סוכות At an amusement park… Crazier things have happened…

I am writing from the midst of I-78 (exit 71ish area) in Pennsylvania.  Our USY chapter is returning from Hershey Park… It is a great place, but I do not like roller coasters so… not so perfect for me.  The kids enjoyed the trip and had a great time.  It is peculiar to observe Jewish rituals and law in different situations.  This morning as we left at 7:00am I davened on the bus. But I could not go waving the לולב and אתרוג/Lulav and Etrog, on the bus, you could take an eye put… And so there I was after lunch under a stadium with people looking at me doing הלל/Hallel.  But you should be questioning, how did we eat lunch in a סוכה? That is an excellent question. Each year in Lancaster county there is the enormous חול המועד/Chol HaMoed (the intermediary days) celebration for סוכות.  And so we went ahead and began to plan this trip. We hit a snag when we discovered that the enormous סוכה at Hershey Park (where they have a Glatt Kosher food stand year round) would only be open on the Monday of סוכות, but we needed to go on Sunday. So we purchased a PopUp סוכה, and there we were right before lunch in a parking lot erecting a tent like structure and placing a bamboo mats on top of it. People looked and people asked what it was, but at the end we were just so pleased to bring our youth to an incredible place and have them celebrate being Jewish and fulfill the מצות/Mitzvot, commandments, of the holiday. We were aiming to demonstrate to them that the name of the holiday is זמן שמחתינו, our happy time. And so it got me thinking about the concept of being happy and the concept of סוכות. We are happy during סוכות because when we have concluded the High Holy Days we have exited with clean slates. We have done the difficult work of making a mends and we have accepted that it is time to move on. We have defeated the greatest enemy of all… our own evil inclination. After all, it is our own evil inclination that provides us with the false impression, that we are not sinners, that we have done no wrong.  It is our own egos that stand in the way of us moving forward, and doing better. Our זמן שמחתינו/Zman Simachateinu, our happy time, is that we have successfully shown God that we are not hiding any longer, we are not hiding from Him and we are not hiding from ourselves. I recall when I was younger, like all young people I had a habit of lying. Then I realized at a certain point in time that when we lie we are either ashamed of something about ourselves or we have done something wrong. But when we stop telling lies, we prove that we are content and happy with who we are and we accept that we no longer can or should have to hide from ourselves… We grow and try to stop missing the mark. 

So what did I learn today with our teenagers in Hershey Park, in a makeshift סוכה? I learned that זמן שמחתינו comes from Jewish people being open to be themselves and to not lying to the world about who they are. It comes from us being willing to be Jews even when it is tough, and when we need to work hard to be that person. I learned that our youth are phenomenal and we should be happy that our future looks great. We have so much to be joyful for… The question for us all is what it is that we are each happiest for and what are we as Jews happiest for…

 

מועדים לשמחה

Special סליחות Program

Last night at Midway Jewish Center we commenced the practice of daily recitation of special prayers of repentance.  We began the evening with the viewing of the movie Outsourced.  I found this movie to be incredible when I first saw it only a few months ago but did not know what the deeper Jewish meaning was.  The next morning I realized that it could be a great way to examine our relationships in the framework of Martin Buber’s I:Thou/I:It rubric as found in his book I and Thou.  Here is my outline for the teaching:

