From the Rabbi's Desk

June Torah Thoughts

6/4/09

This week’s portion, Naso, is the longest in the Torah, and it concludes with the single longest chapter – eighty nine verses! In verse one, we learn that Moses finished constructing the Tabernacle that housed the Ten Commandments. What follows is an impressive list of gifts brought by the chieftains of the twelve tribes. Through them, all of the people contribute in celebration of the Tabernacle.

In the Jewish community we are proud of our buildings, as we name them and gather for ground-breaking ceremonies. Beth Ahm’s edifice is not just a physical structure, rather it is the hub of our spiritual activity and a key ingredient in the Jewish life of our families. If you ask founding members about the early days, they will describe the joy of entering their new religious home. In short, the building is a part of our collective Jewish identity.

That which goes into the structure, then, is critical. Just as it should be erected with quality materials, so too it should be filled with dedicated people who execute outstanding programs. Consider this Jewish folktale that reminds us of the importance of what goes into a building.

Once there was a king who engaged a certain carpenter to build houses for the people of his kingdom. The carpenter built house after house, and the people who lived in the houses – and the king – were very pleased.

To show his gratitude for the carpenter’s fine work, the king asked him to build more and more houses, for which the king paid more and more money. The carpenter was busy building house after house, and he became increasingly wealthy from the generous fees that the king paid.

One day the carpenter said to himself, “The king is paying me very handsomely to build these houses. Yet I am the only one who knows the fine quality of the materials that I use to build the houses and how much time and effort it takes to build each one. I think that from now on, I will continue to make the outside of the houses look just as beautiful as always, but on the inside of the houses – in the parts that most people will never see - I will use materials that don’t cost as much. The houses will seem to be just as good as before, the king will continue to pay me the same fee for each house, but because of all the money I save by buying materials that aren’t as good as the original materials, I will make much more money on each house, and I will become richer and richer.”

And that is exactly what the carpenter did. The houses he built still looked wonderful on the outside, but because he used second-class materials on the inside, the houses weren’t as sturdy or as strong as before. Yet he became a very wealthy man, because the king was still paying for a first-class job.

One day the king asked the carpenter to visit the palace. The king said, “You have done such a fine job building such beautiful houses for my kingdom that I now want to give you a very special task. I have decided to have you build the finest house you have ever built. Make this the very best house in the whole kingdom, second only to my palace. Spare no expense; the entire treasury of my kingdom is open to you to pay for the costs of this house. I have great plans for this house, and I want to be the most magnificent house anyone has ever seen.”

The carpenter was overjoyed with this assignment. Here was his chance to get all the money he could ever want. He built the fanciest house he could imagine - fancy on the outside. But on the inside, he used second-and third- and fourth- rate materials. He worked quickly and sloppily, with little regard for workmanship or pride. Yet he took more and more money from the king’s treasury, as if he were buying the finest materials and employing world-class craftsmen.

The house was finished - and the carpenter had become a very, very rich man from all the money he had taken from the treasury but had not spent on the materials or the construction of the house.

The day came when he was to turn over the key to the house to the king. The king called together all his servants and many, many people from throughout the kingdom, for this was, indeed, a very special house, and the king had a very special purpose for it in mind.

The king said, “For years my friend the carpenter has been building beautiful houses for the people of my kingdom, but he has never lived in one of the houses he has built. This house is his finest creation - he worked harder on this house than on any other; no expense was spared in making it the finest house in the kingdom. So to show my gratitude to the carpenter for all that he has done for me and for my kingdom during all these years, I give him this - the very best house he has ever built - as a gift to live in for the rest of his days.

And the carpenter had to live in the house he had built for the rest of his life.

What will go into our house? At the Temple and in all we do, may we put forth our very best effort!

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Pont

6-11-09

When the Ark was set out, Moses would say: Advance, O Lord! May Your enemies be scattered, and may Your foes flee before You! – Numbers 10:35

This verse, in this week’s portion and which we chant every time we take out the Torah, is a plea for security. At times the world seems just like the midbar (wilderness) our ancestors traversed: a vast expanse fraught with danger. We hope that if we adhere to the Torah’s wisdom, we will live in safety and peace.

