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PAR'SHAT D'VARIM: The Appropriate Correction.

7/30/2019

... אלה הדברים אשׁר דבר משׁה אל־כל־ישׂראל
אחרי הכתו את סיחן מלך האמרי אשׁר יושׁב בחשׁבון ואת עוג מלך הבשׁן אשׁר־יושׁב בעשׁתרת באדרעי׃

These are the words Moshe spoke to all Isra'el ... after he had defeated Sichon, king of the Emori, who lived in Heshbon, and `Og, king of Bashan, who lived in `Ashtarot, at Edre`i.
(Deu 1:1-4 CJB)

The Appropriately Spoken Correction. (Prov 25:11)

The Book of D'varim was to be placed by the side of the Holy Ark. It was to serve as a rebuke and reminder of Israel's covenant with HaShem to later generations. A good example of its effect is told us in 2nd Kings 22 when because of it, seven hundred years later King Josiah and all Israel were pushed to repentance.

The Book of D'varim was given to the second generation of the Children of Israel in the desert, a generation that had not known Egypt. It's goal was to ready the Children of Israel before they entered the Promised Land, as well as to serve as a rebuke for them not to do as their fathers did in fearing entering the Land.

Let us see some of what the sages say about this rebuke,

(Sifre, cited by Rashi)
The Torah emphasizes that Moshe rebuked the Jewish people after he had smitten Sichon and Og. Here is how Moshe reasoned, "If I rebuke them before they enter at least part of the Land, they will say, 'What does this man have against us?' What good did he do for us? He has come only to vex us and to find pretext since he doesn't have the power to bring us into the Land.'" Therefore Moshe waited until he had conquered Sichon and Og, and then he rebuked the people.
On this principle, Rabbi Zelig Pliskin explains, "Had the people felt the Moshe's rebuke was insincere and that he had ulterior motives, his words would have been ineffective. A PERSON WILL ONLY ACCEPT REBUKE IF HE FEELS THAT THE REBUKER HAS HIS BEST INTEREST IN MIND."

We see from here that timing is a major factor in rebuke and correction. In Many instances by waiting for an opportune time to deliver an admonition a person will be more successful than he would have been had he admonished earlier.
As a good leader, Moshe understood the importance of correction in the right time, place, tone of voice, form , format, etc ...

Let us go over some tips about good, less good, and bad timing for corrections. These can be used for congregation, work relationships, as well domestic situations.

When is it a bad time to approach someone for a correction:

On the heat of the moment; when either the corrector or the corrected are emotionally upset.
When it makes us happy or we draw pleasure in doing it.
Before having fully investigated and understood the issue.
When we have a personal advantage in the person doing the right thing; it makes our rebuke insincere and motivated, and it probably is. Here are some examples:
- Do we teach our children to be clean and tidy because you want them to develop good healthy habits that will help them in their lives as adults, or is it just because we get irritated about it and don't want to have to clean up after them?
- Do we chide our spouses or colleagues about an expense because we want to teach financial responsibility, or just because we don't agree with it and would have spent the money for something that WE want instead?

We often correct others out of frustration simply because the actions of the other person affect us in an undesirable way, but is being annoyed a good reason to correct others?

When is it a good time to approach someone for a correction?

After emotions calm down and we see investigate and understand things more clearly.
When it hurts us to do it.
When we don't draw any personal advantage in doing it.

There is also a point in letting it go; to let HaShem take care of it. Sometimes we are the only person who benefits from our tongue lashes, when it is actually supposed to be a benefit for others.

Here is another important point about correcting others:
(Deu 1:5) There, beyond the Yarden, in the land of Mo'av, Moshe took it upon himself to expound (ba'ar/באר: to explain, elucidate, interpret) this Torah and said:

The Mishna also explains that the 10 Commandments were given through flames of fire in the 70 languages of the world
The Midrash says that Moshe also interpreted this Torah in the 70 languages of the world.
The Brit tells us that as soon as the Torah was written in their hearts, It expressed itself through the disciples in many languages. Acts 2

All this came as a reversal of the Tower of Babel curse.

This teaches us an important principle: if we speak Torah in order to teach people, we should speak it in a language that helps the recipient to receive the message.

- In their own language: If our audience is not familiar with Hebrew terminology, we should not try to impress or patronize them by using Hebrew words which are unfamiliar to them.
- In the right manner: Our Master was good at that. He used examples that were familiar to His hearers: fishermen, farmers, inheritances, servant/master relationships... Yeshua spoke parabolic imagery in order to help his less educated hearers understand. All too often our inferiority complex gets the better of us and we try to impress others and/or patronize them, to give ourselves some importance by flaunting some sort of knowledge. But he who really knows never feels the need to boast or brag, because the more we know, the more we should know that we don't know.
- Gently: Paul admonishes: "... and a slave of the Lord shouldn't fight. On the contrary, he should be kind to everyone, a good teacher, and not resentful when mistreated. Also he should be gentle as he corrects his opponents. For God may perhaps grant them the opportunity to turn from their sins, acquire full knowledge of the truth, come to their senses and escape the trap of the Adversary, after having been captured alive by him to do his will." (2Ti 2:24-26 CJB) "... but we urge you, brothers, to confront those who are lazy, your aim being to help them change, to encourage the timid, to assist the weak, and to be patient with everyone. See that no one repays evil for evil; on the contrary, always try to do good to each other, indeed, to everyone."(1Th 5:14-15 CJB)

As Moshe was patient with Israel,
As our Master is patient with us,
May we be patient with one another.
.May we also remember His precious words,

"... the measure with which you measure out will be used to measure to you.

