Parshat Vaera - 5780 - "Carry a Big Stick"

Parshat Vaera – 5780

Rabbi Shaanan Gelman and Rabbi Ariel Rackovsky

“Carry a Big Stick”

I’d like to pose a question to you with profound ethical, halachic and even legal ramifications. Is thinking about doing something tantamount to doing it? In the halachic realm, this question is discussed in numerous contexts, but the first time it ever appears can be found in Tractate Berachos (20b) in Thursday’s Daf Yomi, in discussing the laws of the Shema. If I think about the words of the Shema- what the Talmud refers to as hirhur- have I fulfilled my obligation to recite it?

Or consider a sordid example, described by Rabbi David Bashevkin in the third chapter of his excellent work “Sin*a*gogue: Sin and Failure in Jewish Thought.^[1]” Gilberto Valle, a NY area police officer, was a man possessed by sick thoughts. Acting upon her suspicions, his wife installed spyware on his computer, which revealed that he had embarked upon a plan to commit several unspeakable crimes. If that weren’t enough, his wife was doubly horrified to learn she was one of the intended victims. The multiyear court case that ensued centered on this very issue. Initially, he was indicted on five counts of conspiracy to commit kidnapping, yet at his trial, Mr. Valle insisted that these were mere thoughts and fantasies, and nothing more. In 2013, he was convicted, but that conviction was overturned a year later, a ruling that was upheld in 2015 by the United States Court of Appeals.

While these illustrations serve as a springboard for an intricate halachic or  legal discussion, the philosophical groundwork is laid by the Midrash, when describing the origin story of Moshe’s ever-present staff.  This is the staff he holds at every pivotal moment in his career. He holds it when he demonstrates God’s might before Pharaoh and his magicians; he holds it while summoning the horrible plagues visited upon the Egyptians; he holds it while parting the roiling waters of the Yam Suf and he holds it prior to striking the rock. The Pirkei de Rabbi Eliezer adds a little more color to this already magical artifact:

ר' לוי אומר, אותו המטה שנברא בין השמשות נמסר לאדם הראשון מגן עדן, ואדם מסרו לחנוך, וחנוך מסרו לנח, ונח לשם, ושם מסרו לאברהם, ואברהם ליצחק, ויצחק ליעקב, ויעקב הוריד אותו למצרים, ומסרו ליוסף בנו. כשמת יוסף ושללו ביתו, נתנה בפלטרין של פרעה, והיה יתרו אחד מחרטומי מצרים, וראה את המטה ואת האותות אשר עליו, וחמד אותו בלבו, ולקחו והביאו ונטעו בתוך הגן של ביתו ולא היה אדם יכול לקרב אליו עוד

Rabbi Levi said: That rod which was created in the twilight was delivered to the first man out of the garden of Eden. Adam delivered it to Enoch, and Enoch delivered it to Noah, and Noah [handed it on] to Shem. Shem passed it on to Abraham, Abraham [transmitted it] to Isaac, and Isaac [gave it over] to Jacob, and Jacob brought it down into Egypt and passed it on to his son Joseph, and when Joseph died and they pillaged his household goods, it was placed in the palace of Pharaoh. And Jethro was one of the magicians of Egypt, and he saw the rod and the letters which were upon it, and he desired in his heart (to have it), and he took it and brought it, and planted it in the midst of the garden of his house. No one was able to approach it any more.

כשבא משה לתוך ביתו, נכנס לגן ביתו של יתרו וראה את המטה וקרא את האותות אשר עליו ושלף ידו ולקחו וראה יתרו למשה ואמר זה עתיד לגאול את ישראל ממצרים לפיכך נתן לו את צפורה בתו לאשה, שנ' ויואל משה לשבת את האיש.

When Moses came to his house, he went into the garden of Jethro's house, and saw the rod and read the letters which were upon it, and he put forth his hand and took it. Jethro watched Moses and said: This one in the future will redeem Israel from Egypt. Therefore, he gave him Zipporah his daughter to wife, as it is said, "And Moses was content to dwell with the man; and he gave Moses Zipporah, his daughter" (Ex. 2:21).

Some four to five hundred years before the first legend appeared in which King Arthur dislodged Excalibur from that unyielding stone, the Midrash describes a staff that was immovable, and that no one could even approach. Like the Arthurian legend, it seems as if only a most worthy and valorous individual merits to handle the legendary weapon. But a closer reading of the Midrash reveals that this is not so. Moshe simply did what any of us could do. He was not necessarily stronger, wiser or more virtuous. What sets Moshe apart from the rest is that he didn’t just see the staff and its potential; he reached for it. The staff didn't choose him- he chose the staff. 

