Blessings and Beyond: Bechukotai 5784

This week’s parsha, which concludes the book of Vayikra, portrays some vital aspects of Jewish national and personal life. On one hand it describes in rapturous terms the blessings of happiness, security and serenity that can benefit the Jewish people and the individual Jew. On the other hand, it vividly and graphically describes the prospect of exile, tragedy, and death. 

Jewish history bears out the reality of each of these visions. We have lived through both and seem to have experienced much longer periods of darkness than of light, of more tragedy than joy or serenity. The Torah attributes observance of the commandments as the prime cause of security in Jewish life, their non-observance as the cause of tragedy. However, history and the great commentators to Torah qualify this simplistic impression. 

God’s wisdom and judgments are inscrutable, beyond even elementary comprehension by us mortals. This is why we are left to speculate about the tragedies that descended upon the Jewish people and that continue to plague us today. Though there are those amongst us who are prepared to give and accept glib answers to questions about the causes of tragedy, the wise men of Israel warned us against taking such an approach. 

Observance of commandments is enormously difficult to fulfill completely and accurately. This is why it is so hard to measure the "why" part of this week's parsha. We should still however take note of the "how it happened" part. This shows us that its depiction of contrasting periods of serenity and tragedy has been painstakingly accurate and contains not one word of hyperbole. The destruction of the Temples, the Crusades and pogroms, the Inquisition and the Holocaust are all graphically described in this week's parsha. Such is the Torah;s prophetic power. 

In personal life, the longer we live, the more likely it is that misfortune will somehow visit us. The Torah makes provision for this eventuality in its laws of mourning. We all hope for good quality of life and for secure serenity. Yet, almost inexorably, problems, disappointments and even tragedy intrude on our condition. 

In Vayikra, the death of the sons of Aharon remains the prime example of tragedy suddenly destroying a sense of pride, satisfaction and apparent accomplishment. In this week's parsha too, the description of the punishment of Israel for its backsliding is placed in the context of a background of blessings and security. The past century presented the Jewish people with horrors of unimaginable intensity and of millennial accomplishments. The situation of extreme flux in our national life has continued throughout the years of the existence of the State of Israel. 

The unexpected, sudden, but apparently regular changes of circumstance in Jewish national life mirror the same situation that which we recognize in our personal lives. We are constantly blindsided by untoward and tragic events.  So, the jarring contrast that the two main subjects of the parsha present to us are really a candid description of life, its omnipresent contradictions, and its difficulties. Though we pray regularly for health and serenity, we must always be cognizant of how precarious our situation truly is. Thus, as we rise to hear the conclusion of the book of Vayikra, we recite the mantra of "chazak, chazak, v'nitzchazek"—let us be doubly strong and strengthen others! So may it be. 

Shabbat shalom, Rabbi Berel Wein

Celebrate Yom Yerushalayim with us!

A delicious catered hot dairy meal awaits those who plan to attend our Yom Yerushalayim Luncheon at Hanassi on June 5th. Rabbi Wein will be addressing us and entertainment will be provided by the popular Rinat Jerusalem Men’s Choir. 

A special feature this year will be members sharing recollections of their own experiences on Yom Yerushalayim. Cost is 150₪ per person for members; 175₪ for non-members, by reservation only. Call Esther Schiller at 02 561-1078 to make your reservation or click here. For payment, please call Gladys Wolff at 02 567 1527. 

ארוחה חלבית חמה וטעימה ממתינה לאלו שמתכננים להשתתף בארוחת הצהריים של יום ירושלים בנשיא ב-5 ביוני. הרב ויין יפנה אלינו ובידור יספק מקהלת הגברים הפופולרית רינת ירושלים

מאפיין מיוחד השנה יהיה החברים שיחלוקו זכרונות מחוויותיהם ביום ירושלים. עלות 150₪ לאדם לחברים; 175₪ למי שאינו חברים, בהזמנה בלבד. התקשר לאסתר שילר בטלפון 02 561-1078 לביצוע ההזמנה או לחץ כאן. לתשלום נא להתקשר לגלדיס וולף בטלפון 02 567 1527

Ascending the mountain: Behar 5784

This parsha begins with the word that defines its name: Behar (“On the mountain”). This mountain naturally is Sinai and the Torah’s emphasis is on reinforcing Judaism’s core belief that our Torah is God-given, not the result of centuries of work by a committee. This basic belief lies at the heart of many of the contentious disputes that have marked Jewish life over the ages.