Why do you see the splinter in your brother's eye but not notice the log in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the splinter out of your eye,' when you have the log in your own eye?

You hypocrite!

First, take the log out of your own eye; then you will see clearly, so that you can remove the splinter from your brother's eye!" (Mat 7:2-5 CJB)

ר,גל
R' Gavriel Lumbroso

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PAR'SHAT PINCHAS: "Good-Zeal-a!"

7/22/2019

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פינחס בן־אלעזר בן־אהרן הכהן השׁיב את־חמתי מעל בני־ישׂראל בקנאו את־קנאתי בתוכם ולא־כליתי את־בני־ישׂראל בקנאתי׃
לכן אמר הנני נתן לו את־בריתי שׁלום׃
והיתה לו ולזרעו אחריו ברית כהנת עולם תחת אשׁר קנא לאלהיו ויכפר על־בני ישׂראל׃

"Pinchas the son of El`azar, the son of Aharon the cohen, has deflected my anger from the people of Isra'el by being as zealous as I am, so that I didn't destroy them in my own zeal. Therefore say, 'I am giving him my covenant of shalom, making a covenant with him and his descendants after him that the office of cohen will be theirs forever.' This is because he was zealous on behalf of his God and made atonement for the people of Isra'el."
(Num 25:11-13 CJB)

GOOD-ZEAL-A

PINCHAS THE ZEALOUS ONE
I always find the episode concerning the zeal of Pinchas very dangerous. I feel it is dangerous because it can erroneously be understood by people with a propensity to violence as a justification to vent their natural prejudices. Along with that, this parasha can also be used as a vindication for people to take what they deem to be the law, as well as their rights and cultural prejudices into their own hands without due process. It can even justify murder while sincerely believing that God ordered and blessed it.
     It is important when we read the Torah to understand the difference between what is prescriptive and what is descriptive. A lot of what is descriptive is not necessarily prescriptive and a wise Torah teacher should know the difference. In a previous article which I called THE ZEAL OF PINCHAS, I made sure to establish that, whereas the Torah instructs us about the things we should do and the way we should live, the modus operandi can change at different times and different places according to HaShem's directives of the moment.

NO INCONSISTENCY IN THE COMMANDMENTS
    Just as the legislations on polygamy do not negate the laws against adultery, the actions of Pinchas do not negate the following commandment agaisnt murder,

"Do not murder.  (Exo 20:13 CJB)

As I said before, when reading the Bible, we have to discern between what is prescriptive and what is descriptive. And even when we make that difference, we have to discern between what is for the moment, or for all times; for a particular person or for everyone; in a certain place or everywhere. We also have to understand the mission of the moment.
When Abraham arrived in the Promised Land and found it inhabited, he decided to turn around. He later came back to make a sort of treaty with its inhabitants.

Avram took his wife Sarai, his brother's son Lot, and all their possessions which they had accumulated, as well as the people they had acquired in Haran; then they set out for the land of Kena`an and entered the land of Kena`an. Avram passed through the land to the place called Sh'khem, to the oak of Moreh. The Kena`ani were then in the land. Adonai appeared to Avram and said, "To your descendants I will give this land." So he built an altar there to Adonai, who had appeared to him. He left that place, went to the hill east of Beit-El and pitched his tent. With Beit-El to the west and `Ai to the east, he built an altar there and called on the name of Adonai. Then Avram traveled on, continuing toward the Negev. But there was a famine in the land, so Avram went down into Egypt to stay there, because the famine in the land was severe. (Gen 12:5-10 CJB)

Avram went up from Egypt -- he, his wife and everything he had, and Lot with him -- into the Negev. Avram became wealthy, with much cattle, silver and gold. As he went on his travels from the Negev, he came to Beit-El, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Beit-El and `Ai, where he had first built the altar; and there Avram called on the name of Adonai. (Gen 13:1-4 CJB)

At that time Avimelekh and Pikhol the commander of his army spoke to Avraham. They said, "God is with you in everything you do. Therefore, swear to me here by God that you will never deal falsely with me or with my son or grandson; but according to the kindness with which I have treated you, you will treat me and the land in which you have lived as a foreigner. Avraham said, "I swear it." … Avraham took sheep and cattle and gave them to Avimelekh, and the two of them made a covenant. ... When they made the covenant at Be'er-Sheva, Avimelekh departed with Pikhol the commander of his army and returned to the land of the P'lishtim. Avraham planted a tamarisk tree in Be'er-Sheva, and there he called on the name of Adonai, the everlasting God. Avraham lived for a long time as a foreigner in the land of the P'lishtim. (Gen 21:22-34 CJB)

On the other hand, when the children of Israel arrived from Egypt, they were supposed to go to conquer the Land. Both ideas were right, in their own place , time, and actors.

