Dear Friends,
Shavua tov!
Here is a transcript of remarks delivered to the congregation on Friday evening by our congregant and Torah Study Maven Steve Siegel.
Warmest wishes,
Rabbi Jonathan Blake
FRIDAY RE'EH AUGUST 17,2012
WHEN RABBI BLAKE ASKED ME TO SPEAK TONIGHT, I TOLD HIM THAT THE LAST TIME I GAVE A TALK ON THIS PARASHAH TEN YEARS AGO, THERE WAS AN ENORMOUS RAIN AND ELECTRICAL STORM IN SCARSDALE. WHEN WE MET THAT FRIDAY NIGHT THERE WAS NO ELECTRICITY, SO THERE WAS NO AIR CONDITIONING, AND NO LIGHT IN THIS BUILDING. THE ROOM WAS VERY DARK AND VERY VERY WARM. WAS GOD TRYING TO SEND ME A MESSAGE ABOUT MY D'VOR TORAH????
BUT RABBI BLAKE, BRAVE SOUL, WAS WILLING TO RISK GOD'S WRATH ONCE AGAIN....AND SO HERE I AM TONIGHT.
THIS WEEK'S PARASHAH, RE'EH, IS IN THE BOOK OF DEUTERONOMY. DEUTERONOMY CONTAINS 34 CHAPTERS, AND IS MOSES' SPEECH TO THE ISRAELITES AS THEY ARE ABOUT TO ENTER THE PROMISED LAND. THE SPEECH CONTAINS INSTRUCTIONS AND ADMONITIONS AS MOSES LAYS OUT THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES TO GOD.
DEUTERONOMY IS A LONG SPEECH. MOSES SUMMARIZES THE OTHER FOUR BOOKS OF TORAH AND RESTATES THE LAWS, RULES, AND PRECEPTS THAT GOD EXPECTS THE ISRAELITES TO FOLLOW.
RE'EH, THE FOURTH OF ELEVEN PARSHIOT IN DEUTERONOMY,CONTAINS A SMALL PORTION OF THESE LAWS. BUT, IT IS A POWERFUL PARASHAH BECAUSE IT CONTAINS WITHIN IT ALL THE MEANS BY WHICH TO BE A HOLY PEOPLE.
RE'EH MEANS 'TO SEE' . MOSES WANTS THE ISRAELITES 'TO SEE' OR MORE APTLY ' TO FORSEE' OR 'EXPECT' THAT THEIR CONDUCT IN THE PROMISED LAND WILL DETERMINE WHETHER THEY WILL BE BLESSED OR CURSED. THE ISRAELITES HAVE IMPORTANT LIFE ALTERING CHOICES TO MAKE. CHOICES THAT WILL ELEVATE THEM SPIRITUALLY ON THE ONE HAND, OR CHOICES THAT WILL DIMINISH THEM ON THE OTHER.
MOSES IS VERY EXPLICIT AND SPECIFIC IN THIS PARASHAH AS HE LISTS THEIR SPIRITUAL RESPONSIBILITIES.
FIRST, THE ISRAELITES MUST REJECT WORSHIP AT THE SITES OF THE CANAANITE PEOPLE. THE ISRAELITES ARE TO WORSHIP IN THE SPECIFIC PLACE THAT GOD WILL DESIGNATE. THE ISRAELITES MUST CHOOSE ADONAI OVER ALL OTHER GODS. THIS INSTRUCTION IS THE BASIS FOR THE BUILDING OF THE FIRST TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM.
SECOND, THEY MUST ADHERE TO REGULATIONS FOR SLAUGHTERING AND EATING MEAT. MOSES CLARIFIES WHICH ANIMALS ARE PERMITTED AND WHICH ARE FORBIDDEN. THE ISRAELITES MUST BE RESPECTFUL OF AN ANIMAL'S LIFE AND SLAUGHTER ACCORDINGLY. ISRAELITES MUST CHOOSE ADONAI'S FOODS . THIS INSTRUCTION FORMS THE BASIS FOR KASHRUT.
THIRD, MOSES SETS FORTH THE RULES FOR CARE OF THE LEVITES, THE STRANGER, THE FATHERLESS, THE WIDOW, AND THE NEEDY. THE ISRAELITES MUST CHOOSE GENEROSITY OVER SELFISHNESS. THIS INSTRUCTION IS THE BASIS FOR A CARING SOCIETY AND MANY MITZVOT.
FOURTH, MOSES REVIEWS THE THREE PILGRIMAGE FESTIVALS OF PASSOVER, SHAVUOT AND SUKKOT. THE ISRAELITES MUST CHOOSE TO FOLLOW GOD'S INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMMUNITY WORSHIP TO BE BLESSED.
