A Nation That Dwells Alone

What kind of nation are we?

In 1964, Look magazine ran a cover story entitled “The Vanishing American Jew.” The article explained why in all certainty no Jews would be left in the United States in the 21^st century. It’s not the first or last prediction about us to be wrong. More recently, there was an article entitled, “Jews: The Ever Dying, Ever Renewing, People.”

Many of us are proud of another designation: “Start-up Nation.” Despite catching on after the popular 2009 book authored by Dan Senor and Saul Singer, the phrase first appeared in a November 2000 article about Israel by Stacy Perman titled “Startup Nation.”

I say we – Jews and Israel – are all the above and more. Just like Judaism is more than a religion, Jews are more than just one variety of nation or people. It is impossible to quantify our eternality. In Innocents Abroad, Mark Twain wrote:

“If the statistics are right, the Jews constitute but one quarter of one percent of the human race…Properly, the Jew ought hardly to be heard of, but he is heard of, has always been heard of. He is as prominent on the planet as any other people, and his importance is extravagantly out of proportion to the smallness of his bulk. His contributions to the world’s list of great names in literature, science, art, music, finance, medicine and abstruse learning are also very out of proportion to the weakness of his numbers…All things are mortal but the Jews; all other forces pass, but he remains. What is the secret of his immortality?”

Mark Twain left the question unanswered, but I have a suggestion. The secret to Jewish immortality is that we are a Lonely Nation.

This week, I heard a new suggestion for the Jews: Pariah Nation. It wasn’t an epithet hurled at us by enemies. It’s the title of a podcast by Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi, two men I know and admire – even if I don’t always agree with them. They were discusiing how Israelis and Jews are being condemned, harassed, and even attacked since October 7. Even staunch allies are beginning to turn on us. Can Israel restore its moral credibility?

The very question rubbed me the wrong way. Why do we have to be so concerned with what others think of us? As Balaam declared, our lot as Jews is to remain apart.

“Hein am levadad yishkon u-va’goyim lo yitchashav - It is a nation that dwells alone, not reckoned among the nations.” (Bamidbar 23:9)

We are a lonely nation.

At first glance, this sounds more like an indictment than a compliment. In a world that increasingly celebrates inclusion and blending in, the idea of being “apart” can feel isolating. But the Torah presents this separation not as a flaw, but as a feature - a spiritual and existential strength essential to Jewish survival and flourishing.

The Jewish people have always been different. From the moment Avraham was called “ivri,” the one who stands on the other side, we have been defined by distinction. We eat differently. We pray differently. We sanctify time differently. Jewish law, values, and worldview often run counter to prevailing norms. While this separation has, at times, made Jewish life more difficult - subjecting our people to discrimination, persecution, and exile, it has also served as the very glue that holds us together

Jewish history offers a powerful paradox: the times and places where Jews tried hardest to assimilate were often the places where Jewish identity declined. In contrast, when we embraced our uniqueness - whether under oppression or in freedom - we not only endured, we thrived.

Being alone or different is not a burden; it’s a mission.

As Rabbi Jonathan Sacks wrote, “Judaism is the counter-voice in the conversation of humankind. As Jews, we do not follow the majority merely because it is the majority. In age after age, century after century, Jews were prepared to [take the road less travelled]. It is what makes a nation of leaders.”

There is a deep beauty and strength in “Jewish loneliness.” It means living with a heightened awareness of time, food, speech, and action. It means belonging to a story that stretches across millennia and uniquely connects us to Jews in every corner of the world. And it can mean being a lone voice against all the other voices that will never understand that we are a nation that dwells apart.

On June 22, 1982, Joe Biden was a Senator from Delaware and confronted then Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin during his Senate Foreign Relations committee testimony, threatening to cut off aid to Israel. Begin famously retorted:

“I am not a Jew with trembling knees. I am a proud Jew with 3,700 years of civilized history. Nobody came to our aid when we were dying in the gas chambers and ovens. Nobody came to our aid when we were striving to create our country. We paid for it. We fought for it. We died for it. We will stand by our principles. We will defend them. And, when necessary, we will die for them again, with or without your aid.”

Being Jewish requires no explanation or justification. Israel’s first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion, famously quipped: “It does matters not what the goyim say, but what the Jews do.”

In today’s world, many Jews feel pressure to blend in culturally, politically, or spiritually. The unlikely voice of Balaam reminds us that being alone isn’t something to be discouraged about; it’s something to be fortified by. Jewish distinctiveness is not a wall; it’s a foundation. It allows us to contribute meaningfully to the broader world without losing who we are.

Jews are many things and defy categorization. We are proud of being a Start-up Nation. We are most certainly not the Pariah Nation. We should revel in being the Lonely Nation. Let us never forget that no matter what our detractors say, it is through our sacred aloneness that we continue to play our part in the unfolding drama of redemption.

Serenity Now!

What was so terrible about Moshe hitting the rock?

Miriam dies. Everyone is sad and distressed, but there’s another problem: Now water. Our Sages teach the Jews had water in the merit of Miriam, and now she and the water are gone. The people confront Moshe and Aharon. “Why did you bring us to the desert to die? We should have stayed in Egypt!” Moshe and Aharon are, understandably, flabbergasted. They literally fall on their faces. Imagine, it’s now 40 years after the Exodus. The Jews have seen miracle after miracle, and they STILL would rather be back in Egypt!

