Creatures, Great and Small

Creatures, Great and Small

As we look back at some of my favorite moments over the past 37 years, this commentary on this week's portion of Ki Tetze from 2018 is one of my all-timers. Not only did I write about a topic near and dear to me - kindness to animals, but I got to share some of the photos of animals that I had recently taken while visiting Israel and Asia. That orangutan above is from Borneo. Click here for the full "Creatures Great and Small" album from those travels in 2018. James Herriot wrote in All Creatures Great and Small:   If having a soul means being able to feel love and loyalty and gratitude, then animals are better off than a lot of humans. Judaism has a rich tradition emphasizing kindness to animals, a mitzvah known in Hebrew as "Tza'ar ba'alay chayim," literally "feeling the pain of living things." We should feel their pain - and we can be inspired by them too.                       Among the highlights of my recent excursion to Israel and Southeast Asia were the opportunities to interact with God's creatures, great and small, living in their habitat. We got up-close to elephants and tigers in Thailand, ibex and hyrax in Israel and monkeys and orangutan in Indonesia. Below is a sampling of the photos I took.  We read in this week's portion of Ki Tetze: If, along the road, you chance upon a bird's nest, in any tree or on the ground, with fledglings or eggs and the mother sitting over the fledglings or on the eggs, do not take the mother together with her young. Let the mother go, and take only the young, in order that you may fare well and have a long life. In Midrash Tanhuma, we read that Rabbi Shimon bar Yohai taught: The Holy One has revealed the reward for heeding two precepts in the Torah: one of these precepts is the least onerous, and the other is the most onerous. The least onerous concerns letting the mother go when chancing on a bird's nest - with regard to it, the Torah promises, "that you may have a long life." The most onerous concerns honoring one's father and mother - with regard to it, also, the Torah promises, "that your days may be long." This midrash is teaching us that all the mitzvot are equal, from sending away the mother bird - which is spontaneous and easy, involving no expense or preparation - to honoring one's parents - which may require extraordinary effort and significant financial and emotional investment. It also calls attention to two texts, and when you compare them, there's a fascinating discrepancy. In the Ten Commandments, the Torah says, "Honor your father and your mother in order that your days - yamekha - may be prolonged." However, in this week's portion of Ki Tetze, the text says, "let the mother bird go . . . in order that you may fare well and have a long life [literally, prolonged days] - yamim." While the plain meaning of the second text is that by fulfilling this mitzvah you will prolong your life, that's not what the words actually say. It says, "so that you will prolong (all) life." Perhaps the commandment to send away the mother bird is not about preserving the life of the person who finds the nest, but about preventing the destruction of species, great and small. Ramban (Nachmanides), the 13th century Spanish commentator, hints at this. He writes, "The Torah will not permit a destructive act that would uproot a species even though it does permit the ritual slaughter of members of that species." In other words, if people routinely took mother birds along with their nests, in time there would be no more nests and no more birds. If this concerned Ramban in the 13th century, how much more should we be concerned today, when we know of thousands of extinct or endangered species. Take a look at this list of recently extinct creatures. See another take on the mitzvah to shoo away the mother bird, and an incident that happened to me involving lion cubs in Africa. Why should we worry about the possible extinction of plant and animal species when so many human beings around the world are in desperate need? Some would argue that it's a matter of enlightened self-interest - perhaps we'll destroy a plant that might be used to cure cancer or an animal whose DNA might one day protect us against Alzheimer's disease. But the Torah teaches us that there is more to life than self-interest. At the very beginning of the Genesis, we read: "And God said, let us make the human being in our image, after our likeness. They shall rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the cattle, the whole earth, and all the creeping things that creep on earth." After God does so, the Torah says, "The Lord God took the human being and placed them in the garden of Eden, to till it and tend it." As the Psalmist proclaims, "The world and everything in it belongs to God." We human beings didn't create it - and we have no right to destroy what we did not make. God gave human beings the specific task of tending, guarding, and preserving the world. So we can take the nest, but chase the mother bird away to ensure that the world will always be full of birds. When the Torah exhorts us "u'v'harta b'hayyim," choose life, there are no limits placed on the forms of life we celebrate. You can read more about Animals and Judaism in this article. See below my photo essay of some of the remarkable creatures I encountered - and click here to see more of them.

