Both the Rambam and Ramban do not list "Kidoshim Tihiyu" - one of the most repeated verses of the Torah - among their total lists of the Mitzvot. Commentators fancy ways to explain away this omission by claiming its inclusiveness or vagueness.
I found this year a wonderful explanation to why such a beautiful and spiritual forceful command would be left unused by the Talmudic system. Prof. Dov Landau of Bar Ilan University reads the general nature of the verse with a significant purpose:
Perhaps one could obey the commandments without specific intent, but holiness cannot be achieved without such intent. The commandments bring a person closer to holiness, but they do not confer holiness. We are to understand from the benediction which we recite, “who has sanctified us by His commandments,” that it is the Holy One, blessed be He, who makes us holy; but we still are obliged to strive and act with specific intent in order to actually rise to holiness. Therefore we say “who has sanctified us by His commandments” and not “through whose commandments we have become sanctified”; in order to become sanctified we must do more than simply obey the commandments.
I remember someone asking in school, that there is no pasuk in the Torah saying "light Shabbat/Chanukah candles" yet in the bracha we proclaim "who has sanctified us by His commandments". The Rabbis were given the authority to amend and interpret the Torah to enhance and expound the meaning of mitzvah.
Ultimately this command to be holy gives us the power to create new moments and especially new holidays. This time of year, between Yom Haatzmaut and Yom Yershualyim, arouses this sense of the curiosity of new holiness in an ancient tradition. For those who hesitate to say a bracha on these holidays, for they are unsure of the clear miracle in the mundane or divine certification of evoking Hashem's name for a secular state , we find again it is our mission and command to find these moments and risk the opportunity to bring holiness into this world. We indeed were "sanctified" by the Torah to pursue this end. "Kidoshim Tihyu" pushes us to find more ways to increase the presence of Hashem in this world. Gd willing, these holidays should strengthen and continue to be a light to Jewish people.
03 May 2007
15 March 2007
Vayakel-Pekudei
While this week we have a long Torah reading I thought it would be best to keep this one short and sweet.
The post-golden-calf-gate stories bring us to the actualization of the detailed sanctuary/Mishkan and conclusion of the Book of Exodus. However, the parsha opens with Moshe gathering everyone together to hear the detailed instructions. Moshe begins his remarks with a reminder of the holiness of the sabbath and then proceeds to give the instruction for construction.
Six days work may be done and the seventh day will be for you holy, a hole say of complete rest to Hashem; whoever does work will be put to death (Shmot 35:2-3).
The Torah Temimah, the commentary of Rabbi B Epstein, makes quick work of the phrase it "will be for you" by stating, "'for you holy, and that place, profane" (quoting a mechilta). This insightful comments rings a familiar bell to those who have read AJ Heschel's The Sabbath. I believe the Torah Temimiah is emphasizing the power of a Jew to make a moment transcend a place a fill it with soulfulness in an unique way. Just as it possible to stand in a secular/profane place and have a feeling of holiness the opposite is true; one can stand in a holy place and feel regular and empty. To explain this phenomenon let's return to the Mishkan, an idealic example of a holy space.
Traditional commentators bring down the fact that the Torah's reminder of the sacredness of the Shabbat preceding the construction of the Mishkan teaches that the Mishkan was commanded not to be built on Shabbat and thus any act preformed in creating the Mishkan would be prohibited on Shabbat. One would think that the goal of a holy building such as the Hashem's home on this earth would demand all of our attention and actions around the clock - no! The Netivot Shalom comments that Shabbat and the Mishkan achieve the same goal, a dwelling place for Hashem in our midst. Thus it would be redundant to work on the building if we already are basking in the glory of the Lrd.
Here we return to the simple words of the Torah Temimah. It is up to the Jew to make something meaningful and dedicated to Hashem, for the Mishkan really is only stones, beams of wood and all of the technical details found in the rest of the double parsha. It could remain that way, or as it was done twice, the Mishkan could be destroyed and taken away from us if we do not see the important responsibility to diligently and constantly imbue it with sacredness and specialness. We can make a regular place uniquely holy the same way we can spoil a holy place and make it mundane. It rests with us - or as the Torah says it "will be for you"?
The post-golden-calf-gate stories bring us to the actualization of the detailed sanctuary/Mishkan and conclusion of the Book of Exodus. However, the parsha opens with Moshe gathering everyone together to hear the detailed instructions. Moshe begins his remarks with a reminder of the holiness of the sabbath and then proceeds to give the instruction for construction.
Six days work may be done and the seventh day will be for you holy, a hole say of complete rest to Hashem; whoever does work will be put to death (Shmot 35:2-3).
