The Shining Light of Egypt

"Do not be distressed...for having sold me...since it was in order to provide for your needs that G-d sent me ahead of you.... It was not you who sent me here, but G-d. He has made me...ruler over all Egypt." (Genesis 45: 5-8)



In this week's Torah portion, Vayigash, Joseph reveals his identity to his brothers in one of the most moving events of the entire Torah. Incredible lessons can be learned from Joseph and the way he lived his life; lessons that are very relevant to our lives today. So why Joseph more than any of the other great Jewish forefather and leader? It's because Joseph was the first descendant of Abraham to really leave the realm of solitude and holiness, and venture into the immoral abyss of a land like Egypt for such a long time, and at such a young age. True, his father Jacob also entered a tough situation under his evil father-in-law Laban. In that respect, our Sages teach us that Joseph & Jacob were extremely close, their connection & destiny intertwined, as it says: "All that happened to Jacob, happened to Joseph" (both had important dreams, both were hated by their brothers, and the list goes on.)

But nothing compares to the life of Joseph. After being sold by his very own brothers to a caravan heading for Egypt, Joseph goes through struggle after struggle, test after test. At the young age of 17, he is solicited constantly by his employer's wife, and yet he resists time and again. And this lady couldn't have been the only one. It is said that Joseph had an indescribable beauty, such that whenever he would walk on the street, women would stop what they were doing just to catch sight of him, and would often injure themselves in the process! And yet Joseph stayed true to his belief in G-d and moral path. He knew that he wasn't brought to Egypt by chance. He knew that he was in prison for a reason (12 years for a crime he never committed). And he knew that he was placed in control over the entire Egyptian nation, 2nd only to Pharaoh, for a reason. Joseph not only accepted his tough situations with good faith and a smile, he embraced them with the full knowledge that he was placed there for a special mission, one that would contribute to creating a better world, that G-d could be proud of. Ultimately, it was Joseph whose plan ended up saving - not only the Egyptian people - but the entire world during the great famine of his time. Instead of succumbing to Egypt's temptations, or wallowing in self pity over the unfair hardships he had endured, Joseph shined, turning the darkness in his life into light.

We sit thousands of years later in front of a computer screen, on the verge of the year 2012. And yet the example of the life of Joseph rings truer now than ever. As a whole, the Jewish people have not diverted from the path of our forefather Joseph. Just like Joseph helped the people of his time spiritually as well as physically, Jews throughout history have done the same. Spiritually, the Torah of the Jews ultimately revolutionized western thinking, as the 2nd president of the U.S. John Adams once said: "I will insist the Hebrews have [contributed] more to civilize men than any other nation."

Which brings me to the physical part. This week, the week of Joseph, the one who sustained the entire world with food in his time, I came across videos online of various people who have dedicated their lives to helping others, often starting organizations from scratch. Many that I came across were Jewish (see here for a very inspiring example, as well as here). And it seemed that everywhere I looked this week, I was seeing people who help others. And then I experienced it myself. After spending a day just watching videos of this (hey it's winter break ;), my mother took me into "the field of duty." She runs the gemach AKA The Jewish gift closet, where items are donated by the community, and given to those in need. As we lugged tables, chairs, a rug, etc. to downtown San Diego late at night, I wasn't feeling so cheery to be quite honest. "Man, I thought you felt inspired by those videos to change the world!?" I thought. But after all of the hard work, as we readied to leave, the old & lonely man in his once (truly) empty apartment, gave us a big smile. He would now have a cover against the cold - a thick blanket we had brought him. I realized that we have to fix the world one person at a time, with one deed at a time.

Judaism asks us to try our best in 2 areas: Our relationship with man, and our relationship with G-d. Both are important, and both benefit the realm of the other. Through being a spiritually sensitive person, learning Torah, praying, doing mitzvot, one learns and feels the needs of others, and the importance of being kind and helping another. For every soul is important, every act crucial. "Save a life, and you've saved a world" (the Talmud). And on the other hand, as Hillel said: "Don't do onto another, what you would not want done to yourself. This is the whole Torah, the rest is but commentary." At times in Torah, the Jewish people are called by the name of Yoseph (Hebrew for Joseph). Kabbalah teaches us that our forefathers bestowed their spiritual essence onto their descendants - to us. We can and must stay spiritually and morally upright even in Egypt, today's selfish and materialistic society, and be a light onto those around us, like our father Joseph.

Shabbat Shalom!

36 Candles of Hidden Light

'During Chanukah, at the time the Menorah's candles are lit, the hidden light, the light of Moshiach, shines.'
- Reb Pinchas of Koretz, student of the Baal Shem Tov

Happy CCCChanukah to you and yours! The 8 crazy nights are finally upon us! Donuts, Latkes, Dreidels, and of course the Menorah; Judaism officially rocks! (I don't know if you can tell that this is one of my favorite holidays). What adds to these awesome days is how many innumerable lessons and sources of inspiration we can derive from them. The faith of the small army of Maccabees in the face of oppression. The courage of the Jewish people who risked their lives in order to adhere to the Torah & Mitzvot, rather than leaving Judaism for Hellenism. The one jar of pure oil found in the temple. But what stands out in the minds of most Jews at this time of year, is the flickering of the candles on our small Menorahs, which we light for 8 days to commemorate the 8 days that the oil miraculously stayed lit for in the holy temple in Jerusalem.

But what are some of the deeper aspects contained in the Menorah lighting we do every year? To understand this a bit better, let's take a look at Torah - the 5 books of Moses. In general, Torah & its study can be divided into 3 categories: A) Torah as a guide to life B) Torah as a means of connecting to G-d C) Torah as an end unto itself.

On the 1st level, we study Torah simply to understand how to live. If you buy a complex object needing assembling, you can try and assemble it without the instruction manual. But it makes sense to take a look, a thorough look, at the manual written by the designer himself - which will guide you on the proper path to success, and help you make the most out of your materials. In this respect, the sages say: "Mitzvot were given to refine the human being" and "The Torah was given to make peace in the world." Deeper though, is Torah as a vehicle for union with G-d. Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi teaches, that when you understand, when your mind grasps a law or concept or story of Torah, which has within it G-d's Will & Wisdom, you are essentially becoming enveloped by G-d's Will & Wisdom. "This is a wonderful union, the likes of which there is none other, and which has no parallel anywhere in the material world..." Finally, there exists a 3rd level of Torah study, Torah "for its own sake." In the 1st 2 levels, Torah serves as a means to an end, whether it be mastering life or even connecting to G-d. But loftier than all, is learning Torah simply for its own sake. King Solomon writes: "A mitzvah is a lamp, and Torah is light." From the 3 above levels within Torah, we can learn about 3 levels within light as well: A) Light as a tool for life B) Light as a means of connecting to G-d C) Light for the sake of light.

Let's look at the mitzvot within Judaism that have to do with light. Light as a tool for life can be seen in Shabbat candles, whose purpose is "shalom bayit" - creating peace in the home; A tranquil & pleasant atmosphere in honor of the Shabbat. As we said above: "The entire Torah was given to make peace in the world" (Maimonides). The Shabbat Candles thus represent Torah's role as a guide to a life of harmony & perfection. Next is the lights that were kindled in the Holy Temple, the house of G-d. The Talmud asks: "Does such a place, where G-d's divine glory is manifest, need light?" Rather, the lights served as "a testimony to the entire world that the divine presence rests in Israel." This light represents the 2nd level, the connection between G-d, heaven & earth, and us. But then there are the lights of Chanukah. True, we light candles in order to "publicize the miracle" of Chanukah. But that's not the essence of why we light, for often in history, out of fear, Jews fulfilled the mitzvah by lighting in hiding. Rather, the essence of the Menorah candles we light is just for its sake alone.

Jewish Mystics teach that on Chanukah we light 36 candles altogether (1+2...+8). This isn't by chance, but rather corresponds to the hidden light that shone in the world during part of the 6th and all of the 7th day of creation. After Adam & Eve were sent from the Garden of Eden, G-d hid this light for the future Messianic time. Except during Chanukah. As we light our candles (Friday before Shabbat will be 4 candles), let's watch the candles dance, signifying something much deeper than we can imagine. Perhaps its the Jewish soul
that can never be extinguished? Or the secret power of good, of light, over darkness? As the Rebbe Maharash used to say:
"One must listen to what the Chanukah candles are saying..."
- (Based on a talk of the Lubavitcher Rebbe)

Shabbat Shalom & Happy Chanukah!

