Vayeitzei-What We All Want

A slogan can be very impactful because it encapsulates an entire philosophy. If it is sculpted correctly it will be embodied with a life of its own and perch on the lips of all who are open to it.

It's not by coincidence that the last two Presidents won their respective campaigns for the office with catchy and meaningful phrases. President Obama's slogan was 'change we need' and President Elect Trump's was 'make America great again'.

Why did these slogans resonate with people in such an acute fashion? Perhaps, because they instill hope in achieving idealistic aspirations. We all want to change and be great. It's in our spiritual DNA; as the pasuk states, Hashem create for me a pure heart. (Tehilim 51:12)

That's why we become so emotional and unreasonable when the topic of politics meanders into our conversations. Our outrage points to a deep-seated desire for things to be right. A person is recognizable by his anger. (Eruvin 65b)

Truth be told greatness is the path that Hashem has prepared for us. Every person is obligated to say, 'the Universe was created for me'. (Sanhedrin 37a) That is to say that even if every single person in the world would not be born except for us Creation would still be justified. (Ohr Hatzafon, Midas HaChesed #1) The first man is not unique in that the Universe was created for him. If we would be in his place the universe would be created for us just the same.

Therefore, a person is obligated to say, 'when will my actions be like Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov? (Tanah D'bei Aliahu Rabbah(chapter 25). The combination of these three great people is akin to the level of the first man. That is the kind of person we are supposed to be if we are to take full advantage of what the world has to offer.

We should never give up on our endeavors to improve. Chizkiyahu said, 'I have a tradition from my family. Even if a sharp sword is on a person's neck they shouldn't stop themselves from believing in mercy.' (Brachos 10a)

This responsibility of achievement is on us and no one else. Rebbi Elazar Ben Durdaya said, 'the matter depends only on me.' (Avodah Zara 17a)

My Rebbe, Rabbi Tzvi Berkowitz, taught us that Leah was supposed to be, at best, a picture of mediocrity. She was to marry the pernicious Esav and have a family. Being one of the Foremothers and a progenitor of Hashem's people wasn't a part of her destiny. She knew this. She was determined for it to be otherwise. She cried and davened to Hashem until her eyes swelled from hot painful tears. (Rashi, Bereishis 29:17)

By force of conviction she inserted herself into the process of building Klal Yisrael and illustriousness for perpetuity.

This shows us that the gates of tears are never closed. (Bava Metzia 59a) Nothing stands in the way of our will. (See Megilla 6b)

The utopia that we dream of is in our hands. Believe it, say it, and do it. And it will be.

Pekudei-Never Give Up

Never Give Up

"These are the reckonings of the Mishkan, Mishkan of Testimony etc." (Exodus 38:21) The extraneous repetition of the word Mishkan which usually means Tabernacle or, more precisely, a dwelling place for Hashem's presence is puzzling. Rashi(ad loc) cites a homiletic interpretation of this discrepancy. Mishkan can be read as mashkon which means collateral. Hence, the textual repetition of Mishkan is to hint to the two Temples that would be built in the future and that Hashem would confiscate them as collateral for our iniquities. 

Rabbeinu Bechai(ad loc) adds that the verse encompasses more intimation of this prophecy in the numerical values of the words. The word HaMishkan including it's five letters has a numerical value of 420 which hints to the the expanse of years that the second Temple stood(Yuma 9a). The word Mishkan has a numerical value of 410 which is the amount of years that the first Temple stood. 

This cataclysm in the form of eventual decimation of both Temples was also foreshadowed way before the Tabernacle was even envisioned. Yosef cried when he hugged his brother Binyamin because he saw that both Temples would stand in his portion of inherited land and subsequently be destroyed. (Rashi, Genesis 45:14)

There are numerous examples of such predictions of commencements of future events in different contexts. A case in point is the story of the spies. After they returned from the Land and gave an unfavorable report the people cried(Numbers 14:1). That night was the 9th of Av. Hashem declared that their cries were for nought because the Land was good. Therefore, as castigation, there would be a reason to cry in the future because both Temples would be destroyed on that date. (Ta'anis 29a)

These future predictions evoke conflict with free-will which is an undisputed fact. (Brachos 33b, Megilla 25a, Nidda 16b, Rambam, Hilchos Teshuva chapter 5) Rambam himself deals with this difficulty(ibid #5). How can one predict the future if it is contingent upon the choices that we make? If our choices are one way the consequences which is the future will follow. If our choices are another way then a different set of consequences will follow. The first Temple was destroyed because of the three cardinal sins and the second Temple because of baseless hatred(Yoma 9b). The drama of this type of hatred burgeoned to its full ugliness in the story of kamtza bar kamtza( Gittin 55b). Additionally the destruction was caused by the failure to attribute proper honor to Torah study(Ran on Nedarim 81a s.v. davar zeh). The presumption of the aforementioned is that if we would not commit these inequities and there would be no hatred that the Temples wouldn't be destroyed. Then, how can their destruction be predicted in the future before the people's choices that caused that future to come about? Are their choices just a figment of their imagination and the future is really determined?

