Nachamu - V'Etchanan #BibleInsights

This weekend I had been planning to edit an article that I've written a few weeks back that discusses strong support for the State of Israel from Evangelical Christians based in South Korea. South Korea Shalom Jerusalem  A large part of their inspiration to stand behind the Jewish people is from the verse in the prophets (Isaiah 40:1-2) in which G-d, tells the prophet: "Nachamu," comfort the Jewish people, for although the exile will be long and difficult, the Temple will one day be rebuilt and the Jews will return home. A representative from this group shared an interesting interpretation of this verse to mean that G-d was commanding the other nations, go console and care for my people. Help them and heal them from the suffering they have endured. With this on my mind, it seemed wrong to miss out on the opportunity to hear the Haftarah reading in shul, precisely this prophecy was read in the synagogue this Shabbat. G-d sent me so many signs to remind me of his presence in this choice. First of all, there was a Bar Mitzvah in the shul, so there was extra joy in the service, the candy throwing "Aufruf" ceremony, and the opportunity to wish the Birthday boy's mother "Mazel Tov," and rejoice in her Simcha. The Torah portion itself was also very inspiring, although not directly related to the Haftarah.

The Pasha (weekly Torah portion) started with Moshe pleading to G-d to allow him to enter the land of Israel. It's hard to understand the desperation of man who saw heaven and conversed with angels to enter a land I get to live in everyday. I love Israel, but I somehow get the sense there must be so much more to this place that I have not even begin to imagine. Considering all the disagreements about what the State of Israel means politically and religiously, both within and without Judaism, for a moment, all that becomes irrelevant. Even if Israel will be suffer catastrophic attack, or if the Jewish people will again become scattered across the globe; for this moment in time, I live an experience that Moses, and many Rabbis in subsequent generations only dreamed and yearned for, and in this moment I thank G-d for the privilege.

Another theme I have been thinking of that feels connected here, is the idea of living in this land being a greater experience to Moses than even the experience of being in Heaven with G-d; the latter experience was not enough for him. It would seem that a certain level of spiritual fulfillment and pleasure could only be obtained through the effort and the journey here on Earth.

Some people have a theory that the World to Come is the Ultimate, the ultimate goal and the ultimate location. To reach heaven.
To put it simply, Classic Christian theology teaches that abstinence from physical pleasures of this world will lead to rewards of spiritual pleasure in the world to come. Islamic traditions guide a path to physical pleasure in the world to come. Even Jewish literature is sometimes misinterpreted as the world to come being the highest value. "This world is an entranceway to the world to come, prepare yourself in the lobby so you can enter the main ballroom."

However, heaven is never once explicitly mentioned in the Five Books of Moses, rather, the text focuses on all manner of physical and spiritual behavior and thought here on this earth. In the book" Ethics of Our Fathers" it is said that one moment of repentance and good deeds in this world yields a greater pleasure than the pleasure  that could be a massed in all of eternity in the world to come.

Synchronicity can be found between these two dichotomies and understood through several theoretical frameworks and the process of philosophical analysis.

One way to explain is through an analogy. Consider that you are playing a video game. Of course your goal is to reach and conquer the highest level, but while on level three, for example, all your focus and concern is on that level. In that moment, level four is irrelevant. Yet the joy of the game is having a purpose, a path, a destination and a goal. One serves the other. When we reach the world to come: when we die, as all people one day will, or in the the times of Messiah, when we will rise from the dead, in that time, the past years of trials will recede to the background as the enormity of G-d's love and salvation will overpower everything else. We also have that end time destination as out goal to strive for and to hope for in the hear and now. Yet right now in this moment, this life is not just our focus, it is our ultimate location to be.

I once read a Medrash about Moshiach Ben Yosef, who is believed will come before Moshiach Ben Dovid. He asked G-d for life, not to live in the flesh, as even a tiny insect does, but to live in the heart of each Jew through the exile. He wanted the Jews, and humanity as a whole, to live with hope and joy, in the exile. Hope there will be a redemption, joy in the pursuit of purpose and comfort that in this moment we are exactly where we are supposed to be. Tisha B'av, the time for mourning, is over, and now we can allow ourselves to fully embrace the now, without reservations or hesitations.

