TO THEIR HEARTS

   As we conclude Sefer Braishis, wherein we studied, intensely, the personalities of our Patriarchs and our beloved Matriarchs we learned how they lived and the inspiring moral lessons of behaviorism they left within our reach, nurturing the Jewish People. 

  This idea is realized as we study the relationship between Yoseph and his brothers as they returned to Egypt after they buried their Father Yaakov in M’arrat Hamachpelah.

   The Medrash relates that on their return, they past the pit into which the brothers had cast Yoseph. In fact, Chazal informs us that Yoseph stood and gazed at the pit and intoned a Bracha thanking G-D for saving him from the jaws of death. 

   One cannot imagine what went through the minds of the brothers as they witnessed Yoseph revisiting the pit. They feared that he would take revenge for their actions, especially, now that Yaakov is no longer there to protect them. 

  At this point Yoseph set the record straight. אל תראו אתם חשבתם עלי רעה ואלוקים חשבה לטובה, 

"You intended evil against me, but Hashem intended it for good". 

  It seems they weren't convinced that Yoseph would not harm them. It was only when the Torah states that Yoseph spoke, על לבם, "To their Hearts", that they were assured of their safety.  Rashi explains this statement וידבר על לבם to mean, that Yoseph told them that the Egyptians always considered him as a slave without any good family credentials. It was only when the brothers came to Egypt with Yaakov did they finally realize that he was the scion of an outstanding ‘Mishpacha.’ 

  Yoseph was trying to win the brothers trust and he did so by convincing them that he was not only their benefactor but also their beneficiary. Yoseph showed them that he benefited from their relationship and that they had no reason to fear that he would act in a vengeful way. Yoseph was, in essence, showing them that he needed them even as they needed him. 

  The idea of דבר על לבם, suggests an acceptance of each other as equals, which can bring about security and peace. 

   This is truly a cogent message for all families. Relationships are built on mutual understanding, where each member of the family can feel as if they are contributors to the welfare of all the family members. 

   This concept is not only true to our immediate families, but it is even evident within the extended families - the nations of the world, as we saw last week in the United Nations vote against America.  וידבר אל לבם  it is well to tell the world, “You need us as much as we need you, and it is time to stop showing bias against the State of Israel, a country that reaches out to others with all their resources of friendship and benevolence.” 

   Our world can become a better one, if we all begin to speak as Yoseph did with his brothers, וידבר אל לבם, acting with a change of heart, recognizing others as equals, that can bring about a fellowship, leading to seeing all brethren dwelling with respect and benevolence, one to the other. 

  With such an outlook to our society and to the larger world around us, we can resoundingly declare, as we conclude Sefer Breishis , חזק חזק ונתחזק, “May we strengthen ourselves to see the day when humanity will respect one another and the Blessing of G-D will bring about the גאולה שלמה.” 

WAGONS OF LIFE

 As I write this blog,  I can still feel the emotional pull of the Holiday of Chanukah. In particular, I am always awed when lighting the Menorah and reciting הנרות הללו קדש הם ואין לנו רשות להשתמש  בהם. With these words we are enjoined to remember that Holiness, קדושה, must not be dealt with indifference and light heartedness.  If we do so, then our lives will, equally, become, experientially, without value. 

  These are times when we must approach life with reverence and with great sensitivity. 

  The act of Kedusha, more than ever, has to be present, specifically, in our family relationships. Too often, in our busy life schedule, family ends up as an afterthought. 

   This idea comes to mind, more seriously, as this week's Parsha, Vayigash, shines its light on the relationship between Yoseph and his brothers, specifically Yehudah who serves as the leader of the family.  Yehudah returns home to his Father Yaakov with the good news that Yoseph is alive. 

   Let us tune into the conversation between Yehudah and Father Yaakov. 

עוד יוסף חי וכי הוא מושל בכל ארץ מצרים

“Yoseph is alive and he is the ruler of Egypt."

 ויפג לבו כי לא האמין להם  "Jacobs heart remains cold, for he did not believe them." 

   The Torah continues to relate the following; When Yaakov sees the עגלות, the wagons that Yoseph sent to transport them to Egypt, the Spirit of Yaakov was revived. The question we all ask, "What did these wagons conjure up in his mind to believe that Yoseph was indeed alive?"

  Rashi offers a moral and psychological insight into this question. He teaches us that the root of עגלה is a homonym, meaning two ideas, wagon, and heifer.  The heifer reflects upon the Laws of עגלה ערופה, the ritual of the beheaded cow that he and Yoseph were discussing at their last meeting. It was Joseph's way of signaling to his father that he still remembers the last learning experience that they had together. 

