Friday Shabbat Shalom

The Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed twice—once ~2,500 years ago and after it was rebuilt, ~2,000 years ago again. Nowadays we mourn its destruction and the loss of Jewish sovereignty in the Land of Israel on Tisha B’Av (9th of the Hebrew month of Av) which falls tomorrow night through Sunday.

In this week’s Torah portion Matot Mas’ei, there’s a very interesting verse that can instruct us all in how to lead our lives today. The verse is Numbers 32:22, and just before it Moses says: do this and do that and if you do, you will... and here’s the verse: “Be clear or guiltless before God and before the people of Israel (i.e., your neighbors).” And the rabbis ask — why not just say be guiltless before G!D? Who cares about what other people think?

Sometimes it is helpful to focus in on the details—this is true in life and in learning Torah. When we pay close attention, we can find deep meaning in the subtleties of a smile or in noticing the filigreed pattern of a leaf’s veins just as we can find profound meaning or beauty in one verse—or even letter—of Torah. For each detail is a fractal, or at least a portion, of a larger reality and truth. Through paying attention to details we can connect to beauty and to meaning.

Like many of you, I have been riveted since yesterday to the news of the partial collapse of the Champlain South Tower in Surfside. My colleague, Ofi Osin-Cohen, the Director of Women’s Philanthropy for the Greater Miami Jewish Federation, lived in the part of the Champlain South Tower that is still standing and thank G!D escaped the building. She described how difficult it was to leave, because all the exits were blocked by debris, and how fire rescue needed to send a ladder up to her 4th floor balcony so she, her husband and her neighbors could escape.

Then Israel sang this song: "Spring up, O well-sing to it- The well which the chieftains dug, Which the nobles of the people started with maces, with their own staffs."... This small piece of poetry/song rarely receives attention in a portion packed with so many other powerful themes. However, it perfectly encapsulates the leitmotif of Parashat Hukkat-WATER. The word water is used over 20 times between Numbers 19-21, a huge number for such a small segment of Torah.

The Torah portion of Korach is named for the rebellious Levite Korach who started a dispute over the issue of kedushah. The concept of kedushah is central in Judaism, and its meaning can have profound impact on the environment today. Kedushah, or the corresponding adjective kadosh, are usually translated obscurely as “sanctity” or “holy”; its real meaning is: devotion to a sublime ideal.

So what exactly is resilience? According to the American Psychological Association website, "Resilience is the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats or significant sources of stress - such as family and relationship problems, serious health problems or workplace and financial stressors. It means ‘bouncing back’ from difficult experiences...

Our parashah, BeHa’alotekha, contains one of the classic symbols of Jewish religion, the menorah. The menorah is a symbol that was absorbed from the outside culture but became a primary channel of Jewish teaching and values. This development itself illuminates the Jewish way through history.