More on Imagination

In this post on Hirhurim, I shared some thoughts that emanated from a dvar Torah I gave in shul during Shalosh Seudos on Judaism and imagination. After sharing the dvar Torah and discussing creativity and imagination with my Wednesday morning parshah shiur at Akiva, I decided to try and practice what I preach, and try to incorporate some imagination and creativity into my teaching.
This year, I teach gemara to seventh grade boys, and we're studying the fourth chapter of Brachos. That day we studied the Mishnah about Rabbi Nechunia ben Hakana, who would offer a prayer each day before he would enter the Beit Midrash and after he would leave. What, the Gemara wonders, did he used to say? Upon leaving the Beit Midrash he would "thank God for his lot," highlighting the difference between us and them.

שאני משכים והם משכימים - אני משכים לדברי תורה והם משכימים לדברים בטלים, אני עמל והם עמלים - אני עמל ומקבל שכר והם עמלים ואינם מקבלים שכר, אני רץ והם רצים - אני רץ לחיי העולם הבא והם רצים לבאר שחת.

For I rise and they rise - I rise for words of Torah, and they rise for wasteful things. I toil and they toil. I toil and receive reward, and they toil and do not receive reward. I run and they run - I run to life in the World to Come, and they run to a bottomless pit...

(Incidentally, we include this very prayer in the text usually recited at a siyyum at the conclusion of the study of a body of Torah.) In any case, I decided to give my students an opportunity to be creative. I asked them to go home and come up with their own prayer, using the formula of Rabbi Nechunia -- "for I rise and they rise." They should then describe what each of them rise for as opposed to why "they" rise. I didn't tell them who "they" should be -- I left that up to the students. I gave them the assignment excited about what they would come up with.
It was a total bomb.
Of my fourteen students in the class, only five of them submitted the assignment on time. Of the assignments I did receive, only two of them were at all memorable for their thought and creativity. The rest that I did get seemed to be whatever the student could put down on paper with the minimum of effort and energy. (Truth be told, they are seventh grade boys!). Some never completed the assignment at all despite repeated requests and warnings, some even claiming that "they didn't know what to do." It seems to me that the request to add some creative input threw the students for such a loop that the simply shut down, unable to do the assignment. It can't be simple laziness, because the very same weekend I gave them a significant amount of what I would consider spitback homework -- answering questions in their workbooks, and to a man, they completed the lengthy assignment which took far more time that the initial creative work.
I found this lack of creative ability in other places as well. Last Shabbos Bnei Akiva brought a Zach (grades 7-8) shabbaton to our shul, and I gave another variation of this dvar Torah to the kids, encouraging them to be creative in their Jewish lives. (Yes, rabbis do recycle. There, I admitted it.) During my talk, I asked the kids to raise their hands if they were taught to use their imaginations to express themselves Judaically. Of the sixty kids in the room, five raised their hands; one was American, and the other four were the Sherut Leumi girls spending a year in America. I looked at the Israeli girls and asked them again, "You learned to be creative in school?" Yes, they told me. But what about the American kids, who stared at me with blank looks in their eyes?
Finally, that very afternoon, my son was entertaining a friend and like all kids, couldn't figure out what to play with. We only have closets bloated with toys. (I know, I sound like my parents. That's what happens.) I suggested Kinex - a great building toy. What he said shocked me.
"But Abba, we lost the directions, and I don't know how to make anything." I just looked at him. You don't know how to make anything? Isn't the point of building toys not just following the color-coded guides, but coming up with your own creation? Then I realized just how much things had changed. Think about the Legos that you got as a child. I remember that we had a big box of Legos all mixed together, and you just sat down and put something together - whatever came to mind. Sure, you could buy a really cool set to build a car with the working pistons. But we couldn't afford those fancy sets. We just bought the sets that came with a bunch of different pieces mixed together, and you made whatever you could think of. You can't buy those sets anymore. Go to Toy R Us and see for yourself. You can only buy Star Wars Lego sets, or car sets, or movie-themed sets, designed to be built to create a specific model using specific directions, no imagination required.
When I built my front porch a few years ago, I had some cedar wood left over . Remembering fondly a set of blocks I used to play with as a child, I cut and sanded that wood into a huge set of building blocks, filling a large plastic tub in the basement. To my surprise and chagrin, my kids hardly use it, opting for gameboy, computer -- anything electronic first, and then even reading before they use the blocks.
I used to be upset about the lonely blocks sitting in the corner of the basement, and wondered why my children ignored them.
Now I think I know why.

