Shavuot: "I'm Getting Married in the Morning..."

BS"D

This article is dedicated as a zechus for Refuah Sheleima for Esther Shaindel bas Shoshana.

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Based on/inspired by an article on Tikkun Leil Shavuos by Eli Landes, for Chabad.org.

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A moving festivity permeates the atmosphere, as we sway and pray through the evening's services.  At their conclusion, the men fold their talleisim, the women cluster in companionable conversation, and youth mill around, anticipating what's to come.  Siddurim are closed and laid aside with a kiss...  but no coats are donned, the lights remain bright and the room filled with people.  The heavy, familiar scent of coffee billows from numerous steaming cups, and a sweet selection of scrumptious cheesecake is mysteriously reduced to a few scant crumbs as the night wears on.  The crowd finally settles down, with the screech and creak of chairs scooting forward, and all lean in with rapt attention... except for the few stragglers nodding off in the face of the late hour.  Along with Seforim, wellsprings of Torah wisdom, hearts and minds are opened up.  Though the hours and rays of dawn inevitably edge nearer, the passage of time seems suspended in the midst of intense preparation for the renewal and revelation to soon take place.

This is Tikkun Leil Shavuos.

Though the meaning of this fascinating custom can't truly be conveyed adequately in a few English words, it is practically understood as the "Rectification of Shavuos Night."

Shavuos is the anniversary of Matan Torah (the Giving of the Torah).  Our wedding with Hashem.  The day we became His People.  The day the gaping chasm between Heaven and Earth was spanned.  It's a significant - momentous! - day, indeed.

How high and spiritually elevated do we feel after a sleepless night?  How energetic or attractive do we appear when we're weary, tousled and dazed?  For the revival of the most important day in the history of our Nation, why on earth do we aspire to run on empty, exchanging a revitalizing period of slumber for an all-night study session?!  Even seasoned students recognize the diminishment of productivity and success their day is met with, after crunching for assignments and tests throughout the night!

Why on earth, indeed?  Perhaps it isn't earthly at all, but rather beyond earth.  Way beyond; Divine.  What perspective and energy other than Heavenly could promote such an atypical demonstration?

Throughout the ages and amidst the globe, Kabbalistic masters and Halachic authorities alike preserved a precious custom - and "Minhag Yisroel Torah Hee (the custom of Israel is Torah)" - to keep burning the light of Torah on Shavuos night, in focused learning until daybreak.  The Magen Avraham, a renowned posek of the 17th-century, was the first to offer the following Midrashic account as the basis for this tradition:

The night before the giving of the Torah, the entire Jewish People - the 'Bride' - laid down to sleep.  A bit of rest before the arrival of the fantastical occasion could only be harmless, perhaps even beneficial!  Tragically though in the morning, at the wedding canopy that was Har Sinai, the Supernal Groom - G-d Himself - lamented in anxious wait: The 'Bride' was absent, still sleeping peacefully!  Of course the extraordinary ceremony couldn't carry on under such circumstances, so the Ro'eh Neeman, the Faithful Shepherd, Moshe Rabbeinu, set out to rouse Bnei Yisroel.

To correct the sin of our ancestors' copious shut-eye heading into the day that marked the birth of our Nation, we stay up the whole night (or at the very least, until Chatzos [Halachic midnight] - find your locale and respective Zmanim [Halachic times] here!) learning Torah in preparation for the big day.

Unless you're a deeply holy individual of very lofty caliber who can remain awake against all the odds - or perhaps just an insomniac - consumption of caffeine (heavier for some than others) is a requisite.  If coffee (caffeinated or not) wreaks havoc on your system, try chocolate, or something sugary.  It works.  I think.  But that aside...

For most people, when one anticipates a serious or exciting event to come soon, sleep - at least solid sleep - is elusive.  Based on this, we could suggest the converse is also true.  Bnei Yisroel fell asleep, slept, and overslept, nearly missing their wedding!  Doesn't this seem to imply that the enthusiasm of the Jewish People was lacking - even nisht (not) - to receive the Torah?!

We're missing something.  The puzzle pieces don't merge.

The Lubavitcher Rebbe of righteous memory steps in with groundbreaking insight to clear the difficulty.

The nation slogged through the forty-ninth level of spiritual impurity; and, upon their redemption from their oppressors, committed to a forty-nine day journey of growth and transformation.  They strove and toiled to reverse and refine a negative trait each day to be positive and sanctified, so that they could receive the Divine gift of Torah wholeheartedly as Hashem's servants.  For a nation of such indomitable spirit, who invested everything they had to clear away the pollution and grime to reveal the single pristine soul inside, though a lengthy, rigorous period indeed... it simply defies all sense that they couldn't have been eager and enthralled to receive  the Torah.

Kabbalah teaches us that during our time awake, the soul is bound to the body, simply vitalizing us and inspiring our expression, in thought and speech, emotion and deed.  On the other hand (and there's always another hand), when we surrender to sleep, our souls depart and ascend on High, learning Torah with the angels, and basking in their Creator's Light.  Just before we awaken each day, it returns to us.  (For this miracle, we ring out in grateful song through the morning blessing of Modeh Ani: "Modeh Ani Lefancha... Shehechezarta Bi Nishmati... - I give thanks before You... for You have returned within me my soul.")

