“RABBI’S
MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)”
Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas
Vayakhel-Pekudei/Parah
Mevorchim Chodesh Nisan
22 Adar 5775/ March 13, 2015
During
one of my internships when in was in Fordham
University
On one
occasion the good doctor told me that he loves Judaism because it’s a religion
of action. “You know those other religions dictate what you should think, and
tell you what your attitudes should be. Judaism on the other hand, because it
doesn’t dominate your thinking or tell you what your attitudes should be. It only
tells you about certain things you have to do, but that’s about it.”
I was
not about to launch into a harangue about mussar and the mandate that one
control his thoughts, and so I just nodded. It was fascinating to me that
although we were both Jewish, our understanding of the religion was quite
distant.
This
week in shul a congregant asked the million dollar question – why were the Jews
deserving of extermination under the rule of Haman? What sin(s) could they
possibly have committed that were so serious as to warrant the unprecedented
decree calling for the genocide of the entire nation?
It’s
such a good question that the Gemara itself discuses it. In a discussion
between Rav Shimon Bar Yochai and his students it emerges that their
culpability resulted from the combined sins of attending the feast of
Achashveirosh and the nation’s having bowed to an image of the evil
Nebuchadnezzar a few decades prior. But even so the question remains as to why
the punishment was so severe?
A
couple is sitting in front of their Rabbi. It is quite apparent that the
situation is extremely tense. Their marriage is deteriorating and they are
making a last ditch attempt to save it. The husband asserts that he doesn’t
know what her problem is. He does everything he is supposed to do and provides
well for their family. She replies that it’s not any one thing in particular,
but it’s the general attitude. There is no feeling between them. They live a
parallel existence but it’s not much of a marriage. How do you put that into
words?
The
Torah does not merely demand that we ‘do certain things’. The Torah demands
that we develop and foster a passionate connection with it. The Jewish people are
termed the brides of the Torah, in what is a dynamic relationship.
At the
time of Purim the Jews began to view themselves as ‘just another nation’,
albeit with a responsibility to perform mitzvos. When it’s all only about
action the relationship deteriorates. Perhaps they did not actually ‘do’
anything so bad per se, but the deterioration of the connection is more
egregious than any negative act.[1]
The
salvation of Purim generated within the nation an emotional connection. It
reignited the feeling of connection and relationship with Torah and G-d. It was
only when they reignited that spark that they were worthy of the completion of
the rebuilding of the second Bais Hamikdash, which happened shortly thereafter.
As in
those days, in our days too.
Shabbat Shalom &
Good Shabbos,
R’ Dani and Chani
Staum
[1] Rav Dovid Soloveitchik shlita (Me’or
Hamoadim) explains that at times exhibiting negative character traits can be
more severe than actual sins, and that was the reason they were worthy of such
severe punishment.