? “If you choose Donald Trump, these problems are going away….” I get it. All I have to do is pull the lever for Trump and poof, no more threat of terrorism, no more fear of terrorism, no more anxiety caused by terrorism. Just pulling that little lever in the voting booth will make all the trouble in the world go away. As ridiculous as Trump’s comments were, something incredibly sad simultaneously took place there at that rally. It is something that takes place everywhere Trump speaks. Those in attendance clap, cheer, nod their heads and actually believe him and his words. They lap it up as someone who had been in a desert without water for days and days. They cheer and scream and look as if they have been shown some type of light even if that light is the darkness of hatred, fear and ignorance.

This week's Parsha, is Ki Tavoh. For the past several Parshiot, Moshe has been listing and explaining all the precepts and laws. Last week's Parsha, and the first part of Ki Tavoh explains the rewards. We will inherit the land; we will keep the land. Our enemies will be rendered weak. We will be fruitful and multiply. However the second half of the Parshah explains all the curses that would befall us if we neglect to observe these laws. Every curse, of course, is the diametric opposite the previous blessings. So if we were promised bountiful harvests and many children, then our curse will be drought, famine, and bareness. Traditionally, the Aliyot that contain the curses are read in a softer voice. However as horrible as these curses are, we must understand that it is up to us. We can either follow these laws or not, and as a result we will bear the consequences of our actions. This is not necessarily a bad lesson for us as well as our children to learn. We are responsible for our actions, and we must bear responsibility for the consequences of those actions.

            One of the curses is most poignant in light of listening to Trump.  Arur Mashgeh Iveir Ba'Derech, Va'Amar Kol Ha'Am Amen - Accursed is one who causes a blind person to go astray on the road. And the entire nation said 'Amen" (Deut 27:18). If we read this literally then we are talking about a guide or a seeing-eye dog that would lead the blind astray. However this curse is symbolic. We know that Torah is a light and the word Derech (way) is usually in combination with the Way of the Lord (God's Laws). On a metaphorical level, the curse is upon those leaders of a community that causes the less knowledgeable to go astray. If that knowledge causes those who are blind (re: those who are in the dark or without light) to go astray, then that leader should be cursed. Implicit to that statement is that the one who causes the blind to go astray sees the light, has knowledge and teaches or guides the community away from God.          

            Our Talmudic Sages offer an Agadah about the teachers/Rabbis who were the leaders of their communities. "If there are two teachers, one who covers much ground but is not exact, and one who does not cover much ground but is exact, Rav Dimi b. Nehardea maintained that the one who is exact and does not cover much ground is to be appointed. The reason? A mistake once implanted (in the mind or in behavior) remains [a mistake]. (Talmud Baba Batrah 21a-b). The Talmudic sages essentially understood the first rule in education. It is terribly difficult to undo that which has already been incorrectly taught.  It appears that the Talmudic Sages also understood quite a bit about Presidential campaign politics as well.

Peace,

Rav Yitz

Well My Mama Told Me, My Papa Told Me Too (Noah Lewis - "Big Railroad Blues")

Well, our sixteen year old just received her G1 Driver’s License or in America, she just received her Driver’s Permit. Of course on the day she passed her written test, her mother and I congratulated her. Her mom told her how proud she was of her. However, I was a bit more understated about praising and congratulating her. I knew that I was the one who would take her driving in between driving lessons with a certified driving instructor. As we drove home, I asked if she wanted to drive in a nearby empty parking lot. She enthusiastically said yes. We arrived at the parking lot, switched seats and she sat in the driver’s seat while tightly gripping the wheel. Then I gave her the talk, a talk that I am sure my father gave me. Driving is an enormous responsibility, it is a weapon that can kill people. I piled it on and explained that her behavior would demonstrate if she was ready to handle that kind of responsibility. As a parent, I had tremendous leverage. If she wanted me to take her driving, there wouldn’t be the typical teenage attitude and fresh mouth that drives me and my wife crazy. If she wanted to drive, would have to be more responsible regarding caring for her room, household chores and how she spoke to her parents and sibling. If she wanted me to take her driving, there would be minimal teenage rebelliousness. I am not quite sure my plan is working out the way I anticipated.

