Parashat Tetzaveh

Who was the greatest musician of all time?
What is the greatest  recording of all time? What was the most important event in history? Who was the greatest  thinker?  Who was the fastest runner?

Any definitive collection of superlatives is certainly  disputable, yet we delight in compiling lists, and making statements that reflect our confidence in ourselves.
It is only natural that sooner or later someone would want to proclaim a certain verse the “most important verse in the Torah”!

In his introduction to the classic medieval work, “Ein Yaakov”, Rabbi Yaakov Ibn Haviv quotes a midrash that summarizes a discussion of that very topic.
What is the most important verse (pasuk) in the entire Torah?  The midrash quotes three opinions.

According to the sage Ben Zoma, it is “”Shema Yisrael, Hashem Elokeinu, Hashem Ekhad- Hear  O Israel, the Lord is our G-d, the Lord is One..”
(Deut. 6:4)

Ben Nannas (and also Rabbi Akiva) said, “v’Ahavta l’Reakha k’Mokha.- You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Lev. 19:18)

Ben Pazai said: ” Et ha-keves ha-echad ta’aseh
va-bOKER ve-et ha-keves ha-sheini
ta’aseh bein ha-arbayim….And one lamb you shall offer in the morning, and the other in the afternoon” (Ex. 29:32)

This last entry, from this week’s parasha, is a bit puzzling…nevertheless, the midrash concludes that Ben Pazai is corrrect, that this is in fact the most important verse in the Torah.

How can the commandment to bring the Korban Tamid, the daily offering, even make it to the top ten?

And isn’t this verse, with its reference to sacrificial offerings to be placed on the altar, out of place here in our parasha, with its description of the contents of the mishkan, the holy tabernacle?

The Maharal of Prague (Rabbi Yehuda Loew- remember the Golem?) writing about our discussion, says that consistency is the essence of relationship with our creator.
A peek into this week’s reading reinforces that view.

The me’ulim (the one time inaugural offerings) described in our parasha are no guarantee that our special relationship can last past the initial infatuation stage. Judaism-whether the biblical version described here, or the rabbinic version we have inherited to sustain us in exile- requires practice. A lot of practice…

As a musician, I can relate. It’s no surprise that we use the same term for both disciplines. I practice my saxophone, I practice Judaism, I have a spiritual practice…As the saying goes, art is one percent inspiration, and ninety nine percent perspiration.

In addition to the obvious benefits of refinement and technique, the commitment demonstrates a deeper connection. We were taken out of Egypt not to founder in a listless freedom, but rather to accept the loving servitude of our creator. This relationship can only mature through constant attention. And, there is an art to it.

Actually, the word “tamid” meaning constant,  is used in our parasha to describe two other components of the divine service of the mishkan.

The menorah, the first commandment given in our parasha, is to burn continually. We connect to G-d by continually referencing G-d’s first creation described in the Torah- “Let There be light….”, the first of the “ten utterances” that brought the world into being.

Likewise the incense (ketoret) described at the end of the parasha is a ketoret tamid- a constant fragrance.
The ketoret, meaning “binding” is a blend of eleven ingredients, representing a transcendence of the ten stages of creating the physical world. That transcendence  is our attachment to G-d.

When the minute details of our lives get in the way we may not always grasp the feeling that we are reaching our potential.
We need to reflect on the fact that the continuity of effort WILL sustain us between the fleeting moments of inspiration.
With experience, those moments will be closer and closer together. It just takes a bit of practice…

Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Greg

 Shabbat Across America is coming up on Friday March 5th ! Great davening, dinner served, warm company, and much more! Kabbalat shabbat is at 7pm, dinner immediately to follow. Come one, come all!

Please reserve dinner tix:

It’s the 6th Street Purim Klezmer Brunch, featuring Klezmerfest!

