Listening to God, the Shema, and Cellphones in Shul

Eikev Sermon: "If it's all about hearing, are we listening to the right things?" 

Rabbi Avi Billet 

The book of Devarim primarily consists of a very long speech given by Moshe Rabbeinu. It began with the recounting of the Ten Commandments in last week’s parsha, and will carry itself all the way through Parshas Ki Savo.

It’s an incredible study in psychology, sociology, culture, history, theology, as well as a considerable number of “ism”s that I couldn’t even name as I’m not much of a sociologist or a philosopher.

Nechama Leibowitz would often tell her students to look for the “milah mancha” – the root word that appears several times within a section of text – to bring out a focus of that particular text, and to perhaps come up with a theme for a group of verses.

While I chose to utilize the entire parsha for this particular experiment, a little more broad than Morah Nechama’s typically-sized text, I found that over the course of the parsha, the root word שמע appears 9 times.

The first two appearances are in the opening of the parsha and at the closing verse of Chapter 8 – when Moshe begins saying “והיה עקב תשמעון” – if you listen to God, good things will happen; this thought is brought to its rational conclusion at the end of chapter 8 when, after describing some bad things which may happen, Moshe blames this reality on עֵ֚קֶב לֹ֣א תִשמעוּן בְּק֖וֹל יְקֹוָ֥ק אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם.

Chapter 9 begins with a call out to Israel to listen – which of course sounds exactly like שמע ישראל (same words are used, in fact) and for Bnei Yisrael to realize that their participation in the conquest of the land is highly dependent on their heeding this instruction – what to listen to, what to listen for, as we are developing ourselves as a people, as a nation, and as individuals under God.

You have HEARD, for example, about the huge nations in the land – do remember that your God will plow out a path before you.

Moshe describes how after the Golden Calf he was forced to return up the mountain for 40 days, during which time God “Heard me” and agreed not to destroy the nation. In contrast, a few verses later, in a slight tangent, Moshe notes how you – the Bnei Yisrael – did NOT listen to Hashem through some of the trials they faced in the wilderness.

He continues going back to the moments when he brought down the second tablets, how it came at the culmination of another 40 day period on the mountain. And how God “listened to me” and withdrew from His wrath he had intended to unleash upon the people at that time. This is the lead-in to the people hearing the most important instructions we find in our Parsha - (יב) וְעַתָּה֙ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל מָ֚ה יְקֹוָ֣ק אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ שֹׁאֵ֖ל מֵעִמָּ֑ךְ כִּ֣י אִם־לְ֠יִרְאָה אֶת־יְקֹוָ֨ק אֱלֹהֶ֜יךָ לָלֶ֤כֶת בְּכָל־דְּרָכָיו֙ וּלְאַהֲבָ֣ה אֹת֔וֹ וְלַֽעֲבֹד֙ אֶת־יְקֹוָ֣ק אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ בְּכָל־לְבָבְךָ֖ וּבְכָל־נַפְשֶֽׁךָ: (יג) לִשְׁמֹ֞ר אֶת־מִצְוֹ֤ת יְקֹוָק֙ וְאֶת־חֻקֹּתָ֔יו אֲשֶׁ֛ר אָנֹכִ֥י מְצַוְּךָ֖ הַיּ֑וֹם לְט֖וֹב לָֽךְ:

The last time we find the words שמע is very familiar to all of us. It is in the second paragraph of Shema, which appears in our parsha, which begins with the words והיה אם שמוע תשמעו, the double language excoriating the people to listen to God, heed His word, and be blessed to have rain and blessings in their proper place and time in and upon the Land.

Listening. It’s one of the first things we are taught to do as children. And one of the first things we are trained to remind ourselves of as Jews. Hear o Israel. How many Jews who know nothing or next-to-nothing about Judaism have nevertheless heard about the Shema? MANY.

When I worked at the National Jewish Outreach Program, I was put on the assignment of working with a fellow whose goal was to create a daily email which could be read in 30 seconds, which included a reminder just to say the first verse of Shema. He’s one of those ‘can’t sit still’ kind of successful people. Very definite undiagnosed ADD. “I just want people to say the Shema. Every day. At work, wherever. I don’t care. They should say Shema. We need that. The Jewish people need that. The world needs that.” This led to the establishment of Jewish Treats, the free daily email sent out by NJOP. 

