"Worth The Gamble"

You must have a good reason to act against the odds. To spend two dollars on a piece of paper that only has a ‘one in a ten million chance’ of having any value the next day, makes no sense unless the payout in the ‘one in a ten million chance’ is very significant.

On Chanukah many of us have a practice of playing games of chance. In general gambling is not a recommended way of spending our time (and money). Yet this Chanukah tradition, is part of our heritage, to teach our children an important lesson; the value of the payout dictates the amount you are willing to wager. When the payout is great, you are willing to play against the odds.
For a great Torah leader, nothing is more important than the spiritual welfare of the people of Israel. Matityahu and his sons were cognizant of the challenge as they planned the rebellion against Antiochus. They knew very well that a few warriors have a small chance in overcoming the powerful Seleucid Empire.
Yet, for the Chashmonaim, religious freedom is a payout that is worth the gamble.
So next time you spin the dreidel, think of the Chanukah heroes who have inspired the People of Israel for many generations, to do whatever is necessary to keep the light of Judaism alive.
Happy Chanukah

THE SHMITA CONTROVERSY

If you are lucky enough to be in Israel this coming year, you will notice a few new signs displayed by the fruit and vegetable vendors in the market place. Some will notify the consumer that the vegetables were grown by non-Jews. Others will proclaim words like Heter Mechira or Otzar Bet Din.

The reason for these new proclamations (or warning), is because this year, according to the Hebrew calendar, is the sabbatical year-the Shmita.

The concept of a year of rest for the land makes its appearance in the book of Leviticus. The text informs the reader that just as one is to rest on the seventh day of the weekly cycle, so to after working the land for six years, the land is entitled to a rest.

A break from toiling the land sounds like a well deserved reward for the wonderful hard workers of the Holy Land. Yet one might ask; how are the farmers supposed to survive? For that the Torah notes;

“I will send you such a blessing in the sixth year that the land will yield enough for three years.”-Leviticus 25:21

These extraordinary word of divine providence inspired many generations of Jews as they lived through many years of difficulty in the exile, and dreamt of a supernatural return to Israel, the land of divine intervention.

By the end of the nineteenth century the theoretical became practical. Land was being purchased by newcomers from Europe and once again, after a two thousand year hiatus, Jewish farmers were growing crops.

1889 was the first modern era Sabbatical-of-the-land were rabbinic authorities were asked how to deal with the issue. God’s promise of great yield on the year prior  to the Shmita was viewed as a reward for a nation on a high spiritual level. The farmers of that period did not see themselves achieving such standards. Thus they turned to the great rabbis of Eastern Europe for a solution for their problem; how can we cease from working the land for a whole year? They expressed in writing to the rabbis that if they indeed stop producing for a year, the few buyers of their goods will turn to others, and their loss will devastate the fragile new economy of the land.

Among the many rabbi who addressed the problem was the great sage of the period Rabbi Yitzchak Elchanan Spektor of Kovno. The solution suggested was, to sell the land to a non-Jew, with the intention of buying it back after the Shmita year. By the fact that technically, the Jewish farmers did not own the land for the year, work and production could be done on the fields.

Not all rabbis were comfortable with this Legal Fiction. Consequently over the next few years some farmers relied on the Heter-Mechira (Leniency of the Sale) while others did not.

In 1909, as the land was preparing for another Shmita and its controversies, a new significant rabbi got involved in the issue. Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Kook -who at the time was serving as the rabbi in Yafo and eventually was chosen as the first Ashkenazi chief rabbi of the land- approved, and solidified, the Heter-Mechira and even encouraged farmers to sign the documents that would officially transfer the land out of Jewish hands.

At the same time the zealots of the Old Yishuv (a title given to the Jewish community of Israel that predated the later Zionist Aliyah) passionately rejected the leniency and assailed Rabbi Kook for his position.

The most vigorous attack came from Rabbi Yaakov Dovid Wilovsky.

Rabbi Wilovsky while still in Eastern Europe was recognized throughout the world as a great scholar, after he published his annotations on the Jerusalem Talmud. While visiting the United States in 1903 The Union of Orthodox Rabbis surmised that his scholarship, coupled with his fiery personality, can be used in a difficult city where rabbis failed miserably in confronting the challenges of the Americas. Thus, he was elected chief rabbi of the Russian-American congregations in Chicago.

