Rabbi's Blog

Who and what do we believe in this day and age? The instant gratification syndrome is not limited in today’s society to food and pleasures; it extends to the information superhighway as well! People have no time or patience to read an entire article, so they come to a false conclusion based upon the headline. Media outlets know this all too well and are experts in framing things in a certain way so that unless a person reads the entire piece, his knowledge of the facts will, at best be spotty, and at worst he will be completely mislead. I am not even referring to falsifying of information, rather leaving out pertinent crucial information or other key true facts related to what is being reported.

The media and news reporting over the last six months has taken all this to a new level. It is more difficult to believe the one-sided reporting from either side of the aisle. To be honest, I don’t know and I do wonder how today’s journalism compares to journalism over the past century. For the record, I am not referring to the news publications that are found at the local grocery checkout counters, rather it is from the distinguished news publications that are ‘respected’ throughout the world.

Perhaps we Jews are more suspicious and less trusting because we see and read first-hand the biased one-sided news reporting against Israel. Perhaps we’ve become numbed from the hatred and Jew/Zionist bashing by a good portion of the world and see how corrupt the news information really is. The job or responsibility of news and media agencies is to bring light and understanding of life’s situations through truth. Unfortunately, the kind of news that is reported and how the reader’s digest it creates a darkness and falsehood. The news outlets are doing the exact opposite of what they should be doing. I personally have fallen victim to devious reporting in the past and as a rule I try not to give public statements that can easily be misconstrued. Unfortunately, the statements of politicians and the like are open for scrutiny and are always subject to the biases of those who are reporting.

There are many instances that words require explanation and interpretation. Sometimes words and statements are said quietly, in private and abridged, requiring understanding and context. This idea is common and is dealt with in the Torah and elucidated by our teachers. One such example is found in this week’s parsha Vaera. The Torah states 7:4 “V’Lo Yishma Aleichem Parah V’Nasati Es Yadi B’Mitzrayim, V’Hotzeisi Es Tzivosai Es Ami B’Nei Yisrael Mei’Eretz Mitzrayim Bishfatim Gedolim”: “This is why Pharoah will not pay attention to you. But then I will display My power against Egypt, and with great acts of judgment I will bring forth from Egypt My armies - My people, the Israelites”. The Sfas Emes, Yehuda Aryeh Leib Alter, quotes his father Rav Avraham Mordechai Alter on this verse stating: The reason the ten plagues were necessary was to remove the shell that covers that which is hidden from the original ten statements uttered to create the world. This was necessary to create a platform for the Ten Commandments to be given.

The Sfas Emes explains this Kabbalistic idea as follows. This world hides and removes the understanding from our minds that the primary source of all life and everything that happens in this world comes from the ‘letters of the Torah’. The statements that created the world are comprised of Hebrew letters. This is supported by the Mishna in Pirkei Avos 5:1 “With ten utterances the world was created. What does this come to teach us? Indeed, it could have been created with one utterance, but it was not. This was to exact punishment from the wicked who destroy the world that was created with ten utterances, and ‘Laseis Schar LaTzadikim HaMikaymim Es HaOlam Shenivr’u Ba’Asara MaaMaros’ to bestow goodly reward upon the righteous who sustain the world that was created by ten utterances”. The Tzadik knows and clings to the source of life that was lost through the ten utterances. It was the smack of each one of the ten Makkos which removed its cover and secret and became the Ten Commandments. In mathematical terms 10 statements + 10 plagues = Ten Commandments.

Deeper meanings to the Ten Commandments aren’t just words. Rather, the explanation of the word is ‘Dibur’/ speech, ‘Hanhaga’ behavior. The Zohar sheds some light and explains it based upon the words V’dibarta Bam B’Shivticha’….. U’V’Lechticha and you will speak to them when they sit……..and when they are on the road. All of our actions are performed through the words of Hashem, hence the idea that all of our actions should be done solely for the sake of Heaven.

We read about the hidden words in certain Tefillos such as in Maariv. In the first paragraph of Maariv the blessing begins ‘Asher Bidvaro Maariv Aravim’ ‘Who by His word brings on evenings’, that even in the hester/hidden there is recognition of the kingdom of heaven so that we recognize the honor of Hashem’s name even in the evening that represents darkness and things that are covered. Therefore, the words after the evening Shma is Emes VeEmunah (truth and belief) and the emes/truth is hidden during the exile. The Zohar in this week’s parsha mentions the ‘dibur/speech of Moshe was in the exile. This is reflected in Moshe describing himself as a person with ‘uncircumcised lips’ and ‘I am not a man of words’. But during Kabbalas HaTorah at Har Sinai things were in the open with the choice word of Dibur/speech again, this time ‘Vayidaber Elokim….Anochi Hashem Elokecha’ I am Hashem your God….

The language of the Torah and the way God speaks is something that requires the reader to look deeper than the surface. Glancing at a picture or some words of a headline is just one way of remaining in the dark and being blocked from the truth. A truth seeker needs to delve down and read the entire piece of news. A lesson to us all is to realize that just because the news reports something doesn’t necessarily mean it is the truth. The truth can only be discovered when everything is revealed and the true statements are uncovered. Sometimes there are painful plagues in order to bring about the best of what God truly wants from the world.

Ah Gut Shabbos Rabbi Avraham Bogopulsky

Rabbi Bogopulsky’s new book “Developing A Torah Personality” is available for purchase directly from him or Amazon