This weekend is Tisha B’Av, the 9th day of the month of Av. It is the saddest day on the Jewish calendar, on which we fast, deprive ourselves and pray. It is the culmination of the Three Weeks, a period of time during which we mark the destruction of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem.
Since then, prayers for the rebuilding of Jerusalem have taken a central role in our services. Three times a day in the Amidah prayer we beseech G-d to return us to Jerusalem, rebuild the Holy Temple, ". . .we hope for this all day," and usher in the Messianic era, ". . .may it be speedily in our days." But there is more that we can do than just hope and pray. Our Sages tell us that the destruction of the Temple was a result of sinat chinam, gratuitous hatred among the Jewish people. By reversing this we can change the course of our destiny and bring an end to the exile sooner. Thus we must nullify that cause by living a life of ahavat chinam, gratuitous love among the Jewish people. A beautiful story I read in Seeds of Wisdom comes to mind: In the 1950s a Jewish children's magazine was struggling. Chabad had its own publication called Talks and Tales. When the Rebbe learned that the non-Chabad magazine was considering discontinuing their publication, he anonymously sent them a check for the amount needed to keep it running. "But aren't they competitors?" the Rebbe was asked. "The Jewish community is diverse." The Rebbe responded. "People's needs, persuasions and interests vary. It's crucial that there is something for everyone." There must be gratuitous (unqualified) love even to those who have never done us a favor, even to those we have never met or seen, and especially to those with whom we may have the most profound disagreements. This is something that each of us can improve in. And if we can, then we must.
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This week, Mussie and I both had the opportunity to affix a mezuzah on the doorposts of two different homes. It is an experience we both treasure to have the opportunity to participate in. Whether it is a new family moving to town, someone moving into a new home, or simply choosing to add a mezuzah to their current residence, it is always an uplifting and joyous encounter.
I'll never forget the first time I visited the late Sylvia Henkin at her residence in the Inn on Westport, and she proudly showed me her beautiful mezuzah which she made sure to bring with her from her previous home. At every stage in life, in every residence, a Jewish person should to have a mezuzah. It was clear that she lived by this. Though we do a mitzvah not for its reward, but because it is the will and request of G-d, mezuzah is one of the few mitzvahs for which the Torah states its reward. In this case, the reward is long life for oneself and one's children: And you shall inscribe them on the doorposts ("mezuzot") of your house and on your gates, so that your days and the days of your children may be prolonged upon the land which the L-rd swore to give to your fathers for as long as the heavens are above the earth (Deuteronomy 11:20-21). This is such a beautiful mitzvah, and one that is so easy to do. With a blessing for our future generations, and connecting us with our ancestors of days bygone, the mezuzah carries extra special meaning. Especially in South Dakota, where our population is so small, seeing a mezuzah adorning a door always brings a very special feeling. So I have taken it upon myself to dedicate time to assist Jewish homes across the state to affix at least one mezuzah each week this year. If you would like to learn more, please get in touch! Our family just got back to Sioux Falls this week after being in New York for my sister's wedding. It was a beautiful time for the family to get together and spend time with one another and it all passed by too quickly. My sister grew up in Bournemouth, England, and her groom in Oklahoma City.
The wedding was full of guests from around the world, reflecting every type and stripe of Jew. There were more observant, and less observant, practicing and cultural. This is not something you see every day, but it very much reminded me of the magic you see at Chabad in South Dakota. This week the Torah tells us that at the conclusion of the seven day Sukkot festival, G-d commands the Israelites to celebrate for one more day because "your separation is difficult." Meaning, it's "difficult" for G-d when the people of Israel must "separate" from Him to return home from the holiday celebrations. When reading these verses and their commentary one wonders if it wouldn't be more appropriate to have written "our separation is difficult," as at the culmination of the festival the Jews part from G-d. What is meant by this seemingly odd terminology "your separation is difficult"? The Rebbe explains the phrase "your separation is difficult," to mean the separation among the Jewish people themselves. When we are not united, when there is separation between us and lack of brotherhood and genuine love, this makes it difficult for G-d to shower us with blessings. The lesson for us today is obvious. Although no two people are the same, we must each imbue ourselves with the recognition that we are one people. Then like now, the Torah serves as the moral compass and eternal guide for how we can live our lives with real meaning, and just as importantly, with inner-peace, love and unity. When we do so, we cause G-d to grant the Jewish people an abundance of blessing. This week our family commemorated the 9th yahrzeit of Mussie's late grandfather, Moshe Greenberg. Born in the Soviet Union in 1927 he sacrificed everything to study Torah in the underground schools and at age 20 was sentenced to 25 years of harsh labor in the Siberian gulags.
