• Have you ever found meaning in not knowing?
• Has ignorance ever opened your mind to new possibilities?

As we prepare for Passover 2025, I look forward to reading about the four sons with greater anticipation. When I was younger, I vacillated between my aspiration to be the wise son and my devious exploration of the wicked son.  Rarely, if ever, did I feel a connection with the simple son.

This year is different. I used to believe that I knew so much…and that it mattered. I have now discovered the meaning of not knowing. I would like to share my journey of finding inspirations in ignorance.

After 30 years in Boston, I relocated to Miami in late 2022. In the fall of 2023, I celebrated the Jewish High Holidays in Miami for the first time. I vividly remember celebrating Succot at the Chabad in Bal Harbour in September of 2023. It was my first time celebrating Succot without my family. I specifically remember my conversation with Rabbi Sholom Lipskar (Z”L) on that first night of Succot, inside the succah and under the stars.

“Andy, you need to start putting on tefillin every week and try to do so every day.”

Rabbi Sholom Lipskar (Z”L)  asked me to promise… I hesitated and did not commit.

Now, I find myself, laying my tefillin 3-4 times per week.

I recently had a conversation with my daughters about what I have learned since I moved to Miami. My tefillin experience unfolds my new learning.

When the Rabbi told me to lay tefillin, I hesitated because I did not know the meaning. Although I still do not fully know the meaning, I sincerely believe in the purpose.

My older daughter, Caroline, taught me this basic lesson when I was about to have a hip replacement. I was full of angst because I did not understand the details of the surgery and how it was possible for my entire hip socket to be removed and replaced and still be able to walk the same day.

Finally, Caroline, who is a medical student, explained. “Dad, you do not need to know all of the recipes at a restaurant in order to enjoy the food.  You do not know how an airplane actually flies, but you can still travel”

Caroline’s warm and wise words released my inner requirement to understand with my mind and immediately salved my spirit.

Since I moved to Miami, I have been welcomed by a broader community of Sephardic and African Jews from Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Syria, Iraqi, Panama and many other communities that I had not previously celebrated with from my time in Boston which had a predominant Ashkenazi (Eastern European) community.

While I found myself lost amidst newly discovered rituals and customs, I felt myself fully embraced by purely participating.

I have experienced the honor of being the 10^th man to enable a minyan for a stranger to say the mourner’s kaddish for their beloved father.  Although I did not understand the details or implications in that moment, the gratitude of the family has been everlasting.

I have also learned the power and purpose of prayer – of connecting with God and the community around me.

Let’s explore the story of the Four Sons in Exodus and focus on the simple son in Exodus 13:14:

“In days to come, when your son asks you, ‘What does this mean?’ say to him, ‘With a mighty hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.”

This direct question and answer of the simple son and his father may be intended to extend a welcoming hand to our broader community.  The sincerity of the simple son seeking to learn is the greatest blessing for a teacher who wants to teach.  The challenge to respond to a simple question is to be concise and sincere.  Personally, brevity has not been my greatest attribute.

While the circle of knowledge has limits, the possibilities of curiosity are infinite.

Prior to moving to Miami, I did not attend Shabbat services. Since October 2023, I have regularly celebrated Shabbat services. Although I do not know understand the specifics of the services or the particulars of the prayers, I feel the warmth of my fellow participants and our sincere desire to connect with each other, with God, and to pray for better tomorrows. I used to think about praying, now I simply enjoy being amongst prayers. Singing songs, and dancing with unbridled joy – simple and sweet.

At our weekly shabbat dinners, I share with my loved one, Joan, friends, and family, I have found a weekly oasis from the outside world.  Joan’s Challah, shabbat meal of Moroccan delicacies, and engaging discussion makes for a wonderful respite and bookend for our week. In addition, I seek deeper meaning in the weekly torah portion to explore within myself and how to connect timeless words with the present world.

I recently had a revelation of the purpose of prayer. I was out for dinner on a Saturday evening at a restaurant in Miami. At the end of the meal, I felt an impulse to send my two daughters a text. I had been missing my daughters very much and earlier that morning at shul (temple), we the “yismachu” prayer which I had not heard in many years. I did not even understand the words or the meaning of the prayer. I was merely mesmerized by the tune and staccato cadence of the rhythmic chanting. Nevertheless, the tune felt as familiar as if I had heard it yesterday. I remembered singing this prayer with my daughters all those years ago. Inspired by this memory, I spontaneously recorded a video of me singing.  I immediately sent it to our “Father Daughter Daughter Chat Group” at 11:15pm ET.  Within 15 minutes Lucy replied with her own video recording.  After another 15 minutes, Caroline chimed back in unison.

You can watch our yismachu singing here.

It was precisely at that moment that I understood the potential of prayer.  For me, it was not about the words or the meaning.  It was about the desire to connect with others – in this case with my daughters – and to immediately feel a reciprocal connection – spontaneously and free of judgment.

I played the video of me and my two blessed daughters chanting the yismachu over and over again that week.

Someone once told me:

You may forget a lifetime of facts, but you will remember feelings for a lifetime.

