Rabbi's Blog

A few weeks ago, I wrote about my library of books which primarily consists of S’forim and English language Torah content. In addition, I also have a few secular books on history and sports. Most of my books on sports deal, naturally, with baseball and the New York Yankees. Truth be told, there is a huge difference in the culture and the world of baseball between the current version of players as compared to the players of yesteryear. There is a beautiful story about Rav Chaim Pinchas Scheinberg zt”l, the American born Rosh Hayeshiva of Torah Ore. Here is one version of the story: Rav Chaim Pinchos Scheinberg once made a kiddush, yet  no one knew the reason why he had made the kiddush. Some talmidim/students asked him what the reason was for this kiddush. Rav Scheinberg replied, ”I always enjoyed watching the Yankees. Whenever someone mentioned that the Yankees won a game, I always felt a tiny bit happy.” At that time, Rav Scheinberg had just turned seventy years old. He made the kiddush in recognition of the reality that he no longer felt he had to be a part of baseball.  He had attained a richer level and no longer needed or cared about baseball.

For several years now, baseball has been a common theme for recognizing my birthday here in my Shul, Beth Jacob Congregation. This last birthday, besides the usual baseball cake and paraphernalia, came with a gift. Perhaps I am using Rav Scheinberg as an excuse to enjoy my Yankees for a few more years. In truth, I not only enjoy the sport itself, but there truly is a lot to learn from sports and athletes alike. The gift I received was a book by one of the all-time greatest Yankees titled, “Lou Gehrig…. The Lost Memoir”. At the end of the book there is a section called Lou Gehrig’s ‘Tips on How to Watch a Ball Game’. Here is one of his tips: “When the umpire makes a decision, you may think him wrong. But remember, he is well grounded in the rules of play. Keep in mind that in an argument between players and the umpire, the umpire is usually right. The player is prejudiced by his desire to win.”  In essence, Lou Gehrig is mentioning the concept of a נוגע בדבר : someone who is “too close” or “touching the matter” to an individual or situation cannot be impartial.

Psychologists at Harvard, the University of Virginia, and the University of Washington created "Project Implicit" with the purpose of developing Hidden Bias Tests, called Implicit Association Tests, or IATs, in the academic world, in order to measure subconscious bias. Hidden Bias Tests measure subconscious, or automatic, biases. Your willingness to examine your own possible biases is an important step towards understanding the roots of stereotypes and prejudice in our society.

This is the foundation of stereotypes, prejudice and, ultimately, discrimination. I will focus on only one of these fundamental issues: prejudice. The basic meaning of prejudice comes from “pre” “judging” a person or situation. A prejudice is an opinion, a prejudgment or attitude about a group or its individual members. Most often the term is used in a negative connotation and serves to be a sign of a negative attitude, holding it against someone. Nevertheless, there are significant cases when a prejudice can be positive, such as with great leaders of the Jewish people. The challenge lies in another Jewish concept referred to as "הוי דן כל אדם לכף זכות" : we have an obligation to judge people favorably, and these two ideas and mandates can easily clash. Sometimes our desire to judge people favorably has an influence on us by clouding our thinking and creating bias in our decision-making process. One such example of a leader taking the side of his people is none other than Moshe Rabbeinu. I would like to suggest that Moshe Rabbeinu may have been “guilty” of prejudice and Hashem in a subtle way rebuked him and punished him. This may be learned out not by reading something but rather by not reading something!

In this week’s Parshas T’Tzaveh, the Torah in Shmos 27:20 states: "ואתה תצוה את בני ישראל ויקחו אליך שמן זית זך כתית למאור להעלות נר תמיד" : “You [Moshe], must command the Israelites to bring you clear illuminating oil, made from hand-crushed olives, to keep the lamp constantly burning.” As mentioned earlier, we learn not from what the Torah wrote but rather from what was omitted, mainly Moshe’s name. There are several reasons given as to why Moshe’s name is not recorded in T’Tzaveh.

Me'or Einayim points out that T'Tzaveh is (nearly) always read immediately before or after the seventh of Adar, which is Moshe's yahrtzeit. So, his name is missing from this parshah specifically, in mourning for our loss. Baal HaTurim says that it was because Moshe said מְחֵנִי נָא מִסִּפְרְךָ אֲשֶׁר כָּתָבְתָּ - erase me now from Your book which You have written in Parshas Ki Sisa. The question remains why Parshas Tetzaveh was chosen to erase his name. HaRav Shaul M'Vilna answers: ”Since Moshe said אֲשֶׁר כָּתָבְתָּ, past tense, it therefore was omitted in Parshas T'Tzaveh, the parsha which comes before Ki Sisa.” Another reason is that the Gematria of Asher is 501, which is also the Gematria of T'Tzaveh. The Ben Ish Chai explains that Moshe requested M’chaini Na M’sfracha, erase me from Your book. The word M’sifr’cha can also read M’sefer Chaf - the 20th Sefer. Since T’tzaveh is the 20th Parsha,  Hashem therefore left it out of T’tzaveh - as per Moshe's request.

I discussed this with my friend Rabbi Buddy Berkowitz, and we collaborated to suggest a novel understanding of why Moshe’s name was left out in connection to being a Nogeiah B’Davar – someone who is biased. The Jewish people had committed the greatest national sin through the golden calf debacle. God, in His judgment, decides to wipe out the Jewish people and offers Moshe the opportunity to start over again with a few who did not sin. As stated, Moshe replies to God that if He does that, then erase my [Moshe] name from the Your book, the Torah. Moshe loved the Jewish people so much that declaring such statements could not be taken seriously by Hashem. As if Hashem said, ”Oh Moshe, you are like a father to these people and anything you say to defend them is scrutinized; maybe you are too close to them to decide to be completely removed from the Torah. As a result, Hashem tells Moshe that such an extreme position  to defend Am Yisroel had to be struck from the record. Nevertheless, your word to be removed from the Torah will be fulfilled in some other fashion” and so we witness here in this parsha T’Tzaveh, Moshe Rabbeinu’s name was removed

Too often I receive questions - and even answers - from people who have an underlying rationale of being too close to the matter to be non-prejudicial. It behooves all of us not to argue with our umpires in accepting the rulings on the field. Rabbonim, Poskim and others are ruling on the playing field of the Torah as impartial judges while the petitioner and others just want the call to go their way!  

Wishing you and your family Ah Gutten Shabbos

Rabbi Avraham Bogopulsky