REDEFINING MARRIAGE by Rabbi Baruch Cohon

Posted on July 26, 2013 by Baruch
Rabbi Baruch Cohon

Rabbi Baruch Cohon

REDEFINING MARRIAGE

 

          Court decisions legalizing same-sex marriage were recently called an attack on religion.  Are they?  Are they something else?

 

          By Biblical standards, the very act of asking Divine blessing on a union described as an “abomination” would constitute sacrilege.  Yet some ordained clergy are doing exactly that.  Other ordained clergy are busy identifying themselves as sexual deviants, as documented in a recent front-page Forward story.  Clearly, public attitudes are changing.

 

          Something else is changing, too.  Something quite basic to human life as we know it.  That something is the structure of the family.  Statistical figures in the United States now show that some 30% of white babies and 70% of black babies are born out of wedlock.  Those children can expect to grow up in makeshift homes, cared for by single parents, foster parents, grandparents, orphanages – or nobody.  They will have no families. 

 

          What is a family anyway?  Only the basic unit of every human society we know, from tribal to industrial.   An individual is named for the family—Johnson, Mikhaelovitch, David ben Moshe, etc. Only a few societies on earth today grant their members only one name.  As defined in the Book of Genesis, a family starts when “a man will leave his father and his mother and will join himself to his wife and they will become one flesh.”  That process seems old-fashioned now, doesn’t it?  Maybe families themselves will become obsolete before long.  Then what happens to the civilization they built?

 

          After all the verdicts, after all the parades, where do we find ourselves?  Well, a few years ago when I saw this trend growing, I wrote a column about it.  You can find it on my website,http://cantorabbi.com under the title “Same Sex Marriage – Want to Talk about it?”  Since then, the trend only continued in the same direction.   

 

          Should we deny civil rights to sexual deviants?   Of course not.  All citizens should have equal rights, regardless of their private behavior, as long as that behavior stays within the law.  So in a secular nation, a law prohibiting homosexuality would be unconstitutional.  Similarly, you might argue, a law limiting marriage – and its economic costs to the state and benefits to the individuals – would also be unconstitutional.  Therefore a civil wedding that legally marries two people of the same sex should be acceptable.

 

          Maybe so.  What about the good old liberal ideal of separation of church and state?  If same-sex marriage is acceptable to the state and not to the religion, every rabbi, priest or minister should be free to choose whether or not to bless a same-sex union and call it marriage.  Essentially that is the condition we see now.  True, that condition could change.  Given the huge publicity this trend is getting, I would be looking out for that kind of change and striving to prevent it. 

 

            In the meantime, while acknowledging the rights of all citizens, let’s encourage our youth to establish families – real ones, like the ones some of them wish they had.

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HEEL AND TOE – Ekev – by Rabbi Baruch Cohon

Posted on July 24, 2013 by Baruch
Rabbi Baruch Cohon

Rabbi Baruch Cohon

HEEL AND TOE – Ekev – Deut. 7:12-11:25 – by Rabbi Baruch Cohon

            The name of this week’s reading is Ekev – meaning a result.  As a result of listening to the commandments and following them, you can expect to accomplish good things in your life.   And not listening will bring on consequences we don’t want to suffer.  Interestingly enough, ekev also means Heel.  The imagery is dramatic: just as the heel follows the toe, so results follow our actions.

            Moses brings this message to the people in one of his farewell speeches, reminding them of their experience in the desert, the results of their actions both positive and negative.  He urges them to listen and to do what is right, for their own good.

            Of course, Moses was not the only leader who gave the people such messages.  Just a few weeks ago we read in the Haftorah of Balak a message from the prophet Micah: “It has been told you, man, what is good and what the L-rd wants from you: to do justice, to love mercy and to walk humbly with your G-d.”

            Down through the ages, lawgiver, prophet and sage keep trying to teach us basic values.  Personally this week is very special for me, because this week I observe Yortzite – the anniversary of my father’s death.   My father of blessed memory was a rabbi and a teacher of rabbis.  The last sermon I ever heard him deliver was based on both of these texts.  In fact, he contrasted them.  Here, in effect, was his message:

            Micah stresses three ideals: justice, mercy, humility.  These make the character of a religious human being.  Moses also stresses three ideals: fear of G-d, love of G-d, and service to G-d “with all your heart and soul.”  The parallels are not hard to draw.  The biblical concept of fear of G-d implies reverence. Not fright but supreme respect.  If we truly revere G-d we want to pattern our lives after the qualities we associate with Him.  And justice is one primary attribute of Divinity.  Midas haDin, the measure of justice we recall with such drama on Yom Kippur.  So reverence – Moses’ first ideal – leads to doing justice to each other  — Micah’s first ideal.

