This Shabbat, we embark on our annual reading of the book of Bamidbar, in English, the book of Numbers.  The English name for this fourth book of the Torah is taken from the opening verses in which Moses is directed to conduct a census . . . "Add up the heads of all of the congregation of Israel by their families, by their fathers' houses, with the number of names of every male by their heads.  From twenty years old and up, everyone going out to the army in Israel:  you shall count them by their army units, you and Aaron." (Bamidbar/Numbers 1:2-3)

It is of profound significance to me that the United States Memorial Day and our reading of the opening passages of Numbers / Bamidbar coincide this weekend.

There are so many ways a God-ordained census of the Israelites might have been structured: There could have been a count of each woman and her progeny; there could have been a count of each household within each tribe; there could have been a count of each head of family . . . but this was a count of each male, twenty years old and up, able-bodied and serving in the army.  God was instructing Moses to prepare for wandering through a wilderness, an intermittently populated wilderness in which it was going to be necessary to defend the column of trekking Israelites: men, women, children, elderly, ill and well.  From a military point of view, it is, of course, important to know how many troops are at your command.  From a community's point of view, it is, or should be, crucial to know the name of every single individual placing life on the line for the sake of the safety and integrity of the community.

In my close to 20 years living in Israel, I became part of a population protected by a citizens' army: our sons and daughters were drafted after high school, trained superbly, served honorably and then came home, or didn't.  Every single military death in Israel is honored by the entire country: every fallen soldier's name, photograph, rank are shared on the national evening news.  The entire country mourns, for every fallen soldier is a child of ours.  Israel is a small country, so we feel these losses in a very immediate sense.  Every family has someone who has served, is serving or is about to serve in the Israel Defense Forces, so we feel these losses in a very immediate sense.  There is meaningful counting, census, acknowledging each individual in Israel, not just on the Shabbat we begin the reading of the book of Numbers.

 When I came back to the States, I found the distance between the general population and our military losses to be disturbing, wrong, unhealthy.  So it has been my practice to share not the just the numbers, but the names, ranks, ages and home states of those killed serving our country since the previous Memorial Day each year.  We should enjoy the weekend's barbecues and family gatherings . . . but let us spend more than a moment acknowledging that we are enjoying this leisure because our children have served honorably and many have lost their lives serving our country.

Yes, we may have differences of opinions about the policies that have brought our troops into the range of fire; but our support and appreciation and mourning for our children who have died in military service is not a political or policy issue, it is a sacrifice we must humbly acknowledge.

Please do not skip over the rest of this blog.  
Please read each and every name.
These are the US troops who died serving in Afghanistan since last Memorial Day . . . יהיו זכרם ברוך:  May their memories be blessed; may their families be blessed with healing and peace of mind.

