This link is to the Davar Torah that we said on our first son's Shalom Zachor in Talpiot, Jerusalem in 1996.
Shalom Zachor
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Yisro-Perspective; An Antidote to Jealousy
Imagine having a six point simultaneous perspective on any object. Seeing something from the front, back, right, left, top and bottom and computing the visions instantaneously gives one a superhero-esk understanding.
Certainly, a general grasp of any situation carries with it knowledge of its specifics even without the particular awareness of their existence (The Way of God by Ramchal, Introduction) even more so when the details are laid out in front of us with a panoramic view.
To our great chagrin the Homo sapiens have only a three-dimensional view at any specific moment. Therefore, we fail to see some obvious realities that may exist concurrently with our experience.
A case in point is the argument that the Orchas Tzadikkim (Sha’ar Hakinnah #14) posits in order to inspire us not to be jealous of our fellow persons. After alarming the reader with the fact that jealousy can lead to the transgression of all the Ten Commandments he writes as follows.
“Jealousy is due to the malevolence of the soul. If he is jealous of the beauty, strength, or affluence, he doesn’t want what the Creator has decreed upon him. This is similar to a slave who complains about the actions of his master etc.”
In part the cause of jealousy is the failure to see ourselves when we look at others. We see beauty and strength of others and ignore our uniqueness. But in reality, God has given us ours and theirs theirs (Niddah 16b) and never the twain shall meet. The possibility that theirs could be ours is a product of our imagination unrelated to the reality.
Another example is the observation of the Chidah (Avodus Hakodesh, Tziporen Shamir 13:210). Astutely, he ponders the obvious fact that no person exists even for a moment without the support of God. That fact leads us to conclude that even at the precise moment that a person commits the vilest and most despicable acts God gives them the strength to do so. The hands that stab, the feet that kick, and the eyes that see are not abandoned by the God from whom they are directed to rebel!
Certainly, the miscreant is unaware of this reality at the time of their infraction as the Talmud (Sotah 3a) tells us that one doesn't sin unless they are filled with the spirit of foolishness.
Naturally, we can’t see with our physical eyes from all perspectives. However, if we put some thought into our situations before we proceed our imagination will provide the proper all-angle perspective to make the right decisions.
This is the message of our Mishnah (Ethics of Our Fathers 3:7) R’ Elazar Ish Barbusa said, Give from His because you and yours is from Him. Realize that all is from God and that whatever we give away we give on His behalf. Whatever, was decreed for us will remain ours. Whatever was meant for others they will receive.
Certainly, a general grasp of any situation carries with it knowledge of its specifics even without the particular awareness of their existence (The Way of God by Ramchal, Introduction) even more so when the details are laid out in front of us with a panoramic view.
To our great chagrin the Homo sapiens have only a three-dimensional view at any specific moment. Therefore, we fail to see some obvious realities that may exist concurrently with our experience.
A case in point is the argument that the Orchas Tzadikkim (Sha’ar Hakinnah #14) posits in order to inspire us not to be jealous of our fellow persons. After alarming the reader with the fact that jealousy can lead to the transgression of all the Ten Commandments he writes as follows.
“Jealousy is due to the malevolence of the soul. If he is jealous of the beauty, strength, or affluence, he doesn’t want what the Creator has decreed upon him. This is similar to a slave who complains about the actions of his master etc.”
In part the cause of jealousy is the failure to see ourselves when we look at others. We see beauty and strength of others and ignore our uniqueness. But in reality, God has given us ours and theirs theirs (Niddah 16b) and never the twain shall meet. The possibility that theirs could be ours is a product of our imagination unrelated to the reality.
Another example is the observation of the Chidah (Avodus Hakodesh, Tziporen Shamir 13:210). Astutely, he ponders the obvious fact that no person exists even for a moment without the support of God. That fact leads us to conclude that even at the precise moment that a person commits the vilest and most despicable acts God gives them the strength to do so. The hands that stab, the feet that kick, and the eyes that see are not abandoned by the God from whom they are directed to rebel!
Certainly, the miscreant is unaware of this reality at the time of their infraction as the Talmud (Sotah 3a) tells us that one doesn't sin unless they are filled with the spirit of foolishness.
Naturally, we can’t see with our physical eyes from all perspectives. However, if we put some thought into our situations before we proceed our imagination will provide the proper all-angle perspective to make the right decisions.
