This week’s Torah portion is Vayera, containing so many things to think about: Abraham’s hospitality in receiving guests, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, Sarah’s miraculous pregnancy and birth of a son, and later the near sacrifice of Isaac, saved by God, prohibiting the practice of human sacrifice for this new religion of Monotheism. For us, loving in a time of increasing acceptance of those who we perceive as the Other, people of a different ethnicity, religion, color, or cultural background, the story of the casting out of Hagar, Sarah’s handmaiden, and their son Ishmael, is deeply troubling.
God had promised Abraham children. After 10 years he has no child. Sarah generously suggests that the elderly Abraham try to have a child with Hagar. They are successful and Ishmael is born. But then, about 14 years later, Sarah conceives and gives birth to Isaac. Isaac becomes a toddler and Sarah sees Ishmael “mocking.” We don’t know what he was doing…. Whether he was being disrespectful to parents or adults, or torturing an animal, or being mean to Isaac or to another boy, or just being unbearably or obnoxiously sarcastic.But perhaps Sarah realizes that Isaac’s big brother, who will be a daily influence and who Isaac will look up to, will, in some way, corrupt baby Isaac. Sarah demands that Hagar and Ishmael be sent away. Sarah says, “Drive out this slavewoman and her son, for the son of that slavewoman shll not inherit with my son, with Isaac.
The matter greatly distressed Abraham regarding his son, so God said to Abraham, Be not distressed over the youth or your slavewoman, Whatever Sarah tells you, heed her voice since through Isaac will offspring be considered yours. Bur the son of the slavewoman as well will I make into a nation, for he is your offspring.” (Gen. 21:10-13) This is so puzzling. Why would God side with Sarah? We see this not as the freeing of a slave, but as a life-threatening abandonment of a woman and a child. Sarah frames her request in terms of inheritance, but the text implies that inheritance is not the real issue. It is the character of Ishmael that Sarah objects to. Ishmael is probably a typical teenager. Having had two teenage sons of my own, I know what a 15 year old boy is like. Even the best of them are trying at times. An interesting question is, why did God allow Sarah to see Ishmael’s objectionable behavior in that moment? Anything we see, we see for a reason. God must have wanted Ishmael sent away.
Initially, when Hagar became pregnant and began to look down on Sarah, Sarah complained to Abraham and Abraham put the matter in Sarah’s hands. Sarah dealt firmly with Hagar, and Hagar ran away. God brought Hagar back at that time. But now God causes Hagar and Ishmael to be sent away. We feel this to be an injustice. It is wrong to exclude anyone. We know that we are all one – all part of each other. I think perhaps there might be an ultimate purpose to Hagar and Ishmael being sent away.
How many of you had or have siblings? Can you remember what it was like growing up with them? You fought, made up, fought again, and became better people for it. Those conflicts served a purpose, and many, though not all, siblings go on to have deeply satisfying relationships. Here is another perspective: No one can go to college who has not completed elementary school. We can’t skip over certain life steps, certain necessary times of learning and struggle. In the same way, the human family is similar to young siblings. There is a necessary time of conflict: of learning, and of developing so that real peace can be achieved.
If we look at the time of the Torah, or the time of the Prophets, more than 2,000 years ago, the descriptions shock us. The time was more warlike, more brutal, more difficult to survive in. Our time looks more gentle, although there are still horrific wars, may they end soon. Perhaps we are on a continuum of learning how to get along with each other: how to be more peaceful human beings, how to develop real respect and even love for each other. And perhaps God knew that we could not skip the steps in between.
Yes, terrible problems have come out of the separation between the Arabs and the Jews. We have a long way to go before we as aggregate groups will be able to live peacefully. However we are learning. Perhaps we are only a third to a half of the way there. But neither are we at the place, in terms of our moral state, where our ancestors were. May we understand that conflict with others is a teacher; that we have been separated so that we can come back together, in love and acceptance. Our Divine parent is watching us patiently, encouraging us to react to each other with gentleness and forbearance. May we learn and grow, becoming more peaceful, less angry, more loving, and more caring about each other, causing our Divine parent to smile.
