Going Places? -Yisro 2011

Insights and Inspiration
from the
Holy Land
from
Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

"Your friend in Karmiel"

January 13^th 2011 -Volume I, Issue 16–15^th of Shvat 5771

Going Places

There’s an old joke Americans have about asking an Israeli directions. It ends off with the Israeli answering something like

“Tamshich Yashar Yashar Vi’Sham Tisha’al”.

 Which means

“continue going straight and then further straight and then ask somebody else”.

 I never really got the humor in that joke because if you’re lucky, in fact that is the average Israeli response to your unfortunate query. I scratch my head puzzled each time I ask directions and hear that response. Yet sure enough as I continue to keep on asking people, what do you know? Eventually I arrive at my destination.

The reason I qualify my statement with “if you’re lucky” is because the past few days I’ve tried taking a different tactic and it didn’t work. The first time was earlier this week when I was pretty confident I could handle this on my own. I called up Egged, the bus company; they told me the number of the buses I have to take to get to my destination in Ramat Shlomo. They told me where to switch buses and it sounded simple. Hop on one bus to Rechov Bar Ilan and switch buses over there to get to Ramat Shlomo. So I get on the bus, happy that I have no need to ask any Israelis for directions. I get off on my stop at Bar Ilan, another bus pulls up at the same time it says Ramat Shlomo on it, I get on and I am proud of myself. And then we start moving. Funny, I thought, after 15-20 minutes or so. This ride seems longer than what I had thought it would be. I took out my pocket GPS on my phone and it seemed even stranger. Why was this bus heading in such a strange direction? It looks like we are going to the other end of town. Hmmm… All of a sudden the bus driver announces “Last Stop Har Nof. Uh Oh. How did this happen?

I approached the driver and asked him where Ramat Shlomo was. He looked at me quite strangely and said it’s the bus going the other way. I’m on the wrong end of the line. When I pointed out to him that the sign on the front of his bus clearly says Ramat Shlomo. He responded- without apology of course- “Lama Lo Sha’alta” Why didn’t you ask”- It was my fault of course I should have asked. Silly Oleh Chadash (New immigrant).

Later this week I had to take a train. This time having learned from experience I decided to ask. So I turn to the nice soldier standing next to me and I asked him if this is the right train to Tel Aviv. He responded quite confidently that it was and he is going there himself all I have to do is follow him and we’ll get on together. Feeling better about myself, I got on the train. Sure enough 20 minutes into what should have been a 2 hour train ride. I hear once again “Last Stop- Nahariyia” Uh Oh, wrong way again. I look at my soldier friend who supposedly knew the way. He looked back at me.

 “Hayinu Tzrichim Li’Shol Kodem She’Olinu-We should‘ve asked before we got on” he tells me nonchalantly. Thanks Buddy. You’re a real help. Now you see why I’m taking a tour guide course. Somebody’s got to know where to go in this country.

This week the Torah portion in its unique subtle way, shares with us a lesson that puts the asking of questions and directions in a different light. After all the great narratives of our miraculous Exodus from Egypt that we have had over the past few weeks, the pivotal moment that this was all leading up to has arrived. The Jewish people are now at Sinai. Yet before the Torah tells us the story of the giving of the Torah and the Ten Commandments, we are interrupted with a story of Yisro, Moshe’s father-in-law a Midianite priest who comes to visit. It seems, the Torah tells us, he has heard of all the great things that had happened and he wanted to check them out. Moshe fills him in on the details of the great miracles, which ostensibly he had heard already. And then he leaves. So why come for in the first place? (Never a good question to ask your father-In-law incidentally J)

In addition, before he leaves he notes that Moshe is sitting and answering the people’s questions day and night and he offers advice to appoint other subsidiary responders to alleviate the burden from his son-in law. Moshe acquiesces to this seemingly simple idea and implements it. A wonderful piece of Jewish history and Torah, but it begs the question. Why do we have to hear about this right now before the climax of our exciting Egypt to Sinai story? What makes this even stranger is that seemingly many commentaries note that this story actually takes place after the giving of the Torah. Yet the Torah interjects it here for a reason. Why?

