Insights and Inspiration
from
the
Holy Land
from
Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz
"Your friend
in Karmiel"
September 3rd 2021
-Volume 11 Issue 47 26th Elul
(Dear Friends and Readers please don't skip over our
annual Appeal after this E-Mail below. It's been a challenging year and we
could use your support!)
Parshat Nitzavim- Rosh
Hashana
The Healthy Choice
Yes, it's me. Don't let the title to this E-Mail fool you. I know you'd never thought that you'd see me writing an E-Mail called "The Healthy Choice". It's kind of like reading an E-Mail written by Donald Trump called "A Humble Life" or one by Biden titled "Intelligent Leadership" or by Dr. Fauci called "I know what I'm doing". Sure, I had my stomach surgery and can't eat as much or much at all to be precise. But don't worry. I still love my chulent, kugel and herring and even has about an 1/8th of a bagel lox and cream cheese by my twin grandchildren's bris this past Sunday. I'm not switching to spelt, organic goat cheese or tofu anytime soon. I'm not reading any of those triangle food pyramid charts with a bunch of vegetables on it. I've made fun of too many vegetarians and health food junkies that are married to me or my son for too long to ever go down that road.
But the truth
is, that it's really been the first time in my life that I have been forced to
make food choices in my eating selection. I have limited stomach space- also
for the first time I think- and I have to decide what food dishes that I am
going to be eating from and what I'll be passing up on. I can't have the whole
smorgasbord or four or more courses anymore. There just isn't any room.
Now I'm not talking about the silly self-inflicted
Jewish choices that some create for themselves, like flaysh-a-phobia that some
people have about eating steak or meat for fear that they might find some ice
cream. Obviously you go with the animal that was slaughtered for your eating
pleasure rather than the possibility of some anti-semitic Ben and Jerry's Chunky
Monkey. Nor am I talking about the bentch-o-phobics, who have an aversion or
allergy to having to recite a four minute thank you to Hashem and will refuse
to partake in the delicious Baguette or hamburger or hot dog bun and even worse
the Pita with salatim. Really?!! You should be looking for excuses to bentch
in order to just to be able to thank Hashem for all the goodness He has done. I
have never understood this seemingly satan-driven affliction.
What I'm
talking about is do I have three spoons of soup on Friday Night at the expense
that I might not have room for a few nibbles of potato kugel. Is it worth it to
pass on a few tastes of gefilte fish and have a little more room for some
brisket. Should I just forget about dessert? What about drinking? My Dietician
(and someone else told me that the Rambam as well) says that one shouldn't
drink while they eat. She actually wanted me to wait 15 minutes after I drink
before eating and wait a half hour after the meal until I drink again. Well
that hasn't happened. I need to drink when I eat. But the truth is that takes
up room as well in the belly and I know it comes at the expense of not being able
to have something tasty in its place…. Sighh... All these new healthy choices
I'm finding myself having to make. One would think that it would makes you lose
your appetite after a while…But actually surprisingly I'm finding that it does
quite the opposite. I'm now practicing what I have decided to call conscious
eating. And frankly I recommend it highly.
See, whereas in
the past I would more often than not just inhale my food quickly restocking my
plate with the next delicacy to come to the table, that's no longer the case. Now,
once I have made my decision about what I want to eat, when I then take a bite
out of it I actually pay attention to it. I feel it. I roll it around in my
mouth a bit. It's like I used to do with a good scotch (which I still have to
wait a few months or so before I'm allowed to imbibe). I appreciate it. I feel
it. I enjoy it. I make it last more. And best of all- at least spiritually-
because I have so much time on my hands or my mouth before I can take another
bite, I think about Hashem. I think about the bracha I just made. I think about
how perfect His world is. How tasty it is. What an amazing cook of a wife He
blessed me with. I'm getting the full deal. It's new, it's weird and it really
is very satisfying. As well I believe it's the perfect and easiest avoda
to do as we approach Rosh Hashana. Don't believe me? Let me show you in this
week's Parsha what I'm talking about.
