Lessons from the Entebbe Rescue Mission

 This July 4^th marks the 48^th anniversary of the successful IDF raid on Entebbe and rescue of 102 passengers who were being held hostage in Uganda. There are many lessons that can be learned from Operation Entebbe. For us on this Shabbat Parshat Shelach, two of those lessons stand out.

First, the Entebbe mission teaches us that enemies of Israel may be able to hurt and impede us, but nothing and no one can prevent the realization of Jewish destiny. This was the mistake of the meraglim. After touring the Land of Israel, 10 of the 12 spies came back with negative reports. If we look closely at their report, it is all factually correct. The inhabitants of the land were giants. The cities were fortified. It was going to be difficult to conquer the land. But even though they may have been right about these details, the spies were still wrong in their unwillingness to factor into their equation the Hand of God and immutable power of Jewish destiny. As David Ben Gurion once quipped, “In Israel, in order to be a realist you must believe in miracles.” The same can be said about the ongoing continuity of the Jewish People.

Soon after the Entebbe rescue mission the Lubavitcher Rebbe wrote: “Here my thoughts turn to the recent miraculous rescue of the hostages from Uganda. One cannot fail to note the extraordinary aspects at both ends of the hijacking. On the one hand, the ease with which the four terrorists hijacked the airbus in Athens, and on the other, the extraordinary success of the rescue operation. In other words, both the initial crisis and the eventual delivery clearly point to the Hand of G-d.”

Second, the Entebbe rescue mission demonstrated Israeli risk-taking and initiative. As one military analyst noted the fact that the Entebbe mission was a success was not surprising as the Ugandans were outmatched in all ways according to all opinions. What was impressive was the “guts” demonstrated by Israeli leadership in ordering the command to do the right thing and get the job done. This is the lesson in Parshat Shelach that we can learn from Yehoshua and Kalev. These two meraglim understood and appreciated the role of the Divine intervention and Jewish destiny. However more important than this fundamental difference in religious outlook was their willingness to show the courage and resolve to speak up and say what was unpopular and what most people did not want to hear.

Ask anyone the names of the meraglim, and most people will first name Yehoshua and Calev. These two men were very unpopular in the moment ads they spoke out against conventional wisdom and forced the nation to confront ideas that they would have preferred to avoid. Yet they are the two men that history has proven to be correct and worthy of remembering. The other ten spies may be recorded in the Torah, but they have been forgotten by Jewish tradition. This came about due to Calev’s and Yehoshua’s willingness to be bold, to take risks, and to do what needed to be done.

Let us utilize this July 4th to recommit ourselves to learning the lessons of the Entebbe rescue mission, especially those that intersect with the story of the meraglim: Let us appreciate the need and the benefits of taking risks. Let us be willing to engage in bold initiatives and to say constructive things even when it may be unpopular. Let us always be willing to do what needs to be done. At the same time, we must never underestimate the Yad Hashem, the role of God in the unfolding Jewish story. If we are unsure of the effectiveness of our efforts, if we feel as if the Jewish cause is getting more complicated and the Jewish dream is moving further away, then let us be reassured in the knowledge that nothing can stop Jewish destiny.

Reading the Parsha with Fresh Eyes

The Talmud (Brachot 8) records that there is a mitzvah to review the weekly Parsha twice and to read its “Targum” (translation) once. This weekly rabbinic mitzvah is referred to as “Shnayim Mikra”. The Maharal explains that the reason why there is an obligation to review the weekly Parsha three times is because the Chumash records that the Torah was taught three times: At Har Sinai, at the Ohel Moed, and at Arvot Moav. The mitzvah of Shnayim Mikra is codified in Shulchan Aruch (OC 285). Here are a few of the halachot associated with this mitzvah: One can fulfill their obligation to read the Parsha a second time by reading along with the Baal Koreh on Shabbat morning. Instead of Targum Onkelos, one can review Rashi on the Parsha instead. According to the Taz, one may fulfill their mitzvah of “Echad Targum” with a traditional and authoritative English translation of the Parsha. Not all Poskim agree to this, and many require either Rashi or Onkelos (or both). Today one can use an English translation of Rashi on Chumash as their Targum. The timeframe for reviewing the Parsha begins on Sunday. Ideally one should finish reviewing the Parsha by the time one sits down to eat Shabbat dinner on Friday night. If one is not done by then, there are different opinions as far as the deadline for Shnayim Mikra. Some say it is Shabbat afternoon (when we begin reading next week’s Parsha), some say it is Wednesday of the next week, and some say that you have until Simchat Torah to complete the task (ie it’s viewed as an annual obligation and just must be completed before we start again from Bereishit). Rabbi Moshe Feinstein (Igros Moshe OC 5:17) notes that the obligation of Shnayim Mikra applies even to those who learn Torah over the course of the week. Part of everyone’s Torah study schedule should include Shnayim Mikra. Rabbi Feinstein goes on to lament the fact that Shnayim Mikra is a mitzvah that has been neglected even by those who make Torah study a priority.