Perhaps we can suggest that the answer to this question is found in the story related in  Brachos(10a). Isaiah visited Chizkiyahu the king when he was deathly ill. Isaiah told him that he would die both here and in the World to Come. Chizkiyahu asked him, what did I do that deserves such sever reprisal? Isaiah responded, because you failed to fulfill the Divine command of procreation. Chizkiyahu explained that he purposely reneged from having children because he saw with Divine Inspiration that his offspring would be unfavorable. Isaiah rebuked him by explaining that it is not his concern about future events but, rather, Hashem's. Your obligation is to fulfill the Divine command. When Chizkiyahu understood his mistake he requested that Isaiaih give him his daughter in marriage so that they can have children. Perhaps, your merit and mine will cause the offspring to be upstanding. Isaiah retorted that the decree has already been meted out. Chizkiyahu responded that he knows now that Isaiah's prophecy has ended and that from this point on he is opining. I have a tradition from my family that even if a person has a sword on his neck that should never give up from Hashem's mercy.

The message of this story is that when a decree is set it can be changed. Chizkiyahu was supposed to die as it was predicted in Isaiah's prophecy. If he would have had children they would be bad as was predicted in his Divine Inspiration. Nevertheless, that future was contingent upon his choices. If he would choose differently he may not have children. Or, if he would have children they would be good. No prophecy is set in stone even if it's a good one unless the prophet acts it out in some way. (Ramban, Genesis 12:6)

We can illustrate this point with the game of chess. The grand master may calculate his opponent's multiple choices of moves and plan his counter moves based upon those choices. So to, predictions of the future that are found in the Torah are mere illustrations of the consequences that will ensue as results of the choices that we will make. But, if we choose differently the set of consequences will be commensurate with those choices which are not enumerated in the Torah. 

Therefore, the word Mishkan and Yosef's prophecy may communicate that in the future the Temples will be destroyed. But, that is contingent on our choices. It is true that Hashem knows the future. But, He knows many futures. Which future will we live? That depends on what future we want to live. 

Actually, this idea is explicit in the Midrash. Pharaoh seems to recant his resolve. After the seventh Plague he seems to tell Moshe that he will allow the people to go. However, 'I see evil in front of you'. (Exodus 10:10) Pharaoh saw with his magic that a star of blood which is a sign of death was going to meet the people in the desert. This was supposed to happen after the sin of the Golden Calf. Hashem would expire them as chastisement. However, this decree was changed as a result of Moshe's prayers for the people. The star of blood instead became a good tiding for them because it represents the blood of circumcision( Rashi, ad loc). 

As Chizkiyahu declared, one should never give up. We never know what the future may bring. 

Metzora-The Right Path

Having the carpet pulled out from under oneself is very disconcerting. One's feet are steadily planted on the ground. One habituates to a sense of stability. Suddenly, those sensations vanish. 

Figuratively, this may happen to us on a daily basis. When we don't judge a situation favorably performing due diligence regarding proper investigation we may concoct a fictitious occurrence in our minds. This occurrence with the surety of the fallacious facts is like the carpet under our feet. Surfacing of real facts will shatter what we thought to be true. This is like the carpet has been pulled from under our feet. 

Yes, Malcolm Gladwell writes in Blink that first impressions are usually correct. But, the Torah instructs us otherwise. "With justice you shall judge your friend." (Vayikra 19:15) Ian Pears weaves an intriguing tale in An Instance of a Fingerpost where a murder mystery is told from the perspectives of four individuals. The reader discovers the true murderer only when the last person tells his tale. There are many such stories. See Rabbi Hanoch Teller's Courtrooms of the Mind for numerous examples of entrapment in such folly.  

Not having our facts straight may have much more dire consequences. In this week's Parsha we have the metaphysically deceased Metzora. The cause of Tzoras is well known: Loshon Harah-evil speech. (Erchin 16a) But, loshon harah is a catalyst for something more hideous. It spurs the talebearer to lie and fabricate eventually leading to scoff at all serious matters which leads to assassination of every righteous character. (Mishnah Torah, Hilchos Tumas Tzoras 16:10).

In other words, engagement in wrong doing causes more wrong doing. No one is ever stagnant. The evil inclination endeavors to deprave our behavior ad infinitum. (Kiddushin 30b) Colluding in loshon harah even if it's true leads to making up the stories all together. Involvement in such activities may be so immersing that we may not even realize it until the truth hits us like a brick wall, (Mesilas Yisharim chapter 3) like a carpet being pulled out from under us.

A priori the inverse is true as well. When we curtail negativity in all its manifestations and introduce positivity into our lives good will happen. In the way the a person wants to go they will lead him. (Makkos 10b) Angels are created to help him go in the right path. (Maharsha, ad loc) One who comes to purify they help him. (Shabbos 104a) Open for me...an opening like the sharpness of a needle and I will open for you opening thru which calfs and wagons fit. (Shir Hashirim Rabba 5:2) One mitzvah causes another mitzvah. (Avos Chapter 4) The reward for a mitzvah is unfathomable because it's expanse of delight is beyond the boundaries of physicality. Therefore, Hashem only gives further opportunities to perform mitzvos to earn more of this same reward. (Michtav M'Eliahu 1:2) All physical rewards such as comforts, financial flexibilities, and health are opportunities to perform more mitzvos given that we demonstrated the wherewithal to perform them in the first place. (Mishnah Torah, Hilchos Teshuva 9) The matter is very close to you. It is in your mouth and heart to do. (Devarim 30:14) Goodness is close to us, meaning easy. All we have to do is engage our mouths and hearts in it. The rest will follow with the shower of Divine support.