The Ten Commandments

 

A bird’s eye view of the Torah will reveal to us that there are two sets of the Ten Commandments. One can be found in the Book of Shemot (Exodus), chapter 20, rendering the original version delivered by G-d to Moshe. The other, in the Book of Devarim (Deuteronomy), chapter 5, is where Moshe reviews the Torah and stresses its centrality and the centrality of the Ten Commandments in the life of Am Yisrael.

A closer look at the two texts will show some differences between their versions.

It is important to note that these differences are not merely semantical. Some have very practical implications. For instance, in the Book of Shemot, it states, “Remember the Shabbat.” In Devarim, however, we are required to keep, to observe the Shabbat and abstain from performing certain chores and tasks which may interfere with our rest, the main goal of Shabbat.

Likewise, the tenth commandment, in Shemot, instructs us not to “covet” that which is not ours and not engage in any act to obtain it. In Devarim, Moshe adds the word “desire,” which in addition forbids us from even, covertly, entertaining the thought.

Naturally, one may ask, if Moshe closely and accurately repeats the words of G-d, how did these differences emerge?

Some of them have specific explanations such as the well-known explanation of Chaza”l which states “remember and observe were required in one commandment.” (Babylonian Talmud, Shavuot Tractate, Leaf C, Page B). According to Chaza”l, at Mount Sinai, G-d said both words, miraculously, at once. Chaza”l further add that in documenting the Commandments in the Torah, one of each was selected each time.

Another explanation is given in the Midrash where it states that the two versions are in accordance with the two sets of the tablets that were given to Am Yisrael. The one appearing in Shemot is the one written on the original tablets which Moshe shattered after the sin of the Golden Calf, whereas the one in Devarim is the one carved on the second set given to Moshe when he went back to Mount Sinai to ask forgiveness for Am Yisrael.

Several years ago, I wrote an article where I suggested that the Torah and the Ten Commandments are a manual which is composed of two parts. One part is that which contains the Mitzvot for Am Yisrael only. The other is the moral code it preaches which is both for Am Yisrael and the world.

There is a Midrash that supports my assertion. That Midrash tells us that prior to Mount Sinai, G-d offered the Torah to all nations, and they rejected it, until He reached Am Yisrael who embraced it. On that basis, one may surmise that the original account of the Ten Commandments, in the Book of Shemot, was created for non-Jewish recipients, the nations to whom G-d proposed the Torah first, while the Devarim version was meant for Am Yisrael and Jews only.

This might explain why in Shemot, the commandment regarding Shabbat is to “remember” the Shabbat and in Deuteronomy, the requirement is to “observe” it. Additionally, in the Book of Shemot, the reason given for the requirement to remember the Shabbat is the creation of the world in six days whereas in Devarim, comes, instead, the story of the Exodus from Egypt which is pertinent to Am Yisrael only.

Another reason for the difference, I believe, lies with the fact that forty years have passed between the two versions. During that time, Am Yisrael which started its desert journey as former slaves, has matured, and possibly also become riper and readier to internalize G-d’s message and lesson. Moshe, the great teacher must have grasped it. He probably recognized that the lesson taught on Mount Sinai needed to be processed, and certain parts of it, perhaps, needed stressing, more than other ones, and, thus, edited some of the commandments in order to help facilitate the implementation and execution of the Mitzvot.

Whatever the reason for the differences between the two mentioned versions, one fact remains clear. Moshe understood that any lesson, especially one as important as that of the Torah, needs to be repeated and reinstructed or else no learning will be accomplished.

Shabbat Shalom to you, fellow Jews and Am Yisrael and a meaningful weekend to all

 

The Eighth Day

 

                                                                 “And it came to pass on the eight day, that Moses called Aaron and his sons, and the elders of Israel…”

This week’s Parashah (Torah portion) is called “Shmini” (The Eight), Leviticus 9:1 through 11:47. It addresses various topics. Among them, it relates the tragedy that befell Aharon’s two sons.

 The issue I wish to address in this article is the one concerning the consecration of the Mishkan (God’s dwelling place).

The seven days in which Moshe performed all the necessary tasks preparing for the consecration of the Mishkan are over. On the eighth day, he summons Aharon and his two sons to, officially, pass on to them the scepter of priesthood.

I want to share with you, dear readers, a different perspective on this subject, one that the titular name evoked in me.

Years ago, I saw a French movie called “The Eighth Day.” It unfolds the story of a professional man, named Harry who becomes a workaholic. The money he earns affords him the pursuit of many materialistic gratifications. Harry drives a nice car. He buys a spacious and beautiful house full of precious items. Unfortunately, it is devoid of warmth or inviolability. It is just a house, not a home.  His family nucleus begins to disintegrate. His wife leaves him taking their two daughters and he becomes a recluse and very unhappy.

It is at one of his most difficult moments that Harry meets and befriends Georges, a young down syndrome man. Georges becomes his spiritual director. He guides Harry through a healing process. He helps him slow down and teaches him the importance of appreciating the natural world around us. Eventually, Harry reunites with his family and they live happily ever after.

Unfortunately, as is the case with most down syndrome victims, Georges dies at a young age. As the angels are carrying his soul to heaven, the narrator recounts the story of the creation in Genesis day by day. “And on the Sabbath, G-d rested,” he tells us, “looked at his world and thought ‘what is missing in my world?’ So,” the narrator concludes, “on the eight day, He created Georges.”

