שירת שלום
Song of Peace
The biblical account of the creation of the universe seems mysterious. Using the relationship between cause and effect, G-D is the ultimate cause, creating the entire universe from nothingness. No black holes, no big explosion, just nothingness.
In the biblical narrative of creation there was no physical work, chemical interaction or any kind of building blocks for the universe. G-D created the entire universe simply by commanding it to happen.
However, the only thing that was created differently in the entire universe, were human beings. G-D actually physically sculpted the shape of a human from the dirt of planet Earth and when he was satisfied with his prototype, he then blew his Godly living spirit into him. Therefore, the phrase “In the Image of G-D” does not refer to the physical shape of Adam, since G-D has no physical image. It actually refers to G-D’s spirit which was blown into him.
Evidently, Adam and Eve were perfect human beings in every way. However, after the fruit of the tree of knowledge fiasco, when Adam and Eve ate from the forbidden fruit of knowledge, they suddenly had enhanced intelligence and sophistication way beyond their original creation. This became imparted to all the generations that followed.
But with all those smarts, Adam and Eve also acquired some bad tendencies and emotions which made them less than perfect. As a result, Adam and all generations that followed became creatures with the spirit of G-D inside but also imperfect.
Jewish tradition says that there is a constant daily conflict between godliness and negative feelings and emotions as we go about our modern daily lives.
Later on, as the biblical events folded, starting with Cain murdering his own brother, Abel, the biblical narrative talks about generations of mankind with negative tendencies and even cruelties. This is a time when the spirit of G-D has begun to fade. G-D then realizes that something has to be done to try to control human flaws to save mankind from itself.
In the Book of Exodus, G-D designates the Israelites, the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the great G-D believers as the guardians of G-D’s spirit among people. This was done to prevent the spirit of G-D from completely fading from the hearts and minds of humanity.
That means that we, the Jewish people, are entrusted with preserving the divine spirit of G-D, among people, to make the world a better place by shining G-D’s light among mankind.
We all know it as “repairing the world,” Tikun Olam through acts of kindness and good deeds.
In order to make our world a better place, our soul yearns to be in constant contact with its creator for strength and encouragement, like a lamb constantly searching for his mom.
The Rambam, Maimonides, explains that we pray to our creator, so that our soul reunites with its creator in order to draw strength and holiness.
The Chasidic philosophy, while not taking away the importance of actual praying, stresses the value of meditating as a way to help bring the soul close to its creator. Meditating is awakening the inner feelings of closeness to G-D and a sense of holiness.
We become better human beings, performing acts of kindness and pursuing justice. This is the essence of Tikun Olam, making the world a better place. In turn, this makes our world a better place for all. We repair the world through our prayers and deeds.
Prayers do not need to be perfect, not in text, not in hymns. It is the intention, or "kavana" in our meditative state that elevates our soul close to our Creator. Judaism maintains that such a meditative state makes our prayers rise to heaven and opens the gates of heaven.
The following is a Chasidic story that demonstrates the power of kavanah, intention.
It was the Kol Nidrei night; the synagogue was very crowded, all waiting patiently for the rebbe to begin davening Kol Nidrei. But the rebbe was quiet and just stood there as if he was waiting for something.
People around him quietly and respectfully urged him to start but he just stood silently. Minutes went by and nothing happened. Then, suddenly, a wide smile appeared on his face and he started a powerful ”Kol Nidrei…
Later he explained, “I heard a child from the back of the synagogue talking to the old mighty saying, I cannot read to say the prayers but I know the alef bet. As he recited the letters, they went straight to heaven as a powerful prayer. The rebbe, known as the Baal Shem Tov, explained, “I waited until the child’s holy prayer was finished and accepted in the heavens before I began.”
The great rabbis of the Talmud taught that it is ok to ask for our needs and even our wants because even personal requests of both wants and needs, strengthens the bond between us and the Creator, drawing our souls closer to him.
May our prayers for ourselves, for our families and friends, for all souls who are hurting in silence, may we all be a shofar to their sorrow. May our prayers for all who suffer, for a more peaceful and tranquil world be accepted in heaven for a Happy New Year.
