Derech Tzofeh – The Path of the Scout

This week’s d’var Torah is from Rabbi Josh Feigelson, Executive Director, Institute for Jewish Studies, Chicago.

Dear Scouts,

Several years ago my children and I went to the Field Museum in Chicago. While we had been there before and seen the dinosaur bones and the dioramas of mammoths and mastodons, on this occasion we went into an exhibit called “Evolving Planet.” In vivid form, the exhibit took us through the major geological periods of earth’s development, from the formation of the planet through its cooling, to the emergence of the first life forms, and through the hundreds of millions of years of development of organisms, up to the present day.

I don’t know what was different about this visit to a natural history museum. I had been to many before. But somehow during this visit I felt in a profound way just how tiny and insignificant our lives are. When you think about the history of the earth in terms of six billion years, or even just (!) the 250 million years since the dinosaurs roamed the planet, and you consider that what we know of human civilization is only a few thousand years old, it puts whatever accomplishments or failures you’ve had into perspective.

Time has enormous power to do that. “To everything there is a season,” says Kohelet (Ecclesiastes), “and a time for every purpose under heaven.” Viewed against the vast expanse of the existence of the universe, our lives can indeed seem insignificant. “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity,” as Kohelet also says. What is the point of each of these discrete moments, if ultimately no one will remember us?

And yet Parshat Emor reminds us that time can and does maintain significance, if we are willing to acknowledge it. “These are the festivals of the LORD, holy convocations which you shall proclaim at their appointed times.” (Lev. 23:4) The Rabbis learn from this verse a key element that distinguishes Shabbat from the other holidays: While Shabbat is God’s, and happens every seven days of its own accord, the festivals are dependent on the proclamation of the new moon by the Rabbinic court. That is, the power to set the time of the festivals resides in human hands, within limits set by God.

Marking time is the first act of Jewish life. “This shall be the first of the months,” God tells Moses and Aaron in Egypt (Ex. 12:2). Before the Exodus can happen, God requires a human action–marking time. The festivals depend on our proclamation and recognition, to such an extent that the Talmud records that one year, when the Rabbinic court proclaimed Rosh Hashanah a day later than the angels expected it, God told the angels to come back tomorrow in order to hear the prayers of the Jewish people.

However small our lives may seem, however insignificant our actions appear in the grand course of universal history, the Torah reminds us of the uniqueness, the immense power of our creation in God’s image. We have the power to order our world, to mark time and to make moments of significance, moments of meaning. And that reality is just as powerful and real as the billions of years of history that have come before us.

Rabbi Josh Feigelson

Shabbat shalom,

Nelson

Dear Scouts,

This week, we learn the dual portions Acharei Mot and Kedoshim (holy things). The parasha is an elaboration on mitzvot that God has already given the Jewish people in the Ten Commandments: I am God. Do not worship idols. Respect your father and mother. Observe Shabbat.

The parasha also teaches us to be honest, preserve justice, avoid gossip and not bear a grudge.

The parasha contains some chukim – laws that do not have an obvious reason, but that we observe because God commands us to do so. These include not eating the fruit of a tree for its first three years and dedicating the fruit of the fourth year to God, and not planting seeds of mixed kinds in the same field.

One mitzvah that fascinates me is “You shall not place a stumbling block before the blind; you shall fear your God, I am the Lord.” Our Sages explain that this mitzvah has several parts:

(1) Do not mislead people. If your Mom has said no video games at night and little brother Avi asks you if it’s OK to play them after dinner, don’t tell him it’s OK to play.

(2) Do not help someone commit a sin even when he knows he is doing wrong. If Mom has told Avi not to play video games tonight and he says he’s going to play anyway, do not get the game system out of the closet for him.

(3) Do not do anything that would encourage someone to sin. If Mom has grounded Avi from video games, don’t play them in front of him.

This looks like you have to take responsibility for what your brother does. Are you your brother’s keeper? You bet you are! Remember how Cain asked this question of God when God questioned Cain about the death of Abel? That’s what God is reminding us of with the second part of this commandment: “You shall fear your God, I am the Lord.” God knows how we treat people, even when we think no one is watching.

Shabbat shalom (and take care of your siblings),

Nelson

This summary is based on Rabbi Shmuel Gordin’s discussion in Unlocking the Torah Text: Vayikra.

Nelson Block
nelson.r.block@gmail.com

Dear Scouts,

In the double portion of Tazria-Metzora, having completed the building of theMishkan (Tabernacle) and the inauguration of the Kohanim and the Mishkan itself, the Torah turns us to learning the laws of ritual purity (tuma) and impurity (tahara).

Many of these laws no longer apply, because we no longer have the Temple. The laws are confusing to us today. What does it mean to be pure and impure? Does it relate to our clothing being soiled? Is it like the idea of Clean in the Scout Law – to be clean in thought, word and deed?

The Torah talks about the impurity that relates to events like giving birth and the spiritual illness of tzaraas where the skin becomes discolored and flaky (often inaccurately described as leprosy) and even how tzaraas can be in clothing or a person’s home. It also describes how to become ritually pure again.

I get some help in understanding tuma and tahara by a commandment that seems out of place. Near the beginning of Tazria, at the start of the discussion of ritual cleanliness, God again instructs us on the mitzvah to circumcise infant boys (brit milah) on the eighth day after birth. We first received this commandment in Genesis (17:11-14). This time, in addition to the instruction that it be on the eighth day, we learn that the brit milah must be during daytime, when the Sun’s light can be seen (recall that in the Jewish calendar, days start at sundown).

There have been some other interesting eighth days in the Torah. Adam received rest in the holiness of Shabbat on the seventh day, after having sinned by eating of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil on the sixth day. With the new gift of fire from God at the beginning of the eighth day, Adam was able to enter the world of work with fire to help him, but it was up to him and all humanity after him to decide how to use fire – for good or evil. Last week, in Parasha Shemini, we learned of the inauguration of the Mishkan on the eighth day of celebration, with holy services dedicated to God. On that eighth day, the Jewish people showed they had decided to be loyal to God, which was in question because of the sin of the Golden Calf.

Now in Tazria we again learn that on the eighth day of a boy’s life, he is brought into the covenant Abraham made with God 3,700 years ago – the Jewish people will worship God and God will make them a great nation.

The number seven represents nature’s completion – God finished work on the universe in six days and completed the natural world by creating Shabbat for rest on the seventh day. So the number eight signifies something that goes beyond nature. A baby boy, having been with us for a week, on his eighth day has his brit milah to elevate him from the natural world to a spiritual level. So, too, Adam’s spirit was lifted by the gift of fire when used for good, and the Mishkan brought spirituality to the Jewish people. All these things occurred on an eighth day.

You often have a spiritual experience at the start of an eighth day – on a weekend campout. Saturday night (the start of the next day in Jewish practice), after a great Shabbat outdoors with your troop, as the darkness brings a new week, the embers of the campfire die out, the last notes of your closing song float away, your Scoutmaster gives you an inspirational thought, and you experience a wonderful spirit. Take that spirit home with you and pass it along to everyone you meet and use it in everything you do.​​​

Shabbat shalom,

Nelson

Dear Scouts,

During the last few weeks, we have learned about the building of the Mishkan (Tabernacle) that would serve as the place where the Children of Israel would worship God, the offerings to be made there, and the duties of the Kohanim (priests) in performing the services. Last week, in Parasha Tzav, we learned about the first seven days of the eight-day celebration of the first services in the Mishkan.

Now, in Parasha Shemini, we learn of the final day of celebration. As the service began, Moses summoned his brother, Aaron, the High Priest, to make the offerings. He said to Aaron, “God has commanded you to do this.” (Vayikra 9:7) Our Sages interpreted this verse to mean that Aaron hesitated to approach the Altar, and Moses had to encourage him.

Aaron was ashamed to come forward, because of his sin in making the Golden Calf. Moses explained to him God knew of his sin, but still wanted Aaron to serve as High Priest. Because Aaron showed shame, many rabbis point out this is just the sort of person God wanted ministering to the people, because he was humble and recognized he had shown poor judgment.

The parasha ends with another example of humility – God gave us the laws of kosher animals, including mammals, fish, birds and insects. After giving these laws, God explained “For I am the Lord your God … you shall become holy, for I am holy.” (Vayikra 11:45)

Even though God gave humanity control over the animals as far back as the Garden of Eden, if we are to be holy in what we eat there are certain rules we must follow. What we eat is not only meant to nourish our bodies, but also our souls.

These verses teach me God values humility, and humility comes from understanding the things we have – whether they be personal attributes such as a nice singing voice, athletic coordination, hands capable of making beautiful pictures, or the gift of telling a funny story – are best used not only for our own benefit, but with respect for others. The singer who leads people in a tune to raise their spirits, the athlete who encourages others who are trying to play better, the artist who creates something to give joy to a friend and the comic who brightens someone else’s day – these people recognize why they have been given special talents.

Shabbat shalom,

Nelson

Dear Scouts,

I hope everyone is having a good Passover. This week, because Shabbat is the seventh day of Passover, our Shabbat Torah reading is a special reading, from Parasha Beshalach. It is my pleasure to reprise a favorite d’var Torah from Rabbi Josh Feigelson, Eagle Scout and executive director of the Institute for Jewish Spirituality.

Dear Scouts:

The first time I remember seeing an orchestra conductor was when I was about three years old. My mom had taken me along to one of my older brothers’ band concerts, and something about the conductor just mesmerized me. For years after that, as I became a musician myself, my dream was to conduct an orchestra.

When I was 16, that dream finally came true: I had my first chance to conduct an orchestra at a summer music camp. I remember walking up to the podium, taking the baton, and stepping up in front of the 100+ other musicians. Here I was ready to fulfill my dream.

And then a doubt hit my like a ton of bricks: “What if they don’t play?” I asked myself. What if I raise up my hands and bring them down, and the musicians just sit there? The thought had never occurred to me before. But in that instant, I learned one of the most essential leadership lessons of my life: Leadership comes down to trust. And in that moment, I had to trust three things: myself, the music, and my fellow musicians. I had to take a leap of faith.

I did take that leap, and of course the orchestra responded. They didn’t want to embarrass me. They didn’t want me to fail. They wanted me to succeed, and they wanted to play the music. But I had to remind myself of that.

Trust is the first thing we learn about as Scouts. It’s the first point of the Scout Law! That’s because, as we learn so often in Scouting, trust is at the heart of leadership.

We find this lesson multiple times in Parshat Beshallach. This parsha describes the Israelites crossing the Red Sea as they flee from the Egyptians, who want to bring the Israelites back to slavery. Most famously, perhaps, we have in this parsha the story of Nachshon, the brave leader who takes the first steps into the sea, confident that God will keep God’s promise to split the sea so the Israelites can cross safely. It isn’t until Nachshon steps in—all the way up to his neck—that the sea splits. It’s as though God was waiting for a leader to show trust, andNachshon was that leader who trusted.

Similarly, after the Israelites cross the sea, they are attacked by the Amalekites. Joshua leads the people, and Moses ascends a mountaintop overlooking the battle. The Torah reports that when Moses raised his arms, the Israelites would prevail, but when he lowered them, they would lose. The Mishnah (Rosh Hashanah 3:8) asks a question on this: Could it really be that it was all about whether or not Moses raised his hands? No, answers the Mishnah: “Whenever Israel would look upward and subjugate their hearts to their Father in heaven, they would prevail; and if not, they would fail.” That is, when Israel trusted God, they would be victorious; but when they didn’t trust in God (and in each other) they would lose.

