Report from Israel

 On Wednesday my family and I (all 6 of us!) participated in a JNF day long mission to the south of Israel. 

We started our day at Kibbutz Nir Yitzchak. The kibbutz was established on December 9, 1949 along with 10 other settlements. The State of Israel had been established a year and a half earlier and it was viewed as a priority to develop the south of the nascent state in order to help strengthen the Jewish hold on the land (some things never change). The kibbutz produces cucumbers, baby carrots, potatoes and citrus as well as dairy in the cowshed on site. When I get back, ask me about the amazing story of the cows of Nir Yitzchak.

On 7 October 2023, the Hamas Nuseirat Battalion attacked the kibbutz. Two civilian members of the kibbutz's security team including its leader, and one IDF soldier, were known to have been killed on the day of the attack. Four other team members who were originally noted as missing and presumed abducted, were subsequently also identified as being killed on that day. This includes two whose bodies were taken to Gaza.

Seven civilian residents were taken hostage. Two elderly hostages were released before crossing into Gaza. Three were released during the 2023 hostage release. The final two were freed by the IDF in a targeted mission during Rafah offensive.

Half of the residents of Nir Yitzchak have returned home. The other half, consisting of many if the families with young children, have not yet returned. It’s difficult to live in Nir Yitzchak today. The war is ongoing in Gaza. We heard a few tank  booms while we were there, and we were told that it’s much worse at night. 

I spoke with the recently elected leader of the Nir Yitzchak community council. She told me that her mission now is to create “a new energy” and to make the kibbutz a place where current residents feel supported and want to return. She is also focused on doing what is needed to prepare the kibbutz for an expansion of families in the future. I told the the council leader that bringing people back to Nir Yitzchak is important not just for the kibbutz, but for the State of Israel and for the Zionist vision of settling the entire Jewish homeland.

We then visited the Tekuma car graveyard where we saw over 400 burnt cars completely  destroyed by terrorists on October 7 plus hundreds of others that were badly damaged. What was previously a junkyard is now a national pilgrimage site of commemoration and reflection. 

Each car has a story- a story of tragedy or heroism or both. Our tour guide mentioned that this site has similarities to Holocaust related sites in Poland. Each car at Tekuma has a story just like each pair of shoes at Auschwitz has a story. At Nir Yitzchak a  kibbutz spokeswoman noted that the trauma of October 7 has similarities to the trauma of the Holocaust. However after the Holocaust almost no one went back to the scene of the trauma. The healing took place elsewhere - especially in the newly established State of Israel. The healing from October 7 will somehow have to take place at the scenes of the original trauma. Some residents won’t be able to return to their homes. But Am Yisrael as a whole has no choice. Unlike Poland, Israel is the final stop for Jewish history and for the Jewish People. We all  must do what we can, whether in Israel or in Hollywood, to heal from this trauma, to persevere, and to build a bright and strong Jewish future. 

Connecting the Dots Should Lead Us Back To Hashem

 Parshat Chayei Sara tells the story of how Eliezer, Avraham’s trusted servant, went to Aram Naharayim to find a wife for Yitzchak. Upon arriving at a well at the outskirts of the city, Eliezer devised a test whereby the first girl to offer him and his camels water should be the girl for Yitzchak. Eliezer asked Hashem to bless this endeavor. Eliezer’s shidduch test seems reasonable. Yitzchak was born into the family of Avraham, a man known for his Chesed. It makes sense that Yitzchak needed a wife who was similarly committed to Chesed- and watering a bunch of camels is a big Chesed!

The Rambam criticizes Eliezer. In exploring the Torah prohibition of nichush, fortune-telling, The Rambam writes (Avodat Kochavim 11:4): “For example, those who say: Since my piece of bread fell out of my mouth, or my staff fell from my hand, I will not travel to this place today, since if I were to go I would not be able to accomplish my desires. Since a fox passed on my right side, I will not go out of my door today, since if I were to go out I would meet a deceiver…..Similarly, a person who sets up omens for himself; e.g., if this and this happens, I will do this. If it will not happen, I will not do it, as Eliezer, the servant of Abraham did, and the things of the like - all this is forbidden.”