I knew in that moment, that I felt a lifetime of blessings.

Appendix A:

On May 4, 2025, Rabbi Sholom Lipskar passed away. I will be forever grateful to Rabbi Sholom Lipskar (Z”L) for teaching me the purpose of prayer and tefillin. I will forever remember his teachings.

You can listen to some of Rabbi Sholom Lipskar’s (Z”L) words of wisdom here:

Please watch the incredible development of The Shul in Bal Harbour and the vision and vitality of Rabbi Shlomo Lipskar (of blessed memory).

Appendix B:

This is a photo of my teffilin and teffilin case. My Hebrew name is written “Avram ben Zvi” (Avram son of Zvi – my father Dr. Harold Goldfarb is a Zvi.)  My teffilin originally belonged to my great grandfather Max Fish.

I am also grateful to my friend Koby who helped me lay my teffilin for the first time and helped begin my weekly practice.

The Four Sons by Arthur Szyk (1894-1951)

Arthur Szyk (1894-1951), is considered today to be one of the greatest modern artists to work in the style of medieval illuminated manuscripts. Szyk undertook his greatest project, the Haggadah, between 1934 and 1936 while living in Poland. It was his masterpiece, and something he was urgent to share.

When first published in 1940, each copy sold for $500 (the equivalent of $8,800 today), making it one of the most valuable books produced in the 20th century. The Szyk Haggadah was described by the London Times as “a book worthy to be placed among the most beautiful of books that the hand of man has produced.”

Appendix C

Enjoy a haiku inspired by this blog:

Simple son seeks truth,
Ignorance sparks wisdom’s light,
Questions guide the way.

Have you ever experienced a tragic event that transformed your community and brought everyone together?

Have you ever experienced a family gathering after a loss where the collective compassion created a new path forward?

In the Batman comics, Gotham city has an emergency method to alert Batman when the city needs saving: the Bat Signal. A beam of light that creates an image of a bat in the night sky. It shines for all to see and is immediately recognizable. When the Bat signal shines, Bruce Wayne transforms from an ordinary man into the extraordinary Batman to emerge from the shadows and bring light to the world. Batman always defeats evil and saves Gotham City.

The Bat Signal is a simple message; light always shines through darkness. During challenging periods, a community that comes together becomes stronger. Love among each other is more powerful than hate from others.

The tragedy of the Bibas family is an opportunity for a Bat signal to unite the Jewish Community and the world at large.

On October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorists from Gaza kidnapped Shiri Bibas and her baby boys Ariel (age 3) and Kfir (age 9 months). Hamas proudly shared videos of Shiri’s terror as jeering mobs captured her and her young boys. We later learned that Hamas terrorists strangled the Bibas boys with bare hands and mutilated their bodies in an attempt to cover up their evil actions. When the hostage exchange occurred on February 20^th, 2025, Hamas and hundreds of Gazan civilians cheered and celebrated the casket exchange for the world to see. Hamas cruelly switched the caskets of the boys and padlocked them without sending a key. They even swapped the body of Shiri to cause even more psychological terror.

The Bibas family became a rallying cry for Israel and the world beyond. The iconic images, which inspired the world, was a family photo of Yarden, Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir all dressed in batman tee shirts.

Seeing this Bat Signal catalyzed all of Israel and many in the world beyond to unite in mourning their deaths and celebrating their inspiring, albeit tragically short-lived lives. The inhumanity of Hamas taking a nine-month-old infant hostage and strangling them to death reveals the depravity and evil of Hamas and its supporters.

At the funeral, Yarden decided to bury the boys in the same casket with their mom. The Bibas boys’ final resting space was together facing each other and within in their mother’s grasp…forever.

This poignant image of the boys together resembles the description of the architectural design of Mishkan in Exodus 25:18-20 when the two cherubim are described on top. “The cherubim are to face each other, looking toward the cover.” As Rashi noted, the cherubim were soldered together so that they would be not two cherubim but “make one cherub from the one end. “

When I read Exodus 25 again, it really raised a question in my mind. Why does the Torah devote relatively few verses in Genesis to Hashem creating the Universe but so many verses in Exodus (and others) to the design of the Mishkan. As I explored the passage describing the Mishkan design with the Bibas Boys and Bibas Family on my mind and heart, I found new opportunities to learn.

As we explore Exodus 25, there are other potential connections to the Bibas boys and their family. The Hebrew word Sabib סָבִֽיב appears 4 times in three verses: once in Exodus 25:11, once in Exodus 25:24, and twice in Exodus 25:25. The word סָבִֽיב means to encircle or to surround. The meaning can be physical, to surround. It can also be spiritual – to be a presence or an influence.

The word Sabib סָבִֽיב spelled backword is Bibas בִּיבָס

Bibas/Sabib is therefore mentioned four times in Exodus 25.

