Homesick- Parshat Pinchas- 2021/5781

 

Insights and Inspiration

from the

Holy Land

from

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

 "Your friend in Karmiel"

July 2^nd 2021 -Volume 11 Issue 38 22^nd Tamuz 5781

 

Parshat Pinchas

Homesick

It It was the first time since I moved here that I felt homesick upon going back to the States. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed my visit to America tremendously. It was good to see my family and share in their simchas. It was incredible to see and hug my parents after 2 1/2 years, the longest I have ever gone without seeing them. I met and visited so many friends that I haven't seen for years and caught up, just like the old times. And of course I ate and shopped a lot as well. But every nightwhen I went to sleep and every morning that I woke up, I missed home. Not just my family, not just Elka, but Eretz Yisrael. The holy land I've been privileged to call home for so long. I really felt for the first time the words of Reb Yehudah Ha'Levi "Libi B'Mizrach V'anochi b'Ma'arav"- My heart is in the east and I'm here in the west. It was a strange, new and sad feeling.

 Now if you asked me what it was that I missed, I'm not sure that I could actually tell you-which is kind of strange, because I usually am good at identifying my emotions. Ok, I'll admit that the usual emotions I need to identify are either hungry and lately tired which are not too complicated. But this homesickness really felt like it was something deep from my neshoma which admittedly I'm not in touch with as much as I'd like to. It was as if, it was pretty used to being in Israel- the longest it's ever been here as well- and it really wanted to get back. It missed being home. It was a spiritual longing-again something I'm not necessarily always familiar with.

 I felt like one of those Baal Teshuvas that I have been privileged to speak to or learn with who describe to me the first time they went to the Kotel or alternatively the first time they went on March of the living to Auschwitz, or the first time they experienced Shabbos or Yom Kippur in the real way. They describe a certain awakening inside of them. Something pulling them and drawing them closer. Something telling them they need to come home.

The truth is it's not only Baalei Teshuva. We all have moments and times when we have that spiritual longing. A lot of people get that way in yeshiva with one of those late night kumzitzes with a guitar around the bonfire. For some of us it's during Elul or the High Holidays, others on Purim with a little wine in their belly or Simchas Torah, and for others it's Shabbos or even three times a day when they daven-if they're really really good. I know that many of my tourists express that sentiment and feeling after spending a week or ten days here and then going back to the States afterwards. That is until the first corned beef sandwich or one of those American Kosher Shopping experiences with aisles and aisles and aisles of every possible Kosher food product you never even dreamed of, cooked, baked, smoked, rolled, roasted in ways you never thought possible. And they even bag your groceries for you and say thank you afterwards. And then we forget. Just as I, after returning here for three days am already forgetting how much my soul missed and appreciates this special country.

 There is a fascinating Midrash the Ohr Hachayim mentions in this week's Torah portion. It is an interesting parsha that brings together many diverse stories and topics that are seemingly unrelated. It begins with a continuation of the last week's terrible saga of Jews sinning with the idolatry of Baal Pe'or and the daughters of Midian and the ensuing plague in which 24,000 were killed, (that is besides the 150,000 plus that were killed according to Rashi by the judges and hung!). It tells us Pinchas'es reward for stopping the plague and the command to avenge Midian. From there the Parsha jumps to a tally of the Jewish people and the command to divide up the land according to a divine lottery. We have the daughters of Tzlafchad asking for their portion in the land despite the fact there was no clear law until then of girls inheriting. It then jumps to Moshe asking Hashem for the leader that will replace him and is told that Yehoshua will get that job and he should ordain him. And finally we have thrown in for good measure the laws of the daily sacrifices and the holiday sacrifices. The one factor Rav Hirsch notes that connects all of these laws and in fact the laws until the end of the book of Bamidbar- as well as really from the end of Chukas- is that all of this takes place on the Moav (Jordan) banks of the Yarden river opposite Yericho. It's the last stop before we come into Israel.

