Parashat Vayak’hal

            This week’s Torah portion is Vayak’hal, in which Moses assembles the whole people of Israel and tells them that it is time to begin building the Tabernacle, the transitory sanctuary in which G-d will reside as they wander through the wilderness. Moses tells the people to bring forth gifts for building materials, and they do so freely and abundantly. The Torah refers to them here as being “generous-hearted” and “wise-hearted” for being so forthcoming with the gifts. This week’s G-dcast, the weekly cartoon interpretation of Torah stories and occasional other Bible or holiday stories, is a beautiful song about this act of generosity and G-d’s promise to dwell among the people if they build this holy space. I highly suggest you all look it up.

            Once the materials are brought out, not everyone among the people is an architect or building contractor or construction worker or artist. Two men in particular are singled out to do the physical work of building, Bezalel and Ohaliab, and they call for other skilled workers to help. In the end, though, almost all of the building is attributed to Bezalel alone. The Midrash Tanhuma, an old book of stories explaining plot holes in the Torah, says that Bezalel simply worked harder than any of the other wise men, so the work is all attributed to him, and the others are all but forgotten.

            That may be so, but isn’t that still kind of demeaning for the others, particularly Ohaliab who is also singled out by name by G-d? We all have different skills, talents, endurance levels, were raised with different work ethics and beliefs regarding with and art. It isn’t particularly fair to hold up one wise man against another. I think we all do it a little bit, at least subconsciously. We get used to a certain level of intelligence, a certain style of art, a certain expectation of work, and when someone doesn’t meet that, we’re disappointed. When someone exceeds that by too much, we feel insecure or threatened, and may even accuse them of being show offs. When someone expects more of us than we are used to or possibly able to achieve, we feel overwhelmed and frustrated with ourselves. When someone expects way less of us than the level we know we can achieve, we feel belittled and patronized. All of those feelings are normal, but they aren’t particularly pleasant and they aren’t particularly fair to any of the people involved. Everyone should be equally recognized for the particular skills and talents they do bring to the project, and conversely, no one should ever be made to feel embarrassed or shy about letting their superiority at a particular skill shine. It’s great that Bezalel was so talented and such a hard worker. He was absolutely correct to embrace that and throw himself whole-heartedly into the work, even if it meant leaving the others in the dust. It’s also fine that the others did what they could and what was asked of them, even if it didn’t quite earn them the recognition it earned Bezalel.

            I hope all of you appreciate your own talents and skills. I hope you find something you feel called to, as Bezalel was called to build the tabernacle. Maybe it will just be a hobby, maybe it will be your favorite subject in school, maybe it will be a job someday. In any case, may you feel comfortable enough with the activity and with yourself to throw yourself whole heartedly into it, and measure yourself by your own improvement, rather than how you compare to others. May you be recognized for your talents and skills and whatever you bring to any particular effort you strive for. And most of all, may those talents, skills, or endeavors bring you happiness. Amen and Shabbat Shalom.

Parashat Tetzaveh - Dress Codes

            Quick Poll: How many of you need to dress in a uniform or according to a dress code for school or work? How does that make you feel? [I’d like some real answers here – is it comforting to know that you are dressed appropriately or does it feel oppressive and confining? Or something else entirely – maybe you don’t even think about it.]

            In this week’s Torah portion, Tetzaveh, G-d describes, in great detail, the proper uniform for the Temple Priests that Moses is to have made. This was not a simple dress code to promote modesty or professionalism as we know it today. This was a very specific uniform, that not only described the tunic (equivalent perhaps to a suit), but also included specifications for underwear and accessories. Imagine if your school dress code included mandatory jewelry and a particular pair of underpants. That seems a little absurd, doesn’t it?! I don’t think I would want to live in that world.

            But for the Israelite priests, the dress code was important to set them apart. To show to the rest of the people that these were the leaders to whom the Israelites could take their ritual and spiritual questions. While we can be very grateful that however restrictive our uniforms or dress codes they don’t specify every single article of clothing we wear, we can also learn from this week’s Torah portion the useful significance of uniforms or dress codes. Your clothes should never be what define you, but they do help to identify you to others.

            Think about this: you’re in a store and you can’t find what you’re looking for. You know to ask the person in the identifiable store uniform for help. Your doorbell rings, and you don’t like to open the door for strangers. But you can see that the person at your door now is wearing a UPS uniform, so you know it is ok to open the door and sign for your package. At school, students should all be treated as equals, and uniforms or dress codes help to establish an even footing for all students. Depending on the strictness of the dress code, clothes can still be used to help identify common interests. If you were the new kid at school and you saw someone wearing a t-shirt advertising your favorite band or movie, giving you a quick and easy way to start a conversation and make a new friend.

