Rabbi's Blog

A few weeks ago we had some trouble with the heating in the Beis Medrash. One day while I was teaching an afternoon class, our repairman Wally was switching out the thermostat for a new one. The thermostat is locked in a plastic cover which is large enough to enclose the entire mechanism. As he installed the new thermostat, I noticed it was considerably smaller and actually looked funny in the lock box. I mentioned to the repairman the difference in size between the new and the old with an emphasis that I really liked the older, bigger one more than the newer,  smaller one. At that, Wally the repairman came up with a brilliant insight. He said, “The thermostat is smaller but the numbers and letters are bigger.”  Wally the repairman’s insight caused me to appreciate the primary need of the thermostat rather than the bells and whistles of a product.

The road of life has us looking and sometimes squinting at the important messages while the large billboards of life that come to us in the glitz and glory of society prove to be truly meaningless. Sometimes things that are packaged in large ways have the message swallowed or even covered up. At times it’s is the smaller, simpler package that will send a larger, stronger message. The most important part of the housing of the thermostat is how clearly the user is able to see and read the numbers and words. In every situation a person has to determine what the primary purpose of the item is and not to compromise on the essentials.  Some situations don’t even require a message because the item speaks for itself; no explanation is necessary. That, however, is a unique situation. On average, some type of wording or display is necessary to convey  important information. In the case of the thermostat, the temperature numbers are key.

I have often written and verbalized that everything which occurs in the physical world has a spiritual window connected to it and everything which occurs in the spiritual realm has a physical, worldly connection as well. The sense of focus on the insignificant and that which is secondary at times gets more attention. For example, more emphasis may be put into the physical side of prayer and less on the focus of the prayers themselves. Many are attracted to do more mitzvos that are ‘high profile’ rather than doing the same kind of mitzva with no fanfare. For example, some may give large sums of money for charity and receive public honor from an institution, but it would not occur to some of these individuals to simply give a gift card from a local grocery store to a homeless person so he could buy some food. Others shy away from big attention and give significantly in private. I actually received a phone call from a woman living in New York looking for money for Pesach. She said I once sent her money through a certain individual. I asked her, “How did you come to know this person?” She replied sheepishly, “I don’t, but one time he heard of my plight and sent me money, I guess through you”.

This coming Shabbos is called Parshas Parah. We read an additional portion for the Maftir from Parshas Chukkas which details the laws of the Parah Aduma/the Red Heifer describing the purification process from corpse impurity. Many commentaries explain the Red Heifer (mother) comes to clean up after the sins of its calf (golden). As a result we read the Haftorah from a different area of Tanach.

In this week’s Haftorah, taken from Yechezkel 36, the Navi Yechezkel describes the exile of the Jews from Israel after the destruction of the first Temple. In chapter 36 verse 20 the Navi states: ’VaYavo El HaGoyim Asher Ba’oo Shom VaYichalelu Es Shem Kadshi, BeEmor LaHem Am Hashem Eileh U’MeiArtzo Yatzaoo’. “And he (but translated as they) came to the nations to which they came, and they desecrated My holy Name when it was said of them, ‘These are HASHEM’s people but they departed His land’. Rashi comments on the first word ‘VaYavo’ that it is in the singular form when speaking about the entire Jewish people and should be in plural ‘VaYavo’oo’? Rashi explains this applies to Bais Yisroel, the House or family of Israel, and is consistent with this usage from the beginning of the Perek (verse).  Rashi also quotes a Midrash, commentary on Biblical text, from Eicha Rabbasi (Pesikta 15) that ‘VaYavo’ is in the singular because it refers to God and not to the people of Israel. Because Hashem accompanies the B’Nei Yisrael into exile He also came among the nations. It was there amongst the nations that Hashem overheard the captors talking among themselves, stating that their success proved that the God of the Jews was incapable of saving them and preventing their exile.

This was the ‘Chilul HaShem’, the desecration of God’s name that is referred to later in the verse. Artscroll comments on this verse by explaining that it was through pointing out the potential of a similar desecration of the Name that Moshe was able to achieve God’s forgiveness when He threatened to wipe out the Jewish people in connection with the sending of the spies”. Moshe argued that in the eyes of the other nations God was unable to carry out His promise to bring the Jews to the Holy land and therefore had no choice but to forgive the Jews. So too Hashem, in this case, has no choice but to save the Jewish people and promise them that He will take them back personally in order to avoid a Chilul HaShem.

Typically, we read the story of the Jewish people being exiled; focusing on the reasons we were sent out, usually because of our sins. Hopefully, we repent and merit God saving us and bringing us back, but what happens if we don’t? Hashem will still save us, not because we deserve it but only to defend His own name and honor. In reality, it is not our sins that cause the exile but rather the desecration of HaShem’s name. It is for that very same reason that HaShem will help, because it is His name which is at stake.

Throughout our history the focus has been on the big reason, the sins that we’ve committed rather than focus on the true issue hidden between the lines and the fine print which is about God and not us per se. Perhaps if we come to understand and appreciate the embarrassment we cause to God as His Chosen People, then we will begin to think twice before we act. Ultimately, we should feel comforted. Just as a mother cleans up her child’s mess, so too HaShem will clean up our mess and personally deliver us from this long exile!

Ah Gut Shabbos

Rabbi Avraham Bogopulsky