וראה את המטה וקרא את האותות אשר עליו ושלף ידו ולקחו

The Midrash continues that when Yitro saw that Moshe had taken the staff, he offered Moshe his daughter in marriage.

No doubt this attribute impressed him deeply, as well it should, because Moshe’s proactivity meant he would likely be excellent husband material. In fact, this trait becomes his trademark.  When the Jews prepare to leave Egypt and everyone frantically rushes to grab all the gold and silver they could, Moshe took the bones of Yosef, fulfilling the promise of long standing. Rashi cites a verse in Mishlei, referring to Moshe as a “person of wise heart who takes mitzvot”.

חֲכַם־לֵ֭ב יִקַּ֣ח מִצְוֺ֑ת וֶאֱוִ֥יל שְׂ֝פָתַ֗יִם יִלָּבֵֽט׃

He whose heart is wise accepts commands, but he whose speech is foolish comes to grief.

Using the latter half of the same verse, the Ralbag offers an important life lesson

 רלב"ג

הנה אויל יקרא מי שלא ינהג בבקשת הדברים בסבותיהם ולזה תסלף דרכו אולתו ולא יגיעו לו מבוקשיו, ולזאת הסבה ג"כ ימהר האויל לדבר בטרם יעמוד בשכלו על האמת והנכון במה שידבר בו, ומפני זה יקרא האויל "אויל שפתים". ואמנם "חכם לב יקח" לעצמו "מצות" וסדרים יתנהג במה שירצה לעשותו כדי שיתישר אל התכלית, ואמנם "אויל שפתים" הוא נמהר לעשות מחשבתו, ויעשה מה שיעשה בזולת התישבות

Who is a person of foolish speech? It is someone who knows what to do to achieve his objectives, yet gets stuck at the pre-contemplative stage of idle thoughts and empty speech. Such a person is a fool whose ideas will never materialize, and will experience the grief of un-actualized potential. All of us know how to read the signs; we are great at knowing what to do, or at least claiming we do, but have difficulty with the execution. How many times have we said to ourselves about a new person in the community, or to others to whom we feel obligated, “We have to have you over”? If we think about it, this phrase is empty at best, and more likely hurtful. One does not actually have to have anyone over at all! If we wanted to have them over, we would have done so already or taken concrete steps by extending an actual invitation. With this phrase, I am trying to quiet my conscience while making the other person feel like an obligation.  This is not a חכם לב- it is a heart without wisdom.

Another, similar area is when we offer “If you need anything, please let me know. I’m here for you.” In November of 2018, a young mother and teacher from Boca Raton named Mrs. Dannie Grajower passed away. By all accounts, she was a vivacious, outgoing, caring woman who was dedicated to her family, her students and her community, and her passing left a gaping void. A few months later, her husband, Rabbi Josh Grajower, penned an article in the Times of Israel with some advice for people who wish to be helpful in difficult situations.

Be specific and (reasonably) persistent. Instead of asking “Do you need me to do anything?” go with, “I am in Costco, do you need anything from here?” Instead of, “Can I be helpful with your kids?”...consider swapping, “Can I bring dinner one night this week?” with, “I am bringing over hot dogs and hamburgers Tuesday night. Let me know if that works.^[2]”

Beyond the performance of acts of chesed, when it comes to the spiritual realm - we ought to focus more on the materializing our thoughts into deeds -

Instead of acknowledging that you should pick up a sefer or start a learning project, just pick up the sefer!  We need more singing and kavana in davening?  Just do it!

Anyone can assess needs. Only a Moshe does something about it.  Our world has its fair share of virtue signalers, armchair moralists, authorities on all matters, and Instagram warriors…

Tomorrow, January 26th, will mark the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. Our children are taught the importance of being upstanders who see injustice and correct it, and stick up for those who cannot advocate for themselves.  This is one of the lasting legacies of the holocaust. Being an upstander means seeing injustice and doing something about it, not remarking “oh that’s terrible” and subsequently moving on with your day. As Edmunde Burke famously stated “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.”^[3]

It seems strange that an ordinary stick, the מטה משה can play such a pivotal role in the redemption of our people,  but maybe that’s just it...it's so ordinary, so easy to make a difference, you just have to stop thinking about it, and be willing to take hold of it. 

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^[1] P.27. See also https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilberto_Valle

^[2] https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/theres-always-something-you-can-do/

^[3] See this recent Op-Ed in the NYT for a slightly different take https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/21/opinion/auschwitz-bystander-theory.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_200122?campaign_id=2&instance_id=15299&segment_id=20532&user_id=020f476d40d6b0b7d246ccf2d51073c1&regi_id=411033390122