Looking at the three verses reveals a potentially prophetic connection between the Bibas Family and the building of the Mishkan. The four mentions of Sabib/Bibas could be representing the four members of the Bibas Family with Yarden in Verse 25:11. Then in verse 25:18 when the Cherubim are meant to inspire life and faith, in verse 25:24 when Shiri Bibas is next to her baby boys, Ariel and Kfir who are mentioned twice in verse 25:24.

Exploring the numerological significance of these passages can reveal:

• Exodus 25:18 – 18 is Chai and means Life. As the Cherubim are facing each other and shining light on the life around us.
• Exodus 25:11, eleven can signify spiritual growth beyond completeness. Yarden Bibas buried his loving family, his wife Shiri and beautiful boys Ariel and Kfir. If 10 are the commandments, then 11 is the next stage of Yarden’s growth and spiritual journey. May we all Sabib (encircle) Yarden during his moments of mourning and healing.
• Exodus 25:24 – 24 can be interpreted as completeness (as in the 24 books of the torah) and Shiri was returned to Israel with her baby boys (in the next parsha) and buried together in the same casket so that she can hold them forever.
• Exodus 25:25 – The two mentions of Bibas/Sabib could be representing the two Bibas Boys: Ariel and Kfir together at last, facing each other and bringing light in the darkness for the world to see. Five can be interpreted as a divine presence as the 5 books of torah, the 5 human senses (smell, touch, hearing, seeing, tasting), 5^th letter H which is part of the Hebrew word for god. If 5 is divine, then 5 x 5 = 25 which is even more divine. Then 25 x 25 is an ultimate expression of divine presence.

In the week since the Bibas family funeral, we have seen the skies around the world filled with orange balloons and orange lights to remember the beautiful Bibas family.

New York City, USA

Berlin, Germany

San Francisco, USA

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Budapest, Hungary

Paris, France

On social media the image of a broken orange heart posted in solidarity and remembrance of the Bibas family went viral. It has been written that a broken heart allows light in.

Returning to my question about the connection about why the torah explains the creation of the Mishkan in so much more detail than the story of the creation of the universe. I carefully reflected on this question over the past week since the Bibas family funeral and reexamined the parsha of Exodus 25. I also looked for clues in Exodus 24 to understand the context. Interestingly, in Exodus 24, Moses gathers the Children of Israel together and reads the 10 commandments to them.

After reading the Ten Commandments to the Children of Israel, Moses returned to Mt Sinai. The passage describes Moses spending 7 days alone with Hashem. He then spent 40 days and 40 nights alone on the mountain.

The reference in Exodus 24:15 to the 7-day period could be interpreted as a new stage of the 7 days of Creation. Hashem, with Moses’ leadership, creating a new universe. In Exodus 24:18, Moses spending 40 days and 40 nights can be another interpretation of the creation of a new community. Forty years in the wilderness was the period for the Children of Israel between Slavery in Egypt and Promised Land.  Forty days was also the period of the flood when Noah led the formation of a new community with the population from his Ark.

I then explored why the Mishkan was so important following Exodus 24 when Moses read the Children of Israel the ten commandments. I realized that this moment was the most united and unified moment for the Children of Israel. Prior to this moment, the Children of Israel were enslaved in Egypt and experienced sibling strife with Kane/Able, Isaac/Ishmael, Jacob/Esau, and Joseph and his brothers.  Following this moment, the Children of Israel divided over the Golden Calf and the twelve tribes fought about the promise of the Promised Land.

At this very moment, the Children of Israel were united.  In that spirit of unification, they build the Mishkan and within the holy of holies the Arc of the Covenant – as detailed in Exodus 25. It was truly the most precious collective creation of the most unified people.

However, I firmly believe that the Mishkan was not intended to be an object to worship but rather as a vehicle to enable worship.

The symbol of the Bibas family intertwined in the design of the Mishkan can be a symbol that this is the moment for the Children of Israel to unite and unify.

It is my fervent prayer that the Jewish community and world collectively see these orange balloons, lights, and broken hearts as the Bat Signal to awaken and unite in our collective fight against evil. That it will catalyze us to lead with love in a new path forward to the promised land of peace, prosperity, and freedom of spiritual celebration.

While we will of course face many obstacles and challenges, may the feeling of cohesive community enable us to experience collective creation based on our shared faith and belief in God. As we remember the beautiful Bibas Boys as the Cherubim of the Mishkan, and See the Bat Signal, may we feel the compassionate presence God all around (Sabib) us.

Appendix A:

You can read about other examples of Jews inspired to action by the Bibas Boys Bat Signal here and here.

You can read about the story of a Jewish runner at the London Marathon who dressed as Batman in honor of the Bibas Boys here.

Appendix B:

There is a beautiful tradition in the Amish community to gather for a day and build a barn. This reminds me of the collective creation opportunity of the Mishkan. A unified community sharing a common purpose. Please enjoy the video.

Appendix C:

Exodus 25

Please read the update at the end of this blog about the tragic deaths of Ariel and Kfir Bibas.

Have you experienced a deep loss? How did it make you feel about God?

At a recent shabbat service, we were studying about Joseph’s dream reading (Genesis 41:25-30), when a young boy asked “If Joseph dreamed the future, how can humans have free will? Is everything that we do already pre-determined by God?