Elephant Siblings - Thailand

Elephant, Thailand

Tiger, Thailand

Ibex, En Gedi, Israel

Hyrax, En Gedi

Warthog, Indonesia

Monkey on Borneo, Indonesia

In This Moment: Sho-far Away; Barbie's "Gam Ani" Moment; New Year for Animals; Golda's About to Have a Moment

In This Moment Sho-far Away... Doesn't anybody play in one place anymore? Shabbat Shalom! Beginning on Friday, the first of Elul, we'll be sounding the shofar each day at minyan, to prepare for the new year. Thanks to Matt Miller for organizing the shofar brigade once again, and to all our expert shofarists (Ba'alay Tekiah). Remember our 2020 High Holidays, when Marc Schneider went "on location" to sound the ram's horn right next to a real live ram at the Nature Center, and then down at the beach, or in front of Stamford Hospital? It was one of the highlights of that very unusual year. Here is the link to that album of photos and video clips, It's entitled Shofar's Excellent Adventure. Play the videos all through Elul so you can hear the shofar every day, whether or not you can make it to minyan. Every day EXCEPT... Shabbat. In that album you'll also find the shofar-less, quiet nature clips that we used on the first day of Rosh Hashanah, which fell on Shabbat that year. Rather than try to change everything around us, which the shofar calls on us to do, on Shabbat we seek to live with the world as it is. As Abraham Joshua Heschel wrote: Why do I mention this now? Well. for two reasons. One, because during this, my final year as senior rabbi, I'm taking some trips down memory lane, and I'm as proud of our 2020 High Holiday services as any set of service we've done here - and the room was completely empty. Beth Styles, Cantor Katie and a whole host of tekkies, volunteers and musicians deserve our eternal gratitude for that spectacular Yom Tov (holiday). But also, because this year the first day of Rosh Hashanah falls, you guessed it, on Shabbat, so once again we will have to delay our shofar gratification. On the first day, we'll think about the shofar, and maybe even mimic it, but I recommend that you find a quiet spot, as we did in 2020, and enjoy the quiet. We can wait one more day. There's something kind of nice about stating to the world that, while Rosh Hashanah is really, really important, Shabbat, which comes around every week, is even more important. And even more important than Shabbat, the day, is the IDEA of Shabbat, which is not to subdue but to be in accord. Meanwhile, listen to Marc's piercing blasts. And to help us in our Elul prep, another of the greatest hits from years gone by: Mensch*Marks for the New Year. The Talmudic tractate Avot, 6:6 provides a roadmap as to how to live an ethical life. This passage includes 48 middot (measures) through which we can “acquire Torah.”  See the full list of middot here. For each day during the High Holiday period, running from the first of Elul through Yom Kippur and beyond, I highlighted one of these middot in order to assist each of us in the process of soul searching (“heshbon ha-nefesh”). Click here to see the full countdown, and explore a different ethical quality each day A Sobering Alert After a lovely service outdoors last week, it looks like we'll be heading back indoors this week because of the iffy forecast. I guess it was too good to be true. Meanwhile, JTA reports more sobering news: At least two synagogues in California were evacuated during Shabbat services over the weekend as online trolls targeted Jewish congregations for the fourth straight week with fake bomb and other security threats. Furthermore, at least 26 congregations in 12 states have received the threats, according to the Anti-Defamation League, which is raising alarm about the barrage. The organization believes the instigators are selecting their targets based on the availability of livestreamed services and other events, motivated by their desire to watch the congregations react to the threats in real time.  Vigilance is the order of the day. It so happens that we have been chosen to participate in the ADL's Kulanu program as part of their new cohort. You can read all about the program here. It's nice to be part of a select group, but I really wish we didn't have the need. Meanwhile, we will not allow ourselves to be intimidated or victimized. Happy New Year to Animals! Cobie, Cassidy and Casey Hammerman There are four New Years festivals recorded in the Mishnah. The best known are Tu B’Shevat, the New Year of Trees, and Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. But did you know that Judaism has a New Year for the Animals? It’s called Rosh Hashanah La’Behemot, and it falls on Elul 1. That means Rosh Hashanah La’Behemot is TODAY (Thursday)! Go and hug an animal! Back in temple times, this was the day used to calculate the age of a prospective fleecy, furry or feathery candidate for ritual sacrifice. Now we can use this day to think about the sacrifices our fleecy, furry and feathery friends have made for our benefit. See: As Maui Wildfires Burn, Dogs Assist in Search and Rescue Efforts We should use this day to consider the deep relationship between humans and animals of