One of the important verses that is used to describe our service of God during the month of Elul and on Rosh Hashanah is, “Serve God with fear, and rejoice with trembling (Psalms 2:11).” We are encouraged to be happy on Rosh Hashanah despite the fact that we tremble on the Day of Judgment because the verse instructs us to, “Rejoice with trembling.” This series, Joyous Trembling, will focus on both the idea of finding joy and on the idea of trembling.

“Rejoice with trembling,” it is only after a person has achieved true fear of God, that he can feel safe and confident in being joyous with God, without that sense of joy leading him to behave inappropriately. (Bet Yaakov Ishbitz; Acharei Mot 32)

The Ishbitzer views Joyous Trembling as an opportunity to be completely joyous with out fear of losing perspective. Our goal is to be happy in our service of God. We take advantage of the natural fear of approaching the Day of Judgment to feel secure enough to be happy when facing the King of Kings.

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Learn & discover the Divine prophecies with Rabbi Simcha Weinberg from the holy Torah, Jewish Law, Mysticism, Kabbalah and Jewish Prophecies. The Foundation Stone™ is the ultimate resource for Jews, Judaism, Jewish Education, Jewish Spirituality & the holy Torah.

A maitre d’ at a well-known kosher restaurant laughs about customers who come in for a ‘famous dish,’ but cooked according to their instructions. He points out that the dish will not be the famed food for which they came if cooked differently. “Are you sure you don’t want to try it as it is? he will ask. “Oh, no! I know the way I like my food cooked,” is always the answer. More than half his customers will not give the restaurant a chance to present their food in the kitchen’s famous and special way.

Anyone will tell you that I am not the easiest person for whom to cook. Besides Celiac disease and some serious allergies, I have always been deeply committed to Adam’s plaint, “Shall I and my donkey eat from the same trough?” and honor our ancient ancestor by religiously limiting my vegetable intake. On top of that, all the years eating Yeshiva food left their mark and I have a severe reaction to any food that looks similar to what they served in Scranton and Philly. (I honored my grandmother z”l when I was in Ner Yisrael by insisting on eating her food and refusing to disrespect her by eating in the Yeshiva dining room.) Let’s simply say that there are people for whom it is easier and more exciting to cook. However, I am willing to try new things, especially if they are Argentine, and even more so if they are desserts. I am ashamed to admit that I have even tried and enjoyed some vegan dishes. (Please don’t mention this to Adam!)

What is it that is so difficult about trying something new? I guess for some people it is fear of the unknown. I know children who prefer the rough and angry parent with whom they are familiar than the new and improved calm version of a changed parent. I meet with couples who are more comfortable with years of arguing and going to marriage therapists and rabbis than they are with the possibility of change. I know husbands who readily admit that their wives are changing in fabulous ways, and are happier than ever, but feel discombobulated by the “new” people their wives have become.

Some of us are bothered by the new because we lack any sense of control over the unfamiliar. I recently met with someone who refuses to hear any type of music with which he is unfamiliar; “I don’t know how it will make me feel!” “I know that my anger is destroying my family but I don’t know if any other approach will work!” “I’m not comfortable using a different approach to prayer; it doesn’t feel like the ‘real thing’ to me.”

“See, I present to you today a blessing and a curse.” (Deuteronomy 11:26) “Today” appears whenever God makes a major statement. First paragraph of Shema; “Today!” Second paragraph; “Today!” Blessings and curses; “Today!” The words of Torah shall always be new to you as if they were just given Today!”

The blessings and curses, the challenge of Free Choice, begins with “Hayom,” “Today!” We learn how to choose only when we are willing to consider the new.

Not every new thing is good. I won’t try to eat a new fish or bread. The new choice must always be considered through the eyes of the blessings and curses. In fact, blessings can come only when we are open to the new.

So, “Try it! You’ll like it!”

I mentioned in Broken Rules I that certain Argentines, who shall remain nameless, also have difficulty with stop signs. This specific Argentine, joining me for my sunrise hike, sped through the streets as if there were no stop signs. (I admit that there were no other cars on the road – for some reason most people were still sleeping.) I generally do not argue with this Argentine (I can hear the host of the Thursday night class laughing). I love my morning hike but I am not in such a rush to begin the three miles trek that I speed all the way there. Oh well! Argentines are different.

This specific nameless Argentine grew up under military rule. Soldiers would stop people on the street, arrest them, torture them for a year or two, and then take them up in an airplane and push them out over the ocean. No one was safe. Your life was over if a soldier looked at you and decided that you would be his victim. The only rules were those of the soldier with whom you were dealing.

