Rabbi's Blog

The Rabbis of blessed memory describe three worlds: the world before, the world during and the world after the flood. The world as we know it today is post Mabul, after the flood. Before the flood and during the time of the flood when Noach and his family occupied the ark are periods of time beyond our comprehension. The year in history that Noach survived in the Teivah, the ark, was an absolute miracle. Noach was involved in building the Teiva over a period of one hundred and twenty years. Even though he could have taken wood from trees that were ready to be cut down, he chose to plant new trees, waiting for them to grow to the exact sizes that he required for the building of the Teivah. This was part of the strategy to draw attention of the people in order to lure them to repent. God even hints to Noach that he didn't deserve to be saved by telling him to use gofer wood. In Hebrew the word 'gofer' comes from 'gafris' which is sulfur that can be used for burning and boiling the people who would drown in the flood. For those who thought they could survive in the water, God caused the water temperature to reach boiling so the people would die in that manner as well. Noach covered the ark with pitch inside and out. The Hebrew word for pitch is Kofer, whichis derived from the word' Kapara',atonement. The materials that covered the ark represented judgment and mercy. The dimensions of the Teiva were three hundred amos long, fifty amos wide and thirty amos high. These numbers represent the 'year' that Noach and his family were in the ark. The three hundred amos in length represent three hundred days; plus the length of fifty amos plus fifteen and a bit which is the average of the height of the Ark. (Since the walls were slanted in to form a triangle on top the average from 0-30 is fifteen and a bit since the incline of the wall starts a little higher than the floor). This totaled the number of days of the solar calendar year; three hundred, fifty, fifteen and a bit is three hundred sixty five and a quarter days. The sages say the Teiva built and carried itself as evident in the word 'taaseh' - that it was made. This was similar to the Mishkan and the Beis Hamikdash built by Moshe Rabbeinu and Shlomo HaMelech respectively. It would have been impossible for Noach to build it the Teiva himself, but the people of his generation showed no interest in helping. God commanded Noach to take food along for the journey, warning him to take only food that belonged to him. Noach could easily have argued that the world was going to be destroyed and what difference would it make to take the people's food as it would all be lost anyway? The message is very clear: the straw that broke the camel's back of all the sins their society violated was theft. Noach was trying to repair the world of this sin by only taking from his personal property. As far as food was concerned, some say the small amount of food sufficed for the entire year. Others maintain that part of the miracle was the ability to store all the food that was necessary to feed Noach and his family as well as all the animals for an entire year. Three times in the Torah (and in world history) all the animals gathered together from all over the world. The first time occurred in the beginning when Adam identified and named all the animals; the second time took place when all the animals came to the ark; the third time was when Moshe detailed all the kosher and non-kosher species. This is another example of the myriad of miracles that took place prior to, during, and following the story of the flood. There are hundreds of midrashim explaining and detailing miracle after miracle that took place. As I contemplate the timing of Parshas Noach, I am struck by the familiarity and similarity between the story of the Noach with the flood and his building/living in the Ark for an extended period of time to the recent month that Jews all over the world spent together and experienced in Shul. The sins of our society are all around us. It's difficult to separate from the evils of society while mixing and mingling in that world. We Jews need a haven, a sanctuary of sorts to run to and to reflect in so as to do teshuva and repair the world's misdeeds and sins. Once a year (no coincidence it takes place around the time of year the world was created in its original, perfect, blemish- free state) we, the minority of the world, gather in a kind of protected bubble, a world that is different than the outside world of corruption, stealing, and lies. At first, at the beginning of this journey as we approach Rosh Hashanah, we are happy to see each other and become re-acquainted with our friends and family. As the time spent together increases so do our feelings of over -crowding and lack of space. At a certain point in time over the long Yom Tov period, we begin to get on each other's nerves and need a break from one another. Over this magnificent Yom Tov period we definitely ate too much, we davened and socialized a lot, leading us to want to break out from this world of Shul and food. One may ask why did Hashem make the Mabul last a full year? Why not take care of the problem all in one day? I don't have that answer but I do know that Hashem felt it was time for Noach and the animals to re-enter the world and start again. We, the Jewish people and particularly the religious Jews of the world, share and take on the responsibility to be a light unto the nations. It is only after this time spent in our bubble- world of Torah, Teshuva, and Mitzvos that we need to break out and teach the lessons that we learned and worked on throughout these past precious weeks. The lessons that Noach and the flood teach us are a template for how we should go out into the world to re-build, to re-shape society as it originally was before evil took root. We should not view our experience these past weeks as a burden which we need to rush away from because we deal with any more focused Shul and socializing time. Instead we should learn from the animals who were told to act properly in this world by living with their own species, and by having only male- to- female relationships. Immorality was one of the sins that brought the flood upon the world. We have been blessed with experiencing a special closeness with Hashem these past few weeks, surrounded with Torah, Teshuva, Mitzvos, and our loved ones and dearest friends. Now it is time to carry that precious experience out into the world to make it a better place. Ah Gut Shabbos Rabbi Avram Bogopulsky

