And you came from where? Really??

In Va-Era we learn (hopefully)...

It seems like just last week that we read about “Aaron spoke... and the people believed...” And what now; “Moses spoke but the people would not listen to him because of the pressure of their hard labor...”

Rashi says that it is one of (10) examples of an ‘a fortiori’ argument*.
Let’s not go there. Instead let’s consider Aaron’s staff turning into a serpent - as do the staffs of the Ministers of Pharaoh... AND Pharaoh and his staff did not believe the miracle before their eyes even after Aaron’s serpent ate up the others. You think, maybe, that this is a natural, every-day occurrence?

It has been argued that this episode shows us the roots of Avodah Zarah (idol worship!). How is that? It is the unwillingness of man(kind) to pursue a matter to its logical conclusion. The search for truth takes effort and will. And man will only dig as deep as is convenient. The search for the truth (whole truth and nothing but...) is not a search the most are willing to undertake. It requires a passion. It has an urgency and a drive that drives us though the uncomfortable areas of our lives in the search to find something... something that requires us to leave our comfort zone, to leave our chosen ideals and concepts. And sometimes, if we dig enough, we will find that the truth is unpalatable and we wish we could return to someplace further back on our quest.

For in this lies the cause of false beliefs (and all the idols) of man. We see how man was able to halt the quest and stifle their curiosity, and their need, to continue and find the source... the cause of existence.

Evolutionary theories takes us back to the earlier stages of man and, sooner-or-later, arrives at a point where - it ends. That place where theories about the “Big Bang” are postulated and that somehow this lead to a point where a life-form evolved. Right! And that is easier for us to accept because (a) our minds cannot grasp something bigger, more eternal?, or (b) accept the fact that the question is unanswerable in terms of theory, and we accept arbitrary assumptions (as if they were “scientific truth”), because they suit our own desires. Just as it did for the Greeks and their gods and the Romans and their gods.

Onward. The Rambam set forth three stages in the development of idol-worship: First the veneration of the forces of nature and astronomical bodies as being emissaries of the Divine Will. So man had the desire to placate these things of nature. As this was based on a fallacy; G-d is to be worshiped directly and with intermediaries of any kind, That did not work out and man moved to the second level.

Man thought that these forces of nature and heavenly bodies must have some kind of power of their own and must be feared or placated. And this was followed by their own kind of logic that G-d was put aside and these ‘agents’ were credited with the final, the ultimate, authority and sovereignty. Oy! The universe was its own cause and its own animator! ???

They never went past their comfort zone. They did not try to find the truth. They never went beyond the surface. WE seldom go beyond the surface - OUR comfort zone. They/we never travel into the uncertainty and would rather live with doubts and questions.

A place of willful mystification. A place where: when causation is broken off, where theories take over and become arbitrary, and where existence becomes trivial &/or meaningless, that it is the pursuit of truth that becomes our raison d'être.

Now, if you can follow that thread back to the Hebrew “shrugging off” Moses‘ attempts to reach out to them, maybe you can understand the suggestion of the parshat being an ‘a fortiori’ argument.
Or perhaps you can find that your (our) quest for truth is thwarted by our own Yetzer Hara - that element of evil within us all that we considered last week.

As a suggestion: Read (or re-read) Luzzatto’s Mesillat Yesharim.

Shabbat Shalom
see you at our Shabbos Torah Study Group

*An argument where similar circumstances are compared, but as one may be intensified, the consequence is likely.

Signs & Shemoth

Shemoth

“...and Aaron spoke all the things that G-d had told Moses and he performed the signs before the people, and the people believed...” Shemoth, 4: 30,31

Well the Gemara comments that -from here we lean that the Israelites (or: as they were then also known- the “Hebrews” [Ivrit]) were believers. THAT’s surprising! As least at first blush. For... a belief in G-d that is based on miracles is, at best, conditional and a dependent form of faith. Certainly as we discussed last week, it would not be a complete faith, for it would question all the aspects of the “miracles”.

In the MBA schools we come to understand and know that people hear what they want to hear (e.g. they believe what they want to believe). So how is it that the Gemara came to understand that the Israelites had (a) perfect Emunah? From our knowledge (in the 21st CE) of man we have come to understand that a man sees what is within him. His past experiences in life, his ‘life-style‘ and his upbringing leads him to make selections and to accept or reject concepts based on his subjective basis‘ and not on an intellectual or objective basis.

So: an atheist &/or a hedonist would find that his world around him could and would provide for “answers” to the experience of miracles. Based on his moral choice to begin with and his life experiences to confirm his ‘answers’. Similarly, a ‘religious’ Jew (if we could only determine just what a ‘religious’ Jew is...) would find elements in his life to accept the concept of miracles in general and would have an open mind as to the veracity of a miracle that he might encounter. For this man (using ‘man’ in the sense of “Mankind”) the miracle itself is a ‘proof’ of and for his faith.

To put this into a different way of thinking: a musician must think in terms of tone and meter, sound and silence. An architect must think in terms of volume and man’s relationship to and reaction to the size and shape of a space. A truck driver needs to think in terms of time and space, safety and concern for himself and other drivers. Or, as Marshall McLuhan once said; “We shape our tools, and thereafter they shape us.”

