Parshat Shoftim
Parshat Shoftim
On Monday August 17th, 2009 I decided to do something that most consider crazy and foolish; I jumped out of a plane (with a parachute of course). In my life I have never felt a stronger and more exhilarating feeling than being 10,000 feet in the air. Falling at 120 mph, I thought I might wake up in my bed, dreaming.
In Judaism, we are not supposed to place ourselves in dangerous situations in vain, so I decided to meditate on what life lessons I could derive from this experience and how it might coincide with this week’s parsha. I learned many things from skydiving, but one thing flew right into my mind, (no pun intended). When looking down at the Jersey coast line, I thought to myself,
“Humans are crazy! We just never feel settled! We are always looking for things that we believe will bring us more happiness and fulfillment.”
“You shall be wholehearted with HaShem your G-d (18:13)."
At first glance, one might say, “Become one with G-d? Me? G-d is so big!” Some might even say that they have achieved this state of being, but I think we’re still on the way. We don’t feel humbled by the above verse, and in actuality, we pursue this idea 24/7 but in an empty way. In our minds, it seems clear what is “important,” “real” and what leads to “happiness,” but we are tricking ourselves. We pursue deeper meaning, completion, and security with things that are fleeting. Some people drink alcohol or do drugs, and for their moments of intoxication they are on cloud nine and are “complete.” Others pursue their sexual impulses and momentarily, their loneliness and depression dissipate and they are “comforted.” Others run over the hills and far away, and for that time of vacation they are “serene." But those things too, are fleeting.
The moment that I left the plane, I felt as if I had seen G-d’s hand in my life in complete clarity. I wanted to achieve such a high level of connection with G-d’s world, and for that moment I did. But as I write to you four days later, that feeling is as fleeting as a shooting star. Why? Because a real connection to G-d does not come from things that are fleeting. G-d and happiness do not depend on anything else. Love for your brother or soul mate does not depend on anything else! And if it does, then kiss it goodbye. It will run faster than Forest Gump.
We are all in a pursuit for the deepest connection with something substantial. We want to feel “alive” as they say (whoever “they” are). We want to feel something so intense that we seek any way of doing so. Whether we realize it or not, our intention is to be one with G-d. On a subconscious level, we are fighting the real way for the “real” way. Sex, drugs and Rock N’ Roll are a “quick way,” but not to happiness; instead to a dark pit where one cannot be rescued. We want things on our terms but it’s all sheker (falsehood). In the above verse, Moshe tells us in five words what many people only realize on their death bed.
In this week’s Torah portion, Moshe tells us not to fall into the hands of false gods and not to be swayed by people who provide omens or perform magic and sorcery. Directly after, Moshe says, “You shall be wholehearted with HaShem your G-d” (18:13).We shall search for truth, happiness and love all in the realm of G-d’s command.
We all have our own journeys, fixings, and obstacles. We all have our own weaknesses, but at the end of the day we all have the necessary strengths to prevail --- we just need to want it.
Today marks the beginning of one of the hardest months of the Jewish calendar, Elul. We don’t spend this time thinking about Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur, we spend this month making up for lost time. We spend this month striving for the best things that will give us eternal joy, eternal happiness, eternal completion, and G-dliness.
HaRav Natenal Lebowitz Shlita reminds us the teachings of Chazal (sages):
Chazal say that the letters of the word Elul represents the first letter of the words in the phrase Ani L'dodi V'dodi Li (translated as: I am to my Beloved and my Beloved is to me). Elul is a month to commit to Hashem. Elul is a month to fall in love with Hashem. We can only call one a dodi (beloved) if we spend time thinking about Him and our relationship with Him. Hashem loves us.
Let us reciprocate. Let us love Him back. The more that I work on the "I am to my Beloved", the more that I will realize and feel that "My Beloved has been and always will be to me."
Our Father in Heaven, let us realize how deep we can go. Let us know how hard we are capable of pushing. Let us shake You to the point where we are granted what is needed to serve You. HaShem, bless us with the real pursuit to live the verse: “You shall be wholehearted with HaShem your G-d (18:13).”
Sky diving was great, but only because I realized that, depsite the human drive to feel “alive" by participating in dangerous activities, we as Jews are blessed with a recipe to feel “alive” that seems a little rough at first, but is genuine and promising: the Torah.
This week I will try to: Find a healthy and steady process to begin the pursuit for happiness and oneness with G-d; a pursuit that is not dependant on money or the ways of the 70’s. I will search for a deeper connection to my G-d wherever I am, and I will destroy the fleeting things in my midst.
Chodesh Tov (Have a good month!)
Shabbat Shalom!
Mazel Tov to Joel and Heidi Silverman on their wedding!