The Jewish People had worked on and elevated themselves to the zenith of Kedusha (holiness).  Still, they undeniably remained flesh-and-blood beings.  Their best, they felt, was unsatisfactory.  How could they isolate themselves from the sensuality of this corporeal world in a final effort to make themselves "truly spiritual," before being bound to the Torah, G-d's innermost will and wisdom?  Their solution?  Sleep: The experience of the soul severing from the body to ascend higher and higher in a peak of spiritual immersion and renewal and epiphany.

This is mind-boggling.  How could this altruism be erroneous?  How deep was the wound gouged, that we are still aspiring to make amends over three millennium later along our timeline?

Their offense was not exactly a "sin" and iniquity - an "avon" in Hebrew.  Rather, their blunder was a "cheit" - a misjudgment.  Their intentions were good, but 'off-target.' (Inspired by R' Manis Friedman in a class he gave, on understanding the nature of Adam and Eve's 'sin' - the Cheit Eitz Hada'as.)  We can ask, "Where exactly did the Jewish People go wrong?"  It's serious indeed.

They missed the entire point of Torah and its bestowal.

By rejecting rather than embracing the world's materiality, they negated the purpose of Torah, a Heavenly 'blueprint' to sanctify the physical world!  It's not just coincidence that the majority of the 613 Mitzvot are implemented in the realm of physical action and deed.  If the soul and spirituality were involved exclusively, then what why did G-d bother entrusting the Torah to earthly mortals?  I am fond of  quoting a dialogue between a wise elder Rav in the language of the Talmud with R' Aaron Moss as a young man: "G-d's commandments weren't given to angels."  Of the Torah it is said:

"It is not in heaven, so that you have to ask, “Who will climb to heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, “Who will cross the sea to get it and let us hear it so that we may obey it?” No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it. (Devarim 12:14)

The Torah is a very practical guide for us: it orchestrates our conquest of our animalistic lusts; our erection of gedarim (fences) to preserve order and integrity; our role as "ohr l'umim - a light to the nations," ambassadors of morality and truth in the midst of a chaotic world, where G-dliness is more concealed than ever; and our mission to reveal the holiness within our mundane existence, melding the two worlds.  However, the Torah's down-to-earth approach doesn't contradict its Divine Origin in the least.

On Shavuot, the "laws of nature" were broken: Through Torah, heaven and earth, ruchniyus and gashmiyus, G-d and people (so to speak), could be wed.  When the two polar opposites are joined in a cosmic marriage, the Ultimate Truth is revealed:  The world runs on Torah.  The world is Torah.  Torah is Hashem's wisdom and will - Him "thinking!"  And Hashem and His thoughts are One.

To quote R' Manis Friedman, we "work with the facts" - we were placed in this corporeal world to refine and elevate it - "but aim for the Truth" - to reveal the G-dliness it cloaks, and return all our world to its original Oneness, in a  revealed and palpable way.  In this world, we bind our willpower to His (and will is even loftier than wisdom, motivating us to do things that don't even seem logical to our limited minds) in the effort to "spiritualize" the physical world and make it a Dirah Betachtonim, a Dwelling Place in the Lower Realms.

Therefore, we forsake the pure spiritual retreat slumber brings , just one this one night - as our forbears mistakenly opted for - and get our hands into the gritty work with the Gashmiyus, toiling with heart, mind, hands and soul to make it shine an reveal its essence.

So staying up at all hours on this occasion, celebrating and studying the Torah?  Not so bizarre after all... In fact, it's one of the greatest recognitions and revelations of what Torah purely is.

Pass me a slice of cheesecake; we've got a long stretch ahead of us.  Let's learn!

Parshat Acharei-Kedoshim Reflection: Wedding with G-d

BS"D

This Dvar Torah is dedicated l'ilui nishmas and in the sacred memory of the ten students who perished in the recent flash floods in Eretz Yisroel.

I presented this thought on the Parsha over the course of a local CTeen Girls' Shabbaton, at the community Kiddush in Ahavath Chessed, New London, CT, Shabbos Parshas Acharei-Kedoshim, April 28/Iyar 13.

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Hello, and Good Shabbos to everyone!

My name is Tzipporah; I’m an informal member of this wonderful community, and a participant in Rabbi Aizik and Mushky Schwei’s CTeen chapter. Rabbi Aizik warmly invited me to share a few words of Torah at Kiddush today, and I’d like to thank you in advance for your time. “Bir’shus Harabbonim…”

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This week’s double-Torah-portion is entitled Acharei-​Kedoshim.
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Kedoshim means “Holy Ones.” Let’s try to put this into context.

When I shared a recent idea of mine, to organize a community Mikvah-fundraiser, celebrating the privilege of running a Jewish home and the woman’s role in it, a relative of mine quite bluntly replied, “It’s not that glamorous.” There ​was  actually a bit of Emes (truth) in that statement. Sure - folding laundry, cooking supper, scrubbing bathrooms and floors, dealing with tangles in family relationships, and much more, might not appear so dazzling at first sight. If I want to achieve Ruchniyus (spirituality), isn’t that lofty, lonesome spot on the mountain by far more attractive? I thirst for something beyond ordinary, I want to get “high,” I yearn to access G-d. So why is total self-denial and isolated meditation just not cutting it for me?

