 This past October a family got lost in a seven-acre Massachusetts corn maze and called 911 for help. A disoriented father, mother and two children, including a three-weeks-old infant, didn't realize they had almost made
their way out and were just 25 feet from the street. However, they panicked as darkness fell, and were worried the farm had closed. Apparently, anyone can become corn-fused when they can't seem to make their way out of a maze of maize! Following the father's cell phone call, a police officer and his dog entered the maze with a farm manager and located the missing party within ten minutes. "Never again!" a woman is heard telling the dispatcher on police tapes. "We thought this would be fun, instead it's a nightmare."
In olden times, a garden-maze was common among the noble class. The plants were arranged in walls, between which were found many confusing and interlacing paths, all similar to one another, the purpose of the whole being to challenge one to reach a gazebo in the center. Some of the paths were straight ones which led directly to the gazebo, but some caused one to stray and to wander from it. The walker had no way of seeing or knowing whether he was on the true or false path, for all were similar, presenting no difference whatsoever to the observing eye.
The challenges of daily living can be complex and confusing. To our distress, we all observe some who lose their way along the path. What can we do to find and stay on the straight path? "Listen, my son, to your father's instruction and do not forsake your mother's Torah" (Proverbs 1:8)
Parshas Yisro Exodus 18:1 -- 20:23
The weekly portion begins with Moses' father-in-law, Yisro, arriving at the Jewish people's camp in the desert, where he is greeted warmly by a large entourage. Yisro was inspired to join them when he heard about all of the wonders and miracles which G-d performed for the Jewish people during the exodus from Egypt. Upon witnessing Moses serving as the people's sole judge from dawn until dusk, Yisro declares that this system will never work. He therefore suggests that subordinate judges be appointed to adjudicate the smaller cases. Moses agrees to this plan.
The Jewish people arrive at Mt. Sinai (the mountain, not the hospital) and prepare to receive the Torah. Moses ascends the mountain and G-d tells him to convey to the people that they will be to Him a treasure from amongst the nations. After three days of preparation, the appointed moment of revelation finally arrives. Amidst thunder, lightning and the sound of the shofar, G-d descends upon the mountain and proclaims -- with the entire Jewish people listening -- the Ten Commandments. Referred to in Hebrew as the Aseres HaDibros, a more accurate translation would be the Ten Sayings or the Ten Statements. One very noteworthy feature of the revelation is that both before and since Sinai, no nation has ever made the claim that G-d spoke to an entire nation of millions of individuals. Moses then ascends the mountain to receive the remainder of the Torah from G-d, both the written and oral segments. The portion concludes with several mitzvos concerning the construction of the altar in the Temple .
Rabbinic Ruminations
On Jan. 27, 1967, the crew of Apollo 1 — astronauts Gus Grissom, Ed White, and Roger Chaffee — were killed in a cabin fire during a prelaunch test exercise. The loss of life, though tragic, gave rise to a heart-warming way to remember the fallen astronauts within NASA circles.
Every Apollo astronaut knew the code phrases Navi, Dnoces, and Regor, which refer to the stars Gamma Cassiopeiae, Iota Ursa Majoris, and Gamma Velorum, respectively. This trio of stars was used for visual reference during spaceflight and fallback against the failure of more sophisticated instruments. The code phrases made callouts of those stars simpler and more reliable during radio communications. What was the origin of Navi, Dnoces and Regor? They were dreamed up as a practical joke by the Apollo 1 crew. Navi is Gus Grissom’s middle name, Ivan, spelled backwards. Dnoces is the word second spelled backwards, in reference to astronaut White’s full name, Edward H. White II. Regor is Roger Chaffee’s first name spelled backwards.
Despite their playful origins, Navi, Dnoces, and Regor stayed in the Apollo lexicon as an insiders’ tribute to the first three Apollo astronauts who gave their lives in service to NASA, the United States, and human discovery. While it was just one of many tributes to Apollo 1, it is among the most fitting and sincere memorials, as it came from Grissom, White, and Chaffee’s fellow astronauts and space program teammates.
According to Webster, 'honor' is to regard or treat others with respect. When someone treats us with respect, he or she confirms our existence. Honor shown to a person's memory demonstrates respect for the meaning of their life. And how does one obtain honor? By showing honor to all people, as Ethics of the Fathers says, "Who is honored? He who honors others."
Quote of the Week
Love and respect woman. Look to her not only for comfort, but for strength and inspiration and the doubling of your intellectual and moral powers. Blot out from your mind any idea of superiority; you have none. -- Giuseppe Mazzini (1805-1872) Italian politician, journalist and activist
Joke of the Week
There was a knock on the door at my home. I opened it to find a young, well-dressed man standing there who said: "Hello sir, I'm a Witness Missionary." So I said, "Come in and sit down." I offered him a fresh cup of coffee and asked, "So, what do you want to talk about?" He said, 'Beats me. Nobody ever let me in before!" (thanks to Alan Haber)
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