Adas Israel - Mason City, IA

Torah Thoughts 4 August 2023 - Parsha Eikev

Hello Friends and welcome to Torah Thoughts from Adas Israel the Jewish Congregation of Northern Iowa, based in Mason City. We're glad
you are here.  For your calendar: August services will take place on Friday (Erv Shabbat) the 18th at 7:00PM and our Study Session (Midrash) will take place on Shabbat the 19th at 10:00AM. Both events at the shul.  The Parsha for that Midrash is Shoftim (Deut. 16:18 - 21:9).

Parsha Eikev

This week we are reading Parsha Eikev (Deut. 7:12 - 11:25) which is the Hebrew word for "if you follow" as we read in the opening line: "This shall be the reward if you follow these commandments, and you observe and preform them..." What Moses is telling the people is that each of the commandments are important there are none "lesser". In fact, the word eikev can also mean "heel". What's that about? It is a notion that we might think some of the commandments (mitzvot) are not as important as others and we might "tread" on them with our heel.  For example some may think that paying your employees on time is not as important as the commandment to not murder. However, in this Parsha we learn that each commandment is critical and the reward for following each that impacts us is the blessing of Hashem.

Digging Deeper

There is a section in this Parsha that is quite amazing. If you read Deut. 8:10 you will see this: "You will eat and you will be satisfied, and bless Hashem your G-d, for the good land that he gave you."  What are we getting to here is the Blessing After Meals. In the Jewish tradition we not only thank G-d before we eat but also after the meal that contains any type of bread. The blessing, in Hebrew, is called the Birkat Hamazon and there are four blessings in the prayer: 1)  A blessing of thanks for the food was traditionally composed by Moses in gratitude for the manna that the Jews ate in the wilderness. 2)  A blessing of thanks for the Land of Israel which is attributed to Joshua after he led the Jewish people into Israel. 3) A blessing for Jerusalem that is ascribed to David, who established it as the capital of Israel and Solomon, who built the Temple. 4) A blessing of thanks for G-d's goodness. 

The Lesson

What's going on here? The great sage Rabbi Avraham Twerski gives a contemporary answer: If someone invited you for a meal, you would undoubtedly thank him. However, would you say, “Thank you for taking me into your house, for giving me a chair and seating me at the table?” Why, when we thank G-d for the food He has given us, do we enumerate all these other things?

It is because the comparison to being invited to a meal is not accurate. A better comparison is to someone who was stranded in an arid desert and had not had any food for several days. If a truck comes by and picks him up and the driver gives him some food and water, he will thank him profusely not only for the food and water but also for stopping to pick him up and saving his life.

This, says Rabbi Benzion Bruk, is how we should feel toward G-d. He provides us not only with food, not only with the necessities of life, but also with life itself. We should indeed express our gratitude for all of these.

Beyond the Meal

One of the Chassidic masters asks, "In as much as we should recite a blessing for everything we enjoy in this world, how do we listen to music or enjoy fine art without a blessing?"

He suggests that whereas the Talmud did not prescribe a blessing for everything, it is proper that the first time in a day that we recite the blessing "shehakol nihiyeh bidvoro (Who created everything for His glory)," we should have the intention that we wish this blessing to apply to everything for which no specific blessing was designated. The words are translated as: "Blessed are you of Lord our G-d ruler of the universe who has created everything for His glory."

This is an excellent suggestion. We should not lose sight of the fact that everything we enjoy is a Divine gift. Feel free to try it.

Thank you for reading and Shabbat Shalom! 

 

 

Torah Thoughts 28 July 2023 Parsha V'etchanan

Welcome back to Torah Thoughts from Adas Israel the Jewish Congregation of Northern Iowa, based in Mason City. Thanks for being with us. For your future planning services in August will take place on Erv Shabbat (Friday) the 18th at 7:00PM and our Midrash (Study Session) will be on Shabbat (Saturday) the 19th starting at 10:00AM.  Hope to see you in Shul!

Parsha V'etchanan

This week we read from the Book of Devarim (Deuteronomy) 3:23 - 7:11. The word "V'etchanan" in Hebrew means "I requested" as we read in the opening of this parsha: "I requested from G-d at that time..."  This is Moses telling the story about how he requested to be allowed to enter Israel and was once again turned down by G-d. This was devastating for Moses but why?