I saw a video this week, of the conclusion of the process of conversion of Yevgeniya Batael Loroviya in Israel. She was born in Uzbekistan to a Jewish father, but her mother was not Jewish. Three years ago at the age of 19, she decided to move to Israel and start studying Judaism. She learned about her roots and her background, and little by little she progressed. Shortly after she arrived in Israel, she joined the Israel Police.

You want to know how to feel as a Jew? WATCH THIS VIDEO! See how emotionally a person can care about accepting עול מלכות שמים. Many of us take for granted what some incredible people dedicate years of blood, sweat and toil to achieve. So they can count themselves as part of the Jewish people.

The Dayan has her repeat after him, “I accept to observe all the mitzvoth of the Torah. And all the commandments of the Chachamim. And the important customs of Am Yisrael. I believe in Hashem Echad!”

She is already an emotional wreck (in a good way!) as he instructs her to close her eyes, put her hand over her eyes and recite the Shema. She needs no more prompting.

When was the last time anyone here cried when saying Shema? Maybe at the conclusion of Yom Kippur. Maybe. Every time we say it we are reaffirming our acceptance of our responsibility to perform mitzvos. Does anyone cry with emotion over how lucky we are?

את חטאי אני מזכיר היום. I have a confession. I don’t cry when I say Shema. But I cried when I watched her cry. Because she “gets” something that I don’t get.

On the one hand, all of us who have known this way our whole lives are the lucky ones. But on the other hand, as Shlomo Carlebach put it in his story about Shabbos Candles – which is too long to recount here – he challenges us to think if we can recall what it was like to pray for the first time. In many ways, those who came to Judaism or observance as adults, who made an intellectual and emotional DECISION and didn’t just grow up this way – have a leg up on the rest of us.

And so the question we all ought to think about is – what do we listen to? Moshe talks about listening to God. He talks about how God listened to his sincere prayer on behalf of the Jewish . And he contrasts this with how time and again the Jewish people did NOT listen to God. They failed many times through their wilderness travails.

We can’t afford to fail any more. We can’t afford to not listen, or, heaven forbid, to hear the wrong thing.

On Thursday, Daniel Lansky of Baltimore, a 40 year old husband, and father of 3 kids , lost his battle with cancer. We can surely all relate to the heartbreak his family is dealing with. One of my friends in Hollywood was friends with Daniel for close to 25 years.

He wrote on Facebook that after he learned of Daniel’s untimely and tragic passing he “spent a couple hours reading his blog and the many posts from his friends. I was amazed at what I read. Instead of being angry, he was upbeat and optimistic. Whether he was pleading for proper decorum in Shul (synagogue), practicing random acts of kindness, or reminding people to respect each other regardless of their differences, he did so humbly and courageously.”

From what Daniel wrote, my friend took the message that “Life is short. Too short for regrets, to hold grudges, to push off your dreams, to leave things unsaid. Tell your spouse, your kids, your family that you love them. Be kind. To everyone. Live life. Without regrets.”

Before I knew of his connection, I had already intended to print and put out Daniel’s last blog post, from June. It is on the table outside.

Daniel wrote how difficult it was to ask people to do things for him. Totally against his nature. And then he wrote this:

“but now is not the time for me to think of me. I have a wife, I have three little kids and I have cancer. We need your tefilos.
In a few days I will be having my first scans since I started treatment. Those scans will show what Hashem wants to be seen. No more – no less. So here I go – I am going to ask you for what I need from you.
SHUT YOUR PHONE OFF BEFORE ENTERING SHUL. PLEASE.
There is nothing – nothing – that can’t wait. Respect the Makom tefillah. Don’t put it on vibrate – don’t silence the ringer – simply turn it off.” (End quote) 

There is an old adage – “if you come to shul to talk, where will you go when you need to daven?”

And I think that now, NOW, is the time for us to challenge ourselves to HEAR THIS MESSAGE.

This is one of the real challenges of our generation. And those of us who have cellphones are all guilty in some form or another. I am absolutely talking to myself here. I probably don’t need to talk about the dangers of cell phone usage in the context of driving – I’m talking about when looking at the phone – not the same as talking on the phone using a headset or Bluetooth. So I’ll leave that alone for now – even though it needs attention.

But let’s just talk about it in the way Daniel Lansky put it, and in the way my friend from Hollywood put it. In just about every shul I’ve been to of late, a cell phone rings during davening. And in the event that the owner of the phone doesn’t know how to silence it quickly, it rings and rings. Or, perhaps worse, the person ANSWERS THE PHONE, or runs out of the shul to answer the phone.

