“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)”
Erev Shabbos Kodesh parshas Matos-Masei
7 Menachem Av 5781/July 16, 2021
Shabbos Chazon
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לרפואה שלימה נטע יצחק בן רחל
BROADENING HORIZONS
One day
last week, my neck was feeling extremely stiff, and it hurt to turn my head in
either direction. For the rest of the day, I was mindful to not turn my head
too quickly. When I needed to turn my head, I braced myself for a surge of
pain. But during the night when movement is unconscious, I woke up in
tremendous pain and couldn’t fall back to sleep for some time.
The
biggest challenge of having a stiff neck was that my periphery vision - the
ability to see things happening in the corner of your eye - was limited.
Periphery
Vision Loss (PVL) is a real disability. It essentially means that one has
tunnel vision, only being able to see things that are directly in front of the
person. When one drives it is vital that he be able to see what is happening in
his periphery. If something darts out suddenly, he has to be able to see it and
slam on the brakes. Being able to do so can make the difference between a
tragedy and a near tragedy. Therefore, one who has PVL may have limited night
vision and may be unable to drive a car.
Much of
the Jewish world today seems to have lost its periphery vision. That we are a
stiff-necked people is nothing new. G-d referred to us that way shortly after
we had left Egypt and committed the grave sin of the golden calf. This was a
nation that was raised from the dredges of society into an admired and feared
nation amidst incredible miracles and supernatural occurrences. Yet, a scant
five weeks after receiving the Torah they panicked and became overwhelmed with
feelings of inferiority and unworthiness. They felt they simply couldn’t go on.
In a sense,
when G-d referred to them as being stiff necked this was part of what was
meant. At that point Klal Yisroel was stuck in a tunnel vision perspective,
only seeing the wilderness of the desert before them and followed by 31 mighty
kings they would have to fight in order to conquer the Promised Land. For the
former slaves the daunting challenges were stifling and paralyzing.
The deficiency
was that they didn’t see what was happening in their periphery. Manna fell from
the sky every day, a well of water accompanied them in the desert, and they
lacked nothing. If they turned a little more to see what was behind them, they
would see the smoldering ruins of the world’s greatest superpower, which had
recently been decimated with ten ravaging plagues and its mighty armies drowned
in the sea. In their paranoia however, they couldn’t see any of it. They only
saw the impossible future which caused them to resort to seeking ersatz comfort
from a lifeless golden calf.
The
prophet Yermiyah similarly chastised Klal Yisroel (2:27), “…To Me they turned
their necks and not their faces…” During the time before the destruction of the
Bais Hamikdash as well, the nation lost their sense of perspective and failed
to see the broader picture of their situation.
My
rebbe, Rabbi Berel Wein, dolefully notes that many Jews today think Jewish
History began in 1948 when the state of Israel was founded. They have cast away
thousands of years of Jewish values, tradition, sacrifice, and pride. Their
tunnel vision has affected their ability to navigate the moral highways of life
utilizing the rich traditions and direction of our leaders throughout the generations,
causing them to be subject to the whims of our feckless society.
It
always seems strange that in the middle of Tisha b’Av, at the height of our
anguish, after three weeks of mourning that culminated in recounting endless
pangs of suffering and anguish, we begin to receive comfort. What happens at
the stroke of midday on Tisha b’Av that we are suddenly able to - literally -
pick ourselves up off the floor and begin the process of emotional
rehabilitation?
Perhaps
part of the answer is that as we review the myriad painful events that have
transpired to our people throughout the generations, we recognize that our
history has patterns and that there is a broader perspective. It becomes clear
that we are part of something special. Otherwise, why would the world be so
obsessed with us? All of our suffering and pain and all our rivers of tears and
blood remind us that ours is a long-term story- a story of drama, travails and
tragedy, but a story in which all the diverse threads will be clearly woven
together when our story reaches its resolution.
May we
merit to witness that resolution soon, when G-d will banish all tears and all
will be comforted, when our national stiff neck will be healed, and we will
merit to see the ultimate perspective of divine truth.
May this
Tisha b’Av be transformed into a Yom Tov.
Shabbat Shalom & Good Shabbos,
R’ Dani and Chani Staum