What Would Rabbi Akiva Do? Reflections On Yom Ha'Atzma'ut 5773

Chag Sameach everyone!

Image courtesy of myjewishlearning.com

After reading the brilliant piece from Rabbi Rakeffet-Rothkoff from this year's Yom Ha'atzma'ut to Go from YUTorah.org that discusses the Rav's hashkafic evolution into a Religious Zionist, and listening to a shiur given during shul that had nothing to do with Yom Ha'atzma'ut, but rather the restrictions of Sefirah due to the deaths of Rabbi Akiva's students, I have been inspired to write.

I grew up largely ignorant of Yom Ha'atzma'ut, especially regarding any religious significance the day may or may not have. After my experiences in Israel, and then at Yeshiva University, I came to have a growing appreciation for the 5th of Iyar as not merely a political commemoration, akin to the 4th of July here in America, but as a day with valid religious meaning.

My current shul does not recognize Yom Ha'atma'ut at all. Yom Ha'atzma'ut was celebrated there many decades ago under a different congregational rabbi, who happened to have received semicha from YU's rabbinical school, RIETS and was a very ardent Zionist. Hence, my new found connection to the holiday feels a bit stifled without the proud and public religious atmosphere that I experienced in Israel and at YU.

While the current rabbi was speaking about the restrictions during Sefiriah, emphasizing the tragic deaths of Rabbi Akiva's students he specifically mentioned the prohibition of listening to live music, as well as recorded music - and even (per his opinion) A Capella as well. I began to recall the YU chagiga and the afternoon concert that is held every year on this day - and my mind ruminated on the idea of "What would Rabbi Akiva do?"

It is an interesting question that had not occurred to me before, but I think that it bears some significance regarding how we can, or should approach the celebration of Yom Ha'atzma'ut as a joyous religious holiday, even in the midst of mourning customs of Sefirah.

Rabbi Akiva was an optimist and a fervent lover of the Land of Israel.

We know he was very involved in the Bar Kochba revolt, initially believing in the messianic fervor that gripped many, giving hope to the possibility of a final redemption and the rebuilding of the land and the Beis Hamikdash. Some even suggest that the deaths of his students were not due to a plague per se, but because they were actively involved in the rebellion as soldiers serving under Bar Kochba and hence his defeat lead to many deaths, including theirs.

We also know the fairly famous story from Makkot 24b wherein Rabbi Akiva was walking with Rabban Gamliel, Rabbi Elazar ben Azaryah, and Rabbi Yehoshua near Mount Scopus and saw the devastation of Har Habayit, followed by a fox running out from the former location of the Kodesh Kodashim

While his colleagues cried at the latter sight, Rabbi Akiva laughed. They only saw the destruction and were overwhelmed with sadness. Rabbi Akiva saw the fulfillment of a prophecy regarding the plowing over of Har Habayit, which gave him hope that yet more prophecy would be fulfilled, namely, the rebuilding and repopulation of Yerushalayim.

If Rabbi Akiva, who could look at such ruin, and see amid the ashes a glimmer of the promised future yet to come, then if he were alive today and saw the founding of the modern State of Israel, and what it has achieved in its mere 65 years of existence, he would not only smile and laugh, but I imagine sing and dance as well.

In spite of the State of Israel's imperfections - and they do exist - so much good, so much Torah learned, so much mitzvah observance and so many people reaffirming their Jewish identities the world over has happened because we now have our homeland in Jewish hands once again.

While it is absolutely worthwhile to learn the lessons from the tragedy of Rabbi Akiva's students, it is also absolutely worthwhile to step back and celebrate the lessons we have learned - and continue to learn - from having the State of Israel in our lives.

May Rabbi Akiva's words of comfort become true soon, and we will have the full realization of the rebuilding of Israel and the Beis Hamikdash!

