Here is the speech that I gave this past Friday night here at our Hillel:
Shabbat shalom. Before I begin, I want to thank Rabbi Chaim Brovender and Rabbi Menachem Leibtag for the main ideas in this dvar Torah.
As I sadly attended my last real class yesterday, I found myself finally forced to confront the fact that I am actually graduating from this wonderful institution. I turned to our parsha for some insight into the experiences that I’ve had over the past four years. Parshat Kedoshim, the second of this week’s double-header parsha, opens (Vayikra 19:1):
Vayidaber hashem el moshe laymor. Daber el kol adat bnei yisrael v’amarta aleyhem ‘kdoshim tihyu ki kadosh ani hashem elokeichem.”
"And God spoke to Moshe saying, speak to kol adat Bnei Yisrael - to the entire congregation of Israel - And say to them ‘You shall be holy’ because I, your God, am Holy.”
It is unusual that Kedoshim starts “daber el kol adat bnei yisrael” instead of just “daber el bnei yisrael.” The extra phrase “kol adat” is only used two other times in the Torah when Moshe communicates God’s message to Bnei Yisrael.
What is distinctive about our parsha?
Rashi explains this unusual moment by elucidating,
מלמד שנאמרה פרשה זו בהקהל
“We learn from this that the parsha was said to the entire assembled nation.”
Later on in the Torah, in Devarim 31, we learn about the mitzvah of hakhel, which is when b’nei yisrael assembled every 7th year to listen to the king read from the Torah. Hakhel took place at the Beit HaMikdash on Sukkot in the year following shmita. The mitzvah is related with a number of verbs: yishma’u, yilamdu, v’shamru - As a nation, B’nei yisrael will listen to the Torah, learn how to do mitzvot even better, and then put those mitzvot into practice. Hakhel serves as a kind of chizzuk for Judaism, once every 7 years. It’s an opportunity to reaffirm the Torah together as a community. There is a certain power in the mitzvah of hakhel because the format of mass assembly is qualitatively, not just quantitatively, different than performing mitzvot as individuals. The fact that our parsha was said “b’hakhel” signals that this is a key parsha in the Torah.
Our parsha deserves this distinction because of the directive of “kdoshim tihiyu,” “you shall be holy,” that appears in Pasuk Bet. “Kdoshim tihiyu,” interpreted differently by various commentators, teaches us that we should sanctify the mundane and find ways to emulate God’s holiness by living our lives in the most halakhic, considerate, and ethical way possible. But it is only as a community that we can truly achieve this level of holiness. “Kdoshim tihiyu” is a directive that must be received and fulfilled by a community together.
Now, as a graduating senior, I would like to take a few moments to relate this idea to our community and to impart some “senior wisdom.” Over the past four years, I have continually come to Hillel as a place of community. It has given me a sense of belonging, and the people in this community have been friendly, welcoming faces in what can be a large, anonymous institution. At times, in the midst of the cultural relativism and nihilism that we’re left with at the end of CC and other philosophically challenging classes, Yavneh has been the place where I could go to find meaning. I have spent countless hours in this building discussing and debating ideas that I learned in class with fellow Hillel-goers and just hanging out with friends. I have come here to be challenged, and to challenge others in turn—but to always be accepted and be respectful of other views.
Virtually no one goes to university to seek out a community; they attend for individualistic goals of education and personal development. But for me, and I think for many people here, as well, the discovery of community became the most important part of this very individualistic period known as college, and that is something to take note of and celebrate.
Also, I have learned so much from the people in this place because of their dedication to the innumerable activities that go on in this building, on this campus, and in the surrounding neighborhood. I have such respect and admiration for my fellow classmates because of their dedication to their studies and their extra curriculars: from studying history to spending time in the Beit Midrash, and from tutoring local kids to planning community-wide events, everyone demonstrates an incredible amount of devotion and kedusha in whatever it is they do.
It is one thing, though, to be as welcoming and active as Hillel members are individually, but our real strength is doing these things as a community. Columbia has been an inspiring place, spiritually, intellectually, and emotionally. Everyone here has a true commitment to fulfilling “kdoshim tihiyu” by serving our own community as well as the broader New York community with love and care. This community truly exemplifies ‘kdoshim tihiyu’ – everyone here infuses this place with an intense level of holiness that uplifts the entire area surrounding us. I want to thank everyone here for giving me four memorable and invaluable years, and I want to wish the Yavneh community continued strength and inspiration for years to come.
