Torah Portion

AT THE VINEYARDS

When Devotion Is Sincere
It Elevates The Soul

THE PERFECT ENDING FOR YOUR SEDER

But in chasidic eyes, the verse came
to have a very different meaning.
Numerous stories of the Baal Shem
Toy make the point that only inspired
prayers can ascend to heaven. This
verse is now employed to make the
same point. What type of Torah, of
sacred learning, can truly ascend to
reat art requires two ele-
God? Only that which burns on the
ments: technical mastery
altar —that is, only that Torah which
and deep inspiration.
is kindled with sacred enthusiasm.
In the magical moments
What power does such Torah pos-
when such art is created, the artist
sess? It can burn throughout the
becomes a medium for translating
night, even through the darkness of
inspiration into reality, thereby trans-
exile and suffering, until the
forming the world itself by
dawn of redemption.
the power of this vision. No
In other words, our
matter what the medium,
simple verse teaches a pro-
every artist has the experi-
found insight about the
ence of producing good and
importance of inspiration.
bad art. The latter fails for a
Jewish devotion, like great
variety of reasons — it suc-
art, requires both technical
cumbs to cliche; it lacks
mastery and inspiration. To
inspiration; it is too sloppy
do the mitzvot sloppily,
or ill-defined to inspire any-
without attention to detail,
one.
RABBI DANNY is to disrespect them. But to
The Jewish philosopher
content oneself with tech-
N E VINS
Martin Buber wrote about
nique, forgetting the trans-
Specia 1 to the
the constant interaction
formative mission of a mitz-
Jewis h News
between inspired moments
vah —that results in a
and those that are superficial
neutered and lifeless practice
and flat (I and Thou, 1923).
of Judaism.
For him, any interaction — whether
Today is also Shabbat HaGadol —
social, artistic or religious — had the
the great Shabbat when we prepare for
potential to soar or to stumble. A cer-
Pesach. The lesson I draw from the
tain intensity was necessary to escape
juxtaposition is that this festival, with
the shackles of ordinary experience
all of its rituals and recitations, has
and to connect with the divine.
the power to transform us and to con-
Buber was influenced by the dialec-
nect us to God's gedulah (greatness).
tical philosophy of his day, but his
For that to happen, we must attend to
ideas were also deeply rooted in the
the details, but also to the inspiring
thought of early chasidism. Using this
experience of reliving an ancient
lens, we learn that Jewish ritual can be
redemption and anticipating a future
either formulaic or transformative.
one.
Torah study can also be either
If we do it right, then we will all
pompous or profound. As the
enjoy a Passover that is both kosher
Psalmist says, "Serve the Lord with
and joyous. May this be an inspiring
joy!" (Psalm 100). Thus, mitzvot
season for all Jews as we relive our
require not only effort but also pas-
national origins and unite in our
sion, joy and inspiration.
prayers for peace and redemption. ❑
A perfect example comes from the
opening words of our portion. The
daily burnt offering was called the
olah, which literally means "elevation"
because it was burnt up. Moses is told
to command Aaron and his sons: "Zot
Many Haggadot include
Torat haolah —This is the Torah of
Kavanot, meditations before
elevation; it is the elevation on the
drinking the four cups of wine
hearth upon the altar all the night
and eating the matzah and
until the morning; the altar fire shall
maror. Can you compose a med-
burn within it." On the surface, this
itation on redemption to share
verse merely describes the procedure
with your family? What other
for burning the daily sacrifice: Let it
rituals in your daily life could
burn all night on the altar.
benefit from a meditation
beforehand?

Shabbat HaGadol::
Leviticus 6.1-8:36;
Malachi 3:4-24.

G

Conversations

Danny Nevins is a rabbi at Adat

Shalom Synagogue.

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