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A SINFUL YOM KIPPUR? HEAVEN FORBID! YOM KIPPUR Earlier this week I received an email from a dear friend regarding the focus and attention for this week, the week leading up to Yom Kippur, and for the Holy Day of Yom Kippur itself. Let's examine the day of Yom Kippur. Why don't most Jews feel this way for the rest of the year? Because of the way we see things. And of course, we will then be sealed and engraved for a year filled with Hashem's open love to us all. The next time someone tells you how bad you are around Yom Kippur or how bad they are - please share with them how wonderful we are, especially around Yom Kippur time. And even if you don't think so, I guarantee G-d thinks so. And He looks forward to seeing you tomorrow and spending time with you. And I'm sure He wouldn't mind you saying hello every once in a while some other times in the year. After all, despite anything and everything, and despite how you think, or anyone else, even that email sender - He loves you so much! Simchas Torah. In most synagogues around the world, Simchas Torah - which is celebrated this coming Thursday night and Friday - is observed with much fanfare. Some synagogues have a custom to really celebrate this day with great joy and festivity, more than any joy on any other festival. GET IN THE CHAIR! Has anyone of you, dear friends, ever been to Thomasville , North Carolina ? Have you even heard of that town? I would be very surprised if you have been there. If you drive too fast on interstate 85, you would certainly miss it. It is a typical "small-town America ," and very little else. By now you must be wondering what connection I have with Thomasville . I had the good fortune of my car getting stuck in this little town earlier this week. The real problem? It was Sunday, about 5:30 in the morning. Not much happens in Thomasville , let alone on a Sunday morning. So, on my way to New York , I spent the day in the town that must be as quiet as New York is bustling. When I was told that my van would be fixed by a different mechanic on the other side of town, and not before Monday evening, I arranged to rent a van from the Greensboro airport. One of the mechanics offered to drive me the 25 miles or so, and very soon, on Sunday evening, I was back on the road. On Tuesday morning I reentered Thomasville , making my way to the other mechanic to retrieve my repaired van. As we were driving through town, the biggest chair I had ever seen stood there, on the side of the road. If I had to prepare a chair for the visiting Eliyahu Hanavi (Elijah the prophet), I would definitely want that chair for him! It stands 18 feet tall, and on a 12 foot base. Here's a picture of the chair from a website:
My friend, Dr. Bernie Wolfberg, used to live in Thomasville . He advised me not to miss "the chair." I assured him that it's impossible to miss it, besides, there's not much else going on... Since Dr. Wolfberg seemed to be making such a deal about the chair, I decided to examine it closely. I got out of the car, and went over to the chair to read the inscription. Part of it reads something like this: Let this chair be a testimony to our children and to our children's children of all the hard work the people of this town have invested into the furniture business. Quite an impressive monument to hard work! To be passed, of course, to the future generations, but mainly to their children. And to their children after them. The massive furniture-making buildings continue to churn smoke into the Carolina skies. I also counted 5-6 furniture outlet stores close by as well. Besides that behemoth of chairs, these buildings continue to pay homage to focus, and I suppose hard work also, of the people of Thomasville . I think it would be safe to say that no one knows how many people worked in those factories in any given year. Let's just pick 1964. I am pretty certain that not one person in this world would know what type of bread any of the people ate for lunch on a given day in that year. Yet, 3,317 years ago our ancestors left Egypt on the 15th of the Jewish month of Nissan. They ate Matzah - as EVERYONE knows! And not only do we know about our history of so long ago, we also reenact the whole business each year. And not only to we reenact the whole business, we also eat the same bread they ate then! And there's no giant Matzah, no big monuments, and no side-of-the-road town in which to get stuck in order to find it. There's just us. That is, us here, in the Untied States, just as us in Turkey, Morocco, Brazil, South Africa, France, England, Nepal, Australia, and wherever "us" may have been, are, and will be. And that's more than enough for us, and for our children, and for our children's children, for all time. There's no chair to look at and to gaze at; just one to sit on - around the Seder table. At the Seder, a child will ask the 4 questions. The child will most probably be nervous. But he or she will undoubtedly know the questions pretty well. We need to ask ourselves a question as well: Do we know the answer? Shouldn't we be nervous about providing the answer to the question