There is a familiar story of a man searching the sidewalk for his keys and looking frantically under the streetlight. When questioned by a passerby who found out that the man was searching for his keys, the man admits that he lost the keys inside his house. However, since the light was so much brighter outside under the streetlight, he thought it best to look here.

We read this and think … what a fool, looking for his lost object in obviously the wrong place, just because it is the “easiest” place to look. But at least this fool knows what he lost and where he lost it.

Can we say the same thing?

Many of us are not only looking in the wrong place for our lost objects, but we are not even certain what we are looking for. And yet, we are driven to search on and on. To what end?

According to Freud, the primary drive of man is the pursuit of pleasure. “Not so,” said Nietzsche, “the primary drive of man is the pursuit of power.” Viktor Frankl, a world-famous Psychiatrist who suffered for three years in concentration camps, losing his family and pregnant Wife, he established “logotherapy”.  His theory is that the primary drive of man is not pleasure or power, but the search for meaning.

Many of us have an inner ache, a discontented restlessness, without knowing why. Frankl coined the term, “Sunday Neurosis,” an existential anxiety formed from the vague awareness people get that their lives are empty and meaningless when they are not otherwise distracted by the work week. Some remain bored and apathetic; others try to fill the void, but cannot succeed because we cannot fill a spiritual hole with non-spiritual stuff. Yet, we keep trying.

So if a human being’s primary drive is the search for meaning, where do we look? If it is not in darkest Africa, or north in Alaska, maybe it is on a therapist’s couch, or in the self-help section of the bookstore. Or, how about the sanctuary? – – – Where do we look?

In the Torah portion Nitzavim, Moses tells us exactly where to look. It is not in heaven. Nor is it across the sea.

“Rather, the matter is very near to you—

in your mouth and your heart—to perform it.”

Moses spoke these words to the Jewish people on the last day of his life, knowing that it was the last day of his life. The stakes couldn’t be higher. What is so hard, “that it is near and dear, and that we are to perform”?

“To love God, to walk in His ways, and to observe His commandments.”

In a few word, to embrace the Torah.

YOU might say, “but Torah is not the meaning of my life.” Well, let’s look at it this way. If your view of Torah is that it is a bunch of dry, archaic “do’s” and “don’ts,” commanding strict, mechanical-like adherence to meaningless and empty ritual, then I would totally agree with you. I wouldn’t find that meaningful in the slightest.

But that’s not my view of – in the “matter of Torah.”

If your religion doesn’t make you a better person, spouse, parent, friend and lover of your fellow man, it’s not the “matter of Torah.”

If your religion doesn’t make you compassionate with a desire to alleviate suffering, it’s not the “matter of Torah.”

If you are not inspired to love justice and truth, and strive to live humbly with integrity, then it’s simply not the “matter of Torah.”

The “matter of Torah” that Moses tells us to look for…

is within us, in our hearts.

It has to be real, and we have to own it. Otherwise, it may as well be high up in the heavens or across the distant sea, for it means nothing if it is too

far out of our orbit for us to see that it is relevant.

But let’s be clear. It is we who push Torah away, if we say it’s not relevant or accessible.

And as long as we keep this lie on our lips,

we will keep looking for meaning – under that streetlight.

That doesn’t mean we get to decide on our own

what Torah is, or what it means.

It doesn’t mean that we can overlay the Torah with the imprimatur of our emotions or political viewpoints. Many phenomena exist objectively and independent of us. Certain things just “are,” like the sun, moon, or gravity, which do not need our “buy-in” to be real and to affect us. On the other hand, while Torah also has an independent truth and reality, Torah very much wants our “buy-in.”

G‑d wants our partnership.

THAT is the challenge: to take the light of an independent G‑dly reality and, through a loving G‑d, walking in His ways and observing His commandments, His words become our truth. We ask G‑d to “circumcise our hearts,” to remove the spiritual impediment and barrier that keeps us locked in the illusion of separation from G‑d and each other.

When our hearts beat with the knowledge of this truth within us, then the “matter” is in our mouths. It drives our speech and our actions. It’s who we are at our core. THEN, we are free to live in the joyful vibrancy of a harmonious life.

While we are necessarily concerned with finding the meaning of our lives, let’s begin by finding the meaning of life itself. Then, we will find our real purpose and ourselves. Then, the object with the light will coincide, and unlike the fool,

we will be looking for the right thing

in the right place.

 In developing this D’var Torah I would be remiss if I did not mention and thank the following individuals for their inspirational guidance and help.

The Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks

Mrs. Hanna Perlberger, Esquire

Rabbi Elisha Greenbaum

Thank you for your time.

I wish all of you a safe and spiritual Shabbat Shalom!

Shanah Tovah!

