Parshas Re’eh – Shabbos Mevarchim Elul: Raboisay, Elul Kumpt!

“The L-rd, your G-d, shall you follow and Him shall you fear; His commandments shall you observe and to His voice shall you hearken; Him shall you serve and to Him shall you cleave.” –Deuteronomy 13:5

AND TO HIM SHALL YOU CLEAVE: The way one cleaves to G-d is by emulating His ways. Just as he performs kind deeds, so should you; just as He buries the dead (Moses), so should you; and just as he visits the sick (Abraham), so should you.” – Rashi ibid quoting Talmud Sota 14a

Following the Torah reading this Shabbos morning, an unsettling scene occurs in synagogues throughout the world. In the midst of our vacations and respites from the humdrum of our usual schedules, we are awakened by the reality that somebody awaits us upon our return: G-d Himself! This Shabbos we bless and herald the upcoming month of Elul, the month that engenders repentance and introspection, and is the forerunner of the High Holidays. In many congregations, the sound of weeping is heard at the proclamation of the new month, as people realize that our books must be balanced by the collections day. For the young men and women in yeshiva and seminary, Elul is a month of increased study in the ethical realm, and increased seriousness in their attitude and mindset as preparations for the New Year begins in earnest.

For the vast majority of us however, the announcement of the month of Elul is no different than the requisite announcements following services regarding the upcoming community events. The only difference being that the announcements following services are actually in English and understandable. What should our approach be toward the month of Elul, and what is our mission for the next month?

This coming Thursday, we begin reciting Psalm 27 twice a day for the next seven weeks. In this Psalm, King David lays bare his true desire in life: “One thing I ask of G-d, that shall I seek: That I dwell in the House of G-d all the days of my life; to behold the sweetness of G-d and to contemplate in His Sanctuary.” (Psalm 27:4) As we seek to ready ourselves for Elul, we reflect on the approach taken by King David: the yearning to make G-d a part of our lives. We seek to welcome G-d into our home and we hope that G-d will in turn welcome us into His inner chambers.

G-d does not respond to evites and tweets. He has His personal code for connection. In this weeks parsha we are told that the purpose of the numerous mitzvahs is to connect and cleave to G-d. We were even given the method: Emulate His ways by being caring and kind.

When we hear the call of Elul this Shabbos, let us use the opportunity to think of new ways that we can invite G-d into our homes. Let us commit to one extra kind act a day for the next month. Let us brainstorm for ways to create a spiritual feng shui in our homes that is inviting and appealing to G-d. And let us use this Elul as an opportunity for engaging ourselves and our fellow Jews to enter the House of G-d, to behold His sweetness, and become acquainted with his inner sanctuary. Amen.

Parshas Eikev: Iron from India to Jerusalem

“It is a land where you will not eat rationed bread, and you will not lack anything - a land whose stones are iron, and from whose mountains you will quarry copper.” -Deuteronomy 8:9

We are invited this week to examine the sui generis qualities of the Land of Israel. Iron is the sought out quality in the stones of the land. Of particular curiosity is the placement of the iron quality sandwiched between the consumption of bread and the following grace. Why is the element of iron jutting in-between bread and blessing? What is so unique about iron that G-d chose to bless the land with its bounty?

Let us visit the region of Haryana, India to understand the solution to this dilemma. The Iron Pillar of Delhi (also known as Ashoka Iron Pillar) belonging to the 'Chandragupta 11 -Vikramaditya' (between 3rd and 4the century CE) period, remains as a riddle even to the modern metallurgists who rack their brains to figure out the secret behind the eternal youth of this wrought iron pillar. One thousand and six hundred years old, made of pure wrought iron, weighing six tons, 7.375 meters high, standing bare for all these years in the scorching climate of Delhi, no fungus, no rust, no corrosion, nothing could scar even the inscriptions made on it; this pillar literally stands tall as a wonder for the modern man to ponder. How can a simple iron pillar stand the test of time?

The Talmud (Taanis 4a) homiletically interprets the Hebrew word for stone “avaneha” as being phonetically similar to the word “builders”, meaning the builders of Torah, i.e. Torah scholars who support the world with their Torah study. Therefore the Talmud reinterprets the verse to mean “a land whose Torah scholars are iron,” as opposed to the literal meaning of a land whose stones are iron.

The great Rabbi and poet, Rabbi Shlomo Ephraim Luntschitz (1550–1619) in his commentary Keli Yakar explains that the ideal quality in a Torah scholar is similar to that of iron. A true Torah scholar will be enthralled and satiated with mere bread, and the bread alone will give him the strengths of iron. He will not desire anything in excess of the minimum, despite his being blessed with abundance.

Nachmanides adds that just as iron is a basic necessity for construction, so too the core ingredient for the world’s foundation is Torah study and Torah Scholars. The Torah is sending us a clear message. We can eat and we can recite the grace after meals, but we first must ensure that our values and priorities are in place. We eat in order to serve G-d. We eat in order to make a blessing, not the other way around (well at least that is the ideal!). The Talmud understands that iron has no place in between a discussion about bread and its blessing. It therefore must be referring to Torah Scholars who only require the bare minimum on which to survive.

So what do we learn from the iron pillar of Delhi? How did it survive without corrosion?
After years of scientific research, it has been concluded that the corrosion resistance property of the Delhi Pillar is primarily due to: the purity of its iron, absence of any other metal, better forge welding, and drier and uncontaminated atmospheric condition. These are the qualities sought out in a Torah Scholar and a seeker of The Higher Power. Our striving is to engage in the purification process that will allow our true self to shine through. The contamination of foreign elements in society has succeeded in corroding our values and our essence. If we wish to pass on the pillar to our grandchildren, let us purify ourselves and ensure that we have a timeless message and heritage that will withstand the corrosive powers of contemporary society.

Let us learn from the iron pillar. Let us become like iron. Let those of us with the patronymic of iron, live up to its designation. May the true iron shine forth, and let the historical antecedent of the name Eisenstein and Glatstein (my paternal grandparents’ original surnames), form the new iron that is both pure and strong in Torah and values. Amen.

Parshas Va’eschanan – Shabbos Nachamu: Consolation in The Kruger

As I sat around a campfire in the wilderness of Kruger National Park in South Africa entranced by the sounds of the hyenas yelping, the lions roaring, and the baboons barking, a tap on my shoulder shattered the ecstasy of the moment. Louise, the manager of the lodge wished to have a word with me. She began by telling me that she is a devout Christian, and although she knows that the Jews only regard her god as a prophet and not as the son of G-d (she clearly did not take Judaism 101!), she loves Jews and especially observant Jews. The reason is because they are the Chosen People, and they will bring forth the Final Redemption. She then turned on her laptop, and opened up an excel spreadsheet in which she had taken every single verse of Psalms and wrote down the attributes of G-d contained within that verse.

She had one final revelation. She informed me that every single day she prays for me. How so? She recites Psalm 122 verse 6 which reads, “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.” She told me that Jerusalem does not mean to pray for the geographical city sitting on a tectonic plate fault known as the Great Rift Valley, rather it means praying for the desired inhabitants of Jerusalem, and that is observant Jews. By this point I was pretty much speechless. I had to travel all the way to a Safari in South Africa to hear from a non-Jew living in the bush that I really belonged back in Jerusalem studying Torah!

The Shabbos following the Ninth of Av is the Shabbos of joy. It is called Shabbat Nachamu, for the prophetic portion that is read is taken from Chapter 40 of Isaiah which begins with the words Nachamu, nachamu ami - "Console, console my people, says your G-d." How can it be that we just commemorated all of the collective Jewish tragedies and we are already consoled? What exactly is the consolation contained in this week’s haftorah?

Louise in Kruger National Park helped us with the answer. The haftorah continues “Speak to the heart of Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her time of suffering is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned; for she has received of G-d’s hand double for all her sins. The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of G-d, make straight in the desert a highway for our G-d!”

What does it mean to speak to the heart of Jerusalem? It means to speak to those Jews who are connected to Jerusalem as Louise pointed out. And it means to speak with passion, conviction, and inspiration to galvanize them to be a part of the Redemption. There is a double usage of the term “console” to inform us that we should be hopeful that the redemption is coming either in its prescribed time, or earlier. We will be redeemed; the question just is, when.

As committed Jews worldwide sat on the floor this past Wednesday night and Thursday morning in mourning for Jerusalem, they had in mind a much larger dimension of the mourning than is commonly acknowledged. They were mourning the fate of all those Jews who are meant to be Jerusalem’s inhabitants in the utopian era. For the typical Jew who sat in mourning this week, there is no personal consolation this Shabbos. Assimilation is rampant, and Jewish education is floundering. However there is a growing group of people who will see the silver lining in the cloud. Those are people who are determined to pull off every possible soul from the cattle cars headed towards Spiritual cremation. They will be the modern day Raul Wallenberg and will make a difference… one person at a time. They will literal speak to the heart of Jerusalem. They will take the verses that we hold to be sacrosanct as a practical instructions manual and not merely as a poetic monologue.

The world is full of admiration for our spiritual heritage; let us ensure that every single Jew will get a slice of the cake. Let us invite over our neighbor for Friday night dinner. Let’s offer to study for ten minutes a week with a business associate. Let’s be creative. Let us create the solution for history, and not fall victim to it. Let those tears shed on Tisha B’Av not disappear down the sewer of history. We can change the course of history. Let’s begin today.

Parshas Devarim – Shabbos Chazon: Tears of the Past, Present, and Future

Last week I found myself conversing with several non-Jewish European fellows in their mid twenties. These people were fascinated with meeting a religious person who actually explained in a sensible and palatable manner the various practices and rituals that strike them and their peers as being archaic, obsolete, and outlandish. Over the course of our conversations, I was asked to explain the Jewish holidays. When I reached the commemoration of the saddest day of the Jewish calendar, Tishah B’Av, the ninth of Av, I raised the following questions: Are the Jewish People so out of touch with contemporary reality that they still cry over the loss of a Temple built out of sticks and stones which was destroyed nearly two thousand years ago? What are we really commemorating on Tisha B’Av? Is it possible that there are people who are so stuck in the past that the destruction of the Temple is a reality for them today?