One of the benefits of Shnayim Mikra is that it affords us an opportunity to see new things in the Parsha and learn new lessons each year. For example, as I was reading Parshat Behaalotecha this past week I was struck by something that I had never noticed before. Soon after Bnai Yisrael left Har Sinai, they began to complain. Moshe turned to Hashem and expressed his feelings of exasperation of being overwhelmed by the needs of the people. Hashem tells Moshe to appoint 70 men to serve as religious leaders and to help lighten Moshe’s load. As I read about this episode I was reminded that this is not the first time Moshe was encouraged to delegate and to empower others who could help lead the nation. In Parshat Yitro we read that Moshe’s father-in-law was concerned about the system that existed at Har Sinai, whereby Moshe was the last and first address for all of the people’s problems and questions. Yitro encouraged Moshe to appoint many leaders and to establish a system of sharing the burden of serving the people. As I read about the appointment of the 70 elders I wondered: What happened to the system that was established by Yitro? The answer I believe (though I never noticed it before) is found at the end of Chapter 10. As he is leaving Har Sinai, Moshe invites his father-in-law to join the Jewish People as they travel to Israel. According to the pesukim, Yitro declined. We can imagine that once Yitro left, his recommendations for Moshe on how to delegate went by the wayside. That’s why it was necessary to create a new system of 70 Zekeinim to replace Yitro’s system of delegating. From here we can learn the challenge of maintaining change for the long term, especially when the initial impetus for that change is no longer present. Let us always be ready and willing to learn the Parsha each week with fresh eyes and a willingness to learn new lessons. 

Be on the Lookout for Blessings in Disguise

 In Degel Machaneh Ephraim the Baal Shem Tov's grandson says that God's blessings sometimes come in a form that we perceive as not welcome, and as a result, we may run away from them. The Torah assures us that the good that God intends for us will occur even if we try to avoid it. This is the meaning of the verse: “May goodness and loving-kindness pursue me all the days of my life” (Psalms 23:6). We pray that if, in our limited understanding, we try to avoid a concealed kindness, that it pursue and overtake us.

Rabbi Levi Yitzchok of Berditchev once saw a person running in the marketplace. “Where are you running to?” he asked.

The man answered, “I'm running for my parnassah (livelihood).”Rabbi Levi Yitzchok said, “How do you know your livelihood is in front of you? Perhaps it is behind you and you are running away from it.”

What we think is a blessing may actually be bad for us, while what appears at first glance as a curse may be the best thing we could get.

Parshat Nasso contains the Birkat Kohanim, the blessing from Hashem to the Jewish People offered by way of the Kohanim. The blessing is referred to as the bracha hameshuleshet, a three-pronged blessing. The first blessing reads as follows:

“May Hashem bless you and safeguard you.”

Although there are two clauses in this statement, it is understood to be one blessing.

This first blessing is associated with material success. How might we understand the connection between the phrases “bless you” and “safeguard you”?

Rashi suggests that the first phrase means that Hashem should give us all that we need/ want. The second clause is the blessing that once we have it, no one should be able to take it away from us, ie Hashem gaurds it to insure it stays in our possession.

The Netziv offered a different perspective on the relationship between the phrases. He explains that sometimes what we thought would be a blessing ends up being a tremendous challenge. Wealth is a good example. People think, as King Solomon said, that money will answer all problems. Yet studies consistently show that wealth is not a good indicator of a person’s level of happiness. Wealth can be a great blessing- but it can also be a great challenge and the source of much strife. So in the first of the priestly blessings, we are blessed that what we thought would be a blessing- in fact should remain a blessing and be perceived as such by us.

The Netziv’s approach reminds us of an important fact of life: Sometimes what might be considered a great blessing can turn out to be a great challenge. Similarly, something that was considered to be a great challenge can very well turn out to be life’s greatest blessing.

 

Bikkurim and an Attitude of Gratitude

 In his 2018 book Thanks a Thousand, A.J. Jacobs shares his gratitude journey for all those involved in providing his morning cup of coffee. Jacobs shared how he used to focus on the negative in his life and learned to fight that by searching for the gratitude.

His journey began with saying a thank you before dinner to the people who helped provide his meal, like the farmers or grocery workers. One night his ten year old son pointed out the irrationality of thanking them if they aren’t here to hear it;  so Jacobs started a gratitude journey for what he thought would be something small:  a cup of coffee.

He starts by thanking the barista, Chung, at his local coffee house, Joe Coffee.

He thanks the person who chooses which coffee beans Joe Coffee stores should buy and use. He thanks the person who invented the brand of plastic lids for the coffee cup that Joe Coffee uses (special thought goes into the design- hexanol shape on the underside- to allow maximum coffee aroma out while drinking for a full sense experience.)

He thanks the person who made the cardboard hot sleeves for coffee cups so you don’t burn yourself: the “java jacket”.

He thanks the person in charge of pest control at the warehouse that stores the coffee.