The rabbis say that it was not because Moses wanted to enter the land to taste of its "milk and honey" but rather because of the 613 Commandments in the Torah some can only be done when in Israel. Moses wanted to not only do those mitzvot (commandments) but he wanted to fulfil them so that all of Israel could learn and accept them  After all, Moses was the "great teacher".

What Else?

In this reading there are many of the pillars of our faith: the Ten Commandments, the Shema, the art of prayer, prophecy, and teachings that guarantee our Jewish survival. Just by reviewing this portion, we can gain an enormous insight into the essence of our Judaism. In the opening verses of the parashah, Moshe Rabbeinu (Moses our Teacher) prays to G-d, but the expression he used is most unusual: "Va'eschanan" is derived from the word "chein - to find favor," or from "chinam - free," implying that even if we are undeserving, we beseech G-d to find favor with us, accept our prayers, and grant our request as a free gift.

It is difficult to understand why Moses, the greatest of all men, would have to resort to such a form of prayer. If anyone was worthy, it was he. Never did Moses pray for himself. All his supplications were on behalf of the Jewish people, and now, for the very first time, he pleads on his own behalf and begs G-d to grant him the privilege of seeing the Promised Land. Moses certainly could have felt entitled to have his prayers answered.

The truly righteous understand, however, that before G-d, there is no entitlement. When we perform a mitzvah, when we live a righteous life, it is we who have to thank G-d for granting us that opportunity, that privilege. We are not doing G-d a favor when we fulfill the commandments; rather, it is we who become enriched and elevated. So, when we beseech G-d in supplication, we have no bargaining points, but are totally dependent on His infinite mercy. In effect, as stated above, we are asking that we may find favor in His eyes and be granted a "free gift."

The Lesson

This message is especially significant to our generation. Too many of us harbor feelings of "entitlement." In our foolish arrogance, we have come to believe that G-d "owes us one," never realizing that it is we who owe everything to Him. Were it not for His constant mercy, in a split second, we could lose our ability to function...even our very lives. Therefore, we commence each and every morning with these simple, but majestic words, "Modeh Ani - I thank You" for returning my soul, and we proceed to express gratitude throughout all our waking moments. We thank G-d for the food that we eat, the water that we drink, for our bodily functions, for the wonders of nature, for the good, and even for the apparently bad - we take nothing for granted.

Our Sages teach that since the destruction of the Holy Temple, all the gates to heaven are locked, except for the gate of tears, which means that genuine, heartfelt, prayers can bring about many miracles. Let us never give up. Let us follow the example of Moses.

Thank you for reading and Shabbat Shalom!

 

Torah Thoughts 20 July 2023 - Parsha Devarim

Welcome back to Torah Thoughts from Adas Israel the Jewish Congregation of Northern Iowa, based in Mason City. We're glad you are here A note that our July services will be this week. Erv. Shabbat services will be on Friday the 21st starting at 7:00PM with a kiddish following in the social hall. Then on Shabbat (22 July) we'll hold our Torah Study (Midrash) and be studying this week's portion Devarim or Deut. 1:1 - 3:22.  Hope to see you in shul!

Devarim

This week we begin the final book of the Torah, Devarim ( Hebrew for "words") which we find in the first sentence: "These are the words that Moses spoke to all Israel on the other side of the Jordan...". The entire "book" is about Moses recounting all that the Jews have been through since they left Egypt. You would know this book, perhaps, as Deuteronomy which is Greek (and we don't speak Greek) that some say means the "Second Law" and some say means "repetition". Now you see why we call it Devarim...that simply means "words". This is also the portion that is always read before Tish' a B'Av or the "9th of the Hebrew month of Av". More on that later.

What Words?

Here Moses is in the final days of his life and he recounts for the people what they have been through From the appointment of judges to the story of the spies. Why?  He is getting the people ready to forge a new life in Israel. In a place where the people would no longer see the constant presence of G-d and the daily miracles witnessed as they journeyed through the wilderness.  From here on the people would have to plow and plant and harvest. They would need to enact courts and they would be tempted.

And, Moses also tells them he knows they will falter but says to them that they will learn from their mistakes. 