I don’t completely agree with Daniel Lansky, במחילת כבודו, because there are sometimes life and death situations which come up – an expectant father, a child of an elderly or sickly parent, or others who must be available due to a medical situation. Perhaps in light of the EpiPen scandal going on, I’ll mention a parent of a child with severe allergies, who also is always on call. As are many doctors, of course.

And maybe spouses and children ought to know, “When so and so is in shul – don’t call.”

The distraction in shul is day in and day out. I’ll edit the adage, really because talking isn’t a big problem here in our shul, thank God: “If you’re coming to shul to check your phone, or only to let it disturb everyone when it rings, where will you go when you need to daven? Where will you go when you are looking for a distraction-free davening?”

What we need to hear in shul is the sound of the koach hatefillah. Heartfelt responses to kaddish, kedusha, chazaras hashatz, every bracha the chazzan says. And no distractions. As my friend put it, “life is too short” to lose focus in shul and to allow unimportant things distract us from what should be our most important moments of every day.

There is so much more that can be said about the cellphone, especially the smartphone. It is an amazing device. It has transformed the world. But it has also distanced people from one another. It has cut down the ability to communicate through talking and speech, and has created a generation of people who choose a tiny screen over spending time with their spouses, their children, their parents, their friends, or even with a book.

Moshe spoke about listening to God. He spoke about God listening to prayer. May we be successful in attuning our ears to heed God’s word. To not having to hear another ringer go off during davening – thank God for Shabbos – and to pay better attention to one another and not to a small machine.

Let us learn to value Shema Yisrael as Yevgeniya Batael Loroviya does. While our davening changes can sadly no longer help Daniel Lansky, may his legacy be that improved tefillah will help others who are in dire need of sincere tefillos. And may we be blessed to heed his last request, as a zechus for his neshama and as a merit to his grieving family, his young widow and his three children, orphaned of their incredible father.

And may we merit to truly hear and understand the significance of what we are saying every time we proudly declare Shema Yisrael Adonai Elohaynu Adonai Echad.

Why God's Connection to the Jewish People Will Never Go Away

Parshat Eikev

by Rabbi Avi Billet

Last week’s Torah portion concluded with Moshe telling the people of what’s to happen when they enter the Promised Land. Owing to the terrible deeds of the inhabitants of the land, God had decided that the Children of Israel were to be His messengers in ridding the land of the immoral idolators who dwelled there.

Aside from giving specific instructions as to how different forms of idolatry were to be destroyed – as they have no place in God’s land – Moshe reminded the people that “it is not because you were greater in number than the other nations… for you are the smallest nation…” It is because this is what it means to be a people dedicated to holiness, a people chosen by God for a mission on this earth, to spread His name and to teach and model morality and monotheism. “It is because of God’s love for you, and on account of His keeping His promise that he made to your forefathers that he took you out of Egyptian bondage.” (7:4-9)

This week, we will read of Moshe telling the people of what’s to come when they cross the Jordan River and enter the land inhabited by populations much larger and stronger than them. “Don’t worry. God will pass before you as a consuming fire. He will drive them out and destroy them…” Then comes the warning:

“When God repulses them before you, do not say to yourselves, 'It was because of my virtue that God brought me to inherit this land.' It was because of the wickedness of these nations that God is driving them out before you. It was not because of your virtue and basic integrity that you are coming to inherit their land, but because of the wickedness of these nations whom God is driving out before you. It is also because God is keeping the word that He swore to your ancestors, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Therefore, realize that it is not because of your virtue that God your Lord is giving you this land as an inheritance, since you are a very stubborn nation. Remember and never forget how you provoked God your Lord in the desert. From the day you left Egypt until you came here, you have been rebelling against God. Even at Horeb you provoked God! And God was ready to display anger and destroy you.” (9:4-8) 

Were these two sentiments in different parts of the Torah, there would be no issue. But they are back to back, which essentially indicates – as they are part of the same speech – that Moshe was repeating himself. Was Moshe repeating himself? If yes, why? And if no, then what are we to take from the seeming repetition? 

One of the lessons I recall from a homiletics class I took in rabbinical school is to “tell them what you’re going to say, say it, and then summarize what you told them.” It’s an effective tool for helping people retain your message. Perhaps Moshe was utilizing the Homiletics Playbook to remind people about the promise made to the forefathers and their need to recognize why they were being helped, and to also realize why they may have otherwise been undeserving. In this way, repetition drives the message home.

