Elena Zusmanovich

July 16, 2010

D'var Torah, Trilingual Service

Shabbat Shalom!

Polonius: What do you read, my lord? Hamlet: Words, words, words.

This week Torah portion is called Devarim (meaning” words”in Hebrew). It’s the first chapter of the last, the fifth book of the Torah – with the same name Devarim - Words.

They said,”2 Jews - 3 opinions”. Yes, we are so diverse in everything –but I guess, I’ve never met anybody Jewish who doubts the power of words. We are very verbal type of nation. Probably, that’s why Jews from the FSU are so obsessed with Russian literature.

For me, it’s not easy to talk about this power in a language, which is not actually mine, not my mother tongue. I can be kind of sluggish, slow… not literally, I speak probably too fast… I mean… well, you know what I mean.

On another hand, exactly in this Torah chapter I’ve got a great example to follow:

Moses, Moshe—the man who described himself as "slow of speech and slow of tongue", who "never been a man of words" (his brother Aaron was appointed to speak for him) – Now Moses will talk for 36 days (I don’t have such a luxury – I’ve got only 10-12 minutes or so). Indeed, the entire book Devarim constitutes one powerful and sustained verbal presentation. Moshe tries to teach, to help, to coach the Jews – us, using just words.

(Yeh, I know, to compare myself with the greatest profit in the history of mankind – it’s way too arrogant. Although in the light of this particular Torah chapter a little bit of chutzpah won’t hurt).

It’s the second time when I ‘m honored to say dvar-Torah in front of this whole congregation .

An interesting moment: the first time (it was four years ago), I spoke about exactly the same Torah portion. It’s kind of repetition. And now, take into consideration that another name of the book Devarim is "Mishneh Torah" (meaning “the repetition of the Torah”). And 40 years are so easy to juxtapose with four… I do believe that such coincidences are not random. It should mean something. But what?

Moshe is reviewing the events of the past 40 years and the laws, given to the Jewish people earlier.

Why did he decide to go over everything again?

Moshe recounts episodes for which his present audience has no personal memory. Except for two people - Joshua and Caleb - this is an entirely new generation of Israelites. And this new cohort has a new task – to enter the Promised Land and to create a Jewish country.

So, Moshe underlines the most important rules for life there in Eretz, and also he speaks about the biggest not-to-be-repeated mistakes.

Well, there are so many God’s commandments and plenty of failures, sins, and even crimes committed by the people. Moshe starts with the recalling the appointment of judges. So, justice is essential – make a note of that. And the first and the main sin Moshe concentrates on is the sin of spies.

I’m not Moses, but let me also remind you, what happened on the second year of Exodus …

The 12 spies were sent to scout the land of Canaan. The spies came back and reported that the land is great, beautiful, rich and …absolutely unconquerable. They said, the people who lived in that land are fierce, they are giants, and we look like grasshoppers next to them.

At this point, the Jewish people had a choice: either to believe the spies, or to believe in God's assurances that all would be well. These people had witnessed great miracles during Exodus, they stood at Sinai, and heard God speak out of the fire. But the spies’ words created such a powerful frightening image –a grasshopper next to a giant – they brought terror and despair to the hearts of the Israelites and they refused to follow God’s order to conquer the land. They shouted and they wept, though nothing bad happened yet.

Just like in an old maisa, which you probably know, but I’ll tell you anyway:

Two Jews are praying. One complains:”I don’t have money, my wife is always grumpy. My children are spoiled little brats - life is pretty bad."

God is listening:"You think life is bad now? Just watch. I'll show you what a bad life really looks like."

The second Jew says: “Adonai, you know, we don’t have money for luxury stuff, but we can manage. My wife isn’t an angel, but we love each other. Children are rebellious, but they are good kids. Thank you, life is good.”

God smiles and says, "You think life is good now, just wait. I'll show you what a good life really looks like."

So the Jews cried and yelled in despair without real grounds, and they would got the reason – As a consequence, the nation was sentenced to 39 more years wandering in the desert. Those who were guilty in this act of distrust died in the desert and never entered the Promised Land. Moreover, the day, when the spies return to the Jewish camp, became the cursed, the saddest day in our history – Tish’a be Av, a day of destruction of the both Temples, and many other tragedies, a day of pain and sorrow for all generations.

This sin happened to be bigger and heavier in God’s eyes than other misdeeds, and it had the biggest impact on the whole Jewish history.

Midrash says that the spies’ words: “We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them” (meaning to these giants) offended God.

" How do you know how I made you to look to them? Perhaps you appeared to them as angels!"

Both our Temples were destroyed on the 9th of Av. Our sages said that the Temple is a symbol of a soul. When a person doesn’t respect him (of her) self – it’s a way to degradation. By enhancing self confidence, our own dignity, belief in our special mission in this world, we are restoring the Temple.

BTW, the great Russian literature of the 19th century is about compassion to a “little man”. Our Jewish tradition says there are no little men. Each of us has a mission and a power to accomplish it.

There is another old maisa:

Once upon a time a Jewish guy came to a rabbi:

– Rebbe , I’ve got problems, such problems, the problems I cannot solve!

– I see a contradiction here, – said rabbi.

– I don’t understand.