Yet life offers no such guarantee. On Wednesday a man exchanged gunfire with security guards at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum on Washington's mall, shooting one guard before he was shot and apprehended. The shooter was an 88-year-old with a criminal history and ties to white supremacist activities, who appeared to be acting alone. The guard, Stephen Johns, died yesterday from his injuries.

This incident raises disturbing questions. How is it that a man can carry a gun and walk into a public place and start shooting? What does this say about our society? Why would he choose the Holocaust Museum? How should we respond? Do you think this event suggests that we need stricter gun control laws? Or, do you think we should better protect ourselves with firearms and at times more force?

The gun control debate is fascinating, with validity on both sides. A suggestion comes from this week’s haftarah. “Not by might, not by power, but by My spirit – said the Lord of Hosts.” (Zechariah 4:6) What do you think? How should we ensure our security?

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Pont

P.S. – Below are two statements about the attack.

WASHINGTON – US Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) released the following statement after a known white supremacist and neo-Nazi entered the Holocaust Museum in Washington, DC and opened fire, claiming the life of a museum security guard:

“This was a horrifying act of pure evil by a killer who has made his hatred of religious and racial minorities well known. My thoughts and prayers go out to the family of the innocent victim of this unconscionable attack. This tragic event is a reminder that, unfortunately, in our country there do remain isolated groups and individuals that are fueled by intolerance. In its most extreme form, this intolerance manifests itself in deadly violence. This despicable act is made even more deplorable by the fact that it seems that the killer chose this particular location – a solemn memorial to the victims of one of history’s darkest episodes. In addition to striking down a noble guard in the line of duty, this seems to have been an attack targeted against the Jewish community, and it is reprehensible.”

We have been in touch with our colleagues at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum to offer our support and our condolences on the tragic death of Officer Steven Tyrone Johns.  While this appears to be the actions of one individual, it reminds us of our need to be vigilant and reinforces our commitment to eliminate hatred.  We thank you for your continuing support of the work of the Holocaust, Genocide & Human Rights Education Center at Brookdale Community College.

Sincerely,

6-26-09

Group singing binds us together as a Jewish community. In prayer we sing, spurred on by neighbors in the pews engaged in the same psalm or other text.  It is no surprise that a song marks one of our top defining moments, the Exodus. "Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the Lord. They said: I will sing to the Lord, for He has triumphed gloriously." (Exodus 15:1)

Singing allows us to express profound happiness and deep pain. The poet Thomas Carlyle wrote, "All deep things are song. It seems somehow the very central essence of us, song; as if all the rest were but wrappages and hulls!"

One of the greatest songsters of all time, Michael Jackson, died from cardiac arrest yesterday. He sold over 750 million albums and the "King of Pop" was the world's biggest star. His career started when he was only ten years old; hits like, "I'll be there", "Billie Jean," "Beat It," and many others will be sung by legions of adoring fans for years to come. His personal life was bizarre and disturbing - lavish spending that led to debt, plastic surgery, and allegations of sexual misconduct. Nevertheless, his career is one of the greatest examples of the power of music.

Let's sing together! Tonight at 7:30 pm, before services, join us for a Jewish sing-along of familiar Israeli and liturgical songs in English and in Hebrew. We are not planning to sing "Thriller," or Bad," nor will we dance as Michael did in his groundbreaking videos! Still, all are welcome for a fun and pleasant experience.

About two years ago I decided that our Temple could call the daughters of kohanim and levi'im to the Torah for the first and second aliyot, respectively. This was a change in our policy up until that point. I did this in consultation with the Ritual Committee, many members of our community, and some of my colleagues and teachers.

This change created difficulties, many of which I did not foresee, for a significant number of Temple members. Furthermore, we have had opportunity to call upon relatively few women in these roles. Therefore, after much reflection and after many thoughtful conversations, I am reversing the decision. We will no longer call upon daughters of kohanim and levi'im to the Torah for the first and second aliyot.

As spiritual leader, my role is to reflect upon ritual matters and to act in the best interests of the whole community. I strive to do this each day, and I always welcome your feedback. If you would like to know more, please e-mail me at mpont@templebethahm.org, or call the Temple office.

Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Pont