This is the message of our Mishnah (Ethics of Our Fathers 3:7) R’ Elazar Ish Barbusa said, Give from His because you and yours is from Him. Realize that all is from God and that whatever we give away we give on His behalf. Whatever, was decreed for us will remain ours. Whatever was meant for others they will receive.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Lech Lecha-God's Patience Sprouts Avraham Into Existence
The common lexicon is abundant with lofty platitudes. The tips of our tongues shower all who are willing to listen to such banalities as honesty being a lonely word and patience a virtue. It is true that Chaucer is most probably the promulgator of the latter which lends certain authenticity to the proverb. But the query places itself like an elephant in the room of our brains. Why is patience such a valuable trait?
Of course to answer this question more contexts are required. In our terse perusal of the issue we shall focus only from the perspective of God. Perhaps, as a tertiary benefit any leader will be able to glean from the ensuing insight kernels of wisdom that they can employ to be more effective in their leadership.
Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto (Path of the Just, chapter 4) asks. The Jewish conception of God necessitates the perspective that He is perfect. Therefore, his perfection does not allow Him to overlook infraction as the Talmud (Bava Kama 50) states, ‘Whoever, says that God overlooks, his live will be overlooked.” That being the case, just as it was in the olden days with human monarchs, any sin against God’s will should be met with immediate strict justice in the form of a well aimed lighting bolt that strikes the perpetration in his tracks. Why then does that not happen? Furthermore, the conception of teshuva should be an anathema? If one engages in licentious acts or kills someone how can they take it back? To employ the cliché, what’s done is done.
The answer that Rabbi Luzzatto offers to this question unveils a diamond-esk idea. In such circumstances God exercises patience to give the sinner time to ponder his ways. When the would-be Baal Teshuva considers the ramifications of his actions and the personality that he has become as a result, a stupendous transformation occurs. Deep regret sets in the psyche which yields a true desire to be someone else; someone more refined and better. That desire effects change in the personality contriving a committed servant of God.
God’s patience is a virtue. For instead of extirpating a person it allows a formation of resplendent servitude.
With this insight the Mishnah in the Ethics of Our Fathers (5:2) is clear. Ten generations separate between Adam and Noach and ten generations between Noach and Avaraham showing God’s patience that yield the righteous pillars of all mankind.
Of course to answer this question more contexts are required. In our terse perusal of the issue we shall focus only from the perspective of God. Perhaps, as a tertiary benefit any leader will be able to glean from the ensuing insight kernels of wisdom that they can employ to be more effective in their leadership.
Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto (Path of the Just, chapter 4) asks. The Jewish conception of God necessitates the perspective that He is perfect. Therefore, his perfection does not allow Him to overlook infraction as the Talmud (Bava Kama 50) states, ‘Whoever, says that God overlooks, his live will be overlooked.” That being the case, just as it was in the olden days with human monarchs, any sin against God’s will should be met with immediate strict justice in the form of a well aimed lighting bolt that strikes the perpetration in his tracks. Why then does that not happen? Furthermore, the conception of teshuva should be an anathema? If one engages in licentious acts or kills someone how can they take it back? To employ the cliché, what’s done is done.
The answer that Rabbi Luzzatto offers to this question unveils a diamond-esk idea. In such circumstances God exercises patience to give the sinner time to ponder his ways. When the would-be Baal Teshuva considers the ramifications of his actions and the personality that he has become as a result, a stupendous transformation occurs. Deep regret sets in the psyche which yields a true desire to be someone else; someone more refined and better. That desire effects change in the personality contriving a committed servant of God.
God’s patience is a virtue. For instead of extirpating a person it allows a formation of resplendent servitude.
With this insight the Mishnah in the Ethics of Our Fathers (5:2) is clear. Ten generations separate between Adam and Noach and ten generations between Noach and Avaraham showing God’s patience that yield the righteous pillars of all mankind.
Friday, October 15, 2010
Noach: The Flooding of Humanity
Apocryphal imaginations of world destruction, domination and conquest gnaw at our consciousness. Doom and apocalypse strum the emotions into a kind of shocking awe that mesmerizes with fascination of what may occur next. Scaremongers masquerading as prophets of doom capitalize on the opportunity to stand on top pedestals declaring that black clouds of peril are soon upon us.
Yet fatal diseases that ravage humanity, earthquakes that destroy cities and tsunamis that wash away large populations are difficult to wrap one’s hands around. The seeming gargantuan quirks in the natural progression of life that leave catastrophic repercussions force us to throw up our hands in utter abandon of any explanation. Such experience according to the Ramban (Iyov, Introduction) is the main cause amongst our people for abdication of religion.
