Strength in Numbers

Rabbi Joel Fleekop

Saturday, May 24, 2008

Don’t walk in front of me I may not follow. Don’t walk behind me I may not lead. Just walk beside me and be my friend and together we will walk in the path of HaShem.

I don’t know if those words are still sung at NFTY, USY, or BBYO retreats, but when I was in high school we would stand in a big circle and sing those lyrics at the close of each youth group conclave. The song was always an emotional time. After spending the weekend together with our Jewish friends we were about to board buses and go our separate ways.

Back before email, text messaging, and free long distance, this was likely the last time we would see or communicate with our friends until the next conclave a few months away. And so this song, about being together, about walking the path of Judaism together, was always very special.

The song, no doubt a creation of the late 20th century, shares a message that is in fact very ancient, a message found in this week’s Torah portion. As the Rabbis explain, one of the lessons of Parshat Bechukotai is that coming together as a Jewish community is a very special and powerful thing.

The portion begins with a list of blessings the Israelites will receive for observing God’s commands. Included in the list is the phrase, “five of you shall give chase to a hundred, and a hundred of you shall give chase to ten thousand; your enemies shall fall before you by the sword.

In studying this verse the great sages and rabbis were all left with the same question. In commentary after commentary, be it that of the great French Rabbi, Rashi, the Spanish Rabbi Ibn Ezra, or the Italian Sforno, they wonder why the ratio changes from 1 to 20 in the first half of the phrase to 1 to 100 in the second.

Some rabbis attempt to resolve the problem with a linguistic explanation. Don Isaac Abravanel, a 15th century Iberian commentator, suggests that the hundred chasing 10,000 is really a hundred groups of 5, thus allowing the ratio to be the same.

In his commentary, Ibn Ezra concedes that the ratio changes within the verse, but that we should not understand it literally but rather as a rhetorical device. As he explains, it is the custom of the Torah to state numbers in multiples of ten and it is “more customary to say ‘ten’ instead of ‘one,’ when wishing to exaggerate.

Most of the sages, however, reject linguistic explanations of the verse and instead see in the changing ratio an important moral lesson.

Commenting on the increasing ratio, Chizkuni writes, “one chases twenty, and when they are in a united group, one chases 100. Why? Because there is great merit or strength in the masses. In other words, as a community grows, its strength increases at a rate faster than its size.

When Jews come together they gain strength from one another. And the more people we gain strength from, the more support we can offer back to them.

This has certainly been true for Reform Jews around the world.

In her speech Liana spoke about the growing number of Progressive Jewish communities in Israel, Eastern Europe, South America, Africa, Australia and Asia. Though in the beginning many of these communities relied heavily on the Union for Reform Judaism and individual North American congregations for support, the relationship is now a source of strength for us as well. We are inspired by the rebirth of Jewish life in places like Berlin, Prague, and Kiev where today Judaism has more than just a long history but also a promising future. We take pride in the triumphs of liberal Jews in Israel, where the first state sponsored liberal synagogue was recently dedicated. And we gain friendship and camaraderie from Progressive Jews all around the world. Whether it is in Wellington New Zealand, Pretoria South Africa, or the white sand St. Thomas synagogue in the Virgin Islands, there is a congregation of Progressive Jews there to warmly welcome you for Shabbat.

We are strengthened by the community of Jews around the world. And we are strengthened by our local Jewish community as well.

This morning Liana became Bat Mitzvah and now takes her place as a Jewish adult. It has been a long journey -- but not a solitary one. She has of course been supported by her caring and involved family, themselves examples of Jewish living -- by teachers, clergy, and fellow congregants -- and also by a community of her peers who have shared her journey.

Liana has learned about Judaism surrounded by friends; friends who made Hebrew school something to look forward to regardless of the subject matter, friends who joined Liana in balancing the commitments of a Jewish education with the rest of life, friends whose example in becoming bnai mitzvah is a source of strength for Liana today, friends who in weeks to come will draw strength from Liana’s example.

In Masechet Brachot, the Talmud teaches, “one who sees hosts of Israelites should say, “Blessed be God who discerns secrets,” for the mind of each of them is not like the mind of any other, nor is the face of each of them like the face of any other.” We gain from and are strengthened by the unique nature of each individual member of our community.

Liana, I hope and pray that as you continue your Jewish journey you will find yourself surrounded by an ever expanding Jewish community; a community of your peers, your congregation, your local area, and the entire world. And may we all be blessed to walk the path of Hashem strengthened by the friends walking alongside.