The Rebbe & The Rav

The 3rd of Tammuz, is a notable date on the Jewish calendar…

According to tradition, it is the day that the sun stood still over Jericho.

It is also the yahrzeit of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the seventh Lubavitcher Rebbe.  While people may have different types of relationships with Chabad, the Rebbe’s legacy is one of the most significant contributions to Jewish life of the last century.  The emissary network, the shluchim, with thousands of Chabad Houses worldwide has contributed much to the strengthening of Jewish life for Jews of all ages and affiliations.  They are, quite literally, everywhere.  As the saying goes, “If there is Coca Cola, there’s Chabad.”

On a personal level, I was educated in a Chabad school and very much impacted by the teachings and outreach strategy of Chabad.  My first rabbinical training was to go to the Yale University campus on Sukkot to seek out students and provide them an opportunity to shake the lulav and etrog.

At the same time, my parents both attended Yeshiva University.  In our home, the books and teachings of Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik were prominent.  His picture was on the “Rabbi wall” of our sukkah.  Our Judaism was the Modern Orthodoxy of the Rav.

For me, the power and influence of these two personalities was captured in a picture I found in the Jewish Press around my Bar Mitzvah.  It was a picture of the Rebbe greeting the Rav at a farbrengen, public Chasidic gathering celebrating the Rebbe’s 40th year as leader of Chabad in 1980.  In the picture, the Rebbe is standing up to greet the Rav and both men are smiling.

How can it get any better than this?!? My two spiritual heroes joining forces! (I cut it out, laminated it, and saved it.)

The Rebbe and the Rav had a friendship dating back to the time when both were students in Berlin.  The relationship continued in America, and the two maintained a periodic – yet substantive - correspondence punctuated by a few personal encounters – none more dramatic than the farbrengen in 1980.

The Rebbe and the Rav each have legacies that resonate strongly throughout the Jewish world.

Rav Soloveitchik ordained more than 2,000 rabbis, taught thousands in his YU shiurim and public presentations, and his lectures and writings continue to be studied throughout the Jewish world.  There’s a reason Rav Soloveitchik is referred to simply as “the Rav” in our community.

There is no Jewish leader with a wider reach than the Rebbe.  Israeli President Zalman Shazar and Bob Dylan is just one example of an unlikely duo of personalities who visited the Rebbe’s office.  Today, Chabad continues to disseminate the Rebbes’ teachings on so many subjects.  You name it, and you can find a lecture or a letter or a video addressing the issue at hand.

Is there a unified message from their teachings on which we can focus today?

The key to the Jewish future is for Jews to learn and live a proud, relevant Judaism anchored in tradition.  The Rebbe and Rav taught, encouraged, and lived this idea from their earliest moments of influence and leadership in this country.

Rav Soloveitchik arrived in America in August 1932 and became Chief Rabbi of Boston. In December, the Rav gave two interviews with Boston newspapers reporting on his new role for the Jews of Boston.  On December 25, the Boston Sunday Advertiser published an article entitled “To Bridge Gap Between Old and Modern Culture Not Easy” with the Rav’s comments:

"Orthodox Jewry faces a difficult, a most serious problem today, a problem which involves the harmonious blending of two hostile educational systems, each one very significant and valuable in its own right, but each one most essential to the spiritual and mental make-up of the modern Jew…The modern products of Jewish culture are not able to present the old Jewish point of view…Without the absorbing study of the Talmud and the Jewish Law, they will never be able to answer the question 'What is Judaism?' in the true spiritual sense of the word.  And the future of orthodox Jewry depends upon this answer!"

The Rav, from his first interview, presented both the challenge and solution: It is difficult to balance Judaism with the modern world.  The only way to succeed is to more deeply engage – double down if you will – on the study of Judaism in the traditional sense of the word.  This was the Rav’s contribution to the Jewish world and our community.  He presented a model of an intellectually vibrant and engaging Judaism that could compete with the modern world.

Rabbi Schneerson gave his first official talk as leader of Chabad in 1951.  His first ma’amar, Chasidic discourse, defined the generational mission as being one of mesirut nefesh – self-sacrifice.  People must be willing to give of themselves for others.  This concept manifests itself in simple actions like kindness for others and can also serve as the inspiration for a young Jewish couple to go to the other side of the world to serve Jewish travelers in Chabad Houses.

Every individual has a role to play, and each person’s mesirut nefesh may manifest itself differently, but the goal of the Jew in fulfilling their Divine mission requires giving of one’s true self to others.

The Rebbe could make this point in a simple encounter.