Another interesting concept that specifically contrasts with the idea of this world being insignificant in comparison to heaven, is the teaching taught to me by Rabbi Eliyahu Ellis that refutes the premises of Christianity and Islam of forfeiting worldly pleasure in the hope of heavenly pleasure in another lifetime:

Judaism is a guide for how to create heaven, here on Earth.

 On Erev Shabbat, the first of creation, G-d created a beautiful, yet hidden, light. It is our job here on earth to claw away the darkness so the light can be revealed. Alex Epstien, a philosopher who combats the dogma of global alarmists, advocates for a world view where humans are not a destructive force on the world, rather, to understand that through creativity and ingenuity we invent solutions and advancements that make the world safer, cleaner and better. Think of all the advancements in medicine; we have total cures today for diseases that once seemed insurmountable such as several cancers, pneumonia, and Hypo plastic Left Heart Syndrome, and we are closer than ever to cures for diseases such as HIV, Alzheimers, and Osteogenesis Imperfecta. We have developed the technology to recycle and desalinize water, call internationally for free or pennies, we soar the skies, and some have even traveled to space. With regard to Tikun Olam (the mandate to fix the world, some translate this as "Social Justice") it is clear that man's purpose is to develop and fix a broken world and become a part of creation. Moshiach is the promise that when the journey is arduous and the effort seems futile; in the end, light will conquer darkness and the human spirit will triumph.

There is a story of a Jewish boy in the Ghetto that illustrates this point. Passover Eve, with all his family except him and his dad having perished, he asked his Father, can I ask you a fifth question? (Following the traditional "Four Questions".)

"Will I survive another year and be here next Passover seder to ask you the Four Questions, and will you be here to answer them?"

The father honestly answered, "I don't know. But I will promise you this: next Passover, there will be somewhere in the world a Jewish boy who will ask his father the Four Questions, and his father will be there to answer them."

Dr. Jordan Peterson often says that the joy of meaning is necessary to offset the tragedy that is life. To me it seems he has it backwards. The joy of meaning is found precisely within the tragedy of life. The struggle of each individual and in partnership with the whole of humanity, and the creator of all, is where we find ourselves connecting to a larger and eternal mission. "Tikun Olam, the mandate to fix the world, presumes the world will be broken."

A few more words on this week's Parsha:

The Ten Commandments were told again. We stand for this part of the Torah Reading.

In this week's Pasha we also read the Shema prayer, declaring a belief in one unified incorporeal G-d. In this chapter is the commandment to teach the next generation. When you know you have a legacy and a mission, it becomes vital to pass this on to children and grandchildren who can carry on the legacy and bring the mission to completion. The Torah does not use the verb למד,  rather the root שננ, ושננתם. Teaching should be an active and interactive process, if sharing information, listening to questions and creating a living, breathing, back and forth dialogue. During a dispute between sages of the Talmud, one Rabbi stated, "לא בשמים היא." The Torah is not in heaven. G-d gave us the Torah so that we can live it in our lives and our hearts and teach our children to do the same.

The Thirteen Attributes of G-d are listed and enumerated in this Parsha. Beyond human understanding, G-d is one unified entity that we can experience through various different attributes. This is the Middot Moses was taught to use to intercede on behalf of the Jewish people, yet here, in Moses request, he was told, "Stop praying." G-d reassured Moses a much greater reward and a greater plan was yet to come.

Every time the Torah is read, when it is returned to the Aron Kodesh, the parishioners declare: "This is the Torah that Moses placed before the children of Israel."

This verse is found in Parshat V'etchanan: Chapter 4, verse 44.

Bibliography:

The concept of אור גנוז, hidden light, is from a lecture by Shira Sharfstein, Co-director of Chabad of Downtown Universities in Atlanta, Georgia.
The Elixir to Eternal Youth: Torah Perspectives

I first discovered Alex Epstien's unique style of articulating a positive, pro-human worldview on The Rubin Report.

The last quote is creditied to the creators of Grey's Anatomy - it was said by a character in the epiode "One Day Like This" season 14, episode 17.

Alex Epstien  Humanism vs. Materialism

For years, I wrestled with conflicting doctrines of how to understand fundamental aspects of life on earth. From vaccines and antibiotics, to the morality of work over volunteerism. Was it a blessing when a new apartment complex was built in my neighborhood? If it blocks the view of the mountain from my porch, that is annoying; but what if it isn’t? Should I morally be sad that a mountainful of trees were chopped down? Psychologically, would a status quo finally make me feel like my feet are on the ground or would it be invigorating to finally embrace the reality of being part of an ever changing landscape?