   This law, in itself, is a very important lesson in life. At this ritual, the Torah states, "When a man was found slain near the town and the murderer was unknown, the leaders of the community were required to demonstrate mutual responsibility for this dastardly act.” They begin to realize that they should have been more concerned for the victims well being.  They thought, "Perhaps we did not welcome him to our community and were not hospitable to him, resulting in his untimely death.” In a sense, it was an indirect self indictment of the leaders of the community. They were saying in essence, "We are guilty of not being concerned." 

   What a powerful lesson for the brothers. It was a lesson reminding them of their inappropriate behavior in the past and a need to act in the future with regard for the feelings of others, and to act with respect and with compassion to each other as well as to their father.

    The hallmark of Kedusha is, "To live a life of empathy and concern."

    This past Shabbat we intoned the Bircat Ha'Chodesh and uttered those magnificent and instructive words חברים כל ישראל. As Jews we must always be cognizant of the crucial idea, "We are and will always be a unified K'lal.  A K'lal that emphasizes that as one unified people, we must always act as חברים, true friends who are loyal and compassionate and loving towards each other.

      As we act with compassion to others we can pray to Hashem, רחם עלינו וקבל ברחמים את תפילתנו. 

                                    שבת שלום ומבורך

DREAM ON

 One word comes to mind as we read this week's Parsha, Miketz. That word is Dream. The word Dream conjures in our mind many different ideas and directions that life has planned for us. Personally, I see Dreams as a clarification of our hopes and aspirations. The future seems to unveil itself as we enter the realm of our Dreams  and very often,dreams serve as a catalyst for projecting our innermost hopes for our future. 
   This idea is realized as the Torah describes and unveils the dreams of Yoseph. They involved the future lives of his family and for, which we may even suggest, the future of Am Yisrael. For Yoseph, these Dreams were not mere fantasy and mythical, but were true prognosticators of what we are experiencing in our modern era. 
   The revelation of dreams into reality seems to be a reflection of the entire story of Chanukah. Yoseph was concerned about the dynamics of his family and he made serious plans to assure their survival and safety.
    We see this to be true as we celebrate the Holiday of Chanukah. The main directive and Halacha of Chanukah is נר איש וביתו  which dramatically stresses the importance of family and the role of what the home plays in nurturing all those who are part of that household. We, then, begin to realize that though we are commemorating the lighting of the Menorah in the Beit Hamikdash and even though logic would dictate that the remembrance and observance should be in the Synagogue, the true observance actually takes place in the home. Yiddishkeit realizes, more and more, especially, in our time, that the true Mikdash M'at  is our home. 
   As we light the Menorah at our windows to publicize the miracle, we are sending an important message to the world; "Know well that Judaism is alive and vibrant and the proof of this revivalism is the Sanctity of our Homes and the fulfillment of Shalom Bayit, which is realized with the cohesiveness of the family."
   We light the candles in our homes and say, הנרות הללו קודש הם "These candles are holy" to emphasize, in a like manner, that our homes are, equally, holy  ואין לנו רשות להשתמש בהם, "We must not, in any way, defile or upset the Kedusha that permeates the heart that keeps our homes Holy’  

     It is interesting to note that the Seleucids, the Greeks in the time of the Chasmonaim wanted to destroy the Jewish Spirit and therefore prohibited the Jewish People from observing three Mitzvot;  the observance of Shabbat; denying the fulfillment of the Mitzvah of Brit Melah;  the observance of Rosh Chodesh. One wonders why these three and not any others? 
     I sense that the observance of Shabbat and Rosh Chodesh is the fulfillment of קדושת הזמן the Sanctification of Time and Melah is a reflection of קדושת הגוף the Sanctification of one’s physical being. 

As long as we maintain our Holiness of Shabbat and Rosh Chodesh, which represents our קדושת זמן our daily life of Kedushah and we continue to adhere to the Mitzvos of טהרת המשפחה which affects our physical beings,our קדושת הגוף, then there is no force on earth that can destroy our essence and our existence. With these two components and values we as a nation of G-D, can exuberantly sing out עם ישראל חי. 
  
  This permits us to understand why we observe the Chanukah celebration is in our homes, for it is here that we truly maintain our קדושת הגוף והקדושת זמן. .

    So let us continue to Dream. To Dream of a more sanctified way of life, with the fulfillment of  Ner Ish U’beiso,  wherein our homes continue to be replete with greater Kedushat Hazman and Kedushat Haguf.  

When you light the menorah this year, remember that the illumination and warmth happens inside YOU and, then spreads to your home and family, and goes on to light up the world. This Chanukah, let us celebrate our commitment to personal development and inner growth.

