Torat Moishe - Moishe's Torah

Don’t Just Do Jewish!

noreply@blogger.com (Zvi Bellin, Ph.D.) — Mon, 28 Jul 2014 15:50:00 +0000

Shabbat Dvarim (Chazon)

Dvarim 1:1 – 3:22

6 Av 5774 / August 1 - 2, 2014

Don’t Just Do Jewish!

by Zvi Bellin, MHHQ

After each Torah portion, a section of the Prophets is also read, called the Haftorah. During the Three Weeks (leading up to Tisha B’Av, August 5th) we read specific writings that fit into the themes of despair and punishment. This Shabbat, connected to Parshat Dvarim, we read a famous Haftorah that begins with the words, “Chazon Yishiyahu,” (The vision of Isaiah). Thus, this Shabbat, the week before Tisha B’Av, is called Shabbat Chazon, the Sabbath of Vision.

Isaiah’s words take us to the final hour. The moral and ethical level of the Jewish people has fallen beyond repair and the only solution is exile. The Holy Land (and God too) will not tolerate inhabitants that offer

meaningless sacrifices, judge without righteousness, and ignore the poor and needy. I find it very wise that as we read the opening section to Moshe’s farewell address in Dvarim, we also read about the shortcoming

of our community several generations later. Moshe’s speech is given at the boundary of the Land of Israel. He reviews some of the challenges that were had on the way to the Promised Land. Finally, the Israelites

can actualize their dream. The promise to Abraham will become manifest! And in a blink of an eye, we read Isaiah’s admonishment,

“Woe! O sinful nation, people weighed down with iniquity, offspring of evil, destructive children.” (1:4).

Isaiah reminds the people, both our ancestors and us, about what is truly important. He pleads, “Learn to do good, seek justice, strengthen the victim, do justice for the orphan, take up the cause of the widow.” What good is “doing Jewish” if the world around us is not getting any better. Kashrut, Shabbat, and Torah study are not practices that will inherently improve our communities. They are some of the Jewish tools

that have the potential for transformation. The key though is our own intention and how the world is impacted as a result of our engagement with Judaism.

I often hear and think about this question: So, why be Jewish? You can transform the world as a Buddhist or an atheist. Does it add anything if we do things in a “Jewish way”?

No one should have a really perfect answer to this question, because we should never seek to completely invalidate one life path over another. My “work-in-progress” answer is that having a foundation story to

connect with adds a tremendous amount of meaning to our engagement with the world. Our Jewish story fuels our passions, it frames our exploration of certain values and beliefs, and it creates an intimate

bond in a sometimes lonely and empty universe. Living a Jewish life enables you to access the specific tools of transformation that are inherent in Jewish practice. As you wrestle to find your own authentic expression of Shabbat and Kashrut, for example, how does this process impact you? To me, this is a question that is worth living into - a question that helps to shape our vision of a world we want to live in.

Have a beautiful week and a meaningful Shabbat.

Zvi

Do We Need Destruction?

noreply@blogger.com (Zvi Bellin, Ph.D.) — Mon, 21 Jul 2014 16:31:00 +0000

Shabbat Masei
Bamidbar 33:1-36:13
28 Tamuz 5774 / July 26 – 27, 2014

Do We Need Destruction?

by Zvi Bellin, Director of Jewish Education and Pastoral Counseling

In this week’s portion, Parshat Masei (Journeys) we are given a recap of a variety of stops made on the way from Egypt to Palestine. Finally, the time has arrived for the Jewish people to end their lives as nomads and become land owners. One problem: Palestine is not an empty land. It is inhabited by people from a variety of nations and in Chapter 33, verses 50-53, the Israelites are instructed to not only take the land of the people dwelling there but to “drive them out,” and “destroy all their prostration stones; all their molten images shall you destroy; all their high places you shall demolish.”

Reading these verses resonates sadly with the situation in Israel and Gaza today, and with the Jewish time period we are now in, called the Three Weeks. It is the time between two fast days that mark the destruction of the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem. The first day is the 17th of Tamuz when the walls of the Temple were breached and the second day is the 9th of Ave, the actual day the Temples were destroyed.

The destruction of the Temples brought a lot of change to the Jewish people and not all of it was bad. We have stopped killing animals for our worship and have become a book-based faith, able to survive anywhere. I wonder about how destruction is sometimes necessary in order for new ideas and understandings to bloom.

In my community I hear a lot about taking the “Buddhist approach” to a situation. Accept change and give up the pain of holding on to something that you will eventually lose anyway. I definitely see the value in this philosophy and with many things try to practice it. The problem though is when we try to judge others through that lens. It is easy to say that the Jews living in the Old City of Jerusalem should have just accepted that life as they knew it was over and a new model was needed. They could have opened the city gates and surrendered – perhaps saving many lives and the Temple itself. Obviously, this is a very difficult statement to make. How can we point back at the past and purport to know what should have been done? How do we really know if things would have turned out better?

The people of Israel is charged with a responsibility to Wrestle with God (the literal translation of Yisra-El). During these Three Weeks I think it is important to wrestle with the following question: What convictions do we want to hold on to, even in the face of destruction? Let’s take this contemplative period of our calendar to consider what are the beliefs about our selves, our community, and God that are really worth risking it all for. And similarly what convictions might we be fighting for that are no longer relevant or helpful.

The Danger in Promises

noreply@blogger.com (Zvi Bellin, Ph.D.) — Mon, 14 Jul 2014 15:03:00 +0000

Shabbat Matot
Bamidbar 30:2-32:42

21 Tamuz 5774 / July 18 – 19, 2014

The Danger in Promises

by Shifra Mince, MH Park Slope

This week's Torah portion is the second to last in the book of Bamidbar, or Numbers. This book basically chronicles the Israelites wandering through the desert and so the penultimate chapter of the book is describing the ending of that journey. After 40 years of wandering the desert, the Israelites are pretty close now to entering the Land of Israel.

One of the most prominent themes of this week's portion is promises. The portion begins with a list of rules about taking vows. The Torah says, "When a man vows a vow to God, or swears an oath to bind his soul with a bond, he shall not break his word; he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth."

We are being reminded that our speech has power and that if we make a vow to do or not do something, that vow is truly binding. In fact, this issue is so serious that the famous Kol Nidre prayer that we say on Yom Kippur is all about cancelling the vows of the previous year.

For example, if someone vowed to never eat chocolate, that vow is taken pretty seriously. They can only annul that vow on Yom Kippur when all vows are annulled. It is for this reason that observant Jews will sometimes refrain from saying "I swear." There is a sense that making such a binding agreement, even if its just a verbal agreement, has some real-world power. Not following through may have serious consequences.

Right after listing the rules about making vows, the Torah tells us a story of a promise. Two tribes, Reuven and Gad, decide they would rather stay on the eastern bank of the Jordan river and not live on the western side with the rest of the Jewish people. Moshe tells them that in order to do this they must promise to fight for and conquer the rest of the land with the rest of the Israelites. They agree. They promise to help with the fight and only after its done return to their homes on the east side of the river.

What is going on here? Why does the Torah specifically tell us very serious rules about making promises and then tell us a story about a big promise being made. Is the Torah warning us about making promises? Is it telling us that we can't generally follow through with them and so its better not to make them at all? Is it simply showing us an example of a promise in order to illustrate the importance of following through with one's word?

Perhaps the whole idea of a promise is pointing at an even larger promise that is setting the entire stage of this story: the promise of the Land of Israel to the Jewish people. The Jewish people have been wandering through the desert because God promised the Land of Israel to Abraham. But there are consequences, dirty consequences to that promise. We see just how violent the people have to become in order to conquer the land. It’s not simple. 400 years after God's promise to Abraham, the landscape of Israel seems to have changed.

This portion seems to be inviting us to explore both sides of promise-making. What is it like to just say a promise and then "flake out" and not follow through? Well, you hurt people. But what are the consequences of making a promise AND following through, as God is doing by bringing the people into Israel? Maybe this kind of promise is ALSO dangerous. Emotions run high because this land has been promised to them, even though they don't currently live there. Then they have to violently conquer the land.

With tensions in Israel rising, I would like to invite everyone to take a moment and think about promises in our lives. Beyond just reflecting on the power of speech, you might notice the promises others have made to you that you are still holding onto. Are those healthy visions/dreams for the future? Or are you just holding onto something because it was promised long ago? Maybe take a moment to allow the message of this week's portion to sink in. Promises are powerful and dangerous and must be taken seriously. But even more so, being promised something can be dangerous because it allows us to act from a past point of view rather than a present or forward looking point of view.

May this Shabbat bring us each greater inner peace and bring the world closer to global peace.

