THE DWELLING PLACE OF G-D

   Life is not a goblet to be emptied, but a measure to be filled. 

   Life is  be lived with a purpose. To live life to its fullest, a person should feel that he has a share in something important and meaningful. We are to feel that we are doing something through our work that matters. We are adding something good and vital to the lives of the people around us . 

   It is with these thoughts in mind that I approach a fascinating episode in the life of Yaakov as recorded in this week's Sedrah of Vayeze.

    Our Torah records how Yaakov is fleeing from his home, wandering, not knowing where he was going , and uncertain what the morrow will bring. Then all of a sudden in an open field, without any security, he had a dream.  He beheld that famous dream of the ladder and the Malachim were climbing down and up the ladder. 

   My interest, at this moment, is not to explain his vision but rather  to reflect upon the reaction to the vision, afterwards. The Torah states that after awakening Yaakov exclaims, in a state of wonderment, "אכן יש הי במקום הזה ואנכי לא ידעתי , ״ "Can it be that G-D is in this place and I,did not know it". 

  I sense, that Yaakov was  saying, "I expect to find Hashem in a more auspicious place rather than in this seemingly deserted area." Yaakov and mankind expect to find Hashem in a more Holy Place, a place with an altar or maybe in some shrine, but surely not in such a desolate area.

   This teaches us an intriguing lesson. It is not the place that designates G-D's presence, for Hashem is כבודו מלא עולם that Hashem's  glory fills the entire world. It is entirely up to man and how he calls upon Hashem to meet with Him at any place and at any time. 

   We see that we can transcend time and circumstances to welcome Hashem into our midst and to dialogue with Him and for Hashem to feel welcome in our lives.  It is evident that it depends upon man to feel the  presence of Hashem, and it is up to us to extend the invitation. 

   The question, "I pose what are we waiting for?" These are trying times as we have seen in Paris this past week. We need Hashem in our midst to destroy the evil that lurks behind the cloak of religious absurdity and not to succumb to the fallacious interpretation of religion.

    He who trust in the Almighty and His Torah will experience the salvation of mankind.

שבת שלום

GENERATIONS

    The study of Biblical personalities is a most intriguing exercise in our Torah learning. Every one of our Patriarchs and Matriachs are to be studied in a way that projects images that we can learn from. Lessons for our own behavior modification that can bring about positive reinforcement, shaping our entire outlook on life.  These lessons will set forth in our lives a special and wonderful Hashkafa for ourselves and our families.  A Hashkafa for life that is positive.  A Hashkafa that searches for the essence of Torah life and not for some meaningless obsessions that are usually related to man's whims and folktales.

   That is why Avraham, Yitzchak, Yaakov, Sarah, Rivka, Leah and Rachel, are larger than life.  They can truly become our emulating figures.  We must, first, understand who they are and what they stand for in Jewish Life.

     Today, more than ever, my mind turns to the life of Yitzchak, as recorded in this week's Torah reading.

 The text relates "וישב יצחק ויחפור את בארות החיים אשר חפרו בימי אברהם ......ויקרא להם שמות כשמות אשר קרא להן אביו" 

   Here we see that Yitzchak digs, anew, the wells of Avraham and he gives them the same name his father had given them. 

  I am sensing that in the life of Yitzchak there is no new discovery. In fact, his life is all a life of rediscovery. A life that is a continuum of his father Avraham. That is not to say that Yitzchak's life was meaningless. On the contrary, he played a very important role in the promulgation of Torah. Were it not for his actions, those  wells would have remained closed and future generations would have suffered greatly. 

   Yitzchak is to serve as a very important inspirational force for all of Jewry.  He preserved his father's legacy that would have perished with Avraham's death. Yitzchak assures the lessons of Avraham will continue into the next generation. He plays a vital role in our survival for he is the link between Avraham and Yaakov and without him, that link would have ended and all that Avraham worked so hard to preserve would have been lost.

  Think well, were it not for Yitzchak there would not be a Yaakov and without Yaakov there would not be Yisrael. 

   The future legacy  of Yaakov came about through the efforts of  Yitzchak .

    The lesson is clear. We are the Yitzchaks of today. We carry forth the legacy of our parents and grandparents into the future. 

    I truly felt that link, this week, as I held my great granddaughter צפורה סימא, Kayla  in my arms a few hours after her birth to our grandchildren. It is then that I realized more and more the great responsibilities that we and our children have to assure the continuity of our Torah oriented life into the future. It is truly awesome, and it requires much effort and fortitude on our part. When we view our lives in such a magnificent way, we can really say, "It is all worth it, for we are doing Hashem's work to preserve Humanity and to assure that Yiddiskeit will remain eternal."

    My sincere Mazal Tov to our grandchildren Nina and Gavriel, and to our children Aileen and Moshe and a special Mazal Tov to the Savta Rabah Mimi and to all our Machatanim.

   May we all see the גאולה שלמה in our time, and may we all continue to enjoy Nachas from all our families. 

                                 שבת שלום 

OUR DESTINY

   As we continue to read the  Parshiot of Baraisheet, we become more impressed with our Patriarchs and our Matriarchs and how they lived with great morals and excellent ethics, encouraging us to emulate their way of life.

   Carlyle wrote “The history of the world is the biography of great men!”

   Our minds turn to Avraham, who is not only the first Jew, but our historical prototype. His experiences and actions foreshadow critical patterns in the history of the Jewish People.  Avraham is our spiritual leader and our emulating figure when it comes to acts of Chesed and unquestionable loyalty to Hashem and to our Judaic way of life.

  The true personality of Avraham came to the fore as he faced בני חת and uttered those memorable words ; “ גר ותושב אנכי עמכם"

“ I am an alien and a resident among you.” Avraham was declaring who he was to his community and to all his neighbors. He realized that he was a Resident in his role as part of the society where he dwelled, concerned for its welfare, and yet always remained a Ger, a stranger, aloof from the ills and the ethical and social abominations that existed. This is the legacy that Avraham has bequeathed to his progenitors and remains our motto of life.  This is the lesson that sustains the Jewish People, until today.  This is our Hallmark. We are to be 'A' Part of the society in which we live, but at all times remain apart from its denigrating propensities.  

    At all times we are to emphasize that as Toshavim, we need not compromise our beliefs and principles.  We must gather encouragement from the way Avraham lived his life. Yes, the culture of the world may grant us sophistication and give us the necessary tools and skills to survive and prosper, yet it must never capture our souls or conquer our hearts. These must always remain pure and Torah oriented. Toshav and Ger are to be a precarious balance to yield but never to surrender.

    Permit me to conclude with a quote from Elie Wiesel, “To be born a Jew is an accident.  To live as a Jew is an achievement.  To live joyously as a Jew is a blessing.”

      To be a Jew is to accept out destiny.

    

           שבת שלום