“RABBI’S REFLECTIONS[1]
(& AMUSINGS)”
Erev Shabbos Kodesh
Parshas Shemini (10th day of Omer)
25 Nissan 5777/ April 21,
2017 - Avos Perek 1
Did you ever notice that the Yom Tov of Pesach seems to be inextricably connected
to fires? Kashering our kitchens for Pesach necessitates burning out embedded
chometz taste (whether with haga’lah or libun), we burn our chometz, matzah is
baked in an extremely hot fire, and the Korbon Pesach was roasted. On the
second day of Pesach, the Korbon Omer was offered, consisting of roasted
barley.
The truth is that it connects beyond Pesach to Pesach Sheni (also
roasted), Lag Baomer (bonfires), and Shavuos, which celebrates the awesome
revelation atop Har Sinai at the time of Mattan Torah, which included fire and
thunder.
The Yomim Tovim of Tishrei on the other hand, are deeply connected with
water. On Rosh Hashanah, we recite Tashlich by a body of flowing water, before
Yom Kippur we immerse ourselves in a mikvah, on Succos we shake the Daled
Minim, which require water for their growth and represent all plant life.
Throughout the holiday, we are constantly vigilant that it not rain while
fulfilling the mitzvah of succah, the Simchas Bais Hashoeivah celebrated the
water libations on the Mizbeiach, and at the end of Succos we bentch Geshem.
Even the parshios read during the Shabbosos surrounding those Yomim
Tovim, fit with this theme. Pesach time we read the parshios of Korabnos,
offered on the fires of the mizbeiach. Right after Succos, we read Parshas
Bereishis which notes that nothing grow until man prayed for rain, followed by
Parshas Noach which discusses the great flood.
There’s another interesting distinction: Twice a year, shortly after
washing our hands at the beginning of a Yom Tov meal, we recite another
beracha. On Pesach we recite borei peri ha’adamah upon the vegetable eaten as
Karpas. On Rosh Hashanah we recite borei peri ha’etz upon the fruits of the simana
milsa (most famously, the apple in honey).
The most obvious distinction between fire and water is that fire flames
upwards, while water flows downwards.
How do these themes connect with the avodah and spiritual focus of these
Yomim Tovim?
As their Afikomen present, our older children requested a trip to a
Yankees game. Thanks to their Uncle, we were able to procure tickets to a game
on Chol Hamoed. [Suffice it to say we had enough for two minyanim for maariv in
our section alone.]
My children also informed me that part of the experience is listening to
the pregame sports talk during the drive to the stadium. A caller into the
sports show we were listening to was griping about the fact that Boston Red Sox
fans have been gloating in past years that they have had more success than
their archrival Yankees.[2] The host replied that if you’re comparing the
entire storied history of the Yankees, then the Red Sox, or any other team for
that matter, can never compare. No one holds a candle to the Yankee dynasties
and Baseball giants of Gehrig, Ruth, DiMaggio, Mantle, Maris, Jackson, and
Munson.
However, if you’re looking at the last decade, the Red Sox have had some
edge over the Yankees.[3] One of the points noted
was that while the Yankees have constructed a new, beautiful stadium, there was
something lost from the nostalgic lore of the old Yankees Stadium. As nice as
the new stadium is, and despite the fact that it carries the same name, the
bottom line is that it is not the field where Ruth, DiMaggio, and Mantle belted
their homeruns.
The Red Sox however, were able to preserve their home, Fenway Park. It
was a tremendous expense to renovate the old park, but they were able to
refurbish it in its entirety. In the words of one journalist: “It should be
preserved for no better reason that that, so our children and their children
can go to the park and say: That’s the mound where Babe Ruth pitched; that’s
the box where Ted Williams swung his bat; that’s the foul pole Carlton Fisk
homered off…”
There are two ways to foster a sense of newness – by creating something
brand new, or by refurbishing/recreating something that is already in
existence. Both have their benefits and both have their place.
Sometimes the best way to have a
fresh start is by completely walking away from the past, and beginning from the
ground up. At other times, it is better to preserve the foundation and
structure that have already been created, albeit with a fresh beginning and a
new start.
The Yom Tov of Pesach represents the birth of Klal Yisroel. G-d removed
us from the womb of Egypt as it were, and formed a new nation.
When a fire rages it consumes and ultimately destroys whatever is in it.
