blogs/rabbi-huberman

One of the greatest misconceptions within Judaism is that you need a rabbi or a cantor to get by.

Don’t get me wrong. When it comes to lifecycle events — births, weddings, baby namings, bar and bat mitzvahs, funerals — or when the world around us seems surreal or unbearable, it’s always helpful to have a clergy member at your side. They help share the load. They provide comfort and support.

But really, when it comes down to it, on a day-to-day basis, why do we really need rabbis, cantors, sages or theologians to remind us how to live?

The Torah in some ways speaks to that in this week’s portion co-titled Nitzavim (“You stand this day…before God.”)

Indeed, the Torah — or for that matter, Judaism — is filled with complexities — so much so, that as the founder of JewBelong, Archie Gottesman, likes to put it, many of us spend too much time “Jewbarassed.”

Perhaps that’s true. As I shared last week, initially rabbis did not accompany our ancestors when they came to America during the late 19^th and early 20^th Centuries. We relied on our parents and grandparents to guide us. But, while they often knew “what to do,” they did not always share “why we do.”

Why, of all the “For Dummies” books published by Wiley Publications, does Judaism for Dummies remain a top seller?

Why would that be? We, as a people, are not dummies.

It is often said that Judaism is not a Biblical religion. Rather it is a rabbinical religion, based on the Torah as interpreted by our Sages. And often, these interpretations have succeeded in tying Judaism into more knots than the texts they are meant to untangle.

But this week, the Torah has some exceptional wisdom to share.

With all due respect to my fellow rabbis, and to extend profound and heartfelt gratitude to the wisdom of our ancient commentators and Sages — the Torah this week states:

“This instruction which I enjoin upon you this day is not too baffling for you, nor is it beyond reach.” (Deut. 30:11.)

What is the Torah trying to say? I believe it is attempting to teach that living a meaningful life need not be based on complex rituals and theological contortions, but rather on Derech Eretz — the right way to walk.

And, we all know how to walk.

Do we need to climb atop the highest mountain to attain enlightenment? “No,” says the Torah. The answers are not found in the heavens.

Must we swim across some great ocean to immerse ourselves in divine wisdom? Our tradition says "no."

Says the Torah: “Neither is it beyond the sea that you should say "Who among us can cross to the other side of the sea and get it for us…” (Deut. 30:13.)

Rather, the Torah says, “The thing is very close to you, in our mouth, and in your heart, to observe.”

Our tradition teaches that each of us possesses within a piece of God. It’s called Tzelem Elohim — a spark, or image, of God.

Is it helpful to have Judaism's collective wisdom to assist us in understanding, digesting and practicing our storied religion? Of course. We are members of an incredible nation of thinkers and doers, standing upon a 3,000 year tradition of discussion, debate and discourse.

But let’s talk day-by-day: Each one of us possesses the capacity to love. Each one of us knows when words that we’re not proud of exit our mouths. Each of us knows how much “soul trash” we carry day-in and day-out.

So, what do we do?

In part, every year, we allocate a 10-day period to consider what’s holding us back and what’s preventing us from embracing who we truly are. This includes resentments that we can’t let go of. It involves our instinct to criticize others, rather than focus on ourselves.

This week, the Torah reminds us that every day God places choices before us — between "life and death, blessing and curse.”

Concludes the Torah: “Choose life — if you and your offspring would live.” Deut: 30:19.

"Choose life."

On this, the 19^th Anniversary of 9/11, it may be helpful to ask ourselves whether we regularly embrace blessings or curses? Do we harbor hatred and revenge, or do we promote the greatest antidote to hatred — love.  

By embracing love, we build better families and communities — we build a better world. That is the collective mission of Judaism too often ignored.

By promoting love, we demonstrate to the world's haters, bigots and violent cowards that life and blessings are abundantly more powerful and enduring than death and curses.

I consider this week’s parashah to be the punchline of the Torah. In our practice of Judaism, is it significantly more important that whether we can read Hebrew fluently, or know the correct spelling for Chanukah. Does it really matter?

This week, the Torah teaches that living a meaningful life isn’t that complicated at all.

We know what is right and what is wrong, and, as the Shema prayer instills in us, we have a responsibility to instruct our children in how to be kind, caring and compassionate. In so doing, we help them “choose life.”

Rabbis and the great Sages can help guide us along the journey, but in reality, each of us understands how to pursue a meaningful life — one which is worthy of passing on to our children and grandchildren. For in many ways, our homes are Judaism's greatest places of learning.

The Torah has it right when it reminds us that the key to a good and meaningful life rests in our hearts. And each one of us knows it.

In the words of Moses, “It really isn’t that baffling at all.”

Shabbat Shalom, v’kol tuv.

Rabbi Irwin Huberman

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