Not paying your taxes??? What implications ensues?

“Your mission (Mr. Phelps). should you choose to accept it...”

Today, I have a story to discuss that comes to me from a dear friend in the LA area. Each month he writes an article entitled; “Think About It” - always interesting and usually quite enlightening. Here is his article in full and there is much to think about from at least two different points of view.

We are all aware of the disastrous oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and the great toll that it is taking on the local inhabitants, particularly those who depend on the water life for their livings. Among this group are the fishermen who work in the Louisiana bayous. According to a recent article in the LA Times, British Petroleum (who will ultimately be paying for all of the damage that their broken drilling operation is causing) has been trying to compensate these small businesspeople for their losses.

However, an interesting glitch has arisen in the compensation program. In order to get the compensation BP is asking the claimants to provide some type of validation of their actual losses. In the case of the fishermen, that documentation typically consists of proof of residence, a fishing license, and tax statements. The glitch is that an unknown number of these people have not been paying taxes. (hum.... ed.)

As part of the story, the reporter interviewed several of the residents in the area. One person worried about turning over records to the Internal Revenue Service because, “...that puts you in the system. If the numbers don’t add up, people who have not been paying taxes are going to regret it.” Another person, who admitted to a failure to pay taxes since 2000, asked for the money to pay back taxes so a tax return could be generated. A third person asked; “How can I pay taxes if everything I earned was in cash?”

Interestingly, the local politicians (hum... ed.) were supportive of their constituents. One of them said that, “...the bean counters in the IRS do not deal with culture or heritage; they deal with numbers.”

While I have a great deal of sympathy over what has happened to these people, I also am concerned about the message (that) we will make if we reward people who have broken the law. (!!) It is the responsibility of all of us to make society work, and that includes the painful act of paying our taxes. Should some people have it both ways? Actions have consequences; is society responsible for those who knowingly and consciously fail to be responsible to it?

Think about it.

by Dr. Ron Koretz

Now, as I said, there are certainly different ways to look at this situation and not the least of them is the Jewish response. There is, of course the Biblical response as well as that of the (so called) Judeo-Christian ‘Laws’ which leads to a different discussion that is not entirely germane to this discussion; and the implication that Jews are responsible to the observance of the lands in which they live. And, without discussing the BP means for ascertaining the funds to be provided to those who have truly lost their parnassa, let’s confine our reactions to those people and leave British Petroleum for different considerations.

As Dr. Koretz says; “Think about it” -

I would like to know your thoughts and ruminations.

Speaking of Speaking Donkies

Humiliation - Hashpal|ah hlpsh

[3-letter root: lps = lowering; being humble]

...being “lowered” or “made humble” -- being “put-upon” by someone other than yourself.

Can someone be made humble? Can someone be humiliated? IF that someone does not ‘allow’ it? If you say to yourself that it does not matter what another says to/about you, it is within yourself to ignore it. Is this possible? Really possible?

We read in several of our formal written prayers where we ask HaShem to not allow us to be humiliated. So is it that our siddurs are saying: yes, you can be humiliated? And still psychologists and psychiatrists tell us that it within our own selfs wether or not we accept what others say about us and respond accordingly.

Certainly we can humble ourselves and, indeed, we are told that we should do so in relationship to HaShem - and that is the reasoning behind the taking of three steps backward and then three steps forward, followed by a bow before we begin the Amidah.

Certainly we can - or should - be humble when an honor is bestowed upon us; as an alyah, a reading during a religious service, or receiving an honorary PhD. Unlike some “sports heros” [no names] who seem to believe that they are sooo good that they do not have to ‘express‘ humility. To ANYone! Oy!

But I still beg the question: can someone else humiliate us?

Let me give you an example from Maimonides. He had, at one time a young disciple who was very upset about a hostility directed toward his master and Maimonides responded that (with the help of G-d) he had become pacified and could overlook insults and that his student had a heated temper combined with the passion of youth and could not defend himself against anger and contumely [insulting or insulting language] (Yetzer Hara). “If someone wishes to flaunt his own excellence by demonstrating my (our) failings, then I forgive him, even though he may be... one of the most insignificant...”

Likewise, Rabbi Avraham Twerski discusses how Moses was the most humble of men - even though he was the greatest of Prophets and beloved by HaShem.

Rav Yisrael Salanter (in his Ohr Yisrael) relates a story of a certain chassid who on R”H eve gave his last coin to a pauper. His wife proceeded to berate him and vexed him until he went out and spent the night in a cemetery!!! This shows that he experienced an emotional response in reaction to his wife’s scolding. In his heart he felt anguish and affront. Perhaps even some anger. Rav Yisrael refers to the teaching that men should be humble like Hillel and not so stern as Shammai. There was a wager made between two men to see if one of them could vex Hillel. It was Erev Shabbos and Hillel was washing his hair. The man stood on the doorstep and in a disrespectful manner shouted; “Is there one named Hillel here?” When Hillel put on his robe and responded, the man said; “I have a question... why are the feet of Africans wide?” Hillel responded gently but the man continued; “I have many questions to ask but I fear that you might become angry.” After Hillel told him to continue he said; “Are you Hillel who is called Prince of Israel?” “Yes.” “If you are he, may there not be many like you in Israel!” “Why do you ask, my son?” “Because of you I lost a 400 zuz bet!” “Be careful of your attitude; it is not worth it for you to lose twice that amount, and that I (Hillel) not be strict.” Humility is to feel no anger whatsoever! And so the chassid, feeling anger and indignant toward his wife faltered spiritually!