I was really struck by the young boy’s question. I remember when I asked the same question for the first time. I was 15 years old, living in Japan as an exchange student when I experienced true loss for the first time.

In 1984, I won a scholarship sponsored by the Mazda Motor Corporation to live in Japan as an exchange student. Our trip orientation took place at  Mazda’s Hiroshima headquarters, during which we went to the Hiroshima Atomic Bomb Park for a peace ceremony and met with Atomic Bomb survivors. Their stories of loss, survival, and hope were paradoxically both devastating and inspiring. I still carry those feelings and conversations with me today.

That evening when I was back in the company dorm, my feeling of devasting loss went from historical to deeply personal. I was notified by the dorm monitor that I had a phone call from the US. My heart raced and my breath shortened. I anxiously picked up the phone to hear my mom’s voice cry and crackle. “Normy has died”.  I burst into tears and walked alone for over three hours in circles in the parking lot. Normy was my grandfather and the most inspiring and positive voice in my life.  He was my relentless cheerleader and epitomized the saying he taught me “Don’t let anyone rain on your parade”.  Later each of my brothers and I named our eldest children with his name after his memory.

I tried to process the losses of the Atomic bomb survivors I learned about with the personal loss of my grandfather. My sadness lasted and my wounds slowly healed. However, I still struggled with my faith in God.  When I returned to the US, I found the book by Rabbi Harold Kushner “When Bad things happen to Good People?” I was truly struck by the sadness of Rabbi Harold Kushner discussing how his son tragically died prematurely from a terrible illness.

When he explored his own faith and understanding of biblical texts, he resolved the paradox of “How bad things can happen to good people?” with a re-interpretation of God being “all-powerful” to God being “all-compassionate.”  Rabbi Kushner posited that it is the compassion of God in difficult circumstances that allows humans to experience the frailty and fallibility of free will. With the compassion and care, God helps to support and heal the physical wounds and spiritual scars of these choices. This book salved my heart for a period of time.

When I was in college, I studied Consolation of Philosophy by Boethius. I was struck by how Boethius was asking the same question as Rabbi Kushner but came to a different allegorical answer.

Boethius, who was severely mistreated by the Roman court in 524 BCE was locked in prison wrongly and sentenced to execution. In his treatise, Lady Philosophy explained that humans operate in past, present, and future, linearly and sequentially. God operates in the “eternal now” across all times zones with mobility and awareness of everything at the same moment.  Human fallible free will choices are made in the moment, while God knows all time periods, past, present, and future in the “eternal now” and sees all events at once. This book calmed my mind for a while.

When I look to the torah, I realized that God often presents humans with choices – even knowing that the desired outcome may not be followed.  In Genesis 2:16 and 3, God instructs Adam and Eve not to eat from the Tree of Knowledge, even though he knows that they will disobey.

In Deuteronomy, 30:19, the Torah states “I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life…” There are many commandments which God intends for man to follow, nevertheless human free will fails freely.

In Numbers 20:7-12, God commanded Moses to “speak” to the rock to receive water, and instead Moses struck the rock twice with this staff.  It is understood that God punishes Moses for his disobedience by not allowing Moses to enter the Promised Land.

Let us return to the young boy at the Shabbat service who explored the dreams of Joseph. The story of Joseph and his brothers in Genesis shows how humans can make bad choices and then recover in their own way.  The evil of the brothers towards Joseph is later replaced by the compassionate collective of their sibling ties who later became the 12 Tribes of Israel.

Another poignant paradox is eloquently written in Ecclesiastes 3 which describes the polar opposite choices in same seasons “a time to be born and a time to die, a time to love and a time for hate, a time for war, and a time for peace.” The juxtaposition of opposite choices in each of the same verses without judgment demonstrates the importance of human free will to choose even within the frame of divine teaching.

This pathway of the paradox can be explored in, Exodus 14:19 which states, “And the angel of God, who had been traveling in front of Israel’s army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of clouds also moved from in front and stood behind them”.

In this passage, the angel of God and the pillar of cloud move from “in front” of the Israelites to “behind them”. The children of Israel are now free to lead on their own, no longer being led.  At the same time, God will remain behind them, like a protective parent to provide compassionate support at moments of distress.  God can be both “near” and “far” and still be ever present in the midst of the human free will journey.

This concept of “near” and “far” and “in front” and “behind” can be explored within the inspiring words of Victor Frankl, a renowned Austrian philosopher whose wisdom was born out of his experience in the holocaust.

“We have absolutely no control over what happens to us in life but what we have paramount control over is how we respond to those events.”

― Viktor Frankl Meaning of God

The key addition to Viktor’s wise words is that the compassion and support of God/Hashem provides compassionate “near and far” “from behind” support to our human responses.

In conclusion, in Genesis 32:28, God commanded Jacob “From now on, your name will no longer be Jacob. You will be called Israel, because you have wrestled with God and with men, and you have won.”

