ON KIDNEYS, BANANAS, FREE RADICALS & DISCERNMENT (DA’AS)

 

                    We see them frequently – health articles that offer a seemingly simple prevention or even claimed cures for serious illnesses.  We may sometimes dismiss them as wishful thinking, but perhaps we shouldn’t.

The article that caught my eye recently was about how bananas can cut the risk of kidney cancer. [1]  By now many  of us know  that certain herbs with very exotic names like gotu kola or ginkgo now have documented medical preventive and even in some cases curative effects, but bananas . . .!   Nonetheless, the dietary study that was reported in a prestigious scientific journal was pretty impressive. It was conducted with some 61,000 Swedish people between the ages of 40 to 76 who were followed for an average of thirteen years. And what were the results?  Apparently the subjects who ate bananas four to six times a week had about half the risk of contracting kidney cancer as those who did not. Eating root vegetables such as carrots and beets, white cabbage, lettuce & cucumbers also greatly helped to protect against renal cell carcinoma.

            So this article was more difficult to dismiss then many undocumented natural health claims, not merely because it teamed up two such unlikely partners as kidneys and bananas, but because there are many things about this small organ that are fascinating.

In a 160 pound adult, the kidneys weigh only about three quarters of a pound, yet they do an incredible job.  The kidneys filter the blood at a rate of 45 gallons a day.  Since we have 7 or 8 liters or somewhat less then  two gallons of blood in our bodies, this means that the entire blood volume gets filtered approximately 20 to 25 times each day. 

What the kidneys are doing in this process is balancing the  composition of the blood by keeping the ratio of important substances constant.  They also keep the amount of water in the body stable, remove wastes and keep the acids and bases in balance. The kidney is the only organ in the body in which two capillary beds laid out in a series connect the arteries with the veins. Arteries carry oxygenated blood and nutrients to the cells while the veins  transport blood containing carbon dioxide and waste products discarded from the cells.

This physiological function, as amazingly complex  as it is, does not quite explain why or how David Hamelech “consulted” with his kidneys and Avraham Aveinu was taught by them and the fact that our Sages therefore learn that  the kidneys are the “seat of  the power of judgment and the source of  advice”.   

             Sounds interesting! But wait it gets even more interesting because these food stuffs that protect the body against various malignancies are, according to this research study, all common place vegetables. What is the secretive power hidden within these natural foods.

According to the scientists,  these vegetables work to help to protect against cancer because they contain antioxidants and antioxidant boosters.  Antioxidants  fight the scourge known as “free radicals.” Free radicals are  chemically active atoms or molecules that have an unbalanced number of electrons, that is instead of even numbers of paired electrons they will have either too many or too few.   To reach the necessary state of equilibrium, free radicals will scavenge the body either releasing or stealing electrons in an effort to rebalance themselves, and leaving, in their wake, more unstable products in a chain reaction effect.  This activity causes tremendous damage to cells, proteins and DNA.  Anti oxidants fight this process by stabilizing the radical before it begins to do its damage or by breaking the chain after it has been formed.   

Let’s see what comes out of all of this.  On the physical side the kidneys are the organs that mediate between the two major opposing components of the circulatory system: that being its the arteries and the veins, as well as balancing the composition of the blood in the process, while its counterpart spiritual “kidneys” serve as the “organs of discernment”. How so? Just as the role of the kidneys are to mediate the divergent flows of the life force within us and neutralize any negative influence so as to rebalance the body, our “supernal kidneys” are given to us in order to maintain the health and balance of our souls.



[1] See “Banans, Root Veggies May Cut Kidney Cancer Risk” The Hamodia, February 2, 2005

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

A GOOD WORD CAN CHANGE ONES DIRECTION IN LIFE

         How often have we spent time and energy trying to help others seemingly without positive results?   When this happens, we find it difficult to understand just how we could have dedicated so much time to such a fruitless task.  If you have ever had this experience or are, even now, ready to give up because you don’t think you are accomplishing anything, read on and perhaps you will change your mind.