of, let's say, why we "dip" this night? And we do so twice? We need to be prepared and aware of the answer to the questions to all types of children in their language and style, even to the wicked son who did make an effort to show up to the Seder, and is asking questions. After all, this is the one night of the year to which we can point and say: We have this night to remind us of where we came from. We are a nation that has suffered, and continues to suffer, through persecutions, slaughters and humiliations. Yet, we're still here, and we'll be here forever. And it all began on this night. And it all continues through this night, for the torch is passed while sitting on the chair around the table, and the child standing on his or her chair around it, asking questions and discussing the holiday. It's not the chair that important or that is our testimony. It's who's on it. And who else is around it. So while you dip your Marror in Charoses, your parsley or onion into salt-water, or your pinky into the cup, or your nose in the book (or flat on the table!), remember the legacy, the testimony and the monument each one of us is. And then you will never get stuck. Neither will your children. Or your children's children. SHEVII AND ACHRON SHEL PESACH Last Friday night, the night before the onset of Passover, we enjoyed something rarely enjoyed on Passover eves of other years: A sit-down, relaxed, Friday Night Shabbos meal. As a result of our meal being at the Shul, we were able to enjoy Chametz as well, with no guilt. After exhaustive work, intensely so during the final week prior to the Holiday , having some time to relax on a chair is very welcome. Having a prepared meal outside the house - is priceless! We were lingering around after the meal, spending a few extra minutes engaged in chatter, when it was time to walk home. Home, of course, was a spanking clean place, cleansed from a long winter closed-up inside the house, and, obviously, from all Chametz. But the outside, the street, hadn't yet been cleansed. It seemed like the Almighty was waiting till this night to perform His own Pesach cleaning, for as we began our mile-long walk home, loud claps (more like cracks) of thunder, preceded by menacing bolts of lightning, were portending of trouble ahead. The skies opened up when we were about half-way home. First rain, then hail, then hard sheets of rain. It felt like we were plagued. My 4 year-old daughter was in fact wondering why the hail was falling on us. "I thought 'hail' was a punishment for the bad people," she said, thinking about the Ten Plagues about which she had learned, with the innocence and earnestness of someone her age. We were soaked to the skin, literally. After a short while our steps caused squishing sounds, as shoes became stuffed with water. Our clothing was dripping, as though they had just been thoroughly washed. It was hard to see ahead. But ahead we went, through the driving rain. A car suddenly slowed-down next to us. A lady, a member of our Shul - who was not present at the meal earlier - appeared at the open window. She was crying. She first apologized for being in the car on Shabbos and talking to a Rabbi and Rebbetzin like that. She then said that she had come to us especially, to see if we were okay. She then begged us if she could "just this once" be of help to drive home "maybe just someone," as she looked towards our absolutely drenched 2 year-old. She was crying out of compassion for us. Her tears indicated her genuine concern and worry for our safety and comfort. I wished her "good Shabbos." I then told her that we're just fine. Finely bedraggled, that is, but physically okay. "Are you really sure," she called-out. "It's so terrible out here!" I smiled and said: It's not often that we have an opportunity to prove our commitment to G-d and His commandments. "Walking home when it's nice outside," I said, "doesn't show how committed you are. When it's like this outside, and one still says: 'S'iz Goot Tzu Zein A Yid' (it's good to be a Jew), then a person has the opportunity to show how the commitment is true, is complete and is unbreakable." As she wiped her tears and closed her window, I saw a smile on her face. When her car pulled away, I turned to Mrs. Lew and realized that despite - indeed, because of - the horrendous conditions, we were still able to utilize them to strengthen ourselves and our own commitments, and, maybe, impress upon a fellow Jew how far the commitment to a Higher Authority is vital to Judaism and Jewish observance. And it's the exact theme of this Shabbos - the 7th day of Pesach - and Sunday, the 8th day of Pesach. The last 2 days of the Passover holiday celebrate redemption, as do the first days. The last days, however, emphasize redemption after the actual exodus of Egypt . The seventh day is the day the Jewish people crossed the dried Red Sea . The eighth day is about the future redemption, the complete and full redemption with the Moshiach. Thinking about the story of crossing the Red Sea through the Torah's description leads to a big question, for it seems to be a cruel hoax. The Jewish people had just exited from Egypt , some 