Cyberdov

I want to assure you that the lack of fur on my headgear, far from being an oversight, absolutely qualifies as ‘appropriate headgear’, and my topic on this auspicious evening will be to explain why this is so.

 

Those of you who are well-travelled will recognize my headgear as a classic Canadian tocque. Now you may not have been as privileged as I in receiving an education in Canadian History. Indeed, I spent an entire semester in my high school days on this subject, which consisted largely of learning about the fur trapping industry. And despite this proud history of fur production and trade, Canadians have adopted as a sort of national uniform this classic polyester tocque.

 

What are we to make of this abandonment of a national tradition, even identity?

 

In this week’s parsha, we read that God’s words at Mt Sinai were to be written on stone tablets and given to Moshe. Now everyone knows that the tablets contained the 10 commandments, 5 on each. And yet, as I discussed last week, there is room in our tradition for no less than 4 additional views expressed in the Yerushalmi Shekalim. Furthermore, when it comes to the second set of luchot, the Netziv writes that although God wrote the 10 commandments, Moshe added to them by writing in the rest of the Torah in the margins and in between the lines!

 

I think that this serves to demonstrate that adding to the canon, while still remaining rooted in it, is a fundamental feature of a living tradition. Just as Moshe had the audacity (or, if you prefer, was granted license by God) to add to the authentic Big Ten, so too my Canadian forebears were able to remain true to their essential identity, even while adopting traditions that appear to stray from, (or if you prefer, build upon) their roots.

 

There are of course dangers with this approach. I submit for your edification and entertainment  the article ‘Holy Kugel’ by Allan Nadler, copies of which you may pick up on your way out, which speaks for itself in this regard.

 

 

 

Now isn’t this what we are all engaged in on this holy and festive occasion. Tu Bishevat is one thing – but where in the tradition do we find Groundhog Day? It is my contention that our Groundhog Day Convocation is analogous to, and inspired by, Moshe’s writing in the margins of the luchot. For does not the Groundhog emerge from his den and react to his shadow, which of course represents the Ghost of Winters Past. If he is unduly encumbered by this shadow, he is fated to stagnate, mired in a continuing winter. But if he is unafraid to grow, to move on beyond this shadow, even while staying true to the essential tradition of emerging from his den every February – then he and all of us are blessed with the glorious awakening of spring. Our celebration this evening is at once a tribute to the courage of the noble groundhog, and an affirmation of the inspiration of his better nature. Let me just add that the similarity in color of the groundhog and tomorrow’s Vurst is entirely coincidental, and let me close with a renewed apreciation of RCBA – my words tonight demonstrate as always the importance RCBA attached to discovering new meanings within the shivim panim latorah – as he stated in his immortal words, Ratza HKBH…