The perpetually persistent paradox of human free will vs. an omnipotent god may be the essence that makes us the Children of Israel.  Pursuing this paradoxical path with purpose and faith may be the prescient pathway to the Promised Land.

Appendix:

February 20, 2025, Today, I, and a “collective and compassionate we”, are experiencing a new low, a new loss, with the tragic news that Shiri Bibas and her two beautiful angelic red headed baby boys Ariel and Kfir were killed in Gaza under Hamas Captivity. Ariel and Kfir were 4 years and 9 months when they were brutally captured on October 7 from their bedrooms. This evil was proudly filmed by Hamas and sinisterly shown to the world. Ironically, only the depravity and cowardness of Hamas was revealed by displaying adults kidnapping and terrorizing two baby boys and their mother on October 7 in front of cheering crowds.

Although the Bibas boys were not our own, the collective and compassionate we, all felt as if they were our own sons or brothers.

Since October 7, we prayed. We hoped. We celebrated their birthdays. As Rabbi Harold Kushner wrote, God was with us to help us with our hope and to make our prayers even more powerful. We held our collective and compassionate breath….until today. The Pillars of Clouds were in front of us.

Today, the curtain has revealed the true depravity and evil of Hamas and all those around the world who support Hamas. Today thousands in Gaza revealed their evil as they celebrated during a cruel casket ceremony and cheered the casket delivery of the Bibas Boys’ bodies. There are no words for this depravity and evil.

(Each of the deaths of Oct 7 Israelis, Hostages and IDF soldiers and innocent civilians in the region is sacred. I am solely focusing on the Bibas Boys in this blog).

Today the world of the compassionate and collective we, mourns.

As the Children of Israel and all of Israel struggles with the brutal killing of the Bibas boys, God will protect us from behind as we struggle in the intrinsic nature of Israel.

May the memories of Ariel and Kfir and Shira Bibas be for a blessing. May we mourn all of the lives lost on October 7 and subsequent war. May we continue to pray for the remaining hostages. May we look forward to peace. Am yisrael chai.

At a recent shabbat service, a young boy asked a question during our torah discussion of Genesis 4. He asked:

“If Joseph knew the dreams of 7 years of plenty followed by 7 Years of famine? Do humans have free choice? Or is everything already predetermined by God and the dreams?” 

I was so impressed with this young boy’s question…it is certainly one of existential reflection.

How can we reconcile human free will with the understanding of an omnipotent God?  Are our dreams predetermined by divine destiny?

I would like to explore this question in the context of three books:

• Consolation of Philosophy written by Boethius around 524 BCE.
• Why Bad things happened to Good People by Rabbi Harold Kushner
• The Torah.

Consolation of Philosophy was composed by Boethius while he was imprisoned, awaiting execution on charges of treason. The work reflects his philosophical musings on fortune, happiness, and the nature of human suffering. Boethius tackles the apparent conflict between human free will and the omnipotence of God by exploring the nature of God’s foreknowledge and human freedom.

Lady Philosophy explains to Boethius that God’s omniscience—his ability to know everything past, present, and future—does not negate human free will. She argues that God’s knowledge is not bound by time. For God, all moments (past, present, and future) exist simultaneously in an eternal “now.” This means that while God knows the future, this foreknowledge does not force or cause human actions. Rather, humans still act freely within time, making choices that are genuinely their own. Humans move through time sequentially, only going forward. While God exists across all temporal periods simultaneously. Boethius introduces the concept of God’s knowledge existing in an “eternal now” where God does not foresee future events but sees all events at once. This perspective eliminates the idea that God anticipates or reacts to human actions, thus preserving human freedom.

Why Bad Things Happen to Good People by Rabbi Harold Kushner was first published in 1981. The book explores the question of why suffering exists, particularly when it happens to good, innocent people.

Kushner offers a perspective on the problem of evil, particularly how it relates to the coexistence of human free will and an all-powerful God. His approach is influenced by his own personal tragedy—his son’s illness and death—and the struggle to reconcile suffering with belief in a benevolent and omnipotent God.

Kushner suggests that while God is all-loving, he is not all-powerful in the traditional sense. Instead of adhering to the conventional view that God controls every event in the world, Kushner argues that God does not have the power to prevent all suffering or to interfere with human free will. He emphasizes that God created a world where humans have the freedom to make choices, and with this freedom comes the potential for both good and evil actions.

Instead of preventing all suffering, Kushner suggests that God’s role is to provide comfort, strength, and companionship to those who are suffering. God does not cause bad things that happen but is present with those who endure them, helping them to cope and find meaning.

In this way, Kushner reconciles human free will with the existence of suffering by suggesting that God’s omnipotence is not about controlling every aspect of life, but about being a source of love and presence in a world where suffering is sometimes unavoidable. This interpretation allows for both human autonomy and the continued belief in a compassionate, loving God.

While the Torah portrays God as all-knowing and all-powerful, it also consistently depicts humans as having the capacity to choose between good and evil. One example is in the story of Adam and Eve (Genesis 16). God gives them the freedom to choose whether or not to eat from the Tree of Knowledge, even though he knows the consequences of their choice.

