What an Honor...

I'm honored to have been mentioned in a blog posting by my mentor and friend, Rabbi Paul Kipnes, Rabbi of Congregation Or Ami in Calabasas, CA. I served as Rabbinic Intern for Rabbi Kipnes for two years (while a rabbinical student at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, Los Angeles Campus): 2002-2003 and 2007-2008. I recently wrote the following in celebration of Congregation Or Ami's "Bar Mitzvah" (their thirteenth year) Celebration:

A photo and a memory: Rabbi Kipnes and I, draped in our tallitot, Torah Commentary in our hands, following verse by verse, as the week's portion was chanted aloud on Shabbat. This scene plays itself out in countless synagogues — but what has made Or Ami, and my internship, different? One hebrew word with many meanings: ruach [רוּחַ]. Commonly translated as wind, soul, spirit, or breath, it also conveys intellect, passion, direction, and courage. As an intern over two years (2002-2003 and 2007-2008), you and your families, Rabbi Kipnes and Cantor Cotler, you nourished my soul, stimulated my intellect, strengthened my direction, and renewed my courage. I was given opportunities to teach every age, lead services, and deliver sermons. I studied under the careful, supportive, and exacting tutelage of Rabbi Kipnes. I say to you, Or Ami, what a child says to a parent, "If it weren't for you, there would be no 'me.'" A photo and a memory. One hebrew word with many meanings. One synagogue, with many defintions. Congregation Or Ami, thank you.

"They Don't Really Need Me...They Need What I Do"

Religion demands of us both courage and humility: a recognition of who we have yet to become is married to the hope, promise, and challenge that a refinement of oneself is both possible and necessary. 


And what is true humility? Rabbi David Wolpe, in his new book, Why Faith Matters, recounts his wife explaining just this to him, as a young rabbi overwhelmed and intimidated by his first "deathbed" visit. 

Rabbi David Wolpe, Why Faith Matters (2009), pg. 111:

That night I came home and my wife asked me how it went. I told her I felt like a fraud, that I had an overwhelming sense that I was not up to shepherding a soul in its final moments on earth. Who am I to do this? I felt unworthy. ‘You are right,’ she said. ‘You are unworthy. Anyone would be unworthy. But it is OK, because you are not doing it. It is being done through you.'

A similarly powerful sentiment is articulated by Bruce Springsteen, in which he recounts life after 9/11, and his experience with Americans' need for him to return to the music scene as both a source of artistic strength and a conduit of collective sentiment.

Bruce Springsteen, Rolling Stone Interview, 10/14/2004:

Interviewer: So you feel the call from your heart?

Springsteen: Yeah, I can hear the bells chiming. I’ve had a long life with my audience. I always tell the story about the guy with “The Rising”: “Hey, Bruce, we need you!” he yelled at me through the car window. That’s about the size of it: You get a few letters that say, “Hey, man, we need you.” You bump into some people at a club and you say, “Hey, man, what’s going on?” And they go, “Hey, we need you.” Yeah, they don’t really need me, but I’m proud if they need what I do. That’s what my band is. That’s what we were built for.

Humility, expertly explained by a rabbi's wife and a guy named Bruce.

You can read the full text of the Springsteen interview here:

"Bruce Springsteen Talks About His Conscience..."

---

[Wenner, Jann S.  “Bruce Springsteen Talks about His Conscience and the Nature of an Artist and His Audience.” Rolling Stone. 14 Oct 2004. 26 Dec 2009. http://www.jannswenner.com/Archives/Been_Misled.aspx ]

Months, Weeks, Days to Live

One of this week's most emailed New York Times article is "Hard Choice for a Comfortable Death: Sedation," which chronicles and details some of the issues encountered by Hospice caregivers, patients, and their loved ones: how does, or can, one die peacefully, comfortably, free from pain, torment, and discomfort - safely, effectively, ethically, and legally?

This question is a familiar one to those of us in the field of Palliative Care. As a Rabbi, Spiritual Counselor, and Spiritual Care Coordinator of The Skirball Hospice, I experience these very questions, every day, with virtually every patient and family. It is, of course, far from easy, with a seemingly unending list of variables and facets. But there remain constants: our primary goal is to keep our patient as pain-free, comfortable, and as safe as possible. One must also remember that our unit of care is not just our patient - we are meant to care for the patient's family, loved ones, and friends.

As a program of the Los Angeles Jewish Home for the Aging, we are Los Angeles' only Jewish Hospice, and our Spiritual Counselors specialize in in facing these issues, and more, from a Jewish perspective. (We, of course, treat patients of every religion, race, and nationality.)