Living in Israel will entail additional obligations, and in the beginning of this parashah Moses describes one of these additional obligations:  Bikkurim- the first-fruit ceremony.  The mitzvah of Bikkurim will be fulfilled long after Moses has died, after the conquest of the land and division of tribal portions, after homes are built, and after fields and orchards and vineyards are planted.  The first Bikkurim ceremony occurred 14 years after entering Israel. The ritual is designed to place the celebration of the harvest into historical as well as spiritual context, culminating in the harvest that symbolized our status as a free and holy nation. Jewish farmers took their most precious harvest in hand and reminded themselves how it came to be.   Not all fruits were subject to the mitzvah of Bikkurim – only from those seven species native to the land of Israel are used. These include wheat and barley, grapes and figs and pomegranates, oil-producing olives and honey producing dates. Rather than self-congratulation for their resourcefulness and success, the purpose of the Bikkurim is to demonstrate gratitude and give praise to God for the good he did in bringing us to Israel and affording us the opportunity to enjoy the fruits for which the land is praised.

The Bikkurim is not about nature but about the shape of history, the birth of Israel as a nation, and the redemptive power of God who liberated our ancestors from slavery. Rabbi Jonathan Sacks wrote that what was happening in Jerusalem when people brought their first fruits was of immense consequence. It meant that they regularly told the story of who they were and why. No nation has ever given greater significance to retelling its collective story than Judaism, which is why Jewish identity is the strongest the world has ever known.

In the Mishnah is a detailed account of what happened during Bikkurim.  It was a magnificent ceremony. In historical context, however, its most significant aspect was the declaration which each individual had to make:” My father was a wandering Aramaean, and he went down into Egypt with a few people and lived there and became a great nation, powerful and numerous… Then the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and outstretched arm, with great terror and with miraculous signs and wonders.”

The farmers’ first fruit recitation is a rare instance of the Torah prescribing the precise words of prayer rather than leaving it to the inspiration of the worshipers’ heart. The recitation summarizes the historical basis of Jewish identity.  One of the advantages of a set liturgy, in addition to uniting all Jews across barriers of time, is that it reminds us of things we might not think of on our own.

In the absence of the Temple, the mitzvah of Bikkurim no longer applies. However, there are numerous ways in which we carry on the spirit of the mitzvah. The text of the Bikkurim was selected to become a fundamental part of the Passover Haggadah, and the Seder plate is seen as a symbolic representation of the Bikkurim basket. Thus, the entire Seder experience becomes an annual reenactment of the Bikkurim ceremony. Why was this text chosen? It is a wonderfully succinct telling of our exodus from Egypt and expression of our gratitude to God, just the right text to be recited during the Passover Seder.  Remember, the primary theme of the Bikkurim is that of gratitude, appreciating the good we are given. It teaches us how important it is to verbally acknowledge God, our principal benefactor.

Gratitude was at the heart of what Moses had to say about the Israelites and their future in the promised land. Gratitude had not been a strong point in the desert. The people complained about lack of food and water, about the manna and lack of meat and vegetables, about the dangers they faced from the Egyptians as they were leaving and about the inhabitants of the land they were about to enter. They lacked gratitude during difficult times. A greater danger still, said Moses, would be a lack of gratitude during the good times in the future.  Appreciation for what God does for us is the foundation of religious life. The Bikkurim ritual, and the joyous way in which it is performed, allow us to thank God for our bountiful, miraculous sustenance.

Rifat Sonsino notes that gratitude is a powerful tool for expressing our deepest feelings for everything we have and are. Our prayer book is replete with sentiments of gratitude to God, who is the ultimate source of our existence. When we rise in the morning, we are expected to recite Modeh Ani,” I am grateful” to God for bringing life to me each and every day. In the blessing after meals, we thank God for sustaining the world with goodness kindness and mercy. Also in the prayer Modim Anachnu Lach,” we are grateful to you” we thank God for our souls. The Bikkurim, like the Modeh Ani prayer, is a declaration of indebtedness and gratitude to God.

Dennis Prager has written that gratitude is the key to happiness and anything that undermines gratitude must undermine happiness. And nothing undermines gratitude as much as expectations. There is an inverse relationship between expectations and gratitude: the more expectations you have, the less gratitude you will have.  According to Prager, having gratitude leads to a good and happy life. Grateful people walk around with the belief that they are truly fortunate. This sense of thankfulness not only makes a person happier, but also more kind. In short, almost everything good flows from gratitude. Therefore, the converse is also true: almost everything bad flows from ingratitude. Prager contends that it is impossible for an ungrateful person to be happy or good.

The first reason why ungrateful people are not good or happy people is that a lack of gratitude creates a victim mentality. This mindset blames family, historical maltreatment, or literally anything else, for any real or perceived deficiencies in a person’s current situation. The second reason why ungrateful people are not usually good or happy is that they are also angry, and angry people typically lash out at others.

Unfortunately, modern society has replaced gratitude with a growing sense of entitlement, the idea that you are owed that which you have not earned. Prager explains that the more you feel that life, or the state, or that others owe you, the angrier you will get, the more bad you will do, the more you will lash out, the less happy you will be. Prager says that we are developing bad people by making people feel entitled.

Rabbi Jonathan Sacks cites research which has shown the multiple other effects of developing an attitude of gratitude. It improves physical health and immunity against disease. Grateful people are more likely to exercise and go for regular checkups. Thankfulness reduces toxic emotions such as resentment, frustration and regret and makes depression less likely. It helps people avoid overreacting to negative experiences by seeking revenge. It tends to make people sleep better. It enhances self- respect, making it less likely that you will envy others for their achievement or success. Grateful people tend to have better relationships. Saying thank you enhances friendships and elicits better performance from employees. It is also a major factor in strengthening resilience. Having an attitude of gratitude makes us more appreciative and entrusting; it gives us the strength to bounce back from painful experiences such as losing a job, going through illness or losing a loved one.

