Living On

This writing is dedicated to a special soul, Gabriel Nussbaum, whose soul left this physical plane of existence to return to his soul's original home. May your family find comfort and only good, and may your soul enjoy the radiance of G-d's glory until you are re-united with us soon with the coming of Moshiach speedily in our days


This week's Torah portion is called Vayechi - "And He Lived", which actually chronicles the passing of our forefather Jacob and his son Joseph in Egypt.
Why then is this Torah portion entitled "And he lived!?" The Lubavitcher Rebbe once explained this as follows: We only attain true life when our ideals live on in those around us. When Jacob, in his final years, saw his family in Egypt living lives loyal to the values he lived with, this proved he had lived life the right way. The Talmud goes as far as to say: "Our forefather Jacob never died." (Ta'anit 5a) Since his ideals lived on in his family and the future Jewish people, he lived on through them. And this was only possible because he had lived his ideals so powerfully as to implant them in those who learned from him. Gabe's love, kindness, joy for life and empathy for others must be continued by us. In us he will live on.

On his deathbed, Jacob gathers his family and gives each one a blessing. Significantly, Jacob blesses his forth son Yehuda (Judah) with the blessing that the kingship will never leaves his descendants. Indeed, King David, Solomon, and ultimately Moshiach, the final redeemer, all descend from Yehuda. How come Reuven, Jacob's firstborn, wasn't given this blessing? Sure, he messed up earlier in the Torah, but so did Yehuda. Reuven was a very holy and good man! What was it about Yehuda that stood out to be blessed with such a momentous blessing? Not only that, but Yehuda keeps taking the lead in the stories that follow, hinting that there must be something special about Yehuda, something we can learn from for our lives today.

When Joseph was about to be killed by his brothers (it's a long story), it was actually Reuven who stepped up and stopped his brothers! He had Joseph thrown in a pit, and the Torah states that Reuven intended to save him from there later when the brothers had left. But soon after, Yehuda speaks up and tells the brothers it isn't right to kill Joseph. So they sell him to a caravan of Ishmaelites, down to Egypt and the rest is history. But where was Reuven? Didn't he want to save Joseph? And yet he was nowhere to be found! The Midrash teaches us that Reuven "was occupied with his sackcloth and fasting." Nine years after he had sinned against his father, the extremely spiritually sensitive Reuven was still repenting with remorse over his wrongdoing. That seems pretty good, right? Reuven intended to do good with Joseph, and was busy with spirtually good actions!

But here we are taught a profound lesson in life. Yehuda was chosen over Reuven, not because he was necessarily loftier spiritually or morally. But he was a man of action. He didn't merely have good intentions (if at all!), but he acted. In reality, he saved Joseph's life from his brothers. Yes, Reuven had even better intentions. But they were just that - intentions. Often we mean well; we want to do well to others. But how many of us do? This applies to many areas of life. I may love my father or mother, my son or daughter, but do I ever show it? I may feel bad for that person, but do I do anything about it? I may love G-d, but do I ever do things that he asks of me? Pure, good intentions are important and do mean something. But we have to make sure they don't stay intentions, for the power of a good action can't be matched; it's good, no matter what. Judaism emphasizes the importance of deed, above all else. Sometimes we need to sacrifice our good, even to give up on spiritual betterment, to help another person practically. In a physical world which we are trying to form into a dwelling place for G-d, it's the proper physical actions that actually have the most affect on the world around us, and are most pleasing to G-d.

And sometimes our one deed has ripple effects that we can't possibly have imagined possible. Just like if you want to create a nuclear explosion, all you need to do is split a single atom, which can set in motion a chain reaction in billions of other atoms and transform the face of the earth over an area of many square miles, how much more so in the realm of good! Yehuda made a difference, through his courage and action. Gabriel did the same through his love and friendship. Let's emulate them both in our lives ahead, and change the world around us for the better. Each of us is allotted a certain amount of minutes, hours, and days on this earth to complete our specific missions in this world. Let's take advantage of the time we have.

Shabbat Shalom!

-Daniel

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