Another D'var - Parsha Pinchas

What is a D’var Torah? It is a talk on a topic relating to a section (or Parsha) of the Torah; typically the weekly Torah portion. Here is the D’var I gave at MJE (Manhattan Jewish Experience) Gramercy Loft Synagogue on Saturday, July 15, 2012.

I learned so much from researching this weeks Torah portion!

First, here is an overview of Parsha Pinchas:

There is controversy in the camp. Pinchas (son of Elazar, grandson of Aaron) rushes into Zimri's tent and kills both him and the Moabite woman he is with! Zimri is a Prince of Israel, and the leader of his tribe.

In G-d’s (Hashem's) name, Moses declares that Pinchas has single-handedly saved the Jews from a plague that would have wiped out all of Bnei Yisroel (Israelites). Hashem rewards Pinchas with a very long life and by making him a Kohain (A Priest) and declares that most of the Kohanim Gedolim (High Priests) will descend from him.

Preparing to enter the land of Israel, it is time to take stock of the nation. After the plague (which claimed the lives of 24,000 Jews), a 2nd census was taken. (The 1st census was at the beginning of the 40 years, and now this one at the end.) Moses and Elazar are put in charge of counting every man between the ages of 20 & 60. Once again the half-shekel coin is the key to the count. Each contributes one half shekel. They tally the results and come up with 601,730 - not much higher than the last census - due to the recent plague.

Now it is time to hand out the portions of land of Israel to the men. This idea doesn't sit well with a family of 5 sisters from the tribe of Menashe. They feel they're being duped out of land because their father passed away. These 5 daughters bring their case before Moses and they ask Moses to allow them to inherit their father's portion (double portion since their father was 1st-born). An early example of women's lib! Moses consults with G-d on the matter and he tells Moses that if a man has no sons, his daughters can inherit the land. So the daughters of Tzelafchad inherit a double portion.

The Parsha also includes the laws of the Korban Tamid, the daily sacrifice, and the laws of the Korban Mussaf. Mussaf means "additional." G-d commands that every morning & afternoon the Kohanim will offer a lamb on the Altar. Offered twice a day every day, including Shabbat- paid for with the half shekels collected from the nation once a year. When it comes to Shabbat, Rosh Chodesh & Yom Tov, the "community" chipped in for the extra.

Sound familiar? We chip in extra for Shabbat kiddush, dinners, holiday services, etc (I often say you expect the temple to be there when you want/need to go, but someone has to pay the electric bill all year...)

These days, praying takes the place of sacrifices. In our prayers we add Mussaf on Shabbat, Rosh Chodesh & Yom Tov, reciting verses from the Torah that mention these sacrifices. On Rosh Chodesh we read the Torah portion that deals with the Korbanot of Rosh Chodesh. When the Beit Hamikdash, the Holy Temple is once again standing, Korbanot will be back. Until then it is up to all of Klal Yisroel (All of Israel) to remember these holy rituals.The words from the Torah that we read in Mussaf about the Korbanot are very powerful.

Do you remember when Moses hit the rock and G-d told him that his dream of entering the land of Israel would never come true? Well as the Jews prepared to enter the land, Moses realizes that the end is near and is concerned that the Israelites need a leader to take his place - one who has courage and is wise. Moses has two candidates or sons, but G-d has other plans. His only concern was that someone should be chosen to replace him to ensure a smooth transition and the continued safety & security. There was no sense of resentment towards the people or his eventual successor.

So, who was chosen? He's humble... he's learned... he's one of only two spies to bring back a good report about Eretz Yisroel... (did you pay attention to my Dvar a couple months back???)...it’s Joshua (Yehoshua Bin Nun)!

G-d asks Moses to appoint Joshua, his prize student, telling him how lucky he is to be chosen by G-d to bring the nation into Israel. First Moses is to put his hands on Joshua's head to transfer his greatness, then Joshua is to speak to the nation in Moses's presence. When Moses approached Joshua, he turns down the position on grounds of humility only giving Moses a stronger case. Humility is a great quality in a leader.

Moses puts his hands on Joshua's head and the spirit of Hashem flows from Moses's fingertips into Joshua's body, he is now filled with the wisdom to guide the Israelites in Moses absence. Moses teaches Joshua how to pronounce the holiest name of Hashem AND the mysteries of the Torah, then drapes him in beautiful garments & brings him before the Israelites.