But after it is extinguished, the ground is extremely fertile and malleable to
new growth.
Water on the other hand, does not destroy what’s in its path, but rather
washes away whatever is attached to it, so that all that is left is the
essential structure itself.
In terms of avodah (practical service to Hashem) fire represents passion
and excitement, the emotional flaming of the heart which surges towards its
creator with love and devotion. It manifests itself in a sense of zerizus,
alacrity, emotion, enthusiasm, and passion to serve Hashem.
Water represents humility and nullification. Water will flow wherever it
is allowed to, and will only cease to flow when it’s path is obscured. It is
the symbol of anivus – self-nullification to a greater force.
Imagine a Jew who decides to leave the path of Torah, G-d forbid, and
engages in a life of sin for many years. One day he is inspired, and wants to
return to his roots. The first thing we tell such a person is put on tefillin,
say shema, and begin to daven. In other words, jump in to a life of kedusha.
Nourish your spiritual self with mitzvos and Avodas Hashem that will re-awaken
your nascent soul.
Only after he has accustomed and reacclimated himself to living a Torah
lifestyle, at some later point, can he make a reckoning of his past mishaps and
rectify his sins so that he can grow even more. When he has sufficient
connection, and will not become depressed or dejected by his past, at that
point he will be able to face his past. Doing so will not only serve to help
him right his past wrongs, but more profoundly to utilize his past mistakes as
a springboard for further growth.
On Pesach when we recommence our journey as the Jewish Nation with a
sense of mission into the deserts and wildernesses of life, our avodah is
symbolized by a raging fire. It is the fire of excitement to do G-d’s bidding,
and not hold anything back. At that point, we are too raw and spiritually immature
to confront the idolatrous lifestyle from which we have emerged.
Our role then is to immerse ourselves in acts of holiness, and to build
ourselves with a focus on positive action. We begin this odyssey at the Seder
when we perform myriad mitzvos and sanctify everything we do. We then immediately
begin counting the Omer, representing our gradual yet consistent step by step
ascent towards reaccepting the Torah on Shavuos. It is a process of fiery
passion and enthusiastic religious zeal.
The Yomim Tovim of Tishrei on the other hand, are a time of
revitalization, a time to recommit ourselves to our own selves. By now, we have
matured enough along our path of growth, to be able to look back and confront
the past which we have until now been running from. With proper teshuva, our
past becomes a springboard for greater closeness and growth[4]. Tishrei is about
purification through nullification, a process of humility, symbolized by water.[5]
A vegetable emerges from the ground as a new growth, representing brand
new growth - a nutritious food emerging from the dirt of the earth. That is the
symbol of Seder night. A new nation has emerged from the ashes and from
nothingness. We have burst onto the scene and are setting out to make our mark.
A fruit however, grows on a tree which produces new fruit each growing
season, after an entire winter when it was completely barren. Fruit represents
renewal. That is the symbol of the holidays of Tishrei, a process of
self-analyzation, when we seek to right our wrongs, and recommit ourselves to
who we are and to what we can and must accomplish.
Pesach has fired us up. It is the beginning of a path that will take us
to Sinai, and then beyond.
Enjoy
your Schlissel Challah -
Shabbat
Shalom & Good Shabbos
R’ Dani and Chani Staum
[1] The following is a thought which I contemplated and developed, with
siyata deshmaya, throughout the course of Pesach this year. It’s longer than
the average “Musings”, so I am calling it a ‘Reflection’.
[3] I
interject with a disclaimer and reminder that the opinions expressed here are
of the radio show host, and do not necessarily represent the views of this
writer…
[4]
The Yomim Noraim are a time of teshuva out of fear, which mitigates the
severity of sins committed. Then we progress to Succos, which is a time of
teshuva out of love, which transforms sins into merits.
[5] I
am grateful to my friend, Rabbi Yanky Oppen, who when I shared this thought,
suggested that I see the Sefas Emes, Pesach 5646. The Sefas Emes explains that
rain descends from heaven which is a symbol of G-d blessing descending into
this world. Our role is to subjugate ourselves to His blessings, and that is
what water symbolizes, and that is the symbol of the months of Tishrei. Nissan
however, is the time of growth, symbolizing our responsibility to perform our
service to Hashem, that is symbolized by the waving of the Omer.