Insights
and Inspiration
from the
Holy Land
from
from
Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz
"Your friend in Karmiel"
November 24th 2017 -Volume 8 Issue 6 6th
Kislev 5778
Parshat Vayeitzei
Giving Thanks vs
Thanksgiving
Can somebody out there perhaps
explain to me what a secular holiday is? O.K, I understand July 4th
as a patriotic commemoration day and an American holiday. It’s a day when one
expresses his joy about being an American. Veterans Day, Memorial Day, Mother,
Father, Secretary I guess those are all days when we are supposed to show
gratitude and appreciation to our troops, parents, secretaries, grandmother,
mailman, and anyone else that Hallmark comes up with a “holiday” for. (I’m
still waiting for Rabbis Day to finally make it big J).
But then we come to Thanksgiving- a day I am told is, and should be celebrated
as a secular holiday. Who are we meant to be saying thanks to? Anyone Hallmark
hasn’t declared a holiday yet for?
Now far be it for me to argue
with more days off from work, and days when people have that once a year (so so
sad…), that they get together with their families and actually express
appreciation to one another for things in their lives. But for those of us who
are blessed by Hashem with the day of Shabbos each week, the time when for
observant Jews all of this pretty much takes place, frankly a Thursday night
fancy family dinner seems like bad scheduling. Uncalled for and probably even
unnecessary. But hey, I like turkey just as much as the next guy so I’m not
complaining. But for those of you that will be eating their leftover Turkey on
Friday night for Shabbat meal and are still feeling up to re-digesting some
Thanksgiving thoughts than perhaps this Torah E-mail might give you a new
perspective on gratitude, a revolutionary one; one that the Midrash tells us it
took over 2000 years to come up with.
In this weeks Torah portion we
are told of the birth of the 12 tribes by the four wives of Jacob- Yaakov. See,
Yaakov was really planning on only marrying one, his beloved Rachel. But as
fate, his tricky father-in-law, and his unbelievably dedicated (to her sister)
and heroic fiancée would have it, he married her sister Leah instead. The Torah
tells us that Leah felt hated. After all she wasn’t her chosen and preferred
younger sister. But then she started having children, Reuben, Shimon, Levi,
each one were named with the anguish and hope that perhaps this one
would bring her husband’s affection that she felt she was lacking. But then she
had child number 4. And something changed for Leah. She called him Yehudah
(praised one) saying “This time I will thank Hashem.”
The Medrash I mentioned before
makes a fascinating statement. It says that from the time of the Creation of
the world there was none who praised God, until Leah came and named her son
Yehudah. The obvious question is what does this mean? Abraham praised God, so
did Noah, and Adam. We even find that prayers were instituted by these great
men; great songs and beautiful Psalms. What was it that Leah innovated, that the
Medrash is referring to? Rav Yisrael Yackov Fisher, one of the great leaders of
the Jewish court in Jerusalem who passed a few years ago, suggests a novel,
deep insight into Leah’s praise and thanksgiving. In truth, he notes, nothing
had really changed for Leah. Yes it was another son, but Rachel still remained
wife number 1. Yet, with this child she realized that she had to undergo an
incredible paradigm shift. She saw, with the birth of Yehudah, that she would
have more of the twelve tribes than any of the other wives would have. Twelve
tribes- four wives-should equal 3 tribes a piece. But she had a 4th.
She understood that as painful and challenging as her marriage and her life
was. Hashem was looking out for her. She gave thanks and praise even for all
the challenge and emotional hardship she was undergoing. She saw in the
spurning that she perceived from her husband, that it was in fact a Divine hand
that was causing her this pain, so that she alone of all the Matriarchs would
not have to suffer infertility and would merit bringing the Jewish people into
existence.
It was that praise that the
Medrash is referring to that had never yet been sung before God. Until then
Hashem was always praised and thanked when things were going good; when
miracles, good bounty and joy were felt. But finding praise and offering
gratitude when the pain and anguish are still there. Discovering and
acknowledging the Almighty who only seeks our good and loves us more than we
can ever imagine when his hand is hidden from us, that was the invention of
Leah. She memorialized it in the naming of that son Yehudah, who not so
incidentally became the great great… grandfather – of the king of all praise,
but particularly of praise in times of crisis and challenge; the one and only
King David the author of Psalms.
Judaism doesn’t believe in
secular holidays. Holidays are meant to be moments when we pause from the
routine of our daily lives and elevate them, by bringing ourselves one step
closer to the Divine. It’s easy and nice to sit around a table and express
thanks to one another, particularly, those that you certainly owe that to for,
unfortunately, too long of a time. But what about those that you don’t
necessarily feel have done too many good things for you? What about the people
who have perhaps pained you, troubled you, and even been downright nasty? Can
you express gratitude for them too? Can you see the Hand of God in their
actions and can you still feel thankful and blessed? Not if it’s a secular
holiday. Not if life is just about turkey, Black Friday shopping sprees and
nice family get-togethers you can’t.