Friday, October 25, 2013
Friday, October 18, 2013
Let It Be Me
This week’s Torah portion is Lech Lecha, which means, go for yourself. God speaks to Abraham, whose name is still Abram until the end of this portion, for the very first time, with the offer of great blessing, if Abraham will follow God, leaving his native land to journey to Canaan in order to establish a new nation there. Abraham does so and God promises him the land four separate times in this portion. At the end of Lech lecha, God makes a covenant with Abraham: Abraham and his descendants accept God as the only God, and as the sign of the covenant, every male will be circumcised at the age of 8 days. God then gives Abraham and Sarah their new names. There is an interesting story in this portion about a war between local chieftains. Four kings were battling against 5 kings. Abraham hears that his nephew, Lot, has been captured and immediately arms his employees to enter the fray and rescue Lot. Abraham’s allies are victorious and Abraham brings Lot back.
The kings gather to divide the plunder, the spoils of war. The Torah says, “And Malchizedek, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine. He was a priest of God the Most High. Malchizekek blessed him and said, Blessed is Abram of God, the Most High, maker of Heaven and Earth, and blessed is God, the Most High, Who has delivered your foes into your hand. (Gen. 14:18). This man, Malchizedek, whose name means Righteous King, is very mysterious. This is his only mention in the Torah. Apparently he is a priest who is a monotheist, someone who worships the one God. And even more intriguing, he lives in Salem, in other words, Jerusalem, the place where Jacob eventually will settle. So there is a monotheist in the very same area where God has asked Abraham to settle.
This is even more strange when we take into account another line from last week’s portion. We are told at the end of the portion, Noah, “Terah took his son Abram, and Lot the son of Haran, his grandson, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, his son Abram’s wife; and they departed from Ur of the Chaldees, to go to the land of Canaan; they arrived at Haran, and settled there” (11: 31). This verse tells us that Abraham’s Father, Terah, was also on his way to Canaan, but that he stopped and settled in Haran, which was still a part of Mesopotamia, and never completed the journey. Now Mesopotamia was the heart of civilization at this time. Canaan was the sticks. Why would anyone go there? Abraham’s brother had died in Ur. Terah had lost a child. Perhaps they were fleeing painful memories. Maybe we can see God’s hand in theses events.
It seems that perhaps God was trying to establish monotheism in this very specific place on the earth. Perhaps God tried to do this with Malchizedek, but it seems that Malchizedek’s influence was limited. Perhaps God tried to do this with Terah, Abraham’s father, but Terah didn’t follow through, whether through grief, exhaustion, or other factors. And then, God attempted it with Abraham, and this worked. Monotheism “took.” Abraham did establish monotheism in this very place, in Canaan, close to Jerusalem, and from there the knowledge of the One God has spread across the Middle East, Europe, the Americas, and the world. What can we glean from these verses and what is the Torah teaching us?
Perhaps it’s letting us know that God has many important tasks to carry out in the world and many things to teach humanity. These tasks can only be accomplished and these lessons can only be imparted through human beings. God therefore needs us to be God’s partners. Howard Schwartz, a professor at University of Missouri-St. Louis, a Jewish folklorist and mythologist said in an article in the Magazine, Reform Judaism, that “Rabbi Isaac Luria of Safed, known as the Ari was the first to propose that the Jewish people are God’s partners in repairing the world, The Ari did so by constructing a cosmic myth around the term Tikkun olam, In the Ari’s myth, the primordial light God sent forth on that first day is the same light scattered around our world as holy sparks, which each of us is called upon to seek out and gather.” This has become a mainstream Jewish teaching.
We are God’s partners in perfecting and continuing Creation. But we are imperfect. We don’t always follow through. Like Moses, who initially tried to evade the task God asked him to accomplish, leading the Israelites out of Egypt, we don’t always want to undertake the tasks presented to us. We can’t always complete what we have started. So God will keep trying to find the right person to bring more understanding into the world, and to accomplish what God thinks needs to be done. We are all called upon to do our part: a little part of all the things God would like done. May we be like Abraham, who, without hesitating, without arguing and without any delay, went forth to do what God asked of him. When something is asked of us: when we see how we can be of help and of service, may we say to the Source of Life, Hineni, just tell me what you want me to do, and whatever You, dear, Holy One wish to have done, Oh, let it be through me.
The kings gather to divide the plunder, the spoils of war. The Torah says, “And Malchizedek, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine. He was a priest of God the Most High. Malchizekek blessed him and said, Blessed is Abram of God, the Most High, maker of Heaven and Earth, and blessed is God, the Most High, Who has delivered your foes into your hand. (Gen. 14:18). This man, Malchizedek, whose name means Righteous King, is very mysterious. This is his only mention in the Torah. Apparently he is a priest who is a monotheist, someone who worships the one God. And even more intriguing, he lives in Salem, in other words, Jerusalem, the place where Jacob eventually will settle. So there is a monotheist in the very same area where God has asked Abraham to settle.