As we celebrate five years of Derech Tsofeh, this is a great lesson to carry with us. All leadership is built on our ability to trust, and to build and maintain trust with those we lead. That’s why the Scout Law begins with the word Trustworthy. Trust is the foundation from which springs all the rest of our work in Scouting and in life.

Chag sameach and Shabbat shalom,

Rabbi Josh Feigelson

Dear Scouts,

This week’s parasha, Tzav, teaches us an important lesson about continuity.

Tzav continues the Book of Leviticus’s instructions about the Kohanim (Priests) and the holy services to be conducted in the Mishkan (Tabernacle), and later the Temple. God gives us instructions about several of the offerings made in the Mishkan. The last several passages are about the week-long inauguration of the Mishkan, when the Kohanim stayed there both day and night for seven days. (Judaism’s second “lock-in” event, after the original Passover.)

The second sentence of the parasha tells us: “This is the law of the burnt-offering: It is the burnt-offering on the flame, on the Altar, all night until the morning, and the fire of the Altar should be kept aflame on it.” (Leviticus 6:2)

There are two lessons here. First, the burnt offering was to burn all night. Second, the fire on the Mizbeach (Altar) was to burn all night. The Kohanim had to place sufficient wood on the Mizbeach during the day so that the fire could burn all night. But the Kohanim did not light the fire, because the fire came from the Altar itself. (Midrash Rabbah, Tzav, Section 5). This eternal fire is linked to other fires in theMishkan, including the fire on the Incense Altar, the light in the Western Wall and the Menorah. It is also the inspiration for the Ner Tamid, the Eternal Flame that hangs in front of the Holy Ark in every synagogue and temple. And it reminds us of the candles we light to begin Shabbat, the High Holy Days and the three festivals of Sukkot, Passover, and Shavuot.

Generations of rabbis have seen these constant lights as symbols of the Jewish people’s eternal connection to God, the Torah and our Judaism. Just as the Altar generated fire for the offerings, our Torah generates the life of our people.

Next time you look at the Ner Tamid, think about all the generations of Jews who came before you centuries ago.

Then realize that, if you do your part, Jews will be looking at a Ner Tamid centuries from now.

Shabbat shalom,

Nelson Block

Dear Scouts,

This week, Parasha Vayikra teaches us all about the korbanot (offerings) that were offered in the Mishkan (Tabernacle).

The korbanot are a little hard for modern people to understand. A person who needed to atone for a sin he committed by accident would bring a kosher animal to the Mishkan. The person would rest his hands on the animal’s head (this act is called s’michah) and confess (vidui) the sins for which he wanted to atone. A priest would slaughter the animal. The kosher parts of the animal would be cooked and eaten by the priests and their families, and the other parts would be burned on the altar.

When people talk about the offerings in the Mishkan, or later in the Temple, the discussion is often just about the slaughter and burning of the animal, but that was not the most important part of the korbanot service. The most important part was when the person who was atoning for sins placed his hands on the animals head and confessed. The point of the ceremony was to help a person change his ways. Without the s’michah and vidui, the rest of the ceremony would be just a bar-b-que.

You actually do something similar to s’michah and vidui very often. At the start of the school day and at Scout meetings, you probably put your hand over your heart or give the Scout salute and say the Pledge of Allegiance. Just like s’michah and vidui you do something symbolic with your hand, and then make a statement about your intentions.

At your Scout meeting, in addition to the Pledge of Allegiance ceremony, you may also say the Scout Oath or Law. Here again, you do something symbolic – raising your hand in the Scout Sign – and then make a statement about your intention to live by Scout principles.

Of course, during your opening exercises at school or the ceremonies to open and close your troop meetings, no one cooks anything.

Notice that you sometimes participate in other ceremonies where the point is for someone to change his or her behavior. When you hurt someone, you shake hands and say “I’m sorry” with the intent that you won’t hurt them again. In synagogue or temple, when the Torah comes close to you, you kiss your fingers, or tzitzit, or siddur, and touch the Torah covering, to convey the idea that you respect the words of God contained in the Torah, meaning you will obey them.

So, maybe the ceremonies of the korbanot are not so strange after all.

Shabbat shalom,

Nelson

Dear Scouts:

This week, we close the book of Shemos (Exodus) with the double portion of Vayakhel and Pekudei. The two portions are read on separate Shabbats during a leap year in the Jewish calendar.

We end as we began, with an accounting. Shemos starts with a description of the “70 souls” who entered Egypt with Jacob. Those 70 people, the original Children of Israel (Jacob’s other name) have grown to more than a million. These descendants entrusted to Moses an enormous amount of gold, silver, jewels and fine fabrics to build the Mishkan (Tabernacle).

Moses put these materials in the hands of two very crafted artists who directed the building of the Mishkan. They were Bezalel (“In the shadow of God” – he was building the place where God’s presence, a kind of shadow, would rest) and Oholiab (“Tent of my father” – he was building a tent for his Father).

Now that the Mishkan had been completed, Moses accounted for it by describing all the things that had been made with the donated materials – the Mishkan itself, the altars and various vessels and the clothing and ceremonial vestments of the Kohen Godol (High Priest) and the other priests. He wanted to show the people all of their gifts had gone to create the Mishkan and the other things used there, and that he had not taken anything for himself.

After that, Moses gathered the Mishkan and all the vessels together, and assembled the Mishkan so the people could see it. Just as God had commanded Moses, “so did the Children of Israel perform all the labor.” (Exodus 39:43) Then Moses blessed the people.

In parasha Vayakhel, we learned of the work involved in building the Mishkan – these 39 tasks were used as the source of work we avoid on Shabbat such as shearing wool, weaving, sewing and tearing. In Hebrew this work is called melachah. But in describing the labor performed by the people to build the Mishkan, the Torah does not use the word melachah, but avodah (“service” or “worship”).

So, 70 people went into Egypt, and grew to more than a million, living as slaves for 210 years. Once freed, they gave up their wealth to build a place for God’s presence to be known. When they built it, they did not consider their efforts work, but service to God and a means of worshiping Him.

What was in it for the Children of Israel? After the Mishkan was finished, Moses installed the priests in their duties. Finally, God’s glory rested on the Mishkan which was so holy even Moses could not enter. For the rest of the wandering in the Wilderness, the Shechinah (God’s glory) rested on the Mishkan. By day it was a cloud, and at night it was fire. When the Shechinah lifted, the journey continued, and when it rested on the Mishkan, the people rested.

The people’s devoted service in building the Mishkan was rewarded by their redemption for the chet ha’egel, the sin of the golden calf. Now, they could move forward together with God toward the Land promised them by God.

Shabbat shalom,

Nelson

Dear Scouts,

In Parashat Ki Sisa this week, God commands Moses to take a census of the Israelites, with the count to be made by having every adult man pay a half-shekel. “The wealthy shall not increase and the destitute shall not decrease from half a shekel.” The money is to be used for the work of building the Mishkan (Tablernacle) and will be a remembrance before God to atone for the souls of the Israelites.

What a profound lesson. In the eyes of God, everyone is of equal importance. Where participation is required, as in the census, the measure is the same for the wealthy and the poor. Furthermore, the census is taken with half-shekels to say that a person alone is incomplete. Each of us is required to do our part, and the success of the entire community depends upon each of us.

Ki Sisa also contains the lowest moment of our Jewish history – the Sin of the Golden Calf, the Chet Ha’Egel. Forty days before, at Mount Sinai, God gave the people the Ten Commandments, then reminds the people of the commandment not to create gods of silver and gold. The people reach such a level of spirituality that they have the gift of prophecy. Then, Moses ascends the mountain and leaves Aaron and Hur in charge. God spends the next weeks teaching Moses the Torah.

While Moses is away on the mountain, the people begin to fear he will not return. They have come to rely on Moses to intercede with God, and they are afraid to be without a leader. They call upon Aaron to “Make us a god that will go before us” in place of Moses. Aaron has the people give him gold, he throws it into the fire, “and this calf emerged.” Then, about 3,000 people worshiped the idol.

Here we have another profound lesson. Sometimes, people lose faith in what they know is right. When that happens, their leaders must help them regain their faith. This can be very difficult. The Midrash (our traditional history) teaches us that Hur tried to stop the people, and they killed him. Perhaps Aaron helped create the calf because he was afraid that the people would kill him, as well. It might be that Aaron would have been successful in convincing the 3,000 idol-worshipers not to commit this sin. Maybe if Aaron had opposed the idea of an idol, the rest of the people would have supported him and stopped the 3,000. In the end, the 3,000 were killed.

These two incidents – the census and the Chet Ha’Egel – remind me that whether we are rich or poor, whether we are recognized as a leader or not, each of us has an important part to play in the community. Sometimes even our leaders can be confused about what they should do. It is up to each of us to tell our leaders what we think is right, to help them make the right decision.

Shabbat shalom,

Nelson

Dear Scouts,

I hope you are having a happy Purim. Here’s a Purim Derech Tsofeh from a few years ago – one of my favorites, written with my son Jordan.

When you heard the Megillah, did you notice that its characters exemplify the twelve points of the Scout Law?

Trustworthy – The Jewish people kept Esther’s Jewish identity a secret, as she requested, so she would not be rejected by the royal court.

Loyal – Mordechai was loyal to God by not bowing down to Haman, who wore an idol to try and force the Jews into idol worship when they bowed to him.

Helpful – Hasach, one of the King’s chamberlains, went beyond his duties to assist Esther and Mordechai exchange information about Haman’s plans against the Jews.

Friendly – Charbonah, who is remembered for good, one of the King’s chamberlains, told the King that Haman was part of a plot to kill the King and now wanted to hang Mordechai.

Courteous – King Ahaseurus did not force the guests at his banquet to drink from the large ceremonial cup, which some people did not want to do.

Kind – Hegai, the chamberlain of the royal palace of the women, was kind to Esther.

Obedient – Esther followed the advice and orders of her uncle, Mordechai.

Cheerful – Mordechai, who saves the King’s life by disclosing a plot to kill him, asks for no reward and does not complain when it comes long after his good deed.

Thrifty – Esther, in preparing to meet the King, could have had any clothing or cosmetics she wanted, but only used what Hegai, the King’s chamberlain, had suggested.

Brave – Esther, who must appear before the King without being invited and is thus subject to the death penalty, goes willingly to save the Jewish people. Knowing that her actions may bring her death, she says only, “And if I perish, I perish.”

Clean – Mordechai is a very virtuous man.

Reverent – Mordechai and Esther act out of their desire to serve God and protect the Jewish people.

Chag sameach and Shabbat shalom,

Nelson

Dear Scouts,

This week, in Parasha Terumah we receive God’s instructions regarding the building of the Mishkan (Tabernacle).

During the last two weeks, God has instructed the Israelites in the basic laws of Judaism. In Parasha Yitro, God handed down the Ten Commandments. Then, in Parasha Mishpatim God gives the basic laws of community life, regarding what damages are owed by a person who hurts someone else, or harms or loses someone else’s property, or if his animal hurts a person or his property.

Now, in Parasha Terumah, God invites the people to give precious items for building the Mishkan – gold, silver, and copper, together with beautiful wool and skins to make coverings, and wood, spices and valuable stones.

God then instructs Moses on how to construct the Mishkan with wood and beautiful fabrics, and also the altars and other items to be used in the Mishkan. These include the Ark of the Covenant to hold the two tablets on which the Ten Commandments have been inscribed, the Cover for the Ark, the Table for the Showbread (special loaves of bread), the Menorah (made from a single piece of pure gold), and the Copper Altar.

God instructed the building of the Mishkan and its sacred equipment as a Sanctuary so God could dwell among the people. God manifested the Divine Presence in the form of a cloud, called the Shechina.