2 million strong, laden with cattle, jewelry and possessions. They just experienced the impossible: Leaving Egypt. They were led by G-d Almighty Himself, by Moses and Aharon, young and old... Six short days later they were returning to... Egypt ! The Torah relates that the return to Egypt was to impress Pharaoh how confused they were so he should - get this - chase them! Most sages agree that the nation didn't even cross the sea; they merely entered on one side and emerged at a different location on the same side of the sea! They didn't even need to cross that sea; what was Hashem thinking? It was commitment that Hashem was seeking, of course. Leaving Egypt with goodies is easy. Following G-d onto "the wings of eagles" (as the Torah puts it) is no big deal. What's the reaction in front of an impassable sea and a dangerous enemy, though, is what Hashem was looking for. Will they still have the faith and commitment, or will they falter - as the nation actually did. Yes, they had left Egypt and slavery. But did the mentality of Egypt and slavery leave them? It doesn't seem so. How are we preparing for this freedom? Are we going to, G-d forbid, falter, or, will we remember our commitment and faith? So even if it rains - water or figuratively - we must remember the focus and drive: Listen to Hashem, follow in His ways, and let's be ready to go straight through the obstacles - to the redemption. LAG B'OMER I have spent the past few hours watching live feed on the computer from a village in the north of Israel called Meron. Someone sent me this link at about 9:00 p.m. on Thursday night. It's right now past midnight , which is past 7:00 a.m. Friday morning in Israel , and I can't stop watching. I feel so inspired and so proud! Meron, you see, is the burial place of one of the greatest Talmudic sages, Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, also known as "Rashb"i", which is the acronym of his name. Rashbi passed away on this day, Lag B'omer, the thirty-third day of the Omer counting. Before his passing, Rashbi requested that under every circumstance the day of his passing should be marked and celebrated. He called this day, in fact, his "Yom Hilulah", his day of celebrating. Circles of people do not stop dancing. I don't mean just moving around in circles, going through the motions and satisfying their "obligation" - if you will - to dance. These people are spinning around; many are jumping up and down in real joy and celebration. I say "people". What I see is all kinds of men, many clad in typical round fur hats called "Shtreimels", which is a hat only worn on Shabbos and special festival days. Many others are wearing various black hats. Others are wearing no hats. Many are "wearing" little boys, tender 3 year-olds, on their heads and shoulders, making sure they also get to jump and to celebrate. In one scene, four fathers had come together with their sons on their shoulders, and the kids all locked hands as their fathers jumped for joy. Lag B'omer is a minor Jewish holiday that is celebrated with great fanfare. It is the day that the students of Rabbi Akiva, during Talmudic times, stopped dying in a mysterious plague. The tragic plague is also commemorated by Jewish law, as no weddings take place between Pesach and this date. Jewish law also prohibits haircutting this period to mark the mourning. The no hair-cutting law negates the beautiful custom of a boy getting his first haircut at the age of three. All boys who turn three between Pesach and Lag B'omer wait until this day to have their first haircut. The circle of dancers has not stopped since 9:30 this evening, constantly changing faces, colors of beards, sizes of "Payos" and colors of shirts, but not the dancing circle of humanity. These people are genuinely happy. They really are. It is said that this day is one of the happiest days in heaven. There, everyone without exception rejoices and celebrates. Not a single person alive has ever met Rashbi, and no one knows anyone who did. He died about 2,000 years ago. And the dancing goes on. They just struck-up a lively Chabad tune, and away they go! Old men with white beards, young Chassidim, Payos flying around, young children, and wide-eyed, sweet, innocent faced three-year-olds on their father's shoulders. There must be more than 500 people in the screen I am watching, all singing, dancing, clapping their hands, and really celebrating. If any wedding was this lively, it would be talked about for all time. What a sight! And for what? For a Rabbi who called, some TWO THOUSAND YEARS AGO, to rejoice on the day of his demise! Can you please tell me something more amazing than this! How much joy can we possibly generate about a person who lived so long ago? How much joy can we generate about a person who DIED on this date so long ago? What's so special about this great person who engenders such joyous attention? Rabbi Shimon was a pioneer of mysticism. Prior to him, esoteric and "spiritual" interpretations of the Torah were only allowed to be enjoyed by a select handful of the greatest scholars and leaders. Then came Rashbi, and compiled the "Zohar", the defining book of Jewish, sacred