I would like to share some thoughts with you that have been running through my mind recently. My purpose here is not to give mussar, nor to boast in any way. It is only to give you some food for thought, and perhaps some inspiration. I know that if you are reading this, you probably care about your relationship with Hashem, and you look forward to the times of Moshiach, when the barriers between ourselves and Hashem will fall down, and we will be able to have the most wonderful relationship with Him. But we don't satisfy ourselves with only looking toward the future, rather, we try our best to strengthen our relationship with Hashem even now, despite the great difficulties and spiritual darkness that encompasses us. In each thing that we do, we need to ask ourselves how it is helping us in our Avodas Hashem, our service of Hashem.
At the beginning of this year, starting from Rosh Hashana of 5770, I decided that I would not look at any news sources on the internet. I felt that I was endlessly (and needlessly) looking at every news source, searching for some bit of information that would be exciting and had to do with Moshiach. Really, the motivation behind this could almost have been described as pure. I was so driven to know and see how the events leading up to Moshiach are unfolding that I needed to constantly have input on what is going on in the world. I am proud to say that I have not looked at any news source on the internet since the beginning of this year. This is not to say that I am not aware of what is going on in the world. I will look at a newspaper if it comes my way (I don't buy papers). I have seen much from following the Moshiach blogs. But I have felt so freed of the burden of having to constantly be stimulated by every news site (whether frum or not), constantly searching for something that would pique my interest.
Nevertheless, I have still found it difficult to free myself from looking at all the blogs. There is still a buzz around them, and it is harder to convince myself to hold myself back there, especially considering that these sites share my enthusiasm for Moshiach and my desire to see his advent in current events. But on further contemplation, I wonder, What is this really adding to my life? How does this help me in my service of Hashem? If I am always looking for what new way Obama is trying to subdue the Jewish people, or how Britain is getting its due for making a disparaging comment about the Kotel being part of Israel, how does this make me a better person? If I am in the middle of learning and I find myself drifting into these types of thoughts that have such a powerful pull, is this really where I should be focusing my energy?
I can't say that I have a definitive answer to these questions, and I am sure many will say, "Isn't it better to be thinking about Moshiach than thinking about some other meshugas?" But I would still like to share something with you that I came across today, in the Sefer Sifsei Chaim (Moadim Alef). At the beginning of the book, which contains the teachings of R' Chaim Friedlander, there is a section called "Derech shel Aliyah" - path of spiritual growth. This section speaks about the general approach of R' Chaim Friedlander himself in his service of Hashem, and quotes from his personal diaries from the numerous 'kabalos' - things that he accepted upon himself in order to advance in his connection to Hashem. I think it is extremely important to hear this, even if it is beyond our level, so that we can see the ideal of someone who was totally involved in service of Hashem.
He wrote the following in 1948, just three weeks after Ben Gurion announced the beginning of the state of Israel.
Sunday, Parshas Bamidbar, I accept upon myself (without a vow) until Thursday:
1. To minimize, as much as possible, any wasteful matters.
2. To hold back, as much as possible, from stating my opinion and predictions on current events.
It is my duty to remember that the main issue that I need to think about is not how it is possible to see the signs of salvation, because Hashem's salvation will come as quick as the blink of an eye if it is the time and we are worthy. Rather, the main issue for me is only how I can fulfill the purpose of this great time, how I can do teshuva (repentance) and steer away from the [negative] paths I have taken until now, and become, literally, a new being.
I think that R' Friedlander here encapsulates the proper Torah hashkafa on how we are to determine our approach to the issues I have raised. And, I want to make clear, I am not writing this to give anyone else mussar, rather to clarify the ideas for myself, and to put them out for others to hear and perhaps find inspiration in, as well. The approach is straightforward - my job is to make sure that I am becoming the best person that I can become. What I need to do is to make sure that the things that I do are aiding me in my service of Hashem. If they are detracting from that service, they should be avoided. The events that surround us certainly are momentous and cause for us to pause and take notice, but only to the extent that they aid us in becoming better people, and only to the extent that we realize we are in a time that demands a greater standard of excellence from ourselves.
In my mind, this means that if we take a look around us at the state of the Jewish people, it is easy to lay blame and say that Moshiach is not coming because of this group and that group. But I believe that Hashem does not want us to say this. I believe that Hashem wants us - those who are aware of what is really going on beneath the surface - to recognize what is going on, recognize that which is problematic with our people, and He wants us to overcompensate for the lacks elsewhere. If we are in a shul where people speak during davening, He does not want us to think negatively of everyone there, but rather, to compensate by being extra careful ourselves about not speaking during davening, perhaps even during the times that would be permitted - to overcompensate. If we know that many people are using the internet for purposes which are completely profane, we must hold ourselves to a higher standard in this regard - to be extremely careful to only use it for absolute holiness, or perhaps even to completely remove it from our homes. If we are aware that others are profaning the Shabbos, we must redouble our efforts to learn the halachos of Shabbos, to overcompensate for that which is lacking in our people.
This is what he says, "The main issue for me is only how I can fulfill the purpose of this great time." This means that I need to recognize the greatness of the time I am living in, and thereby draw myself up to a higher ideal in my service of Hashem. I need to become "literally, a new being," by raising myself to a higher standard of excellence. If my standards have become lowered as a result of my interest in that which is going on around me, I need to back off and view it in the proper perspective.
It also bears mentioning that when R' Friedlander accepted these things upon himself, he did it for a very limited amount of time, for only five days. He would then reevaluate if the idea was indeed productive, and in which way he could improve on it. This is instructive for us, because if we see that we are going in a way that is not productive for ourselves, we should not try to take upon ourselves something that is unrealistic. At the same time, we do want to effect some real change within ourselves, and this requires great self-awareness and honest reflection in order to truly be effective.
May Hashem help us to use all the tools He has given us in the right way, to only grow in our connection to Him, and truly merit to see Moshiach in our time. Amen.
Showing posts with label Avodas Hashem. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Avodas Hashem. Show all posts
Monday, April 19, 2010
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Vayikra - Expansion in Limitation
What is the deeper meaning of the concept of the korbanos? How does the sacrifice of animals enhance our relationship with Hashem? Why was Noach able to bring all the Kosher animals as sacrifices, whereas the Jewish people were limited to domesticated animals like cows and sheep? What is the deeper meaning of Hashem's call to Moshe, and why does it preface the concept of Korbanos? What is the significance of the fact that Moshe could originally communicate with Hashem in all places, but once the Mishkan was built, he was limited to communicating with Hashem there?
Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.
Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Moshiach's crown and Yakov's path
In a previous post, we discussed the Gemara in Sotah that talks about Yosef and his brothers going up to Eretz Yisroel to bury Yakov Avinu. The gemara describes how the children of Yishmael, Esav, and Keturah all come out to battle the children of Yakov. When they saw Yosef's crown which he had placed on the casket of Yakov, they immediately took off their own crowns, and also hung them from Yakov's casket. We explained that the crown represents the Torah of Moshiach, the transcendental aspect that Moshiach brings down into the world. The children of Yishmael, Esav, and Keturah come with their own ideologies, their own versions of spirituality, but in the end take off their crowns and acknowledge that Yosef's crown is the highest.
One of the questions I left unanswered was, What is the significance of Yakov's casket? Why is it specifically on his casket that all these crowns were hung?
As I was reading a piece from R' Chaim Friedlander on this week's parsha, the words of our Chazal came into clear focus.
In speaking of the story of the rocks that gathered under Yakov Avinu's head, Rav Friedlander searches for a deeper understanding of the hidden depths of meaning contained within it. What are Chazal coming to teach us when they said that the rocks wanted Yakov to rest his head on them? Why specifically the head of Yakov? What is it coming to teach us when it says that all the rocks were formed into a single rock?
Rav Friedlander explains that the concept that Chazal are trying to bring out is that Yakov Avinu's main role in the world was one of יחוד - bringing about unity. What this really means is that Yakov was able to find opportunities to serve Hashem in every circumstance he found himself. The entire world was at his disposal for his avodas Hashem. Thus, all the world was unified in this concept.
The rocks wanted to be placed under his head because they would then be used by the tzaddik in his service of Hashem (as he brings from the Ramchal). They joined into one rock, representing the fact that ultimately everthing is joined in unity in this concept of serving Hashem.
He brings the story that when Yakov was on his deathbed, he was about to reveal the קץ, when his Ruach Hakodesh left him suddenly. He looked up and questioned his sons if there was someone who was not on the level to receive this information. They responded and said שמע ישראל ה' אלוקינו ה' אחד - Hear us, Yisroel, Hashem our Elokim, Hashem is One. He was questioning if they were completely dedicated in every aspect of their lives to their service of Hashem. Their response was that they indeed were.
End quote of Rav Friedlander.
We see some very interesting things here. First point - Why is it that this whole story happens right when Yakov is about to reveal the keitz? Why does he specifically question their complete dedication to avodas Hashem when he can't reveal it?
It seems clear that Chazal are hinting to the fact that the entire purpose of the keitz - the times of Moshiach - is to completely involve ourselves in the service of Hashem. Not only that, but it will be clear that every single thing in creation is for that purpose. Thus, when Yakov was unable to reveal the keitz, he naturally assumed that perhaps one of his children was not completely dedicated to the concept of the times of Moshiach, and this was preventing him from giving over that information. To this they responded that indeed they were in tune with that concept.
What comes out of this is that the core concept that describes Yakov is the concept of the keitz itself and the times of Moshiach - the unity of all in the service of Hashem. Now we understand why Yosef's crown was hung upon Yakov's casket. Yakov's casket represents the perfection that he achieved when his life was complete, a perfection of the concept of unity. Yosef, who represents Moshiach ben Yosef, is the one who users in the age of this perfect understanding of the unity of creation in the service of Hashem. This is his crown - his spiritual path - which is hung upon the casket of Yakov. As long as the nations of the world retain their crowns upon their heads - retain their own spiritual paths - there is a lack of unity in the service of Hashem. When they remove their crowns in deference to Moshiach ben Yosef and place them upon the casket of Yakov, they show that ultimately there is only one way to serve Hashem, and that is by recognizing that every single thing in creation is in existence solely for this purpose.
One of the questions I left unanswered was, What is the significance of Yakov's casket? Why is it specifically on his casket that all these crowns were hung?
As I was reading a piece from R' Chaim Friedlander on this week's parsha, the words of our Chazal came into clear focus.
In speaking of the story of the rocks that gathered under Yakov Avinu's head, Rav Friedlander searches for a deeper understanding of the hidden depths of meaning contained within it. What are Chazal coming to teach us when they said that the rocks wanted Yakov to rest his head on them? Why specifically the head of Yakov? What is it coming to teach us when it says that all the rocks were formed into a single rock?
Rav Friedlander explains that the concept that Chazal are trying to bring out is that Yakov Avinu's main role in the world was one of יחוד - bringing about unity. What this really means is that Yakov was able to find opportunities to serve Hashem in every circumstance he found himself. The entire world was at his disposal for his avodas Hashem. Thus, all the world was unified in this concept.
The rocks wanted to be placed under his head because they would then be used by the tzaddik in his service of Hashem (as he brings from the Ramchal). They joined into one rock, representing the fact that ultimately everthing is joined in unity in this concept of serving Hashem.
He brings the story that when Yakov was on his deathbed, he was about to reveal the קץ, when his Ruach Hakodesh left him suddenly. He looked up and questioned his sons if there was someone who was not on the level to receive this information. They responded and said שמע ישראל ה' אלוקינו ה' אחד - Hear us, Yisroel, Hashem our Elokim, Hashem is One. He was questioning if they were completely dedicated in every aspect of their lives to their service of Hashem. Their response was that they indeed were.
End quote of Rav Friedlander.
We see some very interesting things here. First point - Why is it that this whole story happens right when Yakov is about to reveal the keitz? Why does he specifically question their complete dedication to avodas Hashem when he can't reveal it?
It seems clear that Chazal are hinting to the fact that the entire purpose of the keitz - the times of Moshiach - is to completely involve ourselves in the service of Hashem. Not only that, but it will be clear that every single thing in creation is for that purpose. Thus, when Yakov was unable to reveal the keitz, he naturally assumed that perhaps one of his children was not completely dedicated to the concept of the times of Moshiach, and this was preventing him from giving over that information. To this they responded that indeed they were in tune with that concept.
What comes out of this is that the core concept that describes Yakov is the concept of the keitz itself and the times of Moshiach - the unity of all in the service of Hashem. Now we understand why Yosef's crown was hung upon Yakov's casket. Yakov's casket represents the perfection that he achieved when his life was complete, a perfection of the concept of unity. Yosef, who represents Moshiach ben Yosef, is the one who users in the age of this perfect understanding of the unity of creation in the service of Hashem. This is his crown - his spiritual path - which is hung upon the casket of Yakov. As long as the nations of the world retain their crowns upon their heads - retain their own spiritual paths - there is a lack of unity in the service of Hashem. When they remove their crowns in deference to Moshiach ben Yosef and place them upon the casket of Yakov, they show that ultimately there is only one way to serve Hashem, and that is by recognizing that every single thing in creation is in existence solely for this purpose.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Moshiach, now?