Albert Schweitzer said, “each of us has a cause to think with deep gratitude of those who lighted the flame within us.” So, we must express our thanks; to do so verbally and often, for our good health, for the companionship we cherish, for our parents and children, for our accomplishments, for everything we have learned from our mothers, fathers, teachers, friends, and students. And then we must turn this sense of gratitude into actions that benefit others. President John F. Kennedy said,” as we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.”

Ki Tavo Fiddler Parody

Moses instructs the people of Israel: when you enter the land that God is giving to as your eternal heritage, take a moment to appreciate this Miracle of Miracles. After you settle it and cultivate it, which is The Dream you’ve always dreamed, bring the first ripened fruits from your orchard to the holy Temple and declare your gratitude for all God has done for you. Be grateful Sunrise and Sunset.  This ceremony will become an annual Tradition.  You will feel like Now I Have Everything.

The Parashah also includes the laws of the tithes given to the Levites and the poor. The poor people who received this appreciate it, but daydream thinking  to themselves, If I Were a Rich Man. Next are instructions on how to proclaim the blessings and curses on Mount Grizzim and Mount Ebal. Moses reminds the people that they are God’s chosen people, and that they, in turn, have chosen God. It was as if a Matchmaker arranged the relationship.

The latter part Parashah consists of the Tochacha, the rebuke. After listing the blessings for which God will reward the people when they follow the laws of the Torah, Moses gives a long, harsh account of the bad things – illness, famine, poverty and exile – that will befall them if they abandon God’s commandments. At that point, Moses turns to God and says:” Do You Love Me?” To which God replies, ” Do I what?”.

Moses concludes by telling the people that only today, 40 years after their birth as a people, have been attained a heart to know, eyes to see, and ears to hear. He tells them to celebrate with La Chaim, To Life. Remember to keep the Sabbath and say your Sabbath Prayer. Moses tells them: I will not be able to enter the land of Israel but will not be Far From the Home I Love.

We know that in the future the Israelites will survive a life of uncertainty, as precarious as a Fiddler on the Roof.

This Parsha contains 74 of the Torah’s 613 mitzvot.  These include a wide array of laws including how to deal with the beautiful captive, inheritance rights of the first-born, how to deal with the wayward and rebellious son, burial and dignity of the dead, returning of a lost object, and the obligation to send away the mother bird before taking her young, as well as many others.  But the most striking in my mind is the last commandment of the Parsha.

“Remember what Amalek did to you by the way, when you were coming out of Egypt.  How he met you by the way, and smote the stragglers at your rear, when you were faint and weary;   and he feared not G-d.  Therefore it shall be, when the L-rd your G-d has given you rest from all your enemies round about, in the land which the L-rd your G-d gives you for an inheritance to possess it, that you shall blot out the remembrance of Amalek form under the heavens; you shall not forget.”

Amalek epitomizes the most dastardly, most cowardly of evil doers- someone who shoots or stabs you in the back, when you least expect it, and when and whom is most vulnerable to prey upon.  This is animal behavior and not compatible with Humanity.  More respect is due when an adversary confronts you face-to-face and when you are at full strength.  Such is the nature of a worthy adversary rather than the predatory, buzzard-like nature of Amalekite evil.  In this last and most striking mitzvah, we are cautioned and commanded therefore, to protect the most vulnerable members of our community and to “wipe out the memory from under the Heavens” of the sons of Amalek who would prey upon them and us.

Symbolic and Historical sons of Amalek include Haman in ancient Persia, Roman emperor Titus who destroyed and sacked the Second Temple, Hitler, Stalin, Mao Tze Dong, Al Qaeda, Isis and others.  We must stay ever vigilant.  These are the power-hungry products of abnormal society in our times who speak glowing platitudes of generosity, equality and justice, yet they are the ones who really seek to destroy Western Society and recreate it in their own tyrannical image.  Right now, think of the plight of the people of Hong Kong who seek to stave off the Communist Chinese Dictatorship.  Think of what Al Qaeda did to Manhattan and the Pentagon as we commemorate and remember the 18^th anniversary of 9/11 just this past week.

In order to protect ourselves from Amalek in our times, we need to protect Free Speech and not succumb to evil group think that simmers in our midst, even in our great country.  We must recognize Amalek in those who shout down the free speech of those who have differing views from their own ideology by calling those with differing views by vicious names such as racist, misogynist, homophobe, etc., when these labels are so undeserved.  Truth ultimately wins out when logic and rationality overrule emotional self-righteous outbursts of “group think” unsupported by fact.  Be Bold.  Speak out.  Protect those who lack a voice or who are afraid to speak out.  Remember Amalek as he appears in our times…

As Hashem reminds us, we will be at war with Amalek until we blot out his memory from under the Heavens.  We can only do so when our hearts and minds are linked to let the truth shine through and freedom ring by protecting free speech and justice under the rule of law.  Speak out.  Be bold.  Listen to all points of view.  Let freedom ring!