Moshe and Aharon turn to God, Who seems to have a little more patience and doesn’t punish the Jews for their impunity.

“You and your brother Aharon take the staff and assemble the community. Before their very eyes speak to the rock to yield its water. Thus, you shall produce water for them from the rock and provide drink for the congregation and their beasts.” (Bamidbar 20:8)

Seems easy enough. And yet…

“Moses took the rod from before God, as he had been commanded. Moshe and Aharon assembled the congregation in front of the rock; and he said to them, ‘Listen, you rebels, shall we get water for you out of this rock?’ And Moshe raised his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod. Out came copious water, and the community and their beasts drank.” (9-11)

Not EXACTLY as God commanded, but problem solved, right? Wrong.

“But God said to Moshe and Aharon, ‘Because you did not trust Me enough to affirm My sanctity in the sight of the Israelite people, therefore you shall not lead this congregation into the land that I have given them.’” (12)

Moshe and Aharon are condemned to die in the desert. Why? The verse says it was a lack of trust in God, which minimized the kiddush Hashem, God being sanctified in the eyes of Israel. But the Jews saw water come from a rock! Moshe showed them God could take care of their needs. They were wrong to question God’s support for them. That’s got to count for something!

Obviously not. Moshe and Aharon are being held to a higher standard (than even Hebrew National 😊). God commanded one thing, and they did something else. They’re out!

If we look closely at Moshe’s words, we can find another fatal flaw in how he and Aharon handled the situation. “Shimu na ha-morim – Listen up, you rebels!” Moshe had been disappointed and frustrated by the Jews on previous occasions. He went so far as to as God to kill him in exasperation at these people. But, here, Moshe gets angry.

Anger is destructive and toxic. The Talmud (Shabbat 105b) equates it with idolatry. Are they really the same thing? One who gets angry displays an extremely self-centered worldview in being unable to tolerate the other. It is as if others don’t exist, and the individual worships themselves.

Rambam, in Shemoneh Perakim, explains that Moshe’s hitting of the rock was not the root sin, but rather a symptom of a greater transgression of anger. He notes that Moshe failed to maintain the proper emotional equilibrium required of a Jewish leader and, instead, lost his temper. For this, he was unable to enter Israel.

Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook elaborates on the nature of this anger. According to Rav Kook, all religious rage, all intolerance for moral failings, is rooted in this display of anger by Moshe. Instead of words of reconciliation, he shouted, "Listen up, you rebels!" Instead of speaking to the hearts of the Jews, he got angry at them. And then, he hit the rock. While righteous indignation can stem from sincere and pure intentions, the highest goals of holiness will only be achieved through calm spirits and mutual respect.

The world around us is loud, brash and full of discord. There is certainly space for legitimate disagreement. We believe in machloket l’sheim shamayim. Frequently, though, we disagree simply to disagree and do so with anger. The argument is destructive and not constructive. We listen to someone with whom we disagree, thinking how we will retort with the “right” comeback. We should listen instead to learn what others think and feel and not worry so much about the need to respond.

We need to try and calm down and not let anger rise within us. I know I do. It is hard. There’s a classic suggestion to count to ten before responding to settle down first. In the end, it is really something to work at. Remaining calm and not getting angry is a beracha.

Next Shabbat, we will read about Pinchas being rewarded for his zealotry with a “brit shalom,” a covenant of peace. What is this? Rabbi Naftali Tzvi Yehuda Berlin of Volozhin, the Netziv, understands the brit shalom as a calming influence. While we need to try to calm ourselves, it is truly a blessing we hope to receive. I call this the blessing of “Serenity now!”

The phrase is from Seinfeld, Episode 159 . It is a self-help mantra recited aloud to calm down in stressful situations. The plot was inspired by the real-life events of one of the writers, whose father was advised by his doctor to shout “Serenity now!” at the top of his lungs as part of a rage controlling exercise.

Now, Moshe’s sin seems much more about disobedience than anger. It is clear, however, that our tradition (as explained by Rambam and Rav Kook) is reading in between the lines to highlight the corrosive effect of anger, the need for more self-control and de-escalation.

In a loud, hyper-partisan, divided world in which everyone thinks being loudest means winning, we can all use more of the blessing of “Serenity now!”

Korach's Commencement Address

If Kermit the Frog can give a commencement address, why not Korach?

This year, members of the University of Maryland Class of 2025 received their diplomas along with a dose of sage advice from the famous Muppet ringing in their ears. As you can imagine, there was a lot of talking about leaping.

If we can take advice from a talking frog, we can use our creativity to find insights from the Korach story to share with the graduates of 2025 – and maybe teach all of us a lesson.

Korach gets a bad rap because he deserves a bad rap. He is divisive, arrogant, entitled, and dismissive. He thinks he knows it all. But…he makes a good point.

“Ki kol ha-eidah kulam kedoshim – The whole nation is holy.” (Bamidbar 16:3)

This statement is valid. Every Jew IS holy. Yet, when Korach made this claim, he was using it as a subtext to rebel against Moshe’s leadership. It as if he was saying: “All Jews are holy. That means, we’re all qualified to be leaders. So, I am going to lead.” Korach spoke about all Jews being holy, but he was really interested only in Korach.