  Wishing you and your family a Freilichan and Inspired Chanukah

                   שבת שלום וחג שמח

VISIONS OF LIFE

   Writing a weekly blog gives me an opportunity to put my thoughts and ideas of how I see life and what makes our world go round into words.  Often my mind travels in such a way that makes me wonder, "What is life all about? Why are we laboring so hard to make ends meet? What ends are we referring to and how will we know when those ends are met?" If you think that I am traveling on a philosophical road for all of us to contend with, then I say, " Let it be and keep on traveling. It may be just the trip we should be taking once in awhile."

    Permit to me begin with one of my favorite stories about two bedridden men who shared a room in a nursing home. One man occupied a bed next to the window and the other was across the room next to the the door. Because the man next to the door  could not see out the window, he asked his roommate to tell him about the happenings in the outside world. Every day, the window side man gave his friend a report. He told him about the postman who made his rounds wearing a raincoat and boots in rainy weather and short sleeves on sunny days. He told him about the lovers who passed his window every day at noon. He described how they first held hands then embraced and then parted. He even spoke about the backward glances the two would give each other, showing they longed for one another's presence. The door side man lived for these reports. Unfortunately the window side man died and another man was wheeled into the room to take his place. The man next to the door introduced himself and asked his new roommate to share with him the goings on outside the window. "Of course," replied the new occupant, "Only I don't know how I can do that, there is nothing outside the window but a brick wall."

    Amazing story! The first occupant near the window had vision that helped make life brighter for him and his roommate. 

     I ask,"What is our vision? How can we look at our world and our surroundings  and begin to find the inherent beauty that envelopes us daily?"

    This week we begin to get a true glance into the life of Joseph. We begin to read of his sterling qualities which can serve for us as a prototype of a Jew who lives in  the Galut and still maintains his strong identity as a Jew and as a righteous person. 

     Joseph sees life in a two pronged way, as evidenced from his visions which he shares with his brothers. 

   The first dream/vision was where he sees the Alumot, the sheaves, which rose and stood up high while the sheaves of his brothers came and bowed down to his. 

   The second dream was of the sun and the moon and the stars bowing down to him. 

     Many of our commentaries speak about the reaction that the brothers had to these dreams. They felt they were being maligned and subjugated by their brother. 

     I would like to focus on what these two dreams and visions mean to us. We, in a like matter, live in a  Galut environment and we may be able to learn from Joseph's dreams how to prosper and live as devoted Jews in our society. 

   Let us review the dreams; The first speaks of Sheaves, which are reflective of the material and the economic power and of the prosperity and opulence found in our society. 

    The other dream referring to the cosmos, the stars and the sky, seems to reflect upon the spiritual and the heavenly grandeur, that is equally present. 

   What seems apparent is that Joseph wanted to achieve both in his lifetime. He wanted to be powerful in a political sense and attain wealth and prosperity. At the same time, he wanted to be respected as a spiritual person and to be loved by all for his righteousness and his benevolence. 

    Joseph wanted to synthesize the Alumot and the heavenly bodies into one cohesive way of life, bringing blessing and accord from G-D and from man. This was his vision and it seems he truly accomplished his goal, for he is uniquely called יוסף הצדיק a title that no other biblical personality has achieved.

    This is our lesson in life. This is the lesson that our Heroes of Chanukah, the Chashmonaim, projected to all, a lesson worthy to be followed.

   The Chashmonaim reflected this important synthesis, as they were excellent warriors, and when they were victorious, laid down their swords and ran to the Temple and immediately searched for a cruse of oil to light the Menorah and to achieve, once again, the Kedusha that emanated from the influence of יוסף הצדיק, to bring together the Alumot of the physical and materialistic power and the Kedusha of the celestial heavenly bodies of G-Dliness found in our holy temple. This is our lesson, today, no matter where we reside. 

     As the news unfolds, we take great pride to realize that our modern day Maccabim in Israel are part of an historic event as we learned of the decision of the President of the United States of America, Mr. Donald Trump, to recognize the City of Jerusalem as the United and Eternal Capital of The State of Israel.  These are times when we should all bless our country for taking this enormous step of diplomacy. Hopefully, this will lead to peace with Israel and its neighbors.

We need to sing out with pride  G-D bless America and

 הי יברך את עמו בשלום. 

                                                            שבת שלום ומבורך

                  

YAAKOV/ YISRAEL

   

    The greatest aspect of life is to recognize and realize the creative power which we see all around us. As we grow older and, supposedly, wiser we appreciate the creative power, which is the deepest source of our being, to become co-creators with G-D. 

