Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for 27 Elul, 5783

Good morning – we are a few days from the new year – and just when I thought we are going to “coast” into 5784, I think there is one more lesson for us to learn – and we are about to get a MASTER CLASS on it.

Today’s portion is small. And it really sets up tomorrow’s.  The portion today is really about Hashem’s quandary.

Jeshurun forgot Hashem.  God was angry.

Hashem promised if Jeshurun forgot Hashem, there would be calamities. So Hashem HAS to follow through.

And – outsiders would not attribute this to Hashem – in fact, they would see Hashem as having no power at all.  It’s almost like Hashem has backed Himself into a corner.  (We will see He hasn’t ACTUALLY done this – but it certainly LOOKS like He has)

Why? Why is this important?

The past few weeks, I have been discussing spiritual freedom and liberation – and how we have been moving towards internal spiritual growth and development to external.  Our relationships. With food. Money. Our Parents. Our Children. Our friends. Romantic partners.  How can we find liberation and freedom there?

Hashem is showing us – those relationships are all byproducts of our relationship with one thing.

Stress.

Do we take on stress? Do we reject stress? Do we become aware of stress and wield it like a mighty sword?

I wrote this to a friend:

I am wondering if the Divine Masculine wields stress masterfully. Utilizes stress in a manner that brings harmony and balance. Compassion and kindness.

And does the Divine Feminine energy creates stress masterfully -for a purpose. To disrupt. For change. For a purpose.

And this is the harmony and balance.

We see Hashem both wielding and navigating Stress He himself has created. And I wonder if this is instructive for us.

How do we navigate stress? Do we own it? Do we feel it? How do we respond to it? Do we avoid it? Do we create it?

What are your thoughts?

My commentary from a year ago:

Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for 11 Tishri 5783

Good morning! I hope your fast we a meaningful one! It was for me! Today we get back to this important song “Ha’Azinu!”

Remember this song has a purpose – when we enter freedom and liberation, this song is to equip us not to forget what Hashem has done for us! It’s to remind us and ground us in our freedom and liberation.

Today we have two portions to cover; yesterday and todays.

We left off in the song with Jeshurun forgetting about Hashem.

We open the song today with Hashem becoming angry, provoked by His sons and daughters.

Because of His anger (remember it’s anger because we forgot Hashem’s kindness and blessings) there are going to be calamities that come upon us. But Hashem is kind of in a pickle. and it’s interesting this song addresses it.

All of this calamity, including allowing armies to bereave the children of Israel creates quite the conundrum.

Because if Hashem brings this upon Israel, the invading armies aren’t going to attribute it to Hashem’s power. And in fact will be able to claim Hashem has no power.

The outside armies wouldn’t understand and the wrong lesson would be learned. if they were wise, the outside armies would reflect on Israel’s demise and understand there is no way they could have won without their God (Hashem) “selling them out.”

The song tells us the following and it should bring comfort:

Deuteronomy

32:36:

When God will judge His people (and bring these sufferings upon them), He will (then) change His mind about His servants; when He sees that the power (of the enemy) is increasing, and no one (among Israel has a source of) salvation or help.

32:37:

Then He will say: Where is their deity (that they worshiped), the rock in which they trusted,

32:38:

which ate the fat of their sacrifices, and drank the wine of their libations? Let them stand up and help you! Let them be your shelter!

God basically is going to bring us back to Egypt. To see we are in a place where no one we’ve trusted can help us. But that’s not the end of the story. Hashem finally gives us hope:

32:39:

See now that it is Me! I am the One! There is no god (to stand against) Me. I cause death and I bring to life. I injure and I heal. And no one can rescue from My hand (those who sin against Me)!

Remember, the ONLY reason we are in this mess is because we took our freedom and liberation and turned away from Hashem and turned to idols and deities. This is Hashem’s response. He is going to make life tough for us; so we have no alternative but to come back to the one who freed us from Egypt.

We have the power to avoid all of this by just remembering Hashem’s faithfulness – by putting Him on the throne of our lives. Letting Him be the king.

It’s our choice. it’s our freedom. But Hashem loves us enough – He will discipline us. If we choose to walk away, He let’s us. And we see the fruitless mess of that pursuit.

That is the message. And it’s an interesting message in the middle of Yom Kippur

What are your thoughts?