Shana Tova,
Rabbi David
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Even though I was only a child, after all these years, the memory is still etched into my mind, into my very essence…
I was four years old at the time, living in Yonkers, NY, where I attended our Temple’s nursery school. It was the time of Sukkot but the sukkah was in the sanctuary on the bimah. I still wonder today, why it wasn’t built outside but I suppose that is just how things were done there.
Our teacher had us line up in front of the side stairs going up to the bimah. One by one we each had a turn to stand inside the sukkah. When it was my turn, as I looked above to see the hanging fruits, I was embraced and experienced a Joy and Love that I still can’t put into words to this day. In my child’s mind, it was the invisible, magical lady of the sukkah who hugged me.
When our son was three years old and came home from his pre-school saying his friend’s daddy built a sukkah, that was all Rabbi David needed to hear. And so began our yearly tradition of building a sukkah in our backyard. In those days, living up north in New Jersey, the Autumn weather was beautiful and we would host a yearly party for which we became famous.
But each night I would sit quietly inside the sukkah and again experience the Sacred Presence that embraced me as a child. It would renew me, fill me with peace and joy! It is a tradition that I still follow after all these years.
I suppose the rabbis knew what they were doing when they instituted that it is a mitzvah to have people visit a sukkah one builds. For they too can be infused with the Healing, the Renewal, the Joy that being underneath the sukkah can bring. What a beautiful gift after the intense inner work of the High Holy Days!
Love, Cantor Lee
Cantor Lee: What would the High Holy Days be without an account of Rabbi David's yearly meeting with the Heavenly Beings. Shana Tova!
Rabbi David: Once again, as the summer draws to an end and the High Holy Days are in the air, as my yearly rabbinical custom demands, I used my Divine facebook account to send a message to the Heavenly Department for Jewish and Kosher Affairs, alerting them that I am filing an application for the World’s Jewish Status Review. I used the appropriate heavenly mandatory form titled “Rabbinical Request for Complaints Hearing and Jewish Review”
Much to my surprise, a few days later, UPS left me a small package from an undisclosed sender. Inside was a letter and a map. The letter notified me that Angel Shmuel Rabinowitz, my long loyal contact, will not handle my case this year since he was reassigned to a different detail in Washington DC. Go figure.
My case will be handled by Superior Angel, Mottel Berkovitch. Angel Mottel presides over a special non-partisan angelic commission for rabbinical complaints. My case will be heard at that kosher bagel and cream cheese store in the wilderness of West Boca Raton. I was asked to bring to the hearing all supporting documentation including maps, graphs, videos and written testimonies from Jewish people around the world. All the presented material will be evaluated in an orderly fashion during the heavenly hearing.
A date was set. I was busy gathering all the supporting documents. On the date of the hearing I got up early, got dressed, put on my favorite “Am Yisrael Chai” shirt, nice pair of pants and tie, ate an abbreviated breakfast and got ready to leave quietly so as not to disturb my beloved wife, Lee Ellen, who was still sleeping.
It course, nothing slips past my beloved wife. She rushed downstairs to perform her regular daily husband clothing checking. Upon hearing where and why I was going, she rolled her eyes and murmured ”another mishegas”. As usual I was made to change my pants, shirt, socks and shoes because she detected a microscopic unseen spot at the bottom of my pants. The tie passed and could stay.
I finally got to the bagel place. The commission was already sitting around a long table. They had already finished their breakfast and were drinking their Turkish coffee. There were four lady angels and four gentlemen angels, all looking very angelic and serious. Superior Angel Mottel Berkovich was presiding. With him was his heavenly edition apple laptop and a large screen.
I pulled the documents from my briefcase and handed them to Angel Mottel. He scanned them and displayed them on the screen. He was also streaming the procedure in real time for the big guy, the Higher Authority to see.
“Go ahead dear, we are listening, we are all human ears”, one of the lady angels was saying with a heavenly smile.