 The earliest splinter groups, such as the Sadducees and the Karaites, did not openly deny the validity of the Written Torah and its divine origin. They did however strenuously deny the holiness of the Oral Law and its origin at Sinai, denigrating its rabbinic interpretations and decrees. This led to serious splits within the Jewish people and to bitter recriminations that lasted centuries. In all these instances, the divinity of Torah and of its Oral Law always eventually won out. Deviant movements eventually fell away from the main body of the Jewish people, both individually and as a body with the power to influence Jewish life and mores.

 Sinai, the mountain to which this parsha alludes, was given to Israel. It is a difficult mountain to ascend. The Psalmist asks: “Who can ascend the mountain of God?” But, as difficult as it is to ascend the mountain, it is even more difficult to remain there. The Psalmist again intones: “Who can maintain oneself in the holiness of God’s place?” The struggle to keep the Jewish people on the mountain of God in terms of their belief and faith has been the hallmark of Jewish life over millennia. It has not abated in our time.  

 Jewish secularism comes in two sharply contrasting forms. One is simply based on the premise that the lifestyle and value system demanded by our ancient faith is out of step with modern society and its demands. Shabbat, kashrut and other fundamentals of Jewish life are all too restrictive to perform any useful function in today’s world. The Jewish people can no longer afford to be so different from the rest of the human race. The mountain may have had its purpose at one time, but that time has now passed. New ideologies and circumstances have rendered it obsolete. So, for them the mountain no longer exists.

 The second species of secularism denies the existence of the mountain altogether. There never was a mountain, it is nothing but an urban legend, fostered by the rabbis over the ages. In effect, our grandfathers were all liars or naïvely believed in fairytales for which there is no scientific evidence. Aside from these two groupings, there are others who wish to be identified as buying into the Jewish scene. They do not see themselves as being secular but nonetheless, in varying degrees, follow the path of the Sadducees and the Karaites since at heart they too deny that the mountain has anything to do with God and divine origins.

 History shows that, in the long run, such philosophies and movements give way to the pressures of time and circumstance. Eventually they lose their influence and power. At the end of the day, only the mountain remains as it always has, challenging us to ascend it and to remain at its peak.   

 Shabbat shalom.  

Rabbi Berel Wein  

 

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DNA and Jewish tradition: Emor 5784

This week’s parsha opens with the special laws and status that affect kohanim—the descendants of Aharon. It is common knowledge that a study based on the DNA samples of many contemporary kohanim reveals that a considerable number of tho

se who participated in the study shared a common genetic strain. This strain is found even amongst kohanim who live in different areas of the world, separated by thousands of miles and indeed centuries of separate ethnicities. 

The jury is still out as to whether these DNA findings have any halachic validity and as to what exactly these findings prove. Over the centuries of Jewish life, the kohanim have fiercely protected their lineal descent from Aharon and zealously guarded the legitimacy of their status as kohanim. The Jewish world holds its priests in high regard and accords them certain special privileges and honors to which they are entitled. 

Though kohanim may waive some of those privileges if they so wish, it is best practice for them not to do so. Their status should be preserved in order to remind us of their special role in the Temple services in Jerusalem. But in a deeper sense, their status should be preserved as a record of their special mission “to guard knowledge with their lips and to teach Torah to those who request it.” Since they are a blessing to the people of Israel, they are commanded in turn to bless the people of Israel: blessed are those who are commanded to bless others. So the status of kohen represents all that is noble and positive in Jewish life and tradition: knowledge, Torah, grace, security and peace. 

There exists a body of halachic decisions involving ersatz kohanim. This is because not every person who claims to be a kohen actually is one—and true pedigrees are very difficult to verify today. The halacha adopts a position that entitlement to be regarded as a kohen is a matter of doubt. Great rabbinic decisors, especially in the United States, have often, in cases of dire circumstances, “annulled” the kehuna of an individual. 

