I have no existence
without the lightning and thunder
that I heard at Sinai.
- Zelda Mishkovsky
Everyone talks about why when Yosef finally reveals himself to his brothers he asks, "Is my father still alive?" There are many answers. But I'm thinking that whatever we want to say about that specific question in that moment there's a broader context to consider. In the big picture Yaakov is always split between being Yosef's father and being the father of his other sons. This is true in terms of how they saw him as their father and how he related to them as his children.
Today is 7 Av, the Yahrtzeit of the Nesivos Shalom, previous Rebbe of Slonim. His work, somehow overflowed fro his branch of Chasidus into the entirety of the Jewish world. I have no words for my feelings that include gratefulness and go beyond it in response to having his Torah in my life.
Instead of sharing his Torah exclusively here, now, I will share something that I'm thinking about that started with a Torah thought of his (that's a Slonimer tradition, as so much of his teachings are).
The Torah says that G-d said "Let there be light" and there was light. As he does from time to time, in the Chasidic tradition, the Nesivos Shalom brings out new meaning of a verse by using something other than the conventional punctuation. In the case, if you put a comma after the first Hebrew word in this verse it can mean that a person says. Then if you put in quote marks, the statement is "G-d, let there be light," followed by the words, "and then there will be light." So, now, the pasuk is telling us that when we cry out to G-d and tell him we need light in our lives and we can only get it from Him, that is when we will find light enter our lives.
Besides putting the idea in my head of making this verse a mantra, this Torah insight also got me thinking about the Jewish view of spiritual light. I was recently at a class which discussed what the number one pasuk, so to speak, in the Torah is. (It comes from a Medrash shared in the introduction to the sefer Ein Yaakov, and the author himself says that he could not find the Medrash.) The presenter suggested we each think about what pasuk we could make an argument for being the most important in the Torah. Taking a bit of poetic license in re-interpreting the question I want to say that this is a verse that is very important to me and which I think has more depth than people realize. (This could be said about any pasuk. In fact, in this shiur I attended, we were each instructed to open a Chumash to a seemingly random page and line and then argue for the verse we found being The Line of the Torah!)
It's of interest that light was created on day 1 of the creation we read of in Breishit. The sun was only created on day 4. So where did this original light emanate from, what was it's nature and purpose?
Rav Kook wrote the book of Orot, Lights and many other books with light in their title and theme.
We praise G-d daily for creating light. Might this be a spiritual light?
The Nesivos Shalom points out the the time of the three weeks is a dark time of year spiritually and physically, as reflected by the days getting shorter and the nights longer. (This is the reverse of Chanukah time , which is considered the light time of year becaus ethe very short days start to get longer that that time.)
Some people light one more Shabbos candle for each child born representing the light that person brought into the world.
May the light the Nesivos Shalom's light continue to enlighten us all.
I recently bought a book as an impulse by at the cash register of the Upper West Side's Shakespeare and Co.
Spine Poems, An Eclectic Collection of Found Verse, For Book Lovers, by Annette Dauphin Simon is rare in many ways, including that it is everything it claims to be in its title. I was ready to settle for another cute, short book of quick poems where I find one or two that I like, or another light book for bathroom reading. This is on a vastly higher level.
If you see see a young child wearing a coat that's way to big for him you'd be wise to conclude the coat for made for someone bigger than him (probably his father). Similarly, we see our depth of emotional, intellectual and spiritual is enormous to such an extent that it would be wise to conclude that it was made for something bigger than simply getting through our physical existence on this plane (which is what lower forms of life do, instinctually, with smaller coats).
Kids have so much on their minds
I'm in this episode and the one before it (and the one before that).
Here I am, talking about A Tree Grows In Brooklyn!
Here's a previous post where I wrote about the book/movie.
And this, from this rich post, in which I write about the King in the field in Ellul:
This, from this post, about the Lech Lechas of our lives:
I chose to write about Francie Nolan from A Tree Grows in Brooklyn Brooklyn (Betty Smith, Harper and Brothers 1943). What jumped out at me from the book was the depiction of different worlds. Francie has many worlds, all of them real: one world in the library, another on her porch, one in school, another at home. Within her home various relationships stand alone for Francie. Francie’s father Johnny lives in different worlds too. The reality of these worlds is driven home after Johnny dies. When Francie goes to his barbershop to pick up his shaving cup, the barber tells her that her father was a good man. At this moment, Johnny’s worlds of friends and family touch for the first time.