When Thanksgiving was first
established it was a religious holiday. The Pilgrims, although not necessarily
coming from a Jewish perspective understood that to be truly thankful and grateful
for our existence there had to be an acknowledgement of the Creator of the
world, who controls and guides our every circumstance. Our tradition tells us
this shouldn’t just be a once a year, but every moment of our life we should
live with that thanks and knowledge. So as you enjoy your Shabbos meal this
week, why don’t you turn it into a thanksgiving meal? Make Kiddush, appreciate
the One who Created us and brings us every circumstance for our good. Remember
the weekends not over yet you can still make it a holy Thanksgiving.
Have a thankful Shabbos,
Rabbi Ephraim
Schwartz
***********************************
RABBI SCHWARTZ’S
FAVORITE YIDDISH PROVERB OF THE WEEK
“Ven me zol Got danken far guts, volt nit zein
kain tseit tsu baklogen zikh oif shlechts.”- If we thanked God for the good things, there
wouldn’t be time to weep over the bad.
RABBI SCHWARTZ'S TOUR
GUIDE EXAM QUESTION OF THE WEEK
answer below at end of Email
Q. The buildings at the Suzanne Dellal Center were once used
as:
A. Schools
B. Electric power facilities
C. Houses belonging to Aharon
Shalush
D. The Saraya
RABBI SCHWARTZ COOL VIDEOS OF THE WEEK
https://soundcloud.com/ephraim-schwartz/yesimcha
- My latest composition in honor of the 12
tribes of Israel born this weeks and the Matriarchs. Yesimcha Elokim the Friday
night blessing… Beautiful!
https://youtu.be/-Tnv2AgCcS4 -Chabad Rabbis Make Jokes
https://youtu.be/bguqj7VaZxk - Lubavitcher Rebbe on Thanksgiving- fascinating!
https://youtu.be/5JcJAWK6tCQ
- Ari Lesser Give Thanks! Cool!
RABBI SCHWARTZ'S HAFTORA CONNECTION OF THE
WEEK
The Haftora this week as
many Haftoras do with a reference at its beginning. However not all of them
begin as explicitly as this one does.
Hoshea (12:13) And Yaakov fled from the
field of Aram and Yisrael worked for his wife and for a wife he guarded
(the sheep)
If one had to put the
entire parsha into one sentence that would probably be it. But of course the
Haftora consists of more than one sentence. Our sages chose the entire haftorah
because within it are the messages that we need to be learning from the story
of the parsha. Yaakov, more than all of the other forefathers, underwent
challenges and particularly the struggle of a Jew in Exile. Hoshaya is
prophesizing in a dark period during the divided kingdom of Israel. The
Northern kingdom that had broken off right after the death of King Solomon,
with the king Yeravam of the tribe of Ephraim. Broke off out of righteous
indignation
When Ephraim spoke there was trembling, he was
exalted in Israel.
Yet ultimately the
righteous indignation led to arrogance and the worship of the Baal and idolatry.
It’s what happens when you think that the ends justify the means. Hashem may
not have been happy with Rechavam, Shlomo’s heir and certainly not with the
idolatrous queens that Shlomo had brought into the kingdom. Yet that was still
better than dividing the people Israel, dividing the tribes and creating an
alternate temple. Because ultimately that way leads to idolatry. The idolatry
of Baal- that there is another owner and manager of the world besides our
Almighty. In our parsha we have Rachel who knows she is supposed to be Yaakov’s
wife, but realizes that would come at the expense of her sister Leah’s
embarrassment, is willing to give it up. She could have been indignant. She
could have said that Leah was not the right person for the job. She could have
said that Yaakov would be so upset that he would never marry her after that
betrayal. But she didn’t make her own justification. The tribes of Israel were
formed from this principled decision. We are best when we are united in cause
and don’t try to question the ways of Hashem. If we are focused on “kissing
calves” as offerings to Hashem at the expense of “slaughtering men”
in the words of the prophet than ultimately we will be destroyed. However if we
return to Hashem even if we don’t have the calves, but our prayers our words “will
substitute for the calves.”. We just need to know as the prophet and
haftorah concludes
Ibid : (14:10) The ways of Hashem are
straight; the righteous will walk in them and the sinners will stumble over them”
One can imagine Yaakov
throughout his 20 years dealing with his crooked uncle and father-in-law
repeating these words to himself. Let Lavan try what he will, let him change
the deal a hundred times, but Yaakov will always be straight. Hashem will do what
he needs to do and it is in Him I put my faith.