Perhaps there is a more fundamental question. The role of depression and sadness in Judaism is relegated to foreign worship, and Divine Spirit is only manifest among glad spirited individuals. Accordingly, what role does the sadness of the past destruction play in our current lives?

The Talmud informs us that if the Temple is not rebuilt in our lifetime, we are considered as having destroyed the Temple. The Midrash explains that had we rectified the sins of the past, the Temple would be rebuilt. It follows that we are still perpetrating those very misdeeds which caused the destruction in the first place, and the fact that the Temple has not been rebuilt reflects on our sins which would have destroyed the Temple had it been standing.

In this week’s haftorah, we read the Vision of Isaiah. Although the term vision connotes an extremely harsh form of prophesy, nevertheless we are still called children of G-d. Sure we strayed very far, but we have not lost the honorific of being G-d’s child. Although we are in the midst of the three-week period of mourning, on Shabbos all mourning is suspended. We eat meat and drink wine, sing songs, and engage in festivities.

What is so unique about Shabbos? Shabbos is the time when we reflect on the first sin of mankind: Adam and Eve’s indulgence in the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge. Adam was despondent and he chanced upon Cain walking in the Garden. Cain was whistling hava nagila (or a similar primordial top klezmer hit) and did not seem to be bothered by his latest murder escapade. Visibly shocked, Adam reprimanded him for his callousness. Cain replied that he already repented and is back in G-d’s good graces. Thereupon Adam began singing “Mizmor shir liyom haShabbos,” the psalm of Shabbos. Adam understood that Shabbos represents our connection to G-d. He was blown away that the relationship with G-d is such that we can apologize and come back together. He therefore connected this concept to Shabbos. The reason is that Shabbos is a time when we reflect on our true relationship and connection with G-d. At the conclusion of Shabbos, we gaze at our fingernails which remind us of Adam’s banishment from the Garden of Eden. We begin Shabbos with Adam’s return to G-d, and we end Shabbos with the reality that another week is arriving during which we must strive to reconnect to G-d amidst the mundane reality of contemporary society.

Tisha B’Av is the day of reflecting how far we have grown apart from G-d, and Shabbos is the day when we reflect on our connection. Tisha B’Av is not merely a day of the past; it is a day of the present and future. We reflect on our honeymoon period with G-d, and then flashback to the big flare up which resulted in the destruction of the Temple. Now we enter marriage counseling to come back together. Divorce is not an option. We are always connected to G-d. It is up to us to make amends. G-d wants us back and still refers to us as His children, now we must go halfway and do our part.

None other than Napoleon understood the very connection that we have to G-d. Napoleon was walking through the streets of Paris one Tisha B'Av. As his entourage passed a synagogue he heard wailing and crying coming from within; he sent an aide to inquire as to what had happened. The aide returned and told Napoleon that the Jews were in mourning over the loss of their Temple. Napoleon was indignant! "Why wasn't I informed? When did this happen? Which Temple?" The aide responded, "They lost their Temple in Jerusalem on this date 1,700 years ago." Totally amazed by the phenomenon that he witnessed before his very eyes, Napoleon exclaimed: “any nation that can retain such a fierce love and loyalty for a Holy site that they’ve never seen that was so far away, and for so long, is destined for greatness and will outlive us all!”

But you know, for all of the tears that we shed on Tisha B’Av, G-d is the one who is crying (kaviyochol) the most. This is best illustrated by the following Chassidic story:

A group of children were outside playing a game of hide and seek. One of the little boys hid behind a tree and waited to be found. He waited and he waited and he waited, but no one appeared! In exasperation he ran inside wailing and told his mother: “we were playing hide and seek. I was hiding but no one was seeking!”

G-d is in hiding. Let us seek him. Let us build a relationship with Him, and let this Tisha B’Av be our last one of crying. The misdeed of the past is our lack of a wholesome relationship with G-d. Let us resolve to return to G-d. Let us witness the transformation of Tisha B’Av into a holiday of festivity on which the Messiah is born, and on which our marriage to G-d is renewed. Let us not cry over the past, let us cry over our present disconnect, and let us resolve to reconnect, reignite, and recreate ourselves. If you want to become a happy person, cry on Tisha B’Av, and reconnect to G-d. There is no greater happiness.

Parshas Korach: Publicizing Our Stories

“Moses announced, 'This shall demonstrate to you that G-d sent me to do all these deeds and I did not make up anything myself. If these men die like all other men, and share the common fate of man, then G-d did not send me. But if G-d creates something entirely new, making the earth open its mouth and swallow them and all that is theirs, so that they descend to the depths alive, then it is these men who are provoking G-d.' Moses had hardly finished speaking when the ground under them split. The earth opened its mouth, and swallowed them and their houses, along with all the men who were with Korach and their property. They fell into the depths along with all that was theirs. The earth then covered them over, and they were lost to the community.” –Numbers 16: 28-33

“Ten things were created on [the first] Sabbath eve [of creation], at twilight. They are: The mouth of the earth [which engulfed Korach and his fellow conspirators], etc.” –Mishna Pirkei Avos 5:6

Korach’s followers were swallowed up alive by the earth. The Mishna informs us that the mouth of the earth was a supernatural creation which was fashioned during the eleventh hour of creation. Why did they meet their deaths in such an unusual fashion, and why was a special creation needed just for this event?

Perhaps the following story will help answer these questions. Last Thursday morning, as I spoke on a pay phone in Buffalo Airport, a bearded middle aged African-American on the airport cleaning crew named Leroy exited the elevator facing me. He waved to me, and I smiled and waved back. After concluding my phone call, he approached me and asked, “Do you mind if I ask you a question?” I replied that in fact I welcome questions. He then let me in on the latest groundbreaking news:

Five clones of a German shepherd that worked as a search-and-rescue dog and found the last survivor of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack on the World Trade Center were presented Wednesday June 17th (the previous day) to the dog's Los Angeles owner.

This raised a fundamental question for this man. His question was, if a human being is cloned, would he have a soul? I addressed this question based on the Talmudic sources and the contemporary responsa, and elaborated on the relationship between body, soul, spirituality, and sanctity. We also discussed the psychological effects that the lack of a soul would potentially have on a clone. At the conclusion of our discussion he asked, “Do you know G-d?” I replied that I have been pondering that question for years. He replied, “I know G-d. Let me prove it to you. As I was ascending in the elevator, this question about a clone having a soul was really bothering me. When the elevator door opened and I witnessed your rabbinic visage, I realized that G-d must have sent me the answer, and G-d is right here with me!”

Rabbi Yaakov Kamenetsky (1891- 1986), explains that the daily humdrum of our lives lends itself to denying a Divine Presence in this world. G-d created the natural course of the world, and without true reflection we are apt to think that there is no Higher Power running the world. Therefore G-d created certain supernatural realities that he unveils from time to time to demonstrate his complete control over this world. One with a disposition to heresy can believe that a simple earthquake occurred and serendipitously only swallowed the detractors of Moses. Upon closer examination, it is clear that this was nothing short of a miracle. The earth opened and closed without leaving any trace of an earthquake, and it only pursued the guilty individuals. There was also no sound from the ground, only from the people swallowed inside the ground.

Korach denied G-d’s attention to detail in this world. G-d therefore created a special creation that revealed his connection to every matter in this world. This was no mere earthquake; this was an opening of the mouth of the earth to silence the heretics.

Leroy in Buffalo Airport was able to discern G-d’s presence in mere happenstance. Korach and his followers lacked that clairvoyance. Over the course of our lifetimes we have all experienced the Divine in some way or another. Many of us have related our stories at Shalosh Seudos in Westmount. I am currently collecting such stories with the plan of publishing a book. Let us all be a part of this effort. Please email me your stories at parshaperspectives@gmail.com. Let us make amends for the sin of Korach, and use this opportunity to spread the name of G-d in this world. Let us all be a part of this effort.

Parshas Behaaloscha: Keeping the Flame Burning

"And the L-rd spoke unto Moses saying: Speak to Aaron and say to him: When you light the lamps of the candelabras, the seven lamps shall give light in front of the candlestick. And Aaron did so..." -Numbers 8:1-3

The foremost commentary Rashi asks, what is the significance in the juxtaposition of the portion in the previous Parsha discussing the inauguration of the Temple by the princes, and the lighting of the candelabra?

He answers based on a Midrash, that Aaron became faint of heart when he saw that the princes had surpassed him in the G-dly service. G-d therefore assured him that he has a greater portion than they do because he lights the candelabra. Rashi notes that the emphasis in the verse proclaiming Aaron's devotion in carrying out this command teaches us that he never changed the observance of this mitzvah.

Nachmanadies is bothered by the singular comfort which Aaron received by lighting the candelabra. Aaron performed many daily services in the Temple. What was so unique about the lighting of the candelabra? Additionally, we never find the Torah making an emphasis about Aaron's carrying out a mission faithfully. What happened over here?

The Chassidic masters (Sfas Emes, Shem Mishmuel, and Nesivos Shalom) all echo the same theme. Aaron was very fearful of losing his lofty spiritual status. Therefore G-d assured him with the lamps. Every single mitzvah creates an opportunity of solidifying that moment for eternity. If one allows inspiration to linger, it will dissipate. The inspiration needs a medium by which it can be retained. Every mitzvah has that ability. The uniqueness of a candelabra is that fire is constantly renewed (Talmud Berachos 53a). The mitzvah of the menorah signifies that the love and devotion that Aaron felt for G-d would not merely get placed in the vessel of a mitzvah to hibernate; every single second that love for G-d burnt anew.

Nachmanadies adds that the mitzvah of lighting the candelabra is eternal. Obviously there is no Temple today, and nobody is lighting the flame on a daily basis. Rather the message is that the feeling and devotion inherent in this mitzvah is eternal. This mitzvah represents our solidifying inspiration and taking it to the next level. That is timeless. This explains the emphasis of Aaron's commitment to this mitzvah. Of course Aaron followed G-d's directive. The uniqueness here was that his initial love and feeling for the mitzvah never left him. Although he performed this same act for years on end, each day was like his first! The mitzvah of lighting the flame is to just place the first spark there. The flame should then grow by itself. Similarly in life, we only need to connect with that spark in our soul. Once we spark that connection, the flame will magnify with G-d's help.

