PARSHAS TZARIA/HACHODESH 5774

“RABBI’S MUSINGS (&
AMUSINGS)”
Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Tazria – Hachodesh
Mevorchim Chodesh Nissan
26 Adar II 5774/March 28, 2014
A few years ago I read a
story about a CEO who wanted to motivate his employees, so he hung up a sign
over the sink in the office bathroom which simply said “THINK!” He came in the
next day to find that someone had hung up a sign just above the soap dispenser
which read “THOAP!” 
During my preadolescent
years I was a member of the Tzlil V’zemer Boys Choir, directed by Mr. Avrohom
Rosenberg. The choir was popular for some time, releasing a number of music
albums and performing in concerts both nationally and internationally. We would
meet every Thursday night and practice for our performances, reviewing our songs
and harmonies, and ensuring perfection of our choreography. We were taught to
stand with rapt attention, hands behind our backs, and facing Mr. Rosenberg as
we sang.
If there is one lesson
I remember most from that wonderful experience, it can be summed up in one
word. In fact, it was one word that Mr. Rosenberg would repeat constantly:
“Improvise! Improvise! Improvise!” When I joined the choir I didn’t even know
what that word meant, but I quickly learned. There would be unexpected
situations – he would tell us – things which we could not have foreseen or
prepared for. But performing before large crowds we may not always have a
chance to plan our best course of action. Improvise! Think about what is the
best idea to follow given the circumstances, and do your best!
Indeed there were times
when we had to employ that wisdom. The band was playing off beat, the stage was
too small for all of us, some of the stage costumes didn’t arrive, etc.
Improvise!
What a great lesson to
convey to our society, especially our children.
One of the criticisms
of our society’s child-rearing is that we aren’t sufficiently training children
to think for themselves. Children quickly learn how to spit back the
information we want them to say, record it on tests, and tell us what we want
to hear them say. Then they promptly expel that knowledge from their minds, so
they are able to focus on the more important things of life – i.e. their ipod,
x-box, and tablet.
The greatest tragedy is
when this occurs in Torah study. It is truly incredible that constantly new
seforim are printed containing new ideas and novel approaches and explanations
in all facets of Torah. But many of our children cannot think for themselves,
and would rather ‘get through it’ in a cursory fashion, than to exert any efforts
at innovation. How boring; but more tragically, how disastrous!
One of my teachers
would often remind us that common sense isn’t too common. Mesillas Yeshorim
reminds us of this truth in his opening words that he isn’t coming to relate
novel ideas, but rather to remind us of things that we all know, but tend to
overlook.
The truth is that it’s
not just a problem that our youth faces; it’s a general societal malaise – why
should I think when a machine can think for me?
My Rebbe, Rabbi Berel
Wein, notes that the fourth son mentioned at the Seder – the son who doesn’t
ask – is generally depicted as an ignorant infant. However, it may very well be
that the son who doesn’t ask is physically mature and past youth. He doesn’t
ask because he is not interested! He sits at the Seder surrounded by age-old
laws, customs, symbolisms, and traditions, yet his curiosity isn’t even piqued.
His mind is lost in a movie or electronic game on some distant galaxy, far more
exciting to him than the story of our exodus from Egypt. The curse of apathy is far
more perilous than the curse of blissful ignorance.
Before we can convey to
our children the richness of our traditions, and how lucky they are to be part
of the eternal people, we need to teach them – and ourselves – how to think!
               Shabbat Shalom & Good Shabbos,
               R’ Dani and Chani Staum    

720 Union Road • New Hempstead, NY 10977 • (845) 362-2425

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