Awesome G-D Cast video, on topic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lLeUQ-V1J8

Stained Righteousness

noreply@blogger.com (Zvi Bellin, Ph.D.) — Mon, 07 Jul 2014 22:28:00 +0000

Parshat Pichas

Bamidbar 25:10 - 30:1

14 Tammuz 5774 / July 11 – 12, 2014

Stained Righteousness

by Zvi Bellin, MHHQ

This week’s parsha is complicated for me. It begins with Pinchas (Aaron’s grandson) who after killing an Israelite man and a Midianite woman in the midst of coitus, is rewarded by God with the eternal gift of priesthood. The back story is that the Israelites meet the Midianites on the way to Canaan and the Midianite women lure the Israelite men into a bit of a sex party. Pinchas’ bloody action, as you might guess, breaks up the fun. The fact that violence is commended and rewarded so highly does not compute in my brain and my reaction is, NOPE – I don’t get it.

The text states, in last week’s portion, that as the couple were publicly having sex, there was a plague occurring where other Israelites were dropping like flies. This plague claimed 24,000 lives and after Pinchas’ act of zealotry, people stopped dying. This leads me to believe that there was more at stake here than inter-religious baby making. The Israelites were under a spiritual and/or cultural attack. This was no meeting of two peaceful cultures for the sake of expanding wisdom. The Israelites were vulnerable and ungrounded, and if the charge led by this Israelite man would have succeeded, our history might have ended there. Pinchas killed two and saved thousands, and generations to come.

This ultimately does not satisfy me. I do not love Pinchas. Aaron’s lineage is about being a Rodef Shalom (a pursuer of peace) using peaceful means. His grandson seems to bring peace, though falls short in employing peaceful means – so there is a bit of a stain on his reward. The text suggests that God’s feelings towards what happened were not super positive either. First, in the parsha, when Pinchas is first mentioned, his name is spelled with a smaller-than-usual yud, י ,this denotes a limiting of Divine favor, as yud is a letter in God’s holy name.

In addition, in the phrase for Pinchas’ blessing, which the Torah says is a Brit Shalom - ברית שלום - a covenant of peace – the letter vav (ו )in the word Shalom is broken in the middle. This letter is also a letter in God’s name. To me this says that this covenant of peace has something broken within it.

As I reflect on this theme of stained righteousness, I think of the current events in Israel and Palestine. Four teenagers lost their lives for the sake of some supposed holier purpose. It makes me very sad that Israel still finds itself struggling to secure peace through peaceful means. It is easy to get sucked into an argument over which side is more right. I think that the Parsha teaches us that even if you think that one side is right, it does not mean that this side is whole. Ultimately, it is not enough to be right. Correctness does not lead to peace. Ramy Kaufler, MH Business and Finance Manager, shared this article with me, about how the families of the victims have connected to share in each other’s pain. To me, this is the wholly-est ending to such tragic stories and the best learning from such pain. It is the truest meaning of a Brit Shalom.

Own your Jewish Karma

noreply@blogger.com (Zvi Bellin, Ph.D.) — Thu, 19 Jun 2014 19:20:00 +0000

Parshat Balak

Bamidbar 22:2 – 25:9

7 Tammuz 5774 / July 4-5, 2014

Own your Jewish Karma

by Zvi Bellin, MHHQ

Holy Blessings Batman!

When Balak, the King of Moav, enlists the desert dwelling prophet Bilaam to curse the Israelite nation, words of blessing emerge that become timeless as part of our daily prayer. Balaam is summoned to an overlook where he can see the entire Israelite encampment. He intends to curse the people, but has promised that he will only speak the words that God puts into his mouth. Balaam closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, and chants these famous words that have found their way into scripture:

ה מַה-טֹּבוּ אֹהָלֶיךָ, יַעֲקֹב; מִשְׁכְּנֹתֶיךָ, יִשְׂרָאֵל.	5 How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, thy dwellings, O Israel!
ו כִּנְחָלִים נִטָּיוּ, כְּגַנֹּת עֲלֵי נָהָר; כַּאֲהָלִים נָטַע יְהוָה, כַּאֲרָזִים עֲלֵי-מָיִם.	6 As valleys stretched out, as gardens by the river-side; as aloes planted of the LORD, as cedars beside the waters;
ז יִזַּל-מַיִם מִדָּלְיָו, וְזַרְעוֹ בְּמַיִם רַבִּים; וְיָרֹם מֵאֲגַג מַלְכּוֹ, וְתִנַּשֵּׂא מַלְכֻתוֹ.	7 Water shall flow from his branches, and his seed shall be in many waters; and his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted.
ח אֵל מוֹצִיאוֹ מִמִּצְרַיִם, כְּתוֹעֲפֹת רְאֵם לוֹ; יֹאכַל גּוֹיִם צָרָיו, וְעַצְמֹתֵיהֶם יְגָרֵם--וְחִצָּיו יִמְחָץ.	8 God who brought him forth out of Egypt is for him like the lofty horns of the wild-ox; he shall eat up the nations that are his adversaries, and shall break their bones in pieces, and pierce them through with his arrows.
ט כָּרַע שָׁכַב כַּאֲרִי וּכְלָבִיא, מִי יְקִימֶנּוּ; מְבָרְכֶיךָ בָרוּךְ, וְאֹרְרֶיךָ אָרוּר.	9 He couched, he lay down as a lion, and as a lioness; who shall rouse him up? Blessed be every one that blesses thee, and cursed be every one that curses thee.

Balaam’s prophecy is a timeless blessing that includes us, the current generation of Jewish people. Our pluralistic and progressive homes are tents of Jacob and dwelling places of Israel. And so they are good. What is the goodness that this familiar line (verse 5) of prayer is talking about? Perhaps there are clues to be found in the lesser known continuing lines.

How exciting that verses 6 and 7 contain beautiful images from the natural world! “Gardens by the river side,” and “water shall flow from his branches.” Our generation is engaged in the process of exploring the deep bond between Jewish identity and caring for our planet. True to Balaam’s verses, we are discovering that our homes are good places because we do not see them as completely separate from the world outside of our windows. We know that we need to use natural resources responsibly in order for goodness to continue.

Verses 8 and 9 are less politically correct and so perhaps, a bit harder to digest. The blessing connects our relationship to a God of war and power. Is that what we need God for? To eat up nations and crush their bones?

I want to suggest that we read the end of the blessing as a progression. We began with the need for a God that destroys our enemies (verse 8), but we head towards a relationship whereby we have the power to bestow blessings and curses because of a connection with God within (verse 9).

Stephanie Nash is an actress and meditation teacher that talks about the resonance between two pitchforks. If you strike one pitchfork at the end of a gymnasium, a second pitchfork at the other end of the room will begin to chime in tune. Human relationships are guided by this phenomenon too. When we watch a movie and witness strong and powerful emotions we begin to experience the same feelings. Might the same be true for the blessings and curses that we put out into the world.

“Blessed be every one that blesses thee, and cursed be every one that curses thee.” If we choose to see truth in these words, then it is our responsibility to ensure that we act in ways that people will bless us, so we can all (Jews and non-Jews) benefit from increased blessing in the world.

Grief and Leadership

noreply@blogger.com (Zvi Bellin, Ph.D.) — Thu, 19 Jun 2014 19:14:00 +0000

Parshat Chukat

Bamidbar 19:1 – 22:1

30 Sivan 5774 / June 27 – 28, 2014

Grief and Leadership

by Zvi Bellin, MHHQ

We all might be familiar with the sequence of events:

- The Israelites complain for water.

- God tells Moshe to ask a rock to release water.

- Moshe hits the rock and brings forth water.

- God punishes Moshe that he can no longer bring the people into the Promised Land.

This story is shattering in a way. Where is God’s forgiveness? Wasn’t Moshe God’s #1 profit? Could Moshe have screwed up so badly by hitting a rock instead of talking to it?

These are difficult questions to answer, though our sages comment that Moshe hitting the rock in anger displayed a quality that would make him unfit to lead the people into the land.

That might be true, but couldn’t Moshe at least see the land of Israel? Couldn’t he have just taken a little stroll across the Jordan River, picked a pomegranate and enjoyed the view? I want the answer to be, “of course!” But this is not what happened. Moshe’s privilege to step foot into the land was stripped.

I was very struck upon reading the portion that in the narrative Miriam dies right before the people complain and Moshe hits the rock. It gives me a new perspective to understand that Moshe was wrapped in grief at that time. Perhaps his anger was not really about the people, rather he was angry as part of the natural process of grieving the loss of his sister. Remember, Miriam saved Moshe from Pharaoh's decree to kill all Jewish male babies way back in the beginning of Exodus. She watched over him and made sure nothing bad would befall him.

Now Moshe has lost his sister, his protector. He is torn apart. I think this is one of the most challenging places for a leader to stand in...How do I deal with my own emotional pain, while having to show up with a level head to greet my congregation/participants/students/clients? Moshe simply was unable to hold this dichotomy. When we are dealing with grief, it is almost impossible not to be overpowered with it.

The road to Israel was not a peaceful path. Joshua leads the Israelites into war. It is a tale of violence and loss. Perhaps, God was protecting Moshe from experiencing more loss. The lesson to be learned is that when facing strong emotions like grief, a leader will know when it is time to take a break, or even to step down. A robust system can sustain itself when roles need to shift and when power needs to be reconfigured. Moshe not entering the land was a clear message that it was time for Moshe to step down as the leader - the system needed restructuring. It is a hard lesson, but deep in wisdom.