What profound wisdom. If we make a mistake and we fail to learn and grow from that mistake what a missed opportunity. If you go to hammer a nail and just before you strike you shut your eyes chances are you won't make that mistake again.  So too is it as we attempt to follow the Torah.  We may fail to always do what is right but if we learn from that failure all is not lost. It is a constant effort and it never gets old.

About Tish' a B'Av

This next week Jews all over the world will remember the 9th Day of the Hebrew Month of Av which falls on July 27. This is no picnic.  Over the centuries some very bad things have happened on the 9th day of Av. Consider this list:

• The incident of the spies slandering the land of Israel with the subsequent decree to wander the desert for 40 years.
• The destruction of the first Temple in Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon in 423 BCE.
• The destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem by the Romans in 70 CE.
• The fall of Betar and the end of the Bar Kochba revolt against the Romans 65 years later, 135 CE.
• Pope Urban II declared the First Crusade. Tens of thousands of Jews were killed, and many Jewish communities obliterated.
• The Jews of England were expelled in 1290.
• The Jews of Spain were expelled in 1492.
• World War I broke out on Tisha B'Av in 1914 when Russia declared war on Germany.
• German resentment of the Treaty of Versailles set the stage for World War II and the Holocaust. In fact, many believe it was merely the continuation of World War I. Thus, the Holocaust also has it’s roots in Tisha B’Av.
• On Tisha B'Av, deportation began of Jews from the Warsaw Ghetto.

And there have been others. So, how do we mark this day?  On this day, one is forbidden to eat or drink, bathe, use moisturizing creams or oils, wear leather shoes, or have marital relations. The idea is to minimize pleasure and to let the body feel the distress the soul should feel over these tragedies. Like all fast days, the object is introspection, making a spiritual accounting and correcting our ways – what in Hebrew is called teshuva – returning to the path of good and righteousness, to the ways of the Torah.

Thank  you for reading and may you have a blessed Shabbat and an easy fast next week.  We'll see you this Shabbat!

 

Torah Thoughts 14 July 2023 Mattos-Masei

Hello from Pennsylvania and welcome to Torah Thoughts from Adas Israel the Jewish Congregation of Northern Iowa based in Mason City. I've been in Lancaster County for several days and spent some time learning about the Old Order Amish. It's been quite the adventure. So many things this group does would be very familiar to the Jew. We'll chat about it a bit next week which, by the way, is when we gather for services on Friday the 21st at 7:00PM and then our Torah Study (Midrash) will be on Shabbat (22nd) starting at 10:00AM. We will be studying the book of Devarim which means "words". You may know it as Deuteronomy.  The portion is Deut. 1:1 - 3:22 so you can get a head start.

Also next week begins the Hebrew month of Av which is the 19th of July. For the past several weeks observant Jews have refrained from entering into contracts, holding weddings, bar or bat mitzvah celebrations even getting a haircut...it is a period of mourning for the destruction of both temples and a host of other horrible things that happened to the Jewish Community.  We'll talk about that as well.

It's nearly Shabbat so let's dig into Torah Thoughts. 

This week you get TWO for the price of one.  We're reading Torah Portions Matot-Masei or Numbers 30:2 - 36:13.

The word "matot" means tribes and is found in the opening line: "Moses spoke to the heads of the tribes...". Meanwhile the word "masei" means journeys which is found in the first line of Numbers 33:1, "These are the journeys of the Children of Israel....".

In the first parsha we learn about vows and oaths. The Hebrew word for a vow is neder. In this parsha we learn how important it is to keep your word. The rabbis tell us this is as important as a commandment. For example if you were to make a vow, "I will not, for thirty days, consume Kool-Aid of any color." Then you must keep your neder.  The rabbis say that failure to do what you vow to do results in (ready?)...lashes!  Yikes!

Meanwhile what is the difference between a vow and an oath? A vow (nedar) is a voluntary prohibition to do something. Meanwhile by declaring an oath is reserved for either prohibiting or requiring yourself to perform an act. Confusing?  Try this, A neder (vow) changes the status of the object: for example, if I have made an apple forbidden to myself, the apple has the  status of a forbidden food to me, so I can not enjoy an apple. In contrast, an oath places an obligation only on the person: for example, if I have sworn to eat an apple, there is a new obligation on me but the lawful status of an apple is unchanged. So, while you may make an oath to eat a pork chop you really can't because the pork chop is still treif and not kosher.

