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Parshas Yisro - The Light & Sound Show                   21 Shevat 5777

02/17/2017 03:01:48 PM

Feb17

Preventive medicine is always better than deferred maintenance, but nevertheless, some people feel that since they’re healthy, why bother going for regular check-ups. Others are afraid to go to the doctor for fear that they may find out something is wrong. Baruch Hashem, I feel healthy and therefore have no problem going to the doctor at least twice a year. In preparation for my physical examination, I have blood drawn to give the physician some internal information prior to the exam date. For the best and most accurate results, blood should be drawn while fasting, except for water. I choose to have the blood test taken as early as possible, but as a result I have to skip my morning cup of coffee – the “fix” that gets me going for the day. Upon my return from the doctor’s office, I make a bee line for the coffee machine and enjoy that cup with an overwhelming sense of satisfaction usually accompanied by an “Ahhhh,” an expression of relief and pure delight.

There are a few natural, guttural responses to taste, smell, and touch, but for now I will focus on the various responses there are to certain drinks. When I take a sip of my first cup of coffee in the morning, I let out a sigh of A”hhhh,” but a hot cup of tea that follows a heavy dinner is “Uhhhhh”. At the Shul Kiddush I hear reactions of “Ooooh” when someone drinks a new scotch or bourbon they have never tasted before. If someone eats something delicious, the typical reaction is ”Mmmmm”. Even the different sizes of the blue prize boxes at parent-child learning receives a different level of “ooohs” and “ahhhs”. When we worry about something, it’s either an ”oy vey” or “iy ya yih”.

There are also a few facial expressions that convey very clear emotions, communicating without any sound easily understood visual responses. . This kind of expression is magnified in our times due to the emoji’s and emoticons people use while messaging and writing communications via their computers and hand-held devices. Sound or facial expressions are often made at the beginning of something such as the start or at the end of a communiqué. Surely every individual decides where and when to use an expression, the question I ask is where is its use most effective?

Similarly, I ask myself; which is greater - starting or finishing something? As one proceeds through life, everyone begins many things but they don’t necessarily complete them. And everyone knows if you never begin you never come to be able to finish, so maybe it’s better not to start. I believe both starting and finishing are equally important, providing a sense of accomplishment when finished, and also meet up to the drive to start something despite the risk of not being able to finish it. Ultimately, when a person finishes either a cycle of something or begins something completely new, the end or the beginning should motivate a person to strive for greater heights.

Last week I completed my Sabbatical year of writing a weekly Dvar Torah; this Shabbos Parshas Yisro will begin the eighth cycle. I’ve noticed that as human beings we all have different reactions, some physical and some emotional. In addition, we each react differently at the start or end of an event. Let me explain. The taste and impact that a ‘sweet’ has on a person’s stomach varies based upon whether it is eaten at the beginning of a meal on an empty stomach or at the end of the meal for dessert on a full stomach. The reaction and response towards a situation varies as to when it occurs and the feeling is manifested through his surroundings. This idea is found in the amazing description of giving of the Torah.

In this week’s Parshas Yisro the Torah states in Shmos 20:15 “V’Chal Ha’Am Ro’im Es HaKolos V’Es HaLapidim V’Eis Kol HaShofar V’Es Hahar Ashein, Vayar Ha’Am Vayanu’u Vayamdu Meirachok”. “All the people saw the sounds, the flames, the blast of the ram’s horn, and the mountain smoking. The people trembled when they saw it, keeping their distance”. The Eben Ezra explains that when it says “They saw the sounds” it means hearing. In a similar vein in Bereishis 42 the Torah writes that Yakov saw that there was food in Mitzrayim. Obviously, Yakov did not actually ‘see’ but rather Yakov actually ‘heard’ there was food down in Egypt. The five senses that are joined together in one place above the forehead, meaning that while the sense of sight would typically refer to vision, the ability to see, to mentally process what the eyes “see” or to mentally process the sounds the ear is “hearing”. But these senses – seeing hearing, tasting, touching, smelling - all have more than one meaning.Rambam in Moreh Nevuchim (Guide to the Perplexed) writes the definition of ‘seeing’ means feeling and reaching an understanding. Another example of this is in Breishis 27 “V’Chein Ra’ah Reiach B’ni” Yitzchok smelled the fragrance of his garments, and blessed him. Yitzchok didn’t literally ‘see’ the smell of his son but understood the smell. Whenever it mentions the concept of seeing something it implies a level of understanding, of inner perception.

The Rosh, Rabbeinu Asher writes ‘seeing the voices and sounds at Har Sinai’ in actuality means he benefited from the sounds. There are other references in the Torah that infer that the term ‘saw’ is defined as receiving some type of benefit from what they saw. Rabbeinu Bachya explains from Tehilim 29:7 “Kol Hashem Chotzeiv LaHavos Aish” “The voice of Hashem hews out flames of fire”. They would literally see the fire at the giving of the Torah and then it says they saw the voices and the sounds.

There are many ways to communicate information, news, and feelings that we want to share with one another. At times we must be careful of the little gestures we make, both consciously or subconsciously. Subliminal messages can be very powerful. We need to realize that it doesn’t take more than a little sigh of some kind to let everyone around me know how and what I am feeling. People will ‘see’ you through ‘hearing’ some of the things that just come out intentionally or not. Let the noise and the sounds people hear be of satisfaction and appreciation for all what we are experiencing.

Ah Gut Shabbos Rabbi Avraham Bogopulsky

 

Abraham Ibn Ezra was born in Tudela, in the present-day Spanish province of Navrre, when the town was under the Mslim rule of the emirs of Zaragoza, later he lived in Cordoba. In Granada, it is said, he met his future friend (and perhaps his father-in-law) Yehuda Halevi. He left Spain before 1140 to escape persecution of the Jews by the new fanatical regime of the Almohads. He led a life of restless wandering, which took him to North Africa, Egypt, (in 1109, maybe in the company of Yehuda Halevi), and back again to Narbonne in 1161, until his death on January 23 or 28, 1164, the exact location unknown.

Fri, March 29 2024 19 Adar II 5784