The eighth day, mentioned in this Parashah, derives its name, “Shmini,” from the very first verse which states: “And it came to pass on the eight day, that Moses called Aaron and his sons, and the elders of Israel…” On this day, The Mishkan is consecrated.

Unlike the narrative presented in the movie that I mentioned above, on the Seventh Day of creation, when G-d rested, he had already known what was missing in His world. He had already known what had to occur on the Eight Day. For six days He had been working on creating a world for us, humans, a perfect dwelling place, a world to satisfy our physical needs and existence. G-d, in his wisdom, did not want us to end up like Harry in the story above. He knew that the physical universe He had created was just a house. It needed to become a Home, a place that would include a spiritual dimension, righteousness and morality, a place where we, its dwellers, would be blessed with an appreciation for the gifts of life bestowed upon us by Him.

What was, therefore, needed to be formed on “The Eight Day” was a dwelling place for G-d, among us. It would have been the missing piece, the one that would make His creation complete.

 Naturally, some may argue that G-d, the omnipotent, could have, himself, created “the Eight Day” merely by speaking, just as he had done on the previous six days. Why, then, didn’t He?

In order to answer this question, let me take you back to the Book of Shemot (Exodus), more specifically Chapter 25 verse 8, where G-d tells Moses, “Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them.” The task of building a dwelling place for G-d, not only amidst them but in them, in their heart, is upon Am Yisrael. ( I refer you to an article I wrote on the subject last year: https://wingnsonawildflight.blogspot.com/2020/02/terumah-building-tabernacle-within-us.html)
Only then would the world be the Home that G-d had intended it to become for us and through us, for humanity.

"The Eight Day" in G-d’s plan, therefore, is the day on which the Tabernacle, which Bezalel, who was blessed with the wisdom of the heart designed and which Am Yisrael together contributed to and jointly built. It is the day in which the spiritual universe, which G-d had planned for us to built for ourselves, bonded and merged into one with the physical world that He had set up in Genesis.

 It is our duty to ensure that the Eighth Day and what it stands for remains an inseparable part of the rest of the week. We need to preserve it as G-d had intended it to be, not just a “house” but a “home,” as well. It is the only means to heal and restore that which has become, in the words of the late Lord Rabbi Sacks, “a fractured world.”

Shavua tov

Three Mountains, Two Different Ceremonies

This week’s Parasha, “Ki Tavo,” opens with two Mitzvot which are practiced in Eretz Yisrael only. Both are connected to the Land.

The first is the directive to bring the First Fruits of the Land to the Temple in Yerushalayim as a sacrificial gift.

The second is the mandate to observe a ritual dedicated to blessings and curses that are associated with the Mitzvot. It is to be performed immediately upon entering the Promised Land.

Most of Moshe’s words, in this Parasha, are reminiscent of his ongoing reminder of the importance of keeping the Mitzvot and the rewards and punishments that are attached to them. This idea is already echoed in his words earlier in Deuteronomy 11:26 where he says, “I am setting before you today the blessing and the curse”.  

Towards that end, Moshe designates two mountains in Eretz Yisrael. One is Eyval, “The Mountain of Curse,” the other is Grizim, “The Mountain of Blessing.” Moshe then outlines before Am Yisrael the exact details of the “The Blessing and the Curse” ceremony, in which they are all requited to physically partake.

The first part in that rite, which Moshe decrees in the name of G-d, is to take place on Mount Eyval. There, Am Yisrael is required to write the words of the Torah on big whitewashed stones.

Following that, the tribes are divided into two groups. Shimon, Levi, Yehudah, Issaschar, Yosef and Binyamin will stand on Mount Eyval. Reuven, Gad, Asher, Zevulun, Dan and Naftali will position themselves on Mount Grizim.

The Levites and the Kohanim will remain in the valley between the two Mountains. When they sanctify the People through the blessings, they shall turn to Mount Grizim, the Mountain of Blessing. When the curses are recited, they will turn to Moun Eyval. At the end of each, the People shall respond by saying “Amen.”

For me and perhaps for some of the readers, these events are reminiscent of another, very impressive, memorable, and most important milestone in our People’s history, the receiving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. The only obvious difference though is that in this case, we are dealing with two mountains instead of just one, as was the case there.

Is this really the only difference between the two events?

Not at all.

When Am Yisrael received the Torah, they had just recently been released from slavery. They were still confused by their sudden liberty, mesmerized and scared by the spectacular scene of the “thunder and lightning… and the “sound of the trumpet.” (Exodus 20:14) Few, if any, did understand the importance, the meaning and the gravity of the contract they had entered with G-d when they said: “we shall do, and we shall hear.”  (Exodus 24:7).

Moreover, until the decree to write the Torah on the stones on top of Mount Eyval Eyval, the Torah had been passed orally. As slaves who had just come out of Egypt, the Yisraelites did not know how to read or write, let alone understand the Torah when it was given to them at Sinai. Forty years of wandering in the desert, however, were expected to have rectified it. The former slaves can no longer only see, hear, and speak, they can also write. This is the first time, Am Yisrael, the People itself, every member of it, will have partaken in the task of recording the Torah in a written form.

