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