Messages from the Past

A team of volunteers excavating an archaeological site in Normandy, France, found a “time capsule” this week from a 19th century colleague who surveyed the region nearly 200 years ago. “P. J. Féret, a native of Dieppe, member of various intellectual societies, carried out excavations here in January 1825,” the message rolled up inside a glass flask said. “He continues his  investigations in this vast area known as the Cité de Limes or Caesar’s Camp.” The message was found while the volunteers were conducting an emergency dig at the ancient Gaulish clifftop village near the town of Eu, France, because of erosion on the hillside. The message and its flask were found inside an  earthenware pot at the Cité de Limes. “It was an absolutely magic moment,” team leader Guillaume Blondel told BBC News. “We knew there had been excavations here in the past, but to find this message from 200 years ago… it was a total surprise.”

He added: “Sometimes you see these time capsules left behind by carpenters when they build houses, but it’s very rare in   archaeology. Most archaeologists prefer to think that there won’t be anyone coming after them because they’ve done all the work!”

These finds are exciting because they allow people to connect with a specific person and a  specific message from centuries ago. As Jews we are lucky that we have a rich tradition of    messages and texts from great people who lived hundreds, and even thousands, of years ago. Sefer Devarim is Moshe’s final speech to the Jewish people, and Parshat Nitzvaim is the last portion of that speech. It was delivered by Moshe the day  before he died at age 120. In Nitzavim Moshe both warns and encourages Bnei Yisrael.

He warns the people that turning away from Hashem’s commands will lead to disaster. But Moshe also strikes an encouraging note by telling Bnei Yisrael that we have the choice to do what’s right, and when we choose correctly we will be rewarded. Even when we choose incorrectly we have the opportunity to do teshuva and to recover from our setbacks.

Moshe’s message in Parshat Nitzavim is a timely one as we have reached the last Shabbat of the year.

Ashkenazim will begin reciting Selichot on Saturday night. There will be two Selichot services in the Sanctuary on Saturday night: one at 12 midnight and the other at 1:15 am (chatzot). Between the two   Selichot services there will be a kumsitz with the YIH Rabbis. Selichot marks the beginning of the Yomim Noraim season; a time to reflect on the messages that we have received from our Torah, our teachers, and our tradition.

On the last Shabbat of last year, 5783, none of us could have imagined what the upcoming year would bring for The Jewish People and for the State of   Israel. May it be Hashem’s will that the upcoming year of 5785 brings unimaginable blessings and salvation for Am Yisrael and for Medinat Yisrael.

Be Like A Sunflower

Researchers at Tel Aviv University say they have discovered that sunflowers growing together in dense environments move in a zigzag pattern as if they’re dancing, not only to get more sunlight but also to avoid blocking the sunlight of their neighbor.

The discovery sheds light on a scientific idea that Charles Darwin first explored 200 years ago when he observed that plants moved in circular movements, called circumnutations.

The study, led by Prof. Yasmine Meroz from Tel Aviv’s School of Plant Sciences and Food Security and Prof. Orit Peleg from the University of Colorado Boulder, along with other researchers, was published last week in the peer-reviewed journal Physical Review X. University. (Courtesy/Tel Aviv University)

Researchers at Tel Aviv University say they have discovered that sunflowers growing together in dense environments move in a zigzag pattern as if they’re dancing, not only to get more sunlight but also to avoid blocking the sunlight of their neighbor.

The discovery sheds light on a scientific idea that Charles Darwin first explored 200 years ago when he observed that plants moved in circular movements, called circumnutations.

