Counting Diamonds

"Count the heads of all the congregation of the children of Israel, by families following their fathers' houses" (Numbers,1:2).

Because of G-d's great love for His people, He counts them all the time. He counted them when they left Egypt. He counted them after they fell in the wake of the sin of the Golden Calf, to know the number of the survivors. And He counted them when He came to manifest His presence within them. (Rashi, commenting on this verse)

Every Sunday in his later years (from the age of 86-92 yrs. old), the Rebbe - Menachem Mendel Schneerson, would stand for hours on end, greeting all comers with a smile and an encouraging word, as well as a dollar to be given to charity. An elderly lady once remarked to him in wonder, "Rebbe, how can you do this? Don't you ever get tired standing for hours on end at your age?" The Rebbe responded: "One never gets tired when counting diamonds."

Unfortunately, most of us see the mud which covers up the diamond more often than not. It takes much self refinement and character improvement to be able to see good in another beyond any bad. Since the sin of Adam & Eve, the body supersedes the soul from our human viewpoint, making it much more difficult to see the soul of another; the inner good. There's "Me, Myself, and I" and then everyone else. Our job then is to become less inward focused and more sensitive to others, for each is a diamond of immense, unique value.

When looking at a star from earth, it looks the same as all of the others. But if we were to get a closer look, we would see the special, distinct quality of that unique star. So too with every person we meet. First glances may leave much to be desired, but if we make the effort to get to know the person, peering deeper, we may find a diamond inside.

Shabbat Shalom!

-Rabbi Daniel

The NFL Draft

Yesterday and today, 32 million people (I'm guessing mostly males) were glued to their televisions, watching the NFL Draft (National Football League), where the top College football players are selected by one of the 32 professional teams. What lessons can we learn from a sport not known for its sensitivity and refinement?

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I once read an op-ed in Sports Illustrated about NFL quarterback Jake Plummer. In 2007, at 32 years of age and healthy, the All-Pro Plummer was on track to make $5 million for the coming season. And then he retired. Just like that. Why leave the average American male's dream? To spend more time with family & enjoy life.

Plummer had a teammate with a fascinating life story, named Pat Tillman. Tillman also left football at the prime of his career; but for a different reason. He left to serve his country, enlisting in the army. He was soon sent off to Afghanistan, and was tragically killed in 2004. At his funeral, Plummer had this to say:

I was in the store the other day, and I saw PEOPLE magazine, and it had the cover of the 50 most beautiful people in the world, or in America, and there was a picture of Pat. It was kind of ironic because I really looked and said, What is beauty? Is beauty a pretty face, a nice smile, flowing hair, nice skin? Not to me, it's not. To me beauty is living life to higher standards, stronger morals and ethics and believing in them, whether people tell you you're right or wrong. Beauty is not wasting a day. Beauty is noticing life's little intricacies and taking time out of your busy day to really enjoy those little intricacies. Beauty is being real, being genuine, being pure with no facade - what you see is what you get. Beauty is expanding your mind, always seeking knowledge, not being content, always going after something and challenging yourself."

Such true words. I don't know if I could have this clarity if I was worshiped by millions of adoring fans, immersed in fame and fortune. Real beauty is not transient. It does not wrinkle or fade. When one dies, his muscles and wealth don't accompany him, but his Torah & good deeds do. "Beauty is living life to higher standards, not wasting a day, noticing life's intricacies, expanding your mind, not being content." Let's take advantage of every day.

True Freedom

This Monday night, we begin celebrating the 8-day holiday of Passover by having the seder, a meal full of symbols and stories commemorating the exodus of the Jewish nation from Egypt, thousands of years ago. One year, soon after World War II and the atrocities of the holocaust, there was a call from many Jewish groups in America for families to "leave an empty seat at your seder" as a remembrance for those who had perished. The Lubavitcher Rebbe encouraged families to indeed commemorate their memories, but in an active way: Fill an empty seat with another Jew at your seder. Include someone in the holiday, inspiring their connection to their heritage - this is the best response to Hitler. As we celebrate with each other this Monday and Tuesday, what's the spiritual significance of this ancient holiday that we should be cognizant of?

Jewish Mysticism teaches an incredible idea about our Holidays, Shabbat, and time itself. When you look at your past and future, visualizing it in your mind, do you see it as a timeline, going as if from left to right? Many do. Some look at it as if it's behind and in front (which can be very positive for embracing your future and moving on from your past). Judaism describes reality similar to an upward spiral, where a certain date is perfectly aligned above the same point from the year before, going all the way back to the beginning of time. This means that the spiritual energy present on that date originally, is every year re-infused reality again.

The Hebrew name for Passover is Pesach, which literally means to leap forward. When the Jewish People left Egypt, outwardly it was a group of people leaving a physical location in North Africa. But the spiritual energy present is much deeper. Egypt in Hebrew is Mitzrayim; limitations in Hebrew is Maytzarim. This is a pocket in time where freedom from our personal "Egypts" is attainable. Each of us have Egypts of limitation within ourselves we must free ourselves from, that stop us from being the best we can be. Sadness, self esteem, anger, impatience, spiritual numbness. This explains why there is such a fixation in Jewish liturgy on the exodus from Egypt, as it says: "In every generation, and in every day, a Jew must recall the leaving of Egypt." On Pesach 2014, let us tune into the special energy of the night - the ability to leave and transcend any and all limitations in our lives. God wants what's best for us; we just have to give it our best and have trust.

Most importantly, make sure to have a very happy Passover! "And you shall rejoice in your festival" (Deuteronomy 16:12).