Insights and Inspiration
from the
Holy Land
from
Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz
March 11th 2011 -Volume I, Issue 23–5th of Adar 5771
from the
Holy Land
from
Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz
March 11th 2011 -Volume I, Issue 23–5th of Adar 5771
Parshat Vayikra
Your Calling
“So what type of Jew are you?” I was asked this week. “Are you Chareidi (fervently religious) ? Ultra Orthodox? Daati-Leumi (religious Zionist)? Modern Orthodox? Traditional? How would you describe yourself? There is even a newer label, I am told, called Char’DaL- a hybrid of Chareidi and Daati Leumi which also happens to mean mustard, are you that?”
“Frankly I am more of a ketchup person then mustard,” I responded “although if it was Gulden’s brown and spicy I could see being that.
Yet the inquirer was persistent. He really wanted to know. He was considering moving to Israel and he wanted to know what affiliation I was in order to decide if our community was the right one for him and his family. Reluctantly I shared with him the label that I hoped would satisfy him-I described myself as right wing, ultra Orthodox, Chareidi, super Chardal with all the best of Da’ati Leumi…. non practicing…. Meaning, I explained to him, I ideally like to label myself as the most religious possible. That is the goal that I aspire to reach. Unfortunately I’m not there yet. Not even close. But if I had to choose a label I believe that it is the most authentic. I want to aim to be the best but at the same time recognize how much I have to grow.
Unfortunately though, most people find or choose a label that is based on their observance level and that becomes their stalling point. “I’m 90 percent observant so I must be ____” , “I am 75% so I’m______”, “I just like to do some commandments so I must be_____”, “I am more spiritual but I don’t observe so I must be______”. Particularly here in Israel where the religious affiliation is not just your calling card, but what party you will vote for, what schools and social network you will have, what restaraunts you will eat in and where you will make your child’s simchah. The Jewish country is full of little boxes that people try to put you in. I, for one, have gotten a little too big around the waist to fit into a box. And the truth is I think the country is a little too small to handle all these little boxes all as well.
There is a story about a Chasidic Rebbe that had a student that once came to him despondently sharing with the Rebbe his personal grief. He told the Rebbe that he felt like he should just give up on trying to increase his devotion. “It’s useless” he said “I see how holy the Rebbe is and I know I will never reach that level so why should I even bother”. The Rebbe turned to his student, stroked his tear filled cheeks and said, “My dear Chasid you are looking at the difference of space between you and I and perhaps it looks great. But look at the distance between Hashem and I and between Hashem and you. God is so far from both of our comprehensions and human capabilities. When you fathom that difference and see it in that light, than the difference between you and I is really not so much in comparison to the greatness and holiness which we are trying to connect to.”
This week we begin the third book of the Torah. In Latin it is known as Leviticus, or Torat Kohanim-the laws of the priests in the language of the Medrash. Yet in common Jewish tradition we refer to the book that describes all of the sacrificial laws of the Tabernacle as” Va’Yikra”, after the first word of the book “And He Called to Moshe and Hashem to spoke to him from the tent of the meeting saying”. It is a strange name to call this book and it is certainly a strange verse structure. At first it does not saying who is doing the calling and then when it says Hashem spoke to “him” it does not say to whom. If my English teachers were marking this essay they would correct it and write “And Hashem called to Moshe and spoke to him…”. What is the Torah trying to teach us?
The 19th century Rebbe of Slonim sees in this statement an allusion to the calling that we are told goes out daily from Sinai to each soul that was there to return to Hashem. “And He called” refers to that personal voice that reaches out to each Jew. That was the voice that went out to Moshe. And then, after Moshe heard that voice and drew close to the tent, did Hashem first speak to him. In addition, the word Vayikra comes from the Hebrew word Mikreh- an occurrence. Here the word Vayikra is even written with a small Alef to allude to that definition. The voice that goes out can be perceived in our daily happenings. Hashem is calling to us. He wants us to come close and approach. We can hear that voice in all that goes on in our lives. It is upon us to then take the first steps home.