The instructions to the Israelites to create a place for God to dwell remind me of another creation whose form God ordained way back in Parasha Bereishis, when God said, “Let us make man in Our image, after Our likeness.” Bereishis 1:26.

So, while God created everything in the Universe, two things were endowed with a special connection to God – the Mishkan, where God’s presence, the Shechina, rested, and each person, who was made in God’s image.

Remember this when you deal with other people. We no longer have the Temple, but we encounter God’s image whenever we see or speak to another person. Be Friendly, Courteous, and Kind.

Shabbat shalom,

Nelson

Dear Scouts,

Last week, we learned of the Aseret Hadivrot – the Ten Commandments. Hadivrot also has the root deber – speak. God gave the Ten Commandments to Israel by speaking them. Some scholars translate Aseret Hadivrot as the Ten Statements. So last week’s lesson was about God’s statements.

This week, in Parashat Mishpatim, we learn about listening to God’s statements. The parasha begins with a list of detailed laws about specific matters, such as when an ox gores someone, treatment of “slaves” (really, indentured servants), murder, accidental killing, stealing, and Jewish holidays.

After Moses read all these laws “in earshot” of the Children of Israel, they responded “Everything that God has said, we will do and we will hear.” In Hebrew, the words “we will do and we will hear” are na’aseh venishema. You’ve seen the root word of venishema before – shema, as in the prayer Shema Yisrael “Hear O’Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One.”

“We will do and we will hear” is a little confusing. It’s out of order. Usually we hear a command first, and then agree to do it.

Lord Sacks, the late Chief Rabbi of Great Britain, explains this by translating venishema as “understand”. That helps some, but usually we would still expect to understand first, before agreeing to obey.
The point of this translation is that by doing things – such as obeying God’s rules – we learn to understand them. If we understand them, we make them part of the way we live, and turn these rules into things we do naturally.

Take the Scout Law – 12 great ideas for living a good life. Though sometimes we need to be reminded to be Trustworthy, Loyal and the rest, we usually act this way most of the time. The reason we act this way is that when we were young, our parents taught us these traits day by day. Over time, we learned these lessons so well that they became part of us.

At two years old, when you learned to say “I’m sorry” if you hurt someone, you probably didn’t read it in a book. Your parents told you what to do and you listened. The same goes for saying “please” and “thank you” and giving water to a thirsty pet and opening the door for someone who needs help.

Sometimes, the lesson was taught to you not by anyone saying anything, but by them doing the thing they wanted to teach you.

Learning by doing is what we do in Scouts. You saw a picture of a Scout using an axe in the Scout Handbook and your patrol leader showed you how to do it at your first campout, but when you began chopping wood yourself, you understood how it was done. You made those axe strokes a part of what you do.

By living according to good rules – like the Torah, the Scout Promise and the Scout Law – every day, they become part of us.

Shabbat shalom,

Nelson

This week, we celebrate the start of the ninth year of Derech Tsofeh with a guest d’var Torah by Rabbi Art Vernon, Chaplain of the National Jewish Committee on Scouting.

Dear Scouts,

In this week’s Torah portion, Parashat Yitro, the Jewish people have arrived at Mt. Sinai on their way from Egypt to the land of Canaan. The Torah calls this mountain The Mountain of God.

Earlier in the Torah, Moses was told to bring the Jewish people to this place. At this special place, where God had revealed himself to Moses many years earlier, God planned to establish a special relationship with the Jewish people – a relationship that we call the Covenant. A covenant is a type of agreement in which both parties promise things to each other.

At Mt. Sinai, God promised to be the Protector and Guardian of the Jewish people and the Jewish people promised to follow the laws of the Torah. God also challenged the Jewish people to become a holy nation, a kingdom of priests. The priests were the religious leaders of the Jewish people in those days.

God really asked us to become a people that behaved in a moral and ethical manner as much as possible. If you read this portion carefully, you will discover that many things we are obligated to do as Jews are also found in the Scout Oath and Scout Law! Of course, there are also many things that are not part of the Scout Oath and Scout Law.

This Torah portion also contains a section we call the Ten Commandments, in Hebrew Aseret HaDibrot – the Ten Utterances. According to Jewish tradition, God spoke the first two commandments directly to the Jewish people, the rest of the Torah was given to Moses who taught it to the Jewish people. That is why on Shabbat we say “This is the Torah which Moses set before the Jewish people from the mouth of God through the hand of Moses”.

At Mt. Sinai, the Jewish people promised that we would teach the Torah to our children in every generation. One of the reasons the National Jewish Committee on Scouting created Maccabee, Aleph, Ner Tamid and Etz Chaim Religious Emblems is to help us adults fulfill the promise we made at Mt. Sinai!

The Commandments can be summarized as requiring faithfulness to God, honoring parents, keeping the Sabbath and respecting other people and treating them with dignity. The Ten Commandments became not only the basis of Judaism, but the basis of the Western world of which we are a part as Americans. Some people believe that the Ten Commandments are the foundation of American Law!

This Torah portion is one of the most important portions in the entire Torah. It is worth reading over and over again, not just when we come to it every year in the weekly Shabbat readings.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Art Vernon

This week’s d’var comes from Rabbi David Lyon, senior rabbi of Congregation Beth Israel, Houston, Texas (founded in 1854), in honor of the anniversaries of Troop 806 (40 years) and Pack 806 (35 years), both chartered to the Brotherhood of the Congregation. This week also marks the completion of the 8th year of Derech Tsofeh.

Dear Scouts,

Leaders are all around us. Some are strong and well-known; others are unsung heroes whose names are less familiar to us.

In Exodus, familiar leaders like Moses, Aaron, and Miriam are remembered easily and celebrated often. But an unsung hero named Nachshon needs to be celebrated, too.

Who was Nachshon? He was the first man among the Israelites who put his foot into the waters of the Reed Sea. Nachshon showed all the Israelites that God’s way was right, and that Moses was trustworthy. Nachshon put one foot and then the other into the waters and they began to part, just as Moses raised up the staff in his hands as God commanded him to do. The waters parted and the Israelites entered onto dry land to cross the sea and escape Egypt, forever.

In every generation there are people who must take the first step before others will follow. In Mishnah (Pirkei Avot 2:6), we learn, “In a place where there are no leaders, strive to be a leader.” When a leader is needed, you might be the right person for the task.

At your age, you’ve already done more than most boys and girls who haven’t hiked or camped, learned safety and survival skills, and learned the value of integrity and honor. As Scouts, you’ve earned badges on safety, conservation, citizenship, and have performed good deeds (mitzvot).

These life skills make you ready to stand up when your family, your community, and your faith need you. Who among you hasn’t heard someone ask for help or a favor? Who hasn’t anticipated someone’s help before they asked for it? Who stepped up and made a difference because it was the right thing to do? All of you are well on your way to answer these questions with confidence.

This Shabbat, we’ll open the Torah to chant Parashat Beshallach, in Exodus 15. It has a special name, the Song of the Sea (Shirat HaYam); it’s the Israelite’s victory song. It exalts God and scorns Egyptian horsemen. It asks, “Who is like You, God, among all the gods that are worshiped?” and it champions the Israelites who emerge safely and faithfully on the other side of the Reed Sea. Then Miriam picks up her timbrels and leads a dance to celebrate their freedom. The victory song was sung because of what all the people did. But it began with Nachshon.

You have a victory song to sing, too. Sometime, perhaps many years ago, a few caring adults in your community gathered together some eager young people and created your pack, troop, crew or ship. Who were the brave people who put their toes in the waters of a new unit, and formed a new group of Scouts who became friends and leaders? Perhaps you have carried on this work by asking someone to join you in Scouting.

Let’s learn from those whose names are celebrated, but let’s also learn from those whose names are unknown. Let’s honor all people who are heroes in our eyes. You can be a hero today and tomorrow, too, when you serve with honor, dignity, selflessness, faith, and mitzvot.

May you go from strength to strength.

Shabbat shalom,

Rabbi David Lyon

Dear Scouts,

Last week, we learned of seven plagues that God imposed upon the Egyptians.

This week, in parasha Bo, God brings three more plagues upon Egypt. First is swarms of locusts: “It covered the surface of the entire land and the land was darkened.” (Exodus 10:15) Next comes three days of a foggy darkness, followed by another three days of a darkness so deep you could feel it, and it kept people from rising up. Notice that it keeps getting dark in Egypt.

Before bringing forth the tenth and last plague on Egypt, God turns to the Children of Israel to prepare them for the freedom that they are about to receive. As slaves, the Israelites had no control over their time, as their days and weeks were governed by the rules of the slavemasters. As free people, they will have to learn to organize their time themselves.

So God instructs them that Nissan (the month they are in) will become the first month of the year in the new Jewish calendar. God says that on the 15th of the month, they are to eat a lamb as part of a family observance of the day God gave the people their freedom. On this first year only, the night before the family feast, they are to take the blood of the lamb and spread it on the door posts and lintel of their houses.

At midnight on the 14th, the spiritual darkness the Israelites have suffered for centuries ends, and the darkness that has been encroaching Egypt for weeks comes to its climax. God kills the firstborn of every Egyptian household and their cattle. Those of the Children of Israel who have adopted Egyptian ways over Judaism do not mark their homes with lamb’s blood also lose their firstborn; those who have shown their faith with the sign of the lamb’s blood are saved from tragedy.

The Egyptians felt the darkness of their sorrow, and “there was a great outcry in Egypt, for there was not a house where there was no corpse.” (Exodus 12:30) Pharaoh is the only Egyptian firstborn left alive. He runs through the streets looking for Moses and Aaron, and tells them to rise up with the Children of Israel and leave.

The darkness of the last three plagues is symbolic of what happened to the Egyptians. The plague of darkness blinded the Egyptians, then kept them from moving. Pharaoh and his ancestors were blind and stuck from the start. Pharaoh was blind to Egypt’s debt to Joseph for saving the land during the famine. He did not recognize the rights of others when he enslaved the Israelites. He was stuck in his hate of the Children of Israel when he tried to kill their firstborn. He was unable to see God’s power so clearly exhibited by the plagues.

The Pharaohs knew right from wrong, and when they failed to let this knowledge illuminate their actions, they brought darkness to their decisions. Just like the next-to-last plague, this darkness was so all-consuming it kept the Pharaohs from rising up and doing the right thing.

Next week we start our journey of freedom.

Shabbat shalom,

Nelson

Dear Scouts,

This week, the name of our parasha, Va’Eira – “I appeared” – sets the stage for what happens throughout the rest of the portion, one of the most eventful and dramatic in all of the Torah.

Last week, Pharaoh became angry when Moses demanded that the Israelites be allowed to leave Egypt to worship God. Pharaoh punished the Children of Israel by decreeing that, in addition to making their usual number of bricks each day, they had to collect the straw for the bricks. Moses asks why God has allowed Pharaoh to make life even worse for the Israelites since sending Moses to deliver them.

Now, our parasha opens with God explaining that this is the way everyone – both the Israelites and the Egyptians – will know God’s power. The Israelites’ work exhausted them physically and spiritually, so they were not able to understand Moses and his mission. The Egyptians worshipped idols and did not believe in God. God tells Moses “I appeared” to the Patriarchs and promised them the land of Canaan. Now, God has appeared to the Children of Israel to redeem them from slavery and take them to Canaan. God will also do this by appearing to the Egyptians in ways to make them recognize God’s power and free the Israelites.

The things God does are the plagues. God says “I shall multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt” so that Egypt will know God.

First, Moses has Aaron stretch forth his staff over the waters of Egypt and all the water – the Nile, the irrigation canals, lakes, ponds and pitchers of water in people’s houses – all turn to blood. Neither this plague nor any of the others take place in Goshen, where the Israelites live.