The study, led by Prof. Yasmine Meroz from Tel Aviv’s School of Plant Sciences and Food Security and Prof. Orit Peleg from the University of Colorado Boulder, along with other researchers, was published last week in the peer-reviewed journal Physical Review X. In describing how sunflowers moved in their experiment, Meroz and Peleg told The Times of Israel by telephone to “imagine a party where it’s very, very crowded.” If nobody moves, said Meroz, “then you’re stuck in some places which are kind of empty, and other places, like next to the buffet, where it’s very, very crowded.” But if “you dance just the right amount,” she said, “then you will have enough space.” The experiment showed that sunflowers “seem to wiggle.” One flower will “go to the right, another to the left, in a zigzag pattern,” the researchers said, moving in circumnutations that seem to be coordinated so that a crowded group of plants can move about “collectively to find more light.” The researchers said their work was inspired by research done on sunflowers grown closely together in a field. The flowers perceive light signals from their immediate neighbors and change their positions for optimal growth of the crowded group. Meroz and Peleg grew five sunflowers close together in a row and followed their movements by taking a time-lapse photo every couple of minutes over a week to 10 days to make a movie where the sunflowers seemed to be wiggling in a zigzag pattern like in a dance. “We saw that the plants moved a lot — a lot more than we thought they would,” Meroz said. “The idea came to us that these circumnutations might have a function in helping these plants find “an optimal configuration, where all of them have enough sunlight,” Meroz said.

The study indicates that sunflowers wiggle not only to optimize their own access to sunlight, but they also do so in a way that optimizes the sunlight for their fellow sunflowers. This is a classic example of “win-win”. Just like sunflowers, we should never view life as “zero sum”. Our wins do not need to come about at the expense of someone else’s loss. In Ki Tavo the pasuk says הסכת ושמע. What does the word הסכת mean? The Gemara in Berachot 63b suggests that הסכת has the word כת in it, to teach us that Torah is optimally acquired in a group setting. Sunflowers are one of my favorite flowers, and we can learn important lessons from them. We should strive to be like the sunflower, seeking to maximize our own potential while seeking to lift up and optimize others at the same time.

Strength In Vulnerability

 At the end of this morning’s Parsha, Ki Teitzei, the Torah encourages us to remember a time in our national history during which we were vulnerable, and directs us in how to channel those feelings.

In the seventh aliyah, The Torah states: Vezacharta Ki Eved Hayita B’Mitzrayim:

Remember the suffering and vulnerability that you felt, and that you may continue to feel due to your experiences in Egypt. One possible response to vulnerability is to sublimate those feelings into an attitude of indifference and callousness. One who had been a slave in Egypt might say to him/herself, “when I was vulnerable in Egypt, no one helped me but Hashem. Now that I am self-sufficient let everyone take care of him/ herself.”

For this reason, the Torah commands us to be extra vigilant not to pervert justice in cases that involve the Ger Yatom or Almanah; the stranger, orphan and widow.

There is a relationship between feeling vulnerable and feelings of love and connection towards others. The more vulnerable we are willing to be, the stronger that relationship can grow. To fully connect we have to take risks- the risk of exposing who we really are and the risk of facing rejection. Taking those risks will increase our feeling of connectedness. Perhaps that is what the Torah is telling us by the Stranger Orphan and Widow: We should tap into our feelings of vulnerability because by doing so we will be more inclined to empathize with their situation, connect with them, and provide for them. I believe there’s a kal v’chomer at work here: if remembering our vulnerabilities can help deepen our bond with those whom we don’t know well, how much more so can it strengthen our connection to loved ones and those familiar to us.

There is a tradition that Elul is an acronym for various themes that should serve as mantras and tasks for the month leading into the High Holidays. One such acronym that many are familiar with is Ani L’Dodi V’Dodi Li (“I am for my beloved, and my beloved is for me”). Elul is a time to appreciate and reenergize our relationships with family, with friends and with Hashem. A lesser known acronym is based on the verse in Parshat Mishpatim (21:13). Concerning the accidental murderer who did not plan on murdering, the verse states: Ina L’yado Vsamti Lecha (makom) “God brought [it] about into his hand, I will make a place for you (to which he shall flee.)”

Hashem orchestrated a scenario in which this person is involved in an accidental killing. So it is Hashem who has also provided a place for him to go: the Ir Miklat, City of Refuge. Now, the words may form an acronym for Elul- but how does it relate to the theme of the month?

