Burbank Temple Emanu El - A Conservative Synagogue and Pre-School

15 Shevat 5770 (Tu B'sh'vat)/29-30 January 2010
Torah: Exodus 13:17 - 17:16
Haftarah: Judges 4:4 - 5:31 (Ashkenazim); Judges 5:1-31 (Sefardim)

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God Provides, Provided You Provide

"The Lord will fight (y'lachem) for you, and you will hold you peace (tacharishun)."  Exodus 14:14

The commentary P'ninei Hatorah uses word play to understand this text.  "God will arrange for you your livelihood, your bread (lechem), provided that 'you will hold your peace' - you must not rebel or quarrel among yourselves, because 'a single argument drives away one hundred livelihoods'" (quoting Shelah Hakadosh).

Rebbe Meir of Premishlan goes one better.  "It is true that God provides bread to all - provided it is your obligation to work and to plow (l'charosh, punning on tacharishun)."  (Both comments appear in "Itturei Torah")

Our teachers have simple but important messages.  First, God provides us with a livelihood - provided we don't destroy each others' livelihoods through petty disputes.  To me, this means even more - that which God creates, we have the power to destroy.  Second, God helps those who help themselves.  God creates wheat, but we must sow, work, harvest, grind and bake before it becomes bread.  We are able to beautify and improve upon God's handiwork in order to make use of it.

This Tu B'sh'vat, remember - we are the ones who have the power to improve the world - or destroy it. 

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Richard A. Flom - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Burbank Temple Emanu El
Burbank, CA
http://www.btee.org

"For the sake of Zion I will not be silent; for the sake of Jerusalem I will not be still"
Isaiah 62:1