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4 comments:
From Rachel Furst:
It is indeed a lovely tribute - you can convey my yishar koach to Mindy too.
Though perhaps less relevant to the Yavne community, the idea could also be taken one step further and thereby connected to this past week's Yom HaAtzmaut celebrations:
Why is it that the directive "kdoshim tihiyu" is best-fulfilled by a community - that "only as a community can we achieve this level of holiness"? Maybe behind the Torah's requirement to hear and accept the "kdoshim tihiyu" mission as a community is the suggestion that we are being charged to pursue a type of kedushah that is, in fact, attainable only as a community - i.e. the formation of a just, moral, ethical society. (And this in spite of the fact that most of the mitzvot which follow seem to be addressed to the individual). Certainly, individuals can act in ways that are "holy" and serve as small beacons of kedushah, but as individuals, they cannot create a sanctified society. (Which, as you and Mindy point out, is qualitatively different than a group of individuals).
I know that for me, one of the most compelling reasons to live in Israel is the opportunity it presents for contributing (in small, and maybe larger ways) to the creation and development of a society that reflects the moral, ethical, and Torah values I believe in and hope will make the world a better place - which is something that I would not be able to do or call my own to the same extent anywhere else. In spite of the goal set by some of the country's founders to be a "normal" (read: mundane, not holy) nation like every other one - and in spite of the endless examples we can all point to of this society's unfortunate failings in the kedushah department - I still believe that this is a land of opportunity so far as the fulfillment of "kedoshim tihiyu" is concerned.
And I'd like to think that that challenge was the motivating force behind many of the discussions we've had this past week - from the creation of bike lanes, to the punishment of driving violations, to the national discourse concerning the life and death of soldiers and terror victims :)
Dodi responds to Rachel, as the convo heats up:
I think Mindy did a great job.
Rachel, Thanks for the thoughtful comments, which I'm sharing with Mindy, who deserves much credit for crafting such a lovely valedictory address. I'll invite you to paste your comments as one long comment post to Mindy's speech on our our blog.
Your idea is appropriate for the Zionist season, and you make a nice drasha point. But even if the task of contributing to the country -- the mission to realize those opportunities for communal sanctity you describe -- is arguably the primary calling of any Jew living today, I would contest your characterization of Israel as a place where such contributions are easily made. In fact, I'd argue that it's more difficult to make a social impact in Israel than in most countries, esp those in the first-world, aka the West. There are so many obstacles here quashing good intentions that I'd argue it's a place where it's particularly difficult to make any mark, unless you are a soldier or terror victim tragically killed. There has to be a better way of showing dedication to the country other than dying for it, but in the regnant Israeli ethos, the society still hasn't thought of one yet.
Thanks for sharing my dvar, D!
I like how Rachel expands the idea of community to the entire society. I like how she explains the sentiment of belonging to something greater and more meaningful.
It kind of reminds me of Heschel's quote abt Israel (Beruria just sent this to me):
"Israel is a personal challenge, a personal religious issue. It is a call to every one of us as an individual, a call which one cannot answer vicariously... The ultimate meaning of the State of Israel must be seen in terms of the vision of the prophets: the redemption of all... The religious duty of the Jew is to participate in the process of continuous redemption, in seeing that justice prevails over power, that awareness of God penetrates human understanding."
While Heschel focuses on the individual's role, he still calls for the creation of a just society, which by definition requires interaction with other people.
And Dodi, I think that your pessimism, while unfortunate, rings true for the most part. But I believe that times are a-changing in Israel, and people appreciate social contribution and change more than before. Hopefully one day, the Israeli ethos as a whole will be able to appreciate other types of dedication to society.
me: Mindy wants to know:
Rachel can't think of proof in israel that the society appreciates sacrifices to society besides death?
