Insights and
Inspiration
from the
Holy Land
from
Rabbi Ephraim
Schwartz
"Your
friend in Karmiel"
November 5th
2021 -Volume 11 Issue 6 1st Kislev 5782
Ding! My Whatsapp
beeped on my phone. "New Message from Shani". It's a video clip
of my grandson lying on a blanket and after a few seconds, for the first time
in his life, he turns over all by himself and gurgles happily. Is this Mendy
(chulent) or Shimmy (kugel)? (Or Moishie or Ari- as Shani insists on calling
them, we still haven't worked that out yet- I prefer their names or the
nicknames their namesakes were called- Shani likes the second names they were
given.) How should I know? They're twins and they both look like babies. No, they're
not identical, but all babies pretty much look the same-ish.
Regardless of which very
talented and advanced athletic grand infant this is, I imagine she is sending
me this in order that I be impressed and shep nachas. I wasn't
impressed. Maybe before I lost my weight I considered it a challenging task to
turn over when I was comfortable on my back, but now it's no problem. Getting
down on the blanket on the floor though… that's still a problem for my 50-year-old
knees and thighs. Getting up even more so.
I've gotten a bunch of these Whatsapps from
her, which do delight their bubby. When they smile, when they burp, when they
are in the park. It seems that the female side of my family really enjoys these
milestone updates. Me…? I'm waiting for their first bowl of chulent to be impressed.
The first time they clap and sing along for one of my famous compositions, or
the first time they call me Zaydie. I'm sure it's coming soon. I've been working
on training them extensively when my daughter's not looking. It's amazing what I
can do with my free-time when there are no tours to go on.
But you know, it's really an
interesting thing if you stop and think about it- which I really never did
until this week. Hashem created us human beings different than every other
being in Creation. In my good old days, I would take my tourists to a cow shed in
the Golan where they could feed the baby calves. If we got lucky and we came on
the right day we could watch a baby calf being born. Not a pretty sight- by the
way. Within a few minutes after their birth, that baby was walking around. By the
age of two its already a mother in its own right. By four it's a grandmother, 6
it's a great grandmother, 8 it's a great great grandmother and by 10 or so it's
a steak with French fries on the side, thank-you-very-much. The Israeli ones
become Entrecote, which is kind of like a steak just with a fancier French name
and usually a lot thinner and overdone than the ones I ate in Prime Grill or Essex
on Coney Essen back in the States.
But it's not just cows, all
of the animal, fish, and birds in the world pretty much within a few hours or
so are walking, flying, swimming, communicating amongst each other and of
course eating. Hashem made them ready to get up and go and have a good time in
the world or whatever else they fill up their time with. Why didn't Hashem
create us the same way. I mean aren't we meant to be the pinnacle of Creation?
Isn't the entire world about us? As well, it's not like Hashem can't do this or
hasn't done this either. I mean the first man and woman, Adam and Chava were
created already perfectly formed mature adults. They were capable of doing
everything. Ok, the truth is that it didn’t really work out that well in the
end, but still couldn't we just skip the dirty diapers, the wake-up-in-the-middle-of-the-night-and-feed-me
parts of our lives and just jump ahead to when they could drive their own car
to school, make their own sandwiches for lunch and get out there and start their
own families already just like the birds, the bees, the cows and the deer, the
trout and the gefilteh?
The answer to this deep
philosophical question that was asked by the great Mussar giant the Alter of
Kelm is in fact connected to this week's Torah portion according to the way the
Sifsei Chaim enlightens us. This week in the parsha we are also introduced to a
set of twins that are born very differently. I don't think there is anyone else
in the Torah whom we learn so much about their early childhood and even pre-childhood
development. Eisav is born a finished and complete person pretty much. It's the
reason why they call him Esau- and probably why they write it in English with "u"
at the end of his name, rather than a "v" as it's pronounced. Because
Eisav is Asui- he's done. He's a made man. Yaakov, on the other hand, is
really just beginning, he's on the heels of Eisav. According to Rashi he is
Y'aakov-in the future tense- he will in the future usurp or catch up to him. He's
always chasing. He's always on the move; on the rise.