            The debate about uniforms and dress codes vs. clothing as an expression of free speech has always been interesting to me, because both sides of the argument are so valid. It is nice sometimes to express yourself through your fashion, and to be able to identify potentially like-minded people through clothes, and a strict uniform might prohibit that. However, a uniform would help to identify your position, job, or place, and equalize people whose fashions might reflect their economic status and cause tension or distraction in school or the work place. This week’s Torah portion illustrates the importance of clothing and of identifying ourselves to others. If you already live in resentment of your existing dress code or uniform, use this Torah portion and learn to appreciate how much more oppressive it could be, and at least you have weekends to wear whatever you want. May we all find ways to express ourselves regardless of how we dress, and appreciate whatever clothes we have. Amen and Shabbat Shalom.

Tu B'Shevat - The Impossible Dream

                Shabbat Shalom! How lovely it is to be here celebrating Tu B’Shevat, the birthday of the trees, together today. You may know that Tu B’Shevat, the fifteenth of the month of Shevat was actually on Thursday. What you probably don’t know is that Thursday was also the anniversary of the publication of a book often considered to be one of the greatest novels ever written, and one of the earliest works of modern literature. I have never read The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha but have become fairly familiar with the stories through the theatrical adaptation, Man of La Mancha. The music from the play is great, and the song “The Impossible Dream,” is particularly beautiful – I’ll come back to that in a minute.

            Tu B’Shevat is the birthday of the trees, a date that was set by the early rabbis of the Mishnah, based on Biblical passages. Traditionally, Tu B’Shevat was about the season of planting in the land of Israel, back when people all really depending on their local farms and the planting season was important to pay close attention to. Now, we treat Tu B’Shevat more like a Jewish Arbor Day and Earth Day combined. As Jews, and particularly as Reform Jews, Tikkun Olam, repairing the world, is a very important value for us to live by. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, the environment is one of the most important parts of this world that needs repairing. Of course, we should also try to repair the world by feeding the hungry, clothing the poor, making peace where there is strife, but ultimately, if the environment gets destroyed, even the well-fed, warmly clothed, peaceful communities will be at risk. This is why even ancient Jewish law commanded Jews to respect and protect the environment in times of war, so that the violence would not disrupt nature!  Tu B’Shevat is a great time to pause and reflect on our Jewish values and responsibility to the Earth that supports us.

            Cleaning up the environment can seem really hard. Some things we take for granted will eventually have to completely change, like our fuel source. It is not up to any of you alone to discover a new source of clean energy, find the money to collect it in whatever way that new energy will be collected, or implement it as the new fuel for most of the world to replace our current oil dependence. However, it is up to all of you to do what you can to cut back on resources by trying to walk, bike, or take public transit when possible. To turn off the water while your brushing your teeth and try to fix leaks so as not to waste water. To turn off lights and heaters or air conditioners when you leave a room or your home. To reduce, reuse, and recycle as much as possible. It may seem difficult, but it’s up to all of us together to “Dream the Impossible Dream… to right the unrightable wrong… to try when your arms are too weary, to reach that unreachable star.” For Don Quixote, his impossible dream was a manic quest for knighthood, pursuing chivalry and fighting windmills he thought were giants. For us, as Reform Jews, the impossible dream is a quest to perfect the world, to make our own Messianic Age. To take care of each other and the Earth we share. This Tu B’Shevat, plant something, recycle something, say something nice to someone you know, go for a walk or bike ride, show your appreciation for the Earth and the people you share it with. May you all live to see a greener Earth. L’Shana l’ilanot tova and Shabbat Shalom.

           

Parashat Bo - Brothers and Sisters

            Throughout Genesis we see serious sibling rivalries: Jacob and Esau, Joseph and his brothers. The book of Exodus, on the other hand, doesn’t offer any insight into Aaron and Moses’s relationship. When Moses makes his excuses, expresses his fears to G-d about going to Pharaoh, G-d soothes him by promising that Aaron will speak for him. Parashat Shemot shows Moses and Aaron meeting in the desert, and depicts it in a positive light, but we never see Aaron’s thoughts, feelings, or reactions to G-d’s command to go to Moses and help him with his confrontations of Pharoah.