How do we reconcile the Rambam’s harsh criticism of Eliezer with our belief in Hashgacha/ Divine Providence, ie “everything happens for a reason”? The answer is subtle yet important. When something happens to me, whether it’s something bad or something good or even something benign, I am entitled to utilize my lived experiences as prompts and opportunities for personal growth and change. To take a mundane example, if I miss my flight I am allowed to think that it must’ve been God’s plan for me to miss my flight. (That truth would not absolve me for sleeping through my alarm nor absolve the Uber driver for picking me up late, if those were contributing factors to my missing the flight.) As I wait for the next flight I am entitled to contemplate what I am supposed to learn from this experience. Perhaps upon some reflection I come to realize that I often am late to appointments and I resolve at the terminal that from now on I will be more careful to be on time and to respect people’s time. Maybe I have no great epiphanies, and I merely resolve that I need a louder alarm. It’s my prerogative to interpret the meaning (or lack thereof) of my experiences.

I would add 3 important caveats: First and foremost I must have the humility to realize that I don’t fully understand God’s ways. God knows and we don’t know. Whatever rationales or explanations I attribute to my experiences must be predicated on this “uncertainty principle” Similarly, there are no certain outcomes. Just because someone was saved/ was blessed after s/he took upon themselves a certain mitzvah or positive behavior doesn’t mean that I will experience the same outcomes. Similarly, if something bad happens to me, I should not attribute it to a specific sin or non-observance of a specific mitzvah. There are lots of reasons why “bad things happen to good people”, and this is one of the great mysteries of the universe- something even Moshe Rabbeinu could not fully understand.

Second, takeaways from my personal experiences must lead me to growth and must be consistent with Torah law and Torah values. For example, if I got into a car accident on my way to minyan (God forbid), it would NOT be legitimate for me to come to the conclusion that this was a sign that I should not be going to minyan.

Third, I am entitled to learn from events that occur to me, but I am not entitled to interpret events for someone else. Iyov’s friends were considered cruel by our rabbis because they offered their own reasons for Iyov’s suffering. Iyov is entitled to utilize his experiences to prompt in him growth or change. Others were not supposed to tell Iyov why bad things were happening to him.

This can be a complicated and confusing topic, one that we encounter throughout our life journey. Whatever happens to us in life we should remember the words of Rivka’s father and brother. While we don’t have many nice things to say about Betuel and Lavan, we should all agree that whatever happens in life “מֵֽה יָצָ֣א הַדָּבָ֑ר” “The matter has emanated from the Lord.” 

A Shechina-Based Hospitality

 Rabbi Dr. Norman Lamm (1927-2020) was the third president of Yeshiva University. In a 2008 interview he described his contributions to Israel as it was becoming a state:

“I was here in Yeshiva University as a college student from 1945 through 1949, at the time of the founding of the State of Israel in 1948. We were very concerned because we knew the Haganah was vastly outnumbered, and we felt we had to do something. I went with many of my classmates at Yeshiva to a place in the West Village where they were sending blankets to Israel, and in between every blanket there was a rifle to be smuggled in. The kids were very empowered and excited to do it. Meanwhile, I thought – just packing things, anyone can do that. Maybe I could do something special. I thought that maybe science students could do something more to help. I picked up the phone and I called up the Jewish Agency….. I told him what I had in mind, but as I’m speaking, he stops me. He says, “Shut up and come over here immediately!” I’m not accustomed to that kind of talk and I was taken aback, but I just did that. I shut up and I went down to see him. When we met, he apologized. He said: “The reason I was so abrupt is because our wires are tapped, and what we’re doing is none of the FBI’s business.” I began to understand the nature of the project.