Rabbi Twerski turns this around and discusses chutzpah [rather what the sports figures expressed] and sees this as both a curse and yet not a surprise for the Talmud predicted that before the “final Redemption”, Chutzpah will increase... the young will (attempt to) humiliate the elders, a son will insult his father... Adolescent psychiatrists report the most common diagnosis is “Oppositional Defiant Disorder. [the watershed appears to have been the “Sixties”. This, he claims was a major triumph for the yetzer hara. If so, and if chutzpah is on the rise [as we see with the Me-Me-Me generation: “I’m entitled!”] then is in not even more important to learn that someone else cannot humiliate you - you can only allow it to happen.

We need to learn humility, in order not to be humiliated.

Shabbat Shalom

ohrba [b lleb larsy

Parshat Balak - the Talking Donkey (who spoke no humiliating words) 5770

Bermuda Dunes - HaBamidbar - CA

...from last week

Time

Time and Time Again

What does time mean to us - the Jews of the 21^th CE? What has it ever meant to us? And why do I ask these questions? What is it about time that “matters”? We, intellectually, know that ‘Before the Creation’ - before the ‘Big Bang’ that time did not exist? So... why are we consumed with time at “this time”? We’re early, or we’re late... or we’re just on “Jewish Time”.

Now, here’s the ‘skinny’: I was just looking at the parshat for this week and, while there are a lot of things going on - from Miriam’s death and Moshie striking the rock to the famous “Red Heifer” - but the first thing that caught my eye is the people arguing with, and fomenting against Moses when just last week we saw what happened to those (Korach) argued against Moses. So, I says to me-self, what kind of timeframe are we talking about here?

THIS... is something that we seem ever to overlook when we read the Torah each week. These things did not happen “over night” [or even next week] - so what is the time differential? And that lead me to a search to find out just how far apart these two event were spaced out in our conception of time.

I found out that it was on Rosh Chodesh Iyar 2449 that we first entered HaBamidbar, and it was on the 29^th of Sivan (same year) that the spies began their 40 day espionage trip. Then came the 17^th of Elul - when the spies died. So does that mean that 8 or 9 weeks after Korach’s ill advised adventure that we find the Israelites arguing with Moses?

Well.... no. We have a difference of opinion as to when that actually happened (of course). Ibn Ezra says that it was while we were still as Har Sinai (when Aharon became Cohen Gadol); Shaaray Aharon says that it follows the ‘mekoshaish‘ who violated the second Shabbos; Rashi says that it was either directly prior to Chatzeiros [this is the encampment where Miriam spoke lashon hora] or directly after the ‘spies’; and, finally Batei Midrashos claims it was in the fortieth year! The time that is agreed upon is that Parshat Chukas occurred in the year 2487.

If it was at Har Sinai (which makes some sense to our thinking) that would be long before Korach. If it was during the fortieth year, that would make little sense as we would be about to enter Eretz Israel and that involved a whole different set of leadership. And, according to Rashi, if it followed the episode of the spies; that too makes little sense (to us) and also precedes the events with Korach. Placing this ‘maloikus’ prior to Chatzeiros raises certain questions also. In any event it appears that the Parshat for this week occurred some 38 years after we first entered into our 40 year journey (which is closest to the claims of Batei Midrashos.

Now back to our original questions- what, exactly (or even generally) does it mean for us to be concerned with time down to nano-seconds and smaller? [OK most of us are not that concerned - but we still keep time down to a minute or two - if for no other reason than for turning on the TV in time for the latest session of Dancing with the Stars] Here we question the sequence of events that occurred over 3283 years ago - when we did not have CNN cameras on site (but if we had - then perhaps, just perhaps, people like Helen Thomas would have some (SOME) knowledge of where the Jews came from!!!). Science and scientists aside, time [thank you Albert] -is-relative.

But... does this beg yet another question? Was the Torah written (solely) by men? Was it ‘dictated’ to Moses? Was it the creation of a [G-d help us!] a committee? How, when, where did it come into being? According to Abraham Joshua Heschel, it was Ibn Tumart, a Berber, from Morocco, who (in the 9th CE) - in effect - rewrote the Koran and developed his thinking - that still permeates the thinking of the Muslim today. That was only some 300 years or so after the “prophet” Mohammad first wrote his ideas and that was just about the same time that the Christian “thinkers” and “fathers” were writing - and rewriting - the Torah into what they (chose to) believe.

And so, where does all this lead you this week? I’m going to leave you with a few more questions than I did last week... WHAT? You thought that I was just going to provide you with all the answers? Ha! We are seekers together? Perhaps, collectively, we will gain some knowledge, wisdom and understanding. [or collectively develop 17 or 25 new and different ways to knowledge]

Shabbat Shalom

7 Tammuz 5770

Beth Shalom HaBamidbar CA

Rumblings and Ramblings

Who said that?... & Why?

“Before appearing in public, one must first think over what one wishes to say, once, twice, thrice, four times, and only then should one speak. That holds for an oral delivery; but anything to be spread abroad in writing must be tested a thousand times.” __Maimonides

Perhaps Helen Thomas would have done well to read, with diligence and effort the writings of Moses Maimon, popularly known as “Maimonides”. It was he who made the statement that was, in our own time, reversed and abbreviated: “The greater the pain, greater the reward.” [or: “No pain-No gain”]. All of which only proves that it takes little talent and perhaps less intelligence to be a White house Correspondent of long standing.

