How will you look back on your life?

As we begin the last book of the Torah, Moses confronts this question in Parshat Devarim.

Even the title begs the question.  Devarim, what are the words and things?   What is the story we will tell to those we hope will carry it in their hearts after we are gone?

For most of us, this requires us to project forward in order to look back.  But it cannot be make-believe; our legacy will be based on the life we live.  The things we do will be the basis for the memories our loved ones will recall.  How we touch their lives will define whether they can celebrate having had us in their lives.  Our legacy will not have the great accomplishments of Moses, of course as our tradition tells us, there has never been another like Moses. Our legacy will be the impact and influence we have had on our loved ones.  But will we be the best version of ourselves?

The story is told of Reb Zusya, the Chasidic Master, who struggled at the end of his life.  He awoke panicked from a dream about the prospect of entering Heaven.  His students tried to support their beloved teacher claiming he was indeed great like Moses and Abraham.  Zusya replied that he knew that God would not compare him to Moses and Abraham but instead, God would ask why Zusya wasn’t more like Zusya?

If we do not live up to all that we can be, we do not realize our full potential.  And importantly, we let ourselves and our loved ones down.  Only we can write our story by living our lives as best and as fully as we can.  Then we will truly leave a worthy inheritance, a life of merit and honor, of love and accomplishment that will touch the hearts of those we care about.

 

 

Your Legacy and Your Loved Ones

Your loved ones are your legacy.  That is an important message I learned from last week’s Torah Portion Pinchas. We must consciously remember those closest to us, especially even when our work, our mission, or our very essence might have us focus on everyone else.

Pinchas’ legacy is established in the aftermath of his zealotry.  The legacy of Zelophehad is also set; his daughters ensuring their father’s name is not lost and they can be rightful inheritors of his property.  Moses passes the mantle of leadership to Joshua as part of his legacy. However, two people are glaringly missing: Gershom and Eliezer, the two children of Moses. What happened to them?

We can only imagine the ambivalence of these two sons watching their father in all his greatness.  They see him lead with the most profound wisdom and love for both his people and God, yet he loses sight of his own children. It is a sad state of affairs for these two children to be ignored. The text screams out in its complete silence; for there is no mention of them at all. It is a modern-day message to all of us.

How often do we neglect our own?  For many of us in the “caring” professions, the demanding hours prioritize others over family. For those of us in the clergy, the RKs (Rabbi’s Kids) often complain they are neglected because their parent is so busy actively involved in the lives of the congregants they serve.  And those of us dedicated to building a career, we find long hours away from our children the price we pay for success.

For us to leave a truly worthy legacy, even the greatest among us need to make time for those closest to us.  We all have shortcomings and with the benefit of hindsight, we all know where we could have done better.  But more importantly, we need to know in our hearts that we do the very best we can and what we do is for the benefit of our family. For if we do that, then our children will know that they were loved. And that is the most beautiful blessing and legacy of all.

 

I/Thou and a parking ticket

I saw the meter maid stepping towards the back of my car to get license plate info.  The meter had expired a few minutes before and like clockwork, she was there at the ready to write the ticket.  I called out “Excuse me Ma’am!” and started to cross the street hopefully catching her in time.  As I stepped off the curb, I felt a snap in my knee and down I went.  The pain was excruciating.  She looked up and saw me.  I knew I had to get to her so I limped over as best I could, needing to catch my breath before I could say anything.  She reached out to me to help me and asked if I was okay.  We started to talk and she made it clear that she would not leave me until I was safely in my car.

She went from “meter maid” or “traffic enforcement officer” to caring human being.  Actually, she was a lovely caring human being all along.  It took me a while to realize that.

I do not know who she is.  I never got her name.  I reached out to the Parking Authority to try to find her and say thank you.  They likely do not get too many of those kinds of letters.

And as I was sitting in my car, gaining my composure, I could not help but notice the person a couple of cars behind me frantically waving a ticket in his hand as he ran towards a confrontation with my good Samaritan.

So thank you my nameless good Samaritan.  Thank you for sharing your humanity when I needed it.