After the death of Moshe the servant of Adonai, Adonai said to Y'hoshua the son of Nun, Moshe's assistant, "Moshe my servant is dead. So now, get up and cross over this Yarden, you and all the people, to the land I am giving to them, the people of Isra'el. I am giving you every place you will step on with the sole of your foot, as I said to Moshe. All the land from the desert and the L'vanon to the great river, the Euphrates River -- all the land of the Hitti -- and on to the Great Sea in the west will be your territory. No one will be able to withstand you as long as you live. Just as I was with Moshe, so I will be with you. I will neither fail you nor abandon you. (Jos 1:1-5 CJB)

Similarly, when Israel was faced with an invading enemy, prophets did not rely on past instructions in order to lead Israel. They went to HaShem to ask Him what to do. Sometimes HaShem said to fight, sometimes he said not to fight. Sometimes he said to send their musicians in front of the army, and sometimes he said to be ready and wait. One time HaShem even said to surrender to the enemy and not fight at all.

THE ZIGZAG PRINCIPLE
I heard a WW1 story. A young soldier was asked to go behind enemy trenches in order to deliver an important message. "How do you expect me to go there without getting shot by one of the enemy snipers?" the young private asked. "It's easy; you zigzag like a chicken." His officer replied. The young soldier failed in his mission and came back fatally wounded. "What happened?" asked the officer, to which the private replied, "I guess I must have zigged when I should have zagged, and zagged when I should have zigged!" It is also important when we read the Torah to discern when we should zig and when we should zag. Our lives depend on it!

KAVANAH (MOTIVATION) MAKES THE DIFFERENCE.
The Apostle Paul teaches us about zeal in,

True, these teachers are zealous for you, but their motives are not good …  To be zealous is good, provided always that the cause is good. (Gal 4:17-18 CJB)

Along with our patriarchs, King David, and the prophets, Pinchas is a testament to zeal for a good cause. But in pondering on the episode with Pinchas, we need to understand what's meant to be our take away. Again in that story, we must discern between what is prescriptive and with what is descriptive.
This rabbi believes that while the action of murdering two2 people is merely descriptive, what is prescriptive in this story is the heart and the motivations of Pinchas, What the Torah intends to teach us through this matter is not to go kill disobedient and rebellious leaders along with their idol worshipping friends, but to have the heart of Pinchas as told in Numbers 25:11,

"Pinchas the son of El`azar, the son of Aharon the cohen, has deflected my anger from the people of Isra'el by being as zealous as I am, so that I didn't destroy them in my own zeal. (Num 25:11 CJB)

The Hebrew text itself says it a little differently. It says that he was “zealous in My zeal בקנאו את־קנאתי”

Rabbi Yehuda Leib Chasman comments about this mention "in" saying that this means that Pinchas had entirely pure intentions. It is easy to give way to our violent, selfish , and vindictive natures while claiming that we are simply led by God’s will. For this rabbi, this sort of thing is equivalent to taking the name of the Lord in vain.
I would dare say that our religious and political world's are full of people who hide their wolfish evil motivations under a sheepish cloak of self-appointed divine appointments, all while proclaiming to advocate for the good and right of the people. But like I heard someone say, "You can fool some of the people all the time and you can fool all the people sometimes, but you can never fool all the people all the time." HaShem knows each of our hearts. Rabbi Zelig Pliskin says, “Zealousness with negative motivations is a crime." Let's now look at some examples of misguided zeal.

EXAMPLES OF MISGUIDED ZEAL
FAME/PRIDE/RECOGNITION: Someone may feel ignored in life and really want to be valued, validated, and recognised. As such they get involved in some sort of zealous philanthropic, religious, or political activity proclaiming the great virtue of the project. While the project may certainly be worthwhile, the motivation is for selfish gains, or personal recognition and validation. Both the Talmud and Yeshua teach us that these attitudes are wrong.

"Be careful not to parade your acts of tzedakah in front of people in order to be seen by them! If you do, you have no reward from your Father in heaven. (Mat 6:1 CJB)
ADDICTION TO ADRENALINE: One may easily feel bored and constantly in search of action. While the action may benefit other people, the motivation is that of fulfilling a personal need for constant activity. Whereas the action may be good, it resembles using the misery of others to soothe our own boredom. People who have a constant need for action need rather to self-discipline themselves in personal reflection and contemplation in the Torah which says.

"Desist, and learn that I am God, supreme over the nations, supreme over the earth." (Psa 46:10 CJB)

There he went into a cave and spent the night. Then the word of Adonai came to him; he said to him, "What are you doing here, Eliyahu?" He answered, "I have been very zealous for Adonai the God of armies, because the people of Isra'el have abandoned your covenant, broken down your altars and killed your prophets with the sword. Now I'm the only one left, and they're coming after me to kill me too." He said, "Go outside, and stand on the mountain before Adonai"; and right then and there, Adonai went past. A mighty blast of wind tore the mountains apart and broke the rocks in pieces before Adonai, but Adonai was not in the wind. After the wind came an earthquake, but Adonai was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake, fire broke out; but Adonai was not in the fire. And after the fire came a quiet, subdued voice. When Eliyahu heard it, he covered his face with his cloak, stepped out and stood at the entrance to the cave. Then a voice came to him and said, "What are you doing here, Eliyahu?" (1Ki 19:9-13 CJB)
GRUDGE/DESIRE FOR REVENGE: It is easy to make a claim for justice when actually all we are doing is giving way to our own vengeful heart in very disobedience to the Torah command that forbids holding grudges and commands us to leave vengeance into God's hands.

