MINDSET

  “Too many people spend money they earned, to buy things they really don’t want, to impress people they don’t like.”

“Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants.”

  These quotes come to mind as we prepare to celebrate, Shabbat Shekalim. This is a special Shabbat to announce and remind the Jewish World of their responsibilities to the maintenance of the Beit Hamikdash and a time for taking a census, by using the Shekel.

  The critical directive of our Torah can be summed up in the words of our Torah reading:

, To lift up the heads of the Jewish People כי תשא את ראש בני ישראל

   This is our task today - to direct the heads of American Jewry, to be counted in the ranks of the people, devoted to its heritage and loyal to its tradition lifting the people to a higher degree of spirituality. 

   We are to imbue our Jewish Brethren and Sisters with a greater spirit to be conscious of the role that they must play in our Jewish history of today and tomorrow. There are too many who have fallen by the wayside of loyalty and commitment, where Jewish life is concerned. I find that there are too many who remain indifferent to their communal responsibilities. Therefore, we need to hear the words, כי תשא את ראש, and go forth and lift them up in the true spirit of Yiddishkeit.  We must do so with warmth and with more intense Jewish education bringing enlightenment to the uneducated in such a way that they will see the beauty of our Torah way of life and will be inspired on their own and seek, once again, the road that will lead them back to the authentic life of Yiddishkeit.

   Remember the Hebrew word ונתנו, is a palindrome, and is read the same way backwards and forwards, to tell us that the more we give the more we will receive. The more we envelope those who are distant, the more they will respect us and they will join us, once again. Judaism is a two way street and as we pursue our goal of enrichment, we will, hopefully, be reciprocated with their positive response. 

   How often have you heard that every Jew, has within him a Yiddishe Neshama, that Pintele Yid, waiting to emerge into a full fledged Jew, who will exhibit the courage, the dignity and the self respect, bringing about their Yeshuah, and helping to bring about the ישועת עם ישראל.

    It was interesting to read that at the New York Mets spring-training there was a sign of inspiration which was put up in front of the clubhouse. In fact, the ideas may be very useful in our pursuit of a spiritual life.  The word on the sign was MINDSET.Each letter suggested another word. The letter M is for  Mental Toughness. In Judaism we need Mental Acuity to be involved in our Torah learning. The next letter is I for the word Improve. In any goal we always must focus on our Improvement. The next letter is N, for the word No. To be successful in life, we are to use No, when we always make excuses for our non-performance.  In Judaism No more excuses. Excuses are rationalizations for non performance. The next letter is D, which stands for Determination. In Judaism we must always be Determined and Dedicatedto a full Judaic way of life. The next letter is, S for Selflessness. As long as we act with a Selfless Attitude, life will be one of Chesed and understanding. The next letter is E, which stands for Excellence. It is important that we strive for Excellence, in our relationship to Hashem and to our fellowman. The final letter is T, which stands for Total Commitment to Torah andYiras Shamayim, and to be totally Experientially involved in our relationship to Judaism.

YES this is our Judaic MINDSET. Let us hope we can live with this Philosophy, bringing us closer to the time of the Moshiach.