The Torah frequently emphasizes that humans are responsible for following God’s commandments, which implies human agency and the ability to choose to obey or disobey. For example, in Deuteronomy 30:19, the Torah says, “I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life…” This verse suggests that people have the freedom to choose their path, even though God provides the framework of commandments.

In the Torah, God’s involvement in the world is seen as both direct and indirect. While God is depicted as actively guiding events, such as in the Exodus from Egypt or the lives of the patriarchs, humans are still portrayed as making their own choices. The tension between divine providence and human freedom is often framed as God working through human actions and decisions to fulfill his purposes, even though people are free to choose their actions.

Returning to the young boy at the Shabbat service who explored the dreams of Joseph, the story of Joseph and his brothers in Genesis shows how God’s plan is fulfilled through human decisions, but the characters are still responsible for their choices.

Upon conclusion, I am inspired by the words of Victor Frankl, a renowned philosopher whose wisdom was born out of his experience in the holocaust.

“We have absolutely no control over what happens to us in life but what we have paramount control over is how we respond to those events.” -Viktor Frankl, Meaning of God

The compassion and support of God/Hashem to our human responses in the face of suffering provides a key addition to Viktor’s wise words.

Author’s note: This is my first blog utilizing AI to help expedite my research.  I used ChatGPT and Grok as part of my blog process.

Which character in the Bible does the Torah tell us MOST about his or her emotional state?

Answer: Pharaoh. There are 17 references to his emotional state. The Torah references Pharaoh’s “lev,” his heart.

Why? The Israelites escaping from slavery in Egypt, to wandering in the Wilderness, and reaching freedom in the Promised Land. This was a happy story for the Israelites.

But who was not happy? The Pharaoh! The Pharaoh had a successful slave-based economy. He was about to lose all of his slaves! This would ruin his economy and his life!

Pharaoh struggled 17 times in the Torah to deal with the reality of losing his slaves. God gave many signs and sent the 10 plagues to Egypt. But Pharaoh could not accept a future without his slaves. Pharaoh was a “slave” to his past. He was a slave to the concept that he would always have slaves, and unable to imagine that his life could change and his future would be different.

The Torah wants us to identify with Pharaoh because, like the Pharaoh, we are often reluctant to let go of our own past. In order to live unencumbered in the present, and to be ready for the future, we must leave the past behind.

Torah references for the Pharaoh

Exodus 4:21, p. 120 JPS

• “I, however, will stiffen his heart so that he will not let the people go”

Exodus 7:3, p. 124 JPS

• “I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, that I may multiply My signs and marvels in the land of Egypt”

Exodus 7:14, p. 125 JPS

• “Yet Pharaoh’s heart stiffened and he did not heed them”

Exodus 7:22, p. 126 JPS

• “Pharaoh’s heart stiffened and he did not heed them”

Exodus 8:11, p. 127 JPS

• “But when Pharaoh saw that ere was relief, he became stubborn and would not heed them, as the Lord had spoken”

Exodus 8:15, p. 127-128 JPS

• “But Pharaoh’s heart stiffened and he would not heed them, as the Lord had spoken”

Exodus 8:28, p. 129 JPS

• “But Pharaoh became stubborn this time also, and would not let the people go”

Exodus 9:7, p. 129 JPS

• “Yet Pharaoh remained stubborn, and he would not let the people go”

Exodus 9:12, p. 130 JPS

• “But the Lord stiffened the heart of Pharaoh, and he would not heed them”

Exodus 9:34, p. 131 JPS

• “But when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunder had ceased, he became stubborn and reverted to his guilty ways, as did his courtiers”

Exodus 9:35, p. 131 JPS

• “So Pharaoh’s heart stiffened and he would not let the Israelites go”

Exodus 10:1, p. 131 JPS

• “Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh. For I have hardened his heart”

Exodus 10:20, p. 133 JPS

• “But the Lord stiffened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let the Israelites go”

Exodus 10:27, p. 134 JPS

• “But the Lord stiffened Pharaoh’s heart and he would not agree to let them go”

Exodus 11:10, p. 135 JPS

• “Moses and Aaron had performed all of these marvels before Pharaoh, but the Lord stiffened the heart of Pharaoh so that he would not let the Israelites go from his land.”

Exodus 14:4, p. 141 JPS

• “Then I will stiffen Pharaoh’s heart”

Exodus 14:5, p. 141 JPS

• “When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, Pharaoh and his courtiers had a change of heart about the people”

What is the shape of Moses’ Basket? What similarities does it have with Noah’s Ark?

Answer: Noah’s Ark and Moses’ Basket were the EXACT same shape. They were both a rectangle. (Obviously different sizes). They are both called a “Teyvah” (Hebrew for Ark).