As I previously posted in "All It Takes Is One," human life is of absolute primacy in the Jewish Tradition. Judaism insists that we endeavor to cure with the patient's well-being as our goal, and, traditionally, forbids the hastening of death. At the very same time, we must not prolong the dying process. The codified compendium of Jewish Law, The Shulkhan Arukh, states that, "One in a dying condition is considered living in all respects.” We call this patient, who is typically within 72 hours of death, a Goses (גּוֹסֵס), one who is moribund, unable to swallow; his life is like "a flickering candle." (A Goses exists in a state of gessisah.)  It is forbidden to treat the Goses as if he is already dead. It is forbidden to actively hasten his death, as he is alive and this would be considered murder. However, according to Rabbi Isserless’ (16th c., The Rema) gloss on this religious law (his gloss elucidates Ashkenazic Jewish Practice, as it differs from Sephardic custom), it is permissible to remove that which is hindering his death. In the words and time of the text:

It is forbidden to do anything to hasten the death of one who is in a dying condition... If, however, there is something that causes a delay in his death, for example, a nearby woodchopper making noise; or if there is salt on his tongue - and these prevent his speedy death [lit: "delay the soul's leaving the body"] - then one can remove them, because this does not involve any action at all, but rather, is only the removal of the preventative obstacle (to death). [Author's emphasis] [S.A., Y.D. 339:1-2] [Transl. Elliot Dorff, Matters of Life and Death, JPS: Philadelphia (2003) p.199 and Louis E. Newman, "Woodchoppers and Respirators: The Problem of Interpretation in Contemporary Jewish Ethics," Contemporary Jewish Ethics and Morality, A Reader. Oxford University Press: new York (1995. p. 145]

We've been introduced to the legalistic response to impending death. What of the narrative response? We might to turn to the Talmudic tale of "Rabbi Judah's Handmaid:"

On the day that Rabbi Judah [Rabbi Judah Ha Nasi, 2nd C. CE, editor and redactor of The Mishna, the foundational rabbinic text] was dying, the rabbis [his peers and students].... offered a prayer for heavenly mercy [so he would not die]. Rabbi Judah's handmaid, instead, went up to the roof, and prayed [so that he would die]. The rabbis below kept on with their prayers that he might continue to live. From the roof, she took a jar and threw it to the ground below, interrupting their prayers. As they stopped their praying, Rabbi Judah died. [Transl. based upon Louis E. Newman, "Woodchoppers and Respirators: The Problem of Interpretation in Contemporary Jewish Ethics," Contemporary Jewish Ethics and Morality, A Reader. Oxford University Press: new York (1995. p. 141-142.]

The above story was interpreted by Rabbeinu Nissim (11th c. CE), as meaning:

Sometimes one must request mercy on behalf of the ill so that he might die, as in the case of a patient who is terminal and who is in great pain. [Commentary to BT Nedarim 40a; Transl. based upon Louis E. Newman, "Woodchoppers and Respirators: The Problem of Interpretation in Contemporary Jewish Ethics," Contemporary Jewish Ethics and Morality, A Reader. Oxford University Press: new York (1995. p. 142.]

If we return to how we started, with, "Hard Choice for a Comfortable Death: Sedation," we read the words of Dr. Edward Halbridge, a Hospice Medical Director, who states: 

“Do I consider myself a Dr. Death who is bumping people off on a regular basis?... I don’t think so. In my own head I’ve sort of come to the realization that these people deserve to pass comfortably.”

And so we see, in this extremely abbreviated form, Jewish Tradition's different responses to death and dying: As pertaining to Halakha, or Jewish Law, which relies on precedents and analog; theory and general principles; moral intuition, conscience and specific decisions; and the larger societal, and medical influences. [See Aaron L. Mackler, "Cases and Principles in Jewish Bioethics: Toward a Holistic Model," Contemporary Jewish Ethics and Morality, A Reader. Oxford University Press: new York (1995. p. 177-193.]


Now what? Prepare yourself. Visit the following sites for valuable resources:
Create Your Advance Directive
Download a Legal Guide for the Seriously Ill
"End-of-Life: Jewish Perspectives," by Rabbi Elliot N. Dorff, PhD
National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization
The Hospice Foundation of America

All It Takes Is One

As we're all aware, a terrorist attack was attempted on Christmas Day, aboard Northwest Airlines Flight 253, in route from Amsterdam to Detroit. “Without any hesitation," says Jasper Schuringa, a Dutch film director who was seated in the same row as the terrorist, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab: 

"I just jumped over all the seats. I was thinking, Oh, he’s trying to blow up the plane. I was trying to search his body for any explosive. I took some kind of object that was already melting and smoking, and I tried to put out the fire and when I did that I was also restraining the suspect.”

