Monday, August 27, 2012
Parshat Ki Teizei
14 Elul 5772 / August 31 – Sept. 1, 2012
Dvarim 22:5 – 25:19
Cross Dressings and Momma Birds?!14 Elul 5772 / August 31 – Sept. 1, 2012
Dvarim 22:5 – 25:19
by Zvi Bellin, MHHQ
In this week’s parsha I would like to consider why two scenarios
are presented next to each other. The verses from Parshat Ki Teitzei are pasted
below from Chapter 22. The first case is a prohibition about cross dressing and
the second is an obscure law about sending a mother bird away before taking the
young birds or eggs. The later mitzvah is known as Shiluach HaKen (שלוח הקן) Sending from the Nest.
|
5 A woman shall not wear that which
pertains unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment; for
whosoever does these things is an abomination unto the LORD thy God. {P}
|
ה לֹא-יִהְיֶה כְלִי-גֶבֶר עַל-אִשָּׁה,
וְלֹא-יִלְבַּשׁ גֶּבֶר שִׂמְלַת אִשָּׁה: כִּי תוֹעֲבַת יְהוָה
אֱלֹהֶיךָ, כָּל-עֹשֵׂה אֵלֶּה. {פ}
|
|
6 If you happen upon a bird's nest on the way, in any tree
or on the ground, with young ones or eggs, and the mother is sitting upon the
young, or upon the eggs, thou shalt not take the mother with the young;
|
ו כִּי יִקָּרֵא קַן-צִפּוֹר לְפָנֶיךָ
בַּדֶּרֶךְ בְּכָל-עֵץ אוֹ עַל-הָאָרֶץ, אֶפְרֹחִים אוֹ בֵיצִים, וְהָאֵם
רֹבֶצֶת עַל-הָאֶפְרֹחִים, אוֹ עַל-הַבֵּיצִים--לֹא-תִקַּח הָאֵם, עַל-הַבָּנִים.
|
|
7 thou shalt let the mother go, but the
young thou may take unto thyself; that it may be well with you, and that thou
may prolong your days. {S}
|
ז שַׁלֵּחַ תְּשַׁלַּח אֶת-הָאֵם,
וְאֶת-הַבָּנִים תִּקַּח-לָךְ, לְמַעַן יִיטַב לָךְ, וְהַאֲרַכְתָּ
יָמִים.
|
What might the Torah possibly be teaching us by juxtaposing
these two commandments together?
I would like to suggest that these two cases can provoke a
discussion about the qualities of human empathy and compassion. In the first
verse we are prohibited from dressing up like the other gender. Rashi commented
that this is purely in the case where dressing up like the other gender is for
the purpose of sexual deviance. For example, dressing up like a woman to sneak
into the Women’s locker room for voyeuristic sexcapades. This is very different
from a woman wearing pants or a transgender male to female wearing lipstick.
The ability to assume another’s role or experience is rooted in the expression
of empathy. While empathy is one key to human connectivity, compassion is
lacking in a situation of deceit, as emphasized by Rashi. Thus, there are
limitations to “walking in another’s shoes” that seems to be a good protective
measure for a just society.
Similarly, shooing away a mother bird and
stealing her eggs is not an example of compassion at first glance. But when we
consider what a fox might do who happens upon a bird’s nest – goodbye momma
bird and so long chickies! Perhaps this commandment gives us pause to recognize
our base-animal tendencies and also our ability to act against them. Thus,
shooing away momma is perhaps not better then leaving the chicks alone, but it
forces us to think about compassionate and respectful involvement in the chain
of life.
Many Blessings!
Monday, August 20, 2012
Parshat
Shoftim
Dvarim 16:18-21:9
7 Elul 5772 / August 24-25, 2012
Dvarim 16:18-21:9
7 Elul 5772 / August 24-25, 2012
Precious
Human, Precious Tree, Precious Planet
by Laura W, MH London Alumnus
by Laura W, MH London Alumnus
Somewhere
in the lush green English country side is a Hindu temple donated by the late Beatle
George Harrison in 1973. On the far wall of the eco garden on their 70
acre estate lies a verse from this week’s Parsha "ki ha'adam etz hasadeh"
(כי האדם עץ השדה),‘ Every person
is a tree in the field’. Amongst the solar panels and wild life there are
quotes from a variety of the world’s holy books. This was the one chosen to
represent the Jewish view on environmental non-violence.
There
have been several interpretations of this verse which refers to the forbidden
destruction of fruit trees in a Jewish military siege.