Shabbat Shalom

This week we read Shoftim which translated means judges. Fortunately, the first few verses was all I needed to formulate my d’var. The majority of the parsha was difficult to get through and stay awake. The Torah and more important the rabbis over the centuries continue to impress me with the amount of knowledge and wisdom that can be derived from just a few sentences.

The main theme of the parsha is justice and the amount of power that kings, elders or any other type of ruler can obtain, and the obligation of the judges they appoint to treat everyone in a fair manner. From the beginning, a system of law and order was established to protect the most vulnerable from the most powerful. In Chapter 16, verse 20 we read the most recognized lines from Shoftim, “Justice, justice shall you pursue, so that you may thrive and occupy the land that the Lord your G-d is giving you”. The directive is made in the second person, plural – You. The obligation is on the people and not on the elders. Herschel explains the power of the statement lies in the word, “pursue”. It is our obligation to obey the laws, but we are each obligated to actively pursue fair justice.

The literal meaning of these opening verses is that we will appoint impartial judges or elders that will not take bribes to influence a ruling against an innocent party. I believe these directives were included to set the tone for how society is to function. History has proven that the masses are influenced by their leaders. The tone of these verses insure our leaders set the example of righteous behavior. It is reasonable to conclude that all people should treat others in a fair and impartial manner.

I will take some poetic license, or should I say, Torah license, in my interpretation of the word judge which is the root of the word judgement. When we judge others, we tend to place them in a class and assign them a role based on the stereotypes that we have developed for them. Let’s exam a few of these:

• We judge our fellow Jews based on their religious beliefs of Orthodox, Conservative and Reform. We pass judgement on those that have behaviors and beliefs that are different than ours. Wouldn’t it be better if we were truly עם אחד – One People. Aren’t we all just Jews with differing levels of beliefs?
• We put ourselves into political buckets of Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians and independents. We may judge our friends and colleagues based on where they stand on a political spectrum. Wouldn’t it be better if we classify ourselves as Americans first with the emphasis on improving our country rather than our party?
• We categorize people based on their socio-economic upbringing, their race, their religion, their sexual preference, their gender, their country of origin and countless other ways. Wouldn’t it be better to hold judgement on others until you know their true character?

One does not need a PhD in history to understand what has happened to societies over the past thousands of years where leaders have not ruled from a position of fairness, have not treated each sect of society as equals, but have ruled based on a preferential outcome for the ruling class. Here are two examples to consider:

• In the 15th century, the Spanish Inquisition expelled all Jews who would not assimilate into the Christian culture. How would things be different if all were treated without bias and judged fairly?
• In Germany, the nationalistic Nazi Party slowly gained prominence. This ultra-right-wing party led by Hitler came to power promising to improve society by ridding it of the Jews who were blamed for all the problems. Judgements made by these Nazi leaders had a major impact on modern day Judaism.

Today, there are many leaders around the world that are quick to judge people based on their external characteristics. In many cases when a ruling class causes harm to a specific set of people, these judgements are justified. However, in many instances these rulings resulted in acts of hatred and unfair treatment.

The commandments in Shoftim dictate both a top down and bottom up approach to create a just and fair society. We are fortunate to live in a country which allows each of us as a citizen of the US to publicly represent our position. Dictatorial powers are never in the best interest of the masses. No matter what your political affiliation or level of observance is, we as Jews and as Americans can no longer stand idle and wait for our leadership to act appropriately. Shoftim teaches us that everyone deserves fair and equal treatment, and we must be strong to pursue this treatment.

I close with this verse from Shoftim 16:19 – “You shall not judge unfairly; you shall show no partiality; you shall not take bribes, for bribes blind the eyes of the discerning and upset the plea of the just.”

After all, who are we to judge?

Shabbat Shalom

Va’eschanan means and I pled. Who pled and to whom? Pled for what? What was the result? Before I delve further into this, allow me to briefly discuss a matter of interest. It is stated in a Midrash that Moshe offered 515 prayers to Hashem to beg to be allowed to enter the Promised Land. You may be aware that each letter in the Hebrew alphabet has a numerical value assigned to it.  Aleph has the value 1. The numbering system assigns 1-9 to the first nine letters, 10-90 by tens to the next nine letters and 100-400 by hundreds to the last four letters. The numerical value of Va’eschanan is 515. Another word having a numerical value of 515 is tefillah which means prayer. Coincidence? When the name of  G-d having the numerical value of 26 is added to 515, the end result is 541. This is precisely the numerical value of Yisroel. This is particularly intriguing since the opening of the Parsha reflects that Moshe pled to G-d to be allowed to enter the Promised Land. No need to delve further into my opening questions since they have all now been answered. This marvelous Parsha does not end here.

Contained within the Parsha are found the V’ahavta and Shema paragraphs. Also, we find the Ten Commandments. Moshe implores the people to follow the commandments and remember that G-d brought them out of the land of Egypt. Make certain, he cautions, that you teach your children and grandchildren to understand these concepts. He notes that G-d got angry with him as a result of actions that he (Moshe) took on their behalf. He would not, as a consequence, be allowed to enter the Promised Land. He informs everyone that he appoints Joshua to lead them into Canaan.