People who grow up under such conditions have a different take on rules. Primo Levi wrote a poem Chess II. It begins:

You mean that, halfway through,

With the game all but over, you’d like

To change the rules of play?

Levi was an Italian survivor of Auschwitz. He worked as a chemist before during and after the war. He originally believed that if he followed the German’s rules that he would survive. His problem was that they changed the rules at whim. Rules were not rules. He never recovered. He never recovered an ability to relate to rules. Primo Levi would understand our Argentine friend’s problem with stop signs. In fact, the Torah, in this week’s portion, understands her as well:

“You shall break apart their altars. You shall smash their pillars and their sacred trees you shall burn in the fire. Their carved images, shall you cut down. And you shall obliterate their names from that place. You shall not do this to God, your Lord.” (Deuteronomy 12:3-4)

Is it really necessary to instruct us not to do to God’s name what He instructed us to do to idols? Yes! Once we wage war against idols, we have changed our rules of engagement with the sacred and the holy. We relate differently to the rules of engagement with religion. It is specifically the people who destroy the holy places of the idols who must be reminded “You shall not do this to God, your Lord.”

This is why I am so bothered when people say that it is permissible to speak Lishon Harah – Evil about someone else – about a specific person who is a sinner: We change the way we relate to rules when we break them.

“It is OK to be nasty to that person because he is not a believer.” Just think of the fervently religious Taliban who destroyed the ancient statues of Buddha. Do they have any rules other than the ones they choose?

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“In the “Judgment” of the Book of Changes, whenever one encounters dangerous circumstances the advice is always: “Cross the river.” One can see from this that the real purpose of boats is to deliver people from danger rather than to provide comfort.” Pleasure Boat Studio by Ou-yang Hsiu (1007 – 1072)

We seem to take Hsiu’s advice quite seriously. We refer to our first patriarch, Abraham as “Ivri” – what Hsiu would call a river crosser. In fact, many people referred to us as Ivrim for a long time.

But we do not cross the river to avoid dangerous circumstances. We actually cross towards them: “For you are crossing the Jordan to come and possess the Land that God, your Lord, gives you.” We are certainly river crossers, not to avoid, but to confront.

Our definition of Ivri is not “from the other side” but one who can bridge both sides of the river. Our challenge is to stand on both sides of the river – to bridge the spiritual and physical worlds.

We also differ from Hsiu’s definition of a boat’s purpose: “This world is like the shore and the World to Come like the sea.” (Kohelet Rabbah 1:36) The Midrash compares the World to Come as a journey on the sea. There will be no dangers to escape. The journey will be filled with joy and comfort.

We are Ivrim – River Crossers and Bridges – in order to prepare for the ultimate journey on the sea of the Coming World. No wonder we live by Halacha – Instructions for Journeying!

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There must never be found among you anyone who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, anyone who practices divination, an omen reader, a soothsayer, (or) and a sorcerer. (Deuteronomy 18:10)

A single witness may not testify against another person for any trespass or sin that he commits. A matter may be legally established only on the testimony of two or three witnesses. (Deuteronomy 19:15)

The Grand Duchess Olga, sister of the last tsar, described Rasputin as “changeable as a chameleon”. Vera Zhukovskaya recalls: “When you remember that amazing peculiarity of his changing in an instant…sitting there would be a simple, illiterate little peasant, a bit crude, scratching himself, his tongue barely moving and the words slipping clumsily out…when suddenly he would turn into an inspired prophet…and then another bound of the changeling and his white teeth would be crunching with a savage, bestial voluptuousness, and from behind the heavy curtain of his wrinkles something shamelessly predatory would nod, unrestrained, like a young animal…and then just as suddenly instead of an ungirded rowdy, a grizzled Siberian wanderer would be sitting there, someone who for thirty years had been searching the world for God.”

The singer Belling, who saw Rasputin many times, writes of his rotten teeth and foul breath. Zhukovskaya tells us that “his teeth were perfect and complete down to the very last one, and his breath was absolutely fresh.” (The Rasputin File by Edvard Radzinsky)

I enjoy watching a magic show, a skillful use of sleight-of-hand. Unfortunately, chameleons such as Rasputin have often hurt me: people who can present themselves one way and immediately switch to another role. They are the more frightening sorcerers. They cause us to question our sanity and weaken our power of observation.

I imagine that most people have met such chameleons, yet we still do not learn to pay better attention to our power of observation. We are so accustomed to the sorcerers and chameleons that we fail to pay attention to the second verse quoted above: We are willing to accept the testimony of a single witness.

We believe a single witness who shares some juicy gossip with us. We do not question his or her power of observation. We do not even try to use ours when listening before passing judgment on the topic of the gossip. We may not even be sure that the gossiper is not a chameleon himself: People often speak poorly of others to make themselves look good. Isn’t that an essential tool of the chameleon?