The following comment was posted on the previous post:
Please, Ari, please don't fall into the trap of predicting a scary downfall of America. Just three months ago, I asked R. Chaim Kanievsky if I should move my family to E"Y. I was all excited about it.
He replied that I cannot come without parnassah. I asked him if I should just "cash out" and come. He said, "Then you spend it and go back. What's the point?"
Parnassah is in the hands of HaShem. Thus, for us, so is moving to E'Y. In the meantime, we must have faith that HaShem is going to orchestrate the kibbutz galius we just read about in the Pesach haftorah.
Please don't be insensitive to those who b'emes long to come to E"Y, but don't have the financial capabilities (yet!) to do so.
I would just like to clarify my general approach with this blog. I really try not to make any predictions, and it was not my intent to predict the fall of the US. I was merely sharing a story with you that I thought would be interesting. I personally firmly believe that every single person must ask a shailah in regards to how they should proceed with life, and rest assured that if they follow da'as Torah, Hashem will not steer them wrong. I encourage everyone to do so, and it is interesting to me that when you asked R' Chaim he responded that way, as someone else recently told me in a conversation that they asked an American Gadol (who is very serious about the idea of living in Eretz Yisrael) the same question and received the same exact answer - one can not come here without a realistic plan for parnassah.
One thought I would like to mention that hits me as I am writing this, is that even if a particular Gadol, say, R' Kanievsky, told one person that this is the proper approach, he may not tell the next person the same thing. Our Gedolim are gifted with Ruach Hakodesh and receive constant guidance as they help out the Klal as well as the many individuals who seek their guidance. I almost laugh as I think about the obviousness of it, but I think we've learned that what a Gadol says for one person will not necessarily apply to another. Just because you read in this blog that R' Chaim told 'anonymous' not to come here doesn't mean you shouldn't ask your rav if it might be the right thing for you.
Our lives must center around serving Hashem, and while צפית לישועה is of course an important thing, it mustn't take over our lives. I realized how compulsively I was checking the news, and I realized that it began when I got very into the whole Moshiach kick. I was never into politics, not here in Israel, and not in the US. It is all a waste of time, and all it does is steer us away from our avodas Hashem. I have really been conscious of not looking at the news, and I am proud to say that I was surprised that I didn't know that 'Durban II' was happening until someone told me about it.
I think it is important to talk and be excited and hopeful about Moshiach's advent, and I do believe he will be here soon. I am happy to say that I don't know how soon, but I do wait for him every day, so I think I'm headed in a good direction. Do I think that the US will fall? I don't know, and I don't wish it upon anyone, certainly not our wonderful brothers and sisters who live there (and might even want to be here in Israel much more than being there). One thing I am sure of is that no matter where we are, Hashem will be taking care of us, and if we have indeed reached the final stages of Geulah, or are nearing them, there will be a tremendous amount of rachamim for us, not destruction ח"ו.
The final redemption will defy logic, and if one takes a look around, the entire world, and the entire state of affairs for the Jewish people as a whole defies all logic. When everything defies logic, it is Hashem's fingerprints, his voice whispering, "I'm here with you." When the winter goes by and it is one of the driest winters in years, and the weather experts are exclaiming that the chances of such a winter are zero - when the chances are zero, this is Hashem speaking. It's no coincidence that this horrible winter in Israel was the worst time for the entire world since the Great Depression. Israel is the conduit for Hashem's goodness. Whatever happens here is a sign of what is happening everywhere else.
Bottom line is that we need to love Hashem, commit to coming close to Him, chuck all the distractions, and focus in on what really counts. We don't need to know what will happen in the future. The more we try to figure it out, the more futile it will be. We can want Moshiach without needing to know when he will be here, and without trying to figure out precisely what will happen and how it will unfold.
In any event, my bet is that it will be interesting, as there's no better 'storyteller' than Hashem. We can sit back and enjoy the show without trying to figure out the ending. We can also get 'into' the story and watch as it progresses without getting carried away and losing sight of what's really important in our lives. We can be excited when we hear that the gematria of ברק אובאמה is the same as the נחש which is also the same as משיח because they are all forces that come into play in the final story. And we can also say that maybe that's not significant and maybe the story will end in a different way. If a great author can give you a surprising and shocking ending, do we think that we can figure out the ending to this story written by Hashem? No matter what it will be interesting, and no matter what it will be the Ultimate Good. Let's try to do this with balance.
Please, Ari, please don't fall into the trap of predicting a scary downfall of America. Just three months ago, I asked R. Chaim Kanievsky if I should move my family to E"Y. I was all excited about it.
He replied that I cannot come without parnassah. I asked him if I should just "cash out" and come. He said, "Then you spend it and go back. What's the point?"
Parnassah is in the hands of HaShem. Thus, for us, so is moving to E'Y. In the meantime, we must have faith that HaShem is going to orchestrate the kibbutz galius we just read about in the Pesach haftorah.
Please don't be insensitive to those who b'emes long to come to E"Y, but don't have the financial capabilities (yet!) to do so.
I would just like to clarify my general approach with this blog. I really try not to make any predictions, and it was not my intent to predict the fall of the US. I was merely sharing a story with you that I thought would be interesting. I personally firmly believe that every single person must ask a shailah in regards to how they should proceed with life, and rest assured that if they follow da'as Torah, Hashem will not steer them wrong. I encourage everyone to do so, and it is interesting to me that when you asked R' Chaim he responded that way, as someone else recently told me in a conversation that they asked an American Gadol (who is very serious about the idea of living in Eretz Yisrael) the same question and received the same exact answer - one can not come here without a realistic plan for parnassah.
One thought I would like to mention that hits me as I am writing this, is that even if a particular Gadol, say, R' Kanievsky, told one person that this is the proper approach, he may not tell the next person the same thing. Our Gedolim are gifted with Ruach Hakodesh and receive constant guidance as they help out the Klal as well as the many individuals who seek their guidance. I almost laugh as I think about the obviousness of it, but I think we've learned that what a Gadol says for one person will not necessarily apply to another. Just because you read in this blog that R' Chaim told 'anonymous' not to come here doesn't mean you shouldn't ask your rav if it might be the right thing for you.