The Midrash explains that the reason why the laws of the sacrifices are repeated here, a question which seemingly all the commentaries struggle with. After-all the daily sacrifices have already been mentioned almost word for word back in Shemos. The laws of the holidays are mentioned in Vayikra, as are almost all of the sacrifice laws. Why is this stuck in here? The midrash's response.

"Because the Bnai Yisrael said until now we had our travels and thus we had our daily sacrifices. Now that we have concluded our travels the daily offerings are also concluded. So Hashem told Moshe to command them that the commandment for the sacrifices are still in force."

 It's a fascinating Midrash that can be taken in so many ways. I have seen some commentaries that suggest that one shouldn't think living in Israel is enough. We don't have to do mitzvos anymore. We can create a "New Jew" in our homeland. The Mitzvos and Torah are only relevant until we came home. There are certainly many that felt that way and I get the Rabbis using this midrash to show them their mistake. But, that's not what the midrash is saying, it wouldn't just be the sacrifices, it would be all of the mitzvos.

 Rav Kook though in one of his writings writes an incredible and powerful insight as to what perhaps the Jewish people were thinking and what is the incredible challenge that they find themselves at in this unique moment of the last stop before Israel. He writes about the halacha that one does not wear teffilin on Shabbos. The reason given for this is because Shabbos is called an "Os" sign and teffilin is a sign and we don't need two signs. He asks the obvious question, what's wrong with two signs and reminders of our relationship with Hashem?

 His answer is that there are two aspects to serving Hashem. There is the work of the weekday and there is the work of Shabbos. During the weekday among the physical and material world that we work and live in, we get that that call inside of us from our neshomos to strive higher. To connect to Hashem. We need teffilin to tie that voice down and connect it to us. To remind us. To be our sign. When Shabbos comes though, we have already arrived. It is mei'en olam ha'ba- the world to come. We have come home. There is no contradiction between the physical and material that we need a sign to remind us of. We need merely uplift all of the physical and enjoy it in the pleasure of basking in the palace of Hashem. This world though is called Olam Ha'zeh- it is this world. the world of "this" This and that, and this and that. It is pieces and pieces that are not connected.

 There is a time though, that is in-between these two places. In the Talmud it is called erev Shabbos samuch la'chasheicha- it is right before Shabbos close to nightfall. From the creation of the world it was called bein- hashemashos- twilight. In between the "suns". It is sitting on the banks of Moav in the arvot- or erev of Moav on the other side of the Jordan river from where the sun rises and looking across to the Yarden Yericho- The setting of the moon (yarayach has the same root as moon). The new dawn is approaching. The travels and wandering 40 years are over. On the one hand the eastern part of the Yarden and the lands of Sichon and Og have been conquered and are part of our country. On the other hand, we are still not home. We haven't arrived at the land of our forefathers. In Yiddish the phrase is we are "nisht a hin und nisht a her"- we're not here and we're not there. It is then when we run into problems and confusion. It is a time when even Moshe and the sages are crying at the entrance to the tent of Hashem. It is a time when tens or hundreds of thousands of Jews say we're close enough. We've answered the call of our souls. Moav is not that bad, their wine is not yet prohibited to us, their idolatry isn't really idolatry. We don't need the daily reminders we are home. We can shut down that voice inside of us.

 At times such as these we see the heroism of Pinchas who our sages tell us is also the soul of Eliyahu Hanavi telling us that we are not there yet. We need our teffilin still. We need to have our daily sacrifices. We may not have Moshe, we don't have Aharon, we have lost all of those that left Egypt, but we need to continue their legacy and their journey for them. We need to bring sacrifices as one nation meeting with Hashem. We need to hear that voice on all of our holidays calling out to us. We need to remember what we were really homesick for. We need to remember what our home is really all about.

