Book Of LifeShayis274 Greenspan 1

TORAH-FAX 5774 SHAVUOT YISKOR

SHAYIS274
BOOK OF LIFE, BOOK OF DESTINY: OUR PLACE IN THE TORAH
BY RABBI MARK B GREENSPAN

This morning Im going !o gi"e yo# a ma!h $esson%%

B#! &efore I 'o I' $ike yo# !o (onsi'er !he fa(! !ha! some!imes re$igio#s i'eas ha"e
!o &e em&ra(e' for !heir poe!i( "a$#e an' no! for !heir $i!era$ meaning% This is
par!i(#$ar$y !r#e )hen i! (omes !o *a&&a$ah+ ,e)ish mys!i(ism% So I$$ &egin !his
morning )i!h apo$ogies !o !hose of yo# )ho more s(ien!ifi(a$$y an' $i!era$$y
min'e'% Im going !o share a *a&&a$is!i( i'ea )i!h yo# !ha! I !hink is !r#$y
po)erf#$ e"en if )e (an! !ake i! !oo $i!era$$y%

Theres a (ommon$y he$' &e$ief among some ,e)s+ !ha! !here are -..+... $e!!ers in
!he Torah+ e/#a$ !o !he n#m&er of peop$e )ho $ef! !he $an' of 0gyp! '#ring !he !ime
of !he 01o'#s% This i'ea appears in !he 2ohar+ !he grea! Bi&$e of ,e)ish mys!i(a$
!ho#gh! an' mos! prominen!$y in a )ork (a$$e' 3iga$eh Am#ko!+ 4 The 5e"ea$er
of !he 6ep!hs7 )ri!!en &y 5a&&i 8a!an 8e!a Shapira in !he 1-!h (en!#ry% B#! yo#
'on! ha"e !o $ook in!o s#(h ar(ane p$a(es in or'er !o fin' referen(es !o i!% I !ype'
4-..+... $e!!ers in !he Torah7 in!o a 4Goog$e7 sear(h engine on my (omp#!er an' I
fo#n' $i!era$$y 'o9ens of referen(es !o !his i'ea on !he in!erne!%

:ha! e1a(!$y 'oes i! mean !o say !ha! !here are -..+... $e!!ers in !he Torah+ e/#a$
!o !he n#m&er of peop$e )ho $ef! 0gyp!; A((or'ing !o !his i'ea )hen !he ,e)ish
peop$e s!oo' a! 3o#n! Sinai+ !hey no! on$y re(ei"e' !he Torah< !hey &e(ame par! of
i! as )e$$% 0a(h ,e)ish so#$ )as in!ima!e$y (onne(!e' !o !he !ea(hings of !he Torah%
An' sin(e+ a((or'ing !o ano!her !ra'i!ion+ e"ery ,e)ish so#$ )as presen! a! 3o#n!
Sinai+ !his means !ha! ea(h of #s has o#r o)n $e!!er+ o#r o)n spe(ia$ p$a(e in !he
Torah%
Book Of LifeShayis274 Greenspan 2
Im a "a" )ha! are yo#;

This i'ea is no! )i!ho#! i!s pro&$ems% =irs!+ )hi$e !he Torah 'oes say !ha! !here
)ere appro1ima!e$y -..+... ,e)s )ho $ef! 0gyp!+ !his n#m&er on$y !akes in!o
(onsi'era!ion men &e!)een !he ages of 2. an' >.% Ho) a&o#! !he )omen no! !o
men!ion !he o!her ma$es )ho )ere ei!her yo#nger or o$'er !han !his )ho $ef!
0ygp!; An' se(on'+ !here aren! rea$$y -..+... $e!!ers in !he Torah? There are
rea$$y on$y @.>+ A.> $e!!ers% Yo#$$ ha"e !o !ake my )or' on !his !here are peop$e
)ho ha"e a(!#a$$y (o#n!e' !hem%