Our lives must center around serving Hashem, and while צפית לישועה is of course an important thing, it mustn't take over our lives. I realized how compulsively I was checking the news, and I realized that it began when I got very into the whole Moshiach kick. I was never into politics, not here in Israel, and not in the US. It is all a waste of time, and all it does is steer us away from our avodas Hashem. I have really been conscious of not looking at the news, and I am proud to say that I was surprised that I didn't know that 'Durban II' was happening until someone told me about it.
I think it is important to talk and be excited and hopeful about Moshiach's advent, and I do believe he will be here soon. I am happy to say that I don't know how soon, but I do wait for him every day, so I think I'm headed in a good direction. Do I think that the US will fall? I don't know, and I don't wish it upon anyone, certainly not our wonderful brothers and sisters who live there (and might even want to be here in Israel much more than being there). One thing I am sure of is that no matter where we are, Hashem will be taking care of us, and if we have indeed reached the final stages of Geulah, or are nearing them, there will be a tremendous amount of rachamim for us, not destruction ח"ו.
The final redemption will defy logic, and if one takes a look around, the entire world, and the entire state of affairs for the Jewish people as a whole defies all logic. When everything defies logic, it is Hashem's fingerprints, his voice whispering, "I'm here with you." When the winter goes by and it is one of the driest winters in years, and the weather experts are exclaiming that the chances of such a winter are zero - when the chances are zero, this is Hashem speaking. It's no coincidence that this horrible winter in Israel was the worst time for the entire world since the Great Depression. Israel is the conduit for Hashem's goodness. Whatever happens here is a sign of what is happening everywhere else.
Bottom line is that we need to love Hashem, commit to coming close to Him, chuck all the distractions, and focus in on what really counts. We don't need to know what will happen in the future. The more we try to figure it out, the more futile it will be. We can want Moshiach without needing to know when he will be here, and without trying to figure out precisely what will happen and how it will unfold.
In any event, my bet is that it will be interesting, as there's no better 'storyteller' than Hashem. We can sit back and enjoy the show without trying to figure out the ending. We can also get 'into' the story and watch as it progresses without getting carried away and losing sight of what's really important in our lives. We can be excited when we hear that the gematria of ברק אובאמה is the same as the נחש which is also the same as משיח because they are all forces that come into play in the final story. And we can also say that maybe that's not significant and maybe the story will end in a different way. If a great author can give you a surprising and shocking ending, do we think that we can figure out the ending to this story written by Hashem? No matter what it will be interesting, and no matter what it will be the Ultimate Good. Let's try to do this with balance.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Purim gelt
Guest post by Daniel
Based on my best calculations, I gave very close to, or just over, $25 in tzedakah throughout Purim this year. I was makpid to the best of my ability to always give something to anyone that asked me.
Upon arriving back at my house, there was a letter waiting for me, literally right outside my door. It was a 6-week late birthday card from a non-Jewish relative of mine. They don't even know it's Purim this week, let alone what Purim is. There was cash enclosed totaling $25.
Baruch Hashem!
The money came right back to me in lightning speed. One thing this teaches me is that the true price of a mitzvah is not the financial expense. It's like my money was distilled, extracting the spirituality (the mitzvah) within it, if you can picture that, and then sent right back to me. So what was extracted in that process? What was the real "currency" that was used to "purchase" my mitzvos?
I believe it was the emunah muscles I had to flex each time I gave money, whether a dollar or a quarter.
It was the challenge of not only parting with my own money, but the challenge of ignoring the rants of the yetzer hara who challenges the worthiness of every beggar and collector that asks for help.
"Why is it always these types of people" "Why is he asking while I'm praying?" "Wasn't he here 10 minutes ago asking for money?" "They should get jobs instead of taking other people's money" and on and on.
The best response I found was to completely immerse myself in the mida of Hashem's chesed. In that way, it doesn't matter if they are or are not worthy in my eyes - in Hashem's view (lehavdil), as it were, they are all worthy of my tzedakah! It doesn't matter if the guy is coming back to ask for a second time, especially not on Purim.
Similarly, it doesn't matter if all I can afford to give out this year amounts to just $25 - the real currency, strengthening emunah and overcoming the yetzer hara, is present for each person as long as he gives according to his particular income.
From all of this, we should take great joy, for "G-d wished to give Israel merit, therefore he gave them much Torah and many commandments." (Mishnah Makos 3:16)
Ashreichem Yisroel!
Based on my best calculations, I gave very close to, or just over, $25 in tzedakah throughout Purim this year. I was makpid to the best of my ability to always give something to anyone that asked me.
Upon arriving back at my house, there was a letter waiting for me, literally right outside my door. It was a 6-week late birthday card from a non-Jewish relative of mine. They don't even know it's Purim this week, let alone what Purim is. There was cash enclosed totaling $25.
Baruch Hashem!
The money came right back to me in lightning speed. One thing this teaches me is that the true price of a mitzvah is not the financial expense. It's like my money was distilled, extracting the spirituality (the mitzvah) within it, if you can picture that, and then sent right back to me. So what was extracted in that process? What was the real "currency" that was used to "purchase" my mitzvos?
I believe it was the emunah muscles I had to flex each time I gave money, whether a dollar or a quarter.
It was the challenge of not only parting with my own money, but the challenge of ignoring the rants of the yetzer hara who challenges the worthiness of every beggar and collector that asks for help.
"Why is it always these types of people" "Why is he asking while I'm praying?" "Wasn't he here 10 minutes ago asking for money?" "They should get jobs instead of taking other people's money" and on and on.
The best response I found was to completely immerse myself in the mida of Hashem's chesed. In that way, it doesn't matter if they are or are not worthy in my eyes - in Hashem's view (lehavdil), as it were, they are all worthy of my tzedakah! It doesn't matter if the guy is coming back to ask for a second time, especially not on Purim.
Similarly, it doesn't matter if all I can afford to give out this year amounts to just $25 - the real currency, strengthening emunah and overcoming the yetzer hara, is present for each person as long as he gives according to his particular income.
From all of this, we should take great joy, for "G-d wished to give Israel merit, therefore he gave them much Torah and many commandments." (Mishnah Makos 3:16)
Ashreichem Yisroel!
Monday, February 16, 2009
Obama, the economy, and the prelude to Moshiach
Why is the economic situation connected to Moshiach’s arrival? Why does it seem that the current mode of dealing with the problem will not yield bona fide results?
I think that our hearts tell us that both of the aforementioned questions are valid. While this that we sense may be affected by what we’ve read from the autistic messages, the truth is that there is more depth to this notion then we might otherwise have thought.