The supporting documents were now flashing on the screen. All the testimonies of hostilities against Jews around the world including Israel’s struggle in the last two years were there. I started my presentation: “As you can see for yourselves your honorable angels, the Jewish world is experiencing a dangerous rise in physical and verbal hostility. In many countries. Jews are living in fear for their lives. Our beloved Israel is struggling in a never ending war for survival against extremely ruthless enemies. They are exhausted physically and mentally. The hostages that were dragged to Gaza two years ago are still held in despicable inhumane conditions. "
The commission was quietly watching the testimonial, pictures and videos on the screen. I continued, "We in the US and other places around the world are experiencing a dangerous rise in Antisemitism on our campuses, on our streets and social media. Lies about the Jewish people and State of Israel have proliferated everywhere. We, the Jewish people, have suffered enough. It is time for some changes. It is time to improve human moral standards and eliminate Jewish persecution once and for all. "
One of the angels raised what appeared to be a hand and got permission to talk. “Rabbi, he said, “we have been dealing with bigotry and antisemitism for many, many centuries. Our almighty boss has closets full of documents like these. He had to build additional heavenly closets to store them all. As you know, Rabbi, the Jewish people have been traumatized by war and bigotry since Moses’ time. Angel Mottel took over, “Rabbi, just as we have been saying for centuries, do not despair. The Jewish people are an evergreen nation, forever alive. They are here as long as the world turns. You see, said the good Angel Mottel Berkovich, the Jewish people are blessed with Divine Light and nothing can destroy it. They are a giant tree with roots so deep in the ground, no hurricane can possibly topple it, not even category five. Be not afraid. G-D almighty, my boss, has your back. Keep the faith.
Another nice angel said: you must trust that what is good and decent will always prevail, trust that the good and decent will always defeat the darkness and evil. However,” he continued, ”Our Boss, the big guy, is watching these proceedings in real time. He is aware of everything. Trust in him and pray to him. With his help things will get better."
With this the Angelic commission officially wished all of us a great new Jewish year, a year of peace and tranquility all over the world. The meeting ended.
I was left there with my carefully chosen clean shirt and pants and my nice new kippah. I trust that the angels of the special angelic commission were right, talking about the Jewish secret of survival and that our eternal Hope for a Peaceful world will never fade and will become a reality.
May we all be blessed with a Happy and Healthy New Year, a year of peace. Shanah Tova,
In just a few weeks, Rosh Hashanah begins at sundown on Sept. 22nd. As we all know, it is a time of inner work, purification and forgiveness that lasts for ten days though Yom Kippur. This work is so important that preparation actually begins 30 days beforehand during the Hebrew month of Elul, which is known as the Month of Love. The Hebrew letters are an acronym for the famous phrase, "I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine" taken from Song of Solomon, 6:3 in the Bible. This phrase is commonly used at weddings but it is really about the Love that G-d has for all of us, that we are in sacred partnership, co-creators.
As we go through self evaluation during the month of Elul which began Aug. 23rd at sundown, we do so with this Divine Love. It helps us discern what we would like to keep in our lives and what we would like to discard. The daily process of inner reflection which is to be done without guilt is meant to also help us become more aware of our emotions and perceptions, allowing us to eventually have control over them rather than having the emotions and perceptions control us.
One of the best ways to go through this process is with kavanah which means, intention. It is one of our most powerful practices. Even before praying we set the intention that our prayers are connecting us to G-d. Therefore, with kavanah, set the intention that insights will come with inner reflection that will help you grow spiritually. Cantor Lee keeps a journal to help with this process. If you would like to follow the practice of inner reflection during Elul, please let us know know how it goes!
May we all be blessed with awareness, discernment, peace and joy during this most special time!
Love, Rabbi David and Cantor Lee
Cantor Lee Years ago for a college assignment I asked Rabbi David what his earliest memory was. He said it was when he was 3 years old. Sirens were sounding outside his family’s apartment in Israel. All the windows had to be covered with dark paper and no lights were allowed to be put on. As Rabbi David has always said, this is just a part of life, this underlying threat of attacks. Many US young adults who signed up for summer programs in Israel have and are still experiencing this first hand. I guess the closest we in Florida come to this fear for our safety is when severe hurricanes hit and unfortunately when schools are locked down.
Rabbi David Over the centuries, as world religions evolved, they have become less fanatic and violent (with the exception of the antisemites of the world- a disease that does not seem to have a cure.) Christianity certainly went through changes. Islam is different. While there are of course moderate Muslims, as far as I know, there hasn’t been any adaptation of their draconic laws or any modern interpretation for a modern world including the violent antisemitic passages in Moslem holy books.
