Insights and Inspiration
from the
Holy Land
from
from
Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz
"Your friend in Karmiel"
March 27th 13th 2015 -Volume 5, Issue 21 -29th
Adar 5775
Parshas Tzav/ HaGadol
Kid-ding Around
"Will you just grow
up already!"
"Why
don't you act your age?"
"You want to be treated like an adult?
Start acting like one!"
There are perhaps no words more annoying or
frustrating for a kid to hear. I should know. I'm still hearing it... and it
still hasn't worked. I don't understand. I see all these advertisements about
recapturing your youth, all types of anti-aging pills so one can feel like a
kid once again, and therapists preaching about finding your "inner
child". It seems that I was ahead of the game. Why act like an adult
when you’re a kid, only to become an adult looking for his lost childhood? This
is a troubling question and you know what we do with troubling questions at
this time of year? We save them for the Pesach Seder; the night of questions.
And do you know what they answer us inevitably by the Pesach Seder? The reason
is…so the children will ask…sigh…they cycle goes on.
Now the reason behind this custom is NOT because
the Pesach sacrifice-a goat- is also referred to as a kid. Even though this
might be confusing particularly since the last song at the Seder is about this
one little kid/goat that a father bought for 2 zuzim. My kids always thought I
was the father that sold them for 2 zuzim. I reassured them that I wouldn't
sell them for anything less than 20 zuzim and maybe even a Dinar (or a good
dinner). They seemed relieved…or maybe not. Thank God for their mother. Back to
our E-Mail. Although those are not references to Seder night being "kids
night". The rest of the Seder is pretty much all about the kids. In fact
the Torah itself seems to revolve the commandments of this very special and
important night all about children.
The code of Jewish law discusses the
preparations for the Seder as revolving around utilizing all types of tricks to
keep the kids up. Hand out nuts and sweets (translate pump them up on sugar and
lay off the melatonin), wear a kittel- so children will ask, wash without
blessing- so children will ask. The seder pretty much begins all types of
strange activities that would usually get us kicked out of the dinner table,
leaning while drinking wine over a white tablecloth (not for long), dipping
vegetables in salt water and making all types of whiny faces, and stealing the
Afikoman and running an hiding it. It continues with each kid getting up and
asking their hopefully well-rehearsed four Ma Nishtana questions, which of
course then leads into the description of the 4 sons and from there it's the
ten plagues with all their appropriate accoutrements. Singing Dayeinu and
hallel, dipping marror, fressing matzah while leaning on pillows and then all
types of fun songs at the end, it is a night that kids dream of. It's all about
them. So to pre-empt the Seder this year I dare to ask the question. Why?
Why is this night different? Shouldn't the most
important night of the year be one where we as adults focus on the deep
questions and miracles that took place? I understand that kids should know the
traditions but why is it so important that it comes in the form of such strange
child-like behavior so that they ask questions just to ask them? Why must we do
all these strange things-almost behaving like children ourselves- to get them
to ask them? Why are we going down to their level shouldn't we bringing them up
to ours.
The answer my friends, the Sefas Emes of Ger
suggests, is that is precisely the point of Pesach; to see-rather- to
experience the Exodus of Egypt on this night with the wonder, awe and amazement
of the innocent eyes of children. Perhaps the most next most essential mitzvah
of the night, after the telling/re-enacting of the story, is the eating of
Matzah and the prohibition of chametz. The difference between Matzah and
Chametz is essentially time; time to rise, time to get bloated, time to mature,
time to achieve that perfect state of man-developed food chockfull of wholesome
nutrients, preservatives and minerals and vitamins-like my cheerios box says. Matzah
on the other hand is cut short in that process. It's stuck in that first state
of development. Why is that the main staple? Because we are meant to get away
for a few days from all our man-made world with all the answers and envelope
ourselves in a world of Hashem. A world in which questions don't need answers,
the wonder and amazement of those miracles and that redemption are awesome
enough. We ask out of awe. We ask because we just want to be heard and we know
that our Father is listening to our voice and basking in our awe. We are all
His children and the Seder night is the night that we get back to that
moment…through the eyes and questions of our children.