There are numerous sources in relation to Moshiach that clearly indicate that economics are associated with his arrival. The strongest source is one I have quoted previously, which is Rebbe Nachman’s story “The master of prayer.” Rebbe Nachman stresses from the onset of the story how the desire for wealth is one of the most difficult mistaken life approaches to correct. He tells how the Master of prayer, who represents Moshiach ben Dovid, tries to get through to the people who have fallen into this trap. They have so fallen into their mistake that they can not even begin to fathom that the true purpose of life is to come close to Hashem, nor that they might possibly be mistaken in their approach to life. He then describes how the Mighty Warrior, who represents Moshiach ben Yosef, is involved in bringing the leaders of the land of wealth on the only path to rectification – the path of war. Profoundly, this very path that they travel in order to rectify the leaders of the land of wealth, eventually brings to the reunification of all of the different characters in the story, which signifies the advent of the era of Moshiach.
The clear indication is that the rectification of the mistake of the land of wealth, i.e. the worship of money, is a precursor to Moshiach’s arrival.
The question is, why?
The answer is that as long as we believe that money is the main purpose of our lives, we are completely drawn away from what life is really about – spritual attainments. Even more finely stated, the more we put our faith in money, the less we are connected to Hashem, and the less we depend on Him. This misplaced faith and mistaken goal in life must be corrected before Moshiach can come, where all of days will be spent in constant devotion to growth in our Avodas Hashem.
Another point which is a direct outcrop of this is that the worship of wealth is truly an extension of the worship of self. It is the belief that my extravagant lifestyle is the center of the purpose of my existence, and I will do whatever is necessary to obtain it. Anyone that will stand in my way will fall.
Ultimately it is simply an immature self-centered goal that is all about pride. That pride is what must fall before the days of Moshiach when our lives will be centered completely outside of ourselves – all will join together just to propel each other ever higher in our service of Hashem - ויעשו כולם אגודה אחת לעשות רצונך בלבב שלם – They will join together in a single unit to do Your will with a full heart.
Coming back to the current crisis, there is a tremendous fundamental mistake that is being made by those who are trying to help the situation. Most people will acknowledge that the main problem in this whole crisis is the lack of trust. Markets and investments were mismanaged and misled by those whose whole interest was none other than number 1 – themselves. This self-centeredness ultimately blew up in everyone’s face and continues to plague us with a loss of faith that does not seem to have an end in sight. To work at the root of this, it would be necessary to go back to the source, recognizing that there is a lack of faithfullness that is creating the lack of faith. Instead, there is only hacking at the leaves of the problem. To my eye, this is simply because the leaders themselves (read: Obama) so totally believe that they are the center of the world, and the answer to all the world’s problems that they do not understand the fundamental problem – the lack of character. Their personal deficit in character will continue to fuel the problem, rather than solving it.
All the money in the world will not replace the faith that was lost and continues to remain weak. Only a real investment in what is lacking – an investment in trustworthiness and in simple goodness and honesty – will return people’s faith. Sadly, however, the drive to return the economy to its ‘former glory’ is completely based in pride, whether it is the pride of an Obama, seeking to make an eternal legacy for himself, or the pride of those who were making millions and now find themselves owing the same. As long as pride is the motivating factor, the point will be missed and the lesson unlearned, and the rectification distant.
To me, this is what Rebbe Nachman hinted to in his story when he told us about the people of the land of wealth who would not be convinced of the error of their ways. The sad result is that the only rectification for them is the path to war. Nevertheless, this path ultimately brings about the ultimate rectification.
In the end all, the message for us must be that we must strengthen our own commitment to raising our level of Avodas Hashem, and our own trust in Hashem. What happens to our faith when times get tough? Will we crack under the pressure, or will we strengthen our trust in Hashem, knowing that just as He helped us in the past, he will continue to help in the future? Ultimately, every experience we have in our lives is from Hashem, and is designed to bring out who we really are - צדיקים ילכו בם, ופושעים יכשלו בם - the righteous walk in them, and the wanton ones stumble in them. The tests reveal who we really are, and whether we have true trust.
There is always the multi-millionare who says, "All my wealth is from Hashem!" Whether he continues to say this when he has lost his money will be a real indicator of his faith in Hashem.
חזק חזק - we must stay strong through these trying times. This strength will be what we have to rest upon. There is only One that is our unwavering Support. It is our Rock - Stalwart and Omnipresent. He sheds tears along with our own, and triumphs with us in our true spiritual victories. Let us keep praying for that day when we will all say together זה ה' קוינו לו, נגילה ונשמחה בישועתו - This is Hashem Who I hoped for - let us rejoice and exult in His salvation!
I think that our hearts tell us that both of the aforementioned questions are valid. While this that we sense may be affected by what we’ve read from the autistic messages, the truth is that there is more depth to this notion then we might otherwise have thought.
There are numerous sources in relation to Moshiach that clearly indicate that economics are associated with his arrival. The strongest source is one I have quoted previously, which is Rebbe Nachman’s story “The master of prayer.” Rebbe Nachman stresses from the onset of the story how the desire for wealth is one of the most difficult mistaken life approaches to correct. He tells how the Master of prayer, who represents Moshiach ben Dovid, tries to get through to the people who have fallen into this trap. They have so fallen into their mistake that they can not even begin to fathom that the true purpose of life is to come close to Hashem, nor that they might possibly be mistaken in their approach to life. He then describes how the Mighty Warrior, who represents Moshiach ben Yosef, is involved in bringing the leaders of the land of wealth on the only path to rectification – the path of war. Profoundly, this very path that they travel in order to rectify the leaders of the land of wealth, eventually brings to the reunification of all of the different characters in the story, which signifies the advent of the era of Moshiach.
The clear indication is that the rectification of the mistake of the land of wealth, i.e. the worship of money, is a precursor to Moshiach’s arrival.
The question is, why?
The answer is that as long as we believe that money is the main purpose of our lives, we are completely drawn away from what life is really about – spritual attainments. Even more finely stated, the more we put our faith in money, the less we are connected to Hashem, and the less we depend on Him. This misplaced faith and mistaken goal in life must be corrected before Moshiach can come, where all of days will be spent in constant devotion to growth in our Avodas Hashem.
Another point which is a direct outcrop of this is that the worship of wealth is truly an extension of the worship of self. It is the belief that my extravagant lifestyle is the center of the purpose of my existence, and I will do whatever is necessary to obtain it. Anyone that will stand in my way will fall.