YU-Connects To-Go 5773 - Divrei Torah About Dating and Marriage

After a delay due to hurricane Sandy, the YUConnects along with Yeshiva University's Center for the Jewish Future have published a collection of Divrei Torah and professional insights about dating and marriage that are authored by numerous well-respected Roshei Yeshiva, rabbeim, teachers, doctors and professionals.

I am a big of the To-Go booklets of Divrei Torah, and always make sure a batch gets delivered to our shul. If you're lucky, your congregation will have these available shortly, but if they run out or happened to not have ordered any, all the articles are available online to download for free. 

Here are the various different articles and their authors:

• Divrei Bracha from Rabbi Hershel Schachter
• Rabbi Kenneth Brander - "Foreword"
• Dr. Efrat Sobolofsky - "Introduction"
• Rabbi Michael Taubes - "Is there a Mitzvah to Arrange Shidduchim?"
• Rabbi Zvi Sobolofsky - "Rejoice Beloved Friends"
• Mrs. Mindy Eisenman - "Communication in Relationships in Tanach: A Paradigm for Others"
• Rabbi Chaim Eisenstein - "The Ultimate Connection: Developing the Necessary Tools for a True Lasting Connection in Your Marriage"
• Rabbi Akiva and Chaya Sima Koenigsberg - "Matchmaking Fees and Beyond"
• Rabbi Ari Sytner - "Our Words: Helpful or Hurtful? Ona'at Devarim in the Singles Community"
• Rabbi Dovid Cohen - "Dating or Waiting: When Am I Ready?"
• Dr. Chani Maybruch - "Essentials to Look for in a Spouse"
• Shana Yocheved Schacter, CSW - "Relationships that Work: Introspection and Expectations"
• Rabbi Dr. Jonathan Schwartz - "Seeking Mr./Mrs. "Perfect": Denying Mr./Mrs. "Right""
• Dr. Sara Barris - "Deepening your Relationship: Dating and Beyond"
• Mrs. Marjorie Glatt, J.D. - "Let's Get Practical! Top Tips for Increasing Matches in Your Community"
• Dr. Nicole Schreiber-Agus, Estie Rose & Chani Wiesman Berliant - "Frequently Asked Questions about Genetic Testing"
• Rabbi Dr. Eddie Reichman - "The Mandate of Genetic Testing"
• Dr. Efrat Sobolofsky - "Points to Ponder: Positive Action Items"

Enjoy! I hope the insights contained in these Divrei Torah and articles will inspire daters and shadchanim alike.

Yosef: A True Role Model For Today

Whenever we are reading the parshiyos that discuss the lives and actions of the patriarchs and the fathers of the twelve tribes, I often here people talking about their exalted, holy level of existence, far above our own imperfect way of living. This is usually a result of over reliance on viewing them through a Midrashic lens, interpreting anything potentially problematic in their behavior in a starkly positive light.

However, approaching the Avos and their offspring in this way, in my view, puts too much of a distance between us and our progenitors. By doing this, we place them on a pedestal of spirituality, far our of our reach, and without any realistic models to inspire us to embody their very earthly, though also very spiritual, deeds, characteristics, and beliefs.

I don't mean any disrespect to our admittedly holy and spiritually elevated ancestors, but rather that we should do our best to understand pshat and figure out what we can learn from to apply in a practical fashion to our modern-day lives.

Case in point, Yosef, son of Yaakov and Rachel. He has come to be known in rabbinic writings as Yosef HaTzadik - the righteous - because of an incident in this week's parsha, Vayeishev.

Yosef, a mere teenager of 17 (maybe slightly older, 18, 19) is alone in the morally depraved Egyptian society, a servant to the head of Pharaoh's guards, Potiphar. He enjoys Potiphar's favor, who trusts him implicitly because of his good conduct, and is a model man-servant in his service of his master.

Then his master's wife sets her eye on him.

She begs him to sleep with her. And he refuses - though not without effort. The trop or cantillation on the word "and he refused" - "Vay'ma'ein" is a shalsheles, which undulates up and down 3 times, indicates, per numerous commentators, a great measure of self-doubt and struggle on Yosef's part.

