Understanding a Purpose in Life

This was written for the Greater Miami Jewish Federation weekly column. The link there is no longer active. Please see below.

Shemot

by Rabbi Avi Billet
Community Fellow of Yeshiva University’s Center for Jewish Future of South Florida
“Understanding a Purpose in Life”

It is easy to understand the hesitation that comes with the appointment to be the savior of the Israelites from Egyptian bondage. Nonetheless, God is very patient with Moshe, gives him signs, promises and much reassurance to the stuttering shepherd, so the exiled former prince will not feel lonely in his task confronting Pharaoh.

With all of Moshe's questions and counterarguments, G-d remains patient and calm, so to speak, talking Moshe through what the process will look like.

Then, in 4:13, Moshe essentially says, “Please God, send someone else.” This causes G-d to get really mad, and He explains that Aharon, Moshe's brother, will be alongside to help with any problems.

What is Moshe asking, and why does it cause G-d to become so furious with him?

The commentaries have a field day with this question. Here are a few choice possibilities of the meaning behind Moshe's request:

Rashi 1: Send Aharon, the current Jewish leader in Egypt.

Rashi 2: Send a person who will ultimately bring them into the land — namely Yehoshua.

Rashbam: Send a person whom You want to send, just not me. Onkelos: Send a kosher ("fit") person, who can presumably look and act the part.

Yonatan: Send Pinchas — the Jewish leader in the end of days (i.e., send the Messiah).

Ibn Ezra: Aharon, who is older, has no speech impediment and is a recognized prophet.

Ramban: First he explains Onkelos, saying Moshe's point is that the Jewish representative must be a pleasing person who will not be a laughing stock to world leaders, then...

Ramban’s personal opinion: Moshe is displaying his trademark humility. He cannot bring himself to say "G-d sent me," and he does not look forward to the idea of the Jewish people viewing him as a king.

S'forno: Send the message with someone who is worthy to represent You. I am not worthy because I would need You to guide me every step of the way, showing me what to say.

Or Hachaim (focuses on the words "bi Hashem"): I am not placing the blame for this inappropriate appointment on G-d. "In me" ("bi") lies the flaw, the human imperfection. And as I am undeserving to have G-d correct my speech, I am unworthy of being chosen for this lofty role of representing G-d to the mightiest human king on the planet.

No matter what Moshe intended, for a different person to lead, or that he be excused on account of his humility or his flawed speech, the fact he ignores is that G-d has made clear none of these are factors. [See 3:12,18,19, 4:2-9,11-12] God wants Moshe just as he is. Period.

Moshe's continued suggestion otherwise is understandably infuriating to G-d. How many times does He need to reassure Moshe all will be well?

When G-d is mad, He punishes. Is Moshe punished for his infraction here?
Many of the commentaries say he was, and they include the following suggested indications of punishment: loss of status (kohen to levi), no healing for his speech impediment, and a chance brush with death shortly after agreeing to follow G-d's commands.

Do any of the suggested punishments fit the crime of not listening to G-d's instructions, not trusting G-d's intentions, not believing in G-d's knowledge of a human imperfection?

You be the judge.

But remember this: Moshe was the most humble of all humans. It was very hard for him to accept his appointment, even though it was dictated to him directly by God. G-d's point was "while humility is an amazing character trait to have, when G-d tells a person you have a job to do, your humility must be chucked out the window."

May we all be blessed to discover our job, or real purpose, in life. And may we merit to complete our task to the fullest extent possible.

Lighting the Fire Before Rosh Hashana

There's an old joke.

New Year's is always January 1. Thanksgiving is always the last Thursday in November. But Jewish holidays are never on time. They're always "early" or "late"! (You can groan now)

Rosh Hashana will begin this Friday night, and it lends the question: What are we doing to prepare?

Selichot and Shofar

Those of us of Sephardic (Spain, North Africa and Middle Eastern) descent have been saying Selichot since the 1st of the month of Elul. Those of us of Ashkenazic descent began the same this past Saturday night.

All of us have been sounding and hearing the shofar on a daily basis for the last three and a half weeks.

What's Next?

One who truly believes that Rosh Hashana is a Day of Judgment has a lot to be concerned about. Does anyone really think he or she is perfect?

