The word Empowerment reflects the development of knowledge, skills, and abilities in the learner to enable him to control and develop his own knowledge,skills and abilities.
The upshot of empowerment is to, eventually, gain greater awareness and control of the self. It is a means to an end, not an end in itself. Empowerment encourages people to gain the wherewithal that will allow them to overcome obstacles in life and ultimately help them develop the G-Dly that is within them.
It is in this light that I sense that Hashem wanted man not only to build a Physical Mishkan , but more so ועשו לי מקדש ושכנתי בתוכם, the emphasis is on the word בתוכם, in man himself. Thus, we see that what Hashem wants from us, as Jews, is to become a מקדש מעט, a miniature sanctuary by the way we act and behave to one another. This is the true empowerment that Hashem sees as the goal of Humanity and especially the goal of Jewish People.
In a true sense empowerment, then, becomes an invitation for responsible initiative.
As humans, we need to start realizing that we possess an internal light, that may be the most important human endowment we receive at birth. It is this spark of divinity that distinguishes us as being part of the human race and if we but open our hearts to this idea, I am sure that we will be able to hear the soft whisper of G-D in man.
"The spirit of man is the candle of Hashem aglow in all of us".
This internal light confers upon us supreme value, which makes each of us unique and special. We are a sacred refraction of Divinity.
This thought comes to mind as we prepare for the Holiday of Purim. We begin to realize the holiness of Esther and Mordechai, and why and how they were willing to lay down their lives for the Jewish People. Indeed it was that spark of divinity that spoke to them and gave them the fortitude to rally all their physical and spiritual strength to save the Jewish People. In doing so, they realized that they could not do it alone and so the instruction was ,לך כנוס את כל היהודים, gather all the Jews together , for with אחדות, with all our internal lights, we can beseech the Almighty to bring about our salvation.
This is our Mishkan, this is our Mikdash, this is our glory and this is our empowerment.It may be dark and gloomy outside but within us we can keep aglow the candle of Faith.
It is with such an attitude that we are confident that Hashem will dwell within each one of us. As we become filled with the G-Dly, we will then achieve the dictum of,משנכנס אדר מרבים בשמחה. May this month of אדר be our אדרת אמונה that will bring about the fulfillment of the words of the Megillah.
ליהודים היתה אורה ושמחה.
שבת שלום ומבורך
No comments:
Post a Comment