Close To Torah

In dramatic fashion, US President Barak Obama made a whirlwind visit lasting only fifteen hours – six hours longer then originally planned. His goal: to broker a new deal that would set stricter standards on emissions and pave the way for a greener world. If you read the news reports, you will be surprised to learn that his brief participation at the conference was marred by miscommunication, a constantly changing schedule and political swaggering by the Chinese delegation – obviously not too happy with Obama’s insistence on their cutting back on air pollution.

When the dust settled, quite literally – and the President was already back in Washington, they agreed on a deal he helped broker – though it was not exactly what he had originally hoped for. Now, I hear you asking – “What on earth (pun intended) does this have to do with Judaism?”

Well, here we go.

Our Sages teach us that all beginnings are difficult. Change does not come easy. This holds true in both our spiritual and material lives. It requires constant effort, persistence and determination. By pursuing our goals with vision and the proper focus that is required will we succeed.

In an age of modernity, where everything revolves around spontaneity – we are always seeking the quick fix. TV dinners, instant soups and takeout – the list just goes on. To an extent this is all good. There is nothing wrong with throwing something in the microwave after a hard day’s work or when in a rush. However, is this the ideal? Would a caterer serve frozen TV dinners at a lavish wedding?

No! (I hope not.) There are situations where the need for a quick fix arises. Most of the time however, we just need to put in the effort and do what is required of ourselves. Climate change, an issue that’s hotly debated and of great importance – perhaps a bit more time on the ground could have been spent trying make it work.

Spirituality is not something that we can ‘charge up’ on – G-d forbid -   at Shul on Shabbos. It’s a constant process of devotion and sincerity. Our Sages warn us to take steps that ensure that we don’t fulfill the Mitzvos merely out of rote. They are part and parcel of our daily living. We don’t just try and fulfill our obligations; we give it our all and seek the path of becoming close to Hashem – and Close to Torah!

Good luck!

American Airlines made the news this week as Flight 331 from Miami to Jamaica overshot the runway and skidded to a halt just ten feet from the sea.

Miraculously, everyone survived.

I’d like to share a thought with you that came to mind – something I heard from Rabbi Nota Schiller, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Ohr Somayach in Jerusalem.

This leads us to our question. What is the difference between American Airlines and G-d?

Well, why not answer a question with a story!

Rabbi Schiller was once traveling on American Airlines when the pilot announced that due to inclement weather, they would have to divert from their original flight plan and take a more circuitous route.

After hearing this PA announcement, Rabbi Schiller drew a sketch of both the original, and the new flight plans on his napkin and called for a flight attendant. When she arrived, he asked her to sign off on the new flight plan.

Seeing that she was puzzled, he explained that by taking the circuitous route he was entitled to more AA mileage. He wanted her to sign her approval.

She held her ground and said that American Airlines would award mileage based upon the distance between the two cities, not based upon the route they actually took.

This is the answer to our question.

In Judaism, Hashem rewards a person based upon HOW they reached their ‘destination’, not WHERE they reached. Everyone has their own set of challenges and impediments from achieving spiritual success. Hashem takes this all into account.

For some people, it comes easy. For others, it comes harder. Everyone has their own expectations to live up to and their own potential to fulfill.

All of this is taken into account by Hashem.

So, next time you are on board and in flight remember the difference between American Airlines and Hashem.

It’s not the destination that matters most – it’s how you get there.

Have a great Shabbos!

Intermarriage is the greatest problem facing the Jewish nation today. It is decimating our masses at an alarming rate as the tides of our youth assimilate into oblivion. Faced with this challenge, we have dispatched some of our best and brightest to the forefront to confront this growing problem head on.

We have sent them to college campuses around the globe. There, outreach professionals are able to reach out in an attempt to save the next generation of Jews and preserve our heritage keeping our torch of tradition burning bright.

Yet, difficult questions arise – questions which need to be answered. Here is one such question along with an approach that I heard from Rabbi Doron Kornbluth – author of “Why Marry Jewish?” – at a recent conference for outreach workers in northern Israel.

Outreach professionals are often confronted with the question, “Isn’t Judaism racist? After all, why must a Jew marry a Jew – are the rest of the world’s population second class citizens?

Let’s begin with a parable that can help answer such a question.

A partner in a high profile law firm (an African American bachelor) receives word that a paralegal (a Caucasian female) is interested in dating him.

He sends word back that – as a proud African American – and one who dates only for marriage – he will only date fellow African Americans.