As studies show, writing down anything is not only the more effective way to acquire, understand and assimilate new information, it also makes us remember as well as master it better.

The second and not less important difference is that unlike the event on Mount Sinai, where Moshe was the only one on the Mountain while the People were camping in the valley below, this time, it is Am Yisrael that is on a mountain and their leaders are situated below. Here, they are active participants in an event which amounts to reaffirmation of the contract that they made with G-d at Sinai, an experience which will surely leave its footprints on their essence.  

A third and very important difference is that, unlike the occasion of Mount Sinai which occurred in a foreign land and which may have faded from the memory of many members of Am Yisrael, Mount Eyval and Mount Grizim are here in Eretz Yisrael, their new and Home. They will serve as a visual, moral agent and an eternal reminder of the Covenant we entered with G-d at Mount Sinai.

Lastly and most importantly is how Am Yisrael responds in both ceremonies. At Mount Sinai, unlike here, Am Yisrael automatically responded “We shall do and hear,” to the decree of Mitzvot even though they may not have fully understood them and the weight they carry.

Here, however, Am Yisrael is directed to say “Amen” which is recited following the reading of the list of curses and blessings by the Kohanim and the Levites.  The Hebrew word, “Amen,”  which many translate as “so be it,” shares the same root with the words, trust, belief and faith.

That points to a huge leap from what we witnessed at Sinai. Since then, when Am Yisrael was at its infancy, our People have matured. Forty years of wandering in the desert, it seems, have equipped them with the right tools and are expected to understand G-d’s message, learn to assume responsibility, have better judgement, trust G-d, believe and have faith in Him.

Wishing all of you, Shavua tov and a great year ahead of us, a year of understanding cushioned with faith and trust in G-d and our leadership.

Amen!  🇮🇱🇮🇱🥰🇮🇱🇮🇱

Re'eh

"See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse,” (Deuteronomy 11:26) is the first verse of this week’s Parasha. It is also where the Parasha draws its name from (Re’eh – see). The great prophet, Moshe, is about to reminding his congregation that only leading a life where they observe G-d’s directives will gain them His blessing. Moving away from the mitzvot, on the other hand will bring a curse upon their heads and their way of life.

To most of us, “seeing” invokes the connotation of perceiving with the eyes or discerning visually. I doubt that this is what G-d had in mind when He put these words into Moshes’s mouth. The “seeing” that I believe He wanted  Am Yisrael, a nation in its early stages of development, to exercise is to rather focus on grasping and deducing mentally following their reflection on the message that this Parasha is about to deliver. It is the way they observe themselves, their conduct and how well they understand that which will determine their fate.

Am Yisrael is still in a disarray, at the stage of their infancy. They have undergone a few traumatic experiences during their wanderings in the desert.  They are about to enter Eretz Yisrael.. The fear of what awaits them when they enter the Land and take their life into their own hands is gnawing in their heads. They perceive themselves as victims and act as such. They are still stuck in their recent past.

Moshe knows it. He uses the occasion to hand them a moral compass. So, rather than spend time unwinding them, softening his approach towards them, or removing their concerns, he does the opposite. He wants them to look into the future, prepare themselves for their new reality and shed off the shackles of victimhood. He reminds them of and reviews, yet again, the many mitzvot they have heard more than once during their time in the desert, as he passes on the message that it is up to them, their deeds and the way they lead their life that will be the founding principle of their blessings.

In other words, G-d wants them to take responsibility. The message Moshe delivers, in G-d’s name, uses the singular form of “see,” not the plural one (Re’u). This lesson is not aimed only at Am Yisrael as a nation. It is meant for every individual member of it. A personal message from G-d. It is not about others, it is about us, it is about me, you, and our own personal moral orbit. It is all about choices. No one can make the selection for us. If we choose the curse, we will suffer. On the other hand, if we conduct our life properly, we will not only improve our own universe but that of others as well.

May we all understand and incorporate the difference between the two and live a fulfilling life endowed with the best of every blessing.

Shabbat Shalom

Shavuot - An Ode to G-d

This article was written by Tal Gilad in Hebrew and translated into English by Bat-Zion Susskind-Sacks.

Disclaimer: the essay below represents the point of view of the writer only. It is not intended to offend anyone or aimed at entering debates over one’s religious beliefs or scientific point of view. He solely expresses his thoughts. Nothing more. Thank you.

Shavuot, the Holy Day on which the Torah was given to Am Yisrael, is here.

True, every religious belief or faith needs to be respected. I trust, however, that over one issue there is no dispute, Judaism is the source for the other widely practiced faiths – Christianity and Islam. At school they taught us that the uniqueness of Judaism is that it is the first monotheistic faith. They also explained to us the difference between the belief in one god and that in many gods. I feel that this is missing the core of the issue.

It was also said about Akhenaten that he was a monotheist since he believed that the sun is the only god. New studies raise the possibility that he was merely “substituting” the previous sun god without rescinding the others, or that he only diminished their significance. It not that crucial. The bottom line is that it is no big deal to believe in one god instead of a few. OK, one works alone, the other delegates, what difference does it make?

The wisdom and distinctiveness of Judaism, especially its earlier debut is that Judaism is a giant leap in the  perception of G-d, not only is He One and Only, He has no shape, He is all-powerful and infinite and the G-d of all of us. I stress, of ALL. He chose Am Yisrael, but He is also the G-d of all nations, including the enemies of Yisrael. Whether they choose to believe in him or nor, is their preference.

