After reading the tribe’s complaints to Moses, a reader is perplexed at the Israelites’ critiques. The rabbis of our Jewish tradition teach that the Hebrew word for Egypt, Mitzrayim, connotes narrowness or restriction. In Egypt, the Israelites’ lives were constricted both spiritually and physically. Not only were tribe members forbidden from worshipping God or practicing their religious customs and traditions, they were also vulnerable to physical abuse or death at the hands of their taskmasters.In the desert, it was a completely different story. During their journeys in the desert, the tribe witnessed the splitting of the Red Sea and received the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai. These were just two of the many moments at which they felt a great spiritual connection to God. In Egypt, the Israelites often complained that they had felt abandoned by God during their suffering. However, in the desert, the tribe was shadowed by a special cloud which was dispatched by God. This special cloud guided them in the right direction during their travels and affirmed God’s concern for the tribe’s well-being. While it is certain that the tribe grew to like certain foods from their time in Egypt, they ate all of their meals in freedom during their travels in the desert. Instead of depending on their taskmasters for access to food or slaving away to produce Egyptian crops, the Israelites’ basic human needs for nourishment were taken care of by God. They were sustained by a plentiful supply of manna, a special food source which was grinded to make cakes.  Although the people complained about the taste of the manna, rabbinic sources teach that the manna actually tasted like whatever a person desired. Even though the manna apparently did not taste like cucumbers, watermelons, leeks, onions, and garlic, it’s important to remember the tribe still had access to hundreds of different tastes and textures!

The Israelites’ grumblings in Behalotecha teach us some significant lessons about the place of gratitude in our lives. When we have an unproductive day, feel bored with our routines, or undergo a personal hardship, it’s easy to close our eyes to the light of positive opportunities, people, and experiences. Perhaps our Jewish tradition recognizes the human tendency to shift into "Debbie Downer" mode, and the brachot (blessings) are designed to catch us when we fall into negative moments. In the Talmud, Rabbi Meir, a Jewish sage who lived around 150 CE, taught that it is a mitzvah to recite at least one hundred blessings every day. And, boy, do we have a lot of opportunities to make this happen as we move through our mornings, afternoons, and nights! We can recite brachot when we rise in the morning, partake in food, hear good news, or view a beautiful tree. The brachot, which can be easily accessed in any Siddur (prayer book), are designed to prompt feelings of thankfulness and joy in our hearts, minds, and souls. We also should remember that Judaism accords us the freedom to put our own spin on making brachot. If the words on the pages of our siddurim don’t accurately capture our feelings or gratitude or amazement, we should take the time to compose a creative prayer or simply take a few seconds to pause and reflect.  Think about the day you had today. What is the tally on your brachot meter?

Did you….

–  Look your usual barista in the eye and thank him/her for making your latte just the way you like it, with 1% milk, two sugars and cinnamon on the top?

–  Feel a sense of happiness when your subway train arrived on time, allowing you to make that very important lunch date?

–  Treasure the time spent with your loved one or friend without worrying for at least 20 minutes about cell phones, blackberrys, or outside responsibilities?

–  Thank your boss for assigning you to work on an exciting project of interest? 

Parashah Behalotecha reminds us that it is easy to find ourselves back in the desert, complaining like our ancient Israelite tribe members. Just as yawns are contagious, so are kvetches. For once one kvetch has been launched, another one is sure to follow. However, parashah Behalotecha also teaches us that life is filled with times when we must utilize our voices to better ourselves or society at large (i.e. lending our efforts to a worthy political cause or working on a social justice project). In those cases, we must complain in constructive ways so that a positive outcome will emerge from our actions.

Finally, parashah Behalotecha instills that we need to open our eyes to the blessings present in our lives. As Rabbi Harold Kushner teaches, "If you concentrate on finding what is good in every situation, you will discover that your life will suddenly be filled with gratitude, a feeling that nurtures the soul." In the coming days and weeks, let’s try to take Rabbi Kushner’s wisdom to heart by fully acknowledging all of the goodness in our midst.  May we make a  greater personal commitment to "nurture our souls" through speaking the blessings of our tradition and hearts. 

Hayley Siegel is the rabbinic intern at 92YTribeca. If you want to learn more about upcoming 92YTribeca Shabbat dinners and Jewish Life events, click here.

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In the Pirke Avot, the rabbis of our Jewish tradition describe that a hero is someone who can master his thoughts, impulses and desires. They wrote, "Who is a hero? He who conquers his passions, as it is written in Proverbs 16:32, "He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city." Carrying these rabbinic ideas over to comic books, we find many comic book superheroes and characters wage internal battles to control the demons in their minds. For example, Batman, a.k.a Bruce Wayne, fights to conquer the dark thoughts in his mind and the nightmares from his tragic past. On the lighter side, Archie Andrews struggles to balance his affections for the noble Betty, who always has his best interests at heart, with the troublesome Veronica, who often mistreats and manipulates Archie to get her way.