Parshat
Nitzavim is a pretty short parsha. The last Aliya though capsulizes the way
Hashem presents life to us. I'll quote a bit
Devarim (30:15-19)
Behold, I have set before you today life and good, and death and evil,
And there we
have our choice. Curtain number 1) and Curtain number 2). In case you don't
exactly get it, Hashem clarifies…
inasmuch as I
command you this day to love Hashem, your God, to walk in His ways, and to
observe His commandments, His statutes, and His ordinances, so that you will
live and increase, and Hashem, your God, will bless you in the land to which
you are coming to take possession of it.
OK that's
Curtain 1). Clear to you now? Now
Curtain 2) on the other hand…
But if your
heart deviates and you do not listen, and you will be drawn astray, and you
will prostrate yourself to other deities and serve them, I declare to you this
day, that you will surely perish, and that you will not live long days on the
land, to which you are crossing the Jordan, to come and take possession
thereof.
So we have a
choice. Which one is the healthy choice? Life or death? Blessing or curse?
Israel or Boro Park? Or Germany? Or Spain? Or Africa?
But then Hashem
cheats a bit on this choice He has given us
You shall choose life, so that you and your
offspring will live.
Hey! What happened
to our free will? Isn't that cheating if He tells us what to do? Rashi seems to
see it this way. As he elaborates.
Hashem says:
“Even though you have free choice, nevertheless,] I instruct you to choose the
portion of life.” It is like a man who says to his son, “Choose for yourself a
fine portion of my estate,” and then directs him to the best portion, saying to
him, “This [is the portion which] you should choose for yourself!”
Now my parents
were not the type to give me the answers to my homework, although my mother did
sit down with me and make me do it and my father would sit with me as well when
she made him. I certainly don't think I've ever done the homework for my kids.
Baruch Hashem they never saw this Rashi though. For they might have been able
to use it against me as a source that there's nothing wrong with a good parent –
like Hashem in giving their children the right answer to our choices. But
really there's a bigger problem.
In truth really
what type of choice is it? I mean c'mon man…This seems to be a no-brainer. Who
wants death and curse? Who doesn't want life and blessing? If Hashem is going
to give us the answers to questions already, I could use Him for my geometry
work, or about some deeper philosophical questions or even some of my tour
guide questions of the week. Why does He feel the need to tell us to choose
life? What's here that we can't figure out on our own from the vivid
descriptions he has given us about the two curtains and paths that are before
us.
The answer the
Slonimer Rebbi suggests is that there are two paths and reasons to serve
Hashem. The first is because its process of elimination. Curtain 2) sounds
really scary. I don't want to go to Gehennom. I don't want to lose our land. I don't
want all of those terrible curses we read in the Tochacha last week to
befall me or anyone I know. I don't want Co-Vid. I don't want to be unemployed.
I don't want to die in a flood, a fire, an earthquake or in a concentration
camp. So therefore as a result of that I choose Curtain 1).
But that, the Slonimer
Rebbi says, is not choosing life. It's just not choosing death. Choosing life,
though, which is what Hashem tells us to do, is about conscious eating. It's
about seeing and appreciating how important life is. What a blessing it is. What
incredible things we are meant to experience, to taste, to live for, to
accomplish. It's about rolling those blessings and prayers for life around in
your mouth a bit before you swallow them. It's about thinking about the world
that is full of rejoicing, about Yerushalayim rebuilt, about the righteous
dancing and singing in the Temple. It's also about a world where evil is
totally eradicated. Where the entire world is full of the knowledge of Hashem. With
a united humanity that is basking in His glory. A world of total good. The
garden of Eden.
I know that all
of this sounds foreign to most of us. It feels weird and fake even writing it. But
that's because we're not consciously living. We're not tasting the food of the goodness
of life that He's given us with every breath, with every blessing, with every
new day. We're not choosing life. We're just trying to avoid death and bad
stuff all the time. We're just trying "To
make it through another day".