The answer, one may suggest, is that the Torah is telling us that the prelude to our receiving the Torah knowing that we have to ask. We have to seek out. We need to find direction. And we should know that there is a process to receiving those answers. Yisro heard about Hashem and the great miracles of the Jewish people and he didn’t just jump on the train and move on with his life. He came to ask questions from Moshe. How should this affect me? What should I do with this knowledge? What is meant for me? The Medrash tells us that Yisro’s answer was to go back to his people and teach them the ways of Hashem. The Torah then tells us that not only Yisro, but all of the Jewish people came to Moshe to ask questions. From morning to night. We are a people that were seeking. We are a people that want and need answers. We want directions and it is in that merit that we received the Torah.

As in everything here in Israel, there is always life lesson that can be learned. Yashar Yashar ViSham Tisha’al- keep going straight and than ask. There are so many areas in life that we get on the wrong buses and thing we are heading the right way. Here in Israel, you sometimes learn the hard way that it pays to ask. And then to ask again. To keep checking if the things that we do and the decisions that we are making are leading us to the places that we eventually want to get to. As true as this certainly is to get around the city it is even more so to make it through our journey of life. It is important to have the right people to consult with. Not just any solider you meet at the train station or friend that doesn’t have the life experience of navigating the challenges that life presents; but true leaders and wise individuals who have an insight and are objective. If our prelude to the Torah was that we would have questions and there will be responders, than how much more so is that true today when the challenges we face in our lives, our marriages, our jobs, our families and most importantly our spiritual goals require us to pursue the guidance we need. There’s no need to try to figure it out on your own. We just have to stop and ask before we get on the next train.

Have a great Shabbos,

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

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 The Young Israel of Karmiel would like to invite you to join us this Shabbos once again for our heavenly services, with warm and insightful Divrei Torah in English

Mincha is 4:35 PM
Shabbat morning Services 8:30 AM
can’t wait to see you

RABBI SCHWARTZ TU B’SHVAT HOLIDAY OF TREES SONGS TWO VERY DIFFERENT ONES

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyfnXUQz9z8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6ysRwi_cB0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0M42RHWZho&feature=related  

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S COOL PLACES IN ISRAEL OF THE WEEK

HAR SEDOM-  UNLIKE IT’S NAME MOUNT SEDOM IS AN ABSOLUTELY STUNNING PLACE TO VISIT AT THE SOUTH PART OF THE THE DEAD SEA. THIS INCREDIBLE MOUNTAIN RANGE IS COMPOSED OF  LAYERS OF SALT ABOUT 750 FEET HIGH. AS ONE LOOKS OUT AT PAST THE SEA FROM THE TOP YOU CAN SEE THE JORDANINA CITY OF “SAFFI” ACROSS THE WATER. THIS CITY IS A FEW MILES WALK AWAY WHICH THEREFORE HAVE LED MANY TO SUGGEST IT IS THE BIBLICAL CITY OF TZOAR THAT LOT RAN AWAY TO IN ORDER TO ESCAPE THE DESTRUCTION OF SODOM (AS THE TORAH SAYS HE LEFT AT DAYBREAK AND ARRIVED AT SUNRISE) IF THAT IS TRUE THAN IT WOULD PUT THE AINCINET CITY OF SODOM UNDERNEATH THE BOTTOM OF THE DEAD SEA IN THA LOCATION. I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND DIVING AND TRYING TO FIND IT WITHOUT A GOOD PAIR OF GOGGLES THOUGH….

Totally Awesome-Beshalach

Insights and Inspiration
from the
Holy Land
from
Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

"Your friend in Karmiel"

January 13^th 2011 -Volume I, Issue 15–8^th  of Shvat 5771

Parshat Beshalach 

Totally Awesome

I’m an eavesdropper. It’s not that I sit at closed windows and doors and listen into other peoples conversations. But I just have a natural curiosity as to what other people are talking about. What that heated discussion is over there in that corner. What that couple standing in line are whispering to one another. I even like listening in to little children playing, arguing or kibitzing in the park. I’m a people aficionado and I am fascinated by individuals lives and stories. In the old days and even back in the states it wasn’t an easy task to listen in to what people are talking and thinking about. But today with the advent of personal blogs and loud cell phone conversations where ever you go. It never fails to amaze me how much people share with the big world out here that may be listening.