-Daniel

Stopping The Boat

Hi there! Just a reminder, the 1st night of Chanukah falls on this coming Tuesday evening, Dec. 20th, when we light our 1st candle and celebrate! The last night is the 28th. Also, if you are interested in supporting us with our outreach to teenagers, here is the link to purchase a raffle ticket to win a V.I.P trip to the Super Bowl! Super Bowl Raffle

- Peter Paul Fortress on the Neva River today

In the Jewish Calendar, today was the 19th day of the Hebrew month of Kislev. So what's so special about that? Well, besides for the capture of Saddam Hussein on this date in 2003, on this date in 1798, Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi - known as the "Alter Rebbe" - was released from the dreaded Peter-Paul fortress in Russia, after being falsely accused of treason. The Alter Rebbe founded the now famous "Chabad" movement, which focuses on serving G-d with joy, the incredible depth & vital importance of a simple, physical mitzvah, and the need to delve into Jewish mysticism in a way of understanding. Hence the name CHaBaD, which in Hebrew stands for: Chochmah (wisdom) Binah (Understanding) and Da'at (Knowledge). The Alter Rebbe dedicated his life not only to the well being of the Jewish community at large, but to explaining the deepest, most profound concepts relating to G-d & the spiritual worlds - in a way that a simple person could understand.

Incredible stories with the Alter Rebbe abound. But one story really signifies the spiritual path that he set forth. One night, during his imprisonment, Russian ministers wanted to interrogate the Alter Rebbe. To do so, he had to be taken from the fortress to the other side of the Neva River, to the headquarters of the Tainy Soviet, the Secret Council. That night happened to be in the middle of the month, when the moon was nearly full. According to Jewish tradition, there are certain prayers said once a month, any night between the 3rd & 14th, in honor of the new moon, known as Kiddush Levana. Seeing the nearly full moon, the Alter Rebbe wanted to say these prayers. So he asked the guard rowing the boat to please stop for a moment, so that he could stand and say the prayers. "Silence!" yelled the guard. As he continued to row, suddenly the guard noticed the boat beginning to stop in the middle of the calm river waters! Realizing something beyond nature was going on, the guard nervously looked at the Rebbe, who didn't say a word. Suddenly the boat began to move again as the guard renewed his rowing. "Would you please stop the boat for a few minutes?" the Alter Rebbe asked again. This time, the guard halted his rowing, leaving the Alter Rebbe plenty of time to say his prayers with devotion.

A simple question can be asked here: WHY didn't the Alter Rebbe just stop the boat and say his prayers? Why did he stop it, only to let the boat go again and then have to ask the guard permission again!? The whole thing seems strange. But the truth is, this action personified the vision the Alter Rebbe had of how we must act in this world. Instead of "breaking nature" - living outside and above the world, closed off from materialism, Chabad philosophy stresses involving oneself in the world around you, in order to uplift & change the world around you for the good. That's why the Alter Rebbe acted in that way. He first showed this coarse guard that there was a higher power at work. Only then did the guard himself voluntarily choose to do the right thing, submitting himself to holiness.

The Alter Rebbe taught us, that if one really wants to make G-d happy, and wants to make a home for Him in this physical world, then one must turn his or her physical surroundings into a vessel for G-d. That one's inner, materialistic nature should actually sense how G-dliness is a good thing, something to be desired. Then those around us will be affected & will sense from us that a deeper, more meaningful life is out there. How do we feel that? Through learning the mystical teachings of Judaism as taught by the Alter Rebbe & the subsequent Chabad Rebbeim. And ultimately, this special affect we can have on our surroundings, can be seen most in the doing of a Mitzvah. A Physical object; a coin for charity, a candle lit for Shabbat, a Challah baked, blessed and eaten for the sake of Shabbat, itself "stops the boat" - nullifying itself and being consumed in holiness. Through our influence, it shows off its essence, that in truth it is a G-dly creation waiting to be uplifted.

May we all have a positive impact on ourselves and therefore on our surroundings, and celebrate light over darkness during this Chanukah, with great joy!

Shabbat Shalom!

-Daniel

Let's Get Ready to Rumble!

If anyone would like to contribute to my Jewish teen outreach group by buying a ticket in a raffle for Super Bowl tickets, please click here. Thanks!

And Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until the break of dawn. When he saw that he could not prevail against him, he touched the socket of his hip, and the socket of Jacob's hip became dislocated as he wrestled with him. And he (the angel) said, "Let me go, for dawn is breaking," but he (Jacob) said, "I will not let you go unless you have blessed me." So he said to him, "What is your name?" and he said, "Jacob." And he said, "Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, because you have commanding power with [an angel of] God and with men, and you have prevailed.
(Genesis 32: 25-29)


Jacob bumps into an angel with an anger problem! Just his luck. Our Sages teach us that this angel was the guardian angel of Esav, Jacob's brother, and all of his descendants. And that this wrestling match was not by coincidence, but signified something much greater. Let's gain deeper insight into one aspect of this story. In order to do so, we must examine its significance in the wisdom of Jewish Mysticism.

The teachings of Jewish mysticism, the inner dimension of the Torah, relates all of life - from the vast expanse of the universe to the minute fingernail of a child - to a G-dly source, and therefore of deep significance in what it symbolizes. For every physical thing we see, is a lower manifestation of a higher spiritual level that precedes it. A major foundation of Jewish Mystical teaching, is the 10 Sefirot: The 10 ways in which G-d Decided to Reveal His Will in the higher and lower worlds, and ultimately in our souls. These are (loosely translated): The Intellect - Wisdom, Understanding, Knowledge. And the Emotions - Kindness, Severity, Compassion, Endurance, Humility, Connection, and Sovereignty. These Sefirot correspond to the limbs of the human body as well: Kindness - Right arm, Severity - the left, Compassion - the mid-section. Endurance - the Right thigh/leg, Humility - the left, etc. The Jewish leaders that exemplified these Divine emotions as found in this world, in order, are: Avraham (kindness), Issac, Jacob, Moshe, Aaron, Yoseph, King David.

So what connection does all of this have with Jacob wrestling with an angel in this week's Torah Portion?

There have been 4 exiles in the history of the Jewish People: The Egyptian, the Babylonian, the Persian, and the Roman - which we are still in today. This 4th & final exile, caused by the Roman destruction of the 2nd temple in Jerusalem, will last until Mashiach comes & the temple is rebuilt. It's taught that the Romans were descendants of Esav. When Esav's guardian angel was wrestling with Jacob throughout the night, it wasn't just a UFC styled fight. This encounter symbolized the long and arduous exile that we find ourselves in for the last 2,000 years, caused by Esav's descendants. Life for a Jew in exile is a struggle. We will ultimately vanquish the evil in the world, and have been quite successful so far. But what is the final action that must be done to fully vanquish Esav's guardian angel and free ourselves of the Roman exile? We see that Jacob, right before dawn and his victory, is struck by the angel in his hip and is hurt.

As we learned in Kabbalah earlier, each part of the body represents a Jewish leader, as well as a spiritual attribute. The lower side where Jacob was hit was the left, symbolizing Aaron, the brother of Moses. What was Aaron most known for in the Torah? Besides for humility, Aaron was the ultimate lover of the Jewish people. It is known that he would seek peace between each man and his fellow, between husband and wife. We are told that Aaron was mourned for after his death by all men and women, while Moses was mourned less so. Why? Because Aaron brought peace between everybody. Out of his great love for each person, he strove to avoid all conflict between them. Perhaps the lesson here is this: As we near the end of exile, the end of the battle with our spiritual and physical enemy, the hardest test, the one which will try and stop us most from reaching redemption, is the love and sensitivity to our fellow Jew.
Like Aaron, we must strive to make peace between those in our community, in our household, with those around us, and focus on the good in our fellow man and woman.
And with that, may we merit the ultimate redemption, where we will see only the good in each person, their soul, speedily in our days!

Shabbat Shalom!

-Daniel
{To learn more about the Sefirot in depth, click on: 10 Sefirot}

The Impenetrable Stones

'And Yaakov left Be'er Sheva, and went towards Charan. He came across the place and spent the night there because
the sun had set. He took some of the stones of the place and placed them around his head, and he lay down in that place.'