 Sometimes we long for something and then when we get there, we hit ourselves on the head and ask ourselves is this really what we wanted for so long? Was I homesick so that my parents could start nagging me again? (I was really never homesick as a kid probably for that reason… and whadaya know? My kids were never either)? Did I want to get married so that I would have a lot more responsibilities? That I would have someone always correcting me (correctly- of course), limiting me from what I can do? Did I want children so that they would keep me up at night, they would be embarrassed of me, they would give me grey hairs? Unless we know what we were longing for our home for, unless we see in it our fulfillment, our Olam Haba- the world that we have come to. Unless we stop and bring daily sacrifices, we enjoy our Yom Tovim together, then we are at risk of losing it all. Of watching it all fall apart. Of seeing the plague ravage us, of us quickly sinking and losing all that we had gained in the tents of Moav that never fail to call out to us. We stay at twilight and we never see the new morning star rising. We don't hear Pinchas/ Eliyahu's wake-up call.

 This past week we have entered another period of in-between know ans Bein Hametzarim- between the straits; betweaen the period of mourning that begins with the 17^th of Tamuz and will end with what we hope to be the holiday of Tisha B'Av. That holiday will only come if we realize that we don't want to stay on shores of Moav the banks of the Yarden, or any banks anywhere elese but here (despite the fact that I really really hate Israeli banks). We read these parshas during these weeks always (in fact it's the reason why some years we have chukas- balak and others we have matos and maasei together- it's all in order that these parshas on the twilight of entering Israel should awaken us. Make us all really long for the home we've been waiting for since we left Egypt. For the day when it will always be Shabbos

 Have a eretz yisraeldikeh Shabbos,

 Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

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WE"RE BACK!!!!

YOU"VE BEEN WAITING A LONG TIME BUT WE"RE FINALL BACK IN

 MISHPACHA MAGAZINE

WITH PART II OF THE SHVIL HASANHEDRIN TRAIL!

This tour was certainly one of my coolest and favorite ones and you have to check out the article and the…get ready for this

FIVE AMAZING SHORT VIDEOS

So don't wait got to the following link and check out

The latest Rabbi SCHWARTZ TOUR

Right here

https://mishpacha.com/doorways-to-redemption/

And then of course share, like, comment and write a letter to the editor about how special these tour are to you!

PS- Scroll down to videos of the week and you'll find the link for the new videos of the first article part I of the Shvil that have just been posted!!

 ***************

 RABBI SCHWARTZ’S FAVORITE YIDDISH PROVERB OF THE WEEK

" Dorten iz gut vu mir zeinen nit duh." It seems good in the place where we aren't

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S TOUR GUIDE EXAM QUESTION OF THE WEEK

answer below at end of Email

35) The great earthquake in Safed (Zefat) was in the year:

A) 1799

B) 1837

C) 1869

D) 1882

 RABBI SCHWARTZ’S COOL VIDEO  OF THE WEEK

 https://youtu.be/IKbxGdppO30  – Ari Goldwag and Yerachmiel Begun Bisiyata Di'Shmaya in his latest Acapella album from Darkness to Redemption.

https://youtu.be/Kivg8Bce-pA – And another Ari G. classic My Zaidy with Tali Yess the great Moshe Yess OB"M's son

 

https://youtu.be/KQJKm33V4do   - Yaakov Shwekey's Acapella- I think this is one of his best songs on his new CD A toast to life. But it really doesn't go Acapella… Bad idea. But hey, the three weeks we should feel we're missing good music…

 

https://youtu.be/xev2WrnGZNE  - For those- like me- that like golden oldies, this Acapella medley of Amudai Shaish Yerushalayim songs will bring you nostalgia for the good old days.

  

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S PARSHA/ ERETZ YISRAEL CONNECTION OF THE WEEK

Your Place in Israel – Parshat Pinchas- This week's parsha shares with us the story and role models of the original Chovivei Tzion-lovers of Zion, the daughters of Tzlafchad. These 5 daughters who were not proscribed to inherit in the land of Israel, as their father had died and the Torah only proscribes inheritance to fall to the sons, approached Moshe and asked if indeed they did not get to have a portion. They also want a place in Eretz Yisrael. When the Torah tells us their names it tells us their lineage all the way back to Yosef and the Midrash tells us that just as their ancestor Yosef loved the land and made his children promise to take his bones with them out of Egypt and brought to Israel, they as well acted out of a love for Eretz Yisrael.