Inmates would recall how he stubbornly refused to eat even a morsel of food that was not kosher, no matter how great his hunger, nor did he work on Shabbat. "I figured that the only kosher food," he would later say, "was the 15 grams of bread, the little sugar and a small piece of pickled herring," which was a minuscule portion of food for the backbreaking work he was required to do in the camp. Since he refused to work on Saturdays, each week he was placed in solitary confinement for the day. Before the High Holidays he borrowed a machzor from a Jewish engineer. For over a month he would hide every day and copy the book, line for line, into a notebook. After 8 years of brutal imprisonment, Stalin died and his sentence was commuted. He married and raised a family, and immigrated to Israel in 1967 where he continued to live as a happy man. This is the true Jewish spirit under oppression. Maybe, just maybe, this is why by the time he died he had more than one hundred descendants, including children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, and by now well over two hundred, all living around the world as proud Jews continuing to cherish our sacred heritage, the Torah and Mitzvahs, and teaching them to the next generation. Today we are blessed to live in a country where we can each celebrate and practice Judaism freely. Torah education is accessible to everyone. We are not asked for that level of self sacrifice that our ancestors once needed just to be Jewish. It is so easy to keep Kosher, and so enjoyable to keep Shabbat. Let's do it! This Shabbat will mark the 28th yahrtzeit-hilula of the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson.
The Rebbe’s mother would recall that when he was nine years old, the Rebbe dived into the Black Sea to save the life of a boy who had fallen from the deck of a moored ship. The adult onlookers didn’t feel confident enough to jump in. Those who witnessed this heroic act recalled the sacrifice the Rebbe had made that day. He himself collapsed, almost lifeless, soon after bringing the young boy to shore. To me, this story is emblematic of the Rebbe’s life; the sacrifice and deep sense of responsibility for all who cry out for help. The call of those drowning and no one hearing their cries. For all people calling out for moral guidance in a world engulfed in darkness, the Rebbe rose to this historic calling offering guidance and leadership. The Rebbe selflessly acted as that spiritual lifeguard and moral compass, jumping into the most dangerous waters to pull out those who were sinking and save their lives, and going where others were afraid to, despite the personal cost he may have had to pay. Over decades, he carefully taught, living by example, of complete dedication to G-d and the Torah, dedication to world Jewry with Ahavat Yisrael, and humanity in general, encouraging acts of goodness and kindness, bringing us all closer to the fulfillment of Isaias's prophecy of true peace when "nation shall not lift up sword against nation. . . they shall beat swords into plowshares," when the world will be filled with the wisdom of G-d with the coming of Moshiach. Through the sheer force of his convictions -- his dedication to G-d and his fellow human being -- along with his deep insight into the human condition, the Rebbe quietly, unassumingly but most determinedly, inspired and empowered people of all walks of life all over the globe with his teachings that stirred the conscience and spirit of a depleted and demoralized post-holocaust world Jewry to rebuild and flourish, and reached far, far beyond the confines of the Jewish people to inspire countless human beings of all walks of life to a life dedicated to serving. In the last 28 years, the Rebbe's reach has expanded exponentially. Today there is not a single Jewish community in the world that has not been positively impacted, and in many cases transformed and completely revived and revitalized, by the Rebbe's vision and teachings. Recognizing his urgent call for world Jewry and humanity, millions of people around the world study his teachings, and movements well-beyond Chabad are looking to Chabad and the Rebbe's teachings to identify what makes Judaism and Jews tick and what keeps people inspired and engaged. Of course the Rebbe is very personal to Mussie and myself. Our move and work in South Dakota is inspired and guided by the Rebbe's vision and leadership. When a lonely Jew in South Dakota has a seder to go to and matzah on Passover for the first time in decades, it is because of the Rebbe, when a young child learns Alef Beit, it is because of the Rebbe, when a Jewish college student can have a home away from home, it is because of the Rebbe, and when a destitute woman who had been shunned by her community receives a proper Jewish burial, it is because of the Rebbe. So today, please join me and millions of women, men and children around the world and do an extra mitzvah in honor of the Rebbe. Take a few moments and study some Torah. If you have a pair of tefilin, put it on and say a short prayer. Light the Shabbat candles this evening. Place a few coins in a tzedaka charity box to be given to a person in need or a worthy cause. And do what you can and be ready "to jump into the water" to save someone in need. We just celebrated Shavuot this week, with so many friends and in such a great community atmosphere. It reminded me of how the Jewish unity was described at the time we received the Torah.