Towards the end of his career, Moses once again demonstrated why he was G-d’s chosen leader for the chosen people And he sets an example for us on how we might approach leaving, not worrying about ourselves or our legacy and instead focusing on the future. Moses’ final gift to the Israelites was to ensure that there was Joshua ready to replace him and lead the community into the Promised Land.

The ability to focus on other people's needs when the "going gets tough" and not on your own wants and desires is the true definition of leadership. Being a leader is not about the recognition or accolades you might receive, but rather it's the constant focus on the specific needs that are most important to those who are following you. Therefore, if for one reason or another you're no longer able to lead them, you will automatically put their fears and concerns as your primary focus, giving thought to all those who believed in him, his vision, and his dream. It takes a lot to have your focus be on others when your ego, self-esteem, even self-worth are seemingly on the line. But it's precisely this which separates a good leader from a great one.

Leaving a job always brings with it a combination of excitement and sadness. On the one hand we look forward to the new opportunity which beckons us, excited about the challenges which lie ahead. However, at the same time there is often a sense of sadness to be leaving friends and colleagues behind; with the sense that there is still more work to be done.

In leaving there is also an awareness that the place will continue to function without you, and someone else (in all likelihood) will come in and do “your” job. It can be hard to accept that someone else will be taking your place (even when you are the one making the decision to leave).

This week we learned of the Kraus’s imminent transition. Having run the MJE Gramercy Community for the past six years - their note thanked us, the community for “our friendship, commitment and belief and partnership in the mission“   

A leader is not intended to act instead of the people; rather, a master teacher should produce other leaders, not just followers - This Shabbat May we all be blessed to understand that a Jewish leader does not act instead of the people, but rather provides a model to follow. 

With this in mind, let us all learn from the greats around us and strive to instill in ourselves and inspire in others the confidence and skill to be the leaders of the next generation. 

Shabbat Shalom!

In Memory of Leiby Kletzky A”H - One Year Out


Once again THANK YOU & DISCLAIMER: 
Torah Tots (my first stop when Molly/Daniel ask me to do the weekly D’var - TY Tami & family), Aish HaTorah (my second stop), Marc S for sharing his insightful D’var, Frances Z, Eytan R, Wendi E, Seth B, Micol Z / JCast / RabbiDanny.com for their advice and words of wisdom.

Please accept my sincere gratitude and know I shared your words with the best of intentions.

Thank you MJE for giving us such a special and talented couple (family) - Rachel and Daniel Kraus

AND

the incredibly gifted,soul-lifting Chazzan Avi

A final special thank you to Zach’s loft, Bagel Boss (1st Ave bet 15th/16th St - 24 hour!!!),

Molly, Marisa, Brad, Gina, Ilona & Guy - along with the entire MJE Gramercy community!

This week:

MONDAY NIGHT 7/16 - Brazilian Night,
FRIDAY NIGHT 7/20 - Mid-Summer Mediterranean Barbeque,

Register here: http://jewishexperience.org/register

D’var Torah, Shelach

What is a D’var Torah? It is a talk on a topic relating to a section (or Parsha) of the Torah; typically the weekly Torah portion. Here is the D’var I gave at MJE (Manhattan Jewish Experience) Gramercy Loft Synagogue on Saturday, June 16, 2012.

A dream lives within a people's mind for centuries. It begins as a promise to Abraham, 

"to your children I will give this land."

It continues through to Isaac and Jacob, and sustains a nation through two-hundred and ten years of slavery. This is the dream of a land, a land that G-d has chosen as his own, flowing with milk and honey, blessed with seven fruit. It is the land that holds the holiest city on earth, the land that holds the future site of the Holy Temple. It is the Land of Israel.

In this week's Parsha, Shelach the Jewish people had received the Torah on Mt. Sinai and were ready to enter the land of Israel. There is a mixed reaction to the news. On the one hand they are happy that Hashem's promise to Abraham is about to be fulfilled. On the other hand, the land of Israel is occupied by seven nations whose armies can probably clobber B'nei Yisroel (the children/people of Israel).

Hashem will take care of everything. All He asks for is a little faith. 