   We affirm that creation is not a one time, long ago, far off event, but rather it is here and now and takes place in us and through us. We are G-D like in human form with our creative abilities, producing a whole new dimension to our existence. 
   As we take hold of this amazing role as human beings, we must project greater human strength, that will encourage us to reach out and call for power beyond our limitations, 

"Where do we begin"?
   This Shabbat our Torah reading, Vayishlach, relates a fascinating episode in the life of our Patriarch Yaakov. We learn that Yaakov's brother Esau is approaching him with a large retinue of armed men. 
   At this point in time Yaakov experiences a fascinating dream. He wrestles with a formidable opponent and emerges from this wrestling match injured, which causes him to walk with a limp.  Yaakov, also, undergoes a name change.  Instead of Yaakov, a name that depicts a person holding on to someone else, lacking a sense of independence, now he will be called Yisrael,, “One who has wrestled with G-D and with man and has persevered.” 
   It is well to realize that at this encounter with his adversary, Yaakov was injured, and והוא צולע על ירכו, he walked away limping into his future. With this infirmity, there is a very important message being transmitted to Yaakov/ Yisrael at this point in his life and even, more so, a lesson for all future generations. 
   Yaakov always seemed to be running away from his responsibilities. After he received the Blessing from his Father Yitzchak, in fear of Esau, he runs.  Later in life, he runs away from Lavan in the middle of the night without informing him of his decision.  He is now faced again with Esau. I sense Yaakov was thinking, "Let me run away so I don't have to face up to my brother Esau.”  At that point the ‘wrestling’ dream came about, resulting in an injury that made him limp, restricting him physically and emotionally to continue to be a ‘runner in life.’
    We learn from this episode, “No more running away. Stand up to your adversaries and to your responsibilities of Yisrael and discard the garb of a Yaakov, an escapist from life.” 
   This is why we are prohibited to eat the גיד הנשה, the sciatic nerve of animals. It is a reminder of the wrestling match of Yaakov, and his injury.  It is to inspire the Jewish People not to 

be escape artists in dealings with others. It is especially a lesson for our glorious State of Israel, to stand up to our adversaries and not to fear facing them directly and to tell the world, “The Jewish People are no longer the Yaakov's of the universe. We are now Yisrael. We are now a people, who, with the help of G-D, will act with strength and fortitude for our survival. 
   Let the world know we have created a new Jew that respects others but expects respect from others as well. 

   It is 70 years since the signing of the Balfour Declaration.  During these seventy years we are proudly showing the world what we are truly made of. The Yaakov of the past has become the Yisrael of the present and of the future. 
We are no longer limping, for we are no longer running away from our destiny and from our 

G-Dly ordained legacy. 
   Judaism posits the belief in G-D with insights that enable us to discern right and wrong and which has empowered us with ability to make life's decisions in a truly magnificent way. 

שבת שלום ומבורך

GRATEFUL HEART

  "Thou has  given so much to me.  Give me one thing more- a grateful heart" 

   A Yeshivah Bachur once asked me if it was proper to attend a Thanksgiving turkey meal at his relatives home. He was reluctant to go because he thought it was Chukas  Hagoyim. I explained to him that the Hebrew word for turkey is הודו, which is derived from the word הודאה, giving thanks to Hashem for all the blessings that He bestows upon us and to consider the meal as a family affair on a day off from work.  In doing so, we should express Divrey Torah on being thankful to Hashem for the life we live and for all the  Brachot that we so often take for granted. 

    These are times when we say our Tephillot.  We need to read, carefully, our daily prayer Modim, and to take to heart those magnificent words,"We shall give thanks to You and declare Your praises for our lives which are in Your hand, and for our souls which are in Your keeping and for all the miracles which You perform for us on a daily basis."

      Our Torah portion for this Shabbat, Parshas Vayetze, tells us that Yaakov dreamed of a ladder between heaven and earth with angels ascending and descending. When Yaakov awoke he said, אכן יש הי במקום הזה ואנכי לא ידעתי מה נורא המקום הזה 

"Surely the Lord is in this place and I knew not. How full of awe is this place". 

  Just like Yaakov did not realize the holiness of that particular place and didn't realize  that  Hashem was dwelling there, we who live in such a fast and furious pace sometimes lose sight of G-D's presence.  We need to start taking time to contemplate  all that is happening around us and to start focusing on the wonders and the Blessings of the world and to see the G-Dly that envelopes us daily. 

     One wonders why, only on rare occasions, do we recite the prayer of Hagomel, with the awesome words, 

 "Blessed are you Lord our G-D, King of the Universe, who bestows good on the unworthy, who has bestowed on me much good," the congregation follows with, "Amen. May He who has bestowed much good on you continue to bestow on you much good, Selah". 

        What a magnificent Tephillah - a prayer of Thanksgiving, a prayer never to take anything for granted, a prayer from the depths of our heart realizing how much we are to be thankful for and more so to utter a Prayer asking Hashem to continue to be in our lives and continue to shower his blessings upon us and K'lal Yisrael.  

