Putting On A Good Face

Parshat Vayelekh

by Rabbi Avi Billet

One of the earlier verses in the parsha describes the encouragement Moshe gave to Yehoshua in the last days before passing the baton of leadership to him.

"Moses summoned Joshua, and in the presence of all Israel, said to him, 'Be strong and brave, since you will be the one to bring this nation to the land that God swore to their fathers that He would give it to them. You will be the one to parcel it out to them." [Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan's translation – Living Torah]

Rabbi Kaplan's translation is generally a loose one, as he moves Hebrew phrases around in the English in order to create a more flowing narrative. Any translator knows something is lost in the change from one language to the next. The challenge is to stay as true to the original as one can, while making it an appealing read to your target audience.

In this particular case, while I believe Rabbi Kaplan's interpretation is accurate in the sentiment, the inaccuracy of the order of the translation removes the possibility of understanding how the teaching shared by the Slonimer Rebbe in his Nesivos Shalom fits in the text. A literal translation of the beginning of the verse will sound more like, "And Moshe said to him, before the eyes of all of Israel, 'Be strong and brave…'"

In his classic Hassidic style of reassigning modifiers, the Nesivos Shalom suggests that we view Moshe's quote as beginning after the words "to him." This may even be a better interpretation than the one suggested by Rabbi Kaplan, when we consider the cantillation marks on the words, as well as the fact that what Moshe is telling Yehoshua is quite personal. We know from past experiences (read: spies) that telling personal and private messages to individuals in front of the entire nation has not boded well when the ax fell.

Yehoshua was faced with a personal dilemma. He was the same Yehoshua he had always been. "Yehoshua bin Nun, the young man, would not leave from the tent." (Shmot 33:11) He was studious, dedicated to his teacher, and not interested in attention. He did not crave the limelight. He learned from his teacher to be humble and to know your place.

And so the Nesivos Shalom suggests, Moshe was telling him, "You are the leader now, whether you like it or not. God chose you! So at least when you are 'before the eyes of all of Israel, be strong and brave.' Be the king! Be the leader! Hide your reservations and your feelings of insecurity when you are in front of the people. You are their leader."

If Yehoshua wanted to cry himself to sleep at night, he could do that in the privacy of his own bedroom. But as a leader, he must present a face of leadership at all times.

Some people have either worked on or are blessed with a tremendous amount of confidence. The confidence may be well deserved or earned. And sometimes the confidence translates to getting too much undeserved attention.

On the other hand, there are some people who are quite capable but are quite reserved or insecure about their abilities, or feel that if they do one thing incorrectly, it will ruin everything and they'll never get a second chance.

A healthy balance uses both traits. It is very important to make mistakes, as long as one learns from them. It is very important to showcase one's talents, when one has talents worth showcasing – even if you personally don't put much stock in them. There are athletes who hate watching sports, and actors who can't stand to watch theater or film. But they do what they do because they are good at it. And if they don't put on the right face when they do it, they might not continue to enjoy the success they enjoy.

Part of the task is to, as Nike puts it, "Just do it." The other part of the task is to put on a good face, and to be confident in what you are doing.

No one can solve my personal devils and distractions except me. This is true for every person who carries emotional baggage.

Moshe was saying to Yehoshua, "God will help you with your personal issues. Don't wear your emotions on your sleeve for all of Israel to see. You may only exhibit leadership qualities before them. And then, if you need to, collapse on your bed in private at the end of the day."

This is particularly a challenge for parents who are looked up to by their children. For those who struggle with bills, debt, financial uncertainty, or whatever else, putting a up a good front for one's children is a difficult assignment. Stress can be quite deflating, and it can bring down those who are incapable of coping.

As we make our commitments to TEshuva in this time period, may we also pray that God can give us the strength to pull it all together, hold it all together, and always put a good face forward as we interact with those who look to us as their models and leaders.

Be Brave and Strong! The best is yet to come.

Simcha: The Art of Joyous Living

Parshat Ki Tavo

by Rabbi Avi Billet

Nechama Leibowitz was fond of teaching her students to find the "milah mancha" – a shoresh (root noun or verb), word or phrase that appears numerous times in a given section.

