Vayechi:

The blessing of Ephraim and Menashe.

Every Shabbos, we bless our sons that they should be like Menahse and Ephraim.  There is a blessing for girls too, but that is not the subject of this little vort.

 The blessing goes like this:

May G bless (literally: put) you to be like Menashe and Ephraim

יְשִׂימְךָ אֱלהיִם כְּאֶפְרַיְם וְכִמְנַשֶּׁה

May G bless you and guard you.

  יְבָרֶכְךָ יְ יְ וְיִשְׁמְרֶךָ 

May G show you favor and be gracious to you.

  יָאֵר  יְ יְ פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ וִיחֻנֶּךָּ  

May G show you kindness and grant you peace.
יִשָּׂא  יְ יְ  פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ וְיָשֵׂם לְךָ שָׁלום      

Yaakov gave a blessing to these two sons of Yosef, but showed favor for the younger over the older.  In doing so, he was following what had become the traditional way of our ancestors. Avraham chose his second son, Yitzhak over his half brother Yishmael. Rivkah overruled Yitzhak to choose second son, Yaakov over his older brother Exav. Yaakov’s favorite son was not his firstborn, Reuven, rather it was Yosef, his 11th son. And when he blesses his grandchildren, he gives preference to his 2nd grandson Ephraim over his older brother Menashe. 

 In each of the cases before Ephraim and Menashe there tended to be trouble.  Yishmael and his mother were cast out.  In the case of Yishmael and Yitzhak the conflict continues to this very day. Esav planned fratricide on his younger brother.  Yosef is thrown into a pit, sold into slavery and his father is shown evidence that he was slaughterd by wild beasts.

 But here is the difference.  In the case of Menashe and Ephraim there is not one hint of coflict. The silence in Torah speaks loudly.

We are taught that Torah is not only black fire written on white fire, but also white fire on black fire. The white fire in this case refers to the lack of any mention of conflict between these two brothers.

 Every Shabbos parents bless our children praying that they will be like Menashe and Ephraim; the two siblings who don’t fight; the two siblings who break the tradition of sibling rivalry. And we pray that the cycle will be broken for all humankind

The paid professionals of the NRA and certain of their supporters in Congress or rather those Congress people supported by the money of the NRA (and others) say that we should be silent after gun tragedies.  If we were silent after such carnage, we would never have this necessary conversation. There are too many murders and massacres.  Now is the time to have a conversation and more.I have read many articles and responses since this tragedy.  Some argue as to what the Second Amendment really says.  The arguments become as complicated as Talmudic argumentation and open to as many interpretations. To simplify, it boils down to the placement of a comma.  And though arguing the meaning of the Second Amendment might be an enjoyable academic exercise it is pointless.  The Second Amendment is not why guns are so prevalent in our country.  The reason guns are so embedded in our national psyche is deeper and more emotional.  There are historical and cultural reasons for our love affair with the gun.  Our history is defined by the gun.  Our cultural mythos is punctuated by the gun.  From Davy Crockett to Sergeant York, from Jeremiah Johnson to Wyatt Earp, we have glorified the gun and the man who could use one. So let us put away the argument as to whether we should outlaw the gun altogether.  It ain’t gonna happen… yet.

Having said that, there is a rational argument for limiting the type of gun that can be owned by civilians.  That argument is: We already limit what we can own.  Automatic weapons require a special license and explosive rounds are already outlawed.  Therefore, to limit the number of rounds per magazine and outlaw assault weapons (or copies thereof) for civilian use are not unreasonable.  We do not need assault weapons for self-defense and there are better target guns and hunting rifles.  No one can seriously argue that the Second Amendment, which was written when the best shooters around could only fire 2 or maybe 3 rounds in a minute, was meant to include today’s assault weapons.  Today, the average fully automatic assault rifle fires between 300 and 600 rounds per minute. –  Semi-automatic weapons send a round downrange as fast as one can pull the trigger.  So our starting point is to limit what we can own.  By the way, if you think that this limitation is unique and unfair, try to buy a large amount of whatever sinus medication that unscrupulous people use to make methamphetamines. Or purchase a car that doesn’t meet safety standards.

 That leaves the discussion of the procedures and limitations of gun ownership. And the only argument that makes sense in this time when nothing seems to make sense is to speak of what many call gun regulations.