     Our Prayers must articulate our noblest sentiments and deepest emotions and must always be kept on a high plane. In life, let us seek grace and not reward, let our  Tephillot  be a song echoing the joy of life and the acceptance of Hashem's Will and Hashem's Brachot. Let it bespeak our acknowledgement for all that is given and pray that  it continues עד מאה ועשרים שנה. 

  

                     שבת שלום ומבורך, מודים אנחנו לך 

             

GREEN LIGHT CAMERA AHEAD

   Very often we enter the synagogue and there is a sign "Please turn off your cell phones" and most of us abide by this request to assure proper decorum.  This past week, while at services, someone forgot to turn off their cell phone and the message that rang out for all to hear was 'Red Light Camera Ahead.' Though it was an inappropriate message to be heard at that time, the lesson was very insightful. It told us that there is a need to slow down, even to stop all our activities, to take  hold of ourselves and to begin to ask, "Where are we all headed and why are our lives running 'helter skelter?' This is a lesson to remind us how to proceed in life in a most successful and secured way, 'Red Light Camera Ahead?'

    There are many Parshiot in Bereisheet, especially this week's Parsha of Toldot, which are reflective of the dictum מעשה אבות סימן לבנים "The lives of our forefathers are indicators for their children."  I sense that this is especially true of our Patriarch יעקב. His life epitomizes the lives of all Jews who are destined to live in the גלות. A great part of Jacob's life was not in the Holy Land but rather in the גלות and yet with great perseverance and loyalty he remained dedicated to his heritage.  Yaakov preserved his moral religious integrity and identity in a climate so much against human dignity. His commitment to the G-D of Avraham and his commitment to the Promised Land were not affected in any way by his sojourn of 20 yrs in Charan. 

  The Rav said, "That  Hashem wanted one individual to prove to the world that one can maintain their dedication and identity in a G-Dly way of life no matter where they live." Hashem chose Yaakov to be that person to prove that it can be done. Yaakov was chosen as an instrument of the Hashgacha Pratis to prove that Yahadut is universal.  

        When Yaakov said אם לבן גרתי ותרי״ג מצוות שמרתי  , he was telling the world that he did not assimilate , and did not integrate into Lavan's society and community.  He refused to accept their morals, their code of ethics, and their lifestyle. 

     The Ramban said, "Not only did Hashem prove this point through an individual,Yaakov, but by doing so was emphasizing that if an individual can do it , then a nation can do it as well."

    We can add to this idea of מעשה אבות.  When Yoseph saw how his father Yaakov lived a life of G-Dliness in the Galut, he undoubtedly became inspired and emulated his father by living a spiritual and saintly life in his Galut of Mitzrayim. 

        This is such an important lesson, especially in our day and age when we are experiencing a Galut Society of such debauchery.  It is important for us to maintain and live a life of high morals and to be dedicated to a Torah way of life.  

  We can say that כל התורה כולו יכולה להתקים בכל מקום ובכל זמן. "The Torah life is not dependent upon geography or chronology." Wherever we may be scattered, we will live a moral, ethical life as our Torah and Halacha prescribes for us. We have the Mesora of, מעשה אבות, to continue to inspire Jewry throughout all generations. Torah is alive in every fibre of our existence, for we are the children of Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov. 

       With such a heritage we can say with much confidence "Green Light Camera Ahead". 

    

                                   

OUR DESTINY

   The Jewish people, in creating their own destiny, have always recognized the need to be part of one's society and to always, be apart from the ills of our society. 

   Avraham is our best example to follow when we find ourselves being influenced by society.

   The first directive made to Avraham by Hashem 

was לך לך, "Leave your fathers home, remove yourself from the bad influences that have overpowered your society, that are detrimental to your spiritual growth. You have a divine mission to pursue and you cannot fulfill this mission in your present environment. לך לך separate yourself from such associations that obstructs your path to know and to live by a G-Dly ordained world."

  However, merely leaving a world of ill repute will not fully accomplish the needs of our spiritual achievement. One needs the second לך לך of Avraham - the לך לך אל הר המוריה, of traveling to a place where one can grow spiritually and find his true self, a self that will perpetuate the G-Dly goals and to build a family that will perpetuate  his goals into the future. This can only happen after climbing that great mountain of G-D and this can only be done with וילכו שניהם יחדיו, "Of walking together with his son, with his progenitors to assure the trip will be a success."

   I have learned, well, that a Judaic way of life is made more meaningful if we take others along with us on this road of life, a life of meaning, a life of Blessing, a life of purpose. 

  The word that must become a strong part of our lexicon is "Direction Oriented." Where are we going? Why are we going there? What is our purpose in life? These are all questions that must be answered if we are to find true and everlasting meaning to our lives.  

   I recall, in a comical way, a story of a Girl Scout leader telling the young scouts, before they were to take a hike in the woods, "Now girls if you are lost in the wilderness at night, just look up and get your bearings from the sky and remember always walk toward the light, the glow will tell you where the nearest shopping mall is."