This stems from the understanding that one god cannot be restricted. The moment he is your god only, he becomes something terribly forceful. In other words, if you build a tower which reaches the heavens or if you train at the gym long enough or bring in the air force, you will be stronger than him.

If he has a shape, he is limited. If there is something that preceded him, as was the case with the Greek gods, he is limited.

Hence, one cannot utter His name, since the moment you give Him one, you limit Him to words and letters. He must, therefore, be omnipotent, He is everything, omnipresent and invariably everywhere, our G-d in Heaven and Earth.

Incidentally, it does not matter whether the world has been existing for 13 billion years or six thousand years. Both are numbers that enable us to quantify a concept that we cannot grasp since it is perpetual. Just as one says “god” to introduce a word to something self-explanatory, a notion which cannot be articulated, so one names a number in order to clench on to something. Just as the decree that north is up, and south is down. Why? Just because. I have swerved a bit. That is a different subject altogether, but in fact, still related.

With all due respect and sincerely, I am not belittling or lessening the significance and stature of Christianity and Islam.  On the contrary, they spread the belief in one god and thus contributed their share in raising the whole of mankind to a higher spiritual level. But the basic perceptions about the essence of G-d originate in Judaism. The rest are a product of the original and thy do not deny it. It is not a problem to construct a wagon. The problem is to invent the wheel since it forces one to exit the thinking mode to which they were used. The inventor is also the one who understands their invention and knows all the stages that led  them to that understanding, as opposed to someone who received it ready-made and applies to it all that they know and are familiar with in their world. Jesus was a Jew and probably never considered himself a god. His followers, however, conceived the idea of the holy trinity, partly in order to make their faith more accessible and more concrete. Therefore, observant Jews do not enter a church. In their eyes, the holy trinity is a form of idolatry. After all, how can one divide that which is infinite, formless, and baffling into three? Which three?

One can, of course, find numerous hints and aspects of “accessibility” in our writings starting  the creation of the world where G-d, allegedly, says something or rests on the seventh day since he was tired, through “let us create a man in our image” and more, there was a need for visualization. But the <<basic>> notion in Judaism is that “G-d is One,” stressing the principle that there cannot be more than one that is endless and everything. Nothing could be more than endless and all. This is the central principle in Judaism and if one does not accept it, one does not understand its essence. After all, it is inconceivable that Moshe would come down from Mount Sinai and say, “OK, the golden calf is also a god,” merely to keep everyone happy and quiet.

“We shall do, and we shall hear,” which Am Yisrael took upon itself upon receiving the Torah, is also derived from this sentiment. After all, that “all” cannot give anything bad, impossible. He will not negate the universe and everything He created, just like as in the “know it all” question, “can G-d create a stone that He cannot lift?” Funny. Can the heavyweight lifting world champion raise and hold in the air the chair that he is sitting on? No. The contradiction is not in the answer but in the question.

The Ten Commandments are ten basic principles for living in the company of human beings, that which distinguishes between humans and animals. Their essence is Empathy. The wise Hillel summarized it “do not do unto others that which is hateful to you, the rest is commentary, go and learn.” Empathy is civilization, give and take, karma, flow of energy, call it whatever you wish. Has G-d given them directly to Moshe in a wrathful baritone voice? What difference does it make?

The funny thing is that in the desperate efforts to find a meaning to that which has none, researchers raised the hypothesis that there was no need for the world to be created, it has always existed (even Aristo claims that), which means that they believe that there is something primordial which has no creator, is infinite, has no shape and no size, that everything in it is conducted with a fixed and balanced amount of energy which cannot be subtracted by one tiny bit or else all will be chaotic.

In simple words, it is not G-d, but G-d. I reached the conclusion that just as the various religious leaders, astral physicists reach a certain point where they themselves do not understand their theories and move on to esoteric terms. And if one questions them, they define that person as ignorant and mindless.

So, here is another unique aspect of Judaism. We shall do and we shall hear. We accept our inability to understand. It is always great to learn and widen one’s horizons and it is not a shame to accept that there are issues which are beyond our understanding. This, also, has wisdom and spiritual eminence.

The Perpetual Desert Generation?

Two weeks ago, Jews the world over celebrated Pesach, the Holy Day marking our People’s Exodus from Egypt and embarking on our journey from slavery into freedom. For me, at least, it bears a very meaningful period in our Jewish timeline.

Unfortunately, this Pesach was quite a different one, one that we are not going to forget anytime soon. This year, it was celebrated in the shadow of Corona, serving as a reminder of the fragility of the fabric of our existence.

It is not just Corona, however, that served as a wakeup call for many. For some, myself included, this Pesach, unfortunately, presented, yet another proof that though we may have physically come out of bondage, mentally and emotionally, we are still drenched and perceptually bear the yoke of serfdom. We are still in the Sinai desert trying to make our way to the Promised Land.

Remember how our forefathers complained to Moshe on a regular basis during that time? Here are some examples.

Exodus 16:3 : “If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.”

In Exodus 17:3, we hear a similar gripe when they accuse Moshe of trying to kill them. This time, though, they add, “children and livestock,” thus making the accusations against him even more severe by including these two feeble and vulnerable groups. “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?”