In Parshat Ki Tavo, a surprising "milah mancha" is the root of the word "simcha," meaning joy. While the word only appears in three contexts, each instance brings its own set of immeasurable valuable lessons.

The first reference to joy comes in the context of bringing the first fruits. After placing the basket on the floor of the Mishkan, having said one's declaration of gratitude, the Torah says "You will rejoice in all the bounty that God has given you, along with the Levite and the 'ger' who lives amongst you." (26:11) The joy here comes from a recognition that the gifts we enjoy come from God.

The second mention of joy alerts the people of a time in the hopefully not-too-distant future when they will gather at Mount Eival after having crossed into the land of Canaan. Moshe instructs them as to how they will construct a Mizbeach (an altar) out of uncut stones and bring sacrifices upon it. They will also take very large stones, coat them with limestone and write the words of the Torah upon them - which they will read, and which will serve as a reminder to them of their relationship with God. In the midst of all the festivities, "You will bring peace offerings there and you will rejoice before your God." (27:7) The joy will come from a feeling of closeness to God, because we are in the land He promised, and we are seeing the circle of the Redemption from Egypt coming to a close.

The third time we see the word "simcha" is in the Tokhacha (Rebuke), when the people are told that all the curses will come upon you "because you did not serve the Lord your God with joy and a merry heart on account of having plenty of everything." (28:47) This notion would seem to be a reference to the concern voiced in Devarim 8:14-20 when Moshe warns of what will happen when things are going well for you and "your heart becomes elevated, and you forget God who took you out of Egypt… [to the point that] you'll say in your heart, 'It was my own strength and fortitude that got me here.'"

It seems the Torah is suggesting that for some people money can buy happiness. But the idea that the money causes people to forget God, and consequently not to serve God with joy, is one of the ingredients that will bring about the curses of the Rebuke.

Living life with joy, and rejoicing with God, seems to be an easy antidote to life's ills and pitfalls. For some people, living life with joy is much easier said than done. There are everyday pressures from bosses, children, spouses. There are bills to pay. There is the ever-present concern of "Am I doing right in how I am raising my children?" It's hard to live in the moment and to simply be happy.

Those who follow the teaching of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov that "it is a great mitzvah to be happy," have a built in reminder that as much as everything weighs on the shoulders, there is a higher calling. We can look at all the blessings we have and be reminded that life is good.

I like to think the Tokhacha has been visited upon the Jewish people enough times. I like to believe that the warnings are a remnant of a time that was, and that they need not happen again. Less than 70 years after the Holocaust, however, there are still survivors and certainly many children of survivors who know that the Tokhacha was fulfilled yet again during that period of very recent history. And I am certainly not suggesting that I understand the ways of God as to why it had to happen. Giving reasons for the Holocaust is at the least insulting to all its victims and smacks of pure ignorance.

But the Torah explains why the curses of the Tokhacha would be visited upon the Jewish people, and it tacks in the message of not serving God with joy.

We need to find joy in everything we do. We need to rise above the mundane and the day-to-day concerns that pull us down and prevent us from feeling joy.

Bringing the first fruit was a reminder that, despite everything that might be difficult, there is bounty in your life. Tap into it, know where it comes from (hint: God), appreciate it, and rejoice with it.

The celebration at Mt. Eival, which is recounted in Yehoshua Chapter 8, was a reminder that God fulfills His promises – even though the fulfillment of the promises sometimes comes to a different generation. There is merit to serving God, to fostering the man-God relationship and rejoicing in the gift that from being God's People.

We build the relationship through our time commitments, our monetary commitments, and through our life choices. We pray, we learn, we act, we serve, we fulfill commandments, and many are committed to growing in observance, in learning, and in each person's closer feelings for God.

If we smile more, and rejoice more in our service and dedication to God, who knows what can happen? Maybe the Messiah will come. And maybe we'll become a light unto others as we are "motzim chen b'einei Elokim v'adam" – finding favor in the eyes of God and Mankind.