One of the most powerful statements found in the Parsha reflects that one must safeguard the commandments given by Hashem by neither adding nor subtracting from them. Now, I can certainly appreciate that subtracting from the Commandments should be a no-no. But what’s the harm in doing more than is required? Consider the following story related by Rabbi Yonasan Eybeschutz. He told of someone who suffered from stomach pain. The man went to his doctor seeking relief and the doctor prescribed some medicine. The doctor instructed the man to take one teaspoon in the morning and one at night. The man was so overjoyed he would soon be healed that he gulped down the entire bottle. Needless to say, the man became seriously ill after this foolhardy lack of good judgment. Rabbi Eybeschutz concluded that just as a patient must understand to take only that amount of medicine prescribed by his doctor, so too must we understand not to add or subtract from the mitzvot that Hashem commands us.

Another wonderful story is from the Dubno Maggid. He explains the statement from a different perspective. He told of an individual who asked his neighbor to borrow a spoon. The next day he returned the spoon together with an additional small spoon. The neighbor asked why two spoons were being returned. The man explained that the loaned spoon was pregnant and gave birth to the little spoon. Although the neighbor truly believed that the man was unstable, he nevertheless accepted the two spoons without further comment. A few days later the man asked his neighbor to borrow a cup. The neighbor eagerly consented. The man returned the next day with two cups claiming that the cup was pregnant and had given birth to the second cup. The neighbor was all too anxious to lend the man a pair of silver candlesticks. Several days passed and the man did not return with the candlesticks. The neighbor asked the man what happened to his candlesticks. The man, with a sorrowful look on his face, responded that unfortunately the candlesticks died. The neighbor complained that no one ever heard of candlesticks passing away. The man responded, “Who ever heard of a pregnant spoon or cup?”  Thus, cautioned the Dubno Maggid, just like borrowing requires precision so too does the observance of mitzvot.

Yes, such a wonderful Parsha.

We’re in the 5^th and last book of the Torah. This book represents the speeches of Moses in the last month of his life. He addresses the next generation, those who will – as he will not – be destined to cross the Jordan and enter the Promised Land.

Parashat D’varim consists mostly of Moses’ historical review of events from the end of the Revelation at Sinai through most of the Israelites’ journey in the desert. Having just reached the end of our 40 years of wandering, we begin it again through words.

The concept of retelling and reliving through words is core to our Jewish tradition.  Last week we were reminded of oral tradition and oral law in the D’Var Torah from Michael Carr. We are a people of words. Words and retelling can be both vital and futile. Here (h –e –r –e) is where hearing and listening come into play.

Moses spends a month – 30 days – speaking to the people. For a guy who described himself to God at the Burning Bush as “slow of speech and slow of tongue” (Exodus 4:10), he has become someone that now has an awful lot to say.

Hearing requires our ears while listening requires our mind.

Both involve the use of our ears, but the results are often different.  Hearing is one of our five senses; it is a sense that helps you receive sound waves and noise by ears. It is the ability to perceive sounds.

Listening happens when you understand the sounds your ear heard. It is the ability to receive and interpret the message transferred by those sounds – those words. It requires a conscious action the part of a person; listening happens by paying attention to the words and sentences of the speaker.

• Hearing is physical; listening is psychological.
• Hearing in an inborn ability; listening is a learned skill.
• Hearing involves the use of one sense. Listening often involves all five.

Words are the principal instrument with which we construct reality. We experience everything through the filter of words: words we tell ourselves, words we tell each other, and especially, words we tell our children.

The Torah accords to words the power of creation (“God said: ‘Let there be light,’” Gen. 1:3). With such awesome power comes a responsibility to take care with our words. We do that by repeating some words and minimizing others. Not all words are equal.

Parashat D’varim begins by emphasizing: Eileh had’varim, “These are the words” (Deut. 1:1). That is, these words specifically, words Moshe Rabbeinu employed when he “undertook to expound this teaching,” (Deut. 1:5). With these words; these and not other ones, Moses made clear the meaning of this Torah; this one, and not another one.

The text implies a tension between “these words,” and “this Torah;” since if “this Torah” was received at Sinai already, why do we need “these words” of repetition and clarification to construct a sacred reality? This tension sparked a debate between the medieval Torah commentaries of Nachmanides (1194-1270) and Abarbanel (1437-1508). Nachmanides insists that Deuteronomy contains a new teaching, a second Revelation for the generation born in the wilderness, and that “these are the words” means “the new words” that had not yet been revealed. Abarbanel, on the other hand, focuses on the elucidation of “this Torah” and claims that Deuteronomy is not the giving of a new set of laws or revelations, but the construction of a commentary on those already implied in the earlier Revelation at Sinai.

In his 30-days of teaching in the land of Moab, across the Jordan, Moses uses his words to construct a new reality for our people on the verge of returning to their land, reclaiming their freedom from slavery and idolatry, and for the first time, building the Jewish civilization organized around the Torah and mitzvot.

Moses wants to wake up their senses. His words are designed to strengthen the ability to adapt to new realities and to reinforce the need to share the stories and experiences with every successive generation. It requires all to remember and uphold that which guided us through the past.