   As funny as it may sound, we are in dire need of reaffirming our beliefs as we see so many of our Jewish Brethren lost in the quagmire of societal norms and are searching for a beam of light that will set them forth on the right and meaningful path of life. 

   How often do we travel in a life that often appears to be a mirage, a life that is so transitory, so illusionary, that we feel like we are living in a maze and we just can't extricate ourselves from it. It is at that point that we must take hold of Avraham's two לך לך , to leave the first לך לך behind us and then set forth on a new path of  לך לך,  a path that will lead us to Moriah, a life dedicated more to G-d and family. 

   With these thoughts in mind Avraham  leaves Moriah and begins his travel home which leads us to this week's Parshat חיי שרה. At this juncture, Avraham's life changes with the death of his beloved wife Sarah and we can only imagine how painful it must have been as he searches for a proper burial place for her. He approaches Ephron requesting land  for a burial plot for Sarah.  In doing so he expresses an idea that bespeaks his true essence in all of his travelogues that brought him to this time of his life. 

   גר ותושב אנכי עמכם  "I am a stranger and a citizen in your midst, an inhabitant and a stranger."

  A strange combination of words. A stranger and a citizen. I sense that Avraham was saying, "Yes, I want to live among you, and share in all the responsibilities and obligations that are set forth to being part of your society and at the same time due to my allegiance and loyalty to the ways of our Religion and to the will of G-D , I will always remain a stranger."

   This idea of maintaining our way of life as Religious Jews,  following the ways of Torah and never to be influenced by the mores and behavior of the society that we live in, is the directive set forth for us by Avraham. 

   As I wrote in the beginning of my blog, it all started from the first לך לך ,and continued with the next לך לך of going to Moriah, which influenced him greatly to be able to say to the outside world,

גר ותושב אנכי. We can live in two worlds, but we exist primarily in one world, the world of Torah and 

יראת שמים, where our Judaic way of life always takes precedence. 

   America is a glorious country to live in, and a haven for our Jewish People to live a spiritual life. A life inspired by Avraham, and for the world to know and for us to fully accept that we are, גר ותושב אנכי, dutiful citizens but always devoted and loyal Yidden. 

   This must become our personal and collective 

לך לך in life's achievement in continuing our Mesorah to assure the dynamics of future generations of Torah life. 

   Our future is in our hands, let us make sure to preserve it in a way that will bring about our true ישועה, assuring the continuity of Jewish life for everlasting time.  

   Avraham's story can become our challenge to greater and finer living raising the standards that govern our spiritual lives for ourselves and for future generations.

                                                      

   

RELIGIOUS REALITY

The opening sentence of this week’s Parsha of Vayera states;

 

וירא אליו הי באלוני ממרא.

 Mamre.” “G-D revealed Himself to Avraham in the plains of 

   

  Why was it necessary for Hashem to reveal Himself to Avraham in the plains of Mamre?

  Rashi teaches us that Avraham sought advice from Mamre in respect to the act of Circumcision. 

  It is strange that Avraham should seek the advice of his friend Mamre regarding Hashem's request that he circumcise himself. Avraham did not hesitate nor ask advice from anyone when Hashem told him לך לך to leave his home land, nor did he ask advice when he was commanded about the Akedah.  Then why now?

  The דעת זקנים suggests that since Avraham was involved in doing missionary work and he and Sarah were very successful in this endeavor, they seemed to be afraid that it would be very difficult to persuade the people to undergo this delicate surgery of circumcision. Avraham was faced with the dilemma of how to act with this Mitzvah of Milah. "Perhaps it would be better to do the Milah in private and after I win the people over to my faith, then I will tell them about the need for Milah. Or would it be better to act in a demonstrative way, showing all, to perform the act of Milah at the onset?” But Avraham feared that this act may discourage them completely.

   With this question in mind, Avraham felt that to make a positive impression on the Non-Jewish community, it would be best to speak with their leader Mamre. After doing so, Mamre advised him to act publicly so that everyone would see how a dedicated man, like Avraham, is willing to sacrifice for his faith and this will impress the Non-Jewish world the most. Know well, that Avraham did not ask Mamre whether he should circumcise himself, but rather when? Publicly or privately?

   The lesson from this dialogue is that when we want to attract adherents, we need not dilute our faith and make it convenient.  On the contrary, people will respect a faith that has demanding standards which call for discipline and sacrifice. 

  The Rav said the tide is changing and we see more and more people are deserting Judaism.  If we think that the solution lies in a reformist philosophy or in extraneous interpretation of the Halacha, the Rav said, "You are mistaken. It is self evident that many problems are insoluble and you can't help it. But know and realize it is a religious reality. If we try to cooperate with the Non-Jewish  philosophy and forgo our ways we will lose the respect of our Jewish brethren." 