Needless to say, this causes quite an uproar in the office the next day by lunch. Accusations abound, he is labeled a racist and his colleagues are up in arms. Here is a white woman willing to date a black man and she is turned away. He seeks to calm the storm and releases a statement the next day by lunch:

“I’m proud of my rich heritage and hence, I seek to marry someone who has as much in common with me and can relate to my culture. Thus, I’m seeking a fellow, proud African American.”

Would we call him a racist in such a case? No. He simply is seeking a life partner who has as much in common as him and rightfully so.

He is not obligated to date someone from a different background. Furthermore, being that he is proud about his culture – his marriage would suffer if his spouse didn’t appreciate it as much as he did.

We can take such an example from President Barack Obama. In his college years, he would go by the name of ‘Barry.’ As he became prouder of his black culture he took the name ‘Barack’ as we know it. If you take a look at the writings of his wife Michelle – you will see how strong a nationalist she is as well.

Barack’s parents intermarried – so to speak – notice how he didn’t. Turning to a more recent news item, another member of the liberal family, Chelsea Clinton announced her plans to marry a nice Jewish boy.

The media reported how she was seen attending ‘High Holiday services’ with her fiancée. However, there was no word of who would perform the ceremony – a member of the clergy or a Rabbi. If only it were that simple.

In one of the examples we were given at the conference, a therapist – who was counseling an intermarried couple married for several years – was using the ‘word association’ technique. That’s where the therapist says a word aloud and the patient has to say their first thought that comes to mind.

Both the husband and wife were shocked when the therapist would mention words relating to religion such as ‘church’ and ‘Chanukah’ and their respective responses showed they had little respect and much disdain for them.

They were married for years and never realized how deep the divide that separated them really was. That is why a Jew must marry a Jew. Yes, that is what we are commanded to do in the Torah. However, taking a deeper look – it’s a must because it ensures that the couple is in sync with one another. This is one approach to dealing with such a question.

In marriage, it’s important that the couple have as much in common as possible. When two people come from two very different religious perspectives, it can create a great divide.

Parents who intermarry will often wish that their children marry Jewish after seeing how tough a battle it was raising them in a dual religion home. It simply doesn’t always work out as planned.

Chanukah is also a time that awakens differences in intermarried couples. A Menorah or a tree? These are issues that are better avoided. All that we can do is pray that our efforts to combat intermarriage are successful and that we are able to stem the tide of assimilation quickly before it’s too late.

Excerpts from a class prepared for the Shoresh program at Yeshivas Ohr Somayach in Jerusalem.

• The answer to this powerful question lies within our Patriarch, Abraham. By exploring the trials and travails of his spiritual travels, we can glean important information on what a Jew truly is and what is the meaning of (a Jewish) life.

The Tent of Abraham: Unmasking Our True Character

Our forefather Abraham is first mentioned in the Torah in Parshas Lech Lecha. With Parshas Lech Lecha, a new era of mankind began. The preceding two thousand years of history had been ones of destruction. Abel had been killed. Idol worship was introduced to the world. Ten generations had been wiped away by the flood and the ten generations from Noah had failed.

As Abraham entered the world the era of destruction ceased and a new era of Torah commenced. In the original plan of Creation, everyone was to have an equal share in the fulfillment of Hashem’s commandments, and the Torah was to be given to all of mankind.

Yet, as generation after generation continued to fail, Abraham and his offspring received the sacred title of being the ‘Chosen People’. Together, they would receive the sacred Torah and be charged with the divine mission of educating the world about the truth and sovereignty.

How did Abraham merit this holy task? By passing the series of ten tests administered by Hashem. (For more information about the ten tests, see ‘The Ten Tests of Our Forefather Abraham: Lessons Learned’)

The Character Traits of Abraham

The Mishna in Pirkei Avos (Ethics of Our Fathers) offers us a bit of insight into the character and behavior of our forefather Abraham. It states, “Whoever has the following three traits is among the disciples of our forefather Abraham; those who have a good eye, a humble spirit, and a meek soul. The disciples of Abraham enjoy the fruits of their good deeds in this world, and inherit the world to come, as is said, ‘To cause those who love me to inherit an everlasting possession (in the world to come), and I will fill their storehouses (in this world).’”

Abraham’s qualities were those of good character traits. “A good eye” – he saw everything in a positive light which enabled him to pass the series of ten tests he faced successfully.