I’m reminded of my own experiences as a parent. There are so many things I wanted to impart to my children – lessons, stories, experiences, and more. I used words – sometimes sparingly and at other times with great abandon. There were words of love and comfort. There were reminders and warnings.

For Moses – time is against him. He knows he is not going to be with this generation much longer. It is no wonder he wants to cover every important idea, bit of knowledge and advice while he still has the chance.

Thank you for hearing me out today. If there was cause for you to listen – may your thoughts and reflections be meaningful ones.

Shabbat Shalom.

How did we arrive at todays parshat Matot-Massei from the Exodus?

Here is a quick and a very abbreviated summary of highlights:  130 to 400 years of  enslavement in Egypt; approximately 600,000 Israelites flee in Exodus from Egypt following plagues; witness miracles from G-d (like waters parting, thunderous clouds);  collude to build a golden calf; Moses becomes the first to connect with “the cloud” and brings down written tablets of 10 Commandments from Mt  Sinai; tablets smashed and a new updated set is re-released; fast forward through 12 spies – 10 of whom agreed on a very dim outlook of a not so promised land;  however two spies Joshua and Caleb are chosen to lead the Israelites into the promised land because they bring back a good report about the land ahead and believe G-d will help the Israelites succeed to create a land free of idolatry, one based on Torah in a land flowing with milk and honey; then 40 years of wandering; and by today’s parshat Matot-Massei (Matot means’tribe’ & Massei means ‘journey’) the wandering has almost ended.

In this parashat Moses describes the commandments of oaths and vows in ongoing oral law; the Israelites battle the Midianites; the tribes of Reuben and Gad negotiate with Moses to allow their people to dwell outside of the Land of Israel for the sake of their livestock and their families (Moses tells the leaders of the tribes that they need to put children, families and education first).

This parshat got me thinking about how laws/commandments were actually communicated throughout all 12 tribes of Israel.  For example in today’s parshat – Moses negotiates with the tribes of Reuben and Gad and directs the leaders of these tribes to pay attention to vows and oaths saying, “This is the word that G-d has commanded. If a man/(woman) makes a vow to G-d or swears saying, “This is the word that G-d has commanded. If a man/woman makes a vow to G-d or swears an oath, he/she must fulfill their word.” Further, Moses states through G-d that “A

In the 2004 Presidential campaign, Senator John Kerry said that he was for the Iraq war before he was against it. He was caricatured for the entire campaign, and may even have lost the election, in part, because he was thought to be a “flip-flopper.”

A few weeks ago, Joe Biden, currently running for President, was roundly criticized for backing away from his support for the Hyde Amendment, restricting the federal funding of abortion. Of course, those funds heretofore had gone to poor women through the medicaid Program, and so the poor were disproportionately affected by the provision of the law. Vice President Biden’s explanation – there is no need to go into it this morning –  seemed perfectly cogent to me. No matter whether you agreed with the Hyde Amendment or not, there was little about his statement or his reasoning that could be faulted. And yet, the criticism came pouring down from all sides.

It is as though people say, “Damn the facts! You must never change your mind!” How crazy is that?

A recent Freakonomics podcast centered on the issue of changing one’s mind, asking why it sometimes seems so difficult to do. Several reasons were given – ego, overconfidence, inertia and financial cost. Methods were explored that would make it easier to see an issue from another vantage point. In the end, one must look at changing one’s mind from a different perspective. Rather than a marker for lack of conviction, changing one’s mind can be thought of as akin to saying, “I’m smarter today than I was yesterday.” or, “Facts have changed, and I’m flexible enough to absorb new facts, and judge accordingly.” That’s a sign of strength rather than weakness.

In today’s parashah, we read about the daughters of Tzelophehad – Mahlah, Noa, Hoglah, Milcah and Tirzah. Ancient Jewish law called for property to be divided among male heirs upon the death of the patriarch. But in Tzelophehad’s case, he had no male children. The property would have thus not stayed within the family. This seemed unfair the Tzelophehad’s daughters. They went to Moses, told him of their grievance with the existent law and highlighted their good qualities and the good qualities of women in general, while reminding Moses of what belonged on the male side of the ledger – the organization of the Golden Calf episode, sex orgies, etc etc.

Men! It was always men who complained about the lack of food and water, and it was men who lost faith upon hearing the scouts’ report about the cities of Canaan – how they saw themselves as grasshoppers in the eyes of their potential enemies. Women were the optimists, accommodators, peace makers.

(and imagine – there are still some Jewish congregations that do not let women lead davening or read from the Torah!)

Anyway, Moses addresses Gd about the matter. We can imagine the conversation. “OK ladies, I understand your position. Now please step out for a moment, while I think this over.” He then summons Gd for guidance. After all, Jewish law was Jewish law.

Gd, of course, heard the whole argument, while of course remaining out of sight of the women. OK, so the women left. Moses called out, “Master of the Universe, what should we do? They make sense, but they are making a request that is against Jewish law!”

“You know, Moshe,” said Gd, “They are honorable, and they are passionate. And in this case, they are right! Let’s not be too obstinate here. Some of my original laws may need some revision. That’s OK. We’re wiser now than we used to be. Even I, Gd!”