    We must always surrender to the will of the Almighty. To say that the Halacha is not sensitive to problems and is not responsive to the needs of the Jew is an outright falsehood. We are confident that the Halacha is definitely responsive to the needs of the people, the community, and the individual. 

  The Halacha lives within its own orbit, but will always maintain itself as the saving power of Judaism and no outside force will ever negate its' great influence on our lives. 

  עץ חיים היא למחזיקים בה, Torah is the tree of life to all who hold dear to it. 

     Judaism is a living and vibrant way of life that does not need to succumb to all the "modern" fads that are overwhelming our spiritual society. 

     

OUR DESTINY

 As I progress in the study of Sefer Braishis, I begin to realize that Judaism prefers creativity rather than  conformity. The meaningfulness of life is realized by our creative abilities and our realization that, in our day and age, there is a great need to become a non conformist in a society that is drowning in a pool of unethical values. 

   I sense that is why the first directive to Avraham in our Parsha is, לך לך , not only to leave his fathers country, but more so to it means to "Go to yourself", to find your true self , to rid yourself of all the bad influences that surrounds you. When one achieves this goal then one is on the road of his unique destiny. 

   We need to begin to realize that every one has a mission in life. Each of us has a calling, and we are put on this earth to unearth that uniqueness and to set forth on our journey to find that calling as Avraham was instructed by G-D in his directive of לך לך. 

   There is an amazing story told of the great Hasidic Rebbe Zusya. When Zusya was dying, his Chasidim, gathered around him and saw that he was crying. They asked their Rebbe why he was crying, for they knew he lived a very pious and influential life. Reb Zusya responded, " I see what will happen to me when I reach heaven. They will not ask me , why was I not like Moshe, for they may not expect me to be as great as Moshe. They will not ask me why was I not as great as Rabbi Akivah, for I was not expected to be as great as Rabbi Akivah. What I do fear is when they ask me, why was I not Zusya? That is my great fear and that is why I am crying. I am asking myself why was I not Zusya?"

    The greatest tragedy of life is not fulfilling our life's mission of not fulfilling our Tafkid, of not searching our true לך לך, to successfully journey the road that  Hashem has planned for us. A road of destiny - a road of fulfillment - a road to be travelled for our own personal growth - a road just like Avraham took as he reached Har Hamoriah, the road that made earth into a heavenly sphere.

      Remember well  that in life the degree of attainment comes with the cultivation of our true abilities. We should be inspired by the great expressions of the human spirit to reject mediocrity and be satisfied only with excellence. 

    I remember I once asked a youngster, "Why do you believe in G-D?" he answered simply, "Well, I guess it just runs in the family." 

     A continuity of faith running through generations is indispensable to establishing a true meaningful fulfillment of achieving our own destiny.

      G-D loans us the impulse to judge ourselves, and if we use this impulse wisely, then we can create an admirable pattern of life. 

     The full development of each individual is not only a right, but a duty to society and a duty to oneself.

    The ideal of man is to be a manifestation of G-D. 

שבת שלום ומבורך.

       

LESSON IN LIFE

   Last week we read Parshat B'reisheet, when Hashem created man and woman and set them forth on their journey of life in a most magnificent way.   

   Then, in a curiously and conflicting manner we are introduced this Shabbat to Noach and his unique personality. With baited breath we wondered, "Who was this person designated by G-D to save humanity."

   We learn from the Parsha how Noach is described,  את האלוקים התהלך נח, "Noach walked with G-D", and Noach was a righteous man, a צדיק. 

   From the Torah's description of Noach, I suggest that he was a non conformist. He remained loyal to Hashem at all times.  In face of all the corruption and evil that existed at that time, Noach remained his own person. He refused to conform to his societies norms and with great effort stood his grounds and remained the righteous person he was. 

   It is truly amazing and praiseworthy that a person can remain loyal to  Hashem's ways and be a non conformist in a world of perversity. It is for these reasons that G-D chose Noach to rebuild a new world for humanity, resulting in the signing of a bris, a covenant, with Hashem, to assure that the people of the world will live on with integrity and with human dignity. 

   Yes, Noach walked with G-D, and maintained his true "self" and never walked alone again. He always walked with G-D. 

   This is our lesson in life. These are times that we must maintain our identity as loyal and obedient Jews to forge a greater alliance with mankind, encouraging others that we need not be like those whose way of life is destructive and often perverse. 

  Noach had the courage and ability to separate himself from those forces that wished to drag him along the road of evil and inhumanity. 

   We must take that lesson to heart and remain steadfast in our Torah oriented way and not permit anyone to encourage us otherwise. 

