Tag Archives: Amidah

Lashon Hakodesh (The Holy Tongue) and Magen Avraham – Parshat Lech Lecha

Torah From the Holy Land

Torah: Lashon Hakodesh (the Holy Tongue)

יג וַיָּבֹא֙ הַפָּלִ֔יט וַיַּגֵּ֖ד לְאַבְרָ֣ם הָֽעִבְרִ֑י וְהוּא֩ שֹׁכֵ֨ן בְּאֵֽלֹנֵ֜י מַמְרֵ֣א הָֽאֱמֹרִ֗י אֲחִ֤י אֶשְׁכֹּל֙ וַֽאֲחִ֣י עָנֵ֔ר וְהֵ֖ם בַּֽעֲלֵ֥י בְרִֽית־אַבְרָֽם

Then there came the fugitive and told Abram, the Ivri, who dwelt in the plains of Mamre… (Bereshit 14:13)

At this point in our story, Abram’s nephew, Lot, has just been kidnapped, along with Lot’s family and possessions, by the Four Kings. A survivor of the attack runs to Abram to alert him to Lot’s status, and Abram immediately mounts an army and rescues Lot. What’s of interest here is the description used for Abram, Ivri. Radak comments that name means he was a descendant of Eber, who spoke Ivrit, Hebrew. Abram’s descendants are called Ivrim because they are the only ones who spoke Hebrew, the rest of Eber’s descendants speaking Aramaic.

The language of Hebrew has been vitally important to the Jewish people, and remains so today. Not only is it the language that connects us to our religious texts, but it’s a language that remains alive and vibrant, living in the streets of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. Eliezer Ben Yehuda, the founder of modern Hebrew, knew this truth when he wrote in the late 1800s: “If we see today’s youth leaving their ancient tongue it is because they consider it dead and worthless. All our labor to try and make them see its value will be for naught- for only a ‘Hebrew’ can feel for his tongue. Let us, therefore, revive the language and plant it in the mouths of our youths and they will never betray it – but we shall not be able to revive the Hebrew language except in the land where the Hebrews form a majority of the inhabitants.” While Ben Yehuda’s prophecy rings true with regard to creating the new Hebrew, I also believe it is the key to creating the new Jew. Without knowledge of Hebrew, a Jew remains an outsider in his/her own religion. They are forced to interact with text through the interpretation of someone else’s translation, never learning how to challenge the text, or dig into the multiple interpretations of a text. Most of Jewish commentary lays beyond the reach of the non-Hebrew reader, inaccessible. And most problematic of all, much of the Hebrew taught in our schools is uninspiring to today’s youth, who consider it “dead and worthless”. Let us resolve to cultivate the mindset of Avram ha-Ivri in our communities, restoring Hebrew as an integral and necessary part of both youth and adult education. Let us speak Hebrew in our homes and in our shuls. And let us interact with our tradition as full Hebrews, fluent in the language of our past and our future.

Tefillah: The Shield of Avraham

After Abram defeats the Four Kings and redeems Lot and his family from captivity, Abram returns to a celebration thrown by the 5 Kings who were attacked. Despite his military might, Abram is worried. Rashi says that he fears punishment for the lives he took in battle against the Kings, for his victory was a miracle, and he would perhaps be punished by way of retribution or revenge. HaShem comes to Abram in a vision, saying “fear not, Abram, I am a shield for you (magen lecha), and your reward will be very great” (Bereshit 15:1). This language is picked up in the chatima, the conclusion, of the first bracha of the Amidah: “Baruch Ata HaShem, Magen Avraham”, Blessed are You the Name, shield of Abraham. It recalls, three times a day, a time when Avraham, who is known for the trait of chesed, lovingkindess, is forced to go out of his comfort zone, venturing into g’vurah, strength. It’s precisely in that moment, when he is vulnerable and inexperienced, that HaShem appears to him and gives him strength and protection, a piece of mind allowing Abraham to continue on his journey in confidence. While we’re praying, we might use this bracha to pause momentarily and consider how we can  step out of our comfort zones, and ask haShem for strength and protection in those moments of discomfort.  May we continue to challenge ourselves so that we may reach our goals, whatever they may be.

View the PDF form of this d’var Torah here.

Parshat Shemot – The Power of Women | Elohei Avraham, Elohei Yitzchak, Elohei Ya’akov

Parshat Shemot – Torah From The Holy Land

Torah: The Power of Women

On Friday, President-Elect Donald Trump will be inaugurated as the 45th President of the United States. Both during his campaign and after his election, he has been incredibly disparaging of minorities, women, those with disabilities, and anyone who does not agree with him.  That his inauguration coincides with Parshat Shemot, where a new king arises who did not know Joseph and proceeds to sow seeds of fear of minorities and immigrants, has been pointed out by more than a few commentators. However, a different story in Parshat Shemot can give us a reason to hope as we move forward.

A day after the inauguration, 200,000 women will march on Washington to “promote equal rights for women and to defend marginalized groups” (New York Times), with the goal of sending a “bold message to our new government on their first day in office, and to the world, that women’s rights are human rights,” (Women’s March website). That women are stepping up to lead a movement of equality and to push human rights for all isn’t surprising; after all, it’s the essence of Feminism. What may be surprising is the emphasis of women’s leadership in this week’s parasha.

