BEING ALIVE

      As I look at our society today, I am inclined to conclude that we live in a society of short cuts, instant relief, instant gratification , instant love, instant coffee  and even instant religion. Too often our aim is to get on with it and get it over with. It is an outlook that seems to permeate much of our lives and inevitably it reaches our religious observances. 

     It is the the old age question posed to our talmudic sage, Hillel and Shamai by a young man who wanted to learn the entire Torah standing on one foot. What he wanted was to do so very quickly, as if to say ,I have no time, let's do it 1,2,3 and get it over with.

   Judaism is not and must not be a quick schemed religion by simplifying  our studies into a Judaic code as a simple review course. 

  It is in this light that our Torah reading this morning states , ועתה ישראל שמע אל החוקים ואל המשפטים אשר אנכי מלמד אתכם לעשות למען תחיו 

  "And now Israel hearken unto the statutes and the social regulations which I teach you to fulfill, so that you may live."

   The Torah then goes on to explain that we are required to obey the ordinances in a fully detailed fashion, and we are admonished not to add to what the Torah  commands and surely not to diminish from our Torah way of life. If you follow all the mitzvot that Hashem sets forth for us, then 

G-D guarantees, למען תחיו, "that you may live a wonderful  life."

   From here we see that we are not to deviate the slightest in the manner of observance , whether we add or diminish  from the directives of the Torah, life is the adherence to the ways of G-D in its total form .

  The כלי יקר, says the admonition 'not to add' suggests that Hashem is telling us, when you do so you will the be inclined to diminish as well. The fear is that as soon as a man begins to apply his own subjective judgement to the observance of Judaism , then there is no telling how far he will go. Any additions is bound to lead to a diminution, resulting in upsetting the balance of the general framework of Yiddishkeit. 

   The real miracle of existence is not only what Hashem does for us , but more so what Hashem inspires us to do for ourselves and others that will determine the essence of our lives. 

  It is time that we slow down the pace of our daily lives and regulate our spiritual lives in a manner that will gain us the most benefit from our religious experiences.

    Remember well; "What is the use of having life and not living it?"

     Our Torah reading this week, also, includes the Shma, wherein we are enjoin to love our G-D and to follow his Mitzvot, which have been the foundation and the strength a of our people. When we are committed to one G-D and remain steadfast and firm with our Torah then we will truly have selected the injunction, למען תחיו, for then we have chosen the life of a Jew. 

        Judaism will survive as it always has, proudly and creatively because its adherents find meaning in their Jewishness, identify with its teachings and find joy in the observance of our Mitzvot leading to a life of Blessings.