Shimshon Stock’s father was friendly with the Rebbe, and Stock himself knew the Rebbe from the time before he assumed the movement’s leadership.  He recalls an incident around 1951 when Stock was walking with a man and his son, both devoted Brooklyn Dodgers fans, who were en route to a game at nearby Ebbets Field.

Suddenly Stock saw the Rebbe walking toward them, and he introduced the men to him.  The Rebbe immediately started to talk to the pair, particularly the son, about baseball. The boy, assuming that the Rebbe was quite uninformed about baseball, mentioned in passing that when the team that one favors is either winning or losing by a large margin, many spectators leave the game without bothering to wait for the end.

“Do the ball players leave?” asked the Rebbe.

“Of course not,” the young man said.  “They are not allowed to leave. They stay to the end and keep trying to win.”

The Rebbe smiled at the young man.  “This is the lesson in Judaism I want to teach you.  When you pray, when you put on tefillin, you’re playing with the team.  You’re not just a spectator; you’re in the game.  You can be either a fan or a player. Be a player.”

Each and every Jew needs to get in the game and becomes a player in the divine mission.  We play the game of Judaism, and we should each give of our Jewish selves to every Jew we encounter.  Some of us are starters.  Others are backup players, and there are also bit players like closers or one-pitch specialists.  We all “play” and live Jewish lives in an effort to ensure others also like maximized Jewish lives.

As we commemorate the Rebbe’s yahrzeit and recall the legacy of the Rav, it’s appropriate for each of us to get in the game and promote a traditional Judaism that can meet the challenges of modernity and play our role to share this and enhance the lives of our fellow Jews and the world around us.

May their memories be for a blessing and always inspire us to strive for more.

Feeling Blue (and White)?

Kachol v’lavan – blue and white.

They are the colors of the Jewish people.  It is not a coincidence that the Israeli flag in is blue and white.  It is modeled after the tallit and tzitzit. 

Austrian poet, Ludwig August von Frankl (1810–94), captured this idea:

He puts on, when prayer fills him,

The colours of his country.

There stands he, wrapped in prayer,

In a sparkling robe of white.

The hems of the white robe

Are crowned with broad stripes of blue;

Like the High Priest's robe,

The blue bands.

These are the colours of the beloved country:

Blue and white are Judah's borders;

White is the priestly radiance,

And blue, the shining of the firmament.

Blue and white are also the colors that shape our religious worldview.

דַּבֵּר אֶל־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵהֶם וְעָשׂוּ לָהֶם צִיצִת עַל־כַּנְפֵי בִגְדֵיהֶם לְדֹרֹתָם וְנָתְנוּ עַל־צִיצִת הַכָּנָף פְּתִיל תְּכֵלֶת׃

Speak to the Israelite people and instruct them to make for themselves fringes on the corners of their garments throughout the ages; let them attach a cord of blue to the fringe at each corner.  (Bamidbar 15:38)

The mitzvah of tztzit places blue and white front and center in our religious color spectrum.  Why?

The Talmud (Menachot 43b) teaches:

Rabbi Meir would say: What is different about tekhelet from all other types of colors such that it was chosen for the mitzvah of tzitzit? It is because tekhelet is similar in its color to the sea, and the sea is similar to the sky, and the sky is similar to the Throne of Glory…

Blue is aspirational and inspirational.  The color provides a context for our efforts to reach spiritual heights.

Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik explained that blue and white represent two poles of Jewish experience.  First, he calls attention to the complexity of blue.  The Rabbis could not even agree on which blue was blue!  Rashi and Maimonides felt it was the color of the sky.  But is it the daytime sky which is azure or the nighttime sky which is much darker?  Both hues may be equally inspirational.  Which blue is blue?  Does it even matter?

The Rav, summarizes the symbolism of blue – especially when contrasted with white – in the following manner.  White denotes clarity, distinctness and that which is self-evident.  The prophets speak of white as representing purity and forgiveness.  In modern Hebrew, we find the expression, “ha-devarim melubanim,” which literally translates as the subject is white, used to mean, “the subject is crystal clear.”  Tekhelet, in contrast, which the Talmud described as the color of the sea and the sky and God’s throne, is the color of the grand mysteries of the human experience which elude our precise understanding.  We can never understand the seas and the heavens.  They seem to stretch as far as the eye can see and contain questions far too numerous to answer.  “They encompass the abstract and the transcendent, ultimate values and ends, man’s metaphysical quest and his efforts to rise above the self-evident and the temporal…While the color white bespeaks the clearly perceptible, tekhelet refers to a realm which is only vaguely grasped.”

