Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for 23 Shevat 5784
Parsha Yitro: (Exodus 18:1 – 20:23)
Sixth Portion: Exodus 19:20 – 20:14

Good morning!  We are about 1 week away from the New Moon of Adar I. As we are receiving these blessings this moon cycle (hopefully we are!) it is time to starting contemplating on an intent for the next cycle. Adar is ALL ABOUT the Hebrew Concept “Mazal.”  We all likely have heard the term “Mazal Tov.” The word Tov means “good” in Hebrew. Mazal Tov generally means “congratulations!” or “Good luck!”  But it is SOOOOO much more. Mazal is like another soul. In Judaism, we have the Neshama – the Godly soul within us. We have a piece of Hashem within our bodies.   And. The Neshama? Is just a root. From Chabad:

The aspect of the soul that is contained within a person is actually a spark of the person’s root Neshama, which stays above.  This Neshama that is above the earthly Neshama is called “mazal”. A person’s mazal is stronger on the birthday because the mazal, which drips vitality into the soul, and the soul are in perfect alignment on that day.

This is beautiful, isn’t it? So why is Adar about Mazal? Because MOSES was born on the 7^th of Adar. And Moses’ Mazal is OUR Mazal.

And this from Chabad:

Adar is also the month of completion, rectifying the lunar year to the solar cycle and readying us for revelation. In leap years there are two Adars. In such a year, what was incomplete reaches its full potential. Just as the Jewish people are frequently compared to the moon, Adar is an auspicious time to reach one’s spiritual potential.

 Full Stop. This year, we have two Adars!  This is amazing!

The lunar year is coming to an end – after Adar, we head into Nissan- the first month of the Jewish year, when Passover takes place. The story we are currently reading in Exodus. So let’s start setting our intention to decide where we want to reach our spiritual potential!

Let’s dig in:

20The Lord descended upon Mount Sinai, to the peak of the mountain, and the Lord summoned Moses to the peak of the mountain, and Moses ascended.

21The Lord said to Moses, “Go down, warn the people lest they break [their formation to go nearer] to the Lord, to see, and many of them will fall.

22And also, the priests who go near to the Lord shall prepare themselves, lest the Lord wreak destruction upon them.”

23And Moses said to the Lord, “The people cannot ascend to Mount Sinai, for You warned us saying, Set boundaries for the mountain and sanctify it.’ “

24But the Lord said to him, “Go, descend, and [then] you shall ascend, and Aaron with you, but the priests and the populace shall not break [their formation] to ascend to the Lord, lest He wreak destruction upon them.”

25So Moses went down to the people and said [this] to them.

Ok.  Gotta confess – that was confusing. Let me recap. Remember, Moses had gone up to Hashem, and Hashem told Moses to go down and have the people prepare.  So here’s what just happened:

1. Hashem descended – to the peak of the mountain. He called Moses up.
2. Moses ascended – to meet Hashem.
   1. Hashem told Moses to descend:
      1. Warn the people – just in case they break their formation and die because they ignored previous warnings
      2. Warn the priests again to prepare themselves for going up the mountain so they don’t die
   2. Moses responded to Hashem –
      1. But the people (he was referring to the priests) can’t ascend because you warned us!
   3. Hashem responded to Moses – descend – and then come back up with Aaron; but the priests will stay on the ground.
3. Moses descended

So. What does this mean for us?

One of my takeaways goes back to Exodus 19:3-6 that we discussed. Hashem gave Moses the plan:

1. Remember – we witnessed Hashem’s miracles
2. Listen to Hashem, Connect with Hashem
3. Stay connected with Hashem – see your worth and value (we are treasures)
4. If we do #2 and #3? We will be ministers and holy.

As Ministers, we shouldn’t get any ideas about “rising up” the mountain to meet Hashem. We are firmly planted and rooted in this world. In this wilderness. This is an ego thing for us.

Self-Righteousness, Spiritual Ego, Spiritual Arrogance; these things can get in the way of our spiritual development. However, these are the foundations and shadows of leadership and humility. It goes back to remaining humble. That is our takeaway.

Where might we feel spiritually arrogant? That is work potentially being shown of us today. Something to reflect on.

Ok – let’s keep going. Hashem now speaks DIRECTLY to the people

1God spoke all these words, to respond:

2″I am the Lord, your God, Who took you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

3You shall not have the gods of others in My presence.

This is interesting. The language here. “You shall not have the gods of others” in Hashem’s presence.

Um. Where is Hashem NOT Present? This has me reflecting on “presence.” Hashem is everywhere – but maybe His “presence” in our lives is only when we are conscious of Him? So maybe our takeaway is – when we are in the Presence of Hashem – not to have other gods.

I’ll confess, I am a bit convicted by this. When I daven (pray), I sometimes have my phone and get distracted. I am thinking about “what if the kids needs me?” or “what if someone responds to me?”

I’m not doing a great job here. And we are just on the first one.  Let’s keep going:

4You shall not make for yourself a graven image or any likeness which is in the heavens above, which is on the earth below, or which is in the water beneath the earth.