This week's Torah portion is Vayeitzei - And he departed. After Jacob is blessed by his father Issac (instead of his brother Esav), Esav is furious and vows to kill his brother. Rivkah, their mother, tells Jacob to run away to her brother Lavan's home, until it is safe to return. Before heading to his uncle's home, however, the Midrash tells us that Jacob learned in the famous yeshiva (house of study) of Shem & Ever, for 14 years. Only then did he "depart" - as we find in the beginning of this portion. On his journey, Jacob stops to sleep at a certain place. The Midrash tells us that this was the holiest place in the world - Mount Moriah - where the temple would later be built in Jerusalem. Here the Torah says, "He took some of the stones of the place and placed them around his head." Why? Rashi explains: "Jacob was fearful of the wild animals."

Now let's ask ourselves a simple question. If you were camping in safari country, where lions roamed, would you put a few stones around you for protection?? I think these animals are rather athletic and have the ability to jump 4 inches off the ground! And better yet, would you try and protect only your head? I know it's an important part of one's anatomy, but I'd like to keep the rest of my body intact if I can help it! So what in the world was Jacob thinking exactly when he decided to surround only his head with some measly stones!?

The holy Zohar teaches us, that if one reads any single story of the Torah and takes it only at face value, he or she is missing out on everything. Of course Jacob literally surrounded his head with stones, but of what significance, of what symbolism is the Torah teaching me in my life? The Chassidic Masters explained this event as follows: Jacob knew that he was leaving the comfortable, holy presence of his father and mother in Israel, to wander into the unknown, corrupt territory of his uncle Lavan in a foreign land. There he would work day and night, trying to survive and still keep his moral character together, his trust and devotion to G-d intact. That's why he prepared himself with an additional time secluded in learning about G-d and instilling these values internally. But even so, once he would enter the world of the conniving Lavan, how could he possibly keep his moral character strong? This is why Jacob surrounded only his head. Jacob was saying: "I'm not scared of the physical wild animals, but the spiritual ones! My spiritual integrity and beliefs will be attacked at every moment, and therefore I must always keep what's in my head - what I have learned and what I believe now - intact.

Like our forefather Jacob, we too live in the world of Lavan. A foreign one; one which may feel comfortable, but that is foreign to our souls, which only want holy and good things. We deal with the world, we study, we work. Society may be asking us on a daily basis to conform to its desires for us to be what it would like us to be. The Jewish people, throughout history, have resisted that desire. While involving ourselves completely with the world, G-d asks us to refine and uplift, rather than be dragged down with it. And how do we do that? By keeping what's in our heads, the values we have learned and the Judaism we have internalized, intact and untouchable; unchanging. And through every prayer, every mitzvah, every Torah class learned, we additionally fortify our heads and protect ourselves with immovable stones.

Shabbat Shalom!

-Daniel

A Jewish Thanksgiving

Jewish People growing up today in America experience a wide array of holidays and memorial events. One such event is Thanksgiving. Unlike Easter (Christian) or even Halloween (Pagan), the roots of thanksgiving and its focus seem very positive (also for Jews) - being thankful for what we have. Specifically for the free country we live in, one whose declaration of independence states: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

Often I am asked what the B"H (that I write on the top of my emails) means. It means "B'ezrat Hashem", Hebrew for "With the help of G-d." It's a custom, rooted in the desire to remind oneself that every moment I have alive is a gift, to remember that I cannot accomplish something as simple as writing a letter, without the life and capabilities given to me by G-d. This idea is an all pervasive one in Judaism. The word for "thanks" or "acknowledgement"
is hoda'ah. Upon awakening in the morning, the 1st prayer said is Modeh ani - I offer thanks before you, living and eternal King, for You have mercifully restored my soul within me; Your faithfulness is great. Morning prayers officially start with Hodu la'Hashem, and the only bowing of the holiest prayer of the day (the Amidah) is Modim, both meaning thanks/acknowledgement.

Feeling thankful, as most of us can attest, is something easy to forget. Much easier is the ability to recall what we don't have. A physical body feels what it lacks - warmth, immediate joy and feeling, hunger, etc. Only once we are missing something, do we come to appreciate it. It's sad that G-d Made it that way, but that's the way it is. When I'm healthy, it's nothing special. The day or two after I recover from sickness, all of a sudden I'm smiling and grateful. This is probably why refugees and immigrants from oppressive or low standard of living countries truly appreciate living in America, while born and bred Americans often take the freedoms and overall kindness of this nation for granted. Perhaps this is a lesson we can learn from Thanksgiving: To remind ourselves to be thankful for everything that we have. Maybe we can make a resolution, that once a day, at a certain time, I will stop and think about some of the things I am lucky to have (health, loving people behind me, peace). Often, this meditation helps with one's overall feeling of joy and serenity.

Sadness often stems from thinking of what I don't have. Judaism teaches: What I'm meant to have RIGHT NOW - I have. It's meant for my soul to be in this situation and set of life circumstances for a specific reason, for a role of rectification that I need to do in this life. Thank you G-d for whatever I have. It's all a gift.

A Jew who lived at any other time period in any other country in history, probably had a tougher time living freely and happily as an open and proud Jew. We in America today can. Ironically, the challenge today is to want to live differently in the 1st place! To live as a unique, proud Jew in today's accepting society is our challenge; not avoiding arrest or death like in Europe of old. Let's be thankful and proud. To end with the words of Abraham Lincoln, said on Thanksgiving day in 1863: “To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added which are of so extraordinary a nature that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever-watchful providence of Almighty God.”

Shabbat Shalom!

-Daniel

The Perfect Balance

After spending the first 18 years of my life in American secular society, I followed it with 6 years in a spiritually Jewish setting in yeshiva, 2 of them in Jerusalem. I lived in an area of Jerusalem that saw religious Jews sequestered in their own areas, happy to live apart from secular society. Down the road there was Ben Yehuda street where the "fun" was to be had (for all of you who've been :) Our school was located directly in between the 2 areas, and I always perceived our role (as American college kids delving into our heritage) as the bridge between the 2 "societies", showing that Judaism is an amazing gift that can be enjoyed by every Jew on their level.

But spending lots of time around the ultra orthodox Jews (who seemed pretty happy) made me wonder: Was this the ideal way for a Jew to live? Cut off from "secular" society and busy with serving G-d and hanging out just with his people? It just didn't feel natural or right to me. This is not to say that one way was right, but what was the right way for me personally to love?

The answer, like many of our existential questions about life, can be found in the Torah. This week's Torah portion is called "Chayei Sarah" - The life of Sarah. While Avraham was the father of Issac and the future Jewish people, he was also the father of many nations. Today he is honored by at least 3 major religions (some say the main god brahman of Hinduism is merely a restructuring of the letters to Avraham's name, but that's for another email). Sarah, on the other hand, was only the mother of Issac & the Jewish nation. When Avraham's other son Ishmael was having a negative influence on her son Issac, Sarah came forward and asked Avraham to kick him out of their house. Avraham didn't know what to do, until G-d Spoke to him, telling him to "listen to your wife Sarah." (A lesson to future husbands forever yonder ;)

We see an interesting and important difference of spirit between Avraham and Sarah, that complimented one another. Avraham was about pure love, emphasizing involvement in the world and fixing the world. He is known in Torah as "Av Hamon Goyim" - the father of many nations. Sarah, on the other hand, emphasized the importance, and necessity, of sometimes staying apart from society and negative influences to one's Judaism and spiritual life. The key, I humbly believe now, is to marry the 2 - like the marriage of Avraham and Sarah. Spend some time learning and praying, if not for a year in Israel, then once a day or even once a week. Observe Jewish holidays and Shabbat. Eat a bit differently and live a bit differently then the way the rest of society dictates. Emulate our mother Sarah. But on the other hand, we must be involved in the world. Avraham taught us the importance of engaging the world and uplifting it. Not being brought down by it but fixing it up. We must emulate Avraham as well. The balance of these 2 paths, of separation but inclusion as well, is what has kept Jews so vibrant and strong in their identity throughout history, and yet has made their mark on the world around them with such power & beauty.

Good luck in your journey! Shabbat Shalom!

-Daniel

The Simplicity of 8 Days

Our great forefather Avraham had 2 sons: Issac & Ishmael.
In this week's Torah portion, "Vayeira", Issac is born. From both children came powerful, influential nations.
But Issac was chosen by G-d to be a sacrifice (later substituted with a ram) to G-d, and his descendants were given the Torah, G-d's Message for creation. Why was Issac specifically chosen for this mission of spreading G-d's message to the world?

