Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for 5 Tamuz, 5783

Shabbat Shalom! As we finish this week’s Parsha, Korach, I am really feeling a light inside the darkness.  The theme for me this morning has been the concept of “embodiment.”  A lot of what I read has been around this idea of becoming spiritually liberated.  Mark Nepo wrote this: “Embodiment itself is nothing more or less than feeling the wound or lip you touch in your hand and mind and heart at once. Embodiment is allowing our heart, mind, and body to exists as one miraculous skin.”

I reflect on this – and when I read that quote, I immediately jump to thinking about someone ELSE’S wound. Someone ELSE’S lips.

I have to really dig within to hold my own wounds – physical, emotional, spiritual – and allow them to touch my mind, heart and my hand all at once.  This is the true work of spiritual liberation.  If we cannot do this for ourselves, we will not be able to do this for someone else.  We can, of course, try – but it’s most likely for selfish reasons.  Why?

Because if I focus on embodying someone ELSE’S wounds? I can distract myself from ever needing to embody my own.  And I can stay stuck in the comfort of my own trauma without ever having to navigate or deal with it.  Or heal it.  And I can blame the trauma and being stuck on someone else. I don’t need to own it.  I can look myself in the mirror and tell myself – look – I can embody OTHERS’ pain and wounds – I am GOOD at this.  But all the while? I am just draining my own energy because I refuse to do this for myself.

And this is my gift today.

One last thing.  Mark Nepo also wrote this: “Too often, we want others to hold our sadness or pain because we won’t take the risk to ask them to hold us while we are hurting.”  I also think the converse of this is true – and relates: It is a lot less intimate to hold others’ feelings (like sadness or pain) then it is to hold another in their sadness and pain.

What do you think?  From Korach (Sadness and Pain) can come extreme BEAUTY.  If you want to dig deeper, see my commentary from a year ago – SPECIFICALLY the Haftorah thoughts.

Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for 3 Tamuz, 5782

Shabbat Shalom! I hope our sabbath is restful today!

As we continue a month of learning to see in the darkness, I am learning the value of not doing this alone. Having others around us to help us see in darkness not only helps us with clarity and perspective, it can help us not feel so alone. People who observe us in darkness that judge the darkness, instead of seeing it as a natural progression of life can add darkness to the situation. Having those in our corner to remind us of our light is incredibly powerful.

If you are struggling to see in your darkness, please reach out. You can DM me, and I will share my learning and light with you; with no judgment.

I read this today from Mark Nepo’s “Book of Awakening:”

It took me years to realize that no matter the pain, life is always where we are. Nothing is being withheld. All that misguided effort was built on a wrong view. As Buddhadasa says “Everyone, without exception, has the spiritual disease” while underneath, the undistorted life is softly waiting. Given this, we each must make a ritual not of seeing rightly, but completely.

Are we working to see “rightly” or are we working to see “completely?” That is my mind frame going into this Torah study!

Let’s dig into the final portion of Korah!

Yesterday we discovered the gifts God gave to the priests. Today we learn the gifts God gave to the tribe of Levi.

You see, Levi was different than the other tribes. They didn’t receive the same inheritance of land. So today we learn what God had in mind for them:

1. God has given all tithes of Israel to the descendants of Levi. This is an exchange for the service they perform- the service of the tent of meeting.
2. Moving forward, the children of Israel should not approach the tent anymore. Only the tribe of Levi. They are responsible if anyone else approaches the tent. This is an eternal statute.
3. The tribe of Levi will not possess land.

So. Some interesting thoughts and Questions.

Why do some statutes say “this is an eternal statute” and others don’t? I’m curious to know what things are eternal – next year, that may be a focus on pointing out and tracking the “eternal statutes.”

Another thought. Rabbi Schneerson asks a good question: “How are the gifts to the Levites connected with the rebellion of Korah, the theme of our Torah portion?”

He answers it of course. But I encourage us to pause before reading it. Take a moment. Consider in your own head how those are connected. I’m also reflecting on Rabbi Schneerson asking “how are they connected?” As opposed to “why are they connected?” There is a significant difference in how those questions land.

