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Welcome to Beyond Twelve Gates. By now you've certainly
heard of America's
latest folk hero, Steven Slater. Slater, a JetBlue flight attendant,
activated an exit chute on a just-landed plane at Kennedy International
Airport after a dispute
with a passenger. Taking to new heights (pun intended)
the meaning of having a bad day at the office, Slater allegedly
quit his job by cursing out his passengers, grabbing a beer from the beverage
cart, and fleeing the plane by deploying the emergency slide. Slater,
who was arrested and later released on bail, faces charges of criminal
mischief, reckless endangerment, criminal trespass, and absconding with a
flight crew's last beer (well, maybe he wasn't really charged concerning
the beer).
Most objective observers would term Slater's behavior as boorish,
anger-fueled and dangerous. However, the mother of the feisty
flight attendant thinks her son deserves a break. In a television news
interview, Diane Slater said, 'He just had a very small meltdown. And I
think he deserves to be able to have that meltdown." What a Mom!
The Torah defines love as the emotion produced within us when we focus on a
person's good qualities. Our parents, though at times subjective and
biased, are the world's greatest experts at seeing our virtues. For
most of us, Mom and Dad are co-presidents of our Fan Club. May G-d
bless our mothers and fathers.
Parshas Shoftim Deuteronomy 16:18 - 21:9
Moses proceeds to review the regulations necessary for a civilized society.
Local judges and officers were to be appointed in every city, and
justice was to be administered righteously and impartially. A bribe of even
an insignificant sum is forbidden. The Sanhedrin -- the Jewish High Court of
seventy one judges -- is to make Torah-based binding decisions on
new situations to prevent the fragmentation of the Jewish people.
When the Jewish people request a king, the king was not to misuse his power
to amass many horses, maintain a harem or accumulate great wealth.
To order his priorities and not become haughty, he should write a copy of the
Torah and carry it with him. When the Jewish people had righteous kings
such as David and Solomon, it was a blessing. When we had wicked kings
such as Jereboam and Ahav,
it was a curse.
The nation's conduct in war is mentioned. The Jewish people are
told not to be afraid of the enemy, not to destroy any fruit trees in battle,
and that they should first give the enemy a chance to make peace. The
portion also forbids all forms of superstition and 'magic' practiced by the
soothsayer (Did you hear about the midget psychic who escaped from
prison? The headlines read, 'Small Medium at Large'). We have no
need for such tricks because of our true prophets and faith in G-d. The
Jewish people are promised by G-d that He will send prophets to guide them,
and Moses explains how a genuine prophet may be distinguished from a false
one.
Rabbinic Ruminations
Her parents were Baptist and Catholic and she was born in Georgia, part
of the Bible Belt. But Hollywood superstar
Julia Roberts says she is now a practicing Hindu. The 42-year-old
Oscar-winning actress recently took to Hinduism during the shooting of a film
in India.
Roberts announced that she and her family now worship as Hindus, and go
together to a temple to "chant and pray and celebrate." Her
children already have Hindu names. Hindu priest Swami Dharam Dev said, "I have named her twins Hazel and Phinnaeus as Laxmi and Ganesh, while Henry will be called Krishna Balram." Is Julia Roberts another confused
celebrity trying on the religion "flavor" of the month?
The trend toward flip-flopping one's religious affiliation has
been gaining momentum for half a century. Consider that in 1955 only 15
percent of Americans said they no longer adhered to the faith of their
childhood, according to a Gallup
poll. By 2008, 44 percent had switched their religious affiliation at
least once, or dropped it altogether. Americans now sample, dabble and
move on from the religious faith they were born into in eye-catching
numbers. What does this mean for the Jewish community?
The Torah states, "Remember the days of old, understand the years of
generation and generation. Ask your father and he will relate it to you, your
elders and they will tell you." (Deuteronomy 32:7). Speaking
to the Jewish people, Moses issues a call meant to reverberate in the hearts
of Jewish parents and children throughout the millennia; for your
spiritual sustenance and an understanding of your place in this world, you
need look no further than the Torah. Our greatest challenge today is
not 'Jews for Jesus' or 'Jews for Krishna',
but rather, 'Jews for Nothing'. If we find ourselves unable to
answer the question "Why should I be Jewish?",
we have an obligation to discover and connect with our 3,500-year Jewish
heritage.
Quote of the Week
If you would ask me: if I could have one of my senses back, either sight or
hearing, which would I choose? I would choose hearing. Being
blind cuts you off from the world but being deaf cuts you off from and
relating and communicating with people. I choose people over the
world. -- Helen Keller
Joke of the Week
A Jewish couple won eighty million dollars in the lottery. They immediately
set out to begin a life of luxury. They bought a magnificent mansion in Beverly Hills and
surrounded themselves with all the material wealth imaginable. Then they
decided to hire a butler. And of course, only a very proper and very
British butler would do.
They found the perfect butler through an agency, flew him in from London, and brought him
back to their home. Unfortunately, their new butler Alfred (who bore a
striking resemblance to Michael Caine) was totally
unfamiliar with anything Jewish. The day after his arrival they
instructed Alfred to set up the dining room table for four, as they were
inviting the Cohens to lunch. The couple then left
the house to do some shopping. When they returned, they found the table
set for eight. They asked the butler why eight, when they had specifically
instructed him to set the table for four.
Alfred replied, "The Cohens telephoned and
said they were bringing the Blintzes and the Knishes."
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