Vayeshev: Shining the Light of Moral Strength

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What can leaders today learn from Yosef? Yosef’s beginnings in parshat Vayeshev do not portend a great leader, even if his dreams predict otherwise. He is busy stirring up his brothers’ jealousy. The midrash depicts him as self-interested and frivolous. Yet, from the moment he is thrown into a pit, Yosef undergoes a transformation of character and emerges from dark times into a leader who spreads the light of his identity and faith to the outside world.

After the Torah describes the sale of Yosef, he is “taken down” (hurad) to Egypt. Midrash Bereshit Rabbah sees deeper meaning in this “yeridah” (descent) and understands it to be a spiritual decline. Yosef, perhaps at his greatest low, immersed in Egyptian culture, finds himself alone with Potiphar’s wife, who tries to seduce him. According to one Talmudic opinion, Yosef intended to sin with her. Only when he looked up at the window and saw an image of his father did he overcome his temptation and act responsibly and righteously. Alone, in a foreign land, this was a great test of faith. When he reacts with moral strength, this is a sign that he was destined to be a true leader.

Hanukkah too, is a time which spotlights the darkness of Jewish assimilation. The Maccabees were battling fellow Jews who chose Hellenistic cultural trends over Judaism and were willing to abandon core Jewish beliefs and mitzvot. The antidote to this, can be found in the way we light the Hanukkah candles. The Talmud teaches: “It is a mitzvah to place the Hanukkah lamp at the entrance to one’s house on the outside.” The Hanukkah lights are a reminder that by strengthening the light in our home – tradition, identity, morality and faith, we then can shine those values outward to the world. 

Yosef and Hanukkah’s message for leaders today: Cultural and ideological trends have led to a distorted view of reality and darkened the light of moral clarity. True leaders are those who can distinguish between good and evil, light and darkness. Shabbat Shalom and Hanukkah sameach -Karen Miller Jackson

Vayishlach: Embracing Our Name and Destiny

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A number of commentaries understand Yaacov’s encounter with an “ish”/angel in parshat Vayishlach to be the story of the struggles of the Jewish people with their enemies throughout history. According to this view, what can be learned from Yaacov and applied to the battle against today’s vehement strain of Antisemitism?

The idea that Yacov and Esav are not just individuals, but also the fathers of two nations, is already conveyed by God to Rivka when they are struggling inside her. The midrashic rabbis identify Esav or Edom with Rome and later commentaries with Christianity. Hence, when Yacov wrestles with the “ish,” this is interpreted by the midrash and Rashi to be the guardian angel (representative) of Esav. Many sources read this episode as foreshadowing the continual struggle between Judaism and Rome/Christianity and Yisrael. The Ramban writes that Yaacov’s strife with Esav is a “remez l’dorot” (hint to future generations) – an eternal conflict between the children of Yaacov (the Jewish nation) and the children of Esav (the Christian world) until Yaacov ultimately prevails. These perspectives are understandable given that many of the biblical interpreters lived in exile and suffered persecution or discrimination by the hand of their “Esav.” Today, with our own homeland and army, it may be time to add new perspectives and interpretation to this new stage of our story.

When the “ish” blesses Yaacov with his new name – Yisrael – this too becomes a source of resonance for the commentaries. Rashi writes that he is called Yisrael so that now he can face Esav and the world with noble leadership – “serara.” In contrast, the name Yaacov is connected to duplicity or concealment. Yaacov can only overcome the hate of Esav when he embraces his destiny as Yisrael: Forthright, strong, confident and proud in his identity. 