And yet…

There is something to be said for each of us living up to the simple truth: We are holy! We can do it. We can accomplish what we set out to do. We need to act within the confines of tradition and community, but we should aim high and believe in ourselves.

If Korach were giving a commencement address, we can imagine he might say something like this:

My dear graduates, fellow future leaders, and soon-to-be questioners of authority, let me begin with a quote from a very wise man: Me. “The entire nation is holy! So why does he get to be in charge?”

You are not here today because you followed. You are here because you thought, questioned, and challenged. You asked – no, you demanded: Why not me? Why not now?

Let me tell you something they don’t often teach: Greatness does not come from titles. Greatness comes from believing in yourself and acting. Sometimes, like Kermit the Frog might say, you need to take the leap. You need to just believe in yourself and do it. (Nike took that one from me.) Do not let anyone tell you that you must wait your turn, that you must stay in your lane, that leadership belongs only to the few. Leadership is not inherited. It is earned. It is claimed.

There will be voices – sometimes loud voices - who say you are stirring up trouble. Good! History is shaped by those who refuse to accept things as they are. If you never push boundaries, you’ll never know what lies beyond them.

Don’t wait to be chosen. Choose yourself. At your new job, when they ask if you have experience, say yes. Then go figure it out on YouTube. If someone tells you, “That’s above your pay grade,” tell them, “That’s why I’m aiming for your pay grade.”

Be brave. Be bold. Don’t do it exactly as I did. Challenge with responsibility, not arrogance. And never forget that true leadership is not taking power but lifting others with it.

This is what Korach could have said – but he never did.

Instead, he let his arrogance, lust for power, and dismissiveness towards tradition guide his actions. Korach was incapable of such positive sentiments. His traits, however, can be redeemed into a call to believe in ourselves and take the initiative to accomplish great things.

One person who DID inspire so many to do this was Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the late Lubavitcher Rebbe, whose yahrzeit is on Sunday.

Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb, Executive Vice President Emeritus of the OU, tells of a crisis in confidence he faced as a young rabbi and psychologist early on in his career. He spoke to various close friends, and one of them suggested that he call the Rebbe. And so, in February 1971, Rabbi Weinreb did, and he recounted what happened on the call:

The Rebbe’s secretary answered the phone in English, with a simple “Hello, who’s this?” Now, as I was talking to the secretary, in the background I recognized the Rebbe’s voice asking in Yiddish, “Who’s calling?”

I replied, “A yid fun Maryland - A Jew from Maryland.” I told the secretary that I have many questions which I would like to discuss with the Rebbe - questions about what direction my life should take, questions regarding my career, questions of faith…I spoke in English and, as I was talking, the Rebbe’s secretary was repeating and paraphrasing my words in Yiddish…

And then I heard the Rebbe say in the background, in Yiddish: “Tell him that there is a Jew who lives in Maryland that he can speak to. Der yid hayst Veinreb—his name is Weinreb.”

The secretary asked me, “Did you hear what the Rebbe said?”

Now, I couldn’t believe my ears. I knew for sure I had not given the secretary my name, but the Rebbe had just said my name! I was taken aback, and I wanted to hear it again. So when the secretary asked whether I heard, I said no.

The secretary repeated the Rebbe’s words to me: “There’s a Jew in Maryland whom he should talk to. His name is Weinreb.”

I replied, “But my name is Weinreb!”

And then I heard the Rebbe say, “If that’s the case, then he should know that, sometimes, one needs to speak to himself.”

The secretary said to me, “The Rebbe said that sometimes it’s best to talk to yourself. Isn’t your name Weinreb?”

“Yes, my name is Weinreb, but maybe the Rebbe means a different Weinreb.”

“No, the Rebbe’s saying, ‘Talk to Weinreb,’ and he explained that you must to talk to yourself.”

I thanked him very much, and the call ended with that.”

Sometimes, we need to talk to ourselves, to look within ourselves to find the encouragement, the motivation, and the confidence to move forward.

So, my dear graduates and everyone else, take it from what Korach might have said and what the Lubavitcher Rebbe did say and don’t hold back. Graduations are about advancing and moving forward. We can do it! Look within, listen to your inner voice and just keep putting one foot in front of the other.

And be sure to give thanks to all who help you along the way.

The Beracha on Bombing Iran

As Yogi Berra said, “It’s Deja vu all over again.”

Just ten days ago, I wrote, “Friday, June 13, may be a turning point in history.” Now, it’s happened again. We have another historic moment with the United States bombing Iranian nuclear installations.

THIS IS HUGE!

We need to acknowledge the enormity of the moment for Israel and the entire world. And, as Jews, we need to respond religiously and thank God.

Yossi Klein Halevi summed it up well. A nuclear Iran would be an existential threat not only to Israel but to the Arab world and beyond. It would be wonderful if Iran would simply agree to a deal that would prevent it from ever getting a nuclear weapon, but that wasn’t happening. The US has the capability to stop Iran, and what good is power if it is never used? There will be consequences, but fear of those consequences cannot prevent acting and doing what is needed.

Today, we should be as proud as we’ve ever been of Israel and grateful to the Jewish State's truest ally, America. We should thank President Trump by contacting the White House and encourage our Congressman and Senators to speak out in support of this action and then thank them when they do. You can write a message to the President HERE and to elected officials HERE.

And we must give thanks to Hashem.

Recite Tehillim 100 – Mizmor l’todah – A song of thanksgiving.