             This true story happened in the sixties, when coming of age in this Country took the form of rebellion against the status quo.  For some, this meant trading all of the trappings of materialism– expensive clothes, luxury cars and a college education– for a backpack and a one way ticket to the East where they hoped to find direction in their search for a ‘spiritual’ path.   Many of those young people were unfortunately assimilated Jews who knew little or nothing about Torah and its  answer to these questions, but nonetheless, with Hashem’s kindness some B.H. managed to find their way to the land (Eretz) of Yisrael where they ultimately came to learn about and live a life imbued with the ideals of Torah. This story is about one of these young men who we know and will call Yehuda.


Yehuda was learning in a beginners (Ba’al Teshuva-Yeshiva-Kollel) school. One day, he noticed a new young man arrive that reminded himself how he looked five years earlier, with his long hair, torn jeans and back pack.  Yehuda at the first opportunity introduced himself to this obviously introspective young man, whose name was Joey. Since their personalities were of like nature, Yehuda made extra efforts to help Joey any way he could including learning with him.

               Each time they learned or were together, Yehuda tried to introduce him to (Yiddishkeit) his Jewish roots through its eternal laws and through its beautiful ethical teachings trying to inspire Joey to appreciate his Jewish heritage, but he unfortunately seemed to have more interest about making his way to the Far East and kept plying Yehuda with questions about his own stay there five years earlier.                                    

            One evening, a few weeks later, at about nine o’clock there was a knock at the door of Yehuda’s apartment. It was Joey asking if they could talk privately. After inviting him in and offering some light refreshments, Joey divulged to Yehuda that he had decided to leave the Yeshiva and world of Torah with his eyes directed towards India. Joey was clearly sitting with Yehuda in order to try to pry some names and addresses of people that he had met while he had travelled in that part of the world.


  Yehuda, on the other hand, used the opportunity to launch a ‘last ditch’ effort upon Joey’s decision by trying to inspire him in keeping his connection with our precious Jewish heritage through the path of the Torah. However, about midnight, Yehuda, starting to feel very tired and a little discouraged, felt like ending the conversation as he had obligations the next morning at the Kollel and the two of them seemed to have reached a ‘grid lock’ between their different ideologies.  However, Yehuda rekindled the conversation with some challenging questions about the deeper purpose of life and the role of  the Jewish people. Still after all Yehuda’s efforts, Joey did finally say good night at about two thirty in the morning thanking Yehuda for his time, and explaining that his decision was still firm that he intended to leave the Yeshiva tomorrow and start his journey to the far East stopping only to visit a relative in England for a few days.

               Indeed, the next day, Joey was gone, Yehuda was tired and a little let down from what appeared to have been a fruitless effort.


                It is now six years later: Yehuda and his family were visiting friends in their large Succah in Jerusalem. During the festive meal (seuda) a man of about thirty years of age dressed fully as an Orthodox Jew approached him.  Smiling, the young man asked, “Do you recognize me?” “The voice is familiar,” Yehuda slowly replied, trying to place this person who now had a full beard. Then this young man’s smile became very broad and warm with his dark brown eyes glowing as he began to speak:  “Six years ago I was a new student at  Yeshiva______________.   I was having a hard time and a very special person spent half the night talking to me.”  Now, Yehuda was truly incredulous as he began to remember. The young man continued: “I kept my plans and left the Yeshiva that night, however while on the plane to England, the first leg of my journey, something you said that night started to bother me. I tried to ignore it but could not get it out of my mind. I decided that the only way it would let me be is if I could clarify the issue.  When we landed in England, I decided to look for a Yeshiva and put the question to one of the Rabannim.  As soon as I got my answer, I would be on my way.  I made my way to Yeshiva______ and approached one of the Rabbis. After introducing myself  I asked him the perplexing question that you had asked me about what it truly means to be born Jewish in a world with over six billion people?”