 The truth is if one wanted to be cynical you could argue that perhaps they were merely interested in a free property in Israel. Who says it was out of any special passion for Eretz Yisrael. They wanted inheritance. It is for that reason the Torah felt it was so essential to put that stamp of Yosef on them. It was for guys like you-that always try to 2^nd guess people's pure intentions. But in truth if you wanted to continue the process one could ask who says Yosef was a lover of Israel either. Maybe he only wanted to be buried in Israel, as his father did so that that when Mashiach comes he won't have to roll across the desert in underground tunnels by techiyat Ha'Meisim?  He was being pragmatic, that's not Zionistic.

 The answer could perhaps be found in the follow-up to this story wherein the tribe of Menashe complains that they are nervous that if these women marry out of the tribe than the biblical portion of Menashe will be minimized as it will pass to the husbands after marriage. As a result of this the Tzlafchad girls all agreed to only marry within their own tribe and family. There's something special about the portion of Israel belonging to each Jew and each tribe. There is a prohibition in the Torah of stealing someone's property. If I steal your land I violate the prohibition of lo tigzol- thou shall not steal. In Israel- and only in Israel- there is an additional prohibition of Hasagat Gevul- moving my border and infringing on your border. If I move or extend my property marker onto your land and take it from you unlawfully, one violates this prohibition. Yet this is only in Israel. Why?

 Rav Avraham Tzvi Margalit, the Rav of Karmiel in his incredible new sefer Mapik Margaliyot suggests that in Eretz Yisrael when one infringes on another's property he in fact is infringing on the place and source that has been divinely ordained where he can best achieve his spiritual fulfillment from. The Talmud tells us on the first page of tractate Sota that 40 days before a person is born it is decreed in heaven who his bashert will be. Everyone knows that. But did you know that the gemara as well continues and tells us that in that same 40-day period the same voice from heaven declares what your address and house and field will be? The reason is because just as one's bashert is essential to completing a person and helping him or her achieve their spiritual purpose in this world, so is the place that they are meant to live and make their living. It is from where they are meant to shine out their light to the world from and where they draw their spiritual strength from.

On a deeper level perhaps it is the place and from that earth where one is formed. The Midrash tells us that when Adam was created from earth, he was formed from earth from all over the world, and each of his descendants are connected to that particular location of the piece of earth from where they come from and inherited from him in their DNA. The Jewish descendants were all formed from the earth in Eretz Yisrael. It is that specific location where it is decreed forty days before they were born were their "house" and "field" are. It is from there even if they are living in Chutz la'aretz that they draw their spiritual nourishment from. In fact the Abudraham explains that is the reason why even Jews living in Chutz La'aretz when they bentch and say al hamichiya thank Hashem for eating and being nourished from the land of our forefathers that has been given to us. Even though the apple may say grown in Washington but if it makes it to a Jews plate it is because of his field in Israel.

 If that is the case, then perhaps the reason why all of the bodies in the times of the resurrection of the dead must come to Israel before coming back to life. For mei 'afar ba'asa li'afar tashuv- you came from earth you must be returned to earth. You need to return to the specific earth you were formed from to be able to be brought back to life. For that is the source of your spiritual energy. Yosef understood that and it is why he wanted to be brought back to Eretz Yisrael. The daughters of Tzlafchad as well connected to that idea and appreciation of Eretz Yisrael. They therefore wanted to inherit the land to be connected to their spiritual source. They understood that it was decreed as was who the bashert they would marry would be. It was a package deal. Thus they agreed to marry within in their tribes so that all of their descendants would as well draw from that energy of theirs.