all kinds. The holiday can serve as a chance to remind people about the prohibition against unnecessary cruelty to animals. Rosh Hashanah La’Behemot is a perfect day to start conversations about animal welfare — and start taking action to improve the lives of animals around the world. The mitzvah of kindness to animals, which is featured in next week's Torah portion, is called Tzaar Baalay Hayyim - which literally means "the pain of living creatures." As Jewish vegetarianism guru Richard Schwartz wrote in a recent column, we have much work to do if we are to reduce the pain of our fellow creatures: It is significant that Judaism considers that for hiddur mitzvah (to enhance mitzvot) the shofar and other ritual objects should ideally come from animals that have been raised without cruelty and have died natural deaths. Transforming the holiday would also: show that Jews are applying Judaism’s eternal teachings to today’s critical issues. It would  improve Judaism’s image for people concerned about vegetarianism and veganism, animals, the environment, and related issues, by reinforcing a compassionate side of Judaism. It would also help inspire Jews who are currently alienated to some extent from Judaism and strengthen the commitment of Jews who are already involved in Jewish life, by reclaiming/transforming a holiday that they can more closely relate to and find relevant, meaningful,  and appealing. Renewing an ancient, almost completely forgotten Jewish holiday may seem audacious. But it is essential to help revitalize Judaism, improve the health of Jews, sharply reduce the current massive mistreatment of animals, and help move our precious but imperiled planet to a sustainable path. So as we wish one another a happy Elul, and in fact we now begin to wish one another a sweet new year too, we can also turn to our pets and say, "and a happy new year to you too, Bubela!' Barbie's "Gam Ani" Moment Can Stereotypical Barbie help stem a worldwide tide of anti feminism? "Gam Ani" means "Me Too" and the talk of Israel this week has been the saga of the teenage girls who were forced to sit in the back of the bus and cover up, for the sin of wearing jeans and a tank top. The Hebrew headline below says "Only Because We Are Women," referring to those teens and other women who have been victimized recently. There was a Holocaust survivor given the silent treatment, because the driver "doesn't talk to women," and the woman who was banned from entering a mall because she was wearing workout clothes; and Hila, who had to walk a half hour because the driver told her that "the bus is for men only." The article adds, "More and more women find themselves excluded from the public sphere because they happen to have been born the wrong gender." This story was featured on the front page of The New York Times, and after an awkward silence, Prime Minister Netanyahu finally responded, essentially saying, "Nothing to see here," claiming that discrimination never happens on Israeli bus lines. Which leaves us wondering, if discrimination against women is not allowed, why is this happening? Are these girls imagining that the driver made them sit in the back? Below the Hebrew front page, see an article in Tuesday's Ha'aretz delineating a plethora of oppressive legislative initiatives the government has lined up, once they can get the Supreme Court out of their way. It's not just about subjugating women, of course, but sidelining minorities of all stripes. I've not yet seen the Barbie movie, but the doll's Jewish roots and proud persona, plus the ecstatic reception the movie's received worldwide, puts her in a unique position (for a toy). Maybe she can help convince the Israeli government to treat women with dignity and equity and cease this slide toward dystopian theocracy. But nothing will change unless good people speak up. Recommended Reading and Watching  Today's Israeli Front Pages Yediot Achronot Ha'aretz (English) Jerusalem Post Yossi Klein Halevi's appearance at the closing plenum at the AJC Global Forum was an extraordinary moment, as he implored the assembled to do what American Jews have always been so reluctant to do - get off the fence and take sides in an internal Israeli matter. Watch his powerful presentation (video above) and note the rousing reaction he received. Given the message he gave, this would never have happened before this year. I've been reading an intense, fascinating book this summer on the interaction between Israel, American government leaders and American Jews. it's called We Are Not One: A History of America's Fight Over Israel, by Eric Alterman. I picked it up with some skepticism, assuming that there would be very little that I hadn't heard before. I was surprised to discover that not to be true. Alterman's exhaustive research has some shocking (and often disturbing) revelations. It's dense but very readable. Given what's happening right now over there (and here), it could not be more timely. Give for Maui relief: Jewish Groups Launch Relief Effort for Maui as Island’s Jews Are Among the Evacuated Machane Yehuda Market celebrates centennial at a crossroads (Israel 21c) And