This is in the merit of my grandmother, Esther bat Mazal. May she have a complete and speedy recovery.

Parshas Vayikra



Question:

"When a ruler sins…" (Leviticus 4:22). Why does this verse begin with the word "when" while all other verses describing sin begin with "if"?





Sheep, and Cattle, and Goats, Oh My!



In matters such as korbanos, offerings (I prefer this word over sacrifices) brought in the Tabernacle and Temple, for numerous reasons, we Torah Observant Jews are frequently put on the defensive.



Why were offerings commanded in our holy Torah? And why do we fervently pray for their restoration?







In the overview to the Artscroll Leviticus, Rabbi Nosson Scherman summarizes the views of several of our classic commentators, Ramban, Ibn Ezra, Maharal, and more. Each view appears imminently logical. Even the Rambam, whose opinion at first glance might seem crazy, is shown to make sense. Nechama Leibowitz, in the introduction to New Studies in Leviticus, discusses a few more opinions. For those who recall, in Israel last year, I gave a devar Torah based on the approach given by Rabbi Menachem Leibtag.





However, given my affinity for our great teacher, Rav Samson Raphael Hirsch, I will attempt to present his view.





First, Rav Hirsch finds fault with both translations of korban, sacrifice and offering.

A sacrifice implies some sort of barter system where I sacrifice to gain something in return. This idea is totally foreign to Judaism as G-d is not a candy machine! We can't slaughter animals and force G-d to do something. Offering also implies that the item is desired. G-d is perfect and needs nothing.



Rav Hirsch points out that the root of the word korban is karav, to draw near. A korban is a means of drawing close to G-d, and the Psalmist tells us "G-d's nearness is my good" (Psalms 73:28).


Like others before him, Rav Hirsch views the offering as representing its bringer. Thus, the korban and what is done to it all represents how humans strive to become closer to G-d. Rav Hirsch proceeds to expound on the symbolism of all of the laws. Each and every detail is treated at length.



For example, the Torah says that the animal must be whole (1:3). Rav Hisch says that similarly our attempts to perfect ourselves and serve G-d must also be complete.



Have a good Shabbas,
Mordechai

Parshas Vayakel-Pekudei





This is in the merit of my grandmother, Esther bas Mazal, may she have a speedy and complete recovery.





Question:



(Speaking about the builder of the Tabernacle:) “He has imbued him with the spirit of God, with wisdom [chochma], with insight [tevuna], and with knowledge [da’as], and with [talent for] all manner of craftsmanship” (Exodus 35:31)



“The Lord founded the earth with wisdom [chochma], established the heavens with discernment [tevuna]. With His knowledge [da’as] the depths were split, and the heavens drip dew” (Proverbs 3:19-20)



What is the significance between this parallel?







Judaism, Love, Personal Sacrifices



The Torah tells us “Every man and woman whose heart motivated them to bring for any of the work that Hashem had commanded to make through Moses, the Children of Israel brought a free willed offering to Hashem” (Exodus 35:29).



This verse seems sloppily written. The “the Children of Israel” appears to be quite out of place and we would expect the verse to be written ‘Every man and woman whose heart motivated them to bring…brought a free willed offering to Hashem’



Instead we have “Every man and woman whose heart motivated them to bring for any of the work that Hashem had commanded to make through Moses, the Children of Israel brought a free willed offering to Hashem” (Exodus 35:29).



On the level of drash, the Malbim resolves the problem and derives a powerful message from this verse. He effectively tells us to read the verse as:



“Every man and woman whose heart motivated them to bring for all of the work that Hashem had commanded to make through Moses, the Children of Israel brought as a free willed offering to Hashem” (Exodus 35:29).



In other words, “Every man and woman whose heart motivated them to bring” were “brought as a free willed offering to Hashem”!





The Malbim says: “All these gifts were not the chief thing in the eyes of God, since it is the heart that the Almighty demands… [T]here were found needy people in Israel who contributed nothing materially, but nevertheless gave their hearts, making a mental reservation, that if they would have the means they would give it to build the whole Tabernacle and all its vessels… It was this type of man and woman which the Children of Israel brought as a free will offering to God. This man and this woman were the real free will offering which the Almighty received, as if Israel were brining them to [H]im” (quoted in Nechama Leibowitz’s Studies on Exodus, volume 2, page 669).