5You shall neither prostrate yourself before them nor worship them, for I, the Lord, your God, am a zealous God, Who visits the iniquity of the fathers upon the sons, upon the third and the fourth generation of those who hate Me,

6and [I] perform loving kindness to thousands [of generations], to those who love Me and to those who keep My commandments.

So this to me feels like the focus is on “creating.” The idea of “make for yourself.”  What is a “graven image.” The most basic definition is a carved idol. Or a representation of Hashem.

Hashem is zealous – passionate. What is Hashem passionate about? Justice. Connection. The word “iniquity” in verse 5 here? Signals injustice.  And. “those who hate Me” is another part of this injustice, isn’t it? How just is it for us to HATE the one who CREATED us?

And? He is JUST as passionate for those who love Him and “keep” His commandments.

Let’s pause for a minute. The word “commandment” has a very harsh and controlling tone, doesn’t it?

But if you think about this, Hashem doesn’t lay out HOW OFTEN we need to do these commandments does he? So let me get back to my example – my phone being present while I pray?  80% of the time I don’t have it. 20% I do. So – which side am I on? Does Hashem have a scoreboard? I don’t read that here. I only Daven on my own once a day. And it is 15-20 minutes. Let’s assume 20 minutes. 20 minutes?  There are 525,600 minutes in a year. 7,300 minutes in my year is connected to davening on my own. 80%? 5,840 minutes.

The math? 1.1% of my year? I am having my phone in my presence and violating the first commandment. The other 98.9% of the year? I am keeping that first commandment.

What does Hashem judge? Does he need me to be perfect? I WANT to be perfect, four sure.

The takeaway? How are we JUDGING ourselves? What if? Hashem just wants us to be curious? What if Hashem just wants us to GROW?  To move that 1.1% to 1% over the next year? That feels a lot less daunting with these “commandments” doesn’t it?

Ok. Let’s keep going:

7You shall not take the name of the Lord, your God, in vain, for the Lord will not hold blameless anyone who takes His name in vain.

I hear people discussing this as “cursing” – but the read here seems more in line with using Hashem’s name associated with ourselves. This feels more about our own vanity, seeing ourselves as Hashem and using his name for ourselves? If we believe we are Hashem? And use His name in such a manner? We are NOT blameless.

8Remember the Sabbath day to sanctify it.

9Six days may you work and perform all your labor,

10but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord, your God; you shall perform no labor, neither you, your son, your daughter, your manservant, your maidservant, your beast, nor your stranger who is in your cities.

11For [in] six days the Lord made the heaven and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and He rested on the seventh day. Therefore, the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and sanctified it.

So what is interesting about this commandment? Hashem gives us a reason. “Labor” seems to be the clear word here. And. “made.”  So doing labor to create would seem the operative principle. Oh. By the way? The seventh day? NOT Sunday.  Seventh day in the Torah? Friday night to Saturday sundown. Not sure why people think they can just change that? But ok.

12Honor your father and your mother, in order that your days be lengthened on the land that the Lord, your God, is giving you.

This commandment is fascinating, because by doing this? We have more days on earth!  Hashem gives us the RESULT of doing this one.

13You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

Murder. Adultery. Steal. Bearing False Witness.

Those seem pretty direct. And I wonder how much we do this within ourselves?

When we speak harshly about ourselves? Do we murder our hearts?

When we violate our own values, beliefs, and boundaries within, do we crush our spirits?

When we take away someone’s property – do we kill our soul?

When we bear false witness – do we crush someone else?

But here’s the theme. All four of these ideas? SOVEREIGNTY. Each of these is about taking someone’s sovereignty away from them.

This defines for us, what we actually are sovereign for, doesn’t it?

• Our life is ours. No one can take it away from us.
• Our body is ours. We choose what we do with it.
• Our possessions are ours. We choose how to utilize them
• Our words and witness are ours. Our reality is ours. No one has the right to speak falsely about our reality.

And finally:

14You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, his manservant, his maidservant, his ox, his donkey, or whatever belongs to your neighbor.”

Coveting is considering taking away someone else’s sovereignty.

The commandments? Seem to all be about sovereignty.

• Commandments 1,2,3: Hashem is Sovereign
• Commandment 4: The Sabbath is Sovereign over all other days
• Commandment 5: Parents are Sovereign over their children
• Commandment 6, 7, 8, 9: We have sovereignty over our life, body, possession, and words. Taking someone’s away from them? Significant violation.
• Commandment 10: Don’t even THINK about taking away someone’s sovereignty.

This feels much different from a commandment perspective, doesn’t it? What are your thoughts?

Here are my thoughts from the past two years:

Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for 19 Shevat, 5783

As we prepare for the sabbath, todays portion reminds us of where the Sabbath comes from. We read the 10 commandments. One of the most famous passages in the Torah.

It is interesting to me; how these are set up. And what we, as humans, have done with them. How our brains have taken them in all different directions.

Maybe because there are some words that allow for “interpretation.”

