Tetzaveh- I Used To...

Insights and Inspiration
from the
Holy Land
from
Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

"Your friend in Karmiel"

February 11^th 2011 -Volume I, Issue 19–6^th of Adar 5771

Parshat Tetzaveh

I used to…

I used to drive a big, white, gas guzzling, 9 passenger 2001 GMC Suburban. It had tons of room. I could take all my kids and enough food and luggage to last for three weeks on our annual camping road trips back in the States. It only cost me $1100 and it was super reliable. Today in our very small country of Israel, I drive a 1988 hatchback Suzuki Swift. It costs me twice as much to fill up with gas, I can barely fit the groceries for the week and two kids with a stroller in it. I paid more for the car. And after I squeeze myself into the drivers seat (generally after sucking in my breath and emptying my pockets) I can feel the holy terrain of our ancestral home land every bump  of the way. But you know what? I wouldn’t trade places for the world. I’ll take my Israeli bumps over my American leather cushioned seats and well paved roads any day.

Recently I saw a blog  that surveyed a group of Olim and put together a list of things that people should bring from America to Israel; “Important things” that they could not get here. Some of the highlights of the list include-Advil, American cheese, Band-aids, Cotton swabs (True confession of author of this blog: I made Aliyah with a lifetime supply of Q-Tips :-), Foil - pre-cut foil, heavy duty foil and heavy foil pans, Kitchen garbage bags, Liquor, Onion powder, Splenda, White tuna and vanilla - the real stuff,. Although the above items are available in Israel it seems that they are very expensive here.

The List continues with products that they don’t have in Israel-Crystal light, Hot cocoa mix, Candy (especially M&M's, Reese's, Hershey's, Jelly Belly), Condensed cream of mushroom and tomato soup, Crisco, Salad dressing mixes, especially ranch, Good Seasons and Pfeiffer's Italian dressing, Spices:  Mrs. Dash, taco seasoning, chili seasoning, chili powder, garlic salt, celery seed, dried sage, Lawry’s season salt, pumpkin pie spice, cream of tartar, poultry seasoning, dried onion, Italian seasoning mix and the essential Wilton cake decorating items.

Finally the list concludes tragically with items people miss that can’t be imported: such as the always necessary for Kosher Sushi-Fake crab, cans of pie filling, Pam baking spray, Starbucks coffee, Tom’s deodorants and toothpastes, maple syrup, Croydon House Matzo Ball and Soup Mix, Barkeeper's Friend (?), La Choy soy sauce, soft corn tortillas, egg roll wrappers, Morningstar farms bacon and sausages, Baker's Chocolate - 100% cacao with NO added sugar, Luna bars, Jif peanut butter, instant hot cereal, "Red Hot" hot pepper sauce, Thomas' English muffins, almond milk, Planter's peanuts and Lactaid milk. Isn’t your heart moved by the deprivation that we poor Olim suffer from? I can’t imagine anyone wanting to make Aliyah after reading such a list. To be fair there is a follow up list of things in Israel that are better here then there. But that list is primarily for you (or your relatives coming from the States) to have things to put in your empty bags after you bring us all the lactaid, fake crab and Jif peanut butter after your done shlepping all those basic necessities that we lack here.

Yet is it really so bad to miss, what some might consider to be, the basic comforts of the States?  Isn’t it only natural? I imagine most Olim are like me. They wouldn’t go back to the States or take that life with Reese’s peanut butter cups or even cheaper gas instead of the blessed one that they have here. But is there harm in a little reminiscing of luxuries long gone?  There is a beautiful insight from the Chasam Sofer in this weeks portion that- excuse the the pun- “sheds light” on the question.

The Torah begins this week with the Mitzvah of lighting the Eternal lamp of the Menorah. The Torah proscribes that the oil that is used for the Menorah is unique from other oil used in the temple service and offerings.

“And they shall take clear olive oil, crushed for illumination”

Rashi, quoting the Talmud, explains that this oil must be crushed by a mortar, rather then a mill, and only the first drops are used for the Menorah. All drops that follow are permissible to be used for the flour offerings but not to light the Menorah with. The Medrash points out that this is contrary to human practice. Normally we would use the best oil for our food and the cheaper “Israeli brand” stuff to light our homes with. (The way my children feel about American ketchup- it should never be used to cook with, god forbid, it is exclusively for French fries, hamburgers and Hot Dogs). Hashem though tells us precisely the opposite in this Mitzvah.