We’re not satisfied, because that is not the path we were created for and entrusted with! Hashem has instructed us “V’Asu Li Mikdash V’Shochanti Besocham - They will make for Me a sanctuary and I will dwell among them.” How do we accomplish this impossible feat? It is through Torah and Mitzvos, observance and devotion to carrying out G-d’s will, that we are united in an intimate bond - as a bride and groom - with Hashem.

This thought can be further applied through the blessing we recite over the performance of a Mitzvah: “Baruch Atah Hashem… Asher Kidshanu Bemitzvosav... - Blessed are You G-d… Who’s sanctified us with His commandments...” “Kidshanu” also denotes “marriage,” as a man is Mekadesh - marries - a woman.

Sometimes a commandment’s nature perplexes us… Intimate relations? Business dealings? Meat-slaughter and grain-harvest? Why is G-d so concerned with these mundane aspects of daily life, which Kedoshim is replete with? Hashem yearns to be found in every corner, as He not only transcends all worlds, but fills them all as well. Indeed, our purpose is to reveal the spark of G-dly energy concealed within all existence and elevate it, returning it to its Source and primal Oneness, by bringing the purpose of what it invests to actualization. Through Torah and Mitzvos, we strive to permeate our world with consciousness of, faith in, and feeling for G-d, even in its most physical details. We transform this world into a Dirah B’Tachtonim, a welcoming place for the G-d’s Presence to rest.

The festival of Shavuos, the anniversary of our wedding with Hashem when he bestowed the gift of Torah upon us, is fast approaching. We’re walking down the hall to the Chuppah, to relive a cosmic union. The Torah, the pure expression of Hashem’s innermost will and wisdom, enables us to emulate G-d, by “bringing heaven down to earth,” in the words of R’ Tzvi Freeman, and making the earth heavenly. As “a light unto the nations,” it’s within our hands to spread its radiance exponentially outwards. It’s up to us to show the world that spirituality in its truest form is an all-encompassing approach to life. Everyone is welcome to the wedding.

As for the aftermath, when the celebrations have passed and we’re seriously settling down to “married life,” with its accompanying pains and pleasures… the task may not always be apparently glamorous. But the work, without a doubt, it is truly holy.

May it be Hashem’s will that this secret be revealed and tangibly felt by all His beloved, with the coming of Moshiach right now.

Thank you, and Gut Shabbos.

Pesach: Tradition: Where Our Past, Present & Future Meet

BS"D

I dedicate this Pesach chiddush l'ilui nishmas Rebbetzin Miriam (Friedman) bas Ita Menucha of righteous memory.

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This Pesach, I would like to share with you a few thoughts based on a Pesach sicha (talk) given by the Lubavitcher Rebbe, R' Menachem Mendel Schneerson of righteous memory.  Please be aware that as we near the end, I divert more from the Rebbe's sicha and elaborate with a few other connections and reflections.

It is interesting to note, that the Chabad version of the Four Questions, otherwise known as the "Mah Nishtana," differs from the rest of the Jewish world's.  Let's compare:

NON-CHABAD VERSION OF THE MAH NISHTANA:

Ma nishtana halailah hazeh mikol haleilot? (Why is this night different​ from all other nights?)
1.)  Shebechol haleilot anu ochlin chametz umatzah; halailah hazeh kulo matzah? (On all other nights, we eat either leavened or unleavene​​d bread; why, on this night, do we eat only unleavene​​d bread?)
2.)  Shebechol haleilot anu ochlin she'ar yerakot; halailah hazeh maror? (On all other nights, we eat all kinds of herbs; why, on this night, do we eat especiall​y bitter herbs?)
3.)  Shebechol haleilot ein anu matbilin afilu pa'am echat; halailah hazeh, shetei pe'amim? (On all other nights, we do not dip herbs even once; why, on this night, do we dip them twice [in salt water and cḥaroset]​?)
4.)  Shebechol haleilot anu ochlin bein yoshvin u'vein mesubin; halailah hazeh kulanu mesubin? (On all other nights we may eat both sitting and reclining​​; why, on this night, are we all reclining​​?)

CHABAD VERSION OF THE MAH NISHTANA:

Mah nishtanah halaila hazeh mikol halaylot? (What makes this night different from all [other] nights?)
1.) She'bechol halaylot ain anu matbilin afilu pa'am echat, halaila hazeh shtei pe'amim? (On all nights we need not dip even once, on this night we do so twice?)
2.) She'bechol halaylot anu ochlim chametz umatza, halaila hazeh kulo maztah? (On all nights we eat chametz or matzah, and on this night only matzah?)
3.) She'bechol halaylot anu ochlim she'ar yerakot, halaila hazeh maror? (On all nights we eat any kind of vegetables, and on this night maror?)
4.) She'bechol halaylot anu ochlim bain yoshvin bain mesubin, halaila hazeh kulanu mesubin? (On all nights we eat sitting upright or reclining, and on this night we all recline?)