While living in Israel, Avraham & his wife Sarah experienced a great famine that affected the land severely. Forced to traverse down to Egypt to acquire food, the couple runs into some problems, with Sarah being taken by guards to be married off to Pharaoh. G-d Saves Sarah by striking Pharaoh's household with a plague, and Pharaoh wisely sends Avraham & Sarah away with great riches. But during his short acquaintance with the holy Avraham & Sarah, after witnessing miracles wrought for them, Pharaoh, greatly impressed, sends his daughter Hagar to be a hand-maid to Sarah, saying: "Greater a helper to Sarah, than a princess here."

Childless, Sarah asks Avraham to marry Hagar and they have a child, Ishmael. Avraham is commanded to circumcise himself and the males of his household. Ishmael is 13 yrs. old at the time. Soon G-d grants Sarah a child, Issac, and he is circumcised at 8 days old as commanded by G-d.

We are told in the Midrash, that one day, Issac and Ishmael were having an argument. Ishmael was gloating to Issac, saying: "I am greater than you, for I had my circumcision at 13 yrs. old! I made my own decision. I chose to dedicate myself to G-d!
You were 8 days old and had no choice!" Issac answered him: "That may be, but I was circumcised & thereby dedicated to G-d at 8 days old, beyond my choice, because I am dedicated to G-d beyond reason and understanding; beyond intellect."

The nature of a Jew is seen in his/her dedication to G-d; a commitment beyond reason. To be sure, Judaism places a central role on understanding as much as possible about Judaism & G-d, but through thick & thin, as we've seen throughout history, even when it doesn't seem to make sense, even through the greatest hardship and tests to our faith, we stay committed. And that's why Issac, his son Jacob, the 12 tribes, and all of the future Jewish People, had to be circumcised at 8 days old. A time when one doesn't yet "understand" G-d, but is bound with Him - body & soul.

Ishmael was born naturally, while Isaac was born miraculously - from a mother of 90 yrs. old who had always been barren. Sarah had no womb. Ever. Every person in the world has a connection with G-d, and a spiritual self that must be nurtured, and it is the duty of every Jew to help make this happen. But to do that, we must always remember who we are. A people whose intrinsic nature - as bequeathed to us spiritually by our forefathers - is one bound with G-d, on a level that defies all logic and nature. That's supernatural, beyond logic. An unalterable bond that defies any enemy, any adversity. That defies even the strong lures of society and the materiality of this world today in 2011. Let's remember that we shouldn't even be here; we should have been wiped out long ago. You are here for a reason.

Shabbat Shalom!

-Daniel

Rising Above the Waters

We have just entered the Hebrew month of Cheshvan. After the inspirational month of Tishrei, full of holidays and excitement,
we are thrust back into the cold world of materialism and survival, into a month with no holidays! Passing tests, making ends meet, meeting deadlines and responsibilities. Where is there any time now for family, G-d, study, growth? Save that for the holiday season!


We are told by the Sages to "live with the times," which doesn't really mean of the New York variety. Rather, we are to live with the message & inspiration of the week's Torah portion. It's interesting to note, that as Sukkot (& with it, the holiday season) comes to a close, we read about the great flood in the portion of Noach. Kabbalah likens these flood waters to the deluge of material worries that flood our lives, threatening to drown out the spirituality in our lives, to numb our soul's light, its love of G-d and aspiration for higher living.

Then comes the portion of "lech lecha" which introduces us to our forefather Avraham. "Lech lecha", in Hebrew, means "Go to yourself." Avraham was literally told to travel to an unknown land. But through his going (in accordance with his faith & trust in G-d's Command), Avraham would be "going" deeper within himself, tapping into & revealing his true being. Something that hadn't, couldn't, be revealed before. Not even during the his 75 years of contemplation and connection to G-d. Why not?

Because through the endurance of tests, of ordeals that G-d puts one into, a person reveals hidden abilities and depths he/she could never have revealed by living in a purely spiritual situation. This is the secret behind the reason why souls must come down into bodies from heaven, why the Jewish people had to leave the clouds of glory in the desert and enter the land of Israel to settle it, why we are meant to leave the inspiring holiday season and enter the year, why we have Shabbat for 1 day and then enter a 6 day work week, why we leave prayer & study to engage the world. For what may seem and feel like a descent, has hidden within it the ability for the ultimate ascent. For when a person not only survives material life, but actually elevates the mundane, he or she has fulfilled the ultimate intention for entering this world. How can one's strength ever be measured, revealed, when one lies on a couch? By lifting something, i.e. by challenging one's strength, that's what really brings it out.

Physicality mirrors spirituality; to reveal the depths of our being and of the physical world around us, we must deal with physicality, with a challenge, and reveal the hidden potential within. Through refining our character traits, going against the coarse nature within us and around us, we rectify. When we thank G-d for a piece of food or drink, we elevate the physical, revealing the hidden sparks within. When our patience is challenged, when sadness arrives, when the world seems to hide goodness and G-dliness, and we prevail with a smile, with faith, with a prayer - we've struck gold. For like a candle, whose real brightness is seen only in the dark, when we challenge life's challenges, our soul shines - even more than during the "holy" times.

As King Solomon, in his great wisdom, wrote in Shir Hashirim 8:7 (Song of Songs): "Many waters cannot extinguish the fire of this love, nor rivers wash it away."

Shabbat Shalom!

-Daniel

Beyond Reason

We have now begun season 3,323 of the Torah cycle.
This week, we focus on episode 2: The portion of Noah. When Noah's name is 1st mentioned in the Torah, he is described as "a righteous man, perfect in his generations..." As Rashi explains: 'Once a righteous man is mentioned, we speak of his good.'


It's strange, then, that when the great Avraham, the forefather of Judaism & monotheism, is 1st introduced to us in next week's portion, there is NO mention at all of any of his great attributes or prior achievements! All we know of him is that, at the age of 75, G-d tells him: "Go... to the land which I will show you." Unlike Noah, we hear nothing of Avraham's righteousness!

Now let's put this into some perspective: From the age of 3, Avraham had come to recognize that there was 1 G-d.
The Midrash describes the numerous trials & tribulations Avraham went through, trying to share his belief in 1 G-d to his pagan, idol worshipping neighbors. Like the time the King of his land, Nimrod, through him into a furnace for his beliefs and he was miraculously saved. Avraham was the ultimate rebel, rebelling against the world around him, against society, starting a new movement in the face of society. By the time G-d tells Avraham to go to Israel at 75, he & his wife Sarah had already brought 10's of thousands of people into the belief of one G-d, through their great love and devotion. They were the embodiment of kindness and self sacrifice for all things good and holy. So why do we hear nothing of this when Avraham's 1st chosen by G-d?

The Maharal of Prague asks this question, and his answer is an incredibly deep and powerful one: By Noah, the Torah mentions his greatness, his righteousness. By Avraham & Sarah, the Torah doesn't focus on their past deeds or greatness. Why? Because G-d is telling us, that ultimately He is choosing Avraham & Sarah (and their future descendants) as His people, for no reason at all. It's higher than reason. Beyond good deeds; beyond self sacrifice. A love that isn't dependent on a certain attribute or character trait. A human can only go so far with what he or she does. Here, G-d was Choosing, and that's something infinite.

It's interesting to note, that in the times of the Maharal (16th-century Europe), Christianity and its principles were dominant. What was the core idea of that religion? That G-d had abrogated his covenant with the Jewish people because of their sins, and had made a "new covenant" - a "new testament" which was to be followed. The absurdity of this claim can of course be explained at length, but suffice it to point to one verse in Vayikra (Leviticus), Chapter 26, verse 44: "But despite all this, while they will be in the land of their enemies, I will not have been revolted by them nor will I have rejected them to obliterate them, to annul my covenant with them - for I am Hashem, their G-d." It's convenient for them to ignore verses like these rampant throughout Tanach.
The Maharal may have been touching on this idea with his explanation here, that ultimately the Jewish People are connected to G-d in a bond that transcends reason, transcends how good we are or bad we are at a certain time. That's why the Torah didn't focus on Avraham's amazing deeds, for while they are vital to perfecting this world and serving G-d, which we all must do, ultimately G-d Chooses to bind Himself to us for reasons onto Him - beyond anything we could ever do.

