Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for 2 Iyar, 5783
17th Day of the Omer.
Today’s theme is “Tiferet of Tiferet” which means Compassion of Compassion. Tiferet can also mean “Harmony” so it is Harmony of Harmony.
From Chabad:
Examine the compassion of compassion. The expression of compassion and its intensity. True compassion is limitless. It is not an extension of your needs and defined by your limited perspective. Compassion for another is achieved by having a selfless attitude, rising above yourself and placing yourself in the other person’s situation and experience.
- Am I prepared and able to do that? If not, why?
- Do I express and actualize the compassion and empathy in my heart? What blocks me from expressing it? Am I locked in any way?
- Is my compassion compassionate or self-serving?
- Is it compassion that comes out of guilt rather than genuine empathy?
- How does that affect and distort my compassion?
Test yourself by seeing if you express compassion even when you don’t feel guilty.
- Does my compassion come from a sense of duty or is it frivolous?
On the other hand: Is my compassion alive; does it resound with vitality, or is it expressed only out of obligation?
- Is my compassion only a result of being a creature of habit who feels badly when another suffers, or do I actually apply myself to examine and refine my compassion, observing it’s limitations and forms of expression?
- How do I express compassion?
- Is my compassion beautiful?
- Is it well rounded?
Does it contain the other six elements of tiferet, without which my full compassion remains unrealized?
- Chesed of Tiferet – Love of compassion
- Gevurah of Tiferet – Discipline of compassion
- Netzah of Tiferet – Determination of compassion
- Hod of Tiferet – Humility of compassion
- Yesod of Tiferet – Bonding of compassion
- Malkhut of Tiferet – Dignity of compassion
Exercise for the day: Express your compassion in a new way that goes beyond your previous limitations: express it towards someone to whom you have been callous.
This is a difficult exercise, isn’t it? Expressing our love to someone who we have been callous towards?
And immediately, I turn within. Where have I been callous towards myself? As we study the holy day of Yom Kippur and we focus on atonement in today’s portions, this will come to light. Speaking of which:
Today starts another week where we study TWO parshas. The first is Aharei Mot – which means “after the death.” Once we die to ourselves – and we look within – we have to rebuild ourselves. This is where our compassion comes from. What is FASCINATING is the second Parsha for the week. It’s called “Kedoshim.” Which means “holy.”
The fulcrum today. That we are counting the Omer and we are on Compassion of Compassion and Harmony of Harmony – the concepts of death and holiness – dying to our own egos and resurrecting our souls and spirits -this seems the foundation of Harmony. Internally first. Then externally.
Because to show compassion for someone we have been callous to? It requires an ego death. Moving ourselves out of our own way so our spirit can rise. How can our spirits rise collectively today? What do you need? Have you asked?
What are your thoughts?
Commentary From last year:
Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for 9, Nisan 5782
Good morning! Today starts a new week and a new Parsha! This week’s Parsha is Aharei Mot. This means “after the death.” We are going to have an interesting week reading this because towards the end of the week, we have the mitzvahs regarding “forbidden relations.” So stay tuned!
This weeks Parsha will also cover Yom Kippur. It is interesting that as we are heading into Passover (which starts Friday evening at sundown) this weeks Parsha is talking about Yom Kippur.
This is going to be controversial – and I really want to open discussion for people to push back and share their thoughts and feelings. My goal is to share what it seems Torah is saying and then we can engage and discuss to try and come to a place of better understanding.
The Chumash I’m reading has this quote to get us in a space to study this weeks Parsha:
“Every day should resemble Yom Kippur in that you are continually purifying your body as a temple to the Devine. When you make the right choices with your body, what to feed it and with whom it may be intimate, your spirit, too, will be enlivened.”
One thing as I read this quote, there is certainly energy behind “with whom it may be intimate.” And I think this is something we should not stay away from.
But the last phrase is key; the goal is to enliven our spirits. We aren’t talking about good or bad per se; we are talking about connecting with Hashem and enlivening our spiritual connections.
Ok. With that, let’s dig in;
God tells Moses – when the following command is given, it is after the death of Aaron’s two sons, when they came near before God and died.
So let’s stop for a minute. One thing I take away from the passage is the context of what we are about to read relates DIRECTLY with a desire to “come near to God.” There were many people in Israel who were cool with their normal lives. They weren’t all trying to rush into the holy of holies. So the context of this is really geared towards those who want to be CLOSEST to Hashem; and I think that’s really important for us.
Ok. Next, God tells Moses in this context: speak to Aaron, and tell him he should not come at all times into the holy of holies.
So, God is saying here (it seems) we should not have the goal to ALWAYS be in the most holy place. It’s a special time; and should be reserved for how special it is.
What times should we enter? We are going to see what the Torah says, but thought this was interesting from Kabbalah:
“Some times are favorable to come before God, to draw down blessings and to make requests. Other times are not favorable, because din (judgment) is in the world.
The lunar months of Adar, Nisan, lyyar and Sivan are times of mercy. The months of Tammuz, Av, Tevet and Shevat are times of din. During the months of Elul, Tishri, Marheshvan and Kislev judgment is pending.