Outline of Outsourced סליחות Program

1. Your computer is broken and you pick up your phone to dial the manufacturer of your computer. As you sit and wait for the answer, you hear the familiar ringing of the telephone. What goes on in your mind at that moment?
1. Are you thinking about what is happening in the place where the other side is ringing?
2. Are you making notes about what you hope to achieve with the phone call?
3. Are you getting disappointed that your computer is no longer malfunctioning at the moment?
4. Perhaps you are guessing where the voice on the other end of the phone is sitting?
5. Regardless the reality is that when we make such calls, we are not interested in getting to know somebody else.
1. This is a call for a utility, not for a metaphysical relationship.
2. You are calling only to achieve something: a working computer.
1. I once had a problem with a computer and so I called the manufacturer and the once on the other end (clearly from India) instructed me to format my hard-drive (erase everything). The anger I had for that person was immense. I created this image in my head of incompetence, I continuously was raging about how this person knew nothing.
1. This was for a good reason: I didn’t know him, and he did not know me
2. I only needed him to perform a task for me: get my computer working better. Without that, this interaction had no point.
6. With all of this in mind, we will begin our film. Keep these relationships in mind through the film.
1. Look for good paradigms of good relationships. And of bad relationships.
2. After the movie: “You saved my life.” “No, you saved mine.”
1. Discussion questions:
1. What was the most positive of relationships in the movie?
2. What was the most negative relationship in the movie?
3. What was the point at which Todd changed?
4. What is our “third eye” in regards to relationships?
2. Buber:
1. Martin Buber, a great Jewish philosopher in his greatest book, I and Thou, explains that humans have two ways of relating with the world:
1. I : It relationships
1. This is a relationship where the other person is a means to an end.
2. Utilitarian
3. At least one person is using the other side, but both could be using one another
4. The person is always “other,” from the opposite person or thing.
5. It is the same way that we relate to physical objects
1. We use them to derive benefit from them, and that is all. We contribute little to them.
6. The interactions with these relationships are called experiences, probably because of the usury implied by such a term.
1. In experiences people collect data, analyze it, classifies it and theorizes about it.
2. I : Though relationships
1. These are the relationships where both sides are communicating, and neither is the “other.”
2. We have commonality
3. We both feel a sense of gain and not just beneficial gain, but gaining and sense of appreciation.
4. These are not utilitarian, these are meaningful and thoughtful.
1. The other is not seen as a means to an end, but an end in and of itself.
5. The interactions in these are called encounters
1. We enter into a relationship with the Thou in these, and thus both the I and the Thou are transformed by this relationship.
2. We can apply this to God as well.
1. The goal is to have I:Thou relationships with God, but we often relegate such interactions to the realm of usury. Where is God when we are not desperate? Where are we when we do not “need” God immediately?
1. Read arguments for coming to shul or belonging to a community, it is all about when the need arises.
2. How can we assure we encounter God and not just experience?
3. At this time of the year we need to look at ourselves and our relationships, both בין אדם לחבירו and בין אדם למקום. How are we doing? How can we do better?
1. Are we the corporation?
2. Are we Todd and Puro, or Todd and Asha?
3. How are we doing?

 

I also put together some סליחות resources for people to use over the coming weeks… Here they are:

Some resources to examine our relationships with...

סליחות 5770

משנה מסכת סנהדרין פרק ד משנה ה

משנה. כיצד מאיימין את העדים? על עידי נפשות, היו מכניסין אותן ומאיימין עליהן: שמא תאמרו מאומד ומשמועה, עד מפי עד, ומפי אדם נאמן. שמא אי אתם יודעין שסופנו לבדוק אתכם בדרישה ובחקירה. הוו יודעין שלא כדיני ממונות דיני נפשות. דיני ממונות ־ אדם נותן ממון ומתכפר לו, דיני נפשות ־ דמו ודם זרעותיו תלויין בו עד סוף העולם, שכן מצינו בקין שהרג את אחיו, שנאמר (בראשית ד׳) דמי אחיך צעקים, אינו אומר דם אחיך אלא דמי אחיך ־ דמו ודם זרעותיו. דבר אחר: דמי אחיך ־ שהיה דמו מושלך על העצים ועל האבנים. לפיכך נברא אדם יחידי, ללמדך שכל המאבד נפש אחת מישראל ־ מעלה עליו הכתוב כאילו איבד עולם מלא, וכל המקיים נפש אחת מישראל ־ מעלה עליו הכתוב כאילו קיים עולם מלא. ומפני שלום הבריות, שלא יאמר אדם לחבירו אבא גדול מאביך, ושלא יהו המינים אומרים: הרבה רשויות בשמים. ולהגיד גדולתו של הקדוש ברוך הוא, שאדם טובע כמה מטבעות בחותם אחד ־ כולן דומין זה לזה, ומלך מלכי המלכים הקדוש ברוך הוא טבע כל אדם בחותמו של אדם הראשון ־ ואין אחד מהן דומה לחבירו. לפיכך כל אחד ואחד חייב לומר: בשבילי נברא העולם. ושמא תאמרו מה לנו ולצרה הזאת? והלא כבר נאמר (ויקרא ה׳) והוא עד או ראה או ידע אם לוא יגיד וגו׳. ושמא תאמרו: מה לנו לחוב בדמו של זה? והלא כבר נאמר (משלי י״א) באבד רשעים רנה.

Mishnah. How were the witnesses inspired with awe? Witnesses in capital charges were brought in and intimidated [thus]: perhaps what ye say is based only on conjecture, or hearsay, or is evidence from the mouth of another witness, or even from the mouth of a trustworthy person: perhaps ye are unaware that ultimately we shall scrutinize your evidence by cross examination and inquiry? Know then that capital cases are not like monetary cases. In civil suits, one can make monetary restitution and thereby effect his atonement; but in capital cases he is held responsible for his blood [sc. The accused] and the blood of his [potential] descendants until the end of time, for thus we find in the case of Cain, who killed his brother, that it is written: the bloods of thy brother cry unto me: not the blood of thy brother, but the bloods of thy brother, is said — i.e., his blood and the blood of his [potential] descendants. (alternatively, the bloods of thy brother, teaches that his blood was splashed over trees and stones.) For this reason was man created alone, to teach thee that whosoever destroys a single soul of Israel, scripture imputes [guilt] to him as though he had destroyed a complete world; and whosoever preserves a single soul of Israel, scripture ascribes [merit] to him as though he had preserved a complete world. Furthermore, [he was created alone] for the sake of peace among men, that one might not say to his fellow, ‘my father was greater than yours, and that the minim might not say, there are many ruling powers in heaven; again, to proclaim the greatness of the holy one, blessed be he: for if a man strikes many coins from one mould, they all resemble one another, but the supreme king of kings, the holy one, blessed be he, fashioned every man in the stamp op the first man, and yet not one of them resembles his fellow. Therefore every single person is obliged to say: the world was created for my sake. Perhaps ye will say: why should we incur this anxiety? [know then:] is it not already written, and he being a witness, whether he hath seen or known, if he do not utter it? And should ye say: why should we bear guilt for the blood of this [man]: — surely, however, it is said, when the wicked perish, there is joy!

