In the
summer of 2016, I went to Israel on a rabbinic Mission (with AIPAC). But the
trip was not a typical Israel trip where you visit all the ancient holy sites.
Instead, we spent much of our time learning about Israeli innovation and
technology. We learned from IDF generals all about the newest military
technology of Iron Dome and David Sling. We met with CEO’s of startup companies
and high tech and learned about amazing Israeli inventions including about tiny
chips that were in cell phones all across the world. We learned from Directors
of Hospitals about Israeli medical technology that was used all around the
world to improve quality of life for individuals with disabilities. It was
truly amazing and inspiring to think about what our tiny little country is
innovating for itself and for the whole world.
But I
started getting worried towards the end of the trip that I wouldn’t have a
chance to go the Kotel. So I woke up very early to daven vatikin (pray at
sunrise) at the kotel (which that day was about 5:40!). At about 5 am, I leave
my beautiful modern sleek hotel. I pass Jerusalem’s shiny new light rail system
(started 2011). And with a week of learning about Israeli innovation in my
mind, I cross through Jaffa Gate (year 1538) and things get old really fast. I
am sure many of you have walked this route many times, so please join me in
your mind. I pass by Migdal Dovid (parts of which go back 2800 years!). I then
make a right and walk toward the Armenian Quarter. I make a left onto the
cobblestones of St James street (hundreds of years old), enter into the Jewish
Quarter. I pass the Hurva Synagogue (300 years old), the Cardo (1900 years
old), take the steps down and arrive at the Kotel (just a few hundred feet from
where Abraham almost sacrificed Isaac about 3800 ago). I then put on my tefilin
which had words that are 3300 years old. I start to daven. There is a cacophony
of sounds. There are ashkenazi and sephardi and chassidic minyanim. Jews from
Yemen, South Africa, US, Mexico, Europe and of course Israel are all praying.
Each group praying their own way and almost competing to be louder! There are
even a number of secular soldiers chatting away as they protect us. The noise
level is incredible for 5:30 in the morning! And then at exactly 5:40 all of
the minyanim start the Amidah. And there is complete silence. It was in that
moment that I had one of those life transforming experiences. In that silence,
I not only felt the קבוץ גליות (ingathering of
exiles) as I was praying with jews from all over the world. I also felt a קבוץ הזמן (ingathering of time). As I was
experiencing the oldest of the old just kilometers from the newest of the new.
The Oldest of the Old together with the Newest of the New. Past Present and
Future all folding into that one moment of silence.
This is
why I think so many of us feel so alive when we visit Israel. It is because we
are experiencing a melting together of Past, Present and Future when we are
there.
In the
summer of 1967, Rabbi Dr. Abraham Joshua Heschel visited Israel just months
after the 6 Day War. Heschel tells us that when he arrived at
the Kotel for the first time, he understood that the Bible was still Alive.
That its chapters were still being written! And then he said a phrase which I
want you to remember. He said that “Jerusalem is our Past
meeting our Present to encounter our Future.” Let me say that again! “Jerusalem is our Past
meeting our Present to encounter our Future.”
It is no coincidence that in 1902, when Theodor Herzl wrote
his novel about a future Jewish State, he called it Altneuland (The Old New
Land). He understood that the Jewish State’s success would come from bringing
the Old and New together. 20 years later, when the book was translated to
Hebrew it was called “Tel Aviv” (the city is named after the book, not the
other way around!). ‘Tel’ is an archaeological mound which preserves layer of
ancient history. ‘Aviv’ means spring or renewal. So ‘Tel Aviv’ is a poetic way
of saying Old-New. (Thank you Rabbi Zach Truboff for this connection). It is a
place where Past meets Present to Encounter our Future.
But this is true not only about Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and
Israel. Everytime we “do Judaism”, we are bringing together the oldest of the
old and the newest of the old. We take a Mitzvah which is thousands of years
old, we enable the very old mitzvah to meet our present, to help us encounter
our future, to create a better future for ourselves, family and community.
The shofar is also about the Past meeting the Present to
encounter our Future. The shofar begins with the Past. The first shofar in the
Torah was blasted at Mount Sinai when the Torah was given and we became a
people. But we can rewind a few hundred years to the shofar of the Ram caught
in the thicket during sacrifice of Isaac. But we can even go back hundreds of
years earlier to the beginning of creation of Adam and Eve. Before they were
created G-d was not King for G-d had no subjects (אין מלך
בלא עם). So with the birth of Adam and Eve, G-d becomes King and
according to one Tradition, the shofar was sounded to coronate G-d! So this is
the Shofar of the past! It goes all the way back to the beginning of history.
