My D’var Torah
This speech was written by me (duh) for my Bat Mitzvah. I will be reading this to about 200 people on Saturday, February 22. In 5 days! Now it’s time for me to start freaking out. So, here’s my speech;
Hello.
One of the most interesting pieces of my Torah portion is the fact that, after God asked any Israelite whose heart was moved to give gifts to help build the Tabernacle, the people brought so much stuff that Moses told people to stop making donations. He didn’t have to tell them to stop; he could have collected the overflow and put it in his own pockets.
So, I’m starting off with Scottish mythology, or, to be more exact, the story of Scathatch the Shadow. She, in The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, is a 10,000 year old vegetarian vampire who feeds on emotions. She’s also one of the finest warriors in history. Shouldn’t that mean she’s had plenty of time to have a palace? A crown made of diamonds? A plethora of other crazy expensive things? But, in the series, she lives a very austere life. The exact sentence describing her dojo is, “the dojo was painted in shades of cream and white, with black mats scattered around the room. You can see the broom strokes on the carpet. ” Why does she live like that, in a run-down area of San Francisco’s Chinatown, when she could’ve been living in a luxurious Shadow-realm? I think it’s because she wants to remember to be human. Like Moses, she turned down extra money, extra wealth that would’ve made the dojo, in Scathatch’s case or the Tabernacle, in the story of Moses, more eye-catching with the rare weapons she has, or the rare items Moses had. It would’ve been more fancy, or attractive to see in modern day life. Moses had very strict instructions from God, and Scathatch had a very violent life, so both turned down the extra wealth.
Next, we’re gonna take a ride on a 7-year journey in the wizarding world of Harry Potter. I’m sure you’re all aware of the money Harry has. Have any of you ever wondered why he didn’t splurge and buy some super expensive stuff? My take on this one is that Harry had a hard life and he wants to save for a rainy day. Like Moses, he could have whatever he wants. Both worlds regard them as saviors, and they could have had anything they wanted. Why do they choose to live modest lives? Do they think that by not taking advantage of their access to wealth that they can continue to help their respective worlds?
Unfortunately the famous adage from Lord John Acton is all too often true: “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men.” People who are great often times get to be great because they take advantage of those less fortunate. But these three characters: Scathatch, Harry Potter, and Moses aren’t your stereotypical heroes. They understood that, unlike Lord Acton’s ideal for greatness, people don’t need to prosper at the expense of others. They also realized that you can be both powerful and a good person.
Speaking of trying to be a good, socially conscious person, I decided to bring the butterfly project to CBI’s religious school. The butterfly project was started by the Holocaust Museum to use the artwork and poems written by children in Terezin to raise awareness of their suffering.
The Butterfly
The last, the very last,
So richly, brightly, dazzlingly yellow.
Perhaps if the sun’s tears would sing against a white stone…
Such, such a yellow
Is carried lightly ‘way up high.
It went away
I’m sure because it wished to kiss the world goodbye.
For seven weeks I’ve lived in here,
Penned up inside this ghetto
But I have found my people here.
The dandelions call to me
And the white chestnut candles in the court.
Only I never saw another butterfly.
That butterfly was the last one.
Butterflies don’t live in here,
In the ghetto.
Pavel Friedmann 4.6.1942
When I first heard this poem, I felt… weird because the imagery in the poem transported me to the ghetto. It made me upset that a person around my age had this happen to them. I felt a need to share Pavel’s experience with others so that they would understand. I am working with Sarah Avner to bring the butterfly project to CBI because I believe that Jewish teens need to connect with this part of our history. Next month, I will present a selection of poems from … I Never Saw Another Butterfly … Children’s Drawings and Poems from Terezin Concentration Camp to the 7th and 8th graders of CBI’s religious school. I will lead a discussion about the poems and then the students will decorate a butterfly based on their reactions. Look for the butterflies on display at CBI in the coming months.
I’d like to thank my family for putting up with me and driving me to all my appointments. I also would like to thank Rabbis Rose and Folberg for helping me prepare for this day. Finally, I’d like to thank Efrat and Ellen for teaching me and helping me learn everything I presented to you today.
Thanks for coming and … Shabbat Shalom.
Wow, that’s a lot of words. I really loved it actually. It was heart touching and reminded me that modesty can actually be greater than the most powerful.
Very impressive, Dahlia. You’re an inspiration to me. I’m excited to see that you will be teaching other children! I think you will be an excellent teacher.
I like your retelling of the Scottish myth. Great job pulling the reader in with those rhetorical questions!
Nice post! Wow that’s a lot of words! Do you have to memorize all that? I’m impressed. I like how you connected the two stories. And also about the poem I’m pretty sure they mad a play called I Never Saw Another Butterfly. It’s about Pavel’s sister who had a teacher in the Jewish Camps. The sister survived but the teacher and Pavel’s didn’t. Our school did the play in California. Keep up the good writing!
Great post Dahlia! It was really interesting to read about this.
I loved reading this Dahlia! It was very descriptive and I loved how you commented your thoughts on the poem. I can’t wait to see you perform it in person this weekend! Goo job
Dahlia, this was so inspiring! I love how you connected all these different examples into one main theme that was fantastic. Great post and great blog in general.
Hi Dahlia –
Glad your Mom wrote with your blog site!
Also I was happy to find your Bat Mitzvah speech – I didn’t get a chance to hear all of it at your Bat Mizvah and was very happy to be able to read it here!
Great job, not only pm the speech but on the Bat Mitzvah as well – we had a great time with all of you in Austin and hopefully we can do it again real soon!
Love,
Uuncle Danny
What a speech !!!!!
Your knowledge and capacity to write shine through with your words.
You are so sensitive to the happenings of the world that makes you unique,and very special at least to me
I am very proud of you and very proud to be part of your family.
what a speech!!, I am glad we were able to read it because we lost a lot in your presentation at Temple, too fast.
Very clever and thoughtful, we are so proud of you.
With love, tios abuelos Angel and Anita