POWER OF LANGUAGES

    It is pathetic that a member of Congress throws around ideas and words comparing modern day detention centers to the concentration camps in Germany? How dare anyone to be so insensitive and so ill informed of what took place during the Holocaust and still represent our Glorious country? One wonders where such attitudes are leading the citizens of the United States of America and why other members of Congress are so quiet in their indifference?
    We must tell our representatives that words are irretrievable and let them think twice before uttering absurd and hurtful expressions. The word is like a sword and can be very dangerous, inflicting harm on others.
  With these thoughts in mind, my attention turns to the end of our Sedra Behaaloscha, wherein we read of the dastardly act performed by Miriam as she spoke Lashon Harah against her brother Moshe. For this she was severely punished. She could have used the words of Mishley, “ ברוב דברים לא יחסל פשע וחשך שפתיו משכיל”With a multitude of words sin is not lacking, but he who restrains his lips is wise.” This is an instructive lesson to teach us that there are times when one should remain silent.
  How did Moshe react to such insulting and pejorative words uttered by Miriam? The answer is found in the next sentence where Torah states; “והאיש משה ענו מאד, Yet the man Moshe was exceedingly humble.” These words show us that Moshe remained humble and did not allow these words to affect the core of his character, for he was not concerned about his

 self- importance, but his only concern was his strong devotion to G-D. It did not seem necessary for him to reply to Miriam to defend his honor.
I sense that Moshe’s action can become our lesson for life - that there are certain people that do not deserve our recognition nor our respect or our reply to their despicable behavior. They are not worthy to even show our annoyance. They are to be, totally, ignored for they are persona non grata. 
  Though the lesson that Moshe teaches us is very instructive and may be the best way to deal with Lashon Harah, my inner being says לא תעמוד על דם רעיך, there are times we cannot just stand by, for too often the pain is so great that we need to vent our discomfort and dislike for certain remarks that are made. I realize the need to do so in a meaningful and respectful way, for we must never let ourselves become like those venom speaking people who are walking through the dung of the uncivilized.
  Human progress, inevitably, depends on enough men defining the values they want to live by and then backing up those standards by wise and appropriate means.
Remember well, as we go through life, “It requires greater strength to listen than to speak.”
Do we have that indomitable strength to choose our words wisely and thereby make a greater contribution to our society? Our way of life is to follow the dictum, 

נצר לשונך מרע ושפתיך

 מדבר מרמה סור מרע ועשה טוב בקש שלום ורדפהו.

 

 

BRIDGE TO THE FUTURE

  Shevuos night was an exhilarating experience as I spent the entire night with hundreds of men and women of all ages as we raised our voices entering into the depths of Torah. Sitting there my mind began to travel, trying to unravel the mystery of such an exclaimed wonder of howYahadut has touched the hearts and minds of so many at a time when others are running away from identifying with the basic understanding ofJudaism.

   There are those who are critical of Judaismand look askance at those who profess to be religious and yet act contrary to what Judaismstands for.  My comment is, “If an individual acts in a way which contradicts the values thatJudaism represents then that individual is not an observant Jew and, more so, what he practices is not Judaism.” Judaism cannot and must notexist in a vacuum. A Judaic way of life rests in the hearts of the Jew and must shape the actions of those whose very lives reflect its goals.

Our aim is to form a symbiotic partnership with G-D, to become the vehicles divinely chosen to bring His presence into our world. Our lives must give meaning to our Torah and in doing soHashem will find a spiritual home for us to dwell together. 

   When we are absorbed in G-Ds thoughts and in His revealed word, we indeed become united with G-D, and a unique friendship is formed between man and The Almighty. 

The Tanya teaches us, ”When a man understands with his intellect and comprehends and digests the infinite and inscrutable will of the Almighty then there is a marvelous union between G-D and man.”

   With these words I realize an important idea that will accompany us on our life’s journey; 

“To love means to share an identity and a common destiny”. 

   The beauty of Judaism is our faith - faith in ourselves and faith in the tomorrow. Today is merely a bridge to tomorrow, and we must not be reluctant to travel on that bridge, for such a travel is a growth experience for everyone. As we grow in faith in ourselves, and build upon our faith in G-D, we will travel safely and securely across the bridge of tomorrow, successfully. 

   With these thoughts in mind, I turn to this week’s Parsha of Naso, where we are introduced to Bircas Kohanim. Here we are told how Hashem designates the Kohanim to bestow the three fold Blessings upon the Jewish People. At the conclusion of the Brachot it states, ישא ה׳ אליך וישם לך שלום, “May Hashem lift His continence to you and establish peace for you.” Realizing how important this concluding Blessing is, I understand, more clearly, that to make peace in the world, we must first make peace with ourselves.