Here in Israel in a country where the average person has 1.5 cellphones (yes that’s a real statistic) which seem to be glued to peoples ears and mouths for most of the day. Even a non-eavesdropper who maybe trying to mind his own business has a difficult time avoiding overhearing the many people that are chattering around you. Perhaps what some might consider the greatest violators of ones personal ear-space in this country particularly on buses and at bus-stops are the hundreds of seminary girls that are here for the year in Israel. Still being a new Oleh whenever I hear English my ears perk up still. But there is no need for to strain myself too much because the chatter from sem-girls all around is so deafening it makes it hard to avoid. Shabbat plans, which teachers they like, what tiyulim they went on and how they are going to get more money from their parents are all up for grabs. But one of the most entertaining snippets I have heard quite a few times over my past few trips from these idealistic and very inspired young ladies is the way they talk about Hashem.

“Hi Chani, I just want to tell you Hashem is so awesome! I missed my bus last night and was stuck and ended up bumping into my cousin and had such a great time. Isn’t Hashem cool!”

Or how about this one?

“Malkie, you’ll never believe it I was going to go to the Kotel and I lost my purse and I davened really hard and as soon as I walked away from the Wall a solider walked over to me and asked me if this purse as mine. Isn’t Hashem amazing!!

Best of all

“Man does Hashem rock! Let me tell you Sarah, I was supposed to take this test last week and I had no clue how I was going to pass. But than I found last years exam with the answers in a friend of mines house and I like totally aced it. I love Hashem he really listened to me!”

Doesn’t that just touch your heart? Praised is the Lord of Israel who provides such difficult challenges to His daughters and what an awesomely cool and rocking Almighty who must certainly be smiling as he eavesdrops on their phone calls together with me.

But the truth is, this very personal Hashem notion is not a phenomenon that is unique to sem-girls. Whoever one talks to (or listens in to) in this country is constantly recounting their own various anecdotes about how Hashem pulled through for them in one way or another. More than anywhere else in the world one truly feels and absorbs the idea that we are living in a country that the verse tells us “The eyes of God are upon it constantly from the beginning of the year to the year end.”.

How far back does this special relationship go? This weeks Torah portion also known as Shabbat Shira the Shabbat- when we read the first song of praise of the Jewish people- begins the story of the Jewish people as a free nation. Our story starts with the first challenge

Vayehi Bishalach Pharaoh es H’Am V’lo nacham Elokim derech eretz Plishtim Ki Karov Hu.

And it was when Pharaoh sent out the Jewish people and Hashem lead us the path of the Plishtim because it was close.

Here we are, for the first time a free nation, on our way to Israel and the story starts with Hashem not taking us the straight and easy route. Rather we are going in a circle to the Red Sea. Why not the easy road? So, although the Torah continues and tells us that Hashem felt that if we would enter right away and see war we would return to Egypt. The early 12^th  century commentary of the Baa’le Tosafot gives us another explanation. He suggests that the Torah in saying Ki Karov Hu should be translated not as the path is a close way; rather that Hashem was close. Ki Karov Hu with a capital Heh- He was close to us.

Can you imagine the cell phone conversations that would have taken place?

“Miriam did you hear? Hashem took us out of Mitzrayim and we went this whole crazy path to start going to Israel. But you know what? It got really scary the Egyptians came with their armies and they were going to kill us, and we had no where to go. But all of sudden Hashem split the Sea and we saw like totally amazing miracles.”

“Zeh Eli V’Anvehu- This is my God and I will glorify him-“

“Ashira La’hashem Ki Ga’oh Ga’ah- I will sing to Hashem for he is awesomely glorious.”

He is so close to us. We burst out in song. What was perhaps one of the most terrifying moments of our nation’s history turned into the most monumental and pivotal. The first and most important lesson we received as a Nation of God was Ki Karov Hu- Hashem is close to us. We will face challenges, perhaps more than any other nation in the history of mankind. But we have a Karov. A close one… a relative... a father… that is nearby watching over and leading us on the path that He is taking us so that we may feel that closeness.

