Friday, July 12, 2019

Patience, Humility and Hope - D’var Torah - Parashat Chukat - July 12, 2019

     I have closely followed the American space program beginning with the missions of Gemini 7 and Gemini 6 in December 1965.   I remember the graphics in Time magazine illustrating their combined flight that achieved the milestone of the first rendezvous in earth orbit between two manned spacecraft.   The photographs shared after the flight of the two Gemini capsules flying close to one another was impressive.   Successful exploration of space was the result of ingenuity, insight, teamwork, and patience.  The Mercury and Gemini programs represented the first steps to accomplish President John F. Kennedy’s goal to land astronauts on the moon by the end of the 1960s.   

     Public Television aired, earlier this week, their series entitled “Chasing the Moon” to mark the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing.    Each program chronicled the gradual progress of the manned space program, with flights that provided the building blocks and skill and hardware development necessary to assure, as much as possible, a safe moon landing.  

     The second episode of the series included what I would consider to be the most detailed portrayal of the ill-fated Apollo 1 mission.   Astronauts Gus Grissom, Ed White and Roger Chaffee died when a fire broke out in their Apollo capsule cockpit during a test of communications and other systems on January 27, 1967.   I was watching television that night when the network interrupted regular programming with the announcement of the fire and tragic loss of life.   The details of what happened and photos of their charred capsule were shared in the days and weeks that followed.  The commentary during the “Chasing the Moon” episode discussed the attitudes that may have led to the tragedy.    Impatience and arrogance by those who created and produced the Apollo capsule led them to assume that everything would be fine, because everything had always been fine before.   No one questioned the risk of maintaining a 100% oxygen atmosphere, in a crew cabin filled with flammable materials,  during the test that ultimately took the astronauts’ lives.  No one seemed to consider the possibility that a hatch that opened into the capsule, instead of one that opened out, would prevent workers outside the spacecraft from being able to offer crucial help in case of an emergency.   Later that year, I visited the graves of two of the Apollo 1 astronauts at Arlington National Cemetery.  While the astronauts knew of the dangers of space flight, the consequences of that night lingered for many months, as NASA worked with the companies involved to ensure the safety of the revamped Apollo capsule.      

     As I listened to the newly-told story of Apollo 1, I thought of Moses and Aaron in this week’s Torah portion.   God told Moses to speak to a rock to produce water for the people, who were, once again, complaining that they had been brought into the wilderness to die.   Once before, God had told Moses to strike a rock to produce water.  The intensity of the tumult among the people wore Moses’ patience thin.   He had always given God credit and gratitude for all of the divine acts that had preserved the Israelites on their journey.    This time, the usually humble leader seemed to change his tune. He proclaimed over the shouting of the Israelites, “You rebels, shall we get water from this rock?”   Then he struck the rock, yielding the desired stream of water for the people to drink. 

      God immediately told Moses and Aaron that they would not lead the people into the land of Canaan.   We might think that Moses and his brother deserved at least a little mercy in the face of this impatient people.  What they learned is that every word and action counts, and that letting down one’s guard, even once, can have dire consequences for the moment and for the future.  Moses’ lack of patience led him to portray himself to the people as having divine power.   He violated one of the central principles of his service to God and to the Israelites - that he was their human guide, following God’s direction along the way.   He probably realized that it was time to appoint Joshua as his successor and to train him to be humble, patient, steadfast and always optimistic.  

   The lessons learned from the Apollo 1 fire ultimately led to the success of the Apollo missions to the moon, which featured 6 moon landings along with the crew in space and on the ground overcoming seemingly insurmountable odds during the flight of Apollo 13.   

     In our own lives, there may be challenges that arise which require us to be patient, humble, and hopeful, and which might call on us to recognize the potential partners nearby who can share our concerns and lighten our burdens.   May we accept,  with open arms, the support and help that comes to us, so that we will proudly and safely reach our destination, whatever it may be. 

        

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