Within both Jewish tradition and comic books, there comes a pivotal moment when every hero must step into his/her destiny and take charge of his/her obligation to help those in need. However, during these moments of change and transition, a hero oftentimes has to negotiate for the opportunity to save the day! Once these characters openly convey their heroic intentions, they find the courage to step into swift action when the time calls. For example, in the book of Samuel, David morphs from small-time shepherd boy to war hero after he defeats the giant Goliath. Similarly, in Megillat Esther, Queen Esther comes forward with the admission of her Jewish identity to the King. Esther’s confession, which comes just at the right moment, saves the entire Jewish nation from the perilous schemes of Haman. In the world of comic books, we find that superheroes such as Spiderman, Superman, and Batman initially run away from their heroic duties. However, after they complete honest conversations with loved ones and supporters (like Esther!), each character eventually acknowledges that they must utilize their powers for tikkun olam (repair of the world). Looking into other sources within our Jewish tradition and history, we see that Judaism also acknowledges the role of physical strength in determining a hero. In Tanakh and books outside of the Jewish canon, various men and women utilize their brawn as a means of sustaining themselves and protecting the Jewish people from various enemies. Jacob wrestles with an angel all night long and emerges with a new name, Israel, (the one who struggles with God), as a result of his physical prowess, Moses protects Zipporah and her sisters by fighting off some rival shepherds, and Yael (Judges) and Judith (Apocrypha) kill off enemies of the Jewish people in gory physical attacks.

On the historical side, scholar Todd Pressman writes in Muscular Judaism  that physical strength was viewed as an essential part of creating a new Jewish people in the land of Israel during the creation of the Zionist movement. Envisioning military leaders Bar Kokba and the Maccabees as role models for the Jewish nation, Zionist leader Max Nordau believed that a heightened awareness of fitness could enable the Jewish people to lead a healthier life and safer existence. Within the world of comics, most of us are aware of the superhuman talents of strength utilized by a hero for a mission. These physical feats include flying, jumping, and the ability to render oneself invisible.  As the history of our Torah and Jewish sources teaches us, we need not leave all of the superhero fun to the creations on comic book pages. Every day, each of us is given the opportunity to save the day by using our unique superpowers to make the world a better place. We can use our mental abilities and education to help tutor someone who would not be able to afford these services, verbal abilities to cheer up a sad friend or family member, and physical abilities to lend a helping hand in the Special Olympics. During this Shabbat, let’s summon the hero inside of all of us. May we take an accounting of individuals and communities in need of our help and support, and pitch in our efforts and energies as necessary to make the world a kinder and happier place. 

Hayley Siegel is the Rabbinic Intern at 92YTribeca            

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This year, as we enter into the homes of family, friends, or soon to be acquaintances, we sit down to our seders during a time of domestic and global crisis. During challenging times such as these, many members of our Jewish communities are looking for hope and motivation. I believe the often overlooked stories of Yocheved, Miriam, and the women of the Exodus generation may serve as an inspiration to our communities. Through examining these women’s actions within Egypt and in the desert, we may find the courage to move forward with dignity and strength from any obstacle in our way.

If we look into the first book of Exodus, we will see that the Jewish women of this generation were a miraculous bunch powered by an endless supply of chutzpah and bravery. Yocheved, Moses’ mother, and Miriam, Moses’ older sister, were the founding members of this group. Both Yocheved and Miriam refused to submit to Pharaoh’s decree calling for all Hebrew slaves to throw their newborn baby sons into the Nile. Yocheved, helped by Miriam’s watchful eye, defies Pharaoh and his genocidal proclamations by successfully guiding Moses to safety. During this make or break moment, the women "network" with a most unlikely connection, the daughter of Pharaoh and princess of Egypt, called Batya by our rabbis. As it reads in our Torah, Pharaoh’s daughter becomes Moses’ adoptive mother during his early childhood. Without Yocheved, Miriam, and Batya’s efforts, it is doubtful that Moses, the eventual redeemer of the Jewish people, would have survived.Another renegade faction of the Exodus generation was Shiprah and Puah, the midwives who appear in the early parts of Exodus. These daring women enabled other Hebrew women to save their babies and protected the Hebrew women from Pharaoh’s retribution. We witness the women’s crafty manipulation of Pharaoh during their conversation with an irate Pharaoh, who is baffled by the high survival rates of the Jewish babies. The midwives put their lives on the line by taking the blame for the new births in the Hebrew community, "And the midwives said to Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women, for they are skilled as midwives; when the midwife has not yet come to them, they have already given birth" (EX 1:19). Interestingly, the rabbis of our Jewish tradition speculate that Shiprah and Puah were really Yocheved and Miriam.

