From The Desk of Rabbi Yehuda

“Never forget where you come from”.

I heard that phrase often when I was growing up and throughout my life. I now find myself repeating this in all sorts of situations.  

It’s fairly simple, when one knows where they come from, they have clarity on where to head. 

As a Jew, Ashkenazi or Sephardi, it is not hard to trace where we come from. All arrows point to our Homeland, Israel. 

It started with Abraham and Sarah — the first founding father and mother of the Jewish people —who unsolicitedly were promised by G-d the land of Israel, reaffirmed through Yitzchak and Rivka only to be reaffirmed yet again to Yaakov and Rachel / Leah. 

Clearly and carefully chronicled in the Torah, enshrined in our daily prayers multiple times, celebrated and yearned in numerous other ways in Judaism, handed down from generation to generation, the Jewish nation definitively know where we come from. 

Yet despite this indisputable truth, defending our birthright,Heritage, borders and civilization — regardless of relentless attacks and self defense— seems to be disputable by far too many. The advice to remember and revere, coupled with the reality that the Jewish nation does tenaciously hold on to our precious Heritage is one that triggers a visceral reaction. Antisemitism at its best. 

The decision of the International court at the Hague to issue an arrest warrant of the Prime Minister of Israel and the former Defense Minister is simply shocking. A complete outrage and an assault on the Jewish nation.  

Yet despite the millennia of our enemies conniving to eradicate our memories — we will always be cognizant from whence we come. 

You see, at the end of the day it’s not about muscle memory — it’s our essence and identity. It’s not affected by level of observance nor conscious life decisions. It’s totally transcendent. Beyond courts of law, physical assaults or even the allure of the material. It’s a core, soul identity!

How do I know it? Simple — we’re here. We’ve endured. We’re vibrant. The erosion of time having had the opposite effect — just as fine wine — better with time!

So yes, let’s remember where we come from on a conscious level so that we can maximize our identity but let’s also not fall into the trap of being defined by others. For ultimately, Judaism is our eternal Heritage and Israel is our eternal Homeland and tonight we usher in the eternal gift of Shabbos. No amount of erasing the truth will change it and we continue to celebrate it. Am Yisrael Chai!

I was tracking my steps one day and was feeling quite accomplished as I hit the 10,000 steps mark. 

It occurred to me that compared to the speed of light or even the speed of sound — walking 10k steps in a day is hardly a feat. 

In this week’s Parsha we read of the founding parents of Judaism, Abraham and Sarah. We aren’t told how many steps they walked in a particular day — we are told however, the direction in which they walked.  

Skip forward.  An infinite amount of steps have been tread, plod and run in the very direction beat out by by our illustrious lineage and here we are, powerfully, still at it. 

One would think that it would get easier as we walk in the same footsteps beat out by our ancestors but as life shows us — nothing ever gets easier — the challenge merely shifts.

Indeed, from the very advancements that continue to evolve in life, arise the very challenges. Yet it’s the deliberate step by step in the prescribed direction that puts us squarely on our journey. 

Gd says of Abraham, “for I have known and cherished him because he instructs his sons and his household after him to keep the way of Gd — acting with charity and justice”. 

The direction is very clear. After all, we have the roadmap of life right at our fingertips in the Torah. Whether it’s a few step or many steps; fast or slow; long strides or forced timid steps — ultimately it comes down to the direction of the steps. 

No, it doesn’t get easier — but the deep satisfaction and the ultimate goal of adding another link to the illustrious chain of Jewish life ensuring Dor L’dor, keeps the number on Abraham and Sarah’s step counter leaping forward one deliberate step after another. 

Onwards and upwards — Am Yisrael Chai!

What’s your name?

Seemingly a pretty benign question and not really an area in which we had much choice. 

Yet perhaps it’s not so benign. After all, certain names bring out emotions of attraction or the opposite. If a name is just a name it would be totally irrelevant. 

It struck my attention as in this week’s Parsha it is Gd that changes Abraham and Sarah’s names from Abram and Sarai. They seem similar but the intentionality is clear. 

Their names were changed because their destinies had changed. They went from regional players to universal role models. Turns out, names do make a difference. Well, sort of…

In Hebrew when asking someone their name it translates to, “how do you call yourself”? And with that phrase I think it all falls into place. 

There’s your given name and then the name you create for yourself. It starts with recognizing our inherent capability to enhance this world in our unique and specific way. 

“How do you call yourself”? Isn’t quite just a linguistic backwards way of saying what’s your name dude? It’s actually a deeply insightful question that can only be answered by you! 

No, it’s not what’s going on around you that creates your name it’s what you do with your Gd given talents that makes the name. We control but what we do with what is sent our way. 

Abram and Sarai became Abraham and Sarah because when they were relatively unknown they were already blazing a new path. No victimization or weakness rather faith and inner strength their garb. 

We are their descendants and we each have this quality deeply imbued in our DNA. 

What’s “your” name? I can tell you mine — but I’d rather tell you how I call myself and let you determine my name!

With best wishes for Shabbat Shalom,