Does this statement from Shemoth then have a truth, or at least, an understanding of the Hebrew mind at the time in question? It has been said that the frivolous man turns his mind to frivolous things - the ephemera of the world and neglects anything more.

Remember our story from last week about Rabbi Akiva? “Everything that G-d does is for the best.” His response to any apparent ill that he encountered! For Akiva, his underlying trust in G-d provided him with his interpretation of the world that he encountered and were proofs of, not only G-d’s bounty, but of the existence of the living G-d!

Every person sees exactly what he wants to see, hears what he wants to hear. Or: the power of the ‘heart’ (the Jewish base of understanding) affects what the eye sees and how the brain understands or interprets it. As in the following midrash (Shemoth Rabbah, 3: 16)-
This is in reference to the Torah’s incident where Moses transforms his staff into a snake and has to flee from what he unwittingly caused to bring into being. Rab Yossi and a Roman princess were discussing this.
She: “My gods are greater than yours. When (your) Moses saw G-d revealed at the burning bush he hid is face but when he encountered the snake - my god - he fled!”
Reb Yossi: “When you see a snake you only have to run a few feet to get away from it but with G-d, the Almighty, He encompasses all space and there is nowhere to hide.”
Each sought to confirm what they each read in Torah. The magnet only attracts those objects which are subject to magnetism; and so the original question is clarified. The Hebrews declared their faith in HaShem by the simple fact of seeing and believing miracles. Their acknowledgment of the miraculous miracles confirmed their faith.

What does this say about the way that we - you and I - see our world... and how we relate the words of Torah our life experiences and our life-styles? Our teaching and our understanding? What does this bring to “your table”? Faith or scoffing? Or the option of many: believe what is convenient to believe and take the rest of Torah as ‘nice’ stories to read and perhaps teach our children?

Or do we ever question...?

Stories for Understandings

Vayechi

I think I’ll tell you a story.
No. I will tell you two stories...
Maybe even another-

And they will even relate to this week’s Parshat.

Here’s da’ Shiur.


These come to me from the Gemara.
Every man (person) should, at all times, say: “Whatever G-d does, is for the best.”
As we will see with this story of the famous Rabbi Akiva.

Rabbi Akiva once went on a journey and took with him (of all things) an ass (donkey, of course), a rooster (?) and his lamp. He approached a village as it was growing dark and applied to an inn for lodging but was turned away. He said; “Whatever G-d does is for the best.” and he found a quiet field to lay down and rest.

Well, a large beast came by and killed and ate his donkey and no longer did it slink away dragging the carcass that a feral cat jumped on the rooster and killed it. He sighed and was about to pile some straw together for his bed when the wind arose and blew out his lantern. The rabbi said; “Whatever G-d does is for the best.” And he went to sleep.

Then during the night wandering troops invaded the village and murdered the inmates and burned it to the ground. When Akiva saw what had happened he understood what had befallen him.

If his donkey had brayed or his rooster crowed... if his lantern continued to burn and give off light, the marauders would have seen him and murdered and plundered him also. And he said; “Baruch HaShem. Whatever G-d does is for the best.”


A similar tale concerns a man named Nahum Ish GamZu. And in addition to givings us a similar way of thinking, it also explains his rather strange name. Nahum would always say: “This too is for the best.” This, his comment on whatever happened to him, is (in Hebrew): ‘Gam zu letovah.‘ Thus: Nahum Ish GamZu.



In any case it is said that the Jews once wanted (for some reason) to send a gift to Cæsar but did not know how to send it, or with whom. Someone suggested Nachum because he had experienced miracles (and that seemed to qualify him for the task), So off he went with a chest of jewels.

On his way he stopped at an inn and when the innkeeper eyed the chest he was certain that it must hold something of value. So after Nachum and gone to sleep the innkeeper crept into the room and found the chest loaded with jewels. So he took the loot and replaced it with sand of about the right weight.

Nachum arose in the morning and, not suspecting anything, when on his way to Cæsar When he presented the chest to Cæsar and it was opened Cæsar was furious and wanted to execute Nachum on the spot and to send more troops to lay waste to the Jews. Nachum was not dispirited with this and said ‘Gam zu letovah.’ or- This too is for the best. Then Elijah appeared in the guise of one of Cæsar’s ministers and said; ‘It may just be that this sand is the same sand that Abraham used to sprinkle over the ground and defeat his enemies, as it is written, “He makes his sword like earth and his bow like driven chaff.‘ Perhaps this sand too has special qualities.”

Well at that time Cæsar was waging a war without gaining an advantage so he threw Nachum in the dungeon while he “tested” this sand. He sent the sand to his generals with instructions to spread it before the enemy. Well don’t you know what happened? The enemy was defeated and Nachum was freed and was taken to the treasury and Cæsar had Nachum’s chest filled with even more jewels to take back to the Jews with his thanks.

But that is not the end of the story. On his way back to the Jews, Nachum again stopped at the same inn and when the innkeeper saw the even greater wealth, Nachum told him the whole story. As soon as Nachum was on his way again, the innkeeper took the jewels that he had stolen and put them in a safe place and then proceeded to fill another case with the same sand that he had put into Nachum’s case the first time. He then took that to Cæsar telling him that it was, indeed, the same sand that Nachum had brought to him. Again Cæsar tested the sand in battle but this time it did not ‘work’ and the innkeeper was executed.