Don't take vengeance on or bear a grudge against any of your people; rather, love your neighbor as yourself; I am Adonai. (Lev 19:18 CJB)

Vengeance and payback are mine ...' (Deu 32:35 CJB)
ENVY: We can also hide a covetous heart under a cloak of righteousness. It is easy to find wrong and criticise people for some unrelated fault when actually our whole motivation for dissing them is envy of their position or wealth. This was the sin of Korach. He was hiding jealousy and envy towards Moses' position,while proclaiming to stand for the rights of the people, claiming that they too should be considered as holy prophets. The Talmud also teaches that his criticism of Moses was because he had been passed-by for a leadership position. Jealousy and envy are often the motivation for publicly correcting people thus embarrassing them. Somehow, it is hard to get away from the feeling that our candle shines brighter when we put others down.

FINANCIAL GAIN. Advertisements always start by saying they’re fulfilling our needs, but in fact the motivation is to line their own pockets. Acts of charity also can often be a cloak for personal financial benefits.

Finally, The Talmud teaches that whatever the personal evil motivations are, acts of zealousness for personal gain are a sin. They are often equated with what is called “Chilul HaShem”, or the desecration of the Name of the Almighty.

MAY WE LEARN FROM PINCHAS TO EXERT HASHEM’S ZEAL,

NOT OUR OWN MISGUIDED AND MOTIVATED ONE.

R’ Gavriel Lumbroso

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PAR'SHAT BALAK: Balaam and His Donkey: Who's the Blind? Who's the Seer?

7/17/2019

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ויאמר אלהים אל־בלעם לא תלך עמהם לא תאר את־העם כי ברוך הוא

God answered Bil`am,
"You are not to go with them; you are not to curse the people, because they are blessed." (Num 22:12 CJB)

Balaam and His Donkey.  Who’s the Blind; Who’s the seer?

BLIND BALAAM
Haven't you ever wondered why some people never seem to figure out HaShem's will for their lives when it seems to be right in front of their eyes? The thing is that there are some people who wonder the same about us, so why is it so hard sometimes to see the obvious? Balaam tells us a good story about that. Here is this man who in the eyes of King Balak, one of the greatest rulers of the area, was a seer, a person who could see and discern the spiritual realities that other people could not see and discern.
In talmudic midrash, seeing means knowing and understanding, while blindness refers to a lack of knowledge and understanding. It is one of the meanings behind the prophecy concerning the Messiah giving sight to the blind.

"The Spirit of Adonai is upon me; therefore he has anointed me to announce Good News to the poor; he has sent me to proclaim freedom for the imprisoned and renewed sight for the blind, to release those who have been crushed, (Luk 4:18 CJB)

In our account this week, Balaam's donkey, an animal devoid of knowledge and understanding therefore intellectually blind, challenges his "seer" master for not seeing the angel that was about to slay him. We therefore have in our story a seer who is blind and a blind who sees.
This was probably HaShem’s ironic way of hitting at Balaam's proud and arrogant spirit, but really what is it that made him blind? Could we also be blind like balaam was?

Those of us who have acknowledged and accepted the Torah roots of our Master’s teachings wonder sometimes why others don't see the obvious as we do. Why don’t they get Shabbat and festivals as we do?’ we wonder. At the same time, those people who seem to blind to us wonder why we are bound by the old testament while it is so obvious to them that it is down away with. The same thing happens in the political discussion these days where each one wonders why the other cannot see the truth that is so obvious from their point of view.

The key is right there, “from their point of view”. It is not the strength of an argument by which we are convinced. In our opinion forming, our “point of view”, our personal cultural, political, or religious environment biases play a much bigger role than the truth of any argument itself. What is obvious to us is the truth via the lenses of our own personal point of view, or bias. But looking at anything through the lens of our own bias is like looking only on one side of a 3D picture; we are blinded by the otherwise obvious truth that is in plain sight of the other guy on the other side.
So while it seemed so obvious that HaShem said to Balaam not to follow Balak's men, his own bias against the children of Israel kept him from understanding it. It is like a video I used recently at congregation. You can find it on YouTube. It is the experience of someone trying to ride a backward bike. The conclusion he drew is that knowing something doesn't mean that we necessarily understand it and act according to it.
Here is a link to that video. https://youtu.be/MFzDaBzBlL0

WILLFUL BALAAM
What are other reasons why Balaam could not see the obvious truth in front of him? The Talmud says, "In the way that a man wishes to go, he is led."
Again we have a case where knowing the will of HaShem is not enough. That is why we learn that we are to love the Lord our God with all our heart (our will); with all our soul (our spirits and bodies); and with all our substance (all that we own). To know is loving HaShem with only our cognition.
From Cain, Nimrod, Esau, to Pharaoh, we learn that if someone is bent to do the wrong thing, he will do it with even the willingness to pay the price for it. We learn again from this that it is not enough to know the will of HaShem, but that we must make a conscious effort to bend our will to His. We must make a conscious effort to resit that evil inclination in order to lean towards the Torah. Paul calls the evil inclination the “old man,” the “flesh,” or the “old nature,”
For the old nature wants what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit wants what is contrary to the old nature. These oppose each other, so that you find yourselves unable to carry out your good intentions. (Gal 5:17 CJB)