This concept is actually built into our week. The candelabra had 3 lamps on each side facing the seventh middle lamp. It represents our weekday. All days in the week reflect on Shabbos. We begin Shabbos by lighting two separate candles representing our soul and Shabbos (neshama yeseira). Over the course of Shabbos we become so inspired and connected that by havdalah all the wicks are intertwined. Of note, the blessing that we make on the candle before Shabbos is to light the candle of Shabbos, in the singular. That represents our mission to connect those two lamps and make them into one by the end of Shabbos.

We all have moments of inspiration throughout our week. May we all take the inspiration of the week and channel into a conflagration of spirituality and devotion to G-d!

Parshas Nasso: Cause an Effect!

“G-d said to Moses, ‘One prince each day, one prince each day, shall they bring their offering for the inauguration of the altar.’… On the second day, Nethanel son of Zuar, prince of Issachar, offered. He brought his offering: one silver bowl, etc.” –Numbers 7:11, 18-19

Were you ever in a class where the instructor kept on repeating and reiterating the lesson ad nauseum? Do you know the feeling of being a bright student, and you simply tune out after the first time the teacher presents the material? You’re not alone. We have all experienced this at one time. From the teachers perspective, they should have the patience to review the material up to four hundred times (as is mentioned in the Talmud), but as students, we eventually get bored.

At the conclusion of Parshas Nasso, we read about the twelve day of offerings brought by the prince of each tribe. Every single offering was identical to the other offerings. We know that countless derivations are culled from every seeming extra letter in the torah, being that not a single extra letter exists in the Torah. Accordingly, why did the Torah make the point of repeating each day’s offering, thereby adding numerous extra words in the Torah. What is the lesson contained herein?

The great ethicist, Rabbi Simcha Zissel Ziv Broida (1824–1898), known as the Alter of Kelm, explains that this portion of the Torah contains one of the greatest lessons for us. Imagine the scene down on this planet. The altar has finally been inaugurated, and the festivities are endless. For twelve days numerous offerings are being brought the nation, and the feeling of celebration is palpable in the air. However, up in heaven an entirely different scene is unfolding. On the huge HD Plasma screen with the real-time coverage of the happenings down below on planet earth, only one person’s visage is present. That is the prince who is offering his sacrifice on that particular day.

Although it seems that he is just another wolf in the pack, in heaven he is the man of the hour. The offering brought on the 12th day of the inauguration is just as beloved as that brought on the first day. No individual gets swept up in the crowd in heaven. And the heavenly news anchor proclaims that another individual has devoted himself to G-d.

In life, often times one lacks the perspective of how important and beloved he is. Brought up in a society of peas in a pod, a melting pot, or a mosaic, one must always carry the Talmudic dictum espoused by Hillel the elder: “It is worth creating the world just for me.” Hillel was exceedingly humble but he understood his role in this world. G-d loves each and every one of us. Never before in history has the levels of depression and anxiety weighed so heavily on the public conscious. It’s time to examine the Parsha once more. Each one of us has a role and mission in this world that is only achievable by you, the individual. Your role may even seem identical to other people’s roles, but up in heaven there is a special screen devoted to your achievements. Fill that screen with vibrancy and accomplishments, because no one enjoys a blank screen.

Don’t strive to be an American Idol, be a heavenly Idol and achieve your maximum as an individual. G-d takes note.

Parshas Bamidbar: Relationships

We begin the fourth book of the Torah this week, the book of Bamidbar-Numbers. The commentators note that generally this book is commenced on the Shabbos immediately preceding the holiday of Shavuos. What is the unique connection between Bamidbar and Shavuos?

The Sfas Emes, Rabbi Yehudah Leib Alter, (1847-1905), points out that the first three books of the Torah represents our becoming a nation. Genesis discusses the building of individuals. Exodus paints the picture of the individuals agglutinating together as a nation, and Leviticus prepares the nation to carry out their mission as a light unto the nations. The book of Numbers is the litmus test to ascertain how the Jewish nation succeeds in their mission, and it essentially sings the praises of this fledging nation’s belief in G-d. As the Prophet Jeremiah prophesied “I remember the unfailing loyalty of your youth, the love you had for me as a bride. I remember how you followed me into the desert, into a land that couldn't be farmed.” We begin this book by recounting the loyalty of the Jewish people.

In the haftorah we take it a step further. The haftorah of this week’s parsha concludes with the prophesy in the book of Hosea. “I shall marry you (the Jewish People) to Me (G-d) forever; I shall marry you to Me with righteousness, and with justice, and with kindness and with mercy. I shall marry you to Me with fidelity; and you shall know G-d.” These verses are recited daily when phylacteries are donned.

What is this notion of marriage that we read about this week, and what exactly is our relationship with G-d in that regard? In the book Song of Songs, King Solomon discusses our relationship with G-d in the following terms, “Go forth, O ye daughters of Zion, and gaze upon king Solomon, even upon the crown wherewith his mother hath crowned him in the day of his espousals, and in the day of the gladness of his heart.” The Rabbis understand the verse to be discussing the Jewish nation’s unique connection with G-d. We find that our relationship is similar to that of a daughter, a mother, and a spouse. Elsewhere, our relationship is compared to a sister. What elements do a daughter, sister, mother, and spouse contain in regards to relationships, and how does it relate to G-d?

(In our relationship with G-d, we are considered the female. This is based on Maharal’s understanding that a man’s energy is in giving the form to the women’s matter. In a pregnancy process, the women have the matter, and she takes the male’s form-making potential and develops it into a higher entity. Similarly in this world, G-d gives us the potential for creativity and our mission is to develop that potential for spirituality and make into something concrete)

Rabbi Chaim Friedlander (1923-1986) in his work Sifsei Chaim, explains that this represents the natural progression in the world. For the female, she is first a daughter, then she matures and becomes a participatory sister, and only later does she become a spouse. After all of those stages she becomes a mother. Accordingly, our first level is to be a daughter who takes our parents desires and actualizes it. However this relationship is hierarchal; if a child rebels, the parent does not have nachas any more. The second level is to be a sibling to G-d; meaning, G-d is only revealed in this world inasmuch as we decide to reveal His presence. In the prayer of Shemona Esrei we praise G-d’s attributes of being Great, Mighty, and Awesome because Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob revealed those traits in the world. That relationship is like a sibling. Without us, G-d is not revealed in this world. The first two levels were achieved prior to the giving of the Torah. Only after the giving of the Torah did we achieve the next two levels: The third level is that of a spouse. We become as committed to G-d as He is committed to us. And finally, we are like a mother to G-d. This means that after the giving of the Torah, we were given the reigns to orchestrate the actions of this world. Just as a mother creates the future, we now have the ability to determine the world’s future. Our all encompassing relationship with G-d covers all the women in our lives. We connect to G-d in all ways possible, but our full commitment to G-d is most manifest in our marriage to G-d. That was when we committed to love and follow G-d in good times and in (seemingly) bad times.

In the haftorah the term marriage is mentioned three times. This represents our submission to this union with G-d in the way of intellect, emotion, and action. (Nesivos Shalom). This was achieved by our eloping with G-d into the desert. We demonstrated that we are completely committed to our new union. That is the connection between the book of Bamidbar, meaning desert, and Shavuos. This Shavuos we celebrate the anniversary of our marriage with G-d. Let’s reflect back on our multi-faceted relationship with G-d, which culminated in our marriage to G-d, and renew our vows once again!

Parshas Behar – Bechukosai: Balancing the Budget

“If your brother becomes impoverished and his hand falters in your proximity, you shall hold on to him – proselyte and resident – so that he can live with you.” –Leviticus 25:35

“You shall hold on to him: Do not allow him to decline and fall, and then it will be difficult to raise him up. Rather, strengthen him from the time his fortune begins to take a turn for the worse. This is comparable to a load on a donkey. So long as the donkey is standing and stationary, and its load begins to fall, one person can grab it and set it in place. However once the load has fallen to the ground, five people cannot set it in place.” –Rashi ibid

This past Erev Yom Kippur, my friend’s brother who works in real estate received an urgent phone call on his cell phone. His boss was on the line. His boss seemed overly stressed, and he explained that he just cut short his vacation to Israel due to the economic downturn. Everybody was expected to report to work on Yom Kippur, otherwise they shouldn’t bother reporting to work again. His decision will forever haunt him. He showed up to work on Yom Kippur. Nobody should ever be faced with this terrible and heart wrenching dilemma, but people all over are facing challenges, the likes of which they have never faced before. As the saying goes, “show up to work on Sunday, so that you’ll have a job on Monday!”

As unemployment reaches gargantuan proportions and many people’s financial cushions have been obliterated, we look to our sacred texts for guidance and inspiration. No less than four times does this week’s Torah portion address the current crisis utilizing the term “If your brother becomes impoverished.” Why does the Torah refer to this person as a brother as opposed to a friend?

Perhaps the following story will shed light on this enigma. An American family grew up on the brink of poverty. After the two older boys grew up, the parents moved to Indonesia, had a third child, and lost touch with their kids left behind in the United States. One of the brothers got involved in politics, made connections, and became financially comfortable, while the other brother moved to Kenya, and lingered in his Kenyan village surrounded by the bare walls of his hut. One day, the brother in politics received an invitation for his youngest brothers wedding in Indonesia. His father wrote that any expenses incurred for the trip or clothing for the wedding purchased for the father’s honor would be fully covered. He also asked him to arrange that his brother in Kenya will attend with his family. He went all out, buying the most expensive clothes for his family, and they all traveled in first class to the wedding. He arranged bus transportation for his Kenyan brother, and did not mention anything about clothes for the wedding. The fancy US Politician showed up looking like a model while his Kenyan brother arrived in rags. Following the wedding he approached his father for reimbursement. The father refused. He explained that he only agreed to cover expenses incurred for his honor. If he really cared about his father’s honor he would have taken care of his Kenyan brother and not allowed him to show up in rags.