mysticism. Rabbi Shimon dared to publish this classic, holy work, so that all Jews, not just the "cream of the crop", could benefit from the sweet taste of the Kabbalah. With the advent of various Jewish leaders, most recently the Chassidic masters, Jewish mysticism has become very accessible for anyone interested. The sages intone that when the era of the final redemption is ushered-in, all the Jewish people will be engaged in studying a "new dimension" of the Torah: The deeply mystical and Kabbalistic elements of Torah. Until that era, we merely have a taste of this "delight". In other words, Rabbi Shimon opened the door for the entire Jewish people, and for all people, to enjoy a "taste of Moshiach" and of redemption throughout history. And this is what the Jewish people are celebrating, at the express request of the one who started all this: A taste of the future, a taste of revelation, a taste of freedom. Can we possibly imagine the massive rings of Jewish men and boys, dancing, singing and celebrating next to massive rings of Jewish women and girls, on Temple Mount , after the coming of Moshiach? We may not be able to imagine this incredible happiness. But we can get a "taste" of this celebration. I am watching it now. SHVUOS I have recently had the opportunity to visit many varied synagogues throughout Europe and Israel . Each synagogue I entered was distinct and different than the next. Some had higher ceilings; others had elaborate and ornate decorations; others had beautiful furniture; others are tiny, cozy and comfortable. No two synagogues are quite the same. There are even fewer similarities between, let's say, a Reform Temple and Chassidic Shul. The item is found behind a curtain, inside the Holy Ark. I refer, of course, to the Torah scroll. Every Torah scroll on earth is identical: Word for word, letter by letter. We only have two days to celebrate this momentous occasion. But it's certainly enough time for us to reunite with our fellow Jew, and with the glue that does, indeed, unite us: The Torah. Tomorrow morning, on June 13 (6,13 - there are 613 commandments in the Torah!!), the Torah reader will read the Ten Commandments from the synagogue's Torah scroll. See if you can try to get there to be present for the retelling and reliving of the story. (About 10:30 a.m. at Beth Tefillah). And bring the kids with you. It's their's as well. In fact, the kids will guarantee that the Torah scroll will be preserved during their generation and their children's as well. Isn't it something - Shavuos and Rosh Hashanah are the only holidays which are celebrated for 2 days! We all know the importance and significance of Rosh Hashanah. Shavuos, and its message of Torah is featured prominently throughout the services of Rosh Hashanah, for they are intrinsically connected, as they both highlight our direct connection to the Almighty, and the unity between us all. The good news? Services will be over much earlier tomorrow! Let's get in touch, again, with what continues to touch us in a very sacred manner: The Torah THE CALL OF THE SHOFAR Sometimes you hear a story and you're inspired. Sometimes, however, you don't just hear a story, but you hear it directly from the person it happened to. Seeing the face and spirit of the person telling the story makes it that much more meaningful. A few week's ago I spent a weekend at the annual international Hillel leadership convention. Hundreds of students from around the United States and the world were present for those few days. On Friday night, David from San Francisco – who has since subscribed to this “Good Shabbos Email” list – introduced himself to me. He said he was very connected with Chabad in San Fran, and he wanted to know about the work of Chabad in Georgia . It was a very pleasant conversation. As the evening progressed, David, who's a warm and enthusiastic type, shared with me the following story. I wish David, himself, was sharing this story with us, but I'll try my best to capture David's wonderful spirit and the powerful message of the story. David traveled to Israel in the summer with some friends and was having a real “spiritual experience.” It was soon their last day in Israel and David was determined not to leave the Holy Land without a visit to the Kotel, the Western Wall. They did, indeed, make their way to the Wall. This visit was their final stop before traveling to the airport. They arrived at the Wall and David looked for the Chabad booth at the Wall in order to put on Tefillin and offer his prayers. Enwrapped in his Tefillin, David made his way to the Wall when he was stopped by a man. The guy said: “Tell me, are you Jewish?” “What?” said David to the guy, “What did you just say?” “I asked,” responded the fellow, “if you're Jewish.” David was incredulous. Here he is, standing at the Wall, Tefillin strapped to his arm and head, looking like any Jewish man does every weekday, and this character asks such an insulting question! Feeling as though someone just slapped in him in the face, David said to the individual: “Get out of my way, you insulting jerk.” David made his way to the Wall and began to pray, but he couldn't