*Be the Change You Want to See In the World

Tazria 5774

אָדָם, כִּי-יִהְיֶה בְעוֹר-בְּשָׂרוֹ שְׂאֵת אוֹ-סַפַּחַת אוֹ בַהֶרֶת, וְהָיָה בְעוֹר-בְּשָׂרוֹ, לְנֶגַע צָרָעַת...-- When a man shall have in the skin of his flesh a rising, or a scab, or a bright spot, and it become in the skin of his flesh the plague of leprosy… (Leviticus 13:2)

According to the sages of the Talmud, the skin afflictions described above occur as a punishment for engaging in Lashon Harah. The question that begs asking: why is it that in ancient times when people were seemingly more pious and good were there instances of these skin afflictions and today when most people seem to be involved in Lashon Harah this leprosy is almost non-existent? Explains Rabbi Moshe Alshich (Tzfat, 16^th cent.), these types of skin disorders are signs of a hidden illness in the soul of a person – the skin affliction is caused by one’s deep-seated humility sending the affliction to the host as a call to make teshuvah. However, a soul that is far removed from all things holy will not have the mechanism by which to alarm the host. In short, today's rampant Lashon Harah blinds us from even recognizing it as a problem.
!לשון הרע לא מדבר אלי

 

Shemini 5774

This week’s parashah, Shemini, contains the infamous story of the death of Aaron’s two sons.  Aaron and his 4 sons have been assigned the priestly mantle and sons Nadav and Avihu soon err and bring a ‘strange fire’ before Gd.  In an instant Gd strikes them dead.  Though the story certainly raises theological questions, the more immediate question may be:  why did Lynne and I choose the name Nadav for our first born child?  Permit me to explain…We wanted a name from the Bible but one that is still modern enough to be identified with the pride of the contemporary State of Israel.  We wanted a name whose meaning would be a blessing for our child’s character– נדב means ‘giving’and is the root for the Hebrew word נדיב (generous) and מתנדב (volunteer) – it also describes his grandparents’ nature.  With sensitivity for of our American mishpacha and our son, we wanted a name that is pronounced the same in English as in Hebrew.  Finally, I refer to the film, “The World According to Garp.”  In the movie, Garp is viewing a house for purchase.  Suddenly, a twin engine plan crashes into the house destroying the top floors (the pilot is okay).  Garp exclaims, “We’ll take it!”  When confronted by his wife he says “what are the chances of a plane ever hitting this house again?!”  Amen, selah. 

Purim 5774

A person is obligated on Purim to get drunk until he does not know between cursing  Haman and to bless Mordechai (B.T. Megilah 7b), thus reads the Gemara with reference to the appropriate celebration of Purim. Does Judaism require a level of intoxication at such a dangerous level? Teaches the Rambam: ‘imbibe to the point where one falls to sleep in his intoxication’ i.e., when asleep one cannot differentiate between Haman and Mordechai. Another understanding of this Gemara explains that the gematria/numeric values for the Hebrew words ‘cursed Haman’ (ארור המן) and ‘blessed Mordechai’ (ברוך מרדכי) are the same, so one who drinks to the point where she cannot calculate the gematria values has fulfilled the inebriation requirement. A third explanation says that there was a traditional rhyme that had complicated, similar sounding verses that alternatingly cursed Haman and blessed Mordechai; the smallest tipsiness of intoxication sufficed to err in blessing and curse. Finally, the Yad Ephraim teaches that ‘until he does not know’ means one must stop drinking before losing the ability to differentiate between cursed is Haman and blessed is Mordechai. L’chaim!