Recite the beracha of “Ha-tov v’ameitiv.” The Shulchan Aruch states there is an obligation to recite a blessing when we hear good news that is positive for us and for others: 

Barukh atah a-donay e-loheynu melekh ha-olam ha-tov v’hameitiv.

“Blessed are You, Lord, our God, King of the universe, Who is good and bestows good.”

Some are reluctant to express this sentiment since there are still dangers and risks. Maybe we should withhold such a blessing at this time. Jewish law (OC 222:4) anticipated such situations:

“One recites the blessing of Ha-tov v’hameitiv even though he is fearful that bad might still come from.”

Each of us must recite this blessing at this time and continue to be grateful for the blessings while praying and striving for complete victory.

We are living in incredible times. We see miracles every day. We see the heroism of the IDF and the strength and resilience of Israel’s citizens on display daily. At the same time, we see pain, suffering, and death. 50 hostages remain in Gaza.

We must respond with gratitude to God, to Israel, to America. We need to continue to pray for the hostages and all those in harm’s way. We need to be responsive, generous, and kind to anyone and everyone we can.

Giants, Grasshoppers & Jewish Confidence

This week, we read about one of the most painful failures in Jewish history: the sin of the meraglim, the spies sent to scout out the Land of Israel.

Their mission was not meant to be controversial. Yet ten of the twelve returned with a report that crushed the nation’s spirit.

“The country that we traversed and scouted is one that devours its settlers. All the people that we saw in it are of great size. There we saw the giants, the sons of the giant, of the Nephilim, and we were like grasshoppers in our eyes, and so we appeared in their eyes.” (Bamidbar 13:32-33)

It’s a revealing statement. They didn’t just say, “We saw giants.” They said, “We saw ourselves as grasshoppers.” And once that was their self-image, they assumed others saw them that way too.

The spies not only felt inadequate to the task at hand; they even thought that they knew what the Canaanites thought of them! "We're like grasshoppers in THEIR eyes." How did they possibly know what the Canaanites thought?

They didn’t. They just did not believe in themselves. This was more than poor reconnaissance. It was a collapse of identity. It was low spiritual self-esteem.

But weren’t they entitled to be afraid and discouraged by the sheer size of the giants they encountered? Ba’al HaTurim notes that one giant ate a pomegranate and then threw away the shell. All 12 meraglim climbed into that shell to seek shelter in it. Those are some very formidable odds!

The spies forgot their mission. They were supposed to see what was in the Land and not decide if they could inherit it. That decision had already been made by God. Their lack of confidence came from forgetting who they were: a people chosen, guided, and empowered by God to bring light to the world and dwell in the Land of Israel. The meraglim should have realized that inside, they were also giants.

Rabbi Jonathan Sacks powerfully taught that how a person sees themself determines their destiny:

“The greatest mistake is to define yourself by what others see in you, especially if they see you as small. Jews were not called on to be liked. They were called on to be a blessing.”
(Covenant & Conversation, Shelach)

Rabbi Tzadok HaKohein, the Rebbe of Lublin, notes that there is a mitzvah to believe in oneself. Not fulfilling this mitzvah can have broader ramifications. Ultimately, the image a person projects outward is a reflection of the way he or she looks at themself. When the spies saw themselves as powerless, they became so, and the Canaanites perceived them in that manner.

Rabbi Sacks reminds us that Jewish leadership - indeed, Jewish life - is not about mimicking the world’s expectations. It’s about rising to our calling, even when that means standing alone. When we define ourselves by external validation, we become grasshoppers. When we define ourselves by our values and our covenant, we become giants.

The tragedy of the meraglim was that they let fear shrink their vision. The Torah’s lesson is enduring: If we want to be taken seriously by the world, we must take ourselves seriously. If we walk like grasshoppers, the world will treat us like insects. If we walk like people of purpose - rooted in Torah, guided by God, unafraid to lead - then we become a blessing.

Rabbi Sacks gave us a modern rallying cry: “Non-Jews respect Jews who respect Judaism.”

Yesterday, I saw this statement in action.  As Police Chaplain, I attended an event for the Nassau County Police Shomrim Society at the Golden Globe Diner in Huntington, where Peter Tsalidas, the owner, has been prominently displaying Israeli flags and pictures of the hostages since October 7. The Shomrim went there as a group to say thank you. In explaining why he did this despite significant pushback and even calls for a boycott, Peter said, “I’m not Jewish, but my father-in-law is Jewish. My partner is Jewish. My best friend is Jewish. You know, it’s the humane thing to do. And, we want to find these people and bring them back. It’s not my family, but if it were, I would want people to speak up about it.”

Being proud, confident Jews – leaning into our being giants – is how we make a positive impact.

This message is critical today. We face “giant” challenges from our enemies, but our mission is to advance with confidence. It is not easy, and not everyone proceeds with the same level of assurance. Ten out of twelve meraglim were afraid. We need to strive to be among those who wish to proceed and take on any giants that come our way.

In Israel’s war with Iran, there is fear. Israel’s missile defense isn’t perfect. It can seem very random who, where, and when a missile will directly hit and cause damage. Confidence is critical. Staying strong despite the threats how Israel will, please God, be victorious.

