CONQUERING ERETZ CANAAN … AND OURSELVES

I was once riding on public transportation when a young person, sporting a ponytail and dressed in jeans and a t-shirt peered over my shoulder at the book (sefer) I was reading.  It was a copy of Mesilas Yesharim with an English translation.  I imagined that he would not give it a second glance, but to my surprise, his eyes lit up, he smiled broadly and asked me, “Is this the new one that’s just out. I read the first one and it was great.”  Before I could absorb his comment and respond, he got off.  His reaction aroused my curiosity.  I came to learn that the personality improvement (mussar) movement has attracted adherents from unlikely quarters. They are young secular people, who, to their great credit, have apparently become disillusioned with relativistic morality. They appreciate a teaching that says that there is correct and inappropriate behavior. In a spiritually and morally challenged world they apparently have found the teachings of mussar to be comforting and inspiring.

 

However, the transformation even from a G-d fearing serious minded Jew to the righteous person (tzaddik) portrayed in the closing chapters of Mesilas Yesharim is quite a journey.  How much greater is the distance, we may imagine, for that young man and his colleagues. Yet, we have learned that our Torah is accessible to all who sincerely strive to attain it. We do not need to ascend to heaven or cross the seas to find it. Thus, such transformation must be both feasible and practical.  We therefore can ask ourselves, How does this journey begin?


 

An answer to this question can be found as a solution to a puzzling piece of Torah written twice, once in Sefer Shemos – Parshas Mishpatim (23:29-30) when Hashem promised to drive out the nations that lived in Eretz Canaan, it says, “I shall not drive them away from you in a single year, lest the land become desolate and the wildlife of the field multiply against you. Little by little shall I drive them away from you, until you become fruitful and make the land your heritage.” And then a second time saying: “Hashem, your G-d will thrust these nations from before you little by little; you will not be able to annihilate them quickly, lest the beasts of the field increase against you”(Devarim 7:22). Wouldn’t it have been better had Hashem driven them out all at once?  Wouldn’t it have been easier for Bnei Yisrael to have subdued the occasional wild animal that might have crossed their path rather then do battle with the well armed, well fortified military forces of a number of powerful enemy nations?


                            

            These lines of Torah can, perhaps, at one level be understood as a parable – a parable that explains just how we can begin to walk the path carved out by the great and profound teachings of mussar and the elevating thoughts found in chassidus.

 

Eretz Yisrael may be compared to the body which can either serve as a vessel for holiness or its opposite.  The connection between the land and the people can be seen in the word Yisrael, which refers to both and represents the spiritual DNA that makes up our personal and national characteristics.  The letters yud, shin, reish, alef and lamed which form the word “Yisrael” are an acronym for the names of the Avos and Imahos, the patriarchs and matriarchs of the Jewish people: Yitzchak, Yaakov, Sara, Rivka, Rachel, Avraham and Leah whose positive middos, personality traits, were handed down to us as a spiritual legacy (according to the Ari HaKadosh, Likutei Torah, Kisvei Ari, parashas Vayishlach, d’h, Vayikra es shemo Yisrael). 

 

The powerful “nations of the land” who built fortified cities and established military forces are parallel to various forms of knowledge and information which could be used to construct a thriving beneficial civilization based on truth and justice or a corrupt society.  When the seven Canaanite nations who occupied the land chose to use their knowledge to live an immoral existence, those nations came to represent the seven kelipos, unholy husks, the negative counterparts of the seven positive spiritual attributes expressive of Hashem’s goodness and humanity’s true goal (Likutei Torah, Kisvei Ari, Parashas Devarim, d’h, Yesh Ladaas).  These are the middos of chessed, loving kindness for the sake of Heaven, gevura, directed holiness through discipline, tiferes, harmony through the Torah, netzach, eternal connection to the Creator’s will, hod, splendor in the service of Hashem, yesod, moral purity in righteousness and malchus, the power of royalty to orchestrate and combine them all.  These middos are hinted at in our daily prayer of Vayevareich David when we say, Lecha Hashem, “Onto you Hashem, we ascribe Hagedula (chessed), Vehagevura, Vehatiferes …  Thus, in the hands  of the Canaanite nations, wisdom or knowledge became a vehicle for the pursuit of  amoral, unprincipled and unethical diversions.