Iran as we all know has been a violent explosion waiting to happen for years. The ayatollahs are leaders of an extremely religious fanatic regime. This regime will not hesitate to completely eliminate the state of Israel. It will be considered a great religious obligation which will please Allah. As the ayatollah once said: “ It only takes one nuclear bomb.” This is key to understanding the frame of mind of the Iranian Muslims in power who are terrorizing their own people in order to stay in power.
This is a conflict between two civilizations with opposing and competing values. Israel's struggle to survive is not new, neither is the threat of total destruction. As the threat of nuclear disaster, courtesy of Iran, became very real for the Israelis, I was taken back to the 1967 war when the large armies of Egypt, Syria Jordan and Iraq were ready to eagerly pounce on Israel. I remember the tension, the fear, the sirens piercing through the nights and yet I remember the calmness of the IDF as they amazingly eliminated those armies one by one.
In the Israel-Iran war the heroes are not only the IDF that along with the US air force dealt devastating blows to Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile program. The heroes are also the Israeli citizens who day in and day out have had to endure life in shelters, death and the destruction of neighborhoods all over the country.
I remember the horrific war of 1973 when huge Egyptian and Syrian armies invaded Israel from both north and south and started advancing towards Tel Aviv. As a soldier, I experienced the sinking feeling that the existence of the State of Israel with half of the world’s Jewry was on the line.
Last month we celebrated 77 years of Israel’s Independence. Years of struggle against enemies with unthinkable barbaric intentions. On October 7th, a year and a half ago, we all got a taste of what could have happened during any of those wars…
So here is our Jewish little secret of survival. It is our iron strong Jewish spirit, our DNA of 3,300 years of survival power, our absolute knowledge that we the Jewish people ordained by the almighty G-D to bring peace and justice to a tumultuous and violent world and maybe most importantly, our unwaivering Hope. We are the custodians of mankind’s hope for a peaceful and tranquil world. May we all see a peaceful world soon in our days. for the sake of our children and the generations following them.
Shalom,
With hostages still being held and the war continuing it seems that as we prepare for Passover, freedom takes on an even deeper meaning this year. For we too as witnesses to this horror are being held hostage.
Just as the Torah has many levels of understanding, so does the holiday of Passover. We not only celebrate external freedom but internal freedom as well.
Holocaust Survivors have shared that the Nazis could break them on the outside but they couldn’t do so on the inside. Although at times it became quite dim, there was inner burning of Freedom that couldn’t be extinguished.
So many people tell us they live in a constant state of worry and anxiety which also includes our young people of all ages. Observing the customs of Passover gives us the opportunity to connect to an uplifting energy gift from G-d and receive help to become free within.
This freedom which Passover celebrates, is one of the most precious gifts a person or a nation can possess. Yet freedom has broad connotations both for the individual and entire nations. No less important than living freely in our physical world is freedom of the mind and spirit.
On the deeper level of understanding, the Exodus saga represents the soul’s journey to freedom. The Moses vs. Pharaoh story is biblical allegory of the battle between our healthy personal mental states which makes us truly free and all that which prevents us from achieving that state of inner freedom.
When Moses asks Pharaoh to free the slaves, it sounds as though he is asking for a three day “reprieve” to allow the Israelites the time to worship G-D in the middle of the desert. They will journey three days walking distance from Egypt. (“So said G-D of Israel: let my people go so they will worship me”)
This request is repeated throughout the entire “Negotiation” and is exactly what Pharaoh understands this request to be. In Pharoah’s mind there is no demand for absolute freedom but a three day ceremonial request.
Why would he refuse the request even after the infliction of the plagues on his country? He could have sent his huge army to make sure that the Israelites actually return to Egypt after three days.
In the deeper understanding of the story, Egypt translates as the places of restriction ruled by Pharaoh which represents our lower desires. Moses’ struggle for freedom for the Hebrew slaves as well as G-D’s final triumph is to enable us to leave Egypt and experience tranquility within by connecting to a higher consciousness.
