We see a very interesting lesson in this week’s parsha in regards to HAKARAT HATOV, appreciating what one does for you. The Torah demonstrates this concept to a large extent by showing Moshe’s sensitivities to inanimate objects:
1) Moshe does not strike the Nile river with his staff to bring on the first plague of blood, but designates his brother Aharon to do so. The basket with baby Moshe was placed in the Nile. The waters helped conceal the newborn preventing the Egyptian monsters from killing him.
2) The pattern continues; Moshe does not hit the ground initiating the plague of Keenim-gnats (3rd) because the ground helped him conceal the Egyptian guard that he killed protecting a fellow Jew. Again, his brother Aharon hit the ground instead.
Why would I hit something that has done me good? This was Moshe rational. We deduce from Moshe’s actions, being so caring toward inanimate objects, that one should be even more sensitive to people who have done something good for them.
Many years ago my family had some real estate which we rented out. One of our tenants was a new immigrant from Russia. I was very impressed with his awareness and appreciation of how the United States government initially helped him. Now he’s a homeowner himself; but the initial grateful response of how this country helped him and his family stand on their own two feet will always be embedded in my mind.
Even though the Mitzrim enslaved us, our ancestors, we can’t shun their offspring totally because they housed us during famine. Even more so, for an amazing host like America that not only takes care of our physical needs but also enables our religious institutions, making it easier to practice and enhance our Torah education.
The constitution, with its Bill of Rights containing freedom of religion, speech and expression is enormous; it gives us the opportunity to grow as Jews in every sense of the word. In turn, we have to appreciate these privileges by giving respect to its institutions like democracy, voting etc. It includes patriotism and even fighting and dying for it. It certainly includes keeping its laws.
However there are those that take advantage of the goodness of others and, believe it or not, steal from the same programs that are meant to provide help.
It says in last week’s parsha: A new king arose who did not know of Yosef. This is implying that Pharoah didn’t appreciate all that Yosef did for Egypt. Not only did he single-handedly save them from famine, Egypt became an epicenter for distribution of food. All this was initiated by a Jew, Joseph.
However, hakarat hatov – appreciating what one does for you – a very important human trait which one most definitely should possess was not found in Pharoah. This flaw led to the demise of Egypt. As punishment they were never acknowledged as a super power again.
If one remembers we had mentioned an incredible story that happened in our Jewish history. Yeosh was hidden as a toddler after the wicked queen killed off the entire house of David. We know from basic Jewish knowledge that the monarch has to come from David ben Ishai’s offspring’s. When the time was right, Yehoyada, the high priest, organized a coup and killed the queen. He then put the seven year old Yeosh in power. Under the guidance and nurturing of Yehoyada, Yeosh blossomed as king. He actually became a very good one. However after the death of Yehoyada, Yeosh began to be influenced in a bad way. What started as a very heartwarming story turned sour and ended up being a case of one of the greatest fundamental lack of human character ever. Yeosh, paranoid that he would lose power, killed off the then high priest, who happened to be the son of Yehoyada!! Where is the hakarat hatov- appreciation of what one does for you!! You kill from the hand that has fed you, taught you, nourished you; kept you alive. Where is the gratitude?!
Our patient G-d draws measure for measure. At times one is able to see this. After some time Yeosh was assassinated by people from Amon and Moav.
What is the significance of Amon and Moav? The Torah says if an individual comes from Amon and Moav, and wants to convert, we are forbidden to take him in. The reason for this is when the Jews were in the dessert Amon and Moav did not allow them to pass through or even give them any food. A tremendous flaw in common decency considering our ancestor and forefather Avraham raised, housed, protected and even put his life on the line for their ancestor Lot. Where is the appreciation?
We don’t want that kind of character flaw in our congregation. We have to be very grateful we’re living in these circumstances in this great big country called USA. One inevitably has to ask a question: If we have it so good, freedom this and freedom that, then why is this beautiful time called the GALUT-diaspora?
Hey man, this is it! REDEMPTION!!