Hoshaya
Ben Be’eri (600-530
BC)- Certainly one of the most fascinating of prophets, the talmud in
pesachim tells us that Hoshea prophecized at the same time as Isaiah, Micha and
Amos but he was the greatest of all of them. He was a prophet after the
division of the 10 Northern tribes from Yehuda and Binyamin in Jerusalem and he
lived in the North of Israel. Much of his prophecies revolve around the sin of
idolatry that the Jews in the North, whome he refers to as Ephraim, can’t seem
to kick and he foretells of the doom that will befall them. He is buried in the
old cemetery of Tzfat according to the tradition of the Ari”Zl making it the
oldest grave there.
RABBI SCHWARTZ'S ERA’S
AND THEIR PLACES AND PEOPLE IN ISRAEL OF THE WEEK
Tower of Babel 1765 BC – No the tower is not in Israel. Bavel is the Iraq and Iran
area. Yet the concept of the tower, mankind trying to build something to go up
to heaven, the battle of science and technology and its utilization as a weapon
against God rather than proof of his existence and his infinite wisdom of His
created universe is certainly a topic that can be appreciated in the numerous
science and space museums in Israel. Israel has the most museums per capita in
the world. Not bad huh! Perhaps the best place to appreciate that longing to
reach the skies is the Ilan Ramon museum in Mitzpeh Ramon, where one can see
live footage of Israel’s first Jewish astronaut and his tragic death on the
Columbia space shuttle in 2003. Perhaps the most visited science and Israel’s
largest is the Madatech in Haifa which is in the former home of the Technion,
Israel’s science university. With close to a half a million visitors a year the
over 600 interactive displays really cover the wide range of Sciences and
technological innovations this country has. Tel Aviv has the Weizman museum,
Jerusalem has the Bloomfield. All of the museums are geared for families,
schools, students and are hands on. Too me however what is most meaningful
though is how many Kippas, an religious scientists there are in Israel that correct
that sin of the tower of Bavel. They use technology as a tool to reveal the
godliness and wisdom of Hashem and in what he has granted us. And that’s what
the State of Israel is supposed to be about.
RABBI SCHWARTZ’S JEWISH THANKSGIVING
JOKES OF THE WEEK
Down South during World War II, a sergeant gets a telephone
call from a woman. "I would love it," she said, "if you could
bring five of your soldiers to my house for Thanksgiving dinner."
"Certainly, ma'am," replied the sergeant.
"Just make sure they aren't Jews," said the woman.
"Will do," replied the sergeant.
So that Thanksgiving while the woman is baking, the doorbell
rings. She opens her door and, to her horror, five black soldiers are standing
in front of her. "Oh, my!" she exclaimed. "There must have been
some terrible mistake!"
"No Ma’am," said one of the soldiers.
"Sergeant Greenberg never makes a mistake!"
Laws of Thanksgiving for the very Yeshivish only
Let’s be very careful this Thanksgiving not to get too caught up in
the festivities and forget the finer details of the day.
No turkey allowed to
be eaten 30 days before the holiday (some hold starting from November 1)
The night before
Thanksgiving, search for the bread stuffing
The morning of
Thanksgiving, burn the autumn leaves
In Israel, celebrate
one day of Thanksgiving; in chutz l’aretz, it’s a two-day Yom Tov
On Thanksgiving,
start counting the days until you reach XMAS (“Today is the first day, which
leaves 29 more shopping days until XMAS)
One must eat at least a k’zayis of cranberry sauce (minimal
halachic size) with his turkey past plag on thanksgiving, but should ideally
wait for nightfall.
A turkey may be roasted, grilled fried, or cooked in any manner וכל המרבה הרי זה משובח- He who increases is praiseworthy
One who eats packaged cold cut turkey has fulfilled his obligation בדיעבד,- post-facto although not ideal and there or those who say the you can be יוצא- (fulfill your obligation ) with the Tirat Tzvi salami as its contents is majority turkey.
Women are exempt from watching football as it’s considered a מצוות עשה שהזמן גרמה (a positive time dependent mitzvah), but they are obligated in watching the Macy’s Day parade as they too are involved in the parade.
One who forgot to watch football or who was otherwise incapacitated with the necessities of the day may do tashlumin (make up) with NFL replay but must watch the games in the order of their broadcast. One who does tashlumin with NFL shortcuts is called a sinner but has never the less fulfilled his obligation.