The Torah Temimah, the commentary of Rabbi B Epstein, makes quick work of the phrase it "will be for you" by stating, "'for you holy, and that place, profane" (quoting a mechilta). This insightful comments rings a familiar bell to those who have read AJ Heschel's The Sabbath. I believe the Torah Temimiah is emphasizing the power of a Jew to make a moment transcend a place a fill it with soulfulness in an unique way. Just as it possible to stand in a secular/profane place and have a feeling of holiness the opposite is true; one can stand in a holy place and feel regular and empty. To explain this phenomenon let's return to the Mishkan, an idealic example of a holy space.
Traditional commentators bring down the fact that the Torah's reminder of the sacredness of the Shabbat preceding the construction of the Mishkan teaches that the Mishkan was commanded not to be built on Shabbat and thus any act preformed in creating the Mishkan would be prohibited on Shabbat. One would think that the goal of a holy building such as the Hashem's home on this earth would demand all of our attention and actions around the clock - no! The Netivot Shalom comments that Shabbat and the Mishkan achieve the same goal, a dwelling place for Hashem in our midst. Thus it would be redundant to work on the building if we already are basking in the glory of the Lrd.
Here we return to the simple words of the Torah Temimah. It is up to the Jew to make something meaningful and dedicated to Hashem, for the Mishkan really is only stones, beams of wood and all of the technical details found in the rest of the double parsha. It could remain that way, or as it was done twice, the Mishkan could be destroyed and taken away from us if we do not see the important responsibility to diligently and constantly imbue it with sacredness and specialness. We can make a regular place uniquely holy the same way we can spoil a holy place and make it mundane. It rests with us - or as the Torah says it "will be for you"?
01 March 2007
Parshat Ki Tisa
No matter how many times you read Tanach, I find that there is always a beautiful way to see a verse in a new light.
In working to make a new covenant between Hashem and the forlorn Jewish nation of former slaves, Moshe asks, "Show me now Your glory" (Shmot 33:18). This question is a megilla in itself to understand. I want to focus on a new understanding of how to solve a minor contradiction in the Torah and learn a powerful lesson.
Hashem responds, "I shall make My goodness pass before you, and I shall call you with the Name Hashem before you; I shall show favor when I choose to show favor, and I shall show mercy when I choose to show mercy." He said, "You will not be able to see My face, for no human can see My face and live" (Shmot 19-20). Some argue that Hashem refused Moshe's request because he hid his face at the burning bush at the first revelation (Shmot 3:6).
We read latter on, "Never again has there arisen a prophet in Israel like Moshe, whom Hashem had known face to face" (Dvarim 34:10). Pushing aside many of the traditional commentators who explain this contradiction to a satisfactory degree, I would like to boldly push another understanding of Moshe's request for divine face-time.
You might be familiar with a sensitive aggada that is brought down often in parshat Chukat regarding the death of Aaron the Priest, Moshe's older brother. The pshat of the text states, "Moshe stripped Aaron's garments from him and dressed Elazar his son in them; then Aaron dies there on Mt. Hor, and Moshe and and Elazar descended from the mountain" (Bamidbar 20:28). How did Aaron die? According to the aggada he expired from a kiss by Gd. (It is described as painless as taking a hair from a bowl of milk). When the Torah records Moshe's death it states, "So Moshe, servant of Hashem, died there, in the land of Moab, by the mouth of Hashem" (Dvarim 34:5). Rashi writes simply on the words 'by the mouth', "with a kiss." How else does someone kiss, but by revealing one's lips and face.
One Problem: "Mouth to mouth do I speak to him, in a clear vision and not in riddles, at the image of Hashem does he gaze" (Bamidbar 12:8). After the episode of Miriam and Aaron's verbal concern over Moshe marriage, Hashem rushes to defend Moshe's honor and bestows an incredible degree of closeness to their conversations. Two answers to this hurdle. One, that "peh el peh" could also designate the wide breadth of Moshe's experiences in Gd's house (which is eluded to in the previous verse). I prefer a second solution, that in Bamidbar the language is "mouth to mouth" while our discussion has been about faces. Rav Sadia Goan interprets these words as face to face, but I am respectfully disagree with a greater sage to make this following point.
Our new way to understand Moshe's request on top of Mt. Sinai and Hashem's refusal to acknowledge his intimate relationship with his servant is about timing. In the end of his story, Moshe does merit to see the face of Hashem, but only in his final moments, Often we want to hurry a situation to reap the benefits, skip ahead of a long line to finish a transaction, or jump through preliminary questions to get to the heart of a matter. There are situations where the truth that is sought can only be concluded at the final gathering; but this does not preclude our search for the relationship of TRUTH as the parsha continues, "Three times a year all your males shall appear before "penai" the Lrd Hashem, Gd of Israel" (Shmot 34:24).