Join us for the swingin’est morning in town! Sunday, February 28

Did you know it’s a mitzvah to have a festive meal on Purim?
This will certainly fit the bill as highly acclaimed recording artists Klezmerfest! get all the toes tappin’ with their celebrated blend of traditional freylachs, bulgars, hijinks and 2nd Avenue swing.

Fun for the whole family-bring the kids!

Services at 9:30AM
Megillah reading 10AM
Special programming for kids-games, face painting
Suggested donation-$10/$20 per family
reservations by calling 212-473-3665 or through the form below:

 Purim Bash!

What are  two things that make E. 6th St. famous?

Indian restaurants (smells good….) and the Sixth Street Community Synagogue (strictly kosher!)

Join us as we combine the best of both worlds at:
The Sixth Street Purim Bhangra Bash
Saturday Night Feb 27, 2010
at the 6th St. Community Synagogue
325 E. 6th St, NYC
Greg Wall, Rabbi

Featuring the Frank London/Deep Singh Purim Bhangra Bashers!
Megillah Reading @ 8PM
copious amounts of liquid cheer….
Music ’till…..Ad D’lo Yada!

couvert:$20

Sign up here:

Feb 22-Breslav Bar Band 8PM

Feb 27-”From Hodu to Cush”-  6th Street Synagogue First Annual Purim Bhangra Bash!
Featuring the Frank London/Deep Singh Purim Bhangra Bashers!-samosas, moshke..
Megillah-8PM

Feb 28- Purim Klezmer Brunch/Se’udah..

March 1- Torah and Tunes
7PM- class:Kosher Living w/ Rabbi Wall
9PM- Jazz Rabbi’s Monday Night Invitational featuring Greg Wall’s Later Prophets

March 8-Torah and Tunes
7PM- class:Kosher Living w/ Rabbi Wall
9PM  The New American Jazz Quartet

March 14-6th Street Sundays String Nucleus - Innovative String Ensemble              
String Nucleus, appropriately named, is an acoustic/electric string trio, designed by nature to be expansive from the core. The core members include string players, Jon Weber, Earl Maneein and Jessie Reagen Mann, whose versatile, musical range spans multiple areas.

March 15-Torah and Tunes
7PM- class:Kosher Living w/ Rabbi Wall
9PM-Klezmerfest!

Esther Megillah commissioned by Moriah Gallery in New York
Artist: Siona Benjamin

March 22 Torah and Tunes
7PM- class:Kosher Living w/ Rabbi Wall
9PM-Premier! Jazz Rabbi’s Ein Sof Arkestra-a Jewish Bigger Band
(and the 4th Monday of every month)

Mondays April 12,12,26
Baruch She’amar- The  6th St. Sefirat HaOmer Spoken Word Festival

April 25 – Choral Blast featuring the Zamir Chorale of New York, Polyhymnia, Jewish People’s Philharmonic Chorus                    

Come join us for a great afternoon of singing with an acapella Choral Blast!

May 3 Torah and Tunes
7PM- class:Kosher Living w/ Rabbi Wall
9PM- Jazz Rabbi’s Monday Night Invitational featuring Greg Wall’s Later Prophets

May 10 Torah and Tunes
7PM- class:Kosher Living w/ Rabbi Wall
9PM  Jazz Rabbi’s Monday Night Invitational featuring
The New American Jazz Quartet

May 17 Torah and Tunes
7PM- class:Kosher Living w/ Rabbi Wall
9PM- Jazz Rabbi’s Monday Night Invitational featuring Klezmerfest!

May 24 Torah and Tunes
7PM- class:Kosher Living w/ Rabbi Wall
9PM Jazz Rabbi’s Ein Sof Arkestra

May 31-Happy Memorial Day

Parashat Terumah

I’ve been a baseball fan off and on for most of my life. When my sons started taking more than a passing interest in the game, I began going to Yankee Stadium several times a year for some good father/son bonding, a relaxing night out, and occasionally, an exciting game. I’ve noticed that after the first few innings many people choose to spend more time at the concession stand than in their seats; the intense, drawn out middle innings require much concentration. Everyone enjoys the fireworks of big home runs, daring base running and acrobatic fielding but the intensity of a pitchers dual and a manager driven plan to manufacture runs is often lost on the casual fan. A well played game is a work of art, accessible to those who delve deeper.