see video below: Discovering Machane Yehuda Market and the Melodies of Street Musicians Shine up your tea kettles because Golda Meir is about to have a moment. Between Deborah Lipstadt's new biography and a Netflix movie, Israel's complicated Iron Lady will undoubtedly emerge more lionized than chastised. See this Forward review of Lipstadt's book, "Beloved and loathed, decisive or stubborn, icon or enemy of feminism — does Golda Meir deserve any of her reputations?" After you read that, you may want to look back at this prior book about Golda that did not pull any punches: Will of Iron, Heart of Stone: Book Shines Light on Golda Meir’s Harder Side (Forward). The author recounts how her son, Menachem, off studying the cello in Yugoslavia, was having marital problems with his new wife. She was pregnant and insisted the couple return to Jerusalem to have the baby. Meir assumed her daughter-in-law was trying to sabotage her son’s promising music career, so she decided that, as punishment, she would ignore her first grandchild. The baby girl that was born that year, Meira Meyerson, had a mild case of Down syndrome. Meir refused to see her. The child, she demanded, should be institutionalized. “Golda was like a stone,” an old friend confessed. I knew about this story because that daughter-in-law was a distant cousin of mine, and she was very bitter about the treatment her daughter received. Still, I always admired Golda and of all the books I've read about her, the best by far was her own autobiography, My Life. I look forward to this upcoming re-exploration of her life. Meanwhile, another portrayal of a 20th century Jewish icon is facing headwinds. Jewish fans slam the trailer for Netflix’s Leonard Bernstein biopic ‘Maestro,’ which shows Bradley Cooper with an elongated nose. See also, Leonard Bernstein’s Children Defend Bradley Cooper’s Prosthetic Nose in ‘Maestro’ (NYT) Strangely, Bernstein played the role of Cyrano when he was a high school student at Boston Latin. I wonder how he got the famously schnozzy part, what Lenny would think about this brouhaha, and whether it's really worth it for the Jews to cause a Jet-Shark style rumble over this? On the other hand, Cooper is a good enough actor to have played the Elephant Man on Broadway without makeup (and evidently not a single complaint from the Anti Elephant Defamation League). maybe he could have done Lenny without having to go full-Durante on us.   2023 Parliament of the World’s Religions - See also: From interfaith vegans to inclusive heathens, religious Parliament offers it all. It's taking place in Chicago this week. Read about its Global Ethic, a landmark declaration of the Parliament of the World’s Religions stating the universal values and principles shared by the world’s religious, spiritual, and cultural traditions. It states: Humanity needs a vision of peoples living peacefully together, of ethnic and ethical groupings and of religions sharing responsibility for the care of Earth. A vision rests on hopes, goals, ideals, standards. But all over the world these have slipped from our hands. Yet we are convinced that, despite their frequent abuses and failures, it is the communities of faith who bear a responsibility to demonstrate that such hopes, ideals, and standards can be guarded, grounded, and lived. How to Prepare for Rosh Hashanah (MJL) 9 Jewish Things About Pomegranates (MJL) - Images of pomegranates are mainstays of Rosh Hashanah cards, Jewish jewelry and a range of Jewish ritual objects, and the fruit itself makes frequent appearances in Jewish cuisine. But what’s so Jewish about this ancient treat? Quite a lot! Cantor Philip Sherman, the ‘busiest mohel in New York,’ dies at 67 (JTA) Often called the "Mohel to the Stars," I worked with him a number of times and never hesitated to recommend him. Nechama Tec, Polish Holocaust Survivor and Scholar, Dies at 92 (NYT obit) - Many of us knew her from her days at UConn Stamford, as well as her book, Defiance. Israel’s Rule Has Created a New Judaism (Ha'aretz) Supremacy, oppression, force – never before has the Jewish people engaged in such an explosive fusion of sovereignty and rule. Messianic fervor, once under the radar, is now rearing its head is no precedent in Jewish history for the existence of a Jewish state that constitutes a regional power and rules another people. Never before has the Jewish people possessed a combination like this of sovereignty, power and control. A majority of Israelis think that Israel is currently in a state of emergency (israel Democracy Institute) 58% of Israelis believe the country is in a "state of emergency." Only a small minority of Israelis believe that IDF reservists, who fail to report for duty in protest of the judicial overhaul, should be dismissed. See also: Majority of Israelis Pessimistic About Future of Democracy, IDI Poll Shows (Ha'aretz) 58 percent of Israelis believe that 'Israel is on the verge of economic, social, and political collapse' because of Netanyahu's judicial overhaul. Temple Beth El 350 Roxbury Road Stamford, Connecticut 06902 203-322-6901 | www.tbe.org    A Conservative, Inclusive, Spiritual Community