This is even more strange when we take into account another line from last week’s portion. We are told at the end of the portion, Noah, “Terah took his son Abram, and Lot the son of Haran, his grandson, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, his son Abram’s wife; and they departed from Ur of the Chaldees, to go to the land of Canaan; they arrived at Haran, and settled there” (11: 31). This verse tells us that Abraham’s Father, Terah, was also on his way to Canaan, but that he stopped and settled in Haran, which was still a part of Mesopotamia, and never completed the journey. Now Mesopotamia was the heart of civilization at this time. Canaan was the sticks. Why would anyone go there? Abraham’s brother had died in Ur. Terah had lost a child. Perhaps they were fleeing painful memories. Maybe we can see God’s hand in theses events.
It seems that perhaps God was trying to establish monotheism in this very specific place on the earth. Perhaps God tried to do this with Malchizedek, but it seems that Malchizedek’s influence was limited. Perhaps God tried to do this with Terah, Abraham’s father, but Terah didn’t follow through, whether through grief, exhaustion, or other factors. And then, God attempted it with Abraham, and this worked. Monotheism “took.” Abraham did establish monotheism in this very place, in Canaan, close to Jerusalem, and from there the knowledge of the One God has spread across the Middle East, Europe, the Americas, and the world. What can we glean from these verses and what is the Torah teaching us?
Perhaps it’s letting us know that God has many important tasks to carry out in the world and many things to teach humanity. These tasks can only be accomplished and these lessons can only be imparted through human beings. God therefore needs us to be God’s partners. Howard Schwartz, a professor at University of Missouri-St. Louis, a Jewish folklorist and mythologist said in an article in the Magazine, Reform Judaism, that “Rabbi Isaac Luria of Safed, known as the Ari was the first to propose that the Jewish people are God’s partners in repairing the world, The Ari did so by constructing a cosmic myth around the term Tikkun olam, In the Ari’s myth, the primordial light God sent forth on that first day is the same light scattered around our world as holy sparks, which each of us is called upon to seek out and gather.” This has become a mainstream Jewish teaching.
We are God’s partners in perfecting and continuing Creation. But we are imperfect. We don’t always follow through. Like Moses, who initially tried to evade the task God asked him to accomplish, leading the Israelites out of Egypt, we don’t always want to undertake the tasks presented to us. We can’t always complete what we have started. So God will keep trying to find the right person to bring more understanding into the world, and to accomplish what God thinks needs to be done. We are all called upon to do our part: a little part of all the things God would like done. May we be like Abraham, who, without hesitating, without arguing and without any delay, went forth to do what God asked of him. When something is asked of us: when we see how we can be of help and of service, may we say to the Source of Life, Hineni, just tell me what you want me to do, and whatever You, dear, Holy One wish to have done, Oh, let it be through me.
Friday, October 11, 2013
Inner Conversations
This week’s Torah portion is Noach: the well known story of Noah, the flood and the ark. God blessed Noah and his family: wife, sons, and daughters-in-law by allowing them to survive, because of Noah’s goodness. After the flood was over, and Noah and his family left the ark, Noah built an altar in gratitude to God for saving him and his family. The text tells us how grateful God was for Noah’s offering. God said to Noah, “I will not continue any more to curse the earth because of earthlings, for the design of human’s hearts are bad from their youth. God then promises never again to bring such a devastating flood to the earth, by reassuring Noah that all the days of the earth: “seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day, and night shall not cease.”
What are we to make of the statement, “for the design of his heart is bad from his youth,” also translated as “the devisings of man’s mind are evil from his youth.” The sages of the Midrash were quick to speak about the yetzer hara, the evil impulse, and the yetzer hatov, the good impulse. The unavoidable conclusion is that God knows us. God hears the negative mutterings in our minds and acknowledges what is, what truly exists: that to listen to the way we think isn’t always pretty. Nevertheless, God is merciful to us. The sage Nachmanides, who lived in 13th Century Spain, saw it slightly differently. He said that the phrase from his youth, means in his youth, in other words, Nachmanides maintains that there is learning that takes place, so that we grow out of plotting so much selfishness.