quite shake the awful feeling this rude individual caused him. Very soon, David began to feel that perhaps this person was a bearer of a negative Divine message to him and it was this thought which gnawed at him the most. When he finished praying, David's friends began to press upon him the lateness of the hour and the urgency of getting to the airport in time. David, though, was not ready to leave the holy presence of the Wall. He's had a negative experience – negative, at least, to him – and was convinced that “something good had to happen before leaving” (his words). David's friends said: You've got five minutes to do this. David began to wander aimlessly around the Wall and its wide plaza just waiting for something to happen. He went beneath “ Wilson 's arch;” he went from one end to the next, and then walked the area in its length. The place was basically deserted and nothing happened for poor David. The five minutes had elapsed. Feeling dejected and worried, David returned to where his friends had assembled and he was reluctantly about to leave with them. Suddenly, from “out of the blue,” an “ancient” (his words) Yemenite Jew approached the group and eyed the long, twisted Shofar one of the guys was carrying, having purchased it earlier that day in a Jerusalem Judaic store. Without a word, the Yemenite took the Shofar from the hands of the person carrying it, put it to his lips, and blew the longest blast David had ever heard. Returning the Shofar to the one carrying it, the Yemenite man turned away and went back from whence he came, all without saying one word. “I knew it!” yelled David to his friends. “I just knew that something good would happen here. G-d would not let me leave this place without letting me know He heard my heartfelt prayer.” The Shofar is the only Torah Mitzvah performed by listening to a sound. So much significance is attributed to this special and unique Mitzvah. According to the Baal Shem Tov, founder of the Chassidic movement, the Shofar symbolizes the sound of the soul's yearning cry to our Father in heaven. When the Shofar is blown on Rosh Hashanah, it highlights a most intimate and profound connection the Jewish person has with the King. The Shofar, rising upwards, its sound emanating from a narrow opening through a wide expanse, seems like it's elevating, through its pure and plain and sorrowful sound, the deepest part of our soul to the Source of all souls: The Almighty, the Creator of all. But that's not all the Shofar is about. Besides the connection of the Jewish people with the King, there is the other side: How the King connects with the Jewish people. And this other connection is also symbolized through the Shofar. When the Ten Commandments were delivered, the Shofar was blown by G-d Himself as the Torah relates. Heralding the era of the final redemption with Moshiach, G-d, Himself will again blow the Shofar as mentioned in the daily prayers and in the Rosh Hashanah liturgy. And when David needs to know that he is Jewish and that G-d is listening to him while he's visiting the Wall, the Almighty sends the blast of the Shofar to inform him of this fact as well. As He does to us all on Rosh Hashanah. You see, my dear friends, our relationship with G-d – as with any relationship between humans – is a two-way street. As much as the sound of the Shofar transports our cries of yearning to be united with G-d, it is also a response from G-d which is why we need to listen to sound. The sound is to inspire the Jewish people's soul, but also to send back an instant message and response – a “sign” of sorts – from G-d: I am here; I am here for you; and I love you! This Rosh Hashanah when the Shofar is blown, try and close your eyes and think about your connection to the Almighty, and what you can do to improve on this connection by paying closer attention to those areas we personally all know need attention. At the same time, try to think of how G-d Almighty, “Avinu Malkeinu,” our Father, our King, is “inspired” to improve His relationship with us, by granting us the best and the sweetest year yet. Mrs. Lew, together with Mussy, Sholom Ber, Chanah, Dovid, Faigy, Leah, Mendel, Raizy, Zlaman and Penina join me in wishing all of you a SHONO TOVAH UNESUKAH – a good and sweet year. May this coming year bring all of you good health, prosperity, both materially and spiritually, Nachas from your children, and much success and all your endeavors. BRING HIM HOME! Earlier this week I had the opportunity to lead a class of teenagers. We discussed the upcoming day of Yom Kippur – something quite familiar with the students as they all professed to fasting on the day and attending services. As part of the class structure, I encouraged all those around the table to share the reason they thought fasting is so important on Yom Kippur. One student suggested that we fast in order to concentrate on G-d, not the next meal. I asked that student to recall the moment the Shofar was blown at the end of Yom Kippur and how food was so much on her mind then, and for many hours before then as well. Another student offered that it's about repentance and forgiveness. I asked that student