Between Life and Death

noreply@blogger.com (Zvi Bellin, Ph.D.) — Tue, 17 Jun 2014 01:42:00 +0000

Parshat KorachBamidbar 16:1 -18:3223 Sivan 5774 / June 20 – 21, 2014

Between Life and Death

by Zvi Bellin, MHHQ

This Torah Portion is famous for the challenge that Korach and his band of rabble-rousers raise against Moshe and the miraculous punishment of the Earth opening its mouth and swallowing these dissenters. On the surface, Korach’s claim is not so strange. He wants to know why Moshe and Aaron are given a higher status of leadership than other people of their own Levite tribe. Upon deeper exploration is seems that Korach’s intentions were not to increase justice, but rather to usurp power.

As the Earth licks its lips after a satisfying meal, there is yet another conflict in the Israelite camp. The entire Jewish people are now scared of Moshe and Aaron, faulting them for the death of Korach’s crew. They assemble against the Dynamic Duo (Moshe and Aaron) and shout with raged fists, “You have killed the people of God!” According to the text, their mob mentality strikes up another punishment. This time it is a mysterious plague that begins to spread throughout the camp, killing people instantly (the death toll reached 14,700!). God too seems to be infected with the fury virus and is ready to demolish all the Jewish people.

Fear not Israelites, Moshe knows how to stop this plague! He tells Aaron to take incense and burn it amongst the people and atone for them. Aaron does just this and the Torah states beautifully in verse 17:13,

“He stood between the dead and between the living and the plague was halted.”

I read this verse as saying that Aaron was able to stand between life and death and that his ability to hold these two extremes ended the plague. Aaron is able to dive into the plague -- into the anger, fear, and death -- and bring the remedy, his very own life and presence, and this calms the Divine rage.

We can see the above episode as the people being infected with a rage that is composed of maddening fear and despair. You are in the middle of the harsh desert and a large group of people have suddenly perished. And worse yet, you cannot trust your leaders. God has turned against you. Your world is shattered and your sanity broken. I imagine the people in a hysterical panic, trampling each other, fighting, lashing out, lost. (Think of some recent zombie movies.)

Aaron comes out with the sweet smell of the incense. He immerses into the mob and feels his own pain and hopelessness. He begins to panic, to feel the cold creeping hand of death tightening around his throat. He inhales deeply and smells the incense. The smell pacifies him, reminds him of his purpose and of the spirit which makes all things possible. Aaron rediscovers his own vitality and remains infectiously calm. The raging Israelites draw near to descend on Aaron. They are halted by the smell of incense and become infected with Aaron’s hope and peace of mind. There is no longer room for rage … the plague is halted, though not entirely obliterated.

We still encounter the same plague of hysterical fear and doubt today. We point similar fingers at our leaders, and react in unhealthy ways when our experiences do not make sense. We often react with extreme behaviors that are detrimental to our own and our community’s stability (i.e. addiction, suicide, homicide). Aaron offers one model to help us ignite the spark of life that can temporarily calm this anger and doubt. Using the burnt incense as a tool, which serves as a reminder of the soul and soothes the spirit (just like we do today in the Havdalah ceremony), Aaron was able to introduce order into the chaos. This is not an easy task and exemplifies big shoes to fill - a direction to grow in.

May we all be blessed to connect with the resources in this world and within ourselves that strengthen and stabilize us so that we might beneficially face our plagues and find comfort even in the times of utmost chaos.

Dealing with Doubt

noreply@blogger.com (Zvi Bellin, Ph.D.) — Mon, 09 Jun 2014 16:55:00 +0000

Parshat Shelach

Bamidbar 13:1 – 15:41

16 Sivan 5774 / June 13 -14, 2014

Dealing with Doubt

by Zvi Bellin, Moishe House Director of Jewish Education and Pastoral Counseling

This Torah portion opens with the ominous words, “And God spoke to Moshe saying, Shelach Lecha (Send, for yourself).” These words usher in the well-known story of the 12 spies that are sent to check out the land of milk and honey before the entire nation will enter the land. 10 spies come back with reports shattering faith in God. God delivers a punishment - the generation that left Egypt must die in the desert before their children can inherit the land. 40 years of wandering ensues.

Rashi, French Guru of Torah commentary, is curious about the opening words, “Send, for yourself.” Why not just, “God told Moshe to send spies”? Rashi learns from the words, “for yourself,” that God was not actually commanding that spies should be sent. Rather, if Moshe and the people wished to scout the land, they were more than welcome to do so. It seems that this was more of a test for the people. If there was doubt in their hearts about God’s plan, it will surface in the report of the spies. And indeed, this is what occurred.

Perhaps there is a message here about how we can deal with doubt in our own lives. We all have certain life trajectories (small scale and/or large scale) that we choose to put our faith into. Joining programs of education and experience, for example, which promise certain outcomes that will benefit us in the future. Of course, with any plan, comes some degree of uncertainty. Will point A really lead me to point B? I have definitely had experiences where things did not turn out as planned. I needed to take a detour, backtrack, or just let go of where I thought I was headed. These types of occasions leave me with a constant wondering, how can I really know that I am on the right path?

I think the story of the spies can teach us about embracing and confronting doubt rather than trying to ignore it. The spies, and really the entire nation, had sincere doubts about God’s promises. In the desert, the doubt caused the Israelites to complain a lot, and to ignore all the miracles of salvation that kept occurring in the desert. Finally, their doubt got the best of them, forcing a complete meltdown when confronted by the negative report of the 10 spies.

Perhaps a better way is to make room to acknowledge doubt along the path. What if we learned in the Torah that God and Moshe created a space in daily community life for people to voice their fears and have them be affirmed. I would like to believe that the spies accounting would have had a lot less power in that moment.

For us today, what if we were able to see doubt for what it is - just one part of an internal guidance system that is ultimately sourced in caring? In my day to day, I feel like it is almost taboo to voice doubt. Listeners are quick to change the subject, trivialize the doubt, or try to solve a problem. Ultimately, this just feeds the doubt. There is no space to air it out, balance, and disarm it.

So, I’d like this week’s Torah portion to serve as a reminder that doubt exists and that it is not a bad thing. When I am confronted by doubt, either internally or from someone else, maybe I can try to honor it a bit before running away from it. Acknowledge uncertainty without having to immediately act upon it. Ultimately, this strategy can lead me to make healthier choices and lessen the chances of being blindsided when I am so close to reaching a goal.

Presenting … ME!

noreply@blogger.com (Zvi Bellin, Ph.D.) — Mon, 02 Jun 2014 15:33:00 +0000

Parshat Beha’alotcha

Bamidbar 8:1 – 12:16

9 Sivan 5774/ June 6 – 7, 2014

Presenting … ME!

by Zvi Bellin, MHHQ

Early in the portion, we learn about the purification and dedication of the Levites for their life of service for the work of the Mishkan (in the desert) and the Temple (in Israel). If you recall from Vayikra, the previous book of the Torah, the Levites have some heavy responsibility, literally. It is their job to lug the pieces of the Mishkan through the desert from site to site. They maintained the order and cleanliness of all ritual items and served a supporting role to the Priests.

As God is instructing Moshe about this ritual, God states (8:16):

" כי נתונים נתונים לי המה מתוך בני ישראל."

“For presented, presented are they to Me from among the Children of Israel.”

Now the Torah is not a text that is generous with words, and if something is repeated twice, there is probably something to learn. Rashi comments on the double use of the word presented. He says that the Levites were presented for two main jobs – the first is to carry the mishkan (including physical labor in the Temple upon entering Israel) and take care of the ritual vessels, the second is to sing. During the Temple times the Levites would take shifts throughout the entire day singing psalms and praises to God.

The Parsha goes on to teach that a Levite would work between the ages of 25 – 50. When a Levite would turn 50 years old it was time for retirement. Rashi comments that they would retire from carrying physical loads, but that they would continue to sing praises in shifts.

When I think about myself and how I define myself, how I present myself to the world, there are some labels that are fleeting – like Camp Counselor, or even, Jewish Educator. And there are other identities that seem to stick with me – like Son or Helper. Throughout life we are called to fill certain roles in our communities, and these titles and tasks help us to live with a stable and sustainable sense of meaning.

I find a lesson in the Torah’s words by double-tasking the Levites with something that fades (carrying) and something that persists (singing). In our life we are going to lose and let go of jobs, people, and responsibilities that seem to capture who we are. There is a danger if we completely identify with these things, and think that without them our personal meaning is lost too. This is not so. Our identities are multi-leveled and dynamic. And as our roles shift, our personal meaning can be extended, clarified, and enhanced.

When we experience times when we lose something we thought was essential to our identity (a job or a relationship, for example), we might feel that we have lost every connection to meaning. In these moments, allow the Levites to remind you, that you still have a voice, a persistent form of expression that is lasting, and ultimately a way to connect back with your sense of purpose.

