D'var Torah

I took a class this week at the Fairfax County Police Academy on Trauma Informed Policing taught by one of our own TRS congregants, Leslie Weisman, a law enforcement oriented mental health professional. Besides representing the Jewish people very well (she brought snacks, like a Jewish mother would!), Leslie spoke a lot about meditation and mindfulness. The idea is learning how to be “present” and “in the moment” after experiencing trauma or helping someone who has experienced trauma. This leads to resilience where we can grow from our experiences and bounce back to new heights. It is valuable education for all of us – no matter whether you are in the first responder business or not – to learn how to center yourself and practice good wellness techniques so that when faced with overwhelming stress, you can get through it and grow on the other side of what may seem like a mountain to climb. 

Stress, anxiety, depression, and other mental health disorders have been with us through the ages. Spirituality is another way in which we can find wholeness or peace, and build our resilience when life challenges us. In this week’s Torah portion, a double portion called Vaykheil-Pekudei, from Leviticus 35:1-40:38, we learn another story of being present and building resilience. 

Up until now, the former slaves experience God only through Moses’ accounts and maybe the thunder and lightning that they see on Mt. Sinai. Perhaps they were still experiencing trauma from their time in Egypt. In this Torah portion, the portable Tabernacle, or Mishkan, is completed. Moses puts the Ten Commandments inside and then the people witness a cloud descending over it. That cloud is God’s presence, we’re told, and so for the first time, the people could see with their own eyes God’s manifestation. They were present and focused on what must have been a very spiritual experience. I wonder how that felt. At Religious School on Sunday, I was teaching first graders about God and asked the kids what it must felt like to experience a “God” moment. One of the kids said, “…like butterflies are flying around inside my body!” I love that description, as it explains that your whole body is focused on that feeling. That’s mindfulness for sure! 

Tucked away in this Torah portion is another important moment. Moses also places the set of broken tablets containing the original Ten Commandments in the Tabernacle as well. Those were the tablets that Moses shattered when he first came down the mountain and saw the people praying to a golden calf. Rabbi Schwartzman reminded us at last week’s Bar Mitzvah that those broken tablets are just as important as the new tablets. If we always keep our challenges, our mistakes with us, and not forget about them, we can truly grow. This is what makes our people resilient. They carry with them the tragic events, the missteps, as reminders of their growth and the ability to overcome obstacles that have occurred. With the good and the bad together, we become stronger and resilient.

With hope, our traumas that we’ve experienced in our life allow us to bring compassion, empathy, and courage to those who suffer. Being present to help those in need and mindful of our situations, and the situations of others, brings growth, resilience, and healing. 

Shabbat Shalom, 

Cantor Michael Shochet