D’var Torah for October 5, 2019

Parasha Vayelech

By Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D.

Dr. Michael Mantell

SAN DIEGO — Remember leaving services last Yom Kippur, the grandeur of Neilah upon us, filled with promises to live better lives? Yet so soon afterwards many old habits reemerged – maybe even before that first morsel of food was swallowed, after the long fast. Like January’s New Year’s resolutions to “eat less and move more” that quickly fade before February, we make promises to transform during the Days of Awe, that are fleeting and short-lived. We’re human. We are filled with introspection, we repent, we make promises, and then fall asleep until the next Yom Kippur. And here we are again.

In this week’s parasha, we are told three times, “Be strong and courageous” (Deuteronomy 31:6, 31:7, 31:23). And we are also told, “Be strong and courageous! Neither fear, nor be dismayed of them, for the Lord, your G-d He is the One Who goes with you. He will neither fail you, nor forsake you.”

חִזְק֣וּ וְאִמְצ֔וּ אַל־תִּֽירְא֥וּ וְאַל־תַּֽעַרְצ֖וּ מִפְּנֵיהֶ֑ם כִּ֣י | יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ ה֚וּא הַֽהֹלֵ֣ךְ עִמָּ֔ךְ לֹ֥א יַרְפְּךָ֖ וְלֹ֥א יַֽעַזְבֶֽךָּ:

Even with G-d at our side, we fall into spiritual oblivion. Perhaps we don’t genuinely understand that He goes with us, that He doesn’t allow us to fail and doesn’t forsake us. So, what’s missing? Perhaps our eyes and our minds are closed.

A Chassidic story may help open our eyes and awaken our resoluteness. “One day Rabbi Dov Ber, the Maggid of Mezeritch was walking with some of his Chasidim when he saw a little girl standing behind a wall and crying. ‘Why are you crying, little girl?’ he asked. ‘I was playing hide-and-seek with my friends,’ said the little girl, ‘and they didn’t come to look for me.’ Rabbi Dov Ber sighed and said to his Chasidim: ‘In that little girl’s reply I heard the lament of the Shechinah: I will surely hide my face. I hid, as it were, and no one came to look for Me.”

Are we not looking, seeking Hashem throughout the year? Have we been hiding from ourselves as well? He understands we can’t do it alone, and He tells us we don’t have to, that He is right by our side But is he hiding? Indeed, the parasha informs us, “And I will hide My face on that day, because of all the evil they have committed, when they turned to other deities.”

וְאָֽנֹכִ֗י הַסְתֵּ֨ר אַסְתִּ֤יר פָּנַי֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֔וּא עַ֥ל כָּל־הָֽרָעָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֑ה כִּ֣י פָנָ֔ה אֶל־אֱלֹהִ֖ים אֲחֵרִֽים:

It is up to us to take off our spiritual blindfolds and to genuinely, authentically, search for Him. That’s what He wants! But for those who are spiritually blinded, that search stops. We fail to see the positive signs of G-d’s continual presence, not actually hidden at all. It is up to us to find Him.

We begin this path on Rosh Hashanah, looking within to discover our self-created obstacles that have held us back and have pointed us to other deities. On R’H, we disconnect from, and toss away, these impediments. On Yom Kippur we find Him, reconnect with “strength and courage” to His presence in our lives, free of fear and dismay, with all of our mind, body and soul and begin anew…truly transformed and prepared to live more optimally, more inspired, on a higher level in the coming year.

It has been a very special honor to be able to write this weekly D’var Torah over the past year for Young Israel of San Diego, and I look forward to continuing to do so in the coming year, with the help of Hashem, בְּעֶזְרָת הַשֵּׁם.

Shabbat Shalom שַׁבָּת שָׁלוֹם to all, wishing all an easy and deeply meaningful fast, and a G’mar Chatima Tovah… גמר חתימה טובה May you be inscribed (in the Book of Life) for Good.

Finally, to those I have wronged, I ask forgiveness…

To those I’ve helped, I wish I did more…

To those I neglected, I ask for understanding…

To those who have helped me, I sincerely thank you.

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Dr. Mantell writes a d’var Torah each week for Young Israel of San Diego, where he and his family worship.