 “The Rav undoubtedly saw where I was heading and how important a question it was to me.  He sat me down and spoke as a loving father would speak to a son. The conversation continued until I felt comfortable explaining my plans. The Rav invited me to stay for Shabbos and somehow I found myself accepting his invitation.  This meant  postponing my flight to India for a few days but the Rav’s warmth and intelligent answers rekindled a new inspiration within me to spend a few more days rethinking my future. By the end of  the holy Shabbos I was recommitted to try again to stay and learn in a Yeshiva. This wonderful Rav offered to arrange for me learning partners (cavursos) throughout the day and I was able B.H. to advance very nicely in my learning and general Yiddishkite. It is now six years later and  I am, B.H., still learning full time but now in the Yeshiva’s  (kollel) school as I merited to marry and have already a few lovely little children.”


With soft tones and a voice that resonated from deep within his heart, Yosef  then told Yehuda, “I want to take this opportunity  to thank you for befriending me and for not giving up on me even when I seemed so hopelessly lost. The question you ask me about my Jewishness, I had already heard from others before but apparently there needed to be another ‘ingredient’ in the ‘recipe’  allowing me to ‘sit up and take notice’  of its importance.  That additional invaluable spice was your misiras nefesh – giving up your time, effort and energy to help reach out to a fellow Yid. Well, Joseph continued: “Through that selfless effort of yours well into the middle of the night, I not only was later able to find out why I am Jewish but was shown by you how a Jew  should act..”

P.S. : Oh yes, that ticket to the Far East was never used.    

 May all the Jewish people merit to find their way back home even if we never know how we have helped them!

 

 

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

OF GIANTS, MEN AND GRASSHOPPERS

           

“There we saw the Nephilim, the sons of the giant

                        from among the Nephilim; and it came to pass that in our eyes

[we were] like grasshoppers, and so we were in their eyes.”  Bamidbar, 13:33

 

                                                                                                                                                                                         

         The military reconnaissance of the Land presaged a battle that  appeared hopeless as it would pit  the weak and small  against the strong and mighty. The spies – meraglim – in  answering the questions posed to them upon their return, seemingly did no more than state the obvious danger;  yet we know that they committed a grave sin in so doing.  What can we learn from this tragic event in order to avoid the errors of the meraglim?

The first step is to understand the nature of their failing. The commentators acknowledge that the meraglim recognized  Hashem’s power but suggest that the spies thought that Hashem was going to limit Himself and act in accordance with nature and therefore B’nei Yisrael would be unable to triumph.

 Yehoshuah and Caleb, men of complete faith, demonstrated what it takes to remain men – anashim – even in the face of  vastly stronger and more powerful enemies. Yehoshua faced the distraught assembly that was weeping and entreating Moshe to return to Egypt and told them a simple but profound truth.  He did not deny the obvious size and strength of the giants, but exhorted that “If  Hashem is pleased with us then will He bring us into this land  and will give it to us . . . and you , you should not fear the people of the land for they are our bread; their protective shadow is departed from them as G-d is with us . . . “ (Bamidbar 14: 8-9).

           It all depends on the lens through which we view the test. The meraglim saw the inhabitants of the land as being too daunting and the land as being unconquerable, because they used their own personal discernment, Yehoshua and Calav viewed the inhabitants of the land through the lens of daas Torah and thus perceived them as presenting no meaningful obstacle.  

Unless a Jew sees himself as a representative of G-d who is All Powerful, he will see himself  not as a person facing his adversary, but rather as a “grasshopper” facing a “giant”. The way in which we perceive our relationship to  Hashem is the deciding factor in how we view ourselves.

 Referring to the spies’ encounter with the giants, the  Torah says “vanehi b’eineinu k’chagavim” and   “and in our  eyes [too] we were like grasshoppers.”  “Nehi” connotes weeping or crying and suggests a diminished, disheartened and despairing emotional state.  Although the  meraglim were initially described as ‘anashim’  righteous men — heads of the tribes of  Israel,  their lack of faith now surfaced transforming them from human beings into a more demeaning form of life.  