Living in San Diego has many benefits, but one negative is the lack of appreciation for the changing of the seasons. Growing up on the East Coast, we looked toward spring time when we finally could really enjoy going go outside. Once spring arrived, ball playing and all outdoor activities picked up, leaving winter dormancy behind. As I headed out to take the field or the courts, I forgot how soft and tender my skin became over the winter. It didn't take too long before the cuts and scrapes started to show up as I tumbled, rolled and fell.

I still remember the stinging of iodine as it was poured over open wounds in order to clean out the dirt. It was never sufficient to just put a band aid on top of the cut; it had to be 'cleaned out' in order to avoid infection. Usually cleaning the area in and around the cut and topping it off with iodine was more painful than the cut itself. As we get older we recognize that we don't only have physical cuts and bruises; we have emotional ones too. Scars that remained after a physical injury are almost looked upon as trophies of some sort. Physical scars are reminisced and laughed over years later. Emotional scars, however, can't be seen but are there nevertheless, imbedded in our memories forever, sometimes emerging years later.

I often hear comments such as, 'You shouldn't feel so bad, there are worse cases.' Or... 'look at the bright side of things'. Don't misinterpret what I am about to say. Those words may be true true and are meant to encourage someone who is down in the dumps, upset, and perhaps borderline depressed. Nevertheless, a person needs to know when it is appropriate to give that type of advice. In my humble opinion telling someone his or her situation could be worse should NOT be said when the wound is fresh and open. That kind of remark is only a band aid; it does not solve the problem or address the pain that the person is experiencing now. After the initial wound is cleaned out, only then can we apply a band aid and use that to encourage the healing process needed for rehabilitation. Slapping on a virtual band aid or just telling the person, 'Come on. People have it worse.' Or... 'Look at all the good you have,' may all be true but at best gives poor solace during times of trial or difficulty. These comments, while well-meaning, should come later, after a person has had time to "clean out" the initial hurt.

In a similar vein in Pirkei Avos 4:23, Rabbi Shimon Ben Elazar omer, Al Teratzeh es Chaveircha bish'as Kaasostates: "Do not appease your fellow in the time of his anger". Rashi explains that this would be an exercise in futility, because he is so enraged at this point. He will remain impervious to conciliatory words until he calms down. *Rav Menachem Ben Shlomo Meiri (1249-1316), known as 'the Meiri', says such hasty appeasement comes across as insincere, giving the impression that the speaker has little regard for the dilemma of the recipient.