Pharaoh refuses to let the Israelites leave, Moses tells Aaron to stretch forth his staff, and frogs come out of all the rivers and other bodies of water.

Pharaoh continues to refuse freedom to the Israelites, Moses has Aaron stretch forth his staff, and the dust of the Earth becomes lice.

Still Pharaoh refuses, and God tells Moses to meet Pharaoh in the morning, when he goes to the Nile, and tell him that wild beasts will swarm throughout Egypt. Pharaoh does not free the Israelites, and God sends the beasts to cover Egypt.

Again God has Moses warn Pharaoh, this time that the cattle, horses, donkeys, camels and sheep of Egypt will die. Pharaoh keeps the Israelites in slavery, and the animals die.

Then God tells Moses and Aaron to take handfuls of dirt and hurl it upward in front of Pharaoh, and it became boils and blisters on every Egyptian man and beast.

God has Moses tell Pharaoh that there will be hail that will kill people, animals and crops. When Pharaoh does not listen to the warning, Moses stretches out his staff to heaven and hail mixed with fire descends on Egypt, killing everything that has not taken shelter inside.

These are the first signs and wonders by which God “appears” to the Egyptians. God’s appearance is evident by a change in nature that is so great only the Creator of Nature could cause it.

God’s way of dealing with Pharaoh teaches us a valuable lesson about our own dealings with people. We “appear” to people by our acts. It does not matter how handsome we are, or how nice our clothes look, but how we treat people that determines how they feel about us. If we do what we say we are going to do – as God did with the plagues – people learn to believe what we say. We’re Trustworthy. If we say we will do something and then break our word – as Pharaoh did by saying he would let the Israelites go and then keeping them in slavery – people quickly learned we cannot be trusted.

It will take three more plagues for Pharaoh to learn this lesson. But that’s for next week.

Shabbat shalom,

Nelson

Dear Scouts:

This week’s parasha, Shemot, is the beginning of the book of Exodus, and the start of our story of the Exodus from Egypt.

Joseph dies and a new king arises over Egypt “who did not know Joseph”. Pharaoh gradually enslaves the Jews. He is afraid the Israelites have become so numerous and strong they could become Egypt’s enemies, so he decides to kill the boys and orders the Hebrew midwives to do so. The midwives disobey, and a generation of Jewish boys is saved.

Moses is born to Amram and his wife, Jocheved. Jochaved, fearing for her baby’s life, puts him in a basket of reeds and lets if float in the river, where Pharaoh’s daughter Bithiah finds him and raises him as a prince of Egypt.

As a man, Moses kills a slavemaster who is beating an Israelite; fearing punishment, he flees Egypt. Moses goes to Midian where he meets the priest, Jethro, and marries his daughter, Zipporah. Moses encounters God at a bush that burns without being consumed, and is commanded to go to Egypt to take His people out of Egypt. With the help of his brother, Aaron, Moses begins arguing with Pharaoh for the release of the Israelites so they can go into the Wilderness and worship God. Pharaoh refuses.

Since the Israelites were numerous and strong, how did Pharaoh enslave them? At the beginning of Pharaoh’s scheme, the Torah states a new king arose who “did not know Joseph”. Some rabbis interpret this to mean that there was a new king, and others that the king made new decrees. The Egyptians imposed a labor tax, by which the Israelites were required to work building cities. To get them to comply, Pharaoh wore a brick mold around his neck and if anyone complained that he was too weak to do the work, the Egyptians pointed to Pharaoh who was also working. (Talmud, Sotah 11b) The structures were built in swampy ground, the work fell down, and the construction had to be done over and over again – this useless repetition of backbreaking work robbed the Israelites’ toil of any meaning.

The harsh physical labor for no good reason was only part of the enslavement of the Children of Israel. Following Pharaoh’s false example, they became spiritually enslaved, as well. They began to practice the immoral customs of the Egyptians.

So perhaps it was not only Pharaoh who did not know Joseph, but also the Israelites. Joseph had lived among the Egyptians but had not adopted their customs. Even his sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, who were brought up in Egypt, lived Jewish lives; because of this, we bless Jewish boys to be like them.

Just as the Jews believed the false example of Pharaoh, the Egyptian false practices appealed to the Children of Israel, and they forgot Joseph’s ways of morality which had kept them strong. Following the teachings of the Patriarchs was work that could be as morally difficult as the physical labor ordered by Pharaoh, but the goal of the teachings was to honor God by acknowledging his many blessings through prayer and acts of kindness. Living in the way that Joseph would have taught would have preserved the Israelites in a higher spiritual level.

Try it yourself. Pick any mitzvah or act of kindness that you have never done or that you do only do sometimes. Now try it (or do it once again) and see how it makes you feel better – more spiritual. A great opportunity for this will be coming up next month when we celebrate Purim. Check out the four special mitzvot for Purim at www.ou.org/holidays/purim_mitzvot/ and give them a try. Some of them, such as giving gifts to others (Shalach Monot) and giving gifts to the poor (Matanot l’Evyonim), would be great projects for your troop or patrol.

Shabbat shalom,

Nelson

Dear Scouts:

Sometimes, you just want to go home.

This week, in Parasha Vayechi, we read about the last days of Jacob. He has had a hard life, much of it spent away from his home in Canaan.

Jacob lived his early years in fear of his “evil twin” Esau, who resented Jacob for stealing his birthright. Jacob left his home to find a wife among his family in Paddan-haran. There, he worked seven years for Laban to earn the right to marry Rachel, then was tricked by being married to her sister, Leah, instead. He was allowed to also marry Rachel, but had to work for Laban another seven years. Then he worked six more years to build up his flocks enough to support his family. During the entire 20 years, his father-in-law treated him poorly and dishonestly changed his wages.

Jacob’s sons grew up and his favorite, Joseph, did not get along with his older brothers. One day, Joseph left home to check on his brothers who were tending the flocks of sheep, and he suddenly disappeared without a trace. Jacob thought Joseph was dead. After more than 20 years Jacob learned that Joseph was alive and running Egypt. To avoid the famine raging throughout the region, Jacob traveled to Egypt to live with Joseph and his other sons, but had to leave the home that God had promised to his father and grandfather.

After living to the age of 147, Jacob had one request of his son, Joseph, the powerful first minister to Pharaoh: He wanted to be buried in Canaan, in the Cave of Machpelah Abraham purchased as a last resting place for Sarah and their family. This final journey was so important to Jacob that he did more than ask Joseph to promise to do it, he asked Joseph swear to do it.

At the end of his own life, Joseph also asked that his body be returned to Israel, a request that Moses fulfilled.

We all feel the same thing. No matter what adventures we’ve had on a hike, regardless of how much fun we’ve had camping, at the end of the day, we love to go home. Scouting’s founder Lord Baden-Powell felt the same way. On his tombstone is a simple symbol – a circle with a dot in the middle. Baden-Powell Tombstone It’s the trail sign that means “I have gone home.”

Next week we begin the book of Shemos (Exodus), the story of our people’s long journey home to the Land of Israel. Join us on this important trip.

Shabbat shalom,

Nelson

Dear Scouts,

This week, in Parasha Vayigash we learn the last chapter of Joseph’s journey in Egypt.

In last week’s parasha we saw all the brothers gathered before Joseph. When the brothers were leaving from their visit to get more food, Joseph had his servant hide his silver goblet in Benjamin’s saddle bags. Once the brothers begin their journey home to Canaan, Joseph has his servant stop them and search them for the goblet. The brothers have been arrested, and Joseph is about to judge them.

Judah explains their sad situation. When they came to Egypt before to buy grain during the great famine, Joseph said the brothers could not return unless they brought Benjamin. Jacob treasures Benjamin because he and Joseph were the only sons of Jacob’s beloved Rachel, and Jacob believes Joseph is dead. Jacob would only let Benjamin go after Judah promised to look after him. Judah explains this to Joseph, who is second only to Pharaoh, and says that if the brothers do not return with Benjamin, it will kill their elderly father.

Joseph is overcome with emotion. He orders everyone but the brothers to leave the room. When he is alone with his brothers, he cries out: “I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?”

The visiting brothers cannot believe the Viceroy of Egypt is Joseph, and he convinces them by explaining all that has happened to him – a story that none but the other brothers would know. He calms their fears of revenge by explaining that he realizes it was God who put into place all that befell him so that he would be in a position to help his family during the great famine. All the brothers embrace Joseph and he embraces them. He tells them to return to Canaan to bring back their father and their families, because there are still five years of famine to survive.

All of this has been a great secret during the 22 years since Joseph was sold into slavery and sent to Egypt. According to our tradition, Joseph’s brothers proclaimed a cherem, a solemn ban, on anyone speaking of what happened to Joseph. The cherem applied even to Joseph, so he could not tell anyone how he came to be in Egypt or even send a message to his father. The cherem is difficult to understand. What makes most sense to me is Joseph obeyed it because he understood his journey – being taken to Egypt, imprisoned with Pharaoh’s chamberlains, and given the opportunity to interpret Pharaoh’s dreams – were all part of a divine plan to put Joseph in a position to save his family from the famine. Because of this, he obeyed the ban, and did not contact his father.

The last step in God’s plan is that Jacob and his family – 70 people – and their servants and flocks all enter Egypt. Pharaoh has allowed Jacob and his family to settle in the fertile land of Goshen, because they are shepherds. Since the Egyptians worship animals, they dislike cattlemen and shepherds, and settling them far away will keep them from offending the Egyptians.

So the Israelite slavery in Egypt begins. Even it has a divine purpose, but we must wait 210 years later to understand it, when we receive the Torah at Mt. Sinai.

A special note: In the weekly parashot we will study over the next few months, we will learn of our sojourn in Egypt. Ancient Egypt was a land rich in many things, but not the spiritual values of Torah. Our people will be enslaved there, and it would be natural for us to be angry about that. The people, religion and culture of ancient Egypt are very different from those of modern Egypt. Torah tells us not to reject the Egyptian, because Egypt saved us from famine. (Deuteronomy 23:8) We must not be upset with people now for things that happened in their land 3,500 years ago.

Shabbat shalom,

Nelson

Dear Scouts,

This week, in Parasha Vayigash we learn the last chapter of Joseph’s journey in Egypt.

In last week’s parasha we saw all the brothers gathered before Joseph. When the brothers were leaving from their visit to get more food, Joseph had his servant hide his silver goblet in Benjamin’s saddle bags. Once the brothers begin their journey home to Canaan, Joseph has his servant stop them and search them for the goblet. The brothers have been arrested, and Joseph is about to judge them.

Judah explains their sad situation. When they came to Egypt before to buy grain during the great famine, Joseph said the brothers could not return unless they brought Benjamin. Jacob treasures Benjamin because he and Joseph were the only sons of Jacob’s beloved Rachel, and Jacob believes Joseph is dead. Jacob would only let Benjamin go after Judah promised to look after him. Judah explains this to Joseph, who is second only to Pharaoh, and says that if the brothers do not return with Benjamin, it will kill their elderly father.

Joseph is overcome with emotion. He orders everyone but the brothers to leave the room. When he is alone with his brothers, he cries out: “I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?”

The visiting brothers cannot believe the Viceroy of Egypt is Joseph, and he convinces them by explaining all that has happened to him – a story that none but the other brothers would know. He calms their fears of revenge by explaining that he realizes it was God who put into place all that befell him so that he would be in a position to help his family during the great famine. All the brothers embrace Joseph and he embraces them. He tells them to return to Canaan to bring back their father and their families, because there are still five years of famine to survive.