May we always remember our close and eternal bond with Hashem, and on our parts rebel against society when it demands us to act in opposition to G-d, and live as proud Jews.

Shabbat Shalom!

-Daniel

One More Day

This Wed. night-Fri. night, Jews (outside of Israel) will be celebrating the special holiday known as Shemini Atzeret & Simchat Torah (those in Israel only wed. night-thurs. night). On these days we complete the cycle of the reading of the Torah, and begin reading from the Torah's beginning from "Bereishit" - "In the Beginning of G-d's Creating..." The last of the 3 major holidays (Passover & Shavuot being the other 2) until the spring time, this holiday marks the end to the holiday of Sukkot, but in truth, is really a holiday onto itself. Why, after all of the previous holy days, did G-d Feel the need to give us another one?


The 11th-century sage, Rashi, explains the holiday as follows (based on Leviticus 23:36): [G‑d says to Israel,] "I have detained you [to remain] with Me." This is analogous to a king who invited his sons to feast with him for a certain number of days, and when the time came for them to leave, he said: "My sons! Please, stay with me just one more day; it is difficult for me to part with you!"

After the special closeness of the high holidays of Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot, G-d desires a short time to spend in seclusion with His people. But how do we act during this special time? Do we learn; do we pray?
We dance. We take the Torah (at a synagogue near you, specifically Thursday evening), and we simply dance with it. We revel in the special connection G-d has given us for so long, the precious Torah, to connect with Him beyond the holiday, throughout the year. As Rabbi Shalom DovBer Schneerson once said: The 48 hours of Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah should be highly treasured. Every moment is an opportunity to draw bucket and barrel-fuls of material and spiritual treasures. And this is accomplished through dancing.

On Simchat Torah, we become the feet of the Torah and we dance for it. And as we leave the holiday season and embark on the coming year, we must pay close attention to the words of Rashi: "...and when the time came for them to leave, he said: "My sons! Please, your departure is difficult for me!" G-d never leaves. We are the ones who can "leave" from the connection & feeling of closeness to Him, especially felt during the high holidays. May we keep up the celebration of our connection to the one G-d throughout the coming year, with joy and gladness of heart.

Chag Sameach!