The Malbim interprets the verse “And let them make Me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them” (Exodus 25:8) in a similar manner.



“He commanded that each individual should build [H]im a sanctuary in the recesses of his heart, that he should prepare himself to be a dwelling place for the Lord and a stronghold for the excellency of His Presence, as well as an altar n which to offer up every portion of his soul to the Lord, until he gives himself for His glory at all times” (page 483).





The Malbim’s comments are quite similar to the poem, Bilvavi, written by the Kabbalist, Rav Elazar Azkiri:



In my heart I will build a Tabernacle to glorify His honor

And in the Tabernacle, an altar I will place to the splendor of His glory

And for the Eternal Flame, I will take for myself the fire of the Binding of Isaac

And for the offering, I will offer to Him my unique soul



(Hebrew, a transliteration, a different English translation, and music are available at http://www.usy.org/songs/view_song.php?songID=120)





Nechema (page 669) finds support for the Malbim in Isaiah:



“Thus says Hashem: The heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool; what house could you build for Me, and what place could be My resting place? My hand created all thse things and thus all these things came into being – the word of Hashem – but it is to this that I look: to the poor and broken-spirited person who is zealous regarding my word” (Isaiah 66:1-2).





The concept that we need to love G-d and be constantly offering ourselves up to Him by redoubling our efforts to serve Him and be zealous is made explicit by Job “Were He to kill me, I would still yearn for Him…” (Job 13:15).



Similarly, we recite twice a day “And you must love Hashem your G-d… with all of your soul…” (Deuteronomy 6:5).



On this verse, Rashi cites the Mishnah (Brachos 54a) which says “‘and with all your soul’ even if He takes your soul.”





In this matter of love of G-d, we cannot be lax, we must do better! We cannot despair and say that the task is impossible because it does not matter where we are but where we are going. We must work on ourselves. If we can’t love G-d, we can want to love G-d, want to yearn for His Presence, want to long to cling to Him.



“Please Hashem, I am your servant…” (Psalms 116:16).





Biographies:

Rav Elazar Azkiri http://www.ou.org/about/judaism/rabbis/azikri.htm

The Malbim http://www.ou.org/about/judaism/rabbis/leibush.htm




Have a good Shabbas,
Mordechai



[To avoid confusion with ambiguous pronouns, in the English translations from Nechama Leibowitz’s Studies, I capitalized in brackets the first letter of pronouns which I think are referring to G-d. I am in doubt however if all of my changes are correct since sometimes the translation on its own capitalizes the letters. However, where I have capitalized, it seems from the English it is referring to G-d and if it was referring to something else, the pronouns would have been written slightly differently. I really should have looked at the Hebrew. It is worth mentioning that throughout these Studies I have found numerous obvious typos and small problems in the translation so I really cannot be sure of much. Nechama wrote the Hebrew but she was not the translator.]

Parshas Ki Sisa





This is in the merit of my grandmother, Esther bas Mazal. May she have a speedy and complete recovery.





I want to apologize for the utter lack of professionalism in this devar Torah.





Question:

Look at Exodus 33:1-3. What are the implications of this statement given that the first tablets have been broken and the second have not yet been given ?





We must ask the question, the nation which stood at Mount Sinai and heard the words of the Living G-d Himself worshipped an idol forty days later ?



There are many different approaches to "soften" this sin.



Ramban says they were only replacing Moses.

Rabbenu Yehuda HaLevy in the Kuzari states they only wanted a tangible image with which to worship G-d who they all knew had no body.



Regardless, the question remains, how could they do it?



For an answer, Rav Chaim Shmueleviztz ztz"l points us to a medrish. Our Sages teach us that at the splitting of the Sea of Reads, even a lowly maidservant experienced a greater level of prophecy than Ezekiel.



Rav Chaim asks, if this is the case, why did the medrish refer to them as still maidservants and not prophetesses ?



His answer is a fundamental of religious growth.