In working to make a new covenant between Hashem and the forlorn Jewish nation of former slaves, Moshe asks, "Show me now Your glory" (Shmot 33:18). This question is a megilla in itself to understand. I want to focus on a new understanding of how to solve a minor contradiction in the Torah and learn a powerful lesson.
Hashem responds, "I shall make My goodness pass before you, and I shall call you with the Name Hashem before you; I shall show favor when I choose to show favor, and I shall show mercy when I choose to show mercy." He said, "You will not be able to see My face, for no human can see My face and live" (Shmot 19-20). Some argue that Hashem refused Moshe's request because he hid his face at the burning bush at the first revelation (Shmot 3:6).
We read latter on, "Never again has there arisen a prophet in Israel like Moshe, whom Hashem had known face to face" (Dvarim 34:10). Pushing aside many of the traditional commentators who explain this contradiction to a satisfactory degree, I would like to boldly push another understanding of Moshe's request for divine face-time.
You might be familiar with a sensitive aggada that is brought down often in parshat Chukat regarding the death of Aaron the Priest, Moshe's older brother. The pshat of the text states, "Moshe stripped Aaron's garments from him and dressed Elazar his son in them; then Aaron dies there on Mt. Hor, and Moshe and and Elazar descended from the mountain" (Bamidbar 20:28). How did Aaron die? According to the aggada he expired from a kiss by Gd. (It is described as painless as taking a hair from a bowl of milk). When the Torah records Moshe's death it states, "So Moshe, servant of Hashem, died there, in the land of Moab, by the mouth of Hashem" (Dvarim 34:5). Rashi writes simply on the words 'by the mouth', "with a kiss." How else does someone kiss, but by revealing one's lips and face.
One Problem: "Mouth to mouth do I speak to him, in a clear vision and not in riddles, at the image of Hashem does he gaze" (Bamidbar 12:8). After the episode of Miriam and Aaron's verbal concern over Moshe marriage, Hashem rushes to defend Moshe's honor and bestows an incredible degree of closeness to their conversations. Two answers to this hurdle. One, that "peh el peh" could also designate the wide breadth of Moshe's experiences in Gd's house (which is eluded to in the previous verse). I prefer a second solution, that in Bamidbar the language is "mouth to mouth" while our discussion has been about faces. Rav Sadia Goan interprets these words as face to face, but I am respectfully disagree with a greater sage to make this following point.
Our new way to understand Moshe's request on top of Mt. Sinai and Hashem's refusal to acknowledge his intimate relationship with his servant is about timing. In the end of his story, Moshe does merit to see the face of Hashem, but only in his final moments, Often we want to hurry a situation to reap the benefits, skip ahead of a long line to finish a transaction, or jump through preliminary questions to get to the heart of a matter. There are situations where the truth that is sought can only be concluded at the final gathering; but this does not preclude our search for the relationship of TRUTH as the parsha continues, "Three times a year all your males shall appear before "penai" the Lrd Hashem, Gd of Israel" (Shmot 34:24).
11 February 2007
Yitro
Have you ever really thought about where Moshe Rebenu was during the 10 Commandments according to the Pshat of the Torah?
I asked my students, co-workers, and friends this week and the most popular initial answer was that Moshe was on top of Mt. Sinai with Gd. Wrong. Read closely the last verse in chapter 19 as it follows into chapter 20:
And Moshe went down to the people and spoke to them (19:25).
God spoke all these words saying:
I am the Lrd your Gd who brought you out of the land of Egypt (20:1-2).
This contradicts the simple understanding that most of us learned growing up. Perhaps we are more familiar with the verses directly after the revelation.
All the people witnessed the thunder and lightening, the blare of the horn and mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they fell back and stood at a distance. "you speak to us," they said to Moshe, "and we will obey, but let not Gd speak to us, lest we die." Moshe answered the people, "Be not afraid; for Gd has come only in order to test you, and in order that the fear of Him may be ever with you, so that you do not go astray." So the people remained at a distance, while Moshe approached the thick cloud where Gd was. (20:15-18).
We are even more familiar with the details that follow at the end of parshat Mishpatim, when Moshe ascends the mountain with the 70 elders, Aharon and his sons and with Yehoshua by his side to get the tablets. He goes up the mountain without food or drink embarking on a 40 day task within the cloudy mountain top. Further, we remember Moshe's leadership on the mountain in parshat Ki Tisa during the golden calf episode.
Why is it that more people believe Moshe was on the mountain rather than with the people? My theory has two ramifications, one educational and the second social, to explain this phenomenal misunderstanding.