Accordingly the Torah uses the term brother for good reason. When we see our neighbors and friends losing their jobs and salaries while we are still living the high life, we must view them as a brother and help them out. Otherwise G-d views us as not caring for his honor, and who knows when the wheel of fortune will turn on us.

There are so many ways to help out those in crisis today. Firstly, help them out while they still have something. Don’t wait for them to foreclose on their homes; preempt the situation. Find out if your firm is hiring and pass along the information. Help people fix up their resumes. Network for them. If we would make a concerted effort to help out our fellow brothers who unfortunately have fallen on hard times, G-d will surely take note and help us out.

This obligation is not limited to those who have fallen on financial hard times. It includes those who have fallen on spiritual hard times. We must take the effort to help them out, even if they themselves don’t see the writing on the wall that the foreclosure is imminent. There are so many ways to help. Be creative and get the job done. After all, it’s your brother we are talking about.

Parshas Emor: Martyrdom - What Is Worth Dying For?

“You shall guard My commandments and do them; I am G-d. You shall not defile My holy Name, and I shall be sanctified among the Children of Israel; I am G-d Who sanctifies you.” –Leviticus 22:31-32

In order to understand and appreciate the values of society and culture, one must research the laws and punishments enacted by that society. The most important values will obviously carry with them the greatest punishment. In China, embezzlement, fraud, piracy, theft, corruption, arson, poaching, among others will earn somebody the death penalty. In Brunei, unlawful possession of firearms, explosives and drugs will put somebody on death row. It is clear that these matters are viewed as having more importance than life itself in those societies. What is considered sacrosanct in Judaism?

Well, the Torah commands us to sanctify the name of G-d and refrain from defiling the ineffable Name. What exactly does this entail?

The Talmud (Sanhedrin 74a) explains that the command of the Torah, “You shall observe My decrees and My judgments, which man shall carry out and live by them.” (Leviticus 18:5) mandates that if a choice is given to violate a commandment or be killed, one is obligated to violate the Torah, rather than lose their life. There are however three exceptions to this rule (aside from public desecration and times of forced heresy where one must give up their life regardless): Worshiping other gods, immoral relations, and bloodshed. These three cardinal mitzvahs are the mainstay of Judaism and one must die rather than violate them. These three mitzvahs are considered the ones worth dying for, in order to fulfill the obligation of sanctifying G-d’s name. One who chooses to violate these commandments is considered to have defiled G-d’s Name.

What is so significant about these particular three; and what exactly is the connection between sanctification and the three cardinal sins? The mystical work Zohar (Cheilek 3, pp. 73a, 93a) informs us that this world contains three elements of holiness: G-d, Torah, and the Jewish People. Accordingly, our Sages inform us in Ethics of Our Fathers (1:1) that there are three foundations upon which the world stands: Service of G-d, Torah, and Kindness. Our connection as Jews obliges us to be kind to one another, and to the world at large. Being that this world is created as a vessel for holiness, those foundations are conduits of that holiness, and we must do all that we can do to uphold the world as a holy place.

Rabbi Yehudah Loew (1520 –1609), better known as the Maharal of Prague explains, "If you have nothing to die for, you have nothing to live for!” Meaning, our existence is dependent on our highest values. These values are the three foundations of the world. Without these foundations we have no existence. The three cardinal sins are the diametric opposite of the world’s foundations, and we therefore must be willing to die, rather than violate them. One who does not give up their life is considered as having no existence. Let us examine these three foundations:

1. Service of G-d means to believe and worship in one G-d. Clearly, one who is worshiping other gods cannot devote himself entirely to the one and only G-d.
2. The Torah is the connector between our animalistic aspect and our spiritual aspect. The Torah represents a channeling of our animalistic tendencies to a Higher Purpose. The Torah very clearly describes how to take the animalistic desire for intimacy and to sanctify it through the union of marriage. One who engages in immoral relations outside of what the Torah sanctifies is denying the very purpose of Torah, which is to help us channel our animalistic desires to a more spiritual plane.
3. Kindness means to give to others and to help them, even with unneeded matters. Murder is the greatest opposite of giving, as it entirely deprives life.
As the famous song goes “You'd give your last breath to your wife, take a bullet for your kids, lay your life for your country for me and all your friends. There’s a lot you say you’re living for you. Got to fight it somehow, stop and turn around cause this ain't nothing to die for.” And as one person eloquently interpreted it as meaning, “I really think that this song means that life isn't something to die for unless you’re living it. Take chances and risks because without those you aren't getting the full meaning of life. Yes having a wife and kids and friends and a job is a wonderful thing but those things don't mean anything if you’re not living. Too many people have died before they chose to live.”

The message of this week’s Torah portion is to identify our supreme values and begin living with those values. So many Jews have died sanctifying G-d’s name; let us live sanctifying G-d’s name! Let us examine our service of G-d, our Torah connection, and our acts of kindness. Let us find the areas of improvement. As we ascend the ladder from Pesach to Shavuos, we climb the forty-nine levels that raise us up from animal level to human level. That is why we offer a barley sacrifice of animal food on Pesach, and after we move up the ladder, we offer the human food of a wheat sacrifice on Shavuos. We have the opportunity to take advantage of the moment. Don’t let the moment pass.

May we all merit living the life that so many of our ancestors gave up whilst sanctifying G-d’s Name!

Parshas Acharei Mos – Kedoshim: Achieving Happiness

And G-d spoke to Moses: Speak to Aaron, your brother – he may not come at all times into the sanctuary… -Leviticus 16:2

“The reason that Aaron should not enter the sanctuary at will is because the Divine Presence dwells there.” –Rashi ibid

Why did G-d command a man as holy as Aaron the High Priest not to enter the sanctuary at will lest he become overly familiar with the Divine Presence? Wouldn’t you assume that Aaron was holy enough to bear the holiness?

Rabbi Chaim Shmuelevitz explains that the greatest enemy of holiness is familiarity. Even the saintly High Priest Aaron, who purified himself for seven days prior to entering the Holy of Holies, was in danger of falling prey to a sense of familiarity. In fact, pilgrims to the Temple were instructed to exit from a different gate than the one through which they entered. The commentary Chassid Yaavetz explains the rational as being a safeguard to ensure that the pilgrims will not gaze at the same gate, lest they come to compare the doorways and ornamentation in the Temple to those in their own homes. That slight danger of losing the sense of awe and reverence required drastic measures.

Even the Jews in the desert succumbed to the feelings of familiarity. After receiving daily rations of miraculous manna for years, they become disgusted with the same daily fare, and they demanded change. No matter that the manna was such a special gift from G-d, too much of a good thing proved deadly.

In our daily lives, the elusive dream of happiness is thwarted by our failure to appreciate the gifts that we already possess. Living in a disposal age in which perfect cars are traded in for a new model every year, computers are discarded as soon as the latest model that has features that will never be used come out, and many marriages are built on the premise that it’s a simple test drive; it’s no wonder that happiness is so hard to come by.

So what is the secret to achieving lasting happiness? The Torah informs us that we need moments of reflection in order to appreciate our gifts. In marriage those moments are created by the family purity laws. In the realm of gastronomy, we are blessed with the laws of kosher, and in regards to the blessings of technology and creativity, we are blessed with Shabbos. All of these blessings enable us to live life to its fullest.

In Judaism this danger especially holds true. The epidemic of talking in synagogue is a direct result of over familiarity with the holiness. In one-day-a-week congregations, talking is much less of a problem because people are not nearly as accustomed to the holiness! Unfortunately, this is also present in other areas. People grow up with childish notions about Torah and mitzvahs. They still pray the same way they did ten years ago or more, with no real growth. They still approach their relationship with G-d in the same stale way they have been doing for all the years. That must change. And the way to change that is by creating freshness in our relationship to G-d. At the same time let us reexamine our connection to Judaism and see if we have become too familiar. It just may be time to get that oil change to keep our engines running!

Parshas Tzav – Shabbos Hagadol: Greeting Elijah the Prophet

The Shabbos before Pesach is traditionally known as Shabbos Hagadol, meaning, the great Shabbos. One of the reasons for the unique classification of this Shabbos is based on the tradition that the Jewish People’s original exodus from Egypt occurred during the month of Nissan, and the Final Redemption as well will occur during Nissan. But not just on any day in Nissan. The Redemption will also begin on the Seder night just as in Egypt. The Shabbos prior to Pesach is therefore the final Shabbos before the Redemption, so it is designated as the great Shabbos.

In the Haftorah of Shabbos Hagadol we read about the end of days in the final book of the Prophets, the book of Malachi. The final prophesy concludes with the famous verse, “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of G-d. He will restore the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers….” (Malachi 4:5-6) Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch explains that the verse is not referring to an emotional disconnect between the generations. Rather the prophet is prophesying that the day will arrive when parents will not value Torah enough to pass it on to the next generation, and the children will not understand the importance of Torah. Elijah the Prophet will then come and bridge the generational gap, and save whoever he possibly can save.

Why does Elijah merit being the harbinger of the good tidings? In what merit will the Jewish People be redeemed?

Elijah is the angel of the covenant between the Jewish People and G-d. In order to achieve redemption for the Jewish People, he attests to the Jewish nation's commitment to two mitzvahs: the mitzvah of circumcision and the mitzvah of Pesach. Those two mitzvahs will stand as our merit for redemption. The Midrash informs us that Elijah is present at every circumcision, and we designate a special chair of honor on his behalf named “the chair of Elijah.” On the Seder night we fill up a large goblet known as “the cup of Elijah.” The Jerusalem Talmud explains that the four cups of wine on the Seder night represent the four different terms used for redemption. The fifth term of redemption: "V'heiveisy", meaning, and I will bring you to the Land of Israel, refers to the final redemption when Elijah will herald the coming of Messiah. (Sefer Toldos Esther and Daas Zikeinim Miba'alei Hatosfos Parshas Bo) Therefore the final cup that is filled is called “the cup of Elijah,” in the hope that Elijah will appear and redeem us, but we do not drink it.