Having a coherent philosophical framework through which to consider each situation, task, and choice; is like wearing the right prescription glasses. For me, however, hearing this interview on youtube, was like a hiker, lost in the woods, who finally found a compass.

God in its Essence

Is G-d a "him," a "her," or an "it?"



Presented below is a screenshot of a twitter conversation between Charlie Kirk and I on this topic. Charlie Kirk is an Evangelical Christian who has become well known on account of his political activism. In his professional capacity he refrains from engaging in theological debate, whereas, on his personal social media platform he remains authentic to his beliefs. Longer explanations would be unnecessary, as the image speaks for itself.

Expanding on this thread, here are a few thoughts that come to mind.

G-d is not merely real, G-d is REALITY.

The ultimate pursuit of Truth is the quest to understand nature of G-d.

G-d is a power beyond human comprehension. G-d is the spirit of the world, the spring of creation.

G-d describes himself in anthropomorphic terms so that we can grasp a glimpse of his being and connect to him in our lives; in what we do and in who we are. However,

G-d is unique, neither physical nor spiritual, the Creator of both the physical and the spiritual worlds.

Maimonides, in the 3rd of the thirteen principles of faith states that "G-d is not a human being, has no human body characteristics and has no human organs or limitations."

When I shared these thoughts with a friend who has limited background in Hebrew or study of the Bible in its original language she asked:

In Hebrew, what is the personal pronoun of "G-d," masculine, feminine or inanimate, such as "it"?

I responded:

"In the Bible and scripture, G-d takes on the form of many morphological, semantic and syntax structures. G-d is not limited to one form or attribute; G-d is multidimensional, and therefore is describes in many ways. When ascribing to the feminine expression of his being, G-d is described in the feminine form, such as in the word, שכינה - Shechina, "The Holy Presence. " Other times we experience G-d in masculine attributes, for example, א-ל ש-די kel shaka, G-d is described in masculine attributes, and thus the name and pronoun assumes the masculine form."

Paraphrasing Rabbi Motty Berger from Aish Hatorah, "G-d is the source and proof of dignity and divinity in Man, the reason and cause for human beings' ability for self-control to rise above their animal nature and pursue greatness. Therefore, denying the existence of G-d is not a sin against G-d it is a crime against humanity." It seems to me, therefore, that it is not enough to declare that G-d is real, but to understand what impact the existence of G-d has on this world in which he placed us and onto the nature of how he made us be. This knowledge is the compass that guides our way and the road-map in all we do, bringing us back to the original counterpoint: the imperative to know in G-d to the extent in which G-d is revealed to us. Gaining knowledge of the creation through recognition, respect and intimacy with the creator.

Well whatever does that mean, and how on Earth do we do that?

Ben Shapiro, once declared, "I don't  just love G-d, and serve G-d, I know in G-d." So to say, living with an awareness of G-d is living my truth, though he hates that phrase. It's what he breathes and how he perceives. When question as to the accuracy of his statement, Ben clarified that he is no prophet. He does not KNOW G-d, as no human could know G-d, yet he knows in G-d insofar as G-d is knowable. In study there is a distinction between absolute knowledge and deductive knowledge. Absolute knowledge is that I have ten fingers and ten toes. Deductive knowledge informs me that if my fingers wiggled to my command yesterday, barring an accident or illness, the same would be true of my fingers tomorrow, or another example, the direction the sun rose and set yesterday is the directions in which it will do so today. It is through the manner in which G-d sends us signs and symbols of his existence and the Human intellect with which we have been blessed, we can deduce the following:

"If something can't come from nothing, and before there was something, there was nothing, then that nothing must be G-d."

Thank you to Rabbi Yom Tov Glaser, Dr. Gerald Schroeder, Rabbi Dov Ber Cohen and Rabbi Neckameyer, from Yeshivas Aish Hatorah for some of the thoughts and ideas taught in their lectures that helped contribute to this article.