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir noted that, “Civilian resilience is critical for us. It’s a central component of our ability to continue functioning…We’re not stopping now. Why aren’t we stopping? Because the home front’s resilience is strong. When the resilience of the home front is strong, we have the confidence to keep operating.”

We each confront a challenge of “entering a land populated by giants” - i.e., entering a world that is daunting and trying. We must realize that we have the inner strength to prevail, because we stand for more than ourselves. We are given a mission to make of Judaism, of Torah, of mitzvot, and of chesed, and there is nothing that can stand in the way of the fulfillment of that mission.

Let us reject the grasshopper mindset. Let us reclaim Jewish confidence - not with arrogance, but with faith, with purpose, and with pride.

A Different Siren Sounded this Morning

Israeli Air Force fighter jets depart for strikes in Iran, early June 13, 2025. 

Friday, June 13, may be a turning point in history.

Nearly 20 years ago, I heard a respected Israeli analyst say, “This is the year Israel will attack Iran.” The wait is finally over. Israel doesn’t want war, but when an enemy like Iran threatens destruction – and is progressing in their ability to accomplish that, they must be taken at their word. And Israel is now responding.

National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi specified that the goals of the ongoing operation against Iran are four-fold: striking Iran’s nuclear program; striking its ballistic missile capabilities; attacking its capacity to destroy Israel via a ground attack; and creating the conditions for the long-term thwarting of Iran’s nuclear program via diplomatic means.

My friend Matti Friedman, an amazing writer and thoughtful commentator, made a powerful point about what he, the State of Israel, and all of us experienced as Israel launched its attack.

“After waking up my children, hustling them blearily into the safe room, and checking my phone, I saw that the siren indicated not that we were being attacked — but that we were attacking. The army’s Home Front Command warned us to stay close to shelter. After a decade and a half of news reports that Israel was about to attack the Iranian nuclear program, after years of Iranian obfuscation, Israeli indecisiveness, and American fecklessness, the Israeli air force was actually striking in Natanz and Tehran.”

We have grown accustomed to the sirens in Israel warning of rockets from Gaza or Houthi missiles from Yemen. In the US, we get alerts about them on our phones, and Israelis, having grown all too familiar with them, need to be reminded to take them seriously and follow Home Front Command instructions. Now, the siren has a new message: a call to bold, purposeful, and, please God, effective action.

This week, we read about powerful sounds, the blasts of the chatzotztrot – the trumpets in the Mishkan.

וְכִי־תָבֹאוּ מִלְחָמָה בְּאַרְצְכֶם עַל־הַצַּר הַצֹּרֵר אֶתְכֶם וַהֲרֵעֹתֶם בַּחֲצֹצְרֹת וְנִזְכַּרְתֶּם לִפְנֵי ה' אֱ-לֹהֵיכֶם וְנוֹשַׁעְתֶּם מֵאֹיְבֵיכֶם. וּבְיוֹם שִׂמְחַתְכֶם וּבְמוֹעֲדֵיכֶם וּבְרָאשֵׁי חׇדְשֵׁיכֶם וּתְקַעְתֶּם בַּחֲצֹצְרֹת עַל עֹלֹתֵיכֶם וְעַל זִבְחֵי שַׁלְמֵיכֶם וְהָיוּ לָכֶם לְזִכָּרוֹן לִפְנֵי אֱ-לֹהֵיכֶם אֲנִי ה' אֱ-לֹהֵיכֶם׃ 

“When you are at war in your land against an aggressor who attacks you, you shall sound short blasts on the trumpets, that you may be remembered before the Lord your God and be delivered from your enemies. And on your joyous occasions - your fixed festivals and Rosh Chodesh days, you shall sound the trumpets over your burnt offerings and your sacrifices of well-being. They shall be a reminder of you before your God: I am the Lord, your God.” (Bamidbar 10:9-10)

These trumpets were sounded both in times of war and during times of joy. The same instrument and the same sound heralded two very different experiences. The common denominator is that, always, the Jews remain connected – to each other and to God.

These last 19 months have been horrific. At the same time, we have never seen the Jewish people display so much strength. Right now, we are experiencing fear and trepidation along with optimism and jubilation. We are hearing the same siren call out a new message. We hear the eternal reverberations of the chatzotzrot calling us to war while also encouraging us towards victory.

Rabbi Yosef Zvi Rimon, a Jewish hero, wrote the following message in advance of Shabbat in Israel:

“We are living through a time of war, a difficult time in which there have been many killed in action, wounded, and kidnapped hostages, who will, God willing, return soon. At the same time, we are also in a special and exalted time. For thousands of years, our enemies attacked us, and we could not respond. Thank God, we are now privileged to have a state, we are privileged to have an army, and we are privileged to be part of extraordinary people.

Thousands of years ago, our enemies wanted to harm us in Persia. By God's grace, we were granted the miracle of Purim in which the people of Israel gathered together and stood up for themselves. Now, thousands of years later, we find ourselves in a similar reality. Our enemies rise up against us to destroy us, but thank God, today we are in the Land of Israel and not in Persia. Today we have a state and an army. After so many years without any capability or agency, we have the privilege to wage a necessary war, a mitzvah, to attack a country that threatens the entire world. We are living in historic times, in a time of redemption.

Amidst the physical challenges we face, our parsha teaches us that we must pray, cry out, repent, and do good deeds…so that we will, please God, win the war and reach even greater heights in unity, faith, and the redemption of Israel.”