            By this week’s story, Parashat Bo, Moses seems to have already gained some confidence. Aaron goes with him to warn Pharaoh of the oncoming 8^th plague (locusts), but Moses himself speaks to Pharaoh. By the time the Pharaoh has endured the locusts, promised and then revoked the promise of freedom, and sat in total darkness for three days, he summons Moses back to negotiate. Not Moses and Aaron, just Moses. Aaron’s important role no longer seems necessary. Once out in the wilderness, he will have a new important role of high priest, but for now, he’s sort of left out. And yet, he never seems to take that out on Moses. He remains Moses’s second-hand-man, goes with the flow, and is a very passive character. I can’t help but wonder what might be going on his head. Later in the Torah, there are a few inklings that Aaron might have his moments of being resentful, jealous, or insensitive about Moses, but throughout the process of freeing the Israelite slaves, Aaron stands quietly by Moses’s side, following orders from Moses and G-d without question. Even in Midrash, the rabbis offer explanations and details on why Aaron is needed to speak for Moses in the beginning, but not on how Aaron might have reacted to this appointed role.

            Whatever Aaron might be thinking or feeling during this process, he clearly understands what is really important. If he is feeling resentful or jealous of Moses’s greater importance, he doesn’t let it get in the way of what he and Moses are trying to accomplish. For those with brothers and sisters, you may have experienced, or probably will in the future, that sometimes your brother or sister eclipses you, and sometimes you will rise above them. You each have special skills and callings, individual weaknesses and failings, and sometimes you will get more praise, and sometimes your sibling will. Sometimes you may feel like your imperfections are being compared to your siblings’ perfections, and sometimes they might feel the same way about you. For those without siblings, you might find that you have a close friend you love like a sibling, and with whom you feel similarly competitive, who makes you angry in a way that only someone you really love can. The lesson we can learn from Aaron and Moses, the key to keeping Shalom (peace) in the Home with our siblings, or between close friends, is to remember that it is neither your siblings’ or friends’ faults, nor yours, that you are different and have different roles in life. Be proud when your sibling or friend succeeds, stand by and support them. When you are the one getting all the attention, remember to reach out to them and include them in your success.

            Siblings fight. Sometimes close friends fight, too. They get jealous of one another. More importantly, though, they love each other. They support each other. They are happy for one another’s successes, and comfort one another in times of trouble. There is no bond quite like that between brothers and sisters. When you find yourself feeling angry or resentful at your sibling, may you all remember Aaron and his support of his younger, more important brother, remember Moses and his willingness to depend on his big brother for help, and most of all, may you remember to take care of each other. Amen and Shabbat Shalom.

Parashat Shemot

            The book of Exodus, like much of the Torah, has plenty of details that are difficult to comprehend. One literary example is the first mention of Moses’s father-in-law, Reuel. Why is he called Reuel here and later he is called Yitro or Jethro? The rabbis of the Midrash Rabbah reconciled this name change along a conceptual difficulty of their own. They were concerned that our great leader Moses should seek refuge with a Priest of Midian, a spiritual leader of non-Jews, an idolater. So the Midrash explains that Jethro had made teshuvah and turned from his ways and embraced the one true G-d. G-d accepts Yitro’s teshuvah, and he becomes Reuel, a “friend of G-d.”

            This Midrash answers one question about the text itself, but opens up the conceptual difficulties of the next paragraph even more. The king of Egypt died, and the Israelites were groaning under the bondage and cried out. G-d heard their moaning, and G-d remembered the covenant with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob. G-d looked upon the Israelites, and G-d took notice of them. Why was G-d able to so readily accept the teshuvah of the Priest of Midian, but took so long to redeem the people of Israel? What was G-d doing during all the years of slavery and infanticide before G-d heard the moaning of the Israelites and took notice of them?

            We know from the scene at Mt. Sinai when G-d tried to reveal G-dself to the whole people, that the people as a whole were unable to accept Divine revelation directly to them all. They begged Moses to go up to the mountain and bring the information back to them. G-d frightened them. In order to free the people from slavery and lead them to the Holy Land as a holy people, G-d needed a point person, a leader to go-between other humans and the Divine, Moses. Moses has a unique insider-outsider status that makes him the perfect candidate even from the Torah itself. Additionally, the rabbis took great pains to fill in the gaps of his life, starting from his conception, to illustrate that Moses was destined to be the one to lead the Jewish people toward salvation. Yet, even great destined Moses was not easily or immediately able to accept the voice of G-d or the Divine mission. When G-d called to Moses, G-d said, “I am the G-d of your father, the G-d of Abraham, the G-d of Isaac, and the G-d of Jacob.” In most places when G-d reveals G-dself to others in the Bible, G-d says “I am the G-d of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” Why did G-d need to also say, “The G-d of your father” to Moses? The Midrash says it is because G-d spoke to Moses in his father’s voice, so that it would be a familiar and comfortable sound for him. Thus, G-d needed to quickly say, “I am the G-d of your father,” so that Moses would not think his father was actually talking to him from beyond the grave. I think a similar modern Midrash is crafted in the Prince of Egypt by having Val Kilmer voice both Moses and G-d in the scene. Either detail come to explain that, although the Torah doesn’t say what G-d’s voice sounded like, or in what manner G-d communicated these words to Moses (was it telepathic? Did the voice come from the burning bush? From the air?), the ancient rabbis and the makers of the Prince of Egypt are in agreement that G-d probably only speaks to us in voices we are able to recognize and listen to. Sometimes, that might mean G-d disguising the Divine voice to literally sound familiar, as it did for Moses. Sometimes, that might mean the Divine message coming through another human, as it did for all of the other Israelites who had to believe and follow Moses.

