There’s no chance we’re getting a Porsche. Zero chance. In fact, given our family’s size and lifestyle and budget we’re more likely to get a mini-school bus than a sporty Porsche, even a useful sports & family sedan-type like this new Porsche Panamera. All this despite those student friends over the years who educated us on the fine points of sports sedans and shared with us their love and fascination for these classy vehicles. So why the interest in this Porsche commercial? Because an alumni friend, Jordan Bielsky, who later transferred to Bard College and is now working in and around Hollywood worked on this short, crisp, cool piece of advertising art.
And I must admit, I love the concept and the title for two more reasons:
A) Fire and Ice is perfect timing for the Torah portions on the 10 Plagues leading up to the Exodus, specifically Parshat Va’era which was read in the synagogue on the very same week this commercial was awarded top prize in the Porsche contest and released to the public. Midrashic teaching, quoted in Rashi, tells us that the plague of Hail (“Barad” in Hebrew) was actually fire and ice combined, a double-whammy dangerous flaming & freezing concoction of miraculous contradiction.
B) The Lubavitcher Rebbe’s teachings and philosophy, especially his Chassidic discourses called “Maamorim” very often go the path of “Thrilling Contradictions.” Many of the Rebbe’s Maamorim highlight paradoxes and contradictions in Jewish thought, in spiritual struggle, or in Kabbalistic view of Divine cosmic revelation. And almost every time, the Rebbe’s approach is not to side with one side or the other, but to find some deeper, more essential angle or element that brings out the best in both, that synthesizes and harmonizes, that allows both to thrive in unison, celebrating their unity and diversity all at the same time. We have been down this journey many a time in the Rebbe’s teaching and texts. Thrilling contradictions is a key Chassidic concept; albeit in different context, setting and purpose than the Porsche Panamera and this incredible fire-fused ice-sculpture.