Beyond Twelve
Gates
Parshas Devarim July
24, 2009
Welcome to Beyond Twelve Gates. We find ourselves in an
introspective period of time known as 'The 9 Days'. It is during
these days, culminating in Tisha B'Av (see Rabbinic Ruminations
below) that we minimize joy and laughter. I recall a time when I
studied in yeshiva hearing a rabbi say, 'That reminds me of a joke; but since
it's the 9 Days, I'm not going to tell it.' I think of that
rabbi often, and remember him fondly as a person who exemplified the true
spirit of Torah and Judaism -- not simply one
who unthinkingly observed 'rituals & traditions.' He rejoiced and
was b'simcha during Purim, Shabbos,
and on other festive occasions. And though he had to go a bit against his
natural good cheer and sunny disposition, he was somber during the 9
Days. The mitzvahs and obligations we observe with our bodies certainly
are important; however, it is the 'Duties of the Heart' that may matter
most of all.
In deference to the 9 Days and Tisha
B'Av light-hearted comments and
jokes - usually a part of Beyond Twelve Gates
-- will resume next week.
This Week's Torah
Portion: Devarim (Deuteronomy 1:1 -
3:11)
This week we begin the fifth
and final book of the Torah, Devarim
(Deuteronomy). Its contents were spoken by Moses to the Jewish people
during the final 5 weeks of his life as the people prepared to enter the land of Israel.
It begins with Moses' veiled
rebuke in which he makes reference to the many sins and rebellions of the past
forty years. Moses spends significant time
discussing the failed mission of the spies; Ten of the twelve men sent to
scout out the land returned with a bad report, resulting in the entire nation
wandering in the desert for forty years. Moses later discusses the Children of
Israel's conquest on the eastern bank of the Jordan River.
This Torah portion concludes with words of encouragement for Moses' successor,
Joshua.
Rabbinic Ruminations
On Wednesday evening of this
coming week (July 29) begins Tisha B'Av, the Jewish National Day of Mourning. Tisha B'Av is a
full 24 hour fast, similar in that respect to Yom Kippur.
Although Tisha B'Av
is certainly the saddest day on the Jewish calendar, many are surprised to learn
that our tradition teaches that the messiah (mashiach)
is or will be born on Tisha B'Av. Why would the individual most
responsible for the ultimate redemption have his origins in the day that
represents our darkest hour?
The
difference between success and failure is often the ability to
persevere despite having stumbled and fallen. A tzadik
(righteous person) isn't a person who has never erred; rather, a tzadik is one who gets up after having
fallen. Do we have the spiritual strength to get up and keep going
even after we've made one mistake after another? It may very well be that
the seeds of our success are sown in how we respond to the low points of
our lives.
The
tragedies of Jewish history
contain the potential for national regeneration. Thus, our rabbis tell
us, the messiah's birthday is on Tisha B'Av. Our greatest communal and personal successes
may come forth from our most challenging times.
Quote of the Week
"Sometimes our light
goes out but is blown again into flame by an encounter with another human
being. Each of us owes the deepest thanks to those who have rekindled this inner
light." -- Albert Schweitzer
Joke of the Week
Rabbi Yaakov Yosef Herman was a pioneer of the growing Jewish religious community
in New York City
in the early 1900's. His daughter Rebbitzen Ruchama Shain (in her
excellent book titled 'All For the Boss') related
something unusual her father did at her sister's wedding. To constantly
remember the destruction of the first and second Holy Temples, Jewish law
states that one should minimize the number of courses served at festive
occasions such as weddings. At her sister's wedding, guests were quite
surprised to find a menu that listed several delicious items -- with a note
immediately following saying that 'due to our obligation to remember the
destruction of the Temples,
these items will not be served.'
Taking a lesson, then, from
Rabbi Herman: I have a great Joke of the Week
.... but I'll save it for after Tisha
B'Av.
Good Shabbos!
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Twelve Gates'. Comments, questions, requests to be added to our email
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to know more about Nusach Hari
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