Av 4, 5783 - July 21-22, 2023
Parashat Devarim (Shabbat Chazon)
Torah: Deuteronomy 1:1 – 3:22
Third Haftarah of Rebuke: Isaiah 1:1-27
Tisha B’Av (Av 9 - Thursday, July 27) reading: Megillat Eikhah –
The Book of Lamentations
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This Shabbat is Shabbat Chazon, the Shabbat of Vision,
so-called because we read on Shabbat morning the rebuking vision of Isaiah and
then the horrifying vision of the Book of Lamentations (Megillat Eikhah)
on Tisha B’Av itself. Tisha B'Av, the Ninth of Av, commemorates the
destruction of the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem, and numerous other
calamities which have befallen the Jewish people on the same date. Have a
meaningful fast.
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This d'var torah is offered in memory of Sarah Labovitz Flom (my
grandmother) and Martha Gottschalk Stern (Lynn's grandmother), whose yahrzeits fall
Friday, July 28 (10 Av), and Sunday, July 30 (12 Av), respectively. Their
memories are a blessing.
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This d'var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah for Chanah
Bella bat Kreina and Devorah bat Feigel.
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Lunch and Learn meets Mondays (note the day change) at 12:30 PM on Zoom and Facebook
Live. We're continuing to read and discuss the Midrashic
collection Ein Ya'akov. On Monday, July 24, we'll be at BT Shabbat 96(b), page 175 of Ein Ya'akov
(Glick edition) Volume 1 - "תנו רבנן מקושש זה צלפחד" - " Our Rabbis taught: The
wood-gatherer was Zelaphehad…”
Ein Ya'akov (Glick edition) is available for on-line reading or as a
downloadable PDF at: https://hebrewbooks.org/9630
A pointed Hebrew text version with different pagination
is available at Sefaria:
https://www.sefaria.org/Ein_Yaakov?tab=contents
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Check out our wonderful community, and get lots of info
about our various programs and becoming a Member at: https://bnaihayim.org/
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Rabbi Van Leeuwen has a blog which you should read
at:
https://rebjasonblog.wordpress.com/blog/
Please feel free to pass this on to a friend, and
please cite the source.
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GOING
IT ALONE IS NOT THE WAY TO GO
"?איכה
אשא לבדי, טרחכם ומשאכם וריבכם"
(Moses asks) “How can I bear this alone, your troubles, and your burdens, and
your strife?” (Deuteronomy 1:12)
Moses Speaks to the Israelites (19th century
engraving by Henri Félix Emmanuel Philippoteaux)
The
first word in the verse is “eikhah” – how – and it is also the Hebrew
name of the Book of Lamentations. Rabbi Yosef
Yozel Horowitz (aka Der Alter of Novardok – 1847-1919)
comments: “Traditionally, this verse is read to the melody of Eikhah. This
teaches us that if a person refuses to assume the responsibility for communal
needs and thinks that by doing so he makes things easier for himself, he will
in the end find out that matters will be worse for him, and he will remain
alone and isolated – How (eikhah) can one dwell alone?”
Rabbi Horowitz is making an additional reference here to the sad opening verse
of Eikhah – “How she sits alone, the city (Jerusalem) that was
full of people!”
Even more important to me is that he brings to mind three well-known and
valuable teachings from our tradition: 1. “If I am not for myself, who will be
for me? But if I am only for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?” (Hillel,
Avot 1:14); 2. “Do not separate yourself from the community, and do not trust
in yourself until the day of your death.” (Hillel, Avot 2:5); and, 3. “Every
Jew is responsible toward each other.” (BT Shavuot 39a).
Judaism is a communal religion. I’m not referring simply to the requirement of
a minyan for certain parts of the worship service. The truth is, no observance
of Shabbat or festivals or life cycle events, joyful or sad, can be spiritually
fulfilling or meaningful if conducted in the vacuum of loneliness. Even if one
believes that they can go it alone, they risk increasing their isolation and
despair. Additionally, they are depriving the community of the opportunity (and
obligation) to take part in such observance.
If you are not associated with a synagogue or other Jewish community, find one
that fits your needs and join. Take part in communal activities, and contribute
your time and financial resources to sustaining and improving the community to
the best of your ability.
A Hasidic story - Two people happen upon each other
in the forest. Both are lost. Says one, "The way I have come is not the
way out." The other replies, "Nor is the way I have come. Perhaps if
we search together, we will find the way." And away they go, together.
That’s it – that’s the story! Do
they find the way? I don't know. At least they are joined in common cause,
unafraid of each other, helping each other, and not stumbling blindly in the
dark.
Do not sit alone – and do not let others sit alone. We need each other.
Have a meaningful fast on Tisha B’Av. Shabbat Shalom.
Rabbi
Richard A. Flom
Rabbi
Emeritus - Temple B'nai Hayim
.הַלּוֹמֵד
מִכָּל אָדָם ?אֵיזֶהוּ חָכָם
Who
is wise? The one who learns from every person.
Ben
Zoma - Pirkei Avot 4:1
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