Now, while both tales have the same basic concept expressed in different words
there is a difference.

The first story with Rabbi Akiva says: “Every man should think and speak in this way.” And this is the belief that everything that G-d does is for the best. This is a stage of Emunah - a higher belief: faith - a way of seeing beyond (the present) evil into the future where the end is G-d’s plan and is, therefor, good.


On the other hand, the Baal Shem Tov explained the other statement of ‘This too is for the best.” as being on an even higher plain and we see where Nachum does not see evil anywhere - even when he is threatened with execution. He seems to know and understand that there exists a ray of truth that is in the very core - the essence of life. And that he knows is good.

And this relates to Vayechi how?

Joseph too seems to look back on his brothers’ betrayal of him - or at least - their hatred for him; but he sees only HaShem’s single purpose: the thread of destiny that would eventually lead to the salvation of the Jews. In this sense, I see one of the most influential individuals in the Torah as being the un-named man in the desert - “Ish” - for it is he who responds to Joseph’s question as to where he might find his brothers. IF Joseph had not encountered “Ish”, he would not have found his brothers. If he had not found his brothers he would not end up in the pit. If he had not been thrown into the pit he would not have been taken to Egypt. If he had not been taken to Egypt..... you see the thinking. Call it destiny. Call it HaShem’s grand scheme. But don’t call it coincidence.

“You planned evil agains me, but G-d planned it for good, so as to preserve a great nation, as He has done today.” Bershit 50: 20.

A vision. A clear vision of Gam zu letovah; (is) a category of
Emet - absolute truth.

The first story remains in a different category - in the realm of faith:
Emunah!
Faith - where it is not something that can be proven.

It has been postulated that it is ‘faith’ that, in the realm of shadows and doubts,
is what keeps alight Rabbi Akiva’s lantern (if you will).
The light that is a condition for a meaningful life.
Truth to be fixed in our minds with clarity,
clarity of knowledge means, however, that we must continue
to grope for the faith where questions are
resolved and transcended.

SHALOM

....go read another Psalm today.

43 & 43... Art they the same?

Holidays have taken their toll.


This week I refer you to read Psalms 42 & 43.
No. No. No! Not because of the post-Holiday-let-down-doldrums... Not at all. Un-related.
Simply read these two [or are they just one long(er) Psalm?] and consider them.
We will come back to this later.
We will discuss them in our Shabbos Torah Study Group before our Shabbat Minyan.
We will welcome any questions, note & comment to further our discussion... right here, in River City... (here on "da' Blog" that is).
This week's blog is this brief because of the Holiday. Time constraints. Sorry 'bout that.

And let's not consider "time" because that is another topic we should consider.... later...
"If not now when?" to parse but a small part of the larger picture...
What?

Shalom

43 & 43... Art they the same?

Holidays have taken their toll.
This week I refer you to read Psalms 42 & 43.
No. No. No! Not because of the post-Holiday-let-down-doldrums... Not at all. Un-related.
Simply read these two [or are they just one long(er) Psalm?] and consider them.
We will come back to this later.
We will discuss them in our Shabbos Torah Study Group before our Shabbat Minyan.
We will welcome any questions, note & comment to further our discussion... right here, in River City... (here on "da' Blog" that is).
This week's blog is this brief because of the Holiday. Time constraints. Sorry 'bout that.

And let's not consider "time" because that is another topic we should consider.... later...
"If not now when?" to parse but a small part of the larger picture...
What?

Shalom

Psalm 30 -- considered, All things

http://psalms.schechter.edu/2010/09/psalm-30-choosing-to-praise-text-hebrew_14.html

Another Look at Psalms

click above for: http://psalms.schechter.edu/2010/09/psalm-30-choosing-to-praise-text-hebrew_14.html

Last week we discussed the different “types” of Psalms and considered the possibility of different authors of various Psalms - including one having been written by Moses himself! And this week I think we will conclude our investigation into Psalms with a look at: Thirty.

I refer you to the link above specifically to read the commentary there before you continue here.

Now, with a more literal English translation in hand [ the ArtScroll Series: “The Schottenstein Edition of Tehillim - a Mesorah publication ], we can consider some additional commentary and considerations of different ‘shades of meaning’ available in the English language. As always, I use and recommend the use of a good Thesaurus. The subtle differences can sometimes cast a totally different meaning on the text that the native English speaker may not of thought of or considered. As always with “Torah” each year we come to it with different eyes, needs, desires, and understandings - Baruch HaShem! So to we should consider the voices of others in our studies.

In line “vav” [6] the ArtScroll suggests: “For but a [fleeting] moment endures His anger [compared to the bountiful] life [which] results from His favor.” - commenting that ‘some’ render this as; “Even during the moment of His anger, it is life that is His desire.” [Arvei Hachal]. And continues with ‘His wrath is intended only to make us become more worthy of His eventual favor.’ [R’ Hirsch]. All of which shows the different ways in which we may personally interpret the meaning(s) of what was in the mind of the author [David?].

Later we find in line “yod” [10] the interesting concept of (see the Hebrew below) “Will the dust acknowledge You?” with the thought; Though the soul continues in the afterlife, it has lost the opportunity to spread knowledge of G-d among men. The obvious idea contained here is that we are not here on this earth - in this lifetime - only to study and learn... but to also teach others from what we have come to know and understand. We, Jews, are to be “A light to the nations.” which includes our neighbors and our ‘shul-mates’.