I think we could look at this with an additional perspective. We know that the thoughts that arise in us are often negative. We see life and interpret events, even events that occur to help us, negatively. We talk ourselves into depression. We allow our own often pessimistic thoughts to be the prevailing reality rather than the life, goodness, and blessings that have been given to us. Like the famous line from the comic strip Pogo, “we have met the enemy and he is us.” Rabbi Nachman of Breslau wrote so much on this topic. He knew how much misery we are capable of creating for ourselves by thoughts alone. Rabbi Nachman connects our negative thoughts to our opinions of ourselves. This is very psychologically wise and insightful. The principle of projection, that we project upon others what we lack or find unacceptable in ourselves, postulated by Freud in the 1890’s, is a modern day articulation of Rabbi Nachman’s insight.
In the Talmud there are two stories about a man named Gamtzu, which means, this too. The Talmud asks, “Why was he called…Gamzu? Because whatever befell him he would declare, Gamtzu This also is for the best.” Gamzu knew that maintaining an optimistic outlook always helped him in his life.
Rabbi Nachman used to tell this story: There was once a poor man who earned a living digging and selling clay. Once, while digging, he discovered a diamond which was obviously very valuable. Since he had no idea of its worth, he took it to an expert for appraisal. The expert answered, "No one here will be able to afford such a stone. Go to the capital, and there you will be able to sell it." The man was so poor that he could not afford to make the journey. He sold everything he had, and went from house to house, collecting funds for the trip. Finally he had enough to take him as far as the sea. He then went to board a ship, but he did not have any money. He went to the ship's captain and showed him the jewel. The captain immediately welcomed him aboard the ship with great honor, assuming he was a very trustworthy person. He gave the poor man a special first class cabin, and treated him like a wealthy person. The poor man's cabin had a view of the sea, and he sat there, constantly looking at the diamond and rejoicing. He was especially particular to do this during his meals, since eating in good spirits is highly beneficial for digestion. Then one day, he sat down to eat, with the diamond lying in front of him on the table where he could enjoy it. Sittting there he dozed off. Meanwhile, the mess boy came and cleared the table, shaking the tablecloth with it's crumbs and the diamond into the sea. When he woke up and realized what had happened, he almost went mad with grief. Besides, the captain was a ruthless man who would not hesitate to kill him for his fare. Having no other choice, he continued to act happy, as if nothing had happened. The captain would usually speak to him a few hours every day, and on this day, he put himself in good spirits, so that the captain was not aware that anything was wrong. The captain said to him, "I want to buy a large quantity of wheat and I will be able to sell it in London for a huge profit. But I am afraid that I will be accused of stealing from the king's treasury. Therefore, I will arrange for the wheat to be bought in your name. I will pay you well for your trouble." The poor man agreed. But as soon as they arrived in London the captain died. The entire shipload of wheat was in the poor man's name and it was worth many times as much as the diamond. Rabbi Nachman concluded, "The diamond did not belong to the poor man, and the proof is that he did not keep it. The wheat, however, did belong to him, and the proof is that he kept it. But he got what he deserved only because he remained happy.
We can learn how to be more positive in our inner monologues and be happier because of it. Just because we have a habit of mind of thinking negative thoughts, that doesn’t mean we cannot change that habit. In order for us to truly enjoy the great gifts we are granted, we can learn to wait before leaping to a negative judgment, and allow the Source of Life to hear our joyous, happy, hopeful thoughts. May we go right to work thinking more positive thoughts this year, and though it, cause delight to ourselves and our Creator, when we both listen to the loving, grateful, happy conversations within.
What are we to make of the statement, “for the design of his heart is bad from his youth,” also translated as “the devisings of man’s mind are evil from his youth.” The sages of the Midrash were quick to speak about the yetzer hara, the evil impulse, and the yetzer hatov, the good impulse. The unavoidable conclusion is that God knows us. God hears the negative mutterings in our minds and acknowledges what is, what truly exists: that to listen to the way we think isn’t always pretty. Nevertheless, God is merciful to us. The sage Nachmanides, who lived in 13th Century Spain, saw it slightly differently. He said that the phrase from his youth, means in his youth, in other words, Nachmanides maintains that there is learning that takes place, so that we grow out of plotting so much selfishness.