The Jews get a brainstorm: send spies to check out the land and see if it's worth fighting for and feasible to conquer. Moses (Moshe) is caught by surprise. He knew that the Almighty's promise to give the Land included a guarantee to conquer it. He asks Hashem what to do. Hashem isn't too happy with the idea. But He commands Moses to pick 1 man from each tribe. Moses sent out the princes of the tribes (12 men of the highest caliber, distinguished, important men) to scout out the land of Israel so that when G-d has finally told them that they are ready to enter it, they can conquer it swiftly and easily.
Moses and the Jewish people had different reasons for sending spies into the Land. Moses trusted G-d completely, he had no doubt that the land was good; he merely wanted to define its energy, learn how to prepare in the best way. The Jewish people, on the other hand, had a different motivation. They were wary of entering unknown territory, even though it had been Divinely promised to them. They were primarily interested in investigating the physical and material nature of the Land.

The spies' challenge was whether to carry out Moses's mission or the Jewish people's. Whose agents were they going to be? Would they be guided by Moses's perspective, and look at the land through spiritual eyes, or would they instead see the Land from the physically-oriented perspective of the Jewish people? 

The Almighty allows each of us the free will to go in the direction we choose.

So, they gather samples to bring back, cutting down a vine of huge grapes. It takes eight of them  to carry the cluster. One more man carries a pomegranate and still another balances a giant fig. But the spies have no intention of coming back with a good report because, in a word, THEY are chickens. They are scared to go to war with the nations of Canaan and will say whatever it takes to keep Bnei Yisroel from entering the land. 

At the end of last week's parsha Miriam spoke Lashon Hara (spoke evil) about her brother and was punished by being sent out of the camp for 7 days - and suffered public humiliation. She was a great woman, who out of concern for her brother Moses went to Aaron (her other brother), thinking it was a mitzvah. The spies could have learned from what happened to her although their sin was not slander, rather it was not trusting in G-d.

Forty days later, on the 8th of Av, the spies return. They go straight past Moses's tent and immediately broadcast their report to the entire nation. They start out by saying that the land really does flow with milk and honey and that the land grows huge fruits of gigantic proportions.So far so good, but, then the spies turn against Moses and discouraged with lots of reasons not to even attempt to enter the land of Israel, rallying the people against going up to the land. There's no place for a sneak attack; There are giants living there; There's disease and plague wherever you go...The crowd is in an uproar! 

Moses tries to remind them that Hashem who created world and took us out of egypt will do the real fighting but they don't want to hear it! Joshua and Caleb also tried to stem the rebellion, they proclaimed the land was wonderful and tried to assure the Jewish people that they could defeat the inhabitants; but they did not succeed.

Darkness has fallen and the spies have doomed Bnei Yisroel to remember Tisha B'Av (the 9th of Av) as the day of gloom for all of time. Hashem says to Moses, "How much longer will it take for Bnei Yisroel to trust me? They've seen signs... they've experienced wonders. They should have faith that I will make them victorious over the Canaanim and give them the land of Israel! I am ready to wipe them all out and start over with you, Moses!"

Hashem then accepts Moses's tefilah (prayers) with a couple of conditions. Even though He would not wipe out Bnei Yisroel, He would wipe out this generation. The Jews would not enter the Land of Israel, just a 3 day march from here. Instead, they will remain in the desert for 40 years, 1 year for each day they spied in the land of Israel, until the entire generation is gone. G-d was "angry" at the spies for speaking negatively about the land, and decreed that the entire generation "will die in the desert" (Numbers 14:35). The next generation will enter Land under the leadership of Joshua & Caleb.

As part of the deal, the spies who spoke Lashon Hora die a horrible death. *WARNING GRAPHIC NATURE* - [Their tongues stretch down into their stomachs. Then worms crawl down into their bellies, causing them to die.] YUCK!

Upon hearing the words of Hashem, the people realize that they have been selfish and faithless. They immediately do teshuva (repent).

This happened on the 9th of Av, a date noted throughout Jewish history for tragedy - the destruction of both Temples in Jerusalem and the expulsion of the Jews from Spain amongst them. Obviously, the incident with the spies was considered to be a grave error.

Finally, Hashem wants to ensure that the younger generation of Bnei Yisroel knows He still intends to give them the Land, so He gives them Mitzvot that will only apply when to the Bnei Yisroel that will enter the Land of Israel. Among them was tne Mitzvot of Challah, keeping Shabbat and Tzitzit (commanding all Jewish men to attach a set specific strings to any garment the has four corners).

Why did the spies not trust in G-d?In our own lives, whenever we do a mitzvah, we must ask ourselves why we are doing it. Whose mission are we carrying out? Whose agents do we want to be? Are we doing the mitzvah for ourselves, or for G-d? Our focus makes all the difference. If we do a mitzvah for the right reasons with the right motivation, we grow in the right direction. If we do the same mitzvah, but for our own selfish motives (money, power, honor, etc.), we move in the wrong direction.

