Israel, part III - what's it gonna be?

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!  As if we haven’t been around this block before. Remember destruction and forced exile? Remember the rivers of Babylon? I do and I ain’t goin back.  Unfortunately it’s not up to me alone; I need all of you to get along too.  

If women want to daven at the Wailing Wall with tfillin and tallit or if a Haredi wants to spend the entirety of his time on earth studying Torah – zay gezunt – be healthy, but be smart about it.  Trying to force one outlook or stream of Judaism upon another is disrespectful, inconsiderate, and flat out wrong.  Taking my rant one step further – the Judaism as is represented by The State is a Chilul HaShem, a desecration of God’s name, and void of God’s divine presence in every way.  Sure not all is so so bad, in fact there are amazing developments taking place here, Israel is presently making the world better, then again we all know it only takes one bad apple to spoil the bunch.  Here in Israel there are many bad apples.  Too many Jews being turned away for one reason or another, too many Jews forced to abide by a stringent interpretation of the sources and even more stringent practice of Judaism, the sages may be turning in their graves. Where is God in this? This is not the compassionate, loving God of Israel.  This is more like man’s ego doing damage.

Worlds are created through words, as in the case of our world according to Genesis and our prayers - ברוך שאמר והיה העולם; we ought to consider the words we speak, for words do harm.

A good word can uplift one’s spirit to the greatest of heights; a bad word can bring you really down.  The sages teach us in tractate Baba Metzia "המלבין פני חבירו ברבים כשופך דמים" – embarrassing someone is like spilling their blood.  The Jewish People are bleeding, we cannot afford to hate one another, and we must stop using language of hate, it seems as though we are actively seeking to destroy one another when in fact we’re destroying ourselves.  Rather than focus on what unites us, celebrating shared values, memories, identity and homeland – the Judaism of The State prefers focusing on our differences and that’s just crazy.  It makes no sense because we were all at Sinai, we are all partners with God and we are a People bonded by covenants of past and future.

I'm not interested in the re-occurrence of past calamities, and neither are you, “SO – let’s stop the competition now or we will all be losers.” (The Belle Brigade)  Tikun Israel now.

Jewish Memory and Revelations

Living a Jewish life means living within a particular framework of rituals and experience, values and memories (i.e. we were slaves in Egypt) and guidelines (Jewish Law).  Passover, a microcosm of Jewish life, requires a set of guidelines in preparation of the festival including the cleaning of “Hametz”, dietary constraints and of course the ‘Seder’ accompanied by the ‘Haggadah’. Within this framework we remember stories, sing songs and chant blessings all reflective of Passover’s primary theme – עבדים היינו – we were slaves.  The notion of Slavery vs. Freedom is reflective of the all-encompassing theme of duality in our Torah, in our lives and our existence.  Genesis begins with creating order out of chaos for “…the earth was unformed and void…” so God decides on boundaries and creates: light and darkness, day and night, and so on.  The Passover Seder does just that – it reminds us of the order of things.  Like Genesis, Exodus is a story about creation, of setting boundaries – of transformation through revelation.  It is precisely this act of transformation through revelation that the Jewish People seek to recall, continuously, year after year, that “we were slaves in Egypt”.  Creation of the world cannot be duplicated, but the transformation from slavery to freedom can be recalled, urging us to appreciate the duality of existence: yesterday we were slaves, today we are free.  What will tomorrow bring?  As far as our tradition is concerned, tomorrow is today and today we are free.  This is what I believe the Sages of blessed memory intended to do when they created the Seder. The story of Exodus is simple and easy to understand, yet the journey of Exodus - as in life - is complex and full of surprises.  However it is the complexity of life that brings us meaning, allowing us to grow spiritually and intellectually; constantly knowing from where we came, so that we may know to where we are going.