All it took was one: one brave soul to risk not just injury, but his very life. All it took was one. And another. And another - for Mr. Schuringa was "aided by other passengers." We can't help but be reminded of September 11, 2001 and United Flight 93, whose passengers learned, while in the air, about that day's hijacked airplanes. It was their bravery, their rising up in the face of certain danger and death, which prevented terrorists from destroying yet another building that terrible day.

In Judaism, there is nothing as precious as human life. Human life is kadosh kedoshim, the holiest of all that is holy. Genesis' text tells us that, in the beginning, only one human being was created. Adam, then, constituted the whole of humanity. The Ancient Rabbis (200 CE - 500 CE) wondered why only one human was created first - and not many more. In the great anthology of rabbinic wisdom, The Talmud, the rabbis conclude that our account of creation intends to teach us that one person's life is considered to be as infinitely valuable as an entire world's population, for only one person was the world's entire population. 

"Tradition glorifies whoever saves a single soul, for it is as if he has saved an entire world." [Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Sanhedrin 37a]

This is reflected within the daily, lived life of Jewish Tradition through the ancient directive of פִּיקּוּחַ נֶפֶשׁ, pikuach nefesh. Meaning "saving a human life (literally: regard for human life);" it is based on the biblical commandment, "‏";לֹא  תַעֲמֹד  עַל־דַּם  רֵעֶךָ "You shall not stand idly by your neighbor's blood" [or, "as your neighbor bleeds,"] (Lev. 19:16). Jewish Tradition insists that one go to incredibly great lengths to save another's life; overriding almost every commandment. We are obligated to act to save another's life. (Pikuach nefesh also serves as the groundwork for the Tradition's direction to donate one's organs, a subject I will discuss in a forthcoming posting.)

 Naturally there is no qualifier on whose life is in danger: any age, any religion, any race - anyone. Anyone. Any one.

I wonder if I would have the courage to do what this one man did. But his having done it reassures me that anyone, any one person, can be - and in fact, is - capable of such greatness, capable of living up to that which Jewish Tradition demands of us. Even when you least expect it of yourself.

Read the story here:

Passengers’ Quick Action Halted Attack

[For more introductory information on Pikuach Nefesh, visit THE ENCYCLOPAEDIA JUDAICA, Second Edition, Volume 16, pages 152-153.]

(Religious) State of the Union

From the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, a highly-respected polling organization, comes these new statistics.

The poll... found that nearly half of the public, 49 percent, report having a "Religious or mystical experience… a spiritual awakening." That's up from 22 percent in 1962.... And 29 percent of Americans say they've felt in touch with someone who died -- that's up from 18 percent in 1996.

The poll went on to find that, "nearly six in 10 Americans from all religions blend their faith with New Age and Eastern beliefs, and....yoga." It's comforting to know that, from the perspective of Jewish Tradition: "More than one path leads to the top of Mt. Sinai."


You can read the article here:
Americans and Faith

Elie Wiesel Continues to Inspire

Elie Wiesel, noted author, human-rights advocate, and Holocaust Survivor, isn't "bitter" about loosing millions (of his charitable foundation's money, as well as his own) to Bernard Madoff's far-reaching and devastating Ponzi scheme. He says:

"I decided I will not to let anyone destroy what I have done with my life ... I am not bitter."

Incredible.  The man has faced - and faces - loss of all types and magnitudes with humility, determination, and courage. He continues to inspire.

Read the article below:

Elie Wiesel 'not bitter' about losing millions to Madoff - Haaretz - Israel News

How to Pray, an Introduction

Welcome to our first installment in the series, "How to Pray."

Our first lesson comes from Rebbe Nachman of Breslov, Poland, who was a great-grandson of The Baal Shem Tov, (the illustrious founder of vibrant, spiritual, and mystic Chasidic Judaism). He pioneered the practice of hitbodedut (secluding oneself in meditation and prayer, preferably surrounded by nature's beauty).

Rebbe Nachman once directed his pupils:

"Talk to God as if you would talk to your very best friend. Tell The Holy One Everything."

In this way, our relationship with God is one of friendship, with whom we can share anything, at anytime, in anyplace. "How to pray?" Start by being honest. 


Lesson One, concluded.