Why are specifically the mitzvahs of circumcision and Pesach going to serve as our merit for redemption?

The mitzvah of circumcision takes place on the eight day of the child’s life. From the outset we seek to instill within our children the importance of Torah and mitzvahs. On the Seder night as well the entire focus is transmitting the story of the exodus to our children. These two mitzvahs represent the concatenation of our tradition from parent to child. We teach our children from the day that their blood begins clotting that our entire survival is contingent on connecting to G-d, and we continue teaching that message when the youngest child is able to recite the ma nishtana. Elijah will then come and finish up the job of reconnecting the generations, but our job is to begin that process.

In today’s societal morass, a solid Jewish education is crucial for survival as a moral and ethical human being. In choosing the proper school for our children we should not just look at the curriculum and the teachers. We must research what type of Jewish life the graduates are leading. There are many Jewish schools out there, but the main component is finding the school where the graduates are still living a Jewish lifestyle and have incorporated the lessons of Jewish living into their homes. The only way for a child to survive in contemporary society is by having the highest level Jewish education possible. In that merit, our children will be wholesome and happy, and will link back into that chain from Mount Sinai. And then Elijah will come and thank us for doing the job for him!

Parshas Vayikra: Slaughtering the Trojan Horse

This past week a Trojan horse (similar to a virus) infiltrated my computer and email, and sent out a mass email to all of my contacts. Thank G-d, the email was innocuous, save for extreme spelling and grammatical mistakes, and an unsolicited advertisement for a Chinese electronics website. I began receiving emails from friends that a hacker had infected my computer. After removing the Trojan horse, I emailed all of my contacts that the previous email was spam. I did however note that this infiltration was a wakeup call to stay in touch with them. Numerous people replied to both the original spam email and the second email. I heard from people that I have not been in touch with for a number of years. One person even informed me that a community with no traditional presence where I served as scholar- in-residence for Shavuos some six years ago, now has a Torah observant synagogue and a kosher restaurant. Other people updated me on their lives and dreams. Although my initial reaction to the hacker’s email was one of anger and frustration, I could not have asked for a greater blessing. After getting over my initial reaction, I decided to use this as an opportunity of growth and connection. The unsolicited communication from China resulted in reconnecting with hundreds of people.

We begin the book of Leviticus this week. The book opens with G-d calling out to Moses by the Sanctuary. The medieval commentary Rashi notes that G-d actually called out to the entire Jewish nation, however only Moses heard. What is the purpose of calling out to everybody, if only Moses is granted the ability to hear? Why didn’t G-d talk solely to Moses?

Rabbi Moshe Feinstein (1895 – 1986) explains that a person commanded directly by G-d has a greater responsibility than somebody who is commanded second-hand. Although the Jewish nation did not actually hear the commandment, the fact remains that they were commanded. For this reason, the souls of all Jews (and converts) were present at Sinai. Although our bodies never heard the commandment; we are all commanded directly by G-d at Sinai. The communication in this week’s Parsha was incomplete. G-d spoke, but we did not hear. Of course it would have been ideal had we heard G-d ourselves, but there was a definite value in the fact that G-d spoke to us despite our lack of audibility.

We have just entered the month of Nissan –the month of redemption. The apex of our celebration is reached on the Seder night. How do we celebrate? We celebrate by retelling the story of the Exodus to our future generations, and to everyone present. Even if the person is all alone, the retelling continues, if only to himself! In contemporary society many people are only interested in Shulchan Aruch, the meal aspect of the Seder. The four questions and all the rest of the questions and answers of the evening does not really interest them. So what do we attempt to achieve on the Seder night? How do we make the Seder relevant in the age of Facebook, Second Life, and Twitter?

Let us understand the importance and relevance of the Seder. The Seder affords us the opportunity to reconnect and communicate in the real world with friends and family. We all gather together and sit around the table attempting true communication. Many people have lost that art of communication. The Seder night grants us the ability of reconnecting and truly bonding. Never in history has the face-to-face real life discussion of the Seder night played such importance, and been in such danger of extinction. We are not only telling a story, we are passing on a tradition of Torah. Torah as we know, is not a document, it a living reality embodied by the countless men, women, and children who celebrate its lifestyle. In virtual reality all of that is lost. Your communication may actually be coming from China, and your profile on Facebook or MySpace may be a product of imagination. The Seder night puts that all to rest. We gather as Jews with a shared past, and hopefully a shared destiny. The Seder’s relevance is not in question. Obviously we must pull all the tricks out of our hats to ensure that we are not only speaking, but somebody is listening as well. Use the ten plague kits, the chad gadya masks, and acting out the scenes. Bring the Haggada to life and be sure to communicate.

Perhaps the Seder requires a Trojan horse to infiltrate those enemy lines of the virtual world, and to show that what appears on the surface has much more meaning beneath it. In the episode of the Trojan Wars, the Greek hero Odysseus conceived the project and design for the Trojan horse, which to the Trojans seemed to be an inanimate empty object with no inner depth. Little did they realize that the wooden horse contained within it the soldiers who led the Greeks to victory over the Trojans. L’havdil, the Haggada has a great inner depth. Let us open it up, and delve inside. Let’s discover the relevance of the Seder, and be wowed to reality by the beauty of the realistic Torah world. Let us shut off our computers, and tune in to the most beautiful and overly relevant world that the Seder night reveals to us all.

Parshas Vayakhel – Pekudai – Hachodesh: Altruistic Philanthropy

“Moses said to the Children of Israel, “See, G-d has proclaimed by name, Bezalel son of Uri son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. He filled him with G-dly spirit, with wisdom, with understanding, and with knowledge, and with every craft – to make artistic designs, to work with the gold, with the silver, and with copper; lapidary work for filling, and wood carving – to do every artistic craft.” –Exodus 35: 30-33

Bezalel epitomized G-dliness and holiness. The Talmud comments that Bezalel understood the mystical combinations of letters that connect the heavenly sphere to the earthy sphere. He was a very holy man. The Torah seems to skim by that fact. Instead it focuses on his artistic talent. How could the Torah even begin singing his praises about some carpentry skills that he possessed if that pales in comparison to his true talent: connecting worlds and bringing the Divine spirit into the material Temple structure?

The grandfather of the yeshiva movement, Rabbi Chaim Volozhiner (1749-1821), hired a fundraiser for his famed Volozhiner Yeshiva. After a number of years, the fundraiser requested funds to purchase a horse and buggy, and to hire a driver, in order to offset the hardship of schedules posed by traveling with chartered drivers. In addition, the fundraiser requested funds to purchase new clothing in order to appear more presentable. Both of his requests were granted. The fundraiser was very successful and when he returned to Volozhin, Rabbi Chaim reviewed all of the donations with the fundraiser.

Shockingly, a villager who used to donate a very substantial sum in previous years did not donate anything this year. The fundraiser explained that the man was incensed with the expenditures on the horse and buggy and the new wardrobe, and therefore he decided to cease his support of the yeshiva. Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin became incensed. He insisted on personally visiting the villager. The villager was shocked that Reb Chaim himself visited his home. The villager began apologizing for ending his annual donation, but he explained that the money was going to ridiculous causes, so he could no longer consider that money as going to charity. Reb Chaim took his hand, and asked him if he has studied Talmud or Mishnah. The man had not. Reb Chaim then asked him if he knew the Chumash (the five books of Moses). He indeed was familiar with Chumash. Reb Chaim asked him the aforementioned question. Why in the world does the Torah discuss Bezalel’s carpentry skills, in light of his Divine understanding?

Reb Chaim explained that every Jew wanted their donation to be used for the ark in the Holy of Holies. What process did Bezalel use in appropriating the donations? The answer is given in the verse. He was no mere carpenter or silversmith. He understood gold, silver, and copper, meaning: he understood the intention with which it was donated. If the donor had altruistic intentions then he allocated the donation for the holiest cause. However if the person only wanted his name on a building, then his money went to feed the animals. The same holds true for donating money to my yeshiva, Reb Chaim continued. In times of old, Bezalel allocated the funds; today, G-d ensures that the right money goes to the right places. If you have holy intentions, then your money with be directed to directly supporting Torah studies. If however your intentions are sullied, then your money will help buy feed for the fundraiser’s horse. It all depends on your intention.

Case in point, a couple of years ago, a million dollar pledge to the Toronto JCC was withdrawn because the sign erected displaying the donor’s name was too small for the donor.

In today’s economic environment, people are holding tight onto their purse strings. Let us take to heart the message of Reb Chaim. It is all in the intention. Let us open up our wallets, and prove that all along our charity was purely altruistic, and if we help out G-d’s causes and children, we will definitely be paid back many times over.

Parshas Ki Sisa – Parah: Revelation, Rebellion, and Reconciliation

The Sin of the Golden Calf is one of the most confounding chapters in Jewish history. Forty days prior, the Jewish Nation achieved the pinnacle of prophesy at the Revelation of Sinai. Following the National Revelation, Moses ascended the mountain in order to receive the totality of Torah. He was on the top of the mountain for a mere forty days, yet by the time he came down, rebellion had already begun. Instigated by the converts, the Jewish men donated their gold jewelry for the creation of a Golden entity, and life was never the same again. Moses descended the mountain, heard the commotion, and witnessed the bacchanalia. He immediately thrust down the tablets, immediately shattering them.

The entire saga of the Golden Calf begs for an explanation.
1) How could a people be so callous and impervious to the miraculous events of Sinai, and turn their backs on G-d so suddenly?
2) The Torah recounts that the Jewish People pointed to the Golden Calf saying “These are your Gods, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.” Did they truly believe that this molten calf which they just formed actually redeemed them from Egypt?
3) Why did Moses break the tablets?