But whether we are White house correspondents or a Simple Yid, it would be well for us to learn from the ‘fathers’ of Judaism and while we may never know the ‘real truth’ of their lives or the ‘truth’ of the historical Torah and the events recorded therein; we do have knowledge that has been passed down to us. And we do have teachings that are just as relevant today as they were three thousand years ago. As the axiom states: “There is nothing new under the sun.” So: who said what and why... Is it really relevant or is it the important aspect of the timeless truth that is contained within these statements?

Maimonides, it is said, did not believe in anecdotes and fables of Arabic historiography, genealogies and songs for reading them, “...is a waste of time.” As was his idea of reading for recreation. And yet he consumed volume upon volume of astronomy, conic sections, mechanics and similar subjects - to sharpen his mind and train his understanding. Yet, he said, that he did not study for the sake of knowledge so much as to be able to structure his ‘skill’ in achieving his goal (to come closer to understanding G-d). To that end he studied the ‘art’ of healing for it was yet another way to acquire virtues and the knowledge of G-d.

Still: “When G-d reveals something to man, the man must conceal it.”

Now, let us stop right here in learning about the man Maimonides and try to make some sense of what we now know about him and his teachings. And let us consider what it means to the Jew of the 21st century C.E. This individual lived during a time of Muslim-Berber unrest in Mediterranean in the latter years of the 1100’s - nearly one thousand years ago. Man has not progressed very far during that time in terms of intra-personal relationships while making quantum leaps in “knowledge”. And what have we, really, achieved? If you say, “Not much.”, then I say: “Why not?” Is it because we heard the words of our ancestors without understanding and assimilating them? Do we think that we know better just because we now have cellular ‘phones that take pictures and listen to music while we “Twitter” away our precious time?

And has G-d chosen not to reveal something to us as we don’t deserve to conceal it?

So, if we proceed with first accepting and understanding that there is (a/singular/omnipotent and omnipresent) G-d [which is, of course the major fundamental premise] who has created the heavens and the earths (plural) and has created the innumerable creatures; then can we assume that He has a reason for each and every creature? If so, can you perceive man as being capable of knowing each and every creature let alone knowing why it exists? Why it ever existed or why it one day ceased to exist?

Korach

Korach

Korach what does hearing that name bring to mind? Korach.... Korach...

(DISCUSSION)

Let me tell you about some of my thoughts when I consider this person and the events that the Torah describes to us in the Parshat. First of all, it is obvious that we are meant to see Korah and his ilk as the Nogoodnicks and that we can see the BP corporation, North Korea and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad cast in the same frame today. Right? ... along with quite a few others that we could name but need not do so as it becomes redundant.

No let’s do something radical here (good ol’ conservative Congregation Beth Shalom...), let’s look at the Torah portion from the protagonists' point of view. Not like: “I’m a Republican and I want those Democrats out of office! Let’s have a Tea Party!” But more like... “Here I am, I’m now 61 years old and I’ve spent a lot of time learning things about G-d from Moshie and his bro and... I’m pretty well informed on this whole business of doing what our invisible G-d tells us to do. You know, I have a pretty darn good background in public speaking myself and I think and do a pretty good job of all of it. Why shouldn’t I be part of this group? In fact, why doesn’t Moshie and Aahron just step down and let me and my friends take over? I’m done the grunt work. I’ve worked the room. I thing I should be getting some the recognition myself. Damn it all - I’M ENTITLED! I’m going to do something about it. NOW!”

Anyone here ever has some of these kinds of thoughts? ANYone? NO- don’t tell me; just admit that it is possible to understand, to sympathize and to empathize with Korach. Think about this: have you ever thought that there is a job that you should have been promoted into instead of “that-other-guy”, or that you realize that you learned some skill or knowledge (in your head) but did not apply it and so “that-other-guy” got what you felt that you should have had?

But, before you jump into this: here is something interesting that we don’t usually consider when we read this Parshat. There was a man called On ben Peles who at first joined Korach’s group but his wife saved him... and he spend the rest of his life in mourning over the error that he had made and which had almost cost him his life. Chazal tells us that that is because “On” is related to “onen” meaning- a mourner. In any case the sons of Korach also repented but they chose to change themselves in the future and did not keep the mindset which may have caused them to slip back into the idea later that... just perhaps if they had stayed with their ‘old man’ things might have turned out differently and that they would be the “big shots” now.

What I am proposing is that we have a whole lot to learn from Korach when it comes to understanding ourselves - where we have been and where we are going. We should always try to put ourselves into another’s position and attempt to try to understand them from their position and THEN say that we have something to learn from this for, after all, (believe it or not) we are not perfect.

So is it understandable that North Korea sits there thinking that here they had joined forces with the Communists because they were ENTITLED and that did not work out and look at South Korea and what they have done and achieved with beautiful new cities and manufactures of “world class” automobiles and electronics... and they think they are ENTITLED. Just like Korach.

And there is skinny little Mahmoud looking at everything that Israel has and has accomplished and thinks... that should be me. ME! I’m ENTITLED. Where does it end, if we don’t stop and learn from Korach.

