'Till 120!

Today's Hebrew date -- the 7th of Adar -- is Moshe's birthday and yahrtzeit (death date). Moshe, arguably the greatest leader of all time, lived 120 years and is the paradigm for the traditional Jewish birthday wish to live 'till 120! ("ad meah v'esrim!"). The Torah itself states that not only did Moshe live a long life, but his "eyes didn't dim, and his vigor did not diminish" (Devarim 34:7) and in Breishit 6:3 G-d Himself says that man won't be immortal, but that his years will be 120 -- the sign of a full, complete life.

Interestingly, people have always had an obsession with youth. From claiming to be 21 years old forever, to plastic surgeries, to anti-aging creams, to the legendary search for the fountain of youth, people have a fascination with the mystery of how to break nature's prescribed path of growing old.

But its rare to really appreciate the beauty that growing old entails.

In fact, the phrase itself speaks worlds: to grow old.

To live a static life is not much of a life. But to GROW old? Now that's pretty awesome.

A few weeks ago on Shabbos, I had the privelege of witnessing and being inspired by a man who knows the meaning of "growing old." Rabbi Sidney Keiman, the rabbi emeritus of Congregation Adereth El in Manhattan, turned 100 years old on January 27, 2013. The Shabbos before his birthday (parshat Beshalach) was understandably an incredible one for the entire community.  Rabbi Kleiman was called to the Torah for the aliyah that included Az Yashir -- the song of gratitude that the Jews sang when passing through the red sea on their way out of Egypt. Two congregants lifted R' Kleiman from his wheelchair and supported him on either side as he stood with an unnatural strength before the Torah for the entire aliyah. In respectful awe, the entire congregation stood right along with him.

 

I wish I could take a peek through the window of what Rabbi Kleiman has seen over the past century, but suffice it to say I doubt he could have ever predicted the iPhone 5. When he first arrived in his shul, there were still individuals there who were alive during the Civil War! He was there during the Great Depression when congregants would donate coal and clothing instead of money. Can you imagine someone who was not just alive during the Holocaust, but was a full fledged rabbi of an American shul in 1939, leading a congregation through those years of tragedy? And then to witness the complete turn around with the celebration that followed the establishment of the state of Israel!

100 years down the line, though wheelchair bound, R' Kleiman is still the first one in shul every single day. In fact, that's how he spent his 100th birthday -- going to shul like he does every other day. Perhaps the most beautiful part of his birthday shabbos was seeing R' Kleiman, still fully with it, give a brachah in a strong powerful voice to the crowd of children presenting him with his birthday card.

In his own words in an article about him:

( http://www.jewishpress.com/indepth/interviews-and-profiles/rabbi-kleiman-still-the-first-one-in-shul/2012/01/19/ ):

"I'm not that big a man. My name is Kleiman, which means 'small man,' kleiner mann. I'm just happy to do what I do, and if people want to follow my example, so much better."

When we think about growing old, we tend to wonder: What's the secret? I want to share with you a short clip from the Ellen Degeneres show, featuring a 105 year old woman Edythe Kirchmaier. When asked the secret to living a long life, her focus was on positivity. In her words, "If something happens, I can't do anything about it. So I don't let it bother me."

Wishing us all a long meaningful life! Till 120!

Embracing Our Struggle

For many of us we have recently begun or will soon begin the second half of our school year. As the saying of our Sages goes, 'All beginnings are difficult' (Mechilta, Rashi on next week's Parsha, 19:5). The same is true in our spiritual growth. This week's parsha teaches us exactly that message, but with an added benefit. 

In what seems to be a peculiar event, Bnei Yisrael, after traveling away from the Red Sea, find themselves without water for three days. Finally, they find water in the city of Mara but it is too bitter to drink. After Moshe Rabbeinu davens to Hashem, Hashem throws a tree into the water and the water suddenly becomes sweet. What????

The Gemara in Bava Kama (84a) tells us that this "water" represents Torah. The Kli Yakar, developing this point, explains the analogy that the Torah is sometimes bitter, but we must know that it becomes sweet. 

In the beginning our spiritual growth, the task of Judaism seems awfully difficult, a bitter start. The more we do, however, the easier it becomes. Unlike, perhaps, other disciplines, the Torah path will lead us to fulfillment and purpose in our lives, a sweet ending. Let us not be discouraged by the struggle to attain our growth in Judaism, for that very bitterness is what leads to its sweetness. Have a great Shabbos.