Likewise, the interest in the weekly Torah reading, while strong with such diversions as plagues, sea-splitting, open miracles and ironic plot twists, tends to wane in the middle innings as well. The highly detailed instructions on the building and furnishing of the tabernacle (mishkan), and the specifics of the sacrificial rites often leave the casual fan heading for a 7th aliyah stretch.

But, as in baseball, once you are hip to the subtleties, the game unfolds in a calm beauty, and in each corner and behind every shadow lays a door to the inside- an illuminated corridor revealing the majesty of  creative energy.

In this hallway things are often not as they first appear. Is this a foreshadowing, a flashback, or are we progressing in an orderly, chronologically accurate fashion?
A careful reading of the text raises many, many questions, and identifying and grappling with these questions  brings us one level closer to the playing field.

For example,
Was the commandment to build the mishkan given before or after the tragic events of the Golden Calf? Why is the verse telling us to build it followed immediately by instructions to instead build the Holy Ark (which gets more playing time than any other details of the tabernacle), and why do we need to know all the mishkan’s micro details about intricate measurements, architecture  and textile engineering? Can we really derive meaning from minute grammatical inconsistencies? Is the entire mishkan an allegorical reference to creation itself?
Instead of offering any pithy insights this week I dare you to poke around for yourself! Take a casual tour of some major commentators like Rashi, Ramban, Abravanel, Kli Yakar, S.R Hirsch, Nechama Leibowitz. No easy access to Jewish books or source material? Ten or fifteen minutes and an internet connection will give you access to many, many ways to turn the mundane into the magical.

Is it any surprise that the commandment to build the mishkan comes at the same time we welcome in the month of Adar, our most joyous month, calendar home to our festival of physicality, Purim? The verse says, ” They shall build me a sanctuary, and I will dwell IN THEM”- We can indeed have a physical relationship with G-d! In fact, the name of the month, Adar, can be read as A(aleph, the infinite oneness)dar (dwells). During this auspicious month we should strive to connect with the divine spark that is inside each and every one of use. Put the ball in play by learning a little- don’t worry about hitting one out of the park, just get on base. You simply can’t lose…

Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Greg
PS
Aren’t you glad I didn’t start this spring training edition of the parasha notes with “In the Big Inning…”

Parashat Mishpatim

The conclusion of last week’s parasha left us stunned and breathless, as the experience of the revelation settled in. The initial experience was about the phenomenon itself, about the sanctity of the spiritual realm- “Anochi Ado/nay Elohecha”, I am G-d, YOUR personal god. This personal relationship, the essence of Judaism, carries with it a staggering responsibility. Our covenantal relationship requires the Jewish people to model the results of this spiritual relationship to the world at large. The last mitzvah from last week’s parasha was the commandment to make an altar, for various offerings to be detailed later.
The Rambam (Maimonedes) writes that the very act of bringing an offering is that of self sacrifice, that we should be offering our very lives to G-d (think of the binding of Isaac), but are blessed to be only bound symbolically to that concept. We instead offer up something of value in place of our lives. In the biblical model that would be an animal of value, and our donation would additionally feed and clothe those who sustained the tabernacle and temple. In the rabbinic model, which temporarily replaces the sacrificial system during the period of exile, we offer monetary charitable gifts, and specific offerings of prayer.

In this week’s sidra we learn how we are to represent our spiritual ideals in the real world, so to speak. We are presented with a series of mishpatim, of civil laws, which teach us how to interact with others in a holy manner.  The fact that these laws form the basis of the modern legal system is an acknowledgment of the strength of the Torah, which posses a keen awareness to the motivation and behavior of mere humans. Judaism teaches that this system of legal responsibility is in fact universal, binding on Jew and Gentile alike. To imagine, however, that these principles are only reflecting a societal need is inviting a kind of moral relativism that is antithetical to the timelessness of Torah.