Later, in Exodus 32, when Moshe is away on Mount Sinai, receiving the Torah, the Yisraelites lose patience and continue with their complaints. Aharon, who is not well versed in the art of leadership, caves in and erects the golden calf.

This was going on for forty years when all that Moshe wanted was to deliver our People to their own Land and secure their future.

Fast forward a few thousand years. That brings us to the modern-day Jewish state of Yisrael.

Looking around me nowadays, I see members of a Nation and a country that I love so dearly. Although we have moved forward and are experiencing the opulence of the Age of Technology with its many conveniences, something that did not exist during the Exodus, attitude wise, not much seems to have changed. Our mindsets and reactions to serious issues has unfortunately remained pretty much the same. It pangs me to see that we are still doing what our forefathers did thousands of years ago during what should have been considered a landmark in our history.

We are still complaining precisely as did the Biblical desert generation.

When we could celebrate Pesach freely among family and friends, many Yisraelis preferred to do it on some remote exotic island. It is probably and most likely because they did not want to be in the company of salivating auntie Frida and blabbering uncle Maurice.

Now, we have an epidemic, rather a pandemic which forces us into a new reality. “Now” they told us, “you are relieved of the company of auntie Frida and uncle Maurice. In fact, we forbid you to spend any time with them.”

And what do some do in response? Yes, they complain, as did the desert generation. .

The Yisraeli Health Ministry issued some extremely strict guidelines in order to stamp out a virus that has claimed many lives. These directives have one goal and one goal only. It is to secure the health well-being of Yisraelis (a tactic which, by the way, proved itself as remarkably effective).

And how do we react? You guessed right again. Just like them.

We keep complaining while some still refuse to cooperate and to adhere to the instructions.

I could come up with some more examples to prove my point. But you do get my gist, don’t you?

For a nation, a People that has been through so much in history, witnessed so many miracles, saw devastation and renewal, death, and rebirth we, Jews have much to be grateful for.

But hey, if we follow the logic of Cohen’s quote above, I guess the question that is begging to be asked is, if we drop our complaints, would we still be Jewish?

Happy Independence Day, Medinat Yisrael and Am Yisrael.

Pidyon HaBen

{Note:  Pidyon HaBen (redemption of the firstborn son) is a Jewish ceremony wherein the father of a firstborn male redeems his son by giving a Cohen (a descendant of Aharon, the High Priest) five silver coins, thirty days after the baby’s birth}. 

The following article was written by Tal Gilad in Hebrew and translated into English by Bat-Zion Susskind-Sacks.

From here to there, I find myself, one day in a Pidyon HaBen ceremony, at some friends’ home. The last time that I attended such an event was at my son’s Pidyon HaBen which too place twenty years ago.

I must admit that I do not get excited by events in which the subject of the event is not asked whether he wishes to be there or not. The same is, more or less,  true for weddings but there, at least one still has the theoretical option to jump out the window and escape to Ben Gurion airport, a privilege which one does not have at the age of one month. Make no mistake, I am all for it, I just pity the baby and his parents surrounded by salivating aunts and uncles who possess a sense of humour older than wine.

Still, a pleasant surprise awaited me as soon as I arrived, when I realized that the ceremony will be conducted by my dear friend, Yechiel Safra (yes, that same one from the programme “It is Language Time”), one of the most amazing people that I was fortunate to meet.

 It was clear that this occasion, was not going to be boring. However, one glance at the audience, raises doubts in me: the scenery is entirely secular, most of whom look younger than the spectacled-bald-enlightened breed that is travelling to attend critiquing an exhibition in Berlin.

The parents themselves look like children, a bit stressed, trying to smile. The father is still not certain about handling the child, gets advice and light reproof from female relatives. Oy, how well I remember this.

The ritual commences and I realize how convenient it is to be a guest and not a frightened parent. You can listen and even understand when the mother is reading certain explanations from her notes. And then she invites Safra. The well experienced fox stands up and while walking starts chanting with his thundering voice, the proper Biblical trope, “And G-d spoke unto Moshe…..” I am always envious of people who do not need a microphone and who were blessed with the voice that I only have when I have a cold. The sudden attack finds the spectacled-bold unprepared and in need of that split second to grasp the cynicism. They tense up and you realize that it suddenly interests them. No, it is more than mere interest. It is something that is reminiscent of methods used to locate spies: someone behind them utters something in their native tongue and checks to see who instinctively turns, before they contemplate their move. No use trying, Judaism is there, in all of them, underneath a crust that is much thinner than we believe.

Safra does not hold the baby and does not raise him upward, as they did to my son twenty years ago, a moment where my blood froze and a decision to become a Buddhist ripened. It turns out that it is not an essential or inseparable part of the ceremony. For a second, I retroactively get upset but in no time return to the present. Here, the parents continue to hold the baby. And those who remember what being a fresh parent knows how comforting it is to all involved.

“Firstborn son, you shall redeem after thirty days,” I did not know the explanation it formed the Hebrew acronym of “Bresheet,” (in the beginning). The origin of the text is, of course, associated with the tenth plague that preceded the Exodus from Egypt, which spared the firstborn sons of Bnei Yisrael. “And each of firstborn sons you shall redeem.” Jews enjoy doubting themselves. There is a cosmopolitan halo about it. The Exodus from Egypt? No proof! We are enlightened, scientific, and hopelessly sober.

