“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)”
Erev Shabbos Kodesh parshas Naso
13 Sivan 5783/June 2, 2023
ONWARD HO!
In the month of June, the word commencement seems to
pop up a lot, because graduations are known as commencement exercises. I had a
colleague who would say that the only exercise he gets all year is when he
attends commencement exercises in June.
I was recently speaking with a friend who insisted
that commence means end. Why else, he argued, would graduation be called
commencement? Despite his logical reasoning, to commence means to begin. So why
indeed are graduations called beginnings when they mark the end of one’s
schooling?
Some offer a historical explanation. During the
Middle Ages, students and teachers ate in large halls, with students sitting
together at long tables and teachers at a separate table on a raised podium.
When students completed their studies, graduates would sit with their teachers
as equals at a common table (from Latin com – “common” and mensa – “table”). The
celebration of that transition became known as the “commencement.”
Others argue that commencement is metaphorical. The
end of the academic journey marks the beginning of the next phase of one’s
life. A graduation ceremony marks the beginning of the journey that will bring the
graduate to new vistas and opportunities.
In 1942, the British army routed the previously unstoppable forces of
German General Rommel at El Alamein, driving the German troops out of Egypt.
The battle marked a turning point in Northern Africa during World War II.
Shortly afterwards, in a speech delivered at London’s Mansion house, British Prime
Minister Winston Churchill quipped: “Now, this is not the end. It is not
even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the
beginning.”
During my years in rabbanus, at the Neilas HaChag at
the conclusion of Simchas Torah I often shared the following with my
congregation: “We set out on a journey that began almost two months ago with
the first blowing of the Shofar on Rosh Chodesh Elul. It continued with
Selichos, Rosh Hashanah and the shofar, followed by Aseres Yimei Teshuvah, Tashlich,
Kappraos, the holy day of Yom Kippur with all its prayers, building the succah,
choosing a lulav and esrog, celebrating the joyous holiday of Succos, Simchas
Beis Hasheivah, Hoshana Rabbah, Shemini Atzeres, bentching Geshem, culminating with
the intense dancing of Simchas Torah. And now, after traversing that glorious
journey of introspection, growth and spiritual commitment, we have finally
arrived…. at the beginning!”
The same can be said regarding the Yom Tov of
Shavuos. After the regal Seder Night and the Yom Tov of Pesach, followed by seven
weeks counting the Omer, and culminating with the Yom Tov of Shavuos, we have
finally arrived at the beginning.
If someone is preparing to take part in a major bike
race, during the prior weeks he will work to build up his endurance and train
himself and properly pace himself to ensure that he is agile enough for the
race. He will also spend a tremendous amount of time choosing his bike,
painstakingly choosing the best tires, and ensuring that he has the most comfortable
bike seat and that all the parts of his bike are top quality and best suited
for his comfort and performance.
On the day of the big race, he will eat a hearty
breakfast and then ride his bike to the starting line along with the other
contenders. All his work was to get to that point. From that point onward he is
on his own. His trainer, family and friends can only watch from the sidelines.
Now it’s up to him to complete what he set out to accomplish.
Pesach, Sefirah and Shavuos are all training to bring
us to the starting line. When Shavuos ends it marks the end of the beginning. At
that point it is incumbent upon us to continue our mission without the added
reminders and encouragement of Sefiras HaOmer. Now comes the real challenge of
living life based on Torah.
The same is true when Simchas Torah ends. It is then
that the real challenge and goal begins – to live daily life with the
commitments and newfound spiritual levels attained during the previous
weeks.
The Klausenberger Rebbe (Divrei Yatziv 1:94), quotes Rabbeinu
Gershom, who explained that an important reason why one celebrates a siyum is
because when one completes one section of Torah study, the custom is to
immediately begin the subsequent study, in a never-ending quest for more Torah
learning.
Every spiritual accomplishment should be celebrated not just
because of what one has achieved, but because it gives him the ability to
achieve more in the future, “From strength to strength” (Tehillim 84:7).
Now that Shavuos has ended and we have finally arrived at the
beginning, we set out for the real journey ahead.
Shabbat Shalom & Good Shabbos,
R’
Dani and Chani Staum