Rabbi Stephen Weiss
Parshat Behar
To be a Jew means to never give up. To be a Jew means to always have hope.
“Good morning, Pooh Bear,” said Eeyore gloomily. “If it is a good morning; which I doubt.” “Why, what’s the matter?” “Nothing, Pooh Bear, nothing. We can’t all, and some of us don’t. That’s all there is to it.” “Can’t all what?” said Pooh. “Gaiety. Song-and-dance. Here we go round the mulberry bush.” For Eeyore, it is never a good morning but for no particular reason. And why is that? Its simple:Â everyone canât be in a good mood.
Have you ever felt like Eeyore? Have you ever had a day or gone through a period in your life where noting seemed right and you just could not find any reason for optimism or joy?
I could imagine that the prophet Jeremiah must have felt that way. Jeremiahâs role as a prophet was forced upon him against his will. Worse, in charging him with his prophetic mission God tells Jeremiah âThey will attack you, but they will not overcome you,â must have been little solace. Godâs words were fulfilled many times over. Jeremiah was attacked by his own brothers, beaten and put into stocks by a priest and false prophet, imprisoned by the king, threatened with death, thrown in to a cistern by officials of the Judean King, and opposed by a false prophet. If the people heeded Jeremiahâs words, returned in repentance and saved the nation, maybe it would all be worthwhile, but they did not repent, and Babylonia conquered Judah, carrying its leaders and then its people into exile.
Surely Jeremiah, waking up in prison â where we find him in this morningâs haftarah — had every reason to say âGood morning, if itâs a good morning, which I doubt.â
And havenât we each â at some point in our lives, felt just like Eeyore too? Like Eeyore, havenât we walked around feeling like our tail keeps falling off, feeling like, in Eeyoreâs words, âThereâs only one rain cloud in the entire sky and somehow Iâm not surprised itâs raining on me.â
And yet we find in this morningâs Haftarah that despite the endless obstacles and suffering he faced, Jeremiah was less of an Eeyore and much more of a Pooh. You know, our fuzzy bear friend who walks around no matter what happens always in a cheerful mood, saying things like, â”It is more fun to talk with someone who doesnât use long, difficult words but rather short, easy words like “What about lunch? Pooh is less interested in worry, much more focused on living in the moment and always optimistic about the future.
Yes, Jeremiah is definitely our Pooh bear. Sitting in prison, at the very moment that the Babylonian army is laying siege to Jerusalem and is clearly going to conquer it, on the verge of the destruction of Jerusalem and the exile of the Jewish nation, Jeremiah buys a piece of real estate in the holy land. Talk about risky investments. Weâre talking much worse than sub-prime mortgages. It would seem in the moment that Jeremiah was just throwing his money away in a meaningless act. Jeremiah bought the land, in Anatot, in the territory of Benjamin, from his cousin Hananel. A deed was written and Jermeiah gave it to Baruch, who was instructed to seal it in an earthen jar so that it would be preserved for the distant future. For this said God, through Jeremiah, âHouses, fields and vineyards shall again be purchased in this land.â
Jeremiahâs purchase was meant to send a message of faith and optimism to the Jewish people in a very troubled time. And that optimism has been borne out. Despite our many exiles from the land, God has returned us again and again. In our own lifetime we have witnessed such a return, when houses, fields and vineyards are again purchased in a land restored to Jewish sovereignty and vibrant with Jewish life.
Jeremiahâs message to the ancient people of Judah, and his message to us today, is donât be an Eeyore. Donât ever allow yourself to be swept under by the challenges and troubles that you face. To be a Jew means to never give up. To be a Jew means to always have hope. That is the meaning of the name of Israelâs national anthem which we sang just this past week on Yom Ha-Atzmaut: Hatikvah. The Hope. To be a Jew is to be Pooh. To hold fast to optimism, to persevere and always to have hope.
But it is human nature for us to sometimes feel pulled down by the voice of Eeyore. So when we face those challenging times, how do we hold on to that hope? How do we find the voice of Pooh?
First, donât let the clouds block out the sunshine in your life. Remember the quote I just gave from Eeyore, about how the cloud is always over him? But even when there are clouds there is always sunshine in your life too. You have to look for it. Sometimes, says Pooh, the smallest things take up the most room in your heart. What fills your heart with joy?
Second, we have to seek to find the good even in the challenges in our life. As Pooh said, weeds are flowers too, once you get to know then.
Third, dig deep. Inside you have the resources to face the challenges in your life. There is a Yiddish proverb: God gives us burdens but also shoulders. Pooh says “You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. But the most important thing is, even if we’re apart… I’ll always be with you.”
Which brings me to faith: The psalmist wrote: Haboteah baShem hesed yâsovevenhu – those that trust in the Lord will be surrounded by lovingkindness. You have to have faith that things will get better. Yo have to believe in the possibilities of tomorrow.
May we find the beauty in life and in each other so that we can say like Pooh:
âWhat day is it?”
âIt’s today,” squeaked Piglet.
âMy favorite day,” said Pooh.