“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)”
Erev Shabbos
Kodesh parshas Vayera
17 MarCheshvan
5783/November 11, 2022
Dedicated in
loving memory of my Savta, Mrs. Minnie Staum, Shprintza bas Avrohom Yitzchak
a”h, whose yahrtzeit is 17 Cheshvan.
ALL
THE LEAVES
Although
I have been living in Monsey most of my life, for my first eight years my
family lived on the Lower East Side. During those years the fall season meant
that the leaves on that one tree on the corner would fall off because winter
was coming. For the most part however, things looked the same as always.
When
our family moved to Monsey the fall season became a vastly different
experience. We had a spacious backyard with more trees than all lower
Manhattan. Sunday afternoons in November were spent raking the endless fallen
leaves into piles. There isn’t quite anything like jumping into a large pile of
leaves and getting buried in them.
These
days, I don’t know if my children know what a rake looks like. But I still love
the stunning foliage during this season. The different colors of the leaves on
the trees have a majestic glow that transforms the whole landscape. The
knowledge that in a few weeks the trees will be bare, and all that beauty will
be just a memory, forces the viewer to appreciate the moment.
This
week our family celebrated the Bas Mitzvah of our daughter Chayala. Such
milestones always generate reflection and perspective. Looking at pictures of
years past and trying to figure out where they went is also a reminder that we
need to appreciate the beauty and gift of the moment.
It’s
also incredible how each of our children is so different. Sometimes we wonder
how it’s possible that they are all siblings. But such is the wonder of the way
we were created. The beauty of a family lies in the synergistic melding of all
the divergent colors, producing a most resplendent hue.
This
is not only true about families but about the Jewish people generally. Our
nation shares the same roots, firm beliefs, and traditions. But from there we
branch out in many different directions, producing many offshoots, each with
its own unique hue and color.
Around
the year 1200, Rabbi Avrohom HaYarchi published his Sefer Hamanhig - The book
of customs.
Rabbi
Avrohom lived primarily in Provence, Southern France, but he traveled
extensively and visited many Jewish communities. During his journeys, Rabbi
Avrohom made a point to observe the customs of every community, noting the
variances between them. In Sefer Hamanhig he records the different customs of
Jews in Northern France, Southern France, Germany, England, and Spain.
The
beauty of the sefer is that the author does not state personal opinions about
the legitimacy of any particular custom. In fact, he records that his mission
is to demonstrate how each custom has a halachic basis.
In
a sense our different customs and practices comprise the stunning landscape of
our nation.
There is tremendous
beauty in diversity of color, as long as the color “remains within the lines”
and follows a distinct pattern. Although most people have a favorite color,
they can also recognize and appreciate other colors as well.
Allegorically,
we need to appreciate the different colors within the Jewish people, within our
communities, and, perhaps most significantly, within our own homes.
As
long as the leaves remain attached to the tree their magnificent color will
radiate and shine.
Shabbat Shalom & Good Shabbos,
R’ Dani and Chani Staum