Creating a Home for G-d

Rabban Gamliel, son of Rabbi Yehudah the Prince said:
Torah study goes well with work, since the toil of them both banishes misdeed.
-Pirkei Avos (Ethics of the Fathers), 2:2

The act of earning a living actualizes the goal of creation, which is to make the material world a Divine home. This can only be achieved by those who deal directly with the material world in a sanctified manner.
- Likkutei Sichot, 30:138

A person is made of two parts: the body and the soul. The body is there to serve the soul. In the same way the body is there as a conduit for the soul - our physical work is there as a way to sanctify G-d.

When we are honest in our business dealings, when we are polite to the clerk at the store, when we help others, when we do the mitzvot - these are all ways that we change our physical world into a spiritual one - a home for G-d.

Every Jewish person, whether they recognize it or not, has a mission to make the physical into the spiritual. The way we accomplish this is through the mitzvot. Why the mitzvot? Can't we be good people without being told what to do?

Of course we can be good people without the mitzvot. The catch is - that we don't always know what it means to be "good". But we'll save that discussion for a different day.

The Connection between Pesach and Shavuot

Pesach (Passover) is the holiday when we commemorate and celebrate when we were taken out of Egypt by G-d to be G-d's People. For 210 years we had been slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt. When Moses first comes to Pharaoh in the name of G-d to "let my People go!" Pharaoh answers quite obnoxiously - "who is this G-d that I should listen to Him?" In response to Pharaoh's question G-d lets Pharaoh know exactly who He is by sending the 10 plagues which completely destroy the land of Egypt.

After Pesach we count the days of the Omer. 49 days of the Omer. The 50th day (counting from the second day of Pesach) is the holiday of Shavuot. Shavuot is the holiday where we celebrate receiving the Torah. The entire Jewish People is there at the Mountain of Sinai. All Jews from all times. Even if we don't remember it - our souls (neshama) were there to watch and receive the Torah from G-d.

What's interesting about Pesach and Shavuot is how close these two holidays are to each other. Only 50 days - which means they must be connected in some way.

What I think is this:
Pesach is the holiday of freedom. But pure freedom without rules is dangerous. Imagine a busy street like Broadway with no traffic lights, crosswalks or policemen. That's a scary thought! And that's only a street. Imagine a world without rules or restrictions - that's a scary world.

Shavuot is the holiday where we get those rules. G-d is like a parent, He only wants what is good for us and only wants to give us good. Sometimes we understand why our parents tell us what to do, and sometimes we don't. We do know, however, that they love us and only want what's best for us. We know the same about G-d. G-d loves us and only wants what's best for us. The Torah is way that G-d puts out in front of us - sometimes in the form of a story, or a list of laws - what is best for us.

During the 49 days between Pesach (the holiday of freedom) and Shavuot (when we get the Torah) the Jewish People had to work hard on themselves - to improve themselves to be the best they could be when it was time to receive the Torah. It is the same for us. We need to take this time, just like the Jews who left Egypt, to improve ourselves and try our hardest to be ready to receive the Torah when Shavuot comes.

One of the ways we try and improve ourselves is by reading a part of the Oral Torah called Pirkei Avot (the Ethics of our Fathers). It is a tradition to read one of the chapters (there are six) each Shabbat afternoon. We start with Chapter One. I'm going to try and pick a part of the chapter each week and explain a little about it.

Chapter One starts with the words:
"Moshe (Moses) received the Torah from Sinai and passed it on to Yehoshua (Joshua)..."

Now take a look at those first few words. "Moshe received the Torah from Sinai". What's interesting about them is that it makes us wonder. Really Moshe received the Torah from G-d at Mount Sinai - you can't receive the Torah from a mountain, but from G-d. Let's think about this. Where was Sinai? Sinai was in the desert - we don't know exactly where and it isn't really important where either. The Torah was given on a mountain in the desert in the middle of nowhere.

This teaches us something very important. Learning Torah and doing mitzvot (commandments) are not dependent on where you are. You can be in the Land of Israel - or the United States, Canada, Zimbabwe, China or Scotland - and still you can learn Torah and do mitzvot. G-d did not want to give anyone the mistaken idea that Torah and mitzvot are only for certain locations. (Just a sidenote: there are special mitzvot that are specific to the Land of Israel.)

So remember, no matter where you live -- find a mitzvah that you especially like, or are good at - and get even better at it. This is the time between Pesach and Shavuot to argue less with your parents, brothers and sisters. This is the time to smile at someone new at school or help someone who needs help. This is the time to improve yourself and prepare yourself to receive the Torah. Start now.