Many of the researchers who are, with all due respect, no less scientific and sober than the bald-spectacled above, are fairly certain that the Exodus from Egypt did take place. A blend of shreds evidence, the Egyptian Ipouwer Papyurs which even the enlightened of the enlightened will have to chuckle while reading the text and at least say: “ This, of course, proves nothing, yet it is interesting” and, mainly, the use of that very rare commodity, common sense.

There is no reason for the presence of such a popular story if it has no basis in reality. Nations do not invent story that describe themselves as originating from slaves who had escaped. It is a story that outlines  an ongoing, not always complimentary, story which involves many people and generally sounds credible.

The ceremony continues, a mixture of light and heavy, the course of redeeming the baby is performed according to all rules and regulations. What would you prefer the baby or the shekels? Surprisingly enough, the father elects to have the baby and we reach the stage of Birkat Cohanim.

And then comes the genuine great surprise.

Some of the participants (not only the uncle with the kippah from Nes - Tziona which everyone seems to have) mumble lines from the blessings along with Safra. I know because I learned it from my son. But where in the world does a Tel Aviver who produces a feature and has a cat, know it? And here – unbelievable, or, in fact, why not – there appears a little tear. Not one facial muscle moves, the young man sits with folded hands, no one would have noticed if not for the wipe, as if by happenstance, of the eye and quickly reverts to folding his arms. Someone once told me that there is not one person in Yisrael who is secular.

Safra concludes, explains a few points and leaves us all with a smile. The mother ends with a few Torah words and everyone’s attention is shifted to the plates. All of this in less than a quarter of an hour, a feel-good timeout and unveils in you what you truly are. Secular or observant, Leftist or Right wing, a believer or very lucid. A Jew.

Shabbat Shalom.

When Does A Belief Become Part Of A Nation’s Historical Timeline?

The following article was written by Tal Gilad a Yisraeli journalist. It was translated into English by Bat-Zion Susskind-Sacks

It seems that there is no point anymore in addressing the question as to whether there was an Exodus from Egypt or not, since this issue and any opinion about it is affected mainly by agenda. Those who despise anything related to religion / faith (or in fact loathe anything other than Macchiato) qvell in the yearly opportunity to mock the entrenched myth, and whoever is for Bibi is also for Moses. For some reason, the two go hand in hand/ Yes, of course it is a generalization and I know that also on the Right there are those who scorn faith and currently hold haughty rational positions. That’s ok.

I have no doubt that the Exodus from Egypt did take place since we have no reason to believe it did not. What is unusual in a story about a People which wanders from one place to another? Had I wanted to invent an impressive myth about our origin, the last thing that would have jumped into my mind would be to describe us as a bunch of nebechs who had run away from their masters and on the way did some ugly deeds as the Tanach tells us. It would have been far more exciting to tell how the first Man fought an evil dragon but during the battle bumped into a bush which tore off his foreskin. And while he was hurting and bemoaning, a voice came out of Heaven and said: “Oh, Man, do not cry and do not despair, for this circumcised one will become a great nation.” A rain of children started to pour from Heaven and they became the People of Yisrael who overcame the dragon. And since then, we perform circumcision to commemorate the victory and we eat Matzot because the First Man broke the dragon’s head with a wooden board.

We can invent a hundred stories like this, per day. And indeed, there are plenty of such stories in other people’s mythologies.

The Exodus from Egypt does not fulfill the criterion of an unfounded tale. Remove the parts with miracles, if you wish, or reduce the number of people to a mere few thousands, still what is unreasonable about it? “There is no archaeological evidence.”

There is evidence,, however, it cannot be connected, with any certainty, to the Exodus from Egypt. Archaeology is a young discipline. About Egypt, in general, there is still much that is unknown. “No skeletons.” A skeleton erodes and crumbles in a matter of a few decades. What we find, occasionally, are a million years old fossils, lucky skeletons which were surrounded by conditions that allowed them to mix with the minerals and thus survived. Otherwise, the whole planet would be covered with human and animal skeletons.

The story of the Exodus from Egypt is detailed, long and filled with ups and downs and unpleasant details. Were it just a Harry Potter story, no one would have celebrated it every year, actually twice, Pesach and Sukkot. It is fair to assume that not everything happened exactly as told but its nucleus sounds entirely realistic.

Even the Egyptians had a somewhat incensed version of the story of the Exodus. Manetho, an Egyptian historian on the 3^rd century, B.C.E., claimed that the Children of Yisrael are the Hyksos, foreign rulers who were expelled out of Egypt in the 16^th century B.C.E. In ancient Egypt, “The lepers’ libel,” which claimed that the Children of Yisrael were forcefully banished since they were lepers, was circulated, Yuck.

Ok, let us leave a typical narrative of “no way have I lost,” the kind we  hear from our surrounding nations who continue to assert their victory even without their teeth and withn their head is stuck downward in a barrel. The fact is that the narrative refers to that tale. 

In Hebrew there are quite a few words which originated in ancient Egypt, including the name “Moshe (Moses)” which simply means “son.” The suffix, “messes” was commonly used in in ancient Egypt. One of the names that is related to Egypt is Ramsses II, who according to some researchers is the Pharoah mentioned in the Book of Exodus. Circumcision, which Jews practice to signify our unique covenant with G-d,  was customary in Egypt before we adopted it.