In the confusion of immigration into the United States at the end of the nineteenth and the beginning of the twentieth centuries, there were people who disguised themselves as kohanim in order to earn the monies of pidyon haben—redemption by the kohen of most first-born males. These people were charlatans, but there were also many others, simple Jews, who had assumed that they were kohanim but possessed no real proof of the matter. Even tombstones inscriptions that one’s father was a kohen were not to be accepted as definitive proof of the matter. This is why DNA results are most interesting and provocative. 

The halacha has not yet determined with certainty the trustworthiness of DNA results in matters that require halachic decision. It is thus premature to speculate as to whether DNA testing will ever be used as a method of determining one’s true status as a kohen. Meanwhile, the kohanim should retain the tradition that goes with their presumed pedigree to the best of their abilities. 

Shabbat shalom, Rabbi Berel Wein      

A very special day

 איזה כיף היה לנו בארוחת הבוקר השנתית של יום העצמאות השנה. האולם היה עמוס בחוגגים שמחים כששמענו כמה מילים מעוררות השראה ומעוררות השראה מהרב יואל קניגסברג בנושא הקשר עם יום הזכרון ו"צחוק מבעד לדמעות". לאחר מכן גלעד ברונשטיין הבדר אותנו בשירים עתיקים וחדשים בזמן שהתענגנו על ממרח טעים של בייגלים, סלטים ועוד. תודה לכל מי שהיה מעורב בארגון האירוע המקסים הזה, במיוחד לג'ודי וג'פרי גילברט

What a wonderful time we had at this year's annual Yom HaAtzma'ut breakfast. The hall was packed with happy celebrants as we heard some inspired and inspiring words from Rabbi Joel Kenigsberg on the theme of the connection with Yom HaZicharon and "laughter through the tears". Gilad Brounstein then entertained us with songs old and new while we feasted on a delicious spread of bagels, salads and more. Thank you, everyone who was involved in the organising of this lovely occasion, especially to Judy and Geoffrey Gilbert.

Eight People We Met on the Way Home

You are welcome to join us on Sunday evening, 19 May at 8:30 p.m. when Rabbi Berel Wein launches his new book, Eight People We Met on the Way Home, The Return of the Jewish Nation to the Land of Israel. The book tells a story about a people who -- under the guidance of the Heavens, after millennia of exile and travail -- decided to pick up and go home from all corners of the world.

It is a story that should be read and told by all. Rabbi Wein will speak and the books will be available for purchase at a special price.

Keep it modest, keep it pure! Kedoshim 5784

How does the Torah measure holiness and sanctity, personal dignity and respect for others? The answer lies in the ability to control and channel one’s physical desires. The Torah does not support celibacy; nor does it demand any degree of self-mortification or masochism. It does however demand most certainly that we behave in a responsible and balanced manner.

In addressing the concept of sanctity, the Torah also outlines a necessary and omnipresent nuance in our lives—the link between our mental and physical behavior. The rabbis have taught us that humans willingly sin only when a manner of distorted thinking—a type of insanity, if you will—affects our minds. 

Judaism has always fought a lonely and mainly unpopular battle against sexual immorality and flagrantly wanton behavior, from the days of the Canaanites, through the Greeks and the Romans, on to the debauchery of much of the Medieval Age. Now as we witness the current unchecked and unrestrained attitudes of modern society, traditional Judaism has decried lewdness and the lust for self-gratification in sexual matters. It demands that people be kedoshim—separated from immoral behavior and forbidden liaisons. This requires self-control, the avoidance of compromising and dangerous situations and a realization that ultimate good sense should triumph over the pursuit of the fleeting pleasures of the moment. 

Judaism thus expects us to take a position that is unfashionable in the eyes of contemporary society. Yet, over the long history of human civilization, this position has proven to be the only true catalyst for a healthy, happy family life and a harmonious social compact. Many people, Jews included, mock the protective measures that Jewish tradition has developed to ensure a society that aspires to be kadosh. But we can ask: has the mingling of the sexes in synagogue worship in the non-Orthodox world brought any great degree of comfort to those people who sit together? Rather, it has led to a drastic decline in synagogue attendance and group participation. 

The concepts of modesty in dress, speech and behavior are unfortunately completely absent and alien in most of modern society. Indeed, scarcely does there pass a day when we are not made aware of the presence of sexual misconduct among those who seemingly should know better.