Do we practice the sorcerer’s chameleon? Do we portray ourselves one way to some and in an entirely different way to others?

Do our powers of observation suffer when we practice the sorcerer’s chameleon?

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At 5AM I was at the stop sign at the entrance to my neighborhood. I was on my way to my morning hike and I didn’t expect too much traffic, but this morning it was actually dangerous. A few cars refused to stop. Each time I was about to drive forward, a car came shooting past the stop sign and cut me off. Finally, one car stopped and it was safe for me to make my turn.

I thought about Sir Isaiah Berlin’s definition (in The Hedgehog and The Fox) of “Positive” and “Negative” freedoms. The former is the ability to do what I want. The latter is my acceptance of certain rules in order to allow me to function in society. A red traffic light forces me to stop. Although it limits my positive freedom; I can’t drive ahead just because it is what I want to do, it allows me the freedom to drive ahead when the light is green. I can rely on people stopping for the light that is red for them. The negative freedom allows me to drive with more security. When other people refuse to obey the laws, I lose my negative freedom. I gave up my ability to drive without stopping assuming that cars driving across the road would also stop. The cars I saw this morning did not stop. They deprived me of my freedoms, positive and negative.

It was remarkable that all the cars that refused to stop were quite expensive. They were high end BMWs, Mercedes, and Lexus. The car that finally stopped was more of my kind of car; an older Ford. It almost seems that the rules do not apply if you can afford a car worth more than $50,000 (Or, if you’re Argentine; but that’s a different story – See Broken Rules II)

One of the reasons that I love Halacha – The Torah’s Instructions For Traveling Through Life – is that it creates a system that makes sense and helps preserve our sanity. For example: I must rebuke someone for doing something I find hateful. I must speak with care and respect, but I may not keep my negative feelings inside. (See The Music of Halacha Rebuke Introduction, I & 2) The system actually works if the other person is willing to hear what I have to say. In fact, the Ibn Ezra explains that usually he will be able to explain why he acted the way he did, and everyone leaves the situation in a happy mood. The system only works if all parties cooperate. What happens when someone breaks the rules? What happens if I choose to function within the system and the other rejects it?

The Torah, in this week’s portion, Re’eih, addresses this issue and has a message for people who speed through stop signs: “Rather, you shall surely open your hand to him (the poor person): you shall lend him his requirement, whatever is lacking to him.” (Deuteronomy 15:8) The Talmud teaches that “his requirement” means that we must provide the poor person with the standard of living that he has lost. Hillel the Elder hired people to serve as runners for a wealthy man who had lost everything. The man was accustomed to great fanfare whenever he traveled and Hillel felt that it was important for the man’s dignity. One day, Hillel couldn’t hire anyone so he served as the runner.

The Mitzvah of Tzedaka – Charity – obligates us to pay attention to the specific needs of the recipient. The Torah wants us to see the world through the eyes of the other. We cannot survive when we only see the world through our own eyes. “His requirement” reminds us to deal with others based on their needs and perspectives.

Halacha wants the wealthy and secure person to pay close attention to those who also were once wealthy and secure. The wheels of life turn. The system continues whether or not we pay attention or obey the rules.

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From Jeff Seidel on the Jewish Worldwide Network:

Parshat Ekev introduced us to the popular phrase “Man does not live by bread alone” (8:3). However, the end of that verse is far less famous, although the second part contains the true message. It reads, “Rather, by everything that emanates from the mouth of G-d does man live.” If the point is that G-d’s emanations are the source of our lives, why use bread as the subject, when bread only becomes edible through the toils of man? Wouldn’t fruits be a better example of G-d’s influence on the world?

I heard Rabbi Shmuel Greenberg and saw Rav Hirsch explain that bread is used as the subject because it exemplifies the toils of man, and that the message here is that even when you toil for the bread you eat, don’t forget that Hashem (G-d) has toiled for everything that we have, and His goal is not just to sustain us, but to help us live physically AND spiritually. Man should not only seek physical nourishment from the work of his hands, but should seek spiritual nourishment from the word of his G-d.

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She listens carefully to many lectures on prayer, and prays according to her notes, but she finds that her prayers remain unanswered.

He writes down everything he learns about being a good husband, makes lists of all the things a husband must do, and still is unable to make his wife happy with him.

He observes all the laws with a firm belief in a concept that has been drilled into his head; “External practice will change you internally,” and yet has not experienced any internal change.

She is “working on her anger” by never acting angry, yet, her anger is still “eating away at my gut.”