To summarize the differing orders:  Non-Chabad communities inquire first about the matzah, second regarding the maror, third about the dipping, and fourth concerning reclining.  In Chabad, we ask in the order of dipping, matzah, maror and reclining.

Why does Nusach Chabad follow this order?  It's neither in accordance with a.) the different components' significance, nor b.) the sequence in which a child witnesses the steps of the Seder.
The mitzvah of matzah is de'Oraita (sourced in the Torah); maror is mideh'Rabannan (decreed by the Sages); "mesubin - reclining" is an expression of "cheirus - freedom," which is a primary theme of the festival; and lastly, "matbilin - dipping" is merely a custom.  One might very well argue that this (perspective a.) is how the questions should be enumerated.  Indeed, why does Chabad give the minhag (custom) of matbilin the esteem of being fixed as the first question, when it seems to bear the least clout?

We see here that there are obligations to carry out; matzah and maror are both mitzvos, and mesubin is a necessary performance to demonstrate the essence of the evening's celebration.  They demand adherence and stringency.  But what of the customs, such as matbilin?  Are we required to be stringent with them?

The times we live in today are especially serious ones to educate our children in the Torah path, and ingrain them with its values and eternal wisdom.  Sometimes it's a great challenge, requiring mesiras-nefesh (self-sacrifice) to accomplish.  Isn't it enough, we may ask, to instruct our youth in our unequivocal obligations and liabilities as Jews?  Must we really sacrifice further to emphasize mere minhagim?  Perhaps we can be more casual regarding customary matters; after all, they aren't of the same gravity as explicit mitzvos!  Is it wise that we should divert our focus from transmitting the ikarim (main principles) to our children, alternatively channeling it towards minhagim?

It isn't as black-and-white as we think.  It is within this secret that the lesson of Chabad's rendition of the classic queries lies.

The first thing a child takes note of and asks about, is that which makes an impression on him.  But what is it exactly that touches his young mind and heart so?  A child's sense is not yet captivated by the ikarim and Halachos of the Torah and of the Rabbis, but rather the Minhagei Yisrael...  Sometimes they're a little different, a little unusual, but quite often delightfully intimate and personal.

A person can be raised and live his life in scrupulous adherence to Halacha, maintaining timeliness with davening, fixed times for Torah study, and so forth.  However, even then, he may not appear distinctively Jewish from the outside.  He may not even feel different within, enriched by and sensitive of the holiness of his Torah and mitzvos, as his fulfillment of them has grown mechanical.  Now his personal environment is susceptible to becoming identical to that of a Gentile's; this person is now at risk of losing his unique identity as a Jew.  If his Avodas Hashem (service of G-d) lacked joy, meaning and wonder, what was giving him a strong anchor to keep him near anyway?

Our minhagim and traditions are the solution to this lack.  The remedy to the malady of apathy.  Some of the most powerful cables to draw us nearer to one another and Hashem.  The anchor to keep us steady and strong in the crushing chaos and distractions - or, simply, disinterest in our heritage - that are so prevalent in society and the world today.

We must never forget Kedushas haTorah or Kedushas haMitzvos, the soul and foundation of all our minhagim.  There is even a famous statement in the Gemara, "Minhag Yisrael Torah Hee - The custom of Israel is Torah."  Indeed, both our customs and our laws are essentially united, all rooted in Hashem's wisdom, all serving to distinguish us from the rest of the nations of the world.  The minhagim remind us of the holiness of Torah and mitzvos.  They are invested with a unique energy that can accomplish something wondrous - work their way into a young and inquisitive soul - that even conventional Torah can't.

Chiyuvim can be performed by rote if we do not take care.  A Jewish child must be taught that he/she is different from others, and inspired to feel it in a positive way, with awareness and pride.  This is what the minhagim accomplish.

If only we educate our children properly by imparting even minhagim with the importance of Torah law - for it isn't up to us to weigh which we think is more valued, and we can't neglect or exclude one thing! -  and show our children we must sacrifice to perform them as well, minhagim also provide a stepping stone to greater devotion to Torah and mitzvos.  This is in addition to immersing the children in an environment of warmth, love, commitment to a higher purpose, and awareness of Hashem in even "the little things."

Hence, a great deal of the Seder revolves around children, and many of its rituals we perform were designed with the intent to pique children's' interest and prompt them to question.  No one is "too old" to ask.  We all have an inner child - well, actually, we have a spark of each of the four children (the chocham/wise one, the rasha/wicked one, the tam/simple one, the she'eino yodeiya lishol/one who doesn't know how to ask) within.  We have also been taught about a "fifth child."  Let us aggressively seek out the Fifth Son, wherever or whoever she or he might be. Every lost Jew we bring back into the family may be compared to the discovery of a lost treasure of incalculable value.  It is not enough to just set an extra place at the seder table. Not any more. We must fill the extra place with a warm body. We can then fill that warm body with the warmth that is Judaism.  {Based on a call issued by the Lubavitcher Rebbe shortly before Passover of 1957.  Sourced from Chabad.org.)  They are all waiting to be nourished and individually spoken with, each connected to in their own way, in the midst of the atmosphere bred by the miracles and magic of the Pesach Seder minhagim.