Date of death    Name                  Rank         Age         Service            Home State
5-17-2014            Perkins, Adrian M.            Specialist            19            U. S. Army            California
5-13-2014            Barreras, Martin R            Command Sergeant Major            49            U. S. Army            Arizona
5-11-2014            Rasmussen, Deric M.            Chief Warrant Office            33            U. S. Army            California
4-28-2014            Chandler, Christian J.            Private 1st Class            20            U. S. Army            Texas
4-28-2014            Farrell II, Shawn M.            Sergeant            24            U. S. Army            New York
4-15-2014            Danyluk, Kerry M. G.            Specialist            27            U. S. Army            Texas            
4-01-2014            Chaffin III, James E.            Captain            27            U. S. Army            South Carolina
2-28-2014            Poirier, David L            Master Sergeant            52            U.S. Air Force            Rhode Island
2-28-2014            Erickson, Caleb L.            Lance Corporal            20            U.S. Marine            Minnesota
2-15-2014            Torian, Aaron C.            Master Sergeant            36            U. S. Marine            Kentucky
2-12-2014            Pelham, John A.            Specialist            22            U. S. Army            Oregon
2-12-2014            Skelt, Roberto C.            Sergeant            41            U. S. Army            Florida
2-10-2014            Landis, Christopher A.            Specialist            27            U. S. Army            Kentucky
2-10-2014            Gray, Joshua A.            Private 1st Class            21            U.S. Army            Kentucky
1-20-2014            Balli, Edward            Chief Petty Officer            42            U. S. Army            California
1-17-2014            Sipple, Andrew H.            Specialist            22            U. S. Army            North Carolina
1-15-2014            Lee, Daniel Tyler            Sergeant            28            U. S. Army            Tennessee
1-10-2014            Scobie, Drew M.            Sergeant            25            U. S. Army National Guard            Hawaii            
1-10-2014            McAdams, Andrew L.            Chief Warrant Officer            27            National Guard            Wyoming
1-04-2014            Lacey, William K.            Sergeant 1st Class            38            U. S. Army            Florida
1-01-2014            Hess, Jacob M.            Sergeant            22            U. S. Marine            Washington
12-27-2013            Lyon, David I.            Captain            28            U. S. Air Force                        Idaho
12-23-2013            Vasselian, Daniel M.            Sergent            27            U. S. Marine            Massachusetts
12-17-2013            Billings, Randy L.            Chief Warrant Officer 2            34            U. S. Army            Oklahoma
12-17-2013            Silverman, Joshua B.            Chief Warrant Officer 2            35            U. S. Army            Arizona
12-17-2013            Bohler, Peter C.            Sergeant            29            North Carolina
12-17-2013            Forde, Omar W.            Sergeant 1st Class            28            U. S. Army            Georgia
12-17-2013            Gordon, Terry K. D.            Specialist            22            U. S. Army            Mississippi
12-17-2013            Williams, Jesse L            Staff Sergeant                        30            U. S. Army            Indiana
12-11-2013            Smith, James L.            Petty Officer 1st Class            38            U. S. Navy            Texas
12-11-2013            Rodriguez, Matthew R.            Lance Corporal            19            U. S. Marine            Massachusetts
11-17-2013            Viola, Alex A.            Staff Sergeant                        29            U.S. Army            Texas
11-13-2013            Vazquez, Richard L.            Staff Sergeant                        28            U. S. Army            Texas
11-03-2013            Robertson, Forrest W.            Sergeant 1st Class            35            U. S. Army            Kansas
10-20-2013            Grant, Christopher O.            Lance Corporal            20
10-18-2013            Turnbull, Lyle D.            Sergeant            31            U. S. Army            Virginia
10-13-2013            Quinn, Patrick H.            Sergeant            26            U. S. Army            Pennsylvania
10-06-2013            Moreno, Jennifer M.            1st Lieutenant            25            U. S. Army            California
10-06-2013            Hawkins, Patrick C.            Sergeant            25            U. S. Army            Pennsylvania
10-06-2013            Peters, Joseph M.            Sergeant            24            U. S. Army            Missouri
10-06-2013            Patterson, Cody J.            Private 1st Class            24            U. S. Army            Oregon
10-05-2013            Lopez, Angel L.            Specialist            27            U. S. Army            Ohio
10-05-2013            Collins, Jeremiah M.            Lance Corporal            19            U.S. Marine            Wisconsin
9-26-2013            Baysore, Jr., Thomas A.            Staff Sergeant                        31            U. S. Army            Pennsylvania
9-22-2013            Gibson, Jonathan S.            Chief Warrant Officer            32            U.S. Navy            Oregon
9-22-2013            Jones, Landon L.            Lieutenant Commander            35            U.S. Navy            California
9-21-2013            Nevins, Liam J.            Staff Sergeant                        32            U. S. Army            Colorado
9-21-2013            McGill, Timothy R.            Staff Sergeant                        30            U. S. Army            New Jersey
9-21-2013            Strickland, Joshua J.            Specialist            23            U. S. Army            Georgia
9-20-2013            Wickliffchacin, James T.            Specialist            22            U. S. Army            Oklahoma
9-19-2013            Brown III, William D.            Sergeant            44            U. S. Army            North Carolina
9-13-2013            Thomas Jr., Robert E.            Staff Sergeant                        24            U. S. Army            California
9-05-2013            Lobraico Jr., Todd J.            Staff Sergeant                        22            U. S. Air Force            Connecticut
8-31-2013            Bowden, Joshua J.            Staff Sergeant                        28            U. S. Army            Georgia
8-28-2013            Ollis, Michael H.            Staff Sergeant                        24            U. S. Army            New York
8-28-2013            Young, Ricardo D.            Sergeant 1st Class            34            U. S. Army            Arkansas
8-26-2013            Togi, Jason            1st Lieutenant            24            U. S. Army            American Samoa            
8-23-2013            Alvarez, Kenneth Clifford            Specialist            23            U. S. Army            California
8-23-2013            Hostetter, Jonathon Michael Dean            Private            20            U. S. Army            Missouri
8-20-2013            Banner Jr., George A.            Master Sergeant            37            U.S. Army            Virginia
8-11-2013            Hicks, Jamar A.            Sergent            22            U. S. Army            Arkansas
8-11-2013            Grace Jr., Keith E.            Specialist            26            U. S. Army            Texas
8-11-2013            Herrera, Octavio            Staff Sergeant                        26            U. S. Army            Idaho
8-06-2013            Welch, Nickolas S.            Specialist            26            U. S. Army            Oregon
7-30-2013            Burley, Nicholas B.            Specialist            22            U. S. Army            California
7-28-2013            New, Stephen M.            Sergeant            29            U. S. Army            Tennessee
7-27-2013            Lawson, Eric T.            Sergeant            30            U. S. Army            Georgia
7-27-2013            Nouv, Caryn E.            Specialist            29            U. S. Army            Virginia
7-23-2013            Russell, Jonam            1st Lieutenant            ?0            U. S. Army            Arizona
7-23-2013            Smith, Stefan M.            Sergent            24            U. S. Army            Georgia
7-23-2013            Nichols, Rob L.            Specialist            24            U. S. Army            Colorado
7-22-2013            Maddox, Anthony R.            Specialist            22            U. S. Army            Texas
7-16-2013            Zimmerman, Sonny C.            Staff Sergeant                        25            U. S. Army            Ohio
7-14-2013            Tuttle, Benjamin W.            Lance Corporal            19            U. S. Marine            Arkansas
7-04-2013            Milliard, Errol D.A.            Private            18            U. S. Army            Alabama
7-03-2013            Stapley, Tracy L.            First Sergeant                        44            U. S. Army            Utah
7-02-2013            Clayton, Hilda I.            Specialist            22            U. S. Army            Georgia
6-28-2013            Rogers, Justin R.            Sergeant            25            U.S. Army            New York
6-23-2013            Garver, Corey E.            Sergeant            25
6-23-2013            Sanchez Jr., Javier            Specialist            28            U. S. Army            California
6-19-2013            Johnson, Justin R.            Sergeant            25            U. S. Army            Florida
6-19-2013            Alt, Ember M.            Specialist            21            U. S. Army            South Carolina
6-19-2013            Ellis, Robert W.            Specialist            21            U. S. Army            Washington
6-19-2013            Moody, William R.            Specialist            30            U. S. Army            Texas
6-16-2013            Brown, Jared W.            Lance Corporal            20            U. S. Marine            Florida
6-10-2013            Thomas Jr., Jesse L.            Staff Sergeant                        31            U. S. Army            Florida
6-08-2013            Leonard, Jaimie E.            Major            39            U. S. Army            New York
6-08-2013            Clark, Todd J.            Lieutenant Colonel            40            U. S. Army            New York
6-03-2013            Sisson, Justin L.            2nd Lieutenant            23            U.S. Army            Arizona
6-03-2013            Pierce, Robert A.            Specialist            20            U.S. Army            Oklahoma
6-02-2013            Mullen, Sean W.            Warrant Officer            39            U.S. Army            Delaware
6-01-2013            Stoeckli, Kyle P.            Specialist            21            U.S. Army            Virginia
6-01-2013            Ramirez, Ray A.            Specialist            20            US Army            California
6-01-2013            Raymundo, Mariano M.            Private 1st Class            21            U.S. Army            Texas
5-30-2013            Nunezrodriguez, Joe A.            Staff Sergeant                        29