One final though on the subject: we, each of us, have achieved a level, both on our own and by dint of our ancestors, and we are, therefore, judged on that basis! The higher you are - the more is expected of you and you are judged by that. The Jews are always expected to achieve more, do more, be better (and anti-semitism aside) we are judged by that. So as individuals and as M’sOT, we need to learn from this Parshat whatever we individually need to learn.

Shabbat Shalom

Rosh Chodesh Tammuz 5770

Bermuda Dunes, CA [haBamidbar]

Akdamut/Akdamus

Akdamus Milin

Rabbi Dovid Sears

Even if the heavens were parchment, All the trees were quills, The seas and all waters were ink, And all inhabitants of the earth were scribes and skilled writers, His might eternal would remain beyond description.
Alone, the resplendent Master of heaven and earth Founded the universe and garbed it in mystery..."

One of the highlights of Shavuos is the responsive chanting in the synagogue of Akdamus Milin, written by Rabbi Meir ben Yitzchak of Worms during the 11th century C.E. The hymn begins with these two Aramaic words, which mean "Before I speak..." (The author asks the Creator permission to utter His praise.) However, as a title, Akdamus Milin may be translated "Introduction to the Words," meaning the Divine Speech heard at Mount Sinai. Therefore it is usually read on Shavuos morning before the Torah reading, which describes the awesome experience of all Israel hearing the Ten Commandments at the foot of the desert mountain.
Rabbi Noson of Breslov (1780-1844) writes that Rabbi Nachman highly praised Akdamus.

"The Rebbe observed, 'Because the Jewish people are so immersed in and habituated to what is truly good, they don't fully appreciate the greatness of the sacred hymn of Akdamus, which we recite on Shavuos.'

"He went on to say, 'One who knows the loftiness of this poem of Akdamus, together with the melody to which it is commonly sung, realizes that this is something most wondrous and unique.'"The Rebbe then chanted a few stanzas of Akdamus. He added, 'Akdamus is a song of cheshek – of love and desire for God.'

"The Rebbe said all of this on Shavuos, during the dairy meal [traditionally eaten after the morning service]. The second minyan was in the middle of their prayers in the synagogue, and the chazan was chanting Akdamus. That was when the Rebbe spoke with us about the loftiness of this hymn." (Sichot HaRan 256)

Rabbi Nachman clearly experienced Akdamus as an expression of the mutual love between the Jewish People and G-d. This love and desire is the pre-condition of prophecy, which is the essence of the Torah.

Continuing to expound upon this theme, Reb Noson also discusses the custom of reading Akdamus in his masterwork, Likkutei Halakhos:
"On Shavuos, we spiritually ascend to the supernal root of ratzon (will or desire). [An aspect of the sefirah of Keser (Crown), ratzon expresses the deepest will and desire of the soul for God, and God's corresponding will and desire, so to speak, for creation].
"Through this ascent, all profane wisdoms related to the natural order are transmuted to ratzon, due to the power of the revelation of ratzon that now becomes manifest. That is, we vividly perceive all existence and all that transpires as only a reflection of the Divine Will.
"Profane or 'natural wisdoms,' by contrast, are derived from the Aramaic tongue. [Aramaic is the language closest to leshon ha-kodesh, the 'holy tongue,' which is Hebrew. During the Talmudic period, Aramaic was used for everyday speech and writing.] On Shavuos, however, the aspect of ratzon is revealed to such an extent that even the Aramaic tongue, the source of 'natural wisdom,' becomes absorbed into the holy.
"This is why we recite Akdamus, which is an awesome expression of praise written specifically in Aramaic – for this transformation of the profane to the holy represents the fullest revelation of ratzon." (Likkutei Halakhos, Hilkhos Kaddish, 1)



“Akdamut” and “Ketuvah”

From one end of the Diaspora to the other, a need was felt to add components to the Service of Shavuot. The components added, "Akdamut," "Before I Speak," created in and added throughout the world of Ashkenazic Jewry, and "Ketuvah," "The Marriage Contract," created in and very popular in the world of Sefardic Jewry, were expressions of the unique conditions existing in those areas of the Exile.

"Akdamut" - The Background

Akdamut is a "piyut," a religious poem, which was composed during the First Crusade, which began in 1096, as an effort by Christian Europe to recapture the "Holy Land" from the Moslem "infidels" who had seized it. On their way to the Middle East, the Christian knights would, in general, visit terror if not outright destruction upon the Jewish communities which happened to be on their route. It was a time of oppression, of cruelty, of ignorance on the part of the Jews' neighbors. There was absolutely nothing attractive in the dominant culture in Europe at that time.

Nevertheless, the Christians tried to force their religion upon their Jewish neighbors, often at the threat of death. Sometimes, mock "debates" were held, in which Jewish rabbis were forced to participate, knowing that the juries, consisting of church officials, were rigged against them, and that nothing they said would have any effect on their listeners, or upon their own fate. The author of Akdamut was the unwilling participant in such a "debate."

This then was the background of Akdamut, composed at that time by Rabbi Meir son of Rabbi Yitzchak, who was the "Chazan" of the City of Vermaiza, in Germany. The position "Chazan" is not directly translatable as "Cantor," which is its current meaning, for at that time, there was the additional connotation of great Talmudic scholarship associated with the position and, indeed, this particular Chazan is supposed to have been one of the teachers of the great Bible and Talmud Commentator, RASHI.