Hashem tells us
Erev Rosh Hashana that's not what he advises us to do. It's the advice of a
beloved Father to his children. Choose life. Make the healthy choice. Don't
come to Me on Rosh Hashana and just ask Me not kill you, not to curse you. Ask Me
for the gift of the best life that I want you to have. But first you have to
make that decision that that's what you really want on your plate.
Perhaps this
explains the custom we have each Rosh Hashana, that we don't find any other
time of the year, to eat all types of foods as a good Siman.- fortuitous
sign. Hashem doesn't just want us to ask
for a good year. He wants us to really taste it. To consciously choose it. To
pick up that apple and dip it honey and say mmmmm… I want this for this year. To
pick up that brilliant red juicy pomegranate and see all those little sweet
seeds and say that's how I want my mitzvos to taste this year. To look into those
googly little dead fish head eyes and say… hmmm being a head is gotta be better
than being a tail… right… OK maybe I'm pushing it. But you get the point.
There's only
another few days left to Rosh Hashana. This Shabbos is the last Shabbos of the
year. It's the last chulent of 5781. Taste it appreciate it. Choose it. Small
bite by small bite. Turn to your family and see how wonderful they are. Think
about how much more wonderful you wish they could be. You wish you could be. Hashem
wants us to choose that life. We will be asking Him for it repeatedly over the
next week and half or so. Let's start making the healthy choice He suggested we
make.
Have a fantastic final Shabbos of 5781 and may
everyone be blessed with Shana Tova and U'Mesuka. A sweet, happy and healthy New
Year.
Rabbi Ephraim
Schwartz
This week's
Insights and Inspiration has been sponsored by my dear longtime friend Ari Davis
in appreciation of all of the weekly inspiration and our friendship. May the
new year bring all of the readers of this weekly inspiration and all of Klal Yisrael
only simcha, brachas, nachas and Mashiach!
Wishing all a Ksiva
V'Chasima Tova.
**********************************
HIGH HOLIDAY APPEAL 5782
(THANK YOU TO THE SO MANY OF YOU
THAT HAVE ALREADY RESPONDED AND PARTNERED WITH US FOR THE COMING YEAR!)
In the coming weeks I plan on expressing my appreciation by name to each of
you and your dedications that you have made in honor or a merit of someone)
To
all the rest of you that haven't as of yet responded…
HI!
It's your "friend from Karmiel" here once again turning to you as we
close out this year of 5781 before the High Holidays to ask if you might
consider helping us out this year. I know that all of you don't read our weekly
missives each week. They're long and who really has that much time on their
hand- besides unemployed tour guides. But you do get a chance every so often to
read and hopefully enjoy some of my musings, Torah, tour guide questions, Eretz
Yisrael insights and at least some of the jokes. As well I hope you've been
enjoying my Mishpacha magazine links and this past year my weekly Whatsapp and
Youtube Parsha short videos. If you're not yet on that list, by the way, then
send me an E-Mail and I'll be happy to add you.
This
year has been more challenging than most for our Shul and community
financially. Many of our local donors have lost their jobs, some have stopped
coming to Shul, and many of our regular minyanim have taken a hit. But Baruch
Hashem there have been good things that have happened this year as well. We
have seen many Simchas, not just personally but throughout our community. There
have been miracles and refuos and we have been blessed with many new Olim to
our community. We're certainly living in amazing times.
I
turn to you dear friends to ask if you might consider supporting our Shul, our
weekly insights that go out each week to thousands and are read around the
world. Our annual Shul donation and sponsorship income has dropped
tremendously. We were not able to make our annual Purim appeal and even our
annual pre- High Holiday weekly appeal is a fraction of what it was in previous
years. In the past I personally have helped carry the deficit in our annual
budget- I do not take a salary. Our expenses include rent, utilities, upkeep of
shul, programs and of course Kiddush. Our Shul brings together Olim and
Israelis from the entire spectrum of observance from Chareidi to those growing
in their yiddishkeit. We're not a big shul. We don't have huge expenses, but as
well we don't have large donors. Your friendship and support for our shul and
my weekly insights is meaningful and
appreciated.