So on !)o "ery serio#s a((o#n!s+ !his i'ea of -..+... $e!!ers is s#spe(!% Gi"en !he
fa(! !ha! sages an' s(ho$ars !hro#gho#! !he ages )ere so e1a(!ing a&o#! e"ery
aspe(! of !he Torah 'o)n !o i!s $as! Bo! an' !i!!$e+ i! seems #n$ike$y !ha! !hey (o#$'
ha"e ma'e s#(h a &ig mis!ake in (a$(#$a!ing !he n#m&er of $e!!ers in a Torah s(ro$$+
$e! a$one !he n#m&er of peop$e )ho $ef! 0gyp!% 5emem&er+ e"ery Torah is )ri!!en
&y han'% In mos! h#mashim+ ea(h &ook en's )i!h a !a$$y of !he n#m&er of (hap!ers
an' "erses in !ha! &ook% So ho) )as i! possi&$e !ha! !hese ra&&is ma'e s#(h a &ig
mis!ake; :ere !hey ma!hema!i(a$$y (ha$$enge';

Before )e 'ismiss !his i'ea o#! of han'+ ho)e"er+ I' $ike !o s#gges! !ha! !he i'ea
of ea(h person ha"ing a C$e!!er in !he Torah is espe(ia$$y meaningf#$ for #s !o
(onsi'er par!i(#$ar$y !o'ay as )e re(i!e Yi9kor% 0"en if !he n#m&ers 'on! ma!(h
#p+ !he i'eas 'o an' !hey (an !ea(h #s some!hing a&o#! !he meaning an' !he pa!h
!o ,e)ish immor!a$i!y%

=or many of #s here !o'ay Sha"#o! is pro&a&$y !he $as! h#rrah &efore !he s#mmer
hia!#s% 8o! !ha! !he synagog#e ($oses 'o)n for !he s#mmer% =or many peop$e+
ho)e"er+ !he 4,e)ish year7 &egins )i!h 5osh Hashanah an' i! rea(hes i!s ($ima1
on Sha"#o!%
Book Of LifeShayis274 Greenspan @
As 'ifferen! as !hese 5osh Hashanah an' Sha"#o! are from one ano!her+ I !hink
!hey ha"e some!hing impor!an! in (ommon !ha! )e 'on! a$)ays (onsi'er% Bo!h
ho$i'ays are &#i$! aro#n' !he image of a &ook%

On 5osh Hashanah )e speak a&o#! !he &ook of $ife% In !he Dne!aneh !okef prayer
)e 'es(ri&e a &ook in )hi(h )e hope )e )i$$ &e )ri!!en an' ins(ri&e' for !he
(oming year% Brosh Hashanah yika!e"# #"yom !9om kipp#r ye(ha!em#% 4On
5osh Hashanah i! is )ri!!en an' on Yom *ipp#r i! is sea$e'7 =o$$o)ing ser"i(es
)e gree! one ano!her )i!h !he )or's+ Lishanah !o"a !ika!ey"#E 43ay yo# &e
ins(ri&e' Fagain in a &ookG for a goo' year%7 :e ne"er rea$$y say )hi(h &ook i! is
&#! )e ass#me )ere !a$king a&o#! !he &ook of 'es!iny+ !he &ook of $ife%

An' on Sha"#o! )e (e$e&ra!e ano!her &ook% This ho$i'ay is kno)n as 2man
ma!!an Tora!ayn#+ !he season of !he gi"ing of !he Torah% This &ook is a$so !he
&ook of $ife% In o#r $i!#rgy )e (han! 0!9 Hayyim hee $ma(ha9eekim &ah+ 4I! is a
!ree of $ife !o !hose )ho grasp ho$' of i!%7

The mos! a(!i"e par! of !he year+ !hen+ from 5osh Hashanah !o Sha"#o!+ &egins
)i!h a &ook an' i! en's )i!h a &ook% As I !ho#gh! a&o#! i! !his )eek i! o((#rre' !o
me !ha! may&e !he &ooks of )hi(h )e speak on !hese !)o ho$i'ays are rea$$y one
an' !he same% The &ook of 'es!iny is a$so !he &ook of $ife% :hen )e s!#'y Torah+
)hen )e po#r o#rse$"es in!o !he )or's of !he !orah+ !hey no! on$y &e(ome a par! of
#s &#! )e &e(ome a par! of !hem as )e$$% An' !ha! is )hy Sha"#o! is !he $as!
&i&$i(a$ ho$i'ay &efore !he Yamim 8oraim% I! se!s o#! an agen'a for o#r $i"es< i!
(ha$$enges #s !o s!ri"e !o fin' o#r p$a(e in !he Torah%

