meet the mermelsteins

On Wednesday night, the students of Treehouse (KT’s afterschool program) planned the sweetest reception for everyone who participated in the Seeds of Torah project. For those who are unfamiliar, six of our young people have been working all year to create a collection of comic parshanut. Every single Torah portion will have a comic strip depiction. (There are still a few left. If you want to make one email [email protected]). The plan is to print the book in time for Simchat Torah!


The comics are beautiful, heartfelt and hilarious. They feature everything from a glittery golden calf to porta-potty jokes. They are digital and hand drawn, made by kids and grown ups alike. The kids planned the entire party from Torah trivia to the menu (featuring cheese, fruit, cookies and seltzer). Each kid even got to add three songs to the party playlist. Vibes were high. It was a very proud moment for Kol Tzedek. 


Among the display of comics was my own contribution, which just so happens to be this week’s parsha, Bamidbar. When Rabbi Michelle announced the project I immediately volunteered. I love to study Torah and it seemed like a fun challenge. The dialogue came to me late one night on my winter meditation retreat. I wrote it down in a flurry with no idea how I would depict it. 


Despite my eagerness to participate, the truth is that I am not good at figure drawings. I had no idea how to take the words and make them visual. Out of a deep desire to impress my own children, I had the thought that maybe I could just use images of the Simpsons and insert my words. But it turns out there are some copyright issues with that. Stumped, I had a brand new thought I had never had before (call it a hiddush!?). Maybe I should ask AI for help? 


So one night while watching the actual Simpsons with my kids, I explained the entire situation to ChatGPT and asked it to illustrate a comic about parashat BaMidbar using my words as the dialogue. It was encouraging yet ran into the same copyright images I had discovered. BUT it was not deterred like I was. Instead it had the genius, ridiculous idea to create a Simpsons-inspired Jewish family. And thus was born “The Mermelsteins!” In my comic you will meet Max, Lila, Mira and Joe. 


When the comic was done, I was super proud and my kids were not impressed. This in and of itself felt very on par for the Simpsons. Apparently I think it's much funnier than it really is. How Homer, I mean Joe, of me. Take a peak and see for yourself! (Interesting note: ChatGPT cannot depict anything God-like so I had to adjust my Bat Kol expectations and settle for a Marge-like orb. It was refreshing to know it does have limits!)


Humor (and Homer) aside, the essential question I was trying to answer, which I find myself asking every year at this time, is why was Torah given in the Wilderness? 


Many a midrash asks this question and the answers proliferate. The one that resonates most this week, in these times, came to me in the raspy heavenly voice of Mira Mom Mermelstein: “Just think if I gave it to you in your house, you’d think it belonged to you!” 


Torah was given in the wilderness, a place that is ownerless, so that no one can say they own Torah. In our hypercapitalist world, this is essential for all of us to remember. We are stewards and students of Torah. But Torah is fundamentally hefker – ownerless, everyone’s, up for grabs and open to infinite interpretations. And the fact that Torah is so available, invites those of who study Torah to also make ourselves available to new ideas and insights – including now the creative genius of artificial intelligence. 


This Shavuot, we have a chance to gather again at Sinai, and allow ourselves to be awash with the wisdom of Torah. To reconstitute the mixed multitude that has always been Jewish community. To remember that no one has a claim on Torah. No one can say Torah is theirs. And as a result, it is available to be shared with abundant generosity. May it bring healing,  wholeness and humor from up above, to everywhere that needs it here on earth. ​