Rabbi Shaya's Thoughts

Riding on a White Horse

Friday, May 25, 2018 - 12:02 PM

Many people have a fantasy to want to save the day by riding in on a white horse. This is not so unusual, especially for leaders to want to behave this way, and that is why it is not surprising when the leaders of the Jewish people behaved like this back in the days when the Jews were in the desert.

A little background is necessary: When Moses started the campaign to build the Holy Tabernacle in the desert, the leaders of the twelve tribes said to the members of their tribes, “You bring what you can and we will make up the difference in the end.” However, what happened in the end was a whole different story. The Jews were very enthusiastic about making their donations and perhaps for the first and last time in the history of a Temple’s building campaign, the fundraiser, Moses, had to say, “Enough!” As a result, the leaders had no need to donate. Not to be left out, an idea came to them—that they could still donate the animals and wagons that were needed for transport. After all, the Tabernacle was a temporary dwelling that would need to be transported during their travels in the desert.

Good idea, right?

Well, then why was it that they were so cheap on what they actually donated, every two leaders giving one wagon! That’s generous? Is that making up for their lost opportunity? They could have been a little more generous and donated with an open hand and donated a few extra wagons!

Something is not clicking here.

Therefore, we must say that they are actually teaching us the lesson that they themselves learned from experience: Yes, it is important to donate, but it is also important to donate only what is needed (didn’t Moses say “enough?”).

You see, there are two ways of looking at a wagon that will carry your goods. One way is that it is here to make life easier; after all, goods are too heavy to carry. Or, we can say I am happy to carry the goods, but by having the wagon, it allows me to carry the goods more efficiently. Let the weight be on the wagon while the animals pull it so that I can make sure that the goods don’t fall. This perspective is not so much on being easier, but rather on being more productive.

The leaders wanted to help the Levites be more productive, not to be lazy by having an easier time. That is why they only donated what was needed to get the job done.

Make Your Counting Meaningful

Thursday, May 17, 2018 - 1:28 PM

This past Tuesday was Election Day. One might ask why we bother to go and vote. What does one vote matter? If we start comparing ourselves to the “big decision makers,” we may ask ourselves, “Who am I to even have an opinion?” True, our democracy gives us this right to vote, but beyond this right, does it really count for anything?

This week we finish counting the Omer and we are about to celebrate the holiday of Shavuot. For the last 49 days, every single day we have been counting one day of the Omer, two days, etc. We didn’t just do this as a community, but also as individuals. Why? What is the significance? What is the importance of our counting?

Counting the Omer has three aspects to it. 1. The idea of counting in its own right, 2. The fact that we are counting something of importance, and 3. By counting, we are elevating a mundane day into a holy day. All the days of the Omer become “holy” because of our counting. They fall into a category all their own.

Having our Jewish voices heard by voting makes the policies that result from our vote ours. We can take ownership.

The same is true with the Torah, and this is why G-d wants us to count each and every day as we approach the holiday of Shavuot, the day of receiving the Torah every year. In order to make the Torah “ours,” we have to “vote” for it. We have to make it count. By not only looking forward to the holiday, but by counting the days as we approach the holiday, we anticipate it in a very personal way. We are taking ownership of it. And by doing so, we are also elevating the world around us to make the world a holy place for G-d.

Fake It Until You Make It

Thursday, May 10, 2018 - 3:28 PM

As it so happens, I am in the midst of teaching a fascinating course on many fundamental concepts of life in general, and Judaism in particular. This past week we were discussing how G-d is all-knowing and all good. And at the same time, He is infinite. Therefore, all that happens in the world is an outgrowth from Him. He willed it and therefore it is.

Not to get into the nuances of this premise (as the intention of this column is to keep it short and simple, not a long essay), we are left with the question: If G-d is infinite, how can He relate to us?

Let me explain the question. For me to have empathy for another human being, I must be able to relate to that person first. If I cannot find some common ground between us, then how can I care for that individual? For example, if I consider another person as a “slave” and therefore a “lower class” person, then it might be “natural” to mistreat that person (as the Germans did to the Jews by calling us dogs first. Once they categorized us as inhuman it become easier for them to mistreat us).

So if G-d is so great, how can He have “emotions” such as love and sadness to care how we are feeling?

The answer is that G-d “behaves” in a caring way regardless of whether or not He has caring emotions. For us, it makes less difference about “how I feel” and more difference about “how I behave.” It is our actions that count. When G-d behaves a certain way, His actions also know no bounds (as He is infinite).

This same role applies to us. We to have to fake it until we make it. We might not always love someone to the fullest, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t treat them with love and respect. When we behave the right way, the rest will follow.

This is why in this week’s Torah portion G-d tells us that we must treat even our indentured servants – Jewish or non-Jewish – with the utmost respect! You might say that you don’t love them, but start treating them well and then you will come to love them—because each one is a person who deserves to be loved, just like you.

So here we see that this idea of “behavior therapy” started a very long time ago.

Shabbat shalom.