 Judaism preaches defensive behavior and the avoidance of situations that could lead to problems. These defensive measures are mocked and scorned by the progressives of the current world, yet we can all see the tragic personal and national consequences when such defensive measures are absent or ignored. 

Mental health experts have told me that pornography, especially on the internet, is the newest serious addiction in our schools, surpassing even drug abuse.  Protected by the noble ideal of free speech, it ravages our society and creates a dangerous generation of dysfunctional individuals. The entertainment industry in all of its facets has been polluted beyond recognition by its pandering to the basest animalistic desires of its patrons. Nevertheless, the Torah does not waver in its demand. We must be kedoshim and swim against this tide. We must persevere in our age-long quest to be a holy and dedicated people.

 Shabbat shalom, Rabbi Berel Wein

Yom HaAtzma'ut! יום העצמאות

אנא הצטרפו אלינו ביום העצמאות, יום שלישי בבוקר, 14 במאי, בשמחת ארוחת בוקר בהשתתפות הרב קניגסברג והמוזיקאי, המלחין, הזמר גלעד ברונשטיין בשעה 9 בבוקר לאחר הנחת שחרית חגיגית שתתחיל בשעה 8:00 בבוקר. מכיוון שיש מספר מקומות מוגבל בקומה התחתונה למזנון ארוחת הבוקר, אנא בצעו את ההזמנה בהקדם האפשרי על ידי התקשרות לאסתר שילר ולאחר מכן שלם על ידי יצירת קשר עם גלדיס וולף.

Please join us on Yom Haátzmaut, Tuesday morning, May 14th  in a breakfast celebration featuring Rabbi Kenigsberg and musician, composer, singer Gilad Brounstein at 9 am following a festive Shacharit davening that will begin at 8:00 am. Since there is limited seating downstairs for the buffet breakfast, please make your reservation as soon as possible by calling Esther Schiller and then paying by contacting Gladys Wolf.

Tragedy and the human psyche: Acharei Mot 5784

 The Torah has already described the tragedy of the family of Aaron, when his sons Nadav and Avihu died while burning incense on the day the Mishkan was finally dedicated. Why then does the Torah return to the subject again in this week’s Torah reading? This repetition has enabled commentators over the ages, from the time of the Talmud onwards, to derive many explanations, laws and moral ideas from this parsha.

Since the Torah is limitless, eternal and speaks to all generations, I take the liberty of suggesting another idea to help us understand the depths of the Torah’s sensitivity to the human psyche and condition. In a subtle but important way the Torah emphasizes here that, from this point onwards, everything that Aaron and his sons will do in the service of God and Israel, inside the holy Mishkan or outside it, will always be influenced by the tragedy they witnessed and the feelings they experienced on the day their sons and brothers died. Moshe comments that Nadav and Avihu were holy people, close to God, so to speak. This only amplifies the tragedy, making it harder to comprehend and rationalize.

 For the rest of their lives, Aaron, his surviving family and the entire Jewish nation will be haunted by this tragic event. It will hover over every occurrence that befalls them, personally or nationally, for all time. Everything will now be encapsulated in the time frame of “after the death of the two sons of Aaron.” And this idea is implicit in the message of the Torah to us this week.

 The Holocaust exemplifies this point. The inexplicable iniquity of that tragedy haunts the Jewish people today, even decades after the fact. It seems that every accomplishment and shortcoming in Jewish life generally, and regarding the State of Israel particularly, is Holocaust-driven. Everything is seen as being holy vengeance or justified retribution, as “remember and do not forget,” or “never again!” There is no event that takes place in Jewish life today that does not have Holocaust overtones. We are always “acharei mot”—after the tragedy that brooks no feasible explanation, constantly challenging our faith on one hand and our rationality on the other. It is as though the formal commemorations of the Holocaust are not that special, hard as we try to make them so, because every day and every event now is still just another form of that memorial.

 Naturally, the formal commemoration of the Holocaust invokes again the emotional connection to this enormous national tragedy. That is why such a national day of mourning is justified and necessary. This only serves to enhance our realization that we are all living in the time of “acharei mot”, which in turn explains a great deal of the mood and behavior of the Jewish people in our time.

  And now, since October 7th, and with the war that we are engaged in now, “Acharei mot” reflects the attitude and behavior of our people.

 Shabbat shalom

Rabbi Berel Wein

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