And so from the author’s [David] mind, to the Chazal (Sages), to the later commentators and your own melamed, to current scholars and editors we are to learn, comprehend, assimilate (absorb, acquire, soak-up [la’asoak], grasp and comprehend, integrate, embrace, accept, digest & ingest) and then expound and teach others. Selah.

א מִזְמוֹר שִׁיר-חֲנֻכַּת הַבַּיִת לְדָוִד

ב אֲרוֹמִמְךָ יְהוָה כִּי דִלִּיתָנִי וְלֹא-שִׂמַּחְתָּ אֹיְבַי לִי

ג יְהוָה אֱלֹהָי שִׁוַּעְתִּי אֵלֶיךָ וַתִּרְפָּאֵנִי

ד יְהוָה הֶעֱלִיתָ מִן-שְׁאוֹל נַפְשִׁי חִיִּיתַנִי מיורדי- (מִיָּרְדִי-) בוֹר

ה זַמְּרוּ לַיהוָה חֲסִידָיו וְהוֹדוּ לְזֵכֶר קָדְשׁוֹ

ו כִּי רֶגַע, בְּאַפּוֹ חַיִּים בִּרְצוֹנוֹ בָּעֶרֶב יָלִין בֶּכִי וְלַבֹּקֶר רִנָּה

ז וַאֲנִי אָמַרְתִּי בְשַׁלְוִי בַּל-אֶמּוֹט לְעוֹלָם

ח יְהוָה בִּרְצוֹנְךָ הֶעֱמַדְתָּה לְהַרְרִי-עֹז הִסְתַּרְתָּ פָנֶיךָ הָיִיתִי נִבְהָל

ט אֵלֶיךָ יְהוָה אֶקְרָא וְאֶל-אֲדֹנָי אֶתְחַנָּן

י מַה-בֶּצַע בְּדָמִי בְּרִדְתִּי אֶל-שָׁחַת הֲיוֹדְךָ עָפָר הֲיַגִּיד אֲמִתֶּךָ

יא שְׁמַע-יְהוָה וְחָנֵּנִי יְהוָה, הֱיֵה-עֹזֵר לִי

יב הָפַכְתָּ מִסְפְּדִי לְמָחוֹל לִי פִּתַּחְתָּ שַׂקִּי וַתְּאַזְּרֵנִי שִׂמְחָה

יג לְמַעַן יְזַמֶּרְךָ כָבוֹד וְלֹא יִדֹּם יְהוָה אֱלֹהַי לְעוֹלָם אוֹדֶךָּ

In the Morning... First Things First

Last week, after our discussion(s) of Psalm 20, certain questions came up and we decided that we would address the "Morning Blessings" this week. By that we are not referring to the 14/15 blessings that we recite (or the Prayer Leader does, and we respond "Amen") at the beginning of the Shakharit minyan; rather what we (should) recite as we first begin our day - as our feet hit the floor... We begin with Modeh Ani as we fetch our kippah and greet the day.

Here are those Prayers/Blessings with an English translation under the Hebrew. First we read, then we re-read to gain our personal understanding and then... then we discuss and digest and discuss and analyze and dissect and - perhaps - enter into "Pilpul". You know, maybe, from 'pilpul'? How about: minutiae? [and how Chazal make the minutiae into mountains...]

In any case, I apologize for the strange arrangement above. It is one thing to start on the right (in the Hebrew; the 'correct') side; but then the third page is on the upper left with the second page below. You have probably figured that out for yourself by now - still it was not my intent to have that kind of an arrangement.

There are a lot of 'things' to consider here and I am tempted to leave you with little commentary on my part in the hope that you will stop and consider these Blessings and think upon their meaning to you - today - at this time in your life - with all your interests and concerns and problems and your very own minutiae to contend with [and remember last weeks discussion of Psalm 20]. But, as it relates to this weeks Torah Reading (Vayeshev), we are told that because Jacob sought a peaceful life in his later years and was confounded with the loss of Joseph, that we learn that this world is for our labor and peace and rest is for us in the next. In other words: spend some time learning Torah and begin each day by learning the Morning Blessings.

Shalom

khof

Tehillim 20 - k oylht

The 20^th Psalm by David, the Warrior King, should be familiar to most of us as we read it at every week-day Minyan, as well as other times... And, while we will be looking at the Hebrew and the English translation(s) - the emphasis, today, will be on... David.

David does not even get past the tenth word before we speaks of the G-d of Jacob. Now why should he say the “G-d of Jacob” rather than Avraham or Isaac? Any ideas? Well, one commentary states that of the three Patriarchs, David more closely felt a kinship with Jacob. This is, first of all a Psalm for protection. A Psalm in/for the time of trouble. And it was Jacob, you will remember that had the most tzuris. His life was not without its “trials”. He had his confrontation with Esau; he was in exile during this ‘sojourn‘ to be married (twice) and worked 14 years for Laban. Then too he was in exile under Pharaoh. He even died in exile. His daughter was kidnapped and raped, and he ‘lost‘ his son Joseph. None the less G-d was there for him and protected him. So therefore, as David too had his problems, he spoke of the “G-d of Jacob” as the proper way to address HaShem when we too are in distress.