-Daniel

A Scent from Eden

Tonight we begin celebrating the great holiday of Sukkot
(ending October 21st). The 2 major mitzvot (commandments) associated with Sukkot are: To eat a meal (specifically bread or grain based) in the Sukkah, and say the accompanying blessing. The second is to take the 4 species (incl. the lulav & etrog) by day, say a blessing, and shake them together. More than any other holiday, Sukkot is called the "time of our rejoicing." We spend as much time as we can in the Sukkah, which commemorates G-d's Protection over us in the dangerous desert when we left Egypt, reminding us today that even with our sturdy homes and secure lives, it is really G-d Who ultimately protects us & provides. Our homes & our lives are really like flimsy huts in the outdoors. But we needn't worry, for G-d Watches over us. May you have a very joyous Sukkot! I hope you enjoy this story, which has always been one of my favorites. (Taken from Chabad.org)
~~~

It was the first day of Sukkot, and all the congregants in the shul (synagogue) of Rabbi Elimelech of Lizensk were in a festive mood. One could feel the "Yom-Tov" spirit in the atmosphere.

As Rabbi Elimelech stood at the lectern and began reciting Hallel, all eyes turned upon him. There was something unusual in his manner this Sukkot. Why did he stop so suddenly in the middle of his swaying as he held the etrog and lulav in his hands to sniff the air? And why did he not go through the Service in his usual leisurely manner? It was evident that something was on his mind, something rather exciting by the look on his radiant countenance.

The minute the davening (praying) was over, Rabbi Elimelech hurried to where his brother Rabbi Zusha (who had come to spend the festival with him) was standing, and said to him eagerly: "Come and help me find the etrog which is permeating the whole shul with the fragrance of the Garden of Eden!"

And so together they went from person to person until they reached the far corner of the shul where a quiet looking individual was standing, obviously engrossed in his own thoughts.

"This is the one," called out Rabbi Elimelech delightedly. "Please, dear friend, tell me who are you and where you obtained this wonderful etrog?"

The man, looking somewhat startled and bewildered at this unexpected question, replied rather slowly, carefully choosing his words:

"With all due respect to you, Rabbi, it is quite a story. Do you wish to sit down and listen to it all?"

"Most certainly I do," answered Rabbi Elimelech emphatically, "I am sure it will be a story worth hearing!"

"My name," began the quiet-looking man, "is Uri, and I come from Strelisk. I have always regarded taking the "four kinds" on Sukkot as one of my favorite mitzvot, and so, although I am a poor man and could normally not afford to buy an etrog according to my desire, my young wife, who agrees with me as to its importance, helps me by hiring herself out as cook. Thus she is independent of any financial help from me, and I can use my own earnings for spiritual matters. I am employed as melamed (teacher) in the village of Yanev, which is not far from my native town. One half of my earnings I use for our needs and with the other half I buy an etrog in Lemberg. But in order not to spend any money on the journey I usually go on foot.

"This year, during the Ten Days of Repentance, I was making my way on foot as usual, with fifty gulden in my purse with which to buy an etrog, when on the road to Lemberg I passed through a forest and stopped at a wayside inn to have a rest. It was time for 'minchah' so I stood in a corner and davened minchah.

"I was in the middle of my prayers when I heard a terrible sound of moaning and groaning, as of one in great anguish. I hurriedly finished my davening so that I could find out what was the trouble, and if I could help in any way.

"As I turned towards the man who was in obvious distress, I beheld a most unusual and rough looking person, dressed in peasant garb with a whip in his hands, pouring out his troubles to the inn-keeper at the bar.

"From the somewhat confused story, between his sobs, I managed to gather that the man with the whip was a poor Jew who earned his living as a baal agallah (owner of a horse and cart for carting purposes). He had a wife and several children and he barely managed to earn enough to make ends meet. And now, a terrible calamity had be fallen him. His horse, without which he could do nothing, had suddenly collapsed in the forest not far from the inn, and just lay there unable to get up.

"I could not bear to see the man's despair and tried to encourage him, by telling him that he must not forget that there is a G-d above us who could help him in his trouble, however serious it seemed to him.

" 'I'll sell you another horse for fifty gulden, although I assure you he is worth at least eighty, but just to help you out in your difficulty!' " The inn-keeper was saying to the wagon driver.

" 'I haven't even fifty cents, and he tells me I can buy a horse for fifty gulden!' the man said bitterly.

"I felt I could not keep the money I had with me for an etrog when here was a man in such desperate plight that his very life and that of his family depended upon his getting a horse. So I said to the inn-keeper:

"'Tell me what is the lowest price you would take for your horse?'

"The inn-keeper turned to me in surprise. If you pay me on the spot, I will take forty-five gulden, but absolutely not a cent less. I am selling my horse at a loss as it is!'

"I immediately took out my purse and banded him forty-five gulden, the wagon driver looking on, his eyes nearly bulging out of their sockets in astonishment. He was just speechless with relief, and his joy was absolutely indescribable.

"'Now you see that the Almighty can help you, even when the situation appears to you to be entirely hopeless!' I said to him as he hurried off with the innkeeper to harness the newly-bought horse to his forsaken cart tied to the stricken horse in the forest.

"As soon as they went off, I hurriedly got my few things together and disappeared, as I did not want to be embarrassed by the thanks of the grateful wagon driver.

"I eventually reached Lemberg with the remaining five gulden in my pocket, and naturally had to content myself with buying a very ordinary looking but kosher etrog. Usually my etrog is the best in Yanev, and everyone used to come and make a blessing over it , but this year I was ashamed to return home with such a poor-looking specimen, so my wife agreed that I could come here to Lizensk, where nobody knew me."

"But my dear Rabbi Uri," cried out Rabbi Elimelech, now that the former had finished his story, "Yours is indeed an exceptional etrog. Now I realize why your etrog has the fragrance of the Garden of Eden in its perfume! Let me tell you the sequel to your story."

"When the wagon driver whom you saved thought about his unexpected good fortune, he decided that you must have been none other than the Prophet Elijah whom the Almighty had sent down to earth in the form of a man, in order to help him in his desperation. Having come to this conclusion the happy wagon driver looked for a way of expressing his gratitude to the Almighty, but the poor man knew not a Hebrew word, nor could he say any prayers. He racked his simple brain for the best way of thanksgiving.

"Suddenly his face lit up. He took his whip and lashed it into the air with all his might, crying out with all his being: 'Dear Father in Heaven, I love you very much! What can I do to convince you of my love for you? Let me crack my whip for you as a sign that I love you!' Saying which, the wagon driver cracked his whip into the air three times.

"On the eve of Yom Kippur, the Almighty up above was seated on His 'Seat of judgment,' listening to the first prayers of the Day of Atonement.

"Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev, who was acting as the Counsel for Defense on behalf of his fellow Jews, was pushing a wagon full of Jewish mitzvot to the Gates of Heaven, when Satan appeared and obstructed his path with piles of Jewish sins, so that Rabbi Levi Yitzchak just got stuck there. My brother Rabbi Zusha and I added our strength to help him move his wagon forward, but all in vain; even our combined efforts proved fruitless.

"Suddenly there came the sound of the cracking of a whip which rent the air, causing a blinding ray of light to appear, lighting up the whole universe, right up to the very heavens! There we saw the angels and all the righteous seated in a circle, singing G-d’s praise. On hearing the wagon driver's words as he cracked his whip in ecstasy, they responded: 'Happy is the King who is thus praised!'

"All at once, the Angel Michael appeared, leading a horse, followed by the wagon driver with whip in hand.

"The Angel Michael harnessed this horse to the wagon of mitzvot, and the wagon driver cracked his whip. Suddenly the wagon gave a lurch forward, flattening the piles of sins that had been obstructing the way, and drove it smoothly and easily right up to the Throne of Honor. There the King of Kings received it most graciously and, rising from the Seat of judgment, went over and seated Himself on the Seat of Mercy. A happy New Year was assured."

"And now dear Rabbi Uri" concluded Rabbi Elimelech, "you see that all this came about through your noble action. Go home, and be a leader in Israel! For you have proved your worthiness, and you shall carry with you the approval of the Heavenly Court. But before you go, permit me to hold this wonderful etrog of yours, and praise G-d with it."

Recognition

The primary theme of Rosh Hashanah, as mentioned last week, is to make G-d our king. Deciding whether to serve Him as our King. On Yom Kippur, however, we focus now on the next step: how we serve G-d.



There was once a King who had a favorite adviser, who was Jewish. The other gentile advisers were very jealous of him. So they plotted to slander him to the King. They knew that the Jew had told the king how much money he owned, which was different to the true amount, so they informed the king of this lie. Upon hearing this, the king called his favorite advisor and gave him a chance to set the record straight. “I have $2,000 dinars,” said the Jewish adviser. “I’m surprised,” said the king. “I heard that you’re worth 10,000 dinars.” “2,000”, reiterated the Jew. “I’m shocked and angered by your lies!” said the king. “I will have all your possessions taken from you, and you will be sent to prison.” As the Jew was being led out, the king stopped him and said: “I have one question I want to ask you. How could you lie like that to me? I’ve always trusted you!” The Jew responded: “I didn’t lie. The 2,000 dinars I said that I owned, refers to the 2,000 dinars I’ve given to tzedaka, charity, during this past year. That money is mine. The rest of the money isn’t mine. And the proof is that you’re able to take it from me whenever you want! So was it ever really mine?” The king was very impressed, and released his adviser.

We sing, we dance, we speak and we think. But to whom do these abilities & talents really belong to? A brilliant musician, a pretty face, an intelligent mind; all that one has is really just a gift, one that was given & can be taken at any time. Our very bodies, our speech; all is a gift. Yom Kippur is an opportune time to think about all that we have. And to realize that, if I've gotten everything from Him, how have I repaid Him? Do I still feel comfortable with how I’ve treated Him back? On Yom Kippur, we don’t think about our sins all day, dwelling on the negative. Rather, we think about our relationship with G-d. Considering all that He does for me, is there perhaps more that I could be doing to reciprocate in my relationship with Him? Acting in consonance with the truth that all that I have is a free gift, given for a purpose? My brain, mouth, heart, eyes, hands - are on loan to be utilized in a positive direction; a direction that the one who gave it to me in the 1st place would be proud of.

Let's use out this special 24 hr. time slot, when the power on high shines down on our souls, awakening our natural connection to the Giver of all life. Let's choose a small moment during the incessant prayer period & tiresome fasting, to reflect on all the good that we have and how we can improve. G-d isn't looking down sternly at us. He is smiling at us, at the efforts we make to be good in spite of tough challenges. At the efforts we make to stay connected to Judaism even after all of these years of exile. Let's take advantage and reconnect, infusing in ourselves the spiritual power to succeed in the coming year.
May you have an easy fast and a sweet year! And please forgive me if I have wronged you in any way.

-Daniel

A King Without a Crown

In 2005, Hasidic Reggae singer Matisyahu had his breakthrough
with the hit song "King without a crown," which reached #28 on the Billboard Hot 100 list. What most radio listeners didn't realize, is that the song centers on a deeply significant theme that is the underlying message of the Rosh Hashana holiday.


Rosh Hashana & Yom Kippur center around a few major ideas. We pray to G-d, asking to be inscribed for a good & sweet year, materially and spiritually; for ourselves, our family, and for all of Israel. We repent for our mistakes of the past year, asking forgiveness from G-d and from our fellow man whom we may have hurt. But one theme, according to Jewish mysticism, stands above the rest: Appointing G-d as our king.

The Rosh Hashanah service (besides for being long ) centers around the sounding of the shofar. Often likened to the cry of a young child to his parents, the shofar blasts also symbolize the coronation of G-d as King; much like trumpets at the anointing ceremonies of old. The obvious question arises: HOW can lowly us, fashioned by G-d out of dust, possibly have the ability to anoint the Infinite G-d as our King? Imagine you walked into your back yard one afternoon. You spot a small anthill and, walking up to it, announce proudly that you are king of this great ant nation. How absurd! To be a true king, one has to have a nation; one that is close to you in level, but subservient and devoted. So how can we anoint G-d as King?

The answer is very simple, and very powerful: We can anoint G-d as our king because we are close to Him. When G-d Created each speck of creation, from the angels in the highest of heavens to the lowest creatures of the sea bed, the Torah says: "He Spoke." G-d Used speech. But when He created man & woman, the Torah says G-d "Blew" a soul into their bodies. This is all metaphorical, but a clear difference between speech & a deep breath is clearly symbolized here: One can speak for hours & hours without pause, because one uses his external breath with a minimum output. A deep breath comes from the innermost depths of a person, and therefore leaves him quite breathless. When G-d created each of us, placing our precious, individual souls in our bodies, He had a nation that was close to Him, albeit on a hidden level. On Rosh Hashanah, we work to reveal that inner soul & return the crown to the King, asking Him to be our beloved King for another year. It's lovely to have such a great king, especially when you are His prince or princess.

May you & your family have an amazingly sweet year, filled with abundant blessings physically, materially, and spiritually, in all areas of good! If I have wronged you in any way, please forgive me :)
Shana Tovah!

-Daniel

The Secret

If you know of a Jewish boy or girl living in San Diego, aged anywhere from 11-18, who may benefit from our Bar or Bat Mitzvah Clubs, Hebrew High, or community service & social events for this upcoming year, please let me know :)
~~~
This week's Torah portion, Nitzavim, always reminds me of an amazing story recounted by Rabbi Benjamin Blech in the last chapter of his book, 'If G-d is so good, why is the world so bad?' He describes a chance meeting he once had with a Jewish mystic that forever changed his life....


He was visiting Israel when a friend told him that there was someone very special that he wanted him to meet. A saintly scholar who lived in the holy city of Tzfat, in northern Israel. When he met him, the man revealed to him a mystical "secret" of the Torah, but on two conditions: that this secret not be revealed publicly until he informed Rabbi Blech that the time was ripe, and that he never reveal his identity, disturbing his lifelong pursuit of anonymity. This secret had a great effect on the Rabbi's life & view of the world, but he never divulged it to anyone. Years passed, until one day the mystic called the Rabbi and said simply: "Now is the time."