I believe that they all share the same problem: They are playing a role, not expressing themselves, nor discovering their authentic selves. One is playing the role of praying, doing everything she is “supposed” to do, but her heart is not invested. One is playing the role of a good husband, doing everything he “must,” except authentically expressing real love for his wife. One is playing the role of an observant Jew, but his heart was never connected to his actions. One is playing the role of a person who has mastered her anger, but she has yet to find a healthy and healthful way to express her anger.

Most of us play many roles throughout our lifetimes. We have learned how to shift roles, but we don’t know how to look behind them. The roles we assume – spouse, parent, nice guy, righteous person, etc. – are not necessarily bad and can provide useful models to follow in unfamiliar situations. Our task is to find those parts that work for us, and those that don’t. It’s like peeling the layers of an onion, and just like peeling an onion, it’s a task that can bring on a few tears. It can be terrifying to let go of a role we have been playing for many years, so, we get stuck in our roles. We act as we believe we should rather than discover our authentic selves.

“It will be that if you hearken to My commandments that I command you today, to love God, your Lord, and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul.” (Deuteronomy 11:13) We are challenged to find ways to find ways to express our love in our service. (The Mechanic and The Artist) We are also reminded that our service must FOLLOW the love. Our service must be an expression of what we feel. We must first learn to be authentic.

When we serve to avoid punishment; we are inauthentic. We are role playing.

When we serve to express love; we are authentic.

When we serve to receive reward; we are inauthentic. We are stuck in the role of Servant of God, but we are serving our own needs.

When we serve to express ourselves, “With all our hearts and all our souls,” we are authentic.

“To know what is in your hearts.” (8:3) (Chipping Away the Pieces) “You shall know in your heart.” (Verse 5) Only then, “You shall observe the commandments of God, your Lord, to walk in His ways and be in awe of Him.” (Verse 6) We cannot choose our path, “Walk in His ways,” until we know what is in our hearts. People stuck in a role cannot begin to walk on their own.

It is exactly at this point, the Eikev – Heel – that powers us to move forward on our authentic path, that God says of the Snake, “You will bite his Eikev, his heel.” (Genesis 3:15) He’s still at it. It’s time for us to, “He will pound your head.”

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Learn & discover the Divine prophecies with Rabbi Simcha Weinberg from the holy Torah, Jewish Law, Mysticism, Kabbalah and Jewish Prophecies. The Foundation Stone is the ultimate resource for Jews, Judaism, Jewish Education, Jewish Spirituality & the holy Torah.

The great Renaissance artist Michelangelo was once asked how he created sculptures such as the Pietas or David. He explained that he simply imagined the statue already inside the block of rough marble, then chipped away the excess to reveal what had always been there.

The marvelous statue, already created and eternally present, was waiting to be revealed. “You shall remember the entire road on which God, your Lord, led you these forty years in the Wilderness so as to afflict you, to test you, to know what is in your heart, whether you would observe His commandments or not.” (Deuteronomy 8:2)

The testing is not for God. We can assume He already knows.

The knowing is not God’s. He knows.

The testing is for us to find the marvelous human being that is hidden inside. The knowing is for us to know the priceless, eternal beauty we carry within. The afflictions are simply the way God chips away at the excess, allowing us to discover our own greatness.

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Learn & discover the Divine prophecies with Rabbi Simcha Weinberg from the holy Torah, Jewish Law, Mysticism, Kabbalah and Jewish Prophecies. The Foundation Stone is the ultimate resource for Jews, Judaism, Jewish Education, Jewish Spirituality & the holy Torah.

The Name Without the Reality

A student who does not study the appointed themes is not a real student.

A mourner who feels no grief when condoling with the bereaved is not a real mourner.

An old servant who neither tidies things away nor chatters about family affairs is not a real old servant.

A host who escorts a guest no further than the door is not a real host.

A cook without an apron or knife and chopping block is not a real cook.

A teacher who does not correct his pupil’s exercises and studies is not a real teacher.

Underlings who not squabble and curse are not real underlings.

Li Shang-yin (858 C.E. – China)

How can we make sure that what we do and whom we are is real?

“It will be that if you hearken to My commandments that I command you today, to love God, your Lord, and to serve Him with all your heart and all your soul.” (Deuteronomy 11:13) The love must turn into action – service. We must reify each and every idea we learn by making them part of our service of God. We cannot allow our powerful experiences and insights to remain A Name Without Reality.

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Learn & discover the Divine prophecies with Rabbi Simcha Weinberg from the holy Torah, Jewish Law, Mysticism, Kabbalah and Jewish Prophecies. The Foundation Stone is the ultimate resource for Jews, Judaism, Jewish Education, Jewish Spirituality & the holy Torah.