The Weekly Mission- Torah Portion by Isaiah Rothstein

 Parshat Dvarim - Shabbat Chazon A father on his death bed only desires to offer advice that could positively alter their child’s life decisions. The final book of the Torah is a lengthy, colloquial, and dense reminder from Moshe, our leader what to do and how to be in order to maintain a society and dwell in security. The Parsha begins by stating “These are the words that Moshe spoke to all of Israel, in the wilderness, in the plain, opposite (the Sea of) Reeds, between Paran and Tophel and Laban, and Chazayroat and Di Zahab.”[i] This book opens with coordinates, a physical location that exists today. In this physical location, amongst, in between and around all these places, the Jew’s history was founded. The Midrash relates that these places actually represent sins that the Jewish people committed on their journeys. I would like to focus on the importance of these coordinates, and more specifically how some of the stops along the way relate perfectly to the three weeks of mo...

Parshat B'chukotai (5771’)“No! You Got it All Wrong, You are Good Enough!” Author Stephen Covey, in his work 7 Habits for Highly Effective People writes: Our very essence as creations is to be creators, but because we allow others to design who we are—such as parents, friends and colleagues – we “reactively live the scripts handed to us.”[i] Covey is not telling us that we are incapable of writing our own legacy and life mission, but saying that, because many times we feel so unsure of what we are capable of, we value the opinions of others over our very own. “These scripts come from people, not principles. And they rise out of our deep vulnerabilities, our deep dependencies on others and our needs for acceptance and love, for belonging, for a sense of importance and worth, for feeling that we matter.”[ii] Putting politics aside, Mankind only functions because we depend on one another to survive. Our music and literature may be published for self-expression, but it is only publ...

Parshat Behar-B’Chukotai 5772: “Homecoming-The Return of the Jubilee!” L’Iluy Nishmat Chaim Yissachar ben Yechiel Zeidel Dov “You shall sanctify the fiftieth year and you shall proclaim freedom throughout the land for all its inhabitants; it is a Yovayl year for you, and you shall return, each man, to his ancestral heritage (Achuzato); and you shall return, each man to his family.[i] This past week I had the privilege of driving from Los Angeles to San Francisco. In addition to adventuring to the Redwood Forest, Golden Gate Bridge, and the House of Love and Prayer, I found that the drive itself was most deepening. I learned ever so quickly, and slowly, that California’s landscape is the home of over three-hundred miles of farmland. Although a different type of goldmine, this agricultural empire has awarded the state embrace by over 156 countries as one of the leading agricultural exports in the world with a gross annual income of nearly two-trillion dollars![ii] Undeniably, ou...

Parshat Behar 5771 “Let Your Brother Live with You”  Who is called a poor person? We use this term frequently to describe a person with minimal income who is unable to provide for him/her self and the people dependant on him/her. Others believe that a poor person is not someone who is lacking self-esteem, financial resources or a strong social life, a poor person is someone who has a diluted emotional or physical view of the world and therefore has little hope in anything—including his/her own self. Rebbe Nachman teaches that a poor person is someone who has hardened his/her heart and mind to the opportunity of ever becoming rich. This person has been damaged and hurt so much by failed opportunities that his/her “homelessness has become an acquired knowledge. His knowledge becomes filled with confusion and apathy.” [i] This person believes that what is will always be. This person has no hope for their future. The very idea of redemption sickens them, and indeed, many poor peop...

The Weekly Mission: Parshat Emor-Preperation Over the last few weeks we have been engaged in the self-rectification process of Sfirat Ha’Omer. The RaMBaM in his magnificent work Mishna Torah (Avoda:7:11) describes the ceremonial process of the barley and grain offering in its many details. Before Pesach would begin, the stalks of grain to be used for the omer offering while still connected to the ground were bound into sheaves and are left there until the16th of Nissan—when the ceremonial practice of the offering would take place. On the 16th, they are cut and the grain goes under a process of sifting. After wards, a special cistern with holes burns the chaff, and the remanding kernels are what are then used. It is most interesting that the preparations of Sfirat Ha’Omer, a “new offering,” one that has its own unique set of laws, has a preparation stage, to the preparation stage. The Rav in his work Halahkic Man prescribes that every Jew, regardless of commandment, should contempl...

Parshat Emor Radiance and the Power of Healing During the inauguration of the First Temple a great joy permeated from the holy city of Jerusalem. Unlike the times of Joshua, the lack of leadership during Judges and the civil wars which took place during the time of Samuel, in the times of Shlomo Hamelech peace and joy were shared by all. The anxiety of transition came to an end. “In the four hundred and eightieth year after the Children of Israel’s Exodus from the land of Egypt-- in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign of Israel, in the month of Ziv, which is the second month—he built the Temple of HaShem”[i] After so much work, and so much commitment, after deserts and death, we recognized the secret of transition, Pesach to Shavout, Healing! We remain a scattered nation on the four corners of the world. Our society speaks with greed and vanity, and we have forgotten how to heal and Who is our healer. The wisest of all men, Shlomo HaMelech prophesizes: “Why did HaShem do such a thi...

The Weekly Mission: Parshat Achrei-Mot Kedoshim 5772’ Blood, Purim, and the Real You The death of Nadav and Avihu offer tremendous insight into the relationship that Man aspires to create with him/herself and the Source thereafter. Our commentators suggest many different plausible reasons for the death of these two brothers. RaShI sources the Talmud which states it was because they instructed themselves what to do without the accord of Moshe. In addition another Tanna[i] extrapolates from the juxtaposed verse that it was because they did the temple service intoxicated. Lastly, the verses before this unfortunate event reveals that the fire that was meant to consume the offering was a fire from above (sent by G-d), while the fire offered by Nadav and Avihu was a Aish Zarah, a fire which did not belong. The three reasons provided all share the common denominator of seeking out personal authority through externalities. Denying the laws of the leader, deafening self-awareness, and app...