Peter chimes in with the same idea,

Dear friends, I urge you as aliens and temporary residents not to give in to the desires of your old nature, which keep warring against you; (1Pe 2:11 CJB)

STUBBORN BALAAM.
Balaam probably wondered why his donkey was so stubborn, but HaShem was using this poor ‘blind’ donkey as a tool to give a message to Balaam the ‘seer.’ As the donkey was behaving towards Balaam his master, so was Balaam behaving towards HaShem his own Master.
There is a very important lesson here. If we wonder why people behave against our own wishes, we should always take a look back to ourselves and ask if we are behaving according to the wishes of our own Lord and Master.

BALAAM’S PLACE IN JUDAISM.
I heard it said one time, “Even the wicked are useful, they provide us with an example of what not to do.” Even so Balaam, a prime example of one who would curse Israel but whom HaShem used to bless His people instead, has found his place in the daily liturgy of HaShem’s people.

Peter uses to Balaam's bad example in order to teach some unrestrained false teachers of his day saying,

especially those who follow their old natures in lust for filth and who despise authority. Presumptuous and self-willed, these false teachers do not tremble at insulting angelic beings; whereas angels, though stronger and more powerful, do not bring before the Lord an insulting charge against them. But these people, acting without thinking, like animals without reason, born to be captured and destroyed, insult things about which they have no knowledge. When they are destroyed, their destruction will be total --they will be paid back harm as wages for the harm they are doing. Their idea of pleasure is carousing in broad daylight; they are spots and defects reveling in their deceptions as they share meals with you --for they have eyes always on the lookout for a woman who will commit adultery, eyes that never stop sinning; and they have a heart that has exercised itself in greed; so that they seduce unstable people. What a cursed brood! These people have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Bil`am Ben-B`or, who loved the wages of doing harm but was rebuked for his sin -- a dumb beast of burden spoke out with a human voice and restrained the prophet's insanity!  (2Pe 2:10-16 CJB)

Jude also as he says,

Woe to them, in that they have walked the road of Kayin, they have given themselves over for money to the error of Bil`am, they have been destroyed in the rebellion of Korach. These men are filthy spots at your festive gatherings meant to foster love; they share your meals without a qualm, while caring only for themselves. They are waterless clouds carried along by the winds; trees without fruit even in autumn, and doubly dead because they have been uprooted; savage sea-waves heaving forth their shameful deeds like foam; wandering stars for whom the blackest darkness has been reserved forever. (Jud 1:11-13 CJB)

The daily morning Shacharit service starts with the beautiful words of Balaam’s description of the beauty of the Israelite encampment "How lovely are your tents, oh Jacob/ your dwellings, oh Israel." (Num 24:5)
   HaShem then literally took over Balaam’s tongue to tell of Israel prevailing over the Amalekite king, Agag (I Sam. 15). In the fourth oration (Num. 24:15–19), similarly entitled, Balaam alludes to David's conquests of Moab and Edom.(II Sam. 8:2, 12–14), characterizing that king dramatically as a shooting star, as a meteor. In the three brief orations that follow (Num. 24:20–23) Balaam assumes the role of a "prophet to the nations" and predicts the ultimate downfall of the Amalekites and Kenites, and possibly of Assyrians, west of the Euphrates.

Anyone of us could be like Balaam. Anyone can fall prey to our own lack of judgment due to our personal bias. Anyone of us can curse one of God’s children due to our ill will. May we learn from Balaam!

MAY WE SHUN DARKNESS AND ITS WORKS FROM US

MAY WE WALK WORTHY OF THE CALL WHEREWITH WE HAVE BEEN CALLED

MAY WE REPRESENT OUR MASTER WELL

MAY WE WALK IN THE LIGHT AS HE IS IN THE LIGHT.

MAY WE FULFILL OUR MISSION TO BE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD.

ר'גל
R' Gavriel Lumbroso

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PAR'SHAT CHUKAT: The Dichotomies of Purity, Suffering, and Sacriificial Love.

7/8/2019

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הנגע במת לכל־נפשׁ אדם וטמא שׁבעת ימים׃

"Anyone who touches a corpse, no matter whose dead body it is, will be unclean for seven days. (Num 19:11 CJB)

THE DICHOTOMIES OF PURITY, SUFFERING, AND SACRIFICIAL LOVE
Do you remember these non-digital scales with a hand to show weight? Sometimes the hand goes back and forth until it finds the right middle, the right balance. I have found that people often do that through their lives. There are certain issues with which they have difficulty finding the right balance, so they go back and forth between the two extremes. It can happen with certain traits, but also in political tendencies and religious observance. Hopefully, as we grow older and wiser, we eventually find the right balance.
   This is what being well “balanced” means, having found the right place exactly between two extremes. Extreme people are “off-balance”, off-center or “eccentric.” Some might consider it a virtue, but when it comes to Torah-lifestyle, it is considered an abomination. This is what King Solomon referred to when he said,