We call this book Va’Yikra because it is the book of us taking the steps to get close to Hashem. The sacrifices and offerings that we bring for the various occurrences in our lives are us responding to them as calls to come home. To bring a Korban/ offering-(from the word closeness)is to say that all of those things that in my life might label me- my sins, my experiences, my thoughts, my mistakes, my joys and my loves are all just homing signals that are meant to lead me back to you. Back to the core of my soul blessed by You so long ago at Sinai. Back to the place…where I know by the fact that You are still calling to me…that I belong.
We are getting closer to the holiday of Purim. One of everyone’s favorite customs of Purim is to dress up in costumes.A reason given for this tradition is because it is meant to be a day when we put all our labels behind us. We hide the externalities that so often define us and prevent us from hearing that inner call. For the voice can only be heard by someone who is still searching to connect, not one who is already satisfied with his self definition. The story of Purim itself shares with us that message. Hashem’s name is not written in the book of Esther. It is a hidden voice that is calling from under the guise of all the occurrences that take place within the story. We were saved in the merit that we answered that call. We changed our Persian garb for that of sackcloth and prayer. We asked to return to get close. To have the chance to be near our Father once more. And our call was answered.
It’s hard to avoid labels. We shouldn’t have to be put into a box. It’s even harder not to label others. The soul of the Jewish people is much bigger then a name tag or affiliation can ever describe. Purim allows us to step beyond all that to reach out to the common bond we all share with one another. To hear that call that wants all of us to come home. To be ourselves as we celebrate with our Creator. May the joy of this month of Adar once again see us filled with the Simcha Sason and prestige of feeling the specialness of being Yehudim united by the love and closeness we wish to feel with our Father in Heaven.
Have an ultra super Shabbat experience,
Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz
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RABBI SCHWARTZ'S COOL PLACES IN ISRAEL OF THE WEEK
KVISH 6 (HIGHWAY 6)-THE GREATEST AND FASTEST HIGHWAY IN ISRAEL THAT I TRAVEL ON QUITE REGULARLY TO GO FROM THE NORTH OF ISRAEL TO THE CENTER AND SOUTH. AFTER 10’S OF YEARS OF DISCUSSION OF THE NECESSITY OF SUCH A HIGHWAY THAT AVOIDS ALL THE TRAFFIC AND ROUNDABOUT OF THE COASTAL ROUTE AND TO CONNECT THE PERIPHERY WITH THE CENTER. THE GOVERNMENT OF ISRAEL FINALLY CHOSE TO PRIVATIZE THE BUILDING OF THE HIGHWAY IN EXCHANGE FOR THE TOLLS THAT WOULD BE COLLECTED FOR ITS USAGE FOR A THIRTY YEAR PERIOD.
IN 2002 THE HIGHWAY OPENED RATHER THEN THE TOLLS AND BOOTHS AMERICAN MAY BE FAMILIAR WITH THE HIGHWAY OPERATES ON A CAMERA SYSTEM WHERE PICTURES ARE TAKEN OF YOUR LICENSE AND YOU ARE CHARGED FOR THE PORTIONS THAT YOU TRAVEL ON WITH A BILL SENT TO YOUR HOME. THERE IS ALSO A PASSKAL (EZPASS) SYSTEM AS WELL THAT DOES NOT REQUIRE YOU TO STOP AND AUTOMATICALLY REGISTERS YOUR PLATE. THE HIGHWAY HAS GREAT REST STOPS ALONG THE WAY. PARTS OF IT TRAVEL RIGHT ALONG THE WEST BANK MAKING IT THE EASTERN MOST HIGHWAY IN ISRAEL. PLANS ARE ALSO CURRENTLY BEING WORKED ON TO EXTEND IT ALL THE WAY TO KARMIEL. WHICH MAKES IT MY FAVORITE HIGHWAY J)
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