As is all too apparent from our experiences during this long difficult galus, if our belief in Hashem weakens, our Jewish self esteem is diminished undermining our ability to see and appreciate our unique mission in this world.

            The Kotzke Rebbe explains: The spies had no right to consider how the giants viewed them. As Jews and emissaries for the Jewish people, they should have thought only of their mission, not of what anyone else thought of them.   How many times do we become discouraged because of what we feel or perceive that other people think?

When, in that diminished psychological state, if we should be confronted by a difficult challenge, it takes on the hugeness of a giant in our eyes and as such has the power to discourage us from achieving our true potential and fulfilling our destiny. How can we overcome this challenge?

First we should realize that there is no barrier so  large or overwhelming that we cannot hurdle it,  if it is Hashem’s will  that we do so. The Maraglim saw themselves as grasshoppers. Why grasshoppers? Perhaps to teach us that every challenge gives us the opportunity to choose our direction and destiny in life. When threatened, the grasshopper can  jump away, as did the meraglim who counseled the nation to jump far away from their  “giant” challenges.  The grasshopper however has another option. It can leap over the barrier that lies before it.  When we take up a challenge for Hashem’s honor,  He will empower us to easily hurdle the barriers in our path.

The Torah is teaching a profound lesson in attitude and choice. Does challenge bring with it retreat and despair or does it elicit feelings of courage and optimism? It all depends on our connection to Hashem and His will.

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

MOUNT SINAI – SEARCHING FOR THE MESSAGE – SHAVUOS

               This world is filled with treasure hunters—people looking for riches in all of its forms –wealth, power, position and glory.  They search high and low for clues and directional signposts to show them the way. A recent article reported on the activities of one of the most successful hedge fund managers in the world whose fund returns a whopping 36% a year (net before fees).  To accomplish this he uses  a  vast array of sophisticated computing equipment reputed to be worth over 600 million dollars and 150 employees who hold doctoral degrees in fields as diverse as  astrophysics and linguistics rather than in finance.  All of this combined brain power is used to sift through huge amounts of raw data eliminating what appears to be irrelevant information or “noise”  and  scrutinizing what remains for patterns with the goal of  discerning   investment trends and directions.  If we think about it, the tools for this search may be  new, but the methodology is not. It is the age old process of mining for minerals and gold by clearing through tons of dirt and rock  to reveal the riches within, using computers rather than digging tools.

            So much of mankind is on a seemingly never ending search for success and fortune, however, at best, their endeavors  produce only transitory gains. This is in contrast to the enduring legacy of our nation which we acquired 3300 years ago when we merited to receive the durable, eternal wealth of our holy Jewish teachings (Torah).

            At the giving of the Torah, we were not asked to be searchers seeking out subtle clues and vague directives.  We did not have to explore the heavens and plumb the depths of the seas.  We did not even have to climb to the top of the lowest mountain upon which it was given in order to receive it. It was brought down to us—by our leader and emissary, Moshe Rabbeinu. The question then as now was not how to find it,  but rather how are we to comprehend, appreciate and incorporate its treasured value into our lives?  There are maps and guideposts that are available to help us with this exploration.  All it requires is for us to take a fresh look at some old familiar landscapes.

              To start we might wish to consider the place of its presentation. The desert is a place that is separated from the busyness of the world—a place where the world’s standards and distractions do not impinge—a place where we lacked the ability to be self sustaining, but in fact had to rely upon the Creator’s (Hashem’s) kindness and protection.  In this place, greatness is measured in humility rather than in power and wealth for ones’ very survival depended upon the willingness to humbly accept the direction of the Creator of the Universe.  And thus we find our first  prerequisite for “mining” the treasure that is our Torah—that is the ability to allow the Torah to guide us rather than us making determinations that impose our own limitations upon it.

          Another key for accessing the Torah’s eternal wisdom and guidance is derived from the fact that it was given from above but was received below.  This alludes to the fact that the Torah emanates from a place that is “above” natural law, but in order for us to benefit from the wealth of our Torah these teachings need to descend into all facets of our lives.