All of this has been a great secret during the 22 years since Joseph was sold into slavery and sent to Egypt. According to our tradition, Joseph’s brothers proclaimed a cherem, a solemn ban, on anyone speaking of what happened to Joseph. The cherem applied even to Joseph, so he could not tell anyone how he came to be in Egypt or even send a message to his father. The cherem is difficult to understand. What makes most sense to me is Joseph obeyed it because he understood his journey – being taken to Egypt, imprisoned with Pharaoh’s chamberlains, and given the opportunity to interpret Pharaoh’s dreams – were all part of a divine plan to put Joseph in a position to save his family from the famine. Because of this, he obeyed the ban, and did not contact his father.

The last step in God’s plan is that Jacob and his family – 70 people – and their servants and flocks all enter Egypt. Pharaoh has allowed Jacob and his family to settle in the fertile land of Goshen, because they are shepherds. Since the Egyptians worship animals, they dislike cattlemen and shepherds, and settling them far away will keep them from offending the Egyptians.

So the Israelite slavery in Egypt begins. Even it has a divine purpose, but we must wait 210 years later to understand it, when we receive the Torah at Mt. Sinai.

A special note: In the weekly parashot we will study over the next few months, we will learn of our sojourn in Egypt. Ancient Egypt was a land rich in many things, but not the spiritual values of Torah. Our people will be enslaved there, and it would be natural for us to be angry about that. The people, religion and culture of ancient Egypt are very different from those of modern Egypt. Torah tells us not to reject the Egyptian, because Egypt saved us from famine. (Deuteronomy 23:8) We must not be upset with people now for things that happened in their land 3,500 years ago.

Shabbat shalom,

Nelson

Dear Scouts:

When we left Joseph last week, in Parasha Vayeishev, his brothers had sold him to a caravan of merchants on their way to Egypt. In Egypt, he was again sold, this time as a servant in the home of Pharaoh’s chief butcher, Potiphar. After a time, Potiphar was given custody of two other members of the royal household, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker, who had upset Pharaoh. Joseph served the noble prisoners.

Each of these courtiers had a dream. Joseph explained the dreams were from God, and asked about them. The chief cupbearer dreamt there was a grapevine with three branches and was bringing forth fruit, which he pressed into Pharaoh’s cup in his hand. Joseph interpreted the dream that in three days Pharaoh would restore the chief cupbearer to his post.

The chief baker then asked Joseph to interpret his dream, which was that there were three wicker baskets on his head, the top one filled with Pharaoh’s food, which birds were eating. Joseph explained that in three days Pharaoh would hang him.

Three days later, Pharaoh brought the chief cupbearer back to court, and hung the chief baker, just as Joseph had explained.

In this week’s parasha, Mikeitz, it is two years later. Pharaoh has a dream, and the chief cupbearer tells Pharaoh of Joseph, the Hebrew slave who can interpret dreams. Joseph tells Pharaoh that only God can explain the dream, and Joseph simply relates what God tells him the dream means. Pharaoh then describes the dream: He is standing by the Nile when seven fat cows emerge and graze. Then seven thin, poor cows emerge and eat the seven fat cows, but the poor cows still look thin. After that, Pharaoh sees seven strong ears of corn on a single stalk, which are then eaten by seven thin and scorched ears of corn.

Joseph explains God is telling Pharaoh there will be seven years of abundance, which will be followed by seven years of terrible famine. Joseph says Pharaoh should prepare during the seven good years by stockpiling food to last through the seven bad years. Pharaoh is so impressed the spirit of God dwells in Joseph he appoints Joseph his viceroy, to lead Egypt during the times of plenty and famine. Joseph masterfully organizes the Egyptians to preserve their excess food during the years of plenty.

The famine comes, and forces Joseph’s brothers to travel to Egypt for food. Only ten of the brothers come, leaving Benjamin, the youngest, behind. Joseph and Benjamin are the only two children of Rachel, and Joseph loves Benjamin very much. Because of Joseph’s position, the brothers arrange to see him to request help. Joseph is unsure how his brothers feel about him and how they will react to him, so he does not reveal his true identity to his brothers. Instead, he asks about their family, and inquires of their father so he can learn if Jacob is still alive. The brothers tell Joseph one brother is gone (Joseph himself) and one is at home (Benjamin). Joseph wants to see Benjamin, and tells the brothers they cannot return unless they bring Benjamin.

The brothers return to Canaan and after the food they brought is gone, tell their father they cannot return for more food unless they bring Benjamin. Jacob is afraid his beloved youngest son may not return to him, and only reluctantly permits him to go. The brothers go to Egypt, obtain food, and begin the journey back to Canaan. Joseph has his silver goblet hidden in Benjamin’s saddle bags, then sends a messenger to stop the brothers’ journey. They are brought back to Joseph, and he accuses them of theft.

This is a very mysterious story. Next week all will be revealed.

Shabbat shalom,

Nelson

Dear Scouts,

This week, in Parasha Vayeishev, we learn that having a special talent can be useful or harmful, depending on how you use it.

Joseph, one of 12 brothers, is the son of Jacob’s beloved Rachel. Jacob favors him, and even gives him a beautiful coat of many colors. His brothers, almost all of whom are older, resent Joseph for being their father’s favorite. Joseph is sometimes thoughtless in dealing with his older brothers. He tattles on them. And he misuses a gift in a way that brings him harm.

Joseph’s gift is the ability to understand dreams. The parasha tells us of two of his dreams. In one, he and his brothers are working in the wheat fields. Joseph’s wheat sheaf stands up straight, and the sheaves of his brothers gather around Joseph’s sheaf and bow down. In the second dream, the Sun and Moon (representing Jacob and Rachel) and 11 stars (representing the other sons) bow down to Joseph. The brothers mock Joseph by calling him the dreamer.

The brothers’ jealousy causes them to seize Joseph. Two of the older brothers, Reuben and Judah, keep the others from harming Joseph and try to arrange for his escape, but Midianite traders take Joseph away and sell him to Ishmaelites who take him to Egypt.

In Egypt, he is sold to a powerful official of Pharaoh’s court, Potiphar. Despite his best efforts to stay out of trouble, Potiphar’s wife accuses him of assaulting her, and Potiphar has Joseph imprisoned. In prison, Joseph meets two other court officials, the chamberlain of the cup bearers and the chamberlain of the bakers. Each of them has a dream, which Joseph is able to explain to them. He says that the cup bearer’s dream means he will be reinstated to power by Pharaoh, while the baker’s dream means Pharaoh will execute him.

The dreams come about as Joseph said they would. Next week we will see that Joseph’s gift will win him favor with Pharaoh, who also has a dream that he wants explained.

Joseph’s ability to understand dreams was quite a gift. When I dream, I usually cannot recall everything that happened, and what I do remember often does not seem to make sense. For Joseph to be able to remember everything in a dream, and then interpret it, was an important talent. So, what did Joseph do wrong with his gift?

When his dreams about his family gave him the appearance of being important, he boasted of them to his brothers. This was arrogant and angered his brothers. However, when Joseph became more mature and he explained people’s dreams, he attributed this ability to God. When the men of Pharaoh’s court asked Joseph to interpret the dreams of the chamberlains of the cup bearers and the bakers, Joseph said “Do not interpretations belong to God?”

Joseph’s dreams turned out to be true, but not because he was important. Joseph’s family bowed down to him because God’s gift impressed Pharaoh. When Joseph interpreted Pharaoh’s dream, Pharaoh told his court that Joseph has the “spirit of God”. Had the youthful Joseph understood his dreams better, he would have seen that he was not going to be powerful on his own, but because God gave him his talents, and they were to be used to help his family. Had he explained his dreams to his brothers this way, perhaps they would not have hated him.

But then, how would he have gotten to Egypt, where the rest of our story unfolds?

Shabbat shalom and happy Hannukah!

Nelson

Happy Thanksgiving! One of the things I am thankful for are my three wonderful daughters-in-law, one of whom, Jocelyn Block, has provided our d’var Torah this week.

Dear Scouts,

In last week’s parasha, Toldot, in a highly dramatic scene, Jacob steals the blessings that his father, Isaac, intended to give to his brother, Esau. This puts Jacob in life-threatening danger. As he leaves his parents’ home in Be’er Sheva (southern Israel) to go to his uncle’s house in Padan Aram/ Haran (modern-day Turkey), he is engulfed with fear.

In this week’s parasha, Vayeitze, Jacob is distraught as he leaves Be’er Sheva for Haran. His parents’ home is a holy house. A house full of mitzvot. A house containing the second matriarch and patriarch of Judaism. A house with a father, Isaac, who endured the Akeida, when his father Abraham bound him for an offering to God. A house based in kindness, devotion, and righteousness. Jacob wonders, will he ever return to that house? To his parents? Will Esau kill him before he can ever return? Will God stay with him and protect him? Was the decision to deceive his father one he will forever regret?

Lost in thought, he decides he needs to rest. He dreams of a ladder reaching up to the heavens and down to the land. Angels are going up and down the ladder. God suddenly appears, standing attentively above the situation. God promises to Jacob and to his descendants the land of Israel, that they will greatly multiply and spread out, and that everyone will be blessed through him and his descendants. Then, directly responding to Jacob’s fears, God tells him God is with him and will protect him wherever he goes, and will return him to this land. With this last set of promises, Jacob immediately wakes up.

What does his dream mean?

Jacob is stranded between two places, leaving one to travel to the other. The place he leaves is his holy parents’ house. It is the heavens to him, exactly where the ladder ascends to, with God ultimately standing above it.

The place he approaches now is the “land”, to where the ladder descends. It is a more lowly place, both physically and spiritually. It is a place far away from the Torah of his parents, from learning, from God. It is a place he doesn’t know much about other than that his uncle, Laban, lives there, and that it is also where his mother used to live. Later in the parasha, we learn Laban is a complicated character, who uses both deceit and manipulation to get what he wants.

These two approaches to life, of course, are exactly what force Jacob to leave his parents’ home in the first place! This is the “land”. Meanwhile, on the ladder, angels are ascending and descending. God stands above them all, and tells Jacob that He will be with him and protect him wherever he goes.

In this dream, Jacob’s questions are answered. He will ultimately return to the land of his parents unscathed. God will stay with him and protect him. Whether or not the decision to deceive his father was correct, he will inherit the destiny of his father and grandfather, not his brother. Jacob will learn from his decision to deceive his father, and some day will make peace with it.

Jacob awakens from the dream and creates a monument. This monument is the perfect response to God standing above and looking downwards towards him in the dream. The monument rises from the ground, directed towards God, and will be a House of God, where anything God gives to him, he will give an offering of one-tenth back in response. Jacob then takes a vow that if God accompanies him on this journey – not only back to the land he leaves now, but further, all the way back to his father’s house – Jacob will continue a relationship with God. Determined to make it work, as Jacob is leaving, he lifts his feet and walks towards the “land” in the east. He is convinced that going towards Haran, where the ladder in his dream descended, will work out. God will be with him for the whole journey.

Have you ever been on a journey, unsure about the path in front of you, or unsure about your general destination? How were you able to cope with the uncertainty? Sometimes it takes coming out of your comfort zone to grow as a person. Responding to and learning from new experiences can change you for the better. Let this Thanksgiving be a time when you think about your journeys and appreciate how much you have grown as a person, and caused other people to grow as well. Don’t think of your journeys as difficulties, but rather, as formative life experiences. Those experiences helped make you the person you are today.

Shabbat shalom!

Jocelyn Block

Dear Scouts,

In parasha Toldot, we learn of the interesting family life of Isaac and Rebecca.