9:49 PM Rachel: (i am confused - was that supposed to be me commenting or was that supposed to elicit a response from me?)
me: we have to put yr "official" response on our blog. it's out first "intellectual" debate on the blog, which we started only last year
9:50 PM Mindy: hahah
me: this and the random person who commented on the yankee stadium closing
Mindy: yeah we have to raise the level of our blog so that it fulfills "kdoshim tihiyu"
Rachel: i am honored
Mindy: right now it is still in the realm of the mundane
9:51 PM Rachel: well maybe the siren video is a start :)
Mindy: yes i think so
me: mindy's taken a middle tack: agrees with my pessimism for now, but agrees with you that things looking better for an israeli future
Rachel: (did you post that? i don't see it yet)
9:52 PM Mindy: yeah i posted that just now
9:53 PM but i think that there are examples of israel becoming a more empathetic society. there are lots of examples of social justice now - b'maaglei tzedek, jewish hearts for africa
(is that what its called?)
9:54 PM me: Save a Child's Heart?
Mindy: ah yes
Rachel: well, dyonna sitting right beside me says: the fact that the society here is so challenging - geopolitical arena, existential threats, overwhelming immigration, religious/ethnic divides makes this an excellent laboratory for social change
9:55 PM it's easy to create a more just society in places that have more things in their favor - but for people who really care about justice and morality, it's more of a challenge to try here
me: pls have dyonna post, too :(
:)
9:56 PM Rachel: why (says dyonna) live an ordinary life if you can live an extraordinary one?
me: we are happy to be the beta development site for the B'maaglei Blog
9:57 PM Mindy: yes so there's more to do in israel, arguably (tho there is desperate poverty the world over), but there are political issues that maybe stop people from being able to create a more just society?
me: That is an ideal argument. There is no shortage of reasons to structure one's life along a maximally altruistic orientation. From Kant to pirkei avot to contemporary social engineering, we can come up with any number of arguments for living a life well that makes other lives better.
9:59 PM But the point is whether Israeli society is currently organized to make that more or less possible relative to other societies with similar principles of democracy, social justice, and similar scourges of economic disparity, etc. Of course, no one has the existential dread we have, but that seems to be the excuse for all Israeli ills.
10:00 PM Mindy: right so b/c there could be a pigua any second, ppl shouldn't care abt the environment, or abt underprivileged children
10:02 PM Rachel: ok - a number of things to respond to here - yeah, sure there are lots of ills around the world - but our (my?) particular link is to this society and hence that is the most immediately compelling challenge
10:06 PM re: the factors mitigating against social change (existential threats, etc) - my/dyonna's point was not that they should be used as excuses for not implementing change, but simply that they make the execution of "kedoshim tihiyu" that much more challenging (and thus an even more compelling charge)
10:07 PM me: but the primary challenges to social change or positive reform do not stem from the existential threat, the weather, the geography, the neighbors or any of that. they stem from how damn difficult the ruling population is!
10:09 PM Rachel: ok - but as we discussed, why has the population developed the characteristics, attitudes, behavioral patterns, it has? (and I'm not looking to make any excuses for anyone)
10:11 PM (and anyway - when was the last time you tried dealing with government bereaucrats in the US? not an easy feat either, as I can attest after simply trying to get a stolen soc security card re-issued)
10:12 PM me: ahem, as h.s. seniors mindy and joe both organized group trips to DC (USHMM and Capitol) for members of every h.s. in their area in partnership with our local House rep
Rachel: (ha - i knew that would get a response :)
10:13 PM Mindy: haha yes i would argue that the american govt is immeasurably easier to deal with...you can actually get stuff done
me: moreover, i'm pretty confident if i wanted to get my local public school refurbished with privately-donated funds, i'd have little trouble doing that in the states. in israel, it's impossible
10:14 PM Rachel: ah, but it's so much more fun arguing with the israelis
Mindy: i think that the whole bureaucratic system in israel is part of this whole issue of blaming everything on the extentuating circumstances of existential threat
actually, i dont really know why its so terrible
10:15 PM me: agnon wrote a satirical story toward the end of his life abt a valiant individual citizen who found a way to end a terrible drought threatening the country. the powers that be united, for once, against him and built a covering the entire country lest a single unauthorized drop fall on the soil. how dare one puny citizen circumvent the process?!
agnon, mid 60s, i think
10:16 PM so, it comes down to the existential threat. for tomorrow we may be swimming by cyprus. and therefore we must be ruthless and craven and petty. and nothing changes.
10:17 PM Rachel: well, that simply supports the original point, that an individual cannot create a better society - hence "kedoshim" an imperative directed at the collective
me: well done, R!
Mindy: haha touche!
10:18 PM me: and with that, i will let you two either continue or desist
next time i want dyonna and BSS participating too
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