Rav Chaim says that becoming a prophet takes work, hard work. The Jews at the sea did not undergo all of the struggles to reach the level of prophecy, G-d simply gave it to them. Prophets do not build golden calves, ordinary people do (including us if we were alive back then).



Religious growth does not happen automatically, it takes work. Sudden leaps and spiritual highs do not last. Work is involved.



It is not the most desirable message and I am sure people have heard it already. Still, it is worth repeating.




Have a good Shabbas,
Mordechai

Purim





This is in the merit of my grandmother, Esther bat Mazal. May she have a speedy and complete recovery.



Purim may perhaps be the hardest Jewish holiday for us to relate to on a mature level. I believe this to be the case for primarily two reasons:

1. Megillas Esther, the Book of Esther, is central to the day and we have known the story since childhood (for this reason, I assume the reader knows the story). Because of this, we approach the text with all sorts of presuppositions which are not as founded as we might think.

2. With a few exceptions, the day is (seemingly) conducted like a frat party. Take for instance the famous "one is obligated to become drunk on Purim until one does not know the difference between cursed is Haman and blessed is Mordechai" (Megillah 7b) which is decided as Jewish Law in the Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 795:2)!* Is this really how we are supposed to celebrate a Jewish holiday?



*For practical Halaha, the Rema cites an opinion that this means one should drink a little more than one is used to and then go to sleep for a bit. The Mishnah Breuerah cites the Pri Megadim who decided according to this opinion. Furthermore, the Beur Halacha quotes as law the Chayei Adam which says that the obligation is waived if one knows he will conduct himself with Kalus Rosh (lightheadedness, frivolousness).



Given the challenge, let us attempt to understand Purim on a more sophisticated level.



Some known facts about The Book of Esther (with the exception of #3, culled from Rabbi Hayyim Angel's review of Hadassa Hi Esther, Tradition 34:4, pages 79-97).



1. G-d's name does not appear anywhere in The Book of Esther, even places where it would be natural for it to be found (see chapter 4).

2. The world melech (king) appears about 200 times.

3. The Persian Empire, encompassing the entire known world, is governed by law (the word das (spelled daled taf) (law) appears 35 times in Tanach and 20 of those times are in Esther).

4. A deeper look reveals that Persian law truthfully is utter lunacy. (see for example 1:8, 3:8-11, and 8:8)

5. Our Torah in numerous places tells us that we are punished for sin. However, in Esther we find no theological reason for the decree for the Jews to be annihilated. (Even the assumption that Haman is from Amalakite is not really so apparent.)



Let us begin with the name Purim (lottery). How did the holiday get this name? Conveniently, the Megillah answers us.



"For Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the adversary of all the Jews, had devised to destroy the Jews, and he cast the pur (that is the lot) to terrify them and destroy them. And when she [Esther] came before the king, he commanded through letters that his evil device that he had devised against the Jews return upon his [Haman's] own head, and to destroy him and his sons on the gallows. Therefore, they called these days Purim after the name pur…" (Esther 9:24-26).



Rabbi David Fohrman (in his tapes on Esther) points out that the "therefore", the reason for the name Purim, refers not to Haman casting lots but rather to "when she [Esther] came before the king, he commanded through letters that his evil device that he had devised against the Jews return upon his [Haman's] own head, and to destroy him and his sons on the gallows."



Quite strange.



Evidently, the Megillah "lumps together" chapters 5-7 and views Esther risking her life and visiting the king as the pivotal moment in the drama. Let us analyze it together with the events immediately preceding and precipitating it.



And Mordecai knew all that had transpired [the decree of annihilation was sent publicized], and Mordecai rent his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes, and he went out into the midst of the city and cried [with] a loud and bitter cry. And he came up as far as the king's gate, for one may not enter the king's gate dressed in sackcloth. And in every province, wherever the king's orders and his edict reached, there was great mourning for the Jews, and fasting and weeping and lamenting; sackcloth and ashes were put on the most prominent. (4:1-3)



Fasting is a very Jewish response to such danger.