Communal Service -- A Privelege or a Burden? Table Talk for Pekudei 5768

We all know the feeling: that heavy sensation we get when the phone rings, and it's the rabbi, or the school president - calling us to ask for our help. Yes, we'll help. But we somehow convey the attitude that we'd rather be doing something else, and that the opportunity to participate is more than a little bit of trouble.
Yet, some people feel precisely the opposite. I was speaking with someone this week about a ticket that I got (yes, I deserved it), and he told me that if I didn't call his wife for help, "she would genuinely be mad at me." Meaning, if I neglected to call her for assistance, she'd be angry that I didn't want to ask her for help. She sees participation and helping others not as a burden but as a privilege, which is just how Moshe wants us to see things.
When the Jewish people finally finish building the mishkan, they bring the completed work to Moshe for his inspection. The Torah tells us that when he sees their meticulous attention to instruction and their wonderful work, ויברך אותם משה -- "Moshe blessed them." What did he say to them?
Rashi tells us that he gave them a simple blessing: "May it be God's will that the Shechinah (presence of God) dwells in the actions of your hands." In other words, I hope God likes this mishkan as much as I do.
But the Seder Olam gives a different version of Moshe's blessing. According to this version Moshe told them, "You are fortunate, O' Israel, that you merited the work of the mishkan. And just as you merited this, so you should merit that you will be given the Temple, and the Shechinah will dwell in your midst."
First and foremost, Moshe tells us that they - and we - must see the ability to contribute to the construction of the mishkan not as a burden, but as a privilege. It's a merit to have the talent, ability or even wealth to contribute to God's dwelling place. And if we truly see our communal service as a gift and not an obligation, that very attitude will brings us the merit of the Temple and God's presence back into our midst.

The Forest and the Trees - Table Talk for Vayakhel 5768

In my various visitations to areas hospitals to see shul members, I have often found a recurring frustration. In today's fractionated medical world, many patients find themselves under the care of numerous doctors for different specialties; they might have a cardiologist, endocrinologist, rheumatologist and internist all visiting them during their hospital stay. Each one makes recommendations, and each one might prescribe tests and medication, but these recommendations often treat one symptom while complicating others. You cannot treat the kidneys without affecting heart function. The kidneys don't live alone; they share the body with the heart, and while alleviating one symptom, a doctor can actually make another different problem worse. In modern vernacular we call this an inability to "see the forest for the trees."
Most important then, especially for older patients, is a comprehensive care specialist who can bring together the various doctors to decide the best course of action for the total patient, instead of treating each specialty individually. I have found it a matter of personal frustration that insurance companies refuse to pay for such a position, when this type of care could actually save these very companies oodles of money in unnecessary tests, drugs, procedures and reactions. Go figure. So the best we can do is ensure that a family member, friend, or even fellow shul member (as has happened) is there to help coordinate the maze of patient care.
This notion of seeing the "forest for the trees" plays a prominent role in the constuction of the mishkan. You may have noticed that Moshe seems to instruct the Jews to construct the mishkan several times over the course of the last five parshiot of Shemot. Ramban (36:8) notes that Moshe gives these instructions no less than five times. Why all this repetition?
Ramban explains that in Parshat Terumah, Moshe first describes in detail the specific attributes of each vessel and piece of the mishkan.

"After this, he mentioned all of them in general terms...The reason for this is that God commanded Moshe to tell Bezalel and Oholiav and all the skilled [craftsmen] the work in its totality, and afterwards they could begin the work. For they could not be prepared for the holy work until they heard all of the task, and they understood it and accepted upon themselves that they knew how to complete it."

In other words, while each individual specialized in a specific area or craft, Bezalel could only begin construction when each person understood how his or her work fit into the broader picture of the entire project. In this way, every artisan and craftsman worked together in the larger project, seeing his piece not as a "tree", but as a part of the larger "forest".
If only Moshe had tackled the health care system!

Judaism and Imagination

If my experience is any indication, Jewish education does not place a very positive emphasis on developing an imagination. Rebbeim generally associate imagination with sexuality and inappropriate sexual thoughts - which is not all that surprising given the fact that they're usually speaking to teenage males. Thus, they encouraged us to stifle our imaginations in the hopes of avoiding violation of obvious issurim.
Moreover, most Jewish education involves the assimilation and spit back of skills and information. We teach our young children simple skills, and have them repeat them back to us. Then as they grow older we teach them more advanced skills which they must apply to more difficult texts and applications. Finally, if they reach a very advanced stage, they study extremely difficult and advanced materials which they then repeat and share with others to demonstrate their advanced knowledge. Halachah and gemara - the staples of yeshiva learning - have reached such a level of intellectual maturity that to all but the most advanced, there's nothing really to add. How many students feel that they have substantial chiddushim to contribute to the world of Jewish study? In truth, in the academically oriented atmosphere of the Beis Medrash, creativity and imagination have been, quite literally, ushered from the room.
And yet, imagination and creativity seem to be not only critical to a healthy psychological and emotional makeup, but to a positive Jewish intellectual life as well.
Parshat Ki Tisa relates the qualities that Bezalel ben Uri ben Chur possessed that made him uniquely qualified to head the mishkan construction project.

ואמלא אותו רוח אלקים בחכמה ובדעת ובכל מלאכה. לחשב מחשבות לעשות בזהב ובכסף ובנחשת

And I filled him with a spirit of God, with wisdom and knowledge of every craft. And to think thoughts - to make with gold, silver and copper. (Shemot 31:3-4)

What does the Torah mean when it tells us that God bestows upon Bezalel the spirit of God לחשב מחשבות -- "to think thoughts"? Rashi explains that this refers to מעשה חשב - work of embroidery, and is simply another skill set Bezalel possessed. Yet, Targum Yonatan ben Uziel translates the verse this way:

למיחשב ברעיוניהון היך למעבד בדהבא ובכספא ובנחשא

To think with their ideas how to create with gold, silver and copper

In essence, a craftsman's greatness lies not in his or her technical ability, but in the ability to translate a picture of the mind into reality. Sure, this requires great tactical skill, but it demands even greater mental ability to imagine in one's mind how that creation will appear when complete.
We think that we know what the mishkan actually looked like. Each year when we study these parshiot that deal with the mishkan's construction, we pull out the pictorial Tabernacle book, and study the pictures to better understand the descriptions in the text. During summer camp we build scale models of the different vessels to learn their various dimensions and attributes. So we know exactly how the mishkan looked. Only we don't.
No book or model can approximate the fantastic craftsmanship, creativity and imagination that the builders of these vessels utilized to create them. Who can picture the true beauty of the hand-woven tapestries that adorned the walls and curtains of the mishkan? What about the engravings, etchings and carvings in the gold throughout the structure. Indeed, while we can approximate the size and shape of the different vessels, we cannot estimate their inherent beauty in a picture of a model. Nor should we try. We should leave that to our imaginations.

And we need our imagination for more than just arts and crafts. We need it for life.
In order to grow beyond ourselves, we need the ability to envision a different kind of life; an experience beyond our familiarity. To create life beyond what we know we must first be able to imagine what's possible. Only when it's real in our minds can we translate that vision into reality. This truism applies not only to life experiences, but to communities, institutions, programs -- basically any human endeavor. Great businessmen are not the people who simply fulfill the needs of others. Rather, they are the people who see a need unfulfilled, and can envision their ability to fill that need. In essence, they see in their minds what others cannot or do not. Similarly, great communal builders see not just the challenges in building their ideas and institutions, but also their finished product in their minds. Only then can they set about bringing their visions to fruition. Without creativity we become stale, stagnant and unable to adapt and grow, limited to the finite borders of our past experiences. With imagination and creativity, we open ourselves to the unlimited expanses of the possible, as long as we can dream it.

In cannot be coincidental that Jewish tradition considers great Jewish leaders and builders dreamers. Yosef's brothers describe him as an איש החלומות -- "a man of dreams". While his inability to conceal those dreams land him in trouble during his youth, that very same imagination and creativity literally save him and the world. Only Yosef can not only properly interpret the dream of Par'oh, but perhaps even more importantly, devise a solution to resolve the problem. His solution brings him to prominence and provides sustenance for the region during the difficult years of famine.

The Midrash Tanchuma writes,

ילמדנו עוד רבינו מה בין חלומות הצדיקים לחלומות הרשעים? חלומות הרשעים לא בשמים ולא בארץ, שנאמר ופרעה חולם והנה עומד על היאור (בראשית מא א). וכך נבוכדנצר כתיב חלם (הוא) [חזית] ודחלנני (דניאל ד ב), שלא היה לא בארץ ולא בשמים, אבל חלומות של צדיקים בשמים ובארץ, שכן אתה מוצא שאמר יוסף לאחיו הנה אנחנו מאלמים אלומים (בראשית לז ז), הרי בארץ, ובשמים מנין, שנאמר הנה השמש והירח ואחד עשר כוכבים משתחוים לי (שם שם /בראשית ל"ז/ ט), וכן באבינו יעקב ויחלום והנה סולם [מוצב ארצה וראשו מגיע השמימה, הרי בשמים ובארץ].

Let our rabbi also teach us, what is the difference between the dreams of the righteous and the dreams of the wicked? The dreams of the wicked are neither in the heavens nor the earth, as it is written, "and Par'oh dreamt and behold he was standing over the Nile," and it is written similarly about Nevuchadnezzar "I saw a dream which made me afraid," for he was neither on the earth or in the heavens. But the dreams of the righteous are both in the heavens and the earth, for we find that Yosef said to his brothers, "behold we were binding sheaves," - so we see the earth. Where do we see the heavens? As it is written, "behold the sun, moon and eleven stars were bowing to me." And furthermore, [regarding] our forefather Ya'akov it is written, "and behold a ladder was standing on the ground and its head reached the heavens" - so we see his dream related to both the heavens and the earth.

A truly righteous dreamer - and his dreams - are rooted not in the heavens or the earth, but in the connection between the two; in binding one's yearnings for the heavens with worldly pursuits. Ya'akov dreamed of bridging the gap between the lofty spirituality of the heavens and the stark reality of the world. And because he dreamed it, he brought it to fruition.

Rav Kook in the fifth chapter of Orot discusses the difference between Jewish imagination in the Land of Israel and Jewish imagination in the Diaspora. He writes,

הדמיון של ארץ ישראל הוא צלול וברור, נקי וטהור ומסגל להופעת האמת האלקית, להלבשת החפץ המרומם ונשגב של המגמה האידיאלית אשר בעליונות הקדש

Imagination in the Land of Israel is clear and transparent, clean and pure and prepared for the true divine appearance, for the clothing of the exalted and lofty desires of the ideal orientation in the uppermost levels of holiness...

To me, even more important than the distinction that Rav Kook draws between imagination inside or outside of Israel, is his emphasis on the significance of imagination in the Jewish religious and spiritual experience. After years - centuries perhaps - of educating our children to suppress their imaginations, perhaps the time has come to reexamine that value and begin to emphasize the positive growth that can come from properly directed creativity, either through study of artistic ability (something now confined to young children and girls), creative writing and poetry or other similar disciplines.
Only when we learn to harness - and stop fearing -- the constructive power of creativity and imagination will we begin to imagine what the Jewish people can truly become.

