Sermon at Beth El Synagogue, Mpls MN 08/20/2016
This week’s parsha, Va’etchanan (as was so beautifully read by Izzy and Zach), has Moses preparing the Jewish people to enter the land of Israel, the Promised Land – the land past Jordan. They had been traveling in the desert for 40 years, so this was a new generation already, a new group of people that had not experienced the slavery in Egypt – like this new generation of Star Trek fans that haven’t even seen the original series, any of the other 4 series, or any of the 10 previous films! Anyway, he’s kind of hyping them up – getting them stoked for the big game. But this isn’t just Coach Bolton pumping the Wildcats to beat the West High Knights for the end of a classic Disney Channel Original Movie. Instead, Moses takes this time to recall the events of the Exodus, the awesome power of God that lead them out of Egypt and freed them as a people. Moses reminds them of Mount Sinai and receiving the words of God from an amorphous fire. These were the events that molded the Jewish people and Moses wanted to ensure it was remembered.
Alright, so some of you may know that I’m a camp guy (thus the tie dye tallis and tie). I’m currently the director of Camp TEKO – where we just finished an incredible summer! I’ve worked at other community Jewish camps for the past 12 years, in fact, some people here may just know me as ‘the guy on the mic’ from Herzl Camp. So of course I see everything through camp glasses. The Torah here is no exception.
Before Moses even begins recounting the story of Mount Sinai, he explains how he pleaded with God. “I pray you,” he asks, “let me go over and see the good land that is beyond Jordan.” But God became angry and replies “Enough! Do not speak to me any more about this!” God is having to reprimand Moses asking for something for which an answer was already given. Like a camper asking if their group can lead flag… after a different group has already been called up to lead. Look, Moses, I know you really want to go to the land of Israel and all, but I totally already said you weren’t allowed to, and I’m sticking to my guns on this one. God was angry and stubborn, but God still made a bit of a compromise. Moses was allowed to view the Promised Land - view, but not enter – and instead instruct Joshua to go with his people there.
Moses plays the part of a camper in this part of the story. He whines a bit about something he wants, but is ultimately shut down by a higher power. Throughout the journey of this parsha, we see Moses transform from camper, to staff, and finally as the parent of a camper. The cyclical system of a summer camp is a great metaphor for Moses’ growth in his final weeks of life in this chapter.
The lifecycle of an individual at a camp – at a Jewish camp – is unmatched. Young campers bravely enter into unknown spaces, exploring their Judaism and self; and expanding their skills and friends. Over time, campers age out and become counselors, caring for the generation only a few years younger than themselves. The counselors grow, professional and socially, learning skills they wouldn’t learn at summer internships. Finally, years later, the individual gets to send their own child to camp. At this point, they have lifelong friends that they’ve made as campers and on staff, and are there to calmly remind their child of the rules while seeing the growth in their child from summer to summer, from each daily bus pickup, or each letter home.
After working in the field of Jewish camping for even just a dozen years, it is incredible watching campers and staff alike grow throughout the summer and throughout their time at the camp. In response to the prompt, “What was your favorite part of this summer?” a staff member wrote in his evaluation of this past summer at TEKO “finally getting my camper into the lake – and he loved it!”
Years ago, a young girl asked a camper of mine with autism to go with her to the final party on the last night. Throughout that 3 week session, she had learned a new form of compassion and love that was not in her skillset from home. Now, eight summers later, she just finished her summer as a first-year counselor at Herzl, no doubt implementing many of those traits that were formed at her earlier years as a camper.
Former camp counselors, who are now married with children attending camp, shared with me advice on how they decided on parenting methods. “Remember that camper Johnny of yours?” One would ask the other, “Let’s make sure our children turn out like Johnny.” “Oh, and remember how Jane was always afraid of the dark? That was because her parents didn’t have a bedtime ritual.” Or something to that effect.
This is why I love camp. It is inherent and ingrained in one’s self from the first overwhelming day to the last tearful hug. Though each section of camp may seem short, the lessons learned through each session stay with us for a lifetime. The generations at camp may seem small - four to eight years or so - but Moses turned from camper to counselor in almost just one breath. Moses continues, after recalling losing his plea with God, to the Jews that they should remember the Torah and its teachings, the Ten Commandments from Mount Sinai. He went from I didn’t get what I wanted, aw shucks to listen to what God has to say without skipping a beat. Moses turns into the counselor, reading the Ten Commandments and the Shema as the cabin rules and mission statement to the campers – And what a great premise for cabin rules, right? I mean, “ask before borrowing a hairbrush” just doesn’t seem to hold up against “Shema Yisrael Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai Echad.” Moses further emphasizes the importance of one specific cabin rule: do not worship false gods.
Right? Because the big important lesson from Sinai wasn’t just the text that was received, it was the experience. It’s that God transcends form. “You saw no manner of form on the day that G‑d spoke to you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire.” If God is formless, we must not worship anything physical, else we should stray from the path. Idolatry is the beginning of the end, so to say, and it prevents us from accomplishing our goals, from being a productive part of that cyclical system of Judaism, of camps.
Moses is now the parent, looking back with fond memories and nostalgia, but also hoping the mistakes he made won’t be repeated by the new generation, that his people will learn from his faults. He warns not to worship idols, that God and God alone is the righteous way. Moses learned this the hard way by disobeying God and was punished. He hopes the lesson he learned will not have to be learned the hard way by the next generation.
We, today worship a sort of idol, especially as adults, though it’s creeping younger. You may have heard this lecture before, but technology rules over us all. We check our phones almost hourly – unless in a movie or at synagogue. We’re tethered to these devices and train our young to worship them as well. I’m not one to speak for an all-out ban on electronics. As an avid lover of computers, the internet, and all things coding, I could go on for hours about how our technology is benefiting our society and each individual within it. I believe that – although my mother still prefers VHS tapes to streaming Netflix – technological advancements in automotive, healthcare, offices, and in our homes has made life better and longer for many of us. And with our support, advancements will continue to improve society and better the lives of us all.
Having said all of that – it is worth taking a break from it, not just technology, but productivity in general. Allowing children to play – in a setting where people are not shackled to their phones, their work, their stress. We work towards upholding this each week – it’s part of the Ten Commandments that Moses recalls, to “remember/observe the Shabbat and make it holy.” Now, I don’t want to guilt-trip anyone in here, but I’m certainly going to drive home, and when I’m home, I may just type up a few spreadsheets, search google, etc.
So, while Shabbat has a beautiful purpose, the enforcement isn’t there – we can’t just go around stoning everyone posts to Facebook on Friday night. There is a place; however, where enforcement is natural and giving up our devices is voluntary. At summer camp, we joyfully give up our restraints to the stress of the world and experience its bliss. Replacing tasks and duties with games and programs that allow us to grow – that develop us in ways no iPad can. Camp allows us this pleasure and break from the constant barrage of the world. Camp is our Shabbat.
But “camp,” that’s an interesting word. “Camp.” The definition of the word camp has changed quite a bit over the millennia. In the bible, the Israelites often set up a machaneh – a camp – for the night. It was a temporary dwelling that served a purpose and was for function only. Now, camp is so much more, yes we have tents and bunks. We have floors and roofs, food and water, friends and family. And maybe it’s still sometimes seen as a short term place, but now that short term in our lives lingers for our future – impacting our lives for the better as we age. Our camp today is different than the camp of Moses. Camp is a place of spirituality, camp is home. Camp is our Promised Land.
Shabbat Shalom