Be Right Back

I am getting married this coming Sunday. It has been a long transition from living in New York City to moving back to Detroit and forward to Toronto. I hope to get back to writing my parsha sheets sometime really soon when things settle down for me.

Transitions are times where we learn a lot about ourselves and what we find important and on the flip side... not important.

I have found that locations are not permanent, but friends are.
I have learned that family is really important and I should make more of an effort to be with them.

I am learning to trust G-d. It will always be an ongoing process.

I wish everyone all the best.
Shira

Parshat Beshalach - Have a Little Trust

This past Shabbat was Parshat Beshalach. It happens to be one of my favorite parshiot of the Torah.

The parsha begins with the Jewish People leaving Egypt after 210 years of slavery. They're led by Moses, a former shepherd chosen by G-d to lead the Jewish People. We're doing well - we've left Egypt behind when we find that the Pharaoh has changed his mind. He didn't really mean to let the Jews go! Pharaoh sends his entire army after the Jewish People to bring them back.

Faced with an army behind them and the Red Sea in front of them, the Jewish People begin to cry to Moses to save them. Moses turns to G-d and starts praying. G-d tells Moses to lead the people into the sea.

This must have been a scary time for the Jewish People. They were just saved from Egypt and now they're being told to walk into the water? They didn't know that the water was going to split for them.

There is a famous midrash of a fellow named Nachshon ben Aminadav (Nachshon the son of Aminadav). He heard that G-d wanted the Jewish People to go into the water - so he went. He walked further and further into the water up till his nose! It was only then when the water split.

What do we learn from Nachshon? We learn to trust G-d. The water didn't split right away. I'm sure he was thinking while he was walking into the water - why isn't something happening? But he knew this was what G-d wanted, so he did it even though he didn't know what was going to happen.

It's not always easy to trust that everything is going to turn out for the good. But we try our best to know that G-d watches over us and wants what is best for us.

G-d is like our parents. Our parents want what is best for us. We don't always understand why they want us to do somethings. Why do I have to go to bed when I'm not not tired? Why do I have to eat food I don't always like? There are many questions like these that we don't understand. But our parents want what is best for us, and try and to take care of us so we grow up to be good people and good Jews doing the right things.

We don't always understand why things happen the way they happen, but we trust that our parents and G-d know what's best for us.

Have a good week!

Chanukah: The Holiday of Miracles

Yes, the holiday of Chanukah is upon us.  Tonight is the 5th night of the eight day holiday.  The holiday of gifts and giving.  Oops, wrong holiday.

I was wondering the other day if anyone would celebrate Chanukah if it didn't coincide with Christmas.  Now don't get me wrong.  I enjoy gift giving and for sure - gift getting, but this isn't what Chanukah is about.

It's about miracles.  Expecting the unexpected.

There are two types of miracles.  First is what I call the "obvious" miracle.  Something that you look at and say, "Wow, that's the finger of G-d!"

The other is the non-obvious miracle.  G-d also uses natural events to show us His involvement in our lives.  Chanukah has examples of both types - the obvious and non-obvious.

The obvious miracle is the miracle of the oil.  You may remember the story.  The Maccabees finish fighting the Greek-Syrians and return to Jerusalem to find the Temple trashed.  They needed oil to light the Menorah with and were only able to find enough for one day.  The Maccabees go ahead and light what they have and the oil lasts eight days.

The miracle of the oil is an open and obvious miracle.  We can see it clearly.

The next type of miracle we see with the success of the Maccabees over the Greek-Syrian army.  We celebrate the victory of the few against the many.  If we think about it, it's not that big a deal.  We've seen small armies beat large armies before.  But then if we think further about it and add a few more details it becomes more interesting.  These "few" were made up of farmers, teachers and everyday people.  The "many" was made up of professional soldiers.  The equation has shifted.  The miracle is made more clear.  Using the events at hand, G-d took the "few" and made them mighty enough to get the job done.

We're always on the lookout for the obvious miracles.  We want to see the sea split, see the lion lie down with the lamb, and have G-d speak to us personally.

What we don't notice are those not so obvious miracles that happen all the time.  We just have to notice them.  We also should appreciate them.

Think back over your day, or your week.  I think back even further a few winters ago when I spun out on the highway, doing a 180 and ending up on the side of the road facing into traffic.  When breaking the situation down, there are many parts to be thankful for.  First of all, that I didn't hit anyone else as I spun around across the other lanes.  Second, that I wasn't hurt in that accident.  Third, that my car wasn't damaged in any way and I was able to finish my drive home.

That spin out is not an "obvious" sort of miracle.  We could look at that and say what a lucky coincidence it all was.  I would say that it's important to recognize this for what it is... a tremendous non-obvious miracle.