If
you can find it within your heart to include us in you charitable giving this
year. Every bit helps and will help us tremendously in continuing to do the
great work in sharing the love of and passion for yiddishkeit, for am Yisrael
and Eretz Yisrael. As our partners you will share in that merit and make this Rabbi
smile as well.
Wishing
you and your family a Ksiva V'chasima Tova and a year filled with only
blessings, simcha, good health and much yiddishe Nachas.
You
can contribute to our annual campaign either with. As of now sadly your
donations are neither US or Israel tax deductible. Although we hope that will
change in the near future as we are well into the process of working through
the necessary bureaucracies.
1) Zelle or Paypal to rabbschwartz@yahoo.com
2) Or by using our paypal link on our
Holyland Insights Blog http://holylandinsights.blogspot.co.il/ and
contribute via paypal on our website.
ALL
CONTRIBUTIONS CAN BE MADE AS A DEDICATION IN HONOR, OR IN MEMORY, IN
APPRECIATION, OR FOR THE MERIT OF________ AND WILL BE SO NOTED
Once again I
wish to thank you in advance for your support and for all those who have
expressed their appreciation and gratitude throughout the year with your
E-Mails, sponsorships and dedications.
May Hashem
bless all of us with a blessed and sweet New Year.
Warmly,
Rabbi Ephraim
Schwartz
**************
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RABBI SCHWARTZ’S FAVORITE YIDDISH PROVERB OF THE WEEK
"
Vos veyniker men ret, alts gezinter iz"- The less you speak, the healthier you are
RABBI SCHWARTZ'S TOUR GUIDE EXAM QUESTION OF THE WEEK
44)
The personality for whom the wall was breached near the Jaffa Gate:
A)
Emperor Frederick II
B)
Emperor Franz Joseph
C)
Emperor Wilhelm II
D)
General Edmund Allenby
RABBI SCHWARTZ’S COOL VIDEO OF THE WEEK
https://soundcloud.com/ephraim-schwartz/hashem-melech-r-ephraim-fina - In honor of the day anoint Hashem as our King-
give a listen to my Hashem Melech composition and then sing it the whole Rosh Hashana
long… A Rabbi Schwartz favorite sung and arranged by Dovid Lowy
https://youtu.be/pCX2pVEIM0k – Great
Rabbi K video and song- Do you want to understand Monsey. Check out this video
about Sheiners the most geshamake shul!
https://youtu.be/FBtUTYFYaG4 – What an awesome
between Israeli singers (including Shwekey) for this song sponsored by
organization V'Sein Chelkeinu
https://youtu.be/rX5NZzHudu0 – Mutty Shteimetz
in this musical video story called a shmitteleh Gevayn about the struggles of a
Shmitta farmer (Yiddish with English subs).
RABBI SCHWARTZ'S PARSHA/ ERETZ YISRAEL CONNECTION OF THE
WEEK
Waiting for Us– Parshat Ki Nitzavim- This last
Parsha that we read before Rosh Hashana contains the covenant between all of
the Jewish people throughout all generations. Within that bris Hashem tells us
that the land of Israel will be the guarantor of the agreement.
Devarim
(29:2-22) And a later generation, your descendants, who will rise after you,
along with the foreigner who comes from a distant land, will say, upon seeing
the plagues of that land and the diseases with which the Lord struck it: Sulfur
and salt have burned up its entire land! It cannot be sown, nor can it grow
[anything], not [even] any grass will sprout upon it. It is like the
overturning of Sodom, Gemorrah, Admah and Zeboiim, which the Lord overturned in
His fury and in His rage.
After the
destruction of our Temple, Eretz Yisrael was occupied by foreign nations and
the majority of our people lived in foreign lands of Exile. That happens. It
makes sense. We were occupied by our enemies. The miraculous thing though is
that the land that was once blessed and fertile all of a sudden became barren.
