Since the beginning of time mankind looked up to the heavens; in awe.
Some cultures were fascinated by the sun. It is strong, powerful, glorious, brilliant and warm; it is everything they strived to be, they craved its power. It is no wonder then that they looked up to the sun to fill the basic need of calculating time, they established a solar calendar.
Other cultures were intrigued by the moon. It is majestic, it illuminates the dark sky and it changes every day of the month; the moons sensitive gentle light would bring comfort to their hearts. Seeking to capture its inspiration and incorporate it into their daily lives they established a lunar calendar.
Hashem’s first commandment to the Jewish people, while they were still slaves in Egypt, was to establish a calendar that synchronizes the sun and the moon. The Jewish calendar is unique in that it incorporates both the solar and lunar cycles, by adding an extra month every three years to bridge the eleven day gap dividing the solar and the lunar years.
The brilliant sun symbolizes the consistent, powerful and illuminating light of Hashem. The moon shining in the dark sky represents the Jewish people, whose job it is to reflect the light of Hashem into a dark world. The Jewish people, therefore, are subject to challenges imposed by the world, at times they shine in all their glory and at times their light is invisible.
The first mitzvah demonstrates the goal of all the following Mitzvot, which is to synchronize the sun and the moon. Every Mitzvah we perform connects the light of Hashem to the Jew in this world, uniting them both, forming one realty where “in the heaven above and on the earth below there is nothing beside him”.
(Mamar Hachodesh Hazeh Lachem, 5716)
Monday, March 30, 2009
Spiritual Freedom
How do we attain spiritual freedom? Start within. But How? We have a very popular topic which everyone wants to cash in on. Including me, bring on the masses. We say true freedom only comes through Torah even the though Torah and Mitzvot can be quite restrictive. We speak about slavery and we mean subjugation to others. We speak about spiritual freedom and we mean... what do we mean? To become observant, I think not. To achieve inner peace, sounds a little too fruity for me and a little too easy to fake. Torah is the key but what about Pesach? Is it the aspect of connecting to a community? Chief Rabbi Sir Jonathon Sacks said, this past Sunday, that the Korban Pesach was a bonding of the family as opposed to Har Sinai which was a community wide event. Though, we became a nation leaving Egypt, I think, not in Egypt. Perhaps that is the story of Leaving Egypt, the one we keep retelling every year. The story of becoming a nation and through that, attaining freedom. And then perhaps, when we speak of personal redemption as being a catalyst to a universal redemption not only the effect, we can really best attain that personal redemption through becoming a community. And that is the secret of unity, in addition to the Yechidah. How do we join the community? That is the Seder. The path to spiritual freedom as we join up in the collective whole and join destinies to become and touch something so great. The divine! Freedom! Inner peace. But how? מה נשתנה. The question is how is this night of Pesach different than last year's night of Pesach? עבדים היינו. Through slavery and hardship. Is antisemitism that what keeps us Jewish? Not really, but it plows the field waiting for the rain. Transform yourself like Avraham and Yaakov, through what? Through Torah. Ben Zoma. The nights. What is so significant about retelling the story of leaving Egypt by night? It's connection is to Tzitzit. Tzitzit is by day. So? They represent the Mitzvot of the Torah. Do they only apply by day? Freedom needs to be consistent through the night for it to be true. Only existing during the day, where it is a badge to be worn for consumption of the public is false. ואחרי כן יצאו ברכוש גדול. What is the purpose of this universe? Shouldn't have they run out of Egypt, who needs the money? What they achieved then was extraction. Which is not what are job is. Everyone will come along, even the רשע. And perhaps that is why עבודת הבירורים is over. Everyone and everything is going to come along for the ride. And this time it is going to be different from the last time. We say there will never be another Har Sinai, no other revelation comparable. Perhaps, according to what Rabbi Sacks explained, that is because this coming revelation will start off as a personal redemption through personal freedom similar to ברכת החמה which is fine to be done individually yet is best with the community.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
The Symbol of Liberty
If you had to choose a symbol for freedom what would it be? What item can travel through the generations, reach every country, touch every heart and awaken the feeling of freedom? What can bring the beacon of freedom to the poor Jew living the dark ages as well as to the wealthy Jew living in Muslim Spain?
The Torah makes an odd choice: Matzah, the bread of poverty.
Matzah holds the secret to freedom. The essence of freedom is independence. A slave is a dependent being, both physically and psychologically, while the free man rules his own spirit, defines himself the way he chooses to, refuses to allow external influences to define himself self.
Wealth imposes external definitions that distract from the essence of the human being. It's very difficult to be a millionaire and not define yourself as one. The pauper, on the other hand, does not have the option of defining himself by external things. He has no material possessions, no beautiful home, no option to depend on external substances for self worth. He must look deep inside himself and figure out what his real essence is.