 And finally it is for that reason why there is an additional prohibition of extending one's borders when one steals the land of Israel from someone. For everywhere else your house is just your house, your field is just your field and if someone steals it he is just a thief. However, in Eretz Yisrael when someone takes possession of someone else's land he is taking away his connection to his spiritual source. What an amazing thought and idea from the true lovers of Eretz Yisrael. How can you not love and dream of the source of our really completion? We each have a basherteh place in Israel. A space created for us before we were born just as our spouses were to make us whole. To complete us. Is it any wonder than that the Jewish soul despite 2000 years of exile has always longed to come home and be connected?

 RABBI SCHWARTZ'S ERA’S AND THEIR PLACES AND PEOPLE IN ISRAEL OF THE WEEK

 Dovid's Enemies- 840 BC – After Dovid sends his "team" back in place to keep their eyes on Avshalom he heads off mournfully from Mt. Of Olives. Along the way he is approached by Ziva the servant of Shaul and Yonasan who was now serving Mepiboshes, the crippled surviving son of Yonasan. Ziva comes with donkeys laden with food and wine and prostrates himself to Dovid pretending as if the supplies came from his own stock. When Dovid asks why Mepiboshes himself didn't come to greet Dovid. Ziva, who had convinced Mepiboshes not to come, suggests to Dovid that Mepiboshes is backing Avshalom and is waiting for the kingdom to be handed over to him. It was pure slander and according to one opinion Dovid bought it hook line and sinker, according to another opinion he at least suspected that it might be true. Regardless Dovid will be held accountable for accepting this lashon hara and he promises Ziva that he will transfer all of Mepiboshes property to him.

 Dovid did not have to wait long for retribution for Hashem for listening to this Lashon Hara. He approached the city of Bachurim where he was accosted by none other than the teacher of his son Shlomo and the eventual great great grand-daddy of Mordechai from the Purim story; Shimi'i ben Geira. Now the location of this city mentioned a few times in Tanach is somewhat of a mystery. We know it is in the portion of Binyamin and east of Jerusalem and south of a city named Galim. There are those that suggest that it is right near the east of Anatot today in a ruins known as Hurbat Almit. That is because the Targum Yonasan and the Radak both say the other name of the city was Alamot. Others suggest it is about three Km north of Mt. Scopus south of Anatot in Hurbat Charuva- where the Bachurim and Charuva got switched in Arabic. Finally there are some that place it in Abu Dis near East of Yerushalayim on the border of Midbar Yehuda.

 Shimi'i comes out cursing and throwing stones at Dovid. He calls him every name in the book. He blames him for the death of Avner, for Shaul and Yonasan. He calls him an adulterer and accuses him of killing Uriah, Batsheva's husband. He sees Dovid's being usurped by Avshalom as divine justice for all of Dovid's sins. Dovid just took it all quietly. When Avishai- Yoav's brother who had accompanied Dovid offers to remove his head, Dovid tells him that sticks and stones may break their bones but names will never hurt him. In addition he felt that this is not Shimi'i's doing but in fact it is Hashem that wishes him to have this humiliation. Shimi'i merely a pawn. As well he felt that this might serve as an atonement and may even invoke Divine mercy upon him for remaining silent and taking this abuse. This lesson of Dovid is such a powerful and eternal one for all of us on how to look at and respond when someone unjustly maligns or humiliates us.

On Dovid's death bed he will avenge the shame that Shimi'i caused him and his disgrace of Dovid's kingship when he commands Shlomo to take care of him. But for now Dovid walks away as the curses and rocks are pelted upon him. That is the humility of Dovid Melech Yisrael who's lessons are Chai V'kayam.

RABBI SCHWARTZ’S REALLY AIRPLANE TRAVEL JOKES  OF THE WEEK

 Q: Why did the airplane get sent to his room? Bad altitude.

