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Rabbi Mendy Herson's Blog

Thoughts from, and conversations with, Rabbi Herson

Finding Faith

The Jews are gathered around Mount Sinai, ready to hear G-d issue the Ten Commandments. G-d begins: “I am the Lord, your G-d, who took you out of Egypt…”

While this appears to be an introductory sentence, Maimonides, one of the most prolific and influential Torah scholars of the Middle Ages, sees it as an actual directive: The mitzvah to believe in G-d.

This raises a few questions:

Why would he see it as a commandment? And, once he counts it as a commandment, what does that precisely mean? We can be commanded to behave in a certain way, or perform a certain action, but we can’t realistically be commanded to believe something. Faith is a deep psycho-spiritual dynamic. If someone doesn’t feel it, what will the command accomplish? Can an external command, even a Divine one, change someone’s inner emotional posture?

The idea of G-d commanding belief in Himself seems circular. If someone believes in the idea of Divine Directives, then the objective of believing in ‘G-d the Commander’ has been accomplished before the command is issued. And without that fundamental faith, what value will the person see in a commandment?

Let’s explain this by taking a quick detour to a different Mitzvah: The mitzvah to love G-d. How can G-d command an emotion?

Maimonides explains that in commanding us to love Him, G-d is actually directing us to engage in guided contemplation if ideas that would bring us to love. The Mitzvah is to deeply consider concepts that will conceivably trigger internal feelings of connection with G-d. For example, if I - quietly and profoundly - contemplate the majesty of nature, the gift of life, and the blessings I personally experience, I will probably feel a palpable gratitude to G-d. Because our emotions often follow our thoughts. 

The Mitzvah isn’t simply about loving, believing, or having faith in G-d, as much as it is about thinking the kinds of thoughts that bring us to that place. To focus and put one’s mind in the right place.

G-d opens the Ten Commandments, His Divine address at Mount Sinai, with guidance for the ages: It is your responsibility, G-d told us, to explore, study, and soak in the wisdom of your ancestors. Being a Jew means being faithful to the goal of experiencing faith, even if you’re not there yet (and even if you are).

Apply yourself to the exercise, G-d tells us, and see where it takes you.

Next Friday is the Holiday of Shavuos, and we’ll be reading the Ten Commandments at Chabad.

Join us and recommit yourself to finding [deeper] faith.

The Business Of Life

If G-d were to appear to you today, and ask you questions about the life-decisions you’ve made, what do you think the Almighty would ask you first?

Perhaps: “Did you respect your religion?” or “Did you make ample time and emotional space for family?” Maybe, “Did you help the poor?”

Interestingly, the Talmud tells us that the first question G-d will ask each of us when we approach the heavenly realm is: “Did you conduct your business faithfully?”

A few questions spring to mind: Why wouldn’t G-d prioritize holy pursuits? What about those of us who aren’t businesspeople? What message is the Talmud trying to tell us?

In one way or another, we all partake in the commercial marketplace. So, the first thing G-d wants to address, before He gets into the religious and higher-order emotional questions, is: Were you a faithful and honest citizen - customer, partner, merchant, etc.? When you went about your everyday ‘business’ with your neighbors – or strangers – were you completely authentic and trustworthy? Palpably feeling our moral compass in a House of Worship, or with loved ones, is beautiful. But we need to bring that faithfulness to Main Street, to strangers and associates.

What does that mean, in a practical sense?

Our Rabbis give us some key ingredients to a life of “conducting our business faithfully.”

1. Find satisfaction in what you already have. It’s fine to want more, but not to the extent that one is willing to compromise moral standards.

2. Be transparent. When we’re transacting with someone else, make sure we are FULLY sharing our understanding.

3. Err on the side of the OTHER person’s benefit.

In other words: Let your soul guide your actions. Don’t let your desire for ‘stuff’ sidetrack you from being a faith-worthy person.

Let’s take this deeper. A literal translation of G-d’s question is: “Did you carry and give with faith?” Did you pursue your daily give-and-take with ‘faith’ – the recognition that our lives are a Divine gift and that we’re playing them out in G-d’s world?

Think of your day ahead. The action items, the stresses, the uncertainties, the fears. Then zoom out to a panoramic view, and realize you’re in G-d’s loving hands, in G-d’s world. Curve balls – the business of life – will keep coming, because they’re part of G-d’s world.

Just don’t let them throw you off your game. Keep the faith. 

Mini-Martyrdom

Martyrdom is defined by Webster’s as “the suffering of death on account of adherence to a cause and especially to one's religious faith.” The Torah’s term is ‘Kiddush Hashem,’ sanctifying G-d’s Name: the surrender of one’s life for G-d’s honor is considered the ultimate statement of commitment to G-d. 

But, except for rare circumstances (e.g. forced conversions), Judaism discourages martyrdom, and asks that we focus on making life here on earth more holy.  

While conventional martyrdom is a rarity in normative Jewish life, there is a closer-to-home meaning of martyrdom, which should be part of our daily mindset. A mini-martyrdom, if you will.

Imagine you are offered a lucrative financial deal, a home run, except that it will cause financial damage to your spouse’s family. Will you take this great deal? Or will you show yourself and your family that family is of even more value than money? 

If you choose your family over money you have ‘sanctified the importance of family’ (to paraphrase the Torah expression), illustrating its hallowed place in your value system.

Now replace ‘financial damage to family’ with ‘damage to one’s relationship with G-d.’ You see an opening for some gain – physical pleasure, financial profit, etc. – and you really want to take advantage of the opportunity. Yet you know that the Torah disallows it. Do you quiet that Jewish conscience and grab your prize? Or do you tell yourself “my relationship with G-d is more important; this one’s for You, G-d”?

Choosing G-d would be considered sanctifying G-d’s name, a mini-martyrdom, because you have chosen to sacrifice life’s tangible pleasures for your less-tangible relationship with the Divine.

Twice a day, we cover our eyes to call out Shema Yisroel – Hear O’ Israel…G-d is One, a personal call for Oneness with G-d. Interestingly, our Sages tell us to use the opportunity to imagine our own martyrdom. This doesn’t necessarily mean imagining yourself as part of the Spanish Inquisition. Our Sages are advising to visualize your personal min-martyrdoms, the decisions we each face on a regular basis: self-gratification or higher values?

Visualize standing up for G-d. Now you can open your eyes.

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