 

The “beasts of the field” represent the baser emotions which will clamor for the fulfillment of personal desires at the expense of loftier goals unless they are properly channeled. These “beasts of the field” are ruled by the heart and if not controlled lead to egotistic pleasure seeking.

 

When we enter the Land – meaning when we begin the process of transforming ourselves, we must confront two fierce adversaries which have to be subdued and controlled: One is the powerful, well fortified intellect which navigates through the world using verifiable scientific and sociological data and submits to society’s codes and mores in order to promote its survival. 

 

The other is the seat of equally powerful emotional drives which will urge us to bend or break the rules of society whenever they interfere with the fulfillment of personal pleasure. We can harness the intellect and the emotions and use them to aid us in the acquisition and perfection of the positive attributes that have been handed down to us, in potential, from our Avos and Imahos.  Indeed, it is the acquisition of the positive character traits of our Avos and Imahos that earns us the title of Bnei Yisrael.  In this process, we are able to affect the soul’s purpose on earth by allowing these lofty goals to guide our intellectual decisions and control our emotional responses so that we can achieve the proper service of Hashem. However, the self willed intellect and the exuberant emotions will not meekly yield to this yoke without a struggle.

 

It is to this struggle that our portion of Torah addresses itself. It teaches that the intellect set upon pursuing misdirected secular goals – the enemy nation – is not as harmful to us as the unbridled lower emotions – the wild beasts of the field. Importantly, it teaches that the mind, like the land, is never empty – it is either occupied by people or by wild animals – meaning by intellectual pursuits or emotional experiences. 

 

Thus, if in the conquest of our “land” we try to rid ourselves of non-beneficial pursuits before Torah driven values, ideas and activities have had a chance to increase, spread out and occupy our thinking, then the vacuum thus created, could, if we are not exceedingly careful, be filled by the “beasts of the field” – the lower passions and desires. Thus our Torah teaches that  “Hashem, your G-d, will thrust these nations from before you little by little; you will not be able to annihilate them quickly, lest the beasts of the field increase against you.”

                 

Growth in the service of Hashem is like climbing a ladder.   We must be realistic about our present level and not try to pretend to a righteousness that is not yet ours.  The transformation from secular ideologies and their corresponding lifestyles cannot occur all at once, but only “little by little.”  Just as a person cannot mature from infancy to adulthood in a brief period of time, so too we cannot instantly make drastic changes in our natures. The Torah, therefore, warns that this process of vanquishing inappropriate mindsets and lifestyles needs to take place little by little to give an opportunity for the Torah driven values that we have planted to grow and spread and keep the wild beasts of the field at bay.

 

By way of example, let us assume that someone has attended an inspiring mussar shiur and makes a decision to forgo reading novels and secular newspapers. For someone who has spent a great many evenings in those pursuits, this is quite a tall order. The person certainly means well, but does not yet have the training, the discipline or the motivation to dedicate those long evening hours exclusively to learning Torah, doing community work or engaging in other constructive activities.  That person might feel frustrated or anguished and could, at one extreme, decide that he or she is not capable of keeping to this newfound resolve and may let go even of spiritual levels that had already been achieved.

 

Therefore the Torah wisely informs us that if such a person sincerely wants to change these aspects of their lifestyle they might choose to begin by looking critically at what they read and by exchanging certain harmful and debased subject matter for that which is less so, all the while increasing slowly but surely their pursuit of a Torah directed lifestyle. 

 

As Torah values are put in place, unnecessary and unhealthy intellectual pursuits can be safely removed or transformed into useful ‘servants’ of the soul. Unrefined emotions will have no foothold because our neshama will have spread out, filling the potential vacuum with the glory of the Divine Radiance that is waiting to shine within all of us. This means that as we mature, develop and apply the attributes that are part of our inheritance from our Avos and the Imahos, then and only then will Hashem totally remove any connection with the lifestyle of the other nations.  Eventually through effort and sincerity we can reach the level of living life according to the will of and for the sake of the Creator alone. Hopefully, through this perception and approach to life’s challenges and most importantly with the help of Hashem, we will succeed in returning to our inheritance and living within its borders in peace and holiness soon in our days.