Wisdom - The More You Have, the More You Get - Table Talk for Ki Tisa 5768

We've all seen that experiment where you first fill a jar with big rocks, and then when you can't put any more in, you put in smaller rocks -- and they miraculously fit into the seemingly full jar. The point is, even when you think something is full -- there's always room for more, when what you add is finer than what's already in the container.
This image is a wonderful metaphor for the assimilation of knowledge.
The Torah tells us that when God chooses people to construct the Mishkan, in addition to selecting Bezalel and Oholiav by name the Torah tells us that, ובלב כל חכם לב נתתי חכמה -- "and in the hearts of every wise person I have placed wisdom." (31:6). Why would God need to place wisdom in the heart of someone who is already wise? The Gemara in Brachos (54a) provides the answer:

Said Rabbi Yochanan: The Holy One Blessed be He only gives wisdom to one who already has wisdom, as it is written, "He who gives wisdom to the wise and understanding to those who have intelligence (Daniel 2:21). Rabbi Tachlifa of the West heard this idea and repeated it before Rabbi Abahu, who said to him: You learn [this rule] from that verse. We learn it from this verse, as it is written, "And in the hearts of every wise person I have placed wisdom."

Yet, this only begs the question: why give wisdom to the wise? Why not spread the wealth? The answer lies in our bottle of rocks. As wisdom and knowledge increases, the information becomes finer and more specific. In every discipline, the greater your understanding of the matter, the finer the information becomes. More importantly, one cannot possibly comprehend the fine, specific information before he acquires the general principles.
This rule especially applies to Torah. To become great in Torah, one first needs to be grounded in the basics. You cannot comprehend the depths of gemara before you learn mishnah, and you can't learn kaballah (hidden mysticism) before you have a deep knowledge of Torah.
But the beauty is, the more you know, the more you realize that there is to learn.

Another Rabbinic Candidate For Consideration: But Would He Even Get an Interview? (YIOP Bulletin March 2008)

Here at shul, I sometimes collect the mail in the morning when the secretary is away. If you’ve ever seen my desk, you won’t be surprised to know that the mail can sometimes become buried under an avalanche of papers only to be discovered during the monthly purge. Well, to my chagrin I discovered an additional resume that I quickly forwarded to the YIOP search committee. Because of the unusual circumstances and late date, they asked me to share the details of this candidate with the entire congregation without revealing his name so that the membership can quickly consider this candidate.

Education: Studied under the greatest Torah scholars of the time; extremely knowledgeable in all areas of Torah law, and additionally other secular disciplines. Speaks numerous languages fluently, and also proficient in secular law.

Age: Unclear – but at least in his mid-nineties

Work Experience: has been a leading figure in the Jewish community for decades, with extensive experience both in Israel and abroad.

Other information: Outspoken and passionate, yet can seem overbearing and preachy. Has been known to wander in the streets wailing, crying in mourning and wearing sackcloth and ashes. Seems temperamental and unwilling to demonstrate flexibility in trying situations. Also, he goes by his secular name, and not his given Jewish name.

What are the odds that we would ask this candidate to submit a video, much less invite him for a probo (that’s the Yiddish word for rabbinic try-out) in our shul? First of all, he’s too old. Moreover, who needs an erratic candidate prone to publicity stunts in the community? Oh well, I guess he’s got no shot. There’s only one problem: in rejecting this candidate, we’d be rejecting a man who literally saved the Jewish people from destruction.

You see, this resume belongs to none other than the male protagonist of Megillat Esther, Mordechai the Jew.

Let’s go through his resume one more time:

Education: The Mishnah (Shekalim Chapter 5 Mishnah 1) tells us that “Petachyah was in charge of the bird-related sacrifices [in the Temple, and] Petachyah is [really] Mordechai. Why was he called Petachyah (meaning “opener of God”)? Because he would open with words and explain them, and he knew seventy languages.” The commentators explain that the offering of bird-related sacrifices required the knowledge of ornithology and other sciences. From an educational perspective, Mordechai was what we would call today “the complete package.” Steeped in Torah knowledge in wisdom, he expanded his appreciation for God and His world by studying the sciences, languages and the world around him.

Age: That’s a tough one, but by the time the Purim story rolls around, he must be pretty old. The Megillah tells us that he was exiled from Jerusalem “with the captivity which had been carried away into exile with Yechonya King of Yehuda, who Nevuchadnezzar the king of Bavel had carried away into exile.” (Esther 2:6) That exile takes place in the year 3327 (approximately). The story of Esther takes places between the years 3394 (when Achashveirosh makes his first party) and 3405. Let’s assume that Mordechai -- who served in the Sanhedrin -- is no more than twenty years old during his expulsion. That would make him ninety eight at the end of the Purim story, so if he’s applying to work at YIOP, he’s no spring chicken. But, even at his advanced age he can still ride a mean horse (when led by Haman) and overhear whispered conversations, (see the story of Bigtan and Teresh), and as YIOP does not discriminate on the basis of age, we cannot exclude him on the basis of his age.