On the other hand, if Moshe is not using that strategy, then there isn’t officially a repetition here. And Moshe has different points that are being made in these two narratives.

Which is why you should never trust a question like this, because until you see the big picture, the question is a distraction from the reality. When Parshat Va’etchanan ends, its concluding statement is another ringing endorsement for the need to observe and keep the commandments. The point being made there concludes, as the parsha which follows opens up a new conditional promise.

Parshat Eikev begins with the signature phrase of “Eikev Tish’m’oon” – on account of your listening to God, good things will happen. As Moshe’s monologue continues, he raises possibilities of the range of feelings and emotions the people may experience. “When you think of the numbers of enemies you must vanquish and the impossibility you face with such an endeavor, just remember what God did to Egypt.” (7:17-18)

More strikingly, Moshe warns of what will happen when things are going well for everyone, so well that they begin to forget why all the goodness comes about.

“Perhaps you’ll eat and be satisfied. And you’ll have lots of animals and money, and houses filled with everything you could possibly need. Your heart will be haughty and you’ll forget God Who took you out of Egypt, who gave you water from a rock, who fed you manna in the wilderness. You’ll say ‘It was all my strength that accomplished this…’” (8:11-18) 

Moshe concludes this section warning that if the Jewish people forget God, they will be lost and destroyed as well. And why? “Eikev lo tish’m’oon b’kol Hashem” – on account of your not listening to God. This language choice provides us with a very substantive bookend which closes the tale that began the parsha.

Apparently it is not so simple for the Jewish people to guarantee subservience to God. As much as the promises for good things to happen come, there is always the lingering chance that the people will turn in the wrong direction.

And that is not something anyone likes to hear. Because it IS deflating. And it IS depressing. And it does contribute to a helplessness and hopelessness of “why should I even try?”

The answer to the deflating question is, if I may quote the emperor from Star Wars, “Because it is your dessssstiny.”

And this is where Chapter 9 comes into the picture, and why it is not a repeat, as much as it is the answer to a different question. Moshe begins the chapter with the ubiquitous terms “Shema Yisrael” as if to remind the people what they are all about. It’s a nod to the famous verse in which we declare God’s Oneness. And in the context of pleas not to follow the ways of idolators, the hint isn’t even so subtle.

Then Moshe goes on to describe how things will go – big nations, giants, etc, but don’t let the depressing nature of the previous chapter hold you back. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, there is a promise, there is a guarantee that despite the odds against us, things will turn out OK. And that stems from the promise made to the forefathers, and God’s love for the forefathers. Never forget that. 

What do we need to do to fulfill the mandate given to the people Moshe was addressing? It’s a very simple formula – keep the mitzvoth, remember your God, and remember that when all else seems to be failing, we will always maintain a connection to God because he loved our forefathers. It gives us what to live up to, but it also gives us hope, because we always have an ace in the hole, the connection that continues to exist between us and our Creator, no matter what challenges life sends our way.

"Say No More" - The Many Interpretations of "You Have Too Much"

Parshat Va'Etchanan

by Rabbi Avi Billet

The Torah portion begins in the middle of Moshe’s explaining how after he appointed Yehoshua as the next leader, he once again beseeched God for permission to enter the Promised Land. The response from the Almighty was “Rav Lakh – do not speak to me any more about this.” (3:26)

The words “Rav Lakh” are translated by Artscroll as “It is too much for you,” by Hertz as “Let it suffice thee,” and by Aryeh Kaplan as “Enough!”

The simplest explanations of the phrase come from R Samson Raphel Hirsch and Netziv in Haamek Davar. Hirsch: “You did yours. Through fulfilling your mission on earth… you’ve achieved your portion in seeing the greatness and strength of my ways.” Netziv: “You did much for the benefit of the community. There’s nothing you can add in the dissemination of Torah.”

These perspectives suggest that God is telling Moshe that your destiny was to get this far, you’ve achieved what your life was all about, and now it is someone else’s turn. There is nothing to discuss. 

But the fact is that the term “rav lakh” has many interpretations, not just in terms of the specific meaning of the words, but in terms of the tone that God was employing. Was He angry or empathetic? Was he exasperated with Moshe, or was He trying to soothe Moshe and ease the pain of the harsh reality that his dream of entering the land had no chance of being realized?