Also, during the first half of each lunar month, when the moon is increasing its illumination each day, it is a favorable time. During the latter half of the lunar month, when the moon is waning, it is a time of judgment.
And there are days in the week which are favorable: Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday; whereas Monday and Thursday are days of din. (End quote).
Interesting stuff. Ok. Back to the Torah:
Hashem, after telling Moses that Aaron should not come all the time to the holy of holies, that on Yom Kippur, Aaron should come.
There is an entire process for Aaron to go through on Yom Kippur to enter into the holy of
Holies. And Hashem says he should come alone.
The takeaway for me comes down to our desires and goals. Are we striving for entering into the holy of holies? Why are we striving for that? Hashem says not to come all the time to that place. Do we feel we are “bad Jews” because we don’t want to enter the holy of holies in this particular moment? That seems counter to the message of the Torah.
It’s clear the desire for closeness to Hashem and wanting to connect with Him is a good thing. However, our relationship with Hashem will ebb and flow, and we need to recognize that ESPECIALY as we read more about some of these mitzvahs – and as we chew on the last Parsha we read.
Plenty of Jews in the camp weren’t looking for spiritual growth and development – they didn’t all want to enter the holy of holies. In fact many were likely scared to after the death of Aaron’s sons.
So we do not need to feel guilty when we aren’t “feeling” the desire to connect with Hashem. In fact when we don’t feel this desire, it will likely make it more special when we do!
What are your thoughts?
Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for 10 Nisan, 5782
Good morning! Today we continue our exploration of the Jewish Holiday of Yom Kippur – which is an interesting juxtaposition as we prepare this week for Passover starting when the sun goes down on Friday.
Yom Kippur is the Day of Atonement; which connects to Passover if you think about it; the binding of our souls to our sin and the Slavery of the Jews in Egypt is very similar. We cry out for help in doing the right thing as the Jews cried out for help to Hashem while in Egypt. Passover is the celebration and remembrance of going from slavery to liberation. Yom Kippur is also a rememberance of going from our own personal bondage to being seperated from Hashem to restoring a relationship that brings freedom! Remembering that Yom Kippur and Purim (which we recently celebrated in Adar) are connected !because the root of “pur” is in both.
Some interesting connections as we dig into todays portion;
When we left off, we learned that Aaron wasn’t supposed to go into the holy of holies on a regular basis – there were times to go in, and Yom Kippur was one of them. And yesterday we ended with the Torah telling us only Aaron should go in to atone for himself, his household and the entire congregation of Israel.
Todays portion begins with Aaron completing the prescribed actions in the Holy of Holies.
Once Aaron goes out to the golden altar which is a different part of the tent of meeting, he was to atone upon it. He takes some of the bulls blood and the male goats blood from the previous sacrifice and mix it together – placing it on the horns of the altar – then he will sprinkle the blood on top of the altar seven times, to purify it from the ritual impurity of the Jewish people and sanctify it for future use.
Next, when Aaron is finished, he was to bring out the living male goat; he would put his hands on the goat and confess all the sins of the Jewish people – intentional and unintentional sins. Then he will send it off into the desert with a predesignated man. The goat will carry all the sin into the desert.
Maimonides writes the following:
“The scapegoat atones for the entire people, for all transgressions of the Torah, both severe and less severe sins-those violated intentionally and those violated unintentionally, whether you were aware of your sin or not- all are atoned for by the scapegoat. But this is provided that you repent. If you do not repent, the goat atones only for less severe sins.
Which sins are considered “severe” and which are considered “less severe”? The “severe sins” are those for which a man is liable either for execution be a court or a soul excision (karet). Other prohibitions and all positive commands that are not punishable by soul excision are “less severe sins.”
Now that the temple no longer exists and there is no altar to atone there is ONLY repentance – and repentance atones for all our sins.”
It’s an interesting thought – that we just need to repent- and this is different than just asking for forgiveness. It’s actually working on changing. That leads to forgiveness.
Todays portion includes instructions which will actually occur AFTER – and we will read about in tomorrows portion.
Once everything is done (we will learn more tomorrow) Aaron should remove his priestly garments, immerse himself in the mikveh, wash his hands and feet, put his linen garments on and enter the tent of meeting. He should remove the ladle used to bring the incense into the Holy of Holies, and the fire pan. He should remove the linen garments he wore when he went into the holy of holies and store them away there, never to be used again.
But before doing this, he needs to immerse himself in the water of a mikveh found in the holy temple courtyard, on the roof of the Parvah chamber, and put on his golden priestly garments. He should then go out and offer his burnt offering (a ram) and the peoples burnt offering (a ram) atoning for himself and for the people.
Wow. This is a complex and precise process of atonement.
It’s really interesting to me the directions here- and how even after things are atoned for on Yom Kippur, there was another sacrifice – which was the normal sacrifice brought. So the Yom Kippur sacrifice was big; but it wasn’t something that stopped future sins from happening either. For some reason there is comfort in that for me, as Hashem seems to understand the journey we face as we navigate our relationship with Him!
What are your thoughts?
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