Rabbi Wilovsky did not last long in the Windy City. He tried very hard to fight the dishonesty and corruption in the Kosher meat industry, but did not succeed. Within a year he found a new home, in the Land of Israel.

When he heard of Rabbi Kooks activities and promotion of the Heter-Mechira, an concept he did not like, Rabbi Wilovsky immediately was on the attack. In his communications he noted that historically most rabbinic authorities never approved of the “Leniency of the Sale”.  In addition he argued that even the opinion of the late great sage, Rabbi Yitzchak Elchanan Spektor cannot be relied upon, since his judgment in Lithuania was based on false information on the circumstance in the Land of Israel.    

Predictably, the farmers who were attempting to work the land and produce during the Shmita year with Heter-Mechira were upset at Rabbi Wilovsky and the Old Yishuv. They claimed that their lack of appreciation for people who actually work for a living, is what guided them to their position. They alleged that the only thing the Old Yishuv is interested in, is fundraising opportunities. Another area of contention was the fact that members of the Old Yishuv were purchasing produce from arab farmers and thus, in the words of the Jewish farmers “they are supporting the ones who are afflicting us in our ancestral land”.

The debate between Rabbis Wilovsky and Kook was fierce and bitter and residual effects of the tension, can still be felt over a century later.

So as you enjoy the fruit of the promised land, be mindful of the challenges of the past that have shaped our wonderful present!

The Story of the Festive Haircut

Hair style and length occupies a fair amount of time, energy and money. Often it even becomes an identity mark for a person. Even in the ‘olden days’, when people were not snapping pictures with cell phones every minute, the first haircut was indeed a Kodak Moment. Among some members of the Jewish community there is a custom where boys do not get their haircut until the age of three. At that time family members and friends convene for a special event known as the ’Upsherin’- literally to shear off. At the ceremony all those gathered for the occasion are handed a scissors and cut a snippet of the child’s hair. After the professional barber completes the job, food it served and the traditional Mazal Tov is offered to the child and his parents.  

In general our customs find their roots in the fifth century Babylonian Talmud, the principal text of Jewish tradition. The Upsherin however, is a latecomer to the canon of rituals.

The first reference to the practice appears in a response recorded in the second half of the sixteenth century by Rabbi David ben Solomon ibn Zimra known as the Radvaz.

Radvaz was exiled from Spain, with the rest of the Jewish community, at a young age. He landed up in Cairo and, after several years of studies and practicing in the rabbinate, was appointed Chief Rabbi of Egypt. Even in an era of great rabbinic personalities he was renowned for his scholarship and knowledge of Jewish tradition.

Radvaz was asked about a situation of a person who vowed to cut his child's hair at the tomb of the prophet Samuel near Jerusalem. However, by the time he actually brought his son to the location, Jews were barred from entry. The individual was quite concerned about not being able to fulfil his vow. In his reply Radvaz notes that it is indeed a prevalent custom to bring the child for the ceremony. However the main idea behind the tradition is not just the removal of hair, but rather to donate to charity the weight of the hair sheared off, as an expression of gratitude to God for the child’s growth and developmant.

What is clear from the responsa is that despite the importance, in the eyes of the masses, of cutting the hair at the grave of the prophet, Radvaz himself saw no significance in having the ritual specifically there. Recognition of the God`s kindness through charity, does not need a tomb to be achieved.  

Over time what began as a fine practice as a way to show appreciation, evolved into a significant act on its own. As the custom gained popularity and spread, rabbis tried to find reasons for the practice. One common explanation given is that tradition teaches that man is like a tree (this is based on a variant reading of Deuteronomy 20 19). Regarding the tree according to the Torah, one is not to benefit from its fruit for the first three years of the tree. Thus a child should not get his haircut until age three. This explanation, like many others, are given to explain the existing custom, and are not to be viewed as the original intention of the practice.

Historians note that after the Jewish community lost its right of entry to the burial site of the prophet Samuel, a new location was used for the Upsherin ceremony- in a small village not far from Safed in in the Upper Galilee- by the name of Meron.

A well known old tradition exists that the great first-century rabbi, Shimon bar Yochai, is buried in Meron. The Zohar, the fundamental work of Jewish mystical thought known as Kabbalah, that appeared for the first time in the thirteenth century, is attributed to Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. Interest in mysticism and kabbalistic literature grew significantly throughout the sixteenth century with the city of Safed as its center. Consequently, the book of the Zohar and nearby Meron gained great popularity. Thus, the Upsherin and its esoteric character found a new home in Meron.  