This inner freedom is deemed so important we are given the opportunity to re-enact leaving Egypt and become free again each year during our Passover seder.
Especially with the horrendous news of the Bibas family this week, we continue to witness up close the face of Evil. And thus, we are each experiencing a wide range of emotions running the gamut from anguish to despair to rage. How is this evil even allowed to exist in our world? Our upcoming holiday of Purim perhaps helps to bring us some answers.
To understand the real meaning of the holiday of Purim, we need to examine the Biblical account of the creation of the world. The Garden of Eden often represents the ideal world as intended by the Creator, both morally and physically.
However, a threat of evil was lurking in the garden. This evil manifested itself when the snake caused Adam and Eve to eat from the Tree of Knowledge. With this, evil interfered with G-D’s plan to create a perfect world with perfect human beings just as Adam and Eve were before the episode with the Tree of Knowledge.
In order to combat evil it was necessary to keep it at bay. According to the Torah, G-D chose our ancestors, the Israelites, for this task. As they became a nation in the Sinai wilderness, they were provided with the means to successfully fight evil in the world.
These means were the laws of the Torah given to us by Moses on Mount Sinai. Jewish tradition teaches that as we, the Israelites' descendants, bring moral virtues to the world, we work towards a higher moral existence both personally and universally as was intended for us by the Creator. This process is called “Tikun Olam,” repairing the world.
As the Israelites were dragging through the harsh desert, the manifestation of evil on earth appeared in the form of the brutal nation of Amalek. Fighting the Amalekites as G-D ordained, meant spiritually fighting the world’s evil.
Moses and the Israelite first battled the Amalekites in the Sinai desert.This fight became the symbol of that ongoing effort to cleanse the world of evil.
Next was King Saul who successfully fought the Amalekites but spared their king, Agag. (Agag was eventually killed by the prophet Samuel.) Saul was severely punished for having pity for Agag. He was dethroned and replaced by King David who also fought the Amalekites but was unable to completely eliminate them.
Centuries later, when Jews were exiled, many settled in Persia. Enter the story of Purim. Haman, the continued manifestation of evil in the world, was an Agagite, a direct descendent of King Agag the Amalekite. He held a very high position in the court of King Achaverosh, ruler of the Persians at the time.
Haman symbolizes the continuation of extreme evil that permeates the world. He is the creator of the concept of anti semitism, the hatred of Jewish people because they are Jews. He is considered the creator of what became known during the Nazi era as the “Final Solution” the killing of all Jews, men, women and children.
Haman’s decree for the elimination of the Jewish population in Persia was averted because of Ester, the Jewish queen of Persia. Using her status as a queen and her influence over her husband, King Achashverosh, she convinced him to cancel the decree and help the Jews defend themselves against all the antisemites who followed Haman's decree .
Queen Ester and her Uncle Mordechai did their best to eliminate the Amalekites from the world by hanging Haman and his 10 sons. However, Haman’s antisemitic venom had already begun to spread around Persia and beyond by those who were contaminated by it. The line of evil continued.
Over the centuries every generation of Jews has suffered the evil of pogroms and the threat of elimination This threat became extreme during this last century with the Nazi atrocities. In this century we have our share of Jewish hatred all over the world. Our state of Israel exists under the constant threat of elimination by many millions of fanatic Arabs.
Along with our G-D’s ordained mission to cleanse the world we were given the power of Hope that never ceases. Hope for a world without evil. We will forever hold on to the steadfast belief for a day when the world will finally be peaceful, a world where, as the prophet Isiah said, ” nations will not lift swords against other nations”- just as G-D intended it.“
As the Jewish mid winter holiday of Tu B’Shvat is approaching I am remembering the festive mood and the exciting preparations for the holiday when I was in elementary school in Israel.
Tu B’Shvat was quite a big deal especially since we didn’t have regular classes. Instead there were ceremonies in a big park where singing and dancing teams from schools all around Tel Aviv competed for first place. The songs were always about the Jewish people returning back to our land to rebuild it. While most of us boys didn’t care about watching the performers the day outdoors away from books was always fun.
After the competitions we would be taken by bus to the outskirts of the city where the land was still barren. Each of us would be given a small plant. While planting was done according to the strict instructions of the teacher, getting our hands and clothes dirty was always the best part.