The Sefas Emes suggests that it is for this
reason that this Shabbos before Pessach is referred to as Shabbas Ha'Gadol the
great or big Shabbos. He suggests that until this Shabbos when we were in Egypt
we observed Shabbos in some way but it was entrenched in slavery. It was a
day-off from hard work. It was in an un-commanded state like the observances of
a minor. This Shabbos when Hashem commanded us in Egypt to prepare for our
Exodus and prepare our Pesach offering was the first time we observed Shabbos
as a "Gadol" an adult. Our Bar Mitzvah Shabbos so to say. What
changed on this Shabbos? We were still in Egypt. The redemption had not yet
come? But we were able to see it. For the first time we moved beyond the 210
year realities of our day-to day life of slaves and experienced the Exodus and
Shabbos before it had even arrived as a Bar Mitzvah boy on his first Shabbos.
We became that youthful, starry eyed young man and we jumped into the
commandment to forget about time and place and move above it with the faith and
dedication to Hashem and our new exciting reality. It is no coincidence that
our first mitzvah Ha'Chodesh Ha'Zeh Lachem- to count the Jewish months
is the introduction to all of the mitzvahs of Pesach. Like a child we don't
have to think or worry about time. Time revolves around us. Not us around it.
I think about the life through the eyes of
a child. The incredible places their tour guide father takes them. There is
nothing more precious than the wonder in their eyes as they look out at the
world. Sure they ask questions, how did this form this way? Why is it that
shaped like that? What type of tree, rock, castle is that? What's the name of that mountain, that lake,
that star? They really don't care about the answer. They just want me to know
that they're here with me. That I'm sharing the experience with them. All the
other nights of the year we are perhaps slaves to time. Slaves to our
responsibilities, slaves to our questions. But on this night of Pesach we are
free to return to ourselves and to that wonder. It's a hard thing to do in one
night. But that's what kids are for. To help us and guide us into that world of
what we once were. Into that beloved child we are to Hashem. It's not about the
kids tonight. It's about us. The kids in us. The kids we may have forgotten
about. As we say in the Haggada even if we are all wise, knowledgeable like the
greatest sages that were sitting in Bnai Brak. Tonight we go back to that
simple childlike wonder and simply re-live and tell that story again like the
first time. If we could do that seder right and we make it until the end. Who
knows maybe Eliyahu might be at the door to sing L'shana Ha'Baah
Bi'Yerushalayim with us. Sounds crazy? Sounds like a child –like fantasy that
he might be there? Then stop growing up. Don't act your age for a night and you
might be surprised. Greater miracles have happened…and will once again.
Have a big Shabbos,
Rabbi
Ephraim Schwartz
**********************************
***********
RABBI SCHWARTZ'S VIDEOS OF THE WEEK
Really cool Pesach Seder from Technion
AKA Pella Pesach cleaning medley
New feature of the WEEK!!
RABBI SCHWARTZ’S FAVORITE YIDDISH PROVERB OF THE
WEEK
While in the states I picked up a great book with
yiidsh quotes and wisdom and I have always wanted to teach my kids Yiddish so here
we go each week another great proverb in yiddish maybe you guys will learn it
too!!
“Kleyn
Shlufn Lozn Nit Shlofn, Groyse Kinder Lozn Nit Ru’in.”
Small
children don’t let you sleep, Big children don’t let you relax.
RABBI SCHWARTZ'S FAVORITE BAR MITZVA QUOTES OF THE WEEK
“But it’s your barmitzvah photo.
Couldn’t you do something about your hair?”,”-Albert Einstein’s Mother
on his Bar mitzvah day J
“A bar mitzvah is defined as
the day when a Jewish boy comes to realize that he is more likely to own a professional
sports team than he is to play for one.” –Billy Crystal
RABBI
SCHWARTZ'S TOUR GUIDE EXAM QUESTION OF THE WEEK
(answer below at end of Email)
The
first stop Wilhelm II made on his visit to the Land of Israel was at:
A.
Jaffa
B.
Haifa
C.
Akko
D.