Next in this reading Israel takes vengeance against the people of Midian and it's not pretty.

We then learn about the value of being in something "together". 

The tribes of Ruben and Gad say to Moses that they would like to settle not in Israel but outside of land. Moses has a hard time with that thinking that the tribes did not want to enter Israel for the battles that were to come. Ruben and Gad make clear that that is not their intent and that they wish to lead in battle.  

So, what do we learn here?  The importance of staying together to finish a mission...as long as that mission is righteous. In this portion we also learn that it is G-d who gives the entire Land of Israel to the Jew. How do we know that?  "Take possession of the land and settle in it, for I have given you the land to possess" (Num. 33:53).

In Parsha Masei (journeys) the Torah summarizes the entire route followed by Israel from the Exodus to standing at the Jordan River to cross over into the Promised Land. We then read about the boundaries of Eretz Yisrael (Land of Israel). What is interesting here is that while the Jews could take other lands they were not allowed to do so until they conquered the prescribed Land.

We also learn that about the willful and accidental killing...and who can and cannot be a witness. 

There is then an interesting issue of a woman's right to choose.  You can read that starting in Numbers 36:1. It all has to do with land and who gets what. Moses ends the debate of who might marry who by saying, "Let them be wives to whomever is good in their eyes..."

Shabbat Shalom thank you for reading!

Torah Thoughts 7 July 2023 Parsha Pinchas

Welcome to Torah Thoughts from Adas Israel the Jewish Congregation of Northern Iowa which is based in Mason City.  Glad you are with us again this week. A note about our July Service Schedule: We'll meet for Erv Shabbat Services on Friday the 21st at 7:00PM and then our Midrash (study session) will take place on Shabbat (22 July) starting at 10:00AM. Hope to see you in Shul!

Parsha Pinchas

This week we read about the actions of Pinchas (Numbers 25:10 - 30:1). If you remember, last week we had the story about how Ballam used women to seduce the Jewish men. G-d sent a plague and it was Pinchas who took a spear to a couple who were cavorting outside the Tabernacle. It wasn't a pretty sight. That act stopped the plague and Pinchas was made a priest (Cohen) by G-d. You might call this a Divine Promotion.

G-d now commands Moses to attack the Midianites because of the plot that cost so many lives. A new census is taken and we learn there are 601,730 men available for duty in the army. 

And What Else?

The tribes are now given land in Israel. Meanwhile the daughters of Tzelafchad come to Moses asking that they be allowed the right of inheritance. Moses turns to G-d to ask what to do. In the end we learn that this is one of the first reported decisions on equality. The women get that inheritance.

We now learn who the successor to Moses will be as G-d directs Moses to name Joshua.

As usual, there is a bunch of things going on in this portion. One of the interesting things to modern Jews would be the question of rights of women. Here, long before women received the right to vote in the United States, we have a decree of equality. Equal...as they say is... equal.

Thank you for reading this shorter version and Shabbat Shalom!

 

Torah Thoughts 30 June 2023 Parsha Chukat-Balak

Welcome to Torah Thoughts from Adas Israel the Jewish Congregation of Northern Iowa, based in Mason City. Glad you are with us again this week.  Before we get into this weeks parsha a reminder that our July service will take place on the 21st of July (Friday) starting at 7:00PM and our Midrash will be on Shabbat (Saturday the 22nd) at 10:00AM.  Hope to see you in shul!

Parsha Chukat-Balak

This week we read a rather long parsha (Numbers 19:1 - 25:9) and start with a commandment that, on the surface, makes no sense.  It is the commandment of the Red Cow. The commandment is a paradox. The ashes of the Red Cow purifies people who have become contaminated; yet those who engage in its preparation become contaminated. 

Even King Solomon said about this mitzvah, "I said I would be wise, but it is far from me." (Ecclesiastes 7:23). And the Midrash, on this point says, "Who can draw a pure thing out of an impure one? Is it not the One G-d?" (Job 14:4).

The Midrash also points to other paradoxical cases such as righteous people who came from wicked parents: Abraham from Terach, Hezekiah from Ahaz and Josiah from Ammon. The Talmud also adds the paradox that it is forbidden to drink blood, but an infant nurses from its mother, whose blood in transformed into milk to become the source of life.