source:  www.icasualties.org

I was listening to a TED talk recently, given by Facebook CEO Sheryl Sandberg.  You may have heard about her book about women in leadership, Lean In and about her "Ban Bossy" campaign.  No small wonder that I'm interested in the leadership philosophy and wisdom of a successful female leader....  One of the points Ms. Sandberg makes is that men have no problem giving themselves credit for their success and that women are much more self-deprecating.  A man's message might be:  "Yes, I'm great and I accomplished this task."  A woman's message might be: "Yes, we did great work together to accomplish this task."  The difference might not be in the actual work of leadership exercised by the male or female leader, but in the way each leader describes, and ascribes, his or her success.

All of this was still percolating in my mind as I tracked, with great interest, President Barack Obama's visit to Pope Francis this week.   This visit was of particular interest to me because I have such deep admiration for Pope Francis.  I share the same points of disagreement with the pontiff that President Obama has expressed: contraception, abortion and the consequences of these policies as they affect the health care options of employees of the Catholic Church in the United States.  But there are so many ways in which I admire Pope Francis:  There seems to be no factoring of political (even church-related political) consequences when Pope Francis speaks.  He speaks out, and follows through with his actions, because there are truths that need to be aired.  His humility is inspiring because it is integral to his being.  There is no other way for him to be.

President Obama gave an interview on CBS after his visit with the pope.  Commenting on the experience of standing in Pope Francis' presence, President Obama observed:  "...nothing is more powerful than someone who lives out his convictions."  This was a perceptive remark that I appreciate very much, for I, too, hold deep respect for those who move through this world guided humbly by their ideological convictions.  And I find that the most powerfully impressive people are the most soft-spoken and yes, Sheryl Sandberg, the most self-deprecating.  The message that reaches the deepest into the consciousnesses of those around us is: "it's not about me."

