HaMizrachi Weekly (UK Edition) | Parashat Tzav

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TZAV 5784

A Shulchan Aruch Jew

Rabbi Andrew Shaw Chief Executive, Mizrachi UK

On Wednesday afternoon the Jewish people lost a great leader.

He was not a Rabbi.

He didn’t head up any Jewish Organisation

Yet in his life he demonstrated a sense of Kiddush Hashem that few in history could emulate

What made Senator Joseph Lieberman a great Jewish leader?

It was simply that when Vice President Al Gore chose him to be his running mate in the 2000 US election, Senator Lieberman became the rst shomer Shabbat Jew to appear on a presidential ticket from a major party.

His observance of Shabbat was legendary. If he had to participate in a vote at the senate, he would walk over an hour back to his home in DC afterwards. He writes in his book about Shabbat:

“It’s Friday night, raining, one of those torrential downpours that we get in Washington, D.C., and I am walking from the Capitol to my home in Georgetown, getting absolutely soaked A

United States Capitol policeman is at my side, as we make our way up Pennsylvania Avenue from the Capitol building toward our distant goal, a four-and-a-half-mile walk. Before leaving my Senate ofce, I changed into sneakers, but now they are full of water.

As we slosh forward, a Capitol police car travels alongside for extra security at a stately pace. But I do not - indeed I cannot - accept a ride in the car.

What accounts for this strange scene? The presence of the two policemen is easily explained. As the Senate’s sergeant at arms, who oversees the Capitol police, once said to me, ‘Senator, if something happens to you on my watch while you ’ re walking home, it will be bad for my career. ’

So that’s why the police are with me

But why am I walking instead of riding on a rainy night? Because it’s Friday night, the Sabbath, the day of rest when observant Jews like me do not ride in cars…. ”

(The Gift of Rest: Rediscovering the Beauty of Shabbat by Joe Lieberman, Howard Books: 2011)

Why?

I mean yes, he was Shomer Shabbat, but why? He was a major US Senator, people will understand, it's the 21st century, just get in the car?!

The answer can be found in this week’s parsha, with just one single word, the name of the parsha.

“And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying. Command Aaron and his sons… ” (Vayikra 6:1-2)

Tzav, meaning command is the crucial world.

What is Judaism to you? Is it culture, food, community, something you partake of when it is convenient or enjoyable? Or is it something more, a Divine instruction manual of what we are commanded to do, whether it is the easiest or the most difcult thing?

I remember when in Yeshivat Ha Kotel, we once had a drasha from our Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Bina, who explained to us the challenge of dening ourselves. Are we Modern Orthodox, Centrist Orthodox, Religious Zionist, Baal Teshuva, Charedi, Chassdic etc. He told us there should be only one denition of a Jew. Are you a Shulchan Aruch Jew. Are you someone who lives their life by the commandments and instructions in the Code of Jewish Law, linked to the Mesorah.

This idea links back to the piece I wrote in the Hamizrachi magazine for Purim, about the different Jewish priorities across the UK Jewish community. There was a clear split

between those who dened themselves as Shulchan Aruch Jews who prioritised Mitzvah observance and those who were dened in a more cultural way.

Senator Lieberman explained it thus:

“My Jewish faith is central to my life. I was raised in a religiously observant family. Given to me by my parents and formed by my Rabbis, my faith has provided me with a foundation, an order, and a sense of purpose in my life. It has much to do with the way I strive to navigate in a constructive way through every day, both personally and professionally, in ways that are large and small.”

This is the answer we should all give. Torah is not just an option. It is who we are. We are dened by our observance.

I am currently in Israel, concluding my meeting with the young men and women studying in our twenty or so aligned Yeshivot and Seminaries. The reason, to nd next years mentors for our Yehudi programme. These are outstanding role models who very much embody the idea of a ‘Shulchan Aruch Jew’ They have decided to spend a year or more preparing themselves for a life of engaging with the world around them, by immersing themselves in Torah learning.

Becoming a Shulchan Aruch Jew takes time and dedication. Yes, the home we are brought up in, our youth movement, shul and community can certainly help, but we have to also make the commitment, and coming to Israel to Yeshiva and Sem is by far the best start to living that life of ‘Torah engaging with the world’ as Rabbi Sacks called it

Senator Lieberman, for all his life, strove to be that Shulchan Aruch Jew. To live a life of ‘tzav’ , a life dened not just by his loyalty to his country but more importantly his loyalty to his faith.

We may never become potentially the vice president of the USA, but we can all strive to follow the commands of the King.

Shabbat Shalom

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