Today we are feeling the struggle, the sense of discord through the current face of Antisemitism and anti-Zionism. Yet today, with our own homeland, like Yaacov, we can draw on the strength and confidence to embrace and stand strong in who we are: Yisrael. Shabbat Shalom -Karen Miller Jackson

Parshat Vayetze: Prayer over Despair

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“Every place I go, I am going to Eretz Yisrael” – Rebbe Nachman of Breslov

Parshat Vayetze begins with Yaacov’s journey away from his home to Haran. This seems at first to be the reverse of Avraham’s “Lech Lecha,” as Yacov leaves Israel. However, the commentaries see significance in his journey, in tracing his footsteps. His journey, beyond the physical, is also about his transformation from a place of uncertainty and fear to a place of faith, spiritual growth and return to Israel. 

Yacov finds himself literally and figuratively in darkness and exile. He “encounters” a place, “vayifga ba-makom.” Rashi, citing Talmud Brachot, teaches that “vayifga” means tefilla. Here, in this place, Yacov instituted the evening prayer, aravit. This is reinforced by the idea that the place – makom – is understood by the midrash as a reference to the Temple, and Yacov turned around in order to go back and pray where his forefathers had prayed, to draw on their strength and faith. 

The Netivot Shalom teaches that it was especially appropriate that Yaacov instituted evening prayer. At home he had strong faith. Once he left, he found himself immersed in spiritual darkness and had to find a new path to God. He bestows this gift to the Jewish people, the ability to have faith even in the darkest of times. Dr. Aviva Zornberg writes that he created a “new genre of prayer.” A similar thing can be said about King David, as Talmud Berakhot teaches that he composed his songs and praise from midnight till morning. David too, is a model for finding faith in the darkness. 

Later, God commands Yaacov to return to the land of his birth and he retraces his experience. He once again has an “encounter” with Divine messengers (vayifga’u) and he again acknowledges God’s presence in that “place” (makom). Yacov, through his ordeals in exile, is a model for future generations: of prayer over despair, enduring faith in God and of unwavering commitment to return to Eretz Yisrael. Shabbat Shalom -Karen Miller Jackson 

Toldot: Truth vs. Deception

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What is meant by the verse in Micah, “Give truth to Jacob?” The commentaries discuss who is truthful and who is deceptive in parshat Toldot. This has particular significance for our world today, as we – the children of Yaacov – are fighting to get the truth out and dispel the deceptive lies about Israel. 

Yaacov is characterized by the Torah as “a plain (tam) man, dwelling in tents.” Rashi comments that Yaacov is the antithesis of his brother Esau who was regularly deceiving his father about his true character. This is surprising given that it is Yaacov who seems to act deceivingly. First, he makes a deal with Esau and receives the birthright (bechora) at a low moment for Esau, when he is exhausted. Next, Rivka instructs Yaakov to disguise himself as Esau so that Yitzchak blesses him and not Esau. When Yitzchak, who is going blind, asks Yaacov straight out who he is, he replies, “I am Esau, your firstborn.” Later, Yitzchak explicitly tells Esau that his brother “came in cunning (mirma) and took his blessing.” Yet, Rashi continues to defend Yaacov’s innocence. Rashi repunctuates one of the verses so that Yaacov is not technically lying: “I am [bringing you food], Esau is your firstborn,” and defines mirma as cleverness, not cunning.

Yet, other interpreters suggest that even if the blessing was meant for Yaacov, the means by which it was acquired led to consequences for Yaacov and his descendents – the Jewish people. In one midrash, Rachel deceives Yaacov on his wedding night with Leah to protect her sister’s dignity. She reminds him that he too deceived his father, measure for measure. Moreover, when Esau realizes what has happened and cries out “a great and bitter cry,” Bereshit Rabbah says that “Yaacov” was punished when Mordechai lets out a great, bitter cry in Shushan, due to Haman’s decree to wipe out the Jewish people. 

Yaacov was a man of truth. When he acted with duplicity it was to ensure the future of the Jewish people, yet there were long-term consequences. Today, as the world so easily consumes the lies of our enemies, we will continue to fight to “give truth to Yaacov,” to the Jewish people. Shabbat Shalom -Karen Miller Jackson

Lech Lecha 2023: Why Avraham?