Continuing in their
development we are tolda that Eisav is a man of the field who knows hunting, Rashi
again tells us that it does not say he was a hunter. He was just someone who
knew hunting What did he do all day? Rashi says he was a batlan- he was just
someone who did nothing all day- if there would've been a Knesset or government
position, he would've fit right in. Yaakov though was a yoshev Ohalim-
he sat in the tents of Shem and Eiver. He would go from tent to tent trying to
learn more, to study more, to grow more, to become more. Even when he leaves
his father's house, at the end of the Parsha Rashi tells us that based on the age
calculations given there is a missing 14 years until he arrived at Lavan's
house. Where was Yaakov? He snuck off to Yeshiva, to the library, to the Beis
Midrash to learn more and more. Fourteen years he didn't sleep, until he
finally left and had that fateful dream of angels going up and down. The
meaning of the dream is that life is a ladder and there is no end to the climb
to the top. You just need to keep climbing and climbing and climbing.
Why is Esau who he is and Yaakov
who he is? The answer Rav Friedlander suggests is because of their outlook and
natural tendencies. He explains that the Alter of Kelm teaches that the reason
human beings are born different than all other creatures is so that from our
earliest moments and at our core awareness of our existence we have it embedded
within us that we are imperfect and we have to learn and we have to grow. The smallest
infants first actions is to push himself to turn over. When he does that he
teaches himself the next stage and learns how to crawl, to sit up, to express
himself, he begins to speak words, to walk. I read once that the amount that a
child learns and the significance and difficulty of the tasks that it accomplishes
in the first few years of it's life is more than any human does through the
course of the rest of their lives. Think about it, within four years the child
has transformed itself from being a helpless little ball of putty- to a walking,
talking, self-capable-to a large degree, human being. That's awesome. How does
he do that? He see's adults around him and he understands that he needs to
become like them. He needs to grow up. He needs to learn how to do what they
do. He needs to become more than he is right now.
We are all charged and have
all undergone that transformation. It is the first self-awareness that we have.
The problem is that once we learned how to walk, talk, go to the bathroom on
our own and eat a bowl of chulent, we turned off that blinking light inside of
us that Hashem programed us to pay attention to. We think we are asui-
we are made already. We become Eisav. Sure, we know we need to get a job still,
find a wife, perhaps advance ourselves even spiritually a bit- by learning a
little here and there. But pretty much we're confident that we've got most of
the job done already in life. We don't see the endless ladder that needs to be
climbed each day step by step. Higher and higher.
Whether grandfathers need
to get excited over every baby milestone is debatable, but parents definitely do.
Remembering back when my kids took their first steps, their first crawls, their
first words (Shani's was cracker- by the way) I remember how exciting it was.
They were finally becoming people. I could play with them. I could teach them.
They could sing with me and eat with me. Last week in my weekly Whatsapp Erev
Shabbos video (which you should subscribe to by sending me an E-Mail- you can
check it out down below), I spoke about the reason why we have to marry people
different than ourselves so that our children would see and learn that life is
about working on oneself and overcoming our own natures. Our spouses help us do
that and its for the good of the children. This week we see the alternate end
of that idea.
The reason Hashem gives us, as parents, little
bundles of flesh that gurgle, burp and cry a lot are so that we can delight and
be inspired by watching how they push themselves and develop more and more each
day. They are our meant to be our living breathing daily inspiration for our
own personal growth. The baby turned over today- was I able to change one middah.
Was I able to push myself a bit further to become a better human being? A better
Jew? He took his first steps- did I take any steps to develop myself more? What
am I doing to become the person I want to be? The person my Father in heaven
who is also looking down on me the same way a parent looks at their babies
milestones, wants me to be. We don't need to take large steps. Baby steps are
fine. But we need to keep climbing. The ladder is waiting. And there is a proud
Father on the top taking whatsapp videos of every little rung that we climb.