If that was the first lesson that we learned (and really the whole 40 years existence in the wilderness was truly about ingraining that lesson within us) then there is no place more that we  reap the fruits of those lessons than in Israel today. There is not a mother who has a son who is in the army that does not feel and believe Hashem is close. There is not a taxi driver who doesn’t feel that his next fare is a gift from Hashem. There is not a child or seminary girl that doesn’t deep down realize that we have someone special whom we can rely upon, talk to and praise for the tremendous gift we have of being his special nation. Hashem is everywhere. He is with us in our times of challenge, our tragedies, our times of rejoicing. And yes even in the Exile and the Diaspora. It is our job to feel that close-ness to know that He cares and to sing the songs of praise as we did back than with the same appreciation and knowledge that although we may have grown far our totally awesome Father in heaven has never left our side.

May the song of this Shabbos and every Shabbos fill you heart with joy and peace,

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

This week's Email is dedicated to the incredible staff of Nefesh Benefesh Michelle Kaplan Green, Tzippi Oppenheimer, Sharona Stanhill , Steve Rosenthal and all the rest of the Go North and NBN staff who organized the fantastic Shabbaton in the Golan last week for close to 200 Olim who have recently moved to the North. It was Amazing, inspiring and certainly memorable! Thanks for all you do for us!!

Holyland Insights is now available for weekly sponsorships of the Insights & Inspiration E-mail, sent out weekly to close to 1000 subscribers. Your sponsorship is a great way to honor a Bar/Bat Mitzvah, family Simcha, yahrtzeit, friend, or any occasion while lending support to Rabbi Schwartzes efforts in furthering Jewish education and an appreciation of Eretz Yisrael. Please help us continue this weekly offering of inspiration through your generous dedication and sponsorship. To register as a sponsor or for more information, send an e-mail to this address, rabbschwartz@yahoo.com or call Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz at  050-597-0649       050-597-0649    (from States it is 011-972-50-597-0649)

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 The Young Israel of Karmiel would like to invite you to join us this Shabbos once again for our heavenly services, with warm and insightful Divrei Torah in English and  Rebbetzin Schwartzes  super chulent Kiddush after davening.

Mincha is 4:25 PM
Shabbat morning Services 8:30 AM
can’t wait to see you

RABBI SCHWARTZ FUNNY  YOUTUBE VIDEO OF THE WEEK IN HONOR OF THOSE BLACKBERRYS!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8Bfggcb308

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S COOL PLACES IN ISRAEL OF THE WEEK

KFAR HASIDIM-  A SMALL YISHUV IN THE WESTERN GALIL THAT WAS FOUNDED IN 1920’S  BY THREE CHASIDIC REBBES- THE YABLONER , THE KOZNITZER AND THE “PIONEER REBBE-HA’ADMOR HACHALUTZ”. THIS WAS THE FIRST ALIYAH OF ITS KIND WHERE RELIGIOUS HASIDIC YOUNG MEN CAME TO DEVELOP AN AGRICULTURAL FARMING COMMUNITY AND MAINTAINED, RATHER THEN THREW OFF THEIR RELIGIOUS GARBS AND TRADITION. UNLIKE BNAI BRAK WHERE THE RELIGIOUS JEWS OPENED STORES AND BECAME BUSINESS MEN FOR THE FIRST TIMES, THESE YOUNG YESHIVA STUDENTS BECAME FARMERS. NEEDLESS TO SAY THEY HAD NO CLUE WHAT THEY WERE DOING AND IN A FEW YEARS THEY WERE STARVING AND NEEDED TO BE BAILED OUT. THE YISHUV WAS EVENTUALLY BAILED OUT BY POALEI MIZRACHI AND TODAY IS A MIXED SECUALR AND RELIGIOUS (NON CHASIDIC) COMMUNITY. BUT THERE ARE STILL SOME GREAT PICTURES OF RABBIS WITH LONG CURLY PAYOT AND TZITZIT BLOWING IN THE WIND KNEE DEEP IN MUD DIGGING AND PLOWING GROUND WITH THEIR COWS.