A note to Christian and other non-Jewish followers of this blog: This article follows Jewish teachings and opinion. However, consider that Judaism is the source and origins of Christianity. It is my belief that, although this article contradicts core tenets of your faith, you can gain and benefit from study and knowledge of the information shared.  Additionally, Europe and the West was founded on the influence of Greek philosophy and biblical roots. The key to building a strong future is maintaining a connection to the source.

I welcome debate and discussion both in the comments section of my blog and via email. In fact, I hope this article will not be seen as a finished product, but as a springboard for conversation regarding the meaning and purpose of life.

I love music, so I have included the lyrics of a song related to this topic.

Where is G-d? song by Lawson Bates

“Who is G-d” based on a song by Lawson Bates

Some may wonder, who is the g-d of Israel?

they say we've never seen him,

so how are we to know?

Just take a look at this homeward road i'm travelling,
you will see a mighty G-d

everywhere i go.

He is the eye of the storm,

the bottom of my ocean,

the morning and the midnight

in every wind that blows.

The top of my mountain,

the lowest of my valleys

Who is g-d?

He's the essence of my soul.

three hebrew children

bound to have met a fiery furnace

Joshuah found him in the battle of Jericho

Daniel, yes he found him in the den of a lion

wherever we are, thats where our g-d will go.

It is the eye of my storm,

the bottom of my ocean,

the morning and the midnight

in every wind that blows.

The top of my mountain,
the lowest of my valleys.

What is g-d?

It's the compass and the goal.

He is the eye of the storm,

the bottom of my ocean,

the morning and the midnight

in every wind that blows.

The top of my mountain,

the lowest of my valleys

Who is g-d?

He's the essence of my soul.

Bibliography:

Maimonides - Aish Hatorah

http://www.aish.com/jl/p/mp/48924072.html?mobile=yes

13 Principles of Faith - Chabad

http://www.chabad.org.il/Articles/Article.asp?ArticleID=1955&CategoryID=150

Three Hebrew Children

https://www.chabad.org/library/bible_cdo/aid/16486/jewish/Chapter-3.htm#showrashi=true

"He Who Answered"
http://www.hatanakh.com/en/content/he-who-answered-hananya-mishael-and-azarya-he-who-answered-daniel

Rav Shmuel Aurbach Funeral - Article

 This article will include interviews and descriptions. For interviews of the event check out  this link: Videos of Rav Shmuel Aurbach Funeral

The original article - in English - you can find below, after the Hebrew translation.

כחודש לאחר פטירתו והלווייתו של רב גדול מירושלים, הרב שמואל אויירבך, התישבתי לכתוב את ההתרשמויות שלי מהחוויה הזאת. ההשגחה האלוקית הובילה אותי לחזות במסעו האחרון של מנהיג גדול זה, וכך השתלשלו העניינים. עקב ביטול בלתי צפוי של עבודתי הגעתי לירושלים מוקדם יותר מהמתוכנן באותו היום. תוך כדי שמיהרתי לתפוס את הרכבת, שמתי לב לפרצוף מוכר מזווית העין ברחבה מול התחנה המרכזית. "האם זאת המורה שלי מהתיכון או שזיכרוני מתעתע בי?" ניגשתי אליה והצגתי את עצמי, ולשמחתי, היא זיהתה אותי, חייכה, והצהירה, "טוב לראות אותך." נרגעתי שאכן זאת היא, אחרת, היה מביך אותי שניגשתי בברכת שלום לאדם זר. היא המשיכה וסיפרה, "אני בדרך להלווייתו של רב גדול, הרב שמואל אוירבך." עליתי לרכבת והמשכתי בדרכי, אך, תוך כדי שהרכבת יצאה מהתחנה הרהרתי על המידע בה היא שיתפה אותי.בעקבות זאת, שיניתי כיוון, ובמקום להתקדם ליעד, ירדתי בתחנת מחנה יהודה והצטרפתי להמוני האנשים שזרמו לכיוון שכונת שערי חסד בו נערכה הלוויה. כולם הגיעו לתת כבוד לרב במסע האחרון שלו, ואני הצטרפתי כדי לצפות ולכתוב בצורה אובייקטיבית על המעמד. מילים לא יכולות לתאר את האירוע ואת התחושה העוצמתית מלראות כמות גדולה של אנשים שהתאספה במקום אחד. היו שם יהודים מכל זרם ועדה: גברים וילדים, נשים ונערות - כל קבוצה עם התלבושת האופיינית לה. חסידים וליטאים בשחור לבן, גברים מהזרם הדתי לאומי עם הכיפות הסרוגות, ובנות בית יעקב עם חולצות התלבושת התכולות והמגוהצות. כשהסתכלתי לאורך רחוב בצלאל במורד לכיוון שדרות בן צבי וגן סאקר, עוד לפני שעבר הארון - זה היה נראה כמו שיטפון או נחיל דבורים. כל הרחוב הומה באנשים שהגיעו ללוות את הצדיק למקום מנוחתו הסופי.