Have an amazing Shabbos and a light-filled Chodesh Kislev
Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz
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RABBI
SCHWARTZ’S FAVORITE YIDDISH PROVERB OF THE WEEK
" Dos
leben iz vi kinderhemdel—kurts un bash."- Life is like a child’s undershirt—short and
soiled.
RABBI SCHWARTZ'S
TOUR GUIDE EXAM QUESTION OF THE WEEK
answer
below at end of Email
NEW
EXAM THIS WEEK!
IN 2021 the Ministry of Tourism changed the
Part A of the Exam in a few ways. First
of all there's only 33 questions (of which you have to answer 30). Each
question is worth a point. Part B and C which is choosing one of three groups
of the choices offered and planning a
two day itinerary for them and taking one place from that itinerary and writing
a full page talking point from them, is worth the additional 70 points. On the
Part A rather than the regular multiple choice they did in the past they
divided it into two parts. The first part is a fill in the blank worth a half
point and the 2nd part is a related multiple choice question. I'm
not sure how I'll do on this type of question. I guess we'll find out, wish me
luck!
1) The ruler who built
Acre (Akko) in the Ottoman period was ___________
The reason he chose
specifically to restore Acre:
a) Fear of an English
and/or French invasion
b) The need for a port
c) To make an alliance
with Muhammad Ali
d) Due to the Crusader
wall that still stood in place and served as a line of defense from a naval
invasion
https://youtu.be/okHewq7yUmg – I'm really excited about this newest song release by Eli Beer Ekra.
I saw the promo and it looks and sounds awesome and hartzig. It should be
active by 11:00 PM tonight. So this may go out before the link works. But I
can't wait…
https://youtu.be/MTg2_7QUm6s - I
dunno. Maybe it's the Zionist in me, but when ever I hear this Avinu
Shebashamayim rendition composed by Sol Zim over 30 years ago I get teary-eyed.
Here's Avi Peretz and Ohad doing it together by a wedding… it doesn’t' get more
moving..
https://youtu.be/u0XaRTxNZfo – I thought I had heard all of Carlebach's songs, yet here is a newer lost Carlebach niggun called Niggun Ahava sung by Betzalel Levin
RABBI
SCHWARTZ'S PARSHA/SHABBOS CONNECTION OF THE WEEK
Wellspring of Life- Parshat Toldos- It's probably one of the least interesting parts of this week's Torah portion for those of us today that get our water out of the sink, or the fridge or a bottle. Yet back in the days of our forefathers the digging of wells was a pretty essential task for their survival. But yet the Torah goes on and on about these wells that Yitzchak redug that the Philistines had stuffed up. It even gives them names and shares their names with us. Who really cares?
It seems that these names are so important that city of Be'er Sheva which was originally named after the shvu'ah- the peace agreement and oath that Avraham made with Avimelech the king of the Philistines would now have a new connotation to it. It was called Be'er Sheva after the 7th well that was dug according to the Seforno. In fact only here, the Torah tells us that it would eternally have that name, whereas when Avraham called it that it did not. What's up with all of this?
The Nesivos Shalom explains that the idea of a well is tapping into the spiritual hidden depths and bringing it's blessing out to this world. This was really the essence the job of our Forefathers, to dig down deep beyond the surface of the physical world and reveal to all the waters of life and the Divine spirit that flows out from there and that is the source of all. It is for this reason that the Philistines which correspond to the forces of evil stuffed up these wells. Avraham dug the first three and Yitzchak redug those. In addition Yitzchak dug the next three. These 6 wells correspond to the 6 days of Creation. Each day and each well having its own spiritual force to be revealed in the world and each day there are forces that combat them and try to prevent them from spouting forth. It was only when the 7th well was dug that the Torah tells us that the servants rejoiced. It was the well of Shabbos.