Let me take a step back. During the Passover Seder we sing the famous Dayenu song where we express our gratitude to G-d for taking us out of Egypt and making us a free people to serve Him. Rather than focusing on the hardships we experienced and any grievances, the song is full of praise and gratitude. In a series of stanzas we say things like "had G-d only taken us out, but not punished the Egyptians, Dayenu - that would have been sufficient." And on and on. But there is one curious stanza where we say "had He brought us to Mt. Sinai and not giving us the Torah - Dayenu - that would have been sufficient." What does that mean? Of what value is there to come to Mt. Sinai without receiving the Torah there? The answer lies in the Torah's description of the Israelites camping at Mt. Sinai. "And Israel encamped there opposite the mountain," the verse says, surprisingly using a singular term when describing the plurality of the Israelites. This is precisely the point; when we came to the mountain we were "like one person with one heart." There was such a great feeling of love and brotherhood, that we can sing Dayenu - it was worth coming to Sinai, just to experience that unity. And it was that great sense of unity that enabled us to receive the Torah. In our beautiful community we are blessed to have different Jews of very different backgrounds all coming together to learn, pray and celebrate in unity. It's something very unique to our small Jewish community and I cherish it. One of my favorite holidays is Shavuot. It commemorates the giving of the Torah at Mt. Sinai amidst G-ds revelation to Jewish people 3334 years ago.
Being able to celebrate and live these traditions with our beautiful community in South Dakota is especially meaningful. First we study all night long (or for as long as we can!) from after dinner until dawn (to “fix” the fact that our ancestors slept peacefully the night before they received the Torah instead of staying up in preparation and anticipation). The next day we read the 10 Commandments in a traditional religious service. During the two day holiday we enjoy a variety of dairy goodies, like cheesecakes, icecreams, lasagna, pizza and more (to remember the laws of Kosher that were given that day, and the short time the people had to prepare their meat and dairy). There is a beautiful midrashic teaching that describes a conversation between G-d and the people of Israel before He gave them the Torah: G-d asked for a guarantee that the Israelites will not forsake the Torah. At first they said “heaven and the earth shall be our guarantors,” but G-d refused. Then they said, “our saintly ancestors will be the guarantors,” but G-d again refused. Only when they finally said “our children will guaranteeit,” did G-d agree to give the Torah. This has been the secret to Jewish continuity during the three millennia since we received the Torah. We have carefully taught it to our children. When we made sure that our youth were educated, in the way of the Torah, they in turn lived and taught it to their children. The first verse a Jewish child learns to say is “Torah tzvia lanu moshe morasha kehilat yaakov,” which means “the Torah that Moses commanded us is the heritage of all Jewish people.” We teach our children from day one that this beautiful Torah and all its sacred teachings, is theirs! They own it. Our Sages tell us that the souls of every Jewish person was present at Mt. Sinai. Every single Jewish woman, man and child. Those already born, and those born later. The beauty of this is that the Torah was given and belongs to each of us equally. No one Jew can claim she or he has more rights to it than the other. This year, let us strengthen our Torah learning and education. Let us live its holy teachings with pride and joy. And let us teach them and pass them on to our children. Now, like then, they are the only guarantee for a vibrant Jewish future. Since starting this weekly tradition of sharing my thoughts with you all, this has been the hardest. It has been a big struggle to process the tragedy our fellow Americans faced this week, and furthermore put in writing something meaningful and comforting.