False scales are an abomination to Adonai, but accurate weights please him. (Pro 11:1 CJB)

   The whole Book of Ecclesiastes, written by King Solomon, is the story of a man who spent his life trying to find the right balance between two extreme lifestyles: serving Adoani or serving idols. He finally came down with the very important conclusion,

In my pointless life, I've seen everything -- from the righteous person perishing in his uprightness to the wicked one who lives a long life and keeps on doing wrong. So don't be overly righteous or overly wise; why should you disappoint yourself? But don't be overly wicked, and don't be foolish; why should you die before your time? Don't grasp just one of these rules; take hold of the other as well; for he who is in fear of God will live by both of them. (Ecc 7:15-18 CJB)

It is only by being well balanced, smack-dab in the middle ourselves, that we can assert proper judgment. He who is extreme to the right, believes that he who is in the center is an extremist, and vice-versa. In essence, when we are not well balanced ourselves we pervert judgment, which is something forbidden in the Torah.

" 'Do not be unjust in judging -- show neither partiality to the poor nor deference to the mighty, but with justice judge your neighbor. (Lev 19:15 CJB)

THE DICHOTOMY OF CORRECTING ONE’S WAYS
The Parasha this week speaks to us a lot about righteousness being found in the balance of two extremes. Look at the laws of purification through the Red Heifer for example.

When we read about the whole process, we realise that physical contact with biological death makes a person ceremonially unclean. To be purified, a person must be sprinkled by the ashes of the Red Heifer solution through a priest who in turn becomes impure as he performs the ritual. This represents a very clear Messianic picture of Messiah who voluntarily takes upon Himself our impurities in order to cleanse us from ours. He then is the Unclean who cleanses us.
This cleansing ceremony involves the use of cedar, one of the tallest trees of the area, a tree whose wood was used to build the temple, a tree whose rot-resistant wood properties represents eternity. The ritual also uses the lowly hyssop shrub. Greatness and lowliness; eternity and temporality.
   There is a lesson we can learn from all this. In order for someone to correct his ways, he must go to the other extreme. Whereas for a person without the negative traits it would be a mistake to go to the extreme, but for the person in search of correction it is the right thing to do. It is a bit like correcting the direction of a car. We have to steer to the other extreme until we find the right trajectory, then adjust to the right middle.
   For example, a person who is stingy should make extra efforts to be generous, to give and to share. A person who wastes time should strongly monitor their activities. A person who eats too much needs to go on a diet and monitor what they eat. A person who drinks too much alcohol needs to completely forego alcoholic drinks. All these things which may not be needed or even expedient if a person is already balanced in any of these areas, but vital for he who has difficulty finding temperance in all things. Temperance is a fruit of living by the Spirit of God and is practiced by athletes. We are athletes in the great race of this age, so we should practice temperance in all things.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. (Gal 5:22-23 KJV)

Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. (1Co 9:24-25 KJV)

Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And besides this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. (2Pe 1:4-7 KJV)

THE DICHOTOMY OF SUFFERING
There is another dichotomy in the parsha this week. We read about punishing snakes causing pain and suffering to the Children of Israel, but we also hear that looking at the same snake on a pole cures them from the curse. The snake bit the people, and the image of the snake cured them. This can sound confusing, but not when we look at motivation.
   There is a difference between someone punching us in the face causing the loss of a tooth or a dentist removing a tooth. One is done out of hatred and anger, the other done out of love and care.
   We also need to understand the dichotomy of suffering. We do not like suffering. We naturally try to avoid it. That’s why we don’t go to the dentist even though we know that we need it and that it is good for us. But what the Tanach teaches us is that suffering and trials equal good. Paul, whose mission Yeshua summed in this message delivered to Paul by brother Gamaliel,

"Go, because this man is my chosen instrument to carry my name to the Goyim, even to their kings, and to the sons of Isra'el as well. For I myself will show him how much he will have to suffer on account of my name." (Act 9:15-16 CJB)

Reminds us of it in,

But not only that, let us also boast in our troubles; because we know that trouble produces endurance, endurance produces character, and character produces hope; and this hope does not let us down, because God's love for us has already been poured out in our hearts through the Ruach HaKodesh who has been given to us. (Rom 5:3-5 CJB)

Ya’akov also, the brother of the Master reminds us of it in,

Regard it all as joy, my brothers, when you face various kinds of temptations; for you know that the testing of your trust produces perseverance. But let perseverance do its complete work; so that you may be complete and whole, lacking in nothing. (Jas 1:2-4 CJB)

So, brothers, be patient until the Lord returns. See how the farmer waits for the precious "fruit of the earth" -- he is patient over it until it receives the fall and spring rains. You too, be patient; keep up your courage; for the Lord's return is near. Don't grumble against one another, brothers, so that you won't come under condemnation -- look! the Judge is standing at the door! As an example of suffering mistreatment and being patient, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of Adonai. Look, we regard those who persevered as blessed. You have heard of the perseverance of Iyov, and you know what the purpose of Adonai was, that Adonai is very compassionate and merciful. (Jas 5:7-11 CJB)

THE DICHOTOMY OF SACRIFICIAL LOVE
Because of the idea that in order to purify, another one had to make themselves unclean. Sages of Judaism have often understood that the whole notion of the parasha on the Red Heifer was summed up in,

Love your neighbor.  (Lev 19:18 CJB)

   This is the essence of sacrificial love, of giving above and beyond till it hurts, till it costs. As I heard it said one time, “HaShem doesn’t look at what we give but at what we’ve got left after we’re done giving! Giving doesn’t count till it costs, until it hurts!”
Rabbi and psychologist Zelig Pliskin comments on this saying,, “The test of your level of love for your fellow-man is the amount of sacrifices you are willing to make.”