if she would accept my fasting as adequate repentance in the event I needed to repent for something I did wrong to her. A different student waxed poetic about sacrificing some of ourselves to G-d. I pointed out that if it's all about concentrating upon G-d, it would seemingly make more sense to eat a good meal and have enough energy to really focus on G-d! And so the discussion continued, all 11 students offering reasons they thought the Jewish people are commanded to fast on the day's holiest year, from sundown till nightfall of the following day. We then opened the Torah books and found that in the commandment about Yom Kippur, the Torah, instead of ruling that it be observed on the tenth of the month, says instead, “From the ninth of the month in the evening… Shall you observe…” The Ninth? Yom Kippur is always on the tenth of the Hebrew month of Tishrei! The Talmudic sages transmitted something startling from the above anomaly. The Torah mentions the ninth of the month, explain the sages, to teach that eating on the ninth of the month is akin to fasting on the tenth of the month. Can you imagine that? Fasting on Yom Kippur is something many, many Jews – even those who may not yet be fully observant – are committed to practicing. Eating, however, everyone is “committed to” without a problem! Yet, the sacrifice and devotion of the fast of Yom Kippur is along the same lines as EATING on Erev Yom Kippur? Indeed, the eating and fasting are equally important – if the fasting on Yom Kippur is understood according to the mystics and Chassidic masters. Yom Kippur is the holiest and most spiritual day of the year. So spiritual, in fact, that we are all like angels of the heavens. An angel is a spirit without a body; a soul without a blemish; a holy being without anything to impede that holiness. On Yom Kippur we are removed from worldliness. We are in Shul all night and all day. We are not exposed to anything less than G-d's home. On Yom Kippur, we are removed from anything physically pleasurable – such as wearing comfortable leather shoes, washing ourselves for simple gratification, and of course, eating and drinking. But it's not because we've done something wrong; it's because all is right. We are one with G-d, not to be distracted from this concept even for one moment. As the day builds to a close, and as the synagogues fill-up again, we are completely “locked-in” with G-d. The ark is opened, as are the gates to heaven. We have arrived at the moment of intimacy, the pinnacle of who we all essentially are; we cannot be any closer – it seems – to our father in heaven, our Avinu Malkeinu. And then the doors close. Is it all over? Will G-d go back to His house and we to ours? Of course not! We're taking G-d back home with us! You see, my dear friends, ultimately we're not angels. We're human beings, created by the Almighty Creator, with a need to eat and to be physical. Being physical defines our existence and our time on this earth. Once a year, just one day in the year, we are granted a glimpse into G-d's world, into a place devoid from any physical association. Where food is not necessary, drink isn't needed, and washing is unheard of. But G-d doesn't want us in His home. He wants to be in our home, in our lives, in us. So we blow the Shofar to signify a close of being angelic and, following evening services, we go back home to our place, and we eat, we drink, and we wash. All the while taking G-d along – the G-d we got to know so well over the last 25 hours – into our physical exercise of eating and drinking (Kosher) food. And bringing the Supreme Being back with us is even more intense and powerful than the experience in the Shul, for ultimately the Shul is His house. Where else should G-d be found if not in Shul? Bringing G-d into our homes, though, is a much greater accomplishment. As long as the fast begins after paying attention to our physical needs, and as long as we're going back to those needs right after Yom Kippur, then the fast becomes spiritual since it includes our physical needs as well. On Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year, as well as before and after the holy day, we learn that we can be holy everywhere. Being holy in the synagogue we always knew. Being holy at home, at the work place and in the street, however, is something we learn on Yom Kippur. We're not fasting as a result of doing something wrong. We're forgetting about food only after indulging before and after the fast in exactly the way G-d wanted us: As HOLY physical beings. I know that my students and I will have a very meaningful fast. And very hearty meals, as well... NOTE: This Good Yom Tov Email is an edited version of the article sent for last year Sukkos. It is based on a beautiful article written by my friend, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchack Jacobson. “I need a hug,” a friend told me the other day. It turns out that the person had suffered something very mild, but still required some comforting. There are many ways to express love, affection and comfort. Yet it's the hug that is most often used between friends as well as between loved ones. The hug seems