            When times are hard, sometimes the way forward seems impossible, and it’s easy to wonder where G-d is at those times. Maybe the answer to all your problems will be Divinely revealed and you will discover that you are Moses. More likely, you will discover that you are among the people of Israel, and that the strength of G-d is the strength of the community, of each other. Maybe G-d doesn’t whisper words of comfort directly into your ear, but G-d speaks to you through voices you are able to recognize and hear, the voices of your loved ones and members of your community who are here to support you. Remember that the word teshuvah actually does not mean repentance, but to return, and that if you return to your community, your friends, maybe even your faith, you may find that you too have become a “friend of G-d”, like Reuel, also known as Yitro. And even if it feels like G-d has not taken notice of your troubles, your loved ones have, and through them, G-d will lead you back to comfort and strength. May you always find yourself open to hearing the Divine message and redemption in the voices of those you love, in the voices of your community, and in your own voice. And may you find freedom. Amen and Shabbat Shalom.

Parashat Vayechi - 'Tis a Fearful Thing

            This week’s Torah and Haftarah portions tell us a lot about how our patriarchs and ancestors thought about death. Early in our Torah portion of Vayechi, the Torah says that “the time drew near for Israel to die,” and when Jacob summons his son Joseph, he says, “I will lie with my fathers … and you shall carry me to their grave.” The medieval commentator Rashi makes sure to point out to us that if Jacob had said, “I will lie beside or next to my fathers” then it would be unnecessary to say, “you shall carry me to their grave,” because then it would be obvious Jacob means physically next to them. By saying “I will lie WITH my fathers… and you shall carry me to their grave,” Rashi is letting us know that “with” means that Jacob knows his time of death is near, and he knows he will be reunited with his loved ones in the world to come, and also, he’d like his physical resting place to be in the family plot.

            Similarly, with the Haftarah this week, the text says, “And the days of David drew near that he should die; and he charged Solomon, his son, saying: ‘I go the way of all the earth; you shall be strong, therefore, and show yourself a man’.” It appears that King David also knew when his time was near, and although it doesn’t say anything about his faith in the world to come, as with Jacob, it shows that he is aware that death is a natural part of life. Both Jacob and David bless their children and pass on a sort of living ethical will. They have hope for the future of the Jewish people in the next generation and they appear to die in peace. Even Joseph, whose death scene at the end of the parasha is much quicker, appears to know when he is dying, and he takes the time to tell his brothers that G-d will surely remember them and return them to their land, and that they should take his remains with them when they go, as he also would like to be buried in the family plot.

            Our prayer book has many great poems and readings in its section for the Mourner’s Kaddish. Among them, is one that says:

It is a fearful thing
to love what death can touch.

A fearful thing
to love, hope, dream:

to be--

to be,
And oh! to lose.

A thing for fools, this,

and
a holy thing,

a holy thing
to love.

For your life has lived in me,
your laugh once lifted me,
your word was gift to me.

To remember this brings a painful joy.

'Tis a human thing, love,
a holy thing,
to love
what death has touched. 

I know death can be a difficult topic. It can be a scary and painful part of life, but as King David acknowledged, it is a part of life. Sometimes it is natural, and sometimes it is unfair, and it is almost always very sad. When I was eleven, my uncle David died at about this time of year. Though it was technically a natural cause, it was sudden and he was young. This past week was his birthday, and in two more will be his deathday and this was his favorite time of year. So he’s on my mind a lot throughout every December, although less and less each year. To remember him, this thing that is impossible to not do, brings a painful joy. But it is a holy and human sort of painful joy to remember our loved ones who have passed. It is, as King David said, the way of the world, and we pray and hope that they are all with their other loved ones who went before them, as Jacob says. I pray and hope that none of you have to feel that sort of pain anytime soon, and that in the meantime, I pray and hope that you all be sure to tell each other how much you care about one another, and what sort of life you want the other to have. Teach these lessons and give these blessings every day, because unlike Jacob, Joseph, and David, we don’t always know when the time draws near to give those final speeches. May the memories of our loved ones live among us, instructing us on our way of living, helping to find meaning in the mystery of eternal life. And may G-d grant us all peace. Amen and Shabbat Shalom. 

