Shoftim excerpts

שפטים

Shabbat Shalom

(17:20) The king must write a Torah. It is this which keeps him from being haughty, thinking he is better than his brethren. It is that which keeps him from sin. It is this which keeps him from cursing on the basketball court like Michael...We all saw Michael going crazy at the one day, pre-labor day synagogue sports camp. We all saw him knock over Mrs. Einvitz, who came out of the old age home, to be with her grandchildren...It was supposed to be a game of wheelchair basketball Michael...Maybe if you even opened up a Torah, you would understand, if you read Hebrew.

(18) The Kohen and Levi do not have a portion and inheritance in Israel.

We understand the Einvitzs do have a large inheritance from their grandmother. I understand you are not Kohens or Levis, but it is still not a reason to put her in the home. Because of this, you can see their worry; what was important to them. They did not come to Grandma Einvitz's aid. But they did make sure Michael was OK, running around without a wheelchair in wheelchair basketball...They were also worried, as we all saw them run to pick up the wheelchair, which they paid for, as grandma was laying on the ground...

מרבה נכסים מרבה דאגה- We see in Pirkei Avot, that when one has a lot of possessions, they have a lot of worries.

Can you serve H' on behalf of others, when you are focused on your belongings? Can you care about the elderly, when you are focused on money? Can you play a fair game of basketball, when you never read the rules, because you didn't write them? The Kohen has to serve H,' and focus on others. Can't do this, when all you are thinking about is your portion.

We have to make decisions in our lives. Do we care about others, or our own prosperity?

Mrs. Einvitz doesn't have any belongings anymore. Her children took them all when they put her in the old age home. Yes. Your rabbi calls it an old age home because he visits there, unlike the Einvitz mishpuchi. And yes, they are all over 70...Mrs. Einvitz's only worry is if her grandchildren will show up to her funeral, after they receive the money from the will.

Why no inheritance? (18:1) 'Men of H.'' They are men of H.

(18:2) 'H,' He is their inheritance.' 

You have a choice. Do you have the Torah or do you have to knock old people over to win a basketball game? Do you live in Tel Aviv with money and a nice car, or do you remember H' and live in Jerusalem without a job?

The king is not supposed to have too many horses. What is 6,000 horses going to do you? I can see the Einvitzs in the back right now, filling out the cards to gamble away bubbie Einvitz's money...It is Shabbat, that is Asur (forbidden). You would know that if you wrote a Torah, not on Shabbat.

I hear you all constantly complaining about how you got nothing out of your father's death. I see you come to shule to pray that more money will come.

What is your inheritance? What do you want it to be? Is it the yoke of this world?

You can still live with a connection to the Cohen and Levi and the idea of connecting with H' thorough your possessions. You have to give the Cohen and Levi the first of your fruits and shorn wool. Your first thoughts with your nice new wheelchair should be of thanks to H.'

Maybe that is what keeps you from being haughty. First focus on that which is connected with H.' Doing H's will, and then you might not be as selfish as you all are. And maybe, you might put the candelabra back in your grandmother's room at the Old Age Home.

***These are excerpts from the sermon. For the sermon in its entirety, come see David Kilimnick perform at the Off The Wall Comedy Basement, in downtown Jerusalem.
David also tours as a Maggid with very few stories, if you invite him.
Shabbat Shalom