Rebecca is unable to have children for many years. Isaac prays for her, and God answers by giving her twins. Esau is born first. Then Jacob comes, holding on to Esau’s heel. We will see there was a purpose in this.

Esau and Jacob’s early years are an example of how people respond differently to their environment. When they were small, they were the same. But Esau grows up to become a man of the field and a hunter. Rashi explains the Torah uses the phrase for hunter as someone who “knows trapping” meaning that he knew how to deceive people. Esau deceived Isaac to think that he was concerned with God, when he actually worshipped idols. Jacob grows up to “live in tents” which Rashi explains were the tents where Noah’s descendants Shem and Eber teach the ways of Torah.

As the firstborn, Esau will inherit the family birthright, which means the spiritual leadership of the family. Jacob knows that Esau is not fit for this task, because Esau is deceitful and worships idols. This is why Jacob was holding on to Esau’s foot when they were born, because Jacob knew that Esau would not be qualified for spiritual leadership so Jacob tried to be born first.

One day, Esau comes back from hunting and is very hungry. Jacob is making a lentil stew, and Esau asks for some. Jacob offers to give Esau some of the stew in exchange for Esau’s birthright. The birthright means so little to Esau he agrees to sell it.

Near the end of his life, Isaac wishes to bless his children. He calls for Esau to catch and cook some game with recipes he loves, and then he will bless Esau. When Rebecca was pregnant with the twins, God told her that she was carrying two nations, and that the elder would serve the younger. She knew that God’s plan was to have Jacob, the younger brother, receive the preferred blessing from their father.

Esau was very hairy and Jacob was not, so Rebecca disguised Jacob by putting goat skins on parts of his body. She then made the kind of delicacies that Isaac loved, and gave them to Jacob, who took them to Isaac. Isaac felt Jacob’s arms and they felt like Esau’s, so he blessed Jacob thinking he was Esau. The blessing was for abundance and leadership, and included “be a lord to your brothers.” Later, when Esau heard the blessing, he cried out for his own blessing, and was also blessed by Isaac.

Esau was very angry with Jacob, and said he would kill Jacob after their father died. Rebecca saw Esau’s hatred, and told Jacob to take his family and go to her birthplace in Haran, to live with her brother Laban.

The family drama has played out with some familiar themes. A righteous woman who has to wait many years to have the children she wants very much. Rivalry among brothers when the younger brother rises above the elder.

We will see the family of our Patriarchs and Matriarchs suffer through similar difficulties in the next few weeks. It all leads to the fulfillment of God’s promises.

Shabbat shalom,

Nelson

This week I write in memory of two wonderful leaders of the worldwide Jewish community who passed away during the last week:  Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, former Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth (rabbisacks.org/), and Rabbi Dovid Feinstein, celebrated teacher, scholar and authority on Jewish law (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dovid_Feinstein).

Dear Scouts:

This week’s parasha is Chayei Sarah – the life of Sarah, so called because it begins “Sarah’s lifetime was one hundred years, and twenty years, and seven years.” Rashi explains why this description of her age was used, rather than just saying 127 years. At 100 she was as free from sin as when she was 20, and at 20 she was as innocently beautiful as a 7-year-old.

After reciting her age, the parasha does not teach us anything else about Sarah. The parasha then tells how Abraham purchases the fields and cave of Machpelah from Ephron the Hittite as a burial place for her. He pays an outrageous price for this property (calculated by some to be one million shekels in silver) and, though Abraham is an experienced businessman, he does not even try to bargain.

Abraham does not want Isaac to marry a girl who has grown up in the immorality of Canaan. He prefers a wife for Isaac from his family in Ur Kasdim (in modern day Iraq), so he sends the head of his household, Eliezer, there. Eliezer is very concerned about finding the right girl, and prays for God to give him a sign for the right girl – she will show her real character by drawing water for him and his thirsty camels (camels can drink gallons and gallons of water after a long trek). The right girl – Rebecca – came and did just as Eliezer prayed.

So, why should the parasha be named for Sarah’s life? Is it just because the first sentence talks about her?

I think the entire parasha is about Sarah’s life. Why is Abraham willing to pay such an extraordinary price for Sarah’s burial place? Because she was an extraordinary woman – righteous, kind, beautiful in every way, and always thinking of others. God had promised Abraham and Sarah that they would be the parents of a great people, and the woman who would be the mother of that people deserves the best burial site.

Why is Eliezer so concerned to find the right wife for Isaac? Because he knows that Abraham and Sarah were very careful to raise Isaac to be righteous and to carry on the leadership of the people who worship God. Sarah’s righteousness was a blessing for her entire people. In her honor, her lamp burned from one Shabbat to the next, dough she made was blessed by remaining fresh from Friday to Friday, and a cloud representing the Divine Presence remained over the tent.

When Sarah died, these blessings stopped, and everyone in Abraham’s family missed Sarah and the gifts that God gave in her honor. When Eliezer brought Rebecca home to Isaac, she occupied the tent that had belonged to Sarah, and because of Rebecca’s righteousness and kindness, the blessings returned.

So even after her death, Sarah’s life continued, as an inspiration and example to her family, and on through the generations to the entire Jewish people.

Shabbat shalom,

Nelson

Dear Scouts:

This week we read parasha Vayeira. “Vayeira” means “appears” and we learn of many times that God appears to Abraham. We also learn of many times God presents Abaraham with a difficult situation to resolve, often called a trial.

The first appearance is at the beginning of the parasha where the 99-year-old Abraham is recovering from having circumcised himself and all the men in his household. Abraham’s favorite thing is welcoming guests, and he waits outside his tent in the desert heat. Knowing of Abraham’s love of this custom, God sends three travelers, in the form of malachim (spiritual beings we call angels). The malachim announce that Sarah will have a child, which she and Abraham have wanted more than anything.

Abraham feeds the malachim a fine meal, and they then leave to destroy Sodom – where Abraham’s nephew, Lot, lives with his family – because the people there are very cruel to each other. God reveals this plan to Abraham, because Abraham does charity and justice and God has promised him good things. Abraham pleads with God to save Sodom, saying it would dishonor God to destroy the righteous people with the sinners. Abraham asks God to save the city if the malachim find 50 righteous people, then 45, then 40, 30, 20 and finally, 10 – the number of a minyan. God agrees that if 10 righteous people are found, the city will be spared. But Lot is the only righteous person living in Sodom, so God destroys it.

Abraham and his household travel to Gerar. As in Egypt, Abraham fears he will be killed by those who admire Sarah’s beauty, so he introduces her as his sister. As Abraham anticipated, the king, Abimelech, takes Sarah to his palace. God comes to Abimelech in a dream and tells him he is to die because he has taken a married woman. Abimelech sends Sarah back to Abraham and they make peace.

The son the malachim promised is born – Isaac. As he grows, his half-brother Ishamael mocks him, acting out what he has been taught by his mother, Hagar, who was Sarah’s handmaiden. Sarah realizes that Hagar and Ishmael will be bad influences on Isaac, and she tells Abraham to make them leave. Abraham loves his son Ishmael, and is distressed at the thought of sending him away. God appears to Abraham again, and tells him to do as Sarah says, and that God shall also make a great nation of Ishmael, just as God will make a great nation of Isaac.

At the end of the parasha, God again appears to Abraham, and instructs Abraham to take Isaac to a mountain (which we now know as the Temple Mount in Jerusalem) and sacrifice him. Isaac is 38 years old and could easily keep his father from carrying out this commandment, but he and Abraham both obey. At the last minute, as Abraham is about to kill his beloved son, God has a malach stop the sacrifice, and Abraham substitutes a ram for Isaac. God once again appears to Abraham and promises that, because Abraham has not withheld his son from sacrifice, God will make Abraham’s descendants as numerous as the stars of the heavens and the sands of the seashore, that his descendants shall inherit the gates of their enemies, and that all the nations of the Earth shall bless themselves by his descendants.

That was the last time God appeared to Abraham. Having succeeded at ten trials God set before him, Abraham was not rewarded immediately, but by a promise of great things for his descendants – like you.

Shabbat shalom,

Nelson

This week’s d’var Torah is in memory of my father-in-law, Milton Freedman (Mendel ben Sholom) whose jarhzeit is this weekend. He was the proud grandfather of many Scouts, including five Eagles.

Dear Scouts:

This week, we read Parashat Lech Lecha, which tells us the story of the travels of Abraham and his wife, Sarah. (His name is Abram at the beginning of the parasha, and Sarah’s name is Sarai; God would change their names to Abraham and Sarah later.)

Abraham’s journeys begin when he leaves his home in Haran together with Sarah, and his nephew, Lot, to travel to Canaan. In Canaan, God promises to give the land to Abraham’s children.

There is famine in Canaan, and they move on to Egypt. Because Sarah is so beautiful, Abraham is afraid Pharaoh will kill him so Pharaoh can marry Sarah, so Abraham asks her to explain that she is Abraham’s sister. Pharaoh brings her to the palace, but his family suffers a plague, and Pharaoh realizes it is because of Sarah, so he returns her to Abraham and tells them to leave.

The family then moves to the plains of the Jordan River valley. Abraham and Lot decide to part, so that each will have room for their growing flocks of sheep. Lot chooses to stay in the plain, where the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah lie. Abraham moves back to Canaan. There is a war among kings in the area and Lot is taken captive. Abraham leads his men into battle and rescues Lot.

God speaks to Abraham, who is childless, and again promises to give Abraham the land of Canaan. To mark this covenant, Abraham performs a ceremony in which he cuts several animals in half and walks between the parts, so it is called the Covenant Between the Parts. God also tells Abraham his children will be oppressed 400 years in a land not their own and then will leave it with great wealth.

Because Sarah is childless, she has Abraham marry her servant, Hagar, to provide an heir. Hagar gives birth to Ishmael. God then tells Abraham that he and Sarah will have a child, and commands Abraham to circumcise himself and all the men in his household, as a covenant with God.

Abraham undergoes these travels and trials in 24 years, from age 75 to 99. Quite an adventure for someone that age! What can his story mean for us?

The Torah uses very unusual language when God first speaks to Abraham, saying “lech lecha from your land, and from your birthplace, and from your father’s house to the land that I will show you.” Genesis 12:1. The usual way to say this in Hebrew would be to use just the word “lech” meaning “go.” Instead, we have an additional word “lecha” which means “to you.” Why does the Torah use this extra word?

One answer is that while it looks like Abraham is going to make a long trip over land (from his birthplace in modern day Iraq to the Land of Israel), he really has to make a journey “to himself.” In order to do his duty to God, he has to do more than just leave his physical surroundings; he has to live up to his own potential for serving God. This means that even though he might move his home and his family from one end of the world to the other, he still has not fulfilled the commandment unless he makes a journey into himself, to understand his relationship to God.

The Torah’s historical stories help us learn about ourselves, the world and God. As we make our journeys in the world – “lech” – we also make a journey within ourselves to learn how to be good people and help others. In this way, we turn our physical lives into a spiritual journey and go to ourselves – “lech lecha.”

Shabbat shalom,

Nelson

I write this week in memory of my beloved mother, Ethel Poliakoff Block (Etel bat Avraham Avigdor), whose jahrzeit is next week. She was the sister, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother of many Scouts, including five Eagles, and an active supporter of Scouting.

Dear Scouts,

This week, in Parasha Noach, we read about the great Flood that covered the Earth.

You know the story well – God tires of the evil that everyone does, except for Noah and his family. God decides to send a flood to cleanse the world. God tells Noah the Flood is coming, and to Be Prepared by building a giant boat – the Ark – so he could save himself, his wife, his three sons and three daughters-in-law, together with a small number of each species of animal. From the time the rain began (it lasted for 40 days) until the land dried, the Flood lasted a year and 11 days.