All articles appearing on this blog are copyrighted by Rabbi Yehoshua Binyamin Falk. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to share/download/copy this information as long as it is accompanied by the copyright. Separately authored/copyrighted materia

TU-BI- SHEVAT – A TIME FOR RENEWAL

Tu BiShevat: A Time of Renewal

The Glorious Proliferation of Trees

From the metaphysical to the metaphorical, from the mechanical to
the medicinal, trees are sources of wonder and joy, nourishment and nurture.
Metaphysically speaking, the Torah teaches that the Tree of Life was a link to
eternal existence. Metaphorically speaking, the Torah compares mankind to the
trees in the field (Devarim 20,19),
and indeed, we exist in a symbiotic relationship with them – so much so, that we
speak of ourselves as being “rooted” in reality with ideas that “bear fruit.”

In their mechanical and physical aspects, trees are no less
remarkable. Did you know that there are almost 247 billion trees of all sizes
in the United States?
That is a blessing because even a single tree produces some 260 pounds of
oxygen per year, and thus two mature trees can supply enough oxygen per year to
meet the needs of a family of four. Trees contribute to the water supply, as
well, with our national forests serving as the originating point for drinking
water used by some 3400 communities and 60 million individuals. Trees provide
shade and wind buffering that reduce annual cooling and heating costs by 2.1
billion dollars, reducing the temperature in buildings some 20 degrees in the
summer. Trees are an abundant source of raw material in the form of wood and
paper. An average family uses about 750 pounds of paper every year, and 95% of
the homes built in this country are made of wood. And these figures don’t even
begin to speak of the food that comes from trees.

A Season of Silent Celebration

These statistics bear witness to the extremely productive role
played by trees in the worldwide ecosystem, yet we celebrate their New Year
during their deepest stage of hibernation, in a still and seemingly lifeless
period in the midst of the winter when not a leaf is left to rustle or a fruit
remains to be plucked. What is it that causes us to remember the tree at the
nadir of its yearly cycle, and how can we understand human productivity in this
context?

Indeed, lack of productivity makes many of us uncomfortable and
is particularly difficult for the “movers and shakers” – the trendsetters and
money makers – who spend their lives amidst the constant hustle and bustle of
the fast-paced metropolitan hubs.

In this, the fifth or so generation after the birth of the
“Industrial Age,” the goal has been and continues to be efficiency – cheap,
mass-produced items whose worth is measured in quantity rather than quality.
Indeed, progress in every area of life has come to be based upon that end. In
this regard, fruits are plucked before they have ripened, and all sorts of
services have been “outsourced” or computerized. The secular media mill is
expected to churn out new material each day, and therefore often settles for
banality and mediocrity in an effort to feed the voracious appetites of
readers, listeners and viewers. Children are placed in a school setting which
expects students to learn more and faster by bombarding them with an enormous amount
of facts and figures, often at the expense of quality, sensibility and balance.

Growing up in this world, it is no surprise that many feel very
uncomfortable when faced with periods of dormancy – times when life seems
unproductive, torpid and inactive, and when creativity and inspiration are on
the wane. Therefore, it behooves us to try to get to the root of the matter and
then make concerted efforts to reach up to pluck potentially fruitful insights
that can excite our taste for and appreciation of those periods in our lives
that are relatively “passive” and appear less productive. Let us now discover
from the “tree of life” how to reinvigorate our own lives by learning to view
this phase of “cyclic hibernation” as an essential stage that prepares us for
the next step in our growth and renewal

Growth Beneath the Surface

Although imperceptible to the external observer, on Tu BiShevat,
the life-giving sap, hidden deep within the tree’s core, starts flowing upward,
triggering the tree’s awakening. Although human growth is not necessarily tied
to the seasons, we, too, undergo transformations – spiritual and psychological
restorations that occur well beneath the surface, often hidden even from
ourselves; and it is apparent that the winter months lend themselves to the
kind of solitude and isolation that is conducive to contemplation and inner
change.

As our Sages have informed us, “The greatest of blessings comes
from that which is hidden from the eye.” Nonetheless, we have been instructed
to begin proclaiming at this time the beracha
of “Shehechiyanu,” expressing thanks
and praise for this auspicious time.

 If it is better to keep
this transformative process hidden while it does its work, why do we forgo the
benefits of concealment by openly declaring the greatness of this period
through our berachos? Perhaps we can
venture to say that our proclamation of gratitude and total acknowledgment of
the true Source of blessing enables us to tap into an even greater beracha of renewal and growth than does
our silence. The blessing of Shehechiyanu
acts as a catalyst, catapulting us above and outside the realm of teva (nature), and therefore, we no
longer need be concerned with remaining concealed. Now, all of our potential
mitzvos and ma’asim tovim can
unassumingly begin to be revealed, each in its ideal time and appropriate
place.