Only God Himself can provide the answer as the Talmud relates, ‘This matter (destruction of the first Temple) was asked of the Sages and the Prophets yet they could not explain it until the Holy One Blessed Be Himself explained it.’(Nedarim 81a)
Therefore, when we read in this week’s portion about the drowning of humanity concomitantly we scour the text for answers. Only God can provide an explanation for this anomalous deluge.
Of course when we look at the story of that generation we see that their deeds had such a profound affect on the universe that their actions spread like a cancer beyond their own confines. As a result, the ensuing flood was a matter of consequential recourse.
The Torah states, ‘And God saw the earth and behold it was corrupted for all the flesh had corrupted its way upon the earth.’(Genesis 6:12) Rashi (ad loc) explains that the reference to ‘all flesh” is also to the animal kingdom. That is to say that they too were involved in aberrant copulations. Animals of different species were mating with each other.
The Beis Halevi (ad loc) asks that this explanation poses a philosophical dilemma. It is axiomatic to Jewish belief that people have free will as the Talmud declares in Brachos (33b). The centrality of this idea is expounded upon and emphasized by all the Torah scholars especially the Rambam (Laws of Teshuva 5, 6). However, animals don’t have such capacity. They can’t build or destroy with the thrust of their volition. They act with instinct. If that is the case how can they become corrupt? They don’t choose between right and wrong.
The answer is that there are holy places in the world and irreverent places. There are venerable places such as Jerusalem and the Temple Mount. And there are disreputable places such as some cities in the shinier areas of the United States.
One with sensitivity can feel the spiritual purity of the holy sights even when they don’t come in contact with any residents. This is true in vice versa. The reason is that these areas are actually holy and the opposite. How do they become that way?
Our actions not only influence us they also affect the physical inanimate environment around us. If we act in a righteous way we uplift all those that are in the radius if our surroundings.
Therefore, the state of the generation of the flood was so depraved it caused the animal kingdom to become corrupt. Not because they have free choice but because they were soiled with the liquid of vile impunity of the depraved society around them.
Yet fatal diseases that ravage humanity, earthquakes that destroy cities and tsunamis that wash away large populations are difficult to wrap one’s hands around. The seeming gargantuan quirks in the natural progression of life that leave catastrophic repercussions force us to throw up our hands in utter abandon of any explanation. Such experience according to the Ramban (Iyov, Introduction) is the main cause amongst our people for abdication of religion.
Only God Himself can provide the answer as the Talmud relates, ‘This matter (destruction of the first Temple) was asked of the Sages and the Prophets yet they could not explain it until the Holy One Blessed Be Himself explained it.’(Nedarim 81a)
Therefore, when we read in this week’s portion about the drowning of humanity concomitantly we scour the text for answers. Only God can provide an explanation for this anomalous deluge.
Of course when we look at the story of that generation we see that their deeds had such a profound affect on the universe that their actions spread like a cancer beyond their own confines. As a result, the ensuing flood was a matter of consequential recourse.
The Torah states, ‘And God saw the earth and behold it was corrupted for all the flesh had corrupted its way upon the earth.’(Genesis 6:12) Rashi (ad loc) explains that the reference to ‘all flesh” is also to the animal kingdom. That is to say that they too were involved in aberrant copulations. Animals of different species were mating with each other.
The Beis Halevi (ad loc) asks that this explanation poses a philosophical dilemma. It is axiomatic to Jewish belief that people have free will as the Talmud declares in Brachos (33b). The centrality of this idea is expounded upon and emphasized by all the Torah scholars especially the Rambam (Laws of Teshuva 5, 6). However, animals don’t have such capacity. They can’t build or destroy with the thrust of their volition. They act with instinct. If that is the case how can they become corrupt? They don’t choose between right and wrong.
The answer is that there are holy places in the world and irreverent places. There are venerable places such as Jerusalem and the Temple Mount. And there are disreputable places such as some cities in the shinier areas of the United States.
One with sensitivity can feel the spiritual purity of the holy sights even when they don’t come in contact with any residents. This is true in vice versa. The reason is that these areas are actually holy and the opposite. How do they become that way?
Our actions not only influence us they also affect the physical inanimate environment around us. If we act in a righteous way we uplift all those that are in the radius if our surroundings.
Therefore, the state of the generation of the flood was so depraved it caused the animal kingdom to become corrupt. Not because they have free choice but because they were soiled with the liquid of vile impunity of the depraved society around them.
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