• This brings to mind the age-old question; is the glass half full or half empty? The answer is it just depends on the viewer. Our perception of something is the key. Do we attempt to make the most out of a situation or do we look at it with disdain? In baseball, there is the concept of a good eye. If the batter passes on a bad pitch the fans accord him with praise. So too, throughout our lives we are constantly faced with situations which can be viewed in a positive or a negative light. A Jew must seek out the positive and make the most of the situation.

One does not often realize the divine Hashgacha – or providence – behind the scenes. How many patients have gone in for a routine procedure only to ‘discover’ a major ailment that would have otherwise gone unnoticed and untreated?

“A humble spirit” – this helped him throughout his travels as he met leaders and tribesmen at various junctures some of which were high pressured i.e. His arrival in Egypt where Sarah was taken captive.

• “Speak softly and carry a mighty stick”; these were the words uttered by Theodore Roosevelt, the famous US President. While we don’t generally advocate the latter portion in Judaism, the first part definitely is important. Our Sages tell us that a good name is better than fine oil. We are to be easy going in our inter-personal relationships and do our best to foster good will between ourselves and others. Being humble is a great start.

“A meek soul” – a servant must completely subjugate himself to their master. Taking example from Abraham we learn how in our quest for spirituality we must subjugate our will to that of our Creator.

• I heard a lecture a couple of weeks ago on Shabbos in which the Rabbi touched upon this idea. He gave the following example; When a king instructs his servant to fulfill a particular task, he generally needs to complete it ASAP. Would he dream of telling the king, “Gee, my master. I’m kind of tired right now. Perhaps later this afternoon when I have a chance I’ll try and take care of it!”? Of course not! A servant must feel completely subjugated to his master and perform his tasks with alacrity and zest.

So too, in Judaism we must serve Hashem with such feeling. We are servants of the ultimate king of kings, Hashem. We are mere pawns in the master plan we call creation. “We will do, and we will hear” – as we intoned on Mount Sinai so must we implement it into our service of the One Above.

Abraham’s Four Sided Tent

The one thing Abraham was famous for was his tent with four sides. He was legendary and more so with regard to his hospitality. He would search for weary travelers and take care of their needs. We are familiar with the story of when G-d commanded him to perform the circumcision at the age of ninety-nine. On the third day following his circumcision – the most painful one – Abraham merited to receive a visit from G-d. The weather that day was exceedingly hot as G-d had removed the sun from its protective cover to make it so hot that there would be no travelers that Abraham would have to care for.

Yet, G-d saw his obvious discomfort and suddenly Abraham saw three travelers in the distance – Angels disguised as Arabs. Abraham ran toward them despite his pain to invite them in and provide them with a cool and shady place to rest and with some food to eat.

• As an aside; there is a couple by the name of Moshe and Leah Genish, who live in northern Israel and seek to emulate the behavior of Abraham and Sarah. They have a tent just like Abraham’s with four openings. Travelers are welcome to enjoy the room and board. In a pristine setting, it’s an ideal venue to seek a closer bond with Hashem. He dresses like a character straight out of the Bible. Yet, Jews from all walks of life – across the entire spectrum – visit his oasis of Torah where they can listen in on a lecture and enjoy a vegetarian meal.

Abraham was the ultimate giver. No obstacle would faze or deter him. He immediately swung into action preparing a lavish feast of baked goods and butter, tongue and mustard. Chessed – or kindness – was so important that it took precedence over his ‘meeting’ with G-d.

However, this is where we begin.

Abraham asked that they wash their feet before they enter. The burning question is why. Arabs, at the time, worshipped the dust and as travelers – the disguised Angels surely had their fair share on their feet. While Abraham’s greatest pleasure was kindness, he stood guard and made sure to protect himself and his family from negative outside influences.

Abraham brought his guests water to wash their feet and following that ushered them in to a hearty meal and cool place to rest under the trees. Kindness was important. Abraham was the ultimate giver. However, he would not sacrifice his soul and put it at risk of being influenced by outside forces.

Similarly, we find this idea regarding our Patriarch Yaakov (Jacob) who is described as “A simple person, who dwells in a tent.” What was this tent? The commentaries explain, this was a tent protecting him from the outside world. In order to protect and maximize his spiritual lifestyle, Yaakov took steps to ensure that his life – as well as the lives of his large family – was free from the pressures and ills of the mundane and materialistic society.

We can learn the following;

• A Jew is a giver. Kindness is to be engrained in the very fibers of our soul. We must always ask ourselves, what can we give to one another? What can I do? How can I help?

We can bring such an example from more recent times. The late President of the USA, John F. Kennedy is famous for saying, “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.”