Parashat Vayigash – Post-Thanksgivikuh Blues

            Shabbat Shalom! I hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving and a joyous Chanukah. I know I did! I was able to be home with my family for Thanksgiving and the first four nights of Chanukah, I spent the fifth night with the Youth Group, and even last night, the honorary or unofficial tenth night of Chanukah, I got to be here with many of you, lighting candles and eating latkes. But now, Chanukah is really over. And yet, the “holiday season” is just beginning.

            There are many debates, arguments, tensions, as well as joys that surround the “holiday season” that will either be especially clear or completely non-existent this year. Will people stop worrying about being P.C. and just say “Merry Christmas” all December, since Chanukah is over? Of course, that leaves out Kwanzaa and Solstice and possibly other holidays I don’t even know about this time of year, so we can probably still count on hearing “Happy Holidays” even though ours is over. That’s ok, though, being wished happy for a holiday you don’t celebrate doesn’t have to be offensive. You still want to be happy that day, don’t you? What about towns that have compensated for the Jews feeling disgruntled about the town Christmas tree by putting up a town menorah? Did they put them up on time or will they put them up with the Christmas trees? Will store windows have menorahs and dreidels up in their “winter decorations” all through the “holiday shopping season”?

            Of course, none of this really matters. The way both Chanukah and Christmas have become celebrated and somehow parallel in the celebrations is mostly about commercialism, which is also not necessarily bad. Getting and giving presents are fun! Chanukah decorations are cute! Christmas trees are pretty! But none of those things really get to the essence of the holidays, and it really shouldn’t matter so much how our non-Jewish neighbors address this “holiday season” in our post-Chanukah December. If they do try to act like the holidays overlap this year as they often do, it’s nice to feel included. If they don’t, we know we already had our lovely Chanukah celebrations and gave our gifts, so who cares?

            But for me, these questions really get back to the big question that is always at the forefront of identity making for me: Am I an American Jew or a Jewish American? Which parts about American culture speak to me as a Jew and which don’t? Which parts of Jewish culture make me feel different from other Americans and which don’t?  The American ideal is often referred to as a “melting pot,” but that’s no good, because it requires us to all melt together and be the same. The beauty of America is that we end up more like a cholent, a stew, a chili. We blend together, lose some of our original form, but basically keep our shape, remain distinct. The United States allows American Jews or Jewish Americans to choose where to put their emphasis. You are an embraced part of the American culture, but if you’d rather feel “more Jewish” than “American” – whatever that means to you – that’s ok, too. And yet, American culture does have a fairly strong Christian influence. Despite our forefathers’ quest for religious freedom and their own humanist leanings, many people have tried to shift politics in a Christian direction, declared this a “Christian nation,” and insist that wishing someone a “happy holiday” is a direct attack on Christmas and an affront to this country. It’s hard sometimes to navigate those sorts of discussions as an American Jew or a Jewish American.

            In this week’s Torah portion, Joseph has reached his position of power in Egypt. By the end of the portion, it says, “And Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt in the land of Goshen, and they acquired property in it, and they were prolific and multiplied greatly.” We learn from many places that “We were strangers in the land of Egypt,” and it calls to mind the years of slavery. But first, we were welcomed strangers. It’s not a perfect metaphor for the “holiday season” in American culture, because we really don’t like to think of ourselves as strangers at all in the United States, and because, you know, what happens next in Egypt is not going to happen to us here. We are equal citizens, and everyone has the same rights and privileges and protections, and Jews as a people have been here almost as long as the Christians. But we always were and still are a very small minority. In New York, and especially in Brooklyn, we live in a relatively dense Jewish population, and we’re still in the minority. To some degree, being a minority will always leave us somewhat on the outside, because to some degree, majority rules. That’s democracy, that’s capitalism, that’s life. The group with the most numbers and the loudest voices control the situation. As long as we’re welcomed strangers, I say we enjoy this “holiday season” as outsiders. Although many of us may still have Christmas plans with friends and family, there’s a certain level of peace to know that our holiday, the one we really have to prepare for, is over. For the most part, we can just sit back and enjoy Christmas carols and sales, without worrying about the big family celebratory dinner menu and did we remember to buy enough candles this year, amid all the shopping madness. And may we all simply have a happy December.