Shabbos is a day when the forces of
evil have no power. When the holy water and blessing flows freely to the entire
world. That is why the Torah tells us it is called Be'er Sheva until this very
day. For each Shabbos we drink from that water of blessing. Each Shabbos is a
day to remember the holiness that our Father Yitzchak and his simple shepherds
dug and revealed to the world.
RABBI SCHWARTZ'S ERA’S AND THEIR PLACES AND PEOPLE IN ISRAEL OF THE WEEK
Dovid's Last Will and Testament- 837 BC- By the way wasn't it cool how last week's column about Shlomo's coronation in the life of Dovid was the haftorah that we read! Yes, this column has heavenly guidance, in case you were wondering. Well, this week, although not the haftorah of the week, but it does share a similar theme. For just as the parsha talks about Yitzchak at the end of his life giving the blessings over to his sons, we continue this column with Dovid's last will, words and blessing to Shlomo.
Fascinatingly enough Dovid who was the great na'im zemiros- composer of psalms and lover of Hashem, who was a person that was beloved by the nation, who fought the battles of Hashem and seemingly despite being betrayed again and again by so many people and yet never held any personal resentment, yet when it came to his last words to Shlomo which lay out an agenda of getting back at his prime enemies thus seem incredibly incongruous. Yet that's exactly what they are.
He begins his final words as we would expect encouraging Shlomo to follow the ways of Hashem and His Torah. He charges him with leading the nation in that proper way and using his gifts, talents and incredible brains to their utmost on behalf of Klal Yisrael and warns him of the consequences to his kingdom if he doesn't. Yet then Dovid takes what it seems a rather personal vendetta that he asks Shlomo to complete for him. There are three people he singles out that Dovid feels he has unfinished business with and he tells Shlomo he needs to finish it up for him.
The first on the list is his nephew and brigadier general Yoav. Although Yoav was certainly his right-hand man for most of his life and battles, our sages teach us and it as well apparent from Yoav's decisions that he acted more out of his own self-interests and his tribes rather than Dovid's. This particularly came out in two instances that Dovid mentions to Shlomo. The first when he killed Avner who was the general that supported Ish Boshes the son of Shaul, rather than Dovid after Shaul's death and the second was when he killed Amasa who was also Dovid's nephew who had supported Avshalom's revolt against Dovid. In both cases Avner and Amasa were extended clemency by Dovid and came to him with an understanding that there was peace and reconciliation and, in both cases, Yoav took matters into his own hand and killed them.
Not mentioned explicitly by Dovid was that Yoav had also killed Avshalom, Dovid's son against Dovid's orders and as well our sages teach us that it was Yoav that spilled the beans about Dovid causing the death of Uriah by sending him out to battle, rather than keeping that information private. For those insurgencies Dovid tells Shlomo that he needed to make sure "he doesn't die of old age" if you get what that means…
The next on Dovid's list is actually quite the opposite of his directive about Yoav. Dovid recalls to Shlomo the great kindness that Barzilai Ha'Giladi showed to him when he was running from Avshalom. At great risk and in at an old age Barzilai crossed the Yarden river and offered supplies and support to Dovid. Dovid had offered him to come live at the palace but he declined and instead send his son Kimehem to live with Dovid. Dovid made Shlomo promise to always take care of the children of Barzilai and to have them be from those privileged to eat at his table.
The last bit of nasty business for Dovid to take care of and really the last command of his life was for Shlomo to make sure that Shim'i ben Geira who cursed Dovid and tried to usurp him consistently would get his just desserts. Dovid had personally made a vow to him that he wouldn't harm him and it is for that reason that he didn't support Adoniyahu's attempt to take the kingship from Shlomo. Dovid was considered that Shlomo might be swayed by this, as well he was Shlomo's rebbi and even the great alteh alteh Zaydie of Mordechai Hatzadik in the Purim story. Dovid told Shlomo, don't trust him. He will betray you. Get rid of him and make him pay for what he did to me. Watch and wait for any sign of treason and then act. Make his return to the grave a bloody one. Boom and then Dovid dies…
It's a fascinating and perplexing unexpected last will for Dovid and the commentaries struggle with why it is he ended his life with such harsh vengeful requests. Yet for the most part they seem to suggest that Dovid's primary concern was the success of Shlomo's kingdom. He was after-all a 12 year boy who had no experience in the ways of leadership. Yoav and Shimi'I would jump on that inexperience and try to hijack that kingship and influence Shlomo. Thus Dovid in his last words wanted to make sure that wouldn't happen.