Yet, despite the situation - in which no one would observe them sinning - or the biological fact that he probably had the typical late-teenager's boatload of hormones coursing through his veins, as well as the general immoral atmosphere which pervaded the Egyptian society at large, Yosef turns her down. Not once, not twice, but over and over, and to the point where he flees, as though for his very life, leaving his outer garment in her hand and running outside improperly dressed.

Most of us are aware of the famous reason for his refusal, as cited in Chagiga 36B, that Yaakov's image appeared in the window of Potiphar's house and disapprovingly spoke with Yosef about the consequences of his actions - not unlike Obi-Wan Kenobi in The Empire Strikes Back.

Don't do it, Yosef!

However, this is an Aggadic Gemara, and not indicated in the pshat. As we just learned in Daf Yomi on Shabbos 63A, "the verse never departs from the pshat," even if there is a metaphorical or deeper level of understanding in the Torah's words.

So how does that benefit us in this situation?

Because Yosef was a 17 year old teenager who resisted the often overpowering urge to indulge in physical gratification and defeated the attractive temptation that was repeatedly shoved in his face.

How many of us, as teenagers, let alone now as older, more mature adults, could say that when faced with this sort of "perfect" opportunity to sin, would not give in? Potiphar would never find out, Yosef's family would never find out, it'd be so easy to "get away with it."

And yet, Yosef didn't go down that path. Not only did he refuse to cave, he endured a public scandal that his would-be adulteress lover falsely instigated, initiating a smear campaign that landed him in a dungeon.

How many men of note, famous and well respected, have we heard of in recent years that have failed this test of temptation time and again? If it's not our president, it's the head of the CIA, governors, senators, celebrities, musicians, sports stars, and even some respected religious leaders.

None of these men (and women as well) can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with a 17-year-old Hebrew slave, kidnapped and alone in a foreign country.

Think about that.

Nowadays, the perpetrators of the these immoral sexual dalliances have first and foremost on their mind, "How can I not get caught?" "What's the best way to accomplish my personal physical gratification without causing fallout among my family, friends and supporters?" "What's the best excuse or cover story?" And none of them think about getting caught, or what that will mean, the relationships it will rip apart and the hard-earned trust it will destroy.

Yosef didn't need to worry about that, because it wasn't on his mind. He didn't contemplate how to best achieve his sin - he fought the thoughts that arose in his mind while his seductive master's wife offered her charms again and again. He fought, and won - and when he knew he couldn't fight in the same way he had before - she DID grab his garment, but who knows what else she was doing to him physically at the time - he fled as though his life was in danger.

Though perhaps not in mortal danger, he was in spiritual peril, an immortal danger, if you will, and he had to escape however he could. Though not intact in attire, he was intact spiritually. He won the war, even if was ended up damaging his public image. No matter what the people thought of him, even if Potiphar believed internally that Yosef was innocent (and hence didn't have him executed), it was better for Yosef to have his name tarnished by lies than to tarnish his soul by lying with his master's wife.

If only we could internalize Yosef's strength, pay attention more closely to that internal shalsheles of trepidation at the moment we are tempted to do an aveirah - and like Yosef, listen to it, rather than give in to the suggestions of the Yetzer Hara. Without a doubt, the world would be a better, more moral place.

I think this is a very human, relatable story that helps us connect to Yosef and our forefathers in a realistic fashion. It is possible to resist temptation, no matter what the situation is, especially in matters pertaining to sexuality - one of the most problematic arenas nowadays - and come out stronger, more resilient, and spiritually elevated by our proper choices.

Perhaps we can then also merit the title of tzadik, and better serve HaShem in a renewed, more focused, and dedicated fashion.

Parsha Conundrum: Married Animals?

I discovered another linguistic mystery while doing Shnaim Mikra V'Echad Targum this week. I have not found an answer in any of the meforshim in Mirka'os Gedolos or the Artscroll Chumash.