Nothing grew. It was cursed. In the words of Mark Twain who visited here in the
1800's
"We
traversed some miles of desolate country whose soil is rich enough but is given
wholly to weeds – a silent mournful expanse... We never saw a human being on
the whole route... hardly a tree or shrub anywhere. Even the olive and the
cactus, those fast friends of a worthless soil, had almost deserted the
country."
The Ramban sees
in this curse a blessing. The land will not be one that the nations will ever
find rest in. They won't succeed in opening it up making it produce and work
for them. Rabbeinu Bachaya takes this idea even a step further he says that
from the day it was destroyed and we were exiled it will not produce until we
return. It waited for us. The land knows that it only has one purpose in
creation; to be the place where our nation could return to and flourish in and
shine the light of Hashem out to the rest of the world from.
There is no
other country like this that can wait 2000 years for a certain nation to return
until it produces. It's wired to us and that is one of the most important signs
in history that Hashem as well is waiting for us. That He has wired creation to
be programmed just for us and our return. For our repentance. For His home to
finally return.
The fact that
He has allowed us to return and the land is once again flourishing is the
greatest sign that we are in the end game of redemption. One more prayer, one
more Rosh Hashana. One more Oleh with faith that gives up life in Chutz
la'Aretz to live that dream is all we need. This is the lesson of the end of
the year that we are meant to have at the forefront of our minds as we enter
the High Holidays and recite repeatedly that Hashem once again return happiness
to His land, rejoicing to His city. May 5782 be the year that we finally
realize that dream.
RABBI SCHWARTZ'S ERA’S AND THEIR PLACES AND PEOPLE IN ISRAEL OF THE
WEEK
The Count &
The Plague- 837
BC – The end of the book of Shmuel concludes
with the various wars Dovid and his army had against the remaining giant
Plishti brothers of Golyas. There were miraculous victories that
came through the incredible generals Dovid had; Shama, Avishai and Benayahu.
If that wasn't enough action though it seems Hashem still wanted to give
Dovid and the Jewish people one last lick before his death to atone for his sin
and for their sins of the support of Avshalom and their rebellions against
Dovid. He did this by planting the idea in Dovid's mind that a census should be
taken of the Jewish people. This was a big no-no.
In
Parsht Ki Tisa after the sin of the Golden Calf Hashem told Moshe to count the
nation, however He qualified that in that each person needs to give a half
shekel in order that there should not be any plague. Yet, Dovid forgot that
halacha. This was retribution for him calling Hashem an instigator when he was
trying to talk down Shaul. Yoav Dovid's general who was appointed to the
task of leading the count was not excited about the job. But Dovid didn't
really leave him much choice. And thus Dovid's final folly began.
Yoav
started his count on the other side of the Jordan River by the portion
of Gad. Today that is associated with Hurbat Aroer in Jordan.
From there he went around the Golan Heights to the portion of Dan
to the city of Ya'an just north of there. From there it was over to the
coast line to Tzidon which is in Lebanon and then all the way down the
country to the Negev to the city of Bee'r Sheva. As you can
imagine this was not an easy journey. In fact Yoav as well took his time with
it hoping that Dovid would reconsider. He didn't. Yoav returned and gave Dovid
the count which numbered close to a million. (there are differences between the
count here and in the book of Ezra). And then it sunk in to Dovid that he had
sinned. Uh Oh.
Dovid
davened all night long but in the morning the Navi Gad came to Dovid and told
him that Hashem has given him a choice of punishments. He would have to select
which one he wanted. Curtain Number 1) was 7 years of famine. Curtain 2) Three
months of war in which Dovid would flee from his enemies or 3) three days of
plague. Which one would you choose. Which would you choose after experiencing a
year and a half of Corona plague?