A World of Blessing

noreply@blogger.com (Zvi Bellin, Ph.D.) — Tue, 27 May 2014 15:53:00 +0000

Parshat Naso

2 Sivan 5774 / May 30 – 31, 2014

Bamidbar 4:21 – 7:89

A World of Blessing

by Zvi Bellin, MHHQ

'May God bless you and guard you.

'May God shine God’s countenance upon you and be gracious to you.

'May God turn God’s countenance toward you and grant you peace.'" (Bamidbar 6:24-26)

The Jewish practice of blessing is quite audacious. We hold that no matter what kind of person you are, your words hold the spiritual power to shift the way reality unfolds. This is actually not such a hard phenomenon to witness. The next time you take a stroll down the street, or are at a grocery store, see what happens when you greet people with warm words versus speaking coldly to them. You will certainly draw different kinds of responses, and your small encounters will most likely cause ripples of impact in the lives of others.

Today, the Priestly Blessing is an invitation to stop and take notice of the people that surround us. It is also a reminder that how we speak to each other matters. I know for myself, especially through emails, it is easy to get caught up in busy-ness and send out kurt and crude messages. I know that these have had adverse effects on the reader, and I am learning over and over again to be more thoughtful about the content that I send out - written, or spoken.

Perhaps the ultimate gift of the Priestly Blessing is that in order to say it to someone else, there has to be at least a small part of you that knows that the receiver of the blessing is indeed worthy of its praise. You begin to see people through the eyes of the blessing, and they are transformed. As this happens, you begin to treat them as worthy of blessing, and so the way you act in the world is transformed as well. By this practice, we transcend the idea of a priestly class, into a priestly nation, and further still to a priestly global community.

Everything in its Place?!

noreply@blogger.com (Zvi Bellin, Ph.D.) — Mon, 19 May 2014 15:17:00 +0000

Parshat Bamidbar

Bamidbar 1:1 – 4:20

24 Iyar 5774 / May 23 – 24, 2014

Everything in its Place?!

by Zvi Bellin, MHHQ

It is not easy roaming through the desert, especially with such a large group of people. You are susceptible to hunger, to spreading disease, and to attack. And added to this, the Israelites have a pretty serious mission. They have to transport these mystical tablets inscribed with God’s law through the desert to an only envisioned homeland. There is a lot riding on their survival.

The book of Bamidbar shares a strategy for their survival. Each tribe had a specific role and place in the encampment. The East was protected by Yehudah, Issaschar, and Zevulun. The West was covered by Ephraim, Menasheh, and Binyamin. The South was held by Reuven, Shimon, and Gad. And to the North, the tribes of Dan, Asher, and Naftali secured the nation’s safety. (Game of Thrones anyone??) And in the heart of the camp were the Priests and Levites securing the safety of the Ark and Tablets, and all the other instruments of holy work.

This past weekend, at the Moishe House Shavuot Learning Retreat, the participants learned that the holiday of Shavuot is a reminder that every Jewish person has a place in a Torah-based community. No matter your gender, sexual orientation, race, denomination, or conversion status, according to Torah-lore (midrash) YOU were present at Mount Sinai when the Torah was given. And so YOU, with your unique Jewish identity, is extremely important to the complete narrative of the Jewish people.

It could be so wonderful if, like the Israelites in the desert, we were given a clear role and placement in this community. But we all know that life comes with doubt. And sometimes we can feel so estranged from the surrounding Jewish community. We might disagree with the majority stance on Israel. We might have been told that we cannot love who we love. We might have been barred from leadership roles in our synagogue. We might feel whole-heartedly that Judaism should not exclude our non-Jewish friends and family members. It can be really hard to feel a part of a system that feels so foreign or even harmful.

At these times, I remind myself that Yisrael comes from the root to wrestle. Jacob was renamed Yisrael because he wrestled with God. And in our modern time, Israel, has been translated as the God Wrestlers (by Rabbi Arthur Waskow). And so, sometimes STURGGLE is the role that we play in our Jewish community. We grab hold of the fringes of our faith and tug with all our might to stretch its values to include an even greater expression of truth.

As we head into Shavuot, the holiday where we renew our commitment to greater revelation, I want to offer all of us a blessing that we can feel a part of the Jewish story as a framework that gives our life greater collective meaning. I wish you a healthy balance between certainty and doubt.

Many blessings!

Zvi

Well, Bless You Too!

noreply@blogger.com (Zvi Bellin, Ph.D.) — Mon, 12 May 2014 15:15:00 +0000

Parshat Bechukotai

Vayikra 26:3 – 27:34

17 Iyar 5774 / May 16 – 17, 2014

Well, Bless You Too!

by Zvi Bellin, MHHQ

In Parshat Bechukotai we learn about the rewards and punishments for following or abandoning the laws of the Torah. The picture of God that this portion paints is pretty harsh. “Listen to me, or else!” I continue to wonder why God, THE BEING OF ULTIMATE COMPASSION, would be so hell bent on people following all of God’s dictates. If a system is truly based on love, it follows in my own reasoning, that every little and minute detail is not what counts; rather it’s the relationship and closeness that matters. I think we all know pretty well that closeness cannot be mandated. Love has to be nurtured and cherished in order to be maintained and expanded.

While I fully believe in the statement above, I have to be honest. My decision to begin an observant Jewish practice began, in part, when I came across a verse from this portion. Verse 26:19 states the following punishment:

“I will make your heaven like iron and your land like copper.”

When I read this verse about 11 years ago, I looked at the sky and at the ground and I considered how the culture that I lived in was so obsessed with precious metals. Do we still see the sky and earth anymore, or do they just exist as potential resources or problems of production? My awareness of environmental maladies (drought, famine, ozone depletion) was growing, and I began to wonder if the Biblical curse had indeed manifested.

I also looked at my personal life. I was feeling confused about my life direction and basically down about who I was and the world around me. I felt like I had tried the traditional Western path of “dog eat dog” and found no peace. I decided at this point to try out the path of Torah and see how that would impact my life and the world around me.

It has been 11 years of ebb and flow Jewish practice. At times I feel more in line with Torah Judaism and at times I feel more distant. I continue to stay engaged in Jewish values and a Jewish way of being in the world. Part of my journey is a continuous refinement of how I can authentically live within the story that we call Judaism. Of course, after all the mitzvoth and prayers, the world is still obsessed with making money and there is still political unrest. The world outside of me has certainly not reached perfection, though I certainly have changed for the better.

While my first entry into Jewish practice might have been motivated by a threat and by fear, I am reaching more towards the approach of Love that I expect from this God of ours. We cannot start our spiritual life from the top of the mountain – with a perfect world, perfect self and perfect God. If this were the case, who would need spiritual engagement anyway? Religion does not make bad things disappear; however, I can change my attitude towards harsh reality through my religious and spiritual involvement.

I tend to adopt the opinion that in the desert, the Jewish people were, in a way, like children. They needed a present and sometimes strict God to tell them what was right and good. In our own lives, we never fully outgrow this phase. There are times, especially in trying times, when it is very helpful to have an exact procedure to follow. And, just as true, as we mature, we need to take more personal ownership of our life path and be allowed to do things our own way and to even make mistakes. The curses and the blessings were probably awesome for Jews in the desert, and are probably helpful for Jews like us, though only sometimes.

Today, when I look to the heavens, I see the beauty of the clouds and the majesty of the stars. The expansive land that supports me is diverse and naturally breathtaking. May we only need to see the world as a place of blessing and never as a curse.

Value beyond Money

noreply@blogger.com (Zvi Bellin, Ph.D.) — Mon, 05 May 2014 17:45:00 +0000

Parshat BeHar
Vayikra 25:1 – 26:2
10 Iyar 5774 / May 9-10, 2014

In Parshat Behar we are not only told to rest on the seventh day of the week, but according to this week’s Torah Portion, Behar, we have to let the land rest every seven years. We also learn about a 50 year cycle where all bets are off and all contracts cancelled. Read on for some more thoughts on this week's Torah portion.

Many blessings!
Zvi

Value beyond Money
by Zvi Bellin, MHHQ

In this week's Torah portion we dive deeper into the concept of Shabbat. The Torah commands that every seventh year will be a year of rest for the land. This means that farmers take a whole year where they do not actively work their land, and basically, everything that grows wild is for the use of whoever might pass by. The bounty of the land cannot be collected and sold for monetary gains, rather the produce is considered above monetary value. All who are hungry and are in need of food, can come and eat. This seventh year is called the Shmita Year, and you can learn more about it and its relevance to life today at the following site: http://hazon.org/shmita-project/overview/

What I am thinking about is how awesome it is to translate the Shmita concept to the world of work today and the power of volunteering. Imagine you were asked to spend a full year at your current job (whether you are in a job, or spending time preparing for one in school) not getting paid, but rather volunteering. People would still benefit from the fruits of your labor, though you would not receive a paycheck. In this little exercise, let's say you were able to save up for your basic needs from the year before. My question is, what would motivate you to do your current job if it was not for the paycheck (or for the expected paycheck if you are in school/preparation phase?) Would passion drive you? A sense of self-worth? Community? Fun? Would you find nothing rewarding beyond a paycheck, and take off?