“You are changing you mind, O holy one?”

“Well . . . . yes! I must admit – times have changed, not all circumstances can be foreseen, and so we must change. All of us.”

So here, stuck in the middle of this parashah, with no apparent connection to what comes before or what comes after, comprising fewer than a dozen verses, is this mini drama, in which a profound lesson is taught. This then became our earliest recorded revision of Biblical law, owing to an overriding moral imperative. This is a great example of how our laws, while reverent, are responsive.

In the introduction to today’s parashah in Etz Chaim, the editors mention how, at the end of the last parashah, Phineas killed an Israelite man and a Moabite woman because their flagrant immorality profaned Gd’s name. The Etz Chaim editors reference the Talmud, which, it seems to them, would have rebuked Phineas. In this particular instance, the rabbinic court would have said, “The law may permit it, but we do not follow that law.”

In fact, in Deut, Ch 17, Moses tells the Israelites that in a dispute over a law, they must seek the counsel of judges, who would decide on the matter . . . “In their time,” as it says in the Torah. Again, implying that the laws must be responsive to the realities of their day – the very hallmark of Conservative Judaism.

I would suggest that this legal change, brought about by the persuasive powers of the daughters of Tzelophehad, changed the way in which the children of Israel thought about women. “The Feminine Mystique” of course, was author Betty Frieden’s book from the early 1960s that is credited with starting the modern feminism movement.

Today’s parashah begins Judaism’s own feminine mystique, which is carried on in our own kehillah by the many women who take part in our shul’s life. About that, we’re not about to change our minds!

This Parsha tells one of the more entertaining stories of the Torah.  Balak fears for his Kingdom as the Israelites approach.  He knows that it will take extraordinary measures to defeat the Israelites, so he calls on Balaam.  Balaam is the only non-Hebrew prophet who can communicate with Hashem.  Balak sends his men to recruit Balaam with the promise of great riches for cursing the Israelites as they approach Balak’s Kingdom.  Balaam receives the message from Hashem that the Israelites are destined to displace Balak and the Amorites.  After much resistance to Balak’s request, Balaam agrees to come to his service with the proviso that Balaam will not voice any words about the Israelites, unless the Lord places those words in his mouth.

Along the way to the Kingdom of Balak, an angel of the Lord brandishing a large sword stands in the way of Balaam and his donkey.  The donkey can see this angel and stops in his tracks.  But Balaam beats the donkey to move forward on 3 occasions since Balaam cannot see the angel.  Finally, the donkey turns its head back toward Balaam and speaks directly to Balaam much to his surprise.  The donkey states why he stopped and why should Balaam not trust his loyal donkey who has served him faithfully for so many years?  Balaam finally sees the angel who then allows them to go forward to his appointment with Balak.

The climax of the story is when the Israelites draw near Balak’s kingdom.  In the presence of Balak and the Amorites, although Balaam tries his best to curse the Israelites, he cannot help but sing the praises of the Israelites that Hashem places in Balaam’s mouth.  The prayer of Balaam’s praise we know as Ma Tovu.  This has since become the prayer we sing to begin the morning service when we enter the Sanctuary.  There is more I can say on this, but now I must stop and redirect to the message this Parsha spoke to me.

Balak typifies the nature of a person who lives a transactional existence.  If Balak pays enough money to Balaam, why shouldn’t Balaam be able to curse the Israelites in accordance with their contract?  But life is so much more than just a series of sequential transactions orchestrated by the highest bidder of material goods.  Balaam cannot help but state the exceptional nature of a people wedded to the ideal of a heart and faith-based existence.  Transactional living is the most basic level of existence.  Heart and faith-based living is elevating and inspiring.  It creates a platform for emotional and spiritual evolution that elevates humans above an animalistic survival-kill or be killed- level of existence.

If we simplify a heart and faith-based existence and distill it to the basics of a process, our tradition sees life in the following formula.  Humility leads to a diminishment of pride that allows time and space to forgive most anyone and anything.  Forgiveness softens the heart which enables the ability to Love.  The feeling of Love is so strong and such a positive emotion, that it leads to an overwhelming sense of gratitude.  Gratitude leads directly to Joy.  A joyful heart opens the door to generosity and the ability to give.  Generosity emotionally moves the giver and the receiver toward an inspired heartfelt faith in the intertwined destiny of all humankind.  Recognition of our intertwined and mutually dependent human destiny diminishes individual pride, leaving room for Humility and Hashem’s formula starts anew.  So Please practice and remember:  Humility leads to Forgiveness that leads to Love that leads to Gratitude that leads to Joy that leads to Generosity that leads to Inspiration that leads back to Humility as the cycle repeats.  Ma Tovu my friends!  Shabbat Shalom!

Chukat is about mortality. In this parshah, we read about the death of Aaron and Miriam – two of three of Israel’s great leaders in the wilderness; we also read about the death sentence for Moses – that he shall not enter the land of Israel. I also think that Chukat is about the importance of water – there are 22 mentions of water in this parshah and they range from vessels of water, to bathing in water, to the Sea of Galilee.

