For A Piece of Bread

In this week's Torah portion, Korach, we read about a man who was dissatisfied with Moses and Aaron as the leaders of the Jewish people. Unlike other religious writings, the Torah is unique in its criticism of its "heroes." Moses and the Jewish people constantly mess up, and this is highlighted. There isn't much "sugar coating" going on. But as in life, it is important that one recognize the special qualities of those around us. Yes, Korach rebelled, but his sons repented.

Yes, the Jewish people constantly complained and rebelled, but they also displayed immense faith and trust in G-d by following his commands, like wandering into the dessert toward a distant Israel with barely food or drink. They displayed immense loyalty while enslaved in Egypt, keeping their language, Hebrew names & clothing in a foreign, threatening environment. Indeed, nations claim that G-d has turned his back on the Jewish people because we are "stiff-necked", yet it is precisely because of our "stiff necks" - our stubbornness and unwavering loyalty to the truth, that has ensured our remaining a distinct nation, the trusted nation of G-d and his Torah.



Simon Wiesenthal, the famous Nazi-hunter, once spoke at a conference of European rabbis in Bratislava, Slovakia. The rabbis presented the 91-year-old Wiesenthal with an award, and he, visibly moved, told them the following story.

It was in Mauthausen, shortly after liberation. The camp was visited by Rabbi Eliezer Silver, head of Agudat Harabbanim (Union of Orthodox Rabbis of North America), on a mission to offer aid and comfort to the survivors. Rabbi Silver also organized a special service, and he invited Wiesenthal to join the other survivors in prayer. Wiesenthal declined, and explained why.

“In the camp,” Wiesenthal said to Rabbi Silver, “there was one religious man who somehow managed to smuggle in a siddur (prayer book). At first, I greatly admired the man for his courage—that he’d risked his life in order to bring the siddur in. But the next day I realized, to my horror, that this man was ‘renting out’ this siddur to people in exchange for food. People were giving him their last piece of bread for a few minutes with the prayerbook. This man, who was very thin and emaciated when the whole thing started, was soon eating so much that he died before everyone else—his system couldn’t handle it.”

He continued: “If this is how religious Jews behave, I’m not going to have anything to do with a prayer book.” As Wiesenthal turned to walk away, Rabbi Silver touched him on the shoulder and gently said in Yiddish, “Du dummer (you silly man). Why do you look at the Jew who used his siddur to take food out of starving people’s mouths? Why don’t you look at the many Jews who gave up their last piece of bread in order to be able to use a siddur? That’s faith. That’s the true power of the siddur.” Rabbi Silver then embraced him. “I went to the services the next day,” said Wiesenthal.

This beautiful true story illustrates the importance of seeing the good in each other, focusing on the positive. May we always succeed in seeing the good in our fellow Jew, which as our Sages say, is the ultimate source for bringing Moshiach.

Shabbat Shalom!

-Daniel

Peering Beyond the Surface

B"H

~Since I'm heading to Northern Israel tomorrow for the weekend festivities of ''Lag B'omer,''
this week's email is coming a bit earlier than usual. Have a happy Lag B'omer this Sunday!~
------


In Montreal there lives a distinguished kabbalist & author named Rabbi Zev Wolf Greenglass.
He once recounted a personal event which helped change his life:

"Many years ago, in the early 1940's, I was traveling through a certain town in Russia.
Needing a place to stay over for the night, I found a Chabad Yeshiva (school of Torah learning) and asked a student there if there
was perhaps a room available to sleep in. "No problem," a student told me. "My roommate is away at a wedding. You can take his bed."
Thankfully I was led to his room and proceeded straight to bed.