The concept of Shmita reminds me that there is no objective monetary value on the fruits of my labor. It pushes me to consider what I really value about my work in the world, and if that is fullfilling beyond a way to make money. Making money is great, though it is not enough to buy sustaining happiness. My grandmother always says, "Money isn't everything, but it's 50% of everything." This week, I invite you to contemplate that other 50% in what you do.

Keeping Difficult Decisions Difficult

noreply@blogger.com (Zvi Bellin, Ph.D.) — Mon, 28 Apr 2014 16:01:00 +0000

Parshat Emor

Vayikra 21:1 - 24:23

3 Iyar 5774 / May 2 - 3, 2014

Keeping Difficult Decisions Difficult

by Zvi Bellin, MHHQ

How do you go about making tough decisions? What information do you gather? Who do you consult? Where do you go for the clarification of values and ethics that allows you to choose one course of action over another, even when all choices are not perfect? When I read the final section of this week’s Torah portion these questions come to my mind.

Even today, people pay with their lives in response to seeking increased liberties. And each nation’s government has to make a decision if, and how, they should get involved in foreign conflicts. They often respond with military action that includes killing and supporting. The lines between enemy and civilian are blurred. The lines between helping and intruding also become blurred.

What about in our own communities? How do we punish behaviors and what does our reaction say about the kind of community that we are trying to establish? In Chapter 24 in the Book of Vayikrah (verses 10 – 23), we are told a story about a man who publicly curses God’s name. The people do not know what to do, so they take him to Moshe who locks him up. Moshe consults God who commands that this man must be stoned to death, AND in the same breath God says,

“And a man – if he strikes mortally any human life, he shall be put to death.” (24:17)

Now hold it there God. You just told us to kill this guy because he cursed You and now you seem to be saying if we listen to You and put him to death, we will be put to death too. What to do? A tough decision indeed!

This week, I understand this conundrum as saying: There is always a consequence to perpetuating violence. Death will always lead to more death – even if you have a good justified reason to do so. It seems to me that when we make a decision to go to war (figuratively, against ourselves, or another person, or literally, against an entire nation) we think only about the immediate effect of stopping whatever behavior we do not agree with. This story about the blasphemer widens my perspective to think about how violent action will inevitably lead to further violent action. I think history has proven this time and time again. I am not necessarily advocating for complete pacifism. I think this Portion is offering a reminder that the question to kill should always be a difficult one. If you can so easily agree with bloodshed, it might mean that you have ceased to see the other as a living person, like yourself. If we have lost our ability to recognize humanity, we can never create a humane world.

I hope that while the governments and armies of the globe are keeping peace within the model that is currently functioning, we Moisheniks – people living all over the world – are doing our part to educate against stereotypes, are learning deeply about the real issues from the perspective of the people facing them, and are innovating models of working for peace through peaceful means.

True Freedom, U Freedom

noreply@blogger.com (Zvi Bellin, Ph.D.) — Mon, 14 Apr 2014 13:13:00 +0000

Shabbat PesachSh’mot 33:12 – 34:26
19 Nissan 5774 / April 18 – 19, 2014

Pesach begins tonight! And tomorrow night we start to count the Omer. On Shabbat Pesach, we take a break from the regular Parshiot cycle to read a portion that is more thematically in tune with the holiday. This weekend we jump backward in the Bible, to the book of Sh’mot. The Israelites have just committed the sin of the Golden Calf (oops!) and we find Moshe on Mt. Sinai pleading with God for a deeper personal revelation and for communal repentance. I think the Parsha lends to thinking about the deeper meaning of Pesach, and that is what my D’var Torah below is about. Read on for further learning.

Many blessings!

Zvi

True Freedom, U Freedomby Zvi Bellin, MHHQ

On Passover we are told to refrain from eating anything that is leavened, or puffed up. Breads, bagels, muffins, certain cereals, and for some of us, beans and rice, are all placed under this category of food that is called chametz. Most of us know that the reason that we eat Matzah, or flat bread, is to remember that when the Jews were leaving Egypt, they had to rush out and did not have time for their bread to rise, thus they ate un-leavened bread. As Rabbis tend to do, they got concerned that eating seemingly leavened products would lead to eating actual leavened bread, so they created a radical edict to spend the entire holiday not eating anything that even slightly resembles leavened bread.

Another way to understand this practice is to think about what Passover represents and how this special diet might help the attunement of our awareness. Before the original Passover, the Jewish people and Jewish identity was stuck in a particular mode – that of slavery. We worked in harsh conditions for the Egyptians, gaining nothing from the sweat of our brow. Our relationship with God was also stagnated as the Deity of individual ancestors whose memory we had to connect through. Suddenly, there came time for a big change. We were going to be shifting, warp-speed, from oppressed workers to a boundless independent nation. If we stopped for a moment to think about that, we probably would lose faith, and say, “Helk no! I ain’t going nowhere!” And if you take a peek into the Torah narrative, when the Jews stop to rest in the desert, they begin to complain for the life they had in Egypt.

So matzah represents the Band-Aid (or plaster) that was yanked quickly off the wound of an enslaved identity. When we eat matzah, or more importantly, when we refrain from eating chametz and chametz-related foods, we are symbolically recreating this obliteration of the usual story and identity that we carry around. All for the purpose, I remind you, of receiving a newer and more liberated sense of self. Thus, we jaggedly cut out all the foods that are “filled with hot air,” and allow our egos to deflate. Of course, quick change does not equal lasting change. For this reason, we begin to count the Omer until Shavuot, which represents a more thoughtful and comprehensive transformation from slave to free-person.

For some of us, we might not connect with the idea of cutting out bread on Pesach. I would strongly recommend trying out the traditional practice in small doses, but I think there are other ways to enhance this dramatic shift in our inner-selves.

1. You might try another way of playing with diet. Perhaps Passover is a good time for a juice fast, or cutting out sugars, or other things that make you “high and inflated.”

2. You can make a list of, “Things I would do if I was truly free,” and then see how close you are to enacting these things. Perhaps there are a few that you should still refrain from.

3. Perhaps there is part of your name that you do not identify with – your middle name, or Hebrew name. You might spend the week introducing yourself with a new name and reclaiming your relationship with it.

4. Maybe there is a new Jewish practice that you want to try out that might enhance the way you live. Meditation, daily prayer, or lighting candles on Shabbat are all tools that free us from our normal way of doing and being.

5. Play with the seder to make it more meaningful. Introduce your own poems and personal stories of oppression and liberation. According to the Haggadah, you have to say the following three words: PESACH, MATZAH, and MARROR. The rest just might be commentary.

So however we fill our bellies (and hearts and minds) this Pesach, I bless us that we can experience a new and deeper understanding of what it means to be free. And that we should see freedom blossom in those places where freedom seems stifled.

Many blessings,

Zvi

Choose Life Itself!

noreply@blogger.com (Zvi Bellin, Ph.D.) — Mon, 07 Apr 2014 15:45:00 +0000

Acharei Mot (Shabbat Hagadol)Leviticus 16:1 - 18:30

12 Nisan 5774 / April 11-12, 2014

Choose Life Itself!

by Zvi Bellin, MHHQ

This portion is named Acharei Mot, meaning After Death, and it takes us back to, “the death of the two sons of Aaron who died when they drew too close to the presence of the Lord.” (Vayikra, 16:1). God teaches the children of Israel the proper way in which the High Priest, Aaron at the time, can draw close to the Lord without dying. The ritual is complex, with specific vestments, time frames, sacrifices, and intentions. Ultimately, for the Judaism of today, the ritual presented in this portion becomes the basis for our Yom Kippur service. We no longer carry out the specific ritual mentioned, though we draw from the reverence and responsibility that was given to the High Priest’s actions on that specific day.

As I reflect on this, the name of this portion, After Death, rings out to me. Our (mystical) tradition has a lot to say about what happens after we die - heaven & hell (gehenom), reincarnated souls, the Messianic world to come - but the Torah itself is generally silent about this (post) existential topic. Is there some teaching here for us about after we die? Is there a connection with the Yom Kippur ritual? And, since Pesach is right around the corner, how does this teaching connect to the themes of liberation?

There are similarities between the process of dying and the Yom Kippur ritual described in this portion. The process of the Priest washing his body and dressing in white linen clothing. And the fact that Aaron must carry out this ritual all by himself - a reminder that ultimately we are responsible for our own lives and that we die alone. This is a trepidatious moment in the text and in our lives, though the text continues. Aaron steps behind the veil of the sanctuary, perhaps a metaphor for stepping behind the veil of the life. What does Aaron do in the sanctuary? He performs his greatest act of service. He atones for the entire community of Israel, wiping clean any shortcomings that may have become evident over the course of the year. It is as if Aaron is given the power to turn back time, returning the Israelites to a state of absolute purity.