The bottom line here is that while we may not understand the mitzvah it is not the fault of the teacher (G-d) it is the inability of the student (us) to comprehend.

Water And The Rock

We now come to an event that shaped the future for Moses and Aaron. The people arrive at a destination some 38 years after their wandering. It is here that the sister of Moses, Miriam, dies. There is no water and the people, once again, start to complain: "Why have you brought us to this evil place...and there is no water to drink." (Num. 20: 1 - 5).

Hashem tells Moses to speak to the rock and water will come. However when Moses and Aaron approach the rock it is Moses who raises his staff and, as he did earlier, strikes the rock.  While water did flow, Hashem tells the brothers they will not be allowed to enter Israel. "Because you did not believe in Me..." (Num. 20: 9-12).

The rabbis disagree about the "sin" of Moses.  Some say it was because Moses did not do as G-d instructed...speaking, not hitting. Others suggest that the sin was Moses getting angry at the people and losing his temper. And there is nothing in this chapter to indicate that G-d lost his temper with the people. Because the people believed Moses acted on behalf of G-d (in anger) that was not the case.

The Lesson

There is much we can learn from this.  First of all is the fact that Moses is mourning the death of his sister. However, nothing like that is mentioned.  Yet, the people are not focused on the pain of Moses and Aaron they are focused on themselves. This teaches us that compassion should always come first. Being "other centered" can bring comfort to others in their time of need.

Second is a lesson about anger. If G-d was not angry with the people (and how many times was He...) why was it alright for Moses to lose his temper. The lesson here is that we are instructed to be mindful of our emotions.  Yes, it is difficult but if we are mindful of what is in front of us...it is easier for us to "temper" our temper.

Finally we need to always listen...carefully. Often we react to a situation with exactly the wrong action.  Here G-d tells Moses to "speak to the rock" but Moses does what he had done before and strikes it.  Habit or not paying attention?  How many times in our day do we act before we actually listen?

Guilty?  Me too...

Thank you for reading and Shabbat Shalom!  

 

 

 

Torah Thoughts 22 June 2023 Parsha Korach

Hello Friends and welcome to Torah Thoughts from Adas Israel the Jewish Congregation of Northern Iowa, based in Mason City. A quick word about our June schedule: Erv Shabbat Services will be held on Friday (23 June) starting at 7:00PM and our Midrash (Study Session) will take place on Shabbat (24 June) starting at 10:00AM.  Hope to see you in Shul!  Thanks for reading and, as always, if you find this interesting and worthwhile or if you have questions or comment.  Feel free to reach out.

Parsha Korach

This week we read about one of the most dramatic stories in the Torah. Korach (Num. 16 - 18) is named after the man who challenged the authority of Moses and what happened to him and his followers. When we read the account of this story we are truly astounded by what went on. Not only was Moses the one who led the Jews from Egypt, but all the Israelites were eyewitnesses to the many miracles that were wrought through him. They saw him wave his staff over the Reed Sea, causing the waters to divide. There could be no doubt that he was commissioned by G-d to be the leader. How could anyone question the authenticity of Moses' leadership? It simply defies all logic.

Rashi quotes the Midrash which raises this question: How could Korach, a wise and learned person, act so foolishly? The Midrash answers that Moses had appointed another Levite to be leader of the tribe of Levi, and Korach was envious of this. But would envy really be the cause of such a lapse in judgement?

Envy

Rabbi Chaim Shmulevitz helps us understand this. He cites the Talmudic statement, “Envy, lust and pursuit of acclaim remove a person from the world” (Ethics of the Fathers 4:28). The expression “remove a person from the world” is rather strange. Rabbi Shmulevitz explains that the usual deviation from proper behavior is a very gradual one. The Talmud says that the tactic of the yetzer hara, the evil inclination, is to seduce a person to commit a very minor infraction, then lead him on to progressively more serious transgressions. It's one small step at a time. The yetzer hara will not entice a person into doing something patently absurd.

If a person is overtaken by envy, one is no longer bound by logic. The passion of envy can be so great that it can overwhelm all rational thought, and leave one vulnerable to the yetzer hara's seduction to behave in the most irrational manner. Envy indeed removes a person from the natural order of the world.