One of my favorite stories concerns a member of a certain synagogue (to remain nameless to protect the innocent) - and Yes this is a TRUE story - who approached the rabbi with a particular concern he had. You see, he was one of the few who was to serve as the chazzan/ ba'al tefillah (leader of the services) on Rosh Hashana, as the synagogue had multiple services and no offical cantor.

He told the rabbi, "I have a real problem saying the "Chazzan's Prayer" before Mussaf, in which it says הנְנִי הֶעָנִי מִמַּעַשֹ נִרְעַשׁ וְנִפְחַד מִפַּחַד יוֹשֵׁב תְּהִלּוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל, בָּאתִי לַעֲמֹד וּלְהִתְחַנֵּן לְפָנֶיךָ עַל עַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר שְׁלָחוּנִי. וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵינִי כְדַאי וְהָגוּן לְכַךְ.
["Here I am, impoverished of deeds, trembling and frightened from the dread of Him Who is enthroned upon the praises of Israel, I have come to stand and supplicate before You for Your people Israel who have sent me, although I am unworthy and unqualified to do so."]

"Rabbi, I am not a pauper of deeds - I do so much. And I am not unworthy and unqualified. I've studied the prayers and know all the right tunes. I have a real problem saying those words."

"Then I have a real problem with your leading the services," answered the rabbi.

Brilliance of the text

Most people readily admit there is much to improve in themselves. This writer included. Alas, most New Year's resolutions do not last for a very long time. We are the way we are, and continue to be the way we are because it is very difficult to change.

So at least the prayer book gives the chazzan the words to say to express the reality of his existence, that he, like the rest of us, is an imperfect human being. And though he, like the rest of us, is unworthy to serve as the defense, together we're going to make a dern good try of it.

A Possible Approach

While these next few days are not yet Rosh Hashana, maybe we can begin our process of getting ourselves into the mindset a little earlier.

I have an uncle who has always - referring to his weight - been a self-proclaimed yo-yo. We'd see him at one family gathering, and he'd be 30 pounds overweight. He'd go on a diet and by the next gathering he'd be thin as a rail. Next time, overweight again. Up and down, like a yo-yo.

He once said, "There's nothing like a doctor who can give you a good dose of 'yiras shamayim' (fear of heaven - a.k.a. reverence for God). Seriously, when a guy tells you 'If you want to live to see your grandchildren you have to lose 40 pounds (and keep it off), get some exercise and stop some of your really bad habits' you learn to listen very quickly."

Amazingly, he's kept it off and has been an average size since then.

I don't know if it's really יראת שמים (fear of heaven), or fear of death, or fear of not seeing grandchildren. (He now has a couple of grandchildren, and I hope he enjoys the nachas they give him for a long time.) But something lit a fire under him, and he changed!

So here it is: instead of making a resolution to change (which won't work), we need to light a fire under ourselves to inspire us to want to change.

Recession-Proof

The economy has put a lot of people in a position that they are rethinking priorities. Some are out of work. Some are looking for jobs. Some are lost and need direction.

These challenges are all opportunities. Whether the fire lit under us be our children, our grandchildren, or just the drive to want to live a fulfilling life, many of us will embrace it and hit it head on.

My offer to you - To Light the Fire

My market is not HR. Sad to say, I don't do hiring.

But I learn Torah with people. I have a car, and I have a flexible schedule. I can come to your place, your turf, on your time, and open your eyes to new texts and new areas of Torah study you may have never seen before, never enjoyed before, or never saw from a perspective that makes sense to you.

We'll challenge protocol together and look for answers until we're either satisfied, or really really disturbed and challenged by the things we've found.

It's not a resolution which won't work. It's lighting a fire for which someone else (in this case, I) will stoke the coals for you. You just need to want the fire to stay lit.

So send an email - avi.billet@yu.edu - or pick up the phone and call our Boca office at 561 852 3152

Perversion of the Blemished Animal

Parshat Shoftim

There are many behaviors which the Torah describes as “to’evot” (abominations or perversions). Some are politically insensitive, but none of them call the people who do these behaviors abominable – the name-calling refers only to the actions.