זכיתי גם לראיין כמה מהמלוויים ולשמוע את הסיפור האישי שלהם. אישתו של אחד מתלמידיו אמרה שהקהל העצום מזכיר לה את ההפגנה שנערכה לפני כמה שנים נגד הגיוס, אסיפה שהביאה כ- 600,000 יהודים דתיים מכל זרם ומפלגה כדי להילחם ולהצהיר למען "חופש הדת". הרב שמואל אוירבך, היה מנהיג גדול במאבק ההוא, ולכן, סביר להניח, שהקשר בין ההפגנה שאותה אישה הזכירה, לבין מעמד זה - מסעו האחרון של הרב - התיישב בלבם של הרבה ממלוויו. הרב אוירבך התנגד בחריפות לחוקי הגיוס. הוא טען נגד פשרה בכל חזית. הרבה ביקרו אותו כתוצאה מפעילויותיו, שלדעתם היו קיצוניות מדי: לא רק שהוא היה מעודד את תלמידיו להפגין ברחובות העיר במחאות משבשות, הוא גם ייעץ לתלמידיו שלא להירשם לאופציה של "דחיית גיוס צבא" המוצעת לבחורי ישיבה. כתוצאה מכך נכלאו רבים מהצעירים הללו בכלא, דבר שהביא להפגנות נוספות שגרמו למחלוקות להתחזק      ולהחריף. למרות מחלוקות אלו הגיעו להלווייתו יהודים מכל הזרמים, בנוסף לבני משפחתו, תלמידיו וכל  אלו שהגיעו בגלל קשר אישי לרב.

האחדות שנראתה היתה נדמית לי כסיפור אגדה שמתואר בשיר "אימגין" על ידי הזמר ג'ון לנין.

ניגשתי לנערת תיכון שנראתה ממוצא מזרחי. רציתי לשמוע את חוות דעתה מכיון שהרב אוירבך היה מנהיג של קהילה אשכנזית, הסתקרנתי לדעת מה הקשר שלה לרב. היא ענתה בכנות, "אין לי קשר מיוחד או אישי לרב אוירבך. הוא היה רב גדול, ובבית שלי התחנכתי לכבד כל מנהיג רוחני ותלמיד חכם, לא רק אלו מהעדה או הקהילה שלנו." כשאני יושבת פה לשכתב את האינטראקציה הזאת, אני מתרגשת מחדש. הסיבה לכך היא, שלעתים הוויכוחים בתוך קהילות יהודיות יכולים להיות קשים ואף עלולים להתגלגל לאכזריות. מדי פעם המסכים נופלים ואז אפשר לראות את האחדות של עם ישראל והקשר הפנימי והנצחי בין כל יהודי ויהודי שבראייה שטחית לא נראית לעין.

דוגמא נוספת לכך היתה התנהלותו של מנהיג אגף הצבאי "הנחל החרדי" שהוקמה כאופציה לדתיים וחרדים לשרת בצה"ל בסביבה מותאמת, שעד אז היו שתי אלטרנטיבות: או למלא חובת גיוס בסביבה חילונית או לא להתגייס כלל, כלומר סירוב מלא. הרב אוירבך התנגד בתוקף גם לדרך פשרה זו ודיבר בחריפות נגד יוזמתו של אותו מנהיג. ולמרות זאת, הובא לידיעתי שהמנהיג המדובר הורה לחייליו ולתלמידיו ללכת ללוויה ללא המדים כדי לכבד את הרב ואת דעותיו במסעו האחרון. הסיפור המרגש אודות המנהיג של "הנחל החרדי" סופר לי על ידי אישה חרדית שעמדה לצידי בזמן שעבר הארון של הנפטר. חיכינו ביחד  עד שעבר הארון יחד עם ההאישה הראשונה שראיינתי, ובחורת הסמינר שסיפרתי עליה ועוד  כמה נשים שהתקבצו יחד בפינת אותו רחוב. היא נתנה לי להקשיב להספדים יחד איתה על קו טלפון שהוקדש לכך וגם שיתפה אותי בחוות דעתה ורגשותיה האישיים:

    "הגנרל עזב אותנו לפני שננצחה המלחמה; אנחנו כמו יתומים חסרי אב." היא דיברה איתי באנגלית, כך הבנתי שיש לה רקע אמריקאי-ישראלי, והרגשתי אליה קירבה מיוחדת  - שהרי אני גם ילידת ארצות הברית  . היא המשיכה ואמרה,

"אף על פי שלא כולם הסכימו עם גישתו, הרב אוירבך היה איש אמיד, אמיץ, וחכם; היה נודע להמונים מפני עצותיו בנושאים מורכבים ורגישים רבים. המאבק לא נגמר והבלבול עדיין נוכח מאוד. עם החור שנוצר מפטירתו - לאן יפנו עם ישראל להדרכה?"

 לא רק לעצות ולכיוון, אלה, היא תיארה איך רבים הגיעו אליו גם לעידוד וברכה. דוגמא לכך, כשמשפחתה חגגה את יום ההולדת השלישי של הבן שלה הקטן, הם הביאו אותו לרב אוירבך לקבל ברכה ולגזור לו את השיער - תספורת הראשונה כפי המנהג הנפוץ "חלקה". בעלה היה אחד מתלמידיו בישיבה   , ולכן במועד של החלקה, כמו כל אירוע מיוחד בחיים, הם נגשו אליו לקבל הדרכה, עידוד וכיוון דרך.

       "הרב אוירבך היה אחד השרידים האחרונים של הדור הקודם. כל דור מעביר את המסורה ואת היהדות לדור הבא. הרב אורבך החזיק את המשואה, כביכול, ופטירתו תשפיע על כל העם היהודי, לדור הזה ולכל הדורות שיבואו אחריו. "

       "באיזו דרך, " שאלתי אותה. "איך יראה השינוי וההשפעה שאת מתארת."

       "אנחנו עדיין לא יודעים. " היא ענתה. תשובה פשוטה - אך כבדה במשמעותה. 

     תחושה זו הורגשה על ידי קרוביו אותם ליוויתי לתחנת הרכבת לאחר סיום הלוויה. הם תיארו את האובדן הכפול שחשו ביום זה. האבל שהם חולקים עם רבים מעם ישראל על פטירתו של מנהיג גדול ואובדן אישי של בן משפחה. הם הצליחו להבין את המחיר ששילם הרב בגין עמדתו בנאמנות וביושר על עקרונותיו: מחיר כספי, מחיר חברתי, ועוד, אך הוא היה מוכן לסבול מההשלכות ומעולם לא נסחף ולא עזב את האמת.

אנשים לעתים קרובות נהיו מפורסמים בגלל מחלוקות שהם התחילו או היו מעורבים בו, אך הרב אוירבך נערץ על עמיקות ידיעתו בתורה ובמעשי החסד הרבים שלו.

דוגמא לכך סופר לי על ידיד המורה שכיוונה אותי ללוויה כשהתקשרתי אליה להבין יותר את הרב ונושא הכתבה.
לפני שנים רבות, שכן שלו נפטר והשאיר אחריו אלמנה ויתומים. כל שבת בתמידיות הרב אוירבך היה הולך לביתם בדרכו חזרה מבית הכנסת כדי לומר שבת שלום ולעשות קידוש - ליל שישי ושבת ביום. כל הצדקה והסיוע שנתן לאחרים נעשה בצניעות וללא פרסום. באופן דומה, הוא מעולם לא סיפר על רוחב ועומק ידיעתו בתורה ובתלמוד. מסופר על ידי אחד מתלמידו שהרב אוירבך ביקר אצל הישיבה בה הוא היה מוסר שיעורים, ומבלי הכנה מראש הרב מסר שיעור כה ברור ומורכב ונראה כאילו הוא הישקיע 15 שעות בהכנות ובעצם רק שמע על כך כרבע שעה קודם לכן. כזו היתה השליטה  שליטתו בתורה