“How, you may ask, can this be accomplished?” My answer, “We must know at all times that we are unconditionally valued. We must begin to realize that Hashem values each and every one of us and we are here because He wants us here and our very existence testifies to His unconditional love for us. When we realize this truism then life has more meaning for us and we begin to value our lives and the lives of others. We then begin to treat each other differently and we do so with greater understanding and appreciation. As Hashem rejects no one, we must equally never reject anyone, and as He lifts us up and showers His blessings upon us, we must act to each other in the same loving manner. The result will be a world of peace and harmony. No one is an anonymous face in the crowd.  We are to be valued, and then we will experience, the Bracha, וישם לך שלום.”

   Now, more than ever, is the right time to reach out and touch someone.

Why not begin, by sharing this Blog with someone and they in turn will do likewise, forming a chain of love, compassion, and understanding, bringing more value to our lives.

 

 

MT. SINAI CALLS OUT TO US

Life seems for many very difficult and when that feeling of hopelessness, the solution for many is to escape. In fact I was overwhelmed when I read of a young lady who planned her suicide for her problems were so overwhelming, that this she thought that this was her only way out. Her reaction to life is not one that any person should contemplate, but rather one needs to find solutions to make life more meaningful and productive. Flight is never an answer, for running away is an act of cowardice. 

As we celebrate the Yom Tov of Matan Torah, let us revisit what took place and how the story progressed. 

When the Torah was given on Mt. Sinai the Torah states;

ומשה עלה אל האלוקים, and Moshe ascended the mountain, and וירד ה׳ על הר סני, and at that moment G-D descended to Mt. Sinai.This is truly 0fascinating, Moshe ascends, and Hashem descends. The lesson is clear and emphatic, Moshe cannot solve the problems of the world by simply leaving them behind, and escaping to the mountain top, and to prove it to him, Hashem descends, teaching. O’Shea that soliuyios of life’s delemna, is to be found here on earth. Any solution must be worked out on earth, and saying in essence , 

השמים שמים לה׳ והארץ נתן לבני אדם, and our job as a human being is to strive in making our existence on earthly a heavenly one, not by escaping our responsibilities on earth. 

We must not be like Elemelech, the Husband of Neomi, who escaped to another land to get away from his problems. 

In fact this idea goes a step further. Some one asked me why is Parshas Bamidbar always read prior to the Yom Tov of Shevuot? Why is this necessary? Before we begin to answer this question, let us understand the idea that is enunciated in Parshas Bamidbar. My attention is directed to the important commandment of taking a census directed to Moshe by Hashem. The words used for this directive is,

שאו את ראש כל עדת בני ישראל “Take a census of the entire assembly of the Jewish People”. Rashi explains why Hashem needs to take a census, to which he answers the G-D does so to show His love for עם ישראל. I find it most interesting that the Torah does not use the word limnot to count but rather uses the intriguing expression of 

שאו את ראש, “Lift the head”. Why?

My answer reflects the nature of counting people, which usually focuses on the counting of the multitude, of directing our attention on the crowd, rather than on the individual, and this is unfortunate. We are so enamored by the largeness of the crowd, that very often we do not take notice of the individual persons present. Counting seems to devalue the individual, and in doing so makes him/her replaceable, and this is detrimental to our human existence. 

As we approach the Yom Tov of Shevuot, we are to be reminded that our Torah, places great emphasis on the integrity and dignity on every Jew as an individual, and our Judaic way of life is the fulfillment of the dictum בצלם אלוקים ברא את האדם, that every person is created in the Image of G-D, and every one is a unique individual, and is to be recognized as such. 

Our כלל is made up of many פרטים, of many individuals and each one is a world unto 9themselves. 

Our world demands our efforts and our dedication to making our world a better place and not by escaping our G-Dly destiny and our Human responsibilities. This is accomplished when we unite with each other as we did at Sinai,

כאיש אחד ובלב אחד, and recognize that each of us can be like the Boaz , of old who became the Goel, the redeemer, by insisting a solution to his problem and not by running away from his Achrayut as a loyal Jew. 

This is what the Yom Tov of Shavout is all about. Iis a time to bellow out, נעשה ונשמה, we stand ready and able to accept our responsibility as a Jew and as a Human Being, and we do so with great conviction, that all our difficulties will become Zechusim, to bring about our גאולה שלמה. 

•