גילוי דרך עשייה

לחיות חיים יהודים זה לחיות בתוך מסגרת מסוימת של טקסים, ניסיון, ערכים, זיכרונות (כ"עבדים היינו במצרים") והנחיות (דרך החיים או הלכה). פסח, מיקרוקוסמוס של חיים יהודיים, המחייב סדרה של הנחיות לקראת החג שכולל ניקוי חמץ, הגבלות תזונתיות וכמובן את ה'סדר' שמלווה על ידי ההגדה. בתוך מסגרת זו אנחנו מספרים סיפורים, שרים שירים, מברכים, ומזכירים את אבותינו ואמותינו כנושא המרכזי בפסח כי – עבדים היינו. עבדות בניגוד לחרות זה נושא דואלי לכל אורך התורה וכל חיינו.  כמו בראשית שמתחילה עם יצירת סדר מתוך הכאוס "והארץ היתה תוהו ובוהו..." ובכן אלוקים מחליט על סדר גבולות: אור, חושך, יום ולילה, וכן הלאה. פסח עושה בדיוק את זה – זה מזכיר לנו שיש סדר ודרך הסדר אנחנו חופשיים. כמו בראשית, יציאת מצרים היא סיפור על יצירה, של הגדרת גבולות – שינוי דרך, גילוי. דרך העשייה אנחנו מגלים את מה שהמסורת דורשת מהעם היהודי כל שנה ברציפות, שנה אחרי שנה, כי "בכל דור ודור חייב אדם לראות את עצמו כאילו הוא יצא ממצרים". לא ניתן לשכפל את בריאת העולם, אבל את הסיפור של עבדות לחרות אפשר לשחזר, והוא דוחק אותנו להעריך את הדואליות של הקיום: אתמול היינו עבדים, היום אנחנו חופשיים. ומה יביא מחר? מבחינת המסורת שלנו, מחר מתחיל היום, והיום אנחנו חופשיים! זהו מה שאני מאמין החכמים ז"ל התכוונו כאשר הם יצרו את ליל הסדר. הסיפור של יציאת מצרים הוא פשוט וקל להבנה, אך המסע של יציאת מצרים - כמו בחיים – מורכב יותר ומלא בהפתעות. עם זאת המורכבות של החיים היא הנותנת משמעות ומאפשרת לנו לצמוח מבחינה רוחנית ואינטלקטואלית; הזיכרון המתמשכת משנה לשנה, ומדור לדור, בעצם מבטיחה לנו שאם נזכור מאין בנו תמיד נדע לאן אנו הולכים.

"...אם לא עכשיו, אימתיי?!"

"הוא (הלל) היה אומר, אם אין אני לי, מי לי; וכשאני לעצמי, מה אני; ואם לא עכשיו, אימתיי?"
אם אתם מסכימים שהגיע הזמן לתקן את עצמנו - שתפו עם אחרים! תיקון ישראל. מדי פעם אנו מתעסקים באיזושהי רמה של תיקון. זה קרה עם משה רבנו אשר הוביל את בני ישראל מעבדות לחרות, ולאחר אלפי שנים דרך תשובתו של הרצל בשאלת היהודים (הציונות המודרנית), ומה קורה עכשיו – ממש ברגע זה? רבים מאתנו כבר עוסקים בתיקון, אך לא מספיק מאיתנו. כולנו צריכים להיות מעורבים בתיקון ולא רק ישראלים יהודים. אנחנו מדמיינים ישראל טובה יותר - לא מושלמת – אך טובה יותר. זה דורש התמודדות אישית, קהילתית והתמודדות מול האחר. התמודדות שמובילה לדיאלוג, פשרה, ושינוי התפיסה העולמית. אנחנו שואפים לתיקון עולם - זה המנדט שלנו - אך כדי להצליח במשימה העילאית אנו צריכים גם לרפא ולתקן את עצמנו. למען ציון וכל אזרחיה - תיקון ישראל במהרה בימיינו.

On this day, what would Dr. Martin Luther King say? Dream on.

In 1963 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. shared his dream that “…this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: …that all men are created equal.” Dr. King’s dream extended beyond healing African-American suffering; his vision included “…all men…” society as a whole. Seventy years earlier, in 1895, Theodor Herzl shared his vision for Jewish emancipation when he stated that “…the world will be liberated by our freedom…” (Der Judenstaat, “The Jewish State”).

 

In both movements the calls for freedom and self-determination for a specific group has the potential to extend beyond that particular group. The power of healing ourselves can extend to healing others. But how can we help ensure that dreams for a better world are realized when injustice continues in our world? When our own leadership fails to protect innocent women, men, and children in Syria, Iran and other war-torn oppressive countries for the sake of self-interests? When instead of feeding the poor, we feed the coffers of dictators and radicals who continue to spew words of hate and death – all in the name of “keeping the quiet”.

