November 28, 2008
I am truly heartbroken. We're just receiving reports now, which will be public soon I'm sure, that our worst fears will be realized. Great emissaries of the Jewish people, whose sacrifice and commitment have been, should be, and will forever be an inspiration to us all, have joined the long list of Jews who have given their lives as Jews. We would think a list that long would lose its personal significance, but we underestimate the kindness of the Almighty. Kindness? In light of everything happening right now, we speak of kindness? The answer that distinguishes us Jews from every thing else in the world is "yes". Kindness and true thanksgiving for His kindness as well - despite how hidden it seems. Amidst all the powers of intellect and philosophy we can muster, in the heart of the tears and the pain, a Jew can still speak of God's kindness. It's almost unthinkable, but we do. God created the same physiology for sadness and euphoria - tears. Tears block out the world, because at such moments only the soul understands - the outside world can't hold a candle to the world of the soul. God willing, what we access and experience today through sadness will one day become the same in joy.
In this week's Torah portion we witness the seeds of Jacob's battle with Esau; Isaacs blessing - that which he received from his father who received it directly from God - will only be won through pain, suffering, deception (which really means deceiving the physical world of it's superficiality - perhaps the most painful job), patience, faith and perseverance will this blessing take root and hold. The powers of physical dominance and worldly prowess found in Esau will be the very barriers we face - and Esau lives by his sword, the Torah teaches. Today we feel the sword so heavily. While there are too many reasons to shed tears these days, the Jews whose lives have been taken today, Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg and his holy wife Rivka, are bringing real tears of a different sort. Not only are these Jews family, they've gone to the ends of the earth to look after the wayward and wandering Jew - true shepherds of the Almighty's flock. The heart of the Jewish people is being hit hard from all sides.
A chabad house, and I have every reason to believe this one as much as any other, if not more, is a house of chesed - kindness. It takes nothing other that what it needs to give. Like a fire which laps at all things dry, physical, woody and spiritless, it has the power to unleash every ounce of energy within. A chair becomes an emblazoned inferno of heat, force and energy - feeding the output and giving light. Whether the IDF can still, or ever could, come to the aid of any Jew anywhere is certainly becoming less and less feasible. But the collective conscience of every Jew from Topeka to Timbuktu, Nebraska to Nepal, should rest an extra wink of spiritual comfort knowing someone will be looking out for them. The Holzberg's tenure is through. But the fire with which they lived and the spirit left behind will give us a warmth and a light to lead us to redemption. I never knew them. But I miss them already.
May God grant us safety in these very dangerous times.
Rabbi Lynn
In this week's Torah portion we witness the seeds of Jacob's battle with Esau; Isaacs blessing - that which he received from his father who received it directly from God - will only be won through pain, suffering, deception (which really means deceiving the physical world of it's superficiality - perhaps the most painful job), patience, faith and perseverance will this blessing take root and hold. The powers of physical dominance and worldly prowess found in Esau will be the very barriers we face - and Esau lives by his sword, the Torah teaches. Today we feel the sword so heavily. While there are too many reasons to shed tears these days, the Jews whose lives have been taken today, Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg and his holy wife Rivka, are bringing real tears of a different sort. Not only are these Jews family, they've gone to the ends of the earth to look after the wayward and wandering Jew - true shepherds of the Almighty's flock. The heart of the Jewish people is being hit hard from all sides.
A chabad house, and I have every reason to believe this one as much as any other, if not more, is a house of chesed - kindness. It takes nothing other that what it needs to give. Like a fire which laps at all things dry, physical, woody and spiritless, it has the power to unleash every ounce of energy within. A chair becomes an emblazoned inferno of heat, force and energy - feeding the output and giving light. Whether the IDF can still, or ever could, come to the aid of any Jew anywhere is certainly becoming less and less feasible. But the collective conscience of every Jew from Topeka to Timbuktu, Nebraska to Nepal, should rest an extra wink of spiritual comfort knowing someone will be looking out for them. The Holzberg's tenure is through. But the fire with which they lived and the spirit left behind will give us a warmth and a light to lead us to redemption. I never knew them. But I miss them already.
May God grant us safety in these very dangerous times.
Rabbi Lynn
posted by Rabbi Lynn at
3:45 PM
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