So why should we be reciting this Psalm immediately after we read the Ashrey? Again the commentators say that we read; “...on the day of distress.” as being a reference to: before it is too late ! So, as we do not know when it will be ‘too late‘ for us we too should cry out with David and once we apprehend the truth in these few opening words, we will find that the truth has changed us [Truth changes the beholder]

At this point I want to refer you to an in-depth study with commentary by Rabbi Benjamin J. Segal of the Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies. You can find it at: http://psalms.schechter.edu/2010/01/new-psalm-introduction-benjamin-j.html there you will find some, several, many interesting ideas concerning the meaning of the prose and poetry of this short Psalm. There are far too many thoughts to discuss them here but let me just borrow one of the Rabbi’s comments for you: “The Vulgate (the early Latin version of the Bible_ reads “king” (LC) of the verse 10 as the object of ‘the LORD save,’ which is the origin of the well-known call: “G-d save the king.’”

You can also find brief - pithy - comments/commentary in the Schottenstein edition of the Book of Psalms with an interlinear translation Hebrew/English which is a more direct translation with little concern for “poetry” as we usually find in places like the Yankel Melich edition of the English Bible.

Perhaps too, it would be beneficial to refer to a good etymological dictionary/resource to discover alternative shades of meaning of some of the words which are particularly vague. Or, as Rabbi Segal suggests, perhaps it was meant to have many different levels of understanding. In which case, we have to ask; what was the reason that David wrote these many Psalms? Did he mean to communicate, in which case we may say that we was not really to successful. Or did he mean to make us think. Think about what he wrote. Think about what we read. And, of course, think about what we are praying!

Here is Psalm 20 in all its y verses:

Shhh.... Ma ! Listen !

Ain’t no Sh’Ma in Six Words

Nu? What do you think of when someone mentions the Shema? You think “Hear Oh Israel, the L*rd is our G-d, the L*rd is One.” Right? Or maybe... you think ‘that’ and “Blessed is the name of His Glorious Majesty forever and ever.”

Aye! Thar’s da rub! Ain’t so, ain’t so.

First of all; the “Shema” is not really a prayer as we come to understand the concept of prayer. What we are really saying is - an affirmation of our faith. We are declaring to HaShem and restating what has been for thousands of years a statement of what we believe.

BUT. There is (as always) a disputation. Rabbi Judah HaNassi (complier of the Mishnah) said that the Torah’s only obligation was to recite this verse [the first verse above] twice a day. Other Chazal maintained that the obligation(“And these words that I command you this day... speak of them...” etc.) encompasses so much more. And so we have come to the opinion of the majority that we are obligated to recite the Six Words And the following three paragraphs! That encompasses what we now call the Shema (with the emphasis on the second Hebrew letter: ShMA - definitely not SHHHma, as it is usually pronounced).

Jewish Law, which we discussed a few weeks ago, requires of us to involved ourself [l’asoak] in kavanah when we declare the first six words - and in order to do so we either close our eyes to external distractions or cover them with our hand and/or tallit. Doing so not only avoids distraction, it helps us to concentrate on those words that we are saying - the real meaning behind the words.

One other little note is that during the recitation of the (entire) Shema, we gather together the four tzitzit in the hand which is not bound in the tefillin (nominally the right hand) and to kiss these fringes at the mentioning of the tzitzit in the third paragraph. [some persons also touch the tefillin on the arm and on the head at the mention of those places in the first two paragraphs]

The first of the three paragraphs begins with the word V’ahavta meaning, “You shall love...”. In this paragraph we declare that we are accepting the “yoke” of Divine rule. In the paragraph we affirm His Unity, His Sovereignty, and our unconditional love of Him and His teachings.

In the second paragraph we learn (from the word: V’haya, or; “It shall be...”) of the more ‘practical‘ aspects of the commandments - the reasons that we need to undertake the completion of his commandments and what would befall us should we not do so!

Moving on we find the third paragraph beginning with Vayomer Ad*nai - “The L*rd spoke...” This is where we find the commandment to wear tzitzit. The paragraph clearly spells-out what the tzitzit are and how they should be worn. As a boost to our memory - a way for us to remember that for Israel to be holy we must keep all the commandments, the six hundred and thirteen mitzvot (never mind that we cannot do so at this time, in this place).

The last word that we say in our recitation of the Shema is: “Truth”! Emet!

Now I want to try something that may work for you. It does for me. It involves the “understanding” of the Hebrew words that we pray.

Last week* I gave each of you a morning prayer with the littoral English translation printed directly under the Hebrew. Admittedly is is a little awkward to read in that manner but here is the “trick” that I would like you to try: I have the V’ahavta paragraph here for you with the interlinear English translation. We all know this pretty much by rote when we sing/chant it so... if you look at the translation while we chant it you should be able to read the English text with little or no difficulty. Let’s try it and see what you think.

*This refers to our Study Session on Shabbos morning.

Okay? Got the idea? Sure it takes a little practice but it becomes easier as you go along and this - should - be a great asset to you in understanding what you are praying. The singing/chanting helps you to concentrate on the English translation and will help you to understand what you are praying. You will, of course, have to stop and read the English in some places to see why there are more or less English words than Hebrew words but some basic knowledge of Hebrew will help you to ‘figure-that-out’.

Mazel Tov - Good Luck.

Shabbat Shalom

Emet

...& we study because?