Even after the Jewish nation was liberated from Pharaoh’s regime, the women of the Exodus generation carried themselves with honor and dignity in the face of unspeakable chaos. As Rashi and Midrash Tanhuma describe, the women of the tribe refused to participate within the construction of the Golden Calf. According to our sages, they didn’t cease to the peer pressure of their zealous husbands, brothers, and fathers and would not give up their earrings and jewelry for the calf’s construction.

It is clear that the women of the Exodus generation were a critical part of the strength and spirit of the Jewish people during times of great change and transition. Their actions at the beginning and conclusion of the Exodus narrative bookmark the Jewish people’s evolution from slavery to freedom. Fueled by a feisty spirit of "girl power" at its purest, Yocheved and Miriam worked with one another to find a solution to their problem and sought out unconventional resources (Batya) to set their plans into action. The midwives, who might or not have been Yocheved and Miriam, sacrificed their lives in order to enable the Hebrew population to keep their families intact and growing. And finally, the women of the Exodus generation who lived to see freedom in the desert didn’t lower themselves morally and ethically when faced with the forces of negativity and doubt during the creation of the Golden Calf. According to our sages, these daring women removed themselves from an unhealthy and idolatrous situation when it was necessary. This year, let us draw from the example of our foremothers when we address the challenges facing our modern Jewish communities. May we recognize that we cannot always wait for others to step forward to commence tikkun olam. Taking the women of the Exodus generation’s actions into mind, let’s utilize our Passover celebrations to become agents and organizers of change within our domestic and global Jewish communities. May we be emboldened to complete haknassat orchim (welcoming guests) for a family or friend without place for seder, to donate tzedakah (charity) or canned Kosher for Passover goods to a needy food pantry so that everyone can experience Passover with dignity, and increase our completion of chesed (kindness) for those in need.

May this be a Zissen Pesah to you and your loved ones filled with warmth, laughter, and community.

Hayley Siegel is the rabbinic intern at 92YTribeca, where she runs all of the Jewish Life programming, including Shabbat dinners, holidays, and Jewish learning. To learn more about 92YTribeca and 92YTribeca Jewish Life, click here.  

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Within the somewhat grim and graphic contents of Vayikra (Leviticus), Moses’ dressing of Aaron and his priests stands out as a strikingly warm moment. Moses, the leader mainly responsible for the tribe’s religious and spiritual education, steps aside to allow Aaron and his priestly cohorts a chance in the spotlight.  Adding further depth to this point, the commentators of our Midrash note that the Tent of Meeting (the place where Moses performed the ritual) miraculously expanded for this special occasion. As our sages describe, it enlarged to accommodate the large body of Israelites during the priests’ clothing ceremony. This way, all individuals from the tribe could participate actively in the ritual by showing support for their fellow priestly tribe members.    

In reflecting upon the special "clothes" ceremony within the induction of the priests, we learn an important lesson connected to our own professional lives: preparing oneself on the outside for a job/duty is just as important as  being ready on an intellectual basis. For example, have you ever gone shopping right before a big interview to purchase an item (i.e. business suit, new shoes, tie) because you felt that this piece of clothing would give you an advantage in your interview?  Think back to your first day at a new job. Did you ever select a special outfit ahead of time for a boost on your first day? Adding further insight to this point, our Torah instills that having properly fitting clothing is an essential part of any job.  Rashi (Rabbi Shlomo ben Yitzhak), the medieval rabbi par-excellance renowned for his Torah and Talmud commentaries, points out that each priest’s linen garment was specifically made according to his exact measurements and dimensions. This is also important within our professional settings. As any clothing designer/maven would concur, having well-made clothing and appropriate attire disseminates a sense of respect and honor from fellow co-workers, friends, and family. When we wear the right clothing, we signify that we are ready, willing, and able to get the job done.  

Within our own lives, we can connect ourselves back to the times of our ancient ancestors by helping to clothe those who might not be able to afford the proper attire. In the spirit of Passover and spring cleaning, we should take the time to look through our closets and donate clothes to a reputable organization such as Dress for Success, or another like-minded organization which provides professional clothing for those in need.  Additionally, we should patronize dry-cleaners and Laundromats which provide cleaning services free of charge to those who cannot normally afford those services for job interviews. 

As parashah Tzav teaches, spaces, such as an office, home, or special location known only to us, can only be sanctified when individuals enter into those environments with a positive self-image and healthy respect for their appearance. When we have the means to help someone achieve confidence in this capacity, we should model ourselves after Moses and the Israelites and gather the necessary materials and energy to do so.  Shavua Tov!

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