D’var Torah – March 28
Shabbat Shalom! I hope this finds you all well.
There are two stories that always provide me with incredible inspiration.
The first was during the Vietnam War. When an American pilot was shot down behind enemy lines in the densely forested and inhospitable jungles of that country, a vast network of aircraft and highly trained and motivated personnel sprung into action to help safely recover the downed pilot and prevent his capture. This included light observation planes whose pilots risked life and limb to communicate with the pilot on the ground and guide his steps as he made his way to a pick-up zone; heavily armed gunships; fighter jets and attack aircraft whose crews kept the North Vietnamese Army and Viet Cong at bay; and finally, helicopters with special operations rescue crews onboard who would ultimately make the extraction. When any of these aircraft were running out of fuel, a replacement was right there to take its place. Day or night, this is how it worked. These aircraft and crew always stayed on station and many died protecting the downed pilots. It was a sacred vigil that they performed, and an unbreakable and holy bond that these aviators had with one another.
The second is from my own life. From the day she was diagnosed until she took her last breath, my mother of blessed memory was never alone. From the second she was diagnosed until her death three years later she was surrounded by an army of doctors, physicians assistants, nurses, proton beam technicians, patient advocates, treatment coordinators, chaplains, hospital volunteers, and countless others. For three years they gave my mom everything they had. She was their charge, their responsibility, their calling…their patient. I still remember one night, near the end of it all, a nurse who had come just off shift came in and spent 20 minutes talking with us. She could have gone to the gym, the mall, or home, but she stayed there with us. That was a priceless and unforgettable experience. Just as with the heroic and selfless pilots and aircrews from the Vietnam War, those in charge of my mother’s treatment saw to her care both day and night without fail.
These stories, these episodes come to mind whenever I reach the concluding lines of this week’s parsha of Pekudei (Exodus 38:21-40:38).
We read: “When Moses had finished the work [of building the tabernacle], the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the Presence of God filled the Tabernacle…over the Tabernacle a cloud of God rested by day, and fire would appear in it by night, in the view of all the house of Israel throughout their journeys.” (Exodus 40:34, 38*)
The cloud and fire are a concrete sign and visible demonstration reminder that wherever the people of Israel go, God goes with them. When in doubt, the cloud and fire were a clear sign that God was with them. I can’t even begin to fathom how reassuring this was for our ancestors as they trekked through the wilderness.
It is said in Torah that B’tzelem Elohim – we are made in God’s divine image (Genesis 1:26), and that we are to walk in God’s divine and holy ways (Deuteronomy 10:12). Therefore, it goes that just as God was with our ancestors on a constant and consistent basis during their sojourn in the wilderness, so too must we always demonstrate the same amount of attention and love to those whom we hold closest. Being a devoted and loving husband or wife, a caring mother or father, a dutiful son or daughter, and a loyal friend require a lot more than banker’s hours. These precious people deserve the very best of us every hour of every day.
And what should we term this middah g’dolah – this supreme value? Perhaps it’s this: “constant consistency.”
Perhaps the greatest symbol of this constant consistency that we have today in our midst is the ner tamid – the eternal light which hangs above the Aron Kodesh (the Holy Ark) and Sifrei Torah (Torah scrolls) which contain the most basic and fundamental words of our faith. Always lit, always there, the ner tamidis a reminder of God’s enduring and unending presence in our lives and a standard we should strive to achieve for those whom we love most.
Bizrat HaShem, with God’s help, may we always show up and be there for those whom we love both day and night.
Wishing you a Good Shabbos and a great weekend.
Bivrakha,
Rabbi Aaron Stucker-Rozovsky
Beth El Congregation | 520 Fairmont Ave, Winchester, VA 22601
(540) 667-1889 (office)