The Chasam Sofer explaining this anomaly sees in it an important life lesson. The menorah which is the spiritual channel through which wisdom and Godly knowledge flows in this world, requires the most perfect, clearest and best oil. The offerings which bring material sustenance, food on our tables and blessings on our plate- for that we should understand that any oil is good enough. We don’t need the name brands or the REAL, 100%, no added… to fill our physical needs. W need to be focused more on making sure that are spiritual needs are being filled in the first rate place and way. That is the message of the Menorah.

We have entered into the month of Adar. A month we are told is one when we are meant to increase our level of Simcha- Happiness. There is none that is as happy as he who feels that he has everything that he possibly needs. It’s natural to wish for something better, But the Torah tells us we should use that instinct to further our relationship with Hashem. To wish for a little better in that area first. When most of us think about our needs and the things we lack or that could improve our lifestyle and thus our happiness we tend to think of the material and physical. The better____ and the tastier_____ ,the fancier ______  or more comfortable_______. Yet how often are we focusing on the other needs as well. How much better do we want to make our spiritual lives? How far are we willing to go to “upgrade” them? Are we ready to use a lower brand “oil” in our physical pleasures in exchange for the enormous delight of the spiritual? Whether you are an Oleh looking back or a Chutznik looking home, these are questions that it pays to put at the top of your shopping list. Because there are some items in your spiritual life that you really can’t get somewhere else.

Have a  Brilliant Shabbos

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

RABBI SCHWARTZ’S FAVORITE LETTER TO THE EDITOR OF AN EGYPTIAN NEWSPAPER THIS WEEK

Dear Egyptian demonstrators,
Please do not damage the pyramids.

We will not rebuild.

Sincerely,
 The Jews

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S COOL PLACES IN ISRAEL OF THE WEEK
BEIT HADASSAH in HEBRON- THIS FORMER HOSPITAL FOUNDED IN 1893 IN THE CITY OF HEBRON UNITED BOTH JEWS AND ARABS IN THEIR PEACEFUL EXISTENCE. THEY WORKED SIDE BY SIDE AND TREATED EACH OTHERS PATIENTS. IN 1929 THE ARAB MOB WAS INCITED BY THE MUFTI OF JERUSALEM AND MASSACRED OVER 70 RESIDENTS OF HEBRON AND THE JEWS WERE EVACUATED BY THE BRITISH. THEY WERE NOT REALLY ABLE TO COME BACK IN ANY STRONG WAY UNTIL AFTER 1967 WHEN THE JEWS RECLAIMED HEBRON AND BUILT THE CITY OF KIRYAT ARBA .ALTHOUGH THE CITY OF HEBRON ITSELF DID NOT HAVE ANY JEWISH RESIDENTS.

 IN 1979 10 WOMEN AND CHILDREN BARRICADED THEMSELVES IN THE FORMER BEIT HADASSAH BUILDING AND REFUSED TO LEAVE UNTIL THEY WERE GUARANTEED ITS RETURN TO JEWISH HANDS. MENACHEM BEGIN, THE PRIME MINISTER, GAVE ORDERS NOT TO GIVE IN TO THEIR DEMANDS, HOWEVER HE SAID THAT THE WOMEN WOULD NOT BE PHYSICALLY REMOVED BUT IF THEY LEFT THEY WOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO GO BACK IN. FOR 10 MONTHS THE WOMEN STAYED THERE, FOOD WOULD BE SENT IN AND THEIR HUSBANDS WOULD COME EACH FRIDAY NIGHT TO MAKE KIDDUSH AND SING AISHET CHAYIL BY THEIR WINDOWS. AFTER TEN MONTHS WHEN SOME ARABS ATTACKED AND KILLED 6 MEN AND STUDENTS THAT WERE SINGING THE GOVERNMENT ALLOWED THE JEWS TO RETURN TO HEBRON.