It feels a lot like Charles Dickens wrote, "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”

As Israel faces yet another battle in a very fraught and challenging time for Jews everywhere, we have faith – and take actions – that we may be on the cusp of our finest hour.

What is our job? It need not be that complicated or dramatic. Pray, stay positive, help make someone else better, support Israel, assist IDF soldiers, and find ways to maintain Jewish solidarity.

Rachel Sharansky Danziger, an Israeli writer and educator, was on an airplane 10 minutes from landing in Israel when her flight was abruptly rerouted to Cypress. I think she accurately captures the sense of uncertainty coupled with strength, resilience, and hope that we all feel at this time.

“I have no idea how long I will be on this island. I miss my family, and I desperately want to be with them, to be home. But here in Cyprus, surrounded though I am by people who used to be strangers, none of us is an island. I am surrounded by my people, and they are family too. We are in it together, wherever we are. May we all be safe, and strong, and successful. Am Israel Chai.”

Five-Second Decisions & Why I’m Not a Kohein

Are you familiar with the “5-second rule?”

I always thought it meant that if food – or a child’s pacifier – falls to the ground, it’s still clean if it is there for less than five seconds.

There is another 5-second rule.

Mel Robbins, the successful podcast host, wrote a bestseller entitled The 5 Second Rule. She shares how in her early 40s, she was at a low point in her life, which led to a daily struggle to get out of bed. She would habitually hit the snooze button to avoid confronting her problems. One night, she saw a rocket launch countdown in a commercial and was inspired to use that same method to propel herself out of bed. The next morning, instead of hitting the snooze button, she counted down “5-4-3-2-1” and got out of bed. She said, “The moment you have an impulse to act on a goal, you’ve got to move within 5 seconds, or your brain will kill it. You’ll come up with an excuse, you’ll feel anxious or afraid. It’s that simple, you’ve got to move within 5 seconds, or you won’t do it.”

We are only Jews because of a quick decision: “Na’aseh v’nishma.”

Our Sages teach that God offered the Torah to other nations, who didn’t like what they heard and declined the offer. When God offered the Torah to the Jews, they immediately responded, “Naaseh v’nishma – We will do and then we will listen.” Essentially, they accepted what was in the Torah without knowing the details. Had we declined the offer or hemmed and hawed, history would have been different. Nishma before na’aseh - wanting to know more before just doing it - would have led to a different outcome. The Talmud (Shabbat 88a) describes this strategy as a secret held by the angels that somehow the Jews figured out.

There are times when we need to be decisive and act fast. The Jews’ responding quickly without overthinking made all the difference.

How often do we feel a spark of inspiration to do something good or important, but overthinking kills it? You might hear of someone sitting shiva. You think, “I should go.” But then you start to wonder: “What if I don’t know what to say? What if they’re already surrounded by people? What if it’ll be awkward?” So, you push it off and never go.

Or you might be in shul davening (and not talking!) and suddenly feel the impulse strikes you to learn more or be more spiritual. But then you start rationalizing: “When will I have time? What if I can’t keep it up?” And the moment of motivation is lost…

Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik explains that people have two levels of intellect that sometimes compete (Rav Soloveitchik on the Chumash, p.216-217):

“…Man’s pragmatic intellect, which weighs pros and cons, is actually of subordinate stature in man’s personality, it is called ratzon tachton, the lower, practical will. The masters of Kabbalah taught that it is not man’s rationality but his ratzon elyon, higher will, which constitutes the singular endowment intellect. It is in the center of the spiritual personality and constitutes man’s real identity. The major decisions of man’s life are made spontaneously and suddenly, in response to an aboriginal command from within, and are not necessarily dictated by external considerations or conditions, not necessarily affected by pragmatic considerations…Decisions of faith, of marriage, choice of profession, solutions to financial problems, acts of military genius, and most pivotal resolutions in life are reached intuitively, without addressing any inquiries to the intellect. We are suddenly struck by an incisive insight and with a sense of direction. Later on, the practical intellect is called upon to justify the decision, to remove inconsistencies and to plan implementation.”

Na’aseh v’nishma was the Jewish people’s spiritual 5-second decision.

Another split-second decision is why I am, sadly, not a Kohein.

As a 20-year-old yeshivah student, Rabbi Shimon Schwab, who became leader of the German Jewish community in Washington Heights, visited the Chofetz Chaim in Radin and requested a blessing. The Rabbi asked Rabbi Schwab whether he was a Kohein or Levi. When Rabbi Schwab replied that he was neither, the Chofetz Chaim described how wonderful it will be to be a Kohein or Levi when the Temple will be rebuilt and the service there restored. Then he said: “Perhaps you have heard — I’m a Kohein. Tell me, why aren’t you a Kohein?”

Rabbi Schwab was puzzled by the question and responded, “Because my father is not a Kohein,” he replied. “And why isn’t your father a Kohein?” the Chofetz Chaim probed further. Rabbi Schwab realized the elderly sage was trying to make a point.

“I’ll tell you why,” the Chafetz Chaim went on. “Because 3,000 years ago, at the episode of the Golden Calf, your ancestors didn’t come running when Moshe called out, ‘Mi L’Hashem elai - Whoever is for God, follow me!’ My grandfather and the other members of the tribe of Levi responded to Moshe’s call. Now take this lesson to heart. In every person’s life, there is a moment when a call goes forth to him. When you hear that call, make sure that you come running!”