The illusionary forces of stagnation that correspond to the depth
of winter only exist in those who don’t recognize from where the “fruit” of
their actions evolves. By binding our souls to the Creator with cords
(blessings) of praise and sincere appreciation, however, as through the beracha of Shehechiyanu, we can overcome all impediments, thereby clearly
recognizing the great value of each and every stage of our existence,
sustenance and development. A seed represents potential. Only after sprouting
and undergoing a lengthy gestation period does the seed gradually grow and
develop until reaching fruit-bearing maturity. So also do we grow and develop
in a slow and gentle unfolding from birth to adulthood. Like trees, however,
people cannot truly reach maturity until they actualize their potential by
producing luscious “fruits,” which are their mitzvos and ma’asim tovim.

Individual Place of Development

There is another insight that can deepen our understanding and
appreciation of the different stages of life. Most trees produce their fruits
after relatively few years. One notable exception, however, is the olive tree,
which does not begin to bear its highly praised and valuable fruit for many,
many years. What can we learn from this phenomenon? Perhaps it is to make us
cognizant of the fact that each person’s potential for development has a
different timetable. Assuming that we are making our best efforts, we should
never become frustrated or envious if we see our peers “succeeding” in ways
that we have not. There are early bloomers and late bloomers, but if each of us
develops our potential, we will, in the proper time and setting, merit to bear
exquisite fruits.

In summary, let us approach this season of potential renewal
realizing that even during the quiet, seemingly less productive, or even
challengingly restrictive periods of our lives, there is hidden within us a
reservoir of potential spiritual influx waiting to be tapped, bringing with it
an elevating surge of renewal and inspiration. By acknowledging our belief in
the absolute governance of the compassionate Creator, we can remove the
personal impediments of imagined limitations, thereby enhancing our potential
for rejuvenation, change and growth. May we all together raise our voices in
thanks, proclaiming Shehechiyanu for
our existence, veki’yemanu for our
growth and sustenance, and vehigianu
for developing and bringing us la’zeman
hazeh
– to this special moment in time.

All articles appearing on this blog are copyrighted by Rabbi Yehoshua Binyamin Falk. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to share/download/copy this information as long as it is accompanied by the copyright. Separately authored/copyrighted materia

THE MANN – HEAVENLY NOURISHMENT FOR THE SOUL

                 “He who recites the chapter of the (Manna) ‘Heavenly bread’, written in Parshas Beshalach  (16: 4-36) every day is assured that he will not lack food” (Gem. Yerushalmi). The Levush explains that this chapter teaches that G-d provides each day’s substance – just as He provided the manna each day in the wilderness.

                   Would that we could see with the pure eyes of a child for whom the world is filled by Hashem with wonder and delight. Imagine the reaction of the younger members of the generation of the Dor Hamidbar, who only received their nourishment from the “heavenly bread,” entered Eretz Yisrael and saw agricultural produce growing from the ground, they no doubt considered it a supernatural event.  We, on the other hand, see our food as common place taking it for granted, but consider the life support system that provided food, water, and protection to 3,000,000 men, women and children along with their herds and flocks in the desert for forty years that was truly an open miracle.  Yet, both systems are part of Hashem’s miraculous governance of the world –  a hashgacha that can be perceived by us as miraculous if we but choose to take the opportunity to do so.

             The Mann was a wondrous source of nourishment. The sustenance provided to us in the midbar did not require the expenditure of physical effort, nor were needed any of the labor intensive tasks ordinarily associated with the growth and production of food and its preparation.  We might, therefore, be tempted to think that the generation of the midbar was not only freed from the obligation of earning a living but absolved of all of the challenges related to this endeavor.  However, such is not the case.

The unique challenge of the Dor Hamidbar lay in the fact that they had absolutely no physical control over their food, water or protection. Thus they were simultaneously confronted with the test of feeling vulnerable to the elements while at the same time experiencing complete dependence upon the benevolence of the Creator.

In fact every single necessity upon which their physical well being depended was not in their “hands”.  They had no fertile land, no rivers teaming with life, no reservoirs filled with water or towering forests to provide timber and game.  They had no homes and no sense of permanency. Although a tremendous surplus of manna fell each day, each person was allowed to collect only what he or she needed for that day alone. With the exception of the extra portion that was allotted for Shabbos, the manna was not permitted to remain for even one extra day for if additional manna was gathered, it would immediately spoil.  Thus they were never able to establish any “physical security” or feeling of independence.  

