Rabbi Doniel Staum, LMSW
Rabbi, Kehillat New Hempstead
Rebbe/Guidance Counselor – ASHAR
Principal – Ohr Naftoli- New Windsor
STAM
TORAH
PARSHAS
NETZOVIM 5775
“WHAT
A LIFE”
The horrific events involving the
Mumbai massacre in November 2008 were shocking. Along with the other kedoshim[1]
who were killed in the Chabad house, the hosts, Rabbi Gavriel and Rivkie
Holtzberg, were murdered by Islamic fascist terrorists, for no reason other
than the fact that they were Jews.
Gavriel and Rivkie Holtzberg moved to
Mumbai in 2003 as Chabad emissaries, to ensure that there was a warm and
welcoming Torah home for all those passing through Mumbai. Some people stayed
for a night, or a Shabbos, others for a month. But everyone who stayed in their
home described the Holtzberg’s warmth and devotion to all their guests.
During the week of shiva mourning
after the massacre, a woman entered the home of Mrs. Yehudis Rosenberg, Rivkie
Holtzberg’s mother, and handed her a package. When Mrs. Rosenberg opened the
package she was shocked to find that it contained one of Rivkie’s nicest
Shabbos dresses, as well as her diamond ring.
The visitor explained that while she
was vacationing in India
The strategy worked and the woman was
able to leave the country without further issue. Now she had come to return the
borrowed items. Mrs. Rosenberg told the woman that a few months before she had asked
Rivkie where her ring was. Rivkie curtly replied that the ring (like her) was
on ‘shlichus[2]’!
The final parshios of the Torah contain Moshe’s
last will and testament. “See – I have placed before you today the life and the
good, and the death and the evil… and you shall choose life, in order that you
shall live, you and your children.”[3]
It is obvious that the Torah is not
referring to “life” in the classical sense, because any rational person would
choose life over death. Even a young child does not need to be told to choose
honey over ammonia. Moshe was obviously speaking about a higher mission of
life; to choose a life of meaning and purpose.
The commentators offer many explanations,
each with a poignant and integral message apropos for the days preceding the
Days of Awe. The following is one such approach[4]:
During the Ten days of Penitence from Rosh
Hashana through Yom Kippur we add a few insertions into our prayers. In the
opening blessing of Shemoneh Esrei we pray, “Remember us for life, King who
desires life, and record us in the Book of Life, for Your sake, the Living
G-d!” In the second blessing we insert, “Who is like you Father of Compassion,
Who remembers His Creations for life in His compassion!”
The Sages explain that Shemoneh Esrei was
composed to reflect the manner in which a servant would approach a king to
beseech his needs. He opens by praising the king, and speaking of the king’s
greatness. Then he proceeds to mention his own personal requests and needs. After
he concludes his own needs, he thanks the king and speaks about the king’s
kindness and beneficence.
So too, the first three blessings of
Shemoneh Esrei are devoted to praising G-d and proclaiming His inimitable greatness.
The middle thirteen blessings detail our petitions and requests from G-d, and
the concluding three blessings are dedicated to thanksgiving and gratitude.
If so, how/why do we breach that format by
inserting a personal request during the Ten days of Penitence? Why do we have
the right to request life in the opening blessings which are dedicated to
praising G-d?
In addition, we must understand the meaning
of the prayer, “For Your sake, the Living G-d”. What is the meaning behind our
request that G-d grants us life for His sake because He is the Living Eternal
G-d?
Ibn Ezra[5]
writes an incredible idea: כי החיים הם לאהבה"
– Because life is for love!” It is understood that true love connotes giving
selflessly and altruistically. Thus, in other words, the Torah defines life as
a means to perform acts of kindness, to assist others, and to promote unity and
goodness.
When Moshe exhorted the nation to choose
life, he was not referring to mundane life. Rather, on his final day, he was encouraging
the nation to pursue a life of giving and altruism, for that would ensure the
continuity of the nation and its ability to endure.
In a similar vein, when we request life in
the opening blessing of Shemoneh Esrei during the Ten days of Penitence, we are
begging G-d to grant us life as the Torah defines it, a life of higher purpose
and Imitatio Dei.
Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzato explains that G-d
is titled the Living G-d because He is completely selfless and giving! G-d
needs nothing and therefore cannot be a recipient. By the virtue of the fact
that He is “All Giving”, He is a being of pristine and complete life!
We ask G-d to grant us life for His sake,
because He is the Living G-d. In other words, we desire to live a life as G-d
lives, devoted to giving and helping others. Asking for that type of life is
wholly appropriate, even in the opening blessings of Shemoneh Esrei, because
the desire to live such a life is of the greatest praise we can offer G-d.
A woman once approached noted lecturer
Rabbi Leib Kellerman and told him that she was imminently traveling to the
United States to undergo a procedure that would ensure she would never be able
to bear children. She explained that she felt that anyone who would bring a
child into our selfish and morally depraved world was themselves immoral and
selfish. Before heading off, she wanted to know his opinion about the matter.
Rabbi Kellerman replied by relating to her
the following parable:
An aspiring young woman decided that she
wanted to become the Chief Surgeon in a prominent hospital. She worked
diligently throughout High School, College, Premed, Med school, and through her
internship, and residency. While her friends partied and lived it up, she was
busy studying and applying herself relentlessly to her dream. She eventually
began her work as a surgeon and was extremely successful. Her prestige continued
to grow as did her success, and she rapidly climbed the ranks.
Finally the day arrived when she was promoted
to the position she always dreamed of. After the ceremony, she was preparing to
enter the Operating Room for the first time as Chief Surgeon when a young man burst
out, white as a ghost. He looked at her with terror in his eyes and cried out,
“Don’t go in there! It’s terrible! There’s blood and guts all over the place.
The room is full of disease and the patient is so sick. For your own sanity,
run the other way!”
The Chief Surgeon looked at him and calmly
replied, “I know exactly what awaits me in that room. But this is what I always
wanted to do. I lived my life so that I could help others in the most profound
way possible. True, it is not a pretty sight. But to be able to give someone a
second lease on life is the greatest gift possible.” With that, she proceeded
through the double doors and disappeared.
Rabbi Kellerman explained, “If you’re
purpose on this world is for pleasure, enjoyment, and self-gratification then
this world is indeed a cruel and vicious place, and you indeed have no business
bringing new life into such a selfish world. However, if you view life as an
opportunity to give and to provide, and if you see life as a chance to love,
cherish, and comfort, then this world is replete with opportunity. If you see
life in this vein then what greater world is there in which to raise children
and a new generation?!”
One who lives life for his own enjoyment is
truly hard-pressed to ask for life during the opening blessings of Shemoneh
Esrei. But one who understands that his temporal life is a place of opportunity
where he must grab every chance to assist and love others, has the right to ask
for life at the beginning of his prayers!
“And you shall choose life”
“Because life is for love!”
[1] “Holy ones”
[2] Shlichus is
the term used in Chabad circles for being sent out with the mission of helping
others come closer to G-d.
[3] Devorim 30:15-19
[4] The
following thought was adapted from the lecture delivered by my friend and
mentor, Rabbi Yehoshua Kohl in Kehillat New Hempstead, on the first day of Rosh
Hashana 5769.
[5] On the
aforementioned verse 30:19. The students of Rabbi Shlomo Wolbe zt’l relate that
Rabbi Wolbe would repeat these immortal words of the Ibn Ezra constantly.
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