Dovid
decided to take Curtain number 3) for the plague. The reason for this choice is
because he preferred to be given over to the hands of Hashem rather than in the
hands of people. A famine would make him dependent on other nations for mercy
and food. As well the hands of the enemy would obviously leave him in the
gentile's hands. Other commentaries suggest that Dovid didn't want the people
thinking or accusing him of trying to avoid the punishment. As obviously as
King he would have enough food to ride out the famine. As well his people
wouldn't let him be taken in war. Plague on the other hand, as we have learned
this year can hit anyone; rich, poor, healthy, not healthy, old and young and
even Vaxxed or not.
And
thus the plague hit the Jewish people and 70,000 died. That's an incredible
amount of people in a mere 36 hours. 10 times as many that have died in the
past year and half as a result of Covid. How does that plague end and what is
the aftermath. Stay tuned next year- 5782, next week as we conclude the Book of
Shmuel.
RABBI SCHWARTZ’S TERRIBLE HEALTH FOOD
JOKES OF THE WEEK
What's orange, healthy for you, and sounds like a parrot?
A carrot
Why are trees so healthy? They always have light
meals.
It is proven that the celebration of birthdays is
healthy. Statistics show that those people who celebrate the most birthdays
become the oldest.
They always told me to put 5 colors on my plate to stay
healthy. So how did I get diabetes on my M&M only diet?
What did the health conscious german say, when he entered
Whole Foods? Gluten Morgen
Chicken soup is healthy for you. As long as you’re not
the chicken.
Fitness experts recommend walking 10,000 steps per day to
remain healthy.That is an awful lot of trips to the fridge.
Healthy eagles come from America. Ill eagles come from
Mexico.
Today marks 4 weeks of isolation. Been running 2.5 miles
a day, drinking 2 gallons of water, cut out ALL meat, sugar, dairy and flour. I
feel great! Zero alcohol, a healthy vegan diet, gluten free, caffeine free,
sugar free and a 30 minute home workout each day.
I have no idea who originally posted this, but I am
really proud of them so I decided to copy & paste!
Why is eating honey so healthy? It contains a lot of
vitamin Bee
You know, experts say that it’s healthy to cut carbs and
they’re probably right. I just don’t know whether I should cut them with a
knife or a fork.
Yankel and Breindy were an 85 year old couple is going on
holiday, when they suddenly die in a plane crash... They had been married for
60 years, and kept in good health due to their healthy diet and regular
exercise.
When they reached heaven, the heavenly angel took them to
their mansion, decked out with a fully stocked kitchen, master bath suite, and
their very own jacuzzi. As Breindy 'oohed' and 'aahed' at their new
possessions, Yankel asked the malach how much all of this was going to
cost. "It's all free," the malach replied. "We are in
heaven, after all."
Next they surveyed the lush championship golf course
behind their home, where they were entitled to play every day.
Of course, all Yankel wanted to know, was: "How
much are the green fees?"
"It's free!" came the reply.
Next, they went to the club house, and saw the lavish
buffet on offer, with all of the world's different cuisines on offer, every
meal cooked to perfection.
"How much do we have to pay for two?"
asked Yankel.
"Don't you understand, yet?!" the angel
replied, exasperated. "It's all free, you're in heaven!"
"Well, where are the low fat and cholesterol tables
then? The food won't have too many calories, will it?" the old man asked, looking quite
worried.
"That's the best part of heaven," the malach said, excitedly. "You
can eat as much of whatever you want, and you won't gain a single gram!"
With that, Yankel went into a fit of anger, throwing down
his hat and stomping on it wildly. His wife and the Malach tried to calm him
down, asking what was wrong.
Yankel looked at Breindy and screamed "This is
all your fault! If it weren't for you and your blasted bran muffins, I could
have been here ten years ago!"
*********************************
Answer is C- The truth is I always get Kaiser
Wilhelm and Franz Jospeh confused as they both visited Israel in the 1800's.
But then I remember that what they say is that the Kaiser had a pointed helmet
and was too tall on his car that brought him to Jaffa Gate and they didn't want
him to have to bend down. So they knocked down the centuries old gate so that
he could enter. So I got it right! So the
score is 35 for Rabbi Schwartz and 9 for the Ministry of Tourism on this
exam.
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