The poem describes the words of the author as he "debated" the truths of Judaism to a hostile audience. But they are disguised for posterity in the Aramaic language, which was not understood by the Christian world or its censors. The author, who died shortly after the "debate," left behind a priceless inheritance for the Jewish People, the piyut of Akdamut. The practice began to chant Akdamut on Shavuot, with its characteristic melody, at the beginning of the public reading which includes the "Aseret HaDibrot," the Ten Commandments.

"Akdamut" - The Structure

Akdamut has ninety lines; the first forty-four begin with a double Aleph-Bet; Aleph, Aleph, Bet, Bet, and so on. The first letters of the next forty-six lines make up an acrostic in which the author expresses the prayer that the L-rd will bless him with the ability and opportunity, even in the extremely hostile environment in which he found himself, to grow in knowledge of Torah and in the performance of good deeds.

Each line of the poem, written in Aramaic, as mentioned above, ended in the letters "Tav," the last letter of the Aleph Bet, and "Aleph," the first letter of the Aleph-Bet, to show that when one reaches the last letter, the "end" of the Torah, so to speak, one immediately turns and restarts the Torah from its "beginning."

"Akdamut" - Free Translation of Content

Before I begin to read his Words (The Ten Commandments),
I will ask Permission,
Of the One Whose Might is such that -
Even if all the heavens were parchment,
And all the reeds pens,
And all the oceans ink,
And all people were scribes,
It would be impossible to record
the Greatness of the Creator,
Who Created the World with a soft utterance,
And with a single letter, the letter "heh,"
The lightest of the letters.

And Angels of Heaven of all kinds,
All full of fear and terror of their Master,
Have permission to praise him only at set times,
Some once in seven years, Others once and no more,

How beloved is Israel!
For the Holy One leaves the Angels on High,
To take the People of Israel as His lot -
And they make Him their King,
And declare, "Holy! Holy! Holy!"
Twice a day, Morning and Evening -

And all His Desire is that His Chosen People
Will study His Torah and pray to Him,
For they are inscribed in His Tefillin,
"Who is like Your People, Israel,
One nation in the World!"

Thus it is the will of the Holy One,
That I speak in praise of Israel,
And though all the nations come and ask,
Who can it Be, for Whom you give up your lives,
O most beautiful of the nations?
But come with us,
And we'll satisfy all your desires!

And Israel responds with wisdom,
Only a bit of the truth do they reveal,
What is your greatness, say they to the nations,
Compared to the reward that He has in store for us!
And when He sheds upon us His great light,
While you go, then are destroyed in darkness!

Yerushalayim will be rebuilt!
The Exiles will return,
The Gates of Gan Eden will Re-Open,
And all their Brilliance will be Revealed to us -
We will enter those Gates and take Pleasure,
In the Radiance of the Divine Presence,
Whom we will point to, and say -
Here is our G-d, in Whom we hoped,
He will save us!

And each righteous one under his canopy will sit,
In the Sukkah made from the skin of Leviathan,
And in the future
He will make a dance for the righteous ones,
And a banquet in Paradise,
From that Great Fish and the Wild Ox ,
And from the Wine preserved from the Creation -
Happy are those who believe and hope and
Never abandon their faith forever!

Now you my listeners,
When you hear your praise in this song,
Be strong in your faith!
And you will merit to sit in the company
Of the holy and righteous ones
In the World-to-Come!
If you've listened well to my words,
Which were uttered in holy majesty -
Great is our G-d!
The First and the Last!
Happy are we, for He loved us,
And gave us His Torah.

This "piyut," actually a love song, modelled after Shir HaShirim, the Book of the Bible which is a metaphor for the relationship between the Holy One, Blessed Be He, and the People of Israel. The poem takes on the form of a marriage contract between Israel and the Torah, composed by Rabbi Yisrael Najara.

It emerged from the world of Sefardic Jewry, which at that time was radically different from Christian Europe. The Sefardic World, ruled mainly by the Moslems, had many features which were attractive to the Jewish communities which lived among them. The Moslems at that time were world leaders in Poetry, Philosophy, Grammar, Mathematics and many other cultural expressions. This caused a reaction in the Jewish communities, which took the form of an unprecedented focus on such areas as, essentially, all the branches of culture cited above, as illustrative of the Moslem world. The time of Rabbi Yisrael Najara, a great Jewish Grammarian and Poet, was indeed a Golden Age, unprecedented perhaps, in the range of opportunities available to Jews, and taken advantage of by Jews, till the Golden Age of America.

Wabi Sabi ???

Can a Jew be Wabi Sabi?

Leonard Cohen, the composer, musician and poet, once penned these words:

Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There’s a crack in everything
That’s how the light gets in.
___Leonard Cohen, “Anthem”

Leonard Cohen, a Jew, was once-upon-a-time a Buddhist Monk. A “Jew-Bu”. Perhaps that answers the question - assuming that we understand Wabi Sabi...

This, it seems, is the latest “hot topic” and I come across it in many places. I, personally, have been a ‘practitioner’ of Wabi Sabi for many years - but I have come to it without it’s name and without it’s current Western direction. Let me explain.

As early as 1959~1962, the years that I lived “on the economy” in Japan, [meaning that I lived “off post”] I came to understand that the Japanese ceramists, in particular, would spend long hours laboring to make the most beautiful, symmetric, perfect, and pleasing pot and then intentionally ‘deface’ it in some manner. The thinking was that man was man and man was imperfect. G-d alone was perfect and therefore capable of creating something perfect. Thus the ceramists felt that they could not have the chutzpah (a good Japanese word) to create anything that was perfect.