A little more about me personally. I have the strength/talent/gift (strengthsquest even confirms this) of “connectedness.” It’s my top strength. I see connections.

I will also be vulnerable and share with you; my first thought/question after seeing a connection is to focus on “why are they connected?” And not “how are they connected?” This is something I’m really chewing on.

That simple word change really has an impact (I think). Ok. Let’s read Rabbi Schneerson’s answer as to how these concepts are connected:

“At first glance, Korah’s rebellion appears to be hypocritical, for while he complained to Moses and Aaron, “Why have you made yourselves elite over God’s assembly?” (16:3) Korah nevertheless sought to become the High Priest himself.

Korah sought a different kind of priesthood, one in which the priests remain aloof and removed from the people. “There is nothing wrong with there being a spiritual elite” Korah would argue, “but they should not be ‘over God’s assembly’ as leaders of the people”

Therefore, as a direct response to Korah’s complaint, the commandment of gifts to the priests was given. For these gifts emphasize how the priests and the people are closely connected with each other, to the extent that the people support the priests with gifts.

However, this still does not represent a total rebuttal of Korah’s position. For, ultimately, the priestly gifts are God’s property (or the priest’s property) which is found in the hands of the people, and must be returned to the priest (see verses 12-13). So, on a deeper level, the idea that the people’s own property is connected with the priests is still lacking.

Therefore the Torah now records the gifts to the Levites, in which the people’s own property is given away in support of the Levites, demonstrating a much more fundamental connection between the people and their spiritual leaders.” (End quote)

I love this idea of a connection between the people and their spiritual leaders. And honestly, today? I see a lot of that connection lacking. There are a LOT of exceptions to that rule but I wonder if it is more normative in our culture for there more to be a wall between us and our spiritual leaders?

What are your thoughts?

As we close the parsha and portion, we see an interesting shift. God asks the Levites to give gifts to the Priest. So that’s an interesting dynamic. Gifts to the Priests from God. Gifts to the tribe of Levi from the children of Israel. Gifts to the Priests from the tribe of Levi.

Interesting! What are your thoughts?

As always the Haftorah portion thoughts will be in the comments below

Todays Haftorah is 1 Samuel 11:14-12:22

Samuel is a descendant of Korah. Which is something to really reflect on. I don’t think I ever put that together. There is a redemptive quality here that Is critical.

And what’s interesting is Korah fought for leadership as the high priest. And here we are going to see his descendant Samuel bestowing leadership onto Saul.

Samuel gathers the people to gilgal and said it was time to renew the monarchy.

They confirm Saul as king, and sacrificed to God. People rejoiced.

It’s almost the anti-Korah.

But Samuel makes a speech:

You wanted a king, you now have a king.

This wasn’t forced upon you; you chose this. Let’s be clear. No one has asked for any payment – no one’s donkey, ox has been taken to establish this king.

The people said “nope. We weren’t robbed or oppressed into a king.”

Samuel said – God is your witness – right?

The people were like “right.”

Samuel gets historical and reminds them of their history and how they didn’t have a king and didn’t need a king. They had God.

But they forgot God and basically landed them into war.

Then you asked for a king – because you thought a king would save you.

And now you have a king. You got what you wanted.

And if you fear God, serve Him, listen to His voice, you’ll be good with your king.

But if not? God’s hand is going to be against you and against your kings.

Why did God appoint a king? Given that the request was inappropriate?

Samuel says this is to prove God grants requests EVEN WHEN they are inappropriate.

And let me show you….the wheat harvest is today, rain would be destructive. I’ll going to ask God for rain and he will send it.

And sure enough. That’s what happened.

And people were rightfully scared! They were worried they would die! They acknowledged they added evil by asking for a king.

Samuel told them not to fear. But what’s done is done. Right now it’s time to move forward. Serve God, and your sin will be forgiven.

We can take comfort in this:

God won’t abandon His people because of His name. He doesn’t want to desecrate his name. We can trust that.

And that is indeed comforting!

What are your thoughts?