With its new home came a new holiday for it as well. Lag Baomer, the thirty-third day of the Omer period -which begins on the second day of passover- was always considered a significant day. Why it was important was unclear. The great mystic of Safed and founder of the Lurianic Kabbalah, Rabbi Isaac Luria (1534–1572) was the first to link Lag Baomer to Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. He noted to his followers that on one of his visits to Meron on Lag Baomer the great rabbi of the first century revealed to him (Luria) that “today is my day of happiness”.

As the teachings of Rabbi Luria spread and as Kabbalah joined the mainstream of jewish thought  thousands make their way on Lag Baomer to Meron to perform the Upsherin and to connect that which is larger than life.

Rabbi Aryeh Levin

Often in life, when we worry about things that are out of our control, we lose control over things we should be worried about. For many of us who follow the situation in the Middle East, placing the words ‘Israel’ and ‘future’ in the same sentence, generates a bit of uneasiness. With endless reports of external threats from countries and sophisticated terrorist groups, that use all their energy with one goal in mind: annihilation of Israel, apprehension should be anticipated. However as the American theologian Reinhold Niebuhr taught, we must learn to turn to God to grant us the serenity to accept the things we cannot change. When we accept the concept of a Higher Being who is in charge of the world, we are undoubtedly on the road to recovery from the malady of fruitless worry.

On the other hand, there are several forecasts that should generate some worry. When demographers and statisticians layout the level of Jewish knowledge, practice and awareness expected from the average North American Jewish person in twenty five years from now, we should be significantly concerned. Last year’s Pew survey of Jews noted that less than one-third of American Jews belong to a synagogue. What will the next generation look like if Judaism plays such an insignificant role in the Jewish persons life?  This worry however must immediately be channeled into action. A peek into the future is futile if it is not for the purpose of a call for action in the present.

The clear and agreed upon answer is, of course, Jewish Education. Yet even these simple two words must be defined. Certainly Jewish Education cannot be described as information taught by a Jewish person. Studying Greek Mythology under a Jewish instructor in not Jewish Education. The core of Judaism must be identified before we proceed into our Jewish identity rescue mission.  

As moral and decent people, we are naturally concerned for the welfare of humanity. The phrase Tikkun Olam "repairing the world" is indeed what we believe in. Unfortunately this slogan is a partial quote, and does not give the complete picture of our task. In The Aleinu prayer, recited three times daily, we state “L'takken Olam B'malkhut Shaddai," to repair the world under God's sovereignty. Accordingly, the Jewish way is of course to mend the world, but it must be with the goal of bringing God into people's life.

For thousands of years the Jewish People understood that the laws, teachings and messages of the Torah preserve the Children of Israel. When it was cherished by parents children valued it as well. The result was continuity.

To keep the tradition alive we must focus on aspects of tolerance and sensitivity that are the essence of our faith. Not all of us can relate to a story of a great religious leader who performed a religious act in the most difficult of circumstances. On the other hand an anecdote of commitment to the other and using compassion and creativity to help another human, can be appreciated by all.

During a visit to Jerusalem with my son a few weeks ago, we stopped at the Museum of the Underground Prisoners, a place that commemorates the activities of the Jewish underground during the period leading up to the establishment of the State of Israel. After walking by several cells we were guided into a large room that served as the Synagogue for the prisoners. As we stepped in we noticed on the wall a portrait of rabbi. His name was Rabbi Aryeh Levin. Reb Aryeh, as he became known, was the Prison Chaplain, a position he accepted on the condition that he receive no pay. In the room we were standing in, Reb Aryeh prayed with the prisoners, gave them words of encouragement and conveyed messages to their families. The rabbi's warmth and sincerity, touched all. A caption under the picture of the rabbi quoted a saying from one of the  prisoners about Reb Aryeh  “He couldn't take us into freedom, but he always brought freedom in to us.”

One of the basic principles of Jewish faith is that humans cannot expect to fully understand God or his word the Torah. As a result we teach ourselves to accept the Almighty and his teaching even without a full understanding of His reasoning. Nevertheless the journey of Jewish knowledge in this era must begin with rational teachings that can be appreciated by all. Kindness and compassion, practiced by people like Reb Aryeh, which are the core of our faith, must be emphasized.