             How does this happen? Ordinarily, it is difficult to evoke changes in habits and behavior, therefore perhaps the intense roaring thunder and streaking lightening bolts at Har Sinai may have been much more than just an introduction of the giving of the Torah but actually served to “jolt” the whole nation out of their old mind set in order to elicit the new spiritual revelation that was to follow.  For us it can serve as a lesson reminding us that  before valuable growth in the service of Hashem) can occur, there often comes a challenging “storm” – ie: a difficult situation or person that  jolts us and in so doing actually helps us to realign with Torah directed sensibility and sensitivity. 

             This perhaps explains the fact that the entire nation experienced a transposition of the senses in which they heard what they saw and saw what they heard. We, who are the beneficiaries of the Sinai revelation, can continue to benefit from this vital experience, if when hearing of some else’s difficult problems – we see what we can do to help them. Likewise when we see someone struggling – if we allow ourselves to hear our inner voice guiding us as to how we can react most sensitively to their needs, we will hopefully bring closer the final redemption (geula), may it be soon in our days.

               Chag samach

 

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

TRANSFORMING OUR (TEFILLOS) PRAYERS

                   Have you ever found yourself praying (davening) mechanically –your lips mumbling through  the familiar and soothing cadence of the liturgy (nusach) — as  your mind  wanders off  the page and goes on an excursion of its own.  Unfortunately, many of us have had this uncomfortable experience.  When we do, we find ourselves fighting a battle on several fronts. We could feel inadequate and perhaps even hypocritical in our prayers (tefillos) thereby making it all the more difficult to achieve the joy, enthusiasm and sincerity we strive for. How can we experience renewal and joy in our tefillos when we daven almost the same words each day? [1]  

One might think that our service of Hashem would be much more enthusiastic if we could pray simply in accordance with our emotions and thoughts.[2] Of course, personalized prayer is not only permissible but very encouraged.  However, here, we are exploring the need for and unique value of set prayer.  It is the combination of personal and set prayer that  allows us to maximize our potential to communicate with Hashem. Also as we properly understand and utilize set prayer, it becomes our own.

  What we do not realize is that the words of our tefilloth are indeed different and unique every time we pray (daven), however, these delicately nuanced and subtle changes usually are not perceptible to us even though they have significant profound long term effects on a spiritual level.

            Though we may understand these concepts intellectually, how can we better connect and relate to them?  By recognizing that it is the Creator (Hashem) who renews these brachas every single day and not taking any peaceful, healthy moment for granted, we certainly will feel the need and value of every tefillah.  

One of the challenges with finding inspiration is not seeing the effect of our prayers. Ironically, this ‘silence from Above’ is one of the greatest blessings we have, albeit one that may be difficult for us to appreciate.  This ‘silence’ can serve to inspire our emunah – belief.  To appreciate the gap between belief and knowledge,  take a moment to imagine how we would feel  if  we were actually able to  see how  our heart-felt tefillos for  the recovery of a loved one, provided health and healing to unknown ,countless others.   Imagine how inspired we would be if we could  see how our prayers for sustenance were bringing plenty into this world; how our blessings (bracot) provided spiritual nourishment for the fields of grain and the fruit orchards.

       Consider the following (moshal) paradigm: You are the pilot of a hi-tech plane that is flown only with instruments without any windows. You are assigned to fly several missions, but are not told what precisely what is being accomplished.  You are highly trained to respond to all of the data that is fed back to you and you program in delicate course adjustments and press certain buttons and pull certain levers. At the end of  the flight, you see that you have returned to your original point of take off.

              If you would ask your flight director what value the flights had, he might tell you: You flew over the vast fields that provides much of the produce for that area. The first time you flew you seeded the fields. The next time you flew over the fields you watered the sprouting seeds and then finally you sprayed the young crops with a substance that protected them.  If you had missed any of the flights, there would have been no produce available in the area. You served your country well by providing it with nourishing food.