Indeed, there are no words. There is nothing one can say that will bring back these pure and precious children. Their lives taken so cruelly. Twenty one families are missing their loved ones and suffering unimaginable pain. There is little to be said, we simply must grieve and mourn together. The Torah believes in life and doing all we can to safeguard and preserve it. Knowing this, as we face this growing crisis, society must, must come together to do all it can to prevent such horror. All leaders and experts in their respective fields (firearm laws, school security, mental health experts, education professionals, etc.) must work together to ensure children who go to school will always be safe. And as a Jewish community leader, I, can best talk to my area of expertise. After the attempted assassination on Ronald Reagan, the Rebbe addressed this very issue of how young people, regardless of family upbringing and fiscal background, can end up committing such horrors. What solution can there possibly be to help solve this urgent crisis at its core? To holistically bring our society to a place where firearms, shatter proof glass, and high tech surveillance, are all no longer necessary. I firmly believe, so much could be accomplished, and prevented, through deeper spirituality in our children's upbringing. As parents, are we raising our children with the recognition that they are created in the Divine image? That they have a unique purpose here on earth? That it is up to them to increase in acts of goodness and kindness and make this world a kinder place, not just for themselves but for others as well? If we teach our youth to take even a brief moment each day to reflect on why they are here in this world and what G-d wants from them today, and that He is watching them, they will live better that day. If we encourage one another to place even a few coins in a charity box each morning it will no doubt help plant in us seeds of giving and sharing with others. As the great teacher and philosopher Maimonides wrote, each individual must view themselves and the entire world as equally balanced. The one action that you take, can tip the scale and change the destiny of the entire universe. We eagerly await the day when G‑d will "wipe away the tears from upon all faces," and when we will be able to "beat swords into ploughshares, and spears into pruning hooks" so that humankind can live in true peace and harmony with one another with the coming of Moshiach. In the meantime each of us has work to do. Let's tip the scale and make it happen. We hope you had a wonderful Passover! In Sioux Falls, the community joined together for a beautiful Seder, and in the weeks before the holiday, we brought Matzah across the state.
This Sunday, we are bringing a Torah Scribe to Sioux Falls to work on our Sefer Torahs. If you were to ask any child, with even the most limited Jewish education, what the holiest item in Judaism is, they will instinctively tell you it's the Sefer Torah; the parchment Torah scroll with the five books of Moses written by hand. What the child may not know, but what is equally true, is that for the Torah to be used, each of the 304,805 letters must be complete, intact, and full. If even just one letter is missing or rubbed out, it could render this sacred treasure invalid for use. This is also why a Shul must have their Torahs checked by a qualified scribe, every few years. Some may feel that this is a little "extra." After all, a Sefer Torah takes a year to write, and based on the skill and experience of the scribe, costs tens of thousands of dollars. Yet one missing letter and it is basically useless?! That is precisely the point. For it to be a Sefer Torah, it must be complete. In our personal lives too, we can look at a Sefer Torah as a microcosm of a Jewish community, where every Jew represents a letter in the Torah. So long as there is even one Jew missing, or broken, the community is incomplete. It is not a community. And just like the Torah, every one of us must also occasionally "get checked," take a moment of introspection, to ensure we are complete and whole, to fix what needs to be fixed, to fill in what is missing. In recent weeks, our brothers in sisters in the Holy Land of Israel are once again facing a wave of unprovoked terror attacks, ending with 16 Israelis murdered in cold blood. Just yesterday, a Palestinian terrorist opened fire on a random bar in Tel Aviv, killing three, and critically wounding another seven people.
Unfortunately, as Jews are being murdered in Israel, our enemies rejoice by dancing in the streets and handing candy to their children. The parallel images sicken any sane human being. We also have the people who tell us "we condemn the killing of innocent civilians" before adding a "but." What is it about Israel, the Jewish people and their homeland, that always get that “but”? Regardless of one's beliefs and political opinions on the Middle East, it should be simple to condemn terror and the brutal killing of innocents, without adding a “but”! There is never an excuse for terror. G-d was aware of all this when He started the Torah with the story of creation. One might wonder why the Torah starts with a story, rather than a commandment, when it is not a history book, but a book of instruction for our daily lives. Wouldn’t the first commandment given to the Jewish people be a more logical place to start the Torah? Rashi, the greatest biblical commentator, explains that the Torah starts with Genesis to provide us with an important message. Should there ever come a time that people will accuse the children of Israel of being thieves for living in the Holy Land, they will be able to answer, “the entire world belongs to G-d, he created it (including the land of Israel), when he wished he gave it to you, and when he wished he gave it to us." The Torah is considered a sacred book to billions of people, of all major faiths. It is by the word of G-d in the Torah that the Children of Israel have the right to the land, a right which no person, nation, or legal body can ever challenge. Ever. It is not the UN, League of Nations, or Balfour Declaration that gave the children of Israel the rights to the land, nor can they, or anyone else, take it away. We will continue to teach our children the dignity of life and the value of each human being, and be unapologetically proud of our gift from G-d and ownership of the Holy Land. Then Israel will live in peace with her neighbors. In the hallowed words of the first morning prayer "I take upon myself the commandment to love your neighbor as yourself." |
Rabbi Mendel Alperowitz BlogServing the spiritual needs of the South Dakota Jewish community. Based in Sioux Falls and travels the state. Archives
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