RABBI SCHWARTZ’S TERRIBLE BABY JOKES OF THE WEEK
What do you call a group of baby soldiers? An infantry.
Do you know what a baby computer calls his old man? Data.
A baby's laugh is one of the most beautiful things you will ever hear. Unless it is 3 a.m., you're home alone, and you don't have a baby.
How do you get an astronaut's baby to sleep? You rocket..
There was a dad who tried to keep his wife happy through
labor by telling jokes, but she didn't laugh once. Know why? It was the
delivery.
How did the baby know she was ready to be born? She was running out of womb.
When at night do parents change the most diapers? In the wee wee hours.
Sam picked up his wife Becky and their new baby from
the hospital and brought them home. It was not long before Becky suggested that
Sam try his hand at changing a diaper.
"I'm busy," he said. "I promise I'll do the next
one."
The next time soon came around, so Becky asked him again.
Sam looked at Becky and said innocently, "I didn't mean the next
diaper, I meant the next baby."
I just bought #1 baby diapers. However my newborn doesn't seem to care, and she also went number two on them.
Little Moishy’s new baby brother was screaming up a
storm.
He asked his mom, “Where’d we get him?”
His mother replied, “He came from shamayim- from Hashem, Moishy.”
Moishy exclaimed, “Wow… I can see why they threw him out!”
A woman in labor suddenly shouted, “Shouldn’t!
Wouldn’t! Couldn’t! Didn’t! Can’t!”
“Doctor, what’s going on?” asked the concerned father-to-be.
“Don’t worry,” said the doctor. “Those are just contractions.”
I sat next to a baby on a 10-hour flight. I didn’t think it was possible for someone to cry for 10 hours straight. Even the baby was impressed I pulled it off.
Why is that baby still in diapers? I’ll give you two reasons: number 1 and number 2.
My baby just ate a bunch of scrabble tiles. The next diaper change could spell disaster.
One night a wife found her husband
standing over their newborn baby's crib.
Silently she watched him. As he stood
looking down at the sleeping infant, she saw on his face a mixture of emotions:
disbelief, doubt, delight, amazement, enchantment, skepticism.
Touched by this unusual display and the deep emotions it aroused, with eyes
glistening she slipped her arms around her husband.
"A penny for your thoughts," she whispered in his ear.
"It's amazing!" he replied. "I just can't see how
anybody can make a crib like that for only $46.50!"
*********************************
Answer is B – I tour- or used to tour Akko a lot when there were tourists in this country. And thus I knew the answer to this one, although I'm doubtful if I would know this about other cities. But the guy that made Akko what we see today in the times of the Turks in the 1740's was Dhar el Omar the Bedouin governor, who as well built up the city of Tiverya. So that's the part 1 of this question. The part 2 I wasn't as confident about, but it seemed to me that the port made the most sense, because that's really what took off in Akko at his time. Th Muhammed Ali (not the boxer, the Egyptian ruler and conquerer) wasn’t even born then. The Crusader wall was mostly down and he fixed it up and although Napoleon did attack later his successor but at his time it wasn't such a fear. So the port is the right answer and I start off this exam on the right foot. Thus we begin this new exam with the score is Schwartz 1and 0 for MOT (Ministry of Tourism) on this exam. .
By the way interesting side fact this Shabbos Toldos and the 4th of Teves was Purim Tiverya established as a holiday because of the great miracle that happened when Dahr el Omar was attacked and put under siege for 83 days by the sultan of Damascus and then he miraculously left on this day. So I always like when exam questions work out with inyanei d'yoma
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