Midrash Tanaim has 12 explanations for the term, some of which are presented here:
(1) Moshe said, if the decree is that I should not go as leader, or on the land, or even alive, then let me go as a simpleton, or in burrows/caves, or merely to be buried there. God said “You have enough.” 
(2) If you go into the land, you’ll be buried amongst dead people. With Me, you’ll enter the realm of angels, and the angels will bury you. “Your destiny is so much more.”
(3) Were you to enter the land, you’d never manage to see all of it. This way I will have you see the entire land from the mountain top. “You deserve more than what you are unknowingly asking for.”
(4) A person who makes a vow goes to his teacher/master to nullify his vow. You should also listen to your master. “You have a master (a “Rav”)”
(5) “You have much waiting for you in the world to come.” It’s like a person who tells his friend, “I have many things for you, don’t embarrass me by not showing up.”
(6) I performed many miracles and wonders through your hand. Now it’s Yehoshua’s turn. “Don’t take more than your share.”
(7) You never had the yetzer hora (evil inclination) really challenge you. And I’m not letting the angel of death take your life – I’m dealing with it myself. “Is that not enough for you?”
(8) “You have a master,” and He is telling the student what he should be doing.

R Yosef B’khor Shor notes a simple human failing, which I’ll just compare to the children’s book, “If you Give a Mouse a Cookie.” “Once you get into the land, you’ll want to see the Temple…” Be happy with what you have – yours has been a good life.

There is another perspective that suggests Moshe is getting a comeuppance for his behavior in the Korach story. Let us recall that one of the accusations of Korach and co. was that Moshe and Aharon have taken too much responsibility upon themselves. “Rav Lakhem.” (Bamidbar 16:3) Moshe’s response was “Rav Lakhem bnei Levi” – you Levites have plenty of benefits (Bamdibar 16:7)

Even though Moshe was hurling their unfair accusation back in their faces, Moshe is still discredited for having stooped to their level. As a result, God recalls the phrase now, when Moshe is asking for more than his share, saying “Rav Lakh.” Don’t ask for more than your share.

Daat Zekenim record a view that the word “Rav” comes from the word “Riv” which means “argument.” The suggestion is that the one who holds an argument against you is Adam, the human who brought death to the world. You are supposed to die! Stop trying to push off the inevitable. Baal Haturim records this as well, before launching into a few new interpretations. “Many times you did something against me” – at the burning bush (Shmot 4:13), after your first encounter with Pharaoh (Shmot 5:22), your sarcasm in response to the lack of meat (Bamidbar 11:22) as well as the incident with the rock (Bamidbar 20:10). “I can’t deal with your arguments anymore!” Therefore, there is very little tolerance for your slip-ups because “they are too much for a person of your intelligence.”

Kli Yakar notes that the numerical value of the word “Lakh” equals 50. As Moshe himself was the one who said, “Our Years are 70.” (Tehillim 90:10) For Moshe, who is now 120, who has gotten 50 extra years, God is telling him, “You’ve gotten more than your fill with an extra 50 years.”

One final interpretation, also from Kli Yakar, is that the phrase should be read in the form of a question. “Rav Lakh?” “You are going to have a master – now that your student Yehoshua is taking over?”

There are more interpretations, but we’ll stop here due to limited space.

Two points to drive home: First, it is incredible to see how unsimple to understand a two word phrase can be. Loaded with inflection, intent, and even different possible translations, it is an ever present reminder that Torah study and understanding can’t simply be relegated to “What does Artscroll say?”

Second, we see the complexity of Moshe’s experience – as a leader, as someone facing retirement, and someone who is not ready to accept his destiny, as someone who may be asking for more than his share.

Life presents each of us with our own playbook. We certainly make choices, and some of us take better care of our selves and perhaps merit a longer life because of the actions we take. But do we ever want to be the people who are told by God, “Rav Lakh”? Some of the interpretations are positive, but most seem to remind Moshe that his time is up, and he needs to embrace that.

It doesn’t always have to mean that it’s time to die. But it should mean that there is a time and place, within retirement, for example, or simply when one has fulfilled what one set out to do in school or in a place of employment, to let go of certain stances or positions in order to let others have a chance, and to give them the space to shine. It seems that as much as Moshe understood Yehoshua had to take over, maybe he wasn’t so ready to give up everything and to fade into the sunset.