On the festival of freedom we drink four cups of wine, recline, display our finest gold and silver, we do all this, and more, to try to experience the blessings of freedom and abundance. Yet we must keep our eyes on the bread of poverty, we must understand that to be free we must look not to possessions but to our true essence. Only then does our wealth serve us not the other way around.
Understand this and you've got the gift of freedom, freedom that you can never loose, freedom that no one can take away from you.
(Gevuros Hashem)
The Torah makes an odd choice: Matzah, the bread of poverty.
Matzah holds the secret to freedom. The essence of freedom is independence. A slave is a dependent being, both physically and psychologically, while the free man rules his own spirit, defines himself the way he chooses to, refuses to allow external influences to define himself self.
Wealth imposes external definitions that distract from the essence of the human being. It's very difficult to be a millionaire and not define yourself as one. The pauper, on the other hand, does not have the option of defining himself by external things. He has no material possessions, no beautiful home, no option to depend on external substances for self worth. He must look deep inside himself and figure out what his real essence is.
On the festival of freedom we drink four cups of wine, recline, display our finest gold and silver, we do all this, and more, to try to experience the blessings of freedom and abundance. Yet we must keep our eyes on the bread of poverty, we must understand that to be free we must look not to possessions but to our true essence. Only then does our wealth serve us not the other way around.
Understand this and you've got the gift of freedom, freedom that you can never loose, freedom that no one can take away from you.
(Gevuros Hashem)
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Why Chasidus Adores Purim
Yeah, I know, we all love Purim. It has something for everyone: costumes, wine, food baskets, parties, what's there not to like? But if Purim has one true fan, it's Chasidus.
All year long, Chasidus waits for Purim to come and share its story, to tell the awesome tale of a time when Hashem decides to hide his face, "and I, on that day, conceal shall I conceal my continence." For Purim is the embodiment of Chasidus's central point, and a reinforcement of its most fundamental message.
You see, if Chasidus has one central point, it's this: there is nothing else beside Hashem, the world and its natural laws are but expressions of his greatness.
How can we experience this truth? There must be some event in our long history that can exemplify this truth.
Let’s take a look at Passover. It tells a fascinating story, it tells of Hashem's descent into Egypt, smashing the laws of nature on behalf of his beloved people. Nothing gets in his way, he strikes Egypt with ten plagues and splits the sea, Hashem descends on a mountain amidst pillars of smoke and Manna falls from heaven. Gone is the illusion of an all powerful nature; gone is the illusion that what we can measure, predict, and test in a lab, is all powerful.
That’s a very important message, we must know, that occasionally, Hashem chooses to break the laws of nature. But, it does not teach us that nature itself is an expression of Hashem's will. It doesn't teach us that Hashem does not have to shatter nature in order to find expression. So who will teach us to look beneath the surface and discover that nature is but a garment he chooses to wear?
No one can tell it better then Purim. With no G-dly intervention, no lightning coming down from heaven, nothing unnatural, we see G-d's hand every step of the way. We discover the essence of G-d, the "I", that chooses to "conceal my continence". We discover that he is very much present even where his name is nowhere to be found. We learn to see beneath the masks.
I am fortunate to be a student of Chasudus, lucky to drink of its wellsprings. Yes, it captured my imagination ; I'm in love with Purim
All year long, Chasidus waits for Purim to come and share its story, to tell the awesome tale of a time when Hashem decides to hide his face, "and I, on that day, conceal shall I conceal my continence." For Purim is the embodiment of Chasidus's central point, and a reinforcement of its most fundamental message.
You see, if Chasidus has one central point, it's this: there is nothing else beside Hashem, the world and its natural laws are but expressions of his greatness.
How can we experience this truth? There must be some event in our long history that can exemplify this truth.
Let’s take a look at Passover. It tells a fascinating story, it tells of Hashem's descent into Egypt, smashing the laws of nature on behalf of his beloved people. Nothing gets in his way, he strikes Egypt with ten plagues and splits the sea, Hashem descends on a mountain amidst pillars of smoke and Manna falls from heaven. Gone is the illusion of an all powerful nature; gone is the illusion that what we can measure, predict, and test in a lab, is all powerful.
That’s a very important message, we must know, that occasionally, Hashem chooses to break the laws of nature. But, it does not teach us that nature itself is an expression of Hashem's will. It doesn't teach us that Hashem does not have to shatter nature in order to find expression. So who will teach us to look beneath the surface and discover that nature is but a garment he chooses to wear?
No one can tell it better then Purim. With no G-dly intervention, no lightning coming down from heaven, nothing unnatural, we see G-d's hand every step of the way. We discover the essence of G-d, the "I", that chooses to "conceal my continence". We discover that he is very much present even where his name is nowhere to be found. We learn to see beneath the masks.