What really happened? At Sinai, G-d displayed the heavenly chariot (mentioned in Ezekiel) to the Jewish Nation. The Jewish People were absolutely mesmerized by the chariot. Each corner of the chariot had an image of an animal. On the left end of the chariot was an image of an ox. That image was seared into their mind. The chariot was responsible as well for the thunder and lightning at Sinai. All of the ceremony made an indelible impression on the people. When Moses left them, the Jewish People sought a more concrete representation of G-d which in turn would allow them to focus on G-d. Therefore Aaron actually abetted in the process and made the image of calf out of the gold, because that represented the ox of the Heavenly chariot. The calf was chosen because Aaron did not wish to replicate any of the animals that were on the chariot, so the calf was the closest thing to the ox. Hence, the Golden Calf was not created as a means of foreign worship. It simply represented G-d. This explains the first two questions. The Golden Calf was representing G–d, so they were not rebelling. When they said that the calf took them out of Egypt, they meant that G-d who was represented by the calf took them out of Egypt, and the calf was the physical manifestation of G-d.

So why did Moses break the tablets, and why does every single act of repentance throughout the generations serve in part as an atonement for the sin of the Golden Calf? The explanation is that the Heavenly chariot was merely an external representation of G-d. The Jewish People became so fixated on the external image that they missed the boat entirely. The main point is to connect with G-d’s essence. They couldn’t see beyond the chariot and the light and sound show that it created. The Golden Calf was another attempt to preserve the facade of their connection to G-d without going deeper into a more intimate connection. Moses returned to the camp and saw what happened. He saw that the original marriage of G-d to the Jewish People at Sinai was flawed. It was only skin-deep without any real intimacy. He therefore broke the tablets which served as the marriage document, and told the Jews that they needed a new wedding with a new focus. The tablets were also a physical manifestation that the people could have made into the next representation of G-d after the calf was pulverized. It therefore necessitated destruction. Moses then took the Golden Calf and crushed it countering no opposition (proving that it was not foreign worship, otherwise he would have been killed for destroying their god) and made them drink it. This demonstrated to them that it was not G-dly, because they were able to consume it. It also showed them that there was no depth to the Golden Calf. Moses then sought out those individuals who actually worshiped the calf as a foreign god and he decimated those people who were very few in number. Finally he begged G-d for forgiveness, went up to the mountain for another forty days, and returned with the second tables on Yom Kippur. This time however there was no chariot, no thunder and lightning, and no fanfare. It was a quiet affair. This time the people realized that connection with G-d required a whole lot more than a surface relationship. They needed the real intimacy. This time they learnt their lesson. We however must always atone for that sin, in which they demonstrated their superficiality.

The episode of the Golden Calf is a real lesson for all of us. Of course the main idea is to reevaluate our relationship with G-d and ensure that it is real and binding. We should make certain that all of the window dressings of Judaism hold a deeper meaning. We all love the family time and the good fare that a Shabbos meal gives us, but let us look beneath the surface. Let us become intimate with G-d. This applies in all aspects of Judaism. This also holds true in other areas of life.

Contemporary society teaches us to love somebody based on their outward appearance, buy a car because of the shine, and take a job because of prestige. Let us look beneath the surface. Let us make life more meaningful, and build true relationships with G-d, with our spouse, and with our family and friends. Let us learn the lesson of the Golden Calf, peel away that surface skin, and discover the true meaning of life.

(Based on Nachmanides, Kuzari, Ibn Ezra, and Meshech Chochma.)

Parshas Tetzaveh - Zachor & Purim: Why is Purim Greater than Yom Kippur?

Mishenichnas Adar Marbim Bisimcha. Meaning, the Hebrew month of Adar brings with it increased joy! Rabbi Eliyohu Dessler (1892-1953) in his magnum opus Michtav Mei’eliyohu grapples with the understanding of this Talmudic dictum. What is so joyous about the entire month of Adar?

Additionally, the great mystic Rabbi Isaac Luria (Arizal) – (1534-1572) taught us that the Day of Atonement is referred in the Torah as being Yom HaKippurim. The word Kippurim is an amalgamation of the word Purim and the letter “ki” which means similar to. The implication being that Yom Kippur is merely a shadow of the holiday of Purim. In fact, Rabbi Luria maintains that the spiritual heights attainable on Purim are much greater than that of Yom Kippur! Between the two of us, people are totally drunk on Purim and it looks like one big Carnival of Venice (lihavdil!). How could Purim possibly be a holier day than Yom Kippur?

In order to address these questions, let us first understand the events of Yom Kippur and those of Purim. Yom Kippur was etched into history as the day we received the second tablets. Those tablets signified G-d’s forgiveness for the sin of the Golden Calf, and it finalized the giving of the Torah at Sinai. There was only one catch. The original acceptance of the Torah at Sinai was considered coerced, because the Jewish Nation had such a clear recognition of the Divine Presence, it was as though their free will was stripped from them (Maharal). It was considered an acceptance out of awe and fear. On Purim the Jewish Nation once again accepted the Torah. This time however there was no fanfare and pomp. The Jewish Nation simply loved G-d, and they accepted the Torah out of complete love for G-d.

Accordingly, Yom Kippur is the age old holiday of Jewish guilt. If you ask a once-a-year Jew why he attends shul on Yom Kippur, his likely answer will be, “Just in case there is a G-d, and that G-d actually runs the world, I don’t want G-d to send me to purgatory. I therefore make the tremendous sacrifice of attending synagogue, and the torture that I am subjected to in synagogue will be my personal hell on earth.” There you have it, typical Jewish guilt. Another common form of Jewish guilt is invoking the Holocaust. “Why shouldn’t I intermarry?” “Because you are personally perpetuating the Holocaust,” this young teenager who never observed anything Jewish in his life is told. Heard that before?! You reckon that such a response will surely convince this kid to celebrate his being Jewish! Not quite. Most people upon hearing such a line will not want to have anything to do with Judaism. So what is the proper perspective? The answer to all of this Jewish guilt is the holiday of Purim!

Prim erases all the guilt. Purim demonstrates how fun Judaism really is. We don’t talk about the past. We look forward to an exciting and enjoyable future as celebrating Jews.

We now have an understanding of the significance of Purim. Purim is the day of celebration for accepting the Torah out of love. No more guilt and fear. Just focus on loving G-d. Connecting to our Judaism in a positive and loving way will take us to much greater spiritual summits than all of that guilt. Yom Kippur is essential, but once we reached that level, Purim takes us to the apex. And Purim is not just one day in isolation. Beginning with the month of Adar we build up to the level of accepting the Torah out of love for G-d.

So how do we celebrate Purim? By spreading the love! Give gifts to others, and presents to the needy. Invite those once-a-day (or not even) Jews to your Purim party. The entire focus is having the greatest enjoyment as a Jew. After all, that’s what being Jewish is all about!

Parshas Terumah: Welcome Home

“They shall make a Sanctuary for Me, then I will dwell in their midst” (Exodus 25:8)

Every traveler is well aware that the Jewish sights in many countries are the barren synagogues that once flourished with great vitally, yet today are relegated to the dustbins of history. I personally have visited many such synagogues across the globe including synagogues in the United States, Egypt, India, Japan, Bosnia, Croatia, Germany, the Czeck Republic, and throughout the former Soviet Union, just to name a few. These synagogues bear witness to our rich history, and our two thousand year exile. In fact, one of my travel highlights was delivering the sermon in a stunningly restored synagogue in Krakow, Poland. The experience was one of mixed emotions. On the one hand, here I was preaching to several hundred visitors among whom were many practicing Jews; yet on the other hand, nearly one hundred synagogues flourished in Krakow prior to World War II, and today only one synagogue serves as an active house of worship. All of the other synagogues were either destroyed or were transformed into museums. These synagogues were once the central focus of untold numbers of Jews. Today, they are the focus of tour books and historians. The significance of a synagogue is the important role which it plays in Jewish life. What is that role?

The Torah commands us to build a sanctuary for G-d. Maimonides explains that the term used for sanctuary is “Mikdash” as opposed to “Mishkan.” Mikdash connotes a permanent dwelling place, which implies that the command to build a sanctuary is one for all generations. Interestingly, the Torah does not write to build the sanctuary so that G-d can dwell in the sanctuary, the wording of the verse states “then I will dwell in their midst.” The purpose of the Temple is to bring the Divine Spirit to each and every one of us. There is no point of G-d’s confinement to an edifice of sticks and a stone, rather that structure serves as a satellite transmission of G-d’s presence to us, provided we tune in!

Nachmanides takes it a step further. What is the purpose of the Temple? He explains that the Temple took the inspiration of Sinai and channeled it by way of the Holy of Holies. That was the abode of the Ark for the Tablets of the Ten Commandments, and the original Torah Scroll. This means that the Divine Spirit was manifest as a result of the daily sacrifices and services which took place in the Temple, yet there was a special Divine Spirit due to the showcasing and dissemination of the Torah from the Temple. As such, the Sanhedrin/ Supreme Court, adjudicated on the Temple Mount, as Isaiah put it, “"From Zion Torah will go out, and the word of God from Jerusalem." The Temple therefore serves as a continuation of the transmission of Torah from Mount Sinai.

Although we no longer have a Temple, we do have the commandment to build a Temple. How do we fulfill that commandment today? We are commanded to build synagogues as the abode for the Divine Spirit in the exile. Those synagogues fulfill a dual purpose: they are houses of prayer, thereby substituting for the sacrifices and services in the Temple; and they serve as houses of study, to substitute for the concatenation from Sinai, via the Holy of Holies, to our very own synagogue.

One of the greatest celebrations for a Jewish community is the building of a new Synagogue. To clarify, the building alone is not the cause for celebration; only when the synagogue serves as a house of worship and study for all does the celebration truly become solidified. This could take many years. Once the synagogue is built, the real test begins: Will this edifice rise to the status of a house and worship for all of our brothers and sisters who have yet to choose their affiliation? The only one to answer this question is you. You must decide whether this will become your home, or it will be the synagogue you belong to and only frequent when there is a social event, or the High Holidays. In order for the celebration to truly take place, we must make this our primary home away from home. Let us also invite our friends and family to partake in our celebration. Let us showcase our personal Holy of Holies. Rabbis are there to teach and inspire, you are there to get inspired and share that inspiration with others. If you don’t do it, who will? No matter how long ago the synagogue was built, this question must be answered.