THESE AND OTHER UNIQUELY JEWISH PRACTICES ALLUDED TO IN RE'EH FORM THE BASIS OF JUDAISM. MOSES IS EMPHATIC IN HIS SPEECH. THE ISRAELITES HAVE IMPORTANT CHOICES TO MAKE. THEY MUST "FORSEE" THAT STRAYING TO THE WRONG CHOICES AND ADOPTING THE PRACTICES OF THE TRIBES OF CANAAN WOULD INVOKE GOD'S WRATH AND CURSES WOULD FOLLOW.
TO FULLY UNDERSTAND THE SIGNIFICANCE AND PURPOSE OF THE BOOK OF DEUTERONOMY, WE NEED TO REMEMBER THE HISTORICAL BACK STORY. DEUTERONOMY WAS WRITTEN IN THE SOUTHERN KINGDOM OF JUDAH DURING THE REIGN OF KING JOSIAH IN THE YEAR 622 BCE. BY THIS TIME ONLY 2 OF THE ORIGINAL 12 TRIBES EXISTED. THE OTHER 10 TRIBES HAD BEEN ANNIHALATED 100 YEARS BEFORE BY THE ASSYRIANS. OVER THE CENTURIES, THE PEOPLE HAD BEEN ASSIMILATED AND WERE OBSERVING THE CANAANITE PAGAN RITES. JOSIAH WAS TROUBLED BY THE PEOPLE'S IGNORANCE OF THE JEWISH PRACTICES OF THEIR FOREFATHERS.
JOSIAH USED THE MESSAGE OF DEUTERONOMY TO REINSTITUTE THE COVENANT, ELIMINATE IDOLATRY, CENTRALIZE THE RELIGION IN JERUSALEM AND RAISE THE LEVEL OF HOLINESS IN HIS KINGDOM. JOSIAH USED DEUTERONOMY AND THE PROMINENCE OF MOSES TO CONVEY THE MESSAGE TO THE POPULACE.
SO, JUXTAPOSING BLESSINGS AND CURSES WAS A POWERFUL TOOL TO EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF THE COVENANT.
THE CURSES ARE MEANT TO FRIGHTEN THE ISRAELITES AWAY FROM THEIR PAGAN PRACTICES. "SEE WHAT HAPPENED TO THE NORTHERN TRIBES? STRAYING FROM THE COVENANT WILL CAUSE ANNIHILATION FOR YOU JUST AS IT DID FOR OUR BRETHREN OF THE NORTHERN TRIBES". JOSIAH USED DEUTERONOMY TO COMPELL HIS PEOPLE TO MAKE TESHUVAH.
IN DEUTERONOMY, MANY CURSES ARE LISTED THAT MOSES SAYS THE ISRAELITES SHOUD "EXPECT" WILL BEFALL THEM IF THEY DON'T ABIDE THE COVENANT. "CURSED SHALL YOU BE IN THE CITY AND THE COUNTRY;
CURSED SHALL BE YOUR BASKET AND YOUR KNEADING BOWL;
CURSED SHALL BE THE ISSUE OF YOUR WOMB AND THE PRODUCE OF YOUR SOIL, THE CALVING OF YOUR HERD AND THE LAMBING OF YOUR FLOCK. ETC ETC."
THE LIST OF CURSES IS COVERED IN 53 VERSES, EACH MORE FRIGHTENING THAN THE PREVIOUS ONE. THE CURSES THREATEN THE HEALTH AND WEALTH OF THE COMMUNITY AND EACH FAMILY AND EACH PERSON WITHIN. KING JOSIAH BRINGS THE PEOPLE BACK TO WORSHIPPING ADONAI.
IN TODAY'S WORLD, THE CURSES ARE STILL READ IN SYNAGOGUE ON A SATURDAY MORNING. THE PERSON READING THEM IS CALLED TO THE TORAH NOT BY NAME BUT BY THE DESIGNATION 'HE OR SHE WHO WISHES' AND THE CURSES ARE READ IN A LOW VOICE AND WITHOUT INTERRUPTION. THE FEAR OF THE CURSES PREVAILS TODAY AND THE DESIRE TO BE BLESSED IS AS STRONG AS IN ANCIENT TIMES.
SO, HOW CAN A PERSON IN TODAY'S WORLD BE BLESSED? IT IS SIMPLE. TORAH TEACHES THAT WE WILL BE BLESSED BY THE PERFORMANCE OF MITZVOT. EACH OF US HAS THE FREE WILL TO CHOOSE TO SIT HOME OR CHOOSE TO DO A MITZVAH ACCORDING TO THE TALENTS THAT WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN.
BECAUSE OF THE SIZE OF OUR COUNTRY AND THE WAYS OF OUR GOVERNMENT AND THE COMPLICATIONS OF OUR WORLD, AN INDIVIDUAL WANTING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE CAN PERCEIVE HIS OR HER ROLE AS INSIGNIFICANT. BUT, RE'EH TELLS US THAT WE MUST 'SEE, FORSEE, AND EXPECT' THAT SMALL AND GREAT GOOD DEEDS COME TOGETHER TO COLLECTIVELY RAISE US ALL TO A HOLY PLACE. IF ONE INDIVIDUAL OR ONE INSTITUTION CAN CHOOSE A NICHE, THEN A PATH IS CREATED TO DO A MITZVAH. IT IS SAID THAT THE REWARD FOR A MITZVAH IS THE MITZVAH ITSELF. MITZVOT BEGET MITZVOT AND A PERSON OR PEOPLES IS THEREFORE BLESSED.