Israel had some guns, and they had the Davidka. But they needed to manufacture bullets. They didn’t have enough natural resources then, so our mission was to develop a bullet that could be produced from the material available to the Jews in Israel. Each of us had our jobs, and we did them well. Everyone in Yeshiva was involved in some way with the war effort. It was a great opportunity to express our Ahavat Yisrael (love of Israel) and Zionism in a very practical way. Again, no hora. No heveinu shalom aleichem, rather real serious stuff. Did we succeed? I think we did in the end. We got the formula and the Israelis were able to manufacture the bullets, which is something which made us very happy and pleased.”

In Parshat Vayeira we read how Avraham excelled in the mitzvah of Hachnasat Orchim, welcoming guests. On the third day post-circumcision, Hashem visited Avraham as an expression of Bikur Cholim. During that visit, Avraham sees three figures approaching his tent. He immediately leaves his conversation with Hashem and tends to these guests as an expression of Hachnasat Orchim. From the unfolding of this story the Talmud (Shabbat 127a) teaches: אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר רַב: גְּדוֹלָה הַכְנָסַת אוֹרְחִין מֵקְבָּלַת פְּנֵי שְׁכִינָה,

This Talmudic phrase is normally translated as “Hospitality is greater than receiving the Divine Presence”. Rabbi Lamm suggests an alternate understanding of this Talmudic phrase. The prefix mem can mean “than” ie comparing the importance of two things. Or the prefix mem can mean “from”. Rabbi Lamm suggested in a sermon in 1968 that we understand the prefix mem in the Talmud as teaching us that “Hospitality is great(est) when it emerges from our religious identity and from our efforts to emulate Hashem.” We can be inspired to be more hospitable when we realize that we are all guests in God’s world. Rabbi Lamm adds that Hachnasat Orchim is more than social entertaining; it is a religious mandate. This means we should 1) Think beyond our social sphere when hosting. 2) Be ready to host those who might need it the most: ie those from out-of-town or those who may not be invited out as much as other people.3)Be willing to host even in less than perfect circumstances. Just as we feed our families even when the food, décor or setting is less than perfect, so too should we be willing to fulfill Hachnasat Orchim in less than ideal circumstances. May our appreciation for, and fulfillment of, Hachanasat Orchim help us benefit from Pnei HaShechina, from Hashem’s Presence in all facets of our lives.

Connecting with Our Souls

 Parshat Lech Lecha begins with Hashem commanding Avram to leave the familiar environs of his hometown. The Torah does not provide any context or background for why Avram was chosen to be the “father of many nations” and the father of monotheism. But already in Parshat Lech Lecha we have some clues. Early in the Parsha we read:  וַיִּקַּ֣ח אַבְרָם֩ אֶת־שָׂרַ֨י אִשְׁתּ֜וֹ וְאֶת־ל֣וֹט בֶּן־אָחִ֗יו וְאֶת־כָּל־רְכוּשָׁם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר רָכָ֔שׁוּ וְאֶת־הַנֶּ֖פֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר־עָשׂ֣וּ בְחָ֑רָן “And Avram took Sarai his wife and Lot his brother's son, and all their possessions that they had acquired, and the souls they had acquired in Haran, and they went to go to the land of Canaan.” Who / what are these souls?

Rabbi Moshe Avigdor Amiel (1883-1945) was a student of Rav Chaim Soloveitchik and Rav Chaim Ozer Grodzinski. He received semicha at age 18 and was the rabbi in Swieciany and then Grajewo before becoming the Chief Rabbi of Antwerp in 1920. The first Ashkenazic Chief Rabbi of Tel Aviv was Rav Shlomo Ahronson. With his passing, three primary candidates arose over the summer of 1935:  Rav Amiel, Rav Yitzchak Isaac Herzog and Rav Yosef Dov Soloveitchik, at that time a young rabbi in Boston. The leaders of Mizrachi backed Rav Amiel, and Rav Moshe Soloveitchik wrote a strong letter of support on behalf of his son. Rav Soloveitchik made his only visit to the Land of Israel that summer, and he met the ailing Rav Kook. Rav Amiel won the election, Rav Herzog was appointed to succeed Rav Kook as Chief Rabbi of Israel, and Rav Soloveitchik returned to Boston and became Rosh Yeshiva at Yeshiva University after his father’s death in 1941