Noah took 120 years to build the Ark, in order to give the people a chance to repent. When they would see Noah at work on the Ark and they asked him about it, he would explain that God is sending a flood upon the world, to encourage the people to repent. But, the people did not repent.

God’s instruction to Noah was “Make for yourself an Ark.” Rabbi Issac Abarbanel (1437-1508) explained this verse to mean that Noah had to build the Ark on his own, as a symbol of the way he acted. Although he himself acted righteously, which set a good example, he removed himself from the community. Noah told his neighbors the Flood was coming, but he should have shown them the error of their wrongdoing and tried to get them to save themselves by changing their ways for the better. Now, Noah was going to have to live in the Ark with only his family and the animals.

Scouting’s founder, Lord Baden-Powell, used to give Scouts a similar message: It is one thing to be good, but it is better to do good. We live this idea of service when we follow the Scout Slogan: Do a Good Turn Daily.

Shabbat shalom,

Nelson

Dear Scouts,

My favorite time of day is twilight, and especially so on campouts: The day’s activities are over, many hours of camping fun and accomplishments leave us with a kind of satisfying fatigue, dinner has filled us up, and we are ready for a few hours of relaxation. Nature is turning, as well: We hear the owl, the whippoorwill and the bullfrog, the last rays of the Sun fade, the Moon and stars fill the sky, and wood smoke calls us to the campfire.

This Shabbat, we read about the beginning of the world, in Parsha Bereishis. God creates the universe in six “days” (Maimonides says these are not 24-hour days, but Rashi says they are) and, on the seventh day, God rests. In the moments of the end of day and the start of night for the first Shabbat, God gave us some very special gifts.

Our Sages, in Pirke Avot (Ethics of the Fathers), tell us that in the twilight of the that first Shabbat, God placed ten miracles within nature for the benefit of our ancestors. These are unusual things, that we would not expect to see, because we are used to nature being a certain way. But God, knowing the difficulties our ancestors would encounter, created these miracles to Be Prepared to help them in their times of need:

(1) the mouth of the Earth, that would open up and swallow the rebellious Korach and his followers,

(2) the mouth of the well of Miriam, which was a rock from which water flowed that followed the Children of Israel through the Wilderness,

(3) the mouth of Balaam’s ass, which would tell Balaam (when he was riding to curse the Children of Israel on behalf of the king of Moab) that he was about to run into an angel standing in the road,

(4) the rainbow, God’s sign to Noah that God would never again flood the Earth,

(5) the manna, that fed the people in the Wilderness,

(6) the staff of Moses that he used to work signs and wonders in Egypt,

(7) the Shamir, the worm that cut stones for the construction of the Temple because no iron instrument could be used, as iron tools were used for war,

(8) the script, which was the form of Hebrew letters used to inscribe the Ten Commandments,

(9) the inscription of the words of the Ten Commandments (they were cut out and free floating within the tablets), and

(10) the stone tablets of the Ten Commandments themselves.

If you look at these ten things, you may see that each has both a physical and a spiritual aspect. For example, the rainbow is beautiful and reminds us of God’s control of nature. The staff of Moses was made of wood, but in the hands of Moses and with God’s help, it freed the Children of Israel from soul-crushing slavery. The mouth of the well and the manna not only nourished the bodies of those in the Wilderness, but also were daily reminders of God’s love for them.

So the physical thing exists to make the world of the human spirit better, and to help us Be Prepared to learn what God wants us to do. As you pass through the physical world, think about whether there is a spiritual meaning to what you encounter.

I look forward to another hike through the Torah during the coming year. Let’s go!

Shabbat shalom,

Nelson

Dear Scouts,

On Shabbat, we celebrate Shemini Atzeret, an extra holiday at the end of Sukkot. The parasha is several passages from Re’eh, Deuteronomy 14:22-16:17, which is also read on the last day of Pesach and the second day of Shavuot. It deals with several topics, including the second tithe, special laws of the seventh year (Shmittah) and the three pilgrim festivals, Pesach, Shavuot and Succot.

On Saturday night and Sunday, we celebrate Simchat Torah, when we complete reading the year’s reading of the Torah. The parasha is Vezot Haberachah, from its first words “And this is the blessing …”. The first sentence continues “… that Moses, the man of God, bestowed upon the children of Israel before his death.”

We have witnessed this scene before. As the Patriarchs prepare for death, they bless their children. In fact, many rabbis draw a comparison between Jacob’s blessings on his 12 sons, and Moses’ blessings on each of the 12 tribes that grew from those 12 sons.

The collection of commentaries on the Torah called Midrash Rabbah explains that each of the Patriarchs, in giving his children his blessings, began at the place where the prior generation’s blessings ended. Rabbi Chaim Efraim Zaitchik points out that some leaders want to leave their personal mark on history, but the best leaders seek to carry on the important work of those that came before them, just as each of the Patriarchs chose to continue his father’s and grandfather’s work of teaching humankind about God. So, too, Moses continued the tradition of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, by guiding their descendants to follow God’s mitzvot.

Are you carrying on the legacy of your parents and grandparents? What family traditions do you celebrate that bring you closer to each other, or make Shabbat or the festivals special? Is there some mitzvah your family performs in a customary way, perhaps every week by making challah, setting aside tzedakah money before Shabbat, lighting candles or saying kiddish, or maybe sometimes preparing meals for people who need them? Is there a new custom you would like to start?

Shabbat shalom and chag sameach!

Nelson

Dear Scouts:

Friday night we begin the festival of Sukkot, called in Hebrew Z’man Simchateneu, the “Season of Our Gladness”.

There are many aspects of Our Gladness:

• It is a time of harvest in Israel.
• It begins the rainy season in Israel, a generally dry land which relies on fall rains.
• We rejoice after our serious thoughts during the High Holydays about how we acted during the year and what actions merited apologies or atonement.
• We celebrate God’s protection as we journeyed through the Wilderness during the Exodus. The Talmud compares the s’chach (the natural vegetation we use to cover the succah) with the Clouds of Glory sent by God to accompany the Children of Israel. (Talmud, Succah, 11b)

One of the things we do on Sukkot is wave the Arba Minim, the bundle of “Four Species” of plants. There are many interpretations of what the Four Species represent, including God’s kingship over mankind. The interpretation that is a source of gladness for me is that the Four Species represent four types of Jews:

• The etrog (a fruit that looks like a large lemon) smells and tastes good – it represents a Jew who knows Torah and performs good deeds.
• The lulav (a straight date palm branch) has a fruit with taste but no smell – it represents a Jew who knows Torah but who has not been performing good deeds.
• The hadas (a branch of a myrtle tree) smells good but has no taste – it represents the Jew who has performed good deeds but does not know Torah.
• The aravah (a branch of a willow tree) has neither a good aroma nor any taste – it represents the Jew who does not know Torah and has not performed good deeds but still clings to the Jewish people.

The Four Species according to this interpretation represent the effort of the Jewish people to include each other in their community. Together, the people complement each other and make up for each other’s weaknesses.

Shabbat shalom, and have a wonderful Sukkot.

Nelson

Thanks for the description of the Four Species found Vayikra Rabbah 30:11 to Rabbi Dr. Ari Z. Zivotofsky of Bar Ilan University, at https://jewishaction.com/religion/jewish-law/whats-truth-arba-minim/

This week, I study in memory of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who died last Shabbat. Justice Ginsburg was a beloved figure in the American justice system, having been a champion of civil rights. She was the second woman ever appointed to the United States Supreme Court. May her memory be a blessing.

This Shabbat, the parasha is Haazinu, in which Moses sings a song about God’s greatness, what God has done for Israel, what will happen if Israel deserts God, and how God will finally redeem Israel.

Sunday night and Monday are Yom Kippur, when we seek forgiveness for things we have done that were wrong. Once again, I present a d’var Torah by Eagle Scout Jordan Block, rabbinic student at Yeshiva Ohr Someyach in Jerusalem.

Dear Scouts:

Yom Kippur is coming. We’re currently in the special time between Rosh Hashonah and Yom Kippur called the Ten Days of “Repentance” – this is an approximation of the Hebrew word t’shuvah. These days are designated to get forgiveness from other people and to forgive them as part of the process of getting forgiveness from God. Someone once asked me a fascinating question: “What responsibility do I have to forgive someone who asks for forgiveness? What if their request isn’t satisfying or if my forgiveness isn’t genuine?”

Maimonides says that if one person wrongs another, the wrongdoer has to compensate and appease the wronged person. If the wronged person refuses to be appeased and doesn’t forgive, the wrongdoer has to come back and ask again with friends of the wronged person, even a second and third time. If the wronged person refuses to be appeased entirely and will not forgive, she becomes the sinner, and the wrongdoer has no more sin. Maimonides goes on to say it is forbidden to be obdurate (hardhearted) and not allow yourself to be appeased. You should forgive sincerely and willingly even if you were greatly troubled and hurt.

You should expect a sincere apology. Forgiveness is difficult in many situations and sometimes even impossible. However, it is greatly to your benefit and to his benefit to forgive someone. Therefore, it makes sense to do whatever you can to forgive someone. When she asks insincerely, you might say, “I want to forgive you, but it’s hard because …” and hopefully you can help her understand how you feel. That way, she can sympathize or empathize and come to ask sincerely.

It’s very important to forgive sincerely, because if one doesn’t it leaves a tear in the fabric of reality called an averah. Basically, a piece of the world was destroyed, and the two parties have a chance to repair it together. If they don’t, God will want an answer as to why they didn’t repair the world. If the wrongdoer didn’t ask sincerely, it’s her responsibility, and if the wronged didn’t forgive, it’s her responsibility. Furthermore, it seems bigger for the wronged person. If she forgives, she can fix something she didn’t even break and get credit for that, but if she doesn’t forgive, she not only misses that opportunity, but she breaks something else, and she’ll have to answer for both of those.

Finally, what can such a person do on Yom Kippur? God treats us with midah k’neged midah, measure for measure. If the wronged person who has not forgiven later asks God for forgiveness, why should she deserve it? God may say, “Forgiveness? What does forgiveness have to do with you? You don’t forgive. I should forgive you?”

So, too, with someone who forgives even without a good reason, God can forgive with no good reason. In fact, God taught us a formula to ask for Divine forgiveness, with the beautiful prayer we chant when we take out the Torah on the Festivals, called the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy: “Hashem, Hashem, El Rachum V’chanun … ” – “Hashem, Hashem, God, Compassionate and Gracious, Slow to anger, and Abundant in Kindness and Truth, Preserver of kindness for thousands of generations. Forgiver of iniquity, willful sin, and error, and Who cleanses.” (Exodus 24:6-7). God taught Moses this prayer after the Children of Israel worshipped the Golden Calf, only six weeks after God gave the Ten Commandments.

Even if it’s hard, you should try to do as God does for humankind, and forgive.

Shabbat shalom and Gmar Chatimah Tovah (May You Be Inscribed – in the Book of Life – for Good),

Jordan

Dear Scouts:

This weekend, on Shabbat and Sunday, we will celebrate Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year.

In these days of COVID-19, we will celebrate somewhat differently than usual. We will gather with our families, but perhaps with fewer members of our extended family. Many synagogues and temples are having services with special arrangements to insure everyone can be safely distanced from each other. Many people will participate in virtual services online, or conduct their own services at home.

These ways of conducting our Rosh Hashanah celebrations seem odd, and are very new.

But then, perhaps the celebration of the NEW year might be a good time to try something new.