What was the "secret"? The mystic called it the "secret of sentences." Said the mystic: "Know that the verses in the 5 books of Moses, the Torah, correspond to the years of history. Every major event of all times will have some allusion to it, direct or indirect..." Rabbi Blech was doubtful. So he said, "what about the state of Israel?" Israel became a state in 1948; in the Jewish calendar, 1948 is the year 5708 (in a week from now, on Rosh Hashana, we will be entering year 5772). Painstakingly, Rabbi Blech began counting from the 1st verse, Bereishit, describing the creation of the world. When he reached the 5,708th verse, it was Deuteronomy 30:3 (this week's Torah portion): "And the L-rd your G-d will turn your captivity and have compassion on you, and will return and gather you from all the peoples where the L-rd your G-d has scattered you." Shocked, Rabbi Blech's finger moved 3 verses back, to the verse corresponding to the secular year 1945, the last year of the holocaust. "The secret things belong to the L-rd our G-d; and the things that are revealed to us and our children forever are to do all the words of this Law."
At the end of the day, G-d is wiser than we are. As the 11th-century sage, Bachya Ibn Pakuda said: "If we could understand G-d we would be G-d." Like our response to everyday troubles, we must remember this verse, that G-d has a good intention for us, even if we don't immediately understand (see last week's email :) G-d's love for us is constant, and will never change, no matter how hard that is to see with our physical eyes.

After I read this chapter, I decided to look up one last event, the miraculous victories by Israel in 1967 (5727). Israel conquered the west bank of the Jordan, Judea & Samaria, but halted there, not entering Jordan proper. The 5,727th verse in the Torah states: "(Moses) said to them, 'I am 120 years old today; I can no longer go out and come in, for Hashem has said to me, 'You shall not cross this Jordan.'" Wow. Now, I don't think we can predict events through this, and I don't think we can even identify very many past events. What we do see though, is that the Torah isn't an ordinary book. It is our guide to life. A sacred, G-dly book that contains all that we need to know & do in life, like an instruction manual or blueprint - our life's road map. It has stayed the cornerstone of our people for thousands of years, through thick & thin, for good reason.

May we approach these high holidays with an inspired feeling toward G-d & His special Torah! Shabbat Shalom!

-Daniel

Sweet Intentions

"No evil descends from above." - (Shelah P. 106B)


This week's Torah portion, Ki Tavo, is one of the few places in Torah where the Jewish People are told of "curses" that will befall us if we don't keep the Torah & Mitzvot that G-d Commands us. It ain't pretty folks. But Jewish Mysticism teaches, that Torah contains layer upon layer of meaning. And that in this case, these are not curses at all, but rather blessings in disguise, for "no evil ever descends from above." It may appear to be a curse, but it's really a great blessing.

There's a famous story brought down in the Talmud (Berachot 60b) that involves the great Rabbi Akiva. One afternoon, he was traveling on the road, and the sun began to set. He entered a nearby town and searched for a house to stay the night. One by one, he was refused! But Rabbi Akiva's mood was not shaken. "Kol ma she'asah Hakadosh Baruch Hu, l'tovah oseh - All that G-d does, He does for the good," he said. So Rabbi Akiva left the city walls and found a place in the nearby field to sleep. He had with him, as per usual, his donkey, his rooster (which would crow & awaken him at midnight for his special prayers of lamentation), and his lamp (which he would light in order to learn). As night fell upon him, Rabbi Akiva lit his lamp and began to learn. All of a sudden, out of nowhere, he heard a loud noise as a lion came and pounced on his donkey, killing it and dragging it away! Shaken, Rabbi Akiva barely had a minute to recover, when a cat came and dragged his rooster away. If that wasn't enough, a strong gust of wind followed shortly thereafter, blowing out his flame and leaving him in total darkness. Rabbi Akiva smiled & said: "All that G-d does, He does for the good."

The next morning, upon awakening, Rabbi Akiva walked to the town and saw a startling scene. It was clear that the night before, the town had been ransacked by a hoard of bandits! The whole place was pillaged and destroyed! If he had slept there the night before, he would have been attacked. And if his donkey or rooster hadn't been eaten, or his light not extinguished, the bandits would have surely noticed him & captured him.

There is always good hidden in the "bad" things that happen in life. Most of us are not as lucky as Rabbi Akiva to be able to see the fruit that blossoms from the bad event. But it's there. Ultimately, we can & should ask G-d that all that happens to us should be revealed good, and trust that it will be so. Not merely good that's hidden within bad. That's called bitachon - trust. Emunah - faith, is believing that after the fact, even the apparent bad was really for the best. That there's a good reason behind it, and that good will sprout forth from it.

May we only see good, and merit to see the ultimate goodness with the coming of Mashiach, when all the bad that has happened to us & all of our people throughout history, will be shown to somehow have been all for the best.

Shabbat Shalom!

-Daniel

A Child's Love

As we near the "high holidays", especially those of Rosh Hashana & Yom Kippur, many people start to feel a bit of apprehension, looking at these "judgement" days as serious and heavy. While it's true that these days are especially holy times to connect to G-d, repent for past misdeeds, and make up to do better the coming year, perhaps it would be better to take a step back & look at this time from a different perspective.

As any father of a teenage child will tell you, coming home from work isn't the same as it used to be. "When my son was young, he used to greet me with such enthusiasm and joy when I returned home. As soon as my key had entered the keyhole of the front door, I would here his voice scream: "Daddy's home!"
Now when I come home, he barely looks up at me. Perhaps he'll mutter a "hi." One time I overheard him on the phone talking to his friend: "When my dad comes home, it's so annoying! I have to be careful of what I do, I have to hide anything bad..." My heart dropped. Here I was, working hard so that my family could have a good life. If I get involved in my son's life, it's not for MY good. I'm doing it for him!"

Perhaps it wouldn't hurt to forget for a second the laws & commandments of Judaism. Even though G-d isn't only telling us to do them for His sake, but rather for our sake as well; to benefit us spiritually & even physically. Rather, as we approach the high holidays, let's try and remember the original connection our souls have with G-d, arousing that pure, uncomplicated love. Like a child's feeling of joy & love when he hears the key in the door, let us reconnect & arouse the natural love & joy we have for our father.
He only wants the best for us.

Shabbat Shalom!

-Daniel

A Return to the Palace

We have just entered the Hebrew month of 'Elul.' Elul is the month that precedes Tishrei, the month that includes the high holidays of Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot. The Jewish Mystics liken Rosh Hashanah to a time when the simple people of the villages come to crown the great king in his palace. But in the month of Elul, it's the King himself who comes to the field to visit His people. In a spiritual sense, G-d Reveals Himself to our souls and Draws our hearts a bit closer to Him during this month. As Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi wrote in the 1700's: A King decides to leave his palace, leave his large city, and enter the fields where the simple farmers work. There, all are able to come and meet the King, who embraces them with a shining and happy countenance.

This month, every person is given a special opportunity & ability to connect to G-d; to get more in touch, if we want, with our Judaism and Spiritual sides in a much easier fashion than usual. This experience of re-connecting with G-d is known as Teshuva. Improperly translated into English as repentance, it really means to return. As hard as it is to imagine in the materialistic reality we live in today, the natural state of our souls, of us, is one of being close to G-d, in touch with our spiritual selves. So when we leave that, and deny our spiritual sides, we have left our true state. Tapping into a higher reality (through prayer, learning, contemplation, charity & good deeds), therefore, is merely a return to one's true state of being.

Enjoy this month of return!
Shabbat Shalom!

-Daniel

The Nature of Nature

There is a beautiful saying attributed to one of the great Chassidic Rabbis of the 18th century: "To try and gain insight into the soul of a painter, one must intensely study his painting.
So too, to gain insight into G-d, one must discern Him in nature and the world He has Created."


It's known that children constantly wonder, often out loud, at the world around them. "Why's the sky blue?" "Where does the sun go at night?" "Why do I have 5 toes?" But as we grow older, most tend to lose their wonderment and awe when seeing their surroundings. That's because we've become used to what we see. It's all just "Nature." And nature means that what we see is a constant that doesn't really change much; it has a pattern. Flowers grow in the spring, leaves change color in the fall, snow falls in the winter. But how come we often ignore the designer behind the design called "earth"?

The Hebrew word for nature is teva. The Hebrew word for something connotes its function, its inner truth. "Teva" in Hebrew also means "sunken" or "drowning." The revelation of G-d is hidden in nature; sunk. Like an object that sinks into water, out of sight and submerged, G-d too is hard to discern in the world He has formed.