Beginnings and Ramblings

The synagogue, as we know it, is a place of three basic functions: First as a Beit Tefilah, then as a Beit Midrash and also as a Beit Knesset.

The Beit Tefilah, the primary function (certainly in my view) is as a House of Prayer or; Worship, even though rabbinic literature mentions this function only once!

The Beit Knesset is usually the first term used in reference to the synagogue - A House of Assembly or Gathering and, in fact, the word for a House of Worship comes from the Greek word which is a literal translation of “Beit Knesset”.

Be that is it may:

The Beit Midrash is the House of Study. Interestingly enough we fined that The Talmud tells us that (circa 586 B.C.E.) there were 480 synagogues in Jerusalem and and each of them had both a Beit Sefer and a Beit Talmud!

The Beit Sefer was the elementary school, if you will, where the Scriptures were taught. Meaning that besides learning the basics of the Hebrew language and the Torah - it was where we would find the commentaries studied, where the drasha would be read and probably discussed. This is where the idea of ‘sermons’ were born.

The Beit Talmud, on the other hand, is where the Mishna was studied. In other words this would be what became the Yeshiva. This is where there was more give-and-take in the development of Talmudic thought. Or rather like what we involve ourselves in here in the Shabbos Torah Study Group.

Judaism has placed lifelong study higher than prayer itself! [as: “...and the study of Torah is equal to them all” (e.g. the Commandments!)] It is always been made a part of the prayer service but it is also important to know that study groups would gather prior to or immediately after the prayer service for the express purpose to study Torah and to maintain each individual’s lifelong commitment to study.

As in “Study. Study. Study. Only Study can make a miracle.”

While we find that the citizens of (any) community may compel each other to buy a Torah scroll and other books of commentary and Prophets, with Rashi being included in such a library; the Talmud and Mishnayot, etc., we also need to note that before the synagogue is built, the community has to first provide a Micvah! Meaning? Family purity is, perhaps, even more important and study and prayer? In any case we need to also keep in mind that the synagogue is only an instrument. A tool. A device of the Jewish faith (and the Jewish family). Nor is a synagogue dependent on having clergy as it is frequently the laymen themselves who care for the synagogue, it maintenance and its leadership. Neither Rabbi or Hazzan are requirements for having a functioning Beit Knesset (Beit Tefilah/Beit Midrash)! In earlier times the Rabbi (or even the traveling Maggid) served as “Spiritual Leader” to entire communities rather than individual established synagogues. As Rabbi Hayim Halevy Donin says; “To the extent to which a synagogue is even representative of Judaism is determined very much by the caliber of the people who are at its helm and by the caliber and commitment of the congregation itself.” ! (emphasis added)

With all that in mind, let us begin our STSG session with the traditional bracha for study: Baruch ata HaShem Elekeinu Melach haOlam la’soak b’divrei Torah.

And while we are at it, let’s consider a few other brachot that we do not usually have an opportunity to consider and study what they are saying - much less the opportunity to say them.

First is the bracha which we can say as we exit the bathroom... which is applicable at other times also. [Handouts]

These other all follow the Baruch ata HaShem... format and conclude with:

On seeing someone of ‘abnormal’ appearance:

...mishaneh ha’briyot. ...who makes people different.

On seeing lightning, shooting stars, mountains or sunrises: [which we tend to take for granted!]

...oseh ma’asey v’reshit. ...Source of creation.

On seeing a person who know lots of things about lots of things:

...she’natan me-chochmato l’vasar va’dam. ...who has given wisdom to human beings.

On eating food from the ground (potatoes; carrots; radishes; etc.)

...boray pri ha’eytz. ...who creates the fruit of the ground.

And, because we live here where things bloom and flower all year:

...boray isvay vesamin. ...who creates fragrant plants.

And why do we say such bracha? Who is it for? Maybe for ourselves... so we don’t become jaded and oblivious to our surroundings? And we say them in Hebrew, because?

Shabbat Shalom

with the intent to....

Kavanah

Last week week in our discussions I mentioned the need for the “proper” kavanah before we could begin to davin - anywhere - and, since there was some confusion - or at lease some misunderstanding of the word, I thought we should discuss it a bit more. So here are some concepts on the word:

KaVaNah or, kah-vah-NAH (Intention or "direction of the heart") is the mindset necessary for Jewish ritual prayers, and mitzvot performed during Shavuot, Rosh Hashanah, other festivals and, in fact, at all times. Kavanah involves thinking about the words, and not merely reciting the sounds. This, as we discussed last week, is a problem in Judaism today, given that Biblical Hebrew is generally a liturgical language, rather than a common language - as many know the sounds, but not the meaning.

"Awareness of symbolic meaning is awareness of a specific idea; kavanah is awareness of an ineffable situation.” - Abraham Joshua Heschel

Some kavanot (the plural form) are used in Kabbalah, as a meditation, as well as in Hasidic Judaism.

As the Baal Shem Tov asks; "What are all kavanot compared to one heartfelt grief?” -

Eons before anybody ever heard of Marion Jones or

Payton Manning, Judaism recognized the importance

of mental focus.

In the case of Judaism, however, the stakes are weightier

than any gold medal.

Ever wonder how those Olympians performed their feats of athletic mastery?