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One of the major questions about parshat Lech Lecha is this: Why was Avraham chosen? We hear nothing about his faith or righteousness before this point. However, the biblical commentaries develop a fuller picture of Avraham’s moral clarity and spiritual strength, teaching us a valuable lesson about standing strong in our faith and devotion to Israel today.   

There are many descriptions from the midrash to Rambam about how Avraham discovered and embraced monotheism and became the father of the Jewish people. Midrash Bereshit Rabbah teaches: Avraham wandered from place to place and saw a palace in flames. He said, “how can it be that this palace has no leader?!” The owner of the castle (God) peered out and said, “I am the master of this palace (this world).” Here, Avraham’s faith came about through questioning, through not being able to make sense of the world. As Rabbi Sacks zt”l wrote: “What moved Abraham was not philosophical harmony but moral discord. For Abraham, faith began in cognitive dissonance. There is only one way of resolving this dissonance: by protesting evil and fighting it… It is as if God were saying to Abraham: I need you to help Me to put out the flames.”

Avraham’s distinctiveness may also be alluded to when he is later called “ha-ivri,” which means “the Hebrew” or “from the other side.” One midrashic opinion suggests a meaning which has resonated throughout Jewish history and again now: The entire world was on one side and he was on the other side [ever]. We will continue to speak our truth even when it goes against popular world opinion.

Perhaps the very reason God chose Avraham was because of his response to God’s call “Lech lecha…” Avraham answers the call fully even though it involves uncertainty and sacrifice. This too, is the story of the Jewish people and their love and commitment to Israel through the ages. 

Avraham models faith despite disorder and evil in the world, moral clarity even while in the minority and strength of commitment to the land of Israel – that is why he was chosen and inspires us to continue to hear the call of “Lech Lecha…” Shabbat Shalom -Karen Miller Jackson

Parshat Noah: Messages of Hope for Israel

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In parshat Noah the earth is corrupted and filled with evil. God responds by bringing the Flood, saving Noah and family in the tevah and then, the command to leave the ark. These steps resonate with the recovery process and resilience we are experiencing here in Israel.

First, the Torah alludes again and again to the language of Bereshit as creation is reversed through the Flood. The world is created in seven days. So too, God brings the flood after Noah is on the ark for seven days. In the beginning the world is “tehom” (deep waters) and the flood returns the world to “tehom rabba.” When evil is so deep-rooted and atrocious, the only response is to wipe out the sources of evil entirely. Only then, can the world be recreated again. 

Second, why a tevah? Ibn Ezra points out that an ark has no oars. Meaning, it is fully at the whim of the waters and God’s navigation. This was a period for faith-building. The Netivot Shalom writes that Noah’s tevah is a template for us for all time. It is a metaphoric place we can go to correct or refocus ourselves. When there is corruption or evil around us, we draw inward, unifying with our family and our nation – in hitachdut. We surround ourselves with goodness, with sources of strength and we overcome.

Third, when God tells Noah, “Go out of the tevah,” God speaks to Noah about the sanctity of human life. God says do not murder, and “be fruitful and multiply.” Go out, live and re-create the world. Noah does not fully live up to this mission, but after so much loss, the Torah provides this statement of hope.

Parshat Noah’s legacy for today: 1) Root out the sources of extreme evil so that it may not recur. 2) Find meaningful sources of strength through community, Torah and Jewish unity. 3) Remember even in these dark days, to have hope. Hope, writes Rabbi Sacks, “is the belief that if we work hard enough together, we can make things better.” Shabbat Shalom.  !ביחד ננצח –Karen Miller Jackson

Bereshit: Rashi and the War for Israel

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As I write this, while Israel is at war for its future, there was no question what to focus on in parshat Bereshit. Rashi’s opening commentary on the Torah affirms our moral right and destiny to live freely and peacefully in Eretz Yisrael.