MAY WE SHUN DARKNESS, AND ITS INTEMPERATE WORKS, FROM US

MAY WE WALK WORTHY OF THE CALL WHEREWITH WE HAVE BEEN CALLED

MAY WE REPRESENT OUR MASTER WELL

MAY WE WALK IN THE LIGHT AS HE IS IN THE LIGHT AND FULFILL OUR MISSION TO BE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD.

R' Gavriel Lumbroso

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PAR'SHAT KORACH: Korach, Yesterday and Today!

7/3/2019

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ויקח קרח בן־יצהר בן־קהת בן־לוי ודתן ואבירם בני אליאב ואון בן־פלת בני ראובן׃
ויקמו לפני משׁה ואנשׁים מבני־ישׂראל חמשׁים ומאתים נשׂיאי עדה קראי מועד אנשׁי־שׁם׃
ויקהלו על־משׁה ועל־אהרן ויאמרו אלהם רב־לכם כי כל־העדה כלם קדשׁים ובתוכם יהוה ומדוע תתנשׂאו על־קהל יהוה׃

Now Korach the son of Yitz'har, the son of K'hat, the son of Levi, along with Datan and Aviram, the sons of Eli'av, and On, the son of Pelet, descendants of Re'uven, took men and rebelled against Moshe. Siding with them were 250 men of Isra'el, leaders of the community, key members of the council, men of reputation. They assembled themselves against Moshe and Aharon and said to them, "You take too much on yourselves! After all, the entire community is holy, every one of them, and Adonai is among them. So why do you lift yourselves up above Adonai's assembly?"
(Num 16:1-3 CJB)

KORACH YESTERDAY AND TODAY.
A while ago we learned how Aharon and Miriam’s challenge to Moshe’s authority did not end well. After that, we learned what happened to Israel because the leaders and spies challenged HaShem’s command through Moshe’s leadership to go and conquer the Land. After all that, it is amazing that Korach had the guts to go and challenge Moshe’s leadership. He must not have been listening. The fact that he met with such a fatal death, shows that he should have gotten the message through these other episodes of people challenging HaShem’s leadership though Moshe. Korach was fully responsible for his actions. Not only he did not listen, not only was he not sensitive to what HaShem was teaching Israel through all these previous events, but he influenced many other people to follow his bad example.
Somehow Korach makes me think of people today who read the Bible but though they read all the miracles HaShem does through Moshe; though they read how HaShem spoke to Moshe face-to-face; though they read that the people who challenged the authority that HaShem put in Moshe met with either leprosy or death, they still today challenge his authority and teachings.
Even Yeshua led people to Moshe’s teachings when He was asked about eternal life,
As he was starting on his way, a man ran up, kneeled down in front of him and asked, "Good rabbi, what should I do to obtain eternal life?" Yeshua said to him, … You know the mitzvot -- 'Don't murder, don't commit adultery, don't steal, don't give false testimony, don't defraud, honor your father and mother, . . .' "  (Mar 10:17-19 CJB)

THE TENTH COMMANDMENT.
What was Korach’s sin? Hadn’t he heard the last two commandments?

"Do not give false evidence against your neighbor. ... "Do not covet your neighbor's house; do not covet your neighbor's wife, his male or female slave, his ox, his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor."  (Exo 20:16-17 CJB)

If he did, why did he come to Moshe with the jealous accusation,

"You take too much on yourselves! After all, the entire community is holy, every one of them, and Adonai is among them. So why do you lift yourselves up above Adonai's assembly?" (Num 16:3 CJB)

Think of it. Korach accused HaShem’s chosen leader of the people. He accused he of whom HaShem said, ... Now this man Moshe was very humble, more so than anyone on earth. (Num 12:3 CJB)  … of pride.

Not only that, but Korah’s accusation represented a false testimony to the 250 people he influenced against Moshe.

Korach challenged the notion that HaShem had communicated though Moshe that the priesthood only belonged to the sons of Aharon. Since Moshe was only a mouthpiece for HaShem, it is not Moshe that Korach challenged but HaShem Himself. Could the people today who challenge the teachings of HaShem through Moshe meet the same fate as Korach? This story should serve as an example to all the people today who say that the words Moshe spoke are obsolete. Paul uses these stories as exhortations for us today.