And Esther's maidens and her chamberlains came and told her, and the queen was extremely terrified, and she sent clothing to dress Mordecai and to take off his sackcloth, but he did not accept [it]. Then Esther summoned Hathach, [one] of the king's chamberlains, whom he had appointed before her, and she commanded him concerning Mordecai, to know what this was and why this was. So Hathach went forth to Mordecai, to the city square, which was before the king's gate. And Mordecai told him all that had befallen him, and the full account of the silver that Haman had proposed to weigh out into the king's treasuries on the Jews' account, to cause them to perish. And the copy of the writ of the decree that was given in Shushan he gave him, to show Esther and to tell her, and to order her to come before the king to beseech him and to beg him for her people. (4:4-8)



Queen Esther however was completely unaware of her people's plight.



And Hathach came, and he told Esther what Mordecai had said. And Esther said to Hathach, and she ordered him to [tell] Mordecai: "All the king's servants and the people of the king's provinces know that any man or woman who comes to the king, into the inner court, who is not summoned, there is but one law for him, to be put to death, except the one to whom the king extends the golden scepter, that he may live, but I have not been summoned to come to the king these thirty days." (4:9-11)



Esther basically says she does not know how she can help. She wants to but she can't. If she tries to see the king, she will die. What is she supposed to do?



And they told Esther's words to Mordecai. And Mordecai ordered to reply to Esther, "Do not imagine to yourself that you will escape in the king's house from among all the Jews. (4:12-13)

Mordechai hits Esther where it hurts. He says that behind Esther's timid response is really apathy, that Esther deep down inside really doesn't care. Mordechai says if 'if you care, you would act' (By His Light, by Rav Aharon Lichtenstein, page 174, also available online at http://vbm-torah.org/archive/develop/09develop.htm).



For if you remain silent at this time, relief and rescue will arise for the Jews from elsewhere, and you and your father's household will perish; and who knows whether at a time like this you will attain the kingdom?" (4:14)



Mordechai says 'we don't believe in randomness, G-d will save us one way or another. Who knows, maybe this is why you are queen? We can't know for sure, maybe its not, but still, there is a chance. Your people are in danger, you must act. I can't promise if you will succeed, you may very well be killed, but if you care, you will act. And if you remain silent, you will die.'



Then Esther ordered to reply to Mordecai: "Go, assemble all the Jews who are present in Shushan and fast on my behalf, and neither eat nor drink for three days, day and night; also I and my maidens will fast in a like manner; then I will go to the king contrary to the law, and if I perish, I perish." So Mordecai passed and did according to all that Esther had commanded him. (4:15-17)



Rabbi Fohrman explains that Esther's actions here are a quintessential act of emuna. Discussing emuna, the Chazon Ish writes:



". . . an old error has become rooted in the hearts of many concerning the concept of trust. Trust . . . has come to mean that a person is obligated to believe that whenever he is presented with two possible outcomes, one good and one not, then certainly it will turn out for the good. And if he has doubts and fears the worst, that constitutes a lack of trust…This view of trust is incorrect, for as long as the future outcome has not been clarified through prophecy, that outcome has not been decided, for who can truly know God’s judgments and providence? Rather, trust means realizing that there are no coincidences in the world, and that whatever happens under the sun is a function of God’s decree" (Kuntrus Emuna U-Bittchaon, translation of passages from http://vbm-torah.org/archive/develop/07develop.htm)



Emuna is not acting irrationally and saying that so and so must happen (e.g. that the Disengagement will not happen) because it flies in the face of our believes but rather that whatever happens, happens, and it happens because G-d wants it to happen (the implication of this is that whatever happens is ultimately for the best but perhaps only in the long run). All we can do is do our duty and know that however things end up, that is the way G-d wanted it.



Put yourself in Esther's shoes. You are about to meet the king who choose you for your looks (not explicitly stated but a very reasonable inference), the last thing you would do is fast! She indeed did all she could by dressing up (5:1) but first and foremost, exercising her free will, she turned her gaze heavenward and put all her trust in G-d who is "righteous and fair" (Deuteronomy 32:4). Whatever would happen would be G-d's decree.





