From The Desk of Rabbi Yehuda

Earlier this week, with heightened emotion, we saw the release of three hostages — Romy, Emily & Doron — and as of time of writing, we await the names of the next round of released captives. 

Deals, negotiations, concessions, truce —are some of the words being bandied about to describe this phase of our people coming home to our land —an absolute affront and an outrage! 

Covenant! The word that aptly describes the relationship between the Jewish nation with Gd, the land of Israel and the Torah. 

In today’s Torah portion —which is the very story of the Exodus — an event that we celebrate 8 days out of every year and mention in our prayers “every” single day —Gd tell Moses that he must demand of Pharaoh to “let my people go” — because he is now acting on the “covenant”. 

Covenant! What does it actually mean? 

A quick google will include in the definition of the word covenant —“an agreement which brings about a relationship of commitment between God and his people”. 

This isn’t a deal. This isn’t a negotiation. This is part of the Covenant. Indeed, as one Rabbi noted in his column this week that Jewish connection to the Land of Israel is 16x longer than American existence. It's part of the covenant

To me, we were watching our sisters coming home to our homeland. Simple as that. 

Covenant! A commitment that transcends all limitations and conventions, deals and understandings— it’s the ultimate commitment. Merav Berger, the mother of one of the soon to be released hostages expresses the depth of the covenant when she said —

“We are eagerly waiting for our daughters. We also know that this is likely to happen on Shabbat, and it’s not by chance that our enemies are probably aiming for that. It’s important to me, and I’ve been thinking about it a lot in recent days, how I can do this without desecrating the Sabbath,” said the mother. 

Incredible. A mother awaiting her daughter who has been held captive 470+ days and this is her quandary? Beyond words. But then again a covenant is beyond words — it’s an essential bond between us and the Almighty.

As we embrace 2025 — let us remember our covenant and connection via Torah and Mitzvah to do just a little more in our lives and may Hashem shower infinite blessings upon each of us, in the very areas that we require for happiness, health, nachas and peace of mind — Amen!

Bring them home!

With bated breath we await the first-stage of the hostage release. 

The names Bibas are supposedly on the list as are many others that for 400+ days we’ve been praying for. 

I can’t begin to imagine their physical and mental state but my heart bursts with joy for them and their families, whilst it contracts in pain for those still in captivity and those who we’ll never see again. 

“Let my people go”! 

Not too dissimilar in chant  —yet it’s Moses at the behest of G-d that confronts Pharaoh in Biblical Egypt. It’s G-d that sets it into motion and it’s the first time we are introduced to the very concept of freedom. A Divine idea!

Divine ideas originate and are modeled by G-d and then handed to mankind for us to emulate. That in a nutshell is what the Torah represents. Divine ideas that are “Divine” in that they originate from G-d and then gifted to humankind to aspire to. 

“Let my people go”! 

It’s our responsibility to be there for one another. Whether in a hostage situation or simply struggling in life; whether it benefits us directly or not — even if it actually costs us financially, emotionally or in any other way. For after all, it’s Divine and regardless of how we see ourselves, we all know in our heart of hearts we are the recipients of G-d’s divine benevolence in abundance. 

Whether it’s a good deal or not, pro the deal or not — one thing is for sure — we ought to recognize the Divine elements of life as articulated in the Torah, aspire to them and ensure that the unity of the nation of Israel remains undivided!!

With best wishes for a Shabbat Shalom.

The images out of the West Coast have been absolutely horrifying this past week. 

Entire neighborhoods, lifetime possessions engulfed and incinerated. 

All four elements in full force. Some on the destructive side and some on the side of repair. Fire and water battling it out with major input from air / wind scorching the earth. 

Every natural disaster is caused by a blend of these four elements each occurrence in a different order. Where water was scarce in this instance, the results of abundance of water are all too familiar to us.

Yet at the same time, who could live without these elements? The very oxygen of life if you will, quite literally. Indeed, the very fabric of our being — human life at the core, was created from earth as is related in the Torah. 

The polar sides of life. One moment valuable the next moment worthless.  

And then there’s the vivifying element of life. The source of it all, G-d. Who can really make sense of it all? Can one really even dream of trying to grasp the inner mechanisms of the Divine plan?

Of course not. Not the inner mechanisms that is — the blueprint however, we were gifted. The Torah. Quite simply as a  blueprint of life. How to live.  To surf above the confusing elements of life. 

Indeed, most of all, it directs us how to accumulate in ways that can never be taken away from us regardless of any element or natural disaster. Because at the end of it all, good deeds & Mitzvahs far outlive our lifespans and are the only currency that survives it all!

As I write these words — the fire has yet to be contained and we pray for the safety of everyone—with extra prayers to those battling the blazes from the front lines. 

With best wishes for Shabbat Shalom,