In Shemot, there is not only one female hero, but six. The first is Yocheved, the mother of Miriam, Moses, and Aaron. She had the courage to have a child despite the death sentence for male newborns, hid Moses for three months from the Egyptians, and had the faith to put Moses in a basket in the river, hoping that someone would find him and take care of him. The second is Miriam, who took on the responsibility to watch over her brother Moses as he floated down the river, and worked out a plan with Pharoah’s daughter so that her own mother would be able to nurse Moses in the palace. The Midrash even gives her credit for convincing her father, Amram, to remarry Yocheved after they had separated for fear of giving birth to a baby boy, who would be killed. Shifrah and Puah, two midwives, were the third and fourth. Despite Pharaoh’s decree to kill all male babies, they continued to help Hebrew women give birth. When caught, they told Pharaoh that the Hebrew women were so stubborn that they gave birth before the midwives could come. As a result of their faith in God and their courage to stand up in the face of injustice, they were rewarded by God. Fifth is Zipporah, Moses’s wife, who accompanies Moses on his return to Egypt, and saves his life by decisive action to circumcise their son (Ex. 4:24-26). Six, and maybe the most incredible, is Pharaoh’s daughter, who, despite her father’s decree to kill all Hebrew boys, not only saves Moses, but brings him into the palace and raises him as her own son. All of these women, in their own way, sow the seeds for redemption and freedom in opposition to a ruler who seeks to oppress them and their voices.

While these women had no official title, they exhibited outstanding leadership qualities. As Rabbi Jonathan Sacks points out,

“Rabbi Eliyahu Bakshi-Doron in his Responsa, Binyan Av, differentiates between formal or official authority (samchut) and actual leadership (hanhagah). There are figures who hold positions of authority – prime ministers, presidents, CEOs – who may not be leaders at all. They may have the power to force people to do what they say, but they have no followers. They excite no admiration. They inspire no emulation. And there may be leaders who hold no official position at all but who are turned to for advice and are held up as role models. They have no power but great influence.” He concludes, “Yocheved, Miriam, Shifra, Puah, Zipporah and Batya [Pharaoh’s daughter] were leaders not because of any official position they held (in the case of Batya she was a leader despite her official title as a princess of Egypt). They were leaders because they had courage and conscience. They refused to be intimidated by power or defeated by circumstance. They were the real heroes of the exodus. Their courage is still a source of inspiration today.”

Their courage is not only a source of inspiration, but also a sign of hope. The small actions of individuals standing up for human rights, equality, and freedom of speech can have an impact far greater than anyone can imagine. May their courage inspire us today and in the coming years to stand up wherever we see injustice and hatred.

T’fillah: Elohei Avraham, Elohei Yitzchak, v’Elohei Ya’akov

In the middle of this week’s parasha, Moses encounters God for the first time at the burning bush.

YHVH said: ‘Do not come closer to here, remove your shoes from your feet, for the place upon which you stand is holy ground.’ and YHVH said, ‘I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to gaze toward God. (Ex. 3:5-6)

These verses may sound familiar; the phrase ‘The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’ appears three times a day in first paragraph of the Amidah. Looking at this phrase in its biblical context, what new intentions can we bring to our own prayer?

Interestingly, we notice that Moses is the focus of this prayer, not the Patriarchs (and certainly not the Matriarchs). And it’s not Moses as the proud leader of the people, but Moses’ first interaction with God. Rabbi Elie Kaunfer, in his book Empowered Judaism, points out that “the Moses in this scene is not the leader we know from the rest of the Torah, but a reluctant shepherd who is about to receive the mission and purpose of his life: to redeem the people of Israel from Egypt and lead them to the promised land. Significantly, Moses doesn’t jump at this offer, but instead ‘hides his face.’” From this realization, he teaches, we can learn three things.

First, this is the first communication between Moses and God, the beginning of a Divine-Human relationship. We too are expected to treat our relationship with the Divine as if it’s brand new. If you think about it, how you act towards someone who you’re trying to build a friendship with is much different than an old friend. Most likely you’re much more intentional about you act and how often you’re in contact if you’re beginning a relationship. Further, he says “the Moses portrayed in this biblical scene is perhaps more akin to the modern-day worshiper who objects to this line in the first place: a person completely disconnected from Jewish heritage and alienated from a deep relationship with God.”

Second, this is not just a description, but a quote by God. Prayer is not only about talking to God, but also about hearing the messages that God gives to us. “What is the message of God’s speech?” He asks, “it is an invitation to ponder the mission of your life.”

Third, Moses’ reaction of hiding his face stands in stark contrast to our physical posture of prayer, which is standing with constrained movement. He says that this contrast “begs the questions: How is your relationship with God different if you stand before God as opposed to lying prostrate? What is that position meant to symbolize?”

By looking at the context from which our prayer is taken, we see the additional depths that can be revealed, pondered, and meditated on in our prayer practice. May we merit to hear our purpose in life, and dedicate our lives to the fulfillment of that purpose.

Sam Blustin is an alumnus of the Conservative Yeshiva (2014-2015) and a current Rabbinical student at the Jewish Theological Seminary (Class of 2020). You can view more divrei Torah at www.samblustin.com  or contact Sam directly at samblustin@gmail.com.