We are almost ready to understand 9:24-26 and the choice of the name Purim. But first, one more piece of information. The Talmud inquires as to where Esther is alluded to in the Torah and answers with the verse "I [G-d] will surely hide my face" (Deuteronomy 31:18) (Chullin 139b). Purim takes place during a time of hester panim, of lack of active Divine involvement in the world. (This explains why G-d's name is not in the Megillah.) During such a time, total and utter chaos reigns free. (This explains the insane Persian legal system as well as why no sin of the Jews is mentioned).



Now we are ready to understand the choice of the name Purim.



Again, the Megillah tells us:



"For Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the adversary of all the Jews, had devised to destroy the Jews, and he cast the pur (that is the lot) to terrify them and destroy them. And when she [Esther] came before the king, he commanded through letters that his evil device that he had devised against the Jews return upon his [Haman's] own head, and to destroy him and his sons on the gallows. Therefore, they called these days Purim after the name pur…" (Esther 9:24-26).



We Jews do not believe in random lots or some pre-determined fate. We believe in G-d. Although we cannot rely on miracles, we must be aware that G-d is absolutely in control.



A medrish (Esther Rabbah 3:10) fits this idea when it says that whenever the Megillah mentions 'the king' (unatributed), it also refers to G-d.



The king is mentioned all over the Megillah and G-d is nowhere to be found. But really, melech refers to the King, our G-d. Even in times of hester panim G-d is still in control. It is our duty to trust in Him.



As for the physicality, my Rav (Rabbi Mayer Pasternak) said that the Arizal said that Yom HaKipurrim (the name for Yom Kippur in the Torah) is related to Purim, with the Cuf of Kippurim being the prefix meaning like. Thus, Yom Kippur is a day (Yom) like (Ki) Purim.



This idea has radical implications. If I say a person is an excellent pianist like Beethoven, it is understand that Beethoven is really the better musician. If we say that Yom Kippur is a day like Purim, then we are saying that Purim is the main day. How can we say this?



My Rav explained that Yom Kippur and Purim are both days of teshuva and finding G-d. It is "easy" to be spiritual on Yom Kippur when we don't eat and pray all day and imitate the very angels themselves but on Purim, amidst all the partying and food, amidst all the physicality, in the place where we would least expect G-d to be manifest, it is our task to find Him. And when we perform teshuva and encounter our Creator, it will be more real than even on Yom Kippur.



Have a good Purim,
Mordechai

Parshas Tetzaveh


This is in the merit of my grandmother, Esther bat Mazal. May she have a speedy and complete recovery.

Question:

"You, [Moses], must command the Israelites to bring you clear illuminating oil, made from hand crushed olives, to bring up the candle continuously" (Exodus 27:20).

Compare with Leviticus 24:2. Why are these two verses placed where they are placed?


A Thinking Judaism

A common complain leveled at religious practitioners is that we are brainwashed. (Much to my dismay, speakers at the convention of the "tolerant" Orthodox group Edah has advanced this polemic against fellow Torah observant Jews!!! See http://www.campusj.com/index.php?section=news&album_id=21&year=2005&month=02 and scroll down to Mon Feb 21, 2005. While refuting their views is a simple matter, it is entirely beyond the scope of this devar Torah.)
It follows that we are all unable to think logically and blindly accept what our leaders tell us.

It is my goal to prove these claims incorrect with respect to Judaism.

In this week's Torah portion it states regarding the kindling of the Menorah, "You, [Moses], must command the Israelites to bring you clear illuminating oil, made from hand crushed olives, to bring up [la'alot] the candle continuously" (Exodus 27:20).

What is this language of la'alot [raise up]? The proper word would be li'madlik [to kindle].

Rashi, bothered by this question, comments that the one kindling the fire must light the Menorah until the flame goes up on its own.

Probably based statements such as "Torah is light" (Proverbs 6:23) and "My words are like fire" (Jeremiah 23:29), our great teacher, Rav Samson Raphael Hirsch, metaphorically interprets the verse in our parsha to refer to the goal of Jewish education. He writes "The task of a Torah teacher is to make himself superfluous! Not to keep the 'laity' in lasting dependence on the teachers or priests."