Further they found beauty in the world around them {aha! the world itself, they found was imperfect!} in things that were both large and small. Here they found beauty and something to contemplate upon for years. The could learn something from nature. The Japanese would take a long time to choose, for example, a particular piece of wood to perform the lowly function of supporting the roof of their home. That piece of wood then became a focal point in the house. A place of beauty and and place of contemplation. A place where man could come to understand something of the nature of the world in which we live.

These “things” - man-made and natural alike - would age, gather a patina, and become more beautiful in old age. So they came to honor and seek the beauty and the knowledge of the “old”... the ‘senior citizen’ with wrinkles and a twisted body. From this thinking comes what we now see blossoming in the West (in America).

But before we go back to my first question, let me discuss Wabi Sabi from its current point-of-view; which, to my mind, is almost 180 degrees out of sync.

One of the discussions begins with the Tea Ceremony of the 16th Century CE and states that it was in this ceremony that the Japanese found a harmony with nature and respect for age, including themselves personally. To be content with what they had without ever striving for more... more... more. The current idea seems to be that the aesthetic to create something flawed came from the calm reflection generated by the Tea Ceremony. From that beginning the aesthetic for asymmetry, asperity, simplicity, modesty (?), intimacy (?) and the suggestion of natural processes [as opposed to ‘manufactured’] progressed. This seems the cart being placed squarely before the horse - or donkey - or yak...

In any case Wabi Sabi, it is said, nurtures all that is authentic (rather like the Arts & Crafts movement of the late 19th~early 20th century begat by William Morris) by acknowledging three simple realities: nothing lasts, nothing is finished, and nothing is perfect. Given that, we can see that the meaning of “Wabi” - which is near impossible to translate from the Japanese - is akin to loneliness of living in nature [existentialism?] and remote from society; and “Sabi” means chill, lean, or withered. [aside from the fact that these concepts came into the Japanese society in the 14th (!) Century, well before the Tea Ceremony time mentioned earlier...] Wabi now refers to rustic simplicity, freshness and/or quietness and can refer to both natural and man-made objects; while Sabi is beauty or serenity that comes with age (also: rust) - when the life of an object (person_) and its impermanence are evidences in it’s patina and wear or in visible repairs (face lifts?).

So now I think we can consider the question: can a Jew be Wabi Sabi? What about our concern for Tikkun Olam? Does that violate the precepts of Wabi Sabi? Is ‘repairing the world’ a correct translation or is ‘compleating the world a better way to think of it? It this the only problem that we would have as Jews in being/becoming Wabi Sabi?

And let’s consider what Leonard Cohen says in his poem:

Ring the bells that still can ring - Liberty ??
Forget your perfect offering - The “Perfect” offering at the Temple??
There’s a crack in everything - The need for Tikkun Olam??
That’s how the light gets in. - The universal metaphor for knowledge??

And now... can you understand how Wabi Sabi just might help a Jew become a better person?

How many more questions will beset you now?

Shabbat Shalom

NOT !!!

Pirkei Avot
Discussion based upon
the Maharal’s commentary “Derech Chaim”

NOT...!

Last week... we began to look at the Pirkei Avot commentary and, for what ever reason, it seemed to strike a wrong note. We had a problem getting into a discussion on the topic, so I have something else for this week but not before I go back to make one point:
In the Maharal’s introduction we go to the area [more or less] where we learn about; “Shabbos is a fitting time for these reflections, for the reason illustrated by this Midrash- ‘Three testify about each other. Shabbos and Israel testify to the unity of G-d. G-d and Shabbos testify that Isarel is one nation. G-d and Israel testify that Shabbos is a day of rest.’” The phrase “that Shabbos is a day of rest” means that Shabbos also is “one” in the sense of being complete, unique and foremost of the days of week.” And the point here is that: “It is appropriate to rest only when something is complete; otherwise there is continuing development. The day of rest is therefore “one” in the sense of self-contained perfection, as well as being unique and foremost among the day of the week.” This then is justification for the “39 Prohibitions.” Comment?
שׂ
So I have something else here which actually relates back to the Torah Portion “Tzav”, but is still applicable to learn and discuss today. Rabbi Joshua Grater, of the Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center (Conservative) wrote this:
Printed and Published in the LA Jewish Journal [not attached]

Yisrael Betzalel ben Avraham

Emor - 17 Iyar 5770 [Omer 32] - 1 May 2010
Beth Shalom Synagogue, Bermuda Dunes, CA

Derech Chaim - Maharal

Pirkei Avot

Discussion based upon
the Maharal’s commentary “Derech Chaim”

The Pirkei Avot is traditionally studied between Pesach and Shavuot. It is during that time that we learn from the early Rabbis and Tzaddikim and while there is much to be gained from going directly to the sources, there is also great benefit to be gained from the reading of later men of learning. Specifically we will look at the writing of the rabbi: Moreinu HaRav Yehudah Betzalel Loew (of Prague), the Maharal.
The Maharal lived more than 400 years ago [1512~1609] and was a contemporary of both Rabbi Yosef Karo [author of the Shulchan Aruch] who was a master of the Torah, and also Rav Yitzchok Luria [the Ari’zal or “Ari”] the great leader of kabbalah fro Tzfat. The Maharal taught a metaphysical system that drew upon the Zohar and his teachings still influence Jewish philosophy today.
The Maharal’s commentary, while based on kabbalah, rarely makes allusions to kabbalah itself. Here is just a brief outline of his focus:
G-d is perfect (shaleim) and is the only being capable of creating ex nihilo. [can we, should we use Latin in discussions of Judaic or Hebraic literature?]
He created, for us, two worlds - the physical world and the spiritual world. [Only the spiritual world reflects His perfection properly]
The World to Come is eternal and thus it is unchanging (existence)
A world without G-d’s Presence would be pointless & sterile rather than a place for spiritual growth.
The world serves and reveals the Holy One, and that is the essence of the giving of the Torah. As Torah directs mankind in the knowledge of HaShem and what He wants of man. In both enlightens man in the pursuit of holiness and the conduct of his life and also enlightens man(kind) to the truth of all being.