The 5-second rule worked out well for the Jews in receiving the Torah and for the Chofetz Chaim and the tribe of Levi. We each have situations when we will have a terrific opportunity to grab or to pass up. In those moments, the question isn’t whether we understand every step ahead or whether we feel fully prepared. The question is will we act, or will we hesitate? Will we take advantage of the chance to help, go, or grow or wait till a “next time” which may never come to pass?

We know the winning strategy: 5-4-3-2-1.

Putting on the Crown

 

“Oylem haba iz a gute zakh. Lernen Toyre iz a beser zakh.”

These Yiddish song lyrics mean: “The World to Come is a good thing but learning Torah is a better thing.” Torah is better than the World to Come?!? That sounds REALLY good!

As we celebrate the 3,337^th anniversary of receiving the Torah at Sinai, it’s an appropriate time to remind ourselves what is so special about Torah.

Torah is the fuel that drives the engine of Jewish life.

עֵץ־חַיִּים הִיא לַמַּחֲזִיקִים בָּהּ וְתֹמְכֶיהָ מְאֻשָּׁר׃

“The Torah is a Tree of Life for all who grasp it, and whoever holds on to her is happy.” (Mishlei 3:18)

I think this is why the practice developed to venerate the Torah scroll so much. People want to draw near and kiss the Torah. In Sephardic communities, the women wave reverently as the Torah is carried through the Shul. It is built into our spiritual DNA that we are stronger, more connected to God, and more alive with Torah.

Torah, literally, makes the world go round.

Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin, the primary disciple of the Vilna Gaon, taught (Nefesh HaChaim 4:11) that, “without a doubt whatsoever,” if there would be a moment in which Torah would not be studied somewhere in the world, the world would revert to nothingness. To make sure this would not happen, in the Volozhin Yeshiva, they ensured that someone was on call to study Torah 24 hours a day every single day. When Yom Kippur ended, someone would stay behind to study while everyone else ate, and he would only eat when the next person on call came back.

For those less mystically inclined, the lack of Jewish learning is a major factor in the weakening of Jewish identity and participation. Recent surveys have shown that maybe 45% Jews engage in reading Jewish sources – even news or culture. Without Jewish knowledge anchoring one’s Jewish commitment, there is less of a reason to participate in organized Jewish life. There is not enough holding on to that Tree of Life to keep the communal Jewish passion and spirit going. We need Torah!

Torah connects the generations, and can, literally, make the past come alive.

Here is how Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik describes his Torah study experience:

“When I sit down to learn, I immediately find myself in the presence of a group of devoted sages, learned in tradition and values. The relationship between us is personal. The Rambam is on my right, Rabbeinu Tam is on my left. Rashi sits at the head of the table and makes clarifications to which Rabbeinu Tam objects. The Rambam makes a ruling and the Raavad challenges it. All of them are in my little room, sitting around my table. They look at me with affection, play with me through logic and Gemara, encouraging and strengthening me. Learning Torah is not just a didactic exercise, not just a formal, technical preoccupation that involves exchange of information and inventive thinking. Learning Torah is an unparalleled experience of friendship through many generations, of connection between spirits and unity between souls of different eras. Those that passed on their Torah wisdom and those that receive it are united in the same historic sanctuary of ideas.”

Our Torah study may not be as intense as the Rav’s, but when we study Torah, we bring the past into the present so as to ensure the Jewish future.

Torah has no limits.

There is no such thing as learning too much, and there is no such thing as learning too little.

“Rabbi Yocḥanan says in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yocḥai: Even if a person only recited the Shema in the morning and in the evening, he has fulfilled the mitzvah of studying Torah all day and night…Rava says: It is a mitzva to tell people this teaching…as they will realize that if merely reciting the Shema leads to such a great reward, all the more so how great is the reward of those who study Torah all day and night.” (Menachot 99b)

Not all the Sages were pleased with Rabbi Yochanan endorsing a shortcut to fulfill the mitzvah of Torah study. People will slack off and learn little. Rava felt different. Teach everyone to start somewhere and learn something. Not ready for Daf Yomi? Read one verse a day. Study one law a day. The wisdom gained may be finite, but the spiritual value is infinite.

Torah is meant to be shared.

“Shammai used to say: Make your study of the Torah keva.” (Avot 1:15) What does keva mean? The simple explanation is one should study regularly. In Avot D’Rabbi Natan (13:2), it says that keva means that what you study, you should teach others. That is how Torah becomes permanent.

Studying means sharing, and everyone must share. You don’t need to be a Torah scholar. As Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the Lubavitcher Rebbe, was known to say, “Once you know, aleph, you must teach aleph.” We all have, at least, that much to pass on to others. We can talk about Torah and Judaism with our children, family, and friends. We can share a Dvar Torah at the Shabbos table or raise a Jewish question. Torah talk need not be a specific moment. It can be part of a conversation.

Torah is accessible to all.

Rambam teaches (Talmud Torah 3:1): “The Keter Torah, crown of Torah, is set aside, waiting, and ready for each Jew…Whoever desires may come and take it.”

