“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)”
Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Ki Savo
17 Elul 5784/ September 20, 2024
Pirkei Avos – Perek 3-4
UNAPOLOGETIC PRIDE
Each year
before Tisha b’Av I spend a considerable amount of time working with the
learning director of Camp Dora Golding, my rebbe, Rabbi Noach Sauber, to
develop a program for our campers that will be engaging, inspiring and
meaningful.
That
includes asking our talented rebbeim in camp to introduce each of the kinnos
recited. On Tisha b’Av this summer, my friend and summer colleague, Rabbi Mayer
Erps, shared the following personal anecdote[1]:
“On
occasion I’ve asked teenagers why they don’t always wear tzitzis? Most of the
time they reply that it’s uncomfortable.
“I had an
experience a few years ago that negates that argument.
“For over a
decade I had the privilege of working for an outreach organization called Torah
Links in East Brunswick, New Jersey.
“They
arranged a program for young men in college who were off for winter break in
December to come to Lakewood, NJ for a week. They would learn in the Lakewood
Yeshiva in the morning and have fun activities in the afternoon.
“Alex, a
former student of mine, was a freshman in college and I invited him to join the
program. I told Alex that I came to East Brunswick every Sunday morning because
I was the principal of the Hebrew school there. I’d be happy for him to come
back with me to Lakewood afterwards and to drop him off at his hosts.
“Alex
agreed and on Sunday morning when Hebrew School ended, Alex’s parents dropped
him off. Alex got out of his parents’ car wearing the most absurd hat I had
ever seen in my life - a triangular hat shaped like a piece of cheese.
“I was
informed later that it is called a cheese head. Alex is a Green Bay Packers
fan. There is an unwritten rule amongst diehard Packers fans, that no matter
where you are in the world, on game day you wear the cheesehead hat. I thought
to myself that there was no way I could bring Alex back to Lakewood wearing
that hat.
“I
suggested to Alex that he leave the hat in the trunk. But Alex looked at me
with utter surprise, “But Rabbi, it’s game day!”
“I was very
intrigued by the cheesehead hat and looked into it. There was a gentleman by
the name of Ralph Bruno who lived in Wisconsin where a lot of cheese is
produced. If you want to insult a Wisconsinite, you call him a cheese head.
“Ralph
decided he was going to transform cheesehead into a matter of pride. He took an
old foam couch pillow, cut it into the shape of a triangle, hollowed out some
holes painted it yellow, and made it look like a wedge of cheese. He then
hollowed out the middle and put it on his head.
“When Ralph showed up at the next Green Bay Packers
game wearing this cheese hat, fans excitedly asked him where he got it and if
they could get one too. It caught on and Ralph began mass producing the
cheeseheads. Eventually Ralph opened up an entire apparel line selling
cheesehead products.
“Much as I
tried, Alex refused to entertain the thought of not wearing the cheesehead hat
even in Lakewood.
“Since
then, whenever a boy tells me that he doesn’t want to wear tzitzis because it
makes him feel uncomfortable, I think about Alex’s determination to show his
team pride, even when he stuck out like a sore thumb in the middle of Lakewood.”
It’s
been almost 6 weeks since Tisha b’Av. For most of us Tisha b’Av is distant
memory. However, Chazal teach us that for 7 weeks after Tisha b’Av, we read
the shiva d’nichemta - 7 haftoros of consolation. The weeks of
comfort literally conclude the Shabbos before Rosh Hashanah. Through the
beautiful words of the Navi, Hashem comforts and encourages us that better
days, times of glory and greatness, await us.
Clearly
there is an inextricable connection between Tisha b’Av, the subsequent weeks of
comfort, and the process of Teshuvah.
One
of the greatest tragedies of Tisha b’Av is the loss of national pride.
In
Eichah (2:1), Yirmiyahu writes, “He cast from the heavens to earth the glory of
Yisroel.” Based on those words, in Kinnos we lament, “O how they have thrown
the splendor from my head.”
The
tragedy of Tisha b’Av wasn’t only due to the numerous physical tragedies we
suffered, but also from the national shame and degradation we
experienced.
When
one feels worthless and under-appreciated it is that much harder for him to be
productive. Without confidence how can one push himself out of his comfort
zone?
A
man who was wealthy and influential not only lost his fortune and fame but was
shamed and abused. But then he started receiving letters from some of the
wealthiest and most powerful people in the world. In the letters they informed
him that they were aware of his difficult plight, but that they are eagerly
awaiting his turn. Not only are they confident of it but they guarantee that
his return to glory will far surpass his original success. At that point, he
may still be in a difficult situation, but he is now confident that he has the
wherewithal to turn things around and reclaim what he lost. Their reassurance
gives him the infusion of confidence to start the arduous journey back.
The
stirring words of Yeshaya HaNavi infuse us with fortitude to withstand the
endless challenges of exile. They remind us that great events are coming. That
added national confidence and reassurance of Hashem’s ongoing love for us,
carries us through the month of Elul. It allows us to taste a bit of our
forfeited glory so that we can introspect and seek to be better people this
year. We seek to do teshuvah, to literally return to Hashem and to ourselves
with confidence.
Packers
fans aren’t embarrassed to wear cheeseheads because they are proud to be
associated with the team they root for. How can we not feel beyond proud to be
part of the eternal people?
Shabbat Shalom
& Good Shabbos,
R’ Dani and
Chani Staum
[1] Rabbi
Mayer Erps has many professional recordings of children’s stories, available on
all major Jewish platforms, and on CD available at local Judaica stores. My
family loves them. If you’re looking for a most wonderful storyteller to speak
in your community, I am happy to share his contact information.