I think we could look at this with an additional perspective. We know that the thoughts that arise in us are often negative. We see life and interpret events, even events that occur to help us, negatively. We talk ourselves into depression. We allow our own often pessimistic thoughts to be the prevailing reality rather than the life, goodness, and blessings that have been given to us. Like the famous line from the comic strip Pogo, “we have met the enemy and he is us.” Rabbi Nachman of Breslau wrote so much on this topic. He knew how much misery we are capable of creating for ourselves by thoughts alone. Rabbi Nachman connects our negative thoughts to our opinions of ourselves. This is very psychologically wise and insightful. The principle of projection, that we project upon others what we lack or find unacceptable in ourselves, postulated by Freud in the 1890’s, is a modern day articulation of Rabbi Nachman’s insight.
In the Talmud there are two stories about a man named Gamtzu, which means, this too. The Talmud asks, “Why was he called…Gamzu? Because whatever befell him he would declare, Gamtzu This also is for the best.” Gamzu knew that maintaining an optimistic outlook always helped him in his life.
Rabbi Nachman used to tell this story: There was once a poor man who earned a living digging and selling clay. Once, while digging, he discovered a diamond which was obviously very valuable. Since he had no idea of its worth, he took it to an expert for appraisal. The expert answered, "No one here will be able to afford such a stone. Go to the capital, and there you will be able to sell it." The man was so poor that he could not afford to make the journey. He sold everything he had, and went from house to house, collecting funds for the trip. Finally he had enough to take him as far as the sea. He then went to board a ship, but he did not have any money. He went to the ship's captain and showed him the jewel. The captain immediately welcomed him aboard the ship with great honor, assuming he was a very trustworthy person. He gave the poor man a special first class cabin, and treated him like a wealthy person. The poor man's cabin had a view of the sea, and he sat there, constantly looking at the diamond and rejoicing. He was especially particular to do this during his meals, since eating in good spirits is highly beneficial for digestion. Then one day, he sat down to eat, with the diamond lying in front of him on the table where he could enjoy it. Sittting there he dozed off. Meanwhile, the mess boy came and cleared the table, shaking the tablecloth with it's crumbs and the diamond into the sea. When he woke up and realized what had happened, he almost went mad with grief. Besides, the captain was a ruthless man who would not hesitate to kill him for his fare. Having no other choice, he continued to act happy, as if nothing had happened. The captain would usually speak to him a few hours every day, and on this day, he put himself in good spirits, so that the captain was not aware that anything was wrong. The captain said to him, "I want to buy a large quantity of wheat and I will be able to sell it in London for a huge profit. But I am afraid that I will be accused of stealing from the king's treasury. Therefore, I will arrange for the wheat to be bought in your name. I will pay you well for your trouble." The poor man agreed. But as soon as they arrived in London the captain died. The entire shipload of wheat was in the poor man's name and it was worth many times as much as the diamond. Rabbi Nachman concluded, "The diamond did not belong to the poor man, and the proof is that he did not keep it. The wheat, however, did belong to him, and the proof is that he kept it. But he got what he deserved only because he remained happy.
We can learn how to be more positive in our inner monologues and be happier because of it. Just because we have a habit of mind of thinking negative thoughts, that doesn’t mean we cannot change that habit. In order for us to truly enjoy the great gifts we are granted, we can learn to wait before leaping to a negative judgment, and allow the Source of Life to hear our joyous, happy, hopeful thoughts. May we go right to work thinking more positive thoughts this year, and though it, cause delight to ourselves and our Creator, when we both listen to the loving, grateful, happy conversations within.
Friday, October 4, 2013
The Miracle
The miracle of seed and soil -
Add water, sun
And food for all
Comes froth from gritty
Hard crusted earth
Made lover soft by human toil
We gather in before last rain
Or frost destroys
This kiss, this gain -
Not only fruits
But we ourselves
In the Sukkah
Contemplating summer’s loss
To celebrate wonders unaccountable
Unnumbered
And then forgotten
Miracles of life’s existence
Life’s persistence
That we may not, right then, recall
Gratitude, thanks, and praise
Joyously abandoned
For the fullness, richness, of it all
Rabbi Jill Hausman, 2013
Add water, sun
And food for all
Comes froth from gritty
Hard crusted earth
Made lover soft by human toil
We gather in before last rain
Or frost destroys
This kiss, this gain -
Not only fruits
But we ourselves
In the Sukkah
Contemplating summer’s loss
To celebrate wonders unaccountable
Unnumbered
And then forgotten
Miracles of life’s existence
Life’s persistence
That we may not, right then, recall
Gratitude, thanks, and praise
Joyously abandoned
For the fullness, richness, of it all
Rabbi Jill Hausman, 2013
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