D'Var Torah - Vayeilech

D’Var Torah : Vayeilech    Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Barry Fineman

‘Moses, Moses, Moses’ (as in the Words and Sounds of the 10 Commandments)………

These very words and the utterance of his name were made in what is Now Cecil B. Demille’s beautiful classic of ‘The Ten Commandments’.  One of my favorite movies, besides Willy Wonka of course;   I am sure we all have experienced and have our own favorite memories from watching this 4 hour masterful and epic movie, weather we were a child or just most recently on TBS!

I am not here to retell what was and has already been told and written in epic fashion; we all KNOW the history, although….I am a pretty good story teller, and can sit and tell a tale or two!  Not really MY focus today; more on one’s own legacy and what is or has been your IMPACT!  VERY short and VERY sweet; Really, JUST questioning and provoking YOUR thoughts! Rather Simple- - My purpose and goal here -- I want all of us to really soul search and to think…..a Lil Homework!

And I quote, “I am now one hundred and twenty years old, I can NO longer be active” ……………  So Moses goes to Joshua per G-d’s instructions and basically says, “Hey I am going to die, and YOU need to be the leader to the Promised Land…..Basically, I’ve started this 40 year trek, now your turn AND YOU to keep it alive, and KEEP it alive to fruition in G-d’s manner and way!  So with that said, Moses and Joshua have a meeting with G-d, and G-d gives them explicit and very detailed instructions how to carry on…….Obviously, Moses is committed, and  still faces his own mortality while he is creating this strategy with G-d’s direction!  He has really made a name for himself and his legacy on what he has accomplished in life and knows he is going to die without reaching (PHYSICALLY) the promised LAND!  Enough with my summation…………….

This portion really hits home to me!!!! , And hopefully to ALL of US!!??? This is rather a Question, not a statement. What has been or will be MY legacy, and or IMPACT after I perish……, okay die, and hopefully not for a looooooong time!  What have I or YOU done to pass on, in addition to OUR family (a great legacy in its own right), or acts of kindness, volunteering, OR the Mitzvahs we all practice (from 1 to 600 and 13)? 

IMPACT!  Have we had a MAJOR IMPACT or are we going to………………………………………….? (Pause) 

Creating OUR OWN LEGACY (pause)

Okay, for the 1^st time, A short story………………..

When I was a little boy, I think in Kindergarten, I always remember playing per the teacher’s instructions, and I loved playing house!  It was simple; I had a great childhood, awesome role models who created a great atmosphere, and I loved sharing that fact, even at a tender young age!  I always strived to play the “Daddy”, the Patriarch! Back in the 60’s,………… the bread winner, the leader, the rule maker (or so we thought),the man we waited for to eat dinner, drove us to SUNDAY school, picked us up from Hebrew school,and the man who tucked me into bed each and every night!  The VOICE of our family!  (Later, I realized it really was my mom who stirred the pot)….another story, and a story at another time!!!  My father who just turned 80 a few weeks back was creating his own legacy with ME, and it indeed had a MAJOR IMPACT on who I am today, RIGHT NOW!  My dad, has slowed down a bit and he has aged, but still is so very active and to this very day, calls me almost daily OR me him, just to say, “I LOVE YOU,BOYCHICK!” YES, I am serious!  He has had set backs due to his age, but never a moment has he not reached out to me as a father and friend to show his love and true friendship, and BELIEF in me!    He (with my mom of course), has created, or really guided who I am today and help steer me in the direction I am heading, even at middle-aged.  He created his legacy with a POWERFUL IMPACT! A sweet and true story!

Today, I share this with all of you, as WE all are studying to be Leaders, to be Voices, to be role models, to be impactful, and to be Morehs/Morahs- to become RABBIS!  I think,NO.. I know that has legacy written all over it, or I’d sure like to think it does indeed!!!

We all are mortal, and by the time we hit a certain age, it really is a reality that we will leave this planet that we call EARTH!  We all have initiated friendships, projects, studies, executed & projected goals, etc.  .

So I pose to you all: Will we look back once we are in HEAVEN and feel we gave, and we shared, had impact to humankind and share our legacy and message; our very OWN signature!?  I believe, we all here for a reason, that VERY reason.   Your Thoughts?

Amen