 When I wanted to get my driver’s license, I had to take a course in how to drive a car and how to be safe in that car.  Then I took two tests, one written and one driving.  When I passed them both I received my license which has to be renewed every few years.  Every car that I have ever owned was registered and I had to purchase insurance just in case I had an accident. In addition cars must have certain safety devices such as seat belts and we have to use them.   On top of that, there are laws as to where I can drive, how fast I can go and on and on.  I do not begrudge the process, it makes sense to me. It is reasonable; it is a rational way to handle the dangers of vehicles. 

Why not have a similar set of rules and procedures for owning a gun. In order to obtain a license to own a gun one would have to take courses that would teach us to shoot accurately and safely. In addition, the course would seek to imbue in us with the responsibility of owning a gun.  Then there would be a background check and tests on gun use and safety. If these are passed, a license is issued.  The license would have to be renewed at regular intervals.  In addition, if one wanted to purchase a gun, there would be a registration process.  Each gun would be registered and when sold, it would have to be recorded.   As with cars there would be rules as to how, where and when one could carry a weapon (pretty much as it is now). These rules are nothing new either.  After all the gunfight at the O.K. corral was, on the surface, an attempt to arrest men breaking the ‘no carry law’ of the city of Tombstone.

חן חסד ורחמים

How many times have we heard and sung about Hen חן, Hesed חסד and Rahamim רחמים ? What does it mean? We usually think of them almost as synonyms for compassion, yet I think that there is a deeper reality hidden in these words.

Rahamim רחמים  comes from the root Rehem רחם which means womb.  Rahamim is the compassion that comes from the womb-love of the other. It is deep within us.  It is the deepest of feelings, unconditional love. Thought does not enter into the discussion.  This is the realm of  Briyah בריה, creative emotion of feeling.

Hesed חסד is the loving-kindness that knows no bounds.  It is the bringing up of Rahamim  רחמים into the level where feeling blossoms into thought. While Rahamim רחמים is in the realm of total emotion, Hesed חסד is bringing the compassion into thought, into consciousness.

Hen חן is the actualization of the process.  It starts with Rahamim רחמים, that deep womb chakra, the Yesod יסוד of our humanity. The Rahamim רחמים compassion bubbles up into thought through Hesed חסד.  But now it needs to be brought into the world of interaction. Hen חן is grace, the grace of action.  It is the how to the why of Hesed חסד.

And all of this is brought to light in the Menorah of Hanukah  חנוכה. Hanukah is the holiday of liberation. Hanukah is the liberation through dedication. The word Hanukah חנוכה means dedication and teaches the tale of liberation from Hellenistic assimilation. Our liberation came about through the dedication of the Jewish people. Hanukah teaches us that we liberate ourselves from ‘keeping up with the Jones’’. I don’t have to own more, have more, get more.  What I do have to do is more. I have to do more for others.  And that is the root of the holiday, the root of the word Hanukah חנוכה.

Hanukah חנוכה can be dissected into Hanu חנו  and Kho כה. A translation could be ‘Thusly you should show grace.”  What is the ‘thus?’ In the story of Hanukah there are two aspects.  The first is the willingness to fight for freedom, for religious freedom, for spiritual freedom, the freedom to Jew in our own way. And one of the ways in which we Jew is to reach out, in Tzedakah צדקה, righteous actions toward others.

The second aspect of Hanukah is the rededication, the rededication of the Temple and the rededication of the Temple within.  How do we rededicate ourselves to our principles, our path? One of the most important principles on our path is Hen חן the gracious way in which we bring up the Rahamim רחמים into Hesed חסד and then let it flow into the world.

We light candles to bring light into the world.  We put the candles in a visible place to bring joy and light to others.  And this is the Remez רמז, the ‘key-clue’ to the meaning of Hanu-kah חנו-כה  “thus do we show grace.” By bringing that light into the world through small actions of Tzedakah צדקה, righteousness, aimed outwardly, aimed compassionately towards all sentient beings, to all humanity, to our community, to our tribe, to our family we  ultimately share in the great light symbolized in the lights of Hanukah חנוכה. In this way, we truly celebrate the rededication that is Hanukah.

Kol Nidrei  All our vows

The holyday that we call Yom Kippur is begins Tuesday night. Yom kippur is usually translated as Day of Atonement. But it is so much more than the words imply. The depth of meaning of this day is found in the most misunderstood prayer in Judaism. That prayer is known as “Kol Nidrei.” The prayer asks that G makes null and void our vows. It is not about the nullification of our past vows. Rather it speaks to our future vows, vows that we make for the coming year. Anti-Semites have used this prayer as a proof that Jews are untrustworthy. Of course that is nonsense, misinterpretation and misrepresentation. 