Looking at Aaron’s journey on Yom Kippur as a metaphor for after death, I get to ask the question, What if? What if the Torah is hinting to us that our work in the world does not end with our physical bodies? What if the work we do when we are alive is nothing in comparison to the impact we have after we die? I think about Martin Luther King Jr., Hannah Senesh, Rosa Parks, Abraham Joshua Heschel. People whose legacies last beyond a single lifetime. It greatly mattered who these people were in their lives, and the work they did daily, because they created the possibility to continue to transform the world without their physical presence. Similarly, Aaron’s crucial daily role in the community as the High Priest, enabled him to have such tremendous influence beyond the veil on Yom Kippur.

Today the Torah is reminding me that being alive is about setting the stage for how I influence and inspire others in this lifetime and beyond this lifetime. Perhaps it is not so important to understand what happens to my individual consciousness when I die, but it is important to consider how my life will continue to impact the world even after I die. The Torah teaches me that I cannot separate living for today from today’s influence on eternity.

How does this connect with Pesach and the theme of liberation? Freedom is manifested in our choice to be responsible for the lives that we live. If everyone was free to just do whatever they wanted, there would be no room for actual freedom. Considering the after death teaching of Yom Kippur - that I live with the intention of impacting the world beyond my individual life - creates a greater sense of freedom. I am not bound by my physical body in terms of my service and purpose of being alive. My essence is not narrowly constricted between one breath to the next. Also, there is ultimate freedom in being able to choose an infinite amount of responsibility to life itself, rather than one life, or even to several generations of life. Considering the choice to be responsible to life itself creates a clear sense of freedom for me. How about for you?

The Blessing of the Living Bird

noreply@blogger.com (Zvi Bellin, Ph.D.) — Mon, 31 Mar 2014 17:46:00 +0000

Parshat Metzorah

Vayikra 14:1 – 15:33

5 Nisan 5774 / April 4 – 5, 2014

The Blessing of the Living Bird

by Zvi Bellin, MHHQ

I find the ritual for cleaning the person afflicted with Tzara’at simply strange. Essentially, the Kohen takes two birds. He kills one bird and lets the blood drip into a clay pot with water. Then he takes the second still living bird and dips it into the water/blood mixture of the first bird. He sprinkles the blood that is covering the live bird on the newly cleansed person and then sets the live bird free.

I am not really sure what to make of this. But I wanted to highlight this ritual as I enjoy taking note of some of the bizarre practices that we have at our roots. I sometimes see Yogic community members walking around in orange or yellow robes, with their little bells and thin pony-tails sprouting from the top of their heads, and I think, “Hmmm…That is strange.”

If I was able to time travel back to the days of the Jewish people in the desert, or early Palestine, I would probably shout with fright and feel uneasy with the lavish dressing of the Priests, the uber-posh décor of the Temple, and the bloody worship rituals. It does make me feel less judgmental about other people’s practices when I think how strange Jewish people must have looked (and at times, still look) to outsiders.

There is something in this ritual though, that I really love. I feel joy when the Torah tells us that the live bird is set free. It is like ourselves and our souls. The live bird has experienced the trauma of witnessing and experiencing pain and suffering. It has been bloodied and shaken by outside forces, yet that was all temporary. It is able to spread its wings again and live on to experience new adventures, new sorrows and new joys.

I would like to bless us with the blessing of this living free bird. May we be able to acknowledge the pain and sorrow of the world and continue to find the strength to spread our wings and soar.

Living into Transitions

noreply@blogger.com (Zvi Bellin, Ph.D.) — Mon, 24 Mar 2014 15:47:00 +0000

Parshat Tazria
VaYikra 12:1-13:59
5774 Adar II 27 / March 28-29, 2014

Living into Transitions
by Zvi Bellin, MHHQ

Our parsha begins with seemingly archaic laws for new mothers:

VaYikra, Chapter 12

1 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 2 Speak to the Israelite people thus: When a woman at childbirth bears a male, she shall be t’meah seven days; she shall be t’meah as at the time of menstruation. — 3 On the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. — 4 She shall remain in a state of blood purification for thirty-three days: she shall not touch any consecrated thing, nor enter the sanctuary until her period of purification is completed. 5 If she bears a female, she shall be t’meah two weeks as during her menstruation, and she shall remain in a state of blood purification for sixty-six days.

This passage begs a few questions for me:

1. Why should giving birth be something that is t’meah (usually translated as impure)?

2. Why is there a difference between boy and girl babies?

3. What does it mean to purify one’s blood?

4. What is the message for me today?

Let’s see how we do with some answers.

1. T’meah is ususally translated as impure, but when we look at the nuances of being tameh, we see that it is a category that says that someone is experiencing something physical which puts them in between the states of healthy and unhealthy, between life and death. When someone is in that state, the practice in ancient times was to separate them from the community - giving them time for respite and healing. In some cases, it would require soul-searching to consider if the person’s actions brought on the affliction, and for other times, as in childbirth, it was just a separation, with no judgement implied. We can all agree that in ancient times (and today too) having a baby was a great risk to the mother, and some time away from the responsibilities of the community to replenish and heal seems like a good idea.

2. So why the difference between a baby boy and a baby girl. When I read the parsha this time around I was reminded of Early Attachment Theory. The first few weeks of life require great attention from a primary caregiver in order for a baby to develop physically, emotional, mentally, and spiritually. It is amazing how important that early bond is between parent and child. Having space where mom has uninterrupted time with her newborn seems completely wise. In ancient times, community survival depended on the adoption of clear gender roles. In some ways, in modern times, we still depend on clear gender roles, though to an ever lessening extent (Amen!). Given the need for gender role training, and how early newborns begin to pick up on the way their assigned gender is supposed to act, it seems wise for mom to have an extended amount of time with her daughter to steep her new daughter in the presence of womanhood. Boy babies could more quickly join the world of men to begin their gender training.

3. I want to read that blood purification here is the healing that a new mom needs. At childbirth, a new mom experiences blood loss, and her body needs time to rest and regain strength. There is a spiritual teaching that when a baby is born, the mother experiences a spiritual emptiness and time is needed for her to feel a sense of wholeness again. This fits well with the prevalence of postpartum depression that women experience after giving birth. We see a connection between the loss of blood, the birth of the baby, and the need for the new mother to reconfigure to her new role - caring for the baby that is no longer a growing part inside of her body. Perhaps this process of holistic healing is blood purification.

4. Message for me today - Reflecting on the themes above gives me new insight and inquiry into the needs of new parents. Does our society create the proper space needed for new parents to successfully move from expecting parents to actual parents? Also, do I give myself the space needed to step into new stages of life - new jobs, new relationships, deaths, births? Every transition, even happy ones like childbirth, contain a vulnerable period that can be navigated with attention and compassion in order to step into that next stage of life with greater hope and clarity.

The Shadow of Spiritual Practice

noreply@blogger.com (Zvi Bellin, Ph.D.) — Mon, 17 Mar 2014 15:26:00 +0000

Parshat Shemini

22 Adar 2 5774 / March 21 – 22, 2014

Vayikra 9:1 – 11:40

The Shadow of Spiritual Practice

This is the portion of 8. In Jewish mysticism 8 is the number that represents the realm beyond the natural order. 7 days in the weeks, culminating in Shabbat, and then 8 – there is always more than meets the eye.

This portion has a disturbing tale. The sons of Aaron are newly consecrated Priests. They make an offering to God and are killed for it. The basic understanding of this is that they worshipped in their way, not in the way God wanted from the nation. That is a big no-no.

This reminds me of an article I read a year or two ago about a couple that took a multi-year vow of silence within a spiritual community. For certain reasons, they were ousted from the community. They were in the middle of the desert, with no resources. Instead of breaking their vow of silence and heading back to civilization, they remained in the desert until, eventually, one of them died.

Spiritual practice has a shadow side. It can be dangerous. If you ever took a Yoga class, you might remember a time you pushed past your limit to injury. Or on a larger scale, take note how conflicts and wars result from religious idealism. In spite of these dangers, I appreciate two Jewish values that seem to protect us from harm:

1. Above all things – do not put your life in danger.

2. Stay connected to community.

With Pesach liberation only 4 weeks away, we can weigh these two values seriously as our first steps to building a safe and supportive environment for all.

May the Real Purim Please Stand Up!

noreply@blogger.com (Zvi Bellin, Ph.D.) — Mon, 10 Mar 2014 16:49:00 +0000

Parshat Tzav (Zachor)

Vayikra 6:1 – 8:36
15 Adar 2 5774 / March 14-15, 2014

Hi MH’ers!

Hope you are ready for a blast-off week. In this week’s parsha we continue to learn about the sacrificial offerings and we hear the tale of the 7 day ritual which establishes Aaron and his sons as the Priests of the community. In traditional synagogues a special portion will also be read, Parshat Zachor – the Portion of Rememberance, which relates the commandment to blot out the memory of Amalek. Funny isn’t it, to be commanded to remember to forget something!