The rabbis of the Talmud taught that many new things occurred on Rosh Hashanah: God created Adam and Eve; both Abraham and Jacob were born; God commanded that three women who had been longing for children but were unable to have them would, indeed, have children – Sarah, Rachel and Hannah (whose son became the prophet Samuel); Joseph was released from prison in Egypt; and the enslaved Children of Israel stopped their work for the Egyptian masters. (Rosh Hashanah 10b-11a)

As you see, we have a history of new things for Rosh Hashanah. The things we will do on Rosh Hashanah that are different this year give us a chance to compare how we have celebrated the new year in the past. Perhaps these will give you an idea for other changes.

Did you miss not being with your cousins at lunch after services? Make a plan to get together when all the social distancing is over.

Did you remember the elderly man at temple who gives you candy for a sweet year, but who did not come because he has health issues? Give him a call.

Think about the year between last Rosh Hashanah and this one. Were there things that bothered you – perhaps the way you were treated, or the way you treated someone? Is there something you would like to change about that relationship?

Rosh Hashanah is a time to remember things in our life can be new – they can be different. Be Prepared to see things in a new way, and to change to make things better for yourself and others.

Shabbat shalom and Shanah Tovah! Happy New Year!

Nelson

(The discussion of new things that occurred on Rosh Hashanah is from Rabbi Nosson Scherman’s “Overview” in the Artscroll Machzor – Rosh Hashanah.)

Dear Scouts:

I love it when we can mix a merit badge skill with Judaism, and that’s exactly what we see in the beginning of Parashat Ki Tavo.

Here, God gives us the mitzvah of offering the Bikkurim (“first fruits”) – the newly ripe fruits of our crops were taken to the Temple and sacrificed in gratitude to God for giving us the Land of Israel.

In the parasha (Deuteronomy 26: 2) we read “You shall take some of the first of every fruit of the ground that you gather from the Land that the Lord, your God, gives you, and you shall put it in a basket and go to the place that the Lord, your God, will choose for His Name to rest [the Temple].”

Wealthy people would bring their first fruits in a basket plated in gold or silver, and after the Kohen took the fruits, the basket would be given back to the person.

Those who were not wealthy would weave their own basket out of reeds. When they gave the Kohen their basket of fruits, the Kohen would keep the basket because it had been specially made for the holy gift, and the basket became part of the offering.

Such a container might be the same kind of simple vessel you would make for Basketry Merit Badge. Who would think something so basic as a reed basket could have a holy purpose?

Maybe other simple things can become holy by the way we do things. Every time we do something with another person, we offer them our fruits – our personality – presented in a basket of our own making. Perhaps the things we say and the way we treat people each day can be an offering of thanks for the many gifts God has given us.

Something to think about as we approach Rosh Hashonah.

Shabbat shalom,

Nelson

This week I study in the hope of a complete recovery from the devastation of Hurricane Laura in Louisiana and Texas, and the fires in California.

Dear Scouts:

This week, we read Parashat Ki Seitzei. This portion instructs the Children of Israel for many situations they will find ki seitzei, “when you go out.”

The first sentence talks about a soldier who encounters a beautiful woman when he goes out to war. There are instructions for what to do when one goes out into the world and encounters a rebellious son, or a lost animal, or a beast of burden that has fallen, or a nest with a mother bird and her young.

One of these instructions could be right out of the Boy Scout Handbook: “You shall have a shovel in addition to your weapons, and it will be that when you sit outside, you shall dig with it; you shall go back and cover your leavings.”

When we’re camping, we’re supposed to build a latrine away from the campsite. Of course, this instruction serves to keep the campsite clean and sanitary. Deuteronomy 23:14.

Perhaps the instruction also works in other ways. When we “go out” we generally encounter other people, and we also leave things. We leave our words, our facial expressions, our body language and our acts.

Usually the things we leave are positive – a cheerful greeting, a word of encouragement, a good deed. If the things we leave are not good, we need to “go back and cover our leavings.” We have tools to clean them up, just like the camper’s shovel. These tools are our smile, our kind words, our look of sincerity, our expressions of apology, and our acts to correct whatever we did wrong.

In the next few weeks, as we prepare to begin a new year on Rosh Hashonah and to ask forgiveness on Yom Kippur, think about the tools you have if your encounters with other people leave them with something unpleasant and how you can go back and clean up what you’ve left.

Shabbat shalom,

Nelson

This week, I study with a prayer the terrible fires in California will end soon.

Dear Scouts:

This week, in parasha Shoftim, Moses teaches the Children of Israel about law and leadership.

There are laws about avoiding the practices of idol worshipers, such as creating “sacred” trees and pillars, laws about avoiding false prophets, appointing a king, and setting aside tithes to provide a living for the priests who will not have an inheritance of land. He describes the three cities of refuge where a person who has accidentally killed someone can live safely without being pursued by the victim’s relatives, and the punishment of someone who kills a person on purpose. Moses explains the laws of warfare, including how the Israelites are to offer peace to a city before besieging it.

The opening sentence of the parasha has a very important lesson for us: “Judges and officers shall you appoint in all your gates (sharecha).” Rashi and most other authorities interpret the word sharecha not as “gates” but as “cities”. One explanation is that the leaders of each community met at the gates of their city to be close to the people and available to judge their disputes, so the “gates” refers to the place where the leaders and judges met in each city.

Using the interpretation of sharecha as “gates” the Siftei Kohen (Shabbatai ben Meir Kohen, 1621-1663) offered an interpretation that suggests the mitzvah is also directed at every person. He pointed out that our body is like a city with seven gates – two eyes, two ears, two nostrils and a mouth. This interpretation means that every person should have internal judges for what he or she sees, hears and speaks.

Our internal judges should try to sympathetically understand everything we see and hear, and counsel us to speak with respect and compassion.

Shabbat shalom,

Nelson

Dear Scouts,

In Parasha Re’eh, as Moses continues to prepare the Children of Israel to enter Canaan, a number of important aspects of daily life go from formality and ritual to very basic rules.

During their time in the Wilderness, the Israelites received detailed instructions about the Mishkan (Tabernacle), the construction of its beautiful hangings and vessels and how the tribes were to camp around it. God gave them many rules on the animals, grain and oil that were to be offered as part of the service in the Mishkan and the manner in which the sacrifices were to be made. The people learned of the special tasks of the Kohanim and Levi’im in transporting the Mishkan, erecting and dismantling it, and conducting the holy services there to honor God.

Now, as they are about to enter their Land, the Israelites learn how the holy fits with the everyday.

While in the Wilderness, the only meat that the people consumed came from the offerings at the Mishkan. Now God tells them when they enter the Land, they can eat meat wherever they dwell. (The laws of kashrut, explaining how meat is made kosher, were given to Moses separately.)

On their journey, all worship was done through the services at the Mishkan. As the people enter and settle the Land, they will be permitted to worship by making offerings at individual altars until God settles the Mishkan at a definite place. (The history of this law is very interesting. For 14 years as the Land was settled, private altars were permitted. Then the Mishkan was located in the city of Shiloh, and private altars were forbidden for 369 years. During a period of unrest lasting 57 years, the Mishkan was located at the cities of Nov and Givon, but individual altars were permitted. When King David captured Jerusalem and settled the Mishkan there (and later built the First Temple), private altars were never again permitted, even after the destruction of the First and Second Temples.)

During the 40 years of wandering, the people often experienced prophecy from Moses and certain elders – and even from the non-Jewish prophet Balaam. Prophecy would become less frequent once they enter the Land, and God warns the people about following false prophets. Even if a person had performed a sign or wonder, correctly foretelling the future, if he suggests that the people follow a false god, he is not a prophet and the people should not follow him. On a larger scale, if someone – even a close relative – says that you should follow another god, he must be punished. And if an entire city follows such men to worship false gods, the entire city must be punished.

With instructions such as these, God is preparing the people for life when they are not all together under the leadership of great people like Moses, Aaron, Miriam, Joshua, Caleb and others. They must learn how to recognize what is holy and proper on their own –  just as we have to do when we are away from parents, teachers and Scout leaders.

Shabbat shalom,

Nelson

The outline of when private altars were permitted comes from Rabbi Shmuel Goldin’s book, Unlocking the Torah Text: Devarim.

Dear Scouts,

This week, in Parasha Eikev, Moses continues his review of certain important commandments given earlier in the Torah. He emphasizes all that God has done for the Children of Israel in bringing them out of Egypt using signs and wonders, and safeguarding them on their journey to the land promised to the Patriarchs.

Moses tells the people that if they will keep the mitzvot, God will multiply their numbers, and give them cattle, flocks, grain, wine and oil. He tells them not to be afraid of the peoples living in Canaan, and God will help them settle the Land.

He warns the people they must not become convinced of their own importance and forget their material success was not due only to their hard work, but is a gift from God. When the people think, “My strength and the might of my hand made me all this wealth” then the people will remember that it was God who gave them the strength to make the wealth, to fulfill the promise God made to the Patriarchs.

As we go hiking or camping this fall, we will have many chances to appreciate God’s gifts. In the outdoors and close to nature, we sense more clearly God’s influence on our lives – the beautiful landscapes, the weather (whether pleasant or challenging), the calm of morning and evening, the beauty of the night sky, the sweet smell of a light rain, the chirping of birds – all created by God.

Our ability to make ourselves comfortable in God’s great outdoors is another gift. Our intelligence, creativity, good sense, strength, senses of sight, smell, hearing, touch and taste – all are divine presents for us to use every day.

So enjoy yourself out on the trail and the many gifts from the Great Master of All Scouts.

Shabbat shalom,

Nelson

Dear Scouts,

Imagine you and your patrol buddies sitting around your last campfire after a week of backpacking. You talk about the places you saw, and the things that happened there.  How Jeremy fell into the creek when he was filling his canteen with water. The scurry to find shelter in the meadow when a lightning storm struck. The beautiful view you had from the top of the mountain.  And now, after your long trail and many adventures, you are ready to go home.

That’s what happens in the second of this week’s double parashot, Mattos and Masei. In Masei (journeys) God reminds us of the 42 encampments the Children of Israel had during the years in the Wilderness (Midbar). From place to place, we retrace our ancestors’ route from Egypt to Israel.

In some places, bad things happened: Kivrot Hattavah (the “graves of craving”), where people complained about the lack of meat, and God sent great flocks of birds on which those who complained gorged themselves and died. Rismah where the Meraglim (spies) were sent from, and brought back an evil report (except for Caleb and Joshua) which caused God to decree that the Israelites would wander in the Midbar until the adult generation died, so it would not enter the Land.

In many places good things came to the Israelites: At Marah, God performed a miracle by causing the bitter water to turn sweet, and taught them about Shabbat. (Rashi to Exodus 15:25) After learning Torah, the people traveled to Elim where they were rewarded with 12 springs of water and 70 date trees.

We learn things by having experiences (like to balance yourself while drawing water from a creek or to Be Prepared to find shelter when the skies look dark). We learn even more when we review our experiences and talk about what we did, what we did well, and how we could have improved the things that did not go well.

This week, the 2021 National Scout Jamboree was canceled, to make sure we do not put Scouts and leaders at risk because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Several Jewish Scout leaders began chatting on the J-Scouts listserve about their many jamboree experiences, and the fun they had. In addition to helping everyone feel better about some disappointing news, the stories reminded us all of the fun and excitement of big Scout events. The discussion encouraged us to plan for such events when we can all get together in person for Scouting activities. We started thinking about fun things to do.

Talk to your buddies or your parents about some recent campouts, hikes, vacations or other experiences and what you learned. See if, by talking about it with others, you learn some new things and plan for great things to come.

Shabbat shalom,

Nelson