"Ki yishalcha bincha - If your child asks you {Devarim 6:20}..." If any of the children ask you anything, ensure that it is inviting and safe for him/her to question; after all, this is their hour!  "V'higad'to l'vincha bayom hahu laymor 'Ba'avur zeh asah Hashem li b'tzaysi miMitzrayim' - And you shall tell your son on that day, saying, 'Because of this, the Lord did this for me when I went out of Egypt.'" {Devarim 13:8}

When a parent or guardian raises a child, they are obligated with basic requirements for the youth's care, such as sustenance, shelter, clothing - education, too!  Then there are 'extras' that enhance the relationship, perhaps quality/bonding time, a gift, or cooking their favorite meal for them.  It is likewise between Avinu Shebashamayim (our Father in Heaven) and us:  He sustains us with basic Torah and mitzvos with which to live our lives, but He gives us an extra display of His affection through the Minhagei Yisrael.  Through them, He is telling us that even the youngest, even the most seemingly distant, and the child within every one of us, have a profound place in His heart, and are meant to be drawn near through this love and excitement.

Indeed, we are blessed to have a close bond with G-d.  Sometimes we are compared to His child, and other times we are compared to His bride.  Hashem employed four expressions of redemption when describing to Moshe how He would redeem His nation-to-be.  The final expression, "'V'lakachti es'chem Li l'am v'hayisi lachem lay'Elokim - And I will take you to Me as a people, and I will be a G-d to you {Shemos 6:7},'" captures the climax of Yetzias Mitrayim, and touches upon the ultimate purpose of our exodus: to arrive at Har Sinai, to receive the Torah after a journey of growth and refinement in the wilderness, and to be wed to Hashem in an unbreakable union.  It was then that we devoted ourselves to a vision and mission, to bring the whole world to recognize the truth of Hashem, and fuse heaven and earth together once more.  We are given the strength, tools and platform to make this a reality, for Torah is constantly being bestowed upon us; our ancient heritage is constantly reinvigorated with passion and hope.  It is from the Mesorah (tradition) that reaches back to our wedding day as a tenacious vine from which has blossomed various minhagim, customs, throughout our timeline, that we are nourished to persist in passing on the torch of Torah to our children, and for all generations to come.

This is why the minhag of matbilin is honored as the first question in Chabad, for it is the minhagim that most remind our children of their past, the minhagim that give spice to and celebrate their identity and the present, and the minhagim that create the warm and loving Torah environment to set the course of and sculpt their future as Jews and Lamplighters.  The minhagim captivate the child's interest, and fuse him as a link in the chain of young questioners stretching back through the ages.

The power of tradition... the hallmark of a Torah - or, really, almost any Jewish home.

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Wishing you all, my dear readers, a Kosher and joyous Pesach!  May you all find more meaning and depth in this year's retelling of our story than ever before.  May all your questions be answered.  May you find the beauty in tradition, both time-tested ones and your own originals.  May you be blessed by Hashem with strength and success to break out of your own personal Egypt.  I pray that we may sing together just like the Bnei Yisroel right on into the Geulah Sheleima (Ultimate Redemption), may it be now!

Parshat Terumah: For the Love of G-d

BS"D

I dedicate this parsha post l'ilui nishmas all those who were murdered in the attack on the Douglas High School in Florida, and as a zechus for salvation, healing, strength and comfort for their families and survivors.

It is not up to us to justify another's pain and trauma - G-d forbid!  Rather, we must stand by them in their suffering, sympathize and empathize, listen and assist, all the while remembering in our hearts and minds that G-d has an ultimate plan.  Its divine design is beyond our understanding and perception, but one day, the meaning and question of all will be revealed.  I suppose some might term that the "leap of faith."  And they are right.  We believe in a brighter future - and we know that the darkest hour is before the dawn - but are we aware that we're partners in ushering it in?

The victims of the shooting were of varying ages, but the majority were young people, who probably lived with a unique energy, zeal and idealism characteristic of so many teens.  Why were they taken in their prime, with so much possibility and potential ahead?  Perhaps the question is not "Why?" as much as "How?"  How can we pick up the shattered and scattered pieces?  How can we continue the path that they had begun to blaze?  How can we perpetuate their legacy?  We are taught by our Sages that "the Gates of Tears are never closed."  Rav Yitzchok Hutner famously stated, “The purpose of prayer is not to get us out of trouble. The purpose of trouble is to get us into prayer.”  Utilizing human imagery, we are taught that G-d possesses a very precious goblet, into which He collects every tear we shed.  When the burning tears reach the rim of the goblet and flow over, that is when we will meet Redemption.