 

Clarity and complexity.

The Rav goes on to describe that in all areas of our lives we encounter white and tekhelet – the clear and the complex.  In science, we find mathematical precision as well as the uncertainties and imprecise formulations involved in psychology and sociology.  In our personal lives, we experience this dichotomy as well.  Everyone experiences moments when they feel very confident or certain in their actions.  At the same time, there are bound to be periods of questioning and self-doubt.  As the Rav said, “No one can say, ‘The world and I have always gotten along together reasonably, happily, and successfully, with ambitions always being realized. I have never been defeated…’ This is the tekhelet of human experience.”

Think of the last 100 days.  Can we make any sense of what we have experienced due to the Coronavirus?  We are cut off from our familiar routines and experiences, from the people we love.  We are fighting a virus that we barely understand.  We can only approach this in a meaningful way using the language of tekhelet.

The mitzvah of tzitzit and tekhelet create a framework to help us accomplish the easy things and face the challenging ones.  All we need to do is look to the blue and white – whether you wear it, are thinking of getting some, or just close your eyes and imagine it – as a guide to tackling whatever comes our way.

Don’t Be Afraid to Look to the Future

Like any good road trip or family vacation, there’s always a lot of excitement in the beginning.  And then…comes the never-ending refrain of “Are we there yet?”

For the Children of Israel in the desert, that moment takes place in Parshat Beha’alotekha.

After nearly a year encamped at Sinai receiving the Torah, building the Mishkan, learning how to line up and march, the Jews are finally ready.  Moshe tells Yitro, “Nos’im anachnu – We are leaving!”

And then…

The Israelites start to complain about the journey.  Then they complain about the manna and demand meat.  We can almost hear them come through the words of the Torah, “Are we there yet?!?”

Moshe loses patience. He goes as far as to say, “Just kill me. I can’t take it anymore.”  God decides to help Moshe out and tells him to assemble 70 z’keinim, elders, to assist him in leading the people.

It is as part of this process that we meet Eldad and Medad.  We’re not exactly sure who they are or even exactly what happens.  They’re the only two individuals named among those assembled to take on any role, and these two upstarts make a big impression by sharing their prophecy.

וירץ הנער ויגד למשה ויאמר אלדד ומידד מתנבאים במחנה.

A young person runs to inform Moshe that Eldad and Medad are prophesizing in the camp that Moshe will die and that Yehoshua will lead the people into Israel.

ויען יהושע בן נון משרת משה מבחריו ויאמר אדני משה כלאם.

Joshua is angry at what he perceives as their insolence in daring to say such a thing. He urges Moshe to silence them.

Moshe is more relaxed about the report of these youngsters talking about a future which does not include him.

ויאמר לו משה המקנא אתה לי ומי יתן כל עם יהוה נביאים כי יתן ה’ את רוחו עליהם.

He says to Joshua, “Are you really so worked up over Eldad and Medad and a future without me?I wish every member of the nation would be prophets infused with the spirit of God.”

What’s going on here?

Moshe was so ready to lead Bnei Yisrael forward into the land.  Their complaining was a crushing blow to his confidence in the future of the Jewish people.  It was if he said, “I got them to this point, and they’ve learned nothing at all!  They stand at the pinnacle of greatness as God’s chosen people about to enter the Promised Land, and they’re asking for meat?!?”

God responded to Moshe by encouraging him to have faith in the future.  There would be new voices who could speak the language that the people would understand and follow.  God says, “Assemble a committee of fresh faces. You’ll see.”

That’s what Moshe does.  And two of these voices, Eldad and Medad, talk about a future without Moshe.  It may look a little bit different.  It may sound different, but Eldad and Medad spoke about the future.

Yehoshua is horrified!  “What?!?  No Moshe?!?  Things may look different? Why change anything???”

Moshe, though, understands the message that God had just taught him.

“Calm down, Yehoshua.  There is a next generation of leadership.  I wish I could have appreciated sooner what God meant.  They may use a different language – different devices, these things called imogis – and maybe they dress a little less formally, but I have seen the future, and it is now.”

It can be very hard to look too far ahead these days.  We have been stuck inside and removed from our regular routines for three months.  These last weeks have unleashed tremendous pain and rage across the country and beyond.  A lot already is different and will be different for a long time, without a clear sense of what the world around us will, ultimately, look like.

We need to be ready and willing to catch a glimpse of the future.  Synagogue services will be different.  School will be different.  Social gatherings will be different.  Many things will, hopefully, change for the better.  We need a lot of change.  At the same time, we must not fear those changes.  We believe in progress.  What comes next will, please God, be even better than what we’ve experienced so far.