The Jewish
legal tradition focuses on the practical reading of the verse which strongly
condemns the uprooting of fruit producing trees. The rabbis extended the
prohibition of the meaningless destruction of the trees to a generalized
prohibition against waste, known as ba’al tashchit, "Do not
destroy." According to Maimonides (Mishneh Torah, Laws of Kings 6:10):
"This
is the law not only for trees, but anyone who breaks containers, tears clothes,
destroys a building, stops up a well, or wastes food violates the prohibition
of 'do not destroy.' "
As
master kabbalist Rabbi Moshe Cordovero of Safed ("RaMaK,"
1522-1570) teaches in the Holy text Tomar Devorah: "One's compassion
should extend to all creatures, and one should neither despise nor destroy
them; for the Supernal Wisdom extends to all of creation -- the
"silent" or mineral level, plants, animals, and humans. This is why
our sages have warned us against treating food disrespectfully. Just as the
Supernal Wisdom despises nothing, since everything is produced there -- as it
is written, 'You have formed them all with wisdom' (Psalms 104:24) -- a person
should show compassion to all of the works of the Holy One, blessed be
He."
My
blessing to the Moishe House community is higher awareness of the beauty of our
Torah and it’s teachings of how to consume with a social and ecological
conscience in light that we are all creations.
Shabbat
Shalom!
Monday, August 13, 2012
Parshat Re’eh
30 Av 5772 / August 17 - 18, 2012
Dvarim 11:26 – 16:17
30 Av 5772 / August 17 - 18, 2012
Dvarim 11:26 – 16:17
To Act or Not to Act
by Zvi Bellin, MH Head Quarters
by Zvi Bellin, MH Head Quarters
I was struck in this week’s parasha by the laws regarding a
person that leads others astray versus a city that has already been led astray
– aka, the Wayward City. The text states that if a person tries to lead you to
worship another god (the enticer), you should immediately kill this
person. “Your hand shall be the first against him to kill him (verse 13:10).”
In the case of a Wayward City, there is a more level-headed approach. “You
shall seek out and investigate, and inquire well (verse 13:15).” In the
case of the city, first be sure that the majority of people are serving another
god, and then kill them all by sword and burn all their property and leave the
site as a smoldering mound forever.
I know. This is a tough piece of Torah to swallow. The
question that I would like to focus in on is how come the Torah specified
taking time to investigate with the city scenario and not with the individual
enticer? To me it seems like the Torah should state that in both cases
there should be certainty before any punishment is doled out.
Here are some ideas that I have been thinking about:
1. The actual law, according to Rashi (medieval Torah commentator
extraordinaire), is that in ALL cases there needs to be substantial
investigation into the matter. And in fact, the person who has been enticed
should not kill the enticer; rather the enticer should be taken to a Beit
Din (Jewish Court of Law). Still, the literal reading of the text needs to
be addressed!
2. A simple answer is that it makes sense that if you are being enticed, then
you know it to be true and you should take immediate action. In a way, this
created a form of “Neighborhood Watch”. We are all responsible for protecting
the boundaries of our community beliefs. The problem, of course, is that this
seems like a precursor to the Salem witch trials. A person’s life should not
hang on the balance of another person’s limited perspective.
3. When you read the verses about the individual enticer, possible
relationships are also listed out: a brother, or step brother, your son,
daughter, wife, your step mother, or “your friend who is like your own soul.”!
These are people that you would probably NEVER think are trying to lead you
astray. Perhaps the Torah is telling us that when a person who we would least
suspect is clearly trying to unravel our faith identity – we should act to
protect ourselves even before we create excuses for them. At that point, it
might already be too late.
Monday, August 6, 2012
Parshat Ekev
Dvarim 7:12 – 11:25
23 Av 5772 / August 10 – 11, 2012
Stepping Towards Godliness
by Emly Oren, Moishe House Portland
by Emly Oren, Moishe House Portland
In Parashat Eikev, the third
parshah in the book of Dvarim, Moses continues speaking to the Israelites
before entering the Promised Land. He promises that if they fulfill the
commandments, they will prosper in the land that is, “Flowing with milk and honey.”
Moses also addresses the hardships we went through, such as recalling the
worship of the Golden Calf and the rebellion of Korach. The Parshah concludes
with the description of manna and the blessings of the seven species.
I noticed the first sentence uses
this week’s Parshah, “Eikev”, as a conjunction of “because”: “And it shall come
to pass because you heartened and you listened and you obeyed God’s
commandments.” As a noun, however, Eikev is defined as a “heel.” For me, this
definition gives me more insight. The Israelites have stopped wandering the
desert and are about to enter the Promised Land. They have walked long and far
and are now grounding themselves with their heels. In this Parshah, heels
symbolize our history and the lessons that Moses has taught us. Now the
Israelites are entering their new home with their feet forward, knowing that
their heel has led them to this very moment. It is up to them to let their toes
guide them in the right direction while allowing their heals to be grounded.
Where we put our feet depends on
the choices we make and the direction we take is completely up to us. During
this week I think it is important to ask ourselves the following questions: Are
we walking with our feet towards godliness or away from it? Are we stepping
into a place of light or darkness? This week’s portion is teaching us that we
have choices to make in life. May we enter this week with the direction of
free-will and may our feet guide us to a place of holiness.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)