A few more comments before we begin to learn from the Maharal: Torah is a system, according to Rabbi Loew, that regulates human life and also embraces the systems within the universe, within the world and within man’s own existence. Torah is sechel (pure intellect) which is beyond human intellect. It is completely independent, nivdal (separate) of physical existence, chomer. Within the metaphor of the “Tree of Life”, Torah is rooted in G-d’s essence and is the link between G-d and mankind.

Now we turn the the Maharal’s own introduction:
“For a lamp is the commandment and Torah is light and the way to life is admonitions of correction.” (Mishlei 6:32) Light is not only the Biblical and Rabbinic, but also the almost universal, metaphor for intellect. The physical practice of mitzvot is similar - or like - a lamp where the point of the metaphor is that a wick, oil and container form the physical base for an ethereal flame and so our physical practice of any given mitzvot is the basis for a Divine light to settle upon us (as we dedicate our thought and actions to the commandments and our will to that of the Creator. So too the study of Torah is compared to light. Light is intangible and so too Torah is free, entirely, from all physical limitations - unlike the mitzvot which are physical actions fixed to time and space.
All this is prelude to the commentary on Pirkei Avot. And now we begin to learn-

 “All israel has a share in the World to Come, as it is said (Yeshayahu 60:21): ‘And your people are all righteous; they shall inherit the land forever; they are the stem of My plantings, my handiwork, in which to take pride.’” [pp. 6~8]
“Moshe received the torah from Sinai, and transmitted it to Yehoshua; and Yehoshua to the Elders; the elders to the Prophets; and the Prophets transmitted it to the men of the Great Assembly. They (the men of the GA) said three things: Be deliberate in judgment; develop many disciples; and make a fence for the Torah.” [pp. 8~13]

Here we end our learning from Derech Chaim for today. For those interested in reading from this book that we are using for the text (and which I paraphrase), it is an ArtScroll Judaica Classics books: A commentary based on the selections from Maharal’s Derech Chaim by Rabbi Tuvia Basser available from Me’sorah Publications, ltd. Brooklyn, NY 11232.

Yisrael Betzalel ben Avraham

Acharei-Kedoshim 10 Iyar 5770 - 24 April 2010
Beth Shalom Synagogue, Bermuda Dunes, CA

More croaks...

The bullfrog...croaking

Last week I think that most people were a little reticent about really approaching the subject at hand and I think that we should spend a little more time addressing what it is, or was, that was bothering you. If you remember, it was Jeremiah that was suggesting something that did, in fact, come to pass and we were discussing the possibility that those prophesies might also be applicable to the twenty-first century (CE) as well.

So, bluntly put: what is it about my question that makes you uncomfortable with discussing the possibilities inherent in that suggestion? When you look at the Congo, Somalia, South Africa, Poland, Scandinavia, England, Haiti, Mexico, Chile, South-east Asia... what are you seeing? When you see Tea Parties right here in the Coachella Valley and large automobile corporations cutting corners and Wall Street going back to “business as usual”, and CEOs demanding and accepting huge bonuses... what are you seeing? Are these things that are occurring all over the globe at this time indicative of something? Something that Jeremiah prophesied over 2400 years ago?

So, again; what makes you uncomfortable about addressing this question? Is it that it seems too obvious? Or that there is just “too much” for an individual to comprehend and it’s easier to play ostrich? Perhaps you have the deep-seated feeling that perhaps the Chabad has it right and that the Mochiach is just about to make an appearance and we will see... what?

Perhaps you feel that, in spite of everything that we do here (at Beth Shalom to bring it home!) is not enough? That coming to Minyan regularly is insufficient? That there is more that we can do for the community or to/for individuals? Perhaps you feel we need to do more to support our troops, our outreach to the homeless or those below the poverty line? Or perhaps you think that doing that is a way to avoid the real problem(s) and that that kind of involvement is just so much “busy work” to keep from making a real and meaningful soul-searching evaluation of our own short-comings? Or all of the above?

Meanwhile the Bullfrog is still croaking at us. So what are you (me) [we] {us} going to do about it? How do we address this question?

And... if you really don’t want to discuss this: let’s look at some the events in the (earlier) life of Jeremiah because, as it is always said: “If you don’t know history; you are doomed to repeat it.” - a modern version says: “Try to learn from the mistakes of others; you really don’t have enough time to do them all yourself!”