May those of us who recognize it’s time to give others a chance merit to live long lives so we can quell in the nachas that others have a chance to enjoy things we once held onto so dearly (maftir yonah, reading the megillah, leading kol nidrei, being the rabbi or president of a shul (after leaving the position, don’t tell the successor how to do his job), or any parallel example in a workplace, school, and beyond!)

The Right Leaders Appoint the Best Leaders

Parshat Devarim 

by Rabbi Avi Billet 

After describing the difficulty he had in judging the people by himself when the need for rule of law became apparent shortly after leaving Egypt, Moshe describes how he had made a suggestion to the people to bring forth their most honorable leaders to serve as captains and judges over smaller population groups.

Leaving out the role his father in law had in these developments (a topic of a much longer discussion), Moshe says, “You answered me, 'Yours is a good suggestion.' I selected of tribal leaders, wise and well known men, and I appointed them your leaders - captains of thousands, captains of hundreds, captains of fifties, captains of tens, and police for your tribes.” (1:14-15)

In two separate comments, Netziv (Rabbi Naftali Tzvi Yehuda Berlin) makes the bold claim that Moshe utilized an unnecessary word to make his point, and each unnecessary word requires an explanation.

First, Moshe said “You answered me.” (ותענו אותי) The word “me” (אותי) is unnecessary, as Moshe is the one talking and he is describing the response the people had to what he said! Netziv explains that the previous word, which has been translated to “you answered” (ותענו) can also be read to mean “you caused to suffer.”

In other words, the people pushing for reform were so brash and bold they were indicating their displeasure with Moshe’s leadership when he had barely had the time to get his feet wet in practical leadership after the people had completely removed the shackles of Egypt. Had the word only meant “you answered” then the word “me” would have been extra. But since it could also mean, “You caused to suffer” the word “me” is necessary because the people “caused me [Moshe] to suffer” in the way they treated him.

The second example of an extra word is when Moshe says, “I appointed them your leaders.” (ואתן אתם ראשים עליכם) The word “them” (אתם) is extra. In the verse, the Hebrew word for “them” is “otam.” After asking if it is plausible that Moshe “selected of tribal leaders, wise and well known men, and I appointed them your leaders” because if they were already leaders, how was he appointing them as leaders, Netziv explains that the word “Otam” can also be read as “Itam” (אתם) were one to merely change the vowelization. “Itam” means “with them,” and the verse would now mean “I selected of tribal leaders, wise and well known men, and I appointed your leaders with them!”

It is such a fascinating idea to consider that if an unnecessary word is only revoweled, it becomes more than necessary, but brings about a new teaching. We learn so much about the people, and we learn so much about Moshe.

If indeed the people made Moshe suffer over this choice, it shows a level of disgruntlement that we did not perceive at such an early stage. They wanted to have a say. They wanted to be involved. If I may borrow an old phrase (and create a new word), perhaps they were declaring “No leaderization without representation.”

And so, Moshe chose to accept input from representatives who were already leaders, saying “Help me find the right people to serve in this capacity. You want leaders? I’ll give you leaders. But you have to choose them! This way, you can’t complain anymore, as they are your leaders – the ones your representatives chose along with me.”

We are living in a time when people often feel that leaders are unnecessary. Maybe even some of the leaders don’t value their roles as leaders. But more often, people seem to feel that “I can do everything myself.”

I recently saw a video of an interview from 1975 in which Johnny Carson had then-former-Governor Ronald Reagan on and Reagan said, “If government would shut the doors and sneak away for three weeks, we’d never miss them.” Presumably because good people would be able to do good things without being subject to laws and regulations that are stifling to growth and business (I don’t think he was suggesting that police who deal with crime and law and order should go away). And maybe there is something to such a notion.

But there are also times when one wonders if the leaders we have are the leaders we are stuck with or if they are the ones we aptly deserve. Government is a sore subject for a lot of people these days, so let’s put our focus back in our community.

Those who feel they do not have a say have every right to have a say. Whether we are talking about a shul or a school or any Jewish institution with which we are involved, it behooves us to participate in a way that indicates our concern and care, but also in a way that is respectful.

Hopefully we merit to get the right kinds of leaders, but there is also the concern that, based on how we conduct ourselves, we get the leaders we deserve.

How many schools have an overhaul of administration every five years? How many shuls are looking for a new rabbi every three years? How many institutions find themselves bedecked with scandal on account of mishandling of money, or some other unfortunate episode?

Leaders must properly represent, and the people must have the strength to pick those who fit them best.

Hopefully, at the very least, we can thereby improve our community infrastructures and promote peace in all of our ranks.

