D'var Chayei Sara 2023

This week’s parsha is Chayei Sara - the life of Sarah - which begins, somewhat incongruously, with the death of Sarah. Abraham acquires a burial ground for her, ensuring the transaction is witnessed by the community. We then hear of Abraham’s instructions to his chief servant to find a wife for Isaac among Abraham’s kinsfolk. Rebecca shows her generosity in drawing water for not only the servant but also all of his camels. A marriage is arranged, and Rebecca agrees to depart. 

Something that always manages to surprise me when I come across it is that Abraham is then said to marry again and has more children. Some commentators say that this wife, Keturah, is none other than Hagar, renamed. Among the children they have is Midian, a tribe we hear about multiple times throughout the following books (Moses’ father-in-law Jethro was a priest of Midian, for instance!) These children receive gifts from Abraham during his life, while Isaac remains the sole heir.

We then come to the second death in the parsha, that of Abraham. Here is a part of the story I plan to consider further. 

וַיִּקְבְּר֨וּ אֹת֜וֹ יִצְחָ֤ק וְיִשְׁמָעֵאל֙ בָּנָ֔יו אֶל־מְעָרַ֖ת הַמַּכְפֵּלָ֑ה

His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah (Gen 25:9)

This is the first we see of Ishmael since he and his mother Hagar were sent away by Abraham, and the parting at the time was certainly a difficult one for Ishmael. 

The closing of the parsha recounts the descendents of Ishmael, and his death, the third and final one in the reading. 

So to sum up, within a reading called “the Life of Sarah”, we retell the deaths of three major actors in the story of our ancestors. This, as well as the presence of both Isaac and Ishmael together at Abraham’s burial, struck me this year, particularly given the war in Israel and Gaza.

D'var Yitro 2023

In this week’s parsha, Yitro, Moses’ father-in-law bring Zipporah their children to join Moses and the Hebrews in the wilderness. They “ask after the other’s welfare”, and then Moses recounts the story of the exodus from Egypt. The next day, Moses sits as magistrate from morning until evening, resolving disputes.

Jethro asks him what he’s doing, why he acts alone. Moses says, “It’s because the people cme to me to inquire of God. When they have a dispute, it comes before me, and I decide between one party and another, and I make known the laws and teachings of God.”

But Jethro replies, “The thing you are doing is not right; you will surely wear yourself out, and these people as well. For the task is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone. Now listen to me. I will give you counsel, and God be with you! You represent the people before God: you bring the disputes before God, and enjoin upon them the laws and the teachings, and make known to them the way they are to go and the practices they are to follow. You shall also seek out, from among all the people, capable individuals who fear God—trustworthy ones who spurn ill-gotten gain. Set these over them as chiefs of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens, and let them judge the people at all times. Have them bring every major dispute to you, but let them decide every minor dispute themselves.”

D'var Yom Kippur 5783: Who is Azazel?

 In today’s parsha we read:

וְנָתַן אַהֲרֹן עַל־שְׁנֵי הַשְּׂעִירִם גֹּרָלוֹת גּוֹרָל אֶחָד לַה' וְגוֹרָ֥ל אֶחָד לַעֲזָאזֵל

And Aaron shall place lots upon the two goats, one marked for HaSem and the other marked for Azazel. (Lev 16:8)

For Azazel? Who, or what, is Azazel? For many years, I’ve come to Yom Kippur services and wondered this. Sometimes I’ve tried to read into the text and commentary provided in the Machzor and Chumash to see if an answer lies there, but, even if they fit at the time, the ideas I’ve come across simply haven’t stuck with me. I decided that, this year, I would research more deeply so I could share with you all The Answer.

After hours of pouring over everything I could find from Mishnah to modern sources, I am pleased to share with you that… it’s complicated.

D’var Eikev

Deuteronomy 7:12-11:25

In the parsha for this coming week, Moses continues to address the gathered tribes as they prepare to cross the river Jordan into the promised land. He recounts events that happened in the desert, including the manna, the golden calf, and Aaron's death. Moses describes the blessings God will bestow upon the Israelites if they follow God’s law and the punishments they will encounter if they disobey.

One passage in particular stood out to me. In Deuteronomy 11:2, Moses says

וִֽידַעְתֶּם֮ הַיּוֹם֒ כִּ֣י ׀ לֹ֣א אֶת־בְּנֵיכֶ֗ם אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹֽא־יָדְעוּ֙ וַאֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹא־רָא֔וּ אֶת־מוּסַ֖ר ה' אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֑ם אֶת־גׇּדְל֕וֹ אֶת־יָדוֹ֙ הַחֲזָקָ֔ה וּזְרֹע֖וֹ הַנְּטוּיָֽה

Take thought this day that it was not your children, who neither experienced nor witnessed the lesson of your God - God’s majesty, mighty hand, and outstretched arm;

This stands in contrast to the line we say annually on Passover from Exodus 13:8:

הִגַּדְתָּ֣ לְבִנְךָ֔ בַּיּ֥וֹם הַה֖וּא לֵאמֹ֑ר בַּעֲב֣וּר זֶ֗ה עָשָׂ֤ה ה' לִ֔י בְּצֵאתִ֖י מִמִּצְרָֽיִם׃

You shall explain to your child on that day, ‘It is because of what God did for me when I went free from Egypt.’