In this week's parsha Shelach Moshe defends the Jewish people and spares them from annihilation. Hashem is furious with us, as we wanted to select another leader to take them back to Egypt. Moshe employs a tactic of "the Jewish God took His people out of Egypt only to kill them off in the desert". Moshe then says, "And now let the name of God become great and quotes six of the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy by which God is known. The Netziv gives a very short but insightful reason as regarding why only a partial listing of the attributes was referred to. Moshe was only looking for those 'middos', those character traits, that would appease Hashem for that moment. The Ramban also mentions the idea that Moshe was not seeking complete forgiveness, but only a partial forgiveness so to at least get the Jewish people into Eretz Yisrael. Once they arrived in Israel, Hashem would complete their punishment upon them and upon future generations.

We understand from the Netziv's explanation that even when it comes to soothing God's anger, we sometimes limit the kind of words we use. These particular six words and phrases are utilized to soften the relationship, confirming the notion of not saying too much. Perhaps if Moshe insisted upon using the full Thirteen Attributes, Hashem would have said, "Moshe, this time the people really went overboard, and don't try to convince Me with those words." Sometimes a person's own words can backfire when trying to use them to assuage anger or hurt.

When visiting the sick, pay a Shiva call, or even hear about a person's tzara (bad situation), don't start reciting the cliché's of be strong, have more faith, it could have been worse, etc. Only after the individual has fully digested his or her new situation, is it time to strengthen them with the words of Chazal to help them. Throughout the course of my career I have come to understand that it is so much easier to state words of comfort and to speak in clichés of the Rabbis than it is to be on the receiving end having to listen politely to words which give no substantive comfort or meaning. During the initial period of hurt, no matter what kind of hurt or how severe it may be, all a person should do in order to help is to listen to the person kvetch it out. Let the person spill out his guts and feelings of how difficult, challenging, and perhaps even overwhelming life is. Even if he says "life isn't fair" you should respond "you are right".

It states in Bamidbar 14:20: "and Hashem said Salachti Kidvarecha" - "I have forgiven you according to your word". May Hashem forgive all of His children for anything we may have done. Through our repentance Hashem should remove all pain, suffering, and sorrow from all of His children and may we serve God with a healthy body, mind, and soul. Amen!

Ah Gut Shabbos

Rabbi Avram Bogopulsky

*Rabbi Menachem ben Solomon Meiri was a provincial scholar and commentator of the Talmud. He summarized the teachings of his predecessors of the previous three centuries. His literary activity covered halachic rulings, Talmudic exposition, Biblical thought, customs, ethics, and philosophy. Meiri summarized the subject matter of the Talmud giving both the meaning and the halacha derived from it. He utilized all the rabbinic literature available to him so that his work may be considered a digest which gives a synoptic and comprehensive presentation of the whole expository and halachic activity up to his own time.

Living in San Diego has many benefits, but one negative is the lack of appreciation for the changing of the seasons. Growing up on the East Coast, we looked toward spring time when we finally could really enjoy going go outside. Once spring arrived, ball playing and all outdoor activities picked up, leaving winter dormancy behind. As I headed out to take the field or the courts, I forgot how soft and tender my skin became over the winter. It didn't take too long before the cuts and scrapes started to show up as I tumbled, rolled and fell.

I still remember the stinging of iodine as it was poured over open wounds in order to clean out the dirt. It was never sufficient to just put a band aid on top of the cut; it had to be 'cleaned out' in order to avoid infection. Usually cleaning the area in and around the cut and topping it off with iodine was more painful than the cut itself. As we get older we recognize that we don't only have physical cuts and bruises; we have emotional ones too. Scars that remained after a physical injury are almost looked upon as trophies of some sort. Physical scars are reminisced and laughed over years later. Emotional scars, however, can't be seen but are there nevertheless, imbedded in our memories forever, sometimes emerging years later.