Listen... Really Listen

As a young scholar, Martin Buber (1878-1965), author of I and Thou, the classic philosophic work on the importance of dialogue and communication, was hard at work editing a mystical text when his doorbell rang. An anxious and distraught young man asked if he could speak with Buber, who invited the man inside and answered the questions he asked. But, as he later confided, he was anxious to return to his work, and "I didn't try to answer the questions he didn't ask."

A short time later, Buber learned that the man had died, apparently a suicide. "Later... not long after, I learned from one of his friends that he had come to see me not casually, but borne by destiny, not for a chat but for a decision." The meeting's unhappy aftermath changed Buber forever. From then on, he concluded, encounters with people must take precedence over scholarship and mystical speculation.

Today, and throughout the week, when somebody seeks you out in person or over the telephone, listen. While he or she is speaking, stay focused; don't let your mind wander to other subjects, or to personal concerns.

Listen—really listen.

(Source: The Book of Jewish Values: A day by day guide to ethical living, by Rabbi Joseph Telushkin)

Do You Love Me???

The Chasidic rebbe Moshe Leib of Sassoz (1745-1807), claimed to have learned the meaning of love from a peasant who was sitting near him in a tavern. "He was sitting in an inn along with other peasants, drinking. For a long time he was as silent as all the rest, but when he was moved by the wine, he asked one of the men seated beside him, “Tell me, do you love me or don't you love me?” The other replied, “I love you very much.” But the first peasant replied, “You say that you love me, but you do not know what I need. If you really loved me, you would know.” The other had not a word to say to this, and the peasant who had put the question fell silent again. But I understood. To know the needs of men and to bear the burden of their sorrow, that is the true love of men. "

(as retold by Martin Buber)

פרשת נצבים – וילך … But really a pre High Holy Day post

תשובה

What does it mean to repent, and how do we understand forgiveness?

On Saturday night this week after הבדלה we will commence the recitation of סליחות, prayers of repentance.  We began the process of making תשובה/repentance at the beginning of the month of אלול/Elul, with the recitation of a special Psalm and the sounding of the שופר/Shofar. Now we crank it up a notch each morning with these additional special prayers. This week we will explore the traditional sources of personal reflection, repentance, and forgiveness. While reflecting on these sources please think of how we can work on these concepts together and put them into our own lives.

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Prayer does half--repentance does all.

- Midrash: Vayikra Rabbah - 10.5

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As long as the candle burns--I can still do some mending.

- Rabbi Salanter, Israel

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“Then they shall confess their sin which they have done; and he shall make restitution for his trespass in full, and add to it its fifth part, and give it to him against whom he has trespassed.” (במדבר ה:ז)

The beginning and the middle of this verse which speaks of verbal repentance for sin are written in the plural והתודו/Then they shall confess, but the end which speaks of returning the object which was stolen is written in the singular והשיב/and he shall make restitution, which teaches us that when it comes to mere verbal confession of sin, multitudes rush to do so; but when repentance requires some measure of actual sacrifice or discomfort only a few are prepared to this manner of repentance.

- Merotz Hatzvi ,Chapter 3

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This shall be the law (lit. "the Torah") of the leper on the day of his cleaning... (Leviticus 14:2)

The sacred studies in which the leper engages will be accepted only on the day of his cleansing. Only if the leper will repent and cleanse himself from his sin will his studies be accepted and credited to him as good deeds. As long as he has not done so, all his studies will be to no avail."

- Kametz HaMincha

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האומר אחטא ואשוב, אחטא ואשוב ־ אין מספיקין בידו לעשות תשובה, אחטא ויום הכפורים מכפר ־ אין יום הכפורים מכפר. עבירות שבין אדם למקום ־ יום הכפורים מכפר עבירות שבין אדם לחבירו ־ אין יום הכפורים מכפר, עד שירצה את חבירו. דרש רבי אלעזר בן עזריה: (ויקרא טז) מכל חטאתיכם לפני ה׳ תטהרו עבירות שבין אדם למקום ־ יום הכפורים מכפר, עבירות שבין אדם לחבירו ־ אין יום הכפורים מכפר, עד שירצה את חבירו.