There are a lot of similarities between Noah’s Ark and Moses’ Basket (Ark):

• Both the Ark and the Basket “delivered” the Israelites through the water
• Noah’s Ark protected Noah’s family and the animals from the flood
• Moses’ Basket delivered Moses (and later the Israelites) from the Egyptians through the Nile and Red Sea
• Both Arks created a fresh beginning for the Israelites/World
• Water destroyed the Earth in Noah’s flood and the Red Sea swallowed the Egyptians

And a little more:

• Noah is the first reference in the Torah to a “Righteous Tzadik” person. Genesis 6:9, p. 11 JPS
• Moses is referred to as the most “humble man” in the entire Torah. “Now Moses was a humble (anav) man, more so than any man on earth.” Numbers 12:3, p. 310 JPS
• Neither the Ark, nor Moses’ basket was a traditional boat with a keel, easily steered or directed. Both vessels were subject to the ebb and flow of the tides and water, subject only to the will of the water, to fate, and perhaps God’s will.

Here is one take-away from the stories of Noah’s Ark and Moses’ Basket: Deliverance and liberation may mean accepting that there are forces that are beyond our control.

Torah References for the Ark/Basket

Noah’s Ark is a rectangle. Genesis 6:9, p. 11 JPS

• “Make yourself an Ark (Teyvah in Hebrew) of gopher wood…the length of the ark should be 300 cubits, its width 50 cubits, and its height 30 cubits”
• Noah is the first reference of a “Righteous Tzadik” person Genesis 6:9, p. 11 JPS

Moses’ Basket: Exodus 2:3, p. 114 JPS

• “When she could hide him no longer, she got a wicker basket (Ark Teyvah)…she put the child into it and placed in among the reeds by the bank of the Nile”

What does the Torah say about Food during the Story of Exodus?

Answer: The Torah describes the food of the Exodus as the Food of Slavery, and the Food of Wilderness, and the Food of Freedom in the Promised Land

The Food of Slavery

While in Egypt, the Hebrews ate the Food of Slavery, which was “leeks, onions, and garlic” which all came from the ground. Not the air or the sea. In many ways, you can think of the slaves as chained to the ground.

The Food of Wilderness: (Midbar)

When the Hebrews escaped from Slavery into the Wilderness, the Hebrews first ate “Manna” a food from God. This food came from above and from the sky. They also consumed “Shabbat” which was Food for the Soul. “Man does not live on bread alone, but that man may live on anything that the Lord decrees.”

Food of Freedom

The Land of Israel is called Eretz Zavat Chalav U’dvash, “The Land of Milk and Honey.” It’s clear that to the Torah, food really matters. The Promised Land is actually a place where food is delicious!

The Foods of Freedom are “Olives, Honey, Figs, and Pomegranates.” These foods are all in the air and all have seeds in order to regenerate generations of populations, just as the hope is that the Israelites would create a cycle of generations stretching far into the future in the Promised Land.

Torah References for Food in the Torah

Food of Slavery: “Mitzraim”; (Narrow Place) In Egypt, Hebrews ate the Food of Slavery. All of these food items came from the ground.
(Numbers 11:4-5, p. 307 JPS) “The riffraff in their midst felt a gluttonous craving…We remember the fish that we used to eat free in Egypt…the leeks, the onions, and the garlic.”

Food of Wilderness: “Midbar” (Wilderness) Israelites first ate “Mannah” food from God. Manna came from the sky and heaven.

(Exodus 16:15-16, p. 148 JPS). When the fall of dew lifted, over the surface of the wilderness, lay a fine and flaky substance, as fine as frost on the ground. When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” for they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, “That is the Bread which the Lord has given you to eat…. The House of Israel names it Manna.”

Importance of Shabbat (Food for the Soul)

“Eat it today, for today is a Sabbath of the Lord, you will not find it today on the plain. Six days you shall gather it; on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will be none.” Exodus 16:26, p. 149 JPS

“God has made you travel in the wilderness these past forty years. He subjected you to the hardship of hunger and then gave you Manna to eat, which neither you nor your fathers had ever known, in order to teach you that man does not live on bread alone, but that man may live on anything that the Lord decrees.” Deuteronomy 8:2-3, p. 393 JPS

Food of Freedom: Eretz Zavat Chalav U’dvash (Land of Milk and Honey) Israel, the Promised Land, is named for delicious and sweet food.

(Exodus 3:8, p. 116 JPS) God will “rescue the Hebrews from the Egyptians and bring them…to a land flowing with milk and honey.”

(Numbers 13:23, p. 312 JPS) The 12 spies went to the Promised Land and “reached the wadi Eschol, and there they cut down a branch with a single cluster of grapes…and some pomegranates and figs.”

(Deuteronomy 8:7, p. 393 JPS) “For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land with streams and springs and fountains…a land of figs and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and honey; a land where you may eat food without stint, where you will lack nothing…when you have eaten your fill, give thanks to the lord your God for the good land which he has given to you.”

Have you ever found faith fueled in a fire?

Did you find something in the seemingly loss of everything?

The cataclysmic fires in Los Angeles this month have been beyond devastation and imagination.

Tragically many people lost their lives. Thousands of families lost their homes and all of their physical possessions completely incinerated by these tragic fires. Countless businesses were lost and huge swaths of infrastructure were destroyed.

