Blind-Sight - Bo

Parshat Bo
Blindsight

The Eser Makot (ten plagues) are perhaps one of the most fascinating parts of the narrative of the Exodus. From preschool age children to grown adults, we imagine what these plagues were actually like. In our Torah portion of Bo, we read of the final three Makot (plagues) that afflicted the Egyptians; locusts (Arbeh), darkness (Choshech), and the plague of the first born (Makat Bechorot).

When discussing the plague of darkness, the Torah explains that the plague lasted six days. Three days of a deep and penetrating darkness, and then another three days of a darkness so severe that the Egyptians could not even move around. They were essentially prisoners of darkness. 

The obvious question is, beyond the physical and emotional discomfort, what was the purpose of the Choshech? One possible explanation is, that Hashem wanted them to feel what it was like to be prisoners. Rashi (France 1040-1105) comments that there were some Jews that were wicked and didn't deserve to be redeemed. In the commotion and plague of darkness they perished. G-d was essentially "covering up" the death of these wicked individuals.

I have always been bothered by this explanation of Rashi. Why cant we just call it as it is? Why shouldn't we perhaps amplify the negative behavior and deeds of these individuals and broadcast the following message "when you do bad things, you get punished"? Why the need to "cover up" or be discreet about it?

Some commentaries explain, that Hashem didn't want the Egyptians to scoff and say "look Jews are dying as well, they are no better than us". But perhaps there is a more basic message for us as parents and educators. The message is simply don't accentuate the bad. When we look at our children, students, parents, spouses and peers, very often we see things that we don't like. Sometimes it is a specific behavior or character trait. Sometimes it can be personality flaw or a specific mannerism that drives us mad. In our minds, these flaws or things that we don't like, become the sum total of the person in our own minds. We become like "prisoners" and are only able to see the negative instead of also seeing the many positive qualities the person possesses. This then complicates our ability to love and educate the person or provide constructive criticism, because it is all through the prism of judgment and negativity.

The lesson of Makat Choshech (plague of darkness) is, its okay not to focus on the negative. Sometimes it is even necessary to overlook some negative character traits and focus on the positive in order achieve redemption.

Names - Shemot

Parshat Shemot
Names

The book of Exodus, the second book of the Torah tells the story of the Jewish people's pain. The slavery, cruelty and discrimination against a people as they struggled to become a nation. These horrid tools were used by the Egyptians to inflict maximum damage and subjugate the Jews. Instead of saying thank you for our contributions, they turned their backs on all the good Joseph had done for their country and economy. Historically, we have seen this pattern of hatred too many times. Anti-antisemitism has its root in our Torah portion. The Egyptians were the first to institutionalize it.

But when you look at the Hebrew word for this book you will see that it reads Shemot-names. No mention of the pain and suffering in this book. No mention of exile and redemption. Just names! The Torah is the book of the Jewish people's history. Of course there are the 613 Mitzvot and so much more, but essentially it is a manual of how Jews are supposed to live. While not the best history book by any means, every story and episode in the Torah is trying to teach us a lesson. That is why some stories and the lives of certain individuals are greatly expounded upon, but other individuals and  decades are sometimes skipped over. It is because the Torah only tells us what we need to know in order to live our lives with a higher purpose.

In this context we can understand the name of this book - Shemot.

When we read the story of the servitude, we are struck with a simple but mind boggling question. How in the world did the Jewish people, a young nation, survive two hundred and ten years of intense slavery? How did they possibly endure it? Our rabbis (Chazal) explain in a number of different Midrashim that throughout all the years of exile, the Jewish people kept certain things even while under duress. They maintained their (1) Jewish Names-Shemot (2) Jewish clothing and (3) Jewish language and according to some commentaries (4), keeping the Mitzvot that they had i.e., Brit Milah, Lashon Hara, marrying within the Jewish community etc. In other words, it was their strong sense of identity and self-awareness, that allowed them to stick together and persevere.

This is why the Torah uses the word Shemot because it indicates the secret to how the Jewish people survived the exile of Egypt and how we would continue to survive the many subsequent exiles and travails of our people.

In modern times, as we see antisemitism raise its ugly head and some may be expressing fear or the notion that we should react bu going underground or curbing our Judaism. Now is the time to take a lesson from Shemot. Unabashed Jewish pride. We must focus on our Shemot, our proud sense of being Jewish, our Jewish identity and stick together as a strong and vibrant community. That is how we overcome darkness and exile.

Am Yisrael Chai! Shabbat Shalom

Vayechi-Live to Eat or Eat to Live

Live to Eat or Eat to Live
Parshat Vayechi

In this week's Torah portion Vayechi, we read the final chapters of Jacob's life, the conclusion of the era of "The Tribes" and also conclude the book of  Genesis-Bereishit. The portion finishes off on somewhat of sad tone how all the Shevatim (12 tribes) passed away and were interred in Egypt. Of course, next week we begin the book of Exodus and the story of the servitude.

The portion begins with the words "Vayechi Yakov Beretz Mitzrayim Sheva Esreh Shanah-And Jacob lived in Egypt for seventeen years." The famed commentator Klei Yakar (Rabbi Shlomo Ephraim ben Aaron Luntschitz of Prague 1550 –1619) explains that the Gematriya (numerical value) of  seventeen is Tov, which means good. In other words, Yakov Avinu lived his best years (Tov) in Egypt. 

At first glance this statement seems puzzling. After all the suffering he endured, and having to leave his beloved land Israel to go into exile, were these really his best years? While one can understand the joy of being reunited with his long-lost son Yosef, it still seems a bit of a stretch to say that these last seventeen years were truly the best of his life.

I recently saw a health article about positive and healthy eating habits which asks a simple yet profound question attributed to the French playwright Moliére "Do you eat to live or do you live to eat?" This is a profound question because it is essentially asking us do we control our food or is our food controlling us?

The same question can and must be asked of our lives in general. Do we live in order to work, eat etc., thereby becoming slaves to everything around us, or, do we use all out life's experiences (jobs, family, success) towards a higher and more lofty purpose, i.e. eat to live?

Jacob lived his best years in Egypt because he was able to look back at his life, at all of the trials and tribulations and put them all in perspective. He was able to finally see how everything he had lived through, and worried about, came to a peaceful conclusion. He was surrounded by his family. They were all G-d fearing and committed to a life of goodness and spirituality. This was his greatest Nachas (joy) and success. Jacob truly fell into the category of "Eat to live" as he was solely focused on his true mission, to build, educate and preserve Am Yisrael.

Shabbat Shalom,