Mount Avarim - The Ultimate Transition

Parshat Matot-Masei 

by Rabbi Avi Billet

The listing of the travels of the Israelites in the wilderness finishes with these verses: “They left Almon Divlathaymah and camped in the Avarim mountains in front of Nebo. They left the Avarim mountains and camped in the West Plains of Moab on the Jericho Jordan.” (33:47-48)

The problem here is that the presentation does not seem to follow the order of the Torah. Go back a few chapters in the Torah and we find that they came to “Arvot Moav” (west plains of Moav) in 22:1, and a number of things took place there, as noted in 26:3, 63 (census), 31:12 (post-Midian war), and of course Devarim 34:1 (Moshe’s ascent up Mt. Nebo to die), which follows the order that Arvot Moav was the last stop.

The events on Mount Avarim are described in Chapter 27:12, when Moshe is told, “Climb up to the Avarim Mountain where you will be able to see the land that I am giving to the Israelites.” Shortly after this he is told to appoint Yehoshua in his stead to be the leader.

One might argue, following the viewpoint of Rashi in the book of Bereishit, that there is no chronological order in the Torah. Whether they got to Arvot Moav first, or Mount Avarim first does not really matter. Except that here, the Torah’s listing of the travels very clearly delineates how this is the order of travel!

To answer the seeming discrepancy, one might argue that Mount Avarim is within Arvot Moav – they stopped at the mountain first, and then settled in the plains of Moav. More succinctly, they had specific business at the mountain – Moshe’s reminder of his pending death – while the nation had general business which could not take place on the mountain but needed to take place in the plains.

But perhaps a better question to address is what is the purpose of Mount Avarim?

Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan explains: “This is the mountain range to the east of the Dead Sea, particularly at its northern end. They are in front of Mount Nebo. Some say that they were called Avarim because they were opposite the crossing point to Jericho (Tur; cf. Josephus, Antiquities 4:8:48). This would indicate that Mount Nebo was on the site of the present Mount Sh'anab, some 8 miles north of its traditional site. However, the stream Abu Arabeh flows into the Jordan almost exactly west of the traditional site of Mount Nebo. Some say that it was called Avarim because from its peak one could see the burial places of Aaron and Miriam (Zohar3:183b; Bachya on 20:28).

Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch explains the mountain’s name to mean “Mount of Transition” – “This is the mountain through which the people will cross the Jordan in order to enter the Promised Land.” Of course, the transition from Moshe as leader to Yehoshua as leader also seems to be put in motion over here. Hirsch also notes that the event which is described here is not supposed to actually happen now. Moshe was not meant to die yet; that would happen at the end of the Torah’s narrative.

More strikingly is the words of Sifrei (which is quoted by Ramban as well) that equates Mount Avarim, Mount Nebo, Mount Hor, and Rosh Hapisgah.

If it is indeed true that the mountain has four names (Sifrei notes how multiple names given to one place is not unique, as we see in Devarim 3:9 Hermon is referred to by some are Siryon and by others as Snir) the question is not so difficult. Nebo and Avarim are the same place, and it is alongside the plains of Moav, the final encampment before crossing the Jordan River. (Though we can ask if Aharon and Moshe are buried on the same mountain!)

But I think there is a more important message that can be extracted from this Mount of Transition. The most important lesson that all of us need to remember is that there will come a time when we will face the reality of our mortality. This is what Avarim was meant to represent for Moshe. When we come to this realization - do we ignore it and just let things ride, not caring about what kind of mess we leave behind when we depart? Or do we responsibly set our house in order, so that when that moment does come, the transition is clear?

Most people do not like to think about these things before they see the Angel of Death knocking. But the truth is that despite Moshe’s never-ending yearning to get to the Promised Land, he was the one who opened the conversation with God that the people should not be “like a flock of sheep without a shepherd.”

I have heard of people who have bought cemetery plots (mostly in Israel) who have gone to the site to “look at the view.” Maybe Moshe went up Mount Avarim at that stop, maybe he did not. Malbim notes that Moshe “wasn’t commanded to die at that time because he needed to lead the fight against Midian, and deal with a few more items” before his time came to transition to the next world.

But he got the message and left a lesson for all time. Be wise, anticipate what is inevitably coming, make plans, and hopefully we are successful in the transitions of our lives, in leaving a lasting legacy and a clean house for those who are left to put together the pieces when we each go through our own final transition.