to convey something very meaningful, and usually makes the recipient feel really good. We are less than 24 hours before a holiday which is best termed as the “hug.” This is the holiday of Sukkos, beginning tomorrow night. Every single Jewish holiday commemorates an event that happened on that specific date. Whether Rosh Hashanah (creation of mankind), Chanukah (defeat of enemy and miracle of oil), Shavuos (receiving the Ten Commandments), or Tisha B'av (destruction of both Holy Temples). That is, all the holidays besides the holiday of Sukkos, referred to in our prayers as “Zeman Simchaseinu,” the season of joy. For the next seven nights and days, all activity such as eating meals, relaxing and, for some, even sleeping, will take place in the Sukkah. Following the seven days of Sukkos, two more days of celebration will commence. Those days include the most joyous festival of Simchas Torah. That's a lot of happiness and joy – nine days in total. What event are we marking that we're so happy about? The Sukkah represent Divine protection the Jewish people enjoyed while traveling through the desert. This protection, of course, lasted for the entire forty years, not just for one week. In actuality, on the Hebrew date of Sukkos, the fifteenth of the month of Tishrei, nothing of historical significance occurred. Yet, each year we begin a relatively long celebration of joy on this date, most of it in the Sukkah, the familiar hut-like structure. There's something about the Sukkah which elicits and generates this great joy. Indeed, the Sukkah is a perfect demonstration of G-d's love for His people. Love is expressed in various fashions. A loving gaze, a kiss, nice words, a poem, a gift, etc. The hug is different from any other loving expression in various ways: 1) It does not involve the face. The other expressions of love all involve the some part of the face, such as gazing into the eyes of a loved one, or expecting a loved one to read, with their eyes, a loving poem. The hug, however, is performed by reaching the back of the loved one. 2) The other forms of love all include parts of the body which are generally considered “romantic,” like the face, the eyes, touching the heart, etc. The back, which is clutched during the hug, is probably the least "romantic" part of a human's body. 3) The other forms of love do not necessarily include a physical connection. If you want to move away from my kiss, it's your choice. But with the hug the person remain "trapped" in the grip of the hug. The second part of the verse corresponds to the second half of the month, known as "days of joy." Joy and happiness are forms of closeness and togetherness. The term "right", also connotes closeness and intimacy. Hence the hug. Why is the hug, specifically, chosen as the method of love employed by the Almighty to his people during the festival of Sukkos? Why not any of the other means and methods which demonstrate love? Because G-d wants our back! Just as it is with human beings that love is expressed differently through the face and the back, it is similarly different in our relationship with G-d as expressed by the "face" or "back": The "face" relationship corresponds to all the "intimate" and spiritual activities with which we are occupied, such as prayer, Torah study, performance of Mitzvos, etc. In all these "holy" activities, we demonstrate our willingness to have an intimate relationship and spiritual connection with G-d. The other activities of our lives are the physical ones, such as eating, sleeping, working, etc. In these activities, it is very difficult to notice much G-dliness, as they are material pursuits, involving our physical, bodily needs. One may suggest that G-d's love to His people only involves the spiritual side of us - he "loves" our Torah study, the way we pray, and the way we serve Him. Comes along the festival of Sukkos and the Sukkah declares: G-d loves us and "hugs" us - all of us, even the sections of our lives that don't seem to have any connection with our relationship with G-d. In other words, G-d loves our "back", because He really loves us, not just to our "face", and even if there's no reciprocation. And that's why He "hugs" us. So we go into the Sukkah. What are we asked to do there? Is it to Daven, to learn, to engage in spiritual pursuits? No, we are asked to eat, to drink, to sleep, etc. - The very activities that seem so distant from G-dliness. The physical and mundane activities turn into this great, holy Mitzvah, representing the amazing Divine relationship with us! The law of the Sukkah is that it can possess up to 2-1/2 walls. Look at your own arm and you will see it has 2-1/2 "sections": From your shoulder to your elbow; from your elbow to your hand; from your hand till the tip of your fingers - the "half" section! So, when you enter the Sukkah over this Yom Tov, please eat well, drink well and have a great time. And please be ready to rejoice and be happy for you are about to be hugged... By G-d Almighty Himself. Why? Simply because He loves you! INDIVIDUALLY UNITED To survive in the “Rabbi business,” various life-lessons are a prerequisite. One of the more important