Work Experience: With his proficiency in Torah, his experience in the Sanhedrin and his long history of leadership in the Jewish community, clearly this would be a plus.

Other information: Ah, now things get sticky. He can be unpatriotic, unwilling to attend national events (i.e. Achashveirosh’s party for the people of Shushan) for religious reasons, possibly ostracizing the Jewish community in the eyes of the government. He ignores the local laws, refusing to bow down to Haman when every other rabbi and Jewish leader begs him not to make a fuss. He makes public spectacles when he sees fit, crying and wailing in the streets even outside the royal palace. And he uses his secular name – Mordechai, and not his religious name – Petachyah, for reasons we’re not sure about. Finally, for the past number of years he’s been out of the professional rabbinate entirely, working as a magistrate in the local secular courts.

What would we do if our shul received Mordechai’s resume for consideration? Would we give it proper deliberation and deem him a viable candidate, inviting him to meet the shul for Shabbos? Or would we consider him too old, too brash, too unstable and unpredictable, too old-world – to even consider giving him the job?

Sure – he’s all of those things. But it’s those very qualities that would give us cause to reject him as our spiritual leader – which help him and his niece Esther save us all.

The New Head of Detroit's Vaad -- An Email Response

I received the following disturbing, distressing email from a community member in Detroit - first directly, and then later indirectly, and because it's now swirling through the Internet, I feel strongly compelled to respond. Yet, in the interests of avoiding lashon hara, I have decided to remove the names of the senders and other related parties. I have taken the liberty to highlight areas that I will respond to. If you want to read the letter, scroll down to the bottom of this post, as I will respond to the tone first and then the content of the letter before posting the actual email for perusal at the bottom.

Dear Anonymous,

I received your email regarding the appointment of Rabbi Doniel Neustadt as the new Yoshev Rosh of the Council of Othodox Rabbis in Detroit with sadness and dismay.

The Tone
More than any of the substantive concerns in your letter, I find the tone and language of your correspondence abhorrent, disrespectful and tasteless, and your hysterics spoke to me more about the writers than the subject. Let me site some examples:

• ordinary Orthodox citizenry in the Detroit area like you and me will be trampled on.
• The situation is dire
• Perhaps someone will find a way to avoid the impending calamity.
  
• All is not lost. Before these gloomy predictions have a chance to take place...
• Please take these warnings seriously

Trampled on? Dire Situation? Impending calamity? Gloomy predictions and serious warnings? Let's understand: we're talking about the hiring of a rabbi who you feel is too right-wing to properly represent our community. Why then use language that seems more fitting for genocide or impending nuclear attack than for what you fear might prevent you from eating kosher Chinese food? Quite simply, it's hard to take anything seriously when a person considers "chumrah" a calamitous disaster to be avoided at all costs. Please calm down -- and then perhaps we can discuss the issues calmly.

Even more disturbing is the email that you forwarded to me written by your correspondent. I don't know how you speak in private, but it's generally a good rule not to write everything you think, nor to email everything you write, and certainly not to forward tasteless emails that you receive. How dare anyone write that a rabbi in town -- one who has invested literally hundreds of hours of his time -- all in your best interest -- in the local Va'ad, that:

• he has no stones and tries to walk the middle road always

Is there really any place for that type of vulgar language about anyone, much less a rabbi in town -- much less your rabbi? How does our community benefit from vulgarity about its religious leaders? If you were so concerned about our community's well-being, don't you think you should make the effort to watch your language and speak with a little more care? Last I checked, halachah cares just as much - probably more - about what comes out of your mouth than what goes into it. But the message continues:

• the rag that Neustadt wrote was more than chumra laiden. It was a source of derision and became a Chilul H'Shem rather than a furtherance of Yiddiskeit

Let me understand: because you don't like his halachic positions, you consider his weekly halachah sheet that I read regularly and quite enjoy to be a "rag." Apparently, it's so divisive that you cannot even abide distributing it in your shul. I find it comical that you complain of Rabbi Neustadt's polarizing and intolerant temperament while you can't even allow a sheet of Jewish law from a respected posek to be distributed in your shul. Who's the polarizing figure -- Rabbi Neustadt -- or the members of the so-called "Modern Orthodox" community so fearful of chumrah that they cannot even read about it? Also, at the top of every sheet of Rabbi Neustadt's "Weekly Halachah Discussion" are the words: "For final rulings, consult your Rav." That seems reasonable advice -but only if you can permit yourself to read his sheet.

I will ignore the political swipe that the email made, and not dignify it with a response. Yet, the end of the email seems beyond belief:

• This is a man who should be given a Teffilas HaDerech the minute he steps into the city

Really? This is a less-than-veiled threat that you will do your best to drive Rabbi Neustadt our of town from the minute he arrives. I cannot imagine a more "polarizing" and "derisive" comment. Even assuming that your fears have basis, should you not follow your own religious guidelines and give the man the opportunity to prove you wrong? Are you so sure of your conviction that you're unwilling to consider that you might be wrong? I could understand a reticence to hire Rabbi Neustadt or even prevent his arrival - but this makes clear that even should he arrive, you will make every effort to impede his efforts in this city and drive him from Detroit. How is that in the interests of Orthodoxy in our city?