Tha! p$a(e )i$$ &e 'ifferen! for ea(h of #s% =or some i! may &e 4Hear O Israe$ !he
Lor' o#r Go'+ !he Lor' is one%7 =or o!hers 4Lo"e yo#r neigh&or as yo#rse$f<7 an'
for s!i$$ o!hers i! migh! &e+ 45emem&er !he Sa&&a!h 'ay !o keep i! ho$y7 or 4Honor
Book Of LifeShayis274 Greenspan 4
yo#r fa!her an' mo!her%7 The Torah (on!ains a (ha$$enge for ea(h of #s+ an insigh!
an' a $esson &#! )e (an on$y em&ra(e i! if )e sear(h i!s (hap!ers an' !hen s!ri"e !o
make i! o#r o)n%

:hen ,e)ish mys!i(s s#gges! !ha! ea(h person has a $e!!er in !he Torah+ !heyre
rea$$y saying !ha! )e are mys!i(a$$y (onne(!e' !o o#r heri!age+ an' !ha! a person
(anno! o&!ain immor!a$i!y )i!ho#! !his Book of 6es!iny an' Life% Li!era$ or no!+
!hey )ere !rying !o !ea(h #s !ha! i! is no! )ea$!h or fame !ha! gran!s #s immor!a$i!y
&#! !he asso(ia!ion )e make &e!)een o#r $i"es an' o#r $essons% :e (ome !o
em&o'y !he Torah% Or !o p#! i! ano!her+ !hose )ho $i"e a $ife of meaning an'
goo'ness 'o no! e"en!#a$$y $i"e in hea"en< hea"en $i"es on in !hem% Their $e!!er+
!heir "erse+ !heir (hap!er &#rns &righ!$y &e(a#se o!hers are !o#(he' &y i!%
5e& Sh$omo Har$&a(h !e$$s a s!ory of a !ra"e$er )ho me! an e$'er$y man )hi$e
"isi!ing ,er#sa$em% 6eep$y impresse' &y his kin'ness an' )arm!h+ he aske' !he o$'
man ho) i! )as !ha! he )as so frien'$y% 4:here 'i' yo# ge! yo#r )arm!h;7 he
aske'%

The o$' man e1p$aine'+ 4:hen I )as se"en years o$' in my na!i"e Io$an' I )en!
)i!h my fa!her !o "isi! his 5e&&e for a &$essing B#s! &efore )e $ef! for !he $an' of
Israe$% :e s!aye' !he nigh! in !he 5e&&es ho#se an' I )as p#! !o s$eep in his
s!#'y%7

4The air )as so p#re+ !he &ooks so ho$y in !he 5e&&es s!#'y an' I )as so e1(i!e' I
(o#$'n! s$eep+7 sai' !he o$' man% 4Then in !he mi''$e of !he nigh!+ I hear' a so#n'
&#! I pre!en'e' !o &e as$eep% The 5e&&e (ame in!o !he room an' $ooke' 'o)n a!
me an' in a )hisper he sai'+ Cs#(h a s)ee! (hi$'+ He !hen (o"ere' me )i!h his
Ba(ke! so I )o#$'n! &e (o$'%

Book Of LifeShayis274 Greenspan >
The o$' man !#rne' !o !he "isi!or an' sai'+ 4Im no) eigh!y years o$'% Tha! )as 7@
years ago &#! I am s!i$$ )arme' &y !he 5e&&es Ba(ke!%

To'ay+ as )e ga!her for Yi9kor+ )e (e$e&ra!e !hro#gh sa(re' memory !he $e!!ers
an' )or's !ha! ha"e !o#(he' o#r $i"es% Some!ime in o#r $i"es someone )e $o"e'
p#! a Ba(ke! o"er #s% Their se$f$ess a(! !ransmi!!e' some of !heir spiri! !o #s+ an'
!heir )arm!h an' $o"e (hange' o#r $i"es% :e remem&er !hem gra!ef#$$y an'
fon'$y% They are no) no! on$y a par! of #s< !hey are a$so a par! of !he Torah )hi(h
)e rea' an' s!#'y% An' if )e !ry har' eno#gh+ if )e aspire for some!hing more
may&e )e (an fin' o#r $e!!er an' &e(ome par! of !his Torah of $ife an' 'es!iny as
)e$$%

:he!her )e rea$i9e i! or no! ea(h of #s is here Fho$' #p !he H#mashG% I! is #p !o #s
!o fin' o#rse$"es an' !o share o#r &$essing )i!h o!hers%

,oin )i!h me as )e &egin !he Yi9kor ser"i(e%

Yizkor story came from Rabbi Michael Zedek.