In these parshiot of the slavery and the redemption out of Egypt, we learn a very significant lesson on how we should conduct ourselves. As the pasuk says, METZUYANIM SHAM – they stood out there. They were purposely different. This is by design. The bracha living in such a country is the fact that the non-Jews let us be who we are and this is who we are suppose to be. They give us that KAVOD and we in turn show the greatest of appreciation. However the bracha is not to act like non-Jews. That was not the initiative of G-d.
Being a Jew first doesn’t mean not having utmost respect for USA. The difference is Judaism is a life identification. It’s stronger. When the prophet Yonah was asked who are you? Where do you come from? What do you do? He had one answer. IVRI anochi-I, am a Jew. That’s my essence, nothing else.
There is a little story that’s a teaser and has been circulated in every diaspora in our history. A man comes home from shul and informs his wife. “Pack our bags the Mashiach is coming, we’re going to the promised land”. She retorts “What are we going to do with the farm”. He answers back ” We are Jews, so we have to go through another TZARA-ordeal.”
If we look at that opportunity as an ordeal then we are too comfortable where we are.
Trust me it’s quite difficult to forgo a lifestyle and a culture and to move. A friend moved to Israel many years ago; it took him 9 years to get used to Israel after being born and bred in New York. There was a snowy blanket covering Jerusalem recently. I saw a picture via Facebook of my friend playing and building a snowman in the streets of the holy city. He’s 51 years old !! It reminds me, and I’m sure him, of us playing as kids in the streets of Queens. I’m sure he remembers how it was at night in Queens with the reflection of the snow and the addition of the decorative, sharp, bright color lights of the non-Jewish holiday, as well as the Chanukah menorah illuminating the sky. This was an unforgettable moment of our cultural past.
Snowman at the Kotel
After spending an entire summer in Tel Aviv when I was 8 years old, I got so homesick for pizza that no one, not my grandparents or cousins could console me. One of my relatives even went clear across town on his little moped (remember them) to find this foreign food. No one ever heard of pizza then. Boy has time changed.
The first thing which reminds me of spring is matzah and cream cheese and the cracking sound of a baseball bat hitting a ball and the smell of a leather baseball glove. It’s hard not to get sucked into the emotional aspect of a culture.
Perhaps one can put things in perspective with a very significant symbolic occurrence in last week’s parsha pertaining to the burning bush. If one reads the pasuk carefully one realizes the bush was not in the midst of the fire. (Shemot 3:2) The fire appeared within the bush. Moshe saw the fire within the bush. We also see in the last parsha of the Torah, VEZOT HABRACHA, where Yosef’s blessing is referring to this very incident of Moshe’s first encounter with G-d and the bush.
There is a incredible explanation from Rabbi Oelbaum pertaining to the burning bush phenomena which can be understood better with a famous story. The Romans were afraid to enter the Kodesh HaKokoshim – the holy of holies – after conquering our holy Temple. So they said “Whoever will volunteer to enter can take whatever he wants for himself.” The rebellious Jew Yosef Mishteh said defiantly “I will”. He proceeded to take out the beautiful golden menorah only to be taken away by the Romans. “This is to beautiful for a Jewish commoner. This should be given to the Emperor instead. We’ll let you go in again and take out whatever you want. However this time he refused. I will not desecrate my G-d a second time ” he said. Even after they threatened death he still refused. They executed him. The question the Sages asked what transpired within the period of time between the first time he went in and the second? Why the sudden change of heart? Why did he now care about his creator when before he didn’t?
The burning bush, which is the first thing G-d introduced to Moshe, represents that each Jew has a fire within him that is waiting to come out. Yosef was blessed for the fact that he maintained that fire throughout his lonely diaspora. Fire begets fire; when Yosef Mishteh walked into the Kodesh hakadoshim he was enamored by the majestic holiness of the place. That brought out the fire within him. It’s a fire we all have and protects us from the emotional aspect that connects us to the seductive diaspora.
We have to put things in perspective. It’s our duty as Jews and Halacha from the Torah to abide by the laws of the land, and most important, appreciate the United States of America; appreciate what circumstance G-d has put us in, that we can practice our religion; we should take advantage of our freedom. We should be who we are and what we are supposed to be.