Farmyard Matchmaker

I recently was flipping through the hundreds of free channels on my Roku TV and came across a rather unusual game show. The premise was that farmers would bring some of their animals, and the host would invite two different farmers at a time to come into the pen to see if they’d match well and get along, ignore each other, or if they’d act aggressive and territorial.

The host said, “Let’s bring out Bessie the cow and Herbert the horse!”

Well, the cow and horse came out, and at first seemed content to just be on stage together without interacting, but then Bessie slowly approached Herbert. She gave him a tentative nuzzle, and after a moment he leaned into it and nuzzled back.

”Fantastic! We have a match!” the host grinned.

“Next,” the host continued, “we have Peter the pig and Darren the ram.”

Out came the pig and sheep, and right away it was clear there were going to be problems. Peter grunted and snorted loudly, not taking his eyes off the ram. Darren, meanwhile, lowered his head, showing his horns and pawing at the ground. Before either could start to charge, the farmers swooped in and directed them off the set.

“Oh no! Looks like we have…” the host began, pausing and leaning toward the studio audience. They all sang out in chorus, “no match!!”

“And our final contestants today,” the host said, “are a first for us here on Farmyard Matchmaker. We have not just two possible friends, but two groups to try to match! Farmer Brown, who do you have with you today?”

Farmer Brown entered, replying, “I’ve got my flock of 5 geese!” The geese followed behind, beginning to peck at the set curiously.

“Wonderful!” the host crowed. “And farmer Alston, I see you’ve got chickens. Wow… there’s one, two, —”

Farmer Alston quickly interrupted, “Don’t count my chickens before they match!!”

The Twelve Days of COVID

On the first day of COVID the CDC did say, “Remember stand 6 feet away.”

On the second day of COVID the CDC may ask, “Please wear your mask, and remember stand 6 feet away.”

On the third day of COVID the CDC demands, “Wash both your hands, please wear your mask, and remember stand 6 feet away.”

On the fourth day of COVID the CDC’s routine: “Stay quarantined, wash both your hands, please wear your mask, and remember stand 6 feet away.”

On the fifth day of COVID the CDC allot “TIME FOR YOUR SHOT! Stay quarantined, wash both your hands, please wear your mask, and remember stand 6 feet away.”

On the sixth day of COVID the CDC will ask, “Funds for COVAX, TIME FOR YOUR SHOT! Stay quarantined, wash both your hands, please wear your mask, and remember stand 6 feet away.”

On the seventh day of COVID the CDC’s dismayed, “Watch Delta’s wave, funds for COVAX, TIME FOR YOUR SHOT! Stay quarantined, wash both your hands, please wear your mask, and remember stand 6 feet away.”

On the eighth day of COVID the CDC attests, “Take rapid tests, watch Delta’s wave, funds for COVAX, TIME FOR YOUR SHOT! Stay quarantined, wash both your hands, please wear your mask, and remember stand 6 feet away.”

On the ninth day of COVID the CDC embraced, “Please travel safe, take rapid tests, watch Delta’s wave, funds for COVAX, TIME FOR YOUR SHOT! Stay quarantined, wash both your hands, please wear your mask, and remember stand 6 feet away.”

On the tenth day of COVID the CDC did cheer, “Remdesivir, please travel safe, take rapid tests, watch Delta’s wave, funds for COVAX, TIME FOR YOUR SHOT! Stay quarantined, wash both your hands, please wear your mask, and remember stand 6 feet away.”

On the eleventh day of COVID the CDC passed on, “Here’s omicron! Remdesivir, please travel safe, take rapid tests, watch Delta’s wave, funds for COVAX, TIME FOR YOUR SHOT! Stay quarantined, wash both your hands, please wear your mask, and remember stand 6 feet away.”

On the twelfth day of COVID the CDC then brought, “Have booster shots, here’s omicron, Remdesivir, please travel safe, take rapid tests, watch Delta’s wave, funds for COVAX, TIME FOR YOUR SHOT! Stay quarantined, wash both your hands, please wear your mask, and remember stand 6 feet away.”

