Exodus – holy scribbles

Dual Realities

weekly Torah reading: parasha Mishpatim 5784

“And these are the judgments that you shall set before them.”

– Exodus 21:1

“v’eilah mishpatim – and these are the judgments”

The parasha begins, “and these are the judgments.” In Hebrew, the letter vov, meaning “and,” bears significance here. For the implication can be drawn, that there is a connection being emphasized, between this parasha and the previous one. Immediately following the revelation at Sinai, whereof HaShem “descended,” amidst the thunder and lightning, in an impressive display of His greatness, the Torah begins to list the mishpatim, a set of commandments that seem pale, mundane, and this-worldly in comparison to the other-worldy nature of the Revelation at Sinai.

A simple question may be asked, in and of itself, what does this juxtaposition of opposites portray in its contrast of a heightened experience at Sinai, with the relatively dry giving forth of commandments having to do with everyday life?

All areas of life are intertwined, as characterized within the framework of Torah. G-d’s divine plan for mankind has as much to do with His appearance on Sinai, amidst the thunder and lightning, as the everyday guidelines given to us in order to regulate our conduct here on earth. Although many would conceive of religion, especially the Eastern religions and various types of spiritual traditions as somehow separate from the mundane affairs of life, this cannot be the case in regard to Judaism.

Additionally, in regard to what is considered as the spiritual realm, wherein, through prayer or hisbodedus (meditation), we may reach great heights of sublime experience that seem “out of the ordinary,” while connecting to HaShem, these experiences must not take precedent over our attempts to live a righteous life, in all manner of details, according to the mitzvot.

Yet, perhaps, it is all too common to focus on the spiritual component, to the exclusion of leading a life based upon G-d’s commandments. Thus, a compartmentalization of spiritual experiences may occur, while conducting oneself in a manner akin to secular standards .

Instead, the sublime ways that we connect to G-d should sharpen our acuity to bring down this awareness into every aspect of our lives, encompassing all areas that might otherwise be overlooked, disregarded, or not held up to the light of reason, within the perspective given to us by all of kitvei kodesh (holy scripture). Leave no stone unturned, in examining ourselves, and bringing our thoughts, speech, and action under the reign of G-d’s sovereignty over our lives.

parasha Shemot 5784

When the Ordinary is Extraordinary

When Moses stood in front of the burning bush, G-d told him to take off his shoes, for he was standing upon “holy ground” (Exodus 3:5). How can this phenomenon be construed as relevant to our own lives? When we enter a place of worship, the local synagogue where we pray, for example, there is more of a feeling of being in the presence of G-d, because of the sanctity of the space. Yet, what about within the framework of our lives? Where does the sacred appear, when we are aware enough to notice it in front of our very eyes, in the experience of the moment?

The truth of the matter is that it’s taught that we need only recognize the sacredness of the very ground that we are standing upon (R’ Hirsch), metaphorically speaking, at any given point in time. In other words, we need to connect with the experience at hand, and understand how even the mundane moments of our lives have a purpose in G-d’s plan. The connection between ordinary moments and our purpose in life is key.

Whatever ground we stand upon in our lives, is where we will prosper most. If we set our sights on lofty endeavors beyond our reach at that particular point in time, instead of attempting to understand what is set before us in the here and now, then we will miss out on the concealed meaning of that moment. Our minds will be elsewhere, preoccupied with other thoughts.

Realizing the potential of ordinary moments depends on our perception. The meaning of the ordinary in our lives can be revealed, if we are perceptive enough to see behind the veil of the mundane. Even the ordinary is imbued with meaning in the moment.

The attention of Moses was drawn to the burning bush, that was not consumed by fire. He saw beyond the ordinary appearance of a bush in the wilderness and was receptive for an encounter with H’Shem. Connecting to the divine in our lives happens when we are open to the moment.

Golden Dust

weekly Torah reading: parasha Ki Tisa 5783 – Golden Dust

In regard to the debacle of the golden calf, after grinding the golden molten metal calf into dust, Moses throws the dust particles into the water; additionally, he compels the people to drink this. Why? Later in the accounts given in Torah, we learn the reason. This has to do with the sotah – the unfaithful wife who is put to the test, in regard to her innocence. She is compelled to drink water that has a little bit of earth, plus the erased letters of a written punishment if she is guilty of adultery. These words that make up the judgment include G-d’s name; the name of G-d is also erased along with the rest of the passage. If she is guilty, the written curse will be enacted.