On Shavuot, we celebrate the powerful role the Torah plays spiritually, religiously, emotionally, educationally, traditionally and socially in our lives. The holiday encourages us to study more Torah and rejoice in learning and living Torah. We should put on the crown of Torah. Maybe literally…

I had the chance to run a Beginner Service for many years. It attracted all kinds of seekers – including some who were attending a traditional Shabbat service for the first time. One such attendee was honored with gelilah, to wrap up the Torah after it was lifted following the reading. It was obviously a new experience, and it can be tricky even for experienced worshippers. You need to roll the Torah, affix the belt, and put on the cover – all the while people are waiting for you to finish.

The gabbai was trying to be helpful and assisted him with tying the belt around the scroll and then helped him place the velvet cover over the Torah and its handles. There was one more item to place on the Torah – the ornate sterling silver crown. The gentleman was handed the crown, and he stood there just holding it in his hands, not knowing exactly where to place it. People in the congregation started to call out, “Just put it on. Put it on!”

So that’s what he did. He took the beautiful silver crown, and he carefully placed it on his own head!

It’s cute. But it’s also a very deep lesson. We SHOULD put on the crown of Torah and make Torah more relevant in our lives and the lives of those around us.

This Shavuot let’s put on the crown of Torah. Let’s find ways to study it more ourselves, share it with our children and raise the level of Jewish discourse with those we encounter.

The Bearing of Bad News

How do we handle bad news?

Keep quiet? Face it? Grin and bear it?

This is a week of bad news. The horrific murder of Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim has left us reeling and on edge. The war in Israel continues, and two IDF soldiers were killed in action this week. Just when we think we can unwind and relax with the arrival of Shabbat, we read the tochecha, the series of curses of how bad things will get when we don’t live up to our potential. We can’t seem to catch a break!

Nobody wants to be the bearer of bad news, and the custom developed in many communities to avoid calling up someone to the Torah for the aliya of the tochecha. Who wants their name associated with punishment and curses? Some shuls send someone up without calling him up by name. Sometimes, the reader gets the aliya or the rabbi takes the hit. There is even historical precedent of congregations simply skipping the Torah reading the week of the curses.

Then there’s the outsourcing option.

Back in the “old country,” the members of a certain shul were all terrified of being called up for the aliya of the tochecha. What to do? They called a board meeting and decided that the best course of action to take was to hire someone. Tracking down an individual who would take the ‘dreaded’ aliya proved to be somewhat harder than expected, but, in the end, a candidate was found and engaged.

On the Shabbat of the tochecha, the gabbai looked around for the contracted individual, but he was nowhere to be found. “Perhaps he’s simply late,” suggested one of the members. “Let’s wait a few minutes for him.” They sat for about a quarter of an hour, getting more and more impatient by the minute. After all, an agreement was made. Money had been paid. Where was he?

Thankfully, before things got out of hand, the contracted individual rushed in breathless. Immediately, a few members demanded to know the reason for his tardiness. The individual calmly turned to the angry group, and replied, “I was davening in the shul down the block. Do you actually think I can make a living from only one tochecha…”

The most widespread custom is to read the tochecha in a soft voice. While careful that all the words be heard, the reader takes it down a notch. Who wants to loudly and clearly hear all the bad news? Furthermore, some commentators warn, we may invite the ayin ha-ra (evil eye) and make it even worse for ourselves.

I believe someone can be called up to the Torah for the tochecha by name – and the curses may even be read in a regular voice. The only way to respond to the curses is to confront them and overcome them.

Rabbi Yehuda Yekusiel Halberstam, the Sanz-Klausenberg Rebbe, was a heroic figure. He survived the Holocaust, inspiring many along the way, while his wife and 11 children were murdered. Afterwards, he worked to reconnect the survivors with Judaism in the Displaced Persons camps before moving to America and reestablishing his Chasidic court in Brooklyn. The Rebbe remarried and had 7 more children. In 1960, he moved to Netanya and established Laniado Hospital there.

 

Rabbi Shlomo Riskin describes davening with the Rebbe in the summer of 1953. It was Parshat Ki Tavo, which also has a section of terrible curses. The Torah reader began reading the tochecha quietly. Suddenly, almost inaudibly, the Yiddish word “hecher” (louder) came from the Rebbe’s direction at the eastern wall of the synagogue. The reader stopped, apparently wondering if he had heard the Rebbe correctly, but ultimately decided that he must have heard incorrectly. So, he continued reading quietly.

 

The Klausenberger Rebbe then banged on the table and shouted: “I said Hecher! Louder! Let the Master of the Universe hear! We have nothing to be afraid of. We have already received all of the curses - and more! Let the Almighty hear and let Him understand that the time has come to send the blessings!” The ba’al koreh then began to read the tochecha loudly and clearly.

 

The Jewish people are all too familiar with curses. We are all too familiar with the curses of October 7 and the past 18 months. We experienced curses this week. It is not only the Klausenberger Rebbe and his generation that can bear to hear the curses. We can bear the bad news as well, and we, too, will persevere and even thrive.

 

Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik notes that the tochecha concludes with notes of hope and continuity. In Bechukotai, they end with the verse, “I will remember you…” The curses of Ki Tavo are followed by the words “Atem nitzavim ha-yom kulchem – You are all still standing today…” There’s light at the end of the tunnel.

 

The curses are not the end of the story. The covenant remains. Israel remains. The Jewish people remain. The ability to transcend, transform, and renew exists. We just need to see that light through the darkness and recognize it’s up to us to carry on.