[Mykoff, Moshe, Naḥman, and Breslov Research Institute. The Empty Chair: Finding Hope and Joy: Timeless Wisdom from a Hasidic Master, Rebbe Nachman of Breslov. Woodstock, Vt.: Jewish Lights Pub., 1994.]

Israeli Rock Stars... on iTunes?!

Yes, it's true - there's plenty of Israeli musicians on iTunes. Here's just a sampling, available by clicking below:

Israeli Rock on iTunes

Another tremendous source for Israeli music of all kinds (and movies) is:

http://www.israel-music.com/

In my opinion, the rock band, Synergia [Synergy] puts out some of the finest, loudest, most intelligent ROCK, from Israel, or elsewhere for that matter.

"Miriam," What a Name...

The most popular Israeli baby names for 2008 are, for girls:

Noa, Shira, Yael, Tamar, Maya, Talia, Hila, Michal and Adi.

 Most popular for boys:

Noam, Itai, Daniel, David, Idan, Moshe, Yosef and Yonatan.

What is MOST interesting, however, is the third most popular name for Muslim, Israeli girls: Miriam. That's right: "our" Miriam, Moses' sister - her name is not only claimed by Muslim women, but is popular too. Could it be Miriam's selflessness, leadership, courage? Whatever it may be, it's only one more aspect of ourselves which we share with each other.


Read the article here: 
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1128828.html

"Never...!"

The Great, Rebbe Nachman of Breslov (Poland, late 18th century) wrote:

"Never despair. Never! It is forbidden to give up hope."

The Man, Bruce Springsteen, writes, in his most recent song, "Wrecking Ball,"

"Yeah, we know that come tomorrow, none of this will be here / So hold tight to your anger / Hold tight to your anger / Hold tight to your anger / And don't fall to  your  fear / Bring on your wrecking ball"

His song - Bruce's, that is - is available here, on iTunes. This song closed five nights at New Jersey's Giants Stadium - and was the arena's final performance, ever. "Never despair," indeed.

[Mykoff, Moshe, Naḥman, and Breslov Research Institute. The Empty Chair : Finding Hope and Joy : Timeless Wisdom from a Hasidic Master, Rebbe Nachman of Breslov. Woodstock, Vt.: Jewish Lights Pub., 1994. ]

WSJ: "Where's the outrage for Ramallah's atrocities?"

From The Wall Street Journal:

"Senior PA official Haitham Arar was quoted in the Daily Mail more than a week ago openly discussing the abuses. That follows a Mail On Sunday report in January that detailed the Authority's regular use of beatings, whippings, attacks with electrical drills, and other methods of torture doled out to anyone seen threatening the authority of Fatah, the party of President Mahmoud Abbas. Murder and rape are also commonplace."

Read the op-ed piece below:
Palestine's Missing Critics

"500 tons of weaponry en route to Hizbullah"

Iran is at it again - Another severe violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1747.

"On Tuesday (November 3, 2009) a special Israeli naval force detained and boarded the Francop, a merchant ship flying the flag of Antigua, about 100 miles west of the coast of Israel and destined for the Syrian port of Latakia. Hidden among the dozens of other containers on board, and disguised as civilian goods, the ship contained thirty-six shipping containers with 500 tons of weaponry en route to the Hizbullah terrorist organization in Lebanon. A total of about 9,000 mortar bombs of different types were seized, along with about 3,000 Katyusha artillery rockets, 3,000 recoilless gun shells, 20,000 grenades and over a half million rounds of small arms ammunition."

See all the proof, at the link below, courtesy of Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. If you'd like their official email correspondence with links to all the photos and video, just email me.

http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/About+the+Ministry/Behind+the+Headlines/Iranian-exported_weapons_seized_4-Nov-2009.htm

Judaism and "La Cosa Nostra"

Rabbi Boteach makes an excellent point in the following op-ed piece:

"Peoplehood comes first and is completely independent of any kind of religious affirmation. Jewishness is not something that can be lost and it is not something that can be renounced. In this sense, Judaism is radically different from Christianity, which requires a conscious act of affirmation."

Judaism, in this regard, is not unlike La Cosa Nostra, the Mafia. Once you're in, even (and perhaps especially) by conversion. You're in. And when you think you're getting out (by converting out), Jewish Tradition considers you to still be a Jew. In other words, you're never getting out. Just like the Mob.


Read the rest here: 
http://www.jewishjournal.com/rabbi_shmuley/item/the_british_dare_to_determine_who_is_a_jew_20091109/

This is a Test

This is a test. If anyone is reading this, I'd be amazed.