But this is not enough. The shofar must meet the Present. The
Rambam tells us that the shofar is to wake us from our slumber. To remember the
scale. We should see ourselves as in the balance - half guilty and half
innocent. Whatever action we do right now (the past or future doesnt matter)
makes all the difference and determines our fate. It cannot be more about the
Now and the present. This reminds me of a great story with the Kotzker Rebbe
(thank you Rabbi Shai Held!). One day, the Kotzker rebbe’s students ask him,
“what is the definition of good jew.” The Kotzker says “that is easy. Anyone
who wants to be a good jew, is a good jew.” The students don't like the answer!
They say, “according to that definition, everyone is a good jew as everyone
‘wants’ to be a good jew.” The Kotzer responds, “No. You are only a good jew if
you want to be a good jew. Not if you think you already are a good jew!”
The Kotzer is saying that it is about right now. What are you
trying to do right now to be a good jew. We cannot rely on what we have done in
the past. The shofar is certainly all about the past meeting the present.
But it is not just about the Past meeting the Present. The
shofar is the Past meeting the Present to encounter the Future.
In the
Musaf davening we ask G-d to blow the shofar of our redemption (תקע בשופר גדול לחרותינו). The prophet Isaiah tells us that “on
that day, the great shofar will be sounded” and the ingathering of Exiles will
take place. This is the shofar of the Future. Rabbi Yitz Greenberg teaches us
that “Judaism, more than being a religion of Faith is a religion of Hope.” Of
hope with a better future for our family, community, the Jewish People and all
of Humanity. So when we blow the shofar, we allow our Past to meet our Present
to help us encounter our Future.
I have
been reading this amazing book (If All the Seas Were Ink: A Memoir by Ilana
Kurshan). The book records 7.5 years of her life as lived through studying the
Daf Yomi (daily page of Talmud Study). In intimate detail, Kurshan talks about
her struggles and joys (divorce, relationships, eating disorder, emotional
turmoil, marriage, birth of twins) through the prism of the daily daf. The book
is an example of what powerful torah study is. She took the Past (ancient
texts) allowed it to meet her Present to enable her to encounter her future. On
January 4, we will be starting a new cycle of Daf Yomi. Our shul has about 15 people
who are finishing the entire cycle. I hope many of you will consider starting
with us for this coming cycle. It will transform your life.
We are
going to hear the shofar in just a few moments. I would like to encourage
everyone here to pick one mitzvah for this year that you want to make your
special mitzvah for the year. It could be an aspect of Kashrut, Shabbat, Family
Purity, Brachot, Birkhat Hamazon, the bedtime shema, Tefillin or any mitzvah
you choose. (Just don’t pick something like sukkah because as soon as sukkot is
over, you are done with your mitzvah for the year!). Now apply the past,
present, future model. Study the ancient laws, understand their meaning. Now
let the Past meet your present as you incorporate it into your life in order to
create a better future for you and your family. You pick the mitzvah but please
commit to one before you leave today.
I would
like to conclude with a story. Many of you know Elise
Berliner. She comes to shul every shabbat but she also comes every morning to
study daf yomi. Back in February, Elise finished the entire Talmud (Bavli)!
At the siyum, she spoke beautifully about how studying Talmud
has enhanced and strengthened her love and appreciation of Torah and Mitzvot.
During the 7 1/2 year process, Elise only missed three days (the days when her
mother died, when one son had a bar mitzvah and when the other son graduated).
In preparation for the Siyum, Elise went back and studied those three pages.
Elise recounted with great emotion how when she went back to look at the daf
from the day of her mother’s death (a loss for which she was still in so much
pain), she was shocked to see that the Daf talked directly to the topic of
comforting the mourners. The Daf on the other two days also directly spoke to
those joyous experiences of Bar Mitzvah and Graduation. Elise was using her
Talmud study to have her Past meet her Present to help shape a better and
richer judaism for her future. Where was Elise this morning on the day after
the siyum? Back in her seat, starting the cycle again!
I bless all of us on this Rosh Hashana with a year of Good
Health and Happiness. A year in which or deepest prayers are answered and a
year in which we allow our Past to meet our Present to encounter our Future!
Shana Tova!
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