The Torah seems to begin in a universal manner, describing the creation of the world. So, it is surprising that the first Rashi on Torah emphasizes the Jewish people’s national right to settle the land of Israel. Rashi quotes a midrash in the name of Rabbi Yitzchak who asks why the Torah begins with creation and not with “This month shall be to you the first of months,” – the first mitzvah. What is behind this question? Rashi seems to be asking why the Torah gives all this background about the creation of the world and the history of the Jewish people? Rabbi Yitzchak’s answer: “So that if the nations of the world will say to Israel, robbers! You took the land by force…” Israel can respond, “The Holy One created the whole world, God created it and gave it to them, and by His will He took it from them and gave it to us.” 

Rav Yaakov Medan provides a beautiful insight which connects this commentary more closely with the “p’shat” of the verse. The word “ha’aretz” in the first verse is talking about the creation of the heavens and the earth, but hints at THE “aretz,” which throughout Tanach refers uniquely to the land of Israel. Yet, perhaps there is another prescient message in Rashi, one which is particularly relevant for us now. 
Creation highlights the value of universalism, an ideal within Jewish thought. Yet, we must never lose our national identity and commitment to Zionism in the face of an overemphasis on universality. It was clear to Rabbi Yitzchak and Rashi, to Rav Kook and Ben Gurion, to the brave residents of Southern Israel and today to our precious chayalim, this land was promised to us from the beginning and we have to do everything we can to be worthy of it, enhance it and defend it from those who wish to take it away from us. Shabbat Shalom and B’sorot Tovot –Karen Miller Jackson

Vezot Habracha: Was Shimon Cancelled?

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The final words of the Torah, in Vezot Habracha, contain a message about how to relate to acts of zealotry and intolerance and at the same time, provide a proactive template for how the Jewish nation can allow for diversity while retaining togetherness.

Just as Yacov gives brachot to his sons at the end of Bereshit, Moshe blesses the tribes – Bnei Yisrael – at the end of Devarim. One glaring difference is that the tribe of Shimon disappears from the list in Devarim. Some commentaries explain that the bracha for Shimon was contained within the bracha to Yehuda through the language “Shema Hashem” which contains part of Shimon’s name. Yet the Midrash Sifrei suggests otherwise: Yacov’s blessing to Shimon and Levi condemns their act of zealotry in the story of Shechem. Levi corrected their behavioral tendency toward intolerance and violence. However, the tribe of Shimon continued to act with zealous violence when Pinchas slayed the Midianite woman and sinning Israelite at Shittim. The message of this midrash: The absence of Shimon from Moshe’s blessings of the tribes is a reminder of the dangers of zealotry and intolerance and a rejection of extremism. 

Vezot Habracha also positively advocates for tolerance: “Then [God] became King in Jeshurun…The tribes of Israel together.” Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai likens “the tribes of Israel together” to two separate boats which were banded together and then built upon with impressive edifices. If the ships remain bonded together, the structure endures. If separated, it collapses. Also, Moshe gives brachot to the people as a whole, then to the individual tribes and then concludes with more blessings for the Jewish nation. This movement from national to individual to national highlights the importance of maintaining the individual character of segments of the Jewish people while also serving as a reminder that we are responsible for each other as a nation.

May the completion of the Torah this chag be a continued source of blessing for Am Yisrael. May the voices of tolerance be heard more than the voices of zealotry and extremism. And, may we value individualism and diversity, while also remaining connected to each other as a nation. Shabbat Shalom and Chag sameach! -Karen Miller Jackson

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Raising Up our Falling Sukkah

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What can the Sukkah teach us about walls and structures, about complacency and gratitude and about feeling vulnerable and making peace?

