Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for 15 Shevat, 5785
Good morning! And Happy Tu B’Shevat! Today we are shifting energies with the full moon. The dead trees have been pulled up, and there is space for new seeds to be planted. The trees will not bloom right away, of course – but the space is there for new roots to take hold.
We are also shifting into new energies around the shadow of desire.
Desire is designed for the purpose of awakening our heart.
The object of our desires is not as critical as the impact these desires have in awakening our heart.
To feel.
To feel deeply.
With the full palette of emotions within us.
To move from repressing our emotions to expressing them.
And how we do this?
Lightening up.
Time to have some fun.
Time to make a wish.
What are your thoughts?
Here are my thoughts from last year:
Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for 22 Shevat 5784
Parsha Yitro: (Exodus 18:1 – 20:23)
Fifth Portion: Exodus 19:7 – 19:19
Good morning! We are getting closer now to the new moon into the first of the Adar months. As we continue to collect the blessings from the first part of the month, may we connect to Hashem and come back to him. In each moment – going “up” to Hashem on the mountain to find our intuition on how we can move forward to the next moment.
Let’s dig into the portion. Moses just went up to connect with Hashem, who gave him a message for Israel. Simply put:
- Remember – we witnessed Hashem’s miracles
- Listen to Hashem, Connect with Hashem
- Stay connected with Hashem – see your worth and value (we are treasures)
- If we do #2 and #3? We will be ministers and holy.
That’s it! Let’s see where we go today:
7Moses came and summoned the elders of Israel and placed before them all these words that the Lord had commanded him.
Moses brought the elders together and shared with them this formula. And how did they respond?
8And all the people replied in unison and said, “All that the Lord has spoken we shall do!” and Moses took the words of the people back to the Lord.
Moses received the words of the people and went back to Hashem on the mountain. Moses was intervening on behalf of Israel. How did Hashem respond?
9And the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I am coming to you in the thickness of the cloud, in order that the people hear when I speak to you, and they will also believe in you forever.” And Moses relayed the words of the people to the Lord.
Here’s how Hashem responded (I am paraphrasing):
Alright – let’s go, Moses – I will come to you when you speak to the people of Israel – not just the elders. The people will hear you because I am with you. And they will believe in you forever.
Hashem wanted the people to believe “in” Moses forever?
I am sitting with that. Why doesn’t the Torah say “in order that the people hear when I speak to you, they will also believe in me forever?” Why did Hashem make this about Moses?
I think it goes back to the original plan from Hashem:
- Remember – we witnessed Hashem’s miracles
- Listen to Hashem, Connect with Hashem
- Stay connected with Hashem – see your worth and value (we are treasures)
- If we do #2 and #3? We will be ministers and holy.
The Torah seems to be about #1 and #2. Our role is #2 and #3, and our purpose is #4.
Hashem wants us to believe in Moses forever. The Torah is the way. It shows us the miracles of Hashem. It helps us listen to Hashem. When we connect with Torah? We can do amazing things!
And. What is interesting, Hashem did all of this BEFORE Moses relayed the words of the elders to the Lord. Hashem laid this out and THEN Moses told Hashem the elders said “All that the Lord has spoken we shall do!”
So after Moses tells Hashem, what happens next?
10And the Lord said to Moses, “Go to the people and prepare them today and tomorrow, and they shall wash their garments.
11And they shall be prepared for the third day, for on the third day, the Lord will descend before the eyes of all the people upon Mount Sinai.
12And you shall set boundaries for the people around, saying, Beware of ascending the mountain or touching its edge; whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death.’
13No hand shall touch it, for he shall be stoned or cast down; whether man or beast, he shall not live. When the ram’s horn sounds a long, drawn out blast, they may ascend the mountain.”
So Hashem laid this out. Prepare the people to hear Us Moses. You and Me!
- Two days (Today and Tomorrow)
- Wash their garments
- Day 3? Hashem is coming down.
- Set boundaries around the mountain so people don’t die
- When the shofar blows (the Ram’s Horn) then they can come up the mountain.
Why?
That’s what I am sitting with? Why this elaborate process?
Because of Awe.
What is Awe? It is fear mixed with safety.
As a culture, we have watered down Awe a lot. Those of us who grew up in the 80s? Awesome was a part of our vernacular. And this watered down the idea of Awe. Because there was no longer fear. It became “cool.”
Hashem is not Awesome in the way we understand the word. He’s not just “Cool.”
Hashem is something to both be afraid of and feel safe with.
This is something we’ve lost.
Here’s the takeaway (I think). What in our lives are we in Awe of?
My kids. I am in awe of them. I am afraid of them. I am afraid they will reject me. I am afraid of making mistakes. I am afraid of them getting hurt. And. I am safe. As their parent, I feel safe – I didn’t always feel this way; but I do today. I feel safe. And afraid. At the same time.
This is awe.
How about you?
Let’s pause. Just reflect.
Breathe.
Ok. Let’s keep going. What happens next:
14So Moses descended from the mountain to the people, and he prepared the people, and they washed their garments.
15He said to the people, “Be ready for three days; do not go near a woman.”
It is interesting – one of the preparations was not having sex. Why?
Upon reflection? I think because Sexual intimacy – knowing someone in this way? Is a taste of awe – that is how it is designed. To feel sacred. And Moses was saying – let’s reserve our awe for the arrival of Hashem. So then – this is what unfolds:
16It came to pass on the third day when it was morning, that there were thunder claps and lightning flashes, and a thick cloud was upon the mountain, and a very powerful blast of a shofar, and the entire nation that was in the camp shuddered.
17Moses brought the people out toward God from the camp, and they stood at the bottom of the mountain.
18And the entire Mount Sinai smoked because the Lord had descended upon it in fire, and its smoke ascended like the smoke of the kiln, and the entire mountain quaked violently.
19The sound of the shofar grew increasingly stronger; Moses would speak and God would answer him with a voice.
This is awe.
What are we in awe of? What SHOULD we be in awe of, but we treat as if it is “cool” instead? Something to reflect on.
What are your thoughts?
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