Let’s fulfill the command of making a sanctuary for G-d, and truly build our synagogues into the most successful houses of prayer and study for all.

Parshas Mishpatim: Listen to Your Messages

“He (the Hebrew servant) shall work for six years; and in the seventh year he shall go to freedom… But if the servant shall say, “I love my master… I shall not go free”; then his master shall bring him to the judges and shall bring him to the door or to the doorpost, and his master shall bore a hole through his ear with the awl, and he shall serve him [until the jubilee year.] –Exodus 21:5-6

“Why is the ear and not a different organ of the body pierced? Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai said: This ear that heard at Mount Sinai, “You shall not steal,” and nonetheless he went and stole, let it be bored. This reason applies in the case of one who is sold into servitude by the court because of an inability to repay his theft. If he sold himself into servitude because of poverty, the following reasoning applies: An ear that heard at Mount Sinai, “for the Children of Israel are slaves unto Me,” and he went and acquired a different master for himself, let it be bored.” –Rashi ibid

The Biblical commentary Rashi explains the reason that the ear gets pierced (above). But the question remains: Why is only the ear being picked on? The feet caused him to go and steal, and his hands actually stole. Why is only the ear getting punished?

The former Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem, Rabbi Tzvi Pesach Frank (1873–1961) explains that when our ears hear something, we must ensure that it becomes incorporated in every fiber of our being. Clearly with this fellow, the commandments went into one ear and out the other. It never entered the rest of his body. It is as though the commandment only remained in the ear. Therefore the Torah writes, "The ear which heard," because the rest of the body never heard anything! Of course the rest of his body is accountable, but it all began with a lack of transmission from the ear to the rest of the body. Therefore only the ear gets pierced.

What does it mean “to hear”? The story is told about an extremely wealthy king who threw a magnificent party. The tables were all fashioned of gold, and the finest delicacies adorned the tables. The king himself sat at a private gold table with the identical delicacies as all of the attendees. He desired some differentiation demonstrating that he is the one throwing the party. He therefore requested from his trusted servant to bring him two diamond studded goblets solely for his private table. As the servant picked up the goblets from the treasury, one goblet fell and cracked. The king demanded that the servant return already. He was informed that one goblet broke. The king requested that at least the one goblet should be brought, and indeed, one solitary goblet bejeweled his table.

When the nascent Jewish Nation was offered the Torah, their immediate response was “na’aseh vinishmah”, we will do and we will hear. Unfortunately, they broke the diamond studded “we will do” aspect pretty quickly by creating the golden calf. The other adorning “we will hear” aspect remained intact. G-d who is the King of Kings therefore requested that the Jewish People always adorn G-d with the “we will hear” by reciting the daily Shema beginning with the word “hear.” But that hearing requires incorporation throughout our entire being. Hopefully through fulfilling the “Hear O’ Israel,” we will once again fulfill the “We Will Do” part as well.

To truly hear something, we must acquire sensitivity. At every moment, untold numbers of radio waves are passing through the atmosphere directly around us. So why don’t we hear them? Because we are not tuned in! If we would only listen closely and pay attention, we would hear much more.

The lesson of Shema is to tune in, and to listen to our messages.

Parshas Yisro: Time Management

To help their congregation better cope with modern times, one local synagogue decided to offer a course in time management. A member telephoned and asked the Rabbi what time it started. He replied, "Oh... fivish, sixish."

Unfortunately, this joke holds much truth. Jews especially should know better. We are entirely fixated on time. We pray three different times a day, we celebrate Shabbos every single week, we have a monthly renewal with the new month, and we are constantly celebrating holidays. But for some reason, precisely the very people who should be in sync with punctuality score very poorly in the area of time management.

This epidemic is no stranger to our history. Immediately following the giving of the Torah at Sinai, a non-Jew/convert arrived and gave Moses a lesson in time management. Jethro, the namesake of this week's parsha, recommended that Moses establish a judicial system to streamline productivity. That recommendation was so valued that Jethro merited having the parsha named after him.

What was the significance of Jethro's recommendation? The following story helps shed light on this matter: A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous "yes."

The professor then produced two cans of beer from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.

"Now," said the professor, as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things-your religion, your family, your health, your children, your job, your friends, your favorite passions-things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, your car. The sand is everything else-the small stuff."

"If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. "The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Make time for your religion. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house, and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first, the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the beer represented. The professor smiled and replied, "I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of beers."

Jethro was telling his son-in-law Moses the reality that you don't find time for important things; you must make the time. Otherwise, burnout is inevitable.
Sure Moses was busy day and night, and it all seemed so urgent, but it was unnecessary. Others could pick up the slack. (Obviously Moses was the highest level prophet ever, but even so, G-d endorsed Jethro's idea)

On September 18, 2007, Carnegie Mellon professor and alumnus Randy Pausch delivered a one-of-a-kind last lecture that made the world stop and pay attention. It became an Internet sensation viewed by millions, an international media story, and a best-selling book that has been published in 35 languages. To this day, people everywhere continue to talk about Randy, share his message and put his life lessons into action in their own lives.

Randy died July 25, 2008, at the age of 47. In that last lecture he strongly emphasized the importance of time management, especially in light of his struggle. He said "If you lead your life the right way, things will take care of themselves."

But what is the right way? He firstly suggested to get rid of the TV (considering that according to the A.C. Nielsen Co., the average American watches more than 4 hours of TV each day (or 28 hours/week, or 2 months of nonstop TV-watching per year). In a 65-year life, that person will have spent 9 years glued to the tube.) He also recommended putting your TO DO list in priority order and to do a time journal, or count hours of TV watching. That alone will demonstrate the amount of hours we potentially will have for the golf balls of life. As Walt Disney who built Disneyland in 366 days said, "If you can dream it, you can do it" His message was to identify the important things of life, and then do them.

The international organization Avos Ubanim produced a phenomenal video as a plug for their parents and children learning programs. The video begins with a 9 year old boy holding a jar of money and phoning his father. His father picks up the phone during a business meeting, and the child asks "dad, how much do you earn an hour?" His father pretty much hung up on him. The child then called with the same question again, interrupting a business call. Again his father shrugged him off. Finally, the father arrived home, and after berating the child for bumping into him, and then apologizing, the child asked him how much he makes. "You really want to know. About $100 an hour,” the father replied. The child then counted out $37 and asked to buy half an hour of his father’s time!

How many of us could relate to that father and child? That father got so caught up in his work; he forgot the purpose of making money: in order to live a wholesome life. Let's prioritize our lives and make time for what is important. Let's not make the mistake.

The bestselling author Stephen Covey gets people to start focusing on their core values by writing down the eulogies they'd like given at their funerals, one by a family member, a work associate, a friend, and someone in their community. Others recommend writing two eulogies for yourself as a summation of one's life, detailing what you accomplished, how you impacted the world, (especially from the writer's point of view), and/or what meaning your life had.

The first eulogy is to be written based on your life IF IT WERE TO END TODAY and would reflect what the eulogy writer could say about your life to date. The other eulogy is to be written based on A CHOSEN FUTURE DATE OF DEATH. You, the writer, are to choose the day, month, and year that you would choose to die, if you had the power to choose, and would reflect what you would want the reader to be able to say after your death. Both eulogies should sum up how you hope to be remembered.

The eulogy exercise is not for everyone, but we all must examine our day, and begin carving out time for the true purposes of life: connecting to G-d. Each one of us is aware of our growing edges, but as we all know, the largest room in the world is… room for improvement! Let's begin managing our time and stop allowing our time to manage us.

Parshas Beshalach: The Utopian World of Kindness

“With your kindness you have led this people that You redeemed; You led with Your might to Your holy abode.” –Exodus 15:13

WITH YOUR KINDNESS YOU HAVE LED THIS PEOPLE: This refers to acts of kindness;
YOU LED WITH YOUR MIGHT: This refers to Torah –Pesikta

When the Jews were in Egypt, they assembled and made a covenant to be kind to one another, to serve G-d alone, not to forsake the Holy Tongue, and not to learn the Egyptian vernacular… –Tana D’vei Eliyahu Perek 23

What possessed the Jews to make a covenant of kindness in Egypt? The Chafetz Chaim explains that the situation in Egypt became absolutely unbearable. Therefore the Jews decided to pull some Heavenly strings. Knowing that G-d is by definition kind, as he created the world solely to bestow kindness, (Olam Chesed Yibaneh) they figured that invoking the principle of Imitatio dei/ imitating G-d and performing acts of kindness will make their case for G-d to be kind to them and redeem them. In fact it worked. The redemption was a result of the Jews acts of kindness in Egypt, and the uninterrupted Torah study that continued throughout their stay in Egypt (by the Tribe of Levi), as the verse remarks.

Today we need the Final Redemption more than ever before. How do we go about bringing that redemption? The way to bring the Messiah is by engaging in acts of kindness. In the Jerusalem phonebook for the Torah community, there are seventy nine pages containing hundreds of services provided by regular people for free or for cost purely for the sake of being kind, otherwise known as a Gemach. They have a diaper and pacifier gemach if you run out of them on Shabbos or at 3 AM. There are Gemach’s that give out free chick peas for a shalom zachor, (I actually made use of that one!) lend baby cribs, (and this one as well) a lost children gemach, pillows, purim costumes, staple guns, etc. You name it, they have it.

And then you have Aba and Pamela Clayman of the Old City of Jerusalem who host hundreds of Israeli soldiers in their home overlooking the Temple Mount every week to experience some food and Torah; Rabbi and Mrs. Machlus whose small apartment stretches to accommodate well over a hundred guests from all walks of life every Shabbos; The Jerusalem Chicken lady who feeds nine hundred people chicken every single week, Rabbi Jeff Seidel and Rabbi Meir Shuster who set people up for meals at the Kosel/ Western Wall every Shabbos. Rabbi Benny Fischer and Rabbi Avrohom Elimelech Firrer who provide free medical information and arrangements. The list goes on. The common denominator is that these individuals all took matters into their own hands. No bureaucratic committees or organizations started these people off. It started off as their own initiative.