  Noach was the savior of the world in his time and we must do our share to help humanity see the light of truth, in a world that so often suffers from darkness and falsehood. 

      Noach, the non conformist, builds an ark that saves the world, and provides for the future of the next generation and all generations to come.  The question that we must answer, "Are we doing the same for our families and for Judaism?"

     Noach's charge is our mission.  

שבת שלום ומבורך

ESROG OF LIFE

 

“The Best Way to Predict the Future is to Create It’

With this idea in mind, we need to always remember one of my favorite sayings, “We may not be able to control the wind, but we can always adjust the sails.” This is our mantra to forge ahead into the future with optimism and faith.

Louis Pasteur wrote, “When I approach a child, he inspires in me two sentiments, ‘Tenderness for what he is, and Respect for what he may become’.

 “Rabbi”, you may ask, “We are told we must always have confidence in the future.”  My reply is, “Hope is finding meaning to our existence, and when we do so than glory is in our horoscope.”

 These are my thoughts when I take hold of my Esrog and pronounce the blessing and wave it magnificently in all directions with the Lulav.  At these times, I observe the two small appendages of the Esrog; the Pitum on top and the Ukutz on the bottom. The Pitum is like the flower of the fruit. It is the part from which the Esrog continues to grow. At the other end is the Ukutz the part of the fruit which is attached to the tree and receives its nourishment, 

  Now we have Judaism in all its glory. Judaic life needs both parts of the fruit to inspire all Jews in their climb to greatness.  As the Chosen People we need to be attached to our Past, and to use our beautiful and in some ways problematic past; For it is our past that inspires us, instructs us, embellishes us and most of all gives us the direction and the proper path to follow, leading us down the primrose road of life.  However, to truly accomplish all our successes, we need the Pitum of life. For just as the Pitum appears to be pointing to the future we must always possess a Pitum of Judaism in all of its ways. We must always be future oriented, leading us to a more productive and viable future, a future that will see greater observance in our Torah way of life, a future that will see us with open arms welcoming our Jewish brethren, no matter what their observances are.  With our encouragement they will become more observant, reflective of the symbolism of the flowering of the Pitum, continuously growing in Yiddishkeit and basking under the Shade of G-Das they enter our Succah of Life.  

  To quote from the Song of Songs “His left hand is below my head,”  Hashem cradles our head during the Yemay Noraim, and “His right hand hugs me.” G-d hugs us with his love as we enter the Succah, representing the Hug of G-D.

    Just as Hashem hugs us with His love and warmth, so must we open our hearts to all, and use our Ukutz , our past to inspire others. We must, also, use our Pitum to create a future for others and to see for ourselves how bright our future can and will be if we use all of our Spiritual energies to produce that future with Love and Betachon.

 Happy is the person who can live and help others to prosper with the confidence that Klal Yisrael will see the Succah of Moshiach built in our time. 

      

          חג שמח 

TABERNACLE OF PEACE

   With the events that transpired this past week I realize, more and more, that the world is shattered with violence, anger, and a disengagement from the G-Dly world  of humanity. 

  As I was preparing  Divrey Torah on Megillat Kohelet, that is to be read this coming Shabbat Chol Hamoed, the devastating news of the animalistic behavior of some deranged, sick person, shooting indiscriminately at a crowd of innocent men,women and children at a concert in Las Vegas brought anguish and pain to America and the entire world. 

     At that moment Kohelet spoke to me;

    הבל הבלים, vanities of vanities. A thesis that negates life.  He saw that we live  in a world of cruelty, of hatred and instability. He sees life as futile, vain and useless. 

   Then I read a Midrash, that sees this idea of הבל, in a different way. The Midrash does not see, so much, the futility of life, but rather views our modern day world as changing and unstable, resulting from the excessive materialism, that is overpowering our society. 

   This weeks horrific episode and our very own pursuits, are suggesting that we need not deny our materialistic needs to survive in our world. However, this is not the essence of man, סוף דבר הכל נשמע את האלוקים ירא ואת מצותיו שמור. The upshot of Kohelet is that he made us aware of the pitfalls of life and we are to take it into our hearts and change our course. 

  As the world changes, in so many different ways, it becomes incumbent upon all of us to walk out of our comfortable homes with roofs that are separating us from the heavens above and enter the spiritual world of the Succah and sit under the open skies of G-D. As we look up we utter the words; 

ופרוש עלינו סוכת  שלומך, coming closer to the שכינה, and placing our entire being under His direction and His G-Dly protection. With this act our world is no longer one of הבל, now it becomes a world of ברכה and אהבה. 

   Then we can say, as we look out at our broken world, הרחמן הוא יקים לנו את סוכת דוד הנופלת, May the Compassionate One restore our fallen world and once again may humanity stand upright under the shade of our Almighty G-D. 

  חג שמח שבת שלום