Still, we must remember that only sincere, emotional prayer coupled with positive action (and of course Hashem's will and assistance) can warrant a true and sustainable difference, and forge the proper keili (vessel) to draw down infinite blessings in full from Above.  What can we do in the sacred memory of those who were lost?  We can give tzedakah, offer our services as volunteers, campaign and make calls, motivate others to take on mitzvos and resolutions in their merit.  And of course... let's unite as one, and learn to love unconditionally, one human being their fellow, for that is the only key to remedy such evil and darkness as that has occurred.  Love and harmony between people is indeed reflected in our relationship with our Creator Himself.  Let's stir and storm the heavens above.

Hashem guides us "Uvacharta bachayim - And you shall choose life!" {Devarim 30:19}.  Indeed... choose life, and live... for them.  For them, and all those we've been forced to bid farewell to before... for now.  May we step over the threshold of Geulah and greet our loved ones once more with the coming of Moshiach, speedily in our days.

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Hit the time-travel button to five years ago... I'm sitting in shul listening to the Kriah, and following along in my Chumash with the translation.  It is Shabbos Parshas Terumah, and I am now learning the dimensions and details of the workings of the Mishkan (Tabernacle) - the structure that was the foretaste and predecessor of the more permanent Beis haMikdash to be established in Yerushalayim a while into the future.  My young and uninitiated mind (and I won't boast that I am today so greatly transformed), perceives tremendous repetition, and I decide to cheat.  My crime entails skipping and flipping pages ahead until I pass into a fresh concept.  My eyes cross and head hurt attempting to differentiate between loops and rings and pegs and sockets.  After it being mentioned probably a hundred and fifteen times, I wonder what on earth a "cubit" is.  I was never one for the numbers and arithmetic, and if I read the calculating measurements of curtains or boards one more time, I'm going to bang my head against the wall.

Indeed, we may ask, "What was the point of it all?"  When it comes to the Ohel Moed - the Tent of Meeting in which Moshe spoke to G-d Himself and the Kohanim performed their holy work - why does the Torah devote chapter upon chapter to the most mundane action and description of manual labor and craftsmanship, instead of lofty secrets and saintly inspiration?

If you truly believe in Creation, then in conjunction with the "The Beginning," your belief also includes that the same G-d who created the world in 6 days me'ayin yesh (ex nihilo), is the same One and Only G-d who perpetuates creation without pause, vitalizing every microcosm and macrocosm with but a nurturing ray of His infinite light; or else, everything as we know it would cease to exist, and revert to absolute nothingness.  The world ain't runnin' on autopilot; it is all quite intentional.  Therefore, everything - and I mean everything, from the stone on the ground to the most transcendent idea to each and every living being - is invested by G-d with a spark of light, Emes (truth), and purpose... in its deepest essence, Him.

Hashem established a goal (though it may sometimes be concealed by obtuse and resistant Kelipos [shells]) for every existence in creation.  He bestowed upon us the mission and privilege to reveal and release those imprisoned sparks of holiness and return them to Him, by elevating the "thing" through employing it for the purpose Hashem intended, as directed by the Torah.  The Torah is no archaic book of history, drama or accounts, but rather a 'blueprint' of sorts for us to live by, a condensation and transmittal of the brilliant wisdom of the Master Architect of it all.
This week's parsha opens with Hashem addressing Moshe Rabbeinu:

"'Dabeir el-Bnei Yisrael vayikchu-Li terumah mei'eis kol-ish asher yidvenu libo tikchu es-t'rumasi' - 'Speak to the Children of Israel, and have them take for Me an offering; from every person whose heart inspires him to generosity, you shall take My offering.'" {Shemos 25:2}

The word "terumah - offering," is rooted in the Hebrew word "rom (רמ) - high."  Why is this?  Kabbalah teaches that the higher a spark of holiness originally is, the further it falls, waiting to be picked up, polished, and its incredible worth rediscovered.  For clarity's sake, let's use a mashal (parable):  Picture a tower of stones, and at its very top sits a precious gem.  Something causes the cairn to collapse, and the highest entity - the jewel - tumbles the furthest, burrowing into the dust.  Someone walks by the toppled pile, and observes a glint in the earth.  There's a possibility that - and behold! - it's a jewel!  He dusts it off and wipes it down, and now, he desires to find, and return it to, the original owner.  The individual passing by is symbolic of us, the entire Jewish People, except that we don't simply happen upon such opportunities by chance; rather, the charge was placed into our hands as a nation at Har Sinai.  Matan Torah was the time and place at which all barriers were broken between the "holy" and "mundane," the "physical" and "spiritual," which had originally been totally foreign to one another.  The Torah is our guide in order to accomplish this mind-altering fusion.  It is significant that it was bestowed upon us just prior to the initiation of the intricate Mishkan project.  It is on our hands to bring "heaven down to earth."  Indeed, this is Hashem's will:  Just as it all came from One, so it shall be united once more.

The Mishkan, and later along our timeline, the Batei Mikdash, were conduits in establishing this union and peace.  They were sanctuaries of ultimate harmony, where not only we could climb high and come close to meet our dear Father in Heaven, but also a place, a House, where He would be comfortable in our material world.  While the Bais haMikdash has been temporarily removed from our charge, our homes, our synagogues, and even our own bodies, have become as miniature Batei Mikdash.  There are times when we may question why we have so many mitzvos - six hundred and thirteen, plus all Rabbinic mitzvos and safeguards, and on top of that minhagim (customs) - that govern every element and area of our existence.  "Mitzvah" does not only mean "commandment," but also denotes "connection."  Your mitzvah is your vehicle to connect with Hashem, with mindfulness and devotion.  Torah and mitzvos create the framework that is absolutely necessary to establish and enhance a "dirah b'tachtonim - a dwelling place in the lower worlds" for Hashem.