I am fortunate to be a student of Chasudus, lucky to drink of its wellsprings. Yes, it captured my imagination ; I'm in love with Purim
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Pure Gold
"You shall make a Menorah of pure gold... its tongs (to remove the used wicks) and its scoops (to remove the ashes) shall be made of pure gold".
I close my eyes and think of purity. I see myself standing at the head of the Shabbat dinner table, a cup of wine in my hand, on the table three candles are burning. I look at the peaceful flames and think of their significance, one for me, one for my wife, one for my little daughter.
The words of the Kidush prayer express the occasion perfectly: "and you have given us your holy Shabbat with love and goodwill".
If I can put my finger on holiness in this world, here it is. It’s a Menorah made of pure gold spreading spiritual light.
And then, it happens to the best of us, I sometimes have one of those days. Everything is going wrong, I'm inpatient, I'm stuck in traffic with a smashing headache. I'm struggling to honor my commitment to G-d, to my family, to my job, and to the people in my life. I look around me, and the brilliant light of a pure Menorah is nowhere to be found.
But the torah teaches an important lesson: you may not be constructing a Menorah, you are, however, creating its tongs and scoops. Which, as an integral part of creating a home for G-d on this world, are just as significant. They too must be made of pure gold.
I close my eyes and think of purity. I see myself standing at the head of the Shabbat dinner table, a cup of wine in my hand, on the table three candles are burning. I look at the peaceful flames and think of their significance, one for me, one for my wife, one for my little daughter.
The words of the Kidush prayer express the occasion perfectly: "and you have given us your holy Shabbat with love and goodwill".
If I can put my finger on holiness in this world, here it is. It’s a Menorah made of pure gold spreading spiritual light.
And then, it happens to the best of us, I sometimes have one of those days. Everything is going wrong, I'm inpatient, I'm stuck in traffic with a smashing headache. I'm struggling to honor my commitment to G-d, to my family, to my job, and to the people in my life. I look around me, and the brilliant light of a pure Menorah is nowhere to be found.
But the torah teaches an important lesson: you may not be constructing a Menorah, you are, however, creating its tongs and scoops. Which, as an integral part of creating a home for G-d on this world, are just as significant. They too must be made of pure gold.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Compassion, Free The Love
Compassion. In some ways it’s the most powerful of human emotions. It expresses itself in the lowest places, and extends the farthest from yourself. And It is rooted on high, deep within the human soul.
You love what speaks to you, what you relate to. You don’t love everybody and everything, you respond to the people that touch your heart in a special way.
But compassion can reach anybody.
You know a guy for years, you never liked him, have nothing in common, never saw any good within him. One day, out of the blue, tragedy strikes. All of the sudden you can’t work, your eyes are looking at the computer screen, but your mind is pulled by the sting in your heart. Your drawn to the guy’s home.
Its reach is far, it touches people whom you never meet, whose language you don’t understand, but your compassionate heart finds a way to communicate.
And It is rooted on high, deep within the human soul.
That’s why compassion has the magic that triggers love. After the tragedy hits that fellow, all of the sudden you begin to see how wonderful this guy is. The love, as if awakened from a deep sleep, begins to burn in your heart. The person you always knew of, but never cared enough to get to know, turns out to be a precious soul, your lucky to know him.
But you knew this person all along, where was the love? It was imprisoned beneath the coarseness of your heart, waiting patiently for a powerful force from deep within yourself, to free it. Compassion smashes the hardened exterior, allowing the flame of love to burst to freedom.
This is the Chasidic interpretation of the verse “to Jacob (compassion) who redeemed Abraham (love)”
You love what speaks to you, what you relate to. You don’t love everybody and everything, you respond to the people that touch your heart in a special way.
But compassion can reach anybody.
You know a guy for years, you never liked him, have nothing in common, never saw any good within him. One day, out of the blue, tragedy strikes. All of the sudden you can’t work, your eyes are looking at the computer screen, but your mind is pulled by the sting in your heart. Your drawn to the guy’s home.
Its reach is far, it touches people whom you never meet, whose language you don’t understand, but your compassionate heart finds a way to communicate.
And It is rooted on high, deep within the human soul.
That’s why compassion has the magic that triggers love. After the tragedy hits that fellow, all of the sudden you begin to see how wonderful this guy is. The love, as if awakened from a deep sleep, begins to burn in your heart. The person you always knew of, but never cared enough to get to know, turns out to be a precious soul, your lucky to know him.
But you knew this person all along, where was the love? It was imprisoned beneath the coarseness of your heart, waiting patiently for a powerful force from deep within yourself, to free it. Compassion smashes the hardened exterior, allowing the flame of love to burst to freedom.
This is the Chasidic interpretation of the verse “to Jacob (compassion) who redeemed Abraham (love)”
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