Some 'Bowie Torah'

(In the spirit of my friend, holy brother Stuart Wax, who is fond of quoting Jerry Garcia and Rebbe Nachman in the same breath, here is my attempt at doing something similar.)

This was Moses speaking to the Children of Israel, making his farewell address immediately before his death and subsequent passage of the Israelite nation into the Promised Land. In this verse he was reviewing all their misdeeds that led to their wandering for 40 years in the desert, particularly regarding the sin of the Ten Spies and unbelief in the goodness of the Land. After the spies had delivered their negative report, the people mourned and wept, and said that if they were to try to enter the Land, they would be defeated and their children would be taken captive.

I heard this, attributed to Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach: The word "לָבַז," "prey" or 'taken captive' in the content of this verse, comes from the word "בִּזָּה" - spoils of war. But it is also etymologically related to the word "בִּזָּיוֹן," 'contempt.'

In this context, it means that 'your children, whom you held in contempt, will be the ones to inherit the land.' This held a particular poignancy during the time of the generation gap, when the older generation regarded their hippie offspring as lost and worthless.

And when I heard this, I couldn't help but be reminded of the song "Changes," by David Bowie:

(Re)posted in memory of David Bowie, who died eight years ago today. RIP. And also of Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach, zt"l. May their memories be for a blessing.