An accidental murderer must feel confused guilty and, yes, vulnerable. There is a Goel Hadam (blood avenger) after him and the death wasn’t even his fault. Elul is the time to tap into those feelings of vulnerability to allow us to question long held assumptions, see things in a new light, and deepen our connections to Hashem and to each oth

צֶ֥דֶק צֶ֖דֶק תִּרְדֹּ֑ף: Righteousness, Righteousness, Shall You Pursue

 The repetition of the word “Tzedek” in this verse from Parshat Shoftim has been the subject of much discussion and commentary. Rabbi Simcha Bunim of Peshischa famously explained this verse to mean that righteousness must not only be an ends, it must also be the means. We may not utilize unjust methods, even in the interests of a just cause. Many people focus exclusively on outcomes and the “bottom line”. However this is not a correct approach to life. Ethical living mandates that we consider the process and not just the outcome. Rabbi Chami Shmulewitz learns this lesson from the episode in Parshat Shemini. Moshe at first criticized Aharon in his role as Kohen Gadol for burning a sacrifice against Moshe’s instructions. Aharon countered that perhaps Moshe had misunderstood the Divine commandment. Ultimately Moshe admits that he had made a mistake; Moshe was wrong and Aharon was right. Rabbi Shmulewitz notes that Moshe was faced with a dilemma. If Moshe admitted that he had a mistake, it could jeopardize people’s belief in the veracity and authenticity of the entire Torah. If Moshe admitted making a mistake, people could ask: What else did Moshe forget? In what other ways did Moshe corrupt the Divine commandments? From this perspective we could understand why Moshe might gloss over his mistake, or even argue that he made no mistake at all. Instead Moshe understood that his only responsibility was to tell the truth; even if it put him in a negative light, even if it could jeopardize the way people viewed Torah more generally.

The Talmud teaches that in a capital case, if all 71 judges of the Sanhedrin find the defendant guilty, then the defendant is let go. The rationale is that the cross-examination of eye witnesses for a capital case was so meticulous that there was bound to be a discrepancy between the testimonies of the two witnesses, and this discrepancy would be grounds for an acquittal. (This is another reason why the death penalty was considered exceedingly rare by the Talmud). If the testimonies were exactly the same such as all 71 judges voted guilty, then that would be considered suspicious enough to acquit as well. What happens if a capital case comes before the Sanhedrin. The first 70 judges declare the defendant guilty. The 71^st judge also thinks that the defendant is guilty. If the last judge votes guilty- then the defendant will go free. If the 71^st judge votes not guilty- then the defendant will receive capital punishment (as the last judge believes the defendant deserves), but in order to receive that punishment, the last judge has to lie and say “non guilty” so that the Sanhedrin’s decision is not unanimous. The Ohr Hachayim says that the 71^st judge must vote his opinion and say “not guilty” even though the outcome of his saying the truth will be the opposite of what he wants for the defendant. The Ohr Hachaim explains that this is an example of pursuing righteousness in a righteous fashion.  A person is obligate to speak the truth as s/he sees it, rather than considering the outcomes or results. The process lies in human hands. Results are up to God. Let’s make sure that we pursue our goals in a righteous fashion. 

Subjective Seeing

Two questions jump out when reading the first verse of this week’s Parsha, Reeh (11:26):

רְאֵ֗ה אָֽנֹכִ֛י נֹתֵ֥ן לִפְנֵיכֶ֖ם הַיּ֑וֹם בְּרָכָ֖ה וּקְלָלָֽה: “See, how I set before you today a blessing (and a curse).”

The first question emerges from the first word of the pasuk. If someone hands me a gift wrapped in paper and tied with ribbon, is it really necessary for the gift giver to say “See, how I have given you a gift”? Of course not! I will understand based on the context and the wrapping paper that a gift is being given to me, without the need for the giver to get my attention by saying “Hey, See!” The second question is based on an inconsistency in the Hebrew grammar of this pasuk. The first Hebrew word רְאֵ֗ה (“see) is written in the singular, while the word לִפְנֵיכֶ֖ם (“before you”) is written in the plural.