– Well that’s easy, – the rabbi explain, – The Lord created each of us and he knows your abilities. If these problems are yours than the task is within your powers. If it is beyond your powers, than these problems are no yours.

***

OK. In fact the previous time, four years ago I told a lot about 10 sinned spies. What I didn’t talk about and only mentioned - that there were two spies – Caleb and Joshua - who were different, they didn’t agree with others. They calmed and encouraged Jewish people: “We are strong. We must go forth. We can do it”.

I know, every and each of you know, how difficult it is to stand against the popular cry. Two to ten. No, in fact, two to hundreds and thousands. And this crowd is not just ”not in favor of your opinion”, they want to stone you.

Back in Russia, I don’t know how many times I’ve heard :

“So, you think the whole detachment broke step, and you are the only one who marches in cadence? Is it possible that the whole world is wrong and you are right?”

The answer is “yes”. It is possible.

Jews are different by the name, by definition, standing alone from Abraham’s time to modern Israel. The most remarkable Jewish feature is not to be afraid of being different, not to be afraid of being right.

- You are denying obvious things. Of course, there are gods in every tree and every river, and the best way to please them is to make a nice offering, human sacrifice preferable. Everybody knows that.

- The Sun revolves around the Earth – it’s stupid to disagree with the obvious.

- Israel is an aggressor and a warmonger – all the media says that.

To stand up and to say “No, it’s not true”, to be a tiny island of sanity in the ocean of madness, to live your own way. That’s so Jewish.

Only these two – Joshua and Caleb - from the whole generation were allowed to enter the Promised Land. Is it a reward? Looks like that.

But maybe this whole concept of punishment and reward is just wrong.

The creator of the world is trying to explain us the rules, how the system works. There are the laws of nature. If I drop this whatever, it will fall down – surprise! – I know this is gravity. If I drop it on my foot, it’ll hurt, but I won’t think it’s a punishment, I’ll think I’m an idiot. Still it’s a law of nature. If I cross the road on a red traffic light, an accident can occur, or If I smoke (actually I do not) at the gas station and drop a cigarette, the whole thing can blow up. Probability is high that not me only, but innocent people would suffer. It’s not about justice, it’s not a penalty – it’s a result of my actions, which didn’t take in account the laws of nature, safety rules.

Maybe the same story is with the Torah commandments. These are safety rules. God shared with us information about the world – how the system works; alerted us: do not do stupid things.

In the spies’ story, maybe, it’s not like God gets angry and penalizes sinners. Maybe, it’s more like a job interview. God wants the Jewish people to do a hard important work. God has chosen those who are qualified. This generation who died in a desert – they were brave enough to leave Egypt, but they demonstrated that they didn’t match a job description. So, their assignment has been changed accordingly.

Once a chasidic rabbi said: “If a man is choosing the right way, God helps him. If he is choosing the wrong way, God… doesn’t interfere.”

Joshua and Caleb proved they were ready for the job, ready to be Jewish. They crossed the border of the Promised Land, and Joshua became a great leader.

But before that, they also spent the same 40 years of wandering in the desert with others – the years, when they were young and strong. Why?

Joshua and Caleb were courageous, they raised their voices for the truth, but they failed. They couldn’t persuade others. They couldn’t find the right words. So, they paid with 40 years of life.

Well, maybe it’s just impossible to convince somebody with words only. Even God himself used “special effects” like thunder, fire, frogs falling from the sky... Have you ever managed to talk somebody into changing a strong opinion. Not just your spouse, but a friend, a stranger, a group of people, a crowd – big, aggressive. Is it doable at all? If yes, then how?

You can find the answers to these questions in the Torah (with examples as usual) But… this is probably a good theme to discuss some other time, and a good reason for us to meet again.

And what else now? There were a lot of changes during these 4 years. I suppose many of you here are about the same age as me – midlife. Often it’s a period of personal crisis. In our case, like it’s not enough, we have a global economic crisis at the same time.

Too bad. Though our sages taught that bad times give us an opportunity too.

There are many people who have abandoned the idea of looking for a destiny calling, for a Promised Land. They rather endure than enjoy what they are doing, they live their lives waiting for weekends, and don’t have a drive to change anything. And now, they are forced to modify their lives. That’s a chance.

Big change is frightening. A new field, new place - whatever it is – there are always “giants”, experts, big people. Who am I to compare with them? I’m like a tiny lonely grasshopper jumped in the middle... But how do I know how those “giants” perceive me. Maybe they see an angel, a God’s messenger, maybe they are looking for a fresh approach, for a new energy, for me? For you?

I did my best, it wasn't much

I couldn't feel, so I tried to touch

I've told the truth, I didn't come to fool you

And even though

It all went wrong

I'll stand before the Lord of Song

With nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah

I think I am … we are really close to the border of our Promised Land, and maybe even crossed it already. Who am I in the eyes of others? An insect, a grasshopper? An angel? Will I be able to convince people?

I have no idea.

But bearing in mind a great power of words, let’s repeat the last phrase of today’s Torah portion, what Moshe said to Joshua:

Do not fear them, for it is the Lord, your God who will battle for you.

Before that I just quoted Leonard Cohen. Here Is another one:

“First we take Manhattan then we take Berlin”.

Shabbat shalom!