Edited by Rachael B. Goldberg
On Monday August 17th, 2009 I decided to do something that most consider crazy and foolish; I jumped out of a plane (with a parachute of course). In my life I have never felt a stronger and more exhilarating feeling than being 10,000 feet in the air. Falling at 120 mph, I thought I might wake up in my bed, dreaming.
In Judaism, we are not supposed to place ourselves in dangerous situations in vain, so I decided to meditate on what life lessons I could derive from this experience and how it might coincide with this week’s parsha. I learned many things from skydiving, but one thing flew right into my mind, (no pun intended). When looking down at the Jersey coast line, I thought to myself,
“Humans are crazy! We just never feel settled! We are always looking for things that we believe will bring us more happiness and fulfillment.”
“You shall be wholehearted with HaShem your G-d (18:13)."
At first glance, one might say, “Become one with G-d? Me? G-d is so big!” Some might even say that they have achieved this state of being, but I think we’re still on the way. We don’t feel humbled by the above verse, and in actuality, we pursue this idea 24/7 but in an empty way. In our minds, it seems clear what is “important,” “real” and what leads to “happiness,” but we are tricking ourselves. We pursue deeper meaning, completion, and security with things that are fleeting. Some people drink alcohol or do drugs, and for their moments of intoxication they are on cloud nine and are “complete.” Others pursue their sexual impulses and momentarily, their loneliness and depression dissipate and they are “comforted.” Others run over the hills and far away, and for that time of vacation they are “serene." But those things too, are fleeting.
The moment that I left the plane, I felt as if I had seen G-d’s hand in my life in complete clarity. I wanted to achieve such a high level of connection with G-d’s world, and for that moment I did. But as I write to you four days later, that feeling is as fleeting as a shooting star. Why? Because a real connection to G-d does not come from things that are fleeting. G-d and happiness do not depend on anything else. Love for your brother or soul mate does not depend on anything else! And if it does, then kiss it goodbye. It will run faster than Forest Gump.
We are all in a pursuit for the deepest connection with something substantial. We want to feel “alive” as they say (whoever “they” are). We want to feel something so intense that we seek any way of doing so. Whether we realize it or not, our intention is to be one with G-d. On a subconscious level, we are fighting the real way for the “real” way. Sex, drugs and Rock N’ Roll are a “quick way,” but not to happiness; instead to a dark pit where one cannot be rescued. We want things on our terms but it’s all sheker (falsehood). In the above verse, Moshe tells us in five words what many people only realize on their death bed.
In this week’s Torah portion, Moshe tells us not to fall into the hands of false gods and not to be swayed by people who provide omens or perform magic and sorcery. Directly after, Moshe says, “You shall be wholehearted with HaShem your G-d” (18:13).We shall search for truth, happiness and love all in the realm of G-d’s command.
We all have our own journeys, fixings, and obstacles. We all have our own weaknesses, but at the end of the day we all have the necessary strengths to prevail --- we just need to want it.
Today marks the beginning of one of the hardest months of the Jewish calendar, Elul. We don’t spend this time thinking about Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur, we spend this month making up for lost time. We spend this month striving for the best things that will give us eternal joy, eternal happiness, eternal completion, and G-dliness.
HaRav Natenal Lebowitz Shlita reminds us the teachings of Chazal (sages):
Chazal say that the letters of the word Elul represents the first letter of the words in the phrase Ani L'dodi V'dodi Li (translated as: I am to my Beloved and my Beloved is to me). Elul is a month to commit to Hashem. Elul is a month to fall in love with Hashem. We can only call one a dodi (beloved) if we spend time thinking about Him and our relationship with Him. Hashem loves us.
Let us reciprocate. Let us love Him back. The more that I work on the "I am to my Beloved", the more that I will realize and feel that "My Beloved has been and always will be to me."
Our Father in Heaven, let us realize how deep we can go. Let us know how hard we are capable of pushing. Let us shake You to the point where we are granted what is needed to serve You. HaShem, bless us with the real pursuit to live the verse: “You shall be wholehearted with HaShem your G-d (18:13).”
Sky diving was great, but only because I realized that, depsite the human drive to feel “alive" by participating in dangerous activities, we as Jews are blessed with a recipe to feel “alive” that seems a little rough at first, but is genuine and promising: the Torah.
This week I will try to: Find a healthy and steady process to begin the pursuit for happiness and oneness with G-d; a pursuit that is not dependant on money or the ways of the 70’s. I will search for a deeper connection to my G-d wherever I am, and I will destroy the fleeting things in my midst.
Chodesh Tov (Have a good month!)
Shabbat Shalom!
Mazel Tov to Joel and Heidi Silverman on their wedding!
Edited by Rachael B. Goldberg
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