What happened that the Jewish people that they were convinced to lose faith in G-d and believe the 10 spies? 
There’s a social phenomena to listen to who speaks first, they become a leader of sorts who influence a group. The other group members reaffirm each others ideas. This reminds us to think before we speak AND think for ourselves - even if it is coming from a respected person.

Early, G-d's response to Moses, "Shlach lecha" (literally, "Send for yourself"). The Talmud interprets the word "lecha" as meaning "from your perspective [Moses's] ." In other words, G-d excludes the perspective of the Jewish people from His command, implying that the spies should not go on their mission for the people's reasons.

We should strive to speak encouraging and intelligent words and others are more likely to echo the spirit of optimism & clarity of thought. Pay it forward, every mitzvah (commandment or good deed) counts - like the chabads message says. Another lesson is telling something positive first.... I also believe in leaving on a positive note too... hide or leave the ‘constructive criticism' in the middle.
The Jewish people were never forgiven for the sin of the spies. The punishment reflects how stringently G-d views a negative attitude toward the Land of Israel. If we cut ourselves off from the Land of Israel, we cut ourselves off from the extraordinary spiritual advantages that the land has to offer and all the opportunities for growth that it provides. Severing ourselves from this potential defeats the entire purpose of our existence.

Most of the spies saw only the physical, external aspects of the Land, and many things seemed strange to them. Because they saw only these superficial elements, and failed to see the land's inner spiritual beauty, they concluded that Israel was a bad and dangerous place to live. Visitors to Israel today are the "spies" or ambassadors of this generation. 

The Torah forbids speaking slander, anything derogatory or that can dirty someones reputation or business... even if you mean it lightly in a casual story. You should only speak about people with a positive reason. Rambam explains that words can hurt or damage. That is the Torah’s definition of ‘lashon hora’: words that hurt or damage, recognizing the potential force or impact of words and power of speech. We should attempt to share information without an agenda, think about what we say; guard our tongues and work on our filters.
May we all be blessed to go in the ways of the righteous, and follow the ways of G-d, in order to ensure that all of our actions are done for the right reasons. 

Shabbat Shalom!

THANK YOU & DISCLAIMER:

Torah Tots (my first stop when Molly/Daniel ask me to do the weekly D’var - TY Tami and family), Aish HaTorah (my second stop), Howie for sharing Rabbi Sholom Schapiro from NY Torah Center’s D’var.

Please accept my sincere gratitude and know I shared your words with the best of intentions.

A final special thank you to the incredibly talented spiritual Chazzan Avi and Roy – along with the entire community MJE Gramercy community!

Also, in case you missed the Israel concert at Shearith Israel on 6/6/12 you can watch it on my youtube channel (subscribe - shout-out to my one subscriber Bible Raps) or here compliments of Jspace: HATIKVAH

For All You Nosy People...

When I was 4 years old I was running around in Gum Ying (former treif Chinese restaurant), my foot went in a small indent in the floor and my poor little face smacked in to the ground breaking my nose smashing my septum in two different directions.

Pregnant with my brother (the week of my mom's due date!), so we waited till I was 16 to ‘have it fixed’. Long story short the doctor I went to was recommended by everyone (well everyone on Long Island). At the time a ‘deviated septum’ was covered by insurance.

He was a horrible doctor I should have sued (see links below)! The anesthesiologist was really terrible as well; I was more or less out for 2 days! I developed more polyps and was still not breathing well. During the second surgery (by the same doctor and anesthesiologist - oy) I woke up in the middle, screaming. I know, it is hard to believe. 

 Well today I will finally have much needed surgery. If you pray, all prayers are appreciated...  
My Hebrew name is Mindel Leah bat Rivkah. 


Here is what I am having done...

to clarify the rhinoplasty is really corrective... not that you are judging.

Links about old Dr. - Enjoy

1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pu7ZMkU7EU
2. http://www.michaelevansachs.com/newyorkplasticsurgerynyc/plasticsurgerytv.asp
3. http://www.nydailynews.com/news/manhattan-plastic-surgeon-accused-patient-death-loses-license-article-1.285440
4. http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/25/nyregion/25plastic.html 

WISH ME LUCK!!! WILL... KEEP YOU POSTED