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Jeannine Stein: Mental illness struck one in five U.S. adults in 2010: Report
January 25, 2012
Richard Simon: House passes two bills endorsing the use of religious symbols at military memorials
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January 9, 2012
Michael Doyle: Put through legal hell over dream home, couple fought back hard --- all the way to Supreme Court
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Jewish World Review
Service and beauty
By Rabbi A. Leib Scheinbaum
A sense of service and mission of meaning isn't just for the military
“This is my G-d and I will glorify Him.”
— Exodus 15:2
http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
Our Sages explain how we, as mere mortals, can glorify the Divine. Anveihu b'mitzvos, glorify Him through religious observances, making them as beautiful as possible.
This indicates that one should have a beautiful sukkah and esrog during the holy days of Sukkos (Tabernacles) , a beautiful Shofar, a beautiful Tallis (prayer shawl), and so on. When a Torah scroll is written, one should use the best materials, the best craftsmen, and adorn it with a beautiful mantle. This does not mean that one is to break the bank in order to purchase a beautiful esrog or any other object used for a mitzvah. Rather, the idea focuses on one's attitude toward the mitzvah; to realize before Whom and to Whom he is performing this mitzvah; to be meticulous in his observance and to take great pains to see to it that the ultimate priority in his life is mitzvah observance.
A mitzvah should not take second place to any other endeavor, nor should one treat a mitzvah in a manner unbecoming its stature in Jewish life. The way one dresses and acts in a shul or when he is carrying out a mitzvah is another aspect of this far-reaching obligation of v'anveihu, "I will glorify Him."
I recently came across an interesting article about a secular ceremony that is performed regularly in Washington, D.C. by the military honor guard that I would like to share. Although it is from a secular source and practice, I feel that it imparts a powerful and compelling lesson to us concerning our attitude towards religious observance.
The following are the criteria which the honor guard that salutes the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier must follow. In his walk across the tomb, the guard takes exactly twenty-one steps, which allude to the twenty-one gun salute which is the highest honor given any military or foreign dignitary. He then makes an about-face, hesitating for exactly twenty-one seconds before commencing his return walk. His gloves are moistened to prevent him from losing his grip on his rifle, which he carries on his shoulder. After his march across the path, he executes an about-face and transfers the rifle to the outside shoulder.
The guards are changed every thirty minutes during the summer (April 1 to Sep 30), every hour during the winter (Oct 1 to Mar 31). For a person to apply for guard duty at the tomb, he must be between 5'10'' and 6'2'' tall, and his waist size may not exceed 30". He must commit about a year of his life to guard the tomb. He may not drink any alcohol on duty. He may not publicly use foul language of any sort while on duty and he may not disgrace the uniform he wears or the tomb that he guards in any way. After that year, the guard is given a wreath pin that is worn on his lapel, signifying that he has served as a guard. Presently, only just over 500 pins have been given. The guard must adhere to these rules or forfeit the pin.
The shoes he wears are made with thick soles to protect his feet from heat or cold. There are metal heel plates that extend to the top of the shoe, so that a loud click may be heard as he comes to a halt. His uniform may not have any wrinkles, folds or lint on it. Indeed, guards dress for duty in front of a full-length mirror.
During his first six months of duty, he may neither talk to anyone nor watch television. All of his off-duty time is spent studying the 175 notable people that are interred in Arlington National Cemetery. He must memorize who they are and where each one is buried. Every guard spends five hours each day preparing his uniform for guard duty.
An added vignette: In 2003, as Hurricane Isabelle was approaching Washington, D.C., the United States Congress and Senate took two days off in anticipation of the storm. Due to the apparent danger, the military members assigned the duty of guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier were given permission to suspend their assignment. They respectfully declined the offer, declaring, "No way, sir!" Soaked to the skin, marching in the pelting rain of a tropical storm, they asserted that guarding the Tomb was not simply an assignment, it was the highest honor that can be afforded to a serviceman. The Tomb has been patrolled continuously for the last seventy-six years.
The lesson for us is simple. If secular soldiers guarding a national shrine understand the significance of their role to the point that they consider their endeavor not to be an assignment, but rather, an honor and a privilege, what should be the attitude of a Jew who is given the opportunity and the mandate to serve the Almighty? Zeh Keli v'anveihu. "I will glorify Him." This is my honor and my privilege.
That should be the prevalent attitude.
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Rabbi A. Leib Scheinbaum serves as Director of Special Projects at the Hebrew Academy of Cleveland. Founding Director of the Academy's Camp STEP, he has guided the program to become the premier Jewish day camp in the Midwest. As National Director of the Academy's Living Memorial Project, he has overseen the publication of a national Holocaust curriculum on "The World That Was". A graduate of Telshe Yeshiva, he is a dynamic writer whose Peninim Al HaTorah inspires thousands world-wide.
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© 2010, Rabbi A. Leib Scheinbaum
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