The Greek historian, Heroditus, states that “the Syrians who lived in Palestine” (The Jews who lived   and worked in the coastline area which was named after the Philistines) circumcise their sons in the Egyptian tradition, unlike other nations in the region.

Papyrus Ipower, the ancient Egyptian papyrus, describes events, some of which astonishingly resemble the ten plagues, which means that if it were a legend – it originated in Egypt. Ancient Egyptian wall paintings portray Semitic Peoples arriving to Egypt, nothing unusual about it, the Hyksos, likewise, were Semitic. Egypt’s protectorate spread all the way to Northern Eretz Yisrael, albeit shaky.

It all points to a strong bond between Am Yisrael and Egypt.

Were this story not related to religion, the tables would have been turned: the Left would have basked with great pleasure in the story of the Exodus from Egypt and see it as yet another proof that from the onset came from another Land. In fact, the average Leftist might have a dilemma here – who does it hate more, the Jewish faith or Eretz Yisrael. Hatred towards religion gains strength here in Yisrael because it is imprinted in our blood for many more generations. So let us say this – if the Right and the observant Jews insist that we came from Egypt, then perhaps it is true.

The Perpetual Flame

“The fire must be kept burning on the altar continuously; it must not go out.” Leviticus 6:13

Fire is one of the five elements of nature. It is probably the most fascinating one of them. One cannot avoid being attracted and mesmerized by its dynamics and power when watching it. Along with its symbolism, fire has steered mankind since the dawn of civilization. It has been used in  social, religious and sacred rites. It is a wonderful gift which can cleanse, purge, and empower us, inspire, and enrich us. Unfortunately, when unbridled, it can also harm us. It can consume and turn into ashes anything that stands in its path.

Fire and its role in conducting the affairs of the Mishkan, mainly with regards to the rituals of the various sacrifices, is one of the central themes in this week’s Parashah, Tzav. Many of the various sacrifices were mentioned in last week’s Parashah. However, while there, it discussed the laws that concern the persons who bring the sacrifice, in this week’s Parashah, the commands are relegated to the Cohanim (priests), namely Aharon and his sons.

G-d instructs Moshe to command (Tzav) them and pass on to them the decrees, duties and rights concerning the ceremonies and rituals of sacrifices. The central tool around which most of the chores and services in the Mishkan take place is’ as we learn, the altar.

Part of the directives of conducting the work of the Mishkan, focus on the Esh Hatamid, the eternal fire, which was constantly burning on the altar of the Mishkan. The flame signifies the altar's incessant task: even when no sacrifice is offered, the altar is always on a “stand by” mode, ready to perform its mission.

In his  book “Likutei Torah,” the Lubavitcher Rebbe, states that the altar is akin to the heart of a Jew. Rabbi Elimelech, similarly, describes every Jew as an altar and their sanctity as akin to the eternal flame. Just as the altar should have the perpetual fire, he claims, so within every Jew, there should always be a burning desire to aspire to as close to being holy as possible. Just as the Cohanim needed to ensure that the altar fire never extinguishes, so do we, Jews and Am Yisrael, need to engage in the service of Hashem so that our inviolability does not get quenched.

I beg to differ with these views. Every Jew is not just “an altar.”

A few weeks ago, I addressed the directive to build a Mishkan for G-d. In my article entitled, “Terumah" – Building a Tabernacle Within Us,” I suggested that when G-d instructed Moshe to command Bnei Yisrael to build a Mishkan for him, that He “also meant a spiritual Tabernacle, one that will create a permanent dwelling place for Him not only in their camp but also in their heart, in their soul. G-d wants to dwell “in them” not only among them. He wishes to be part of their essence.”

In my view, G-d wants us to have a Mishkan within us, to be, ourselves a Mishkan, a sanctuary, a vital and spirited entity that is cloaked in holiness: “For you are a Holy Nation to the Lord, your G-d. Out of all the peoples on the face of the earth’ the Lord has chosen you to be his treasured possession” (Devarim 14:2). And just like the Eternal fire that burns in G-d’s dwelling place among us, so should an eternal vibrant flame burn within us, in our Mishkan.

 The word “holy” in Hebrew is the same root as dedication. It denotes loyalty and a concerted effort try and reach higher levels of existence, the spiritual kind and what Rabbi Berel Weil refers to as “nobility of purpose. A holy nation,” he states, “… is a nation that is able to retain its unique identity. It cannot be swallowed up by the prevailing and ever changing majority cultures that will always surround it.”

The Eternal Flame that burns on the altar of our individual Mishkan is the fervor, the passion with which we will continue to guard, protect and continue to adhere to our noble Jewish values, Torah moral code and ethics, our wonderful tradition and our designated role in History, that of being “A Light unto the Nations.”

This Flame within us will be the Pillar of Fire which will illuminate our Life’s path and help us remain, in the words of Rabbi Weil, “a Holy Nation in every walk of life, at Home and at the marketplace, in the halls of government – and certainly in the treatment of others.”

Wishing everyone Shabbat Shalom with every blessing for abundant health.

Leviticus

I have long objected to using Greek or Latin names that were given to our Holy Torah. Bresheet has become, “Genesis.” Shemot has become Exodus and Bamidbar “Numbers.”

