Parshas Shoftim - Altar awareness

As I’ve observed, many of the seemingly arcane ritual practices delineated in the Torah for the Jewish people are predicated on some potent symbolism, which is readily apparent if we look for it. A case in point is the injunction: “Do not erect for yourself a matzeivah (an idolatrous pillar) which the Lord your God hates.” (Devarim 16:22). Rashi explains that the verse is prohibiting the use of a single pillar of stone as an altar for religious sacrifices. Altars may be constructed of many stones or of earth but not of one single large stone, since the latter was the practice of the pagan nations.

Rabbi Shmuel Bornstein, the rebbe of Sochaczev, Poland in the early 20^th century and author of the Torah commentary Shem MiShmuel, suggests that the multi stone pillar is preferred because it symbolizes that an individual needs a community to live a complete Jewish life. He points to a verse in Kings I as a proof text: “Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of tribes of the sons of Yaakov, to whom the word of God came, saying: “Yisrael shall be your name” He built from the stones an altar in the name of God …” (18:31). Rabbi Bornstein asserts that effective worship, in the form of animal sacrifice, can only be predicated on an implicit understanding of the importance of community.

We don’t use altars or offer animal sacrifices in our day. But an awareness of the vital importance of community is still essential to our worship of God, embodied both in the wording of our prayers (which are often phrased in plural language) and in the imperative to pray, whenever possible, with a minyan. What is not codified, however, and may present a challenge to us is to carry this awareness into the private thoughts and intimate personal appeals we articulate while we recite our prayers. The question we should ask ourselves: We gain so much from the presence of an active, vibrant, and supportive Jewish community. Do we regularly offer thanks for and pray for the health and success of that community?

VaYayshev - Holding Steady

A young Joseph relates one of his prophetic dreams to his eleven brothers: “Behold, we were binding sheaves in the midst of the field and lo, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and behold your sheaves came around it and bowed down to my sheaf.” (37:7). One of many questions that can be asked on this dream is – what is the significance of the fact that Yosef’s sheaf not only arose but “also stood upright”? Is there a distinct message in this added phrase?

Rabbi Shmuel Borenstein, a noted rabbi in Poland in the late nineteenth century/early twentieth century and author of the Biblical commentary Shem MiShmuel, took note of this seemingly superfluous phrase. He correlated it with a line in Psalms: “Who will go up to the mountain of God and who will stand in His holy place?” (24:3).  Rabbi Borenstein explained that both lines point to the idea that it is one thing to achieve a distinct level of spirituality, but it is another, deeper challenge to maintain that level of accomplishment. Human nature prompts us to constantly grow and change; it is no simple feat, then, to maintain a high level of religious devotion despite the changes we experience in age, attitude, ability, and interests. Joseph’s dream, then, hinted at one of his great strengths – his incredible constancy in spiritual conviction and in moral behavior, despite the vicissitudes he faced.

This insight on the verse has tremendous relevance for us all. In our marriages, as parents, in our professional lives, as devoted volunteers, in our spiritual lives, and in other spheres we may find that our concerted efforts and diligence yield moments of accomplishment. These achievements are indeed worth celebrating. But the greater challenge lies is insuring that our accomplishments remain constant and are not eroded by our human frailties.