Flight of Light- Bo

Insights and Inspiration
from the
Holy Land
from
Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

"Your friend in Karmiel"

January 7^th 2011 -Volume I, Issue 14–2^nd  of Shvat 5771

Parshat Bo 

Flight of Light

“Kol Hakavod!” that is warm and incredible response that I have heard repeatedly from the average Israeli  I meet and who of course immediately inquires as to what I am doing here in this country. I always find it fascinating how shocked and surprised they are that an American would even consider making Aliyah. Yet this year alone Israel once again set the record for the largest Aliyah in 37 years with over 19,000 Olim; a 16 percent increase over last year. From North America alone there were 3,980 Olim that came ,(my family therefore makes up about a 17^th of 1 percent of the Olim this year :)). From Russia to Latin America- Venezuela- had a 280% increase- Australia, Belgium and New Zealand, Jews are coming home. There is even data this year, of small numbers of olim who have arrived from China, Monaco, Japan, Hong Kong, Honduras, Malta, Singapore, South Korea, Kenya and Rwanda. Not sure how many of them are Jewish. But hey, when we left Egypt according to the Medrash there were between 120 and 240 thousand non-Jews that left with us as well.

Yet as celebrated as this number is there are still millions of Jews for whom Aliyah is not even a consideration. Whereas in the past it was the poverty of Israel, the impossibility of travel overseas, and the repressive governments under which the Jewish people lived in the Diaspora, today there are new factors that hold Jews from returning to the land of our forefathers. Until about 5 years ago it was the material and economic comfort that Jews in North America were basking in that made the notion of Aliyah an inconceivable dream. We were sitting in our nice houses, with our two cars, our fantastic vacations and our wonderful lifestyles without a worry in the world watching our bank accounts and 401’s grow and we were happy. Today…not so much, to put it mildly. For many however, it the question of raising their children in a culture that is foreign to them (how sad that the Jewish country is considered foreign) that prevents them from considering Aliyah. Yet once again, there are so many that are having just as many problems raising their children “Jewishly” with all the challenges and temptations that American culture brings them as well.  So what is it? Why aren’t more Jews coming home?

This week the Torah portion tells us the story of the “First” Aliyah. The Torah tells us that 600,000 men between the age of 20-60 left Egypt. If you add in infants, teenagers, seniors and women the number who left Egypt was close to 3 million. That is a lot of Jews. Yet at the same time the Medrash and the text itself alludes to the fact that this was only 20 percent of the total Jewish population. Meaning close to 12 million Jews remained and did not take the free Moshe Rabeinu- Nefesh B’Nefesh camel ride ticket out of Egypt. Even with the promise of the incredible financial grants and subsidies that the Egyptian Army had so generously lent them on their departure and the great booty they picked up on the “banks” of the Red Sea- excuse the pun:). How can it be? What were they thinking? Egypt was in ruins, what was there to stay for?

The question is truly a difficult one. One that is difficult for us to answer particularly with our always 20/20 historical hindsight. There are some commentaries such as Rav Shimon Schwab that suggest that the number is exaggerated and that the Medrash is alluding to the potential future generations of those that didn’t come out rather thena literally to the much smaller number of those that perished. Rav Yackov Kaminetzky suggests that those that did not leave was because of religious reasons. They claimed that the 400 years of exile that was foretold to Avraham was not up yet. It was too early to go. We are meant to remain in Egypt. Perhaps that was why so many stayed.Yet others suggest that it was the over-patriotism of the Jews (what had gotten them in to trouble in the first place-when the slavery first started voluntarily). The Jews saw Egypt in devastation and felt that they had to remain to rebuild it. There was another Egyptian buck to be made; they could redevelop the whole country. There are many propositions, yet in the end it is still very difficult to conceive.

Perhaps one can suggest that the answer to why they did not leave can be reflected in the plague upon which Hashem chose to punish them. Rashi quotes the Medrash that these Jews that refused to leave- and even tried to convince their brethren as well to stay- all died in the plague of Darkness. It seems strange that they all had to die during this one plague. They could have died by any of the other plagues or even in the interim years of slavery that led up to the redemption. Yet Hashem chose the plague of darkness. 

The truth is the plague of Darkness seemingly is one of the least intimidating plagues. It certainly wasn’t as painful as boils or lice, as terrifying as wild beasts, frogs, or hail and certainly not as financially devastating as locusts or pestilence. Why is this plague the final blow before the death of the first born? The answer is because the function of the plagues at this point was no longer as much to punish the Egyptians as it was to send a message to the Jews.