 

Martin Luther King Day should not be marked simply as a memorial day. It is a day of action; a day that inspires us to imagine and realize the collective dream of a better tomorrow.

It has been nearly half a century since Dr. King shared his dream, and over a century since Herzl shared his. Yet, the passage of time has placed the greater potential of those dreams further from our grasp. Today, sharing in Dr. King and Herzl’s visions means that we must move from merely longing for what might be in the future and rather focus on what can be in the present. Acting out Dr. King or Herzl’s dream is a continuous journey; a journey whose very purpose is in the present.

 

Paramount in both dreams is identifying the common denominator that unites a people. For the African-Americans in the 1960s, it was a common struggle against hundreds of years of slavery, oppression, and inequality based on color. For the Jews in Herzl’s time, it was a struggle to put the Jewish collective back on track following 2,000 years of wandering and persecution.

 

However, for the Jewish People of today, who cannot recall what life was like before the establishment of the state of Israel, the dream as described by Herzl may seem irrelevant. After all, the pogroms of Europe and Czarist Russia and the Shoah (Holocaust) are distant in our collective memory. Today we must face the challenges presented by the disintegration of the social fabric of Jewish Peoplehood, in Israel and around the world.

 

When citizens of the world remember Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his march for equality, I am inspired. I am inspired to reclaim my Zionism from those who have hijacked my identity, from those who attempt to isolate my Zionism from my Judaism.

 

What is my Zionism? My Zionism is served by “Tikun Olam”, healing the world – BUT before I go ahead and heal the world, I engage in “Tikun Israel”, a healing of Israel: Israel the geo-political nation state, Israel the spiritual struggle and wrestling with God and self, and Israel the People (Jewish Peoplehood).

It is an old concept, really. This week’s Torah portion reflects Moses’ engagement in this Tikun as he works hard to get the Israelites out of Egypt, out of the slave mindset and into the Exodus narrative; as did Herzl when he engaged in “Tikun Israel” by convincing the world and the Jewish People that the answer to the Jewish question was a return to Zion.

 

Sixty-five years after the establishment of the modern-nation state, our work is far from over, our return to Zion is incomplete.As supporters of the Civil Rights Movement stand proud in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, continuing to realize his dream for justice and equality, Zion has arrived at a fork in the road. Will Jews worldwide remember from where they came? Or will they forget and by doing not know to where they are going? Will the government of Israel serve the purpose of Zion and the Jewish State by welcoming all Jews despite their religious affiliation, or will political machinations trump Am Yisrael, Jewish Peoplehood? And finally if we do not heal ourselves, how can we ever truly heal others?

 

Today we stand atop the shoulders of past visionaries to become inspired by the potential of the journey ahead, a journey that started at Exodus, inspired Dr. King to lead his people to the “Promised Land”, and moved Herzl to declare the founding of the Jewish State fifty years prior to its establishment. This is a journey that will continue to realize its potential so long as individuals recognize the need to engage in healing.

 

When Israeli citizens go to the polls tomorrow for elections, the international community and Jews worldwide wait to see the make-up of the next government of Israel. For the sake of Zion and making this world a better place – I think of Dr. King and Herzl, and I too dream. I dream that the road to Tikun Olam leads through Tikun Israel, hopefully you do too.

Investing in relationships

Why does Gd repeat Gd's status visa vie Moses and the Children of Israel in Exodus 6:2?: "And God spoke unto Moses, and said unto him: 'I am the LORD..." ויְדַבֵּר אֱלֹקִים, אֶל-מֹשֶׁה; וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו, אֲנִי יְדוָד.
After all didn't Gd just reveal Gd's self at the burning bush a couple chapters earlier (3:2)? Why the need to repeat that which is presumably known? I think it is about relationships. During 400 years of slavery and Egyptian society's pagan practices - the Israelites forgot. They forgot from where they came and had no idea where they were going. The same goes for us. It is easy to forget what is real in our 21st century society were so many worship the gods of materialism - many seeking instant satisfaction. Relationships that are true cannot be bought, traded or googled for that matter; relationships must be kept, nurished, and cherished. There is no instant gratification - but with time, a healthy relationship will bring an even greater return on investment then any stock or purchase. The path to healing this world is through relationships with self, with others, and with the Unknown. Shabbat Shalom.