Now these things took place as prefigurative historical events, warning us not to set our hearts on evil things as they did. Don't be idolaters, as some of them were -- as the Tanakh puts it, "The people sat down to eat and drink, then got up to indulge in revelry." And let us not engage in sexual immorality, as some of them did, with the consequence that 23,000 died in a single day. And let us not put the Messiah to the test, as some of them did, and were destroyed by snakes. And don't grumble, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the Destroying Angel. These things happened to them as prefigurative historical events, and they were written down as a warning to us who are living in the acharit-hayamim. (1Co 10:6-11 CJB)

THE SIN OF KORACH: ENVY.
Korach was guilty of jealousy, envy, and covetousness. Here is a quote from the book of ethics, Pirkei Avot
הַקִּנְאָה וְהַתַּאֲוָה וְהַכָּבוֹד, מוֹצִיאִין אֶת הָאָדָם מִן הָעוֹלָם:  Envy, lust [for food, drink, fornication, and the like] and honor [i.e., the desire to be honored by others] drive a man from the world.
In essence, envy is one of the things that destroy a person.
Envy keeps people so focused on what others have that they are oblivious to their own blessings. So not only envy doesn’t provide you with what you want, but like Korach who lost everything, envy takes away even that which you do have. It is absolutely counter-productive.
THE ANTIDOTE AGAINST ENVY.
There is only one way to get rid of envy, and that is to exercise thankfulness. As the apostle says,
In everything give thanks, for this is what God wants from you who are united with the Messiah Yeshua. (1Th 5:18 CJB)
The root of envy is a person’s quest for personal reward and satisfaction. Such a person can never be happy. Our sole goal should be to please HaShem and we please Him by being what He wants us to be. We may not all be roses, most of us may just be daisies, but let’s be the best little daisies we can be!
KORACH’S ACCUSATIONS.
I heard it said one time that people often accuse others of things they are themselves guilty of. They do that because what they see in others is their own evil inclinations and weaknesses. They therefore accuse others of things that they know they would do themselves.
   It is very important to realise that. When we hear criticism of others, some people think that there must at least be some truth to it. Though it is a very important dynamic used in negative propaganda in political campaigns, it is a false premise, an erroneous conclusion. Some people do have the audacity to find fault in others within the things that these others actually excel. No example is more clear of that fact than Korach accusing he whom HaShem calls the humblest man on earth, of pride.
   The person who was proud and envious of position was not Moshe but Korach who projected his own sinful vanitous embitions on Moshe. The sages of Israel often mention that when a person finds fault with others, he frequently is just mentioning his own fault, which he sees in others. We should therefore be careful about accepting accusations against others, especially against leaders. It is bad enough that this is how our political electoral campaigns are led, but it should not be the rule in the congregations of the Kingdom of God.
Rashi actually explains that the reason for Korach complaint of Moshe was not really against Moshe, but that it was a retaliation for being by-passed for a leadership position. When people criticise others, especially leaders, we should always look for their motivation.

THE REJECTED LEADERS.
The dynamics of HaShem’s chosen leader being rejected by the people he is to lead are an integral part of leadership in the Kingdom.
   Joseph was rejected by his brothers. Moses was at first rejected by Israel and his leadership was sometimes challenged even by the members of his own family. Yeshua's leadership of israel also has also been challenged from the beginning, even by his own family. Even today, while people do not openly dare challenge His leadership, they still do so by twisting His words. They then create a form of religious observance that has nothing to do with what He originally intended.
   Today, the Hebrew term “Like Korach and his followers” has become a term synonymous with rebellion.
   Here is what Jude, one of the brothers of the Master had to say about complainers and those who challenge HaShem’s commandments like Korach did,

For certain individuals, the ones written about long ago as being meant for this condemnation, have wormed their way in -- ungodly people who pervert God's grace into a license for debauchery and disown our only Master and Lord, Yeshua the Messiah. Since you already know all this, my purpose is only to remind you that Adonai, who once delivered the people from Egypt, later destroyed those who did not trust. ... these people, with their visions, defile their own flesh, despise godly authority and insult angelic beings. ... these people insult anything they don't understand; and what they do understand naturally, without thinking, like animals -- by these things they are destroyed! Woe to them, in that they have walked the road of Kayin, they have given themselves over for money to the error of Bil`am, they have been destroyed in the rebellion of Korach. These men are filthy spots at your festive gatherings meant to foster love; they share your meals without a qualm, while caring only for themselves. They are waterless clouds carried along by the winds; trees without fruit even in autumn, and doubly dead because they have been uprooted; savage sea-waves heaving forth their shameful deeds like foam; wandering stars for whom the blackest darkness has been reserved forever. Moreover, Hanokh, in the seventh generation starting with Adam, also prophesied about these men, saying, "Look! Adonai came with his myriads of holy ones to execute judgment against everyone, that is, to convict all the godless for their godless deeds which they have done in such a godless way, and for all the harsh words these godless sinners have spoken against him." These people are grumblers and complainers, they follow their evil passions, their mouths speak grandiosities, and they flatter others to gain advantage. (Jud 1:4-16 CJB)

MAY WE LEARN FROM KORACH’ S EPISODE IN THE DESERT.

ר'גל
Rabbi Gaviel Lumbroso

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PAR'SHAT D'VARIM: The Appropriate Correction.

PAR'SHAT PINCHAS: "Good-Zeal-a!"

PAR'SHAT BALAK: Balaam and His Donkey: Who's the Blind? Who's the Seer?

PAR'SHAT CHUKAT: The Dichotomies of Purity, Suffering, and Sacriificial Love.

PAR'SHAT KORACH: Korach, Yesterday and Today!

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