Before you can talk about mortality, you first have to focus on life. Water is life. Well yes – without water you cannot survive past a few days. In an article by Yonatan Neril, about Chukat and Water Consciousness, he wrote that

G-d takes the essential tangible resource of water (without which we cannot live for more than a few days) and gives it to us in an environment where we do not have it. We learn to appreciate water… In an ultimate sense, water does not nourish us. G-d does. Water is one of the chief means by which G-d provides life to us every day. The see-saw experience of having water and then losing it is the means to develop the spiritual muscles of appreciating G-d.

Aside: I really like the idea of developing ‘spiritual muscles’

How is it that the Jews had water while they were wandering in the desert? It was Miriam! Miriam’s Well is the name of the spring that miraculously provided water during the 40 years of wandering. Wait, what? A spring in the desert? And it followed them? According to the midrash, the ‘well’ was actually a very porous rock; it rolled alongside them and whenever they stopped to encamp, the rock would dig itself into the sand. The leaders would stand near the rock and command ‘Rise up, oh well.’  Other commentators posit that it wasn’t a rock at all which travelled with them, but the stream from the rock would just miraculously reappear at each new location.

The other strong symbol of life in Chukat is the red heifer. Mention of the red heifer is very early in the parshah. God says to Moses and Aaron that the Children of Israel should find “…a perfectly red unblemished cow, upon which no yoke was laid.’ Red – the color of blood – symbolizes life, and this heifer has never had to endure the burden of work. And what is done with this wonderous red heifer? It is slaughtered and reduced to ashes. And then the ashes are to be mixed with water… and from water comes new life. So in just a few versus of Torah, we are presented with an image of pure life and then is it over, representing the fragility of our lives. But mixing the ashes with water brings new life, representing the renewing character of water.

Indeed, within this parshah are also the laws about coming into contact with death and how that makes you tamei (unclean). In each of the instructions, there is water as part of the cleansing. And this practiced is maintained today when you return from a cemetery, you wash.

Water is thus essential for life and important at the end of life. No wonder the Children of Israel were so distraught when Miriam died. As long as Miriam lived, the water was available along their journeys. When she dies, in Chukat, the well dries up and the people are dying of thirst. They moan to Moses and Aaron, bitterly complaining about their thirst. Moses and Aaron seek guidance from God and are told to approach this rock and speak to it, whereby water will flow from it.

Um – which rock exactly? There are so many…

Moses and Aaron assembled the congregation in front of the rock, and he said to them, “Now listen, you rebels, can we draw water for you from this rock?”

This rock? The people are thinking – what do we care which rock brings water… we just need water.

And instead of speaking to it, Moses strikes it! A few, meager drops spill forth, hardly enough to satisfy any one person’s thirst let alone the masses. So, Moses strikes the rock again and now the water pours abundantly.

This scenario reeks of anger and impatience. How is it that Moses, a chosen leader, is now speaking harshly to the people and also disobeying God’s instruction? Moses IS angry and impatient with the people; calling them rebels is his response to their incessant crying about being thirsty and also their ungrateful behavior. But leaders are supposed to be calm and rational and lead by example, right? Think about it – Miriam has just died. Moses has to carry-on in his capacity as a leader and his personal emotions are probably right at the surface. When did he get a chance to grieve the loss of his sister? Who is comforting Moses and Aaron with their loss?

Humans are a mixture of reason and passion; sometimes grief and exhaustion contribute to mistakes by those who are normally calm and solid. Commentators explain that calling the people rebels, not acknowledging the role of God in bringing forth water, and striking the rock instead of speaking to it as instructed, comprises Moses’ sin and the reason that Moses was doomed to die in the desert not reaching the Promised Land. What should we learn from this? First, there is no life without error; everyone has some shortcoming and yet our lives are meaningful. And secondly, just as you should not get behind the wheel of a car when you are angry, we probably should not function as leaders when we are overwhelmed with emotion.

Why did Moses strike the rock twice? Well, the first time didn’t produce the result he wanted and so he tried again. That’s the simple explanation… but of course we need to look deeper. I found this really great explanation on Chabad.org that striking the rock twice exemplifies two ways to perform acts of kindness. One way is for a person to give of themselves generously but deep down, the person is giving because they want recognition of their charitable nature; they are being kind as a means to boost their own reputation. This is represented by the meager drops of water. The other way for a person to perform acts of kindness is to give freely and generously because that is who they are – willing to sacrifice for others without recognition, and even if it causes some pain to themselves. In fact, with all of the instructions around purifying someone who has become ‘unclean’ there is often someone else helping.

The ritually clean person shall sprinkle on the unclean person on the third day and on the seventh day, and he shall cleanse him on the seventh day, and he shall wash his clothes and bathe in water, and he shall become ritually clean in the evening.

The ‘ritually clean person’ is sacrificing themselves to help the unclean person and they become unclean themselves. This generosity is the free flowing water as a result of the second striking.

And what is the ultimate generous gift… the one which cannot be repaid – participating in Chevra Kadisha to prepare the body for burial. And guess what? That ritual involves washing the body.

We have a Well of Traditions.

And what of the ‘actual’ well? Did it really dry up when Miriam died? The Talmud explains that

 “one who wants to see Miriam’s well… should do the following: He should climb to the top of Mount Carmel and look out