D’var Shmini

The many rules about how sacrifices are to be handled and what fire to use reminds me of the story of Rabbi Israel Baal Shem-Tov. When he saw misfortune threatening the Jews it was his custom to go into a certain part of the forest to meditate. There he would light a fire, say a special prayer, and the miracle would be accomplished, and the misfortune averted.

Later, when his disciple, the Magid of Mezritch, had occasion, for the same reason, to intercede with heaven, he would go to the same place in the forest and say: ‘Master of the Universe, listen! I do not know how to light the fire, but I am still able to say the prayer.’ And again the miracle would be accomplished.

Still later, Rabbi Moshe-Leib of Sasov, in order to save his people once more, would go into the forest and say: ‘I do not know how to light the fire, I do not know the prayer, but I know the place, and this must be sufficient.’ It was sufficient, and the miracle was accomplished.

Then it fell to Rabbi Israel of Rizhyn to overcome misfortune. Sitting in his study, his head in his hands, he spoke to God: "I am unable to light the fire, and I do not know the prayer; I cannot even find the place in the forest. All I can do is to tell the story, and this must be sufficient.’ And it was sufficient.

What I learn from this is that it's important to learn from the leaders before us, but that we don't need to follow precisely in their footsteps to be successful. We should remember and retell their stories as we do in reading the parsha every week. But we will be approaching the challenges we face in our own personal way.

A Forest Wedding

In a quiet glade in the forest, Janet the elk lived with her parents. She had recently met two potential suitors, and was planning to bring each back to meet her parents. Janet had grown fond of each in their way and was having trouble decided which one’s proposal to accept.

The first afternoon, she brought along a deer named Harvey. Harvey arrived late and stomped into the glade without a single word of apology. Janet and her parents served a lovely meal of clover salad, ivy blanched in pond water, and a dessert of assorted acorns. Harvey barely ate, complaining that back in his part of the forest they knew how to cook properly and this was all much too poorly seasoned for his taste. When Janet’s parents asked what he did for a living, he merely snorted and grumbled about having beaten all the other deer his age in fights and how that entitled him not to have to worry about silly things like earning a living. The evening ended abruptly when Harvey caught sight of another buck off in the woods and dashed off to pick a fight.

The next afternoon, Janet brought along a moose named Christopher. The family had just finished setting up another meal when Christopher arrived, bringing along a bouquet of daisies and a fresh bottle of sparkling spring water. The family sat down to eat together, and Christopher had nothing but praise for the food and the glade. Over a very pleasant meal, they talked about recent happenings in the forest, as well as Christopher’s travels to the nearby national park where he volunteered, helping the smaller mammals cross the busy roads safely. By the end of the meal, Janet and her parents had an invitation to come visit Christopher and his herd by the waterfall. As the sun began to sink behind the trees, Christopher bid them a fond farewell and headed back home.

Janet’s parents briefly conferred in hushed tones, and then returned to say to her:

🎵We wish you would marry Chris Moose. We wish you would marry Chris Moose. We wish you would marry Chris Moose, and not Harvey the Deer.🎵

D’var Sukkot Shabbat Chol Hamoed

Exodus 33:12-34:26

This Saturday falls in the middle of the observance of Sukkot, so has a special parsha. We read from the book of Exodus from the end of chapter 33 into the beginning of 34. This is shortly after the incident with the golden calf.

Moses is speaking with God. Among the requests he makes is to behold God’s presence.

וַיֹּ֗אמֶר אֲנִ֨י אַעֲבִ֤יר כׇּל־טוּבִי֙ עַל־פָּנֶ֔יךָ וְקָרָ֧אתִֽי בְשֵׁ֛ם ה’

And God answered, “I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim before you the name LORD.” (Exodus 33:19)

God then tells Moses he will have him go into a cleft in the rock, where God will shield Moses until God has passed by. God adds:

וַהֲסִרֹתִי֙ אֶת־כַּפִּ֔י וְרָאִ֖יתָ אֶת־אֲחֹרָ֑י וּפָנַ֖י לֹ֥א יֵרָאֽוּ

Then I will take My hand away and you will see My back; but My face must not be seen.” (Exodus 33:23)

A few verses later after God has done this, what Moses declares may sound quite familiar:

ה’ ׀ ה’ אֵ֥ל רַח֖וּם וְחַנּ֑וּן אֶ֥רֶךְ אַפַּ֖יִם וְרַב־חֶ֥סֶד וֶאֱמֶֽת׃ נֹצֵ֥ר* חֶ֙סֶד֙ לָאֲלָפִ֔ים נֹשֵׂ֥א עָוֺ֛ן וָפֶ֖שַׁע וְחַטָּאָ֑ה וְנַקֵּה:

The LORD! the LORD! a God compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in kindness and faithfulness, extending kindness to the thousandth generation, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin. (Exodus 34:6-7)

This is a prayer that we just heard during the High Holidays! But how did Moses understand this from God briefly passing by?