One who does not tell over the story of the Pilgrims arrival in Plymouth Rock during the Thanksgiving meal has has not fulfilled his obligation of the day.
Every participant of the meal should see themselves as if they had left England. We are noheg to act out the interaction between the pilgrims and the Indians. Pilgrim hats are not absolutely necessary והמחמיר תבוא עליו ברכה- he who is stringent will receive a blessing
Everyone must be thankful for at least two things but no more than four as being thankful for too many things is considered יוהרה- haughtiness. One must express what he is thankful for it’s not sufficient just to think of them. דברים שבלב אינם דברים.-thinks in the heart only are not considered binding
Pies and cobblers should be the last food consumed on thanksgiving and should be eaten before midnight.
A turkey may be roasted, grilled fried, or cooked in any manner וכל המרבה הרי זה משובח- He who increases is praiseworthy
One who eats packaged cold cut turkey has fulfilled his obligation בדיעבד,- post-facto although not ideal and there or those who say the you can be יוצא- (fulfill your obligation ) with the Tirat Tzvi salami as its contents is majority turkey.
Women are exempt from watching football as it’s considered a מצוות עשה שהזמן גרמה (a positive time dependent mitzvah), but they are obligated in watching the Macy’s Day parade as they too are involved in the parade.
One who forgot to watch football or who was otherwise incapacitated with the necessities of the day may do tashlumin (make up) with NFL replay but must watch the games in the order of their broadcast. One who does tashlumin with NFL shortcuts is called a sinner but has never the less fulfilled his obligation.
One who does not tell over the story of the Pilgrims arrival in Plymouth Rock during the Thanksgiving meal has has not fulfilled his obligation of the day.
Every participant of the meal should see themselves as if they had left England. We are noheg to act out the interaction between the pilgrims and the Indians. Pilgrim hats are not absolutely necessary והמחמיר תבוא עליו ברכה- he who is stringent will receive a blessing
Everyone must be thankful for at least two things but no more than four as being thankful for too many things is considered יוהרה- haughtiness. One must express what he is thankful for it’s not sufficient just to think of them. דברים שבלב אינם דברים.-thinks in the heart only are not considered binding
Pies and cobblers should be the last food consumed on thanksgiving and should be eaten before midnight.
The Four Questions for Thanksgiving
4) First of the four questions asked at the Thanksgiving
table: “On all other weekday afternoons, there are no footbal games on
TV. Why are there football games on TV on this day?”
3) Second of the four questions: “On all other days, the
department stores open at noon. Why are the department stores open before
noon on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving?”
2) Third of the four questions: “Why do the right wing
yeshivas have classes on Thanksgiving morning, while Modern Orthodox day
schools are closed?”
1) Fourth of the four questions: “On all other nights there
is some traffic to Long Island. Why is there so much traffic to Long Island on
the Wednesday night before Thanksgiving?”
Top Ten Ways you know you are at a Jewish Thanksgiving Dinner
10. Your grandmother asks for the gravy by requesting “the
turkey schmaltz”
9. “The turkey is served!” line is followed by someone
cracking open an expired Empire deli pack
8. Leftover vegetable kugel is suddenly titled “stuffing”
7. Your neighbor comes over to borrow your hat and jacket
for his Pilgrim outfit
6. Someone accidentally starts singing shalom aleichem
5. Dinner is delayed while family clears off the table of
Macy’s coupons
4. Meal cancelled due to prohibition on using Indian customs
and the fact that your mom is busy cooking for shabbos
3. Homemade pies are from Gourmet Glatt
2. Someone shares a really bad gematria dvar torah
connecting Pocahontas and Hashem
1. It’s Friday night.
RABBI SCHWARTZ’S SHABBAT CARTOON OF THE WEEK
**************
Answer is A – I would’ve skipped this question, if
I was taking this exam. You’re allowed to skip 5 out of 50 of the questions and
this would have been one of them. To be honest I don’t even know what the
Suzanne Delal buildings are. Perhaps if I did more tours of the architechture
and buildings of Old Tel Aviv, Yaffo and Neve Zedek, I would be more familiar
with it. But fortunately for me that’s not really what my tourists are looking
for… Anyways once I wiki’d it did come back to me. The Delal center is the
major dance school in Neve Tzedek. Nice building. Actually it was designed by
Shalush, so there was the sneak in their question. But it was formerly the
Alliance school- Kol Yisrael Chaveirim and the chibat tzion girls school. The
electric station is a park and mall now in Tel Aviv and the Saraya house in Yaffo
is actually a theater for Israeli and arab groups- so that’s the other trick in
the question. AS I said, not anything most of my tourists are interested in. So
I deleted from my limited space in my brain.