Some of Rav Amiel’s sermons were collected and published under the title Hegyonot El Ami. In a sermon for Lech Lecha Rav Amiel picks up on the fact that Avram and Sarai had acquired “souls” in Charan. The fact that people are referred to as souls is noteworthy. Prior to the appearance of Avram and Sarai humanity was referred to as basar, flesh. Our first patriarch and matriarch re-introduce the notion that human beings are unique due to their souls. Whether these acquired souls were slaves (literal interpretation) or students that were “converted” (Midrash), either way we have Avram and Sarai to thank for reminding humanity that we are more than “flesh”; we are also souls.

Rav Amiel notes that even according to the Midrash, Avram and Sarai didn’t formally convert students to Judaism. It also seems that none of these students retained the monotheistic lessons that they learned, for when Yaakov takes his clan down to Egypt there is no reference to any of these “souls”. Nevertheless, the impact of Avram and Sarai remained. Our relationship with God and our relationship with others is predicated on this lesson that humans are souls, not just flesh. Rav Amiel notes that this lesson was internalized be even the most heinous of sinners. Even the king of Sodom, a bastion of immorality, had learned the lesson of Avram. In the aftermath of the war of % kings vs 4 kinds the king says to Avram (14:21) וַיֹּ֥אמֶר מֶֽלֶךְ־סְדֹ֖ם אֶל־אַבְרָ֑ם תֶּן־לִ֣י הַנֶּ֔פֶשׁ וְהָֽרְכֻ֖שׁ קַח־לָֽךְ: “Give me the souls, and the possessions take for yourself.”

Avram and Sarai were the first Jewish outreach workers. They spread the Divine message that each human is a nefesh, and not just basar. We are endowed with a Divine soul, and that truth obligates us in our relationship with Hashem and in our relationship with others.

Each of us can be like Avram and Sarai by helping people connect with their Jewish souls. Next Wednesday 11/13 at 8pm YIH Sisterhood is hosting a Challah Bake in honor of the Shabbos Project, with Guest Speaker Charlene Aminoff: https://www.yih.org/challah . The Shabbos Project is an initiative to encourage people to share the beauty of Shabbat with those who are not familiar with it. More than just attending, I encourage women of our community to bring a relative, friend, co-worker or neighbor who has not been to a Challah Bake or who has not been exposed to the beauty of Shabbat the way we have. By bringing out the souls of others we will connect with our own souls in a more meaningful way. 

Little Faith Vs Big Faith

 Rabbi Theodore Lewis was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1915. He grew up under the guidance and influence of Rabbi Yitzchak Halevi Herzog, Chief Rabbi of Ireland and later Chief Rabbi of Israel. As a teenager he learned in London under Rav Eliyahu Lopian. In 1935, at the advice of Rav Yechezkel Abramsky, young Theodore went to learn in the Mir Yeshiva in Poland. Later in life Rabbi Lewis recorded his experiences in Mir that gives a flavor for what it was like to be a student at that famed Yeshiva. Rabbi Lewis left Poland in August 1939, just days before Germany invaded Poland. Rabbi Lewis served as Rabbi at the Touro Synagogue for 36 years, housed in the oldest synagogue building in the United States. In 1959, during his tenure in Newport Rhode Island, Rabbi Lewis appeared on the TV show “To Tell the Truth”. The episode aired on June 30, 1959 on CBS and the contestants tried to figure out who was the real Rabbi Theodore Lewis, billed as “the only Irish-born rabbi in the United States.” Rabbi Lewis died in 2010 at age 96. He collected some of his sermons in a book titled Sermons at Touro Synagogue.