The greatest kindness possible is to share our Jewish Heritage with others. In a very short period, three great rabbis who exemplified the trait of kindness to the utmost degree were taken from our midst. These rabbis were all entirely devoted to the cause, to the extent that their very lives were entirely consumed by their mission. Each one had a different nuance, but they all had the same mission: Help Jews wherever they are come closer to their birthright. Two months ago we lost Rabbi and Rebbetzin Holtzberg in Mumbai, India when they were brutally murdered in their Chabad Center. Last week we lost Rabbi Avraham Ravitz who founded the Israeli division of Ohr Sameach, and subsequently served as chairman of the Degel Hotorah Political Party. And today we lost Rabbi Noach Weinberg, the founder of Aish Hatorah. Chabad, Ohr Sameach, and Aish Hatorah all have different methodologies and approaches to reconnecting our brothers and sisters to their heritage, but their identical desire to bring everybody back is rooted in the trait of chesed/ kindness. Each one of these rabbis made an enormous contribution, and in the Torah community, these three rabbis are all household names today. If these three rabbis made such an enormous impact armed with just a dream, imagine what each one of us can do if we only dreamt... and also... dared to make our dreams a reality.

It goes without saying that chesed begins at home. But let it flow forth from there. Let us take initiative. Invite people over for Shabbos, visit shut-ins, help suggest shidduchim for singles, offer to learn one-on-one with somebody who isn’t as exposed to Torah, and help somebody unemployed find a new job. These are just a few suggestions. In memory of these rabbis, and all of our brothers and sisters who have suffered so terribly in this drawn out exile, let us perform one extra act of kindness today. Let’s make that phone call or visit, and together we will bring the Messiah.

Every one of us can make a difference; let’s just seek out those opportunities.

Parshas Bo: The Unaired Super Bowl Commercial

“And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto you: (Wicked son) what do you mean by this service? ... –Exodus 12:26
And you shall tell your son (who doesn’t know how to ask) on that day, saying: It is because of that which the L-RD did for me when I came forth out of Egypt… -Exodus 13:8
And it shall be when your son (the simpleton) asks you in time to come, saying: What is this? You shall say unto him: By strength of hand the L-RD brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage.” –Exodus 13:14
In the future, your (wise) child may ask you, 'What are the rituals, rules and laws that G-d our L-rd has commanded you?' You must tell him, 'We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt, but G-d brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand. –Deuteronomy 6:20-21

The Jerusalem Talmud understands the above four verses to be alluding to four different types of children, whom we all know so well from the Passover Seder. One is wise, one is wicked, one is simple and one does not even know how to ask. Unbeknownst to many, there is also a fifth son: the son who never actually made it to the Seder! So how do we educate these different children? What message should we be imparting to them?

The message that is imparted to every single child is that the Torah is timeless and accessible to all, that is, to all those who wish to partake in it. The wicked son excludes himself from the Jewish people, so he is told that his only future to be had is with the Jewish destiny. With his current attitude, he would have remained in Egypt. The child who doesn’t know how to ask knows good and well about everything else in life. It’s just regarding Judaism that he suddenly becomes uninterested. The simple son struggles with some learning challenges. He could make his own websites and he knows how to get to the highest level of the latest video game, but regarding Torah he is learning challenged. Even the wise son has issues. He is just too smart. He asks good questions, but if does not get his answer immediately and to the point, who knows where he will seek that answer from. And so, these four sons present parents with their dream educational opportunities. Even for that fifth son, they must find some way to get him to the Seder. So where do we begin?

This coming Sunday, approximately 100 million people will watch the 43rd Super bowl. Companies are shelling out up to $3 million dollars each for thirty second commercial spots. And you have the most famous companies such as Anheuser-Busch, Pepsi Cola, and Coca Cola all vying for your attention. Why do these household names need to spend millions upon millions of dollars if we already know about them? So listen closely. The reason is that not only will you know about the name; you will now associate it as being the cool and hip product. I am by no means advocating the messages of the advertisers, but let us take note. Their goal is to create associations. To make people want to pick it up and buy the product. They want you to know that your way of life is simply boring without that coke/pepsi/beer/car/fill in the blank. All that you are missing is the advertised product.

Every day we beseech G-d to help us make Torah so enjoyable that it will endure for all of our descendants. We say this in the morning Blessings of the Torah: “Please G-d, sweeten the words of your Torah… May we and our offspring and the offspring of Your people the House of Israel – all of us – know Your Name and study the Torah for its own sake.” The Torah is the sweetest, coolest, and most hip product available. We merely must market it correctly. If we only had a fraction of the budget of the 67 commercials set to air this Sunday, we would be able to make our case much better. Everybody has heard of Torah, but what associations do they have with it? Maybe we should learn from Millers High Life. In an apparent snub to the extravagant commercials, they will be airing numerous one-second ads on local TV stations during the game. As they put it, “We have such a quality product we only need one second to tell our story. It represents us well, and people are going to get it."

The Torah is the world’s best product. It doesn’t need 30 second ads, and it doesn’t even need one second ads. However, our children are not seeing the real product. They are being exposed to all of the world’s luxuries with the message that those fleeting pleasures are cool. We must tear them away for a moment and show them the beauty of the real product. Each child will need his individual guidance, but for all children we must make our message loud and clear: Nothing else holds a candle to Torah. And so this coming Sunday, the least that we can do is learn a little Torah during those commercials. If we want to imbue ourselves and our children with the message of what is truly important, let us make the move and not just pay lip service to it.

Do you want the fifth son to show up at the Seder? Well you better make the case for him that the $200 million collectively spent this year on commercials are showcasing the wrong products. But if you don’t believe that yourself, no wonder he is not at the Seder.

May we all merit bringing that fifth son back to the Seder, and may we all set the example for our children that Torah is the only High Life!

Parshas Va’eirah: The Art of Sympathy

"These are the heads of their fathers' houses: the sons of Reuben the first-born of Israel: Hanoch, and Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. These are the families of Reuben...

And these are the names of the sons of Levi according to their generations: Gershon and Kohath, and Merari." -Exodus 6:14,16

Why does the verse note regarding Reuben's children," These are the heads of their fathers' houses", yet regarding Levi, the verse only mentions the names of his children without the introduction?

Rabbi Yeshaya Horowitz (1565 – 1630) better known as the Shelah Hakadosh, explains that Levi foresaw the exile and hardship which would begin in Egypt following his passing. He also knew that his tribe would be studying Torah and would not be subjected to slavery. Levi very much wanted to sympathize with the rest of Jewish peoples' suffering. He therefore gave his children names which symbolized the exile. The name Gershon reflects the fact that they were strangers (geirim) in a foreign land. Kohath reflects their weakened resolve, and the name Merari reflects the bitterness experienced by the rest of the Jewish people. The verse therefore launched directly into the names of Levi's children because the names themselves held so much significance that no titles were necessary.

Sympathizing with our fellow Jews is not merely a nice act. It is an obligation that traces its source to G-d himself. The original source of sharing your fellows’ burden is in last week’s Torah portion at the burning bush. G-d tells Moses that He will be present with the Jewish People together in Egypt and in future exiles as well, sharing in their suffering. The Mishnah (Avos 6:6) as well codifies the obligation to feel for our fellow man.

Showing empathy is a not an easy task. Expressing sympathy is a much harder task. Especially in our age of digital media which broadcasts the most horrific images of murder and devastation on a daily basis, it is especially easy to become desensitized and calloused by the global suffering and hardship. It behooves us all the more so to walk into our fellow man’s shoes, and to try to feel what he is feeling. We are taught that every Jewish soul is connected to make up one unified soul. Therefore every action that we perform directly affects every single Jew. (and non-Jew ~Talmud Yebamoth 63a) We are all a limb of the Jewish body.

The story which is used to drive this point home is that of a passenger on a ship who begins drilling a hole in his own cabin. Water begins flooding the ship, and people are banging on his door to stop. He yells back, what do mean, I am only drilling into my own cabin! Obviously his cabin will sink, but in the process he will take the whole ship down with him.

During World War I, the Chafetz Chaim was busy day and night helping to provide for those who were affected by the war. In the middle of the night, his wife awoke and found his bed empty. She searched the home, and lo and behold, he was sleeping on a hard wooden bench. She demanded an explanation. He explained that he simply couldn’t sleep on a comfortable mattress when his fellow Jews were suffering on the front lines, and were suffering terribly from the devastation caused by the war.

Rabbi Chaim Soloveitchik (1853- 1918) is widely known in yeshivah circles for his analytical method of Talmudic study. In his town of Brisk however, he was overly beloved for his extraordinary kindness. In 1895, a fire ravaged a large part of Brisk. Many people were left homeless and penniless. For weeks after the fire, Reb Chaim, as he is known, slept on the floor in the synagogue building without even a pillow. Despite countless pleas from the townspeople for him to return home, he refused. He said that it impossible for him to sleep in the luxury of his own home, when so many other people have no roof over their heads.

It is not easy to reach the level of the Chafetz Chaim or Reb Chaim, but we must want to reach that level. People are suffering today. Be it the families that were left orphaned and widowed by the Mumbai Massacre, the wounded Israeli soldiers and the families of those killed, the untold amount of people stricken with illness, and all those affected by the economic crisis. We must learn from G-d and feel for our fellow Jews. All told, that is just one part of the equation. The hardest aspect of sympathy is feeling good for somebody when they have a joyous event. It is no problem to attend a funeral, but the pangs of jealousy inevitably creep up when somebody buys a new car or house, or has a happy occasion in the family. We are all a part of the same body. We must feel for each other just as the right arm feels for the left arm! There is no you and me (in this regard), we are all one soul.

Practically speaking, how do we learn the art of sympathy? We must work on loving every single Jew. The best way to do this is by performing acts of kindness for each other. By giving to somebody, you become much closer to them, and love them. (That’s why parents love their children far more than children love their parents) Purim should not be the only time we give presents to each other, and the Pesach Seder should not be the only time of the year that we say “all who are needy come and join us!” Let us seek opportunities of chesed, and we will all become a much happier, healthier family preparing for the final redemption speedily in our times. Amen.