 Julius Levy was a proud Jew of German descent. A real Yekki who was always organized and in control. As he planned his first trip to Israel he made his reservations with his travel agent ordered his kosher meal and told them it was very important that he received an aisle seat on his flight.

6 months before his flight he called to confirm his reservation and aisle seat… and was told in no uncertain terms yes sir…you have an aisle seat 38c

Three months before he would ring up the airline again and confirm, yes sir you have aisle seat 38c…one month before he would ring up the airline again and confirm

A week before he would ring up the airline again…

The day before he would drive to the airport and speak to the ticketing agent, yes sir you have aisle seat 38c.

On the day of his flight he comes hours before…to check that he has aisle seat 38c

He finally takes his trip and much to his consternation 38C is a window seat. He is fuming the entire flight. When  he arrives at his destination  he calls his travel agent and begins to tell her how upset he was.  "6 months ago I booked an aisle seat…3 months ago…a month ago …a week ago…yesterday…today… and when I got on the plane…what do you think…I DIDN’T have the aisle seat….The gave me a window."

The agent apologized and trying to be helpful says, if it was so important to you to have the aisle seat, why didn’t you ask the fellow in the aisle to switch seats with you…

Julius responded with exasperation "Don’t you think I thought of that? The problem was that there was no one sitting in that aisle seat!"

 

 Yankel and an Achmed are the lone passengers on a plane. Suddenly, the plane's engines conk out. Immediately, the Achmed quickly grabs the only parachute from above Yankel's seat and jumps out. 

The pilot asks the Yankel, "How will you survive?" 
Yankel  answers, "Don't worry about me, he took my tallis bag by mistake." 

 Marvin and Janine, an elderly Jewish couple, are sitting together on an airplane flying to the Far East. Suddenly, over the public address system, the Captain announces, "Ladies and Gentlemen, I am afraid I have some very bad news. Our engines have ceased functioning, and this plane will be going down in a few minutes time. The good news is that I can see an island below us that should be able to accommodate our landing. The bad news is that this island appears to be uncharted - I am unable to find it on our maps. So the odds are that we will never be rescued and will have to live on the island for a very long time, if not for the rest of our lives." 

Marvin turns to Janine and asks, "Janine, dear, did we turn off the oven?" and Janine replies, "Of course." 
"Janine, are our life insurance policies paid up?" "Of course." 
"Janine, did we pay our pledge for the Kol Nidre appeal?" 
"Oh my God, I forgot to send off the cheque." 
"Thank Heaven! They'll find us for sure!!"

Q: Is one permitted to ride in an airplane on the Sabbath? A: Yes, as long as your seat belt remains fastened. In this case, it is considered that you are not riding, you are wearing the plane.

His request approved, the CNN News photographer quickly used a cell phone to call the local airport to charter a flight.

He was told a twin-engine plane would be waiting for him at the airport.

Arriving at the airfield, he spotted a plane warming up outside a hanger.

He jumped in with his bag, slammed the door shut, and shouted, 'Let's go'.

The pilot taxied out, swung the plane into the wind and took off.

Once in the air, the photographer instructed the pilot, 'Fly over the valley and make low passes so I can take pictures of the fires on the hillsides.'

'Why?' asked the pilot.

'Because I'm a photographer for CNN' he responded, 'and I need to get some close-up shots.'

The pilot was strangely silent for a moment, finally he stammered, 'So, what you're telling me, is . . . You're NOT my flight instructor?'

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Answer is B- Generally years are not my strong point.I'm better at decades or centuries. Although the tour guides that do quote exact years are pretty impressive. Which is why most of us at some time or another will make up years and quote them with authority. But the date of the Tzfat earthquake is an easy one for me. Tzfat is one of the places I tour the most- or at least used to in the good old days- and the earthquake is a central piece of the history of Tzfat and the end its Golden Era. So 1837 is a year I remember and don't have to make up.   So the score now is 26 for Rabbi Schwartz and 8 for the Ministry of Tourism on this exam.