It’s been wait and see in Israel this past week.
“There’s nothing new under the sun”, states King Solomon— the wisest of all men— in Ecclesiastes.
Our enemies are out to destroy us. Nothing new. Yet here we are speaking of it — that too isn’t new, incredibly and miraculously!
In this week’s Torah portion Moses recounts the journeys of our ancestors through the desert. Journeys fraught with internal challenges, external challenges, miracles, disappointments, dissension and faith.
The last words of the Parsha so current and so pertinent —“Do not fear them, for it is G-d, your G-d who is fighting for you”.
In a recent interview, Mark Zuckerberg was asked about the special necklace that he wears. It’s the words I sing to my children every night Mi Shebeirach —May he who blessed our ancestors before us bless us…. May we have the courage to make our lives a blessing”…
How insightful. No, it isn’t prophetic words of Moses nor of a mystic rather from one of the richest and most powerful men in the world — clinging and sharing with his most “precious possessions” the true key to happiness and security —“faith”.
All the money in the world and the greatest access to anything physical unable to achieve what each of us have been bequeathed from Abraham & Sarah, Isaac & Rebecca, Jacob & Rachel V’leah.
Yes, it is concerning and potentially frightening that our enemies never miss an opportunity to rise up and plot our downfall yet in the famous words of the Haggadah and as history has proven, “and the Almighty saves us from their hands”.
Mi Shebeirach. May he who blessed our ancestors bless us and continue to bless us. May we share the miracle of our existence and the beauty of our faith together with our families as we allow more Judaism, Torah & Mitzvah to permeate our lives and as we look ahead committing ourselves to the spiritual preservation of our eternal nation in our eternal homeland — Am Yisrael Chai!
With best wishes for Shabbat Shalom,
P.S. This coming Tuesday ( starting Monday night) is Tisha B’av. The saddest day in the Jewish calendar as the first and second Temple’s in Jerusalem were destroyed. It’s a day of fasting and contemplation — Read more about it here. (Email me for a list of services we’ll be having)
P.P.S. For a list of “new and exciting” early childhood programs in the upcoming season — click here.