In his sermon on Parshat Noach Rabbi Lewis explores Rashi’s comment on the pasuk that describes Noach’s entry into the ark (7:7): וַיָּבֹ֣א נֹ֔חַ וּ֠בָנָ֠יו וְאִשְׁתּ֧וֹ וּנְשֵֽׁי־בָנָ֛יו אִתּ֖וֹ אֶל־הַתֵּבָ֑ה מִפְּנֵ֖י מֵ֥י הַמַּבּֽוּל: “And Noah went in and his sons and his wife and his sons' wives with him into the ark because of the flood waters.”

On the final phrase of the verse, Rashi quotes the Midrash Rabba: “Noah, too, was of those who had little faith, believing and not believing that the Flood would come, and he did not enter the ark until the waters forced him to do so.” Rabbi Lewis points out that Noach was described by the Torah earlier as a Tzaddik, a righteous man. How, then, can Chazal also describe Noach as Mikatnei Emunah, of little faith? Here is Rabbi Lewis’ answer, in his own words:

“The answer to this question lies in the effect Emunah, belief, has on the individual. To be a true believer in God, it is not enoughsimply to possess faith in the existence of God. The faith must inspire its possessor to action. The faith with which the individual is imbued must be translated into positive and dynamic action.”

Just as the Midrash does, Rabbi Lewis contrasts Noach with Avraham.

“Abraham was a man of faith. His faith in God inspired him to deeds. He went among his people preaching belief in the true God. His faith was of such intensity that he coyuld not rest until he imparted something of the religious zeal which consumed him, to others. Noach’s faith, however, did not inspire him to action. He was content to believe – but his beliefs did not spur him to deeds on behalf of his fellow men. He did not concern himself about the immorality and the idolatry that was in evidence about him everywhere.”

It's not enough to believe in God. That belief must find expression in the ways in which we seek to emulate God’s ways. It’s not enough to praise the virtues of morality, justice and charity. We must live by those values. Our Rabbis point out this shortcoming in Noah’s faith to encourage us to act according to our Emunah and to practice according to our principles. 

We Celebrate More When We Appreciate What We Have

 The Dubno Maggid was once asked why there is a need for the two Jewish Holidays of Simchat Torah and Shavuot as they seem to serve the same purpose. Why don’t we condense them into one grand holiday that celebrates Torah? He answered with a parable. Once upon a time there was a king and queen who were without children for many years. In desperation they visited an old wise man who gave them a potent blessing with one caution attached. If the child would be a girl, no man must see her until her wedding day, lest she die! When the queen gave birth to a baby girl a secluded island was prepared for the princess to live on where she would be raised in the finest royal style with all female educators.

When the princess was ready to marry, the king approached a handsome nobleman and offered his daughters hand in marriage. “Sure” was the response, “let’s meet her!” After the king explained that his daughter was not to be seen before the wedding day, the nobleman declined. Time after time the king was confronted with the same frustrating reaction. “Let’s see her! If not, then how do I know what I’m getting myself into?”

Finally, a man was approached with the proposal, and he told the king that he was greatly honored by the offer. If the princess had the attributes of her royal parents then he would be delighted to marry her even without seeing her until the wedding day.

A date was set and the whole kingdom was invited to the celebration. Everyone came to dance and rejoice. A marvelous time was had by all…except the groom! He was overcome with anxiety. He had hidden his inner doubts and anxieties over not having met his bride in advance. Even during the weeks after the wedding he remained apprehensive. He anticipated that, although she appeared beautiful on the inside and outside, perhaps her ugly side would eventually surface. After months of happy marriage, he came to more fully appreciate her beauty, charm and wisdom. Each day he became more confident that there was nothing ugly to his wife, only beauty.

While this realization brought great relief and joy, the prince was also upset that he had “missed out” on his own wedding. He approached the king and admitted to his earlier doubts about the princess. He expressed to the king that had he known at the wedding what he knows now about the princess, he would have been much more joyous at their wedding. The king decreed that a new party be arranged. All the guests would be invited back but this time only one person, the prince himself, would dance to express his joy and gratitude.