Ultimately it is simply an immature self-centered goal that is all about pride. That pride is what must fall before the days of Moshiach when our lives will be centered completely outside of ourselves – all will join together just to propel each other ever higher in our service of Hashem - ויעשו כולם אגודה אחת לעשות רצונך בלבב שלם – They will join together in a single unit to do Your will with a full heart.
Coming back to the current crisis, there is a tremendous fundamental mistake that is being made by those who are trying to help the situation. Most people will acknowledge that the main problem in this whole crisis is the lack of trust. Markets and investments were mismanaged and misled by those whose whole interest was none other than number 1 – themselves. This self-centeredness ultimately blew up in everyone’s face and continues to plague us with a loss of faith that does not seem to have an end in sight. To work at the root of this, it would be necessary to go back to the source, recognizing that there is a lack of faithfullness that is creating the lack of faith. Instead, there is only hacking at the leaves of the problem. To my eye, this is simply because the leaders themselves (read: Obama) so totally believe that they are the center of the world, and the answer to all the world’s problems that they do not understand the fundamental problem – the lack of character. Their personal deficit in character will continue to fuel the problem, rather than solving it.
All the money in the world will not replace the faith that was lost and continues to remain weak. Only a real investment in what is lacking – an investment in trustworthiness and in simple goodness and honesty – will return people’s faith. Sadly, however, the drive to return the economy to its ‘former glory’ is completely based in pride, whether it is the pride of an Obama, seeking to make an eternal legacy for himself, or the pride of those who were making millions and now find themselves owing the same. As long as pride is the motivating factor, the point will be missed and the lesson unlearned, and the rectification distant.
To me, this is what Rebbe Nachman hinted to in his story when he told us about the people of the land of wealth who would not be convinced of the error of their ways. The sad result is that the only rectification for them is the path to war. Nevertheless, this path ultimately brings about the ultimate rectification.
In the end all, the message for us must be that we must strengthen our own commitment to raising our level of Avodas Hashem, and our own trust in Hashem. What happens to our faith when times get tough? Will we crack under the pressure, or will we strengthen our trust in Hashem, knowing that just as He helped us in the past, he will continue to help in the future? Ultimately, every experience we have in our lives is from Hashem, and is designed to bring out who we really are - צדיקים ילכו בם, ופושעים יכשלו בם - the righteous walk in them, and the wanton ones stumble in them. The tests reveal who we really are, and whether we have true trust.
There is always the multi-millionare who says, "All my wealth is from Hashem!" Whether he continues to say this when he has lost his money will be a real indicator of his faith in Hashem.
חזק חזק - we must stay strong through these trying times. This strength will be what we have to rest upon. There is only One that is our unwavering Support. It is our Rock - Stalwart and Omnipresent. He sheds tears along with our own, and triumphs with us in our true spiritual victories. Let us keep praying for that day when we will all say together זה ה' קוינו לו, נגילה ונשמחה בישועתו - This is Hashem Who I hoped for - let us rejoice and exult in His salvation!
Friday, January 9, 2009
Yosef and the wealth of redemption
My wife recently read the book "Let My Nation Descend" by Yosef Deutsch, which details the account of the sale of Yosef, culminating with the young nation of Israel journeying to Egypt. She shared a remarkable part of the story with me that I thought was both interesting and thought provoking.
On page 214, he brings down that during the years of famine, Yosef amassed an unbelievable amount of wealth from all of the different nations that came to him for food. According to Rav Aryeh Kaplan's assessment in his translation of the Yalkut Me'am Loez, in present day value, it would surpass the value of billions of dollars.
What did Yosef do with the money?
R' Deutsch brings down that half of the money was stored in the secure royal treasury. The second half was subdivided into three parts which were stored in different secret places. Hashem's promise to Avraham would be fulfilled with this wealth - the Jews would leave Egypt with fabulous riches.
Interestingly, he says that the three caches of money came from three different sources - Egyptian idol worshippers, criminals, and those who observed the Noachide commandments (lehavdil). When the Jews would leave Egypt many years later, Korach found one of the three sets of treasure, and that wealth was lost when Korach was swallowed by the ground after his rebellion. The second treasure would later be found by Antoninus of Rome, and the third treasure is reserved for the tzadikim in the times of Moshiach.
What is most remarkable to me in this whole description is that Yosef himself was the one who collected all of the money that the Jews left Egypt with at Yetzias Mitrayim, as well as the money that would be given to the righteous after the final Geulah. There is clearly something more to this than a cute side note to history.
It seems to me be'H, that here is another example of the role of Moshiach ben Yosef, and most interestingly, it is being performed by Yosef himself. One of the roles of Moshiach ben Yosef is that he is in charge of the physical welfare of the Jewish people, and he is also involved in the final rectification of wealth (see again Rebbe Nachman's story "The Master of Prayer").
What does this mean? I believe it is as follows.
To understand, we need to ask another question. Why is it important for the Jewish people to leave Egypt with tremendous wealth? Also, why is it important for the righteous to have this great wealth in the times of Moshiach?
I think the answer starts with the Rambam at the end of hilchos Melachim. There he says that the prophets and sages did not desire the days of Moshiach so that we would rule over the world and no longer be beholden to the other nations. Rather, it was so we could spend our time completely involved in the study of Torah, with no other worries or distractions.
What is the number one distraction from learning Torah (besides for the internet)? It is when a person lacks for his livelihood. When all a person's physical needs are taken care of, then he can completely focus on his service of Hashem and his Torah learning.
Similar to the times of Moshiach when our sole occupation will be learning Torah, when the Jews left Mitzrayim, they were headed toward forty years of Torah learning - nonstop! This would only be possible if they would have no worries in regards to their livelihood. Of course they would experience the miracle of the Mon falling, but that was something that they didn't 'have in the bag.' The fact that their 'safety deposit box' was full was what perhaps could give them the reassurance that there was nothing to worry about. All their needs were guaranteed by the wealth they Providentially left Mitzrayim with. This allowed them the peace of mind to focus all their efforts on their learning for the ensuing forty years.
It is no coincidence that this wealth was collected by Yosef, and set aside by him as well, for the Jewish people's redemption from Egypt, as well as the Jewish people's ultimate redemption. His job was to provide for the physical welfare of his people, so they could focus their undivided efforts on spiritual pursuits.
On page 214, he brings down that during the years of famine, Yosef amassed an unbelievable amount of wealth from all of the different nations that came to him for food. According to Rav Aryeh Kaplan's assessment in his translation of the Yalkut Me'am Loez, in present day value, it would surpass the value of billions of dollars.