Rav Hirsch gives a similar interpretation to the Men of the Great Assembly's statement "stand up many students" (Avos 1:1). The Mishnah should have stated teach many students. What is the exact meaning of "stand up many students"? Rav Hirsch in his commentary on Avos (found in his siddur) says that teachers must instruct students to be able to stand on their own.

Judaism's loath for brainwashing is also displayed in the quotation from Rav Shmuel Yaakov Weinberg ztz"l, late Rosh Yeshiva of Ner Israel, found in the introduction to my Mashgiach, Rav Dov Moshe Lipman's book Discover (soon being released under Felheim Publishing). Rav Yaakov Weinberg tells some students to flee from any brainwashing, to run as far away as they can! (See it yourself. I can't do justice.)

I believe we have sufficiently refuted this ignorant claim that we are brainwashed. However, it automatically raises another question.

It says in Pirkei Avos that students should "dirty themselves in the dust of their teachers' feet and drink thirstly in their words" (Avos 1:4). This seems like brainwashing to me! Does this not contract that which we just said?

I believe the answer is rather simple. In so far as our souls are G-d's candles (a paraphrase of Proverbs 20:27), we can say our teachers souls burn brightly with the fire of Torah. This is not the case with us but we want it to be. Thus, we get close to our teachers so they can fan the fire in our souls until it shines forth pristine light.

In conclusion:
1. Judaism utterly despises brainwashing.
2. Students must learn as much as possible from their teachers.


Have a good Shabbas,
Mordechai

P.S.
Also, we see that Edah is not nearly as tolerant as it claims to be.

Parshas Terumah: From the Tabernacle to the Synagogue

This is in the merit of my grandmother, Esther bat Mazal. May she have a complete and speedy recovery.



The question for this week is: In 25:18-22 we find Cherubs over the Ark. Where else in the Torah do we find Cherubs and what is the connection?



The Tabernacle to the Synagogue



This week's Torah portion begins a long list of details regarding the construction of the Tabernacle. The Torah contains an eternal message but what are we supposed to do with all of this?

I remember that last year, at Rabbi Shmuel Silber's (Rav of Suburban Orthodox) parshah shiur for parshas Terumah (this week) that he citing the Slonimer Rebbe who said that we can barely understand these sections of the Torah, and even then, only on the lowest level. (Rabbi Silber's parshah shiur is awesome and I only remember two times since I became Orthodox that I was in Pikesville and did not attend it. It is half hour before services Saturday. If you have a chance, go.) That being said, G-d willing, I will explain a bit about the Tabernacle. [This devar Torah will follow the Ramban, not Rashi, that the Torah here is in chronological order.]

I would like to ask three questions:

1. What is the purpose of the Tabernacle?

2. What is the relationship between the Tabernacle and the end of last week's Torah portion discussing the giving of the Torah?

3. What is the meaning of the verse "They shall make Me a sanctuary, and I will dwell in them" (Exodus 25:8)? It should say G-d will dwell in it, the Tabernacle. Instead the verse says G-d will "dwell in them."

I will answer questions 1-2 now and question 3 a bit later.

1. Both Ramban (on Exodus 25:1) and Professor Umberto Cassutto (quoted by Nechama Leibowitz in her 2nd volume on Exodus, page 484) agree that the purpose of the Tabernacle was to be a portable Mount Sinai. The encounter between G-d and His people at Sinai, the covenant, would continue via the Tabernacle. A strong proof for this is the following parallel:

As soon as Moses reached the mountain top, the cloud covered the mountain. God's glory rested on Mount Sinai, and it was covered by the cloud for six days. On the seventh day, He called to Moses from the midst of the cloud. (Exodus 25:14-15)

The cloud covered the Communion Tent, and God's glory filled the Tabernacle. (Exodus 40:34)

2. Professor Cassutto explains this (the answer to question 1) as reason for the juxtaposition of Sinai and the Tabernacle.