The answers to both questions provide insight and reminders about the blessings in our lives. Rabbi Frand notes that the verse begins with the word “See” because oftentimes we need to look for our blessings, notice our blessings, and be reminded of our blessings. Sometimes blessings are not so obvious, and we need to see/look for them in order to perceive them. Sometimes we don’t see the blessings in our lives because we take them for granted. It can be difficult to identify them when we live within a landscape full of blessings. Therefore Hashem reminds us to “see” the blessings He has given us.

Regarding the grammatical inconsistency, the Kotzker Rebbe noted that while blessings can be given collectively to many people, each individual will perceive the blessing in a unique manner based on their personality and outlook. Blessings can be universal, and therefore the singular form of “See” is appropriate. However those blessings will be perceived differently by different people, and therefore the word “before you” is written in the plural form.

The lessons for us are 1) Keep our eyes open for the blessings in our lives and 2) Appreciate that people see and experience the world differently- which is both a challenge and an opportunity.

We are in the midst of reading the 7 Haftarot of Consolation on the Shabbatot that take us from Tisha Bav to Rosh Hashanah. The Talmud teaches (Taanit 30b) כׇּל הַמִּתְאַבֵּל עַל יְרוּשָׁלַיִם — זוֹכֶה וְרוֹאֶה בְּשִׂמְחָתָהּ, “Whoever mourns for Jerusalem will merit and see her future joy”. Shouldn’t the blessing be that a person who properly mourns Jerusalem’s destruction will merit to see her rebuilding? Rav Kook answered that not everyone will appreciate the blessing of Jerusalem’s rebuilding in the same way. Some might focus on the challenges, while others might take the blessing for granted. The Talmud assures us that if we take the time and have the correct perspective we will fully appreciate the blessings of Jerusalem, and that proper perspective will bring with it tremendous joy. What is true about the blessings of Jerusalem are true about all of the blessings in our lives. We will experience true joy when we take a moment to see our blessings and to fully appreciate their pervasiveness and their impact.

The Blessing of Removing Anxiety

 At beginning of Parshat Ekev, Moshe lists a number of rewards that Bnei Yisrael will receive if they observe the mitzvot. Among those rewards is “וְהֵסִ֧יר ה מִמְּךָ֖ כָּל־חֹ֑לִי וְכָל־מַדְוֵי֩ מִצְרַ֨יִם הָֽרָעִ֜ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר יָדַ֗עְתָּ לֹ֤א יְשִׂימָם֙ בָּ֔ךְ: And the Lord will remove from you all sickness, and all of the evil diseases of Egypt which you knew.” In Sefer Shemot (15:26) Hashem promises the Jewish People that if they follow His commandments, then: כָּל־הַמַּֽחֲלָ֞ה אֲשֶׁר־שַׂ֤מְתִּי בְמִצְרַ֨יִם֙ לֹֽא־אָשִׂ֣ים עָלֶ֔יךָ “all the sicknesses that I have visited upon Egypt I will not visit upon you, for I, the Lord, heal you.”

If Choli/ Machala refers to sickness, then what exactly does Moshe mean when he talks about removing “the evil diseases of Egypt”? Based on Yerushalmi, Madvei refers to fear and anxiety; not only anxiety surrounding illness but anxiety of all types.

Some people suffer from debilitating anxiety that can and must be addressed by mental health professionals. There should be no stigma surrounding anxiety disorders. Mental health disorders should be viewed and can be treated just like other medical conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure. Even if one is not diagnosed with a pervasive or generalized anxiety disorder, most of us (if not all of us) experience anxiety at some point in our lives. Sometimes that anxiety can be as bad as or worse than whatever it is we are worrying about.  President FDR had a point when he said “the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”

Anxiety has been scientifically proven to harm your health, putting one at higher risk for heart disease to cancer to the common cold. When we realize the damaging impact that anxiety can have, we can begin to appreciate the Divine blessing of removing such worries from our lives.

Fortunately, emotions need not only be a negative force in our lives. Studies have shown that the impact of positive emotions on physical health can be positive. In the early 1990s one of the great medical research enterprises of modern times took place. It became known as the Nun Study. Some 700 American nuns, all members of the School Sisters of Notre Dame in the United States, agreed to allow their records to be accessed by a research team investigating the process of ageing and Alzheimer’s Disease. At the start of the study the participants were aged between 75 and 102.