 One of the best expressions of the feelings that come to the fore during the High and Holy days was written by Ronin Davis, my son at http://roninad.wordpress.com/2012/09/18/and-so-we-enter-the-year-5773/ . In his poignant piece he writes of the struggles that he has recognized as a thoughtful, spiritual Jew seeking to grow in his process of ‘Jewing.’

 What he writes points to the meaning of that most misunderstood prayer, Kol Nidrei. And Kol Nidrei speaks to the meaning of these High and Holy Days.

 Kol Nidrei speaks to vows.

 Kol Nidrei does not speak to the vows that are made between people. If I promise to do something for you, this prayer does not let me ‘off the hook.’ Vows made between earthlings should be fulfilled and if they aren’t that is something that the parties need to address.

 Kol Nidrei does speak to vows between the human and G, and only if an honest and serious attempt has been made to live up to the promises.

 In essence, Kol Nidrei says that we are fallible human beings. We struggle and strive and succeed and fail. Kol Nidrei is reaching out to better ourselves with the fore-knowledge that our reach exceeds our grasp.  

 Kol Nidrei defines success as “Fall down three times, get up four!”

 Kol Nidrei says that it is ok to reach for the stars.

Shavuot is about G GIVING Torah to the Jewish people. It is not about us RECEIVING Torah.  We receive the gift of Torah when and in the manner we are prepared to do so.  We distill, on the holiday of Shavuot, the gift and challenge of Torah into the symbolism of “10 commandments”.

On Shavuot I like to look at and play among the ten. Tradition teaches us that the essence of Torah is found in those ten statements. What lessons can I glean from this sacred ‘table of contents of the 613 Mitzvot of Torah.

 The First: “I am Adonai, your G.”

 Is this a commandment, or a statement of fact? It seems to be the preamble to the rest of the ten statements. If I accept this first statement, then the rest seem to fall into place.

If I accept that there is, for us, G. then it follows that “there shall be no other gods before Me.”

 Judaism is not about blind faith. Judaism encourages us to look at the world around us in awe and wonder. And that vision crystalizes with the awareness that creation is the clothing of the Creator. Our awe grows, intensifying from creation to Creator.  And I expand my inner self into that recognition that “I am Adonai, your G.”

 The first of these expressions flows into the next: “You will have no other gods instead of Me!”  It also speaks to the order of creation. Humanity is the last of physical creations, the last physical realm created on the last day of physical creation and as a prelude to the purely spiritual creation that is Shabbat. Bnay Adam was created just before and in conjunction with Shabbat, so that we would be part of the spiritual awareness that is the soul of creation.  From awe grows the daily practice of conscious awareness.

 The third of the ten speaks to the discipline of awareness. Our sacred connection with the Holy One of Being, which can also be called the Wholly One of Being, requires that I, even in my speech, do not allow that which is sacred to become commonplace, mundane.

Carrying the theme of awe and awareness into the fourth of these Ten Commandments, I am reminded of the day of spiritual creation. I am directed to remember and guard the memory and the sanctity of all creation, physical and spiritual.

The fifth of the Ten Commandments brings together the physical and the spiritual by means of the connection of family. Man and woman become partners in creation as they enter the world of parenthood. We, their children, in grateful awareness honor our parents’ role in creation. In honoring that microcosm of creation we bring to the light the sanctity of awareness, which is awe.

The next four of the ten speak to the sanctity of our relationships in community, obvious, straightforward and direct. No murder: No breaking the sanctity pairing contracts: No stealing. 

 The ninth of ten calls out to us: “Words have power!” The phrase: “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me” is nonsense. I have been hurt by the words of others and so has every other human being. Our sense of awareness includes self-awareness and the awareness of the value of others. When we lose that awareness, we lose our awe for G.

 The last of the ten, speaks to our desires, our wants.  There is nothing wrong in wanting. Desire is not evil or wrong, it is not a weakness… so long as it is in its place.  I may want to live in a nice house, but I must not want your house.  It seems so simple but this, the last of ten points to that which pulls us away from sacred awareness, from the awe for the holy.

And so on Shavuot we repeat the ten, but seek a depth beyond ten, beyond even 613.  On Shavuot we sense the offering from the Holy One of Being. And if we have acquired some amount of wisdom, through this tradition, we, with a sense of awe, become aware of the Wholly Oneness of Being.