What does it mean to honor your father and mother? What if you believe they aren’t worthy of honor? Do you give them the honor you would give to royalty? Or do we give them the measure of honor that they are do. Do we honor them by treating them the way they treat us as children? Or do we honor them by treating them the way we wish our own children would treat us?

What does it mean to keep the sabbath holy? And do we keep the sabbath holy on the day it was designed? The seventh day (from Friday sundown to Saturday sundown?) or do we get to choose one day for “our” sabbath?

These are tough questions to wrestle with. And do we give space for others to have answers that may be different than our own? And is our responsibility to correct others if they have a different interpretation?

How do you honor a parent who doesn’t follow the 10 commandments?

And let’s stop. All of the above questions? Are about how we treat OTHERS.

What about how we treat ourselves? I’m not sure about you, but I don’t always measure up.

How do I honor myself as a parent? How do I keep the sabbath holy within me?

How do I avoid stealing?

How often do we use these commandments to judge others, instead of as a mirror to look into for the healing work we need to do for ourselves.

Just something I’m chewing on today!

What are your thoughts?

Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for Shevat 19, 5782

Yesterday we left off at Sinai. Moses was speaking to the people with Hashem would respond by amplifying Moses’ voice to the people.

Todays portion begins with Hashem actually descending onto Mount Sinai. Well, not actually. Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra writes, “Man can only accurately describe man. When describing creatures lower than himself or forces higher than himself, he is forced to employ metaphors from the human experience. Clearly, when the verse states that God “descended” on Mount Sinai, it is simply a metaphor to assist the reader in understanding as much as the mortal mind can comprehend.”

Rashi adds; “You might think that He actually descended upon it. To counteract this notion the Torah states: “You have seen that from the heavens I have spoken with you” verse (20:19). This teaches that He bent down the upper heavens and the lower heavens and spread them upon the mountain like a sheet on a bed, and that God’s Throne of Glory descended upon them.”

After Hashem “descended” on Sinai, God summoned Moses and he ascended the mountain.

Hashem tells Moses; “God down and warn the people not to come up the mountain.” Why did God want Moses to warn the people?

Because God was concerned for the people. He was worried someone would fall on the mountain and the tragedy that would be – someone falling trying to reach Hashem.

In addition, Hashem was concerned about the priests believing they were more important than the people, thinking that somehow they were “special” enough to go up the mountain. If they came up, God was going to make a breach (by destroying some of them). This wasn’t a threat – it was the natural consequence for believing you are more important than someone else.

Think about this. God doesn’t want us thinking we are more important than someone else. How much do we own that?

And be careful how you (we) answer this question. Because we are given a warning next;

Because Moses responds to God saying “I don’t need to warn them because they were already warned by You!” Moses “reminded” God that he told the people to set boundaries for the mountain and sanctify it.

Be careful not to self reflect in a manner that says “I already know this.” The truth is we forget. The truth is, our heads and hearts may not always be aligned. Just because we’ve been warned once, doesn’t mean it’s all good. Because here’s God’s reply;

“Go down and warn them a second time. Then you should come back and ascend to the highest level of the mountain. Aaron should come with you but to a lower level. The priests can come up but to a lower level still. But the people must stand firm and not break from their position.” Failing that, God was going to make a breach against them.

Moses did as God asked and went down to warn them.

God spoke all of the Ten Commandments in one single utterance. He then went back and specified each one individually. The Jewish people responded “Yes” to the positive commands, and “No” to the prohibitions.

Now; the rest of this portion is the Ten Commandments. Are there are a lot of things to chew on and wrestle with. My thought is I’m going to list them today, and then tomorrow (on Shabbat) dig into them more.

Here are the Ten Commandments:

1. I am God, the God of every one of you. Who took you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
2. You shall not pisses an idol of other deities. You shall not make for yourself a sculptured image or any picture of that which is in the heavens above, which is on the earth below, or which is in the water beneath the earth. You shall not bow down before them, nor worship them, for I, God, your God, am a God who is zealous (to exact punishment), who visits the iniquity of the fathers upon the sins, upon the third and fourth generation of those who (continue in their fathers’ ways to) hate Me. But i act kindly to those who love Me and to those who keep My commandments, for two thousand generations.
3. You shall not take the name of God, your God, in vain, for God will not absolve anyone who takes His name in vain.
4. Remember the sabbath day to sanctify it. Six days you may work and perform all your labor, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to God, your God. You shall perform no labor, neither you, your son, your daughter, your manservant, your maidservant, your beast, nor your convert who is within your gates. For in six days God made the heavens, the earth, and the sea – and all that is in them – and He rested (so to speak) on the seventh day. Therefore, God blessed the Sabbath day by causing a double portion of mana to fall on Friday and sanctified it by not bringing mana on the sabbath.
5. Honor your father and your mother, in order that your days will be lengthened on the land that God, your God, is giving you.
6. You shall not murder
7. You shall not commit adultery
8. You shall not steal (people, i.e. kidnap)
9. You shall mot bear false witness against your neighbor
10. You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, his manservant, his maidservant, his ox, his donkey, or whatever belongs to your neighbor.

Ok. A lot to process. Im curious – what do you think about the 10 commandments?