             We each have been sent here with specific missions, in which we often don’t see the results of our actions and efforts. We can, however, be sure that by following our (Torah) Jewish teachings, we are helping to cultivate blessings throughout the world and the entire universe. Indeed, part of the definition of exile (galus), is to be “spiritually blind” to the relationship between our prayers, (mitzvoth) essential good deeds and the results that flow from them.  However, our inability to see the cause and effect result of our efforts does not minimize their great importance and even increases the blessings and benefits for all mankind.

Even during those moments that our tefillos seem imperfect, we can  take strength from the knowledge that the holy nusach is working for us. This is because tefillah is an idealistic form of altruistic service. Even the self-importance we may feel when we have a “good davening,” can jeopardize it.  Thus when we  humbly recognize that our tefillos are lacking, that very humility may serve as an impetus for their acceptance.    Indeed, Hashem is close to the broken hearted and humble of spirit , and it is at that moment that we can pray (daven) for the Divine presence (Shechina) which  is in galus with us sharing in our exile. Tefillah allows us the opportunity to pray (daven) sincerely for others, whether or not they are known to us.  The opportunity to daven for others provides a profound lesson in unconditional giving. Another facet of  prayer is its  capacity for connecting us to the Divine Presence (Shechina), whose exile, so to speak, is reflected through the problems of this world.  The difficulties we personally experience allow us to relate the exile of the Shechina. For, in the future when the Shechina will dwell among us in its full glory the world will reflect this revelation through health, happiness and all good things.   

The set nusach , created by the Sages of the great courts know as the Anshei Kenesset Hagedola during the time of the holy Temple in Jerusalem,  is a beautiful astonishingly durable vessel which has remained constant in our service over the centuries in galus no matter where we have lived and what our needs were. It is  universal in that it has been able to convey the  heart felt appreciation, needs, dreams and hopes of a nation as diverse as ours, and yet sufficiently specific so as to  effectively convey  our uniquely personal connections with Hashem.  

The nusach that many of us know so well, and indeed have even committed to memory, releases us from the need to overly concentrate on the pronunciation, grammar, word order or sentence structure and thus  allowing us greater focus on the purpose and intentions of the tefillos.  It is the nusach of our set prayer that specifically allows us to transcend our physical limitations and safely travel the beautiful “spiritual highway of  prayer” created by our Sages, allowing us to offer our inner thoughts, needs, and emotional outpourings directly to Hashem. This then allows us to open the door to our higher consciousness which then aids us to peel off the superficial outer layers allowing us to reach our inner spiritual core. Through the perfectly crafted prayers that our holy Sages designed, we are able to enter a new realm of highly contemplative thought.

Thus, it is specifically through the set nusach that we can gain access to the innermost Palace. Not surprisingly the word nusach – נוסח contains the same four letters as chason — חסון –which means sturdy, strong and powerful. Our nusach is that sturdy, strong and powerful vessel that carries the soul’s expression of praise and need up to the Heavenly throne.  

 May our unified tefillot awaken Divine mercy from Above, thereby bringing peace and harmony along with the long awaited final geula to all mankind soon in our days. 



[1][1]  Very early in our history as a nation, we encountered repetition in the service of  Hashem.  During the construction of the Tabernacle (Mishkan), the Princes of the twelve tribes, offered twelve identical gifts. Each prince’s offering is separately described in great detail and  repeated verbatim  twelve times.  (Parshas Nasso, 7:10-88).  We know that each word of the Torah has everlasting significance.  Since there are no superfluous words in Torah, what can we extrapolate from these seemingly repetitious verses?   The Torah is coming to teach us that while on a superficial level  each gift may appear to have been alike, each was actually different because each Prince gave his  gifts for his individual  symbolic reasons and each of the gifts reflected the distinctive spiritual level achieved by that Prince and his Tribe. Their presentation of identical gifts, however, was the very unifying quality that fused the unique talents and purposes of each leader and each tribe into one spiritual and physical national whole dedicated to the service of Hashem. According to the great commentator – the Ramban, this is the why the Torah adds the twelve offerings together and gives their sum.

               

 

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