So, when a civil principle seems beyond our initial comprehension we must dig deeper, to uncover the point the Torah is actually making.

“Ayin tachat ayin, shain tachat shain…”, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.. (Ex. 22:24).

This verse is perhaps one of the most misunderstood in the entire bible. A literal understanding would indicate that retribution mirroring the original offense was required, and justified. Of course Jewish law does not actually require a comparable action in cases of bodily injury…that would put too many Jewish lawyers out of work! The oral law, as explained in the Talmud, teaches that it is the monetary value of the injury that is required to make restitution -that, and a heartfelt request to the injured party for forgiveness. Logic and scriptural analysis easily support that concept.

Our sages offer various reasons for the monetization of the injury. The Talmud in Bava Kamma (83B) quotes Rabbi Shimon saying, “an eye for an eye refers to money”. The Talmud quotes the verse “You shall have one manner of law…” (Lev 24:22) and points out that a blind person could not receive equal punishment under the law for causing loss of sight in another.

Other sages say it SHOULD be literal; we make financial restitution knowing deep down that we actually deserve a similar loss ourselves.

Rav Kook, the first Chief Rabbi of pre-state Israel teaches this point through a mashal, an allegorical story.
When parents discover their son has committed a very grave offense, how do they react?
The father immediately raises his hand to punish his son. But the mother, full of compassion, rushes to stop his raised arm. “Please, not in anger!” she pleads, and she convinces the father to mete out a lighter punishment.
An onlooker might feel that all this drama and conflict is superfluous. In the end, the child did not receive corporal punishment. Why make a big show of it?
In fact, the scene had great educational value for the errant son. Even though he was only lightly disciplined, the son was made to understand that his actions deserved a much more severe punishment.

Like the Rambam states, no legal consequence can take the place of a spiritual trial we must put ourselves through when we fall short of the Torah’s demands on our conduct. We do not absolve ourselves of our ultimate obligations by a mere fine, or a burnt offering. By working to strengthen our sensitivity to the human condition we can get even closer to our personal G-d, and be worthy of our opportunity to be a light among nations.

Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Greg

Parshat Yitro

If there is a climactic moment in the Torah, if there is a part of the narrative that defines the emergence of the Jewish people as a spiritual nation, then it is here in this week’s reading. The Master Being reveals himself to the Israelites, and they see G-d!
“All the people saw the sounds, the flames, the sound of the shofar, and the mountain emitting smoke. The people saw and they trembled, and stood far off.” (Ex. 20:15).

They “saw the sounds”, they had a spectacular group revelation. According to the Midrash, ‘Rabbi Akiva says, they saw what is heard, and heard what is seen.”

Why then, did they tell Moshe, “…You speak to us and we will listen. Let G-d not speak with us  lest we die” (Ex 20:16). Our tradition teaches us that after the first two of the ten “commandments” (not really commandments, but that’s another story..) G-d’s voice was heard by Moshe only.

This is supported in the text by the fact that G-d refers to himself in the first person for the first two utterances (Anochi-I), and is referred to in the third person in the remaining  statements, implying that Moshe is telling them. Was this part of the divine plan?

As Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan explains in his landmark essay, “If You Were G-d”, a continuously visible deity would destroy our free will. Who could choose when the judge and jury are constantly holding court. This constant scrutiny could only lead to rebellion.
It is no surprise then, that 40 days later the nation would rebel with the incident of the Golden Calf.

No, it is more advantageous for us to have to struggle with faith to “see” the voice of G-d,
elevating ourselves in the process. The moments that define us these days are those when we are able to choose to do the right thing, when more convenient to do otherwise. But, the echoes of the divine shofar at Sinai still reverberate in the very fabric of being of all creation. If only we would stop, look and listen.

Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Greg