It is clearly more comfortable for us to think that Moshe, our great teacher, prophet of prophets, is at a sacred distance from us. Not only does it give us a sense of security knowing that he is toiling away at his holy work on our behalf, but subsequently we feel removed from having to take any responsibility for what goes on up there. When times are good, the system works well. During tougher times, when leaders struggle or threats seem impossible, how do we react? Sitting at home watching the news it is easy to comment and point the finger at politicians or sinners who do wrong. It is easier for us to live knowing that we do not have to meet the same social, political or religious standards as those chosen to serve the public. This is a terrible educational message for the leader is a reflection of the people and the people of the leader.
Remembering that Moshe stood with the people while the terrible voice of Gd called out the 10 utterances – that we were on the same level as Moshe at that precise moment – should inspire us to our religious potential. We stood shoulder to shoulder with our leader; he stood with children, woman and men. Only then did the people send Moshe up, as a messenger for the community. We enabled him to reach higher levels for the sake of the greater good.
This idea explains well why Moshe is exiled from the mountaintop after Gd reveals the golden calf plot. It is a contradiction to have a diplomat negotiating a covenant while his government is violating the exact language of the document. The connection between the leader and the people was broken.
The social message is now clearer. As a society, we need to be more aware of our responsibilities to our leaders, even when our leaders forget their responsibility to us. Remembering that we attained high levels of holiness and intimacy at the very moment of revelation should inspire us to demand more from our society and not take a passive role to current events.
Yehi Ratzon, may it be Hashem's will, that we merit leaders who are fitting and appropriate to the tasks at hand, and we remember our potential as a society to do great things and that we must rise to occasion to again sit "like one man with one heart" at the foot of Mt. Sinai.
I asked my students, co-workers, and friends this week and the most popular initial answer was that Moshe was on top of Mt. Sinai with Gd. Wrong. Read closely the last verse in chapter 19 as it follows into chapter 20:
And Moshe went down to the people and spoke to them (19:25).
God spoke all these words saying:
I am the Lrd your Gd who brought you out of the land of Egypt (20:1-2).
This contradicts the simple understanding that most of us learned growing up. Perhaps we are more familiar with the verses directly after the revelation.
All the people witnessed the thunder and lightening, the blare of the horn and mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they fell back and stood at a distance. "you speak to us," they said to Moshe, "and we will obey, but let not Gd speak to us, lest we die." Moshe answered the people, "Be not afraid; for Gd has come only in order to test you, and in order that the fear of Him may be ever with you, so that you do not go astray." So the people remained at a distance, while Moshe approached the thick cloud where Gd was. (20:15-18).
We are even more familiar with the details that follow at the end of parshat Mishpatim, when Moshe ascends the mountain with the 70 elders, Aharon and his sons and with Yehoshua by his side to get the tablets. He goes up the mountain without food or drink embarking on a 40 day task within the cloudy mountain top. Further, we remember Moshe's leadership on the mountain in parshat Ki Tisa during the golden calf episode.
Why is it that more people believe Moshe was on the mountain rather than with the people? My theory has two ramifications, one educational and the second social, to explain this phenomenal misunderstanding.
It is clearly more comfortable for us to think that Moshe, our great teacher, prophet of prophets, is at a sacred distance from us. Not only does it give us a sense of security knowing that he is toiling away at his holy work on our behalf, but subsequently we feel removed from having to take any responsibility for what goes on up there. When times are good, the system works well. During tougher times, when leaders struggle or threats seem impossible, how do we react? Sitting at home watching the news it is easy to comment and point the finger at politicians or sinners who do wrong. It is easier for us to live knowing that we do not have to meet the same social, political or religious standards as those chosen to serve the public. This is a terrible educational message for the leader is a reflection of the people and the people of the leader.
Remembering that Moshe stood with the people while the terrible voice of Gd called out the 10 utterances – that we were on the same level as Moshe at that precise moment – should inspire us to our religious potential. We stood shoulder to shoulder with our leader; he stood with children, woman and men. Only then did the people send Moshe up, as a messenger for the community. We enabled him to reach higher levels for the sake of the greater good.
This idea explains well why Moshe is exiled from the mountaintop after Gd reveals the golden calf plot. It is a contradiction to have a diplomat negotiating a covenant while his government is violating the exact language of the document. The connection between the leader and the people was broken.
The social message is now clearer. As a society, we need to be more aware of our responsibilities to our leaders, even when our leaders forget their responsibility to us. Remembering that we attained high levels of holiness and intimacy at the very moment of revelation should inspire us to demand more from our society and not take a passive role to current events.
Yehi Ratzon, may it be Hashem's will, that we merit leaders who are fitting and appropriate to the tasks at hand, and we remember our potential as a society to do great things and that we must rise to occasion to again sit "like one man with one heart" at the foot of Mt. Sinai.
19 September 2006
Shabbat Rosh Hashana 5767
This year we bring in the new year on Shabbat. Simply put, is a holy way to announce a new begining.
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