Looking back at this childhood memory I realize the significance of these Tu B’shvat events which we experienced throughout our school years.
Tu B’Shvat indeed is the expression of Jewish love and appreciation for Mother Earth. It is a reminder of how delicate and vulnerable Mother Earth really is. It is a reminder to reestablish ourselves as the custodians of this beautiful planet home and all of its inhabitants. Tu B’Shvat reminds us that we have a G-DLY mandate to oversee Earth but not to do with it as we wish. Earth is not a human playground to spoil.
But there is more. For us we Jews, Tu B’Shvat is the supreme expression of our connection to our land, all of the land.. . It is a reminder that the Jewish land of Israel is just as important as the Torah itself. G-D sanctified it and gave it to us centuries before he gave us the Torah. In fact a significant number of the Torah‘s laws are directly related to the land . This means that we cannot observe the Torah’s laws in full without the holy land of Israel.
TuB’Shvat is a yearly reminder that the Jewish people, the land of Israel and the people of Israel are one and the same.
Jewish tradition is rich with stories and teachings about light, often symbolizing knowledge, wisdom, and divine presence. One particularly well-known story is the creation of the first light in the world, which is often connected to the concept of Or HaGanuz, the Hidden Light.
In the beginning, when God created the world, He first created a special, intense light. This light was so powerful that it allowed one to see from one end of the world to the other. It was not just a physical light but a spiritual one, illuminating all of existence with divine clarity.
However, God saw that this light was too powerful for the world as it would be in the future. He knew that there would be wicked people who would misuse this incredible light, so He decided to hide it away for a future time when it could be safely revealed.
This hidden light, Or HaGanuz, is said to be reserved for the righteous in the world to come, where it will once again shine forth. But even though the light is hidden, it is believed that a spark of it remains in the Torah, the sacred texts, and in acts of kindness and justice. Whenever someone does something good, a little bit of that hidden light is revealed in the world.
This story teaches that there is a divine light within every good deed and that each act of kindness reveals a bit of that hidden light. It also suggests that true wisdom and enlightenment are accessible through study, righteousness, and spiritual practice. The story encourages people to seek the light in their own lives and to spread it through their actions, helping to bring the world closer to the divine state of Peace it was meant to be in.
This narrative is often told around Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of lights, which celebrates the miracle of the menorah burning for eight days with only enough oil for one. The story of the Hidden Light adds depth to the idea that light symbolizes hope, resilience, and the divine presence that guides the Jewish people.
As we light the Chanukah candles this year, may we all together bring forth the Hidden Light.
Chag Chanukah Sameach, Happy Chanukah!
I
t is nine years now since the rabbi of the neighborhood, our very own Rabbi David, first began putting up the holiday lights for our neighborhood entrance. And so it has become a tradition! And it is also a tradition that I share the story of how it all began each year. Of course back then, I had no idea then of how this Light project would expand which includes neighbors helping and all the boxes of lights that are now stored in my garage!
Original Article Nov. 2016 Once again Rabbi David put up the Holiday Lights for our neighborhood's entrance. Last year when he did it for the first time we thought it was so funny! The Rabbi of the neighborhood was putting up the Christmas lights! He had no idea what it would entail but took it very seriously. After all it was a mitzvah!
He called a Christian friend and asked, "How do the lights stay on the trees?" She thought the question was pretty hysterical. "Just start doing it," she said "and you will figure it out! " He enlisted some help from the neighbors as to what kind of lights to buy and also later on to help him with placing the lights on the higher trees.
He did figure out how the lights stay on the trees and the display turned out beautiful! In fact, he enjoyed the process so much he decided to get blue and white lights and decorate our back yard deck for Chanukah!
This year at the very end of creating the display, I was enlisted to help hold the ladder for the high trees. It was such a beautiful day and so much fun to be inside all the bushes and trees! When we got back home, I called out, "Here we are! The neighborhood light decorators!" Rabbi David laughed and answered with a better description, "We are the Light Workers!" We both stopped and just looked at each other understanding the significance of his words. "I guess we really are, aren't we?" Rabbi David answered, I guess we really are...."
Many Blessings for All during this Season of Light...
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