            Love of G-d is actualized by love of our fellow creatures.  We believe that we all carry the Divine image in us.  That image includes Midas haRahamim – the quality of mercy (not strained, Mr. Shakespeare).  We should treat each other with kindness, carrying over some of the respect we feel for G-d into a mutual respect in dealing with people.  Micah’s second ideal – loving mercy – is the clear result.

            And serving G-d with total sincerity implies a type of attitude and a type of conduct.  Moses said la’avod.  Avodah is one Hebrew word that has two meanings: Work, and Worship.  To worship G-d with sincerity requires an attitude of humility.  You can’t pray honestly unless you feel a good deal less important than the Divinity you pray to.  And you can’t strive to do better and better work unless you feel that you yourself are less than perfect.  Unless, that is, you have some humility.  When Micah said “walk humbly with your G-d,” he meant exactly that.

            Then my father went on to point out the difference between these two prophetic messages.  The difference comes in the very next sentence, where Moses says lishmor es mitzvos haShem – “Keep G-d’s Mitzvos!”  That is the tool he gave us at Mount Sinai, the tool to carry out and accomplish these ideals.

            Micah said nothing about Mitzvos.  For a very good reason too.  Micah was addressing the whole human race: Adam – Mankind.  Moses was addressing Yisrael – the Jewish people.  For us, Mitzva is the key that unlocks the door of a better life.

Keeping the spirit of these Mitzvos and putting it into action brings good results…as the heel follows the toe.  Thanks to Moses and his interpreters, we have 613 of them.   Grab a few!

You can contact Rabbi Baruch Cohon for further discussion and/or comments at: baruch.c.2011@gmail.com

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A MESSAGE FROM MOSES – Va-etkhanan – by Rabbi Baruch Cohon

Posted on July 15, 2013 by Baruch

Rabbi Baruch Cohon

A MESSAGE FROM MOSES – Deut.3:23—7:11 – Va-etkhanan – by Rabbi Baruch Cohon

          This week’s reading is long, starting with Moses recalling praying to be permitted to enter the Promised Land, being refused, accepting his fate, and then turning to remind his people why they are called a “wise and understanding nation,” namely, because of the laws they follow, the Torah they received at Sinai.   Reviewing their progress from slavery in Egypt to nationhood, Moses cautions them to keep the Law.

          Then he attends to a matter of administration.  He designates three Cities of Refuge located east of the Jordan, where a fugitive killer can go and be safe – if the killing was accidental and not premeditated.  This institution is covered more completely elsewhere.

Now Moses launches into his second oration to his people.  Yes, it is long.  Only part of it is read this week.  Long, but worth reading.  Both dramatic and basic to our understanding of Judaism, this section of Moses’ oration includes:

 (1) a repetition of the Ten Commandments, with some brief comments added,

(2) Sh’ma – “Hear O Israel,” the central declaration of Jewish faith,

(3) the duty to remember the Exodus from Egypt, and

(4) a warning not to be tempted by mixed marriage and idolatry.

Pitfalls await the conquering Israelites, and Moses describes them vividly.  They will take over great cities that they did not build.  Fine houses full of good things they did not produce.  Maybe those seven nations they are replacing knew something they didn’t know?  Maybe the other nations had a better way of life?

Forget it, he tells them: “Not because you outnumbered all the other nations did G-d value you and choose you.  You are the smallest of the nations.  Because G-d loved you, that’s why He rescued you from Egypt.”

Now we might well ask: Why are Moses’ heirs still here?  Not because there were more Jews in the world than there were Egyptians or Greeks or Romans or Huns or Turks.   Still a global minority, still sometimes tripped up by idolatries from Communism to Scientology, but still able to listen to a message from Moses.

If you read the whole Sedrah every week, more power to you.  And if not, take the time to read this one.  And since this week included the Ninth of Av when we fast to mourn the destruction of the Temple twice on the same date, take a look at the beautiful Haftorah, the prophetic passage that gives its name to this Sabbath – Shabat Nachmu – the Sabbath of Comfort, as Isaiah sings: “Comfort, comfort my people, says your G-d.”

Wishing you a week of strength and comfort, Shabat Shalom.

You can contact Rabbi Baruch Cohon for further discussion and/or comments at: baruch.c.2011@gmail.com

 

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GIANT ENEMIES – D’varim – by Rabbi Baruch Cohon

Posted on July 8, 2013 by Baruch
Rabbi Baruch Cohon

Rabbi Baruch Cohon

GIANT ENEMIES – D’varim – Deut. 1-3:22 – by Rabbi Baruch Cohon

          Deuteronomy, the last book of the Torah, consists of Moses’ three farewell orations to his people. This week we will read the first one, reviewing Israel’s travels and trials en route to the east bank of the Jordan river.  A major challenge faced them in the person of Og, the giant king of Bashan.  Moses recalls the battle at a place called Edrei.  He also recalls G-d telling him “Do not fear him, because I give him into your hands.” 