The Content
First and foremost, I take issue with your primary contention that Rabbi Neustadt is a "polarizing" and "divisive" figure.

• I am told that Rabbi Neustadt’s newsletters were unwelcome in Beechwood and that Rabbi Neustadt is a polarizing figure

Who told you this? You simply repeat lashon hara with the intent of harming a man's reputation and livelihood.

• We were willing to be dazzled by the brilliance of Rabbi Neustadt’s reply but he stonewalled us

Moreover, the incident you cite doesn't leave me convinced either. While at face value it seems that Rabbi Neustadt should have responded to your email, I know neither the tone nor the content of that message. In addition, he never paskins for anyone, and always encourages people to discuss the contents of the parshah sheet with their rav. Did you do this? Were you expecting him to issue a retraction? Your sarcastic tone that you were waiting him "to dazzle me with his brilliance" gives me an indication as to why Rabbi Neustadt chose not to respond to your message.
I agree with you that Rabbi Neustadt's halachic discussion sheets tend to lean towards stringency. But in my experience, any generally written halachic work must, by definition, lean towards stringency because it cannot account for all circumstances that would trigger a leniency. Moreover, I find that whenever people find a leniency they tend to apply it even in inappropriate situations, so I personally am also careful about which leniencies to publish in a publicly distributed communication. So, while he may be machmir in unspecified situations, that by no means indicates that Rabbi Neustadt would apply those very same chumros in private, personal situations. That's simply how the halachic process works.

Let's now turn to the issue of divisiveness and polarity: it seems to me that while individual rabbis may have concerns, there is great unity among us about the need for a new head of the Va'ad, and excitement about the appointment of Rabbi Neustadt. He is a recognized halachic expert having published respected works, he has experience in the areas of kashrus and administration, and has even contributed constructively to the Beis Din in Cleveland. When was the last time the rabbis of the Va'ad could positively come together about a constructive issue? When we finally stand behind a candidate to lead us, it seems to me like he is a unifying figure - at least to this point, and not a divisive one. You see, unlike you I don't need a rabbi to look like me, dress like me, or even pasken like me -- in order for me to give him my support. I support him because he needs that support to bring order to the Va'ad and unity to our community, two areas sorely lacking to this point.

And what of the issue of chumrah? Let's say that Rabbi Neustadt is indeed - as you suggest -- a machmir. (When did that word become a pejorative insult? Some might consider it a compliment.) In which areas of kashrus would you like him to be lenient? Would you like him to check only half the lettuce at a given affair for bugs? Would you prefer that we import improperly salted meat from questionable plants? Or would you rather that the hashgachah only oversee restaurants part of the time, and not constantly? What area of kashrus should we seek leniency in? Personally, I'm rather happy with a Rosh Va'ad who's meticulous about halachic issues.

You seem to be confusing chumrah in halachah with hashkafah and political issues. The posek of the Va'ad will determine kashrus policy: what events require what level of supervision; what agencies we accept and reject; what type of kashering procedures are acceptable in different situations; how should produce be checked for infestation? These issues come up regularly and require a posek to make a final decision that will be applied city-wide, and not by committee as has been the case since my arrival in Detroit. Moreover, they need a person who will be responsible to ensure that the policies are carried out uniformly throughout the city, and not in different establishments based on grandfather clauses, proprietors, and who the mashgiach happens to be. That's Rabbi Neustadt's primary role, and I have every confidence in his ability to make kashrus in our city a source of pride and unity.

But then there are other, more political issues. Ah, the hangout issue. I must say that in my seven years in this city, I have never once heard the argument -- either inside the Va'ad or by a member of the Va'ad, that we should not allow an establishment to open because it will "be a hangout." Perhaps the argument was made in the past, but can we please move on? Seven years is a long time, and we've seen the opening of a pizza store, a donut shop, a sandwich store in the JCC, and a meat take-out store -- all of which have mixed seating! -- without complaint. Now, it could very well be that the rabbis from Yeshiva Gedolah have instructed their students not to hang out in those establishments, but they have been nothing but encouraging about promoting the creation of more kosher establishments in town. In addition, while the Va'ad is hiring a Yoshev Rosh, we're not disbanding. The rabbinic members of the Va'ad will have a full say in issues that it considers super-halachic and political in nature, and will work together with the Yoshev Rosh to address those issues.
Finally, please spare us from wild speculation about what people will or will not do in response to your worst fears. Your "gloomy predictions" only increase your tone of hysteria, and have no basis in fact. If you truly want unity in our community, you will reassess your position and, at the very least:
1. Apologize to Rabbis Neustadt and Morris for your reprehensible tone
2. Give Rabbi Neustadt a chance to settle in and prove himself
3. Give the Va'ad the support that it needs in our community to truly become a communal institution. Choosing to vilify Rabbi Neustadt or the other rabbanim in town who volunteer their time (with no renumeration - but plenty of aggravation), will not drive out anyone -- but instead further isolate yourself.

I conclude by wondering why you included my name on your list of recipients in the first place. Did you think that because I'm a Modern Orthodox rabbi I would speak out against a perceived injustice? Did you think that because I'm outspoken at times I would have the temerity to speak out? I hope that you were right.

I conclude with one of my favorite quotes from Ralph Waldo Emerson, "Who you are speaks so loudly, I cannot hear what your saying." It seems that in light of your email, Emerson was indeed correct.