תלמוד בבלי מסכת יומא פה.ב

He who says, I will sin and repent -- will not be given an opportunity to repent. He who says, I will sin and Yom Kippur will forgive -- will not be forgiven on Yom Kippur. Transgressions against a fellow-man are not forgiven on Yom Kippur unless the offended person is first reconciled. This is what Rabbi Elazar ben Azariah said: It is written, Of all your sins before Hashem you will be cleansed." (Leviticus 16:30) Yom-Kippur forgives only sins against Hashem, while sins against a fellow-man are not forgiven until forgiveness is obtained from the person offended.

- Talmud: Yoma 85b

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No sin is so light that it may be overlooked; no sin is so heavy that it may not be repented of.

- Ibn Ezra, Moses - Shirat Yisrael

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תנו רבנן: יש מהן אומרים אשרי ילדותנו שלא ביישה את זקנותנו ־ אלו חסידים ואנשי מעשה, ויש מהן אומרים אשרי זקנותנו שכפרה את ילדותנו ־ אלו בעלי תשובה. אלו ואלו אומרים אשרי מי שלא חטא, ומי שחטא ישוב וימחול לו.

תלמוד בבלי מסכת סוכה נג.א

(During the Celebration of Succot), there were those who said: (men whose entire lives had been spent in righteous living) “Happy for our youth that has not disgraced our old age." These were the righteous. The penitents among them would say, however, "Happy our old age which has atoned for our youth." Both would say, "Happy is the person who has not sinned, but let him who has sinned return to Hashem and He will pardon him."

- Talmud: Succah 53a

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When Rabbi Barukh had burned the leaven on the eve of Passover and scattered the ashes, he said the words prescribed for this and expounded them. "'Any kind of leaven which remains in my possession'--all that boils (very strong); 'which I have or have not seen'--even though I believe I have looked into myself thoroughly, I have probably not looked thoroughly at all; 'which I have burned or not burned'--the Evil Urge within me tries to convince me that I have burned everything, but not until now do I see that I have not burned it, and so I beg of you, God, 'it shall be null and accounted as the dust of the earth'"

- Hasidic Tale

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(ויאמר יהוה אל משה מה תצעק אלי דבר אל בני ישראל ויסעו (שמות יד:טו

And God said to Moses, why do you cry out to me (Exodus 14:15)

R. Menahem Mendl of Kotzk said: "I dearly love R. Shlomo Leib of Lentashna, but why does he cry out the whole day to the Holy One, Blessed be He, to send the Messiah? It would be better for him to cry out to the Jews to repent, and then the Messiah will come on his own. That is what God told Moses: "Why do you cry to Me? Speak to the Children of Israel and let them go forward!"

- Rabbi Menahem Hacohen, Passover Haggadah

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וישבו איש מדרכו הרעה ומן החמס אשר בכפיהם. (יונה ג:ח) מאי ומן החמס אשר בכפיהם? אמר שמואל: אפילו גזל מריש ובנאו בבירה ־ מקעקע כל הבירה כולה ומחזיר מריש לבעליו. אמר רב אדא בר אהבה: אדם שיש בידו עבירה, ומתודה ואינו חוזר בה למה הוא דומה ־ לאדם שתופס שרץ בידו, שאפילו טובל בכל מימות שבעולם ־ לא עלתה לו טבילה. זרקו מידו, כיון שטבל בארבעים סאה ־ מיד עלתה לו טבילה, שנאמר ומודה ועזב ירחם(משלי כח:יג), ואומר נשא לבבנו אל כפים אל אל בשמים. (איכה ג:מא)

תלמוד בבלי מסכת טענית טז.א

Let them turn everyone from his evil way and from the violence that is in their hands. What is the meaning of, ‘From the violence that is in their hands’? — Samuel said: Even if one had stolen a beam and built it into his castle he should raze the entire castle to the ground and return the beam to its owner. R. Adda b. Ahaba said: One who has sinned and confesses his sin but does not repent may be compared to a man holding a dead reptile in his hand, for although he may immerse himself in all the waters of the world his immersion is of no avail unto him; but if he throws it away from his hand then as soon as he immerses himself in forty se'ahs of water, immediately his immersion becomes effective, as it is said, But he, who confesses and renounces them, shall obtain mercy. And it is further said, Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens.

- Talmud Bavli Taanit 16a

Questions to Ponder?

• What is the Jewish concept of Teshuvah? How can a person go about making up for past wrong doings?
• Is there one way to absolve all transgressions?
• Are all transgressions equal?
• What does Prayer do for repentance?
• Why do we use the Hebrew word that comes from the word “to return” for repentance?
• When is a good time to repent?