בשיחה זאת עם המורה היא שיתפה אותי על כך שכל השבוע היא שאלה את עצמה והרגישה נבוכה על ששיתפה אותי שהיא בדרך ללויה - עוד מבלי שביקשתי או שאלתי אודות תכנית ומערכת יום שלה. היא נרגעה ונהנתה לשמוע  ששמחתי לשמוע על כך ושזה  תרם לי. אכן, המפגש עם המורה הייתה הזדמנות להשתמש בתחביב כתיבה שלי, ובלי שציפיתי, גם הובילה אותי לחוויה נדירה שהרגשתי חלק ממנה; הצטרפתי כדי לצפות מהצד ולשכתב על חוויית של אחרים - לבסוף, גם אני התרשמתי .והתרגשתי באופן אישי

   It is nearly a month since the passing and funeral of a great Rabbi from Jerusalem, Rabbi Shmuel Aurbach. Divine providence led me to witness the final journey of this great leader. A last minute cancelation at work had me headed to Jerusalem earlier than planned that day. Rushing from the central bus station to the light rail, I saw a familiar face out of the corner of my eye.
       “Is that my high school teacher or merely someone who looks like her?” My mind tickled as my feet ran. Even if it was her, I was unsure if I should approach her. At the risk of an awkward encounter I called out her name and introduced myself.  I figured I would miss the train anyway, as it was already at the station. I was rewarded with a wide and engaging smile as she exclaimed, “Good to see you. I am heading to the funeral of a great Rabbi, Rav Shmuel Aurbach.”
       Did I ask her for that information? Neither of us can remember, yet it led her to wonder all week why she blurted something like that out in a random encounter. The moment had become awkward- well for her at least. As for me, I just then realized that I could still make the train and I bolted off. Yet a few stops later I realized what an opportunity this could be for my journalism, I got off the train, by then within walking distance to the funeral procession. When I called her roughly a week later, she was again overjoyed. Sharing how meeting her, inspired me to attend the funeral as well, and what a moving experience it had been, made her realize there was a reason she divulged her itinerary to me. I am familiar with the experience of making a social fua pax, but who knew even quirks can serve a purpose?  

       Back to the topic of the funeral itself, words can't really give justice to what I witnessed that day.  The first thing is that there was an overwhelming amount of people gathered in one place. A bystander remarked, this is reminiscent of the anti-draft protest, a protest that brought an estimated 600,000 religious Jews to Jerusalem to fight for religious freedom. This Rabbi had been a leader in that fight and the connection was on every person’s mind. Rabbi Aurbach had been a fierce opponent to military draft laws and created many opponents and critics as a result of his activism. He argued against compromise on any front. Not only did he encourage his followers to engage in public, disruptive protests he also advised his students not to sign up for the military draft deferment option offered to Torah students. Many of these young men were jailed as a consequence, which led to more protests and stirred even more controversy.
       Yet at his funeral, it was like John Lennon's fairy tale “Imagine,” where religious Jews from all across the political and socio-economic spectrum came to pay respects. I specifically approached a young girl who looked to be of sephardic or middle eastern descent because Rav Aurbach was a leader for the Ashkenazi community. I was curious how she came to develop a connection with the Rabbi, and she said, no special connection. He was a great Torah scholar, and in my home we were raised to respect all people, not just “our type.”
       Just retelling this story here makes me tear up. This is because sometimes the arguments within Jewish communities can be harsh, fierce and even brutal. Once in a while the curtains come down and we can see the unity and the ties that bind. Later, I found out that the leader of Nachal Chareidi, the ultra-orthodox army unit urged,  all his followers, take off your uniforms out of respect, and go to the funeral. Nachal Chareidi was built as an alternative option to outright defiance of the military draft, and this had been a path Rav Aurbach vehemently opposed. There were chasidich men and little boys with their twirly payot, religious zionists with their knitted kippot, school girls with their crisply ironed light blue uniform shirts, students, strangers and certainly enough people to close down half the streets of Jerusalem. Looking down the hill even before the casket passed by, it seemed like a flood or swarm of bees, the whole street crowded with men who had come to accompany the tzadick to his final resting place.