Let’s try to glimpse the future to inspire and encourage us now.

Outrage and Solidarity Must Only be the Beginning

     

  

These are some images from the scene in front of my home on Tuesday evening.  Together with my daughter, we watched some 5,000 peaceful protestors march by, calling for justice and change in the aftermath of the killing of George Floyd in Minnesota.  Recent days have unleashed some acts of terrible violence throughout the country, yet here was America at its finest.  Citizens exercising their right to make themselves heard in protesting against injustice.

George Floyd’s murder was, unfortunately, the latest painful reminder of the racism that is still so prevalent in our country.  The condemnation and outrage - along with expressions of solidarity with the African-American community – came in fast and furious from all over the religious and political spectrum.  In my corner of the Jewish community, it was encouraging to see the statements of the Orthodox Union and Rabbinical Council of America.  Both invoked the Biblical principle that all are created in the image of God. 

To the protestors and all those who condemn this incident, in particular, and racism, in general, I say, “Amen!”  

But is it enough?

Are statements of condemnation enough?  Are statements of pain and solidarity enough? 

They’re a start, but as racism, discrimination, and police bias continue, responding with solidarity each time something bad happens is necessary but inadequate.

Here are some thoughts on what we can do in response to the killing of George Floyd beyond statements.

1)  Recognizing the Divine in every human being is the most important thing.

The Midrash (Torat Kohanim Chapter 4, Midrash 12) quotes a dispute as to which verse in the Torah is the most important.  The most famous view is that of Rabbi Akiva, who says it is “Love your fellow as yourself.” (Vayikra 19:18)  Less well known is the view of Ben Azai, who says the most important verse is, “This is the book of the generations of Adam; on the day that God created man, He made him in God’s Image.” (Bereishit 5:1)

What’s wrong with “Love your neighbor?”  It would seem far more relevant than the verse that doesn’t demand anything at all and simply introduces a timeline of the generations?

Rabbi Norman Lamm explains that Ben Azai feels “Love thy neighbor” is insufficient because many people don’t adequately love themselves. If one doesn’t love onself, then one will have an excuse to degrade others.  “Instead, love of man must be based on the fact that man is created in the Image of God.  We must value man not because we see in him our own likeness but because we see in him God’s likeness.”

It is not enough to decry racism and note that it goes against Jewish principles.  We need to teach and repeat and repeat again that all humans are created in the Divine image and treat them accordingly.  It’s not a teaching; it is a command to action.

2)  Listen to what African Americans think we should do.

If we want to be helpful, let’s ask the African American community what they’d like to see the Jewish community do at this time.  I don’t know exactly who to ask, but a recent JTA article quoted a few black Jews sharing their thoughts.

Isaiah Rothstein is a multiracial rabbi who serves as the rabbi-in-residence at Hazon.  He said:

"If I could say in short what do I think the Jewish community should be doing, I would want every community…to have educational campaigns around racial equity and racial awareness and racial sensitivity…so that we could better create a stronger, healthier bridge for the future."

How often do we engage in conversations about racism, inequality, civil rights, or police misconduct?  I know Judaism is incompatible with racism and that all humans are created in the image of God.  Knowing is only half the battle.   It’s time to further explore the role Jews have in addressing the issue in America, to invite African American voices to share their feelings about how Jews can help, and to give this issue a more robust profile.

3)  Find an action item to do something to try and make a difference.

There are organizations – Jewish and non-Jewish – tackling issues of social justice and civil rights that we can support or join.  There are also issues for which we can advocate.

The Jewish Council for Public Affairs, the umbrella organization for Jewish Community Relations Councils across the country issued a letter of solidarity.  In addition to expressing outrage, the letter includes a call to action:  

"We call upon our government and law enforcement agencies at every level to institute sweeping reforms in law enforcement and the criminal justice system.  We pledge to join forces with the black community and other Americans to see through these changes to law enforcement, end systemic racism, and work for a more just American society."

I think this is an appropriate pledge to make.  It is clear that something is broken in America, and the very least we can do is participate in the process to fix it.

Many protestors chant “Say his name,” followed by shouting “George Floyd!”  The message is that no one can avoid naming the victim of police violence.  In addition to horror, outrage, and solidarity, it is time we begin to more vocally and actively address the issues of racism and inequality, listen to our African American brothers and sisters, and find ways to actively involve ourselves in the battle to make America the best country it can be for all its citizens.