What did Yosef do with the money?
R' Deutsch brings down that half of the money was stored in the secure royal treasury. The second half was subdivided into three parts which were stored in different secret places. Hashem's promise to Avraham would be fulfilled with this wealth - the Jews would leave Egypt with fabulous riches.
Interestingly, he says that the three caches of money came from three different sources - Egyptian idol worshippers, criminals, and those who observed the Noachide commandments (lehavdil). When the Jews would leave Egypt many years later, Korach found one of the three sets of treasure, and that wealth was lost when Korach was swallowed by the ground after his rebellion. The second treasure would later be found by Antoninus of Rome, and the third treasure is reserved for the tzadikim in the times of Moshiach.
What is most remarkable to me in this whole description is that Yosef himself was the one who collected all of the money that the Jews left Egypt with at Yetzias Mitrayim, as well as the money that would be given to the righteous after the final Geulah. There is clearly something more to this than a cute side note to history.
It seems to me be'H, that here is another example of the role of Moshiach ben Yosef, and most interestingly, it is being performed by Yosef himself. One of the roles of Moshiach ben Yosef is that he is in charge of the physical welfare of the Jewish people, and he is also involved in the final rectification of wealth (see again Rebbe Nachman's story "The Master of Prayer").
What does this mean? I believe it is as follows.
To understand, we need to ask another question. Why is it important for the Jewish people to leave Egypt with tremendous wealth? Also, why is it important for the righteous to have this great wealth in the times of Moshiach?
I think the answer starts with the Rambam at the end of hilchos Melachim. There he says that the prophets and sages did not desire the days of Moshiach so that we would rule over the world and no longer be beholden to the other nations. Rather, it was so we could spend our time completely involved in the study of Torah, with no other worries or distractions.
What is the number one distraction from learning Torah (besides for the internet)? It is when a person lacks for his livelihood. When all a person's physical needs are taken care of, then he can completely focus on his service of Hashem and his Torah learning.
Similar to the times of Moshiach when our sole occupation will be learning Torah, when the Jews left Mitzrayim, they were headed toward forty years of Torah learning - nonstop! This would only be possible if they would have no worries in regards to their livelihood. Of course they would experience the miracle of the Mon falling, but that was something that they didn't 'have in the bag.' The fact that their 'safety deposit box' was full was what perhaps could give them the reassurance that there was nothing to worry about. All their needs were guaranteed by the wealth they Providentially left Mitzrayim with. This allowed them the peace of mind to focus all their efforts on their learning for the ensuing forty years.
It is no coincidence that this wealth was collected by Yosef, and set aside by him as well, for the Jewish people's redemption from Egypt, as well as the Jewish people's ultimate redemption. His job was to provide for the physical welfare of his people, so they could focus their undivided efforts on spiritual pursuits.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Help fight this war
In the daf yomi today (בבא קמא דף ג) the Gemara brings the passuk in Yeshaya (21:12):
אמר שומר אתא בוקר וגם לילה אם תבעיון בעיו שבו אתיו - The watchman said that the morning has come, and also night, if you would ask, then come again.
Rashi on the passuk is powerful. He says that the 'watchman' is reference to Hakadosh Baruch Hu. Says Hashem, the morning will come, that is, the day when He will shine upon us; and the night as well, that is, the time that is prepared for Esav at the End of time. If you will ask to quicken the end, you can, by way of teshuva.
It seems clear that Teshuva is the essential component of Moshiach being revealed early. My gut tells me that if we are to merit Moshiach this year, it will be an early appearance. If that is so, Rashi tells us it can only be attained by doing Teshuva.
We keep hearing teshuva, over and over again. Daniel mentioned to me a while ago that teshuva is a common theme throughout the Geulah blogosphere, but we never seem to hear exactly what it means.
I would like to put forth a simple and straightfoward answer to the question.
Teshuva means to return. It means to return to Hashem. It means to return to your highest point, to what you know inside the deepest depth of your heart.
We know that success in the war that is going on here in Eretz Yisrael is not dependant on the might of the IDF nor the IAF. It is dependant completely upon our connection and relationship to Hashem. Nach is replete with stories of success and failure in the wars of the Jewish people. Recent history also tells the same tale. When we depend on Hashem, he takes care of us. When our connection is broken, we fail רחמנא לצלן.
We can run through Dreaming of Moshiach, Shirat Devorah, Mystical Paths, Lazer Beams, I Heart Noahides, Dani18, and a plethora of other Moshiach related blogs scanning for whatever buzzes our brain and gets us a little excited. But if all it does is give us a buzz and doesn't move us off of our computer chair into the Beis medrash for at least a few extra minutes a day to learn some Torah and connect to Hashem, then WE HAVE MISSED THE POINT!!!
The only way we can win the war is by returning to Hashem and reconnecting to Him. That is what Teshuva is about. It doesn't mean that you have to turn around and become a different person overnight. That is ridiculous and unrealistic. But we can take on to learn a few more minutes a day. If you need a place to find a five minute dvar torah, try out www.arigoldwag.com. It doesn't have to be my site - my point is not to plug my site - there are tons of great Torah sites (www.simpletoremember.com is a great one of note).
Commit to five minutes of Torah before you open up your internet browser. That is concrete Teshuva. That is how we can win this war and perhaps bring Moshiach early.
אמר שומר אתא בוקר וגם לילה אם תבעיון בעיו שבו אתיו - The watchman said that the morning has come, and also night, if you would ask, then come again.
Rashi on the passuk is powerful. He says that the 'watchman' is reference to Hakadosh Baruch Hu. Says Hashem, the morning will come, that is, the day when He will shine upon us; and the night as well, that is, the time that is prepared for Esav at the End of time. If you will ask to quicken the end, you can, by way of teshuva.
It seems clear that Teshuva is the essential component of Moshiach being revealed early. My gut tells me that if we are to merit Moshiach this year, it will be an early appearance. If that is so, Rashi tells us it can only be attained by doing Teshuva.
We keep hearing teshuva, over and over again. Daniel mentioned to me a while ago that teshuva is a common theme throughout the Geulah blogosphere, but we never seem to hear exactly what it means.
I would like to put forth a simple and straightfoward answer to the question.
Teshuva means to return. It means to return to Hashem. It means to return to your highest point, to what you know inside the deepest depth of your heart.