U’Lchol Bnei Yisrael Hayah Ohr Be’Moshvosam- and all the Jews had light in all of their dwelling places. The plague of Darkness was given to Egypt in order for the Jewish people, who had been living for the past 200 years in slavery, to finally “see the light”. Egypt is not your homeland. The time for redemption is coming. The lights are on and your “host” country is shrouded in darkness. It is interesting that the word Moshvosam also possesses the root Shoov- to return. There was light in their return. The question was, were they ready to step into it or not.

For a portion of the Jewish people that were so entrenched, they couldn’t or wouldn’t see past it.. Although it was clear as day that there was no real good reason to stay in Egypt. Their answers and excuses to remain in Exile until now were blinded by the light of the clarity of the miracles of Hashem. They turned off the bright light of redemption. And in the end they perished in their own self-created darkness.

There is no Shofar call yet today of the arrival of Moshiach (although who knows maybe by the time you receive this God willing there will have been :)). For many of those in Chutz La’Eretz- the Diaspora, perhaps you are struggling with the question of Aliyah. Whether it is right for your family, whether you can make it here (although if you’re from New York seemingly as the song goes you can make it anywhere…). It is not an easy decision. But if there is one thing that our Exodus from Egypt should teach us is that it is important for us to not live in darkness in Exile. We should truly be struggling with not why I should live in Israel but rather why shouldn’t I? How can I remain outside of our Holy country? What is keeping me? What did I say 5 years ago that was keeping me and has that changed? Are we shutting off our own lights and perishing in Exile, or do we finally have an opportunity to build a truly meaningful and holy Jewish existence in the Land that was created for exactly that purpose?

These are not easy questions. But ignoring them is certainly not the reason why we are in Exile. There is a tradition that although by the exile from Egypt not all of the Jews were redeemed. Yet after the giving of the Torah when we were “wed” to Ha’Kadosh Boruch Hu- (the Holy one Blessed be He) and an intrinsic eternal bond was created, we will all be part of the ultimate redemption. May Hashem bring us to that ultimate day soon, when not only will we all be here in Eretz Yisrael but we will once again have the Divine Presence in our holy Temple rebuilt once again as well. 

May your Shabbos be uplifting,

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz
T

RABBI SCHWARTZ VERY COOL QUIZ OF THE WEEK- TAKE IT AND READ TO THE END AND BE SHOCKED!!
http://www.ourjerusalem.com/news/story/do-you-know-your-geography-in-israel.html

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S COOL PLACES IN ISRAEL OF THE WEEK

Usha-  in the southwest portion of the Galil (about a 1/2 hour from our home) there lies a destroyed bedouin village known as Husha. It matches the Talmuds account of where the Sanhedrin sat after the city of Yavneh was destroyed after the Bar Cochva revolt. A group of school children, as a school project, have begun digging there over the past few years and have uncovered some remarkable finds such as a mikva with tunnels to hide from the Romans as well as the central pillars of what could very well be the synagogue where the Sanhedrin sat. Not bad for a 6th grade school project!

Other Peoples Problems- Vaeira

Insights and Inspiration
from the
Holy Land
from
Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

"Your friend in Karmiel"

  December 29^th 2010 -Volume I, Issue 12–22nd of Tevet 5771

Parshat VaEira

Other People's Problems

There are all types of people in life, as I've come to learn. As a Rabbi and a Jew whose job and faith is dependent on the fulfillment and expression of the mitzvah of loving every Jew, one certainly gets many opportunities to deal, interact and yes even to learn to love many people who you might never have ordinarily been particularly interested in having anything to do with. It also sometimes seems that Hashem with His ultimate desire for His children's personal growth will send you just the right people in your life who will more than anything else challenge your personal accustomed-to outlook, and assist you in expanding whatever your pre-conceived lovingness capacity may have been.

More often then not, if you're happily married and a parent like me, than those wonderful challenges will come in the process of building your beautiful relationships. Yet as a Rabbi you get to meet all those personalities, which to be kind, might ordinarily grate against your nerves. I've always prided myself on my "chilled" easy going, nature yet there are always those character traits that seem to expand my capacity to grow in loving-ness.
There's the kvetchers ("Oy there's not enough Kugel and it gives me such heartburn").
The self-centered me-only oriented ("Why can't I have triples of latkas before anyone else got 1^st ").
The wafflers (“I dunno maybe I'll come this week and bring kishka maybe I won't").
The know it alls ("I'm telling you this is the way you should make the chulent, trust me I know").
The worriers ("Are you sure it's safe to feed Tully shmaltz herring yet at only 10 months old?"…Just jokingJ).
And of course the paranoid neurotic and self-blaming (all those of you who thought I was referring to you above… No I wasn't talking about you). Not a bad list for a chilled out, easy going guy, Huh?

