In Shoftim, this week’s Torah portion, Moshe teaches that in every generation there will be those entrusted with the task of interpreting and applying the laws of the Torah. There we read:

According to the law that they will teach you, and the judgment they will instruct you, you shall do; you shall not turn away from the thing that they say to you, to the right nor to the left. (Deuteronomy 17:11)

On this Rashi comments:

Even if the judge tells you about what appears to you to be right that it is left, or about what appears to you to be left that it is right, you have to obey the judge; how much the more is this so if actually he tells you about what is evidently right that it is right and about what is left that it is left (cf. Sifrei Devarim 154:5). (Rashi on Deuteronomy 17:11)

This gives a huge amount of power to the judges in every generation.

I was reflecting on this idea this week as our son Yishama went to his second year in yeshivah this past Sunday. His intention is to go to this Israeli yeshiva, join the Israeli Army, make aliyah, and learn a lot more Torah. Much of this is fueled by a profound sense of faith that he has. I am happy for him in that this speaks to the depths of his soul.

In this picture you see the spark of light in him. And today he is overflowing with light. Comparing this little guy to Yishama today, I am moved to tears at the Halachic Man who is emerging.

And at the same time I am afraid for him. Will this next step lead to a blind faith? Will he follow their judgement to determine right from left or his own judgement to determine right from wrong?

After a few weeks of intense conversation I have renewed my faith. I trust him. His deeper dive into learning makes me thrilled. He is self-actualizing. Yishama is investing his energy to get to the foundation of things to build up his own understanding of what is right and what is wrong. At its core he understands that he is a Shaliach, emissary, from his generation entrusted with the task of interpreting and applying the laws of the Torah for today.

Here is a picture from this past Sunday of Yishama at JFK headed to Israel.

These days I am feeling all of the feeling. I miss him. I am proud of him. I worry for him. And I am excited for him. I have all of these feelings, many more, and all at the same time. In the end, I am excited to see where this next step of his journey takes him.