What was the message behind his slogan? His goal was to inspire Americans to rise up. How so? By instilling within them the virtue that they had something to offer; they could play a role and contribute toward the efforts of rebuilding anew. His message was; let go of the attitude of entitlement – become a giver!

Sodom and Amora: The Paradigm of Selfishness

On the opposite end of the spectrum, we have Sodom and Amora – The paradigm of selfishness. Legendary for the abuse and torment they would subject their visitors to, they set the gold standard of what a Jew was not. One incident of note was how once, a local woman provided food to a traveler passing through town and as a punishment she was covered in honey and attacked by a swarm of bees.

What was the rationale behind this? The Medrashim relate that they told her, “You can’t feed strangers, our resources are meek. Ahh, you feel we should why don’t go and feed yourself to them as well. After all, if we can give up our lives for them you must feel that it’s the right thing. This is what you deserve.”

They were notorious for the ways in which they would mistreat their guests. There was a famous incident in which Lot and his family were nearly lynched after the city found out that he and his family had been ‘harboring’ guests.

Needless to say, they had a rather strange and selfish approach to life. In fact, when Abraham learned of G-d’s plan to destroy Sodom he pleaded for it to be spared. He asked G-d if he were to find 50 righteous men would G-d reconsider and save it. When G-d declined, he proceeded to ask if 45 righteous men were found would he reconsider. When that failed, he asked what about 40. He went as low as 10. Eventually, he reluctantly accepted its fate.

The question raised is why did G-d destroy it? What was so bad that the city had to be wiped off the face of the map, why did it not have a place in this world?

The answer given helps shed light on our original question. The residents of Sodom and Amora were takers. They were not givers. They were selfish. That’s why it wasn’t rebuilt. For such behavior has no place in Judaism. We believe in giving, sacrificing for one another and doing our share.

Jewish Identity 101

There are three traits which a Jew is identified with. They are embarrassment, mercy and benevolence. Let’s explain each one individually. The first trait is not suggesting that we are shy of the limelight and are embarrassed quickly. Rather, it refers to our higher level of spirituality. We have a code of conduct and are not wont to act randomly and without reason. We have a sense of meaning and purpose and live our lives as part of a higher calling. Our ‘embarrassment’ prevents us from acting in a fashion unbecoming of a Torah Jew.

Mercy; We are a compassionate nation. For example, we are taught to have mercy on our animals that we are required to feed before we eat. We have a strict set of laws pertaining to animal rights. We put PETA to shame. The value of a human life is not something we take lightly and a matter which we afford tremendous sanctity to. We do all we can to safeguard it. Mercy is a matter of the utmost importance in Judaism.

Benevolence; throughout our history, we have been taught to seek out those who are in need and lend a hand. Tzedakah, or charity, is a central tenet of Judaism and something we probably are all familiar with. Who hasn’t gotten hit up for charity recently?

The examples of charity and kindness are abundant and one does not have to look far to find one. There are Jewish hospitals, food pantries, aid programs and more. If you take a look in an Israeli phone book, you will find countless ‘Gemachs’ – or home based kindness initiatives – which provide anything from baby formula to cell phones.

There are countless charitable organizations across the entire spectrum. As part of a Jew’s DNA, benevolence and kindness, translated as ‘Chessed’, is one of the three pillars upon which the world stands and one of the three traits which define a Jew.

Defined by these three traits, we are known as givers. We must constantly be looking to give. Chessed affords us the opportunity to grow and to give. It’s a chance to help others, and to better our inner selves. Belonging and a sense of community are important as well. Jews tend to live in close knit neighborhoods and come together often through various events from Shul to school to social. This is part and parcel of being part of the ‘Chosen People’.

• This is the identity of a Jew. To give and help others. To emulate the traits of having a good eye, a humble spirit and a meek soul. To serve Hashem with a sense of purpose and meaning. To eliminate selfishness from within ourselves and open our arms to our Jewish brethren. To continue bearing the torch of our Chosen people throughout exile into salvation.

I was getting ready to call it a day. Then, a few minutes after 11:00 PM, the phone rang. It was for my wife.

“Does your husband like Mint Chocolate ice cream?”, asked the caller.

“Yes”, my wife replied after I nodded as she looked in my direction.

“Well”, the caller continued, “Nestle has stopped producing it and they said if they receive enough calls they’d consider resuming production.”

Ahh. I see. Here are my thoughts with apologies to my fellow Mint Chocolate ice cream fan.