I pray that the Ribbono shel Olam gives our community the wisdom, knowledge and strength to use this new addition to the Va'ad and our city as an opportunity to grow closer to Him, and each-other.

Rabbi Reuven Spolter

If you're interested, here is the text of the email:

Anonymous

I forwarded a copy of my letter to Rabbi Morris to less than a handful of people. Since that time I've spoken to rabbi Morris who has tried to allay my fears. I can't for one moment buy into the notion that Rabbi Neustadt is machmir in his newsletters but otherwise maykil. I told Rabbi Morris that I have every reason to feel that if Rabbi Neustadt occupies the office of Yoshev Rosh Vaad Harabonim of Detroit our ordinary Orthodox citizenry in the Detroit area like you and me will be trampled on.

Rabbi Morris told me, "there's nothing we can do about it because Rabbi Neustadt is hired". There has to be another way. The situation is dire. I no longer feel this discussion should be limited to just a few balebatim. Feel free to forward these ideas. Perhaps someone will find a way to avoid the impending calamity.

Anonymous

In a message dated 2/18/2008 10:53:58 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, Anonymous writes:

Well said. I couldn't agree with you more. This is as important an issue as there is for our shul. It should be brought to the membership for an open discussion. Unfortunately, there is little that our Rav can or will do about it. Let's face it: he has no stones and tries to walk the middle road always. The rag that Neustadt wrote was more than chumra laiden. It was a source of derision and became a Chilul H'Shem rather than a furtherance of Yiddiskeit. This is a Bakst - Torgow appointment and does not bode well for the city. This is a man who should be given a Teffilas HaDerech the minute he steps into the city.

anonymous

In a message dated 2/17/2008 10:16:28 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, anonymous writes:

To: Rabbi Morris

From: Anonymous

I was dismayed to read that Rabbi Doniel Neustadt has been invited to become the Yoshev Rosh Vaad Harabonim of Detroit. His weekly newsletter on halacha l’meisa formerly distributed in our shul was dubbed the “Chumra of the Week Rag” by some of our Southfield wags. His approach to yiddishkeit is something many in our shul find distasteful.

An example of his cavalier attitude towards criticism is the following:

I attempted to contact Rabbi Neustadt via email regarding his two part series on taking medicine on shabbat. The email was delivered but went unanswered. I had written a letter to point out several items in his newsletter that not only conflict with good medical practice but actually can cause serious harm. A dozen of our physicians and allied medical professionals in our shul signed the letter along with me. In addition there were another dozen who were in agreement with the letter but didn't want to get involved to the extent of signing a letter. We were willing to be dazzled by the brilliance of Rabbi Neustadt’s reply but he stonewalled us. This was not the only issue to which our group took exception.

Rabbi Neustadt is Rav of Young Israel of Cleveland Heights (at the Academy Bldg). I know it well. I was a member there when the distinguished and revered Rav was Rabbi Schubert Spero. I remain in contact with members of Young Israel in the Cleveland area, many of whom have moved to the newer Young Israel in the Beechwood suburb. I am told that Rabbi Neustadt’s newsletters were unwelcome in Beechwood and that Rabbi Neustadt is a polarizing figure.

We in the Detroit area are not well served by leadership that is divisive. You may have known Rabbi Drucker of Young Israel of Oak Park around whom a swirl of machlochet was a constant state of affairs. The shul suffered from this and it wasn’t until he left that the shul was able to get itself together to grow again.

How much more important is it that the Rabbinic chairman of the Council of Orthodox Rabbis of our entire community be someone whose personality is unifying rather than divisive. The last thing we need is a Vaad ha-ir that is known by its chumras and polarity. Already we have one of our major kosher caterers under hashgacha outside of the local Vaad. This caterer receives hashgacha from the star K.

From time to time Rabbis of the Conservative Movement have threatened to establish their own kasthrus authority. The hiring of Rabbi Neustadt portends a situation to which the Conservative Rabbis may no longer be willing to allow the Vaad to have a monopoly on kosher food supervision. This would be their opening and we would all suffer because major community agencies like Federation, the Senior housing agencies that supply meals and major community dinners might also come under haschgacha that we would find unacceptable.

Think also of the potential loss of revenue for the Vaad. Loss of income due to competing hashgacha agencies and reduced support from business interests. Supporters of the Vaad in the past who have Conservative affiliations have been the former Farmer Jack Markets, Paul Borman formerly head of Farmer Jack markets might choose the Conservative Kasthrus agency to support. I don't know Jim Hiller's affiliation but he too may withdraw some or all of his support.

All is not lost. Before these gloomy predictions have a chance to take place it would be wise for the Vaad to find a face saving way of withdrawing their offer ot employment to Rabbi Neustadt. As a member of the presidium of the Vaad you can exert the kind of influence now that will avert calamity. Please take these warnings seriously.

The New York Times' Escape - and the Jewish Way

In an interesting article in this past Friday's "Escapes" section of the New York Times ("All Nothing All the Time"), author Neil Genzlinger attempted to find the remote bed and breakfast that would afford him the greatest ability to unplug and "do nothing." This quest for inactivity forced him to define what exactly he considers to be "doing nothing." In his quest for the ultimate relaxing weekend, he defines "nothing" as:

¶Nothing that involves spending money.