Imagine the efforts you would invest in preparing your home for a guest, tidying up not only his room, but refreshing the house as a whole; shopping and cooking your best recipes for a gourmet meal; encouraging your family to brainstorm polite conversation or interesting story ideas to keep their guest entertained; and of course, review table-manners.  You don't simply want to impress, but you also strive to make your guest as at ease as if they were in their own home.  Now, try to envision the lengths you would go to for royalty, a king!

Now... pause, rewind, and reframe:  All those countless "technical details," and all those mitzvos are no longer excessive, messhuggezze, repetitive, and the like.  Every detail is sacred, every particle endowed with Divine purpose - and Hashem's will and wisdom.  They are the building blocks of a fitting home for our King.  Even when they might not make the most sense to us - such as whether we should use silver or gold to cover the poles, or why we must not wear shaatnez (clothing made from both linen and wool) - we will nevertheless do it for Him.  This is one key in cultivating loving and healthy relationships:  Even if what you want or perhaps need doesn't make sense to me, even if I wouldn't find satisfaction in it myself, since I love you (quirks and all), what you desire is my desire as well.  It doesn't need to be rational all the time.  I love You, Hashem, and fulfilling Your desire is one way I express it.*  Although we don't carry out mitzvos for the sake of receiving something in return, Hashem does bless us with the greatest reward in the merit of our dedication:

"'V'asu Li mikdash v'shachanti b'socham' - 'And they shall make Me a sanctuary and I will dwell in their midst.'" {Shemos 25:8}

Hashem wants a relationship with us.  When we do our part, He will join us - "Shachahnti b'socham - I will dwell within them."  For the love of G-d... let's do all we can, together, to make it a union of harmony and delight.


*Inspired by and sourced from a 11213.org lecture by the esteemed Rabbi Manis Friedman.

Tu B'Shvat: The Human Tree

BH

Happy Tu b’Shvat!

(Today’s dvar Torah is an excerpt from my Bat Mitzvah speech, which was about Tu b’Shvat, and how people have common ground (pun intended 😉  ) with the beautiful and purposeful trees Hashem has graced this world with.)

Approximately four months before the holiday of Tu B’Shvat the rainy season starts, in Eretz Yisroel, The Land of Israel.  The rains saturate the soil and nurture the trees so they will blossom and fruit.    Almond trees grow in abundance across Israel – in groves and throughout the country’s many hills and valleys.  Almost magically, the almond trees’ first blossoms appear each year in Israel, on Tu B’Shvat, marking the New Year for trees and the return of spring in the land of Israel.

In our synagogue, it is our custom to celebrate this new year for the trees, by  holding a Tu B’Shevat seder, or ceremonial meal.  This tradition can be traced back to the Middle Ages.  It includes a festive meal featuring fruits in honor of the  Shivat Haminim, the seven species, for which Eretz Yisroel, is praised: Figs, Dates, Pomegranates, Olives, Grapes, Wheat, and Barley.

In various places, the Torah compares a person to a tree:
– A person is like the tree of a field… (Devarim 20:19)
– For as the days of a tree shall be the days of my people. (Isaiah/Yeshayah 65:22)
– He will be like a tree planted near water… (Jeremiah/Yirmiyahu 17:8)

Why the comparison?

A tree needs these four basic elements in order to survive — soil, water, air, and sun. People require these same elements.

First, SOIL
The soil is home to the roots, it is through the soil that nutrients are absorbed.  The soil provides room for the roots to grow.  Like a tree, man absorbs his nourishment, such as values and morals, through his soil and roots.  A tree needs to be planted firmly in the earth.  This is true of a person as well, man is grounded by his roots, giving him the strength he needs to persevere.  Without roots, neither tree, nor man, can survive.  This is our FAITH.

The Talmud explains:

 “A person whose wisdom exceeds his good deeds,  is likened to a tree whose branches are numerous, but whose roots are few. The wind comes and uproots it and turns it upside down.”  Meaning, if a man, like a tree, is not anchored, grounded by strong roots, then when confronted with a strong wind, or difficult challenges, tree or man, can be uprooted, or turned upside down.

The Talmud continues:

“But a person whose good deeds exceed his wisdom is likened to a tree whose branches are few but whose roots are numerous. Even if all the winds of the world were to come and blow against it, they could not budge it from its place. (Pirkei Avot 3:22)”  Meaning, if man, like a tree, has solid roots, or has a deep connection to community and heritage, then when confronted even with the strongest of winds or the most difficult challenges, he will not be uprooted.

Next, WATER
Rain-water is absorbed into the ground, and through the roots, is carried throughout the trunk, branches and leaves, the body of the tree.  In (Devarim 32:2), the Torah is compared to water.  Moshe says: “May my teaching drop like the rain.”  Both rain and Torah descend from the heavens, providing relief for the parched.  Without water, a tree will whither and die; without Torah we, too, would whither.  Torah gives life to the human spirit.

