KORACH 5782

Gd’s Final Questions and Alaska

As you know, last week Cheryl and I returned from a trip to Alaska. I wasn’t ready to speak about it last Shabbos, but I am now—so here goes. Alaska is one of those once in a life-time destinations that many of us aspire to. The Talmud—Shabbat 31a—teaches: After departing from this world, when a person is brought to judgment for the life he lived in this world, he will be asked: “Did you conduct business faithfully? Did you designate times for Torah study? Did you engage in procreation? Did you await salvation?”

All of these seem understandable criteria for judging one’s life. But there is one more question—in the Jerusalem Talmud, Kiddushin 4:12—where the Talmud remarkably adds we will be asked this question: You will one day be asked to give reckoning for everything your eyes saw which, although permissible, you did not enjoy. [Repeat] In other words, Gd will ask us, “Did you enjoy My exotic fruits and vegetables and other delicious kosher foods? Did you enjoy the Grand Canyon or Niagara Falls or Mt. Everest—and I would certainly add to that—Alaska!” Gd has given us many gifts in this world to enjoy and—as the Talmud teaches—it’s a sin not to. It’s like someone gives you a gift and you discard it. It’s insulting!

And so, Cheryl and I spoke about going to Alaska for years. And now as Covid waned and we were able to go… let me tell you…it lived up to all its expectations and more. Just picture the most beautiful landscape you can imagine. Now imagine seeing that almost 24/7 in no matter what direction you look!  It was endlessly breathtaking. The snow-covered mountains, the glaciers, lakes, the rivers, the icefields, the whales, the porpoises, the sea lions, the moose, the bears, and on and on! There is no end to the pristine beauty and majesty of Alaska.

For Cheryl and I, it was a unique experience being observant Jews in Alaska. I was reticent about boarding a Cruise in Seward Alaska that doesn’t sale till 7pm on a Friday night. However, sunset that Shabbos—for example—was about 11:30pm! That means Shabbat didn’t begin untill about 11pm! During the week, it was very strange for me every night to eat dinner and go to some activity or show afterward, and when I came back to our room at 11pm, I could still daven mincha (the afternoon service) because it was still light out!

The strangest of all was Saturday night. I couldn’t make havdallah ending Shabbat before going to sleep because time for havdallah was about 2am in the morning! So, when I awoke on Sunday morning, before davening the shacharit morning service, I made havdallah—which technically can be done till Tuesday. So strange, but fascinating!

Yes, Alaska was amazing in so many ways. Let me tell you an Alaska story I saw in an interview video on aish.com, about an Israeli military commander, Effie Etam, who for 30 years served admirably—from the front lines in the in Kippur War to leading the raid on Entebbe. But nothing can compare to what happened to Effie a couple of years ago when he was on a fishing tour in Alaska. Effie began his story:  

         “We flew to Anchorage and then from Anchorage by a small airplane to a place called King Salmon. And from King Salmon to a group of 6 wooden cabins in the middle of nowhere. Unbelievable, spectacular, nature, lakes and woods, and caribou.”

Effie was so looking forward for this trip because all his years he’s been on the frontlines in Gaza and Lebanon and Syria. He was finally getting some time alone to chill. He continues in the interview:

         “One of the guys asked our fishing guide Bill, ‘There’s only one animal that can be dangerous and that’s the grizzly bear. What am I supposed to do if a bear will come?’”

         Bill said, “Everybody listen. If a bear will come, you should stand still, turn your face to him and say, ‘Hey bear, this is my place. I want to fish here.”

         “I burst out laughing,” Effie said, “and asked, ‘Will he accept this argument? Is he aware of such a ritual?’”

         Bill said, “Don’t worry. It always worked in the past. It will work in your case too.”

A couple of hours later, Effie was all alone minding his own business fishing, while eating his tuna sandwich he brought from Israel. All of a sudden, he hears rustling in the leaves behind him: “I joined my hands and there he was—a grizzly bear in the wilderness—15 meters from me.”

Every part of Effie wanted to run. I don’t know if you know this, grizzly bears can run 30mph. If you run, they’ll certainly catch you. If you climb up a tree, they’ll climb and get you: “I had nothing left to do but follow the instructions I got,” he said. “Then I stood, looked at the bear and said, ‘Hey bear, this is my place. I intend to fish it.’ When he heard my voice he stood on his hind legs—more huge than he looked when he was standing on his 4 feet.”

         Effie was about to melt from fear, but said again to the bear, “Bear this is my place. I intend to fish here.” And then after a few seconds, the bear turned away and went downstream and started to fish somewhere else.

Later that afternoon Billy, the guide came back with the propeller airplane to pick up Effie. Effie said to him, “Billy you’re not going believe what happened. It worked. I encountered a bear and it worked. Tell me, how does that work? Does the bear understand English?”

         Pay attention for this is the crucial part. Billy replied, “It’s simple. For the bear, you are a human being. You are the crown of nature. He will never think about you as food unless you behave like an animal. You’re prowling. You’re running; you’re screaming; you’re bleeding, but when you stand and he hears a human voice, he will never attack you.”

My friends, you and I will probably never have to face a grizzly bear—hopefully! In Jewish literature, the bear is always a symbol of anger, anxiety, and temptation. These are the bears many of us struggle with and face every single day. This is why King Solomon, the wisest man to ever live, writes in Lamentations (10:4): Im ruach hamosheyl ta-aleh alecha, m’komcha al tanach (If the anger of a ruler flares up against you, do not leave your place). In other words, when you feel powerful negative emotions come over you—when you feel anger and rage well up inside you—the most important rule to remember is: m’komcha al tanach (do not leave your place). Don’t react and run. Stand your ground. Remember who you are. You are someone created in the image of Hashem!

My friends, if you haven’t been, I hope you’ll get to visit Alaska someday—enjoying this gift Gd has given us. But as you do—especially if you meet a bear—always keep in mind that beneath all the layers of fear, self-doubt, and insecurities we live with, there’s this powerful infinite light within each of us. If we can tap into that light and feel it in our gut—understanding that we are an image of Gd—then we’ll have the confidence to take a stand, face our bears—no matter how fierce—and overcome our struggles. Amen!