Parshat Zachor fits neatly into the theme of Purim, as Haman is metaphorically associated with Amalek. Reminder, the Fast of Esther is this Thursday and Purim is this Sat. night and Sunday. Read on for some thoughts about Purim.

Many blessings!

Zvi

May the Real Purim Please Stand Up!
by Zvi Bellin, MHHQ

Here is comes again! Purim. The holiday that celebrates Esther and Mordechai’s brave acts that seemed to turn fate on its head so that the Jewish people were saved and the evil people (Haman and his family) were hanged. Of course, as a side note, a simple reading of the Scroll of Esther also shares that many other people died as a result, soldiers who were just following orders. (Note to self: Do not do things that are just following orders.)

How do we celebrate this holiday? We give money to the poor and food to our friends. We dress up in costumes. And oh yes, we get drunk, so drunk that we cannot tell the difference between Haman and Mordechai, between evil and good.

At a certain point in time, this seemed really cool to me. A holiday where we celebrate by getting sloshed! Can there be anything better? When I consider some of the deeper messages of this holiday, I actually do think so. I am not sure that the way that I learned to drink is really getting at what the Rabbis wanted when they decreed, “Ad d’lo Yada,” Drink until you do not know the difference between good and evil.

Here are some underlying themes of the Purim story that can easily get lost when I am on the special sauce –

1. God is not mentioned in the story of Esther at all! The world where the story takes place is the closest to our experience of the world today, more than any other holiday narrative. Life seems to happen at random and it can be quite a scary reality to live in.

2. It is really difficult to stick your neck out for a greater good. The enticement of personal safety is so strong, though it must be risked, especially when your family (or any minority group) is being threatened.

3. There is nothing in this world that is purely good or purely bad. In fact, these terms might be completely arbitrary in this world. When we look back at life’s events, we see horrendous tragedies feed into amazing advancements and joyous celebrations. We only know joy, because we know sorrow.

Purim is not just a simple story that calls for an over-the-top celebration of Jewish survival. It is an acknowledgment, and perhaps an uncomfortable one, that the world we live in makes no sense. Living a just life comes through immense sacrifice. Whether you believe in God or not, there is no guidebook for a happy peaceful existence, and maybe the point of existence is not even peace and happiness. These are scary facts to face, and often lead people toward abusing alcohol, since it is much easier to be drunk than to face these scary facts.

When the Rabbis were inviting us to get drunk, their intention was to engage us in a transcendent encounter with these facts. Similar to a dream state, where it is easier to process our difficult emotions, when we are drunk it is easier to deal with the harsh truths of this world in order to integrate them into how we approach living day-to-day. But it depends on how your drink. I learned to drink to forget and purge, not to encounter and accept. I experienced this kind of drinking before, when I was living in a Yeshivah in Brooklyn. Everyone was drinking around a table and singing songs with full passion. Dancing ensued, faster and faster and more ecstatic. Suddenly, a Rabbi pulled me over for an intimate conversation and gave me a blessing that I was on the right spiritual path. He spoke of the courage he saw in me and empowered me to continue to live my Jewish life authentically.

So I think Purim is a time when we embrace the doubt that we see in the world, in our communities, and in ourselves. We dress up and get playful because nothing is as it seems, and this is what we got, so let’s celebrate it. We drink, just enough, so we can more easily feel connected to each other, so we can throw our arms around each other and share blessings of beauty, strength, and comfort. If you can do this without drinking and with more presence, amazing! And then we do the real mitzvoth of Purim, Sending Food and Gifts to the Poor - we share what we have so that everyone will have food to eat, shelter to live under, clothing to dress in, and love and care to be nurtured.

Have a Truly Happy Purim!

Please Pass the Salt

noreply@blogger.com (Zvi Bellin, Ph.D.) — Mon, 03 Mar 2014 16:37:00 +0000

Parshat Vayikra

Vayikra 1:1 – 5:26

6 Adar 2 5774 / March 7 – 8, 2014

Please Pass the Salt

by Zvi Bellin, MHHQ

ב:יג וְכָל-קָרְבַּן מִנְחָתְךָ, בַּמֶּלַח תִּמְלָח, וְלֹא תַשְׁבִּית מֶלַח בְּרִית אֱלֹהֶיךָ, מֵעַל מִנְחָתֶךָ; עַל כָּל-קָרְבָּנְךָ, תַּקְרִיב מֶלַח.

2:13 And every meal-offering you shall season with salt; neither should you remove the salt of the covenant of your God from your meal-offering; with all thy offerings you shall offer salt.

Do you know the story about the sad ocean waters who complained that they were too far away from God? The Midrash (stories about the Torah) teaches that when the upper waters were separated from the lower waters on the second day of creation, the lower waters threw a bit of a hissy fit.

“Why should the upper waters have all the fun, hanging with God in heaven? What about us?”

God, being a good listener and problem solver, answered, “Hey beautiful lower waters, don’t fret. In the future there will be a group of people called Israelites, and they will be commanded to worship me through sacrifices. In order to cheer you up, I am going to add on a rule to their sacrifices that the salt that comes from you will be sprinkled on each sacrifice that they put on my alter. So through your salt you will make it up here bit by bit.”

This appeased the waters and all was good and happy.

Rabbi Yaacov Kaminentsky points out that when salt water is boiled, it is the water that rises and the salt that stays behind. It is as if we are commanded to put the “rejected” part of the water on the alter. And this is basically what Rabbi Kaminentsky concludes. The salt not only involves the element of water in the sacrificial process, but it also reminds us that every part of this physical world can serve as a prayer to the Divine.

When we remember that the Hebrew word for sacrifice (korban) also means to come close, a beautiful teaching emerges. The one thing that was constant in all the sacrifices was the salt. No matter what the reason for the sacrifice, for peace or guilt, sin or celebration, through the salt the Israelites added a piece of themselves that they felt was unworthy to bring close to the Divine.

This is a transformational process. What I might want to reject about myself is ultimately accepted by God. In our modern times, we still perform sacrifices, though not by slaughtering animals. Rather, we draw close using out words during moments prayer, both formal and informal.

I am pretty sure that heaven is not actually above us in outer space somewhere, and I doubt that the message of the salt story is that we are closer to God when we are higher up in the sky. I think the message is that we get closer to the Divine when we allow more of ourselves to come close. This point of awareness should be weaved into our lives in all of our prayers.

A Blessing from Moshe to Moishe House

noreply@blogger.com (Zvi Bellin, Ph.D.) — Mon, 24 Feb 2014 17:55:00 +0000

Parshat Pekudei

Shmot 38:21 – 40:38

29 Adar 1 5774 / Feb. 28 - March 1, 2014

A Blessing from Moshe to Moishe House

by Zvi Bellin, Moishe House Headquarters

וַיַּרְא מֹשֶׁה אֶת-כָּל-הַמְּלָאכָה, וְהִנֵּה עָשׂוּ אֹתָהּ--כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהוָה, כֵּן עָשׂוּ; וַיְבָרֶךְ אֹתָם, מֹשֶׁה.

And Moses saw all the work, and, behold, they had done it; as the LORD had commanded, even so had they done it. And Moses blessed them.

The tabernacle and all of its parts are constructed, yet not united. The clothing of the Priests are stitched in fine detail. The Children of Israel bring all the products of their handiwork before Moshe for approval. He inspects the holy tools carefully; he measures each post and eyes the thread pattern of each cloak and garment. Moshe sees that everything was indeed made in accordance with what God commanded. The people prove their personal connection to know what God wants from them. According to Rashi, Moshe blesses the entire congregation with these words.

“May it be willed that the Shechina [divine presence] will rest on the doing of your hands, and may the favor of the Lord our God rest on us. Establish the work of our hands for us— yes, establish the work of our hands.”

This blessing offers an important reminder for our work through Moishe House. Like the Children of Israel (and as Children of Israel) we set the stage for some major Jewish experiences for our peers. We take care in preparing the food, and keeping the house ready for events. We are mindful about our relationships with our housemates who are in part co-workers and part friends. We do a lot to create the space and get all the details ready.

After that, we have to let go. Will people show up? Will new people come? Will our peers appreciate the scene we have created? Will our programs necessarily translate into a richer Jewish life for all involved? We don’t know, and neither did Moshe when the Israelites brought him all the ritual items. Will these physical items actually draw God closer to us?

Moshe’s blessing fills the gap between planning with our best effort and the actual outcome of our work. We can choose to be overcome by worry about an event, or we can bring an intention and hope that things will work out as needed. So I want to bless all of us:

May it be willed that the Divine Presence will rest on the doing of our hands, and may Divine favor rest upon us. Establish the work of our hands for us— yes, establish the work of our hands!

Many blessings!