That is what happened with Korach. Moses understood this, and delayed the trial until the next day. (Num. 16:5)

The Lesson

According to the great Rabbi Avraham Twerski:  The Korach episode conveys a most important teaching. We are all vulnerable to envy, and envy is not a difficult emotion to identify. If you feel yourself being envious, do nothing for a while. Envy can suspend all logical thinking and make one do things that one will regret.

If you feel envious, ventilate your feelings to a friend or write them down. Read one of the ethical works about envy. This will help you realize that envy is a futile and destructive feeling. Before doing anything foolish that may be a reaction to your envy, seek the counsel of a friend or mentor. You may avoid making serious mistakes.

Thank you for reading and Shabbat Shalom.  See you in shul! 

 

 

Torah Thoughts 16 June 2023 Parsha Shelach

Welcome to Torah Thoughts our weekly look at the Torah Portion of the week from the Adas Israel the Jewish Congregation of Northern Iowa which is based in Mason City. Today, along with a look a this week's portion a word about the celebration of Juneteenth. Let's get started. And, a word about our June service schedule: We will meet for services on Friday the 23rd at 7:00PM and our Midrash will take place on Shabbat the 24th starting at 10:00AM. Hope to see you in shul!

The Parsha

This week we read from Shelach, Numbers 13:1 - 15:41. Shelach, in Hebrew, means "send" and comes from the first sentence in this reading, "Hashem (The Name) spoke to Moses, saying, 'Send forth men, if you please, and let them spy out the Land of Canaan that I give to the Children of Israel; one man from each of his father's tribe shall you send, every one a leader among them."

Right away we see something very different in what G-d has said.  Notice it is less a commandment and more a "suggestion" as He says, "Send forth men, if you please, and..."

Why?

The people had come to Moses and asked him to send spies to check out the land. Even though G-d had said they would be protected and it was His gift to the Jews the people still...doubted. Sound familiar?  And, so, Moses wishing to placate the people said he would do what was asked of him. In reality, Moses thought that by agreeing to sending spies the people would be satisfied and not wish the action to go forward. Oh, but he was wrong.

The twelve spies went out and when they returned from their 40 days of work. Two, Joshua and Caleb, reported that it was a land of "milk and honey". However, the other ten spies shared frightening stories of what they saw.  The people made the choice, once again, to doubt G-d and they sided with the majority.

The result was a national hysteria. The people were scared and they begged Moses not to enter The Land. The result was that G-d said they would wander in the desert for one year for every day the spies were on their mission. So, for 40 years, until the doubters had died...the Jews wandered.

There is so much to unpack here: That the people doubted is nothing new. Their lack of faith even in the sight of great miracles is astounding but easy to understand. How many of us doubt? It is going on in our nation today. Conspiracy theories, just like those that came back with the ten spies, invade our lives...and we doubt reality. Why? Mostly, like our ancestors, we are afraid and fear makes way for doubt.

The Connection to a National Day of Mourning 

All of this took place on the 9th day of the Hebrew month of Av and according to tradition G-d declared, “You cried on this night for no reason. I will give you a reason to cry forevermore on this day.”  And so it has been. From the expulsion of the Jews from Spain on the 9th of Av in 1492 as well as the expulsion from England. It was on the 9th of Av that both Temples were destroyed. It was on the 9th of Av that World War I started as Germany declared war on Russia.  It was on the 9th of Av that the Warsaw Ghetto was obliterated. If you want more examples here is a link.  Coincidence?  Hardly.

But, There is More!

Here, also, is an interesting fact that links to this story. This is the basis of the Minyan. While one may pray at any time and by ourselves there are specific prayers that should not be uttered unless there are ten Jews present. In the Orthodox world it is ten men in our other denominations the Minyan may be mixed...men and women. How is that linked to the Spies? 

We find in Leviticus, “And I shall be sanctified in the midst of the children of Israel” (22:32). The same word also appears in the verse: “Separate yourselves from the midst of the congregation” (Numbers 16:21).

This word, “eidah – congregation” is found as the description of the group of ten spies who rendered a negative report on the land of Israel: “How long shall I bear with this evil congregation which murmur against me?” (Numbers 14:27). Hence, the Talmud derives from here that to sanctify G-d in a congregation – the congregation must consist of at least 10.

See what you learn here...