This procedure is akin to the measures that Moses took, after grinding the golden calf into powder. Israel was guilty of adultery, in as certain sense, as well as idolatry, because to turn away for G-d to another god is a form of adultery. Elsewhere throughout kitvei kodesh (holy scripture), Israel is compared to a wayward wife, essentially an adulteress, because Israel turned towards all sorts of other gods. Recompense is made for Israel when they turn back towards H’Shem, thus effectively ending the separation.

This same parallel can be found in our own lives as well, for when we turn away from G-d, whether through neglect of our duties, indifference, or outright sin, a chasm opens up between us and G-d. “Your iniquities have been a barrier between you and your G-d, your sins have made Him turn His face away” (Isaiah 59:2, JPS 1985 Tanach). Although we are not made to drink bitter water, the result of our negligence has the effect of bringing bitterness into our lives, until we reconcile ourselves to G-d. May the bitter waters of our lives be sweetened from Above.

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Moving Beyond

“The children of Israel went on dry land in the midst of the sea, and the water was to them like a wall from their right and from their left.” – Exodus 14:29, JPS 1917 Tanach

Passing through the Sea of Reeds, B’nei Yisrael (the Children of Israel) walked along a corridor created by a wall of water on their left and their right. The path towards the other side of the sea, where a safe haven could be found, was their road to freedom; in a sense, this is also, figuratively speaking, the path presented to us. Our walk with G-d compels us not to deviate to the left, nor to the right, thus permitting only a small margin of error as we journey along the path of life.

The road towards freedom, where we are able to transcend the limited constructs of our worldly existence, requires an effort to leave behind our personal Mitzraim (Egypt), by moving past our limitations in life to greater freedom. For, the shoresh (root word) of mitzraim means “limitations.” Therefore, we may apply this idea to our own weaknesses, negative character traits, and maladaptive behavior that limit our service to G-d, as well as our own personal development in life.

The truth is that our greatest limitations are often brought to our attention, for the most part, when we encounter the various nisyanos (trials) that the yetzer hara (evil inclination) elicits in our everyday lives. Yet, we should not give heed to these machinations on the part of our yetzer hara; rather, it is better to walk the narrow road to freedom, by not deviating towards the right or the left. Moreover, learning how to improve our character; for this will compel us to move beyond our limitations.

In like manner as B’nei Yisrael, the road to freedom is straight and narrow, and more challenging to walk upon, than when we give in to our “lesser selves,” by cruising through life on autopilot; yet, when we follow our “G-d given conscience” by doing what is right, we may excel even beyond our current level of connection to G-d; subsequently, there will be an increase in the positive effect of our choices, resulting in the elevation of our character to a greater degree than was previously known.

Crossroad to Freedom

parashas Va’eira 5782

“I am the L-RD. I will free you from the labors of the Egyptians and deliver you from their bondage. I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and through extraordinary chastisements. And I will take you to be my people, and I will be your G-d.” – Exodus 6:6, JPSN

Out of the four types of redemption that would be successively enacted, for the benefit of the B’nei Yisrael (Children of Israel), “I will redeem you with an outstretched arm” refers to the splitting of the Sea of Reeds. Thus, after the burdens of slavery ceased, and they were brought out of Egypt, they passed through the Sea of Reeds, dry-shod, crossing over to their freedom.

Yet, the purpose of this newfound freedom was not to have free reign over themselves, as if now they were free to live in accordance with their own designs and proclivities; rather, this freedom was for the sake of becoming G-d’s people, as opposed to being slaves of Pharaoh. Thus, in effect, upon becoming G-d’s people at Sinai, through the covenant made with G-d, as ratified by Moses through offerings, they acquired the responsibilities that the covenant entailed.

This new life was a transfer of purpose from serving a foreign master for the benefit of his people and country, to becoming servants of G-d, for the sake of His Kingdom. So, the transition of power over their lives was one that brought them out of bondage to a meaningless existence, into the glorious promises of the One who would provide for all of their needs in the wilderness, while encouraging them to adhere to the requirements of a covenant that brings purpose and fulfillment.

For, in Egypt the Children of Israel were compelled to build structures for Pharaoh in swamps, that led to the sinking of those structures, thus causing their work to be fruitless. Yet, the work of the Kingdom brings fruition to all of mankind, who are compelled to enter into covenant relationship with the G-d of Israel. Truly remarkable is this journey from darkness to light.