The
Nahal Taninim delta
.RABBI SCHWARTZ'S COOL MIDRASH OF THE WEEK
The Parsha begins
with the mitzvah of the daily burnt offering in which the Kohanim do not
get a portion and he urged them with the word Tzav/command them knowing
that since there is financial loss for them they need extra encouragement, as
people would be lax about it when it hits the pocket. The Midrash tells us the
story of the righteous King Munbaz who when there was a drought in Jerusalem
opened up his vaults to the people to distribute his treasures to assist them.
When his family protested he responded.
“My forefathers
gathered a treasure on this earth, I am storing a treasure in heaven. My
fathers stored their treasure in an insecure place. I store it securely. My
fathers stored it without profit and I am investing it beneficially. My fathers
accumulated treasures of money and I am accumulating treasures of souls. My father’s
put aside for others, I am putting aside for myself. My fathers stored for this
world I am storing for the world to come.”
Did you donate money
for Maot Chittim/ to help needy families for Pesach yet. If not you can
contribute at the following link to Yad Eliezer.
And once you wallet is out why not click on my
link and sponsor a weekly E-Mail J
RABBI SCHWARTZ'S COOL THINGS TO DO IN ISRAEL OF THE WEEK
Celebrating a Family Simcha – Whatever your Jewish occasion
is Israel is the place where the celebration of the event will be most meaningful. A Bar or Bat Mitzva in Jerusalem with prayers
by the Kosel, or at Kever Rachel, or maybe even on top of Masada or in Tzfat. How
meaningful is that? Getting your start as a young man or woman in Hashems
country, fulfilling your first mitzvas as an adult in the country where they
were meant to be kept the most ideally. Combine that with a tour of your
homeland with the right guide (hint, hint) and you have a trip and an
experience that will remain with our newest adult members off the tribe that
will last them forever. Weddings are also an amazing place occasion to have
here in the holy land. Starting your Jewish home in your Jewish home. Besides
they are a lot cheaper here from what I understand. A Jewish joyous occasion is
only one when you include the entire Jewish people in it. Here in Israel the
whole country will celebrate your simcha with you. And that is cool!
******************
RABBI SCHWARTZ'S BAR MITZVA JOKE OF THE WEEK
Bob,
not a real practicing Jew, is invited to his nephew's bar mitzvah. The
invitation also says that they would like him to do an aliyah. Not being a
regular shul goer, he learns how to do it. Every day he practices, "barachu
et hashem hamevorach... baruch hashem hamevorach leolam vaed."
On the day before the bar mitzvah, he practices it one more time and when he went to sleep that night, he was confident that he knew it well.
The day of the bar mitzvah arrives and soon it was his turn in the shul. He goes up and says, "barachu et hashem hamevorach."
Everyone behind him then said, "barach hashem hamevorach leolam vaed."
"Be quiet” he shouts, "I can do it myself!"
On the day before the bar mitzvah, he practices it one more time and when he went to sleep that night, he was confident that he knew it well.
The day of the bar mitzvah arrives and soon it was his turn in the shul. He goes up and says, "barachu et hashem hamevorach."
Everyone behind him then said, "barach hashem hamevorach leolam vaed."
"Be quiet” he shouts, "I can do it myself!"
****
Rivkah
wakes up one morning and utters a loud "Oy Vay" She has a
nagging pain in her left shoulder. She immediately goes to see her doctor.
After examining her, her doctor says, "Do you own a full length mink coat?"
"Yes doctor, mine Hymie bought me one for our silver wedding."
"Good," he says, "you must wear it for 3 weeks, then book to see me again."
Rivkah returns after three weeks and says, "Well doctor, my shoulder has cleared, but I now have a pain in my left index finger."
After examining her, he says, "Do you own a 3 or 4 carat diamond ring?"
"Yes doctor, mine Hymie bought me a 4 carat ring to celebrate the barmitzvah of Moshe, our first grandson."
"Good," he says, "you must wear it for 3 weeks, then book to see me again."
Rivkah returns after three weeks and says, "Well doctor, my finger is OK but I'm now getting terrible headaches behind my eyes."
After examining her, he says, "Do you own a platinum and diamond tiara?"
"Yes doctor, mine Hymie bought me one to wear under the chuppah at our Sarah's wedding."