The Dubno Maggid explained that when the Torah was offered to the world there were questions about its contents. However, when Bnei Yisrael were offered the Torah they immediately responded yes: “Na’aseh V’Nishma”. They committed to accept the Torah before they even understood what it contained. Only after living with Torah and experiencing its pleasant ways and peaceful paths are we ready on Simchat Torah to express intense joy over Hashem’s precious gift.

The Magid utilized this parable to explain that the Torah is a gift that can take time to appreciate. I believe that his parable can be applied to the idea that life in general, and the New Year in particular, is a precious gift that can take some time to fully appreciate. We pray for life on Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. But it’s only through the lessons of Sukkot (sukkah, simcha, Kohelet, etc) that we begin to understand and appreciate the kind of life to which we should strive. Torah is a Tree of Life. Simchat Torah completes the picture of the life we hope to live in the New Year.

Lessons from the Schach

The Talmud in Megilla 11a learns that vines and vegetation must be detached from the ground before being utilized as s’chach. In its discussion of acceptable s’chach, the Gemara asks the following question:  Can you use vines or palm leaves that were still attached to the ground when placed over the sukkah, but were then cut? Would that be considered kosher s’chach? On the one hand, when you placed the leaves in their schach position, they were still attached to the ground. However, since you subsequently cut them, perhaps it should be viewed as detached and completely kosher. There is a dispute between Rav and Shmuel on this matter. Rav says that by cutting the leaves from the ground, you have done an intentional action that created kosher s’chach. Shmuel holds that this would not suffice. Since the position of the freshly cut leaves is identical to where they were while attached to the ground, the vegetation remains invalid for s’chach. The only way to remedy the situation, according to Shmuel is to move the leaves a little bit after they have been cut. In this way the s’chach can be viewed as having been placed for the purpose of the mitzvah of sukkah in their detached, (kosher) state. 

The basis for Shmuel’s opinion is the pasuk in Parshas Re’eh: חַ֧ג הַסֻּכֹּ֛ת תַּֽעֲשֶׂ֥ה לְךָ֖ שִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִ֑ים “You shall make the holiday of Sukkot for a 7-day holiday”

The Talmud learns from here: “Taaseh V’Lo Min Ha’Asuy”. The sukkah must be actively made and cannot be fashioned from something that has already been used for other purposes. Taaseh V’Lo Min Haasuy is not a concept unique to s’chach. The Gemara in Sukkah discusses the application of Taaseh V’lo min Haasauy to the mitzvah of tzitizit as well.

The s’chach literally hangs over our holiday celebration and reminds us that no matter what the mitzva, no matter what memory or theme we are trying to evoke, Taaseh, V’lo Min Haasuy! Our mitzvot must always be fresh. Our mitzvot can never just be “called in”; they must be performed with intention and special for each occasion. They should be accompanied with vigor and creativity. We cannot merely utilize what already exists to dispense our obligations.

The symbolism of s’chach is two-fold. Rav Hirsch pointed out that the s’chach warns us to never forget our complete reliance on Hashem. For what good are walls without a roof? And when we look up in our sukkah we see how we remain exposed to the elements. With this in mind we will be motivated to cling to Hashem and His Torah. On this point, too, the s’chach comes to warn us “Taaseh v’Lo min Haasauy”: In our service to Hashem, there are no shortcuts. What worked for the other person, or even for me last year is invalid. Each of us must create anew our spiritual path.

There’s a Halachic concept related to sukkah known as “Teishvu K’Ein Taduru”, which refers to the fact that our living in the sukkah should resemble how we live in our homes all year. Perhaps the comparison can also be made in the reverse. Our sitting in the sukkah should teach us how to live in our homes- with vitality and with faith in Hashem. May we learn the lessons of s’chach and bring them back indoors to enrich the rest of our year.