How can one remedy this situation? We've grown up, and simply aren't as astounded or even interested in perceiving more beyond the "nature" we see. I recently read an interesting meditation or contemplation that I found very insightful & helpful. The author asks: When you see something in nature - whether it be a flower, a tree, a grape cluster or anything else, do you immediately label it, naming it in your head? Of course we do. Our minds instinctively classify the thing that we see, and we move on to something else, unimpressed. "That's a hummingbird. That's a wheat field and those are stalks." Try, the author says, to start training yourself to not label things. See the flower, and say: "what's that green thing with purple on top & yellow in the middle?" "That thing gliding through the air is pretty strange..." By not labeling, we allow ourselves to appreciate the unique and brilliant beauty of design in each thing we see, without passing it over and classifying it as the same thing we already "know."

May you have a restful and tranquil Shabbat, full of marvel at the art which is this world, gaining insight into its Infinitely profound artist.

Shabbat Shalom!

-Daniel

Predicting the Unthinkable

The most famous book of all time is... the Torah (barely beating out Harry Potter & The Da Vinci Code). Translated into innumerable languages, the Torah is the foundation from where Monotheism spread throughout the Pagan world. Full of lessons, dramatic events and wars, the Torah describes the birth and journey of the Jewish People, culminating in the passing of their leader Moshe as they stand ready
to enter the land of Israel. The future events of the Jewish People are documented in the next 19 books of Prophets and Writings. One of the most fascinating aspects of the Torah is its uncanny ability to predict future events (I guess when a book has an Infinitely great author as the Torah has with G-d, that helps with predictions). These days, Jews worldwide are reading the book of Devarim, known in English as Deuteronomy. Here we find some amazing predictions, as seen here where Moses speaks to the Jewish People before his death:


"I will not cross the Jordan. You, however, will cross, and you will possess this good land. Beware, lest you forget the covenant of the Lord your God, which He made with you... I call as witness against you this very day the heaven and the earth, that you will speedily and utterly perish from the land to which you cross the Jordan, to possess; you will not prolong your days upon it... And the L-rd will scatter you among the peoples, and you will remain few in number among the nations to where the L-rd will lead you... And from there you will seek the L-rd your G-d, and you will find Him, if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul. When you are distressed, and all these things happen upon you in the end of days, then you will return to the L-rd your G-d and obey Him.

For ask now regarding the early days that were before you, since the day that G-d created man upon the earth, and from one end of the heavens to the other end of the heavens, whether there was anything like this great thing, or was the likes of it heard? For the L-rd your G-d is a merciful G-d; He will not let you loose or destroy you; neither will He forget the covenant of your fathers, which He swore to them. Did ever a people hear G-d's voice speaking out of the midst of the fire as you have heard, and live? Or has any god performed miracles to come and take him a nation from the midst of a[nother] nation, with trials, with signs, and with wonders, and with war and with a strong hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with great awesome deeds, as all that the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes? You have been shown, in order to know that the L-rd He is G-d; there is none else besides Him." (Devarim, 4:22-35)

~~~

Statistically, the Jewish People should account for over a Billion people. While the Chinese & other ancient peoples grew exponentially over the last 3,000 years, the Jewish People (b/c of constant attack) stayed at a remarkably even, small number, today marked at around 14 million, thank G-d. And as small as we stayed, throughout it all, we were never destroyed. History has shown that when a people/culture lose their land & language; are severely persecuted and killed, they don't remain a distinct people. And why have we been able to survive retain our identity? Not through Hebrew (Jews spoke Yiddish and Ladino, etc.) and not through the Land of Israel (we were gone for almost 2,000 yrs.). Rather, it has been through our connection to the Torah & its Commandments. And we did so for good reason. Because the giving of the Torah to the Jewish People was the single event in history where G-d Revealed Himself to an entire nation. "Did ever a people hear G-d's voice speaking...?" Has held true throughout the ages and hundreds of religions that surfaced. That strong tradition passed down from the original witnesses to G-d's Revelation, kept the future Jewish People determined and strong throughout all of the persecution and dispersion.

May we continue the tradition of connecting our lives to Torah & its Mitzvot, and may we all experience the ultimate prophecy of the final redemption, speedily in our days!

Shabbat Shalom!

{To read a detailed account of the incredible prophecies fulfilled through the Jewish people in History, see here}

-Daniel

Mission Accomplished

Hi there, hope you've had a meaningful week, and that an uplifting Shabbat awaits you. This week's Torah Portion is entitled "Va'etchanan", which means "And he implored." This refers to the many requests of Moses to G-d to grant him entry into the Land of Israel together with his people. In fact, the numerical equivalent of the Hebrew word Va'etchanan is 515, which our Sages say is the number of times Moses implored G-d to enter the land, but was refused. It was, sadly, not meant to be.
Instead, G-d told Moses to ascend the mountain "Nevo" in the Jordan Valley, adjacent to the Israeli town of Jericho. There G-d Showed Moses the entire land, from north to south. Our Sages say that G-d also showed Moses all of the future events that would happen to the Jewish People in the future; the good & the bad.

After Moses gazed into Israel & the future, it was time for his soul to depart. As sad as it is to lose our great leader, the shepherd of the Jewish People, the description of his death is incredible. The Midrash describes the last day of his life, ending with: '...At that moment, G-d Called to Moshe's soul and said to her: "My daughter, I assigned you one hundred and twenty years in Moshe's body. Now the time has come for you to depart. Emerge and do not delay." She [Moshe's soul] responded: "Master of the Universe, I know that You are the Master of all spirits and the Master of all souls. You created me and You placed me in Moshe's body for 120 years. And now, is there a body in this world more pure than that of Moshe? I love him and I do not wish to depart from him!"
G-d answered: "Emerge, and I shall take you up to the highest of heavens and seat you beneath the throne of My glory, near the cherubs and serafim." Then, G-d kissed Moshe and took his soul with a kiss.'

As fascinating and moving an account this is of G-d & Moses, I think we can also be inspired and learn a few lessons
in our own lives. Generally we look at this life as all that there is. And for good reason! This is all that we see & know, touch and feel. And not only that, but Judaism strongly emphasizes that we live this human life to the fullest, engaging our physical surroundings and uplifting it in the process. But ultimately, we have to remember that we are just visitors. Souls from Heaven on a mission. As sad as death is, it is merely a return; to an even loftier level than where we began. Let's try & live life down here with the constant awareness that we come from up there. And then our life here will better reflect our mission at hand - to make this world a heavenly place.

And may we merit the day when all of those who passed, with Moses at their head, come back to life and lead us all back to the land of Israel, with Mashiach now.

Shabbat Shalom!

-Daniel

The World's Heart

In the past weeks, we've discussed concepts relating to the 'Beit Hamikdash' - the temple in Jerusalem. True, Judaism emphasizes that it is of vital importance to always remember the temple and its destruction, even at the most joyous of times (think of the breaking of the glass cup at weddings). However, there is a special time to focus on the temple and how we need it back. It is known as the "3 weeks," which culminates in the 9th day of the Hebrew month of "Av" (this Mon. Night - Tues. Night), a day where Jews worldwide fast; spending the day in prayer, and reflecting on the Temple and its destruction.

Many people may have a problem with this idea. A very obvious question may arise. Aren't there more important things to worry about in this world!? Stuff that's a tad bit more important than a house with sacrifices, incense offerings, and music? The world is full of calamities and sadness!
Tsunamis, earthquakes, crime, depression. Let's just focus our energy and emotion toward asking G-d for a cure to these ills of the world! Why waste so much time & devotion toward petitioning for the rebuilding of this structure in Israel?

Our Sages approach this question with a simple analogy.
"A human being is a miniature world."
Imagine an ailing person who goes to the doctor, complaining of pain in his legs & left arm. He also has a headache and back pain. Exasperated, he turns to the doctor for the diagnosis. "It's your heart," he says. "Once we cure the damage in your heart and heal its ability to pump blood sufficiently throughout your body, your other ailments will instantly cease."

The holy temple in Jerusalem was the heart of the world. The spiritual driving force. The source for the pain and confusion, disharmony and sadness in the world, is the heart. The world needs a temple to be healthy and happy. We need G-d to be Revealed to us. "Evil" can only exist where G-d Hides His Face. Once revealed, all negativity falls away.

We are taught that on the Shabbat before the 9th day of Av, the temple appears to us as a vision in our sleep. May we see the temple while awake, in all of its glory, speedily in our days! :)

-Daniel
P.S. To see my interview from CNN last year on the 9th of Av at the Western Wall, see here