DO YOU EXPECT ME TO TAKE YOU SERIOUSLY?

The festivals are times of great joy in the Jewish calendar. Each has its own personality as unique as the mussaf (additional) offerings that were brought into the Temple on each festive day. A description of these offerings appears at the end of the parsha (Bamidbar 28 and 29). In that lengthy section, the Torah refers to Yom Tov as a mikra kodesh, a holy convocation, or as ‘atzeret,’ a time when work ceases and Jews gather together to pray, study and delight in the atmosphere of the chag. In one instance, the Torah describes Yom Tov as a day of gathering lachem, “for you” (Bamidbar 29:35) and elsewhere, as a day of gathering laHashem, “for God” (Devarim 16:8). The Sages (Pesachim 68b) argue about the meaning of these two phrases in the context of a discussion about the mitzvah of simchat yom tov, rejoicing on the festival. Rabbi Eliezer says that on Yom Tov one can choose either to eat and drink (rejoice physically) or sit and study. Rabbi Yehoshua rules that one should divide the day up partially for himself (eating and drinking) and partially for God (studying Torah). The Code of Jewish Law rules according to Rabbi Yehoshua (Orach Chaim 529:1). In fulfilment of the Torah’s command that “you shall rejoice on your festival” (Devarim 16:13), the Code (ibid) rules that one should not stint on his spending for Yom Tov but should rather honour the day and delight in it as one does on Shabbat.  One must recite the blessing for bread over two loaves and drink wine at all the Yom Tov meals. Furthermore, one’s Yom Tov clothing should be of a better quality than those one wears on Shabbat, as beautiful clothing also brings one joy. The morning services start later on Yom Tov and should not end too late, so that everyone will have the opportunity to enjoy the special festive meals. The Code (ibid #2), citing Rambam, sums up the obligation to rejoice on the festivals thus: “a man must rejoice and be glad of heart on the festival, he, his wife, his children and all of those who are connected to him. How should he assist them in rejoicing? For the children – he gives them roasted grain and nuts [the ancient equivalent of sweets and chocolates]; for the women – he must buy them clothing and jewelry according to what he can afford. He must also feed the convert, the orphan and the widow together with the poor.” But he then concludes with an important caveat (ibid #3): “a Jew may eat and drink and rejoice on the festival but he must not be drawn after [too much] meat, wine, laughter and frivolity because excessive laughter and frivolity is not true simcha but is just madness and folly, and we were not commanded in such behaviour but rather in a rejoicing that has within it the service of the Creator.”

In my experience, Jews, even very observant ones, have lost the plot when it comes to simchat Yom Tov. All too often the type of rejoicing on Yom Tov, especially on Simchat Torah, is puerile, lacking of any spiritual content and at times fuelled by artificial stimulants, such as alcohol. This has spilled over (excuse the pun) to other festivals and to Shabbat. Shuls attract their members by offering “exciting” services; “delicious gourmet” Kiddush brochos with “designer” cocktails. I have no issue with using such methods as a drawcard because our Sages themselves condoned it, as the Talmud (Sotah 47a) remarks: “Rav Yehudah said in the name of Rav: One should always engage in the study of Torah and the performance of mitzvoth even though he may be doing so for the incorrect purpose, for from doing it for the incorrect purpose he will eventually come to do it for the correct purpose.” It is unreasonable to expect people to rejoice and behave precisely as the Code demands when they have little or no experience with Judaism. Thus, we “entice” them with treats, prizes and entertaining programmes so that they will take one step closer to their heritage. But for many it seems to stop there and never progresses further. Even after many years of exposure to Judaism, they are still behaving as if they have just walked in off the street. Their rejoicing has not become more refined and spiritual, but remains on a low level. There is also a belief that everything in Judaism must be “fun” and “exciting.” The services must be jazzy, with plenty of hand clapping and foot stomping. Sermons must always be light-hearted and entertaining, and children’s services must be “dynamic” with plenty of incentive prizes. Once again, I must stress that none of these are unacceptable according to Halacha, but they need to be moderated. Judaism is not always fun. It is not always light-hearted. It is a very serious business indeed and we are doing it a disservice if we portray it as a bouncy, casual and fun religion. I recall a quote from a principal of an Orthodox school in New York, Yeshiva Toras Emes, which appeared in the TIME magazine in the 90s. Rabbi Avrohom Respler was responding to his school’s banning of yarmulkes decorated with cartoon characters, such as Bart Simpson and Mickey Mouse: “Those [characters] give the message that you don’t have to be serious, that it’s a fun thing, and we don’t have to treat it as a fun thing. It’s a religious symbol. It’s supposed to teach humility, to remind you that there’s something above you.” 