The secret though, I've learned in my pursuit of Middos development is to keep in mind the famous Baal Shem Tov (and Shlomo Carlebach) dictum. The flaws that we see in others are generally flaws and traits that we ourselves possess and need to work on. The more we can work on accepting and loving others the greater potential we will have to  succeed in overcoming the challenges we face in those same areas of personal development, which we may not even be aware need our attention.

This Week's Torah portion is perhaps God's greatest example to the Jewish people of the most significant aspect of their own personal growth, as seen through the perspective of another's behavior. The individual I refer to, the primary exhibit A of annoying, stifling and rather self destructive, personal behavior was no lesser of a figure then Pharaoh the King of Egypt. The overwhelming character flaw (putting aside his God-like delusions and his proclivity to bathe in Jewish children's blood) was the almost incredible degree of stubbornness and "heart hardening" that seemingly no human being could ever fathom to possess. Yet time after time, plague after plague, horror after horror, Pharaoh persists in his tracks and pathway to self-destruction despite the blood, frog, lice, beasts, pestilence, boils and hail-filled evidence that he is fighting a lost cause.

How could anyone be so self-delusional? How could anyone be so stubborn? Rav Ehrentrau suggests, as seen in all of the plagues, that Pharaoh always looked for an angle. After the plague of frogs, the Torah tells us that Pharaoh saw that there was relief…and then he hardened his heart. After the plague of pestilence he saw that there were Jewish animals that survived, that he might be able to survive from,… so he hardened his heart. And finally at the conclusion of this parsha when he sees that there is still some wheat and barley that has not been struck by the plague fo firey hail he once again he hardens his heart. There is always an angle or way out in his mind and therefore I do not have to change. Therefore I can persist in my false sense of superiority and right-ness. As long as it hasn't yet hit rock-bottom, he can continue delude himself that he will come out on top.

The lesson of Pharaoh though is not merely a history lesson. It was a lesson for the Jewish people; the people who, time and time again, are referred to by God and the Torah as a stiff-necked people. A stubborn folk we are. A nation, who to our credit, refuses to be put down or disappear from the annals of history or from its legacy. Yet much to our chagrin,  we are also a nation who more often than not, persists in refraining from picking itself up from our spiritual lows and the self-destructive behavior that often tears us apart and distances us from our Divine mandate. It was for us that the lesson of Pharaoh was presented. It was for us to recognize and see first-hand the consequences of stubborn persistence to our negative ways. We were meant to recognize that we don't have to wait until it hits rock-bottom to make the changes we know we should be making. To go to the places that we will grow. To become the people and nation we have the ability to become.

It's always easy to look at others and find fault. But generally we never help ourselves in that process. If only we could all turn that mirror back to ourselves. If we could only take the judgement we sometimes place on another's flaws and reflect it back to our own areas that need change. Then and only then, will we have the ability as our ancestors did 3500 years to truly declare ourselves as a Free Nation of God.

RABBI SCHWARTZ POLITICALLY INCORRECT SEASONAL VIDEO OF THE WEEK THAT I COULDN'T RESIST SHARING WITH YOU. OY. :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7ob_xMuPbk&feature=player_embedded#!
 

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S COOL PLACES IN ISRAEL OF THE WEEK

MITZPEH YERICHO and YERICHO-  A small Yishuv that overlooks the city of Yericho at the meeting point between the Dead Sea and the Jordan River ( a city that Jews do not have easy access to- not that anyone is protesting on our behalf). High on the mountain overlooking the city it is the first view that the Jews had of Israel from across the Jordan. Yericho itself has the distinction of being the city where Herod built his palace and eventually died- fun tidbit- when he died he ordered all the prisoners should be killed so that their families won't celebrate his death- nice guy- his good queen however did not obey that order.