Zvi

The Small Task at Hand

noreply@blogger.com (Zvi Bellin, Ph.D.) — Mon, 17 Feb 2014 19:58:00 +0000

Parshat Vayakhel
Shmot 35:1 - 38:20
22 Adar 1 5774 / February 21 - 22, 2014

The Small Task at Hand
by Zvi Bellin, MHHQ

In this week’s Torah portion Moshe gathers the people and asks them to provide free-will offerings of precious materials in order for the artisans and craftsmen to build the sanctuary in the desert. All the people of Israel responded with overwhelming generosity. Our parsha states in Chapter 36:

“But when these continued to bring freewill offerings morning after morning, 4 all the artisans who were engaged in the tasks of the sanctuary came, each from the task upon which he was engaged, 5 and said to Moshe, ‘The people are bringing more than is needed for the tasks entailed in the work that the Lord has commanded to be done.’6 Moshe thereupon had this proclamation made throughout the camp: ‘Let no man or woman make further effort toward gifts for the sanctuary!’ So the people stopped bringing: 7 their efforts had been more than enough for all the tasks to be done.”

I love hearing about a project that actually gets done. So often, I find myself working on projects that seem to have no end, for example, engaging Young Jews to explore their religious, spiritual, and cultural heritage. I can get into the mindset, that there really is no end to such a task, and it is easy to get lost in the progress that can be difficult to perceive. I think social justice causes have a similar resonance; will we ever really reach a just society? Will all people on earth (or in this country or city) be safe from bodily harm, starvation, or degradation? Possibly not anytime soon. And so at times when feeling the hints of despair it is important to remember the Jewish adage, “It is not upon us to finish the work, but neither can we desist from working towards the goal.”

Our Torah portion offers another useful strategy than just plowing through feelings of despair – notice the projects that do have an end. All huge goals can be broken up into smaller parts, and those goals into smaller parts…and in the end there is but one task, “give a free will offering” to the moment. That is really all we can do. Snap out of our locked in ways of being and give ourselves freely for one moment to acting in a way that brings us towards our goal. This is true for repairing a car or ridding the world of micro-aggressions. Make this small moment a free will offering towards your goals.

When we focus on the small moments of change, and then pick our heads up to see where we have come (Shabbat, for example is a great day to stop and see how far you have come), there might be a sense of, “Hey! The car is fixed!” or, “Hey, I really have stopped unconsciously talking down to people that are different from me!” We can celebrate the end of a task and feel a sense of progress towards a larger goal.

Angry Moshe Blows His Top

noreply@blogger.com (Zvi Bellin, Ph.D.) — Mon, 10 Feb 2014 16:33:00 +0000

Parshat Ki Tisa

Shmot 30:11 – 34:35

15 Adar 1 5774 / Feb. 14 –15, 2014

Angry Moshe Blows His Top

by Zvi Bellin, MHHQ

If there is a portion of the Torah where Moshe seems to be out of his mind, this is it! Moshe is on the mountain and everything is going fine. He is learning Torah with God and crafting a timeless text together. When they are done, God tells Moshe that the people have gone bananas. They are worshiping a false god and God will kill the whole nation and start fresh with Moshe’s kin. Moshe “leaps” into action and begs for the people’s forgiveness. He convinces God that it would be very un-God like for the people to be destroyed now. After all, they've come so far. And would we really want a rumor spreading around the world that the Almighty God freed the Jews only to kill them in the desert. No one wants that! God sees the reason in Moshe’s words and relents. The Jewish people will be spared.

This all seems great. Gold star for Moshe.

Now Moshe goes down the mountain hefting the first set of stone tablets. And he hears … debauchery! A raucous celebration that can only mean one thing – God was not kidding and the poop has really hit the fan! He approaches the camp and sees the Israelites dancing around this golden statue of a calf. They are singing around it and pointing to it proclaiming, “This is our new god!”

Moshe has already saved the people from destruction. He could have returned to the community, smashed the baby cow and set the people straight with a strong reprimand. Instead he seems to go ballistic. He breaks the tablets and grinds the calf to dust making it into an atonement cocktail for the people to drink. Then he rallies the people who are still “with God” and orders these zealots to slay their brothers who refused to come with Moshe. They killed about 3,000 people! In the text, he gave this order in the name of God, though it is not evident from the text that God actually told the people to kill their own flesh and blood.

While Moshe learned to sway God towards forgiveness, he did not seem to model God’s ability to forgive.

As I read Moshe’s story, I get a sense of a man who carries a burden that is too great. He is a leader that is broken by his responsibility. From this story it is very clear to me why Moshe could not continue on with the people to Israel. I hate to come down on Moshe. I would not want to walk even one step in his shoes. For me the story brings a lesson as a leader. Losing one’s head in anger is not a time for action. It is a time for reflecting on why there is so much angry.

Praying For The Whole

noreply@blogger.com (Zvi Bellin, Ph.D.) — Mon, 03 Feb 2014 17:47:00 +0000

Parshat Tetzaveh

Shmot 27:20 - 30:10

8 Adar 1 5774 / Feb. 7-8, 2014

Praying For The Whole

by Zvi Bellin, MHHQ

In this week’s Torah portion Moshe and the Israelites are commanded regarding the clothing of the High Priest (Aaron), and his sons. In the caste system of this newly-liberated people there was one family (Aaron’s) from within the Levite family that would bear the burden and receive the honor of serving in God’s tabernacle. The Priests performed the holiday rituals and the daily sacrifices. They made sure to keep the lamp burning day and night, and were the only ones allowed to enter into the inner chambers of the temple. Reflecting on this, I think about a monogamous relationship where the most intimate revelations about two people are shared between the couple only.

As we know very well, Judaism does not say that the Priestly connection was the only connection between humans and God. We believe that each person can reach out to God and also find forgiveness through God. If you think about it, atonement and reconciliation is a major function of clergy in many faiths. Similar to last week’s question, why have this central role if we are all privy to the power of Divine communication? And what of today, where a strong Jewish central figure seems to be missing?

When speaking of an individual’s relationship with God, I believe the priests’ role was less crucial. You did something wrong, and you brought an offering to the temple for atonement. The priests’ function was to help you with the roasting and blood spilling, and keeping order, very much like the clerks at a Department of Motor Vehicles. Essential for order, but not adding much more.

Now when we talk about communal processes, then the kohanim serve a much more important function. They act as the representative for the entire nation, with all of our intricate connections and bonds. This is very beautiful and wise. Having a central person atoning for the collective, shows that we understand that no one person is solely responsible for his or her actions. A murder acts within a social context and framework. A thief does not grow up with this propensity in a total vacuum. Just as we affect each other to express our positive identity, we also play a role in each other’s failings. Having the priest as a central figure is a cosmic play of the, “many combined into the One.”

Now how about today? We do not have the same system of centralized sacrificial atonement. We pray with words, words, and more words. Each person is individually responsible for the words of his or her lips and the meditations of his or her own heart. I believe, that the unification of prayer can be found in the repetition of the silent prayer by the Shaliach Tzibur (literally, The One Sent by the Collective), Service Leader. Also, we have a need for 10 people in order to say specific prayers – an enhancement of the individual prayer by the formation of a quorum.

In my own practice, over the past few months, I have been finding myself less drawn to going to synagogue for prayer, but also in more of a need for an uplifting community experience during Shabbat. I think synagogue can provide that if I have the patience to show up and be open to the process that unfolds as we go through ancient rites of prayer. I will continue to explore this avenue. I also know that in my personal meditation practice, I sometimes feel bored, or I just do not want to sit and do my practice. What motivates me is to remember that world wide, people of all different faiths are engaged in communal practice right now, and that this is not something that I am doing all by myself. I feel myself plugging into a vast network of people trying to hone their compassion and higher-self qualities. It makes coming to the cushion (or prayerbook) a lot easier.

Torat Moishe - Moishe's Torah

Don’t Just Do Jewish!

Do We Need Destruction?

Shabbat MaseiBamidbar 33:1-36:1328 Tamuz 5774 / July 26 – 27, 2014

Do We Need Destruction?

The Danger in Promises

Stained Righteousness

Own your Jewish Karma

Grief and Leadership

Between Life and Death

Parshat KorachBamidbar 16:1 -18:3223 Sivan 5774 / June 20 – 21, 2014

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Presenting … ME!

A World of Blessing

Everything in its Place?!

Well, Bless You Too!

Value beyond Money

Keeping Difficult Decisions Difficult

True Freedom, U Freedom

Choose Life Itself!

Acharei Mot (Shabbat Hagadol)Leviticus 16:1 - 18:30

The Blessing of the Living Bird

Living into Transitions

Parshat TazriaVaYikra 12:1-13:595774 Adar II 27 / March 28-29, 2014

The Shadow of Spiritual Practice

May the Real Purim Please Stand Up!

Please Pass the Salt

A Blessing from Moshe to Moishe House

The Small Task at Hand

Angry Moshe Blows His Top

Praying For The Whole

Shabbat Masei
Bamidbar 33:1-36:13
28 Tamuz 5774 / July 26 – 27, 2014

Parshat Tazria
VaYikra 12:1-13:59
5774 Adar II 27 / March 28-29, 2014