The mitzvah to sit in the sukkah is so that “future generations will know that I [God] caused Israel to dwell in booths” after the Exodus (Vayikra 23). However, the Torah never explicitly mentions these sukkot in the story of the Exodus other than the first stop being at a place called “Sukkot.” Hence, there is a Tannaitic debate about whether these were actual booths, or were referring to the Clouds of Glory which accompanied Israel as they wandered through the desert. This debate conveys different perspectives on the essence of the mitzvah of sukkah.

The Talmud adds another layer to understanding the sukkah: For seven days we leave a permanent residence, di-rat keva (our home) and dwell in a temporary one, di-rat a’ray (the sukkah). Rambam explains that specifically in Tishrei, after the harvest, people’s homes were filled with plenty and they might become indifferent to this goodness. Hence, the command to sit in a sukkah, to increase appreciation and gratitude to God. The sukkah re-acquaints us with the feeling of vulnerability and dependance on God which we experienced in the desert.

Why then would the sukkah refer to Clouds of Glory? Clouds in Tanach are often associated with divine protection and closeness to God. Just before God came down to Har Sinai, the mountain was covered with clouds. In the desert, God provided these “ananei hakavod,” which according to the midrash, protected Bnei Yisrael from the heat and rain and from being attacked by their enemies. The prophet Isaiah describes God’s protection as a cloud, likened to a sukkah, which provides shelter and protection from the elements, and to a chuppah, symbolic of God’s love for Israel. The sukkah, likened to clouds, represents protection, peace and love. 

The idea that sukkot represents both vulnerability and protection relates to the words we pray on Sukkot: “May the All-Merciful One establish for us the fallen sukkah of David.” Here the sukkah is a metaphor for a time past when Israel was a strong nation, united in our land, yet more fragile than perceived.

The sukkah seems to be a perfect reminder of our strength AND our fragility today. The Jewish people are stronger and safer than ever in our land. Yet, surrounded by plenty and beauty, how do we avoid complacency? Perhaps we have retreated too much into our sturdy homes, being too sure of our own opinions. Maybe feeling our own vulnerability might help us understand each other better and bridge some of the divisions within our nation? This year, may the sukkah remind us of our vulnerabilities as a people and may God establish a sukkah of peace over Am Yisrael. Chag Sameach – Karen Miller Jackson

Ha’azinu/Shabbat Shuva: Guide to National Teshuva

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On Shabbat Shuva, in addition to reading parshat Ha’azinu, we will hear the call to teshuva (return/repentance) by the prophet Hosea in the haftarah reading. Hosea along with other sources in Tanach and the commentaries provide a guide to both individual and national teshuva, a particularly resonant combination for our people today. 

The main source for the mitzvah of teshuva appears in Devarim 30. The language there highlights a number of elements in defining repentance. The Torah vacillates between singular and plural language: “You will return to your God…” implies individual teshuva. “God will return and gather you from all the nations…” refers to national return. The verses refer to a return to God, to mitzvot and the nation’s return to the land of Israel. 

Yet, the Sages saw models of teshuva in various biblical stories as well.  According to Bereshit Rabbah, God said that Reuven was the first person to sin and repent. After the brothers threw Yosef in a pit, Reuven did not only return physically (“va-yashav”) to the pit, he repented and attempted to mend the brotherly rift. Reuven, through his individual teshuva, sets a precedent for repairing discord between brothers, for national teshuva. The midrash adds that Reuven is rewarded with his descendant Hosea becoming the prophet and teacher of how to do teshuva. 

Hosea’s prophecy appeals to Am Yisrael to collectively return to God. In this week’s haftarah Hosea highlights two aspects of teshuva: 1) Teshuva needs to be done in steps, as a gradual process. 2) The core of teshuva is through words: “Take words with you and return to God.. Instead of bulls, we will pay [with offering of] our lips.” The key to repentance is verbal acknowledgment, prayer and speaking peacefully. 

Hosea teaches: A return to God and to brother/sisterhood – national teshuva – is possible through small steps and through language of healing and repair. Shabbat Shalom and Chatima Tova -Karen Miller Jackson