Finally, there is this major link to the story:

United we Stand; Divided we Fall

Think of this for a moment as we witness the tearing apart of our society. We are divided on politics; Fact or Fiction. We are divided on the world stage; Friends or Enemies. We are divided along economic lines; Rich or Poor. We are divided along racial lines; Caucasian, Black. Asian, Latino. We are divided on law and order; Law Enforcement or Public Safety. We are divided on issues of orientation; Gay or Straight.  We are divided on religious lines and the list goes on and on.

Where is the unity?  Are we repeating history as we doubt the greatness of our people?

This Monday is Juneteenth a day that marks the freedom from slavery in our nation. While the Emancipation Proclamation was handed down years earlier it was not until June 19, 1865 that slaves in Texas were notified they were...free. That event has been largely scrubbed from our history books and so today many people have no clue as to what Juneteenth means nor do they know of the Tulsa Massacre or the Red Summer, the bombing in May of 1985 as police dropped a bomb onto the compound of MOVE, a black liberation group.

And so we doubt that there is any need for racial, economic and social justice...even when it is right in front of us.

Unity is not a bad word and while we may never be totally unified it is up to us to find common ground and then go about the business of fixing what is broken. It is not easy work but, if we pay attention, we know the danger that exists if we fail.

Thank you for reading and Shabbat Shalom!

Torah Thoughts 8 June 2023 Parsha Be'halot'cha

Hello friends!  Welcome, once again, to Torah Thoughts from Adas Israel the Jewish Congregation of Northern Iowa, based in Mason City. Glad you are with us.  A reminder that June services will happen on Friday the 23rd at 7:00PM and our Midrash (Study) will take place on Shabbat the 24th starting at 10:00AM.  The Parsha we'll be studying is Korach (Num. 16 - 18). Just a "heads up".

This Week

This week we read Parsha Be'halot'cha which is the Hebrew word "when you go up" or "when you ascend".  "Hashem spoke to Moses saying, Speak to Aaron and when he goes up to kindle toward the face of the Menorah..."(Num. 8 1-2) What is interesting is that we read this after we learn about the duties of each of the other tribes.  Now Hashem had left out the Tribe of Levi and Aaron, say the rabbis, was a bit upset that his tribe had nothing to do.  So G-d set them apart to not only do the work in the tabernacle but also to light the great Menorah...and in doing so spreading the light of Torah to all of the people. It was a pretty big deal.

Free Food?

This week we learn about how the people complained about their food. Yes, they were getting manna from heaven but...there was a but: “We remember the fish that we used to eat in Egypt for free” (Num. 11:5) and then the verse lists all the vegetables they remembered eating. This isn’t the first time the people complained at moments of crisis, one of the first things they would say was that they were better off as slaves in Egypt, even though they were now free and had experienced all these great miracles.

The commentaries ask, what did they mean by saying the fish was “for free”? They didn’t get anything for free; they were slaves. Pharaoh didn’t even provide them with building materials – they had to find their own straw. Who gave them food for free?

The Ramban gives a very practical answer and says that the Jewish slaves worked as fishermen in Egypt, and the extra fish caught in the nets were given to the slaves to eat. So, technically, they did get surplus fish for free from their masters. So, in a way it was "free" but the payment was being a slave.

But Wait!!

Why did they focus on the fact that it was free? The manna from heaven was also free; it
landed from the sky and they ate it without having to pay for it. What, then, did they mean by chinam, “for free”?

Rashi, quoting the Midrash, says that in Egypt, they could eat “free from keeping mitzvot”. They had not yet been given the Torah, and even though they were slaves, they were “free” from the duties of the commandments. So, although on the surface they were complaining about the food, what they were really complaining about was their having to keep the commandments of the Torah. When the people complained, they demonstrated that they viewed the mitzvot as a burden and that they wanted to be free of them.

We Decide

This is a very interesting question. How do we view the commandments? Are they a burden that holds us back or do they add meaning, value and purpose to our lives?

I can't tell you how many times over the past 40 years I've been asked about that. "What? You must do XYZ? Isn't that awfully restrictive?"  The bigger question should be, "Do we relate to the commandments (613 by the way) as a way to get closer to G-d?  My answer would be...yes!

