Parshas Acharei Mos – Kedoshim 5780

 “RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)”
Erev Shabbos Kodesh parshas Acharei Mos
-Kedoshim
7 Iyar 5780/May 1, 2020
Avos Perek 3 – 22nd day of the
Omer
FANLESS BASEBALL
            Be
strong all ye loyal, despondent baseball fans! All hope is not lost for the
beleaguered 2020 baseball season.
            While
Major League Baseball is still on hold indefinitely, halfway across the world
the sounds of whizzing baseballs and the crack of the bat can be heard.
            In South
Korea, the Korean Baseball Organization (KBO) has begun its preseason, in the
hope that it will be able to begin its regular season in a few weeks.
            But
there will be nothing regular about the regular season. For now, the games will
be played in front of empty seats in an otherwise empty stadium.
            During
the games, the stadium is eerily quiet and boring. Dan Straily, an
American-born pitcher with the Lotte Giants of the KBO, quipped, “I had to ask
people in the front office to get some music between innings, to somehow try to
get a little energy [in the stadium].”
            Straily
noted that without fans it’s much harder to generate energy and motivation.
            “Even
if you’re on the other side and the fans are yelling at you, you just feel the
energy. Somewhere deep down, it adds adrenaline to you and you feed off of
that.”
            The
KBO’S new Covid-19 rules  include players having their temperatures
checked twice a day; everyone not in a baseball uniform, including umpires and
athletic trainers, wearing face masks and gloves; if a player shows symptoms,
he’ll be immediately quarantined and they’ll close the stadium where he played
his most recent game; if he tests positive for the virus, they will
immediately use contact tracing to determine who else needs to be quarantined
for two weeks.
            But
perhaps the most challenging rule for players is that for the time being they
are not allowed to spit! Players chewing and spitting all over the clubhouse
and field at baseball games is as much a pastime as the game itself. Imposed
civility on the field at baseball games? What’s next? Hitters apologizing to
the pitcher if they hit a homerun off them, and pitchers apologizing to hitters
when they strike them out?
            Truthfully,
my bigger concern, even more than spitless baseball, is if they can really play
a game without people walking around the stands screaming “beyaeh heeyah
(beer here)!”
            In his
commentary at the conclusion of parshas Bo (Shemos 13:16), Ramban explains that
the ultimate objective of all mitzvos is to help us develop our faith in G-d
and acknowledge that He created us. This is the objective of creation itself.
“For we have no other explanation for the first creation, and the most High has
no desire for the earthbound creatures except this, that man should know and
acknowledge to his G-d that G-d created him.”
            Ramban
then adds that this is the reason why we have shuls in which we pray together.
“That people have a place where they can gather and acknowledge… where they
can publicize this and declare before Him, “We are your creations!”
            Prayer
is by definition a medium that helps foster faith and connectivity. The effect
of personal prayer in seclusion is incomparable to prayer with a congregation
in a shul when, in unity, we reinforce within each other our collective mission
to accept G-d’s Will.
            Sefer
Hachinuch (mitzvah 331) notes that whenever something is performed with multitudes,
it builds momentum and excitement. “For nothing strengthens the hearts of men
as much as the actions of the masses.” Even when a person’s resolve is weak and
flimsy, he can become swept away by the frenzied energy of the masses and that
itself can awaken him from his lethargy and infuse him with energy.
            During
these last few weeks, when we have been forced to daven outside of our beloved
shuls and without a minyan, G-d undoubtedly must have tremendous nachas from
the tenacious dedication of His holy people who continue to serve Him and pray
to Him in any way possible. But for us, being unable to daven together is
extremely painful and challenging.
            I must
admit that I never realized how much chizuk one gains just by stepping foot in
a shul, the holy room always waiting for its adherents to begin praying within
it. I never realized the infusion of spiritual energy one feels when davening
together even on a weeknight, and even when it was inconvenient to schlepp out
there. We hope that soon we will be able to return to our shuls and to
participate in communal prayer with renewed appreciation and renewed reverence.
            Shabbat
Shalom & Good Shabbos,
R’ Dani and Chani Staum       

Sign Up For Our Email List

More Posts

Yom Kippur 5785

  “RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)”   Erev Shabbos Kodesh – Yom Kippur 9 Tishrei 5785/ October 11, 2024 OH DEER For those living in New York City, it’s quite rare to see deer. But for those of us who live on the other side of the Hudson River it is quite common. In fact, recently the number of deer has grown exponentially. It is not unusual for a family of deer to sprint across our yard, or even be grazing calmly in our yard. (So far, my effort to get them to pay for their usurped meals haven’t been successful…) Often,

Read More »

Parshas Nitzavim-Vayeilech 5784

  “RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)”   Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Netzovim-Vayelech 23 Elul 5784/ September 27, 2024 Pirkei Avos – Perek 5-6 KUGEL JUICE It’s been said that more people become religious because of the Rebbetzin’s kugel than because of the Rabbi’s sermon. This past Friday I couldn’t stop thinking about my wife’s kugel all morning. While she does make a mean potato kugel (that’s a big compliment for those who don’t know), that’s not why I thought about it all morning. During a game played at last year’s Chanukah mesiba in my home for my students, one student won a

Read More »

Parshas Ki Savo 5784

  “RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)”   Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Ki Savo 17 Elul 5784/ September 20, 2024 Pirkei Avos – Perek 3-4 UNAPOLOGETIC PRIDE Each year before Tisha b’Av I spend a considerable amount of time working with the learning director of Camp Dora Golding, my rebbe, Rabbi Noach Sauber, to develop a program for our campers that will be engaging, inspiring and meaningful. That includes asking our talented rebbeim in camp to introduce each of the kinnos recited. On Tisha b’Av this summer, my friend and summer colleague, Rabbi Mayer Erps, shared the following personal anecdote[1]: “On occasion I’ve

Read More »
Scroll to Top