For many of them, it's literally a case of mind over matter. Of course they need the physical prowess. But there's more to it than that. The winning edge, it turns out, is also the result of intense and intricate mental preparation.

As outlined in a story in Newsweek magazine, elite athletes everywhere spend countless hours training themselves to achieve success by actually visualizing it. Whether it's a professional golfer "seeing" the imaginary putt navigate a tricky green and then drop into the cup, or a pole vaulter "sprinting" down the virtual ramp and then clearing the bar at record-setting height, the best athletes are able to block out all distractions and mentally experience top performance -- and then translate that image into reality. In short, their success can be traced, in part, to their ability to focus on what is really important.

In Jewish parlance, you'd say they've developed great kavanah.

Kavanah -- which has been translated variously as focus, concentration, devotion and intention (and, even, “Meditation”) -- is the means by which we cultivate an intimate relationship with G-d in our lives in general and more specifically through the performance of His commandments and the heartfelt recitation of prayer.

Kavanah helps Jews establish their priorities. It helps us focus on what is really important.

Kavanah, in short, helps Jews establish their priorities. It helps us focus on what is really important -- in addition, of course, to the proper technique for heaving a javelin 100 yards.

What is important? The knowledge that G-d is out there and in here, that He is watching over us, and wants us to do His will.

There's a story that illustrates the importance of recognizing those essentials. It involves the Chofetz Chaim, a 19th and early 20th Century rabbi in Eastern Europe who was renowned for his scholarship, piety and modesty. He had a firm grasp of the essentials.

The Chofetz Chaim, it turns out, had hired a wagon driver to take him somewhere. While they were passing a farm, the driver abruptly stopped the wagon and climbed down in order to steal something from the farmer. He left the Chofetz Chaim in the wagon as a lookout. As the driver embarked on his illicit mission, the Chofetz Chaim called out: "He's looking!" The driver raced back to the wagon, spurred the horses to a vigorous gallop and made his getaway, the Chofetz Chaim in tow.

When they had gotten a safe distance away, the wagon driver turned to the Chofetz Chaim and asked, "Who was it that saw me?" The Chofetz Chaim gestured upwards and said, "He sees everything."

In public and in private; in groups and alone. Jews pray loudly and in silence; in Hebrew, English, and any other language you can name. Sometimes Jews even pray without language. Jews pray from the depth of their souls, at the tops of their lungs, and from the quiet of their hearts. It is difficult to point to a specific "Jewish" way of praying.

Talmud teaches that the minimal level of kavanah required is that "one who prays must direct one's heart towards heaven" (Berakhot, 31a). The next higher level of kavanah is to know and understand fully the meanings of the prayers. The level following that is to free one's mind of all extraneous and interfering thoughts. At the highest level, kavanah means to think about the deeper meaning of what one is saying and praying with extraordinary devotion. Should circumstances make it necessary for a person to choose between saying more prayers without kavanah or saying fewer prayers with kavanah, the fewer are preferred. (Shulkhan Arukh, Orah Hayim 1:4)

Tefilah: Prayer

The Hebrew word for prayer is tefilah. It is derived from the root Pe-Lamed-Lamed and the word l'hitpalel, meaning to judge oneself. This surprising word origin provides insight into the purpose of Jewish prayer. The most important part of any Jewish prayer, whether it be a prayer of petition, of thanksgiving, of praise of G-d, or of confession, is the introspection it provides, the moment that we spend looking inside ourselves, seeing our role in the universe and our relationship to G-d.

The Yiddish word meaning "pray" is "daven," which, with some disputation, ultimately comes from the same Latin root as the English word "divine" and emphasizes the One to whom prayer is directed.

Kavanah: The Mindset for Prayer

When you say the same prayers day after day, you might expect that the prayers would become routine and would begin to lose meaning. While this may be true for some people, this is not the intention of Jewish prayer. As I said at the beginning of this discussion, the most important part of prayer is the introspection it provides. Accordingly, the proper frame of mind is vital to prayer.

The mindset for prayer kavanah, which, as I have said, is generally translated as "concentration" or "intent." The minimum level of kavanah is that awareness that we must have when speaking to G-d and an intention to fulfill the obligation to pray. If you do not have this minimal level of kavanah, then you are not praying; you are merely reading. Now we see that in addition to fulfilling your obligation, it is preferred that you have a mind free from other thoughts, concerns, worries, designs and external ‘daily obligations, and that you know and understand what you are praying about and that you think about the meaning of the prayer.

Liturgical melodies are often used as an aid to forming the proper mindset. Many prayers and prayer services have traditional melodies associated with them and these can increase your focus on what you are doing and help you block out extraneous thoughts.

It is also useful to move while praying. Traditional Jews routinely sway back and forth during prayer, apparently a reference to Psalm 35, which says "All my limbs shall declare, 'O L-rd, who is like You?'" Such movement is not required, and many people find it distracting, but many others find that it helps them to concentrate and to focus.

Prayer should be done with the proper mindset,

kavanah

in Hebrew,

and with a group

(Minyan).

Today’s discussion comes from several sources as well as my own readings, ruminations and understandings. While I recognize and ‘tip my kippah’ to the many scholars and their contributions to Jewish thought over the many years; these comments are distilled into what I refer to as the JLCD - the Jewish Lowest Common Denominator; and is that which all Jews (“religious” or “observant”) would agree upon as the definition of, and the observance of, kavanah.