The Torah was given as a guidebook of right and wrong and what is G-d’s will, but G-d gave it to us so that we could enjoy this world. To demonstrate the point, Rav Yerucham quotes: “Keep My decrees and laws so that a person may do them and live by them.” (Lev. 18:5)

The commentaries on this verse ask, what does it mean for a person to do the commandments and “live by them”? The Torah was given to us to enable us to live optimally in this world and to derive the maximum joy out of it. The commandments are not only about what is right and wrong, and receiving reward in the World to Come. Rather, G-d structured the world in such a way that, through the mitzvot, we can enjoy this world to the fullest.

Take Shabbat for Example

We could explain to people who have never experienced Shabbat that our day of rest is a day of restrictions: we can’t cook, we can’t drive, and we can’t do this, that or the other. Or, we can show them how, amazingly, the laws of what we may or may not do on Shabbat create an island of peace and tranquility, of family bonding and enjoyment.

Shabbat then becomes a day of inspiration and calm. It gives us more than 24 hours without cell phones, without interruptions, without having to drive anywhere or run any errands. So, although one might think Shabbat is about restrictions, it actually gives us temporary relief from the stresses of everyday life.

Joy in Mitzvot

Shabbat is just one example. Let's look at the restrictions about food. Jews are not permitted to eat shellfish. Take oysters. I was recently on assignment in Nevada and there at the hotel was a oyster bar. People that I knew were raving about the quality of the oysters and how wonderful they were. Me? I had no desire because in not chowing down on them...I was honoring  Hashem.  Which, in a much deeper way, was much more important than sharing in the "joy of oysters".

It's all how we view our duty to always, in every way...honor the Master of the Universe.

Thank you for reading and Shabbat Shalom!!

Torah Thoughts 2 June 2023 Parsha Nasso

Hello Friends and welcome back to Torah Thoughts from Adas Israel the Jewish Congregation of Northern Iowa, based in Mason City.  This is going to be a very quick edition. I'm in Nevada on assignment and have been here since this past Monday. Yes, really ready to come home.  Before we get into this Parsha a reminder that services in June will be on Friday the 23rd of June at 7:00PM and then our Midrash (Study Session) will take place on Shabbat the 24th starting at 10:00AM.  Hope to see you in shul!

Parsha Nasso

This week we read Numbers 4:21 - 7:89. The word "nasso" means count as we read in the opening lines, "And Hashem spoke to Moses saying, Take a count of the sons of Gershon..." Yes, we are back to counting the Levites and then giving them specific tasks. There is yet another interesting aspect to this portion.

Contact with the Dead

Why does the Torah forbid a Nazirite to come near the dead? The sages explain, “The reason why a dead body contaminates is because it represents the defectiveness of the physical, and the Nazirite should avoid the physical things to which he may be attracted.”

Meanwhile Rabbi Henoch Lebovitz comments that to the contrary, being confronted with human mortality motivates a person to spirituality, as King Solomon says, “It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, for that is the end of all man, and the living should take it to heart” (Ecclesiastes 7:2). We find repeated references in the Talmud that the contemplation of one's mortality discourages a person from physical indulgences. Why, then, does Ralbag say that the Nazirite, who takes a vow of abstinence in his quest for spirituality, should avoid contact with the dead?

It's A Good Question

Rabbi Lebovitz explains that there are two paths whereby one can strive for spirituality. One way is to focus on man's sharing of physical drives with lower forms of life, and that when he indulges in gratification of his bodily desires he is acting out his animalistic traits. The Midrash states that when G-d admonished Adam for his sin, Adam wept, “Now my mule and I will be eating from the same trough.” This is a humbling awareness that should motivate a person toward spirituality by distancing him from physical gratification. The second way is to realize the holiness of the Divine neshama (soul) that he possesses, which is inseparable from its source in G-d. The realization of his potential for G-dliness should motivate a person toward the pursuit of spirituality.

The Lesson

Both approaches are valid, and each has its place. The ethicists cite the phrase, “His heart was high in the way of G-d” (II Chronicles 17:6) as meaning that although pride is vanity, one may be motivated by pride to become more spiritual. Awareness of one's G-dly component should make a person reach for the stars, because there is nothing spiritual that is beyond his grasp. As Rambam says, “Every person can be like Moses” (Hilchos Teshuvah 5:2). The dignity of man should make him or her to pursue perfection.

Thank you for reading and Shabbat Shalom!