As I mentioned last week, da‘ Bullfrog made an impression on King Josiah who then undertook the restoration of the Temple. He (the king) then called all the Jews together from across the land and had the Laws (Torah) read to them to instruct them and - guess what? - that said [in effect]: “We will hear and we will do.” Golly gee - once again. [I guess they had not learned from history themselves]

Okay, so back in the throne room, the king was distressed after having read the Torah and was terrified by the threats contained in it. He sent for the hig-priest for counsel and he, in turn sent him to the prophetess Huldah who announced that the impending misfortune would not descend upon him and his people (in his own days) as he had repented.

Now, comforted King Josiah pursued the task in the way that he saw it laid out and had the Temple cleansed, the statue of Astarte {probably a nude statue of Aphrodite} removed (we don’t know what he had done with it - history does not say that it was broken up and destroyed...), the cells of prostitutes cleansed, the pagan altars broken, crushed and destroyed and the purification extended beyond Bethel where Cutæans had settled.

From there the king continued his campaign of cleansing and by the spring of 621 BCE he had the entire nation summed to Jerusalem to celebrate Pesach. During this holiday, they were reminded of what we learn about when we hold our own seders. The king insisted on the enfranchisement of Hebrew slaves who had had six years of slavery in accord with the law. It is said (by history) that no king before him had ever returned to G-d in such sincerity and such devotion to the Torah!

King Josiah also asserted his independence against Egypt. He (the king) caused changes and broke Assyria (before it was Muslim - but a major force in the East) which was subjected to total destruction. But now, Egypt saw what had happened - with Media and Babylon avenging the crimes of Assyria - and marched under King Necho (various: Nekos, Nekaii) with the intention of conquering Lebanon as far as the Euphrates and to further humiliate Assyria. He too the Philistine city of Gaza and advanced along the coast of the Mediterranean intending to reach Jordan by way of Jezreel. Here King Josiah opposed the advance through his territory even though the Egyptian assured that he was advancing only upon Assyria.

To cut this short, King Josiah stood fast and forced a confrontation with Egypt. That was not a good choice. His army was beaten and he himself was dangerously wounded. He was taken to Jerusalem where he died. (so much, I guess, for the vision of prophetess Huldah)

The battle of Megiddo on the plain of Jezreel was the turning point in the history of Judah. The last king of the house of David had died.

And, again, what do we learn from history? What is there in this story of a man who made a great turning in his own life and the country that he led?

Let’s go daven, if we cannot address ourselves to the course of history.

Shabbat Shalom
Tazria-Metzora
Beit Iyar 5770
Beth Shalom - Bermuda Dunes, CA

The Bullfrong croaks

So, let us consider a little of the man called
Yirmiyahu - or - Jeremiah

And no, this is not the bullfrog that we are talking about...

It is said that Jeremiah spoke prophetically - but not like some of the other prophets, in an enigmatic way. His was, at first a diffident and gently way but that disappeared as some of the events in his life unfolded. And it is usually recognized that he was the greatest of the prophets - Isaiah included!

His first ‘speech’ to the Nation was eloquent and addressed against the Nation’s fall from its tradition(s). A fall toward, again, idol worship but this time in involved bloodshed and was alluded to in the Haftorah of just a few weeks ago. It was from this first public proclamation that turned King Josiah toward the restoration of the ruined temple. This is the temple that the Nation had for years abandoned and let fall into ruin - we are not talking about the destruction of the temple which was yet to come. This was a time when even the high Priest had “lost” the Torah scroll as it had not been used or referred to in more than a generation! When the High Priest read the Torah it was a revelation to the country. A major revelation, having come about do to the pronouncements by Jeremiah.

The law-book found in the time of Josiah is not couched in cold harsh terms but was found to exhort, warn and entreat that this or that be done in the language of a loving father. There was a pleasant breeze that they found wafting from the pages of Deuteronomy. The laws (Mitzvot), statutes (Chukkim), and ordinances (Mishpatim) were surrounded in historical reminiscences and heartfelt admonitions in a sublime poetic language.

It is said that this book contains a hymn said to have been composed by Moses himself. In the hymn it is stated that the nation, in consequence to its prosperity, would turn away to false gods, and a depraved nation would be called to punish it. Then it would see that its chosen gods could not avail it, and that G-d alone, who had so wonderfully guided it, could kill and make alive, could wound and could heal, and that He would avenge it, and purify the stained land.

Terrible punishments are inscribed in this roll for disobeying the laws. The veil is torn from the future. Future disasters are shown which await the people if they continue their present course. All the plagues which could bring humanity to despair are described. On the one hand is sterility, starvation, drought and pestilence; humiliation, persecution, slavery and disgrace, physical and spiritual sufferings ending in madness and idiocy. Gruesome.



Let me suggest something here. I cannot see if it is from a strictly observant Jewish point of view in reading this; or from seeing an opportunity to investigate and discuss the possibility that Yirmiyahu was discussing the USA in the current century, or Israel... or the laxity of the general population of the world, or: none of the above. This question, I think concerns how you feel about HaShem’s activity in the human sphere. The question goes to asking if you believe that He intervenes and human life - as say: does he respond to prayer? Do you think that there are “cures” to various maladies that are beyond the realm of mere medical science? And, in fact, where does medical science obtain their cures from - and from what source provides the basic building blocks for this science?

There is the story of the scientist going to G-d and telling Him that He is not required any more. Science can now create man from dust too. G-d says, “Oh? Show me.” The scientist stoops down and begins to gather the dust of the earth together when G-d interrupts and says; “No. No. No. Go get your own dust first!”

Think about it, as a good friend of mine always says...

Shabbat Shalom