Perhaps President Obama and Pope Francis are admirably in touch with their feminine sides . . . but I find myself drawn to the leadership of those who are guided by that which is greater than human scope and who have the strength and self-confidence to acknowledge that our greatest attainments are never reached in a vacuum of our own effort and vision.

I am impressed by another quality shared by President Obama and Pope Francis, which was also shared by Nelson Mandela.  I wrote about Mr. Mandela a few months ago and remarked on his extraordinary capacity to focus on the qualities of the human being and the nuances of the issue before him without pre-judgment or bias.  I had a sense of the exercise of humility and perspective at work in the meeting between President Obama and Pope Francis:  the whole world knew about every issue on which these leaders disagree, substantive issues.  And yet, both leaders seemed to approach the opportunity of their discourse not to convince the other of the error of his ways, but rather to explore the possibilities of advancing their shared visions and goals.  

I don't think that the words "humility" and "leadership" are often appear in combination . . . except, perhaps, as conflicting dynamics.   That is definitely worth re-thinking.  I'm all for "leaning in" when the opportunity arises to take on a substantive leadership task...as long as that opportunity is embraced with humility.  That leads us to powerful leadership.

This week's parashah / Torah reading, Tetzaveh, finds us in the midst of an enterprise begun last week in which God instructs Moses about the Mishkan/Tabernacle to be constructed as a focal point of the ritual relationship between God and Israel.  This week, Aaron and his sons are appointed as kohanim/priests in charge of the ritual sacrificial system and as part of this discussion, God describes the vestments that Aaron and his sons are to wear as they perform their priestly duties.

From time to time, I have the privilege of participating in interfaith functions with my clergy colleagues from all over the faith map.  Often, the instructions we receive include a note to wear vestments.  This leaves me, my fellow rabbis and our friends the imams,  in our rather bland professional clothing as our Christian clergy friends show up looking glorious in their colorful, dramatic vestments.  At times like this, I admit to "vestment envy."

Rabbis are considered teachers rather than a priestly class invested with esoteric powers endowed with ordination (like the power to grant absolution, for example).  The rich vestments worn by Aaron and his male progeny were not worn by Moses, since Moses' role was not a ritual one.  

With the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE, the kohanim/priests lost the unique stage upon which they fulfilled their roles in offering daily sacrifices on behalf of the people and facilitating the personal thanks, purification, festival and atonement sacrifices individuals might bring.  Since the destruction of the Second Temple there has not been a unique Jewish clerical uniform or vestment.
During the rabbinic period, a type of turban-like headress, called a "sudar", was associated with sages and scholars.  Perhaps something like the headress on this classic rendering of Maimonides reproduced on an Israeli stamp...

In largely Christian medieval Europe, Jews lived in tight-knit communities.  Medieval manuscript illuminations, like the one above, from a 14th century manuscript from Zurich, depicts a unique-shaped hat (on the right) that was associated with Jews.

For the most part, Jews have blended in and have adopted the dress and style of the surrounding culture. 

Jewish tradition does not talk about a medieval Jew's hat or an 18th century Polish nobleman's fur hat . . . but it does set guidelines for us regarding how Jews should dress.

The guiding verse regarding the way a Jewish person should walk through the world comes from the prophet, Micah (6:8):
 הִגִּיד לְךָ אָדָם, מַה-טּוֹב; וּמָה-ה׳ דּוֹרֵשׁ מִמְּךָ, כִּי אִם-עֲשׂוֹת מִשְׁפָּט וְאַהֲבַת חֶסֶד, וְהַצְנֵעַ לֶכֶת, עִם-אֱלֹהֶיךָ
It hath been told you, Adam, what is good, and what Adonay requires of you: only to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.

Walking with humility with God, in Jewish terms, has come to mean dressing modestly . . . avoiding dressing seductively; making sure to dress appropriately for the occasion, not dressing extravagantly or flashily.  Although, in certain circles, the discussion of modest dress seems to focus most on women, the truth is that this standard of moving through the world with appropriate humility applies to both men and women.  

The glorious vestments described in this week's Torah reading were only meant for the kohanim/priests as they fulfilled their unique roles in sustaining the sacrificial cult of the desert Tabernacle and the Temple in Jerusalem.  None of us, rabbi, scholar, Jew-in-the-pew should aspire to so much "bling."  Our challenge is to walk with humility with God in our world, expressed through our dress and our attitude.