          Why should Moses fear Og more than the other kings who tried to block Israel’s progress?   We learn that Og was a last descendant of a race of giants.  Like Goliath in the career of David, this huge creature struck terror into his enemies wherever he went.  No man dared fight him.  So he became the champion by default.  In Og’s case, we even have the dimensions of the bed he slept on – an iron bed, because as the Ramban’s commentary explains a wooden bed would break beneath his weight.  Nine cubits long by four cubits wide, we read.  Since a cubit is defined as the distance from a man’s elbow to the tip of his middle finger, that makes it equal to about 18 inches, a foot and a half.  Therefore Og’s iron bed was at least 13’ 6” long by 6’ wide.  Clearly this man dwarfed a whole modern basketball team.

          And yet, not only did Moses not fear him.  He defeated him and his army. 

 Terror – whether of physical size, numerical superiority or surprise attack – is in the mind of the object of that terror.  The source of terror can be crushed.  

Og was Osama.   Og was Arafat.  Og is Nasrallah.  Og is Khamenei.  And none of them ever needed a 13-foot bed.

You can contact Rabbi Baruch Cohon for further discussion and/or comments at: baruch.c.2011@gmail.com

 

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ONE LAND – Matos-Mas’ey – by Rabbi Baruch Cohon

Posted on July 2, 2013 by Baruch
Rabbi Baruch Cohon

Rabbi Baruch Cohon

ONE LAND – Numbers 33 – Matos-Mas’ey – by Rabbi Baruch Cohon

          Another double-header week finds us reading two Torah portions, covering a wide range of subjects.  Vows and how to fulfill them, journeys and battles in Israel’s progress toward the Jordan, exceptions and precedents to form the rules of inheritance – all are covered in these concluding chapters of the Book of Numbers.  Among them we find a message that should jolt us.

          The end of Chapter 33 brings us to a prophetic prediction that haunts Jewish history.  On the bank of the Jordan at Jericho, G-d tells Moses to “speak to the people of Israel, and tell them: When you cross the Jordan into Canaan, you must drive out all the inhabitants before you.  Destroy their idols and their shrines.  Demolish their high places.  Clear out the land and dwell there, for to you did I give the land to possess it.  Divide the land by lot, according to the size of families.  To the numerous give more, and to the smaller give less.  According to your ancestral tribes, apportion the land.” 

Then comes the warning.   “And if you will not drive out the inhabitants, then those you let remain will become spikes in your eyes and thorns in your sides.  They will harass you on the land where you dwell.  And then, what I intended to do to them, I will do to you.”

Who were those “inhabitants?”  Tribes called Canaanites, Hittites, Perizites, Hivites, Amorites, Jebusites, Girgashites.  Where are they now?  Maybe they just changed their names.  Same function, but what do they call themselves?   Hamas, Al Qaeda, Hezbollah, Fatah, and one ancient people called Philistines — extinct for centuries, only their name was adopted and latinized to “Palestinians,” first to accommodate the Roman Empire, and later to validate the genocidal ambitions of Yasser Arafat.

For Moses there was no “two-state solution.”  Any more than there is now.  As proven from his day to this day, when a war is fought and territory changes hands, those who live in that territory have a choice: accept the new reality, or move.  

Presumably the Canaanites moved.  Surrounding countries absorbed them.  The difference, all these centuries later, is that the surrounding countries, their ancestral relatives and current co-religionists, refused to absorb the modern “Canaanites” and instead used them as a political weapon to do what none of them could do in battle but still hope to do by manipulating the UN – destroy Israel. While they pursue their plot, the “spikes in the eyes” and the “thorns in the sides” continue, otherwise known as rockets and suicide bombs. 

In the Biblical campaign of conquest, Joshua in fact did not succeed in driving out all those tribes.  Some remained to harass.   Some even became resident aliens and accepted the Seven Mitzvosof the children of Noah.  Unlike one John Kerry, they identified Israel as a Jewish state. 

The thorns-in-the-side had to be expelled again and again.   But the ancient Israelite rulers did not take their most sacred spot — the Temple Mount – and turn it over to their enemies.

Some of our leaders need to take another look at the warning at Jericho.

You can contact Rabbi Baruch Cohon for further discussion and/or comments at: baruch.c.2011@gmail.com

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