He went to Colombia to thank the people that grow the coffee beans.

He even thanks the construction workers for paving the roads which allowed his coffee to be delivered. And as his gratitude journey progresses, he adds more and more people to thank, over 1000 thank you’s in total.

The Mishna (Bikurim 3:3) describes the festive procession as the farmers would bring their bikurim (first fruits) to the Beit HaMikdash. Many people would meet and greet the farmers along the way:

“The governors and chiefs and treasurers [of the Temple] would go out to greet them, and according to the rank of the entrants they would go forth. All the skilled artisans of Jerusalem would stand up before them and greet them saying, “Our brothers, men of such and such a place, we welcome you in peace.”

Why did the bikurim warrant such a large public procession more so than any other time Jews would come to Yerushalayim? Furthermore, the Mishna seems to limit the welcoming committee in Jerusalem who would welcome the farmers specifically to the craftsmen. Why?

Rabbi Moshe Alshich explains that the whole purpose of bringing the bikurim is to show hakarat haTov, gratitude, to Hashem. He notes the Midrash that Hashem created the world for several things referred to as reishis (“firsts”), and one of which is bikurim. What is so special about bikkurim? Alshich writes that bikkurim are the epitome of hakarat hatov. By bringing the first fruits as a gift to the Beit Hamikdash the farmers demonstrate their appreciation of Hashem in a very public manner.

Rav Kook adds that historically there was disunity and division between the civilized workers and the farmers. The craftsman would look down on the farmers who chose to live off the land, in nature, far from civilization. They disapproved of the farmers and their way of life. However, when the farmers brought the bikurim in this public procession, it not only a demonstrated an appreciation of Hashem, but also showed gratitude to the farmers! After all, you can look down at the famers all you want- until you want a glass of orange juice, a steak, or a chop salad! The bikkurim ceremony afforded the opportunity to make amends and to correct the divide between farmers and craftsmen.

As Chag HaBikkurim, Shavuot is a good time to appreciate all the people who have helped us in the past and all those who continue to help us, in both large and small ways, along our life journeys.

Beyond Sunburn and Sand: Take-Aways from the Midbar

“Hashem spoke to Moshe in the wilderness/ desert of Sinai in the tent of the Meeting on the first of the second month in the second year after their exodus from Egypt.” (Bamidbar 1:1)

The fourth book of the Chumash is called Bamidbar. While we might have thought that the desert is merely a location in which the events of this book occur, our Rabbis teach that the name “Bamidbar” has significance and it behooves us to understand its meaning and its lessons.

Midrash Rabba offers two explanations. First, the Midrash emphasizes the similarities between the Torah and the desert: “Just as the desert is accessible to anyone who wishes to enter it; so too Torah is accessible to all ''. I remember as a student we would take nature hikes behind my elementary school. We would occasionally come across a sign that said “Do not enter! Violators will be shot.” There are no such restrictions when it comes to Torah learning. Torah study is not only for Rabbis, nor is it only for those who attended Yeshiva or a Jewish day school. Torah is not the exclusive domain of those who make a daily commitment to learning. Torah is a Morasha, the natural birthright of every single Jew.

Second, the Midrash goes on to explain that not only is Torah comparable to a desert in terms of access, but each of us must imitate characteristics a desert in order to benefit from the Torah:

“”Anyone who does not make him/herself like a desert, ownerless- will not be able to acquire wisdom nor Torah.”

We must be like the desert in two ways: First, a desert is symbolic of humility as is evidenced from the lack of tall vegetation.  A desert does not have much to brag about. Human beings must exercise a healthy degree of humility in order to accept the “yoke of Torah”. We must be willing to admit that we do not know everything. Just as a desert is open to all, so too we must be open to the Torah’s laws and explanations. Secondly, a desert is hefker, it is ownerless. It does not belong to anyone in particular. From this quality of a desert we can learn that we too must make ourselves “ownerless”. If we want to acquire the Torah then we must not be “owned” by any other ideas or preconceived notions that would hinder our efforts at studying Torah in an intellectually honest and receptive manner.

This Midrash helps us understand the symbolism of a desert for both ourselves and the Torah. However, the role of the desert in Sefer Bamidbar is more than symbolic. The fourth book of the Chumash is about survival in the desert. Are there any keys to surviving in the desert that can help us in our spiritual quest as Jews?

The first mistake people who die in the desert make is a mental one. They freak out and consider the desert a hostile environment that is conspiring against human life. The key to desert survival is learning to be part of the desert’s ecosystem. One is much more likely to survive if s/he considers the possibility that they and the desert can exist in harmony together. A practical example of this is extracting water from the desert cactus. To survive the desert, a person must learn to become part of the desert’s ecosystem and not view it as antagonistic.

This is such an important lesson for all of us. Not every tension, not every disagreement is necessarily antagonism. Friends can agree to disagree. Family members can have different perspectives on even important issues without it leading to all-out war. Difficult situations can be the breeding grounds for very positive outcomes.