Temple Beth El | 350 Roxbury Road, Stamford, CT 06902

Shabbat-O-Gram for September 26

Shabbat-O-Gram

 

TBE's embrace of diversity knows no bounds - at Sunday's Blessing of the Animals

Click here for more animal pics, Sukkah decorating, Food Drive & Yom Kippur  

Click for Yom Kippur sermons     Click for Rosh Hashanah sermons

Several have asked about the essay by Elie Wiesel's son, read at Yizkor.  Here it is

Shabbat Shalom and Happy Sukkot

Today's Senate testimony has undoubtedly opened wounds for many people.  To those who are feeling most vulnerable at this time, I offer the prayer below.  Understanding the need to come together at times like these, we will add a special focus on healing to our service on Friday night.  Anyone who is in need of safe space or a quiet moment, our doors are wide open to you.

Be with me, God. I feel so lost. I can't seem to escape the dark cloud
that is hanging over me today. Help me, God. Give me strength
to combat despair and fear. Show me how to put my pain
into perspective. Teach me to have faith in the new day
that is coming. Thank you, God, for today's blessings,
for tomorrow's hope, and for Your abiding love.
Amen.

Teach me always to believe in my power to return to life, to hope, and to You, God,
no matter what pains I have endured, no matter how far I have strayed from You.
Give me the strength to resurrect my weary spirit.
Revive me, God, so I can embrace life once more
in joy, in passion, in peace.
Amen.

When I feel tainted, God, remind me that I am holy.
When I feel weak, teach me that I am strong.
When I am shattered, assure me that I can heal.
When I am weary, renew my spirit.
When I am lost, show me that you are near.
Amen.

May God heal you, body and soul.
May your pain cease,
May your strength increase,
May your fears be released,
May blessings, love and joy surround you.
Amen.

-Rabbi Naomi LevyTalking to God: Personal Prayers for Times of Joy, Sadness, Struggle and Celebration

Meanwhile, there are so many reasons to join us over the next few days! Among them are:

1) Hoffman Lecture tonight. Who knows what Bret Stephens will have to say about today's events, as well as the changing Middle East. Stephens was a Hoffman Lecture once before, exactly ten years ago, and is the first "second timer" in the history of the series.

Listen to his prior appearance. The topic then was, "Will Israel Survive?" But the real question, now as much as then, is whether Israel can survive as both a Jewish and democratic state.

2) Join us for Kabbalat Shabbat on Friday night, and then, on Shabbat morning, we'll celebrate Hank Silverstein's 80th birthday.  Hank will be leading much of the service and delivering the d'var Torah, and he and Meryl are sponsoring lunch for everyone.  Hank has brought so much to our community - please join us to honor him.

3) You can have Steak and Scotch at the Temple Sukkah on Saturday night, and then on Sunday from noon to 1:30, hop on over to the Hammerman Sukkah for some lunch and - just possibly - a peek at the new puppy.

4) And last but definitely not least, in addition to Shmini Atzeret (and Yizkor) and Simchat Torah morning services on Mon. and Tues. at 9:30, we will be celebrating Simchat Torah big-time on Monday evening at 6:30, with Torah processions, a jazz band, candy, flags, fun for all ages, and the chance to honor two very special people with the final aliyah of the Torah - Lael Shapiro and Judy Aronin.

And then, at long last, the holiday season will be over...just in time for the baseball playoffs to begin!

Shabbat Shalom!

Rabbi Joshua Hammerman