And, see here, for a nice post where I think I am more articulate in talking about Francie and her dad and her entering his barbershop world.
Here, I write about five of my favorite films ever, and include A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.
I always say that the things you remember in life are the things that happen right after you had the butterflies, so you should never avoid the butterflies because they are memory makers.
- Brian Regan on Comedians In Cars...
Happy Birthday Jim Gaffigan, one of my favorite comedians ever.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3HuVrePtiU
Sick w ear infection, taking comfort from The Cheap Detective.
Found this tidbit on Wikipedia:
Ed Mintz founded CinemaScore in 1979 after disliking The Cheap Detective despite being a fan of Neil Simon, and hearing another disappointed attendee wanting to hear the opinions of ordinary people instead of critics. A Yom Kippur donation card with tabs inspired the survey cards given to audience members.
We thank G-d for spreading the land out on top of the water. Things are often not what they seem. We approach the world as if it is dry land with places that are water. Really it is water that G-d, miraculously, in some parts keeps covered by land.
We ask to be seen with kindness and mercy through the eyes of G-d and all who see us. Maybe what we're saying is that we should all be blessed to see each-other with G-d eyes.
We praise G-d for having saved us in order that "kavod" can sing praise to him. Some say that kavod, here, refers to our soul. Perhaps, what we are actually saying is that all honor should be a praise to G-d, by being traced back to G-d as honor's source.
In Modim DeRabanan we daily say a form of the brachach of Shechechiyanu, thanking G-d for keeping us alive and sustaining us till this moment - al shehechiyitanu vekiyamtanu.
Today was the first day of finals. This note at the end of one of paper caught my eye and touched by heart. This is an introverted person who went deep and then shared this in writing. I am grateful beyond grateful.
I never know what or where to write. Once I wrote na lot here, more recently on Facebook, always in various diaries and loose pages...
may we all be blessed to share in ways that help us.
My haiku, adapted from this excerpt from Zelda's poem:
The Verse They Use to Ask
Chacham
Devarim 6:20 - When, in time to come, your children ask you, ‘What mean the decrees, laws, and rules that our God יהוה has enjoined upon you?’
Rashah
Shemot 12:26 - “And when your children ask you, ‘What do you mean by this rite?”
Tam
Shemot:13:14 - “And when, in time to come, a child of yours asks you, saying, ‘What does this mean?’ you shall reply, ‘It was with a mighty hand that יהוה brought us out from Egypt, the house of bondage’.”
—---- - She’Eino Yodeiah Lish’ol
The Verse The Hagaddah Tells Us To Cite In Reaction/Response
Chacham
—--
Rashah
(Shemot 13:7 quoted here to give context “Throughout the seven days unleavened bread shall be eaten; no leavened bread shall be found with you, and no leaven shall be found in all your territory.”)
Shemot 13:8 - “And you shall explain to your child on that day, ‘It is because of what G-d did for me when I went free from Egypt.’” Stage direction: Said with attitude.
Tam
Shemot 13:14 - “And when, in time to come, a child of yours asks you, saying, ‘What does this mean?’ you shall reply, ‘It was with a mighty hand that יהוה brought us out from Egypt, the house of bondage’.”
Sh”Y”L - Shemot 13:8 - “And you shall explain to your child on that day, ‘It is because of what G-d did for me when I went free from Egypt.’” Stage direction: Said without attitude.
What the Verse Says We Should Say To Them
Chacham
Devarim 6:21-25 - You shall say to your children, “We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt and יהוה freed us from Egypt with a mighty hand.G-d wrought before our eyes marvelous and destructive signs and portents in Egypt, against Pharaoh and all his household; G-d freed us from there, in order to take us and give us the land promised on oath to our fathers.Then G-d commanded us to observe all these laws, to revere our G-d, for our lasting good and for our survival, as is now the case.It will be therefore to our merit before our G-d to observe faithfully this whole Instruction, as G-d has commanded us.”
Rashah
Shemot 12:27 - “You shall say, ‘It is the passover sacrifice to G-d, who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt when smiting the Egyptians, but saved our houses.’ (Those assembled then bowed low in homage.)”
Tam
—----
Sh”Y”L
—----