Why was this person calling? Because they were promoting a cause. Seriously speaking, they knew that if they could find other people who felt the same as they did, they would be successful in getting it back onto store shelves.

And they just might be successful. I plan on calling Nestle.

What is the lesson behind this sweet (pun intended) vignette?

We often get involved in projects or spearhead initiatives. Crucial to success is our efforts at getting others on board. Do we sit back and hope for the best, or do we pick up the phone and try to achieve results?

As uncomfortable or awkward as it may seem, this is what often defines
success from failure.

Our Sages tell us that when it comes to Avodas Hashem – or service of the One Above – we should not be embarrassed of the scorn of others. When it comes to Chessed – or kindness – it should be the same.

We must lead and inspire others to follow suit, and lend a hand. Whether it’s a mundane matter such as Mint Chocolate ice cream, or a spiritual one such as a Tzedakah campaign. We must reach out, seek out partners and not leave one stone unturned to ensure we are successful.

We’ll see what happens with my Mint Chocolate ice cream, and let’s internalize this message of giving it our all!

The Talmud in Tractate Bava Basra (88b) relates that immorality is not considered to be as bad as negative character traits.

This begs the question; is immorality, one of the three cardinal sins really not as bad as having a temper or stubborn attitude?

After all, when we compare the two at face value – immorality does strike a deeper and more negative chord.

The Sages, in their infinite wisdom explain, that an act of immorality can be atoned for while our bad behavior cannot. Our actions live on well after they have taken place and their impact is felt often years later.

Yet, as despicable as an act of immorality is, Teshuva – or repentance – can wipe the do-ers slate clean. Yes, one can usually make up for the damage caused by his or her actions – but in the long run, bad Middos – or character traits – are considered worse off.

Thus, the Talmud is teaching us the importance of developing our inner self by improving the way we act toward ourselves, toward others and toward our Creator.

“Today marks the Yahrtzeit of Israel Bak – a pioneer in book printing in modern day Israel. After immigrating from Ukraine, he settled in the ancient city of Tzfat and established a book press publishing a Siddur as well as the book of Leviticus.

His first printing press was destroyed in the famous earthquake of 1837 and his second one was razed during a Druze revolt the following year.

After moving to Jerusalem, he established the first ever book press there in the year 1841.

Let’s contemplate his bio for a quick second.

Not once, but twice did his efforts go up in smoke. Yet, despite the setback – he put the challenge behind himself and moved forward.

We must ask ourselves;

How often do we encounter difficulty and rather then give it our all, simply throw in the towel?

Perhaps, were we to give it our full focus, we could overcome the setback and persevere. Despite this truth, day after day challenge after challenge we fall victim to bumps in the road which inhibit our success and achievements.

Taking example from Israel Bak, let’s resolve to tackle our challenges head on with the intention of putting them behind ourselves and moving forward.

By doing so, we will turn the challenges we face into opportunities for growth.”

All my life they have been there for me. I would suck them as a young child and type out text messages as a teen. Yet, I never truly appreciated their importance. This article is about how I came to treasure the use of my thumbs.

This morning I decided to have an orange. Without getting into detail – I will spare you the gory details, I cut a little too close to hand – pun intended – and had to run to the local medical clinic to get my wound bandaged and taken care of. Baruch Hashem, it was all right and the doctor took care of it quickly and efficiently.

As he glued the wound shut and bandaged it, I wondered what it would be like having one thumb wrapped up for a few days. Frankly, until I tried to send out an email on my Blackberry, I didn’t realize that I had a slight problem. I quickly realized that my poor thumb was a tremendous asset!

Using my Blackberry just wasn’t the same. Trying to cut my Pizza for lunch proved a bit difficult too!

And so, I came to appreciate the importance of my thumb. This got me thinking.

We often take things for granted. Matters that happen to be both big and small. As we go through our lives, we get used to a certain mode of routine and become accustomed to the daily hustle and bustle we label as the ‘status quo’.

The problem with this rationale and way of living is that we fail to grasp the importance of the small things, or the blessings we have been bestowed with, and thank Our Creator for them. It’s only when we encounter turbulence or moments of crisis that we are forced to step back and say, ‘Hey!’. What’s crucial is that we make an effort to come to appreciate each and every one of our limbs as well as all of the blessings from Hashem.

So my friends, as I wait to get back to ‘two thumbs up’ – I’ll be realizing countless things I use my thumbs for. Perhaps I’ll even pass some along. Until then, I offer by blessings that you realize the importance of all your blessings through natural means and not have to come to the realization through pain or suffering G-d forbid.