Other than in Acharei Mot and Kedoshim, all of the to’evot appear in Moshe’s good-bye speech that is the book of Devarim – including our parsha. With an overview glance, one of the to’evot – offering a blemished animal as a sincere sacrifice (not idolatry) – seems not to fit in the category of to’evot, leaving us to wonder why it is included in such an infamous list. (Devarim 17:1)

Consider that the abominations or repulsive behaviors, from God’s perspective, can be summarized in the following categories: missionary and idolatrous activities, sins of sexuality, cheating in business, eating non-kosher animals, and utilizing witchcraft for any purpose. As bringing a korban is not, in and of itself, a problematic activity, where does an imperfect animal as an offering fit into this list? How is it repulsive to God?

Let us examine the other to’evot to see exactly why their perverse behaviors are considered repulsive to God.

In Vayikra 18 and 20, perversions of intimate relations, whether with close family relatives, same gender, or animals are all heaped into an overall category of “abomination activities.”

Devarim 7:26 categorizes idols which seem enticing as “abominations.” They are not to be brought into one’s home as a souvenir, even as spoils of war. In fact, Devarim 12:31 describes the acts of serving some of the pagan gods as abominable acts, for they include child sacrifice.

The next abomination is in Devarim 13:15 when the Torah describes a group of people who attempt to draw others away from Judaism, to seek to worship other deities or religions. Missionary behavior – to proselytize away from Judaism - particularly when undertaken by Jews, is considered abominable. (A similar episode is described in Devarim 17:4, when either an individual man or a woman is responsible for causing others to turn away from God.)

Before listing kosher animals in Devarim 14:3, the Torah says that eating non-kosher animals is an abomination.

Witchcraft, necromancy and forms of idolatry which include child sacrifice are together categorized as “to’evot” in Devarim 18:9.

A fascinating contrast exists in Devarim 22:4-7. The prohibitions against mistreating others’ animals and cross-dressing precede the statement “It is an abomination to God, whoever does these things.” Immediately afterwards, a compassionate treatment of an animal, the sending away of the mother bird, is described as one of the few commandments in the Torah which guarantee long life.

Prostitution is listed as a to’evah in Devarim 23:19.

In the event a woman marries a new husband after a divorce, if her second marriage ends (divorce or his death), she may not return to her first husband, as this is repulsive to God (Devarim 24:4). [The original union could return if she did not marry anyone in the interim since their divorce.] The Seforno says the return to the original marriage after a different marriage is a to’evah because it opens the door for quickie marriages, to legitimize “experimenting” before returning to what may have been a more stable home. Marriage should be undertaken for completely honorable reasons, and spouse hopping does not fit in this rubric.

Cheating in weights and measures is considered repulsive behavior in Devarim 25:16.

Finally, a person who makes a sculptured or cast idol is cursed in Devarim 27:15, for having carved an image which is repulsive to God.

With our list including idolatry, immoral behaviors in the realms of sexuality and business ethics, and putting non-kosher items in one’s mouth, the question of the blemished offering remains unanswered. Where does it fit in the to’evah scale?

The prophet Malachi says “When you present a blind animal… or a lame animal, is there nothing wrong? Offer it to your governor, will he be appeased? ‘Will he show you favor?’ asks the God of Hosts.” (Malachi 1:8) The questions are rhetorical, says Rabbi David Kimchi (Radak), as the foregone answer is “He will hate you and become angry at you for offering him such a miserable present.”

The Sefer HaChinukh (Mitzvah 286 – Emor) explains that a person is moved by the strength of his actions. A person won’t experience the value of the offering or sacrifice if it is a half-baked effort. A blemished animal smacks of an insincere service to God, while an unblemished, complete animal offering is indicative of a person’s devotion and dedication to his Creator.

As we enter the month of Elul and start thinking of the ways in which we must improve ourselves in anticipation of Rosh Hashana and beyond, the larger categories of to’evot are obvious behaviors to avoid.

It is the to’evah of Parshat Shoftim which is most in our hands to avoid and to improve upon. We can and must make our service to God, most notably as practiced in the synagogue, a sincere and respectful demonstration of our dedication to God.