A Problem - A Conundrum

A Conundrum...

There are laws and rules regarding the use of all language(s) and how they are to be applied when they come into conflict with one another. Beyond that we Jews use what is claimed to be the language that created all of Creation - Hebrew, the Lashon HaKodesh; for it is said that HaShem brought the world into existence with the softest letter in the Hebrew Alef-Bet: Hey.

Now halakah tells us that when we pray - individually - we may pray in any language that we are fluent in using. With most of us that means the English language. For some of us who speak more that one language we might choose to use German, French, Tagalog or any language that we both read and speak. [therefore I cannot use Japanese as I do not read any of the written forms!]

But! And it is a big “but”... When we pray collectively, as a congregation of Jews, we are, halakaticlly, required to pray in Hebrew!

Now, notice, as an individual, praying in a minyan, we may use any language that we can read and speak (and write?). That means that if you were to go to a shul in a French-speaking part of Canada and picked up the siddur and found that it was printed in Hebrew and French; you have a problem [assuming for the discussion, that you do not know anything about the French language - except for those ‘naughty’ words that you learned in the school yard when you were 14 years old]. You can read the French letters - but you do not know or understand anything about the French language. What do you do? The answer, by Jewish law, is that you must use the Hebrew - even if you do not understand the words!

So let’s consider your situation now: you do know English (at least you got out of High School - so you are supposed to be able to construct a literate simple sentence) and you do not know French. What about Hebrew? This is were we find the conundrum - and this is the “grey area” in Judaism. We find that there are Jews who range from not knowing an Alef from a Tav to those who are completely fluent in both Biblical and Every-day Hebrew and hold advanced degrees in the many forms of the Hebrew language. For most Jews in America, we would probably find that they fall into an area closer to a basic reading skill - at best. And that would fulfill the Jewish law.

But does it?

The Baal Koreh - the one who reads from the Torah Scroll (without cantillation and vowel indications) - reads, or chants, the Torah Portion with as much comfort in his knowledge of the Hebrew as if it was his first language. Therefore... he is quit capable of reading/chanting with great speed. And this is even move evident when he reads the prayers that we read - at least - three times each week. It is sometimes referred to as “speed davening”. And this is another aspect to our conundrum.

The Code of Jewish Law stressed the importance of understanding the words that we pray. And, in fact, this the the basic reason that our Chazal (Scholars and Sages) left several of our prayers in the Vernacular - Aramaic. Because the people (of that time) understood and spoke Aramaic. And Chazal also understood that if we did not insist on using Hebrew, we would soon loose our connection and relationship with Torah. They were also knowledgeable enough to know that future generations would encounter environments like I mentioned about (you don’t know French so you cannot use the siddur printed in French) - but you can go anywhere in the world and the Hebrew will be the same! And as there are other reason from always using the Hebrew language - there is also reason to pray in Hebrew at-a-rate-of-speed-that-permits-comprehension!

Kavanah. It is important too that we allow time for Kavanah. To allow the “spirit” of the text to make itself known to us. After all, we read the same Torah year-after-year, but (hopefully) each year we glean something new and different. The Torah has not changed - we have. We have different knowledge. We have different needs and desires. We have different problems. And we gain different insights. IF WE ALLOW IT.

Reading from a prayer book does not mean that we are praying. You can read any book with either the intent to learn or to “finish” the assigned reading. And that applies to us in the classroom and in life - at the Minyan. We simply cannot “Twitter” the siddur or the Torah. We do not have “emotioncons” in Judaism. There is no shorthand method of connecting to HaShem.

But: Hey! You can read the siddur just to enjoy the Poetry and Prose used in the various translations. But that simply ain’t praying. For prayer must have intent. Prayer must have meaning. Even if you do not believe that there is a G-d... if you prayer ‘for-yourself’, it must - by definition - have meaning. As Rabbi Hayim Halevy Donin says (in his To Pray As A Jew) “Kavanah in prayer is the very antithesis of the mechanical and perfunctory reading of words.”

There are different levels of kavanah, and we will not and need not go into that at this time. But the Jewish Code of Law also states that if you cannot reach the minimum level of kavanah, you are forbidden to attempt prayer! Yes. If you do not reach the first step, if you cannot meet the first challenge - then you are not praying! The Shulkan Arukh tells us, as it heaves a great sigh, that “...one should not pray in a place where, or at such a time when, there is interference with kavanah.” And that we understand as being outside ‘distractions’. And we all certainly encounter that all to often. Internal distractions need to be considered and dwelt with in different manner.

Your own mood, anger, sorrow, problems - even excessive joy - can distract you from reaching the first level of kavanah and keep you from prayer. You can, and should, arrive early enough to Minyan to leave “the world” outside the doors and settle yourself into a comfort zone to daven with meaning and intention.

But, again, the Prayer Leader, needs to assist the Minyan in maintaining the primary level of kavanah and assist each individual in moving upward to the next level of kavanah. Yet, here too the world outside intrudes, and we feel the need to ‘finish-the-service‘ and have our coffee and bagel or move on to the next day’s events.

Here we too heave a great sigh and confront our conundrum. I wish I had an answer. For you. For Kol Israel. For myself. Perhaps that Japanese sage was correct; “Study. Study. Study. Only Study can bring a miracle.”

Sigh...