The Scolding of Moses

Preparing for our seder this year, a thought struck me as I recalled the story of the Exodus from Egypt. What if Moses wasn’t supposed to run away to Midian? And how much more suffering was there because he did?

The Verse Where It Happened

In Exodus 2:11-15 we learn that Moses saves a Hebrew slave by killing the taskmaster, but then flees from Egypt. As we learn in Exodus 2:23 he remained away for “a long time.”

Imagine: a person in a position of power becomes aware of an injustice, decides it must be corrected, acts rashly, and then… leaves. Then, they remain away for a long time. This does not seem to be a story of triumph that stirs us to action when read this way.

News Limerick: Wisconsin Recount - November 18, 2020

They'll count for the cost of three million
And that's an expensive cotillion
They'll all dance their parts
But end near their starts
And Trump will become a civilian

Trump campaign requests partial Wisconsin recount, deposits $3 million to challenge Biden victory

News Limerick: Hurricane Iota - November 16, 2020

We’re up to a storm named Iota
They spring up like bubbles in soda
To slow climate change
We must rearrange
Swift action we must not say no to

Hurricane Iota the Second Catastrophic Strike in Two Weeks in Central America

News Limerick: Coronavirus autumn surge - November 15, 2020

I’m filled with a sense of foreboding
The virus’ spread is exploding
Wear masks, wash your hands
Make long distance plans
With loved ones you long to be holding

New York Times: Tracking the Coronavirus Outbreak

News Limerick: Student of History - November 14, 2020

Think World War Two time Germany
Were socialists?! No, that can’t be!
That’s crazy at batsh*ts
Those Nazis were fascists!
I’m smarter than Senator T

Incoming GOP Senator Apparently Doesn’t Know Basics of World War II

News Limerick: Utah Bars - November 14, 2020

It’s time for the bars to be closing
Despite all your preening and posing
To stop virus spread
Head home to your bed
At 10 PM? I’m usually dozing

Utah bars turn off the taps at 10, per new state health order

News Limerick: November 13, 2020

A president sitting there sulking
Is nothing else shy of insulting
Since votes are now in
It’s Biden whose win
Unseated this wannabe dull king

As Trump stews over election, he mostly ignores the public duties of the presidency

Space Limerick: Europa’s glowing dark side

Europa may glow in the dark!
A Clipper is planned to embark
In five years or so
Then swiftly will go
To seek out life’s signature spark

Europa’s Nightside Glows in the Dark

D'var Chayei Sara

This coming week, we’ll read parsha Chayei Sara, the life of Sarah. Of course, most parshot (as well as books) in the Torah are named for some of their first words. This is no exception. The second and third words are “chayei sara”. Then again, so are the eleventh and twelfth words, still within the first verse. In full, it reads:

וַיִּהְיוּ֙ חַיֵּ֣י שָׂרָ֔ה מֵאָ֥ה שָׁנָ֛ה וְעֶשְׂרִ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה וְשֶׁ֣בַע שָׁנִ֑ים שְׁנֵ֖י חַיֵּ֥י שָׂרָֽה׃

And the life of Sarah was a hundred and seven and twenty years; these were the years of the life of Sarah.

So, although it’s called “the life of Sara”, it’s actually about her death. In a moment, I’d like to get to what comes after her passing, but for now, let’s focus on this first verse.

Why is “chayei sara” repeated? I don’t speak Hebrew, but here’s something that jumps out at me here. The first time, it says “the life of Sarah was so and so many years”. That tells us, “Sarah got to live for this long.”

The second time, though, the wording is flipped. It’s “the years of the life of Sarah.” In other words, the years that the world got to have Sarah in it. The focus here becomes the impact she had on those around her and on her time. From this, we learn that the acts and deeds of her life actually extend beyond her passing. She had a lasting impact that was felt and that made a difference even when she was no longer present.

Working from Home: In Iambic Pentameter

If you should fail to find me here today

I hope you will not think I can’t be reached
Though circumstances make me stay away
My presence in the ether’s not decreased

I’m bringing all I need to work from home
You’ll find me via Slack and email too
And if you find you’re feeling quite alone
In Hangouts I can smile back at you

If you should wish to see where I will be
Please check my calendar from day to day
I’ll keep it up to date so you can see
Just whether I am here or I’m away

I thank you for you patience in this time
I hope that you’ve enjoyed my verse and rhyme

Daf Yomi: Starting Tractate Shabbat

Berakhot has taught us a lot
I’m glad that I gave it some thought
So now the daf yomi
Begins to feel homey:
We’re starting the tractate ‘Shabbat’

My Jewish Learning Daf Yomi