History has taught us that passive Jewishness cannot be perpetuated. When we address the issue of the future of the Jewish people, Torah and Mitzvot cannot be overstated. We cannot rely on marginal traits, like ethnic foods or a good sense of humor, as a mean to preserve our identity. Let us not forget the words of the great French philosopher Emmanuel Levinas, who notes that “The privilege of Israel resides not in its race but in Mitzvot which educate it.”

Rabbi Azriel Rabinowitz was a Rosh Yeshiva at the Telshe yeshiva of Lithuania.
On Tuesday, July 15 1941, Nazi forces and local Lithuanian sympathizers massacred the male population of Telshe, including Rabbi Azriel Rabinowitz and the faculty of the Telshe yeshiva.
In the picture you can a letter he sent to Rabbi Shlomo Wolbe in Stockholm.

Value the Nation of Israel

Jewish people living under oppressive rule, have always been part of the diaspora experience. At times the religion practiced by the Emperor, Czar or Sultan was forced upon the Jews. One such incident occurred during the twelfth century. At that time the Almohad Caliphate, an Islamic Berber dynasty from Morocco,  controlled North Africa, and presented the Jews (and other non-muslims) a choice; conversion to Islam or death. 
Numerous Jews refused to profess Islam and were killed by the Almohads. Others, wishing to save their lives, proclaimed a belief in the Prophet Muhammad. Yet privately they carried on with Jewish traditions. Thus they worshiped in mosques but secretly recited their own prayers. These Crypto-Jews lived with fear on the outside and guilt (part of the tradition perhaps) from within. 

Around the year 1160 a rabbinic judicial opinion was circulating, claiming that “Whoever attests the mission of Muhammad thereby renounces the Lord God of Israel. One should rather be killed than profess.” The author claimed that observing Jewish law secretly, while acknowledging Islam externally is futile. If the law is not followed publicly it is worthless! He added that turning to God in prayer, after proclaiming belief in Muhammad, is in itself a sinful act.

A young scholar in the city of Fez Morocco, by the name of Moshe recognized the danger in this widely circulating responsum. He was quite concerned of the unnecessary martyrdom and superfluous  shame and guilt that will be caused by the mistaken author of the rabbinic opinion. So the young Moshe went on the offensive, and wrote his own epistle. 

Moshe’s Epistle on Forced Conversion was written in Arabic, the language used by the masses, yet today we only have a Hebrew translation of the letter. Scholars believe that the original may be lost since Jews tried to conceal it from Muslim officials. Several significant points are made by the author of the epistle.  Among them he condoned conversion to Islam for the sake of saving lives, discouraged martyrdom, and recommended migration despite the danger of the journey. 

Moshe noted that the author of the circulating responsa failed to differentiate between accepting Islam voluntarily and doing so only under compulsion. “Even ones who worship idols, if done under coercion, are not barred from the world to come” he noted. Moshe used harsh words (“even brainless people would not say such things”) towards the author who failed to make a distinction between acts done willingly and acts done under constraint. 

The author of the rabbinic opinion claim, that the prayer by a Crypto-Jew is meaningless and even a misdeed, were sharply criticized by Moshe. He proved from numerous rabbinic sources that even the prayers of an actual sinners is treasured by God. “How much more so regarding individuals who are only making statements due to duress” he noted. 

Moshe added that throughout the Biblical narrative, individuals, even great ones like Moses Isaiah and Elijah, who were critical of the People of Israel were rebuked or punished by God. Thus wrote Moshe “how can the author of the response allow his tongue to talk negatively on the community of Israel and call them sinners and evil doers and heretics? one can only wonder how great will be his punishment for castigating those who made choices to avoid the sword.” Moshe added that despite their public proclamations the people are not sinners and God has not abandoned them.

The value of Klal Yisrael, the People of Israel is the essence of this paragraph and perhaps of the whole letter. The young author, who grew up in a home of scholarship and leadership, understood the value of the Children of Israel. When one values the nation, the message and spirit of every conversation or written communication will carry a different tone. 