In the middle of the night, I woke up to use the restroom. As I arose from bed, I saw an amazing sight.
There on the floor was sleeping the boy who had offered me his "roommate's" bed!
I was a complete stranger to him. But knowing I was a fellow Jew who needed a place to sleep, the boy had simply given his bed to me.
When I woke up early the next morning, the boy was gone. He knew I'd have felt bad to have known I'd taken his bed."
"This selfless love," Rabbi Greenglass concluded, "is what drew me to Chassidism."

~~~~~~

Truly caring for a stranger is no easy feat. It is perhaps the hardest character trait to integrate into one's life.
Why? Because of our natural egos, our self centered outlooks. Each of us naturally feels ourselves and our life situation & feelings.
Only after getting to know someone, can one hope to say: "Wow, he has feelings too. There's actually something behind those facial muscles. There's another human being."
There's a soul in that body.

The same holds true in our relationship with G-d.
We don't see the true Him. All we see is His world and the events and creations in it, his outer garments, His "Facial expressions."
The Real Him is Hidden.
But just as one has to work on sensitizing oneself to perceive the inner workings, the soul, of another human being,
one must also work to sensitize oneself to connect to the inner soul of the universe - G-d. And it ain't easy.
Oftentimes we tend to speak at one another, rather than to another. The focus is on me. It's quite an unpleasant feeling for the listener.
How often in prayer, or when performing a mitzvah, am I actually connecting/speaking to G-d? Connecting to the real Him behind it all?
"Baruch atoh Hashem..." Blessed are You Hashem.

The next time we say these words, let's try and say them to G-d, to create that One-on-one bond that's there to be strengthened.
And may we be successful in sensitizing our perspectives; to be able to look beyond the masks of our fellow beings,
and beyond the mask of G-d.

Have a great rest of your week & Shabbat Shalom!

-Daniel
Jerusalem

From Love 2 Redemption

B"H

I Hope all is well; I'm "camp counseling" in Running Springs, CA for

a month which is hard but very rewarding. CGIUPhigh.com for pictures :)

We are now amidst the 9 days of mourning for the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem which existed about 2,000 yrs. ago. In the yr. 70 c.e. the 2nd and last temple was destroyed by the Romans, and we Jews entered "galut"-exile across thew world. For what reason was the holy temple destroyed? The "Beit Hamikdash" in which G-d Dwelled?

Our Rabbis explain, that Hashem destroyed the temple b/c of "sinat chinam"-baseless hatred, of 1 Jew to another. This shows us how truly important "ahavat yisroel"-to love your fellow Jew as yourself, really is.

Long ago, there were 2 brothers who lived on opposite sides of a large hill. One brother was poor, and lived alone. His brother on the other side was well off financially, and married with children. One night, an idea occurred to the richer brother. Since his brother on the other side of the hill was poor and lonely, perhaps an extra bundle of wheat would cheer him up? So that night he crossed the hill and dropped off a big bundle of wheat in his brother's pile. Happy and content, he returned home to sleep. An hour later, the poor brother awoke with a great idea: my brother has so many responsibilities and worries to deal with his large family, perhaps an extra bundle of wheat would ease his stress? So he got up and crossed the hill, happily dropping off a big bundle into his brother's pile. The next morning when both brothers awoke, they were surprised to find their own piles of wheat to be the same size as before!

This back and forth repeated itself night after night. One night, both brothers set out at the same hour, and bumped into each other at the top of the hill, bundles of wheat in hand. Immediately each brother realized what had been going on, and the love each other had for each other. The brothers embraced and cried over the love each had for his brother. This hill where these to brothers met, is the temple mount in which the Beit Hamikdash was built, and where the 3rd and final Temple will be built any day now when Moshiach comes. The dwelling for G-d's Presence is founded on love of a Jew to his fellow. And through this love of one another, and kind deeds to each other, we will merit Moshiach's coming very soon and the rebuilding of the temple over the western wall. May it be today!

By us adding 1 more deed in kindness, helping a new student find his or her way, making a meal for a family, inviting new guests for shabbat-whatever it may be, may we all increase and grow in our love and kindness for another. Moshiach Now!

Have a great week!

-Daniel