"Good," he says, "you must wear it for 3 weeks, then book to see me again"
Rivkah returns after three weeks and says, "Well doctor, it’s a miracle. My shoulder feels great, my finger feels great and I'm not getting any further headaches. Thank you very, very much. But I have one question to ask you."
"What is it Rivkah?" asks her doctor.
"Doctor, how do you treat your non Jewish patients?"
After examining her, her doctor says, "Do you own a full length mink coat?"
"Yes doctor, mine Hymie bought me one for our silver wedding."
"Good," he says, "you must wear it for 3 weeks, then book to see me again."
Rivkah returns after three weeks and says, "Well doctor, my shoulder has cleared, but I now have a pain in my left index finger."
After examining her, he says, "Do you own a 3 or 4 carat diamond ring?"
"Yes doctor, mine Hymie bought me a 4 carat ring to celebrate the barmitzvah of Moshe, our first grandson."
"Good," he says, "you must wear it for 3 weeks, then book to see me again."
Rivkah returns after three weeks and says, "Well doctor, my finger is OK but I'm now getting terrible headaches behind my eyes."
After examining her, he says, "Do you own a platinum and diamond tiara?"
"Yes doctor, mine Hymie bought me one to wear under the chuppah at our Sarah's wedding."
"Good," he says, "you must wear it for 3 weeks, then book to see me again"
Rivkah returns after three weeks and says, "Well doctor, it’s a miracle. My shoulder feels great, my finger feels great and I'm not getting any further headaches. Thank you very, very much. But I have one question to ask you."
"What is it Rivkah?" asks her doctor.
"Doctor, how do you treat your non Jewish patients?"
*************
Avrahom
is a 12year old known for his total lack of religious study, so when his bar mitzvah
day arrives, Rabbi Bloom is not about to let this go without comment. Avrahom
performs his bar mitzvah as best he can with his minimal preparation and when
it comes time to receive his presents, Avrahom gets what most bar mitzvah boys
are given - a daily prayer book; a set of Jewish Festivals prayer books; a
kiddush cup from the congregation’s ladies guild; an encyclopedia - “The
History of the Jewish People from Bible Times to the Present”; a humor book
called, “The Ultimate Book of Jewish jokes”; and a bible (old testament).
Rabbi Bloom then addresses the bar mitzvah boy, "My dear Avrahom. You have received today a number of treasures of Judaism in book form that will surely enrich your life and make it holy in the eyes of God. I also have a gift for you."
With that, Rabbi Bloom pulls out an umbrella from behind the lectern and says to Avrahom, "I present you with this umbrella because I want to give you something that at least I know for certain you will open."
*************************************************************
Rabbi Bloom then addresses the bar mitzvah boy, "My dear Avrahom. You have received today a number of treasures of Judaism in book form that will surely enrich your life and make it holy in the eyes of God. I also have a gift for you."
With that, Rabbi Bloom pulls out an umbrella from behind the lectern and says to Avrahom, "I present you with this umbrella because I want to give you something that at least I know for certain you will open."
*************************************************************
Answer is D: 1898 Kaiser Wilhelm II
of Germany visited Eretz Yisrael in what was one of the most heralded visits in
Israel’s history. With over a year of preparation, new roads paved, garbage cleaned
off the city streets that had all been going to pot under the Turks this trip
to fortify Germany’s hold and relationship with the Turks in Palestine against the
imperialistic Russians, and British. Israel ahd many German residents amongst them
many patriotic Jews as well as the Chritisan Templers. The occasion was officially
to dedicate the Lutheran church in the old city of Jerusalem. The first stop
was in Haifa where he landed and a special port was built for him. As Haifa was
German owned land and they didn’t want him to land in Yaffo the main port of
Israel on Turkish land. Form there a special bridge was built for him by Nachal
Taninim that he crossed over on his way to Jerusalem where they had broken down
the gate of Yaffo which used to be sealed with a moat in his honor. And the
legend goes so that he would not have to bend down with his tall pointy hat
upon entering the gate. He did make a top at Mikve Yisrael where Theodore Herzl
ran to meet with him while he was on his horse leaving and tried to take a
picture with him, to bolster his own position for his Zionist dream. The
picture didn’t come out, they only got Herzl’s feet so they doctored it up and
cut and pasted it in. and there you have it.