This message is quite relevant today as it was centuries ago. Any Issue that relates to the Jewish People, Torah or the State of Israel, will generate a wide range of viewpoint, opinions and philosophical perspective. What is crucial for the welfare and unity of our nation, is to appreciate the value of the Nation of Israel. If we adopt the outlook of the young Moshe of Fez, -known to all of us today as Moshe ben Maimon, Maimonides- respect and tolerance will come naturally. 

Updates From Trip with the PM of Canada- January 2014

I will not burden you with what is known.  PM Harper addressed the Knesset. "Through fire and water, Canada will stand with you" was his message. 

The delegation arrived over an hour before the speech, thus I had an opportunity to have several conversations with some Israeli politicians. 

I had a brief conversation with Ruth Calderon, Yair Lapid, Dov Lipman and Yakov Litzman and said hello to Amir Peretz, Nachman Shai and Menachem Moses. At one point I was standing in the wrong place and was almost knocked over by Reuven Rivlin.

For many years people have asked if I am related to Terry Milewski of the CBC. Today I had the opportunity to meet him and have a detailed discussion about his roots.  

Terry Milewski & Rabbi Milevsky

As we were standing waiting for PM Harper to enter, I conversed with the Ambassador of the Philippines to Israel. He introduced me to the Ambassador from Vietnam. We talked about the war in Vietnam, a topic I took a course on. He was very excited and invited me for a visit. We shall see....
I had a brief word with the Ambassador from Cammeron as well. (we talked soccer)

The event in the Knesset was historical and moving. Like many I was disturbed by the Arab MP Tibi's heckling of the PM. What a Chutzpah! 
After the event I asked Yair Shamir- the second ranking member of Yisrael Beytenu- how such a thing can occur. He told me that Tibi is from a tenth world country.

The next day started with a breakfast and a talk from Michael Oren, former Israeli Ambassador to the United States. An excellent communicator and a true intellectual, fighting the PR battle for our beloved state. 

We made our way to Yad Vashem (never an easy visit). Prime Minister  Harper placed a wreath at the Hall of Remembrance. As we were waking through I had a great conversation with Chungsen Leung, the  MP for  Willowdale. His father helped Jewish refuges during the war. He was excited to hear the fact that my mother was born in Shanghai.

We followed the PM to the Kotel. The crowed clapped with great enthusiasm. Israelis recognize his greatness. 

In the evening JNF hosted a dinner, graced with the presence of two PM's. I had the opportunity to talk with Robert Aumann, recipient of the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics in 2005. A very great and humble man. 

On the political side I had a brief talk with Naftali Bennett, Uzi Landau, Moshe Ya'alon, Yitzhak  Herzog. PM Netanyahu was gracious enough to shake my hand. We had great entertainment from our rock star PM Harper.

During the dinner I sat with MP Blake Richards from Alberta. It was a great opportunity for me to fill him in on the realities of the Middle East. Like many of the other MP's on this trip he is a great friend of Israel. We developed a good relationship.

I have no doubt that you can get far more details from the media. (Please remember to take with a grain of salt.)

Wednesday started off with a long bus ride from Yerushalaim to the Hula Valley. The event that generated the long trek, to northern Israel was; the laying of the cornerstone for the Stephen J. Harper Hula Valley Bird Sanctuary Visitor and Education Center. On the bus I meet Stockwell Day, a true friend of Israel. 

We had a great tour of the area seeing large flocks of the long-legged and long-necked bird known as the crane. 
PM Harper addressed the crowd briefly, and with his traditional humility, thanked the Jewish community of Canada.

Our expedition continued to Tel Aviv University, Where the PM was going to receive an honorary doctorate. A short Q&A session followed the ceremony. I was struck by the clarity Mr. Harper has of the complex Mideast region. Few westerners-and clearly no Western leaders- are like him.
 In my opinion the PM of Canada is a righteous, humble and brilliant man. We as Jews must proclaim our appreciation without inhibitions. 
 Right before leaving to the Airport I had the privilege of shaking the PM's hand. I thanked him and noted that it is a pity that we did not have a world leader like him in the nineteen-thirties. 
 In the airport I opened my bag and pulled out my passports. As a dual citizen I travel with my US and Canadian document. Gazing at my Canadian passport I experienced a great feeling of pride. How lucky is this country to merit such a leader. (Did not feel the same with the other document.)

 May Hashem protect our outstanding and remarkable Prime Minister Stephen Harper.