We have established that the Tabernacle was a place for encountering G-d. Rav Soloveitchik explains that such an encounter cannot be simply some sort of mystic experience bur rather must be focused into action. In his words:

"Any encounter with God, if it is to redeem man, must be crystallized and objectified in a normative [law] ethico-moral message. If, however, the encounter is reduced to its non-kerygmatic [kerygmatic loosely means message] and non-imperative aspects, no matter how great and magnificent an experience it is, it cannot be classified as a covenantal encounter since the very semantics of the term 'covenant' implies freely assumed obligations and commitments. In contradistinction to the mystical experience of intuition, illumination, or union which rarely results in the formulation of a practical message, prophecy, which, as I emphasized before, has very little in common with the mystical experience, is inseparable from its normative content" (The Lonely Man of Faith, page 61).

For proof, Rav Soloveitchik cites how the most mystical visions in Tanach (Isaiah chapter 6 and Ezekiel chapter 1) also involve the prophet being sent on a mission.

We are now ready to answer question 3.

Rav Hirsch (commentary on Exodus 25:8) explains the strange language of "I will dwell in them" by saying that via the Tabernacle, G-d will dwell within us, within our entire lives. The encounter with G-d will fully encompass our lives.

We are sadly without a Temple (which served the same purpose as the Tabernacle) and we lack prophecy. Still, the prophet speaks of a "miniature sanctuary" (Ezekiel 11:16) which our sages say refers to every synagogue and study hall (learning Torah is also an encounter with the Divine). Like prophecy, authentic prayer (and Torah study) leads to moral refinement. As Rav Soloveitchik writes "Prayer must always be related to a prayerful life which is consecrated to the realisation of the divine imperative, and as such it is not a separate entity, but the sublime prologue to Halakhic action" (The Lonely Man of Faith, page 66).



But what about today, amidst all the confusion, secularization, and assimilation? Do our synagogues serve their purpose? The dropping rate of membership and attendance clearly shows us the answer is a resounding no/ As a general rule, the modern synagogue no longer facilitates a meeting between humans and our Creator.

What are we to do?

Mr. Neil Rubin, editor of the Jewish Times, proposes an answer which basically amounts to making synagogues more dynamic. (His essay can be found at http://www.jewishtimes.com/scripts/edition.pl) Essentially, Mr. Rubin argues for aesthetic improvements.

I do not wish to deny the importance of aesthetics in synagogues. Our great teacher, Rav Samson Raphael Hirsch, architect of Torah Judaism for modern times, always stressed how everything must be beautiful in every possible way. That being said, Rav Hirsch said that beauty alone accomplishes little.

I prefer to follow the solution proposed by Rav Aharon Soloveitchik (the Rav's brother), especially since this solution comes from a higher Source.

"The Midrash Tanchuma relates a beautiful allegory whose message to us is very significant. When [King Solomon] introduced the Ark, which contained the Law, into the Temple, says the Midrash, all the woodwork within the sanctuary manifested signs of animation. Gradually, a process of germination set in. The very walls were covered with leaves, buds, and twigs which ultimately bore luscious fruit. This process continued until Menashe placed an [idol] in the Holy of Holies, whereupon the Divine Presence departed and all dried up and withered away" (The Warmth & The Light, by Rav Aharon Soloveitchik, page 152).

Thus, for the answer, Rav Aharon Soloveitchik points us to the last two verses of this week's Haftorah:

"Concerning this house which you are building, if you follow My statutes, carry out My judgments, and keep all My commandments to walk in them; then I will establish My word with you, which I spoke to David your father. And I will dwell among the Israelites and will not forsake My people Israel" (1 Kings 6:12-13).

We have to return the Torah to the synagogue!



In his letters, the Rav writes that most desires to deviate from Halacha in synagogue features and prayers result from fundamental misunderstandings of the nature of prayer. He says that American Jews are rational and have the ideas explained to them, they will listen.

For example, discussing having human imagines in synagogue, he says that prayer is about reliance on G-d and including human images centers our attention on man rather than G-d. (See Community, Covenant, and Commitment, by Rav Soloveitchik, page 6)

This applies which all of our prayer services. There are good reasons for the way things are and tampering only chases G-d away.



It is time we return the Torah to the synagogue!



Have a good Shabbas,
Mordechai