What gave this study its unusual longitudinal scope is that in 1930 the nuns, then in their twenties, had been asked by the Mother Superior to write a brief autobiographical account of their life and their reasons for entering the convent. These documents were now analyzed by the researchers using a specially devised coding system to register, among other things, positive and negative emotions. By annually assessing the nuns’ current state of health, the researchers were able to test whether their emotional state in 1930 had an effect on their health some sixty years later. Because they had all lived a very similar lifestyle during the intervening six decades, they formed an ideal group for testing hypotheses about the relationship between emotional attitudes and health.

The results, published in 2001, were startling. The more positive emotions, ie contentment, gratitude, happiness, love and hope, that the nuns expressed in their autobiographical notes, the more likely they were to be alive and well sixty years later. The difference was as much as seven years in life expectancy.

Let’s remember the relationship between emotions and health, and how we feel is in our control. Let us also pray that Hashem will remove our anxieties.  And Hashem can do that for us. For as philanthropist Mary Crowley once quipped “Every evening, I turn my worries over to God. He's going to be up all night anyway!”

God Owes us Nothing

At the beginning of our Parsha, Moshe must pray on his own behalf. It’s almost time for the Jews to enter Eretz Yisrael and God has decreed that Moshe won’t join them.

So Moshe prayed: Va’etchanan El Hashem. Rashi comments that the word VaEtchanan is related to the root meaning “free gift”. Rashi writes, “Even though the righteous may base a request on the merit of their good deeds, they request only a free gift of the Omnipresent.” We might expect righteous individuals, Moshe chief among them, to appeal to God with an expectation of a positive response due to their righteousness and fidelity. In fact, the exact opposite is true. Moshe approaches God asking for a free gift. He does not expect anything from Hashem.

Over the years I have met many people dealing with challenges. In my experience one of the best indicators of how a person will weather a challenge is what their expectations are of God. Do they feel that God owes them something? Or do they feel that God owes them nothing? If we feel that God owes us something, then we will often feel short-changed, angry at God, and we might even question the trajectory of our life. A sense of Divine entitlement may lead us to ask: why did I bother being a good person if God wasn’t going to reward me in the fashion that I had hoped for and expected?

But if we feel that God owes us nothing, then our overarching mood will be one of gratitude. So long as there is life, there are opportunities to be grateful. Things might not be working out the way we had hoped for or expected, but that’s never the entire story. The way things are going might be far from expected or ideal, but they present us with opportunities and experiences that we otherwise would not have confronted, and these experiences tap into strengths we may never have known that we possess.

“God owes me nothing” is a mantra that leads to feelings of gratitude. It challenges us to find strengths and prospects in even difficult circumstances. It was Moshe’s motto. (“God owes Me Nothing” is also the title of an unpublished autobiography by Rabbi Joseph Lookstein.) We are primed for accomplishments and satisfaction when we are not fixated on what we think we are owed.

The Baal Haturim notes that the Gematriya of the word Va’etchanan is the same as the word Shirah (515). Moshe’s prayer begins with praise to God for all the great things that He has done. Only after this praise does Moshe make his ask: entry into Eretz Yisrael. The Gemara in Brachot learns from Moshe here that before requesting anything from God we must first praise Him. In our Amida on weekdays we first offer Shevach, praise, and then Bakasha, requests. The purpose of Shevach first is to remind ourselves that no matter how many requests we have, no matter how many problems we have, there are reasons to praise Hashem. God owes us nothing, so anything that is going our way is an opportunity for Shirah.

This Shabbat is called Shabbat Nachamu, referring to the first words of the Haftorah. Nachamu means to be comforted. Nachamu can also mean a change in attitude (ie Shemot 32:14). When we shift from an attitude of “God owes me something” to “God owes me nothing”, from a sense of entitlement to a sense of gratitude, then we can be assured a degree of comfort in the face of any adversity. Let’s commit to more Shirah in our lives. In so doing we can expect to feel more grateful, more joyful, and better prepared to confront and life’s challenges with faith determination.