The Latin name, “Leviticus,” given to the 3rd Chumash,”Vaykrah, however, is the only one that I can live with.

Why?

Leviticus is derived from the word Levi, the name of the tribe from which the Cohanim (Priests) and Levites who served G-d in the Temple, come from. Levitcus, is also referred to as the “Book of Cohanim”.

Professor Yacob Milgrom (1923-2010) whom I had the great honour and pleasure to have met while I was in graduate school at Berkeley (that is where he conducted his research) calls Leviticus the “Book of Rituals and Ethics.” The book does contain and discuss the laws pertaining to the Cohanim and Levites and other ceremonial observances such as sacrifices and those relating to purity.

What is unique about Leviticus that does not exist in the previous three Torah books?

Leviticus introduces two new kinds of sacrifices: sin offering and guilt offering. It also mentions the subject of contamination for the first time.

Before anyone points out to me that sin offering is already mentioned in Shemot chapter 29, as part of the construction of the Mishkan, it is noteworthy to mention that, there, the sin offering is not aimed at absolving anyone from transgression (which is its goal) but for the sole purpose of cleansing the altar.

The Torah also gives us the reason for the need for such an offering in Leviticus 16:16, “In this way, he will make atonement for the Most Holy Place because of the uncleanliness and rebellion of the Israelites, whatever their sins have been. He is to do the same for the tent of meeting, which is among them during their uncleanliness.”

Leviticus is the first Book of the Torah that raises the issues of impurity and defilement. The mention of sin and guilt offerings brings to the awareness of people that humans and vessels can be contaminated. It also stresses that one can cleanse oneself of any uncleanness. The Leviticus author dwells on these in detail and at length and for ONE reason, the Mishkan.

Before the erection of the Mishkan, a Yisraelite could set up an altar and sacrifice anywhere. However, when the Mishkan was constructed, it became the only place anyone could offer a sacrifice to G-d. In the Mishkan of Shemot, it was only Moshe and Cohanikm who conferred with G-d. Leviticus turns the into a place where every human can confer with G-d through sacrifice offering. It is no longer exclusively for Moses and the Cohanim.

The Mishkan of Vayikra has, therefore, taken on a new factor. It must remain the holiest, purest ,cleanest and most untainted place in the camp. This new reality has created a need for new laws in order to protect it from the impurity that resulted from the sins of Bnei Yisrael. That, of course, explains the verse from Leviticus 16:16 which I quoted above.

It is sad that Leviticus is not studied widely or given more attention. Many regard it as dealing with ancient practices which dissipated a long time ago.

As a result, unfortunately, we fail to understand its important message to us, especially these days.

The message of Leviticus is that each and everyone of us should be part of the effort to keep the Shechina among us. In order to be worthy of that, we need to ensure, especially during these hard days, that we adhere to our objective to remain as clean and pure both Physically and Spiritually. Only this way can we fulfill the destiny of being Am Kadosh, a Holy Nation and overcome the most ferocious enemies.

Shabbat Shalom and every blessing.

A Community and Its Individuals, Equally Important

This week’s Parasha is composed of two portions. The decision to combine the occasional readings of two portions instead of just one arose out of the need to reconcile between the number of Torah portions (54) and the number of Shabbatot in a year (52). Doubling up Torah portions is also practiced close to reference point on the Jewish calendar (e.g. Pesach, Shavuot and others).

This week’s Parashah pairs Vaykhel and Pikudei.

It is interesting to note that these two Parashot express two different and perhaps conflicting messages. Vayakhel means gathering bringing people together and creating a community, a Kehilah. A community creates a stronger, more sublime reality, forges a sense of unity and commitment. And that is precisely what Moshe is trying to create in Parashat Vayakhel.

 The Parashah details how Moshe gathers Am Yisrael, shares with them G-d’s directive to build a House for Him and reminds them of the importance to observe Shabbat. Am Yisrael is excited and enlists itself to this important task. They contribute, each in their own way and according to their abilities. Some give silver, gold, precious stones. Others contributed by applying their skills.

Moshe’s efforts to unite the People have borne fruit. After a short while, Moses is told that there are enough materials, supplies and skilled individuals to carry out the duty. The mission of cementing a community by providing a common goal has been successful.

Then comes Parashat Pikudei, its pair. The word, “Pikudei” means counting, taking a census, tallying up. In this Parashah, Moshe is counting and documenting the vessels of the Mishkan, each one separately and equally important regardless of its size or value.

The message is clear. The process of building the Mishkan symbolizes the formation, the transformation of Am Yisrael from a forlorn multitude into a nation that shares a common covenant where everyone is an essential, vital part of one whole. 

Moshe, the great leader, was able to find the balance between the two very important, concepts underlying every healthy society, the community and its individuals. Through paring these two Parashot, we are given the tools to creating a society of shared values and ambitions where each individual feels connected and responsible for its well-being in an equal manner.

Fellow Jews and Am Yisrael, these are  trying times for the world. Here in Yisrael, the problem is magnified due to unresolved political issues. It is at times such as these that we need to join hands, cultivate our sense of unity, forget our petty ego related issues and dedicate ourselves, our skills and resources for the good of the whole.

To achieve Peace among us, we need both “Vayakhel and “Pikudei” equally.

Shavua tov. May we have a week full of Light, Love and Every Blessing.