 

 

 

Shabbat Shalom

This Shabbat I wanted to share something delightfully offbeat.  This is Cantor Moshe Mendelson singing the Yiddish song Romania Romania.  For about 45 years he has been the Jazan (Cantor) of Mexico City and yes, he is accompanied by a Mariachi Band.  It is a delightful blending of cultures and nationalities and Judaism.  This song is my chance to share a vision of Klal Yisrael.

It has been another tumultuous week filled with challenge and pain.  Shabbat is here.  For a moment, enjoy this respite.

Shabbat Shalom

What to do

In response to the horrible acts perpetrated by the American government, people are planning marches and demonstrations against United States Immigration Policy and the Trump Administration implementing said policy.  But there is a very important point to remember: Trump was elected President.  The members of Congress who actively support his policies, including this one, were also elected.  Only through our electoral system can we affect change.   Marches might feel good, but they are ineffective against those who hold and exercise raw unbridled power, using a politics of division to keep their minority base firmly in control.  To prevail in the fight we must wage, we must use politics to change those governing and the policies they pursue.

The wholesale assault on heretofore fundamental American principles of decency and values combined with the message of divisiveness rather than unity are the primary domestic issues giving license to the basest instincts of self-protection and self-promotion.  These are narrow and short-sighted attempts to impose the will of the stronger upon the weaker.  We must convince the American voting public that there is a better way.  And only through galvanizing the vote can our ideas triumph.

If we are to do anything of enduring value we should register people to vote and then make sure they do so.  People like James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner, and John Lewis should be the great iconic figures that inspire us to action because never has there been so much at stake.

March and demonstrate, but do not be surprised if the sun rises tomorrow in the East and the Trump Administration continues its policies unabated and unaffected. For that alone will not create change.  Actively engage in the political process and perhaps our system of government will again offer a constructive message of hope.

 

 

 

 

What Now?

So many of us have expressed outrage at the separation of children from parents at the border.  Now the real work begins; for now that we are aware of the situation, the responsibility to change it is ours.

Write your Congressional representative and Senators and demand this policy stop immediately.  This is not a negotiation, this is wrong. Anyone unwilling to unconditionally terminate this policy now will be held accountable at the ballot box.

In case you do not know your representative, find out here:

https://whoismyrepresentative.com/

 

Make your voice heard.

On the Ramparts

The appalling misuse of the Bible to defend stripping children from their parents at the border adds insult to injury, something I would have thought all but impossible given the heinous underlying act.  It makes the indefensible downright obscene.

Whatever our personal position on strong border controls may be, this inhumane action undermines our most fundamental values.  We are a nation of laws, but very importantly we are also a nation of hope.  Our laws can be applied humanely with mercy and compassion.  This egregious violation of our values is a symptom of a growing cancer in our society.

In an age of increasing division and antipathy, this moment needs to serve as a tipping point.  Can we aspire to be the light unto the other nations, leading by example or must we retreat building walls that separate us in the name of protecting us?  History shows us time and again that the latter approach ultimately fails.  And by the time the walls are ultimately breached, what found inside is a hollow shell of the greatness that once lived.

Our greatness comes not from the domination of a ruler, or even the majority.  Our greatness springs from America’s ability to protect and defend the minority when the majority prevails, exercising its will civilly and compassionately.

To those who find the actions on our borders justifiable, shame on you for your heartlessness.  To those who find these actions unjustifiable, our thoughts must be backed by action that will cause change.  Otherwise, we too will be responsible for the horrors wrought upon the children.

 

 

Shabbat Shalom

This Shabbat I wanted to share Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor, Irving Berlin’s musical rendition of Emma Lazarus’ poem at the base of the Statue of Liberty, sung by the Texas Children’s Choir.

As you listen to this song, children are being detained and forcibly separated from parents at our border.  Regardless of your stand on illegal immigration, this inhumane and cruel act is nothing more than a blight on the greatness that is supposed to be our nation.  Demand Congress act immediately to spare children from this.

Shabbat Shalom