Guest Sermon/D’var Torah for BSKI Synagogue
PARSHA: PINCHUS
Numbers 25:10 – 30:1 (focus on 27:12 – 23)

Karen Solomon

 

In today’s Parsha, between lists of census data, laws of inheritance, G-d’s instructions for dividing the Promised Land, and laws concerning sacrifices, there is a small narrative passage describing the choosing of Joshua as successor to Moses. This passage begins with G-d commanding Moses, “Get thee up into this mountain of Abarim, and behold the land which I have given unto the children of Israel. And when thou hast seen it, thou also shalt be gathered unto thy people, as Aaron thy brother was gathered.”

Midrash accounts for the insertion of this passage by stating that when Moses received divine instructions concerning the way in which the Promised Land was to be divided among the tribes, it raised his hopes that God’s punishment might be modified and that he, too, might enter and share in the land. Indeed, we read in Deuteronomy (3:23-28) that as Moses reviewed the history of the Israelites with them, he recounted that after seeing evidence of G-d’s might, he besought G-d to be merciful and allow him to enter the Promised Land. Moses then stated God’s response: “…the Lord said unto me: ‘Let it suffice thee; speak no more unto Me of this matter. Get thee up into the top of Pisgah, and lift up thine eyes, westward, and northward, and southward, and eastward, and behold with thine eyes; for thou shalt not go over this Jordan.’”

Our Parsha today does not mention Moses’ plea for G-d’s mercy, but it affirms that Moses will view the land and then die. That G-d loved Moses is clear: His compassion and love for Moses led G-d to allow him to see the land, and to see how close they were, so that Moses would know his work had not been in vain. But the punishment had been declared, and G-d would keep his word. There are consequences for our actions, even for one as great as Moses. Moses disobeyed G-d, and G-d’s love for Moses did not mitigate his punishment.

That was G-d and Moses: On a high plane. What does it have to do with our lives? All of us face decisions re: consequences at some point. Bill and I certainly have, and I’d like to note here one of our more spectacular failures: our dog.

Scooby, named by our grandson, Lamont, was a gift from our daughter. She saved him from death row at the Humane Society and gave him to Bill for his birthday. About 1½ -years- old, with a very rocky background, Scooby was clearly a candidate for firm and consistent training and follow-up. The training we did faithfully; the follow-up, consistent follow-up, was our downfall. Time and time again, laziness and/or a soft heart, led to Scooby getting away with jumping up and licking all visitors. Today, five years later, our dog still jumps on people, and I guess he always will.

On the other hand, we’ve learned a lot from our watching our children raise our grandchildren. One grandchild was a horror in the supermarket. I cannot tell you how many times our daughter would put all the groceries back, take him home, and make him go back with her to do the shopping all over again. She, unlike us, carried through when she stated a consequence. As a result, our grandson is now very well behaved in the store, and we, on the other hand, still have an unruly dog.

The action of another grandson not only illustrates the importance of consistent discipline but also another major, and I feel much more important, point of today’s Parsha. Our grandson, Jacob, like other four-year-olds, was totally into his own needs and desires. Cute became not so cute, and he could be downright rude and uncaring of other’s feelings. Fortunately, his parents stepped in and were consistent in disciplining him for these incidents. He not only learned to be much more polite, he also began to tune in to the feelings of others.

Jacob loves plants and fish, but is not too fond of dogs. What a combination with our jumping, licking Scooby. To say Jacob hated this dog is an understatement. In his ruder days, Jake would tell us he hoped Scooby would die. Then, with a bit of maturity and a healthy dose of parental guidance, he began to develop an awareness of our feelings. The day came a couple of years later when he said, “Grandma, I wish Scooby would go outside and play, but I don’t hope he dies because you and Grandpa love him, and you would be sad. Jacob was clearly learning that there are times one should put the welfare of others before one’s own desires.

This brings us back to the passage concerning Moses’ loss of entry into the Promised Land and his impending death. We would certainly assume that Moses would feel some or all of the emotions of disappointment, sadness, frustration, or anger. But what does the Torah tell us is Moses’ reaction? He spoke to G-d, and these are some of the last words of Moses to G-d in the Torah: “Let the Lord, Source of the breath of all flesh, appoint someone over the community who shall go out before them and come in before them, and who shall take them out and bring them in, so that the Lord’s community may not be like sheep that have no shepherd.” Because Moses, in his earlier life, had been a shepherd, this metaphor is not only beautiful but also to the point. He understood the vulnerability of a flock without a shepherd. Moses asks G-d to select a leader who can deal with all types of people as well as lead in both military and civil matters. Moses’ concern is not for himself but for the people, that they should have a leader. It is interesting to note that at Moses’ first meeting with G-d at the Burning Bush, G-d begins his charge to Moses with G-d’s concern for the people. Thus, both G-d’s first charge to Moses and Moses’ last request of G-d are about the good of the people. G-d chooses Joshua as Moses successor and instructs Moses to lay a hand on him in public to show the people that G-d has chosen Joshua. Moses goes beyond Divine commandment in that he lays both hands on Joshua, thus showing that he, Moses, agrees with G-d’s choice of Joshua. Successors to great leaders are quite vulnerable, and this is a gracious act by a great leader to support his successor.

The question then becomes, can we follow the example of Moses? Jacob, our grandson, showed a small child’s evolution in this direction when he paused to consider his wish for our dog to disappear (permanently) versus our love for the dog. He chose to acknowledge the needs of his family over his own – no small feat for a six-year-old.

In our adult lives, we are often pulled by conflicting feelings: Our personal desires versus what is best for our family, our place of employment or our synagogue. As I thought about this, my mind was flooded with images of people who do put the welfare of the group before their own wishes:

There are those people who participate in medical clinical trials who may not benefit from the trial but who enter it in order to further development of drugs or treatments that might help others.

All of us have been on committees in which we were on the loosing side of a vote. We see people putting aside their preferences and working to make the group’s choice of idea or project work.

Closer to home, a new leader is selected to head a committee or to lead our synagogue. While we are not always perfect at BSKI, I have seen wonderful examples of great leaders supporting new leaders and encouraging others to do so. Margaret Israel vigorously supported Gary as he became our President; Marvin Beckerman wholeheartedly supported Tobi as she became the Social Action Chair. Not that Zella and I were great leaders, but you can bet that we will support to the hilt the new Mitzvah Day Co-chairs: Bev Fogelman and Cindy Payant. In fact, we’ll kiss the ground they walk on!

At the recent Melton Graduation, who should appear but Bea Sorkin – with flowers for all the BSKI graduates! Why? Because Bea thought BSKI should be represented, and she knew Rabbi Miller had a commitment he could not break. She did not have to do this. No other congregation sent anyone with flowers. But Bea cared more about BSKI than her personal need for a little down time, and did we ever appreciate her gesture.

Whether it is putting aside our personal desires for the enhancement of family, friends, co-workers, or our congregational family, we have the example of Moses: a lofty one to be sure. None of us is Moses; none of us is G-d, but the Torah shows us the behaviors of Moses and the attributes of
G-d. All of us can strive to emulate these behaviors and attributes for the good of our family, our friends, our community, and this wonderful congregation.

Amen

HOME