I often hear comments such as, 'You shouldn't feel so bad, there are worse cases.' Or... 'look at the bright side of things'. Don't misinterpret what I am about to say. Those words may be true true and are meant to encourage someone who is down in the dumps, upset, and perhaps borderline depressed. Nevertheless, a person needs to know when it is appropriate to give that type of advice. In my humble opinion telling someone his or her situation could be worse should NOT be said when the wound is fresh and open. That kind of remark is only a band aid; it does not solve the problem or address the pain that the person is experiencing now. After the initial wound is cleaned out, only then can we apply a band aid and use that to encourage the healing process needed for rehabilitation. Slapping on a virtual band aid or just telling the person, 'Come on. People have it worse.' Or... 'Look at all the good you have,' may all be true but at best gives poor solace during times of trial or difficulty. These comments, while well-meaning, should come later, after a person has had time to "clean out" the initial hurt.

In a similar vein in Pirkei Avos 4:23, Rabbi Shimon Ben Elazar omer, Al Teratzeh es Chaveircha bish'as Kaasostates: "Do not appease your fellow in the time of his anger". Rashi explains that this would be an exercise in futility, because he is so enraged at this point. He will remain impervious to conciliatory words until he calms down. *Rav Menachem Ben Shlomo Meiri (1249-1316), known as 'the Meiri', says such hasty appeasement comes across as insincere, giving the impression that the speaker has little regard for the dilemma of the recipient.

In this week's parsha Shelach Moshe defends the Jewish people and spares them from annihilation. Hashem is furious with us, as we wanted to select another leader to take them back to Egypt. Moshe employs a tactic of "the Jewish God took His people out of Egypt only to kill them off in the desert". Moshe then says, "And now let the name of God become great and quotes six of the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy by which God is known. The Netziv gives a very short but insightful reason as regarding why only a partial listing of the attributes was referred to. Moshe was only looking for those 'middos', those character traits, that would appease Hashem for that moment. The Ramban also mentions the idea that Moshe was not seeking complete forgiveness, but only a partial forgiveness so to at least get the Jewish people into Eretz Yisrael. Once they arrived in Israel, Hashem would complete their punishment upon them and upon future generations.

We understand from the Netziv's explanation that even when it comes to soothing God's anger, we sometimes limit the kind of words we use. These particular six words and phrases are utilized to soften the relationship, confirming the notion of not saying too much. Perhaps if Moshe insisted upon using the full Thirteen Attributes, Hashem would have said, "Moshe, this time the people really went overboard, and don't try to convince Me with those words." Sometimes a person's own words can backfire when trying to use them to assuage anger or hurt.

When visiting the sick, pay a Shiva call, or even hear about a person's tzara (bad situation), don't start reciting the cliché's of be strong, have more faith, it could have been worse, etc. Only after the individual has fully digested his or her new situation, is it time to strengthen them with the words of Chazal to help them. Throughout the course of my career I have come to understand that it is so much easier to state words of comfort and to speak in clichés of the Rabbis than it is to be on the receiving end having to listen politely to words which give no substantive comfort or meaning. During the initial period of hurt, no matter what kind of hurt or how severe it may be, all a person should do in order to help is to listen to the person kvetch it out. Let the person spill out his guts and feelings of how difficult, challenging, and perhaps even overwhelming life is. Even if he says "life isn't fair" you should respond "you are right".

It states in Bamidbar 14:20: "and Hashem said Salachti Kidvarecha" - "I have forgiven you according to your word". May Hashem forgive all of His children for anything we may have done. Through our repentance Hashem should remove all pain, suffering, and sorrow from all of His children and may we serve God with a healthy body, mind, and soul. Amen!

Ah Gut Shabbos

Rabbi Avram Bogopulsky

*Rabbi Menachem ben Solomon Meiri was a provincial scholar and commentator of the Talmud. He summarized the teachings of his predecessors of the previous three centuries. His literary activity covered halachic rulings, Talmudic exposition, Biblical thought, customs, ethics, and philosophy. Meiri summarized the subject matter of the Talmud giving both the meaning and the halacha derived from it. He utilized all the rabbinic literature available to him so that his work may be considered a digest which gives a synoptic and comprehensive presentation of the whole expository and halachic activity up to his own time.