This Shabbat, we read Parsha Ki Teitzeh. Moshe teaches us the laws concerning war, creating an environment for soldiers to behave as honorably as possible. We learn that everyone, whether “loved” or “hated” has rights under the law as well as entitlements. We learn that every one of us is responsible for the other. If we see something that has been lost by our neighbor then we pick it up and return it. Moshe re-iterates that human relationships can either be holy, between a husband and wife, and between parents and children or unholy by crossing the boundaries of those relationships. Moshe reminds the people that children will not be punished for the sins of their parents, nor will parents be punished as a result of their children. In such a situation there would be no need to add punishment since the parents of the child or the children of the parent would be punished enough just having been touch by the situation. Essentially this morning’s Parsha is all about human relationships designed to maintain individual holiness as well as communal holiness.

            So it is troubling that we are confronted with one of the most controversial commandments of the Torah. Ki Yiheyeh L’Ish Bein Sorer U’Moreh Einenu Shomeiah B’kol Aviv U’vkol Imo, If a man will have a wayward and rebellious son, who does not hearken to the voice of his father and the voice of his mother V’Yisru Oto v’Lo Yishmah Aleihem and they discipline him, but he does not hearken to them, then his father and mother shall grasp him and take him out to the elders of his city and the gate of his place. They shall say to the elders of the city, B’Neinu zeh Sorer U Moreh “This son of ours is wayward and rebellious, he does not hearken to our voice; he is a glutton and a drunkard.” All the men of his city shall pelt him with stones and he shall die; U’viarta HaRah Mikirbecha and you shall remove the evil from your midst (Deut. 21:18-21). The literal meaning of the verses suggests that in the extreme case of an evil child who is beyond help, continues to cling to evil the ways while  the rest of the community clings to holiness, such a child must be eliminated. However, we understand that somethings in the Torah are not to be understood literally. For the Talmudic sages, this was one of those cases.

The Talmud makes the point that “there never was nor will there ever be” a child to be put to death based upon this law. Rashi, the 11th century Northern French commentator, explains these verses in two ways. First, Rashi clarifies and quantifies the Zoleil v’Sovei – glutton and guzzler as Yochal Tateimar Basar V’Yishteh Chatzi Log Yayin – as one who eats 8oz. of meat in one or two bites and drinks between 12-21 fluid ounces in a single gulp and Ad Yignov and will steal to support his habit. Second, Rashi explains that this rebellious son must be warned twice that his behavior is in opposition to Halacha (Jewish Law). Otherwise the Rebellious son is not liable for punishment. In his comment, Rashi implicitly suggests what the Talmud explicitly teaches. Neither Moshe, or the Talmudic sages could imagine a child purposefully ignoring his parents and begin thieving, drinking, doing drugs, or demonstrating gluttonous behavior, that is to say, doing too much of whatever they want without regard for anything or anyone. Moshe, in his re-iteration of the Torah, teaches that the parents are the responsible. It is their obligation to bring the child to the Bet Din (the court), and when the parents can no longer live up to that obligation, then society must take over. The question becomes how does a child become a Sorer U’Moreh? Children are not born wayward nor rebellious. Children are not born gluttonous and drunk. There may be a genetic disposition to obsessive compulsive behavior or addiction, but before a child becomes an adult and responsible for him/herself, the parents bear a responsibility for the social and emotional development of that child.

No, none of our children are like Ben Sorer U’Moreh- the gluttonous rebellious son. Although they strike me as a bit gluttonous when it comes to use of their phones and IPods. Yes, sometimes it feels like a never ending fight to make sure that we enforce our household rules, rules which are designed to prevent them from becoming Sorer U’Moreh. As we watch our daughter negotiate the landscape with this added leverage/desire to drive; she has started to see our wisdom and appreciate our methods. She has started to understand that our rules and our talks are a result of our concern with the type of person she might or might not become rather than what she is. As I sit in the passenger seat, and she adjusts the seat and mirrors, presses down on the break and begins to shift gears, she looks over at me and thanks me for all the rules, for the high expectations, for the instilling in her a sense of responsibility as well as consequences for her behavior. Then she turns to look straight ahead and begins to slowly drive as she has a look on her face that recognizes the fact that there is several tons of responsibility in her hands.

Peace,

Rav Yitz