We know that success in the war that is going on here in Eretz Yisrael is not dependant on the might of the IDF nor the IAF. It is dependant completely upon our connection and relationship to Hashem. Nach is replete with stories of success and failure in the wars of the Jewish people. Recent history also tells the same tale. When we depend on Hashem, he takes care of us. When our connection is broken, we fail רחמנא לצלן.
We can run through Dreaming of Moshiach, Shirat Devorah, Mystical Paths, Lazer Beams, I Heart Noahides, Dani18, and a plethora of other Moshiach related blogs scanning for whatever buzzes our brain and gets us a little excited. But if all it does is give us a buzz and doesn't move us off of our computer chair into the Beis medrash for at least a few extra minutes a day to learn some Torah and connect to Hashem, then WE HAVE MISSED THE POINT!!!
The only way we can win the war is by returning to Hashem and reconnecting to Him. That is what Teshuva is about. It doesn't mean that you have to turn around and become a different person overnight. That is ridiculous and unrealistic. But we can take on to learn a few more minutes a day. If you need a place to find a five minute dvar torah, try out www.arigoldwag.com. It doesn't have to be my site - my point is not to plug my site - there are tons of great Torah sites (www.simpletoremember.com is a great one of note).
Commit to five minutes of Torah before you open up your internet browser. That is concrete Teshuva. That is how we can win this war and perhaps bring Moshiach early.
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Missing the point
I heard the following story in the name of R' Shimshon Pincus z'l.
Rabbi Boruch Adler* was asked to give a shiur to a mixed group of people, comprised of both scholars and unlettered individuals. He was forewarned that he should make sure to explain and translate words or concepts that might be foreign to anyone. Throughout his derasha he made every effort to explain each and every word, at times expounding on concepts that to him were fundamental. He made no assumptions, however, and explained everything to the best of his ability.
After his speech was completed, one of those who attended came up to Rav Adler with a broad smile on his face. As they began to speak it became evident that he was one of the less learned of the group.
"Rabbi," the man said, "I just want you to know that I truly appreciated how you made such a great effort to explain all of those lofty concepts."
Rabbi Adler nodded and smiled.
The man continued and said, "I believe that I really understood the ideas you were conveying in your speech, and I benefitted each time you translated the words from Hebrew in to English. There was just one word that you said a few times which you didn't translate."
"What was that," asked Rav Adler, looking slightly worried.
The man replied, "I didn't know what you meant when you kept saying 'Hakadosh Baruch Hu.'"
If Hakadosh Baruch Hu - God - is missing from the shiur, you've missed the whole point!
We can wake up every day, learn the daf yomi, put on our tallis and tefillin to daven, run to do chesed, be careful about saying Lashon Hara, and make sure to say Amen to the berachos that our friends say out loud. But if the essential ingredient is missing - if we are lacking the connection to Hashem - we've missed the boat!
Rabbi Boruch Adler* was asked to give a shiur to a mixed group of people, comprised of both scholars and unlettered individuals. He was forewarned that he should make sure to explain and translate words or concepts that might be foreign to anyone. Throughout his derasha he made every effort to explain each and every word, at times expounding on concepts that to him were fundamental. He made no assumptions, however, and explained everything to the best of his ability.
After his speech was completed, one of those who attended came up to Rav Adler with a broad smile on his face. As they began to speak it became evident that he was one of the less learned of the group.
"Rabbi," the man said, "I just want you to know that I truly appreciated how you made such a great effort to explain all of those lofty concepts."
Rabbi Adler nodded and smiled.
The man continued and said, "I believe that I really understood the ideas you were conveying in your speech, and I benefitted each time you translated the words from Hebrew in to English. There was just one word that you said a few times which you didn't translate."
"What was that," asked Rav Adler, looking slightly worried.
The man replied, "I didn't know what you meant when you kept saying 'Hakadosh Baruch Hu.'"
If Hakadosh Baruch Hu - God - is missing from the shiur, you've missed the whole point!
We can wake up every day, learn the daf yomi, put on our tallis and tefillin to daven, run to do chesed, be careful about saying Lashon Hara, and make sure to say Amen to the berachos that our friends say out loud. But if the essential ingredient is missing - if we are lacking the connection to Hashem - we've missed the boat!
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Thinking ahead
This story starts off rather normal. But a discerning ear will hear greatness here.
Last night, the wife of an old friend of mine called. Her in-laws will be in town and staying in my area and she heard that I may be out for Shabbos Chanukah for a simcha.
I confirmed that I would be in Jerusalem for that Shabbos, and my apartment would be available. It would be great to have them stay in my home.
Then she somewhat abashedly asked where I light Chanukah candles.
Not comprehending at first, I stumbled and said, "In the bedroom, in the window that faces the street."
It dawned on me that her husband (or perhaps she?) had thought ahead. Not only did they need an apartment for Shabbos, but they would need a proper place to light Chanukah candles!
I told her that my apartment is a second floor apartment and the window is not so visible from all angles. As far as 'pirsumei nisa' goes, they might be able to find a better suited apartment.
I realized that many times we make plans for the future that may or may not include the most important factor of our lives. Our avodas Hashem.
It's not such a big deal to think about our davening schedule when making our flight plan. It does limit our options, but wouldn't we limit them for something 'really' important like a big executive multi-million dollar business meeting? Tefillah is our chance to have that meeting with Hashem. Its power is enhanced manifold by joining with a minyan. Perhaps it could merit a second thought.
The plans that we make and the details that we notice can display where our true devotion lies.
Last night, the wife of an old friend of mine called. Her in-laws will be in town and staying in my area and she heard that I may be out for Shabbos Chanukah for a simcha.
I confirmed that I would be in Jerusalem for that Shabbos, and my apartment would be available. It would be great to have them stay in my home.
Then she somewhat abashedly asked where I light Chanukah candles.
Not comprehending at first, I stumbled and said, "In the bedroom, in the window that faces the street."
It dawned on me that her husband (or perhaps she?) had thought ahead. Not only did they need an apartment for Shabbos, but they would need a proper place to light Chanukah candles!
I told her that my apartment is a second floor apartment and the window is not so visible from all angles. As far as 'pirsumei nisa' goes, they might be able to find a better suited apartment.
I realized that many times we make plans for the future that may or may not include the most important factor of our lives. Our avodas Hashem.
It's not such a big deal to think about our davening schedule when making our flight plan. It does limit our options, but wouldn't we limit them for something 'really' important like a big executive multi-million dollar business meeting? Tefillah is our chance to have that meeting with Hashem. Its power is enhanced manifold by joining with a minyan. Perhaps it could merit a second thought.
The plans that we make and the details that we notice can display where our true devotion lies.
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