ones, to me at least, is: You can't satisfy all the people all the time. As much as a rabbi's job is always to satisfy and as much as I wish I could, it's usually not possible to make everyone happy all the time. Satisfying all the people most of the time is a goal to which to strive. Certainly trying to satisfy most of the people most of the time is realistic. The above thought is in mind when these “Good Shabbos emails” are written. The diversity of the group which subscribes to the list is vast. Some enjoy thoughts about leaves, kisses and cricket. Others enjoy more “conventional” type of discussions, such as consuming too much alcohol, happiness and humility. An effort is, therefore, made to keep the topics and the style changing. It is very interesting and highly rewarding to receive any feedback from all my dear friends, whether comments, questions or even criticisms. It was therefore interesting to receive more than usual responses to last week's email, "Heroic Outsiders," some from friends I hadn't heard from in a long time. Various people expressed their appreciation for “this style” of email, while others made a face. Alas, I didn't satisfy everyone. People simply think differently and divergently. The human being was created by the Creator of all beings singularly, unlike the other creatures, all created as pairs. We are all human, but our appearances are different, as well as our opinions, which are based on the way we think. The challenge is to see our differences as complements, not as conflicts. These diversified weekly emails are good reminders to me of this challenge. This divergence between human beings brings to mind the holiday of Chanukah, which begins this coming Sunday evening. The rest of the Jewish holidays seem to follow in sequence: According to Jewish law, the holiday of Purim must be as close as possible to the holiday of Pesach, as they both commemorate redemption. We count the days between Pesach and the holiday of Shavuos, uniting them. Forty days after Shavuos begins the sad period of the Jewish calendar, which commences with commemorating the shattering of the tablets of the Ten Commandments. These Ten Commandments were first proclaimed by G-d to the Jewish people on Shavuos. The calendar's sad period leads into the month of Elul, marking the time Hashem accepted the repentance of the Jewish people. The repentance period leads into the High Holidays, which culminate with Sukkos and Simchas Torah. There is a definite chain connecting all these Jewish holidays and dates with each other. And then comes Chanukah: Alone, isolated and unconnected. Perhaps Chanukah is the ultimate human experience and celebration. It is different. It is unique. It's celebrated with some snack food, but not with a meal. We eat what we want and where we want. It doesn't come with an extra service in the synagogue. It doesn't even ask for special festive clothing. Life continues on Chanukah the same way as it is the day before it and the day after it. Oh, but it does make a fuss about light. The phenomenon of light is an intangible energy. It's the fastest moving energy in the universe. It provides the world with warmth, with security and, well, with light. You can't touch it, but you can feel it. You can't look at it, but you can't see without it. It's everywhere except where it's dark. And it dispels darkness by simply being there. In other words, with all its uniqueness, and perhaps because of its uniqueness, light can go anywhere – and it usually does. Light is so special that it gets along with anyone and anything – as long as it's not dark. But it doesn't fight and wrangle with darkness. It just turns it into light. On Chanukah, the holiday that stands apart, we celebrate the individuality and the uniqueness of the human being with light. We create a single flame on the first night. And on the second night, we don't increase the flame; instead we create another individual flame. And on the third night, yet another flame. The sources of light retain their individuality. Every person is different, with individual outlooks on life, with diverse opinions and with unique talents. Each person is an individual with a special and exclusive contribution to make to the world. Chanukah encourages us to share this individual uniqueness so that its energy can be a beacon of light permeating the darkness of the world. But although we are divergent, individually our “lights” can all unite to become one single Menorah. Yet, as united into a Menorah that we are, our individuality is still not lost. The Shamash, the flame which kindles all the other flames, is what completes the ultimate Chanukah. For even after two, three, and eight flames are burning, uniting into one Menorah, the Shamash stands apart, separated and alone. It continues to remind us not to lose our uniqueness and our individual light. And this is my contribution for Chanukah 5766. I hope I satisfy all of you, my dear friends, with this email. Happy Chanukah! Lehosif: Same can be said about oil – exclusively stays on top. Olives: Tress don't graft with any other one. Fruit of olive Bitter, but still used for peace!..... |