Another problem with trying to make Judaism always “exciting” and “fun” is that we will inevitably fail. We will not be able to compete with the type of entertainment available beyond the walls of the shul, school or yeshiva. Can a shul service ever be as visually stimulating as a multi-million dollar 3D special-effects blockbuster? Can even the best chazzan and choir put on a performance that attracts as many Jews to it as a Taylor Swift concert? Of course services must be moving; sermons, inspiring and events, exciting; but there is a limit. Judaism is first and foremost a lifestyle of awesome responsibility. I once heard a recorded lecture of one of the leading ba’alei mussar (ethicists) rabbis of our generation. He said something that completely shocked me. He admitted that davening is often boring and that people in the Orthodox world who go around saying how much they enjoy it are often not telling the truth. But regardless of how boring it might be on occasion, that does not stop him from praying three times daily because he knows that that is his obligation and responsibility as a Jew. An employee goes to work even though parts (or all!) of his job are boring because he understands that he has a duty to fulfil. Part of the job of a Jewish educator is to impart the message, admittedly a difficult one, that Judaism requires commitment and dedication even though it might be challenging. At the same time, we must teach that the ideal pathway of Judaism is to fulfil all of our duties, no matter how onerous, with love and joy. In the weekday morning service we say (in the Uva’ L’Tzion section, citing Psalms (68:20): “Blessed is the Lord for every single day, He burdens us, the God of our salvation, Selah!”  Most commentators explain that God burdens us with blessings and hence we must be thankful. However, it is an unusual verb to use to describe blessings as these are generally not burdensome. Consequently, we could read the verse as: “He burdens us with obligations” and for this we must be thankful for only through challenge and responsibility can a person grow. A Jew must rejoice in the fact that he is a Jew and has been given the task of serving his Creator. My Rosh Yeshiva, of blessed memory, would say that God does not like people who are always sad and down. He wants us to be happy, but that happiness must be true and not the artificial result of some material thing or sensory pleasure. It is a joy described by our Sages as simcha shel mitzvah, as the Talmud (Pesachim 117a) declares: “The Divine Presence does not rest upon a person amidst laziness, nor amidst sorrow, nor amidst laughter, nor amidst light-headedness, nor amidst idle conversations, rather it is amidst the joy associated with a mitzvah!”

Lee, Chani Merryl & Naomi join me in wishing you Shabbat Shalom. Rabbi Liebenberg.

Rabbi’s YouTube message: https://youtu.be/vTxRTaATYSw

Friday night 25 & Shabbat 26 July – Rosh Chodesh Av

Rosh Chodesh Av (or Menachem Av) is the start of the Nine Days of mourning that culminate in the fast of Tisha B’Av. (See Three Weeks of Mourning newsletter for details). The Talmud states that we decrease our joy when Av begins. After the Fast, we look forward to the month of Elul and the High Holy Days. The month also contains the 15^th Av, an ancient quasi-festival that commemorates many joyous events. The Molad (appearance of the new moon) is on Friday 25 July at 10h42 and 5 chalakim (a chelek, literally a “portion”, is a Talmudic measure of time equal to one-eighteenth of a minute, or 3 and 1/3 seconds.