            Though it would seem that they were able to obtain  manna without effort or exertion, that is far from the truth. The efforts that the Dor Hamidbar had to make in order to “earn” their food, was a constant “exercise”  in emunah and bitachon at the highest level, as the Sages inform us: “Who is strong? One who surrenders his inclination to the will of Hashem.”

The reward for these efforts was a “spiritual food” that nourished the body by feeding the soul. Like all things spiritual it had no physical limitations or boundaries and was not the subject of the natural laws of cause and effect.  Each person received the same size portion regardless of size or weight and yet each person felt satiated .The message to be found within this phenomenon is very profound in that at the level of pure soul we are all equal and therefore each individual received the same sized portion.  However, there were certain differences that each person experienced dependant on their spiritual level. If the Mann was left close or far away, and the need of preparation and flavor were based on the level of one’s righteousness.

  The more virtuous found their portions ready to eat at the entrance of their tent, while the less upright had to search further a field and then prepare it according to their needs. These distinctions served as a daily “bench mark” of one’s spiritual level and thereby served as an incentive to constantly improve.

   The whole creation exists within a five dimensional continuum, consisting of the three dimensions of place together with time and soul.  Using these concepts of place, time and soul, we can analyze the distance, placement and preparation of the manna connecting them to specific objectives of spiritual achievement.


            The three dimensions of place and their directions, North–South, East-West and above-below are measured in terms of distance or closeness to a given point.  The absolute and constant reference point for place is reflected through Hashem’s Holy Name, HaMakom which means The Place. This conveys the idea that Hashem is that  eternal and unchanging reference point. Distance or closeness to Hashem is reflected in our ability to see Him as everywhere. With this in mind, perhaps we can say that the placement of the portion of the manna at a specified distance from the recipient reflected that individual’s level of awareness of Hashem’s governance, the hashgacha pratis within that person’s life.          The degree of preparedness of the manna can be understood as reflecting the dimension of time.   Moving  along the place-time-soul continuum from the most concrete of concepts—place–  to the most ephemeral—soul– time lies somewhere in between.  Every effort we make can be measured in terms of the time needed for its completion.  Our progress from birth throughout life is measured by age, which is simply another way of  expressing the effect of time.  Though we may see time as a natural phenomena whose passage is measured by the ticks of a clock, time, like distance and soul has its G-dly basis, time is and can be experienced as a function of  and subject to Hashem’s governance. Thus, the amount of time allotted to a person on this earth can be measured in terms of the number of words he or she has spoken. Needless to say words of Torah and words said in connection with the doing of mitzvoth are not included in this countdown.

The amount of time spent in excessive preparation is time lost from its potential supernal enjoyment. Those people who measure time by the inexorable ticking of  the clock will find that  their preparations will take a  “natural” course; while the person who recognizes Hashem’s control  of time can merit “super natural” intervention being able to use this Divine gift to “capture” moments otherwise lost thereby revealing the eternality within each second. We are ready on time for Shabbos, whether the Friday is long or short. All our efforts in preparation for Shabbos, yomin  tovim and other mitzvoth are  synchronized with the Creator’s heavenly clock and thus enjoy an “inspired efficiency”.

            Last but not least, the amount of spicing necessary for the mann may well reflect our varying needs for excitement, stimulation and pleasure in this world. For those who have accustomed  their “diet”
to appreciate nuanced “spiritual flavors” of the perfect blend of ahavah and yirah, all of ones activities directed toward the service of Hashem  will  produce supernal joy and pleasure, being able to favorably savor even challenging experiences; while those still far from becoming  “connoisseurs” in “spiritual delights” may find themselves still engaged in a sub-optimal search for “artificial flavors”.

            Now perhaps we can understand why Chazal teach us  that those who recite the Perek of the Mann every day are  assured that they will not lack food, because recitation of this chapter is our acknowledgement,  in Divine hashgacha, that it is the Creator who is the true provider for everything in its right place and proper time.

All articles appearing on this blog are copyrighted by Rabbi Yehoshua Binyamin Falk. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to share/download/copy this information as long as it is accompanied by the copyright. Separately authored/copyrighted materia