Instead of looking for the in-your-face miracles, we should begin training ourselves to look for G-d in the smaller things that are always happening.  Hopefully not only during emergencies and difficult times, but also when things are going well.  Feeling good, appreciating what you have, and even those parking spots that open up for you right when you need them.

Miracles are something to be noticed.  Which means it's also possible to miss them too.  Chanukah is about miracles, both types.  Take a moment to think about the miracles that happen in your life.  If you can't think of any off the top of your head - start taking notice now, using Chanukah as a starting point.

Chag Sameach!  Enjoy!

Living and Dying for G-d

Most of us live with our beliefs.  We wake up in the morning and hopefully conduct ourselves in a way that would make G-d proud of us.  Being honest in business, helping others in need, improving ourselves as a whole are some of the things that we attempt to do every day.

Some of us have the opportunity to die for our beliefs.  This is not something that Judaism encourages us to do.  There are very few times (three) that we are specifically told that we have to give up our lives for G-d.  However, there are other times where we are not given a choice. 

When the Chabad House in Mumbai, India was invaded in a very coordinated attack these Jews lost their lives.  The terrorists entered two hotels and the Nariman House, known for being a Jewish center of activity.  When a Jew is murdered for the sole reason that he is Jewish, that Jew lost his life in honor of G-d's name.  These Jews were murdered because they had been in a Jewish building.  These people who we now mourn are martyrs.

While those visiting the Nariman House were perhaps only tourists, they had made a conscious effort to do something Jewish while they were in India.  Perhaps it was to get kosher food, or attend a meditation class, we don't know why they were there at that time.  What we do know is that they were there doing something to make themselves better Jews by understanding what Judaism is about.

Rabbi and Rebbitzen Holtzberg zt"l were there (their two year old son was saved by the cook) not for themselves - but to serve other Jews.  They were there to bring G-d to that corner of the world where many Israelis come after their stint in the army.  That's why they were there, an unselfish perspective that many of us do not have.

We're told that the terrorists were ultimately looking for Americans, Brits and Jews.  While many of us identify ourselves with our host countries (myself included), it takes a moment like this to realize that we are more than just "American", "British", or "something else" - we're Jewish.  When there are those who want to murder us just because we're Jewish it is worthwhile to find out what it actually means to be Jewish.

The Holtzbergs serve as example to all of us what it means to live and die for G-d.  They lived their lives according to the Torah - and were murdered because they were Jews.   They were souls that completed their jobs here on earth and have found their places in the World to Come.  Tonight is Shabbat.  Even if you have never lit Shabbat candles, please do so tonight.  (For instructions, click here.)  Do a mitzvah in their memories.

From a former guest at the Chabad House:

I was in Mumbai this year on business.  A city from Dante's hell, filthy and crowded beyond a westerners nightmares.  There is no kosher food or minyan in Mumbai, so I went to the Chabad house.  They have 3 minyanim a day and ... the shaliach and his wife serve meals.  There are 20-50 people eating there per meal, mostly Israelis and businessmen, many frei (non-religious).  I asked Rabbi Holtzberg "where do you get the food from?"  He replied "I shecht 100 chickens a week to serve 400 fleishig meals, and my wife cleans them.  Since there's no pas yisroel here, my wife bakes bread (for about 800 people per week) every bit of food is home made."

They ask for no no money and charge nothing.  By every meal he says a dvar Torah, to inspire the orchim [guests].  Avraham Avinu would be proud of Rabbi Holtzberg.

Baruch Dayan HaEmet.  G-d is the true Judge.

Jewish Hostages in Mumbai

Jews are some of those being held by Muslim terrorists in Mumbai, India.  Rabbi Gavriel Holzberg and his wife Rivka have been seen unconscious but alive after the Chabad center in the Nariman building was invaded by the terrorists.  Information is sketchy, but it seems that the couple's two year old son and the cook were allowed to leave the building.  There may be up to six more Israelis being held hostage.

Chabad Lubavitch is a movement made up of Jews that follow the teachings of the late Lubavitcher Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson.  Many of these Chabadniks have spread themselves around the world in order to give Jews an opportunity to explore their Jewish roots and heritage no matter where they might live.  They truly believe in the Jewish concept of loving your neighbor as much as you love yourself.

We pray for the the safety of Rabbi Gavriel and his wife Rivka along with all of those who are being held by the terrorists.  Their Jewish names are: Gavriel Noach ben Frieda Bluma and Rivka bas Yehudis.

Please take a moment to say Tehillim/Psalms 20, traditionally said in times of trouble.

The Financial Times has a good article with a bit more information.