The Talmud describes two rabbis debating how to ensure that Torah will not be forgotten. One of them, Rabbi Hanina, says that he would restore forgotten Torah through his intellectual prowess and his skills of analysis. But Rabbi Hiyya challenges him and says that he would restore Torah through different means. He would go out and plant flax, and from that he would weave nets to catch deer. He would then feed the meat to orphans and make scrolls from the skins with sacred words. He would go to a town and, to 5 children, he would teach each child one book of the Torah. And then he would teach 6 children the six orders of the Mishna. He instructed each one to teach their friends, and through this process, he ensured that Torah would not be forgotten.
I love this story for so many reasons, and it feels inspiring to me as I return to work after my maternity leave. First, Rabbi Hiyya knows that he is part of a web of people that all work together to make Torah vibrant and come alive. His work is multi-faceted: he plants, sews, hunts, writes, and teaches students. Rabbi Hanina’s vision, that he could simply use his own intellect to restore Torah, is a solitary exercise and doesn’t require interaction with anyone else. In truth, Rabbi Hanina’s vision is so antithetical to how I view my rabbinate and what creating a lived Torah means to me. For Rabbi Hiyya, Torah can only come alive when he is engaging with others to co-create a lived Torah. He uses Torah to create community and connection. I am eager to jump back into this work.
I am confident that there will be challenges in the months ahead as Abe and I navigate the new normal of our lives with three children. And in the midst of that, I return to work at the shul because this is where Torah comes alive. This is where we plant and sew together, this is where we weave nets and feed orphans and write scrolls with holy words flowing upon them. This is where we co-create Torah, a lived Torah, that can only exist not in contrast to the inevitable intensity of life, but precisely with it.
I am so glad to be back with all of you, and I look forward to being on the journey with you, creating a lived Torah, together.