A life based on Torah will blossom with wisdom and good deeds.

Rabbi Akiva once noticed that splashing water, near a stream, had hollowed out the nearby rocks — that drops of water had actually bored a hole, right through rock.  He said “if the gentle drops of water can pierce a rock, then the powerful words of Torah could penetrate his heart.”  He applied himself diligently to the study of Torah.  He used to say that a Jew without Torah is like a fish without water.

Next, AIR

A tree needs air to survive.  In Bereshit, the Book of Genesis, the Torah states that God breathed life into the form of Man; “He breathed into his nostrils the soul of life.”  The Hebrew word for breath — nesheema — is the same as the word for soul or spirit — neshama.   Kabbalah teaches that smell is the connection of the physical and spiritual…our connection to the soul.  The Talmud says: “Smell is that which the soul benefits from, and the body does not.  Of man’s five senses, smell (air) is the most spiritual.”  The Talmud (Sanhedrin 93a) says that “when Moshiach, the Messiah, comes, he will ‘smell and judge'”, meaning, he will use his spiritual sensitivity to decide the truth about difficult matters.

A scent can awaken one from a faint because it reaches the soul and brings renewed strength to the body.  An individual is refreshed upon smelling a pleasant fragrance. Coming home on Friday afternoon and smelling the delicious aromas of Shabbos, comforts the soul.  We are taught in the Talmud that on Shabbat we each possess an “additional soul” – a revelation from the deepest part of a person’s essence.  Come nightfall on Saturday, we make havdalah,  the separation ceremony — we say goodbye to Shabbat and this soul departs.  We rejuvenate ourselves by smelling besamim, spices — a pleasant fragrance.  This AIR, calms, pleases, refreshes and warms the soul, bringing renewed strength from a higher place.

Lastly, SUN

A tree needs sunlight to survive.  It is essential for the growth and health of the tree.  People also need sun, or WARMTH, to survive. This is the warmth of family, friendship and community.  All crucial Jewish observances and ceremonies are based on family and community — the celebration of birth, spiritual maturity, marriage, and even death.

This tight-knit connection provides the light and warmth which nurtures our growth.  We love, teach, and learn from each other. We share our simchas, joys, and our sadness.  And while these bonds may bring us difficult challenges, they also give us strength and some of our greatest happiness.

The Talmud tells a story about the sage named Choni HaM’agel. He wondered if it was possible for a man to dream continuously for seventy years. One day he was traveling on the road, and he saw a man planting a carob tree.  The sage, HaM’agel, asked him; “How long does it take for that tree to bear fruit?” The man replied, “Seventy years.” He then further asked him- “Are you sure that you will live another seventy years?” The man replied: “I found mature carob trees in the world; as my forefathers planted these for me, so I, too, plant these for my children.”

HaM’agel sat down to have a meal and sleep overcame him. As he slept a rocky form closed over him, hiding him from sight.  He continued to sleep for seventy years. When he awoke, he saw a man gathering the fruit of the carob tree and he asked him: “Are you the man who planted that tree?” The man responded: “I am his grandson.”  HaM’agel exclaimed: “It is for sure that I slept for seventy years.”

There is an important lesson to be learned from this story.  HaM’agel realizes this lesson when he wakes after 70 years, to see the grandchild of the planter, eating the fruits of his grandfather’s labor.  The man does not plant his seed for himself, but to benefit his children – his successors.  Man may toil in this life while reaping no direct advantage, only so his children will enjoy the rewards of his effort.

Have you planted a seed during your life?  If not, nothing remains when you are gone, and your life does not have lasting significance.

However, if we all plant a seed, by learning Torah, obeying the commandments of Hashem, by acting morally and compassionately, and by teaching our children to do the same, they, too, will grow strong roots, bodies and souls.  They, too, will plant seeds of their own.

Tu B’Shvat, the New Year for Trees, is a perfect time to focus on the lesson of the tree, and to remember that now is not just time for physical planting, but the time to sow some spiritual seeds, as well.

 All of us can produce fruits that benefit the world—namely, through our good deeds.

(These divrei Torah were posted on my original blog, on Feb. 4, 2017)

Welcome - Beruchim Habaiim!

BH

Hello, and welcome to my new blog, Script and Spirit!

Using this blog, with Hashem's help, I hope to share with you posts, expounding upon insights on Parshat HaShavua (the weekly Torah portion), and our beloved chags and holidays, corralled from many inspiring sources.

Unfortunately, many people study the text of our beloved Torah, but fail to ingrain the lessons within themselves-- without drawing the soul and spirit from the words, like life-sustaining water from a spring.  We need that spirit, sustaining us from week to week, year to year, and into eternity, to live with the inspiration, light, and action, that our loving Father in Heaven requires for His beloved Children.

I hope you find some light and excitement here, and thank you for coming to learn Torah with me, our delightful Torah, as we bring the script to meet our souls, with life and with spirit.

Warmly,
Tzipporah Prottas