       Turning back to my role as a journalist than that of an attendee I began to ask the other women about their relationship with the deceased and what his passing meant to them. “The general has left us before the war had been won; we are like orphans bereft of a father.” A mom lamented to her teenage daughters. Though not all agreed with his approach, Rav Aurbach was a stalwart, brave and wise in his counsel on many complicated and sensitive topics. The struggle is not over, the confusion is still very present, so who will they turn to now for guidance? This woman’s son had recently had his first hair cut, a special religious ceremony called a “challaka”, and as her husband studies in R' Aurbach's yeshiva, they brought him to the rabbi to cut the first snip and a birthday blessing.
       An American-Israeli woman kindly shared many insights and personal feelings regarding the funeral and the deceased.
       "Rabbi Aurbach," she said, "was one of the last remnants of a previous generation. Each generation passes the Mesorah, the sinaitic legacy of Judaism to the next generation. Rav Aurbach was holding the torch, so to say, and his passing will have a life-changing effect on the entire Jewish nation."
       "In what way," I asked her.
       "We don't know yet." Simple, honest and raw. "He had broad shoulders," she continued, and it is rare to find a person with such a personality, He gave selflessly to every person. He was empathetic and listened to others, truly listened, and his advice was based on the Torah and was drawn from his vast knowledge of the Torah. This is wisdom that comes from a higher level than mere common sense. He knew and understood, not just what the Torah said, but what the Torah meant, and the true message to live by."
       "Rav Aurbach also became known for hsi opinion regarding the military draft for the IDF, Israeli Defense Forces. The structure of the Yeshiva common should be like an army. When Rav Aurbach realized things were changing in ways that were detrimental to the Jewish people, he put his foot down and stood for the truth. He purposefully did not serve in the Kneset because he was the potetiality of when people get involved with political issues they unconsiously allowed that to cloud their perspective and lose essentials of Judaism. Rav Aurbach on the other hand, was never focused on policitcs or political agenda. The political stand he did take, was one he was forced into a situation where he had to make a stand for the truth. Despite the opposition to his hardline stance, he had many supporters and admirers, even among his critics because they knew he had principles and values and he was respected for his courage and fortitude. In a day and age where this is talks of post-modernism being confused with liberalism Rav Aurbach taught that you cant follow a position just in order to justify their behavioral choices, instead of recognizing the responsibility to examine each idea on its won merit and be willing to have honest conversations. However, with regard to Halacha, there is no leeway. The debate can take place when new situations arise, how to apply the Halacha and Torah teaching to an ever changing world. It is now well over 50 years since the "Medina" (Israeli Government) was established, and over time Rav Aurbach was able to see what a negative slippery slope compromise can lead to. 'Midvar Sheker Tirchak,' distance yourself from falsehood. Compromise in this situation would be a compromise of the truth, and Rav Aurbach instead chose to stand in the truth."
       This sentiment was echoed by his relatives whom I accompanied to the train station after the procession had passed. They described the dual loss they felt on this day. The grief they share with many others of the passing of a great leader, and the personal loss of a dear family member and confidante. They were able to understand the price he paid for standing on principle. Many of his donors pulled funding from his newspaper and his Yeshiva, but he was willing to suffer the consequences of his actions and never backed down.
       Oftentimes people become famous for their controversies, but Rabbi Aurbach was revered for his great knowledge of the Torah and his many acts of kindness. A neighbor of his had passed away, and every week he went to their home on his way back from the synagogue Friday night and Shabbos afternoon, and would recite the Kiddush for the young widow and her children. All the charity and assistance he gave to others was done with similar modesty and without any fanfare. Similarly, he never bragged about the depth and bredth of his mastery of the Talmud. His student once shared with his family a time when Rav Aurbach was visiting someone in the settlement where his Yeshiva was located. Having some time available in his schedule, Rav Aurbach agreed to give a shiur, Torah lecture, to the Yeshiva students. During the walk over he clarified what Masechta, section of the Talmud, the Yeshiva students were currently studying, and the page number. Without any extra preparation Rav Aurbach proceeded to give a shiur that was so clear and intricate that seemed as if he had just spent 15 hours preparing instead of having just heard about it in the past fifteen minutes.  Such was his fluency and mastery over the Talmud.
       "Blessed are we who have been witness to such greatness." 

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