No words can adequately describe the devastation and loss.

Nevertheless, amidst this landscape of loss, I believe that there have been islands of inspiration.

We have heard stories of neighbors helping neighbors.  Families, whose homes have been destroyed, have found refuge with friends whose homes were sparred.  Business giving free food, clothing, and services to those in need.

In addition, there were many stories of Houses of worship, Chabad Synagogues, Churches, and religious objects saved from the flames.  Miraculous to behold.

I would like to explore one story of an angel found among the ashes.

“In the midst of a devastating wildfire that destroyed their family home, Joshua Kotler and his wife Emily were left with nothing but their lives. However, from the ashes of their Altadena home, one precious item emerged: a menorah that had once belonged to Joshua’s grandmother, a Holocaust survivor.

The Kotler family, including their two daughters, Liberty, 4, and Eve, 2, had evacuated their home as the fire rapidly advanced. While they managed to flee with just a few clothes and the necessities, they never imagined the fire would destroy everything they had. Their home, perched at the top of a mountain, was completely consumed by the flames.

“We got out of our house safely, thank God,” Joshua told The New York Post, reflecting on their escape. The next morning, as firefighters surveyed the damage, Joshua and Emily returned to see what, if anything, had survived. Amid the devastation, the only item that remained unscathed was the menorah, a family heirloom passed down through generations.

“It was insanely powerful to find it,” Joshua said, choking up. “The night before, I had been crying on the phone with my cousin, regretting not grabbing it when we left. And then to find it, the only thing left from our entire house—it was just an insane feeling.”

While their home was lost, the Kotlers have found hope in this small but significant piece of history that now carries a new meaning: a reminder that even in the darkest moments, something precious can endure. “We’re alive. That’s all that matters,” Joshua reflected, holding his family close, grateful for their survival and the menorah that connected their past with their future.”

I looked to the torah for understanding and inspirations of faith fueled by fire. In Genesis 15:17 when G-d/Hashem appeared to Abram to signify his presence and first made his covenant with Abram.

Then I looked at Exodus 3:2, when Moses encountered the Burning Bush.  What was unusual about the Burning Bush was not that it was on fire, but that it was on fire and not consumed. While most people use focal vision most of the time, I believe that the magic and mystery in life takes place in the serendipity of our surroundings. Moses noticed out of his peripheral vision that it was on fire and not consumed. Moses stopped and looked towards the Burning Bush. The angel of the Lord appeared to Moses from the within the fire, then God/Hashem called out to Moses from within the flames “Moses, Moses” God/Hashem called. “Hinani, Here I am (and I am ready)” replied Moses.

This moment changed the course of human history because it catalyzed Moses to lead the Children of Israel out of slavery in Egypt to the Wilderness and finally to the Promised Land – the land of Israel.

In Exodus 16:4, the Children of Israel arrived in the wilderness fresh from their escape from Egypt. They only had that which they could carry on their backs. They lacked the basics. God/Hashem provided manna from heaven. In Exodus 16:26, God/Hashem gave the first sabbath. This combination of spiritual and physical sustenance, manna from heaven and faith in God/Hashem provided the foundation support for the Children of Israel during their time in the wilderness.

I fervently pray and hope that the Children of Los Angeles will find manna from heaven over the coming weeks and months to provide spiritual support as they recover and believe again in the future.

It is truly this manna from heaven and faith that can be the ultimate angel appearing from the ashes which will lead the community of  Los Angeles, the City of Angels, to the Promised land.

Author’s Note:

I have been hiking the hills of Malibu and Pacific Palisades for over 25 years while attending The Ashram.

I also lived in Santa Monica for two years and hiked in the Pacific Palisades (Paseo Miramar Trail) and Malibu 4 to 5 times a week.

I am sending my love and prayers to my LA friends wishing them hope and faith during this difficult time.

Appendix:

The LA neighborhood of Pacific Palisades was one of the areas that suffered the most damage. Amongst the ruins left in the fire’s wake, there was one building that was notably spared: Kehillat Israel.

Kehillat Israel is a reconstructionist synagogue. The congregation was founded in the 1950s and grew to include hundreds of families. In 1997 they opened their synagogue in Pacific Palisades.

When the LA fires hit, area around the synagogue was greatly affected. Buildings just across the street had been destroyed. Despite this, the synagogue itself was untouched by the fire. The survival of Kehillat Israel serves as a beacon of hope not just for its congregation but for all residents of LA.

You can read more about Kehillat Israel here.

At Pepperdine University in Malibu, a 20-foot wooden cross stands atop a hill overlooking the university. This hill was ravaged by the fires. Miraculously, the wooden cross was unharmed by the blaze. It now serves as a powerful symbol of hope. You can read more about it here.

The Corpus Christi Catholic Church in Pacific Palisades was tragically destroyed during the LA fires. When the fire department was going through the rubble, they were able to recover the church’s tabernacle intact. The tabernacle’s survival is a powerful sign of hope and faith. You can read more about it here.

You can read another powerful story of faith found in the wake of the fire here.