Man can not live by bread alone.
A famous expression, with its origin in this week's Torah portion. It's a reference to the miraculous Manna that fell daily (except for Shabbat) while the Jews traveled through the desert. During those 40 years, it was clear that their sustenance came from heaven.
Upon reflection, we can also tap into this. There is a limit to how much success we can manufacture by merit of our own deeds. Business deals can still fail, customers can remain disinterested in your product, elaborate conferences can yield no results. At other times, however, things simply "fall into place". A product goes viral. An app gets sold for a billion dollars.
The manna reminds us of where that blessing comes from.
There's another lesson that we can take from this expression. We can't live on bread alone because we need more than just ingredients tossed together. We crave something more. Having a completed checklist of items - a job, money, a home, possessions, do not ensure happiness or satisfaction. There's an intangible, that gives it all life. The values and accomplishments that go beyond the material have's and don't have's. The meaning we find in what we do, the mission that inspires it, the experience we share with those whom we love.
While we were in NY this week with the kids visiting Bubby and Zaidy, we took the opportunity to visit family and friends in the Boston area.
Here's a story, told to me by our cousin:
An Israeli woman was staying with her, while her son was enlisted on a mission in Gaza during last summer's chaos. Every few days, she would receive a call from him, letting her know that he was alive and safe. One day, he tells her that his new pair of glasses had broken. My cousin asked her why she didn't seem upset about the broken pair of glasses. She replied: He's alive?He hasn't been injured? He's able to call her? The glasses will work themselves out.
Let's remember, it's not about the glasses.
Shabbat Shalom!
Rabbi Dovid Bush
From the Rabbi's Desk
A Broken Pair of Glasses
A Playground in Destruction
What an incredible energy at last week's First Fridays! Next one will be on September 2nd.
Driving around town, one of the most interesting features is the empty lots with a fence around them - and there's plenty of those in Petaluma. Someone somewhere has decided that the desolation that is the current reality of that tract of land, need not stay that way. In fact, precisely because of it's demolished state, the potential emerges for creative growth, for something more beautiful than could previously have been imagined. The developer, builder, and interior designer are in a virtual playground of creativity, having a field day transforming a site of wreckage through unlimited options of expression.
Sunday is "Tisha B'av", the day when the Holy Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed. A sad day in the Jewish calendar commemorated with fasting. A day of mourning. Yet, despite the tragedies that plagued our people on this day throughout time, a fascinating episode is recounted in the Talmud:
Rabbi Akiva was walking near the ruins of the Holy Temple, when he spotted a fox taking a casual stroll among the destruction. The other sages started crying. Rabbi Akiva, however broke out in laughter. When asked about his strange behavior, he replied: "If the prophecies of the destruction have come to be, then certainly the promises of rebuilding will come to fruition as well."
The emptiest of places, can be filled with the most beautiful of structures.
Shabbat Shalom!
Rabbi Dovid Bush
Gone Camping
This week, I took my kids camping. Pitching the tent, collecting firewood, roasting marshmallows as we sat around a campfire, trying to identify the constellations of the milky way. A great experience, but it got me thinking.
Where were we going? What was the point of sleeping on that hard floor? Wasn't there a better way to cook our dinner? Talk about leaving one's comfort zone! (Just ask Devorah). 😉
In the Torah of the week, we read how the Jews traveled in the desert. 42 times they set up camp, and journeyed on. Each of the forty-two stops is enumerated. Why? Why can't we simply say they left Egypt and (eventually) got to Israel?
The message is that it's not about the destination. It's about the journey, the experience, the movement. Leaving Egypt isn't a one-time deal, and then we are done. In Hebrew, Egypt is Mitzrayim (מצרים), which means limitations. Every day, we have the opportunity to leave and break-out of yesterday's limitations. Life throws obstacles and challenges at us. There are tight spots. It's when we journey on, and overcome those difficulties, that we find our true inner strength. One that we never knew we had.
When we approach life from this perspective, it's a game changer. The journey is the destination.
Please join us tonight for a special First Fridays Shabbat, as we bid a warm farewell to our dear friend Miriam Feuer, and wish her much success with her upcoming move. Come say a L'chaim in her honor. Miriam, you will be missed!
We will also be hosting a pair of rabbinical students for Shabbat, who will bring added energy to the Shabbat experience!
Inspirational service followed by a Deluxe Kiddush!
Shabbat Shalom!
Rabbi Dovid Bush