¶Nothing that requires strapping something to your feet.

¶Nothing done with a device that can be purchased at Best Buy.

Reading the article, it dawned on me that instead of driving hundreds of miles searching for an area with little cell phone coverage and spending hundreds of dollars staying at remote locations unplugged from the tensions and distractions of the world, the author could have done something much simpler:

He could have kept Shabbos.

Lies, the Lying Liars Who Tell Them, and American Society

The United States this week witnessed a spectacle perhaps without precedent in American history. We watched on national television in sworn testimony, a witness commit perjury before a Congressional panel. Two men sat before members of Congress and gave testimony under oath that was diametrically opposite to that of the other. Someone lied before our very eyes. And it’s quite likely that this unthinkable act will go unpunished.

While the Roger Clemens sideshow certainly made for great drama and wonderful news copy, I’m more interested in the societal implications of the deceit pervasive in the story. If Clemens is telling the truth, then his accuser, Brian Mcnamee has not only lied to the commission investigating steroids in baseball, but to a congressional committee and a full congressional panel. If, on the other hand, he’s telling the truth, then Roger Clemens joins the cadre of baseball players who have misled and deceived the American public for many years, and the smaller group of players who continue to falsely protest their innocence.

Most frightening – and interesting, is that if Clemens is lying, we’re not really surprised. We expect our public figures to lie. None other than the President of the United States lied to a grand jury. The city of Detroit recently learned that the Mayor of Detroit lied under oath in court about his personal life. Who believes any of the promises being made by our presidential prospects? Who takes any public figure at his word anymore? When was the last time anyone made a business deal – and invested money – on a handshake? What happened to our trust?

Every time a person lies he not only affects himself, but his surrounding society. We take for granted the inherent wrongness of stating untruths – of lying – whether in the courts or just the course of daily life. But when we see public figures lying to us and fail to react; when we allow others’ untruths to go unnoticed -- that behavior grows in acceptance and slowly infiltrates the public consciousness.

In addition to the many works that the Chafetz Chaim wrote about lashon hara – slander and evil speech, he wrote a work called שפת תמים - (pure lips) about the terrible evils of fakery, deception and lying – and some terrible truth about the nature of many Jews who cheat in business. In chapter six while describing the different levels of liars he writes,

ויש אחרים..שבספוריהם ודבוריהם גם כן נמצא בהם מתערובות הכזב, אך בלי כונה, כי לא ישיתו לבם לחקור בעת שמעם לידע הדברים במכון, ואסור שקר אין חמור בעיניהם כל כך ליזהר אפילו מתערבתו. על כן בבואם לספר אחר כך הדבר יערבו בו מן השקרים כמו שיזדמן להם אז. וגם זו מדה רעה, כי אנשים כאלו מרגלים בשקר בהרחב הזמן, עד שנעשה להם כמו טבע...

and there are others...who in their stories and words are also found an intermingling of falseness, yet this is without intent, for they did not set their hearts to investigate [the words] at the time that they heard them to know the matters precisely. And, the prohibition against falsehood is not so stringent in their eyes that they are careful even from partial falsehood. Therefore, when they subsequently come to mention the matter, they will intermingle the lies as they present themselves. This too is an evil attribute, for people like this become accustomed to falsehood in the expanse of time, until in becomes natural to them.

Our surroundings, culture and society affect us. What then does that say about a culture that no longer cares about the meaning of truth? How soon will that filter down into our daily interactions, until Americans can no longer trust each other in even the most casual of interactions?

Table Talk - Tetzaveh 5768 - The Urim V'Tumim

One of the more mysterious garments worn by the Kohen Gadol (high priest) that's not really an actual garment is the Urim V'Tumim. What is the Urim V'Tumim? Where does the Kohen wear it and what is its function?

The Torah tells us:

וְנָתַתָּ אֶל-חֹשֶׁן הַמִּשְׁפָּט, אֶת-הָאוּרִים וְאֶת-הַתֻּמִּים וְהָיוּ עַל-לֵב אַהֲרֹן, בְּבֹאוֹ לִפְנֵי ה

"And you shall place into the breastplate of judgment the Urim and Tumim, and they shall be on the heart of Aharon when he comes before God." (28:30)

Rashi explains that the Urim V'tumim is actually a parchment with the full written name of God that they place in the folds of the Choshen behind the stones. With this parchment, the letters of the tribes engraved in the stones of the Choshen would transmit the word of God to the Jewish people. The Kohen would ask God a question and receive an answer through the letters of the tribes engraved on the breastplate. Without the Urim V'tumim, there was no communication from God. In a sense, the Urim V'Tumim serves as the spiritual batteries of the Choshen.

When the Kohen Gadol asked God a question, how did He send a reply? The Gemara in Yevamos (73a) presents a dispute about this issue. According to Rabbi Yochanan, the letters of the Choshen would protrude in a specific order indicating a message. According to Reish Lakish, the letters would actually move around the breastplate to form a specific text.

Still, either way the Choshen communicated, the rabbis in the gemara noticed a perplexing problem: When you look at all the names of the tribes, the Choshen still lacks two letters from the Hebrew alphabet. Can you figure out what those two letters are?