When HaShem tells Noach to gather the animals for preservation in the ark, the posuk mentions in 7:2 that of both animals that are considered "Tehorah" and "Lo Tehorah" (pure/kosher and not pure/not kosher, per the meforshim), Noach should take "Ish V'ishto" - literally "man and his wife."

Now fine, you may say that makes sense. If the purpose of collecting and preserving the animals in the ark was to ensure continuity of the species and that none of them were totally wiped out by the ravages of the flood, then of course you need a "man and wife" otherwise known as a breeding pair. To haphazardly choose a male and female that, for whatever biological reason, wouldn't choose to mate and produce offspring would be a disaster for that particular species/type of animal.

Yet, whenever collecting pairs of different sorts of animals are mentioned any other time, including the very next verse 7:3 regarding birds wherein the verse also says that the specific reason for all this is "to keep seed alive on the face of the earth," the verse says "Zachar V'Nekeivah," which means "male and female."

In verse 7:8-9 which talk about what happens when Noach enters the ark, it mentions,

"Of clean beasts, and of beasts that are not clean, and of fowls, and of every thing that creepeth upon the ground,  there went in two and two unto Noah into the ark, male and female, as G-d commanded Noah."

when and again in 7:14-16,

 ...they [Noach and his family], and every beast after its kind, and all the cattle after their kind, and every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth after its kind, and every fowl after its kind, every bird of every sort. And they went in unto Noah into the ark, two and two of all flesh wherein is the breath of life. And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God commanded him; and the LORD shut him in.

Checking Onkelos and Targum Yonatan for verse 7:3, they simply use the Aramaic for Zachar V'Nekeivah and don't use the Aramaic of "husband and wife." This would seem to indicate that the language is synonymous and not significant, otherwise they would preserve the difference in their translation.

Yet, the Torah uses the language of "husband and wife!"

If we need specifically breeding pairs, why not say that by the birds as well?

In fact, when I think of monogamous, paired/breeding for life creatures, I think of the well known example of geese - which are BIRDS.

After a very unscientific brief Googling, I found several websites (here, here, and here) that feature lists of monogamous animals, and by far, BIRDS are the largest of the categories, versus ungulates, rodents, reptiles, fish, primates, etc.

The most reputable of the 3, Scientific American, mentions in their introduction, "For instance, birds are quite socially monogamous, with some 92 percent of species sticking with one mate for at least a mating season." (emphasis mine)

The only thing I can think of, based on my brief research, is that if Noach were to find a pair of birds together, clearly male and female, odds are they are a breeding pair and the Torah takes that for granted. With regard to the other types of animals, wherein this is not nearly as certain, Noach would have to make sure these two animals, male and female, were really "together" as a mating couple before they were selected as the sample set to be preserved on the ark.

Thoughts, anyone?

Update: another thought just occurred to me, related to the idea above, plus midrashim regarding certain illicit behaviors going on that led to the punishment of the flood.

First I found that Midrash Rabbah Bereishis 28:8 is the source for the fact that animals, not just humans, acted wrongfully in mating with animals of other species. Hence, I found a mention on this website that says HaShem wanted to preserve the individual examples of animals who stuck by mates of their own species and didn't become corrupted by cross-breeding. This would explain the language of "Ish V'ishto" - since they remained loyal to their same-kind mate.

According to what I said earlier, this would also make sense if the birds didn't participate in this, because of their more monogamous nature.

However, when I checked the Midrash Rabba on Bereishis 28:8 (scroll down) inside, the text gives two examples of this inter-species corruption. 1) Dogs chasing after wolves to mate and 2) Chickens chasing after peacocks to mate. Hence, there WERE birds involved in this behavior.

So categorically, birds, though some may have been more monogamous than others, would also need to be screened for pairs that remained faithful to their kind. If so, the question still stands: why didn't the Torah use the same referential language by the birds like it did by the other animals, and why don't the meforshim or metargumim seem to take notice of this?