LIFE'S JOURNEY

   There are times that we take a closer look at the meaning of life and as we become more involved in recognizing our Blessings we, equally, realize that life is not always a smooth ride on our life's journey. 

  I remember the many times that I sat on the boardwalk watching the surfers waiting patiently on their surf boards for a breaking wave and being lifted up by the bounding waves and then the magnificent and daring ride begins. How thrilling it must be for the surfer at that moment of being lifted by the waves into a curling sweeping arch and at all times trying desperately, with some expertise, to maintain his balance.  Most of the time he is successful and rides those waves with much success, and then there are times that the challenge is so great and try has he must the powerful waves overpower him and he tumbles into the raging waters , only to live once again for another wave for him to ride successfully. 

  As I watched this surfer and the way he was  maneuvering the waves, I realize that life is like being a surfer, trying with all our energy and strength to swim successfully in the tides of life and to always maintain our balance even when we are faced with adversities and difficulties that so often happen to us so unexpectedly. It is at these times we need to muster all our spiritual strengths and with abiding Emunah forge ahead with optimism enabling us to carry on with a great sense that we can surf those waves of turbulent waters of life, successfully.  Most of the time it is due to our inner strength and the encouragement and support of family and friends that help us stay on the surfboard of life erect.  

  The more  I think about this issue the more I come to realize that faith, Emunah, is surfing  the waves of life. 

   Faith faces the fears and turns the negative into a positive and we become less overwhelmed by those dire circumstances. The question that I pose; "When can we feel that our prayers are being answered and that our feelings of vulnerability are less anxiety ridden?"

     In answering this question, I turn to this week's Parsha, wherein we see the  Torah describes Yitzchak in a state of prayer.

   ויצא יצחק לשוח בשדה "Yitzchak went forth to pray in the field."

    Chazal say that Yitzchak was praying Mincha and from his action we learn that he originated the Tefilla of Mincha.

  The Rav makes a distinction between Avraham who originated the Tefilla of Sharcharis and Yitzchak who originated Mincha. The Rav said that the word by Avraham for prayer was עמד,where he stood, emphasizing  Avraham's erect posture when he prayed, while Yitzchak's posture was לשוח, emphasizing a prayer of a broken man who cannot stand erect. These two postures reflect two types of prayer. Avraham who represents חסד, of an expansive kindness, consistently prayed for others. 

When praying for others it is well to stand erect, even to the extent of demanding that his prayers be answered. While Yitzchak represented the attribute of Gevurah, which implies withdrawal, contraction, an inward movement. When one prays not on another's behalf, but on ones own, his stance is bent over, stooped, as a poor man begging at the door. Yitzchak's prayer was, therefore, made in meekness, while bent over. 

    As I contemplate this difference, I realize more and more why all our  Tefillot are in the plural, such as רפאנו הי. As long as our Tefillot are inclusive of others, not only will they be answered for the other, it will even be more so answered for ourselves---this is true Tefilla. This is the essence of what life means - selflessness rather than selfishness. 

  This idea is truly essential as we surf on the torrential waters of life in a successful way by using the lessons of  prayer from  Avraham and Yitzchak, to pray with חסד and גבורה, to pray on behalf of others  and at the same time our own Tefillot will be answered. 

 Provide room in your hearts and minds for others and in doing so all our Tefillot and our visions of a life of happiness and peace will be realized for ourselves and Klall Yisrael. 

     This Shabbat we will bless the new month of Kislev, the month when we will celebrate the Holiday of Chanukah, a holiday commemorating a time of salvation for the Jewish People. It is a propitious time to beseech the almighty to bring about the true salvation for עם ישראל. 

        שבת שלום ומבורך

THE LEGACY OF AVRAHAM

As I pen this blog, permit me to reflect upon my glorious visit to the state of Israel for the Yom Tov of Succot.To be in Eretz Yesrael especially at this time is the ultimate experience of being Omed L'ifnei Hashem. As I approached the Kotel with my Esrog and Lulav, proudly in my hands preparing to make the Naanium as I recite Hodu  Lhashem, in singing praise to G-D for all the good that He bestows upon us. 

   As I begin to study this weeks Parsha of Lech Lecha and hear the words of Hashem to Avraham , to leave his country and his fathers house and to go to a new country that Hashem will direct him, we get the feeling that though Avraham followed the word of G-D , he must have had some worry to take such a giant leap of faith and give everything up to find and to live in a distant Promised land. Avraham with his great faith in Hashem takes the trip and everything that follows is history.

  Permit me to share with you a thought on what I believe was the motivational reasoning behind Hashem’s request to Avraham and more so why Avraham stepped into such an important role of becoming the Av Hamon Goyim.

 The life of a Jew is never to be satisfied with his accomplisments , but more so he must continue to aspire to greater heights in his spiritual quests. In Jewish life we must strive to bring  Yahadut to the world and more so to our Judaic Bretheren. It was to this end that Hashem selected Avraham to be the bearer of the message of monotheism to the world. It all started with the direction to Avraham of לך לך , go from your homeland to the place where I shall show you and bring this message of 

G-Dliness to the people of Canaan. We need to always realize in that Hashems selection of Avraham was not because he was a great warrior or  conqueror, but rather because he was a revolutionist who attempted to transform the world of idolatry into an oasis of spirituality. It was such a man that Hashem said לך go out, it is not enough that you believe, your religion must have a wider background than your parochial associations. That is why Hashem took Avraham outside and directed him to look heavenward - into the open - out from his tents - out from his home, to emphasize that now was the time to spread the monotheistic message to the world - now was the time for G-dliness to enter every vestige of our lives and for all to see the beauty and the enhancing affect that it can have on our lives. 

   This is the message of Avraham. This is the message that I felt when I visited the Kevoros of our beloved  Patriachs  and Matriachs in Hebron. A message that we must not allow our religion and our Faith in G-D to become limited and confined. We must live a life of לך and to go beyond ourselves  -outside of our own ego - outside of our Daled Amos and become emissaries of Hashem to the world. Like Avraham, this can only be realized when our relationship to one another  is based upon Chesed and love, two ingredients that will herald a more glorious time for עם ישראל, and will herald the ביאת גואל צדק, and a time of Peace and Tranquilty for the land of Israel. 

 

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