Thoughts on parashat Yitro 5875

There is no peace—said GOD—for the wicked.
(Isaiah 48:22)

Our Sages, particularly, the rabbis of Talmud, loved all kinds of linguistic, semantic and logical approaches to the Torah, as well as intellectual experiments in terms of uncovering its hidden meanings and messages. They played with logical principles, often reversing logical implications. As a result of that, the verse I just quoted became a base for a talmudic concept which holds that if a person has a difficulty finding inner peace, it may be a sign that this person is wicked, or at least has done something bad or wrong. Today we know that while this may be one of the possibilities, the matter is much more complicated and typically a difficulty in finding inner peace does not indicate that the person affected by it is immoral or wicked. But there is some truth in this rabbinical concept, in this rabbinic judgement and we can find still some signposts for our spiritual life in it.

Thoughts on Parashat Bo

There is a talmudic story about a Rabbi who traveled to a foreign city, and asked a little boy what’s the best way to enter that city.

“Which is the road leading to the city?” asked Rabbi Yehoshua ben Chananya of a youngster sitting at a crossroads. “This is the shorter one,” replied the lad while pointing to one road, “but it is longer. The other road is longer but shorter.” Rabbi Yehoshua decided to take the first road, which had been described as the shorter one, but when he approached the city he found access to it blocked by gardens and orchards. He returned to the crossroads and challenged his young guide for suggesting the shorter road that had turned out to be the wrong one. “But I told you,” replied the boy, “that although it is shorter in distance, it is longer in reaching your goal.” (Eruvin 53b)

Thoughts on Parashat Vaera 5785

Prepare for a dry, philosophical thought.

What was the story of the exodus from the Land of Egypt about? Certainly it was about leaving a political entity, an empire with a corrupt political system that was self-serving for its elites. This is the social and political part of the whole process of the liberation of the chosen nation.

But the whole story of Exodus also has its spiritual aspect, not less important than the political one. It was about liberating ourselves from all kinds of habits – moral, psychological, cultural and religious, habits and patterns of behavior that did not allow for a full spiritual and moral development of the Jewish people. We were chosen by God to establish a new political entity in the land of Israel but also a new religious culture and civilization, i.e. Judaism, that would elevate human spiritual condition, necessary to create a just society…

Thoughts on Parashat Shemot 5785

Why did we (i.e. our ancestors) settle in Egypt?
Because of the natural disaster – there was a drought and famine in the land of Canaan and that forced Jacob and his family to go to Egypt. Thank God, one of our brothers – Joseph – was already there. We know that he ended up there out of nefarious actions, yet God used these actions and turned them into our blessing. That’s one of His powers – to turn a wicked act into something good. But we should never provoke God to use this power.

Thoughts on Parashat Vayigash 5785

A man, very advanced in his age, calls an insurance company and says that he wants to buy insurance. The agent says: “Good, very good, how old are you?” The man says: “I’m a hundred years old.” “Hundred??” – replies the agent – “Oy, I’m afraid we cannot help you” – The man replies: “No, no, you have to sell me this insurance because your company already sold insurance to my father”. “How old is your father?” – the agent says – “He is 120 years old”. “120?? Well, ok, come by Tuesday evening, we’ll see what we can do.” The man says: “I can’t come on Tuesday, my grandfather is getting married”. “Your grandfather is getting married?? How old is he??” “He is 148”. “148 and he wants to get married??” Phs, like it is his choice…” – replies the man – “His parents are marrying him off!”.

Thoughts on Parashat Miketz 5785

Let me start my reflection today with the quotation from the Talmud:

There are three partners in the forming of a person: The Holy One, Blessed be He, father and mother. When a person honors his father and mother, the Holy One, Blessed be He, says: I ascribe credit to them as if I dwelt between them and they honor Me as well. (Kiddushin 30b)