WRT SUPPORTS A PROGRAM CALLED "AMAZING AFTERNOONS". IT IS AN AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM STARTED TEN YEARS AGO ON THE SOUTHSIDE OF MT VERNON TO PROVIDE CARE AND INSTRUCTION FOR 120 DISADVANTAGED CHILDREN IN THE EDWARD WILLIAMS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. ITS DIRECTOR, MARY FIGUEROA, RUNS THE PROGRAM WITH LOVING KINDNESS. THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN ADOPTED AS A MITZVAH PROJECT BY WRT TEENAGERS. IT HAS ALSO BECOME A CLUB AT SCARSDALE H.S. WHICH PROVIDES VOLUNTEERS EACH YEAR TO HELP CHILDREN WITH THEIR HOME WORK.
I CHOSE TO BECOME A PART OF THIS PROGRAM NINE YEARS AGO. I GREW UP IN MT VERNON IN THE 1940S AND 1950S. I GRADUATED FROM A.B. DAVIS HS IN 1954 AND HAVE A LOT OF AFFECTION FOR THAT CITY. I AM STILL IN TOUCH WITH MANY OF MY HIGH SCHOOL CLASSMATES OF 60 YEARS AGO. MT VERNON AND THE PEOPLE I GREW UP WITH, STUDIED WITH, PLAYED WITH, AND LEARNED FROM ALL SHAPED MY FUTURE. I AM APPRECIATIVE OF THEIR INFLUENCES ON ME. SO I KNOW HOW IMPORTANT THE INFLUENCES OF OTHERS CAN BE ON A CHILD'S CHOICES.
I WAS IN ATTENDANCE AT A WRT FRIDAY NIGHT SERVICE NINE YEARS AGO WHEN RABBI JACOBS MADE A REQUEST FOR VOLUNTEERS TO HELP WITH "AMAZING AFTERNOONS". IT BECAME AN EASY CHOICE FOR ME TO RAISE MY HAND AND STEP FORWARD. I HAVE BEEN SUPERVISING A CHESS CLASS AND A BASKETBALL CLASS EVER SINCE.
THIS PAST YEAR, MY WIFE FRAN CREATED A LITERACY AND STORYTELLING PROGRAM FOR KIDS IN GRADES 1 THRU 4. SHE WAS JOINED BY SEVEN OTHER WRT VOLUNTEERS. WE HAVE TAKEN OUR PERSONAL SKILLS TO A PLACE WHERE THEY CAN BE SHARED BY OTHERS. THERE ARE MANY OTHER WRT VOLUNTEERS WHO CONTRIBUTE TOO. A DANCE PROGRAM, A MUSIC PROGRAM, AFTER SCHOOL HOMEWORK HELP. ALL OFFERED BY WRT ADULT VOLUNTEERS.
WRT'S WOMEN OF REFORM JUDAISM RAISED MONEY FOR HEALTHY SNACKS LAST YEAR. AND MANY OF THOSE SAME WOMEN VOLUNTEER FOOD AND BOOKS AND TOYS AND TIME. SO MANY WRT CHILDREN AND ADULTS GIVE OF THEIR TIME AND MONEY TO "HELP THE STRANGER" AS RE'EH COMMANDS US. WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH MORE OF THE KIDS THIS YEAR. MITZVOT HAVE BEGOTTEN MITZVOT.
WE SEE EVIDENCE OF CHOICES EVERY DAY IN OUR LIVES. WE CAN CHOOSE TO BE GOOD CITIZENS, TO WORK PRODUCTIVELY, TO SUPPORT OUR SCHOOLS, TO NURTURE THE NEXT GENERATION, TO BE PRESENT FOR OUR PARENTS AS THEY AGE, TO BE CHARITABLE, TO BE ATTENTIVE TO THE ACTIONS OF OUR LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENTS, AND TO CARE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT.
EVERYONE, WHETHER AN INDIVIDUAL, CORPORATE ENTITY, RELIGIOUS INSTITUTION OR GOVERNMENT, CAN TAKE THE CHARGE THAT RE'EH TELL US TO TAKE. WE SHOULD EXPECT
TO MAKE CHOICES, TO DO THE RIGHT THING, SO WE MAY SEE THE WAY TO MAKING A BETTER WORLD. WE CALL THIS "TIKKUN OLAM", REPAIRING THE WORLD. TIKKUN OLAM IS THE BLESSING. MITZVOT BEGET MITZVOT AND A BETTER WORLD. MAY WE ALL DEVELOP RE'EH, A VISION OF A BETTER FUTURE.
AMEN!
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